JP3050468B2 - Substrate processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus having a substrate transfer means to a rectangular substrate undried transportable <br/> feed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various types of substrate processing apparatuses as described above have been known. For example, in a rotary substrate drying apparatus,
When transporting this type of rectangular substrate from a cleaning processing unit to a drying processing unit, particles tend to adhere when the surface of the rectangular substrate is dried during transportation, and pure water or the like is applied to the surface of the rectangular substrate. The substrate is transported by the substrate transporting unit while supplying the rinsing liquid, and the surface of the square substrate is prevented from being dried during the transportation.

[0003] As a substrate transfer means, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 4-88044, a pair of substrate support members is used to transfer the vicinity of the outer periphery of each of two opposing sides of a rectangular substrate. Or a substrate that is conveyed while supporting both corners of one diagonal line of a rectangular substrate with a pair of substrate support members, or the outer peripheral lower surface of each of two opposing sides of the rectangular substrate is placed over its entire length. What was transported while it was used was used.

[0004]

However, in the case of the above-described conventional examples, the rectangular substrate is supported in a state where the rectangular substrate is sandwiched from two sides. Therefore, the distance between the support portions for the square substrate by the substrate support member is large,
When transporting a large-sized rectangular substrate as in recent years, the intermediate portion between the support parts is bent downward by its own weight and warps, and moisture is easily repelled from the surface on the outer peripheral edge side of the rectangular substrate. However, there was a disadvantage that the particles were partially dried and particles easily adhered. In particular, it was remarkable on a rectangular substrate having a hydrophobic film-forming surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to enable a large rectangular substrate to be satisfactorily transported in an undried state without warping. Aim.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a substrate supporting member which can be driven and moved to achieve the above object.
Therefore, the portion close to the outer peripheral edge of the rectangular substrate is
The rectangular substrate is transported by the driving movement of the support member
A substrate processing apparatus provided with a substrate transporting means, which is provided for each of two opposing sides of a rectangular substrate and holds a portion near an outer peripheral edge of the rectangular substrate. A substrate support member, and a second side provided in correspondence with each of two sides in a direction orthogonal to the two sides and holding a portion near an outer peripheral edge of the rectangular substrate near a center of the side.
A substrate transporting means for transporting the rectangular substrate while holding it, and the first and second substrate support members hold the rectangular substrate. A rinsing liquid supply unit configured to supply a rinsing liquid to the surface of the rectangular substrate.

[0007]

According to the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention, the rectangular substrate is stably supported on two opposing sides of the four sides by the pair of first substrate supporting members, and further, on the other two sides. Is supported by the second substrate support member, and is supported and transported not only on two sides but also on the other two sides orthogonal thereto, and is held on the first and second substrate support members.
The rinsing liquid supply means rinses the surface of the rectangular substrate
Supply liquid.

[0008]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention.
Partially cutaway overall front view showing a rotary board drying equipment is,
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1, in which a support frame 3 is provided via a pair of upper and lower first guides 1, 1 and a rodless cylinder 2 so as to be movable in a horizontal direction. The support members 4 for transporting the substrate are provided so as to be able to move up and down via a pair of left and right second guides 5 and 5 and an air cylinder 6 for raising and lowering at a predetermined interval in the horizontal direction. .

[0010] First and second substrate supporting members 7, 8 are provided on the supports 4, 4, respectively, and the rectangular substrate W is formed by the first and second substrate supporting members 7, 8.
Substrate holding means 9 for rotating the rectangular substrate W placed thereon is provided at a predetermined position in the middle of the transport path.

The substrate holding means 9 is a plan view of a main part of FIG.
As shown in an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of FIG. 4, a substrate support pin 11 and a pair of positioning pins 12 are provided at the ends of a cross-shaped substrate mounting arm 10. An electric motor 13 is interlockedly connected to 10.

As shown in the sectional views of FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 (enlarged views of the main parts in FIG. 2), a pair of first support arms 14, Is provided so as to be displaceable in the substrate transfer direction via an air cylinder 15 of
A pair of first support rods 16, 16 is provided on each of the first support arms 14, 14 so as to extend downward, and first support pins 17 are attached to their lower ends, respectively. The pair of first substrate support members 7, 7 are configured to hold portions near the outer peripheral edges of the two sides facing each other.

The support 4 has a pair of second support arms 18, 18 each having a separate second air cylinder 19.
Are provided so as to be displaceable in a direction orthogonal to the substrate transfer direction, and one second support rod 20 is provided on each of the second support arms 18 and 18 so as to extend downward, and at the lower end thereof. The second support pin 21 is attached,
The second substrate support member 8 is configured to hold a portion near the outer peripheral edge of the rectangular substrate W at the center of each of two opposing sides of the rectangular substrate W.

Further, pure water is applied to the support 4 so that its tip is located above the center of the rectangular substrate W held by the first and second substrate support members 7,. A pure water nozzle 22 for supplying is provided. Further, a gas nozzle 23 for supplying nitrogen gas positioned laterally to the pure water nozzle 22 is rotatably held around a horizontal axis, and a rear view of a main part in FIGS. As shown, the gas nozzle 23 and the third air cylinder 24
And the third air cylinder 24 expands and contracts so that the distal end side of the gas nozzle 23 is placed in a horizontal posture and a nitrogen gas from directly above the center of the rectangular substrate W placed on the substrate holding means 9. Is configured to be able to be changed to an inclined posture for supplying

With the above configuration, the undried square substrate W
Are supported by the first substrate support members 7 and 7 at two locations on each of the two opposite sides, and one location on each of the two sides orthogonal thereto is supported by the second substrate support member 8. The rectangular substrate W is transported while being supported at six points so as to be sandwiched from four sides, and pure water is supplied from the pure water nozzle 22 during the transportation to prevent drying.

Then, after being conveyed to the substrate holding means 9, the lifting / lowering air cylinder 6 is shortened to lower the rectangular substrate W to be mounted on the substrate supporting pins 11, and thereafter, the first and the second By operating the second air cylinders 15 and 19, the first
And the second support pins 17..., 21... Are retracted from below the rectangular substrate W, and then the elevating and lowering air cylinder 6 is extended and raised to a predetermined position. The rectangular substrate W can be dried by supplying nitrogen gas to the surface of the rectangular substrate W while rotating the rectangular substrate W. After the drying process, the rectangular substrate W is taken out of the substrate holding means 9 and transported to a post-processing step by an operation reverse to the above-described case.

The rodless cylinder 2, the lifting air cylinder 6, the first and second air cylinders 15 and 19, and the first and second air cylinders for carrying the rectangular substrate W onto the substrate holding means 9 for drying. The structure including the first and second substrate support members 7, 8 and the like is referred to as a substrate transfer means.

[0018]

As is clear from the above description, according to the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention, the rectangular substrate is supported not only on two sides but also on the other two sides perpendicular to the two sides . ,
Moreover, the other two sides are supported near the center of the side.
Since it is held and transported, it is possible to prevent the middle part of the rectangular substrate from being bent downward and warped by its own weight during the transportation, and the moisture is repelled from the outer peripheral surface of the rectangular substrate. Can be prevented from drying out and particles attached due to partial drying during transport can be eliminated, and not only general square substrates, but also large square substrates and hydrophobic film-forming surfaces Thus, even with a rectangular substrate having the above, the rectangular substrate can be favorably transferred in an undried state.

Further, since the occurrence of the warpage of the rectangular substrate can be prevented as described above, it is possible to prevent the rectangular substrate from being rubbed and damaged when the rectangular substrate is lifted by the support pins or the like. Makes the square substrate nearly flat
The rinsing liquid can be spread over a wide area on the substrate surface with a simple and inexpensive configuration.
There is also an advantage that it can be efficiently supplied over the region and the consumption of the rinsing liquid can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 is a partially cutaway overall front view showing a rotary board drying equipment which is an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a main part.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a rear view of a main part.

FIG. 7 is a rear view of a main part.

[Explanation of symbols]

7: first substrate support member 8: second substrate support member 22: pure water nozzle (rinse liquid supply means) W: square substrate

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01L 21 / 304,21 / 68 B65G 49/06 G02F 1/13 101

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] An angle is provided by a substrate support member which can be driven and moved.
Holding the portion close to the outer peripheral edge of the mold substrate, and
Is a substrate that transports the rectangular substrate by driving and moving
What is claimed is: 1. A substrate processing apparatus provided with a transfer unit , comprising: a pair of first substrate supports provided corresponding to two opposing sides of a rectangular substrate and holding a portion near an outer peripheral edge of the rectangular substrate. A member, and a second substrate supporting member provided corresponding to each of two sides in a direction orthogonal to the two sides and holding a portion near an outer peripheral edge of the rectangular substrate near a center of the side. Substrate transport means for transporting the rectangular substrate while holding it by the first and second substrate support members; and a surface of the rectangular substrate held by the first and second substrate support members. And a rinsing liquid supply means for supplying a rinsing liquid to the substrate processing apparatus. 2. The pair of first substrate supporting members and a front substrate supporting member.
The second substrate supporting member is positioned between the lower position of the rectangular substrate and the retracted position.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is provided so as to be displaceable.
A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the rinsing liquid supply unit is configured to transfer the substrate.
Means, and movable with the substrate transfer means.
The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is provided.
Substrate processing equipment. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
For transporting square substrates to substrate holding means of substrate drying equipment
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein
The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.