JP2004235386A - Positioning table and positioning method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a positioning table and a positioning method capable of suppressing a clearance between the outer periphery of a substrate 8 and a table 7, suppressing the entry of air in the vacuum suction of the substrate 8, and executing the vacuum suction without generating any problem even when the substrate 8 is largely scaled, and the bending of a concave is large. <P>SOLUTION: A positioning table is provided with vacuum suction holes 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 as sucking means for sucking a substrate 8 placed on the main face of a table 7 and a sucking device which is not shown in a figure and pressurization pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 arranged in the outer periphery of the substrate 8 for pressurizing the substrate 8. The press pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are made to add a load including components vertical to the main face of the table 7 to the substrate 8. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a positioning table and a positioning method, and in particular, prints a thin film such as a liquid crystal alignment film, a photoresist film, a liquid crystal sealing seal and an insulating film of a semiconductor element on a surface of a substrate (work) such as a glass substrate. The present invention relates to a positioning table and a positioning method for fixing a substrate at a predetermined position in a thin film forming apparatus used for the same.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a conventional positioning table, for example, a table shown in JP-A-2-176594 is cited. In the positioning table disclosed in JP-A-2-176594, a reference pin provided with a pulse motor or a servomotor is disposed on two adjacent sides of the table so as to be movable in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. A pusher pin for pressing the work against the reference pin is arranged on the side, and the work is fixed at a predetermined position by operating a pulse motor or a servomotor.
[0003]
The positioning table according to the above example will be described in more detail.
As shown in FIG. 5, the pusher pins 104, 105, and 106 press the substrate 108 against the reference pins 101, 102, and 103, and then move the reference pins 101, 102, and 103 and the pusher pins 104, 105, and 106 to perform positioning. Then, the substrate 108 is fixed by vacuum-suctioning the substrate 108 from the vacuum suction hole 118 provided in the table 107, and then the pusher pins 104, 105, 106 and the reference pins 101, 102, 103 are detached from the substrate 108. It has a structure to do. That is, the pusher pins 104, 105, and 106 and the reference pins 101, 102, and 103 press the substrate 108 in the X-axis and Y-axis directions.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2-176594 [0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the positioning table as described above has the following problems.
[0006]
In recent years, due to demands for thinning and cost reduction, glass substrates are becoming thinner and larger in the manufacturing process of liquid crystal display devices. As a result, in a film forming process of a thin film transistor (TFT), the substrate may be warped due to a difference between a coefficient of thermal expansion of the laminated film and a coefficient of thermal expansion of the glass substrate. Here, when the coefficient of thermal expansion of the laminated film is larger than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the glass substrate, the substrate after film formation warps in a concave shape as shown in FIG. As a result, a gap is generated between the outer periphery of the substrate 108 and the table 107.
[0007]
When the substrate 108 is pressed against the reference pin with the pusher pin, the above-described warpage increases, and the gap further increases. As a result, when vacuum suction is performed in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6 using the vacuum suction hole 118, a problem occurs in which air enters through the gap and suction cannot be performed.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to reduce a gap between the outer periphery of a substrate and a table, and to suppress the entry of air during vacuum suction of the substrate. And a positioning method.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The positioning table according to the present invention includes a suction unit that suctions a substrate placed on the main surface of the table, a pressing pin disposed on the outer periphery of the substrate to press the substrate, and a pressing pin connected to the pressing pin through the pressing pin. Load applying means for applying a load including a component in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the table to the substrate.
[0010]
Thereby, the gap between the outer periphery of the substrate and the table can be suppressed.
It is preferable that the pressing pin has a head that is in contact with the outer periphery of the substrate, and the head includes a displacement suppressing portion that suppresses displacement of the outer periphery of the substrate in a direction away from the main surface of the table.
[0011]
This allows the pressing pin to apply a load including a component in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the table to the substrate, thereby suppressing a gap between the outer periphery of the substrate and the table.
[0012]
It is preferable that the angle between the surface contacting the pressing pin and the main surface of the table at the contact point with the substrate is 40 ° or more and 50 ° or less.
[0013]
Thereby, the positioning can be performed without the pressing pin touching the laminated film formed on the main surface of the substrate, and the gap between the outer periphery of the substrate and the table can be suppressed without damaging the laminated film.
[0014]
The positioning method according to the present invention is a method of positioning a substrate placed on a main surface of a table, and in one aspect, a step of positioning the substrate by a pressing pin disposed on an outer periphery of the substrate, A step of suctioning the substrate to the table using the means, and a step of applying a load including a component in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the table to the substrate by a pressing pin, and pressing the outer periphery of the substrate toward the table, Releasing the pressing pin from the outer periphery of the substrate.
[0015]
Thereby, the gap between the outer periphery of the substrate and the table can be suppressed, and the entry of air during vacuum suction of the substrate can be suppressed.
[0016]
A positioning method according to the present invention is a method of positioning a substrate placed on a main surface of a table, and in another aspect, a step of positioning the substrate by a pressing pin disposed on an outer periphery of the substrate, Pressing the outer periphery of the substrate against the table by applying a load including a component in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the table to the substrate with a pressing pin while suctioning the substrate to the table using the means; Separating the pins from the outer periphery of the substrate.
[0017]
Thereby, the gap between the outer periphery of the substrate and the table can be suppressed, and the entry of air during vacuum suction of the substrate can be suppressed.
[0018]
The positioning method according to the present invention is a method of positioning a substrate placed on a main surface of a table, and in still another aspect, a pressing pin disposed on an outer periphery of the substrate perpendicularly to the main surface of the table. Applying a load including components in various directions to the substrate, pressing the outer periphery of the substrate toward the table while positioning the substrate, suctioning the substrate to the table using suction means, Separating from the outer periphery of the device.
[0019]
Thereby, the gap between the outer periphery of the substrate and the table can be suppressed, and the entry of air during vacuum suction of the substrate can be suppressed.
[0020]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of a positioning table and a positioning method according to the present invention will be described.
[0021]
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a top view of the positioning table according to the first embodiment.
[0022]
The positioning table according to the present embodiment includes vacuum suction holes 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 as suction means for sucking the substrate 8 placed on the main surface of the table 7 and a suction device (not shown); And pressing pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 which are arranged on the outer periphery of the substrate and press the substrate 8.
[0023]
The positioning method according to the present embodiment is a method for positioning the substrate 8 placed on the main surface of the table 7, wherein the pressing pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 , 6; positioning the substrate 8 on the table 7 using vacuum suction holes 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and a suction device (not shown); pressing pins 1, 2, 3 , 4, 5, and 6, a load including a component in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the table 7 is applied to the substrate 8, and the outer periphery of the substrate 8 is pressed toward the table 7; , 3, 4, 5, and 6 from the outer periphery of the substrate 8.
[0024]
The step of sucking the substrate 8 onto the table 7 may be performed simultaneously with the step of pressing the outer periphery of the substrate 8 toward the table 7.
[0025]
Referring to FIG. 1 in more detail, the pressing pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 are arranged on the reference pins 1, 2, 3 arranged on two adjacent sides of the table 7, and arranged on the opposite sides. And pusher pins 4, 5, 6 having a spring 9.
[0026]
The surfaces of the reference pins 1, 2, 3 and the pusher pins 4, 5, 6 are processed, for example, with fluororesin.
[0027]
2 shows a section taken along line II-II in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 shows a section taken along line III-III in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the positioning table of the present embodiment is connected to the pressing pins 3 and 4 and receives a load including a component in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the table 7 via the pressing pins 3 and 4. As shown in FIG. 3, pulse motors 10, 11, 12, and 13 are provided as load applying means for applying a load to the substrate 8, and are connected to the pressing pins 1, 2, 5, and 6, as shown in FIG. And pulse motors 21, 22, 23 and 24 as load applying means for applying a load including a component in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the table 7 to the substrate 8 via the.
[0028]
The above-described pulse motors 10, 11, 12, 13, 21, 22, 23, and 24 include pulse motors 10 and 11 (FIG. 2) movable in the X-axis direction and pulse motors 21 and 21 movable in the Y-axis direction. 22 (FIG. 3) and pulse motors 12, 13, 23, and 24 (FIGS. 2 and 3) movable in the Z-axis direction.
[0029]
With the above configuration, the reference pin and the pusher pin can be moved in three directions of the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction.
[0030]
It is preferable that the pressing pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 have a head that is in contact with the outer periphery of the substrate 8. Here, it is preferable that the head includes a displacement suppressing portion for suppressing displacement of the outer periphery of the substrate 8 in a direction away from the main surface of the table 7. This allows the pressing pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 to apply a load to the substrate 8 including a component in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the table 7.
[0031]
As the pressing pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 of the present embodiment, for example, those having an inverted conical shape as shown in FIG. 4 are used. In the inverted conical shape, the side surface portion presses the outer periphery of the substrate, and plays a role of suppressing displacement of the outer periphery of the substrate 8 in a direction away from the main surface of the table 7.
[0032]
The shape of the head is not limited to the inverted conical shape, and may be, for example, an inverted triangular pyramid shape, an inverted quadrangular pyramid shape, a spherical shape, or the like, or an inverted L-shaped or hook shape. It may be a shape including.
[0033]
As the pulse motors 12, 13, 23, and 24 that can move in the Z-axis direction, it is preferable to use a motor that operates with an accuracy of 1 μ unit. As a result, the gap between the outer periphery of the substrate 8 and the table 7 can be controlled with a minute precision of about 5 μm to 10 μm or less.
[0034]
In this embodiment, the gap between the outer periphery of the substrate and the table is suppressed by the above configuration, and the difference between the coefficient of thermal expansion of the laminated film and the coefficient of thermal expansion of the glass substrate is, for example, 500 μm between the outer periphery of the substrate and the table. It is possible to prevent air from entering during vacuum suction of a substrate having a small gap.
[0035]
(Embodiment 2)
The second embodiment is a modification of the execution order of each step of the positioning method in the first embodiment, and includes a pressing pin 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, a table 7, a substrate 8, a spring 9, a pulse motor The device configuration such as 10, 11, 12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24 and vacuum suction holes 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 is the same as that of the first embodiment.
[0036]
The positioning method according to the present embodiment is a method for positioning a substrate 8 placed on a main surface of a table 7, and includes pressing pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, a step of applying a load including a component in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the table 7 to the substrate 8 to press the outer periphery of the substrate 8 toward the table 7 while positioning the substrate 8; Suctioning the substrate 8 to the table 7 using the vacuum suction holes 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and a suction device (not shown), and pressing the pressing pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 around the substrate 8 From the device.
[0037]
After the step of positioning the substrate 8 is performed, a step of pressing the outer periphery of the substrate 8 toward the table 7 may be performed.
[0038]
As the pressing pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 of the present embodiment, for example, those having an inverted conical shape as shown in FIG. 4 are used. Accordingly, the pressing pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 can simultaneously push the substrate 8 in the X-axis and Y-axis directions and simultaneously push it in the Z-axis direction (table 7 side). , The outer periphery of the substrate 8 can be pressed toward the table 7.
[0039]
The shape of the pressing pin is not limited to the inverted conical shape. The pressing pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 simultaneously press the substrate 8 in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, and simultaneously press the substrate 8 in the Z-axis direction (table 7). Other shapes that can be pushed to the side, for example, a shape including an inverted triangular pyramid shape, an inverted quadrangular pyramid shape, a spherical shape, an inverted L-shape, or a hook shape may be used.
[0040]
Here, at the contact point between the pressing pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and the substrate 8, the angle between the surface contacting the pressing pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and the main surface of the table 7 ( If θ) in FIGS. 2 and 3 is too large, the pressing pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 sufficiently fulfill the function of applying a load to the substrate 8 in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the table 7. Can not. If the angle is too small, the pressing pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 come into contact with the laminated film formed on the main surface of the substrate 8, and there is a risk of damaging the laminated film. Therefore, the above-mentioned angle is preferably about 40 ° to 50 ° (more preferably, about 43 ° to 47 °).
[0041]
Thus, the positioning can be performed without touching the pressing pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 to the laminated film formed on the main surface of the substrate 8, and the outer periphery of the substrate is not damaged without damaging the laminated film. Generation of a gap between the table and the table can be suppressed.
[0042]
In this embodiment, the gap between the outer periphery of the substrate and the table is suppressed by the above configuration, and the difference between the coefficient of thermal expansion of the laminated film and the coefficient of thermal expansion of the glass substrate is, for example, 500 μm between the outer periphery of the substrate and the table. It is possible to prevent air from entering during vacuum suction of a substrate having a small gap.
[0043]
As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, the embodiments disclosed this time are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.
[0044]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a positioning table and a positioning method capable of suppressing a gap between an outer periphery of a substrate and a table and suppressing entry of air during vacuum suction of the substrate.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a top view of a positioning table according to Embodiments 1 and 2 of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a II-II cross section in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a view showing a cross section taken along line III-III in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a pressing pin (reference pin, pusher pin) according to Embodiments 1 and 2 of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional positioning table.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate in which a gap is formed between the outer periphery of the substrate and the table due to a difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion.
[Explanation of symbols]
1, 2, 3, 101, 102, 103 Reference pin (pressing pin), 4, 5, 6, 104, 105, 106 Pusher pin (pressing pin), 7, 107 table, 8, 108 substrate, 9 spring, 10, 11 pulse motor (X-axis direction), 12, 13, 23, 24 pulse motor (Z-axis direction), 21, 22 pulse motor (Y-axis direction), 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 118 vacuum suction holes.

Claims (6)

Suction means for suctioning the substrate placed on the main surface of the table,
A pressing pin disposed on the outer periphery of the substrate and pressing the substrate,
And a load loading means connected to the pressing pin and applying a load including a component in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the table to the substrate via the pressing pin. The pressing pin has a head that is in contact with the outer periphery of the substrate,
The positioning table according to claim 1, wherein the head includes a displacement suppressing portion that suppresses displacement of an outer periphery of the substrate in a direction away from a main surface of the table. 3. The positioning table according to claim 1, wherein an angle formed between a surface contacting the pressing pin and a main surface of the table at a contact point with the substrate is 40 ° or more and 50 ° or less. 4. A method for positioning a substrate placed on a main surface of a table,
A step of positioning the substrate by pressing pins arranged on the outer periphery of the substrate,
Suctioning the substrate to the table using suction means,
Applying a load including a component in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the table to the substrate by the pressing pin, and pressing the outer periphery of the substrate toward the table;
Separating the pressing pin from the outer periphery of the substrate. A method for positioning a substrate placed on a main surface of a table,
A step of positioning the substrate by pressing pins arranged on the outer periphery of the substrate,
While suctioning the substrate to the table using suction means, a load including a component in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the table is applied to the substrate by the pressing pin, and the outer periphery of the substrate is moved to the table side. And pressing;
Separating the pressing pin from the outer periphery of the substrate. A method for positioning a substrate placed on a main surface of a table,
A load including a component in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the table is applied to the substrate by a pressing pin disposed on the outer periphery of the substrate, and the outer periphery of the substrate is moved toward the table while positioning the substrate. Pressing,
Suctioning the substrate to the table using suction means,
Separating the pressing pin from the outer periphery of the substrate.

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