JP2010186774A - Apparatus and method of manufacturing electrooptical device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus and method of manufacturing an electrooptical device, capable of surely removing photoresist on a substrate end part, when using a photolithographic technique. <P>SOLUTION: The method of manufacturing the electrooptical device for manufacturing a substrate for the electrooptical device using the photolithographic technique includes: a photoresist application process of applying the photoresist onto the substrate; an edge rinsing process of discharging a solvent to the end part of the substrate and removing the photoresist on the end part of the substrate; a periphery exposure process of exposing the outer peripheral part of the photoresist; and a development process of applying a developer so as to cover the photoresist and discharging the developer, along the outer peripheral part of the photoresist exposed in the periphery exposure process. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electro-optical device manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method, and more particularly to an electro-optical device manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method using a photolithography method.

Conventionally, in a manufacturing process of a substrate used in an electro-optical device such as a liquid crystal display device, a photolithography technique is used to process a film made of a predetermined material (hereinafter referred to as a film to be processed) into a predetermined pattern. It has been.
In the photolithography technique, a resist pattern is formed by applying a photoresist onto a film to be processed, exposing the photoresist through a mask, and developing the photoresist. Then, the film to be processed is processed into a predetermined pattern by performing wet or dry etching on the film to be processed on which the resist pattern is formed.

  In this photolithography technique, if the resist remains at the edge of the substrate, it becomes a source of dust generation, which may cause problems in later processes. As a method for removing the resist at the edge of the substrate, a peripheral exposure method and an edge rinse method as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-93409 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-12487 are known.

JP 2006-93409 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-1224887

  However, even when an edge rinse method and a peripheral exposure method are used in the photoresist coating process, the photoresist may remain at the edge of the substrate after development. This phenomenon will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a state of the end portion 235b of the substrate 235 during the development processing of the conventional photoresist. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a state of the end portion 235b of the substrate 235 after the conventional photoresist development processing is performed.

  As shown in FIG. 11, a film to be processed 236 is formed on the substrate 235. A photoresist 237 after the edge rinse process and the peripheral exposure process is formed on the film 236 to be processed. In FIG. 11, the outer peripheral portion 237b of the photoresist 237 indicated by shading is exposed by the peripheral exposure process. Here, since the solvent used for the edge rinse treatment is generally hydrophobic, the end surface 237a of the photoresist 237 that has come into contact with the solvent during the edge rinse treatment is hydrophobic.

  In the state as described above, when the developing solution 238 is applied in the form of a film on the photoresist 237 and development processing is performed, the developing surface 237a is repelled because the end surface 237a is hydrophobic, and the end surface 237a is sufficient. Do not immerse in the developer. For this reason, the outer peripheral portion 237b subjected to the peripheral exposure process may not be sufficiently developed.

  Therefore, conventionally, as shown in FIG. 12, a part 237 c of the outer peripheral portion 237 b subjected to the peripheral exposure processing of the photoresist 237 after the development processing remains on the end portion 235 b of the substrate 235.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and in the case of using a photolithography technique, an electro-optical device manufacturing apparatus and an electro-optical device manufacturing apparatus that can reliably remove the photoresist at the edge of the substrate. It aims to provide a method.

  The electro-optical device manufacturing method according to the present invention is a method for manufacturing an electro-optical device that uses a photolithography technique to manufacture a substrate for the electro-optical device, wherein the photoresist is applied on the substrate. A coating step, an edge rinsing step of removing the photoresist on the end of the substrate by discharging a solvent to the end of the substrate, a peripheral exposure step of exposing an outer peripheral portion of the photoresist, and the photoresist And a developing step of discharging the developing solution along the outer peripheral portion of the photoresist exposed in the peripheral exposure step.

  According to such a configuration of the present invention, since the developer can be reliably supplied onto the outer peripheral portion of the photoresist whose surface has become hydrophobic in the edge rinsing process, the exposure is performed in the peripheral exposure process. The outer periphery of the photoresist can be reliably removed.

  In the invention, it is preferable that the developing step is performed in a state where the substrate is rotated around a vertical axis in a state where the substrate is held horizontally.

  According to such a configuration, the developer on the photoresist can be agitated in the development process, and the development of the photoresist can be reliably performed.

  An electro-optical device manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention is an electro-optical device manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a substrate for an electro-optical device using a photolithography technique, and includes a holding unit that rotatably holds the substrate, and a photo An edge rinse nozzle for discharging the solvent to the edge of the substrate coated with the resist to remove the photoresist on the edge of the substrate; a peripheral exposure device for exposing the outer periphery of the photoresist; and A developer supply nozzle that applies a developer so as to cover the photoresist, and an end developer supply nozzle that discharges the developer along the outer peripheral portion of the photoresist are provided.

  According to such a configuration of the present invention, since the developer can be reliably supplied during the developing process onto the outer peripheral portion of the photoresist whose surface has become hydrophobic by the edge rinse process, the peripheral exposure is performed. The outer peripheral portion of the photoresist exposed by the processing can be surely removed.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the electro-optical device when the TFT array substrate is viewed from the counter substrate side together with the components configured thereon. It is H-H 'sectional drawing of FIG. It is a top view of a wafer. It is a flowchart which shows the outline of a photolithographic technique. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of a processing apparatus. It is a figure which shows the wafer of the state by which the photoresist was apply | coated by the spin coat method. It is a figure explaining an edge rinse process. It is a figure explaining a peripheral exposure process. It is a figure explaining the development processing of a photoresist. It is a figure which shows the wafer after a development process. It is a figure explaining the development processing by a prior art. It is a figure which shows the board | substrate edge part after the conventional image development processing.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing used for the following description, the scale is different for each component in order to make each component large enough to be recognized on the drawing. It is not limited only to the quantity of the component described in the figure, the shape of the component, the ratio of the size of the component, and the relative positional relationship of each component.

  First, the overall configuration of the electro-optical device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Here, FIG. 1 is a plan view of the electro-optical device when the TFT array substrate is viewed from the side of the counter substrate together with each component configured thereon. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line H-H ′ of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the wafer. Here, as an example of the electro-optical device, a transmissive liquid crystal display device with a built-in driving circuit and a TFT active matrix driving method is taken as an example.

  The electro-optical device 100 includes a liquid crystal 50 sandwiched between a TFT array substrate 10 made of glass, quartz, or the like and a counter substrate 20, and changes the alignment state of the liquid crystal, whereby the counter substrate 20 is placed in the image display region 10 a. The light incident from the side is modulated and emitted from the TFT array substrate 10 side, whereby an image is displayed in the image display region 10a.

  In the electro-optical device 100 according to the present embodiment, the TFT array substrate 10 and the counter substrate 20 that are arranged to face each other are mutually connected by a sealing material 52 provided in a sealing region located around the image display region 10a. It is glued. A region between the TFT array substrate 10 and the counter substrate 20 and surrounded by the sealing material 52 is filled with liquid crystal 50. The sealing material 52 is made of an ultraviolet curable resin or a thermosetting resin, and is applied to at least one of the TFT array substrate 10 and the counter substrate 20 in the manufacturing process and then cured by ultraviolet irradiation, heating, or the like. is there. Further, in the sealing material 52, gap materials such as glass fibers or glass beads are arranged in a scattered manner so that the distance between the TFT array substrate 10 and the counter substrate 20 is set to a predetermined value.

  In this embodiment, as an example of a method for filling the liquid crystal 50 between the TFT array substrate 10 and the counter substrate 20, the TFT array substrate 10 and the counter substrate 20 are bonded together by the seal material 52, and then the seal material is used. It is assumed that a liquid crystal injection method in which the liquid crystal 50 is filled from the liquid crystal injection port 110 which is an opening provided in 52 is used. Note that a plurality of liquid crystal injection ports 110 may be provided.

  In addition, the method of filling the liquid crystal 50 between the TFT array substrate 10 and the counter substrate 20 is provided with a sealing material 52 on either the TFT array substrate 10 or the counter substrate 20, and a predetermined amount inside the sealing material 52. A drop bonding method in which the TFT array substrate 10 and the counter substrate 20 are bonded after the liquid crystal 50 is dropped may be used.

  A light-shielding frame light-shielding film 53 that defines the frame area of the image display area 10a is provided on the counter substrate 20 side in parallel with the inside of the seal area where the sealing material 52 is disposed. A part or all of the frame light shielding film 53 may be provided as a built-in light shielding film on the TFT array substrate 10 side. Further, in this embodiment, when viewed from the center of the TFT array substrate 10, the distance from the frame light shielding film 53 is defined as the peripheral region.

  A data line driving circuit 101 and an external circuit connection terminal 102 are provided along one side of the TFT array substrate 10 in a region located outside the sealing region in which the sealing material 52 is disposed in the peripheral region. The scanning line driving circuit 104 is provided along two sides adjacent to one side of the TFT array substrate 10 on which the data line driving circuit 101 and the external circuit connection terminal 102 are provided, and is covered with the frame light shielding film 53. ing. Further, the TFT array substrate 10 is provided along the remaining side, that is, the side facing the one side of the TFT array substrate 10 provided with the data line driving circuit 101 and the external circuit connection terminal 102 so as to be covered with the frame light shielding film 53. The two scanning line driving circuits 104 are connected to each other by a plurality of wirings 105 provided in the.

  In addition, vertical conduction members 106 functioning as vertical conduction terminals for electrical connection with the TFT array substrate 10 are disposed at the four corners of the counter substrate 20. On the other hand, the TFT array substrate 10 is provided with vertical conduction terminals in a region corresponding to these vertical conduction members 106. Electrical connection is made between the TFT array substrate 10 and the counter substrate 20 via the vertical conductive member 106 and the vertical conductive terminal.

  In FIG. 2, on the TFT array substrate 10, an alignment film 16 is formed on the pixel electrode 9a after the pixel switching TFT, the scanning line, the data line and the like are formed. On the other hand, on the counter substrate 20, in addition to the counter electrode 21, a lattice-shaped or striped light-shielding film 23 and an alignment film 22 are formed in the uppermost layer portion.

In this embodiment, as an example, the alignment films 16 and 22 are formed by performing a rubbing process on a polyimide film (hereinafter referred to as a PI film) that is a resin film. The alignment films 16 and 22 may be formed by performing a rubbing process on a resin film other than polyimide, or a so-called inorganic film formed by oblique deposition of an inorganic film such as SiO _2. An alignment film may be used.

  The liquid crystal 50 is made of, for example, a liquid crystal in which one or several types of nematic liquid crystals are mixed, and takes a predetermined alignment state between the pair of alignment films 16 and 22. Depending on the alignment state of the liquid crystal 50, the polarization state of the light incident from the counter substrate 20 side and emitted from the TFT array substrate 10 side changes.

  Although not shown, for example, a TN (twisted nematic) mode, an STN (super TN) mode, and a D-STN are respectively provided on the side on which the incident light of the counter substrate 20 enters and the side on which the outgoing light of the TFT array substrate 10 exits. A polarizing film, a retardation film, a polarizing plate, and the like are arranged in a predetermined direction according to an operation mode such as a (double-STN) mode and a normally white mode / normally black mode. The transmittance of light transmitted through the image display region 10a of the electro-optical device 100 is changed according to the alignment state of the liquid crystal by the pair of polarizing plates.

  The TFT array substrate 10 of the electro-optical device 100 described above is formed by being cut out from a wafer 35 that is a disk-shaped substrate as shown in FIG. On the surface 35a of the wafer 35, TFTs, pixel electrodes 9a, and the like constituting the above-described TFT array substrate 10 are formed using a semiconductor manufacturing method such as photolithography.

  Hereinafter, a method for forming a film having a predetermined pattern on the wafer 35 using a photolithography technique will be described as a method for manufacturing the electro-optical device according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an outline of the photolithography technique. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the processing apparatus. FIG. 6 is a view showing a wafer on which a photoresist is applied by spin coating. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the edge rinse process. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the peripheral exposure processing. FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a developing process of a photoresist. FIG. 10 is a view showing the wafer after the development processing.

  In the following, only the differences between the method of manufacturing the electro-optical device according to the present invention and the conventional photolithography technology will be described in detail, and descriptions of known points will be omitted as appropriate. .

  First, a schematic process of the photolithography technique will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the photolithography technique, first, a film to be processed having a predetermined film thickness and made of a predetermined material for forming a pattern to be formed by the photolithography technique is formed on a wafer (step S1).

  Next, a photoresist is applied on the film to be processed (step S2). Then, the region where the photoresist is to be removed is irradiated with light of a predetermined wavelength and exposed (step S3). Next, the photoresist in the exposed area is removed by developing the photoresist with a developer (step S4).

  Through the above steps, the surface of the film to be processed is divided into a region covered with a predetermined pattern of photoresist and an exposed region. The exposed region of the film to be processed that is not covered with the photoresist is etched by a dry etching method or a wet etching method, whereby the film to be processed is processed into a predetermined pattern (step S5).

  The present invention particularly relates to the photoresist coating process in step S2 and the photoresist development process in step S4.

  First, the configuration of a processing apparatus 200 that is an apparatus for manufacturing an electro-optical device used in a photoresist coating process and a photoresist developing process will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the processing apparatus 200 holds the wafer 35 substantially horizontally with the film to be processed 36 facing upward, and can hold the wafer 35 around a substantially vertical axis. It comprises.

  Above the substantial center of the holding unit 201, a developer supply nozzle 220 for supplying the developer onto the wafer 35 is disposed. The developer is a chemical solution for developing the photoresist, and is stored in the developer tank 222. The type of the developer is not particularly limited, but for example, a diluted solution of TMAH is used.

  Further, an edge rinse nozzle 210, a back rinse nozzle 211, a peripheral exposure device 230, and an end developer supply nozzle 221 are disposed in the vicinity of the end 35b of the wafer 35 held by the holding unit 201.

  The edge rinse nozzle 210 and the back rinse nozzle 211 are used in a so-called edge rinse method, and discharge a solvent from above and below the wafer 35 toward the radially outer side of the wafer 35 at the end portion 35 of the wafer 35. It is a nozzle for.

  The edge rinse nozzle 210 and the back rinse nozzle 211 are connected to a solvent tank 212 that stores a solvent. The solvent discharged from the edge rinse nozzle 210 and the back rinse nozzle 211 may be any solvent that can dissolve the photoresist. For example, a mixed solution of PGME and PGMEA is used.

  The peripheral exposure device 230 is used in a so-called peripheral exposure method, and includes a light source that irradiates light on the end portion 35 of the wafer 35 with light having a frequency for exposing the photoresist.

  As will be described in detail later, the end developer supply nozzle 221 is a nozzle for discharging the developer to the photoresist in the region where the peripheral exposure has been performed on the upper surface of the end 35 b of the wafer 35. The end developer supply nozzle 221 is connected to the developer tank 222.

  Although not shown, the processing device 200 includes a drive mechanism for rotating the holding unit 201, an electromagnetic valve for controlling the discharge of liquid from each nozzle, a power supply device for supplying power to each unit, and A control device or the like for controlling the operation of the processing device based on a predetermined program is provided.

  Next, a photoresist coating process and a photoresist developing process, which are the manufacturing method of the electro-optical device of this embodiment, performed using the processing apparatus 200 described above will be described.

  First, in the photoresist coating process in step S2, a photoresist solution is dropped onto the central portion of the wafer 35 held by the holding unit 201 from a photoresist solution supply nozzle (not shown). Then, the holding unit 201 is rotated at a predetermined rotation speed.

  As a result, the photoresist liquid spreads on the film to be processed 36, and a film-like photoresist 37 having a predetermined thickness is applied onto the film to be processed 36 as shown in FIG. In this state, at the end portion 35b of the wafer 35, the photoresist 37 is applied so as to wrap around the end surface (outer peripheral surface) of the wafer 35 as shown in FIG.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7, in a state where the holding unit 201 is rotated, the solvent is discharged from the edge rinse nozzle 210 and the back rinse nozzle 211 to remove the photoresist 37 applied to the end portion 35b of the wafer 35. The so-called edge rinse process is performed. By this edge rinse treatment, the photoresist applied to the back surface and the end surface of the wafer 35 is removed. Further, the end surface 37a of the photoresist 37 that has come into contact with the solvent during the edge rinse treatment becomes hydrophobic because the solvent is hydrophobic.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 8, in the state where the holding unit 201 is rotated, exposure light is emitted from the peripheral exposure device 230, and the outer peripheral portion 37 b of the photoresist 37 coated on the end portion 35 b of the wafer 35. So-called peripheral exposure processing is performed. In FIG. 8, the outer peripheral part 37b exposed by the peripheral exposure process is shown by shading for the sake of understanding.

  Thus, the photoresist coating process in step S2 is completed, and the wafer 35 is unloaded from the processing apparatus 200. After the exposure process in step S3, the wafer 35 is again carried into the processing apparatus 200, and the photoresist development process in step S4 is performed.

  In the photoresist developing process, as shown in FIG. 9, a predetermined amount of developer 38 is dropped from the developer supply nozzle 200 onto the photoresist 37, and the holding unit is rotated at a rotational speed at which the developer 38 does not spill from the photoresist 37. Rotate 201. As a result, the photoresist 37 is covered with the developer 38. Thus, by rotating the wafer 35 in a state where the developer 38 is placed on the exposed photoresist 37, the developer is stirred and the photoresist 37 is developed. The development in a state where the developing solution 38 is placed on the photoresist 37 in a film form is generally referred to as the development by liquid piling.

  In this embodiment, in the photoresist developing process, the developer is discharged from the end developer supply nozzle 221 so that the developer is applied to the end surface 37 a of the photoresist 37. In the photoresist developing process, since the wafer 35 is rotating, the developer discharged from the end developer supply nozzle 221 is applied to the entire circumference of the end surface 37 a of the photoresist 37.

  For this reason, in the present embodiment, since the end surface 37a is hydrophobic, the outer peripheral portion 37b of the photoresist 37, which may bounce the developer and may not be sufficiently developed, is brought into contact with the developer. Can do. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the outer peripheral portion 37b of the photoresist 37 exposed by the peripheral exposure process can be reliably developed, and the photoresist 37 at the end portion 35b of the wafer 35 is removed as shown in FIG. It can be reliably removed.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit or idea of the invention that can be read from the claims and the entire specification, and an electro-optical device with such a change. And a manufacturing method of the electro-optical device.

  For example, the electro-optical device can be applied not only to a transmissive liquid crystal panel but also to a transflective or reflective liquid crystal panel. As the reflective liquid crystal panel, there is a display device for forming an element on a semiconductor substrate, for example, LCOS (Liquid Crystal On Silicon).

35 wafers,
35b end,
36 Film to be processed,
37 photoresist,
37a end face (of photoresist),
37b (outside of photoresist),
38 Developer,
200 processing equipment,
201 holder,
210 edge rinse nozzle,
211 back rinse nozzle,
212 solvent tank,
220 developer supply nozzle,
221 end developer supply nozzle,
222 developer tank,
230 Peripheral exposure apparatus.

Claims (3)

An electro-optical device manufacturing method for manufacturing a substrate for an electro-optical device using photolithography technology,
A photoresist coating step of coating a photoresist on the substrate;
An edge rinse step of discharging a solvent to the edge of the substrate and removing the photoresist on the edge of the substrate;
A peripheral exposure step of exposing an outer periphery of the photoresist;
A developing step of applying a developer so as to cover the photoresist and discharging the developer along an outer peripheral portion of the photoresist exposed in the peripheral exposure step;
An electro-optical device manufacturing method comprising:   The method of manufacturing an electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the developing step is performed in a state where the substrate is rotated about a vertical axis while the substrate is held horizontally. An electro-optical device manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a substrate for an electro-optical device using photolithography technology,
A holding unit for rotatably holding the substrate;
An edge rinse nozzle for discharging the solvent to the edge of the substrate coated with photoresist and removing the photoresist on the edge of the substrate;
A peripheral exposure apparatus for exposing an outer peripheral portion of the photoresist;
A developer supply nozzle for applying a developer so as to cover the photoresist;
An end developer supply nozzle that discharges the developer along the outer periphery of the photoresist;
An electro-optical device manufacturing apparatus comprising:

Images