JP2006086332A - Mask transport apparatus for proximity exposure apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mask transport apparatus for a proximity exposure apparatus which can be miniaturized because a mask holding mechanism does not become large, even when the apparatus is a large-size proximity exposure apparatus having a large installation area due to using a large-size substrate. <P>SOLUTION: The mask transport apparatus ML is provided with a mask holder 42 for holding a mask M so that the mask may be freely attached and detached; a mask forward/backward moving mechanism 44 for moving the mask holder forward and backward in a horizontal direction; a mask horizontally rotating mechanism 46 for rotating the mask forward/backward moving mechanism around a rotation axis directed in a vertical direction; a mask lifting mechanism for lifting the mask horizontally rotating mechanism up and down; and a mask horizontally moving mechanism 50 for horizontally moving all of the mask holding section, the mask forward/backward moving mechanism, the mask horizontally rotating mechanism, and the mask lifting means, between a mask stage and a mask accommodating device of the proximity exposure apparatus. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention provides a proximity exposure apparatus that holds a substrate as an exposed material on a substrate stage, disposes a mask held on the lower surface of the mask stage in proximity to the substrate, and exposes and transfers the mask pattern of the mask onto the substrate. In particular, the present invention relates to a mask transport apparatus that holds and moves a mask between a mask storage section that stores a plurality of masks and a mask stage of the proximity exposure apparatus.

  The proximity exposure apparatus holds a translucent substrate (material to be exposed) coated with a photosensitive agent on the surface of the substrate stage, and brings the substrate close to a mask held on the lower surface of the mask stage. An apparatus that exposes and transfers a pattern drawn on a mask onto a substrate by irradiating light for exposure toward the mask from irradiation means arranged above the mask, for example, with a gap of several tens of micrometers to several hundreds of micrometers. For example, in the exposure process of a color filter for a liquid crystal display, for example, batch exposure has been generally used.

Recently, however, LCD screens have been increasing in size, and a small-size mask is stepped onto a large-sized substrate, and a small-sized mask is placed close to the large-sized mask and exposed at each step. A stepwise proximity exposure apparatus for transferring has been adopted.
A mask storage device that stores a plurality of masks and a mask transport device are arranged near the stepped proximity exposure device, and the mask holding mechanism provided in the mask transport device is close to the mask storage device. By moving between the mask stages of the exposure apparatus, the mask stored in the mask storage apparatus is moved to the mask stage, and the mask held on the mask stage is returned to the mask storage apparatus.

However, since the step-type proximity exposure apparatus must be equipped with a large-sized substrate stage by using a large-sized substrate, it becomes a large-sized apparatus with an increased installation area of the apparatus. Since the substrate stage and the mask stage are provided, the distance between the mask stage and the mask storage device is increased as compared with the conventional proximity exposure apparatus.
Thus, as the distance between the mask stage and the mask storage device increases, the range in which the mask holding mechanism of the mask transport device moves increases, so the mask holding mechanism also becomes larger. Therefore, there is a problem that the mask transfer device cannot be miniaturized.

  The present invention has been made in order to eliminate such inconveniences. The mask holding for holding the mask even in the case of a large proximity exposure apparatus in which the installation area is increased by using a large-sized substrate. It is an object of the present invention to provide a mask transfer device of a proximity exposure apparatus that can be downsized without increasing the size of the mechanism.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a mask transfer apparatus of a proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 1 according to the present invention holds a substrate as an exposed material on a substrate stage, and holds the mask held on the lower surface of the mask stage on the substrate. The mask is moved between a mask storage device that stores a plurality of masks and a mask stage. The mask transport device is disposed near the proximity exposure device that exposes and transfers the mask pattern of the mask onto the substrate. An apparatus, a mask holding part for detachably holding a mask, a mask back-and-forth movement mechanism for moving the mask holding part forward or backward in the horizontal direction, and the mask back-and-forth movement mechanism around a rotation axis that faces the vertical direction. A mask horizontal rotation mechanism that rotates, a mask lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers the mask horizontal rotation means, the mask holding portion, the mask back-and-forth advance mechanism, and the mask All click horizontal rotation mechanism and the mask lifting means, and a mask horizontal movement mechanism for horizontally moving between said mask stage and said mask storage device.

  According to the mask transfer device of the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention, the mask horizontal movement for horizontally moving all of the mask holding part, the mask forward / backward moving mechanism, the mask horizontal rotating mechanism, and the mask lifting / lowering means between the mask stage and the mask storage device. The mechanism is equipped with a large-sized proximity exposure device with an increased installation area by using a large-sized substrate, and the distance between the mask stage position and the mask storage device storing the mask is increased. In addition, the range in which the mask holder moves is enlarged. Therefore, even with a large proximity exposure apparatus, the mask transport apparatus can be downsized.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a mask transfer apparatus of a proximity exposure apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a step-type proximity exposure apparatus SE, a mask loader ML, a mask storage apparatus MC, a substrate loader WL, and a substrate pre-alignment apparatus WC installed in the clean room CR. Here, the mask loader ML and the mask storage device MC are arranged on one side in the X-axis direction with respect to the step-type proximity exposure apparatus SE, and the substrate loader WL and the substrate pre-alignment apparatus WC are a step-type proximity exposure apparatus. It is arranged on one side in the Y-axis direction (horizontal direction orthogonal to the X-axis direction) with respect to SE. Further, the mask loader ML and the mask storage device MC are arranged adjacent to each other in the Y-axis direction, and the substrate loader WL and the substrate pre-alignment device WC are arranged adjacent to each other in the X-axis direction.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the step-type proximity exposure apparatus SE holds a small size mask M on which a pattern to be exposed is drawn on the mask stage 1 and holds a large size substrate W on the substrate stage 2. In this state, the substrate stage 2 is moved stepwise with respect to the mask M in the two axial directions of the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and the mask M and the substrate W are arranged close to each other and face each other in each step. The apparatus is configured to expose and transfer a plurality of patterns of the mask M onto the substrate W by irradiating the mask M with light for pattern exposure from the means 3.

  An X-axis stage feed mechanism 5 for stepping the substrate stage 2 in the X-axis direction is installed on the apparatus base indicated by reference numeral 4 in FIG. 2, and is placed on the X-axis feed base 5 a of the X-axis stage feed mechanism 5. The Y-axis stage feed mechanism 6 for moving the substrate stage 2 stepwise in the Y-axis direction is installed, and the substrate stage 2 is installed on the Y-axis feed base 6 a of the Y-axis stage feed mechanism 6. A substrate W is held on the upper surface of the substrate stage 2 in a state of being vacuumed by a work chuck or the like.

Between the Y-axis stage feed mechanism 6 and the substrate stage 2, a vertical movement device 7 that performs a simple vertical movement of the substrate stage 2, and an opposing surface of the mask M and the substrate W by finely moving the substrate stage 2 up and down. An up-and-down fine movement device 8 is installed to finely adjust the gap between them to a predetermined amount.
The vertical fine movement device 8 is installed on one end side (the left end side in FIG. 2) in the Y-axis direction of the Z-axis feed base 6a and two on the other end side, so that a total of three are controlled and controlled independently. It has become. As a result, the vertical fine movement device 8 finely adjusts the height of the substrate stage 2 to the target value of the gap while measuring the gap between the mask M and the substrate W with the gap sensor 31 with good parallelism.

  The gap sensors 31 are arranged at four locations in total, two spaced apart from each other in the X-axis direction on two inner sides along the X-axis direction of the vacuum suction plate 26 to be described later, and these four gap sensors. The amount of parallelism between the opposing surfaces of the mask M and the substrate W can be detected by performing arithmetic processing using a control device (not shown) based on the measurement result of 31, and the above-mentioned is described according to this detected amount of deviation. The vertical fine movement device 8 is controlled so that the parallelism between the opposing surfaces of the mask M and the substrate W is ensured.

  An alignment camera denoted by reference numeral 30 is an apparatus that images an alignment mark provided in the exposure region of the mask M and an alignment mark provided on the substrate W side or an alignment mark provided on the substrate stage 2. A total of two locations are arranged, one on each of the upper sides of the two sides of the suction plate 26 along the X-axis direction, and approximately at the center in the X-axis direction. Based on the image data of these two alignment cameras 30 A plane deviation amount between the mask M and the substrate W can be detected by performing arithmetic processing with a control device (not shown), and a mask position adjusting means (to be described later) sets the mask holding frame 25 to X according to the detected plane deviation amount. The direction of the mask M held on the mask holding frame 25 relative to the substrate W is adjusted by moving in the axial direction, the Y-axis direction, and the θ-axis direction (swinging around the Z-axis). It has become.

  The mask position adjusting means includes an X-axis direction driving device (not shown) connected to the sides along the Y-axis direction of the mask frame 24 and the mask holding frame 25, and the X-axis direction of the mask frame 24 and the mask holding frame 25. And two Y-axis direction driving devices 12 (only one is shown) connected to each other along the sides along the X-axis direction of the mask holding frame 25 by the X-axis direction driving device 10 and the Y-axis direction driving device 12. Adjustment in the Y-axis direction and the θ-axis direction (oscillation around the Z-axis) is performed.

  The mask stage 1 includes a mask frame 24 and a mask holding frame 25 that is inserted into a central opening of the mask frame 24 through a gap and supported so as to be movable in the X, Y, and θ directions (in the X, Y plane). And a vacuum suction plate 26 provided around the lower surface of the central opening of the mask holding frame 25, and the mask M that is in contact with the lower surface of the vacuum suction plate 26 is held in a vacuumed state. Yes.

The substrate pre-alignment apparatus WC is an apparatus for obtaining necessary positioning accuracy when the substrate W is carried onto the substrate stage 2 by the substrate loader WL. A large-sized substrate W that has been aligned is placed.
Further, the substrate loader WL moves the substrate W from the substrate pre-alignment apparatus WC to the substrate stage 2 of the stepped proximity exposure apparatus SE, or returns the substrate W held on the substrate stage 2 to the substrate pre-alignment apparatus WC. The apparatus includes a substrate holding unit 40 capable of mounting and holding the substrate W, and a horizontal rotation mechanism, an elevating mechanism, and a substrate holding unit 40 (not shown).

  When the substrate W is moved from the substrate pre-alignment apparatus WC to the substrate stage 2 of the stepwise proximity exposure apparatus SE, the substrate holding unit 40 is moved in the X-axis direction toward the substrate pre-alignment apparatus WC by the operation of the horizontal rotation mechanism. Next, the substrate holding part 40 is moved up and down to the substrate mounting part of the substrate pre-alignment apparatus WC by the operation of the lifting mechanism, and the substrate W accommodated in the substrate mounting part is then moved by the operation of the forward / backward moving mechanism. Next, the substrate holding unit 40 is horizontally rotated in the Y-axis direction toward the stepped proximity exposure apparatus SE by the operation of the horizontal rotation mechanism, and then the substrate holding unit 40 is moved forward by the forward / backward moving mechanism. Is moved forward to set the substrate W on the substrate stage 2. When returning the substrate W held on the substrate stage 2 to the substrate pre-alignment apparatus WC, the substrate W is held by the substrate stage 2 and the substrate holding unit 40 is moved backward by the backward movement of the forward / backward movement mechanism. Next, the substrate holding unit 40 is horizontally rotated in the X-axis direction toward the substrate pre-alignment device WC by the operation of the horizontal rotation mechanism, and then the substrate holding unit 40 is moved to a predetermined stage of the substrate pre-alignment device WC by the operation of the lifting mechanism. The substrate W is moved up and down, and then the substrate holding unit 40 is moved forward by the forward movement of the forward / backward moving mechanism to place the substrate W on the substrate mounting portion of the substrate pre-alignment apparatus WC.

The mask storage device MC is a device provided with a plurality of stages of mask storage portions in the vertical direction, and a mask M having a smaller size than the substrate W is stored in each stage of the mask storage portion.
The mask loader ML is a device that moves the mask M from the mask storage device MC to the mask stage 1 of the stepped proximity exposure apparatus SE and returns the mask M held on the mask stage 1 to the mask storage device MC. .

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the mask loader ML includes a mask holding portion 42 that can hold the mask M, a mask forward / backward moving mechanism 44 that moves the mask holding portion 42 forward and backward, and a mask. A mask horizontal rotation mechanism 46 that rotates the forward / reverse mechanism 44 around the Z axis, a mask lifting mechanism 48 that moves the mask horizontal rotation mechanism 46 up and down in the Z axis direction, and a mask X that moves the mask lifting mechanism 48 horizontally in the X axis direction A shaft moving mechanism 50 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 4, the mask holding portion 42 includes three support arms 42a, 42b, and 42d that are spaced apart from each other in parallel, and a fixing plate 42c that connects and fixes the support arms 42a, 42b, and 42d. And is held by suction by a vacuum suction mechanism provided in each arm in a state where the mask is placed on the three support arms 42a, 42b, and 42d.
The mask forward / reverse mechanism 44 includes a forward / reverse mechanism table 44a fixed on the mask horizontal rotation mechanism 46, a screw shaft 44b rotatably disposed on the forward / backward mechanism table 44a, and a nut portion ( (Not shown) is a linear motion rolling device comprising a slider portion 44c fixed to the lower portion of the fixing plate 42c of the mask holding portion 42 and a servo motor 44d for rotating the screw shaft 44b in the forward and reverse directions. It is.

The mask horizontal rotation mechanism 46 is configured by a direct drive motor, and rotates the mask advancement mechanism 44 in a horizontal plane including the X axis and the Y axis.
The mask elevating mechanism 48 includes a screw shaft 48a rotatably disposed on an X-axis moving table 50a of a mask X-axis moving mechanism 50 described later, and a nut portion (not shown) screwed into the screw shaft 48a. The linear motion rolling device includes slider portions 48b and 48c fixed to the outer periphery of the horizontal rotation mechanism 46 and a servo motor 48d that rotates the screw shaft 48a in the forward and reverse directions.

  The mask X-axis moving mechanism 50 includes a screw shaft 50b that is rotatably arranged on the apparatus base 52, and the X-axis moving table 50a in which a nut portion (not shown) is screwed to the screw shaft 50b. The linear motion rolling device includes a servo motor 50c that rotates the screw shaft 50b in the forward and reverse directions. A rail 52a extending in the X-axis direction that supports the X-axis movement of the X-axis movement table 50a and a slider 52b that slides on the rail 52a while being connected to the X-axis movement table 50a are provided on the apparatus base 52. Has been placed.

Next, the operation of the mask loader ML will be described with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and FIG.
In order to perform the operation of returning the mask M held on the mask stage 1 to the mask storage device MC, first, by the operation of the mask X-axis moving mechanism 50, the mask elevating mechanism 48, the mask horizontal rotating mechanism 46, the mask forward / backward moving mechanism All the mechanisms 44 and the mask holder 42 are moved in the X-axis direction close to the stepped proximity exposure apparatus SE. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, the mask holding unit 42 indicated by the solid line moves by a distance L to the position indicated by the broken line in the X-axis direction close to the stepped proximity exposure apparatus SE.

  Next, the mask holding portion 42 is raised to a predetermined height by the raising / lowering operation of the mask raising / lowering mechanism 48, and the mask holding portion 42 is directed in the X-axis direction on the mask stage 1 side by the rotation operation of the mask horizontal rotation mechanism 46. Next, the mask holding unit 42 places and holds the mask M arranged on the mask stage 1 by the forward movement of the mask forward / backward moving mechanism 44, and the mask holding part 42 is moved forward and backward by the backward movement. Return to the original position of the mechanism 44.

  Next, by the operation of the mask X-axis moving mechanism 50, all the mechanisms of the mask elevating mechanism 48, the mask horizontal rotating mechanism 46, the mask back-and-forth advance mechanism 44, and the mask holding unit 42 are separated from the stepped proximity exposure apparatus SE. Move in the axial direction. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, the mask holding unit 42 indicated by a broken line moves by a distance L to the position indicated by the solid line in the X-axis direction away from the stepped proximity exposure apparatus SE.

Next, the mask holding portion 42 is directed in the Y-axis direction on the mask storage device MC side by the rotation operation of the mask horizontal rotation mechanism 46, and then the mask holding portion 42 is changed to a predetermined height by the raising / lowering operation of the mask lifting mechanism 48. The mask held by the mask holding part 42 is stored in the mask storage part at a predetermined stage of the mask storage device MC by the forward movement of the mask forward / backward moving mechanism 44.
Next, in order to perform the operation of holding the specific mask M stored in the mask storage device MC on the mask stage 1, first, the mask holding portion 42 is changed to a predetermined height by the lifting / lowering operation of the mask lifting / lowering mechanism 48. The mask M stored in a predetermined stage of the mask storage device MC is placed and held on the mask holding portion 42 by the forward movement of the mask forward / backward moving mechanism 44. Next, the mask holding portion 42 is returned to the original position of the mask forward / backward moving mechanism 44 by the backward movement of the mask forward / backward moving mechanism 44.

Next, by the operation of the mask X-axis moving mechanism 50, all the mechanisms of the mask elevating mechanism 48, the mask horizontal rotating mechanism 46, the mask back-and-forth advance mechanism 44, and the mask holding unit 42 are brought close to the stepped proximity exposure apparatus SE. Move in the axial direction. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, the mask holder 42 indicated by the solid line moves by a distance L to the position indicated by the broken line in the X-axis direction close to the stepped proximity exposure apparatus SE.
Next, the mask holding portion 42 is raised to a predetermined height by the raising / lowering operation of the mask raising / lowering mechanism 48, and the mask holding portion 42 is directed in the X-axis direction on the mask stage 1 side by the rotation operation of the mask horizontal rotation mechanism 46. Next, the mask M held by the mask holding unit 42 is set on the mask stage 1 by the forward movement of the mask forward / backward moving mechanism 44.

Then, the mask holding portion 42 is returned to the original position of the mask forward / reverse mechanism 44 by the backward movement of the mask forward / backward movement mechanism 44, and the mask lifting / lowering mechanism 48, the mask horizontal rotation mechanism 46, the mask is moved by the operation of the mask X-axis movement mechanism 50. All of the forward / backward moving mechanism 44 and the mask holding unit 42 are moved in the X-axis direction away from the stepped proximity exposure apparatus SE. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, the mask holding unit 42 indicated by a broken line moves by a distance L to the position indicated by the solid line in the X-axis direction away from the stepped proximity exposure apparatus SE.
Next, the mask holding portion 42 is returned to the original state in the Y-axis direction on the mask storage device WC side by the rotation operation of the mask horizontal rotation mechanism 46.

Next, the effect of this embodiment is described.
The step-type proximity exposure apparatus SE employed in this embodiment includes a large-sized substrate stage 2 by using a large-sized substrate W, and has a large step-type proximity exposure apparatus SE with an increased installation area of the apparatus. Thus, since the mask stage 1 is provided at the center of this large apparatus, the horizontal distance between the mask stage 1 and the mask storage apparatus MC is increased as compared with the conventional proximity exposure apparatus.

Therefore, the mask loader ML of the present embodiment includes the mask stage 42 and the mask storage device, all of the mask holder 42, the mask forward / reverse mechanism 44, the mask horizontal rotation mechanism 46, the mask elevating mechanism 48, and the mask X-axis moving mechanism 50. Since the mask X-axis moving mechanism 50 that moves horizontally with respect to the MC is provided, the length of the support arms 42a and 42b of the mask holding portion 42 is not lengthened, and the stroke amount of the mask forward / backward moving mechanism 44 is greatly increased. Even if it is not increased, the range in which the mask holder 42 moves is expanded. That is, even if it becomes large step type proximity exposure apparatus SE, it does not become large mask loader ML.
Therefore, even in the large step-type proximity exposure apparatus SE that uses a large-sized substrate W and has an increased installation area, the mask X that horizontally moves other mechanisms between the mask stage 1 and the mask storage apparatus MC. The mask loader ML provided with the axis moving mechanism 50 can be reduced in size.

It is a figure which shows planarly the inside of the clean room which installed the proximity exposure apparatus, mask accommodating part, mask conveyance apparatus, substrate pre-alignment apparatus, and substrate loader which concern on this invention. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the step type proximity exposure apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a side view of the mask conveyance apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a top view of the mask conveyance apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows the direction to which a mask holding | maintenance part moves because the horizontal movement means of the mask conveying apparatus which concerns on this invention operate | moves.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Mask stage 2 Substrate stage 42 Mask holding part 44 Mask forward / backward moving mechanism 46 Mask horizontal rotating mechanism 48 Mask raising / lowering mechanism 50 Mask X-axis moving mechanism (mask horizontal moving mechanism)
M Mask W Substrate MC Mask storage device ML Mask loader (mask transfer device)
SE proximity exposure system

Claims (1)

A substrate as an exposed material is held on a substrate stage, a mask held on the lower surface of a mask stage is placed close to the substrate, and the mask pattern of the mask is installed near a proximity exposure apparatus that exposes and transfers the mask pattern onto the substrate. A mask transfer device that moves between a mask storage device storing a plurality of masks and a mask stage,
A mask holding part for detachably holding the mask, a mask forward / backward moving mechanism for moving the mask holding part forward or backward in the horizontal direction, and a mask horizontal rotation for rotating the mask forward / backward moving mechanism around a vertical rotation axis Mechanism, a mask lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the mask horizontal rotation means, the mask holding part, the mask back-and-forth movement mechanism, the mask horizontal rotation mechanism and the mask lifting and lowering means all including the mask stage and the mask storage device. A mask transport device for a proximity exposure apparatus, comprising: a mask horizontal movement mechanism for horizontally moving between the first and second masks.

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