CN112051711A

CN112051711A - Exposure equipment

Info

Publication number: CN112051711A
Application number: CN202010843168.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 吴景舟; 陈国军; 马骏; 马迪
Original assignee: Jiangsu Desheng Intelligent Technology Co ltd
Current assignee: Jiangsu Desheng Intelligent Technology Co ltd
Priority date: 2020-08-20
Filing date: 2020-08-20
Publication date: 2020-12-08

Abstract

The invention provides exposure equipment, which comprises an exposure platform for placing an object to be exposed and an exposure device capable of moving relative to the exposure platform, wherein the moving direction of the exposure device relative to the exposure platform comprises an exposure direction and a stepping direction; exposing the exposed object when the exposure device moves along the exposure direction, and changing the exposure area on the exposed object when the exposure device moves along the stepping direction; the exposure device comprises at least one exposure head group, the exposure head group comprises at least two exposure heads concentrically arranged along the stepping direction, and each exposure head comprises a light source for emitting light and a lens for focusing the light. Different from the prior art, at least two exposure heads are arranged in the stepping direction of the exposure device, so that the exposure device can be exposed by the at least two exposure heads simultaneously when moving in the exposure direction, and the exposure efficiency is improved.

Description

Exposure equipment

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of exposure equipment, in particular to exposure equipment with multiple exposure heads.

Background

The exposure device utilizes the principle of photoreaction to photoreactive material on the exposed object.

The prior art exposure apparatus performs image exposure through Film (Film) and image exposure through Digital Micromirror Device (DMD). There are some disadvantages to the film process: for example, alignment and adjustment are needed, and the production efficiency is low; the exposure can not be carried out by adopting a high-energy light source, and the speed is slow. The use of a film can be omitted by adopting the DMD mode for exposure, so that the processes of photo-drawing, alignment and the like of the film can be omitted, and the exposure light source of the DMD is used for exposure, so that the exposure speed is improved. However, the DMD imaging exposure uses a projection principle, the mechanical part is rather complicated, and the power of the formed spot group is limited, so that the exposure energy projected onto the working surface has an upper limit, and the thickness of the photosensitive material that can be exposed is small.

In the prior art, a single light source is used for direct exposure, the exposure mode has high energy and a simple structure, but the area of a light spot of the single light source is small, and the exposure efficiency of the single light source is very low for large-area or complex exposure patterns.

Disclosure of Invention

In order to overcome the defects of the prior art, the invention provides the exposure equipment with high efficiency and high exposure energy.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an exposure apparatus, comprising an exposure stage for placing an object to be exposed and an exposure device movable relative to the exposure stage, the moving direction of the exposure device relative to the exposure stage comprising an exposure direction and a stepping direction; exposing the exposed object when the exposure device moves along the exposure direction, and changing the exposure area on the exposed object when the exposure device moves along the stepping direction; the exposure device comprises at least one exposure head group, the exposure head group comprises at least two exposure heads concentrically arranged along the stepping direction, and each exposure head comprises a light source for emitting light and a lens for focusing the light.

Different from the prior art, at least two exposure heads are arranged in the stepping direction of the exposure device, so that the exposure device can be exposed by the at least two exposure heads simultaneously when moving in the exposure direction, and the exposure efficiency is improved.

In one embodiment, the exposure heads are evenly distributed along the step direction in each set of exposure heads.

In one embodiment, the exposure heads are closely arranged in the step direction in each exposure head group.

In one embodiment, the number N of exposure heads in each exposure head group is at least 20.

In one embodiment, the exposure head groups are arranged in at least two groups along the exposure direction, and each two groups of exposure head groups are arranged in an off-center manner.

In one embodiment, the step size w of a single movement of the exposure tool in the stepping direction is ≧ 1 um.

In one embodiment, during the exposure process, the exposure tool moves first in the exposure direction, then in the step direction, then in the opposite direction of the exposure direction, and then again in the step direction, and the above process is repeated.

In one embodiment, during the exposure process, the exposure tool moves first in the exposure direction, then in the direction opposite to the exposure direction, and then in the step direction, and the above process is repeated.

In one embodiment, each exposure head is provided with a contraposition device, and the contraposition device is used for acquiring and compensating the position offset of the exposure head.

In one embodiment, each exposure head group is provided with an alignment device, and the alignment device is used for acquiring and compensating the position offset of the exposure head group.

In one embodiment, the exposure device is provided with a positioning device, and the positioning device is used for acquiring and compensating the position offset of the exposure device.

In one embodiment, the exposure platform is provided with an alignment device, and the alignment device is used for acquiring and compensating the position offset of the exposure head.

In one embodiment, the exposure head group includes at least two rows of exposure head rows arranged along the exposure direction, each two rows of exposure head rows are arranged concentrically, and the wavelengths of the light sources of the exposure heads of each two rows of exposure head rows are different from each other.

In one embodiment, the exposure head group includes three rows of exposure head rows arranged in the exposure direction.

In one embodiment, the wavelength of the light source of the exposure head is in the range of 100nm-420 nm.

An exposure method for exposing an object to be exposed by using the exposure apparatus, wherein the object to be exposed has an exposure range to be exposed, comprises the following steps:

A1. dividing an exposure range into at least one exposure block along a stepping direction, wherein each exposure block is divided into at least one exposure area along the stepping direction, one exposure block is provided with an exposure head corresponding to the exposure block, and the exposure head can expose one exposure area;

A2. the exposure device moves along the exposure direction, and the exposure head exposes one exposure area of the corresponding exposure block;

A3. the exposer moves in a stepping direction so that the exposure head can expose another exposure area.

An exposure method for exposing an object to be exposed by an exposure apparatus, the object to be exposed having an exposure range to be exposed, a moving direction of the exposure apparatus including an exposure direction and a stepping direction, comprising the steps of:

s1, dividing an exposure range into at least one exposure block, wherein each exposure block is divided into at least one exposure area;

s2, aligning an exposure area of at least one exposure block by an exposure device;

s3, the exposure device moves along the exposure direction to expose one exposure area of at least one exposure block;

and S4, the exposure device moves along the stepping direction and is aligned to the other exposure area of at least one exposure block.

In one embodiment, the exposure method further includes the steps of: s5, the exposure device moves along the direction opposite to the exposure direction to expose one exposure area of at least one exposure block; step S5 is located between step S3 and step S4.

In one embodiment, the exposure method further includes the steps of: s5, the exposure device moves along the direction opposite to the exposure direction to expose the other exposure area of at least one exposure block; step S5 is located after the step S4.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings needed to be used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below, and it is obvious that the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious for those skilled in the art to obtain other drawings based on these drawings without creative efforts.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an exposure apparatus having an exposure head group;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an exposure head arrangement;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an arrangement of a plurality of exposure head groups;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an exposure mode of an exposure head;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an exposure apparatus having rows of exposure heads;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a multi-row exposure head row arrangement.

Detailed Description

In order to make the aforementioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention comprehensible, the present invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples.

It should be noted that in the following description, specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. The invention can be implemented in a number of ways different from those described herein and similar generalizations can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

As shown in fig. 1, 2 and 3, an exposure apparatus a is used for exposing an object B to be exposed, and the exposure apparatus a includes an exposure platform 1 and an exposure device 2 that is movable relative to the exposure platform 1, and the object B to be exposed is placed on the exposure platform 1 and receives full or partial exposure of the exposure device 2 as the exposure platform 1 moves relative to the exposure device 2. The relative movement here may be the exposure stage 1 being stationary and the exposure unit 2 being moving, or the exposure stage 1 being moving and the exposure unit 2 being stationary, or both the exposure stage 1 and the exposure unit 2 being moving.

In the exposure operation, the movement of the exposure unit 2 relative to the exposure stage 1 includes an exposure direction x and a step direction y. When the exposure device 2 moves along the exposure direction x, the object B to be exposed is exposed; the exposure area on the object B to be exposed is changed while the exposer 2 is moved in the stepping direction y. Due to the limitations of the function and the size of the exposure device 2, after the exposure device 2 moves once along the exposure direction x, the exposure device cannot completely expose the range of the object B to be exposed, so that the range of the object B to be exposed, which is required to be exposed, of the exposure device 2 can be understood as being divided into a plurality of exposure areas, after the exposure device 2 moves once along the exposure direction x, the exposure of one of the exposure areas is completed, then the exposure device 2 moves along the stepping direction y, the exposure area is changed, and the exposure of the other exposure area can be continued. In the present embodiment, the exposure direction x and the step direction y are perpendicular.

As shown in fig. 2, in the embodiment of the present invention, the exposer 2 includes at least one set of exposure head groups 21, and each set of exposure head groups 21 includes at least two exposure heads 211 concentrically arranged in the step direction y. Among them, the exposure head 211 includes a light source 211a for emitting light and a lens 211b for focusing light. The light source 211a may be an LED light source, a laser source (solid laser source, gas laser source, excimer laser source), or the like, and emits parallel light or non-parallel light, and the lens 211b is used to focus the light emitted by the light source 211a to form a focused light spot 211c, so as to improve the brightness, energy, and the like of the light, and thus, the exposure is more sufficient. The two exposure heads 211 are concentrically arranged in the step direction y, and when the exposure device 2 moves in the exposure direction x, the two exposure heads 211 simultaneously expose the object B to be exposed, and then the exposure device 2 moves in the step direction y, and the two exposure heads 211 can continue to simultaneously expose another region of the object B to be exposed. The two exposure heads 211 perform the exposure simultaneously, the speed of the exposure is significantly higher than that of the single exposure head 211, and the time for completing the exposure is significantly reduced. The larger the number of the visible exposure heads 211 is, the more the exposure area of the object B can be exposed when the exposure device 2 performs the one-time exposure direction x motion, the higher the exposure speed is, the shorter the exposure time is, and the work efficiency is improved.

As shown in fig. 3, in each exposure head group 21, the exposure heads 211 are uniformly distributed along the step direction y, i.e., the center distances of the exposure heads 211 are equal. This is equivalent to uniformly dividing the exposure range of the object B to be exposed into a plurality of exposure regions, and during the exposure work, the plurality of exposure heads 211 simultaneously perform the exposure work and simultaneously perform stepping in the corresponding exposure regions, and also simultaneously end the exposure work, thereby avoiding repeated exposure.

As shown in fig. 3, in each exposure head group 21, the exposure heads 211 are closely arranged along the step direction y. The close arrangement is here understood to mean that the profiles of the exposure heads are situated next to one another, so that the space of the exposer can be utilized as fully as possible and the exposure heads can be arranged as much as possible, so that the speed and efficiency of the exposure are maximized.

The outlines of the exposure heads are closely arranged, but the sizes of the light spots 211c formed after the lens 211b focuses the light source 211a are usually smaller than those of the exposure heads, so that a larger distance exists between the adjacent light spots 211c, after one-time exposure direction x movement is performed, the exposure device needs to move in a stepping direction y to continuously expose the distance between the light spots 211c, and usually, multiple times of stepping movement is needed to realize the whole exposure in the exposure range.

Preferably, in each exposure head group 21, the number N of the exposure heads 211 is at least 20, and the larger the number of the exposure heads 211 is, the larger the area to be exposed at one time is, the fewer the number of steps the exposer 2 needs to perform, and the exposure efficiency is improved.

As shown in fig. 3, the exposure head groups 21 are arranged in at least two groups along the exposure direction x, and each two groups of exposure head groups 21 are arranged in an off-center manner, that is, two exposure heads 211 in each two groups of exposure head groups 21 are arranged off-center, and a connection line of the two exposure heads 211 forms an angle with the exposure direction x. The purpose of this arrangement is to make up each group of exposure groups during exposure, so that there will be a gap between the exposure regions of the exposure heads 211 in one group of exposure groups, and the exposure heads 211 in the other group of exposure groups will at least partially supplement the gap, which reduces the number of steps required by the exposer, and improves the exposure efficiency of the exposure apparatus a. If the number of exposure groups is sufficient enough to completely fill the gap, the exposure of the exposure range can be completed by one time of movement in the exposure direction x, and the number of times of movement in the stepping direction y is 0.

Preferably, the step length w of the single movement of the exposure device 2 along the step direction y is larger than or equal to 1um, if the step length is too small, the exposure head can repeatedly expose the exposed area, which not only wastes the exposure efficiency, but also causes the phenomenon that the repeatedly exposed area and the area which is not repeatedly exposed are uneven.

As shown in fig. 4, in the exposure process, the exposure unit 2 moves along the exposure direction x to expose an exposure area, then moves along the step direction y, steps by one step, changes the exposure area, and then moves along the direction opposite to the exposure direction x to expose a new exposure area. Thus, the exposure head completes the exposure of two adjacent areas, and the exposure head steps to the next exposure area, and the process is circulated, so that the exposure of the whole exposure range can be completed.

Preferably, in the exposure process, the exposure device 2 moves along the exposure direction x to expose an exposure area, then moves along the direction opposite to the exposure direction x to expose the exposure area again, and then moves along the step direction y to replace the exposure area. Thus, the exposure head completes two exposures to the same area, and the exposure head steps to the next exposure area, and the above processes are circulated, so that the exposure of the whole exposure range can be completed.

As shown in fig. 1, each exposure head is provided with a positioning device 212, the exposure range and the exposure area are subjected to position shift relative to each exposure head due to expansion and contraction caused by temperature, shift caused by vibration and the like in the working process, and the positioning device 212 is used for acquiring the position shift of each exposure head and compensating the position shift. The alignment apparatus 212 may include an alignment camera for capturing a position point, a processor for calculating a position offset, and a driver for compensating the position of each exposure head, and the driver is typically a linear motor, but may be other drivers for driving the exposure heads.

Preferably, each exposure head group is provided with an alignment device 212 in a matching manner, and the alignment device 212 can acquire the position offset of each exposure head group, adjust the exposure head, and compensate the position offset.

Preferably, the aligner is cooperatively provided with an alignment device 212, and the alignment device 212 can acquire the position offset of the whole aligner, adjust the exposure head, and compensate the position offset.

As shown in fig. 1, an alignment device 212 is cooperatively disposed on the exposure platform 1, and the alignment device 212 can acquire the position offset of the object B to be exposed, and adjust the exposure head to compensate the position offset.

As shown in fig. 5 and 6, the exposure head group 21 includes at least two rows of exposure head rows 22 arranged along the exposure direction x, each two rows of exposure head rows 22 are arranged concentrically, that is, the exposure heads in each two rows of exposure head rows 22 are arranged concentrically, and the central connecting line direction of the two exposure heads is parallel to the exposure direction x. The wavelengths of the light sources 211a of the exposure heads 211 of each two rows of exposure head rows 22 are different from each other. Because the exposure layer on the exposure area has certain thickness, the thickness that different wavelength's light can be exposed is different, and the short light of wavelength can expose the top layer on exposure layer, and the longer light of wavelength can expose the darker region in exposure layer, and the longer light of wavelength can expose the bottom layer on exposure layer. Therefore, each exposure head group 21 is provided with the exposure head rows 22 which are concentrically arranged and have different wavelengths, so that different thicknesses of exposure layers can be exposed in one-time exposure direction x, the exposure is more thorough, and the efficiency is higher.

As shown in fig. 6, the exposure head group 21 includes three rows of exposure head rows 22 arranged along the exposure direction x, and the shallow layer, the middle layer and the bottom layer of the exposure layer are exposed simultaneously in one exposure direction x, so that the exposure is more thorough and the efficiency is higher. In fig. 6, three exposure head rows 22 are arranged adjacently, and in other possible embodiments, the exposure head rows may be arranged separately, and other exposure head groups are arranged between the two exposure head rows.

Preferably, the wavelength range of the light source 211a of the exposure head 211 is 100nm to 420 nm. In this embodiment, the exposure apparatus a needs to expose the solder mask layer of the circuit board, and the different exposure heads 211 with a wavelength of 100nm-420nm can respectively expose the surface layer, the middle layer and the bottom layer of the solder mask layer.

As shown in fig. 4, the method for exposing the object B to be exposed by using the above-mentioned exposure apparatus 2 includes the following steps:

A1. the exposure range of the exposure object B is divided into at least one exposure block along the stepping direction, each exposure block is divided into at least one exposure area along the stepping direction, one exposure block is provided with an exposure head corresponding to the exposure block, and the exposure head can expose one exposure area.

In the step a1, the exposure range is divided into at least one exposure block in the step direction, and each set of exposure heads includes at least one exposure head concentrically arranged in the step direction, so that one exposure block corresponds to one exposure head. If each exposure head group comprises a plurality of rows of exposure head rows, one exposure block corresponds to a plurality of exposure heads.

One exposure block is divided into at least one exposure area along the stepping direction, and one exposure head moves along the exposure direction to expose one exposure area.

In step a2, the exposure unit is moved in the exposure direction, and the exposure head exposes one exposure region of the corresponding exposure block. In step a3, the exposer is moved in the step direction so that the exposure head can expose another exposure region. Generally, after the exposure device is moved in the stepping direction, the exposure head is moved to another exposure area, usually an adjacent exposure area, so that the exposure head can expose the exposure area.

The above exposure method may be understood as an exposure of a plurality of exposure blocks of an object to be exposed by an exposure device at the same time. Specifically, the exposer has a movement in an exposure direction and a movement in a step direction, and the exposing step includes:

Further, the exposing step may further include:

s5, the exposure device moves along the direction opposite to the exposure direction to expose one exposure area of at least one exposure block.

Step S5 is located between step S3 and step S4, i.e., after the exposure area is exposed twice by the same exposure machine, the exposure area is changed.

In other possible embodiments, S5 in the exposure step may be that the exposure device moves in the opposite direction of the exposure direction to expose another exposure area of at least one exposure block; step S5 is located after step S4. This is understood to mean that after an exposure area is exposed by an exposure machine, the exposure area is changed and a new exposure area is exposed.

It should be noted that, the terms of orientation such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", and the like used in the embodiments of the present invention are described in the angles shown in the drawings, and should not be construed as limiting the embodiments of the present invention. In addition, in this context, it is also to be understood that when an element is referred to as being "on" or "under" another element, it can be not only directly formed "on" or "under" the other element but also indirectly formed "on" or "under" the other element through intervening elements.

The foregoing is a more detailed description of the invention in connection with specific preferred embodiments and it is not intended that the invention be limited to these specific details. For those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, several simple deductions or substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and all shall be considered as belonging to the protection scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An exposure device comprises an exposure platform for placing an object to be exposed and an exposure device which can move relative to the exposure platform, wherein the movement direction of the exposure device relative to the exposure platform comprises an exposure direction and a stepping direction; when the exposure device moves along the exposure direction, exposing the exposed object, and when the exposure device moves along the stepping direction, changing an exposure area on the exposed object; the exposure device is characterized by comprising at least one exposure head group, wherein the exposure head group comprises at least one exposure head concentrically arranged along the stepping direction, and the exposure head comprises a light source for emitting light and a lens for focusing the light.

2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in each of the exposure head groups, the exposure heads are uniformly distributed in the step direction.

3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein in each of the exposure head groups, the exposure heads are closely arranged in the step direction.

4. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number N of the exposure heads in each of the exposure head groups is at least 20.

5. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exposure head groups are arranged in at least two groups along the exposure direction, each of the two groups being arranged in an off-center manner.

6. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a step w of a single movement of the exposer in the stepping direction is equal to or larger than 1 um.

7. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein during exposure, the exposer moves in the exposure direction, then moves in the step direction, then moves in a direction opposite to the exposure direction, and moves in the step direction again, and the above processes are repeated.

8. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein during exposure, the exposer moves in the exposure direction, then moves in a direction opposite to the exposure direction, and then moves in the step direction, and the above processes are repeated.

9. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the exposure heads is provided with an alignment apparatus for acquiring and compensating a positional offset of the exposure head.

10. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each exposure head group is provided with an alignment apparatus, and the alignment apparatus is configured to acquire and compensate a positional offset of the exposure head group.

11. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exposer is provided with an alignment apparatus for acquiring and compensating a positional offset of the exposer.

12. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 9, 10, or 11, wherein an alignment apparatus is cooperatively disposed on the exposure stage, and the alignment apparatus is configured to acquire and compensate a positional offset of the exposure head.

13. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exposure head group includes at least two rows of exposure head rows arranged in an exposure direction, each two rows of the exposure head rows being arranged concentrically, and the wavelengths of the light sources of the exposure heads of each two rows of the exposure head rows being different from each other.

14. The exposure apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the exposure head group includes three rows of exposure head rows arranged in an exposure direction.

15. The exposure apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a wavelength range of the light source of the exposure head is 100nm to 420 nm.

16. An exposure method for exposing an object to be exposed with the exposure apparatus according to claims 1 to 15, the object to be exposed having an exposure range to be exposed, comprising the steps of:

A3. the exposer moves in a step direction so that the exposure head can expose another exposure area.

17. An exposure method for exposing an object to be exposed by an exposure apparatus, the object to be exposed having an exposure range to be exposed, a moving direction of the exposure apparatus including an exposure direction and a stepping direction, the method comprising the steps of:

18. The exposure method for exposing an object to be exposed by an exposure apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

s5, the exposure device moves along the direction opposite to the exposure direction to expose one exposure area of at least one exposure block;

the step S5 is located between the step S3 and the step S4.

19. The exposure method for exposing an object to be exposed by an exposure apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

s5, the exposure device moves along the direction opposite to the exposure direction to expose the other exposure area of at least one exposure block;

the step S5 is located after the step S4.