JP2011095718A - Proximity exposure apparatus and proximity exposure method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a proximity exposure apparatus and a proximity exposure method in which a light source prior to exposure is stabilized, thereby, preventing exposure unevenness and achieving exposure with high accuracy in an exposure apparatus and an exposure method. <P>SOLUTION: The exposure apparatus includes a light source control unit 15a, which has a correcting function 15b correcting a power in such a manner that when a prescribed voltage is applied to a light source 6 in an irradiation unit 14 while a light-shielding plate 8 is closed, an illuminance detected by an illuminometer 50 reaches a target illuminance. Thereby, exposure unevenness is eliminated and exposure with high accuracy can be achieved. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a proximity exposure apparatus and a proximity exposure method thereof, and more particularly to a proximity exposure apparatus and a proximity exposure method thereof that prevent uneven exposure when a substrate is exposed with a plurality of light sources.

  In the proximity exposure, a translucent substrate (material to be exposed) coated with a photosensitive agent on the surface is held on the substrate stage, and the substrate is brought close to the mask held on the mask holding frame of the mask stage, so that both of them are predetermined. For example, the gap is set to several tens of μm to several hundreds of μm, and both are made to stand still, and then the exposure light is irradiated to the mask by the illumination optical system from the side away from the substrate of the mask. The exposure pattern drawn on the mask is transferred.

In an illumination optical system used for such an exposure apparatus, a high-pressure mercury lamp is generally used as a light source. When the substrate is exposed, an integrated exposure amount (product of light illuminance and irradiation time) irradiated to the substrate is controlled by opening and closing a shutter disposed in front of the high-pressure mercury lamp. ing.
Here, since the illuminance of the high-pressure mercury lamp has a characteristic that it gradually decreases in proportion to the lighting time, in order to keep the integrated exposure amount constant, the exposure time is set along with the lighting time of the high-pressure mercury lamp. It needs to be long.

For example, in the exposure apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the illuminance of light emitted from a high-pressure mercury lamp is measured by an illuminance sensor, and the supply voltage is adjusted with respect to the decrease in illuminance, so that the illuminance on the mask is always set to a predetermined value. keeping.

  Further, in the exposure apparatus described in Patent Document 2, a proximity scan exposure apparatus that performs exposure using a plurality of exposure light beams arranged close to each other along a direction intersecting the transport direction with respect to a substrate transported at a constant speed. It has been known.

JP-A-9-246352 JP 2006-292955 A

By the way, in the proximity scanning exposure apparatus described in Patent Document 2, since exposure is performed using a plurality of exposure lights on a substrate that is always transported at a constant speed, each exposure is always performed from the start of exposure. It is necessary to control so that the illuminance between lights is constant. For this reason, it is also conceivable to control the supply voltage of the high-pressure mercury lamp according to the illuminance measured by the illuminance sensor as in the exposure apparatus described in Patent Document 1 for each exposure light source. The variation in illuminance between the light sources is alleviated to some extent.
However, since the high-pressure mercury lamp has a characteristic that the illuminance is difficult to stabilize at the start-up, it is difficult to suppress the illuminance variation between the light sources only by controlling the supply voltage of the high-pressure mercury lamp. As a countermeasure, it may be possible to turn on the high-pressure mercury lamp in advance before the start of exposure. However, if this is done, the substrate directly underneath will be exposed, resulting in a longer cumulative exposure time. Cause uneven exposure. Although it is conceivable that the substrate is not arranged directly under the high-pressure mercury lamp, in such a case, when the high-pressure mercury lamp is stabilized, the exposure cannot be started immediately, and the tact becomes long.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a proximity exposure apparatus capable of eliminating exposure unevenness and performing exposure with high accuracy by stabilizing a light source immediately before exposure, and its proximity. It is to provide an exposure method.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by the following constitution.
(1) Irradiating exposure light to a substrate conveyed in a predetermined direction through a plurality of masks arranged close to each other along a direction intersecting the predetermined direction, and patterning the plurality of masks on the substrate A proximity exposure apparatus that performs exposure, the plurality of irradiation units that are respectively disposed above the plurality of masks and that irradiates the exposure light, and an illuminance meter that is provided in the irradiation unit and detects the illuminance of the light. A light source control unit that controls the power of the irradiation unit according to an illuminance signal from the illuminance meter, and a light shielding plate that controls opening and closing of an irradiation optical path irradiated from the irradiation unit, the light source control unit, Proximity characterized by having a correction function for correcting the illuminance detected by the illuminance meter to a target illuminance when a predetermined voltage is applied to the light source of the irradiating unit with the light shielding plate closed. Exposure device.
(2) A proximity exposure method using the proximity exposure apparatus according to (1), which is detected by the illuminometer when a predetermined voltage is applied to the light source of the irradiation unit with the light shielding plate closed. A proximity exposure method comprising a step of correcting the illuminance to be a target illuminance.
(3) The proximity exposure apparatus or the proximity exposure method described in (1) or (2), wherein the power consumption of the light source can be corrected to the target power so as to be the target power of the target illuminance. A proximity exposure apparatus or a proximity exposure method characterized by the above.

According to the proximity exposure apparatus and the proximity exposure method of the present invention, it is possible to stabilize the illuminance immediately before exposure by irradiating the exposure light at the start of the operation of the proximity exposure apparatus and controlling the power until the target illuminance is reached. The exposure unevenness can be eliminated and the exposure can be performed with high accuracy. In addition, since the exposure light is irradiated with the light shielding plate closed, the substrate can be placed directly under the light source, so that exposure can be started directly by opening the light shielding plate, resulting in a longer tact. Disappears.

It is a top view of the proximity exposure apparatus which is embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of the proximity exposure apparatus in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the light source control part and irradiation part of the proximity exposure apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the proximity exposure method of the proximity exposure apparatus which concerns on this invention.

  Embodiments of a proximity exposure apparatus and an exposure method according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, an outline of the configuration of the proximity exposure apparatus 1 of the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the proximity exposure apparatus 1 of the present embodiment floats and supports the substrate W, and transports the substrate W in a predetermined direction (X direction in FIG. 1), and a plurality of A plurality of mask holding portions (six on the left and right sides in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1) that hold the masks M and are arranged in two rows in a staggered manner along a direction (Y direction in FIG. 1) that intersects a predetermined direction. 11, a mask driving unit 12 that drives the mask holding unit 11, a plurality of irradiation units 14 that are respectively disposed on top of the plurality of mask holding units 11 and irradiate exposure light, and each operating part of the proximity exposure apparatus 1 And a control unit 15 for controlling the movement of the camera.

  The substrate transport function 10 includes a floating unit 16 provided in a region for transporting the substrate W in the X direction, that is, a region below the plurality of mask holding units 11 and a region extending from the bottom region to both sides in the X direction. And a substrate driving unit 17 that holds the one side in the Y direction (the upper side in FIG. 1) and conveys it in the X direction. The levitation unit 16 includes a plurality of exhaust air pads 20 and intake / exhaust air pads 21 respectively provided on a plurality of frames 19, and the exhaust air pads 20 and the intake / exhaust air pads 21 are provided via pumps (not shown) and solenoid valves (not shown). Air is exhausted or sucked and exhausted from the exhaust air pad 21. As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate driving unit 17 includes a suction pad 22 that holds one end of the substrate W that is levitated and supported by the levitating unit 16, and includes a motor 23, a ball screw 24, and a nut (not shown). The substrate W is transported in the X direction along the guide rail 26 by the ball screw function 25. As shown in FIG. 2, the plurality of frames 19 are arranged via another level block 28 on the apparatus base 27 installed on the ground via the level block 18. Further, the substrate W may be transported by a linear servo actuator instead of the ball screw function 25.

  The mask drive unit 12 is attached to a frame (not shown), and is attached to the X direction drive unit 31 that drives the mask holding unit 11 along the X direction, and the tip of the X direction drive unit 31. Is attached to the tip of the Y direction drive unit 32, and the mask holding unit 11 is rotationally driven in the θ direction (around the horizontal plane of the X and Y directions). A θ-direction drive unit 33 and a Z-direction drive unit 34 that is attached to the tip of the θ-direction drive unit 33 and drives the mask holding unit 11 in the Z direction (vertical direction of the horizontal plane composed of the X and Y directions). Accordingly, the mask holding unit 11 attached to the tip of the Z direction driving unit 34 can be driven in the X, Y, Z, and θ directions by the mask driving unit 12. Note that the order of arrangement of the X, Y, θ, and Z direction drive units 31, 32, 33, and 34 can be changed as appropriate.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a mask changer 2 in which the masks M of the mask holding portions 11a and 11b can be simultaneously exchanged between the carry-in side and carry-out side mask holding portions 11a and 11b arranged in two rows in a staggered manner. Is arranged. The used or unused mask M transported by the mask changer 2 is transferred to and from the mask stockers 3 and 4 by the loader 5. The mask M is pre-aligned by a mask pre-alignment function (not shown) during the transfer between the mask stockers 3 and 4 and the mask changer 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the plurality of irradiation units 14 arranged on the top of each mask holding unit 11 includes a concave mirror 6 a that collects the light emitted from the light source 6 and the direction of the optical path as shown in FIG. 3. A plane mirror 6b to be changed, a light shielding plate 8 that controls the opening and closing of the irradiation light path, a collimation mirror 9c that is arranged downstream of the light shielding plate 8 and emits light from the light source 6 toward the mask M as parallel light, and a light source 6. A plurality of optical integrators 9a and filters 9b provided to be selectively disposed between the collimation mirror 9c. As the light source 6, for example, an ultrahigh pressure mercury lamp, a xenon lamp, or an ultraviolet light emitting laser that irradiates exposure light EL including ultraviolet light is used.
Also, an illuminance meter 50 is provided on the surface side of the mirror 6b where the exposure light EL is not irradiated, and the illuminance is measured by light leaking from a pinhole provided at a substantially central portion of the mirror 6b.

  Such a proximity exposure apparatus 1 levitates and holds the substrate W by the air flow of the exhaust air pad 20 and the intake / exhaust air pad 21 of the levitation unit 16, and adsorbs one end of the substrate W by the substrate drive unit 17 in the X direction. Transport. Then, the exposure light EL from the irradiation unit 14 is irradiated to the substrate W positioned below the mask holding unit 11 through the mask M, and the pattern of the mask M is transferred to the substrate W coated with the photosensitive agent. To do.

As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 15 is provided with a light source control unit 15 a that controls the power so that the illuminance of the light source 6 of each irradiation unit 14 is kept constant. The light source controller 15a keeps the illuminance constant by controlling the power, mainly voltage, of the light source 6 in accordance with the illuminance signal output from each illuminometer 50.
More specifically, the light source control unit 15a is provided with a correction function 15b. The correction function 15b compares the illuminance signal from each of the illuminance meters 50 with a preset reference illuminance. If the value is different, the exposure power is calculated so that the target illuminance is obtained, and the power command is set as the light source. 6 is output.

The light source control unit 15a is provided with a light shielding plate control function 15c. The light shielding plate control function 15c performs opening / closing control of the light shielding plate 8 as necessary. When the light shielding plate 8 is closed, the irradiation light path is closed, that is, the exposure light EL is not irradiated onto the substrate M. When the light shielding plate 8 is opened, the irradiation light path is opened, that is, the exposure light. The substrate M is irradiated with EL.
From the start of exposure until the illuminance of the light source 6 is stabilized, the light shielding plate 8 is controlled to be closed. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the exposure light EL from being irradiated onto the substrate M even when the substrate M is transported directly under the light source 6. In addition, by doing so, the exposure can be started immediately after the illuminance of the light source 6 is stabilized.

  Hereinafter, specific processing of illuminance correction will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, the light shielding plate 8 is closed by a signal from the light shielding plate control function 15c of the light source controller 15a by the exposure start signal (step 1), and the substrate M is not irradiated with the exposure light EL. Subsequently, a predetermined output setting is performed by the light source control unit 15 a and output to the light source 6. Then, when the exposure light EL is irradiated from each light source 6, the illuminance measurement is performed by each illuminometer 50 (step 4), and the illuminance signal is sent to the correction function 15b of the light source control unit 15a to obtain the target illuminance. A comparison is made.

  If each light source 6 has the target illuminance, the light shielding plate 8 is opened by a signal from the light shielding plate control function 15c (step 6), and the exposure light EL is irradiated onto the substrate M, so that the exposure operation is performed. Starts (step 7). In other words, the substrate M is sequentially transported and exposed from the position immediately below the light source 6 while flying air. See paragraph [0018].

If the light source 6 is not the target illuminance, the exposure power at which the illuminance becomes the target value is calculated by the correction function 15b (step 8), and is output to the light source 6 from the light source controller 15a. When EL is irradiated, the illuminance measurement is performed again by each illuminometer 50, and the operation from step 4 is repeated. This is repeated until each illuminometer 50 reaches the target value.
Further, the power at which each light source 6 becomes the target illuminance is set as the target power, and the deviation between the actual power consumption at the target illuminance of each light source 6 and the target power at which the target illuminance is obtained is calculated. The power consumption in each light source 6 is corrected to the target power according to the deviation. Thereby, exposure unevenness may be eliminated and exposure may be performed with high accuracy. As specific power value calculation means, power is calculated by each light source 6 or an integrator (not shown) connected to a circuit constituting the light source.

As described above, according to the proximity exposure apparatus 1 and the proximity exposure method of the present embodiment, exposure is performed by irradiating the exposure light EL at the start of the operation of the proximity exposure apparatus 1 and controlling the power until the target illuminance is reached. The illuminance immediately before can be stabilized, exposure unevenness can be eliminated, and exposure can be performed with high accuracy.
In addition, since the exposure light EL is irradiated with the light shielding plate 8 closed, the substrate M can be disposed immediately below the light source 6, so that the exposure can be started directly by opening the light shielding plate 8. , Tact does not become long.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately changed and improved.
In the present invention, the light shielding plate 8 is provided between the flat mirror 6b and the optical integrator 9a. However, the light shielding plate 8 may be provided inside or near the concave mirror 6a.
The present invention can also be applied to a so-called scanning proximity exposure apparatus in which exposure is performed while scanning a substrate transported at a constant speed in a predetermined direction. On the other hand, the present invention can be applied to a so-called stepwise proximity exposure apparatus that repeatedly performs exposure for each step, and does not limit the exposure method.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Proximity exposure apparatus 8 Light-shielding plate 10 Substrate conveyance function 11 Mask holding part 12 Mask drive part 14 Irradiation part 15 Control part 15a Light source control part 15b Correction function 15c Light-shielding board control function 50 Illuminance meter EL Exposure light M Mask W Color filter substrate (substrate)

Claims (3)

Proximity for irradiating exposure light through a plurality of masks arranged close to a substrate transported in a predetermined direction along a direction intersecting the predetermined direction to expose the patterns of the plurality of masks on the substrate An exposure apparatus, which is disposed on each of the plurality of masks and irradiates the exposure light, an illuminometer provided in the irradiator to detect the illuminance of the light, and the irradiation A light source control unit that controls the power of the unit according to an illuminance signal from the illuminance meter, and a light shielding plate that controls opening and closing of an irradiation light path emitted from the irradiation unit, the light source control unit comprising the light shielding plate A proximity exposure apparatus having a correction function for correcting so that the illuminance detected by the illuminometer becomes a target illuminance when a predetermined voltage is applied to the light source of the irradiating unit in a closed state. The proximity exposure method using the proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the illuminance detected by the illuminometer when a predetermined voltage is applied to the light source of the irradiation unit with the light shielding plate closed. A proximity exposure method comprising a step of correcting so as to achieve a target illuminance. The proximity exposure apparatus or the proximity exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the power consumption of the light source can be corrected to the target power so as to be the target power of the target illuminance. Proximity exposure apparatus or proximity exposure method.

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