A spin coating apparatus

Abstract

The utility model discloses a spin coating device, including cavity, rotating disc, driving motor, sample adding mechanism, vacuum adsorption system, elevating system and flow guide disc, elevating system is used for driving the side wall structure of constitution cavity to adjust cavity height along vertical direction elevating, the flow guide disc is located below rotating disc, and the middle part is equipped with the hole of giving room, rotating disc passes through the hole of giving room and is located, and the size of hole of giving room is greater than the outer diameter of rotating disc and is less than the outer diameter of the wafer on rotating disc, the side wall structure includes annular liquid collecting seat, inner layer shell and middle layer shell, and the annular liquid collecting space is formed between inner layer shell and inner ring wall, and the top of middle layer shell is provided with the skirt, is used for shielding the upper clearance between inner layer shell and outer ring wall. Through above -mentioned structure, can adjust cavity height according to need in the spin coating process, improve the blocking effect of side wall to liquid, make the liquid that spins out be restricted, reduce the splashing and overflow outward, thereby reduce the equipment pollution.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of spin coating technology, and in particular to a spin coating device. Background Technology

[0002] Spin coaters are commonly used equipment in fields such as microelectronics, semiconductors, optics, and materials science to prepare uniform thin films. They work by using a motor to drive a rotating disk at high speed, which uses centrifugal force to evenly spread photoresist or other functional solutions dropped onto the substrate surface, ultimately forming a thin film of controllable thickness.

[0003] Spin coating also presents a significant problem of adhesive splattering. When the spin coater rotates at high speed, the adhesive dripped onto the substrate surface is flung outwards by centrifugal force, easily splashing onto the top of the chamber or even outside, contaminating the equipment and working environment. This splattering is particularly severe when handling high-speed processes or low-viscosity adhesives, making cleaning difficult, and residual adhesive may solidify and affect the stability of subsequent processes. Utility Model Content

[0004] Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to overcome the technical problem of adhesive splashing and contamination during the spin coating process in the prior art.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model provides a spin coating device, including a cavity, a rotating disk disposed in the cavity, a drive motor that drives the rotating disk to rotate and is located outside the cavity, a sample feeding mechanism for dripping material onto the surface of a substrate, a vacuum adsorption system for adsorbing and fixing the substrate, a lifting mechanism, and a guide plate.

[0006] The drive motor's shaft is connected to the rotating disk, and the lifting mechanism is connected to the side wall structure constituting the cavity, so as to drive the side wall structure to rise and fall in the vertical direction, thereby changing the height of the cavity;

[0007] The sidewall structure is arranged around the flow guide disk, and the flow guide disk has a clearance hole in the middle. The rotating disk passes through the clearance hole and is located above the flow guide disk. The size of the clearance hole is larger than the outer diameter of the rotating disk and smaller than the outer diameter of the substrate on the rotating disk.

[0008] The sidewall structure includes an annular liquid collecting seat, an inner shell, and a middle shell. The annular liquid collecting seat includes an inner ring wall and an outer ring wall, with an annular groove formed between the inner ring wall and the outer ring wall. The inner shell and the middle shell are both disposed within the annular groove. The middle shell is disposed between the inner shell and the outer ring wall and is connected to the lifting mechanism to be able to move up and down in the vertical direction. An annular liquid collecting space for collecting liquid is formed between the inner shell and the inner ring wall.

[0009] The top edge of the middle shell is provided with a skirt, which extends radially outward and covers the upper gap between the inner shell and the outer ring wall.

[0010] In one embodiment of this utility model, the upper surface of the guide plate is a guide surface that gradually decreases from the center to the outer periphery.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the edge of the clearance hole is provided with an upwardly protruding annular edge, which is continuously arranged along the circumference of the clearance hole to block the liquid thrown out by the rotating disk.

[0012] In one embodiment of this utility model, the lifting mechanism includes a first lifting cylinder and a base. The base is provided with a mounting groove. The first lifting cylinder is a servo cylinder and is installed in the mounting groove. The output end of the first lifting cylinder is connected to the middle shell to drive the middle shell to move up and down in the vertical direction. The annular liquid collecting seat is also installed on the base.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, two support columns are symmetrically arranged on the bottom edge of the rotating disk, and a ball bearing seat is provided at the top of the support columns. A ball bearing is rolled in the ball bearing seat, and the part of the ball bearing protruding from the ball bearing seat is in tangential contact with the bottom surface of the rotating disk.

[0014] In one embodiment of this utility model, an elastic element is provided on the support column. The elastic element has a predetermined compression amount. One end of the elastic element abuts against the top surface of the support column, and the other end abuts against the ball bearing seat.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the vacuum adsorption system includes a vacuum pump and a vacuum channel. The vacuum channel is disposed inside the rotating shaft of the drive motor, and the rotating shaft is a hollow shaft structure. The rotating disk is provided with an adsorption hole that passes through it. The adsorption hole is connected to the vacuum channel, and the upper end of the adsorption hole is used to adsorb and fix the substrate.

[0016] A sealing ring is provided on the upper surface of the rotating disk around the adsorption hole, and the sealing ring is used to make sealing contact with the bottom surface of the substrate.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, the sample dispensing mechanism includes a support, a sample dispensing head, a horizontal moving slide, and a second lifting cylinder. The horizontal moving slide is disposed on the support, and the second lifting cylinder is fixedly disposed on the horizontal moving slide. The sample dispensing head is connected to the output end of the second lifting cylinder.

[0018] The above-mentioned technical solution of this utility model has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0019] This application utilizes a lifting mechanism to drive the sidewall structure constituting the cavity to adjust its position vertically, thereby changing the cavity's height. During spin coating, the cavity can be raised as needed to increase the sidewall's obstruction of the liquid, thus confining the ejected liquid and reducing splashing and overflow, thereby minimizing equipment contamination. Simultaneously, the cavity height can be adjusted according to the substrate size and process requirements, ensuring the protective effect while avoiding an excessively large or small cavity space, improving the rational utilization of space. Furthermore, changes in cavity height also affect the airflow distribution around the rotating disk. By adjusting the cavity space, turbulence and backflow phenomena can be reduced to a certain extent, making the airflow environment more stable, which is beneficial for improving the consistency of the spin coating process.

[0020] Specifically, a clearance hole is provided in the center of the guide plate. The rotating disk passes through the clearance hole and is located above the guide plate. The size of the clearance hole is larger than the outer diameter of the rotating disk but smaller than the outer diameter of the substrate placed on the rotating disk. During operation, the rotating disk drives the substrate to rotate at high speed. The liquid is thrown out by centrifugal force and falls onto the surface of the guide plate, then flows outward along the guide plate. At the same time, the side wall structure adjusts its relative height under the drive of the lifting mechanism. Through the above structure, the guide plate can guide the thrown liquid, and the limitation of the clearance hole size ensures that the liquid falls preferentially into the guiding area. Combined with the lifting of the side wall structure, the range of liquid splashing is limited, and the liquid flows within the cavity, while preventing the liquid from falling directly from the center of rotation and causing contamination.

[0021] The sidewall structure includes an annular liquid collecting seat, an inner shell, and a middle shell. The annular liquid collecting seat includes an inner ring wall and an outer ring wall, forming an annular groove between the inner and outer ring walls. Both the inner and middle shells are disposed within the annular groove. The middle shell is located between the inner shell and the outer ring wall and is connected to a lifting mechanism to allow for vertical movement. An annular liquid collecting space is formed between the inner shell and the inner ring wall for collecting liquid. During operation, liquid guided by a guide plate enters the annular liquid collecting space and flows into the annular groove under gravity. The middle shell, driven by the lifting mechanism, changes the height and shape of this annular space. Through this structure, liquid can be collected into the annular liquid collecting space along a predetermined path. Simultaneously, the lifting and lowering of the middle shell adjusts the collecting space, reducing liquid splashing and improving collection efficiency.

[0022] Furthermore, the top edge of the middle shell is provided with a skirt that extends radially outward and covers the upper gap between the inner shell and the outer ring wall. During operation, when liquid flows or splashes in the edge area, the skirt blocks this gap. The skirt effectively blocks the upper gap between the inner shell and the outer ring wall, preventing liquid from entering this gap during splashing, thereby reducing liquid diffusion into non-collection areas, lowering the likelihood of liquid entering the gap, and improving the liquid collection effect. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To make the content of this utility model easier to understand, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a spin coating device provided by this utility model;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a side view of a spin coating device provided by this utility model;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a top view of a spin coating device provided by this utility model;

[0027] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A cross-sectional view along DD.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the accompanying drawings: 10, cavity; 20, rotating disk; 21, support column; 22, ball bearing seat; 23, ball bearing; 24, adsorption hole; 30, drive motor; 40, sample dispensing mechanism; 41, bracket; 42, sample dispensing head; 43, horizontal moving slide; 44, second lifting cylinder; 45, collection container; 50, vacuum adsorption system; 51, vacuum channel; 60, lifting mechanism; 61, first lifting cylinder; 62, base; 621, mounting groove; 70, substrate; 80, side wall structure; 81, annular liquid collecting seat; 811, inner annular wall; 812, outer annular wall; 813, annular groove; 82, inner shell; 83, middle shell; 831, skirt; 832, connecting lug; 90, guide plate; 91, clearance hole; 92, guide surface; 93, annular edge. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, so that those skilled in the art can better understand and implement the present invention. However, the embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0030] See Figures 1 to 4 As shown, this embodiment provides a spin coating device, including a cavity 10, a rotating disk 20 disposed in the cavity 10, a drive motor 30 for driving the rotating disk 20 to rotate, a sample dispensing mechanism 40 for dispensing material onto the surface of a substrate 70, a vacuum adsorption system 50 for adsorbing and fixing the substrate 70, and a lifting mechanism 60.

[0031] The drive motor 30 is located outside the cavity 10, and its output shaft is connected to the rotating disk 20 to drive the rotating disk 20 to rotate around its central axis. The rotating disk 20 is used to support the substrate 70 to be processed, the sample addition mechanism 40 is used to drop liquid material onto the surface of the substrate 70, and the vacuum adsorption system 50 is used to adsorb and fix the substrate 70 on the rotating disk 20 to prevent the substrate 70 from shifting or detaching during rotation. The drive motor 30 can be connected to the rotating disk 20 via a coupling or direct connection to ensure transmission stability and coaxiality requirements.

[0032] Furthermore, the rotation speed of the rotating disk 20 can be set according to the viscosity of the liquid material, the target film thickness, and the size of the substrate 70, so as to obtain a more stable coating effect under different working conditions. For high-viscosity liquids, the rotation speed can be appropriately increased to enhance the spreading ability. For low-viscosity liquids, the rotation speed can be reduced to avoid excessive splashing, thereby achieving adjustment of coating thickness and uniformity.

[0033] Two support pillars 21 are symmetrically arranged on the bottom edge of the rotating disk 20. Each support pillar 21 has a ball bearing seat 22 at its top, within which a ball bearing 23 is rolled. Parts of the ball bearing 23 are exposed and contact the bottom surface of the rotating disk 20. Through this structure, the rotating disk 20 is supported by the ball bearing 23 during rotation, thus establishing a rolling contact between the rotating disk 20 and the support structure. The ball bearing 23 is preferably made of a wear-resistant material to withstand long-term, high-speed operation.

[0034] Furthermore, the number, distribution position, and size of the balls 23 can be adjusted according to the diameter of the rotating disk 20 and the load-bearing requirements; in the application scenario of a large-size rotating disk 20, the number of balls 23 can be increased or a multi-point support structure can be adopted to improve the support stability.

[0035] The lifting mechanism 60 is connected to the side wall structure 80 constituting the cavity 10 and is used to drive the side wall structure 80 to move up and down in the vertical direction, thereby changing the height of the cavity 10. A guide structure may be provided between the side wall structure 80 and the base 62 to ensure stability and coaxiality during the lifting process.

[0036] Furthermore, the lifting stroke and speed of the lifting mechanism 60 can be preset or adjusted to adapt to the needs of different spin coating stages; for example, in the sample feeding stage, the side wall structure 80 can be in a lower position, and in the spin coating stage it can be raised to a higher position, thereby achieving dynamic adaptation to different process stages.

[0037] When the spin coating apparatus is in operation, the substrate 70 is first fixed on the rotating disk 20 by the vacuum adsorption system 50, and then liquid material is dropped onto the surface of the substrate 70 by the sample application mechanism 40. Subsequently, the drive motor 30 drives the rotating disk 20 to rotate at high speed, and under the action of centrifugal force, the liquid material expands outward from the center of the substrate 70 to form a uniform film.

[0038] Because it's difficult to achieve perfect perpendicularity between the motor shaft and the rotating disk, there will always be a certain degree of perpendicularity deviation between the motor shaft and the rotating disk plane due to machining accuracy, assembly errors, and wear from long-term use. This deviation causes slight wobbling of the disk during rotation, preventing it from remaining consistently level. If the rotating disk's levelness is compromised, the film quality will be affected. When the disk tilts or wobbles, centrifugal force varies at different locations, causing the solution flow to become asymmetrical, potentially resulting in uneven film thickness, edge buildup, or surface streaks. Especially at higher speeds, even small perpendicularity deviations are amplified, significantly impacting the coating effect. Therefore, during rotation, the rolling contact of the ball bearings 23 with the rotating disk 20 provides support from multiple points. In the event of assembly errors or uneven force distribution, each support point can distribute the load, preventing excessive force or jamming at any one location, thus ensuring more uniform force distribution on the rotating disk 20. Based on this, swaying and shaking can be reduced during high-speed operation, making the rotation more stable, which in turn facilitates the uniform spreading of liquid on the substrate surface and improves the consistency of coating thickness distribution.

[0039] Meanwhile, the height of the cavity 10 can be adjusted via the lifting mechanism 60 according to the requirements of the spin coating process. When stronger liquid confinement is needed, the side wall structure 80 can be raised, thereby increasing the height of the side wall of the cavity 10, which blocks the liquid thrown out during rotation and reduces liquid splashing and overflow. When processing substrates 70 of different sizes, the height of the cavity 10 can be adjusted to match the size of the substrate 70, thus avoiding the adverse effects of excessively large or small spaces. For example, when processing large-sized substrates 70, the side wall height can be appropriately increased to enhance the confinement ability, while when processing small-sized substrates 70, the side wall height can be decreased to reduce ineffective space.

[0040] Furthermore, changes in the height of the cavity 10 also affect the airflow around the rotating disk 20. By adjusting the space of the cavity 10, the airflow distribution within the spin coating area can be improved to some extent, reducing turbulence and backflow caused by high-speed rotation, and making the liquid spreading process on the substrate 70 surface more stable. This is beneficial for forming a coating structure with a more uniform thickness.

[0041] Preferably, an elastic element (not shown in the figure) is provided on the support column 21. The elastic element has a predetermined compression amount, one end of the elastic element abuts against the top surface of the support column 21, and the other end abuts against the ball bearing seat 22.

[0042] During operation, when the rotating disk 20 is subjected to force or there is an assembly error, the ball seat 22 will have a slight axial displacement relative to the support column 21, and the elastic element will be compressed or rebound, thereby adjusting the contact state between the ball 23 and the bottom surface of the rotating disk 20, so that the ball 23 always keeps in contact with the rotating disk 20.

[0043] Through the above structure, the elastic element can provide continuous preload, enabling the ball bearing 23 support structure to have self-adjusting capability, thereby compensating for assembly deviations and reducing impact and vibration during operation. It also avoids intermittent failure contact caused by gap variations.

[0044] In addition, the elastic element may include a wave spring. During operation, the wave spring undergoes elastic deformation under axial compression and outputs a stable elastic force acting on the ball bearing seat 22. By using a wave spring, the required elastic preload can be provided within a limited space, and its uniform force distribution is beneficial to improving the stability and durability of the support structure. Wave springs also have good fatigue performance and are suitable for long-term repetitive loading conditions.

[0045] See Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, it also includes a guide plate 90, a side wall structure 80 surrounding the guide plate 90, a clearance hole 91 in the middle of the guide plate 90, a rotating plate 20 passing through the clearance hole 91 and located above the guide plate 90, the size of the clearance hole 91 being larger than the outer diameter of the rotating plate 20 and smaller than the outer diameter of the substrate 70 on the rotating plate 20, and the side wall structure 80 being connected to the lifting mechanism 60 so that the side wall structure 80 can be raised and lowered relative to the rotating plate 20 in the vertical direction.

[0046] During operation, the rotating disk 20 drives the substrate 70 to rotate at high speed. The liquid is thrown out by centrifugal force and falls onto the surface of the guide disk 90, and then flows outward along the guide disk 90. ​​At the same time, the side wall structure 80 adjusts its relative height under the drive of the lifting mechanism 60.

[0047] Through the above structure, the guide plate 90 can guide the ejected liquid, while the limited size of the clearance hole 91 ensures that the liquid preferentially falls into the guide area. Combined with the lifting and lowering of the side wall structure 80, effective control of the liquid splash range is achieved. At the same time, it prevents the liquid from falling directly from the center of rotation and causing contamination.

[0048] See Figure 4As shown, the sidewall structure 80 includes an annular liquid collecting seat 81, an inner shell 82, and a middle shell 83. The annular liquid collecting seat 81 includes an inner annular wall 811 and an outer annular wall 812. An annular groove 813 is formed between the inner annular wall 811 and the outer annular wall 812. The inner shell 82 and the middle shell 83 are both disposed in the annular groove 813. The middle shell 83 is disposed between the inner shell 82 and the outer annular wall 812 and is connected to the lifting mechanism 60 so that it can be lifted and lowered in the vertical direction. An annular liquid collecting space for collecting liquid is formed between the inner shell 82 and the inner annular wall 811.

[0049] During operation, the liquid guided by the guide plate 90 enters the annular space and flows into the annular groove 813 under the action of gravity. The middle shell 83 changes the height and shape of the annular space under the drive of the lifting mechanism 60.

[0050] With the above structure, liquid can be collected into the annular collection space along a predetermined path. At the same time, the collection space can be adjusted by raising and lowering the middle shell 83, which helps to reduce liquid back splashing and improve collection efficiency, and makes the liquid collection process more continuous and controllable.

[0051] See Figure 4 As shown, the top edge of the middle shell 83 is provided with a skirt 831, which extends radially outward and covers the upper gap between the inner shell 82 and the outer ring wall 812. During operation, when liquid flows or splashes in the edge area, the skirt 831 blocks the gap. By blocking the upper gap between the inner shell 82 and the outer ring wall 812 through the skirt 831, liquid is prevented from entering the gap during splashing, thereby reducing the diffusion of liquid to non-collection areas, reducing the possibility of liquid entering the gap, and improving the liquid collection effect.

[0052] Furthermore, the outer edge of the aforementioned skirt 831 extends radially outward to form a connecting ear 832, which is connected to the lifting mechanism. During operation, the lifting mechanism drives the connecting ear 832 to move vertically through its output end, thereby causing the skirt 831 and the connected middle shell 83 to rise and fall as a whole, realizing the height adjustment of the side wall structure 80.

[0053] With the above structure, the lifting mechanism 60 acts directly on the skirt 831 through the connecting ear 832, making the driving force transmission path clear and improving the stability and response speed of the lifting transmission. At the same time, since the connection position is located at the outer edge of the skirt 831, interference with the inner liquid collection space can be reduced while ensuring a compact structure.

[0054] In addition, a drain port is provided at the bottom of the annular tank 813. During operation, the liquid collects in the annular tank 813 and flows to the bottom of the tank under gravity, then is discharged through the drain port. Furthermore, the drain port can be connected to an external pipeline, valve-controlled structure, or negative pressure suction device to achieve continuous or active discharge of the liquid.

[0055] The above structure enables continuous liquid discharge, avoiding overflow or secondary splashing caused by liquid accumulation, thus maintaining stable operation within the device. The discharged liquid can be further introduced into a recovery system or waste liquid treatment device.

[0056] See Figure 4 As shown, the upper surface of the guide plate 90 is a guide surface 92 that gradually decreases from the center to the outer periphery. During operation, after the liquid falls onto the guide plate 90, it flows outward along the guide surface 92 under the action of centrifugal force and gravity.

[0057] With the above structure, the liquid can flow orderly along a predetermined path, reducing liquid stagnation and disordered diffusion on the guide plate 90, and improving flow stability. This is beneficial for improving flow consistency.

[0058] Furthermore, the guide surface 92 can be configured as a continuous curved surface or a segmented structure, and microstructure textures or guide grooves can be provided on its surface to guide the liquid to flow along a specific path, thereby reducing liquid splashing and disorderly diffusion.

[0059] See Figure 4 As shown, the edge of the clearance hole 91 is provided with an upwardly protruding annular edge 93, which is continuously arranged along the circumference of the clearance hole 91 to block the liquid thrown out by the rotating disk 20. During operation, when the liquid splashes back or moves towards the central area, the annular edge 93 blocks it.

[0060] The above structure prevents liquid from entering the clearance hole 91 area and changes the direction of liquid flow, redirecting it outwards, thereby reducing the impact on the underlying structure and improving the protection capability of the central area.

[0061] See Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, the lifting mechanism 60 includes a first lifting cylinder 61 and a base 62. The base 62 is provided with a mounting groove 621, and the first lifting cylinder 61 is installed in the mounting groove 621. The output end of the first lifting cylinder 61 is connected to the middle shell 83, specifically, it is fixedly connected to the connecting lug 832 to drive the middle shell 83 to rise and fall in the vertical direction. The annular liquid collecting seat 81 is also installed on the base 62.

[0062] The first lifting cylinder 61 is a known cylinder with closed-loop position control, referred to as a servo cylinder. This servo cylinder, upon receiving a position command, automatically drives the piston rod to any specified position within its stroke range and locks it. Through the servo cylinder, continuous adjustment of the height of the cavity 10 can be achieved. It should be noted that the aforementioned cylinder with closed-loop position control is a conventional product in the field of pneumatic control, and those skilled in the art, after reading this application, can apply the servo cylinder to achieve continuous adjustment of the cavity height.

[0063] During operation, the first lifting cylinder 61 drives the middle shell 83 to move in the vertical direction through its output end, thereby changing the spatial relationship in the cavity 10 structure.

[0064] Through the above structure, the first lifting cylinder 61 can provide a stable lifting driving force, which, together with the base 62, achieves structural support and positioning, which is conducive to improving the stability and reliability of the lifting movement.

[0065] See Figure 4 As shown, the vacuum adsorption system 50 includes a vacuum pump (not shown) and a vacuum channel 51. The vacuum channel 51 is located inside the rotating shaft of the drive motor 30, and the rotating shaft is a hollow shaft structure. A through-hole adsorption hole 24 is provided on the rotating disk 20, and the adsorption hole 24 is connected to the vacuum channel 51. The upper end of the adsorption hole 24 is used to adsorb and fix the substrate 70. A sealing ring is provided around the adsorption hole 24 on the upper surface of the rotating disk 20, and the sealing ring is used to seal the bottom surface of the substrate 70. The negative pressure of the vacuum adsorption system 50 is adjustable to accommodate substrates 70 of different sizes or weights.

[0066] During operation, the vacuum pump creates a negative pressure at the adsorption hole 24 through the vacuum channel 51, causing the substrate 70 to be adsorbed and fixed on the rotating disk 20.

[0067] The above structure allows for stable fixation of the substrate 70 during rotation. The sealing ring enhances sealing performance, thereby improving the adsorption effect and preventing substrate 70 from shifting. This ensures reliable fixation even under high-speed rotation.

[0068] See Figure 2 As shown, the sample dispensing mechanism 40 includes a support 41, a sample dispensing head 42, a horizontal moving slide 43, and a second lifting cylinder 44. The support 41 is connected to the base 62, the horizontal moving slide 43 is mounted on the support 41, the second lifting cylinder 44 is fixedly mounted on the horizontal moving slide 43, and the sample dispensing head 42 is connected to the output end of the second lifting cylinder 44.

[0069] During operation, the horizontal moving slide 43 drives the sample feeding head 42 to move horizontally, and the second lifting cylinder 44 drives the sample feeding head 42 to rise and fall vertically, thereby conveying the material to the surface of the substrate 70.

[0070] With the above structure, the sample feeding head 42 can perform sample feeding operations at different positions and heights, improving the flexibility of the sample feeding position and adapting it to substrates 70 of different sizes and process requirements.

[0071] See Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the sample application mechanism 40 further includes a collection container 45 disposed outside the cavity 10. The collection container 45 is disposed in the non-working area of ​​the sample application head 42, and the sample application head 42 is located above the collection container 45 when not applying samples. The collection container 45 can be fixedly installed on the equipment base 62 or the frame, and its position corresponds to the horizontal movement path of the sample application head 42, so that the sample application head 42 can switch between the working position and the standby position.

[0072] During operation, after the sample dispensing head 42 completes the sample dispensing operation on the substrate 70, it moves away from the sample dispensing position above the cavity 10 under the drive of the horizontal moving slide 43 and moves to the standby position above the collection container 45. At this time, the sample dispensing head 42 stops dispensing, but since there may still be residual liquid in the sample dispensing line, the liquid may drip under the action of gravity or inertia. The collection container 45 is used to collect this residual liquid. When it is necessary to dispense again, the sample dispensing head 42 moves from the standby position to the working position above the cavity 10, thereby completing the cycle switching between sample dispensing and standby.

[0073] With the above structure, when the sample dispensing head 42 is not in operation, any dripping that may occur is confined within the collection container 45, preventing liquid from dripping directly onto the equipment surface or around the cavity 10, thereby reducing equipment contamination. Furthermore, the collection container 45 can also be used as a cleaning or maintenance location, where the sample dispensing head 42 can be rinsed or waste liquid collected, further enhancing the automation level and ease of maintenance of the equipment.

[0074] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely illustrative examples for clear explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations here. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A spin coating apparatus, characterized in that: It includes a cavity, a rotating disk disposed in the cavity, a drive motor that drives the rotating disk to rotate and is located outside the cavity, a sample feeding mechanism for dripping material onto the surface of a substrate, a vacuum adsorption system for adsorbing and fixing the substrate, a lifting mechanism, and a guide plate. The drive motor's shaft is connected to the rotating disk, and the lifting mechanism is connected to the side wall structure constituting the cavity to drive the side wall structure to rise and fall vertically, thereby changing the height of the cavity; the side wall structure is arranged around the guide disk, and the guide disk has a clearance hole in the middle, the rotating disk passes through the clearance hole and is located above the guide disk, and the size of the clearance hole is larger than the outer diameter of the rotating disk and smaller than the outer diameter of the substrate on the rotating disk; The sidewall structure includes an annular liquid collecting seat, an inner shell, and a middle shell. The annular liquid collecting seat includes an inner ring wall and an outer ring wall, with an annular groove formed between the inner ring wall and the outer ring wall. The inner shell and the middle shell are both disposed within the annular groove. The middle shell is disposed between the inner shell and the outer ring wall and is connected to the lifting mechanism to be able to move vertically. An annular liquid collecting space for collecting liquid is formed between the inner shell and the inner ring wall. The top edge of the middle shell is provided with a skirt, which extends radially outward and covers the upper gap between the inner shell and the outer ring wall.

2. The spin coating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper surface of the guide plate is a guide surface that gradually decreases from the center to the outer periphery.

3. The spin coating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clearance hole has an upwardly protruding annular edge, which is continuously arranged along the circumference of the clearance hole to block the liquid thrown out by the rotating disk.

4. The spin coating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lifting mechanism includes a first lifting cylinder and a base. The base is provided with a mounting groove. The first lifting cylinder is a servo cylinder and is installed in the mounting groove. The output end of the first lifting cylinder is connected to the middle shell to drive the middle shell to move up and down in the vertical direction. The annular liquid collection seat is also installed on the base.

5. The spin coating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: Two support columns are symmetrically arranged on the bottom edge of the rotating disk. A ball bearing seat is provided at the top of the support column. A ball bearing is rolled in the ball bearing seat. The part of the ball bearing protruding from the ball bearing seat is in tangential contact with the bottom surface of the rotating disk.

6. A spin coating apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that: An elastic element is provided on the support column. The elastic element has a predetermined compression amount. One end of the elastic element abuts against the top surface of the support column, and the other end abuts against the ball bearing seat.

7. The spin coating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vacuum adsorption system includes a vacuum pump and a vacuum channel. The vacuum channel is located inside the rotating shaft of the drive motor, and the rotating shaft is a hollow shaft structure. The rotating disk is provided with adsorption holes that pass through it. The adsorption holes are connected to the vacuum channel, and the upper end of the adsorption holes is used to adsorb and fix the substrate. A sealing ring is provided on the upper surface of the rotating disk around the adsorption hole, and the sealing ring is used to make sealing contact with the bottom surface of the substrate.

8. A spin coating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sample dispensing mechanism includes a support, a sample dispensing head, a horizontal moving slide, and a second lifting cylinder. The horizontal moving slide is mounted on the support, and the second lifting cylinder is fixedly mounted on the horizontal moving slide. The sample dispensing head is connected to the output end of the second lifting cylinder.

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