JP2011037587A - Substrate carrying position control device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate carrying position control device capable of quickly and reliably displacing the carrying position of a flexible substrate in a desired direction while eliminating the need for installing a new installation for controlling the carrying position of the flexible substrate and keeping the construction of an existing carrying line as it is. <P>SOLUTION: The substrate carrying position control device includes a curvature radius variable roll 1 for imparting tension to the flexible substrate 10 to carry the flexible substrate 10 along the longitudinal direction. The curvature radius variable roll 1 partly varies its curvature radius in the axial direction for giving distribution to tension produced with the flexible substrate 10 contacting it, in the cross direction of the flexible substrate 10 to change the carrying position of the flexible substrate 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate transfer position control device that corrects a positional deviation (meandering) of a strip-shaped flexible substrate.

  As a thin film laminated substrate such as a semiconductor thin film, a highly rigid substrate is usually used. On the other hand, the substrate of a photoelectric conversion element used for, for example, a solar cell is convenient because it is lightweight and easy to handle, cost reduction by mass production, and large area are easy. A flexible substrate formed of resin or the like is also used.

As a device for manufacturing a thin film laminate using such a flexible substrate, there are mainly a roll-to-roll system and a stepping roll system. The former roll-to-roll method is a method of continuously forming a film on a flexible substrate that moves continuously in the film formation chamber, and the latter stepping roll method is capable of being transported into the film formation chamber. In this method, the flexible substrate is temporarily stopped, the film is formed in this state, and then the flexible substrate portion after film formation is sent from the film formation chamber to the next film formation chamber.
Both types of film forming apparatuses generate plasma by applying a voltage between two parallel plate-type electrodes arranged facing a flexible substrate in a film forming chamber and flowing a raw material gas. A thin film is formed on the surface of a flexible substrate placed on one side or both sides of a pair of electrodes by decomposing and reacting the source gas using plasma.

  A stepping roll type film forming apparatus forms a film by fixing a flexible substrate, and then performs a batch process by moving a non-film forming portion of the flexible substrate between electrodes. In the film forming apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 5, the flexible substrate 101 is pulled out from the two unwinding rolls 102 accommodated in the feed chamber 111, and enters the film forming vacuum chamber 113 through the preliminary vacuum chamber 112. In this film forming vacuum chamber 113, two ground electrodes 122 are arranged opposite to each other outside one voltage applying electrode 121, and the substrate 101 transported between both electrodes is temporarily stopped in the film forming chamber 105. Then, film formation is performed. After the film formation is completed, the actuator 124 is operated, and each substrate 101 is taken up by two take-up rolls 103 accommodated in the take-up chamber 114.

On the other hand, the roll-to-roll film forming apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 6 is provided in response to a request for further improvement in production efficiency, production cost, and sales price. A high-frequency electrode (RF electrode) 203 to which high-frequency power is supplied from an external high-frequency power source, and a ground electrode 204 are disposed at a position facing the high-frequency electrode 203. In the ground electrode 203, a heater for heating the flexible substrate 206 conveyed by the conveying roll 205 is incorporated. In addition, openings 201 a for allowing the flexible substrate 206 to pass therethrough are provided on both side walls of the container 201.
In order to form a thin film on the flexible substrate 206 using the film forming apparatus 200, first, the flexible substrate 206 is continuously transported into the container 201 by a transport mechanism and a transport roll 205 (not shown), and a ground electrode is formed. At the same time, the flexible substrate 206 is heated to a desired temperature by a heater in the ground electrode 204. Next, a raw material gas as a thin film raw material is introduced into a discharge space between the high frequency electrode 203 and the flexible substrate 206 from a gas introduction line (not shown), and a voltage is applied to the high frequency electrode 203 by a high frequency power source. Plasma 207 is generated. Then, since the source gas is turned into plasma and decomposes and reacts, a desired thin film is formed on the flexible substrate 206.

By the way, in such a film forming apparatus, the flexible substrate is transported in the horizontal direction while the width direction of the flexible substrate is held in the horizontal direction, and the flexible substrate is formed. There is a method of forming a film by transporting the flexible substrate in the vertical direction while keeping the width direction in the vertical direction. In either method, a displacement in the width direction of the flexible substrate that is displaced from a predetermined transport path, that is, a so-called meandering phenomenon is likely to occur. Furthermore, the latter method has the advantage that the substrate surface is less likely to be contaminated than the former method. However, the increase in the transport distance due to the increase in the number of film formation chambers is due to the growth of gravity and the flexible substrate. There is a problem that wrinkles are generated on the surface or the surface hangs down.
In order to solve these problems, it is necessary to detect immediately when a deviation occurs in the conveyance path of the flexible substrate and to take measures corresponding to the deviation. As such measures, there is a substrate side edge position control device (EPC device) disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

JP-A-3-61248 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-139589

This EPC device generally includes a substrate side edge position control sensor (EPC sensor), a substrate unwinding device or a winding device or a meandering correction roll, and a driving device (EPC driving device) for moving the substrate unwinding device. It is configured.
However, when the distance from the EPC sensor is increased, it takes time for the EPC drive device and the meander correction roll to reflect the meander correction result to the EPC sensor. have. Moreover, since an EPC drive device and a meandering correction roll require a wide installation space, there is a possibility that the equipment cost may increase.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and the object thereof is that it is not necessary to install new equipment for controlling the transfer position of the flexible substrate, and the configuration of the existing transfer line. It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate transfer position control device that can maintain the same as it is and can move the transfer position of a flexible substrate in a desired direction quickly and reliably.

  In order to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, the present invention includes a roll that applies tension to a flexible substrate and conveys the flexible substrate along a longitudinal direction, and the roll has a radius of curvature. By partially changing in the axial direction, the tension generated when the flexible substrate comes into contact is distributed in the width direction of the flexible substrate, and the transport position of the flexible substrate is changed. It is configured.

  Further, in the present invention, the inside of the roll is divided into at least two divisions along the axial direction, and each division structure portion is expanded and contracted by the fluid pressure supplied and discharged to change the radius of curvature. It is preferable that it is comprised.

  Further, in the present invention, each of the divided structure portions includes a supply pipe portion for pressurizing and depressurizing the inside of the roll by changing a diameter by supplying and discharging a fluid, and an outer side of the supply pipe portion. A support part that is positioned and moves in a radial direction following a change in the diameter of the supply pipe part, and an inner and outer cylindrical part that is located outside the support part and that expands and contracts as the support part moves. It is preferable to provide.

  And in this invention, it is preferable that the outer peripheral part of the said roll is formed with the elastic body, and the dynamic friction coefficient of the outer peripheral part surface of the said roll exists in the range of 0.1-0.6.

  As described above, the substrate transport position control device according to the present invention includes a roll that applies tension to the flexible substrate and transports the flexible substrate along the longitudinal direction, and the roll has a radius of curvature. A configuration is provided in which the tension generated when the flexible substrate comes into contact is distributed in the width direction of the flexible substrate by changing partly in the direction, and the transport position of the flexible substrate is changed. Therefore, the radius of curvature can be changed only in a certain length of the entire length in the roll axis direction at the portion where the roll carrying the flexible substrate contacts the flexible substrate.

As a result, it is possible to apply a phenomenon in which the tension acting on the flexible substrate is distributed in the width direction of the flexible substrate and the flexible substrate moves in a direction to make the tension uniform. The conveyance position of the flexible substrate can be moved quickly and reliably in a desired direction, and the meandering of the flexible substrate can be corrected.
In addition, the substrate transfer position control device of the present invention does not require installation of new equipment for transfer position control of the flexible substrate, can maintain the configuration of the existing transfer line as it is, and has stable characteristics at low cost. It is possible to form a thin film having
Moreover, the substrate transfer position control device of the present invention can cope with any problems even when the transfer direction of the flexible substrate is reversed, and has excellent functionality.

  In the substrate transport position control device according to the present invention, the inside of the roll is divided into at least two or more divisions along the axial direction, and each divided structure portion is expanded by fluid pressure supplied and discharged. Further, the radius of curvature is configured to be variable by contraction, and more specifically, each of the divided structures is configured to pressurize and depressurize the inside of the roll by changing the diameter by supplying and discharging fluid. A supply pipe part, a support part located outside the supply pipe part and moving in a radial direction following a change in the diameter of the supply pipe part, and a support part located outside the support part and moving the support part Therefore, the radius of curvature of the necessary portion of the roll can be quickly expanded and reduced according to the positional deviation of the flexible substrate.

  Furthermore, in the substrate transport position control device according to the present invention, the outer peripheral portion of the roll is formed of an elastic body, and the dynamic friction coefficient of the outer peripheral portion surface of the roll is in the range of 0.1 to 0.6. Therefore, the necessary tension can be applied to the flexible substrate without hindering the conveyance of the flexible substrate.

It is side surface sectional drawing which shows the curvature radius variable roll which comprises the board | substrate conveyance position control apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is front sectional drawing which shows the curvature radius variable roll in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state which installed the curvature-radius variable roll in FIG. 1 in the conveyance line of a flexible substrate. It is a diagram which shows the relationship between the change of the roll diameter of the curvature radius variable roll in FIG. 1, and the conveyance position of a flexible substrate. It is a conceptual sectional view showing an entire configuration of a conventional stepping roll type film forming apparatus. It is a conceptual sectional view showing a configuration of a conventional roll-to-roll film forming apparatus.

  Hereinafter, a substrate transfer position control device according to the present invention will be described in detail based on the embodiments.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a variable curvature radius roll constituting a substrate transfer position control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the side, and FIG. 2 is a front view of a variable curvature radius roll divided into two along the axial direction. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view as seen from FIG. 3, FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a state in which the above-described variable-radius variable roll is installed on a flexible substrate transport line, and FIG. It is a diagram which shows the relationship with a conveyance position.

  The substrate transfer position control apparatus of the present embodiment is a roll-to-roll (or stepping roll) film-forming apparatus transfer line (or stepping roll-type) film forming apparatus that continuously (or intermittently) forms a belt-like flexible substrate to form a film. 5 and 6), as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, tension is applied to the belt-like flexible substrate 10, and the flexible substrate 10 is conveyed along the longitudinal direction. A variable radius of curvature roll 1 is provided. In FIG. 3, an arrow Z indicates the conveyance direction of the flexible substrate 10.

  The variable roll 1 of this embodiment gives a distribution in the width direction of the flexible substrate 10 to the tension generated when the flexible substrate 10 comes into contact by changing the radius of curvature partially in the axial direction. The conveyance position of the flexible substrate 10 is changed. That is, the flexible substrate 10 to which a constant tension is applied by the variable roll 1 is partially given a predetermined tension or a predetermined tension in the width direction, so that the tension distribution is not uniform in the width direction. It becomes. Therefore, the flexible substrate 10 changes the conveyance position so that the pressure distribution is uniform, and the conveyance position is adjusted.

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inside of the variable roll 1 is divided into at least two divisions (in this embodiment, two divisions) along the axial direction, and has two division structures 2 a and 2 b. is doing.
These divided structures 2a and 2b are configured to expand and contract by the pressure of fluid (for example, air) supplied and discharged, and the respective radii of curvature are variable. That is, the variable roll 1 can change the radius of curvature of the divided structure portions 2a and 2b located on the opposite side to the direction in which the conveyance position is to be adjusted according to the direction in which the flexible substrate 10 is adjusted. Yes.

Each of the divided structure portions 2a and 2b is located outside the supply pipe portion 3 and the supply pipe portion 3 for pressurizing and depressurizing the inside of the variable roll 1 by changing the diameter by supplying and discharging the fluid. , A plurality of support portions 4 that move in the radial direction following the change in the diameter of the supply pipe portion 3, and two inner and outer portions that are located outside these support portions 4 and that expand and contract as the support portion 4 moves. Cylindrical portions 5 and 6 are provided.
The supply pipe portion 3 is formed of a tubular body whose inner tip extending along the axial direction of the variable roll 1 is closed, and is provided at the axial center portion of the variable roll 1. It has elasticity that can be reduced. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the supply pipe section 3 is connected to the fluid supply apparatus 7 via the opening end 1a of the variable roll 1 and the pipe line 7a, and the fluid from the fluid supply apparatus 7 is connected to the pipe line. 7a and the open end 1a are supplied to the inside of the supply pipe 3 as shown by the arrow A, or the fluid inside the supply pipe 3 is shown by the arrow B and the open end 1a and the pipe 7a. The fluid is then discharged to the fluid supply device 7.

  And the support part 4 is formed in the plate-shaped body, is each protruded and provided in the radial direction from the outer peripheral surface of the supply pipe part 3, and is supporting the inner cylindrical part 5. FIG. In the present embodiment, eight support portions 4 are arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction at the same position. Further, the support portions 4 are provided in the same number in the arrangement relation and spaced apart in the axial direction of the variable roll 1.

  Further, the inner and outer two cylindrical portions 5 and 6 are arranged with a radial interval around the same axis, and the outer cylindrical portion 6 has an outer diameter equal to that of the inner cylindrical portion 5. It is formed larger than. The two cylindrical portions 5 and 6 are formed of an elastic body having elasticity so that the diameter of the outer peripheral portion can be enlarged and reduced, and the dynamic friction coefficient of the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical portion 6 is 0. .. is set to be within the range of 1 to 0.6. When the coefficient of dynamic friction on the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical portion 6 exceeds the above range, there is a possibility that the conveyance of the flexible substrate 10 may be hindered.

By the way, in the board | substrate conveyance position control apparatus of this embodiment, the adjustment effect of the conveyance position of the flexible board | substrate 10 becomes so large that the curvature radius of the variable roll 1 is enlarged, but a curvature is within the axial direction length of the variable roll 1. FIG. If the difference in radius becomes too large, wrinkles will occur in the flexible substrate 10 to be conveyed. For this reason, it is necessary to limit the amount of increase and decrease in the radius of curvature of the variable roll 1. For example, the difference in the outer diameter of the roll corresponding to the arrangement position of each divided structure 2a, 2b is preferably about 5 to 20 mm.
Further, the surface material of the variable roll 1 is preferably a material having a small coefficient of friction and elasticity, such as fluorine rubber. The reason for this is that since the outer diameter of the variable roll 1 is partially changed, damage to the flexible substrate 10 due to the difference from the unchanged part is prevented, and an extrusion mechanism part (divided structure) due to fluid pressure from the inside of the roll. This is because an elastic material is preferably used for the outer peripheral portion of the variable roll 1 in order to avoid acute contact with the portions 2a and 2b). Furthermore, it is preferable that the surface of the material covering the outer periphery of the variable roll 1 is formed in an uneven shape and subjected to a treatment for preventing wrinkles.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the substrate transport position control device of the present embodiment includes a displacement sensor 8 that detects the position of the end portion in the width direction of the flexible substrate 10. The displacement sensor 8 is installed on the downstream side in the conveyance direction (arrow Z direction) from the installation location of the variable roll 1 that requires the conveyance position control of the flexible substrate 10. The displacement sensor 8 is electrically connected to the controller 9, and the detected signal of the position of the end of the flexible substrate 10 in the width direction is sent to the controller 9. The controller 9 is electrically connected to the fluid supply device 7, operates the fluid supply device 7 based on the position detection signal of the displacement sensor 8, and either one of the divided structures 2 a and 2 b of the variable roll 1. A fluid is supplied to the supply pipe section 3 or a fluid in the supply pipe section 3 is discharged.

In order to adjust the positional deviation or meandering position of the flexible substrate 10 using the substrate transport position control device according to the embodiment of the present invention, first, the width of the flexible substrate 10 being transported by the displacement sensor 8. The position of the direction end is detected. Based on the detection result, the controller 9 operates the fluid supply device 7 and supplies the fluid supply device to the supply pipe portions 3 of the split structure portions 2a and 2b of the variable roll 1 located at the end opposite to the direction in which the controller 9 wants to move. When a fluid is supplied from the opening end portion 1a and the outer diameter (curvature radius) of the variable roll 1 is changed within a range of 0.10 to 0.40 times of the entire width of the flexible substrate 10, a desired direction is obtained. The position of the flexible substrate 10 can be moved.
Therefore, according to the substrate transport position control device according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to cause the tension applied to the flexible substrate 10 to be distributed in the width direction of the flexible substrate 10, and the flexible substrate 10 The conveyance position of the flexible substrate 10 can be quickly moved in a direction that eliminates problems such as meandering in accordance with the positional deviation or meandering of 10.

  In addition, since the amount of movement of the flexible substrate 10 increases as the length in the axial direction for changing the variable roll 1 is shorter (the width is narrower) and the end portion or outer diameter is larger, the positional adjustment effect is greater. It will be a thing. However, if the difference between the outer diameters in the axial direction of the variable roll 1 is too large, the substrate position moves extremely, and wrinkles are generated on the surface of the flexible substrate 10.

In order to confirm the effect of the substrate transfer position control apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, the substrate transfer position control apparatus of this embodiment was arranged in the film forming apparatus having the transfer line shown in FIG. The film forming apparatus of this embodiment is an apparatus that conveys the flexible substrate 10 with the width direction set in the horizontal direction. For the flexible substrate 10 to be conveyed, a polyimide film having a width of 500 mm was used. Moreover, the total line length of the apparatus used for conveyance was about 7 m, and a guide roll and a winding shaft part were used for the winding part 11.
In this embodiment, in order to apply tension to the flexible substrate 10, the variable roll 1 was placed between the pair of guide rollers 12 and deviated from the transport line. Further, in order to detect the transport position of the flexible substrate 10, the displacement sensor 8 is located downstream of the variable roll 1 in the transport direction (arrow Z direction) and in front of the shaft portion of the winding unit 11. The position variation of the width direction edge part of the flexible substrate 10 was verified.

Moreover, the outer diameter (roll diameter) of the variable roll 1 used for the Example is 100 mm, and the length (roll width) of an axial direction is 650 mm. About the change of the outer diameter of the variable roll 1, in order to change a roll diameter over the length of 150-200 mm in the axial direction from the one end part of the said variable roll 1, it is a friction coefficient in the outer peripheral part of the variable roll 1. Nitrile rubber, urethane rubber or the like having a roll diameter of 1.0 or less was wound to change the radius of curvature of the variable roll 1 partially in sequence. The thickness was adjusted by changing the number of times the rubber was wound.
And in the state which changed the curvature radius of the variable roll 1 in this way, the flexible board | substrate 10 of the above-mentioned conditions was conveyed 20m, and the displacement amount of the film end surface at that time was measured and evaluated every 5m. .

  The results are shown in FIG. When the outer diameter of one end of the variable roll 1 is increased to 10 mm, the flexible substrate 10 moves in the direction of the end opposite to the end whose diameter is increased by about 3 mm from the normal position. I understood that. Furthermore, it was found that when the outer diameter of one end of the variable roll 1 is increased to 20 mm, the amount of movement of the flexible substrate 10 is further increased. Further, even if the outer diameter of one end of the variable roll 1 is increased to 20 mm, wrinkles are not generated on the surface of the flexible substrate 10, and there is no influence on the flexible substrate 10 due to the variable roll diameter. It was. However, if the outer diameter of one end of the variable roll 1 is further increased, wrinkles are generated on the surface of the flexible substrate 10, and therefore it is necessary to provide a certain range for the difference in the outer diameter of the variable roll 1 in the axial direction. I found out that

  While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made based on the technical idea of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the number of divisions of the variable roll 1 is two, but may be three or more according to the flexible substrate 10 to be transported. Moreover, the conveyance direction (arrow Z direction) of the flexible substrate 10 in the above-described embodiment can be reversed and used. In this case, it is necessary to change the arrangement of the winding unit 11 to the winding unit and the displacement sensor 8 to the downstream side of the variable roll 1 (the side opposite to the winding unit 11 in the above-described embodiment).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Curvature radius variable roll 1a Open end part 2a, 2b Divided structure part 3 Supply pipe part 4 Support part 5 Inner cylindrical part 6 Outer cylindrical part 7 Fluid supply apparatus 7a Pipe line 8 Displacement sensor 9 Controller 10 Flexible substrate

Claims (4)

  A roll is provided that applies tension to the flexible substrate and conveys the flexible substrate along a longitudinal direction, and the roll partially changes the radius of curvature in the axial direction, thereby the flexible substrate. A substrate transport position control device configured to change the transport position of the flexible substrate by giving a distribution in the width direction of the flexible substrate to the tension generated when the contact is made.   The inside of the roll is divided into at least two divisions along the axial direction, and each divided structure portion is configured to be expanded and contracted by fluid pressure supplied and discharged so that the radius of curvature is variable. The board | substrate conveyance position control apparatus of Claim 1 characterized by these.   Each of the divided structural parts is located outside the supply pipe part, a supply pipe part for pressurizing and depressurizing the inside of the roll by changing the diameter by supply and discharge of fluid, and the supply pipe A support part that moves in the radial direction following the change in the diameter of the part, and an inner and outer cylindrical part that is located outside the support part and that expands and contracts as the support part moves. The board | substrate conveyance position control apparatus of Claim 2 characterized by the above-mentioned.   The outer peripheral part of the said roll is formed with the elastic body, and the dynamic friction coefficient of the outer peripheral part surface of the said roll exists in the range of 0.1-0.6, Any of Claims 1-3 characterized by the above-mentioned. The board | substrate conveyance position control apparatus of crab.

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