JP2006237130A - Optical source module and optical source apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical source module and an optical source apparatus which can register the characteristics, etc. of the optical source module without fail and can make assembly and maintenance of the apparatus easy in the optical source module using a plurality of optical sources and the optical source apparatus using this, and to provide the optical source apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: A memory element is provided integrally in the optical source module, and the information on the optical source module is stored in this memory element. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a light source module that multiplexes and emits light from a plurality of light sources, and a light source device that uses the light source module, and in particular, appropriately performs appropriate driving according to the characteristics of each light source module. The present invention relates to a light source module and a light source device that can perform maintenance easily and accurately.

An exposure apparatus that exposes a photosensitive material imagewise by irradiating the photosensitive material with recording light modulated according to the image to be recorded is known.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that a laser beam emitted from a light source device (illumination unit) is incident on a two-dimensional spatial modulation element such as a DMD (Digital Micromirror Device), modulated in accordance with a recorded image, and modulated. An exposure apparatus (exposure head) is disclosed in which an image is formed on a photosensitive material and exposed imagewise.

An LD (laser diode (semiconductor laser)) is used as a light source of such an exposure apparatus.
Here, in applications where a high amount of light is required for exposure, there are many cases where a single LD output (light amount) is not sufficient. For this reason, in such applications that require high output, a high output laser beam is obtained using a plurality of LDs.

  The exposure apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 also collects laser beams emitted from a plurality of (seven) LDs, enters the optical fibers, combines them, and emits them as one laser beam (laser). In addition, a light source device that bundles the optical fibers of a plurality of LD modules and uses the laser beams emitted from the plurality of LD modules as a laser emission unit to enter the optical system is used.

In an exposure apparatus using such an LD module (light source module), it is necessary to emit an appropriate laser beam from the LD module in order to perform highly accurate exposure.
However, the LDs constituting the LD module have individual differences in light quantity, initial current value, rise time, and the like, and their characteristics are different. The LD module also has optical individual differences in addition to individual differences due to LD, and each characteristic is different.
Therefore, if each LD module is driven under the same conditions, the output or the like cannot emit a predetermined laser beam, that is, high-precision exposure cannot be performed.
JP 2004-62156 A

  In order to avoid such inconvenience, in the exposure apparatus, the characteristics of individual LD modules are registered, and driving of each LD module is controlled in accordance with the registered characteristics.

Here, the characteristics of each LD module are usually collectively managed by a personal computer (PC) or the like, and input / registered in the apparatus when the LD module is mounted in the apparatus.
Specifically, characteristic data of an LD module that can be mounted on the exposure apparatus is input to the PC. Then, when the LD module is mounted on the exposure apparatus for incorporation into the apparatus or replacement due to failure, corresponding characteristic data is recorded from the PC to a storage medium such as a floppy disk or an SD card. Furthermore, by inputting the characteristic data from this storage medium to the exposure apparatus and registering it in the corresponding drive control means, for example, the drive control parameters of the LD module of the exposure apparatus can be input or rewritten according to the registered characteristic data, The drive of the LD module is controlled.

However, in this method, when characteristic data is recorded from the PC to the storage medium, there is a possibility that characteristic data of a different LD module is recorded on the recording medium. Further, when registering the characteristic data from the recording medium to the exposure apparatus, the characteristic data may be registered in different drive control means.
If there is such a mistake, naturally, the LD module cannot be driven properly, that is, high-precision exposure cannot be performed. Also, in order to avoid such inconvenience, it is necessary to perform work while carefully checking so as not to make a mistake, that is, maintenance work such as assembly of the exposure apparatus and replacement of the LD module is required. This is a cumbersome and time-consuming task.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art, and in a light source module having a plurality of light sources such as a plurality of LDs, the characteristics of the corresponding light source module are accurately exposed with a simple and easy operation. It can be input / registered in the light source unit etc. of the device, maintenance work such as assembly of the device and replacement of the light source module can be simplified, and further suitable for characteristic fluctuations due to aging etc. It is an object to provide a light source module that can be used and a light source device that uses the light source module.

  In order to achieve the above object, the light source module of the present invention is a light source module having at least one light source, in which a storage element is integrally provided, and information relating to the light source module is stored in the storage element. A light source module is provided.

  In such a light source module of the present invention, the light source module includes a plurality of light sources, and further includes a multiplexing unit that combines and emits the light emitted from the plurality of light sources, and the multiplexing unit that emits the light emitted from the light source. It is preferable that the information is at least one of information on individual characteristics of the light source of the light source module, information on characteristics of the light source module, and history information. Furthermore, it is preferable that the light source is a semiconductor laser.

  The light source device of the present invention includes the light source module of the present invention and drive control means for driving the light source module, and the drive control means reads information stored in the storage element, A light source device is provided that controls driving of the light source module according to information.

  In such a light source device of the present invention, it is preferable that the drive control means and the storage element are automatically connected when the light source module is loaded at a predetermined position.

According to the present invention having the above configuration, a storage medium is integrated with a light source module such as an LD module, and information such as characteristics of the light source module is recorded on the storage medium. By attaching to the device, accurate information corresponding to the light source module to be attached can be input to the apparatus and registered in the corresponding drive control means without making a mistake. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to simplify and facilitate maintenance work such as device assembly work and replacement of a light source module due to a failure without requiring confirmation work when inputting characteristic data. .
If a rewritable storage medium such as an EEPROM is used as the storage medium, characteristics and state changes over time such as changes over time and failure of some light sources due to use are recorded as information. Therefore, high-accuracy exposure can be stably performed in a suitable manner corresponding to fluctuations of the light source module over time.

  Hereinafter, the light source module and the light source device of the present invention will be described in detail based on the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an example of an exposure apparatus using the present invention.
The exposure apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 modulates laser light (recording light) emitted from the light source device 48 of the present invention in accordance with, for example, image data (drawing pattern) supplied from a RIP (Raster Image Processor), It is an apparatus for imagewise exposing a substrate for manufacturing a printed wiring board, a liquid crystal display element or the like.

As shown in FIG. 1, the exposure apparatus 10 includes a rectangular thick plate-shaped installation base 14 supported by four legs 12.
Two guides 16 extend along the longitudinal direction on the upper surface of the installation table 14, and a rectangular flat plate-like stage 18 is provided on the two guides 16. The stage 18 is arranged such that the longitudinal direction thereof is directed to the extending direction of the guide 16, and is supported by the guide 16 so as to be reciprocally movable on the installation table 14 in the longitudinal direction. Then, it reciprocates in the longitudinal direction (scanning direction (arrow Y direction in FIG. 1)) of the installation table 14.

On the upper surface of the stage 18, a substrate 20 as a recording medium is positioned and placed at a predetermined position by a conveying means (not shown) or an operator. The substrate 20 (photosensitive material) is exposed imagewise with a laser beam emitted from a later-described scanner 26 (exposure head 40) and modulated according to image data, and a drawing pattern is recorded.
A plurality of grooves (not shown) are formed on the upper surface (substrate mounting surface) of the stage 18, and the substrate 20 is placed on the upper surface of the stage 18 by applying a negative pressure inside the grooves by a negative pressure supply source. It is adsorbed and held.

In addition, an alignment mark 22 serving as a reference for the exposure position (drawing position) is formed on the substrate 20.
In the illustrated example, the alignment marks 22 are formed at four locations in the vicinity of the corners of the substrate 20, but the position of the alignment marks 22 is not limited to this in the substrate 20 to which the present invention corresponds, and several May be less than 4 or 5 or more.

  There is no particular limitation on the substrate 20 to which the exposure apparatus using the light source device of the present invention is applicable, and various photosensitive materials can be used. As a suitable example, a photoresist such as a photosensitive epoxy resin is applied to the surface of a substrate or a glass plate as a material for forming a pattern (image exposure) such as a printed wiring board or a liquid crystal display element, or a dry film In this case, a laminated product is exemplified.

A U-shaped gate 24 is provided at the center of the installation table 14 so as to straddle the arrow X direction orthogonal to the moving path (arrow Y direction) of the stage 18.
The gate 24 has both lower ends fixed to both lateral sides of the installation table 14, and a scanner 26 for exposing the substrate 20 is provided on one side of the gate 24 in the arrow Y direction (downstream in the measurement direction). It is done.
Further, the alignment mark 22 provided on the substrate 20 is photographed on the surface of the scanner 26 on the downstream side in the measurement direction of the arrow Y direction in order to set the alignment (image exposure position (drawing position) on the substrate 20). An alignment unit 30 is provided, and a plurality of (for example, four) CCD cameras are provided as alignment cameras in the alignment unit 30. The CCD cameras are arranged and expected in the X direction. The position in the X direction can be moved according to the position of the alignment mark.

The drive device for the stage 18, the scanner 26, the alignment unit 30, and a light source device (illumination device) 48 described later are connected to a controller 38 for controlling them.
The controller 38 controls the stage 18 so as to move at a predetermined speed during an exposure operation of the exposure apparatus 10 to be described later, and the CCD camera is positioned at a theoretical position of the alignment mark 22 at a predetermined timing. The scanner 26 is controlled to expose the substrate 20 at a predetermined timing. The image (image data) taken by the CCD camera 28 is output to the controller 38, and the position of the alignment mark on the substrate 20 is detected.

As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of (for example, eight) exposure heads 40 arranged in a substantially matrix of m rows and n columns (for example, 2 rows and 4 columns) are installed inside the scanner 26.
An exposure area 42 by the exposure head 40 is, for example, on a rectangle having a short side in the scanning direction. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, a strip-shaped exposed region 44 is formed on the substrate 20 for each exposure head 40 in accordance with the scanning exposure moving operation.
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, each of the exposure heads 40 in each row arranged in a line is arranged with a predetermined interval (in the arrangement direction) so that the strip-shaped exposed regions 44 are arranged without gaps in the direction orthogonal to the scanning direction. The exposure area is shifted by a natural multiple of the long side of the exposure area. For this reason, for example, a portion that cannot be exposed between the exposure area 42 of the first row and the exposure area 42 of the second row can be exposed by the exposure area 42 of the second row surface.

Each exposure head 40 modulates laser light (recording light) emitted from a light source device 48 to be described later, guided by an optical fiber 50 and incident on a predetermined incident portion according to image data, and the modulated laser light is modulated. The image is formed on the substrate 20 placed on the stage 18.
In the illustrated example, the exposure head 40 uses, as an example, a DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) to turn on / off the reflection of the laser beam to the optical path toward the substrate 20, thereby changing the incident laser beam according to the image data. To modulate.

As shown in FIG. 1, the exposure apparatus 10 includes a light source device 48 and an optical fiber 50, and laser light emitted from the light source device 48 and guided by the optical fiber 50 is used as recording light for exposing the substrate 20. The light enters the exposure head 40.
Further, the light source device 48 emits a laser beam for exposing the substrate 20 in accordance with an instruction from the controller 38.

Here, the light source device 48 is the light source device of the present invention that uses the light source module of the present invention, and guides / combines laser light emitted from a plurality of LDs (laser diodes (semiconductor lasers)) with an optical fiber. An LD module that emits as a single laser beam is used.
In the illustrated example, a plurality of LD modules are used as one unit, a light beam emitted from each LD module is incident on the optical fiber 50, and is incident on the exposure head 40 as one light beam. In other words, in the illustrated example, the light source device 48 includes eight units composed of a plurality of LD modules corresponding to the eight exposure heads 40 described above.
By having such a configuration, even when a light source with an insufficient amount of individual light is used, efficient exposure can be performed with a sufficient amount of laser light.

FIG. 3 shows a conceptual diagram of the LD module 60 constituting the light source device 48.
This LD module 60 corresponds to a heat block 62 and seven LDs (LDa, LDb, LDc, LDd, LDe, LDf, and LDg) fixed to the heat block 62 as an example. A collimator lens 64 (64a, 64b, 64c, 64d, 64e, 64f, and 64g), a condensing lens 66, and an optical fiber 68.
In the light source module of the present invention, the number of LDs (light sources) is not limited to 7, and may be 1 to 6 or 8 or more. Further, the collimator lenses 64 are not individually independent, and may be a lens array in which a plurality of lenses are integrated.

Although omitted in FIG. 3, the LD module 60 is provided with a storage element 78 that stores various types of information related to the LD module 60.
The position of the storage element 78 is not particularly limited, and is integrated with the LD module 60 and can be connected to an LD control board 74 described later when the LD module 60 is mounted at a predetermined position of the light source device 48. It suffices to be configured.

An LD (LD chip) is, for example, a chip-shaped lateral multimode or single mode GaN-based semiconductor laser, all oscillation wavelengths are common (for example, 405 nm), and the maximum output is also common (for example, 100 mW for a multimode laser and 30 mW for a single mode laser). Note that as the LD, a laser having an oscillation wavelength other than the above-described 405 nm in a wavelength range of 350 nm to 450 nm may be used.
In the present invention, the light source is not limited to the LD, and various light sources can be used as long as they can emit light having a photosensitive wavelength of the substrate 20 (photosensitive material).

The laser light emitted from each LD is converted into parallel light by the corresponding collimator lens 64, condensed by the condenser lens 66, and incident on the incident end face of the core 68 a of the optical fiber 68.
The optical fiber 68 is, for example, a multimode optical fiber, and multiplexes / guides seven laser beams incident from the incident surface 68a and emits them as one laser beam.

As described above, the light source device 48 in the illustrated example uses the plurality of LD modules 60 as one unit, and the light beam emitted from each LD module enters the optical fiber 50.
FIG. 4 shows a conceptual diagram of a control system of the light source device 48. Note that the memory element 78 is also omitted in FIG. 4 for the sake of clarity. The light source device 48 in the illustrated example uses a plurality of LD modules 60 as one unit and makes laser light emitted from each module (its optical fiber 68) enter one optical fiber 50. In addition, the driving of the plurality of LD modules 60 made into one unit is controlled by one LD control unit 72.
The number of LD modules 60 handled as one unit is not particularly limited, and may be plural or one as in the illustrated example. In addition, for example, a method in which laser light emitted from a plurality of LD modules 60 (optical fibers 68) is incident on one optical fiber 50 is obtained by bundling the optical fibers 68 at the end on the light emitting unit side, A known method such as a method of condensing the laser light emitted from the light emitting part with a condenser lens and entering the incident end face of the core of the optical fiber 50 may be used.

  As described above, since the scanner 26 has eight exposure heads 40, in the illustrated example, the scanner 26 has eight units including a plurality of LD modules 60, and an LD control unit 72 is provided corresponding to each unit.

FIG. 5 shows a conceptual diagram of the LD control unit 72.
As described above, in the illustrated example, the plurality of LD modules 60 are formed as one unit, so that the LD control unit 72 drives and controls the LD module 60 corresponding to each LD module 60. Are the same as the number of LD modules 60.
Here, as described above, the LD module 60 is integrally provided with the storage element 78. Further, as a preferred mode, the light source device 48 and the LD module 60 drive individual LDs when the LD module 60 is mounted at a predetermined position of the light source device 48 (including connection of a connector or the like as necessary). In addition to the connection of the wiring to the LD control board 74, the storage element 78 is also automatically connected to the LD control board 74. This configuration is not particularly limited. For example, a known method such as a configuration in which the connection portion of the drive wiring of the LD and the connection portion of the wiring of the storage element 78 are integrated may be used.

The storage element 78 stores information on the LD module 60 to which the storage element 78 is attached.
In the present invention, the memory element 78 is not particularly limited, and various elements can be used as long as they are nonvolatile and have a storage capacity sufficient for storing information. Preferably, a memory element capable of rewriting information such as an EEPROM is used. By using such a memory element capable of rewriting information, the memory element 78 can be provided with information relating to the history of the LD module, information when a failure occurs, and the like. The information of the new LD can be entered again.

The information stored in the storage element 78 is not particularly limited, and various types of information related to the LD module 60 can be used.
As a preferred example, information of each LD (LD chip) mounted on the LD module 60 is illustrated. Specifically, information on LD characteristics such as initial current value (rising threshold for laser transmission), peak wavelength, light amount when a rated current (predetermined current) is passed, rising time, LD identification information (manufacturing number) Etc.).
Further, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-267669, etc., the LD stabilizes the rise and shortens the time until the output is stabilized by gradually increasing the drive current at the time of start-up. it can. Here, a preferable method of applying the stepwise drive current differs depending on each LD. Therefore, stepwise drive current data for each LD at the time of starting the LD may be recorded in the storage element 78.

Moreover, the information of LD module 60 itself is also illustrated suitably.
Specifically, information regarding characteristics of the LD module, such as a peak wavelength when the LD module 60 is viewed as one light source, a light amount when a rated current (predetermined current) is passed through all the LDs, and identification information of the LD module Etc. are exemplified.

In addition to this, the date of information input, and if the storage element 78 is rewritable, the information update date, the operating time of the LD module 60, the operating time of each LD, and the information of the failed LD Information relating to the history such as information on the replaced LD is also preferably exemplified.
By storing information related to such a history, in addition to optimization of drive control described later, it is possible to manage the life of the LD module 60 and LD according to the operation time, control the drive according to the operation time, and failure of the LD. Corresponding drive control and the like can be performed, and more preferable drive control and management of the LD module 60 can be performed.

Such information may be recorded by a known method according to the storage element 78 prior to incorporation of the LD module 60 into the light source device 48. In addition, it is preferable to configure the light source device 48 and the LD module 60 so that the information regarding the history can be rewritten in a state where the LD module 60 is incorporated in the light source device 48.
The parameters of each information may be managed, for example, as a text file that uses the LD module identification information as a file name.

In the illustrated light source device 48, the mounting or replacement of the light source is not performed in units of LD, and is basically performed in units of the LD module 60. When the LD module 60 is mounted at a predetermined position of the light source device 48 for maintenance such as assembly of the light source device 48 or replacement due to failure, as described above, the wiring for supplying the drive current to each LD becomes LD. At the same time, the storage element 78 is connected to the LD control board 74.
Next, the LD control board 74 reads the information stored in the storage element 78 and registers the information. Furthermore, the LD control board 74 sets the drive conditions of each LD attached to the LD module 60 so that the corresponding LD module 60 can emit a laser beam having a target wavelength or light amount according to the registered information. Set. For example, the control parameters for driving each LD are rewritten according to the registered information. Note that the drive control of the LD or the like according to such information may be performed in the same manner as a conventional light source device.

As apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the storage element 78 is integrally provided in the LD module 60 (light source module), and the information of the LD module 60 is stored therein. Information can be registered in the light source device 48 simply by incorporating it at a predetermined position of the light source device 48, and LD driving conditions for emitting a predetermined laser beam can be set.
Therefore, there is a possibility of registering wrong information as in the conventional method in which the characteristics of the LD module are managed by a PC or the like as before and transferred to a storage medium at the time of mounting and input (installation) / registration to the apparatus. The characteristics of the LD module can be accurately registered in the light source device, and maintenance such as assembly of the device and replacement of the module due to failure can be facilitated. Preferably, by using a rewritable object such as an EEPROM as the memory element 78, history and failure information can be stored in the memory element 78. For example, drive control or LD according to time or LD failure can be stored. It becomes possible to perform more suitable drive control and management of the light source device, such as management of the lifetime of the module.

Hereinafter, the operation of the exposure apparatus 10 will be briefly described.
When the main power supply of the exposure apparatus 10 is turned on, the controller 38 instructs the light source device 48 to turn on the light source. In response to this, in the LD control unit 72 of the light source device 48, each LD control board 74 supplies a drive current to the LD module 60 to light the LD. This drive current has its condition controlled according to the information read from the storage element 78 as described above.
In a state where exposure is not performed, all mirrors of the DMD of the exposure head 40 are in an off state, that is, the laser beam is shielded from the substrate 20.

When the substrate 20 is placed at a predetermined position on the stage 18 (automatic or manual), an image to be drawn is instructed, the position of the alignment mark is designated, and the start of exposure is instructed, the alignment unit 30 first starts. The CCD camera is moved in the X direction according to the designated position of the alignment mark on the substrate 20. These input instructions are performed by a known method using a keyboard or the like, and information is supplied to the controller 38.
In the initial state, the stage 18 is positioned at the uppermost stream in the measurement direction. When the movement of the CCD camera is completed, the stage 18 is moved in the measurement direction, and the CCD camera performs imaging at the predicted position of the alignment mark. Then, take an alignment mark.

This captured image is supplied to the controller 38. The controller 38 detects the position of the alignment mark on the substrate from the photographed image (image data), the position of the CCD camera in the X direction and the photographing timing. Further, the controller 38 sets the exposure position (drawing position) of the image on the substrate from the detected position of the alignment mark on the substrate and the position of the alignment mark specified previously.
Thus, the so-called alignment is completed, and exposure of the substrate 20 is started.

When the exposure is started, the stage 18 is moved in the exposure direction opposite to the measurement direction. On the other hand, the controller 38 generates a drive signal for each exposure head 40 in accordance with the image data and the exposure position set by alignment, and supplies it to each exposure head 40 of the scanner 26 in synchronization with the movement of the stage 18.
The exposure head 40 turns on / off each mirror of the DMD according to this drive signal, and laser light modulated by the DMD according to image data (that is, a drawing pattern) forms an image on the substrate 20. Is exposed imagewise in pixel units (exposure areas) that are approximately the same as the number of pixels used in the DMD.
Further, by moving the substrate 20 together with the stage 18 at a constant speed, the substrate 20 is scanned in the direction opposite to the stage moving direction by the scanner 26, and a strip-shaped exposed region 44 is formed for each exposure head 40.

  When the exposure of the substrate 20 is completed, the stage 18 is directly driven to the downstream side in the exposure direction by the driving device, and returns to the origin on the most downstream side in the exposure direction (the most upstream in the measurement direction). Thus, the exposure operation for the substrate 20 by the exposure apparatus 10 is completed.

  Although the light source module and the light source device of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Of course it is good.

For example, in the illustrated LD module 60, the laser light emitted from each LD is converted into parallel light by the collimator lens 64, collected by the condenser lens 66, and incident on the incident end face of the core 68 a of the optical fiber 68.
However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various configurations can be used as long as the LD module has the storage element 78. As an example, as in the LD module 80 shown in FIG. 6, the laser light emitted from each LD is guided by an optical fiber 82 (82 a, 82 b,... 82 g) corresponding to each LD and is incident on the optical system 84. A configuration in which the light is condensed by the optical system 84 and is incident on the incident end surface of the core 68a of the optical fiber 68 is also preferably exemplified.

  In the illustrated exposure apparatus 10, an exposure head using DMD as a spatial light modulation element has been described as an example of an exposure apparatus using the present invention. However, in addition to such a reflective spatial light modulation element, transmission light is transmitted. A type spatial light modulator can also be used. For example, a liquid crystal shutter array such as a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) type spatial modulator (SLM), an optical element (PLZT element) that modulates transmitted light by an electro-optic effect, or a liquid crystal light shutter (FLC) It is also possible to use a spatial light modulation element other than the MEMS type. Note that MEMS is a general term for a micro system in which micro-sized sensors, actuators, and control circuits are integrated based on the IC manufacturing process, and the MEMS type spatial light modulator is an electrostatic force. It means a spatial light modulation element that is driven by the electromechanical operation used. Furthermore, a plurality of GLVs (Grating Light Valves) arranged in two dimensions can be used.

  Further, the exposure apparatus 10 to which the present invention is applicable can use either a photon mode photosensitive material in which information is directly recorded by exposure or a heat mode photosensitive material in which information is recorded by heat generated by exposure. When using a photon mode photosensitive material, a GaN-based semiconductor laser, a wavelength conversion solid-state laser, or the like is used for the laser device. When using a heat mode photosensitive material, an AlGaAs-based semiconductor laser (infrared laser), A solid state laser is used.

  Furthermore, although the above embodiment forms an image on a substrate, the present invention can also use various photosensitive materials (workpieces) that become, for example, printed wiring boards and liquid crystal display elements. is there.

It is a schematic perspective view of an example of the exposure apparatus using this invention. It is a schematic perspective view which shows the structure of the scanner of the exposure apparatus shown in FIG. It is a conceptual diagram of an example of the LD module of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the electrical system of the light source device of the exposure apparatus shown in FIG. It is a conceptual diagram which shows a part of electric system shown in FIG. It is a conceptual diagram of another example of the LD module of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Exposure apparatus 12 Leg part 14 Installation stand 16 Guide 18 Stage 20 Substrate 22 Alignment mark 24 Gate 26 Scanner 30 Alignment unit 38 Controller 40 Exposure head 42 Exposure area 44 Exposed area 48 Light source device 50, 68, 82 Optical fiber 60, 80 LD module 62 Heat block 64 Collimator lens 66 Condensing lens 72 LD control unit 74 LD control board 78 Storage element 84 Optical system

Claims (7)

  A light source module having at least one light source, wherein a storage element is provided integrally, and information relating to the light source module is stored in the storage element.   A light source having a plurality of light sources, further comprising: a combining unit that combines and emits the light emitted from the plurality of light sources; and an optical system that enters the light emitted from the light source into the combining unit. 2. The light source module according to 1.   The light source module according to claim 1, wherein the storage element is a storage element capable of rewriting information.   The light source module according to claim 1, wherein the information is at least one of information on individual characteristics of the light source of the light source module, information on characteristics of the light source module, and history information.   The light source module according to claim 1, wherein the light source is a semiconductor laser. A light source module according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and a drive control means for driving the light source module,
And the said drive control means reads the information which the said memory element memorize | stores, The drive of the said light source module is controlled according to this information, The light source device characterized by the above-mentioned.   The light source device according to claim 6, wherein the drive control unit and the storage element are automatically connected when the light source module is loaded at a predetermined position.

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