JPH11121429A - Substrate drying apparatus and substrate processing apparatus provided with it - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the consumption of a solvent. SOLUTION: On the side wall of the casing of a multi-function processing part 56, a side wall heating part 566 is provided, and the side wall heating part 566 has a structure that has a heating wire heater 566b on the inner side of an insulating material 566a. In drying a wafer W by pulling it up from the pure water in a treatment bath 562 by filling the casing with IPA(isopropyl alcohol) vapor, using N2 gas as a carrier gas, by means of an IPA/N2 supply part 565, the side wall of the casing is heated by the heating wire heater 566b. Since the condensation of the IPA on the side wall of the casing is suppressed, the consumption of the IPA can be reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate for a photomask, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display, a substrate for an optical disk, etc., which are supplied with an atmosphere containing a solvent vapor into a processing chamber and processed with a processing liquid. The present invention relates to a substrate drying apparatus for drying a substrate (hereinafter, simply referred to as a “substrate”) in an atmosphere containing a vapor of a solvent, and a substrate processing apparatus including the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a substrate cleaning / drying apparatus for cleaning and drying a substrate, a processing tank is provided in a processing chamber or a processing tank is provided so as to be connected below the processing chamber. The substrate is immersed by storing water, during which an atmosphere containing IPA vapor (isopropyl alcohol vapor) higher than room temperature is formed in the processing chamber, and after the immersion processing of the substrate is completed, the substrate is processed. IPA from tank
The substrate is dried by lifting it into an atmosphere containing vapor, condensing IPA on the surface of the substrate to remove moisture, and lifting the substrate.

[0003]

By the way, in such a substrate drying apparatus, the IP supplied to the atmosphere as described above is used.
Since the temperature of the A-vapor is a predetermined temperature higher than the normal temperature and the wall of the processing chamber of the substrate drying apparatus is at the normal temperature, the IPA near the wall of the processing chamber is cooled and condensed on the inner wall surface. Since it does not contribute to drying of the waste, waste has occurred.

An object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate drying apparatus which consumes less solvent and a substrate processing apparatus having the same.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for supplying an atmosphere containing a vapor of a solvent into a processing chamber, wherein a substrate after the processing with the processing liquid is processed. A substrate drying apparatus for moving from the inside to an atmosphere containing a solvent vapor, wherein a heating means is provided on a wall of a processing chamber.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, an atmosphere containing a solvent vapor is supplied into a processing chamber, and a substrate after processing with a processing liquid is moved from the processing liquid into an atmosphere containing a solvent vapor. A substrate drying apparatus includes a heat insulating means on a wall of a processing chamber.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the apparatus for drying a substrate according to the second aspect, further comprising a heating means on a wall of the processing chamber inside the heat insulating means.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the substrate drying apparatus according to the first or third aspect, wherein the heating means is a heating wire.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the apparatus for drying a substrate according to the first or third aspect, wherein the heating means circulates hot water in the piping.

Further, an apparatus according to a sixth aspect of the present invention uses a substrate processing unit for performing processing on a substrate with a processing liquid, and a substrate drying apparatus according to any one of the first to fifth aspects. And a substrate drying unit configured as described above.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

<< 1. First Embodiment >>>><1-1. Overall Configuration> A specific embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a substrate processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment. As shown in the drawing, the apparatus includes a cassette loading section 2 into which a cassette C containing unprocessed substrates is loaded, and a cassette C from the cassette loading section 2.
Are mounted on the substrate C, a substrate processing unit 5 for sequentially cleaning unprocessed substrates taken out of the cassette C, and a plurality of processed substrates after the cleaning process. At the same time, there are provided a substrate storage section 7 stored in a cassette and a cassette unloading section 8 for discharging a cassette C storing processed substrates. Further, on the front side of the apparatus, a substrate transfer / transportation mechanism 9 is arranged from the substrate unloading section 3 to the substrate storage section 7 so that the substrates before, during and after the cleaning process can be moved from one place. Convey or transfer to another location.

The cassette loading section 2 includes a cassette transfer robot C capable of horizontal movement, vertical movement, and rotation about a vertical axis.
A pair of cassettes C provided at a predetermined position on the cassette stage 2a provided with R1 are transferred to the substrate extracting section 3.

The substrate unloading section 3 includes a pair of holders 3a and 3b which move up and down. A guide groove is formed on the upper surface of each of the holders 3a and 3b, so that the unprocessed substrates in the cassette C can be supported vertically and parallel to each other. Therefore, when the holders 3a and 3b are raised, the substrates are taken out of the cassette C. The substrate taken out of the cassette C is transferred to the transfer robot TR provided in the substrate transfer / transfer mechanism 9, and after horizontal movement, the substrate processing unit 5
It is thrown into.

The substrate processing section 5 has a chemical solution tank C for storing a chemical solution.
B, and a washing tank W containing pure water
B and a washing tank 54 (the chemical treating section 52 and the washing section 54 correspond to a “substrate treating section”) and a treatment tank 562 for performing various chemical treatments and washing in a single tank. And a multi-function processing unit 56 described below.

In the substrate processing section 5, a first substrate immersion mechanism 55 is provided behind the chemical processing section 52 and the washing processing section 54.
The substrate received from the transport robot TR is immersed in the chemical tank CB of the chemical processing section 52 by the lifter head LH1 that can be moved up and down and traversed, and is placed in the washing tank WB of the washing section 54. Or soak. Further, a second substrate immersion mechanism 57 is disposed behind the multi-function processing unit 56, and the substrate received from the transport robot TR is transferred to the multi-function processing unit 56 by a vertically movable lifter head 563a. In the processing tank 562.

The substrate storage unit 7 has a structure similar to that of the substrate unloading unit 3, and receives a processed substrate held by the transfer robot TR by a pair of vertically movable holders 7a and 7b and stores it in the cassette C. I do.

The cassette unloading section 8 has the same structure as that of the cassette loading section 2 and includes a movable cassette transfer robot CR2, and a pair of cassettes mounted on the substrate storage section 7 are mounted on a cassette stage. 8a is transferred to a predetermined position.

The substrate transfer / transfer mechanism 9 includes a transfer robot TR that can move horizontally and vertically. Then, a pair of rotatable hands 9 provided on the transport robot TR are provided.
1 and 92, the substrate supported by the holders 3a and 3b of the substrate unloading unit 3 is moved to the substrate processing unit 5.
From the lifter head LH1 provided in the first substrate immersion mechanism 55, from the lifter head LH1 to the lifter head 563a provided in the adjacent second substrate immersion mechanism 57, or from the lifter head 563a. It is transferred to the holders 7a and 7b of the storage unit 7.

<1-2. Multi-function processing unit> Next, referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 which are longitudinal sectional views of the multi-function processing unit 56,
The mechanical configuration and schematic operation will be described.

The multi-function processing section 56 mainly includes a casing 56
0, a shutter 561, a processing tank 562, a lifter 563, a lifter driving section 564, an IPA / N2 supply section 565, and a side wall heating section 566.

The casing 560 has a substrate loading / unloading port T on its upper surface.
O, a seal member 560a is fixed around the O, and an exhaust pipe 560b is provided on the bottom surface.

The shutter 561 includes a shielding plate 561a and a guide 561b provided at the upper end of the side surface of the casing 560 so as to sandwich the shielding plate 561a. The shielding plate 561a slightly moves up and down along the guide rail of the guide 561b, and the shutter 561 moves in the horizontal direction. Open and close by sliding to The shutter 561 is kept airtight in the closed state by the seal member 560a provided on the upper surface of the casing 560.

The processing tank 562 can be filled with hydrofluoric acid (HF) and pure water DIW (hereinafter, collectively referred to as “processing liquid”) as a cleaning liquid. And a cleaning process are performed.
Further, a pipe 5 for returning the processing liquid is provided on the bottom of the processing tank 562.
62c, drainage pipe 562d, processing liquid supply pipe 5
62e are connected. Further, a processing liquid recovery groove 562a is provided at the upper end of the four outer surfaces of the processing tank 562, and a processing liquid recovery pipe 562b is connected to the processing liquid recovery groove 562a.

The lifter 563 includes three substrate guides 563c having a large number of holding grooves in which the substrate W is loosely fitted and held between the lifter head 563a and the holding plate 563b.

The lifter driving section 564 includes a servo motor 564.
The shaft 564c whose longitudinal direction is a vertical direction is connected to a timing belt 564b attached to the shaft 564a.
The lifter 563 and a plurality of substrates W held by the lifter 563 are moved up and down by driving a servo motor 564a, and the transfer position T of the substrate W with the transfer robot TR shown in FIGS.
P, the drying position DR of the substrate W, and the immersion position DP of the substrate W in the treatment liquid can be positioned.

The IPA / N 2 supply unit 565 is a casing 5
A pair of IPA / N2 supply pipes 565 are provided on the upper part of the inner side wall of the 60.
a are respectively attached by brackets 565b,
Each of the IPA and N2 supply pipes 565a has a solvent I
A plurality of supply ports IO for supplying the PA vapor (IPA vapor) together with the N2 gas are provided to open diagonally downward inward. Although not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pipe 565c (see FIG. 4) is connected to the IPA / N2 supply pipe 565a.

The side wall heating section 566 is provided on the side wall of the casing 560 and heats it. The side wall heating section 566 will be described later in detail.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the multi-function processing unit 56. The multi-function processing unit 56 includes a control unit 567a in addition to the above-described mechanical configuration, and is electrically connected to each of three-way valves V1 and V6 and valves V2 to V5 described below, and is controlled by the control unit 567a. The flow paths of the valves V1 and V6 are switched, and the three-way valve V6 and the valves V2 to V5 are opened and closed.

A three-way valve V1, a pump P and a filter F are interposed in the pipe 562b, and a pipe 562c is connected to the filter F. Ports not connected to the pipe 562b of the three-way valve V1 are connected to the pipe 562b.
The pipe 562d is connected to the processing tank and the drainage line in the facility through c, and a valve V2 is inserted beyond the pipe 562d. Then, the control unit 567a controls the three-way valve V1 at a predetermined timing to return the processing liquid overflowing from the processing tank 562 to the processing liquid recovery groove 562a to the processing tank 562 after being filtered by the filter F, and to the drain line. And discharge.

The pipe 562e is bifurcated, one of which is connected to an HF supply source 567b via a valve V3, the other is connected to a pure water supply source 567c via a valve V4, and the control unit 567a is a valve. Either HF or pure water DIW is supplied to the processing tank 562 at a predetermined timing under the control of V3 and V4.

The pipe 560b is connected to an exhaust line in the facility via a valve V5 and an air pump AP.
The control unit 567a controls the casing 5 by controlling the valve V5.
The atmosphere in 60 is discharged at a predetermined timing.

The pipe 565c is connected to the N2 supply source 567f, the IPA supply source 567e and the N2 supply source via the three-way valve V6.
The controller 567a is connected to the supply source 567f, and controls the three-way valve V6 to supply the IPA vapor into the casing 560 through the IPA / N2 supply pipe 565a using the N2 gas as the carrier gas or supply only the N2 gas. And closing at a predetermined timing.

Next, the main part of the multi-function processing unit 56 will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the side wall heating section 566 is provided inside the heat insulating material 566a provided so as to surround the side wall of the casing 560, and similarly the casing 56
A heating wire heater 566b is provided so as to surround the 0 side wall.

Then, as shown in FIG.
A heater driver 567d is electrically connected to 66b, and a controller 567a is further electrically connected to the heater driver 567d.

Although not shown, the heating wire of the heating wire heater 566b is covered with a material having good heat conduction so as to have an explosion-proof function, and has a safety that eliminates ignition or the like against IPA vapor. I have.

As will be described below, the heater driver 567d is turned on / off at a predetermined timing by the control unit 567a, and is controlled to always have a predetermined output during output.
During the output of d, the heating wire heater 566b causes the side wall of the casing 560 to move to the IPA · N2 by the supplied power.
The heating is performed so that the temperature becomes close to the temperature of the IPA vapor supplied from the supply unit 565 (about 50 ° C. in the first embodiment).

Next, the multi-function processing unit 5 of this embodiment
6 and the accompanying timing of heating the side wall of the casing 560 by the heating wire heater 566b of the side wall heating unit 566 will be described.

The following control is performed by the control unit 567a.

First, an etching process using HF is performed. At this stage, the casing 560 side wall has not yet been heated by the heating wire heater 566b.

Next, HF in the processing tank 562 is pure water DIW
In a state where the substrate W is filled with the pure water DIW, the substrate W is carried into the processing tank 562 to perform a cleaning process. At this stage, heating by the heating wire heater 566b is not performed.

Next, the IPA / N2 supply unit 565 sends the N2
, And supply of IPA vapor is started. At the same time, the heating of the side wall of the casing 560 by the heating wire heater 566b is started.

Subsequently, the IPA vapor in the atmosphere in the casing 560 is kept on standby while supplying the IPA vapor from the IPA / N2 supply unit 565 for a predetermined time so that the IPA vapor has a predetermined high concentration. During this time, the heating wire heater 566 is also used.
The heating of the side wall of the casing 560 by b is continued. Then, after a predetermined time has elapsed, while the IPA vapor is being supplied or the supply is stopped, the lifter 563 is raised to lift the substrate W located at the immersion position DP from the pure water DIW in the processing tank 562, The pure water DIW adhering to the surface of the substrate W is cut off, and the substrate W is dried by continuing to supply IPA vapor while holding the substrate W at the drying position DR. During this raising, the heating wire heater 566b
The heating of the side wall of the casing 560 is continued so as to maintain the predetermined temperature.

When the step of pulling the substrate W in an atmosphere containing IPA vapor is completed, the gas supplied from the IPA / N2 supply unit 565 is switched to N2 gas. At the same time, heating wire heater 5 by heater driver 567d
The supply of electric power to 66b is stopped, and the heating of the side wall of the casing 560 is stopped. After the atmosphere in the casing 560 is almost completely filled with N2 gas, the casing 5
The atmosphere in 60 is exhausted to dry the substrate W almost completely.

The drying process is completed as described above. Next, the shutter 561 is opened, the lifter 563 is raised, the substrate W is transferred to the transfer robot TR at the transfer position TP, and a series of processing by the multifunctional processing unit 56 is completed. .

As described above, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the heating of the side wall of the casing 560 by the heating wire heater 566b is performed while the supply of the IPA vapor by the IPA / N2 supply unit 565 is performed. Is being done. As a result, the internal atmosphere
Since the temperature of the side wall is maintained close to the temperature of the IPA vapor in the internal atmosphere at the portion in contact with the side wall of the casing 0, the IPA is prevented from being condensed on the side wall of the casing 560 and wasted, and the consumption is reduced. be able to.

The side wall heating section 566 has a heat insulating material 566.
Since a is provided, the inside thereof can be kept warm, so that the consumption of IPA can be suppressed as described above, and the heating efficiency of the heating wire heater 566b can be increased.

<< 2. Second Embodiment >> FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, which are longitudinal sectional views of a multi-function processing unit 56, and diagrams schematically showing the multi-function processing unit 56, according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 7 will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the side wall heating section 568 is provided inside the heat insulating material 568a provided so as to surround the side wall of the casing 560, similarly to the casing 56.
One hot water supply pipe 568b is provided spirally so as to surround the 0 side wall. 5 to 7, only a part of the hot water supply pipe 568b is denoted by a reference numeral.

Then, as shown in FIG.
8b, a pipe 568 is provided outside the heat insulating material 568a.
c is connected to the pipe 568c.
7g and a pump PP are interposed. Further, a temperature sensor, a heater (not shown) and a heater driver electrically connected to the heater are provided in the hot water tank 567g.
Is provided. Note that the pump PP, the temperature sensor, and the heater driver are electrically connected to the control unit 567a.

The control unit 567a constantly monitors the temperature signal of the hot water in the hot water tank 567g by the temperature sensor, and controls the heater on / off to control the temperature of the hot water by I.
The temperature is kept close to the temperature of the IPA vapor supplied from the PA / N2 supply unit 565 (about 50 ° C. also in the second embodiment).

Also, in the second embodiment, the same processing as in the first embodiment is performed. At this time, the control unit 567a controls the IPA vapor by the IPA / N2 supply unit 565 similarly to the first embodiment. Pump PP while the supply of
To maintain the temperature of the side wall of the casing 560 close to the temperature of the IPA vapor by supplying hot water to the hot water supply pipe 568b. Thereby, the second aspect of the present invention
According to the embodiment, as in the first embodiment, I
PA can be suppressed from being condensed inside the side wall of the casing 560 and wasted, and the consumption thereof can be suppressed.

Further, a heat insulating material 568 is provided on the side wall heating section 568.
Since a is provided, the consumption of IPA can be suppressed due to the heat retention effect in the same manner as described above, and the heating efficiency of the hot water supply pipe 568b can be increased as in the first embodiment.

The configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment except for the above-described configuration.

<< 3. Modifications >> As described above, in the multifunction processing unit 56 in the first and second embodiments, IPA was used as the solvent and N2 was used as the inert gas.
The present invention is not limited to this, and other solvents such as ethanol and methanol may be used as the solvent, and other inert gases such as helium gas and argon gas may be used as the inert gas.

Further, in the multi-function processing section 56 in the first and second embodiments, the side wall heating sections 566 and 566 are provided, respectively.
568, heat insulating materials 566a and 56
8a and heating wire heaters 566b as heating means, respectively.
And the hot water supply pipe 568b, but the present invention is not limited to this, and only the heat insulating means may be provided without the heating means, and conversely, only the heating means is provided without the heat insulating means It may be a thing.

Further, in the multifunctional processing section 56 in the first and second embodiments, the heating means 566b and the hot water supply pipe 568b are provided in the side wall heating sections 566 and 568 as heating means, respectively. The present invention is not limited to this, and other heating means such as heating by supplying an electromagnetic wave of a predetermined wavelength to the casing 560 can be used as the heating means.

Further, in the multi-function processing section 56 in the first and second embodiments, the side wall heating section 56 is provided on the side wall of the casing 560 as heating means and heat insulation means, respectively.
However, the present invention is not limited to this, and not only the side wall of the casing 560 but also the upper and lower surfaces may be heated or insulated.

[0060]

As described above, according to the first and second to sixth aspects of the present invention, since the wall of the processing chamber is provided with the heating means, the temperature of the solvent outside the processing chamber is reduced by the temperature of the solvent inside the processing chamber. Even when the temperature is lower than the atmosphere containing, by heating the walls of the processing chamber, the condensation of the solvent can be suppressed inside the walls, so that the consumption of the solvent can be suppressed.

According to the second and third aspects of the present invention, since the heat insulating means is provided on the wall of the processing chamber, the wall of the processing chamber is kept warm to suppress the condensation of the solvent inside the wall. Therefore, the consumption of the solvent can be suppressed.

Furthermore, according to the third aspect of the present invention, since the heating means is provided inside the heat insulating means on the wall of the processing chamber, the heating efficiency of the heating means can be increased.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front vertical sectional view of a multi-function processing unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side vertical sectional view of a multi-function processing unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a multi-function processing unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a front vertical sectional view of a multifunction processing unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side longitudinal sectional view of a multi-function processing unit according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a multifunction processing unit according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate processing apparatus 5 Substrate processing part 52 Chemical liquid processing part 54 Rinse processing part 56 Multifunctional processing part (substrate drying apparatus, substrate drying part) 560 Casing (processing chamber) 562 Processing tank 565 IPA supply part 566,568 Side wall heating part ( Heating means) 566a, 568a Heat insulating material (heat insulating means) 566b Heating wire heater 568b Hot water supply pipe (pipe) DIW Pure water (treatment liquid) W Substrate

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Masato Tanaka Yasu-cho, Yasu-cho, Yasu-gun, Shiga Prefecture 2426-1, Kuchinogawara, Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd. Yasu Office

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A substrate drying apparatus for supplying an atmosphere containing a vapor of a solvent into a processing chamber, and moving a substrate after the treatment with the processing liquid from the processing liquid to an atmosphere containing the vapor of the solvent. A substrate drying device comprising a heating means on a wall of a chamber. 2. A substrate drying apparatus for supplying an atmosphere containing a vapor of a solvent into a processing chamber, and moving a substrate after processing with the processing liquid from the processing liquid to an atmosphere containing a vapor of the solvent. A substrate drying apparatus comprising a heat insulating means on a wall of a chamber. 3. The substrate drying apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a heating unit on the wall of the processing chamber inside the heat insulating unit. 4. The substrate drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit is a heating wire. 5. The substrate drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said heating means circulates hot water in a pipe. 6. A substrate processing unit for performing processing on a substrate with a processing liquid, and a substrate drying unit configured by using the substrate drying apparatus according to claim 1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising: