Patent ID: 12217990

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG.1shows one exemplary embodiment of a treatment apparatus1according to the invention for the single-sided treatment of objects2, in a view from above.

The objects2to be treated (cf.FIG.2) can be, for example, substrates, in particular wafers for the solar cell and/or semiconductor industry, the objects2not being shown inFIG.1for the sake of improved clarity.

The treatment apparatus1comprises a basin3for receiving a treatment solution4, such as an etching solution, for example (cf.FIG.2). Furthermore, the treatment apparatus1comprises a transport apparatus5, by means of which the objects2to be treated can be transported along a horizontal transport direction6through the basin3.

Furthermore, the treatment apparatus1is set up to transport the objects2to be treated by means of the transport apparatus5in a plurality of tracks7next to one another along the transport direction6. InFIG.1, dashed lines identify the lateral edges of the respective track7.

As can be seen fromFIG.1, the transport apparatus5comprises a plurality of transport rollers8which are arranged behind one another in the transport direction6for the transport of the objects2. The transport rollers8are oriented perpendicularly with respect to the transport direction6, and are preferably arranged equidistantly with respect to one another.

Moreover, the treatment apparatus1comprises a plurality of feed devices9, by means of which treatment solution4can be introduced into the basin3. The feed devices9are arranged below the transport rollers8. In addition, the feed devices9are preferably arranged at the same level, parallel to one another, and equidistantly with respect to one another. The treatment apparatus1in each case has a dedicated feed device9for each of the tracks7. Since, in the present exemplary embodiment, the treatment apparatus1is set up to transport the objects2to be treated by means of the transport apparatus5in five tracks7next to one another, the treatment apparatus1correspondingly has five feed devices9.

The respective feed device9has a straight extent10which extends over the entire length L of the respective feed device9(cf.FIGS.3to5), and is oriented transversely with respect to the transport direction6. In addition, each of the feed devices9is configured as a tube-in-tube system with an outer tube11and an inner tube12which is arranged in the outer tube11(cf.FIGS.5to7).

The outer tube11of the respective feed device9has a plurality of upwardly oriented outlet openings13for spraying out the treatment solution4upward (cf., in particular,FIGS.3,4,6and7). The outlet openings13are arranged in each case at the positions of the transport rollers8, in relation to the transport direction6, the respective outer tube11having, in the case of each transport roller8, a plurality of upwardly oriented outlet openings13which are arranged next to one another. Since the transport rollers8are arranged above the feed devices9, the outlet openings13of the respective outer tube11are concealed by way of the transport rollers8inFIG.1and are therefore not visible. The inner tube12of the respective feed device9has a plurality of downwardly oriented outlet openings14for the introduction of the treatment solution4into the associated outer tube11(cf.FIG.7).

Furthermore, the treatment apparatus1comprises a supply device15for the introduction of the treatment solution4into the inner tube12of the respective feed device9. The supply device15comprises a supply line16, to which the feed devices9(more precisely, the inner tubes12of the feed devices9) are connected in each case by means of a connector unit17(cf.FIG.2).

Furthermore, the treatment apparatus1comprises a degassing apparatus18for the removal of gas bubbles and/or gas bubble-rich treatment solution from the feed devices9. The degassing apparatus18has a discharge line19to which the feed devices9(more precisely the inner tubes12of the feed devices9) are connected in each case by means of a connector unit20(cf.FIG.2).

FIG.2shows a section through the treatment apparatus1along the sectional plane A-A fromFIG.1.

It can be seen fromFIG.2that the transport rollers8of the transport apparatus5are arranged at the same level. In the present exemplary embodiment, the transport rollers8are arranged in such a way that their uppermost point is arranged in each case at the level of a basin edge21of the basin3. That is to say, the transport plane22, in which the objects2are transported by means of the transport apparatus5, is situated at the level of the basin edge21. This achieves a situation where objects2which are transported on the transport rollers8come into contact only on their downwardly pointing surface23with the treatment solution4, with which the basin3is filled up to its basin edge21.

The treatment of the objects2by means of the treatment solution4takes place during the transport of the objects2through the basin3. In the case of the treatment, the objects2come into contact with the treatment solution4on their downwardly pointing surface23.

Treatment solution4is introduced into the inner tubes12of the feed devices9via the supply line16of the supply device15. The treatment solution4is introduced from the inner tube12of the respective feed device9via its downwardly directed outlet openings14into the associated outer tube11. The treatment solution4is in turn sprayed out upward from the outer tube11of the respective feed device9via its upwardly directed outlet openings13with the configuration of treatment solution jets24, of which some are shown diagrammatically by way of example inFIG.2.

The treatment solution jets24are formed in the treatment solution4which is already contained in the basin3, and come into contact with the objects2to be treated. During the passage through the treatment solution4which is already contained in the basin3, the treatment solution jets24widen conically.

As has been mentioned above, the respective feed device9is oriented obliquely with respect to the transport direction6. For the angle α, at which the respective feed device9lies with respect to the transport direction6, it is the case at least approximately that α=arcsin((B−2R)/L), L being the length of the respective feed device9, B being the width of the objects2to be treated, and R being the radius of the treatment solution jets24at the level of the transport plane22. In particular, an orientation of this type of the feed devices9relative to the transport direction6can achieve a situation where, during the transport of the objects2through the basin3, each point of the downwardly pointing surface23of the objects2is brought into contact with the treatment solution jets24in such a way that, after running through the basin3, each point of the downwardly pointing surface23of the objects2has been treated with the treatment solution jets24for an equally long time.

Gas bubbles which are contained in the treatment solution4which is fed into the inner tubes12of the feed devices9collect in the upper part of the respective inner tube12. Gas bubble-rich treatment solution or possibly only the collected gas can be discharged via the discharge line19of the degassing apparatus18, which discharge line19is connected to the inner tubes12of the feed device9. Only treatment solution4which is low in gas bubbles or free from gas bubbles exits via the downwardly directed outlet openings14of the respective inner tube12into the associated outer tube11, with the result that only treatment solution4which is low in gas bubbles or free from gas bubbles is sprayed out upward from said outer tube11. In this way, the input of gas bubbles into the treatment solution4which is situated in the basin3is avoided or at least reduced.

FIG.3shows by way of example a plan view of one of the feed devices9of the treatment apparatus1. Since the feed devices9of the treatment apparatus1are of structurally identical configuration with respect to one another, the following comments also apply analogously to the other feed devices9of the treatment apparatus1.

InFIG.3, the upwardly directed outlet openings13of the illustrated feed device9, more precisely of its outer tube11(cf.FIG.5), are visible. As can be seen fromFIG.3, the upwardly directed outlet openings13of the feed device9are distributed in the longitudinal extent direction25of the feed device9substantially over the entire length L of the feed device9.

Furthermore,FIG.3depicts two connector units17,20, by means of which the feed device9in the treatment apparatus1is connected to the discharge line19of the degassing apparatus18and to the supply line16of the supply device15, respectively. The connector unit20, by means of which the feed device9is connected to the discharge line19of the degassing apparatus18, is arranged inFIG.3at the right-hand end of the feed device9, whereas the connector unit17, by means of which the feed device9is connected to the supply line16of the supply device15, is arranged at the left-hand end of the feed device9.

FIG.4shows a side view of the feed device9fromFIG.3. Moreover,FIG.4also shows the two said connector units17,20.

Furthermore, two sectional planes (sectional planes B-B and C-C), to which the sectional illustrations ofFIGS.5to7relate, are illustrated inFIG.4.

FIG.5shows a section through the feed device9fromFIG.3and through the connector units17,20which are arranged on said feed device9along the sectional plane B-B.

InFIG.5, apart from the outer tube11(already visible inFIG.3andFIG.4) of the feed device9, its inner tube12is also visible.

FIG.6shows a section through the feed device9fromFIG.3along the sectional plane C-C.

FIG.6depicts the outer tube11and the inner tube12of the feed device9in cross section. One of the upwardly directed outlet openings13of the outer tube11can be seen at the 1 o'clock position. Moreover, a spacer element26which is arranged between the inner tube12and the outer tube11and holds the two tubes11,12of the feed device9at a predefined spacing from one another is visible inFIG.6.

FIG.7shows an enlarged detail of the sectional illustration fromFIG.5.

FIG.7shows a part of the inner tube12and a part of the outer tube11of the feed device9, a plurality of the downwardly oriented outlet openings14of the inner tube12and some of the upwardly oriented outlet openings13of the outer tube11being visible.

Through the downwardly directed outlet openings14of the inner tube12, the treatment solution4is introduced into the outer tube11, more precisely into the gap between the inner tube12and the outer tube11, with the separation of gas bubbles. The gas bubbles collect in the upper part of the inner tube11. Therefore, treatment solution4which is low in gas bubbles or free from gas bubbles passes to the upwardly directed outlet openings13.

The invention has been described in detail on the basis of the exemplary embodiment which is shown. Nevertheless, the invention is not restricted to or by the disclosed example. Other variants can be derived from said exemplary embodiment by a person skilled in the art, without deviating from the concept which forms the basis of the invention.

LIST OF DESIGNATIONS

1Treatment apparatus2Object3Basin4Treatment solution5Transport apparatus6Transport direction7Track8Transport roller9Feed device10Straight extent11Outer tube12Inner tube13Upwardly directed outlet opening14Downwardly directed outlet opening15Supply device16Supply line17Connector unit18Degassing device19Discharge line20Connector unit21Basin edge22Transport plane23Downwardly pointing surface24Treatment solution jet25Longitudinal extent direction26Spacer elementL Length