JPS6331120B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a processing apparatus for removing a protective layer from a photoresist substrate.

Conventional photoresist substrates have a base layer such as a copper-clad epoxy resin sheet, and have a structure in which a resist ink layer and a protective layer are sequentially laminated on one or both sides of the base layer.After a pattern is exposed on this, the protective layer is removed, and then A common method is development and etching.

Conventionally, a material soluble in water or an organic solvent is used as the protective layer, and these photoresist substrates are conveyed between two rows of rotating rollers, upper and lower, provided at an appropriate interval, and the photoresist substrate is transported between A known method is to spray water or an organic solvent from a nozzle onto both upper and lower surfaces of a resist substrate to dissolve and remove the protective layer. Although the protective layer itself can be removed smoothly with this method, the protective layer substance dissolves in the liquid and its concentration increases over time, creating a new problem of how to dispose of it. There is.

As a result of repeated studies to solve this problem, the applicant used a polyvinyl alcohol resin that swells without dissolving in water as a protective layer, and when it comes into contact with water, the protective layer dissolves. They discovered that the polyvinyl alcohol resin can be easily removed by swelling without swelling, and that the problem of water disposal can be solved because the polyvinyl alcohol resin does not dissolve in water, and they filed a patent application. However, when this invention was carried out using the above-mentioned processing equipment, another problem became apparent: the removed protective film sometimes got stuck around the lower row of rotating rollers, interfering with continuous operation.

As a result of studies aimed at solving these problems, the inventors have completed the present invention.

The entire apparatus of the present invention will be explained based on FIG. In a conventional photoresist substrate processing apparatus, the photoresist substrate is conveyed in one direction by being sandwiched between two rows of upper and lower rotating rollers 1 and 2 provided at an appropriate interval. While the photoresist substrate is being transported, liquid is injected from the nozzle 4, so that the protective layer laminated on the surface of the photoresist substrate swells and detaches from the photoresist substrate. Therefore, the feature of the present invention is that it can prevent the protective layer from sometimes clinging to the lower row rotating roller 2 when it is detached, and the details are clear from FIG. 2.

That is, the rotating roller 2 is hollow inside, and small holes 5 are provided at appropriate intervals on the surface thereof, penetrating from the hollow to the roller surface. Then, pressurized liquid is introduced into the roller cavity from one end of the roller 2, and is ejected onto the surface of the roller 2 through the small hole 5. The protective layer clinging to the surface of the roller 2 is released from the roller 2 and falls due to the liquid flow or pressure when the liquid is ejected, so that clinging to the roller 2 can be completely prevented.

Further, the present invention will be explained in detail. The photoresist substrate is usually a rectangular self-retaining sheet-like material of about 20 to 50 cm x about 10 to 30 cm, and is conveyed through the processing apparatus by being sandwiched between rotating rollers 1 and 2. Therefore, the spacing between the rotating rollers is determined by the thickness of the photoresist substrate.
A spacing at least equal to or less than the width of the photoresist substrate is required. Generally, the lower row rollers 2 are rotationally driven by power, and the upper row rollers 1 are placed on the rotating rollers 2 by their own weight and rotate in opposite directions. The upper and lower rollers do not necessarily have to be paired, and a part of the upper row of rollers 1 can be omitted. The materials of the rotating rollers 1 and 2 include metals (stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), plastics (rubber, vinyl chloride resin, polyethylene,
Polypropylene, polystyrene, etc.) are used. The rotating roller 2 is hollow inside and has small holes 5 penetrating the surface of the roller 2. The diameter of the small holes is usually selected from a range of 0.6 to 3 mm, and the interval between them is selected from an appropriate value from a range of 1 to 10 cm. The liquid introduced into the cavity of the roller 2 is generally pressurized in the range of 0.05 to 2 kg/cm ² .

The protective layer film thus detached and removed is collected at the bottom of the processing device. Next, the protective film and liquid are separated using a wire mesh, perforated plate, etc.
The liquid can be circulated to the nozzle 4 by means of a pump 6.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the entire processing apparatus of the present invention, in which 1 and 2 are rotating rollers, 3 is a photoresist substrate, 4 is a nozzle, and 6 is a pump. FIG. 2 is a sketch of the rotating roller 2, and 5 is a small hole for ejecting liquid.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A photoresist substrate 3 whose surface is covered with a protective layer is conveyed between two rows of upper and lower rotating rollers 1 and 2 provided at an appropriate interval, and during this time, a photoresist substrate 3 is conveyed from a nozzle 4 to both upper and lower surfaces of the photoresist substrate 3. A photoresist substrate processing apparatus in which a protective layer is detached and removed by jetting a liquid, characterized in that a small hole for liquid jetting is provided on the surface of a lower row rotating roller 2.