JP2008158545A - Proximity exposure apparatus and method for manufacturing substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the throughput in exposure of a glass substrate using a proximity system. <P>SOLUTION: An exposure apparatus includes an exposure position to expose glass substrates 1a, 1b to transfer a pattern of a photomask 20, a plurality of stages mounting and moving the glass substrates 1a, 1b, and a first loading/unloading position and a second loading/unloading position (a), (b) for the glass substrates 1a, 1b onto and from the respective stages, wherein the first and the second loading/unloading positions (a), (b) are placed in both sides of the exposure position as the center, one of the plurality of stages moves the glass substrate between the first loading/unloading position (a) and the exposure position, while the other stage moves the glass substrate between the second loading/unloading position (b) and the exposure position. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus for forming a pattern on a glass substrate and a substrate manufacturing method using the same in manufacturing a substrate such as a display panel, and more particularly to a proximity exposure apparatus using a proximity method and the same. The present invention relates to a substrate manufacturing method.

  The manufacture of TFT (Thin Film Transistor) substrates, color filter substrates, plasma display panel substrates, organic EL (Electroluminescence) display panel substrates, etc. for liquid crystal display devices used as display panels is performed using an exposure apparatus, photolithography. This is performed by forming a pattern on a glass substrate by a technique. As an exposure apparatus, a projection method in which a pattern of a photomask (hereinafter referred to as “mask”) is projected onto a glass substrate using a lens or a mirror, and a minute gap (proximity gap) between the mask and the glass substrate. ) To transfer the mask pattern. The proximity method is inferior in pattern resolution performance to the projection method, but the configuration of the irradiation optical system is simple, the processing capability is high, and it is suitable for mass production.

  In recent years, in the manufacture of various substrates for display panels, a relatively large glass substrate is prepared in order to cope with an increase in size and diversification of sizes, and one sheet of a glass substrate is selected according to the size of the display panel. Alternatively, a plurality of display panel substrates are manufactured. In this case, in the proximity method, if one surface of the glass substrate is to be exposed at a time, a mask having the same size as the glass substrate is required, and the cost of the expensive mask is further increased. In view of this, the mainstream method is to divide and expose one surface of a glass substrate into a plurality of shots while using a mask that is relatively smaller than the glass substrate and moving the glass substrate stepwise in the XY direction.

  The proximity exposure apparatus includes a chuck that fixes a glass substrate by vacuum suction or the like during exposure. The chuck is mounted on a stage that performs gap alignment between the mask and the glass substrate and alignment of the glass substrate. The loading / unloading of the glass substrate with respect to the chuck is usually performed by a handling arm such as a robot. Then, after pre-alignment, gap alignment and alignment of the glass substrate on the chuck are performed by the stage, a shot is performed. When exposing one surface of the glass substrate in a plurality of shots, step movement in the XY directions, gap alignment, alignment, and shot are repeated after pre-alignment. Conventionally, the total time of these series of operations including loading / unloading of a glass substrate has been a takt time.

On the other hand, in the exposure of a semiconductor wafer at the time of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a projection method is generally adopted. In this case, since the thermal expansion coefficient of the semiconductor wafer is relatively low and the exposure magnification can be adjusted by the projection method, temperature management of the semiconductor wafer at the time of exposure is not a problem. However, in the exposure of a glass substrate using the proximity method, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the glass substrate is higher than that of a mask made of a semiconductor wafer, quartz, or the like, and the mask pattern is transferred one-to-one by the proximity method. If the temperature control of the glass substrate is not performed, the total pitch accuracy of the pattern deteriorates. Conventionally, the glass substrate contacting the chuck is cooled by providing a temperature adjusting mechanism in the chuck itself. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for cooling a glass substrate before or during conveyance of the glass substrate to the chuck.
JP-A-11-26364

  In the exposure of a glass substrate using the conventional proximity method, the time for loading / unloading the glass substrate with respect to the chuck and the time required for pre-alignment directly affect the takt time, thereby preventing an increase in throughput. It was.

  Further, even if the chuck itself is provided with a temperature adjusting mechanism, the glass substrate cannot be sufficiently cooled in the time until the shot is started after loading the glass substrate. On the other hand, when a time for cooling the glass substrate is provided after the glass substrate is loaded, there is a problem that the throughput is lowered. For this reason, conventionally, for example, a cooling facility as described in Patent Document 1 is separately required.

  Furthermore, when loading / unloading of the glass substrate with respect to the chuck is performed under the mask, dust generated during loading / unloading floats between the mask and the glass substrate. In the proximity method, the exposure is performed with the glass substrate being very close to the mask, so such dust becomes a problem. In order to avoid this, if loading / unloading of the glass substrate is performed at a position away from the bottom of the mask, the throughput is lowered by the time required for moving the chuck.

  An object of the present invention is to improve throughput in exposure of a glass substrate using a proximity method. Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to prevent the deterioration of the total pitch accuracy of the pattern. Another object of the present invention is to improve throughput in exposure of a glass substrate using a proximity method, and to prevent dust generated during loading / unloading of the glass substrate from floating between the mask and the glass substrate. Is to prevent.

  The proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention provides an exposure position for exposing a mask pattern to a glass substrate in a proximity exposure apparatus that transfers a mask pattern to the glass substrate by providing a minute gap between the mask and the glass substrate. A plurality of stages on which the glass substrate is mounted and moved, and first and second load / unload positions for loading / unloading the glass substrate on each stage, with the exposure position at the center, The first and second load / unload positions are arranged on both sides, and one of the stages moves the glass substrate between the first load / unload position and the exposure position, and the other one stage. Is configured to move the glass substrate between the second load / unload position and the exposure position.

  Furthermore, in the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention, after the exposure, the plurality of stages alternately move the glass substrate from the first and second load / unload positions toward the exposure position and are exposed at the exposure position. The glass substrate is carried out (claim 2). In the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention, a linear guide for guiding the stage is disposed between the exposure position and the first and second load / unload positions, and the plurality of stages are arranged on the guide. Are configured to reciprocate. (Claim 3). In the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of stages are installed on the X stage where the glass substrate is moved between the load / unload position and the exposure position, and the glass substrate moving direction is set. And a Y stage that moves the glass substrate in the intersecting direction. The proximity exposure apparatus according to the present invention further includes first and second glass substrate transfer means for loading and unloading the glass substrate with respect to the stage at the first and second load / unload positions, respectively. The first and second glass substrate transporting means are configured to load and unload the glass substrate from a direction intersecting the moving direction of the stage (Claim 5). In the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention, each stage is equipped with a chuck that includes a mechanism for fixing the glass substrate and adjusting the temperature of the glass substrate.

  While the glass substrate is being exposed at the exposure position, unloading of the glass substrate after exposure and loading of the glass substrate before exposure are performed at the load / unload position. The tact time does not include time for loading / unloading the glass substrate, but instead includes a short time for moving the chuck between the load / unload position and the exposure position. And while performing the exposure of a glass substrate in an exposure position, the time which cools the glass substrate before exposure in a load / unload position is ensured. In addition, since the glass substrate is loaded / unloaded at a load / unload position provided separately from the exposure position, dust generated during loading / unloading of the glass substrate does not float between the mask and the glass substrate.

  In particular, when the glass substrate is moved stepwise in the XY direction at the exposure position and one surface of the glass substrate is divided into a plurality of shots for exposure, the exposure time of one glass substrate is relatively long, and the glass before exposure is in the meantime. The substrate can be sufficiently cooled.

  If pre-alignment of a glass substrate on another chuck is performed at the load / unload position while the glass substrate on one chuck is exposed at the exposure position, the tact time requires pre-alignment. Time is not included.

  The substrate manufacturing method of the present invention forms a pattern on a glass substrate using any one of the above-described proximity exposure apparatuses.

  According to the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention, in exposing a glass substrate using the proximity method, the tact time can be shortened and the throughput can be improved. Further, the glass substrate can be cooled to prevent the deterioration of the total pitch accuracy of the pattern.

  Further, according to the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention, in the exposure of the glass substrate using the proximity method, the tact time is shortened to improve the throughput, and the dust generated during loading / unloading of the glass substrate is masked. And floating between the glass substrate and the glass substrate.

  According to the substrate manufacturing method of the present invention, pattern formation is performed at a high throughput, deterioration of the total pitch accuracy of the pattern is prevented, and dust generated during loading / unloading of the glass substrate is caused between the mask and the glass substrate. Can be prevented from floating. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture a high-quality substrate with a high throughput.

  FIG. 1 is a view showing the schematic arrangement of an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The exposure apparatus includes the chucks 10a and 10b, the mask 20, the mask holder 21, the handling arms 30a and 30b, and the transport line 40. The exposure apparatus includes an exposure light source and an irradiation optical system, a mask changer, a gap sensor, an alignment sensor, etc., which are omitted in FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a view of a part of the exposure apparatus as viewed from above. A mask 20 held by a mask holder 21 is disposed above an exposure position for exposing a glass substrate. On the left and right of the exposure position, load / unload positions a and b for loading / unloading the glass substrate with respect to the chuck are arranged. By movement of the X stage described later, the chuck 10a is moved between the load / unload position a and the exposure position, and the chuck 10b is moved between the load / unload position b and the exposure position. FIG. 1 shows a state where the chuck 10a is at the exposure position and the chuck 10b is at the load / unload position b.

  When the chuck 10a is at the load / unload position a, the handling arm 30a receives the glass substrate before exposure from the transfer line 40 and loads it onto the chuck 10a, and also unloads the glass substrate after exposure from the chuck 10a. Delivered to the transfer line 40. Similarly, when the chuck 10b is at the load / unload position b, the handling arm 30b receives the unexposed glass substrate from the transfer line 40 and loads it onto the chuck 10b, and unloads the exposed glass substrate from the chuck 10b. Load and transfer to the transfer line 40. FIG. 1 shows a state where the handling arm 30a is on standby to unload the glass substrate 1a from the chuck 10a, and the handling arm 30b is loading or unloading the glass substrate 1b from the chuck 10b. ing.

  FIG. 2 is a view showing a schematic configuration of the chuck of the exposure apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of the chuck. The Y stage 14 is mounted on the X stage 12, the θ and Z stages 15 are mounted on the Y stage 14, and the chuck 10 a is mounted on the θ and Z stages 15. It is installed. The same applies to the chuck 10b. The X stage 12 moves along the X guide 11 in the X axis direction, and the Y stage 14 moves along the Y guide 13 in the Y axis direction. The θ and Z stages 15 rotate in the θ direction, and move and tilt in the Z-axis direction. By the movement of the X stage 12, the chuck 10a is moved between the load / unload position a and the exposure position, and the chuck 10b is moved between the load / unload position b and the exposure position. FIG. 2 shows a state where the chuck 10a is at the exposure position and the chuck 10b is at the load / unload position b, as in FIG.

  At the load / unload positions a and b, the glass substrates on the chucks 10a and 10b are pre-aligned by the movement of the X stage 12 and the Y stage 14 and the rotation of the θ and Z stages 15. Further, at the exposure position, the movement of the X stage 12 and the Y stage 14 causes the glass substrate on the chucks 10a and 10b to move stepwise in the XY direction. Then, the gap between the mask 20 and the glass substrate is adjusted by the movement and tilt of the θ, Z stage 15, and the alignment of the glass substrate is performed by the movement of the X stage 12 and the Y stage 14 and the rotation of the θ, Z stage 15. Is done.

  When the glass substrate is loaded at the loading / unloading positions a and b, the chucks 10a and 10b raise the plurality of pins 16 accommodated therein, and the handling arms 30a and 30b pin the glass substrate to the pin 16. Then, the pin 16 is lowered to bring the glass substrate into contact with the chuck surface. Further, when the glass substrate is unloaded at the load / unload positions a and b, the chucks 10a and 10b raise the pins 16 to separate the glass substrate from the chuck surface, and the handling arms 30a and 30b are connected to the pins 16. Receive the glass substrate from the tip. The time for loading / unloading the glass substrate includes the time for raising / lowering the pins 16 in addition to the time for the handling arms 30a and 30b to move while holding the glass substrate.

  The chucks 10a and 10b are internally provided with a temperature adjustment mechanism such as a water cooling system, and the glass substrate is cooled by conducting heat conduction from the glass substrate in contact with the chuck surface to the chucks 10a and 10b.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an exposure method according to an embodiment of the present invention. First, a glass substrate is loaded onto one chuck at the load / unload position (step 101). Subsequently, pre-alignment of the glass substrate on one chuck is performed at the load / unload position (step 102). When pre-alignment is completed, one of the chucks is put on standby at the load / unload position, and the glass substrate is cooled (step 103). During these periods, the glass substrate on the other chuck is exposed at the exposure position.

  When the exposure of the glass substrate on the other chuck is completed, the other chuck is moved from the exposure position to the load / unload position, and one chuck is moved from the load / unload position to the exposure position (step 104). Then, the glass substrate on one chuck is exposed at the exposure position (steps 105 to 109).

  This embodiment shows an example in which one surface of a glass substrate is exposed by being divided into a plurality of shots. First, the glass substrate is moved stepwise in the XY direction (step 105), then the gap alignment between the mask 20 and the glass substrate is performed (step 106), and then the glass substrate is aligned (step 107). After the alignment, the alignment sensor is retracted from the sky of the mask 20 to perform a shot (step 108). Then, it is determined whether or not all shots are completed (step 109), and these steps are repeated until all shots are completed.

  When all shots are completed, one chuck is moved from the exposure position to the load / unload position (step 110), and the other chuck is moved from the load / unload position to the exposure position.

  At the load / unload position, the glass substrate is unloaded from one chuck (step 111), and the process returns to the beginning. During this time, the glass substrate on the other chuck is exposed at the exposure position.

  FIG. 4 is an example of a time chart of the exposure method according to the embodiment of the present invention. 4A is a time chart for the glass substrate 1a mounted on the chuck 10a, and FIG. 4B is a time chart for the glass substrate 1b mounted on the chuck 10b. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, during the step movement, gap alignment, alignment and shot (steps 105 to 109) of the glass substrate on one chuck, Loading / unloading of the glass substrate with respect to the other chuck (steps 111 and 101), pre-alignment (step 102) and cooling (step 103) of the glass substrate on the other chuck are performed. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4C, the tact time does not include time for loading / unloading the glass substrate, pre-alignment, and cooling.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a conventional exposure method. Conventionally, there is one chuck that cools while fixing the glass substrate, and the glass substrate is loaded (step 201) and pre-aligned (step 202) at the exposure position. The glass substrate exposure was the same as in FIG. (Steps 203-207). After the exposure, the glass substrate was unloaded at the exposure position (step 208).

  FIG. 6 is an example of a time chart of a conventional exposure method. Conventionally, the tact time includes loading / unloading (steps 208 and 201) and pre-alignment (step 202) of the glass substrate. Although the glass substrate was cooled before the shot during the pre-alignment (step 202) to the alignment (step 205), the glass substrate could not be sufficiently cooled during these steps. Further, since the glass substrate was loaded / unloaded at the exposure position, there was a problem that dust generated during loading / unloading floated between the mask and the glass substrate.

  3 and FIG. 5, in the present invention, the glass substrate is cooled (step 103), the chuck is moved to the exposure position (step 104), and the chuck is moved to the load / unload position (step). 110) are added. However, the movement of the chuck can be performed in a relatively short time, and the cooling of the glass substrate is not included in the tact time. Therefore, as can be seen from a comparison between FIG. 4 and FIG. 6, the tact time of the present invention is shortened compared to the prior art.

  According to the embodiment described above, the loading / unloading, pre-alignment, and cooling times of the glass substrate are not included in the tact time, so that the tact time can be shortened and the throughput can be improved. And since a glass substrate can be cooled on a chuck | zipper before exposure, the deterioration of the total pitch precision of a pattern can be prevented.

  In particular, in this embodiment, since one surface of the glass substrate is exposed by being divided into a plurality of shots, the exposure time of one glass substrate is relatively long, and the glass substrate can be sufficiently cooled during that time.

  Also, since the glass substrate is loaded / unloaded at a load / unload position provided separately from the exposure position, dust generated during loading / unloading of the glass substrate is prevented from floating between the mask and the glass substrate. Can be prevented.

  In the embodiment described above, two chucks for cooling while fixing the glass substrate are provided. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and three or more chucks may be provided. Further, the present invention is not limited to the case where one surface of the glass substrate is exposed by being divided into a plurality of shots, but is also applied to the case where one surface of the glass substrate is exposed in a lump.

  By forming a pattern on a glass substrate using the exposure method and the exposure apparatus of the present invention, the pattern can be formed with high throughput, the deterioration of the total pitch accuracy of the pattern can be prevented, and the load / unload of the glass substrate can be prevented. It is possible to prevent dust generated during loading from floating between the mask and the glass substrate. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture a high-quality substrate with a high throughput.

1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a view showing a schematic configuration of a chuck of an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the exposure method by one embodiment of this invention. It is an example of the time chart of the exposure method by one embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the conventional exposure method. It is an example of the time chart of the conventional exposure method.

Explanation of symbols

1a, 1b Glass substrates 10a, 10b Chuck 11 X guide 12 X stage 13 Y guide 14 Y stage 15 θ, Z stage 16 Pin 20 Mask 21 Mask holder 30a, 30b Handling arm 40 Transfer line

Claims (7)

In a proximity exposure apparatus that transfers a photomask pattern to a glass substrate by providing a small gap between the photomask and the glass substrate,
An exposure position for exposing the photomask pattern to the glass substrate;
A plurality of stages mounted and moved with the glass substrate;
A first load / unload position for loading / unloading the glass substrate on each stage;
With the exposure position at the center, the first and second load / unload positions are arranged on both sides,
One of the plurality of stages moves the glass substrate between the first loading / unloading position and the exposure position, and the other stage is the second loading / unloading position. A proximity exposure apparatus configured to move the glass substrate between the exposure position and the exposure position.   The plurality of stages alternately move the glass substrate from the first and second load / unload positions toward the exposure position, and carry out the exposed glass substrate exposed at the exposure position. The proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 1, which is configured.   A linear guide for guiding the stage is disposed between the exposure position and the first and second load / unload positions, and the plurality of stages are configured to reciprocate on the guide. The proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the proximity exposure apparatus is provided.   The plurality of stages includes an X stage that moves the glass substrate between the load / unload position and the exposure position, and the glass substrate that is installed on the X stage and intersects the glass substrate moving direction. 4. The proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a Y stage that moves the stage.   First and second glass substrate transfer means for loading and unloading the glass substrate with respect to the stage at the first and second load / unload positions, respectively, are arranged, and the first and second glasses 5. The proxy according to claim 1, wherein the substrate transport unit is configured to load and unload the glass substrate from a direction intersecting a moving direction of the stage. 6. Mitty exposure equipment.   6. The proxy according to claim 1, wherein each stage includes a chuck that includes a mechanism for fixing the glass substrate and adjusting a temperature of the glass substrate. Mitty exposure equipment.   A substrate manufacturing method, wherein a pattern is formed on a glass substrate using the proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 1.

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