JP2011123103A - Proximity exposure apparatus, method for controlling gap of proximity exposure apparatus, and method for manufacturing display panel substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To align a gap between a mask and a substrate in a short time by quickly restoring the mask deformed by air between the mask and the substrate on controlling the gap between the mask and the substrate. <P>SOLUTION: A gap between a mask 2 and a substrate 1 is controlled to reach a target value after once made narrower than the target value by each Z-tilt mechanism 30. The gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is measured at a plurality of measuring points by a plurality of gap sensors 40, and the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is aligned by the Z-tilt mechanism 30 on the basis of the measurement results. When the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is once made narrower than the target value and then to reach the target value, the mask 2 is pulled by air remaining in the space between the mask 2 and the substrate 1, in the opposite direction to the deformation direction, which quickly eliminates the deformation of the mask 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a proximity exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate using a proximity method in the manufacture of a display panel substrate such as a liquid crystal display device, a gap control method for the proximity exposure apparatus, and a display panel using the same. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a substrate, and in particular, a proximity exposure apparatus and a proxy that perform a gap alignment between a mask and a substrate by relatively moving and tilting a mask holder that holds a mask and a chuck that supports the substrate in the Z direction. The present invention relates to a gap control method for a Mitty exposure apparatus and a method for manufacturing a display panel substrate using them.

  The manufacture of TFT (Thin Film Transistor) substrates, color filter substrates, plasma display panel substrates, organic EL (Electroluminescence) display panel substrates, etc. for liquid crystal display devices used as display panels is performed using an exposure apparatus, photolithography. This is performed by forming a pattern on the substrate by a technique. As an exposure apparatus, a projection method in which a mask pattern is projected onto a substrate using a lens or a mirror, and a minute gap (proximity gap) is provided between the mask and the substrate to transfer the mask pattern to the substrate. There is a proximity method. The proximity method is inferior in pattern resolution performance to the projection method, but the configuration of the irradiation optical system is simple, the processing capability is high, and it is suitable for mass production.

  In recent years, in the manufacture of various substrates for display panels, a relatively large substrate is prepared in order to cope with an increase in size and a variety of sizes, and one or a plurality of substrates can be selected from one substrate depending on the size of the display panel. Manufactures display panel substrates. In this case, in the proximity method, if one surface of the substrate is to be exposed at once, a mask having the same size as the substrate is required, and the cost of the expensive mask is further increased. In view of this, the mainstream method is to use a mask that is relatively smaller than the substrate, move the substrate stepwise in the XY directions, and divide and expose one surface of the substrate into a plurality of shots.

  In the proximity method, exposure is performed by bringing a mask and a substrate close to a proximity gap of about several hundred μm. The gap control between the mask and the substrate is performed by measuring the gap between the mask and the substrate at a plurality of positions by a plurality of gap sensors, and by using a plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms on the basis of the measurement result, a mask holder or a substrate holding the mask. This is done by moving and tilting the supporting chuck in the Z direction. At that time, the air between the mask and the substrate is compressed without escape from the edge of the mask or the edge of the substrate, and the mask is deformed by being pushed by the compressed air. Conventionally, since waiting for the deformed mask to return to its original state and confirming that the gap is within the allowable range, it takes time to control the gap. In particular, when exposing one side of a substrate in a plurality of shots, the gap control between the mask and the substrate is performed for each shot, so the time required for the gap control increases as the number of shots increases. On the other hand, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for speeding up the gap control by providing an airtight chamber on the upper surface of the mask and adjusting the pressure in the airtight chamber to correct the deformation of the mask.

JP 2003-15310 A

  In the technique described in Patent Document 1, when the substrate is enlarged and the mask is enlarged, the hermetic chamber becomes wider and it takes time to adjust the pressure in the hermetic chamber, and there is a limit to speeding up the gap control.

  The object of the present invention is to quickly return the mask deformed by the air between the mask and the substrate during the gap control between the mask and the substrate, and to perform the gap alignment between the mask and the substrate in a short time. is there. Another object of the present invention is to manufacture a display panel substrate with high throughput.

  The proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention is a proximity exposure apparatus including a chuck that supports a substrate and a mask holder that holds a mask. The proximity exposure apparatus includes a plurality of mask holders and chucks that relatively move and tilt in the Z direction. A control device comprising: a Z-tilt mechanism; a plurality of gap sensors that measure a gap between a mask and a substrate at a plurality of locations; a drive circuit that drives the plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms; and a control device that controls the drive circuit. However, the drive circuit drives a plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms to narrow the gap between the mask and the substrate once more than the target value, and then approaches the target value. Based on the measurement results of the plurality of gap sensors, A plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms are driven to adjust the gap between the mask and the substrate.

  In addition, a gap control method for a proximity exposure apparatus according to the present invention is a gap control method for a proximity exposure apparatus that includes a chuck that supports a substrate and a mask holder that holds a mask. A plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms that relatively move and tilt in the Z direction and a plurality of gap sensors that measure a gap between the mask and the substrate at a plurality of locations are provided. The gap between the mask and the substrate is made narrower than the target value and then brought close to the target value, and the gap between the mask and the substrate is measured at a plurality of locations by a plurality of gap sensors. The gap is adjusted.

  When the gap between the mask and the substrate is once narrower than the target value, more air is released from between the mask and the substrate than when the gap between the mask and the substrate is directly set to the target value. Less air between the substrate and the substrate. Then, when the gap between the mask and the substrate is brought close to the target value thereafter, the gap between the mask and the substrate widens, so the air remaining between the mask and the substrate is pulled in the direction opposite to the deformation direction, Mask deformation is quickly eliminated.

  Alternatively, the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention is a proximity exposure apparatus including a chuck that supports a substrate and a mask holder that holds a mask, and the mask holder and the chuck are relatively moved and tilted in the Z direction. A plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms, a plurality of gap sensors that measure the gap between the mask and the substrate at a plurality of locations, a drive circuit that drives the plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms, and a control device that controls the drive circuit, The control device drives a plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms by a drive circuit based on the measurement results of a plurality of gap sensors on a single substrate to perform a gap alignment between the mask and the substrate. The Z-direction position of each Z-tilt mechanism is stored as a registered position of each Z-tilt mechanism, and a plurality of substrates thereafter are driven by a drive circuit. A plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms are driven, and each Z-tilt mechanism is moved to a position where the gap between the mask and the substrate becomes narrower than the registered position, and then moved to the registered position. Based on the above, a plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms are driven by a drive circuit to perform gap alignment between the mask and the substrate.

  In addition, a gap control method for a proximity exposure apparatus according to the present invention is a gap control method for a proximity exposure apparatus that includes a chuck that supports a substrate and a mask holder that holds a mask. Provided with a plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms that move and tilt relatively in the Z direction and a plurality of gap sensors that measure the gap between the mask and the substrate at a plurality of locations, and a plurality of gap sensors for one substrate Measure the gap between the mask and the substrate at a plurality of locations by using the Z-tilt mechanism to perform the gap alignment between the mask and the substrate based on the measurement results, and position the Z-tilt mechanism in the Z direction after the gap alignment. Are stored as registered positions of the respective Z-tilt mechanisms, and the respective Z-tilt mechanisms are placed on the plurality of substrates thereafter than the registered positions. After moving to a position where the gap between the substrate and the substrate is narrowed, the substrate is moved to the registration position, and the gap between the mask and the substrate is measured at a plurality of locations by a plurality of gap sensors, and based on the measurement results, a plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms are used. The gap between the mask and the substrate is adjusted.

  Once each Z-tilt mechanism is moved to a position where the gap between the mask and the substrate is narrower than the registered position, more air is transferred between the mask and the substrate than when each Z-tilt mechanism is moved directly to the registered position. The amount of air remaining between the mask and the substrate is reduced. Then, when each Z-tilt mechanism is moved to the registration position after that, the gap between the mask and the substrate widens, so that the mask is pulled in the direction opposite to the deformation direction by the air remaining between the mask and the substrate. The deformation of is quickly eliminated.

  Alternatively, the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention includes a chuck that supports the substrate, a mask holder that holds the mask, and a stage that moves the chuck, and the chuck is moved by the stage to step the substrate in the XY directions. In a proximity exposure apparatus that divides and exposes one surface of a substrate into a plurality of shots, a plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms that relatively move and tilt the mask holder and the chuck in the Z direction, and a mask and a substrate A plurality of gap sensors that measure a gap at a plurality of locations, a drive circuit that drives a plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms, and a control device that controls the drive circuit are provided. After the step movement in the XY direction, based on the measurement results of the gap sensors, the drive circuit drives the Z-tilt mechanisms. , The gap between the mask and the substrate is aligned, and for each shot, the position in the Z direction of each Z-tilt mechanism after the gap alignment is stored as a registered position for each shot of each Z-tilt mechanism. After the step movement of the substrate in the XY directions with respect to the plurality of substrates, the plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms are driven by the drive circuit, and each Z-tilt mechanism is moved to the mask and the substrate from the registered position for the shot. The gap between the mask and the substrate is adjusted by driving the plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms by the drive circuit based on the measurement results of the plurality of gap sensors. Is.

  The gap control method of the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention includes a chuck that supports a substrate, a mask holder that holds the mask, and a stage that moves the chuck, and the chuck is moved by the stage to move the substrate in the XY directions. Is a gap control method for a proximity exposure apparatus that performs exposure by dividing a surface of a substrate into a plurality of shots, and moves a mask holder and a chuck relatively in the Z direction and moves a plurality of Z -A tilt mechanism and a plurality of gap sensors for measuring the gap between the mask and the substrate at a plurality of locations are provided, and the mask is moved by the plurality of gap sensors after the step movement of the substrate in the XY direction with respect to one substrate. The gap between the substrate and the substrate is measured at a plurality of locations, and the gap between the mask and the substrate is measured by a plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms based on the measurement result. For each shot, the position in the Z direction of each Z-tilt mechanism after gap alignment is stored as a registered position for each shot of each Z-tilt mechanism. After the step movement of the substrate in the XY directions, each Z-tilt mechanism is moved once to a position where the gap between the mask and the substrate becomes narrower than the registration position for the shot, and then moved to the registration position. The gap between the mask and the substrate is measured by a sensor at a plurality of locations, and the gap between the mask and the substrate is adjusted by a plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms based on the measurement result.

  When stepping the substrate in the XY direction and exposing one side of the substrate in multiple shots, if the chuck that supports the substrate has gentle irregularities or deformations, the surface of the substrate will not be completely flat Therefore, the position in the Z direction of each Z-tilt mechanism after gap matching differs for each shot. After a step movement of the substrate in the XY direction with respect to one substrate, the gap between the mask and the substrate is measured at a plurality of positions by a plurality of gap sensors, and the mask is moved by a plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms based on the measurement result. Gap alignment with the substrate is performed, and for each shot, the position in the Z direction of each Z-tilt mechanism after gap alignment is stored as a registered position for each shot of each Z-tilt mechanism. Even if there are gradual irregularities, deformations, etc., the gap between the mask and the substrate when each Z-tilt mechanism is moved to the registration position for that shot for each shot for a plurality of subsequent substrates, Can be almost constant. After the step movement of the substrate in the X and Y directions, once each Z-tilt mechanism is moved to a position where the gap between the mask and the substrate becomes narrower than the registration position for that shot, each Z-tilt mechanism is directly moved to the registration position. Compared to the movement, more air is released from between the mask and the substrate, and less air remains between the mask and the substrate. Then, when each Z-tilt mechanism is moved to the registration position after that, the gap between the mask and the substrate widens, so that the mask is pulled in the direction opposite to the deformation direction by the air remaining between the mask and the substrate. Mask deformation is quickly eliminated in shots.

  The method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to the present invention includes exposing the substrate using any one of the above-described proximity exposure apparatuses, or using the gap control method of any one of the above-described proximity exposure apparatuses and a mask. The substrate is exposed by adjusting the gap with the substrate. The gap between the mask and the substrate is adjusted in a short time, and the display panel substrate is manufactured with high throughput.

  According to the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention and the gap control method of the proximity exposure apparatus, the gap between the mask and the substrate is made narrower than the target value and then brought closer to the target value, so that the gap between the mask and the substrate is reduced. The mask deformed by air can be quickly returned to its original position, and the gap between the mask and the substrate can be adjusted in a short time.

  Alternatively, according to the proximity exposure apparatus and the proximity exposure apparatus gap control method of the present invention, each Z-tilt mechanism is once moved to a position where the gap between the mask and the substrate is narrower than the registration position, and then the registration position. By moving to, the mask deformed by the air between the mask and the substrate can be quickly returned to its original position, and the gap between the mask and the substrate can be aligned in a short time.

  Alternatively, according to the proximity exposure apparatus and the proximity exposure apparatus gap control method of the present invention, after the step movement of the substrate in the XY directions, each Z-tilt mechanism is moved from the registration position for the shot to the mask and the substrate. In each shot, the mask deformed by the air between the mask and the substrate is quickly returned to the original position, and the gap between the mask and the substrate is quickly moved. The alignment can be performed in a short time.

  According to the method for manufacturing a display panel substrate of the present invention, since the gap between the mask and the substrate can be adjusted in a short time, the display panel substrate can be manufactured with high throughput.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the proximity exposure apparatus by one embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of a mask holder. It is a figure which shows the state which moved the chuck | zipper to the load / unload position. 4A is a front view of the Z-tilt mechanism, and FIG. 4B is a side view of the Z-tilt mechanism. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of a gap sensor. It is a flowchart which shows the gap control method of the proximity exposure apparatus by one embodiment of this invention. FIG. 7A shows the mask when the gap between the mask and the substrate is narrower than the target value, and FIG. 7B shows the mask when the gap between the mask and the substrate approaches the target value thereafter. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the area | region of a shot. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement which determines a registration position. It is a block diagram which shows the part which performs the gap alignment operation | movement of a main controller. 10 is a flowchart of the gap matching operation of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement of the exposure process using the gap control method of the proximity exposure apparatus by other embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the gap control method of the proximity exposure apparatus by other embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the manufacturing process of the TFT substrate of a liquid crystal display device. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the manufacturing process of the color filter board | substrate of a liquid crystal display device.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a proximity exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The present embodiment shows an example of a proximity exposure apparatus that performs step movement of the substrate in the XY directions and exposes one surface of the substrate in a plurality of shots. The proximity exposure apparatus includes a base 3, an X guide 4, an X stage 5, a Y guide 6, a Y stage 7, a θ stage 8, a chuck support base 9, a chuck 10, a mask holder 20, a holder frame 21, a top frame 22, and air. The cushion 23, the Z-tilt mechanism 30, the gap sensor 40, the main controller 50, the X stage drive circuit 61, the Y stage drive circuit 62, the θ stage drive circuit 63, and the Z-tilt mechanism drive circuit 64 are configured. Yes. In addition to these, the proximity exposure apparatus carries a substrate 1 into the chuck 10 and also carries a substrate transport robot that unloads the substrate 1 from the chuck 10, an irradiation optical system that irradiates exposure light, and a temperature at which temperature management in the apparatus is performed. A control unit is provided.

  Note that the XY directions in the embodiments described below are examples, and the X direction and the Y direction may be interchanged.

  In FIG. 1, the chuck 10 is at an exposure position where the substrate 1 is exposed. A top frame 22 is installed above the exposure position. A holder frame 21 is attached to the top frame 22 via an air cushion 23. A mask holder 20 that holds the mask 2 is attached to the holder frame 21. FIG. 2 is a top view of the mask holder. In FIG. 2, the mask holder 20 is provided with an opening 20a through which exposure light passes, and the mask 2 is mounted below the opening 20a. A suction groove is provided around the opening 20a on the lower surface of the mask holder 20, and the mask holder 20 holds the peripheral portion of the mask 2 by vacuum suction using the suction groove. An irradiation optical system (not shown) is disposed above the mask 2 held by the mask holder 20. At the time of exposure, exposure light from the irradiation optical system passes through the mask 2 and is irradiated onto the substrate 1, whereby the pattern of the mask 2 is transferred to the surface of the substrate 1 and a pattern is formed on the substrate 1.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the chuck is moved to the load / unload position. At the load / unload position, the substrate 1 is carried into the chuck 10 and the substrate 1 is carried out of the chuck 10 by a substrate transfer robot (not shown). The loading of the substrate 1 onto the chuck 10 and the unloading of the substrate 1 from the chuck 10 are performed using a plurality of push-up pins provided on the chuck 10. The push-up pin is housed inside the chuck 10 and is lifted from the inside of the chuck 10 to receive the substrate 1 from the substrate transfer robot and unload the substrate 1 from the chuck 10 when loading the substrate 1 onto the chuck 10. In doing so, the substrate 1 is delivered to the substrate transfer robot.

  1 and 3, the chuck 10 is mounted on the θ stage 8 via the chuck support 9, and a Y stage 7 and an X stage 5 are provided below the θ stage 8. The X stage 5 is mounted on an X guide 4 provided on the base 3 and moves along the X guide 4 in the X direction (the horizontal direction in FIGS. 1 and 3). The Y stage 7 is mounted on a Y guide 6 provided on the X stage 5 and moves in the Y direction (the depth direction in FIGS. 1 and 3) along the Y guide 6. The θ stage 8 is mounted on the Y stage 7 and rotates in the θ direction. The chuck support 9 is mounted on the θ stage 8 and supports the chuck 10 at a plurality of locations.

  The chuck 10 is moved between the load / unload position and the exposure position by the movement of the X stage 5 in the X direction and the movement of the Y stage 7 in the Y direction. At the load / unload position, the substrate 1 mounted on the chuck 10 is pre-aligned by moving the X stage 5 in the X direction, moving the Y stage 7 in the Y direction, and rotating the θ stage 8 in the θ direction. Is done. At the exposure position, the X stage 5 is moved in the X direction and the Y stage 7 is moved in the Y direction, whereby the substrate 1 mounted on the chuck 10 is stepped in the XY direction. Then, the substrate 1 is aligned by the movement of the X stage 5 in the X direction, the movement of the Y stage 7 in the Y direction, and the rotation of the θ stage 8 in the θ direction. In addition, the mask holder 20 is moved and tilted in the Z direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 1) by the Z-tilt mechanism 30 provided on the side surface of the top frame 22 to adjust the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1. Is called.

  The X stage 5, Y stage 7, and θ stage 8 are provided with drive mechanisms (not shown) such as ball screws and motors, linear motors and the like. In FIG. 1, the X stage drive circuit 61 drives the X stage 5 under the control of the main controller 50. The Y stage drive circuit 62 drives the Y stage 7 under the control of the main controller 50. The θ stage drive circuit 63 drives the θ stage 8 under the control of the main controller 50. The Z-tilt mechanism drive circuit 64 drives each Z-tilt mechanism 30 under the control of the main controller 50.

  4A is a front view of the Z-tilt mechanism, and FIG. 4B is a side view of the Z-tilt mechanism. The Z-tilt mechanism 30 includes a casing 31, a linear motion guide 32, a movable block 33, a motor 34, a shaft coupling 35, a ball screw 36a, a nut 36b, and a ball 37. As shown in FIG. 4B, the casing 31 is attached to the side surface of the top frame 22. As shown in FIG. 4A, a linear motion guide 32 is provided inside the casing 31, and a movable block 33 is mounted on the linear motion guide 32. A motor 34 is installed above the casing 31, and a ball screw 36 a is connected to the rotating shaft of the motor 34 via a shaft coupling 35. A nut 36 b that is moved by a ball screw 36 a is attached to the movable block 33, and the movable block 33 moves up and down along the linear guide 32 by the rotation of the motor 34.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, a tilt arm 24 is provided on the lower surface of the holder frame 21. A ball 37 is attached to the lower surface of the movable block 33, and the ball 37 is pressed against the tilt arm 24 by the movable block 33. In FIG. 2, the Z-tilt mechanism 30 is installed at three locations near the side surface of the holder frame 21. The three Z-tilt mechanisms 30 move the movable block 33 up and down to change the height of the ball 37 that pushes the tilt arm 24, thereby increasing the height of the holder frame 21 supported by the air cushion 23. The mask holder 20 is moved and tilted in the Z direction by changing the height at three locations.

  In the present embodiment, the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is adjusted by moving and tilting the mask holder 20 in the Z direction by the Z-tilt mechanism 30. The gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 may be adjusted by providing a tilt mechanism and moving and tilting the chuck 10 in the Z direction.

  In FIG. 2, four gap sensors 40 are provided above the mask 2 held by the mask holder 20. When the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is aligned, each gap sensor 40 is moved above the four corners of the opening 20a of the mask holder 20 by a moving mechanism (not shown), and the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is changed to the mask. Measure at the four corners. After the gap alignment between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is completed, each gap sensor 40 is moved outside the opening 20a of the mask holder 20 by a moving mechanism (not shown).

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the gap sensor. The gap sensor 40 includes a laser light source 41, a collimation lens group 42, a projection lens 43, mirrors 44 and 45, an imaging lens 46, and a CCD line sensor 47. Laser light generated from the laser light source 41 passes through the collimation lens group 42 and the projection lens 43 and is irradiated obliquely from the mirror 44 to the mask 2. A part of the laser light applied to the mask 2 is reflected by the upper surface of the mask 2 and a part of the laser light is transmitted to the inside of the mask 2. A part of the laser light transmitted to the inside of the mask 2 is reflected by the lower surface of the mask 2, and a part of the laser light is irradiated to the surface of the substrate 1 from the lower surface of the mask 2. A part of the laser light applied to the surface of the substrate 1 is reflected by the surface of the substrate 1 and a part of the laser light is transmitted to the inside of the substrate 1. The laser light reflected by the lower surface of the mask 2 and the laser light reflected by the surface of the substrate 1 are emitted from the upper surface of the mask, then reflected by the mirror 45, pass through the imaging lens 46, and pass through the CCD line sensor 47. An image is formed on the light receiving surface. The CCD line sensor 47 outputs a detection signal corresponding to the intensity of light received by the light receiving surface. The gap G between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is determined from the position of the detection signal of the laser beam reflected from the lower surface of the mask 2 of the CCD line sensor 47 and the position of the detection signal of the laser beam reflected from the surface of the substrate 1. Measured.

  Hereinafter, a gap control method for a proximity exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a gap control method of a proximity exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. When performing the gap control between the mask 2 and the substrate 1, first, the main control device 50 in FIG. 1 drives each Z-tilt mechanism 30 by the Z-tilt mechanism drive circuit 64 so that the mask 2 and the substrate 1 are moved. The gap is once narrower than the target value (step 301). Here, the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 that is narrower than the target value is about 10% to 50% of the target value according to the target value, and there is no possibility of contact between the mask 2 and the substrate 1. To do.

  After the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is once narrower than the target value, the main control device 50 drives each Z-tilt mechanism 30 by the Z-tilt mechanism drive circuit 64 so that the mask 2 and the substrate 1 The gap is brought close to the target value (step 302). Each gap sensor 40 measures the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 at the four corners of the mask 2 (step 310). Main controller 50 determines whether the gap between mask 2 and substrate 1 is within an allowable range based on the target value of the gap between mask 2 and substrate 1 and the measurement results of each gap sensor 40 (step 320). If the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is within the allowable range, the gap alignment operation is terminated.

  When the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is not within the allowable range, the main controller 50 measures each gap sensor 40 based on the target value of the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 and the measurement result of each gap sensor 40. The amount of movement for moving the mask 2 at a point is determined, and the amount of movement for moving each Z-tilt mechanism 30 is determined based on them (step 330). Then, main controller 50 drives Z-tilt mechanism drive circuit 64 to move each Z-tilt mechanism 30 by the determined amount of movement of each Z-tilt mechanism 30 (step 340), and to step 310. Return.

  FIG. 7A shows the mask when the gap between the mask and the substrate is narrower than the target value, and FIG. 7B shows the mask when the gap between the mask and the substrate approaches the target value thereafter. FIG. When the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is once narrower than the target value by each Z-tilt mechanism 30, more air is masked than when the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is directly set to the target value. 2 is escaped from between the substrate 2 and the substrate 1, and less air remains between the mask 2 and the substrate 1. At this time, as shown in FIG. 7A, the mask 2 is pushed by the air remaining between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 and is deformed so as to enter the opening 20 a of the mask holder 20. Then, as shown in FIG. 7B, when the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is brought close to the target value thereafter, the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 widens, so that the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is increased. The mask 2 is pulled in the direction opposite to the deformation direction by the remaining air, and the deformation of the mask 2 is quickly eliminated.

  According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is deformed by the air between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 by making the gap once smaller than the target value and then approaching the target value. The mask can be quickly returned to its original position, and the gap between the mask 1 and the substrate 1 can be aligned in a short time.

  Note that the present invention is applicable to both the case where the one surface of the substrate is divided into a plurality of shots and the case where the entire surface of the substrate is exposed.

  Next, a gap control method for a proximity exposure apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described. The proximity exposure apparatus according to the present embodiment performs exposure by dividing the surface of the substrate 1 into a plurality of shots by step-moving the substrate 1 in the XY directions at the exposure position. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a shot area. FIG. 8 shows an example in which one surface of the substrate 1 is exposed in six shots. The region 1a of the substrate 1 is exposed by the first shot, the region 1b of the substrate 1 is exposed by the second shot, the region 1c of the substrate 1 is exposed by the third shot, and the region 1c of the substrate 1 is exposed by the fourth shot. The region 1d is exposed, the region 1e of the substrate 1 is exposed by the fifth shot, and the region 1f of the substrate 1 is exposed by the sixth shot.

  In this embodiment, before exposing a plurality of substrates in order, each Z− is used to make the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 before performing gap alignment substantially constant by using one substrate. The registration position for each shot of the tilt mechanism 30 is determined. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation for determining the registration position. For one substrate, the substrate 1 is first loaded onto the chuck 10 at the load / unload position (step 401). The main controller 50 drives the X stage 5 by the X stage drive circuit 61, drives the Y stage 7 by the Y stage drive circuit 62, drives the θ stage 8 by the θ stage drive circuit 63, and loads / unloads. At the position, the chuck 10 is moved in the XY direction and rotated in the θ direction to perform pre-alignment of the substrate 1 (step 402). Next, main controller 50 drives X stage 5 by X stage drive circuit 61, drives Y stage 7 by Y stage drive circuit 62, moves chuck 10 to the exposure position, and moves substrate 1 to the exposure position. To the position where the first shot is performed (step 403).

  Subsequently, the main controller 50 drives each Z-tilt mechanism 30 by the Z-tilt mechanism driving circuit 64 based on the measurement results of the four gap sensors 40 to perform gap alignment between the mask 2 and the substrate 1. (Step 404). Next, the main controller 50 drives the X stage 5 by the X stage drive circuit 61, drives the Y stage 7 by the Y stage drive circuit 62, drives the θ stage 8 by the θ stage drive circuit 63, and performs exposure. At the position, the chuck 10 is moved in the XY direction and rotated in the θ direction to align the substrate 1 (step 405).

  After the gap alignment between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is completed, the main controller 50 determines the position in the Z direction of each Z-tilt mechanism 30 after the gap alignment as the registered position for each shot of each Z-tilt mechanism 30. (Step 406).

  After the gap alignment between mask 2 and substrate 1 is completed, main controller 50 determines whether or not the gap alignment has been completed for all shots (step 407). When the gap alignment has not been completed for all shots, main controller 50 drives each Z-tilt mechanism 30 by Z-tilt mechanism drive circuit 64 to set each Z-tilt mechanism 30 to a predetermined mask 2. And the substrate 1 are moved to a retreat position where there is no fear of contact (step 408). Subsequently, the main controller 50 drives the X stage 5 by the X stage drive circuit 61 and drives the Y stage 7 by the Y stage drive circuit 62 to perform step movement of the substrate 1 in the XY directions (Step 409). ), The substrate 1 is moved to the position where the next shot is performed. Then, the process returns to step 404, and steps 404 to 409 are repeated until gap matching is completed for all shots. For each shot, main controller 50 stores the position in the Z direction of each Z-tilt mechanism 30 after gap alignment as a registered position for each shot of each Z-tilt mechanism 30.

  When all shots are completed, the main controller 50 drives each Z-tilt mechanism 30 by the Z-tilt mechanism drive circuit 64 to widen the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 (step 410). The X stage 5 is driven by the stage drive circuit 61, and the Y stage 7 is driven by the Y stage drive circuit 62 to move the chuck 10 to the load / unload position (step 411). Then, at the load / unload position, the substrate 1 is unloaded from the chuck 10 (step 412).

  When the substrate 1 is moved stepwise in the X and Y directions, and one surface of the substrate 1 is exposed by being divided into a plurality of shots, if the chuck 10 supporting the substrate 1 has gentle unevenness or deformation, the surface of the substrate 1 is Since it is not completely flat, the position in the Z direction of each Z-tilt mechanism 30 after gap matching differs for each shot. After the step movement of the substrate 1 in the XY direction with respect to one substrate, the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is measured at a plurality of positions by a plurality of gap sensors 40, and a plurality of Z-tilts are determined based on the measurement result. The gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is adjusted by the mechanism 30, and the position in the Z direction of each Z-tilt mechanism 30 after the gap adjustment is set as the registered position for each shot of each Z-tilt mechanism 30 for each shot. Since the data is stored, even if the chuck that supports the substrate 1 has gentle unevenness, deformation, etc., each Z-tilt mechanism 30 is moved to the registered position for each shot with respect to a plurality of subsequent substrates. In this case, the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 can be made almost constant.

  FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a portion for performing the gap matching operation of the main controller. The part that performs the gap alignment operation of the main controller 50 includes a Z-tilt mechanism control unit 51, a memory 53, a movement amount calculation unit 54, a determination unit 55, a movement amount determination unit 56, and a cumulative value confirmation unit 57. Has been. The Z-tilt mechanism control unit 51 controls the Z-tilt mechanism drive circuit 64 and detects the position of each Z-tilt mechanism 30 driven by the Z-tilt mechanism drive circuit 64 in the Z direction.

  The memory 53 stores in advance a target value of the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 and an upper limit value of the amount of movement of the mask 2 in the Z direction at each gap sensor 40 measurement point. The position in the Z direction of each Z-tilt mechanism 30 after gap matching detected by the tilt mechanism control unit 51 is stored as a registered position for that shot of each Z-tilt mechanism 30 (step 406 in FIG. 9). Based on the position of each Z-tilt mechanism 30 detected by the Z-tilt mechanism control unit 51 in the Z direction, the movement amount calculation unit 54 calculates the inclination of the plane formed by the three Z-tilt mechanisms 30. The amount of movement of the mask 2 at the measurement point of the gap sensor 40 is calculated.

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the gap matching operation of FIG. In the operation of determining the registration position shown in FIG. 9, when performing gap alignment between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 (step 404), each gap sensor 40 first sets the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 to the mask 2. (Step 510). The determination unit 55 determines whether the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is within an allowable range based on the target value of the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 stored in the memory 53 and the measurement result of each gap sensor 40. If the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is within the allowable range (step 520), the gap alignment operation is terminated.

  When the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is not within the allowable range, the movement amount determination unit 56 is based on the target value of the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 stored in the memory 53 and the measurement result of each gap sensor 40. Then, the amount of movement for moving the mask 2 at the measurement point of each gap sensor 40 is determined, and the amount of movement for moving each Z-tilt mechanism 30 is determined based on them (step 530). The accumulated value confirmation unit 57 is configured such that the movement amount calculation unit 54 determines the measurement point of each gap sensor 40 before the Z-tilt mechanism control unit 51 drives each Z-tilt mechanism 30 by the Z-tilt mechanism drive circuit 64. It is confirmed whether the calculated movement amount of the mask 2 and the cumulative value of the movement amount of the mask 2 determined by the movement amount determination unit 56 are equal to or less than the upper limit value stored in the memory 53 (step 540). When the cumulative amount of movement is less than or equal to the upper limit value, the Z-tilt mechanism control unit 51 drives the Z-tilt mechanism drive circuit 64 and each Z-tilt mechanism 30 is determined by the movement amount determination unit 56. The amount of movement of the Z-tilt mechanism 30 is moved (step 550), and the process returns to step 510. If the cumulative value of the movement amount of the mask 2 is not less than or equal to the upper limit value, the gap matching operation is stopped.

  Based on the position of each Z-tilt mechanism 30 in the Z direction, the amount of movement of the mask 2 at the measurement point of each gap sensor 40 is calculated, the target value of the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1, and the mask 2 and the substrate 1 are calculated. Based on the measurement results of the gaps, the amount of movement of the mask 2 at the measurement point of each gap sensor 40 is determined, and before the plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms 30 are driven, the measurement point of each gap sensor 40 is measured. Since it is confirmed whether the calculated movement amount and the accumulated value of the determined movement amount are equal to or less than the upper limit value, contact between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is prevented during gap alignment.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an exposure process operation using the gap control method of the proximity exposure apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. First, the substrate 1 is loaded onto the chuck 10 at the load / unload position (step 601). The main controller 50 drives the X stage 5 by the X stage drive circuit 61, drives the Y stage 7 by the Y stage drive circuit 62, drives the θ stage 8 by the θ stage drive circuit 63, and loads / unloads. At the position, the chuck 10 is moved in the XY direction and rotated in the θ direction to perform pre-alignment of the substrate 1 (step 602). Next, main controller 50 drives X stage 5 by X stage drive circuit 61, drives Y stage 7 by Y stage drive circuit 62, moves chuck 10 to the exposure position, and moves substrate 1 to the exposure position. To the position where the first shot is performed (step 603). In parallel with this, the main controller 50 drives each Z-tilt mechanism 30 by the Z-tilt mechanism drive circuit 64 to move each Z-tilt mechanism 30 from the registration position for the first shot to the first. It is moved to a position above by a predetermined distance (step 604). Here, the first predetermined distance is a distance at which the mask 2 and the substrate 1 are not in contact with each other when the substrate 1 is moved stepwise in the XY direction.

  Subsequently, the main controller 50 drives each Z-tilt mechanism 30 by the Z-tilt mechanism driving circuit 64 based on the measurement results of the four gap sensors 40 to perform gap alignment between the mask 2 and the substrate 1. (Step 605). Next, the main controller 50 drives the X stage 5 by the X stage drive circuit 61, drives the Y stage 7 by the Y stage drive circuit 62, drives the θ stage 8 by the θ stage drive circuit 63, and performs exposure. At the position, the chuck 10 is moved in the XY direction and rotated in the θ direction to align the substrate 1 (step 606).

  The alignment of the substrate 1 (step 606) is a distance at which the alignment sensor provided on the substrate 1 and the mask 2 can detect the alignment mark during the gap alignment between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 (step 605). Alternatively, the process may be started when the mask 2 and the substrate 1 approach each other. In that case, the gap alignment between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 (step 605) and the alignment of the substrate 1 (step 606) can be partially performed in parallel, thereby reducing the tact time.

  After completing the gap alignment between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 and performing a shot (step 607), the main controller 50 determines whether or not all shots have been completed (step 608). When all shots have not been completed, main controller 50 drives each Z-tilt mechanism 30 by Z-tilt mechanism drive circuit 64 to move each Z-tilt mechanism 30 from the registration position for the next shot. Move to a position above the first predetermined distance (step 609). Subsequently, the main controller 50 drives the X stage 5 by the X stage driving circuit 61 and drives the Y stage 7 by the Y stage driving circuit 62 to perform the step movement of the substrate 1 in the XY directions (Step 610). ), The substrate 1 is moved to the position where the next shot is performed. Then, the process returns to step 605, and steps 605 to 610 are repeated until all shots are completed.

  When all shots are completed, the main controller 50 drives each Z-tilt mechanism 30 by the Z-tilt mechanism driving circuit 64 to widen the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 (step 611), and then X The X stage 5 is driven by the stage drive circuit 61, the Y stage 7 is driven by the Y stage drive circuit 62, and the chuck 10 is moved to the load / unload position (step 612). Then, at the load / unload position, the substrate 1 is unloaded from the chuck 10 (step 613).

  According to the exposure processing shown in FIG. 12, the registered positions for each shot of each Z-tilt mechanism 30 stored for one substrate are used, and a plurality of subsequent substrates are used for each shot. The gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 before the gap matching (step 605) can be made substantially constant.

  FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a gap control method of a proximity exposure apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the exposure processing shown in FIG. 12, when performing gap alignment between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 (step 605), the main controller 50 first moves each Z-tilt mechanism 30 from the registration position for that shot. It moves to a position below by a predetermined distance of 2 (step 701). Here, the second predetermined distance is about 10% to 50% of the target value according to the target value of the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1, and is a distance at which the mask 2 and the substrate 1 are not in contact with each other. To do. At this time, the movement amount determination unit 56 in FIG. 10 stores the registered position for each shot of each Z-tilt mechanism 30 stored in the memory 53 and each Z-tilt mechanism 30 detected by the Z-tilt mechanism control unit 51. The amount of movement of each Z-tilt mechanism 30 is determined based on the position in the Z direction. The Z-tilt mechanism control unit 51 drives the Z-tilt mechanism drive circuit 64 to move each Z-tilt mechanism 30 by the movement amount of each Z-tilt mechanism 30 determined by the movement amount determination unit 56.

  After stopping each Z-tilt mechanism 30 at a position below the registration position for the shot by a second predetermined distance, main controller 50 moves each Z-tilt mechanism 30 to the registration position. (Step 702). At this time, the movement amount determination unit 56 in FIG. 10 stores the registered position for each shot of each Z-tilt mechanism 30 stored in the memory 53 and each Z-tilt mechanism 30 detected by the Z-tilt mechanism control unit 51. The amount of movement of each Z-tilt mechanism 30 is determined based on the position in the Z direction. The Z-tilt mechanism control unit 51 drives the Z-tilt mechanism drive circuit 64 to move each Z-tilt mechanism 30 by the movement amount of each Z-tilt mechanism 30 determined by the movement amount determination unit 56. The subsequent operations in steps 710 to 750 are the same as those in steps 510 to 550 in FIG.

  According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 to FIG. 13, after the step movement of the substrate 1 in the XY directions, each Z-tilt mechanism 30 is moved to the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 rather than the registered position for that shot. By moving to the registration position after once moving to a position where the distance between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is reduced, the mask 2 deformed by the air between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is quickly returned to the original position in each shot. The gap can be aligned in a short time.

  The present invention is not limited to the case where one surface of the substrate is divided into a plurality of shots for exposure, but is also applied to the case where one surface of the substrate is exposed at a time.

  By exposing the substrate using the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention, or by aligning the gap between the mask and the substrate using the gap control method of the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention. Since the gap between the mask and the substrate can be adjusted in a short time, the display panel substrate can be manufactured with high throughput.

  For example, FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an example of the manufacturing process of the TFT substrate of the liquid crystal display device. In the thin film formation step (step 101), a thin film such as a conductor film or an insulator film, which becomes a transparent electrode for driving liquid crystal, is formed on the substrate by sputtering, plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD), or the like. In the resist coating process (step 102), a photosensitive resin material (photoresist) is applied by a roll coating method or the like, and a photoresist film is formed on the thin film formed in the thin film forming process (step 101). In the exposure step (step 103), the mask pattern is transferred to the photoresist film using a proximity exposure apparatus, a projection exposure apparatus, or the like. In the development step (step 104), a developer is supplied onto the photoresist film by a shower development method or the like to remove unnecessary portions of the photoresist film. In the etching process (step 105), a portion of the thin film formed in the thin film formation process (step 101) that is not masked by the photoresist film is removed by wet etching. In the stripping step (step 106), the photoresist film that has finished the role of the mask in the etching step (step 105) is stripped with a stripping solution. Before or after each of these steps, a substrate cleaning / drying step is performed as necessary. These steps are repeated several times to form a TFT array on the substrate.

  FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an example of the manufacturing process of the color filter substrate of the liquid crystal display device. In the black matrix forming step (step 201), a black matrix is formed on the substrate by processing such as resist coating, exposure, development, etching, and peeling. In the colored pattern forming step (step 202), a colored pattern is formed on the substrate by a dyeing method, a pigment dispersion method, a printing method, an electrodeposition method, or the like. This process is repeated for the R, G, and B coloring patterns. In the protective film forming step (step 203), a protective film is formed on the colored pattern, and in the transparent electrode film forming step (step 204), a transparent electrode film is formed on the protective film. Before, during or after each of these steps, a substrate cleaning / drying step is performed as necessary.

  In the TFT substrate manufacturing process shown in FIG. 14, in the exposure process (step 103), in the color filter substrate manufacturing process shown in FIG. 15, in the black matrix forming process (step 201) and the colored pattern forming process (step 202). In this exposure process, the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention or the gap control method of the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention can be applied.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Board | substrate 2 Mask 3 Base 4 X guide 5 X stage 6 Y guide 7 Y stage 8 θ stage 9 Chuck support stand 10 Chuck 20 Mask holder 21 Holder frame 22 Top frame 23 Air cushion 24 Tilt arm 30 Z-tilt mechanism 31 Casing 32 Linear guide 33 Movable block 34 Motor 35 Shaft joint 36a Ball screw 36b Nut 37 Ball 40 Gap sensor 41 Laser light source 42 Collimation lens group 43 Projection lens 44, 45 Mirror 46 Imaging lens 47 CCD line sensor 50 Main controller 51 Z -Tilt mechanism control unit 53 Memory 54 Movement amount calculation unit 55 Determination unit 56 Movement amount determination unit 57 Cumulative value confirmation unit 61 X stage drive circuit 62 Y stage drive circuit 63 θ stage drive circuit 4 Z- tilt mechanism driving circuit

Claims (12)

In a proximity exposure apparatus including a chuck that supports a substrate and a mask holder that holds a mask,
A plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms for relatively moving and tilting the mask holder and the chuck in the Z direction;
Multiple gap sensors that measure the gap between the mask and the substrate at multiple locations;
A drive circuit for driving the plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms;
A control device for controlling the drive circuit,
The controller is
The plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms are driven by the drive circuit, the gap between the mask and the substrate is once narrower than the target value, and then approaches the target value.
A proximity exposure apparatus characterized in that, based on the measurement results of the plurality of gap sensors, the plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms are driven by the drive circuit to perform gap alignment between the mask and the substrate. A gap control method for a proximity exposure apparatus comprising a chuck for supporting a substrate and a mask holder for holding a mask,
A plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms that move and tilt the mask holder and the chuck in the Z direction relatively, and a plurality of gap sensors that measure the gap between the mask and the substrate at a plurality of locations,
With a plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms, the gap between the mask and the substrate is once narrower than the target value and then brought closer to the target value.
A gap of a proximity exposure apparatus, wherein a gap between a mask and a substrate is measured at a plurality of positions by a plurality of gap sensors, and the gap between the mask and the substrate is adjusted by a plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms based on the measurement result. Control method. In a proximity exposure apparatus including a chuck that supports a substrate and a mask holder that holds a mask,
A plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms for relatively moving and tilting the mask holder and the chuck in the Z direction;
Multiple gap sensors that measure the gap between the mask and the substrate at multiple locations;
A drive circuit for driving the plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms;
A control device for controlling the drive circuit,
The controller is
Based on the measurement results of the plurality of gap sensors on one substrate, the drive circuit drives the plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms to perform gap alignment between the mask and the substrate. The Z direction position of the Z-tilt mechanism is stored as a registered position of each Z-tilt mechanism,
Thereafter, the plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms are driven by the drive circuit with respect to a plurality of subsequent substrates, and each Z-tilt mechanism is temporarily moved to a position where the gap between the mask and the substrate is narrower than the registered position. After that, the proxy moves to a registration position, and based on the measurement results of the plurality of gap sensors, the plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms are driven by the drive circuit to perform gap alignment between the mask and the substrate. Mitty exposure equipment. A gap control method for a proximity exposure apparatus comprising a chuck for supporting a substrate and a mask holder for holding a mask,
A plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms that move and tilt the mask holder and the chuck in the Z direction relatively, and a plurality of gap sensors that measure the gap between the mask and the substrate at a plurality of locations,
For one board,
The gap between the mask and the substrate is measured at a plurality of positions by a plurality of gap sensors, and based on the measurement result, the gap between the mask and the substrate is adjusted by a plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms.
The Z-direction position of each Z-tilt mechanism after gap adjustment is stored as the registered position of each Z-tilt mechanism,
For multiple boards after that,
Each Z-tilt mechanism is moved once to a position where the gap between the mask and the substrate becomes narrower than the registration position and then moved to the registration position, and the gap between the mask and the substrate is measured at a plurality of locations by a plurality of gap sensors. A gap control method for a proximity exposure apparatus, wherein a gap between a mask and a substrate is aligned by a plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms based on a measurement result. A chuck for supporting the substrate, a mask holder for holding the mask, and a stage for moving the chuck are provided. The chuck is moved by the stage to perform step movement of the substrate in the XY directions, and a plurality of surfaces of the substrate are arranged. In proximity exposure equipment that divides and exposes shots,
A plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms for relatively moving and tilting the mask holder and the chuck in the Z direction;
Multiple gap sensors that measure the gap between the mask and the substrate at multiple locations;
A drive circuit for driving the plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms;
A control device for controlling the drive circuit,
The controller is
After the step movement of the substrate in the XY direction with respect to one substrate, based on the measurement results of the plurality of gap sensors, the drive circuit drives the plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms to Gap alignment is performed, and for each shot, the Z-direction position of each Z-tilt mechanism after gap alignment is stored as a registered position for each shot of each Z-tilt mechanism.
After the step movement of the substrate in the XY directions with respect to the plurality of substrates thereafter, the plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms are driven by the drive circuit, and each Z-tilt mechanism is moved from the registration position for the shot. The mask is moved once to a position where the gap between the mask and the substrate is narrowed and then moved to a registration position. Based on the measurement results of the plurality of gap sensors, the drive circuit drives the plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms to Proximity exposure apparatus characterized in that a gap is aligned with a substrate. A chuck for supporting the substrate, a mask holder for holding the mask, and a stage for moving the chuck are provided. The chuck is moved by the stage to perform step movement of the substrate in the XY directions so that one surface of the substrate is made into a plurality of shots. A gap control method for a proximity exposure apparatus that performs exposure separately.
A plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms that move and tilt the mask holder and the chuck in the Z direction relatively, and a plurality of gap sensors that measure the gap between the mask and the substrate at a plurality of locations,
For one board,
After step movement in the XY direction of the substrate, the gap between the mask and the substrate is measured at a plurality of positions by a plurality of gap sensors, and based on the measurement result, the gap between the mask and the substrate is adjusted by a plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms.
For each shot, the position in the Z direction of each Z-tilt mechanism after gap alignment is stored as a registered position for each shot of each Z-tilt mechanism,
For multiple boards after that,
After the step movement of the substrate in the XY directions, each Z-tilt mechanism is moved once to a position where the gap between the mask and the substrate becomes narrower than the registration position for the shot and then moved to the registration position, and a plurality of gap sensors A gap control method for a proximity exposure apparatus, characterized in that a gap between a mask and a substrate is measured at a plurality of locations by a plurality of positions, and a gap between the mask and the substrate is adjusted by a plurality of Z-tilt mechanisms based on the measurement result.   A method for manufacturing a display panel substrate, wherein the substrate is exposed using the proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 1.   A method for manufacturing a display panel substrate, wherein the gap is adjusted between the mask and the substrate by using the gap control method of the proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 2, and the substrate is exposed.   A method for manufacturing a display panel substrate, comprising: exposing a substrate using the proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 3.   5. A method for manufacturing a display panel substrate, wherein the gap is adjusted between the mask and the substrate using the gap control method of the proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 4, and the substrate is exposed.   6. A method of manufacturing a display panel substrate, wherein the substrate is exposed using the proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 5.   A method for manufacturing a display panel substrate, wherein the gap is adjusted between the mask and the substrate using the gap control method of the proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 6, and the substrate is exposed.

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