JP7742741B2 - Support pins and vacuum drying device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a technology for drying a coating film formed on the upper surface of a substrate by reducing pressure.

For example, vacuum drying apparatuses are known that vacuum-dry coatings such as photoresists applied to various substrates. The various substrates include glass substrates, ceramic substrates, semiconductor wafers, electronic device substrates, and printing plates for forming various devices. The various devices include semiconductor devices, display panels, solar cell panels, magnetic disks, and optical disks. The display panels include liquid crystal display panels, organic electroluminescence (EL) display panels, plasma display panels, and field emission displays.

When drying a coating using a reduced-pressure drying device, for example, with multiple pins supporting the substrate inside the chamber, a vacuum pump evacuates the chamber through an exhaust port at the bottom of the chamber. Then, for example, when a predetermined degree of vacuum is reached, evacuation from the chamber is stopped and gas is supplied into the chamber to return the chamber to atmospheric pressure. The gas used can be, for example, an inert gas such as nitrogen gas or air.

In a reduced-pressure drying apparatus, for example, if the drying speed of a coating film formed on the upper surface of a substrate varies depending on the location, uneven drying (also known as drying irregularities) may occur due to these differences in drying speed. Uneven drying can result in, for example, variations in the thickness of the coating film after drying.

For example, contact between multiple pins on a substrate can cause a temperature difference between the portion supported by the multiple pins and the surrounding portion. This can result in differences in the drying speed of a coating film, depending on the temperature difference caused by the multiple pins. As a result, for example, uneven drying of the coating film can occur depending on the arrangement of the multiple pins. Here, for example, when a coating film is dried under reduced pressure, the temperature of the substrate drops due to the heat of vaporization generated when a solvent or the like evaporates from the coating film. However, even if the multiple pins have a large heat capacity or are connected to a chamber or the like with a large heat capacity, the temperature of the multiple pins is unlikely to change. This can result in temperature differences depending on the arrangement of the multiple pins on the substrate, for example.

Patent Document 1 describes using multiple pins that support a substrate as hollow pins that are cooled by discharging fluid from their internal spaces, or hollow pins that are cooled by supplying a liquid such as cooling water into their internal spaces.

Patent No. 6579773

However, the reduced-pressure drying apparatus described in Patent Document 1 has a complex configuration, which leads to higher equipment costs. Furthermore, for example, in a configuration in which cooling water is supplied to hollow pins, leakage of the cooling water may adversely affect the vacuum state inside the chamber.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a technology that uses a simple configuration to more uniformly dry a coating film formed on the top surface of a substrate.

To solve the above problem, a ninth aspect of the present invention provides a support pin for supporting a substrate from below, comprising: a main body having a first magnet; and an abutment portion having a second magnet and adapted to abut against the underside of the substrate. The first magnet and the second magnet are spaced apart in a first direction from the first magnet toward the second magnet, with the same magnetic poles facing each other. The main body includes a locking portion that locks the abutment portion, to which a force acting in the first direction is applied due to a repulsive force between the first magnet and the second magnet, and restricts movement of the abutment portion in a direction perpendicular to the first direction. The abutment portion includes a first portion locked by the locking portion and a second portion having a first region that is located further in the first direction than the main body portion when the first portion is locked by the locking portion, and is positioned with a space between the main body and the abutment portion that allows the abutment portion to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction and separate from the main body portion. The main body includes a cylindrical portion extending along the first direction. The first magnet includes a portion located in at least one of a hollow portion of the cylindrical portion and a portion along a side portion of the cylindrical portion in the second direction. The locking portion is located along the side portion of the cylindrical portion in the first direction and has a first through hole penetrating in the first direction. The abutting portion includes a third portion located within the hollow portion and spaced apart from an inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion. The third portion includes the second magnet. The first region of the second portion is connected or coupled to the side portion of the first portion in the first direction and protrudes from the first through hole in the first direction when the first portion is locked by the locking portion.
A tenth aspect of the present invention provides a support pin for supporting a substrate from below, comprising: a main body having a first magnet; and an abutment portion having a second magnet and adapted to abut against the underside of the substrate. The first magnet and the second magnet are spaced apart in a first direction from the first magnet toward the second magnet, with the same magnetic poles facing each other. The main body includes a locking portion that locks the abutment portion, to which a force acting in the first direction is applied due to a repulsive force between the first magnet and the second magnet, and restricts movement of the abutment portion in a direction perpendicular to the first direction. The abutment portion includes a first portion locked by the locking portion and a second portion having a first region that is positioned further in the first direction than the main body portion when the first portion is locked by the locking portion. The abutment portion is positioned between the main body and the abutment portion by a space that allows the abutment portion to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction and separate from the main body. The main body includes a rod-shaped portion extending along the first direction. The first magnet is fixed to the rod-shaped portion, the locking portion is located along a portion of the rod-shaped portion on the first direction side, and the first portion includes an annular portion having a second through-hole through which the rod-shaped portion passes and located movably in the first and second directions along the rod-shaped portion.

The support pin of the eleventh aspect is the support pin of the ninth or tenth aspect, wherein the abutment portion is pushed in the second direction against the repulsive force between the first magnet and the second magnet, thereby moving away from the main body portion.

A reduced-pressure drying apparatus according to a first aspect dries a coating film formed on the upper surface of a substrate, and includes a chamber for accommodating the substrate, a support portion for supporting the substrate from below within the chamber, and an exhaust portion for exhausting the atmosphere within the chamber. The support portion includes a first support pin and a second support pin, each supporting the substrate from below. The first support pin supports the substrate from below to prevent the substrate from shifting horizontally. The second support pin includes a main body portion having a first magnet and an abutment portion having a second magnet and abutting the lower surface of the substrate. The first magnet and the second magnet are spaced apart in an upward direction from the first magnet to the second magnet, and are positioned with the same magnetic poles facing each other. The main body portion includes a locking portion that locks the abutment portion, to which an upward force is applied due to a repulsive force between the first magnet and the second magnet, and that restricts movement of the abutment portion in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the upward direction. The abutment portion includes a first portion locked by the locking portion and a second portion having a first region located above the main body portion when the first portion is locked by the locking portion, and is positioned between the first portion and the main body portion via a space that allows the second portion to move downward to separate from the main body portion. The main body portion includes a cylindrical portion extending upward. The first magnet includes a portion located in at least one of a hollow portion of the cylindrical portion and a portion along the lower portion of the cylindrical portion. The locking portion is located along the upper portion of the cylindrical portion and has a first through hole that penetrates upward. The abutment portion includes a third portion located within the hollow portion and spaced apart from the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion. The third portion includes the second magnet. The first region of the second portion is connected or coupled to the upper portion of the first portion and protrudes upward from the first through hole when the first portion is locked by the locking portion.

The reduced pressure drying apparatus of the second aspect is the reduced pressure drying apparatus of the first aspect, wherein the second portion has a first inclined outer surface that is inclined relative to a first imaginary center line that runs along the vertical direction and passes through the center of an imaginary cross section of the second portion that runs along the horizontal direction, as it moves upward from the first portion.

The reduced pressure drying apparatus of the third aspect is the reduced pressure drying apparatus of the second aspect, wherein the first through hole has an internal space that narrows as it moves upward so as to approach a second imaginary center line along the vertical direction of the first through hole.

A reduced-pressure drying apparatus according to a fourth aspect is a reduced-pressure drying apparatus for drying a coating film formed on the upper surface of a substrate, and includes a chamber for accommodating the substrate, a support part for supporting the substrate from below within the chamber, and an exhaust part for discharging the atmosphere within the chamber. The support part includes a first support pin and a second support pin, each supporting the substrate from below. The first support pin supports the substrate from below to prevent the substrate from shifting horizontally. The second support pin includes a main body having a first magnet and an abutment part having a second magnet and abutting the lower surface of the substrate. The first magnet and the second magnet are spaced apart in an upward direction from the first magnet to the second magnet, and are positioned with the same magnetic poles facing each other. The main body includes a locking part that locks the abutment part, to which an upward force is applied due to a repulsive force between the first magnet and the second magnet, and that restricts movement of the abutment part in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the upward direction. The abutment portion includes a first portion that is locked by the locking portion, and a second portion that has a first region that is located above the main body portion when the first portion is locked by the locking portion, and is located between the first portion and the main body portion and has a space that allows the second portion to move downward to separate from the main body portion. The main body portion includes a rod-shaped portion that extends upward. The first magnet is fixed to the rod-shaped portion. The locking portion is located along an upper portion of the rod-shaped portion. The first portion includes an annular portion that has a second through-hole through which the rod-shaped portion passes and is located so as to be movable up and down along the rod-shaped portion.

A reduced pressure drying apparatus according to a fifth aspect is the reduced pressure drying apparatus according to the fourth aspect, wherein the engaging portion has a second inclined outer surface that is inclined relative to a third imaginary center line extending along the vertical direction of the rod-shaped portion so as to approach the third imaginary center line as it extends downward.

A reduced-pressure drying apparatus according to a sixth aspect is a reduced-pressure drying apparatus for drying a coating film formed on the upper surface of a substrate, and includes a chamber for accommodating the substrate, a support part for supporting the substrate from below within the chamber, and an exhaust part for discharging the atmosphere within the chamber. The support part includes a first support pin and a second support pin, each supporting the substrate from below. The first support pin supports the substrate from below to prevent the substrate from shifting horizontally. The second support pin includes a main body having a first magnet and an abutment part having a second magnet and abutting the lower surface of the substrate. The first magnet and the second magnet are spaced apart in an upward direction from the first magnet to the second magnet, and are positioned with the same magnetic poles facing each other. The main body includes a locking part that locks the abutment part, to which an upward force is applied due to a repulsive force between the first magnet and the second magnet, and that restricts movement of the abutment part in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the upward direction. The abutment portion includes a first portion that is locked by the locking portion, and a second portion that has a first region that is located above the main body portion when the first portion is locked by the locking portion, and is located between the main body portion and the abutment portion by a space that allows the abutment portion to move downward to separate from the main body portion. The abutment portion is located at a first position in the vertical direction when the support portion is not supporting the substrate from below, and is located at a second position that is lower than the first position in the vertical direction when the support portion is supporting the substrate from below.
The reduced pressure drying apparatus of the seventh aspect is a reduced pressure drying apparatus of any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the first support pin supports from below a non-coated area of the substrate where the coating film is not formed on the upper surface.
A reduced-pressure drying apparatus according to an eighth aspect is the reduced-pressure drying apparatus according to the seventh aspect, wherein the non-coated region is located along the outer periphery of the substrate.

With the support pins according to any of the ninth to eleventh aspects, for example, the support pins can be applied to a reduced-pressure drying apparatus with the first direction being the upward direction, and a substrate can be placed on the abutment portion, which can then move downward and separate from the main body. Therefore, for example, the substrate can be supported from below by the abutment portion that is raised and separated from the main body. In this case, for example, the abutment portion has a small heat capacity, and a portion with a large heat capacity is not connected to or in contact with the abutment portion. This makes it difficult for temperature differences to occur on the substrate depending on the arrangement of multiple support pins. As a result, for example, a coating film formed on the upper surface of the substrate can be dried more uniformly with a simple configuration.

According to the support pin of the eleventh aspect, for example, by applying the support pin to a reduced-pressure drying apparatus with the first direction facing upward and placing a substrate on the contact portion, the weight of the substrate can press the contact portion downward against the repulsive force between the first magnet and the second magnet. This allows the substrate to be supported from below by the contact portion, which is levitated and spaced apart from the main body. This reduces the likelihood of temperature differences occurring on the substrate due to the arrangement of multiple support pins. As a result, for example, a coating film formed on the upper surface of the substrate can be dried more uniformly with a simple configuration.

In any of the first to eighth embodiments of the reduced-pressure drying apparatus, for example, a substrate can be placed on the first support pins and the contact portions of the second support pins, so that the first support pins support the substrate from below to prevent it from shifting horizontally, and the second support pins support the substrate from below with their contact portions, which are raised and spaced apart from the main body. In this case, for example, the contact portions have a small heat capacity, and portions with a large heat capacity are not connected to or in contact with the contact portions. This makes it difficult for temperature differences to occur on the substrate depending on the arrangement of the multiple support pins. As a result, for example, a coating film formed on the upper surface of the substrate can be dried more uniformly with a simple configuration.

According to the reduced-pressure drying apparatus of the seventh aspect, for example, in a coating region where a coating film is formed on the upper surface of a substrate, a temperature difference caused by the arrangement of the multiple support pins is unlikely to occur, which makes it possible to more uniformly dry the coating film formed on the upper surface of the substrate with a simple configuration.

According to the reduced pressure drying apparatus of the eighth aspect, for example, the first support pins can be easily arranged.

According to the reduced pressure drying apparatus of the first aspect, for example, a configuration in which the first portion of the abutting portion is locked to the locking portion of the main body portion can be easily realized.

With either the second or third aspect of the reduced pressure drying device, for example, the first region of the second part of the abutment portion that protrudes upward from the first through hole can be easily positioned horizontally relative to the center of the first through hole.

According to the reduced pressure drying apparatus of the fourth aspect, for example, a configuration in which the first portion of the abutting portion is locked to the locking portion of the main body portion can be easily realized.

According to the reduced pressure drying apparatus of the fifth aspect, for example, the first portion can be easily positioned with respect to the center of the rod-shaped portion in the horizontal direction.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a vertical cross section of a reduced-pressure drying apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a cross section of a reduced-pressure drying apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a vertical cross section of a reduced-pressure drying apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a substrate. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a vertical cross section of a portion of a substrate. FIG. 6 is a front view showing an example of the appearance of the first support pin. FIG. 7 is a front view showing an example of the appearance of the second support pin. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an example of the appearance of the second support pin. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a vertical cross section of a second support pin. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a vertical cross section of a second support pin. FIG. 11 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of the first support pins and the second support pins in a state where they are not supporting the substrate from below. FIG. 12 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of the first support pins and the second support pins supporting the substrate from below. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the application area of the substrate and the first and second support pins. FIG. 14 is a block diagram conceptually showing the functions realized by the control unit. FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a reduced-pressure drying process according to an embodiment. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a vertical cross section of a second support pin according to the first modified example. FIG. 17 is a front view showing an example of the appearance of a second support pin according to the second modified example. FIG. 18 is a plan view showing an example of the appearance of a second support pin according to the second modified example. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of a vertical cross section of a second support pin according to the second modified example. FIG. 20 is a diagram showing an example of a vertical cross section of a second support pin according to the second modified example. FIG. 21 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of the first support pins and the second support pins in a state where they are not supporting the substrate from below. FIG. 22 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of the first support pins and the second support pins supporting the substrate from below. FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a modified example of the relationship between the application area of the substrate and the first and second support pins.

One embodiment of the present invention and various modified examples will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, parts with similar configurations and functions are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted below. The drawings are schematic, and the size and positional relationships of the various structures in each drawing are not accurately depicted. Furthermore, in this specification, the downward direction is the direction of gravity, and the upward direction is the direction opposite to the direction of gravity.

<1. Configuration of the reduced pressure drying device>
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a vertical cross section of a reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a cross section of a reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1 according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a vertical cross section of a reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1 according to an embodiment. The vertical cross sections of FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 are viewed from directions that differ by approximately 90 degrees. In FIG. 3, components related to an exhaust unit 30, an air supply unit 60, a pressure gauge 70, and a control unit 80, which will be described later, are omitted for convenience in order to avoid cluttering the drawing. The reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1 is an apparatus that dries a coating film 90 (see FIG. 5) formed on the upper surface of a substrate 9.

The substrate 9 may be, for example, a glass substrate, a semiconductor wafer, or a ceramic substrate. The substrate 9 is, for example, a flat substrate having a first surface F1 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) as a first major surface and a second surface F2 (see FIG. 5) as a second major surface opposite the first surface. For example, in the reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1, the first surface F1 of the substrate 9 is the upper surface of the substrate 9, and the second surface F2 of the substrate 9 is the lower surface of the substrate 9. Here, a specific example in which a rectangular glass substrate is used as the substrate 9 will be described. A coating film 90 is partially formed on the first surface F1 of the substrate 9 by applying a treatment liquid containing, for example, an organic material and a solvent. The treatment liquid is applied using, for example, a slit coater or an inkjet device. The treatment liquid may be, for example, a liquid containing a polyimide precursor and a solvent (also known as a PI liquid) or a coating liquid such as a resist liquid. The polyimide precursor may be, for example, a polyamic acid (polyamic acid). The solvent may be, for example, NMP (N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone). Furthermore, when the reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1 is used in the manufacturing process of an organic EL display, the coating film 90 may be dried in the reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1 to become the hole injection layer, hole transport layer, or light-emitting layer of the organic EL display panel.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a substrate 9. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of a longitudinal cross section of a portion of the substrate 9. As shown in Figure 4, the substrate 9 has, for example, a rectangular shape with different vertical and horizontal lengths when viewed from above. The substrate 9 has multiple areas A1 (also referred to as formation areas or coating areas) where devices, etc. are formed. In the example of Figure 4, when viewed from above, the substrate 9 has four rectangular coating areas A1 arranged in a matrix of two rows and two columns. However, the shape, number, and arrangement of the coating areas A1 are not limited to this example. In a coating process prior to the reduced-pressure drying process using the reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1, the coating film 90 is formed on the upper surface of each coating area A1 according to a desired pattern using a slit coater, inkjet device, or the like. The desired pattern may be, for example, a circuit pattern. Here, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, the first surface F1 serving as the upper surface of each coating region A1 has a region A3 covered with the coating film 90 (also referred to as a coated region) and an exposed region A4 not covered with the coating film 90 (also referred to as an exposed region). Furthermore, the regions of the substrate 9 surrounding the coating region A1 and between adjacent coating regions A1 are regions A2 (also referred to as uncoated regions) on the first surface F1 serving as the upper surface where the coating film 90 is not formed. The uncoated regions A2 are also exposed regions A4 not covered with the coating film 90 (exposed regions).

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1 includes, for example, a chamber 10, a support unit 20, and an exhaust unit 30. The reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1 also includes, for example, an elevator unit 100, an air supply unit 60, a control unit 80, a bottom rectifying plate 40, a side rectifying plate 50, and a pressure gauge 70.

<<Chamber 10>>
The chamber 10 is a portion for accommodating the substrate 9. The chamber 10 is a pressure-resistant vessel having an internal space 10s for accommodating the substrate 9. The chamber 10 is fixed, for example, on an apparatus frame (not shown). The chamber 10 is, for example, a flat rectangular parallelepiped shape. The chamber 10 has, for example, a substantially square bottom plate 11, four side wall portions 12, and a substantially square top plate 13. The four side wall portions 12 connect, for example, four edges of the bottom plate 11 to four edges of the top plate 13 in the vertical direction. For example, one of the four side wall portions 12 is provided with a loading/unloading port 14 and a gate portion (also referred to as a gate valve) 15 for opening and closing the loading/unloading port 14. The gate portion 15 is, for example, coupled or connected to an opening/closing drive unit 16. In FIG. 3 , the opening/closing drive unit 16 is conceptually illustrated to avoid complication of the drawing. A driving mechanism such as an air cylinder is applied to the opening/closing drive unit 16. Here, for example, by the operation of the opening/closing drive unit 16, the gate unit 15 can move between a position where the loading/unloading opening 14 is closed (also referred to as a closed position) and a position where the loading/unloading opening 14 is open (also referred to as an open position).

Here, for example, when the gate section 15 is in the closed position, the internal space 10s of the chamber 10 is sealed. For example, when the gate section 15 is in the open position, the substrate 9 can be loaded into and unloaded from the internal space 10s of the chamber 10 via the loading/unloading port 14.

<<Support part 20>>
The support unit 20 is a portion that supports the substrate 9 from below within the chamber 10. For example, the support unit 20 is located in the internal space 10s of the chamber 10 and can support the substrate 9 accommodated in the internal space 10s of the chamber 10 from below. The support unit 20 includes, for example, a plurality of support plates 21 and a plurality of support pins 22. The plurality of support plates 21 are, for example, arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction. A plurality of support pins 22 are provided upright on the upper surface of each support plate 21. The plurality of support plates 21 form the base of the support unit 20. For example, the substrate 9 is disposed above the plurality of support plates 21, and the upper ends of the plurality of support pins 22 come into contact with a second surface F2, which serves as the lower surface of the substrate 9, thereby supporting the substrate 9 in a horizontal position.

The multiple support pins 22 include, for example, first support pins 22a and second support pins 22b. In other words, the support unit 20 includes first support pins 22a and second support pins 22b that respectively support the substrate 9 from below. In the example of FIGS. 1 and 3, the multiple support pins 22 include, for example, multiple first support pins 22a and multiple second support pins 22b. In other words, the support unit 20 includes multiple first support pins 22a and multiple second support pins 22b. FIG. 6 is a front view showing an example of the appearance of the first support pin 22a. FIG. 7 is a front view showing an example of the appearance of the second support pin 22b. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an example of the appearance of the second support pin 22b. In FIGS. 7 and 8, hidden parts are depicted with dashed lines. FIGS. 9 and 10 are each a diagram showing an example of a longitudinal cross section of the second support pin 22b.

The first support pin 22a can support the substrate 9 from below to prevent it from shifting horizontally. As shown in FIG. 6, the first support pin 22a may be, for example, a long, thin member extending in the vertical direction. The first support pin 22a may be, for example, a rod-shaped member extending in the vertical direction, or a pyramidal member with a pointed upper end (also referred to as the first upper end) 1t. The first support pin 22a may be made of a resin material such as polyether ether ketone (PEEK) or polyimide (PI). For example, by appropriately adjusting the frictional force of the resin material, the first support pin 22a can support the substrate 9 from below to prevent it from shifting horizontally due to the frictional force between the first upper end 1t of the first support pin 22a and the second surface F2, which serves as the lower surface of the substrate 9.

The second support pin 22b has a main body portion 2b and an abutment portion 2c. The main body portion 2b and the abutment portion 2c are separate bodies that are not connected or linked to each other. The second support pin 22b can support the substrate 9 from below using the upper end (also referred to as the second upper end) 2t of the abutment portion 2c, with the abutment portion 2c raised above the main body portion 2b that serves as a reference. Therefore, the second support pin 22b can support the substrate 9 from below with the abutment portion 2c spaced apart from the main body portion 2b, the abutment portion 2c having a small heat capacity, and a portion with a large heat capacity not connected to or in contact with the abutment portion 2c. This reduces temperature differences in the substrate 9 due to the arrangement of multiple support pins 22, for example, and allows the coating film 90 formed on the first surface F1, which serves as the upper surface of the substrate 9, to dry more uniformly.

Here, we will explain the second support pin 22b in more detail.

Main body portion 2b is the portion fixed to the member on which second support pin 22b is provided. In other words, main body portion 2b is the portion fixed to the base portion of support portion 20. In the example of Figures 1 and 3, main body portion 2b is fixed to the upper surface of support plate 21, which is the base portion of support portion 20. In other words, main body portion 2b is the portion connected to or in contact with a portion with a large heat capacity. Main body portion 2b also has a first magnet M1. A permanent magnet can be used as first magnet M1.

The abutment portion 2c abuts against the second surface F2, which serves as the underside of the substrate 9. Specifically, when the substrate 9 is not housed in the internal space 10s of the chamber 10, the abutment portion 2c abuts against the second surface F2, which serves as the underside of the substrate 9. When the substrate 9 is housed in the internal space 10s of the chamber 10, the abutment portion 2c abuts against the second surface F2, which serves as the underside of the substrate 9. The abutment portion 2c also has a second magnet M2. A permanent magnet may be used as the second magnet M2. The second magnet M2 is positioned in a state where it is spaced apart from the first magnet M1 in the upward direction, which serves as the first direction. In other words, the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2 are spaced apart in the upward direction from the first magnet M1 toward the second magnet M2. In the example of Figures 9 and 10, the first magnet M1 is positioned at the bottom of the main body portion 2b, and the second magnet M2 is positioned at the bottom of the abutment portion 2c. The first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2 are positioned with their identical magnetic poles facing each other. In the example of FIGS. 9 and 10 , in the first magnet M1, the portion having the first magnetic pole (also referred to as the first magnetic pole portion) M11 is located at the bottom, and the portion having the second magnetic pole (also referred to as the second magnetic pole portion) M12 is located at the top. In the second magnet M2, the portion having the first magnetic pole (the first magnetic pole portion) M21 is located at the top, and the portion having the second magnetic pole (the second magnetic pole portion) M22 is located at the bottom. When the first magnetic pole is a north pole, the second magnetic pole is a south pole. When the first magnetic pole is a south pole, the second magnetic pole is a north pole. Because the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2 are positioned with their identical magnetic poles facing each other, a repulsive force is generated between the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2. This repulsive force exerts an upward force on the abutment portion 2c relative to the main body portion 2b. This allows the contact portion 2c to support the substrate 9 from below while floating above the main body portion 2b.

Main body 2b includes a locking portion Fk1. Locking portion Fk1 locks contact portion 2c, which is subjected to an upward force due to the repulsive force between first magnet M1 and second magnet M2, and restricts movement of contact portion 2c in a direction perpendicular to the upward direction (also referred to as the horizontal direction). In other words, locking portion Fk1 defines the area within which contact portion 2c can move upward relative to main body 2b, and also defines the area within which contact portion 2c can move horizontally relative to main body 2b. From another perspective, locking portion Fk1 functions as a portion that restricts the range of movement of contact portion 2c relative to main body 2b, so that the repulsive force between first magnet M1 and second magnet M2, external forces, and the like do not cause contact portion 2c to move too far away from main body 2b, thereby causing second support pin 22b to disassemble.

The abutment portion 2c includes a first portion P1 and a second portion P2. The first portion P1 is engaged by the locking portion Fk1 of the main body portion 2b. The second portion P2 has a region (also referred to as the first region) Ar1 located above the main body portion 2b when the first portion P1 is engaged by the locking portion Fk1. The first region Ar1 includes the upper end portion (second upper end portion) 2t of the abutment portion 2c. In the example shown in Figures 9 and 10, the second portion P2 is connected to the first portion P1. The second portion P2 may be connected to the first portion P1, for example. Furthermore, the abutment portion 2c is located between the main body portion 2b and a space (also referred to as a movable space) Sp1 that allows the abutment portion 2c to move downward in the second direction and separate from the main body portion 2b. In the example shown in Figures 9 and 10, the movable space Sp1 is located between the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2. As shown in Figure 10, the contact portion 2c can be pushed downward against the repulsive force between the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2, thereby separating from the main body portion 2b. As a result, the contact portion 2c is separated from the main body portion 2b and is in a state of floating relative to the main body portion 2b. In Figure 10, the force pushing the contact portion 2c downward is schematically depicted by a thick arrow.

In one embodiment, the main body 2b includes a cylindrical portion (also referred to as a tubular portion) Pp1 extending upward. In the examples of Figures 7 to 10, the cylindrical portion Pp1 is a cylindrical portion positioned so that a hollow portion Hp1 extends upward. The cylindrical portion Pp1 may be, for example, a cylindrical or rectangular cylindrical portion positioned so that the hollow portion Hp1 extends upward. Furthermore, the first magnet M1 is positioned in the hollow portion Hp1 of the cylindrical portion Pp1. In the examples of Figures 7 to 10, the first magnet M1 is positioned so as to block the lower opening of the hollow portion Hp1 of the cylindrical portion Pp1. The first magnet M1 may be positioned, for example, along the lower portion of the cylindrical portion Pp1. In other words, the first magnet M1 may include a portion positioned in at least one of the hollow portion Hp1 of the cylindrical portion Pp1 and a portion along the lower portion of the cylindrical portion Pp1. The locking portion Fk1 is located along the top of the cylindrical portion Pp1 and has a through-hole (also referred to as a first through-hole) Th1 penetrating upward. In other words, the cylindrical portion Pp1 functions as a portion (also referred to as a connecting portion) connecting the first magnet M1 and the locking portion Fk1. The cylindrical portion Pp1 and the locking portion Fk1 may be formed as an integral member, or may be fixed to each other by joining or connecting. The first through-hole Th1 is connected to the hollow portion Hp1 of the cylindrical portion Pp1 in the vertical direction. As a result, the first through-hole Th1 and the hollow portion Hp1 form the internal space of the main body 2b. The horizontal cross-section of the first through-hole Th1 is smaller than the horizontal cross-section of the hollow portion Hp1. In the examples shown in Figures 7 to 10, the locking portion Fk1 of the main body 2b has a circular ring-shaped configuration that surrounds the top of the first through hole Th1. The locking portion Fk1 may, for example, be a portion having another ring shape that surrounds the first through hole Th1. The first through hole Th1 may be connected to a slit or notch that opens onto the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion Pp1. The cylindrical portion Pp1 and the locking portion Fk1 of the main body 2b, excluding the first magnet M1, may be made of various materials, such as resin materials such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK) or polyimide (PI), ceramics, or non-magnetic metals.

In one embodiment, the portion of the abutment portion 2c located below the first portion P1 can move up and down within the internal space of the main body portion 2b. The abutment portion 2c includes, for example, a portion (also referred to as the third portion) P3 located within the hollow portion Hp1 and spaced apart from the inner circumferential surface (also referred to as the first inner circumferential surface) Iw1 of the cylindrical portion Pp1. This third portion P3 includes a second magnet M2. In the abutment portion 2c, the first region Ar1 of the second portion P2 is connected or coupled to the upper portion of the first portion P1. Furthermore, the first region Ar1 of the second portion P2 protrudes upward from the first through-hole Th1 when the first portion P1 is engaged by the engaging portion Fk1 of the main body portion 2b. In this case, a configuration in which the first portion P1 of the abutment portion 2c is engaged with the engaging portion Fk1 of the main body portion 2b can be easily realized. In the example of the contact portion 2c in Figures 9 and 10, the contact portion 2c has a portion (also referred to as the contacted portion) Cp1 for directly contacting the second surface F2, which is the underside of the substrate 9, and a second magnet M2 fixed to the underside of the contacted portion Cp1. The contacted portion Cp1 includes a first portion P1 and a second portion P2. The contacted portion Cp1 is made of a resin material such as polyether ether ketone (PEEK) or polyimide (PI).

In one embodiment, the second portion P2 has an inclined outer peripheral surface (also referred to as a first inclined outer peripheral surface) Ts1. The first inclined outer peripheral surface Ts1 is inclined with respect to a first imaginary center line Lc1, which is an imaginary line extending in the vertical direction and passing through the center (center of gravity) of an imaginary cross section (also referred to as an imaginary cross section) of the second portion P2 along the horizontal direction, as it extends upward from the first portion P1. In this case, for example, when the abutting portion 2c moves upward relative to the main body portion 2b due to the repulsive force between the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2, the first inclined outer peripheral surface Ts1 of the second portion P2 slides against the locking portion Fk1, and the first imaginary center line Lc1 of the second portion P2 approaches or coincides with the imaginary center line (also referred to as a second imaginary center line) Lc2 extending in the vertical direction of the first through hole Th1. As a result, for example, when the first portion P1 is locked by the locking portion Fk1, the first region Ar1 of the second portion P2 protruding upward from the first through hole Th1 can be easily positioned horizontally relative to the center of the first through hole Th1. For example, the second imaginary center line Lc2 is a virtual line extending in the vertical direction and passing through the center (center of gravity) of an imaginary cross section of the first through hole Th1 along the horizontal direction. In the examples of FIGS. 9 and 10 , the second portion P2 has an upwardly convex conical shape, and the contacted portion Cp1 also has an upwardly convex conical shape. The second portion P2 and the contacted portion Cp1 may have, for example, an upwardly convex pyramidal shape, such as a conical or pyramidal shape. For example, as long as the second portion P2 has an upwardly convex pyramidal shape, the contacted portion Cp1 does not need to have a pyramidal shape as a whole. Additionally, for example, a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the second portion P2 extending from the first portion P1 toward the second upper end portion 2t may be the first inclined outer peripheral surface Ts1.

In one embodiment, the first through hole Th1 has an internal space (also referred to as the first internal space) Is1 that narrows upward and approaches a second imaginary center line Lc2 that extends along the vertical direction of the first through hole Th1. In other words, the inner peripheral surface (also referred to as the second inner peripheral surface) Iw2 of the locking portion Fk1 that defines the outer periphery of the first through hole Th1 is inclined with respect to the second imaginary center line Lc2 so as to approach the second imaginary center line Lc2 upward. With this configuration, for example, when the abutting portion 2c moves upward relative to the main body portion 2b due to the repulsive force between the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2, the second portion P2 slides against the inclined second inner peripheral surface Iw2 of the locking portion Fk1, causing the first imaginary center line Lc1 of the second portion P2 to approach or coincide with the second imaginary center line Lc2 of the first through hole Th1. As a result, for example, when the first portion P1 is locked by the locking portion Fk1, the first region Ar1 of the second portion P2 protruding upward from the first through hole Th1 can be easily positioned horizontally relative to the center of the first through hole Th1. In the example shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 , the first internal space Is1 of the first through hole Th1 has a truncated cone shape. The first internal space Is1 may have a truncated cone shape that narrows upward, such as a truncated cone or truncated pyramid shape. Furthermore, for example, the second inner circumferential surface Iw2 defining the outer periphery of the first through hole Th1 of the locking portion Fk1 may be inclined with respect to the second imaginary center line Lc2 in a section extending from the lower end to the upper end of the first through hole Th1 so as to approach the second imaginary center line Lc2 as it extends upward.

Here, we will explain how the substrate 9 is supported from below by the support portion 20. Figure 11 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the first support pins 22a and second support pins 22b when they are not supporting the substrate 9 from below. Figure 12 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the first support pins 22a and second support pins 22b when they are supporting the substrate 9 from below. In Figures 11 and 12, two first support pins 22a and one second support pin 22b are depicted for convenience in order to avoid complicating the drawings. Also, in Figure 12, the force of the substrate 9 pressing downward on the abutment portion 2c is depicted schematically with a thick arrow.

As shown in Figures 11 and 12, for example, when a substrate 9 is placed on the first support pin 22a and the contact portion 2c of the second support pin 22b, the first support pin 22a supports the substrate 9 from below to prevent it from shifting horizontally. At this time, the weight of the substrate 9 presses the contact portion 2c of the second support pin 22b downward against the repulsive force between the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2, causing the contact portion 2c to be separated from the main body portion 2b. As a result, the contact portion 2c is separated from the main body portion 2b and is levitated relative to the main body portion 2b. At this time, the distance between the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2 is shortened, increasing the repulsive force between the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2. The repulsive force between the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2 is balanced with the resultant force of gravity acting on the contact portion 2c and the force of the substrate 9 pressing the contact portion 2c downward. In this case, the contact portion 2c of the second support pin 22b is separated from the main body portion 2b, the contact portion 2c has a small heat capacity, and the contact portion 2c is not connected to or in contact with any portion with a large heat capacity. This makes it less likely that a temperature difference will occur on the substrate 9 due to the arrangement of multiple support pins 22. As a result, for example, the coating film 90 formed on the first surface F1, which serves as the upper surface of the substrate 9, can be dried more uniformly.

Here, as shown in FIG. 11, when the support portion 20 is not supporting the substrate 9 from below, the abutment portion 2c is located at a first position Vp1 in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 12, when the support portion 20 is supporting the substrate 9 from below, the abutment portion 2c is located at a second position Vp2 that is lower than the first position Vp1 in the vertical direction. Therefore, on the second support pin 22b, the abutment portion 2c is located at the first position Vp1 in the vertical direction when the support portion 20 is not supporting the substrate 9 from below, and is located at the second position Vp2 that is lower than the first position Vp1 in the vertical direction when the support portion 20 is supporting the substrate 9 from below.

Figure 13 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the coating area A1 of the substrate 9 and the first support pins 22a and second support pins 22b. In Figure 13, positions on the second surface F2 (the underside of the substrate 9) that are supported by the first support pins 22a are indicated by white circles, and positions that are supported by the second support pins 22b are indicated by black circles. Also in Figure 13, the outer edge of the coating area A1 where the coating film 90 is formed on the first surface F1 (the upper surface of the substrate 9) is depicted by a two-dot chain line.

As shown in FIG. 13 , the first support pin 22a is positioned to support from below the non-coated region A2, where the coating film 90 is not formed on the first surface F1 (the upper surface) of the substrate 9. The second support pin 22b is positioned to support from below the coated region A1, where the coating film 90 is formed on the first surface F1 (the upper surface) of the substrate 9. This makes it less likely that a temperature difference will occur depending on the arrangement of the multiple support pins 22 in the coated region A1, where the coating film 90 is formed on the first surface F1 (the upper surface) of the substrate 9. As a result, for example, the coating film 90 formed on the first surface F1 (the upper surface) of the substrate 9 can be dried more uniformly with a simple configuration. Here, some of the multiple second support pins 22b may be positioned to support the non-coated region A2 of the substrate 9 from below. In the example of FIG. 13 , the non-coated region A2 is located along the outer periphery 9op of the substrate 9. The outer periphery 9op of the substrate 9 is the portion along the horizontal periphery of the substrate 9, with the first surface F1 being the upper surface and the second surface F2 being the lower surface. The non-coated areas A2 are also located between adjacent coated areas A1 of the substrate 9. In this case, for example, if a configuration is adopted in which multiple first support pins 22a are arranged to support the non-coated areas A2 along the outer periphery 9op of the substrate 9 from below, the first support pins 22a can be easily arranged.

<<Exhaust section 30>>
The exhaust unit 30 is a part that exhausts the atmosphere inside the chamber 10. For example, a mechanism that sucks gas from the internal space 10s of the chamber 10 to reduce the pressure inside the chamber 10 is applied to the exhaust unit 30. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , for example, four exhaust ports 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d are provided on the bottom plate 11 of the chamber 10. The four exhaust ports 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d are arranged so as to be located, for example, below the substrate 9 supported by the support unit 20. The four exhaust ports 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d are also located, for example, below the bottom rectifying plate 40 described below. The exhaust unit 30 includes, for example, an exhaust pipe 31 connected to the four exhaust ports 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d, four individual valves Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd, a main valve Ve, and a vacuum pump 32. The exhaust pipe 31 includes, for example, four individual pipes 31a, 31b, 31c, and 31d and one main pipe 31e. For example, one end of the individual pipe 31a is connected to the exhaust port 16a, one end of the individual pipe 31b is connected to the exhaust port 16b, one end of the individual pipe 31c is connected to the exhaust port 16c, and one end of the individual pipe 31d is connected to the exhaust port 16d. For example, the other ends of the four individual pipes 31a, 31b, 31c, and 31d are joined together and connected to one end of the main pipe 31e. For example, the other end of the main pipe 31e is connected to the vacuum pump 32. For example, the individual valve Va is provided on the path of the individual pipe 31a, the individual valve Vb is provided on the path of the individual pipe 31b, the individual valve Vc is provided on the path of the individual pipe 31c, and the individual valve Vd is provided on the path of the individual pipe 31d. For example, the main valve Ve is provided on the path of the main pipe 31e.

Here, for example, with the loading/unloading port 14 closed by the gate unit 15, if at least some of the four individual valves Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd and one main valve Ve are opened and the vacuum pump 32 is operated, the gas inside the chamber 10 is exhausted to the outside of the chamber 10 via the exhaust pipe 31. This makes it possible to reduce the pressure in the internal space 10s of the chamber 10, for example.

The four individual valves Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd are, for example, valves for individually adjusting the exhaust volume from the four exhaust ports 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d. Each of the four individual valves Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd is, for example, a valve that can be switched between an open and closed state based on a command from the control unit 80 (also called an on-off valve). The main valve Ve is, for example, a valve for adjusting the total exhaust volume from the four exhaust ports 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d. For example, the main valve Ve is, for example, a valve whose opening can be adjusted based on a command from the control unit 80 (also called an opening control valve).

Here, for example, the four exhaust ports 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d are located below the substrate 9 supported by the support portion 20. This promotes uniformity of the gas flow above the substrate 9 compared to when the exhaust ports are located above the substrate 9, and can reduce the occurrence of uneven drying in the coating film 90 formed on the upper surface of the substrate 9.

<<Lifting unit 100>>
The lifting unit 100 is a part that raises and lowers the support unit 20 within the chamber 10. In other words, for example, the lifting unit 100 has a mechanism (also referred to as a lifting mechanism) that can raise and lower the support unit 20 located in the internal space 10s of the chamber 10. The lifting unit 100 can raise and lower, for example, a substrate 9 supported by the support unit 20. In FIG. 1, the lifting unit 100 is conceptually illustrated to avoid complication of the drawing. As shown in FIG. 3, a driving device such as a linear motor or an air cylinder is applied to the lifting unit 100. The lifting unit 100 includes, for example, a main body 100a and a moving unit 100b. The main body 100a is fixed to an apparatus frame (not shown) outside the chamber 10, for example. The moving unit 100b can move, for example, vertically relative to the main body 100a. For example, a rod-shaped member or the like is applied to the moving unit 100b. The moving part 100b is positioned, for example, in a state where it is inserted into the through-hole 11h of the bottom plate part 11 of the chamber 10. The support part 20 is fixed, for example, to the upper end part of the moving part 100b. Here, for example, if a bellows or the like is provided between the lower surface of the bottom plate part 11 and the moving part 100b, the gap between the bottom plate part 11 and the moving part 100b can be sealed. For example, when the support part 20 has a plurality of support plates 21, the moving part 100b has a rod-shaped part (also referred to as a rod-shaped part) fixed to each support plate 21 and inserted into the through-hole 11h of the bottom plate part 11, a part (also referred to as a connecting part) connecting the plurality of rod-shaped parts, and a part (also referred to as a sliding part) connected to the connecting part and slidably supported by the main body part 100a.

Here, for example, when the lifting unit 100 is operated, the support unit 20 moves up and down between a lowered position H1 (the position shown by the dashed line in Figures 1 and 3) and an elevated position H2 (the position shown by the dashed line in Figures 1 and 3) that is higher than the lowered position H1. At this time, for example, the multiple support plates 21 can move up and down as a unit.

<<Bottom rectifier plate 40>>
The bottom rectifying plate 40 is a plate for regulating the flow of gas in the internal space 10s when the pressure in the chamber 10 is reduced by the exhaust unit 30. For example, the bottom rectifying plate 40 is arranged so as to be located between the substrate 9 supported by the support unit 20 and the bottom plate portion 11 of the chamber 10. Specifically, for example, the bottom rectifying plate 40 is arranged below the support unit 20 so as to be spaced apart from the support unit 20 arranged in the lowered position H1, and is arranged above the bottom plate portion 11 so as to be spaced apart from the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 11. Furthermore, the bottom rectifying plate 40 is positioned so as to extend horizontally along the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 11. The bottom rectifying plate 40 is fixed to the bottom plate portion 11 of the chamber 10, for example, via a plurality of support pillars (not shown). As shown in FIG. 2, for example, the bottom rectifying plate 40 has a square shape when viewed from above. For example, the length of each side of the bottom rectifying plate 40 in a top view is longer than both the long and short sides of the rectangular substrate 9. Therefore, for example, regardless of the orientation of the substrate 9 placed on the support part 20, the bottom rectifying plate 40 is larger than the substrate 9 in a top view. Furthermore, the bottom rectifying plate 40 has a through-hole 40h through which the moving part 100b of the lifting part 100 is inserted. In the through-hole 40h, the bottom rectifying plate 40 and the moving part 100b are positioned with a very small gap between them.

<<Side current plate 50>>
The side surface rectifying plate 50, together with the bottom surface rectifying plate 40, is a plate for regulating the flow of gas in the internal space 10s when the pressure inside the chamber 10 is reduced by the exhaust unit 30. For example, the side surface rectifying plate 50 is arranged so as to be located between the substrate 9 supported by the support unit 20 arranged in the lowered position H1 and the side wall portion 12 of the chamber 10. Specifically, for example, the side surface rectifying plate 50 is arranged outside the substrate 9 at a distance from the edge of the substrate 9 supported by the support unit 20 arranged in the lowered position H1, and is also located inside the side wall portion 12 at a distance from the inner surface of the side wall portion 12. Here, for example, four side surface rectifying plates 50 are arranged so as to surround the periphery of the substrate 9 supported by the support unit 20. Each side surface rectifying plate 50 is positioned so as to extend along the inner surface of the side wall portion 12, for example. Therefore, for example, the four side surface rectifying plates 50 as a whole form a rectangular cylindrical rectifying plate that surrounds the substrate 9. Also, for example, the bottom surface flow straightening plate 40 and the four side surface flow straightening plates 50 as a whole form a cylindrical box-shaped flow straightening plate with a bottom.

Here, for example, when the pressure inside the chamber 10 is reduced by the exhaust section 30, gas in the internal space 10s of the chamber 10 passes through the space between the side flow plate 50 and the side wall section 12, the space between the bottom flow plate 40 and the bottom plate section 11, and the exhaust ports 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d in this order, before being discharged to the outside of the chamber 10. In this way, for example, by the gas flowing through a space away from the substrate 9, it becomes difficult for an airflow to form near the substrate 9. This also makes it difficult for a concentrated airflow to occur around the periphery of the substrate 9. This can, for example, reduce the occurrence of uneven drying of the coating film 90 formed on the upper surface of the substrate 9.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, for example, the box-shaped rectifying plate formed by the bottom rectifying plate 40 and the four side rectifying plates 50 has a square shape when viewed from above. The length of each side of this box-shaped rectifying plate when viewed from above is longer than both the long and short sides of the rectangular substrate 9. Therefore, for example, regardless of the orientation of the substrate 9 placed on the support part 20, when the chamber 10 is depressurized by the exhaust part 30, the flow of gas in the internal space 10s becomes uniform, and the flow of gas in the internal space 10s is less likely to differ depending on the orientation of the substrate 9.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, a configuration is adopted in which, in a top view, the four exhaust ports 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d are all located on the diagonal lines 41 of the square-shaped bottom surface air flow plate 40. In this case, for example, each exhaust port 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d can form an airflow that is symmetrical with respect to the center of the bottom surface air flow plate 40 (the intersection of the two diagonal lines 41). This can result in, for example, a more uniform airflow being formed in the internal space 10s of the chamber 10.

Furthermore, here, for example, three of the four side surface rectifying plates 50 are fixed to the side wall portion 12 of the chamber 10. However, the remaining one of the four side surface rectifying plates 50 may be movable relative to the side wall portion 12 and the bottom surface rectifying plate 40, for example, to ensure a path for loading and unloading the substrate 9 between the chamber 10 and the outside. In this case, this one side surface rectifying plate 50 may be configured to move, for example, together with the gate portion 15. As a result, for example, when the gate portion 15 moves from the closed position to the open position, this one side surface rectifying plate 50 also moves, thereby ensuring a path for loading and unloading the substrate 9 between the chamber 10 and the outside. Here, for example, when the movable side rectifying plate 50 is positioned in the correct position (the position that constitutes the box-shaped rectifying plate described above), if it is not in contact with the other side rectifying plates 50 and the bottom rectifying plate 40, the movable side rectifying plate 50 will not slide against the other side rectifying plates 50 and the bottom rectifying plate 40. This, for example, reduces the generation of dust due to sliding contact between components. On the other hand, for example, if a box-shaped rectifying plate is formed with the movable side rectifying plate 50 in contact with the other side rectifying plates 50 and the bottom rectifying plate 40, gaps are less likely to form in the box-shaped rectifying plate. In this case, for example, when the pressure inside the chamber 10 is reduced by the exhaust unit 30, the flow of gas in the internal space 10s can be more regulated.

<<Air supply section 60>>
The gas supply unit 60 is a part that supplies gas (also referred to as gas supply) into the chamber 10. The gas supply unit 60 includes a mechanism for supplying gas to the internal space 10s of the chamber 10, the pressure of which has been reduced by exhausting the gas from the exhaust unit 30, thereby returning the pressure in the chamber 10 to atmospheric pressure. As shown in FIG. 1 , the bottom plate 11 of the chamber 10 is provided with, for example, a gas supply port 16f. The gas supply port 16f is located, for example, below the bottom rectifying plate 40. The gas supply unit 60 includes a gas supply pipe 61 connected to the gas supply port 16f, a gas supply valve Vf, and a gas supply source 62. For example, one end of the gas supply pipe 61 is connected to the gas supply port 16f. For example, the other end of the gas supply pipe 61 is connected to the gas supply source 62. For example, the gas supply valve Vf is provided on the path of the gas supply pipe 61.

Here, for example, when the air intake valve Vf is opened, gas is supplied from the air intake source 62 to the internal space 10s of the chamber 10 via the air intake pipe 61 and the air intake port 16f. This increases the air pressure inside the chamber 10. The gas supplied from the air intake source 62 may be, for example, an inert gas such as nitrogen gas, or clean dry air. Clean dry air can be prepared, for example, by purifying air in a general environment to remove particles and moisture.

<<Pressure gauge 70>>
The pressure gauge 70 is a sensor that measures the air pressure in the internal space 10s of the chamber 10. As shown in Fig. 1 , for example, the pressure gauge 70 is attached to a part of the chamber 10. The pressure gauge 70 can measure, for example, the air pressure in the internal space 10s of the chamber 10 and output the measurement result to the control unit 80.

<<Control Unit 80>>
The control unit 80 is a unit for controlling the operation of each component of the reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1. For example, the control unit 80 can control the exhaust unit 30, the air supply unit 60, the lifting unit 100, and the like. The control unit 80 is configured, for example, by a computer having a processor 801 such as a central processing unit (CPU), a memory 802 such as a random access memory (RAM), and a storage unit 803 such as a hard disk drive. The storage unit 803 stores, for example, a computer program (also referred to as a program) 803p and various data for executing a process (also referred to as a reduced-pressure drying process) of drying the coating film 90 on the substrate 9 by reducing pressure in the reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1. The storage unit 803 stores, for example, the program 803p and serves as a non-transitory storage medium readable by a computer. The control unit 80 controls the operation of each component of the reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1 by, for example, reading the program 803p and data from the storage unit 803 to the memory 802 and performing arithmetic processing in accordance with the program 803p and data in the processor 801. Therefore, for example, the program 803p can be executed by the processor 801 included in the control unit 80 in the reduced pressure drying apparatus 1 to perform the reduced pressure drying process.

The control unit 80 may also be connected to, for example, an input unit 804, an output unit 805, a communication unit 806, and a drive 807. The input unit 804 is a unit that inputs various signals to the control unit 80 in response to, for example, user actions, etc. The input unit 804 may include, for example, an operation unit that inputs signals in response to user actions, a microphone that inputs signals in response to the user's voice, and various sensors that input signals in response to the user's movements. The output unit 805 is a unit that outputs various information in a manner that can be recognized by the user. The output unit 805 may include, for example, a display unit, a projector, and a speaker. The display unit may be a touch panel integrated with the input unit 804. The communication unit 806 is a unit that transmits and receives various information to and from an external device such as a server via, for example, wired or wireless communication means. For example, a program 803p received from an external device by the communication unit 806 may be stored in the memory unit 803. The drive 807 is a part to which a portable storage medium 807m, such as a magnetic disk or optical disk, can be attached or detached. When the storage medium 807m is attached, the drive 807 exchanges data between the storage medium 807m and the control unit 80. For example, when the storage medium 807m storing the program 803p is attached to the drive 807, the program 803p may be read from the storage medium 807m and stored in the storage unit 803. Here, the storage medium 807m serves as a non-transitory storage medium that stores the program 803p and is readable by a computer.

Figure 14 is a block diagram conceptually illustrating the functions realized by the control unit 80. As shown in Figure 14, the control unit 80 is electrically connected to, for example, the opening/closing drive unit 16, the lifting unit 100, the four individual valves Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd, the main valve Ve, the vacuum pump 32, the air supply valve Vf, and the pressure gauge 70. The control unit 80 can control the operation of each of the above units, for example, by referring to the measurement values output from the pressure gauge 70.

As conceptually shown in FIG. 14 , the control unit 80 has, as its realized functional configuration, for example, an opening/closing control unit 81, a lifting/lowering control unit 82, a switching control unit 83, an exhaust control unit 84, a pump control unit 85, and an air supply control unit 86. For example, the opening/closing control unit 81 controls the operation of the opening/closing drive unit 16. For example, the lifting/lowering control unit 82 controls the operation of the lifting unit 100. For example, the switching control unit 83 individually controls the open/closed states of the four individual valves Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd. For example, the exhaust control unit 84 controls the open/closed state and opening degree of the main valve Ve. For example, the pump control unit 85 controls the operation of the vacuum pump 32. For example, the air supply control unit 86 controls the open/closed state of the air supply valve Vf. The functions of each unit in the control unit 80 are realized, for example, by the processor 801 performing arithmetic processing in accordance with the above-mentioned program 803p, etc.

<2. Reduced-pressure drying treatment>
Next, a description will be given of a reduced-pressure drying process for a substrate 9 using the reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1. Fig. 15 is a flow chart showing an example of the flow of the reduced-pressure drying process according to one embodiment. This flow of the reduced-pressure drying process is realized, for example, by executing a program 803p in a processor 801 included in the control unit 80. Here, for example, the processes of steps S1 to S4 in Fig. 15 are performed in the order shown.

When performing a vacuum drying process using the vacuum drying apparatus 1, for example, the substrate 9 is first loaded into the chamber 10 (step S1). At this time, an undried coating film 90 is formed on the upper surface of the substrate 9. In step S1, for example, the opening/closing control unit 81 first operates the opening/closing drive unit 16 to move the gate unit 15 from the closed position to the open position, thereby opening the loading/unloading port 14. Then, for example, a transfer robot (not shown) places the substrate 9 on its fork-shaped hand and loads the substrate 9 into the internal space 10s of the chamber 10 through the loading/unloading port 14. At this point, the support unit 20 is located, for example, in the lowered position H1. The transfer robot places the substrate 9 on the support unit 20 by inserting the fork-shaped hand between the multiple support plates 21 of the support unit 20. In other words, in step S1, a process (also referred to as a loading process) of loading the substrate 9 onto the multiple support pins 22 arranged in the chamber 10 is performed. At this time, the substrate 9 is supported from below by the first support pins 22a of the support pins 22 to prevent the substrate 9 from shifting horizontally, and the abutment portions 2c of the second support pins 22b of the support pins 22, which are raised and separated from the main body portion 2b, support the substrate 9 from below. Once the substrate 9 is placed on the support portions 20, the transfer robot retreats to the outside of the chamber 10. Then, for example, the opening/closing control unit 81 again operates the opening/closing drive unit 16 to move the gate unit 15 from the open position to the closed position, thereby closing the loading/unloading port 14. This places the substrate 9 in the internal space 10s of the chamber 10.

Next, for example, the reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1 performs evacuation to exhaust the atmosphere within the chamber 10 (step S2). Here, for example, the substrate 9 is supported from below by the multiple first support pins 22a to prevent horizontal displacement, and the substrate 9 is supported from below by the contact portions 2c of the multiple second support pins 22b, which are raised and spaced apart from the main body portion 2b. Then, the control unit 80 executes a process (also referred to as an evacuation process) to depressurize the chamber 10 by evacuating the atmosphere within the chamber 10 using the exhaust unit 30. As a result, for example, when the multiple support pins 22 support the substrate 9 from below, the contact portion 2c of the second support pin 22b has a small heat capacity and is not connected to or in contact with a portion with a large heat capacity. This, for example, makes it less likely that a temperature difference will occur on the substrate 9 depending on the arrangement of the multiple support pins 22. As a result, for example, a coating film formed on the upper surface of the substrate 9 can be dried more uniformly with a simple configuration.

In step S2, for example, the control unit 80 may raise and lower the support unit 20 as needed, or may individually and appropriately control the open/closed states of the multiple individual valves Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd, or may appropriately control the opening degree of the main valve Ve. Here, a specific example of the operation of the reduced pressure drying apparatus 1 in step S2 will be described. Here, for example, the following processes [1] to [7] are performed in order.

[1] The reduced pressure drying apparatus 1 raises the support part 20. Specifically, the lifting control part 82 operates the lifting part 100 to move the support part 20 from the lowered position H1 to the raised position H2. At this time, the upper end of the side flow rectifying plate 50 is lower than the height of the substrate 9 supported by the support part 20 at the raised position H2. Therefore, the substrate 9 supported by the support part 20 rises to a position higher than the upper end of the side flow rectifying plate 50. As a result, the upper surface of the substrate 9 faces the top plate part 13 of the chamber 10 with a small gap between them.

[2] The pressure in the chamber 10 begins to be reduced. Here, the pump control unit 85 starts operating the vacuum pump 32. The switching control unit 83 also opens some of the individual valves Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd, and the exhaust control unit 84 opens the main valve Ve. This starts the exhaust of gas from the chamber 10 to the exhaust piping 31. The reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1 first performs a first process, which gently reduces the pressure in the internal space 10s of the chamber 10. In this first process, the exhaust control unit 84 adjusts the opening of the main valve Ve to a smaller opening than in the second to fourth processes described below. This causes the air pressure in the chamber 10 to gradually decrease from atmospheric pressure. Here, as described above, the support unit 20 is positioned at the raised position H2. Therefore, gas in the chamber 10 flows from the space below the substrate 9 through the space between the side rectifying plate 50 and the sidewall 12, the space between the bottom rectifying plate 40 and the bottom plate 11, and the exhaust ports 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d to the exhaust pipe 31. As a result, the airflow formed in the chamber 10 is unlikely to affect the upper surface of the substrate 9. However, even here, a slight airflow is generated in the space between the upper surface of the substrate 9 and the top plate 13. Furthermore, due to the reduced pressure, the solvent from the coating film 90 begins to evaporate. Therefore, the switching control unit 83 sequentially switches the open/closed states of the four individual valves Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd to prevent uneven drying of the coating film 90 due to the airflow between the upper surface of the substrate 9 and the top plate 13. For example, the switching control unit 83 closes one of the four individual valves Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd and opens the other individual valves. The switching control unit 83 then sequentially switches the individual valves to be closed one by one. Specifically, the switching control unit 83 sequentially switches between a first state in which one individual valve Va is closed and the other three individual valves Vb, Vc, and Vd are open; a second state in which one individual valve Vb is closed and the other three individual valves Va, Vc, and Vd are open; a third state in which one individual valve Vc is closed and the other three individual valves Va, Vb, and Vd are open; and a fourth state in which one individual valve Vd is closed and the other three individual valves Va, Vb, and Vc are open. In this way, the direction of the airflow formed in the space between the upper surface of the substrate 9 and the top plate 13 during the first process changes depending on the switching of the individual valves Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd. This allows the coating film 90 on the upper surface of the substrate 9 to dry more uniformly.

[3] The reduced pressure drying apparatus 1 lowers the support part 20. Specifically, the lifting control part 82 operates the lifting part 100 to move the support part 20 from the raised position H2 to the lowered position H1. At this time, the upper end of the side rectifying plate 50 is higher than the height of the substrate 9 supported by the support part 20 at the lowered position H1. Therefore, the substrate 9 supported by the support part 20 lowers to a position lower than the upper end of the side rectifying plate 50.

[4] The reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1 performs a second process, rapidly reducing the pressure in the internal space 10s of the chamber 10. In this second process, the exhaust control unit 84 changes the opening of the main valve Ve to a larger opening than in the first process. This rapidly reduces the air pressure inside the chamber 10. In the second process, as described above, the support unit 20 is positioned in the lowered position H1. Therefore, gas present in the space above the substrate 9 flows through the space between the side airflow plate 50 and the sidewall portion 12, the space between the bottom airflow plate 40 and the bottom plate portion 11, and the exhaust ports 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d to the exhaust piping 31. This prevents strong airflow from occurring near the substrate 9. In particular, airflow is less likely to concentrate around the periphery of the substrate 9. This reduces the likelihood of uneven drying of the coating film 90 due to airflow. In this second process, the solvent actively evaporates from the coating film 90. Therefore, to prevent uneven drying of the coating film 90, the switching control unit 83 sequentially switches the open/closed states of the four individual valves Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd, as in the first process described above. For example, the switching control unit 83 closes one of the four individual valves Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd and opens the other individual valves. The switching control unit 83 then sequentially switches the individual valve to be closed. As a result, during the second process, the direction of the airflow formed along the upper surface of the substrate 9 changes in accordance with the switching of the individual valves Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd. This allows the coating film 90 on the upper surface of the substrate 9 to dry more uniformly.

[5] When the air pressure in the internal space 10s of the chamber 10 drops to a predetermined pressure, the coating film 90 boils. Once the coating film 90 begins to boil, the air pressure within the chamber 10 becomes approximately constant. In this way, the reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1 performs a third process, which continues evacuating the chamber 10 while boiling the coating film 90. In this third process, the evaporation of the solvent from the coating film 90 is more active than in the second process. Therefore, the switching control unit 83 sequentially switches the open/closed states of the four individual valves Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd, similar to the first and second processes described above, to reduce the likelihood of uneven drying in the coating film 90. For example, the switching control unit 83 closes one of the four individual valves Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd while opening the other individual valves. The switching control unit 83 then sequentially switches which individual valves are closed. In this way, the direction of the airflow formed along the upper surface of the substrate 9 during the third process changes depending on the switching of the individual valves Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd. This allows the coating film 90 on the upper surface of the substrate 9 to dry more uniformly.

[6] When the solvent components of the coating film 90 have sufficiently evaporated, the boiling of the coating film 90 ceases. This causes the air pressure inside the chamber 10 to rapidly decrease again. In this way, the reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1 performs a fourth process to further reduce the pressure in the internal space 10s of the chamber 10 after the coating film 90 has boiled. In this fourth process, the small amount of solvent components remaining in the coating film 90 evaporates, but the evaporation of the solvent components is less vigorous than in the first to third processes described above. For this reason, the switching control unit 83 opens all four individual valves Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd. This promotes exhaust from the chamber 10 and rapidly reduces the pressure in the internal space 10s of the chamber 10 to the target pressure.

[7] When the air pressure inside the chamber 10 reaches the target pressure, the exhaust control unit 84 closes the main valve Ve. This ends the suction of gas from inside the chamber 10, and the drying of the coating film 90 is completed.

Then, the air supply control unit 86 opens the air supply valve Vf. This supplies gas from the air supply source 62 through the air supply pipe 61 and the air supply port 16f to the internal space 10s of the chamber 10 (step S3). This causes the air pressure inside the chamber 10 to rise again to atmospheric pressure. At this time, a relatively strong airflow is generated in the internal space 10s of the chamber 10, but if the coating film 90 has already dried sufficiently, this airflow is unlikely to cause uneven drying. Furthermore, the gas supplied from the air supply port 16f flows into the chamber 10 between the bottom surface rectifying plate 40 and the bottom plate portion 11, and between the side surface rectifying plate 50 and the side wall portion 12. This prevents strong airflow from being generated near the substrate 9. When the air pressure inside the chamber 10 reaches atmospheric pressure, the air supply control unit 86 closes the air supply valve Vf.

Finally, for example, the substrate 9 is unloaded from the chamber 10 (step S4). In step S4, for example, the opening/closing control unit 81 first operates the opening/closing drive unit 16 to move the gate unit 15 from the closed position to the open position, thereby opening the loading/unloading port 14. Then, for example, a transport robot (not shown) unloads the dried substrate 9 placed on the support unit 20 to the outside of the chamber 10 via the loading/unloading port 14 of the chamber 10. This completes the reduced-pressure drying process for one substrate 9.

In this way, the method of drying the coating film 90 formed on the first surface F1 (the upper surface of the substrate 9) using the reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1 (also referred to as the reduced-pressure drying method) includes, for example, a placement process and an evacuation process.

As described above, in one embodiment of the reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1, for example, by placing the substrate 9 on the first support pins 22a and the contact portions 2c of the second support pins 22b, the substrate 9 is supported from below by the first support pins 22a to prevent horizontal displacement, and the contact portions 2c of the second support pins 22b, which are raised and separated from the main body portion 2b, support the substrate 9 from below. In this case, for example, the heat capacity of the contact portions 2c is small, and portions with large heat capacity are not connected to or in contact with the contact portions 2c. This makes it less likely that temperature differences will occur on the substrate 9 due to the arrangement of the multiple support pins 22. As a result, for example, the coating film 90 formed on the first surface F1, which serves as the upper surface of the substrate 9, can be dried more uniformly with a simple configuration.

3. Modified Examples
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

In the above embodiment, for example, the second support pin 22b may have various configurations as long as it is configured to support the substrate 9 from below with the second upper end 2t of the abutment portion 2c in a state in which the abutment portion 2c is raised relative to the base body portion 2b. For example, in the second support pin 22b, the body portion 2b having the first magnet M1 and the abutment portion 2c having the second magnet M2, which are configured separately, may have various shapes. Here, as specific examples, the second support pin 22b according to the first modified example and the second support pin 22b according to the second modified example will be described.

<<Second Support Pin According to First Modification>>
For example, the first internal space Is1 of the first through hole Th1 may have a shape in which a virtual cross section (also referred to as a virtual horizontal cross section) of the first internal space Is1 along the horizontal direction has a substantially constant size regardless of the vertical position. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a vertical cross section of the second support pin 22b according to the first modified example. In the example of FIG. 16, the second inner circumferential surface Iw2 of the locking portion Fk1 that defines the outer periphery of the first through hole Th1 is a surface extending along the vertical direction. Here, the first internal space Is1 of the first through hole Th1 may have a columnar shape extending along the vertical direction, such as a cylindrical or prismatic shape. Furthermore, the hollow portion Hp1 of the tubular portion Pp1 may have a columnar shape extending along the vertical direction, such as a cylindrical or prismatic shape.

<<Second Support Pin According to Second Modification>>
In the above embodiment, the second support pin 22b is configured such that the main body 2b surrounds the contact portion 2c except for the upper portion thereof. However, this is not limited to this. For example, a configuration in which a portion of the contact portion 2c is located around the main body 2b may be adopted. FIG. 17 is a front view showing an example of the appearance of the second support pin 22b according to the second modified example. FIG. 18 is a plan view showing an example of the appearance of the second support pin 22b according to the second modified example. In FIGS. 17 and 18, hidden portions are depicted with dashed lines. FIGS. 19 and 20 are each a view showing an example of a longitudinal cross section of the second support pin 22b according to the second modified example.

In the second support pin 22b according to the second modified example, the main body 2b includes a rod-shaped portion (also referred to as the rod portion) Rp1 extending upward. The rod portion Rp1 may be, for example, a cylindrical or rectangular column-shaped portion extending upward. The first magnet M1 is fixed to the rod portion Rp1. The first magnet M1 is located, for example, along the outer periphery or bottom of the rod portion Rp1. In other words, the first magnet M1 may include a portion located along at least one of the outer periphery and bottom of the rod portion Rp1. The locking portion Fk1 is located, for example, along the top of the rod portion Rp1. In other words, the rod portion Rp1 functions as a portion (connecting portion) connecting the first magnet M1 and the locking portion Fk1. The rod-shaped portion Rp1 and the locking portion Fk1 may be formed as a single member, or may be fixed to each other by joining or coupling. The horizontal cross section (virtual horizontal cross section) of the locking portion Fk1 is larger than the horizontal cross section (virtual horizontal cross section) of the rod-shaped portion Rp1. For example, the locking portion Fk1 of the main body 2b protrudes horizontally from the rod-shaped portion Rp1. The locking portion Fk1 of the main body 2b may have various ring-shaped configurations, such as a circular ring-shaped configuration protruding horizontally from the rod-shaped portion Rp1, or may have a configuration protruding radially horizontally from the rod-shaped portion Rp1. The rod-shaped portion Rp1, the locking portion Fk1, and other portions of the main body 2b, excluding the first magnet M1, may be made of various materials, such as resin materials such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK) or polyimide (PI), ceramics, or non-magnetic metals.

Furthermore, the first portion P1 of the abutment portion 2c has a through hole (also referred to as a second through hole) Th2 through which the rod-shaped portion Rp1 passes, and also includes an annular portion (also referred to as annular portion) Rp2 that is vertically movable along the rod-shaped portion Rp1. In this case, a configuration in which the first portion P1 of the abutment portion 2c is engaged with the locking portion Fk1 of the main body portion 2b can be easily achieved. The annular portion Rp2 may be formed entirely or partially by the second magnet M2, for example. The internal space of the second through hole Th2 has a columnar shape, such as a cylindrical or rectangular columnar shape. For example, the imaginary cross section (horizontal imaginary cross section) of the second through hole Th2 along the horizontal direction is larger than the imaginary cross section (horizontal imaginary cross section) of the rod-shaped portion Rp1 along the horizontal direction, but smaller than the imaginary cross section (horizontal imaginary cross section) of the locking portion Fk1 along the horizontal direction. The second through hole Th2 may be connected to, for example, a slit or notch that opens onto the outer periphery of the annular portion Rp2.

Furthermore, in the contact portion 2c, for example, the second portion P2 is coupled or connected onto the first portion P1. In the example of the contact portion 2c in Figures 17 to 20, the contact portion 2c has a contacted portion Cp1 that directly contacts the second face F2, which is the underside of the substrate 9, and a second magnet M2 fixed to the underside of the contacted portion Cp1. The contacted portion Cp1 includes the second portion P2. The second magnet M2 includes the first portion P1. The contacted portion Cp1 has, for example, an upwardly convex cone-like or pyramidal shape with an internal space (also referred to as the second internal space) Is2 that opens downward. The contacted portion Cp1 is made of a resin material such as polyether ether ketone (PEEK) or polyimide (PI). The locking portion Fk1 of the main body portion 2b is located in the second internal space Is2 of the contacted portion Cp1.

Furthermore, between the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2, there is a movable space Sp1 where the abutting portion 2c can move downward to separate from the main body portion 2b. Here, as shown in Figure 20, the abutting portion 2c can be separated from the main body portion 2b by being pushed downward against the repulsive force between the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2. As a result, the abutting portion 2c is separated from the main body portion 2b and is in a state of floating relative to the main body portion 2b. In Figure 20, the force pushing the abutting portion 2c downward is schematically depicted by a thick arrow.

Furthermore, in the second support pin 22b according to the second modified example, for example, the locking portion Fk1 has an inclined outer peripheral surface (also referred to as the second inclined outer peripheral surface) Ts2. The second inclined outer peripheral surface Ts2 is inclined relative to a third imaginary center line (also referred to as the third imaginary center line) Lc3 extending in the vertical direction of the rod-shaped portion Rp1 so as to approach the third imaginary center line Lc3 as it extends downward. The third imaginary center line Lc3 is, for example, a virtual line extending in the vertical direction that passes through the center (center of gravity) of an imaginary cross section of the rod-shaped portion Rp1 along the horizontal direction. In this case, for example, when the abutting portion 2c moves upward relative to the main body 2b due to the repulsive force between the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2, the first portion P1 slides against the second inclined outer surface Ts2 of the locking portion Fk1, and the imaginary center line Lc4 (also referred to as the fourth imaginary center line) along the vertical direction of the second through hole Th2 approaches or coincides with the third imaginary center line Lc3 of the rod-shaped portion Rp1. As a result, for example, when the first portion P1 is locked by the locking portion Fk1, the first portion P1 of the abutting portion 2c can be easily positioned horizontally relative to the center of the rod-shaped portion Rp1. The second inclined outer surface Ts2 is applied, for example, to the outer surface of the portion of the locking portion Fk1 that connects to the rod-shaped portion Rp1. The second inclined outer surface Ts2 has a shape that follows the side surface of a truncated cone (frustum surface). The second inclined outer peripheral surface Ts2 may have a shape that follows the side surface (frustum surface) of a truncated cone or pyramid, for example. The fourth imaginary center line Lc4 is, for example, a virtual line that runs in the vertical direction and passes through the center (center of gravity) of an imaginary cross section of the second through hole Th2 that runs in the horizontal direction.

Here, we will explain how the substrate 9 is supported from below by the support portion 20. Figure 21 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the first support pins 22a and second support pins 22b when they are not supporting the substrate 9 from below. Figure 22 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the first support pins 22a and second support pins 22b when they are supporting the substrate 9 from below. In Figures 21 and 22, two first support pins 22a and one second support pin 22b are depicted for convenience in order to avoid complicating the drawings. Also, in Figure 22, the force of the substrate 9 pressing downward on the abutment portion 2c is depicted schematically with a thick arrow.

As shown in Figures 21 and 22, for example, when a substrate 9 is placed on the contact portions 2c of the first support pins 22a and the second support pins 22b, the first support pins 22a support the substrate 9 from below to prevent it from shifting horizontally. At this time, the weight of the substrate 9 presses the contact portions 2c downward on the second support pins 22b against the repulsive force between the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2, causing the contact portions 2c to be separated from the main body 2b. As a result, the contact portions 2c are separated from the main body 2b and levitate relative to the main body 2b. At this time, the distance between the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2 is shortened, increasing the repulsive force between the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2. The repulsive force between the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2 is balanced with the resultant force of gravity acting on the contact portions 2c and the force of the substrate 9 pressing the contact portions 2c downward. In this case, the contact portion 2c of the second support pin 22b is separated from the main body portion 2b, the contact portion 2c has a small heat capacity, and the contact portion 2c is not connected to or in contact with any portion with a large heat capacity. This makes it less likely that a temperature difference will occur on the substrate 9 due to the arrangement of multiple support pins 22. As a result, for example, the coating film 90 formed on the first surface F1, which serves as the upper surface of the substrate 9, can be dried more uniformly.

Here, as shown in FIG. 21, when the support portion 20 is not supporting the substrate 9 from below, the abutment portion 2c is located at a first position Vp1 in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 22, when the support portion 20 is supporting the substrate 9 from below, the abutment portion 2c is located at a second position Vp2 that is lower than the first position Vp1 in the vertical direction. Therefore, on the second support pin 22b, the abutment portion 2c is located at the first position Vp1 in the vertical direction when the support portion 20 is not supporting the substrate 9 from below, and is located at the second position Vp2 that is lower than the first position Vp1 in the vertical direction when the support portion 20 is supporting the substrate 9 from below.

In the above embodiment, for example, the multiple first support pins 22a may be arranged to support only the non-coated region A2 located along the outer periphery 9op of the substrate 9 from below. Figure 23 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the coated region A1 of the substrate 9 and the first support pins 22a and second support pins 22b. In Figure 23, similar to Figure 13, positions on the second surface F2 (the underside of the substrate 9) supported by the first support pins 22a are indicated by white circles, and positions supported by the second support pins 22b are indicated by black circles. Also, similar to Figure 13, in Figure 23, the outer edge of the coated region A1 where the coating film 90 is formed on the first surface F1 (the upper surface of the substrate 9) is depicted by a two-dot chain line. In the example of Figure 23, the entire area of the substrate 9 except for the area along the outer periphery 9op is the coated region A1. In other words, the non-coated region A2 is the area located along the outer periphery 9op of the substrate 9.

In the above embodiment, for example, the second support pin 22b may be distributed on the market as a component to be applied to the vacuum drying apparatus 1 as the support pin 22 for supporting the substrate 9. In this case, for example, depending on the orientation of the second support pin 22b, the first direction may be any direction other than the upward direction. Similarly, the second direction may be any direction other than the downward direction. Here, the second support pin 22b as a component comprises, as described above, a main body portion 2b and a contact portion 2c. The main body portion 2b has a first magnet M1. The contact portion 2c has a second magnet M2 and is a portion for contacting the underside of the substrate 9. The first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2 are spaced apart in the first direction from the first magnet M1 to the second magnet M2, and are positioned with the same magnetic poles facing each other. The main body portion 2b includes a locking portion Fk1. The locking portion Fk1 locks the contact portion 2c, which is subjected to a force acting in a first direction due to the repulsive force between the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2, and restricts movement of the contact portion 2c in a direction perpendicular to the first direction. The contact portion 2c includes a first portion P1 and a second portion P2. The first portion P1 is locked by the locking portion Fk1. The second portion P2 has a first region Ar1 that is located further in the first direction than the main body portion 2b when the first portion P1 is locked by the locking portion Fk1. Furthermore, the contact portion 2c is located between the main body portion 2b and a space (movable space) Sp1 that allows the contact portion 2c to move away from the main body portion 2b by moving in a second direction opposite the first direction. In the reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1, the first direction is the upward direction, and the second direction is the downward direction opposite the first direction.

Here, for example, if the second support pin 22b is applied to the reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1 so that the first direction is upward, placing the substrate 9 on the abutting portion 2c can cause the abutting portion 2c to move downward and separate from the main body portion 2b. Therefore, for example, the substrate 9 can be supported from below by the abutting portion 2c, which is raised and separated from the main body portion 2b. In this case, for example, the abutting portion 2c has a small heat capacity, and the portion with a large heat capacity is not connected or in contact. As a result, in the reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1, temperature differences in the substrate 9 due to the arrangement of the multiple support pins 22 are less likely to occur. As a result, for example, the coating film 90 formed on the upper surface of the substrate 9 can be dried more uniformly with a simple configuration.

Furthermore, in the second support pin 22b as a component, the abutment portion 2c can be pushed in the second direction against the repulsive force between the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2, thereby separating from the main body portion 2b. Therefore, for example, if the second support pin 22b is applied to the reduced-pressure drying device 1 so that the first direction is upward, placing a substrate 9 on the abutment portion 2c allows the weight of the substrate 9 to press the abutment portion 2c downward against the repulsive force between the first magnet M1 and the second magnet M2. This allows the substrate 9 to be supported from below by the abutment portion 2c, which is levitated and separated from the main body portion 2b. As a result, for example, the coating film 90 formed on the upper surface of the substrate 9 can be dried more uniformly with a simple configuration.

In the above embodiment, the first magnet M1 may be, for example, either a permanent magnet or an electromagnet.

In the above embodiment, the first magnet M1 may be exposed on the outer surface of the main body portion 2b, or may be embedded inside the main body portion 2b and not exposed on the outer surface. The second magnet M2 may be exposed on the outer surface of the abutment portion 2c, or may be embedded inside the abutment portion 2c and not exposed on the outer surface.

In the above embodiment, the multiple support pins 22 may include, for example, one or more first support pins 22a and two or more second support pins 22b, or two or more first support pins 22a and one or more second support pins 22b. Furthermore, for example, the multiple support pins 22 may include one or more first support pins 22a, or one or more second support pins 22b. Therefore, in the above-described exhaust process, for example, the substrate 9 may be supported from below by one or more first support pins 22a to prevent the substrate 9 from shifting horizontally, and the substrate 9 may be supported from below by the abutment portions 2c of one or more second support pins 22b that are spaced apart from the main body portion 2b. The atmosphere inside the chamber 10 may be exhausted by the exhaust unit 30, thereby reducing the pressure inside the chamber 10.

In the above embodiment, the lifting unit 100 for raising and lowering the support unit 20 may not be present. In this case, the multiple support pins 22 may be fixed to a portion of the chamber 10, such as the upper surface of the bottom flow plate 40, or to the chamber 10, such as the upper surface of the bottom plate unit 11.

In the above embodiment, for example, the chamber 10 has four exhaust ports 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d, but this is not limited to this. For example, the number of exhaust ports provided by the chamber 10 may be one to three, or five or more. Also, for example, the individual valves Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd may not be required.

In the above embodiment, the reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1 dries the coating film 90 on the substrate 9 by reducing the pressure, but this is not limited to this. For example, the reduced-pressure drying apparatus 1 may also dry the coating film 90 on the substrate 9 by reducing the pressure and applying heat.

In the above embodiment, the sidewall 12 of the chamber 10 is provided with the substrate 9 loading/unloading opening 14, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the four sidewalls 12 and the top plate 13 of the chamber 10 may form a single lid, which can be separated from the bottom plate 11 and retracted upward. In this case, the lid may be moved up and down by an opening/closing drive unit 16, for example. The chamber 10 may be selectively set to either a sealed state in which the lid contacts the bottom plate 11 via a sealing material such as an O-ring to seal the internal space 10s, or an open state in which the lid separates upward from the bottom plate 11 to open the internal space 10s. When the chamber 10 is in the open state, the substrate 9 can be loaded into and unloaded from the internal space 10s of the chamber 10. When the chamber 10 is closed, the coating film 90 on the substrate 9 can be dried by reducing pressure by exhausting air from the internal space 10s and supplying air to the internal space 10s.

In the above embodiment, for example, the support portion 20 may have various forms. For example, the multiple support plates 21 may be integrated into a single support plate 21.

In the above embodiment, for example, the bottom rectifying plate 40 and the side rectifying plate 50 may be omitted.

In the above embodiment, for example, various operations in the reduced pressure drying apparatus 1 may be started or ended in response to, for example, a user's action on the input unit 804 or a signal input from an external device to the communication unit 806.

In the above embodiment, for example, at least a portion of the functional configuration realized by the control unit 80 may be configured using hardware such as dedicated electronic circuits.

It goes without saying that all or part of the components of the above embodiment and various modified examples can be combined as appropriate and consistent.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 reduced pressure drying device 10 chamber 20 support portion 22 support pin 22a first support pin 22b second support pin 2b main body portion 2c contact portion 30 exhaust portion 9 substrate 90 coating film 9op outer periphery A1 coated area A2 non-coated area Ar1 first area Cp1 contacted portion F1 first surface (upper surface)
F2 2nd side (bottom side)
Fk1 Locking portion Hp1 Hollow portion Is1 First internal space Is2 Second internal space Iw1 First inner peripheral surface Iw2 Second inner peripheral surface Lc1 First imaginary center line Lc2 Second imaginary center line Lc3 Third imaginary center line Lc4 Fourth imaginary center line M1 First magnet M2 Second magnet P1 First portion P2 Second portion P3 Third portion Pp1 Cylindrical portion Rp1 Rod-shaped portion Rp2 Annular portion Sp1 Movable space Th1 First through-hole Th2 Second through-hole Ts1 First inclined outer peripheral surface Ts2 Second inclined outer peripheral surface Vp1 First position Vp2 Second position

Claims (11)

A reduced pressure drying apparatus for drying a coating film formed on an upper surface of a substrate,
a chamber containing the substrate;
a support portion that supports the substrate from below in the chamber;
an exhaust unit that exhausts the atmosphere inside the chamber,
the support portion includes a first support pin and a second support pin that respectively support the substrate from below,
the first support pin supports the substrate from below to prevent the substrate from shifting in a horizontal direction;
the second support pin has a main body portion having a first magnet and a contact portion having a second magnet and contacting the lower surface of the substrate,
the first magnet and the second magnet are spaced apart in an upward direction from the first magnet toward the second magnet, and are positioned with the same magnetic poles facing each other;
the main body includes a locking portion that locks the abutment portion to which an upward force is acting due to a repulsive force between the first magnet and the second magnet, and that restricts movement of the abutment portion in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the upward direction,
the abutment portion includes a first portion that is locked by the locking portion, and a second portion that has a first region that is located above the main body portion when the first portion is locked by the locking portion, and is located between the abutment portion and the main body portion by a space that can be separated from the main body portion by moving downward,
The main body includes a cylindrical portion extending upward,
the first magnet includes a portion located in at least one of a hollow portion of the cylindrical portion and a portion along a lower portion of the cylindrical portion;
the locking portion is located along an upper portion of the cylindrical portion and has a first through-hole penetrating upward,
the abutment portion includes a third portion located within the hollow portion and spaced apart from an inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion,
the third portion includes the second magnet;
A reduced pressure drying apparatus, wherein the first region of the second part is connected or coupled to the upper part of the first part, and protrudes upward from the first through hole while the first part is engaged by the engaging part . The reduced pressure drying apparatus according to claim 1 ,
a first inclined outer peripheral surface that is inclined relative to a first imaginary center line extending in an up-down direction and passing through the center of an imaginary cross section of the second portion along a horizontal direction as the second portion extends upward from the first portion, so as to approach the first imaginary center line. The reduced pressure drying apparatus according to claim 2 ,
The first through hole has an internal space that narrows toward a second imaginary center line along the vertical direction of the first through hole as it extends upward. A reduced pressure drying apparatus for drying a coating film formed on an upper surface of a substrate,
a chamber containing the substrate;
a support portion that supports the substrate from below in the chamber;
an exhaust unit that exhausts the atmosphere inside the chamber,
the support portion includes a first support pin and a second support pin that respectively support the substrate from below,
the first support pin supports the substrate from below to prevent the substrate from shifting in a horizontal direction;
the second support pin has a main body portion having a first magnet and a contact portion having a second magnet and contacting the lower surface of the substrate,
the first magnet and the second magnet are spaced apart in an upward direction from the first magnet toward the second magnet, and are positioned with the same magnetic poles facing each other;
the main body includes a locking portion that locks the abutment portion to which an upward force is acting due to a repulsive force between the first magnet and the second magnet, and that restricts movement of the abutment portion in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the upward direction,
the abutment portion includes a first portion that is locked by the locking portion, and a second portion that has a first region that is located above the main body portion when the first portion is locked by the locking portion, and is located between the abutment portion and the main body portion by a space that can be separated from the main body portion by moving downward,
The main body portion includes a rod-shaped portion extending in an upward direction,
the first magnet is fixed to the rod-shaped portion,
the locking portion is located along an upper portion of the rod-shaped portion;
The first portion includes an annular portion having a second through hole through which the rod-shaped portion passes and positioned so as to be movable up and down along the rod-shaped portion . The reduced pressure drying apparatus according to claim 4 ,
A reduced pressure drying apparatus, wherein the engaging portion has a second inclined outer peripheral surface that is inclined relative to a third imaginary center line extending along the vertical direction of the rod-shaped portion so as to approach the third imaginary center line as it extends downward. A reduced pressure drying apparatus for drying a coating film formed on an upper surface of a substrate,
a chamber containing the substrate;
a support portion that supports the substrate from below in the chamber;
an exhaust unit that exhausts the atmosphere inside the chamber,
the support portion includes a first support pin and a second support pin that respectively support the substrate from below,
the first support pin supports the substrate from below to prevent the substrate from shifting in a horizontal direction;
the second support pin has a main body portion having a first magnet and a contact portion having a second magnet and contacting the lower surface of the substrate,
the first magnet and the second magnet are spaced apart in an upward direction from the first magnet toward the second magnet, and are positioned with the same magnetic poles facing each other;
the main body includes a locking portion that locks the abutment portion to which an upward force is acting due to a repulsive force between the first magnet and the second magnet, and that restricts movement of the abutment portion in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the upward direction,
the abutment portion includes a first portion that is locked by the locking portion, and a second portion that has a first region that is located above the main body portion when the first portion is locked by the locking portion, and is located between the abutment portion and the main body portion by a space that can be separated from the main body portion by moving downward,
a first position in the vertical direction when the support portion is not supporting the substrate from below, and a second position lower than the first position in the vertical direction when the support portion is supporting the substrate from below . The reduced pressure drying apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 ,
The first support pin supports, from below, a non-coated region of the substrate where the coating film is not formed on the upper surface. The reduced pressure drying apparatus according to claim 7 ,
A reduced pressure drying apparatus, wherein the non-coated area is located along the outer periphery of the substrate. A support pin for supporting a substrate from below,
a main body having a first magnet;
a contact portion having a second magnet and adapted to contact the lower surface of the substrate;
the first magnet and the second magnet are spaced apart in a first direction from the first magnet toward the second magnet, and are positioned with the same magnetic poles facing each other;
the main body includes a locking portion that locks the abutment portion to which a force in the first direction is acting due to a repulsive force between the first magnet and the second magnet, and that restricts movement of the abutment portion in a direction perpendicular to the first direction,
the abutment portion includes a first portion that is locked by the locking portion, and a second portion that has a first region that is located further in the first direction than the main body portion when the first portion is locked by the locking portion, and is located between the abutment portion and the main body portion via a space that can be separated from the main body portion by moving in a second direction opposite to the first direction,
the main body portion includes a cylindrical portion extending along the first direction,
the first magnet includes a portion located in at least one of a hollow portion of the cylindrical portion and a portion along a side portion of the cylindrical portion in the second direction,
the locking portion is located along a portion of the cylindrical portion on the first direction side, and has a first through-hole penetrating in the first direction;
the abutment portion includes a third portion located within the hollow portion and spaced apart from an inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion,
the third portion includes the second magnet;
A support pin in which the first region of the second part is connected or connected to a part of the first part on the first direction side, and the first part protrudes in the first direction from the first through hole when the first part is engaged by the engaging part . A support pin for supporting a substrate from below,
a main body having a first magnet;
a contact portion having a second magnet and adapted to contact the lower surface of the substrate;
the first magnet and the second magnet are spaced apart in a first direction from the first magnet toward the second magnet, and are positioned with the same magnetic poles facing each other;
the main body includes a locking portion that locks the contact portion to which a force in the first direction is acting due to a repulsive force between the first magnet and the second magnet, and restricts movement of the contact portion in a direction perpendicular to the first direction,
the abutment portion includes a first portion that is locked by the locking portion, and a second portion that has a first region that is located further in the first direction than the main body portion when the first portion is locked by the locking portion, and is located between the abutment portion and the main body portion via a space that can be separated from the main body portion by moving in a second direction opposite to the first direction,
the main body portion includes a rod-shaped portion extending along the first direction,
the first magnet is fixed to the rod-shaped portion,
the locking portion is located along a side portion of the rod-shaped portion in the first direction,
The first portion includes an annular portion having a second through hole through which the rod-shaped portion passes and positioned movably in the first direction and the second direction along the rod-shaped portion . The support pin according to claim 9 or 10 ,
The support pin, wherein the abutment portion is pushed in the second direction against a repulsive force between the first magnet and the second magnet, thereby moving away from the main body portion.