JP2006030428A - Exposure method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an exposure method of a direct drawing system by which an image can be efficiently draw even with a small number of irradiation optical systems. <P>SOLUTION: The method includes: an irradiation unit 1 comprising an irradiation optical system to obtain a plurality of irradiation beam spots 3 which are long in the X axis direction and correspond to a narrow irradiation width; and an irradiation unit 2 comprising an irradiation optical system to obtain a plurality of irradiation beam spots 4 which are long in the Y axis direction and correspond to a wide irradiation width. A substrate 5 is exposed for direct drawing by turning on and off the illumination beam spots 3, 4 while moving the units 1, 2 in the X axis direction over the substrate 5. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a direct drawing type exposure method in which a predetermined pattern is formed by direct light irradiation on a photosensitive film formed on a substrate surface without using a photomask.

  In an exposure method based on a direct drawing method in which light is directly irradiated onto a photosensitive film formed on the surface of a substrate to form a predetermined pattern, light emitted from a conventional light source is optically including an optical switch such as a movable mirror. A method of forming a predetermined pattern on the substrate by dividing the substrate into a plurality of irradiation lights by the system and blinking each irradiation light has been adopted. Since each irradiation light irradiated on a board | substrate needs to be irradiated as a fine point, it is made to focus on a board | substrate with an optical system.

  Actually, forming a pattern on a substrate using a plurality of irradiation lights is performed by relatively moving the plurality of irradiation lights and the substrate. For example, a function that can move multiple irradiation lights in the X-axis direction and the substrate in the Y-axis direction orthogonal to the X-axis is created in advance while moving multiple irradiation lights on the substrate in the X-axis direction. According to the programmed program, each irradiation light is blinked and a predetermined pattern is sequentially formed on the substrate. When the pattern formation over the entire length in the X-axis direction of the substrate is completed, the substrate is moved in the Y-axis direction by a distance corresponding to the length of the multiple irradiation light in the Y-axis direction, and the plurality of irradiation light is moved again in the X-axis direction Then, the pattern is formed, and thereafter, this operation is repeated to form a predetermined pattern over the entire surface of the substrate.

  If the number of irradiation lights can be increased and arranged in the width corresponding to the length of the substrate in the Y-axis direction, only the plurality of irradiation lights in the X-axis direction without moving the substrate in the Y-axis direction. If moved, a predetermined pattern can be formed over the entire surface of the substrate.

  Next, regarding the pattern to be formed, taking a printed wiring board as an example, the linear pattern has a line width of about 0.01 mm to 0.2 mm, and the directions are the X axis direction, the Y axis direction, and the diagonal direction. There is. In addition to the linear pattern, the pattern has various shapes and sizes such as a curve, a circle, and a rectangle. In an exposure method using a conventional direct drawing method for such various patterns, a plurality of irradiation lights are all irradiated as an irradiation area having the same size, that is, as a minute spot having the same size.

  In order to form a pattern by this fine spot irradiation, a large amount of spot irradiation was required over the entire pattern. In particular, in recent years, with the increase in density and resolution of substrates, in order to form even finer patterns, a larger amount of fine spot irradiation has become necessary. For this reason, in order to increase the drawing speed, it is necessary to provide a large amount of irradiation light, which makes the exposure apparatus very complicated and expensive.

  However, the performance required for exposure by the direct drawing method needs to be capable of high-speed and high-precision drawing up to a fine pattern, and the exposure apparatus must have a simple structure and a low price. However, the prior art has not satisfied the performance required for exposure by such a direct drawing method.

  Although the background technology about the invention according to the present application has been described based on the general technical information obtained by the applicant, it will be disclosed as prior art document information before the filing of the present application within the scope stored by the applicant. The applicant does not have the necessary information, and is not aware of the applicant's own patent application etc. preceding the present application.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is that with the increase in density and resolution of the substrate, the formation of increasingly fine patterns has been required. It is in the point that it cannot fully meet the demand of. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an exposure method of a direct drawing method that can draw efficiently with a small number of irradiation optical systems.

  In the exposure method based on this invention, as a means for solving the above-mentioned problem, first, as shown in the background art above, the plurality of irradiation lights are all irradiated with the same size, that is, with the same size. Instead of irradiating as a point, a plurality of irradiation optical systems are configured by a plurality of irradiation optical systems capable of irradiating light with different widths on the substrate.

  Thus, if light irradiation with different widths is enabled on the substrate, for example, when drawing a thick line, it can be drawn with one irradiation optical system that matches the line width, and the same size as in the past If it is irradiated as a minute point, the number of irradiation optical systems can be reduced compared with the case where a plurality of irradiation optical systems are required, and the effect is great. In addition, when drawing a thin line, it may be drawn with an irradiation optical system that matches the line width.

  An exposure method based on the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a state before exposure showing the principle of exposure, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state after exposure. Referring to FIG. 1, this exposure method is a direct drawing exposure method in which a predetermined pattern is formed by directly irradiating light on a photosensitive film formed on the surface of a substrate 5 without using a photomask. is there. The light irradiated onto the substrate 5 is light irradiated from the irradiation optical systems 3 and 4, and the irradiation optical systems 3 and 4 move while moving the irradiation optical systems 3 and 4 and the substrate 5 relatively. A predetermined pattern is formed on the photosensitive film by blinking the irradiated light. Further, the irradiation optical systems 3 and 4 are constituted by a plurality of irradiation optical system groups 1 and 2 capable of performing light irradiation with different widths on the substrate 5. Further, the irradiation optical systems 3 and 4 have a function capable of relative movement or individual movement.

  If light irradiation with different widths is enabled on the substrate 5, for example, when drawing a thick line, it can be drawn with one irradiation optical system that matches the line width, and the same size as in the conventional case. If irradiation is performed as a point, it is possible to reduce the number of irradiation optical systems compared to the case where a plurality of irradiation optical systems are required. In addition, when drawing a thin line, it may be drawn with an irradiation optical system that matches the line width.

  Further, as a means for irradiating light with different widths on the substrate 5, if the irradiation shapes irradiated from the irradiation optical systems 3 and 4 to the substrate 5 are different in length and width, the same plurality of irradiation optical systems 3 are used. , 4 can be achieved only by changing the direction. If the irradiation shape is a circle having a different diameter, the irradiation optical system cannot be made the same, which makes it complicated.

  Furthermore, a semiconductor laser that emits light in a rectangular shape is the most suitable light source for making the irradiation shape irradiated onto the substrate 5 have different vertical and horizontal lengths. In addition, if one semiconductor laser is used as a light source for one irradiation optical system constituting the plurality of irradiation optical systems 3 and 4, a plurality of semiconductor lasers can be electrically turned on / off to The light can be blinked. Accordingly, a complicated and expensive optical system including an optical switch such as a movable mirror is not required, and the illuminance can be arbitrarily adjusted by electrically controlling the output of each semiconductor laser.

  The plurality of irradiation optical systems 3 and 4 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction orthogonal to the X-axis, and relatively move between the substrate 5 and the plurality of irradiation optical systems 3 and 4. The irradiation width can be changed by arranging the light irradiated onto the substrate 5 from the irradiation optical systems 3 and 4 so as to at least partially overlap each other.

  Further, by irradiating light continuously for a time corresponding to the length of the pattern formed by irradiating light in a direction in which the plurality of irradiation optical systems 3 and 4 move on the substrate 5, A pattern can be drawn with a small number of irradiation optical systems 3 and 4.

  In the case of drawing a pattern, the plurality of irradiation optical systems 3 and 4 are provided with a function capable of moving in the X-axis direction and the substrate 5 is movable in the Y-axis direction orthogonal to the X-axis direction. , 4 and the substrate 5 may be moved relative to each other, one of the plurality of irradiation optical systems 3, 4 and the substrate 5 is fixed, and the other is in the X-axis direction and orthogonal to the X-axis direction. This may be performed by providing a function capable of moving in at least one direction of the Y-axis direction.

  The plurality of irradiation optical system groups 1 and 2 capable of irradiating light having different widths on the substrate 5 desirably have a function capable of relative movement and individual movement, and irradiation optics according to the pattern design rules. Highly reliable exposure can be performed by selecting an appropriate type and arrangement of the system groups 1 and 2 and creating an appropriate program for moving the irradiation optical systems 3 and 4 and the substrate 5 relatively.

(Example)
The above-described exposure method can solve the problems of the present invention. Hereinafter, as an embodiment, a specific principle diagram including the operation will be described. FIG. 1 shows the principle of the present exposure method. A light irradiation unit 1 holding an irradiation optical group for obtaining irradiation light 3 having a long shape in the X-axis direction corresponding to a narrow irradiation width, The light irradiation unit 2 holding the irradiation optical group for obtaining the irradiation light 4 having a shape long in the Y-axis direction corresponding to the irradiation width and the substrate 5 on which a pattern is drawn by light irradiation are shown in a plan view. ing.

  In order to draw a pattern on the substrate 5 by the light irradiation units 1 and 2, the irradiation light is moved while moving the light irradiation units 1 and 2 on the substrate 5 in the X-axis direction according to a pattern drawing program created in advance. 3 and 4 are blinked. For the two types of irradiation light, the irradiation light 3 is used for drawing a thin pattern, and the irradiation light 4 is used for drawing a thick pattern. The position of the pattern in the Y-axis direction and the irradiation light 3 and 4 may be aligned by relatively moving the irradiation light 3 and 4 and the substrate 5 in the Y-axis direction.

  FIG. 2 shows an example in which a pattern is actually drawn on the substrate 5 using the light irradiation units 1 and 2. FIG. 2 shows a case where the substrate 5 is fixed and the light irradiation units 1 and 2 are moved in the relative movement between the substrate 5 and the light irradiation units 1 and 2. Thick linear patterns 6 and 7 extending in the X-axis direction are drawn by the irradiation light 4, and thin linear patterns 8 extending in the X-axis direction are drawn by the irradiation light 3. Further, the linear patterns 9 and 10 extending in the Y-axis direction are drawn by the irradiation light 4, and the thick linear pattern 11 extending in the 45-degree direction is drawn by the irradiation light 3.

  1 and 2 show an example in which the light irradiation units 1 and 2 are arranged in the front-rear direction with respect to the X-axis direction, the light irradiation units 1 and 2 are front-rear with respect to the Y-axis direction pair. You may arrange in a direction. In the above principle diagram, the irradiation shape of the irradiation light irradiated on the substrate 5 is illustrated as an ellipse, but any shape may be used as long as the length and width are different, such as a rectangle and a rectangle. Absent.

  In this way, the plurality of irradiation optical systems are configured by a plurality of irradiation optical systems capable of irradiating light with different widths on the substrate, so that an exposure constituted by a plurality of the same irradiation optical systems as in the prior art. As compared with the method, it is possible to efficiently draw with a small irradiation optical system.

  The above-described embodiment disclosed herein is illustrative in all respects and does not serve as a basis for limited interpretation. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is not interpreted only by the above-described embodiments, but is defined based on the description of the claims. Further, all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of the claims are included.

It is a top view which shows the state before the exposure which shows the exposure principle in the exposure method based on this invention. It is a top view which shows the state after the exposure which shows the exposure principle in the exposure method based on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  1, 2 irradiation optical system group (light irradiation unit), 3, 4 irradiation optical system (irradiation light), 5 substrate, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Drawing pattern.

Claims (8)

An exposure method of a direct drawing method in which a predetermined pattern is formed by directly irradiating light on a photosensitive film formed on a surface of a substrate without using a photomask,
The light irradiated on the substrate is light irradiated from a plurality of irradiation optical systems, and is irradiated from the plurality of irradiation optical systems while relatively moving the plurality of irradiation optical systems and the substrate. Flash a light to mold a predetermined pattern on the photosensitive film,
The exposure method, wherein the plurality of irradiation optical systems are configured by a plurality of irradiation optical system groups capable of performing light irradiation with different widths on the substrate.   The exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of irradiation optical system groups capable of performing light irradiation with different widths on the substrate have a function capable of relative movement or individual movement.   The irradiation shape irradiated onto the substrate from the irradiation optical system is a shape having different vertical and horizontal lengths, and the irradiation shape is directed in a direction different from the direction in which the irradiation optical system moves on the substrate. The exposure method according to claim 1.   The irradiation optical system is composed of an optical system using one semiconductor laser as a light source for one irradiation optical system, and the plurality of lights are blinked by electrically turning on / off each of the semiconductor lasers. The exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the exposure method is performed.   The plurality of irradiation optical systems are arranged at predetermined intervals in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction orthogonal to the X-axis, and the substrate and the plurality of irradiation optical systems are relatively moved, and The exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the light irradiated onto the substrate from the irradiation optical system is disposed so as to at least partially overlap each other.   The said several irradiation optical system exists in the direction which moves on the said board | substrate, and irradiates light continuously for the time corresponding to the length of the pattern shape | molded by irradiating light. Exposure method.   The exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of irradiation optical systems have a function capable of moving in the X-axis direction and the substrate is movable in a Y-axis direction orthogonal to the X-axis direction.   2. The function according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of irradiation optical systems and the substrate is fixed, and the other has a function of moving in at least one direction of an X-axis direction and a Y-axis direction orthogonal to the X-axis direction. Exposure method.

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