JP2009072727A - Liquid droplet drying method of liquid droplet discharge apparatus and liquid droplet discharge apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the liquid droplet drying method of a liquid droplet discharge apparatus capable of rapidly drying discharged liquid droplets to enhance productivity and forming a highly defined pattern, and to provide the liquid droplet discharge apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: Drying air is allowed to flow to the area between a discharge surface SA and a nozzle forming surface 23a in a +Y direction during a period when liquid droplets D are discharged toward a substrate S1 from a discharge head 20 while irradiating the area between the discharge surface SA and the nozzle forming surface 23a with first irradiation light Le1 in a -Y direction. The liquid droplets D receive the force bent in the +Y direction by the flow velocity of the drying air but receive the force that offsets the force bent in the +Y direction by the first irradiation light Le1 emitted from the +Y direction to allow the liquid droplets D discharged from respective nozzles N to arrive at the target point T0 on the discharge surface SA of the substrate S1 opposed to the nozzles N. The liquid droplets D are dried at the same time by the drying air and the first irradiation light Le1, and drying is synergistically accelerated to extremely shorten a drying time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a droplet drying method for a droplet discharge device and a droplet discharge device.

Conventionally, it is known to form a linear pattern on a substrate by discharging a liquid containing a pattern forming material as droplets using a droplet discharge device.
In general, a droplet discharge apparatus includes a substrate placed on a stage, a droplet discharge head that discharges a liquid containing a pattern forming material as droplets onto the substrate, and a substrate (stage) and the droplet discharge head that are two-dimensionally arranged. A mechanism for relative movement is provided. Then, the droplets discharged from the droplet discharge head are arranged at an arbitrary position on the substrate surface. At this time, for each droplet that is sequentially arranged on the surface of the substrate, a linear pattern that is covered with the functional liquid without any gap on the surface of the substrate by sequentially arranging the droplets so that the wetted and spread ranges of the droplets overlap each other. Can be formed.

By the way, it is preferable that the droplets that have landed on the substrate are dried quickly in order to form a high-definition pattern with high productivity.
In view of this, it has been proposed to quickly dry droplets that have been landed by preheating the entire substrate. Various proposals have been made to flow air between the discharge head and the substrate (platen gap), exhaust the vapor of droplets that have landed on the substrate, and promote drying (for example, Patent Documents 1 to 4). .

Furthermore, it has been attempted to quickly dry the droplets by irradiating a laser beam onto the droplets that have landed on the substrate or the droplets that are flying between the substrates from the discharge head.
JP-A-8-1924 JP-A-8-281923 JP 2002-127398 A JP-A-2005-59478

  By the way, this type of liquid droplet ejection apparatus is desired to perform higher-speed drawing. For this reason, it is becoming increasingly important to quickly dry the droplets. Thus, for example, it is conceivable to increase the air flow velocity and shorten the drying time. However, if the air flow velocity is increased, the flight trajectory of the droplets in flight will fluctuate, making it impossible to land at the landing position as desired, making it impossible to draw high-definition patterns. was there.

  Also in laser drying, it is conceivable to shorten the drying time by irradiating a droplet in flight or immediately after landing with a powerful laser. However, depending on the output of the laser to irradiate, the droplets are blown off, making it impossible to draw a pattern, and there is a limit to shortening the drying time.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and its purpose is to quickly dry the ejected droplets that have landed thereon, thereby increasing productivity and forming a high-definition pattern. It is an object to provide a droplet drying method for a droplet discharge device and a droplet discharge device.

The droplet drying method of the droplet discharge apparatus of the present invention is a droplet of a functional liquid that dries a droplet discharged from a discharge head toward a substrate by irradiating a laser beam while flying toward the substrate. In the drying method, a drying gas is caused to flow between the nozzle plate of the ejection head and the substrate from a direction perpendicular to the droplet ejection direction, and in a direction perpendicular to the droplet ejection direction. Then, the laser beam is irradiated from a direction opposite to the direction in which the drying gas flows.

  According to the droplet drying method of the droplet discharge device of the present invention, the droplet in flight toward the substrate is dried by the energy of the laser beam and dried by the drying gas. At this time, since the irradiation direction of the laser beam and the direction in which the drying gas flows are opposite to each other, the influence of the force of the laser beam and the drying gas on the droplet flying toward the substrate is reduced. Land at the target position.

In the droplet drying method of the droplet discharge device, the drying gas may flow in the traveling direction of the stage.
According to the droplet drying method of this droplet discharge device, the drying gas flowing in the main scanning direction flows between the nozzle plate and the substrate in the direction in which the substrate moves, so that the gas is rectified without being disturbed. It flows as a laminar flow. As a result, the flow velocity of the drying gas becomes uniform, and the landing accuracy of the droplet flying toward the substrate can be improved.

  In the droplet drying method of the droplet discharge device, the landing position of the droplet disposed on the substrate is controlled by controlling at least one of the flow rate of the drying gas and the energy of the laser beam. May be.

According to the droplet drying method of this droplet discharge device, since the direction of the droplet in flight toward the substrate can be controlled, the landing position of the droplet can be easily controlled.
In the droplet drying method of the droplet discharge device, the drying gas may be a gas defined by the constituent components of the droplet and may be a gas different from the evaporation component of the droplet.

According to the droplet drying method of this droplet discharge device, the droplet in flight toward the substrate is dried because it is exposed to a gas different from the evaporation component of the droplet.
In the droplet drying method of the droplet discharge device, the drying gas may be a gas defined by the constituent components of the droplet, and may be a gas containing the evaporation component of the droplet less than a saturated vapor amount. Good.

According to the droplet drying method of this droplet discharge device, the droplet in flight toward the substrate is dried because it is exposed to the gas containing the evaporation component of the droplet below the saturated vapor amount.
The droplet discharge device of the present invention is a droplet discharge device that dries a droplet discharged from a discharge head toward a substrate by irradiating a laser beam while flying toward the substrate. A blow-out port and a suction port for flowing a drying gas from a direction perpendicular to the discharge direction of the droplet between the nozzle plate of the discharge head and the substrate;
Laser output means provided on the suction port side and emitting laser light for irradiating the droplets from a direction perpendicular to the droplet discharge direction and opposite to the flow direction of the drying gas; Equipped with.

  According to the droplet discharge device of the present invention, drying is performed from a direction perpendicular to the droplet discharge direction between the nozzle plate of the discharge head and the substrate by the blowout port and the suction port provided across the discharge head. A working gas can flow. Further, the laser output means provided on the suction port side can emit laser light from a direction perpendicular to the droplet discharge direction and opposite to the direction in which the drying gas flows.

As a result, the droplet in flight toward the substrate is dried by the energy of the laser beam and also dried by the drying gas. At this time, since the irradiation direction of the laser beam and the direction in which the drying gas flows are opposite to each other, the influence of the force of the laser beam and the drying gas on the droplet flying toward the substrate is reduced. Land at the target position.

Hereinafter, embodiments embodying the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of the droplet discharge device 10.
In FIG. 1, a droplet discharge device 10 has a base 11 extending in one direction (main scanning direction), and a stage 12 is disposed on the base 11 so as to be movable in the scanning direction. The stage 12 places the substrate S1 on its upper surface, positions and fixes the substrate S1 with one surface (discharge surface SA) of the substrate S1 facing upward, and follows the longitudinal direction of the base 11. Then, the substrate S1 is transferred.

As the substrate S1, various substrates such as a green sheet, a glass substrate, a silicon substrate, a ceramic substrate, a resin film, and paper are used.
In the present embodiment, the direction (main scanning direction) in which the substrate S1 is transported and the direction toward the upper left direction in FIG. 1 is referred to as the + Y direction. In addition, a direction (sub-scanning direction) orthogonal to the + Y direction and directed in the lower right direction in FIG. 1 is referred to as a + X direction, and a normal line of the direction of the substrate S1 is referred to as a Z direction.

  The droplet discharge device 10 includes a gate-shaped guide member 13 straddling the base 11 and an ink tank 14 disposed on the upper side of the guide member 13. The ink tank 14 stores a predetermined ink Ik as a liquid material and derives the stored ink Ik with a predetermined pressure. The ink Ik includes various inks such as silver ink containing silver fine particles as a pattern forming material, ITO ink containing ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) fine particles as a pattern forming material, and pigment ink containing a pigment as a pattern forming material. Used.

  The guide member 13 supports the carriage 15 so as to be movable along the + X direction and the direction opposite to the + X direction (−X direction). A support plate 18 provided on the lower side of the carriage 15 is disposed in parallel with the stage 12, and a plurality of droplet discharge heads 20 are attached to the support plate 18.

In this embodiment, the operation of transporting the substrate S1 in the + Y direction and the −Y direction is referred to as main scanning, and the operation of transporting the carriage 15 in the + X direction and −X direction is referred to as sub-scanning. Also, the main scanning speed of the substrate S1 is referred to as a main scanning speed Vs as a relative speed.
(Droplet discharge head 20)
Next, the plurality of droplet discharge heads 20 attached to the support plate 18 provided on the lower surface of the carriage 15 will be described below.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one droplet discharge head 20 attached to the support plate 18 as viewed from the stage 12 side. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the droplet discharge head 20 as viewed from the stage 12 and shows the arrangement of the droplet discharge heads 20. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the ejection operation of the droplet ejection head 20.

  In FIG. 2, a droplet discharge head 20 includes a head substrate 21 that is fixed to the support plate 18 so as to extend in the + X direction, and a discharge head body that is fixed to the head substrate 21 so as to extend in the + X direction. 22.

The head substrate 21 is positioned and fixed to the support plate 18. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the droplet discharge head 20 has a through hole 19 formed in the support plate 18 penetrating the discharge head main body 22 from the upper surface 18 a of the plate 18, and the discharge head main body 22 is attached to the support plate 18. It protrudes from the lower surface 18b. The droplet discharge head 20 is supported by the support plate 18 by closely fixing the upper surface 18a of the support plate 18 and the lower surface 21b of the head substrate 21 with the discharge head body 22 protruding from the lower surface 18b of the support plate 18. Fixed. Therefore, the droplet discharge head 20 moves along with the carriage 15 along the + X direction and the −X direction.

  The head substrate 21 has an input terminal 21 c at one end of the upper surface 21 a and outputs a drive waveform signal input to the input terminal 21 c to the ejection head body 22 fixed to the lower surface 21 b of the head substrate 21.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the discharge head body 22 has a nozzle plate 23 on the side facing the substrate S1, and the nozzle plate 23 is referred to as a nozzle forming surface 23a. The nozzle formation surface 23a is disposed substantially parallel to the ejection surface SA when the droplet ejection head 20 faces the substrate S1. The distance between the nozzle forming surface 23a and the discharge surface SA is called a platen gap. The platen gap is, for example, several hundred μm, and is set at a sufficiently short distance, thereby improving the accuracy of the landing position of a droplet D (see FIG. 4) described later.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the nozzle forming surface 23a has i (i is an integer of 2 or more, for example, 180) nozzles N over the entire width in the + X direction. The nozzles N are formed through the nozzle plate 23 along the Z direction, and are arranged at a predetermined pitch along the + X direction. The nozzle plate 23 forms a single nozzle row by the i nozzles N. In this embodiment, the pitch of the nozzles N is referred to as a nozzle pitch Dx. The width from end to end of the nozzle row is referred to as nozzle row width Dw.

  In FIG. 4, the droplet discharge head 20 has a cavity 26, a vibration plate 27, and a piezoelectric element PZ above each nozzle N. Each cavity 26 is connected to a common ink tank 14, receives ink Ik from the ink tank 14, and supplies the ink Ik to the nozzle N. The vibration plate 27 vibrates the meniscus of the nozzle N in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the volume of the cavity 26 by vibrating the region facing each cavity 26 in the Z direction. When each piezoelectric element PZ receives a predetermined drive waveform signal, each piezoelectric element PZ contracts and expands in the Z direction to vibrate each region of the diaphragm 27 in the Z direction. Each cavity 26 ejects from the nozzle N a part of the ink Ik to be stored as a droplet D having a predetermined weight when the diaphragm 27 vibrates in the Z direction.

  The ejected droplets D land on the position on the ejection surface SA of the substrate S1 facing the nozzle N, that is, the target point T0. Then, the droplet D landed on the target point T0 moves in the + Y direction by the main scanning of the substrate S1.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the plurality of droplet discharge heads 20 attached to the support plate 18 are arranged stepwise with respect to the + X direction and the + Y direction on the XY plane. More specifically, when viewed from the + Y direction, adjacent droplet discharge heads 20 overlap one end in the + X direction and the other end in the −X direction. As a result, the adjacent droplet discharge heads 20 set the interval between the adjacent nozzle rows to the nozzle pitch Dx as viewed from the + Y direction. Each of the plurality of droplet discharge heads 20 makes the resolution in the + X direction uniform over substantially the entire width of the discharge surface SA in the + X direction. In FIG. 3, the number of nozzles N is omitted in order to explain the arrangement of the droplet discharge heads 20.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ejection surface SA of the substrate S1 is virtually divided by a dot pattern grid as shown by a one-dot chain line. In the dot pattern lattice, the lattice spacing in the + Y direction and the lattice spacing in the + X direction are respectively defined by the ejection pitch Dy of the droplets D. The ejection pitch Dy in the + Y direction is determined by the ejection frequency of the droplets D and the main scanning speed Vs of the substrate S1. Further, the discharge pitch in the + X direction is determined by the nozzle pitch Dx. The selection of whether or not to discharge the droplet D is defined for each lattice point T of the dot pattern lattice.

When the droplet discharge process is executed, the group of lattice points T arranged in the + Y direction pass directly below one common nozzle N by the sub-scan of the carriage 15 and the main scan of the substrate S1, respectively.
(Blowout port 31 and suction port 32)
Each droplet discharge head 20 attached to the support plate 18 sandwiches the discharge head main body 22 protruding from the lower surface 18b of the support plate 18 and sucks the outlet port 31 on the −Y direction side and suctions on the + Y direction side. Port 32 is arranged.

  The blowout port 31 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape extending along the + X direction, and is provided adjacent to the −Y direction side of the discharge head body 22. The blowout port 31 is formed with a blowout port 31a on a surface that is flush with the nozzle forming surface 23a on the side facing the substrate S1. The outlet 31a is a rectangular hole whose width in the + X direction is formed to the nozzle row width Dw, and when the droplet discharge head 20 faces the substrate S1, the opening faces the discharge surface SA.

  The suction port 32 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape extending along the + X direction, and is provided adjacent to the + Y direction side of the ejection head main body 22. The suction port 32 has a suction port 32a on the side facing the substrate S1. The suction port 32a is a rectangular hole whose width in the + X direction is formed to the nozzle row width Dw, and when the discharge head main body 22 faces the substrate S1, the opening surface thereof is the discharge surface SA and the nozzle formation surface 23a. It is arranged to face the space between.

  In FIG. 4, the blowout port 31 is connected to the blowout amount controller 33. The blowout amount controller 33 is connected to a predetermined gas supply line, and supplies the drying gas supplied from the gas supply line to the blowout port 31 after adjusting to a predetermined flow rate. Then, the drying gas is blown from the blowout port 31a of the blowout port 31 toward the substrate S1 directly below.

  The drying gas is a gas defined by the constituent components of the ink Ik and is a gas different from the evaporation component of the ink Ik or a gas containing the evaporation component of the ink Ik less than the saturated vapor amount. For example, when the ink Ik is a water-based ink, the drying gas is preferably dry nitrogen or dry air having a humidity of approximately 0%. Further, when the ink Ik is an organic ink, dry nitrogen, dry air, or a gas containing no organic solvent is preferable.

  In FIG. 4, the suction port 32 is connected to a suction amount controller 34. The suction amount controller 34 is connected to a predetermined decompression line, and exhausts the gas sucked from the suction port 32a of the suction port 32 to the decompression line at a predetermined flow rate.

  The gas blown toward the substrate S1 from the blowout port 31a of the blowout port 31 by the suction force from the suction port 32a is sucked through the space between the discharge surface SA and the nozzle forming surface 23a. More specifically, the drying gas flows from the −Y direction side to the + Y direction side as a laminar flow in the space between the ejection surface SA and the nozzle forming surface 23a. The flow rate of the drying gas flowing through the space between the discharge surface SA and the nozzle forming surface 23 a can be controlled by the blowout amount controller 33 and the suction amount controller 34.

The drying gas flowing in a laminar flow between the ejection surface SA and the nozzle formation surface 23a promotes the drying of the droplets D flying from the nozzle N of the nozzle plate 23 toward the ejection surface SA. be able to. As a result, wetting and spreading of the droplets D that have landed on the substrate S1 can be suppressed.

  In FIG. 3, rectangular emission holes 41 (see FIG. 4) are formed in a stepped manner on the support plate 18 on the + Y direction side of each droplet discharge head 20. Each emission hole 41 has a width in the X arrow direction that is substantially the same as the nozzle row width Dw. A semiconductor laser LD as laser output means is disposed above each emission hole 41.

  The semiconductor laser LD emits a belt-like collimated laser beam extending downward substantially in the + X arrow direction of the emission hole 41 downward. The wavelength of the laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser LD is set to a wavelength in a region where the absorption rate of the droplet D (ink Ik) is high. That is, the semiconductor laser LD emits laser light for irradiating the droplet D and drying the droplet D.

  A cylindrical lens 42 is disposed inside the emission hole 41. The cylindrical lens 42 is a lens having a curvature only in the + Y arrow direction, and the width of the lens surface in the + X arrow direction is the same size as the width of the ejection head body 22 in the X arrow direction. When the semiconductor laser LD emits laser light, the cylindrical lens 42 converges only a component along the scanning direction of the laser light and emits the first irradiation light Le1 downward. In this embodiment, the cylindrical lens 42 is used. However, since the light intensity of the cylindrical lens 42 is a Gaussian beam that is strong at the center and weak at both ends in the nozzle row direction, the light intensity distribution is used instead of the cylindrical lens 42. May be carried out using a diffractive optical element so as to form a uniform belt-like beam.

  A pair of arms 43 extending below the support plate 18 and a reflection mirror 44 rotatably supported between the distal ends of the pair of arms 43 are disposed below the emission hole 41. The pair of arms 43 supports the reflection mirror 44 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis along the X arrow direction.

  The reflection mirror 44 is a plane mirror having a reflection surface on the side of the cylindrical lens 42, and the width of the reflection surface in the X arrow direction is the same size as the nozzle row width Dw. The reflection mirror 44 emits the first irradiation light Le1 from the cylindrical lens 42 in the space between the ejection surface SA and the nozzle formation surface 23a from the + Y direction side when the semiconductor laser LD emits laser light. Reflects toward the direction side. That is, the reflecting mirror 44 reflects the first irradiation light Le1 reflected from a direction opposite to the drying gas flowing from the −Y direction side to the + Y direction side in the space between the ejection surface SA and the nozzle forming surface 23a. Irradiate.

  And the 1st irradiation light Le1 irradiated to the space between discharge surface SA and the nozzle formation surface 23a accelerates | stimulates drying of the droplet D which is flying toward the discharge surface SA from the nozzle N of the nozzle plate 23. Can be made. As a result, wetting and spreading of the droplets D that have landed on the substrate S1 can be suppressed.

  Further, during the main scanning operation, the droplet D flying from the nozzle N of the nozzle plate 23 toward the ejection surface SA receives a force that is bent in the + Y direction at the flow velocity of the drying gas. The force can be offset by the first irradiation light Le1 emitted from the first. As a result, the droplet D ejected from each nozzle N can be reliably landed on the target point T0 on the ejection surface SA of the substrate S1 facing the nozzle N.

Incidentally, the power density [W / m ² ] of the laser beam (first irradiation light Le1) is P, the radius [m] of the droplet D is r, the velocity [m / s] of the droplet D is v, and the light absorption rate. Α, density of droplet D [kg / m ³ ]
Ρ, air (dry gas) density ρ0, air (dry gas) viscosity [Pa · s] μ, air (dry gas) flow velocity [m / s] V, speed of light [km / s] c, respectively.

Then, the force F1 that the droplet D receives from air (drying gas) is expressed by the following equation.
F1 = M · 3C · ρ0 · V ² / (4 · 2r · ρ)
Where C is the resistance coefficient,
C = 24 (1 + 0.125Re ^0.72 ) / Re
Re = ρ0 · V · 2r / μ
In addition, since it is ^{M = ρ · 4π · r 3} /3,
F1 = M · 3C · ρ0 · V ² / (4 · 2r · ρ)
^{= (Ρ · 4π · r 3} /3) · 3C · ρ0 · V 2 / (4 · 2r · ρ)
= (Ρ · 4π · r ³ ) · C · ρ0 · V ² / (4 · 2r · ρ)
^{= Πr 2 · C · ρ0 ·} V 2/2
= Πr ² · ρ 0 · V ² · 12 (1 + 0.125Re ^0.72 ) / Re
= 6μ {1 + 0.125 (ρ0 · V · 2r / μ) ^0.72 } πr · V
On the other hand, the force F2 that the droplet D receives from the laser light (first irradiation light Le1) is expressed by the following equation from the conservation of the momentum of the light.

F2 = dP / dt = α · P · πr ² · dt / cdt = α · P · πr ² / c
And the condition where the force F1 that the droplet D receives from the drying gas and the force F2 that the droplet D receives from the laser light (first irradiation light Le1) is balanced is as follows:
F1 = F2
That means
6 μ (1 + 0.125 (ρ0 · V · 2r / μ) ^0.72 ) V = α · P · r / c
It becomes.

  Therefore, when a drying gas is flowed at a flow velocity V [m / s] that satisfies the above equation, F1 and F2 are offset, and the droplet D ejected from each nozzle N is on the substrate S1 facing the nozzle N. It is possible to reliably land on the target point T0 on the discharge surface SA.

  Therefore, when the power density P of the laser beam is increased in order to shorten the drying time, the flight trajectory of the droplet D is bent by setting the flow velocity V of the drying gas relative to the power density P. It will land on the target point T0 without fail. Moreover, not only the power density P of the laser beam is increased, but also the flow velocity V of the drying gas is increased, so that drying is synergistically promoted, so that the drying time can be made very short.

Next, effects of the embodiment configured as described above will be described below.
(1) According to the above embodiment, when the substrate S1 moves in the main scanning direction directly under the ejection head 20 and ejects the droplet D from the ejection head 20 toward the substrate S1, the nozzle plate 23 and the substrate A drying gas was allowed to flow in the + Y direction between the discharge surfaces SA of S1.

  Therefore, drying of the droplet D flying from the nozzle N of the nozzle plate 23 toward the ejection surface SA and the droplet D landing on the substrate S1 can be promoted. As a result, it is possible to shorten the drying time and to suppress the wetting and spreading of the droplets D that have landed on the substrate S1, thereby forming a high-definition pattern.

  (2) According to the above embodiment, when the substrate S1 moves in the main scanning direction directly below the ejection head 20 and ejects the droplet D from the ejection head 20 toward the substrate S1, the ejection surface SA and the nozzle The first irradiation light Le1 was irradiated to the space between the formation surface 23a.

  Accordingly, the droplet D flying from the nozzle N of the nozzle plate 23 toward the ejection surface SA is accelerated and thickened by the energy of the laser beam during the flight. As a result, it is possible to shorten the drying time and to suppress the wetting and spreading of the droplets D that have landed on the substrate S1, thereby forming a high-definition pattern.

  (3) According to the above embodiment, the drying gas is caused to flow in the + Y direction between the nozzle plate 23 and the ejection surface SA of the substrate S1, and the first irradiation light Le1 is caused to flow between the ejection surface SA and the nozzle formation surface 23a. The space between them was irradiated toward the + Y direction.

  Accordingly, the droplet D flying from the nozzle N of the nozzle plate 23 toward the ejection surface SA receives the force F1 that is bent in the + Y direction at the flow velocity of the drying gas, but is irradiated from the + Y direction side. Since the one irradiation light Le1 receives a force F2 that cancels the force F1, the droplet D discharged from each nozzle N is reliably delivered to the target point T0 on the discharge surface SA of the substrate S1 facing the nozzle N. Can land on.

(4) According to the above embodiment, since the droplet D is simultaneously dried with the drying gas and the first irradiation light Le1, the drying is synergistically promoted, so that the drying time is extremely shortened. it can.
(4) According to the above embodiment, the drying gas flows toward the traveling direction of the substrate S1 that moves relative to the ejection head 20, so that the gas is rectified and flows as a laminar flow without being disturbed. As a result, the flow velocity of the drying gas becomes uniform, and the landing accuracy of the droplet D flying toward the substrate S1 at the target position can be increased.

In addition, you may change the said embodiment as follows.
In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the first irradiation light Le1 that irradiates the space between the ejection surface SA and the nozzle formation surface 23a has a width that does not hit the ejection surface SA and the nozzle formation surface 23a. Set. This may be performed with the first irradiation light Le1 having a width corresponding to the ejection surface SA and the nozzle formation surface 23a. According to this, since the droplets can be dried in a wide range, more efficient drying can be performed.

  In the above embodiment, the force F1 that the droplet D receives from the drying gas and the force F2 that the droplet D receives from the laser beam are balanced. This may be implemented by appropriately changing the forces F1 and F2 to control the flight trajectory of the droplet D during flight and appropriately changing the landing position.

  In the above embodiment, the drying gas is disposed between the nozzle plate 23 of the ejection head 20 and the substrate S1 in a direction perpendicular to the ejection direction of the droplet D and perpendicular to the nozzle hole forming direction. It was made to flow from (main scanning direction). This may be performed by flowing the drying gas from an angle inclined with respect to each nozzle hole forming direction. In this case, the laser light is irradiated from the direction opposite to the drying gas.

  In the above-described embodiment, the liquid droplet ejection apparatus that draws the wiring pattern on the substrate S1 (green sheet, glass substrate, silicon substrate, ceramic substrate, resin film, paper, etc.) is embodied. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention may be applied to various droplet discharge devices such as a droplet discharge device that forms an insulating layer, a droplet discharge device that forms a color filter, and a droplet discharge device that forms an alignment film.

  In the above embodiment, the outlet port 31 and the suction port 32 are arranged and fixed with the ejection head body 22 interposed therebetween. This may be performed by slightly vibrating at least one of the blowing port 31 and the suction port 32. By applying a slight vibration, strength and weakness may be generated in the flow of the drying gas, and drying may be promoted by the strength.

  In the above embodiment, the droplet discharge means is embodied in the piezoelectric element drive type droplet discharge head 20. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the droplet discharge head may be embodied as a resistance heating type or electrostatic drive type discharge head.

The whole perspective view of a droplet discharge device. The figure which looked at the discharge head from the lower side. The figure which shows arrangement | positioning of each droplet discharge head. FIG. 6 is a side view showing a discharge operation of a droplet discharge head.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Droplet discharge apparatus, 11 ... Base, 12 ... Stage, 15 ... Carriage, 20 ... Droplet discharge head, 22 ... Discharge head main body, 23 ... Nozzle plate, 31 ... Outlet port, 31a ... Outlet, 32 ... Suction port, 32a ... suction port, 41 ... exit hole, 42 ... cylindrical lens, 43 ... arm, 44 ... reflection mirror, S1 ... substrate, SA ... discharge surface, Le1 ... first irradiation light, LD ... semiconductor laser, Ik ... Ink, D ... droplet, N ... nozzle.

Claims (6)

A droplet drying method for a droplet discharge apparatus, in which droplets discharged from a discharge head toward a substrate are dried by irradiating a laser beam while flying toward the substrate,
A drying gas is allowed to flow between the nozzle plate of the ejection head and the substrate from a direction perpendicular to the droplet ejection direction, and the drying gas is perpendicular to the droplet ejection direction. A droplet drying method for a droplet discharge apparatus, wherein the laser beam is irradiated from a direction opposite to a flowing direction of the droplet. In the droplet drying method of the droplet discharge device according to claim 1,
The droplet drying method of a droplet discharge device, wherein the drying gas is caused to flow in the direction of travel of the substrate. In the droplet drying method of the droplet discharge device according to claim 1 or 2,
The liquid of the droplet discharge device, wherein the landing position of the droplet disposed on the substrate is controlled by controlling at least one of the flow rate of the drying gas and the energy of the laser beam. Drop drying method. In the droplet drying method of the droplet discharge device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The method for drying droplets of a droplet discharge device, wherein the drying gas is a gas defined by the constituent components of the droplets and is a gas different from the evaporation component of the droplets. In the droplet drying method of the droplet discharge device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The method for drying droplets of a droplet discharge device, wherein the drying gas is a gas defined by constituents of the droplets and includes a vapor component of the droplets less than a saturated vapor amount . A droplet discharge device for drying droplets discharged from a discharge head toward a substrate while irradiating a laser beam while flying toward the substrate,
A blowout port and a suction port for flowing a drying gas from a direction perpendicular to the discharge direction of the liquid droplets between the nozzle plate of the discharge head and the substrate;
Laser output means provided on the suction port side and emitting laser light for irradiating the droplets from a direction perpendicular to the droplet discharge direction and opposite to the flow direction of the drying gas; A droplet discharge apparatus comprising:

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