TWI849520B - Molded article and molding method - Google Patents

Abstract

The technology disclosed in the present invention is a technology for improving the wear resistance of a component used in a substrate processing device. The molding method disclosed in the present invention is a molding method for a molded product used in a substrate processing device. The molding method comprises the following steps: irradiating a molded product composed of a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene with electron rays.

Description

Molded product and molding method

The technology disclosed in the present invention is a molded product used in a substrate processing device. In addition, the substrate to be processed includes, for example, semiconductor wafers, glass substrates for liquid crystal display devices, organic EL (electroluminescence) display devices and other flat panel display (FPD) substrates, optical disk substrates, magnetic disk substrates, optical magnetic disk substrates, photomask glass substrates, ceramic substrates, field emission display (FED) substrates, or solar cell substrates.

A substrate processing device is provided with a plurality of pipes or valves, the pipes are used to guide a processing liquid used to process a substrate to the substrate, and the valves are used to control the flow of the processing liquid in the pipes (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior Art Document] [Patent Document]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-222189.

[The problem that the invention wants to solve]

In order to process the substrate uniformly, it is important to maintain the cleanliness of the processing liquid. On the other hand, there may be a situation where particles are generated in the components due to wear of the piping, etc., and the particles are mixed into the processing liquid. When such mixing occurs, the cleanliness of the processing liquid is reduced, making it difficult to perform uniform substrate processing.

The technology disclosed in this case was developed in view of the above-described subject matter and is a technology for improving the wear resistance of components used in substrate processing equipment. [Means for solving the subject matter]

The first aspect of the technology disclosed in the present invention is a molding method, which is a molding method used for a molded product of a substrate processing device and has the following steps: irradiating the above-mentioned molded product composed of a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene with electron rays.

The second aspect of the forming method disclosed in the present invention is the forming method described in the first aspect, wherein the step of irradiating the aforementioned molded product with the aforementioned electron beam is a step of irradiating the aforementioned electron beam only to a portion of the aforementioned molded product.

The third aspect of the forming method disclosed in the present invention is the forming method described in the second aspect, wherein the step of irradiating the molded product with the electron beam is a step of irradiating only the end of the molded product with the electron beam.

The fourth aspect of the molding method disclosed in the present invention is a molding method as described in any one of the first to third aspects, further comprising the following step: after irradiating the aforementioned electron beam, applying an acidic solution containing hydrogen peroxide to the aforementioned molded product.

The fifth aspect of the molding method disclosed in the present invention is the molding method described in the fourth aspect, wherein the process for applying the aforementioned chemical solution to the aforementioned molded product is the following process: applying the aforementioned chemical solution of a mixed solution of hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide or a mixed solution of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide to the aforementioned molded product.

The sixth aspect of the technology disclosed in the present invention is a molded product, which is used in a substrate processing device and is composed of a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene and is brown in color. [Effect of the invention]

According to at least the first and sixth aspects of the technology disclosed in the present invention, since a molded product with high wear resistance can be obtained, particles generated by wear of the molded product can be greatly suppressed. Therefore, in a substrate processing device using the molded product as a component, particles can be suppressed from mixing into a processing liquid used to process a substrate.

In addition, the objectives, features, aspects and advantages of the technology disclosed in the present invention will be more clearly understood through the detailed description shown below and the accompanying drawings.

The following embodiments are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although detailed features are shown in the following embodiments for the purpose of illustrating the technology, these detailed features are only examples and are not all essential features for the embodiments that can be implemented.

In addition, the drawings are schematically shown, and for the convenience of explanation, the components are appropriately omitted or simplified in the drawings. In addition, the size and position of the components shown in different drawings are not correctly described and will be changed appropriately. In addition, in order to facilitate the understanding of the content of the embodiment, there may be cases where hatching is attached to drawings such as top views that are not cross-sectional views.

In addition, in the following description, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the names and functions of these components are considered to be the same. Therefore, the detailed description of these components may be omitted to avoid duplication.

In the following description, when a certain constituent element is described as “having”, “including” or “having”, such description does not constitute an exclusive expression that excludes the existence of other constituent elements unless otherwise specified.

In the following description, even when numbers such as "first" or "second" are used, these terms are used to facilitate understanding of the contents of the embodiments and are not limited to the order generated by these numbers.

In the descriptions described in this specification, the expressions "positive direction of the ...axis" or "negative direction of the ...axis" etc. are taken as the positive direction along the arrow of the ...axis in the figure, and the direction on the opposite side of the arrow of the ...axis in the figure is taken as the negative direction.

In addition, in the descriptions recorded in this manual, even when terms indicating specific positions or directions such as "up", "down", "left", "right", "side", "bottom", "front" or "back" are used, these terms are used appropriately to facilitate understanding of the content of the implementation form and have nothing to do with the position or direction during actual implementation.

Furthermore, in the descriptions recorded in this specification, when it is recorded as "the upper surface of..." or "the lower surface of...", in addition to the upper surface body or the lower surface body of the constituent element being the object, it also includes the state where other constituent elements are formed on the upper surface or the lower surface of the constituent element being the object. That is, for example, when it is recorded as "B disposed on the upper surface of A", it does not interfere with "C" which is another constituent element sandwiched between A and B.

In addition, in the descriptions recorded in this manual, unless otherwise specified, expressions used to indicate shapes, such as "quadrilateral shape" or "cylindrical shape", etc., not only geometrically and strictly indicate the shapes referred to, but also indicate shapes having, for example, concave-convex or chamfered shapes within a tolerance range or a range that can achieve the same degree of effectiveness.

[Implementation form] The following describes the molded product and molding method of the implementation form of the present invention.

[Regarding the structure of the substrate processing device 1] First, the structure of the substrate processing device 1 using a molded product is described.

Fig. 1 is a top view schematically showing an example of the structure of a substrate processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment. The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a load port 601, an indexer robot 602, a center robot 603, a control unit 90, and at least one processing unit 600 (four processing units in Fig. 1).

The substrate processing unit 600 is a blade-type device that can be used for substrate processing, and specifically, is a device that performs processing for removing organic matter attached to the substrate W. The organic matter attached to the substrate W is, for example, a used resist film. The resist film is used, for example, as an implantation mask for an ion implantation process.

In addition, the processing unit 600 may include a chamber 180. In this case, the control unit 90 controls the atmosphere in the chamber 180, so that the processing unit 600 can perform substrate processing in a desired atmosphere.

The control unit 90 is capable of controlling the operation of each component in the substrate processing apparatus 1. The carrier C is a container for accommodating the substrate W. In addition, the load port 601 is a container holding mechanism for holding a plurality of carriers C. The index robot 602 is capable of transporting the substrate W between the load port 601 and the substrate mounting unit 604. The center robot 603 is capable of transporting the substrate W between the substrate mounting unit 604 and the processing unit 600.

With the above configuration, the index robot 602 , the substrate loading unit 604 , and the center robot 603 function as a transport mechanism for transporting the substrate W between each processing unit 600 and the loading port 601 .

The unprocessed substrate W is taken out from the carrier C by the index robot 602 . Then, the unprocessed substrate W is transferred to the center robot 603 via the substrate placement portion 604 .

The central robot 603 carries the unprocessed substrate W into the processing unit 600. Then, the processing unit 600 processes the substrate W.

The substrate W processed in the processing unit 600 is taken out of the processing unit 600 by the central robot 603. Then, the processed substrate W passes through other processing units 600 as needed, and is transferred to the index robot 602 through the substrate loading unit 604. The index robot 602 carries the processed substrate W into the carrier C. The substrate W is processed in the above manner.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control unit 90 of the example shown in FIG. 1. The control unit 90 may also be configured by a general computer having an electrical circuit. Specifically, the control unit 90 has a CPU (central processing unit) 91, a ROM (read only memory) 92, a RAM (random access memory) 93, a recording device 94, an input unit 96, a display unit 97, a communication unit 98, and a bus line 95 for interconnecting these components.

ROM92 stores basic programs. RAM93 is used as a working area when CPU91 performs predetermined processing. Recording device 94 is composed of a non-volatile recording device such as a flash memory or a hard disk device. Input unit 96 is composed of various switches or a touch panel, etc., and receives input setting instructions such as processing recipes from the user. Display unit 97 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display device and a lamp, and displays various information under the control of CPU91. Communication unit 98 has a data communication function via a LAN (local area network) or the like.

A plurality of modes for controlling each component in the substrate processing device 1 in FIG. 1 are preset in the recording device 94. The CPU 91 executes the processing program 94P, thereby selecting one of the plurality of modes and controlling each component in the mode. In addition, the processing program 94P can also be stored in an external recording medium. If this recording medium is used, the processing program 94P can be loaded (installed) into the control unit 90. In addition, part or all of the functions executed by the control unit 90 do not necessarily need to be implemented by software, and can also be implemented by hardware such as a dedicated logic circuit.

[For the processing unit 600] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the processing unit 600. As shown in the example of FIG. 3, the processing unit 600 is provided with: a spin chuck 10 for holding a substrate W in a substantially horizontal position while rotating the substrate W around a substantially straight rotation axis Z1 passing through the center of the substrate W; a processing liquid nozzle 20 for spraying the processing liquid onto the substrate W; a nozzle arm 22 having the processing liquid nozzle 20 mounted at the end thereof; and a cylindrical processing cup 12 for surrounding the spin chuck 10 around the rotation axis Z1 of the substrate W.

In the case where a plurality of types of processing liquids are envisioned, a plurality of processing liquid nozzles 20 may be provided corresponding to the various processing liquids. The processing liquid nozzle 20 sprays the processing liquid onto the upper surface of the substrate W. In addition, a diaphragm valve 124 is provided on the pipe for supplying the processing liquid to the processing liquid nozzle 20, and the diaphragm valve 124 is used to control the supply of the processing liquid. The diaphragm valve 124 is controlled, for example, by the control unit 90.

The spin jig 10 includes: a disk-shaped spin base 10A for vacuum-absorbing the lower surface of a substrate W in a substantially horizontal position; a rotation axis 10C extending downward from the center of the spin base 10A; and a spin motor 10D for rotating the rotation axis 10C to rotate the substrate W absorbed by the spin base 10A. In addition, a clamping type jig may be used instead of the spin jig 10. The clamping pins protrude upward from the outer peripheral portion of the upper surface of the spin base 10A, and the peripheral portion of the substrate W is clamped by the clamping pins.

The nozzle 22 includes an arm 22A, a shaft 22B, and a drive unit 22C. The drive unit 22C adjusts the extension and contraction of the shaft 22B and the angle of the shaft around the shaft 22B. One end of the arm 22A is fixed to the shaft 22B, and the other end of the arm 22A is configured to be separated from the axis of the shaft 22B. In addition, a processing liquid nozzle 20 is installed at the other end of the arm 22A. With this structure, the processing liquid nozzle 20 is configured to be able to swing in the radial direction of the substrate W. In addition, the moving direction of the processing liquid nozzle 20 for the swing only needs to have a component in the radial direction of the substrate W, and does not need to be strictly parallel to the radial direction of the substrate W.

The processing cup 12 includes: a cylindrical guard 12A surrounding the rotating fixture 10 when viewed from above; a shaft 12B mounted on the guard 12A; a driving part 12C for raising and lowering the guard 12A; and a cylindrical guard 12D surrounding the guard 12A when viewed from above.

The control unit 90 controls the rotation speed of the rotation motor 10D of the rotation fixture 10, and sprays the processing liquid from the processing liquid nozzle 20 onto the upper surface of the substrate W. In addition, the control unit 90 controls the driving of the driving unit 22C of the nozzle arm 22, thereby causing the processing liquid nozzle 20 to move up and down and swing on the upper surface of the substrate W. In addition, the control unit 90 controls the driving of the driving unit 12C of the processing cup 12, thereby causing the protective cover 12A to move up and down.

[Operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1] Next, an example of the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1 is described with reference to FIG. 4. In addition, FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the operation of the processing unit 600 in the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1.

The index robot 602 transfers the substrate W from the carrier C in the loading port 601 to the substrate loading part 604. The center robot 603 transfers the substrate W from the substrate loading part 604 to a processing unit 600. The processing unit 600 processes the substrate W. The center robot 603 transfers the substrate W from the processing unit 600 to the substrate loading part 604. The index robot 602 transfers the substrate W from the substrate loading part 604 to the carrier C in the loading port 601.

As the substrate processing in the processing unit 600, first, a chemical solution is supplied to the upper surface of the substrate W and a predetermined chemical solution treatment is performed (step ST01 in FIG. 4 ). Then, pure water (i.e., DIW (deionized water)) is supplied to the upper surface of the substrate W for rinsing treatment (step ST02 in FIG. 4 ). Furthermore, the substrate W is rotated at a high speed to spin off the pure water, thereby drying the substrate W (step ST03 in FIG. 4 ).

In the liquid treatment in the substrate treatment described above, a predetermined processing liquid is sprayed from the processing liquid nozzle 20 onto the upper surface of the substrate W being held and rotated by the rotating chuck 10. The type, spraying amount, concentration, temperature or spraying timing of the processing liquid sprayed from the processing liquid nozzle 20 is controlled by the control unit 90 based on the processing recipe recorded in the recording device 94 or the like.

[Regarding the structure of the molded product] Next, the structure of the molded product which is at least a part of the components of the substrate processing device 1 described above will be described.

The molded product used in the substrate processing device 1 of the present embodiment is a fluororesin composed of a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene (C ₂ F ₄ ) and ethylene (C ₂ H ₄ ), namely ETFE (ethylene-tetrafluorethylene; ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer) resin. ETFE is a thermoplastic resin similar to parfluoroalkane (i.e. PFA (tetrafluoroethylene-par fluoro alkyl vinyl ether copolymer; tetrafluoroethylene copolymer)). In addition, ETFE has chemical resistance, insulation and abrasion resistance. In addition, since ETFE can be formed not only by cutting but also by forming, it is also easy to suppress the manufacturing cost.

Although the molded product described above can be applied to all components of the substrate processing device 1, since it is a component with high wear resistance, it is particularly expected to be applied to telescopic hose (bellows) components, diaphragms and valve seats of valve components, clamp pins used for holding substrates, etc., which can repeatedly deform or approach and leave such components.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a structure of the processing cup 12 in the processing unit 600 shown in FIG. 3 .

The shaft 12B for handling the cup 12 comprises: a connecting portion 85 connected to the side end of the protective cover 12A; a lifting head 82 capable of moving up and down together with the protective cover 12A via the connecting portion 85; and a telescopic hose 84, which is arranged to cover the lifting head 82 and can be extended in the Z-axis direction.

The driving part 12C of the processing cup 12 includes: a driving source 81 including a horizontally extending rotating shaft 81A; and a transmission mechanism 83, which transmits the rotation of the rotating shaft 81A to the lifting head 82, thereby moving the lifting head 82 up and down. The driving source 81 is, for example, a motor, etc., for rotating the rotating shaft 81A.

The transmission mechanism 83 includes: a plurality of gear racks 83A formed on the lifting head 82; and a plurality of pinion gears 83B that transmit the rotation of the rotating shaft 81A and mesh with the gear racks 83A.

When the driving motor of the driving source 81 rotates the rotating shaft 81A, the pinion 83B at the front end of the rotating shaft 81A rotates. The rotation of the pinion 83B is transmitted to the lifting head 82 via the gear 83A and converted into a linear motion in the Z-axis direction of the lifting head 82. As a result, the lifting head 82 moves up and down. Then, the protective cover 12A rises and falls in response to the up and down motion of the lifting head 82.

Here, the expansion hose 84 can be the molded product described above, that is, a molded product formed of a fluororesin composed of ETFE. By using the molded product described above with high wear resistance for the expansion hose 84, it is possible to significantly suppress the generation of particles due to wear of the expansion hose 84. In addition, since the wear resistance of the expansion hose 84 is improved, it is possible to suppress the expansion hose 84 from deteriorating over time, thereby extending the replacement cycle of the expansion hose 84.

In addition, the shaft 22B of the nozzle arm 22 shown in Fig. 3 can apply the same lifting head and telescopic hose as the shaft 12B described above. In this case, the telescopic hose can also adopt the molded product described above, that is, the molded product formed by the fluororesin composed of ETFE.

However, since the nozzle arm 22 is arranged so that the arm portion 22A can swing around the shaft 22B as the center, the telescopic hose will not only produce telescopic deformation in the Z-axis direction, but also produce torsional deformation accompanied by rotation in the XY plane. In this case, for example, only the end of the telescopic hose where stress is easily concentrated (i.e., the area 222 shown in FIG. 3) is made of a fluororesin composed of ETFE irradiated with electron rays, thereby suppressing the irradiation amount of electron rays and effectively improving the wear resistance of the molded product.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of the diaphragm valve 124 in the processing unit 600 shown in FIG. 3 .

The diaphragm valve 124 includes: a body 24 forming a flow path 23 from an inlet 121 to an outlet 122; a diaphragm 25 serving as a valve body for opening and closing the flow path 23; a piston rod 26 for driving the diaphragm 25; and a cylinder 27 for accommodating the piston rod 26 inside.

The main body 24 is made of fluororesin (PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) or PFA) and has an inflow path 28 formed therein that communicates with the inflow port 121. The processing liquid supplied to the processing liquid nozzle 20 flows into the inflow path 28 through the inflow port 121. The inflow path 28 is bent at a substantially right angle toward the diaphragm 25 on the way.

In addition, an outflow path 29 connected to the outflow port 122 is formed inside the body 24. The outflow path 29 and the inflow path 28 constitute the flow path 23. The outflow path 29 has an inlet end opposite to the diaphragm 25, and is bent at a right angle toward the outflow port 122 at a predetermined distance downstream from the inlet end. The processing liquid is supplied from the outflow path 29 through the outflow port 122 to the processing liquid nozzle 20.

A valve seat 30 is formed at the inlet end of the outflow path 29 , and the valve seat 30 is used to seat the diaphragm 25 . Therefore, the outflow path 29 is connected to the inflow path 28 via the valve seat 30 .

The valve seat 30 is tubular (specifically, cylindrical), and an annular sealing member 120 is disposed at the front end (i.e., the end facing the diaphragm 25). The sealing member 120 is, for example, an O-ring having a circular cross-sectional shape, and the front end edge of the annular shape is protruded to the diaphragm 25 side beyond the front end surface (the surface facing the diaphragm 25) of the valve seat 30, and forms a seat surface for the diaphragm 25 to seat.

A space 31 is formed in the end of the cylinder 27 facing the main body 24 , and the space 31 is used to allow the diaphragm 25 to move. Furthermore, the piston rod 26 is inserted into a guide hole 32 connected to the space 31 .

A piston 33 is installed in the piston rod 26 at a position arranged in the inner space of the cylinder 27. A port 35 facing the outer surface of the body 24 is formed in the space 34 on the side of the body 24 from the piston 33. The gas supply pipe 14 is connected to the port 35, and gas (compressed air for operation) is supplied from the gas supply pipe 14 to the space 34.

A cover 36 is installed on the side of the cylinder 27 opposite to the main body 24, and the piston rod 26 is slidably inserted into a cylindrical sleeve 37 formed on the inner surface of the cover 36. A compression coil spring 38 is arranged around the sleeve 37 so as to surround the sleeve 37. The compression coil spring 38 urges the diaphragm 25 toward the main body 24. The space 39 containing the compression coil spring 38 is connected to the atmosphere through a port 40.

The diaphragm 25 has a sealing surface 25A, and the sealing surface 25A is opposite to the front end surface of the valve seat 30. The central portion 41 of the diaphragm 25 is formed to be thick. At the central portion 41, a fitting recess 42 is formed on the surface opposite to the sealing surface 25A in the central portion 41, and the fitting recess 42 is fitted into the fixing protrusion 26A provided at the front end of the piston rod 26. The central portion 41 is fitted into the fixing protrusion 26A through the fitting recess 42, and the central portion 41 is fixed to the piston rod 26. The peripheral portion 43 of the diaphragm 25 is fixed to the main body 24. Therefore, the diaphragm 25 is deformed as the piston rod 26 moves.

When the gas from the gas supply pipe 14 is supplied to the space 34 through the port 35, the pressure in the space 34 is increased. Then, the piston rod 26 resists the elastic force of the compression coil spring 38 and moves to the cover portion 36 side (the positive direction of the Z axis in Figure 6). Along with the piston rod 26, the central portion 41 of the diaphragm 25 leaves the valve seat 30 and moves to the cover portion 36 side, whereby the diaphragm 25 is deformed. In this way, a gap S is formed between the diaphragm 25 and the valve seat 30 (and the sealing member 120), and the flow path 23 becomes open. Therefore, the processing liquid in the inflow path 28 flows into the outflow path 29 through the gap S.

On the other hand, when the air in the space 34 is discharged to the atmosphere through the port 35, the pressure in the space 34 becomes the atmospheric pressure. Then, the piston rod 26 moves to the side of the body 24 (the negative direction of the Z axis in FIG. 6 ) by the elastic force of the compression coil spring 38, and the diaphragm 25 also returns to its original shape along with the piston rod 26. The sealing member 120 is sandwiched between the diaphragm 25 and the valve seat 30 in a close state, and the flow path 23 becomes closed. Therefore, the processing liquid in the inflow path 28 will not flow into the outflow path 29.

Here, the diaphragm 25 can adopt the molded product described above, that is, a molded product formed of a fluororesin composed of ETFE. By adopting a diaphragm 25 with high wear resistance, the particles generated by the wear of the diaphragm 25 can be greatly suppressed. Therefore, the mixing of particles into the processing liquid can be suppressed. In addition, in order to suppress the mixing of particles into the processing liquid, the cleanliness of the processing liquid is improved, and as a result, the process time for removing impurities from the processing liquid before the substrate processing can be shortened. Therefore, the substrate processing device can be quickly started. In addition, since the wear resistance of the diaphragm 25 is improved, the deterioration of the diaphragm 25 over time can be suppressed, thereby extending the replacement cycle of the diaphragm 25.

[Manufacturing method for molded products] Next, the manufacturing method for molded products of this embodiment will be described.

First, a layer of uncrosslinked fluorine resin (ETFE) is formed on the substrate. In order to form the fluorine resin layer on the substrate, a fluorine resin dispersion is usually applied to the substrate by dipping, spin coating or spray coating and then dried.

In addition, a fluororesin layer can be formed on a substrate by applying a powder coating of fluororesin (ETFE) to the substrate. Examples of the coating method of the powder coating include electrostatic coating or flow dipping. From the perspective of easily forming a uniform and thin coating film, a coating method using a fluororesin dispersion is preferred.

Next, the fluororesin layer described above, whose temperature has been adjusted to a temperature suitable for irradiation, is irradiated with radiation (electron irradiation) at a dose of, for example, 50 kGy to 250 kGy in an atmosphere with an oxygen concentration of 1000 ppm or less, thereby crosslinking the uncrosslinked fluororesin.

As radiation, particle beams such as α-rays (particle beams of helium-4 nuclei released from radioactive nuclides used to undergo α decay), β-rays (negative electrons and positive electrons released from atomic nuclei), electron rays (electron beams generated by accelerating thermal electrons in a vacuum and having a substantially constant kinetic energy), or ionizing radiation such as γ-rays (short-wavelength electromagnetic waves released or absorbed by transitions between energy levels of atomic nuclei or elementary particles or by annihilation and creation of elementary particles), can be used. However, from the perspective of crosslinking efficiency or operability, electron rays and γ-rays are preferred, and electron rays are used in this embodiment.

The radiation dose is, for example, 50 kGy to 250 kGy, but from the viewpoint of wear resistance, it is preferably, for example, 55 kGy to 230 kGy, and more preferably 60 kGy to 200 kGy.

It is important to set the atmosphere of the radiation irradiation area to an oxygen concentration of 1000 ppm or less in order to allow the crosslinking reaction to proceed. The oxygen concentration in the atmosphere of the irradiation area is preferably 800 ppm or less, more preferably 500 ppm or less, and even more preferably 300 ppm or less. The lower limit of the oxygen concentration is usually 0.1 ppm, and is often around 1 ppm.

By irradiation with electron beams as described above, the C—H bonds in ETFE are cut off, thereby generating carbon radicals (alkyl carbon radicals, polyenyl carbon radicals). Then, CC bonds are generated between adjacent carbon radicals to form crosslinks. The crosslinked structure in ETFE improves the wear resistance of ETFE. For example, the critical PV value of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is about 10MPa.m/min, the critical PV value of uncrosslinked ETFE is about 100MPa.m/min, and the critical PV value of ETFE after irradiation with electron beams is about 1200MPa.m/min.

Here, the electron ray irradiation described above may be performed only on a portion of the molded product. For example, only the region 222 of the telescopic hose member used in the shaft 22B shown in FIG. 3 may be irradiated with electron rays. In addition, the portion selectively irradiated with electron rays is not limited to the end of the molded product such as the region 222, but may be other portions.

[Fading of molded products] ETFE becomes a cross-linked structure by electron ray irradiation as described above, and its wear resistance is improved. On the other hand, ETFE changes color from white to brown by electron ray irradiation as described above.

The color change to brown is believed to be caused by residual free radicals. Furthermore, the fading is believed to be caused by the removal of residual free radicals inside by osmosis.

When the ETFE whose color has been changed in this way is immersed in a predetermined liquid, the color of the ETFE can be faded and restored to the color (white) before irradiation with electron rays.

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a molded product immersed in a predetermined chemical solution. As shown in the example of Fig. 7, a molded product 56 made of ETFE and irradiated with the electron beam described above is immersed in a predetermined chemical solution 54 stored in a container 52.

The chemical solution 54 is an acidic chemical solution containing hydrogen peroxide, such as a mixed solution of hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide or a mixed solution of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide. In the case of a mixed solution of hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide, for example, the ratio of 36wt% hydrochloric acid to 30wt% hydrogen peroxide to pure water is 1:1:4, and the temperature is 70°C. In addition, in the case of a mixed solution of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide, for example, the ratio of 96wt% hydrochloric acid to 30wt% hydrogen peroxide is 2:1, and the temperature is 80°C. In addition, the immersion time is, for example, about several weeks (four weeks, etc.).

In addition, the method for applying the chemical liquid 54 to the molded product 56 is not limited to the above-described immersion, and for example, the chemical liquid 54 may be applied to the molded product 56 in the form of droplets, or the chemical liquid 54 may be sprayed onto the finished product 56 in the form of a spray. In addition, the liquid applied to the molded product 56 is the chemical liquid 54, but pure water (DIW) may be used instead of the chemical liquid 54. In the case of applying pure water (DIW) to the molded product 56, the color generated by irradiation with electron rays can be faded. In particular, as long as the pure water (DIW) is heated, it is possible to fade with a higher probability than pure water (DIW) that has not been heated.

When the color of a molded product made of ETFE changes to brown, etc., there is a possibility of false recognition that the molded product is contaminated during substrate processing. Therefore, fading the molded product made of ETFE and restoring it to the color before electron ray irradiation as described above has the effect of suppressing such false recognition. As a result, since the interruption of substrate processing due to such false recognition can be reduced, the throughput of substrate processing can be improved.

[Effects produced by the above-described implementations] Next, examples of effects produced by the above-described implementations are shown. In addition, in the following description, although the effects are described based on the specific configurations shown in the above-described implementation examples, they can also be replaced with other specific configurations shown in the examples of the present invention within the scope of producing the same effects. That is, although in the following, for the sake of convenience of description, there will be a situation where only one of the corresponding specific configurations is described as a representative, the specific configuration described as a representative can also be replaced with other corresponding specific configurations.

According to the above-described embodiment, the molding method includes the step of irradiating the molded product 56 composed of a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene with electron rays.

According to this structure, since a molded product 56 with high wear resistance can be obtained, the particles generated by the wear of the molded product 56 can be greatly suppressed. Therefore, in the substrate processing device 1 using the molded product 56 as a component, the particles can be suppressed from mixing into the processing liquid used to process the substrate W. In addition, since the molded product 56 composed of a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene can be formed not only by cutting but also by forming, the degree of freedom of forming is high. In addition, the molded product 56 can be obtained at a lower cost than PFA, PTEF, etc. In addition, in order to suppress the mixing of particles into the processing liquid, the cleanliness of the processing liquid is improved, and as a result, the process time for removing impurities in the processing liquid before substrate processing can be shortened. Therefore, the substrate processing device 1 can be started quickly. Furthermore, since the wear resistance of the molded product 56 is improved, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the molded product 56 over time, thereby extending the replacement cycle of the molded product 56.

Furthermore, in the case where other structures shown in the examples in the description of the present invention are appropriately added to the above-mentioned structures, that is, in the case where other structures in the description of the present invention that are not mentioned in the above-mentioned structures are appropriately added, the same effects can be produced.

Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, the process of irradiating the molded product 56 with electron rays is a process of irradiating only a portion of the molded product 56 with electron rays. According to this configuration, the irradiation area of the electron rays is selected according to the degree of change of the molded product 56, thereby suppressing the irradiation amount of the electron rays and effectively improving the wear resistance of the molded product 56.

Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, the process of irradiating the molded product 56 with electron rays is a process of irradiating only the end of the molded product 56 with electron rays. According to this configuration, when the molded product 56 is deformed not only in a linear manner but also in a torsion manner, the end of the molded product 56 where the degree of deformation is likely to increase (i.e., stress is likely to be concentrated) is selectively irradiated with electron rays, thereby suppressing the irradiation amount of electron rays and efficiently improving the wear resistance of the molded product 56.

In addition, according to the above-described embodiment, the molding method includes the following step: after irradiating electron rays, an acidic liquid containing hydrogen peroxide is applied to the molded product 56. According to this structure, the color generated by irradiating electron rays can be faded. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the erroneous recognition that the molded product 56, which has changed color to brown, is contaminated (metal contamination or organic contamination, etc.) during substrate processing. Therefore, the interruption of substrate processing due to such erroneous recognition can be reduced, so that the processing volume of substrate processing can be improved.

Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, the step of applying the chemical solution to the molded product 56 is a step of applying a chemical solution of a mixed solution of hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide or a mixed solution of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide to the molded product 56. According to this configuration, the color generated by irradiation with electron rays can be faded with a high probability.

According to the above-described embodiment, the molded product is a molded product 56 used in the substrate processing apparatus 1, which is made of a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene and has a brown color.

According to this structure, since a molded product 56 with high wear resistance can be obtained, particles generated by wear of the molded product 56 can be greatly suppressed.

Furthermore, in the case where other structures shown in the examples in the description of the present invention are appropriately added to the above-mentioned structures, that is, in the case where other structures in the description of the present invention that are not mentioned in the above-mentioned structures are appropriately added, the same effects can be produced.

[Variations of the above-described implementations] Although the above-described implementations may include descriptions of the materials, dimensions, shapes, relative configuration relationships, or implementation conditions of each component, all of these implementations are merely examples and are not intended to be limiting.

Therefore, numerous variations and equivalents not shown in the examples are contemplated within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention specification, including, for example, the following: the case where at least one constituent element is changed; the case where at least one constituent element is added or omitted.

In addition, in the above-described embodiments, in the case where the material name is not particularly specified, the case where the material contains other additives is also included unless there is a contradiction, for example, the material contains an alloy.

1: Substrate processing device 10: Rotating fixture 10A: Rotating base 10C, 81A: Rotating shaft 10D: Rotating motor 12: Processing cup 12A, 12D: Protective cover 12B, 22B: Shaft 12C, 22C: Drive unit 14: Gas supply piping 20: Processing liquid nozzle 22: Nozzle arm 22A: Arm 23: Flow path 24: Body 25: Diaphragm 25A: Sealing surface 26: Piston rod 26A: Fixing protrusion 27: Cylinder 28: Inflow path 29: Outflow path 30: Valve seat 31, 34, 39: Space 32: Guide hole 33: Piston 35,40: Port 36: Cover 37: Sleeve 38: Compression coil spring 41: Central part 42: Fitting recess 43: Peripheral part 52: Container 54: Chemical solution 56: Molded product 81: Drive source 82: Lifting head 83: Transmission mechanism 83A: Gear 83B: Pinion 84: Retractable hose 85: Connecting part 90: Control part 91: CPU 92: ROM 93: RAM 94: Recording device 94P: Processing program 95: Bus cable 96: Input part 97: Display part 98: Communication unit 120: Sealing member 121: Inlet 122: Outlet 124: Diaphragm valve 180: Chamber 222: Area 600: Processing unit 601: Loading port 602: Index robot 603: Center robot 604: Substrate loading unit C: Carrier S: Gap W: Substrate Z1: Rotation axis

[FIG. 1] is a top view schematically showing an example of the structure of a substrate processing device of an embodiment. [FIG. 2] is a diagram showing an example of the structure of a control unit of the example shown in FIG. 1. [FIG. 3] is a diagram showing an example of the structure of a processing unit. [FIG. 4] is a flow chart showing the operation of the processing unit in the operation of the substrate processing device. [FIG. 5] is a diagram showing an example of the structure of a processing cup in the processing unit shown in FIG. 3. [FIG. 6] is a diagram showing an example of the structure of a diaphragm valve in the processing unit shown in FIG. 3. [FIG. 7] is a diagram showing an example of a molded product in a state of being immersed in a predetermined chemical solution.

10: Self-rotating clamp

10A: Rotating base

10C: Rotation axis

10D: Rotating motor

12: Processing the cup

12A,12D: Protective cover

12B, 22B: shaft

12C, 22C: Drive unit

20: Treatment fluid nozzle

22: Nozzle arm

22A: Arm

90: Control Department

124:Diaphragm valve

222: Area

600: Processing unit

W: Substrate

Z1: Rotation axis

Claims (5)

A molding method is a molding method used for molding a molded product of a substrate processing device, and has the following steps: irradiating the molded product composed of a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene with electron rays; and after irradiating the electron rays, applying an acidic chemical solution containing hydrogen peroxide to the molded product. The forming method described in claim 1, wherein the step of irradiating the aforementioned formed product with the aforementioned electron ray is a step of irradiating only a portion of the aforementioned formed product with the aforementioned electron ray. The forming method described in claim 2, wherein the step of irradiating the aforementioned formed product with the aforementioned electron ray is a step of irradiating only the end of the aforementioned formed product with the aforementioned electron ray. The molding method described in claim 1, wherein the step for applying the aforementioned chemical solution to the aforementioned molded product is the following step: applying the aforementioned chemical solution, which is a mixed solution of hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide or a mixed solution of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide, to the aforementioned molded product. A molded product used in a substrate processing device, which is composed of a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene, and is irradiated with electron rays and then given an acidic solution containing hydrogen peroxide.

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