JP2006035075A - Drop discharger, drop application method, production method of electro-optic device, and electronics - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a drop discharger which can manufacture a product at a high production efficiency without making a device to memory previously a pattern of the section to be coated with a drop of a liquid material, a drop application method, a production method of an electro-optic device, and electronics. <P>SOLUTION: The drop discharger discharges the liquid material as a drop to the section to be coated with the liquid material, which is formed in a substrate, and applies to the section. The drop discharger is provided with a drop discharging means having a nozzle discharging the liquid material, a moving means moving relatively the substrate and the drop discharging means, a read-out means reading out optically the section pattern on the substrate, and a control means controlling the action of the drop discharging means and the moving means. The control means controls the action of the drop discharging means and the moving means so that the drop of the liquid material can be applied to the section based on the data read out by the read-out means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a droplet discharge device, a droplet applying method, an electro-optical device manufacturing method, and an electronic apparatus.

As a method of manufacturing color filters for liquid crystal display devices, a liquid material containing pigment is applied as droplets to a large number of pixel regions formed on a substrate using an ink jet drawing device (droplet discharge device). Thus, a method of forming each pixel is known.
In such a method, an operator creates and selects a drawing algorithm (droplet discharge algorithm) suitable for a pattern of a region to be coated with a liquid material, such as a pixel region, based on the substrate design data and the like. After being stored in the drawing apparatus, droplets of a liquid material for pixel formation were applied to the substrate (for example, see Patent Document 1).

For this reason, when applying a liquid material to a different use substrate, such as a substrate having a different pixel pattern of the color filter or a substrate having a different number and position pattern of color filter chips arranged in one substrate, For each type of substrate, a drawing algorithm must be created and stored in the ink jet drawing apparatus, and the preparation stage work is complicated. In addition, it is difficult to mix different substrates on the production line, and it has not been possible to improve production efficiency.
In addition, in the conventional ink jet drawing apparatus, the precise application position of the liquid droplet is determined based on the alignment mark provided on the substrate, so that the liquid droplet is correctly applied to the pixel region due to the alignment mark error for each substrate. In some cases, the liquid cannot be landed, and liquid materials of different colors are mixed and mixed.

JP 2003-275650 A

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to eliminate a need for storing in advance a pattern of a region where liquid material droplets are to be applied, and to produce a product with high efficiency, a droplet discharge device, a droplet applying method, and an electro-optical device. An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus manufacturing method and an electronic apparatus.

Such an object is achieved by the present invention described below.
The droplet discharge device of the present invention is a droplet discharge device that discharges a liquid material as droplets to a substrate on which a region to which a liquid material is to be applied is formed, and applies the droplets to the region.
Droplet discharge means having a nozzle for discharging droplets;
Moving means for relatively moving the substrate and the droplet discharge means;
Reading means for optically reading the pattern of the region on the substrate;
Control means for controlling the operation of the droplet discharge means and the moving means,
The control means controls the operation of the droplet discharge means and the movement means so that liquid material droplets are applied to the region based on the data read by the reading means. Features.

As a result, the pattern of the area to which the liquid material is to be applied (for example, a pixel area) is read by the reading means, and the control means automatically determines the droplet application position based on the reading result. In addition, it is not necessary to prepare a droplet discharge algorithm in advance and store it in the droplet discharge apparatus, so that the work load in the preparation stage can be greatly reduced, and high production efficiency can be obtained. For example, in the case of a color filter substrate, a liquid material is applied regardless of a pixel pattern such as a stripe arrangement, a delta arrangement, a mosaic arrangement, and a pen tile arrangement, a pixel size, and a position and number of chips in one substrate. This is very advantageous because the droplets can be accurately applied to the region to be treated.
In the present invention, since it is not necessary to perform alignment when discharging droplets from the droplet discharge means, high production efficiency can be obtained. In addition, an alignment mark is not required on the substrate, and there is no occurrence of a liquid droplet landing position shift caused by an error in the alignment mark position for each substrate as in the prior art.

In the droplet discharge device of the present invention, the reading unit is provided so as to move relative to the base body integrally with the droplet discharge unit, and the reading unit is moved by the operation of the moving unit. It is preferable to read the pattern of the region by scanning relative to the substrate.
As a result, the relative position between the reading unit and the droplet discharge unit can be defined with higher accuracy, and the region to which the liquid material is to be applied can be read more accurately. Droplets can be applied.

In the droplet discharge device of the present invention, the region on the substrate is formed to be surrounded by a bank and / or a black matrix,
The reading unit preferably optically reads the shape of the bank and / or the black matrix.
Thereby, since the area | region which should apply | coat a liquid material can be read more correctly, a droplet can be provided with more exact position accuracy.

In the liquid droplet ejection apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, it is preferable that the control unit extracts information related to the pattern of the region by performing binarization processing on the data read by the reading unit.
Thereby, since the information regarding the pattern of the area | region which should apply | coat a liquid material can be extracted more correctly, a droplet can be provided with more exact position accuracy.

In the droplet discharge device of the present invention, the base is for manufacturing one or a plurality of chips that are components of the image display device,
The control means, based on the data read by the reading means, information on the position and number of the chips on the substrate, information on the center position and the number of pixels of each pixel in each chip, It is preferable to extract at least one piece of information with respect to the area information, and to determine a droplet application position on the substrate based on the extracted information.
Thereby, the chip | tip used as the component of an image display apparatus can be manufactured with high production efficiency.

According to the droplet applying method of the present invention, the substrate on which the region to which the liquid material is to be applied is moved relatively to the droplet discharge means having a nozzle for discharging the droplet, and the liquid material is discharged from the nozzle. A droplet applying method for discharging and applying to the region as a droplet,
A pattern of the region on the substrate is optically read, and control is performed so that liquid material droplets are applied to the region based on the read data.

As a result, the pattern of the area to which the liquid material is to be applied (for example, a pixel area) is read by the reading means, and the control means automatically determines the droplet application position based on the reading result. In addition, it is not necessary to prepare a droplet discharge algorithm in advance and store it in the droplet discharge apparatus, so that the work load in the preparation stage can be greatly reduced, and high production efficiency can be obtained. For example, in the case of a color filter substrate, a liquid material is applied regardless of a pixel pattern such as a stripe arrangement, a delta arrangement, a mosaic arrangement, and a pen tile arrangement, a pixel size, and a position and number of chips in one substrate. This is very advantageous because the droplets can be accurately applied to the region to be treated.
In the present invention, since it is not necessary to perform alignment when discharging droplets from the droplet discharge means, high production efficiency can be obtained. In addition, an alignment mark is not required on the substrate, and there is no occurrence of a liquid droplet landing position shift caused by an error in the alignment mark position for each substrate as in the prior art.

The electro-optical device manufacturing method of the present invention includes a step of applying liquid material droplets to a predetermined region on a substrate using the droplet discharge device of the present invention.
Thereby, a high-quality electro-optical device can be manufactured with high production efficiency.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus including the electro-optical device manufactured by the method for manufacturing the electro-optical device according to the invention.
Accordingly, an electronic apparatus including a high quality electro-optical device can be provided at a low cost.

Hereinafter, a droplet discharge device, a droplet application method, an electro-optical device manufacturing method, and an electronic apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail based on preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.
<First Embodiment of Droplet Discharge Device>
(Overall configuration of droplet discharge device)
As shown in FIG. 1, the droplet discharge device 100 includes a tank 101 that holds a liquid material 111, a tube 110, and a discharge scanning unit 102 that is supplied with the liquid material 111 from the tank 101 via the tube 110. Prepare. The ejection scanning unit 102 includes a droplet ejection unit 103 in which a plurality of droplet ejection heads 114 are mounted on a carriage 105, and the droplet ejection unit 103 in a horizontal direction (hereinafter referred to as “X-axis direction”). A carriage moving mechanism (moving means) 104 for moving, a stage 106 that holds a base 10A described later, and the stage 106 is moved in a direction that is perpendicular to the X-axis direction and horizontal (hereinafter referred to as “Y-axis direction”). A stage moving mechanism (moving means) 108 to be operated and a control means 112 are provided. The tank 101 and the plurality of droplet discharge heads 114 in the droplet discharge means 103 are connected by a tube 110, and the liquid material 111 is supplied from the tank 101 to each of the plurality of droplet discharge heads 114 by compressed air. The

The operation of the carriage moving mechanism 104 is controlled by the control means 112. The carriage moving mechanism 104 of the present embodiment also has a function of moving the droplet discharge means 103 along the Z-axis direction (vertical direction). Further, the carriage moving mechanism 104 also has a function of rotating the droplet discharge means 103 around an axis parallel to the Z axis.
The stage moving mechanism 108 moves the stage 106 along the Y-axis direction orthogonal to both the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction, and its operation is controlled by the control means 112. Further, the stage moving mechanism 108 of the present embodiment also has a function of rotating the stage 106 around an axis parallel to the Z axis.

The stage 106 has a plane parallel to both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. The stage 106 is configured to fix or hold a substrate having a region (pixel) to which the liquid material 111 is to be applied on the plane.
As described above, the droplet discharge means 103 is moved in the X-axis direction by the carriage moving mechanism 104. On the other hand, the stage 106 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the stage moving mechanism 108. That is, the carriage moving mechanism 104 and the stage moving mechanism 108 change the relative position of the droplet discharge head 114 with respect to the stage 106.
The detailed configuration and function of the control unit 112 will be described later.

(Droplet discharge means)
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the droplet discharge means 103 and the substrate 10A in the droplet discharge apparatus 100 shown in FIG.
In the following description, a case where a color filter substrate that is a component of a liquid crystal display device is manufactured by the droplet discharge device 100 will be representatively described. However, as will be described later, the present invention includes various types other than the color filter substrate. It can be applied to the manufacture of electro-optical devices.

As shown in FIG. 2, the droplet discharge means 103 includes a plurality of droplet discharge heads 114 each having substantially the same structure, and a carriage 105 that holds these droplet discharge heads 114. In FIG. 2, the carriage 105 is represented by a virtual line (two-dot chain line) so that the droplet discharge head 114 can be seen.
In the present embodiment, the number of droplet discharge heads 114 installed in the droplet discharge means 103 is eight. Each droplet discharge head 114 has a bottom surface (nozzle plate) provided with a plurality of nozzles 118 described later. The bottom surface of the droplet discharge head 114 held by the carriage 105 faces the stage 106, and the long side direction and the short side direction of the droplet discharge head 114 are respectively in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. Parallel.

The base 10A is for manufacturing a color filter substrate which is a component of the liquid crystal display device. This substrate 10A is processed and processed as described later, and then divided into nine chips 300 in a 3 × 3 matrix, each chip 300 becomes a color filter substrate. That is, nine color filter substrates can be manufactured from one base 10A.
In such a base 10A, as will be described later, a large number of regions (regions to be pixels) arranged in a matrix are formed. The droplet discharge device 100 applies (applies) a liquid material containing a pigment for forming pixels as droplets to each of these regions.

On the lower surface side of the carriage 105, a line scanner (reading unit) 301 that optically reads a pattern of a region on the base 10A where the liquid material is to be applied is installed. The line scanner 301 is arranged in parallel with the X-axis direction. The line scanner 301 is provided with a one-dimensional image sensor such as a CCD line sensor and a light projecting unit for projecting illumination light. The line scanner 301 irradiates the surface of the substrate 10A with the illumination light and reflects the reflected light one-dimensionally. By receiving light by the image sensor and performing photoelectric conversion, it is possible to optically read the pattern of the region on the base 10A where the liquid material is to be applied.
When the stage moving mechanism 108 is operated to move the base body 10A in the Y-axis direction, the base body 10A passes under the line scanner 301. Therefore, the line scanner 301 relatively scans the base body 10A, and the liquid material The area to be coated can be read.

  In the present embodiment, the line scanner 301 is provided integrally with the droplet discharge means 103, and the line scanner 301 is scanned relative to the substrate 10A by the operation of the stage moving mechanism 108. The relative position with respect to the droplet discharge means 103 (droplet discharge head 114) can be defined with high accuracy, and the region to which the liquid material is to be applied can be read more accurately.

In the present embodiment, the line scanner 301 has a length that covers the entire length of the base 10A in the X-axis direction. As a result, reading can be performed over the entire substrate 10A in one scan. The line scanner 301 is not limited to such a configuration, and the line scanner 301 may cover a part of the length of the base 10A in the X-axis direction.
In the present invention, not limited to the above-described configuration, a separate moving mechanism that causes the line scanner 301 to scan the base 10A may be provided. The reading unit is not limited to the line scanner 301, and may be configured by a camera including a two-dimensional image sensor such as a CCD image sensor or a CMOS image sensor.

(Droplet ejection head)
FIG. 3 shows the bottom surface of the droplet discharge head 114. The droplet discharge head 114 has a plurality of nozzles 118 arranged in the X-axis direction. The plurality of nozzles 118 are arranged such that the nozzle pitch HXP in the X-axis direction in the droplet discharge head 114 is about 70 μm. Here, the “nozzle pitch HXP in the X-axis direction of the droplet discharge head 114” is a plurality of images obtained by projecting all the nozzles 118 in the droplet discharge head 114 onto the X-axis along the Y-axis direction. This corresponds to the pitch between nozzle images.

  In the present embodiment, the plurality of nozzles 118 in the droplet discharge head 114 form a nozzle row 116A and a nozzle row 116B that both extend in the X-axis direction. The nozzle row 116A and the nozzle row 116B are arranged in parallel with a space therebetween. In each of the nozzle row 116A and the nozzle row 116B, 90 nozzles 118 are aligned in the X-axis direction at regular intervals. In this embodiment, this regular interval is about 140 μm. That is, the nozzle pitch LNP of the nozzle row 116A and the nozzle pitch LNP of the nozzle row 116B are both about 140 μm.

The position of the nozzle row 116B is shifted from the position of the nozzle row 116A in the positive direction in the X-axis direction (the right direction in FIG. 3) by half the nozzle pitch LNP (about 70 μm). Therefore, the nozzle pitch HXP in the X-axis direction of the droplet discharge head 114 is half the length (about 70 μm) of the nozzle pitch LNP of the nozzle row 116A (or nozzle row 116B).
Accordingly, the nozzle line density in the X-axis direction of the droplet discharge head 114 is twice the nozzle line density of the nozzle row 116A (or nozzle row 116B). In the present specification, “nozzle line density in the X-axis direction” means the number per unit length of a plurality of nozzle images obtained by projecting a plurality of nozzles on the X-axis along the Y-axis direction. It corresponds to.

  Of course, the number of nozzle rows included in the droplet discharge head 114 is not limited to two. The droplet discharge head 114 may include M nozzle rows. Here, M is a natural number of 1 or more. In this case, in each of the M nozzle rows, the plurality of nozzles 118 are arranged at a pitch that is M times the nozzle pitch HXP. Further, when M is a natural number of 2 or more, the other (M−1) nozzle rows are only i times as long as the nozzle pitch HXP with respect to one of the M nozzle rows. There is no overlap in the X-axis direction. Here, i is a natural number from 1 to (M−1).

  Now, since each of the nozzle row 116 </ b> A and the nozzle row 116 </ b> B includes 90 nozzles 118, one droplet discharge head 114 has 180 nozzles 118. However, 5 nozzles at both ends of the nozzle row 116A are set as “pause nozzles”. Similarly, 5 nozzles at both ends of the nozzle row 116B are also set as “pause nozzles”. The liquid material 111 is not discharged from these 20 “pause nozzles”. Therefore, 160 nozzles 118 out of 180 nozzles 118 in the droplet discharge head 114 function as nozzles that discharge the liquid material 111.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the droplet discharge means 103, a plurality of the droplet discharge heads 114 are arranged in two rows along the X-axis direction. The droplet ejection heads 114 in one row and the droplet ejection heads 114 in the other row are arranged so as to partially overlap when viewed from the Y-axis direction in consideration of the rest nozzles. As a result, the droplet discharge means 103 is configured such that the nozzle 118 that discharges the liquid material 111 continues in the X-axis direction at the nozzle pitch HXP over the length of the dimension of the base body 10A in the X-axis direction. ing.
In the droplet discharge means 103 of the present embodiment, the droplet discharge head 114 is disposed so as to cover the entire length of the base 10A in the X-axis direction. The base 10A may cover a part of the length in the X-axis direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, each droplet discharge head 114 is an inkjet head. More specifically, each droplet discharge head 114 includes a vibration plate 126 and a nozzle plate 128. Between the diaphragm 126 and the nozzle plate 128, a liquid pool 129 in which the liquid material 111 supplied from the tank 101 through the hole 131 is always filled is located.

  In addition, a plurality of partition walls 122 are located between the diaphragm 126 and the nozzle plate 128. A portion surrounded by the diaphragm 126, the nozzle plate 128, and the pair of partition walls 122 is a cavity 120. Since the cavities 120 are provided corresponding to the nozzles 118, the number of the cavities 120 and the number of the nozzles 118 are the same. The liquid material 111 is supplied to the cavity 120 from the liquid pool 129 through the supply port 130 positioned between the pair of partition walls 122.

On the vibration plate 126, corresponding to the respective cavities 120, vibrators 124 are positioned as drive elements that change the pressure of the liquid material 111 filled in the cavities 120. The vibrator 124 includes a piezoelectric element 124C and a pair of electrodes 124A and 124B that sandwich the piezoelectric element 124C. By applying a driving voltage between the pair of electrodes 124A and 124B, the liquid material 111 is discharged from the corresponding nozzle 118. The shape of the nozzle 118 is adjusted so that the liquid material 111 is discharged from the nozzle 118 in the Z-axis direction.
Here, the “liquid material” in this specification refers to a material having a viscosity that can be discharged from a nozzle. In this case, it does not matter whether the material is aqueous or oily. It is sufficient if it has fluidity (viscosity) that can be discharged from the nozzle.

  The control means 112 (FIG. 1) may be configured to give a signal to each of the plurality of vibrators 124 independently of each other. That is, the volume of the material 111 ejected from the nozzle 118 may be controlled for each nozzle 118 in accordance with a signal from the control unit 112. In such a case, the volume of the material 111 discharged from each of the nozzles 118 may be variable between 0 pl to 42 pl (picoliter). The control unit 112 can also set the nozzle 118 that performs the ejection operation during the application scan and the nozzle 118 that does not perform the ejection operation.

  In this specification, a portion including one nozzle 118, a cavity 120 corresponding to the nozzle 118, and a vibrator 124 corresponding to the cavity 120 may be referred to as “ejection unit 127”. According to this notation, one droplet discharge head 114 has the same number of discharge units 127 as the number of nozzles 118. The ejection unit 127 may include an electrothermal conversion element instead of a piezo element as a drive element. That is, the discharge unit 127 may have a configuration for discharging a material by utilizing thermal expansion of the material by the electrothermal conversion element.

In the present invention, the nozzle pitch HXP in the droplet discharge means 103 is not limited to the above size, and may be any size.
Further, the droplet discharge means 103 may have a configuration in which a plurality of droplet discharge heads 114 are arranged in the Y-axis direction in addition to the configuration shown in FIG. In that case, since the nozzle pitch (nozzle line density) in the X-axis direction as the entire droplet discharge means 103 can be further reduced, droplets can be applied with higher definition.

(Control means)
Next, the configuration of the control unit 112 will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 112 includes an input buffer memory 200, a storage unit 202, a processing unit 204, a scanning drive unit 206, a head drive unit 208, a carriage position detection unit 302, and a stage position detection. Means 303.

  The buffer memory 200 and the processing unit 204 are connected so that they can communicate with each other. The processing unit 204 and the storage unit 202 are connected to be communicable with each other. The processing unit 204 and the scan driving unit 206 are connected so as to communicate with each other. The processing unit 204 and the head driving unit 208 are connected so as to communicate with each other. The scanning drive unit 206 is connected to the carriage moving mechanism 104 and the stage moving mechanism 108 so as to communicate with each other. Similarly, the head driving unit 208 is connected to each of the plurality of droplet discharge heads 114 so as to be able to communicate with each other.

The input buffer memory 200 receives data for discharging droplets of the liquid material 111 from the external information processing apparatus. This data includes data specifying the nozzle 118 functioning as an on-nozzle and data specifying the nozzle 118 functioning as an off-nozzle. The input buffer memory 200 supplies the ejection data to the processing unit 204, and the processing unit 204 stores the ejection data in the storage unit 202.
The storage unit 202 includes a RAM, a magnetic recording medium, a magneto-optical recording medium, and the like.

The carriage position detection unit 302 detects the position (movement distance) of the carriage 105, that is, the droplet discharge unit 103 in the X-axis direction, and inputs the detection signal to the processing unit 204.
The stage position detection unit 303 detects the position (movement distance) of the stage 106, that is, the base 10 </ b> A in the Y-axis direction, and inputs the detection signal to the processing unit 204.
The carriage position detection unit 302 and the stage position detection unit 303 are constituted by, for example, a linear encoder, a laser length measuring device, or the like.

The processing unit 204 controls the operation of the carriage moving mechanism 104 and the stage moving mechanism 108 (closed loop control) via the scanning drive unit 206 based on the detection signals of the carriage position detecting unit 302 and the stage position detecting unit 303. The position of the droplet discharge means 103 and the line scanner 301 and the position of the substrate 10A are controlled.
Further, the processing unit 204 controls the movement speed of the stage 106, that is, the base 10 </ b> A by controlling the operation of the stage moving mechanism 108.

Further, the processing unit 204 supplies a selection signal SC for designating on / off of the nozzle 118 at each ejection timing to the head driving unit 208 based on the data read by the line scanner 301. The head drive unit 208 gives the droplet ejection head 114 with an ejection signal ES necessary for ejecting the liquid material 111 based on the selection signal SC. As a result, the liquid material 111 is discharged as droplets from the corresponding nozzle 118 in the droplet discharge head 114.
The control means 112 may be a computer including a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. In this case, the function of the control unit 112 is realized by a software program executed by a computer. Of course, the control means 112 may be realized by a dedicated circuit (hardware).

Next, the configuration and function of the head drive unit 208 in the control unit 112 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 6A, the head drive unit 208 includes one drive signal generation unit 203 and a plurality of analog switches AS. As shown in FIG. 6B, the drive signal generation unit 203 generates a drive signal DS. The potential of the drive signal DS changes with respect to the reference potential L over time. Specifically, the drive signal DS includes a plurality of ejection waveforms P that are repeated at the ejection cycle EP. Here, the discharge waveform P corresponds to a drive voltage waveform to be applied between a pair of electrodes of the corresponding vibrator 124 in order to discharge one droplet from the nozzle 118.

The drive signal DS is supplied to each input terminal of the analog switch AS. Each of the analog switches AS is provided corresponding to each of the ejection units 127. That is, the number of analog switches AS and the number of ejection units 127 (that is, the number of nozzles 118) are the same.
The processing unit 204 gives a selection signal SC indicating ON / OFF of the nozzle 118 to each analog switch AS. Here, the selection signal SC can take either a high level or a low level independently for each analog switch AS. On the other hand, the analog switch AS supplies the ejection signal ES to the electrode 124A of the vibrator 124 according to the drive signal DS and the selection signal SC. Specifically, when the selection signal SC is at a high level, the analog switch AS propagates the drive signal DS as the ejection signal ES to the electrode 124A. On the other hand, when the selection signal SC is at a low level, the potential of the ejection signal ES output from the analog switch AS becomes the reference potential L. When the drive signal DS is applied to the electrode 124A of the vibrator 124, the liquid material 111 is discharged from the nozzle 118 corresponding to the vibrator 124. A reference potential L is applied to the electrode 124B of each vibrator 124.

  In the example shown in FIG. 6B, the high-level period in each of the two selection signals SC so that the discharge waveform P appears in the cycle 2EP that is twice the discharge cycle EP in each of the two discharge signals ES. A low-level period is set. As a result, the liquid material 111 is discharged from each of the two corresponding nozzles 118 at a period of 2EP. A common drive signal DS from the common drive signal generation unit 203 is given to each of the vibrators 124 corresponding to these two nozzles 118. For this reason, the liquid material 111 is discharged from the two nozzles 118 at substantially the same timing.

<Embodiment of droplet application method>
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the droplet applying method of the present invention, which is performed using the droplet discharge device 100 as described above, will be described.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view showing a part of the base body 10A. As shown in the figure, a large number of pixels 18R, 18G, and 18B formed by being surrounded by the black matrix 14 (and the bank 16) are arranged in a matrix on the base 10A. A liquid material containing an R (red) pigment is applied to the pixel 18R, a liquid material containing a G (green) pigment is applied to the pixel 18G, and a B (blue) pigment is applied to the pixel 18B. A liquid material containing is provided.

Each of the pixels 18R, 18G, and 18B has a substantially rectangular shape, and its longitudinal direction is parallel to the Y-axis direction, and its short direction is parallel to the X-axis direction.
A set of pixels 18R, 18G, and 18B arranged in the X-axis direction corresponds to one pixel of the color filter substrate. The substrate 10A is for manufacturing a color filter substrate having a stripe arrangement.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of the droplet applying method of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a graph showing a read signal of the line scanner 301 and a signal after the control means 112 processes the read signal.
Hereinafter, based on these drawings, the droplet applying method of the present invention will be described in order by taking as an example the case of applying a liquid material to the green pixel 18G.

First, by operating the stage moving mechanism 108, the line scanner 301 scans relative to the base 10A in the Y-axis direction. During this time, information regarding the relative position and relative movement speed between the line scanner 301 and the base 10 </ b> A is input from the stage position detection unit 303 to the processing unit 204.
By performing such scanning by the line scanner 301, the region on the base 10A to which the liquid material is to be applied, that is, the pattern of the pixels 18R, 18G, and 18B is read (step S01 in FIG. 9). Data read by the line scanner 301 is input to the processing unit 204 of the control unit 112 and further stored in the storage unit 202.
Data read by the line scanner 301 is two-dimensional information (image data) on the surface of the substrate 10A. Hereinafter, this data will be described taking data at a position indicated by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 7 as an example.

  A signal read by the line scanner 301 at a position indicated by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 7 is represented by a graph as shown in FIG. In the region of the pixel 18G, the reflectance of the illumination light irradiated by the light projecting unit of the line scanner 301 is high, so that the read signal output of the line scanner 301 becomes large. In contrast, at the position of the black matrix 14, the reflectance of the illumination light is low, so that the read signal output of the line scanner 301 is small. Therefore, in the graph as shown in FIG. 10A, a portion where the read signal is large and a portion where the read signal is large repeatedly appear along the position in the Y-axis direction indicated by the horizontal axis, and the portion where the read signal is large is the pixel 18G. The black matrix 14 is where the signal is small.

  Next, the processing unit 204 performs binarization processing on the data read by the line scanner 301. Thereby, data as shown in FIG. 10B is obtained. Based on the binarized data, the processing unit 204 provides information on the position and number of the chip 300 (see FIG. 2) in the base 10A, the center position and the total position of each pixel 18R, 18G, 18B in the chip 300. Information on the number of pixels and information on one area of the pixels 18R, 18G, and 18B are extracted (step S02). The extracted information is stored in the storage unit 202.

In the droplet discharge device 100, since the liquid material is applied only to the green pixel 18G, the information extracted in step S02 includes information for discriminating the pixel 18G from the other pixels 18R and 18B.
After step S02, the processing unit 204 determines a position where the droplet 304 is applied to the base 10A based on the information extracted in step S02, and generates a signal for instructing the droplet discharge position for each nozzle 118 ( Step S03). At this time, the processing unit 204 uses film formation information stored in advance in the input buffer memory 200. This film formation information includes the amount per drop of the liquid material and the amount of liquid material required per unit area of the pixel region. The processing unit 204 can determine the number of droplets to be ejected in one pixel based on the film formation information and the area information of one pixel extracted in step S02.

  In the present embodiment, 5 drops of liquid material per pixel are sequentially discharged from one nozzle 118. Therefore, the droplet discharge position command signal for the nozzle 118 passing on the one-dot chain line in FIG. 7 is represented by the graph shown in FIG. The graph of FIG. 10 (3) is a command for ejecting droplets five times to the position of each pixel 18G appearing in the graph of FIG. 10 (2). On the other hand, the nozzle 118 passing over the pixels 18R and 18B or the nozzle 118 passing only over the black matrix 14 is prevented from ejecting the liquid droplets 304.

  Further, the processing unit 204 outputs the droplet discharge position command signal for the nozzle 118 obtained in step S03 based on the information on the relative position and relative movement speed between the droplet discharge means 103 and the substrate 10A. It is converted into a discharge timing signal for 118. As a result, for example, for the nozzle 118 passing on the one-dot chain line in FIG. 7, a discharge timing signal as shown in FIG. 10 (4) is extracted (step S04). The ejection timing signal is stored in the storage unit 202.

When the discharge timing signal for each nozzle 118 is extracted as described above, the stage moving mechanism 108 is actuated again, and the substrate 10A and the droplet discharge means 103 are moved relative to each other in the Y-axis direction. Based on the timing signal and the relative position and relative movement speed between the droplet discharge means 103 and the substrate 10A detected by the stage position detection means 303, the liquid material is discharged as a droplet 304 from the nozzle 118.
FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a droplet application position to one pixel of the substrate 10A when a droplet is applied by the control described above. As shown in the figure, in the present embodiment, five droplets 304 of the liquid material are applied at equal intervals along the Y-axis direction in each pixel 18G.

  As described above, the droplet applying method of the present invention has been described by taking the case where the liquid material is applied to the green pixel 18G as an example. However, separate droplet discharge devices are also applied to the red pixel 18R and the blue pixel 18B. A liquid material can be similarly applied using 100. In the present invention, not only the method of forming the pixels 18R, 18G, and 18B using the dedicated droplet discharge device 100, but also a droplet discharge head 114 that discharges a red liquid material to the droplet discharge means 103. And a droplet discharge head 114 that discharges a green liquid material and a droplet discharge head 114 that discharges a blue liquid material, the pixels 18R, 18G, You may make it provide the droplet of a liquid material simultaneously to 18B.

  Further, in the above description, the relative movement (scanning) between the droplet discharge means 103 (line scanner 301) and the substrate 10A when reading with the line scanner 301, and the droplet discharge means 103 when discharging the droplets. In the above description, the relative movement (scanning) between the substrate 10A and the substrate 10A is described as an example. However, the reading by the line scanner 301 and the droplet discharge by the droplet discharge means 103 are performed simultaneously in one scan. It may be.

As described above, in the present invention, an area (for example, a pixel area) to which a liquid material is to be applied is read by the line scanner 301, and the control unit 112 automatically determines a droplet application position based on the read result. Therefore, it is not necessary to prepare a droplet discharge algorithm for each type of substrate in advance and store it in the droplet discharge apparatus 100, and the work load in the preparation stage can be greatly reduced, resulting in high production efficiency. It is done. That is, regardless of the pixel pattern such as the stripe arrangement, the delta arrangement, the mosaic arrangement, and the pen tile arrangement, and the position and number of the chips 300 in one substrate 10A, the droplets are applied to the area to which the liquid material is to be applied. It can be applied accurately and is extremely advantageous. In addition, also in the cases as shown in FIGS. 11 to 15 described later, it is possible to accurately apply the droplets to the region where the liquid material is to be applied.
In the present invention, since it is not necessary to perform alignment when discharging droplets from the droplet discharge means 103, high production efficiency can be obtained. In addition, an alignment mark is not required on the substrate 10A, and a droplet landing position deviation (color mixing) due to an error in the alignment mark position for each substrate as in the conventional case does not occur.

  FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a droplet application position in a pixel in the case of a pixel pattern in which each pixel has a large size. In the droplet discharge method of the present invention, as described above, the processing unit 204 determines the number of required droplets according to the area of one pixel region, so that when each pixel 18G ′ is large, As shown in FIG. 11, a large number of droplets 304 are applied to each pixel 18G ′ so that a necessary amount of liquid material is applied.

FIG. 12 is a plan view showing a droplet application position in a pixel in the case of still another pixel pattern, and FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a state after the applied droplet is spread as shown in FIG. is there.
The pixel 18G ″ shown in FIG. 12 is a pixel pattern in which the short side direction of the pixel 18G ″ is the Y-axis direction (scanning direction). In this case, as shown in FIG. 12, when the ten nozzles 118 passing over the pixel 18G ″ come onto the pixel 18G ″, the droplet 304 is ejected by two droplets, and a total of 20 droplets are discharged. A droplet is applied in one pixel 18G ″.

A specific example of the pixel pattern and the liquid material to be applied will be described by taking the case of FIG. 12 as an example. In the case of FIG. 12, the pixel pitch in the short direction of the pixel region is 71 microns, the pixel pitch in the longitudinal direction is 213 microns, and the width of the bank 16 (black matrix 14) is 12 microns. The size of 18 ″ is 59 microns × 201 microns. The amount of one drop of the liquid material is 10 nanograms, the liquid material is an organic solvent ink, and its solid content is 11%.
As shown in FIG. 13, the liquid material applied to the pixel 18G ″ under the above conditions spreads throughout the entire surface.

FIG. 14 is a plan view showing a case where the direction of the substrate 10A ′ placed on the stage 106 is oblique, and FIG. 15 is a plan view showing a droplet application position in the pixel in the case of FIG. .
The substrate 10A ′ shown in FIG. 14 has a pixel pattern in which the size of each pixel 18R ′, 18G ′, 18B ′ is large as shown in FIG. When such a base 10A ′ is placed on the stage 106 at an angle, a droplet 304 is applied to each pixel as shown in FIG. 15, and the direction of the base 10A ′ is straight as shown in FIG. In the same manner as described above, a necessary amount of liquid material can be applied in the pixel. Thus, in the present invention, even if the direction of the substrate 10A ′ is oblique, the droplet application position can be appropriately determined correspondingly. Therefore, it is possible to omit correcting the direction of the base body 10A ′ by rotating the stage 106, and high production efficiency can be obtained.

<Second Embodiment of Droplet Discharge Device>
Next, an example in which the present invention is applied to the manufacture of a color filter substrate will be described in more detail.
A substrate 10A shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B is a substrate that becomes the color filter substrate 10 through processing by a manufacturing apparatus 1 (FIG. 17) described later. The base body 10A has a plurality of pixels 18R, 18G, and 18B arranged in a matrix.

  Specifically, the base body 10 </ b> A includes a support substrate 12 having optical transparency, a black matrix 14 formed on the support substrate 12, and a bank 16 formed on the black matrix 14. The black matrix 14 is formed of a light-shielding material. The black matrix 14 and the bank 16 on the black matrix 14 are positioned on the support substrate 12 so that a plurality of matrix-like light transmission portions, that is, a plurality of matrix-like pixel regions are defined.

  In each pixel region, the concave portions defined by the support substrate 12, the black matrix 14, and the bank 16 correspond to the pixel 18R, the pixel 18G, and the pixel 18B. The pixel 18R is a region where the filter layer 111FR that transmits only light in the red wavelength region is to be formed, and the pixel 18G is a region in which the filter layer 111FG that transmits only light in the green wavelength region is to be formed. The pixel 18B is a region where the filter layer 111FB that transmits only light in the blue wavelength region is to be formed.

  The base 10A shown in FIG. 16B is located on a virtual plane parallel to both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. In the base body 10A, the pixels 18R, the pixels 18G, and the pixels 18B are periodically arranged in this order in the X-axis direction. On the other hand, the pixels 18R are arranged in a line at a predetermined constant interval in the Y axis direction, and the pixels 18G are arranged in a line at a predetermined constant interval in the Y axis direction, and The pixels 18B are arranged in a line at a predetermined constant interval in the Y-axis direction. Note that the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are orthogonal to each other.

  The manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 17 is an apparatus that discharges a corresponding color filter material to each of the pixels 18R, 18G, and 18B of the base body 10A of FIG. Specifically, the manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a droplet discharge device 100R that applies the color filter material 111R to all the pixels 18R by the droplet applying method described above, and a drying device 150R that dries the color filter material 111R on the pixels 18R. A droplet discharge device 100G for applying the color filter material 111G to all of the pixels 18G by the droplet applying method described above, a drying device 150G for drying the color filter material 111G on the pixel 18G, and the droplet applying method described above. The droplet discharge device 100B that applies the color filter material 111B to all of the pixels 18B, the drying device 150B that dries the color filter material 111B of the pixels 18B, and the color filter materials 111R, 111G, and 111B are heated again (post-bake). Oven 160 and post The droplet discharge device 100C for providing the protective film 20 on the layer of the color filter material 111R, 111G, 111B, the drying device 150C for drying the protective film 20, and the dried protective film 20 are heated again. A curing device 165 for curing. Further, the manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a droplet discharge device 100R, a drying device 150R, a droplet discharge device 100G, a drying device 150G, a droplet discharge device 100B, a drying device 150B, a droplet discharge device 100C, a drying device 150C, and a curing device 165. A transport device 170 that transports the base body 10A in order is also provided.

  As shown in FIG. 18, the configuration of the droplet discharge device 100R is basically the same as the configuration of the droplet discharge device 100 of the first embodiment. However, instead of the tank 101 and the tube 110, the droplet discharge device 100R includes a tank 101R and a tube 110R for the liquid color filter material 111R, and the configuration of the droplet discharge device 100R is the droplet discharge device 100. The configuration is different. Note that, among the components of the droplet discharge device 100R, the same components as those of the droplet discharge device 100 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment, and redundant description is omitted.

  The configuration of the droplet discharge device 100G, the configuration of the droplet discharge device 100B, and the configuration of the droplet discharge device 100C are basically the same as the configuration of the droplet discharge device 100R. However, instead of the tank 101R and the tube 110R in the droplet discharge device 100R, the droplet discharge device 100G includes a tank and a tube for the color filter material 111G, and the configuration of the droplet discharge device 100G is a droplet discharge. Different from the configuration of the device 100R. Similarly, in place of the tank 101R and the tube 110R, the droplet discharge device 100B includes a tank and a tube for the color filter material 111B, and the configuration of the droplet discharge device 100B is the same as the configuration of the droplet discharge device 100R. Different. Furthermore, the configuration of the droplet discharge device 100C is different from the configuration of the droplet discharge device 100R in that the droplet discharge device 100C includes a tank and a tube for a protective film material instead of the tank 101R and the tube 110R. The liquid color filter materials 111R, 111G, and 111B in this embodiment are examples of the liquid material of the present invention.

  Next, the operation of the droplet discharge device 100R will be described. The droplet discharge device 100R discharges the same material to a plurality of pixels 18R arranged in a matrix on the base 10A. As described in the third embodiment, the base body 10A may be replaced with a substrate for an electroluminescence display device, and may further be replaced with a rear substrate for a plasma display device. You may replace with the board | substrate of the image display apparatus provided with the element.

Below, a series of processes until the color filter substrate 10 is obtained by the manufacturing apparatus 1 will be described.
First, the base body 10A of FIG. 16 is prepared according to the following procedure. First, a metal thin film is formed on the support substrate 12 by sputtering or vapor deposition. Thereafter, a lattice-like black matrix 14 is formed from the metal thin film by a photolithography process. Examples of the material of the black matrix 14 are metal chromium and chromium oxide. Note that the support substrate 12 is a substrate having optical transparency with respect to visible light, for example, a glass substrate. Subsequently, a resist layer made of a negative photosensitive resin composition is applied so as to cover the support substrate 12 and the black matrix 14. Then, the resist layer is exposed while closely contacting the mask film formed in a matrix pattern shape on the resist layer. Thereafter, the bank 16 is obtained by removing an unexposed portion of the resist layer by an etching process. The base body 10A is obtained through the above steps.

In place of the bank 16, a bank made of resin black may be used. In that case, the metal thin film (black matrix 14) becomes unnecessary, and the bank layer is only one layer.
Next, the substrate 10A is made lyophilic by oxygen plasma treatment under atmospheric pressure. By this processing, the surface of the support substrate 12, the surface of the black matrix 14, the surface of the bank 16, and the recesses defined by the support substrate 12, the black matrix 14, and the bank 16 (part of the pixel region) The surface becomes lyophilic. Further, thereafter, a plasma treatment using tetrafluoromethane as a treatment gas is performed on the base 10A. By the plasma treatment using tetrafluoromethane, the surface of the bank 16 in each recess is fluorinated (treated to be liquid repellent), whereby the surface of the bank 16 becomes liquid repellent. Note that the surface of the support substrate 12 and the surface of the black matrix 14 to which lyophilicity was previously imparted by plasma treatment using tetrafluoromethane slightly lose lyophilicity, but these surfaces are still lyophilic. maintain. As described above, the surface of the recess is defined by the support substrate 12, the black matrix 14, and the bank 16, and the surface of the recess becomes the pixels 18R, 18G, and 18B.

  Depending on the material of the support substrate 12, the material of the black matrix 14, and the material of the bank 16, a surface exhibiting desired lyophilicity and liquid repellency can be obtained without performing the above surface treatment. There is also. In such a case, the surface of the recess defined by the support substrate 12, the black matrix 14, and the bank 16 is the pixels 18R, 18G, and 18B without performing the surface treatment.

  The base 10A on which the pixels 18R, 18G, and 18B are formed is carried by the transport device 170 to the stage 106 of the droplet discharge device 100R. Then, as shown in FIG. 19A, the droplet discharge device 100R discharges the color filter material 111R from the droplet discharge head 114 so that the layer of the color filter material 111R is formed on all the pixels 18R. . Specifically, the droplet discharge device 100R applies the color filter material 111R to the pixel 18R by the droplet applying method described above. When the layer of the color filter material 111R is formed on all the pixels 18R of the base 10A, the transport device 170 positions the base 10A in the drying device 150R. The filter layer 111FR is obtained on the pixel 18R by completely drying the color filter material 111R on the pixel 18R.

  Next, the transport device 170 positions the base body 10A on the stage 106 of the droplet discharge device 100G. Then, as shown in FIG. 19B, the droplet discharge device 100G discharges the color filter material 111G from the droplet discharge head 114 so that the layer of the color filter material 111G is formed on all the pixels 18G. . Specifically, the droplet discharge device 100G applies the color filter material 111G to the pixel 18G by the droplet applying method described above. When the layer of the color filter material 111G is formed on all the pixels 18G of the base 10A, the transport device 170 positions the base 10A in the drying device 150G. Then, the filter layer 111FG is obtained on the pixel 18G by completely drying the color filter material 111G on the pixel 18G.

  Next, the transport device 170 positions the base body 10A on the stage 106 of the droplet discharge device 100B. Then, as shown in FIG. 19C, the droplet discharge device 100B discharges the color filter material 111B from the droplet discharge head 114 so that the layer of the color filter material 111B is formed on all the pixels 18B. . Specifically, the droplet discharge device 100B applies the color filter material 111B to the pixel 18B by the droplet applying method described above. When the layer of the color filter material 111B is formed on all the pixels 18B of the base 10A, the transport device 170 positions the base 10A in the drying device 150B. Then, the filter layer 111FB is obtained on the pixel 18B by completely drying the color filter material 111B on the pixel 18B.

Next, the transfer device 170 positions the base body 10 </ b> A in the oven 160. Thereafter, the oven 160 reheats (post-bake) the filter layers 111FR, 111FG, and 111FB.
Next, the transport device 170 positions the base body 10A on the stage 106 of the droplet discharge device 100C. Then, the droplet discharge device 100C discharges a liquid protective film material so that the protective film (overcoat) 20 is formed so as to cover the filter layers 111FR, 111FG, 111FB and the bank 16.

In the droplet discharge device 100C, a droplet of a liquid protective film material is discharged only on the chip 300 based on information on the position and number of the chip 300 (see FIG. 2) read by the line scanner 301. Thereby, the protective film 20 can be accurately formed on the chip 300 without waste.
After the protective film 20 covering the filter layers 111FR, 111FG, 111FB and the bank 16 is formed, the transport device 170 positions the base body 10A in the drying device 150C. Then, after the drying device 150 </ b> C completely dries the protective film 20, the curing device 165 heats the protective film 20 and completely cures, whereby the base body 10 </ b> A becomes the color filter substrate 10.

<Third Embodiment of Droplet Discharge Device>
Next, the example which applied this invention to the manufacturing apparatus of an electroluminescent display apparatus is demonstrated.
A substrate 30A shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B is a substrate that becomes the electroluminescence display device 30 by processing by the manufacturing apparatus 2 (FIG. 21) described later. The base 30A has a plurality of pixels 38R, 38G, and 38B arranged in a matrix.

  Specifically, the base body 30A includes a support substrate 32, a circuit element layer 34 formed on the support substrate 32, a plurality of pixel electrodes 36 formed on the circuit element layer 34, and a plurality of pixel electrodes 36. And a bank 40 formed therebetween. The support substrate 32 is a substrate having optical transparency with respect to visible light, and is, for example, a glass substrate. Each of the plurality of pixel electrodes 36 is an electrode having optical transparency with respect to visible light, for example, an ITO (Indium-Tin Oxide) electrode. The plurality of pixel electrodes 36 are arranged in a matrix on the circuit element layer 34, and each define a pixel region. The bank 40 has a lattice shape and surrounds each of the plurality of pixel electrodes 36. The bank 40 includes an inorganic bank 40A formed on the circuit element layer 34 and an organic bank 40B positioned on the inorganic bank 40A.

  The circuit element layer 34 includes a plurality of scan electrodes extending in a predetermined direction on the support substrate 32, an insulating film 42 formed so as to cover the plurality of scan electrodes, and a plurality of scan electrodes positioned on the insulating film 42. A plurality of signal electrodes extending in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the electrodes extend, a plurality of switching elements 44 located near the intersections of the scan electrodes and the signal electrodes, and polyimide formed so as to cover the plurality of switching elements 44 And an interlayer insulating film 45. The gate electrode 44G and the source electrode 44S of each switching element 44 are electrically connected to the corresponding scan electrode and the corresponding signal electrode, respectively. A plurality of pixel electrodes 36 are located on the interlayer insulating film 45. The interlayer insulating film 45 is provided with a through hole 44V at a portion corresponding to the drain electrode 44D of each switching element 44, and the switching element 44 and the corresponding pixel electrode 36 are connected via the through hole 44V. An electrical connection between them is formed. Each switching element 44 is located at a position corresponding to the bank 40. That is, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 20B, each of the plurality of switching elements 44 is positioned so as to be covered by the bank 40.

  A recess (a part of the pixel area) defined by the pixel electrode 36 and the bank 40 of the base 30A corresponds to the pixel 38R, the pixel 38G, and the pixel 38B. The pixel 38R is a region where the light emitting layer 211FR that emits light in the red wavelength region is to be formed, and the pixel 38G is a region where the light emitting layer 211FG that emits light in the green wavelength region is to be formed. The pixel 38B is a region where a light emitting layer 211FB that emits light in a blue wavelength region is to be formed.

  The base body 30A shown in FIG. 20B is located on a virtual plane parallel to both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. In the base 30A, the pixels 38R, 38G, and 38B are periodically arranged in this order in the X-axis direction. On the other hand, the pixels 38R are arranged in a line at a predetermined fixed interval in the Y-axis direction, and the pixels 38G are arranged in a line at a predetermined fixed interval in the Y-axis direction. The pixels 38B are arranged in a line at predetermined intervals in the Y-axis direction. Note that the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are orthogonal to each other.

  The manufacturing apparatus 2 shown in FIG. 21 is an apparatus that discharges a corresponding luminescent material to each of the pixels 38R, 38G, and 38B of the base body 30A of FIG. The manufacturing apparatus 2 includes a droplet discharge device 200R that applies the luminescent material 211R to all of the pixels 38R, a drying device 250R that dries the luminescent material 211R on the pixels 38R, and a liquid that applies the luminescent material 211G to all of the pixels 38G. The droplet discharge device 200G, the drying device 250G for drying the luminescent material 211G on the pixel 38G, the droplet discharge device 200B for applying the luminescent material 211B to all the pixels 38B, and the drying for drying the luminescent material B on the pixel 38B. And a device 250B. The manufacturing apparatus 2 further includes a transport device 270 that transports the base body 30A in the order of the droplet discharge device 200R, the drying device 250R, the droplet discharge device 200G, the drying device 250G, the droplet discharge device 200B, and the drying device 250B. .

A droplet discharge device 200R illustrated in FIG. 22 includes a tank 201R that holds a liquid light-emitting material 211R, a tube 210R, and a discharge scanning unit 102 that is supplied with the light-emitting material 211R from the tank 201R via the tube 210R. . Since the configuration of the ejection scanning unit 102 is the same as the configuration of the ejection scanning unit 102 (FIG. 1) of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same components, and redundant description is omitted. The configuration of the droplet discharge device 200G and the configuration of the droplet discharge device 200B are both basically the same as the configuration of the droplet discharge device 200R. However, the configuration of the droplet discharge device 200G is different from the configuration of the droplet discharge device 200R in that the droplet discharge device 200G includes a tank and a tube for the light emitting material 211G instead of the tank 201R and the tube 210R. Similarly, the configuration of the droplet discharge device 200B is different from the configuration of the droplet discharge device 200R in that the droplet discharge device 200B includes a tank and a tube for the light emitting material 211B instead of the tank 201R and the tube 210R. . Note that the liquid light emitting materials 211R, 211B, and 211G in the present embodiment are examples of the liquid material of the present invention.
A method for manufacturing the electroluminescence display device 30 using the manufacturing apparatus 2 will be described. First, a base 30A shown in FIG. 20 is manufactured using a known film forming technique and patterning technique.

  Next, the base 30A is made lyophilic by oxygen plasma treatment under atmospheric pressure. By this processing, the surface of the pixel electrode 36, the surface of the inorganic bank 40A, and the surface of the organic bank 40B in the respective recesses (a part of the pixel region) defined by the pixel electrode 36 and the bank 40 are made lyophilic. Present. Further, thereafter, a plasma process using tetrafluoromethane as a process gas is performed on the base 30A. By the plasma treatment using tetrafluoromethane, the surface of the organic bank 40B in each recess is fluorinated (treated to be liquid repellent) so that the surface of the organic bank 40B exhibits liquid repellency. Become. Note that the surface of the pixel electrode 36 and the surface of the inorganic bank 40A previously given lyophilicity by plasma treatment using tetrafluoromethane lose some lyophilicity, but still maintain lyophilicity. . As described above, the surface of the concave portion defined by the pixel electrode 36 and the bank 40 is subjected to a predetermined surface treatment, so that the surface of the concave portion becomes the pixels 38R, 38G, and 38B.

  Depending on the material of the pixel electrode 36, the material of the inorganic bank 40, and the material of the organic bank 40, a surface exhibiting desired lyophilicity and liquid repellency can be obtained without performing the above surface treatment. Sometimes. In such a case, the surfaces of the recesses defined by the pixel electrode 36 and the bank 40 are the pixels 38R, 38G, and 38B without performing the surface treatment.

  Here, the corresponding hole transport layers 37R, 37G, and 37B may be formed on each of the plurality of pixel electrodes 36 subjected to the surface treatment. If the hole transport layers 37R, 37G, and 37B are positioned between the pixel electrode 36 and light emitting layers 211FR, 211FG, and 211FB, which will be described later, the light emission efficiency of the electroluminescent display device is increased. When a hole transport layer is provided on each of the plurality of pixel electrodes 36, the recesses defined by the hole transport layer and the bank 40 correspond to the pixels 38R, 38G, and 38B.

  Note that the hole transport layers 37R, 37G, and 37B can be formed by an inkjet method. In this case, the hole transport layer can be formed by applying a predetermined amount of a solution containing a material for forming the hole transport layers 37R, 37G, and 37B to each pixel region and then drying the solution. In addition, you may form a positive hole transport layer using the droplet provision method described in this specification.

  The substrate 30A on which the pixels 38R, 38G, and 38B are formed is carried by the transport device 270 to the stage 106 of the droplet discharge device 200R. Then, as shown in FIG. 23A, the droplet discharge device 200R discharges the light emitting material 211R from the droplet discharge head 114 so that the layer of the light emitting material 211R is formed on all the pixels 38R. Specifically, the droplet discharge device 200R applies the light emitting material 211R to the pixel 38R by the droplet applying method described above. When the layer of the light emitting material 211R is formed on all the pixels 38R of the base body 30A, the transport device 270 positions the base body 30A in the drying device 250R. Then, the light emitting material 211R on the pixel 38R is completely dried to obtain the light emitting layer 211FR on the pixel 38R.

  Next, the transport device 270 positions the base body 30A on the stage 106 of the droplet discharge device 200G. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 23B, the droplet discharge device 200G discharges the light emitting material 211G from the droplet discharge head 114 so that the layer of the light emitting material 211G is formed on all the pixels 38G. Specifically, the droplet discharge device 200G applies the light emitting material 211G to the pixel 38G by the droplet applying method described above. When the layer of the light emitting material 211G is formed on all the pixels 38G of the base body 30A, the transport device 270 positions the base body 30A in the drying device 250G. Then, the light emitting material G on the pixel 38G is completely dried to obtain the light emitting layer 211FG on the pixel 38G.

  Next, the transport device 270 positions the base body 30A on the stage 106 of the droplet discharge device 200B. Then, as shown in FIG. 23C, the droplet discharge device 200B discharges the light emitting material 211B from the droplet discharge head 114 so that the layer of the light emitting material 211B is formed on all the pixels 38B. Specifically, the droplet discharge device 200B applies the light emitting material 211B to the pixel 38B by the droplet applying method described above. When the layer of the light emitting material 211B is formed on all the pixels 38B of the base 30A, the transport device 270 positions the base 30A in the drying device 250B. Then, the light emitting material 211B on the pixel 38B is completely dried to obtain the light emitting layer 211FB on the pixel 38B.

Next, as shown in FIG. 23D, the counter electrode 46 is provided so as to cover the light emitting layers 211FR, 211FG, 211FB, and the bank 40. The counter electrode 46 functions as a cathode.
Then, the electroluminescent display apparatus 30 shown in FIG.23 (d) is obtained by adhere | attaching the sealing substrate 48 and the base | substrate 30A in a mutual peripheral part. An inert gas 49 is enclosed between the sealing substrate 48 and the base body 30A.
In the electroluminescence display device 30, light emitted from the light emitting layers 211 FR, 211 FG, and 211 FB is emitted through the pixel electrode 36, the circuit element layer 34, and the support substrate 32. The electroluminescence display device that emits light through the circuit element layer 34 in this manner is called a bottom emission type display device.

  As described above, the case where the present invention is applied to the manufacture of a liquid crystal display device (color filter substrate) and the manufacture of an electroluminescence display device has been described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and for example, a back substrate of a plasma display device The present invention can also be applied to the manufacture of an image display device (also referred to as SED (Surface-Conduction Electron-Emitter Display) or FED (Field Emission Display)) equipped with an electron-emitting device.

<Embodiment of Electronic Device of the Present Invention>
An image display device (electro-optical device) 1000 such as a liquid crystal display device, an electroluminescence display device, a plasma display device, or an image display device provided with an electron-emitting device manufactured by the method as described above is a display unit of various electronic devices. Can be used.
FIG. 24 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a mobile (or notebook) personal computer to which the electronic apparatus of the present invention is applied.

In this figure, a personal computer 1100 includes a main body 1104 having a keyboard 1102 and a display unit 1106. The display unit 1106 is supported by the main body 1104 via a hinge structure so as to be rotatable. Yes.
In the personal computer 1100, the display unit 1106 includes an image display device 1000.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a mobile phone (including PHS) to which the electronic apparatus of the invention is applied.
In this figure, a cellular phone 1200 is provided with an image display device 1000 in a display unit, together with a plurality of operation buttons 1202, an earpiece 1204, and a mouthpiece 1206.
FIG. 26 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a digital still camera to which the electronic apparatus of the present invention is applied. In this figure, connection with an external device is also simply shown.

Here, an ordinary camera sensitizes a silver halide photographic film with a light image of a subject, whereas a digital still camera 1300 photoelectrically converts a light image of a subject with an imaging device such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device). An imaging signal (image signal) is generated.
On the back of a case (body) 1302 in the digital still camera 1300, an image display device 1000 is provided in the display unit, and is configured to display based on an imaging signal from the CCD, and a finder that displays a subject as an electronic image. Function as.

A circuit board 1308 is installed inside the case. The circuit board 1308 is provided with a memory that can store (store) an imaging signal.
A light receiving unit 1304 including an optical lens (imaging optical system), a CCD, and the like is provided on the front side of the case 1302 (on the back side in the illustrated configuration).
When the photographer confirms the subject image displayed on the display unit and presses the shutter button 1306, the CCD image pickup signal at that time is transferred and stored in the memory of the circuit board 1308.

  In the digital still camera 1300, a video signal output terminal 1312 and an input / output terminal 1314 for data communication are provided on the side surface of the case 1302. As shown in the figure, a television monitor 1430 is connected to the video signal output terminal 1312 and a personal computer 1440 is connected to the input / output terminal 1314 for data communication as necessary. Further, the imaging signal stored in the memory of the circuit board 1308 is output to the television monitor 1430 or the personal computer 1440 by a predetermined operation.

  The electronic apparatus according to the present invention includes, for example, a television, a video camera, a viewfinder type, and a monitor direct-view type video tape recorder in addition to the above-described personal computer (mobile personal computer), mobile phone, and digital still camera. , Laptop personal computers, car navigation devices, pagers, electronic notebooks (including those with communication functions), electronic dictionaries, calculators, electronic game devices, word processors, workstations, videophones, security TV monitors, electronic binoculars, POS terminals , Devices equipped with touch panels (for example, cash dispensers of financial institutions, automatic ticket vending machines), medical devices (for example, electronic thermometers, blood pressure monitors, blood glucose meters, electrocardiographic display devices, ultrasonic diagnostic devices, endoscope display devices), Fish finder, various measuring instruments, instruments (eg If, gages for vehicles, aircraft, and ships), a flight simulator, various monitors, and a projection display such as a projector.

As described above, the liquid droplet ejection apparatus, the liquid droplet applying method, the electro-optical device manufacturing method, and the electronic apparatus according to the present invention have been described with reference to the illustrated embodiments. Each unit constituting the droplet discharge device can be replaced with any component that can exhibit the same function. Moreover, arbitrary components may be added.
In the droplet discharge device 100 of the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the droplet discharge head 114 and the line scanner 301 cover the entire length of the base 10A in the X-axis direction. However, it is configured to enable reading and droplet discharge to the entire substrate 10A only by relatively scanning the droplet discharge means 103 and the substrate 10A in the Y-axis direction. 27, the configuration may be such that the droplet discharge head 114 and the line scanner 301 are less than the length of the substrate 10A in the X-axis direction. In this case, the position of the droplet discharge means 103 in the X-axis direction is shifted (sub-scanned) by the operation of the carriage moving mechanism 104, and relative scanning in the Y-axis direction between the droplet discharge means 103 and the substrate 10A ( By performing the main scanning a plurality of times, it is possible to read the entire substrate 10A and discharge the droplets.

  In the present invention, the region to be coated with the liquid material that is read by the reading means is not limited to a region such as a pixel, but any region that is surrounded by an optically readable bank or black matrix. Alternatively, for example, it is possible to read a region surrounded by a bank for forming a metal wiring on the substrate and discharge a droplet of the metal wiring forming material to the region.

1 is a perspective view of a droplet discharge device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The top view which shows the droplet discharge means and the base | substrate in the droplet discharge apparatus shown in FIG. The figure which shows the bottom face of the droplet discharge head in the droplet discharge apparatus shown in FIG. 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating a droplet discharge head in the droplet discharge apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, in which FIG. The block diagram of the droplet discharge apparatus shown in FIG. (A) is a schematic diagram showing a head drive unit, (b) is a timing chart showing a drive signal, a selection signal and an ejection signal in the head drive unit. The top view which expands and shows a part of base | substrate. The top view which shows the droplet application position to one pixel of a base | substrate. The flowchart which shows embodiment of the droplet provision method of this invention. The graph which shows the read signal of a line scanner, and the signal after a control means processes the read signal. The top view which shows the droplet provision position in a pixel in the case of a pixel pattern with the magnitude | size of each pixel large. Furthermore, the top view which shows the droplet application position in the pixel in the case of another pixel pattern. The top view which shows the mode after the droplet provided like FIG. 12 spreads wet. The top view which shows the case where the direction of the base | substrate set | placed on the stage was slanting. The top view which shows the droplet application position in the pixel in the case of FIG. The schematic diagram which shows the base | substrate which provides a droplet with the droplet discharge apparatus of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The schematic diagram which shows the manufacturing apparatus containing the droplet discharge apparatus of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view of the droplet discharge apparatus of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The schematic diagram which shows the manufacturing method by the droplet discharge apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. The schematic diagram which shows the base | substrate which provides a droplet with the droplet discharge apparatus of 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The schematic diagram which shows the manufacturing apparatus containing the droplet discharge apparatus of 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view of the droplet discharge apparatus of 3rd Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a manufacturing method using a droplet discharge device according to a third embodiment. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a mobile (or notebook) personal computer to which an electronic apparatus of the present invention is applied. The perspective view which shows the structure of the mobile telephone (PHS is also included) to which the electronic device of this invention is applied. FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a digital still camera to which the electronic apparatus of the invention is applied. The top view which shows the other structural example and base | substrate of a droplet discharge means in the droplet discharge apparatus shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 2 ... Manufacturing apparatus 100, 100R, 100G, 100B, 100C, 200R, 200G, 200B ... Droplet discharge device 101, 101R, 201R ... Tank 102 ... Discharge scanning part 103 ... Droplet discharge means 104 ... Carriage moving mechanism 105 ... Carriage 106 ... Stage 108 ... Stage moving mechanism 110, 210R ... Tube 111 ... Liquid material 112 ... Control means 114 ... Droplet discharge head 114G ... Head group 116A, 116B ... Nozzle array 118 ... Nozzle 118R ... Reference nozzle 120 ... Cavity 122 ... Bulkhead 124 ... Vibrator 124A, 124B ... Electrode 124C ... Piezo element 126 ... Diaphragm 127 ... Discharge part 128 ... Nozzle plate 129 …… Puddle 13 0 ... Supply port 131 ... Hole 200 ... Buffer memory 202 ... Storage means 203 ... Drive signal generation unit 204 ... Processing unit 206 ... Scanning drive unit 208 ... Head drive unit AS ... Analog switch DS ... ... Drive signal SC ... Selection signal ES ... Discharge signal 10A, 10A ', 30A ... Substrate 10 ... Color filter substrate 12, 32 ... Support substrate 14 ... Black matrix 16, 40 ... Bank 20 ... Protection Films 18R, 18R ′, 18G, 18G ′, 18G ″, 18B, 18B ′, 38R, 38G, 38B …… Pixels 111FR, 111FG, 111FB …… Filter layer 30 …… Electroluminescence display device 34 …… Circuit element layer 37R, 37G, 37B: hole transport layer 36: pixel electrode 40A: inorganic vane 40B …… Organic bank 42 …… Insulating film 44 …… Switching element 44G …… Gate electrode 44S …… Source electrode 44D …… Drain electrode 44V …… Through hole 45 …… Interlayer insulating film 46 …… Counter electrode 48 …… Sealed Stop substrate 49 …… Inert gas 150C …… Drying device 150R, 150G, 150B, 250R, 250G, 250B …… Drying device 111R, 111G, 111B …… Color filter material 160 …… Oven 165 …… Curing device 170,270 Transport device 211R, 211G, 211B ... Luminescent material 211FR, 211FG, 211FB ... Light emitting layer 300 ... Chip 301 ... Line scanner 302 ... Carriage position detection means 303 ... Stage position detection means 304 ... Droplet 1000 …… Image Display device 1100 ... Personal computer 1102 ... Keyboard 1104 ... Main body 1106 ... Display unit 1200 ... Mobile phone 1202 ... Operation buttons 1204 ... Earpiece 1206 ... Mouthpiece 1300 ... Digital still camera 1302 ... ... Case (Body) 1304 ...... Light receiving unit 1306 ...... Shutter button 1308 ...... Circuit board 1312 ...... Video signal output terminal 1314 ...... Input / output terminal for data communication 1430 ... TV monitor 1440 ... Personal computer

Claims (8)

A droplet discharge device that discharges a liquid material as droplets to a substrate on which a region to which a liquid material is to be applied is formed, and applies the droplets to the region.
Droplet discharge means having a nozzle for discharging droplets;
Moving means for relatively moving the substrate and the droplet discharge means;
Reading means for optically reading the pattern of the region on the substrate;
Control means for controlling the operation of the droplet discharge means and the moving means,
The control means controls the operation of the droplet discharge means and the movement means so that liquid material droplets are applied to the region based on the data read by the reading means. A droplet discharge apparatus characterized by the above.   The reading means is provided so as to move relative to the substrate integrally with the droplet discharge means, and scans the reading means relative to the substrate by operation of the moving means. The liquid droplet ejection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pattern of the region is read by this. The region on the substrate is formed by being surrounded by a bank and / or a black matrix;
The droplet discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the reading unit optically reads the shape of the bank and / or the black matrix.   4. The liquid droplet ejection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit extracts information related to the pattern of the region by performing binarization processing on the data read by the reading unit. The base is for manufacturing one or a plurality of chips that are components of the image display device,
The control means, based on the data read by the reading means, information on the position and number of the chips on the substrate, information on the center position and the number of pixels of each pixel in each chip, 5. The droplet discharge device according to claim 1, wherein at least one piece of information with respect to the area is extracted and a droplet application position on the substrate is determined based on the extracted information. The substrate on which the region where the liquid material is to be applied is formed and the droplet discharge means having a nozzle for discharging the droplet are relatively moved, and the liquid material is discharged from the nozzle as a droplet and applied to the region. A method for applying liquid droplets,
A droplet applying method comprising: optically reading a pattern of the region on the substrate and controlling so that a liquid material droplet is applied to the region based on the read data.   6. A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device, comprising: applying a droplet of a liquid material to a predetermined region on a substrate using the droplet discharge device according to claim 1. An electronic apparatus comprising the electro-optical device manufactured by the method for manufacturing an electro-optical device according to claim 7.

Images