JP2000254598A - Substrate cleaning apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rational substrate cleaning apparatus which can reduce the space occupied by the apparatus and is applicable to a production line and others. SOLUTION: An apparatus has supports 14a for supporting a substrate W to be cleaned from the lower side by each tip, a cleaning nozzle which moves along the bottom surface of the substrate W and supplies a cleaning liquid to the bottom surface, and an apparatus which drives the supports 14a vertically and is interlocked with the movement of the cleaning nozzle to prevent the interference between the supports 14a in front of the moving direction of the nozzle and the moving nozzle.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a substrate cleaning apparatus, and more particularly to a substrate cleaning apparatus suitable for cleaning a semiconductor substrate or a glass substrate used as a substrate for various electronic devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the field of electronic devices such as semiconductor devices and liquid crystal display panels, a process of cleaning a semiconductor substrate or a glass substrate, which is a substrate to be processed, is essential during the manufacturing process. In that case, particles in the atmosphere in the clean room,
There are various substances such as organic substances such as photoresist pieces, and a cleaning solution and a cleaning method most suitable for each object to be removed have been conventionally studied. For example, running water cleaning is generally used, and other cleaning methods include physical cleaning such as ultrasonic cleaning and the like, and optical cleaning in which an object to be removed made of an organic substance or the like is decomposed by ultraviolet irradiation.

As a conventional substrate cleaning apparatus for cleaning a substrate to be processed with running water, a substrate cleaning section provided with a cleaning liquid supply nozzle for supplying a cleaning liquid to the surface of the substrate to be processed, and a substrate cleaning section for cleaning the substrate. A drying unit that dries a substrate to be processed and a roller that sequentially transports the substrate to be processed is provided in the substrate cleaning unit and the drying unit are used. In order to wash a substrate to be processed with running water using a substrate cleaning apparatus having such a configuration, the apparatus is installed on a production line, the substrate to be processed is transported to the substrate cleaning section by rollers, and the substrate to be processed is further rotated by rollers. Cleaning the surface of the substrate with the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid supply nozzle while transporting,
Thereafter, the substrate to be processed further washed with a roller was transported to the drying section and dried.

[0004]

However, in the conventional substrate cleaning apparatus having the above structure, the substrate to be processed is cleaned while being transported by rollers. Is as long as 8-10m,
The space occupied by the equipment in the clean room increases,
In addition, since the transfer distance of the substrate to be processed in the cleaning process is also long, a large amount of equipment cost is spent only in the cleaning process, which is extremely irrational. In the field of semiconductor devices, liquid crystal display panels, etc., in recent years, substrates have become larger and larger. However, if a large-size substrate cleaning apparatus is used, the space occupied by the apparatus becomes large. Points become more pronounced.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and can reduce the space occupied by the device.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a reasonable substrate cleaning apparatus for use in a production line or the like.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a substrate cleaning apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a plurality of supports for supporting a substrate to be cleaned from below at each end,
A cleaning nozzle that moves along the bottom surface of the substrate to be cleaned and supplies a cleaning liquid to the bottom surface of the substrate to be cleaned; and a cleaning nozzle that moves the support in the moving direction of the nozzle for cleaning. A lifting / lowering drive device for a support that moves up and down in conjunction with the movement of the cleaning nozzle so as not to interfere with the nozzle.

That is, in the substrate cleaning apparatus of the present invention, each of the plurality of supports can be supported from below the substrate to be processed, and the cleaning nozzle supplies the cleaning liquid to the bottom surface of the substrate. The (bottom cleaning nozzle) can move along the bottom surface of the substrate to be processed, and the lifting / lowering driving device of the support does not interfere with the cleaning nozzle in which the support moves forward in the moving direction of the cleaning nozzle. As described above, the cleaning nozzle can be moved up and down in conjunction with the movement of the cleaning nozzle. Therefore, when the substrate to be processed is supported from the lower side of each of the tips of the plurality of supports and the cleaning nozzle is moved along the bottom surface of the substrate to be processed, the cleaning nozzle moves forward in the moving direction of the cleaning nozzle. Since the support lowers, it does not interfere with the moving cleaning nozzle, and the lowered support rises after passing through the cleaning nozzle, and can support the substrate to be processed again at its tip.

In the substrate cleaning apparatus of the present invention, unlike the conventional substrate cleaning apparatus in which the substrate to be processed is cleaned while being transported by rollers, the cleaning nozzle is moved along the bottom surface of the substrate to be processed. The bottom surface of the substrate to be processed can be cleaned without moving the substrate to be processed. Therefore, according to the substrate cleaning apparatus of the present invention, the space occupied by the apparatus can be reduced by shortening the length of the substrate cleaning apparatus in the production line, and the transport distance of the substrate to be processed in the cleaning process can be significantly shortened. Since the moving range of the cleaning nozzle can be as large as the size of the surface of the substrate to be processed, the cleaning apparatus can be a reasonable apparatus without consuming a large amount of equipment cost and occupying space.

Further, it is preferable to adopt the following as a configuration of the above-mentioned cleaning nozzle. First, the cleaning nozzle is provided with an introduction passage for introducing the cleaning liquid on one side and a discharge passage for discharging the cleaning liquid after cleaning on the other side, and the cleaning nozzle is provided between the introduction passage and the discharge passage. It is preferable that a guide member is provided for guiding the cleaning liquid introduced from the introduction passage to the substrate to be processed and cleaning the substrate to be processed. As the cleaning nozzle having such a configuration, it is preferable to use a nozzle (fluid-saving type nozzle) used in a cleaning apparatus for which the present applicant has already applied. In conventional cleaning using a general cleaning nozzle, after the cleaning liquid is supplied to the substrate surface, the cleaning liquid peels off the object to be removed from the substrate surface, and the cleaning liquid containing the object flows on the substrate,
Take the process. At this time, since the object to be removed re-adheres to the substrate surface, the conventional nozzle has a limit in the removal rate of the object to be removed. Therefore, in the case of the nozzle of the cleaning device proposed by the present applicant, when the cleaning liquid is supplied to the substrate surface from the introduction passage, the object to be removed is removed from the discharge passage without bringing the cleaning liquid into contact with the substrate surface other than the portion to which the cleaning liquid is supplied. The cleaning liquid contained therein is discharged to the outside. With this configuration,
The cleanliness of the substrate after cleaning was significantly improved as compared with a conventional cleaning apparatus using a general cleaning nozzle.

Further, a conventional general cleaning apparatus requires a large amount of cleaning liquid to increase the cleanliness. However, the cleaning apparatus proposed by the present applicant can obtain sufficient cleanliness by the above-described operation, and can provide a guide member. By controlling the suction force from the discharge port with respect to the pressure of the cleaning liquid at the nozzle opening provided in the nozzle, the cleaning liquid can be discharged without leaking to the outside of the nozzle. As a result, the usage amount of the cleaning liquid can be greatly reduced, and in that sense, it can be called a “fluid saving type nozzle”.

Second, it is desirable that the cleaning nozzle has an ultrasonic wave applying means for applying ultrasonic vibration to the substrate to be cleaned. With this configuration, while the target substrate is being cleaned with the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning nozzle, ultrasonic waves are applied to the cleaning liquid and the target substrate,
As compared with the case where no ultrasonic wave is applied, the removal efficiency of the object to be removed attached to the substrate to be processed is better, and the degree of cleaning of the substrate after cleaning can be improved. Third, it is desirable that a plurality of the cleaning nozzles be provided. With this configuration, each of the plurality of cleaning nozzles cleans the substrate to be cleaned by a plurality of different cleaning methods, so that one cleaning apparatus can perform various cleanings, and various kinds of removal such as particles and organic substances can be performed. Even if there are objects, they can be reliably removed by washing. Fourth, it is preferable that the cleaning nozzle is provided with a plurality of the introduction passages and the plurality of discharge passages. With this configuration, the substrate to be processed can be cleaned by one cleaning nozzle using a plurality of different cleaning methods, and the number of cleaning nozzles provided in the cleaning unit can be reduced. As a result,
The storage space of the cleaning nozzle can be reduced, and the space occupied by the apparatus can be reduced.

Further, the following configuration may be adopted as the configuration of the driving device. First, the driving device outputs a driving signal for lowering the support located forward in the moving direction of the cleaning nozzle based on a multiplication value of the moving speed of the cleaning nozzle and a predetermined moving time. Control means for outputting a drive signal for raising the support after the washing nozzle has passed above the lowered support; and lowering the support when the descent drive signal is input from the control means. And a support driving means for raising the support after the cleaning nozzle has passed above the lowered support by the input raising drive signal.

Secondly, when the cleaning nozzle reaches a predetermined position during the movement of the cleaning nozzle, the driving device outputs a driving signal for lowering the support in front of the cleaning nozzle in the moving direction. A drive signal generating means for outputting a drive signal for raising the support after the cleaning nozzle has passed above the lowered support; and a drive signal generating means for inputting a lower drive signal from the drive signal generator. A support driving means for lowering the support, and then raising the support after the cleaning nozzle has passed above the lowered support by the input raising drive signal; Is also good. Third, the driving device:
A support holding member for urging each of the supports upward, a pressure receiving member provided on the support, and a cleaning nozzle provided on the cleaning nozzle and extending forward in the moving direction of the cleaning nozzle; And a push-down body that pushes down the front support while resisting the urging force of the support holding member while abutting on the pressure receiving body of the support in the front in the movement direction according to the movement of the nozzle. Is also good.

The following components may be provided as other components of the substrate cleaning apparatus. First, at least one cleaning nozzle (upper surface cleaning nozzle) that moves along the upper surface of the substrate to be cleaned and supplies a cleaning liquid to the upper surface of the substrate to be cleaned may be provided. When the nozzle for cleaning the top surface is provided in addition to the nozzle for cleaning the bottom surface as described above, both surfaces of the substrate to be processed can be cleaned at one time. Further, the cleaning efficiency of the substrate to be processed is improved, and the time required for the cleaning step can be reduced.

Second, cleaning liquid producing means for producing a cleaning liquid in which hydrogen gas or ozone gas is dissolved in pure water, and cleaning liquid supply means for supplying the cleaning liquid to the cleaning nozzle may be provided. When such a means is provided, efficient cleaning can be performed using a cleaning liquid called so-called hydrogen water in which hydrogen gas is dissolved in pure water or so-called ozone water in which ozone gas is dissolved in pure water. it can. Third
Cleaning liquid collecting means for collecting the used cleaning liquid after cleaning the substrate to be cleaned, cleaning liquid regenerating means for regenerating the cleaning liquid collected through the cleaning liquid collecting means, and cleaning liquid regenerated by the cleaning liquid regenerating means. A regenerating cleaning liquid supply unit that supplies the cleaning liquid to the cleaning nozzle may be provided. In that case,
The used cleaning liquid can be collected, regenerated and reused, so that the amount of the cleaning liquid used can be reduced. Examples of the means for regenerating the cleaning liquid include a filter for filtering particles and foreign substances contained in the cleaning liquid, and a deaerator for removing gas in the cleaning liquid.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [First Embodiment] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a view showing the overall configuration of a substrate cleaning apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, which is used for single-wafer cleaning of a large glass substrate (hereinafter, simply referred to as a substrate) having a size of several hundred mm square. Device. In the figure, reference numeral 2 denotes a cleaning unit, 3 denotes a substrate holding unit, 4, 5, 6, and 7 denote cleaning nozzles, 8 denotes a substrate transfer robot, 9 denotes a loader cassette, 10 denotes an unloader cassette, and 11 denotes hydrogen water / ozone water generation. A cleaning liquid regenerating unit (cleaning liquid regenerating means); and W a substrate.

As shown in FIG. 1, a cleaning section 2 is provided at the center of the upper surface of the apparatus, and a substrate holding section 3 for holding a substrate W is provided. As shown in FIG. 2, the substrate holding section 3 includes a first substrate holder 13 and a second substrate holder 14 provided below the first substrate holder 14.
The first substrate holder 13 is provided mainly for holding the substrate W during spin drying, and has a plurality of support pins 13a provided on the upper surface as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and will be described later. When the plurality of support pins (supports) 14 a provided on the second substrate holder 14 are lowered from the first substrate holder 13, the substrate W is moved from the lower side by the tip of each of the plurality of support pins 13 a. I can support it.

As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of substrate fixing pins 13b are provided at the end of the upper surface of the first substrate holder 13, so that the first substrate When the holder 13 rotates, the plurality of support pins 13a
The substrates W supported at the respective ends are supported from the side by the plurality of substrate fixing pins 13b, and are prevented from jumping out of the first substrate holder 13. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a plurality of pin insertion holes 13 c and a plurality of pin insertion notches 13 d in the first substrate holder 13 correspond to a plurality of support pins 14 a of a second substrate holder 14 described later. And each pin insertion hole 13
The corresponding support pin 14a passes through c and each notch 13d. As shown in FIG. 2, a holder rotation shaft 13 e protrudes from the bottom surface of the first substrate holder 13. The holder rotating shaft 13e is fitted in a shaft receiving hole 14d provided in the second substrate holder 14 so as to be rotatable and vertically movable up and down. A shaft drive source such as a motor or a cylinder (not shown) is provided at the lower end of the holder rotation shaft 13e. By operation of this shaft drive source, the shaft 13e rotates and the first substrate holder 13 rotates. Therefore, the substrate W placed on the first substrate holder 13 also rotates with the rotation of the holder 13, so that moisture and the like remaining on the substrate W can be skipped and the substrate W can be spin-dried without moving. it can.

The second substrate holder 14 holds the substrate W during cleaning.
2 and 4, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the width direction (lateral direction) of the holder 14, that is, the longitudinal direction of the cleaning nozzle described later (the direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the cleaning nozzle). ) Are provided in a plurality of rows in the vertical direction of the holder 14, that is, the moving direction of a cleaning nozzle described later. Further, since the support pins (supports) 14a made of synthetic resin or the like are passed through the respective pin insertion holes 14c, the width direction (lateral direction) of the holder 14, that is, the longitudinal direction of the cleaning nozzle described later (the cleaning nozzle). A plurality of support pins 14a arranged in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the nozzle 14 are provided in a plurality of rows in the longitudinal direction of the holder 14, that is, in the direction of movement of a cleaning nozzle described later. The tip of each of the plurality of support pins 14a passes between the first substrate holder 13 and the substrate W through the pin insertion hole 14c and the corresponding pin insertion hole 13c or the pin insertion notch 13d. It protrudes into the space between them, and can support the substrate W from below at each end. The tip of each support pin 14a has a tapered shape that makes point contact with the substrate W, and particles adhere to the substrate W extremely little.

The lower end of each support pin 14a is connected to a support pin drive solenoid (support drive means) of a support pin elevation drive (not shown) (support elevation drive). As shown in FIG. 4, a holder support plate 14f is provided at each corner of the second substrate holder 14. The holder support plate 14f is provided with a drive source (not shown) such as a cylinder as a substrate position adjusting mechanism, and by operating the drive source to move the support plate 14f back and forth and left and right, the second substrate holder 14 The horizontal position can be adjusted, and the position of the substrate W supported on the tip of the support pin 14a can be finely adjusted.

As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of rack bases 16 are provided at positions facing each other with the substrate holding portion 3 interposed therebetween, and cleaning nozzles 4, 5, 6, 7 are provided between the rack bases 16.
Has been erected. The cleaning nozzle includes a plurality of (four in the case of the present embodiment) nozzles arranged in parallel, and each of the cleaning nozzles 4, 5, 6, and 7 performs cleaning by a different cleaning method. In the case of the present embodiment, these four nozzles supply ozone to the bottom surface of the substrate W and irradiate ultraviolet rays from an ultraviolet lamp (not shown) to mainly decompose and remove organic substances. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a hydrogen water ultrasonic cleaning nozzle 5 for cleaning by applying ultrasonic vibration by an ultrasonic element (ultrasonic applying means) 25 while supplying hydrogen water to the bottom surface of the substrate W, Ozone water ultrasonic cleaning nozzle 6 for cleaning by applying ultrasonic vibration with an ultrasonic element while supplying ozone water to the bottom surface of substrate W, pure water for supplying pure water to the bottom surface of substrate W for rinsing A rinse nozzle 7. The linear guide on the rack base 16 is maintained between the substrate holding portion 3 and the bottom surface of the substrate W supported by each of the plurality of support pins 14a at the tip of each of the plurality of support pins 14a. 17 can be sequentially moved.

As means for moving the nozzle, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 6, sliders 18 which are horizontally movable along the linear guides 17 on the rack bases 16 are provided, and columns 19 are erected on the upper surfaces of the sliders 18, respectively. The cleaning nozzles 4, 5, 6, 7 are fixed at both ends. A drive source such as a motor 20 is provided on each slider 18, and each slider 18 is configured to run on the rack base 16 by itself. The motors 20 on the sliders 18 are respectively operated by control signals supplied from a control unit (not shown) of the apparatus, so that the cleaning nozzles 4, 5,
6 and 7 are configured to individually move horizontally. Also,
The column 19 is provided with a driving source such as a cylinder (not shown), and the column 19 moves up and down to the height of each of the cleaning nozzles 4, 5, 6, and 7, that is, the height of each of the cleaning nozzles and the substrate W. The interval is adjustable. The moving speed of the cleaning nozzle by such a nozzle moving means is about 1 to 50 mm / sec when the substrate W is 1 m square.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show four cleaning nozzles.
For example, FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a hydrogen water ultrasonic cleaning nozzle 5, but the other nozzles have the same basic shape, and thus will be described using this. The cleaning nozzle 5 has an introduction passage 21 having an introduction port 21a for introducing a cleaning liquid on one side.
And a discharge port 22a for discharging the cleaning liquid after cleaning to the other side.
And a discharge passage 22 having
Member 2 for guiding the cleaning liquid introduced from the introduction passage 21 between the discharge passage 22 and the cleaning passage and cleaning the substrate W
The guide member 23 has an opening 24 that opens toward the substrate W, and is called a push-pull type nozzle (fluid-saving type nozzle). In this case, the opening 24 extends at least as long as the width of the substrate W in a direction intersecting the direction in which the cleaning nozzles 4, 5, 6, and 7 are arranged in parallel (in the case of the present embodiment, one opening For the cleaning nozzle, three sets of the guide member 23 and the opening 24 are provided, and the opening 24 extends to a length longer than the width of the substrate W in combination of the three sets. Also, a pressure control unit (not shown)
However, the pressure (including the surface tension of the cleaning liquid and the surface tension of the surface to be cleaned of the substrate) of the cleaning liquid in contact with the atmosphere of the opening 24 so that the cleaning liquid in contact with the substrate W flows into the discharge passage 22 after the cleaning. The discharge passage 22 should be balanced with the atmospheric pressure.
It is provided on the side.

The pressure control section is constituted by a pressure reducing pump provided on the discharge port 22a side. Therefore, a pressure reducing pump is used for the pressure control unit on the discharge passage 22 side, and the pressure of the cleaning liquid in contact with the atmosphere in the opening 24 (the cleaning liquid (Including the surface tension of the surface to be cleaned of the substrate W) and the atmospheric pressure. That is, the pressure P _{w of the} cleaning liquid in contact with the atmosphere in the opening 24
By substantially equal to the value of (surface tension and including surface tension of the cleaned surface of the substrate W in the cleaning liquid) and the atmospheric pressure P _a, is supplied to the substrate W through the opening 24, the cleaning liquid in contact with the substrate W, It is discharged to the discharge passage 22 without leaking to the outside of the cleaning nozzle. That is, the cleaning liquid supplied onto the substrate W from the cleaning nozzle does not come into contact with a portion other than the portion (opening 24) on which the cleaning liquid is supplied on the substrate W,
The substrate W is removed from above. When supplying the cleaning liquid to the cleaning nozzle 5 configured as described above, the moving direction S of the cleaning nozzle 5 and the flow direction f ₁ of the cleaning liquid in the cleaning nozzle 5 are set.
It is better to supply the cleaning nozzle 5 in the opposite direction.
Than the moving direction S and a direction f ₁ of the flow of the cleaning liquid to the same direction, preferably in that it can improve the cleanliness of the substrate.

The liquid contact surface of the cleaning nozzle may be made of a fluororesin such as PFA, stainless steel whose passive surface is made of only chromium oxide, or a mixture of aluminum oxide and chromium oxide depending on the cleaning liquid used. It is preferable to use stainless steel having a film on the surface and titanium or the like having an electropolished surface for ozone water since impurities are not eluted into the cleaning liquid. If the liquid contact surface is made of quartz, it is preferable to supply all the cleaning liquid except hydrofluoric acid.

Further, an ultrasonic element (ultrasonic wave applying means) 25 is provided below the guide member 23 so as to face the substrate W. The ultrasonic wave is applied to the cleaning liquid and the substrate W while the substrate W is being cleaned. Is provided. The ultrasonic element 25 is capable of outputting ultrasonic waves having a frequency of 19 KHz or more, and particularly preferably has a frequency of 0.2 MHz or more from the viewpoint of the thickness of the cleaning liquid layer that can be held.

In the configuration of the cleaning nozzle according to the present embodiment, the hydrogen water ultrasonic cleaning nozzle 5 and the ozone water ultrasonic cleaning nozzle 6 are as described above, and these are the cleaning liquid used. Is different from hydrogen water and ozone water. In the case of the ultraviolet cleaning nozzle 4, an ultraviolet lamp may be provided in place of the ultrasonic element 25 in FIG. 6 to supply ozone gas into the nozzle. With this configuration, the substrate W is supplied with the ozone gas and is irradiated with the ultraviolet rays at the same time, and particularly the organic substances are decomposed and removed by the action of the generated hydroxyl radical. If it is desired to prevent ozone gas from leaking to the outside, an air curtain mechanism or the like may be provided. Further, regarding the pure water rinsing cleaning nozzle 7, the ultrasonic element 25 in FIG. 6 may be omitted, and pure water may be simply supplied and discharged into the nozzle.

The distance H between the openings 24 of the cleaning nozzles 4, 5, 6, 7 and the substrate W is 8 mm or less and the substrate W
The range that does not make contact with the substrate W is good, and the range is preferably 5 mm or less and does not make contact with the substrate W, and more preferably 3 mm or less and does not make contact with the substrate W. If it exceeds 8 mm, it becomes difficult to fill a desired cleaning liquid between the substrate W and the cleaning nozzle, and cleaning becomes difficult. Therefore, the rack base 16, the slider 18, the support 19
It is necessary that the mechanism for supporting and moving the cleaning nozzle, such as, for example, have a structure capable of always maintaining such an interval between the substrate W and the cleaning nozzle. Therefore, in some cases, a distance sensor or the like for monitoring the distance between the substrate W and the cleaning nozzle may be provided. In the substrate cleaning apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, each of the cleaning nozzles 4, 5, 6, and 7 has a double-supported support structure in which both ends are supported by columns 19, and furthermore, a rack base 16, a slider 18, a motor 20, and the like. The nozzle moving means, which is made of, moves each of the cleaning nozzles horizontally while keeping the distance between the substrate and the substrate constant, so that the entire cleaning surface of the substrate W can be cleaned. Can be adjusted with high accuracy.
In particular, in the present embodiment, a push-pull type cleaning nozzle that requires precise control of the interval H between the opening 24 of the cleaning nozzle and the substrate W on the order of several millimeters and 0.1 mm is used. Therefore, by using the cleaning nozzle as a double-sided support structure, the advantage of the push-pull type nozzle with good cleaning efficiency can be sufficiently exhibited.

The support pin elevating and lowering drive device according to the present embodiment is configured such that when the cleaning nozzles 4, 5, 6, 7 sequentially move along the bottom surface of the substrate W, the cleaning nozzles 4, 5, 6, 7
For moving up and down in conjunction with the movement of the cleaning nozzle so that the plurality of support pins 14a in the forward direction of movement of the cleaning nozzle do not interfere with the moving cleaning nozzle each time the cleaning nozzle moves. It is. The schematic configuration of the support pin elevating drive device according to the first embodiment includes a control unit of a device connected to a drive source such as a motor 20 for moving each slider 18 along the linear base 17 on the rack base 16. It has a sequencer (control means) (not shown) connected thereto and a support pin drive solenoid (support body drive means) connected to the sequencer. The sequencer includes a support pin 14a corresponding to the front of the cleaning nozzle in the moving direction based on a multiplication value of the moving speed of the cleaning nozzle and a predetermined moving time.
A pulse signal (drive signal) for raising the support pin 14a after the cleaning nozzle has passed above the lowered support pin 14a is output. The support pin drive solenoid lowers the support pin 14a when the down pulse signal (down drive signal) is input from the sequencer, and then the cleaning nozzle is lowered by the input up pulse signal (up drive signal). After passing above the support pin 14a, the support pin 14a is raised.

Here, the multiplied value of the moving speed of the cleaning nozzle and the predetermined moving time, that is, the position of the cleaning nozzle is determined, for example, by the slider 18 on which the cleaning nozzle 5 described later is mounted on the linear base on the rack base 16. The slider 18 can be detected from the multiplication value of the moving speed and the moving time when the slider 18 moves horizontally along the line 17. In order to move the plurality of support pins 14a forward in the moving direction of the cleaning nozzle 5 on the basis of the detected value so as not to interfere with the moving cleaning nozzle 5, the lifting and lowering is performed in conjunction with the movement of the cleaning nozzle 5. The position of each row of the plurality of support pins 14a is stored in the sequencer, and the moving speed of the cleaning nozzle detected from the multiplication value of the moving speed and the moving time of the slider 18 to which the cleaning nozzle 5 is attached. And the cleaning nozzle 5 moving from the multiplied value of the predetermined moving time
The distance between the support pins 14a and each row of support pins 14a is set so as to be known.

Further, when the row of the cleaning nozzles 5 that move horizontally at a predetermined speed and the rows of the support pins 14a in the front direction of the movement of the cleaning nozzles 5 are closer than a predetermined distance, the support pins 14a
Between the row of the cleaning nozzles 5 and the row of the support pins 14a (when the row of the support pins 14a is started) at the time of starting to lower the rows, the row of the cleaning nozzles 5 passing over the row of the lowered support pins 14a and the row of the lowered support pins. Cleaning nozzle 5 when the row of rows 14a is separated from the predetermined distance and the support pins 14a are started to be moved up row by row
The distance between the support pins 14a and the row of the support pins 14a (ascending start distance) is set in advance. During the cleaning of the substrate W, the sequencer detects the distance between the cleaning nozzle 5 and each row of the support pins 14a from the multiplication value of the moving speed and the moving time of the slider 18 that moves horizontally. When the distance becomes equal to or less than the descent start distance, the sequencer outputs a descent pulse signal to the support pin drive solenoid to lower the support pins 14a in the front of the cleaning nozzle 5 in the moving direction, row by row. When the distance exceeds the rising start distance, the sequencer outputs a rising pulse signal to the supporting pin driving solenoid, and the lowered supporting pin 14
a can be raised row by row.

As shown in FIG. 1, a hydrogen water / ozone water generating section 11 (cleaning liquid producing means) and a cleaning liquid regenerating section 12 (cleaning liquid regenerating means) are provided beside the cleaning section 2. The hydrogen water / ozone water generation unit 11 includes a hydrogen water generation device 27 and an ozone water generation device 28 used as a cleaning liquid in the present apparatus.
And is incorporated. Any of the cleaning liquids can be generated by dissolving hydrogen gas or ozone gas in pure water. Then, the hydrogen water generated by the hydrogen water generator 27 is supplied to the hydrogen water ultrasonic cleaning nozzle 5 by a liquid feed pump 30 provided in the middle of the hydrogen water supply pipe 29 (cleaning liquid). Supply means). Similarly,
The ozone water generated by the ozone water generator 28 is supplied to the ozone water ultrasonic cleaning nozzle 6 by a liquid feed pump 32 provided in the middle of the ozone water supply pipe 31 (cleaning liquid supply means). ). Ozone gas is supplied to the ultraviolet cleaning nozzle 4 from an arbitrary ozone gas supply source (not shown), and pure water is supplied to the pure water rinse cleaning nozzle 7 from a pure water supply pipe (not shown) in the production line. It is being supplied.

The cleaning liquid regenerating section 12 is provided with filters 33 and 34 for removing particles and foreign substances contained in the used cleaning liquid. A hydrogen water filter 33 for removing particles in hydrogen water and an ozone water filter 34 for removing particles in ozone water are provided in separate systems. That is, the used hydrogen water discharged from the discharge port of the hydrogen water ultrasonic cleaning nozzle 5 is collected in the hydrogen water filter 33 by the liquid feed pump 36 provided in the middle of the hydrogen water recovery pipe 35. (Washing liquid collecting means). Similarly, the used ozone water discharged from the outlet of the ozone water ultrasonic cleaning nozzle 6 is collected in the ozone water filter 34 by the liquid feed pump 38 provided in the middle of the ozone water recovery pipe 37. (Washing liquid collecting means).

Each of the filters 33 and 34 has a structure as shown in FIG. 7, and has a tube 3 having a function of allowing the used washing liquid to flow through the center and allowing the washing liquid to pass through the tube wall.
9, a large number of filter media 40 made of Teflon resin or the like are arranged around the filter 9, and a baffle plate 41 for blocking the flow of the cleaning liquid inside the tube 39 is provided. Therefore, when the used cleaning liquid is introduced from the introduction ports 42 of the filters 33 and 34, the filtration proceeds by the filter medium 40 while the cleaning liquid flows in the direction of arrow F in FIG. When returning, it becomes a clean cleaning liquid from which particles have been removed, and is discharged from the discharge port 43.

Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the hydrogen water after passing through the hydrogen water filter 33 is supplied to the regenerated hydrogen water supply pipe 4.
The hydrogen cleaning liquid is supplied to the hydrogen water ultrasonic cleaning nozzle 5 by a liquid supply pump 45 provided in the middle of the cleaning liquid 4 (regeneration cleaning liquid supply means). Similarly, the ozone water after passing through the ozone water filter 34 is supplied to the ozone water ultrasonic cleaning nozzle 6 by a liquid feed pump 47 provided in the middle of the regenerated ozone water supply pipe 46. (Regeneration cleaning liquid supply means). Further, the hydrogen water supply pipe 29 and the regenerated hydrogen water supply pipe 44 are connected in front of the hydrogen water ultrasonic cleaning nozzle 5, and new hydrogen water is introduced into the hydrogen water ultrasonic cleaning nozzle 5 by the valve 62 or the hydrogen water is supplied or regenerated. It is possible to switch between introducing hydrogen water. Similarly, the ozone water supply pipe 31 and the regenerated ozone water supply pipe 46 are connected before the ozone water ultrasonic cleaning nozzle 6, and new ozone water is introduced into the ozone water ultrasonic cleaning nozzle 6 by the valve 63.
It is possible to switch whether to introduce regenerated ozone water. The hydrogen water and ozone water after passing through each of the filters 33 and 34, although particles are removed,
Since the concentration of the gas content in the liquid has decreased, the gas is returned to the hydrogen water generator 27 or the ozone water generator 28 again through the pipe,
Hydrogen gas or ozone gas may be supplemented.

As shown in FIG. 1, a loader cassette 9 and an unloader cassette 10 are detachably provided on the side of the cleaning unit 2. These two cassettes 9 and 10 are of the same shape capable of accommodating a plurality of substrates W. The substrate W before cleaning is accommodated in the loader cassette 9, and the cleaned substrate W is accommodated in the unloader cassette 10. Will be accommodated. A substrate transfer robot 8 is provided at an intermediate position between the cleaning unit 2, the loader cassette 9, and the unloader cassette 10. The substrate transfer robot 8 has an arm 48 having an extendable link mechanism at the upper part thereof. The arm 48 is rotatable and can be moved up and down, and the tip end of the arm 48 supports and transfers the substrate W. ing.

FIGS. 8 and 9 are views showing a state in which the arm 48 of the substrate transfer robot 8 extends above the substrate holding section 3. FIG. As shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 9 is located between rows in which the support pins 14a projecting from the pin insertion holes 13c and the pin insertion notches 13d of the first substrate holder 13 are arranged. When the substrate transport robot 8 that has received the substrate W before cleaning from the loader cassette 9 transports the substrate W onto the substrate holding unit 3, as shown in FIG. Is moved above the substrate holding unit 3 and the arm 48 descends to place the substrate W on the tips of the plurality of support pins 14a.
Is placed. Thereafter, when the arm 48 further descends slightly and retreats to the outside of the substrate holding unit 3, the substrate W is placed and held on the tips of the plurality of support pins 14a as shown in FIG. Since the fork 49 at the tip of the arm 48 of the substrate transfer robot 8 is configured to make point contact with the substrate at the projection 49a on the upper surface, foreign matter adheres to the substrate W very little.

In the cleaning apparatus 1 having the above structure, the operator sets various cleaning conditions such as the distance between the cleaning nozzles 4, 5, 6, 7 and the substrate W, the moving speed of the cleaning nozzle, the flow rate of the cleaning liquid, and the like. In other respects, the operation of each unit is controlled by the control unit, and the configuration is such that automatic operation is performed. Therefore,
When using the cleaning apparatus 1, the substrate W before cleaning is set in the loader cassette 9, and when the operator operates a start switch, the substrate W is transferred from the loader cassette 9 onto the substrate holding unit 3 by the substrate transfer robot 8. Is transported, and FIG.
As shown at 0, the substrate W is held by the tip of each of the plurality of support pins 14a protruding from the pin insertion hole 13c of the first substrate holder 13 and the pin insertion notch 13d. Then, the cleaning nozzle 4 is provided from one end of the rack base 16 to the other end.
When the cleaning nozzles 5, 6, and 7 are sequentially sent out along the bottom surface of the substrate W, as shown in FIG. The substrate W is held at the tip of each of the plurality of support pins 14a which does not descend at this time. Then, as shown in FIG. 12, the support pins 14a, which have been lowered each time the cleaning nozzles pass, are raised for each row and hold the substrate W again at the end thereof. Therefore, four cleaning nozzles 4,
5, 6, and 7 pass between the substrate W and the first substrate holder 13 sequentially while cleaning the bottom surface of the substrate W without interfering with the support pins 14a. , 5,6,7 UV cleaning, hydrogen water ultrasonic cleaning,
Ozone water ultrasonic cleaning and rinsing cleaning are automatically performed sequentially. As shown in FIG. 13, the cleaning nozzles 4, 5, 6, and 7 after the substrate cleaning are arranged on the other end side of the rack base 16.

After the rinsing, the support pins 14a are lowered to be buried in the pin insertion holes 14c of the second substrate holder 14, so that the bottom surface of the substrate W is placed on the first substrate holder 13 as shown in FIG. It is supported by the tips of the plurality of support pins 13a and supported by the fixed pins 13b. Then, the first substrate holder 13 is rotated by operating a shaft drive source connected to the holder rotating shaft 13e, and the substrate W
Spin dry. The dried substrate W is stored in the unloader cassette 10 by the substrate transfer robot 8.

In the cleaning apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the tips of the plurality of support pins 14a can be supported from below the substrate W, and the cleaning nozzles 4 for supplying the cleaning liquid to the bottom surface of the substrate W 5, 6 and 7 can move along the bottom surface of the substrate W, and the lifting / lowering driving device of the support pin does not interfere with the cleaning nozzle in which the support pin 14a in the forward direction of the cleaning nozzle moves. Since the configuration is such that the substrate W can be moved up and down in conjunction with the movement of the cleaning nozzle, the tips of the plurality of support pins 14a support the substrate W from beneath the substrate W, and the cleaning nozzles 4, 5, 6, and 7 support the substrate. If the support pins 14a are sequentially moved along the bottom surface of the W, the support pins 14a in the front of the cleaning nozzle in the moving direction are lowered, so that the support pins 14a do not interfere with the moving cleaning nozzles.
Rises after passing through the cleaning nozzle, and the tip can support the substrate W again. Therefore, according to the substrate cleaning apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, unlike the conventional substrate cleaning apparatus that cleans the substrate while transporting the substrate with the rollers, the cleaning nozzles 4, 5, 6, and 5 are used.
7 is moved along the bottom surface of the substrate W, the bottom surface of the substrate W can be cleaned with almost no movement of the substrate W, the length of the substrate cleaning device in the production line can be shortened, and the space occupied by the device can be reduced. In addition, the distance for transporting the substrate W in the cleaning process can be significantly reduced, and the moving range of the cleaning nozzle can be as small as the size of the substrate surface. Thus, a reasonable device can be obtained.

Further, in the substrate cleaning apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, each of the four cleaning nozzles 4, 5, 6, and 7 performs ultraviolet cleaning, hydrogen water ultrasonic cleaning, ozone water ultrasonic cleaning, and rinsing cleaning. Since the cleaning process is performed by different cleaning methods, various cleaning methods can be performed by one apparatus. Therefore, for example, after removing organic substances by ultraviolet cleaning, particles of fine particle diameter are removed by hydrogen water ultrasonic cleaning and ozone water ultrasonic cleaning, and further rinsing cleaning is performed while rinsing away the cleaning liquid attached to the substrate surface. The various objects to be removed can be sufficiently removed by washing. As a result, even if there are various objects to be removed, such as particles and organic substances, these can be reliably removed by washing. In addition, even if a plurality of cleaning methods are performed, a reasonable apparatus can be provided without consuming a large amount of equipment cost and occupied space in the cleaning process.

In the case of the substrate cleaning apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the push nozzle having the above-described structure is used as the cleaning nozzle.
When the cleaning liquid is supplied from the introduction passage 21 to the surface of the substrate W by using the pull-type nozzle, the cleaning liquid does not come into contact with the substrate surface other than the part to which the cleaning liquid is supplied,
Since the cleaning liquid containing the object to be removed can be discharged from the discharge passage 22 to the outside, the cleanliness of the substrate W after cleaning can be remarkably improved as compared with a conventional substrate cleaning apparatus using a general cleaning nozzle. Further, in a conventional substrate cleaning apparatus using a general cleaning nozzle, a large amount of cleaning liquid is required in order to increase cleanliness. However, in the substrate cleaning apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, sufficient cleanliness is obtained by the above operation. Obtained,
When the pressure of the cleaning liquid at the nozzle opening 24
By controlling the suction force from a, the cleaning liquid can be discharged without leaking to the outside of the nozzle, so that the usage amount of the cleaning liquid can be greatly reduced. Further, in the case of the substrate cleaning apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the cleaning nozzles 5, 6
Is provided with an ultrasonic element 25 for applying ultrasonic vibration to the substrate W, while the substrate W is being cleaned with the cleaning liquid supplied from each cleaning nozzle, ultrasonic waves are applied to the cleaning liquid and the substrate W. Since it is applied, the removal efficiency of the object to be removed attached to the substrate W is better than when no ultrasonic wave is applied,
The cleaning degree of the substrate W after cleaning can be improved.

Further, in the case of the apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the hydrogen water / ozone water generation section 11 is provided, and the ozone water generation apparatus 28 is integrally incorporated in the cleaning apparatus. Is short, it can be used for cleaning while maintaining the quality of ozone water, and ultrasonic cleaning of ozone water can be effectively performed. Further, a cleaning liquid regenerating unit 12 is provided, and the cleaning liquid such as hydrogen water or ozone water used once can be collected, regenerated and reused, so that the amount of the cleaning liquid used can be reduced. The device 1 of the present embodiment can be permanently used in a substrate cleaning process in a production line of a liquid crystal display panel or the like, but can be used by being appropriately moved to a necessary portion because it is small as described above. It is possible.

In the apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment,
The case where the cleaning nozzles 4, 5, 6, 7 having the above-described configuration are provided as the bottom surface cleaning nozzle for cleaning the bottom surface of the substrate W has been described. Further, FIG. 2 and FIGS. As shown in FIG. 5, as an upper surface cleaning nozzle which moves along the upper surface of the substrate W and supplies a cleaning liquid to the upper surface of the substrate W, an ultraviolet cleaning nozzle 4a, a hydrogen water ultrasonic cleaning nozzle 5a, an ozone water Nozzle for sonic cleaning 6
a, A pure water rinse cleaning nozzle 7a may be provided. When the upper surface cleaning nozzles 4a, 5a, 6a, and 7a are provided in addition to the bottom surface cleaning nozzles 4, 5, 6, and 7 as described above, both surfaces of the substrate W can be cleaned at one time. The cleaning efficiency of the substrate W is improved and the time required for the cleaning step can be reduced as compared with the case where only the cleaning nozzle for cleaning the substrate W is provided.

Also, in the device 1 of the present embodiment,
Since the tips of the support pins 14a have a tapered shape that makes point contact with the substrate W, particles adhere to the substrate W is extremely small. However, as shown in FIG. A configuration in which a gas supply hole 71 communicating with 14c is provided may be provided. According to the device having such a configuration, an inert gas such as nitrogen gas is supplied from a gas supply source (not shown) to the gas supply hole 71 in a state where each support pin 14a is buried in the pin insertion hole 14c. An object to be removed or the like attached to the tip of the pin 14a can be removed from the tip of the support pin 14a, so that the cleanness of the tip of the support pin 14a can be improved, and re-contamination of the substrate W can be prevented.

[Second Embodiment] Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 16 and FIG.
The cleaning device according to the present embodiment also has the same configuration as the first embodiment.
This is a cleaning device for large glass substrates. The only difference between the apparatus according to the present embodiment and the apparatus according to the first embodiment is the structure of a support pin elevating drive device (support elevating drive device). The system, the cleaning liquid generating unit, the cleaning liquid regenerating unit, and the like, the substrate holding unit of the cleaning unit, and other configurations are almost the same as those of the first embodiment. Therefore, FIG. 16 illustrates only the cleaning unit, and FIG. 17 illustrates only the cross-sectional view taken along the line XVI-XVI of FIG. 16, and other parts are omitted. The schematic configuration of the support pin lifting / lowering drive device according to the second embodiment is similar to that of the linear guide 1 on the rack base 16.
7, a plurality of proximity switches (driving signal generating means) 81 provided on the slider 18, a proximity switch pressing portion (proximity switch) 82 provided on the bottom surface of the slider 18, and a lower end of the plurality of support pins 14a. And a support pin driving solenoid (support driving means) (not shown).

Each proximity switch 81 has a plurality of support pins 1.
It is provided corresponding to the column of 4a. When the slider 18 moves along the linear guide 17 of the rack base 16 and sequentially passes over a plurality of proximity switches 81 provided on the rack base 16, the proximity switch pressing unit 82 sequentially presses the proximity switches 81. It is supposed to. The proximity switch 81 is turned on when pressed by the pressing portion 82, and outputs a drive signal for lowering the support pin 14a, which is located forward of the cleaning nozzle 5 attached to the slider 18 in the moving direction. At this time, when the next proximity switch 81 is pressed, a drive signal for raising the lowered support pin 14a is output according to the descent drive signal from the previously pressed proximity switch 81. Here, the support pin drive solenoid lowers the support pins 14a row by row when a descent drive signal is input from the proximity switch 81,
Then, after the cleaning nozzle 5 has passed above the row of lowered support pins 14a in response to the input rising drive signal, the support pins 14a are raised in rows.

According to the substrate cleaning apparatus of the second embodiment,
With the above configuration, the tip of each of the plurality of support pins 14a supports the substrate W from below, and the cleaning nozzles 4, 5, 6, and 7 are sequentially moved along the bottom surface of the substrate W. And the support pin 14a in the forward direction of movement of the cleaning nozzle is lowered by the drive signal from the proximity switch 81, so that it does not interfere with the moving cleaning nozzle.
The lowered support pins 14a rise after passing through the cleaning nozzle, and can support the substrate W again at the tip thereof. Therefore, the second
In the substrate cleaning apparatus according to the second embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

[Third Embodiment] Hereinafter, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 18 and FIG. The cleaning apparatus of the present embodiment is also a cleaning apparatus for a large glass substrate, as in the first embodiment. The only difference between the apparatus according to the present embodiment and the apparatus according to the first embodiment is the configuration of a support pin elevating drive device (support elevating drive device).
Other configurations such as a substrate holding unit, a loader, an unloader, a substrate transfer system such as a transfer robot, a cleaning liquid generation unit, and a cleaning liquid regeneration unit of the cleaning unit are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment. Therefore, FIG. 18 illustrates only the lower side of the substrate W of the cleaning unit viewed from a direction intersecting the moving direction of the cleaning nozzle, and FIG. 19 illustrates cleaning of the cleaning unit viewed from a direction along the moving direction of the cleaning nozzle. Only the operation of the support pin 14a when the cleaning nozzle 5 and its peripheral portion and the cleaning nozzle move,
Other parts are omitted.

The schematic structure of the support pin lifting / lowering device according to the third embodiment is as follows. A support pin holding member (support holding member) 85 for urging each support pin (support) 14a upward.
A pressure receiving member 90 provided on the support pin 14a; and a pressure receiving member 90 provided on the cleaning nozzle 5 and extending at least forward (in FIG. 18, forward and rearward in the moving direction) of the cleaning nozzle 5 to extend therethrough. The front support pin 1 is pressed against the urging force of the support pin holding member 85 while abutting against the pressure receiving body 90 of the support pin 14a in the forward direction of the movement of the support pin 1a.
And a push-down body 95 for pushing down 4a. The lower end of each support pin 14a in the third embodiment is passed through a pin holding plate 89. This pin support plate 8
Between the first substrate holder 9 and the second substrate holder 14
Is provided.

The support pin holding member 85 includes a pin holding plate 89.
A first spring member 86, a spring member mounting plate 87,
A pair of second spring members 88 is provided, and the support pins 14a are passed between the first spring members 86 and the spring member mounting plate 87 and are located between the pair of second spring members 88. The lower end of the first spring member 86 is attached to a pin holding plate 89, and the upper end is attached to a spring member attaching plate 87. The spring attaching plate 87 is fixed to a support pin 14a. The lower ends of the pair of second spring members 89 are respectively attached to the member mounting plate 87, and the upper ends thereof are respectively attached to the second substrate holder 14. Also, a pair of second spring members 86 and support pins 14a
Between them, a limiter 88a for limiting the amount of extension of the first spring member 86 and positioning the support pin 14a when ascending is interposed.

On the other hand, a pressure receiving body 90 is provided on each of the support pins 14 a protruding from the first substrate holder 13.
The pressure receiving body 90 includes a roller support plate 91 attached to the support pin 14a and a pair of rollers 9 provided on the roller support plate 91.
It consists of two. The pair of rollers 92 are adapted to fit into grooves provided in a pair of cams 96 of a push-down body 95 described later. The push-down body 95 is composed of a pair of downwardly convex cams 96 and a guide plate 97 for guiding the pair of rollers 92 into grooves provided in the pair of cams 96, respectively.

In the substrate cleaning apparatus according to the third embodiment, since the support pin lifting / lowering device having the above-described structure is provided, when the cleaning nozzle 5 moves in the S direction as shown in FIG. A pair of rollers 92 provided on the support pin 14a in the front of the moving direction is pressed by a guide plate 97 provided on the cleaning nozzle 5 and guided to a groove provided on the pair of cams 96. Further, when the cleaning nozzle 5 moves, the front end of the cam 96 is moved over the pair of rollers 92 (the end in the traveling direction).
At this time, the pressing force of the cam 96 increases, so that the roller supporting plate 91 is gradually pushed down, the first spring member 86 contracts, and the second spring The member 88 extends, and the support pin 14a is gradually pushed down. Further, when the cleaning nozzle 5 moves, the rear end portion of the cam 96 passes over the pair of rollers 92 from the lowermost portion of the cam 96. At this time, the pressing force by the cam 96 decreases,
In addition, since the support pin 14a is urged upward by the support pin holding member 85, the roller support plate 91 gradually rises, and the first spring member 86 and the second spring member 88 gradually return to the original state. , The support pin 14a gradually rises.

According to the substrate cleaning apparatus of the third embodiment,
With the above configuration, the tip of each of the plurality of support pins 14a supports the substrate W from below, and the cleaning nozzles 4, 5, 6, and 7 are sequentially moved along the bottom surface of the substrate W. In accordance with the movement of the cleaning nozzle, the support pin 14a in the front of the moving direction is pressed down by the pressing body 95 provided on the cleaning nozzle and descends, so that it does not interfere with the moving cleaning nozzle, and Since the support pin 14a that has been lowered is biased by the support holding member 85, it rises with the passage of the cleaning nozzle,
The substrate W can be supported again by the tip. Therefore, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained in the substrate cleaning apparatus of the third embodiment.

[Fourth Embodiment] Hereinafter, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 20 and 21. FIG. The cleaning apparatus of the present embodiment is also a cleaning apparatus for a large glass substrate, as in the first embodiment. The difference between the apparatus according to the present embodiment and the apparatus according to the first embodiment is the configuration of the cleaning nozzle, and a substrate transport system such as a loader, an unloader, and a transport robot, a cleaning liquid generation unit, a cleaning liquid regeneration unit, and the like. The structure of the substrate holding unit and the lifting / lowering drive device for the support pins, and other configurations are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment. Therefore, FIG. 20 shows only the cleaning nozzle of the cleaning section and its moving means, and FIG.
In FIG. 1, only the cleaning nozzle and the substrate of the cleaning unit viewed from the direction along the movement direction of the cleaning nozzle are illustrated, and other parts are omitted.

In the fourth embodiment, a cleaning nozzle 5c as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21 is provided in place of the cleaning nozzle 5 of the first embodiment. This cleaning nozzle 5ac is different from the cleaning nozzle 5 provided in the apparatus according to the first embodiment in that a plurality of (two in the drawing) introduction passages for introducing a cleaning liquid are provided in one opening 24. A plurality of (two in the drawing) discharge passages for discharging the subsequent cleaning liquid are provided. Specifically, the first and second introduction pipes 21b and 21b are provided in each introduction passage 21 via a valve 21d. 21c is provided, and each exhaust passage 22 is provided with a valve 2c.
The point is that the first and second discharge pipes 22b and 22c are provided via 2d.

Further, the first and second introduction pipes 21b, 21c
Are connected to a hydrogen water supply pipe 29 and an ozone water supply pipe 31, respectively. Also, the first and second discharge pipes 22
b and 22c are connected to a hydrogen water recovery pipe 35 and an ozone water recovery pipe 37, respectively. By adjusting the valve 21d, the cleaning nozzle 5a having such a configuration can be used.
The cleaning liquid supplied to the opening 24 can be changed from hydrogen water to ozone water. By adjusting the valve 22d, the substrate W can be changed when the cleaning liquid supplied to the opening 24 is hydrogen water. The washing liquid after washing is the first discharge pipe 2
2b, is sent to the hydrogen water recovery pipe 35, and in the case of ozone water, the cleaning liquid after cleaning the substrate W is supplied to the second discharge pipe 22c.
Then, the water is sent to the ozone water recovery pipe 37.

According to the substrate cleaning apparatus of the fourth embodiment, in particular, the first and second introduction pipes 21b and 21c are provided in each introduction passage 21 via the valve 21d, and the valve is provided in each discharge passage 22. 22d through the first and second discharge pipes 22
Since the cleaning nozzle 5c provided with b and 22c is provided, different types of cleaning liquid can be supplied to the opening 24, and after the substrate W is cleaned, it can be sent out to a recovery pipe corresponding to each cleaning liquid. Therefore, this cleaning nozzle 5c
Has both functions of the hydrogen water ultrasonic cleaning nozzle 5 and the ozone water ultrasonic cleaning nozzle 6 of the first embodiment, so that one cleaning nozzle can be used for hydrogen water ultrasonic cleaning and ozone water cleaning. Cleaning can be performed by different cleaning methods such as ultrasonic cleaning, and the number of cleaning nozzles provided in the cleaning section can be reduced.
As a result, the storage space of the cleaning nozzle can be reduced, and the space occupied by the apparatus can be reduced.

In the substrate cleaning apparatus according to the fourth embodiment, two introduction passages for introducing the cleaning liquid are provided in one opening 24, and two discharge passages for discharging the cleaning liquid after cleaning are provided. Although the configuration described above has been described, three or more introduction passages and discharge passages may be provided respectively, and the first and second introduction pipes 21b and 21c are connected to supply pipes for different types of cleaning liquids, First and second discharge pipe 2
2b and 22c have been described for the case where they are connected to different types of cleaning liquid collection pipes, but the first and second introduction pipes 2b and 22c are described.
1b and 21c are respectively connected to a cleaning liquid supply pipe, a pure water supply pipe or an ozone gas supply source, and the first and second discharge pipes 22b and 22c are respectively connected to the cleaning liquid recovery pipe and the pure water. It may be connected to a recovery pipe or an ozone gas recovery pipe.

[Fifth Embodiment] Hereinafter, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
The cleaning apparatus according to the present embodiment has a circular semiconductor substrate
It is simply called a substrate. ) Is a device for single wafer cleaning.
The only difference between the apparatus according to the present embodiment and the apparatus according to the first embodiment is the configuration of the substrate holding unit, a substrate transfer system such as a loader, an unloader, and a transfer robot, a cleaning liquid generation unit, a cleaning liquid regeneration unit, and the like. The cleaning nozzle of the cleaning section, the lifting / lowering drive device for the support pins, and other configurations are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment. Therefore, FIG. 22 shows only the substrate holder, FIG. 23 shows only the first substrate holder, and FIG. 24 shows only the second substrate holder, and other parts are omitted.

The substrate holder 103 in the fifth embodiment is
As shown in FIG. 22, a first substrate holder 113 and a second substrate holder 114 provided below the first substrate holder 113 are provided. First substrate holder 11
Reference numeral 3 denotes a plurality of support pins 113a provided on an upper surface as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, and a plurality of support pins (supports) 114a provided on a second substrate holder 114 described later.
Is lowered from the first substrate holder 113, the flange 1 provided at the tip of each of the plurality of support pins 113a.
And to be able to support the substrate W ₁ from the lower side with 13 g.

As shown in FIG. 22, a plurality of pin insertion holes 113c are provided in the first substrate holder 113 so as to correspond to a plurality of support pins 114a of a second substrate holder 114 described later. The lower end of the corresponding support pin 114a passes through the pin insertion hole 113c. Further, as shown in FIG. 22, a holder rotation shaft 113e protrudes from the bottom surface of the first substrate holder 113.
The holder rotation shaft 113e is used for the second substrate holder 1.
14 can be rotated in the shaft receiving hole 114d provided in
It is fitted so that it can move up and down. A shaft drive source is provided at the lower end of the holder rotation shaft 113e, similarly to the first embodiment, and the operation of the shaft drive source causes the rotation of the first substrate holder 113 and the rotation of the first substrate holder 113 on the first substrate holder 113. substrate W ₁ placed on the also rotated, it is possible to spin drying without moving the substrate W _1.

The second substrate holder 114 is provided for holding the substrate W ₁ during cleaning, and has a plurality of pin insertion holes arranged along the circumference of the holder 114 as shown in FIG. 114c are provided in a plurality of rows. Further, since the lower ends of the support pins (supports) 114a made of synthetic resin or the like are passed through the respective pin insertion holes 14c, a state in which the plurality of support pins 114a are arranged along the circumference of the holder 114 is obtained. Has become. These support pins 11
A flange 114g is provided at each tip of 4a. Flange portion 114g of each of tips of the support pins 114a protrudes into the space between the first substrate holder 113 and the substrate W _1, the substrate W ₁ at each flange portion 114g
Can be supported from below.

The lower ends of the plurality of support pins 114a are connected to support pin drive solenoids (support drive means) of a support pin lift drive (not shown) similar to that of the first embodiment. ing. Further, as shown in FIG. 24, a support plate 114f is provided at each corner of the second substrate holder 114. These support plates 114f
The first embodiment as well as the cylinder such as a drive source as a substrate position adjusting mechanism has (not shown) are provided, fine adjustment of the position of the substrate W ₁ which is supported by the flange portion 114g of the support pins 114a I can do it.

According to the substrate cleaning apparatus of the fifth embodiment,
With the above configuration, the plurality of support pins 114a
Movement of each flange portion 114g provided at the front end portion can be supported from the lower side of the semiconductor substrate W _1, moreover cleaning nozzle for supplying a cleaning liquid to the bottom surface of the substrate W ₁ along the bottom surface of the substrate W ₁ Further, the driving device for raising and lowering the support pin is provided with a support pin
Because a is configured to be able to move up and down in conjunction with the movement of the cleaning nozzle so that a does not interfere with the moving cleaning nozzle,
The substrate W is formed by the flanges 114g of the plurality of support pins 114a.
₁ supports from which the lower side, interfere with cleaning nozzle when sequentially moved along the bottom surface of the substrate W _1, a cleaning nozzle moving direction in front of the support pins 114a of the cleaning nozzle to move so lowered it is no, also lowered the support pin 114a is increased after passage of the cleaning nozzle, can support the substrate W ₁ again at its leading end. Therefore, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained in the substrate cleaning apparatus of the fifth embodiment.

The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the first to fifth embodiments, the case has been described in which the lower ends of the plurality of support pins are respectively connected to the support driving means, and the plurality of support pins are each configured to be able to move up and down. The lower ends of the support pins (supports) in the same row are attached to the same support pin support plate, and such support pin support plates are provided according to the number of the support pin rows. A pin support plate is connected to the support driving means, and the support pin support plate is moved up and down by the support driving means, so that the support pins attached thereto are moved up and down for each row. It doesn't matter. Further, in the first, second, third, and fifth embodiments, the example in which the cleaning nozzle includes four nozzles has been described, but the number of nozzles is not limited to four. May be changed as appropriate. And although the example of the push-pull type nozzle was shown as the form of each cleaning nozzle, the nozzle applicable to the substrate cleaning apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the push-pull type nozzle, as shown in FIG. Has a slit-shaped opening 61, and this opening 61
A conventional general nozzle 60 that discharges the cleaning liquid from the nozzle may be used.

Although examples of the cleaning liquid used include hydrogen water and ozone water, so-called cathode water or the like which is generated at the cathode during the electrolysis of water can also be used. In that case, an electrolysis device may be provided as the cleaning liquid production device. As a means for regenerating the cleaning liquid, a filter for filtering particles and foreign substances in the cleaning liquid, a deaerator for removing gas in the cleaning liquid, and the like can also be used. In addition, IP to dry the substrate after cleaning in the device
A drying section such as A drying may be provided. In addition, although an example in which the nozzle provided in the cleaning unit has a function of only cleaning has been described, a nozzle having both functions of cleaning and drying may be used, in which case, the first substrate The holder does not have to be provided. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the substrate cleaning apparatus is described as a single unit. However, for example, the substrate cleaning apparatus of the present invention is connected to a wet etching apparatus and the like, and an automatic transfer mechanism is provided between the apparatuses. And so on.

[0068]

As described above in detail, according to the substrate cleaning apparatus of the present invention, the tips of a plurality of supports can be supported from below the substrate to be processed, and the bottom surface of the substrate to be processed can be supported. A cleaning nozzle (bottom cleaning nozzle) for supplying a cleaning liquid can move along the bottom surface of the substrate to be processed,
Further, the supporting device lifting / lowering driving device is configured to be capable of moving up and down in conjunction with the movement of the cleaning nozzle so that the support in front of the direction of movement of the cleaning nozzle does not interfere with the moving cleaning nozzle. By supporting the substrate to be processed from the lower side of each of the tips of the plurality of supports and moving the cleaning nozzle along the bottom surface of the substrate to be processed, the cleaning nozzle moves forward in the moving direction of the cleaning nozzle. As the above-mentioned support descends, it does not interfere with the moving cleaning nozzle,
Further, the lowered support rises after passing through the cleaning nozzle, and can support the substrate to be processed again at its tip.

The substrate cleaning apparatus of the present invention is different from a conventional substrate cleaning apparatus in which a substrate to be processed is cleaned while being transported by a roller, by moving the cleaning nozzle along the bottom surface of the substrate to be processed. The bottom surface of the substrate to be processed can be cleaned without moving the substrate to be processed. Therefore, according to the substrate cleaning apparatus of the present invention, the length of the substrate cleaning apparatus in the production line can be shortened to reduce the space occupied by the apparatus, and the transport distance of the substrate to be processed in the cleaning process can be significantly reduced. Since the moving range of the cleaning nozzle can be as large as the size of the surface of the substrate to be processed, the cleaning apparatus can be a reasonable apparatus without consuming a large amount of equipment cost and occupying space.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an overall configuration of a substrate cleaning apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a configuration of a substrate holding unit of the apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a configuration of a first substrate holder of a substrate holding unit of the apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a configuration of a second substrate holder of the substrate holding unit of the apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a plan view when the cleaning nozzle of the apparatus is viewed from the substrate holding unit side.

FIG. 6 is a side view in which a part along the line VV in FIG. 5 is cut off;

FIG. 7 is a side view in which a part of a configuration of a filter of the apparatus is cut away.

FIG. 8 is a plan view for explaining the operation of the substrate transport robot of the apparatus, and is a plan view showing a state in which an arm supporting the substrate has entered a substrate holding unit.

9 is a vertical sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a view for explaining the operation of the apparatus, and is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the substrate is held at the tips of a plurality of support pins.

FIG. 11 is a view for explaining the operation of the apparatus, in which a plurality of support pins in front of the direction of movement of the cleaning nozzle descend, and a tip of each of a plurality of support pins behind the direction of movement of the cleaning nozzle. FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where the substrate is held at the position shown in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a view for explaining the operation of the apparatus, and is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which a support pin which has been lowered due to the proximity of a cleaning nozzle is raised and a substrate is held again at its tip. .

FIG. 13 is a view for explaining the operation of the apparatus, and is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which each cleaning nozzle after cleaning the substrate is arranged on the other end side of the rack base.

FIG. 14 is a view for explaining the operation of the apparatus, and is a longitudinal section showing a state in which the bottom surface of the substrate is supported by tips of a plurality of support pins of a first substrate holder and supported by fixing pins. FIG.

FIG. 15 is a view for explaining gas supply holes provided in the substrate holding section of the apparatus, and is a longitudinal sectional view of the substrate holding section.

FIG. 16 is a plan view of a cleaning unit of a substrate cleaning apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the substrate side.

FIG. 17 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line XVI-XVI of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a view for explaining a cleaning unit of a substrate cleaning apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and shows a position below a substrate of the cleaning unit as viewed from a direction intersecting a moving direction of a cleaning nozzle. FIG.

FIG. 19 is a view for explaining the operation of the support pins when the cleaning nozzle of the cleaning unit moves when viewed from a direction along the moving direction of the cleaning nozzle of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a plan view of a cleaning nozzle of a cleaning unit of a substrate cleaning apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention and a moving unit thereof as viewed from a substrate holding side.

21 is a side view in which a part of the cleaning unit in FIG. 20 along the direction of movement of the cleaning nozzle is cut away.

FIG. 22 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a configuration of a substrate holding unit of a substrate cleaning apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a plan view illustrating a configuration of a first substrate holder of a substrate holding unit of the apparatus.

FIG. 24 is a plan view illustrating a configuration of a second substrate holder of the substrate holding unit of the apparatus.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the cleaning nozzle applicable to the cleaning apparatus of the above embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Substrate cleaning apparatus, 2 ... Cleaning part, 3,103 ... Substrate holding part, 4 ... UV cleaning nozzle (bottom cleaning nozzle), 4a ... UV cleaning nozzle (top surface) Nozzle for cleaning), 5,5c ... Nozzle for ultrasonic cleaning with hydrogen water (nozzle for bottom cleaning), 5a ... Nozzle for ultrasonic cleaning with hydrogen water (nozzle for cleaning top), 6 ... Super-ozone water Nozzle for sonic cleaning (nozzle for bottom cleaning), 6a ... Nozzle for ultrasonic cleaning of ozone water (nozzle for top cleaning), 7 ... Nozzle for rinsing with pure water (nozzle for bottom cleaning), 7a ... Nozzle for pure water rinsing cleaning (nozzle for bottom cleaning), 11 ... hydrogen water / ozone water generating unit (cleaning liquid producing means), 12 ... cleaning liquid regenerating unit (cleaning liquid regenerating means), 13, 113 ... One substrate holder, 13a ... support pin, 13b ... solid Use pin, 13
c, 113c: support pin insertion hole, 13d: notch for pin insertion, 13e, 113e: holder rotating shaft, 1
4, 114 ... second substrate holder, 14a, 114a ...
Support pins (supports), 14c, 114c: pin insertion holes, 14d, 114d: shaft receiving holes, 14f, 11
4f: holder support plate, 16: rack base (nozzle moving means), 18: slider (nozzle moving means), 19
..Posts (nozzle moving means), 20 ... motor (nozzle moving means), 21 ... introduction passage, 21a ... introduction port, 21b
... 1st introduction pipe, 21c ... 2nd introduction pipe, 21d ... valve, 22 ... discharge passage, 22a ... discharge port, 22b ... 1st discharge pipe, 22c ... 2nd discharge pipe, 22d ... valve, 2
3 ... Guide member, 24 ... Opening, 27 ... Hydrogen water generator (cleaning liquid production means), 28 ... Ozone water generator (cleaning liquid production means), 29 ... Hydrogen water supply pipe (Cleaning liquid supply means), 30, 32 ... Liquid sending pump (Cleaning liquid supply means), 31 ... Ozone water supply pipe (Cleaning liquid supply means),
33 ... hydrogen water filter (washing liquid regenerating means), 34 ...
Ozone water filter (washing liquid regenerating means), 35 ... hydrogen water collecting pipe (washing liquid collecting means), 36, 38 ... liquid sending pump (washing liquid collecting means), 37 ... ozone water collecting pipe (cleaning liquid collecting) Means), 39: tubular body, 40: filter medium, 41
... baffle plate, 42 ... introduction port, 44 ... regenerated hydrogen water supply pipe (regenerated cleaning liquid supply means), 45, 47 ... liquid supply pump (regenerated cleaning liquid supply means), 46 ... regeneration Ozone water supply pipe (regeneration cleaning liquid supply means), 48 ... arm, 49
..Forks, 60 nozzles, 61 opening portions, 62 ...
Valve, 63 ... Valve, 71 ... Gas supply hole, 81 ... Proximity switch (drive signal generating means), 82 ... Proximity switch pressing section (Proximity switch input mechanism), 85 ... Support pin Holding member (support member holding member), 86 ... first spring member, 87
..Spring member mounting plate, 88 ... second spring member, 88a ...
Limiter, 89 ... Pin holding plate, 90 ... Pressure receiving body, 92 ...
· Roller, 91 · · · roller support, 95 · · · down body, 96 ·
..Cams, 97 guide plates, 113g flanges, 114g
... flange portion, F ... cleaning liquid flow in the filter, flow direction of the f ₁ ... cleaning liquid, the distance between the H ... opening and the substrate, S ·
..Nozzle movement direction, W, W ₁ ... Substrate (substrate to be cleaned).

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of supports each of which supports a substrate to be cleaned from a lower side at each end, and a cleaning member that moves along a bottom surface of the substrate to be cleaned and supplies a cleaning liquid to the bottom surface of the substrate to be cleaned. And a lifting / lowering drive device for a support member, which moves up and down in conjunction with the movement of the cleaning nozzle so as not to interfere with the cleaning nozzle moving the support in the moving direction of the cleaning nozzle. A substrate cleaning apparatus comprising: 2. The cleaning nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning nozzle includes an introduction passage for introducing the cleaning liquid on one side and a discharge passage for discharging the cleaning liquid after cleaning on the other side, and between the introduction passage and the discharge passage. 2. The substrate cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a guide member for guiding the cleaning liquid introduced from the introduction passage to the substrate to be processed and cleaning the substrate to be processed. 3. The substrate cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cleaning nozzle has an ultrasonic wave applying means for applying ultrasonic vibration to said substrate to be cleaned. 4. The driving device outputs a driving signal for lowering the support located forward in the moving direction of the cleaning nozzle based on a multiplication value of the moving speed of the cleaning nozzle and a predetermined moving time. Control means for outputting a drive signal for raising the support after the washing nozzle has passed above the lowered support; and lowering the support when the descent drive signal is input from the control means. Let
2. The substrate cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a support driving unit that raises the support after the cleaning nozzle has passed above the lowered support by the input rising drive signal. . 5. When the cleaning nozzle reaches a predetermined position during movement, the driving device outputs a driving signal for lowering the support body in the moving direction of the cleaning nozzle, and then outputs the driving signal. Drive signal generating means for outputting a drive signal for raising the support after the nozzle for nozzle has passed above the lowered support, and the support when the descent drive signal is input from the drive signal generating means. And a support driving means for raising the support after the cleaning nozzle has passed above the lowered support by the input rising drive signal. Substrate cleaning equipment. 6. The cleaning device, wherein the driving device is provided with a support holding member for urging the respective supports upward, a pressure receiving member provided on the support, and a cleaning nozzle provided on the cleaning nozzle. Push-down body that extends forward in the direction, and pushes down the front support while resisting the urging force of the support holding member while abutting on the pressure-receiving body of the support in the movement direction front as the cleaning nozzle moves. The substrate cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: 7. The cleaning device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one cleaning nozzle that moves along the upper surface of the substrate to be cleaned and supplies a cleaning liquid to the upper surface of the substrate to be cleaned. Substrate cleaning equipment. 8. A cleaning liquid producing means for producing a cleaning liquid in which hydrogen gas or ozone gas is dissolved in pure water, and a cleaning liquid supply means for supplying the cleaning liquid to the cleaning nozzle. Substrate cleaning equipment. 9. A cleaning liquid recovery means for recovering a used cleaning liquid after cleaning the substrate to be cleaned, a cleaning liquid regenerating means for regenerating the cleaning liquid recovered through the cleaning liquid collecting means, and a cleaning liquid regenerated by the cleaning liquid regenerating means. The substrate cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a regeneration cleaning liquid supply unit configured to supply a cleaning liquid to the cleaning nozzle.