Substrate processing method and substrate processing system

Abstract

The present invention provides a substrate processing method and a substrate processing system that can improve the yield of laminated substrates by suppressing bending stress and the generation of air bubbles during the thermal curing of fillers. [Solution] This invention involves applying a thermosetting filler to the gap between the peripheral edges of the first and second substrates that constitute the laminated substrate, in order to reinforce the end face portion of the laminated substrate in which the first and second substrates are joined, and then allowing it to heat-cur. Prior to the application of the filler, the peripheral edges of the first and second substrates are heated to a temperature above the curing temperature of the filler. Therefore, immediately after filling, only the portion of the filler that is in contact with the peripheral edges of the first and second substrates hardens, while the interior, away from the peripheral edges, remains in an uncured state. Subsequently, as time progresses, the heat curing proceeds from the inside out of the gap.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a substrate processing technology for reinforcing an end face portion of a laminated substrate in which a first substrate and a second substrate are joined together.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the development of three-dimensional stacking technology for forming highly integrated and high-density semiconductor chips by stacking circuits three-dimensionally and improving the communication speed, power efficiency, etc. of devices has been active. Among them, in the processes of transporting, polishing, and cutting a laminated substrate during semiconductor chip manufacturing, cracking, chipping, and peeling in the unjoined region of the end face portion of the laminated substrate have become problems. Therefore, in order to solve these problems, for example, as described in Patent Document 1, after filling a thermosetting filler into the unjoined region of the end face portion of a laminated substrate held in a horizontal posture, a substrate processing technology for curing the filler by heating the laminated substrate has been proposed. Further, Patent Document 2 describes an apparatus for filling a filler while holding a laminated substrate in a vertical posture.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In conventional substrate processing technology, after a filler is filled into a laminated substrate at room temperature, heat (radiant heat) from a lamp is irradiated onto the filler from the outside of the laminated substrate. This heats and hardens the filler. More specifically, the temperature rises first in the exposed portion of the filler filled in the gap between the first and second substrates, and the hardening progresses rapidly into the gap. This partial hardening can cause a rapid decrease in the volume of the filler, which can impart bending stress to both the peripheral edges of the first and second substrates. Furthermore, as hardening progresses into the gap, some of the solvent components that make up the filler can become trapped inside the hardened filler, sometimes resulting in the formation of air bubbles. These factors can cause the edges of the laminated substrate to crack, leading to a decrease in the yield of the laminated substrate.

[0005] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a substrate processing method and a substrate processing system that can improve the yield of laminated substrates by suppressing bending stress and the generation of air bubbles during the thermal curing of fillers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A first aspect of this invention comprises a heating step of heating a laminated substrate in which a first substrate and a second substrate are joined, and a filling step of filling the gap between the peripheral edges of the first substrate and the peripheral edges of the second substrate with a thermosetting filler after the heating step, wherein the heating step includes a step of heating the peripheral edges of the first substrate and the peripheral edges of the second substrate to a temperature equal to or higher than the curing temperature of the filler.

[0007] Furthermore, a second aspect of this invention is characterized by comprising: a coating device for applying a thermosetting filler to a laminated substrate in which a first substrate and a second substrate are joined, thereby filling the gaps between the peripheral edges of the first substrate and the peripheral edges of the second substrate with the filler; a heating device provided independently of the coating device for heating the peripheral edges of the first substrate and the peripheral edges of the second substrate to a temperature above the curing temperature of the filler; and a conveying device for conveying the laminated substrate, in which both peripheral edges of the first and second substrates have been heated, from the heating device to the coating device.

[0008] In the invention configured as described above, before filling the end faces of the laminated substrate with filler, both peripheral edges of the first and second substrates are heated to a temperature above the curing temperature of the filler. Therefore, as will be explained later with reference to Figure 4, when the filler is filled into the gap between the peripheral edges of the first and second substrates, only the portion of the filler that is in contact with the peripheral edges of the first and second substrates hardens, while the interior, away from the peripheral edges, remains uncured. In other words, the ends of the first and second substrates are separated from each other and can deform relatively freely, making it possible to absorb the bending stress generated by hardening. Furthermore, since hardening progresses from the inside of the gap (towards the center of the substrate) to the outside (towards the edges), it is possible to effectively suppress the retention of air bubbles in the hardened filler. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] As described above, the present invention makes it possible to improve the yield of laminated substrates by suppressing bending stress and the generation of air bubbles during the thermal curing of the filler. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing system capable of implementing the first embodiment of the substrate processing method according to the present invention. [Figure 2A] This is a side view showing one embodiment of a coating apparatus for applying a filler to the edge surface of a laminated substrate. [Figure 2B] Figure 2A is a plan view of the coating apparatus shown. [Figure 3] This flowchart shows the substrate processing performed by the substrate processing system. [Figure 4] This diagram schematically shows the temperature change of a laminated substrate during substrate processing and the progression of thermal curing during the coating process. [Figure 5] This is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing system capable of implementing a second embodiment of the substrate processing method according to the present invention. [Figure 6]This is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing system capable of implementing a third embodiment of the substrate processing method according to the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Figure 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing system capable of executing the first embodiment of the substrate processing method according to the present invention. This does not show the external appearance of the substrate processing system 100, but is a schematic diagram that clearly illustrates its internal structure by excluding the outer wall panels and some other components of the substrate processing system 100. This substrate processing system 100 is a single-wafer type device that is installed, for example, in a clean room and processes laminated substrates S one by one.

[0012] The substrate processing system 100 includes a heating group 1A, which consists of multiple hot plates HP stacked together, and multiple coating devices 1B, which apply a filler to the edge faces of the laminated substrate S. Figure 1 shows two heating groups 1A and two coating devices 1B arranged horizontally. In this embodiment, each coating device 1B is arranged individually, but multiple units may be stacked vertically, similar to the hot plates HP.

[0013] In this embodiment, the "laminated substrate" is formed by joining the device surface of a first substrate (reference numeral S1 in Figures 2A and 4, which will be described later), on which an integrated circuit and electrical wiring are formed, to the device surface of a second substrate (reference numeral S2 in Figures 2A and 4, which will be described later), on which an integrated circuit and electrical wiring are similarly formed. Furthermore, three or more substrates may be joined together. For example, after the second substrate S2 joined to the first substrate S1 is processed, a third substrate may be joined to the second substrate, and the third substrate may be processed. In this specification, a configuration of multiple substrates joined together may be referred to as a "laminated substrate."

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the substrate processing system 100 has a substrate processing area 110 for processing laminated substrates S. An indexer unit 120 is provided adjacent to this substrate processing area 110. The indexer unit 120 has a container holding unit 121 that can hold multiple containers C (such as FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod), SMIF (Standard Mechanical Interface) pod, OC (Open Cassette), etc.) for housing laminated substrates S in a sealed state. The indexer unit 120 also includes an indexer robot 122 for accessing the containers C held by the container holding unit 121 to remove unprocessed laminated substrates S from the containers C or to store processed laminated substrates S in the containers C. Each container C contains multiple laminated substrates S in a nearly horizontal position.

[0015] The indexer robot 122 comprises a base portion 122a fixed to the device housing, a multi-joint arm 122b rotatably mounted on the base portion 122a around a vertical axis, and a hand 122c attached to the tip of the multi-joint arm 122b. The hand 122c is structured to hold a laminated substrate S placed on its upper surface. Since indexer robots having such a multi-joint arm and a hand for holding substrates are well known, a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0016] In the substrate processing area 110, a mounting table 112 is provided so as to be able to mount the stacked substrate S from the index robot 122. Also, in a plan view, a substrate transfer robot 111 is arranged substantially at the center of the substrate processing area 110. Further, a plurality of heat treatment groups 1A and a plurality of coating devices 1B are arranged so as to surround the substrate transfer robot 111. Specifically, the heat treatment groups 1A and the plurality of coating devices 1B are arranged facing the space where the substrate transfer robot 111 is arranged. The substrate transfer robot 111 randomly accesses the mounting table 112 and transfers the stacked substrate S to and from the mounting table 112. In the present embodiment, in consideration of the fact that the tact time of the heat treatment is longer than the tact time of the coating treatment, a plurality of hot plates HP are provided for one coating device 1B. Note that the mounting table 112 is not necessarily required as long as the substrate transfer robot 111 can directly transfer the stacked substrate S from the index robot 122.

[0017] As is well known in the art, the hot plate HP has a flat upper surface. The hot plate HP incorporates a heater such as a heating wire, for example. When the heater is driven, the upper surface of the hot plate HP is heated to a predetermined temperature. Thereby, the stacked substrate S arranged above and in the vicinity of the upper surface is heated as a whole. The heater is controlled by a heater control unit (not shown) provided in the control device 130 of the substrate processing system 100, and the stacked substrate S is heated to a temperature higher than the curing temperature (reference numeral Tc in FIG. 4) of the thermosetting resin contained in the filler, specifically, a temperature 50°C higher than the curing temperature in the present embodiment.

[0018] FIG. 2A is a side view showing an embodiment of a coating device for applying a filler to an end face portion of a stacked substrate, and FIG. 2B is a plan view of the coating device shown in FIG. 2A. In FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B, and the drawings described later, for ease of understanding, the dimensions and numbers of each part are illustrated in an exaggerated or simplified manner.

[0019] The coating device 1B has a box-shaped chamber 11 with an internal space. An inlet / outlet 14 through which the laminated substrate S passes is provided on the side wall of the chamber 11. Further, a shutter 15 for opening and closing the inlet / outlet 14 is attached to the side wall. For example, with the shutter 15 open, the laminated substrate S is carried into the chamber 11 through the inlet / outlet 14. Then, inside the chamber 11, the spin base 21 of the spin chuck 20 rotates around a vertical rotation axis AX passing through the center of the laminated substrate S while horizontally holding a single laminated substrate S. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2A, the spin chuck 20 has a spin shaft 22 extending downward from the central portion of the spin base 21, and a spin motor 23 that rotates the spin shaft 22 and the spin base 21 around the rotation axis AX. When the spin motor 23 operates in response to a command from the rotation drive unit 131 of the control device 130 (FIGS. 1 and 2B) that controls each part of the device of the substrate processing system 100, the laminated substrate S adsorbed and held in a horizontal posture on the spin base 21 rotates around the rotation axis AX integrally with the spin base 21. Further, the spin chuck 20 holds the laminated substrate S by sucking the atmosphere of the space above the spin chuck 20 using a suction mechanism such as an aspirator connected to the intake path. A vacuum ejector may also be used as the suction mechanism.

[0020] In order to supply a filler to the end face portion of the rotating laminated substrate S, that is, the gap Sc between the peripheral edge portion S1a of the first substrate S1 and the peripheral edge portion S2a of the second substrate S2, a filler supply unit 30 is provided. The filler is a resin material having thermosetting properties and contains a binder, a solvent, particles, etc. The particles are dispersed in the binder dissolved in the solvent. Examples of the binder include an inorganic binder containing an alkali metal silicate, an organic binder composed of a silicon resin or an epoxy resin, and an inorganic-organic hybrid binder. Further, the particles are, for example, particles such as silica or alumina, and may be mixed into the binder for purposes such as increasing the volume of the filler and adjusting the viscosity of the filler. Further, the filler may contain materials such as siloxane-based and acetate-based (such as propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate).

[0021] The filler supply unit 30 is connected to a jet dispenser 31 positioned with its discharge port 31a facing the gap Sc. The filler supply unit 30 pressurizes and pumps the filler from a storage unit to the jet dispenser 31. The jet dispenser 31 is connected to a dispenser movement unit 32 and is movable between a processing position P1 (solid line position in Figure 2B) radially outside the laminated substrate S and a position P2 (dotted line position in Figure 2B) spaced apart from the processing position P1 and the laminated substrate S. The dispenser movement unit 32 includes, for example, a motor. That is, in response to a command from the position control unit 132 of the control device 130, the dispenser movement unit 32 moves the jet dispenser 31 to the processing position P1 and positions it so that the discharge port 31a of the jet dispenser 31 faces the end face of the laminated substrate S, as shown in Figure 2A. That is, a pipe 33 extends from the jet dispenser 31 and its tip is connected to the filler supply unit 30. Therefore, in response to a command from the control device 130, the filler supply unit 30 is activated, and the filler is discharged horizontally from the discharge port 31a of the jet dispenser 31 and supplied to the end face of the laminated substrate S (= the gap Sc between the peripheral edges S1a and S2a of the first substrate S1 and the second substrate S2). In this way, the filler coating process is performed on the laminated substrate S. This coating process corresponds to an example of the "filling process" of the present invention. Before performing this coating process, the laminated substrate S is heated to a temperature higher than the curing temperature (indicated by Tc in Figure 4, which will be explained later) by the hot plate HP, so the thermosetting resin begins to cure immediately after the filling of the filler into the gap Sc begins, and the curing of the filler progresses from the inside to the outside of the gap Sc, as will be explained later.

[0022] In this case, if the temperature of the laminated substrate S, particularly the temperatures of the peripheral edges S1a and S2a of the first substrate S1 and the second substrate S2, is below the curing temperature, some of the thermosetting resin may remain in a liquid state without curing. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B, a temperature measuring unit 34 is provided at the lower peripheral edge of the laminated substrate S held by the spin base 21, that is, directly below the lower peripheral edge of the first substrate S1. The temperature measuring unit 34 may be a contact-type thermometer or a non-contact-type thermometer. The temperature information of the laminated substrate S measured by this temperature measuring unit 34 is sent to the arithmetic processing unit 134 via the I / F 133 of the control device 130. Based on this temperature information, the arithmetic processing unit 134 can perform a determination process that restricts the execution of the coating process when the temperature of the peripheral edges S1a and S2a is below the curing temperature, while permitting the execution of the coating process when the temperature of the peripheral edges S1a and S2a is at or above the curing temperature. In this embodiment, the judgment criterion for the judgment step is raised by 20°C to account for the temperature drop of the laminated substrate S during the coating process. In other words, the arithmetic processing unit 134 is configured to restrict the coating process if the temperature of the laminated substrate S transferred from the substrate transport robot 111 to the spin base 21 is below the coating execution temperature (=Tc+20°C), while allowing the coating process if it is above the coating execution temperature. That is, the coating execution temperature is set to a value that is a certain value (20°C in this embodiment) higher than the curing temperature Tc, taking into account the temperature drop due to thermal curing. However, since the amount of temperature drop differs depending on the type of filler and the amount applied, it is desirable to set the above constant value appropriately to correspond to these factors. The arithmetic processing unit 134 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

[0023] Reference numeral 135 in Figure 2B indicates a memory unit that stores programs for performing the heating process using the hot plate HP and programs for performing the coating process (filling process) using the coating device 1B. For example, the memory unit has ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory). According to these programs, the arithmetic processing unit 134 controls each part of the substrate processing system 100, thereby performing the filling of the gap Sc with filler and thermal curing by the heating process using the hot plate HP and the coating process using the coating device 1B, as will be explained below.

[0024] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the substrate processing performed by the substrate processing system. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the temperature change of the laminated substrate during substrate processing and the progression of thermal curing during the coating process. The substrate processing reads various programs from the memory unit of the control device 130 that controls the entire substrate processing system 100 and controls each part of the system as follows. The lower diagram in Figure 4 schematically shows how the thermal curing of the filler F progresses while the part of the gap Sc that first received the filler F at processing position P1 rotates once around the rotation axis AX. The symbol DV in these diagrams indicates the device part of the first substrate S1 and the second substrate S2 that are joined together during the manufacturing of the laminated substrate S, and the space enclosed by the device part DV, the peripheral part S1a of the first substrate S1, and the peripheral part S2a of the second substrate S2 corresponds to the gap Sc. In addition, to schematically show the curing of the filler F, dots are placed at relatively wide intervals in the uncured area, while the dot intervals are narrowed in the part F1 where thermal curing has progressed.

[0025] In the substrate processing system 100, the unprocessed laminated substrate S is removed from the container C by the indexer robot 122 and transported to an empty hot plate HP via the mounting table 112. This starts the heating of the laminated substrate S, and the laminated substrate S is prepared to be heated to a temperature 50°C higher than the curing temperature. The heated laminated substrate S is then transported from the hot plate HP to an empty coating device 1B by the substrate transport robot 111 (step S1).

[0026] In this coating apparatus 1B, the laminated substrate S is placed on the spin base 21 by the substrate transport robot 111. Subsequently, the laminated substrate S is held in place by adsorption mechanism (not shown) on the spin base 21, and then the temperature of the laminated substrate S is measured by the temperature measurement unit 34, and the temperature information is sent to the control device 130 (step S2). Upon receiving this temperature information, the arithmetic processing unit 134 determines whether the temperature of the laminated substrate S is equal to or greater than the coating execution temperature (step S3). If it determines that the temperature of the laminated substrate S is less than the coating execution temperature, the arithmetic processing unit 134 controls the coating apparatus 1B and the substrate transport robot 111 to return to the original hot plate HP or an empty hot plate HP and reheat the laminated substrate S (step S4).

[0027] Meanwhile, in step S3, once it is confirmed that the temperature of the laminated substrate S is equal to or above the coating execution temperature, the calculation processing unit 134 controls the coating apparatus 1B to execute the coating process and fills the gaps Sc in the laminated substrate S with filler (step S5). More specifically, the calculation processing unit 134 controls the dispenser movement unit 32 to position the jet dispenser 31 at the processing position P1. The calculation processing unit 134 also issues a rotation command to the rotation drive unit 131, and the spin base 21 starts to rotate. As a result, the laminated substrate S rotates around the rotation axis AX while being held by the spin base 21. While the laminated substrate S is rotating once, the filler supply unit 30 pumps the filler F towards the jet dispenser 31 in response to a supply command from the calculation processing unit 134. As a result, the liquid filler F is discharged from the discharge port 31a of the jet dispenser 31.

[0028] At the start of the discharge of the filler material into the gap Sc of the laminated substrate S (timing T1 in Figure 4), the filler material is supplied to and filled into the portion that was located at the processing position P1. Then, as shown in the lower part of Figure 4, as the laminated substrate S rotates, this portion gradually moves away from the processing position P1, and during this time, the filler material F in the portion F1 that is in contact with the first substrate S1, the second substrate S2, and the device portion DV partially hardens (timing T2). At this time, the inside of the filler material F is unhardened. Therefore, the volume reduction of the filler material F that occurs due to thermal hardening at this stage is small. Moreover, the edges of the first substrate S1 and the second substrate S2 are relatively free to deform while moving away from each other. Therefore, both peripheral edges of the first substrate S1 and the second substrate S2 can sufficiently absorb the bending stress that occurs due to the volume reduction. Furthermore, as shown in the lower part of Figure 4, the thermal hardening of the filler material F progresses from the inside to the outside of the gap Sc (timings T3, T4). Therefore, the solvent components contained in the filler F are pushed outwards, effectively suppressing their retention as bubbles in the heat-cured filler F.

[0029] Once the coating process and the thermal curing of the filler F are complete, the calculation processing unit 134 controls the coating device 1B and the substrate transport robot 111 to receive the processed laminated substrate from the spin base 21 and transfer it to the mounting table 112 (step S6). Then, at an appropriate time, the laminated substrate S on the mounting table 112 is returned to the container C by the indexer robot 122.

[0030] As described above, in the first embodiment, before the filler F is filled into the end faces of the laminated substrate S in the coating apparatus 1B, both peripheral edges S1a and S2a of the first substrate S1 and the second substrate S2 are heated to a temperature above the curing temperature of the filler F. Therefore, when the filler F is filled into the gap Sc between both peripheral edges S1a and S2a of the first substrate S1 and the second substrate S2, the portion F1 of the filler F that is in contact with both peripheral edges S1a and S2a of the first substrate S1 and the second substrate S2 is the first to be heat-cured, and as time passes, the heat curing of the filler F gradually progresses from the inside to the outside of the gap Sc. As a result, bending stress and the generation of bubbles during the heat curing of the filler F can be suppressed, and as a result, the yield of the laminated substrate S is improved.

[0031] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, before applying the filler F to the laminated substrate S, the temperature of the peripheral edge of the laminated substrate S is measured, and the application process is performed only after confirming that the peripheral edge of the laminated substrate S has risen to a temperature sufficient for the thermal curing of the filler F. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent a portion of the applied filler F from remaining uncured. Of course, the temperature measurement of the laminated substrate S by the temperature measurement unit 34 may be continued even during the application process. If the measurement result falls below the curing temperature, the calculation processing unit 134 may be configured to control the application device 1B and the substrate transport robot 111 to return the laminated substrate S to the original hot plate HP or an empty hot plate HP to allow the uncured filler F to thermally cure. If the temperature measurement result of the laminated substrate S falls below the curing temperature, it is necessary to quickly move it to the hot plate HP.

[0032] As described above, in the first embodiment, the step of heating the entire laminated substrate S to a temperature 50°C higher than the curing temperature of the filler using a hot plate HP corresponds to an example of the "heating step" of the present invention, and the hot plate HP corresponds to an example of the "heating device" of the present invention. Furthermore, the step of transporting the heated laminated substrate S from the hot plate HP to an empty coating device 1B using a substrate transport robot 111 (step S1) corresponds to an example of the "transportation step" of the present invention, and the substrate transport robot 111 corresponds to an example of the "transportation device" of the present invention. In addition, steps S2 and S4 correspond to examples of the "measurement step" and "reheating step" of the present invention, respectively.

[0033] In the first embodiment, after the substrate transfer robot 111 removes the laminated substrate S from the coating apparatus 1B, it is placed in the container C via the substrate transfer robot 111, the mounting table 112, and the indexer robot 122. Immediately after being removed from the coating apparatus 1B, the laminated substrate S may have a temperature higher than room temperature, as shown in Figure 4. Therefore, a cooling treatment group 1C, which consists of multiple cool plates CP stacked in the substrate processing area 110, may be added, for example, as shown in Figure 5 (second embodiment). In other words, the application of the filler F and thermal curing may be performed while transporting a single laminated substrate S in the order of hot plate HP, coating apparatus 1B, and cool plate CP.

[0034] Furthermore, if the laminated substrate S is left waiting between the completion of the heating treatment of the laminated substrate S by the hot plate HP and its transfer to the coating apparatus 1B, the temperature of the laminated substrate S may fall below the coating execution temperature during the waiting period. Therefore, as shown in Figure 6, for example, a heat retention treatment group 1D, which consists of a heat retention device WP stacked on top of the substrate processing area 110, may be added (third embodiment). In other words, the application of the filler F and thermal curing may be performed while transporting a single laminated substrate S in the order of hot plate HP, heat retention device WP and coating apparatus 1B, or in the order of hot plate HP and coating apparatus 1B. In cases where a waiting period before coating treatment of the heated laminated substrate S is required, the laminated substrate S may be temporarily left waiting in the heat retention device WP. This ensures that the temperature does not drop during the waiting period, and that the application of the filler and thermal curing can be performed stably.

[0035] Furthermore, it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to a substrate processing system 100 in which a hot plate HP, a coating device 1B, a cool plate CP, and a heat retention device WP are installed in the substrate processing area 110. In other words, a single laminated substrate S may be transported in the order of hot plate HP, heat retention device WP, coating device 1B, and cool plate CP, or in the order of hot plate HP, coating device 1B, and cool plate CP while the filler F is applied and heat cured. In cases where a waiting period is required before the coating process for the heat-treated laminated substrate S, the laminated substrate S may be temporarily kept waiting in the heat retention device WP.

[0036] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the entire laminated substrate S is heated before applying the filler, but the area around the gap Sc to which the filler is applied, that is, only the peripheral edge of the laminated substrate S, may be heated to a temperature 50°C higher than the curing temperature of the filler.

[0037] Furthermore, the heating process heats the laminated substrate S to a temperature a certain value (50°C in the above embodiment) higher than the curing temperature of the filler. However, this certain value is not limited to 50°C and should be appropriately changed depending on the type and amount of filler. However, it is necessary to avoid exceeding the heat resistance temperature of the device portion DV mounted on the first substrate S1 and the second substrate S2, so it is desirable to set the certain value to 50°C or lower. Conversely, if the certain value is set too low, it becomes difficult to complete the curing of the filler, so it is desirable to set the certain value to 20°C or higher.

[0038] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the filler F is heat-cured using the thermal energy possessed by the laminated substrate S which has been preheated by the hot plate HP, but a heating unit for auxiliaryly heating the filler F may be provided in the coating apparatus 1B.

[0039] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the coating apparatus 1B applies the filler while holding the laminated substrate S in a horizontal position. However, the present invention may also be applied to other coating apparatuses, such as a substrate processing system equipped with a coating apparatus that applies the filler while holding the laminated substrate S in a vertical position, as described in Patent Document 2.

[0040] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the filler is applied to a laminated substrate S composed of two substrates and then cured. However, the scope of application of the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can be applied to laminated substrates composed of three or more substrates. For example, when processing a laminated substrate composed of three substrates, the filler can be applied to the gaps at both peripheral edges of the first and second substrates in the same manner as in the above embodiment, and then heat-cured. After that, the filler can be applied to the gaps at both peripheral edges of the second and third substrates in the same manner as in the above embodiment, and then heat-cured. Alternatively, two jet dispensers 31 may be prepared, and one jet dispenser 31 may be used to apply the filler to the gaps at both peripheral edges of the first and second substrates, while the other jet dispenser 31 is used to apply the filler to the gaps at both peripheral edges of the second and third substrates. [Industrial applicability]

[0041] This invention can be applied to all substrate processing techniques for reinforcing the end face of a laminated substrate in which a first substrate and a second substrate are joined. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0042] 1B... Coating device 34...Temperature measurement unit 100... Circuit board processing system 111... Circuit board transport robot (transport device) F... Filler HP... Hot plate (heating device) S...Laminated substrate S1...First circuit board S2...Second circuit board S1a... Peripheral edge (of the first substrate) S2a... Peripheral edge (of the second substrate) Sc... Gap Tc…Curing temperature

Claims

1. A heating step in which a laminated substrate, in which a first substrate and a second substrate are joined, The heating step is followed by a filling step of filling the gap between the peripheral edge of the first substrate and the peripheral edge of the second substrate with a thermosetting filler. A substrate processing method comprising the heating step of heating the peripheral edges of the first substrate and the peripheral edges of the second substrate to a temperature equal to or higher than the curing temperature of the filler.

2. A substrate processing method according to claim 1, A substrate processing method comprising a transport step of removing the laminated substrate from a heating device that performs the heating step and transporting the laminated substrate to a coating device that performs the filling step at a location separate from the heating device.

3. A substrate processing method according to claim 2, Before performing the filling step, a measurement step is performed to measure the temperature of the peripheral portions of the first and second substrates constituting the laminated substrate that have been transported to the coating apparatus, A substrate processing method comprising: a determination step that restricts the execution of the filling step when the temperature of the peripheral portion is below the curing temperature, and permits the execution of the filling step when the temperature of the peripheral portion is equal to or greater than the curing temperature.

4. A substrate processing method according to claim 3, A substrate processing method comprising a reheating step of transporting the laminated substrate, whose execution of the filling step has been restricted by the determination step, to the heating device for reheating.

5. A substrate processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, A substrate processing method comprising the step of supplying the filler to the gap while rotating the laminated substrate.

6. A substrate processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, A substrate processing method comprising the heating step of heating the entire laminated substrate.

7. A coating apparatus for applying a thermosetting filler to a laminated substrate in which a first substrate and a second substrate are joined, thereby filling the gaps between the peripheral edges of the first substrate and the peripheral edges of the second substrate with the filler, A heating device provided independently of the coating apparatus, which heats the peripheral edges of the first substrate and the peripheral edges of the second substrate to a temperature equal to or greater than the curing temperature of the filler, A transport device for transporting the laminated substrate, whose peripheral edges on both the first and second substrates have been heated, from the heating device to the coating device. A substrate processing system comprising:

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