JP7297423B2 - Discharge material discharge device and imprint device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an ejection device that ejects a liquid or liquid ejection material, and an imprint apparatus that includes the ejection device.

As an ejection device for ejecting a liquid or a liquid ejection material contained in a container from an ejection head, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-200002 describes a configuration using a container divided into two storage portions by a flexible member. there is One storage portion of the storage container stores the discharge material, the other storage portion stores the liquid, and the internal pressure of the one storage portion is indirectly adjusted by controlling the internal pressure of the other storage portion. be. Inside such a storage container, the internal pressures of one storage portion and the other storage portion are equal, so even if the flexible member is damaged, the internal pressure does not change, and the occurrence of such damage is prevented. Difficult to detect.

On the other hand, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-100002, the other storage portion stores a liquid that is different in physical properties from the ejection material and that does not mix with the ejection material, and when the ejection material mixes in the other storage portion, the liquid is mixed with the ejection material. A configuration is described for detecting breakage of a flexible member by detecting a change in physical properties.

JP 2015-092549 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-032103

However, according to the configuration of Patent Document 2, the ejection material and the liquid contained in the respective containing portions are limited to those having detectable different physical properties. Further, when the flexible member is damaged, although the discharge material and the liquid begin to come into contact with each other through the damaged portion, it takes time before the change in the physical properties of the liquid can be detected. Therefore, damage to the flexible member cannot be detected immediately after it occurs. Further, depending on the type of discharge material, there are some materials whose quality deteriorates only by contact with the liquid, even if they do not mix with the liquid. In that case, if the ejection material that is in contact with the liquid is ejected, the quality of the product will continue to be deteriorated by the amount of the ejection material that is ejected from the ejection head.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a discharge material discharging apparatus capable of quickly detecting breakage of a flexible film and avoiding contact between a discharge material and a liquid even if a part of the flexible film is damaged. and to provide an imprint apparatus.

The ejection material ejection device of the present invention comprises an ejection head for ejecting an ejection material, a first accommodation space for accommodating the ejection material supplied to the ejection head by a flexible film, and a working liquid. A discharge material discharging device comprising: a second containing space, which is separated into a container, and pressure control means for controlling an internal pressure of the second containing space, wherein the flexible film a first film covering an accommodation space; a second film covering the second accommodation space; and an inter-membrane space positioned between the first film and the second film; , detection means for detecting a change in the state of the inter-membrane space due to communication between at least one of the first housing space and the second housing space and the inter-membrane space , wherein the change in the state is A discharge material discharge device, wherein at least one of the discharge material and the working liquid leaks into the inter-membrane space, and the detecting means detects the leak.

According to the present invention, since the flexible film has a double structure of the first film and the second film, even if one of the first film and the second film is damaged, contact between the ejection material and the working liquid can be prevented. can be avoided. In addition, damage to at least one of the first film and the second film is quickly detected by detecting a change in the state of the inter-film space by utilizing the inter-film space between the first film and the second film. be able to.

1 is a configuration diagram of an ejection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system of the ejection device of FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the ejection head in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the discharged material storage unit in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a first film and a second film in FIG. 4; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the first film in FIG. 4; FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a state when a film is damaged; FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a state when a film is damaged; FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of an ejection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a discharge device according to a third embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a discharge device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of an ejection device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of an imprint apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention; 14 is a configuration diagram of the discharge device in FIG. 13. FIG. FIG. 15 is a configuration diagram of a flexible film in FIG. 14; FIG. 15 is a configuration diagram of a container in FIG. 14; FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a container provided with a pressure control section; FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of an imprint method using the imprint apparatus of FIG. 13; FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a discharge device according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a discharge device according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the mesh-like thin resin in FIG. 20; FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a discharge device according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 20 is a configuration diagram of a discharge device according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention;

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<First embodiment>
(Structure of ejecting material ejecting device)
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a discharge material discharge device (hereinafter also simply referred to as "discharge device") of a first embodiment according to the present invention.

The discharge device of this embodiment includes a main tank 34 that stores working fluid 35 in an interior that communicates with the atmosphere, a sub-tank 26 that stores working fluid 35 in an interior that communicates with the atmosphere and can communicate with the main tank 34, and a sub-tank 26. and a discharged material storage unit 100 that communicates. The ejection material storage unit 100 includes a storage container 13 that stores the ejection material, and an ejection head 14 attached to the storage container 13 . Note that the storage container 13 and the discharge head 14 may be configured separately, or may be configured integrally. The storage container 13 may be of a cartridge type. The ejection head 14 can eject an ejection material from an ejection port 15 opened on the outer surface (ejection surface) of the ejection head. The ejection openings 15 of this example are arranged on the ejection surface of the ejection head 14 at a density of 500 to 1000 per inch.

As shown in FIG. 1, a transport section 62 mounted on a base plate 63 is arranged so as to face the ejection surface of the ejection head 14 . The conveying unit 62 moves on the base plate 63 while sucking and holding the medium 61, which is an object to which the ejection material is to be applied, by an adsorption means (not shown), and moves the medium 61 relative to the ejection head 14. can be made The ejection material contained in the storage container 13 is ejected from the ejection port 15 of the ejection head 14 onto the ejection material application area of the medium 61 conveyed to the position facing the ejection port 15 . Thus, a desired ejection material pattern (for example, a recorded image) is formed.

(discharge material)
Unlike a solid, the discharge material does not have a fixed shape and exhibits fluidity within the storage container 13 and when discharged from the discharge head 14, and its volume change is not as large as gas. A substance, a liquid or liquid substance. The ejection material may be a substance such as a paste-like substance or a polymeric material. Ink can be used as the ejection material of the present embodiment. Non-limiting examples of inks include a variety of inks such as inks for recording images, conductive inks for electronic circuit manufacturing, UV curable inks, and the like. Examples of conductive inks include inks containing metal particles, particularly metal nanoinks in which metal nanoparticles of several nanometers to several tens of nanometers are dispersed in a liquid, such as silver nanoinks. A so-called imprint technology in which a patterned mold is brought into contact with an imprint material on a substrate in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, etc., and the shape of the mold is transferred to the imprint material to form a pattern. There is As the imprint material, a resist such as a photocurable resin or a thermosetting resin is used. Such an imprint material is another example of the ejection material.

(Hydraulic fluid)
A working fluid is an incompressible substance whose density (volume) changes negligibly with external temperature and pressure compared to gases. Therefore, even if the air temperature or atmospheric pressure around the ejection device changes, the volume of the working fluid hardly changes. As the working liquid, for example, a substance selected from liquids such as water and gel-like substances can be used. Normally, the difference between the density of the ejection material and the density of the working liquid is smaller than the difference between the density of the ejection material and the density of the gas.

For example, when the ejection device according to the present invention is used as an ink ejection device for a printing apparatus, ink is naturally used as the ejection material, but it is not necessary to use expensive ink as the working liquid. Water with similar specific gravities can be used. More specifically, in order to prevent putrefaction of water and propagation of various germs, water to which an additive having antiseptic action is added can be used as the working fluid.

(Configuration of control system of ejection device)
FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the control system of the ejection device according to this embodiment.

The CPU 202 drives the transport unit 62 via the transport driving unit 210 and drives the ejection head 14 via the ejection driving unit 208 according to the control program stored in the ROM 204 . In addition, the CPU 202 controls the control valve 31 and the pump 32 via the liquid volume adjustment driving section 212 based on the detection result of the liquid level sensor 41 provided in the sub-tank 26, as will be described later, according to the control program stored in the ROM 204. to drive. Further, the CPU 202 drives the control valve 21 and the pump 22 via the circulation driving section 214 according to the control program stored in the ROM 204, as will be described later. Information such as ejection data (printing data) is input from the host device 220 via the input interface 216 , and the input information is written in the RAM 206 .

(Structure of Ejection Head)
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the ejection port 15 in the ejection head 14. As shown in FIG.

In the ejection head 14 , actuators (not shown) are mounted in pressure chambers 19 provided corresponding to the respective ejection ports 15 . Any actuator can be used as long as it is capable of generating energy capable of ejecting the ejection material as fine droplets, for example, droplets of 1 pL. can be mentioned. When a piezo element is used, it is possible to use it at a high temperature because temperature change (temperature rise) has less effect on ejection characteristics than when a heating resistor element is used. Therefore, a wide variety of ejection materials such as highly viscous resins can be used. Also, when using a heating resistor element, the manufacturing cost can generally be relatively low. The actuator of this example is a piezo element, and by driving and controlling the piezo element, the volume inside the pressure chamber 19 is changed, and the ejection material inside the pressure chamber 19 is ejected from the ejection port 15 . The piezo element may be implemented using MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) technology.

Each pressure chamber 19 communicates with a common liquid chamber 20 , and the common liquid chamber 20 communicates with the first accommodation space 5 of the accommodation container 13 . A discharge material discharged from the discharge port 15 is supplied from the first accommodation space 5 to the pressure chamber 19 via the common liquid chamber 20 . The ejection head 14 does not have a control valve between it and the first accommodation space 5 . Therefore, the internal pressure of the first housing space 5 is controlled to be slightly lower than the atmospheric pressure (external pressure) outside the ejection port 15 of the ejection head 14 . Due to this negative pressure control, the ejection material in the ejection port 15 forms a meniscus 17 at the interface with the outside air, preventing leakage (dripping) of the ejection material from the ejection port at unintended timing. In this example, the internal pressure of the first accommodation space 5 is controlled to be a negative pressure of 0.40±0.04 kPa below the external pressure.

(Configuration of storage container)
As shown in FIG. 1, the container 13 has an outer shell and an inner volume defined by the housing 11 and the housing 12 . A flexible member (flexible film) is arranged between the housing 11 and the housing 12 . The flexible member is a multi-layer structure including a layer configuration of two flexible films (first film 1 and second film 2). The first film 1 and the second film 2 are thin films each having a thickness of 10 to 100 micrometers, and are connected to each other at the connecting portion 3 by means such as adhesive or welding. The joining portion 3 is partially provided on the facing surfaces of the first film 1 and the second film 2, and the first film 1 and the second film 2 have non-coupling areas that are not coupled with respect to each other.

The housing 11 has a first opening that opens on the side facing the housing 12 and a second opening that opens on the side facing the ejection head 14 . The first opening is entirely covered and sealed with the first film 1 , and a first accommodation space 5 is formed between the inner surface of the housing 11 and the first film 1 . The second opening communicates with the common liquid chamber 20 of the ejection head 14 , thereby communicating the first accommodation space 5 with the external space via the ejection head 14 . The first accommodation space 5 is filled with the ejection material, and the interface between the ejection material and the outside air is positioned inside the ejection port 15 as shown in FIG.

The housing 12 has an opening that opens to the side facing the housing 11 . The opening is entirely covered and sealed with the second film 2 , and a second accommodation space 6 is formed between the inner surface of the housing 12 and the second film 2 . The second housing space 6 is filled with hydraulic fluid 35 . The second housing space 6 communicates with the interior of the sub-tank 26 via a pipe 24 and can communicate with the interior of the sub-tank 26 via a pipe 23 having a control valve 21 and a pump 22 . The sub-tank 26 is a liquid container that stores the hydraulic fluid 35 . The hydraulic fluid 35 functions as a liquid filler in the second housing space 6 . The first film 1 and the second film 2 function as partition walls between the first housing space 5 and the second housing space 6, respectively.

(film material)
The material of the first film 1 and the second film 2 may be any material that is resistant to the ejecting material and the working liquid from the viewpoint of wettability and the like. For example, Teflon (registered trademark)-based fluororesins such as PFA (tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer), ETFE (ethylenetetrafluoroethylene), and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) can be used. Further examples include polyamide synthetic resins such as PE (polyethylene), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PVAL (polyvinyl alcohol), PVDC (polyvinylidene chloride), and nylon. The first film 1 and the second film 2 may be made of the same material (material, thickness), or may be made of different materials. For example, the first film 1 can be made of a material such as PTFE that is resistant to the ejection material, and the second film 2 can be made of a nylon-based material that is resistant to the hydraulic fluid.

(Pressure relationship between the first housing space and the second housing space)
When a difference in internal pressure occurs between the first accommodation space 5 and the second accommodation space 6, the first film 1 and the second film 2, which are flexible, move together to the side where the internal pressure is low. , and stop moving when the internal pressure difference disappears. Therefore, the internal pressures of the first accommodation space 5 and the second accommodation space 6 can be kept equal to each other.

More specific description will be given. When the ejection material is ejected from the ejection head 14, the volume of the ejection material in the first accommodation space 5 is reduced by the amount of the ejection material ejected, and the internal pressure of the first accommodation space 5 is lowered. At this time, the internal pressure of the second housing space 6 becomes relatively higher than the internal pressure of the first housing space 5 . Since the first flexible film 1 and the second flexible film 2 are coupled by the coupling portion 3 so as to be interlockable, they move together toward the first accommodation space 5 side. At the same time, the hydraulic fluid 35 is sucked into the second housing space 6 from the sub-tank 26 through the pipe 24 . As a result, the internal pressures of the first accommodation space 5 and the second accommodation space 6 are equalized again to reach equilibrium.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sub-tank 26 communicates with the external space via the pipe 25, so its internal pressure is equal to the atmospheric pressure. The pipe 24 communicating between the sub-tank 26 and the second housing space 6 is filled with the hydraulic fluid 35, and the liquid level position of the hydraulic fluid 35 in the sub-tank 26 in the vertical direction (hereinafter referred to as "liquid level height ”) is set at a position lower than the ejection port 15 of the ejection head 14 . Let ΔH be the height difference (vertical distance) between the level of the hydraulic fluid 35 in the sub-tank 26 and the position of the ejection surface where the ejection port 15 opens. In this embodiment, the difference ΔH is set so as to maintain the state in which the meniscus 17 of the ejected material is formed in the ejection port 15 (the state shown in FIG. 3). That is, the difference ΔH is set so that the ejection material does not leak or drip to the outside from the ejection port 15 and the meniscus 17 is not excessively retracted into the inner part (for example, near the common liquid chamber). Specifically, the height difference ΔH is set to 41±4 mm so that the internal pressure of the first accommodation space 5 is controlled to be lower than the external pressure by 0.40±0.04 kPa.

As described above, the present embodiment is a discharge material discharge device that can be applied to a printing device capable of discharging a liquid volume of about 1 pL (picoliter) or less. In this example, the ejection material is ink for image recording, and the diameter of the ejection port 15 is about 10 μm (microns). Also, in this example, it is assumed that the discharge material and the working liquid each have a density approximately equal to that of water. In this embodiment, in order to form the meniscus 17 of the ejection material in the ejection port 15 under such conditions, the height difference ΔH is set within the above-described range of 41 mm±4 mm. Further, for example, the diameter of the ejection port 15 in a low-resolution printing apparatus is several tens of μm, and the diameter of the ejection port in a 3D printer using resin or the like as an ejection material is several hundred μm. As described above, the diameter of the ejection port 15 differs depending on the applicable model of the ejection device, and the physical properties (e.g., density, viscosity, etc.) of the ejection material also differ. The height difference ΔH is appropriately set depending on the application target.

(correction operation)
The liquid level of the hydraulic fluid in the sub-tank 26 is within a predetermined range (in this embodiment, When it deviates from the reference liquid surface height range of ±4 mm), a correction operation is performed. The correction operation is a “liquid level adjustment” operation that keeps the liquid level of the hydraulic fluid in the sub-tank 26 within a predetermined range by moving the hydraulic fluid between the main tank 34 and the sub-tank 26 .

A liquid level sensor 41 is installed in the sub-tank 26 . The liquid level sensor 41 in this embodiment is a sensor capable of detecting the level of the hydraulic fluid in the sub-tank 26 and its change (displacement). The main tank 34 and the sub-tank 26 can communicate with each other via a pipe 33 having a control valve 31 and a pump 32 . By driving the control valve 31 and the pump 32, the liquid level of the hydraulic fluid in the sub-tank 26 is controlled (fluid level adjustment) within a desired range. Specifically, when the liquid level sensor 41 detects that the liquid level of the hydraulic fluid 35 in the sub-tank 26 has fallen below a predetermined range, the control valve 31 is opened and the pump 32 is driven. Then, the hydraulic fluid is supplied from the main tank 34 to the sub-tank 26 . When the liquid level sensor 41 detects that the liquid level of the hydraulic fluid 35 in the sub-tank 26 is within a predetermined range, the pump 32 is stopped and the control valve 31 is closed. , the supply of hydraulic fluid from the main tank 34 to the sub-tank 26 is stopped. Also, by controlling the control valve 31 and the pump 32, the hydraulic fluid can be returned from the sub-tank 26 to the main tank 34. As a result, the liquid level in the sub-tank 26 is maintained within a predetermined range.

(sub tank)
It is preferable that the sub-tank 26 is arranged such that the inner ceiling surface (vertically uppermost part) is lower than the ejection port 15 of the ejection head 14 in the vertical direction. By arranging in this way, even if the working fluid is supplied from the main tank 34 until the sub-tank 26 is filled up by the above-mentioned fluid level adjustment, the fluid level position of the working fluid 35 in the sub-tank 26 is not discharged. It is never higher than the position of the ejection surface of the outlet 15 . That is, since the ceiling surface of the sub-tank 26 limits the height of the liquid level of the hydraulic fluid 35 in the sub-tank 26, the relative positional relationship (height relationship) between the liquid level of the hydraulic fluid 35 and the discharge port in the vertical direction. is maintained, and the height difference ΔH never reaches 0 (zero). Therefore, the internal pressure of the first accommodation space 5 and the second accommodation space 6 can always be kept negative with respect to the external pressure, and leakage and dripping of the ejection material from the ejection port 15 can be prevented.

(circulatory system)
The second housing space 6 and the sub-tank 26 are communicated via a pipe 24 and can also be communicated via a pipe 23 having a control valve 21 and a pump 22 . If the containment vessel 13 is removed and reattached to the dispensing device, bubbles may enter the tube 24 . In that case, by opening the control valve 21 and operating the pump 22 to circulate the hydraulic fluid 35 through the pipe 24, the second housing space 6 and the pipe 23 and send the hydraulic fluid to the sub-tank 26, the pipe 24 You can remove the bubbles inside. Control valve 21 is closed when pump 22 is not in use and is open when pump 22 is in use.

(pump)
Examples of pumps 22 and 32 include syringe pumps, tube pumps, diaphragm pumps, gear pumps, and the like. However, since the pumps 22 and 32 only need to have the function of the liquid sending means, they are not limited to pumps, and it is possible to select liquid sending means suitable for the discharge material discharge device. .

(First film 1 and second film 2)
As described above, the internal space of the storage container 13 is separated into the first storage space 5 and the second storage space 6 by a flexible member including the two films 1 and 2 functioning as partition walls. there is In this embodiment, since the first film 1 and the second film 2 are interlocked and integrally deformable and movable, the pressure inside the ejection head 14 can be controlled. If the first film 1 and the second film 2 are not connected and can be deformed and moved independently of each other, the liquid level of the hydraulic fluid in the sub-tank 26 can be adjusted to discharge the hydraulic fluid. The pressure within head 14 cannot be controlled as described above.

Specifically, in a configuration in which the first film 1 and the second film 2 can be independently deformed and moved, the discharge port 15 opens the liquid level position (liquid level height) of the working liquid in the sub-tank 26. A case will be described in which an attempt is made to adjust to a position lower than the position of the ejection surface. In this case, the hydraulic fluid in the second housing space 6 tends to move vertically downward into the sub-tank 26 due to gravity. Since the second film 2 is movable independently of the first film 1, it moves away from the first film 1 as the working fluid 35 in the second containing space 6 moves to the sub-tank 26. in the X direction. When the movement of the hydraulic fluid 35 causes the height difference ΔH to become too small, the hydraulic fluid 35 in the sub-tank 26 is sent to the main tank 34 by the pump 32 due to the liquid level adjustment function of the sub-tank 26 . Alternatively, the hydraulic fluid 35 in the sub-tank 26 overflows to the outside from the atmospheric communication pipe 25 which also functions as an intake port of the sub-tank 26 . In either case, the hydraulic fluid that can flow out of the second housing space 6 eventually disappears, and the second film 2 separates from the first film 1 and sticks to the inner wall surface of the housing 12. becomes. At this time, since the first film 1 is not related to the second film 2 and does not move, the internal pressure of the first housing space 5 does not change.

In this way, when the first film 1 and the second film 2 are not interlocked, the pressure inside the ejection head 14 cannot be controlled by adjusting the liquid surface position of the working liquid 35 .

In contrast, in the embodiment of the present invention, the first film 1 and the second film 2 are connected at a plurality of points by the connecting portions 3 distributed on the opposing surfaces of the first film 1 and the second film 2. Move in the same direction at the same time. Thereby, the pressure inside the ejection head 14 can be controlled.

That is, the first housing space 5 communicates with the outside air through the ejection port 15 of the ejection head. and flow resistance due to the inner wall of the discharge port, and forces such as surface tension. Due to the balance of forces, the material to be ejected tends to flow out from the ejection port and moves the first film 1 in the -X direction opposite to the X direction in the figure. In the present embodiment, the balance between the force to move the second film 2 in the X direction in the drawing and the force to move the first film 1 in the -X direction allows the first accommodation space to move. 5 and the second accommodation space 6 are maintained at the same internal pressure. Therefore, by keeping the height difference ΔH within a predetermined range, the first accommodation space 5 and the second accommodation space 6 are arranged so as to maintain a negative pressure for forming an appropriate meniscus 17 in the discharge port 15 . The internal pressure is balanced. Therefore, by adjusting the level of the hydraulic fluid 35 in the sub-tank 26, the pressure in the ejection head 14 can be controlled.

(Container)
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the container 13. FIG. An O-ring 81 seals the space between the first film 1 and the housing 11 , and an O-ring 82 seals the space between the second film 2 and the housing 12 . On the other hand, a spacer 16 is sandwiched between the first film 1 and the second film 2 . By tightening a fixing bolt (not shown), the two films 1 and 2 and the spacer 16 are brought into close contact between the housing 11 and the housing 12 . As with the material of the two films 1 and 2, the material of the spacer 16 is also desirably PTFE. Even if the film 1 is damaged and the ejection liquid flows out into the inter-membrane space 4 between the films 1 and 2, the ejection liquid can be prevented from coming into contact with members other than those of the same quality as the film 1. . In order to improve the adhesion between the two films 1 and 2 and the spacer 16, the films 1 and 2 and the spacer 16 may be welded or adhesively fixed. It is even more desirable if the films 1, 2 and the spacer 16 are integrally molded.

The spacer 16 is provided at its upper portion with an intake port 83 communicating with the outside, and at its lower portion with a drain port 84 communicating with the outside. Below the drain port 84, a liquid leakage sensor 42, which will be described later, is arranged. As will be described later, when either of the films 1 and 2 is damaged and liquid leaks from either of the housing spaces 5 and 6 into the inter-membrane space 4, the liquid is drained by the spacer 16 through the drain port 84. , drips downward through the drain port 84 and is detected by the leak sensor 42 . In FIG. 4, the inner surface of the spacer 16 is shown as a flat plane for simplicity, but preferably slopes toward the drainage port 84 .

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the shapes of the two films 1 and 2 that constitute the flexible member. The films 1 and 2 are formed of a PTFE film into a convex shape so as to correspond to the concave shape inside the housing 11 . As shown in FIG. 5B, the second film 2 is formed with a plurality of projections 72 for connection. After the films 1 and 2 are stacked as shown in FIG. 5(a), the contact portion between the convex portion 72 of the second film and the first film 1 is irradiated with a laser beam using a laser processing machine. are thermally welded to connect the films 1 and 2. In this example, the case where the convex portion 72 is provided on the second film 2 side has been described. However, such convex portions 72 may be omitted, and for example, the films 1 and 2 in a stacked state may be welded along a linear welding line or welded at a plurality of welding points using a laser processing machine. It is possible.

The convex portion of the flexible member containing the two films 1, 2 may be tapered. By providing curved portions (curved portions) R at the corners of the convex portion, the flexible member can be more easily deformed. The inner surfaces of the first accommodation space 5 and the second accommodation space 6 may be shaped to conform to the shape of such a flexible member.

The first film 1 and the second film 2 need to move smoothly together as the material is discharged. Therefore, the areal density (amount (number, area) per unit area) of those coupling portions 3 is higher than that of the tapered portion (tapered portion) T and the curved portion R. In the center region 8, which is the region where the thickness is cut, it is preferably high. The central region 8, which directly receives the pressing force that engages the film, is preferably flat, but may, for example, be gently curved or not strictly flat. Further, among the tapered portion T, the curved portion R, and the central region 8, it is preferable that the surface density of the coupling portion 3 is the lowest in the curved portion R. This is because the higher the surface density of the joint 3, the higher the rigidity.

A soft material or thin member is used for at least one of the first film and the second film to lower the rigidity of the flexible member as a whole, so that the integral movement of the first film and the second film can be performed smoothly. You may allow As for the shape of the film itself, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the thickness may be partially changed to partially vary the strength. For example, the curved portion R and tapered portion T may be relatively thin to facilitate deformation of the film, while the central region 8 and outer edge 7, where deformation is not desired, may be relatively thick.

As shown in FIG. 1, the space between the two films 1 and 2 of the flexible member communicates with the outside air (atmosphere) through an intake port 83 and a liquid drain port 84 . On the other hand, the internal pressures of the first housing space 5 and the second housing space 6 are controlled so as to maintain a negative pressure state equal to the external pressure (atmospheric pressure). Therefore, the unwelded portions of the films 1 and 2, which are the non-connected regions, are pulled toward the first accommodation space 5 and the second accommodation space 6 covered by the respective films, and between the films 1 and 2, An expanded space 4 is formed. Hereinafter, the space 4 between the first film 1 and the second film 2 is also referred to as an inter-film space.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the state and behavior of the ejection device of the present embodiment when part of the second film 2 is damaged. In this embodiment, the inter-membrane space 4 between the first film 1 and the second film 2 is an open space that communicates with the atmosphere, so the internal pressure is equal to the atmospheric pressure. On the other hand, the first accommodation space 5 and the second accommodation space 6 are both adjusted to have a negative pressure of 0.4±0.04 kPa below the atmospheric pressure, as described above. As shown in FIG. 7, when a part of the second film 2 is damaged and a hole 73 is opened, the air flows through the hole 73 from the inter-membrane space 4 on the high pressure side toward the second housing space 6 on the low pressure side. Air becomes air bubbles 74 and is sucked. Since the internal pressure of the air bubble 74 is equal to the atmospheric pressure, the air bubble 74 increases the internal pressure of the second housing space 6 and pushes the hydraulic fluid in the second housing space 6 through the pipe 24 toward the sub-tank 26 side.

The hydraulic fluid pushed out from the second housing space 6 raises the level of the hydraulic fluid in the sub-tank 26 . By detecting this rise in the liquid level with the liquid level sensor 41 (see FIG. 1), it is possible to detect that the film has been damaged and the air bubbles have entered the accommodation space. The term "film" used herein collectively refers to the first film 1 and the second film 2, and the term "accommodation space" refers to the first accommodation space 5 and the second accommodation space 6 as a general term. Hereinafter, the terms "film" and "accommodating space" may be used interchangeably in this specification.

Here, a case where the liquid level of the hydraulic fluid 35 in the sub-tank 26 changes due to another reason other than film breakage will be considered.

First, as described above, in order to maintain the value of the height difference ΔH shown in FIG. , the level of the hydraulic fluid 35 in the sub-tank 26 rises. However, in this case, since the liquid feeding amount is known, it is possible to distinguish between a change in the liquid level due to replenishment of the hydraulic liquid and an unexpected and abnormal change in the liquid level. Further, when the ejection material is ejected from the ejection port 15, the working liquid is supplied from the sub-tank 26 to the second accommodation space 6 by the ejection amount. As a result, the liquid level of the hydraulic fluid in the sub-tank 26 changes, but in this case, the liquid level changes in the downward direction. Therefore, it is possible to clearly distinguish between the change in the liquid level in the downward direction due to the discharge of the discharge material and the change in the liquid level in the upward direction due to the breakage of the film.

In this way, when a part of the second film 2 is damaged, the liquid level sensor 41 detects a rise in the liquid level of the hydraulic fluid 35 in the sub-tank 26 to detect the occurrence of film damage. can be done.

Further, in FIG. 1, a flow velocity sensor 77 is provided on the pipe 24 that communicates the second accommodation space 6 with the inside of the sub-tank 26 . When either the first film 1 or the second film 2 is damaged, the hydraulic fluid 35 in the second housing space 6 is pushed out through the pipe 24 into the sub-tank 26 . The flow velocity of the hydraulic fluid at this time can be detected by the flow velocity sensor 77 . On the other hand, when the ejection material is ejected from the ejection port 15, the hydraulic fluid in the sub-tank 26 is supplied to the second accommodation space 6 via the pipe 24 by the amount of the ejected material. At this time, the direction of flow of the hydraulic fluid is reversed to that when the film is damaged. Therefore, it is possible to clearly distinguish between the flow of the hydraulic fluid due to the ejection of the ejection material and the flow of the hydraulic fluid due to the breakage of the film.

Next, a case where a part of the first film 1 is damaged will be described. The state and behavior of the ejection device in this case are the same as when the second film 2 is partially damaged. That is, when a portion of the first film 1 is damaged, the air bubbles 74 are sucked into the first accommodation space 5 through the damaged portion. Since the pressure of the air bubble 74 is equal to the atmospheric pressure, the air bubble 74 increases the internal pressure in the first accommodation space 5 and makes the internal pressure higher than the internal pressure in the second accommodation space 6 . As a result, the first film 1 and the second film 2 functioning as partition walls move integrally toward the second housing space 6 , and the hydraulic fluid 35 in the second housing space 6 is pushed out to the sub-tank 26 . The pushed-out hydraulic fluid causes the level of the hydraulic fluid in the sub-tank 26 to rise, and this rise is detected by the level sensor 41 (see FIG. 1). By detecting an unexpectedly abnormal liquid level height, it is possible to detect that the film has been damaged and the air bubbles 74 have entered the housing space.

As described above, even if either the first film 1 or the second film 2 is damaged, the liquid level sensor 41 and the flow velocity sensor 77 are used together with the liquid leakage sensor 42, which will be described later. can be detected. Moreover, even if either the first film 1 or the second film 2 is damaged, the ejection material and the working liquid remain separated and do not come into contact with each other.

In addition, due to film breakage, the internal pressure of the first housing space 5 may increase until it becomes equal to the external pressure. In that case, the ejection material cannot maintain the state of forming the meniscus 17, and may drip from the ejection port 15 at an unintended timing. However, the ejection device of the present embodiment can detect an abnormality when the internal pressure of the first housing space 5 starts to rise, and based on this, an abnormality alarm is issued, causing the ejection material to drip. It is possible to activate anti-drip means before. Examples of the drip prevention means include capping of the ejection port and negative pressure control of the second housing space by the pressure control means.

In this example, the inter-membrane space 4 between the first film 1 and the second film 2 communicates with the outside air and is at a pressure equal to atmospheric pressure. However, a valve is provided to control the communication between the intermembrane space 4 and the outside air, and after the air pressure in the intermembrane space 4 is adjusted to the atmospheric pressure in advance by the outside air, the valve is closed to make the intermembrane space 4 a sealed space. Also, the differential pressure between the intermembrane space 4 and the receiving spaces 5, 6 can be maintained. In this state, if either the first film 1 or the second film 2 is damaged, the gas in the inter-membrane space 4 flows into either the first accommodation space 5 or the second accommodation space 6 . In this case, the inflow of gas is at most the volume between the first film 1 and the second film 2 . Therefore, it is possible to detect the occurrence of film breakage and suppress the dripping of the discharge material from the discharge port with an extremely small inflow of gas compared to the case where the inter-membrane space 4 communicates with the outside air.

There are various causes of film breakage. For example, in a printing apparatus that uses ink as an ejection material, there is a risk that holes will form in the film that serves as partition walls due to manufacturing variations. In addition, there is a risk that the film as the partition wall will be repeatedly moved and deformed inside the storage container 13, resulting in opening of holes. Moreover, many problems occur in the structure in which the film is perforated and the working liquid is mixed into the discharge material at the same time as the conventional example disclosed in Patent Document 1. That is, when water as a working liquid is mixed with the ink for image recording and spreads, the ink is diluted with water and the recorded image becomes blurred. In addition, since the working fluid contains additives, which are impurities, the ejection port 15 having a diameter of about 10 μm may be clogged with deposits or particles in the working fluid, making ejection impossible. . Therefore, it is extremely important that the discharge material and the working liquid do not come into contact with each other or get mixed in, even if the film as the partition wall is perforated.

When the ejection device of the present embodiment is applied to a photosensitive resist coating device for a semiconductor exposure device, the effect of not contacting the ejection material with the working liquid is even greater. Since the density of the ejection pattern is fine in the photoresist coating apparatus, the diameter of the ejection port 15 is about 10 μm as in a high-density printing apparatus. Therefore, clogging with impurities becomes a serious problem. Furthermore, as a necessary condition for a photosensitive resist, the concentration of metal ions such as Na and Mg eluted into the resist is required to be less than several ppb. Even if the photosensitive resist and the working liquid do not mix, the metal ions in the working liquid migrate into the photosensitive resist and cause metal ion contamination even if they are just brought into contact with each other. Moreover, when a photosensitive resist contaminated with metal ions is applied to a wafer, the metal ion contamination spreads to all the production equipment in the next process and subsequent steps in contact with the wafer, causing a serious problem. Thus, it is extremely important to be able to detect the occurrence of film breakage without contact between the discharge material and the working liquid.

Based on the liquid level height measured by the liquid level sensor 41, the control device (CPU 202 in FIG. 2) controls the amount of change in the liquid level position and the rate of change in the liquid level position over time (hereinafter referred to as "liquid level (also referred to as "plane change speed") and two types of values are calculated. The liquid level of the hydraulic fluid 35 in the sub-tank 26 may change suddenly due to vibration such as an earthquake. However, in liquid level fluctuations due to an earthquake, the liquid level change rate is detected such that the positive and negative values are interchanged. On the other hand, when the liquid level of the hydraulic fluid in the sub-tank 26 rises due to film breakage as described above, only the liquid level change speed in the positive direction is detected. Therefore, the control device can separately perceive changes in the liquid level due to vibrations such as earthquakes and changes in the liquid level due to breakage of the film, based on the behavior of the rate of change in the liquid level.

Also, as described above, the hydraulic fluid 35 is supplied from the main tank 34 to the sub-tank 26 in order to keep the value of the height difference ΔH within a certain range. In such a supply operation, the liquid feeding amount is known as described above, and the liquid level change speed is also calculated by the control device. If the film is damaged while the hydraulic fluid 35 is being conveyed, the fluid level change speed is detected to be greater than a known value, so that an abnormal state due to the film damage can be recognized.

It is also possible to calculate an integrated value of the amount of hydraulic fluid replenished from the main tank 34 to the sub-tank 26 when correcting the height difference ΔH. The integrated value of the amount of replenished hydraulic fluid is equal to the amount of the discharged material in the first housing space 5 that has decreased. Therefore, it is possible to simultaneously grasp the total amount of the ejected material and the remaining amount of the ejected material remaining in the first housing space 5 . With such a function, it is also possible to grasp the relative relationship between the usage time of the storage container 13 and the remaining liquid amount, and to calculate the life expectancy prediction.

As described above, when the film is damaged and the hole 73 is opened, the air bubble 74 is sucked into one of the storage spaces 5 and 6, and the internal pressure of these storage spaces approaches the external pressure. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the degree of damage to the film is so great that a hole 78 with a diameter of about 200 μm or more is opened as shown in FIG. 8, or a plurality of holes 73 are opened at the same time. As shown in FIG. 8, when the holes 73 and 78 are formed in the second film 2, air bubbles 74 are sucked into the second housing space 6 through the holes 78, and at the same time, the hydraulic fluid leaks 79 and becomes the holes. 73 into the intermembrane space 4 . Depending on the piping resistance of the pipe 24 between the second housing space 6 and the sub-tank 26, the hydraulic fluid becomes a leak 79 and leaks out from the drain port 84 before the hydraulic fluid is pushed back to the sub-tank 26 side. put out. Then, the leaked liquid 79 drips onto the leaked liquid sensor 42 and is detected. Similarly, when holes 73 and 78 are formed in the first film 1 , air bubbles 74 are sucked into the first accommodation space 5 through the holes 78 , and at the same time, the discharged liquid becomes a leak 79 and leaks from the holes 73 into the film. It leaks into the interspace 4 and the leakage 79 is detected by the leakage sensor 42 .

Further, in a liquid ejecting apparatus that uses a photosensitive resist as the ejected liquid and water mixed with antiseptic as the working liquid, an optical leak sensor is used as the leak sensor 42 so that the leaked liquid can be detected as the ejected liquid or Any of the hydraulic fluids can be determined. In that case, the optical liquid leakage sensor will have sensitivity to each of the discharge liquid and the working liquid. However, when using a water leakage sensor that detects current and short circuits, depending on the model, some have sensitivity to photoresist, some have no sensitivity to water, some have sensitivity to water, and some have sensitivity to photoresist. Some have no sensitivity to In such a case, it is possible to deal with it by using a plurality of types of water leakage sensors. That is, by using a water leakage sensor that includes a detection unit that detects photosensitive resist and a detection unit that detects water, it is possible to detect which of the films 1 and 2 has been damaged.

As described above, in this embodiment, detection of film breakage by the liquid level sensor 41 and the flow velocity sensor 77 and detection of film breakage by the liquid leakage sensor 42 can be performed in parallel. Therefore, regardless of the degree of damage to the film, the damage can be quickly and reliably detected and dealt with. In particular, since the liquid leakage sensor 42 directly detects liquid leakage, it is possible to more reliably detect film breakage (damage). Film breakage (damage) can also be detected only by the liquid leakage sensor 42 .

<Second embodiment>
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention, which differs from the above-described first embodiment in the layout of the leakage sensor 42. As shown in FIG.

In FIG. 9, a leaked liquid tank (leakage storage section) 37 is connected below the drain port 84 , and a liquid leakage sensor 42 is arranged at the bottom of the leaked liquid tank 37 . The leakage tank 37 prevents the leakage liquid discharged from the drainage port 84 from diffusing to the outside. The fluid leaked from the drain port 84 is detected by the leak sensor 42 without diffusing to the outside. When a photosensitive resist is used as the ejection liquid, secondary damage due to diffusion of the ejection liquid and its volatile gas can be prevented while maintaining the liquid leakage detection function of the liquid leakage sensor. A liquid leakage sensor 28 for detecting the working liquid dripping from the pipe 25 is arranged below the pipe 25 . When the hydraulic fluid is returned from the second housing space 6 to the sub-tank 26 due to film breakage (damage) and overflows from the sub-tank 26, the overflowed hydraulic fluid is detected by the liquid leakage sensor 28. can be detected.

<Third Embodiment>
FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a third embodiment of the present invention, in which the liquid leakage sensor 42 is not arranged in the liquid leakage tank 37, and instead, a A liquid level sensor 38 is arranged. The liquid level sensor 38 detects the liquid level of the leaking liquid in the leaking liquid tank 37 regardless of the types of the discharge liquid and the working liquid. Moreover, the liquid level sensor 38 is not contaminated because it does not come into contact with the leaked liquid. When a contact-type liquid leakage sensor that comes into contact with liquid leakage is used, it is difficult to remove and clean the liquid leakage that is in contact with the liquid leakage sensor when the liquid ejecting apparatus is restored after detection of liquid leakage. . By using the non-contact type liquid level sensor 38 that does not come into contact with the leaked liquid as in this example, it is not necessary to remove the leaked liquid and clean it when the liquid ejecting apparatus is restored, thereby facilitating maintenance. . Furthermore, in this example, when liquid leakage occurs due to breakage of the film in the storage container 13, the leakage tank 37 can be replaced integrally with the storage container 13 to restore the liquid ejection device.

As a method for detecting the liquid level of the leaked liquid in the liquid leakage tank 37 by the liquid level sensor 38, a capacitance detection type or an optical type can be adopted. When an optical liquid level sensor is used, at least part of the leaking tank is made of a transparent material, and the liquid level is detected through the transparent part. In this case, as in the conventional example shown in Patent Document 2, by further arranging a sensor that determines the type of leakage according to the color or refractive index of the leakage, it is possible to determine which of the films 1 and 2 is damaged. It is also possible to determine whether

<Fourth Embodiment>
FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a fourth embodiment of the present invention, in which double films 1 and 2 forming a bag are inserted into a container 13, and the outside of the bag is used as a first liquid for discharge. 1 storage space 5 and the inside of the bag as a second storage space 6 for the hydraulic fluid are separated from each other. In this example, the leakage sensor 42 is arranged below the lower drainage port 84 communicating with the inter-membrane space 4 between the films 1 and 2 . When either of the films 1 and 2 is damaged, the liquid leaking from the damaged portion is guided to the liquid leakage sensor 42 and detected. The leakage tank 37 may be connected to the drain port 84 in the same manner as in the second and third embodiments described above.

As shown in FIG. 1, the outlet of the drain port 84 may have a shape that opens to the lower surface (flat surface) of the outside of the container 13 . In such an outlet shape of the liquid drain port 84, when the leaked liquid tends to diffuse horizontally on the outer wall surface of the housing 12 where the liquid drain port 84 opens due to the surface tension of the leaked liquid in the inter-membrane space 4, , the leaked liquid is less likely to drop onto the leaked liquid sensor 42 . In such a case, as shown in FIG. 11, it is desirable to provide a cylindrical protrusion at the outlet of the liquid drain port 84. FIG.

<Fifth Embodiment>
FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining a fifth embodiment of the present invention, in which a drain pipe 48 is connected to a drain port 84. As shown in FIG. A liquid leakage sensor 43 and a discharge pump 49 are connected to the discharge pipe 48 , and the lower end of the discharge pipe 48 is connected to a waste liquid container 70 . As in the above-described embodiment, the films 1 and 2 are partially connected by welding or the like, and the integral movement of the films 1 and 2 keeps the internal pressures of the storage spaces 5 and 6 equal. be.

A discharge pump 49 provided in the liquid discharge port 84 sucks outside air from the intake port 83 through the intermembrane space 4 . As a result, the leaked liquid (working liquid or discharge liquid) leaked into the inter-membrane space 4 is sucked and discharged through the discharge pipe 48, reaches the liquid leak sensor 43 quickly, and is reliably detected. If it is possible to keep the inter-membrane space 4 in a negative pressure state with the discharge pump 49 and an unillustrated diaphragm or the like, and the films 1 and 2 can be brought into close contact at least partially so that they can move integrally, the film It is not necessary to connect 1 and 2 by welding or the like. The discharge pump 49 does not need to be operated all the time, and may be intermittently driven at regular time intervals. The liquid leakage sensor 43 may be configured to detect the working liquid and the discharge liquid without distinguishing between them, or may be configured to detect them separately.

<Sixth embodiment>
FIG. 13 is a schematic configuration diagram of a liquid ejection apparatus according to this embodiment, and the liquid ejection apparatus of this example is an application example of an imprint apparatus 50 .

Imprint apparatuses are used to manufacture articles typified by semiconductor devices. The imprint apparatus 50 presses a mold 58 having a pattern for molding against an uncured resin (resist) 90 applied to a shot region on a substrate 59, and in this state, irradiates light 60 (for example, ultraviolet rays). to cure the resin 90 . After that, the pattern of the mold 58 is transferred onto the substrate 59 by separating the mold 58 from the cured resin 90 . The imprinting apparatus 50 of this example is an optical imprinting type imprinting apparatus, and includes a light irradiation unit 88, a mold holding unit 51, a substrate chuck 52, a substrate stage 53, an ejection liquid ejection device 54, an ejection head 55, and a pressure sensor. A control unit 56 and a control unit 57 are provided.

The light irradiation unit 88 irradiates the resin 90 with the light 60 through the mold 58 during imprinting. The wavelength of the light 60 is a wavelength corresponding to the resin 90 to be cured. A pattern such as a circuit pattern to be transferred is formed on the surface of the mold 58 facing the substrate 59 . As a material for the mold 58, quartz or the like that transmits the light 60 can be used. The mold holding unit 51 includes a mold chuck (not shown) that holds the mold 58, a mold drive mechanism (not shown) that movably holds the mold chuck, a magnification correction mechanism (not shown) that corrects the shape of the mold 58, Prepare. The substrate 59 is a silicon wafer, an SOI (Silicon on Insulator) substrate, a glass substrate, or the like.

A plurality of shots, which are pattern formation regions arranged in a specific shot layout, exist on the substrate 59 . Each shot is formed on the substrate 59 immediately before imprinting by ejecting the resin 90 accommodated in the ejection device 54 from the ejection port of the ejection head 55 . A pattern of the resin 90 is formed on the substrate 59 by imprinting the pattern formed on the mold 58 thereon. The substrate chuck 52 holds the substrate 59 , and the substrate stage 53 movably holds the substrate chuck 52 together with the substrate 59 . The substrate stage 53 aligns the mold 58 and the substrate 59 after the resin 90 is applied by the ejection head 55 . Imprinting is performed while performing such alignment.

In such a series of imprint operations, movement of the substrate 59 to the shot position, ejection/coating of the resin 90, imprinting, alignment, curing of the resin 90, mold release, and movement of the substrate 59 to the next shot position are performed. They are executed in order, and this operation is repeated as necessary.

FIG. 14 is a schematic configuration diagram of the ejection device 54 in this example.

The ejection device 54 of this example includes an ejection head 55 , a container 95 , a pressure control section 56 , a control section 57 and a pressure measurement section 97 . The storage container 95 is provided with a flexible membrane 94 that divides the interior into a first storage space 91 and a second storage space 92 . A first accommodation space 91 communicating with the ejection head 55 is filled with a resin 90 (ejection material). By controlling the ejection head 55 by the controller 57 , the resin 90 is ejected from the ejection opening of the ejection head 55 . In the ejection head 55, actuators are mounted in pressure chambers provided corresponding to the respective ejection ports. Any actuator can be used as long as it is capable of generating energy capable of ejecting the resin 90 as the ejecting material as fine droplets, for example, droplets of 1 pL. body elements and the like. The discharge head 55 may not be integrated with the storage container 95, and may be attached to the storage container 95 in a replaceable manner. A second accommodation space 92 that does not communicate with the ejection head 55 is filled with the working fluid 93 . As the working liquid 93, cooling water or the like used in a conventional exposure apparatus can be used. For example, as the hydraulic fluid 93, a liquid obtained by adding an antiseptic or a moisturizing agent to water can be used. The second housing space 92 communicates via a communication portion 96 with the pressure control portion 56 that supplies the hydraulic fluid 93 .

The flexible film 94 joins the periphery of two flexible films (first film 94(1) and second film 94(2)) as shown in FIGS. A sealing portion 98 is provided around the films 94(1) and 94(2). A structure (sealing portion 98) in which two flexible films (first film 94(1) and second film 94(2)) are sealed in a bag shape may be formed by bonding. Other methods may be used. For example, it may be formed by the method described in the first embodiment, in which the spacer and the O-ring are used to eliminate the intake port and the waste liquid port. An inter-membrane space 99 sealed between the first film 94(1) and the second film 94(2) is set to a lower pressure (negative pressure) than the accommodation spaces 91 and 92 which are controlled to have the same pressure. It is As described above, the first film 94(1) and the second film 94(2) can be connected to each other, such as by gluing or welding. However, if the first film 94(1) and the second film 94(2) can be brought into close contact at least partially and moved integrally due to the low pressure in the inter-membrane space 99, these films can be welded together. It is not necessary to connect by such as, and it is sufficient if they are in contact with each other. Further, when the pressure in the inter-membrane space 99 is low, the first film 94(1) and the second film 94(2) are in close contact with each other, and no pressure change occurs when the flexible film 94 is damaged. There is also Therefore, as described in the first embodiment, at least one of these films may be provided with an uneven shape, or a space may be secured by inserting a spacer between two films. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the two films from coming into close contact with each other, and to immediately measure the pressure change by the pressure measuring section 97 when the flexible membrane 94 (film) is damaged.

The thickness of the flexible film 94 is preferably 10 μm or more and 200 μm or less, and more preferably 50 μm or less. As the flexible film 94, for example, it is preferable to use a fluororesin (such as PFA) film which has high chemical resistance and little metal elution.

The pressure measurement unit 97 measures the pressure in the inter-membrane space 99 and sends the measurement data to the control unit 57 of the liquid ejection device. The control unit 57 detects breakage of the flexible film 94 based on the change in the pressure measurement data. When the breakage of the flexible film 94 is detected, ejection of the resin 90 from at least the ejection head 55 of the imprint apparatus is stopped. The imprint apparatus includes a control unit that outputs a stop signal for the imprint apparatus when damage to the flexible film 94 is detected.

The pressure control unit 56 includes a tank for the hydraulic fluid 93, piping, a pressure sensor, a pump, valves, and the like. The pressure control section 56 controls the pressure of the hydraulic fluid 93 inside the second housing space 92 . The control unit 57 controls the supply of the hydraulic fluid 93 from the pressure control unit 56 to the second accommodation space 92 , thereby indirectly increasing the resin 90 in the first accommodation space 91 via the flexible film 94 . Control pressure. As a result, the internal pressures of the first accommodation space 91 and the second accommodation space 92 are balanced so as to maintain a negative pressure for forming an appropriate meniscus in the ejection port of the ejection head 55, as in the above-described embodiment. state, and the resin 90 can be discharged satisfactorily.

By repeating ejection of the resin 90 from the ejection head 55 according to a series of imprint operations, the amount of the resin 90 in the first accommodation space 91 is reduced. Accordingly, the flexible film 94 moves so as to decrease the volume of the first accommodation space 91 and increase the volume of the second accommodation space 92 . By such movement of the flexible film 94 , the hydraulic fluid 93 is refilled into the second housing space 92 from the tank of the hydraulic fluid 93 in the pressure control section 56 . The resin 90 used in the imprinting apparatus 50 reduces the amount of foreign matter (fine particles) and metal ions to an extremely small amount, and must be kept in this state until it is ejected from the ejection head 55 . The imprint apparatus 50 of this example isolates the resin 90 from the outside of the first accommodation space 91 for the entire period until the resin 90 in the first accommodation space 91 is substantially completely consumed by repeated ejection of the resin 90 . stored in the state Therefore, the resin 90 does not come into contact with devices such as pressure sensors, and the increase in foreign matter and metal ions can be suppressed continuously from the state where the resin 90 is enclosed in the first housing space 91 .

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a storage container provided with a flexible film 94. The flexible film 94 creates a first storage space 91 that stores the resin 90 and a second storage space 92 that stores the hydraulic fluid 93. , are separated. When the first film 94(1) on the first accommodation space 91 side is damaged (hole), the pressure in the inter-membrane space 99 is set lower than that in the first accommodation space 91, so the first accommodation space 91 The resin 90 inside penetrates into the inter-membrane space 99 from the damaged portion of the first film 94(1). At this time, the resin 90 in the inter-membrane space 99 does not mix with the hydraulic fluid 93 in the second accommodation space 92 because the second film 94 ( 2 ) exists. When the first film 94 ( 1 ) is damaged in this manner, the pressure in the inter-membrane space 99 immediately increases, and the pressure measurement section 97 measures the pressure change. The control unit 57 detects breakage of the flexible film 94 based on the measurement data, and issues a command to stop the operation of the imprint apparatus 50 . Similarly, if the second film 94(2) on the second accommodation space 92 side is damaged (holes), the hydraulic fluid 93 in the second accommodation space 92 enters the inter-membrane space 99, Breakage of the flexible membrane 94 can be detected based on pressure changes in the inter-membrane space 99 . Similarly, when the two films 94 ( 1 ) and 94 ( 2 ) are damaged at the same time, the damage of the flexible membrane 94 can be detected based on the pressure change in the inter-membrane space 99 .

Also, as shown in FIG. 17, a pressure control section 80 including a pump or the like may be provided to maintain the pressure in the intermembrane space 99 . If the mounting period of the storage container 95 is prolonged, the pressure in the inter-membrane space 99 may gradually change and the pressure difference between the storage spaces 91 and 92 may become smaller. In this case, a pressure control unit 80 capable of adjusting the internal pressure of the inter-membrane space 99 is provided. maintain a low pre-determined pressure.

As described above, the imprint apparatus of the present embodiment can instantly detect the breakage of the flexible film, thereby increasing the yield of products (devices) manufactured by the imprint apparatus and preventing the breakage of the flexible film. It is possible to shorten the recovery time for cleaning, etc., and improve the operating rate.

(Product manufacturing method)
Since the imprint technique described above can collectively form a three-dimensional structure, it can be applied to manufacturing techniques for diffractive optical elements and bio-based chip-type inspection elements. Furthermore, since nanometer-order pattern formation is possible, it can be applied to a wide range of fields such as next-generation semiconductor lithography technology.

Patterns formed using an imprint apparatus are used permanently or temporarily in manufacturing various articles, at least in part. An article is an electric circuit element, an optical element, a MEMS, a recording element, a sensor, a mold, or the like. Electric circuit elements include volatile or nonvolatile semiconductor memories such as DRAM, SRAM, flash memory, and MRAM, as well as semiconductor elements such as LSI, CCD, image sensors, and FPGA. Examples of the mold include imprint molds and the like.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram of a specific manufacturing method of the article.

First, as shown in FIG. 18A, a substrate 59 such as a silicon wafer having a surface to be processed W such as an insulator formed thereon is prepared. A resin 90 is applied. FIG. 18A shows a state in which a plurality of droplet-shaped resins 90 are applied to the surface of the workpiece W. FIG. After that, as shown in FIG. 18(b), the uneven pattern on the imprinting mold 58 is opposed to the surface of the workpiece W, and then, as shown in FIG. A concave-convex pattern is stamped on the surface of the material W to be processed. The gap between the mold 58 and the workpiece W is filled with the resin 90 . In this state, the resin 90 is cured by irradiating light 60 as energy for curing through the mold 58 .

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 18(d), the pattern of the resin 90 is formed on the substrate 59 by releasing the mold 58. Next, as shown in FIG. The projections of this pattern correspond to the depressions of the mold 58, and the depressions correspond to the projections of the mold. Thus, the uneven pattern of the mold 58 is transferred onto the substrate 59 . Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 18(e), etching is performed using the pattern of the resin 90 on the substrate 59 as an anti-etching mask. A portion is removed to become a groove W1. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 18(f), by removing the pattern of the resin 90, an article having grooves W1 formed on the surface of the workpiece W can be obtained. Without removing the pattern of the resin 90, it may be used as, for example, an interlayer insulating film included in a semiconductor element or the like, that is, as a constituent member of an article.

<Seventh embodiment>
FIG. 19 is a diagram for explaining a seventh embodiment of the present invention, in which a drain pipe 48 is connected to a drain port 84. As shown in FIG. A liquid leakage sensor 43 and a discharge pump 49 are connected to the discharge pipe 48 , and the lower end of the discharge pipe 48 is connected to a waste liquid container 70 . An intake pipe 85 is connected to the intake port 83 . A pressure pump 86 is connected to the intake pipe 85, and the end of the intake pipe 85 is open to the atmosphere. As in the above-described embodiment, the films 1 and 2 are partially connected by welding or the like, and the integral movement of the films 1 and 2 keeps the internal pressures of the storage spaces 5 and 6 equal. be. In addition, if it is possible to keep the inter-membrane space 4 in a negative pressure state by means of the discharge pump 49 and an unillustrated throttle or the like, and at least partially bring the films 1 and 2 into close contact so that they can move integrally. , the films 1 and 2 need not be joined by welding or the like.

In the fifth embodiment described above, the outside air is sucked through the inter-membrane space 4 from the suction port 83 by the discharge pump 49 provided in the liquid discharge port 84 . In this case, the film 1 and the film 2 are in close contact with each other, and even if the leaked liquid (working liquid or discharge liquid) leaked into the inter-membrane space 4 is discharged by the discharge pump 49, it becomes difficult to move the leaked liquid. It may become difficult to reach the leakage sensor 43 .

Therefore, in the seventh embodiment of the present invention, an intake pipe 85 connected to the intake port 83 is provided with a pressurizing pump 86 . The pressurizing pump 86 temporarily sucks and pressurizes the atmosphere and sends it into the inter-membrane space 4 to prevent the film 1 and the film 2 from sticking together, and the leaked liquid (working fluid) leaked into the inter-membrane space 4 or discharge liquid) to flow easily. As a result, the leaked liquid leaked into the inter-membrane space 4 can be sucked and discharged through the discharge pipe 48 to reach the liquid leak sensor 43 more quickly and be reliably detected.

Further, when outside air is sucked through the inter-membrane space 4 from the intake port 83, since the internal pressure of the housing spaces 5 and 6 is negative, the outside air flows into the inter-membrane space 4 to such an extent that the membranes are partially in close contact with each other. Thus, it is preferable to maintain the pressure in the intermembrane space 4 at a slightly negative pressure with respect to the atmospheric pressure. Moreover, it is preferable that the timing of sucking the outside air is not the timing when the ejection material ejection device ejects droplets, but the timing when the ejection is stopped. As a result, it is possible to suppress the influence of changes in the pressure in the inter-film space 4 on ejection performance such as the ejection amount and ejection speed of droplets.

In the fifth embodiment, when the film 1 and the film 2 are in close contact with each other as described above and the movement of the leaked liquid is difficult, another method for facilitating the movement is shown in FIG. ), a plurality of connecting portions between the film 1 and the film 2 may be used as the convex portions 72 . The shape of the protrusions is not limited, and for example, the flow paths may be formed by linear protrusions or recesses. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide these protrusions 72 over the entire film that has been molded into a convex shape. By forming convex portions in this way to form portions where the film 1 and the film 2 are not in close contact with each other, the leaked liquid (working liquid or discharge liquid) that has leaked into the inter-membrane space 4 does not easily flow. As a result, the liquid leaked into the inter-membrane space 4 can be sucked and discharged through the discharge pipe 48 to reach the liquid leak sensor 43 more quickly and be reliably detected. Furthermore, by adding a pressurizing operation by the pressurizing pump 86 of FIG. 19, the leaked liquid (working liquid or discharge liquid) can be made to flow more easily and can be detected more reliably. In addition, by providing convex portions and concave portions in a film forming mold, the convex portions and concave portions may be provided in the films themselves when the film 1 and the film 2 are formed.

<Eighth embodiment>
FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining the eighth embodiment of the present invention. A discharge pipe 48 is connected to the liquid discharge port 84 , and a liquid leakage sensor 43 , a flow rate meter (flow rate detection unit) 102 , a pressure measuring instrument 103 , and a discharge pump 49 are connected to the discharge tube 48 . As in the above-described embodiment, the films 1 and 2 are partially connected by welding or the like, and the integral movement of the films 1 and 2 keeps the internal pressures of the storage spaces 5 and 6 equal. be. In addition, if it is possible to keep the inter-membrane space 4 in a negative pressure state by means of the discharge pump 49 and an unillustrated throttle or the like, and at least partially bring the films 1 and 2 into close contact so that they can move integrally. , the films 1 and 2 need not be joined by welding or the like.

As shown in FIG. 20, a mesh-shaped thin resin (mesh-shaped thin film resin) 101 shown in FIG. As described above, it is possible to suppress adhesion between the films 1 and 2 even under the condition that the inter-membrane space 4 is maintained in a negative pressure state. can be detected. Alternatively, the films 1 and 2 may be welded together with a mesh-like thin resin 101 sandwiched between them.

The material of the mesh-shaped thin resin 101 may be any material that is resistant to the discharge material and the working fluid, like the material of the first film 1 and the second film 2 . For example, Teflon (registered trademark)-based fluororesins such as PFA (tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer), ETFE (ethylenetetrafluoroethylene), and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) can be used. Further examples include polyamide synthetic resins such as PE (polyethylene), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PVAL (polyvinyl alcohol), PVDC (polyvinylidene chloride), and nylon.

In the container 13 of FIG. 20, the inter-membrane space 4 does not have any other opening communicating with the outside of the container 13 other than the drain port 84 . If the inter-membrane space 4 has another opening that communicates with the outside of the container 13 in addition to the drain port 84, the other opening is closed by a valve. Therefore, if the film is not damaged, no gas (fluid) flows in the discharge tube 48, and the current meter 102 reading is zero. In addition, when the film is damaged, gas and leaking liquid (fluid) flows in the discharge pipe 48, and by detecting the flow velocity with the current meter 102, the film damage can be detected. Also, the diameter of the holes formed in the film can be estimated from the measured value of the current meter 102 .

It should be noted that the waste liquid container 70 in the above-described seventh embodiment is not connected to the lower end portion of the discharge pipe 48 in FIG. However, like the seventh embodiment, the waste liquid container 70 may be connected to the lower end of the discharge pipe 48 .

<Ninth Embodiment>
FIG. 22 is a diagram for explaining the ninth embodiment of the present invention. This differs from the eighth embodiment described above in that a color sensor 104 and a mist collector 106 are connected to the discharge pipe 48 . If a liquid flows into the flow meter 102 for gas, there is a risk of causing a measurement error or damage. By arranging the mist collector 106 in the middle of the discharge pipe 48, it is possible to suppress the liquid from flowing into the flow meter 102 for gas. The mist collector 106 is provided with a liquid level sensor 105 for detecting the liquid level so that the discharge pump can be stopped before the liquid inside becomes full. The liquid level sensor 105 of this example includes a sensor section 105a for detecting a high liquid level before the inside of the mist collector 106 becomes full, and a low level liquid level when the inside of the mist collector 106 is almost empty. and a sensor unit 105b. The liquid level sensor 105 may be configured to detect at least the liquid level before the inside of the mist collector 106 becomes full. Further, by detecting the colored ejection liquid or the colored working liquid with the color sensor 104, it is possible to specify which of the ejection liquid side film and the working liquid side film is damaged. In this manner, the colors of the discharged liquid and the working liquid are made different, and the color sensor 104 detects the color of the leaked liquid discharged from the liquid discharge port 84, thereby identifying the damaged film. can.

<Tenth Embodiment>
FIG. 23 is a diagram for explaining the tenth embodiment of the present invention. Similar to the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 11 described above, the double films 1 and 2 forming the bag are arranged in the container 13, and the outside of the bag is defined as the first containing space 5 for the liquid to be discharged. , and the inside of the bag is defined as the second accommodation space 6 for the hydraulic fluid. The discharge pipe 48 is connected to the leakage sensor 43, the flow rate meter 102, the pressure measuring instrument 103, and the discharge pump 49 as in the eighth embodiment, or the color sensor as in the eighth embodiment. 104 and mist collector 106 are connected. In this embodiment, as in the eighth and ninth embodiments described above, the current meter 102 can detect film breakage.

<Other embodiments>
In the above-described embodiment, as a change in the state of the inter-membrane space due to communication between at least one of the first accommodation space and the second accommodation space and the inter-membrane space, the discharge material and the working fluid flow into the inter-membrane space. At least one leak and a change in the internal pressure of the intermembrane space are detected. A change in the state of the inter-membrane space is not limited to the leakage of at least one of the ejected material and the working fluid, and changes in the internal pressure. It may be a change in the humidity of the intermembrane space or the like. In short, when at least one of the first accommodation space and the second accommodation space and the inter-membrane space communicate with each other due to breakage of at least one of the first film and the second film constituting the flexible membrane. In addition, it is only necessary to be able to detect changes in the state occurring in the intermembrane space.

Also, changes in multiple states of the intermembrane space may be detected. Such detection of changes in the state of the intermembrane space may be performed in combination with detection using the liquid level sensor 41 and the flow rate sensor 77 as shown in FIG. 1, or may be performed independently.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 first film 2 second film 4 inter-membrane space 5 first accommodation space 6 second accommodation space 14 ejection head
42 liquid leakage sensor 84 drain port

Claims (20)

an ejection head for ejecting an ejection material;
a storage container whose interior space is separated by a flexible membrane into a first storage space for storing the ejection material supplied to the ejection head and a second storage space for storing the working liquid;
pressure control means for controlling the internal pressure of the second housing space;
A discharge material discharge device comprising:
The flexible film includes a first film covering the first accommodation space, a second film covering the second accommodation space, and an inter-membrane space positioned between the first film and the second film. , including
The ejecting material ejecting device comprises detection means for detecting a change in the state of the inter-membrane space due to communication between at least one of the first accommodation space and the second accommodation space and the inter-membrane space,
the change in the state is leakage of at least one of the discharge material and the working liquid into the inter-membrane space as leakage;
The ejecting material ejecting device, wherein the detecting means detects the leak. 2. A discharge material discharge device according to claim 1, wherein said inter-membrane space communicates with the atmosphere. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first film and the second film is provided with a convex portion, and the first film and the second film are joined via the convex portion. Ejecting material ejection device. 3. The ejecting material ejecting device according to claim 1, further comprising a drain port for discharging the leaked liquid from the inter-membrane space to the outside. 5. A discharge material discharge device according to claim 4, further comprising suction means for sucking and discharging the leaked liquid in the inter-membrane space from the liquid discharge port. 6. A discharge material discharge device according to claim 4 , wherein said detection means is provided at a position in contact with said leaked liquid discharged from said discharge port. 7. The discharging material discharging device according to claim 4, further comprising a leaked liquid containing portion for containing the leaked liquid discharged from the drain port. 8. The discharging material discharge device according to claim 7, wherein the detection means is provided at a position in contact with the leaked liquid contained in the leaked liquid containing portion. 8. The discharging material discharge device according to claim 7, wherein the detecting means detects the liquid level of the leaked liquid contained in the leaked liquid containing portion. 10. The discharging material discharging device according to claim 1, wherein the detecting means can detect the discharging material and the working liquid by distinguishing between them. 11. The ejection material ejection device according to claim 10, wherein the detection means includes a first detection section that detects the ejection material, and a second detection section that detects the working liquid. 11. A discharge material discharge device according to claim 10, wherein said discharge material and said working liquid are different in color, and said detecting means is a color sensor. The change in state is a change in the internal pressure of the intermembrane space,
2. A discharge material discharge device according to claim 1, wherein said detection means detects a change in said internal pressure. 14. The discharge material discharge device according to claim 13, further comprising pressure control means capable of adjusting the internal pressure of the inter-membrane space to be lower than the internal pressures of the first housing space and the second housing space. 5. The discharging material discharge device according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the first film and the second film has a concave portion or a convex portion. 5. A discharge material discharge device according to claim 4, wherein a mesh thin film resin is provided between said first film and said second film. 17. The discharging material discharge device according to claim 4, further comprising pressurizing means for pressurizing the inter-membrane space to discharge the leaked liquid from the inter-membrane space through the drain port. 18. The ejection material ejection device according to claim 17, wherein the pressurizing means pressurizes the inter-membrane space when the ejection head stops ejection of the ejection material. 19. The ejection according to any one of claims 1 to 18, further comprising means for outputting a signal for stopping the ejection of the ejection material from the ejection head when the detection means detects the change in the state. Material discharge device. 10. The ejecting material ejecting device according to any one of claims 4 to 9, wherein the detecting means is flow velocity detecting means for detecting the flow velocity of the fluid from the drain port.

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