Etching apparatus of glass substrate

Abstract

The present invention discloses an etching apparatus comprising an etching bath having an etchant; an etchant recycling part in the etching bath; a DI and undiluted etchant supply part for supplying a DI water and a undiluted etchant; an etchant mixing part for mixing the DI water and the undiluted etchant; and an etchant heating part for heating the mixed etchant.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An etching apparatus comprising: 
 an etching bath;    an etchant recycling part in the etching bath;    a DI and undiluted etchant supply part for supplying a DI water and an undiluted etchant;    an etchant mixing part for mixing the DI water and the undiluted etchant for producing a mixed etchant; and    an etchant heating part for heating the mixed etchant.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the etchant heating part heats the mixed etchant to a temperature higher than room temperature.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the etching bath comprises: 
 a container for holding etchant;    a bubble plate at a lower portion of the container, the bubble plate for generating bubbles using a supplied gas;    a gas supply tube connected to the bubble plate for supplying a gas; and    a temperature measuring unit within the container.    
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the gas includes at least one of nitrogen (N 2 ) and oxygen (O 2 ).  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the etchant recycling part comprises: 
 a storage tank storing the etchant; and    at least one filter filtering the etchant into the storage tank.    
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a cooling water tube in the etchant mixing part.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a concentration measuring unit in the etchant mixing part.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a tube connected to the etching bath, the etchant recycling part, the etchant mixing part and the etchant heating part.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the tube includes at least one pump.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the etchant includes HF.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a cleaning bath for cleaning the etched substrate; and    a drying bath for drying the etched substrate.    
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for etching a material, comprising: 
 an etching bath containing an etchant;    a temperature measuring unit for measuring the temperature of the etchant in the etch bath; and    an etchant heating element for heating the etchant.    
     
     
         13 . The apparatus for etching a material of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 an undiluted etchant supply part for supplying undiluted etchant;    a water supply part for supplying water; and    a mixing part for mixing the undiluted etchant and the water.    
     
     
         14 . The apparatus for etching material of  claim 13 , wherein the etchant heating element is in the mixing part.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus for etching material of  claim 13 , further comprising an etchant concentration measuring unit in the mixing part.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus for etching material of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 an etchant recycling unit for receiving etchant from the etching bath and providing etchant to the mixing part.    
     
     
         17 . The apparatus for etching material of  claim 16 , wherein the etchant recycling unit includes a filter and a storage tank.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus for etching a material of  claim 12 , wherein the etching bath includes a bubble plate.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus for etching a material of  claim 12 , wherein the etchant includes HF.  
     
     
         20 . A method of etching a material, comprising: 
 providing an etchant in an etching bath;    providing a material to be etched in the etching bath to etch the material;    monitoring temperature of the etchant in the etching bath after the material is provided in the etching bath; and    stopping etching of the material in the etching bath when the temperature of the etchant is a predetermined value.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 maintaining a constant concentration of the etchant in the etching bath.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the material to be etched is glass.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the etchant is HF.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 heating the etchant in the etching bath.