Coating apparatus – Work holders – or handling devices
Utility Patent
1998-11-04
2001-01-02
Edwards, Laura (Department: 1734)
Coating apparatus
Work holders, or handling devices
C118S506000
Utility Patent
active
06168665
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus comprising a cup and a lid which define a processing space for processing a large substrate such as a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display (LCD).
In an LCD manufacturing process, similarly in a manufacturing process for a semiconductor device, a photolithographic technology is employed. In the LCD photolithographic process, a resist coating film is formed on a glass substrate, and then subjected to pattern exposure and development. Thereafter, a semiconductor layer, an insulating layer and an electrode layer formed on the substrate are selectively etched to form an ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) thin film and an electrode pattern.
A resist solution is coated on the LCD substrate by use of a so-called spin-coating method, for example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,322. Operation using coating apparatus of this type is performed as follows: First, a lid is opened and a substrate is loaded into a cup. While the substrate is adsorbed and held by a spin chuck, a solvent and a resist solution are poured dropwise onto the surface of the substrate. After the lid is closed, the substrate is rotated by the spin chuck. Then, the lid is opened and the substrate is unloaded from the cup. Finally the lid is closed.
The lid is supported at one side by a support arm which is movable up and down by an air cylinder mechanism. In a conventionally employed apparatus, the maximum stroke amount required for lifting the lid from the cup, is equal to that of the cylinder. Therefore, the distance between the lid and the cup is short, with the result that a sufficient space cannot be ensured for cleaning the inside of the cup. To clean the inside of the cup, the lid and the support arm must be removed from the apparatus main body every time. However, it is inconvenient to remove them from the main apparatus.
In addition, because the lid and the support arm are large and heavy, it is difficult to handle them. When they are removed from and attached to the apparatus main body, they may possibly hit the cup and its accessories and destroy them. Furthermore, an excessive load is imposed on the air cylinder mechanism when the lid is lifted, so that machine trouble frequently takes place. Therefore the conventional apparatus is short in lift. On the other hand, when the lid is moved down, it takes too much time to exhaust the inner air from the cylinder, with the result that the throughput is low.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of opening and closing a lid during the substrate processing time and performing operation simple and securely without taking the apparatus apart during the maintenance operation time.
According to the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus comprising
a substrate mounting table;
a cup having an upper opening and surrounding the substrate mounting table;
a lid for opening/closing the upper opening of the cup;
a support arm for supporting the lid;
a first lifting mechanism having a first piston for supporting the support arm directly or indirectly and a first cylinder for guiding the first piston in an up-and-down motion;
a second lifting mechanism having a second piston for supporting the support arm directly or indirectly and a second cylinder for guiding the second piston in up-and -down motion;
a driving circuit for supplying the pressurized fluid to the first and second cylinders, independently and exhausting the pressurized fluid from the first and second cylinders, independently; and
a control mechanism for controlling operations of the driving circuit.
According to the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus comprising
a substrate mounting table;
a cup having an upper opening and surrounding the substrate mounting table;
a lid for opening/closing the upper opening of the cup;
a support arm for supporting the lid;
a cylinder mechanism having a piston for transmitting a driving force for moving the support arm up and down, to the support arm;
an upper pulley set at a position higher than an upper dead point of the piston of the cylinder mechanism
a lower pulley set at a position lower than the upper pulley;
an endless belt stretching between the upper and lower pulleys to one side of which said support arm is fastened; and
a weight fastened to the other side of the endless belt so as to keep a balance of the support arm and the lid.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3563158 (1971-02-01), Omer
patent: 5695817 (1997-12-01), Tateyama et al.
patent: 5718763 (1998-02-01), Tateyama et al.
patent: 6050446 (2000-04-01), Lei et al.
Motoda Kimio
Sakai Mitsuhiro
Tateyama Kiyohisa
Edwards Laura
Koch, III George R.
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Tokyo Electron Limited
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