JP2009000636A - Pattern forming apparatus and pattern forming method, device fablicated by using the same, and electronic apparatus with the device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pattern forming apparatus flexibly adaptable to a diversified small-quantity production and easily forming a smooth and defect-free pattern on a desired position. <P>SOLUTION: The pattern forming apparatus 155 is provided with a liquid material applying mechanism 110 for applying a liquid material 130 on a substrate 100 and a laser treating mechanism 120 for irradiating the liquid material applied on the substrate 100 with laser beam 121 to solidify the liquid material, wherein a liquid material supply part 113 having an opening part 114 being in contact with the substrate 100 through the liquid material 130 is provided in the liquid material applying mechanism 110, an irradiation part for irradiating an irradiation target point 131 with laser beam is provided in the laser treating mechanism and the liquid material is applied on the substrate 100 from the opening part of the liquid material supply part 113 and sequentially treated with the laser beam emitted from the irradiation part to be solidified. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention has a pattern forming apparatus and a pattern forming method for forming a pattern on a solid surface using a functional liquid material that can constitute an electronic device, and a pattern formed by the pattern forming apparatus or the pattern forming method. The present invention relates to a device and an electronic apparatus having the device.

  Compared to conventional functional element fabrication methods that form integrated circuits using vacuum processes and microfabrication techniques such as photolithography on silicon wafers, printing with liquid materials such as organic material solutions and inorganic material colloidal solutions Many proposals have been made to fabricate functional elements by so-called printed electronics based on completely new materials and processes combined with technology.

  As a printing technique used for printing electronics, a method cultivated by printing on paper is a candidate, but many studies are performed by an ink jet method.

  The inkjet method has been developed as a printing method for home-use small printers. It scans micro nozzles on the paper based on electronic data sent from computers and digital cameras, and blows out ink from the micro nozzles. To draw.

  This is very different from a general method for printing books, magazine newspapers, etc., which uses a master plate and makes a large number of copies based on it.

  The printing method that uses the original plate is very suitable for creating a large amount of the same thing as a newspaper, but it requires the same original plate as a large amount of printing even for a small amount of printing. And you can only create exactly the same as the original.

  In contrast, the ink jet method does not use an original, and the original information of printing is simply electronic data that can be easily modified. Therefore, it is a very effective method when creating many types of printed matter. This corresponds to printing of photographs taken by a digital camera in a general household. The inkjet printing method is inferior to the method of using the original in terms of printing speed, but has the advantage that it can save labor and cost for preparing the original and can flexibly handle many different printed materials.

  In the world of electronics devices, the shift from conventional mass production to low-volume, multi-product production is advancing due to diversification of customer needs, etc. It has attracted a great deal of attention as a technology that has the potential to produce on-demand small quantities of a wide variety of electronic devices when combined with this method. For example, even if each device has different ID information, that is, all have different wiring patterns, such as a read-type RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag, in the inkjet printing, the contents of electronic data to be sent to the inkjet printer It is possible to respond flexibly by changing it as appropriate.

  Many proposals have already been made on techniques related to the ink jet system having such advantages. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes application to an organic EL display that requires complicated patterning using a plurality of materials.

  However, there are a plurality of problems caused by the principle of operation in drawing by the ink jet method. First, a figure drawn by the ink jet method is a collection of points on the principle that fine droplets are ejected from a minute nozzle, and the boundary between the points is uneven. In addition, the arrival position may deviate from the target due to the influence of disturbance factors such as airflow and static electricity during the period from when the droplets are blown to the target point. In addition, even when the target point is reached, the droplets get wet and spread due to the interaction between the droplets and the arrival surface, or conversely, they are repelled and become balls, resulting in a result different from the expected drawing May be invited. In a more extreme case, the liquid droplets are not ejected properly and drawing is impossible.

  As described above, in the pattern formation by the ink jet method, there are problems that the surface of the pattern to be formed is not smooth, contains defects, or is displaced in position. These challenges can arise even when forming patterns for printed electronics devices, i.e. when the material is a functional liquid instead of ink, or the substrate is not a paper but a glass or plastic film. Can happen as well.

For example, in the functional material fixing method and the functional material fixing device described in (Patent Document 2), after a droplet containing the functional material is discharged onto the adherend surface, laser light is irradiated, thereby By evaporating a part, the accuracy of the fixing position of the functional material on the adherend surface is increased.
JP 2002-015866 A JP 2005-095849 A

  However, when drawing a figure by the inkjet method, the problem that the ink droplet arrival position deviates from the target point due to disturbance factors such as airflow and static electricity is an essential problem in the inkjet method (patent Even the method and apparatus described in the literature 2) cannot be sufficiently solved.

  The present invention relates to a pattern forming apparatus and a pattern forming method that can flexibly cope with a small quantity and a wide variety of production, and that can easily form a smooth and defect-free pattern at a desired position, and devices and electronic apparatuses manufactured by these apparatuses or methods. Is to provide.

  The pattern forming apparatus of the present invention includes a liquid material application mechanism that applies a liquid material to a substrate, and a laser processing mechanism that irradiates and fixes the liquid material applied to the substrate with a laser beam. A liquid material supply unit having an opening formed in contact with the substrate through the liquid material, and a transport unit that transports the liquid material to the liquid material supply unit. The laser processing mechanism uses the laser light as an irradiation target point. An irradiation unit for irradiation is provided, a liquid material is applied to the substrate through the opening, and the liquid material applied to the substrate is sequentially processed and fixed by the laser light irradiated from the irradiation unit.

  The pattern forming method of the present invention is a pattern forming method in which a liquid material applied to a substrate is sequentially processed with a laser beam and fixed to form a pattern, and an opening from which the liquid material is discharged is formed on the substrate through the liquid material. The liquid material applied to the substrate through the opening is sequentially processed by laser light and fixed to form a pattern.

  The device of the present invention has a pattern formed using the above-described pattern forming apparatus of the present invention. Another device of the present invention has a pattern formed by the above-described pattern forming method of the present invention. And the electronic device of this invention has the device of this invention mentioned above.

  In the pattern forming apparatus and the pattern forming method of the present invention, the liquid material is applied to the substrate through the opening that contacts the substrate via the liquid material, and the liquid material applied to the substrate is sequentially processed by laser light and fixed to form a pattern. Therefore, it is easier to accurately apply the liquid material to a desired position on the substrate as compared with the case where the pattern is formed by the ink jet method. It is also easy to form a smooth and defect-free pattern.

  On the other hand, as in the case of forming a pattern by an ink jet method, the relative positional relationship between the opening and the substrate may be controlled based on electronic data corresponding to the pattern to be formed. Since it is possible, it is easy to respond flexibly to small-lot, multi-product production.

  Therefore, according to the pattern forming apparatus and the pattern forming method of the present invention, it is possible to flexibly cope with a small amount and a variety of production, and it is easy to form a smooth and defect-free pattern at a desired position on the substrate.

  A pattern forming apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a liquid material application mechanism that applies a liquid material to a substrate, and a laser processing mechanism that irradiates and fixes the liquid material applied to the substrate by irradiating a laser beam. The mechanism includes a liquid material supply unit in which an opening that contacts the substrate via the liquid material is formed, and a transport unit that transports the liquid material to the liquid material supply unit. It has an irradiation part that irradiates a point, applies a liquid material to the substrate through the opening, sequentially processes the liquid material applied to the substrate with laser light emitted from the irradiation part, and fixes the material. .

  In this pattern forming apparatus, the liquid material is applied to the substrate through the opening that contacts the substrate through the liquid material, and the liquid material applied to the substrate is sequentially processed by laser light and fixed to form a pattern. Compared with the case where the pattern is formed by the method, it is easier to accurately apply the liquid material to a desired position on the substrate. It is also easy to form a smooth and defect-free pattern. On the other hand, as in the case of forming a pattern by an ink jet method, the relative positional relationship between the opening and the substrate may be controlled based on electronic data corresponding to the pattern to be formed. Since it is possible, it is easy to respond flexibly to small-lot, multi-product production. Therefore, according to the pattern forming apparatus, it is possible to flexibly cope with a small amount and a variety of production, and it is easy to form a smooth and defect-free pattern at a desired position on the substrate.

  A pattern forming apparatus according to a second invention is included in the pattern forming apparatus according to the first invention, and further includes a moving mechanism for displacing the relative position between the substrate and the opening. Since this pattern forming apparatus includes the above moving mechanism, it is possible to form a pattern with a high degree of freedom at an arbitrary position on the substrate.

  The pattern forming apparatus of the third invention is included in the pattern forming apparatus of the first or second invention, and the minimum representative dimension of the opening is 500 μm or less. In this pattern forming apparatus, since the minimum representative dimension of the opening is 500 μm or less, it is easy to form a fine pattern necessary for forming a highly integrated device having a high integration density of circuit elements.

  A pattern forming apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the invention is included in the pattern forming apparatus of the third aspect of the invention, and is capable of substantially fixing a liquid material when a beam profile of a laser beam is taken. The region having a diameter is larger than the minimum representative dimension in the opening. In this pattern forming apparatus, since the opening and the laser beam have the above-described magnitude relationship, it is easy to form a smooth and defect-free pattern having a uniform shape defined by the shape of the opening, and there is no excess material. Pattern formation can be performed.

  A pattern forming apparatus according to a fifth aspect of the invention is included in the pattern forming apparatus of the third aspect of the invention, and is capable of substantially fixing the liquid material when the beam profile of the laser beam is taken. The region having a diameter is smaller than the minimum representative dimension in the opening. In this pattern forming apparatus, since the opening and the laser beam have the above-described magnitude relationship, a very fine but smooth and defect-free pattern of about several μm or less is utilized by taking advantage of the good condensing property of the laser beam. Can be formed.

  A pattern forming apparatus according to a sixth invention is included in the pattern forming apparatuses according to the first to fifth inventions, and further includes an opening position measuring mechanism for measuring a gap between the substrate and the opening. And Since this pattern forming apparatus is equipped with the opening position measurement mechanism described above, the relative positional relationship between the opening and the substrate can be determined even when a substrate with unevenness or warpage is used. Information for performing control necessary for obtaining a smooth and defect-free pattern can be obtained.

  A pattern forming apparatus according to a seventh invention is included in the pattern forming apparatus according to the sixth invention, and based on the measurement result of the opening position measurement mechanism, the gap between the substrate and the opening is kept constant, Alternatively, an opening position control mechanism for changing the gap according to a predetermined procedure is further provided. Since this pattern forming apparatus includes the opening position control mechanism, the distance between the opening and the substrate can always be kept at an optimum value even if the substrate is warped or has a three-dimensional shape, for example. In addition, for example, by controlling the opening gradually closer to or away from the substrate, a smooth and defect-free pattern can be formed with a higher degree of freedom.

  The pattern forming apparatus of the eighth invention is included in the pattern forming apparatus of the first to seventh inventions, and is characterized in that the opening part and at least the irradiation part are integrated. In this pattern forming apparatus, since the opening and at least the irradiation unit are integrated, as a result of fixing the relative positional relationship between the opening and the irradiation unit, the irradiation unit that controls the position of the laser beam is used. The configuration can be simplified.

  A pattern forming apparatus according to a ninth aspect is included in the pattern forming apparatuses according to the first to eighth aspects, and is characterized in that the liquid material is discharged and sucked from the opening. In this pattern forming apparatus, since the discharge and suction of the liquid material are performed from the opening, it is possible to prevent the surplus material from being continuously supplied onto the substrate at the discharge end point of the liquid material. Application can be performed smoothly with the dimensional accuracy achieved. In addition, excess liquid material remaining on the substrate after the pattern formation is completed can be removed by suction.

  The pattern forming apparatus of the tenth invention is included in the pattern forming apparatuses of the first to ninth inventions, and the liquid material application mechanism applies a plurality of types of liquid materials to the substrate separately or mixedly. It is characterized by that. In this pattern forming apparatus, a plurality of types of liquid materials can be applied to the substrate separately or in combination, and therefore, if mixed in advance, a chemical reaction or coagulation precipitation occurs, which impairs stability. Even if a combination of materials is used, a smooth and defect-free pattern can be formed.

  A pattern forming apparatus according to an eleventh aspect of the invention is included in the pattern forming apparatus of the tenth aspect of the invention, and the liquid material application mechanism applies the ratio of each of a plurality of types of liquid materials to the substrate while changing over time. It is characterized by that. In this pattern forming apparatus, since the ratio of each of a plurality of types of liquid materials can be applied to the substrate while changing over time, the alloy composition and the organic / inorganic material ratio are changed continuously and smoothly in the pattern. It is possible to form a smooth and defect-free pattern while changing the composition.

  A pattern forming apparatus according to a twelfth invention is included in the pattern forming apparatus according to the first to eleventh inventions, and includes a plurality of formed bodies in which at least the opening and the irradiation section are integrated, and each formed body is Pattern formation is performed simultaneously or sequentially using different liquid materials or the same liquid material. Since this pattern forming apparatus includes a plurality of molded bodies, each of the formed bodies can be configured to perform simultaneous or sequential pattern formation using a plurality of different materials or the same material. Pattern formation using different materials can be performed simultaneously at different positions, or pattern formation using different materials can be performed sequentially at the same location.

  A pattern forming apparatus according to a thirteenth aspect is included in the pattern forming apparatus according to the twelfth aspect, and each of the plurality of formed bodies has openings having different shapes and / or different representative dimensions. It is characterized by that. In this pattern forming apparatus, since each of the plurality of formed bodies has openings having different shapes and / or different representative dimensions, a large area and an ultrafine pattern can be formed simultaneously, or one pattern and Pattern formation with a higher degree of freedom while maintaining smoothness and lack of defects, such as forming a larger pattern that can cover the surface, or forming a fine pattern on it after treating a wide range with a base material to some extent It can be performed.

  A pattern forming apparatus according to a fourteenth invention is included in the pattern forming apparatus according to the first to thirteenth inventions, and the laser light is continuous light. In this pattern forming apparatus, since the laser light is continuous light, it is possible to form a continuous pattern that is smooth and has no uneven portions.

  A pattern forming apparatus according to a fifteenth invention is included in the pattern forming apparatus according to the first to thirteenth inventions, and the laser light is intermittent light. In this pattern forming device, since the laser light is intermittent light, it is possible to form a pattern with a high degree of freedom, such as forming a dotted line pattern even when liquid material is applied to the substrate in a continuous line form from the opening. It becomes.

  A pattern forming apparatus according to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention is included in the pattern forming apparatuses according to the first to fifteenth aspects of the present invention, and the irradiating section scans with laser light. In this pattern forming apparatus, the irradiation unit scans the laser beam, so that, for example, a fine pattern is formed inside the liquid material applied to the substrate, and the width is extremely large compared to the beam spot of the laser beam. It is possible to form a pattern with a higher degree of freedom, for example, a pattern having a smooth shape can be formed.

  A pattern forming apparatus according to a seventeenth aspect is included in the pattern forming apparatuses according to the first to fifteenth aspects, and the irradiation unit includes an optical fiber through which a laser beam propagates. In this pattern forming apparatus, since the irradiation unit includes an optical fiber, the configuration of the irradiation unit can be simplified.

  The pattern forming apparatus of the eighteenth invention is included in the pattern forming apparatus of the seventeenth invention, and the laser beam emitted from the optical fiber is irradiated to the liquid material applied to the substrate without passing through the optical element. It is characterized by that. In this pattern forming apparatus, since the laser light emitted from the optical fiber is irradiated to the liquid material without passing through the optical element, efficient laser irradiation is possible.

  The pattern forming apparatus of the nineteenth invention is included in the pattern forming apparatus of the first to eighteenth inventions, and can substantially fix the liquid material when the beam profile of the laser beam is taken. The energy distribution is substantially uniform in the region having the energy level. In this pattern forming apparatus, since the laser beam has the beam profile described above, the characteristic distribution in the thickness direction in the formed pattern is uniform, and a smooth and defect-free pattern can be formed.

  A pattern forming apparatus according to a twentieth aspect of the invention is included in the pattern forming apparatuses of the first to nineteenth aspects of the invention, further comprising an atmosphere control chamber integrated with each of the opening and the irradiation part, and from the opening to the substrate The liquid material applied to the substrate is sequentially processed and fixed in the atmosphere control chamber by the laser beam irradiated from the irradiation unit. In this pattern forming apparatus, the liquid material is processed and fixed in an atmosphere processing chamber provided in the pattern forming apparatus, so that the liquid material is unstable in the atmosphere in which oxygen and water vapor exist, and stable in the normal atmosphere. Even if a liquid material that is unstable with respect to oxygen or water vapor is used by heating, a smooth and defect-free pattern can be formed.

  A pattern forming apparatus according to a twenty-first aspect is included in the pattern forming apparatus according to the twentieth aspect, and is characterized in that the atmosphere control chamber is maintained at a relatively positive pressure as compared with the outside. In this pattern forming apparatus, the atmosphere control chamber is kept at a relatively positive pressure as compared with the outside, and as a result, the state in which the gas is constantly discharged from the atmosphere control chamber to the outside is maintained. By preventing the entry of the atmosphere, the atmosphere control chamber can be kept in a certain preferable state.

  A pattern forming apparatus according to a twenty-second invention is included in the pattern forming apparatus according to the twentieth or twenty-first invention, and the atmosphere control chamber is maintained in a low oxygen concentration atmosphere that does not cause oxidation of the liquid material. Features. In this pattern forming apparatus, since the atmosphere control chamber is kept in a low oxygen concentration atmosphere, it is possible to form a smooth and defect-free pattern even using a liquid material that is altered by oxidation in the presence of oxygen. .

  A pattern forming apparatus according to a twenty-third aspect is included in the pattern forming apparatus according to the twentieth or twenty-first aspect, and is characterized by being maintained in a high oxygen concentration atmosphere that does not cause reduction of the liquid material. In this pattern forming apparatus, since the atmosphere control chamber is kept in a high oxygen concentration atmosphere, even if a liquid material containing an unstable oxide that is easily reduced by heating is used, it is smooth and free from defects. A pattern can be formed.

  A pattern forming method according to a twenty-fourth aspect of the invention is a pattern forming method in which a liquid material applied to a substrate is sequentially processed with a laser beam and fixed to form a pattern, and an opening from which the liquid material is discharged passes through the liquid material. The liquid material applied to the substrate through the opening is sequentially processed by laser light and fixed to form a pattern.

  In this pattern forming method, the liquid material is applied to the substrate through the opening that contacts the substrate through the liquid material, and the liquid material applied to the substrate is sequentially processed by the laser beam and fixed to form a pattern. Compared with the case where the pattern is formed by the method, it is easier to accurately apply the liquid material to a desired position on the substrate. It is also easy to form a smooth and defect-free pattern. On the other hand, it is possible to control the relative positional relationship between the opening and the substrate based on the electronic data corresponding to the pattern to be formed, as in the case of forming the pattern by the inkjet method. Therefore, it is easy to respond flexibly to small-lot, multi-product production. Therefore, according to the pattern formation method, it is possible to flexibly cope with a small quantity and a wide variety of production, and it is easy to form a smooth and defect-free pattern at a desired position on the substrate.

  The pattern forming method of the twenty-fifth aspect of the invention is included in the pattern forming method of the twenty-fourth aspect of the invention, and the treatment with a laser beam induces a chemical change in the liquid material. In this pattern forming method, since a chemical change is induced in the liquid material by the laser beam, it is possible to form a defect-free pattern using a crosslinking reaction or a polymerization reaction even with a simple apparatus.

  The pattern forming method of the twenty-sixth invention is included in the pattern forming method of the twenty-fourth invention, and the treatment with a laser beam induces a physical change in the liquid material. In this pattern formation method, since a physical change is induced in the liquid material by the laser beam, a smooth pattern can be formed by sintering even for a liquid material having poor chemical reactivity such as an inorganic oxide colloid. it can.

  The pattern forming method of the twenty-seventh invention is included in the pattern forming methods of the twenty-fourth to twenty-sixth inventions, and the atmosphere is controlled at and near the irradiation target point when the liquid material is irradiated with laser light. It is characterized by. In this pattern formation method, the atmosphere is controlled at and near the laser irradiation target point, so that a pattern without defects can be stably formed even if a material that is altered by exposure to the atmosphere is used. it can.

  A pattern forming method of the twenty-eighth invention is included in the pattern forming method of the twenty-seventh invention, and the atmosphere control is control of oxygen concentration in the atmosphere. In this pattern formation method, the oxygen concentration in the atmosphere is controlled at and near the target point of the laser beam irradiation. Therefore, the liquid material containing a component that easily oxidizes reduces the oxygen concentration in the atmosphere and includes a component that is easily reduced. By increasing the oxygen concentration of the atmosphere in the material, it is possible to stably form a pattern having no defect.

  The pattern forming method of the twenty-ninth invention is included in the pattern forming method of the twenty-seventh or twenty-eighth invention, and the atmosphere control is control of a water vapor concentration in the atmosphere. In this pattern formation method, the concentration of water vapor in the atmosphere is controlled at and near the target point of the laser beam irradiation. Therefore, even if an organic electronic functional material, which easily decomposes or deteriorates due to the presence of water vapor, is used, It is possible to form a pattern that is not present.

  The pattern formation method of the 30th invention is included in the pattern formation methods of the 27th to 29th inventions, and the atmosphere control is control of atmospheric pressure. In this pattern formation method, the atmospheric pressure is controlled at and near the laser light irradiation target point, so that inflow of outside air to the vicinity of the irradiation target point is prevented and gas generated at the time of fixing the liquid material is discharged. It is also possible to form a pattern free from defects due to an inhibitor while maintaining a desirable atmosphere.

  The pattern forming method of the thirty-first invention is included in the pattern forming methods of the twenty-fourth to thirty-third inventions, and after the liquid material applied to the substrate is processed by the first laser beam, the second laser beam is used. It is characterized by processing. In this pattern formation method, since the liquid material is processed by the first laser beam and then by the second laser beam, the liquid material is fixed by the chemical reaction and then further fixed by the physical reaction, or a plurality of mutually different Thus, a smooth and defect-free pattern can be formed with a high degree of freedom, such as by sequentially performing immobilization by chemical reaction.

  The pattern forming method of the thirty-second invention is included in the pattern forming method of the thirty-first invention, and is characterized in that the wavelength of the first laser beam and the wavelength of the second laser beam are different from each other. In this pattern formation method, the wavelength of the first laser beam and the wavelength of the second laser beam are different from each other. For example, a chemical reaction initiator that reacts with light of a specific wavelength is mixed with a plurality of types of liquid materials. By doing so, a defect-free pattern can be formed while controlling the fixing state of the liquid material with a high degree of freedom.

  The pattern forming method of the thirty-third invention is included in the pattern forming method of the thirty-first or thirty-second invention, and the beam profile of the first laser beam and the beam profile of the second laser beam are different from each other. It is characterized by. In this pattern forming method, since the beam profile of the first laser beam and the beam profile of the second laser beam are different from each other, a pattern free from defects while controlling the liquid material fixation state with a high degree of freedom. Can be formed.

  The pattern forming method of the thirty-fourth invention is included in the pattern forming methods of the twenty-fourth to thirty-second inventions, and irradiates each different region of the liquid material applied to the substrate simultaneously with laser light. The liquid material is sequentially processed by the laser beam. In this pattern forming method, different regions of the liquid material applied to the substrate are simultaneously irradiated with laser light, so that a defect-free pattern can be formed quickly and efficiently.

  The pattern forming method of the thirty-fifth aspect of the invention is included in the pattern forming method of the thirty-fourth aspect of the invention, wherein the laser beams irradiated to the different regions have different wavelengths. In this pattern formation method, laser beams having different wavelengths are irradiated onto different regions of the liquid material applied to the substrate, so that multiple types of chemical reaction initiators that react to light of a specific wavelength are mixed in the liquid material. By doing so, a defect-free pattern can be formed while controlling the liquid material fixation state with a high degree of freedom.

  The pattern forming method of the thirty-sixth aspect of the invention is included in the pattern forming method of the thirty-fourth or thirty-fifth aspect of the invention, wherein each of the laser beams irradiated to different regions has a different beam profile. Features. In this pattern formation method, laser beams having different beam profiles are irradiated to different regions of the liquid material applied to the substrate, so that defects can be controlled while controlling the fixation state of the liquid material with a high degree of freedom. It is possible to form a pattern without any.

  The pattern forming method of the thirty-seventh invention is included in the pattern forming method of the twenty-fourth to thirty-sixth inventions, and after forming the first pattern using the first liquid material, the second liquid material is added. And the second pattern is formed. In this pattern formation method, the first pattern is formed using the first liquid material, and then the second pattern is formed using the second liquid material. Therefore, a complicated pattern can be formed with a high degree of freedom. It becomes possible to do.

  The pattern formation method of the thirty-eighth invention is included in the pattern formation method of the thirty-seventh invention, and is used when forming the second pattern and the wavelength of the laser beam used when forming the first pattern. The wavelength of the laser beam to be used is different from each other. In this pattern forming method, the wavelength of the laser beam used for forming the first pattern and the wavelength of the laser beam used for forming the second pattern are different from each other, so that a complicated pattern can be further increased in flexibility. It can be formed below.

  The pattern forming method of the thirty-ninth invention is included in the pattern forming method of the twenty-fourth to thirty-eighth inventions, and after forming the pattern, the liquid material that has not been immobilized among the liquid materials applied to the substrate It is characterized by removing. In this pattern formation method, the liquid material that has not been immobilized among the liquid materials applied to the substrate is removed, so that even if the application range of the liquid material is different from the shape of the portion to be immobilized, the pattern is smooth and free from defects. A pattern can be formed.

  The pattern forming method of the forty-first invention is included in the pattern forming method of the thirty-ninth invention, and is characterized in that the entire substrate is post-processed after removing the liquid material that has not been immobilized. In this pattern formation method, the entire substrate is post-processed after removing the liquid material that has not been immobilized among the liquid materials applied to the substrate. For example, a protective layer is applied to the entire surface of the substrate on which the pattern is formed. Further, it is possible to perform processing such as promoting the complete fixation of the pattern by post-cure, and it is possible to form a pattern with higher reliability.

  The pattern forming method of the forty-first invention is included in the pattern forming methods of the twenty-fourth to forty-th inventions, and is characterized in that the substrate has flexibility. In this pattern formation method, since the substrate has flexibility, even if a pattern for a so-called flexible device is formed, the surface can be made smooth and free from defects.

  The pattern forming method of the forty-second invention is included in the pattern forming methods of the twenty-fourth to forty-first inventions, and is characterized in that the substrate has a curved surface. In this pattern formation method, since the substrate has a curved surface, for example, it is possible to realize a new structure that is not conventional, such as forming a smooth and defect-free pattern on the surface of the device casing or on the inner three-dimensional shape portion. Become.

  The pattern forming method of the forty-third invention is included in the pattern forming methods of the twenty-fourth to forty-second inventions, and the substrate is made of a porous material that absorbs a liquid material. In this pattern forming method, it is possible to form a defect-free pattern even when a porous substrate, which has been difficult to form a pattern from a liquid material, is used.

  The pattern forming method of the forty-fourth invention is included in the pattern forming methods of the twenty-fourth to forty-third inventions, and the liquid material contains metal ions or metal colloids. In this pattern formation method, since the liquid material contains metal ions or metal colloids, it is possible to efficiently form a defect-free pattern using low-energy laser light.

  The pattern forming method of the forty-fifth aspect of the invention is included in the pattern forming method of the twenty-fourth to 44th aspects of the invention, and the liquid material contains fine oxide particles. In this pattern forming method, since the liquid material contains oxide fine particles, it is possible to efficiently form a smooth and defect-free pattern with a low energy laser beam.

  The pattern forming method of the forty-sixth aspect of the invention is included in the pattern forming method of the twenty-fourth to 45th aspects of the invention, and the liquid material contains an organic material. In this pattern formation method, since the liquid material contains an organic material, a chemical reaction such as a polymerization reaction or a decomposition reaction can be induced by a low energy laser beam to form a pattern without defects.

  The pattern forming method of the 47th invention is included in the pattern forming method of the 24th to 46th inventions, and the liquid material contains a surface modifying material. In this pattern formation method, since the liquid material contains a surface modifying material, it is possible to improve the characteristics such as improving the adhesion strength of the pattern to the substrate by modifying the surface of the substrate. And a pattern with high reliability can be formed.

  The pattern forming method of the forty-eighth invention is included in the pattern forming methods of the twenty-fourth to forty-seventh inventions, and the liquid material is used as a precursor substance or reaction initiator that reacts by being induced thermally or photochemically. It contains a functioning substance. In this pattern forming method, since the liquid material contains the precursor substance and the substance that functions as a reaction initiator, the liquid material can be efficiently fixed even without using a low-energy laser beam, so that there is no defect. Can be formed.

  The device of the 49th invention has a pattern formed by using the pattern forming apparatus of the 1st to 23rd inventions. This device has a pattern formed by using the pattern forming apparatus of the first to twenty-third inventions, and the pattern is smooth and free from defects, so that it can have excellent characteristics.

  The device of the 50th invention has a pattern formed by the pattern forming method of the 24th to 48th inventions. This device has a pattern formed by the pattern forming method of the twenty-fourth to forty-eighth inventions, and since the pattern is smooth and free from defects, it can have excellent characteristics.

  The electronic equipment of the 51st invention has the device of the 49th or 50th invention. Since this electronic apparatus has the device of the 49th or 50th invention, it is easy to obtain a highly reliable one.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

(Embodiment 1)
1-4 is a figure for demonstrating Embodiment 1 of this invention, and FIG. 1 is a perspective view which shows schematically the pattern formation apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. In FIG. 1, 100 is a substrate, 110 is a liquid material application mechanism, 111 is a transport pipe for sending the liquid material to the liquid material application mechanism 110, 112 is a liquid material supply source including a tank and a pump for storing and supplying the liquid material, 113 is a liquid material supply unit in the liquid material application mechanism 110, 114 is an opening through which the liquid material in the liquid material supply unit 113 is discharged, 120 is a laser processing mechanism, 121 is a laser beam, 130 is a liquid material, and 131 is a laser beam. Reference numeral 121 denotes an irradiation target point, 132 denotes a liquid material fixed by the laser beam 121, 133 denotes a beam spot of the laser beam 121, 140 denotes an opening position measuring mechanism, 141 denotes a laser beam for measuring the opening position, and 155 denotes a laser beam. It is a pattern forming apparatus.

  2A to 2C are diagrams for explaining representative dimensions of the opening 114. FIG. FIG. 2A is a diagram for explaining the representative dimension of the opening 114 having an elliptical shape. The minimum representative dimension in the opening 114 shown in FIG. 2 is a-1, and the maximum representative dimension is a-2. It is. FIG. 2B is a diagram for explaining the representative dimensions of the circular opening 114. The minimum representative dimension and the maximum representative dimension of the opening 114 shown in FIG. 2 are both b-1. FIG. 2C is a diagram for explaining the representative dimension of the square opening 114. The minimum representative dimension of the opening 114 shown in FIG. 2 is c-1, and the maximum representative dimension is c-2.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining processing at the end of application of the liquid material by the pattern forming apparatus. FIG. 3A shows a steady state during application of the liquid material 130, and FIG. ) Is a diagram for explaining a state in which the liquid material 130 is being discharged at the end of application, or the discharge is stopped and the opening 114 is moved above the substrate 100, and FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a state in which the opening 114 is moved above the substrate 100 after performing the suction process of the liquid material 130 or while performing the suction process. G in FIG. 3A indicates a gap between the opening 114 and the substrate 100.

  Each of FIG. 4A to FIG. 4D is a diagram for explaining the irradiation pattern of the laser beam 121 (see FIG. 1), that is, the movement locus of the beam spot 133. 4A shows a case where the laser beam 121 is continuously irradiated while linearly moving the laser processing mechanism 120 (see FIG. 1), and FIG. 4B shows a laser beam while moving the laser processing mechanism 120 linearly. When the light 121 is intermittently irradiated, FIGS. 4C and 4D show the movement trajectory of the beam spot 133 when the laser light 121 is scanned while moving the laser processing mechanism 120 linearly. ing. In the example shown in FIG. 4C, the laser beam 121 is scanned in the direction d intersecting the linear movement direction of the laser processing mechanism 120. In the example shown in FIG. The laser beam 121 is scanned in a zigzag manner along the linear movement direction.

  A pattern forming apparatus 155 (see FIG. 1) according to the present embodiment includes a control unit (in some cases) for operating the housing, the movable stage, and all mechanisms in addition to the mechanisms shown in FIG. The control unit is configured by a computer system capable of operating a program, for example.

  Here, the details of each of the substrate 100 and the pattern forming apparatus 155 shown in FIG. 1 will be described. The substrate 100 is a transparent flat plate made of glass such as borosilicate glass, and its surface is polished to a mirror surface. Of course, the substrate 100 is not limited to a glass substrate, and may be a ceramic substrate or a plastic substrate, and the surface does not need to be flat. In other words, any substrate can be used as long as it does not melt by irradiation of the laser beam 121 for fixing the liquid material 130 or does not cause any significant deterioration. is there. Further, in terms of mechanical properties, it may be rigid or flexible. In the present embodiment, the planar shape of the substrate 100 is a square having a side of 100 mm, and the thickness thereof is 0.7 mm. The substrate 100 is fixed on a movable stage (not shown), and the relative position with respect to the opening 114 can be changed by moving the movable stage. The movable stage functions as a moving mechanism that displaces the relative position between the substrate 100 and the opening 114. The operation of the movable stage is controlled by the above-described control unit.

  On the other hand, the pattern forming apparatus 155 includes the liquid material application mechanism 110, the transport pipe 111, the liquid material supply source 112, the laser processing mechanism 120, and the opening position measurement mechanism 140 described above. Although the liquid material application mechanism 110 is fixed to a housing (not shown), the position of the substrate 100 is displaced by moving the movable stage as described above. Therefore, even if the liquid material application mechanism 110 is fixed, the opening 114 is provided. And the relative position of the substrate 100 can be changed. The liquid material application mechanism 110 is connected to a liquid material supply source 112 by a transport pipe 111, and the liquid material 130 is supplied from the liquid material supply source 112 to the liquid material application mechanism 110 via the transport pipe 111 and then liquid. The material is applied onto the substrate 100 from the opening 114 through the material supply unit 113.

  The liquid material supply source 112 is configured using, for example, a tank that stores the liquid material 130 and a squeeze pump that conveys the liquid material 130 in the tank to the outside. These tanks and pumps may be integrated. For example, the liquid may be transferred to the outside by changing the volume of the tank in which the liquid is stored, such as a syringe pump. In addition, the liquid material supply source 112 may be configured to convey the liquid material by gravity by simply adjusting the height relationship between the tank and the liquid material application mechanism 110 without having a mechanism corresponding to a pump. it can. When the liquid material supply source 112 is configured using a pump, the pump may be capable of delivering the liquid material 130 toward the liquid material application mechanism 110 and sucking it back in the reverse direction. preferable. The discharge / suction of the liquid material can be easily realized by appropriately selecting the type of the pump. For example, if a squeeze pump is used, both discharge / suction can be performed by rotating the pump forward / reversely. The operation of the pump is controlled by, for example, the aforementioned control unit (not shown).

  In the pattern forming apparatus 155 shown in FIG. 1, the opening 114 of the liquid material application mechanism 110 is disposed above the substrate 100, but this positional relationship is not limited to this. For example, a configuration in which the substrate 100 is positioned above and the liquid material 130 is applied to the substrate 100 from below the substrate 100 from the opening 114, or the substrate 100 is held vertically, and the substrate 100 is laterally viewed from the side of the substrate 100. For example, the liquid material 130 may be applied to the 100 from the opening 114.

  The minimum representative dimension of the opening 114 in the present embodiment is 500 μm. The minimum representative dimension is the minimum line width formed by the locus when the opening 114 is moved in the surface direction of the substrate 100. Further, the maximum representative dimension of the opening 114 in the present embodiment is 2 mm. This is the maximum line width created by the locus when the opening 114 is moved with respect to the surface direction of the substrate 100 as well as the minimum representative dimension.

  Here, the minimum and maximum representative dimensions will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 (a) to 2 (c). FIG. 2A shows an example of the opening 114 having an elliptical cross-sectional shape, and the opening 114 having this shape is employed in this embodiment. Similarly, FIG. 2 (b) is an example of an opening 114 having a circular cross section and FIG. 2 (c) is a square cross section.

  In FIG. 2A, the minimum representative dimension is indicated by a-1, and the maximum representative dimension is indicated by a-2. Similarly, b-1 in FIG. 2 (b) and c-1 in FIG. 2 (c) are the smallest representative dimensions, respectively, and b-2 in FIG. 2 (b) and FIG. 2 (c) C-2 indicates the maximum representative dimension. Of course, the cross-sectional shape of the opening 114 is not limited to these, and may take any shape. For example, a part of the cross section may be missing, that is, the outer periphery of the opening may not be connected to one like a slit formed by two plates.

  As described above, any shape that can substantially apply the liquid material 130 to the substrate 100 can be used as the opening 114. With respect to the cross-sectional shape of the opening 114 having a high degree of freedom, the minimum and maximum representative dimensions can be defined as follows. That is, when the cross-sectional figure of the opening 114 is sandwiched between two parallel lines from any direction within the plane including the cross-section, the smallest value among the intervals formed by these parallel lines is the minimum representative dimension. Further, when a minimum circle including the cross-sectional figure of the opening 114 is drawn, the diameter is the maximum representative dimension.

  Here, the minimum representative dimension of the opening 114 is, for example, 500 μm or less. This is a preferable value required for configuring the opening 114 capable of sufficiently controlling the discharge amount for the liquid material 130 having various viscosities. When this value is 500 μm or more, it becomes difficult to control the discharge amount when a liquid material having a viscosity of a few cps (several mPa · s) is used in many aqueous solutions. That is, when the low-viscosity liquid material 130 is applied from above the substrate 100 as shown in FIG. 1, if the opening 114 is too large, the liquid material supply unit 113 is stopped even if the liquid material supply source 112 is stopped. That is, there is a possibility that the liquid material 130 in the inside may fall on the substrate 100 from the opening 114 due to its own weight, or an unintended discharge may be performed.

  For example, as an extreme example, an opening having a diameter of several centimeters may be assumed. In such an opening, even if the liquid material supply source 112 is stopped, the liquid material 130 cannot be kept in the liquid material supply unit 113 only by surface tension. Even if the number of centimeters is extreme, it is natural that the controllability when handling the liquid material 130 having a low viscosity gradually deteriorates as the minimum representative dimension of the opening 114 increases. As a result of intensive studies, the present invention has found that if the minimum representative dimension of the opening 114 is 500 μm or less, generally good liquid material controllability can be maintained.

  There is no special limitation on the maximum representative dimension of the opening 114. This is because no matter how large the maximum representative dimension is, the minimum representative dimension is, for example, 500 μm or less, so that the shape is a slit shape or a shape obtained by bending the slit. By making the shape of the opening 114 into a slit shape, the low-viscosity liquid material 130 can be expected to hold itself with sufficient surface tension, and as a result, controllability can be maintained. .

  The detailed description of the configuration of the pattern forming apparatus 155 of the first embodiment will be continued using FIG. 1 again.

  A laser processing mechanism 120 includes a laser light source (not shown), a light guide unit including a prism, a lens, a mirror, and an optical fiber, a lens for forming a beam spot 133 at an irradiation target point 131 on the substrate 100, and the like. And an irradiating unit composed of the optical element.

  As the laser light source in the present embodiment, a semiconductor laser having an emission peak wavelength of 670 nm is used, but various laser light sources can be used. As will be described later, some liquid materials 130 have a wavelength region suitable for laser processing. In the case where such a liquid material 130 is used, the processing efficiency is increased by selecting a laser light source that oscillates the laser light 121 having an oscillation wavelength in the above-described preferable wavelength region. It is possible to process only a specific substance among the components contained in. Further, even when the liquid material 130 in which the above-described preferred wavelength region does not particularly exist is used, as a property of the laser light 121, in general, when the wavelength is shorter, the light can be focused on a smaller area. Since the beam spot 133 can be made smaller, it is needless to say that a fine pattern can be drawn by using a laser light source having a short oscillation wavelength.

  Similarly to the wavelength, the output intensity of the laser beam 121 should be appropriately selected according to the characteristics of the liquid material 130 to be used. In this embodiment, a laser light source with an optical output of 800 mW is used. Here, the light source is not limited to the laser light source as long as it emits light having a wavelength and light intensity that can substantially perform the fixing process. For example, high-intensity light emitting diodes have the potential to be used as an alternative light source for laser light sources. In addition, for light in the extremely short wavelength region where the apparatus scale becomes too large with a laser light source, a deuterium lamp or the like may be used as an alternative light source.

  Although the semiconductor laser used in the present embodiment is a laser light source but has a large spread of the light beam from the light emitting point, the light guide unit (not shown) constitutes a collimating optical system using a plurality of prisms and lenses to transmit the light beam. Parallel light is used. Furthermore, the light intensity distribution (beam profile) in the beam cross section is concentric light, that is, a Gaussian beam. Moreover, the irradiation part of this Embodiment consists of convex lenses, and condenses the laser beam which propagated the light guide part on the irradiation target point 131.

  The irradiation target point 131 is a position indicating the irradiation center point of the laser beam 121 shaped into the aforementioned Gaussian beam. The energy distribution within the irradiation range of the laser beam 121 is concentric with the irradiation target point 131 as the center.

  The beam spot 133 described above represents a range where the liquid material 130 is substantially fixed. As described above, since the laser beam 121 is a Gaussian beam, the light intensity at the beam cross section decreases as the distance from the center point increases. Therefore, an energy region less than the limit value in which the liquid material 130 can be fixed is generated at a certain distance from the center point. The range in which the laser beam 121 is irradiated is different from the range in which the liquid material 130 is fixed. For this reason, in the present invention, the range where the laser processing is substantially performed, that is, the range where the liquid material is substantially fixed is set as the beam spot 133. The operation of the laser processing mechanism 120 is also controlled by a control unit (not shown) in the same manner as other mechanisms.

  Next, reference numeral 140 denotes an opening position measurement mechanism. The opening position measurement mechanism 140 measures a gap between the substrate 100 and the opening 114, and in the present embodiment, includes an unillustrated laser light source, an optical system, a light receiving element, and the like. A gap G (see FIG. 3A) with the opening 114 is measured. Reference numeral 141 denotes a laser beam for opening position measurement. Of course, since the essence of the opening position measurement mechanism 140 is the measurement of the gap G, the measurement method is not limited to the method using laser light. For example, measurement using ultrasonic waves, or a method in which a detection arm is mechanically brought into contact with the substrate 100, an image in the vicinity of the opening 114 is captured, and analysis can be used.

  The measurement of the gap G by the opening position measurement mechanism 140 is always performed throughout the period during which the pattern forming apparatus 155 is operating, and the result is sent to a control unit (not shown). The control unit keeps the gap G at a predetermined value by performing control such as moving a movable stage (not shown) up and down while referring to these measurement data and a preset program. The movable stage functions as an opening position control mechanism that controls the value of the gap G.

  Here, the opening position measurement mechanism 140 is configured to be able to move the measurement position as necessary. Further, by mounting a plurality of opening position measuring mechanisms 140 on one pattern forming device 155, it is possible to cope with a complicated substrate shape.

  Here, the necessity of measuring the gap G will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, when the substrate 100 is substantially flat, it is important to keep the gap G constant in order to uniformly apply the liquid material 130 to the substrate 100. When the gap G is enlarged, the liquid material 130 is pulled up to the opening 114 by the surface tension, and the contact area with the substrate 100 is reduced. In an extreme case, the liquid material 130 may be separated from the substrate 100 and the application state may become discontinuous. On the contrary, when the gap G is narrowed, the liquid material 130 is pressed against the substrate 100 this time, and the contact area with the substrate 100 changes to the increasing side. In an extreme case, the opening 114 may come into contact with the substrate 100, so that the liquid material 130 can no longer be discharged, or the substrate 100 may be damaged. For this reason, in the steady state of application of the liquid material 130 shown in FIG. 3A, it is desirable that the gap G between the substrate 100 and the opening 114 be kept constant, and therefore the gap G is measured. There is a need to.

  Even when the substrate 100 has an uneven surface, it is important to keep the gap G constant for the reason described above in order to uniformly apply the liquid material 130. For this reason, the gap G is measured and the opening 114 is measured. It is necessary to control the movable stage so as to follow the unevenness of the substrate 100.

  These are explanations when the liquid material 130 is steadily applied to the substrate 100. Conversely, when the gap G is intentionally changed, for example, when termination processing shown in FIG. 3C is performed. Or, by periodically changing the gap G, there may be a case where, for example, coating with a pattern of periodic film thickness change is performed.

  In the pattern forming apparatus 155 of the present embodiment, the substrate is moved using a movable stage (not shown) in order to change the relative position between the substrate 100 and the opening 114, but the moving means for displacing the relative position is used. Is not limited to this. For example, the substrate 100 may be fixed, and the liquid material application mechanism 110, the laser processing mechanism 120, and the like may be fixed to a movable mechanism instead. The movable mechanism can include, for example, a three-axis actuator or a robot arm having a plurality of joints.

  The above is the details of the configuration of the pattern forming apparatus 155 in the present embodiment. Subsequently, the process of forming the pattern by operating the pattern forming apparatus 155 will be described in detail. Prior to the description, the meaning of the liquid material and the immobilization in the present invention will be described.

  The liquid material referred to in the present invention is a fluid having a fluidity substantially in a viscosity range that can be applied to the substrate from the opening, and there is no limitation on the material configuration. However, in the embodiment, it is assumed that the pattern to be formed has some electronic function. Therefore, the liquid material referred to in the present invention is at least electrically conductive after being fixed. Either a semiconductor or an insulator.

  In Embodiment 1, a dispersion solution in which fine particles of silver (Ag) are dispersed in an organic solvent is used as the liquid material. This is available, for example, as a product model number NPS-J marketed by Harima Chemical Co., Ltd. As a similar liquid material, a metal colloid dispersion or a solution containing metal ions can be used. In addition, the present invention can also be implemented using liquid materials including ceramics such as oxides and nitrides, and liquid materials including various proposed organic electronic functional materials or precursors thereof. is there.

  Next, the immobilization referred to in the present invention will be described. In the present invention, the term “immobilization” refers to the liquid material 130 itself or at least contained in the liquid material 130 when the laser processing mechanism 120 irradiates the laser beam 121 with the liquid material 130 applied to the substrate 100. It means that it is no longer the original liquid material 130 due to a physical or chemical change that occurs in one component, or changes to a state in which it does not re-dissolve in the solvent that made up the original liquid material 130. . In other words, this is a concept that should be distinguished from simple drying on a solution. When the solute is fixed by heating the liquid material 130 made of the solution by irradiation of the laser beam 121 or by some heating means and evaporating and removing the solvent, the fixed solute is at least the solvent constituting the solution. Is a concept that should be distinguished from this.

  Examples of the above-described physical changes include welding, fusion, penetration, and sintering, and examples of chemical changes include crosslinking, polymerization, decomposition, oxidation, reduction, and the like.

  In the first embodiment, the liquid material 130 containing silver ultrafine particles is instantaneously heated by irradiation with the laser beam 121, the solvent evaporates, and the silver ultrafine particles are welded to each other to passivate them. Immobilization by physical change is performed.

  Of course, it is not immobilization by welding, for example, a liquid material 130 containing ultrafine particles of silver is mixed with a styrene monomer and a peroxide polymerization initiator as a reaction initiator, a crosslinking agent or the like in an appropriate ratio, or an epoxy monomer There is also a method in which an acid polymerization initiator and an acid polymerization initiator are mixed at an appropriate ratio, and this is irradiated with a laser beam 121 to be immobilized. In this case, the liquid material 130 is heated by the irradiation of the laser beam 121, the polymerization initiator blended in the liquid material 130 is decomposed, the polymerization reaction is started by the radicals generated thereby, and the monomer is polymerized. The process of immobilizing the liquid material 130 is followed. The irradiation with the laser beam 121 at this time is for heating the liquid material 130 to decompose the polymerization initiator and starting the polymerization reaction, and thus requires a large laser output as in the case of immobilization by welding. There is an advantage of not.

  Although not described in detail, a number of reaction systems are known in which a chemical reaction is initiated in response to light of a specific wavelength. By applying these reaction systems, laser light 121 of a specific wavelength can be obtained. It is also easy to realize a selective method in which immobilization is performed only when irradiated. Furthermore, by using a plurality of reaction systems sensitive to light of a specific wavelength at the same time, it is possible to realize a more complicated and highly flexible immobilization process. In an example in which a resin material is mixed with a liquid material containing silver ultrafine particles, the ultrafine silver particles are not welded even when the fixation described in the present invention is completed. In order to use it as a conductor pattern, it is necessary to perform a welding process by another process.

  In some cases, the monomer material is polymerized by irradiation with the laser beam 121, and the polymer material itself is used as a functional pattern. This is the case where a generally known insulating film utilizing the insulating properties of plastic is formed, or a pattern of a polymer material having electronic functionality is formed. As an example, there is PPV (polyphenylene vinylene) which is well known as a light-emitting polymer material. PPV itself is passive in the polymer state and does not dissolve easily in the solvent. However, many research reports have been proposed in which specific functional groups are added to phenylene vinylene monomers, and some of them are available as commercial products. These are liquid substances by themselves, and can be applied to the substrate 100 by the pattern forming apparatus 155 of this embodiment. These monomers are decomposed and polymerized by heating by irradiation with the laser beam 121 to form PPV. As described above, since PPV is passive, a series of processes is included in the immobilization referred to in the present invention. A light emitting element or a transistor can be formed by using PPV.

  As described above, the immobilization in the present invention is performed by appropriately selecting the configuration of the liquid material 130 to be used, for example, as in the case of using the liquid material 130 containing silver ultrafine particles. Can be carried out by inducing a mechanical change, or when a liquid material 130 containing ultrafine silver particles is mixed with an appropriate ratio of a styrene monomer, a peroxide polymerization initiator, a crosslinking agent, etc. It can also be performed by inducing a chemical reaction (chemical change) as in the case of using.

  Next, in the present invention, the liquid material applied to the substrate is sequentially processed and fixed by laser light. This processing will be described.

  In the present invention, the treatment with laser light refers to the liquid material including a component that does not finally form a pattern, such as a solvent, among the assumed liquid materials, and the solvent is completely evaporated to complete the drying. This means that the laser beam is irradiated before fixation. In the case where the liquid material other than that, for example, the material itself constituting the final pattern such as the PPV monomer described above is a liquid that does not contain a solvent, the liquid material still remains even after a certain amount of time has elapsed after application of the liquid material. Although these maintain fluidity, these also mean that they are fixed by irradiating laser light without performing any other process after coating. Furthermore, even when the liquid material repels and spreads due to the difference in affinity between the substrate and the liquid material and moves unintentionally from the state immediately after application, the laser light is irradiated before the liquid material moves. In the present invention, completing the immobilization is called processing with laser light.

  Details of the operation of the pattern forming apparatus 155 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. First, after cleaning the substrate 100, the substrate 100 is fixed to a movable stage (not shown). Since the substrate 100 in the present embodiment is a borosilicate glass substrate, the cleaning is removal of fats and oils and particulate deposits that are generally performed in a thin film process, such as a surfactant, an alkaline cleaner, and the like. And using an ultrasonic cleaning device together. It is also preferable to clean the surface with a plasma processing apparatus. Of course, it goes without saying that an appropriate cleaning method should be selected according to the material of the substrate 100 to be used.

  Furthermore, the entire substrate 100 may be collectively subjected to a pretreatment process after the substrate 100 is cleaned. This is, for example, a process of smoothing, applying a base material for improving characteristics such as adhesion, or intentionally increasing the surface roughness by roughening the surface.

  When the substrate 100 is set on the movable stage, the opening 114 is brought close to the substrate 100. At this time, the opening position measurement mechanism 140 continuously measures the gap G (see FIG. 3A) between the opening 114 and the substrate 100, and provides data for knowing that the gap G is appropriate. . Although the operation of moving the movable stage may be performed manually, in the present embodiment, a control unit (not shown) controls the operation of the movable stage. Hereinafter, although not particularly noted, the control unit smoothly controls the operation of each mechanism in the pattern forming apparatus 155 of the present embodiment in accordance with a preset operation program.

  The optimum value of the gap G depends on many factors such as the material and surface state of the substrate 100, the type of the liquid material 130, the film thickness of the liquid material 130 immediately after coating, the coating speed, the environmental temperature, the substrate temperature, and the like. To do. For example, the value of the gap G is 0.2 mm, and this value is used in the present embodiment.

  After the gap G reaches the optimum value, the liquid material supply source 112 operates to send the liquid material 130 to the liquid material application mechanism 110, and the liquid material 130 sent to the liquid material application mechanism 110 is transferred from the opening 114 to the substrate. 100 is discharged. At the same time, the movable stage changes the relative position between the substrate 100 and the opening 114 in accordance with preprogrammed information, and the application of the liquid material 130 to the substrate 100 is started.

  The laser processing mechanism 120 irradiates the applied liquid material 130 with laser light 121, and the liquid material 130 is sequentially processed and fixed by the laser light 121.

  As described above, the opening 114 in this embodiment has an elliptical shape, the minimum representative dimension is 500 μm, and the maximum representative dimension is 2 mm. Here, a description will be given of pattern formation when the pattern forming apparatus 155 is controlled so that the application surface, which is the locus drawn by the opening 114, becomes a band having a width of 2 mm, that is, when application is performed with the maximum representative dimension. Further, in order to simplify the description, the description is added on the assumption that the liquid material 130 is applied linearly on the substrate 100. Needless to say, it is possible to form a complicated pattern having a bent line or to apply the entire surface by appropriately controlling the operation of the movable stage.

  When the liquid material 130 is applied on the substrate 100, the laser processing mechanism 120 irradiates the laser beam 121 toward the irradiation target point 131 on the liquid material 130. In the present embodiment, the relative position between the irradiation target point 131 and the opening 114 is fixed. By irradiation with the laser beam 121, the liquid material 130 in the beam spot 133 is heated to volatilize the solvent, and the dispersed silver ultrafine particles are welded to each other and passivated. Progress.

  The width and shape of the beam spot 133 at this time are the intensity and energy distribution of the laser beam 121 (light intensity distribution; beam profile), the degree of concentration of the laser beam 121, the type of the liquid material 130, and the coating film of the liquid material 130. The thickness of the film, the coating speed of the liquid material 130, the material of the substrate 100, etc. vary depending on many factors, and an optimum value should be set every time a pattern is formed. In the present embodiment, the beam spot 133 is circular with the irradiation target point 131 as the center, and its diameter is 0.1 mm. Therefore, the range in which immobilization is performed is narrower than the range in which application is performed. This is close to the state described in FIG.

  While the relative position between the substrate 100 and the opening 114 is linearly changed by the operation of the movable stage, the opening position measuring mechanism 140 continuously detects the gap 114 between the opening 114 and the substrate 100 (FIG. 3A). Measure). Since the operation of the movable stage is controlled based on the measurement result and the coating proceeds while the gap G is kept constant, for example, even if the substrate 100 is unexpectedly warped, The movable stage moves like tracing, and the film thickness of the liquid material 130 to be applied becomes continuous and stable. The pattern formed by the sequential fixing is also smooth and free of defects.

  Now, in this way, a linear pattern that is continuously smooth and free from defects is formed, and the operation when the positional relationship between the substrate 100 and the opening 114 reaches the pre-programmed coating end point is shown in FIG. This will be described with reference to (a) to FIG.

  In the example of the present embodiment, since only a simple linear pattern is formed, the opening 114 that has been applied is separated from the substrate 100 at the application termination point, and the pattern formation is completed.

  FIG. 3A shows a state in the middle of application as described above, where stable application and fixation are performed. In the state shown in FIG. 3A, a certain amount of liquid material 130 is sent from the liquid material supply source 112 to the liquid material application mechanism 110 (see FIG. 1) via the transport pipe 111, and the liquid material application mechanism 110 receives the liquid material application mechanism 110. The fed liquid material 130 is continuously discharged onto the substrate 100 from the opening 114 via the liquid material supply unit 113. When the movable stage is moved so that the opening 114 moves away from the substrate 100 while continuing the discharge operation at the application end point, an excessive liquid material 130 is discharged to the end point as shown in FIG. The thickness of the coating film of the liquid material 130 in the vicinity of the end point is increased. At this time, the movable stage can be moved so that the opening 114 is separated from the substrate 100 after the liquid material supply source 112 is stopped. In this case, too, depending on the type of the liquid material 130, the excess liquid material 130 may be caused by surface tension. The film may be pulled out from the opening 114, and as a result, the thickness of the coating film of the liquid material 130 in the vicinity of the end point may be increased.

  In order to avoid such non-uniform film thickness in the vicinity of the end point, the liquid material supply source 112 is moved to the suction side, and the force (surface tension) for pulling out the liquid material 130 from the opening 114 may be offset. Of course, the suction force and timing at this time are related to many factors including the types of the liquid material 130 and the substrate 100, and needless to say, an optimum value must be set each time. By performing an appropriate suction operation at the application end point of the liquid material 130, as shown in FIG. 3C, the thickness of the coating film of the liquid material 130 at the application end point can be made similar to the others. As a result, the pattern obtained by fixing the liquid material 130 is also smooth and uniform.

  In the detailed description of the pattern formation so far, the case where the laser light irradiated in the laser processing for immobilization is continuous in time is taken as an example, but pattern formation is also possible using intermittent light. It can be performed.

  An example of pattern formation using intermittent light will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 4 (a) to 4 (d). FIG. 4A shows a pattern 132 a that is formed when the irradiated laser light is continuous light and the beam spot 133 is narrower than the application width of the liquid material 130.

  When the laser light irradiated at this time is intermittent light, as shown in FIG. 4B, the discontinuous pattern 132 can be formed while the liquid material 130 is continuously applied. Irradiation of intermittent laser light can be easily realized by simply turning on and off the laser light source, adding a shutter in the middle of the optical path, and controlling the opening and closing thereof.

  As another example of intermittently irradiating laser light, there is a case where laser light is scanned on the liquid material 130 applied to the substrate 100. By scanning with laser light, it is possible to form a continuous pattern using intermittent light or to draw a complicated pattern within the application range of the liquid material 130. This is illustrated in FIG. 4 (c) and FIG. 4 (d). In FIG. 4C, the laser light is irradiated to the liquid material 130 while being scanned as a constant periodic intermittent light, but short in the direction indicated by the arrow d. At this time, since the irradiation patterns of the individual intermittent lights overlap each other, the finally formed pattern 132 is continuous as shown by a solid line in FIG. 4C. Furthermore, it is possible to form a complicated pattern 132 as shown in FIG. 4D. In this case, the laser light source is periodically moved while performing the scanning as shown in FIG. Instead, it may be intentionally turned on and off so as to draw a certain pattern as a result.

  In order to scan the laser beam, a beam spot 133 is formed in the irradiation section of the laser processing mechanism 120 at a rotating reflecting mirror (polygon mirror or the like) and an irradiation target point 131 (see FIG. 1) on the substrate 100. And a theta lens (fθ lens) may be provided. Although the detailed description of these so-called scanning optical systems is omitted, these techniques are so common that they are used also in consumer products such as laser printers, and can be easily introduced.

  Further, as another example using intermittent light, immobilization using a laser light source that oscillates an extremely short pulsed light called a so-called picosecond laser or femtosecond laser is also a part of the present invention. Since such an extremely short pulse light is oscillated at a very short period, compared with a relatively slow operation in which the relative position between the opening 114 and the substrate 100 is changed, the continuous light is effectively irradiated. Can be handled in the same way as

  Then, what is the difference between these ultrashort pulsed light and continuous light is the difference in energy density. In the present invention, when performing pattern formation using ultrashort pulsed light, the liquid material 130 is fixed by irradiating laser light with a very high energy density for a short time. When pattern formation is performed using continuous light, there is a difference that the liquid material 130 is immobilized using laser light having a relatively low energy density.

  When the liquid material 130 is fixed with a laser beam having a low energy density, the time required for completing the fixation becomes longer than when the liquid material 130 is fixed with a laser beam having a high energy density. As a result, the substrate 100 may be heated by the energy dissipated through the liquid material 130, which may be undesirable. For example, when the substrate 100 that is weak against heat is used, the substrate 100 may be damaged by heating. On the other hand, when the liquid material 130 is fixed with the ultrashort pulse light having a very high energy density, the fixation of the liquid material 130 is completed in an instant by the irradiated laser light. At this time, it is possible to select a condition in which most of the irradiation energy is consumed for fixing the liquid material 130 and the heat dissipated to the substrate 100 side is virtually eliminated. In this case, the substrate 100 is vulnerable to heat. Even if it is made of a material, there is an advantage that a pattern can be formed without any problem. This is an advantage when using ultrashort pulsed light.

  As described above, not only when continuous light is used as the laser light 121, but also when a discontinuous pattern is formed using intermittent light, the laser light 121 is scanned to form a complicated pattern. Even in the case of using a very short light pulse, there is no essential difference with respect to the process in which the liquid material 130 in the beam spot 133 is fixed. The pattern will be smooth and defect free.

  It is also preferable that the pattern forming apparatus includes a plurality of laser processing mechanisms for one liquid material application mechanism. Since the application width of the liquid material 130 in this embodiment is 2 mm and the diameter of the beam spot 133 is 0.1 mm, a plurality of laser processing mechanisms 120 having the same configuration, for example, two laser processing mechanisms 120 are used simultaneously. Thus, it becomes possible to simultaneously form two fixed patterns having a width of 0.1 mm with respect to the coating width of 2 mm of the liquid material 130. This means that two parallel patterns can be formed at the same time without scanning the laser beam even with a simple laser processing mechanism 120 in which the irradiation direction of the laser beam 121 is fixed.

  Of course, a more complicated pattern can be formed by making the shape of the beam spot 133 of the laser beam 121 in each laser processing mechanism 120 different from each other or by using an irradiation part in each laser processing mechanism 120 as a scanning optical system. Needless to say, the oscillation wavelengths of the laser light sources in the respective laser processing mechanisms 120 may be made different from each other, or the outputs of the respective laser light sources may be made different.

  Furthermore, it is also preferable that two laser processing mechanisms 120 having two laser light sources having different oscillation wavelengths, for example, sequentially perform laser processing with laser light from these laser light sources to form one pattern. . For example, the laser processing mechanism 120 including the laser light source having the first oscillation wavelength fixes a part of the component of the liquid material 130 and includes at least a portion where the first laser processing mechanism 120 performs the fixing. However, this is a case where the laser processing mechanism 120 including the laser light source having the second oscillation wavelength continues to fix another part of the liquid material 130. In either case, the pattern formed is smooth and free of defects.

  In this embodiment, the case where the laser beam 121 is a Gaussian beam has been described as an example. However, the laser beam 121 has energy as described below with reference to FIGS. 12A and 12B. It may have a distribution (beam profile).

  12A shows an example of laser light having a Gaussian-shaped energy distribution, and FIG. 12B shows an example of laser light having a shaped energy distribution. In these figures, the horizontal axis of the graph is the position on the substrate 100, the vertical axis is the relative value of the energy of the laser beam, and 170 is the line representing the position of the irradiation target point 131 (see FIG. 1). Reference numeral 171 denotes a line representing the energy distribution of a Gaussian laser beam (see FIG. 12A), and 172 a line representing the energy distribution of the laser light whose energy distribution has been shaped (see FIG. 12B). , 173 is a line representing an energy level at which the liquid material 130 (see FIG. 1) can be sufficiently immobilized, 174 is a line representing a lower energy level at which the liquid material 130 is immobilized, and 175 is formed. A line representing the end of the pattern, 176 representing a flat region of the pattern to be formed, 177 and 178 each representing a cross section of the formed pattern, and 180 shaping the beam profile of the laser beam. This is a line representing the light absorption characteristics of the optical filter added for the purpose.

  As described above, the liquid material is fixed by the laser beam due to the energy of the irradiated laser beam, and the range where the fixation is substantially performed is a beam spot in the present invention. When pattern formation is performed using laser light having a Gaussian-shaped energy distribution as in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12A, the shape of the cross section 177 of the pattern to be formed collapses from a rectangle and becomes a table. Become a shape. This is because when a liquid material is immobilized, immobilization does not occur suddenly from a certain threshold energy, and the immobilization starts gradually from a site exceeding the lower limit value of energy required for immobilization. It is. Liquid material in a region that exceeds the lower limit of the energy required for immobilization but is not sufficient, that is, between the end 175 of the pattern shown in FIG. 12A and the end 176 of the flat region. In the region, since the applied liquid material is not fixed over the entire film thickness direction, the film thickness changes gently. On the other hand, the region closer to the center than the end 176 of the flat region, that is, the region on the line 170 side indicating the position of the irradiation target point 131 is irradiated with laser light having sufficient energy to be fixed. For this reason, the applied liquid material is fixed over the entire film thickness direction, and as a result, a constant film thickness according to the film thickness of the applied liquid material is exhibited.

  In order to avoid the collapse of the pattern as shown in FIG. 12A, the energy distribution (beam profile) of the laser beam is shaped into the energy distribution as shown by the line 172 in FIG. That's fine. For this purpose, an optical filter having a light absorption characteristic as shown by a line 180 in FIG. 12B is inserted somewhere in the optical path of the laser beam, the light beam in the halfway energy region is blocked, and further the beam spot It is appropriate to make the energy distribution in the inside uniform. Here, in the optical filter having the light absorption characteristic as indicated by the line 180, the light absorption rate is higher toward the upper side of the graph. This optical filter can be replaced with a simple perforated plate that allows a light beam in an area having sufficient energy to fix the liquid material to pass therethrough. However, in this case, care must be taken so that the energy density in the vicinity of the irradiation target point 131, that is, in the vicinity of the energy peak value, does not become excessive. Irradiation with a laser beam having an excessively high energy density may cause damage to the substrate or, in extreme cases, evaporation of the applied liquid material, so-called ablation.

  By using the optical filter having the light absorption characteristics as described above, the energy distribution (beam profile) of the laser light becomes a rectangle as indicated by a line 172 in FIG. That is, the laser light applied to the liquid material has a uniform energy distribution and has energy necessary and sufficient for fixing the liquid material. As a result, the pattern to be formed becomes a well-defined rectangle as shown in the cross section 178 shown in FIG. Such a cross-section is extremely effective when forming a fine pattern in which the interval between adjacent patterns is very narrow. Also, the pattern formed is smooth and free of defects.

(Embodiment 2)
The second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. Since the configuration of the pattern forming apparatus in the second embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment, the entire detailed description is omitted, and only the parts different from the first embodiment will be described in detail.

  The difference between the pattern forming apparatus of the second embodiment and the first embodiment is the relationship between the representative dimension of the opening 114 and the size of the beam spot 133.

  In Embodiment 1, the case where the width of the liquid material 130 applied onto the substrate 100 is larger than the beam spot 133 has been described as an example. In the second embodiment, the shape of the opening 114 is circular as shown in FIG. 2B, and the representative dimension is 0.2 mm. Of course, that the shape of the opening 114 is circular means that the maximum and minimum representative dimensions are the same, and in the case of the second embodiment, both are 0.2 mm.

  The shape of the beam spot 133 in the second embodiment is circular as in the first embodiment, and its diameter is 0.7 mm. That is, the beam spot 133 indicating the energy range in which the liquid material 130 can be substantially fixed in the irradiated laser light 121 is sufficiently larger than the application range of the liquid material 130 in the second embodiment. It will be.

  In the present embodiment, the center of the band of the liquid material 130 applied from the circular opening 114 and the irradiation target point 131 (see FIG. 1) that is the center point of the beam spot 133 are not illustrated. The movable stage is controlled. Accordingly, the beam spot 133 always completely includes the application range of the liquid material 130 to be applied.

  The relationship as described above is illustrated as shown in FIG. That is, since the application width of the liquid material 130 applied from the opening 114 is completely included in the beam spot 133, the entire applied amount is sequentially processed into the fixed liquid material 132. At this time, the width of the fixed liquid material 132, the application width of the liquid material 130, and the representative dimension of the opening 114 coincide. That is, in this embodiment, a fixed liquid material 132 having a width of 0.2 mm is obtained. By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to obtain an excellent convenience that the selection range of the combination of the substrate 100 and the liquid material 130 that can form a pattern smoothly and without defects is greatly expanded.

  In general, the combination of the substrate 100 and the liquid material 130 varies in affinity with each other depending on the application in which the pattern to be formed is used, and in some cases on a plastic film having a water-repellent surface. There is a need to form a pattern using a water-based material, or a pattern formation using an oil-based material.

  Here, the substrate 100 according to the second embodiment is a flexible fluorine-based plastic film, and a film in close contact with the support substrate is fixed on a movable stage (not shown). In addition, the liquid material 130 in the present embodiment is a gold (Au) colloidal dispersion, and the dispersion medium is water. Immobilization of the colloidal gold dispersion is accompanied by a physical change in which dispersed gold fine particles are bonded to each other by welding and passivated.

  Now, the surface of a fluorine plastic film is usually water-repellent, and it is difficult to uniformly apply a water-based liquid thereon. Therefore, in the case of the combination of the substrate and the liquid material as in Embodiment 2, even if coating is performed on the entire surface of the substrate using a spin coating method or the like and laser treatment is performed thereafter, the fluorine-based plastic film is water-based. The liquid material will be repelled and the coating itself will not work. The water-based material gathers so as to rise on the fluorine-based plastic film due to the surface tension, and cannot maintain a uniformly spread state. However, even if the combination of the substrate 100 and the liquid material 130 is difficult to apply by such a general method and consequently difficult to form a pattern by using the pattern forming apparatus according to the present invention, Patterns can be formed with a high degree of freedom.

  Since the procedure until the liquid material (gold colloid dispersion) 130 in this embodiment is applied to the substrate (fluorine plastic film) 100 is the same as that in the first embodiment, details are omitted, and details from the vicinity of the start of application are omitted. Give an explanation.

  Immediately before coating, that is, while the colloidal gold dispersion liquid is held between the opening 114 and the substrate 100, the pressure on the discharge side is exerted by the action of the liquid material supply source 112. It is pressed against 100 and extends to the same area as the cross-sectional shape of the opening 114. Then, when the coating is started and the colloidal gold solution is coated on the substrate 100, the colloidal gold dispersion becomes spherical due to the surface tension immediately after that, and moves in a direction to minimize the contact area with the substrate 100. Start. However, in the pattern forming apparatus of the present invention, the laser beam 121 is sequentially irradiated after the gold colloid dispersion liquid is applied, and the beam spot 133 completely includes the width of the applied gold colloid dispersion liquid. As a result, the colloidal gold dispersion cannot substantially obtain the time for movement, and as a result, the coating width immediately after coating, that is, the typical dimension of the opening 114 is maintained at 0.2 mm. Is done.

  It is a qualitative expression that the colloidal gold dispersion cannot substantially obtain the time for movement, and it goes without saying that the conditions for realizing this should be appropriately examined. In the pattern forming apparatus of the present invention, it can be said that there is essentially no restriction on the relative positional relationship between the irradiation target point 131 and the opening 114, and if desired, the interval can be easily set to zero. . In any case, these conditions should be optimized as appropriate, including the other factors described in the first embodiment.

  Up to this point, the case where the substrate 100 and the liquid material 130 are not compatible with each other due to low affinity is described as an example where they repel each other. However, the following description demonstrates that the present invention is still effective even in the opposite case. .

  For example, a case where a glass substrate surface-treated with titanium oxide is used instead of the above-described combination of fluorine-based plastic film substrates is taken as an example.

  Although details are omitted, it is known that titanium oxide forms a very hydrophilic surface, that is, a so-called superhydrophilic surface, by the film forming method. When an aqueous liquid is dropped on such a surface, the contact angle is effectively 0 degree. That is, the dropped aqueous liquid spreads over the substrate surface as much as possible.

  When such a combination of the substrate 100 and the liquid material (gold colloid dispersion liquid) 130 is used, the film formation is easy even if a conventional method such as spin coating is used. It can be formed. In this case, the liquid material 130 exerts a force in a direction in which the liquid material 130 tends to wet and spread immediately after the application. However, again, the liquid material 130 is fixed soon after being substantially given time for movement, and as a result, a pattern having a width of 0.2 mm which is the same as the representative dimension of the opening 114 is formed. .

  In another case, for example, the present invention is effective even when the substrate 100 is made of a porous material. That is, when the substrate 100 is porous, when the liquid material 130 is applied to the surface, the liquid material 130 is repelled according to the combination of the liquid material 130 and the substrate 100 as described above. And sometimes spread wet. Here, in particular, in the case of a combination of the liquid material 130 and the substrate 100 that are wet and spread, the liquid material 130 spreads so as to penetrate into the porous substrate, so that it is difficult to form a pattern by a general method. It is. However, if the pattern forming apparatus of the present embodiment is used, the applied liquid material 130 is sequentially processed and fixed by the laser beam 121 before wetting and spreading inside the porous substrate, that is, before it penetrates. It is possible to form a pattern without any problem.

  As described above, in the second embodiment of the present invention, since the beam spot 133 completely includes the application width of the liquid material 130 applied from the opening 114, the substrate 100 having various properties can be obtained. In combination with the liquid material 130, a pattern having a width defined by the representative dimension of the opening 114 can be formed. In the present embodiment, the representative dimension of the opening 114, that is, the substantial application width of the liquid material 130 is 0.2 mm, but this should be appropriately changed depending on the shape of the pattern to be formed. At this time, only the representative dimension of the opening 114 and the size change of the beam spot 133 are required, and the implementation is extremely easy. Of course, considering the application to the industry, the range of the representative dimension of the opening 114 is limited, but it is still practical enough to implement in a wide range from several cm to several μm.

  By using the pattern forming apparatus as described in this embodiment mode, it is possible to obtain a smooth and defect-free pattern with high dimensional accuracy, high flexibility in various combinations of the substrate 100 and the liquid material 130.

(Embodiment 3)
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. Since the configuration of the pattern forming apparatus in the third embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment, the entire detailed description is omitted, and only the portions different from the first embodiment will be described in detail. Further, the liquid material used is an aqueous colloidal gold dispersion liquid, and that the substrate is a fluorine-based plastic film in close contact with the support substrate. Since a series of processes for applying and fixing the colloidal gold dispersion liquid has many overlapping parts with the contents described in detail in the first or second embodiment, only the different parts will be described.

  The difference between the pattern forming apparatus of the third embodiment and the pattern forming apparatus of the first embodiment is the representative size of the opening 114 and the size of the beam spot 133.

  In Embodiment 1, the case where the width of the liquid material 130 applied onto the substrate 100 is larger than the beam spot 133 has been described as an example. Also in the third embodiment, the relative relationship, that is, the relationship that the width of the liquid material 130 applied onto the substrate 100 is larger than the beam spot 133 does not change. However, the shape of the opening 114 in the first embodiment is an ellipse shown in FIG. 2A, whereas the shape of the opening 114 in the present embodiment is the same as in the second embodiment. 2B, the representative dimension is 0.2 mm as in the second embodiment. Therefore, the maximum and minimum representative dimensions of the opening 114 are the same at 0.2 mm, which is the same as in the second embodiment.

  Here, the shape of the beam spot 133 in the third embodiment is circular as in the first embodiment, and the diameter thereof is 0.01 mm. That is, the beam spot 133 indicating the energy range in which the liquid material 130 can be substantially fixed in the irradiated laser light 121 is smaller than the application range of the liquid material 130 in this embodiment. Become.

  Also in this embodiment, the movable stage (not shown) is controlled so that the center of the band of the liquid material 130 applied from the circular opening 114 coincides with the irradiation target point 131 which is the center point of the beam spot 133. The Of course, even if the position of the irradiation target point 131 within the range where the liquid material 130 is applied is slightly deviated from the center of the band of the liquid material 130, the pattern can be sufficiently formed. However, in order to simplify the description, the present embodiment adopts the same conditions as in the second embodiment.

  The relationship as described above is illustrated in FIG. That is, the beam spot 133 is formed at substantially the center of the application width of the liquid material 130 applied by the opening 114, whereby the liquid material 130 is sequentially processed to form the fixed liquid material 132. At this time, the width of the fixed liquid material 132 matches the size of the beam spot 133 regardless of the application width of the liquid material 130 and the representative dimension of the opening 114. That is, in the present embodiment, a fixed liquid material 132 having a width of 0.01 mm is obtained. By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to form a pattern that is very fine but smooth and free of defects by utilizing the excellent light condensing property of the laser beam.

  Furthermore, even if the pattern forming apparatus described in the present embodiment is used, it is difficult to apply by the general method described in the second embodiment, and as a result, it is difficult to form a pattern. Even in combination with the liquid material 130, a pattern can be formed with a high degree of freedom. The basic operation of sequentially processing the applied liquid material 130 with the laser beam 121 is common throughout the present invention. Therefore, even if the combination is such that the liquid material 130 is repelled and collected on the substrate 100, or conversely, the combination is such that the liquid material 130 spreads over the substrate 100 as much as possible. The pattern to be formed is smooth and defect-free with the width defined by the size of the beam spot 133.

  Thus, the substantially different portions in the pattern formation performed in the third embodiment and the second embodiment are the relative relationship between the width of the liquid material 130 to be applied and the size of the beam spot 133, and the result. The width of the pattern to be formed is defined not by the representative dimension of the opening 114 but by the size of the beam spot 133. Although the size of the beam spot 133 in the present embodiment is 0.01 mm, this is of course not limited to this value. For example, laser light is easy to form a small beam spot due to the characteristics that the phases are aligned, and even if laser light in the visible light region is used, the laser light in the ultraviolet region with a wavelength of about several μm and a shorter wavelength is used. Can be used to achieve extremely small spot sizes down to the submicron order. Finer pattern formation enables higher-density functional integration and enables higher-performance devices to be formed.

  Now, after the processing by the laser beam is finished and the fixation is performed, in this embodiment, the excess liquid material is removed by the subsequent processing. This is a process that was not included in the first and second embodiments.

  As is apparent from the above description, the liquid material 132 immobilized in the third embodiment is a part of the applied liquid material 130, and both sides of the immobilized liquid material 132 are used for immobilization. The excess liquid material 130 that has not been left is left. The form in which the excess liquid material 130 remains on the substrate 100 depends on conditions such as the affinity between the substrate 100 and the liquid material 130, the atmosphere and temperature at the time of application, but in any case remains liquid. Whether it is dry or solidified. In addition, the distribution of the liquid material 130 on the substrate 100 is either in the state at the time of application, is repelled and gathers together to form a lump, or spreads wet. Here, the substrate 100 in such a state is referred to as a substrate after immobilization.

  The substrate after the immobilization process is removed from the movable stage and the support substrate, and used for the process of removing the excess liquid material 130. In this embodiment, a square fluorine plastic film with a side of 100 mm is used as the substrate 100, and an aqueous gold colloid dispersion liquid is used as the liquid material 130. Therefore, the excess gold colloid dispersion liquid is repelled and collected. is doing. As a result, the surplus liquid material (gold colloid dispersion liquid) 130 is in a state of being fixed in the form of dots on both sides of the immobilized liquid material 132.

  The substrate after this immobilization treatment is immersed in 2 liters of pure water and subjected to ultrasonic treatment for 5 minutes. As a result, the excess dried material 130 of the liquid material 130 fixed in a dot shape is redissolved in water and removed from the substrate 100. However, as described in the first embodiment, the immobilized liquid material 132 has changed to a state in which it is no longer redissolved in the original liquid material and the solvent constituting the liquid material. It remains firmly on the substrate 100. While confirming visually until all of the excess liquid material 130 is removed, perform ultrasonic treatment several times as necessary, and finally air-dry treatment so that only a fine pattern with gold is formed on the fluoroplastic film. Is formed.

  Substrate 100 after removing excess liquid material 130 may be subjected to a new immobilization process in a further separate process, or may be subjected to a surface treatment for the pattern and other modification processes. In this embodiment, the air-dried substrate 100 is put into a heating furnace and held at 200 degrees for 1 hour, thereby further improving the adhesion force of the immobilized gold to the substrate 100.

  The pattern formation process performed in the third embodiment is as described above, but what kind of procedure is used in the cleaning process for the substrate 100 after the immobilization process is appropriately determined according to the liquid material 130 to be used and other conditions. Needless to say, it should be chosen. For simplicity, the best method is to use a solvent that constitutes a part of the liquid material 130. However, in the case of the PPV monomer as described in the first embodiment, the solvent may be selected separately. This is preferable. Many parameters such as ultrasonic cleaning, stirring, and heating of the cleaning liquid need to be optimized as appropriate.

(Embodiment 4)
Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 7, and FIG. The configuration of the pattern forming apparatus according to the fourth embodiment is the same as the configuration in the first embodiment except that there is an additional portion in the liquid material application mechanism, and therefore the entire detailed description is omitted, and is different from the first embodiment. Only the part will be described in detail.

  FIG. 7 is a perspective view schematically showing a pattern forming apparatus according to the fourth embodiment. The components described in the first embodiment are provided in the pattern forming apparatus 160 of the present embodiment without excess or deficiency. In the present embodiment, in addition to these, the transfer pipe 115 and the liquid material supply source 116, and the liquid material sent from the feed pipe 111 and the liquid material sent from the feed pipe 115 are not shown in detail. An adjustment valve for controlling the ratio of the liquid and a mixing mechanism for mixing the liquid materials are added. The aforementioned regulating valve is also controlled by a control unit (not shown) so that the mixing ratio can be changed according to a predetermined program. The portions where the pattern forming apparatus 160 according to the present embodiment is mechanically different from the pattern forming apparatus according to the first embodiment are as described above.

  As for the procedure for immobilization, a series of flow from application of liquid material to immobilization is the same as that already described in the first embodiment. However, the present embodiment is different in that the liquid material to be applied is composed of a plurality of materials mixed in the liquid material application mechanism 110 immediately before application.

  An example of the pattern that can be realized by using the pattern forming apparatus 160 will be described below. In the fourth embodiment, the liquid material supply source 112 contains a liquid material in which silver fine particles are dispersed, and the liquid material supply source 116 contains a liquid material in which gold fine particles are dispersed. When a simple linear pattern is formed on a substrate according to the procedure described in the first embodiment, first, the adjustment valve described above is controlled in one direction for a certain time from the start of coating, and only a liquid material containing silver fine particles is used. Apply. Then, after a lapse of a certain time, the adjustment valve is moved little by little as the time elapses to start feeding a liquid material containing gold fine particles. A liquid material containing silver and gold fine particles sufficiently mixed in the liquid material application mechanism 110 is applied to a substrate, and sequentially processed by laser light to be fixed.

  As the time elapses, the regulating valve increases the ratio of the gold fine particles to the silver fine particles in the liquid material, and after a certain period of time, the supply of the silver fine particles is completely stopped, and the liquid material is changed to the gold fine particles. Only. And application | coating is complete | finished after progress of the time programmed beforehand.

  By forming the pattern in this manner, it is possible to form a very unique pattern in which the material is different between the start point and the end point, while there is a smooth and continuous defect-free state. FIG. 8 explains this state in more detail.

  In FIG. 8, the horizontal axis of the graph indicates the position of the pattern (fixed liquid material) formed on the substrate 100, and the vertical axis of the graph indicates the discharge amount of each of the liquid material including gold and the liquid material including silver. Relative ratio is shown. Therefore, the graph shown in the figure shows the discharge amount change with the passage of time of both materials when the above-described fixing procedure is performed, that is, the mixing ratio of both materials with respect to the position on the substrate 100. In FIG. 8, the material X is a liquid material containing silver fine particles, the material Y is a liquid material containing gold, and application is started from the end indicated by reference numeral 8-A, and is applied to the end indicated by reference numeral 8-B. When this is done, the pattern described above is obtained.

  By using the pattern forming apparatus 160 as described above, it is possible to fix two different liquid materials while freely changing the ratio thereof. For example, if two liquid materials containing different metal particles are used, an alloy The pattern formation can be performed while arbitrarily changing the composition ratio. If an organic material and an inorganic material are used, it is possible to form an organic / inorganic gradient functional film. Furthermore, it can also be applied to a method in which a reaction initiator that is unstable when mixed in advance is mixed immediately before application of the liquid material.

  Here, although the case where two different liquid materials are mixed is illustrated in this embodiment, mixing of one type of liquid material and a reaction initiator or three or more types of materials (including a reaction initiator and the like) This is not to deny the mixture. Mixing three or more types of materials complicates the mechanism and control of the pattern forming apparatus, but there is no essential difference from mixing two types of materials.

  As described above, the pattern forming apparatus 160 according to Embodiment 4 can form a pattern having a unique composition with a high degree of freedom while arbitrarily changing the mixing ratio of a plurality of materials. It goes without saying that the pattern formed at this time is smooth and defect-free even if it has a complex composition and distribution.

(Embodiment 5)
Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. The basic components of the pattern forming apparatus 165 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention are not fundamentally different from those already described in the first embodiment. However, in the pattern forming apparatus 165 of the present embodiment, a mechanism (hereinafter referred to as a forming body) including the liquid material applying mechanism 110, the laser processing mechanism 120, and the opening position measuring mechanism 140 described in FIG. Two sets are provided. In the following description, these are referred to as formed bodies in order to avoid complexity. In FIG. 9, 150A and 150B are formed bodies, respectively. Each of the formed bodies 150A and 150B can apply and fix the liquid material 130 independently of each other.

  With the pattern forming apparatus 165 having such a configuration, two patterns can be simultaneously formed on one substrate 100. Further, a pattern can be formed on two substrates at a time. In any case, a smooth and defect-free pattern can be efficiently formed.

  The convenience of forming a plurality of formed bodies is not limited to the above. For example, it is easy to form the same pattern of different materials on the same substrate using different liquid materials in the formed body 150A and the formed body 150B. In such a case, it goes without saying that the wavelength of the laser beam 121 should be appropriately changed and optimized in accordance with the type of liquid material used. At this time, since the forming bodies 150A and 150B are each provided with the independent laser processing mechanism 120, it is very easy to change the wavelength.

  It is also preferable to perform pattern formation by integrating the two formed bodies. In this case, the first formed body immobilizes the first liquid material to form the first pattern, and immediately after that, the second formed body immobilizes the second liquid material and forms the first pattern on the first pattern. It is possible to form a complicated pattern such as forming the second pattern. For example, the second pattern is formed by fixing silver on the first pattern formed by fixing gold, or the second is formed by fixing organic substances on the first pattern formed by fixing metal. In addition, the second material is formed by immobilizing the functional material on the first pattern formed by immobilizing a coupling agent for improving adhesion as a substrate surface modifier as a base material. Gives freedom of configuration such as pattern formation.

  Furthermore, it is also preferable that the openings 114 included in the formed bodies to be integrated have different representative dimensions. If such a configuration is used, for example, after fixing the transparent conductor, the metal material is fixed to the top of the transparent conductor with a width narrower than the width of the transparent conductor as an auxiliary for securing the conductivity, Immediately after immobilizing a material that may be altered by the above, an application such as immobilizing a protective material so as to completely cover it becomes possible.

  In any case as described above, the basis of the present invention is not changed, in which the liquid material is applied to the substrate while being in contact with the substrate through the liquid material, and sequentially processed by the laser beam. Therefore, the pattern to be formed is smooth and free from defects.

(Embodiment 6)
Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 10, 170 is an optical fiber, 171 is a laser beam emitted from the optical fiber, 172 is a beam spot of the laser beam emitted from the optical fiber 170, and 175 is a pattern forming device. Since the configuration of the pattern forming apparatus 175 according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention is similar to that of the pattern forming apparatus according to the first embodiment, only different portions will be described in detail.

  The pattern forming apparatus 175 of the present embodiment is different from the pattern forming apparatus of the first embodiment in that an irradiation unit included in the laser processing mechanism 120 (see FIG. 1) includes an optical fiber 170.

  Since the optical fiber is already well known, the detailed explanation here is omitted. The optical fiber 170 used in the present embodiment is a single mode optical fiber used for a semiconductor laser having a peak wavelength of emission of 670 nm. Of course, it is possible to use a multimode optical fiber. However, in the multimode optical fiber, the spread angle of the laser light 171 emitted from the end of the optical fiber tends to be larger than that in the single mode optical fiber. When the finer pattern formation is desired, the beam spot 172 tends to be too large.

  In the present embodiment, the liquid material application mechanism 110 having the opening 114 similar to that in the first embodiment and the liquid material 130 in which silver fine particles are dispersed in an organic solvent are used. The application process is similar.

  When fixing, the tip of the optical fiber 170 is disposed near the tip of the opening 114. Laser light 171 emitted from the optical fiber 170 spreads in a conical shape as the distance from the emission end of the optical fiber 170 increases, and forms a beam spot 172 on the application surface of the liquid material 130. Therefore, the size of the beam spot 172 in the present embodiment is determined by how far the end face of the optical fiber 170 is arranged from the application surface of the liquid material 130. When a semiconductor laser having an emission peak wavelength of 670 nm is combined with a single mode optical fiber, the diameter of the beam spot 172 is reduced to 0 by setting the gap between the coating surface and the end of the single mode optical fiber to about 0.5 mm. .2 mm or less.

  By using the pattern forming apparatus 175 having such a configuration, the irradiation unit can be simplified, and the entire apparatus configuration can be simplified. It is also possible to make the optical fiber that is the irradiation unit also serve as the light guide unit. For example, a large number of modularized combinations of high-power semiconductor lasers and optical fibers are commercially available, and the laser processing mechanism can be dramatically simplified by using these. Furthermore, the use of an optical fiber is advantageous in terms of cooling the light source when a high-power light source is used because the light source can be freely arranged.

  Also in this embodiment, the basis of the present invention is that the liquid material 130 is applied onto the substrate 100 in a state where the opening 114 is in contact with the substrate 100 through the liquid material 130 and is sequentially processed by the laser light 171. Since it does not change, the pattern formed is smooth and free of defects.

(Embodiment 7)
Next, a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Since the basic structure of the pattern forming apparatus in the seventh embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. 1, the description of the overlapping portion is omitted from the first embodiment. The part added with respect to the thing of the form 1 is demonstrated in detail.

  In the pattern forming apparatus 190 shown in FIG. 11, an atmosphere adjusting mechanism 185 is added to the pattern forming apparatus 155 of FIG. The atmosphere adjustment mechanism 185 is for controlling the atmosphere in the vicinity of the beam spot 133 where the liquid material 130 is fixed, and includes a hood 180 that constitutes a small chamber (atmosphere control chamber) for adjusting the atmosphere, The atmosphere in the atmosphere control chamber is controlled via the supply path 181 for supplying a specific gas, air whose temperature is adjusted to adjust the atmosphere in the control room, or air from which dust is removed, and the supply path 181. An adjustment unit 182 is provided.

  Control of the atmosphere in the atmosphere control chamber by the adjusting unit 182 is, for example, control of oxygen concentration, water vapor concentration, and atmospheric pressure. The atmosphere control chamber is maintained in a low oxygen concentration atmosphere that does not cause oxidation of the liquid material, or the liquid material is reduced. The atmosphere control chamber is maintained in a high oxygen concentration atmosphere that is not generated, the atmosphere in the atmosphere control chamber is maintained at a low water vapor concentration, or the atmosphere control chamber is maintained at a relatively positive pressure or negative pressure as compared with the outside.

  The detailed configuration of the adjusting unit 182 is appropriately changed depending on the atmosphere to be adjusted. For example, in a case where a specific gas fills the atmosphere control chamber, a gas cylinder or a valve for adjusting the flow rate of the gas is used. In the case of adjusting the temperature, it is composed of a heater, a cooling medium and a pump, and in the case of removing dust, it is composed of an appropriate filter, a fan, a pump and the like. On the other hand, for example, the adjustment unit 182 has a function of sucking the gas in the atmosphere control chamber so that harmful gas generated by fixing the liquid material 130 is recovered and discarded without being dissipated. It is also preferable.

  In the seventh embodiment, the pattern forming apparatus 190 forms a pattern in the same manner as in the pattern forming apparatus described so far, including the pattern forming apparatus in the first embodiment. That is, the position of the opening 114 in the pattern forming apparatus 190 also changes relative to the substrate 100, and the minimum representative dimension of the opening 114 is, for example, 500 μm or less, and a beam spot for realizing the fixation of the liquid material 130. The size of 133 may be larger or smaller than the minimum representative dimension of the opening 114, and the opening position measuring mechanism 140 measures the gap G between the opening 114 and the substrate 100 through the process of forming a pattern, and The movable stage not to be controlled is controlled by the control unit so that the gap G is constant or has a preset value.

  Further, the liquid material application mechanism 110 of the pattern forming apparatus 190 can discharge and suck the liquid material 130 as in the first embodiment. It is also possible to form a pattern whose composition changes continuously using a plurality of different materials. Further, the laser processing mechanism 120 in the pattern forming apparatus 190 of the present embodiment can also emit continuous light, intermittent light, and scanning light as in the first embodiment, and the effect thereof is also the first embodiment. It is the same as in It is also preferable that the irradiation unit in the laser processing mechanism 120 includes an optical fiber.

  As described above, the basic operation of pattern formation by the pattern forming apparatus 190 according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention is similar to that in the pattern forming apparatus according to the first embodiment already described. Then, what is different between the present embodiment and the first embodiment is that it is possible to carry out all of the pattern formation as described above in an adjusted and constant atmosphere.

  Embodiment 7 is effective when pattern formation is performed using a material sensitive to the atmosphere. In this embodiment, a liquid in which fine particles of copper (Cu) are dispersed is used as the liquid material 130. Such a copper fine particle dispersion can be purchased from ULVAC, Inc., for example. Hereinafter, pattern formation using this material will be described in detail.

  The copper fine particles can be patterned in the same manner as the silver fine particles described in the first embodiment. That is, the process follows that the fine particles are welded and passivated by the irradiation of the laser beam. However, when this is performed in a normal atmosphere containing oxygen, a physical process of welding particles and an oxidation reaction of copper fine particles with oxygen in the air occurs competitively, resulting in a part of the copper fine particles. Alternatively, most of the copper oxide becomes a problem, and there arises a problem that a target copper pattern cannot be obtained.

  In order to avoid this, in the pattern forming apparatus 190 of the seventh embodiment, the adjusting unit 182 includes a pure nitrogen cylinder and a flow rate adjusting valve (not shown). As with the other mechanisms, the flow rate adjustment valve is controlled by a control unit (not shown) and operates in cooperation with the respective units according to a preset program. Prior to pattern formation, the pattern forming apparatus 190 performs an operation of controlling the flow rate adjustment valve to fill the atmosphere control chamber with pure nitrogen via the supply path 181. The lower end of the hood 180 is close to the substrate 100, and the distance from the substrate 100 is sufficiently small. Accordingly, the pure nitrogen supplied into the atmosphere control chamber gradually fills the atmosphere control chamber with pure nitrogen while expelling the atmosphere containing oxygen that has been staying in the atmosphere control chamber. By controlling a flow rate adjusting valve (not shown), the atmosphere control chamber is kept slightly positive with respect to the outside air.

  Therefore, the outside air containing oxygen cannot enter the atmosphere control chamber, and as a result, the atmosphere in the atmosphere control chamber is replaced with pure nitrogen as time passes. Now, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the supply of pure nitrogen is started, the pattern forming apparatus 190 starts pattern formation. Since the atmosphere control chamber is filled with pure nitrogen and contains almost no oxygen, even if the laser processing mechanism 120 fixes the liquid material 130 containing copper fine particles, the copper fine particles are no longer present. During the welding, oxidation competition reaction does not occur or the level is almost negligible, and a pattern made substantially of the target copper can be obtained.

  At this time, even if a movable stage (not shown) changes the relative position between the substrate 100 and the opening 114 and the pattern (fixed liquid material) 132 goes out of the hood 180 and is exposed to the outside air containing oxygen. At this time, the welding of the copper fine particles has already been completed and a continuous metal surface has been formed, so even if a part of the surface is oxidized, the oxidation does not proceed to the inside, and in a substantial sense A copper pattern can be obtained. Of course, if the pattern forming apparatus 190 includes a plurality of formed bodies as described above and sequentially forms a protective layer pattern that completely covers the copper pattern, the copper pattern can be completely prevented from being oxidized. It is more preferable to adopt a simple configuration.

  As described above, adjusting the atmosphere when the liquid material is fixed is very effective for widening the range of selection of the material for pattern formation. Of course, it is possible to form the copper pattern described above by installing the entire apparatus in a specific adjusted atmosphere, for example, in a room filled with nitrogen. It is complicated to prepare a room to be visited, and from an industrial point of view, there are many problems in terms of cost and meaning that the operator cannot work inside. As in the present embodiment, it is possible to configure an apparatus with high efficiency and high workability by requiring a portion for adjusting the atmosphere and limiting it to a sufficient local area. Of course, the pattern formation at this time is carried out faithfully to the basics of the present invention in which the liquid material is applied to the substrate with the opening in contact with the substrate through the liquid material, and this is sequentially processed by laser light. Therefore, the pattern to be formed is smooth and free from defects.

  Here, the description has been given by taking a liquid material containing copper fine particles as an example of a material sensitive to oxygen, but of course, the pattern forming apparatus of the present embodiment also applies to other materials and other conditions. It is valid. For example, another material that is sensitive to oxygen is a liquid material containing fine particles of silicon. This is very dangerous because it ignites when exposed to oxygen in a normal environment, but pattern formation is possible by using the pattern forming apparatus of this embodiment. On the other hand, as a material requiring an atmosphere having a high oxygen concentration, there is a liquid material containing vanadium oxide fine particles. Vanadium oxide tends to cause oxygen deficiency and change its composition during heating including laser treatment, but it is possible to suppress the occurrence of oxygen defects by filling the atmosphere control chamber with oxygen. In addition, when using a material whose characteristics are greatly deteriorated by water vapor in the atmosphere, such as many electronic functional organic materials, a pattern using the material by removing the water vapor from the atmosphere control chamber Formation is possible. Although the detailed description is omitted, the pattern forming apparatus 190 of the present embodiment eliminates fine dust that obstructs fine pattern formation by sending air from which dust has been removed to the atmosphere control chamber. In order to recover and dispose of the solvent vapor contained in the liquid material generated during immobilization without dissipating it, adjust the atmosphere control chamber to the negative pressure, that is, the atmosphere suction side. Can also be handled without changing the configuration.

  As described above, by using the pattern forming apparatus of the seventh embodiment, it is possible to form a smooth and defect-free pattern even by using a material having a problem that pattern formation is difficult, unstable or impossible in a normal environment. is there. Furthermore, since this apparatus adjusts the atmosphere only in the vicinity of the beam spot 133 of the laser beam 121 for fixing, a sufficient effect can be obtained even with a small and simple configuration.

  Devices having excellent characteristics by using the pattern forming apparatus and pattern forming method described in detail above, for example, printed circuit boards, flexible printed circuit boards, integrated circuits, displays, sensors, antennas, optical elements, magnetic heads, light emitting devices It becomes possible to manufacture elements, wiring, electromagnetic shielding members, solar cells, fuel cells, inductors, transformers, etc., and electronic devices incorporating them.

  The present invention can be applied to the manufacture of various devices, and as a result, can be applied to the manufacture of electronic devices.

1 is a perspective view schematically showing a pattern forming apparatus according to a first embodiment. The figure for demonstrating the representative dimension of the opening part in a pattern formation apparatus The figure for demonstrating the process in the application completion end of the liquid material by a pattern formation apparatus The figure for demonstrating the irradiation pattern of the laser beam in a pattern formation apparatus The figure explaining the relationship between the application width | variety of a liquid material and the beam spot in the pattern formation apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 2. FIG. The figure explaining the relationship between the application width | variety of a liquid material and the beam spot in the pattern formation apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 3. FIG. The perspective view which shows schematically the pattern formation apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 4. FIG. Diagram for explaining a pattern in which the material composition changes continuously A perspective view schematically showing a pattern forming apparatus according to a fifth embodiment. The perspective view which shows schematically the pattern formation apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 6. FIG. The perspective view which shows schematically the pattern formation apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 7. FIG. Diagram for explaining laser beam with uniform energy distribution in beam spot

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Substrate 110 Liquid material application mechanism 111, 115 Transport pipe 112, 116 Liquid material supply source 113 Liquid material supply part 114 Opening part 120 Laser processing mechanism 121,171 Laser light 130 Liquid material 131 Irradiation target point 132 Fixed liquid material (pattern)
133, 172 Beam spot 140 Opening position measuring mechanism 141 Laser light 150A, 150B Forming body 155, 160, 165, 175, 190 Pattern forming device 170 Optical fiber 171 Opening 180 Hood 185 constituting atmosphere control chamber 185 Atmosphere adjusting mechanism a -1, b-1, c-1 Minimum representative dimensions a-2, b-2, c-2 Maximum representative dimensions

Claims (51)

A liquid material application mechanism for applying a liquid material to the substrate; and a laser processing mechanism for irradiating and fixing the liquid material applied to the substrate with laser light,
The liquid material application mechanism includes a liquid material supply unit in which an opening that contacts the substrate via the liquid material is formed, and a transport unit that transports the liquid material to the liquid material supply unit,
The laser processing mechanism has an irradiation unit that irradiates the irradiation target point with the laser beam,
A pattern forming apparatus, wherein the liquid material is applied to the substrate from the opening, and the liquid material applied to the substrate is sequentially processed and fixed by a laser beam irradiated from the irradiation unit. The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a moving mechanism that displaces a relative position between the substrate and the opening. The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a minimum representative dimension of the opening is 500 μm or less. When the beam profile of the laser beam is taken, the diameter of the region having an energy level capable of substantially fixing the liquid material is larger than the minimum representative dimension in the opening. The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 3. When the beam profile of the laser beam is taken, a diameter of a region having an energy level capable of substantially fixing the liquid material is smaller than a minimum representative dimension in the opening. The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 3. The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an opening position measuring mechanism that measures a gap between the substrate and the opening. An opening position control mechanism that keeps the gap between the substrate and the opening constant or changes the gap according to a predetermined procedure based on the measurement result of the opening position measuring mechanism. The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening and at least the irradiation unit are integrated. The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid material is discharged and sucked from the opening. The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid material application mechanism applies a plurality of types of liquid materials to the substrate separately or in combination. The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the liquid material application mechanism applies the liquid material to the substrate while changing a ratio of each of the plurality of types of liquid materials over time. A plurality of formed bodies in which at least the opening and the irradiation section are integrated are provided, and each formed body performs pattern formation simultaneously or sequentially using different liquid materials or the same liquid material. The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 1. The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of formed bodies has openings having different shapes and / or different representative dimensions. The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the laser light is continuous light. The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the laser light is intermittent light. The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the irradiation unit performs scanning with the laser light. The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the irradiation unit includes an optical fiber through which the laser light propagates. The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the laser light emitted from the optical fiber is applied to the liquid material applied to the substrate without passing through an optical element. 2. The energy distribution is substantially uniform in a region having an energy level capable of substantially fixing the liquid material when the beam profile of the laser beam is taken. The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 18. An atmosphere control chamber integrated with each of the opening and the irradiation unit;
21. The liquid material applied to the substrate from the opening is sequentially processed and fixed in the atmosphere control chamber by laser light emitted from the irradiation unit. The pattern forming apparatus as described. 21. The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the atmosphere control chamber is maintained at a relatively positive pressure as compared with the outside. The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the atmosphere control chamber is maintained in a low oxygen concentration atmosphere that does not cause oxidation of the liquid material. The pattern formation apparatus according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the atmosphere control chamber is maintained in a high oxygen concentration atmosphere that does not cause reduction of the liquid material. A pattern forming method in which a liquid material applied to a substrate is sequentially processed with a laser beam and fixed to form a pattern,
An opening from which the liquid material is discharged is brought into contact with the substrate through the liquid material, and the liquid material applied to the substrate from the opening is sequentially processed by the laser beam, and fixed to form a pattern.
The pattern formation method characterized by the above-mentioned. 25. The pattern forming method according to claim 24, wherein the treatment with the laser beam induces a chemical change in the liquid material. 25. The pattern forming method according to claim 24, wherein the treatment with the laser beam induces a physical change in the liquid material. 27. The pattern forming method according to claim 24, wherein atmosphere control is performed at and near an irradiation target point when the laser beam is applied to the liquid material. 28. The pattern forming method according to claim 27, wherein the atmosphere control is control of an oxygen concentration in the atmosphere. 29. The pattern forming method according to claim 27 or 28, wherein the atmosphere control is control of a water vapor concentration in the atmosphere. 30. The pattern forming method according to claim 27, wherein the atmosphere control is control of atmospheric pressure. 31. The pattern forming method according to claim 24, wherein the liquid material applied to the substrate is processed by a second laser beam after being processed by the first laser beam. 32. The pattern forming method according to claim 31, wherein the wavelength of the first laser beam and the wavelength of the second laser beam are different from each other. The pattern forming method according to claim 31 or 32, wherein a beam profile of the first laser beam and a beam profile of the second laser beam are different from each other. The laser material is irradiated simultaneously on each of different regions of the liquid material applied to the substrate, and the liquid material is sequentially processed by the laser light. Pattern forming method. 35. The pattern forming method according to claim 34, wherein each of the laser beams irradiated to the different regions has a different wavelength. 36. The pattern forming method according to claim 34, wherein each of the laser beams irradiated to the different areas has a different beam profile. 37. The pattern formation according to claim 24, wherein the second pattern is formed using the second liquid material after the first pattern is formed using the first liquid material. Method. 38. The pattern forming method according to claim 37, wherein a wavelength of the laser beam used for forming the first pattern and a wavelength of the laser beam used for forming the second pattern are different from each other. . 39. The pattern forming method according to claim 24, wherein after the pattern is formed, the liquid material that has not been immobilized among the liquid materials applied to the substrate is removed. 40. The pattern forming method according to claim 39, wherein the entire substrate is post-processed after removing the non-fixed liquid material. 41. The pattern forming method according to claim 24, wherein the substrate has flexibility. 42. The pattern forming method according to claim 24, wherein the substrate has a curved surface. 43. The pattern forming method according to claim 24, wherein the substrate is made of a porous material that absorbs the liquid material. 44. The pattern forming method according to claim 24, wherein the liquid material contains a metal ion or a metal colloid. 45. The pattern forming method according to claim 24, wherein the liquid material includes oxide fine particles. 46. The pattern forming method according to claim 24, wherein the liquid material includes an organic material. 47. The pattern forming method according to claim 24, wherein the liquid material includes a surface modifying material. 48. The pattern forming method according to claim 24, wherein the liquid material includes a precursor substance that reacts by being induced thermally or photochemically or a substance that functions as a reaction initiator. . A device having a pattern formed by using the pattern forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 23. 49. A device having a pattern formed by the pattern forming method according to claim 24. An electronic apparatus comprising the device according to claim 49 or 50.

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