EP3406114A1

EP3406114A1 - Direct exposure device for the direct exposure of solder resists in a 2-dimensional, quickly temperature-controlled environment

Info

Publication number: EP3406114A1
Application number: EP17704674.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Matthias Nagel
Original assignee: Limata GmbH
Current assignee: Limata GmbH
Priority date: 2016-01-20
Filing date: 2017-01-20
Publication date: 2018-11-28
Also published as: US20210092850A1; EP3197249B1; US11464116B2; WO2017125560A1; CN108605413A; EP3197249A1; KR20180104028A

Abstract

The invention generally relates to an exposure device, in particular an exposure device (20) for exposing and structuring a substrate coated with a solder resist, as well as the corresponding method for exposure with the exposure device (20) according to the invention. In particular, the invention relates to an exposure device (20) having at least one light beam (51), formed preferably by two or more laser beams (51) of different UV wavelengths, which is deflected relative to the substrate (100) by a variable deflection device (30), in order to generate structures on the substrate (100). In particular, the light beam (51) is superimposed spatially in the image plane (40) and temporally in the exposure, by a spatially limited, high-energy, preferably externally mounted heat source (10), wherein preferably infrared laser diodes having linear optics are used.

Description

Direct exposure device for direct exposure of

Solder mask in 2-dimensional, short-term tempered environment

Field of the invention

The present invention generally relates to an exposure device, in particular a direct exposure device or lithography exposure device for directly exposing a substrate coated with a photosensitive layer for producing a printed circuit board or a plate-shaped part, and the corresponding method for exposure with the direct exposure device according to the invention. In particular, the invention relates to an exposure device having at least one UV light beam deflected by a variable deflector relative to the substrate to create structures in the photosensitive layer. Preferably, the light beam is formed by two or more laser beams of different UV wavelengths. In particular, a spatially limited, preferably externally mounted heat source is spatially superimposed on the light beam spatially in the image plane and in the time of exposure, with preferably infrared laser diodes (IR laser diodes) with line-form optics being used as the heat source.

Background of the invention

A printed circuit board (printed circuit board, board) is a carrier or substrate made of insulating material with firmly adhering conductive connections. A printed circuit board is used for mechanical fastening and electrical connection of electronic components. The connecting lines (printed conductors) are usually produced by mask etching (etched wiring board = EWB) from a thin layer of conductive material, for example copper, on an insulating substrate (the so-called base material).

When generating switching structures or connecting lines by means of mask etching, a circuit pattern is usually provided on a mask. A photosensitive layer (photoresist) coated on a conductive-coated plate blank is exposed through the cap mask, thereby transferring the circuit pattern from the cap mask to the photoresist. By exposure to UV light, the nature of the photoresist is changed so that the exposed and unexposed structures are different from a developer liquid solvable. Thus, after the exposure of the photoresist through the mask with the desired board layout, depending on the photoresist used, either the exposed or the unexposed portions of the paint dissolved in a suitable developer solution and removed. If the printed circuit board treated in this way is placed in a suitable etching solution (eg iron (III) chloride or sodium persulfate dissolved in water or with hydrochloric acid + FLC), only the exposed part of the metallised surface is attacked; the parts covered by the photoresist are retained because the varnish is resistant to the etching solution.

After the conductor tracks of the circuit board have been formed, a solder mask is applied. The Lötstopplack a finished circuit board should preferably be structured so that it covers the traces and leaves only the solder joints. This Lötstopplack is often formed as a green lacquer layer on the circuit board. The terms solder mask, solder mask or stop paint are also used synonymously with the term solder resist. The solder mask makes it possible, for example, to avoid soldering defects; During wave soldering, tin is saved and the printed conductors are protected against corrosion. The free solder joints (pads and pads) can be covered with a hot air leveling with a layer of tin and additionally with a flux which allows a better soldering.

Lötstopplacke can basically be divided into two groups, which can be characterized by the application process. The application is either structured or over the entire surface with a subsequent structuring with phototechnical processes.

In the structured screen printing process, the solder resist is pressed through a sieve, for example by means of a doctor blade. Furthermore, it is increasingly possible by direct printing method to print liquid coatings structured on the circuit board, for example in the ink-jet printing process.

According to the second method, the solder resist is applied by spraying, curtain coating, roller application or other coating surface on the circuit board. The structuring of the solder resist, that is, the formation of a pattern is then carried out by exposure. In particular, these are so-called photoimageable solder resists (LPI, liquid photoimageable soldermask). Typically they are Photostructurable solder resist lacquers viscous liquids or photopolymer films in the nature of a dry film. After application, they are preferably dried, exposed and then developed.

Preferably, the irradiation or exposure of the solder resist with UV light of one or more wavelengths. During the exposure of solder resists, the exposed areas are changed by the exposure so that they survive a subsequent development process. These solder resists are often referred to as UV curable solder resists.

According to a first embodiment, unexposed areas of the solder resist can be washed away by a developer liquid and / or be dissolved away. According to another embodiment, the exposed areas of the solder resist may be flushed away and / or dissociated from a developer liquid.

The remaining on the circuit board solder mask prevents, after a subsequent thermal baking process, the floating of the applied components in the subsequent reflow soldering process. The solder mask also protects the etched circuit structures and the base material from external influences. Furthermore, special colors of solder mask may be used to enhance the characteristics of the board, e.g. the improved reflection of light, to control.

From the prior art, the exposure and the resulting hardening of the solder resist by means of a mask is known (mask exposure, often also called contact exposure). This solder resist by masking method has the advantage in terms of speed. In general, high doses of light intensities in the ultraviolet wavelength range of 350 nm to 450 nm are required for the solder resist exposure. In order to achieve sufficient light power for the exposure in this spectral range, the UV lamps or UV light sources were specially doped in the conventional mask process. A disadvantage of these high-energy UV light sources were high power losses. Typical burner lamps or contact exposure apparatuses require a connected load of more than 15 KWh, whereby the main energy also lies after the burner doping in the infrared (IR) spectral range. This IR energy is attempted to minimize as much as possible, since it heats the imaging medium, the mask, and the medium can expand or change as a result of this heating. There is thus an undefinable, non-linear scaling of the mask and thus Illustration defects of solder mask image. For example, the structure size changes and leads to errors in the design of the circuit board, on the other hand, the non-linear scaling has a negative effect on the accuracy of fit of the solder resist to be exposed to the already structured interconnect. Despite numerous measures for eliminating the IR spectrum, printed circuit boards and mask in the contact exposure apparatus heat up during the exposure of solder resists, in particular during the exposure of high-energy solder resists, for example, the color white. As a result, the first contact exposure devices have been equipped with UV LED sources that no longer have an IR spectrum. As a result, above-described effects of the quality reduction of the exposure in the mask method are excluded.

An alternative to the mask method is the direct exposure. The direct exposure has the property that, unlike conventional mask exposure, the structures to be exposed can be introduced without an imaging agent (mask) by various direct patterning techniques. The advantage of this technology is the speed of processing without loss of time in the fabrication of the setup materials (e.g., masks), as well as increased resolution and registration quality. From the prior art, for example, a laser direct exposure is known, in which the laser beam is deflected by galvano-scanner mirror method and polygon scanning. In addition, there are methods based on light modulators with micromirror technologies in use with laser or light-emitting diodes.

In the direct exposure of Lötstopplacken come in the art UV laser or UV LEDs are used, which only a large number of cascades can achieve a high output power in the image field of the exposure. In particular, it is known in the art that the output power of a single UV LED or laser diode is too low to achieve rapid UV polymerization of the solder resist. Therefore, in the prior art, multiple diodes are connected together (cascaded) to obtain a sufficiently high energy density. However, since a single laser diode is expensive, too high a cascade makes the UV direct exposure too expensive and thus no longer economical.

In addition, other lasers that emit light in the UV range, are expensive, so that a

Exposure to UV light with a high light intensity is either expensive and fast, or cheap and slow. Not all direct exposure technologies are possible for this Transfer infinitely high light outputs into the image plane, as power losses on optical elements can lead to high temperature influences and consequently to short life of the components.

There is therefore a need for solutions that reduce the energy requirement for the exposure of the solder resist from a technical and economic point of view.

The object is achieved by an inventive method and a device according to the invention, which are defined in the claims.

According to a first aspect, the present invention relates to a direct exposure device for the direct, preferably maskless, exposure and curing of a desired structure in a UV curable lacquer, preferably a solder resist. The device according to the invention can also be used, for example, for the exposure of a liquid polymer compound which is curable with UV light.

Preferably, the present invention can also be used for placement printing (often also referred to as a placement print). An assembly printing is a labeling method of printed circuit boards. The placement pressure in the prior art is usually applied by screen printing. For prototypes and small series, however, there are also methods that are similar to inkjet printing. According to the invention, a UV-curable lacquer can also be used for the placement pressure. Normally, the outlines of the components are printed to facilitate manual loading and avoid errors. Often, the individual components are also numbered to this, z. As in the following repair work to find with the help of the circuit diagram. White and yellow are the most widely used colors for the printing ink, but in principle other colors are also conceivable.

The direct exposure device according to the invention preferably comprises at least one exposure device which has at least one UV laser light source for generating a UV laser light beam. In addition, the direct exposure device according to the invention preferably comprises a deflection device, which is set up to direct the UV laser light beam to an exposure plane in order to expose and preferably harden the desired structure in a paint, preferably solder mask, which is arranged in the exposure plane. The direct exposure device has a heat source device which is set up such that a region in the exposure plane spatially and preferably temporally overlapping of the deflected UV laser light beam and the heat radiation emitted by the heat source device is exposed.

Preferably, the direct exposure device additionally has a receiving device for receiving a coated substrate. Preferably, the substrate is coated with a UV curable solder resist. In addition, it is preferred if the direct exposure device has at least one movement device in order to generate a relative movement between the at least one exposure device and the substrate.

The at least one exposure device preferably has at least two UV laser light sources, preferably at least two UV laser diodes, which emit UV laser light in preferably two different wavelengths in the range from 350 nm to 450 nm. However, the invention is not limited to two UV laser diodes, that is, it is also possible to provide a plurality of identical and / or different UV laser diodes. According to the invention, a coupling optics can be used which is set up to combine light from a plurality of UV laser light sources in order to direct the combined UV laser light via the deflection device onto the exposure plane, in particular the solder resist.

Preferably, the heat source device comprises at least one IR laser, which is coupled to the direct exposure device such that preferably a substantially fixed exposure surface is produced in the exposure plane. Preferably, the IR laser illuminates on the exposure surface an IR exposure surface of a certain geometric shape, for example a quadrilateral, a parallelogram, a trapezoid, a rectangle or an oval or a circle. In addition, it is preferred that the laser light of the UV laser light sources is deflected by the deflection device onto the exposure plane in such a way that a point exposed in each case by the UV laser light beam is simultaneously exposed by the IR light. In other words, preferably, the light of the UV laser light sources is deflected so that the exposed in the exposure plane points are within the exposure area of the IR laser.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the exposure area can also be changed during the UV laser exposure, for example, enlarged, reduced and / or shifted, whereby optionally results in an exposure area, which is optimized depending on the UV laser exposure. According to a further preferred embodiment, the direct exposure device may comprise a device for providing an inert gas immediately above the exposure plane, preferably above the exposure surface.

In addition, the present invention is characterized in particular by the method according to the invention for the direct, preferably maskless, exposure of a desired structure in a UV-curable lacquer. In particular, the exposure according to the invention causes an effective exposure with a more efficient hardening of a solder resist. The method according to the invention preferably comprises the following steps: generating a UV laser light beam with an exposure device and deflecting the UV laser light beam to an exposure plane in which the solder resist is arranged to expose the desired structure in the solder resist (UV exposure). In addition, it is preferable to direct heat radiation from a heat source device onto the solder resist simultaneously to the UV exposure, in particular in such a way that the UV-exposed areas are exposed simultaneously by UF and thermal radiation. In other words, the emitted heat radiation spatially and temporally overlaps with the UV laser light beam deflected onto the exposure plane, whereby the deflected UV laser light beam strikes a region of the solder resist heated by the emitted heat radiation.

The thermal radiation is preferably IR light, which is preferably emitted by an IR laser, which preferably produces a substantially geometrically fixed exposure area in the plane of exposure, wherein the deflected UV laser light beam is preferably deflected within this fixed exposure area illuminated by UV light.

The UV laser light beam preferably comprises at least two, preferably three, different wavelengths in the UV range, preferably in the range from 350 nm to 450 nm.

In addition, it may be advantageous to provide an inert gas during the UV exposure immediately above the exposure plane.

In general, the object of the present invention can be achieved, in particular, by supporting the UV exposure or UV curing of the solder resist by specifically introduced heat.

In general, some manufacturers of soldermask recommend that the maximum temperature during exposure should not exceed 35 ° C. In addition, a leads general heat input in a precision tool, such as a direct exposure device, inevitably also for heating the ambient temperature and thus undesirable thermal expansion effects in the device itself, for example the structure of the direct exposure device, which has, for example, metal or aluminum parts. A general, full-surface heating should thus be avoided, or adversely affects the environment and thus the accuracy of the application. A general heating by means of heating elements of the printed circuit board, on which the solder resist to be patterned is applied, likewise leads to undesirable expansion effects. These could possibly be corrected or compensated for by a non-linear scaling of the data for the direct exposure, so that expansion effects are identified and compensated for in a registration process taking place before the actual exposure process. However, this is only possible for a temperature-stable process or a temperature-stable situation of a few degrees fluctuation.

Moreover, in addition to the preferred accuracy of direct exposure, it is more preferable to achieve a high throughput, that is, exposure of a solder resist coated circuit board should take as little time as possible. Full surface heating of a copper clad and soldermask coated plate (standard size 610 mm x 457 mm) with a non-aggressive temperature profile to avoid excessive distortion would take too long a period of time. Furthermore, the full surface heating will be heavily dependent on the thickness of the material and the copper thickness, so that a preliminary examination of the exact plate parameters would be necessary, which are in practice with construction tolerances of Galvanic processes partly too high in the manufacturing tolerances.

The new method according to the invention shown here combines the maskless property of direct exposure of printed circuit boards with solder resists with precise and high-energy line heating by means of an IR laser, preferably by means of an IR laser with a special spectrum. The IR laser according to the invention is preferably arranged as an external component on an exposure device, preferably in the form of a multi-head system, thereby achieving a kind of "catalyzing" effect of the UV multi-wavelength polymerization proceeding parallel to the line heating process the targeted heating, without any external environmental impact on the optical and mechanical Components of the exposure apparatus and without surface heating of the support material. In addition, the inventive method is preferably independent of the height (thickness) of the copper lining.

In the illustrated method embodiment with a laser imager in line design of the UV-polymerizing and modulated according to the conductor pattern laser beam is completely superimposed by the external IR line laser beam and thus creates a limited, highly heated and temporally short term ideal environmental condition for the polymerization of the solder resist.

The effect of the IR light is radiated quickly and precisely to the small line segment in the short term without further negative influences, which, as described above, are inevitable in other methods.

A relevant effect of the IR radiation can be achieved with energy inputs of 0.3 W / mm ² at line lengths of 80 mm and line widths of 1-2 mm. The UV energy previously required without IR heating for the required final polymerization by various factors depending on the process to be processed paint system. The following table shows the effect of an IR irradiation according to the invention of the energy density 0.4 W / mm ² for different paints. In particular, the required UV energy was determined in relation to a desired "gray value", which corresponds to a defined gray value according to a known grayscale wedge. For example, so-called Stouffer greyscale wedges (for example T2115) provide a corresponding gray value graduation.

It could be shown that the sharp energy limitation or surface power distribution of the heating is transmitted by the optical components to the support plate, so that the IR radiation only acts or can act at precisely these points. Summary of the invention

The direct exposure device according to the invention comprises an exposure device for exposing a substrate with photosensitive layer (for example, solder resist). The exposure means comprises at least one light source to emit light in the UV wavelength range, preferably in the range between 350 nm to 450 nm, i.e., preferably in the wavelength range in which the photosensitive layer is sensitive. Preferably, the light is generated with one or more UV laser diodes or semiconductor lasers.

In particular, the direct exposure device according to the invention is a maskless direct exposure device, with which patterns or structures can be exposed directly to the substrate, preferably the solder resist, due to the deflection of the laser light beam during the exposure.

The invention generally relates to a direct exposure device for the lithographic direct, preferably maskless, exposure and curing of a pattern or a structure in a solder resist which cures in the UV range from 350 nm to 450 nm. The direct exposure device has at least one exposure device, preferably a plurality of exposure devices, each exposure device preferably having a modulatable light source with one or more UV laser light sources for generating UV laser light, preferably in the wavelength range from 350 nm to 450 nm, more preferably at one wavelength from 375nm, 395nm and / or 405nm. Preferably, the UV laser light within and / or outside the exposure means is collimated to obtain a collimated laser light. The collimation takes place for example with the aid of a coupling optics. In addition, the direct exposure device also has a variable deflection device, which is suitable for exposing the pattern on the substrate by deflecting the UV laser light, preferably by deflecting the collimated UV laser light.

A variable deflection device may preferably deflect light incident on the deflection device in response to timing at different angles. For this purpose, in the simplest case serve a mirror which is displaced or adjustable / changeable about an axis. Preferably, however, a mirror can be adjustable or rotatable about at least two axes or two planes. According to further preferred embodiments, a plurality of variable mirrors may also be used to deflect the light serve. A variable deflection device according to the present invention can also be carried out with devices that are not mechanically changeable, but merely change the reflection behavior. For example, an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) can be used to modulate both the intensity and the frequency of laser beams. It is also possible to change the direction of the laser beam by means of an AOM.

As another exemplary embodiment for the purposes of this invention, the variable deflection device may be implemented with at least one rotating or tiltable polygon mirror to deflect the UV laser light to different positions on the substrate. According to another embodiment, the variable deflection device may comprise a one- or two-dimensional galvanometer scanner.

Another exemplary embodiment for the purposes of this invention may be imaging by semiconductor-based micromirror arrangements.

In addition, it is preferred if the light source or laser diode is modulatable, i.e., it can preferably be switched both to 0%, 100%, and more preferably switched to any intermediate stages of its power. This allows, for example, a better, contour-accurate mapping of edges and oblique webs.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the exposure device can additionally be attached to a movement device, wherein the movement device generates a relative movement between the exposure device and the substrate. Preferably, however, the substrate is fixed relative to the environment and the moving means moves the exposure means relative to the substrate. In the following, the planar substrate should lie in an XY plane, wherein the exposure device can preferably be moved by the movement device in a plane parallel to the XY plane (preferably X-axis and Y-axis are perpendicular to each other). Further preferably, the exposure device can also be moved by the movement device along a Z axis which is perpendicular to the XY plane (preferably parallel to the gravitational force). In other words, the movement device is preferably adapted to allow a relative movement in one dimension, preferably parallel to the substrate or perpendicular to the substrate, and / or a relative movement in two dimensions, preferably parallel to the substrate allow and / or allow relative movement in three dimensions, preferably parallel and perpendicular to the substrate.

According to a preferred embodiment, the exposure device has at least two UV laser light sources, preferably at least two UV laser diodes. In addition, it is preferred that two UV laser light sources or UV laser diodes emit laser light of a different wavelength, wherein both wavelengths are preferably in the range from 350 nm to 450 nm. But it is also possible that two UV laser light sources or UV laser diodes emit light in the same wavelength, this may for example be advantageous to increase the power of the laser light sources or UV laser diodes. In addition, it is also possible to provide more than two UV laser light sources or UV laser diodes, wherein preferably at least two or more light sources emit light in different wavelengths.

In order to expose the desired pattern on the substrate in a desired size, an image processing device for image-processing measures can also be provided so that the pattern to be exposed on the substrate can be changed or corrected by means of scaling, rotation, displacement and / or tilting.

In order to provide an accurate and reliable exposure, the light beams of the plurality of light sources, preferably of the UV laser light sources or UV laser diodes, are combined according to the invention with the aid of an optical element to form a common light beam. This common beam of light can then be directed onto the substrate by means of the variable deflector, as if the beam came from a single source of light.

Preferably, the substrate to be exposed is exposed only from one side, preferably from above, with the direct exposure device according to the invention. According to a further preferred embodiment, the substrate can also be exposed from two sides, for example from above and below or the side, for example from right and left. For example, at least one exposure device can be arranged above the substrate and at least one exposure device can be arranged below the substrate, wherein the two exposure devices can preferably be moved independently of one another.

In addition to the device discussed above, the invention also relates to a method for lithographic direct, preferably maskless, exposure of a pattern on a A substrate having a photosensitive layer in the UV range of 350 nm to 450 nm, comprising the step of providing a direct exposure device having at least one exposure device having a modulated light source with one or more UV laser light sources, preferably for producing a collimated UV light source. Laser light in the wavelength range of 350 nm - 450 nm. Subsequently, the substrate is arranged relative to the direct exposure device so that the UV laser light emitted by the exposure device can be directed onto the substrate. Then, the substrate is exposed with the exposure device, wherein the pattern is achieved by means of a variable deflection by time-variable deflection and / or modulating the UV laser light on the substrate.

The distance between the exposure device and the substrate may preferably be changed during the exposure, whereby the extent of an exposure spot formed on the substrate is then preferably changed, whereby differently broad lines are exposed on the substrate.

The variable deflector preferably deflects the light in the two dimensions to the substrate, this time varying sweep being preferably performed at two equal oscillation frequencies to scan lines at 45 ° parallel, whereby the scan speed can be increased by a factor of V2. In other words, the scanning speed of the scanners can be increased by not working below 90 ° to the direction of movement of a linear mechanism (a fast and a slow scan axis), but both scanning at 45 ° at the same speed. Relatively, the laser point moves faster through this operation, but also requires more laser power to cure accordingly.

The speed of the movement device for generating a relative movement between the exposure device and the substrate is preferably adapted to the scanning speed of the variable deflection device, so that the relative movement of the exposure device to the substrate is carried out as a function of the scan speed.

The variable deflector preferably has a first mirror stage in the form of a galvanometer mirror for deflection along a Y-axis lying in the plane of the substrate, and preferably for deflection along an X-axis which is in the plane of the substrate and perpendicular to Y axis is located, a second mirror level, preferably in the form of a one-dimensional electrically-magnetically oscillating micromirror.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the first and / or second mirror stage may preferably be designed in the form of a one- or two-dimensionally operating polygon scanner.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the first and / or second mirror stage may preferably be configured in the form of a one- or two-dimensional galvanometer mirror.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the first and / or second mirror stage can preferably be designed in the form of a one-dimensional or two-dimensional MEM mirror (Micro Electromechanical Mirror; MEM). MEMs are electromechanically operating mirror systems that consist of microscopic mirrors that switch the light beam in optical switches.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the first and / or second mirror stage may preferably be designed in the form of a micro-scanner (micro-scanner or micro-scanning mirror). A micro scanner is a micro-optoelectromechanical system (MOEMS) from the class of micro mirror actuators for the dynamic modulation of light. Depending on the type of construction, the modulating action of an individual mirror may be translatory or rotational about one or two axes. In the first case, a phase-shifting effect, in the second case, the deflection of the incident light wave is achieved.

The exposure device is preferably constructed next to one another in a plurality of applications in such a way that the scanning process results in a closed scan line multiplied by the number of exposure devices. If it is possible by means of a particularly integrated construction to construct the exposure units in such a way that e.g. with four units, the individual scan areas line up seamlessly, resulting in a continuous scan line. This is not possible in the normal working method so at least two trips (back and forth) must be made.

Preferably, the exposure device is provided with a beam widening optical system in order to widen the UV laser light, preferably the collimated UV laser light, to a larger, defined diameter. Preferably, the one or more UV laser diodes can be modulated electrically, preferably as a function of the gray scale values of the image of a feed source.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the one or more UV laser diodes can be modulated digitally electrically, preferably as a function of the gray scale values of the mapping of the feed sources.

Finally, according to the invention, the overlapping of projected individual images and / or the blackening or non-exposure of protruding edge regions can be used to adapt the individual images, preferably in the feed source, before the exposure process.

For the above-described operation, the direct exposure device according to the invention comprises a preferably externally mounted component for spatially limited and temporally synchronized heat input in the image plane by preferably infrared semiconductor high power diodes with line form optics by superposition of the UV-polymerizing light rays with the homogeneous heating surface. Preferably, the infrared laser is attached by a fiber feed to the direct exposure device at a slant angle.

Preferably, the collimated IR laser beam is transformed by homogenization optics, preferably microlens arrays and line optics, into an area of preferably 2 mm width and 80 mm line length.

In order to achieve the described "catalyzing effect" of the UV exposure by the line heating according to the invention, it is preferred to conduct the IR laser beam to the lacquer plane with a high surface irradiation power The present invention preferably uses a line optic having a focal length in the range of 200-350 mm, preferably 240-320 mm, for example, about 280 mm, in order to generate a preferably homogeneous and preferably high-energy exposure area in line form.

According to a preferred embodiment, the homogeneous irradiance is first achieved by homogenizing the laser source, wherein preferably an array of microlenses is used. Preferably, the microlenses have a "pitch" of a few mm, preferably less than 10mm or less than 5mm, preferably about 1.3mm, and then the light is preferably an array focused by focus and / or line-shaped lenses, whereby, for example, an 80 mm wide and preferably about 2 mm high line is generated on the paint to be exposed. Depending on the speed of the direct exposure by means of UV light, the width and / or the height of the IR light exposure area can also be larger or smaller. For example, widths between 40-160 mm or between 60-100 mm are preferred. The preferred heights of the exposure area are preferably in the range of 1-5 mm, preferably 1-3 mm, more preferably about 2 mm.

Preferably, an almost rectangular intensity profile (TOPHAT) is generated within the line (width); whereas, in the height of the line, preferably a Gaussian intensity profile is imaged (see Fig. 3).

The inventors of the present invention have found that a combination of a high energy laser source in the IR range, a homogenization stage and a subsequent focussing stage can produce an intensity profile of the IR exposure area which provides high and at the same time high quality homogeneous line heating in order to achieve the same UV exposure of the support material in the preferred manner to influence, ie, to achieve the "catalyzing effect".

In addition, it has been found that dot intensity profiles, i.e., inhomogeneous IR light intensity within the IR exposure area should be avoided. For example, dot intensity profiles, such as occur when light from one or more fiber optic outputs is routed directly to a substrate (eg, when multiple couplings are arranged side-by-side in a line), not sufficiently homogeneous and intensity-relevant and sufficiently sharply focused imaging or heating , In addition, in the case of a fiber extraction, the exit angle of the radiation from the fiber is physically occupied with a typical numerical aperture of 0.2 and higher values, so that the fiber outputs would have to be a few mm above the lacquer to be exposed in order theoretically to produce any significant heating in the sense of to achieve the present invention. In practice, this is not possible to achieve a fast and inventive UV exposure. A tilting of the fiber exit surfaces to be exposed to the substrate is also not possible as too great a distance from the substrate.

The UV exposure system according to the invention preferably operates with exposure units which are preferably parallelized on a two-axis Portal arrangement are positioned. Preferably, the UV exposure takes place in a limited exposure area, for example in a range between 60-100 mm, preferably in an exposure area with the width / height of about 80 mm.

According to the invention, the IR light row heating should preferably be limited to the area of the UV exposure, whereby "catalyzing effects" in adjacent UV exposure areas can be reduced or suppressed, in particular unwanted "catalyzing effects" in the adjacent areas can affect the imaging quality in individual subareas influence the exposure negatively. A possible "crosstalk" from a heating source of an exposure unit to a second exposure unit within the same axes and its exposure area can preferably be solved or prevented by an external homogenization stage and / or a focus stage.

Preferably, the UV line exposure should be positioned within the IR line exposure. External optical assemblies should preferably be alignable in the X, Y, and / or Z positions to superpose the focal focal planes of UV and / or IR exposure. The alignment can be done for example by means of an adjusting device, wherein the adjusting device is preferably constructed mechanically so that it is manually adjustable, for example by means of adjusting or Einstellschraubmechanismen. According to a further embodiment, the adjusting device may also have mechanical-electrical mechanisms for adjustment. In addition, motor controls, sensors and feedback signal transmitters can be used. Also, it may also be preferable to store one or more positions of the adjustment electronically and to easily adapt to the preferred circumstances later.

In other words, according to the invention, it is particularly advantageous to mechanically couple an external optical assembly for homogenizing and / or focusing the heat radiation (IR radiation) to the UV exposure source. This has the advantage, for example, that in the case of different substrate thicknesses it is possible in a simple manner to always work in the focal area of both systems. This can be achieved, for example, that the process can be performed with the same process parameters.

In addition, it is possible with the help of the optics of the invention, the point of maximum

IR power intensity preferential to adjust to the paint surface, even at different thicknesses of the underlying substrate. Also it is possible to get the point of This can preferably be done by the adjustment device of the external optical assembly, wherein the adjustment can preferably be done mechanically manually or electrically motorized.

In addition, the invention also relates to a mechanical alignment arrangement in the directions X and Y on the image plane and the focal length adjustment in Z and the rotation angle α of the line laser surface.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the one or more IR laser diodes can be modulated digitally electrically, preferably as a function of the gray scale values of the mapping of the feed sources.

Finally, the heat source for highly accurate heat dose injection can be operated on the one hand by pulse width modulation as well as by CW continuous wave method.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the heat source can be constructed cascaded with required power increases, preferably by laser fiber coupling of a plurality of single diode lasers.

According to a further preferred embodiment, moreover, the heat source can be combined from a plurality of infrared wavelengths, preferably in a single beam or a single surface, in order to be able to uniformly heat different paint levels with thick paint layers.

Preferably, variable lenses or optical elements can be introduced into the beam path or heat transmission channel in order to be able to adapt the spatial nature of the heat distribution, heat surface and focal plane in the image plane dynamically, preferably under software control.

Brief description of the drawings

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1 perspective view of an inventive

Direct exposure device with an external

Heat source arrangement; Fig. 2 perspective view of an inventive

Direct exposure device with an external

Heat source arrangement in the form of a two-axis gantry arrangement with a four-stage projection unit in the exposure device; and

Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of the overlap of the UV laser line of

Exposure device with the line surface of an external heat source arrangement.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

1 shows a perspective view of a direct exposure device 1 according to the invention (also referred to below as lithography exposure device) with an exposure device 20 and an external heat source device 10. For example, the heat source device 10 can be mounted on the exposure device 20 via an adjustment device 60.

This construction preferably comprises a laser diode module with coupling optics 50 with transmitting laser light beams in the ultraviolet spectral range of 350 nm - 450 nm. Preferably, the coupling takes place within the laser module and is performed by optical elements of the prior art. For this, e.g. Pol cube and semi-permeable mirrors and other combination optics taken. Preferably, lasers having discrete single mode wavelengths are coupled or combined with different major maxima in the coupling optics 50. For example, the light beams from three laser sources can be coupled to main maxima at approximately 375 nm, 390 nm and 405 nm.

The individual beams or the coupled beams of the UV laser light sources, which are preferably laser diode sources, are imaged onto the exposure plane 40 via a deflection device (also referred to below as laser deflection device 30). The area to be exposed preferably lies in the exposure plane 40 or substantially parallel to the exposure plane 40. According to the invention, the surface of a substrate or a printed circuit board 100 coated with a solder resist should preferably be exposed.

The laser deflecting device 30 may be, for example, a galvano scanner with a UV mirror-reflecting mirror coating which preferably imaged via an achromatic, telecentric F-theta lens 70 on the exposure plane 40 or focal plane. The cuboid below the objective 70 shown in FIG. 1 represents the working region of the objective 70. According to a further preferred embodiment, the working region can also be smaller or larger or wider.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a further direct exposure device 1 according to the invention with four exposure devices 20i, 20 ₂ , 20 ₃ and 20 ₄ . Each of these four exposure devices 20 _x is additionally coupled to an external heat source device 10 _x , which in turn are mounted on the exposure devices 20 _x via corresponding alignment devices 60 _x .

In addition, FIG. 2 shows the mounting of the exposure devices 20 on a movement device 90. With the aid of the movement device 90, a relative movement is generated between the exposure device 20 and the substrate 100 to be exposed, whereby larger areas of a substrate 100 can be exposed.

The direct exposure device according to the invention may alternatively or additionally comprise a second movement device 110. The second movement device 110 may preferably be designed as a vacuum table, on which the substrate 100 can be attached by means of negative pressure. For example, the movement of the second mover 110 may provide movement in the x-y plane, preferably parallel to the plane of exposure. The movement can be effected by means of electric motor or electric motors, preferably by means of linear motors with corresponding guides.

With the aid of the movement device or the movement devices, the exposure devices 20 can exit the exposure plane in a cascading manner, preferably descend in a cascading manner in the form of a column. In other words, parallelization with multiple exposure units is possible.

In this case, the focal plane or the exposure plane 40 can be readjusted by integrated servomotors 80, which allows movement of the exposure devices 20 along the z-axis. Preferably, the exposure plane 20 is adjusted before the exposure process.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of a device according to the invention

Exposure device 20 with an external heat source assembly 10, which in this Embodiment with an adjusting device 60 is mounted on the exposure device 20.

The beam path 51 of the UV laser emitted on the exposure plane is not shown to scale in FIG. 3, purely schematically. For example, the UV laser beam is deflected along a row or column with the aid of the deflection device 30, which is preferably a galvanoscanner system 30. The beam path 51 is superimposed according to the invention on the exposure plane with the IR laser beam. In particular, it is preferable that the light emitted from the heat source device 10 on the exposure plane 40 is substantially a rectangular exposure surface 11 and has a Gaussian light intensity distribution along one direction.

In this case, the modulated and thus structuring UV laser beam line 51 preferably 1-6 beams with a typical laser line dimension of 80 mm width and preferably 5-25 μιη height (FWHM, Gaussian intensity profile) directly centric on the heating field 11 of the IR laser beam through the adjusting device 60th positioned.

The intensity profile of the resulting heat field 11 is preferably rectangular, strongly sloping and preferably adjusted by lens adjustments in two dimensions. Preferably, a top-hat intensity profile distribution in the width and a Gaussian intensity profile distribution in height take place. The design of the heat field dimensions are preferably larger in both width and height than the UV laser beam line 51. It is preferable to pay attention to a width of about 85 mm and a height of about 2 mm, so that the temperature variation in the area of the UV laser beam line 51 is distributed two-dimensionally homogeneous.

Reference signs and terms:

1 direct exposure device, lithography exposure device (the entire

System)

5 solder mask

6 substrate

10 heat source device, heat source

11 exposure area, heat field

20 exposure device (the "laser system" with the UV lasers)

30 deflection device, laser deflection device Exposure plane, exposure plane (xy plane)

coupling optics

beam path

adjusting

lens

servomotors

first movement device

PCB, substrate

second movement device

Claims

P at e n t a n s p r e c h e

Direct exposure device (1) for direct, preferably maskless, exposure and curing of a desired structure in a solder resist (5) comprising:

at least one exposure device (10) having at least one UV laser light source for generating a UV laser light beam, and

a deflection device (30) which is adapted to deflect the UV laser light beam onto an exposure plane (40) in order to expose the desired structure in the solder mask (5) arranged in the exposure plane (40),

characterized in that

the direct exposure device (1) has a heat source device (20) which is set up such that a region (11) in the exposure plane (40) spatially and temporally overlapping the deflected UV laser light beam (51) and the heat source device (20) emitting heat radiation is exposed.

Direct exposure device according to claim 1, additionally comprising a receiving device for receiving a substrate (100) coated with solder resist (50) and at least one movement device (90, 110) for producing a relative movement between the at least one exposure device (10) and the substrate (100).

Direct exposure device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one exposure device (10) comprises at least two UV laser light sources, preferably at least two UV laser diodes emitting UV laser light (13) in at least two different wavelengths in the range of 350 nm - 450 nm ,

Direct exposure device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the Heat source device (20) comprises at least one IR laser, which is so coupled to the direct exposure device (1) that a substantially fixed exposure surface (11) in the exposure plane (40) is generated, and deflected by the deflector (30) UV Laser light beam (51) within the exposure surface (11) is deflected.

Direct exposure device according to one of the preceding claims, additionally having at least one homogenizing optics, for example in the form of a microlens array, in order to produce a homogeneous IR surface irradiation on the solder resist (5).

Direct exposure device according to one of the preceding claims, additionally having an adjusting device with which the position of the IR exposure surface on the solder resist (5) can be adjusted.

Direct exposure device according to one of the preceding claims, additionally comprising a device for providing an inert gas directly above the exposure plane (40), preferably above the exposure surface (11).

Direct exposure device according to one of the preceding claims, having coupling optics (50) which are set up to combine light from a plurality of UV laser light sources in order to direct UV laser light onto the solder resist (5) via the deflection device (30).

Process for the direct, preferably maskless, exposure and curing of a desired structure in a solder mask (5), comprising the steps:

Generating a UV laser light beam with an exposure device (10), deflecting the UV laser light beam on an exposure plane (40) in the

Lötstopplack (5) is arranged to expose the desired structure in the solder resist (5),

marked by,

Emitting heat radiation of a heat source device (20) on the Lötstopplack (5), wherein the emitted heat radiation spatially and temporally overlaps with the deflected to the exposure plane (40) UV laser light beam, whereby the deflected UV laser light beam on a heated by the emitted heat radiation region of the solder resist (5).

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the UV laser light beam has at least two, preferably three different wavelengths in the UV range, preferably in the range of 350 nm - 450 nm.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the heat radiation is IR light, which is preferably emitted by an IR laser, which preferably produces a substantially geometrically fixed exposure area (11) in the exposure plane (40) and the deflected UV radiation. Laser light beam (51) is deflected within this exposure area (11).

12. The method according to any one of claims 9 -11, wherein during the exposure immediately above the exposure plane (40) an inert gas is present.