KR20070092149A - Priming processing method and priming processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A priming processing method and a priming processing apparatus are provided to reduce the amount of cleaning solution and to prevent the generation of particles by cleaning an entire surface of a priming roller without using a scraper. A priming processing method includes a process for forming a liquid layer of a processing solution as an advance preparation of a coating process around an outlet of a long-sized nozzle used in a coating process using a spinless method. The processing solution is injected from the nozzle by opposing the outlet and a circumference of the nozzle or an upper end of a cylindrical priming roller(188) in parallel to each other in a predetermined gap. Simultaneously, a partial surface region is used in the priming process by rotating the priming roller as much as a predetermined rotatory angle. A surface of the priming roller is cleaned after the priming process is finished.

Description

Priming processing method and priming processing apparatus {PRIMING PROCESSING METHOD AND PRIMING PROCESSING APPARATUS}

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a top view which shows the structure of the application | coating development system which this invention is applicable.

2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the coating and developing treatment system.

3 is a schematic plan view showing the overall configuration of a resist coating unit and a reduced pressure drying unit in the coating and developing treatment system.

4 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a resist coating unit in the coating and developing processing system.

5 is a substantially front view showing the overall configuration of a resist coating unit in the coating and developing processing system.

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing an example of an arrangement pattern of the jet port and the suction port in the stage application area in the resist coating unit.

7 is a partial cross-sectional side view schematically showing the configuration of the substrate transfer unit in the resist coating unit.

8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the holding portion of the substrate transfer portion in the resist coating unit.

9 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a pad portion of a substrate transfer portion in a resist coating unit.

10 is a perspective view showing a modification of the holding portion of the substrate transfer portion in the resist coating unit.

Fig. 11 is a diagram showing the configuration of a nozzle elevating mechanism, compressed air supply mechanism and vacuum supply mechanism in a resist coating unit.

12 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing the configuration of the nozzle standby portion in the resist coating unit.

Fig. 13 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of the control system in the resist coating unit.

It is a partial cross section side view which shows the one end layer of the priming process in the priming process part by one Embodiment.

It is a partial cross section side view which shows the one end layer of the priming process in the priming process part by one Embodiment.

It is a partial cross section side view which shows the one end layer of the priming process in the priming process part by one Embodiment.

It is a perspective view which shows the liquid state when the elongate resist nozzle is lowered to the application | coating start position on a board | substrate after priming process.

FIG. 18 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a film thickness state of a resist coating film formed at the coating scanning start portion in the embodiment. FIG.

It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the priming process part of embodiment.

20 is a schematic side view for explaining the operation of the continuous priming process in the priming processor according to the embodiment.

21 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view for explaining the operation of the batch washing process in the priming processing unit of the embodiment.

It is a general side view for demonstrating the action of the temporary washing process in the priming process part of embodiment.

** Description of reference numerals indicating major parts **

40: resist coating unit (CT)

75: nozzle lifting mechanism

76: stage

78: resist nozzle

78a: discharge port

84 substrate transfer unit

95: resist liquid supply mechanism

172: priming processing unit

188: Priming Roller

190: housing

200: controller

202: shielding plate

204: cleaning unit

206: 2 Fluid Jet Nozzles

208: cleaning liquid supply unit

210: gas supply unit

216: priming processing control unit

222: mist injection unit

224 drying section

226 exhaust port

228: curved cover

230: mist injection interval

232: block

234: liquid separation interval

236: exhaust passage

238: exhaust pipe

240 exhaust mechanism

242: drain hole

The present invention relates to a priming processing method and a priming processing apparatus for forming a liquid film of a processing liquid as a preliminary preparation of a coating treatment near a discharge port of an elongated nozzle used for a spinless coating process.

In the photolithography process in the manufacturing process of flat panel displays (FPDs) such as LCDs, a spinless method of scanning a long resist nozzle having a slit-shaped discharge port and applying a resist liquid onto a target substrate (such as a glass substrate) is used. It is used a lot.

In the spinless method, for example, as disclosed in Patent Literature 1, a substrate is horizontally placed on an adsorption holding table or stage, and, for example, about several hundred μm between the substrate on the stage and the discharge port of the elongated resist nozzle. A small coating gap is set, and the resist liquid is discharged and stripped onto the substrate while the resist nozzle is moved in the scanning direction (usually a horizontal direction orthogonal to the nozzle long direction) on the substrate. By moving the elongate resist nozzle once from one end of the substrate to the other end, a resist coating film can be formed on the substrate at a desired film thickness without dropping the resist liquid out of the substrate.

In the spinless method, a meniscus in which the resist liquid discharged on the substrate during the scanning scan is formed on the back side of the resist nozzle in the scanning direction in order to prevent unevenness or unevenness of the film thickness of the resist coating film. It is preferable to be provided in a horizontal straight line, and for that purpose, it is a necessary condition that the coating gap between the discharge port of the resist nozzle and the substrate is filled with an appropriate amount of resist liquid immediately before the start of coating scanning. In order to satisfy this requirement, a priming process is performed to form a liquid film of the resist liquid from the discharge port of the resist nozzle to the rear lower portion as a preliminary preparation for coating scanning.

A typical priming treatment method is to install a cylindrical priming roller horizontally near the stage, having a length equal to or greater than that of the resist nozzle, and approach the resist nozzle to a position facing the upper end of the priming roller through a small gap to access the resist liquid. The priming roller is rotated in a predetermined direction simultaneously with or immediately after it. Then, the resist liquid discharged near the apex of the priming roller is caused to flow into the lower part of the back of the resist nozzle so as to be wound around the priming roller, and the liquid film of the resist liquid remains at the lower end of the nozzle even after separating the resist nozzle from the priming roller.

The conventional priming processing apparatus is equipped with a scraper, a cleaning nozzle, a drying nozzle, etc. for cleaning a priming roller as well as the rotating mechanism which drives a priming roller rotationally, and after completion | finish of one priming process, a priming roller by a rotating mechanism as a subsequent process. Is rotated continuously, the resist liquid is scraped off from the surface of the priming roller with a scraper, and the cleaning liquid and the dry gas are ejected to the surface of the priming roller by the cleaning nozzle and the drying nozzle, respectively.

    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-156255

Although the surface area of the priming roller used for receiving and winding the resist liquid discharged from the resist nozzle by one priming treatment is different depending on the size of the resist nozzle or the priming roller, it does not require all sides (360 °) of the priming roller and is usually used. Is accompaniment (180 degrees) or less, and it is also possible to end to 1/4 weeks (90 degrees) or less. By the way, the conventional priming processing apparatus continuously rotates the priming roller as described above every time the priming process is executed, and ejects the cleaning liquid to the entire surface (or all sides) of the priming roller, thereby cleaning not only the priming roller but also the scraper. There was a problem of using a large amount of the cleaning liquid. There was also a concern that particles were generated from friction between the priming roller and the scraper.

The present invention has been made in view of the related problems in the related art, and an object thereof is to provide a priming processing method and a priming processing apparatus which greatly reduce the amount of the cleaning liquid used and do not generate particles.

In order to achieve the above object, the priming treatment method of the present invention is a priming treatment method for forming a liquid film of the treatment liquid as a preliminary preparation of the coating treatment near the discharge port of the elongated nozzle used for the spinless coating process. For this purpose, the discharge port of the nozzle and the upper end of the priming roller are opposed to each other with a predetermined gap to discharge the predetermined processing liquid from the nozzle, and the priming roller is rotated only by a predetermined rotational angle. And a second step of washing the surface of the priming roller in all directions after the completion of the predetermined number of priming processing subsequent to the first step of using the partial surface region of the priming treatment.

Moreover, the priming processing apparatus of this invention is a priming processing apparatus for forming the liquid film of a process liquid as a preliminary preparation of a coating process in the vicinity of the ejection opening of the elongate nozzle used for the spinless coating process, and the ejection opening of the said nozzle at the time of a priming process, A priming roller disposed at a predetermined position with a predetermined gap facing the horizontal, a rotating mechanism for rotating the priming roller in rotation of its central axis, and a cleaning unit for spraying a cleaning liquid onto the surface of the priming roller; On the surface of the priming roller, it has a drying unit for fitting the air flow for liquid separation, and faces the discharge port of the nozzle and the upper end of the priming roller with a predetermined gap for one priming process, and discharges a predetermined treatment liquid from the nozzle. At the same time, the priming roller is Rotate only the rotation angle to use the partial surface area equal to or less than the accompaniment of the priming roller for the priming treatment, and after the predetermined number of consecutive priming treatments have been completed, the rotating mechanism is continuously rotated by the rotating mechanism and the cleaning unit and The drying unit is operated to clean the surface of the priming roller in all directions.

In the present invention, the surface or the outer circumference of the priming roller is divided into a plurality of in the circumferential direction, and each partial surface area is allocated to a predetermined predetermined number of consecutive priming treatments, and then the surfaces of the priming roller are washed all over all sides. do. In this batch cleaning process, a washing | cleaning part and a drying part are operated by rotating a priming roller continuously by a rotating mechanism, and the surface of a priming roller is wash | cleaned all over all directions, and the liquid film of the processing liquid wound on the surface of a priming roller at the time of each priming process is carried out. No scraper is needed to scrape off the chips. Therefore, the cleaning solution consumed by the cleaning treatment after the priming treatment can be greatly reduced, and no particles are generated during the cleaning treatment.

According to one kind that is very suitable for the priming treatment method of the present invention, the batch cleaning treatment (second step) causes the cleaning liquid to be ejected at a predetermined position on the surface of the priming roller while continuously rotating the priming roller at a constant rotational speed. The main cleaning process for hitting air for liquid separation at another predetermined position and the main drying process for hitting air for liquid separation at a predetermined position without spraying the cleaning liquid on the surface of the priming roller while continuously rotating the priming roller at a constant rotational speed. Include. In this case, in the main cleaning step, it is preferable to mix the cleaning liquid with the gas toward the surface of the priming roller and to jet the jet with a high pressure jet stream. According to such two-fluid jet cleaning, the liquid film of the processing liquid adhering to the surface of the priming roller can be efficiently and completely washed out by the pressure of the jet stream.

In the priming processing apparatus of the present invention, as a very suitable type, the cleaning unit is disposed on the way from the upper end to the lower end of the priming roller in the rotational direction. In this case, in order to prevent the mist of the washing | cleaning liquid which generate | occur | produces in the washing | cleaning part vicinity from flying to the upper end side of a priming roller, it is preferable to provide a mist shielding part upstream rather than a washing | cleaning part along the rotation direction of a priming roller.

Moreover, as a very suitable kind, the 1st space | interval formation part which arrange | positions along the rotation direction from the lower end to the upper end of a priming roller, and forms a 1st space | interval with the surface of a priming roller, and a 1st It has a 1st air flow formation part which flows air for liquid separation in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of a priming roller in a space | interval. Here, it is preferable that a 1st space | interval extends along the rotation direction of a priming roller, and it is preferable that a 1st air flow formation part has a 1st vacuum mechanism connected to the upstream end of a 1st space | interval. The drying unit sucks air in the atmosphere into the first interval from the downstream end of the first interval, and flows the air in the first interval in the opposite direction to the rotational direction along the outer peripheral surface of the priming roller. The remaining liquid is removed by the pressure of the air flow, and the mist which escapes from the stage upstream of the first interval is sent to the first vacuum mechanism. Thus, by using the vacuum to separate the air flow in the direction opposite to the rotational direction with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the priming roller, and the mist generated by the liquid separation is recovered as a vacuum as it is, the drying efficiency is high and can prevent the mist from scattering.

Moreover, according to one kind which is very suitable, the mist inlet part for drawing the mist of the washing | cleaning liquid which generate | occur | produces in the vicinity of a washing | cleaning part to a downstream side rather than a washing | cleaning part along the rotation direction of a priming roller is also provided. As a very suitable type, the mist inlet is a second gap forming portion and a second gap forming portion disposed between the cleaning portion and the drying portion along the rotational direction of the priming roller to form a second gap between the surface of the priming roller. It has a 2nd air flow formation part which forms the air flow for mist drawing in the same direction as the rotational direction of a priming roller in the space | interval of. Here, it is preferable that a 2nd space | interval extends along the rotation direction of a priming roller, and it is preferable that a 2nd air flow formation part has a 2nd vacuum mechanism connected to the downstream end of a 2nd space | interval. This second vacuum mechanism can also serve as a first vacuum mechanism, in which case the second interval is connected to the first interval via the second vacuum mechanism. The mist inlet part sucks mist generated in the vicinity of the cleaning part into the second gap from the downstream end of the second gap, and flows the mist in the rotational direction along the outer circumference of the priming roller within the second gap. The mist which leaked from the space | interval of 2 is sent to a 2nd vacuum mechanism.

Moreover, according to one kind which is very suitable, the 3rd process of temporarily washing the partial surface area | region of the priming roller used for the priming process is performed about the at least initial priming process in the continuous predetermined number of priming processes. The third step is a temporary cleaning step of ejecting the cleaning liquid at a predetermined position to the partial surface area of the priming roller while rotating the priming roller only by a predetermined rotational angle, and the priming roller is rotated only by the predetermined rotational angle to the nozzle. And a return process for returning the partial surface area of the priming roller to a position before or near the preclean process. In this case, it is preferable to apply a relatively low pressure cleaning liquid to the partial surface area of the priming roller in the temporary cleaning step, whereby the treatment liquid adhered to the partial surface area of the priming roller without generating mist. It is possible to wash off a part, or merely to prevent dry solidification of the treatment liquid can achieve a sufficiently large effect in reducing the burden of the batch washing treatment in the subsequent step. When the two-fluid jet nozzle is used for the cleaning unit, the ratio of the pressure of the cleaning liquid and the pressure of the gas at the two-fluid jet nozzle is controlled so as to variably be blown out to the priming roller during the main cleaning process and the temporary cleaning process. The pressure of the cleaning liquid can be optimized individually.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the preferred embodiment of this invention is described with reference to an accompanying drawing.

1 shows a coating development processing system as an example of the applicable structure of the priming processing method and the priming processing apparatus of the present invention. This coating and developing treatment system is installed in a clean room, for example, using an LCD substrate as a substrate to be treated, and performing each treatment of washing, resist coating, prebaking, developing, and postbaking in a port lithography process in an LCD manufacturing process. will be. Exposure processing is performed by an external exposure apparatus (not shown) provided adjacent to this system.

This coating and developing treatment system is roughly divided into a cassette station (C / S, 10), a process station (P / S, 12), and an interface unit (I / F, 14).

The cassette station (C / S) 10 provided at one end of the system includes a cassette stage 16 and a cassette for mounting a predetermined number of cassettes C for accommodating a plurality of substrates G, for example, up to four. The board | substrate G with respect to the conveyance path 17 provided to the side on the stage 16, and in parallel with the arrangement direction of the cassette C, and the cassette C on the cassette stage 16 to move freely on this conveyance path 17. FIG. The conveyance mechanism 20 which performs entrance and exit of is provided. This conveyance mechanism 20 has a means which can hold | maintain the board | substrate G, for example, has a conveyance arm, is operable by four axes of X, Y, Z, and (theta), and it is the process station P / S 12 mentioned later. The conveyance apparatus 38 and the board | substrate G of the side can be conveyed.

The process station P / S, 12 sequentially cleans the cleaning process unit 22, the coating process unit 24, and the developing process unit 26 from the cassette station C / S, 10 side by the substrate relay unit 23. ), And the chemical liquid supply unit 25 and the space 27 are installed in a horizontal line.

The cleaning process unit 22 includes two scrubber cleaning units (SCR) 28, two upper and lower ultraviolet irradiation / cooling units (UV / COL, 30), a heating unit (HP, 32), and a cooling unit (COL, 34). ) Is included.

The coating process section 24 includes a spinless resist coating unit (CT, 40), a reduced pressure drying unit (VD, 42), a two-stage upper / lower stage adhi / cooling unit (AD / COL, 46), and a two-stage upper / lower heating / It includes a cooling unit (HP / COL, 48) and a heating unit (HP, 50).

The developing process unit 26 includes three developing units DEV 52 and two upper and lower two-stage heating / cooling units HP / COL 53 and heating units HP 55.

The conveyance paths 36, 51, and 58 are provided in the center part of each process part 22, 24, 26 in the longitudinal direction, and the conveying apparatus 38, 54, 60 follows the conveyance paths 36, 51, 58, respectively. It moves, accesses each unit in each process part, and carries in / out of a board | substrate G, or conveys it. Moreover, in this system, in each process part 22, 24, 26, the unit (SCR, CT, DEV, etc.) of a liquid processing system is arrange | positioned at one side of the conveyance paths 36, 51, 58, and heat-processed at one side. System units (HP, COL, etc.) are arranged.

The interface unit I / F 14 provided at the other end of the system is provided with an extension (substrate receiving unit 56) and a buffer stage 57 on the side adjacent to the process station 12 and adjacent to the exposure apparatus. The conveyance mechanism 59 is provided in the side. The conveyance mechanism 59 is free to move on the conveyance path 19 extending in the Y direction, allows the substrate G to move in and out of the buffer stage 57, and extends (substrate receiving portion 56) and an exposure apparatus near the same. And the substrate G are carried out.

2 shows a procedure of the process in the coating and developing treatment system. First, in the cassette station C / S, 10, the conveyance mechanism 20 takes out one board | substrate G from the predetermined | prescribed cassette C on the cassette stage 16, and the process station P / S, 12 Is passed to the conveying apparatus 38 of the washing process part 22 (step S1).

In the cleaning process section 22, the substrate G is first brought into the ultraviolet irradiation / cooling unit (UV / COL) 30 in turn, and the first ultraviolet irradiation unit (UV) is subjected to dry cleaning by ultraviolet irradiation, and then In the cooling unit COL, it cools to predetermined temperature (step S2). In this ultraviolet cleaning, the organic substance of the surface of a board | substrate is mainly removed.

Subsequently, the substrate G is subjected to a scrubbing cleaning process with one of the scrubber cleaning units SCR 28, and the particulate dirt is removed from the substrate surface (step S3). After the scrubbing cleaning, the substrate G is subjected to a dehydration process by heating in the heating unit HP 32 (step S4), and then cooled to a constant substrate temperature in the cooling unit COL 34 (step S5). . Preprocessing by the washing | cleaning process part 22 is complete | finished by this, and the board | substrate G is conveyed to the application | coating process part 24 via the board | substrate receiving part 23 by the conveying apparatus 38. FIG.

In the coating process part 24, the board | substrate G is first carried in to the adhi- sion / cooling unit (AD / COL) 46 one by one, and undergoes hydrophobization treatment (HMDS) in the first ad-hit knit (AD) (step S6). The substrate is cooled to a constant substrate temperature by the next cooling unit COL (step S7).

Subsequently, the substrate G is coated with the resist liquid by the resist method to the resist coating units CT and 40, and then subjected to a drying process under reduced pressure by the vacuum drying units VD and 42 (step S8). .

Subsequently, the substrate G is brought in to the heating / cooling unit HP / COL 48 in order, and after the coating is baked (prebaked) in the first heating unit HP (step S9), the cooling unit ( COL) is cooled to a constant substrate temperature (step S10). It is also possible to use a heating unit (HP, 50) for baking after this coating.

After the said coating process, the board | substrate G is conveyed to the interface part I / F, 14 by the conveyance apparatus 54 of the application | coating process part 24, and the conveyance apparatus 60 of the image development process part 26, and From there, it is passed to an exposure apparatus (step S1I). In the exposure apparatus, a predetermined circuit pattern is exposed to the resist on the substrate G. And the board | substrate G which finished pattern exposure is returned to the interface part I / F, 14 from an exposure apparatus. The conveyance mechanism 59 of the interface unit I / F, 14 passes the substrate G received from the exposure apparatus to the developing process unit 26 of the process station P / S, 12 via the extension 56. (Step S11).

In the developing process part 26, the board | substrate G is subjected to the developing process by either one of the developing units DEV 52 (step S12), and then one of the heating / cooling units HP / COL 53 is performed. It is carried in in order, and it post-bakes in the first heating unit HP (step S13), and then cools to a constant substrate temperature by the cooling unit COL (step S14). The heating unit (HP, 55) can also be used for this postbaking.

The board | substrate G which has processed a series of processes in the image development process part 26 is returned to the cassette station C / S, 10 by the conveying apparatus 60, 54, 38 in the process station P / S, 12. Thereby, it is accommodated in one cassette C either by the conveyance mechanism 20 (step S1).

In the coating and developing treatment system, the present invention can be applied to the priming treatment method and apparatus in the resist coating unit (CT, 40) of the coating process section (24). 3-18, the resist coating unit CT and 40 in one Embodiment of this invention are demonstrated.

3, the whole structure of the resist coating unit (CT, 40) and the pressure reduction drying unit (VD, 42) in this embodiment is shown.

As shown in FIG. 3, the resist coating unit CT 40 and the pressure reduction drying unit VD 42 are arrange | positioned in the X direction on the support stand or the support frame 70. The new substrate G to be subjected to the coating treatment is carried into the resist coating unit CT, 40 as indicated by the arrow F _A by the conveying apparatus 54 (FIG. 1) on the conveying path 51 side. The substrate G coated with the resist coating units CT, 40 is indicated by an arrow F _B by the transfer arm 74 which is movable in the X direction guided by the guide rail 72 on the support 70. Are sent to the vacuum drying unit (VD, 42). The board | substrate G which completed the drying process by the pressure reduction drying units VD and 42 is caught by the conveying apparatus 54 (FIG. 1) by the conveyance path 51 side as shown by arrow Fc.

The resist coating units CT, 40 have a stage 76 extending in the X direction, and are elongated arranged on the stage 76 while conveying the substrate G on the stage 76 in a countercurrent in the same direction. The resist liquid is supplied onto the substrate G by the resist nozzle 78 to form a resist coating film having a predetermined film thickness on the upper surface (to-be-processed surface) of the substrate by the spinless method. The configuration and operation of each part in the unit CT 40 will be described later.

The vacuum drying unit (VD) 42 has a lower chamber 80 of a tray or a low-velocity container having an upper surface opened, and an upper chamber of a lid shape configured to be hermetically adhered or fitted to the upper surface of the lower chamber 80. Not). The lower chamber 80 has a square shape, and a stage 82 for horizontally mounting and supporting the substrate G is provided at the center, and an exhaust port 83 is provided at four corners of the bottom surface. A vacuum pump (not shown) is connected via an exhaust pipe (not shown) The sealed processing space in both chambers is covered by the vacuum pump to a predetermined degree of vacuum with the upper chamber covered by the lower chamber 80. It is possible to reduce the pressure.

4 and 5 show a more detailed overall configuration in the resist application unit CT 40. In this resist coating unit CT, 40, the stage 76 does not function as a mounting base which hold | maintains the board | substrate G as usual, but the board | substrate for floating the board | substrate G in the air by the force of air pressure. Functions as a flotation. In addition, the linear movement board | substrate conveyance part 84 arrange | positioned at the both sides of the stage 76 hold | maintains detachable both edges of the board | substrate G floating on the stage 76, respectively, and can perform the stage long direction ( The substrate G is conveyed to the X direction).

In detail, the stage 76 is divided into _five regions M ', M2, M3, M', and M5 in the long direction (X direction) (Fig. 5). The region M 'at the left end is a carry-in area, and the new substrate G to be subjected to the coating process is carried in at a predetermined position in this region M'. In order to receive the board | substrate G from the conveyance arm of the conveying apparatus 54 (FIG. 1), and to load it on the stage 76 in this loading area M ', it can move up and down between the original position of a stage below, and the mounting position of a stage upper side. A plurality of lines of lift pins 86 are provided at predetermined intervals. These lift pins 86 are lift-driven by the lift pin lifting part 85 (FIG. 13) for carrying in which an air cylinder (not shown) is used for a drive source, for example.

The carry-in area M 'is also an area in which floating-type substrate conveyance is started, and compressed air of high pressure or static pressure is used on the upper surface of the stage in the area to float the substrate G at the lift height or the lift amount Ha for loading. Many ejection openings 88 for ejecting are provided at a constant density. Here, the floating amount Ha of the board | substrate G in the loading area M 'does not require especially high precision, and should just be maintained in the range of 250-350 micrometers, for example. In the conveyance direction (X direction), it is preferable that the size of the loading area M 'exceeds the size of the substrate G. Further, an alignment portion (not shown) for positioning the substrate G on the stage 76 may be provided in the carry-in region M '.

The region M3, which is set to the center of the stage 76, is a resist liquid supply region or an application region, and the substrate G is formed from the upper resist nozzle 78 when the resist liquid R passes through the application region M3. Receive the supply of The substrate floating amount Hb in the application region M3 defines an application gap S (for example, 240 μm) between the lower end (discharge port) of the nozzle 78 and the upper surface of the substrate (to-be-processed surface). This application | coating gap S is an important parameter which determines the film thickness and resist consumption of a resist coating film, and needs to be kept constant with high precision. From this, on the upper surface of the stage of the application region M₃, for example, a spout port for blowing compressed air of high pressure or constant pressure in order to float the substrate G in a desired flotation amount Hb in an arrangement or distribution pattern as shown in FIG. 88 and a suction port 90 that suck air at negative pressure are provided in a mixture. Then, the vertical upward force by the compressed air from the jet port 88 is added to the portion passing through the coating area M3 of the substrate G, and the vertical direction by the negative pressure suction force is applied to the suction port 90. The downward force is added to control the balance of the bidirectional force to resist, and the floating amount Hb for application is kept at the set value Hs (for example, 50 µm). The size of the coating area M3 in the conveying direction (X direction) should be sufficient to allow the narrow coating gap S as described above to be formed under the resist nozzle 78 in a stable manner. It is smaller than the size of G) and is good for 1/3 to 1/4, for example.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the application | coating area | region M3, the jet port 88 and the suction port 90 are alternately arrange | positioned on the straight line C which forms a constant inclined angle with respect to a board | substrate conveyance direction (X direction). The offset α is provided in the pitch on the straight line C between the adjacent rows. According to the related arrangement pattern, not only the mixing density of the jet port 88 and the suction port 90 can be made uniform, the substrate floating force on the stage can be made uniform, but also the jet port (when the substrate G moves in the conveying direction (X direction)). It is also possible to equalize the ratio of time facing the 88 and the suction port 90 at the respective substrate portions, whereby the trace of the jet port 88 or the suction port 90 is applied to the coating film formed on the substrate G. Alternatively, the transfer trace can be prevented from remaining. At the inlet of the application region M₃, the ejection opening 88 in which the tip portion of the substrate G is arranged in the same direction (straight line J phase) so that a uniform floating force can be stabilized in the direction (Y direction) orthogonal to the conveying direction. And it is preferable to make the density of the suction port 90 high. Moreover, in the application area | region M3, it is preferable to arrange only the ejection opening 88 in the both edges (straight line K phase) of the stage 76, in order to prevent the both edges of the board | substrate G from sagging.

In FIG. 5 again, the intermediate region M2 set between the carry-in region M 'and the application region M3 sets the floating height position of the substrate G during the transfer to the floating amount Ha in the carry-in region M'. Is a transition region for changing or transitioning from the floating amount Hb to the application region M3. Even in this transition region M2, the ejection opening 88 and the suction opening 90 can be mixed and arranged on the upper surface of the stage 76. In that case, the density of the suction port 90 may be gradually increased along the conveyance direction, whereby the floating amount of the substrate G may be gradually transferred from Ha to Hb during conveyance. Alternatively, in this transition region M2, a configuration in which only the ejection opening 88 is provided without including the suction opening 90 may be provided.

The area M₄ near the downstream side of the coating area M₃ is the floating amount of the substrate G from the floating amount Hb for coating to the floating amount Hc (for example, 250 to 350 μm) during the conveyance. The transition area to change. Also in this transition area | region M ', the blowing port 88 and the suction port 90 may be mixed and arrange | positioned on the upper surface of the stage 76, In that case, it is good to make the density of the suction port 90 gradually smaller along a conveyance direction. . Alternatively, a configuration may be provided in which only the jet port 88 is provided without including the suction port 90. In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, in the transition region M 'similarly to the coating region M 3, the suction port 90 and the ejection opening 88 are used to prevent the transfer traces from remaining on the resist coating film formed on the substrate G. )) Is preferably disposed on a straight line E that forms a constant inclined angle with respect to the substrate conveyance direction (X direction), and a configuration in which an appropriate offset β is provided at an arrangement pitch between adjacent columns.

The region M _{5 at} the downstream end (right end) of the stage 76 is an unloading area. The substrate G subjected to the coating treatment with the resist coating units CT, 40 is a reduced pressure drying unit near the downstream side by the transfer arm 74 (FIG. 3) from a predetermined position or an ejecting position in the carrying region M ₅ ( It is carried out to VD, 42, FIG. 3). The ejection area M5 is provided with a large number of ejection openings 88 for floating the substrate G with the floating amount Hc for carrying out at a constant density on the upper surface of the stage. A plurality of lift pins 92 are provided at predetermined intervals to move up and down between the home position below the stage and the mounting position above the stage in order to unload them on the conveyance arm 74 (FIG. 3). These lift pins 92 are driven up and down by a lift pin lifter 91 (FIG. 13) for carrying out, for example, using an air cylinder (not shown) as a drive source.

The resist nozzle 78 is slit-shaped at the lower end of the long nozzle main body which extends in the horizontal direction (Y direction) orthogonal to a conveyance direction by the length which can cover the board | substrate G on the stage 76 from one end to the other end. Has a discharge port 78a, and is mounted on the door support 130 having a door-shaped or inverted-column shape so as to be elevated, and is connected to a resist liquid supply pipe 94 (FIG. 4) from a resist liquid supply mechanism 95 (FIG. 13). .

As shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 7, and FIG. 8, the board | substrate conveyance part 84 has a shaft on each guide rail 96 and a pair of guide rails 96 arrange | positioned in parallel to the left and right sides of the stage 76. FIG. From the slider 98 which is movably mounted in the direction (X direction) and the conveyance drive part 100 which moves the slider 98 straight on each guide rail 96, and each slider 98 to the center part of the stage 76, It has the holding | maintenance part 102 which detachably holds the left and right both side edge parts of the board | substrate G extended toward.

Here, the conveyance drive part 100 is comprised by the linear drive mechanism, for example, a linear motor. Moreover, the holding | maintenance part 102 supports the adsorption pad 104 and the adsorption pad 104 which are couple | bonded with the vacuum suction force to the lower surface of the left and right both edges of the board | substrate G, and the front end part of the slider 98 side points a point. In order to change the height position of the tip portion, each of the pad supports 106 has an elastically deformable leaf spring type pad. Suction pads 104 are arranged in a row at a constant pitch so that the pad support portion 106 independently supports each of the suction pads 104. Thereby, the individual adsorption pad 104 and the pad support part 106 can hold | maintain the board | substrate G stably in independent height position (even in another height position).

As shown in FIG.7 and FIG.8, the pad support part 106 is attached to the plate-shaped pad lifting member 108 mounted on the inner side of the slider 98 so that lifting and lowering is possible. For example, a pad actuator 109 (FIG. 13) formed from an air cylinder mounted on the slider 98 causes the pad lifting member 108 to have its original position (retraction position) lower than the floating height position of the substrate G and the substrate G. It is made to move up and down between the mounting position (coupling position) corresponding to the floating height position.

As shown in FIG. 9, each suction pad 104 is provided with the some suction port 112 in the upper surface of the pad main body 110 of a rectangular parallelepiped shape, for example. These suction ports 112 are slit-shaped long holes, but may be rings or spherical small holes. A strip-shaped vacuum tube 114 made of, for example, synthetic rubber is connected to the suction pad 104. The pipelines 116 of these vacuum tubes 114 communicate with the vacuum source of the pad adsorption control unit 115 (FIG. 13), respectively.

In the holding | maintenance part 102, as shown in FIG. 4, the structure of the separate type | mold or completely independent type which isolate | separates one row of the vacuum suction pad 104 and the pad support part 106 per pair is preferable. However, as shown in FIG. 10, the one-piece pad support part 120 provided with the notch part 118 is formed, and the one-sided vacuum adsorption pad 104 is arrange | positioned on it. Configuration is also possible.

As described above, the plurality of jet holes 88 formed on the upper surface of the stage 76 and the compressed air supply mechanism 122 (FIG. 11) for supplying the compressed air for generating the floating force thereto, and the application area of the stage 76 ( a plurality of the suction port 90, and they are formed by a mixture with the air outlet 88 in the M₃) by supplying the vacuum pressure vacuum supply mechanism (124, 11), brought region (M₁) and out area (M ₅ ) Floats the substrate (G) at a floating level suitable for loading and unloading or high-speed transfer, while in the application area (M₃), the stage substrate is floated to raise the substrate (G) at a set floating amount (Hs) suitable for stable and accurate resist coating scanning. The part 145 (FIG. 13) is comprised.

11, the structure of the nozzle raising / lowering mechanism 75, the nozzle horizontal movement mechanism 77, the compressed air supply mechanism 122, and the vacuum supply mechanism 124 is shown. The nozzle elevating mechanism 75 is attached to the door-shaped frame 130 and the door-shaped frame 130 which are constructed so as to pass over the application area M₃ in the horizontal direction (Y direction) orthogonal to the conveying direction (X direction). It has a nozzle support body 134 of a movable body (elevating body) which spans between a pair of left and right vertical movement mechanisms 132L and 132R, and these vertical movement mechanisms 132L and 132R. The drive part of each vertical movement mechanism 132L, 132R has the electric motors 138L and 138R which consist of electric motors, the ball screws 140L and 140R, and the guide members 142L and 142R, for example. The rotational force of the electric motors 138L, 138R is converted to linear motion in the vertical direction by the ball screw mechanisms 140L, 142L, 140R, 142R, and the resist nozzle 78 integrally with the nozzle support 134 of the lifting body. It moves up and down in the vertical direction. The lifting amount and height position of the left and right sides of the resist nozzle 78 can be arbitrarily controlled by the rotation amount and rotation stop position of the electric motors 138L and 138R. The nozzle support 134 is made of, for example, a rigid body, and is detachably attached to the resist nozzle 78 via a flange, a bolt, or the like on its lower surface or side surface.

The nozzle horizontal movement mechanism 77 has a pair of left and right guide rails (not shown) for guiding the door-shaped frame 130 in a horizontal direction (X direction) orthogonal to the nozzle long direction and the door-shaped frame 130 on such a guide rail. It has a pair of horizontal movement mechanisms for moving the shaft straight, for example, ball screw mechanisms 135L and 135R of an electric motor drive type, and is comprised so that the door frame 130 can be positioned in arbitrary positions on a guide rail. .

The compressed air supply mechanism 122 is connected to the constant pressure money fold 144 connected to the spout 88 by a plurality of regions divided on the upper surface of the stage 76, and the compressed air of the plant power, for example, for the factory use. It has a compressed air supply pipe 148 which sends compressed air from the supply source 146, and the regulator 150 provided in the middle of this compressed air supply pipe 148. As shown in FIG. The vacuum supply mechanism 124 is provided with a negative pressure money fold 152 connected to the suction port 90 by a plurality of regions divided on the upper surface of the stage 76 and a vacuum source of factory power, for example, to the negative pressure money fold 152. The vacuum tube 156 which sends a vacuum from 154, and the tightening valve 158 provided in the middle of this vacuum tube 156 are provided.

As shown in Fig. 5, the resist coating units CT and 40 are provided with a nozzle waiting portion 170 slightly above the resist nozzle 78 in the substrate conveyance direction (X direction). A priming processor is installed in the base 170.

The structure in the nozzle waiting part 170 is shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the nozzle standby part 170 arrange | positions the priming process part 172, the solvent environment chamber 174, and the washing | cleaning part 176 in a row in the X direction. Inside this, the priming process part 172 is provided in the place closest to a coating process position. The straight driving parts 135L and 135R of the nozzle horizontal moving mechanism 77 (FIG. 11) extend to the nozzle waiting part 170 (FIG. 3), and the resist nozzle 78 is the corner part 172 in the nozzle waiting part 170. FIG. 174, 176).

The cleaning unit 176 has a nozzle cleaning head 178 that moves or scans under the resist nozzle 78 positioned at a predetermined position in a long direction (Y direction). The nozzle cleaning head 178 has a cleaning nozzle 180 which ejects a cleaning liquid (for example, thinner) and a drying gas (for example, N ₂ gas) toward the lower end of the resist nozzle 78 and the discharge port 78a, respectively. ) And a gas nozzle 182 are mounted, and a drain portion 184 for collecting and recovering the cleaning liquid dropped in response to the resist nozzle 78 by vacuum is provided.

The solvent environment chamber 174 covers the entire length of the resist nozzle 78 and extends in parallel with the nozzle longitudinal direction (Y direction), and a solvent, for example, a thinner enters in the room. The cover 186 of the cross-sectional V shape which provided the slit-shaped opening 186a extended in a long direction (Y direction) is attached to the upper surface of the solvent environment chamber 174. When the nozzle portion of the resist nozzle 78 is aligned with the lid 186 from above, only the discharge port 78a and the tapered nozzle lower end portion are exposed to the vapor of the solvent spreading through the opening 186a. While the application | coating process is not performed on the stage 76 for a while, the resist nozzle 78 wash | cleans the discharge port 78a and the nozzle part by the washing | cleaning part 176, and waits in the solvent environment chamber 174.

The priming processing part 172 arrange | positions the cylindrical priming roller 188 extending in a horizontal direction (Y direction) in the housing 190 in the length which covers the full length of the resist nozzle 78. As shown in FIG. The priming roller rotating mechanism 192 disposed outside the housing 190 rotationally drives the priming roller 188. More detailed configuration and operation of the priming processing unit 172 will be described later with reference to FIGS. 19 to 22.

13, the main structure of the control system in the resist coating unit CT and 40 is shown. The controller 200 is made of a microcomputer, and each part in the unit, in particular, the resist liquid supply mechanism 95, the nozzle raising and lowering mechanism 75, the stage substrate floating portion 145, the substrate conveying portion 84, and the conveying driving portion 100 ), The overall operation (such as the pad adsorption control unit 115, the pad actuator 109, the lift pin lift unit 85 for carrying in, the lift pin lift unit 91 for carrying out, and the priming processor 172) Order).

Next, the coating processing operation in the resist coating units CT and 40 will be described. The controller 200, for example, executes a coating process program stored in a storage medium such as an optical disc in the main memory and executes the programmed series of coating process operations.

When the unprocessed new board | substrate G is carried into the carrying-in area | region M 'of the stage 76 than the conveying apparatus 54 (FIG. 1), the lift pin 86 receives the said board | substrate G in a mounting position. After the conveying apparatus 54 is withdrawn, the lift pin 86 descends and lowers the board | substrate G to the height position for conveyance, ie, the floating position Ha (FIG. 5). Subsequently, an alignment portion (not shown) is operated and the pressing member (not shown) is pressed against the substrate G in the floating state from all directions to position the substrate G on the stage 76. Immediately after the alignment operation is completed, the pad actuator 109 is operated in the substrate transfer section 84 to raise the UP pad from the home position (retracted position) to the mounting position (combined position). The suction pad 104 has been turned on by the vacuum, and as soon as the suction pad 104 comes into contact with the side edge portion of the substrate G in the floating state, the suction pad 104 is engaged with the vacuum suction force. Immediately after the adsorption pad 104 engages the side edge portion of the substrate G, the alignment portion retracts the pressing member to a predetermined position.

Next, the board | substrate conveyance part 84 moves the slider 98 straight from a conveyance time position to a conveyance direction (X direction) at a fixed speed relatively fast, with the holding part 102 holding the side edge part of the board | substrate G. Move it. In this way, the board | substrate G moves straight to a conveyance direction (X direction) in the state which floated on the stage 76, and the board | substrate at the point where the front-end | tip part of the board | substrate G arrived at the setting position in the application | coating area | region M₃ or the application | coating scanning start position is carried out. The conveyance part 84 stops conveyance of the board | substrate of a 1st step. At this time, the resist nozzle 78 has already completed the priming process with the priming process part 172 of the nozzle waiting part 170, and is waiting in the predetermined | prescribed application | coating waiting position set to the upper side of an application | coating position.

Here, the priming process by the priming process part 172 is demonstrated about FIGS. 14-16. First, under the control of the controller 200, the nozzle elevating mechanism 75 and the nozzle horizontal movement mechanism 77 (FIG. 11) move the discharge port 78a of the resist nozzle 78 to the priming roller 188 as shown in FIG. The resist nozzle 78 is brought into proximity to the priming roller 188 to a position opposite in parallel with a gap of the top or top of the top and a set distance. Then, the resist liquid supply mechanism 95 (FIG. 13) discharges the resist liquid R to the resist nozzle 78 (FIG. 14), and then the priming roller rotating mechanism 192 (FIG. 12) performs the priming roller 188. FIG. ) Is rotated in a predetermined direction (clockwise rotation in FIG. 14) (FIG. 15). Then, the resist liquid R discharged near the top of the priming roller 188 is made to return to the nozzle rear 78b side, and is wound up on the surface or peripheral surface of the priming roller 188. FIG. In this way, even after finishing a priming process, as shown in FIG. 16, the liquid film of the resist liquid extended uniformly immediately in the nozzle longitudinal direction (Y direction) in the lower part of the discharge port 78a of the resist nozzle 78, and the back 78b. (RF) remains. The resist nozzle 78 to which this priming process was applied is moved from the nozzle standby part 170 to the said application | coating waiting position by the nozzle elevating mechanism 75 and the nozzle horizontal moving mechanism 77 under the control of the controller 200. FIG. .

As described above, when the substrate G arrives at the set position in the application region M₃, that is, the application scanning start position, and stops, the nozzle elevating mechanism 75 operates under the control of the controller 200 to vertically resist the resist nozzle 78. It is lowered and the distance or coating gap between the nozzle discharge port 78a and the substrate G is set to an initial value (for example, 60 µm). Then, as shown in FIG. 17, the liquid film RF of the resist liquid adhering to the discharge port of the resist nozzle 78 and the lower end part behind it covers the application | coating gap of the setting size d to bead shape, and the board | substrate G is carried out. (Attach liquid) Subsequently, the resist liquid supply mechanism 95 (FIG. 13) starts discharging the resist liquid R, and at the same time, the substrate conveyance unit 84 also starts conveying the substrate in the second stage, and on the other hand, the nozzle elevating mechanism 75 ) Raises the resist nozzle 78 until the coating gap becomes the set value SA (for example, 240 μm), after which the substrate G is horizontally moved as it is. A relatively low conveyance speed is selected for this second step, that is, conveyance of the substrate during application.

In this way, in the application | coating area | region M3, while the board | substrate G moves at a constant speed in a conveyance direction (X direction) in a horizontal attitude | position, the elongate resist nozzle 78 is the board | substrate G just below. By discharging the resist liquid R in the form of a band toward, the coating film RM of the resist liquid is formed from the front end side to the rear end side of the substrate G as shown in FIG. 18. The meniscus (RQ) of the resist liquid formed under the back 78b of the resist nozzle 78 in the coating scan by covering the application gap with the bead of the resist liquid immediately before the start of the coating treatment as described above. Can be arranged in a horizontal straight line to form a flat resist coating film RM without coating unevenness.

After the above-described application treatment to the application region M₃, i.e., the rear end portion of the substrate G passes directly under the resist nozzle 78, the resist liquid supply mechanism 95 causes the resist liquid R from the resist nozzle 78 to be applied. ) Is terminated. At the same time, the nozzle elevating mechanism 75 lifts the resist nozzle 78 vertically upward and retracts it from the substrate G. On the other hand, the board | substrate conveyance part 84 switches to the board | substrate conveyance of the 3rd step in which a conveyance speed is comparatively large. And when the board | substrate G arrives at the conveyance end point position in the carrying out area | region M5, the board | substrate conveyance part 84 stops the board | substrate conveyance of a 3rd step. Immediately after this, the pad adsorption control unit 115 stops supplying the vacuum to the adsorption pad 104, and at the same time, the pad actuator 109 moves the adsorption pad 104 to the original position (retraction position). The adsorption pad 104 is separated from both ends of the substrate G. At this time, the pad adsorption control unit 115 supplies the static pressure (compressed air) to the adsorption pad 104 to speed separation from the substrate G. Instead, the lift pin 92 ascends from the original position below the stage to the traveling position above the stage to unload the substrate G. FIG.

Thereafter, the ejector, that is, the transfer arm 74, accesses the transport region M ₅ , receives the substrate G from the lift pin 92, and transports it out of the stage 76. The board | substrate conveyance part 84 returns to the loading area M 'by the highway immediately if the board | substrate G was passed to the lift pin 92. FIG. At the time when the processed substrate G is carried out to the carry-out area M ₅ as described above, the carry-in area M₁ carries out the loading, alignment or the start of transfer of the new substrate G to be subjected to the coating process next time. do. In addition, the resist nozzle 78 is transferred to the priming processing unit 172 of the nozzle standby unit 170 by the nozzle elevating mechanism 75 and the nozzle horizontal moving mechanism 77 and receives the priming process as described above.

19-22, the structure and operation | movement of the priming process part 172 in this embodiment are demonstrated in detail.

19, the structure of the priming process part 172 is shown. In addition, the priming roller rotation mechanism 192 (FIG. 12) for rotationally driving the priming roller 188 for the purpose of the convenience of FIG. Analysis is abbreviate | omitted in FIG.

In this priming processing unit 172, the housing 190 is made of, for example, an object made of stainless steel or aluminum having a slit-shaped opening 190a on the upper surface thereof, and the priming roller 188 has its apex from the opening 190a. Horizontal and rotatable support is provided through a bearing (not shown) and the like so as to be exposed upward.

The mist shielding plate 202 and the cleaning part 204 are provided in the housing 190 along the positive rotation direction (clockwise rotation in FIG. 19) from the upper end to the lower end of the priming roller 188. As shown in FIG.

The cleaning part 204 is preferably disposed in the range of a rotation angle of 90 ° to 180 ° from the top to the bottom of the priming roller 188, and has a long fluid type two-fluid jet nozzle 206 as the cleaning nozzle. have. These two fluid jet nozzles 206 are arranged in parallel with the lengths covering the entire length of the priming roller 188, and the cleaning liquids are respectively provided through the pipes 212 and 214 in the cleaning liquid supply part 208 and the gas supply part 210. (E.g. thinner) and gas (e.g., air or nitrogen gas) at a desired pressure, and the cleaning liquid and gas are mixed in the nozzle and jetted to the surface of the priming roller 188 in a slit or porous discharge port. It is configured to eject almost vertically. The mist shielding plate 202 extends horizontally from the inner wall of the housing 190 toward the priming roller 188 at the upstream position, i.e., above the cleaning portion 204, with its tip contacting the surface of the priming roller 188. It is forming a gap that is not enough.

In the housing 190, the mist inlet 222 and the drying unit 224 are also provided on the side opposite to the mist shielding plate 202 and the cleaning unit 204 as viewed from the priming roller 188.

The mist inlet 222 is a priming roller in a direction opposite to the rotation direction (counterclockwise rotation) from a suction port 226 provided at an approximately intermediate position on the way from the lower end to the upper end of the priming roller 188 along the rotation direction. It has the curved cover 228 extending to the front of the lower end of 188, and the clearance gap 230 for mist drawing is formed between the inner surface of this curved cover 228, and the surface of the priming roller 188. As shown in FIG. . The drying unit 224 has a block 232 that fills the space between the suction port 226 and the ceiling of the housing 190 and has one side of the block 232 of the surface of the priming roller 188. A gap 234 for separating the liquid is formed therebetween. As for the material of the block 232, resin which is excellent in tolerability, for example, Teflon (trademark) is preferable.

The suction port 226 is connected to a vacuum mechanism 240 having, for example, a vacuum pump or an intake fan (not shown), a mist trap, a filter, or the like via the vacuum opening 236 and the vacuum tube 238. When the vacuum mechanism 240 is turned on (exhaust operation), the mist inlet section 222 and the drying section 224 operate, respectively, to exit the gap 230 for mist inlet and the space 234 for liquid separation. From the inlet port 226, the air flow for mist inflow and the air flow for liquid separation flow, respectively.

The bottom surface of the housing 190 is formed in a tapered shape toward the bottom, and the drain port 242 is formed at the lowermost end. This drain port 242 communicates with the drain tank 246 via the drain pipe 244.

The priming processing control unit 216 is a local controller, and under the instruction of the main controller 200 (FIG. 13), each part in the priming processing unit 172, that is, the cleaning liquid supply unit 208, the gas supply unit 210, and the exhaust mechanism 240 ) And priming roller rotation mechanism 192 (FIG. 12) directly. In particular, the cleaning solution supply section 208 and the gas supply section 210 not only perform on / off control of the on / off valves 218, 220 provided in the middle of the pipes 212, 214, but also the cleaning solution supply section 208. The pressure of the washing liquid sent out and the pressure of the gas sent out from the gas supply part 210 can be controlled individually.

Next, the operation of the priming processing unit 172 will be described. As mentioned above, in this priming process which priming-processes the priming process part 172 as a preparatory preparation of the next application | coating process every time one application | coating process is complete | finished on the stage 76, the above-mentioned about FIG. 14-16. As shown, the discharge port 78a of the resist nozzle 78 and the upper end of the priming roller 188 face each other with a predetermined gap, and the resist liquid R is discharged from the resist nozzle 78, and then the priming roller ( 188 is rotated only by a predetermined rotational angle, and the resist liquid R discharged near the top of the priming roller 188 is returned to the nozzle rear 78b side and wound around the surface or the peripheral surface of the priming roller 188. The surface area of the priming roller 188 supplied to this one-time priming process can be finished to 1/4 week (90 degrees) or less by enlarging a roller diameter.

In this priming processing unit 172, as a very suitable embodiment, as shown in FIG. 20, the cleaning unit 204, the mist inlet unit 222, and the drying unit 224, all of the operations are stopped several times. For example, three priming treatments. In FIG. 20, (1), (2), (3) is a figure which shows each priming process step by step, and respond | corresponds to FIG. 14, FIG. 15, and FIG. 16, respectively.

More specifically, in the first priming treatment, the resist liquid R from the resist nozzle 78 is wound around the priming roller 188 that is clean over all directions immediately after washing, and the priming roller 188 is applied to the priming roller 188 at the end of the priming treatment. The liquid film RK 'of the resist liquid is formed in the outer circumferential region in the range of about 0 ° to 120 ° in the rotational direction from the upper end thereof.

Next, the two priming processes are carried out from the resist nozzle 78 by using an empty outer circumferential region offset by only a predetermined angle in the circumferential direction downstream from the first resist liquid film RK 'in the priming roller 188. The resist liquid (R) is wound up. As a result, upon completion of the two priming processes, a second resist liquid film RK2 is formed on the priming roller 188 in the outer circumferential region in the range of about 0 ° to 120 ° from the upper end in the rotational direction. The first resist liquid film RK 'is rotated from the upper end of the priming roller 188 to a position within the range of about 120 ° to 240 ° in the rotational direction.

In this manner, the three priming treatments use an empty outer peripheral region offset only by a predetermined angle in the circumferential direction on the downstream side with respect to the two resist liquid films RK2 in the priming roller 188, and from the resist nozzle 78 The resist liquid (R) is wound up. As a result, at the end of the three priming processes, a third resist liquid film RK 3 is formed on the priming roller 188 in the outer circumferential region in the range of about 0 ° to 120 ° along the rotational direction from the upper end thereof. The resist liquid film RK2 is rotated from the upper end of the priming roller 188 to a position within the range of about 120 to 240 degrees, and the first resist liquid film RK 'is rotated from the upper end of the priming roller 188. Direction to a position within the range of about 240 to 360 degrees.

Then, when the priming process is completed three times, the main controller 200 (FIG. 13) receives an instruction from the main controller 200 (FIG. 13), and the priming processing control unit 216 controls each unit in the priming processing unit 172 to execute a batch cleaning process.

In the batch cleaning process, the priming roller rotating mechanism 192 (FIG. 12) continuously rotates the priming roller 188 at a constant rotational speed higher than during the priming process.

In addition, the cleaning unit 204 opens the on / off valves 218 and 220 to supply the cleaning liquid and air to the two fluid jet nozzles 206 at predetermined pressures from the cleaning liquid supplying unit 208 and the gas supplying unit 210, respectively. The washing liquid and air mixed in the jet nozzle 206 are blown out in all directions on the surface or outer periphery of the priming roller 188 with jets. Due to the strong impact force of these two fluid jets, each resist liquid film (RK₁, RK₂, RK₃) following the three divided partial surface areas of the priming roller 188 is efficiently washed out, and many of them are mixed in the washing liquid immediately. It falls to the drain port 242 below, and the remainder is changed to mist ma and scatters in the vicinity. In this way, what has blown up above the mist ma generated in the vicinity of the washing | cleaning part 204 during batch washing | cleaning is interrupted by the shielding plate 202, and hardly comes out to the opening part 190a side of the housing 190. FIG.

On the other hand, the vacuum mechanism 240 is turned on, and the vacuum from the vacuum mechanism 240 passes through the vacuum tube 238, the vacuum opening 236, and the suction port 226, and the mist inlet 222 and the drying unit 224. Supplied to. As a result, the mist inlet 222 pushes the mist ma generated in the vicinity of the cleaning unit 204 into the lower end opening of the curved cover 228 to be sucked into the gap 230, and within the gap 230. (ma) flows in the rotation direction along the outer peripheral surface of the priming roller 188, and sends the mist ma which emerged from the suction port 226 from the upper end of the space | interval 230 to the vacuum mechanism 240. FIG.

In addition, the drying unit 224 sucks air in the upper air space in the gap 234 formed between one side of the block 232 and the surface of the priming roller 188 and draws air in the gap 234. Flowing in the direction opposite to the rotation direction along the outer circumference of the priming roller 188, the liquid remaining on the outer circumferential surface of the priming roller 188 is removed by dropping the liquid by air pressure to form a liquid drop, and suction port 226 from the lower end of the gap 234 ) Is sent to the vacuum apparatus (240). In this way, the liquid is separated by applying air in a direction opposite to the rotational direction with respect to the outer circumferential surface of the priming roller 188 using the vacuum, and the mist (mb) generated by the liquid separation is recovered as it is, resulting in high drying efficiency and mist. Can prevent scattering.

If a predetermined time has elapsed after starting the above-described collective cleaning process, the priming process control unit 216 stops the two-fluid jet cleaning by the cleaning unit 204. After that, each operation is continued to the mist inlet part 222 and the drying part 224 while the priming roller 188 is rotated continuously, and the drying process which dries the surface of the priming roller 188 in all directions is performed. After the lapse of the predetermined time, the vacuum mechanism 240 is turned off to stop the drying process, thereby completing the entire step of the batch washing process.

As described above, the priming processing unit 172 of the present embodiment discharges a predetermined amount of the resist liquid R to the resist nozzle 78 for one priming process, and at the same time, a priming roller ( 188) rotates only a predetermined rotation angle within 120 degrees, and a surface area of 1/3 or less of the priming roller 188 is used for the priming treatment, and after three successive priming treatments are completed, a priming roller rotating mechanism ( The cleaning unit 204 and the drying unit 224 are operated while the priming roller 188 is continuously rotated by the 192 to clean the surface of the priming roller 188 all around. A scraper is not used to scrape off the resist liquid film RK from the surface of the priming roller 188. According to the related structure or method, the washing | cleaning liquid consumed by the washing | cleaning process after a priming process can be greatly reduced, and particle | grains are not produced at the time of a washing process.

In the above-described embodiment, the outer circumferential surface of the priming roller 188 is divided into three regions along the circumferential direction and subjected to three consecutive priming treatments on these three surface regions, followed by a batch washing treatment. Alternatively, the batch washing treatment may be performed after four or more consecutive priming treatments.

In addition, as one variation, it is also possible to perform a separate temporary cleaning process on each of the wound resist liquid films RK separately from the batch cleaning process. For example, at the end of the first priming process in FIG. 22, as shown in (A), the priming roller 188 is wound around the outer peripheral region in the range of about 0 ° to 120 ° in the rotational direction from the upper end thereof. The liquid film RK 'of the resist liquid is formed. Immediately after this, as shown in (B), the priming roller rotation mechanism 192 rotates the priming roller 188 only in a predetermined rotational direction and simultaneously operates the cleaning portion 204 and the mist inlet portion 222. Then, the temporary cleaning process by two fluid jet washing | cleaning is performed to the winding resist liquid film RK 'on the priming roller 188.

In this temporary cleaning process, the cleaning liquid supply part 208 and the gas supply part 210 are controlled, and the ratio of each pressure or both pressures of the cleaning liquid and air ejected from the two-fluid jet nozzle 206 or both pressures is different at the time of the collective cleaning process. It is preferable to set it to another value, and it is preferable to make the pressure of a washing | cleaning liquid relatively larger than the pressure of air, and also to make the pressure of the whole jet stream small. In this way, a part of the resist liquid film RK 'is removed without blowing mist by blowing the cleaning liquid into the spray shape at a relatively low pressure from the two-fluid jet nozzle 206 onto the resist liquid film RK' on the priming roller 188. It is possible to wash away, or merely to prevent dry solidification of the resist liquid film (RK ') can obtain a sufficiently large effect in reducing the burden of the batch washing treatment in the subsequent step. After finishing this temporary cleaning process, as shown in FIG.22 (C), the priming roller 188 is reversely rotated, and the surface area | region to which the resist liquid film (RK ') is stuck is located before or near the temporary cleaning process. Put it back.

The same temporary cleaning treatment can be applied to the second resist liquid film RK2 formed in the second partial surface region of the priming roller 188 by two priming treatments. The third resist liquid film RK₃ formed in the third partial surface region of the priming roller 188 by three priming treatments may be subjected to the above temporary cleaning treatment, but these three treatments are performed immediately after this three times. Can be terminated and the temporary cleansing process can be omitted.

As mentioned above, although highly suitable embodiment was described, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various deformation | transformation is possible within the scope of the technical idea. For example, it is also possible to provide a plurality of lines of cleaning nozzles in the cleaning unit 204 and to use such cleaning nozzles simultaneously or selectively. In addition, although the mist inlet part 222 and the drying part 224 were integrally comprised through the common exhaust port 226 in the above-mentioned embodiment, it is also possible to set it as the structure mutually independent. In addition, the priming processing method and apparatus of this invention are not limited to application to the spinless coating method of the floating conveying system like the said embodiment. Spinless coating of a method in which a substrate is horizontally fixed on a mounting stage, and the resist liquid is discharged in a strip shape onto the substrate while the elongated resist nozzle is moved in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the nozzle long direction on the substrate. It is also applicable to law.

As the processing liquid in the present invention, in addition to the resist liquid, for example, a coating liquid such as an interlayer insulating material, a dielectric material, a wiring material, or the like can be used, and a developing solution, a rinse liquid, or the like can be used. The substrate to be processed in the present invention is not limited to an LCD substrate, but other flat panel display substrates, semiconductor wafers, CD substrates, photomasks, printed substrates, and the like can also be used.

According to the priming processing method and the priming processing apparatus of the present invention, there is no fear of generating particles by the above-described configuration and operation, and the amount of the washing liquid can be greatly reduced.

Claims (21)

As a priming treatment method for forming a liquid film of a processing liquid as a preliminary preparation of a coating treatment in the vicinity of the discharge port of the elongate nozzle used for the spinless coating process, For one priming treatment, the discharge port of the nozzle and the upper end of the circumferential or cylindrical priming roller face each other in parallel with a predetermined gap to discharge the predetermined processing liquid from the nozzle and simultaneously rotate the priming roller at a predetermined rotation angle. A first step of rotating only and using a partial surface area of less than or equal to the accompaniment of the priming roller for the priming treatment; And a second step of washing the entire surface of the priming roller in all directions after the completion of the successive predetermined number of priming treatments. The method according to claim 1, The second process, A main cleaning step of spraying the cleaning liquid at a predetermined position on the surface of the priming roller while continuously rotating the priming roller at a constant rotational speed, and at the same time, hitting the air stream for separating the liquid at another predetermined position; And a main drying step of hitting air for liquid separation at a predetermined position without spraying a cleaning liquid on the surface of the priming roller while continuously rotating the priming roller at a constant rotational speed. The method according to claim 2, In the main cleaning step, the cleaning solution is mixed with gas toward the surface of the priming roller and jetted into a jet of high pressure. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, And a third step of temporarily washing the partial surface area of the priming roller used for the priming treatment, at least for the first priming treatment in the continuous predetermined number of priming treatments. The method according to claim 4, The third process, A pre-cleaning step of spraying the cleaning liquid at a predetermined position on the partial surface area of the priming roller while rotating the priming roller only at a predetermined rotational angle; And a returning step of rotating the priming roller only a predetermined rotational angle to return the partial surface area of the priming roller with respect to the nozzle to a position before or near the temporary cleaning process. The method according to claim 5, In the temporary washing step, a relatively low pressure cleaning liquid is blown to the partial surface area of the priming roller. As a priming processing apparatus for forming the liquid film of a process liquid as a preliminary preparation of a coating process in the vicinity of the ejection opening of the elongate nozzle used for the coating process of a spinless method, A cylindrical or cylindrical priming roller arranged horizontally at a predetermined position; A rotating mechanism for rotating the priming roller to the rotation of its central axis; A cleaning unit for ejecting a cleaning liquid onto the surface of the priming roller; It has a drying part for matching the air flow for liquid separation on the surface of the priming roller, For one priming process, the discharge port of the nozzle and the upper end of the priming roller face each other in parallel with a predetermined gap to discharge the predetermined processing liquid from the nozzle and rotate the priming roller by the rotating mechanism at a predetermined rotation. Rotate only the angle, use a partial surface area of the accompaniment of the priming roller or less for the priming treatment, and after the predetermined predetermined number of priming treatments are completed, the priming roller is continuously rotated by the rotating mechanism, Priming processing apparatus, characterized in that for cleaning all over the surface of the priming roller by operating the drying unit. The method according to claim 7, And the cleaning unit has a two-fluid jet nozzle that mixes the cleaning liquid and gas and jets the jet stream. The method according to claim 8, And the cleaning unit has a two-fluid pressure control unit for variably controlling the ratio of the pressure of the cleaning liquid and the pressure of the gas in the two-fluid jet nozzles. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, And the cleaning unit is disposed on the way from the upper end to the lower end of the priming roller in the rotational direction. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, The drying portion has a first gap forming portion for forming a first gap between the surfaces of the priming rollers, and the air for liquid separation in the first gap in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the priming roller. It has a 1st air flow formation part to form, The priming processing apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. The method according to claim 11, In the first gap forming portion, a first vacuum in which the first gap extends along the rotational direction of the priming roller, and wherein the first air flow forming portion is connected to an upstream end of the first gap. A priming processing apparatus comprising a mechanism. The method according to claim 12, The priming processing apparatus characterized by the downstream end part of the said 1st space | interval opening to a waiting space. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, And the drying unit is disposed on the way from the lower end to the upper end of the priming roller in the rotational direction. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, A priming comprising: a mist shielding portion disposed upstream of the cleaning portion along a rotational direction of the priming roller to prevent mist of the cleaning liquid generated near the cleaning portion from scattering on the upper end side of the priming roller. Processing unit. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, And a mist inlet for introducing the mist of the cleaning liquid generated in the vicinity of the cleaning part to the downstream side of the cleaning part along the rotational direction of the priming roller. The method according to claim 16, And the mist inlet portion is disposed between the cleaning portion and the drying portion in a rotational direction of the priming roller. The method according to claim 17, A second gap forming portion for forming the second gap between the mist inlet portion and the surface of the priming roller; and air for mist inflow in the same direction as the rotation direction of the priming roller within the second gap; The priming processing apparatus characterized by having the 2nd air flow formation part which forms the said. The method according to claim 18, In the second gap forming portion, a second vacuum in which the second gap extends along the rotational direction of the priming roller, and wherein the second air flow forming portion is connected to a downstream end of the second gap; A priming processing apparatus comprising a mechanism. The method according to claim 19, And the second vacuum mechanism is also used as the first vacuum mechanism, and the second interval is connected to the first interval via the second vacuum mechanism. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, And a drainage portion for collecting and discharging the used cleaning liquid falling under the priming roller.

Images