JP2007069147A - Pattern correcting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pattern correcting device capable of being stably used continuously for a long period of time. <P>SOLUTION: In the pattern correcting device, a head part 18 and a coating nozzle part 18a are integrally formed. A lower head 44 has a recessed-type tapered inner peripheral surface 44b of which the opening width becomes smaller toward the lower side and a penetrating hole 44a through which mist particles flowing from the upper side pass via the penetrating hole 43a of an upper part head 43. Therefore, since the clogging of a nozzle is unlikely to occur, the device can be stably used continuously for a long period of time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a pattern correction apparatus, and more particularly to a pattern correction apparatus that corrects a defective portion of a fine pattern formed on a substrate. More specifically, the present invention relates to a pattern correction apparatus that corrects an open defect of an electrode, a rib (partition) defect of a plasma display, and the like that occur in a manufacturing process of a flat panel display.

  In recent years, with the increase in size and definition of flat panel displays such as plasma displays, liquid crystal displays, and EL displays, the probability of defects in electrodes and ribs on the glass substrate has increased, and the yield has been improved. Therefore, a method for correcting the defect has been proposed.

  For example, on the rear glass substrate of the plasma display, ribs having a height of about 150 μm and a width of about 60 to 100 μm are formed at a pitch of several hundreds of μm. If a part of this rib is missing, apply the correction paste to the application needle and apply it to the defect, and stack the correction paste while firing to prevent the correction paste from dripping, and protrude in the rib width direction. The cut portion is scraped off with a laser cut and a scratch needle, and the raised portion higher than the normal height of the rib is flattened by the squeegee function to correct the rib (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  Electrodes are formed on the surface of the glass substrate of the liquid crystal display. When this electrode is disconnected, the conductive paste adhered to the tip of the application needle is applied to the disconnected portion, and applied multiple times while shifting the application position in the length direction of the electrode to correct the electrode (for example, Patent Documents) 2).

  However, in the conventional correction device, when correcting the rib, the application needle reciprocates between the rib defect portion and the paste tank many times to fill the rib defect portion with the correction paste. There is a problem that the application time becomes long. In addition, when correcting the electrode, it is applied while replenishing the coating needle with the conductive paste by reciprocating between the electrode disconnection part and the paste tank many times. become longer.

  In view of this, the present inventor has proposed a pattern correction apparatus that corrects a correction liquid in which fine particles of a correction material are dispersed in a solvent in the form of a mist and sprays the defect on the defect to deposit the fine particles on the defect (for example, a special correction device). Application No. 2005-50767). In this pattern correction device, correction is performed by spraying a mist-like correction liquid onto the defective portion, so that the defective portion can be quickly removed as compared with the conventional method in which the application needle reciprocates between the defective portion and the paste tank many times. Can be corrected.

  FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a main part of a conventional pattern correction apparatus. With reference to FIG. 7, the pipe 51 is fixed to the head portion 50 by an annular seal member 55. The application nozzle 52 is a separate component from the head unit 50, and is fixed by being inserted into the annular step 50 a at the lower end of the head unit 50. With the annular resin seal member 53 interposed between the annular step portion 50 a and the outer peripheral surface of the application nozzle 52, the nut 54 is screwed into the lower end of the head portion 50, and the seal member 53 is engaged with the nut 54. The application nozzle 52 is fixed to the head unit 50 by pressing the pressure.

The head unit 50 covers the periphery of the mist particles flowing from above through the pipe 51 with a sheath gas (for example, nitrogen gas), and converges the flow of the mist particles to cause defects from the coating nozzle 52 at the lower end of the head unit 50. Mist particles are ejected toward the section. The inner diameter of the jet nozzle of the coating nozzle 52 is about 100 to 200 μm, and the flow of the mist particles can be converged to about 1/10 of the inner diameter of the jet nozzle by the sheath gas. The sheath gas supplied from the outside of the head part 50 through the hole 50b covers the mist particles flowing from above at the confluence 50c. Then, the flow of the mist particles is converged at the application nozzle 52, and the mist particles are ejected from the tip end portion 52b of the application nozzle 52 toward the defect portion while maintaining the converged state.
JP 2000-299059 A JP-A-8-292442

  However, in the configuration as shown in FIG. 7, mist particles enter the gap between the joint surfaces 56 of the application nozzle 52 and the head unit 50, and the mist particles accumulate in a liquid state. Further, if there is a step in the joining surface 56, the flow of the sheath gas is disturbed, and mist particles gradually adhere to the inner peripheral surface 52a of the coating nozzle 52. Then, the mist particles adhere to the inner peripheral side and the outer peripheral side of the tip end portion 52b of the application nozzle 52 as a liquid mass, resulting in nozzle clogging. If the mist particles become liquid and adhere to the inner peripheral side (and the outer peripheral side) of the tip end portion 52b of the coating nozzle 52, the flow of the mist particles ejected from the tip end portion 52b toward the defective portion is hindered. It becomes difficult to converge and draw the material on the defect portion by converging the material.

  The conventional shape as shown in FIG. 7 has a problem that nozzle clogging is likely to occur, so that it cannot be stably used continuously for a long time. Further, it is necessary to frequently clean the application nozzle 52, and the maintainability is poor.

  Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to provide a pattern correction apparatus that can be used stably for a long time.

  A pattern correction device according to the present invention is a pattern correction device for correcting a defective portion of a fine pattern formed on a substrate, and includes a heating device for heating the substrate in a range including at least the defective portion, and a mist-like correction liquid And a deposition device that corrects the defective part by spraying the liquid onto the defective part and depositing the correction liquid on the defective part. The deposition apparatus has a spray portion that generates a mist-like correction liquid and a tapered inner peripheral surface whose opening width decreases downward, and the gas for converging the mist-like correction liquid is tapered. The head unit and the coating nozzle unit are integrated with each other, including a head unit that is supplied downward along the inner peripheral surface of the nozzle and a coating nozzle unit that converges and ejects the mist-like correction liquid with the gas supplied from the head unit. It is formed.

  Preferably, the inner peripheral surfaces of the head portion and the application nozzle are formed so as to be smoothly connected by polishing after being subjected to electric discharge machining.

  In the pattern correction apparatus according to the present invention, since the head portion and the application nozzle portion are integrally formed, nozzle clogging is less likely to occur, and stable use can be performed continuously for a long time.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a pattern correction apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a pattern correction apparatus 1 includes an observation optical system 2 that observes the surface of a substrate, a monitor 3 that displays an observed image, and a laser beam that is irradiated through the observation optical system 2 to cut unnecessary portions. And a fine particle deposition apparatus 5 for depositing fine particles on the defect portion by spraying the correction liquid in the form of a mist in the form of fine particles of several μm or less of the correction material used for defect correction and spraying the defect portion. A substrate heating unit 6 that heats the defective part to vaporize the solvent in the mist-like correction liquid, an image processing unit 7 that recognizes the defective part, a host computer 8 that controls the entire apparatus, and an apparatus mechanism unit And a control computer 9 for controlling the operation. In addition, an XY stage 10 that moves a substrate having a defective portion in the XY direction (horizontal direction), a chuck portion 11 that holds the substrate on the XY stage 10, and the observation optical system 2 and the particle deposition apparatus 5 are moved in the Z direction. A Z stage 12 that is moved in the (vertical direction) is provided.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the pattern correction apparatus shown in FIG. Examples of the defect to be corrected include an open defect portion of an electrode, a rib defect portion of a plasma display, and a white defect of a color filter. For example, the substrate 14 on which the electrode 13 having the open defect portion 13 a is formed is fixed to the chuck portion 11, and the chuck portion 11 is moved in the XY direction by the XY stage 10. It is also possible to incorporate a heater for heating the entire substrate 14 in the chuck unit 11 and use it together with the substrate heating unit 6 that can partially heat the range including the defective portion 13a from the upper side of the substrate 14. When the substrate 14 is large, it is necessary to heat the entire substrate 14 by incorporating a heater in the chuck unit 11. In such a case, it is preferable to use only the substrate heating unit 6. preferable. As the substrate heating unit 6, an LD light source, a CO ₂ laser, or the like can be used.

  The fine particle deposition apparatus 5 has a correction material used for correction as a fine particle of several μm or less, and a spray unit 15 that atomizes the correction liquid that is liquefied by uniformly dispersing it in a solvent, and the correction made in the form of a mist The decompression unit 16 that reduces the pressure of the liquid flow, the heating unit 17 that heats the decompressed mist-like correction liquid, and the heated mist-like correction liquid converges and is sprayed onto the defect part 13a, and the defect part 13a And a head portion 18 for depositing fine particles.

  A correction liquid 20 is injected into the container 19 of the spray unit 15. When the open defect portion 13a of the electrode 13 is corrected, a silver paste, a gold paste, or a transparent electrode material fine particle dispersed in a solvent is used as the correction liquid 20. Alternatively, a metal complex solution containing a compound in which ions and molecules are bonded around the central metal may be used. When correcting a rib chip defect of a plasma display, a correction liquid 20 in which glass powder, which is a material of a rib, is uniformly dispersed in a solvent is used.

  A spray nozzle 21 is provided in the center of the container 19. The lower part of the spray nozzle 21 is immersed in the correction liquid 20. When atomizing gas (for example, nitrogen gas) is supplied to the spray nozzle 21 from the outside of the container 19, the flow rate of the atomized gas at the jet nozzle 21 a of the spray nozzle 21 is increased and the atmospheric pressure is lowered from the surroundings. When the correction liquid 20 is sucked up from the mouth 21b and the atomized gas is ejected from the ejection port 21a, the correction liquid 20 is also scattered around the ejection port 21a and atomized. This principle is the same as the principle of normal spraying, and is the application of Bernoulli's principle. Large mist particles fall into the container 19 or collide with the inner wall surface of the container 19 and remain in the container 19, and only fine mist particles are sent to the decompression unit 16.

  As the atomizing gas, an inert gas such as nitrogen gas is preferably used so that the correction liquid 20 is not oxidized, but air may be used as long as the correction liquid 20 does not oxidize. Further, the atomizing gas is used to make the correction liquid 20 in an atomized state. However, if the correction material in the correction liquid 20 is an ultrafine particle such as a submicron, an atomizer using an ultrasonic vibrator may be used. I do not care.

  In addition, when the fine particles of the correction material in the correction liquid 20 are likely to precipitate over time, a stirrer is placed in the container 19 and a magnetic stirrer is installed at the bottom of the container 19 to constantly agitate the correction liquid 20. May be.

  The decompression unit 16 is the same as a generally known virtual impactor, and classifies the mist particles of the correction liquid 20. Small mist particles are removed here, and the pressure of the mist particle flow is reduced. The decompression unit 16 includes a nozzle unit 22, a gas collection unit 23, an exhaust pipe 24, and an outer pipe 25. The nozzle portion 22 and the air collecting portion 23 are opposed to each other while maintaining a certain gap 26. Of the mist particles ejected from the nozzle unit 22, mist particles having a high flow velocity or heavy mist particles are supplied to the next stage through the air collecting portion 23, while mist particles having a low flow velocity, light mist particles, or the like are exhausted. It is discharged by an exhaust pump (not shown) through 24.

  The heating unit 17 includes a pipe 27 that connects the air collecting unit 23 and the next stage. A heater 28 and a temperature sensor 29 are attached to the outer peripheral portion of the pipe 27, and the pipe 27 is controlled so as to reach a set temperature, and has a function of heating fog particles. By heating the mist particles, the flow and scattering when the mist particles adhere to the defect portion 13a are suppressed. The heater 28 is covered with a heat insulating member (not shown). Further, depending on the correction liquid 20, as shown in FIG. 3, the heating unit 17 can be omitted.

  Returning to FIG. 2, the head portion 18 covers the periphery of the mist particles with a sheath gas (for example, nitrogen gas), converges the flow of the mist particles, toward the defect portion 13 a from the coating nozzle portion 18 a at the lower end of the head portion 18. Sprays fog particles. The inner diameter of the jet nozzle of the coating nozzle portion 18a is about 100 to 200 μm, and the flow of fog particles can be converged to about 1/10 of the inner diameter of the jet nozzle by the sheath gas.

  The shutter 30 receives the mist particles ejected from the coating nozzle portion 18a so that the mist particles are not ejected onto the substrate 14 before the defect correction is performed. At the start of the correction, the shutter 30 is opened to correct the defect. Simultaneously with the completion of the correction, the shutter 30 is moved between the tip of the coating nozzle portion 18a and the substrate 14, and the shutter 30 receives fog particles. The shutter 30 may have a function of sucking mist particles ejected from the application nozzle portion 18a.

  Next, a method for using this pattern correction apparatus will be described. FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating a process in the middle of correcting the open defect portion 13 a of the electrode 13 formed on the surface of the substrate 14. The XY stage 10 is driven to move the coating nozzle portion 18a and the substrate 14 relatively, and the shutter 30 is opened to deposit fine particles of the correction material from one end to the other end of the defective portion 13a. At this time, the distance between the tip of the application nozzle portion 18a and the surface of the substrate 14 can be maintained at a constant distance (around 5 mm) and corrected without contact. The opening / closing control of the shutter 30 is performed based on the position information of the XY stage 10 and the correction liquid accumulation range is adjusted.

  In order to keep the line width of the deposition layer of the fine particles constant, a part of the substrate 14 or the entire substrate 14 is kept at an optimum temperature within a range including the defect portion 13a, and the flow rate and pressure reduction of the atomizing gas supplied to the spraying portion 15 are maintained. It is necessary to manage the exhaust gas flow rate of the portion 16 and the sheath gas flow rate of the head portion 18 to optimum values. The influence of the distance between the tip of the coating nozzle portion 18a and the surface of the substrate 14 on the line width of the fine particle deposition layer is small.

  FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating a state where the shutter 30 is closed and correction of the defective portion 13a is completed. The correction unit 31 formed of a fine particle deposition layer may be further baked by the substrate heating unit 6, or the entire substrate 14 may be baked again in a separate furnace. When the corrected film thickness is insufficient, a plurality of deposited layers may be stacked. Further, when the line width of the correction unit 31 is larger than the line width of the electrode 13 or fine particles adhere to portions other than the correction unit 31, unnecessary portions may be laser-cut using the laser unit 4.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5A, it is also possible to correct a rib missing defect portion 35a in which a part of the rib 35 formed on the surface of the rear glass substrate 34 of the plasma display is missing. That is, as shown in FIG. 5B, the shutter 30 is opened while the defective portion 35a is heated using the substrate heating portion 6, and the mist-like correction liquid 20 is ejected from the coating nozzle portion 18a to the defective portion 35a. The XY stage 10 is moved to form the particulate deposition layer 36_1 in the defect portion 35a. Subsequently, the XY stage 10 is reciprocated to stack a plurality of deposition layers 36_2 to 36_n, and finally stack to the normal height of the rib 35 as shown in FIG. The opening / closing control of the shutter 30 is performed based on the position information of the XY stage 10 and the correction liquid accumulation range is adjusted. After completion of the lamination, the correction portion may be subjected to main firing using the substrate heating portion 6 or the substrate 14 may be refired in a furnace.

  In this example, since the deposition layers 36_1 to 36_n can be stacked while being heated to some extent by heating with the substrate heating unit 6, the stacking width is uniform and does not collapse. Therefore, the rib width reshaping step after lamination can be omitted.

  In addition, the deposition thickness of one time is about 1 μm although it depends on the type of the correction material and the set flow rate of the gas. If the deposition layers 36_2 to 36_n are stacked while measuring the height of the correction portion with a measuring instrument, Since the top surface of the correction portion can be made substantially the same height as the normal top surface of the rib 35, the conventional squeegee mechanism can be omitted.

  As described above, in this pattern correction apparatus, the mist-like correction liquid 20 is jetted onto the heated defect portions 13a and 35a, fine particles of the correction material are deposited on the defect portions 13a and 35a, and the deposited layer is formed into the defect portions 13a and 35a. Since the drawing is performed on 35a, the correction time can be shortened as compared with the conventional case where the coating needle is used. Further, the pattern shaping procedure and its mechanism after applying the correction paste, which was necessary in the prior art, are not required, and the apparatus can be simplified.

  In this pattern correction device, the deposition layers are drawn by moving the substrates 14 and 34 by the XY stage 10, but the deposition layers are drawn by moving the fine particle deposition device 5 without moving the substrates 14 and 34. May be. Further, as the XY stage 10, various stage types such as a uniaxial stage stacked in the XY direction and a gantry system in which the substrate is fixed and the X axis and the Y axis are separated and driven can be considered. It is not limited to the stage.

  The conventional pattern correction apparatus has a problem that it cannot be stably used continuously for a long time because nozzle clogging is likely to occur in the application nozzle. Therefore, in this embodiment, this problem can be solved.

  FIG. 6 is a detailed view of the head unit 18 shown in FIG. Referring to FIG. 6, application nozzle portion 18 a is integrally formed with head portion 18. The fixed unit 42 is provided with a joint 41 for supplying the sheath gas to the head portion 18, and an annular groove 42 a for guiding the supplied sheath gas in the circumferential direction is formed. The fixing unit 42 is joined to the heating unit 17 or the decompression unit 16 shown in FIG.

  In the center of the upper head 43, a through hole 43a through which mist particles flowing from above through the pipe 27 pass is formed. Further, a convex tapered outer peripheral surface 43b is formed on the lower side of the center of the upper head 43 so as to become narrower downward.

  On the lower side of the center of the lower head 44, an application nozzle portion 18a having a tapered tip is formed. Further, a through hole 44 a through which fog particles flowing from above through the through hole 43 a of the upper head 43 passes is formed at the center of the lower head 44. On the upper center side of the lower head 44, a concave tapered inner peripheral surface 44b is formed whose opening width decreases downward.

  The male screw portion 43c formed on the upper head 43 and the female screw portion 44c formed on the lower head 44 are screwed together, and the outer peripheral surface 43b of the upper head 43 and the inner peripheral surface 44b of the lower head 44 maintain a slight gap. The upper head 43 and the lower head 44 are joined together. The annular O-ring 45 is provided between the upper head 43 and the lower head 44 in order to prevent the sheath gas from leaking from the gap between the upper head 43 and the lower head 44. The upper head 43 has a large number of holes 43 d, and sheath gas passes from the annular groove 42 a of the fixed unit 42 through the holes 43 d, and the outer peripheral surface 43 b of the upper head 43 and the inner peripheral surface 44 b of the lower head 44. Along the bottom.

  The male screw portion 43e formed on the upper head 43 and the female screw portion 42b formed on the fixed unit 42 are screwed together, and the upper head 43 and the fixed unit 42 are joined. The annular O-rings 46 and 47 are provided between the upper head 43 and the fixed unit 42 in order to prevent the sheath gas from leaking from the gap between the upper head 43 and the fixed unit 42.

  The pipe 27 is inserted and fixed in an annular step 43 f formed on the upper center side of the upper head 43. With the O-ring 48 and the annular resin ring member 49 interposed between the annular step 43f and the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 27, the upper head 43 and the fixed unit 42 are screwed together to fix the fixed unit 42. The pipe member 27 is fixed to the head portion 18 by pressing the ring member 49 with the annular step portion 42c formed at the center lower side.

  The through hole 44a and the inner peripheral surface 44b of the lower head 44 are formed so as to be smoothly connected by electric discharge machining. However, since the processed surface is rough, electrolytic polishing or fluid polishing is performed after the electric discharge processing to reduce the surface roughness so that the sheath gas flows smoothly.

  As described above, in this embodiment, since the head portion 18 and the coating nozzle portion 18a are integrally formed, the mist particles are stored in a liquid state on the joint surface between the coating nozzle and the head portion as in the prior art. The problem is solved. Further, the flow of the sheath gas is not disturbed. Accordingly, nozzle clogging is less likely to occur, so that stable use can be performed continuously for a long time. For this reason, the frequency which wash | cleans an application | coating nozzle part is few, and the maintainability of a pattern correction apparatus improves.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of a pattern correction apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the principal part of the pattern correction apparatus shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the example of a change of the pattern correction apparatus shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the usage method of the pattern correction apparatus shown in FIG. It is another figure which shows the usage method of the pattern correction apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the head unit shown in FIG. 2. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the principal part of the conventional pattern correction apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Pattern correction apparatus 2 Observation optical system 3 Monitor 4 Cut laser part 5 Fine particle deposition apparatus 6 Substrate heating part 7 Image processing part 8 Host computer 9 Control computer 10 XY stage 11 Chuck part , 12 Z stage, 13 electrode, 13a defective part, 14 substrate, 15 spraying part, 16 pressure reducing part, 17 heating part, 18, 50 head part, 18a coating nozzle part, 19 container, 20 correction fluid, 21 spraying nozzle, 21a Spout, 21b Suction port, 22 Nozzle part, 23 Air collection part, 24 Exhaust pipe, 25 Outer pipe, 26 Gap, 27, 51 Pipe, 28 Heater, 29 Temperature sensor, 30 Shutter, 31 Correction part, 34 Back glass substrate , 35 rib, 35a rib chip defect portion, 36_1 to 36_n deposited layer, 41 joint, 42 fixing unit G, 42a Groove, 42b, 44c Female thread, 42c, 43f, 50a Annular step, 43 Upper head, 43a, 44a Through hole, 43b Outer peripheral surface, 43c, 43e Male thread, 43d, 50b Hole, 44 Lower head, 44b 52a Inner peripheral surface, 45 to 48 O-ring, 49 ring member, 50c confluence, 52 coating nozzle, 52b tip, 53,55 seal member, 54 nut, 56 joint surface.

Claims (2)

A pattern correction apparatus for correcting a defective portion of a fine pattern formed on a substrate,
A heating device for heating the substrate in a range including at least the defect portion;
A spraying device for spraying a mist-like correction liquid onto the defect portion, and depositing the correction liquid on the defect portion to correct the defect portion;
The deposition apparatus includes:
A spray unit for generating the mist-like correction liquid;
A head portion having a tapered inner peripheral surface whose opening width decreases downward, and for supplying gas for converging the mist-like correction liquid downward along the tapered inner peripheral surface; ,
An application nozzle unit that converges and ejects the mist-like correction liquid with the gas supplied from the head unit,
The pattern correction apparatus, wherein the head part and the application nozzle part are integrally formed.   The pattern correction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an inner peripheral surface of the head part and the coating nozzle is formed so as to be smoothly connected after being subjected to electric discharge machining and polished.

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