Heat treatment device and heat treatment method

Abstract

The present invention provides a heat treatment device and a heat treatment method, which can ensure the cleanliness of a chamber without reducing productivity and improve the quality of a workpiece. The heat treatment device (1) of the embodiment comprises: a chamber (10) capable of maintaining an environment with a reduced pressure lower than atmospheric pressure; an exhaust unit (40) connected to the chamber (10) for exhausting the chamber (10); a support unit (30) for supporting a workpiece (W) accommodated in the chamber (10); a heating unit (50) for performing a first heating process for heating the workpiece (W) when the workpiece (W) is supported by the support unit (30), and a second heating process for heating the chamber (10) at a faster heating rate than the first heating process when the workpiece (W) is not supported by the support unit (30); and a gas supply unit (60) for supplying gas into the chamber after the first heating and the second heating, thereby cooling the chamber.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a heat treatment device and a heat treatment method. Background Art

[0002] In the manufacture of a flat panel display (FPD) or a semiconductor element, the following operation is performed: a workpiece coated with a solution containing an organic material and a solvent is dried to form a desired film on the workpiece. As a device for drying, for example, the following heat treatment device is used, which includes: a chamber that can maintain an environment with a pressure reduction lower than atmospheric pressure; and a heater that heats the workpiece disposed inside the chamber. In addition to forming a film on the surface of the workpiece, this heat treatment device is also used to process the surface of the workpiece.

[0003] When the workpiece is repeatedly heat treated, sublimates are generated in the chamber from substances contained on the surface of the workpiece. For example, when the workpiece is heated, substances contained on the surface of the workpiece are vaporized, and thus sometimes become solid and adhere to the inner wall of the chamber, which is lower in temperature than the heated workpiece. When the substances adhered to the inner wall of the chamber are peeled off from the inner wall of the chamber, they become particles and adhere to the surface of the workpiece, thereby causing the quality of the workpiece to deteriorate.

[0004] Furthermore, when the workpiece is heated, the temperature in the chamber becomes high, so the components in the chamber expand due to the heat. Furthermore, when the components are cooled after heating, the components in the chamber will shrink. When the components repeatedly expand and shrink, the components rub against each other and generate particles. Such particles may also adhere to the workpiece during heat treatment, or particles attached to the inner wall of the chamber may peel off and adhere to the workpiece, thereby causing the quality of the workpiece to deteriorate.

[0005] In order to cope with this situation, maintenance is required to remove particles attached to the inner wall of the chamber or the like periodically or according to the amount of particles attached, the degree of quality degradation, and the like.

[0006] [Prior art literature]

[0007] [Patent Document]

[0008] Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2019 / 117250 Summary of the invention

[0009] [Problems to be solved by the invention]

[0010] During the maintenance period as described above, the workpiece cannot be heated. Therefore, if the maintenance time is long or the number of times is large, the productivity will be greatly reduced.

[0011] The embodiments of the present invention are made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a heat treatment apparatus and a heat treatment method that can ensure the cleanliness in a chamber without reducing productivity and improve the quality of a workpiece.

[0012] [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0013] A heat treatment device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a chamber capable of maintaining an environment with a pressure reduction lower than atmospheric pressure; an exhaust section connected to the chamber to exhaust the chamber; a support section to support a workpiece accommodated in the chamber; a heating section to perform a first heating operation to heat the workpiece in a state where the workpiece is supported by the support section, and to perform a second heating operation to heat the chamber at a faster heating rate than the first heating operation in a state where the workpiece is not supported by the support section; and a gas supply section to supply gas into the chamber after the first heating and after the second heating, thereby performing cooling.

[0014] The heat treatment method of an embodiment of the present invention includes: a first heat treatment, in a state where the workpiece is supported by a support portion in a decompressed chamber, the heating portion heats the workpiece, and then the gas supply portion supplies gas to cool it; a workpiece discharge treatment, in which after the first heat treatment, the workpiece is discharged from the chamber; and a second heat treatment, in a state where the workpiece is not supported by the support portion, the heating portion heats the chamber at a faster heating rate than the first heat treatment, and then the gas supply portion supplies the gas to cool it, and the exhaust portion exhausts the chamber.

[0015] [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to provide a heat treatment apparatus and a heat treatment method that can ensure the cleanliness in a chamber without reducing productivity and improve the quality of a workpiece. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic front view of a heat treatment apparatus for illustrating an embodiment.

[0018] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 AA arrow schematic cross-sectional view of the heat treatment device.

[0019] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the heat treatment device taken along the line BB is shown.

[0020] Figure 4 It is a schematic perspective view showing the interior of the cassette and the piping and nozzle of the air supply unit.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a graph showing the temperature change in the first heat treatment.

[0022] Figure 6 It is a graph which shows the temperature change in the second heat treatment.

[0023] Figure 7 1 is a flowchart showing a process flow of the heat treatment apparatus according to the first embodiment.

[0024] [Explanation of Symbols]

[0025] 1: Heat treatment device

[0026] 10: Chamber

[0027] 10a, 10b: Open

[0028] 10c: Sealing material

[0029] 10d, 10e: flange

[0030] 11: Open and close doors

[0031] 12, 13, 14: Exhaust port

[0032] 15: Cover

[0033] 20: Box

[0034] 20a: Opening

[0035] 21: Box frame

[0036] 21a: Beam

[0037] 22: Vapor Chamber

[0038] 23: Workpiece support

[0039] 24: Cassette support

[0040] 30: Support

[0041] 31: Framework

[0042] 32: Supporting part

[0043] 40: Exhaust

[0044] 41: First exhaust section

[0045] 41a: Piping

[0046] 41b: Exhaust pump

[0047] 41c: Pressure adjustment unit

[0048] 42: Second exhaust section

[0049] 42a: Piping

[0050] 42b: Exhaust pump

[0051] 42c: Pressure adjustment unit

[0052] 43: Third exhaust section

[0053] 43a: Piping

[0054] 43b: Valve

[0055] 50: Heating unit

[0056] 51: Heater

[0057] 60: Air supply department

[0058] 61, 62: Piping

[0059] 63, 64, 65: Gas supply device

[0060] 65a: Gas source

[0061] 65b: Gas control unit

[0062] 70: Control device

[0063] 71: Opening and closing control unit

[0064] 72: Exhaust control unit

[0065] 73: First heat treatment section

[0066] 74: Second heat treatment section

[0067] 75: Interrupt processing unit

[0068] S01~S26: Steps

[0069] W: Workpiece DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0070] A heat treatment apparatus according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0071] [First embodiment]

[0072] [summary]

[0073] like Figure 1 As shown, the heat treatment device 1 of the first embodiment is a device for heating a workpiece W under an environment reduced in pressure than the atmospheric pressure to form an organic film on the surface of the workpiece W. The workpiece W before the heat treatment is a substrate with a solution applied on the surface. The substrate is, for example, a glass substrate or a semiconductor wafer. The solution is a solvent containing an organic material. For example, a varnish containing polyamic acid can be used as the solution.

[0074] The workpiece W is heat treated in the heat treatment device 1, whereby the polyamic acid in the solution is imidized to form a polyimide film on the surface of the substrate. In addition, before being moved into the heat treatment device 1, the workpiece W is moved into a temporary calcination device (not shown) in an upstream process, and the solution is temporarily calcined to become a semi-solidified state. During the temporary calcination, for example, it is placed in an environment of a pressure of about 100 Pa below 90°C for more than three minutes, thereby preliminarily evaporating a portion of the solvent from the solution.

[0075] In addition, the X direction, Y direction and Z direction in each figure represent three directions orthogonal to each other. In this embodiment, the X direction is the left-right direction, the Y direction is the front-back direction, and the Z direction is the up-down direction. However, these directions do not limit the installation direction of the heat treatment device 1.

[0076] [structure]

[0077] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the heat treatment device 1 comprises a chamber 10 , a cassette 20 , a support portion 30 , an exhaust portion 40 , a heating portion 50 , a gas supply portion 60 and a control device 70 .

[0078] (Chamber)

[0079] The chamber 10 is a box-shaped container and has an airtight structure capable of maintaining an environment with a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure. The chamber 10 is provided with openings 10a and 10b at the front and rear, and flanges 10d and 10e provided with sealing materials 10c such as O-rings are formed at the openings 10a and 10b, respectively.

[0080] With respect to the front opening 10a, an opening and closing door 11 driven by an opening and closing mechanism (not shown) is provided to slide vertically between an open position and a closed position. When the opening and closing door 11 is set to the open position, the front of the opening 10a is opened, and the workpiece W can be carried in and out.

[0081] The opening and closing mechanism switches the closed state and the open state of the chamber 10 by moving the opening and closing door 11 in the front-rear direction. The closed state is a state in which the opening and closing door 11 is pressed to the opening 10a via the sealing material 10c of the opening 10a, thereby hermetically sealing the interior of the chamber 10. The open state is a state in which a gap is left between the opening and closing door 11 and the sealing material 10c of the opening 10a, and the interior of the chamber 10 is open to the atmosphere.

[0082] A cover 15 is attached to the flange 10e of the rear opening 10b via a sealing material 10c using fastening members such as screws (not shown), thereby hermetically sealing the interior of the chamber 10. By removing the cover 15 from the chamber 10, a cassette 20 described later can be accessed from the opening 10b for maintenance.

[0083] (Box)

[0084] In this embodiment, the workpiece W is supported in the chamber 10 via the cassette 20. That is, the workpiece W is carried in and out of the cassette 20 supported in the horizontal direction in the chamber 10. The cassette 20 is arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction in the chamber 10. Each cassette 20 is detachably provided with respect to the chamber 10 so that it can be taken out from the chamber 10 and maintained separately.

[0085] like Figure 4 As shown, the cassette 20 is a box-shaped body having an opening 20a at the front for loading and unloading the workpiece W, and the workpiece W supported inside is surrounded by four surfaces in the upper, lower, left and right directions and a surface facing the opening 20a. Figure 4 In the figure, for the convenience of description, the heat spreader 22 provided on the upper surface of the cassette 20 and the surface facing the opening 20a are not shown.

[0086] The cassette 20 includes a cassette frame 21, a heat soaking plate 22, a workpiece support 23, and a cassette support 24. The cassette frame 21 is a skeleton structure including elongated members. The cassette frame 21 is a rectangular parallelepiped frame, and a plurality of beams 21a are arranged along the X direction on the upper surface and the lower surface. The number of beams 21a is not particularly limited, and is set to four in the present embodiment.

[0087] The heat spreader 22 constitutes the surface of the cassette 20 surrounding the workpiece W, and suppresses the imbalance of heat transferred to the workpiece W. The heat spreader 22 is a plate-shaped member made of a metal material with high thermal conductivity such as stainless steel. The heat spreader 22 is provided on the top, bottom, left, right, and right sides of the cassette frame 21 and on the surface facing the opening 20a, thereby constituting the cassette 20 of a box-shaped body.

[0088] More specifically, five heat spreaders 22 are provided on the upper and lower sides in a manner that fills the space between the outer frame of the cassette frame 21 and the four beams 21a. A heat spreader 22 is provided on each side of the cassette frame 21. Furthermore, a heat spreader 22 is provided on the surface of the cassette frame 21 facing the opening 20a. These heat spreaders 22 can be integrally entered and exited from the chamber 10 as the cassette 20, so maintenance becomes easier than the previous heat spreaders that need to be disassembled and installed separately. Moreover, a heat spreader 22 is also provided on the inner side of the opening and closing door 11, and the workpiece W can be surrounded on the upper and lower sides and on all sides by moving the opening and closing door 11 to the closed position. In addition, the cassette frame 21 and the heat spreader 22 are not strictly in close contact, but a gap is left for gas to pass through, so when the interior of the chamber 10 is exhausted by the exhaust unit 40, the area surrounding the workpiece W surrounded by the heat spreader 22 can also be exhausted.

[0089] The workpiece support 23 supports the workpiece W. The workpiece support 23 is a rod-shaped body that is protruding upward from the beam 21a on the lower surface of the cassette frame 21 and supports the lower surface of the workpiece W at its front end. The configuration or number of the workpiece support 23 is not particularly limited, but in the present embodiment, four workpiece support 23 are provided at equal intervals on each beam 21a. That is, the workpiece support 23 is provided in a grid-like manner with 4×4 workpiece support 23 on the lower surface of the cassette frame 21. In addition, in order to avoid scratching the lower surface of the workpiece W, the front end of the workpiece support 23 is preferably set to, for example, a hemispherical shape.

[0090] The cassette support portion 24 protrudes laterally from the side surface of the cassette 20 and is supported by a protruding portion of a support portion 30 described later. The length of the cassette support portion 24 in the front-to-back direction is, for example, the same as the length of the cassette 20 in the front-to-back direction. The cassette support portion 24 is supported by the support portion 30 described later, so that the cassette 20 accommodated in the chamber 10 is supported in the chamber 10.

[0091] (Supporting part)

[0092] like Figure 1 as well as Figure 3 As shown, the support part 30 supports the workpiece W accommodated in the chamber 10. The support part 30 of this embodiment supports the workpiece W via the aforementioned cassette 20. The support part 30 includes: a frame 31, which is vertically arranged inside the chamber 10; and a support part 32, which is arranged inside the frame 31 and supports the cassette 20. The frame 31 is, for example, a skeleton structure formed using a slender member. The frame 31 is a rectangular parallelepiped frame structure, and a plate-shaped inner wall is provided on the side.

[0093] The support portion 32 is a member provided on the inner wall of the frame 31 in a pair at the same height and protruding inward. The pair of support portions 32 carries the left and right cassette support portions 24 of the cassette 20, thereby supporting one cassette 20. Moreover, a pair of support portions 32 is provided on the inner wall of the frame 31 in the same number as the cassette 20 in the up-down direction. The support portion 32 is, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped. The shape of the support portion 32 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped, and may also be an L-shaped or U-shaped cross-section. In the support portion 32, the length of the support portion 32 in the protruding direction of the cassette support portion 24 is shorter than that of the cassette support portion 24. Moreover, preferably, the length of the support portion 32 in the front-to-back direction is longer than the length of the cassette support portion 24 in the front-to-back direction. Moreover, the length of the support portion 32 in the up-down direction is the length from the lower surface of the cassette support portion 24 to the lower surface of the cassette 20. In this embodiment, as Figure 1 as well as Figure 3 As shown, six sets of a pair of support portions 32 are provided corresponding to the six cassettes 20 .

[0094] (Exhaust section)

[0095] The exhaust unit 40 is a structural unit for exhausting the interior of the chamber 10. Figure 1 As shown, the exhaust unit 40 includes a first exhaust unit 41, a second exhaust unit 42, and a third exhaust unit 43. The first exhaust unit 41 is connected to the exhaust port 12 provided on the bottom surface of the chamber 10, for example. The first exhaust unit 41 exhausts the interior of the chamber 10 through the exhaust port 12.

[0096] The first exhaust unit 41 includes, for example, a pipe 41a, an exhaust pump 41b, and a pressure regulating unit 41c. The pipe 41a is a gas flow path connected to the exhaust port 12. The exhaust pump 41b is a pump that performs rough exhaust from atmospheric pressure to a first predetermined pressure. The exhaust volume of the exhaust pump 41b is greater than that of the exhaust pump 42b described later. As the exhaust pump 41b, for example, a dry vacuum pump can be used.

[0097] The pressure regulating unit 41c is provided between the exhaust port 12 and the exhaust pump 41b. The pressure regulating unit 41c is controlled based on the output of a vacuum gauge (not shown) or the like that detects the internal pressure of the chamber 10 so that the internal pressure of the chamber 10 becomes a first predetermined pressure. As the pressure regulating unit 41c, for example, an automatic pressure controller (APC) can be used.

[0098] The second exhaust section 42 is connected to, for example, an exhaust port 13 provided on the bottom surface of the chamber 10. The second exhaust section 42 exhausts the interior of the chamber 10 via the exhaust port 13. The second exhaust section 42 has, for example, a pipe 42a, an exhaust pump 42b, and a pressure regulating section 42c. The pipe 42a is a gas flow path connected to the exhaust port 13. The exhaust pump 42b exhausts the gas until a lower second predetermined pressure after rough exhaust by the exhaust pump 41b. The exhaust pump 42b has, for example, an exhaust capacity capable of exhausting gas to a molecular flow region of high vacuum. As the exhaust pump 42b, for example, a turbomolecular pump (TMP) can be used.

[0099] The pressure regulator 42c is provided between the exhaust port 13 and the exhaust pump 42b. The pressure regulator 42c controls the internal pressure of the chamber 10 to a second predetermined pressure based on the output of a vacuum gauge (not shown) or the like that detects the internal pressure of the chamber 10. For example, an APC can be used as the pressure regulator 42c.

[0100] The third exhaust section 43 is connected, for example, between the exhaust port 14 provided on the ceiling surface of the chamber 10 and the exhaust system of the factory. The third exhaust section 43 includes, for example, a pipe 43a and a valve 43b. The pipe 43a is a gas flow path connected to the exhaust port 14. The valve 43b is provided between the exhaust port 14 and the exhaust system of the factory.

[0101] The chamber 10 is cooled by supplying cooling gas from the gas supply section 60. Once the pressure in the chamber 10 becomes higher than the atmospheric pressure, when the valve 43b is opened, the chamber 10 is forcibly exhausted from the exhaust port 14 by being squeezed out by the supplied cooling gas.

[0102] (Heating unit)

[0103] The heating unit 50 performs first heating and second heating. The first heating is a process of heating the workpiece W while the workpiece W is supported by the support unit 30. That is, the workpiece W is heated by the first heating while the workpiece W is carried into the chamber 10 and supported by the support unit 30, thereby performing a drying process of the solution. In addition, in this embodiment, the drying process also includes a case where the polyamic acid in the solution is dehydrated to generate imidization.

[0104] The second heating is a process of heating the inside of the chamber 10 at a faster heating rate than the first heating in a state where the workpiece W is not supported by the support portion 30. By heating the inside of the chamber 10 at a faster heating rate than the first heating, the components inside the chamber 10 undergo a temperature change different from that during the first heating. The sublimates remaining in the chamber 10 are discharged to the outside of the chamber 10 by the temperature change different from that during the first heating. Moreover, by the temperature change different from that during the first heating, the components inside the chamber 10 thermally expand and rub against each other, thereby generating particles. By causing the components inside the chamber 10 to rub against each other to generate particles, the generation of particles generated by the friction between the components inside the chamber 10 during the first heating is suppressed. That is, by performing the second heating in a state where the workpiece W is removed from the chamber 10, the temperature is raised at a higher speed than the first heating to heat the inside of the chamber 10, thereby suppressing the attachment of sublimates or particles to the workpiece W. The second heating is different from the heating for drying the workpiece W. It is performed in an empty state without placing the workpiece W in the chamber 10, so it is also called empty heating. In addition, particles generated by thermal expansion of the parts in the chamber 10 are exhausted to the outside of the chamber 10 through the third exhaust part 43 during cooling after the second heating described later.

[0105] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the heating unit 50 is provided above and below the cassette 20 inside the chamber 10. The heating unit 50 heats the upper and lower surfaces of the workpiece W supported inside the cassette 20. The heating unit 50 provided between the upper cassette 20 and the lower cassette 20 heats the lower surface of the workpiece W in the upper cassette 20 and heats the upper surface of the workpiece W in the lower cassette 20.

[0106] The heating unit 50 has at least one heater 51. The heating unit 50 of this embodiment has a plurality of heaters 51. The heater 51 may be, for example, a sheath heater, a far infrared heater, a far infrared lamp, a ceramic heater, a cartridge heater, etc. The heater 51 of this embodiment is in the shape of a rod extending in the left-right direction. Furthermore, the plurality of heaters 51 are arranged in the front-back direction so that the entire surface of the workpiece W is heated evenly.

[0107] (Gas Supply Department)

[0108] like Figures 2 to 4 As shown, the air supply unit 60 includes a pipe 61, a pipe 62, a nozzle 63, and a nozzle 64. Figure 2 In the figure, the pipe 62 and the nozzle 64 are omitted. Figure 3 In the figure, the piping 61 and the nozzle 63 are omitted. The piping 61 is on the inner side of each cartridge 20 (the surface opposite to the front side where the opening 20a is provided, which is Figure 2 , Figure 3 The piping 61 and the piping 62 are arranged along the left-right direction at the rear of each cassette 20 in the chamber 10. Thus, the piping 61 and the piping 62 are arranged in an adjacent state at the rear of each cassette 20 in the chamber 10. Moreover, the piping 61 and the piping 62 are arranged in multiple stages along the up-down direction. In addition, the piping 61 and the piping 62 are carried out together when the cassette 20 is carried out from the chamber 10. That is, the piping 61 and the piping 62 are arranged in the cassette 20.

[0109] In the piping 61 and the piping 62, if Figure 4 As shown, gas is supplied from a gas supply device 65. The gas in this embodiment is cooling gas. The gas supply device 65 includes a gas source 65a and a gas control unit 65b provided outside the chamber 10. The gas source 65a can be, for example, a high-pressure gas cylinder, a gas supply pipe of a factory, etc. The gas control unit 65b is provided between the piping 61, the piping 62 and the gas source 65a, and controls the supply, stop, flow rate, etc. of the cooling gas to the piping 61, the piping 62.

[0110] As the cooling gas, for example, nitrogen gas, a rare gas (argon gas, helium gas, etc.) which is unlikely to react with the heated workpiece W is used. The temperature of the cooling gas is not particularly limited, and is set to be, for example, room temperature or lower.

[0111] The gas supply device 65 is detachably connected to the pipe 61 provided in the cassette 20 via a connection portion such as a joint (not shown). That is, the pipe 61 is connected to the gas supply device 65 when the cassette 20 is inserted into the chamber 10, and is disconnected from the gas supply device 65 when the cassette 20 is removed from the chamber 10. In addition, the gas supply device 65 is connected to the pipe 62 provided in the cassette 20.

[0112] The nozzle 63 is equivalent to the first nozzle and is a cooling gas ejection portion provided on the side of the pipe 61. The nozzle 63 ejects the cooling gas, for example, toward the space between the lower surface of the workpiece W and the lower surface of the cassette 20. Thus, the cooling gas ejected from the nozzle 63 flows along the lower surface of the workpiece W, thereby cooling the cassette 20, the workpiece W, and the interior of the chamber 10 (see Figure 2 ). Furthermore, the nozzle 63 ejects cooling gas to the region where the workpiece W is processed during cooling after the second heating. The workpiece W is processed in the region surrounded by the heat spreader 22. That is, the nozzle 63 can eject cooling gas to the portion where the heat spreader 22 contacts the member supporting the heat spreader 22.

[0113] The nozzle 64 is equivalent to the second nozzle and is a cooling gas ejection portion provided on the side of the pipe 62. The nozzle 64 ejects cooling gas toward the contact portion of the components in the chamber 10, that is, toward a place where friction between components is likely to occur due to expansion and contraction caused by heat. The so-called place where friction is likely to occur can be, for example, a portion where the heat spreader 22 and a member supporting the heat spreader 22 are in contact. In this embodiment, in order to avoid the complexity of the drawings, the nozzle 64 ejecting cooling gas toward the contact portion between the cassette support portion 24 and the support portion 30 is illustrated. The contact portion between the cassette support portion 24 and the support portion 30 is also a portion where particles are likely to be generated due to friction.

[0114] Moreover, in addition to the above, the nozzle 64 is arranged in such a manner that the direction of ejecting cooling gas is toward the side of the chamber 10 where the exhaust port 14 is provided. Furthermore, the nozzle 64 ejects cooling gas toward the outside of the area where the workpiece W is processed. In the present embodiment, the exhaust port 14 is located at the top plate portion of the chamber 10, and therefore the nozzle 64 is oriented obliquely upward. Moreover, the nozzle 64 is oriented toward the outside of the area where the workpiece W is accommodated. In addition, the so-called “oriented toward the side where the exhaust port 14 is provided” is not limited to the case of being oriented toward the exhaust port 14, and also includes the case of being oriented obliquely relative to the surface where the exhaust port 14 is provided.

[0115] Thus, the cooling gas discharged from the nozzle 64 can blow up particles generated by friction caused by thermal expansion and contraction of the cassette 20 and the support portion 30 at the contact position between the two members, and discharge them together with the exhaust gas toward the exhaust port 14 (see Figure 3 Moreover, the cooling gas from the nozzle 64 is also blown toward the outside of the workpiece W when the workpiece W is accommodated, thereby suppressing the attachment of particles to the workpiece W.

[0116] (Control device)

[0117] The control device 70 is a computer that controls each part of the heat treatment device 1. The control device 70 has a processor that executes a program, a memory that stores various information such as programs and operating conditions, and a drive circuit that drives each element. In addition, the control device 70 is connected to an input device for inputting information and a display device for displaying information.

[0118] The first and second prescribed pressures, the first to third prescribed temperatures, the prescribed heating rate, the first to fourth prescribed times, the first and second prescribed times, the prescribed timing, the prescribed reference time, etc., exemplified below, are the desired values ​​that are input to the control device 70 in advance through the input device. The input desired values ​​are stored in the memory. The input device and the output device include interfaces for sending and receiving various signals with external devices. For example, the input device includes a receiving unit that receives a signal notifying the arrival of the workpiece W from the upstream device, and the output device includes a sending unit that sends a signal notifying the upstream device that the workpiece W can be received.

[0119] The control device 70 of the present embodiment includes an opening and closing control unit 71, an exhaust control unit 72, a first heat treatment unit 73, a second heat treatment unit 74, and an interruption processing unit 75. The opening and closing control unit 71 controls the opening and closing mechanism of the opening and closing door 11. That is, the opening and closing control unit 71 controls the opening and closing door 11 to move to an open position and a closed position, or controls the switching between a closed state and an open state.

[0120] The opening and closing control unit 71 controls the opening and closing mechanism to set the opening and closing door 11 to the open state and move it to the open position. After the workpiece W is loaded into the chamber 10, the opening and closing door 11 is moved to the closed position to set it to the sealed state. When the workpiece W is unloaded, after the chamber 10 is set to atmospheric pressure, the opening and closing mechanism is controlled to set the opening and closing door 11 to the open state and move it to the open position. After the workpiece W is unloaded from the chamber 10, the opening and closing door 11 is moved to the closed position to set it to the sealed state.

[0121] The exhaust control unit 72 controls the pressure in the chamber 10 by controlling the pressure regulating unit 41c, the pressure regulating unit 42c, the valve 43b, etc. of the exhaust unit 40. The first heat treatment unit 73 controls the exhaust unit 40, the heating unit 50, and the air supply unit 60 to perform a first heat treatment including first heating and cooling on the workpiece W. The first heat treatment in this embodiment is a drying treatment. The temperature control performed by the first heat treatment unit 73 is performed by controlling the amount of power supplied to the heater 51 based on the detection value of a thermometer (not shown) provided in the chamber 10.

[0122] In the first heat treatment, the first heating and cooling are performed in a state where the exhaust gas is exhausted and the pressure is reduced. Figure 5As shown by the dotted line in the diagram of , the first heating is performed in two steps: a first heating process and a first temperature maintaining process, and a second heating process and a second temperature maintaining process. In the first heating process, the workpiece W is heated to a first predetermined temperature, and in the first temperature maintaining process, the first predetermined temperature is maintained while heat treatment is performed for a first predetermined time. The first predetermined temperature can be set to a temperature such as 100°C to 200°C at which water or solvent contained in the solution is discharged. The first predetermined time can be set to, for example, 15 minutes to 60 minutes.

[0123] In the second temperature rising process, the workpiece W is raised from the first predetermined temperature of the first temperature rising process to a higher second predetermined temperature, and in the second temperature maintaining process, the second predetermined temperature is maintained while performing heat treatment for a second predetermined time. The second predetermined temperature can be set to a temperature that causes imidization, for example, 300°C to 500°C. The second predetermined time can be set to, for example, 15 minutes to 60 minutes. In order to obtain an organic film with a high degree of filling of molecular chains, it is more preferable to maintain 500°C for 15 minutes. In addition, the first temperature rising process and the second temperature rising process can both set the heating rate to, for example, 5°C / minute.

[0124] Furthermore, cooling is a cooling process in which the first heat treatment unit 73 controls the gas supply unit 60, thereby supplying cooling gas from the gas supply device 65 and ejecting the cooling gas from the nozzles 63 and 64, thereby lowering the temperature in the chamber 10 to a third predetermined temperature, and setting the chamber 10 to a standby state. The third predetermined temperature can be set to, for example, 50° C. to 140° C.

[0125] For example, after the first heat treatment, if the temperature of the workpiece W to be carried out is room temperature, it is easy to carry out the workpiece W. However, in the heat treatment device 1, the workpiece W is continuously subjected to heat treatment. Moreover, sometimes a second heat treatment is performed after the first heat treatment. Therefore, if the temperature of the workpiece W is made room temperature every time the workpiece W is carried out, the time for heating the next workpiece W and the heating time of the second heating will be longer, and productivity may decrease. Therefore, it is preferable to set the third prescribed temperature for cooling it as above.

[0126] Furthermore, if the door 11 is opened before the temperature drops to the third predetermined temperature, oxygen flowing into the chamber 10 through the opening 10a reacts with the components of the film coated on the substrate of the workpiece W, and the workpiece W having the desired film quality may not be obtained. Therefore, the third predetermined temperature is set to be lower than the temperature at which such a reaction occurs.

[0127] The second heat treatment section 74 controls the exhaust section 40, the heating section 50, and the air supply section 60 to perform a second heat treatment including exhaust, second heating, and cooling in the absence of the workpiece W. The second heat treatment of the present embodiment includes second heating, i.e., empty heating. The second heat treatment performed by the second heat treatment section 74 is performed at a specified time. The specified time is, for example, when a third specified time has passed since a specified reference time, when the number of first heat treatments reaches a first specified number of times, when an operator inputs an instruction from an input device, and the like. The specified reference time is, for example, when a signal notifying that the workpiece W can be accepted is sent to an upstream device.

[0128] In the second heat treatment, Figure 6 As shown by the solid line of the graph of , the temperature increase process including the second heating is performed in one step. In the temperature increase process, the chamber 10 is heated to the second predetermined temperature which is the same as the first heating. However, the temperature increase rate in the second heating is faster than that in the first heating. For example, in the second heating, the temperature is increased to 300°C to 500°C at a rate of 10°C / min.

[0129] Moreover, the second heating is performed in the same manner as the first heating under the condition of reduced pressure by the first exhaust unit 41 and the second exhaust unit 42. This is because if the temperature is increased under the condition of oxygen such as atmospheric pressure or low vacuum, the substances in the chamber may be oxidized. In addition, although the heating rates are different in the first heating and the second heating, the maximum heating temperature, i.e., the second predetermined temperature, and the pressure during reduced pressure are the same.

[0130] In addition, the second heat treatment is not for the purpose of drying the workpiece W, but for heating the parts in the chamber 10 to expand and contract. Therefore, unlike the first heat treatment, once the second predetermined temperature is reached, a cooling process is immediately performed to cool it. That is, in the second heat treatment, it is not necessary to maintain the highest temperature for a long time. By performing heating and cooling at a high speed like this, the time of the second heat treatment can be shortened.

[0131] In the temperature reduction process, the gas supply device 65 supplies cooling gas, and the cooling gas is ejected from the nozzles 63 and 64 of the gas supply unit 60, thereby reducing the temperature in the chamber 10 to a third predetermined temperature. The third predetermined temperature can be set to 50°C to 140°C. In the temperature reduction process, when the gas pressure in the chamber 10 reaches or exceeds the atmospheric pressure due to the ejection of the cooling gas, the valve 43b is opened to exhaust gas from the third exhaust unit 43. As a result, particles generated by friction caused by thermal expansion and contraction are discharged to the outside of the chamber 10 toward the exhaust port 14 together with the cooling gas ejected to the contact position between the cassette 20 and the support unit 30. In order to promote the movement of the particles and facilitate their discharge, the ejection amount (ejection amount per unit time) of the cooling gas from the nozzles 63 and 64 is set to be larger than the ejection amount of the cooling gas in the cooling after the first heating.

[0132] Furthermore, in the second heat treatment, the second heating and cooling cycle is performed a second predetermined number of times, thereby repeatedly expanding and contracting the parts in the chamber 10 to generate particles. The second predetermined number of times is two or more, for example, Figure 6 As shown, it is preferably performed three times. After the second heat treatment, the chamber 10 is in a standby state. In addition, it is also possible not to set it to the standby state, and continue the second heating and cooling cycle until a signal notifying the arrival of the next workpiece W is received.

[0133] When the interruption processing unit 75 receives a signal notifying the arrival of the workpiece W during the heating process in the second heating, the second heating is interrupted. As described above, the workpiece W is temporarily calcined by a device upstream of the heat treatment device 1, such as a temporary calcination device, and is set to a semi-solidified state. When the interruption processing unit 75 receives a signal notifying the arrival of the workpiece W from such an upstream device before the maximum temperature is reached in the second heating, the heating performed by the heating unit 50 is stopped, and the cooling is cooled to the third specified temperature by the ejection of cooling gas from the nozzles 63 and 64, thereby setting the standby state. In addition, even if a signal is received during the cooling process, when the workpiece W is received, it must be cooled until it reaches the standby state, so the cooling process is continued.

[0134] [action]

[0135] In addition to the Figures 1 to 6 In addition, refer to Figure 7 The flow chart of the present embodiment is used to illustrate the flow of actions of the present embodiment described above. First, the cassette 20 is inserted into the position of each support portion 30 in the chamber 10 with the opening 20a being placed in front, and is supported by the support portion 32. In the present embodiment, six cassettes 20 are accommodated by being supported by each support portion 32. In addition, no workpiece W is supported in the cassette 20.

[0136] In this state, the opening and closing control unit 71 controls the opening and closing mechanism, thereby setting the opening and closing door 11 to an open state, moving it upward to an open position (step S01). Then, by a robot arm (not shown), the workpieces W are moved in from the upper cassette 20 to the lower cassette 20 in the chamber 10 (step S02). The workpieces W moved in are supported by the workpiece support 23 provided inside the cassette 20.

[0137] When the loading operation of the workpiece W is completed, the opening and closing control unit 71 controls the opening and closing mechanism, thereby moving the opening and closing door 11 downward to a closed position and then moving it to press against the opening 10a, thereby setting the interior of the chamber 10 to a sealed state (step S03).

[0138] Then, the exhaust control unit 72 controls the exhaust unit 40 to reduce the pressure inside the chamber 10 (step S04). The decompression is first performed by roughly exhausting the air from the atmospheric pressure to a first predetermined pressure by the exhaust pump 41b of the first exhaust unit 41 while the valve 43b of the third exhaust unit 43 is closed. Next, the exhaust pump 42b of the second exhaust unit 42 exhausts the air to a second predetermined pressure lower than the first predetermined pressure. The pressure is reduced to, for example, 1×10 -2 The pressure is about Pa~100Pa.

[0139] When the internal space of the chamber 10 is decompressed to the second predetermined pressure, the first heat treatment unit 73 applies power to the heater 51 of the heating unit 50 to start the first heat treatment (step S05). Figure 5 As shown, first, a first heating process (step S06) is performed to heat the workpiece W to a first predetermined temperature. Next, a first temperature maintaining process (step S07) is performed to maintain the first predetermined temperature reached by heating for a first predetermined time. Thus, water or gas contained in the solution of the workpiece W is discharged.

[0140] Then, the first heat treatment unit 73 controls the power applied to the heater 51 of the heating unit 50, thereby performing a second temperature raising process to raise the temperature to a second predetermined temperature higher than the first predetermined temperature in the first temperature raising process (step S08). Next, a second temperature maintaining process is performed to maintain the second predetermined temperature reached by the temperature raising for a second predetermined time (step S09). By this heating, an organic film is formed on the surface of the substrate of the workpiece W by imidization.

[0141] When the second predetermined time has passed, the first heat treatment unit 73 stops the heater 51 of the heating unit 50 and performs a temperature reduction process (step S10) to cool the temperature of the workpiece W on which the organic film is formed to a third predetermined temperature. That is, the exhaust by the exhaust unit 40 is stopped, and the gas supply unit 60 supplies the cooling gas from the gas supply device 65. As a result, the interior of the chamber 10 gradually approaches the atmospheric pressure, and the workpiece W is cooled.

[0142] When the interior of the chamber 10 reaches atmospheric pressure, the exhaust control unit 72 opens the valve 43b, and the cooling gas is exhausted to the outside of the chamber 10 through the third exhaust unit 43. When the interior of the chamber 10 is cooled to the third predetermined temperature at which the workpiece W can be unloaded, the supply of the cooling gas by the gas supply unit 60 is stopped, and the chamber enters a standby state (step S11).

[0143] Next, the opening and closing control unit 71 controls the opening and closing mechanism of the opening and closing door 11, thereby setting the interior of the chamber 10 to an open state, and further moves the opening and closing door 11 to an open position to open the opening 10a (step S12). Next, the workpieces W are sequentially unloaded from the lower cassette 20 by a robot arm (not shown) (step S13).

[0144] When all the workpieces W are removed from the chamber 10, the opening and closing control unit 71 moves the opening and closing door 11 to the closed position through the opening and closing mechanism of the opening and closing door 11, and moves the opening and closing door 11 to press against the opening 10a to set it to a closed state (step S14). Next, the control device 70 sends a signal notifying that the workpiece W can be received to the upstream device (step S15). In addition, when a stop instruction of the heat treatment device 1 is input (yes in step S16), the process is terminated.

[0145] When the heat treatment device 1 continues to operate (No in step S16), the second heat treatment unit 74 receives a signal notifying the arrival of the next workpiece W from the upstream device (Yes in step S17), and when the next workpiece W arrives, the processing after the step S01 is performed. On the other hand, starting from the output of the signal notifying that the workpiece W can be accepted, that is, starting from the specified reference time, no signal notifying the arrival of the next workpiece W is received (No in step S17), and when the third specified time has passed (Yes in step S18), the second heat treatment is started (step S19). That is, when the workpiece W does not arrive within a specified time (third specified time) from the end of the first heat treatment, it is considered that the next first heat treatment cannot be performed, so this time is used for idle heating. For example, when some problems are caused in the upstream device and the workpiece W does not arrive at the heat treatment device 1 for a long time, etc., idle heating can be performed.

[0146] First, the second heat treatment unit 74 controls the exhaust unit 40 through the exhaust control unit 72 to reduce the pressure inside the chamber 10 (step S20). The decompression is similar to the decompression in the first heat treatment. The valve 43b is closed, and the exhaust pump 41b is used to perform rough exhaust. Then, the exhaust pump 42b is used to exhaust the air until the second predetermined pressure is reached. The pressure is reduced to, for example, 1×10 -2 The pressure is about Pa~100Pa.

[0147] When the internal space of the chamber 10 is decompressed to the second predetermined pressure, power is applied to the heater 51 of the heating unit 50 to perform a temperature raising process (step S21) to raise the temperature in the chamber 10 to the second predetermined temperature. As a result, components in the chamber 10 such as the cassette 20 and the support unit 30 undergo thermal expansion.

[0148] In this second heat treatment, if the temperature does not reach the second predetermined temperature during the temperature rise (No in step S22) and if a signal notifying the arrival of the next workpiece W is not received from the upstream device (No in step S23), the temperature rise is continued. When the second heat treatment unit 74 reaches the second predetermined temperature (Yes in step S22), a temperature drop process is performed (step S24).

[0149] That is, the second heat treatment unit 74 stops the heater 51 of the heating unit 50 during the temperature reduction process, and the gas supply device 65 supplies cooling gas, thereby causing the cooling gas to be ejected from the nozzles 63 and 64 of the gas supply unit 60. Once the chamber 10 becomes atmospheric pressure, the valve 43b is opened and exhaust is performed by the third exhaust unit 43. The supply of cooling gas is also continued at this time. As a result, the interior of the chamber 10 is cooled, so that the components in the chamber 10 such as the cassette 20 and the support part 30 shrink. The cooling gas from the nozzle 64 is sprayed upward to the contact portion between the cassette 20 and the support part 30, so that particles generated by the thermal expansion and contraction of the cassette 20 and the support part 30 are discharged together with the exhaust gas toward the exhaust port 14.

[0150] In particular, it is preferred that the length of the support portion 32 of the support portion 30 in the protruding direction is shorter than the length of the cassette support portion 24 in the protruding direction. At this time, the cooling gas ejected from the nozzle 64 is sprayed to the portion where the cassette support portion 24 contacts the support portion 32. Therefore, particles can be further discharged. Moreover, as described above, the length of the support portion 32 in the front-to-back direction is longer than the length of the cassette support portion 24 in the front-to-back direction. Furthermore, the length of the support portion 32 in the up-down direction is the length from the lower surface of the cassette support portion 24 to the lower surface of the cassette 20. Therefore, the support portion 32 has the function of guiding the cooling gas from the nozzle 64.

[0151] The cooling gas from the nozzle 64 flows in the front-to-back direction along the support portion 32. As a result, the cooling gas flows to the portion where the cassette support portion 24 and the support portion 32 are in contact near the opening portion 20a of the cassette 20. That is, in the front-to-back direction, the cooling gas is sprayed to the portion where the cassette support portion 24 and the support portion 32 are in contact. Therefore, particles can be further discharged. When the second heat treatment portion 74 is cooled to the third predetermined temperature, the supply of cooling gas by the gas supply portion 60 is stopped.

[0152] If the number of heating and cooling cycles in the second heat treatment has reached the second predetermined number (No in step S25), the heating process and the cooling process are performed again after decompression as described above (steps S20 to S24). If the number of heating and cooling cycles in the second heat treatment has reached the second predetermined number (Yes in step S25), the chamber 10 is in a standby state, and when the next workpiece W arrives, the processes after step S01 are performed.

[0153] In the second heating, if a signal of the arrival of the next workpiece W is received from the upstream device during the heating process (Yes in step S23), the interruption processing unit 75 stops the heating performed by the heating unit 50 and performs the cooling process in the same manner as described above (step S26). Then, the temperature is set to the third predetermined temperature in the standby state, the supply of cooling gas by the gas supply unit 60 is stopped, and the processes after step S01 are performed.

[0154] [Effect]

[0155] (1) The heat treatment apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes: a chamber 10 capable of maintaining an environment with a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure; an exhaust section 40 connected to the chamber 10 for exhausting the inside of the chamber 10; a support section 30 for supporting a workpiece W accommodated in the chamber 10; a heating section 50 for performing a first heating operation for heating the workpiece W while the workpiece W is supported by the support section 30, and performing a second heating operation for heating the inside of the chamber 10 at a faster heating rate than the first heating operation while the workpiece W is not supported by the support section 30; and a gas supply section 60 for supplying gas into the chamber after the first heating and after the second heating, thereby performing cooling.

[0156] Moreover, the heat treatment device 1 of this embodiment has a control device 70 for controlling the exhaust part 40, the heating part 50, and the gas supply part 60. The control device 70 has: a first heat treatment part 73, which makes the heating part 50 and the gas supply part 60 perform a first heat treatment of first heating and cooling; and a second heat treatment part 74, which makes the heating part 50, the gas supply part 60 and the exhaust part 40 perform a second heat treatment of second heating, cooling and exhaust after the workpiece W subjected to the first heat treatment is discharged from the chamber 10.

[0157] Furthermore, the heat treatment method of this embodiment includes: a first heat treatment, in a state where the workpiece W is supported on the support part 30 in the decompressed chamber 10, the heating part 50 heats the workpiece W, and then the gas supply part 60 supplies gas for cooling; a workpiece discharge treatment, in which after the first heat treatment, the workpiece W is discharged from the chamber 10; and a second heat treatment, in a state where the workpiece W is not supported on the support part 30, the heating part 50 heats the inside of the chamber 10 at a faster heating rate than the first heat treatment, and then the gas supply part 60 supplies gas for cooling, and the exhaust part 40 exhausts the inside of the chamber 10.

[0158] Therefore, by performing the second heating and cooling during the period when the first heating of the workpiece W is not performed, particles generated by expansion and contraction of the components inside the chamber 10 or sublimates that are easily discharged due to softening by heating can be discharged to the outside of the chamber 10 together with the exhaust gas of the exhaust unit 40, thereby maintaining the cleanliness of the chamber 10. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the quality degradation caused by the adhesion of particles to the surface of the workpiece W, and the yield is also improved. In particular, in the second heating, the temperature rise rate is faster than the first heating, so it is easy to generate friction between components due to thermal expansion, so that particles that may be generated can be removed.

[0159] Furthermore, since sublimates or particles are removed by exhaust, the frequency of cleaning maintenance for stopping the heat treatment device 1 can be reduced, thereby suppressing a decrease in productivity. Furthermore, since the amount of attached matter in the chamber 10 can be reduced, the time required for maintenance can be shortened, thereby improving production efficiency. In addition, the second heating also achieves the temperature maintenance in the chamber 10 until the next workpiece W arrives, so the energy efficiency is also good.

[0160] (2) In the heat treatment apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the heating unit 50 and the gas supply unit 60 perform the second heating and cooling multiple times. Therefore, the expansion and contraction of the components in the chamber 10 are repeated to generate and remove particles, thereby reducing the particles generated in the chamber 10 in the subsequent processing.

[0161] (3) In the heat treatment apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, a nozzle 63 is provided, and the nozzle 63 is connected to the gas supply unit 60 to spray gas toward the lower surface of the workpiece W. Therefore, the gas can be sprayed to the area surrounded by the heat spreader 22 and the workpiece W is processed. As a result, the gas can be sprayed to the portion where the heat spreader 22 and the member supporting the heat spreader 22 are in contact, so that the particles can be removed together with the exhaust gas.

[0162] (4) The heat treatment apparatus 1 of this embodiment is provided with the nozzle 64 connected to the gas supply unit 60 to blow gas to the contact portion of the member in the chamber 10. Therefore, the gas can be blown to the portion where particles are easily generated and removed together with the exhaust gas.

[0163] (5) The chamber 10 is provided with the exhaust port 14 for exhausting the gas by the exhaust unit 40, and the nozzle 64 ejects the gas toward the side of the chamber 10 where the exhaust port 14 is provided. Therefore, an airflow toward exhaust can be generated to easily exhaust particles.

[0164] (6) The amount of gas ejected from the nozzle 63 is greater in the cooling after the second heating than in the cooling after the first heating. Therefore, the flow rate of the gas sprayed toward the contact portion and the flow rate of the gas used for exhaust are increased, so that particles are easily discharged. The nozzle 63 has a nozzle facing obliquely upward in order to cool the lower surface of the workpiece W. To spray gas onto the heat spreader 22 mounted on the lower surface of the cassette 20, it is necessary to spray gas onto the heat spreader 22 mounted on the upper surface of the cassette 20. By increasing the amount of gas ejected from the nozzle 63, the flow rate of the gas sprayed onto the heat spreader 22 provided on the lower surface of the cassette 20 is increased, thereby further discharging particles.

[0165] (7) The amount of gas ejected from the nozzle 64 is greater in the cooling after the second heating than in the cooling after the first heating. Therefore, the flow rate of the gas ejected toward the contact portion and the flow rate of the gas for exhausting are increased, so that particles are easily discharged.

[0166] (8) The maximum temperatures of the first heating and the second heating are the same. Therefore, particles that may be generated under the temperature conditions of the first heating can be removed in advance.

[0167] (9) When the second heat treatment unit 74 does not receive a signal notifying that the workpiece W has arrived at the chamber 10 from the predetermined reference time after the first heat treatment until the predetermined time has passed, the heating unit 50, the air supply unit 60, and the exhaust unit 40 perform the second heat treatment. Therefore, in the idle time before the workpiece W arrives, idle heating of discharged particles can be performed, and the production of the workpiece W is not hindered for the second heat treatment, so that a decrease in productivity can be suppressed.

[0168] (10) The control device 70 includes the interruption processing unit 75, which interrupts the second heating when receiving a signal notifying the arrival of the workpiece W during the temperature rise process in the second heating. This can prevent the production of the workpiece W from being hindered and the production efficiency from being reduced.

[0169] [Second embodiment]

[0170] The second embodiment of the present invention is described. The basic structure of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. However, in the second embodiment, the second heat treatment unit 74 causes the heating unit 50, the gas supply unit 60, and the exhaust unit 40 to perform the second heat treatment when the workpiece W does not arrive in the chamber 10 during the period from the predetermined reference time after the first heat treatment until the time required for the second heat treatment has passed.

[0171] More specifically, in step S15 of the flowchart in the first embodiment, a signal notifying that the workpiece W can be accepted is sent to the upstream device. Next, a signal notifying the scheduled time for the next workpiece W to arrive is sent from the upstream device that receives the signal. In addition, the so-called scheduled time for the next workpiece W to arrive refers to the time interval of how much time is required before the next workpiece W arrives at the heat treatment device 1. In addition, the scheduled time for the next workpiece W to arrive is sometimes referred to as t1. Once a signal sent from an upstream device is received, the scheduled time for the next workpiece W to arrive is compared with the time required for the second heat treatment. If the result of the comparison is that it is determined that the second heat treatment can be performed before the next workpiece W arrives at the heat treatment device 1, the processing after step S19 is performed. However, if the scheduled time until the next workpiece W arrives is shorter than the time required for the second heat treatment, the chamber 10 is set to a standby state, and when the next workpiece W arrives, the processing after step S01 is performed. In addition, the time required for the second heat treatment is sometimes referred to as t2.

[0172] t2 is, for example, the time required for a cycle of heating and cooling in the second heat treatment. Compare t1 and t2, and if t1≧t2, the second heat treatment is performed. In addition, when the predetermined reference time is the moment, t1 can also be obtained based on the scheduled moment when the next workpiece W arrives at the heat treatment device 1 and the predetermined reference time.

[0173] Furthermore, if t1≧t2, the number of repetitions of the second heat treatment is calculated. The number of repetitions is calculated by dividing t1 by t2 and discarding the decimal point of the value obtained by the division. Here, if the value of the obtained number of repetitions is less than the value of the second predetermined number of times, the value of the second predetermined number of times is changed to the value of the number of repetitions. Thus, it is possible to perform idle heating of discharged particles in the idle time before the workpiece W arrives, and the production of the workpiece W will not be hindered for the second heat treatment, so that the decline in productivity can be suppressed.

[0174] [Modifications]

[0175] (1) The number of times of the second heating and cooling in the second heat treatment is not limited to the number of times exemplified above. Moreover, as exemplified in the second embodiment, when the time until the next workpiece W arrives is known in advance, the second heat treatment unit 74 may also change the number of times according to this time. For example, if the time is relatively short, the number of times may be reduced, and if the time is long, the number of times may be increased. This time may be set according to a signal from an upstream device or actual operation results.

[0176] (2) After cooling in the second heat treatment, specifically, after reaching the third predetermined temperature, the door 11 may be moved to the open position and maintained in the open position during the fourth predetermined time. During the fourth predetermined time, the cooling gas continues to be ejected from the nozzle 63 and the nozzle 64. Therefore, by setting the door 11 to the open position during the fourth predetermined time, the particles generated inside the chamber 10 can be discharged from the opening 10a to the outside of the heat treatment device 1.

[0177] The cooling gas is discharged from the opening 10a to the outside of the heat treatment device 1, thereby changing the flow pattern of the cooling gas in the chamber 10. Therefore, during the cooling after the second heating, the gas will also flow to the part where the gas does not flow and is blocked. Therefore, the particles are further discharged. Moreover, the opening area of ​​the opening 10a is larger than the exhaust port 14 provided on the top plate surface of the chamber 10. Therefore, the conductance of the opening 10a is smaller than the conductance of the exhaust port 14. As a result, the amount of discharged gas increases, so the particles are further discharged. Therefore, the particle discharge capacity can be improved.

[0178] In addition, the fourth prescribed time can be appropriately determined by simulation or experiment. The fourth prescribed time can be set to about 30 seconds to 10 minutes, for example. In addition, the difference time between the scheduled time when the next workpiece W arrives and the prescribed reference time can be calculated. If the difference time is less than the time required for the second heat treatment, the opening and closing door 11 is moved to the open position, and the cooling gas is continued to be ejected from the nozzle 63 and the nozzle 64 until the next workpiece W arrives. In addition, when the opening and closing door 11 is moved to the open position, the valve 43b provided at the exhaust port 14 can be closed or kept open.

[0179] (3) The substrate and solution of the workpiece W are not limited to the substrates and solutions exemplified above. The solution also includes a solution in which the liquid is temporarily calcined to a semi-solidified state (a non-flowing state). The organic material is not particularly limited as long as it can be dissolved by a solvent. The workpiece W before heating may also be only a substrate. Moreover, the present invention can also be applied to a heat treatment device 1 that heats the workpiece W to form an inorganic film on the surface of the workpiece W, or treats the surface of the workpiece W.

[0180] (4) By using the cassette 20, the plurality of heat spreaders 22 can be easily brought in and out, thereby facilitating maintenance. However, the cassette 20 is not essential for the heat treatment apparatus 1 of the present invention. That is, the support of the workpiece W by the support portion 30 includes both direct support of the workpiece W and indirect support of the workpiece W.

[0181] (5) The heater 51 of the heating unit 50 may be a heater for performing the first heat treatment and a heater for performing the second heat treatment as independent heaters. However, by using a common heater 51 as described above, it is possible to achieve a reduction in power consumption, a reduction in manufacturing costs, and space saving. Furthermore, the heater 51 is not limited to the heaters exemplified above as long as it can heat the workpiece W in an environment with a pressure reduction lower than the atmospheric pressure.

[0182] (6) The gas control unit 65b is provided between the pipes 61 and 62 and the gas source 65a to control the supply, stop, flow rate, etc. of the cooling gas to the pipes 61 and 62. However, the gas control units may be provided in the pipes 61 and 62 respectively to control the ejection of the cooling gas from the nozzles 63 and 64 respectively. For example, the ejection of the cooling gas from the nozzles 64 may not be performed in the first heat treatment, but the ejection of the cooling gas from the nozzles 64 may be performed only in the temperature drop step in the second heat treatment.

[0183] (7) The first heating is performed in two steps, but the present invention is not limited thereto and can be selected according to the type of the workpiece W or the composition or state of the solution applied to the surface of the workpiece W. It may be performed in one step or in three or more steps.

[0184] (8) The nozzle 64 sprays cooling gas with the nozzle opening toward the side of the chamber 10 where the exhaust port 14 is provided, relative to the portion where the components in the chamber 10 are prone to friction with each other, but the present invention is not limited to this. The nozzle 64 may spray cooling gas with the nozzle opening toward the side of the chamber 10 opposite to the side where the exhaust port 14 is provided. Furthermore, the nozzle 64 sprays cooling gas toward the outside of the area where the workpiece W is processed, but the present invention is not limited to this. The nozzle 64 may spray cooling gas toward a heat spreader mounted on the upper surface of the cassette 20 or the lower surface of the cassette 20. Alternatively, the nozzle 64 may spray cooling gas toward a heat spreader mounted on the side of the cassette 20.

[0185] (9) The gas supply device 65 supplies cooling gas, but is not limited to this. The gas supply device 65 may also have a plurality of gas sources 65a, so that the gas supplied to the chamber 10 can be changed according to the temperature in the chamber 10. For example, once the temperature in the chamber 10 reaches 200°C or less, clean dry air (CDA) may be supplied to the chamber 10 instead of the cooling gas. For example, CDA may be supplied to the chamber 10 during the period of opening the door 11, i.e., the fourth predetermined time, after cooling in the second heat treatment.

[0186] [Other embodiments]

[0187] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but also includes other embodiments shown below. Moreover, the present invention also includes a form in which all or any one of the above-described embodiments and other embodiments described below are combined. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention, and such variations are also included in the present invention.

Claims

1. A heat treatment device, include: A chamber capable of maintaining an environment at a reduced pressure below atmospheric pressure; An exhaust unit, connected to the chamber, for exhausting the chamber; a support portion for supporting a workpiece received in the chamber; a heating unit for performing first heating for heating the workpiece in a state where the workpiece is supported by the support unit, and performing second heating for heating the interior of the chamber at a faster heating rate than the first heating in a state where the workpiece is not supported by the support unit; a gas supply unit that supplies gas into the chamber after the first heating and after the second heating to cool the chamber, and A control device controls the exhaust unit, the heating unit, and the air supply unit, The control device has: a first heat treatment unit, causing the heating unit and the gas supply unit to perform a first heat treatment of the first heating and cooling; a second heat treatment unit, which causes the heating unit, the gas supply unit, and the exhaust unit to perform a second heat treatment of the second heating and cooling after the workpiece subjected to the first heat treatment is discharged from the chamber; The second heat treatment unit causes the heating unit, the gas supply unit, and the exhaust unit to perform the second heat treatment when no signal notifying that the workpiece has arrived at the chamber is received from a predetermined reference time after the first heat treatment until a predetermined time has passed; The first heating and the second heating are performed in an environment where the pressure is reduced from atmospheric pressure to a predetermined pressure or less by exhausting the chamber by the exhaust unit. The maximum temperatures of the heating in the first heating and the heating in the second heating are the same.

2. The heat treatment device according to claim 1, wherein The heating unit and the air supply unit perform the second heating and cooling after the second heating a plurality of times.

3. The heat treatment device according to claim 1, wherein A first nozzle is provided, which is connected to the gas supply portion and sprays the gas toward the lower surface of the workpiece.

4. The heat treatment device according to claim 3, wherein A second nozzle is provided, and the second nozzle is connected to the gas supply portion and sprays the gas to the contact portion of the component in the chamber.

5. The heat treatment device according to claim 4, wherein The chamber is provided with an exhaust port for exhausting gas by the exhaust unit. The second nozzle sprays the gas toward a side of the chamber where the exhaust port is disposed.

6. The heat treatment device according to claim 3, wherein The ejection amount of the gas from the first nozzle is larger in cooling after the second heating than in cooling after the first heating.

7. The heat treatment device according to claim 4, wherein The ejection amount of the gas from the second nozzle is larger in cooling after the second heating than in cooling after the first heating.

8. The heat treatment device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein The chamber is provided with an opening and has an opening and closing door, wherein the opening and closing door moves to an open position and a closed position relative to the opening, thereby switching the closed state and the open state of the chamber. After the second heating and the cooling after the second heating are completed, the ejection of the gas is continued and the opening and closing door is moved to the open position.

9. The heat treatment device according to claim 1, wherein The second heat treatment part causes the heating part, the gas supply part, and the exhaust part to perform the second heat treatment if the workpiece has not yet entered the chamber from a predetermined reference time after the first heat treatment until a time required for performing the second heat treatment has passed.

10. The heat treatment device according to claim 1 or 9, wherein The control device includes an interruption processing unit configured to interrupt the second heating when receiving a signal notifying the arrival of the workpiece during a temperature increase process in the second heating.

11. A heat treatment method, include: In a first heat treatment, the workpiece is supported by a support portion in a chamber whose pressure is reduced from atmospheric pressure to a predetermined pressure or less by an exhaust portion, and after the heating portion heats the workpiece, the gas supply portion supplies gas to cool the workpiece; Workpiece discharging processing, discharging the workpiece from the chamber after the first heat treatment; as well as In the second heat treatment, in a state in which the workpiece is not supported by the support portion in the chamber, the exhaust portion reduces the pressure of the chamber from atmospheric pressure to a pressure below a predetermined pressure, the heating portion heats the chamber at a faster heating rate than the first heat treatment, the gas supply portion supplies the gas to cool the chamber, and when the chamber reaches atmospheric pressure by supplying the gas through the gas supply portion, the exhaust portion exhausts the chamber. The second heat treatment is performed when no signal notifying that the workpiece has arrived at the chamber is received during a period from a predetermined reference time after the first heat treatment until a predetermined time has passed; The maximum temperature of heating in the first heat treatment and the second heat treatment is the same.

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