JPH10137662A - Rotary substrate processing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a rotary substrate processing apparatus capable of improving the exhaust capacity from a cup without changing the specifications of existing exhaust pipes and factory equipment. An exhaust pipe connected to a lower part of a cup is provided.
The exhaust assist device 10 is provided in the middle of the process. Exhaust assist device 10
Has an intake device 11 that takes in exhaust gas from the exhaust pipe 5,
The exhaust gas taken in from the intake device 11 is temporarily stored in the storage unit 12. The membrane member 12b provided inside the storage section 12 expands and contracts in accordance with the intake and exhaust of the exhaust gas. By temporarily taking the exhaust gas into the storage unit 12,
The exhaust flow rate of the exhaust pipe 5 upstream of the exhaust auxiliary device 10 can be increased without increasing the exhaust flow rate discharged to the exhaust power facility side of the factory, and the exhaust flow rate from the cup 3 is increased.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rotary substrate processing apparatus for performing a predetermined process on a substrate while exhausting an atmosphere gas in a cup to the outside.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a conventional rotary coating apparatus. The rotary coating apparatus includes a substrate holder 1 and a spin motor 2 for holding and rotating the substrate W in a horizontal posture. A hollow cup 3 is provided around the substrate W and the substrate holder 1 in order to prevent the processing liquid supplied to the substrate W from scattering around.

An opening 3a is provided at the upper part of the hollow cup 3, and a waste liquid port 3b for discharging the processing liquid scattered from the substrate W is provided at the lower part. In addition, cup 3
An exhaust pipe 22 for discharging the atmospheric gas inside the cup 3 is connected to a lower part of the cup 3. The downstream end of the exhaust pipe 22 is connected to a utility connection port of a factory where the rotary coating device is installed. An automatic damper 23 controlled by a sequence controller 21 and a manual damper 24 manually operated are provided in the exhaust pipe 22.

During the spin coating operation of the spin coating apparatus, a clean air flow 20 is sent from the opening 3 a of the cup 3 to the surface of the substrate W. The air flow 20 carries away the mist (splash) of the processing liquid scattered from the surface of the substrate W toward the outer peripheral side of the substrate W. Then, the airflow 20 containing the mist further descends in the cup 3, passes through the exhaust pipe 22, and is guided from the service connection port of the factory to the exhaust power facility.

[0005] The exhaust power facility of a factory is provided with an intake source such as a pump and is connected to various devices installed in the factory via piping. The exhaust capacity of the exhaust power facility is uniformly determined by the capacity of an intake source such as a pump. On the other hand, each device connected to the utility connection port requires a different exhaust capacity. Therefore, for example, in a rotary type substrate processing apparatus, a manual damper 24 is provided in the exhaust pipe 22 to adjust the basic airflow resistance of the exhaust pipe 22, and an automatic damper 23 is provided to provide the airflow in the exhaust pipe 22. The resistance is variably controlled as needed to adjust the required required exhaust flow rate for each step of the rotation process.

As described above, the mist is discharged from the cup 3 by discharging the mist appropriately, whereby the mist is re-adhered to the front surface and the back surface of the substrate W, thereby contaminating the substrate W, or causing the odor of the processing liquid to be removed from the surroundings. To prevent it from being spread.

[0007]

Recently, rotation processing of a substrate at a higher speed and rotation processing of a large-diameter substrate have been performed. In the processing of such a substrate, the amount of mist of the processing liquid scattered from the substrate increases, so that a larger amount of clean airflow 20 is supplied into the cup 3 and exhausted from the exhaust pipe 22 so that the inside of the cup 3 is exhausted. Atmosphere must be kept clean.

In order to increase the flow rate of exhaust gas from the cup 3, it is necessary to reduce the air flow resistance of the exhaust pipe 22. For example, it is only necessary to reduce the bent portion having a large ventilation resistance or to increase the diameter of the pipe. If it is difficult to reduce the ventilation resistance of the exhaust pipe 22, the exhaust pipe 22
It is also possible to use a method in which air is forcibly sent from the outside into the inside and the exhaust gas flow rate is increased by an aspiration effect to increase the exhaust gas flow rate.

However, even if such a method is used, if the required exhaust flow rate from the cup 3 exceeds the exhaust capacity of the exhaust power equipment at the factory, the cup 3 must be more than the exhaust capacity of the exhaust power equipment. The exhaust flow rate cannot be increased. Therefore, in order to further increase the exhaust flow rate of the cup 3, it is sufficient to increase the exhaust capacity of the exhaust equipment on the factory side. For this purpose, it is necessary to use a pump having a higher capacity or to increase the diameter of the utility pipe. Required
Factory equipment costs increase. In addition, other devices that use the exhaust power facilities of the factory may be provided with an excessive exhaust capability, in which case energy is wasted.

An object of the present invention is to provide a rotary substrate processing apparatus capable of improving the exhaust capability from a cup without changing the specifications of existing factory facilities and exhaust pipes.

[0011]

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention A rotary substrate processing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention has a hollow substrate formed to surround a substrate and a substrate holding portion for holding the substrate in a horizontal posture. In a rotary substrate processing apparatus including a cup and an exhaust pipe connected to the cup and guiding an atmosphere gas inside the cup to an intake source having a predetermined suction capacity, an atmosphere guided from the inside of the cup to the exhaust pipe. An exhaust auxiliary means is provided for temporarily increasing the flow rate of the atmospheric gas guided from the cup to the exhaust pipe by temporarily taking out part of the gas from the exhaust pipe and temporarily storing the gas.

A rotary substrate processing apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises:
In the configuration of the rotary substrate processing apparatus according to the first invention,
The exhaust assisting means includes an intake means for extracting a part of the atmospheric gas from the exhaust pipe, and a storage unit for temporarily storing the atmospheric gas extracted by the intake means.

The rotary substrate treatment according to the third aspect of the present invention includes
In the configuration of the rotary substrate processing apparatus according to the invention, the storage section is formed so that the volume can be varied according to the amount of the atmospheric gas taken out by the suction means.

A rotary substrate processing apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention
In the configuration of the rotary substrate processing apparatus according to the second or third invention, the exhaust auxiliary means branches off from the exhaust pipe and guides the atmospheric gas in the exhaust pipe to the storage section; And a joining pipe for guiding the atmospheric gas stored in the storage section from the branch pipe to the exhaust pipe on the intake source side.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a rotary substrate processing apparatus comprising:
In the configuration of the rotary substrate processing apparatus according to the fourth invention,
A resistance means for changing a ventilation resistance of the exhaust pipe, wherein the exhaust auxiliary means increases a ventilation resistance of the exhaust pipe to reduce a flow rate of the atmosphere gas discharged from the cup, thereby reducing an atmosphere stored in the storage unit. The apparatus further includes control means for controlling the operation of the resistance means so as to discharge the gas to the exhaust pipe.

In the rotary substrate processing apparatus according to the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, a part of the atmospheric gas is temporarily taken out and stored from the middle of the exhaust pipe from the cup to the suction source, so that the gas is removed from the cup. The flow rate of exhaust gas from the exhaust pipe to the exhaust auxiliary means temporarily increases. Thus, even when the intake capacity of the intake source cannot satisfy the required exhaust flow rate from the cup, the exhaust assist means can increase the exhaust flow rate from the cup to achieve a desired exhaust state. . This makes it possible to increase the exhaust flow rate from the cup, maintain the inside of the cup in a clean atmosphere, and perform favorable substrate processing without increasing the equipment cost of the existing factory equipment.

In particular, in the rotary substrate processing apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, it is easy to control the adjustment of the exhaust gas flow rate by temporarily extracting the atmospheric gas from the exhaust pipe using the suction means.

In particular, in the rotary type substrate processing apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, the atmosphere gas discharged from the cup can be temporarily stored by using the storage portion whose volume can be varied according to the amount of the atmosphere gas. And the amount of exhaust from the cup can be increased to a desired amount.

In particular, in the rotary substrate processing apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the exhaust auxiliary means is provided with a branch pipe and a merging pipe, and sucks an atmospheric gas passing through the inside of the exhaust pipe.
Alternatively, by discharging the atmosphere gas, the atmosphere gas is temporarily stored, and the flow rate of the exhaust gas from the cup can be adjusted.

In particular, in the rotary substrate processing apparatus according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the atmosphere gas stored in the storage section is discharged by changing the ventilation resistance of the exhaust pipe by the operation of the control means. Atmospheric gas can be easily discharged from the inside of the unit.

[0021]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a rotary coating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here, a rotary coating apparatus will be described as an example of one of the rotary substrate processing apparatuses. In FIG. 1, the rotary coating apparatus includes a substrate holder 1 formed of a vacuum chuck or a mechanical chuck for holding a substrate W in a horizontal posture, and a spin motor 2 for rotating the substrate holder 1 around a vertical axis. A hollow cup 3 is arranged around the substrate holding table 1 and the substrate W.

The cup 3 is provided to prevent the processing liquid supplied to the surface of the substrate W from scattering around due to rotation. An opening 3a is formed at the upper part, and the substrate 3 is formed at the lower part. A waste liquid port 3b for discharging the processing liquid scattered to the surroundings from W to the outside and an exhaust port 3c for exhausting the atmosphere gas in the cup 3 are formed. A current plate 4 is disposed below the substrate holding table 1 in the cup 3.

At the time of processing, a clean air flow 20 is supplied to the surface of the substrate W from the opening 3a of the cup 3. The air flow 20 carries away the mist of the processing liquid scattered from the surface of the substrate W to the outer peripheral side of the substrate W, further descends and passes through the exhaust pipe 5 from the exhaust port 3c provided at the lower portion of the cup 3 to the utility connection port. It is led to.

The exhaust pipe 5 has an upstream end connected to the exhaust port 3c of the cup 3, and a downstream end connected to a utility connection port of a factory. The exhaust pipe 5 is provided with automatic dampers 6 and 7 whose opening is adjusted by a sequence controller 8 and a manual damper 9 whose opening is manually adjusted.

An exhaust auxiliary device 10 is mounted in the exhaust pipe 5. The exhaust assist device 10 includes the exhaust pipe 5
From the inlet pipe 13, the outlet pipe 14 joining the exhaust pipe 5, the storage section 12 for temporarily storing a part of the exhaust gas (exhausted atmospheric gas) passing through the exhaust pipe 5, and the exhaust pipe 5. An intake device 11 that sucks a part of the exhaust gas and guides the exhaust gas to the storage unit 12.

The intake device 11 is composed of an exhaust fan, a pump or the like, and its driving operation is controlled by the sequence controller 8. The storage unit 12 includes a bag-like membrane member 12b provided inside the partition wall 12a so as to be able to expand and contract. The membrane member 12b is made of a resin film having chemical resistance, such as vinyl chloride, polyethylene, or polypropylene, and expands when air is taken in from the air intake device 11 to temporarily store exhaust gas inside, and the outlet pipe 14 When exhaust gas is exhausted, it is reduced to prepare for the next exhaust gas storage. In addition, the membrane member 1
2b is preferably formed exchangeably.

The sequence controller 8 detects the rotation speed of the spin motor 2, adjusts the openings of the automatic dampers 6 and 7 according to the rotation speed of the spin motor 2, and controls the driving operation of the intake device 11. . This control operation will be described later in detail.

In the rotary type coating apparatus having the above configuration,
By using the exhaust auxiliary device 10, the exhaust flow rate from the cup 3 is increased beyond the capacity of the factory exhaust power facility while maintaining the exhaust flow rate to the utility connection port within a range not exceeding the capacity of the factory exhaust power facility. The mist in the cup 3 is discharged.

Here, the exhaust assist device 10 constitutes the exhaust assist device of the present invention, the intake device 11 constitutes the intake device of the present invention, the auto dampers 6 and 7 constitute the resistance device of the present invention, and The sequence controller 8 constitutes control means of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the operation of the rotary coating apparatus will be described. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of exhaust gas from the rotary coating device. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a change in the number of revolutions of the substrate in the rotary coating device and a change in the exhaust flow rate at each position in the device. Fluctuations in the exhaust flow rate at each of the positions A to E in FIG. 2A are shown in FIGS. 3B to 3F, respectively.
Is shown in FIG. 3A shows a change in the number of rotations of the substrate W in the step of spin-coating the processing liquid on the substrate W, and the flow state of the exhaust gas in each of the periods T1 to T5 in FIG.
(A) to FIG. 2 (e). In FIG. 3A, a period during which the substrate W is rotated at high speed is a spin coating period T2 and a drying period T4. During these periods T2 and T4, the auxiliary exhaust operation is performed by the exhaust auxiliary device 10.

First, as shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 3, during the period T1, the substrate W is rotated at a low speed, and the processing liquid is discharged from the nozzle (not shown) onto the surface of the substrate W. In this period T1, the exhaust assist device 10 is in a standby state,
The intake device 11 has stopped. Exhaust gas from inside the cup 3 passes through the exhaust pipe 5 and is guided to the utility connection port at an exhaust flow rate Q2.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2B and FIG. 3, in the period T2, the substrate W is rotated at a high speed, and the processing liquid is spin-coated on the surface of the substrate W. At this time, the sequence controller 8 operates the intake device 11 and introduces a part of the exhaust gas from the exhaust pipe 5 into the storage unit 12 of the exhaust auxiliary device 10. For this reason, the atmosphere gas in the cup 3 is sucked from both the exhaust auxiliary device 10 and the exhaust power equipment of the factory, and the exhaust flow rate of the exhaust pipe 5 from the cup 3 to the exhaust auxiliary device 10 is reduced by the intake flow rate Q4 by the intake device 11. Increase by a minute.
As a result, an exhaust flow rate Q3 exceeding the exhaust capacity of the exhaust power facility of the factory can be obtained.

In the storage section 12, the membrane member 12b expands due to the exhaust gas sucked from the intake device 11, and the exhaust gas is temporarily held in the storage section 12. As a result, FIG.
As shown, the accumulated amount of exhaust gas in the storage unit 12 increases. At this time, exhaust gas does not flow out of the outlet pipe 14 to the exhaust pipe 5.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 2C and 3, during the period T3, the end surface and the back surface of the substrate W are rinsed by reducing the rotation speed of the substrate W. At this time, the sequence controller 8 stops the intake device 11 and stops taking in exhaust gas. Then, the exhaust gas stored in the storage unit 12 is discharged to the exhaust pipe 5, and the film member 12b of the storage unit 12 is reduced.

That is, the opening degree of the automatic damper 6 and the automatic damper 7 (not shown) is reduced, and the ventilation resistance of the exhaust pipe 5 is increased. As a result, the exhaust flow rate in the exhaust pipe line 5 decreases from Q3 to Q1, and the pipe pressure decreases in the exhaust auxiliary device 10.
Becomes lower than the internal pressure of the storage section 12. For this reason, the exhaust gas in the storage section 12 is sucked into the exhaust pipe 5 through the outlet pipe 14. This exhaust flow rate is indicated by Q5. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 3G, the amount of accumulated exhaust gas in the storage unit 12 decreases.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 2D and 3, the substrate W is again rotated at a high speed in the period T4,
Is started. At this time, the intake device 11 is operated to increase the flow rate of the exhaust gas from the cup 3 again, and the exhaust gas is taken into the storage portion 12 of the exhaust auxiliary device 10 from the exhaust pipe 5. Further, in the automatic dampers 6 and 7, the opening degree is adjusted to be large, and the ventilation resistance is reduced. As a result, the flow rate of exhaust gas from the cup 3 increases from Q1 to Q3, and a part of the increased exhaust gas is stored in the storage unit 1 of the exhaust auxiliary device 10.
2 and is stored at an exhaust flow rate Q4. This allows
As shown in FIG. 3G, the amount of exhaust gas stored in the storage unit 12 increases.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 2E and 3, during the period T5, the drying process is continuously performed while the rotation speed of the substrate W is gradually reduced, and thereafter, the rotation of the substrate W is stopped and the standby state is established. Becomes At this time, the flow rate of the exhaust gas from the cup 3 is reduced, and at the same time, the exhaust operation of the exhaust gas stored in the storage unit 12 is performed.

That is, the intake device 11 is stopped, and the openings of the automatic dampers 6 and 7 are reduced. As a result, the flow rate of exhaust gas from the cup 3 decreases from Q3 to Q1, and the exhaust gas stored in the storage unit 12 is sucked into the exhaust pipe 5 at the exhaust gas flow rate Q5. When this state is continued, as shown in FIG. 3 (g), the exhaust gas in the storage unit 12 gradually decreases and is exhausted after a lapse of a predetermined time, and the exhaust assist device 10 enters a standby state.

As described above, during the periods T2 and T4 in which the substrate W is rotated at a high speed, the exhaust assisting device 10 sucks and stores a part of the exhaust from the exhaust pipe 5 so that the exhaust from the cup 3 is performed. The flow rate is increased and the remaining period T1,
It operates to discharge the exhaust gas stored at T3 and T5.

For example, assume that one cycle time of the spin coating process shown in FIG. 3A is 70 seconds, the high-speed rotation periods T2 and T4 are 30 seconds, and the remaining time is 40 seconds. It is also assumed that the normal exhaust flow rate of the exhaust power equipment at the factory when the exhaust auxiliary device 10 is not operated is 1000 L (liter) / minute. And the exhaust assist device 1
Assuming that the exhaust gas flow rate can be increased by 500 L / min when 0 is operated, a high-speed rotation period T2 of 30 seconds is used.
In T4, 250 liters (= 50
(0 L / min × 30 seconds / 60 seconds) is stored. In addition, during periods T1, T3, and T5 other than the high-speed rotation, the auto dampers 6 and 7 are throttled from the normal exhaust state to reduce the exhaust flow rate of the exhaust pipe 5 to about 500 L / min. 500 L / min (= 1000 L / min-500 L) due to the difference between the exhaust flow rate and the exhaust flow rate of the exhaust power equipment at the factory
/ Min), and the stored exhaust gas can be discharged at an exhaust flow rate of about 330 liters (= 500 L /
(Min × 40 sec / 60 sec).
This discharge amount is larger than the storage amount of the exhaust gas in the storage unit 12.
Therefore, the operation of storing and discharging the exhaust gas in the storage unit 12 of the exhaust auxiliary device 10 can be completed within one rotation coating processing cycle, and the exhaust capability from the cup 3 can be improved in the same processing cycle time as in the related art. be able to.

As described above, by providing the exhaust auxiliary device 10 in the middle of the exhaust pipe 5, the rotation coating of about 4000 rpm (rotation / minute) has conventionally been limited to a wafer of φ200 mm. It is possible to perform spin coating while performing sufficient exhaust up to a rotation speed exceeding 7000 rpm.
Rotational coating at 0 rpm was limited to 2000 rpm
It is possible to perform spin coating while performing sufficient evacuation up to the number of rotations of m.

The storage section 1 of the above-described exhaust assist device 10
In 2, the membrane member 12b is configured to expand freely by the intake of the intake device 11, but the exhaust auxiliary device 10 may be reduced in size by using a vacuum pump to compress and store the exhaust. It is possible.

The present invention can be applied not only to the rotary coating apparatus but also to other rotary processing apparatuses requiring exhaust, such as a developing apparatus and a cleaning apparatus.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a rotary coating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an exhaust operation of the rotary coating apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a change in the number of rotations and a change in an exhaust flow rate of the rotary coating apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional rotary coating device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate holding stand 2 Spin motor 3 Cup 3a Opening 3b Waste liquid port 3c Exhaust port 5 Exhaust line 6,7 Auto damper 8 Sequence controller 10 Exhaust auxiliary device 11 Suction device 12 Storage unit 12b Membrane member 13 Inlet line 14 Outlet line Road

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A hollow cup formed so as to surround a substrate and a substrate holding portion for holding the substrate in a horizontal posture, and a predetermined suction capacity connected to the cup and for supplying an atmospheric gas inside the cup to a predetermined suction capacity. A rotary substrate processing apparatus provided with an exhaust pipe leading to an intake source having: a part of the atmospheric gas led from the inside of the cup to the exhaust pipe from the exhaust pipe and temporarily stored therein A rotating substrate processing apparatus, comprising: an exhaust auxiliary means for temporarily increasing a flow rate of the atmospheric gas guided from the cup to the exhaust pipe. 2. The exhaust assisting device includes an intake unit for extracting a part of the atmospheric gas from the exhaust pipe, and a storage unit for temporarily storing the atmospheric gas extracted by the intake unit. 2. The rotary substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The rotary substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the storage section is formed so that the volume can be changed according to the amount of the atmospheric gas taken out by the suction means. 4. The exhaust auxiliary means branches off from the exhaust pipe and joins the exhaust pipe with the branch pipe for guiding the atmospheric gas in the exhaust pipe to the storage section. 4. The rotary substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a merging pipe for guiding the atmospheric gas stored in the exhaust pipe from the branch pipe to the exhaust pipe on the intake source side. 5. A resistance means for changing a ventilation resistance of the exhaust pipe, wherein the exhaust auxiliary means increases a ventilation resistance of the exhaust pipe to reduce an amount of the atmospheric gas discharged from the cup. 5. The rotary substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising control means for controlling the operation of said resistance means so as to discharge the atmospheric gas stored in said storage section to said exhaust pipe. apparatus.