Substrate processing device

Abstract

This invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for performing specific treatments on a substrate, the apparatus comprising the following elements: a rotary table configured to rotate about a vertical axis; a rotation drive unit connected to the center of the rotary table, having a grounded rotation shaft, and driving the rotary table to rotate in a horizontal plane; a holding mechanism disposed on the upper surface of the outer periphery of the rotary table, having multiple support pins made of conductive material, and holding the substrate in a horizontal position separated from the upper surface of the rotary table; and a grounding wire, having conductivity, forming part of the rotary table, and electrically connecting the multiple support pins to the rotation shaft.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, which supports substrates such as semiconductor wafers, substrates for liquid crystal displays or organic EL (electroluminescence) display devices, glass substrates for photomasks, substrates for optical discs, substrates for magnetic disks, ceramic substrates, and substrates for solar cells (hereinafter referred to as substrates) on a rotating stage and rotates them in this state while performing specific processing on the substrates. Background Technology

[0002] Conventionally, such devices include a rotating stage and multiple support pins. For example, see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-228582 (…). Figure 4 In this apparatus, a substrate is supported by multiple support pins, and the lower surface of the substrate is separated from the upper surface of the rotary table. The substrate rotates via the rotary table, while its upper surface undergoes specific treatment. In cases where the substrate is already charged or the treatment solution supplied to the substrate is charged, there is a concern that electrostatic forces caused by the charge may lead to particle adsorption onto the substrate. Therefore, it is necessary to remove the charge from the substrate.

[0003] In conventional devices, a portion of the support pin is made of a conductive material, allowing the support pin to be grounded by being connected to the rotation shaft. Thus, the supported substrate is grounded via the support pin and the rotation shaft, thereby removing charge from the substrate.

[0004] However, based on past examples with this configuration, the following problems exist.

[0005] In other words, conventional devices require multiple support pins to be connected to a rotating shaft, with the support pins positioned on the outer periphery of the rotary table from a top view, and the rotating shaft positioned at the center of the rotary table from a top view. To address this, for example, by constructing the rotary table using a conductive material, the connection between the support pins and the rotating shaft can be achieved.

[0006] However, the rotary table must also be chemically resistant, thus limiting the materials available for use in substrate processing apparatuses. For example, in the background art, materials made by mixing carbon into fluoropolymer resins are cited. However, if such materials are used to construct the rotary table, the cost becomes extremely high. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a substrate processing apparatus that can prevent the substrate from becoming charged and suppress costs by studying the structure that enables conduction.

[0008] The present invention is configured in the following way to achieve the stated objective.

[0009] (1) The present invention is a substrate processing apparatus for performing specific processing on a substrate, the apparatus comprising the following elements: a rotary table configured to rotate about a vertical axis; a rotation drive member connected to the center of the rotary table, having a grounded rotation shaft, and rotating the rotary table in a horizontal plane; a holding mechanism disposed on the upper surface of the outer periphery of the rotary table, having multiple support pins made of conductive material, and holding the substrate in a horizontal position separated from the upper surface of the rotary table; and a grounding wire having conductivity, forming part of the rotary table, and electrically connecting the multiple support pins to the rotation shaft.

[0010] According to the present invention, a portion of the rotary table connected in the central part to the grounded rotating shaft is constituted by a grounding wire, through which multiple support pins are electrically connected to the rotating shaft. Therefore, compared with a configuration that achieves conductivity throughout the entire rotary table, substrate charging can be prevented and costs can be suppressed.

[0011] (2) In this invention, preferably, the multiple support pins are made of a material in which carbon nanotubes are incorporated into PEEK (polyether ether ketone) material.

[0012] Chemical resistance can be achieved through PEEK (polyetheretherketone) materials, which are fluorinated resins. Conductivity is obtained by incorporating carbon nanotubes into this PEEK material. Therefore, it can be well-suited for constructing grounding wires.

[0013] (3) In this invention, preferably, the grounding wire is a thin plate-shaped component formed in the surface direction of the rotary table.

[0014] Because the grounding wire is constructed as a thin plate-like component formed in the surface direction of the rotary table, the rotary table is less susceptible to wind resistance during rotation. Therefore, the adverse effects of turbulence on the processing can be suppressed.

[0015] (4) In this invention, preferably, there are at least 4 support pins, and the grounding wire is formed in a cross shape when viewed from above, and is connected to 4 of the support pins.

[0016] Because it is easy to form a cross shape, it is easy to construct a grounding wire. In addition, by grounding four points, the charge on the substrate can be effectively removed.

[0017] (5) In this invention, preferably, the grounding wire is installed on the lower surface of the rotary table.

[0018] It prevents the processing solution used to treat the substrate from easily flowing back. Furthermore, even if the processing solution does flow back, it is easily allowed to fall off. Therefore, it suppresses undesirable conditions caused by processing solution adhesion during the accompanying process.

[0019] (6) In this invention, preferably, the grounding wire is buried on the lower surface of the rotary table.

[0020] By burying the grounding wire, the unevenness of the lower surface of the rotary table can be reduced. Therefore, turbulence generated during the rotation of the rotary table can be suppressed.

[0021] (7) In this invention, preferably, the rotary table has a groove with a long axis extending from the support pin toward the rotation axis, and the groove has a trapezoidal shape in its longitudinal section at the short axis orthogonal to the long axis, with the upper base being longer than the lower base, and the grounding wire has a shape corresponding to the groove in its longitudinal section at the short axis.

[0022] The grounding wire can be installed on the rotary table via a slot without using physical force such as screws. Therefore, it can prevent the phenomenon of continuous deformation over time when a load is applied (known as creep), which is prone to occur in resins and the like. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To illustrate the invention, several preferred forms of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings; however, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and mechanisms shown.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0025] Figure 2A This is a top view of the entire rotary table.

[0026] Figure 2B yes Figure 2A A magnified view of a portion of the image.

[0027] Figure 3A This is a bottom view of the entire rotary table.

[0028] Figure 3B yes Figure 3A A magnified view of a portion of the image.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a longitudinal sectional view of the fixing pin.

[0030] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 and Figure 6 Sectional view 101-101 (arrow view)

[0031] Figure 6 This is a longitudinal sectional view of the movable pin.

[0032] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional image obtained by observing the movable pin from below.

[0033] Figure 8 This is a top view of the switching mechanism.

[0034] Figure 9 It is a diagram showing the positional relationship of the magnets in the retaining position of the movable pin.

[0035] Figure 10 It is a diagram showing the positional relationship of the magnets at the junction of the movable pins. Detailed Implementation

[0036] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the substrate processing apparatus in an embodiment. Figure 2A This is a top view of the entire rotary table. Figure 2B This is a magnified view of a portion of the rotary table. Figure 3A This is a bottom view of the entire rotary table. Figure 3B This is a magnified view of a portion of the rotary table.

[0038] The substrate processing apparatus of this embodiment is a monolithic processing apparatus for processing substrates W one by one. The substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate unit 1, a chuck unit 3, an anti-splash cup 5, a supply nozzle 7, and a control unit 9.

[0039] The base unit 1 rotates the chuck unit 3 and releases the chuck unit 3 from holding the substrate W. The chuck unit 3 holds the substrate W in a horizontal position and rotates it. The anti-splash cup 5 prevents the processing liquid supplied from the supply nozzle 7 to the substrate W from splashing outwards. The anti-splash cup 5 spans the processing height ( Figure 1 The solid line in the middle) and the intersection height equivalent to the processing height below ( Figure 1 The rise and fall between the double-dotted lines in the middle.

[0040] The base unit 1 includes an electric motor 11 and a switching mechanism 13. The electric motor 11 and the switching mechanism 13 are disposed within a chemically resistant housing 15. In other words, the housing 15 covers the electric motor 11 and the switching mechanism 13. Because the electric motor 11 and the switching mechanism 13 are disposed within the housing 15, it is unnecessary to perform treatments on these components to make them resistant to the processing liquid, or to use materials resistant to the processing liquid. Therefore, the cost of the base unit 1 can be reduced.

[0041] The electric motor 11 has a rotating shaft 17 in the vertical direction. The rotating shaft 17 rotates about a vertical axis P1. The rotating shaft 17 is made of a conductive metal material. The rotating shaft 17 is electrically connected to a ground wire (not shown). The electric motor 11 outputs the rotational position of the rotating shaft 17 from the encoder 19. The rotating shaft 17 is rotatably supported by a bearing 21 and extends upward from the outer casing 15. A chuck unit 3 is mounted on the upper part of the rotating shaft 17.

[0042] The electric motor 11 is equivalent to the "rotational drive component" in this invention.

[0043] The chuck unit 3 includes a rotary table 23 and a holding mechanism 25. For example... Figure 2A As shown, the rotary table 23 is circular when viewed from above. The rotary table 23 is, for example, made of a material resistant to the processing liquid supplied from the supply nozzle 7. Specifically, examples include fluoropolymers. More specifically, examples include PEEK (polyetheretherketone).

[0044] The retaining mechanism 25 includes, for example, two fixed pins 27 and two movable pins 29. The rotary table 23 has through-holes 31 at positions corresponding to the two fixed pins 27 and two movable pins 29. Each through-hole 31 extends from the upper surface to the lower surface of the rotary table 23. The two fixed pins 27 and two movable pins 29 are inserted into the through-holes 31. A cut portion 33 is formed around the through-holes 31 on the rotary table 23. The cut portion 33 is lower than the upper surface of the rotary table 23. The cut portion 33 is U-shaped when viewed from above.

[0045] The cutting section 33 allows the processing liquid to drain easily to the side. Therefore, it prevents the processing liquid flowing from the upper surface of the rotary table 23 to the side from stagnating at the location where the fixed pin 27 and movable pin 29 are installed. This prevents the generation of particles due to stagnant processing liquid.

[0046] Furthermore, the fixed pin 27 and the movable pin 29 are equivalent to the "support pins" in this invention.

[0047] Here, refer to Figure 4 . Figure 4 This is a longitudinal sectional view of the fixing pin.

[0048] The fixing pin 27 has a lower pin portion 35 and an upper pin portion 37. The lower pin portion 35 is located at the lower part of the rotary table 23. The lower pin portion 35 is connected to the upper pin portion 37 via a through-hole 31. The lower pin portion 35 has a pin support portion 35a, a fixing screw 35b, a counterweight 35c, a cover part 35d, and a fixing seal 35e. The fixing screw 35b, used to fix the upper pin portion 37 to the pin support portion 35a, is screwed into the upper part of the pin support portion 35a. The counterweight 35c is installed at the lower part of the fixing screw 35b. The counterweight 35c is used to achieve weight balance with the movable pin 29. The cover part 35d is installed at the lower part of the counterweight 35c. The cover part 35d fixes the counterweight 35c to the pin support portion 35a. The cover part 35d is fixed to the pin support portion 35a by the fixing seal 35e. The upper pin 37 is mounted on the upper part of the pin support 35a, separated by a fixing seal 35f. The fixing seal 35f prevents the treatment fluid from seeping into the interior and corroding the fixing screws 35b, etc.

[0049] The upper pin portion 37 includes a shaft portion 37a and a support plate 37b. The support plate 37b has a protrusion 37c. The shaft portion 37a is fixed to the pin support portion 35a by a fixing screw 35b while being mounted on the fixing seal 35f. The support plate 37b is elliptical in plan view. The support plate 37b abuts against the lower surface and outer periphery of the outer periphery of the substrate W to support the substrate W. An inclined surface 37d is formed on the shaft core P1 side of the support plate 37b. The inclined surface 37d has an inclination that gradually increases from the shaft core P1 towards the outer periphery of the rotary table 23. The inclined surface 37d abuts against the lower surface of the substrate W. A protrusion 37c is formed on the support plate 37b at a portion further outward than the fixing screw 35b in plan view. The protrusion 37c abuts against the outer periphery of the substrate W, restricting the outward movement of the substrate W. The retaining pin 27 is installed in such a manner that the long elliptical axis of the support plate 37b is positioned along the outer periphery of the rotary table 23.

[0050] A sizing sheet 39 can be inserted into the contact portion between the upper pin portion 37 of the fixing pin 27 and the upper surface of the pin support portion 35a. The sizing sheet 39 is a thin sheet of stainless steel. By changing the thickness of the sizing sheet 39 or increasing or decreasing the number of sizing sheets 39, the height of the upper pin portion 37 of the fixing pin 27 from the upper surface of the rotary table 23 can be adjusted. This allows adjustment of the support height of the substrate W, thereby enabling the substrate W to be leveled. The fixing seals 35e and 35f are elastic components with chemical resistance. Specifically, the fixing seals 35e and 35f are preferably, for example, fluororubber (vinylidene fluoride (FKM), tetrafluoroethylene-propylene (FEPM), tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroethylene ether (FFKM), etc.).

[0051] like Figure 3A As shown, the lower pin portion 35 of the fixing pin 27 is screwed onto the lower surface of the rotary table 23 via the pin housing 41. Furthermore, Figure 4 In this illustration, the pin housing 41 is omitted for clarity. Among the components constituting the fixing pin 27, the pin support 35a and the support piece 37b are preferably made of a conductive material with chemical resistance. More preferably, they are made of conductive PEEK material incorporating carbon nanotubes (PEEK-CNT). This ensures conductivity.

[0052] A grounding wire 43 is provided on the lower surface of the rotary table 23. The grounding wire 43 forms part of the rotary table 23. Specifically, as... Figure 2A and Figure 3AAs shown, four grounding wires 43 are arranged in communication with two fixed pins 27 and two movable pins 29. The grounding wires 43 are conductive. Preferably, they are made of conductive PEEK material incorporating carbon nanotubes (PEEK-CNT). The outer peripheral end of the grounding wire 43 is mounted in communication with the pin support 35a. The end of the grounding wire 43 on the shaft P1 side is mounted in communication with the rotating shaft 17. The rotating shaft 17 is connected to the grounding wires via an electric motor 11.

[0053] The grounding wire 43 possesses chemical resistance through the use of PEEK (polyetheretherketone) material, which is a fluorine-based resin. Conductivity is achieved by incorporating carbon nanotubes into this PEEK material. Therefore, PEEK-CNTs can be well-suited for constructing the grounding wire 43.

[0054] Here, refer to Figure 5 . Figure 5 yes Figure 4 and Figure 6 Sectional view 101-101 (arrow view).

[0055] On the lower surface of the rotary table 23, a groove 45 is formed in a cross shape when viewed from above. The longitudinal section of the groove 45 is an inverted trapezoid. The groove 45 has a major axis extending from the fixed pin 27 or the movable pin 29 toward the rotation axis 17. In the longitudinal section of the minor axis orthogonal to the major axis of the groove 45, the upper base of the groove 45 is a trapezoid longer than the lower base. The depth of the groove 45 in the direction of the foot of the trapezoid is shorter than the major axis of the groove 45. The grounding wire 43 is embedded in the groove 45. That is, the grounding wire 43 is embedded in the lower surface of the rotary table 23. By embedding the grounding wire 43, the unevenness of the lower surface of the rotary table 23 can be reduced. Therefore, turbulence generated with the rotation of the rotary table 23 can be suppressed. Furthermore, since the grounding wire 43 is installed on the lower surface of the rotary table 23, the processing liquid for processing the substrate W is less likely to flow back to the grounding wire 43. In addition, even if the processing liquid flows back, it can be easily discharged. Therefore, adverse conditions that may occur to the grounding wire 43 due to the adhesion of the processing liquid can be suppressed. Furthermore, the grounding wire 43 is a thin plate-like component formed in the direction of the surface of the rotary table 23. Therefore, even if it is installed by attaching it to the lower surface of the rotary table 23 instead of being embedded therein, it is less susceptible to wind resistance when the rotary table 23 rotates. Therefore, the adverse effects of turbulence on the processing can be suppressed. The longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the grounding wire 43 is approximately the same as that of the groove 45. In other words, the longitudinal cross-section of the grounding wire 43 at the minor axis of the groove 45 has a shape corresponding to that of the groove 45. The shape of the grounding wire 43 is slightly smaller than that of the groove 45. Therefore, by passing the grounding wire 43 through the groove 45 radially along the surface of the rotary table 23, the grounding wire 43 can be installed in the groove 45 without the use of physical forces such as screws. Thus, the grounding wire 43 slowly passes through the groove 45. Therefore, the phenomenon of continuous deformation over time under applied load (known as creep) can be prevented, a phenomenon that is a concern in resin materials. This prevents the grounding wire 43 from deforming and becoming difficult to conduct.

[0056] When the rotating stage 23 is made of a non-conductive material such as PEEK, there is a possibility that attached particles are difficult to detach due to their charge. This can lead to particle contamination of the substrate W. In this embodiment, a grounding wire 43 is used to ground the fixed pin 27 to the movable pin 29, which will be described below. This prevents charge buildup and thus avoids the aforementioned problem. Furthermore, although conductive PEEK material incorporating carbon nanotubes is very expensive, in this embodiment, not the entire rotating stage 23 is made of conductive PEEK material; only a portion of the rotating stage 23, which appears cross-shaped from top view, is made of conductive PEEK material. Therefore, this problem can be prevented while keeping costs down.

[0057] Next, refer to Figure 6 . Figure 6 This is a longitudinal sectional view of the movable pin.

[0058] The movable pin 29 has a lower pin portion 47 and an upper pin portion 49. The lower pin portion 47 is located at the lower part of the rotary table 23. The lower pin portion 47 is connected to the upper pin portion 49 via a through-hole 31. The lower pin portion 47 includes a pin support portion 47a, a rotating magnet 47c, a cover component 47d, a fixing seal 47e, a bearing 47f, a fixing seal 47g, and a cylindrical component 47h.

[0059] A fixing screw 47b, used to secure the upper pin 49 to the pin support 47a, is screwed into the upper part of the pin support 47a. A rotating magnet 47c is mounted below the fixing screw 47b. The rotating magnet 47c is connected to the lower end of the movable pin 29. As described below, the rotating magnet 47c rotates the movable pin 29 by switching its surrounding magnetic poles. A cover member 47d is mounted below the rotating magnet 47c. The cover member 47d secures the rotating magnet 47c to the pin support 47a. The cover member 47d is secured to the pin support 47a by a fixing seal 47e. The pin support 47a is mounted on the through-hole 31 via a bearing 47f and a cylindrical member 47h, and by a fixing seal 47g. The pin support 47a is only fixed to the inner wheel of the bearing 47f, and not to the outer wheel of the bearing 47f. The outer wheel of the bearing 47f is fixed to the through-hole 31. The cylindrical component 47h is installed on the upper part of the pin support 47a in a state where the lower surface is separated from the upper surface of the pin support 47a.

[0060] The cylindrical component 47h is fixed only to the outer wheel of the bearing 47f and the lower surface of the rotary table 23. The cylindrical component 47h is configured such that its lower surface is separate from the pin support portion 47a. The bearing 47f does not have a sealing component between the inner and outer wheels. Therefore, fluid can flow between the inner and outer wheels of the bearing 47f. The bearing 47f is made of a material resistant to the processing fluid. For example, it is preferable that both the inner and outer wheels of the bearing 47f are made of conductive resin. The bearing 47f is preferably made of conductive PEEK material incorporating carbon nanotubes, for example. In addition, from the perspective of ensuring wear resistance and conductivity, the rolling elements of the bearing 47f are preferably made of SiC (silicon carbide). The fluid flowing down the bearing 47f is discharged to the surroundings through the flow path 47i between the lower surface of the cylindrical component 47h and the pin support portion 47a. Therefore, combined with the effect of the cutting portion 33, it is more effective to prevent the processing fluid from stagnating at the root of the movable pin 29 on the rotary table 23.

[0061] The upper pin portion 49 includes a shaft portion 49a and a support plate 49b. The support plate 49b has a protrusion 49c. The shaft portion 49a is fixed to the pin support portion 47a by a fixing screw 47b while being mounted on the fixing seal 47g. The support plate 47b is elliptical in plan view. The support plate 47b abuts against the lower surface and outer periphery of the outer periphery of the substrate W to support the substrate W. An inclined surface 49d is formed on the shaft core P1 side of the support plate 47b. The inclined surface 49d is inclined so that it gradually increases in elevation from the shaft core P1 toward the outer periphery of the rotary table 23. The inclined surface 49d abuts against the lower surface of the substrate W. A protrusion 49c is formed on the support plate 49b at a portion further outward than the fixing screw 47b in plan view. The protrusion 49c abuts against the outer periphery of the substrate W to restrict the outward movement of the substrate W. Furthermore, like the fixed pin 27, the movable pin 29 can have a sizing piece 51 inserted into the contact portion between the upper pin portion 49 and the upper surface of the pin support portion 47a. By changing the thickness of the sizing piece 51 or increasing or decreasing the number of sizing pieces 51, the height of the upper pin portion 49 of the movable pin 29 from the upper surface of the rotary table 23 can be adjusted. This allows adjustment of the surface height of the substrate W. This is also known as surface offset adjustment. Furthermore, the material of the fixed seals 47e and 47g is preferably the same as that of the fixed seals 35e and 35f. The movable pin 29 is configured to rotate around the shaft P2 via the bearing 47f.

[0062] like Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, the lower pin portion 47 of the movable pin 29 is screwed to the lower surface of the rotary table 23 using the support plate 53. Furthermore, Figure 6 In this illustration, the support plate 53 is omitted from the diagram for visual purposes. Among the components constituting the movable pin 29, the lower pin 47 and the upper pin 37 are preferably made of a conductive material with chemical resistance. More preferably, they are made of conductive PEEK material incorporating carbon nanotubes (PEEK-CNT). This ensures conductivity.

[0063] When the movable pin 29 is rotated to the holding position, it is mounted in the same manner as the fixed pin 27, with the elliptical major axis of the support piece 49b aligned along the outer periphery of the rotary table 23. Therefore, by rotating the movable pin 29 to the holding position, the major axes of the support pieces 37b and 49b are aligned along the outer periphery of the rotary table 23. This reduces the air resistance of the support pieces 37b and 49b during rotation of the rotary table 23 and suppresses airflow turbulence around the fixed pin 27 and the movable pin 29. As a result, uneven processing of the periphery of the substrate W near the fixed pin 27 and the movable pin 29 can be suppressed.

[0064] Figure 2AThe grounding wire 43 shown in Figure 3 is installed such that its outer peripheral end is connected to the lower pin 47. The end of the grounding wire 43 on the shaft P1 side is installed such that it is connected to the rotating shaft 17.

[0065] Refer to Figure 3 and Figure 7 .also, Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional image obtained by observing the movable pin from below.

[0066] The support plate 53 has one end 53a, another end 53b, a mounting portion 53c, a round screw hole portion 53d, and a long screw hole portion 53e. The support plate 53 is made of a material resistant to the treatment liquid. This material is preferably a fluoropolymer resin. More preferably, it is PEEK.

[0067] One end 53a is a portion of the support plate 53 along an arc corresponding to the outer periphery of the rotary table 23. The other end 53b is a portion on the arc corresponding to the outer periphery of the rotary table 23, opposite to one end 53a. A mounting portion 53c is a portion formed on the side of one end 53a for mounting a movable pin 29. A round screw hole 53d is a mounting hole formed on the other end 53b for screwing and fixing to the rotary table 23. A long screw hole 53e is a mounting hole formed on the side of one end 53a for screwing to the rotary table 23. This hole is an elongated hole with a long axis in the radial direction of the rotary table 23.

[0068] As described above, the support plate 53 has a long screw hole 53e. Therefore, with the screw in the long screw hole 53e loosened, one end 53a can be moved radially toward the rotary table 23 to adjust the position of the movable pin 29 in the radial direction of the rotary table 23. This allows for easy adjustment so that the substrate W is properly supported in the radial direction of the rotary table 23. In other words, adjustment can be easily performed so that the rotation center of the rotary table 23 coincides with the center of the substrate W, thus preventing so-called "core offset." As a result, the in-plane uniformity of the processing on the substrate W can be improved.

[0069] A receiving portion 55 is formed on the support plate 53 adjacent to the mounting portion 53c. The receiving portion 55 is located on the lower surface of the rotary table 23 and is formed to the side of the rotating magnet 47c. A fixed magnet 57 is housed within the receiving portion 55. The fixed magnet 57 constantly applies a magnetic field to the rotating magnet 47c. The rotating magnet 47c, attracted by the magnetic field of the fixed magnet 57, rotates due to the magnetic force and comes to rest in a stable state. Therefore, the movable pin 29 rotates around the axis P2 and remains stationary. This position is the holding position. Figure 2B As shown by the solid line, the holding position is where the protrusion 49c abuts against the edge of the substrate W. On the other hand, as... Figure 2BAs shown by the double-dotted line, the junction position is where the movable pin 29 rotates around the axis P2, the protrusion 49c separates from the edge of the substrate W, and the lower surface periphery of the substrate W abuts against the inclined surface 49d and is supported. Therefore, when the movable pin 29 is in the junction position, the substrate W can be junctioned via a transfer arm (not shown). Since a fixed magnet 57 is arranged to the side of the rotating magnet 47c, the degree of rotation of the movable pin 29 in the holding position can be easily adjusted by the position of the fixed magnet 57.

[0070] like Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, the fixed magnet 57 and the rotating magnet 47c are arranged on the same circumference centered on the rotation center P1 of the rotary table 23 in a top view. Due to this arrangement, therefore, as... Figure 7 As shown, both the fixed magnet 57 and the rotating magnet 47c can be observed from the outer periphery. Therefore, maintenance can be easily performed.

[0071] Reference Figure 1 and Figures 8-10 .also, Figure 8 This is a top view of the switching mechanism. Figure 9 It is a diagram showing the positional relationship of the magnets in the retaining position of the movable pin. Figure 10 It is a diagram showing the positional relationship of the magnets at the junction of the movable pins.

[0072] The switching mechanism 13 includes a cylinder 59, a support arm 61, and a drive magnet 63. The cylinder 59 has an actuating shaft 65 that extends and retracts in the vertical direction. The support arm 61 is mounted on the actuating shaft 65. The support arm 61 has a length spanning two movable pins 29. Drive magnets 63 are mounted at both ends of the support arm 61. Viewed from above, the drive magnet 63 is located on the inner circumference of the rotary table 23, closer to the rotating magnet 47c. In other words, the drive magnet 63 is positioned on the axis P1 side of the rotary table 23, closer to the rotating magnet 47c and the fixed magnet 57. The drive magnet 63 generates a stronger magnetic force than the fixed magnet 57.

[0073] The switching mechanism 13 holds the substrate W in the holding position to drive the magnet 63 to the position. Figure 1 The downward position shown by the solid line causes the actuating shaft 65 of cylinder 59 to retract. This is the normal position, which is what would occur if the power were cut off due to a power outage or power failure. Furthermore, viewed from above, it would appear as follows: Figure 9 The positional relationship is shown. That is, the rotating magnet 47c of the movable pin 29 is given a magnetic force generated only by the fixed magnet 57. The rotating magnet 47c and the fixed magnet 57 attract each other due to the magnetic force, thereby rotating the movable pin 29 to the holding position.

[0074] On the other hand, the switching mechanism 13 is in the junction position of the released substrate W to drive the magnet 63 to be located Figure 1 The upward position indicated by the double-dotted line elongates the actuating shaft 65 of cylinder 59. Furthermore, viewed from above, it appears as follows: Figure 10 The positional relationship is shown. That is, a greater magnetic force than that of the fixed magnet 57 is applied to the rotating magnet 47c from the driving magnet 63. As a result, the rotating magnet 47c is attracted by the driving magnet 63, and the movable pin 29 is rotated to the engagement position.

[0075] The rotating magnet 47c, the fixed magnet 57, and the driving magnet 63 are preferably neodymium magnets. Neodymium magnets are rare-earth magnets (rare-earth element magnets) with neodymium, iron, and boron as their main components. Neodymium magnets generate a strong magnetic field.

[0076] The switching mechanism 13, viewed from above, is positioned closer to the axis P1 of the rotary table 23 than the rotating magnet 47c and the fixed magnet 57. Therefore, the drive magnet 63 can be positioned biased towards the axis P1 of the rotary table 23. This allows for miniaturization of the switching mechanism 13.

[0077] The control unit 9 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and memory, etc. The control unit 9 controls the supply of processing fluid from the supply nozzle 7 and the oscillation of the supply nozzle 7 between a standby position and a supply position. The standby position is when the nozzle 7 is at its outlet... Figure 1 The position shown corresponds to the position above the shaft core P1. The standby position is the position where the nozzle 7's outlet is offset to the side from the anti-splash cup 5. The control unit 9 controls the raising and lowering of the anti-splash cup 5 between the processing height and the junction height. The control unit 9 controls the rotation of the electric motor 11. For example, the control unit 9 increases the rotation speed with a specific acceleration targeting the processing speed, and maintains the processing speed throughout the entire processing time when the processing speed is reached. After the processing time has elapsed, the control unit 9 reduces the rotation speed with a specific negative acceleration and stops it. A signal from the encoder 19 is input to the control unit 9. When stopping the electric motor 11, the control unit 9 refers to the output from the encoder 19. The control unit 9 becomes Figure 8 The positional relationship shown is used to stop the electric motor 11. Specifically, the rotation of the electric motor 11 is controlled by the rotating magnet 47c with two movable pins 29 facing the drive magnet 63 of the switching mechanism 13 radially towards each other on the rotary table 23. The control unit 9 controls the raising and lowering of the drive magnet 63 by the switching mechanism 13.

[0078] The substrate processing apparatus described herein processes the substrate W in the following manner, for example. Furthermore, under normal circumstances, the control unit 9 does not operate the switching mechanism 13. That is, the drive magnet 63 is located... Figure 1The solid line indicates the descending position. Under normal circumstances, such as... Figure 9 As shown, the rotating magnet 47c is attracted by the magnetic force of the fixed magnet 57 and rotates. Therefore, the movable pin 29 becomes... Figure 2B The position is indicated by the solid line in the middle.

[0079] Control unit 9 moves the anti-scattering cup to the junction height and operates switching mechanism 13 to move drive magnet 63 to the rising position. The rising position is... Figure 1 The position indicated by the double-dotted line. Therefore, as... Figure 10 As shown, the rotating magnet 47c is attracted by the driving magnet 63. Therefore, the movable pin 29 is in a position... Figure 2B The intersection is indicated by the double-dotted line.

[0080] The control unit 9 moves the transport arm (not shown) holding the substrate W, which is to be processed, above the rotary table 23, and then lowers the transport arm to place the substrate W on the inclined surface 37d of the fixed pin 27 and the inclined surface 49d of the movable pin 29.

[0081] After the conveyor arm retracts outward, the control unit 9 raises the anti-scattering cup to the processing height. The control unit 9 operates the switching mechanism 13, causing the drive magnet 63 to descend. Figure 1 The descending position is indicated by the solid line. Therefore, as... Figure 9 As shown, the attraction of the driving magnet 63 to the rotating magnet 47c is released. Therefore, the rotating magnet 47c is attracted by the magnetic force of the fixed magnet 57 and rotates. Consequently, the movable pin 29 is in a position... Figure 2B The position is indicated by the solid line in the middle.

[0082] The control unit 9 operates the supply nozzle 7, causing the supply nozzle 7 to swing from the standby position to the processing position. Then, while the electric motor 11 is rotated to the processing speed, the processing liquid is supplied from the supply nozzle 7, and the substrate W is supplied with processing liquid and processed during the processing time.

[0083] After a certain period of time, the substrate W is removed by the opposite action of the series of actions.

[0084] According to this embodiment, the switching mechanism 13 does not apply the magnetic field of the driving magnet 63 to the rotating magnet 47c under normal circumstances. Only during the exchange of substrates W is the magnetic field of the driving magnet 63 applied to the rotating magnet 47c, causing each movable pin 29 to rotate to the exchange position. Therefore, under normal circumstances, the movable pins 29 are rotated to the holding position by the magnetic force from the fixed magnet 57. On the other hand, only during the exchange of substrates W is the movable pin 29 rotated to the exchange position by the magnetic force of the driving magnet 63 of the switching mechanism 13. As a result, springs, cam plates, lifting plates, etc., are unnecessary, thus enabling a lightweight rotary table with a simple configuration. Furthermore, with the lightweight rotary table 23, maintenance such as replacing the two fixed pins 27 and two movable pins 29 that need periodic replacement can be performed by easily disassembling the rotary table 23. Therefore, the workload of maintenance personnel can also be reduced.

[0085] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, two fixed pins 27 and two movable pins 29 are electrically connected to the rotation shaft 17 via a grounding wire that forms part of the rotary table 23. Therefore, compared to a configuration that achieves conductivity throughout the rotary table 23, it is possible to prevent the substrate W from becoming charged and to suppress costs.

[0086] The present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, and may also be implemented in the following variations.

[0087] (1) In the embodiment described above, the rotating magnet 47c and the fixed magnet 57 are arranged on the same circumference centered on the shaft core P1. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. That is, the rotating magnet 47c and the fixed magnet 57 may also be arranged radially on the rotary table 23.

[0088] (2) In the embodiment described above, the fixed magnet 57 is positioned to the side of the rotating magnet 47c. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. That is, the fixed magnet 57 is not limited in its position as long as it can rotate the movable pin 29 to the holding position by applying a magnetic field to the rotating magnet 47c.

[0089] (3) In the embodiment described above, the switching mechanism 13 includes a cylinder 59, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. That is, any configuration is possible as long as it enables the drive magnet 63 to move between a position close to the rotating magnet 47c and a position away from the rotating magnet 47c.

[0090] (4) In the embodiment described, the rotary table 23 has a cutting portion 33, but this configuration is not required in the present invention.

[0091] (5) In the embodiment described above, the position of the movable pin 29 in the radial direction of the rotary table 23 can be adjusted using the support plate 53. However, this configuration is not mandatory in the present invention. As long as the so-called core offset does not significantly affect the processing, this configuration can be omitted to reduce costs.

[0092] (6) In the embodiment described above, the support pieces 37b and 49b of the fixed pin 27 and the movable pin 29 are elliptical in plan view. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the support pieces 37b and 49b may also be circular in plan view.

[0093] (7) In the embodiment described above, the clamp unit 3 has two fixed pins 27 and two movable pins 29. However, the present invention is not limited to the number of pins described above.

[0094] (8) In the embodiment described above, a substrate processing apparatus is illustrated that processes the substrate by supplying a processing liquid through a supply nozzle 7. However, the present invention can also be applied to any apparatus such as a substrate processing apparatus that performs a specific processing while rotating the substrate W.

[0095] (9) In the embodiment described above, the fixed pin 27 and the movable pin 29 are made of PEEK-CNT. However, the present invention is not limited to the aforementioned materials. That is, other materials may also be used as long as they are chemically resistant and conductive.

[0096] (10) In the embodiment described above, the grounding wire 43 is configured in a cross shape when viewed from above. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, when there are a total of 6 movable pins 27 and fixed pins 29, it may be configured to be 6 lines when viewed from above. However, even in this case, it may be configured so that 4 of the 6 cross-shaped grounding wires 43 are conductive.

[0097] (11) In the embodiment described above, the grounding wire 43 is provided on the lower surface of the rotary table 23. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. That is, the grounding wire 43 may also be provided on the upper surface of the rotary table 23. In addition, the grounding wire 43 is installed by inserting it into the slot 45, but it may also be installed by means of screws or the like, provided that it will not be affected by creep.

[0098] This invention may be practiced in other special forms without departing from its spirit or essential attributes; therefore, reference should be made not to the specification but to the claims that define the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus for performing specific processing on a substrate, the apparatus comprising the following elements: A rotary table configured to rotate about a vertical axis; A rotary drive component is connected to the center of the rotary table, has a grounded rotary shaft, and drives the rotary table to rotate in a horizontal plane. A holding mechanism, disposed on the upper surface of the outer periphery of the rotary table, includes multiple support pins made of conductive material and holds the substrate in a horizontal position, separated from the upper surface of the rotary table; and The grounding wire, which is conductive, forms part of the rotary table and electrically connects the multiple support pins to the rotating shaft. The rotary table has a groove with a long axis extending from the support pin toward the rotation axis. In the longitudinal section of the minor axis, which is orthogonal to the major axis, the groove presents a trapezoidal shape in which the upper base is longer than the lower base. The grounding wire has a shape in the longitudinal section of its short axis that corresponds to the groove.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The multiple support pins are made of a material composed of carbon nanotubes incorporated into PEEK (polyether ether ketone) material.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The grounding wire is a thin plate-shaped component formed in the surface direction of the rotary table.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein The grounding wire is a thin plate-shaped component formed in the surface direction of the rotary table.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The number of support pins is at least four. The grounding wire is cross-shaped when viewed from above and is connected to four of the multiple support pins.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein The number of support pins is at least four. The grounding wire is cross-shaped when viewed from above and is connected to four of the multiple support pins.

7. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein The number of support pins is at least four. The grounding wire is cross-shaped when viewed from above and is connected to four of the multiple support pins.

8. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein The number of support pins is at least four. The grounding wire is cross-shaped when viewed from above and is connected to four of the multiple support pins.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The grounding wire is installed on the lower surface of the rotary table.

10. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein The grounding wire is installed on the lower surface of the rotary table.

11. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein The grounding wire is installed on the lower surface of the rotary table.

12. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein The grounding wire is installed on the lower surface of the rotary table.

13. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein The grounding wire is installed on the lower surface of the rotary table.

14. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein The grounding wire is installed on the lower surface of the rotary table.

15. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein The grounding wire is installed on the lower surface of the rotary table.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein The grounding wire is installed on the lower surface of the rotary table.

17. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein The grounding wire is buried on the lower surface of the rotary table.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein The grounding wire is buried on the lower surface of the rotary table.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein The grounding wire is buried on the lower surface of the rotary table.

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