JP2018080080A - Manufacturing method of glass substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to carry out an etching process on a lower surface of a glass substrate with a processing gas while transporting the glass substrate in a flat position. A glass substrate is transported in a transporting direction in a flat position so as to pass through a processing space formed between a main body portion and a top plate portion that are arranged to face each other, and a main body portion a. Is supplied to the processing space 13 and is exhausted from the processing space 13 by the exhaust ports 15 provided at the upstream end and the downstream end of the main body 5a in the transport direction. When etching the lower surface 2 a of the glass substrate 2 using the processing gas 4, a plurality of supply lines are provided along the transport direction between the exhaust port 15 at the upstream end and the exhaust port 15 at the downstream end. The air inlets 14 are arranged, and the processing gas 4 is supplied from each air inlet 14. [Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a glass substrate including a step of etching a lower surface of a glass substrate with a processing gas such as hydrogen fluoride while transporting the glass substrate in a flat posture.

  As is well known, glass substrates are used in a wide variety of electronic devices, including flat panel displays such as liquid crystal displays, plasma displays, organic EL displays, field emission displays, and mobile terminals such as smartphones and tablet PCs. Has been adopted.

  In the manufacturing process of this glass substrate, problems due to static electricity may occur. As an example, when the glass substrate is placed on a support base so as to perform a predetermined process, the glass substrate may stick to the support base due to static electricity. In such a case, the glass substrate may be damaged when the processed glass substrate is lifted from the support base.

  Therefore, as a countermeasure to such a problem, before performing a predetermined treatment, the surface of the glass substrate is etched with a treatment gas such as hydrogen fluoride to roughen the surface, thereby causing a problem due to static electricity. A technique for avoiding the occurrence of this is known. Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a technique for performing an etching process on the surface of a glass substrate.

  In the technique disclosed in this document, while the glass substrate is transported in a flat position, etching is performed on the lower surface of the glass substrate by a processing gas supplied by a processing device (surface treatment apparatus in the same document) disposed on the transport path. We are processing.

  The processing device used in this method includes an upper structure and a lower structure (a pair of gap forming members in the same document) facing each other with the conveyance path of the glass substrate interposed therebetween, and an etching process between the two structures. A processing space (gap in the same document) is formed. The lower structure includes an air supply port for supplying a processing gas to the processing space and an exhaust port for exhausting the processing gas from the processing space. The exhaust port is provided in each of the upstream end portion and the downstream end portion in the transport direction in the lower structure, whereas the air supply port is provided with only one between the exhaust ports.

  In this method, the processing gas is supplied from the supply port to the processing space, and the processing gas is exhausted from the processing space by the exhaust port, and the etching process is performed on the lower surface of the glass substrate that passes through the processing space along with the conveyance. To roughen the bottom surface.

JP 2014-125414 A

  However, when the etching process is performed by the above method, the following problems to be solved have occurred.

  That is, when the glass substrate enters from the outside of the processing space as it is conveyed, a gas such as air existing around the glass substrate easily flows into the processing space. If the gas flows into the processing space, the concentration of the processing gas existing in the space is diminished, so that a sufficient etching process cannot be performed on the lower surface of the glass substrate. In some cases, it was impossible to roughen the lower surface.

  The present invention made in view of the above circumstances is a technical problem that enables reliable execution of etching processing on the lower surface of a glass substrate with a processing gas while transporting the glass substrate in a flat position. And

  The present invention, which was created to solve the above problems, transports a glass substrate in a flat position so as to pass through a processing space formed between an upper structure and a lower structure that are arranged to face each other. The air is supplied to the processing space from the air supply port provided in the lower structure while being conveyed in the direction, and is processed by the exhaust ports provided in each of the upstream end and the downstream end in the transfer direction of the lower structure. A method of manufacturing a glass substrate including a step of performing an etching process on a lower surface of a glass substrate using a processing gas exhausted from a space, comprising: an upstream end exhaust port and a downstream end exhaust port A plurality of air supply ports are arranged between the air supply ports in the conveyance direction, and the process gas is supplied from each air supply port.

  In this method, since the plurality of air supply ports are arranged along the transport direction between the exhaust port at the upstream end and the exhaust port at the downstream end, the number of the air supply ports arranged is The length of the processing space along the transport direction is extended by the amount of the plurality. As a result, when the glass substrate enters from inside the processing space to the inside, a gas such as air existing around the glass substrate accompanying the glass substrate (hereinafter simply referred to as gas and distinguished from the processing gas). Is easier to avoid flowing into the processing space. This is because the resistance to the inflow of gas in the space increases with the extension of the length of the processing space, and it becomes difficult for the gas to flow in. From the above, according to the present method, it is possible to prevent as much as possible the occurrence of a situation where the concentration of the processing gas existing in the space is diluted by the gas flowing into the processing space. Become. As a result, the lower surface of the glass substrate can be reliably etched.

  In the above method, it is preferable to increase the flow rate of the processing gas supplied from the air supply port on the most downstream side in the transport direction among the plurality of air supply ports.

  If it does in this way, it will become possible to perform an etching process to the lower surface of a glass substrate more suitably.

  In the above method, the distance along the transport direction is greater than the distance between the exhaust port at the upstream end and the supply port at the most upstream side, and the supply at the downstream end and the most downstream side. It is preferable to increase the distance between the mouth.

  When the glass substrate passes through the processing space, the processing gas supplied to the processing space is easily dragged by the glass substrate and flows from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction. Therefore, most of the supplied processing gas does not flow to the exhaust port side of the upstream end, flows to the exhaust port side of the downstream end, and then is exhausted from the exhaust port of the downstream end. Therefore, in the processing space, a region from the most upstream side air supply port to the downstream end exhaust port is a region where the lower surface of the glass substrate can be substantially etched. . As a result, with respect to the distance along the transport direction, the exhaust port at the downstream end and the air supply port at the most downstream side are compared to the distance between the exhaust port at the upstream end and the air supply port at the most upstream side. If the distance between the two is increased, the following effects can be obtained. That is, in this way, the most upstream side air supply port is arranged closer to the upstream side in the processing space, and therefore, the upstream side is closer to the upstream end by the amount closer to the upstream side. The distance to the exhaust port can be increased. Accordingly, it is possible to take a long time for the processing gas to react with the lower surface of the glass substrate. As a result, the lower surface of the glass substrate can be more preferably etched.

  In the above method, it is preferable to supply the processing space with the processing gas heated.

  If it does in this way, it will become possible to promote reaction with processing gas and the lower surface of a glass substrate by supplying processing space in the state where processing gas was heated. Therefore, it is possible to more suitably perform the etching process on the lower surface of the glass substrate.

  In the above method, the air supply port is preferably formed in a slit shape that is long in the width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the glass substrate.

  In this way, it is advantageous to supply the processing gas evenly along the width direction with respect to the processing space. As a result, the lower surface of the glass substrate can be easily etched without unevenness in the width direction.

  In the above method, it is preferable that a peripheral region of the air supply port in the lower structure is positioned higher than other regions.

  In this way, the distance between the lower surface of the glass substrate is shorter in the peripheral area of the air supply port than in other areas. As a result, the reaction between the processing gas and the lower surface of the glass substrate is facilitated, and the lower surface of the glass substrate can be more effectively etched.

  According to the present invention, when the glass substrate is transported in a flat posture and the etching process is performed on the lower surface of the glass substrate with the processing gas, the reliable execution can be performed.

It is a vertical side view which shows the outline of the manufacturing apparatus of a glass substrate. It is the top view which looked at the main-body part of the processing device with which the manufacturing apparatus of a glass substrate is provided from the upper direction. FIGS. 3A to 3D are enlarged vertical side views showing a part of the processing device included in the glass substrate manufacturing apparatus. 4 (a) and 4 (b) are enlarged side views of the vicinity of the purge gas injection nozzle provided in the glass substrate manufacturing apparatus. It is a vertical side view which expands and shows the vicinity of the purge gas injection nozzle with which the manufacturing apparatus of a glass substrate is provided.

  Hereinafter, the manufacturing method of the glass substrate which concerns on embodiment of this invention is demonstrated with reference to attached drawing. First, a glass substrate manufacturing apparatus used for a glass substrate manufacturing method will be described.

  Here, in the following description, the transport direction of the glass substrate (the direction from right to left in FIG. 1) is referred to as “transport direction”. Further, the width direction of the glass substrate perpendicular to the transport direction (in FIG. 1, the direction perpendicular to the paper surface) is expressed as “width direction”, and the length along the “width direction” is expressed as “full width” or “width”. It is written as “Dimension”. In addition, a direction perpendicular to the upper and lower surfaces of the glass substrate is denoted as “vertical direction”.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a glass substrate manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a conveying means 3 for horizontally conveying a glass substrate 2 in a flat position, and a processing gas 4 (with respect to a lower surface 2a of the glass substrate 2 being conveyed. In this embodiment, a processing device 5 for performing an etching process with hydrogen fluoride), a purge gas injection nozzle 7 for injecting a purge gas 6 for preventing the etching process on the upper surface 2b of the glass substrate 2, and the introduction of the glass substrate 2 A chamber 8 having an opening 8 aa and a carry-out port 8 ab for preventing the processing gas 4 from leaking out from a space 9 formed in the inside thereof, and a processor 5 on the transport path of the glass substrate 2. The first dummy processor 10 disposed between the carry-out port 8ab, the second dummy processor 11 disposed between the processor 5 and the carry-in port 8aa, the processing gas 4 and the glass. The products generated by the reaction between the lower surface 2a of the substrate 2 by suction and a suction nozzle 12 for discharging to the outside the chamber 8 as main components.

  The transport means 3 is composed of a plurality of rollers 3 a arranged on the transport path of the glass substrate 2. With the plurality of rollers 3a, the glass substrate 2 can be transported along a transport path extending in a straight line. Between the rollers 3a adjacent to each other along the transport direction, the entire width of the lower surface 2a of the glass substrate 2 is exposed. The exposed lower surface 2a reacts with the processing gas 4, whereby an etching process is performed to roughen the entire width of the lower surface 2a. In addition, as a conveyance means 3, you may use things other than the some roller 3a, and if it can expose the full width of the lower surface 2a of the glass substrate 2 during conveyance, other things will be used. Also good.

  The processor 5 prevents the main body part 5a as a lower structural body facing the transport path of the glass substrate 2 from above and below, the top plate part 5b as an upper structural body, and bending due to the weight of the top plate part 5b. H steel 5c as a reinforcing member for this purpose. A processing space 13 for performing an etching process on the glass substrate 2 passing therethrough is formed between the main body 5a and the top plate 5b. This processing space 13 is formed as a flat space. The width dimension W1 (refer to FIG. 2) of the processing space 13 and the thickness dimension T1 along the vertical direction are larger than the total width W2 (refer to FIG. 2) of the glass substrate 2 and the thickness T2 of the glass substrate 2, respectively. It is getting bigger.

  Here, when the glass substrate 2 enters from the outside of the processing space 13, in order to prevent the gas such as air existing around the glass substrate 2 from flowing into the processing space 13 accompanying this, The length L1 of the processing space 13 along the transport direction is preferably in the range of 300 mm to 2000 mm, and more preferably in the range of 600 mm to 1000 mm. Note that, from the viewpoint of suitably injecting the purge gas 6, the length dimension L <b> 1 is preferably longer than the length along the conveyance direction of the glass substrate 2, unlike the aspect in the present embodiment. Further, the thickness dimension T1 of the processing space 13 is preferably in the range of 4 mm to 30 mm. Further, the ratio of the length dimension L1 to the thickness dimension T1 (length dimension L1 / thickness dimension T1) is preferably in the range of 10 to 250.

  The main body 5a has a rectangular parallelepiped outer shape. The main body 5a includes an air supply port 14 for injecting and supplying the processing gas 4 to the processing space 13, an exhaust port 15 for sucking and exhausting the processing gas 4 from the processing space 13, and a processing space. 13 is provided with heating means (not shown) such as a heater for heating the processing gas 4 supplied to 13 and preventing condensation due to the processing gas 4. The exhaust port 15 is disposed at each of an upstream end and a downstream end of the main body 5a in the transport direction. In contrast, a plurality (three in the present embodiment) of the air supply ports 14 are arranged along the transport direction between the exhaust port 15 at the upstream end and the exhaust port 15 at the downstream end. Yes.

  Among the plurality of air supply ports 14, the most downstream air supply port 14 in the transport direction has the highest flow rate of the processing gas 4 supplied to the processing space 13. In this embodiment, other air supply ports The processing gas 4 having a flow rate twice that of the port 14 is supplied. On the other hand, the concentration of the process gas 4 to be supplied is the same between the plurality of supply ports 14. Each air supply port 14 is connected to the processing space 13 between the rollers 3a adjacent to each other along the transport direction. Further, the flow rate of the processing gas 4 supplied from each air supply port 14 is constant per unit time. Here, regarding the distance along the transport direction, the distance L2 from the most upstream side air supply port 14 to the central air supply port 14 and the distance from the central air supply port 14 to the most downstream side air supply port 14 It is equal to L3. In the present embodiment, three air inlets 14 are arranged, but the present invention is not limited to this, and two may be arranged, or four or more may be arranged.

  Each of the exhaust port 15 at the upstream end and the exhaust port 15 at the downstream end can send the processing gas 4 sucked from the processing space 13 into a space 16 formed inside the main body 5a. The space 16 is connected to an exhaust pipe 17 connected to a cleaning dust collector (not shown) disposed outside the chamber 8. As a result, the processing gas 4 sent from the processing space 13 to the space 16 through the exhaust port 15 is then exhausted from the space 16 to the cleaning dust collector through the exhaust pipe 17. The exhaust pipe 17 is connected to the downstream end of the space 16 in the transport direction. The exhaust port 15 at the upstream end and the exhaust port 15 at the downstream end have a gas to be exhausted ("gas" is not only the process gas 4 but also drawn into the process space 13 from the outside, A mechanism for individually adjusting the flow rate of air (including air sucked into the exhaust port 15) may be provided. On the other hand, the exhaust port 15 is omitted by closing the opening connected to the processing space 13 of the exhaust port 15, removing the portion constituting the exhaust port 15 from the main body 5 a, and closing the hole communicating with the space 16. It is also possible to do.

  Here, the flow rate of the gas exhausted from the processing space 13 by each exhaust port 15 is larger than the flow rate of the processing gas 4 supplied to the processing space 13 by each air supply port 14. The flow rate of the gas exhausted from each exhaust port 15 is constant per unit time. In addition, as for the distance along the conveyance direction, the downstream end exhaust port 15 and the most downstream side exhaust distance 15 between the upstream end exhaust port 15 and the most upstream air supply port 14 are compared with each other. The distance D2 between the air supply port 14 is longer. The length of the mutual distance D2 is preferably 1.2 times or more of the length of the mutual distance D1, more preferably 1.5 times or more, and most preferably 2 times or more.

  As shown in FIG. 2, both the air supply port 14 and the exhaust port 15 are formed in a slit shape that is long in the width direction. As shown in the figure, the width dimension of the air supply port 14 may be slightly shorter than the entire width of the glass substrate 2 or, unlike the figure, slightly longer than the entire width of the glass substrate 2. It may be. On the other hand, the width dimension of the exhaust port 15 is slightly longer than the entire width of the glass substrate 2. Here, in order to easily supply the processing gas 4 along the width direction, the opening length S1 along the transport direction of the air supply port 14 is preferably within a range of 0.5 mm to 5 mm. . In addition, the opening length along the conveyance direction of the exhaust port 15 is longer than the opening length S1 along the conveyance direction of the air supply port 14. Furthermore, in order to avoid that the suction of gas through the exhaust port 15 hinders the execution of the smooth etching process, a distance L4 from the upstream end edge 5aa of the main body 5a to the exhaust port 15 at the upstream end, It is preferable that the distance L4 from the downstream edge 5ab to the exhaust port 15 at the downstream end is in the range of 1 mm to 20 mm in common.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a top portion of the main body portion 5 a that faces the lower surface 2 a of the glass substrate 2 that is passing through the processing space 13 is a plurality of units (in this embodiment, arranged in a gap along the transport direction). And includes an air supply unit 18 and a connection unit 19 described later). The plurality of units constitute the top of the main body 5a and the ceiling of the space 16 described above.

  The plurality of units include an air supply unit 18 in which the air supply port 14 is formed, and a connection unit 19 in which the air supply port 14 is not formed (in FIG. Each unit 19 is surrounded by a thick line). In the present embodiment, among the plurality of units, the air supply units 18 are arranged at the second, fourth, and sixth positions from the upstream side in the transport direction. On the other hand, the connection units 19 are arranged at the first, third, fifth, seventh, and eighth positions from the upstream side in the transport direction. The air supply unit 18 includes an air supply nozzle 18 a connected to the air supply port 14, and the air supply nozzle 18 a is connected to a generator (not shown) of the processing gas 4 disposed outside the chamber 8. Yes. The connection unit 19 connects between the adjacent air supply units 18 and between the air supply unit 18 and the exhaust port 15.

  Here, the connection unit 19 (19x) existing at the first position (the position on the most upstream side) from the upstream side in the transport direction is fixedly arranged at the position. On the other hand, the connection unit 19 located at the third, fifth, seventh, and eighth positions from the upstream side is described later in which an exhaust port 20a is formed instead of the air supply unit 18 or the air supply port 14. The exhaust unit 20 (in FIG. 1, the exhaust unit 20 is not used) can be replaced. Further, the air supply unit 18 located at the second, fourth, and sixth positions from the upstream side can be replaced with the connection unit 19 or the exhaust unit 20 described later. Thereby, it is possible to change the number of the air supply ports 14 and the position of the air supply ports 14 in the transport direction. Further, if the exhaust unit 20 is disposed, the process gas 4 can be exhausted from other than the exhaust ports 15 and 15 at the upstream end and the downstream end. Hereinafter, replacement of these units will be described with reference to FIG.

  In each of FIGS. 3A to 3C, the air supply unit 18, the connection unit 19, and the exhaust unit 20 that are surrounded by a thick line have the same length along the transport direction. As a result, when these units are replaced, the units newly arranged in accordance with the replacement are both adjacent units (in FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C, both adjacent units). Can be arranged with no gap between them and the connection unit 19. Furthermore, the newly arranged units can be arranged with no step in the vertical direction with both adjacent units.

  Here, as shown to Fig.3 (a), the peripheral area | region 14a of the air inlet 14 in the air supply unit 18 is located in the high level in the up-down direction compared with another area | region. Thereby, in the peripheral region 14a of the air inlet 14, the distance from the lower surface 2a of the glass substrate 2 that is passing through the processing space 13 is shorter than in other regions. In this embodiment, the separation distance from the lower surface 2a of the glass substrate 2 in the peripheral region 14a of the air supply port 14 is half of the separation distance from the lower surface 2a of the glass substrate 2 in other regions. ing. Then, the tip of the air supply port 14 (outflow port of the processing gas 4) is close to the lower surface 2 a of the glass substrate 2 because the separation distance is shortened. Further, as shown in FIG. 3C, when the exhaust unit 20 is disposed, the exhaust port 20 a formed in the exhaust unit 20 is connected to the space 16. Thus, the processing gas 4 sent from the processing space 13 to the space 16 through the exhaust port 20a is then exhausted from the space 16 to the cleaning dust collector through the exhaust pipe 17. The exhaust port 20a is formed in a slit shape that is long in the width direction, like the exhaust port 15 at the upstream end and the exhaust port 15 at the downstream end. Here, as shown in FIG. 3D, the peripheral region 14a of the air supply port 14 in the air supply unit 18 may have the same height as other regions.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the top plate portion 5 b is a single plate (rectangular plate in plan view), and has a flat surface facing the upper surface 2 b of the glass substrate 2 passing through the processing space 13. Have. Moreover, the top plate part 5b incorporates heating means (not shown) such as a heater for preventing condensation due to the processing gas 4. The H steel 5c is installed so as to extend in the width direction on the top plate portion 5b. Further, a plurality of H steels 5c (three in this embodiment) are installed, and the plurality of H steels 5c are arranged at equal intervals in the transport direction.

  The purge gas injection nozzle 7 is disposed upstream of the processing unit 5 in the transport direction and above the transport path of the glass substrate 2. The purge gas injection nozzle 7 is configured such that a flow of the purge gas 6 along the transport direction is formed in a gap 13a formed between a portion of the glass substrate 2 that has entered the processing space 13 and the top plate portion 5b. The purge gas 6 can be injected toward the downstream side in the transport direction. The flow of the purge gas 6 can be formed over the entire width of the gap 13a. Furthermore, the purge gas 6 is injected so that the flow velocity along the transport direction is faster than the transport speed of the glass substrate 2 by the transport means 3. As a result, the processing gas 4 that is about to flow into the gap 13a is driven to the downstream side in the transport direction by the pressure of the purge gas 6, and can be prevented from flowing into the gap 13a. And the roughening of the upper surface 2b of the glass substrate 2 is avoided. In the present embodiment, clean dry air (CDA) is used as the purge gas 6.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the purge gas 6 starts to be injected immediately before the leading portion 2 f of the glass substrate 2 being transferred enters the processing space 13. Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, the purge gas 6 is stopped from being injected immediately before the last portion 2 e of the glass substrate 2 being transferred enters the processing space 13. Here, in this embodiment, the timing for starting and stopping the injection of the purge gas 6 is determined as follows. First, detection means (not shown) such as a sensor that can detect the passage of the leading portion 2f and the trailing portion 2e of the glass substrate 2 is arranged upstream of the purge gas injection nozzle 7 in the transport direction. When this detection means detects the passage of the leading portion 2f of the glass substrate 2, the purge gas 6 is injected based on the conveying speed of the glass substrate 2 and the distance along the conveying path from the leading portion 2f to the processing space 13. The timing to start is determined. Similarly, when the detection means detects the passage of the last part 2e, the timing for stopping the injection is determined based on the transport speed and the distance from the last part 2e to the processing space 13.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the purge gas injection nozzle 7 includes a cylindrical pipe 7a extending in the width direction. A plurality of tubes 7b are inserted into the pipe 7a at intervals in the width direction. The purge gas 6 can be supplied from each tube 7b into the pipe 7a. In addition, a long plate body 7c in the width direction is attached to the inside of the pipe 7a. After the purge gas 6 flowing into the pipe 7a from each tube 7b wraps around the plate body 7c, Injected from the injection part 7d connected with the pipe 7a. The purge gas 6 injection port formed in the injection unit 7d is formed in a slit shape elongated in the width direction. The injection angle θ of the purge gas 6 by the injection unit 7d (the angle at which the injection unit 7d is directed with respect to the upper surface 2b of the glass substrate 2) can be changed within a range of 25 ° to 70 °. ing. Further, the posture of the purge gas injection nozzle 7 can be adjusted so that the injection portion 7d is directed in the processing space 13 as indicated by a solid line in FIG. 5, and as indicated by a two-dot chain line in the same figure. In addition, it is possible to adjust the injection unit 7d so that the outside of the processing space 13 is directed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the chamber 8 has a rectangular parallelepiped outer shape. The chamber 8 includes a main body 8a in which a ceiling hole 8ac is formed, and a lid body 8b for closing the ceiling hole 8ac in addition to the carry-in port 8aa and the carry-out port 8ab.

  The carry-in port 8aa and the carry-out port 8ab are formed in the side wall portion 8ad of the main body 8a and are formed as flat openings that are elongated along the width direction. A plurality of ceiling holes 8ac (three in the present embodiment) are formed in the ceiling portion 8ae of the main body 8a. The lid 8b can block the entire opening of the ceiling hole 8ac, and can be attached to the main body 8a and removed from the main body 8a. Thereby, by removing the lid 8b from the main body 8a and opening the ceiling hole 8ac, it is possible to perform operations such as adjustment, maintenance, and inspection of the processor 5 through the ceiling hole 8ac.

  The first dummy processor 10 includes a rectangular parallelepiped box 10a disposed below the transport path of the glass substrate 2, a top plate 10b disposed above the transport path so as to face the box 10a, H steel 10c as a reinforcing member for preventing bending due to its own weight of the plate 10b is provided. A gap 21 for passing the glass substrate 2 is formed between the box 10a and the top plate 10b. The first dummy processor 10 functions as a windproof member for avoiding that the airflow flowing into the chamber 8 from the carry-out port 8ab reaches the processing space 13 and adversely affects the etching process. Here, in order to function effectively as a windproof member, the length of the first dummy processor 10 along the transport direction is preferably 50 mm or more, and more preferably 100 mm or more.

  A rectangular opening 10aa elongated in the width direction is formed at the upper end of the box 10a. On the other hand, an exhaust pipe 22 connected to a cleaning dust collector (not shown) arranged outside the chamber 8 is connected to the bottom of the box 10a. Thereby, the first dummy processor 10 draws the processing gas 4 from the processing space 13 to the downstream side in the transport direction by being dragged to the lower surface 2a of the glass substrate 2 through the opening 10aa. It is possible to exhaust to the cleaning dust collector after suction. The top plate 10 b is a single plate (a rectangular plate in plan view) and has a flat surface facing the upper surface 2 b of the glass substrate 2 that is passing through the gap 21. The H steel 10c is installed so as to extend in the width direction on the top plate 10b.

  The first dummy processor 10 has the same external shape as the processor 5 when viewed from the direction along the transport direction, and is disposed so as to be seen overlapping the processor 5. In other words, the width dimension and the dimension along the vertical direction are the same between the main body 5a of the processor 5 and the box 10a of the first dummy processor 10. Similarly, (A) the top plate portion 5b of the processor 5 and the top plate 10b of the first dummy processor 10, (B) the H steel 5c of the processor 5 and the H steel 10c of the first dummy processor 10, ( C) The width dimension and the dimension along the up-and-down direction are the same between the processing space 13 of the processor 5 and the gap 21 between the first dummy processor 10 and the combinations of these (A) to (C). Has been.

  The second dummy processor 11 has the same configuration as the first dummy processor 10 except for the following two points (1) and (2). For this reason, the same code | symbol as what was attached | subjected to the 1st dummy processor 10 in FIG. 1 is attached | subjected also to the 2nd dummy processor 11, and the description which overlaps between both processors 10 and 11 is abbreviate | omitted. (1) The arrangement differs from the first dummy processor 10. (2) It functions as a windproof member for avoiding that the airflow that has flowed into the chamber 8 from the carry-in port 8aa instead of the carry-out port 8ab reaches the processing space 13 and adversely affects the etching process. Note that the second dummy processor 11 has the same external shape as the processor 5 when viewed from the direction along the transport direction in the same manner as the first dummy processor 10, and overlaps the processor 5 when viewed. It is arranged so that

  The suction nozzle 12 is attached to the ceiling 8 ae of the chamber 8, and the suction port 12 a is continuous with the space 9. The suction port 12a is disposed downstream of the first dummy processor 10 in the transport direction, and is disposed at the downstream end of the space 9 in the transport direction. The suction nozzle 12 is connected to a cleaning dust collecting device (not shown) disposed outside the chamber 8, and the sucked product can be discharged to the cleaning dust collecting device. Note that the suction port 12a is not limited to the same arrangement as in the present embodiment, and may be arranged above the conveyance path of the glass substrate 2. However, since the product generated by the etching process has a role of sucking and discharging out of the chamber 8, the suction port 12 a is arranged in the transport direction from the processor 5 even when the suction port 12 a is arranged differently from the present embodiment. Also, it is preferable to arrange them on the downstream side.

  Hereinafter, the manufacturing method of the glass substrate which concerns on embodiment of this invention using said glass substrate manufacturing apparatus 1 is demonstrated.

  First, the glass substrate 2 is carried by the carrying means 3 to carry the glass substrate 2 into the chamber 8 from the carry-in port 8aa. In the present embodiment, the glass substrate 2 having a longer overall length along the transport path than the distance is set as a target for the etching process with reference to the distance along the transport path from the carry-in port 8aa to the carry-out port 8ab. In the present embodiment, the glass substrate 2 is transported at a constant transport speed.

  Next, the gap 21 of the second dummy processor 11 disposed between the inlet 8aa and the processor 5 is passed through the glass substrate 2 after being carried in. Note that the gas that flows into the chamber 8 from the carry-in port 8aa and flows downstream along the lower surface 2a of the glass substrate 2 in the carrying direction is an exhaust gas that continues to the bottom of the box 10a of the second dummy processor 11. Aspirate with tube 22. In addition, by causing the second dummy processor 11 to function as a windproof member, the gas flowing into the chamber 8 from the carry-in port 8aa is prevented from reaching the processing space 13 of the processor 5.

  Next, the processing space 13 of the processor 5 is passed through the glass substrate 2 after passing through the gap 21 of the second dummy processor 11. At this time, the injection of the purge gas 6 is started immediately before the leading portion 2 f of the glass substrate 2 enters the processing space 13. Then, on the lower surface 2a side of the glass substrate 2 passing through the processing space 13, while etching the lower surface 2a with the processing gas 4 supplied by each air supply port 14, the upstream end portion and the downstream end portion The processing gas 4 is exhausted from the processing space 13 through each exhaust port 15. On the other hand, on the upper surface 2 b side of the glass substrate 2 passing through the processing space 13, the etching process on the upper surface 2 b by the processing gas 4 is prevented by the flow of the purge gas 6 formed in the gap 13 a. Further, the product generated by the etching process is sucked by the suction nozzle 12 and discharged out of the chamber 8. The purge gas 6 stops spraying immediately before the last part 2e of the glass substrate 2 enters the processing space 13.

  Here, in the present embodiment, the injection of the purge gas 6 is stopped immediately before the last portion 2e of the glass substrate 2 enters the processing space 13, but the present invention is not limited to this. As long as the top portion 2 f of the glass substrate 2 has escaped from the processing space 13, the injection of the purge gas 6 may be stopped before the last portion 2 e of the glass substrate 2 enters the processing space 13. I do not care.

  Next, the glass substrate 2 after the etching process that has passed through the processing space 13 of the processing unit 5 is passed through the gap 21 of the first dummy processing unit 10 disposed between the processing unit 5 and the carry-out port 8ab. The gas flowing into the chamber 8 from the carry-out port 8ab and flowing upstream along the lower surface 2a of the glass substrate 2 in the conveyance direction is exhaust gas connected to the bottom of the box 10a of the first dummy processor 10. Aspirate with tube 22. Further, by causing the first dummy processor 10 to function as a windproof member, the gas that has flowed into the chamber 8 from the carry-out port 8ab is prevented from reaching the processing space 13 of the processor 5. Further, the exhaust pipe 22 draws the processing gas 4 dragged to the lower surface 2 a of the glass substrate 2 and flows out of the processing space 13 to the downstream side in the transport direction, and exhausts it outside the chamber 8.

  Finally, the glass substrate 2 after passing through the gap 21 of the first dummy processor 10 is carried out of the chamber 8 from the carry-out port 8ab. And the glass substrate 2 by which the etching process was performed to the lower surface 2a is obtained. The glass substrate manufacturing method according to the embodiment of the present invention is thus completed.

  Hereinafter, main actions and effects of the glass substrate manufacturing method according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  In this method, since the plurality of air supply ports 14 are arranged along the transport direction between the exhaust port 15 at the upstream end and the exhaust port 15 at the downstream end, the arranged air supply ports The length (length dimension L1) of the processing space 13 along the conveyance direction is extended by the amount corresponding to the number of 14. Thereby, the resistance to the inflow of gas in the processing space 13 is increased, and when the glass substrate 2 enters from the outside to the inside of the processing space 13, air or the like existing around the glass substrate 2 is incidentally associated therewith. It becomes easy to avoid the gas flowing into the processing space 13. For this reason, it becomes possible to prevent the occurrence of a situation where the concentration of the processing gas 4 existing in the processing space 13 is diluted by the gas flowing into the processing space 13 as much as possible. As a result, it is possible to reliably etch the lower surface 2a of the glass substrate 2.

2 Glass substrate 2a Lower surface 4 Process gas 5a Main body (lower structure)
5b Top plate (upper structure)
13 Processing Space 14 Air Supply Port 14a Peripheral Area 15 Exhaust Port D1 Distance Between D2 Distance Between

Claims (6)

The air supply provided in the lower structure while transporting the glass substrate in the transport direction in a flat position so as to pass through a processing space formed between the upper structure and the lower structure that are arranged to face each other. Using the processing gas that is supplied to the processing space from the opening and exhausted from the processing space by the exhaust ports provided in the upstream end and the downstream end in the transport direction of the lower structure , A method of manufacturing a glass substrate including a step of etching the lower surface of the glass substrate,
Between the exhaust port at the upstream end and the exhaust port at the downstream end, a plurality of the air supply ports are arranged along the transport direction, and the processing gas is supplied from each of the air supply ports. A method for producing a glass substrate, comprising:   The method for manufacturing a glass substrate according to claim 1, wherein among the plurality of air supply ports, the flow rate of the processing gas supplied by the air supply port on the most downstream side in the transport direction is maximized.   Compared to the distance between the exhaust port at the upstream end and the supply port at the most upstream side, the distance along the transport direction is greater than the exhaust port at the downstream end and the supply at the most downstream side. The method for producing a glass substrate according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the air vents is increased.   The method for manufacturing a glass substrate according to claim 1, wherein the processing space is supplied with air while the processing gas is heated.   The method for manufacturing a glass substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the air supply port is formed in a slit shape that is long in a width direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the glass substrate.   The method for manufacturing a glass substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, in the lower structure, a peripheral region of the air supply port is positioned higher than other regions.

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