JP2008197149A - Method for producing color filter, and exposure apparatus for producing color filter - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for producing a color filter, in which each of colored layers can be efficiently formed in a short period of time by using one coating apparatus and one exposure apparatus and a high-quality color filter substrate can be produced at a low cost, and to provide the exposure apparatus for producing the color filter. <P>SOLUTION: The method for producing the color filter comprises: a step of preparing a glass substrate W on which a black matrix layer BM is formed; a step S1 of jetting each color of droplet-like resists R, G, B from a nozzle hole arranged on an ink-jet heat and applying the jetted resists R, G or B onto the glass substrate W; a step S2 of exposing the glass substrate W, onto which the resists R, G, B are applied, through a mask on which a predetermined pattern is plotted; and a step S3 of developing the exposed glass substrate W and removing the unhardened resists R, G, B on the black matrix layer BM. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a color filter and an exposure apparatus for manufacturing the same, and more particularly to a method for manufacturing a color filter used in a liquid crystal color display device and the like and an exposure apparatus for manufacturing the same.

  As a method of forming the R, G, B colored layers of the color filter substrate, after forming a light-shielding black matrix layer (BM) made of chromium or the like on the glass substrate, R (red), G (green), A pigment dispersion method in which a B (blue) pigment dispersion resist is applied and a colored layer is formed by a photolithography method is generally used.

  In such a method, conventionally, in order to regularly arrange R, G, and B pigments on a glass substrate, a plurality of resist coating apparatuses, cleaning apparatuses, and exposure apparatuses of the same model are used. In addition, as an exposure apparatus to be used, a glass substrate coated with a resist and a mask on which a predetermined pattern is drawn are held close to each other in parallel, and the pattern is exposed and transferred to a glass substrate to be a large size. A display panel is manufactured (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In recent years, as a manufacturing method that replaces the photolithography method, an ink jet type coating apparatus that sprays and applies a droplet-like resist to a glass substrate from an orifice provided in a head is known (for example, see Patent Document 2).

JP-A-10-142804 JP 2003-80130 A

  By the way, in the formation of the colored layer by the pigment dispersion method, as shown in FIG. 8, after applying the pigment dispersion resist on the glass substrate on which the black matrix layer is formed, exposure is performed through a mask on which a pattern is formed, The developing process needs to be sequentially performed for each of the R, G, and B colored layers. For this reason, three expensive dedicated masks corresponding to each of the R, G, and B colored layers and three exposure apparatuses (same model) are required, resulting in an increase in manufacturing cost. In addition, since the number of steps to completion is large and the glass substrate is mounted on a dedicated exposure apparatus every time the R, G, B colored layer is formed, it is exposed with reproducible errors for each apparatus, There is a possibility that the accuracy of the pattern to be formed is lowered.

  In addition, in the inkjet-type coating apparatus described in Patent Document 2, it is difficult to eject droplets with high accuracy, and as shown in FIG. 9, resist R, between black matrix layers BM formed on a glass substrate W, It was difficult to apply G and B with high accuracy. In particular, since the glass substrate W is hydrophilic but the black matrix layer BM is water repellent, the resist does not adhere to the corner C where the glass substrate W and the black matrix layer BM are in contact with each other, resulting in uneven coating. There was a possibility that R, G, and B could not be applied uniformly. In order to solve the above-mentioned problem due to the water repellency of the black matrix layer BM, it is possible to perform hydrophilic treatment on the entire glass substrate W on which the black matrix layer BM has been formed. Absent.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and the object thereof is to efficiently use each colored layer (R, G, B coloring in a short time by using one coating apparatus and one exposure apparatus. It is an object of the present invention to provide a color filter manufacturing method and an exposure apparatus for manufacturing the color filter, which can form a high-quality color filter substrate at a low cost.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by the following constitution.
(1) preparing a glass substrate on which a black matrix layer is formed;
Spraying at least three droplet resists having different characteristics from nozzle holes provided in an ink jet head, and applying the resist onto the glass substrate;
Exposing the glass substrate coated with the resist through a mask on which a predetermined pattern is drawn; and
Developing the exposed glass substrate to remove the resist on the black matrix layer;
A method for producing a color filter, comprising:
(2) The color filter according to (1), wherein in the coating step, the resist coating portions and the non-coating portions are linearly arranged along a predetermined pattern direction of the black matrix layer. Manufacturing method.
(3) The color filter according to (2), wherein the line width of the application part is determined by at least the conveyance speed of the glass substrate, the interval between the nozzle holes, and an appropriate amount of the resist liquid to be sprayed. Manufacturing method.
(4) The method for producing a color filter according to (3), wherein an appropriate amount of the resist sprayed from the nozzle hole is an amount capable of forming the non-coated portion.
(5) The color filter according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the predetermined pattern of the mask is drawn linearly with a line width substantially the same as the line width of the black matrix layer. Manufacturing method.
(6) An exposure apparatus for producing a color filter, which is used in the method for producing a color filter according to any one of (1) to (5).

  According to the color filter manufacturing method and the manufacturing exposure apparatus of the present invention, at least three droplet resists having different characteristics are ejected from nozzle holes provided in an ink jet head, and the resist is applied onto a glass substrate. After applying and exposing the glass substrate through a mask on which a predetermined pattern is drawn, development is performed to remove the resist on the black matrix layer, so that the resist is applied adjacently. The droplets are sprayed from the nozzle holes with a precision that does not mix with the resist to be mixed, and then the resist on the black matrix layer is removed with high precision by exposure and development, so that the color filter pattern is highly accurate. Can be formed.

  Also, according to the above-described color filter manufacturing method, for example, R, G, and B color resists can be simultaneously applied by one coating apparatus, and further, one exposure apparatus and one sheet are applied. Since each colored layer (R, G, B colored layer) can be efficiently formed in a short time by a single exposure process using a mask and a development process, it is an efficient, low-cost, high-quality color filter. A substrate can be manufactured. Further, since only one coating apparatus and one exposure apparatus are required, it is not necessary to install three identical models as in the conventional manufacturing method, and the equipment cost can be greatly reduced.

  Hereinafter, a color filter manufacturing method according to the present invention, and an ink jet coating apparatus IJC and a sequential proximity exposure apparatus PE that are preferably used to realize the method will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the color filter manufacturing method of the present invention is characterized by an ink jet coating apparatus IJC described later on a glass substrate W on which a black matrix layer BM is formed (hereinafter also referred to as “substrate W”). At least three droplet resists having different colors, that is, resists R (red), G (green), and B (blue) of each color are simultaneously applied (S1), and a predetermined pattern is formed by a stepwise proximity exposure apparatus PE described later. The substrate W is exposed through the drawn mask M (S2) and then developed (S3) to form a plurality of colored layers (R, G, B colored layers). A color filter substrate is manufactured by coating and one exposure / development process. In addition, in this embodiment, it uses suitably for manufacture of a large sized color filter board | substrate (for example, diagonal length is 500 mm or more), for example.

  In the ink jet coating apparatus IJC that performs the coating step S1, as shown in FIG. 2, two guide rails 13 extend in a direction perpendicular to the glass substrate surface and fixed on a base 11 that is horizontally supported by legs 12. Has been. A table 15 is fixed to a slider 14 that is slidably disposed on the guide rail 13 via a rolling element (not shown). The table 15 is movable in a direction perpendicular to the glass substrate surface with respect to the base 11 by a driving device (not shown) via a linear guide 16 constituted by the guide rails 13, rolling elements and sliders 14. . The drive device may be a combination of a motor and a ball screw device, or may be a linear motor having a stator and a mover. The glass substrate W is held on the upper surface of the table 15 by holding means such as a vacuum suction mechanism (not shown).

  Further, a gate-shaped support body 17 formed so as to straddle the linear guide 16 is mounted on the base 11, and a head holding portion 18 is provided horizontally on the support body 17. A plurality of inkjet heads 19 are fixed to the head holding unit 18 along a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the table 15. Each head 19 is provided with a plurality of nozzle holes (not shown) of the respective colors R, G, and B for jetting a resist toward the upper surface (glass substrate W) of the table 15.

  The ink jet coating apparatus IJC operates a driving device based on a command from a control device (not shown) to move the table 15 in a direction perpendicular to the glass substrate surface, and then drops droplets from the nozzle holes. Resist is sprayed. As a result, the resists R, G, and B of each color are applied to the glass substrate W on which the black matrix layer BM held on the table 15 is formed. That is, as shown in FIG. 3A, the resists R, G, B of each color ejected from the nozzle holes of the head 19 are black on the glass substrate W along a predetermined pattern direction A of the black matrix layer BM. It is applied linearly between the matrix layers BM.

  Each of the applied resists R, G, and B flows in the opening O of the black matrix layer BM and is flattened. Here, the resists R, G, and B of the present embodiment are applied roughly with an accuracy that does not mix with the adjacent resist even if the resists R, G, and B protrude from the opening O when flattened. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), on the glass substrate W, the application portions 1 and the non-application portions 2 of the resists R, G, and B along the predetermined pattern direction A of the black matrix layer BM are straight lines. Will be arranged. The “straight line shape” referred to here is a macroscopic straight line that does not take into account the boundary shape between the resist application portion 1 and the non-application portion 2, the non-application portion due to the black matrix layer BM intersecting the pattern direction A, and the like. means.

  Further, the line width of the coating part 1, that is, the distance between the coating part 1 and the non-coating part 2 is the glass substrate W transport speed, the nozzle hole spacing, the appropriate amount of resist R, G, B to be injected (injection). The number of dots is included), the volume of the black matrix layer (the planar dimension of the opening O and the height of the BM layer), and the like. Accordingly, in the resist coating, these are adjusted as appropriate, but it is preferable that the appropriate amount of the resist sprayed from the nozzle holes is an amount that allows the non-coated portion 2 to be formed.

  Next, the sequential proximity exposure apparatus PE used in the exposure step S2, as shown in FIG. 4, a mask stage 20 that holds a mask M having a predetermined pattern so as to be movable in the X, Y, and θ directions, Mainly from a substrate stage 30 that holds a glass substrate W as a material to be exposed so as to be movable in the X, Y, and Z directions, and an illumination optical system 50 that irradiates the substrate W with light for pattern exposure through a mask M. It is configured.

  The mask stage 20 is supported by a plurality of support posts 22 provided on the stage base 23 and is disposed above the stage base 23. The plurality of pillars 22 form a space above the stage base 23 so that the substrate stage 30 can move in the Y direction and advance below the mask stage 20. The mask stage 20 has a rectangular opening 25a in the center, and includes a mask holding portion 25 supported so that the position of the mask stage 20 can be adjusted in the X, Y, and θ directions. The mask M is held by the mask holding unit 25 so as to face the opening 25a by a vacuum suction mechanism (not shown). In addition, the mask stage 20 images an alignment mark on the mask side and an alignment mark on the substrate side, and detects an amount of positional deviation between the mask M and the substrate W. A gap sensor (not shown) that detects a gap between the substrate W and a masking aperture (not shown) that shields the mask M as necessary is provided.

  The substrate stage 30 includes a substrate holding unit 31 that holds the substrate W, and a substrate moving mechanism 32 that moves the substrate holding unit 31 in the X, Y, and Z directions with respect to the stage base 23. The substrate holding unit 31 has a plurality of suction nozzles on the upper surface, and detachably holds the substrate W by a vacuum suction mechanism (not shown). The substrate moving mechanism 32 includes a Y-axis table 33, a Y-axis feed mechanism 34, an X-axis table 35, an X-axis feed mechanism 36, and a Z-tilt adjustment mechanism 37 below the substrate holding unit 31.

  The Y-axis feed mechanism 34 includes a linear guide 38 and a feed drive mechanism 39, and a slider 40 attached to the back surface of the Y-axis table 33 is mounted on the stage base 23 via a rolling element (not shown). The Y-axis table 33 is driven along the guide rail 41 by the motor 42 and the ball screw device 43. The X-axis feed mechanism 36 has the same configuration as the Y-axis feed mechanism 34, and drives the X-axis table 35 in the X direction with respect to the Y-axis table 33. The Z-tilt adjustment mechanism 37 is configured by arranging one movable wedge mechanism on one end side in the X direction and two on the other end side, which is a combination of wedge-shaped moving bodies 44, 45 and a feed drive mechanism 46. Is done.

  Accordingly, the substrate moving mechanism 32 feeds and drives the substrate holding unit 31 in the X direction and the Y direction, and moves the substrate holding unit 31 in the Z-axis direction so as to finely adjust the gap between the mask M and the substrate W. Fine adjustment and tilt adjustment. The Y-axis feed mechanism 34, the X-axis feed mechanism 36, and the drive mechanisms 39 and 46 of the movable wedge mechanism are a combination of a motor and a ball screw device, but are constituted by a linear motor having a stator and a mover. May be.

  Bar mirrors 61 (only the X direction side portion is shown) are attached to the X direction side portion and the Y direction side portion of the substrate holding portion 31, respectively. In one place, three laser interferometers 62 (only one place in the X-axis direction is shown) are provided. Thus, the laser beam is irradiated from the laser interferometer 62 to the bar mirror 61, the laser beam reflected by the bar mirror 61 is received, the interference between the laser beam and the laser beam reflected by the bar mirror 61 is measured, and the substrate stage 30 positions are detected.

  The illumination optical system 50 is disposed above the opening 25a of the mask holding frame 25, and includes, for example, a high-pressure mercury lamp, a concave mirror, an optical integrator, a plane mirror, a spherical mirror, and an exposure control shutter, which are ultraviolet light sources. Configured.

  Further, the control device (not shown) of the sequential proximity exposure apparatus PE includes an alignment camera, a gap sensor, and a laser interferometer with the mask M held on the mask holding frame 22 and the substrate W held on the substrate holding unit 31. Based on the detection signal 62, the mask holding frame 25 is adjusted and driven in the X, Y, and θ directions to align the initial position of the mask M with respect to the substrate holding portion 31, and the Z-tilt adjustment mechanism 37 is driven and controlled. The space between the opposing surfaces of the substrate W is adjusted to a predetermined gap and arranged close to each other. Further, the control device opens the exposure control shutter for a predetermined time, irradiates the substrate W with the pattern exposure light from the illumination optical system 50 through the mask M, and exposes the pattern of the mask M onto the substrate W. Transcript.

  Specifically, in the exposure step S2, a glass substrate W coated with a resist is mounted on the substrate holding portion 31 of the substrate stage 30, and a mask M having a predetermined pattern is mounted on the mask holding frame 22 of the mask stage 20. Is done. Here, in the predetermined pattern of the mask M, as shown in FIG. 5, the light shielding portion 80 having a line width L substantially the same as the line width of the black matrix layer BM is orthogonal to the pattern direction A of the black matrix layer BM. It is drawn linearly at the same interval P as the interval in the direction.

  Then, the position of the black matrix layer BM formed on the light shielding portion 80 of the mask M and the substrate W is matched by moving the mask holding frame 22 using the alignment camera and matching the alignment marks on the mask side and the substrate side. To do.

  Further, after adjusting the gap between the mask M of the mask stage 20 and the substrate W of the substrate stage 30, the exposure control shutter is opened so that the pattern exposure light from the illumination optical system 50 passes through the mask M. The pattern of the mask M is exposed and transferred onto the substrate W. Thus, the resists R, G, and B applied between the black matrix layers BM are exposed and cured, while the resists R, G, and B on the black matrix layer BM are not exposed and are not cured.

  Then, in the developing step S3, by developing the exposed substrate W, as shown in FIG. 7, the uncured resists R, G, B on the black matrix layer BM are removed, and a plurality of colored layers ( R, G, B colored layers) are formed with high accuracy.

  Therefore, according to the color filter manufacturing method of the present embodiment, the exposure process can be performed with one mask and one exposure apparatus. Therefore, when exposure is performed using a plurality of exposure apparatuses as in the prior art. The error due to machine differences and the mounting error when the glass substrate is attached to each exposure apparatus are reduced, and a high-quality color filter substrate can be manufactured at low cost. Further, even if the resists R, G, and B are applied using the ink jet type coating apparatus IJC with relatively low application accuracy, the R, G, and B colored layers can be formed with high accuracy.

In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A deformation | transformation, improvement, etc. are possible suitably.
For example, the resist applied to the substrate may be selected from a negative type and a positive type, but a negative type is preferable.
Moreover, in this embodiment, although exposure process S2 is performed after application | coating process S1, other processes, such as drying and a hydrophilic process, may intervene between these processes S1 and S2.

  The color filter manufacturing method of the present invention is not limited to the above-described ink jet coating apparatus and proximity exposure apparatus, and may be an ink jet coating apparatus or a proximity exposure apparatus having other configurations.

  The color filter manufacturing exposure apparatus is not limited to the proximity exposure apparatus, and may be a mirror projection exposure apparatus or a lens projection exposure apparatus. Furthermore, any exposure method such as a batch method, a sequential method, or a scanning method (scanning method) can be realized. Examples of the scanning exposure apparatus include those described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-237744 in which exposure is performed while moving the mask and the illumination device at a substantially synchronized speed with respect to the substrate.

  Here, when a large number of large color filter substrates (panels) are taken using the scanning exposure apparatus described in the above publication, the coating step may be performed by a method as shown in FIG. That is, application of the resists R, G, and B to the glass substrate W by the ink jet coating apparatus IJC can be performed intermittently according to the size of the display panel as shown in FIG. Specifically, in the case where the resists R, G, and B are applied along a predetermined pattern direction of the black matrix layer BM in FIG. 7, the resist is discharged from the nozzle holes of the head 90 while moving the glass substrate W in the right direction in the figure. R, G, and B are sprayed (see FIG. 7A), and only the first panel equivalent portion D1 is applied and then paused (see FIG. 7B). Then, when the glass substrate W further moves and the head 90 reaches one end of the second panel equivalent portion D2, the resists R, G, and B are again sprayed from the nozzle holes to the end portion of the second panel equivalent portion D2. When it reaches, the application is completed (see FIGS. 7C and 7D). Thereby, the non-application | coating part 91 is formed between the 1st panel equivalent part D1 and the 2nd panel equivalent part D2.

  In this way, the substrate W on which the resist R, G, and B are applied by being divided into portions corresponding to the panel is exposed while moving the mask and the illumination device at a substantially synchronized speed by the scanning exposure device, and the color A filter is manufactured.

  Therefore, in the case of the scanning exposure apparatus disclosed in the above publication, the panel dividing portion (the portion corresponding to the non-application portion 91) may be exposed by being shielded with an aperture or the like. By exposing the formed glass substrate W by the exposure apparatus, it is not necessary to expose the panel dividing portion with an aperture or the like, so that a partition between the panels can be easily formed.

It is a flowchart which shows the manufacturing process of the color filter substrate of this invention. It is a front view of the inkjet type coating device used for manufacture of the color filter substrate of this invention. (A) is a top view of the glass substrate by which the resist was apply | coated between the black-matrix layers, (b) is the longitudinal cross-sectional view. It is a front view of the sequential proximity exposure apparatus used for manufacturing the color filter substrate of the present invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the exposure method. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the color filter substrate manufactured by the manufacturing method of this invention. It is a top view for demonstrating the other coating method using an inkjet type coating device. It is a flowchart which shows the manufacture procedure of the conventional color filter board | substrate. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the conventional board | substrate with which the resist was apply | coated between the black matrix layers.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Application | coating part 2 Non-application | coating part 19 Inkjet head BM Black matrix layer IJC Inkjet coating apparatus M Mask PE Step type proximity exposure apparatus (exposure apparatus for color filter manufacturing)
R, G, B Resist W Glass substrate

Claims (6)

Preparing a glass substrate on which a black matrix layer is formed;
Spraying at least three droplet resists having different characteristics from nozzle holes provided in an ink jet head, and applying the resist onto the glass substrate;
Exposing the glass substrate coated with the resist through a mask on which a predetermined pattern is drawn; and
Developing the exposed glass substrate to remove the resist on the black matrix layer;
A method for producing a color filter, comprising:   2. The method of manufacturing a color filter according to claim 1, wherein in the coating step, the resist coating portions and the non-coating portions are linearly arranged along a predetermined pattern direction of the black matrix layer. .   3. The method of manufacturing a color filter according to claim 2, wherein the line width of the coating portion is determined by at least the conveyance speed of the glass substrate, the interval between the nozzle holes, and the appropriate amount of the resist liquid to be sprayed. .   The method for producing a color filter according to claim 3, wherein an appropriate amount of the resist sprayed from the nozzle hole is an amount capable of forming the non-coated portion.   5. The method of manufacturing a color filter according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined pattern of the mask is drawn in a straight line with a line width substantially the same as the line width of the black matrix layer.   An exposure apparatus for producing a color filter, which is used in the method for producing a color filter according to claim 1.

Images