JP2011258901A - Conveyance device and conveyance processing apparatus using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a conveyance device equipped with two conveyance mechanisms for alternately conveying substrates, and which has excellent height precision in conveying the substrates and also has high parallelism of the substrates.SOLUTION: A conveyance device 2 comprises: a conveyance path 10; slider chuck guides 31 and 32 extending in a y-axis direction; and slider chucks 41 and 42 which move freely along the slider chuck guides 31 and 32. Each of the slider chucks 41 and 42 has, on its upper end face, an adhesion surface that adheres to a substrate lower face and a jetting port from which air is jetted toward the substrate lower face. Each of the slider chucks moves the substrate in a y-axis positive direction while being adhered to the substrate lower face, and returns, with the adhesion released, to a y-axis negative direction after conveying the substrate. Upon returning, air is jetted toward the lower face of a substrate 62 to levitate the substrate 62 while the slider chuck 41 is passing over the substrate 62, for example.

Description

  The present invention relates to a transfer processing apparatus that performs an exposure process while transferring a substrate, for example.

  With the recent increase in size of liquid crystal display devices, color filters used in liquid crystal display devices have also increased in size. In the color filter manufacturing process, the colored layer is patterned by a photolithography method. However, since a large exposure mask is very expensive, there is a problem that the manufacturing cost of the color filter increases. Therefore, using an exposure machine in which a photomask smaller than the display pixel area of the color filter substrate is mounted on the exposure head, the entire surface of the substrate to be exposed is repeatedly exposed while the substrate is being transported (hereinafter referred to as “compact”). A mask continuous exposure method).

  In the exposure apparatus using the small mask continuous exposure method, the loaded substrate is continuously conveyed in one direction from the conveyance start position to the conveyance end position, and exposure processing is performed by an exposure head installed above the conveyance path. When a single transport mechanism is used for transporting the substrate, the transport mechanism is continuously used until the transport of the substrate is completed. Therefore, after the transport mechanism transports the substrate to the transport end position, it cannot start transporting the next substrate until it returns to the transport start position. Therefore, there is a problem that the processing tact time of the substrate becomes long.

JP 2008-192678 A

  FIG. 4 is a top view of an exposure apparatus including two transport mechanisms, and FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the slider chuck is retracted. 5 corresponds to a cross section taken along line VV of the exposure apparatus shown in FIG.

  In order to solve the above problem, an exposure apparatus 101 including two transport mechanisms 121 and 122 as shown in FIG. 4 has been proposed. Specifically, the exposure apparatus 101 includes a substrate transport path 110 extending in the Y-axis direction, a plurality of exposure heads 150 installed on the substrate transport path 110, and transport mechanisms 121 and 122. The transport mechanisms 121 and 122 are arranged on both sides of the substrate transport path 110, and each slider chuck guide 131 and 132 extending in the Y-axis direction, and freely movable in the Y-axis direction along the slider chuck guides 131 and 132. And slider chucks 141 and 142 that move to each other. Each of the slider chucks 141 and 142 can hold the edge of the substrate. A plurality of substrates that are intermittently loaded are conveyed one by one in the positive direction of the Y-axis using the slider chucks 141 and 142 alternately.

  When the substrates are transferred alternately as described above, as shown in FIG. 4, while the slider chuck 142 is transferring the substrate 60, the slider chuck 141 that has completed the transfer of the previous substrate is moved to the next. In preparation for transporting the substrate, it moves in the negative Y-axis direction. This makes it possible to shorten the interval at which the substrate is conveyed.

  Here, when moving in the negative direction of the Y-axis for returning the slider chuck 141, it is necessary to avoid interference between the substrate 160 being transferred by the slider chuck 142 and the slider chuck 141 (transferred by the slider chuck 141). The same applies to the interference between the inner substrate 160 and the slurder chuck 142). Therefore, when the slider chuck 141 passes through the substrate 160, for example, as shown in FIG. 5A, the slider chuck 141 is retracted in the negative direction of the X axis, or as shown in FIG. The slider chuck 141 is retracted in the negative Z-axis direction. In order to perform such an operation, the transport mechanisms 121 and 122 incorporate a moving mechanism for moving the slider chucks 141 and 142 in the X-axis direction or the Z-axis direction. However, in this case, the structure of the transport device becomes complicated. Furthermore, due to the mechanical accuracy of the moving mechanism (clearance of movable parts, assembly errors, etc.), the substrate height (Z-axis direction) accuracy is reduced and the parallelism of the substrate is reduced during substrate transport. New problems arise.

  Therefore, in the present invention, a transport apparatus having two transport mechanisms for alternately transporting a substrate, the transport apparatus having good substrate height accuracy during substrate transport and high parallelism of the substrates. And it aims at providing the conveyance processing apparatus provided with the processing mechanism in the said conveyance apparatus.

  The present invention relates to a transfer device for transferring a substrate. The transport apparatus includes a transport path that floats the substrate by air ejection, and a pair of transport mechanisms that are disposed on both sides of the transport path and alternately transport the substrate in the transport direction. Each of the transport mechanisms has an adsorption surface that is adsorbed to the lower surface of the substrate and an ejection port that ejects air to the lower surface of the substrate, and moves in the conveyance direction with the adsorption surface adsorbed to the lower surface of the substrate. It returns in the direction opposite to the transport direction with the suction caused by. One of the transport mechanisms ejects air from the ejection port while the substrate transported by the other of the transport mechanisms passes, so that the passing substrate floats.

  The present invention also relates to a transfer processing apparatus that processes a substrate while transferring the substrate. The transfer processing apparatus includes the transfer apparatus described above and a processing mechanism that processes the substrate. The transport path includes a receiving unit, a processing stage, and a delivery unit in order from the substrate loading side. Each of the transport mechanisms has a chuck having a suction surface and a jet port. The processing mechanism is provided in the processing unit. The chuck provided in one of the transport mechanisms waits at a position along the delivery unit after releasing the suction to the substrate.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to perform efficient transport by alternately using two transport mechanisms, a transport apparatus with high substrate height accuracy at the time of transporting the substrate, and high parallelism of the substrate, and A conveyance processing apparatus using this can be realized.

The top view of the conveyance processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention FIG. 1A is a top view of the conveyance processing apparatus showing the operation continued from FIG. 1A. FIG. 1B is a top view of the transport processing apparatus showing the operation continued from FIG. 1B. FIG. 1C is a top view of the transport processing apparatus showing the operation continued from FIG. 1C. FIG. 1D is a top view of the transport processing apparatus showing the operation continued from FIG. 1D. FIG. 1E is a top view of the conveyance processing apparatus showing the operation continued from FIG. 1E. Top view showing the positional relationship between the substrate and photomask during exposure processing Top view of transfer processing device when photomask is replaced Top view of an exposure apparatus having two transport mechanisms The figure which shows the state which retracted the slider chuck

(Embodiment)
1A to 1F are top views of a transfer processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, each showing a process of transfer processing of a substrate.

  The conveyance processing apparatus 1 is used to expose a colored pattern constituting a color filter on the substrate while conveying the substrate. The conveyance processing apparatus 1 includes a conveyance apparatus 2 that conveys a substrate and a processing mechanism 3 that performs exposure processing on the substrate.

  The transport apparatus 2 includes a transport path 10 that floats the substrate by air ejection, and transport mechanisms 21 and 22 that are arranged on both sides of the transport path 10 and alternately transport the substrate in the positive Y-axis direction.

  The transport path 10 includes a receiving unit 11, a processing stage 12, and a delivery unit 13 in this order from the substrate loading side. The receiving unit 11 is for transporting a substrate received from an apparatus upstream of the transport processing apparatus 1 to a processing stage. The delivery unit 13 is for delivering a substrate that has been processed by the processing mechanism 3 to a downstream device.

  As described above, the conveyance path 10 levitates the substrate by ejecting air. More specifically, the receiving unit 11 and the delivery unit 13 are levitated to a height of 300 to 400 μm from the upper surface. On the other hand, in the processing stage 12, the height of the substrate to be levitated is precisely controlled so as to be within 100 μm from the upper surface by simultaneously performing air ejection and air suction.

  The transport mechanisms 21 and 22 include slider chuck guides 31 and 32 extending in the Y-axis direction, and slider chucks 41 and 42 that move freely along the slider chuck guides 31 and 32 in the Y-axis direction. Each of the slider chucks 41 and 42 is provided with an adsorption surface (a surface parallel to the XY plane in the drawing) that adsorbs to the lower surface of the substrate and an ejection port that ejects air to the lower surface of the substrate (both not shown). ) The plurality of substrates that are intermittently loaded are conveyed one by one in the positive direction of the Y-axis using the slider chucks 41 and 42 alternately. The substrate is transported by moving the slider chuck in the positive direction of the Y axis while the suction surface of the slider chuck is attracted to the lower surface of the substrate.

  The processing mechanism 3 is an exposure apparatus that is provided on the processing stage 12 and has a plurality of exposure heads 50. The plurality of exposure heads 50 are arranged in two rows in the X-axis direction, and are respectively arranged above the processing stage 12. Each exposure head 50 is equipped with a photomask.

  FIG. 2 is a top view showing the positional relationship between the substrate and the photomask during the exposure process.

  In the exposure process by the processing mechanism 3, the space between the photomasks (for example, photomasks 51a, 51c, 51e, 51g, 51i, 51k) of the exposure head 50 disposed in one column is disposed in the other column. The photomask of the exposure head (photomasks 51b, 51d, 51f, 51h, 51j, 51l) is complemented. Each of the photomasks 51a to 51l is formed with a dot-shaped opening 52 for exposing the colored pattern. In addition, a black matrix that functions as a light shielding layer is formed on the substrate 60 in advance by a photolithography method or the like. A peripheral dummy pattern and an alignment mark are formed outside the region where the black matrix is formed. Further, a resist for forming a colored pattern is applied so as to cover the surface of the substrate 60.

  The pattern of the opening 52 is repeatedly transferred to the resist on the substrate 60 by irradiating the substrate 60 conveyed in the positive direction of the Y axis while blinking light from the light source. Thereby, a dot-shaped coloring pattern is formed on the substrate 60. Note that a striped colored pattern may be formed by continuously irradiating light from a light source using a photomask having striped slits aligned in the Y-axis direction.

  Here, the conveyance of the substrate using the slider chucks 41 and 42 alternately will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 1F again.

  FIG. 1A shows a state after the substrate 61 is transported to the delivery unit 13 by the slider chuck 41. The slider chuck 41 that has finished transporting the substrate 61 releases the suction state to the substrate 61, and blows air from the ejection port to the lower surface of the substrate 61 to float the substrate 61. In addition, the slider chuck 42 is attracted to the lower surface of the substrate 62 positioned in the receiving unit 11 in preparation for the next substrate 62 conveyance process.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 1B, after the exposed substrate 61 is transferred to a downstream apparatus, the slider chuck 41 moves in the negative Y-axis direction with the suction to the substrate 61 released. On the other hand, the slider chuck 42 conveys the substrate 62 before exposure from the receiving unit 11 to the delivery unit 13.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 1C, the slider chuck 41 stops moving in the negative Y-axis direction near the boundary between the processing stage 12 and the delivery unit 13 and stands by at the stop position. In this way, by making the slider chuck 41 stand by in the vicinity of the boundary between the processing stage 12 and the delivery unit 13, the distance that the slider chuck 41 moves to the receiving unit 11 when returning can be minimized. This shortens the substrate processing tact. The substrate 62 is transported to the processing stage 12 and is subjected to exposure processing by the exposure head 50. Further, the substrate 63 to be exposed next is loaded into the receiving unit 11 from the upstream apparatus.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 1D, when a part of the substrate 62 is conveyed to the delivery unit 13, the substrate 62 passes above the waiting slider chuck 41. At this time, the slider chuck 41 ejects air from the ejection port to float the substrate 62 upward. Thus, the substrate 62 can pass above the slider chuck 41 in the positive Y-axis direction without interfering with the slider chuck 41. Here, while the exposure process is being performed on the substrate 62 that passes through the processing stage 12, the slider chuck 41 continues to stop at the standby position.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 1E, when the exposure processing of the substrate 62 is completed, the slider chuck 41 starts moving in the negative direction of the Y axis from the position indicated by the broken line in the drawing in order to return to the receiving unit 11. To do. As described above, since the slider chuck starts moving immediately after the exposure processing to the substrate is completed, it is necessary to keep the substrate height constant during the exposure processing and to shorten the processing tact time of the substrate. Can be compatible. During this time, the alignment mark on the substrate 63 and the alignment mark on the photomask of each exposure head 50 are image-recognized by a CCD camera or the like, and the relative alignment between the substrate 63 and the photomask and the θ angle ( (Slope with respect to Y axis) is corrected.

  Finally, as shown in FIG. 1F, the slider chuck 41 that has returned to the receiving unit 11 temporarily stops and is attracted to the lower surface of the substrate 63. In addition, the slider chuck 42 that has transported the substrate 62 to the delivery unit 13 releases the suction state to the lower surface of the substrate 62 and ejects air from the ejection port.

  Similarly to the slider chuck 41 described above, the slider chuck 42 also stands by at the standby position, and while the substrate 63 transported by the slider chuck 41 passes, air is blown to the lower surface of the substrate 63 to cause the substrate 63 to move. Make it rise. In this way, the slider chucks 41 and 42 can alternately and repeatedly carry the substrate and return operation.

  As described above, in the transfer processing apparatus 1, the transfer mechanism 21 and 22 can be used to transfer the substrate alternately, so that the processing tact of the substrate can be shortened. Further, by ejecting air from the ejection port of the slider chuck to float the substrate, it is possible to avoid interference between the substrate and the slider chuck when the slider chuck is returned. Accordingly, it is not necessary to add a moving shaft for retracting the slider chuck, and the structure of the transport device 2 is not complicated. Further, the height accuracy of the substrate and the parallelism of the substrate can be kept high when the substrate is transported.

  Here, as described above, in the transport processing apparatus 1, it may be necessary to replace the photomask mounted on the exposure head. This replacement of the photomask will be described below.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a mask tray transport shaft 70 that crosses the transport path 10 in the X-axis direction is provided above the processing stage 12 along the exposure head 50.

  When exchanging the photomask, the slider chuck 41 is arranged along the axis (X-axis direction) of the mask tray transport shaft 70, and air is ejected from the ejection port of the slider chuck 41. Then, in a state where the mask changer 80 is disposed along the slider chuck 41, a mask tray (not shown) is discharged from the mask changer 80 above the slider chuck 41. The discharged mask tray is transported to the transport path 10 across the slider chuck 41 while floating above the slider chuck 41, and then transported along the mask tray transport shaft 70 in the positive X-axis direction. At this time, the mask tray stops at a position adjacent to each exposure head, and the photomask is exchanged at that position.

  As described above, the slider chuck guides are provided on both sides of the transport path, so that even when it is difficult to transport the mask tray from the outside to the transport path, the slider chuck in a state where air is ejected is transported from the outside. Functions as a bridge connecting roads. This facilitates transporting the mask tray from the outside onto the transport path.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, the processing mechanism is specified for a plurality of exposure heads. However, if the processing mechanism performs processing on the substrate to be transported (for example, processing for forming a resist film on the substrate), There is no particular limitation.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, the transport mechanism is composed of a slider chuck guide and a slider chuck. However, the transport mechanism has a function of sucking and ejecting air on the lower surface of the substrate, and can transport the substrate alternately. If there is, the configuration is not particularly limited.

  Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the slider chuck that has finished transporting the substrate waits in the vicinity of the boundary between the processing stage 12 and the delivery unit 13 until the processing on the next transported substrate is completed, and the substrate After completion of the process, it is returned to the receiving unit. However, the operation of the slider chuck is not limited in this way. Whether to make the slider chuck stand by, about the standby position when the slider chuck waits, and the timing at which the slider chuck returns to the receiving unit Are optional.

  The present invention can be used, for example, in an exposure apparatus for exposing a color filter substrate used in a liquid crystal display device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Conveyance processing apparatus 2 Conveyance apparatus 3 Processing mechanism 10 Conveyance path 11 Receiving part 12 Processing stage 13 Delivery parts 21, 22 Conveyance mechanisms 31, 32 Slider chuck guides 41, 42 Slider chuck 50 Exposure head 60-63 Substrate 70 Mask tray conveyance axis 80 Mask Changer

Claims (6)

A transfer device for transferring a substrate,
A conveyance path for floating the substrate by air ejection;
A pair of transport mechanisms that are disposed on both sides of the transport path and alternately transport the substrate in the transport direction;
Each of the transport mechanisms has a suction surface that is attracted to the lower surface of the substrate and a jet port that ejects air to the lower surface of the substrate, and the transport direction is in a state where the suction surface is attracted to the lower surface of the substrate. , And return to the direction opposite to the transport direction in a state where the suction by the suction surface is released,
One of the transport mechanisms is a transport device that ejects air from the ejection port and floats the passing substrate while the substrate transported by the other transport mechanism passes. A transport processing apparatus for processing a substrate while transporting the substrate,
A transport apparatus according to claim 1;
A processing mechanism for processing the substrate,
The transport path has a receiving part, a processing stage, and a delivery part in order from the substrate loading side,
Each of the transport mechanisms has a chuck provided with the suction surface and the ejection port,
The processing mechanism is provided in the processing stage,
The chuck provided in the one of the transport mechanisms waits at a position along the delivery unit after releasing the suction to the substrate.   The conveyance processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the chuck stands by in the vicinity of a boundary between the processing unit and the delivery unit.   The chuck provided in the one of the transport mechanisms stops at a standby position while the substrate transported by the other of the transport mechanisms is processed by the processing mechanism, and is transported by the other of the transport mechanisms. The transport processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the transport processing apparatus moves in a direction opposite to the transport direction after the processing of the processing mechanism is completed.   The transport processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processing mechanism is an exposure apparatus having a plurality of exposure heads each mounted with a photomask. Above the processing stage, there is provided a mask tray transport shaft extending so as to cross the transport path along the exposure head,
When exchanging the photomask, the chuck of the transport mechanism ejects air from the jet outlet at a position along the axis of the mask tray transport shaft in order to put the photomask onto the transport path. The transfer processing apparatus according to claim 5.

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