CN104007611A - Pattern forming device, pattern forming method, alignment device and alignment method - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a pattern forming device, a pattern forming method, an alignment device and an alignment method. In the pattern forming device, a bearing body (BL) for bearing patterns and a transferred body (SB) of a transferred pattern are arranged oppositely. Based on results obtained by shooting at least one part of the outer rim of the bearing body (BL), a first keeping device (61) is moved to locate the bearing body (BL) to be at a first target position. Based on results obtained by shooting at least one part of the outer rim of the transferred body (SB), a second keeping device (41) is moved to locate the transferred body (SB)to be at a second target position. A first alignment mark of the bearing body (BL) and a second alignment mark of the transferred body are shot; based on shooting results, at least one of the first keeping device (61) and the second keeping device (41) is moved to align the bearing body (BL) with the transferred body (SB).

Description

Patterning device and pattern formation method and alignment device and alignment methods

Technical field

The present invention relates to the technology that a kind of two objects that keep for the mode of the contiguous subtend of the interarea with each other carry out position alignment.

Background technology

There is technical field as described below: by two objects so that the state of their interarea subtend located adjacent one another and with regulation position relationship configured.For example, as the technology that forms pattern (pattern) at substrates such as glass (galss) substrate or semiconductor substrates, for example, just like as recording in patent documentation 1, the supporting body that carries pattern is connected airtight in transfer printing body (substrate) and the technology of pattern transferring.In this transfer technique, in order suitably to manage the pattern transfer position to transfer printing body, the supporting body before transfer printing and the position alignment of transfer printing body become important.As the technology of this position alignment for two objects, for example, there is patent documentation 2 to the technology of recording in patent documentation 4.

In these technology, make, under the state of the contiguous subtend configuration of two objects (supporting body and transfer printing body) that is being pre-formed respectively alignment mark (alignment mark), to utilize camera to take these alignment marks.Then, obtain the relative position offset between two objects according to the position relationship of the alignment mark in image, make two objects relatively move to revise this position skew, thus, carry out position alignment.

[prior art document]

[patent documentation]

[patent documentation 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open 2010-158799 communique

[patent documentation 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open 2009-212489 communique

[patent documentation 3] Japanese Patent Laid-Open 2006-172930 communique

[patent documentation 4] Japanese Patent Laid-Open 2004-342642 communique

In recent years, require the further slimming of equipment and maximization, and also require the high-precision refinement of pattern.Therefore, also start the higher precision of requirement for the position alignment of the tabular bodys such as substrate.But, with regard to described prior art, be sometimes difficult to tackle this requirement.For example, in order to realize high-precision position alignment based on shooting results, must improve the resolution of capture apparatus, but so, the inevitable stenosis of coverage is narrow.On the other hand, for by capture apparatus for rough position alignment, need coverage widely, but be difficult to realize high resolving power and coverage widely simultaneously.And in order to form high resolving power and coverage capture apparatus widely, cost improves.

And, for example must be in advance the position correction of supporting body or transfer printing body be positioned to the position of the degree of taking visual field to alignment mark at least.For this purpose, conventionally carry out prealignment (prealignment) and process.As this relatively rough position alignment, previously for example adopted with the following method etc.: carry out layout by the position regulation member that makes the object collision such as supporting body or transfer printing body be arranged on the appropriate location in device; Or move into the assigned position in auto levelizer at the outside object that position is aimed in advance of device.But, in recent years, owing to requiring the detailed-oriented of pattern, thus the size decreases of alignment mark, and it is fine that desired positional precision also becomes.Therefore, in shooting, use high resolving power and powerful camera, cause thus taking visual field and diminish.On the other hand, handled object also further maximizes, and causes thus the weight of object also increase and easily bend, and therefore, with regard to mechanical position limitation, is difficult to supporting body or transfer printing body etc. to be positioned at appropriate location.

Summary of the invention

The present invention completes in view of described problem, and its object is to provide a kind of pattern formation technology that two objects of subtend, for example transfer printing body that carries the supporting body of pattern and be transferred this pattern carry out accurately the technique of alignment of position alignment and utilize this technique of alignment that makes to be close to.

In order to reach described object, the first embodiment of patterning device of the present invention comprises: the first maintenance equipment, keeps the supporting body by pattern loading end carrying pattern; The second maintenance equipment so that be transferred the mode of the described pattern loading end subtend of face and described supporting body, keep comprising be transferred described pattern described in be transferred the transfer printing body of face; The first mobile device, moves described the first maintenance equipment and described pattern loading end abreast; The second mobile device, make described the second maintenance equipment with described in be transferred face and move abreast; Prealignment (pre-alignment) equipment, take at least a portion of the outer rim of the described supporting body being kept by described the first maintenance equipment, make described the first mobile device start and described supporting body be positioned to the first object position of regulation based on its shooting results, and take at least a portion of outer rim of the described transfer printing body being kept by described the second maintenance equipment, make described the second mobile device start and described transfer printing body is positioned to the second target location of regulation based on its shooting results; And fine registration equipment, shooting is formed on the first alignment mark of the described supporting body that is positioned described first object position and is formed on the second alignment mark of the described transfer printing body that is positioned described the second target location, make at least one start in described the first maintenance equipment and described the second maintenance equipment based on its shooting results, described supporting body and described transfer printing body are carried out to position alignment.

And, in order to reach described object, the first embodiment of pattern formation method of the present invention comprises: configuration step, utilize the first maintenance equipment to keep the supporting body of carrying pattern, and utilize the second maintenance equipment to keep being transferred the transfer printing body of described pattern, make the pattern loading end of described supporting body and being transferred in the face of configuring to ground of described transfer printing body; Prealignment step, take at least a portion of the outer rim of described supporting body, make described first to keep equipment moving and described supporting body is positioned to the first object position of regulation based on its shooting results, and take at least a portion in the outer rim of described transfer printing body, make described second to keep equipment moving and described transfer printing body is positioned to the second target location of regulation based on its shooting results; And fine registration step, shooting is formed on the first alignment mark of described supporting body and is formed on the second alignment mark of described transfer printing body, based on its shooting results, at least one in described the first maintenance equipment and described the second maintenance equipment moved, described supporting body and described transfer printing body are carried out to position alignment.

In the invention forming like this, take the supporting body being kept by the first maintenance equipment and each outer rim of the transfer printing body being kept by the second maintenance equipment, based on its shooting results, the first mobile device and the second mobile device make supporting body and transfer printing body move to each target location.Here,, as long as can detect the position of the outer rim of supporting body and transfer printing body, compared to high resolving power, take visual field and extensively carry out get Geng Jia.

Even if at this moment may not be high to the positioning precision of each target location, also can make the position that is formed on the first alignment mark of supporting body and is formed on the second alignment mark of transfer printing body be positioned at scope to a certain degree.,, by suitably setting first object position and the second target location, the mode that can become the position that can be taken by fine registration equipment with the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark is carried out position adjustment.Therefore, the shooting visual field of fine registration equipment can be relatively narrow, thus, can take with high resolving power, and can obtain high position alignment precision.

Supporting body in these situations and transfer printing body are by making to keep their the first maintenance equipment and second keep equipment moving and move in the lump with the first maintenance equipment and the second maintenance equipment.Therefore,, even if be large-scale and ponderable supporting body or transfer printing body, also can make them indeformable and positively move to target location.

So,, in the first embodiment of the present invention, can the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark be moved in the scope of regulation by the prealignment with alignment mark not.And, can limit to a certain extent in this way the first alignment mark of position and the fine registration of the second alignment mark by using, realize more high-precision position alignment.Therefore, can carry out accurately position alignment to the supporting body of carrying pattern and the transfer printing body that is transferred this pattern.

In the present invention, fine registration equipment for example also can be configured to and can in same visual field, take the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark simultaneously.By take the alignment mark that is respectively formed at supporting body and transfer printing body in same visual field, can grasp with better precision both position relationships, and can carry out position alignment to supporting body and transfer printing body more accurately.

And for example the first maintenance equipment forms as follows: keep the circumference of supporting body, so that pattern carries supine flat-hand position and so that the state more unlimited than the below of circumference central portion in the inner part keeps supporting body; And the formation of patterning device also can be and also comprises ejection equipment, described ejection equipment is by making the pattern being carried by supporting body be connected to the face that is transferred of transfer printing body from the central portion of below ejection supporting body.In this formation, kept the central portion of supporting body of circumference because of deadweight decurvation by the first maintenance equipment, even and if want to push from side supporting body and move it and also can be bent absorption, and be difficult to carry out position alignment.In this case, by application the present invention, its effect is especially remarkable.

And, for example also can be following formation: prealignment equipment comprises the prealignment shoot part of the outer rim of taking supporting body and transfer printing body, on the other hand, fine registration equipment comprises the fine registration shoot part to take the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark higher than the resolution of prealignment shoot part.So, can comprise the shoot part that resolution is different according to object, thus, can make installation cost and required performance balance.

In this case, fine registration also can for example comprise with shoot part the image pickup optical system that multiplying power is fixing.The distortion (distortion) of the image while making light shaft offset in the situation of variable power or high magnification etc. can become the reason that accuracy of detection reduces, but by multiplying power is fixed, can avoid this problem and can realize the high-precision position probing of alignment mark and the high-precision position alignment based on this position probing.

On the other hand, the formation of prealignment equipment also can be and for example comprises multiple prealignment shoot parts, and multiple described prealignments are taken respectively mutually different multiple positions of the outer rim of mutually different multiple positions in the outer rim of supporting body and transfer printing body with shoot part.By take the outer rim of supporting body and transfer printing body at multiple positions, can grasp their position offsets in face, thereby can more positively move to target location.

And, in pattern formation method of the present invention, preferably in fine registration step, the position of the supporting body in the visual field of the shoot part by the first alignment mark in taking is made as first object position, on the other hand, by the second alignment mark, the position of the transfer printing body in the visual field in shoot part is made as the second target location.So, can positively two alignment marks be positioned at by carrying out prealignment step to the visual field of shoot part, and can realize by carrying out fine registration step the high-precision position alignment of supporting body and transfer printing body.

And, for example, in prealignment step, also can take the mutually different multiple positions in the outer rim of supporting body and obtain the position offset of supporting body with respect to first object position, the first maintenance equipment is moved corresponding to this position offset, on the other hand, take the mutually different multiple positions in the outer rim of transfer printing body and obtain the position offset of transfer printing body with respect to the second target location, the second maintenance equipment is moved corresponding to this position offset.So, can with the invention of described patterning device similarly, grasp supporting body and the position offset of transfer printing body in face, thereby can more positively move to target location.

And, also can comprise transfer step, this transfer step is after fine registration step, makes supporting body and transfer printing body butt and pattern is transferred to transfer printing body from supporting body.Make supporting body and transfer printing body butt and carry out pattern transfer under the state that carries out well position alignment through precision, thus, can form pattern in the appropriate location of transfer printing body.

And, the second embodiment of patterning device of the present invention is a kind of patterning device, this patterning device is that the one side of carried of the pattern in the interarea of supporting body that makes to be kept by the first maintenance equipment is mutually pushed with the one side of the tabular body being kept by the second maintenance equipment and formed pattern, in order to reach described object, this patterning device comprises: mobile device, moves the one side of described the second maintenance equipment and described tabular body abreast; Capture apparatus, at least a portion of the outer rim of the described tabular body that shooting is kept by described the second maintenance equipment; And prealignment equipment, forming before described pattern, based on the shooting results of described capture apparatus, utilizing described the second maintenance equipment to keep making described mobile device start under the state of described tabular body, described tabular body is positioned to target location.

And, in order to reach described object, the second embodiment of pattern formation method of the present invention comprises: first step, under the state of the one side of carried of the pattern in the interarea that makes supporting body and the mutual subtend of one side of tabular body, utilize the first maintenance equipment to keep described supporting body, and utilize the second maintenance equipment to keep described tabular body; And second step, at least one in described the first maintenance equipment and described the second maintenance equipment moved, the one side of described supporting body and the one side of described tabular body are pushed mutually and form pattern; And described first step comprises prealignment step, this prealignment step is at least a portion of taking the outer rim of the described tabular body being kept by described the second maintenance equipment, make described the second maintenance equipment move abreast with the one side of described tabular body under the state that keeps described tabular body based on its shooting results, and described tabular body is positioned to target location.

In the invention forming like this, the one side of the supporting body being kept by the first maintenance equipment and the one side of the tabular body being kept by the second maintenance equipment are pushed mutually and form pattern, but before this, tabular body is positioned at target location with the state being kept by the second maintenance equipment., under the state that utilizes the second maintenance equipment maintenance tabular body, carry out prealignment.Therefore, even if utilizing the skew of conveyance position or the bending of tabular body etc. that occur before the second maintenance equipment maintenance tabular body to exert an influence, also can eliminate these impacts by prealignment, thereby tabular body positively can be positioned to target location.As a result, can improve the precision that pattern forms.

Here, in the situation that tabular body has polygonal shape, also can be configured to execution following steps and carry out prealignment, described step refers to: tilt correction step, shooting, as the mutually different multiple positions on the first side on a limit of the shape of regulation tabular body, is revised the inclination of tabular body with respect to target location based on its shooting results; And offset correction step, take regulation tilt in the limit of shape of the tabular body through revising with the uneven Second Edge of first side and first side, revise the skew (offset) of tabular body with respect to target location based on its shooting results.Thus, the tabular body of polygonal shape can be positioned to target location exactly.

And, also can be before carrying out these tilt correction steps and offset correction step, first side and Second Edge when utilizing the second maintenance equipment that tabular body is remained on to target location are taken, and are target position information by the imformation memory relevant with target location obtaining according to its shooting results.And, in tilt correction step, obtain the tilt quantity of tabular body with respect to target location based on the information relevant with position tabular body that obtain according to shooting results and target position information, by keeping the movement of equipment to revise the inclination of tabular body with respect to target location corresponding to second of tilt quantity.And, in offset correction step, also can be based on the information relevant with position tabular body that obtain according to shooting results and target position information, obtain the side-play amount of tabular body with respect to target location, by keeping the movement of equipment to revise the skew of tabular body with respect to target location corresponding to second of side-play amount.Carry out two stage correcting process by the information based on obtaining according to shooting results and target position information like this, can the tabular body of polygonal shape be positioned to target location with high precision.

And, the version that the first pattern is being set in one side is being made as to tabular body, utilize this first pattern to make in the situation of a surface pattern of supporting body, utilizing the first maintenance equipment to keep after supporting body, also can not carry out position alignment to the first maintenance equipment and the version that is positioned at target location by prealignment step, the one side of supporting body and the one side of version are pushed mutually, and by the first pattern transfer the one side to supporting body.This is also because make version (tabular body) be positioned at target location by prealignment, therefore between supporting body and version, there is not large position skew, and, also can itself not bring impact to the patterning of the one side of supporting body even if there is the position skew of a little.

To this, in the case of using the second pattern transfer of one side that is arranged on supporting body to as the substrate of one of tabular body, it is desirable to also carry out fine registration except carrying out prealignment.; there is the first alignment mark and in the one side of supporting body, the second pattern is being set at supporting body; and tabular body is to have in the situation of substrate of the second alignment mark; it is desirable to carry out following two steps; that is: fine registration step; the first alignment mark to the supporting body being kept by the first maintenance equipment and the second alignment mark that is positioned at the substrate of target location by prealignment step are taken, and make at least one in the first maintenance equipment and the second maintenance equipment move and supporting body and substrate are carried out to position alignment based on its shooting results; And transfer step, after fine registration step, make the one side of supporting body and the one side of tabular body mutually push and by the second pattern transfer the one side to substrate.

In addition, in order to take preferably the outer rim of tabular body, also can as following, form.; also can be configured to: the second maintenance equipment comprises that absorption keeps the maintenance plane of the central portion of the another side of tabular body; and keep tabular body with the outer rim of tabular body from the state that keeps plane and stretch out, capture apparatus is the outer rim from taking tabular body with the first maintenance equipment side that is opposition side with respect to tabular body.Thus, can not interfere the first maintenance equipment or supporting body and configure capture apparatus, thus the outer rim that can take well tabular body.

In order to reach described object, alignment device of the present invention comprises: the first maintenance equipment, and maintenance is forming the first alignment mark and is having the first tabular body of photopermeability, can make described the first tabular body move with the direction of its main surface parallel, the second maintenance equipment, makes the second tabular body that is forming the second alignment mark keep parallel with respect to described the first tabular body and be close to the state of subtend across the gap specifying, can make described the second tabular body move with the direction of its main surface parallel, main capture apparatus, with respect to described the first tabular body, is configured in and the side of described the second tabular body as opposition side in the orthogonal mode of the interarea of optical axis and described the first tabular body, takes described the first tabular body and described the second tabular body, and secondary capture apparatus, with respect to described the first tabular body side that to be arranged on described the second tabular body be opposition side, with than the coverage of described the first capture apparatus widely coverage described the first tabular body and described the second tabular body are taken, and, based on the shooting results of described secondary capture apparatus, described the first maintenance equipment makes the position of described the first tabular body running fix coverage in described main capture apparatus at described the first alignment mark, on the other hand, based on the shooting results of described secondary capture apparatus, described the second maintenance equipment makes the position of described the second tabular body running fix coverage in described main capture apparatus at described the second alignment mark, and then, based on the shooting results of described main capture apparatus, at least one in described the first maintenance equipment and described the second maintenance equipment changes the relative position of described the first tabular body and described the second tabular body, so that described the second alignment mark becomes the target location of predetermining with respect to the relative position of described the first alignment mark.

And, in order to reach described object, alignment methods of the present invention comprises: configuration step, the second tabular body that makes the first tabular body that is forming the first alignment mark and having photopermeability and forming the second alignment mark is in parallel to each other and across the contiguous subtend configuration with gap of regulation, and with respect to described the first tabular body, with described the second tabular body side that is opposition side, the mode orthogonal with the interarea of optical axis and described the first tabular body configures main capture apparatus; Prealignment step, with respect to described the first tabular body from described the second tabular body side that is opposition side, utilization has than the coverage of the described main capture apparatus secondary capture apparatus of coverage widely, in same visual field, take described the first alignment mark and described the second alignment mark, based on its shooting results, described the first tabular body and described the second tabular body are positioned to described the first alignment mark and all positions of the coverage in described main capture apparatus of described the second alignment mark; And fine registration step, utilize described main capture apparatus in same visual field, to take described the first alignment mark and described the second alignment mark, based on its shooting results, described the first tabular body and described the second tabular body are relatively moved, so that described the second alignment mark becomes the target location of predetermining with respect to the relative position of described the first alignment mark.

These invention in, by based on utilize coverage widely secondary capture apparatus captured go out result, the first tabular body and the second tabular body are moved, and the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark are positioned in the coverage of main capture apparatus.Therefore, even if the relatively narrow main capture apparatus of coverage also can positively be taken the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark in same visual field.And, based on utilizing the captured result of main capture apparatus, the first tabular body and the second tabular body are carried out to position alignment.With regard to regard to the oblique shooting of carrying out, gap (gap) variation between two tabular bodys is shown as to the variation of the relative position of the alignment mark in shooting results, because the precision of this gap adjustment impacts the precision of position alignment.To this, in the present invention, the optical axis of main capture apparatus is set in the direction orthogonal with the interarea of the first tabular body, therefore can realize the high-precision position alignment of the impact that is not subject to gap variation.And, without the coverage that expands main capture apparatus, the enlargement ratio therefore for example can take by increase time, and improve the position detection accuracy between the first tabular body and the second tabular body.

And, for main capture apparatus, without coverage widely, on the other hand, for secondary capture apparatus, without high resolving power, and then in these capture apparatus, do not need to make coverage or the variable formation of enlargement ratio, therefore can be with low cost constituent apparatus.

In these inventions, preferably in the mode of the interarea oblique of its optical axis and the first tabular body, secondary capture apparatus is set.So more extensive while, utilizing the surface area ratio of the first tabular body that secondary capture apparatus estimates to make the interarea of optical axis and the first tabular body orthogonal., can expand the coverage of secondary capture apparatus.And, by optical axis being set in to the direction different from the optical axis direction of main capture apparatus, can make main capture apparatus and secondary capture apparatus mutually take uninterruptedly.

And, also can make at least a portion of the coverage that the coverage of secondary capture apparatus comprises main capture apparatus.By set the coverage of secondary capture apparatus in the mode repeating with the coverage of main capture apparatus, and the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark are being positioned under the state of coverage of secondary capture apparatus, make shooting results based on secondary capture apparatus of the first tabular body and the second tabular body and move, the confirmation of the first tabular body after therefore mobile and the position of the second tabular body becomes easy.

And for example main capture apparatus also can comprise the magnifying optics that multiplying power is fixing.For main capture apparatus, without coverage widely, therefore, by using magnifying optics to carry out that coverage is defined but be powerful shooting, the accuracy of detection of the relative position of the first tabular body and the second tabular body can be improved, thereby position alignment precision can be improved.By multiplying power is fixed, can not occur in the situation of variable power and become skew of the optical axis of problem etc. and realize powerful shooting.

And for example, main capture apparatus also can have the resolution higher than secondary capture apparatus.Be high resolving power by making main capture apparatus, can improve position detection accuracy.On the other hand, with regard to secondary capture apparatus, as long as there is the resolution of the degree of the approximate location that can detect the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark, thereby can use the capture apparatus that resolution is relatively low to reduce installation cost.

And, for example also can make the depth of field of secondary capture apparatus darker than the depth of field of main capture apparatus, and secondary capture apparatus is all taken the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark in focusing range.For secondary capture apparatus, without high enlargement ratio, therefore can use the capture apparatus of the image pickup optical system with the relatively dark depth of field.Therefore,, even if in the situation that configuring the first tabular body and the second tabular body with gap, also can under the state that the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark is positioned in the lump to focusing range, take.And, so, can improve the first tabular body of the shooting results based on secondary capture apparatus and the position detection accuracy of the second tabular body, and can more positively make the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark be positioned at the coverage of main capture apparatus.

And, the multiple secondary capture apparatus that multiple main capture apparatus that coverage differs from one another and coverage differ from one another for example also can be set.According to this formation, the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark can be separately positioned on to multiple positions of the first tabular body and the second tabular body and for carrying out position alignment, therefore can more improve the precision of position alignment.

And, for example also can make at least one in the first tabular body and the second tabular body move to roughly the same direction in prealignment step and fine registration step.As using so that the mechanism that the first tabular body and the second tabular body move, can use various mechanisms, but in prealignment step, after mobile object tabular body is moved to certain direction, in fine registration step, also make it move to roughly the same direction, thus, can suppress the reduction of the positioning precision causing because of the retreating of travel mechanism (backlash), thereby can realize high-precision position alignment.

[effect of invention]

As mentioned above, according to the first embodiment of patterning device of the present invention and pattern formation method, do not utilize alignment mark by taking the outer rim of supporting body and transfer printing body and carry out position alignment roughly, and take the first alignment mark of supporting body and the second alignment mark of transfer printing body and carry out more accurate position alignment.So, can carry out position alignment to supporting body and transfer printing body accurately.

And, according to the second embodiment of patterning device of the present invention and pattern formation method, the one side of utilizing the second maintenance equipment to keep to make under the state of tabular body the second maintenance equipment and tabular body move abreast and carry out tabular body to the location of target location, i.e. prealignment.Therefore, even if utilizing the second maintenance equipment to keep to occur before tabular body the bending etc. of the skew of conveyance position or tabular body, also can tabular body be positively positioned at by prealignment to target location, thereby can carry out pattern formation with good precision.

And, according to alignment device of the present invention and alignment methods, can utilize coverage relatively widely secondary capture apparatus the second alignment mark that is formed on the first alignment mark of the first tabular body and is formed on the second tabular body is taken, locate them in the coverage of narrower main capture apparatus, then, utilization makes the orthogonal main capture apparatus of the interarea of optical axis and the first tabular body, takes the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark.Therefore, the shooting results based on main capture apparatus and the first tabular body and the second tabular body are carried out to position alignment accurately.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 is the stereographic map that represents the first embodiment of patterning device of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is frame (block) figure that represents the control system of this patterning device.

Fig. 3 is the stereographic map that represents the structure of lower platform (stage) block.

Fig. 4 is the figure that represents the structure of lifting hand (hand) unit (unit).

Fig. 5 is the figure that represents the structure of transfer roll (roller) unit.

Fig. 6 is the figure that represents the structure of upper mounting plate assembly (assembly).

Fig. 7 is the process flow diagram (flowchart) that represents pattern formation processing.

Fig. 8 (a), Fig. 8 (b), Fig. 8 (c) are the first figure that schematically shows the position relationship of the each portion of device in each stage of processing.

Fig. 9 (a), Fig. 9 (b), Fig. 9 (c) are the second figure that schematically shows the position relationship of the each portion of device in each stage of processing.

Figure 10 (a), Figure 10 (b) are the 3rd figure that schematically shows the position relationship of the each portion of device in each stage of processing.

Figure 11 (a), Figure 11 (b), Figure 11 (c) are the 4th figure that schematically shows the position relationship of the each portion of device in each stage of processing.

Figure 12 (a), Figure 12 (b), Figure 12 (c) are the 5th figure that schematically shows the position relationship of the each portion of device in each stage of processing.

Figure 13 (a), Figure 13 (b), Figure 13 (c) are the 6th figure that schematically shows the position relationship of the each portion of device in each stage of processing.

Figure 14 is the figure that represents the position relationship of version or substrate and blanket.

Figure 15 (a), Figure 15 (b), Figure 15 (c) are the 7th figure that schematically shows the position relationship of the each portion of device in each stage of processing.

Figure 16 (a), Figure 16 (b) are the figure that the principle of registration process is described.

Figure 17 is the first figure that the principle of prealignment is described.

Figure 18 (a), Figure 18 (b) are the second figure that the principle of prealignment is described.

Figure 19 (a), Figure 19 (b), Figure 19 (c) are the figure roughly forming that schematically shows upper mounting plate block and substrate prealignment camera (camera).

Figure 20 (a), Figure 20 (b) are the figure that schematically shows the formation of the upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism of (X) side.

Figure 21 (a), Figure 21 (b) are the figure that schematically shows the formation of the upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism of (+X) side.

Figure 22 (a), Figure 22 (b), Figure 22 (c), Figure 22 (d) are the figure that schematically shows the prealignment processing of version.

Figure 23 (a), Figure 23 (b) are the figure of prealignment processing in the device of explanation the second embodiment.

Figure 24 (a), Figure 24 (b) are the figure that represents the focusing range of prealignment camera and alignment cameras.

Figure 25 is the process flow diagram that represents the registration process of the second embodiment.

Figure 26 (a), Figure 26 (b) are the figure that illustrates the form of the movement of the alignment mark of following registration process.

[explanation of symbol]

1: patterning device, alignment device

2: main frame

4: upper mounting plate block

6: lower platform block

8: control module (prealignment equipment, fine registration equipment)

21: bedframe

22,23: upper mounting plate support frame

25: prealignment camera (secondary capture apparatus)

27: alignment cameras (fine registration equipment, shoot part, main capture apparatus for fine registration)

40: upper mounting plate assembly

41: upper mounting plate (the second maintenance equipment)

41a: keep plane

42: strengthen framework

43: beam texture body

44: top absorbing unit

45,46: support column

47,447,624,628,644: elevating mechanism

61: lower platform (the first maintenance equipment)

61a: the upper surface of lower platform

62,63: lifting hand unit

64: transfer roller unit (ejection equipment)

241～243: substrate prealignment camera (capture apparatus, prealignment equipment, prealignment shoot part)

244～246: blanket prealignment camera (prealignment equipment, prealignment shoot part)

421,422: strengthen rib

441,642: support frame

442: pipe

443: absorption layer

444,482c, 482h, 627: slide block

445,451,461,482b, 482g, 626,646,6211,6221: guide rail

446,481,4811,4812: base plate

482 (4821,4822): upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism (mobile device, the second mobile device)

482a: base component

482d:Y axle ball screw support

482e:Y axle ball screw

482f:Y axle motor

482m:X axle motor

482n: crossed roller bearing

482j:X axle ball screw

482k:X axle ball screw support

482p: support

601: alignment stage

602: pillar

603: platform back up pad

605: alignment stage supporting mechanism (the 1st mobile device)

611: openning

612: groove

613: stop member

621,622: pillar

623: slide

625: hand

625a: the upper surface of hand

625b: adsorption hole

641: transfer roll

643: backing roll

644a: base portion

644b: feet

645: lower frame

647: travel mechanism

801:CPU (central processing unit)

802: motor control portion

803: valve control part

804: negative pressure feeding portion

805: image processing part

806: gas supply part

AMb: blanket side alignment mark (the first alignment mark)

AMs: substrate-side alignment mark (the second alignment mark)

AR: effective coverage

AX1, AX2: optical axis

BL, BLi: blanket (supporting body, the second tabular body)

E1～E4: limit

FR1, FR2: focusing range

FV: visual field

FV1, FV2: coverage

G: gap

HB: blanket hand

HP: version hand

HS: substrate hand

IR1, IR2, IR3, IR4, IR5, IR6: region

IM1, IM2: capturing element

LU1, LU2: lens unit

S101～S106, S110, S113: step

S107～S108: configuration step

S109: prealignment step

S111: fine registration step

S112: transfer step

S201: configuration step

S202～S205: prealignment step

S206～S211: fine registration step

SB: substrate (transfer printing body, tabular body, the first tabular body)

SP: process space

P1, P2, P3, P4, X40, X50, X41, X51, X42, X52, X43, X53, Y60, Y61, Y62, Y63: position

PP: version (tabular body, the first tabular body)

PT: coating layer

R1: the region of having in the drawings point and close circumference in blanket

R2: push region

X, Y, Z: direction

X10, X11, X20, X21, Y30, Y31: distance

Xoff, Yoff, △ X0, △ X1, △ X2: side-play amount

α: angle

Embodiment

< the 1st embodiment >

Fig. 1 is the stereographic map that represents the first embodiment of patterning device of the present invention.And Fig. 2 is the block diagram that represents the control system of this patterning device.This patterning device 1 also has the function as alignment device of the present invention.In addition,, in Fig. 1, represent to have removed the state of outside cover body (cover) in order to show the inside formation of device.In order to represent uniformly the direction in each figure, as shown in Fig. 1 bottom right, set the orthogonal axes of coordinates of XYZ.Here, XY plane represents surface level, and Z axis represents vertical axis.In more detail, (+Z) direction indication vertical direction upward.Front direction while observation from device be (Y) direction, and what comprise that moving into of article take out of is to carry out along Y direction from outside to the turnover (access) of installing.

This patterning device 1 has upper mounting plate block 4 and lower platform block 6 and is installed with the structure of main frame (main frame) 2.In Fig. 1, in order clearly to represent the difference of each block, upper mounting plate block 4 is marked to the thick point of spacing (pitch), and, lower platform block 6 is marked to the thin point of spacing.Except described, patterning device 1 comprises according to the handling procedure (program) of memory in advance coming the each portion of control device and putting rules into practice the control module 8 (Fig. 2) moving.Detailed formation about upper mounting plate block 4 and lower platform block 6 will be described hereinafter, and first, illustrate that the entirety of device 1 forms.

Patterning device 1 is blanket (blanket) BL by making to be kept by lower platform block 6, carries out with the version PP or the mutual butt of substrate SB that are kept by upper mounting plate block 4 device that pattern forms.More particularly, it is as described below utilizing the pattern forming process of this device 1.First, make the version PP making corresponding to the pattern that should form be connected to the blanket BL that is being coated with equably pattern forming material, make to be thus carried on the coating layer patterning (patterned process) on blanket BL.Then, make blanket BL and the substrate SB butt of patterning in this way, thus, will be carried on pattern transfer on blanket BL to substrate SB (transfer process).Thus, on substrate SB, form desired pattern.

So, this patterning device 1 is used in substrate SB and forms patterned process and these two processing of transfer process in the pattern forming process of predetermined pattern, but also can use with the form of only bearing these processing in processing.

The lower platform block 6 of patterning device 1 is to be supported by the bedframe of main frame 2 (base frame) 21.On the other hand, upper mounting plate block 4 is installed on a pair of upper mounting plate support frame 22, upper mounting plate support frame 23, and this pair of upper mounting plate support frame 22, upper mounting plate support frame 23 are that the mode to clip lower platform block 6 from directions X is erect and arranged and extend along Y-direction from bedframe 21.

And, on main frame 2, be installed with for to being moved into the prealignment camera that carries out position probing to version PP, substrate SB and the blanket BL of device.Specifically, be installed on respectively to move into the three stylobate plate prealignment cameras 241, substrate prealignment camera 242, the substrate prealignment camera 243 that detect to the edge (edge) of the version PP installing or substrate SB along Y direction the cantilever (boom) arranging from upper mounting plate support frame 22,23 settings of upper mounting plate support frame for three positions different.Similarly, be installed on respectively to move into three the blanket prealignment cameras 244, blanket prealignment camera 245, the blanket prealignment camera 246 that detect to the edge of the blanket BL installing along Y direction the cantilever arranging from upper mounting plate support frame 22,23 settings of upper mounting plate support frame for three positions different.In addition,, in Fig. 1, there is not the blanket prealignment camera 246 of the behind that is positioned at upper mounting plate block 4.And, in Fig. 2, for simplicity, respectively version and substrate are simply designated as to " substrate PA camera ", blanket prealignment camera is simply designated as to " blanket PA camera " with prealignment camera.

Fig. 3 is the stereographic map that represents the structure of lower platform block.In lower platform block 6, erect pillar 602 is being set along vertical (Z direction) respectively at the tabular alignment stage 601 of central portion opening four jiaos, utilize these pillars 602 to carry out support platform back up pad 603.Although omitted diagram, but in the bottom of alignment stage 601, it is the alignment stage supporting mechanisms 605 (Fig. 2) such as the such as crossed roller bearing (cross roller bearing) of three kinds of degree of freedom of sense of rotation (hereinafter referred to as " θ direction "), directions X and the Y-direction of rotation center that the turning axle having to extend along vertical Z is being set, and alignment stage 601 is to be installed on bedframe 21 via this alignment stage supporting mechanism 605.Therefore, utilize the start of alignment stage supporting mechanism 605, alignment stage 601 can be moved along directions X, Y-direction and θ direction within the limits prescribed with respect to bedframe 21.

On the top of platform back up pad 603, configuring the lower platform 61 that upper surface becomes the plane consistent with generally horizontal plane and forming the ring-type rectangle of openning 611 at central portion.Loading blanket BL at the upper surface of lower platform 61, lower platform 61 keeps this blanket BL.

About the opening size of openning 611, must be greater than forming region and effectively bringing into play the planar dimension of the effective coverage (not shown) of the central portion of function as pattern in the surf zone of blanket BL.That is, in the time that blanket BL is positioned in to lower platform 61, must become following state: the region integral face corresponding to effective coverage in blanket BL lower surface is to openning 611, and the below of effective coverage is for completely unlimited.And, utilize pattern forming material and the coating layer that forms to be the mode that is at least coated with effect region entirety form.

At the upper surface 61a of lower platform 61, in the mode along the each limit of periphery of openning 611 respectively, multiple grooves 612 are being set, each groove 612 is the negative pressure feeding portions 804 that are connected in control module 8 via not shown operation valve (valve).Each groove 612 is configured in planar dimension than in the little region of the planar dimension of blanket BL.And as shown in some chain lines in figure, blanket BL covers the whole mode of these grooves 612 to be positioned in lower platform 61.And, in order to realize described configuration, suitably configuring block for position limitation (stopper) member 613 of blanket BL at lower platform upper surface 61a.

Make each groove 612 as vacuum suction groove performance function by each groove 612 being supplied with to negative pressure, like this four limit absorption of the circumference of blanket BL are remained on to the upper surface 61a of lower platform 61.By utilizing separate multiple grooves 612 to form vacuum suction groove, even if also can maintain the absorption of other grooves to blanket BL because some is former thereby make a part of groove produce vacuum breaking, therefore can positively keep blanket BL.And, compared with the situation of independent groove is set, can be with stronger absorption affinity absorption blanket BL.

Below the openning 611 of lower platform 61, arranging with so that lifting hand unit 62, the lifting hand unit 63 that blanket BL moves up and down along Z-direction and be connected to blanket BL from below and by the transfer roller unit of its ejection 64.

Fig. 4 is the figure that represents the structure of lifting hand unit.The structure of two lifting hand unit 62, lifting hand unit 63 is identical, therefore, here the structure of one of them lifting hand unit 62 is described.Lifting hand unit 62 comprises erects two pillars 621, the pillar 622 that arrange from bedframe 21 along Z direction, tabular slide (slide base) 623 can be installed up or down with respect to these pillars 621, pillar 622.More particularly, for two pillars 621, pillar 622 be installed with respectively along vertical (Z direction) extend guide rail 6211, guide rail 6221, and make to be installed on the back side of slide 623, the not shown slide block (slider) of (+Y) side interarea is installed on guide rail 6211, guide rail 6221 sliding freely.And, for example comprise that the elevating mechanism 624 of the suitable driving mechanism such as motor (motor) and ball screw (ball screw) mechanism can be according to from the steering order of control module 8, slide 623 being moved up and down.

At slide 623, move up and down many (being in this embodiment 4) hands 625 are installed freely.Except the shape of base part is different corresponding to equipping position, the structure of each hand 625 is substantially the same.Each hand 625 is fixed on slide block 627, this slide block 627 be sticked in sliding freely along vertical (Z direction) be arranged on slide 623 before, i.e. the guide rail 626 of (Y) side interarea.Slide block 627 is linked to the elevating mechanism 628 that for example comprises the driving mechanism suitable without bar cylinder (rodlesscylinder) etc. at the back side that is arranged on slide 623, and moves along the vertical direction with respect to slide 623 by the start of this elevating mechanism 628.At each hand 625, independently elevating mechanism 628 is being set respectively, and can making each hand 625 individually move up and down.

That is, in lifting hand unit 62, can slide 623 be moved up and down make the lifting integratedly of each hand 625 by elevating mechanism 624, and can by each elevating mechanism 628 independently start make the individually lifting of each hand 625.

The upper surface 625a of hand 625 is processed into elongated plane taking Y-direction as length direction, can make this upper surface 625a be connected to the lower surface of blanket BL and support blanket BL.And, arranging via not shown pipe arrangement and operation valve and the adsorption hole 625b being communicated with the negative pressure feeding portion 804 that is arranged on control module 8 at upper surface 625a.Thus, can optionally supply with the negative pressure from negative pressure feeding portion 804 to adsorption hole 625b, and keep blanket BL by the upper surface 625a absorption of hand 625.Therefore the slip, can prevent from utilizing hand 625 to support blanket BL time.

And, adsorption hole 625b is optionally supplied with to suitable gas, such as dry air or inert gas etc. via not shown pipe arrangement and operation valve from gas (gas) supply unit 806 of control module 8., by the switching of each operation valve of being controlled by control module 8, and optionally adsorption hole 625b is supplied with from the negative pressure of negative pressure feeding portion 804 and from the gas of gas supply part 806.

When being supplied to adsorption hole 625b from the gas of gas supply part 806, spray a small amount of gas from adsorption hole 625b.Thus, at the lower surface of blanket BL and form on hand small gap between surperficial 625a, hand 625 becomes one side from supported underneath blanket BL, the state that one side separates from blanket BL lower surface.Therefore, can simultaneously utilize each hand 625 to support blanket BL, one side moves blanket BL each hand 625 ground along continuous straight runs that can not rub.In addition, also gas squit hole and adsorption hole 625b can be arranged on to surperficial 625a on hand dividually.

Turn back to Fig. 3, in lower platform block 6 so that hand 625 inwardly and Y-direction relatively to mode make to have lifting hand unit 62, the lifting hand unit 63 subtends configurations of formation as above.Under the state farthest declining at each hand 625, surperficial 625a is positioned at the more below of lower platform upper surface 61a, the i.e. position that retreats significantly to (Z) direction from lower platform upper surface 61a on hand.On the other hand, under the state farthest rising at each hand 625, the front end of each hand 625 becomes the state of giving prominence to upward from the openning 611 of lower platform 61, on hand surperficial 625a arrive the more top of lower platform upper surface 61a, from lower platform upper surface 61a to the outstanding position of (+Z) direction.

And, from above while observing, at the front end of the hand 625 of the mutual subtend of two lifting hand unit 62, lifting hand unit 63, fixing interval is being set each other, they can not be contacted.And as described below, transfer roller unit 64 is utilize this gap and move along directions X.

Fig. 5 is the figure that represents the structure of transfer roller unit.Transfer roller unit 64 comprises transfer roll 641, is the roller component cylindraceous extending along Y-direction; Support frame 642, extends and supports freely transfer roll 641 in its both ends rotation in Y-direction along the below of this transfer roll 641; And elevating mechanism 644, comprise suitable driving mechanism and support frame 642 is moved up and down along Z direction.Transfer roll 641 is not connected and rotates freely with rotary drive mechanism.And, support frame 642 arranging from below be connected to the surface of transfer roll 641 and prevent the bending backing roll (backuproll) 643 of transfer roll 641.

The length on the limit along Y-direction in four limits of the openning 611 of the Length Ratio lower platform 61 of the transfer roll 641 in Y-direction, the opening size in the Y-direction of openning 611 is short, and longer than the length along Y-direction of following version PP while being kept by upper mounting plate or substrate SB.The length as pattern formation effective effective coverage, region in blanket BL is less than the length of edition PP or substrate SB certainly, and therefore in Y-direction, transfer roll 641 is longer than effective coverage.

Elevating mechanism 644 comprises base portion 644a and extends upward and be linked near the feet 644b central authorities the Y-direction of support frame 642 from this base portion 644a.Feet 644b is the driving mechanism suitable by motor or cylinder etc. and can moving up and down with respect to base portion 644a.Base portion 644a is installed on sliding freely along directions X and extends the guide rail 646 arranging, and then is linked to the travel mechanism 647 that for example comprises the suitable driving mechanism such as motor and ball screw mechanism.And, at the upper surface that arranges and be fixed on the lower frame 645 of bedframe 21 along directions X extension, guide rail 646 is installed.By making travel mechanism's 647 starts, and transfer roll 641, support frame 642 and elevating mechanism 644 are divided a word with a hyphen at the end of a line integratedly at directions X.

Details will below narrated, in this patterning device 1, the blanket BL that transfer roll 641 is connected to kept by lower platform 61 also carries out ejection partly to blanket BL, thus, blanket BL being connected to by upper mounting plate keeps and is close to blanket BL version PP or the substrate SB that subtend configures.

Elevating mechanism 644 is to divide a word with a hyphen at the end of a line in the gap forming by the hand 625 of the mutual subtend of lifting hand unit 62, lifting hand unit 63.And, till the upper surface 625a of each hand 625 can retreat into the more below of lower surface of the support frame 642 of transfer roller unit 64 towards (Z) direction.Therefore, make elevating mechanism 644 divide a word with a hyphen at the end of a line under this state, thus, the support frame 642 of transfer roller unit 64, by the top of the upper surface 625a of each hand 625, can avoid transfer roller unit 64 and hand 625 to collide.

Next, the structure of upper mounting plate block 4 is described.As shown in Figure 1, upper mounting plate block 4 comprises: upper mounting plate assembly (assembly) 40 is the structure extending along directions X; A pair of support column 45, support column 46, erect from upper mounting plate support frame 22, upper mounting plate support frame 23 the directions X both ends that arrange and support respectively upper mounting plate assembly 40 respectively; And elevating mechanism 47, for example comprise the driving mechanism that motor and ball screw mechanism etc. are suitable and make upper mounting plate assembly 40 entirety in Z direction lifting moving.

Fig. 6 is the figure that represents the structure of upper mounting plate assembly.Upper mounting plate assembly 40 comprises: upper mounting plate 41, keeps version PP or substrate SB by lower surface; Strengthen framework 42, be arranged on the top of upper mounting plate 41; Beam texture body 43, is incorporated into and strengthens framework 42 and flatly extend along directions X; And top absorbing unit 44, be installed on upper mounting plate 41.As shown in Figure 6, upper mounting plate assembly 40 has with respect to the XZ plane that comprises its profile Shang center and the roughly shape of symmetry of YZ plane difference.

Upper mounting plate 41 is for being slightly less than the plate-like members of planar dimension of the version PP that should keep or substrate SB, and its lower surface 41a that remains flat-hand position becomes butt and keep the maintenance plane of edition PP or substrate SB.Keep plane to require to have high flatness, therefore, as its material, suitable is quartz glass or corrosion resistant plate.And, keeping plane layout the through hole of the absorption layer (pad) for following top absorbing unit 44 is installed.

Strengthen framework 42 and be included in the upper surface of upper mounting plate 41 along the combination of the enhancing rib (rib) of Z direction extension setting, as shown in the figure, in order to prevent the bending of upper mounting plate 41 and to maintain the flatness of its lower surface (maintenance plane) 41a, will suitably carry out respectively multiple combination with the parallel plane enhancing rib 421 of YZ and with the parallel plane enhancing rib 422 of XZ.Enhancing rib 421, enhancing rib 422 for example can comprise sheet metal.

And beam texture body 43 is structures taking directions X as length direction that the combination of multi-disc sheet metal is formed, its both ends are supported and can be moved up and down by support column 45, support column 46.Specifically, the guide rail 451, the guide rail 461 that extend along Z direction are being set respectively at support column 45, support column 46, on the other hand, with (Y) side interarea of the beam texture body 43 of guide rail described in this 451, guide rail 461 subtends, not shown slide block is being installed, these slide blocks are engaging freely slidably.And as shown in Figure 1, beam texture body 43 and support column 46 are to utilize elevating mechanism 47 and link, and by making elevating mechanism 47 starts, and make beam texture body 43 mobile along vertical (Z direction) under the state that maintains flat-hand position.Upper mounting plate 41 is to be combined integratedly with beam texture body 43 via strengthening framework 42, therefore by making the start of elevating mechanism 47, and upper mounting plate 41 is moved up and down under the state that maintenance plane 41a is remained to level.

In addition, the structure of enhancing framework 42 and beam texture body 43 is not limited to illustrated type.Here, will be with the parallel plane tabular component of YZ with the combination of the parallel plane tabular component of XZ and obtain required intensity, but also can be to shape in addition appropriately combined sheet metal (metal plate) or angle (angle) member etc.Be made as this structure and be for light weight form upper mounting plate assembly 40.In order to reduce the bending of each portion, also consider to increase the thickness of upper mounting plate 41 or make beam texture body 43 for solid, but so, it is large that the quality of upper mounting plate assembly 40 entirety becomes.

It is large to for supporting it or the mechanism that moves it requires further intensity and permanance that the weight that is configured in the works on the top of device becomes, and it is very large and heavy that device entirety also becomes.More real, one side is utilized the combinations such as sheet material and is obtained required intensity, and one side is sought the lightweight of works entirety.

And, on the top of the upper mounting plate 41 being surrounded by enhancing framework 42, a pair of top absorbing unit 44 is installed.State above Fig. 6 top represents one of them top absorbing unit 44 to be taken out to.In top absorbing unit 44, the lower end of the multiple pipes (pipe) 442 below extending to from support frame 441 is installed with respectively the absorption layer 443 of for example rubber system.The upper end side of each pipe 442 is the negative pressure feeding portions 804 that are connected in control module 8 via not shown pipe arrangement and operation valve.Support frame 441 is formed as not interfering forming and strengthens the rib 421 of framework 42, the shape of rib 422.

Support frame 441 is via a pair of slide block 444 and is sticked in the pair of guide rails 445 of this pair of slide block 444 and moves freely and be supported along vertical with respect to base plate 446.And base plate (baseplate) 446 and support frame 441 are elevating mechanism 447 by for example comprising the suitable driving mechanism such as motor and ball screw mechanism and combination.By the start of elevating mechanism 447, and make support frame 441 carry out lifting with respect to base plate 446, and with the lifting of this support frame 441 integratedly, pipe 442 and absorption layer 443 carry out lifting.

By base plate 446 being fixed on to the side of beam texture body 43, and make top absorbing unit 44 and upper mounting plate 41 integrated.Under this state, respectively manage 442 lower end and absorption layer 443 and insert to being arranged in the not shown through hole of upper mounting plate 41.And, by the start of elevating mechanism 447, make absorption position absorption layer 443 projects to the more below of lower surface (maintenance plane) 41a of upper mounting plate 41 at its lower surface till, and lower surface keep out of the way between the retreating position of inside (top) of the through hole of upper mounting plate 41 and carry out lifting moving.And in the time the lower surface of absorption layer 443 being positioned to the height roughly the same with the maintenance plane 41a of upper mounting plate 41, upper mounting plate 41 and absorption layer 443 can be synergistically remain on version PP or substrate SB to keep plane 41a.

Turn back to Fig. 1, the upper mounting plate assembly 40 forming is in this way arranged on base plate 481.In more detail, support column 45, support column 46 are erect and are arranged at base plate 481 respectively, and to install platform assembly 40 with respect to this support column 45, the liftable mode of support column 46.Base plate 481 is to be supported by upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism 482, and this upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism 482 is installed on upper mounting plate support frame 22, upper mounting plate support frame 23 and for example comprises the suitable movable agencies such as crossed roller bearing.

Therefore, upper mounting plate assembly 40 entirety can move horizontally with respect to main frame 2.Specifically, base plate 481 is at surface level, move horizontally in XY plane by the start of upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism 482.Corresponding to each support column 45, support column 46 and a pair of base plate 481 arranging can move independently of each other, follow their movement, upper mounting plate assembly 40 can move along directions X, Y-direction and θ direction within the limits prescribed with respect to main frame 2.

Each portion of the patterning device 1 forming is in this way controlled by control module 8.As shown in Figure 2, control module 8 comprises: central processing unit (Central Processing Unit, CPU) 801, the action of management devices entirety; Motor control portion 802, controls the motor that is arranged on each portion; Valve control part 803, controls the operation valve class that is arranged on each portion; And negative pressure feeding portion 804, produce the negative pressure that each portion is supplied with.In addition, in the case of can utilize from outside supply with negative pressure, control module 8 also can not comprise negative pressure feeding portion.

Motor control portion 802 is location or movements that the motor group that is arranged on each mac function by control comes the each portion of management devices.And, valve control part 803 is to be arranged on from negative pressure feeding portion 804 and to be connected in the pipe arrangement path of negative pressure of each mac function and to be connected in the valve group the pipe arrangement path of hand 625 from gas supply part 806 by control, and the execution of management and utilization negative pressure feeding and the vacuum suction of carrying out and releasing thereof and from the gas ejection of surperficial 625a on hand.

And this control module 8 comprises the image processing part 805 to utilizing the captured image real-time image processing of camera.Image processing part 805 is by being installed on substrate prealignment camera 241～substrate prealignment camera 243 of main frame 2 and the image processing that blanket prealignment camera 244～blanket prealignment camera 246 captured images specify to utilizing, and detects the approximate location of substrate SB and blanket BL.And, by the image processing that utilizes following fine registration alignment cameras 27 captured images to specify, and more critically detect the position relationship of substrate SB and blanket BL.CPU801 controls upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism 482 and aims at supporting mechanism 605 based on these position probing results, the version PP being kept by upper mounting plate 41 or substrate SB are carried out to position alignment (prealignment is processed and fine registration processing) with the blanket BL being kept by lower platform 61.

Next, the pattern formation processing in the patterning device 1 forming is in this way described.In this pattern formation processing, the version PP being kept by upper mounting plate 4l or substrate SB are to be close to subtend across small gap to configure with the blanket BL being kept by lower platform 61.And the lower surface that transfer roll 641 one sides are connected to blanket BL is to blanket BL ejection upward partly, one side moves along blanket BL lower surface.First be connected to partly edition PP or substrate SB by the blanket BL of ejection, follow roller to move, abutment portion expands gradually, the overall butt of final and version PP or substrate SB.Thus, carry out patterning from version PP to blanket BL or carry out pattern transfer from blanket BL to substrate SB.

Fig. 7 is the process flow diagram that represents pattern formation processing.And Fig. 8 (a), Fig. 8 (b), Fig. 8 (c) are the figure that schematically shows the position relationship of the each portion of device in each stage of processing to Figure 15 (a), Figure 15 (b), Figure 15 (c).Below, one side describes in the face of the action of the each portion in pattern formation processing to Figure 15 (a), Figure 15 (b), Figure 15 (c) with reference to Fig. 8 (a), Fig. 8 (b), Fig. 8 (c).In addition,, for ease of understanding the relation of the each portion in the each stage that represents to process, sometimes omit the formation of the non-processing that is directly connected to this stage or the diagram of the symbol that omission marks corresponding to this formation.And, the handling object thing being kept by upper mounting plate 41 while being edition PP when for substrate SB during, except a part action all identical, therefore make figure common, and suitably replacement edition PP and substrate SB.

In this pattern formation processing, to through initialized patterning device 1, first move into the version PP corresponding with the pattern that should form and be arranged on upper mounting plate 41 (step S101), then, the blanket BL that is forming the uniform coating layer that utilizes pattern forming material and form is moved into and is arranged on lower platform 61 (step S102).Version PP moves into the significant surface corresponding with pattern down, and blanket BL moves into coating layer upward.

Fig. 8 (a), Fig. 8 (b), Fig. 8 (c) represent version PP or substrate SB to move into the process of installing and being arranged on till upper mounting plate 41.As shown in Fig. 8 (a), under original state, upper mounting plate 41 is kept out of the way top and the interval of itself and lower platform 61 becomes large, is forming spacious processing space S P between two platforms.And each hand 625 is kept out of the way the more below of the upper surface of lower platform 61.Transfer roll 641 be located in the position of openning 611 of the platform 61 that faces down by the position of (X) direction, and be positioned at the more position of below of the upper surface of keeping out of the way lower platform 61 in vertical (Z direction).The each operation valve that is connected in negative pressure feeding portion 804 is closed.

Under this state, from the front face side of device, (Y) direction towards (+Y) direction, is positioned in the version PP of outside version on hand HP and moves into after being measured in advance its thickness to processing space S P.Version can be also by the manually operated operation tool of operator (operator) with hand HP, and, also can be outside conveying machine people's hand.At this moment,, by making hand 625 and transfer roll 641 keep out of the way below, can make to move into operation and become easy.In the time that version PP is positioned to the position of regulation, as shown by arrows, upper mounting plate 41 declines.

In the time that upper mounting plate 41 drops to the position of the regulation that approaches version PP, as shown in Fig. 8 (b), the absorption layer 443 that is arranged on upper mounting plate 41 projects to forward the lower surface of upper mounting plate 41, keeps the more below of plane 41a, and is connected to the upper surface of edition PP.By the operation valve being connected with absorption layer 443 is opened, and utilize the upper surface of absorption layer 443 absorption version PP and keep an edition PP.And, under the state that continues absorption, make absorption layer 443 increase, thus, version PP is promoted with hand HP from version.At this time point, version moves outside device with hand HP.

Finally, as shown in Fig. 8 (c), the lower surface of absorption layer 443 rises to the height identical with keeping plane 41a or is slightly higher than its position, thus, and to connect airtight the upper surface that keeps version PP in the state of the maintenance plane 41a of upper mounting plate 41.Also can be following formation: at the lower surface of upper mounting plate 41, adsorption tank or adsorption hole are set, utilize these adsorption tanks or adsorption hole to adsorb the version PP that maintenance joins from absorption layer 443.Complete like this maintenance of edition PP.Can be by identical order, utilize substrate hand HS to move into substrate SB.

Fig. 9 (a), Fig. 9 (b), Fig. 9 (c) and Figure 10 (a), Figure 10 (b) are illustrated in to move into after edition PP, and blanket BL is moved into and remain on the process till lower platform 61.In the time that upper mounting plate 41 completes the maintenance of version PP, as shown in Fig. 9 (a), make upper mounting plate 41 increase and again form spacious processing space S P, and making each hand 625 rise to the more top of the upper surface 61a of lower platform 61.At this moment, make the upper surface 625a of each hand 625 all become identical height.

Under this state, as shown in Fig. 9 (b), proceed as follows: the blanket BL that is forming the coating layer PT that utilizes patterning to form material and to form at upper surface is positioned in to outside blanket hand HB, and moves into and process space S P.Before moving into blanket BL, first measure its thickness.It is desirable to, blanket is the hand that comprises fork (fork) type of the finger (finger) of extending along Y-direction with hand HB, so that can not interfere hand 625 ground to enter by their gap.

By making blanket hand HB decline after entering or make hand 625 increase, and make the upper surface 625a of hand 625 be connected to the lower surface of blanket BL, as shown in Fig. 9 (c), thereafter, blanket BL is supported by hand 625.By the adsorption hole 625b (Fig. 4) being arranged on hand 625 is supplied with to negative pressure, can make to support more certain.So, blanket BL can be joined in one's handsly 625 with hand HB from blanket, and blanket is discharged to outside device with hand HB.

, as Figure 10 (a) as shown in, under the height of upper surface 625a that make each hand 625 consistent state hand 625 declined, finally make that surperficial 625a is identical with the height of the upper surface 61a of lower platform 61 on hand thereafter.Thus, the circumference on blanket BL tetra-limits is connected to the upper surface 61a of lower platform 61.

At this moment, as shown in Figure 10 (b), the vacuum suction groove 612 that is arranged on lower platform upper surface 61a is supplied with to negative pressure, and absorption keeps blanket BL.Thereupon, remove the absorption of hand 625.Thus, blanket BL becomes the state that is adsorbed the circumference that keeps its four limit by lower platform 61.In Figure 10 (b), in order clearly to represent that the absorption of having removed hand 625 keeps, and blanket BL and hand 625 are separated, but the lower surface that has in fact maintained blanket BL is connected to the state of surperficial 625a on hand.

Think, suppose to make hand 625 to separate under this state, blanket BL can make central portion bending downwards because of deadweight, and entirety becomes protruding shape downwards.Hand 625 is maintained to the height identical with lower platform upper surface 61a, thus, can suppress this bending and blanket BL is maintained to flat state.So, blanket BL become its circumference by lower platform 61 adsorb keep and central portion by hand 625 complementary the state that supports, thereby complete the maintenance of blanket BL.

Version PP and blanket BL move into sequentially also can with described reversed in order.But the in the situation that of moving into edition PP after moving into blanket BL, in the time moving into edition PP, impurity may drop on blanket BL and pollute and utilize the coating layer PT that pattern forming material forms or produce defect.As mentioned above, version PP is set to after upper mounting plate 41, blanket BL is arranged on to lower platform 61, this problem can be avoided in possible trouble thus.

Turn back to Fig. 7, in the time like this version PP and blanket BL being separately positioned on to upper lower platform, then version PP and blanket BL are carried out to prealignment processing (step S103).And then, with both across predefined gap and the mode of subtend is carried out gap set-up procedure (S104).

Figure 11 (a), Figure 11 (b), Figure 11 (c) are the figure that represents the process of gap adjustment processing and registration process.Wherein, the fine registration processing shown in Figure 11 (c) is the processing only needing in following transfer process, therefore for this processing be after the explanation of transfer process in narrate.As mentioned above, version PP, substrate SB or blanket BL move into from outside, but can occurrence positions skew in the time that it joins.Prealignment processing is the processing for version PP or the substrate SB being kept by upper mounting plate 41 and the blanket BL that kept by lower platform 61 being roughly positioned at separately to the position of the processing after being suitable for.

Figure 11 (a) is the side view that schematically shows the configuration of the formation for carrying out prealignment.As mentioned above, in the present embodiment, on device top, six prealignment camera 241～prealignment cameras 246 are being set altogether.Wherein three substrate prealignment cameras that camera 241～camera 243 is the outer rims for detecting the version PP (or substrate SB) being kept by upper mounting plate 41.And other three camera 244～cameras 246 blanket prealignment camera that is the outer rims for detecting blanket BL, in addition, here, for convenience's sake, prealignment camera 241～prealignment camera 243 is called to " substrate prealignment camera ", these cameras can be used in any one in the position alignment of edition PP and the position alignment of substrate SB, and its contents processing is also identical.

As shown in Fig. 1 and Figure 11 (a), for substrate, prealignment camera 241, substrate are to arrange as roughly the same position and in the different mode in Y-direction mutual alignment at directions X with prealignment camera 242, take respectively (X) side outer edge of edition PP or substrate SB from top.Upper mounting plate 41 is formed as being slightly less than the planar dimension of substrate SB, therefore, can take from top (X) side outer edge extending to than the end of upper mounting plate 41 version PP (or substrate SB) more in the outer part.And, although do not show in the drawings, in the nearby side of Figure 11 (a) paper, another stylobate plate prealignment camera 243 being set, this camera 243 is taken version PP (or substrate SB) (Y) side outer edge from top.

On the other hand, for blanket, prealignment camera 244, blanket are to arrange as roughly the same position and in the different mode in Y-direction mutual alignment at directions X with prealignment camera 246, take respectively (+X) side outer edge of the blanket BL that is positioned in lower platform 61 from top.And, in the nearby side of Figure 11 (a) paper, another blanket prealignment camera 245 being set, this camera 245 is taken blanket BL (Y) side outer edge from top.

Grasp according to the shooting results being obtained by these prealignment camera 241～prealignment cameras 246 and respectively the position of version PP (or substrate SB) and blanket BL.And, optionally make upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism 482 and 605 starts of alignment stage supporting mechanism, thus, version PP (or substrate SB) and blanket BL are positioned at respectively to predefined target location.About the location that utilizes upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism 4821, upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism 4822 based on shooting results, i.e. the prealignment processing of version PP (or substrate SB), be below described in detail.

In addition,, in the time that blanket BL and lower platform 61 are moved horizontally in the lump, preferably, as shown in Figure 11 (a), the upper surface 625a of each hand 625 and the lower surface of blanket BL separate slightly.For this object, can make the gas of supplying with from gas supply part 806 spray from the adsorption hole 625b of hand 625.This content is also identical in following fine registration is processed.

And, about substrate SB slim or large-scale and that easily bend, become easily in order to make to process, sometimes for example so that tabular supporting member is connected to the state at the back side that substrate SB is processed.In this case, even if supporting member is the member more large-scale than substrate SB, for example utilize transparent material to form supporting member or the easily formation of the position of the outer edge of detection substrate SB such as transparent window or through hole etc. is set partly on supporting member as long as be made as, also can realize and described identical prealignment processing.

Then, as shown in Figure 11 (b), with respect to the lower platform 61 that keeps blanket BL, make to keep the upper mounting plate 41 of version PP to decline, the interval G of edition PP and blanket BL and the setting value of predetermining are coincide.At this moment, consider the version PP of measurement in advance and the thickness of blanket BL.,, to make both gaps become the mode of setting, adjust the interval of upper mounting plate 41 and lower platform 61 in the case of the thickness that comprises edition PP and blanket BL.As the gap width G here, for example, can be made as 300 μ am left and right.

About the thickness of version PP and blanket BL, except having because of the individual difference that causes of dimensional discrepancy on manufacturing, even if for example also consider the variation of the thickness causing because of expansion for identical part, while therefore it is desirable to use, all measure at every turn.And about clearance G, definable is between the lower surface of version PP and the upper surface of blanket BL, and also definable is at the lower surface of version PP and be carried between the upper surface of coating layer PT of the pattern forming material on blanket BL.As long as strictly manage the thickness of coating layer PT in the coating stage, technical upper equivalence.

Turn back to Fig. 7, when subtend configures when making like this edition PP and blanket BL across clearance G, then divide a word with a hyphen at the end of a line at directions X by the lower surface one side that makes transfer roll 641 one sides be connected to blanket BL, and make edition PP and blanket BL butt.Thus, utilize version PP to make the coating layer PT patterning (patterned process of the pattern forming material on blanket BL; Step S105).

In Figure 12 (a), Figure 12 (b), Figure 12 (c), represent the process of patterned process.Specifically, as shown in Figure 12 (a), make transfer roll 641 rise to blanket BL under position, and the roughly the same position in the center line that transfer roll 641 is configured in to transfer roll 641 on directions X and the end of version PP or in contrast slightly to the position of (X) direction skew.Under this state, as shown in Figure 12 (b), make transfer roll 641 further increase and be connected to the lower surface of blanket BL, to this by the blanket BL of the position of butt ejection upward partly.Thus, taking the pushing force that specifies, the lower surface of version PP is pushed to blanket BL (more strictly speaking as being carried on the coating layer PT of pattern forming material of blanket BL).Transfer roll 641 is longer than version PP (and effective coverage) in Y-direction, and the one end Y-direction in the lower surface of version PP is to the elongated region along Y-direction and the blanket BL butt of the other end.

Like this, push under the state of blanket BL at transfer roll 641, elevating mechanism 644 is divided a word with a hyphen at the end of a line to (+X) direction, thus, the ejection position of blanket BL is moved to (+X) direction.At this moment, in order to prevent that hand 625 from contacting with transfer roll 641, as shown in Figure 12 (c), about becoming the hand 625 below setting with the directions X distance of transfer roll 641, make it keep out of the way the upper surface 625a of this hand 625 at least downwards lower than the position of the lower surface of support frame 642.

Owing to removing the absorption of hand 625, the situation that the decline that therefore blanket BL and hand 625 can not occur reduces towards below in the lump.And, make to start the suitably management of dividing a word with a hyphen at the end of a line synchronously of the time point (timing) that declines and transfer roll 641, thus, the blanket BL that also can prevent the support that loses hand 625 hangs down downwards because of deadweight.

In Figure 13 (a), Figure 13 (b), Figure 13 (c), represent the process of dividing a word with a hyphen at the end of a line of transfer roll 641.Version PP and the blanket BL of temporary transient butt maintain the state connecting airtight via the coating layer PT of pattern forming material, therefore, as shown in Figure 13 (a), follow dividing a word with a hyphen at the end of a line of transfer roll 641, the region that version PP and blanket BL connect airtight expands towards (+X) direction gradually.Now, as shown in the drawing, along with transfer roll 641 approaches and hand 625 is sequentially declined.

So, final, as shown in Figure 13 (b), all hands 625 all decline, and transfer roll 641 arrives near (+X) side end of lower platform 61 belows.At this time point, transfer roll 641 arrive version PP (+X) side end roughly under or than it slightly by the position of (+X) side, the lower surface of edition PP is all connected to the coating layer PT on blanket BL.

During transfer roll 641 maintains fixing height and divides a word with a hyphen at the end of a line, the area that is subject to the region that transfer roll 641 pushes in blanket BL lower surface is fixed.Therefore, elevating mechanism 644 one sides provide fixing loading one side to make transfer roll 641 be squeezed in blanket BL, thus, clip the coating layer PT of pattern forming material between version PP and blanket BL, and mutually push with the pushing force of fixing.Thus, can carry out well the patterning from version PP to blanket BL.

In addition the circumference of version PP, in the time of patterning, it is desirable to effectively utilize the surf zone entirety of edition PP, but contact the region that cannot effectively utilize with hand in the time that can inevitably produce because of damage or conveyance.As shown in Figure 13 (b), the middle body except the end regions of version PP is made as while effectively bringing into play the effective coverage AR of function as version, it is desirable to, at least in the AR of effective coverage, the pushing force of transfer roll 641 and the speed of dividing a word with a hyphen at the end of a line are fixed.For this reason, the Y-direction length of transfer roll 641 must be longer than the length of the party effective coverage AR upwards.And, at directions X, it is desirable to more start dividing a word with a hyphen at the end of a line of transfer roll 641 by (X) side position from the end of the effective coverage AR than (X) direction, and maintained fixed speed before the end that at least arrives the effective coverage AR in (+X) direction.Become the effective coverage of blanket BL side with the surf zone of the blanket BL of the effective coverage AR subtend of version PP.

Figure 14 represents the position relationship of version or substrate and blanket.More particularly, this figure is the vertical view of the position relationship when observing version PP or substrate SB from top and being connected to blanket BL.As shown in the figure, blanket BL has the planar dimension that is greater than edition PP or substrate SB.Mark in the drawings in blanket BL a little and be the region that is connected to lower platform upper surface 61a in the time being kept by lower platform 61 near the region R1 of circumference.About than its region in the inner part, be the unlimited state in following surface, blanket BL is held in to lower platform 61.

The size of version PP and substrate SB is roughly the same, and their size is less than the openning size of lower platform 61.And, form at actual pattern the size that effective coverage AR that middle quilt effectively uses is less than edition PP or substrate SB.Therefore, the region corresponding to effective coverage AR in blanket BL is that lower surface opens wide and the state of the openning 611 of the platform 61 that faces down.

When representing in blanket BL lower surface with the region R2 of hachure (hatching), be subject to the region (pushing region) that transfer roll 641 is pushed.Push region R2 and be at roller and extend setting party to, elongated region that Y-direction is extended, the both ends in its Y-direction extend to respectively than the end of version PP or substrate SB more in the outer part till.Therefore,, in the time that transfer roll 641 is pushed blanket BL with the state parallel with blanket BL lower surface, its pushing force is wherein consistent in the Y direction between an end to the other end the effective coverage AR's Y-direction.

One side provides uniform pushing force one side that transfer roll 641 is moved at directions X in Y-direction to effective coverage AR like this, thus, in whole effective coverage AR, utilizes uniform pushing force that edition PP or substrate SB and blanket BL are pushed mutually.Thus, can prevent because of the inhomogeneous pattern damage causing of pushing, and the pattern of formation high-quality.

In the time making like this transfer roll 641 arrive (+X) side end, make transfer roll 641 stop dividing a word with a hyphen at the end of a line, and as shown in Figure 13 (c), make transfer roll 641 retreat to below.Thus, transfer roll 641 is separated by and finishes patterned process with blanket BL lower surface.

Turn back to Fig. 7, in the time finishing patterned process like this, take out of edition PP and blanket BL (step S106).Figure 15 (a), Figure 15 (b), Figure 15 (c) represent the process of taking out of of version and blanket.First, as shown in Figure 15 (a), make the each hand 625 declining in the time of patterned process again increase, being positioned at upper surface 625a becomes and the position of the upper surface 61a equal height of lower platform 61.Under this state, the absorption (utilize adsorption tank or adsorption hole adsorb maintenance in the situation that, be the absorption that utilizes adsorption tank or adsorption hole carry out) of the absorption layer 443 of releasing upper mounting plate 41 to version PP.Thus, remove the maintenance of upper mounting plate 41 to version PP, version PP and blanket BL remain on lower platform 61 via the integrated laminate forming of coating layer PT of pattern forming material.The central portion of laminate is supported by hand 625.

Then, as shown in Figure 15 (b), make upper mounting plate 41 increase and form spacious processing space S P, remove the absorption that utilizes the groove 612 of lower platform 61 to carry out, and make hand 625 further increase and move to the more top of lower platform 61.At this moment, preferably utilize hand 625 absorption to keep laminate.

So, can realize from outside turnover.Therefore, as shown in Figure 15 (c), receive blanket hand HB from outside, carry out action contrary when moving into, thus the blanket BL connecting airtight under the state of edition PP is taken out of to outside.As long as utilize suitable peel-off device that the version PP connecting airtight is in this way peeled off from blanket BL, just can form the pattern of regulation on blanket BL.

Next, to describing being formed on pattern transfer on blanket BL to the situation as the substrate SB of its final purpose thing.This step is substantially identical with the situation of patterned process.That is, as shown in Figure 7, first substrate SB is arranged on to upper mounting plate 41 (step S107), then the blanket BL that forms pattern is arranged to lower platform 61 (step S108).Then, substrate SB and blanket BL have been carried out to prealignment is processed and gap adjustment after (step S109, step S110), transfer roll 641 is divided a word with a hyphen at the end of a line in blanket BL bottom, thus by the pattern transfer on blanket BL to substrate SB (transfer process; Step S112).After transfer printing finishes, integrated blanket BL and substrate SB are taken out of to also end process (step S113).This series of action is also identical to the action shown in Figure 15 (a), Figure 15 (b), Figure 15 (c) with Fig. 8 (a), Fig. 8 (b), Fig. 8 (c).In addition,, in the time version PP being replaced with to substrate SB in these figure, symbol PT means the pattern after patterned process.

But, in transfer process, for pattern being suitably transferred to the assigned position of substrate SB, the position alignment (fine registration processing) (step S111) more accurate to both execution before making substrate SB and blanket BL butt.Figure 11 (c) represents this process.

In Fig. 1, omit record, but in this patterning device 1, arranged by fine registration camera 27 from bedframe 21 to (+Z) direction that erect the support column support arranging from.Fine registration camera 27 is to arrange totally four in its optical axis vertical mode upward, to respectively four of substrate SB jiaos are taken by the openning 611 of lower platform 61.

Be pre-formed and becoming the alignment mark of position reference (substrate-side alignment mark) at substrate SB four jiaos, on the other hand, in the position corresponding with this alignment mark of blanket BL, forming a part for blanket side alignment mark pattern of patterning as utilizing version PP.In the same visual field of fine registration camera 27, they are taken, obtain both position offsets by the position relationship that detects them, obtain the amount of movement of the blanket BL for revising this side-play amount.Utilize alignment stage supporting mechanism 605, alignment stage 601 is moved by obtained amount of movement, thus, upper mounting plate 61 moves in surface level, revises the position skew of substrate SB and blanket BL.

So that substrate SB and blanket BL be across small clearance G and the state of subtend, and utilize same camera to take the alignment mark that is formed on each person, thus, can carry out high-precision position alignment to substrate SB and blanket BL.This just means, described registration process is the higher fine registration processing of precision of carrying out than individually taking substrate SB and blanket BL in the situation of position adjustment.Under this state, make both butts, thus, in the present embodiment, can form the pattern that carries out accurately position alignment at the assigned position of substrate SB.And, by advance substrate SB and blanket BL being carried out to prealignment processing, the alignment mark being respectively formed on substrate SB and blanket BL can be positioned in the visual field of fine registration camera 27.

In addition,, in the time utilizing version PP to form pattern to blanket BL, may not need accurate like that registration process.This is because by blanket side alignment mark is pre-formed on version PP together with pattern, can not make to be formed on and between pattern on blanket BL and blanket side alignment mark, produce position skew, as long as utilize blanket side alignment mark and substrate-side alignment mark to complete fine registration, a little the position skew of version PP and blanket BL can not have influence on pattern formation.With regard to this aspect, in patterned process, only carry out prealignment processing.

Below illustrate in greater detail registration process.As mentioned above, in the present embodiment, can so that substrate SB and blanket BL are across small clearance G, (for example G=300 μ m) and the state of subtend, carries out aligning adjustment between the two, i.e. relative position alignment.Therefore, can for example, make the position alignment blanket BL of substrate SB with high positional precision (± 3 μ m left and right).

Figure 16 (a), Figure 16 (b) are the figure that the principle of registration process is described.As shown in Figure 16 (a), at the lower surface of the substrate SB being kept by upper mounting plate 41, near the position of four jiaos of the face that is transferred of pattern, be pre-formed alignment mark (substrate-side alignment mark) AMs of the suitable shape that becomes position reference.On the other hand, at the upper surface of the blanket BL being kept by lower platform 61, i.e. pattern loading end, utilize pattern forming material and forming suitably alignment mark (the blanket side alignment mark) AMb of shape.In more detail, form together alignment mark AMb in advance on version PP with the pattern that should form, in the time utilizing version PP to make the coating layer PT patterning being formed by pattern forming material on blanket BL, alignment mark AMb and pattern are formed on blanket BL in the lump.

Therefore, on the blanket BL after patterning, forming pattern and the alignment mark AMb that should be transferred to substrate SB, the position relationship between them is fixed.Therefore, by substrate-side alignment mark AMs and blanket side alignment mark Amb are carried out to position alignment, and indirectly and exactly regulation substrate SB and the relative position of pattern that should be transferred to this substrate SB.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 16 (a), in the inner side of the peristome 611 of lower platform 61, utilization is configured in the alignment cameras 27 of the below of blanket BL, takes being formed on the blanket side alignment mark AMb of upper surface of blanket BL and the substrate-side alignment mark AMs that is formed on the lower surface of substrate SB via blanket BL.Blanket BL is for example taking quartz glass as main material and has photopermeability.At this moment,, as shown in Figure 16 (b), make to comprise in same visual field FV two alignment mark AMs, alignment mark AMb.

Captured image carries out image processing by the image processing part 805 of control module 8, and detects the relative position of two alignment mark AMs, alignment mark AMb.As shown in Figure 16 (b), by making the shape of two alignment mark AMs, alignment mark AMb different, it is easy that their identification becomes.And the image obtaining two alignment mark AMs, alignment mark AMb are positioned to same visual field FV carries out position probing, can obtain accurately thus the relative position between two alignment mark AMs, alignment mark AMb.By the alignment mark of four jiaos that are separately positioned on substrate SB is carried out to this shooting and position probing, and obtain the position offset between substrate SB and blanket BL.In addition, in principle, can use the alignment mark at a substrate SB and blanket BL position separately to carry out position alignment, but by least more than position forming alignment mark and it is taken and carries out position alignment separately two, can realize more high-precision position alignment.

The position offset of obtaining in order to eliminate (cancel), alignment stage supporting mechanism 605 moves alignment stage 601 (Fig. 3) in surface level.Thus, lower platform 61 moves horizontally necessary amount in XY θ direction, and realizes the accurate position alignment of substrate SB and blanket BL (more accurate is the pattern on blanket BL).

In order to carry out accurately this fine registration, the resolution in the necessary position probing that improves alignment mark must be taken for this reason under relatively high multiplying power.In powerful shooting, visual field FV stenosis is narrow, therefore for substrate-side alignment mark AMs and blanket side alignment mark AMb are positioned to same visual field, the relative position that must first make substrate SB and blanket BL before the fine registration to a certain extent positional precision of tens of μ m left and right (for example with) coincide.

But, be not easy to realize this positional precision from the outside substrate SB of device and the handover time point of blanket BL, carry out position limitation even if stop member 613 is set as shown in Figure 3, also have for example dimensional discrepancy because of each member to cause not reaching the situation of desired position precision.Especially in the time that substrate SB or blanket BL become large-scale, they become easy bending and dimensional discrepancy also becomes greatly, and on the other hand, because weight increases, the position limitation carrying out so utilize mechanical docking is subject to the limit aspect precision.

The reason that camera site precision when make the multiplying power of alignment cameras 27 and the variable situation of visual field FV become to make on the contrary shooting that fine registration uses for this relatively rough position alignment reduces, therefore also not preferred.This be because by making variable power easy deficiency in light quantity and the image fault the etc. when light shaft offset of generating optics system, high magnification.Therefore, in the present embodiment, before fine registration, first carry out prealignment, thus, till the relative position of substrate SB and blanket BL is aligned to the degree of same visual field that two alignment mark AMs, alignment mark AMb be positioned at alignment cameras 27.About the image pickup optical system of alignment cameras 27, multiplying power and visual field FV are fixed.

Figure 17 and Figure 18 (a), Figure 18 (b) are the figure that the principle of the prealignment of present embodiment is described.In more detail, Figure 17 is the figure that represents the coverage of the blanket BL that utilizes prealignment camera, the figure of principle of position alignment that Figure 18 (a), Figure 18 (b) are explanations based on utilizing the captured image of prealignment camera.

As mentioned above, in the present embodiment, on device top, six prealignment camera 241～prealignment cameras 246 are being set altogether.Wherein, three camera 241～cameras 243 are the substrate prealignment cameras for detection of the outer rim of substrate SB.And other three camera 244～cameras 246 are the blanket prealignment cameras for detection of the outer rim of blanket BL.These cameras can be the camera of multiplying power lower than fine registration alignment cameras 27, so, can guarantee visual field widely.And, also can be lower resolution about resolution, rising that thus can restraining device cost.

The position probing of the substrate SB that utilizes substrate prealignment camera 241～substrate prealignment camera 243 and carry out and the position alignment based on this position probing and utilize blanket prealignment camera 244～blanket prealignment camera 246 and the position probing of the blanket BL that carries out and the position alignment based on this position probing are identical in principle.Below, its principle to be described by the position alignment of the blanket BL of the shooting results of prealignment camera 244～blanket prealignment camera 246 as example based on blanket.

As shown in figure 17, blanket is taken at a position of two positions of the outer rim to the (+X) side in four limits of blanket BL and the outer rim of (+Y) side respectively with prealignment camera 244～blanket prealignment camera 246.In the drawings, region IR1, region IR2 and region IR3 represent respectively the coverage of camera 246, camera 244 and camera 245.By taking respectively the outer rim near the bight of blanket BL, can improve position alignment precision.

By take respectively in four limits of the outer rim that forms blanket BL, the part on uneven two limits mutually, can obtain independently the position offset of the two-dimentional blanket BL of directions X and Y-direction.And, to taking above with two positions on one side or in the limit being parallel to each other, can obtain thus the tilt quantity of the blanket BL in θ direction.

In Figure 18 (a), the directions X position of coverage IR1, coverage IR2 is slightly different.In this situation, suppose that likely dimensional accuracy because of part etc. causes the installation site of each camera to be offset, even if in order to represent, under the state that comprises the some positions skew between this camera, also can to carry out the position alignment of blanket, and represent this diagram.

With reference to Figure 18, the principle of the position alignment based on shooting results is described.First, suppose the blanket BLi being in without the ideal position (target location) in the design of position skew, as shown in Figure 18 (a), the position of the blanket end in the situation that utilizing each camera 244～camera 246 to take this blanket BLi is logged on as to reference value.Specifically, by from one end of the coverage IR1 of camera 246 till the one end from this coverage IR2 the coverage IR2 of the directions X distance X 10 of (+X) side end of blanket BLi, camera 244 till the directions X distance X 20 of (+X) side end of blanket BLi and from one end of the coverage IR3 of camera 245 till the Y-direction distance Y 30 of (+Y) side end of blanket BLi logs on as reference value.As long as the invariant position of each camera more, the login of reference value is just without renewal.

Next, moved into actually under the state of blanket BL, utilized blanket prealignment camera 244～blanket prealignment camera 246 to take respectively the end of blanket BL.Figure 18 (b) represents one example, in general, from the state of ideal position skew, blanket BL is being loaded in lower platform 61 like this.The directions X distance X 21 of one end of obtaining the coverage IR1 from camera 246 at this moment till to the one end from this coverage IR2 the coverage IR2 of the directions X distance X 11 till (+X) side end of blanket BL, camera 244 to (+X) side end of blanket BL and from one end of the coverage IR3 of camera 245 to (+Y) side end of blanket BL till Y-direction distance Y 31.

If blanket BL is offset without position, these values X11, X21, Y31 is consistent with reference values X 10, reference values X 20, reference value Y30 respectively, but in general becomes different values.Described value is apart from the size of the poor side-play amount that represents blanket BL of reference value., the difference of value Y31 and value Y30 is corresponding to the position offset in the Y-direction of blanket BL.And the difference of value X11 and value X10 poor and value X21 and value X20 is all corresponding to the position offset of the directions X of blanket BL.And then the difference of value (X20-X10) and value (X21-X11) is corresponding to around Z axis, the i.e. position offset (inclination) of the blanket BL of θ direction.Like this blanket outer fringe position under perfect condition is logged on as to reference value, obtain the relative position offset for this position, thus, the absolute position of each camera is not required to precision., without the installation site of strictly managing camera, as long as there is the positional precision that can make the outer rim of the inconsistent blanket BL in position moving into stably be positioned at the degree of visual field at every turn.

According to these values, obtain the position offset of blanket BL with respect to ideal position in all directions of directions X, Y-direction and θ direction, and obtain the amount of moving horizontally of the blanket BL for eliminating this position skew and blanket BL is moved, can carry out position alignment to blanket BL thus.Also can repeat position probing and movement until blanket BL is positioned to ideal position.About the substrate SB being kept by upper mounting plate 41 or version PP, also can position in the same way.

Even if based on utilizing in the position alignment of image of the captured low range of prealignment camera, finally cannot obtain desired position precision, also can utilize described method fully to realize the position alignment that is positioned at the degree of the same visual field FV of alignment cameras 27 to major general's substrate-side, two alignment marks of blanket side.In other words, preset the ideal position (target location) of blanket BL and substrate SB so that major general's substrate-side, two alignment marks of blanket side are positioned at the mode of the same visual field FV of alignment cameras 27, carry out thereafter described prealignment processing.

In addition, about the movement of substrate SB or the blanket BL of the shooting results based on prealignment camera, as long as for after the moving into of version PP (or substrate SB) and blanket BL and early than fine registration, can carry out at time point arbitrarily.In the present embodiment, moving into after an edition PP (or substrate SB) and blanket BL, before carrying out gap adjustment, carry out prealignment processing.This is in order to prevent following situation: in the time utilizing substrate prealignment camera 241～substrate prealignment camera 243 to detect the end of version PP or substrate SB, approximated position rearward exists blanket BL, therefore becomes interference.On the other hand, if carry out prealignment processing after the gap adjustment of carrying out between version PP (or substrate SB) and blanket BL, can more positively prevent the position skew of contingent horizontal direction in the time that gap is changed.

About the movement of the substrate SB for prealignment, be to carry out in the following manner: upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism 482 moves upper mounting plate assembly 40, and makes to keep the upper mounting plate 41 of substrate SB to move horizontally.On the other hand, about the movement of blanket BL, be to carry out in the following manner: alignment stage supporting mechanism 605 moves alignment stage 601 and makes to keep the lower platform 61 of blanket BL to move horizontally.At this moment,, as shown in Figure 11 (a), preferably the upper surface 625a of each hand 625 and the lower surface of blanket BL are separated by.This be because in the present embodiment lifting hand unit 62, lifting hand unit 63 be fixed on bedframe 21, in the time that alignment stage 601 moves horizontally by the start of alignment stage supporting mechanism 605, each hand 625 not with these alignment stage 601 interlocks.

But, there is following situation: if each hand 625 is declined for this object, blanket BL is also thereupon and downwards bending.As long as make gas from the adsorption hole 625b ejection of surperficial 625a on hand under the state of vertical position that maintains each hand 625, just can maintain the flat-hand position of blanket BL, and can form at blanket BL and on hand small gap between surperficial 625a.Thus, can avoid the hand 625 that rubs in the time that blanket BL moves.By maintaining, blanket BL absorption is remained on to the state of lower platform 61, and prevent the displacement of blanket BL with respect to lower platform 61.As shown in Figure 11 (c), when the blanket BL in fine registration process mobile, also can similarly carry out.

Not make substrate SB or blanket BL move separately, but they are moved in the lump under the state remaining on upper mounting plate 41 or lower platform 61 with platform, can under the state of posture that maintains them, move thus, thereby can prevent the reduction because of the bending position alignment precision causing.

Before this, prealignment to version PP (or substrate SB) is illustrated simply, but below, one side is with reference to Figure 19 (a), Figure 19 (b), Figure 19 (c) to Figure 22 (a), Figure 22 (b), Figure 22 (c), Figure 22 (d), and a prealignment processing of facing version PP is described in detail.In addition, the prealignment of substrate SB is processed also identical with the prealignment processing of the version PP describing below, therefore omits the detailed description of the prealignment processing of substrate SB.

Figure 19 (a), Figure 19 (b), Figure 19 (c) are the figure roughly forming that schematically shows upper mounting plate block and substrate prealignment camera.Described above about upper mounting plate block 4 and substrate with formation and the configuration of prealignment camera 241～substrate prealignment camera 243, as shown in Figure 19 (a), support (gantry) portion comprises upper mounting plate 41, strengthen framework 42, beam texture body 43 and support column 45, support column 46, and be configured to one side support one side by upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism 482 can horizontal drive.

In addition, below, for the base plate 481 that is differently arranged on two positions in directions X position is distinguished from each other, be made as with symbol 4811 and represent the base plate that is configured in (X) side in two base plates 481, and, represent to be configured in the base plate of (+X) side with symbol 4812.Similarly, for the upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism 482 that is differently arranged on two positions in directions X position is distinguished from each other, be made as with symbol 4821 and represent the supporting mechanism that is configured in (X) side in two upper mounting plate block supporting mechanisms 482, and, represent to be configured in the supporting mechanism of (+X) side with symbol 4822.

Figure 20 (a), Figure 20 (b) are the figure that schematically shows the formation of the upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism of (X) side.This upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism 4821 is the two-axis table mechanisms along directions X and Y-direction driving base plate 4811.In upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism 4821, on base component 482a, as shown in Figure 20 (b), be fixed with the guide rail 482b extending along Y-direction, and slide block 482c can be installed on this guide rail 482b sliding freely in Y-direction.And, Y-axis ball screw support (bracket) 482d is installed on slide block 482c.As shown in Figure 20 (a), this Y-axis is to extend and arrange along directions X with ball screw support 482d, and its (+X) side end is screwed on the Y-axis ball screw 482e extending along Y-direction.(+Y) side end in Y-axis with ball screw 482e, Y-axis motor 482f is installed, when Y-axis with motor 482f corresponding to the action command from motor control portion 802 (Fig. 2) and when start, correspondingly, Y-axis moves along Y-direction with ball screw support 482d.Y-axis moving part comprises these formations.

And, in Y-axis with on ball screw support 482d, X-axis moving part being set.This X-axis moving part comprises: linear guide part (1inear guide), makes slide block 482h be installed on sliding freely the guide rail 482g extending along directions X at directions X; X-axis ball screw 482j; Ball screw support 482k for X-axis, is screwed on this X-axis ball screw 482j; And X-axis motor 482m.At X-axis moving part, so that being positioned at the state of the top of slide block 482h, guide rail 482g slide block 482h is fixed on to the upper surface of (+X) side end of Y-axis ball screw support 482d.And, X-axis ball screw support 482k is installed on guide rail 482g.Therefore, use motor 482m corresponding to the action command from motor control portion 802 (Fig. 2) and start if be linked to the X-axis of (X) side end of X-axis ball screw 482j, X-axis moves in X-direction with respect to Y-axis moving part with ball screw support 482k.So, can with lamination on Y-axis moving part the form formation two-axis table mechanism of X-axis moving part, and can make X-axis ball screw support 482k move at directions X and Y-direction.

And, to X-axis with ball screw support 482k via crossed roller bearing 482n mounting base 4811.Therefore, base plate 4811 can be driven towards directions X and Y-direction by controlling Y-axis motor 482f and X-axis motor 482m.

Figure 21 (a), Figure 21 (b) are the figure that schematically shows the formation of the upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism of (+X) side.This upper mounting plate block supports 4822 except following two aspects, also has the formation identical with upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism 4821, and described two aspects refer to: at X-axis moving part, ball screw mechanism and X-axis motor are not set; And replace X-axis, with ball screw support 482k, the support 482p with same shape is set.Therefore, upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism 4822 can one side moves support baseboard 4812 one sides freely in directions X and Y-direction and only drives this support baseboard 4812 towards Y-direction.

Turn back to Figure 19 (a), Figure 19 (b), Figure 19 (c) goes on to say.The version PP and the substrate SB that use are in the present embodiment the tabular body with rectangular shape, prealignment prealignment camera 241 for magazine substrate, substrate with prealignment camera 242 be with four edges E1～limit E4 of the shape of regulation version PP and substrate SB in the long limit E1 of (X) side arrange accordingly and take respectively two positions of the outer rim of (X) side, substrate is positions that arrange accordingly and take the outer rim of (Y) side with the minor face E2 of (Y) side with prealignment camera 243.In this figure (c), region IR4, region IR5, region IR6 represent respectively the coverage of camera 241～camera 243.Like this, by taking respectively the outer rim near the bight of version PP, can improve the positioning precision in prealignment.

In the present embodiment, taking respectively the reason of a part of uneven two limit E1, limit E2 is mutually in order to obtain independently the position offset of edition PP with respect to the two-dimentional target location of directions X and Y-direction.And, be in order to obtain version PP in the θ direction tilt quantity with respect to target location, to it is desirable to utilize long side as present embodiment take two reasons more than position with E1 on one side.But, be not limited to long side, also can be limit E2, the limit E4 of short brink.And, also can be on the both sides that are parallel to each other each person of (for example limit E1 and limit E3 or limit E2 and limit E4) take, and obtain tilt quantity.

Next the prealignment processing that, one side is faced version PP with reference to Figure 22 (a), Figure 22 (b), Figure 22 (c), Figure 22 (d) describes.Figure 22 (a), Figure 22 (b), Figure 22 (c), Figure 22 (d) are the figure that schematically shows the prealignment processing of version.In the present embodiment, in advance the version PP that utilizes upper mounting plate 41 to keep is positioned to target location, as shown in Figure 22 (a), utilizes the version PP of each camera 241～camera 243 photographic subjects positions, obtain:

Position X40 on the directions X of long limit E1 in ■ image I R4;

Position X50 on the directions X of long limit E1 in ■ image I R5; And

Position Y60 in the Y-direction of minor face E2 in ■ image I R6;

And then the side-play amount △ X0 that comprises position X40, position X50, interior, remembers the memory portion (omitting diagram) at control module 8 using these values as target position information.Here, position X40, position X50 are without unanimously, and both also can be offset.And as long as the invariant position of each camera 241～camera 243 more, these target position informations (X40, X50, Y60, △ X0) are just without renewal.

Next, when actual while moving into edition PP, the CPU801 of control module 8 is according to the program of remembering in advance in the illustrated memory of omission portion, shooting results based on camera 241～camera 243 and control upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism 4821, upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism 4822, is positioned at target location (prealignment of version PP) by version PP., be handed off to upper mounting plate 41 and adsorbed by upper mounting plate 41 under the state of maintenance at version PP and utilize substrate prealignment camera 241～substrate prealignment camera 243 to take respectively the end of version PP.Figure 22 (b) represents one example, in general, is the state being offset from target location with like this, and version PP absorption is remained on to upper mounting plate 41.Obtain the position X41 on the directions X that utilizes the long limit E1 in the captured image I R4 of camera 241 at this moment and utilize the position X51 on the directions X of the long limit E1 in the captured image I R5 of camera 242.In addition, the symbol △ X1 in this figure (b) represents the side-play amount of position X41, position X51.

Here, be offset version PP absorption is remained on upper mounting plate 41 with respect to the position of target location in the case of not occurring, described position X41, position X51 are consistent with target position information X40, target position information X50 and side-play amount △ X1 is also consistent with target position information △ X0, moreover, utilize the position Y61 in the Y-direction of the minor face E2 in the captured image I R6 of camera 243 also consistent with target position information Y60, but as shown in Figure 22 (b), in general any one all becomes different values.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, based target positional information X40, target position information X50 and position X41, position X51, obtain the tilt quantity of edition PP with respect to target location by computing.And, make Y-axis motor 482f, 482f and X-axis motor 482m carry out start and upper mounting plate 41 is rotated in surface level by this tilt quantity, thereby revise.Thus, for example, shown in Figure 22 (c), after tilt correction, it is consistent or roughly consistent with target position information △ X0 utilizing the side-play amount △ X2 of the position X52 on the directions X of the long limit E1 in position X42 on the directions X of the long limit E1 in the captured image I R4 of camera 241, the image I R5 captured with utilizing camera 242.Suppose in the case of the difference of side-play amount △ X2 and target position information △ X0 does not become in setting, based on described position X42, position X52, again obtain the tilt quantity of edition PP with respect to target location by computing, make Y-axis motor 482f, 482f and X-axis motor 482m carry out start and upper mounting plate 41 is rotated in surface level by this tilt quantity, thereby revise.Can be by repeating described processing until side-play amount △ X2 is consistent with target position information △ X0 or roughly consistent and described difference become in setting, and exactly correction PP with respect to the inclination of target location.

In the time completing tilt correction in this way, after tilt correction, calculate the offset X off of the version PP on directions X based on utilizing position X42 (or position X52) on the directions X of the long limit E1 in the captured image I R4 of camera 241 and target position information X40 (or X50).And, after revising, calculate the side-play amount Yoff of the version PP in Y-direction based on utilizing position Y62 in the Y-direction of the minor face E3 in the captured image I R6 of camera 243 and target position information Y60.Then, make X-axis motor 482m carry out start by offset X off, and make upper mounting plate 41 mobile in directions X skew, and make Y-axis motor 482f, 482f carry out start by side-play amount Yoff, and make upper mounting plate 41 mobile in Y-direction skew.Thus, as shown in Figure 22 (d), version PP is positioned to target location, completes prealignment processing.In addition, after offset correction, utilize the position X43 (or position X53) on the directions X of the long limit E1 in the captured image I R4 of camera 241 and target position information X40 (or X50) is inconsistent and offset X off does not become in setting in hypothesis; Or after offset correction, utilize position Y63 in the Y-direction of the minor face E3 in the captured image I R6 of camera 243 and the inconsistent and side-play amount Yoff of target position information Y60 do not become in setting, make the motor start of the side that skew occurs and be offset movement by this side-play amount.Can by repeat offset correction until offset X off, Yoff all become in setting, and exactly correction PP with respect to the skew of target location.Carry out by this way the prealignment processing of an edition PP (or substrate SB).

As mentioned above, in the present embodiment, the lower surface of version PP or the substrate SB that makes the upper surface of the blanket BL being kept by lower platform 61 and kept by upper mounting plate 41 mutually pushes and forms pattern, but carrying out before this operation, with remain on the state of upper mounting plate 41 carry out edition PP or substrate SB to the location of target location, i.e. prealignment processing.Therefore, even if occurrence positions skew or in version PP or significantly bending of substrate SB generation in the time utilizing version during with hand HP conveyance version PP, utilize substrate hand HS conveyance substrate SB, when version PP or substrate SB are handed off to upper mounting plate 41, also can utilize prealignment processing to eliminate, thereby version PP or substrate SB are positively positioned to target location.As a result, can improve the precision that pattern forms.

And the shooting results based on camera 241～camera 243 and carry out described tilt correction and offset correction, therefore can be positioned at target location exactly by version PP and the substrate SB with rectangular shape.

And then, in said embodiment, the maintenance plane 41a of upper mounting plate 41 is formed as the each person's who is slightly less than edition PP and substrate SB planar dimension the central portion of absorption version PP and substrate SB, and the state absorption of stretching out from maintenance plane 41a with the outer rim of version PP and substrate SB keeps version PP and substrate SB.And, the outer rim with respect to version PP and substrate SB from taking version PP and substrate SB with the lower platform 61 (+Z) side that is opposition side.Therefore the outer rim that, camera 241～camera 243 can not interfered lower platform block and taken edition PP and substrate SB.

< the second embodiment >

In addition, in said embodiment, utilize substrate prealignment camera 241～substrate prealignment camera 243 and blanket prealignment camera 244～blanket prealignment camera 246 to take respectively the outer edge of substrate SB (or version PP) and blanket BL, based on its shooting results, upper mounting plate 41 and lower platform 61 are moved, carry out thus prealignment processing.In this case, substrate SB is different from the planar dimension of blanket BL, and therefore, the outer edge of substrate SB must utilize respectively different cameras to take from the outer edge of blanket BL, and the change of the quantity of camera is many.Also can replace described situation, and for example as follows, utilize the camera of smaller amounts to carry out prealignment processing.

Below, to of the present invention have as the second embodiment of the patterning device of the function of alignment device describe.The device of the second embodiment is that the principle of the configuration of prealignment camera and the prealignment processing based on its shooting results is different from the first embodiment, on the other hand, can be made as the formation identical with the first embodiment about other aspects.Therefore, here, the formation identical with the first embodiment marked to identical symbol, and also description thereof is omitted, mainly the distinctive formation of the second embodiment and action described.But, about the coverage FV of alignment cameras 27, in order to distinguish and to utilize symbol FV1 to represent with the coverage FV2 of prealignment camera.

In the prealignment of present embodiment is processed, replace the shooting of the outer edge of the substrate SB that carries out in the first embodiment or blanket BL, and utilize prealignment camera to being formed on the alignment mark of substrate SB and blanket BL, more particularly for the blanket side alignment mark AMb that is formed on the substrate-side alignment mark AMs of substrate SB and is formed on blanket BL takes.And, based on its shooting results, substrate SB and blanket BL are moved horizontally, the alignment mark arranging is respectively moved in the coverage FV1 of alignment cameras 27.The content of fine registration processing is identical with the first embodiment.

Figure 23 (a), Figure 23 (b) are the figure of prealignment processing in the device of explanation the second embodiment.More particularly, Figure 23 (a) is the figure that schematically shows the configuration of the prealignment camera in the patterning device of the second embodiment, and Figure 23 (b) is the figure that represents the coverage of prealignment camera and alignment cameras.In addition, in Figure 23 (b), represent the axes of coordinates corresponding with the state of looking up blanket BL from below.

In the present embodiment, prealignment camera 25 is arranged on the below of the blanket BL being kept by lower platform 61, and prealignment camera 25 is to make its optical axis AX2 oblique Shangdi configuration.In more detail,

The mode that has the inclination of angle [alpha] with respect to the normal of the lower surface of blanket BL with optical axis arranges prealignment camera 25.In this embodiment, optical axis AX2 is to (+X) direction tilt angle alpha.As this angle [alpha], suitable is 30 degree to 60 degree left and right.

On the other hand, alignment cameras 27 is to arrange in the orthogonal mode of the lower surface of its optical axis AX1 and blanket BL.Alignment cameras 27 comprises as the lens unit LU1 of image pickup optical system performance function and for example comprises charge coupled cell (Charge Coupled Device, CCD) the capturing element IM1 of sensor (sensor) or complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) (Complementary Metal OXide Semiconductor, CMOS) sensor.Lens unit LU1 is magnifying optics, and its multiplying power is the fixed value of predetermining.And prealignment camera 25 also comprises lens unit LU2 and capturing element IM2.

The lens unit LU1 of alignment cameras 27 is the magnifying opticss for example with the multiplying power of 10 times of left and right, and as shown in Figure 23 (b), alignment cameras 27 is taken relatively narrow coverage FVI with high magnification.On the other hand, the lens unit LU2 of prealignment camera 25 has 0.5 times of multiplying power to 1 times of left and right, takes coverage FV2 widely compared with alignment cameras 27 with low range.Therefore,, even if the resolution of capturing element IM1, capturing element IM2 is same degree, alignment cameras 27 also can be taken with high resolving power.

The coverage FV1 of alignment cameras 27 predetermines with the relative position relationship of the coverage FV2 of prealignment camera 25.As shown in Figure 23 (b), the mode of the coverage FV1 that preferably comprises alignment cameras 27 with the coverage FV2 of prealignment camera 25 is set the position of two cameras.In addition, the major part that it is desirable to the coverage FV1 of alignment cameras 27 is included in the coverage FV2 of prealignment camera 25, but also can be as a part be not included in as described in scope at interior position relationship.

Thus, substrate-side alignment mark AMs and the blanket side alignment mark AMb in prealignment processing moves in the coverage FV2 of prealignment camera 25.Therefore, can utilize prealignment camera 25 to verify the situation that moves to the position of regulation at the rear alignment mark of prealignment processing.And, can be configured under the state near the position of final target location and carry out prealignment processing with substrate SB and blanket BL.And then, by by utilize the captured alignment mark of prealignment camera 25 with utilize alignment cameras 27 captured go out alignment mark contrast, can verify the position relationship of the coverage FV1 of alignment cameras 27 and the coverage FV2 of prealignment camera 25.These all contribute to improve the position detection accuracy of alignment mark.

By making the optical axis AX2 of prealignment camera 25 be set in the direction of the lower surface that favours blanket BL, can make prealignment camera 25 and alignment cameras 27 mutually take uninterruptedly., can avoid the constituent part of one of them camera to shelter from the visual field of another camera.

And, by taking under the state of oblique configuration prealignment camera 25 with respect to blanket BL and substrate SB, compared with the situation of taking from vertical direction, the blanket BL that prealignment camera 25 is estimated and the surface area of substrate SB increase, as a result, coverage FV2 extends at directions X.Such situation is unfavorable with regard to the aspect of the position detection accuracy of alignment mark, but does not become problem in the identical prealignment of the approximate location that makes substrate SB and blanket BL is processed.It would be better to say that, by expanding coverage, and the approximate location that detects substrate-side and blanket side alignment mark becomes easily, and the permissible range of position deviation during to the moving into of substrate SB and blanket BL broadens, therefore all right.

Figure 24 (a), Figure 24 (b) are the figure that represents the focusing range of prealignment camera and alignment cameras.Figure 24 (a) represents the focusing range FR1 of alignment cameras 27.Alignment cameras 27 comprises relatively powerful lens unit LU1, and its depth of field is relatively shallow.Therefore, the focusing range FRI in vertical (Z direction) is also relatively narrow, be difficult to by across clearance G and the substrate SB of subtend configuration and blanket BL the two be positioned at focusing range.Therefore, there is the situation to substrate-side alignment mark AMs and blanket side alignment mark AMb focusing simultaneously.In the present embodiment, as shown in Figure 24 (a), in the mode that the upper surface of blanket BL is positioned to focusing range FR1 and blanket side alignment mark AMb is focused on, set the Z direction position of alignment cameras 27.

As a result, if substrate-side alignment mark AMs is not focused on, in shooting results, lose extra high spatial frequency composition.As substrate-side alignment mark AMs, as long as use the figure that comprises a large amount of relatively low spatial frequency composition, even if also can at least detect accurately the centre of gravity place of substrate-side alignment mark AMs according to unfocused image, and can not produce obstacle in the position alignment of asking at alignment mark.In order to realize described content, as shown in Figure 16 (b), for example can make substrate-side alignment mark AMs is solid object, and to make blanket side alignment mark AMb be middle empty graphic.

On the other hand, about prealignment camera 25, because lens unit LU2 is low range, thus can use the camera of the darker depth of field, and as shown in Figure 24 (b), can more expand the focusing range FR2 along optical axis direction.Therefore, can be being arranged on across clearance G the substrate SB of subtend configuration and each person's of blanket BL substrate-side alignment mark AMs and blanket side alignment mark AMb be positioned in the lump under the state of focusing range and take., can be to substrate-side and blanket side alignment mark, the two carries out, under focus state, in same visual field, they being taken.Therefore, even if be the camera that resolution is so not high, also can be used, and, by also can obtain sufficient position detection accuracy practicality from the shooting of tilted direction.

At the camera that for example uses the capturing element IM1 that comprises the lens unit LU1 of 10 times of multiplying powers, operating distance (working distance) 16mm and 2/3 inch of (inch) angle square cun during as alignment cameras 27, its coverage FV1 is for being less than 1mm on one side, more particularly becoming 0.7mm to 0.8mm left and right.On the other hand, for example using the camera of the capturing element IM2 that comprises the lens unit LU2 of 0.5 times of multiplying power, depth of field 6mm and 1/3 inch of angle square cun as prealignment camera 25, and the inclined angle alpha of optical axis is made as to 60 while spending, and coverage FV2 becomes 16mm left and right, becomes 12mm left and right at short side direction (Y-direction) at long side direction (directions X).And, if clearance G is made as to 300 about μ m, substrate SB, blanket BL all the situation in focusing range FR2 become left and right, 7mm angle.Think the substrate SB from moving into from outside and blanket BL are detected to substrate-side and blanket side alignment mark is sufficient precision.

Figure 25 is the process flow diagram that represents the registration process of the second embodiment.In the processing of the first embodiment, carry out prealignment processing moving into the substrate SB of device and the gap adjustment of blanket BL, but in the second embodiment, must make the contiguous subtend of substrate SB and blanket BL, therefore after the adjustment of gap, sequentially carry out prealignment and process and fine registration processing.In the drawings, the various processes of step S202～S205 is equivalent to prealignment processing, and the various processes of step S206～S211 is equivalent to fine registration processing.

; in the time utilizing gap adjustment to make substrate SB and blanket BL across the subtend configuration of specified gap G ground (step S201); utilize prealignment camera 25 to take (step S202), in same visual field, take substrate-side alignment mark AMs and blanket side alignment mark AMb.At this moment, also suppose the case that any alignment mark departs from from coverage FV2, but utilize the substrate SB of upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism 482 or alignment stage supporting mechanism 605 and the movable range of blanket BL to have the limit, therefore the skew of large position, also can be used as error (error) and process in the case of existing like this.

Respectively (step S203) detected in the position of substrate-side alignment mark AMs and blanket side alignment mark AMb according to shooting results.At this moment, substrate SB and blanket BL separate across clearance G, and, owing to taking from oblique, so the position of substrate-side alignment mark AMs projects to the position different from horizontal direction position originally in photographic images.To the correction of described aspect in the situation that, carry out position probing.Position skew in this situation only shows as to the displacement of the fixed amount of directions X, is therefore equivalent to the degree of this displacement by deduction, can easily revise.May produce because of the deviation in gap the position detection error of a little, but therefore carry out afterwards fine registration processing, so do not become problem.

In the time the position of substrate-side alignment mark AMs and blanket side alignment mark AMb being detected, calculate respectively for making them be positioned at the required substrate SB of the coverage FV1 of alignment cameras 27 and the amount of movement (step S204) of blanket BL, according to obtained amount of movement, and make upper mounting plate 41 and lower platform 61 move (step S205).The in the situation that of in any alignment mark has been in coverage FV1 without movement.Thus, substrate-side alignment mark AMs and blanket side alignment mark AMb all appear in the coverage FV1 of alignment cameras 27.

Alignment cameras 27 is in same visual field, to take substrate-side alignment mark AMs and blanket side alignment mark AMb (step S206), carries out the position probing (step S207) of each alignment mark according to this photographic images.Can grasp the relative position of substrate SB and blanket BL according to the position relationship of alignment mark, and be the amount of movement (step S208) that the person of predetermining calculates required blanket BL in order to make these position relationships.Need to adjust the relative position relationship of substrate SB and blanket BL herein, and can be in substrate SB or blanket BL any one move.In the present embodiment, lower platform 61 is moved corresponding to obtained necessary amount of movement, make thus blanket BL move (step S209).

After movement, re-start the shooting that utilizes alignment cameras 27, the relative position (step S210) of checking substrate-side alignment mark AMs and blanket side alignment mark AMb.Whether the error of the relative position to both is in the proper range of predetermining judges (, step S211), if be in proper range, end process, on the other hand, really not so in the situation that, turns back to step S208.Repetitive cycling (100p) is processed until the error of position is positioned at proper range as described.Have to utilize at alignment stage supporting mechanism 605 and once move and alignment mark is moved to the positioning precision of degree of proper range, can omit checking and circular treatment after mobile.

During the fine registration of the shooting results of the alignment cameras 27 configuring in the orthogonal mode of the lower surface based on optical axis AX1 and blanket BL is processed, the deviation of clearance G impacts can to the position probing of alignment mark, therefore can realize high-precision position alignment.At this moment, process by prealignment and by pre-aligned in coverage FV1 to substrate-side and blanket side alignment mark AMs, AMb, therefore, can carry out the powerful shooting that coverage FV1 is narrow.And, without making coverage variable, therefore, can apply the fixing image pickup optical system of multiplying power.Therefore, can not be subject to carry out high-resolution shooting changing the impact of the light shaft offset or the distortion of image etc. that occur when multiplying power, and can realize therefrom high-precision position alignment.

In the present embodiment, in processing, prealignment makes upper mounting plate 41 and lower platform 61 mobile necessary amount respectively, make thus substrate SB and blanket BL position alignment generally separately, thereafter, make lower platform 61 move necessary amount by fine registration processing, only make thus blanket BL move, and more critically carry out relative position alignment with substrate SB.; follow the movement of the substrate-side alignment mark AMs of the movement of substrate SB only in prealignment is processed, to carry out, and to follow the movement of the blanket side alignment mark AMb of the movement of blanket BL be to process and fine registration carries out in processing these two kinds of processing at prealignment.

Figure 26 (a), Figure 26 (b) are the figure that represents the form of the movement of the alignment mark of following registration process.As shown in Figure 26 (a), the substrate-side alignment mark AMs photographing in the coverage FV2 of prealignment camera 25 processes the position P1 in the coverage FV1 that moves to alignment cameras 27 by prealignment.On the other hand, blanket side alignment mark AMb processes the position P2 in the coverage FV1 that moves to alignment cameras 27 by prealignment, and then is processed and moved to final target location P3 by fine registration.At this position P3, become with the relative position of substrate-side alignment mark AMs the position of predetermining.

At this moment, to the movement of position P2 and in the moving process of position P3, it is desirable to its moving direction roughly the same at blanket side alignment mark AMb.That is, in prealignment is processed, it is desirable to blanket side alignment mark AMb the half-way in the path that towards arrival target location is position P3 or near the mode that it, move position, blanket BL is moved.In addition, in these moving process, moving direction is without identical, in the time movement being decomposed into directions X and Y-direction composition, in each composition, as long as the moving direction of twice is identical.In the example of Figure 26 (a), the directions X composition of the movement to position P2 in prealignment processing is (X) direction.In this case, preferably make the directions X composition of the movement to position P3 in fine registration processing also become (X) direction.Also identical about Y-direction composition.Described in it be the reasons are as follows.

Be expressed as and in Figure 26 (b) of comparative example, be illustrated in blanket side alignment mark AMb and move and move to after the P4 of position towards (X) direction and (Y) direction in prealignment is processed, in fine registration is processed, move and move to the example of target location P3 towards (X) direction and (+Y) direction.Like this, with regard at least one in directions X and Y-direction, prealignment process process with fine registration between moving direction become contrary in the situation that, may become greatly because retreating of travel mechanism cause positioning error.

As shown in Figure 26 (a), make each moving direction of directions X, Y-direction identical between prealignment processing is processed with fine registration, thus, can suppress to retreat because of this error causing, and can carry out more high-precision position alignment.Especially when omit circular treatment in fine registration is processed in the situation that, such situation is effective in raising precision.

In addition, here, to using the prealignment processing of one group of prealignment camera 25 and alignment cameras 27 and the principle of fine registration processing to be illustrated, but in order to obtain higher position alignment precision, multiple described prealignment cameras 25 and alignment cameras 27 are more preferably set respectively, take at mutually different multiple positions.In the patterning device of present embodiment, using four jiaos of substrate SB that alignment mark is being set respectively at rectangle as handling object thing, with these, four alignment cameras 27 are set accordingly.About fine registration processing, preferably use position probing results more than three positions in the alignment mark at four positions.

On the other hand, from position alignment this purpose generally, prealignment camera 25 is without corresponding to all alignment marks, and for example two left and right can obtain sufficient precision.For example, as long as two prealignment cameras 25 are set and carry out prealignment processing corresponding near two alignment marks that are configured in the diagonal angle of substrate SB, can obtain the positional precision that alignment mark is positioned to the degree in each person's the coverage of four alignment cameras 27.

In these cases, the substrate SB of the shooting results based on alignment mark and the necessary amount of movement of blanket BL it is desirable to make the necessary amount of movement according to obtaining respectively in the position probing result at multiple positions on average to calculate.

As mentioned above, in the present embodiment, between the substrate SB of subtend configuration and blanket BL, sequentially carry out prealignment processing and fine registration processing in the clearance G across small, can realize thus both high-precision position alignment.And, by the state that carries out accurately in this way position alignment, substrate SB and blanket BL are connected airtight, thus, can precision will be carried on pattern transfer on the blanket BL assigned position to substrate SB well.

In addition,, the step of the patterned process to blanket BL from version PP, cannot apply the prealignment processing of described the second embodiment.This is because be not formed with the alignment mark of the benchmark that becomes position alignment at the blanket BL of this time point.Therefore, in the time of patterned process, cannot carry out the position alignment of edition PP and blanket BL, but this aspect does not become problem.This is because the position of the alignment mark that can form respectively with reference to the stage of the prealignment processing at substrate SB and blanket BL, no matter how be therefore carried on the position of the pattern on blanket BL, the position relationship of the pattern on blanket BL and substrate SB all can suitably keep.

Other > of <

As described above, in said embodiment, patterning device 1 is that " patterning device " of the present invention and " alignment device " specialized to the example obtaining.And blanket BL is equivalent to " supporting body " of the present invention, " the first tabular body ", version PP is equivalent to " tabular body " of the present invention, " the second tabular body ".And substrate SB is equivalent to " transfer printing body " of the present invention, " tabular body ", " the second tabular body ".And blanket side alignment mark AMb is equivalent to " the first alignment mark " of the present invention, on the other hand, substrate-side alignment mark AMs is equivalent to " the second alignment mark " of the present invention.

And in said embodiment, lower platform 61 is brought into play function as " the first maintenance equipment " of the present invention, alignment stage supporting mechanism 605 is brought into play function as " the first mobile device " of the present invention.On the other hand, upper mounting plate 41 is brought into play function as " the second maintenance equipment " of the present invention, and its lower surface 41a is equivalent to " maintenance plane ", upper mounting plate block supporting mechanism 482 (4821,4822) is as " mobile device " of the present invention, " the second mobile device " and performance function.And transfer roller unit 64 is brought into play function as " ejection equipment " of the present invention.

And, in said embodiment, control module 8, substrate prealignment camera 241～substrate prealignment camera 243, blanket prealignment camera 244～blanket prealignment camera 246 are brought into play function integratedly as " prealignment equipment " of the present invention, the function that substrate has as " capture apparatus ", " prealignment shoot part " with prealignment camera 241～substrate prealignment camera 243, the function that blanket has as " prealignment shoot part " with prealignment camera 244～blanket prealignment camera 246.And control module 8 and alignment cameras 27 are brought into play function as " fine registration equipment " of the present invention integratedly, alignment cameras 27 has the function as " fine registration shoot part ", " main capture apparatus ".And then the prealignment camera 25 of the second embodiment is brought into play function as " secondary capture apparatus " of the present invention.

And in said embodiment, the position of the desirable blanket BLi shown in Figure 18 (a) is equivalent to " first object position " of the present invention.Although not shown, the position of the desirable substrate in the time that identical idea is applied to substrate SB is equivalent to " the second target location " of the present invention.

And in said embodiment, the step S107 of Fig. 7～step S108 is equivalent to " configuration step " of the present invention, step S109 is equivalent to " prealignment step " of the present invention.And step S111 is equivalent to " fine registration step " of the present invention.And step S112 is equivalent to " transfer step " of the present invention.And, step S201 shown in Figure 25 is equivalent to " configuration step " of the present invention, and on the other hand, step S202～S205 is equivalent to respectively " prealignment step " of the present invention, and step S206～S211 is equivalent to respectively " fine registration step " of the present invention.

In addition, the present invention is not limited to described embodiment, as long as not departing from the scope of its intention, can except described content, carry out various changes.For example, in said embodiment, three stylobate plates prealignment camera and blanket prealignment camera are set respectively, but are not limited thereto, as long as have at least respectively two above.And same camera also can have the function of substrate prealignment camera and blanket prealignment camera concurrently.

And in said embodiment, substrate is used and blanket prealignment camera is respectively the outer rim in the bight near substrate and blanket to be taken, but camera site is not limited thereto.For example also can be by taking respectively the both sides of each mutual subtend or mutual two bights of the relation in diagonal angle, and obtain the position offset of substrate or blanket.And, also can obtain according to the inclination that is presented on the outer rim in image the tilt quantity of blanket.

And, in said embodiment, use and carry out fine registration processing with the blanket side alignment mark AMb of pattern in the lump patterning on blanket BL, but also can use the alignment mark that is formed on regularly in advance blanket BL.But, in this case, in order to carry out pattern formation in the appropriate location at substrate SB, in the time of the patterning from version PP to blanket BL, also need fine registration.

And, in the fine registration of described embodiment is processed, by lower platform 61 is moved horizontally, blanket BL is moved with respect to substrate SB, thereby carry out position alignment, even if but substrate SB and upper mounting plate 41 are moved in the lump, technical is also equivalence.And, also can be and make substrate SB and the two formation moving of blanket BL.

And, described embodiment is to have the constitutor that the lower platform 61 that utilizes inside opening and be formed as frame shape keeps the circumference of blanket BL, technique of alignment based on thought of the present invention is not limited thereto, for example also can be to having the patterning device application in the formation of flat platform mounting blanket.

And, for example, in said embodiment, the outer rim of utilizing three stylobate plates prealignment camera, 241～substrate prealignment camera 243 to take version PP and substrate SB, but the number of units of camera or equipping position are not limited to described embodiment, and, be also not limited to described embodiment about number or the position at the position of taking, as long as can take and supply prealignment at least a portion of the outer rim of version PP and substrate SB, be any.

And, in said embodiment, prealignment is divided into these two stages of tilt correction and offset correction and carries out, but based on utilizing camera 241～camera 243 the modification method of shooting results be not limited thereto, for example also can carry out tilt correction and offset correction simultaneously.

And, for example make in said embodiment substrate SB and blanket BL remain flat-hand position subtend, no matter but technique of alignment of the present invention also can these postures how and apply.

And, described embodiment is the patterning device of having applied technique of alignment of the present invention, but application of the present invention is not only defined in pattern transfer to the device of this substrate, also can be applicable to two tabular bodys that need to make subtend configuration critically in the various uses of position alignment.For example, at situation or for example electroluminescence (the Electro Luminescence of the substrate that makes to record in described patent documentation 4 and mark subtend configuration, EL) as display device, press from both sides in the position alignment in the situation that makes two plate bases laminatings every the functional layer specifying, can apply technological thought of the present invention.

[utilizability in industry]

The present invention is suitable to be applied in and to require to make two objects accurately in the various technical fields of position alignment subtend.

Claims (30)

1. a patterning device, is characterized in that, comprising:

The first maintenance equipment, keeps the supporting body by pattern loading end carrying pattern;

The second maintenance equipment so that be transferred the mode of the described pattern loading end subtend of face and described supporting body, keep comprising be transferred described pattern described in be transferred the transfer printing body of face;

The first mobile device, moves described the first maintenance equipment and described pattern loading end abreast;

The second mobile device, make described the second maintenance equipment with described in be transferred face and move abreast;

Prealignment equipment, take at least a portion of the outer rim of the described supporting body being kept by described the first maintenance equipment, make described the first mobile device start and described supporting body be positioned to the first object position of regulation based on its shooting results, and take at least a portion of outer rim of the described transfer printing body being kept by described the second maintenance equipment, make described the second mobile device start and described transfer printing body is positioned to the second target location of regulation based on its shooting results; And

Fine registration equipment, shooting is formed on the first alignment mark of the described supporting body that is positioned described first object position and is formed on the second alignment mark of the described transfer printing body that is positioned described the second target location, make at least one start in described the first maintenance equipment and described the second maintenance equipment based on its shooting results, described supporting body and described transfer printing body are carried out to position alignment.

2. patterning device according to claim 1, is characterized in that: described fine registration equipment is in same visual field, to take described the first alignment mark and described the second alignment mark simultaneously.

3. patterning device according to claim 1 and 2, it is characterized in that: described the first maintenance equipment is the circumference that keeps described supporting body, so that described pattern carries supine flat-hand position and so that keep described supporting body than the unlimited state in below of described circumference central portion more in the inner part, and

Described patterning device also comprises ejection equipment, and described ejection equipment is by the described central portion from supporting body described in the ejection of below, and the described pattern that makes to be carried on described supporting body be connected to described transfer printing body described in be transferred face.

4. patterning device according to claim 1, it is characterized in that: described prealignment equipment comprises the prealignment shoot part of the outer rim of taking described supporting body and described transfer printing body, on the other hand, described fine registration equipment comprises the fine registration shoot part to take described the first alignment mark and described the second alignment mark higher than the resolution of described prealignment shoot part.

5. patterning device according to claim 4, is characterized in that: described fine registration shoot part comprises the image pickup optical system that multiplying power is fixing.

6. according to the patterning device described in claim 4 or 5, it is characterized in that: described prealignment equipment comprises multiple described prealignment shoot parts, multiple described prealignments are taken respectively the mutually different multiple positions in the outer rim of mutually different multiple positions in the outer rim of described supporting body and described transfer printing body with shoot part.

7. a patterning device, the one side of carried of the pattern in its interarea of supporting body that makes to be kept by the first maintenance equipment, mutually pushes with the one side of the tabular body being kept by the second maintenance equipment and forms pattern; Described patterning device is characterised in that, comprising:

Mobile device, moves the one side of described the second maintenance equipment and described tabular body abreast;

Capture apparatus, at least a portion of the outer rim of the described tabular body that shooting is kept by described the second maintenance equipment; And

Prealignment equipment, forming before described pattern, based on the shooting results of described capture apparatus, utilizing described the second maintenance equipment to keep making described mobile device start under the state of described tabular body, is positioned at target location by described tabular body.

8. patterning device according to claim 7, it is characterized in that: described the second maintenance equipment comprises that absorption keeps the maintenance plane of the central portion of the another side of described tabular body, and make the outer rim of described tabular body stretch out and utilize described maintenance plane to keep described tabular body from described maintenance plane

Described capture apparatus is the outer rim from taking described tabular body with described the first maintenance equipment side that is opposition side with respect to described tabular body.

9. an alignment device, is characterized in that, comprising:

The first maintenance equipment, maintenance is forming the first alignment mark and is having the first tabular body of photopermeability, can make described the first tabular body move with the direction of its main surface parallel;

The second maintenance equipment, makes the second tabular body that is forming the second alignment mark keep parallel with respect to described the first tabular body and be close to the state of subtend across the gap specifying, can make described the second tabular body move with the direction of its main surface parallel;

Main capture apparatus, with respect to described the first tabular body, is configured in and the side of described the second tabular body as opposition side in the orthogonal mode of the interarea of optical axis and described the first tabular body, takes described the first tabular body and described the second tabular body; And

Secondary capture apparatus, with respect to described the first tabular body side that to be arranged on described the second tabular body be opposition side, with than the coverage of described the first capture apparatus widely coverage described the first tabular body and described the second tabular body are taken; And

Based on the shooting results of described secondary capture apparatus, described the first maintenance equipment makes the position of described the first tabular body running fix coverage in described main capture apparatus at described the first alignment mark, on the other hand, based on the shooting results of described secondary capture apparatus, described the second maintenance equipment makes the position of described the second tabular body running fix coverage in described main capture apparatus at described the second alignment mark, and then

Based on the shooting results of described main capture apparatus, at least one in described the first maintenance equipment and described the second maintenance equipment changes the relative position of described the first tabular body and described the second tabular body, so that described the second alignment mark becomes the target location of predetermining with respect to the relative position of described the first alignment mark.

10. alignment device according to claim 9, is characterized in that: the interarea oblique of the optical axis of described secondary capture apparatus and described the first tabular body.

11. according to the alignment device described in claim 9 or 10, it is characterized in that: at least a portion of the coverage that the coverage of described secondary capture apparatus comprises described main capture apparatus.

12. according to the alignment device described in claim 9 or 10, it is characterized in that: described main capture apparatus comprises the magnifying optics that multiplying power is fixing.

13. according to the alignment device described in claim 9 or 10, it is characterized in that: described main capture apparatus has the resolution higher than described secondary capture apparatus.

14. according to the alignment device described in claim 9 or 10, it is characterized in that: the depth of field of described secondary capture apparatus is darker than the depth of field of described main capture apparatus, described secondary capture apparatus is all taken described the first alignment mark and described the second alignment mark in focusing range.

15. according to the alignment device described in claim 9 or 10, it is characterized in that: comprise the multiple described secondary capture apparatus that multiple described main capture apparatus that coverage differs from one another and coverage differ from one another.

16. 1 kinds of pattern formation methods, is characterized in that, comprising:

Configuration step, utilizes the first maintenance equipment to keep the supporting body of carrying pattern, and utilizes the second maintenance equipment to keep being transferred the transfer printing body of described pattern, makes the pattern loading end of described supporting body and being transferred in the face of configuring to ground of described transfer printing body;

Prealignment step, take at least a portion of the outer rim of described supporting body, make described first to keep equipment moving and described supporting body is positioned to the first object position of regulation based on its shooting results, and take at least a portion in the outer rim of described transfer printing body, make described second to keep equipment moving and described transfer printing body is positioned to the second target location of regulation based on its shooting results; And

Fine registration step, shooting is formed on the first alignment mark of described supporting body and is formed on the second alignment mark of described transfer printing body, based on its shooting results, at least one in described the first maintenance equipment and described the second maintenance equipment moved, described supporting body and described transfer printing body are carried out to position alignment.

17. pattern formation methods according to claim 16, is characterized in that: in described fine registration step, take described the first alignment mark and described the second alignment mark in same visual field simultaneously.

18. pattern formation methods according to claim 17, it is characterized in that: in described fine registration step, the position of the described supporting body in the visual field of the shoot part by described the first alignment mark in taking is made as described first object position, on the other hand, by described the second alignment mark, the position of the described transfer printing body in the visual field in described shoot part is made as described the second target location.

19. pattern formation methods according to claim 16, it is characterized in that: in described prealignment step, take the mutually different multiple positions in the outer rim of described supporting body and obtain the primary importance side-play amount of described supporting body with respect to described first object position, described the first maintenance equipment is moved corresponding to described primary importance side-play amount, on the other hand, take the mutually different multiple positions in the outer rim of described transfer printing body and obtain the second place side-play amount of described transfer printing body with respect to described the second target location, described the second maintenance equipment is moved corresponding to described second place side-play amount.

20. according to claim 16 to the pattern formation method described in any one in 19, it is characterized in that: comprise transfer step, described transfer step is after described fine registration step, makes described supporting body and described transfer printing body butt and described pattern is transferred to described transfer printing body from described supporting body.

21. 1 kinds of pattern formation methods, is characterized in that, comprising:

First step, under the state of the one side of carried of the pattern in the interarea that makes supporting body and the mutual subtend of one side of tabular body, utilizes the first maintenance equipment to keep described supporting body, and utilizes the second maintenance equipment to keep described tabular body; And

Second step, moves at least one in described the first maintenance equipment and described the second maintenance equipment, the one side of described supporting body and the one side of described tabular body is pushed mutually and form pattern; And

Described first step comprises prealignment step, described prealignment step is at least a portion of taking the outer rim of the described tabular body being kept by described the second maintenance equipment, based on its shooting results, described the second maintenance equipment is moved abreast under the state that keeps described tabular body with the one side of described tabular body, and described tabular body is positioned to target location.

22. pattern formation methods according to claim 21, is characterized in that: described tabular body has polygonal shape, and described prealignment step comprises:

Tilt correction step, shooting, as the mutually different multiple positions on the first side on a limit of the shape of the described tabular body of regulation, is revised the inclination of described tabular body with respect to described target location based on its shooting results; And

Offset correction step, take in the limit of shape of the described tabular body of the described inclination of regulation through revising with the uneven Second Edge of described first side and described first side, revise the skew of described tabular body with respect to described target location based on its shooting results.

23. pattern formation methods according to claim 22, it is characterized in that: also comprise third step, this third step is that described first side and the described Second Edge when utilizing described the second maintenance equipment that described tabular body is remained on to described target location taken, be target position information by the imformation memory relevant with described target location obtaining according to its shooting results

Described tilt correction step is following step: based on the information relevant with position described tabular body that obtain according to shooting results and described target position information, obtain the tilt quantity of described tabular body with respect to described target location, by the described second movement that keeps equipment corresponding to described tilt quantity, and revise the inclination of described tabular body with respect to described target location

Described offset correction step is following step: based on the information relevant with position described tabular body that obtain according to shooting results and described target position information, obtain the side-play amount of described tabular body with respect to described target location, by keeping the movement of equipment corresponding to described second of described side-play amount, and revise the skew of described tabular body with respect to described target location.

24. according to the pattern formation method described in any one in claim 21 to 23, it is characterized in that: described tabular body is the version that the first pattern is being set in one side,

Described second step comprises patterning step, this patterning step is to utilize described the first maintenance equipment to keep after described supporting body, not to described the first maintenance equipment, carry out position alignment with the described version that is positioned at described target location by described prealignment step, the one side of described supporting body is pushed mutually with the one side of described version, and by the extremely one side of described supporting body of described the first pattern transfer.

25. according to the pattern formation method described in any one in claim 21 to 23, it is characterized in that: described supporting body comprises the first alignment mark, and the described one side at described supporting body is arranging the second pattern, described tabular body is the substrate that comprises the second alignment mark, and described second step comprises:

Fine registration step, described the first alignment mark to the described supporting body being kept by described the first maintenance equipment and described the second alignment mark that is positioned at the described substrate of described target location by described prealignment step are taken, and make at least one in described the first maintenance equipment and described the second maintenance equipment move and described supporting body and described substrate are carried out to position alignment based on its shooting results; And

Transfer step, after described fine registration step, make the one side of described supporting body and the one side of described substrate mutually push and by described the second pattern transfer to the one side of described substrate.

26. 1 kinds of alignment methods, is characterized in that, comprising:

Configuration step, the second tabular body that makes the first tabular body that is forming the first alignment mark and having photopermeability and forming the second alignment mark is in parallel to each other and across the contiguous subtend configuration with gap of regulation, and with respect to described the first tabular body, with described the second tabular body side that is opposition side, the mode orthogonal with the interarea of optical axis and described the first tabular body configures main capture apparatus;

Prealignment step, with respect to described the first tabular body, from with described the second tabular body side that is opposition side, utilization has than the coverage of the described main capture apparatus secondary capture apparatus of coverage widely, in same visual field, take described the first alignment mark and described the second alignment mark, based on its shooting results, described the first tabular body and described the second tabular body are positioned to described the first alignment mark and all positions of the coverage in described main capture apparatus of described the second alignment mark; And

Fine registration step, utilize described main capture apparatus in same visual field, to take described the first alignment mark and described the second alignment mark, based on its shooting results, described the first tabular body and described the second tabular body are relatively moved, so that described the second alignment mark becomes the target location of predetermining with respect to the relative position of described the first alignment mark.

27. alignment methods according to claim 26, is characterized in that: the interarea oblique that makes optical axis and described second tabular body of described secondary capture apparatus.

28. according to the alignment methods described in claim 26 or 27, it is characterized in that: the coverage of setting described secondary capture apparatus in the mode of at least a portion of the coverage that comprises described main capture apparatus.

29. according to the alignment methods described in claim 26 or 27, it is characterized in that: in described prealignment step, utilization has the described secondary capture apparatus of the depth of field darker than the depth of field of described main capture apparatus, and described the first alignment mark and described the second alignment mark are all taken in focusing range.

30. according to the alignment methods described in claim 26 or 27, it is characterized in that: about at least one in described the first tabular body and described the second tabular body, in described prealignment step and described fine registration step, move in the same direction.