JP2006247541A - Liquid removing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid removing device forming patterns with good yield, generating little foreign matter caused by re-attaching on a pattern-forming substrate in a pattern development process of mainly plasma display members, and a production method of the plasma display members using a pattern forming method including the liquid removing device. <P>SOLUTION: This liquid removing device comprises a liquid removing means removing liquid attached to the surface of the substrate, and a liquid-dropping preventive means above the substrate passing position. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention mainly relates to a liquid removal apparatus used in a pattern development process of a plasma display member, and more specifically, as a plasma display member, on a substrate such as a glass substrate, an electrode, a dielectric, a partition (rib), etc. The present invention relates to a liquid removal apparatus that realizes pattern formation with a high yield with little occurrence of foreign matters on the pattern formation substrate. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a member for a plasma display including a pattern development process using the liquid removing apparatus.

Conventionally, for example, when forming a pattern such as an electrode, a dielectric, and a partition on a pattern formation substrate, as shown in FIG.
(A) a development processing step of removing a portion unnecessary for pattern formation by immersing the pattern formation substrate in the developer and / or spraying the developer on the pattern formation substrate;
(B) After the development processing step of (a), a cleaning processing step of cleaning the pattern forming substrate by immersing the pattern forming substrate in a cleaning liquid and / or spraying the cleaning liquid onto the pattern forming substrate;
(C) a liquid removing step of removing the developer and / or cleaning liquid adhering to the surface of the pattern forming substrate with an air knife;
It is known to employ a process consisting of:

  In FIG. 3, 1 is a substrate, 2 is a developer, 3 is cleaning water, 4 is a shower tube, 5 is an air knife, and 6 is a transport roller. In FIG. 3, the development process (a) and the cleaning process (b) are each performed in a mode in which a liquid is ejected. It is also possible to process by doing.

  The substrate that has undergone the development processing step (a) and the cleaning processing step (b) is present on the substrate 1 by the high-pressure air flow that is jetted from the air knife 5 to the substrate 1 in the liquid removal step (c). The liquid is blown off and removed, and is further transported to the next step by the transport roller 6.

  Conventionally, pattern formation has been performed in such a process, but the air knife 5 used in the liquid removal process of (c) usually has a slit-shaped compressed air injection port having a wide width corresponding to the width of the substrate. The air ejected from the compressed air ejection port rolls up the pattern forming paste and the like removed in the developing process that was not removed in the cleaning process together with water droplets, and the processing zone of the liquid removing process (c) If the paste adheres to the inner wall of the device, the floor surface of the device, etc., or floats in the air, and there are such adhering substances / floating substances, it will occur again on the pattern forming substrate. It was an element that caused the generation of defective products and reduced the product yield.

Such a problem occurs when an air knife is used to remove the liquid used in the previous process, and in order to improve this, the downstream side of the position where the air knife is operated. Has been proposed to prevent water from staying in the bottom of the device (tank) and catching the paste and water droplets floating in the water reservoir and reattaching to the pattern forming substrate. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1). However, the method of providing such a water storage part is effective only when floating paste or water droplets are dropped and captured in the water storage part, and do not fall into the water storage part and are not captured. It was not an effective measure against the paste and water droplets that continue. Moreover, it was not an effective countermeasure against paste and water droplets adhering to the side wall surface.
JP 2003-124184 A

  An object of the present invention is to remove a liquid that realizes pattern formation with a high yield with little occurrence of foreign matter due to the above-mentioned redeposition on a pattern formation substrate, mainly in a pattern development process of a plasma display member. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a member for a plasma display using a pattern forming method including an apparatus and a liquid removing apparatus.

That is, the present invention has the following configuration.
(1) A liquid removal apparatus having a liquid removal means for removing liquid adhering to the surface of a substrate, wherein the liquid removal apparatus comprises a liquid fall prevention means above a position through which the substrate passes.
(2) The liquid removal apparatus according to (1), wherein the liquid fall prevention means is a slit processed plate, a plate arranged with an inclination, or a hydrophilic processed plate.
(3) The liquid removing device according to (2), wherein the hydrophilicity of the surface of the plate-like material subjected to hydrophilic treatment is a wettability of 15 mm or more with pure water.
(4) (a) a developing means for performing development by bringing a substrate on which a latent image is formed into contact with a developer;
(B) cleaning means for cleaning the substrate by bringing the substrate on which the pattern obtained by the developing means is brought into contact with the cleaning liquid; and (c) developer and / or cleaning liquid adhering to the surface of the substrate on which the pattern is formed. A developing device comprising the liquid removing device according to (1), (2) or (3), having a liquid removing means for removing.
(5) A pattern forming apparatus having the developing device according to (4).
(6) A liquid removal method for removing liquid adhering to the surface of a substrate, comprising a liquid fall prevention means above an area where the liquid is removed.
(7) The liquid removal method according to (6), wherein the liquid fall prevention means is a slit processed plate, an inclined plate, or a hydrophilic processed plate.
(8) The liquid removing method according to (7), wherein the hydrophilicity of the surface of the plate-like material subjected to the hydrophilic treatment is a wettability of 15 mm or more with pure water.
(9) (a) a development step by bringing the substrate on which the latent image is formed into contact with a developer and performing development;
(B) A cleaning step in which the substrate on which the pattern generated by the developing unit is formed is brought into contact with the cleaning solution to clean the substrate, and (c) the developing solution and / or the cleaning solution adhering to the surface of the substrate on which the pattern is formed is removed. (6) The manufacturing method of the member for plasma displays which has a liquid removal process which uses the liquid removal method of (7) or (8) description.
(10) The method for producing a member for a plasma display according to (9), wherein the substrate on which the pattern is formed is a pattern including an uneven form or a matrix structure.
(11) The method for producing a member for a plasma display according to (9) or (10), wherein the pattern formed on the substrate is an electrode, a dielectric, a partition, a black matrix, a black stripe, or a color filter.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to form a pattern with a high yield with less occurrence of foreign matter on the pattern forming substrate. In particular, the apparatus of the present invention is difficult to completely clean in the cleaning process step (b), as in the case where the pattern includes an uneven shape or has a matrix structure, and an air knife is used. If it is employed in a pattern formation process in which the paste removed in the development process (a) is brought up to the liquid removal process (c), a more remarkable improvement effect can be exhibited.

  From such a viewpoint, the apparatus of the present invention exhibits a remarkable effect particularly in a pattern forming method in manufacturing a member for a plasma display. More specifically, a remarkable improvement effect is exhibited when the pattern forming step is a step of forming an electrode, a dielectric, a partition, a black matrix or black stripe, a color filter, or the like.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a pattern developing apparatus including a liquid removing apparatus of the present invention.

  First, an unnecessary portion on the pattern forming substrate is removed by immersing the pattern forming substrate in the developing solution and / or developing processing means (a) for injecting the developing solution onto the pattern forming substrate to form a desired pattern. The

  The developer 2 is sprayed from, for example, a nozzle of a shower tube 4 installed on the substrate 1. In this case, the interval and height at which the nozzles are arranged are not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the pitch is 100 to 150 mm and the height is 80 to 120 mm from the viewpoint of efficient liquid spraying. The developer is not particularly limited, and for example, an aqueous solution containing an alkaline active ingredient can be used. As the alkaline aqueous solution, an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, sodium carbonate or the like can be used. However, it is more preferable to use an aqueous solution containing as an active ingredient an organic alkaline component that does not cause the alkali metal component to remain after firing. An amine component or a quaternary ammonium salt can be used as the organic alkaline active ingredient. Specific examples include aminoethanol such as monoethanolamine and diethanolamine, tetramethylammonium hydroxide, and trimethylbenzylammonium hydroxide.

  After the unnecessary portions are removed by the developer, the pattern forming substrate is cleaned by a cleaning treatment means (b) that immerses the substrate in the cleaning solution and / or sprays the cleaning solution onto the pattern forming substrate.

  The cleaning liquid 3 is sprayed from, for example, a nozzle of a shower tube 4 installed at the upper part and / or the lower part of the substrate 1. The interval and height at which the nozzles are arranged are not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the pitch is 100 to 150 mm and the height is 80 to 120 mm from the viewpoint of cleaning efficiency. Although it does not specifically limit as a washing | cleaning liquid, For example, a pure water, oxidation reduction water, weak acidic water, weak alkaline water, etc. are mention | raise | lifted.

  The cleaned pattern forming substrate 1 is introduced into the liquid removing means (c), and the developing solution and / or cleaning solution adhering to the surface is removed. As the liquid removing means, for example, an air knife is preferably used, and the developer and / or cleaning liquid adhering to the substrate surface is removed by a high-pressure air flow ejected from the air knife. In order to increase the liquid removal efficiency, the direction of air sprayed from the air knife 5 is inclined upstream in the substrate transport direction in a side view and laterally in a plan view as shown in FIGS. It is preferable.

  The pattern developing apparatus of the present invention is characterized by having a liquid fall prevention means 7 on the top plate above the liquid removal means (c). Thereby, in the liquid removing step (c), it is possible to prevent foreign matters such as paste and water droplets that are blown off by the air knife and floated on the liquid fall prevention means and reattach to the pattern forming substrate.

  Examples of the liquid fall prevention means include slit processing, tilting, or surface hydrophilic treatment on the plate-like material on the upper part of the liquid removal means (c).

  The cross-sectional shape of the slit groove is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a V shape and a semicircular shape. In addition, the direction in which the slit groove is provided is preferably a direction perpendicular to the transport direction from the viewpoint that liquid dripping hardly falls on the substrate. The size of the slit groove is not particularly limited, but the groove width is preferably 0.05 to 3 mm, and more preferably 0.1 to 2 mm. If the slit groove width is less than 0.05 mm, the amount of water retained by the plate-like material tends to be small and the liquid tends to drop. Conversely, if it exceeds 3 mm, the amount of water retained is too large. Therefore, it is not preferable. Further, the depth of the slit groove is preferably 0.05 to 3 mm, and more preferably 0.1 to 2 mm. If the depth of the slit groove is less than 0.05 mm, the effect of guiding the liquid is lost, and if it exceeds 3 mm, the water retention amount is too large, so that the liquid tends to fall. Furthermore, the interval (pitch) at which the slit grooves are provided is preferably 10 mm or less, and more preferably 5 mm or less. If the distance exceeds 10 mm, the water retention capacity is reduced, and the effect of preventing liquid drop is lost.

  When the plate-like object is provided with an inclination, it is preferably provided in the substrate transport direction and the vertical direction, respectively. The inclination angle provided in the substrate transport direction is preferably 5 to 45 degrees, and more preferably 5 to 20 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane, with the upstream side in the substrate transport direction as the lower side. If the tilt angle is less than 5 degrees, the liquid tends to drop onto the substrate in the middle of guiding the liquid, and if it exceeds 45 degrees, the apparatus height increases and the apparatus cost increases. In addition, an inclination angle provided in a direction perpendicular to the substrate transport direction is preferably 5 to 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane, and more preferably 5 to 20 degrees. If the tilt angle is less than 5 degrees, the liquid tends to drop onto the substrate in the middle of guiding the liquid, and if it exceeds 45 degrees, the apparatus height increases and the apparatus cost increases.

  In addition, although the magnitude | size of a plate-shaped object is not specifically limited, As shown in FIG. 2, you may use what was diagonally cut according to the angle which provides the air knife 5. As shown in FIG. In this case, it is preferable that the side of the plate-like object where the area is wide, that is, the direction in which the compressed air blows out from the air knife 5 is lowered.

  The height at which the plate-like material is provided is preferably, for example, 100 to 1000 mm, more preferably 200 to 1000 mm from the substrate surface. If the height of the plate-like object is less than 100 mm, the water droplets swollen by the air knife at the bottom of the plate-like object hit the plate-like object without decelerating and bounce off without obtaining the hydrophilic effect of the plate-like object. It is easy to fall. On the other hand, if it exceeds 1000 mm, the water droplets that have risen will not easily reach the plate-like object and will easily fall on the substrate.

  The hydrophilic treatment applied to the surface of the plate-like material is not particularly limited, but a resin coating is common. Examples include hygroscopic or hydrophilic polymers such as those that form hygroscopic and hydrophilic polymer films based on polyvinyl alcohol, polyurethane, polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, polyisocyanate, Examples of the surfactant include those containing at least one of alkyl diphenyl ether disulfonate, fatty acid salt, alkyl sulfate ester salt, alkylbenzene sulfonate salt, and polyoxyethylene alkyl (alkylallyl) sulfate ester salt. In addition, water glass, titanium phosphate, aluminum borate, or the like may be used. The plate-like object itself may be made of the resin.

  The degree of hydrophilicity of the surface of the plate-like object is not particularly limited, but for example, the wettability with pure water is preferably 15 mm or more, and more preferably 20 mm or more. If the wettability is less than 15 mm, water tends to be repelled and tends to fall on the substrate as water droplets. Here, the wettability is a room temperature of 23 ± 2 ° C. and a humidity of 55 ± 10%. Using pure water having a resistivity of 1 MΩ · cm or more, 50 μL is dropped by a micropipette, and the diameter of a water droplet that spreads after 30 seconds ( The X direction and the Y direction can be measured at two points, and the average value) can be measured.

  In the liquid removing step (c), a foreign matter removing mechanism other than the liquid drop preventing means may be provided in order to effectively remove foreign matters such as paste and water droplets blown off by an air knife and floating. The foreign matter removing mechanism is not particularly limited. For example, the foreign matter removing mechanism can be configured by a liquid flow or a gas flow that can be removed by removing the paste or water droplets. Specifically, pure water can be sprinkled. Watering showers that can be used. When using a shower for watering, it is better to spray on the inner wall or the inner floor of the processing device so that the shower does not act directly on the substrate. The installation position is from the same position as the air knife installation position. It is preferable to provide it over the upstream part.

  In addition, for example, an exhaust device (a device for sucking and exhausting) that actively sucks floating paste and water droplets and exhausts them outside the pattern forming device can be used as the foreign matter removing mechanism. In that case, the exhaust pipe of the exhaust device is preferably provided directly above the pattern forming substrate. This is because the action of sucking and exhausting is the strongest, and the expected effect of the present invention can be expected. In that case, the distance between the tip of the exhaust pipe and the surface of the pattern forming substrate is within 300 mm, more preferably 50 to It is effective to install it within a range of 250 mm. However, it is not preferable that the installation position is too close to the substrate because the original liquid removing action of the air knife is disturbed.

  These foreign matter removing mechanisms may be used in combination. The foreign matter removing mechanism is preferably continuously operated during pattern formation, but may be intermittently or intermittently operated.

  The pattern forming apparatus is not particularly limited, but it is a general term for apparatuses that form a desired wiring pattern by wet development or chemical etching. The term “development” as used herein refers to a chemical treatment that uses a chemical to change a photosensitive paste film having a solubility difference by exposure to a desired pattern. Furthermore, the chemical etching is a process of forming a desired pattern using a corrosive action of chemicals or ions after forming a chemical-resistant film on the surface layer.

  In the present invention, the pattern formed on the substrate is not particularly limited, but is preferably a pattern including a concavo-convex form or a matrix structure, specifically, electrodes, dielectrics, barrier ribs, black matrix, black Examples include stripes or color filters in plasma displays.

  In particular, in the above-described electrode and rib formation processing, a pattern shape having a very fine concavo-convex structure such as a pitch of 100 to several hundred μm, a height of several tens to several hundred μm, and a width of less than 100 μm. Therefore, the generated photosensitive paste waste is also very fine. Therefore, photosensitive paste waste that cannot be removed only by the cleaning treatment of (b) is likely to be generated, and at the same time, the fine photosensitive paste waste is easily captured by fine water droplets blown by an air knife, Although there was a disadvantage that it easily reattached to the inner wall or floor of the apparatus and further contaminated the pattern forming substrate, the production method of the present invention can more easily prevent reattachment.

  As described above, the liquid removal apparatus of the present invention is preferably used mainly in the pattern development process of the plasma display member. In addition, for example, the liquid attached to the substrate can be removed, for example, in the pre-cleaning process of the substrate. Any process can be used suitably.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to examples. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In addition,% in an Example shows weight%, unless there is a notice.

Example 1
Using a pattern developing apparatus including the liquid removing apparatus of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1, a grid pattern of 170 μm height before firing was formed on a 42-inch substrate by a photosensitive paste method. Here, the developing processing means (a) is provided with nozzles for spraying the developer attached to one shower tube downward at a pitch of 150 mm, and pure water is sprayed to the cleaning processing means per shower tube. The nozzles to be used were placed downward every 100 mm pitch. In addition, a resin plate (material: made of vinyl chloride (manufactured by Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.) having a thickness of 5 mm and processed into a V-groove with a pitch of 1.5 mm and a depth of 0.1 mm was installed on the plate-like object on the upper side of the liquid removing means. A 10 ° inclination was provided in the direction perpendicular to the workpiece conveying direction, and a 10 ° inclination was provided in the direction perpendicular to the workpiece transfer direction.Pure water with a resistivity of 1.2 MΩ · cm was added dropwise with a 50 μL micropipette for the wettability of the plate. The diameter of the water droplet that spread after 30 seconds was measured and found to be 6 mm.

  A 100-patterned substrate was subjected to a visual inspection set to a fluorescent lamp (white light) illuminance of 700 lux on the substrate surface and evaluated. As a result, the occurrence rate of spot unevenness defined below was 2%. Stain unevenness occurrence rate (%) = {(number of substrates on which stains are detected) / (total number of test substrates)} × 100.

Example 2
When a pattern was formed on the substrate and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the pitch of the V grooves of the resin plate was 1 mm, the occurrence rate of spot unevenness was 1.8%.

Example 3
When a pattern was formed on the substrate and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the pitch of the V groove of the resin plate was 5 mm and the depth was 2 mm, the spot unevenness occurrence rate was 2.1%.

Example 4
Instead of the V-groove-processed resin plate used in Example 1, an anti-fogging film (NOACRYSTAL-V: manufactured by RP Topura Co., Ltd.) having a hydrophilic surface, pure water having a resistivity of 1.2 MΩ · cm was used. When a pattern was formed on the substrate and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the diameter of a water droplet that was dropped with a 50 μL micropipette and the diameter of a water droplet that spread after 30 seconds was used was 20 mm), the rate of occurrence of spot unevenness was 1.5 %Met.

Example 5
The pitch of the V groove of the resin plate was 5 mm and the depth was 2 mm, and the surface of the plate was anti-fogged (the surface was hydrophilic) (manufactured by TOTO: Hydrotect coat, paintability of the plate after processing) : 15 mm), when a pattern was formed on the substrate and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1, the occurrence rate of spot unevenness was 1%.

Example 6
When a pattern was formed on the substrate and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the electrode was formed by the photosensitive paste method, the occurrence rate of spot unevenness was 0.5%.

Example 7
A pattern was formed on the substrate and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 except that a dielectric having a thickness of 50 μm (70 μm before firing) was formed on the substrate by a photosensitive paste method. there were.

Example 8
When a pattern was formed on the substrate and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the black stripe was formed by the photosensitive paste method, the occurrence rate of spot unevenness was 0.7%.

Comparative Example 1
When a resin plate not subjected to V-groove processing was used and a pattern was formed on the substrate and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the resin plate was installed horizontally, the spot unevenness occurrence rate deteriorated to 20%.

  According to Table 1, when a liquid drop prevention means such as a V-groove or a highly hydrophilic anti-fogging film is provided on the plate-like material on the upper part of the cleaning treatment means (c), floating paste or water droplets It was possible to effectively prevent reattachment to the pattern formation substrate, and to suppress the occurrence rate of spot unevenness on the obtained substrate. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 1 in which such a liquid drop prevention means was not provided, the occurrence rate of spot unevenness on the substrate was very high.

The outline of the pattern forming step having three steps of (a) development processing step, (b) cleaning processing step, and (c) liquid removal step employed in the present invention is shown as a model. 1 schematically shows an outline of a pattern developing apparatus in which a liquid fall prevention means is provided on a plate-like object on the upper side of a liquid removing means (c). The figure which looked at the plate-shaped object and air knife in the cleaning process (c) of FIG. 1 from the top is shown. The outline of the conventional pattern development process which has three processes, the development process of (a), the cleaning process of (b), and the liquid removal process of (c), is shown as a model.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate 2 Developer 3 Washing water 4 Shower tube 5 Air knife 6 Transport roller 7 Liquid fall prevention means a Development process b Cleaning process c Liquid removal process

Claims (11)

A liquid removal apparatus having a liquid removal means for removing liquid adhering to the surface of a substrate, comprising a liquid fall prevention means above a position through which the substrate passes. 2. The liquid removing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid fall prevention means is a slit processed plate, an inclined plate, or a hydrophilic processed plate. The liquid removing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the hydrophilicity of the surface of the plate-like material subjected to the hydrophilic treatment is 15 mm or more in wettability with pure water. (A) developing means for performing development by bringing a substrate on which a latent image is formed into contact with a developer;
(B) cleaning means for cleaning the substrate by bringing the substrate on which the pattern obtained by the developing means is brought into contact with the cleaning liquid; and (c) developer and / or cleaning liquid adhering to the surface of the substrate on which the pattern is formed. 4. A developing apparatus comprising the liquid removing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a liquid removing means for removing. A pattern forming apparatus comprising the developing device according to claim 4. A liquid removing method for removing liquid adhering to a surface of a substrate, comprising a liquid fall prevention means above an area where the liquid is removed. 7. The liquid removing method according to claim 6, wherein the liquid fall prevention means is a slit processed plate, an inclined plate, or a hydrophilic processed plate. The liquid removing method according to claim 7, wherein the hydrophilicity of the surface of the plate-like material subjected to the hydrophilic treatment is a wettability of 15 mm or more with pure water. (A) a developing step by bringing the substrate on which the latent image is formed into contact with a developer and performing development;
(B) A cleaning step in which the substrate on which the pattern generated by the developing unit is formed is brought into contact with the cleaning solution to clean the substrate, and (c) the developing solution and / or the cleaning solution adhering to the surface of the substrate on which the pattern is formed is removed. The manufacturing method of the member for plasma displays which has a liquid removal process using the liquid removal method of Claim 6, 7 or 8. The method for manufacturing a member for a plasma display according to claim 9, wherein the substrate on which the pattern is formed is a pattern including an uneven shape or a matrix structure. The method for producing a member for a plasma display according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the pattern formed on the substrate is an electrode, a dielectric, a partition, a black matrix, a black stripe, or a color filter.

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