U.S. patent application number 16/359365 was filed with the patent office on 2019-10-03 for cleaning device, plating device including the same, and cleaning method.
This patent application is currently assigned to EBARA CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is EBARA CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Takahiro ABE, Hirotaka OHASHI.
Application Number | 20190301044 16/359365 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 68056857 |
Filed Date | 2019-10-03 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190301044 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
OHASHI; Hirotaka ; et
al. |
October 3, 2019 |
CLEANING DEVICE, PLATING DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME, AND CLEANING
METHOD
Abstract
There is provided a cleaning device capable of conveying a
substrate even when having large warpage. A cleaning device
configured to clean a substrate W1 includes a horizontal conveyance
mechanism 56 configured to convey the substrate W1 to be subjected
to cleaning processing. Furthermore, the cleaning device includes a
pressurizing roller 70 provided at a position facing the horizontal
conveyance mechanism 56 with the substrate W1 therebetween and
configured to press the substrate W1 against the horizontal
conveyance mechanism 56, and a roller moving mechanism 72
configured to move the pressurizing roller 70 toward the horizontal
conveyance mechanism 56 to cause the pressurizing roller 70 to
press the substrate W1 against the horizontal conveyance mechanism
56.
Inventors: |
OHASHI; Hirotaka; (Tokyo,
JP) ; ABE; Takahiro; (Tokyo, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
EBARA CORPORATION |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
EBARA CORPORATION
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
68056857 |
Appl. No.: |
16/359365 |
Filed: |
March 20, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C25D 17/00 20130101;
C25D 21/12 20130101; C25D 21/08 20130101; C25D 5/48 20130101 |
International
Class: |
C25D 5/48 20060101
C25D005/48 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 27, 2018 |
JP |
2018-060348 |
Mar 27, 2018 |
JP |
2018-060350 |
Claims
1. A cleaning device configured to clean a target object,
comprising: a conveyance mechanism configured to convey the target
object to be subjected to cleaning processing; a pressurizing
roller provided at a position facing the conveyance mechanism with
the target object therebetween, the pressurizing roller being
configured to press the target object against the conveyance
mechanism; and a roller moving mechanism configured to move the
pressurizing roller toward the conveyance mechanism to cause the
pressurizing roller to press the target object against the
conveyance mechanism.
2. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the number of
the pressuring rollers is at least four.
3. The cleaning device according to claim 1, further comprising: a
drive mechanism configured to rotationally drive the pressurizing
roller.
4. A plating device, comprising: the cleaning device according to
claim 1.
5. A method for cleaning a target object in a cleaning device
configured to clean the target object, the cleaning device
comprising a conveyance mechanism configured to convey the target
object to be subjected to cleaning processing, a pressurizing
roller provided at a position facing the conveyance mechanism with
the target object therebetween, the pressurizing roller being
configured to press the target object against the conveyance
mechanism, and a roller moving mechanism configured to move the
pressurizing roller toward the conveyance mechanism to cause the
pressurizing roller to press the target object against the
conveyance mechanism, the method comprising: a process of mounting
the target object on the conveyance mechanism; a process of moving
the pressurizing roller toward the conveyance mechanism by the
roller moving mechanism to cause the pressurizing roller to press
the target object against the conveyance mechanism; and a process
of conveying the target object in a state in which the target
object is pressed against the conveyance mechanism.
6. A cleaning device configured to clean a target object,
comprising: a supporting part configured to support the target
object that has been subjected to plating processing and cleaning
processing; a pressing part provided at a position facing the
supporting part with the target object therebetween, the pressing
part being configured to press the target object against the
supporting part; a moving mechanism configured to move the pressing
part toward the supporting part to cause the pressing part to press
the target object against the supporting part; and a film thickness
measuring part configured to measure a film thickness of a plated
film of the target object.
7. The cleaning device according to claim 6, wherein the supporting
part is a conveyance mechanism configured to convey the target
object.
8. The cleaning device according to claim 6, wherein the pressing
part has a roller, and the roller is configured to press the target
object against the supporting part.
9. The cleaning device according to claim 6, wherein the number of
the rollers is at least four.
10. The cleaning device according to claim 6, wherein the film
thickness measuring part is moved for the measurement to measure a
film thickness of a plated film of the target object at a plurality
of points of the target object.
11. The cleaning device according to claim 6, wherein a plurality
of the film thickness measuring parts are provided.
12. The cleaning device according to claim 6, wherein the film
thickness measuring part has an eddy current sensor.
13. The cleaning device according to claim 6, wherein the target
object has a resist, and the film thickness measuring part is
configured to measure the film thickness of the plated film of the
target object having the resist.
14. A plating device, comprising the cleaning device according to
claim 6.
15. A method for cleaning a target object in a cleaning device
configured to clean the target object, the cleaning device
comprising a supporting part configured to support the target
object that has been subjected to plating processing and cleaning
processing, a pressing part provided at a position facing the
supporting part with the target object therebetween, the pressing
part being configured to press the target object against the
supporting part, a moving mechanism configured to move the pressing
part toward the supporting part to cause the pressing part to press
the target object against the supporting part, and a film thickness
measuring part configured to measure a film thickness of a plated
film of the target object, the method comprising: a process of
mounting the target object on the supporting part; a process of
moving the pressing part toward the supporting part by the moving
mechanism to cause the pressing part to press the target object
against the supporting part; and a process of measuring the film
thickness of the plated film of the target object using the film
thickness measuring part in a state in which the target object is
pressed against the supporting part.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Application No.
2018-060348, filed Mar. 27, 2018 and Japanese Application No.
2018-060350, filed Mar. 27, 2018, the entire content of which is
hereby incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to a cleaning device, a
plating device including the same, and a cleaning method.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] It has been a conventional practice to form wires and bumps
(protruded electrodes), for example, on the surface of a substrate
such as a semiconductor wafer or a printed board. This formation of
wires, bumps, and the like has been performed by a known method
called an electrolytic plating.
[0004] A plating device used in the electrolytic plating performs
plating processing on a circular substrate such as a wafer
typically having a diameter of 300 mm. In addition to such a
circular substrate, however, a rectangular substrate has been
required to be plated recently. In conventional plating of a
circular substrate through a plating device, the plated circular
substrate has been cleaned and dried at a spin rinse dryer (SRD).
The SRD cleans and dries a substrate while rotating the
substrate.
[0005] The size or stiffness of a circular substrate or a
rectangular substrate differs between the kinds of product. When
having a small stiffness, a rectangular substrate potentially
becomes curved. In a cleaning device configured to clean a
substrate, when the substrate is conveyed into the cleaning device
by conveying rollers, the contact area between the substrate having
large warpage and the conveying rollers becomes smaller. For that
reason, the conveying rollers rotate idly, and thus potentially
unable to convey the substrate.
[0006] Even when the substrate having large warpage can be
conveyed, such a substrate interferes with a slit as an inlet to
the processing area in the cleaning device, and thus potentially
unable to pass through the slit. This is because the width of the
slit is designed as narrow as possible to prevent gas and the like
in the cleaning device from leaking to the outside of the cleaning
device.
[0007] Incidentally, the cleaning device configured to measure the
film thickness of a plated film after cleaning the plated film is
disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-240108. The size or
stiffness of a circular substrate or a rectangular substrate
differs between the kinds of product. When having a small
stiffness, a rectangular substrate potentially becomes curved.
Since the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
2005-240108 does not cover the substrate having warpage, the
warpage causes a problem in that the film thickness of the plated
film cannot be measured accurately.
[0008] In the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
2005-240108, the resist is removed after plating, and then the film
thickness of the plated film is measured. Thus, when the
measurement result fails due to small film thickness of the plated
film and/or uneven film thickness, it is necessary to apply the
resist on a substrate again to perform plating again or to dispose
of the substrate. For that reason, there is a problem in that the
costs are increased.
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature
[0009] PTL 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2018-6404
[0010] PTL 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-240108
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0011] An embodiment of the present invention is intended to solve
the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a
cleaning device capable of conveying a substrate even when having
large warpage.
[0012] An object of another embodiment of the present invention is
to provide a cleaning device capable of measuring a film thickness
of a plated film even when a substrate has large warpage.
[0013] An object of another embodiment of the present invention is
to provide a cleaning device capable of measuring a film thickness
of a plated film without removing the resist.
Solution to Problem
[0014] In order to solve the above-described problems, a first
aspect provides a cleaning device configured to clean a target
object, the cleaning device comprising a conveyance mechanism
configured to convey the target object to be subjected to cleaning
processing, a pressurizing roller provided at a position facing the
conveyance mechanism with the target object therebetween, the
pressurizing roller being configured to press the target object
against the conveyance mechanism, and a roller moving mechanism
configured to move the pressurizing roller toward the conveyance
mechanism to cause the pressurizing roller to press the target
object against the conveyance mechanism.
[0015] In the present embodiment, the pressurizing rollers provided
at a position facing the conveyance mechanism with the target
object therebetween and configured to press the target object
against the conveyance mechanism is moved toward the conveyance
mechanism by the roller moving mechanism so that the pressurizing
rollers press the target object against the conveyance mechanism.
Accordingly, even when a substrate (target object) has large
warpage, the substrate is pressed against conveying rollers
(conveyance mechanism) to prevent the conveying rollers from
rotating idly. The substrate pressed by the pressurizing rollers
can be conveyed to a processing area by the conveying rollers.
[0016] The pressurizing rollers press the substrate against the
conveying rollers, to thereby prevent the substrate whose warpage
has been corrected from interfering with a slit as an inlet of the
processing area.
[0017] A second aspect provides the cleaning device according to
the first aspect in which the number of the pressuring rollers is
at least four.
[0018] A third aspect provides the cleaning device according to the
first aspect or the second aspect comprising a drive mechanism
configured to rotationally drive the pressurizing roller.
[0019] A fourth aspect provides a plating device comprising the
cleaning device according to any one of the first aspect to the
third aspect.
[0020] A fifth aspect provides a method for cleaning a target
object in a cleaning device configured to clean the target object,
the cleaning device comprising a conveyance mechanism configured to
convey the target object to be subjected to cleaning processing, a
pressurizing roller provided at a position facing the conveyance
mechanism with the target object therebetween, the pressurizing
roller being configured to press the target object against the
conveyance mechanism, and a roller moving mechanism configured to
move the pressurizing roller toward the conveyance mechanism to
cause the pressurizing roller to press the target object against
the conveyance mechanism, the method comprising a process of
mounting the target object on the conveyance mechanism, a process
of moving the pressurizing roller toward the conveyance mechanism
by the roller moving mechanism to cause the pressurizing roller to
press the target object against the conveyance mechanism, and a
process of conveying the target object in a state in which the
target object is pressed against the conveyance mechanism.
[0021] In order to solve the above-described problems, a sixth
aspect provides a cleaning device configured to clean a target
object, the cleaning device comprising a supporting part configured
to support the target object that has been subjected to plating
processing and cleaning processing, a pressing part provided at a
position facing the supporting part with the target object
therebetween, the pressing part being configured to press the
target object against the supporting part, a moving mechanism
configured to move the pressing part toward the supporting part to
cause the pressing part to press the target object against the
supporting part, and a film thickness measuring part configured to
measure a film thickness of a plated film of the target object.
[0022] In the present embodiment, the pressing part can press the
target object against the support part, whereby the film thickness
can be measured in a state in which the warpage of the substrate
has been corrected. Accordingly, the film thickness of the plated
film can be measured accurately. According to the present
embodiment, there is provided a cleaning device capable of
measuring a film thickness of a plated film even when a substrate
has large warpage.
[0023] A seventh aspect provides the cleaning device according to
the sixth aspect, in which the supporting part is a conveyance
mechanism configured to convey the target object.
[0024] An eighth aspect provides the cleaning device according to
the sixth aspect or the seventh aspect in which the pressing part
has a roller, and the roller is configured to press the target
object against the supporting part.
[0025] A ninth aspect provides the cleaning device according to any
one of the sixth aspect to the eighth aspect in which the number of
the rollers is at least four.
[0026] A tenth aspect provides the cleaning device according to any
one of the sixth aspect to the ninth aspect in which the film
thickness measuring part is moved for the measurement to measure a
film thickness of a plated film of the target object at a plurality
of points of the target object.
[0027] An eleventh aspect provides the cleaning device according to
any one of the sixth aspect to the tenth aspect in which a
plurality of the film thickness measuring parts are provided.
[0028] A twelfth aspect provides the cleaning device according to
any one of the sixth aspect to the eleventh aspect in which the
film thickness measuring part has an eddy current sensor.
[0029] A thirteenth aspect provides the cleaning device according
to any one of the sixth aspect to the twelfth aspect in which the
target object has a resist, and the film thickness measuring part
is configured to measure the film thickness of the plated film of
the substrate having the resist. In the present embodiment, the
film thickness of the plated film of the substrate having the
resist is measured, thereby eliminating the need for the removal of
the resist. According to the present embodiment, there is provided
a cleaning device capable of measuring a film thickness of a plated
film, without removing the resist.
[0030] When the measurement result fails due to small film
thickness of the plated film and/or uneven film thickness, the
substrate can be plated again without being applied with the resist
again. The substrate can be plated again without disposing of the
rejected substrate. Therefore, the costs can be reduced.
[0031] A fourteenth aspect provides a plating device comprising the
cleaning device according to any one of the sixth aspect to the
thirteenth aspect.
[0032] A fifteenth aspect provides a method for cleaning a target
object in a cleaning device configured to clean the target object,
the cleaning device comprising a supporting part configured to
support the target object that has been subjected to plating
processing and cleaning processing, a pressing part provided at a
position facing the supporting part with the target object
therebetween, the pressing part being configured to press the
target object against the supporting part, a moving mechanism
configured to move the pressing part toward the supporting part to
cause the pressing part to press the target object against the
supporting part, and a film thickness measuring part configured to
measure a film thickness of a plated film of the target object, the
method comprising a process of mounting the target object on the
supporting part, a process of moving the pressing part toward the
supporting part by the moving mechanism to cause the pressing part
to press the target object against the supporting part, and a
process of measuring the film thickness of the plated film of the
target object using the film thickness measuring part in a state in
which the target object is pressed against the supporting part.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0033] FIG. 1 is an entire layout diagram of a plating device
including a cleaning device according to the present
embodiment;
[0034] FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional side view of the cleaning
device; and
[0035] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a problem arising when
pressurizing rollers are not provided;
[0036] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a problem arising when the
pressurizing rollers are not provided;
[0037] FIG. 5 is a front view illustrating the pressurizing rollers
and a roller moving mechanism according to the present
embodiment;
[0038] FIG. 6 is a front view illustrating the pressurizing rollers
and the roller moving mechanism according to the present
embodiment;
[0039] FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating the pressurizing rollers
and the roller moving mechanism according to the present
embodiment;
[0040] FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional side view of a guide
part;
[0041] FIG. 9 is a schematic sectional side view of a cleaning
device according to another embodiment;
[0042] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a problem arising when
pressurizing rollers are not provided;
[0043] FIG. 11 is a front view illustrating a pressing part, a
moving mechanism, and a film thickness measuring part according to
another embodiment;
[0044] FIG. 12 is a front view illustrating the pressing part, the
moving mechanism, and the film thickness measuring part according
to another embodiment; and
[0045] FIG. 13 is a schematic sectional side view of a guide
part.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0046] The following describes embodiments of the present invention
with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that in each
embodiment to be described below, any identical or equivalent
members are denoted by an identical reference sign, and duplicate
description thereof will be omitted. Features shown in each
embodiment are also applicable to the other embodiments unless they
are inconsistent with each other. FIG. 1 is an entire layout
diagram of a plating device including a cleaning device according
to the present embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1, this plating
device 100 mainly includes a loading/unloading unit 110 configured
to load a substrate (corresponding to an exemplary target object)
onto a substrate holder and unload the substrate from the substrate
holder, a processing unit 120 configured to process the substrate,
and a cleaning part 50a. The processing unit 120 includes a
preprocessing-postprocessing unit 120A configured to perform
preprocessing and postprocessing on the substrate, and a plating
processing unit 120B configured to perform plating processing on
the substrate. Substrates processed through the plating device 100
include rectangular and circular substrates. The rectangular
substrates include rectangular printed boards and any other
rectangular plating objects.
[0047] The loading/unloading unit 110 includes two cassette tables
25 and a substrate attaching mechanism 29. A cassette 25a housing a
substrate such as a semiconductor wafer or a printed board is
mounted on each cassette table 25. The substrate attaching
mechanism 29 is configured to attach and detach the substrate to
and from a substrate holder (not illustrated). A stocker 30 for
housing the substrate holder is provided near (for example, below)
the substrate attaching mechanism 29. A substrate conveying device
27 including a conveyance robot configured to convey the substrate
between these components 25, 29, and 30 is disposed in the center
of the components. The substrate conveying device 27 is configured
to be movable by a movement mechanism 28.
[0048] The cleaning part 50a includes a cleaning device 50
configured to clean and dry a substrate that has been subjected to
plating processing. The substrate conveying device 27 is configured
to convey the substrate that has been subjected to plating
processing into the cleaning device 50 and take the cleaned
substrate out of the cleaning device 50. The cleaning device 50
will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2 later.
[0049] The preprocessing-postprocessing unit 120A includes a
pre-wet bath 32, a pre-soak bath 33, a pre-rinse bath 34, a blow
bath 35, and a rinse bath 36. In the pre-wet bath 32, a substrate
is immersed into pure water. In the pre-soak bath 33, an oxide film
on the surface of a conductive layer such as a seed layer formed on
the surface of the substrate is removed by etching. In the
pre-rinse bath 34, the pre-soaked substrate is cleaned by cleaning
liquid (for example, pure water) together with a substrate holder.
In the blow bath 35, liquid on the cleaned substrate is removed. In
the rinse bath 36, the substrate that has been subjected to plating
is cleaned by cleaning liquid together with the substrate holder.
The pre-wet bath 32, the pre-soak bath 33, the pre-rinse bath 34,
the blow bath 35, and the rinse bath 36 are disposed in this
order.
[0050] The plating processing unit 120B includes a plurality of
plating baths 39 provided with an overflow bath 38. Each plating
bath 39 houses one substrate and performs plating such as copper
plating on the surface of the substrate being immersed in plating
solution stored inside. The plating solution is not limited to a
particular kind, but various kinds of plating solution may be
applicable depending on usage.
[0051] The plating device 100 includes a substrate-holder conveying
device 37 disposed beside these instruments and employing, for
example, a linear motor scheme to convey the substrate holder
together with the substrate between these instruments. The
substrate-holder conveying device 37 is configured to convey the
substrate holder between the substrate attaching mechanism 29, the
pre-wet bath 32, the pre-soak bath 33, the pre-rinse bath 34, the
blow bath 35, the rinse bath 36, and the plating baths 39.
[0052] The following describes the cleaning device 50 illustrated
in FIG. 1 in detail. FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional side view of
the cleaning device 50. The cleaning device 50 includes an inlet 51
for a substrate W1, a first conveyance path 52, a vertical
conveyance path 53, a second conveyance path 54, and an outlet 55
for the substrate W1. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the first
conveyance path 52 and the second conveyance path 54 are vertically
arranged side by side, and the first conveyance path 52 is
positioned below the second conveyance path 54. The first
conveyance path 52 is a path that is communicated with the inlet 51
and on which the substrate W1 input through the inlet 51 is
conveyed. The second conveyance path 54 is a path on which the
substrate W1 is conveyed in a direction opposite to a direction in
which the substrate W1 is conveyed on the first conveyance path 52.
The second conveyance path 54 is connected with the first
conveyance path 52 through the vertical conveyance path 53 and
communicated with the outlet 55. The vertical conveyance path 53 is
a path extending in the vertical direction to connect the first
conveyance path 52 and the second conveyance path 54.
[0053] The inlet 51 is provided with an inlet shutter 51a for
opening and closing the inlet 51. The outlet 55 is provided with an
outlet shutter 55a for opening and closing the outlet 55. When the
cleaning device 50 is mounted on the plating device 100 as in the
present embodiment, or is mounted on, for example, a CMP device,
particles generated by cleaning float in the cleaning device 50,
and thus atmosphere in the cleaning device 50 has been degraded in
terms of cleanness as compared to that in the plating device 100
or, for example, the CMP device. When negative pressure is
maintained inside the cleaning device 50, reduction can be achieved
in flow of particles from the inside of the cleaning device 50 to
the outside thereof. However, negative pressure cannot be
maintained inside the cleaning device 50, for example, when a
pressure adjusting device is failed. In the present embodiment,
since the inside and outside of the cleaning device 50 can be
separated by the inlet shutter 51a and the outlet shutter 55a,
further reduction can be achieved in the external flow of particles
from the inside of the cleaning device 50.
[0054] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the first conveyance path 52 is
provided with a horizontal conveyance mechanism 56 (conveyance
mechanism) including, for example, a plurality of rollers that
convey the substrate W1 to the vertical conveyance path 53. The
rollers of the horizontal conveyance mechanism 56 may be disposed
to only contact a predetermined place of the substrate W1 depending
on, for example, the strength and material of the substrate W1. For
example, the rollers of the horizontal conveyance mechanism 56 may
be disposed to only contact a central part and both edge parts of
the substrate W1 in the width direction. An alignment mechanism
configured to adjust the position of the substrate W1 input through
the inlet 51 may be provided near the inlet 51 of the first
conveyance path 52. With this configuration, the substrate W1 input
through the inlet 51 can be placed at an appropriate position on
the horizontal conveyance mechanism 56.
[0055] When the substrate W1 is placed at an appropriate position
on the horizontal conveyance mechanism 56, pressurizing rollers 7
capable of pressing the substrate W1 against the horizontal
conveyance mechanism 56 are configured to move downward in the
vertical direction toward the horizontal conveyance mechanism 56 to
press the substrate W1 against the horizontal conveyance mechanism
56. A roller moving mechanism 72 is configured to move the
pressurizing rollers 70 downward in the vertical direction. The
pressurizing rollers 70 and the roller moving mechanism 72 will be
described in detail later. The substrate W1 is conveyed toward the
inside of a processing area 82 by the horizontal conveyance
mechanism 56 in a state in which the substrate W1 is pressed
against the horizontal conveyance mechanism 56 by the pressurizing
rollers 70.
[0056] The first conveyance path 52 is provided with a cleaning
unit 57 configured to clean the substrate W1 and a drying unit 58
configured to dry the substrate W1. In an embodiment, the cleaning
unit 57 includes a first cleaning unit 57a and a second cleaning
unit 57b positioned downstream of the first cleaning unit 57a. The
first cleaning unit 57a cleans the substrate W1 by spraying
de-ionized water (DIW; corresponding to exemplary cleaning liquid)
onto both or one of the surfaces of the substrate W1. The second
cleaning unit 57b removes particles on the surface of the substrate
W1 by jet-spraying DIW and gas simultaneously onto both or one of
the surfaces of the substrate W1. The gas sprayed by the second
cleaning unit 57b may be clean dry air or nitrogen. The first
cleaning unit 57a and the second cleaning unit 57b are each what is
called a non-contacting cleaning unit configured to clean the
substrate W1 with liquid or gas. The drying unit 58 is, for
example, what is called an air knife configured to spray compressed
gas in a thin layer shape out of an elongated slit to remove or dry
cleaning liquid adhering to both or one of the surfaces of the
substrate W1. The drying unit 58 is what is called a non-contacting
drying unit configured to dry the substrate W1 with gas.
[0057] The first cleaning unit 57a, the second cleaning unit 57b,
and the drying unit 58 are each enclosed by an independent chamber.
Atmosphere in any opening communicating the chambers is separated
by, for example, an air curtain (not illustrated). The first
cleaning unit 57a and the second cleaning unit 57b are connected
with a DIW supply line 59 for supplying DIW to these units. The
second cleaning unit 57b and the drying unit 58 are connected with
a gas supply line 60 for supplying gas to these units. The DIW
supply line 59 is provided with a filter 59a for capturing
particles in DIW and a flow meter 59b configured to measure the
flow rate of DIW. The gas supply line 60 is provided with a filter
60a for capturing particles in gas.
[0058] The vertical conveyance path 53 is provided with a vertical
conveyance mechanism 61 configured to receive the substrate W1
conveyed by the horizontal conveyance mechanism 56 and convey the
substrate W1 in the vertical direction from the first conveyance
path 52 to the second conveyance path 54. The vertical conveyance
mechanism 61 includes, for example, a supporting table that
supports the substrate W1, and an elevation mechanism configured to
elevate up and down the supporting table. The vertical conveyance
mechanism 61 may include a substrate conveying mechanism such as a
roller for passing the substrate W1 from the supporting table to a
horizontal conveyance mechanism (not illustrated) provided to the
second conveyance path 54. When the first conveyance path 52 and
the second conveyance path 54 are vertically arranged side by side
as in the present embodiment, the substrate W1 can be conveyed from
the first conveyance path 52 to the second conveyance path 54 by
the vertical conveyance mechanism 61.
[0059] The second conveyance path 54 is provided with a horizontal
conveyance mechanism (not illustrated) for horizontally conveying,
to the outlet 55, the substrate W1 conveyed by the vertical
conveyance mechanism 61. This horizontal conveyance mechanism may
be, for example, a roller similarly to the horizontal conveyance
mechanism 56, or a well-known robot hand. The second conveyance
path 54 is provided with an air-sending unit 62 such as a fun
filter unit (FFU) configured to send gas downward from above. In
the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the air-sending unit 62 is
provided near each of start and end points of the second conveyance
path 54. Examples of the gas sent by the air-sending unit 62
include clean dry air and nitrogen. An alignment mechanism
configured to adjust the position of the substrate W1 taken out of
the outlet 55 may be provided near the outlet 55 of the second
conveyance path 54. With this configuration, the substrate W1 can
be placed at an appropriate position on the horizontal conveyance
mechanism to allow the substrate conveying device 27 illustrated in
FIG. 1 to take the substrate W1 out of the outlet 55 by more
reliably holding the substrate W1.
[0060] The following describes a process of cleaning the substrate
W1 by using the cleaning device 50 described above. First, the
substrate conveying device 27 holds the substrate W1 plated in the
plating device 100 illustrated in FIG. 1. By this time, the liquid
removal has been performed on the substrate W1 at the blow bath 35
illustrated in FIG. 1, but the surface of the substrate W1 may be
wet or dried. When the inlet shutter 51a of the cleaning device 50
is opened, the substrate conveying device 27 inputs the substrate
W1 into the cleaning device 50 through the inlet 51. When the
substrate W1 is input to the cleaning device 50, the inlet shutter
51a is closed.
[0061] The pressurizing rollers 70 are configured to move downward
in the vertical direction toward the horizontal conveyance
mechanism 56 to press the substrate W1 against the horizontal
conveyance mechanism 56. In the inlet 51, the substrate W1 is
conveyed by the horizontal conveyance mechanism 56 in a state of
being pressed by the pressurizing rollers 70. The horizontal
conveyance mechanism 56 of the cleaning device 50 conveys the
substrate W1 input through the inlet 51 along the first conveyance
path 52. While being conveyed through the first conveyance path 52,
the substrate W1 is cleaned by the first cleaning unit 57a and the
second cleaning unit 57b in a non-contacting manner Specifically,
the substrate W1 is cleaned first by the first cleaning unit 57a
spraying DIW onto the surface of the substrate W1, and subsequently
by the second cleaning unit 57b spraying cleaning liquid and gas
simultaneously onto the surface of the substrate W1. Thereafter, at
the drying unit 58, the cleaning liquid on the substrate W1 is
removed by the air knife and then the substrate W1 is dried.
[0062] Having passed through the first conveyance path 52, the
substrate W1 is received by the vertical conveyance mechanism 61.
The vertical conveyance mechanism 61 conveys the substrate W1 in
the vertical direction from the first conveyance path 52 to the
second conveyance path 54. Having been conveyed onto the second
conveyance path 54, the substrate W1 is conveyed along the second
conveyance path 54 by the horizontal conveyance mechanism (not
illustrated). The air-sending unit 62 sends gas downward from above
on the second conveyance path 54. The gas presses particles inside
the cleaning device 50 downward to maintain clean atmosphere in the
second conveyance path 54.
[0063] When the substrate W1 is conveyed near the outlet 55, the
outlet shutter 55a is opened so that the substrate W1 is taken out
of the cleaning device 50 through the outlet 55 by the substrate
conveying device 27 illustrated in FIG. 1. The substrate conveying
device 27 houses the substrate W1 taken out of the cleaning device
50 into the cassette 25a inside the cassette tables 25 illustrated
in FIG. 1.
[0064] The pressurizing rollers 70 and the roller moving mechanism
72 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8, the
pressurizing rollers 70 being provided at a position facing the
horizontal conveyance mechanism 56 with the substrate W1
therebetween and capable of pressing the substrate W1 against the
horizontal conveyance mechanism 56, and the roller moving mechanism
72 being configured to move the pressurizing rollers 70 toward the
horizontal conveyance mechanism 56 to cause the pressurizing
rollers 70 to press the substrate W1 against the horizontal
conveyance mechanism 56.
[0065] First, a problem arising when the pressurizing rollers 70
are not provided will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, in the cleaning device 50 configured to
clean the substrate W1, when the substrate W1 is conveyed into the
cleaning device 50 by the horizontal conveyance mechanism 56, the
contact area between the substrate W1 having large warpage and the
horizontal conveyance mechanism 56 becomes smaller. For that
reason, the horizontal conveyance mechanism 56 rotates idly, and
thus is unable to convey the substrate W1.
[0066] As illustrated in FIG. 4, even when the substrate W1 having
large warpage can be conveyed by the horizontal conveyance
mechanism 56, such a substrate W1 interferes with a slit 76 as an
inlet to the processing area 82 in the cleaning device 50, and thus
is unable to pass through the slit 76. This is because the width of
the slit 76 is designed as narrow as possible to prevent gas and
the like in the cleaning device 50 from leaking to the outside of
the cleaning device 50.
[0067] FIGS. 5 and 6 each are a front view illustrating the
pressurizing rollers 70 and the roller moving mechanism 72
according to the present embodiment. The pressurizing rollers 70
are attached to a frame 80. The roller moving mechanism 72 is
attached to the frame 80. The roller moving mechanism 72 is
attached to an upper portion 78 of a case of the cleaning device 50
at a place where the inlet 51 is installed. The roller moving
mechanism 72 is, for example, an air cylinder, and is configured to
drive the frame 80 in the vertical direction. Any other drive
mechanism that can drive the frame 80 in the vertical direction can
be used as the roller moving mechanism 72.
[0068] FIG. 5 illustrates a state before the pressurizing rollers
70 are pressed against the substrate W1, and FIG. 6 illustrates a
state in which the pressurizing rollers 70 are sufficiently pressed
against the substrate W1 by being moved downward by the roller
moving mechanism 72. The pressurizing rollers 70 are pressed
against contactable portions of the substrate W1. The substrate W1
whose warpage has been corrected by the pressurizing rollers 70 is
conveyed without interfering with the slit 76 as an inlet of the
processing area 82.
[0069] FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating the pressurizing rollers
70 and the roller moving mechanism 72. In the present embodiment,
fourteen pressurizing rollers 70 are provided in the frame 80. The
number of the pressurizing rollers 70 is determined by, for
example, the kind and size of the substrate so that the
pressurizing rollers 70 can correct the warpage of the substrate.
One or more pressurizing rollers 70 may be provided depending on
the kind of substrate. In the case of a rectangular substrate, it
is desirable that the number of pressurizing rollers is at least
one at each of four corners of the substrate, that is, four. The
surface material of the pressurizing rollers 70 may be metal,
plastic, or the like. The arrangement and size of the pressurizing
rollers 70 are determined by, for example, the size of space in the
inlet 51, and the kind and size of the substrate.
[0070] The contact positions between the pressurizing rollers 70
and the substrate W1 are the contactable portions of the substrate
W1. Furthermore, the pressurizing rollers 70 may be disposed to
only contact predetermined places of the substrate W1 in
consideration of, for example, the strength and material of the
substrate W1. For example, as in the present embodiment, the
pressurizing rollers 70 may be disposed to only contact a central
part and both edge parts of the substrate W1 in the width
direction.
[0071] Rotation shafts 84 of the respective pressurizing rollers 70
are attached to the frame 80 through respective bearings.
Accordingly, the pressurizing rollers 70 are rotatable. The
bearings are not necessarily used. In the present embodiment, a
drive mechanism for rotationally driving the pressurizing rollers
70 is not provided, but a drive mechanism 88 indicated by the
dotted line may be provided. The number of the drive mechanisms 88
may be set depending on, for example, the size and weight of the
frame 80, the number, size, and weight of the pressurizing rollers
70, and the kind and size of the substrate.
[0072] Two openings 86 are provided in the frame 80 for the purpose
of weight reduction. The shape, size and number of the openings 86,
and the shape and size of the frame 80 may be appropriately set in
consideration of the weight reduction, and the strength required
for the frame 80. The number of the frames 80 and the number of the
roller moving mechanisms 72 each are one in the present embodiment,
but they are not limited to particular numbers. A plurality of
roller moving mechanisms 72 may be provided on one frame 80, and a
plurality of frames 80 may be provided. The number of the frames 80
and the number of the roller moving mechanisms 72 may be set
depending on the kind and size of the substrate W1 and the size of
the space in the inlet 51. The material of the frame 80 may be
metal, plastic, or the like.
[0073] The roller moving mechanism 72 is provided in the central
part of the frame 80. The force applied by the roller moving
mechanism 72 to the substrate W1 has a magnitude capable of
correcting the warpage of the substrate W1, and/or a magnitude
capable of preventing idling of the horizontal conveyance mechanism
56, and/or a magnitude to allow the substrate W1 to pass through
the slit 76.
[0074] Guide parts 90 for guiding movement of the frame 80 are
provided at four corners of the frame 80, respectively. FIG. 8 is a
schematic sectional side view of the guide part 90. The guide part
90 includes a shaft 92 and a spline 94. The shaft 92 is fixed to
the upper portion 78 by a fixture 96. The frame 80 is disposed
around the shaft 92 through the spline 94. The spline 94 is fixed
to the frame 80. The shaft 92 and the spline 94 are movable
relative to each other in the axial direction, that is, in the
vertical direction.
[0075] The spline 94 is generally provided with teeth on a shaft
and a mating part of a hole through which the shaft passes. The
spline 94 may be a ball spline. The ball spline may be used for the
following reason. When the shaft moves in the axial direction, the
axial movement with surface contact generates sliding friction,
resulting in potentially large sliding resistance. As a
countermeasure, the ball spline is used, the ball spline providing
the movement with the sliding resistance largely reduced by
arranging balls (steel balls) in a part corresponding to the teeth
of the spline to generate rolling friction. The spline 94 does not
have to be a spline. For example, a simple round bar or square bar
may be combined with a simple round hole or square hole. The number
of guide parts 90 is four in the present embodiment. The number,
arrangement and size of the guide parts 90 are determined depending
on, for example, the kind and size of the substrate.
[0076] The arrangements of the roller moving mechanism 72 and the
guide parts 90 are not limited to those illustrated in FIG. 7, and
for example, the roller moving mechanisms 72 may be provided at
four corners of the frame 80 and the guide parts 90 may be provided
in the central part and peripheral part of the frame 80. The roller
moving mechanism 72, the pressurizing rollers 70 and the frame 80
may be movable horizontally as a whole. For that purpose, for
example, the roller moving mechanism 72 and the guide parts 90 may
be attached to a member movable horizontally, and a drive part for
driving this member horizontally may be provided.
[0077] The method for cleaning the substrate W1 in the cleaning
device 50 configured to clean the substrate W1 is performed as
follows. The substrate W1 is input into the cleaning device 50
through the inlet 51. The substrate W1 is mounted on the horizontal
conveyance mechanism 56. The pressurizing rollers 70 are moved
toward the horizontal conveyance mechanism 56 by the roller moving
mechanism 72 to press the substrate W1 against the horizontal
conveyance mechanism 56 by the pressurizing rollers 70. The
substrate W1 is conveyed into the processing area 82 in a state of
being pressed by the horizontal conveyance mechanism 56. The
substrate W1 is cleaned and dried in the processing area 82.
[0078] Another embodiment of the cleaning device 50 illustrated in
FIG. 9 will be described in detail. FIG. 9 is a schematic sectional
side view of a cleaning device 50 according to another embodiment.
The cleaning device 50 includes an inlet 51 for a substrate W1, a
first conveyance path 52, a vertical conveyance path 53, a second
conveyance path 54, and an outlet 55 for the substrate W1. As
illustrated in FIG. 9, the first conveyance path 52 and the second
conveyance path 54 are vertically arranged side by side, and the
first conveyance path 52 is positioned below the second conveyance
path. The first conveyance path 52 is a path that is communicated
with the inlet 51 and on which the substrate W1 input through the
inlet 51 is conveyed. The second conveyance path 54 is a path on
which the substrate W1 is conveyed in a direction opposite to a
direction in which the substrate W1 is conveyed on the first
conveyance path 52. The second conveyance path 54 is connected with
the first conveyance path through the vertical conveyance path 53
and communicated with the outlet. The vertical conveyance path 53
is a path extending in the vertical direction to connect the first
conveyance path 52 and the second conveyance path.
[0079] The inlet 51 is provided with an inlet shutter 51a for
opening and closing the inlet 51. The outlet 55 is provided with an
outlet shutter 55a for opening and closing the outlet 55. When the
cleaning device 50 is mounted on the plating device 100 as in the
present embodiment, or is mounted on, for example, a CMP device,
particles generated by cleaning float in the cleaning device 50,
and thus atmosphere in the cleaning device 50 has been degraded in
terms of cleanness as compared to that in the plating device 100
or, for example, the CMP device. When negative pressure is
maintained inside the cleaning device 50, reduction can be achieved
in flow of particles from the inside of the cleaning device 50 to
the outside thereof. However, negative pressure cannot be
maintained inside the cleaning device 50, for example, when a
pressure adjusting device is failed. In the present embodiment,
since the inside and outside of the cleaning device 50 can be
separated by the inlet shutter 51a and the outlet shutter 55a,
further reduction can be achieved in the external flow of particles
from the inside of the cleaning device 50.
[0080] As illustrated in FIG. 9, the first conveyance path 52 is
provided with a horizontal conveyance mechanism 56 (conveyance
mechanism) including, for example, a plurality of rollers that
convey the substrate W1 to the vertical conveyance path 53. The
rollers of the horizontal conveyance mechanism 56 may be disposed
to only contact a predetermined place of the substrate W1 depending
on, for example, the strength and material of the substrate W1. For
example, the rollers of the horizontal conveyance mechanism 56 may
be disposed to only contact a central part and both edge parts of
the substrate W1 in the width direction. An alignment mechanism
configured to adjust the position of the substrate W1 input through
the inlet 51 may be provided near the inlet 51 of the first
conveyance path 52. With this configuration, the substrate W1 input
through the inlet 51 can be placed at an appropriate position on
the horizontal conveyance mechanism 56.
[0081] The first conveyance path 52 is provided with a cleaning
unit 57 configured to clean the substrate W1 and a drying unit 58
configured to dry the substrate W1. In an embodiment, the cleaning
unit 57 includes a first cleaning unit 57a and a second cleaning
unit 57b positioned downstream of the first cleaning unit 57a. The
first cleaning unit 57a cleans the substrate W1 by spraying
de-ionized water (DIW; corresponding to exemplary cleaning liquid)
onto both or one of the surfaces of the substrate W1. The second
cleaning unit 57b removes particles on the surface of the substrate
W1 by jet-spraying DIW and gas simultaneously onto both or one of
the surfaces of the substrate W1. The gas sprayed by the second
cleaning unit 57b may be clean dry air or nitrogen. The first
cleaning unit 57a and the second cleaning unit 57b are each what is
called a non-contacting cleaning unit configured to clean the
substrate W1 with liquid or gas. The drying unit 58 is, for
example, what is called an air knife configured to spray compressed
gas in a thin layer shape out of an elongated slit to remove or dry
cleaning liquid adhering to both or one of the surfaces of the
substrate W1. The drying unit 58 is what is called a non-contacting
drying unit configured to dry the substrate W1 with gas.
[0082] The first cleaning unit 57a, the second cleaning unit 57b,
and the drying unit 58 are each enclosed by an independent chamber.
Atmosphere in any opening communicating the chambers is separated
by, for example, an air curtain (not illustrated). The first
cleaning unit 57a and the second cleaning unit 57b are connected
with a DIW supply line 59 for supplying DIW to these units. The
second cleaning unit 57b and the drying unit 58 are connected with
a gas supply line 60 for supplying gas to these units. The DIW
supply line 59 is provided with a filter 59a for capturing
particles in DIW and a flow meter 59b configured to measure the
flow rate of DIW. The gas supply line 60 is provided with a filter
60a for capturing particles in gas.
[0083] The vertical conveyance path 53 is provided with a vertical
conveyance mechanism 61 configured to receive the substrate W1
conveyed by the horizontal conveyance mechanism 56 and convey the
substrate W1 in the vertical direction from the first conveyance
path 52 to the second conveyance path 54. The vertical conveyance
mechanism 61 includes, for example, a supporting table that
supports the substrate W1, and an elevation mechanism configured to
elevate up and down the supporting table. The vertical conveyance
mechanism 61 may include a substrate conveying mechanism such as a
roller for passing the substrate W1 from the supporting table to a
horizontal conveyance mechanism (not illustrated) provided to the
second conveyance path 54. When the first conveyance path 52 and
the second conveyance path 54 are vertically arranged side by side
as in the present embodiment, the substrate W1 can be conveyed from
the first conveyance path 52 to the second conveyance path 54 by
the vertical conveyance mechanism 61.
[0084] The second conveyance path 54 is provided with a horizontal
conveyance mechanism (not illustrated) for horizontally conveying,
to the outlet 55, the substrate W1 conveyed by the vertical
conveyance mechanism 61. This horizontal conveyance mechanism may
be, for example, a roller similarly to the horizontal conveyance
mechanism 56, or a well-known robot hand. The second conveyance
path 54 is provided with an air-sending unit 62 such as a fun
filter unit (FFU) configured to send gas downward from above. In
the example illustrated in FIG. 9, the air-sending unit 62 is
provided near each of start and end points of the second conveyance
path 54. Examples of the gas sent by the air-sending unit 62
include clean dry air and nitrogen. An alignment mechanism
configured to adjust the position of the substrate W1 taken out of
the outlet 55 may be provided near the outlet 55 of the second
conveyance path 54. With this configuration, the substrate W1 can
be placed at an appropriate position on the horizontal conveyance
mechanism to allow the substrate conveying device 27 illustrated in
FIG. 1 to take the substrate W1 out of the outlet 55 by more
reliably holding the substrate W1.
[0085] When the substrate W1 is placed at an appropriate position
on the horizontal conveyance mechanism in the outlet 55, a pressing
part capable of pressing the substrate W1 against the horizontal
conveyance mechanism is configured to move downward in the vertical
direction toward the horizontal conveyance mechanism to press the
substrate W1 against the horizontal conveyance mechanism. A film
thickness of a plated film is measured by a film thickness
measuring part in a state in which the substrate W1 is pressed
against the horizontal conveyance mechanism by the pressuring part.
After the measurement, the substrate W1 is conveyed to the outside
of the cleaning device 50 by the substrate conveying device 27. The
pressing part, the moving mechanism, and the film thickness
measuring part will be described in detail later.
[0086] When the measurement result fails due to small film
thickness of the plated film and/or uneven film thickness, the
substrate is plated again without being applied with the resist
again. That is, the rejected substrate is conveyed to the inlet 51
by the substrate conveying device 27, and is plated again. Note
that when the measurement result fails, the substrate W1 may be
disposed of without being plated again.
[0087] The following describes a process of cleaning the substrate
W1 by using the cleaning device 50 described above. First, the
substrate conveying device 27 holds the substrate W1 plated in the
plating device 100 illustrated in FIG. 1. By this time, the liquid
removal has been performed on the substrate W1 at the blow bath 35
illustrated in FIG. 1, but the surface of the substrate W1 may be
wet or dried. When the inlet shutter 51a of the cleaning device 50
is opened, the substrate conveying device 27 inputs the substrate
W1 into the cleaning device 50 through the inlet 51. When the
substrate W1 is input to the cleaning device 50, the inlet shutter
51a is closed.
[0088] The horizontal conveyance mechanism 56 of the cleaning
device 50 conveys the substrate W1 input through the inlet 51 along
the first conveyance path 52. While being conveyed through the
first conveyance path 52, the substrate W1 is cleaned by the first
cleaning unit 57a and the second cleaning unit 57b in a
non-contacting manner Specifically, the substrate W1 is cleaned
first by the first cleaning unit 57a spraying DIW onto the surface
of the substrate W1, and subsequently by the second cleaning unit
57b spraying cleaning liquid and gas simultaneously onto the
surface of the substrate W1. Thereafter, at the drying unit 58, the
cleaning liquid on the substrate W1 is removed by the air knife and
then the substrate W1 is dried.
[0089] Having passed through the first conveyance path 52, the
substrate W1 is received by the vertical conveyance mechanism 61.
The vertical conveyance mechanism 61 conveys the substrate W1 in
the vertical direction from the first conveyance path 52 to the
second conveyance path 54. Having been conveyed onto the second
conveyance path 54, the substrate W1 is conveyed along the second
conveyance path 54 by the horizontal conveyance mechanism (not
illustrated). The air-sending unit 62 sends gas downward from above
on the second conveyance path 54. The gas presses particles inside
the cleaning device 50 downward to maintain clean atmosphere in the
second conveyance path 54.
[0090] When the substrate W1 is conveyed near the outlet 55, the
outlet shutter 55a is opened so that the substrate W1 is taken out
of the cleaning device 50 through the outlet 55 by the substrate
conveying device 27 illustrated in FIG. 1. The substrate conveying
device 27 houses the substrate W1 taken out of the cleaning device
50 into the cassette 25a inside the cassette tables 25 illustrated
in FIG. 1.
[0091] The film thickness of the plated film of the substrate W1 at
the outlet 55 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
10 to 13. As illustrated in FIG. 11, the cleaning device 50
includes a horizontal conveyance mechanism 102 (supporting part)
configured to support the substrate W1 (target object) that has
been subjected to plating processing and cleaning processing, a
pressing part 104 provided at a position facing the horizontal
conveyance mechanism 102 with the substrate W1 therebetween and
capable of pressing the substrate W1 against the horizontal
conveyance mechanism 102, a moving mechanism 106 configured to move
the pressing part 104 toward the horizontal conveyance mechanism
102 to cause the pressing part 104 to press the substrate W1
against the horizontal conveyance mechanism 102, and film thickness
measuring parts 108 configured to measure the film thickness of the
plated film of the substrate W1.
[0092] Hereinafter, the case will be described in which the
pressing part 104, the moving mechanism 106, and the film thickness
measuring parts 108 are disposed in the outlet 55. These may be
disposed in a place other than the outlet 55. These may be
installed in any place such as the vertical conveyance path 53 and
the second conveyance path 54 in the cleaning device 50. When the
substrate W1 is on the supporting table of the vertical conveyance
mechanism 61, the film thickness of the plated film may be
measured. The pressing part 104, the moving mechanism 106, and the
film thickness measuring parts 108 may be installed on the outside
of the cleaning device 50 itself and the inside of the plating
device 100 to measure the film thickness.
[0093] First, a problem arising when the pressing part 104 is not
provided will be described with reference to FIG. 10. To measure
the film thickness after the substrate W1 is plated, the substrate
W1 having large warpage is installed on the horizontal conveyance
mechanism 102 in the outlet 55 as illustrated in FIG. 10, for
example. When the film thickness of the plated film of the
substrate W1 is measured, the substrate W1 having large warpage has
a warpage size 112 of several millimeters or more. In the film
thickness measurement of the plated film, a measured value of the
film thickness varies depending on a distance between a film
thickness measuring device and the substrate W1. There is a
conventional problem in that the warpage size 112 of several
millimeters or more makes it impossible to measure the film
thickness with necessary accuracy.
[0094] FIG. 11 is a front view illustrating the pressing part 104,
the moving mechanism 106, and the film thickness measuring part 108
according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a
plan view viewed from a direction of AA of FIG. 11. In the present
embodiment, a supporting part of the substrate W1 is a horizontal
conveyance mechanism 102 configured to convey the substrate W1, but
any other part that can support the substrate W1 can be used as the
supporting part. For example, a fixed supporting part may be used
as the supporting part. The horizontal conveyance mechanism 102
includes rollers 114, and rotation shafts 116 that are attached to
the respective rollers 114. The rotation shafts 116 are attached to
a frame (not illustrated) through respective bearings. The rotation
shafts 116 are rotationally driven by a drive mechanism (for
example, a motor) (not illustrated). The rollers 114 contact the
contactable portions on a back surface of the substrate W1. In the
present embodiment, the contactable portions are present on the
side parts and the central parts of the back surface of the
substrate W1.
[0095] The pressing part 104 can press the substrate W1 against the
horizontal conveyance mechanism 102. The pressing part 104 contacts
the contactable portion of a front surface of the substrate W1. In
the present embodiment, the contactable portion corresponds to a
cross-shaped portion on the front surface of the substrate W1 as
illustrated in FIG. 12. The pressing part 104 is formed in a cross
shape to match the shape of the contactable portion of the
substrate W1. The shape of the pressing part 104 is not limited to
a cross shape. The shape of the pressing part 104 can be selected
in consideration of, for example, a contactable portion, a portion
requiring the film thickness measurement, and a pressing portion
requiring the warpage correction. The pressing part 104 may be
formed to have a polygonal shape, a circular shape, or an
elliptical shape, for example.
[0096] The moving mechanism 106 configured to move the pressing
part 104 toward the horizontal conveyance mechanism 102 includes a
cylinder 118, a sensor supporting plate 122, a shaft 124, and guide
parts 90. The cylinder 118 is fixed to an upper frame 128 of the
outlet 55 by bolts or the like. Any driving scheme such as a
pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, and an electric cylinder
may be used as the cylinder 118. The pressing part 104 is attached
to a distal end of the shaft 124 of the cylinder 118. The shaft 124
is movable in the vertical direction by the cylinder 118.
[0097] The sensor supporting plate 122 is attached to a middle
portion of the shaft 124. The sensor supporting plate 122 is a
square flat plate having substantially the same size as the
substrate W1 in the present embodiment. The sensor supporting plate
122 may be formed to have a circular shape, a polygonal shape, a
frame structure, or the like in addition to the square shape. The
shape of the sensor supporting plate 122 is determined depending
on, for example, the arrangement of the film thickness measuring
parts 108, the arrangement of the guide parts 90 described later,
the strength and weight required for the sensor supporting plate
122 itself. The film thickness measuring parts 108 are attached to
the sensor supporting plate 122 through respective sensor drive
parts 130.
[0098] The sensor drive parts 130 are configured to move the
respective film thickness measuring parts 108 to measure the film
thicknesses. The film thickness measuring parts 108 are moved to
measure the film thicknesses of the plated film of the substrate W1
at a plurality of points of the substrate W1. The material of the
sensor supporting plate 122 and the pressing part 104 is metal,
plastic or the like. The material is determined in consideration
of, for example, the strength, weight, cleanness, and
processability required for the sensor supporting plate 122 and the
pressing part 104.
[0099] In the present embodiment, four film thickness measuring
parts 108 are provided as illustrated in FIG. 12. The number of the
film thickness measuring parts 108 is one or more. The film
thickness measuring parts 108 may be unable to be moved. The number
and arrangement of the film thickness measuring parts 108 and
whether to move the film thickness measuring parts 108 are
determined in consideration of, for example, the number of portions
requiring the film thickness measurement, and the frequency of
measurement. In the present embodiment, the film thickness
measuring parts 108 are moved on the substrate W1 as indicated by
arrows 132 by the sensor drive parts 130 as illustrated in FIG. 12.
The arrows 132 each represent the movement in a direction Y.
[0100] The film thickness measuring parts 108 can be moved on the
substrate W1 as indicated by arrows 134 by the horizontal
conveyance mechanism 102. The arrows 134 each represent the
movement in a direction X. The direction X is a direction in which
the substrate W1 is conveyed by the horizontal conveyance mechanism
102. The direction Y is a direction substantially perpendicular to
the direction X. The direction Y is not limited to the direction
substantially perpendicular to the direction X. When the direction
Y is different from the direction X, the film thicknesses can be
measured over the entire substrate W1.
[0101] In the present embodiment, the movement in the direction X
and the movement in the direction Y are performed by separate drive
mechanisms, but the movement in the direction X and the movement in
the direction Y may be performed by a single drive mechanism. In
the present embodiment, the film thickness measuring parts 108 are
moved only in the direction X and the direction Y, but the moving
direction of the film thickness measuring parts 108 is not limited
to these directions. The film thickness measuring parts 108 may be
moved on the curved line. For example, the film thickness measuring
parts 108 may be moved in such a manner as to draw a circular or
polygonal spiral shape.
[0102] The sensor drive part 130 may be a pneumatic drive part, a
hydraulic drive part, or an electric (for example, linear motor)
drive part. A driving scheme can be selected depending on, for
example, the speed, position accuracy, cleanness, power
consumption, strength, and weight that are required for the sensor
drive part 130.
[0103] The guide parts 90 for guiding the sensor supporting plate
122 are provided at four positions of the sensor supporting plate
122, as illustrated in FIG. 12. In FIG. 12, the guide parts 90
appear to be disposed in the pressing part 104, but the positions
of the guide parts 90 illustrated in FIG. 12 are merely shown by
projecting the actual positions on the sensor supporting plate 122
onto the pressing part 104.
[0104] FIG. 13 is a schematic sectional side view of the guide part
90. The guide part 90 includes a shaft 92 and a spline 94. The
shaft 92 is fixed to the upper portion 128 by a fixture 96. The
sensor supporting plate 122 is disposed around the shaft 92 through
the spline 94. The spline 94 is fixed to the sensor supporting
plate 122. The shaft 92 and the spline 94 are movable relative to
each other in the axial direction, that is, in the vertical
direction.
[0105] The spline 94 is generally provided with teeth on a shaft
and a mating part of a hole through which the shaft passes. The
spline 94 may be a ball spline. The ball spline may be used for the
following reason. When the shaft moves in the axial direction, the
axial movement with surface contact generates sliding friction,
resulting in potentially large sliding resistance. As a
countermeasure, the ball spline is used, the ball spline providing
the movement with the sliding resistance largely reduced by
arranging balls (steel balls) in a part corresponding to the teeth
of the spline to generate rolling friction. The spline 94 does not
have to be a spline. For example, a simple round bar or square bar
may be combined with a simple round hole or square hole. The number
of guide parts 90 is four in the present embodiment. The number,
arrangement and size of the guide parts 90 are determined depending
on, for example, the kind and size of the substrate.
[0106] The arrangements of the cylinder 118 and the guide parts 90
are not limited to those illustrated in FIG. 12, and for example,
the cylinders 118 may be provided at four corners of the sensor
supporting plate 122 and the guide parts 90 may be provided in the
central part and peripheral part of the sensor supporting plate
122. The cylinder 118 and the guide parts 90 may be movable
horizontally as a whole. For that purpose, for example, the
cylinder 118 and the guide parts 90 may be attached to a member
movable horizontally, and a drive part for driving this member
horizontally may be provided.
[0107] In the embodiment of FIGS. 11 and 12, the pressing part 104
is formed in a plate shape, but the shape of the pressing part is
not limited to a plate shape. The pressing part 104 may include
rollers and roller mounting parts so that the rollers press the
substrate W1 against the horizontal conveyance mechanism 102. It is
desirable that the number of rollers is at least four so that the
rollers can correct the warpage of the substrate W1. The roller
mounting part is a plate or a frame, and the shaft 124 of the
moving mechanism 106 is attached to the roller mounting parts. In
this case, the moving mechanism 106 presses the substrate W1 via
the roller mounting parts and the rollers.
[0108] The film thickness measuring parts 108 may be, for example,
eddy current sensors. The eddy current sensor includes an exciting
coil and a detection coil. The high frequency alternating current
(2 MHz or higher) flows through the exciting coil to generate an
alternating current magnetic field. The exciting coil generates an
eddy current in an electrically conductive metal surface of the
substrate W1 in proximity to the exciting coil due to the
alternating current magnetic field. The eddy current flows in a
direction that cancels the alternating current magnetic field. The
detection coil detects the magnetic field generated by the eddy
current. The intensity of the magnetic field detected by the
detection coil depends on the film thickness of the substrate W1,
thereby enabling the film thickness to be detected. The eddy
current sensor detects the intensity of the magnetic field as a
current flowing through the detection coil or an impedance of the
detection coil.
[0109] The film thickness measuring part 108 is not limited to an
eddy current sensor (that is, a sensor for detecting the magnitude
of the eddy current induced in the metal surface). Any type of film
thickness measuring device that can measure the film thickness of
the plated film can be used as the film thickness measuring part
108. For example, as the film thickness measuring part 108, an
electromagnetic induction type film thickness measuring device (a
film thickness measuring device that utilizes a fact that the
voltage of the detection coil changes in response to a slight
change in the film thickness using the fact that the reaction
(electromagnetic induction) occurs against the exciting coil
attracting the magnetic body when the magnetic body moves closer to
the distal end of the exciting coil), an electrical resistance type
film thickness measuring device (a film thickness measuring device
that brings four measuring terminals in contact with the metal
surface to measure the degree of the voltage drop between two inner
terminals while the current flows from two outer terminals into the
two inner terminals), or a magnetic type film thickness measuring
device (a film thickness measuring device that utilizes hall
effect) may be used.
[0110] In the present embodiment, the substrate W1 has a resist,
and the film thickness measuring part 108 measures the film
thickness of the plated film of the substrate W1 having a resist.
However, the substrate W1 need not have the resist. When the
measurement result of the film thickness of the substrate W1 having
a resist fails due to small film thickness of the plated film
and/or uneven film thickness, the substrate W1 can be plated again
without being applied with the resist again. The substrate W1 can
be plated again without disposing of the rejected substrate.
Therefore, the costs can be reduced.
[0111] In FIG. 12, the number of the film thickness measuring parts
108 is four, but only two film thickness measuring parts 108
including a film thickness measuring part 108a and a film thickness
measuring part 108b may be provided. In this case, the film
thickness of the entire substrate W1 can be measured by two film
thickness measuring parts 108a and 108b using a fact that the
substrate W1 is conveyed in the direction X by the horizontal
conveyance mechanism 102.
[0112] The sensor supporting plate 122 illustrated in FIG. 12 is
not necessarily provided. In this case, the film thickness
measuring parts 108 and the sensor drive parts 130 may be directly
attached to the upper frame 128 through a cylinder separate from
the cylinder 118. The cylinder separate from the cylinder 118 is
configured to move the film thickness measuring parts 108 and the
sensor drive parts 130 in the vertical direction. Note that when
the film thickness measuring parts 108 need not be moved in the
horizontal direction, the sensor drive parts 130 are
unnecessary.
[0113] The method for cleaning the substrate W1 in the cleaning
device 50 configured to clean the substrate W1 is performed as
follows. The substrate W1 is input into the cleaning device 50
through the inlet 51. The substrate W1 is conveyed to the
processing area 82 in a state in which the substrate W1 is mounted
on the horizontal conveyance mechanism 56. The substrate W1 is
cleaned and dried in the processing area 82. Thereafter, the
substrate W1 is mounted on the horizontal conveyance mechanism 102
of the second conveyance path 54 to be conveyed to the outlet 55.
The pressing part 104 is moved toward the horizontal conveyance
mechanism 102 by the moving mechanism 106. The substrate W1 is
pressed against the horizontal conveyance mechanism 102 by the
pressing part 104 to correct the warpage of the substrate W1. The
film thickness of the plated film of the substrate W1 is measured
using the film thickness measuring parts 108 in a state in which
the substrate W1 is pressed against the horizontal conveyance
mechanism 102. After the measurement, the substrate W1 is unloaded
from the outlet 55.
[0114] The embodiments of the present invention described above are
intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention, but
not to limit the present invention. The present invention can be
changed and modified without departing from the scope of the
invention. It should be understood that the present invention
includes any equivalent thereof. In addition, any components
disclosed in the claims and the specification may be optionally
combined or omitted as long as at least part of the above-described
problem is solved or at least part of the effect thereof is
achieved.
[0115] This application claims priority under the Paris Convention
to Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-60348 filed on Mar. 27,
2018 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-60350 filed on Mar.
27, 2018. The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos.
2018-6404 and 2005-240108 including specifications, claims,
drawings and summaries is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0116] 50 Cleaning device [0117] 51 Inlet [0118] 52 First
conveyance path [0119] 53 Vertical conveyance path [0120] 54 Second
conveyance path [0121] 55 Outlet [0122] 56 Horizontal conveyance
mechanism [0123] 57 Cleaning unit [0124] 70 Pressurizing roller
[0125] 72 Roller moving mechanism [0126] 76 Slit [0127] 80 Frame
[0128] 82 Processing area [0129] 90 Guide part [0130] 92 Shaft
[0131] 94 Spline [0132] 100 Device [0133] 50a Cleaning part [0134]
102 Horizontal conveyance mechanism [0135] 104 Pressing part [0136]
106 Moving mechanism [0137] 108 Film thickness measuring part
[0138] 114 Roller [0139] 118 Cylinder [0140] 122 Sensor supporting
plate [0141] 124 Shaft [0142] 130 Sensor drive part
* * * * *