Fluid supplying and processing device

A fluid supplying and processing device has a plurality of fluid guide pipes having distal ends opening above a workpiece such as a disc base. The open ends of the fluid guide pipes discharge respective different processing fluids supplied from respective fluid sources toward the workpiece for thereby processing the workpiece, such as to form a photoresist pattern on the surface of the disc base. At least one of the fluid guide pipes has at least a distal end portion inserted in another of the fluid guide pipes. The outer side surface of the distal end portion of said one fluid guide pipe is cleaned by a fluid flowing through the other surrounding fluid guide pipe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a device for supplying a fluid to a 
workpiece so as to process the workpiece. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
One known device for supplying a fluid to a disc carrying thereon a 
photo-resist layer in the process of manufacturing a disc master is a 
spinner used in the step of forming a photo-resist pattern on a disc base 
or in the step of removing a photo-resist layer from a disc base. 
FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates such a known fluid 
supplying and processing device. 
The fluid supplying and processing device includes a turntable 2 for 
carrying and rotating a workpiece 1 such as a disc base, and a spinner 
bowl 3 enclosing a working region around the turntable 2. Three fluid 
guide pipes 4, 5, 6 are disposed above the spinner bowl 3 for guiding 
fluids, such as a developing solution, a fixing solution, and a cleaning 
solution, respectively, which are supplied from respective fluid sources 
(not shown), onto the workpiece 1. The fluid guide pipes 4, 5, 6 have 
distal ends extending into the spinner bowl 3 and opening above the 
turntable 2 for discharging the respective fluids toward the workpiece 1 
on the turntable 2. The supply of the fluids through the fluid guide pipes 
4, 5, 6 is controlled by automatically opening and closing cocks 7, 8, 9 
which are disposed respectively in the pipes 4, 5, 6, respectively. The 
fluids are discharged from the fluid guide pipes 4, 5, 6 while the 
turntable 2 is being rotated. As the fluids are discharged from the fluid 
guide pipes 4, 5, these pipes 4, 5, are moved radially with respect to the 
turntable 2. 
If the fluid discharged by the fluid guide pipe 4 is of a solidifiable 
nature, then some of the fluid discharged thereby remains on the open end 
of the pipe 4 and is deposited thereon as shown. The fluid discharged form 
the fluid guide pipe 4 onto the workpiece 1 is partly repelled by the 
workpiece 1 when the turntable 2 rotates. The repelled fluid is then 
repelled again by the inner wall surface of the spinner bowl 3, and the 
repelled fluid droplets are attached to and deposited on the open ends of 
the fluid guide pipes 4 through 6. The fluid deposits on the pipes 4 
through 6 may fall onto the workpiece 1 before they are fully solidified 
on the pipes, so that the workpiece 1 may undesirably be contaminated. 
When this happens, the production of processed workpieces 1 suffers a low 
yield. Such workpiece contamination may be prevented by a device which 
wipes any fluid deposits off the open ends of the pipes 4 through 6 each 
time the fluid has been ejected from the fluid guide pipe 4, or a device 
which discharges a cleaning solution to wash away fluid deposits from the 
pipe ends. However, these additional devices make the production process 
complex, lower the efficiency of operation, and result in an increase in 
the cost of the fluid supplying and processing device. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the aforesaid shortcomings of the conventional fluid supplying 
and processing device, it is an object of the present invention to provide 
a fluid supplying and processing device which can prevent a workpiece from 
being contaminated, but can be manufactured without a substantial increase 
in the cost thereof. 
According to the present invention, a fluid supplying and processing device 
includes a support means for supporting a workpiece, and a plurality of 
fluid guide pipes for discharging fluids supplied from respective fluid 
sources through distal ends of the pipes which open above the carrier 
means, at least one of the fluid guide pipes having a distal end portion 
inserted in another of the fluid guide pipes. The outer side surface of 
the distal end portion of said one fluid guide pipe is cleaned by a fluid 
flowing through the other fluid guide pipe. 
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present 
invention will become more apparent from the following description when 
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which preferred 
embodiments of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative 
example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
A fluid supplying and processing device according to the present invention, 
which is shown in FIG. 1, is used to produce an optical disc master as a 
stamper for injection-molding an optical information storage disc. More 
specifically, selected areas of a photosensitive resin layer coated on a 
glass disc are exposed to ultraviolet radiation, and the other areas which 
have not been exposed to ultraviolet radiation are dissolved away by 
fluids supplied by the fluid supplying and processing device, thus forming 
recording tracks on the disc. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the fluid supplying and processing device has a 
turntable 12 as a support means for supporting a workpiece 11 such as a 
glass disc. The glass disc 11 is prepared by first coating a glass disc 
blank with a photosensitive resin layer, and then exposing the coated 
photosensitive resin layer to ultrasonic radiation to polymerize recording 
track areas to make these track areas less dissolvable (in case a positive 
photoresist is used). The turntable 12 is rotated by a rotative drive 
mechanism (not shown). The glass disc 11 is clamped in position on the 
turntable 12 by means of a vacuum chuck (not shown). 
An umbrella-shaped spinner bowl 13 is disposed in enclosing relation to a 
working region around the turntable 13. Above the spinner bowl 13, there 
are disposed a first fluid guide conduit 21 comprising a plurality of pipe 
members 15, 16, 17, 18 which are interconnected by T-shaped pipes 19, 20 
and a second fluid guide conduit 27 comprising a plurality of pipe members 
23, 24, 25 interconnected by a T-shaped pipe 26. The second fluid guide 
pipe 27 serves to guide a developing organic solvent supplied from a fluid 
source (not shown). The pipe member 25 of the second fluid guide conduit 
27 has a distal end opening into the spinner bowl 13 and above the glass 
disc 11 on the turntable 12. The developing organic solvent is discharged 
from the open end of the pipe member 25 toward the glass disc 11. The 
first fluid guide conduit 21 serves to guide deionized cleaning water 
supplied from a fluid source (not shown). The pipe member 18 of the first 
fluid guide conduit 21 has a distal end opening into the spinner bowl 13 
and above the glass disc 11 on the turntable 12. The deionized cleaning 
water is discharged from the open end of the pipe member 18 toward the 
glass disc 11. The supply of the fluids through the first and second fluid 
guide conduits 21, 27 is controlled by automatically opening and closing 
cocks 29, 30 as guide pipe opening and closing means at timing intervals 
described later on. 
As also shown in FIG. 3, the inner diameter of the pipe member 18 of the 
first fluid guide conduit 21 is larger than the outer diameter of the pipe 
member 25 of the second fluid guide conduit 27. The distal end portion of 
the second fluid guide conduit 27, i.e., the pipe member 25, is inserted 
concentrically in the distal end portion of the first fluid guide conduit 
21, i.e., the pipe member 18. More specifically, an intermediate member or 
socket 31 is threaded in one opening of the T-shaped pipe 20 of the first 
fluid guide conduit 21. The pipe member 25 of the second fluid guide 
conduit 27 is inserted through the socket 31 not the pipe member 18 of the 
first fluid guide conduit 21. 
The T-shaped pipe 19 of the first fluid guide conduit 21 and the T-shaped 
pipe 26 of the second fluid guide conduit 27 are connected to each other 
by a communication pipe 36 which comprises two pipe members 33, 34 
interconnected by an open-close valve, or cock 35. The T-shaped pipe 19 is 
positioned upstream of the cock 29 which open and closes the first fluid 
guide conduit 21, whereas the T-shaped pipe 26 of the second fluid guide 
conduit 27 is positioned downstream of the cock 30 which opens and closes 
the second fluid guide pipe 27. 
The first fluid guide conduit 21, the second fluid guide conduit 27, and 
the communication pipe 36 are jointed to each other such that when the 
organic solvent is discharged from the second fluid guide conduit 27, 
these conduits 21, 27, 36 are moved radially with respect to the turntable 
12. The fluids are discharged from the first and second fluid guide 
conduits 21, 27 i.e. those pipe members 18, 25 while the turntable 12 is 
being rotated. 
Operation of the fluid supplying and processing device thus constructed 
will be described below. 
The glass disc 11 carrying thereon a photocurable layer already exposed to 
a writing beam is placed on the turntable 12 and fixed with respect to the 
turntable 12 by a clamping means such as a vacuum chuck. Then, the 
turntable 12 is rotated at a predetermined speed. Thereafter, the first 
and second fluid guide pipe members 18, 25 are moved in the radial 
direction of the turntable 12 to position their open distal ends or fluid 
outlet ports near the center of rotation of the turntable 12. Then, the 
cock 30 is opened by a controller (not shown) to start discharging the 
developing organic solvent from the second fluid guide pipe 27. While the 
developing organic solvent is being discharged, the fluid outlet port of 
the second fluid guide pipe member 25 is gradually moved, together with 
the first fluid guide pipe member 18, radially outwardly until the fluid 
outlet port of the pipe member 25 is positioned over the outer 
circumferential edge of the glass disc 11 on the turntable 12. Now, the 
developing organic solvent is supplied to the entire surface of the glass 
disc 11, and dissolves away unnecessary areas of the photosensitive resin 
layer coated on the glass disc 11. The recording tracks which have been 
formed on the disc glass 11 by exposure to ultrasonic radiation are then 
produced as a resist pattern, whereupon the developing process is 
completed. 
Immediately thereafter, the cock 30 is closed to discontinue the supply of 
the developing organic solvent based on a time elapse signal from a timer 
or a development completion signal from a development monitor device which 
utilized diffracted light for detection. At the same time, the cock 29 is 
opened by the controller to supply the deionized cleaning signal through 
the first fluid supply conduit 21 onto the glass disc 11, thereby removing 
residual organic solvent deposits from the surface of the glass disc 11. 
Simultaneously, the cock 35 is also opened to supply the deionized water 
through the communication pipe 36 into the pipe member 25 of the second 
fluid guide conduit 27. 
The developing organic solvent supplied through the second fluid guide pipe 
member 25 is of a solidifiable nature, and a portion thereof tends to 
stick to the distal open end of the pipe 27. However, the organic solvent 
attached to the pipe member 25 is washed away by the deionized water 
discharged through the first fluid guide conduit 21 before the organic 
solvent starts to become solidified. Therefore, the organic solvent does 
not form a solidified deposit on and near the distal open end of the 
second fluid guide pipe member 25. Since no organic solvent deposit falls 
from the pipe member 25 onto the glass disc 11, the glass disc 11 is 
prevented from being contaminated by such organic solvent deposits. 
After the second fluid guide pipe member 25 has stopped discharging the 
organic solvent, any residual organic solvent remaining in the second 
fluid guide member member 25 downstream of the cock 30 might be discharged 
and drop onto the glass disc 11. However, such residual organic solvent is 
forced out by the flush of deionized water that is supplied from the 
bypass or communication pipe 36 to the second fluid guide conduit 27. As a 
consequence, the glass disc 11 is free of the danger of getting 
contaminated by such residual organic solvent which would otherwise remain 
in the pipe 27. 
Through the aforesaid process, the recording tracks are formed as the 
resist pattern on the surface of the glass disc 11. The glass disc 11 with 
the resist track pattern serves as an optical disc master or stamper for 
injection-molding an optical information storage disc. Subsequently, the 
optical disc master is washed by water supplied from a water supply (not 
shown), and then the turntable 12 is rotated to dewater the optical disc 
master under centrifugal forces. Now, one cycle of processing the glass 
disc 11 with the fluid supplying and processing device is completed. This 
cycle of operation is normally controlled automatically by a process 
controller or the like. 
In the above embodiment, the fluid supplying and processing device or 
spinner is employed in the process of manufacturing optical disc masters. 
However, the spinner of the present invention may be incorporated in any 
of various other processes which require a fluid supplying and processing 
device. 
The fluids employed in the fluid supplying and processing device are not 
limited to liquids as described above, but may be gases, liquids 
containing granular solids, gases containing granular solids, or any other 
fluids or combinations of fluids which can be delivered through pipes. 
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, only the second fluid guide pipe 
member 27 extends through the first fluid supply pipe member 18. However, 
as shown in FIG. 4, another third fluid guide pipe 38 may be 
concentrically inserted through the second fluid guide pipe member 25, 
thus providing a triple-walled pipe construction. Still another fluid 
guide pipe may be added to make a quadruple-walled pipe assembly. 
Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 5, fluid guide pipes 25, 38 may be 
placed side by side in a fluid guide pipe member 18. According to a 
further modification, concentric guide pipes and a juxtaposed guide pipe 
or pipes may be disposed in a fluid guide pipe. 
With the present invention, the fluid supplying and processing device 
includes a support means for supporting a workpiece, and a plurality of 
fluid guide pipes for discharging fluids supplied from respective fluid 
sources through distal ends of the pipes which open above the carrier 
means, at least one fluid guide pipe having distal end portion inserted in 
another fluid guide pipe. 
Therefore, the outer side surface of the distal end portion of said one 
fluid guide pipe can be cleaned by a fluid flowing through the other fluid 
guide pipe. Even if a fluid supplied through said one fluid guide pipe is 
of a solidifiable nature, any deposit of that fluid on the distal end 
portion of said one fluid guide pipe is removed by the cleaning fluid 
before it is solidified, and hence will not fall onto the workpiece. The 
workpiece is thus prevented from being contaminated by undesirable fluid 
deposits. Since the fluid guide pipes can be assembled into a double- or 
triple-walled construction relatively inexpensively, the cost of the fluid 
supplying and processing device can be manufactured without a substantial 
increase in the cost. 
Although certain preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it 
should be understood that many changes and modifications may be made 
therein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.