TW202335056A - Organic film formation device and cleaning method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides an organic film forming apparatus capable of fully removing foreign substances in a chamber, and a cleaning method for the organic film forming apparatus. The organic film forming apparatus according to an embodiment comprises: a chamber having an opening for loading or unloading a workpiece and capable of maintaining a gas environment where the gas pressure is reduced from the atmosphere; a door capable of opening and closing the opening of the chamber; an exhaust unit capable of exhausting the interior of the chamber; a support unit arranged inside the chamber and capable of supporting the workpieces; a heating unit arranged inside the chamber and capable of heating the workpieces; and at least one nozzle arranged inside the chamber and capable of supplying clean gas to the opening of the chamber.

Description

Organic film forming device and cleaning method of organic film forming device

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an organic film forming device and a cleaning method of the organic film forming device.

The organic film forming apparatus includes, for example, a chamber capable of maintaining a gas environment in which a relatively high pressure is further reduced, and a heater installed inside the chamber to heat the workpiece. This type of organic film forming device forms an organic film by heating a substrate coated with a solution containing an organic material and a solvent in a gas environment in which the pressure is relatively high and further decompressed, and evaporates the solvent contained in the solution. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1) Here, when the solution is heated, substances contained in the solution may sublime (vaporize). The components contained in the sublimation product may become solid and adhere to the inner wall of a chamber whose temperature is lower than that of the heated workpiece. If the solid adhered to the inner wall of the chamber and the like peels off from the inner wall of the chamber, there is a risk that it may become foreign matter such as particles and adhere to the surface of the workpiece.

Therefore, cleaning to remove solids adhered to the inner wall and the like of the chamber is performed regularly or as needed. For example, in a technical field different from an organic film forming apparatus, such as a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, a technique has been proposed in which the exhaust inside the chamber and the exhaust into the chamber are sequentially performed while the chamber is sealed. Clean gas is supplied inside, and foreign matter inside the chamber is discharged. (Refer to patent document 2) However, it was finally discovered that in an organic film forming apparatus, even if cleaning is performed like a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus (for example, in a state where the chamber is sealed, exhaust of the inside of the chamber and supply of cleaning gas to the inside of the chamber are sequentially performed) , and foreign matter cannot be fully removed. Therefore, it is desired to develop an organic film forming device that can sufficiently remove foreign matter such as particles inside the chamber, and a cleaning method of the organic film forming device. [Prior art documents] [Patent Document]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-184229 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-184708

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an organic film forming device that can sufficiently remove foreign matter inside a chamber, and a cleaning method of the organic film forming device. [Means to solve the problem]

The organic film forming apparatus of the embodiment includes: a chamber having an opening for loading or unloading workpieces, and capable of maintaining a gas environment in which a large air pressure is further reduced; a door capable of opening and closing the opening of the chamber; and an exhaust unit capable of opening and closing the chamber. Exhaust is carried out inside the chamber; a support part is provided inside the chamber and can support the workpiece; a heating part is provided inside the chamber and can heat the workpiece; and at least one nozzle , disposed inside the chamber, capable of supplying cleaning gas to the opening of the chamber. [Effects of the invention]

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an organic film forming device capable of sufficiently removing foreign matter present inside a chamber and a cleaning method of the organic film forming device are provided.

Hereinafter, embodiments are illustrated with reference to the drawings. In addition, in each drawing, the same structural element is attached|subjected with the same code|symbol, and detailed description is abbreviate|omitted suitably.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the organic film forming apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. In addition, the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction in FIG. 1 represent three directions that are orthogonal to each other. The up and down directions in this manual can be set as the Z direction.

The workpiece 100 before the organic film is formed has a substrate and a solution applied to the upper surface of the substrate. The substrate can be, for example, a glass substrate or a semiconductor wafer. However, the substrate is not limited to the examples. Solutions include, for example, organic materials and solvents. The organic material is not particularly limited as long as it can be dissolved in the solvent. The solution may be, for example, a varnish containing polyamide or the like. However, the solution is not limited to the examples.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the organic film forming apparatus 1 is provided with, for example, a chamber 10 , an exhaust unit 20 , a processing unit 30 , a cooling unit 40 , a cleaning unit 50 , and a controller 60 .

The controller 60 includes, for example, a computing unit such as a central processing unit (CPU) and a storage unit such as a memory. The controller 60 may be a computer, for example. The controller 60 controls the operation of each element provided in the organic film forming apparatus 1 based on the control program stored in the storage unit.

The chamber 10 has an airtight structure capable of maintaining a gas environment in which a larger air pressure is further decompressed. The chamber 10 is box-shaped. The external shape of the chamber 10 is not particularly limited. The external shape of the chamber 10 may be, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped. The chamber 10 may be formed of metal such as stainless steel.

In the Y direction, at one of the ends of the chamber 10, a flange 11 may be provided. The flange 11 may be provided with a sealing material 12 such as an O-ring. The opening 11 a on the side of the chamber 10 on which the flange 11 is provided can be opened and closed by the door 13 . The door 13 is pushed to the flange 11 (sealing material 12) by a driving device (not shown), whereby the opening 11a of the chamber 10 is airtightly closed. The door 13 is moved away from the flange 11 by a driving device (not shown), thereby opening the opening 11 a of the chamber 10 , so that the workpiece 100 can be loaded in or out through the opening 11 a. Moreover, by opening the opening 11a of the chamber 10, cleaning can be performed by the cleaning part 50 mentioned later. That is, the chamber 10 has the opening 11a for loading or unloading the workpiece 100, and can maintain a gas environment in which the pressure is relatively high and the pressure is further reduced. The door 13 can open and close the opening 11a of the chamber 10.

In the Y direction, at the other end of the chamber 10, a flange 14 may be provided. The flange 14 may be provided with a sealing material 12 such as an O-ring. The opening on the side of the chamber 10 on which the flange 14 is provided can be opened and closed by the cover 15 . For example, the cover 15 may be detachably provided on the flange 14 using a fastening member such as a screw. When performing maintenance or the like, the cover 15 is removed to expose the opening on the side of the chamber 10 on which the flange 14 is provided.

A cooling part 16 may be provided on the outer wall of the chamber 10 and the outer surface of the door 13 . A cooling water supply unit (not shown) is connected to the cooling unit 16 . The cooling unit 16 may be a water jacket, for example. If the cooling unit 16 is provided, the temperature of the outer wall of the chamber 10 or the temperature of the outer surface of the door 13 can be suppressed from being higher than a predetermined temperature.

The exhaust unit 20 exhausts the inside of the chamber 10 . The exhaust part 20 has, for example, a first exhaust part 21, a second exhaust part 22, and a third exhaust part 23. The first exhaust part 21 is connected to the exhaust port 17 , for example, and the exhaust port 17 is provided on the bottom surface of the chamber 10 . The first exhaust part 21 has, for example, an exhaust pump 21a and a pressure control part 21b. The exhaust pump 21a may be an exhaust pump that performs rough exhaust from atmospheric pressure to a predetermined pressure. Therefore, the exhaust pump 21a has a larger exhaust volume than the exhaust pump 22a described later. The exhaust pump 21a may be a dry vacuum pump or the like, for example.

The pressure control unit 21b is provided, for example, between the exhaust port 17 and the exhaust pump 21a. The pressure control unit 21 b controls the internal pressure of the chamber 10 so that it becomes a predetermined pressure based on the output of a vacuum gauge (not shown) or the like that detects the internal pressure of the chamber 10 . The pressure control unit 21b may be, for example, an automatic pressure controller (Auto Pressure Controller, APC) or the like.

Furthermore, a cold trap 24 for capturing the discharged sublimation material is provided between the exhaust port 17 and the pressure control part 21b. In addition, a valve 25 is provided between the exhaust port 17 and the cold trap 24 . The valve 25 plays a role in preventing fluid from flowing into the cold trap 24 in the cooling process described below.

The second exhaust part 22 is connected to the exhaust port 18 , for example, and the exhaust port 18 is provided on the bottom surface of the chamber 10 . The second exhaust unit 22 includes, for example, an exhaust pump 22a and a pressure control unit 22b. The exhaust pump 22a performs rough exhaust by the exhaust pump 21a, and then exhausts the air to a lower predetermined pressure. The exhaust pump 22a has an exhaust capability capable of exhausting air to a high vacuum molecular flow region, for example. For example, the exhaust pump 22a may be a turbo molecular pump (Turbo Molecular Pump, TMP) or the like.

The pressure control unit 22b is provided, for example, between the exhaust port 18 and the exhaust pump 22a. The pressure control unit 22 b controls the internal pressure of the chamber 10 so that it becomes a predetermined pressure based on the output of a vacuum gauge (not shown) or the like that detects the internal pressure of the chamber 10 . The pressure control unit 22b can be, for example, an APC or the like. In addition, similarly to the first exhaust part 21, a cold trap 24 and a valve 25 may be provided between the exhaust port 18 and the pressure control part 21b.

In addition, the above example illustrates the case where the exhaust port 17 and the exhaust port 18 are provided on the bottom surface of the chamber 10 , but the exhaust port 17 and the exhaust port 18 may also be provided on the ceiling surface of the chamber 10 , for example. If the exhaust port 17 and the exhaust port 18 are provided on the bottom surface or the ceiling surface of the chamber 10 , an airflow can be formed inside the chamber 10 toward the bottom surface or the ceiling surface of the chamber 10 .

Here, when the workpiece 100 coated with a solution containing an organic material and a solvent is heated, substances contained in the solution may sublime (vaporize). The components contained in the sublimated product may become solid and adhere to the inner wall of the chamber 10 or the like whose temperature is lower than that of the heated workpiece 100 . If the solid adhered to the inner wall of the chamber 10 and the like peels off from the inner wall of the chamber 10 , it may become foreign matter such as particles and adhere to the surface of the workpiece 100 .

In this case, if an airflow is formed inside the chamber 10 toward the bottom surface or the ceiling surface of the chamber 10 , foreign matter such as sublimated matter or particles will be easily discharged to the outside of the chamber 10 along with the airflow. Therefore, foreign matter such as particles can be suppressed from adhering to the workpiece 100 .

The processing part 30 has, for example, a frame 31, a heating part 32, a support part 33, a uniform heat part 34, a uniform heat plate support part 35, and a cover 36. Inside the processing unit 30, a processing area 30a and a processing area 30b are provided. The processing areas 30a and 30b serve as spaces for processing the workpiece 100. The workpiece 100 is supported inside the processing areas 30a and 30b. The processing area 30b is provided above the processing area 30a. In addition, the case where two processing areas are provided is exemplified, but the invention is not limited to this. Only one processing area can be set, or three or more processing areas can be set. In this embodiment, the case where two processing areas are provided is illustrated as an example, but the same can be considered when one processing area or three or more processing areas are provided.

The processing area 30a and the processing area 30b are provided between the heating part 32 and the heating part 32. The processing area 30a and the processing area 30b are surrounded by the vapor chamber 34 (the upper vapor chamber 34a, the lower vapor chamber 34b, the side vapor chamber 34c, and the side vapor chamber 34d).

As will be described later, the upper vapor chamber 34 a and the lower vapor chamber 34 b are formed by a plurality of plate-shaped members supported by a plurality of vapor chamber support portions 35 . Therefore, the processing area 30a and the space inside the chamber 10 are connected through gaps provided between the upper vapor chambers 34a and between the lower vapor chambers 34b. In addition, there are also formed between the upper vapor chamber 34a (lower vapor chamber 34b) and the side vapor chamber 34c, and between the upper vapor chamber 34a (lower vapor chamber 34b) and the side vapor chamber 34d. gap. Therefore, when the pressure of the space between the inner wall of the chamber 10 and the processing part 30 is reduced, the pressure of the space inside the processing area 30a is also reduced. The processing area 30b has the same structure as the processing area 30a, so the description is omitted.

If the pressure in the space between the inner wall of the chamber 10 and the processing unit 30 is reduced, the heat released from the processing areas 30 a and 30 b to the outside can be suppressed. That is, heating efficiency or thermal storage efficiency can be improved. Therefore, the electric power applied to the heater 32a mentioned later can be reduced. In addition, if the electric power applied to the heater 32a can be reduced, the temperature of the heater 32a can be suppressed from becoming a predetermined temperature or higher, and therefore the life of the heater 32a can be extended.

In addition, since the thermal storage efficiency is improved, the temperatures of the processing areas 30a and 30b can be rapidly raised. Therefore, it is possible to cope with processes requiring rapid temperature rise. In addition, since the temperature of the outer wall of the chamber 10 can be suppressed from increasing, the cooling unit 16 can be simplified.

The frame 31 has a skeleton structure including an elongated plate material, shaped steel, or the like. The outer shape of the frame 31 may be the same as the outer shape of the chamber 10 . The external shape of the frame 31 may be, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped.

A plurality of heating units 32 are provided. The heating unit 32 may be provided in the lower portions of the processing areas 30a and 30b, and in the upper portions of the processing areas 30a and 30b. The heating part 32 provided in the lower part of the processing area 30a and the processing area 30b becomes a lower heating part. The heating part 32 provided in the upper part of the processing area 30a and the processing area 30b becomes an upper heating part. The lower heating part faces the upper heating part. In addition, when a plurality of processing areas are overlapped in the vertical direction, the upper heating portion provided in the lower processing area can also serve as the lower heating portion provided in the upper processing area.

The heating unit 32 is provided inside the chamber 10 and heats the workpiece 100 . For example, the lower surface (back surface) of the workpiece 100 supported in the processing area 30a is heated by the heating part 32 provided in the lower part of the processing area 30a. The upper surface (surface) of the workpiece 100 supported in the processing area 30a is heated by the heating part 32 that serves both the processing area 30a and the processing area 30b.

The lower surface (back surface) of the workpiece 100 supported in the processing area 30b is heated by the heating unit 32 that serves both the processing area 30a and the processing area 30b. The upper surface (surface) of the workpiece 100 supported in the processing area 30b is heated by the heating part 32 provided in the upper part of the processing area 30b. In this case, the number of heating units 32 can be reduced, thereby achieving reduction in power consumption, reduction in manufacturing cost, space saving, and the like.

Each of the plurality of heating units 32 has at least one heater 32a and a pair of holders 32b. In addition, a case where a plurality of heaters 32a are provided will be described below. The heater 32a has a rod shape and extends in the Y direction between the pair of holders 32b. The plurality of heaters 32a may be arranged in an array along the X direction. The plurality of heaters 32a may be provided at equal intervals, for example. The heater 32a can be, for example, a sheathed heater, a far-infrared heater, a far-infrared lamp, a ceramic heater, a cartridge heater, or the like. In addition, various heaters can also be covered with quartz covers.

In addition, in this specification, various heaters covered with a quartz cover are also referred to as "rod-shaped heaters". In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the "rod-like" is not limited, and includes, for example, a cylindrical shape or a prism shape. In addition, the heater 32a is not limited to the example. The heater 32a only needs to be able to heat the workpiece 100 in a gas environment in which the pressure is relatively high and the pressure is further reduced. That is, the heater 32a only needs to utilize thermal energy obtained by radiation.

The specifications, number, intervals, etc. of the plurality of heaters 32 a in the upper heating part and the lower heating part can be appropriately determined depending on the composition of the solution to be heated (the temperature at which the solution is heated), the size of the workpiece 100 , and the like. The specifications, number, intervals, etc. of the plurality of heaters 32a can be appropriately determined by conducting simulations, experiments, or the like.

In addition, the space in which the plurality of heaters 32a are installed is surrounded by the holder 32b, the upper vapor chamber 34a, the lower vapor chamber 34b, the side vapor chamber 34c, and the side vapor chamber 34d. A gap is provided between the upper vapor chambers 34a and between the lower vapor chambers 34b. Therefore, part of the cooling gas supplied from the cooling unit 40 to be described later to the space in which the plurality of heaters 32 a are installed flows into the processing area 30 a or the processing area 30 b. However, the space in which the plurality of heaters 32a are installed can be regarded as a substantially closed space. Therefore, by supplying cooling gas from the cooling unit 40 to the space where the plurality of heaters 32a are installed, the plurality of heaters 32a, the upper vapor chambers 34a, the lower vapor chambers 34b, the side vapor chambers 34c, and and side vapor chamber 34d for cooling.

The pair of holders 32b extends in the X direction (for example, the longitudinal direction of the treatment area 30a and the treatment area 30b). The pair of holders 32b face each other in the Y direction. One of the holders 32b is fixed to the end surface of the frame 31 on the door 13 side. The other holder 32b is fixed to the end surface of the frame 31 opposite to the door 13 side. The pair of holders 32b can be fixed to the frame 31 using fastening members such as screws. The pair of holders 32b holds the non-heat-radiating portion near the end portion of the heater 32a. The pair of holders 32b may be formed of, for example, an elongated metal plate or shaped steel. The material of the pair of holders 32b is not particularly limited, but it is preferably a material having heat resistance and corrosion resistance. The material of the pair of holders 32b can be, for example, stainless steel.

The support part 33 is provided inside the chamber 10 and supports the workpiece 100 . For example, the support portion 33 supports the workpiece 100 between the upper heating portion and the lower heating portion. A plurality of supporting parts 33 may be provided. The plurality of support parts 33 are provided at the lower part of the processing area 30a and the lower part of the processing area 30b. The plurality of supporting parts 33 may be formed into rod-shaped bodies.

One end (upper end) of the plurality of support portions 33 is in contact with the lower surface (back surface) of the workpiece 100 . Therefore, it is preferable that the shape of one end portion of the plurality of support portions 33 is a hemispherical shape or the like. If the shape of one end portion of the plurality of support portions 33 is hemispherical, damage to the lower surface of the workpiece 100 can be suppressed. In addition, the contact area between the lower surface of the workpiece 100 and the plurality of support portions 33 can be reduced, so the heat transferred from the workpiece 100 to the plurality of support portions 33 can be reduced.

The workpiece 100 is heated by heat energy obtained by radiation in a gas environment in which the pressure is relatively high and further decompressed. Therefore, the distance from the upper heating part to the upper surface of the workpiece 100 and the distance from the lower heating part to the lower surface of the workpiece 100 The distance is the distance at which heat energy obtained by radiation can reach the workpiece 100 .

The other end portion (the lower end portion) of the plurality of support portions 33 can be fixed to, for example, a plurality of rod-shaped members or plate-shaped members installed between the pair of frames 31 . In this case, it is preferable that the plurality of support portions 33 are detachably provided on a rod-shaped member or the like. If so, maintenance and other operations become easier.

The number, arrangement, intervals, etc. of the plurality of support portions 33 can be appropriately changed depending on the size, rigidity (flexion), etc. of the workpiece 100 . The material of the plurality of support portions 33 is not particularly limited, but is preferably a material having heat resistance and corrosion resistance. The material of the plurality of support portions 33 may be, for example, stainless steel.

The heat equalizing part 34 has a plurality of upper equalizing plates 34a, a plurality of lower equalizing plates 34b, a plurality of side equalizing plates 34c, and a plurality of side equalizing plates 34d. The plurality of upper vapor chambers 34a, the plurality of lower vapor chambers 34b, the plurality of side vapor chambers 34c, and the plurality of side vapor chambers 34d are plate-shaped.

The plurality of upper vapor chambers 34 a are provided on the lower heating unit side (the workpiece 100 side) of the upper heating unit. The plurality of upper vapor chambers 34a are provided apart from the plurality of heaters 32a. That is, a gap is provided between the upper surfaces of the plurality of upper heat chamber plates 34a and the lower surfaces of the plurality of heaters 32a. The plurality of upper vapor chambers 34a are arranged in an array along the X direction. A gap is provided between the plurality of upper vapor chambers 34a. If gaps are provided, dimensional differences caused by thermal expansion can be absorbed. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the upper vapor chambers 34a from interfering with each other and causing deformation. In addition, as mentioned above, the pressure in the space of the processing area 30a and the processing area 30b can be reduced via the gap.

The plurality of lower heating plates 34b are provided on the upper heating portion side (the workpiece 100 side) of the lower heating portion. The plurality of lower vapor chambers 34b are provided apart from the plurality of heaters 32a. That is, a gap is provided between the lower surfaces of the plurality of lower heat chamber plates 34b and the upper surfaces of the plurality of heaters 32a. The plurality of lower vapor chambers 34b are arranged in an array along the X direction. A gap is provided between the plurality of lower vapor chambers 34b. If gaps are provided, dimensional differences caused by thermal expansion can be absorbed. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the lower vapor chambers 34b from interfering with each other and causing deformation. In addition, the pressure in the space of the processing area 30a and the processing area 30b can be reduced via the gap.

The side heat chambers 34c are respectively provided on both sides of the processing area 30a and the processing area 30b in the X direction. Side vapor chambers 34c may be disposed inside the cover 36 . In addition, as mentioned above, a gap is provided between the side vapor chamber 34c and the upper vapor chamber 34a or the lower vapor chamber 34b. The pressure in the space of the processing areas 30a and 30b can be reduced through the gap.

The side heat chambers 34d are respectively provided on both sides of the processing area 30a and the processing area 30b in the Y direction. The side heat chamber 34d provided on the door 13 side may be provided on the door 13 with a space apart from the cover 36. The side heat chamber 34d provided on the cover 15 side may be provided inside the cover 36. In addition, as mentioned above, a gap is provided between the side vapor chamber 34d and the upper vapor chamber 34a or the lower vapor chamber 34b. The pressure in the space of the processing areas 30a and 30b can be reduced through the gap.

In this embodiment, the gaps provided between the upper vapor chambers 34a and the lower vapor chambers 34b are formed to be smaller than the gaps between the upper vapor chambers 34a (lower vapor chambers 34b) and the side portions. The gaps between the hot plates 34c and between the upper vapor chamber 34a (lower vapor chamber 34b) and the side vapor chambers 34d are large. The reason for this will be described later.

As mentioned above, the plurality of heaters 32a are in the shape of rods and are arranged at predetermined intervals. When the heater 32a is rod-shaped, heat is radiated radially from the central axis of the heater 32a. In this case, the shorter the distance between the central axis of the heater 32a and the heated portion, the higher the temperature of the heated portion. Therefore, when the workpiece 100 is held facing the plurality of heaters 32a, the area of the workpiece 100 located directly above or directly below the heater 32a is compared to the area located between the plurality of heaters 32a. The temperature is higher in the area directly above or below the workpiece 100 in the space. That is, if the workpiece 100 is directly heated using a plurality of rod-shaped heaters 32 a , an in-plane distribution occurs in the temperature of the heated workpiece 100 .

If an in-plane distribution occurs in the temperature of the workpiece 100, the quality of the formed organic film may deteriorate. For example, there is a risk that bubbles may be generated in a part where the temperature becomes high, or the composition of the organic film may change in a part where the temperature becomes high.

In the organic film forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the plurality of upper heat chambers 34a and the plurality of lower heat chambers 34b described above are provided. Therefore, the heat radiated from the plurality of heaters 32a is incident on the plurality of upper vapor chambers 34a and the plurality of lower vapor chambers 34b, and is radiated toward the workpiece 100 while propagating in the surface direction inside these vapor chambers. As a result, the occurrence of in-plane distribution in the temperature of the workpiece 100 can be suppressed, thereby improving the quality of the formed organic film.

The plurality of upper vapor chambers 34 a and the plurality of lower vapor chambers 34 b cause incident heat to propagate in the plane direction, so the material of these vapor chambers is preferably made of a material with high thermal conductivity. The plurality of upper vapor chambers 34a and the plurality of lower vapor chambers 34b can be made of, for example, aluminum, copper, stainless steel, or the like. Furthermore, when using a material that is easily oxidized, such as aluminum or copper, it is preferable to provide a layer containing a material that is not easily oxidized on the surface.

Part of the heat radiated from the plurality of upper vapor chambers 34a and the plurality of lower vapor chambers 34b is directed toward the side of the processing area. Therefore, the above-mentioned side heating plates 34c and 34d are provided on the sides of the processing area. The heat incident on the side vapor chambers 34 c and 34 d propagates in the surface direction of the side vapor chambers 34 c and 34 d, and a part of the heat is radiated toward the workpiece 100 . Therefore, the heating efficiency of the workpiece 100 can be improved.

The materials of the side vapor chambers 34c and 34d may be the same as the materials of the upper vapor chambers 34a and the lower vapor chambers 34b described above.

In addition, the above example illustrates a case where a plurality of upper vapor chambers 34a and a plurality of lower vapor chambers 34b are arranged in the X direction. However, at least one of the upper vapor chambers 34a and the lower vapor chambers 34b may be a single unit. Plate-like components.

The plurality of vapor chamber support parts 35 are arranged in an array along the X direction. The vapor chamber support part 35 may be provided directly below the upper vapor chambers 34a in the X direction. The plurality of vapor chamber support parts 35 can be fixed to a pair of holders 32b using fastening members such as screws. The pair of vapor chamber support parts 35 detachably support both ends of the upper vapor chamber 34a. In addition, the plurality of vapor chamber supporting parts 35 supporting the plurality of lower vapor chambers 34b may have the same structure.

If the upper vapor chamber 34a and the lower vapor chamber 34b are supported by the pair of vapor chamber support parts 35, even if the upper vapor chamber 34a and the lower vapor chamber 34b thermally expand, the upper vapor chamber 34a and the lower vapor chamber 34b can be suppressed. Board 34b interferes. Therefore, deformation of the upper vapor chamber 34a and the lower vapor chamber 34b can be suppressed.

The cover 36 is plate-shaped and covers the upper surface, bottom surface, and side surfaces of the frame 31 . That is, the inside of the frame 31 is covered with the cover 36 . However, the cover 36 on the door 13 side may be provided on the door 13, for example.

The cover 36 surrounds the processing areas 30 a and 30 b, but has gaps at the boundaries between the upper surface and the side surfaces of the frame 31 , between the side surfaces and the bottom surface of the frame 31 , and in the vicinity of the door 13 .

In addition, the cover 36 provided on the upper surface and the bottom surface of the frame 31 is divided into a plurality of parts. In addition, a gap is provided between the divided covers 36 . That is, the internal space of the processing part 30 (the processing area 30a, the processing area 30b) communicates with the internal space of the chamber 10 via these gaps. Therefore, the pressure of the processing areas 30 a and 30 b and the pressure of the space between the inner wall of the chamber 10 and the cover 36 can be made the same. The cover 36 may be formed of stainless steel or the like, for example.

The cooling unit 40 supplies cooling gas to the area where the heating unit 32 is installed. For example, the cooling unit 40 uses cooling gas to cool the uniform heat portion 34 surrounding the processing areas 30 a and 30 b, and uses the cooled uniform heat portion 34 to indirectly cool the workpiece 100 in a high-temperature state. In addition, for example, the cooling unit 40 may supply cooling gas to the workpiece 100 to directly cool the workpiece 100 in a high-temperature state.

That is, the cooling unit 40 can cool the workpiece 100 indirectly or directly. In addition, the cooling unit 40 may function as the cleaning unit 50 that supplies the cleaning gas G described below to the processing areas 30 a and 30 b in the cleaning process described below.

The cooling unit 40 has, for example, a first gas supply path 40a and a second gas supply path 40b. First, the first gas supply path 40a will be described. The first gas supply path 40a includes a nozzle 41, a gas source 42, a gas control unit 43, and a switching valve 54.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the nozzle 41 can be connected to a space in which a plurality of heaters 32 a are provided. For example, the nozzle 41 penetrates the cover 36 and can be mounted on the side vapor chamber 34c, the frame 31, or the like. A plurality of nozzles 41 may be provided in the Y direction (see FIG. 3 ). In addition, the number or arrangement of the nozzles 41 can be appropriately changed. For example, in the X direction, the nozzle 41 may be provided on one side of the processing part 30 , or the nozzle 41 may be provided on both sides of the processing part 30 .

The gas source 42 supplies cooling gas to the nozzle 41 . The gas source 42 may be, for example, a high-pressure gas cylinder, factory piping, or the like. In addition, multiple gas sources 42 may be provided.

The cooling gas is preferably a gas that does not easily react with the heated workpiece 100 . The cooling gas may be, for example, nitrogen gas, rare gas, or the like. The rare gas is, for example, argon or helium. If the cooling gas is nitrogen, operating costs can be reduced. Since helium has high thermal conductivity, if helium is used as the cooling gas, the cooling time can be shortened. The temperature of the cooling gas can be, for example, room temperature (for example, 25° C.) or lower.

The gas control unit 43 is provided between the nozzle 41 and the gas source 42 . The gas control unit 43 can, for example, control at least one of the supply and stop of the cooling gas, or the flow rate and flow rate of the cooling gas.

In addition, the supply timing of the cooling gas may be set after completion of the heat treatment of the workpiece 100 . In addition, the completion of the heat treatment may be after maintaining the temperature at which the organic film is formed for a predetermined period of time.

The switching valve 54 is a valve for switching the first gas supply path 40a and the second gas supply path 40b. The switching valve 54 is provided between the nozzle 41 and the gas control part 43 and outside the chamber 10 .

Next, the second gas supply path 40b will be described. The second gas supply path 40b is provided to clean the inside of the chamber 10 in a cleaning step described below. The second gas supply path 40 b discharges foreign matter such as particles inside the chamber 10 to the outside of the chamber 10 through the opening 11 a of the chamber 10 . For example, the second gas supply path 40b supplies the cleaning gas G into the inside of the processing areas 30a and 30b to form a gas flow toward the opening 11a of the chamber 10.

In this embodiment, the second gas supply path 40b also functions as the "cleaning part" of the present invention. Hereinafter, the second gas supply path 40b may also be referred to as the cleaning part 50.

The cleaning part 50 has, for example, a nozzle 41, a gas source 52, a gas control part 53, and a switching valve 54. In this case, the cleaning part 50 is connected to the first gas supply path 40 a via the switching valve 54 .

The gas source 52 supplies the cleaning gas G to the plurality of nozzles 41 . The gas source 52 may be, for example, a high-pressure gas cylinder, factory piping, or the like. In addition, multiple gas sources 52 may be provided.

It is preferable that the cleaning gas G is a gas that does not easily react with the inner wall of the heated chamber 10 or the components inside the chamber 10 . The clean gas G can be, for example, clean dry air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ), rare gas, or the like. The rare gas is, for example, argon or helium. In this case, if the cleaning gas G is clean dry air or nitrogen, the operating cost can be reduced.

The cleaning gas G may be the same as the cooling gas mentioned above, or may be different. When the cleaning gas G is the same as the cooling gas, either the gas source 52 or the gas source 42 may be provided. The temperature of the cleaning gas G can be set to room temperature (for example, 25° C.), for example.

The gas control unit 53 is provided between the switching valve 54 and the gas source 52 . The gas control unit 53 can control the supply and stop of the supply of the cleaning gas G, for example. In addition, the gas control unit 53 may control at least one of the flow rate and the flow rate of the cleaning gas G, for example. The flow rate or flow rate of the cleaning gas G can be appropriately changed depending on the size of the chamber 10 or the shape, number, arrangement, etc. of the nozzles 41 . The flow rate or flow rate of the cleaning gas G can be appropriately determined by conducting experiments or simulations, for example.

Next, the operation of the organic film forming apparatus 1 will be exemplified. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the processing steps of the workpiece 100 . As shown in FIG. 2 , the organic film forming process includes a workpiece loading process, a temperature raising process, a heat treatment process, a cooling process, a workpiece unloading process, and a cleaning process. First, in the workpiece loading process, the opening and closing door 13 is moved away from the flange 11 and the workpiece 100 is carried into the internal space of the chamber 10 . After the workpiece 100 is loaded into the internal space of the chamber 10, the exhaust unit 20 depressurizes the internal space of the chamber 10 to a predetermined pressure.

After the internal space of the chamber 10 is decompressed to a predetermined pressure, electric power is applied to the heater 32a. Then, as shown in FIG. 2 , the temperature of the workpiece 100 rises. The process of increasing the temperature of the workpiece 100 is called a temperature increasing process. In this embodiment, the temperature raising process is performed twice (the temperature raising process (1), the temperature raising process (2)). In addition, the predetermined pressure may be a pressure at which the polyamide in the solution does not react with oxygen remaining in the internal space of the chamber 10 and be oxidized. The predetermined pressure may be, for example, 1×10 ^-2 Pa to 100 Pa. That is, it is not necessarily necessary to use the second exhaust part 22 for exhaust. After the exhaust is started using the first exhaust part 21, when the internal space of the chamber 10 reaches a pressure in the range of 10 Pa to 100 Pa, Heating of the workpiece 100 by the heating unit 32 is started.

After the temperature raising process, a heat treatment process is performed. The heat treatment process is a process of maintaining a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time. In this embodiment, the heat treatment process (1) and the heat treatment process (2) can be provided. The heat treatment step (1) may be, for example, a step of heating the workpiece 100 at a first temperature for a predetermined time to discharge moisture, gas, etc. contained in the solution. The first temperature may be, for example, 100°C to 200°C.

By performing the heat treatment step (1), it is possible to prevent moisture or gas contained in the solution from being included in the finished organic film. In addition, depending on the components of the solution, etc., the first heat treatment step may be performed multiple times while changing the temperature, or the first heat treatment step may be omitted.

The heat treatment step (2) is a step in which the substrate (workpiece 100) coated with the solution is maintained at a predetermined pressure and temperature for a predetermined time to form an organic film. The second temperature may be a temperature that causes imidization, for example, it may be 300° C. or higher. In this embodiment, in order to obtain an organic film with a high degree of molecular chain filling, a heat treatment step is performed at 400°C to 600°C.

The cooling process is a process of lowering the temperature of the workpiece 100 on which the organic film is formed. In this embodiment, it is performed after the heat treatment step (2). The workpiece 100 is cooled to a temperature that allows it to be moved out. For example, if the temperature of the workpiece 100 to be carried out is normal temperature, the workpiece 100 can be carried out easily. However, in the organic film forming apparatus 1, the workpiece 100 is continuously heated. Therefore, if the temperature of the workpiece 100 is set to normal temperature each time the workpiece 100 is carried out, the time required to raise the temperature of the next workpiece 100 becomes longer. That is, there is a risk of productivity decline. The temperature of the workpiece 100 to be carried out may be, for example, 50°C to 90°C. Let this carry-out temperature be the third temperature.

The controller 60 closes the valve 25 of the first exhaust part 21. Then, the cooling unit 40 is controlled to supply cooling gas to the space where the plurality of heaters 32 a are installed, thereby indirectly and directly lowering the temperature of the workpiece 100 .

Therefore, the gap between the upper vapor chambers 34a and the lower vapor chambers 34b is larger than the gap between the upper vapor chambers 34a (lower vapor chambers 34b) and the side vapor chambers 34c. And the gap between the upper vapor chamber 34a (lower vapor chamber 34b) and the side vapor chamber 34d is large. Accordingly, when the cooling unit 40 supplies cooling gas, the amount of cooling gas to the workpiece 100 can be increased. In addition, the amount of cooling gas discharged from the processing areas 30a and 30b can be reduced. Therefore, the workpiece 100 can be efficiently cooled.

In addition, immediately after the organic film is formed, the internal pressure of the chamber 10 is lower than the atmospheric pressure, that is, the internal gas of the chamber 10 is in a low state. Therefore, even if the cooling gas is supplied to the inside of the chamber 10 , it is possible to suppress components contained in the sublimate that become solid due to the supplied cooling gas from scattering.

After the output of the vacuum gauge (not shown) that detects the internal pressure of the chamber 10 reaches the same pressure as the atmospheric pressure, the controller 60 closes the valve 25 of the second exhaust part 22 and opens the valve of the third exhaust part 23 25. Always discharge cooling gas.

The controller 60 may control the switching valve 54 to supply the cleaning gas G to the space where the plurality of heaters 32 a are installed, after the detection value of the thermometer (not shown) becomes 200° C. or less. When the cleaning gas G is Clean Dry Air (CDA) and the cooling gas is N ₂ or a rare gas, the usage amount of N ₂ or the rare gas can be reduced.

In the workpiece unloading process, after the temperature of the workpiece 100 on which the organic film is formed reaches the third temperature, the supply of the cooling gas or the cleaning gas G introduced into the chamber 10 is stopped. Then, the opening and closing door 13 moves away from the flange 11, and the workpiece 100 is carried out.

As mentioned above, when the sublimated substance comes into contact with a component whose temperature is lower than that of the heated workpiece 100 , components contained in the sublimated substance may become solid and adhere to the component.

However, since the upper vapor chamber 34a and the lower vapor chamber 34b are heated, the components contained in the sublimated product are suppressed from adhering to the upper vapor chamber 34a and the lower vapor chamber 34b. In addition, as mentioned above, since an air flow is formed inside the chamber 10 toward the bottom surface (or ceiling surface) of the chamber 10 where the exhaust port 17 or the exhaust port 18 is provided, the sublimates follow the air flow. and be discharged out of the chamber 10.

As described above, it is considered that the sublimated material is discharged out of the chamber 10 , and therefore it is considered that the components contained in the sublimated material can be suppressed from adhering to the workpiece 100 . Therefore, conventionally, after the workpiece 100 was carried out, the next workpiece 100 was carried into the chamber 10, and the above process was repeated.

However, it was eventually discovered that a small amount of sublimation actually adhered to the inner wall of the chamber 10 . By repeating the organic film formation process, a small amount of sublimate is repeatedly attached to the inner wall of the chamber 10 . As a result, the solid produced from the sublimate becomes larger. The solid produced from the sublimate becomes larger to some extent and then peels off from the inner wall of the chamber 10 . The solid matter peeled off from the inner wall of the chamber 10 may become foreign matter such as particles and adhere to the surface of the workpiece 100 .

Generally, an anti-adhesive plate is provided to prevent the adhesion of sublimated substances to the inner wall of the chamber, and the anti-adhesive plate is regularly replaced. However, the replacement work of this method is complicated. Therefore, the inventors of the present invention conducted research on cleaning to remove solids generated from sublimates from the inner wall of the chamber 10 and the like.

Next, the function of the cleaning part 50 and the cleaning method of the organic film forming apparatus of this embodiment will be described together. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the function of the cleaning unit 50 . In addition, in order to avoid complication, description of components and the like provided inside the chamber 10 is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the cleaning unit 50 supplies the cleaning gas G into the inside of the chamber 10 when the opening 11 a of the chamber 10 is opened (when the door 13 is moved away from the flange 11 ). For example, when the opening 11 a of the chamber 10 is opened, the controller 60 controls the gas control unit 53 so that the cleaning gas G flows from the nozzle 41 into the heating unit 32 . The cleaning gas G is supplied from the heating part 32 to the inside of the chamber 10 .

As described above, the gap between the upper vapor chambers 34a and the lower vapor chambers 34b is larger than the gap between the upper vapor chambers 34a (lower vapor chambers 34b) and the side vapor chambers 34c. There is a large gap between the upper vapor chamber 34a (lower vapor chamber 34b) and the side vapor chamber 34d. Therefore, when the cleaning part 50 supplies the cleaning gas G, the amount of the cleaning gas G supplied to the processing areas 30a and 30b can be increased.

The cleaning gas G supplied to the inside of the chamber 10 is discharged to the outside of the chamber 10 through the opening 11 a of the chamber 10 . At this time, foreign matter such as sublimated matter or particles inside the chamber 10 is discharged to the outside of the chamber 10 along with the flow of the cleaning gas G. In addition, the heater 32a, the holder 32b, the vapor chamber 34, and the vapor chamber support part 35 rub due to thermal expansion. As these components rub together, tiny pieces of metal are produced. The metal pieces are also included in the foreign matter. In addition, when an airflow is formed inside the chamber 10 , components (solids) of sublimates adhering to the inner wall of the chamber 10 or components installed inside the chamber 10 can be peeled off and discharged to the chamber. Exterior of room 10.

In this case, the cleaning gas G may be supplied to the inside of the chamber 10 periodically or as needed. That is, the cleaning process may be provided separately from the process of processing the workpiece 100 , and the cleaning gas G may be supplied into the chamber 10 during the cleaning process.

In addition, the cleaning gas G may be supplied into the chamber 10 before the processed workpiece 100 is moved out of the chamber 10 and the workpiece 100 to be processed next is moved into the chamber 10 . That is, even if a series of steps of processing the workpiece 100 are performed, the cleaning unit 50 can be used to clean the workpiece 100 even if there is no workpiece 100 inside the chamber 10 .

If the cleaning part 50 is provided, foreign matter such as sublimated matter or particles inside the chamber 10 can be discharged to the outside of the chamber 10 along with the flow of the cleaning gas G. In addition, components (solids) of the sublimate adhered to the inner wall and the like of the chamber 10 can be peeled off and discharged to the outside of the chamber 10 . That is, if the cleaning part 50 is provided, foreign matter inside the chamber 10 can be sufficiently removed.

Next, the effect of the cleaning part 50 will be further described. FIG. 4 is a graph when the discharge of particles by the exhaust unit 20 and the discharge of particles by the cleaning unit 50 are combined. When discharging particles using the exhaust unit 20 , the operation of depressurizing the interior of the chamber 10 and returning the depressurized interior of the chamber 10 to atmospheric pressure was repeated 10 times. When the particles are discharged by the cleaning unit 50 , the cleaning gas G is simultaneously supplied from the plurality of nozzles 41 after the particles are discharged by the exhaust unit 20 . That is, before the particles are discharged by the cleaning part 50 , the particles are discharged by the exhaust part 20 in advance.

As can be seen from FIG. 4 , if particles can be discharged by the exhaust part 20 and the particles can be discharged by the cleaning part 50 , particles of various sizes can be discharged.

FIG. 5 is a graph when only particles are discharged by the cleaning unit 50 . When discharging particles by the cleaning unit 50 , the cleaning gas G is simultaneously supplied from the plurality of nozzles 41 . As can be seen from FIG. 5 , even if only the particles are discharged by the cleaning unit 50 , particles of various sizes can be discharged.

Here, comparison is made between FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 . Comparing FIGS. 4 and 5 , it can be seen that the number of particles discharged immediately after the particle discharge is started by the cleaning unit 50 is not significantly different whether the particles are discharged in advance by the exhaust unit 20 or not. This means that it is difficult to sufficiently remove particles using the exhaust unit 20 . That is, if it is possible to sequentially perform cleaning of exhausting the interior of the chamber 10 and supplying gas to the interior of the chamber 10 while the chamber 10 is sealed, even if foreign matter such as particles can be removed to some extent, Foreign matter such as particles cannot be sufficiently removed. On the other hand, if the cleaning part 50 can be used for cleaning, it can be seen from FIG. 5 that foreign matter inside the chamber 10 can be sufficiently removed.

Here, in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the detection amounts of particles of various sizes are compared between 3 min and 5 min after the elapsed time from the start of particle discharge by the cleaning unit 50 . Comparing FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 , it can be seen that when the elapsed time from the start of particle discharge by the cleaning unit 50 is between 3 minutes and 5 minutes, the particle detection amount in FIG. 4 is smaller. Therefore, the discharge time of particles by the cleaning unit 50 can be shortened. That is, it is more preferable to perform the discharge of particles by the exhaust part 20 and the discharge of particles by the cleaning part 50 . However, if the exhaust part 20 is used to discharge particles while the workpiece 100 is in the chamber 10 , there is a risk that the particles may adhere to the surface of the workpiece 100 . It is preferable to perform the discharge of particles by the exhaust unit 20 and the discharge of particles by the cleaning unit 50 while the organic film forming apparatus 1 is on standby.

FIG. 6 is also a graph when only particles are discharged by the cleaning unit 50 . However, in the case of FIG. 6 , the cleaning gas G is sequentially supplied from the plurality of nozzles 41 . For example, the cleaning gas G is supplied from any plurality of nozzles 41 for a predetermined time, and after the supply of the cleaning gas G from the plurality of nozzles 41 is stopped, the cleaning gas G is supplied from the other plurality of nozzles 41 for a predetermined time. In this case, the cleaning gas G may be sequentially supplied from the plurality of nozzles 41 provided above, the cleaning gas G may be sequentially supplied from the plurality of nozzles 41 provided below, or the cleaning gas G may be sequentially supplied from any plurality of nozzles 41 . Supply clean gas G. In addition, the number of nozzles 41 used when supplying the cleaning gas G may be one.

As can be seen from FIG. 6 , the detected amount of particles decreases during the period of 3 minutes that elapses from the start of particle discharge by the cleaning unit 50 . However, when the elapsed time from the start of particle discharge by the cleaning unit 50 is 4 minutes, the detected amount of particles increases. The reason is considered to be that the flow of the cleaning gas G in the chamber 10 is changed by changing the supply of the cleaning gas from the plurality of nozzles 41 to the other plurality of nozzles 41 . It is considered that when the flow of the cleaning gas G in the chamber 10 changes, particles that cannot be discharged by the previous flow of the cleaning gas G are discharged to the outside of the chamber 10 .

Therefore, as can be seen from a comparison between FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 , if the cleaning gas G is sequentially supplied from the plurality of nozzles 41 to the other plurality of nozzles 41 , the number of particles discharged can be significantly increased. This means that foreign matter inside the chamber 10 can be removed more effectively.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the cleaning unit 50a according to another embodiment. Like the cleaning part 50 described above, the cleaning part 50a has, for example, a plurality of nozzles 41, a gas source 52, and a gas control part 53. In addition, as shown in FIG. 6 , the cleaning part 50a may further include a detection part 56.

The detection part 56 may be provided at a position facing the opening 11 a of the chamber 10 . The detection unit 56 detects foreign matter such as particles contained in the cleaning gas G discharged from the opening 11 a of the chamber 10 . The detection unit 56 may be a particle counter, for example.

If the detection part 56 is provided, the end point of cleaning can be detected. For example, when the number of foreign objects detected by the detection unit 56 becomes less than a predetermined value, the controller 60 may control the gas control unit 53 to stop the supply of the cleaning gas G and end the cleaning operation. If the end point of cleaning can be detected, the consumption of cleaning gas G can be reduced compared to the case where cleaning is ended by time management or the like. In addition, foreign matter present inside the chamber 10 can be removed more appropriately.

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the cleaning unit 50b according to another embodiment. Like the cleaning unit 50 described above, the cleaning unit 50b includes, for example, a plurality of nozzles 41, a gas source 52, and a gas control unit 53. In addition, as shown in FIG. 8 , the cleaning part 50b may further include a detection part 56 and a frame 55 .

The frame 55 has an airtight structure and can be installed at a position facing the opening 11 a of the chamber 10 . The detection part 56 may be provided inside the frame 55 . The frame 55 can be set as a mini-environment (local clean environment), for example.

As described above, the clean gas G discharged from the chamber 10 contains foreign matter such as particles. Therefore, foreign matter discharged from the chamber 10 may diffuse into the gas environment in which the organic film forming apparatus 1 is installed. If the diffused foreign matter such as particles reaches devices or components located around the organic film forming apparatus 1, there is a risk of contamination, malfunction, or the like. In addition, it is sometimes undesirable that the operator inhales foreign matter such as particles or clean gas G.

If the frame 55 is provided, foreign matter discharged from the chamber 10 or the cleaning gas G can be suppressed from diffusing into the gas environment in which the organic film forming apparatus 1 is installed.

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an organic film forming apparatus 1a according to another embodiment. Like the cleaning unit 50 described above, the cleaning unit 150 includes, for example, a plurality of nozzles 41 , a gas source 52 , and a gas control unit 53 . In addition, as shown in FIG. 9 , the cleaning part 150 may also have another cleaning part 50c.

The cleaning part 50c has a nozzle 51, a gas source 52, and a gas control part 53. As shown in FIG. 9 , the nozzle 51 may be connected to the side of the chamber 10 . A plurality of nozzles 51 may be provided on the side of the chamber 10 . The nozzle 51 of this embodiment has a cylindrical shape with a closed front end. The closed front end of the nozzle 51 extends to the side of the chamber 10 opposite to the side of the chamber 10 where the nozzle 51 is provided. A plurality of nozzle holes 51a are provided on the side of the nozzle 51 . In addition, the number or arrangement of the nozzles 51 can be appropriately changed. For example, a plurality of nozzles 51 may be arranged along the Y direction on the side surface of the chamber 10 . Nozzles 51 may also be provided on both opposite sides of the chamber 10 . A nozzle 51 may be provided that penetrates both opposing side surfaces of the chamber 10 . A plurality of nozzles 51 may be arranged on the cover 15 in the X direction.

FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the cleaning unit 150 according to another embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10 , the cleaning gas G can be introduced into the chamber 10 from the nozzle hole 51 a of the nozzle 51 . By providing the cleaning part 50c, the flow of the cleaning gas G formed by the nozzle 41 can be strengthened. Alternatively, a gas flow different from the gas flow of the cleaning gas G formed by the nozzle 41 may be generated. Therefore, particles that cannot be discharged by the flow of the cleaning gas G formed by the nozzle 41 are discharged to the outside of the chamber 10 . Therefore, the number of particles discharged can be greatly increased. This means that foreign matter inside the chamber 10 can be removed more effectively.

In addition, in the cooling process, cooling gas may be supplied from the cleaning part 50c into the chamber. If the supply timing of the cooling gas is set just after the organic film is formed or during the process of returning the internal pressure of the chamber 10 to the atmospheric pressure, the cooling time can be overlapped with the time of returning to the atmospheric pressure. That is, the cooling time can be substantially shortened. In addition, sublimation material adheres to the inner wall of the chamber 10 . Therefore, in order to prevent the sublimated material from peeling off from the inner wall of the chamber 10 and flowing into the inside of the processing areas 30 a and 30 b , the supply amount of the cooling gas from the cleaning part 50 c is preferably higher than the supply amount of the cooling gas from the cooling part 40 few.

In addition, in this embodiment, one nozzle 51 is provided with a plurality of nozzle holes, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, one nozzle hole may be formed in one nozzle 51 . In this case, the nozzle 51 has a cylindrical shape with a flange provided at the front end of the opening. Furthermore, the nozzle 51 is airtightly connected to the hole on the side of the chamber 10 . That is, the hole on the side of the chamber 10 functions as the nozzle hole 51a. Alternatively, when the nozzle 51 is airtightly connected to the hole provided in the cover 15, the hole provided in the cover 15 may function as the nozzle hole 51a.

FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an organic film forming apparatus 1 b according to another embodiment. Like the cleaning unit 150 described above, the cleaning unit 250 includes, for example, a plurality of nozzles 41 , a gas source 52 , a cleaning unit 50 c , and a gas control unit 53 . In addition, as shown in FIG. 11 , the cleaning part 250 may also have another cooling part 140 .

The cooling unit 140 supplies cooling gas to the workpiece 100 located inside the processing areas 30a and 30b. That is, the cooling unit 140 directly cools the workpiece 100 in a high temperature state. The cooling unit 140 is different from the cooling unit 40 in that it has a nozzle 141 instead of the nozzle 41 .

At least one nozzle 141 may be provided inside the processing areas 30a and 30b (see FIG. 12 ). For example, the nozzle 141 penetrates the cover 15 and the cover 36, and can be attached to the side vapor chamber 34d, the frame 31, etc. In this embodiment, the nozzle 141 is installed at a position where cooling gas can be supplied to the back surface of the workpiece 100 . In addition, a plurality of nozzles 141 may be provided in the X direction. Alternatively, the nozzle 141 may have a cylindrical shape with a closed front end. Furthermore, a plurality of holes may be provided on the side of the nozzle 141 and inserted from the side of the chamber 10 .

In the cooling process, the cooling gas is ejected from the nozzle 141 in parallel with the workpiece 100 . In addition, in FIG. 12 , the door 13 is in an open state, but in the cooling process described next, the door 13 is in a closed state. The cooling gas is supplied from the nozzle 141 substantially parallel to the back surface of the workpiece 100 (that is, the surface supported by the support portion 33 ). Thereby, the space between the workpiece 100 and the support part 33 is filled with cooling gas, so that the workpiece 100 can be cooled directly. In addition, the cooling gas supplied from the nozzle 141 and passed through the back surface of the workpiece 100 is discharged out of the chamber 10 through a discharge port (not shown). A plurality of (for example, four) discharge outlets are provided in the ceiling portion of the chamber 10 . When the cooling gas is supplied to the chamber 10 in the cooling process, the heat in the chamber 10 moves upwards of the chamber 10 , so the heat can be efficiently discharged through the exhaust port provided in the ceiling portion. Furthermore, by sequentially supplying the cooling gas from the nozzle 141 located on the lower side in the chamber 10 among the plurality of nozzles 141 , an air flow toward the ceiling side of the chamber 10 is formed in the chamber 10 . Thereby, the particles in the chamber 10 can be efficiently discharged from the discharge port.

Here, when the cooling process is started, the internal pressure of the chamber 10, which is lower than the atmospheric pressure, gradually approaches the atmospheric pressure by supplying the cooling gas. At this time, if the internal pressure of the chamber 10 suddenly approaches the atmospheric pressure, the workpiece 100 supported by the support portion 33 will move due to the pressure change, and will rub against the support portion 33 to generate particles. Therefore, first, after the cooling process is started, until the internal pressure of the chamber 10 reaches a predetermined pressure, only the cooling gas is supplied from the nozzle 41 to indirectly cool the workpiece 100 . The cooling gas supplied from the nozzle 41 is not directly supplied to the workpiece 100 but is supplied to the heat equalizing part 34 . Thereby, the internal pressure of the chamber 10 gradually increases while avoiding a sudden change in the pressure near the workpiece 100 . Thereafter, after the internal pressure of the chamber 10 reaches a predetermined pressure, the cooling gas is also supplied from the nozzle 141 to directly cool the workpiece 100 . The predetermined pressure is a pressure at which the workpiece 100 does not move due to pressure fluctuation caused by the supply of cooling gas from the nozzle 141, and is determined in advance through experiments or the like. The cooling gas is supplied from the nozzle 141 after the internal pressure of the chamber 10 rises to a certain extent, so the workpiece 100 does not move due to pressure changes. This can effectively suppress the generation of particles caused by friction between the workpiece 100 and the support portion 33 .

In addition, a plurality of nozzles (not shown) that blow air from the bottom of the chamber 10 to the ceiling may be provided at the end of the chamber 10 on the opening 11a side. In this case, an airflow can be formed from the bottom of the chamber 10 to the ceiling, so the particles blown away by the nozzle 141 and the nozzle 41 can be efficiently transported to the discharge port and discharged. In addition, the air flow formed by the nozzle (not shown) also functions as an air curtain that prevents particles from intruding from outside the chamber 10 when the door 13 is opened.

In addition, a plurality of nozzles (not shown) that blow air from the ceiling to the bottom of the chamber 10 may be provided. Furthermore, when used as an air curtain (when the door 13 is opened), an airflow can be formed from the ceiling to the bottom of the chamber 10 . In this case, an air curtain can be formed in which air flows in the same direction as the downflow in the clean room in which the organic film forming apparatus 1 is installed. Therefore, particles can be more effectively prevented from intruding into the chamber 10 .

In addition, a nozzle (not shown) that blows air from the bottom of the chamber 10 to the ceiling may be provided not only on the opening 11a side but also on the cover 15 side. The cooling gas ejected from the cooling nozzle 141 enters the door 13 side through the back surface of the workpiece 100 after being ejected, and the flow rate gradually decelerates. When the cooling gas collides with the door 13 and the cover 15 side, the flow rate of the cooling gas becomes very slow, and the cooling gas tends to remain on the wall surface on the cover 15 side. Then, the particles adhere to the wall surface on the cover 15 side, and the particles adhered to the wall surface on the cover 15 side adhere to the workpiece to be processed next. By providing a nozzle for blowing air from the bottom to the ceiling of the chamber 10 along the wall surface on the cover 15 side, particles adhering to the wall surface can be efficiently discharged from the discharge port.

When the workpiece 100 is cooled indirectly or directly, cooling gas is supplied from the cooling part 40 and the cooling part 140 in the cooling process. That is, the workpiece 100 can be directly cooled using the nozzle 141 of the cooling unit 140 . As a result, the cooling time can be substantially shortened.

FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the cleaning unit 250 according to another embodiment. By providing the cooling unit 140, the cleaning gas G can be supplied from the nozzle 141 to the inside of the processing areas 30a and 30b. Therefore, the flow of the cleaning gas G formed by the nozzle 41 can be strengthened. Therefore, particles that cannot be discharged by the flow of the cleaning gas G formed by the nozzle 41 are discharged to the outside of the chamber 10 . Therefore, the number of particles discharged can be greatly increased. This means that foreign matter inside the chamber 10 can be removed more effectively.

As explained above, the cleaning method of the organic film forming apparatus of this embodiment is a cleaning method of the organic film forming apparatus provided with the chamber 10 which has the opening 11a for loading or unloading the workpiece 100, and can maintain a large air pressure. Further decompressed gas environment. In the cleaning method of the organic film forming apparatus of this embodiment, when the opening 11 a of the chamber 10 is opened, a flow of the cleaning gas G flowing toward the opening 11 a of the chamber 10 is formed inside the chamber 10 .

In addition, the flow of the cleaning gas G is formed by sequentially supplying the cleaning gas G from the plurality of nozzles 41 .

In addition, when the number of foreign matter contained in the cleaning gas G discharged from the opening 11 a of the chamber 10 is less than a predetermined value, the formation of the flow of the cleaning gas G is stopped. When the flow of the cleaning gas G flowing toward the opening 11 a of the chamber 10 is formed, the workpiece 100 is not supported inside the chamber 10 .

In addition, the flow of the cleaning gas G formed by sequentially supplying the cleaning gas G from the plurality of nozzles 41 may be strengthened by sequentially supplying the cleaning gas G from the plurality of nozzles 51 , the plurality of nozzles 141 , or both. Alternatively, the flow of the cleaning gas G formed by sequentially supplying the cleaning gas G from the plurality of nozzles 41 may also be formed by sequentially supplying the cleaning gas G from the plurality of nozzles 51 , the plurality of nozzles 141 , or both. Different flows.

The embodiments have been illustrated above. However, the present invention is not limited to these descriptions. Embodiments in which those skilled in the art make appropriate design changes to the above-described embodiments are included in the scope of the present invention as long as they have the characteristics of the present invention. For example, the shape, size, arrangement, etc. of the organic film forming device 1 are not limited to the examples and can be changed appropriately. In addition, each element included in each embodiment described above can be combined as much as possible, and the embodiment obtained by combining these is included in the scope of the present invention as long as it has the characteristics of the present invention.

1, 1a, 1b: Organic film forming device 10: Chamber 11, 14: Flange 11a: Open your mouth 12:Sealing material 13: Door (open and close door) 15: cover 16, 40, 140: cooling department 17, 18: Exhaust port 20:Exhaust part 21:First exhaust part 21a, 22a: exhaust pump 21b: Pressure control department 22:Second exhaust part 22b: Pressure control department 23:Third exhaust part 24:cold trap 25:Valve 30:Processing Department 30a, 30b: processing area 31:Frame 32:Heating part 32a: heater 32b: holder 33: Support part 34: Uniform heating section 34a: Upper vapor chamber 34b:Lower vapor chamber 34c, 34d: Side vapor chamber 35:Vapor chamber support part 36:hood 40a: First gas supply path 40b: Second gas supply path 41, 51: Nozzle 42, 52: Gas source 43, 53: Gas control department 50, 50a, 50b, 50c, 150, 250: Cleaning Department 51a:Nozzle hole 54:Switching valve 55:frame 56:Testing Department 60:Controller 100: Workpiece (substrate) 141:Nozzle (cooling nozzle) G: clean gas X, Y, Z: direction

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the organic film forming apparatus according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a workpiece processing step. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the function of the cleaning unit. FIG. 4 is a graph showing a combination of particle discharge by the exhaust unit and particle discharge by the cleaning unit. FIG. 5 is a graph when only particles are discharged by the cleaning part. FIG. 6 is a graph when only particles are discharged by the cleaning part. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a cleaning unit according to another embodiment. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a cleaning unit according to another embodiment. 9 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an organic film forming apparatus according to another embodiment. FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a cleaning unit according to another embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an organic film forming apparatus according to another embodiment. FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a cleaning unit according to another embodiment.

10: Chamber

11:Flange

11a: Open your mouth

13: Door (open and close door)

16: Cooling department

20:Exhaust part

32:Heating part

36:hood

41:Nozzle

50:Cleaning Department

G: clean gas

X, Y, Z: direction

Claims (2)

An organic film forming device, including: The chamber has an opening for moving workpieces in or out, and can maintain a gas environment with a larger air pressure and further decompression; An exhaust part capable of exhausting the interior of the chamber; A support part is provided inside the chamber and capable of supporting the workpiece; A heating part is provided inside the chamber and can heat the workpiece; a cooling part that supplies cooling gas to the inside of the heating part; A plurality of first nozzles connected to the space in which the heating unit is installed and capable of supplying the cooling gas; A plurality of second nozzles capable of supplying the cooling gas to the back side of the workpiece; and a controller capable of controlling the cooling section, wherein The controller controls the cooling gas to be supplied only from the first nozzle from the start of the cooling process until the internal pressure of the chamber reaches a predetermined pressure. After the internal pressure reaches a predetermined pressure, the cooling gas is also supplied from the second nozzle, and the cooling step is a step of lowering the temperature of the workpiece on which the organic film is formed. The organic film forming device according to claim 1, wherein The predetermined pressure is a pressure that does not change due to pressure fluctuation caused by supply of the cooling gas from the second nozzle.