Surface treatment apparatus

A surface treatment apparatus, disposed around a conveying device conveying a substrate in a predetermined conveying direction, includes: first and second liquid nozzles, disposed at an adjustable angle above the conveying device, each having an axial direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the conveying device, in which the second liquid nozzle is spaced apart from the first liquid nozzle by a first predetermined distance in the predetermined conveying direction, and the first and second liquid nozzles incline at a first angle facing each other; and first and second liquid level baffles, disposed on two sides of the conveying device respectively and spaced apart from the conveying device by a gap, in which the first and second liquid level baffles are located within the first predetermined distance spaced apart between the first and second liquid nozzles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to the technical filed of surface treatment, and more particularly to a surface treatment apparatus for a substrate.

Related Art

Generally speaking, a chemical treatment process of a substrate starts with a dipping process, i.e., dipping the whole substrate in a chemical liquid, then drying the substrate by means of spinning via a spin dryer, and roasting the substrate to be dried out after entering into an oven.

However, a chemical thin film (for example, a Na2S thin film) is likely to be formed on the surface of the substrate when dipping the substrate in the chemical liquid, and it requires dipping for a long time; moreover, the roasting temperature in the oven shall be at least higher than 100° C., which is very undesirable based on considerations of safety.

Furthermore, for the gas nozzle (air knife) for intensively drying out the substrate used by a common liquid crystal panel factory, the exit pressure is approximately larger than 10 kgf/cm2, and the excessive pressure easily causes uneven distribution of the undried liquid film.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is mainly directed to a surface treatment apparatus, which enables the chemical liquid to form an effect similar to wiping with a cleaning cloth on the surface of the substrate, so that the chemical treatment on the surface of the substrate will be finished in a very short time by means of wiping, so as to chemically treat a local area of the substrate.

The present invention is also directed to a surface treatment apparatus, in which the temperature of the hot dry gas may be controlled below 90° C. based on considerations of safety and drying effects.

In order to achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a surface treatment apparatus, disposed around a conveying device of a substrate, wherein the substrate is placed on the conveying device and conveyed in a predetermined conveying direction, and the predetermined conveying direction is parallel to an axial direction of the conveying device. The surface treatment apparatus comprises: a first liquid nozzle, disposed at an adjustable angle above the conveying device, wherein an axial direction of the first liquid nozzle is perpendicular to the axial direction of the conveying device; a second liquid nozzle, disposed at an adjustable angle above the conveying device, and spaced apart from the first liquid nozzle by a first predetermined distance in the predetermined conveying direction, wherein an axial direction of the second liquid nozzle is perpendicular to the axial direction of the conveying device, and the first liquid nozzle and the second liquid nozzle incline at a first angle facing each other; a first liquid level baffle, disposed on one of sides of the conveying device, spaced apart from the conveying device by a gap, and located within the first predetermined distance spaced apart between the first liquid nozzle and the second liquid nozzle; and a second liquid level baffle, disposed on one side of the conveying device away from the first liquid level baffle, spaced apart from the conveying device by the gap, and located within the first predetermined distance spaced apart between the first liquid nozzle and the second liquid nozzle.

The first liquid nozzle and the second liquid nozzle are used to spray a chemical liquid, and the first liquid nozzle and the second liquid nozzle are blade-shaped.

The surface treatment apparatus further comprises a third liquid nozzle, disposed below the conveying device, wherein the third liquid nozzle and the second liquid nozzle are spaced apart by a second predetermined distance in the predetermined conveying direction, the third liquid nozzle inclines at a second angle facing the conveying device in a direction opposite to the predetermined conveying direction, and the third liquid nozzle is used to spray a cleaning liquid.

The surface treatment apparatus further comprises a first gas nozzle and a second gas nozzle, wherein the first gas nozzle is disposed above the conveying device and spaced apart from the third liquid nozzle by a third predetermined distance in the predetermined conveying direction, the second gas nozzle is disposed below the conveying device and corresponding to the first gas nozzle, and the first gas nozzle and the second gas nozzle incline at a third angle facing the conveying device in the direction opposite to the predetermined conveying direction.

The surface treatment apparatus further comprises at least one third gas nozzle and at least one fourth gas nozzle, wherein the third gas nozzle is spaced apart from the first gas nozzle by a fourth predetermined distance and disposed above the conveying device, the fourth gas nozzle is spaced apart from the second gas nozzle by the fourth predetermined distance and disposed below the conveying device and corresponding to the third gas nozzle, and the third gas nozzle and the fourth gas nozzle incline at a fourth angle facing the conveying device in the direction opposite to the predetermined conveying direction.

The at least one third gas nozzle is a plurality of third gas nozzles spaced apart from one another in the predetermined conveying direction, the at least one fourth gas nozzle is a plurality of fourth gas nozzles spaced apart from one another in the predetermined conveying direction, and the amount of the third gas nozzles corresponds to the amount of the fourth gas nozzles.

In order to make the aforementioned objectives and advantages of the present invention more comprehensible, embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below.

Definitely, the present invention may take different physical form in certain parts or arrangement of parts. However, a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which will be described in detail in the following specification, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIG. 1toFIG. 4,FIG. 1is a schematic structural view of a surface treatment apparatus of the present invention,FIG. 2is a schematic view illustrating operation of a surface treatment apparatus of the present invention,FIG. 3is a schematic side view of a surface treatment apparatus of the present invention, andFIG. 4is another schematic side view of a surface treatment apparatus of the present invention.

The surface treatment apparatus1of the present invention is disposed around a conveying device20of a substrate10, the substrate10is placed on the conveying device20and conveyed in a predetermined conveying direction A, and the predetermined conveying direction A is parallel to an axial direction of the conveying device20.

The surface treatment apparatus1of the present invention includes a chemical treatment/wiping unit30, a chemical removing unit40and a hot dry unit50. The chemical treatment/wiping unit30includes a first liquid nozzle301, a second liquid nozzle302, a first liquid level baffle303, a second liquid level baffle304and a third liquid nozzle305. The chemical removing unit40includes a first gas nozzle401and a second gas nozzle402. The hot dry unit50includes at least one third gas nozzle501and at least one fourth gas nozzle502.

The first liquid nozzle301is disposed at an adjustable angle above the conveying device20, and an axial direction B of the first liquid nozzle301is perpendicular to the axial direction of the conveying device20(parallel to the predetermined conveying direction A).

The second liquid nozzle302is disposed at an adjustable angle above the conveying device20and spaced apart from the first liquid nozzle301by a first predetermined distance D1in the predetermined conveying direction A, and the axial direction B of the second liquid nozzle302is perpendicular to the axial direction of the conveying device20(parallel to the predetermined conveying direction A).

The first liquid nozzle301and the second liquid nozzle302incline at a first angle θ1facing each other, and the first liquid nozzle301and the second liquid nozzle302are blade-shaped and used to spray a chemical liquid, such as Na2S, NaF or NaOH.

The first liquid level baffle303is disposed on one of sides of the conveying device20, spaced apart from the conveying device20by a gap G, and located within the first predetermined distance D1spaced apart between the first liquid nozzle301and the second liquid nozzle302.

The second liquid level baffle304is disposed on one side of the conveying device20away from the first liquid level baffle303, spaced apart from the conveying device20by a gap G, and located within the first predetermined distance D1spaced apart between the first liquid nozzle301and the second liquid nozzle302.

The third liquid nozzle305is disposed below the conveying device20, and spaced apart from the second liquid nozzle302by a second predetermined distance D2in the predetermined conveying direction A, and the third liquid nozzle305inclines at a second angle θ2facing the conveying device20in a direction opposite to the predetermined conveying direction A. The third liquid nozzle305is used to spray a cleaning liquid, and since the current experiment shows that a good effect can be achieved by cleaning with pure water, the cleaning liquid may be pure water.

The first gas nozzle401is disposed above the conveying device20, and spaced apart from the third liquid nozzle305by a third predetermined distance D3in the predetermined conveying direction A, the second gas nozzle402is disposed below the conveying device20and corresponding to the first gas nozzle401, i.e., the first gas nozzle401and the second gas nozzle402have the same structure, and are vertically symmetrically placed, and the first gas nozzle401and the second gas nozzle402incline at a third angle θ3facing the conveying device20in the direction opposite to the predetermined conveying direction A.

The third gas nozzle501is spaced apart from the first gas nozzle401by a fourth predetermined distance D4and disposed above the conveying device20, the fourth gas nozzle502is spaced apart from the second gas nozzle402by the fourth predetermined distance D4, disposed below the conveying device20(i.e., the third gas nozzle501and the fourth gas nozzle502have the same structure, and are vertically symmetrically placed) and corresponding to the third gas nozzle501, and the third gas nozzle501and the fourth gas nozzle502incline at a fourth angle θ4facing the conveying device20in the direction opposite to the predetermined conveying direction A.

The third gas nozzle501and the fourth gas nozzle502use hot air or hot nitrogen gas below 100° C. for drying.

Furthermore, the third gas nozzle501may be a plurality of third gas nozzles (as shown inFIG. 2, the present invention is described by taking two third gas nozzles as an example, but is not limited thereto) spaced apart from one another in the predetermined conveying direction A, the fourth gas nozzle502is a plurality of fourth gas nozzles (as shown inFIG. 2, the present invention is described by taking two fourth gas nozzles as an example, but is not limited thereto) spaced apart from one another in the predetermined conveying direction A, and the amount of the third gas nozzles501corresponds to the amount of the fourth gas nozzles502.

In addition, the exit pressures of the first gas nozzle401, the second gas nozzle402, the third gas nozzle501and the fourth gas nozzle502are 3 kgf/cm2, so as to avoid uneven distribution of the undried liquid film.

Therefore, when the substrate10enters into the first predetermined distance D1between the first liquid nozzle301and the second liquid nozzle302, the chemical liquid ejected from the first liquid nozzle301and the second liquid nozzle302is face to face sprayed on the substrate10. Because of the intensive spraying of the chemical liquid from the first liquid nozzle301and the second liquid nozzle302, as well as the narrow gap G between the first liquid level baffle303and second liquid level baffle304and the conveying device20, most of the chemical liquid remains on the substrate10, while a small part slowly flows out via the gap G. Thereby, the chemical liquid remains on the surface of the substrate10through the face to face spraying by the first liquid nozzle301and the second liquid nozzle302, so that the chemical liquid remaining on the substrate10is similar to a liquid cloth wiping the surface of the substrate10, i.e., the first predetermined distance D1between the first liquid nozzle301and the second liquid nozzle302may be adjusted to control the local area of the substrate10to be wiped, and the first angle θ1between the first liquid nozzle301and the second liquid nozzle302may further be adjusted to control the flow velocity (wiping strength) of the chemical liquid.

After the chemical treatment (wiping) of the surface of the substrate10is finished, the substrate10is conveyed along with the conveying device20to the third liquid nozzle305, and the residual chemical liquid below the substrate10is washed by the cleaning liquid sprayed from the third liquid nozzle305.

Then, the substrate10is continuously conveyed into the chemical removing unit40through the conveying device20, i.e., between the first gas nozzle401and the second gas nozzle402, and the chemical component on the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate10is removed by the strength of a weak stream of gas from the first gas nozzle401and the second gas nozzle402respectively.

Finally, the substrate10is continuously conveyed to the hot dry unit50through the conveying device20, i.e., between the third gas nozzle501and the fourth gas nozzle502, and the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate10are hot dried by hot air or hot nitrogen gas ejected from the third gas nozzle501and the fourth gas nozzle502.

Taking surface treatment (using/with a Na precursor for absorber layer of CIGS solar PV) on a Mo layer via Na2S as an example, after chemical treatment, no obvious Na2S remains on the Mo layer, while Na2S remains in the crystal gap of the Mo layer columnar crystal surface, but does not form a Na2S thin film.

Thereby, the chemical liquid is sprayed by the first liquid nozzle301and the second liquid nozzle302, and there is no need to increase the temperature; through the configuration of the first liquid level baffle303and the second liquid level baffle304, the chemical liquid sprayed by the first liquid nozzle301and the second liquid nozzle302acts on the substrate10similar to wiping with a cleaning cloth, which only requires a few seconds to tens of seconds to finish the chemical treatment, and the time of treatment is so short that a good effect is achieved by increasing the concentration of the Na2S solution to over 1 wt %; moreover, since the third gas nozzle501and the fourth gas nozzle502use hot air or hot nitrogen gas for hot drying, the temperature of the gas may be controlled below 90° C. based on considerations of safety and drying effects.

The disclosure of the abovementioned embodiments is intended to describe the present invention, but is not intended to limit the present invention, and therefore, modifications of numerical values or replacements of equivalent elements shall still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Through the abovementioned detailed description, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention surely can achieve the above objectives, and complies with the patent law. Thus, the application for a patent is filed