Manufacturing equipment for disc-shaped substrates

Abstract

This can reduce the occurrence of marks caused by the grinding fluid or polishing fluid remaining on the lower surface of the disk-shaped substrate. [Solution] The manufacturing device for disk-shaped substrates includes a processing unit 10 that performs grinding or polishing on a disk-shaped substrate S, and an unloader unit 70 that is disposed downstream of the processing unit 10 and transfers the processed disk-shaped substrate S from the processing unit 10. (a) Liquid tank 72; (b) a fluid supply mechanism (cleaning liquid supply mechanism B) that supplies a fluid (cleaning liquid W) to the liquid tank 72; (c) a holding member 75 provided on the bottom surface of the liquid bath 72, the holding member 75 having a support portion 75A that supports the end surface of the processed disk-shaped substrate S at at least two points and a first flow path portion (space A) that is formed between the processed disk-shaped substrate S and the bottom surface of the liquid bath 72 and allows a fluid (cleaning liquid W) to pass through; Equipped with.

Description

【Technical Field】 【0001】 The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a disk-shaped substrate. 【Background Art】 【0002】 Conventionally, in the manufacturing process of a disk-shaped substrate used as a substrate for a magnetic disk, in the manufacturing process of the disk-shaped substrate, grinding of the disk-shaped substrate using a grinding device and polishing of the surface of the disk-shaped substrate using a polishing device are known. After grinding or polishing, the grinding fluid and polishing fluid adhering to the disk-shaped substrate during each process are removed from the surface of the disk-shaped substrate by a cleaning process for post-processing in the manufacturing process. 【0003】 Regarding the cleaning process of the disk-shaped substrate, for example, in Patent Document 1, a polishing device including a polishing unit having a lower fixed plate and an upper fixed plate for polishing the disk-shaped substrate and an unloader unit disposed downstream of the polishing unit for transferring the disk-shaped substrate from the lower fixed plate of the polishing unit is disclosed. The unloader unit includes a plate having a circular recess for storing a cleaning fluid on its upper surface. 【0004】 In Patent Document 1, the disk-shaped substrate polished in the polishing unit is transferred from the polishing unit to the inside of the circular recess on the plate of the unloader unit disposed downstream of the polishing unit while being held by the claws of the gripping portion of the transfer device. Then, a cleaning fluid for cleaning the polishing fluid used during the polishing process is dropped from above the disk-shaped substrate. The dropped cleaning fluid is stored inside the circular recess. In Patent Document 1, removal of the polishing fluid adhering to the disk-shaped substrate and the polishing fluid adhering to the claws of the gripping portion is achieved by the cleaning fluid stored in the circular recess. 【Prior Art Documents】 【Patent Documents】 【0005】 【Patent Document 1】 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-283457 【Summary of the Invention】 [Problems that the invention aims to solve] 【0006】 However, in the case of Patent Document 1, the disc-shaped substrate functions like a lid within the circular recess, which can make it difficult for the cleaning water supplied from above the disc-shaped substrate to flow to the underside of the substrate. When the fluidity of the cleaning water on the underside of the disc-shaped substrate decreases, the amount of cleaning water exchanged on the underside decreases, raising concerns that the underside of the disc-shaped substrate may not be sufficiently cleaned. As a result, after cleaning, polishing liquid remains on the underside of the disc-shaped substrate, and after the remaining polishing liquid solidifies, the polishing components in the polishing liquid adhere to the underside of the disc-shaped substrate. This leads to the problem that the adhered polishing components form marks that degrade the quality of the disc-shaped substrate. 【0007】 Furthermore, in grinding processes using grinding fluid, if a manufacturing apparatus for disc-shaped substrates is used that has an unloader section downstream of the grinding section, similar to the polishing process, the remaining grinding fluid may solidify, and the grinding components in the fluid may adhere to the underside of the disc-shaped substrate. As a result, the problem of marks that degrade the quality of the disc-shaped substrate being formed by the adhered grinding components occurs similarly. 【0008】 This disclosure has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems and provides a technology that can reduce the occurrence of marks caused by grinding fluid or polishing fluid remaining on the lower surface of a disc-shaped substrate. [Means for solving the problem] 【0009】 The specific means to achieve the above objectives are as follows: <1> A processing section for grinding or polishing a disc-shaped substrate, An unloader unit having the following (a) to (c), which is located downstream of the processing unit and transfers the processed disc-shaped substrate from the processing unit, (a) Liquid tank; (b) A fluid supply mechanism for supplying fluid to the liquid tank; (c) A holding member provided on the bottom surface of the liquid tank, having a support portion that supports the end face of the processed disc-shaped substrate at at least two locations, and a first flow path portion formed between the processed disc-shaped substrate and the bottom surface of the liquid tank for the passage of fluid; A manufacturing apparatus for disc-shaped substrates, equipped with the following features. 【0010】 <2> The support portion of the holding member is a protruding support portion having a contact surface that contacts the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped substrate and having three or more protruding portions that protrude upward from the bottom surface of the liquid tank and are arranged along the circumferential direction. The retaining member has a second flow path portion that allows the fluid to pass between adjacent protrusions in the circumferential direction. <1> The manufacturing apparatus described above. 【0011】 <3> The holding member has a connecting portion that integrally connects three or more of the support portions. <2> A manufacturing apparatus for disc-shaped substrates as described above. 【0012】 <4> The number of support parts is four. <2> or <3> A manufacturing apparatus for disc-shaped substrates as described above. [Effects of the Invention] 【0013】 According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a manufacturing apparatus for a disc-shaped substrate that can reduce the occurrence of marks caused by grinding fluid or polishing fluid remaining on the lower surface of the disc-shaped substrate. [Brief explanation of the drawing] 【0014】 [Figure 1] This is a front view illustrating the configuration of a wet polishing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of the loader section, polishing section, and unloader section of a wet polishing apparatus. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of the polishing section. [Figure 4]It is a plan view for explaining the structure of the liquid tank and the holding member of the unloader section. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view for explaining the structure of the transfer device of the loader section and the unloader section. [Figure 6] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 4 for explaining the structure of the liquid tank and the holding member. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view for explaining the structure of another example of the holding member. 【Mode for Carrying Out the Invention】 【0015】 Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments. When describing embodiments with reference to the drawings in the present disclosure, the configuration of the embodiments is not limited to the configuration shown in the drawings. Also, the sizes of the members in each figure are conceptual, and the relative relationships of the sizes between the members are not limited to this. 【0016】 In the following description of the drawings, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. However, the drawings are schematic, and the relationship between the thickness and the planar dimensions, and the ratio of the thicknesses of each device and each member are different from the actual ones. Therefore, the specific thickness and dimensions should be determined in consideration of the following description. Also, there are parts where the dimensional relationships and ratios are different between the drawings. Also, unless otherwise specified in the specification, the number of each component of the present disclosure is not limited to one, and a plurality may exist. 【0017】 In the following embodiments, the components (including element steps, etc.) are not essential unless specifically stated. The same applies to numerical values and their ranges, which do not limit the present disclosure. In the numerical range indicated by "~" in the present disclosure, the numerical values described before and after "~" are included as the minimum value and the maximum value, respectively. In numerical ranges described in stages within this disclosure, the upper or lower limit of one numerical range may be replaced with the upper or lower limit of another numerical range described in stages. Furthermore, in numerical ranges described within this disclosure, the upper or lower limit of that range may be replaced with the values ​​shown in the examples. 【0018】 Where components are included in this disclosure, each component may contain multiple types of the corresponding substance. If multiple types of the substance corresponding to each component are present in the composition, the content or amount of each component means the total content or amount of the multiple types of substances present in the composition, unless otherwise specified. In this disclosure, each component may include multiple types of particles. If multiple types of particles corresponding to each component are present in the composition, the particle size of each component refers to the value for a mixture of such multiple types of particles present in the composition, unless otherwise specified. In this disclosure, the terms “layer” or “film” include cases where, when the region in which the layer or film exists is observed, it is formed not only over the entire region but also over only a portion of the region. 【0019】 <Manufacturing equipment for disc-shaped substrates> A wet polishing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 7. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the wet polishing apparatus 1 includes a supply unit 60, a loader unit 40, a polishing unit 10, an unloader unit 70, a washing and drying unit 61, and a discharge unit 62. The wet polishing apparatus 1 is a processing apparatus used for polishing disc-shaped substrates having through holes, such as magnetic disk substrates. The wet polishing apparatus 1 corresponds to the manufacturing apparatus for disc-shaped substrates of this disclosure. 【0020】 In this disclosure, the disc-shaped substrate can be a disc-shaped substrate containing an aluminum or aluminum alloy plate, a glass substrate, or a disc-shaped substrate having a Ni-P plating film on its surface. The wet polishing apparatus 1 sequentially performs polishing, washing, and drying on a large number of disc-shaped substrates S that are transported in a cassette case C shown in Figure 1, and then continuously performs the operations until the substrates are stored in the cassette case C again and discharged. 【0021】 As shown in Figure 3, in the wet polishing apparatus 1, the polishing unit 10 polishes a predetermined number of disc-shaped substrates S with minimal time difference. The polishing unit 10 in this embodiment corresponds to the processing unit of this disclosure. The processing unit of this disclosure is not limited to polishing, but may be a grinding unit that grinds the disc-shaped substrates S. 【0022】 The transfer of disc-shaped substrates S to and from the polishing section 10 may be performed in batches based on the number of substrates to be polished. Therefore, in the loader section 40, the disc-shaped substrates S are taken out one by one from the cassette case C transported from the supply section 60 and placed in a predetermined number of trays in a polishing position. The "unfolded" state means that the processing surface is positioned horizontally, making it ready for polishing. Similarly, the polished disc-shaped substrates S are transferred in batches from the polishing section 10 to the unloader section 70 while still in the polishing position, and then transferred one by one from the unloader section 70 to the washing and drying section 61. The washed and dried disc-shaped substrates S are stored in the cassette case C in predetermined numbers and discharged from the discharge section 62. The number of disc-shaped substrates S taken out of the cassette case C and the number of disc-shaped substrates S transferred from the unloader section 70 to the washing and drying section 61 should be one or more; for example, it could be two. 【0023】 The detailed configuration and operation of each part are described below. 【0024】 (polishing section) As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the polishing section 10 can, for example, be a planetary gear type polishing section composed of a lower platen 11, an upper platen 15, a sun gear 20, an internal gear 22, a carrier 30, etc. 【0025】 As shown in Figure 3, the lower platen 11 is a disc member having an annular horizontal upper surface. An abrasive cloth 12a is attached to the upper surface of the lower platen 11. The lower surface of the lower platen 11 is attached to a lower support member 13 that is rotatable about a vertical axis Q. Furthermore, the lower support member 13 is connected to a lower platen rotation drive unit 14, so that the lower platen 11 and the lower support member 13 can rotate. 【0026】 The upper platen 15, like the lower platen 11, is a disc member having an annular horizontal lower surface. An abrasive cloth 12b is attached to the lower surface of the upper platen 15 that faces the lower platen 11. The upper surface of the upper platen 15 is attached to an upper support member 16 that is rotatable about a vertical axis Q, and the upper support member 16 is further connected to an upper platen rotation drive unit 17, so that the upper platen 15 and the upper support member 16 can rotate. In addition, the upper platen 15 and the upper support member 16 are supported so as to be able to move up and down along the vertical axis Q, and are configured to move up and down by the drive of an upper platen lifting drive unit (not shown). Furthermore, the upper platen 15 has a number of abrasive fluid supply holes 18 and stripping fluid supply holes 19 that penetrate the abrasive cloth 12b. 【0027】 The sun gear 20 is rotatably mounted at the center of the polishing section 10 and is configured to rotate around the vertical axis Q by the drive of the sun gear rotation drive unit 21. However, if the internal gear 22 is to be rotated, the sun gear 20 may be mounted in a non-rotatable manner. As the sun gear 20, a spur gear or pin gear with a tooth row integrally formed on its side surface can be used. 【0028】 The internal gear 22 is a ring-shaped gear having a tooth row on its inner circumference and is arranged concentrically outside the sun gear 20. In this embodiment, the internal gear 22 is mounted so as not to rotate, but in this disclosure, it may be configured to be rotatable around the vertical axis Q by adding an internal gear rotation drive unit. Also, similar to the sun gear 20, in addition to spur gears, pin gears or the like may be used for the internal gear 22. 【0029】 The carrier 30 is a thin, plate-shaped disc member having a row of teeth on its outer circumference. The carrier 30 has a plurality of holding holes 31 for loading and holding the disc-shaped substrate S, which is the workpiece. Multiple carriers 30 are arranged in the polishing section 10, and these carriers 30 mesh with the sun gear 20 and the internal gear 22, and rotate on their own axis while revolving around the sun gear 20 in accordance with the rotation of the sun gear 20 and / or the internal gear 22. 【0030】 In the polishing section 10, the disc-shaped substrate S held by the carrier 30 is sandwiched between the upper platen 15 and the lower platen 11, and by revolving and rotating the carrier 30 in this state, both the upper and lower surfaces of the disc-shaped substrate S are polished. In this polishing section 10, the donut-shaped region between the sun gear 20 and the internal gear 22, and sandwiched between the upper platen 15 and the lower platen 11, forms the actual polishing area. 【0031】 Furthermore, a polishing fluid supply device 34 is provided above the upper platen 15. The polishing fluid supply device 34 comprises a trough-shaped body 35 and nozzles 36 and 37. Nozzle 36 introduces polishing fluid and rinsing fluid into the trough-shaped body 35. The polishing fluid supply device 34 also comprises a tank (not shown) for storing polishing fluid and rinsing fluid, a tube (not shown) connecting these tanks to the nozzles 36 and 37, and a tube 38 connected to the trough-shaped body 35 for supplying polishing fluid to the polishing section 10. Tube 38 communicates with and is connected to the polishing fluid supply hole 18 of the upper platen 15. Tube 39 introduces a peeling fluid for removing the disc-shaped substrate S that is stuck to the upper platen 15. The peeling fluid may be a liquid or a gas, as long as it can peel off the disc-shaped substrate S. 【0032】 In this embodiment, an example is shown in which there are eight carriers 30. Each carrier 30 has five holding holes 31. 【0033】 (Loader section) For example, as shown in Figure 2, the loader unit 40 is positioned in front of the polishing unit 10 and includes a circular table 41 rotatably mounted on a base (not shown) and a transfer device 50 positioned above the table 41. 【0034】 On the table 41, the same number of plates 42 as the carrier 30 of the polishing section 10 are mounted in the same arrangement as the carrier 30. Each plate 42 has a bottomed circular recess at a position corresponding to the holding hole 31 of the carrier 30, and is connected to each other by a groove (not shown) at the bottom. A ring-shaped resin mounting tray 45 is fitted flush into these circular recesses to form a bottomed recess, and is configured to store a cleaning fluid (not shown). A ring-shaped step (not shown) is formed on the inner circumference of the mounting tray 45, for example, by carving out a concave shape. The outer edge of the lower surface of the disc-shaped substrate S is supported in contact with this ring-shaped step. 【0035】 Furthermore, a dam (not shown) is provided around the periphery of the upper surface of the plate 42 to dam up the cleaning fluid. When cleaning fluid is supplied onto the plate 42 from the water supply pipes 47, which are provided radially from the center of the table 41, the cleaning fluid flows into the mounting tray 45, and then through the grooves into other mounting trays 45, resulting in the formation of a predetermined liquid level. In this way, by connecting the circular recesses, the liquid level of multiple mounting trays 45 can be easily adjusted. The cleaning fluid in the mounting trays 45 can be discharged as appropriate by overflow from the plate 42 or by providing a drain at the bottom of the grooves in the table. 【0036】 As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the transfer device 50 has a movable substrate 51 that can move horizontally and vertically between the table 41 and the lower platen 11 of the polishing section 10. On the lower surface of the movable substrate 51, the same number of gripping units 52 as the number of plates 42 are attached to the corresponding positions on the plates 42. The gripping units 52 can be manufactured by attaching the same number of gripping parts 54 as the number of mounting trays 45 in the plate 42 to a circular mounting plate 53, and attaching the mounting plate 53 to the movable substrate 51 with a mounting shaft 55. Each gripping part 54 has a pair of resin claws 56, 56 that open and close by supplying or discharging air. Grooves 57 are formed on the outer surface of these claws 56 to grip the peripheral end surface of the through hole in the disc-shaped substrate S. The mounting position of each gripping part 54 corresponds to the mounting tray 45 on the plate 42. 【0037】 (Unloader section) As shown in Figure 2, the unloader unit 70 is located downstream of the polishing unit 10. The unloader unit 70 includes a circular table 71 rotatably mounted on a base (not shown) and a transfer device 80 positioned above the table 71. 【0038】 As shown in Figure 3, the unloader unit 70 differs from the loader unit 40 in that it has a table 71 instead of the table 41 of the loader unit 40, a liquid tank 72 instead of the plate 42, and a holding member 75 instead of the mounting tray 45. The configuration of the cleaning liquid supply mechanism, which serves as the fluid supply mechanism, also differs from that of the loader unit 40. Other configurations are the same except that each part is arranged symmetrically, so a redundant explanation will be omitted. Below, the table 71 of the unloader unit 70 will be mainly described in terms of how it differs from the table 41 of the loader unit 40. As shown in Figures 2, 4, and 6, the unloader unit 70 has a liquid tank 72, a holding member 75, and a cleaning liquid supply mechanism B that supplies cleaning liquid W as a fluid to the liquid tank 72. 【0039】 (liquid tank) As shown in Figure 4, the liquid tank 72 has a disc-shaped bottom portion 72A having a bottom surface 72A1, and side walls 72B extending upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom portion 72A. 【0040】 (Cleaning fluid supply mechanism) As shown in Figure 6, the cleaning fluid supply mechanism B comprises a cleaning fluid source R, a cleaning fluid supply pipe 77 connected to the cleaning fluid source R, and a cylindrical discharge section 79. A drive source P, such as a pump, is connected to the cleaning fluid supply pipe 77 to send the cleaning fluid W toward the discharge port 79A. The discharge section 79 is connected to the cleaning fluid supply pipe 77. The cleaning fluid W is, for example, water. 【0041】 As shown in Figure 2, the eight cleaning fluid supply pipes 77 extend radially from the central side of the table 71 toward each of the eight liquid tanks 72. In this disclosure, the number of cleaning fluid supply pipes is arbitrary. As shown in Figure 4, each of the eight cleaning fluid supply pipes 77 bends toward the underside of the table 71 before reaching the liquid tank 72 and penetrates the table 71 to reach the underside of the table 71. As shown in Figure 6, beneath the table 71, each of the cleaning fluid supply pipes 77 further extends along the planar direction of the table 71 (left-right direction in Figure 6) toward the center of the liquid tank 72. Each of the cleaning fluid supply pipes 77 bends toward the upper side of the table 71 in Figure 6 at the center of the liquid tank 72 and extends further along the upper side before connecting to a through-hole 72A2 that penetrates the bottom 72A of the liquid tank 72. The internal space of a cylindrical discharge section 79 is in communication with the through-hole 72A2. 【0042】 In this embodiment, the discharge section 79 is positioned in the center of the bottom surface 72A1 inside the liquid tank 72. The discharge section of this disclosure may be positioned at a location other than the center of the bottom surface 72A1 inside the liquid tank 72. A through hole is formed in the side wall of the discharge section 79, penetrating the side wall and communicating the internal space of the discharge section 79 with the outside. The opening on the external side of the through hole is the discharge port 79A for the cleaning liquid W, which opens into the inside of the liquid tank 72. The discharge ports 79A are positioned inside the liquid tank 72, corresponding to each of the five holding members 75. As shown in Figure 6, the discharge ports 79A each open toward the holding members 75 on the sides of the discharge section 79. 【0043】 (Retaining member) As shown in Figure 4, the retaining member 75 is provided on the bottom surface of the liquid tank 72, inside the liquid tank 72. The retaining member 75 in this embodiment has four support parts 75A and a connecting part 75B that connects the four support parts 75A. The retaining member 75 is made of resin, for example. The retaining member 75 is attached to the bottom surface 72A1 of the liquid tank 72 by screws that pass through the connecting part 75B, for example, at the connecting part 75B. 【0044】 (Support part) As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the support portion 75A of this embodiment is a protruding support portion having a rod-shaped projection that protrudes upward from the bottom surface 72A1 of the liquid tank 72. In this disclosure, the shape of the projection of the support portion is not limited to a rod shape, but may be other shapes such as a plate shape. In this embodiment, there are four support portions 75A, but in this disclosure, there are not limited to four support portions 75A, but may be three, or five or more. In this disclosure, the number of support portions may be two or more. In this disclosure, the number of support portions is counted in correspondence with the number of contact portions CP with the disc-shaped substrate S. The support portion 75A supports the end face of the processed disc-shaped substrate S. In this disclosure, the number of locations where the support portion of the holding member supports the end face of the disc-shaped base is at least two. In this regard, for example, as in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-283457, when a disc-shaped base is placed inside a circular recess, the disc-shaped base is supported by the inner surface that is continuous over the entire circumferential direction of the circular recess. Since the inner surface of the circular recess is in continuous contact with the entire periphery of the disc-shaped base without any gaps, the number of locations where the circular recess supports the disc-shaped base is one. As shown in Figure 4, a gap G is formed between the protrusions of adjacent support portions 75A in the circumferential direction, serving as a second flow channel, which is an inlet or outlet for the cleaning liquid W. In this disclosure, the widths of the gaps G between the protrusions of adjacent support portions 75A in the circumferential direction may differ from each other. 【0045】 As shown in Figure 6, the protruding portion of the support portion 75A has an inner surface 75A1 that contacts the lower end of the outer circumferential surface, which is the end face of the disc-shaped substrate S. Therefore, the contact portion CP of the disc-shaped substrate S on each inner surface 75A1 of the support portion 75A overlaps with the outer circumferential surface of the disc-shaped substrate S in a plan view. The inner surface 75A1 in this embodiment corresponds to the contact surface of this disclosure. In this disclosure, the contact area of ​​the disc-shaped substrate S with the inner surface of the support portion is not limited to the lower end of the outer surface. For example, a region other than the lower end, such as the central region of the outer surface, may contact the inner surface of the support portion. Furthermore, this disclosure does not exclude the case where a portion of the outer peripheral region of the lower surface of the disc-shaped substrate S contacts the support portion to the extent that the impact on the quality of the disc-shaped substrate S as a product is suppressed. 【0046】 The inner surface 75A1 of the support portion 75A is an inclined surface that gradually moves outward in the radial direction of the disc-shaped substrate S as you move from the lower bottom surface 72A1 side to the upper side in Figure 6. In this disclosure, the shape of the support portion is not limited to an inclined surface. In this disclosure, the shape and arrangement of each support portion are set such that the contact portion with the disc-shaped substrate on the inner surface of each support portion is formed at a position higher than the bottom surface of the liquid tank. As shown in Figure 6, since the lower surface of the disc-shaped substrate S supported from below by each support portion 75A is separated from the bottom surface 72A1 of the liquid tank 72, a space A is formed between the lower surface of the disc-shaped substrate S and the bottom surface 72A1 of the liquid tank 72, which functions as a first flow path portion for passing the cleaning liquid W. The space A as the first flow path portion and the gap G as the second flow path portion may be continuous. 【0047】 (Connection part) As shown in Figure 4, the connecting portion 75B of this embodiment integrally connects four support portions 75A of one holding member 75. For this reason, the holding member 75 of this embodiment is configured as an integral member. In this disclosure, the connecting portion 75B is not essential. Three or more rod-shaped support portions 75A protruding upward from the bottom surface 72A1 of the liquid tank 72 may be arranged separately from each other. The shape of the connecting portion 75B of this embodiment is disc-shaped in plan view. In this disclosure, the shape of the connecting portion is not limited to disc shape and can be changed as appropriate. For example, in the holding member 75 of another example illustrated in Figure 7, the connecting portion 75B is cross-shaped, so the entire holding member 75 is cross-shaped in plan view. Even if the entire holding member 75 is cross-shaped, gaps are formed between adjacent support portions 75A in the circumferential direction to serve as inlets or outlets for the cleaning liquid W, and a space is formed between the lower surface of the disc-shaped substrate S and the bottom surface 72A1 of the liquid tank 72 to function as a flow path for the cleaning liquid W. 【0048】 As shown in Figure 5, the transfer device 80 corresponding to the table 71 of the unloader unit 70 has the same configuration as the transfer device 50 corresponding to the table 41 of the loader unit 40, except that the parts are arranged symmetrically. The transfer device 80 has a movable base plate 81, a gripping unit 82, a circular mounting plate 83, a gripping part 84, a mounting shaft 85, a pair of claws 86, 86, and a groove 87. For this reason, components in the transfer device 80 of the unloader unit 70 that have the same names as those in the transfer device 50 of the loader unit 40 will not be described, as they have the same function. 【0049】 <Manufacturing method for disc-shaped substrates> Next, a method for manufacturing a disc-shaped substrate using the wet polishing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described. 【0050】 First, for example, if the disc-shaped substrate is an aluminum substrate, the manufacturing method of the disc-shaped substrate includes the following steps. Blank substrate preparation process: By rolling an aluminum alloy ingot, an aluminum alloy sheet material with a thickness of approximately 2 mm or less is obtained. By punching the obtained aluminum alloy sheet material into a disc shape, an aluminum alloy substrate of the desired dimensions is prepared. Machining process: The prepared aluminum alloy substrate is chamfered on both its inner and outer diameters. Machining may also be performed on both main surfaces. Grinding process: After machining, both main surfaces of the aluminum alloy substrate are ground using a grinding wheel. The grinding process makes it possible to reduce surface roughness, waviness, etc. Plating process: The surface of the aluminum alloy substrate, specifically the main surfaces, end faces, and chamfered areas, is plated with electroless nickel plating (NiP) or the like. The plating process makes it possible to harden the surface and suppress surface defects. A heating process may be performed after the completion of the above three steps. Polishing process: Both main surfaces of the aluminum alloy substrate on which the plating film has been formed are polished. 【0051】 When the disc-shaped substrate is a glass substrate, the manufacturing method of the disc-shaped substrate includes, for example, the following steps. Blank Substrate Preparation Process: A glass blank, which will be the material for a plate-shaped glass substrate for a magnetic recording medium having a pair of main surfaces, is manufactured by press molding. By forming a circular hole in the center of the manufactured glass blank, the glass blank is formed into an annular shape. Next, a glass substrate with chamfered surfaces is obtained by shaping. Grinding and polishing processes are performed on the inner and outer edge surfaces of the shaped glass substrate. Grinding process: After edge polishing, the main surface of the glass substrate is ground using fixed abrasive grains. Polishing process: The main surface of the glass substrate after the grinding process is polished with a predetermined abrasive. Chemical strengthening treatment may be performed on the glass substrate during the polishing process. 【0052】 (Work process) Next, the polishing process for the disc-shaped substrate will be described in detail. In the wet polishing apparatus 1 described above, polishing, washing, and drying may be performed continuously in the following order (i) to (ix) while the disc-shaped substrate S is being transported through each part. 【0053】 As preparation for continuous processing, in the wet polishing apparatus 1, cleaning fluid is supplied from the water supply pipe 47 of the loader section 40 and the cleaning fluid supply pipe 77 of the unloader section 70, and is stored inside the mounting tray 45 and the liquid tank 72, respectively. The type of cleaning fluid is not limited, but it is preferable to use water or a dispersion medium for the polishing fluid. Since the dispersion medium is a component of the polishing fluid, it may be introduced into the polishing section 10 during transfer and mixed with the polishing fluid. In addition, it is preferable to use water as an alternative to the dispersion medium. 【0054】 (i) The cassette case C is transported to the side of the table 41 of the loader unit 40 by the conveyor of the supply unit 60. 【0055】 (ii) The disc-shaped substrates S in the cassette case C are removed one by one and transferred to the table 41, and placed on the mounting tray 45 so that the polishing surface is horizontal. The transfer operation is performed while the table 41 is rotated as appropriate, so that the disc-shaped substrates S are placed in an unfolded state on each mounting tray 45. Since the mounting tray 45 contains cleaning liquid W, the disc-shaped substrates S are submerged in the liquid. 【0056】 (iii) The transfer device 50 of the loader unit 40 is moved directly above the table 41, followed by the lowering of the movable substrate 51. The claws 56, 56 of each gripping unit 54 are inserted into the through holes of the disc-shaped substrate S, and after insertion, they open, gripping the peripheral end surface of the through hole using the groove 57. Since the gripping units 54 are provided corresponding to each mounting tray 45, each disc-shaped substrate S is gripped with minimal time lag. In addition, since the mounting tray 45 is filled with cleaning fluid W, the claws 56, 56 of the gripping units 54 are cleaned by being immersed in the cleaning fluid. 【0057】 (iv) As the movable substrate 51 rises, it moves directly above the lower platen 11 of the polishing section 10. Subsequently, as the movable substrate 51 descends, the disc-shaped substrate S is loaded into the holding hole 31 of the carrier 30. Then, after the claws 56, 56 of the gripping section 54 close, the movable substrate 51 rises and moves horizontally, returning to the loader section 40. As a result, a predetermined number of processed disc-shaped substrates S are transferred all at once from the loader section 40 to the polishing section 10. 【0058】 (v) Next, in the polishing section 10, the upper platen 15 descends and the disc-shaped substrate S loaded on the carrier 30 is held between the upper platen 15 and the lower platen 11. Then, polishing fluid is supplied from the polishing fluid supply device 34 and both main surfaces of the disc-shaped substrate S are polished. After polishing is complete, the upper platen 15 rises. 【0059】 (vi) Next, the movable substrate 81 of the transfer device 80 of the unloader unit 70 moves directly above the lower platen 11, and then descends. The claws 86, 86 of each gripping part 84 are inserted into the through holes of the disc-shaped substrate S, and after insertion they open, so that the peripheral end surface of the through hole is gripped using the groove 87. Since the gripping parts 84 are provided corresponding to each disc-shaped substrate S, each disc-shaped substrate S is gripped with minimal time difference. 【0060】 (vii) Next, the movable substrate 81 rises and moves directly above the table 71 of the unloader unit 70, and then the movable substrate 81 descends. Once the disc-shaped substrate S is placed on the holding member 75 inside the liquid tank 72, the claws 86, 86 of the gripping unit 84 close. After the gripping by the gripping unit 84 is released, the movable substrate 81 rises. Since the liquid tank 72 contains cleaning fluid W, the disc-shaped substrate S is placed in a state where it is submerged in the liquid. The claws 86, 86 of the gripping unit 84 are cleaned by being immersed in the cleaning fluid W and then rise. As a result, a predetermined number of processed disc-shaped substrates S are transferred all at once from the polishing unit 10 to the unloader unit 70. 【0061】 Next, cleaning fluid W is supplied to the disc-shaped substrate S supported by the holding member 75 from the side of the disc-shaped substrate S using the discharge port 79A of the discharge section 79 of the cleaning fluid supply mechanism B. The supplied cleaning fluid W flows inward towards the inside of the disc-shaped substrate S from the inlet of the gap G between adjacent support sections 75A in the circumferential direction. On the lower side of the disc-shaped substrate S in Figure 6, the cleaning fluid W flows using the space A between the bottom surface of the liquid tank 72 and the contact section CP as a flow path. The cleaning fluid W flowing through space A then flows outward towards the outside of the disc-shaped substrate S from the outlet of the gap G between adjacent support sections 75A in the circumferential direction. Multiple flow patterns of cleaning fluid W can be formed on the lower side of one holding member 75, with each of the four gaps G serving as either an inlet or an outlet. 【0062】 (viii) Next, the disc-shaped substrates S placed on the unloader section 70 are transferred one by one to the washing and drying section 61, where they are washed and dried. After drying, the processed disc-shaped substrates S are transferred and stored in the cassette case C, and then discharged outside the device using the discharge conveyor of the discharge section 62. 【0063】 (ix) In the wet polishing apparatus 1, the cycles (i) to (viii) described above are repeated. 【0064】 In the wet polishing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the discharge port 79A for the cleaning liquid W is located inside the liquid tank 72 and opens to the side of the holding member 75. In addition, a space A is formed between the lower surface of the disc-shaped substrate S in the support part 75A and the bottom surface 72A1 of the liquid tank 72, through which the cleaning liquid W passes. 【0065】 Inside the liquid tank 72, the cleaning liquid W supplied from the discharge port 79A comes into contact with the lower surface of the disc-shaped substrate S supported by the support portion 75A of the holding member 75. Therefore, in this embodiment, compared to, for example, the case where the cleaning water is supplied from above the disc-shaped substrate S while the disc-shaped substrate S is positioned inside the circular recess, the occurrence of marks caused by abrasive components adhering to the lower surface of the disc-shaped substrate S can be reduced. 【0066】 Furthermore, in this embodiment, the support portion 75A of the holding member 75 is a protruding support portion having four protruding portions that protrude upward from the bottom surface of the liquid tank 72 and are arranged along the circumferential direction, each having a contact surface that contacts the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped substrate S. In addition, the holding member 75 has a gap G between the protruding portions of adjacent support portions 75A in the circumferential direction, allowing the cleaning liquid W to pass through. This enhances the fluidity of the cleaning liquid W. 【0067】 Furthermore, in this embodiment, the holding member 75 has a connecting portion 75B that connects the four rod-shaped support portions 75A. Since the holding member 75 is integrally formed as a single component without having multiple separate components, the number of components is reduced compared to the case where the holding member 75 has multiple separate components. For this reason, the handling of the holding member 75 during transportation and assembly is easier. 【0068】 Furthermore, in this embodiment, there are four support portions 75A. Here, the disc-shaped substrate S supported by the holding member 75 is subjected to centrifugal force from the rotating table 71 and force from the flow of cleaning liquid W from the discharge port 79A of the cleaning liquid supply mechanism B. These forces function to lift the disc-shaped substrate S off the support portions 75A. For this reason, in this embodiment, where there are four support portions 75A of the holding member 75, the disc-shaped substrate S can be supported more stably than when there are three support portions 75A. 【0069】 One or more of the effects and advantages obtained from this embodiment described above can also be obtained in grinding processes. 【0070】 <Other Embodiments> Although this disclosure has been described by the embodiments disclosed above, the statements and drawings that constitute part of this disclosure should not be understood as limiting this disclosure. In these embodiments, the fluid is exemplified as a cleaning solution, but this disclosure is not limited thereto, and any fluid other than a cleaning solution can be used. 【0071】 In this disclosure, the configuration of the polishing section is not limited to the configuration of the sun gear and internal gear combination described in the above embodiment that causes the carrier to rotate and revolve, and any sliding means can be incorporated. Furthermore, the configuration of the apparatus other than the loader section and unloader section, the method of transferring the disc-shaped substrate to the loader section, and the method of transferring it from the unloader section to the next process are not limited. 【0072】 In this disclosure, the number of retaining members in the unloader section only needs to be at least one, or the number of retaining members does not match the total number of retaining holes in the carrier. However, by providing the same number of retaining members as the number of retaining holes in the carrier, simultaneous transfer becomes possible, resulting in increased work efficiency. Furthermore, a configuration in which the liquid tank and the retaining members are integrated is also included in this disclosure. Moreover, the method of supplying the cleaning water is not limited in this disclosure. 【0073】 Furthermore, this disclosure does not limit the shape of the disc-shaped substrate or the polishing area. In the unloader section, the mounting position of the holding member can be set according to the shape of the disc-shaped substrate and the polishing area, and the shape of the holding member can be designed. 【0074】 Furthermore, this disclosure may combine some of the configurations of the multiple embodiments described above. This disclosure includes various embodiments not described above, and the technical scope of this disclosure is defined by the inventive features of the claims that are reasonable from the above description. [Explanation of symbols] 【0075】 1. Wet polishing apparatus (machine for manufacturing disc-shaped substrates) 10 Polishing section (processing section) 70 Unloader section 72 Liquid tank 72A1 Bottom 75 Retaining member 75A Support part 75B Connection section A space (first flow path section) B. Cleaning fluid supply mechanism (fluid supply mechanism) G. Gap (second flow path section) S: Disc-shaped substrate W: Cleaning liquid (fluid)

Claims

[Claim 1] A processing section for grinding or polishing a disc-shaped substrate, An unloader unit having the following (a) to (c), which is located downstream of the processing unit and transfers the processed disc-shaped substrate from the processing unit, (a) Liquid tank; (b) A fluid supply mechanism for supplying fluid to the liquid tank; (c) A holding member provided on the bottom surface of the liquid tank, having a support portion that supports the end face of the processed disc-shaped substrate at at least two locations, and a first flow path portion formed between the processed disc-shaped substrate and the bottom surface of the liquid tank for passing fluid; Equipped with, The support portion of the holding member has a contact surface that contacts only the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped substrate as the end face, The fluid supply mechanism comprises discharge ports for discharging the fluid, each positioned radially outward of the disc-shaped substrate, and having independently a discharge port opening toward the upper surface of the disc-shaped substrate and a discharge port opening toward the lower surface of the disc-shaped substrate. The fluid supply mechanism discharges the fluid from each of the discharge ports, and the discharged fluid flows along the radial direction of the disc-shaped substrate and reaches the space between the disc-shaped substrate and the support portion. [Claim 2] The support portion of the holding member is a protruding support portion having three or more protruding portions that protrude upward from the bottom surface of the liquid tank and are arranged along the circumferential direction. The holding member has a second flow path portion that allows the fluid to pass between adjacent protrusions in the circumferential direction. The apparatus for manufacturing a disc-shaped substrate according to claim 1. [Claim 3] The holding member has a connecting portion that integrally connects three or more of the support portions. The apparatus for manufacturing a disc-shaped substrate according to claim 2. [Claim 4] The number of the aforementioned support parts is four. The apparatus for manufacturing a disc-shaped substrate according to claim 2 or 3.

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