Automatic powder removal device and method for plasma etching

Abstract

The present invention discloses an automatic powder removal device for plasma etching, comprising: an etching chamber, in which a plurality of transmission rollers for conveying a substrate are arranged along a first horizontal direction; a powder removal chamber, in which a plurality of transmission rollers for conveying a substrate are arranged along a first horizontal direction; a movable gate plate, which is arranged between the etching chamber and the powder removal chamber, and can isolate or connect the etching chamber and the powder removal chamber; a brush assembly, which is installed in the powder removal chamber, contacts the surface of the substrate, and can reciprocate relative to the substrate along the first horizontal direction; an air blowing port, which is arranged in the powder removal chamber, and blows air toward the surface of the substrate; and a dust collector, which is connected to the powder removal chamber. The present invention also discloses an automatic powder removal method for plasma etching. During normal etching operation, the movable gate plate can be opened to connect the etching chamber and the powder removal chamber, and the substrate is conveyed from the etching chamber to the powder removal chamber through the transmission rollers, and the residual dust on the surface of the substrate is cleaned, and then the substrate is transferred back to the etching chamber to improve the etching efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of plasma etching, and in particular to an automatic powder removal device and method for plasma etching. Background Art

[0002] When traditional plasma etching etches organic resin materials, when etching reaches a certain extent, residual dust will be produced on the surface of the substrate after the chemical reaction between plasma gas and resin material. The dust will remain on the surface of the substrate. Affected by the dust blocking, the etching speed is seriously reduced. It is usually necessary to manually take out the substrate and clean the residual dust on its surface before further etching can be carried out. Such repeated operations seriously affect the etching efficiency. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention provides an automatic powder removal device for plasma etching, which can effectively clean the residual dust on the surface of the substrate and improve the etching efficiency.

[0004] The invention also provides an automatic powder removal method for plasma etching.

[0005] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the automatic powder removal device for plasma etching includes: an etching chamber, in which a plurality of transmission rollers for conveying a substrate are arranged along a first horizontal direction; a powder removal chamber, in which a plurality of transmission rollers for conveying a substrate are arranged along a first horizontal direction; a movable gate plate is arranged between the etching chamber and the powder removal chamber, and can isolate or connect the etching chamber and the powder removal chamber; a brush assembly is installed in the powder removal chamber, contacts with the surface of the substrate, and can reciprocate relative to the substrate along the first horizontal direction; an air outlet is arranged in the powder removal chamber, and blows air toward the surface of the substrate; and a vacuum cleaner is connected to the powder removal chamber.

[0006] The invention has at least the following beneficial effects: during normal etching operation, the movable gate separates the etching chamber and the powder removal chamber, and the two are not affected by each other; when the substrate is etched to a certain extent and the surface is covered with residual dust, the movable gate is opened to connect the etching chamber and the powder removal chamber, and the substrate can be transported from the etching chamber to the powder removal chamber through the transmission roller, and the brush assembly contacts the surface of the substrate and moves back and forth relatively to clean the dust on the surface of the substrate, and the air outlet is combined with the air blowing toward the surface of the substrate to lift the dust, so that the dust separated from the surface of the substrate can be sucked away by the vacuum cleaner, thereby effectively cleaning the residual dust on the surface of the substrate, and then the substrate is transferred back to the etching chamber to continue etching, thereby improving the etching efficiency.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a plurality of the transmission rollers can rotate forward and reverse synchronously, and the substrate is placed on the transmission rollers.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the brush assembly includes an axle and a brush wheel, the brush wheel is rotatably connected to the axle, and the axle is fixedly installed in the powder removal chamber.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the brush assembly includes an axle and a brush wheel, the brush wheel is rotatably connected to the axle, and the axle can reciprocate along a first horizontal direction in the powder removal chamber.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the air port is connected to a compressed air source.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the brush assembly and the air outlet are both distributed at the top of the powder removal chamber, and the vacuum cleaner is connected to the bottom of the powder removal chamber.

[0012] According to the second aspect of the present invention, the automatic powder removal method of plasma etching includes the following steps: step 1, providing an etching chamber and a powder removal chamber, placing a substrate to be etched in the etching chamber, and isolating the etching chamber and the powder removal chamber; step 2, the etching chamber etches the surface of the substrate, and when the dust reaches a certain thickness, the etching is stopped; step 3, connecting the etching chamber and the powder removal chamber, transferring the substrate from the etching chamber to the powder removal chamber, and then isolating the etching chamber and the powder removal chamber; step 4, providing a brush assembly and an air blow port, contacting the surface of the substrate with the brush assembly and moving back and forth relative to the substrate to clean the dust on the surface of the substrate, and at the same time, the air blow port blows toward the surface of the substrate to lift the dust; step 5, providing a vacuum cleaner to suck away the dust detached from the surface of the substrate; step 6, transferring the substrate from the powder removal chamber to the etching chamber; step 7, repeating steps 1 to 6 until the etching of the substrate is completed.

[0013] The method has at least the following beneficial effects: the powder removal method transfers the substrate from the etching chamber to the powder removal chamber, can effectively clean the residual dust on the surface of the substrate, and then transfers the substrate back to the etching chamber to continue etching, thereby improving etching efficiency.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the etching chamber and the powder removal chamber are both arranged along a first horizontal direction with a plurality of transmission rollers for conveying the substrate, and the plurality of transmission rollers can rotate forward and reverse synchronously, and the substrate is placed on the transmission rollers.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a movable gate is provided between the etching chamber and the powder removal chamber, and the movable gate can isolate or connect the etching chamber and the powder removal chamber.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the brush assembly includes an axle and a brush wheel, the brush wheel is rotatably connected to the axle, and the axle can reciprocate along a first horizontal direction in the powder removal chamber. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and easily understood from the description of the embodiments in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0018] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the powder removal chamber in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure numerals: powder removal chamber 1, substrate 2, brush assembly 3, air blowing port 4, dust collector 5, transmission roller 6, compressed air source 7, etching chamber 8, movable gate 9, dust 10. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and cannot be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0022] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that descriptions involving orientations, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., and orientations or positional relationships indicated are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0023] In the description of the present invention, "several" means one or more, "more" means two or more, "greater than", "less than", "exceed" etc. are understood as not including the number itself, and "above", "below", "within" etc. are understood as including the number itself. If there is a description of "first" or "second", it is only used for the purpose of distinguishing the technical features, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying the relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0024] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined, terms such as setting, installing, connecting, etc. should be understood in a broad sense, and technicians in the relevant technical field can reasonably determine the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific content of the technical solution.

[0025] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2The present invention discloses an automatic powder removal device for plasma etching, comprising an etching chamber 8, a powder removal chamber 1, a movable gate plate 9, a brush assembly 3, an air blow port 4 and a dust collector 5, wherein the etching chamber 8 is used to etch the surface of a substrate 2, a plurality of transmission rollers 6 for conveying the substrate 2 are arranged along a first horizontal direction, the powder removal chamber 1 is arranged along a first horizontal direction, a plurality of transmission rollers 6 for conveying the substrate 2 are arranged along a first horizontal direction, the movable gate plate 9 is arranged between the etching chamber 8 and the powder removal chamber 1, and can isolate or connect the etching chamber 8 and the powder removal chamber 1, the brush assembly 3 is installed in the powder removal chamber 1, contacts with the surface of the substrate 2, and can reciprocate relative to the substrate 2 along the first horizontal direction, the air blow port 4 is arranged in the powder removal chamber 1, and blows air toward the surface of the substrate 2, and the dust collector 5 is connected to the powder removal chamber 1.

[0026] During normal etching operation, the movable gate 9 isolates the etching chamber 8 and the powder removal chamber 1, and the two are not affected by each other. When the substrate 2 is etched to a certain extent and the surface is covered with residual dust 10, the movable gate 9 is opened to connect the etching chamber 8 and the powder removal chamber 1, and the substrate 2 can be transported from the etching chamber 8 to the powder removal chamber 1 through the transmission roller 6. The brush assembly 3 contacts the surface of the substrate 2 and moves back and forth relatively to clean the dust 10 on the surface of the substrate 2. Combined with the air outlet 4, air is blown toward the surface of the substrate 2 to lift the dust 10, so that the dust 10 separated from the surface of the substrate 2 can be sucked away by the vacuum cleaner 5, thereby effectively cleaning the residual dust 10 on the surface of the substrate 2, and then the substrate 2 is transferred back to the etching chamber 8 to continue etching, thereby improving the etching efficiency.

[0027] In some embodiments of the present invention, a plurality of transmission rollers 6 can rotate forward and reverse synchronously, and the substrate 2 is placed on the transmission rollers 6 so that the substrate 2 reciprocates along the first horizontal direction under the drive of the transmission rollers 6 .

[0028] As for the specific structure of the brush assembly 3, the brush assembly 3 may include an axle and a brush wheel, the brush wheel is rotatably connected to the axle, and due to the surface contact with the substrate 2, the brush wheel can rotate around itself driven by the substrate 2, the axle can be fixedly installed in the powder removal chamber 1, and can also reciprocate along the first horizontal direction in the powder removal chamber 1, but not synchronously with the substrate 2, so that the brush wheel can rotate around itself driven by the substrate 2, and can also reciprocate along the first horizontal direction, and the effect of cleaning dust is very good. In addition, the brush assembly 3 can also be a strip brush, which can also clean dust by keeping it fixed or moving in the first horizontal direction but not synchronously with the substrate 2.

[0029] In some embodiments of the present invention, Figure 1As shown, two groups of air ports 4 are provided, and the air ports 4 are connected to a compressed air source 7, wherein the brush assembly 3 and the air ports 4 are both distributed at the top of the powder removal chamber 1, and under the joint action of the brush assembly 3 and the air ports 4, the dust 10 is easily dropped to the bottom of the powder removal chamber 1, and the vacuum cleaner 5 is connected to the bottom of the powder removal chamber 1, making it easier to suck away the dust 10.

[0030] The present invention also discloses an automatic powder removal method for plasma etching, comprising the following steps:

[0031] Step 1: providing an etching chamber 8 and a powder removal chamber 1, placing a substrate 2 to be etched in the etching chamber 8, and isolating the etching chamber 8 from the powder removal chamber 1;

[0032] Step 2: The etching chamber 8 etches the surface of the substrate 2, and when the dust 10 reaches a certain thickness, the etching is stopped;

[0033] Step 3: connecting the etching chamber 8 and the powder removal chamber 1, transferring the substrate 2 from the etching chamber 8 to the powder removal chamber 1, and then isolating the etching chamber 8 and the powder removal chamber 1;

[0034] Step 4: providing a brush assembly 3 and an air outlet 4, wherein the brush assembly 3 contacts the surface of the substrate 2 and reciprocates relative to the substrate 2 to clean the dust 10 on the surface of the substrate 2, and the air outlet 4 blows air toward the surface of the substrate 2 to lift the dust 10;

[0035] Step 5: providing a vacuum cleaner 5 to suck away the dust 10 separated from the surface of the substrate 1;

[0036] Step 6: Transfer the substrate 2 from the powder removal chamber 1 to the etching chamber 8;

[0037] Step 7: Repeat steps 1 to 6 until the etching of the substrate 2 is completed.

[0038] The powder removal method transfers the substrate 2 from the etching chamber 8 to the powder removal chamber 1, which can effectively clean the residual dust 10 on the surface of the substrate 2, and then transfers the substrate 2 back to the etching chamber 8 to continue etching, thereby improving the etching efficiency.

[0039] See also Figure 2 In some embodiments of the present invention, the etching chamber 8 and the powder removal chamber 1 are both arranged with a plurality of transmission rollers 6 for conveying the substrate 2 along the first horizontal direction. The plurality of transmission rollers 6 can rotate forward and reverse synchronously. The substrate 2 is placed on the transmission rollers 6 so that the substrate 2 moves back and forth along the first horizontal direction under the drive of the transmission rollers 6.

[0040] Among them, a movable gate plate 9 is arranged between the etching chamber 8 and the powder removal chamber 1, and the movable gate plate 9 can isolate or connect the etching chamber 8 and the powder removal chamber 1. Figure 2As shown, the movable gate 9 moves upward to an open state, connecting the etching chamber 8 and the powder removal chamber 1 , and the movable gate 9 moves downward to a closed state, isolating the etching chamber 8 and the powder removal chamber 1 .

[0041] In some embodiments of the present invention, the brush assembly 3 includes an axle and a brush wheel, which are rotatably connected to the axle. The axle can reciprocate along the first horizontal direction in the powder removal chamber 1, but does not move synchronously with the substrate 2, so that the brush wheel can rotate around itself driven by the substrate 2 and reciprocate along the first horizontal direction, and the dust cleaning effect is very good.

[0042] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Various changes can be made within the knowledge scope of ordinary technicians in the technical field without departing from the purpose of the present invention.

Claims

1. Automatic powder removal device for plasma etching, characterized in that: include: The etching chamber has a plurality of transmission rollers arranged along a first horizontal direction for conveying the substrate; A powder removal chamber, wherein a plurality of transmission rollers for conveying a substrate are arranged along a first horizontal direction, wherein the plurality of transmission rollers can synchronously rotate forward and reverse, and the substrate is placed on the transmission rollers; A movable gate is disposed between the etching chamber and the powder removal chamber, and can isolate or connect the etching chamber and the powder removal chamber; A brush assembly is installed in the powder removal chamber, contacts the surface of the substrate, and can reciprocate along a first horizontal direction relative to the substrate. The brush assembly includes an axle and a brush wheel, the brush wheel is rotatably connected to the axle, and the axle is fixedly installed in the powder removal chamber or reciprocates along the first horizontal direction in the powder removal chamber; An air blowing port is disposed in the powder removal chamber and blows air toward the surface of the substrate; A dust collector is communicated with the powder removal chamber.

2. The automatic powder removal device for plasma etching according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air blowing port is connected to a compressed air source.

3. The automatic powder removal device for plasma etching according to claim 1, characterized in that: The brush assembly and the air outlet are both distributed on the top of the powder removal chamber, and the dust collector is connected to the bottom of the powder removal chamber.

4. The automatic powder removal method of plasma etching is characterized in that: The automatic powder removal device for plasma etching according to any one of claims 1 to 3 comprises the following steps: Step 1: providing an etching chamber and a powder removal chamber, placing a substrate to be etched in the etching chamber, and isolating the etching chamber and the powder removal chamber; Step 2: The etching chamber etches the surface of the substrate, and when the dust reaches a certain thickness, the etching is stopped; Step 3, connecting the etching chamber and the powder removal chamber, transferring the substrate from the etching chamber to the powder removal chamber, and then isolating the etching chamber and the powder removal chamber; Step 4: providing a brush assembly and an air blow port, wherein the brush assembly contacts the surface of the substrate and reciprocates relative to the substrate to clean the dust on the surface of the substrate, and the air blow port blows air toward the surface of the substrate to lift the dust; Step 5: Provide a vacuum cleaner to remove the dust from the surface of the substrate; Step 6, transferring the substrate from the powder removal chamber to the etching chamber; Step 7: Repeat steps 1 to 6 until the substrate is etched.

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