JP2013052351A - Nozzle printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a nozzle printing device which can suppress streaking.SOLUTION: This nozzle printing device is provided with multiple nozzles arranged in a prescribed arrangement direction at a prescribed interval, the nozzles comprising first nozzles which spray ink containing a solvent and a solute, and second nozzles which spray a liquid not containing a solute, wherein the number of the first nozzles is the same as the number of the second nozzles.

Description

  The present invention relates to a nozzle printing apparatus and a thin film forming method using the same.

  There is a nozzle printing device as a device for applying ink in a predetermined pattern. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, in a support substrate provided with a partition wall composed of a plurality of partition wall members 1 extending in the first direction X at a predetermined interval from each other, ink is provided between the partition wall members 1. This nozzle printing apparatus is used when supplying

  FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing an aspect when ink is applied using a nozzle printing apparatus. The nozzle printing apparatus includes a plurality of nozzles 2 arranged at predetermined intervals in the arrangement direction. While ejecting predetermined ink from each nozzle 2, the nozzle 2 is scanned in one or the other of the first direction X (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a scanning direction X), so When the ink is supplied and solidifies, the band-shaped thin film 3 is formed. By one scan of the nozzle 2, the strip-shaped thin film 3 is formed by the number of the nozzles 2.

  When the nozzle 2 is scanned from one end to the other end in the scanning direction, the nozzle 2 is then moved in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction X (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a coating direction Y). One of the application directions Y may be referred to as the front (downward in FIG. 4), and the other of the application directions Y may be referred to as the rear (upward in FIG. 4). In the forward movement of the nozzle 2, the nozzle 2 is moved forward by the number of rows corresponding to the number of nozzles (in the form shown in FIG. 4, the nozzle 2 moves by a distance of 5 rows). By alternately repeating the movement in the scanning direction X and the forward movement in the application direction Y, ink can be applied between all the partition members 1.

  In the coating method as described above, when paying attention to the state immediately after the ink is applied between the predetermined partition members 1, among the plurality of ink coating films, the front coating film and the rear coating film are Dry atmosphere is different. That is, since the ink is already applied behind the coating film of the plurality of inks, the solvent concentration of the ink in the atmosphere is high, and conversely, no ink is applied in the front, so the solvent of the ink in the atmosphere The concentration becomes smaller. Therefore, in the coating film of a plurality of inks, the coating film behind it is difficult to dry the ink, and the coating film in front of it becomes a state where the ink is easy to dry, resulting in a difference in the dried state. In this way, since the dried state of the ink differs between the front and rear coating films, the resulting coating film properties after drying differ, and so-called streaks occur for each coating film corresponding to the number of nozzles. become.

  For example, when a light emitting layer of an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) element is applied and formed by a nozzle printing apparatus, the above-mentioned stripes appear as a difference in the light emission state, which is visually recognized, and there is a problem that display quality is lowered.

  In order to solve such a problem, a dummy nozzle 2 is provided in the conventional technique. That is, in the prior art, a dummy nozzle 2 that discharges only a solvent that does not contribute to film formation is provided at one end in front of the coating direction Y.

  The operation of the nozzle printing apparatus including the dummy nozzle 2 will be described with reference to FIG. If the nozzle arranged at the front end is the I nozzle, and the nozzles arranged at the rear are sequentially named II, III, IV, and V, the I nozzle is a dummy. Nozzle. The first nozzle discharges only the solvent. The II to V nozzles eject ink composed of a solvent and a solute.

  In this nozzle printing apparatus, first, a nozzle is scanned from one end to the other end in the scanning direction X. Then, a coating film made of only the solvent is formed at one end of the front, and four coating films made of the solvent and the solute are formed behind the coating film. Next, the nozzle is moved forward. At that time, the nozzle is moved as a whole so that the Vth nozzle overlaps the position where the Ith nozzle was arranged before the movement. Thereafter, the nozzle is scanned from the other end in the scanning direction X to one end. As a result, an ink composed of a solvent and a solute is further applied onto the coating film composed only of the solvent, whereby an ink composed of the solvent and the solute is applied between all the partition members 1.

  In this way, by forming a coating film made of only a solvent in front of the coating film, the difference in the dry atmosphere between the front and the back in the coating film of a plurality of inks is reduced (see, for example, Patent Document 1). ).

JP 2008-207084 A

  In the above-described conventional nozzle printing apparatus having dummy nozzles, the difference in the drying atmosphere between the front and rear coating films can be reduced in the coating films of a plurality of inks. There are lines that are applied one by one and lines that are applied only once with ink. Then, a difference occurs in the properties of the formed thin film between the line in which the ink and the solvent are applied once and the line in which only the ink is applied once, and streaks occur. As described above, when the light emitting layer of the device EL element is applied and formed by the nozzle printing apparatus, the above-described streaks appear as a difference in the light emission state, which is visually recognized, and there is a problem that display quality is deteriorated. .

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a nozzle printing apparatus capable of suppressing the occurrence of uneven stripes.

The present invention is a nozzle printing apparatus comprising a plurality of nozzles arranged at predetermined intervals in a predetermined arrangement direction,
The plurality of nozzles includes a first nozzle that ejects ink containing a solvent and a solute, and a second nozzle that ejects a liquid that does not contain a solute,
The present invention relates to a nozzle printing apparatus in which the number of first nozzles and the number of second nozzles are the same.

In the present invention, the second nozzle is divided into two groups, a first group and a second group,
The second nozzle belonging to the first group is disposed at one end in the predetermined arrangement direction,
The second nozzle belonging to the second group is disposed at the other end in the predetermined arrangement direction,
The first nozzle relates to a nozzle printing apparatus, which is arranged between the second nozzle belonging to the first group and the second nozzle belonging to the second group in the predetermined arrangement direction. .

When the number of second nozzles belonging to the first group is N and the number of second nozzles belonging to the second group is M,
(NM) ² ≦ 1
The present invention relates to a nozzle printing apparatus that satisfies the following relational expression.

The present invention also includes a step of applying ink between partition members in a support substrate provided with partition walls made up of a plurality of partition members extending in a first direction at predetermined intervals, A method of forming a thin film by solidifying the formed ink,
In the step of applying the ink, a thin film forming method in which the following steps (I) and (II) are alternately repeated.
(I) The plurality of nozzles of the nozzle printing device are respectively disposed between the partition members, and the nozzles are moved to one or the other in the first direction while discharging the ink from the nozzles, The present invention relates to a process for supplying ink between members.
(II) At the center in the arrangement direction, the plurality of nozzles are divided into two groups, a front group and a rear group, and the locus of nozzles belonging to the front group in the latest step (I) In the step (I), the step of moving all the nozzles or the support substrate in a direction perpendicular to the first direction on the support substrate so that the loci of the nozzles belonging to the rear group overlap.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the nozzle printing apparatus which can suppress generation | occurrence | production of a stripe unevenness can be provided.

It is a figure which shows typically the arrangement | positioning relationship of the nozzle. 3 is a plan view of a support substrate provided with a partition wall composed of a plurality of partition wall members 11. FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of a nozzle printing apparatus. It is a figure which shows typically the aspect when apply | coating ink using a nozzle printing apparatus.

  The nozzle printing apparatus of the present invention is a nozzle printing apparatus comprising a plurality of nozzles arranged at a predetermined interval in a predetermined arrangement direction, wherein the plurality of nozzles includes ink containing a solvent and a solute. A nozzle printing apparatus that includes a first nozzle that discharges and a second nozzle that discharges a liquid that does not contain the solute, and the number of the first nozzles is the same as the number of the second nozzles. is there.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the arrangement relationship of the nozzles 12. The nozzles 12 are arranged at a predetermined interval in a predetermined arrangement direction t. The arrangement direction t is a direction in which the nozzles 12 are arranged, and is usually a direction along a predetermined straight line. The nozzle 12 may be arranged along a predetermined curve or a broken line.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, six nozzles 12 are arranged, and are arranged at equal intervals.

  In the present embodiment, the plurality of nozzles 12 are each divided into a first nozzle 12a and a second nozzle 12b.

  The first nozzle 12a ejects ink containing a solvent and a solute. In the ink ejected from the first nozzle 12a, the solvent is vaporized and the solute is thinned. For example, when a light emitting material of an organic EL element is used as a solute, the light emitting layer of the organic EL element is formed by applying this ink.

  The second nozzle 12b discharges a liquid that does not contain a solute. The liquid that does not contain the solute discharged from the second nozzle 12b is not particularly limited as long as it is a liquid that vaporizes at a temperature of about 60 ° C. to 300 ° C., but the solvent of the ink discharged from the first nozzle 12a. It is preferable that the same liquid. Note that the liquid discharged from the second nozzle 12b may contain an amount of solute that is inevitably mixed as an impurity.

  The number of the first nozzles 12a and the number of the second nozzles 12b are the same. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, six nozzles 12 are arranged. Of these, three nozzles 12 are first nozzles 12a, and the remaining three nozzles 12 are second nozzles 12b. It is.

The arrangement of the first nozzle 12a and the second nozzle 12b is not particularly limited. For example, the nozzles are arranged as in the following (i), (ii) or (iii).
(I)
The first nozzle 12a is arranged on one side in the arrangement direction t, and the second nozzle 12b is arranged on the other side in the arrangement direction t.
(Ii)
In the arrangement direction t, the first nozzles 12a and the second nozzles 12b are alternately arranged.
(Iii)
The second nozzles 12b are divided into two groups of a first group g1 and a second group g2, and the second nozzles 12b belonging to the first group g1 have one end in the predetermined arrangement direction t. The second nozzle 12b belonging to the second group g2 is arranged at the other end of the predetermined arrangement direction t, and the first nozzle 12a is arranged in the predetermined arrangement direction t with the first nozzle The second nozzle 12b belonging to one group g1 and the second nozzle 12b belonging to the second group g2 are arranged.

Among these, the arrangement of (iii) is preferable. Further, in the arrangement of (iii), if the number of the second nozzles belonging to the first group is N and the number of the second nozzles belonging to the second group is M,
(NM) ² ≦ 1
It is more preferable to satisfy the following relational expression. That is, it is preferable that the nozzles belonging to the second group are arranged substantially equally at both ends of the nozzles belonging to the first group. Thereby, since the solvent atmosphere of the ink discharged from the first nozzle can be made uniform, uneven stripes can be more effectively suppressed.

  Hereinafter, the configuration of (iii) will be described with reference to FIG. First, since the number of the second nozzles 12b is three, when divided into two groups, they are divided into a group consisting of one second nozzle 12b and a group consisting of two second nozzles 12b. For example, one second nozzle 12b of the second nozzles 12b belongs to the first group g1, and the remaining two second nozzles 12b belong to the second group g2. One second nozzle 12b belonging to the first group g1 is arranged at one end in the arrangement direction t, and two second nozzles 12b belonging to the second group g2 are arranged at the other end in the arrangement direction t. Placed in. The three first nozzles 12a are continuously arranged between the second nozzles 12b of the first group g1 and the second nozzles 12b of the second group g2.

  Next, the operation of the nozzle printing apparatus including the nozzle 12 will be described. In the present embodiment, a mode in which ink is applied to a support substrate provided with a partition wall composed of a plurality of partition wall members 11 extending in a first direction X with a predetermined interval therebetween will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view of a support substrate provided with a partition wall composed of a plurality of partition wall members 11. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the nozzle printing apparatus. As shown in FIG. 2, the partition wall is composed of a plurality of partition wall members 11 extending in the first direction X. Hereinafter, the first direction X may be referred to as the scanning direction X.

  In the present embodiment, the partition members 11 are arranged at an equal interval in the second direction Y. Note that the second direction Y is a direction perpendicular to the first direction X and also perpendicular to the thickness direction of the support substrate. Hereinafter, the second direction Y may be referred to as a coating direction Y. In this embodiment, ink is supplied between all the partition members 11 adjacent to the coating direction Y and the partition members 11 using a nozzle printing apparatus.

  Hereinafter, the interval between the partition member 11 and the partition member 11 adjacent to each other in the application direction Y may be referred to as the pitch p of the partition member 11. The interval p between the partition member 11 adjacent to the coating direction Y and the partition member 11 represents the distance p between the centers of the partition member 11 in the coating direction Y.

  The interval between the nozzles 12 is determined in accordance with the pitch p of the partition wall member 11. The arrangement direction t of the nozzles 12 is not necessarily required to coincide with the application direction Y. The interval between the nozzles 12 is set so that the interval in the application direction Y coincides with the pitch of the partition members 11. For example, when making the arrangement direction t of the nozzles 12 coincide with the coating direction Y, the interval in the arrangement direction t of the nozzles 12 may be adjusted to the pitch p of the partition wall member 11 (see FIG. 3). For example, when the interval between the nozzles 12 is fixed, the interval in the application direction Y of the nozzles 12 can be adjusted by inclining the arrangement direction t from the application direction Y. In this way, the interval in the coating direction Y may be adjusted to the pitch p of the partition wall member 11.

  First, the interval of the nozzles 12 is adjusted so that the interval in the application direction Y of the nozzles 12 matches the pitch of the partition members 11. In the present embodiment shown in FIG. 3, in order to make the arrangement direction t of the nozzles 12 coincide with the coating direction Y, the interval in the arrangement direction t of the nozzles 12 is matched with the pitch p of the partition wall members 11.

Next, the following steps (I) and (II) are repeated.
(I) The plurality of nozzles of the nozzle printing apparatus are respectively disposed between the partition members, and the nozzles are moved to one or the other in the first direction while discharging the ink from the nozzles. The process of supplying ink in between.
(II) At the center in the arrangement direction, the plurality of nozzles are divided into two groups, a front group and a rear group, and the locus of nozzles belonging to the front group in the latest step (I) In the step (I), the step of moving all the nozzles or the support substrate in a direction perpendicular to the first direction on the support substrate so that the loci of the nozzles belonging to the rear group overlap.

  In the step (I), when the nozzles 12 are first scanned in the scanning direction X, each nozzle 12 passes above the partition member 11 and the partition member 11 in the vertical direction in the thickness direction of the support substrate. The nozzle 12 is arranged as described above. Then, while discharging the ink from the nozzle, the nozzle 12 is moved in one or the other in the first direction (scanning direction X in the present embodiment), and ink is supplied between the partition members.

  In the step (I), when the nozzle 12 is moved to one side in the scanning direction, the nozzle 12 is moved from the other end to the one end in the scanning direction. This is referred to as step (II).

  In the step (I), when the nozzle 12 is moved to the other side in the scanning direction, the nozzle 12 is moved from one end to the other end in the scanning direction. This is referred to as step (I-II).

  In this embodiment, ink is supplied between all the partition members 11 by repeating the steps (II), (II), (I-II), and (II) in this order.

  Next, in the step (II), the plurality of nozzles are divided into two groups, a front group and a rear group, at the center in the arrangement direction. Here, the front corresponds to the direction in which the nozzle moves in the application direction (downward in FIG. 3) in the step (II), and the rear means the direction in which the nozzle moves in the application direction in the step (II). This corresponds to the opposite direction (upward in FIG. 3).

  For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, six nozzles 12 are divided into a front group gf composed of three nozzles and a rear group gb composed of three nozzles at the center in the arrangement direction t. That is, the front group gf corresponds to a group consisting of three nozzles 12 arranged on the right side of the center, and the rear group gb corresponds to a group consisting of three nozzles 12 arranged on the left side of the center. .

  Next, the nozzle 12 is moved in the coating direction Y. At this time, instead of moving the nozzle 12 in the coating direction Y, the support substrate may be moved in the coating direction Y. Below, the form which moves the nozzle 12 is demonstrated.

  When moving the nozzle 12 in the coating direction Y, the locus of nozzles belonging to the front group in the immediately preceding step (I) and the locus of nozzles belonging to the rear group in the next step (I) are described. Move in a direction perpendicular to the first direction (application direction Y in this embodiment) on the support substrate.

  That is, the nozzle 12 is moved to one side in the coating direction Y from the arrangement of the nozzle 12 at the time when the step (I) is completed. At this time, when the interval between the partition members 11 is p and the total number of nozzles is 2 × n (the symbol “n” represents a natural number), the nozzle is moved in the coating direction Y by p × n. By moving in this way, the locus of nozzles belonging to the front group gf in the most recent step (I) overlaps the locus of nozzles belonging to the rear group gb in the next step (I).

  In the present embodiment shown in FIG. 3, since the nozzle 12 is moved in the application direction Y by 3 × p, the nozzle belonging to the rear group gb overlaps the position of the nozzle belonging to the front group gf.

  The above operation will be described with reference to FIG. 3. In the nozzle 12, first, in the step (II), the nozzle is arranged at the right end, which moves to the left end, and in the step (II), only 3 × p. The nozzle 12 is moved downward, and then in step (I-II), the nozzle 12 is moved from the left end to the right end. By repeating these steps, the ink ejected from the first nozzle 12a and the liquid containing no solute ejected from the second nozzle 12b are applied in an overlapping manner between all the partition members 11. Become.

  Thereafter, the thin film 13 is formed by solidifying the applied ink. The ink is solidified by natural drying, heat drying or the like.

  In the conventional technique, there are a row in which the ink and the solvent are each applied once and a row in which only the ink is applied once, but as described above, in the present embodiment, the first nozzle 12a. And the same number of second nozzles 12b, between all the partition members 11, the ink ejected from the first nozzle 12a and the liquid containing no solute ejected from the second nozzle 12b Will be painted over. As a result, when the ink is solidified, it is possible to prevent a difference in the properties of the formed thin film, and to eliminate the unevenness that has occurred in the thin film formed by the conventional apparatus.

  A display device using an organic EL element as a light source of a pixel can be manufactured using the above nozzle printing apparatus.

  For example, the display device is configured by arranging organic EL elements at predetermined intervals in the scanning direction X between the partition members 11. Each organic EL element includes a pair of electrodes and a light emitting layer provided between the electrodes. In addition, not only a light emitting layer but a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an electron transport layer, an electron injection layer, etc. are provided between a pair of electrodes. Of the layers provided between the pair of electrodes, a layer that can be formed by a coating method can be formed by the above-described nozzle printing apparatus. A known material is used for the material of each layer.

  As described above, when the light emitting material is used as a solute, the light emitting layer is formed by the nozzle printing apparatus.

  In a monochrome display device, since all the light emitting layers emit the same color light, the same ink may be applied between all the partition members 11, but in the case of a color display device, for example, three types Since the light emitting layer is provided, it is necessary to apply ink separately between the partition members 11.

  For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, three first nozzles 12a are used in order to perform such color separation, but the types of ink ejected from the first nozzles 12a are different. You can do it. Specifically, one of the three first nozzles 12a ejects ink containing a light emitting material that emits red light, and one ejects ink containing a light emitting material that emits green light. Then, it is only necessary to discharge one ink containing a light emitting material that emits blue light. By ejecting three types of inks in this way, a light emitting layer that emits red light, a light emitting layer that emits green light, and a light emitting layer that emits blue light can be sequentially formed along the coating direction Y. .

  In addition, although the form which apply | coats multiple types of ink at once was demonstrated above, you may apply | coat several types of ink separately in multiple times. In this case, one type of ink is applied in each application. For example, when three types of ink are applied in three portions, in each case, the ink is applied at intervals of 3 × p, and by performing this three times, the ink is separately applied between all the partition members 11. Can be applied. In addition, when applying ink, it is necessary to leave the space | interval of the application direction Y of the nozzle 12 3xp.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Partition member 2 Nozzle 3 Thin film 11 Partition member 12 Nozzle 13 Thin film 21 Apparatus g1 1st group g2 2nd group gf Front group gb Rear group 12a 1st nozzle 12b 2nd nozzle

Claims (4)

A nozzle printing apparatus comprising a plurality of nozzles arranged at predetermined intervals in a predetermined arrangement direction,
The plurality of nozzles includes a first nozzle that ejects ink containing a solvent and a solute, and a second nozzle that ejects a liquid that does not contain a solute,
A nozzle printing apparatus, wherein the number of the first nozzles and the number of the second nozzles are the same. The second nozzle is divided into two groups, a first group and a second group,
The second nozzle belonging to the first group is disposed at one end in the predetermined arrangement direction,
The second nozzle belonging to the second group is disposed at the other end in the predetermined arrangement direction,
The first nozzle is disposed between the second nozzle belonging to the first group and the second nozzle belonging to the second group in the predetermined arrangement direction. Nozzle printing device. When the number of second nozzles belonging to the first group is N and the number of second nozzles belonging to the second group is M,
(NM) ² ≦ 1
The nozzle printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the following relational expression is satisfied. A step of applying ink between partition members and solidifying the applied ink on a support substrate provided with partition walls made up of a plurality of partition members extending in a first direction at predetermined intervals. A thin film forming method including a step of forming a thin film by
In the step of applying the ink, a thin film forming method in which the following steps (I) and (II) are alternately repeated.
(I) The plurality of nozzles of the nozzle printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 are respectively disposed between partition members, and the nozzles are ejected from the nozzles while the nozzles are ejected from the first. The process which moves to one or the other of the direction of and supplies ink between partition members.
(II) At the center in the arrangement direction, the plurality of nozzles are divided into two groups, a front group and a rear group, and the locus of nozzles belonging to the front group in the latest step (I) In the step (I), the step of moving all the nozzles or the support substrate in a direction perpendicular to the first direction on the support substrate so that the loci of the nozzles belonging to the rear group overlap.

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