KR20090020821A - Method of etching a glass substrate and apparatus of etching a glass substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for etching a glass substrate are provided to improve efficiency of an etching process by performing a cleaning process and an etching process at the same time. A glass substrate is etched by depositing the glass substrate in the etchant included in a bath with an etching region and a cleaning region(S10). The glass substrate is transferred to the cleaning region of the bath and the etching region and the cleaning region are separated(S20). The etchant in the cleaning region is discharged(S30). The etchant is processed in the glass substrate(S40).

Description

Glass substrate etching method and glass substrate etching apparatus {METHOD OF ETCHING A GLASS SUBSTRATE AND APPARATUS OF ETCHING A GLASS SUBSTRATE}

The present invention relates to an etching method and an etching apparatus, and more particularly to a glass substrate etching method and a glass substrate etching apparatus.

Flat panel displays such as LCD (liquid crystal dispaly), PDP (palsma display panel), ELD (electro luminescent display), and VFD (vacuum fluorescent display) are components of silicon oxide. Glass substrate or glass. In the case of the glass substrate, since the weight occupies the flat panel display, the research to reduce the weight of the glass substrate is actively underway as part of the integration of the flat panel display. An example of a method of reducing the weight of the glass substrate may be a thin plate making the glass substrate thinner. In particular, in the case of the glass substrate included in the LCD among the glass substrate, the thickness of the glass substrate was conventionally controlled to about 1.2 mm, but recently managed to about 0.8 mm, in the case of the organic substrate that requires more integration The situation is managed up to 0.6mm or less.

In order to reduce the thickness of the glass substrate, a method of etching the surface of the glass substrate is conventionally selected by immersing the glass substrate in a container containing an etchant. In particular, when performing an etching process for thinning the glass substrate, if the surface of the glass substrate is not smooth, the glass substrate should be thinly formed because it provides a significant defect in the image quality of the flat panel display including the glass substrate. It must be formed uniformly.

To this end, a bubbler, a spray nozzle, or the like is installed on the bottom of the vessel, and when the etching process is performed, the etching solution is bubbled or sprayed from the bottom of the vessel to the glass substrate vertically positioned in the vessel. It is applied. That is, the etching solution is uniformly provided to the glass substrate using the bubbler, the spray nozzle, or the like. In particular, an example of a method of bubbling the etchant when etching the glass substrate is disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 1998-37000, and an example of a method of spraying the etchant is Korean Patent Application No. 1996-23779 Is disclosed. However, even when the glass substrate is etched using the bubbler or spray nozzle, it is not easy to obtain a glass substrate having a uniform surface that is satisfactory.

Accordingly, recently, after performing the etching process for uniformity as well as thinning of the glass substrate, a process of polishing the glass substrate may be performed. However, when polishing the glass substrate, since the pressure is applied to the glass substrate, the glass substrate itself is likely to be damaged.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a glass substrate etching method capable of etching a glass substrate uniformly and efficiently.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a glass substrate etching apparatus for achieving the glass substrate etching method.

According to the glass substrate etching method according to an embodiment for achieving the above object of the present invention, first, the glass substrate is etched by immersing the glass substrate in an etchant contained in a bath including an etching region and a cleaning region. The glass substrate is transferred to the cleaning area of the bath and the etching area and the cleaning area are separated. The etchant in the cleaning area is discharged. A cleaning liquid is added to the glass substrate.

For example, the etchant may include fluoride salts, sulfates, nitrates, sulfonates, hydrofluoric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, and the like, and the cleaning solution may include deionized water.

In addition, in order to increase the etching efficiency, the water flow of the etchant may be generated while the glass substrate is etched.

For example, after the etching solution of the cleaning region is discharged, an etching solution having a temperature of 10 to 30 ° C. may be added to remove impurities from the glass substrate.

Glass substrate etching apparatus according to an embodiment for achieving the above object of the present invention is a bath containing the etching liquid and the etching area and the cleaning area, the substrate transfer unit for fixing and transporting the substrate located in the bath, And a separating member separating the etching region and the cleaning region, and a cleaning member supplying the cleaning liquid to the substrate in the cleaning region.

For example, the substrate transfer unit may include a jig for fixing the substrate and a rail for transferring the jig.

The etching apparatus may further include a water flow generating unit for generating the water flow of the etchant, wherein the water flow generating unit may include a rotating member and a support member connected to the rotating member and capable of reciprocating.

In addition, the etching apparatus may further include a discharge port and a discharge valve for discharging the etching liquid of the cleaning area, the bottom of the bath may be lowered toward the cleaning area.

According to one embodiment of the present invention described above, etching and cleaning may be performed continuously, and a plurality of substrates may be input to simultaneously perform the cleaning process and the etching process. Therefore, the efficiency of the etching process can be improved. In addition, it is possible to prevent impurities from being bonded to the surface of the substrate and degrading the quality between the etching process and the cleaning process.

Glass substrate etching method

1 is a flow chart showing a glass substrate etching method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a glass substrate is etched by etching a glass substrate in an etchant contained in a bath including an etching region and a cleaning region (S 10). In order to increase the etching efficiency of the glass substrate, water flow of the etching solution may be generated. The etchant may include fluoride salts, sulfates, nitrates, sulfonates, hydrofluoric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, and the like, each of which may be used alone or in combination. Specifically, as the salts, acidic ammonium fluoride, ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate and the like can be used. In particular, when the etchant contains a fluoride salt, the etching solution may be easier to handle than the case containing the hydrofluoric acid, and the substrate may be prevented from being degraded due to the continuous generation and residual reaction by-products. The temperature of the etchant may be, for example, about 10 to about 60 ℃. Although the etching rate increases as the temperature of the etchant increases, it is difficult to maintain the surface quality of the substrate uniformly.

Next, the glass substrate is moved to the cleaning area of the bath, and the cleaning area and the etching area are separated (S 20). It is preferable that the etching liquid of the etching region is completely separated by using a partition wall or the like so as not to flow into the cleaning region.

Next, the etching solution of the cleaning region is discharged (S 30). The etchant is preferably quickly discharged to the outlet by using the opening and closing of the valve.

The cleaning liquid is added to the glass substrate (S 40). Deionized water may be used as the cleaning liquid, and other known cleaning materials for glass substrates may be used. Before the cleaning solution is added, an etchant at room temperature, for example, about 10 to about 30 ° C. is preferably added to the glass substrate to remove impurities. In order to prevent deterioration of the glass substrate, the step of discharging the etching liquid and adding the cleaning liquid or the etching liquid at room temperature is preferably performed continuously without time intervals.

While the substrate is cleaned in the cleaning region, another substrate may be etched in the etching region. Therefore, etching of the plurality of glass substrates may be continuously performed.

Glass substrate etching device

2 is a cross-sectional view showing a glass substrate etching apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a plan view illustrating a glass substrate etching apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 and 5 are enlarged perspective views showing a rotating member of the glass substrate etching apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 and 3, the glass substrate etching apparatus 100 may include a bath 10 accommodating the etching liquid 20, a substrate transfer part 40 for transferring the substrate 30, and a water flow for the etching liquid. The water flow generating unit 50 includes a separation member 60 for separating the bath 10 into an etching area EA and a cleaning area CA, and a cleaning member 70 for cleaning the substrate 30. do. Preferably, the bottom of the bath 10 may be designed to be lowered toward the cleaning area CA so that the by-products generated during the etching process and the etchant used may easily move toward the outlet of the cleaning area.

In addition, the glass substrate etching apparatus 100 includes a valve 72 for discharging the etchant in the cleaning area CA of the bath 10, a filter 80 for removing impurities from the discharged etchant, and A buffer tank 90 for storing the etchant from which impurities are removed may be further included and a pump 95 for supplying the etchant to the bath 10.

The substrate transfer part 40 is located in the bath 10 and fixes the substrate 30. In order to continuously etch and clean the substrate, the glass substrate etching apparatus 100 preferably includes a plurality of substrate transfer parts 40. The substrate transfer part 40 moves from one end of the bath 10 toward the cleaning area CA. Specifically, the substrate transfer part 40 does not move while the substrate 30 is cleaned in the cleaning area CA. After the substrate is cleaned in the cleaning area CA, when the substrate transfer part 40 fixing the next substrate moves to the cleaning area CA, the remaining substrate transfer parts also move to the next position.

Preferably, the substrate transfer part 40 may include a jig for fixing the substrate 30 and a rail for moving the jig, and the jig and the rail may be located in the bath 10. . Alternatively, the substrate transfer part 40 may be positioned on the bath 10 to fix the substrate 30 thereon. An external bath (not shown) may be further included to accommodate the etchant discharged from the bath 10.

The water flow generating unit 50 generates the water flow of the etchant so that the substrate 30 is uniformly and efficiently etched. In addition, by-products generated by etching on the surface of the substrate 30 may be prevented from being adsorbed on the substrate again. In detail, the water flow generating unit 50 may include a rotating member 52 and a support member 54.

The rotating member 52 rotates to generate water flow of the etchant to supply it to the substrate 30. Through this, the etching speed and etching uniformity of the substrate 30 may be increased. In detail, the water flow generating part 50 may reciprocate vertically or horizontally to rotate the rotating member 52. By the movement of the water flow generating unit 50, a friction force acts between the rotating member 52 and the etchant to rotate the rotating member 52. Alternatively, the rotation member 52 may include a motor to rotate itself without moving the water flow generator 50.

Referring to FIG. 4, the rotating member 52 may include a roller 52a and a brush 52b formed on the surface of the roller 52a. Preferably, the brush 52b may be made of a synthetic resin having high flexibility so that the substrate 30 is not damaged by friction between the brush 52b and the substrate 30. Alternatively, referring to FIG. 5, the rotating member 52 may include a roller 152a and a plurality of pads 152b protruding from the surface of the roller 152a. The pads 152b may increase the friction between the rotating member 52 and the etchant to generate stronger water flow. Alternatively, the rotating member 52 may be a streamlined screw.

Preferably, in order to uniformly supply water flow to the substrate, the water flow generator 50 may include a plurality of rotating members 52, and the water flow generator 50 is disposed between the substrates 30. Can be located. The water flow generating unit 50 is transferred by the support member 54 so as not to interfere with the movement of the substrate 30 and the substrate transfer unit 40.

For example, referring to FIG. 3, the support member 54 may move in parallel such that the water flow generating part 50 deviates from the movement path of the substrate 30. After the movement of the substrate 30 is completed, the support member 54 moves so that the water flow generating portion 50 is positioned again between the substrates. The direction of movement of the support member 54 is arbitrary and can alternatively be moved in the vertical direction.

The etchant 20 may include fluoride salt, sulfate, nitrate, sulfonate, hydrofluoric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, and the like, and is substantially the same as the etching solution of the glass substrate etching method described above.

After the substrate 30 is moved to the cleaning area CA, the etching area EA and the cleaning area CA are separated by the separating member 60. In the cleaning area CA, the substrate 30 is cleaned. For example, after the etching area EA and the cleaning area CA are separated by the separating member 60, the cleaning area CA is opened and closed by opening and closing the discharge valve connected to the outlet of the cleaning area CA. Can quickly drain the etchant. An etchant and reaction by-products remain on the surface of the substrate, which is preferably removed quickly. Therefore, it is preferable to supply the cleaning liquid to the substrate 30 promptly. The cleaning liquid is supplied to the substrate 30 through the cleaning member 70. Deionized water or the like may be used as the cleaning solution.

Before supplying the cleaning solution, an etching solution may be supplied to remove impurities from the surface of the substrate 30. The etchant for removing the impurities is preferably at room temperature, for example, about 10 to about 30 ° C., and may be supplied through the cleaning member 70. The etchant and the cleaning liquid may be sprayed through nozzles, and may be sprayed through different nozzles or through the same nozzle. The cleaning member 70 may include a plurality of nozzles so that the etching liquid and the cleaning liquid are evenly applied to the substrate 30.

Alternatively, after the etchant is discharged from the cleaning area CA, new etchant at room temperature is supplied to the cleaning area CA again to perform etching and cleaning for a predetermined time, and then the etching solution is discharged again. The cleaning liquid can be supplied to the substrate.

The etchant discharged through the outlet in the cleaning area CA is supplied to the filter 80 to remove impurities. The etchant from which impurities are removed from the filter 80 is supplied to the buffer tank 90 for temporary storage. The buffer tank 90 is connected with a pump 95 for supplying the etchant to the bath 10. Through this, the etchant can be reused and the cost of the etching process can be reduced.

While the substrate 30 is cleaned in the cleaning area CA, another substrate may be etched in the etching area EA. Therefore, etching of the plurality of glass substrates may be continuously performed.

According to the glass substrate etching apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, etching and cleaning may be continuously performed, and the cleaning process and the etching process may be simultaneously performed by inputting a plurality of substrates. Therefore, the efficiency of the etching process can be improved. In addition, it is possible to prevent impurities from being bonded to the surface of the substrate and degrading the quality between the etching process and the cleaning process.

Hereinafter, a glass substrate etching method and a glass substrate etching apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described through specific examples and experimental examples.

Example 1

Bath for accommodating etchant, jig for fixing the glass substrate is installed inside the bath, rail for transporting the jig, partition for separating the interior of the bath into the etching area and the cleaning area, for generating water flow A glass substrate etching apparatus including a screw, an arm connected to the screw and capable of reciprocating up, down, left and right, and a spray nozzle capable of spraying a cleaning liquid and an etching liquid were prepared. A glass substrate of about 600 mm x 700 mm x 0.63 mm was fixed to the jig, and GLET-100 (product name, Jiwon Tech, Korea) was supplied to the bath as an etchant and the etching was performed at about 45 ° C. for about 120 minutes. Next, the jig was moved to the cleaning area and separated from the etching area by the partition wall. After the quick drain of the etchant in the cleaning region, deionized water was sprayed onto the glass substrate to clean the glass substrate.

Example 2

Etching and cleaning in substantially the same manner as in Example 1, except that after the quick drain of the etchant in the cleaning area, and further comprising the step of spraying the etchant at about 20 ℃ to the glass substrate before spraying the deionized water to the glass substrate Was performed.

Example 3

Etching and washing were performed in substantially the same manner as in Example 1, except that the temperature of the etchant was about 20 ° C.

Comparative Example 1

After etching, the glass substrate was removed from the bath, and the glass substrate was etched and cleaned in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the glass substrate was cleaned in another bath.

The occurrence of white spots on the surfaces of the glass substrates of Example 1, Example 2 and Comparative Example 1 and the sludge state of the edges were observed, and the etched thicknesses were measured and shown in Table 1 below. Specifically, the number of white spots appearing on the surface of the glass substrate was observed, and the number thereof was described. The state of sludge was expressed by a three-step evaluation method (○: good, △: normal, X: poor).

Table 1

Referring to Table 1, in the case of the glass substrate of Comparative Example 1 in which the etching process and the cleaning process were performed in different baths, many white spots were generated and the sludge at the edges was not good. As a result, not only the white point but also the sludge of the edges were good in the glass substrate which was processed in the same bath and etching process. In particular, referring to the results of Example 2, it can be seen that the addition of an etchant at room temperature before the cleaning solution is added to the glass substrate can improve the quality.

The etching thickness of the glass substrate etched / cleaned according to Example 3 was about 150 μm, and the surface roughness Ra was about 0.01 μm. On the other hand, the surface roughness Ra of the glass substrate etched / cleaned according to Example 1 was about 0.03 μm. Therefore, when the temperature of the etchant is high, it can be seen that the etching rate is increased but the uniformity of the surface may be reduced.

According to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the efficiency of the etching process can be improved. It is possible to prevent the quality of the glass substrate from deteriorating.

As described above with reference to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention described in the claims below various modifications and It will be appreciated that it can be changed.

1 is a flow chart showing a glass substrate etching method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a cross-sectional view showing a glass substrate etching apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a plan view illustrating a glass substrate etching apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 and 5 are enlarged perspective views showing a rotating member of the glass substrate etching apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

10 bath 20 etching solution

30 substrate 40 substrate transfer unit

50: water flow generator 60: separation member

70 cleaning member EA: etching region

CA: Cleaning Area

Claims (11)

Etching the glass substrate by depositing a glass substrate in an etchant contained in a bath including an etching region and a cleaning region; Transferring the glass substrate to a cleaning region of the bath and separating the etching region from the cleaning region; Discharging the etchant of the cleaning area; And Glass substrate etching method comprising the step of adding a cleaning liquid to the glass substrate. The method of claim 1, wherein the etching solution comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of fluoride salts, sulfates, nitrates, sulfonates, hydrofluoric acid, sulfuric acid, and nitric acid. The glass substrate etching method of claim 1, further comprising generating a stream of the etchant. The glass substrate etching method of claim 1, further comprising adding an etching solution having a temperature of 10 to 30 ° C. after discharging the etching solution of the cleaning region. The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning liquid comprises deionized water. A bath containing an etchant and including an etching area and a cleaning area; A substrate transfer part positioned inside the bath to fix and transfer a substrate; A separation member separating the etching region and the cleaning region; And And a cleaning member for supplying a cleaning liquid to the substrate in the cleaning region. The glass substrate etching apparatus of claim 6, wherein the substrate transfer part comprises a jig for fixing the substrate and a rail for transferring the jig. The glass substrate etching apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a water flow generator for generating the water flow of the etchant. The glass substrate etching apparatus of claim 8, wherein the water flow generating unit comprises a rotating member and a supporting member connected to the rotating member and capable of reciprocating. The glass substrate etching apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a discharge port and a discharge valve for discharging the etching liquid of the cleaning area. The glass substrate etching apparatus of claim 6, wherein the bottom of the bath is lowered toward the cleaning area.

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