JPH09179312A - Developing device for substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device in which a residual film of a photoresist layer can be removed without damaging a patterned film after development. SOLUTION: A developer is supplied through a developer nozzle 14 to the surface of a substrate 10 where a photoresist layer 12 is formed and exposed for patterning. Then a cleaning liquid is supplied through a rinsing nozzle 40 to the surface of the substrate 10 for rinsing. By this method, the patterned film 12a is hardened, and then the residual film 12b of the photoresist layer is removed by high pressure cleaning through a high pressure spray nozzle 18.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a substrate development processing apparatus for developing a pattern-exposed photoresist layer in a process of manufacturing a color filter of a color liquid crystal display device, and more particularly to a substrate surface after development processing. A device for cleaning.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the case of manufacturing a color filter of a color liquid crystal display (LCD) by applying a photolithography method, a photoresist layer deposited on a surface of a substrate such as a glass substrate for liquid crystal is predetermined. When the development processing is performed after the exposure according to the pattern No. 3, a scum-shaped residual film is generated at the edge of the pattern formed by the development, and the pattern edge may become saw-shaped. In addition, in the black resist used for the boundary of the three colors of RGB of the color filter, the photoresist on the substrate after the development process is originally dissolved by the development process and the substrate surface must be exposed. Photoresist residue may form.

Conventionally, such a residual film of photoresist has been removed by performing a brush treatment, an ultrasonic treatment, a high-pressure spray treatment, etc. in a water washing step after the development treatment.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a method for removing the residual film by high pressure spraying. In FIG. 6A, a developing solution 16 is supplied from a developing solution nozzle 14 as a developing means to the pattern-exposed photoresist layer 12 formed on the substrate 10 to develop the photoresist layer 12.
As shown in FIG. 7A, the pattern film 12 formed in a predetermined pattern is formed on the surface of the substrate 10 after the development processing.
In addition to a, there is a residual film 12b that should be originally removed.

In order to remove this residual film 12b, FIG.
As shown in (b), a high-pressure spray nozzle 18 serving as a high-pressure cleaning unit sprays a high-pressure cleaning liquid 20 onto the photoresist layer 12 to remove the residual film 12b.

Only the pattern film 12a remains on the surface of the substrate 10 after the removal of the residual film 12b. Such a substrate 10 has a drying means 22 as shown in FIG.
And dried. As the drying means 22, the substrate 1
A method of blowing heated air to 0 is adopted.

As a method for removing the residual film 12b, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-45712 discloses a brushing method.

[0008]

However, the above-mentioned conventional residual film removal method has a problem that the pattern film 12a is damaged as described below.

That is, there are two types of photoresists, positive type and negative type, and the negative type is usually used for color filters. This negative type photoresist has a property of swelling with a developing solution. Therefore, the pattern film 12a immediately after the development processing is in a state of being swollen by the developing solution, as shown in FIG. Such a swollen pattern film 12a
Since it contains a developing solution and becomes soft, it becomes soft when high-pressure water is sprayed from the high-pressure spray nozzle 18 as described above, rubbed with a brush, or ultrasonic waves are applied. Pattern film 12a
The surface of the is abraded by these mechanical forces and the pattern is damaged. This state is shown in FIG.
In FIG. 7B, the residual film 12b is removed,
The pattern film 12a has a scratch 24 eroded by the high pressure spray nozzle 18 or the like.

When the residual film 12b is removed by using the high pressure spray nozzle 18, if the spray nozzle has a variation in the injection pressure, the variation in the injection pressure is caused on the surface of the pattern film 12a. There was also the problem of unevenness. This problem was particularly remarkable when using a flat type spray nozzle that sprays the cleaning liquid in a plate shape, because the spraying pressure at both ends of the cleaning liquid becomes higher than at other portions.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional problems, and an object thereof is a substrate development processing apparatus capable of removing the residual film of the photoresist layer without damaging the pattern film after the development processing. To provide.

[0012]

In order to achieve the above object, the first invention is a substrate development processing apparatus for processing a substrate on which a photoresist layer subjected to pattern exposure is formed. A developing unit that supplies a developing solution to the surface of the substrate to develop the photoresist layer, and a cleaning solution is supplied to the surface of the substrate at a first pressure that does not damage the surface of the photoresist layer after the developing process. A rinsing means for rinsing the surface and a residual film of the photoresist layer remaining on the surface of the substrate by spraying a cleaning liquid onto the surface of the substrate after rinsing at a second pressure higher than the first pressure. And a high pressure cleaning means for removing.

A second invention is the substrate developing apparatus of the first invention, wherein the first pressure is 0.5 kg / cm.
It is characterized in that it is in the range of ² to 1 kg / cm ² .

A third aspect of the present invention is the substrate development processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect of the invention, wherein the high-pressure cleaning means has a plurality of flat spray nozzles for ejecting the cleaning liquid in a plate shape. It is characterized in that the cleaning liquids to be sprayed are arranged so that the edges thereof overlap.

A fourth invention is the first invention to the third invention.
In the substrate development processing apparatus of any one of the inventions, the second pressure is in the range of 5 kg / cm ² to 20 kg / cm ² .

The fifth invention is the first invention to the fourth invention.
In the substrate development processing apparatus according to any one of the present inventions, the developing solution is an aqueous chemical solution.

The sixth invention is the first invention to the fifth invention.
In the substrate development processing apparatus according to any one of the present inventions, the cleaning liquid is water.

The seventh invention is the first invention to the fifth invention.
In the substrate development processing apparatus of any one of the inventions, the cleaning solution is a solution prepared by diluting the developing solution with water.

According to each of the above inventions, the substrate surface is rinsed with the first pressure which is a pressure that does not damage the surface of the photoresist layer in the development process, and the pattern film is tightened and hardened. High pressure second by cleaning means
Even if the residual film is removed by the pressure of 1, the pattern film is not damaged. Further, since a plurality of flat-type spray nozzles are used as the high-pressure cleaning means and the cleaning liquids ejected from the flat-type spray nozzles are arranged so that the edges thereof overlap with each other to eliminate pressure unevenness, unevenness occurs on the surface of the photoresist layer. Can be prevented.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a substrate development processing apparatus according to the present invention. The same members as those in the conventional example shown in FIG. 6 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 1, a plurality of conveying rollers 30 for horizontally conveying the substrate 10 on which the pattern-exposed photoresist layer 12 is formed are rotatably supported and arranged in a row. The transport roller 30 is rotated by a driving unit (not shown). Further, at a predetermined position of the substrate development processing apparatus, a developing solution nozzle 14 as a developing means, a rinse nozzle 40 as a rinsing means, and a high pressure spray nozzle 18 as a high pressure cleaning means are provided.

Next, the operation of the substrate development processing apparatus of this embodiment will be described. First, the developing solution 16 is sprayed onto the surface of the substrate 10 from the developing solution nozzle 14, which is a developing means. The developer is supplied from the developer tank 32 to the developer nozzle 14 by the developer pump 34. In the substrate development processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1, the partition 38a,
The developer supplied to the surface of the substrate is collected in the space formed by 38b, and the collected developer is returned to the developer tank 32 through the circulation line 36, and can be circulated and used. Has become. The pattern film 12a and the residual film 12b to be originally removed are present on the substrate 10 after the development processing as described above.

The substrate 10 which has undergone the development processing is conveyed by the conveying roller 3
By 0, it is conveyed to a position facing the rinse nozzle 40 which is a rinse means, and the rinse nozzle 40 sprinkles and rinses the cleaning liquid. The cleaning liquid is the cleaning liquid tank 42.
Is supplied to the rinse nozzle 40 via the first cleaning liquid pump 44.

As described with reference to FIG. 7, since the pattern film 12a immediately after the development process contains the developing solution and is soft, the pattern film 12a is sprayed from the rinse nozzle 40 so as not to damage the pattern film 12a. The pressure of the cleaning liquid is low enough not to damage the pattern film 12a. The injection pressure from the rinse nozzle 40 in this case corresponds to the first pressure according to the present invention.

As the rinse nozzle 40, as shown in FIG. 3, a nozzle having a slit-shaped discharge port 50 is used, and the cleaning liquid is sprayed in a curtain form from the slit-shaped discharge port 50, and the substrate is The cleaning liquid is supplied over the entire surface of 10. In FIG. 3, a slit-shaped discharge port 50 having a predetermined length is formed on the lower end surface, and the length L thereof is slightly longer than the width dimension of the substrate 10 orthogonal to the transport direction. Further, inside the rinse nozzle 40, a liquid flow path 52 communicating with the discharge port 50 is formed. A liquid delivery pipe 56 is connected to the liquid flow path 52 via a communication passage 54. The cleaning liquid sent from the pump is supplied to the rinse nozzle 40 through the liquid sending pipe 56.

Further, the rinse nozzle 40 may be configured as a spray that sprays the cleaning liquid in a mist state.

Here, the injection pressure from the rinse nozzle 40, that is, the first pressure is 0.5 kg / c in gauge pressure.
It is preferably in the range of m ² to 1 kg / cm ² . If the pressure is lower than 0.5 kg / cm ² , the rinse nozzle 40
However, the cleaning liquid may not be uniformly applied to the substrate 10 because the above operation cannot be maintained normally. However, the lower limit can be set to a lower pressure if a nozzle that operates normally even at a pressure equal to or lower than the above pressure can be used. Also, 1 kg / cm
^{If the} pressure is higher than ² , the pattern film 12a may be damaged.

The substrate 1 rinsed as described above
0 is further transported by the transport roller 30 and faces the high-pressure spray nozzle 18 which is a high-pressure cleaning means.
Is ejected, and the residual film 12b of the photoresist layer remaining on the substrate surface is removed. The high-pressure spray nozzle 18 has a second discharge pressure high from the cleaning liquid tank 42.
The cleaning liquid is supplied from the cleaning liquid pump 46. Also,
The injection pressure of the high-pressure spray nozzle 18 is the second pressure according to the present invention, and this pressure is higher than the above-mentioned first pressure. Pattern film 12 after rinse treatment
Since a is tightly tightened, even if the high-pressure cleaning liquid 20 is sprayed from the high-pressure spray nozzle 18, its surface is not damaged.

The cleaning liquid used for cleaning is collected in the space formed by the partitions 38b and 38c, and from there, the cleaning liquid tank 42 is passed through the circulation line 37.
It has been returned to the factory and can be reused.

Examples of the second pressure described above, the range of 1 kg / cm ² gauge pressure of 20 kg / cm ² well, preferably in a range of from 5 kg / cm ² 20 kg / cm ^2. When this pressure is lower than 1 kg / cm ² , the removal of the residual film 12b is not complete, and when the pressure is 20 kg / c
This is because if it is higher than m ^2, there is a problem that the transfer of the substrate 10 is adversely affected or the surface of the pattern film 12a is damaged.

The residual film 12 is formed by the high pressure spray nozzle 18.
The substrate 10 from which b is removed is further transported by the transport roller 30, and pressurized air is blown from the air knife 48 to drain the surface of the substrate 10. The substrate 10 that has been drained is further blown with heated drying air from the drying means 22 to completely dry the surface.

As the developing solution described above, an alkaline aqueous chemical solution is generally used. This is because it can be easily washed off with water. In addition to using water as the cleaning liquid, it is also possible to use a liquid prepared by diluting the above-mentioned developing liquid with water.

FIG. 2 shows a rinse nozzle 40 and a high-pressure spray nozzle 18 in the substrate development processing apparatus according to the present invention.
In combination with the above, the principle that the residual film 12b is removed without damaging the pattern film 12a is shown.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the pattern film 12a swollen and softened by the developing solution and the residual film 12b of the photoresist layer which should be originally removed are formed on the surface of the substrate 10 immediately after the development processing. And exist.

Generally, in a negative resist used for a color filter, the exposed portion becomes high molecular weight and becomes insoluble in a developing solution, but since this developing solution is a solvent of the photoresist, the action thereof causes the molecules to be separated from each other. Therefore, the bonding distance of the pattern film is extended and the pattern film 12a is swollen. In the present invention, the swollen pattern film 12a is rinsed with a cleaning solution such as water to expel the developer existing between the polymer chains, and at the same time, the pattern film 12a having water repellency is used to rinse water. The fact that the pattern film 12a is tightened and hardened by pushing the film out of the film is used.

The state of the surface of the substrate 10 after being rinsed by the rinse nozzle 40 is shown in FIG. When the developing solution is washed away by the rinse and then the water is pushed out, the pattern film 12a is not swollen and becomes tight and hard. The thus hardened pattern film 12a is not damaged on the surface thereof even when a high-pressure cleaning liquid is sprayed by the high-pressure spray nozzle 18. Therefore, the residual film 12 is formed by the high pressure spray nozzle 18.
By removing only b, as shown in FIG. 2C, the pattern film 12 which is not damaged is formed on the surface of the substrate 10.
Only a remains.

The rinsing and high-pressure cleaning of the surface of the substrate 10 described above can be performed by the same nozzle, unlike the example shown in FIG. That is, the pressure of the cleaning liquid supplied from the pump to the nozzle is configured so that it can be changed in two steps. First, the first pressure is rinsed for 15 seconds, and then the pressure is increased to the second pressure to 45 degrees.
If high-pressure cleaning is performed for a second, rinsing and high-pressure cleaning can be performed in a step of 1 minute.

FIG. 4A shows a high pressure spray nozzle 18
As an example of the above, a perspective view of a flat type spray nozzle is shown, and a front view thereof is shown in FIG. FIG.
In the flat-type spray nozzle 57 shown in (a), a main body 58 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a discharge port 60 capable of ejecting a liquid in a plate shape is formed at the tip thereof. For this reason, the flat type spray nozzle 57 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), the cleaning liquid 20 can be jetted in a plate shape, that is, a flat shape. Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, a screw 62 for attaching the flat spray nozzle 57 to another member is provided at the end of the flat spray nozzle 57 opposite to the discharge port 60. There is.

FIG. 4C shows a discharge pressure distribution along the length direction of the cleaning liquid 20 jetted in a plate shape from the flat type spray nozzle 57 described above. As shown in FIG. 4C, the discharge pressure is particularly high near the edges, that is, the edges of the cleaning liquid 20 jetted in a plate shape.

Therefore, if the surface of the substrate 10 is subjected to high-pressure cleaning in this state, unevenness occurs on the surface of the pattern film 12a due to variations in the discharge pressure distribution of the flat spray nozzle 57. To prevent this,
As shown in FIG. 4D, a plurality of flat type spray nozzles 57 are attached to the pipe 64 by screwing the screws 62, and are arranged in a straight line. At this time, the both ends, that is, the edge portions of the cleaning liquid 20 jetted in a plate shape from the flat type spray nozzle 57 are configured to overlap. By thus arranging the flat type spray nozzles 57 in a row, the edge portions of the cleaning liquid 20 jetted in a plate shape from now on collide with each other and the pressure thereof is lowered, so that the overall structure shown in FIG.
A flat pressure distribution is obtained as shown in (d).

The substrate 10 is formed in the flat portion of this pressure distribution.
If the surface of the pattern film 12 is subjected to high-pressure cleaning, it can be cleaned at a constant pressure, and the pattern film 12 caused by the variation in the pressure distribution.
It is possible to prevent the occurrence of unevenness on the surface.

FIG. 5 shows high pressure cleaning of the surface of the substrate 10 by the plurality of flat type spray nozzles 57 arranged in a line as described above. In FIG.
A view of the substrate 10 from above is shown, with the substrate 10 moving in the direction of the arrow in the figure. Further, the plurality of flat type spray nozzles 57 are arranged in a row in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the substrate 10.

At this time, each flat type spray nozzle 57
The total length of the cleaning liquid 20 jetted from each of the above is slightly longer than the width W of the substrate 10 in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the substrate 10.
As a result, high pressure cleaning of the surface of the substrate 10 can be performed in a portion where the pressure distribution is flat.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The pattern film swollen by the developing solution is washed with a cleaning solution such as water to discharge the developing solution contained in the pattern film to the outside, and the cleaning solution is also discharged to the outside due to the water repellency of the pattern film. Since the film is tightly tightened, the pattern film is not damaged even if high-pressure cleaning is performed thereafter to remove the residual film.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a substrate development processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an example of a rinse nozzle according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration example and a pressure distribution of a flat type spray nozzle according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which high pressure cleaning of a substrate is performed by a plurality of flat type spray nozzles linearly arranged in a line.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional substrate cleaning method.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing how the swollen pattern film is damaged.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 substrate, 12 photoresist layer, 12a pattern film, 12b residual film, 14 developer nozzle, 16 developer, 18 high pressure spray nozzle, 20 high pressure cleaning liquid,
22 drying means, 24 scratches, 30 conveying rollers, 32
Developer tank, 34 developer pump, 36, 37 circulation line, 38a, 38b, 38c partition, 40 rinse nozzle, 42 cleaning solution tank, 44 first cleaning solution pump, 46 second cleaning solution pump, 48 air knife, 50
Discharge port, 52 liquid flow path, 54 communication passage, 56 liquid supply pipe, 57 flat spray nozzle, 58 main body, 6
0 discharge port, 62 screws, 64 pipes.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A substrate development processing apparatus for processing a substrate having a pattern-exposed photoresist layer deposited thereon, wherein a developing solution is supplied to the surface of the substrate to develop the photoresist layer. A developing means for performing, a rinsing means for supplying the cleaning liquid to the surface of the substrate at a first pressure which does not damage the surface of the photoresist layer after the developing treatment, and a rinsing means for rinsing the surface of the substrate, and a rinsing means for rinsing the surface of the substrate after rinsing. High-pressure cleaning means for spraying a cleaning liquid toward the surface of the substrate at a second pressure higher than the first pressure to remove the residual film of the photoresist layer remaining on the surface of the substrate. Substrate development processing equipment. 2. The substrate development processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first pressure is 0.5 kg / cm ² to 1 kg.
/ Cm ² The range is a substrate development processing apparatus characterized by the above. 3. The substrate development processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the high-pressure cleaning means has a plurality of flat spray nozzles for ejecting the cleaning liquid in a plate shape, and an edge of the cleaning liquid ejected in a plate shape. A substrate development processing apparatus, characterized in that they are arranged so as to overlap each other. 4. The substrate development processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second pressure is 5
A substrate development processing apparatus, which is in the range of kg / cm ² to 20 kg / cm ² . 5. The substrate developing treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the developing solution is an aqueous chemical solution. 6. The substrate developing treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning liquid is water. 7. The substrate developing treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning solution is a solution obtained by diluting the developing solution with water.