JP2005302551A - Excimer lamp and ultraviolet ray irradiation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultraviolet ray irradiation apparatus which can confirm accurately the lighting state of an excimer lamp and can hence perform exactly a predetermined process by the ultraviolet ray radiation with high reliability, by detecting a visible light radiated from the excimer lamp itself for radiating the visible light together with a vacuum ultraviolet light. <P>SOLUTION: This eximer lamp includes an electric discharge container in which gas for electric discharge for generating exicimer molecule is filled in an interior. One electrode is arranged in the interior of the electric discharge container, and the other electrode is arranged to the exterior of the electric discharge container. The excimer lamp emits a vacuum ultraviolet light by the excimer electric discharge formed between these electrodes. A visible light emitting region made on the surface layer of an oxide is formed on at least the part of the conductor in which the excimer electric discharge arises to the other electrode in the electric discharge container. An ultraviolet ray irradiation apparatus includes the excimer lamp and a photodetecting means for detecting the visible light. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an excimer lamp used as an ultraviolet light source and an ultraviolet irradiation device including the excimer lamp, and more particularly, an excimer lamp that emits visible light together with ultraviolet light, and visible light emitted from the excimer lamp. It is related with the ultraviolet irradiation device which can confirm the lighting state of an excimer lamp by detecting this.

  At present, for example, in a cleaning process of a glass substrate of a liquid crystal display panel by ultraviolet irradiation, an ultraviolet irradiation device including an excimer lamp that emits vacuum ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 200 nm or less is used.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory partial cross-sectional view showing an outline of the configuration of an example of a conventional ultraviolet irradiation device in a cross section along the tube axis of an excimer lamp, and FIG. 8 shows the configuration of the ultraviolet irradiation device shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view for explanation shown in a cross section perpendicular to the tube axis of an excimer lamp.
The ultraviolet irradiation device 50 is provided with a light-emitting opening 52 formed on one side (the lower surface in the drawing) of a rectangular parallelepiped box-shaped lamp house 51, and faces the light irradiation opening 52 in the lamp house 51. At the position, a plurality of, for example, three rod-shaped excimer lamps 60, which are ultraviolet light sources, are arranged so as to extend in parallel with each other. A light transmissive window member 53 is provided in the light irradiation port 52 of the lamp house 51 so as to air-tightly close the light irradiation port 52, and, for example, nitrogen gas is provided in the internal space of the lamp house 51. Etc. are filled with an inert gas. 7 and 8, reference numeral 55 denotes a cooling block that supports the excimer lamp 60 provided behind the excimer lamp 60 with respect to the light irradiation direction, and reflects the light emitted from the excimer lamp 60. It has a function as a board.

  The excimer lamp 60 includes a straight tubular discharge vessel 61 made of, for example, quartz glass. For example, one electrode 62 in which a tungsten wire is spirally wound is formed at one end of the discharge vessel 61. Connected to a rod-shaped power supply conductor 63 projecting inward via the hermetic seal portion 65, and arranged to extend along the tube axis in the discharge vessel 61. For example, a mesh shape made of a conductor material The other electrode 66 is disposed so as to extend in the tube axis direction over the entire circumference in the radial direction at a position close to the outer peripheral surface of the discharge vessel 61, and is formed between one electrode 62 and the other electrode 66. There has been proposed one in which a discharge gas in which excimer molecules are formed by excimer discharge is filled in the discharge vessel 61 (see Patent Document 1).

  Further, in recent years, the lamp house has a structure that does not include a window member that closes the light irradiation opening, and the excimer lamp is turned on while an inert gas is introduced into the interior space of the lamp house to perform a required process. An ultraviolet irradiation device for performing the above has been developed. According to the ultraviolet irradiation device having such a configuration, there is an advantage that light attenuation by the window member is eliminated and high processing efficiency can be obtained.

For example, in the dry cleaning process of a glass substrate of a liquid crystal display panel, a glass substrate for liquid crystal that is an object to be processed is usually transported by an appropriate transporting means such as a belt conveyor and introduced into a light irradiation region by an ultraviolet irradiation device, and vacuum This is done by continuously irradiating with ultraviolet light.
In such an ultraviolet irradiation device, in order to perform highly reliable ultraviolet light irradiation processing, is the excimer lamp turned on in an appropriate state, for example, a state in which vacuum ultraviolet light is irradiated with sufficient intensity? It is necessary to check whether the excimer lamp is lit or not, but since the emitted light is mainly vacuum ultraviolet light, the lighting state of the excimer lamp cannot be visually confirmed. Various techniques have been proposed for this purpose.

  As one method for confirming the lighting state of the excimer lamp, for example, a method for detecting vacuum ultraviolet light emitted from the excimer lamp is known. However, a photo-detecting element for detecting vacuum ultraviolet light is expensive. In addition, the light detection element for vacuum ultraviolet light detection has poor life characteristics and the detection performance (sensitivity) is severely degraded, making it difficult to reliably check the lighting state of the excimer lamp. Not practical.

On the other hand, a method has been proposed in which vacuum ultraviolet light emitted from an excimer lamp is converted into visible light to detect visible light, thereby confirming the lighting state of the excimer lamp (Patent Document 2).
Specifically, for example, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a plurality of light detection means are disposed at positions corresponding to each excimer lamp 60 in the cooling block 55 where the excimer lamp 60 is disposed. A recess 57 is formed, and a light detecting element for detecting visible light in the recess 57 for arranging the light detecting means, and a fluorescent light is applied to a glass substrate disposed between the light detecting element and the excimer lamp 60. A light detecting means 70 comprising a wavelength conversion filter coated with a body is arranged, and vacuum ultraviolet light emitted from the excimer lamp 60 is converted into visible light by the wavelength conversion filter, and this visible light is detected. Thus, the lighting state of the excimer lamp 60 is confirmed.
JP 2001-126666 A Japanese Patent No. 3127750

However, in the method of confirming the lighting state of the excimer lamp 60 by converting the vacuum ultraviolet light into visible light using a wavelength conversion filter including the phosphor and detecting this, the light detection element is caused by the deterioration of the phosphor over time. There is a problem in that the detection accuracy due to the decrease in the vacuum ultraviolet light, and the vacuum ultraviolet light emitted from the excimer lamp 60 cannot be detected accurately.
In exchanging the excimer lamp 60, the light detection means 70, specifically, the wavelength conversion filter is not normally replaced, so that the one with reduced detection accuracy is used as it is. Cannot be confirmed accurately.

  Further, in the ultraviolet irradiation apparatus having no window member, the light detection means is, for example, in the longitudinal direction of the excimer lamp in the vicinity of the opening edge of the light irradiation opening of the lamp house so as not to interfere with the light irradiation. Although it arrange | positions in the state which faces an edge part, the edge part position of an excimer lamp is not normally made into the state into which the inert gas was fully introduce | transduced. This is because the vacuum ultraviolet light emitted from the end region of the excimer lamp does not contribute much to the processing of the object to be processed, and the vacuum ultraviolet light is not effectively used. It is because it is not necessary to introduce enough. As a result, at the end of the excimer lamp where the light detection means is disposed, it is easily affected by the inflow state of the outside air, and oxygen and dioxide contained in the outside air flowing between the wavelength conversion filter and the excimer lamp. The vacuum ultraviolet light is absorbed by carbon, moisture, etc., and the radiation state of the vacuum ultraviolet light from the main part of the excimer lamp (the area corresponding to the straight tubular part of the discharge vessel) is emitted from the end area of the excimer lamp. There is a problem that it cannot be confirmed by detecting vacuum ultraviolet light.

  The present invention has been made on the basis of the circumstances as described above, and an object thereof is an excimer lamp having a novel configuration in which visible light is emitted together with vacuum ultraviolet light, and visible light emitted from the excimer lamp itself. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ultraviolet irradiation apparatus capable of accurately confirming the lighting state of an excimer lamp by detecting the above, and thus performing a required process by ultraviolet light irradiation with high reliability and reliability.

The excimer lamp of the present invention includes a discharge vessel filled with a discharge gas that forms excimer molecules by excimer discharge, and one electrode is disposed inside the discharge vessel and the other outside the discharge vessel. In an excimer lamp in which vacuum ultraviolet light is emitted by excimer discharge formed between one electrode and the other electrode,
A visible light emitting region in which visible light is radiated by excimer discharge is formed on at least a part of the conductor portion where excimer discharge occurs between the other electrode in the discharge vessel and the surface layer portion is made of oxide. It is characterized by being.

  In the excimer lamp of the present invention, the visible light emission region is formed by oxidizing a part of the surface of one electrode, or formed by attaching an oxide to a part of one electrode. It can be constituted by.

  In the excimer lamp of the present invention, the visible light emission region may be formed on a power supply conductor according to one electrode provided so as to protrude into the discharge vessel.

  The ultraviolet irradiation device of the present invention comprises the excimer lamp described above and a light detection means for detecting visible light emitted from the excimer lamp.

  According to the excimer lamp of the present invention, excimer molecules derived from the discharge gas are basically formed by excimer discharge generated between one electrode and the other electrode, and vacuum ultraviolet light is emitted by the excimer molecules. Moreover, the oxygen in the oxide constituting the visible light emitting region formed in at least a part of the conductor part in the discharge vessel, specifically, one electrode or the power supply conductor related to the one electrode, is provided in the discharge vessel. Visible light is emitted from the product produced by combining with.

  According to the ultraviolet irradiation apparatus of the present invention, the irradiation intensity of the vacuum ultraviolet light is evaluated by detecting the visible light directly emitted from the excimer lamp itself, so that the wavelength conversion filter provided with the phosphor There is no need for special members such as the conventional one, and there is no problem that the detection performance of the light detection element decreases due to deterioration of the phosphor over time, as in the conventional one, and the lighting condition of the lamp can be confirmed. It can be performed accurately over a long period of time, and therefore the required ultraviolet irradiation treatment can be reliably performed with high reliability.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory partial cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an example of the ultraviolet irradiation apparatus of the present invention in a cross section along the tube axis of an excimer lamp, and FIG. 2 is a configuration of the ultraviolet irradiation apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view for explaining a cross section perpendicular to the excimer lamp.
The ultraviolet irradiation device 10 is provided with a light box 12 having a rectangular parallelepiped shape with a light irradiation port 12 formed on one surface (lower surface in the drawing), and faces the light irradiation port 12 in the lamp house 11. At the position, a plurality of, for example, three rod-shaped excimer lamps 20 which are ultraviolet light sources are arranged so as to extend in parallel to each other.
A window member 13 having translucency is fitted and provided in the light irradiation port 12 of the lamp house 11 so as to airtightly close the light irradiation port 12. In the internal space of the lamp house 11, for example, nitrogen gas is provided. Etc. are filled with an inert gas.

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, reference numeral 15 denotes a cooling block that supports the excimer lamp 20 provided behind the excimer lamp 20 with respect to the light irradiation direction, and reflects the light emitted from the excimer lamp 20. It has a function as a board.
The cooling block 15 is made of, for example, aluminum, and is formed to extend in the same direction as the excimer lamp 20 at a position where a plurality of semi-circular excimer lamp grooves 16 are separated from each other on the lower surface thereof.

The excimer lamp 20 includes a substantially straight tubular discharge vessel 21 that is sealed at one end and forms a discharge space therein. For example, a tungsten wire is wound in a spiral shape in the discharge vessel 21. One electrode (hereinafter referred to as “internal electrode”) 22 is arranged in the discharge vessel 21 so as to extend along the tube axis. The discharge vessel 21 is made of a dielectric material having translucency such as quartz glass.
The internal electrode 22 is connected to a rod-shaped power supply conductor 23, and the power supply conductor 23 has an inner end located in the discharge space S of the discharge vessel 21 and protrudes outward through an airtight seal portion 25. It is provided as follows. Here, the hermetic seal portion 25 in the excimer lamp 20 is formed by, for example, a graded seal method, and the first material constituting the discharge vessel 21 so that the thermal expansion coefficient changes stepwise or continuously. The discharge vessel constituent material and the power supply terminal 23 are hermetically sealed through a third material made of, for example, a glass material having an intermediate thermal expansion coefficient with the second material constituting the power supply conductor 23. ing. The third material may be composed of a plurality of types of materials.

  On the outside of the discharge vessel 21, for example, a position in which the other mesh-like electrode (hereinafter referred to as “external electrode”) 26 made of a conductive material and having a cylindrical shape is close to the outer peripheral surface of the discharge vessel 21. In FIG. 2, the entire area of the outer peripheral surface region of the straight tubular portion of the discharge vessel 21 is arranged so as to extend in the tube axis direction.

The internal electrode 22 and the external electrode 26 are connected to an appropriate high frequency power source (not shown) provided outside the lamp house 11.
A discharge gas such as xenon gas, in which excimer molecules are formed by excimer discharge formed between the internal electrode 22 and the external electrode 26, is sealed in the discharge vessel 21 in an appropriate amount.

In this excimer lamp 20, a visible light emitting region 28 whose surface layer portion is made of oxide is formed on at least a part of the conductor portion where excimer discharge is formed between the external electrode 26 in the discharge vessel 21. ing.
Specifically, the visible light emission region 28 is formed, for example, by attaching an oxide 28 </ b> A to a part of the internal electrode 22. The visible light emitting region 28 can be formed by oxidizing a part of the surface of the internal electrode 22 or printing a conductive material on a part of the surface of the internal electrode 22.

The visible light emission region 28 may be formed in a region where excimer discharge occurs between the external electrode 26 and in this example, for example, is formed in the vicinity of the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the internal electrode 22.
The size of the visible light radiation region 28 is the total length of the internal electrode 22 (the length of the spiral portion) because visible light that can be detected by the light detection means is obtained while securing a sufficiently large effective ultraviolet radiation region. ) Of 0.1 to 5%.
When the visible light emission region 28 is formed by attaching the oxide 28A, the coverage of the oxide 28A with respect to the wire constituting the internal electrode 22 is, for example, 0.1 to 5%. It is said. Here, as a method of attaching the oxide 28A to the wire constituting the internal electrode 22, for example, a sputtering method or the like can be used. As the oxide 28A, for example, a metal oxide mainly composed of tungsten, tantalum, or the like Can be illustrated.

In each of the excimer lamp disposing grooves 16 in the cooling block 15, for example, a light detecting means disposing recess 17 is formed on the upper surface portion of the excimer lamp 20 at a position facing the visible light emission region 28 so as to extend upward. The light detecting means 30 has a light incident surface of the light detecting element for detecting visible light constituting the light detecting means 30 facing the visible light emitting region 28 in the recess 17 for arranging the light detecting means. In a state, it is accommodated and arranged. Here, the size of the closest distance between the light incident surface of the light detection element and the outer peripheral surface of the discharge vessel 21 of the excimer lamp 20 is, for example, 1 to 20 mm.
As a light detection element for detecting visible light constituting the light detection means 30, for example, a silicon photodiode or a germanium photodiode can be used.

  As an example of the dimensions of the excimer lamp 20 constituting the ultraviolet irradiation device 10, the discharge vessel 21 has a maximum outer diameter of 20 mm, a wall thickness of 1.0 mm, and a total length of 100 mm, and constitutes the internal electrode 22. The strand diameter of the wire to be used is 0.5 mm, the pitch of the spiral portion in the internal electrode 22 is 10 mm, the inner diameter of the spiral portion in the internal electrode 22 is 10 mm, and the length of the internal electrode 22 (the length of the spiral portion) is 60 mm The visible light emitting region 28 is formed at a central position in the longitudinal direction of the spiral portion of the internal electrode 22 with a length of 1.0 mm, and the discharge vessel 21 contains xenon gas as a discharge gas. It is sealed at a pressure of 70 kPa. The frequency of the high frequency voltage applied between the internal electrode 22 and the external electrode 26 is 80 kHz, and the voltage is about 1 kV.

  In the ultraviolet irradiation apparatus 10 having such a configuration, a high-frequency voltage controlled to an appropriate magnitude is applied between the external electrode 26 and the internal electrode 22 in the excimer lamp 20 by a high-frequency power source, thereby excimer lamp 20. Excimer discharge is generated in the discharge space S, and excimer molecules derived from the discharge gas are formed by the excimer discharge. From the light irradiation port 12 of the lamp house 11 through the window member 13, vacuum ultraviolet light (hereinafter simply referred to as “exciter discharge”). , "Ultraviolet light").

  Thus, according to the ultraviolet irradiation device 10 having the above-described configuration, the visible light radiation region 28 whose surface layer portion is made of the oxide 28A is formed on at least a part of the internal electrode 22, and thus the inside of the discharge space S. Visible light is emitted by a product generated by combining the discharge gas and oxygen contained in the oxide 28 </ b> A constituting the visible light emission region 28 by the excimer discharge generated in FIG. Specifically, for example, when xenon gas is used as the discharge gas, green light derived from xenon oxide, for example, having a wavelength range of 500 to 600 nm is emitted from the visible light emission region 28.

  Thus, as a result of intensive studies by the inventor, it has been found that there is a correlation between the irradiation intensity of ultraviolet light and the irradiation intensity of visible light emitted from the excimer lamp 20. . That is, both visible light and ultraviolet light emitted from the excimer lamp 50 tend to attenuate with time, and as shown in FIG. 3, for example, the horizontal axis indicates ultraviolet light. The relative value of the irradiation intensity (irradiation intensity at the beginning of lighting is 100) is taken, and the relative value of the visible light irradiation intensity (the irradiation intensity at the beginning of lighting is 100) is taken on the vertical axis. When the correlation between the irradiation intensity of light and the irradiation intensity of visible light was examined, it became clear that the irradiation intensity of ultraviolet light was linearly decreased as the irradiation intensity of visible light decreased.

Therefore, the visible light emitted from the excimer lamp 20 is detected by the light detecting means 30 including the light detecting element for detecting visible light, so that the actual light is actually detected based on the correlation between the visible light and the ultraviolet light. The irradiation intensity of the ultraviolet light applied to the object to be processed can be calculated, and the lighting state of the excimer lamp 50 can be accurately confirmed.
That is, according to the ultraviolet irradiation device 10 having the above configuration, the irradiation intensity of the ultraviolet light is calculated by detecting the irradiation intensity of the visible light emitted from the excimer lamp 20 itself, and thereby the lighting state of the excimer lamp 20 is determined. Since the confirmation method is used, the UV light emitted from the excimer lamp, for example, is converted into visible light by phosphors, and the excimer lamp lighting state is confirmed by detecting this visible light. In the ultraviolet irradiation apparatus using this method, there is no problem that the light detection performance of the light detection means deteriorates due to the deterioration of the phosphor over time, and the ultraviolet light emitted from the excimer lamp 20 is eliminated. The irradiation intensity of light can be obtained with high reliability over a long period of time. Specifically, when the irradiation intensity (actual value) of ultraviolet light emitted from the excimer lamp 20 is actually detected by the light detection means for detecting ultraviolet light, it is calculated based on the detected irradiation intensity of visible light. It is confirmed that the error of the UV intensity (predicted value) with respect to the actually measured value is 3% or less, and that the irradiation intensity of the UV light can be obtained with high accuracy, and therefore the lighting state of the excimer lamp 20 is accurately checked. Can do.

  In addition, the correlation between the irradiation intensity of ultraviolet light and the irradiation intensity of visible light varies depending on the configuration and specifications of the excimer lamp 20 but the inclination of the approximate line shown in FIG. 3 or the relative value of the irradiation intensity varies. Therefore, it is possible to confirm the lighting state of the excimer lamp 20 accurately by acquiring the correlation between the visible light and the ultraviolet light emitted from the excimer lamp 20 in advance. it can.

  Then, based on the calculation result of the irradiation intensity of the ultraviolet light, appropriate measures as necessary, for example, adjustment of the magnitude of the high frequency voltage applied between both the internal electrode 22 and the external electrode 26, the inside of the lamp house 11 By introducing an inert gas into the space, exchanging the excimer lamp 20, and the like, the required ultraviolet irradiation process for the object to be processed can be reliably performed with high reliability.

As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to said embodiment, A various change can be added.
For example, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the ultraviolet irradiation device of the present invention has a light irradiation port 12 in the lamp house 11 in the ultraviolet irradiation device 10 having the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The excimer lamp 20 may be configured to be lit while introducing the inert gas into the lamp house 11 without providing the window member 13 for closing.

More specifically, in the ultraviolet irradiation device 40, the internal space of the lamp house 11 is open to the outside air through the light irradiation port 12, and the cooling block 15 includes an excimer lamp disposition groove. Except that the inert gas introduction path 18 opening at a position close to 16 is formed to extend in the same direction as the excimer lamp 20 so that the inert gas is introduced over the entire outer peripheral surface area of the excimer lamp. The basic configuration is the same as that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 4 and 5, the same constituent members are denoted by the same reference numerals for the sake of convenience.
In the ultraviolet irradiation device 40, the light incident surface of the light detection element is the excimer at a position on the front side in the ultraviolet light irradiation direction (lower side in FIGS. 4 and 5) with respect to the excimer lamp 20. The lamp 20 is provided so as to face the visible light emission region 28.

In the ultraviolet irradiation apparatus 40 having such a configuration, since the window member is basically not provided, the ultraviolet light is not attenuated by the window member, so that the required ultraviolet irradiation treatment can be performed with high efficiency. It can be performed.
In addition, when an ultraviolet irradiation process is performed on the object to be processed, carbide, which is a reaction product generated from the object to be processed, easily adheres to the outer surface of the discharge vessel 21 in the excimer lamp 20, and ultraviolet light is generated by the carbide. Since it is absorbed, the ultraviolet light radiated through the wall on the light irradiation port 12 side in the discharge vessel 21 is attenuated with time, and the irradiation intensity of the ultraviolet light in the entire ultraviolet irradiation device 40 tends to decrease. However, since the light detection means 30 is arranged on the front side in the light irradiation direction with respect to the excimer lamp 20, the irradiation intensity of the ultraviolet light actually irradiated to the object to be detected can be detected. Can accurately calculate using the correlation between both visible light and ultraviolet light, and based on this calculation result, the lighting state of the excimer lamp 20 can be calculated appropriately. Can be maintained, it is possible to reliably perform with high reliability required for ultraviolet irradiation treatment.

Further, in the ultraviolet irradiation device of the present invention, the position where the visible light radiation region is formed in the excimer lamp may be any location as long as excimer discharge occurs between the external electrodes as described above. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the power supply conductor 23 may be configured on the outer peripheral surface of the internal electrode 22.
Specifically, in the ultraviolet irradiation device 45 in this example, a position where the excimer lamp 20 is spaced inward from the inner edge of the hermetic seal portion 25 in the power supply conductor 23 associated with the internal electrode 22; For example, at the inner end portion of the power supply conductor 23, the visible light emitting region 28 is formed by attaching the oxide 28A to the outer peripheral surface of the power supply conductor 23 or by oxidizing the outer peripheral surface of the power supply conductor 23. The light detecting means 30 is a light detecting element for detecting visible light at a position close to the outer end of the excimer lamp 20, that is, the opening edge of the light irradiation port 12 in the lamp house 11. The light incident surface faces the visible light emission region 28.

In the ultraviolet irradiation device 45 having such a configuration, the state of introduction of the inert gas in the vicinity of the arrangement position of the light detection means 30 in the lamp house 11 is set to be insufficient as compared with the central portion of the excimer lamp 20. And is susceptible to the inflow of outside air.
However, according to the ultraviolet irradiation device 45 of the present invention, even if the ultraviolet light emitted from the end region of the excimer lamp 20 is absorbed by oxygen or the like contained in the outside air, the excimer lamp 20 itself. The irradiation intensity of visible light emitted from the light source is detected, and the irradiation intensity of ultraviolet light is calculated based on the detected irradiation intensity of visible light. Therefore, the effective ultraviolet light emission region of the excimer lamp 20 (the longitudinal length of the discharge vessel 21) is calculated. The irradiation intensity of the ultraviolet light in the region (corresponding to the straight tubular portion at the center in the direction) can be accurately calculated, whereby the lighting state of the excimer lamp 20 can be confirmed, and the lighting state of the excimer lamp is set appropriately. Can be maintained in a stable state.
Further, since the light detection means 30 is arranged at a position other than the effective ultraviolet light emission region of the excimer lamp 20, irradiation of ultraviolet light to the object to be processed is not hindered, and ultraviolet light is irradiated with high efficiency. Therefore, the required ultraviolet irradiation process can be reliably performed with higher reliability.

Further, in the ultraviolet irradiation device of the present invention, in the configuration comprising an excimer lamp in which a visible light emission region is formed on the power supply conductor related to the internal electrode, visible light on the power supply conductor is separate from the external electrode. A discharge electrode for forming a discharge with the radiation region may be provided along a bent surface where the surface of the end portion of the discharge vessel of the excimer lamp is bent.
In this case, a voltage of a magnitude required to cause a discharge between the discharge electrode and the visible light emission region of the power supply conductor is applied between the discharge electrode and the visible light emission region of the power supply conductor. The voltage applied between the discharge electrode and the visible light emitting region is less than the distance between the external electrode and the power supply conductor because the distance between the discharge electrode and the power supply conductor is smaller than the distance between the external electrode and the power supply conductor. Can be set small, thereby reducing the power of the entire excimer lamp.

  Furthermore, the internal electrode in the excimer lamp is not limited to the one formed of a spiral line, and may be configured, for example, to have a form in which each apex is bent in a wave shape so as to have a protruding shape.

The number of excimer lamps constituting the ultraviolet irradiation device is not particularly limited, and an appropriate number can be used according to the purpose.
Moreover, the light detection means does not need to be provided corresponding to each excimer lamp, and may be configured to detect visible light emitted from a plurality of excimer lamps using a common light detection means.

It is an explanatory fragmentary sectional view which shows the outline of the structure in an example of the ultraviolet irradiation device of this invention in the cross section along the tube axis | shaft of an excimer lamp. FIG. 2 is an explanatory partial cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the ultraviolet irradiation device shown in FIG. 1 in a cross section perpendicular to an excimer lamp. It is a graph which shows the correlation with the irradiation intensity | strength (relative value) of the visible light radiated | emitted from an excimer lamp, and the irradiation intensity | strength (relative value) of ultraviolet light. It is an explanatory fragmentary sectional view which shows the outline of the structure in the other example of the ultraviolet irradiation device of this invention in the cross section along the tube axis | shaft of an excimer lamp. FIG. 5 is an explanatory partial cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the ultraviolet irradiation device shown in FIG. 4 in a cross section perpendicular to the excimer lamp. It is an explanatory fragmentary sectional view which shows the outline of the structure in the further another example of the ultraviolet irradiation device of this invention in the cross section along the tube axis | shaft of an excimer lamp. It is an explanatory fragmentary sectional view which shows the outline of a structure in an example of the conventional ultraviolet irradiation device in the cross section along the tube axis of an excimer lamp. FIG. 8 is an explanatory partial cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the ultraviolet irradiation device shown in FIG. 7 in a cross section perpendicular to the tube axis of the excimer lamp.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Ultraviolet irradiation apparatus 11 Lamp house 12 Light irradiation port 13 Window member 15 Cooling block 16 Groove for excimer lamp arrangement | positioning 17 Recess for light detection means arrangement | positioning 18 Inert gas introduction path 20 Excimer lamp 21 Discharge vessel 22 One electrode (inside electrode)
23 Feeding conductor 25 Hermetic seal part 26 The other electrode (external electrode)
28 Visible Light Emission Area 28A Oxide 30 Light Detection Means 40 Ultraviolet Irradiation Device 45 Ultraviolet Light Irradiation Device S Discharge Space 50 Ultraviolet Radiation Device 51 Lamp House 52 Light Irradiation Port 53 Window Member 55 Cooling Block 57 Recess for Light Detection Means 60 Excimer lamp 61 Discharge vessel 62 One electrode 63 Feeding conductor 65 Hermetic seal portion 66 The other electrode 70 Light detection means

Claims (5)

A discharge vessel filled with a discharge gas that forms excimer molecules by excimer discharge; one electrode is arranged inside the discharge vessel, and the other electrode is arranged outside the discharge vessel; In an excimer lamp in which vacuum ultraviolet light is emitted by excimer discharge formed between one electrode and the other electrode,
A visible light emitting region in which visible light is radiated by excimer discharge is formed on at least a part of the conductor portion where excimer discharge occurs between the other electrode in the discharge vessel and the surface layer portion is made of oxide. Excimer lamp characterized by   The excimer lamp according to claim 1, wherein the visible light emitting region is formed by oxidizing a part of the surface of one of the electrodes.   The excimer lamp according to claim 1, wherein the visible light emitting region is formed by attaching an oxide to a part of one of the electrodes.   4. The excimer lamp according to claim 2, wherein the visible light emission region is formed in a power supply conductor according to one of the electrodes provided to protrude into the discharge vessel.   An ultraviolet irradiation apparatus comprising the excimer lamp according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and light detection means for detecting visible light emitted from the excimer lamp.

Images