WO2014142402A1

WO2014142402A1 - Glass substrate etching device and method

Info

Publication number: WO2014142402A1
Application number: PCT/KR2013/007254
Authority: WO
Inventors: 박경용
Original assignee: Pakr Kyung Yong
Priority date: 2013-03-13
Filing date: 2013-08-12
Publication date: 2014-09-18
Also published as: KR101404236B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a glass substrate etching device and method, the device comprising: a cassette (20) having a plurality of glass substrates (10) disposed therein; an etching chamber (30) filled with an etching solution to a predetermined level on the inside thereof such that the cassette (20), in which the plurality of glass substrates (10) have been placed, is immersed in the etching solution; an etching-solution recovery chamber (40) partitioned from the etching chamber (30) by means separating wall (41) while being adapted to allow the inflow of etching solution, which has performed etching in the etching chamber (30), via a connecting hole (42) in an upper portion thereof; a sludge recovery chamber (50) blocked off from the etching-solution recovery chamber (40) by means of a second separating wall (51) while actively recovering floating sludge from the etching chamber (30) by means of a sludge-forwarding means (52) provided between said sludge recovery chamber and the upper edge of the etching chamber (30); a fine-gas generating unit (60) which filters the etching solution recovered through the etching-solution recovery chamber (40) and subjects same to heat exchange and then pressurisation, and mixes gaseous CDA and N2 with the etching solution via a Venturi tube and pressurises the mixture back to a predetermined pressure before then reducing the pressure to atmospheric pressure at the same time as supplying fine gas into the etching chamber (30); and an etching-solution regenerating unit (70) for recovering etching solution from the etching chamber (30) and the sludge recovery chamber (50) and a sludge pump (71) and at the same time adding new etching solution such that regeneration takes place at mutually different concentrations before supply to the etching-solution recovery chamber (40) and the sludge-forwarding means (52) and to the fine-gas generating unit (60), with waste-liquid treatment in part.

Description

Glass substrate etching apparatus and method

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for etching a glass substrate, and more particularly, a glass substrate that enables a glass substrate having a thinner thickness to be naturally discharged by sludge generated during etching while being etched by fine gas. Etching apparatus and method.

In general, a glass substrate is the most representative liquid crystal display (hereinafter referred to as "LCD") used in TV or computer monitor or notebook computer.

Such glass substrates have excellent image quality but low power consumption, and thus, these glass substrates are often used in portable devices.

One of the most essential elements in portable devices is the reduction of thickness and weight, and the most widely used method is to immerse the glass substrate in the etching liquid (dipping method) or spray the etching liquid on the surface of the glass substrate (spray method). To make it happen.

However, in the case of the spray method, there is a method of spraying the etching liquid from the top of the glass substrate (top spray method) and the method of spraying from the side (side spray method). The top spray method is advantageous for the small glass substrate, and the side spray method Is advantageous for large glass substrates.

However, in the conventional dipping method, as the sludge generated during etching is deposited, a large number of etching defects are generated, and the spray method has a problem of generating an etching defect indicating a difference in the etching amount of the upper and lower parts in common.

Therefore, Patent Registration No. 0943321 (2010.02.11.Name: Sludge Removal Method of Glass Etching Device and Glass Substrate), which is a patent of the prior art, minimizes the occurrence of sludge and allows the use of high concentration hydrofluoric acid to be recycled. Although it can reduce the occurrence somewhat, the solution replacement cycle is short and it is the main cause of the poor etching quality.

In particular, if the process is carried out in large quantities, there are problems such as staining, stamping or deviation thickness, and scratches, unit cost increase due to increased operating load, complex environmental problems, and application to small size.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is necessary while reducing the specific gravity of the sludge generated during etching with the fine gas generated by the regenerated etching solution to repeat the process to rise to the top of the etching solution. The main object of the present invention is to provide a glass substrate etching apparatus and method for producing a thinner substrate, and at the same time improving the etching efficiency to improve the product quality.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a glass substrate etching apparatus and method for improving productivity by enabling etching of a large amount of substrates at the same time.

The present invention to achieve the above object, the glass substrate is vertically erected so that a plurality of cassettes are arranged at regular intervals; An etching chamber filled with an etching solution at a predetermined level so that the cassette on which a plurality of glass substrates are loaded is placed at a predetermined height from a bottom surface thereof and immersed in an etching solution; An etching solution recovery chamber in which the etching solution, which is etched in the etching chamber, is introduced through the upper communication hole while being separated by the etching chamber and the first separation wall; Sludge forcibly recovering the sludge floating from the etch chamber through the sludge transfer means provided between the etch solution recovery chamber and the upper portion of the etch chamber through the upper portion to be opened while being blocked by the second separation wall. Recovery chamber; The etch solution recovered into the etch solution recovery chamber is continuously introduced into the etch solution, filtered, and heat-exchanged, pressurized through a chemical pump, mixed with the etch solution pressurized through the venturi with CDA and N2 gas, pressurized again to a constant pressure, and then to atmospheric pressure. A fine gas generator for supplying fine gas to the inside of the etching chamber while reducing the pressure; The etching solution overflowed from the etch chamber and the etch solution forcedly pumped by the sludge pump from the sludge recovery chamber and the etch solution overflowed from the sludge recovery chamber are recovered, and a new etch solution is added to regenerate at different concentrations. Thus, the etching solution recovery chamber, the sludge conveying means, and the fine gas generating unit are re-supplied, and a part includes an etching solution regeneration unit for waste liquid treatment.

In the above configuration, the fine gas generating unit includes a filter, a heat exchanger, a chemical pump, a mixer, a pressure tank, a flow control valve, and a fine gas supply pipe.

In the above configuration, the etching solution regeneration unit supplies the etching solution regenerated to a standard concentration for washing the etching solution recovery chamber and the sludge transfer means, and the etching solution regenerated at a high concentration is heat-exchanged in the fine gas generator. The mixing solution is supplied to the etching solution flowing from the etching solution recovery chamber.

Using the glass substrate etching apparatus to vertically load a plurality of glass substrates in a cassette at regular intervals; Filling the etching solution recovery chamber with the etching chamber in a predetermined amount; Immersing the cassette in an etching solution of the etching chamber; Etching the glass substrate in the cassette by an etching solution; Introducing an etch solution filled in the etch solution recovery chamber into a fine gas generating unit to form a fine gas and supplying it through a lower portion of the etch chamber; Bonding the sludge generated by etching while etching the glass substrate in the cassette by the fine gas flowing into the etching chamber to allow the sludge to float; Allowing the sludge that rises from the etching chamber to the upper portion of the etching solution to be transferred to the sludge recovery chamber by sludge conveying means; Forcing the sludge recovered in the sludge recovery chamber by a sludge pump to an etching solution regeneration unit; Removing sludge from the etching solution flowing into the etching solution regeneration unit, and separating the etching solution into an etching solution having a high concentration and an etching solution having a high concentration; Supplying the regeneration etching solution of the standard concentration separated in the step for washing the sludge transfer means together with the etching solution recovery chamber; Mixing and supplying the high concentration regenerated etching solution separated in the step to the etching solution introduced from the etching solution recovery chamber heat-exchanged in the fine gas generator; The fine gas generating unit repeats the step of generating the fine gas by the etching solution in which the high concentration of the etching solution is mixed to be supplied to the etching chamber again, and then etching the glass substrate with the etching of the glass substrate. The sludge generated by the flotation is to be lifted to the upper side so that the sludge is removed.

The glass substrate etching apparatus and method of the present invention according to the above-described configuration, while reproducing the etching solution already used, while being supplied to the etching chamber as a gas of fine size again to improve the etching efficiency and at the same time generated by etching It is adsorbed by the sludge and promotes the rise of the sludge so that the etching efficiency is not lowered by the sludge any more.

In particular, the etching solution is regenerated so that it can be resupplyed at the standard concentration and the high concentration, so that the environmental burden can be minimized by reducing the waste liquid discharge while lowering the product production cost.

1 is a schematic structural diagram illustrating a glass substrate etching apparatus according to the present invention;

2 is a perspective view showing a structure for loading a glass substrate in a cassette according to the present invention;

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the sludge conveying means of the glass substrate etching apparatus according to the present invention,

4 is a flow chart sequentially illustrating a glass substrate etching method according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic structural diagram illustrating a glass substrate etching apparatus according to the present invention, as shown in the glass substrate etching apparatus of the present invention, the glass substrate 10 and the cassette 20 and the inside of the etching chamber 30 are large. And the etching solution recovery chamber 40 and the sludge recovery chamber 50, which are divided into an etching container, a fine gas generating unit 60, and an etching solution regeneration unit 70.

In the configuration of the present invention, the etching chamber 30 is a space for etching the glass substrate 10 substantially in the etching vessel.

In the etching chamber 30, the glass substrate 10 is vertically mounted on the cassette 20 as shown in FIG. 2, and the plurality of glass substrates 10 are stacked at regular intervals, and the grating 31 has a predetermined height on the bottom surface of the etching chamber 30. This seating allows the cassette 20 to be placed on top of the grating 31.

The etching chamber 30 is filled with a certain amount of the etching solution, the etching solution does not exceed the overflow pipe 32, and the increase in the etching solution due to the high concentration of the stock solution is also recovered through the overflow pipe (32) The recovered etch solution is either treated with waste liquid or regenerated.

An etching solution recovery chamber 40 is provided at one side of the etching chamber 30 in the etching container so as to be separated by the first separation wall 41, and the height of the etching solution recovery chamber 40 is increased in the etching chamber 30. It is most preferable to form the same as the etching solution level.

In the first separation wall 41 separating the etching chamber 30 and the etching solution recovery chamber 40, a communication hole 42 is formed to communicate with each other at a predetermined height, and the communication hole 42 has an etching. The bubble preventing plate 43 which prevents the generated bubbles from flowing into the etch solution recovery chamber 40 is spaced apart from the first separation wall 41 by the etch chamber 30 so that the communication hole 42 is formed. It is provided to cover.

In addition, the sludge recovery chamber 50 is etched chamber 30 or the sludge recovery chamber 50 by the second separation wall 51 on the other side of the etching chamber 30 or the other side corresponding to the etching chamber 30. To be blocked.

The sludge recovery chamber 50 is to recover the sludge generated by etching the glass substrate 10 in the etching chamber 30, in the present invention, the sludge generated by the etching in the etching chamber 30 is floated upward. In addition, the sludge thus floated is forced to be recovered by the sludge conveying means 52 provided on the upper end of the second separation wall 51 separating the etch chamber 30 and the sludge recovery chamber 50.

3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the sludge conveying means of the glass substrate etching apparatus according to the present invention.

As shown, the sludge conveying means 52 of the present invention is to be moved to the sludge recovery chamber 50 side sludge which floats to the upper portion of the etching solution from the etching chamber 30 while the part is locked to the etching chamber 30 side. In the figure, the structure provided so that the conveyance plate 520 which formed the several rectangular plate material radially by the drive of the motor 521 may be rotated in one direction is shown.

In addition, the fine gas generating unit 60 of the present invention recovers the etching solution flowing into the etching solution recovery chamber 40 through the communication hole 42 formed in the first separation wall 41 in the etching chamber 30. By generating the fine gas of the fine particles is configured to supply the fine gas to the bottom of the etching chamber (30).

In more detail, the fine gas generator 60 includes a filter 61, a heat exchanger 62, a chemical pump 63, a mixer 64, a pressurized tank 65, a flow control valve 66, and a fine gas. It is a structure which consists of the gas supply line 67. FIG.

That is, the fine gas generating unit 60 filters the etching solution after the etching in the etching chamber 30 and heat-exchanges it by pressurizing it, and then mixing the CDA and N2 gas with the etching solution through the venturi. Pressurized to and then reduced to atmospheric pressure to generate fine gas to be supplied through the lower portion of the etching chamber (30).

Meanwhile, the etching solution regeneration unit 70 of the present invention removes the sludge from the etching solution recovered through the etching chamber 30 and the sludge recovery chamber 50, and then regenerates to divide the concentration into different standard and high concentration etching solutions. The regeneration etching solution of the standard concentration is re-supplied for washing the sludge conveying means 52 together with the etching solution recovery chamber 40, and the etching solution of the high concentration is supplied to the fine gas generator 60.

However, in the sludge recovery chamber 50, the sludge transferred by the sludge conveying means 52 is not easy to recover the sludge, so the sludge recovery chamber 50 is washed with the standard concentration recycled etching solution supplied for the purpose of washing the sludge conveying means 52. While the sludge recovery chamber 50 is recovered, the sludge and the etching solution thus recovered are forcibly recovered by the sludge pump 71.

In particular, the etching solution flowing into the etching solution regeneration unit 70 is an etching solution that is forcibly recovered through the sludge pump 71, and with the overflow of the etching solution and the sludge recovery chamber 50 overflowing from the etching chamber 30. The etching solution is also to be guided to the etching solution regeneration unit 70.

The etching solution regeneration unit 70 removes sludge from the recovered etching solution, and mixes a new etching solution mixed with HF gas, drug stock solution, and DI to form a regeneration etching solution having different concentrations of standard concentration and high concentration. Air / N2 supplies to purge the interior.

The etching solution of the standard concentration and the high concentration divided by the etching solution regeneration unit 70 are divided according to the component ratio of the new etching solution to be mixed.

That is, the standard concentration of etching solution is composed of HF 10-15%, pure water (DI) 60-70%, and other chemicals 20-25%. The high concentration etching solution is HF 25-45%, pure water 10. ~ 45%, and other drugs 30 to 45% to be made.

However, the high concentration etching solution may be made up of HF 60 ~ 90%, pure water 5% or less, other chemicals 25 ~ 40% or more.

The etching process by the glass substrate etching apparatus of the present invention according to the above configuration will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

4 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating a glass substrate etching method according to the present invention.

As shown in the present invention, the plurality of glass substrates 10 are erected vertically so as to be stacked in the cassette 20 at regular intervals (S1).

In addition, the etching chamber 30 is filled with the etching solution recovery chamber 40 through the communication hole 42 when the etching solution is filled in the etching chamber 30 while the etching solution is filled.

The cassette 20 filled with the glass substrate 10 is inserted into the etching chamber 30 so as to be immersed in the etching solution (S3), and in each of the cassettes 20 immersed in the etching solution in the etching chamber 30. The glass substrates 10 are etched by the etching solution (S4), wherein the etching solution is etched through the communication hole 42 is also induced in the etching solution recovery chamber 40 together with the etching chamber 30. do.

Thus, the etching solution flowing into the etching solution recovery chamber 40 is guided to the fine gas generating unit 60 is formed as a fine gas, so that the fine gas is supplied through the lower portion of the etching chamber 30 (S5).

Fine gas generated in the fine gas generating unit 60 is the etching solution flowing through the etching solution recovery chamber 40 to 100㎛ or less through the filter 61 to 25 ℃ ± 3 through the heat exchanger 62 After the pressure is adjusted to a predetermined pressure by the chemical pump 63, the etched solution is mixed through the venturi in the mixer 64 with the same ratio of CDA (compressed air) and N2 (compressed nitrogen). CDA and N2 are dissolved in the etching solution while being pressurized by the pressure tank 65 to 3 kg.f / cm 2 or more.

When the etching solution is rapidly reduced to atmospheric pressure and released through the fine gas supply pipe 67 at atmospheric pressure, gas dissolved in the etching solution becomes fine bubbles and rises from the lower portion of the etching chamber 30.

As such, when the glass substrate 10 in the cassette 20 is etched by the fine gas flowing into the etching chamber 30 and attached to the sludge generated by the etching, the specific gravity of the sludge is reduced, so that the sludge rises to the upper portion of the etching solution. (S6), the sludge which floats from the etching chamber 30 to the upper portion of the etching solution is in the sludge conveying means 52 to be provided at the upper end of the second separation wall 51, which is a boundary with the sludge recovery chamber 50. By force to be transported to the sludge recovery chamber 50. (S7)

The sludge to be recovered to the sludge recovery chamber 50 is forcibly conveyed to the etching solution regeneration unit 70 through the sludge pump 71 (S8), and the sludge is transferred together with the sludge introduced into the etching solution regeneration unit 70. Sludge is removed from the lower concentration of the etching solution in which the etching solution, which is supplied for washing the sludge, is supplied to the means 52, and the etching solution from which the sludge is removed is regenerated etching solution of the standard concentration by using HF gas dissolving method. And separated into a high concentration of recycled etching solution (S9).

The regeneration etching solution of the standard concentration separated from the etching solution regeneration unit 70 is continuously supplied with the etching solution recovery chamber 40 for washing the sludge transfer means 52 (S10), and the etching solution regeneration unit ( The high concentration regeneration etching solution separated in 70) is mixed with the etching solution flowing from the etching solution recovery chamber 40 filtered and heat-exchanged by the fine gas generator 60 (S11), and the fine gas generator 60 At this time, a mixture of CDA and N2 was mixed with an etch solution containing a high concentration of the regeneration etch solution and then compressed. To be attached to the sludge generated by the sludge to reduce the specific gravity of the sludge, thus allowing the sludge to rise to the top so that the sludge is continuously removed by the sludge conveying means (52). Will.

As described above, the present invention generates fine gas by using the regenerated etching solution while continuously regenerating the etching solution so that the glass substrate 10 is etched by the fine gas while the fine gas is attached to the sludge generated during etching. While reducing the specific gravity of the sludge to be continuously removed through the sludge conveying means 52 to enable a large amount of thinner glass substrates required to significantly improve the productivity, in particular to produce a high-quality glass substrate To be able to provide

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a glass substrate etching apparatus and method, and may be used in the liquid crystal display manufacturing industry used in a TV or a computer monitor or a notebook computer.

Claims

A cassette 20 which allows the glass substrate 10 to stand vertically so that a plurality of the cassettes are arranged at regular intervals;

An etching chamber 30 which is filled with an etching solution at a predetermined level so that the cassette 20 loaded with a plurality of glass substrates 10 is placed at a predetermined height from a bottom surface thereof and is immersed in the etching solution;

An etching solution recovery chamber 40 which is separated by the etching chamber 30 and the first dividing wall 41 so that the etching solution in which the etching is performed in the etching chamber 30 flows in through the upper communication hole 42. );

The etch through the sludge transfer means 52 provided between the etch chamber 30 and the upper end through the upper portion to be opened while being blocked by the etch solution recovery chamber 40 and the second separation wall 51. A sludge recovery chamber 50 for forcibly recovering the sludge floating from the chamber 30;

The etch solution recovered to the etch solution recovery chamber 40 is continuously introduced, filtered and heat exchanged, and then pressurized through the chemical pump 63 and mixed with the etch solution pressurized through the venturi with CDA and N2 gas. A fine gas generator 60 for supplying fine gas to the inside of the etching chamber 30 while reducing the pressure to atmospheric pressure after pressurizing it;

Recovering the etch solution overflowed from the etch chamber 30 and the etch solution forced by the sludge pump 71 from the sludge recovery chamber 50 and the etch solution overflowed from the sludge recovery chamber 50 At the same time, a new etching solution is added, regenerated at different concentrations, and re-supplied to the etching solution recovery chamber 40, the sludge conveying means 52, and the fine gas generator 60, and some of the etching solution is disposed of as a waste solution. A regeneration unit 70;

Glass substrate etching apparatus consisting of a configuration comprising a.
The method according to claim 1,

The fine gas generator 60 is a venturi to compress the CDA and N2 compressed with the filter 61 and the heat exchanger 62 and the chemical pump 63 to filter the etching solution flowing from the etching solution recovery chamber 40 Glass substrate etching apparatus comprising a mixer 64, a pressurized tank 65, a flow control valve 66, and a fine gas supply pipe 67 for supplying fine gas to the lower portion of the etching chamber 30 by atmospheric pressure .
The method according to claim 1,

The etch solution regeneration unit 70 supplies the etch solution regenerated to a standard concentration for washing the etch solution recovery chamber 40 and the sludge transfer means 52, the etch solution regenerated at a high concentration is the fine gas Glass substrate etching apparatus for supplying the mixture to the etching solution flowing from the etching solution recovery chamber 40 heat exchanged in the generator (60).
Stacking the plurality of glass substrates 10 vertically and stacking the plurality of glass substrates 10 in the cassette 20 at regular intervals;

Filling the etching solution recovery chamber 40 together with the etching chamber 30 with a predetermined amount of the etching solution;

Immersing the cassette (20) in an etching solution of the etching chamber (30);

Etching the glass substrate 10 in the cassette 20 by an etching solution;

Introducing an etch solution filled in the etch solution recovery chamber 40 into a fine gas generator 60 to form a fine gas and supplying the etch solution 30 through a lower portion of the etch chamber 30;

Bonding the sludge generated by etching while etching the glass substrate 10 in the cassette 20 by the micro gas flowing into the etching chamber 30 so that the sludge floats;

Allowing the sludge rising from the etching chamber 30 to the upper portion of the etching solution to be transferred to the sludge recovery chamber 50 by sludge conveying means 52;

Forcibly transporting the sludge recovered in the sludge recovery chamber (50) to the etching solution regeneration unit (70) by the sludge pump (71);

Removing the sludge from the etching solution flowing into the etching solution regeneration unit 70, and removing the sludge by adding a new etching solution to separate the etching solution of the standard concentration and the etching solution of high concentration;

Supplying the regeneration etching solution of the standard concentration separated in the step for washing the sludge transfer means 52 together with the etching solution recovery chamber 40;

Mixing and supplying the high concentration regeneration etching solution separated in the step to the etching solution introduced from the etching solution recovery chamber 40 which is heat-exchanged in the fine gas generator 60;

The glass substrate using the regenerated etching solution by repeating the step of generating the fine gas by the etching solution mixed with the high concentration of the regeneration etching solution in the fine gas generating unit 60 to be supplied to the etching chamber 30 again. A glass substrate etching method in which the sludge generated by etching together with the etching of (10) is floated upward to remove the sludge.