JP2015015292A - Wiring formation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a wiring formation device capable of discharging coating liquid containing a wiring material from a nozzle to form a wiring pattern on a substrate without excess and insufficiency.SOLUTION: Disclosed is a wiring formation device using a nozzle 1 in which a plurality of discharge ports 27 are arranged along a direction intersecting with a relative movement direction with respect to a substrate to simultaneously form a large number of electrodes extending along the relative movement direction on the substrate surface with one relative movement between the nozzle 1 and the substrate by simultaneously discharge an electrode material from each discharge port 27. In the inside of the nozzle 1, a piston 28 and a piston control mechanism are provided which are used for individually controlling discharge of each discharge port 27.

Description

  The present invention relates to a wiring forming apparatus for forming a wiring pattern on a substrate. In particular, the present invention relates to a wiring forming apparatus suitable for forming an electrode pattern in a solar cell element.

  In JP-A-2005-353851 (Patent Document 1), as an example of an element in which a wiring pattern is formed on a substrate, a pair of substrate surfaces of a semiconductor substrate formed by bonding a p-type and an n-type semiconductor layer are provided. A single-sided light receiving solar cell element in which a light receiving surface electrode (front surface electrode) and a back surface electrode are formed is described. In addition, Patent Document 1 describes that a screen printing method is used as a method for forming these electrode patterns on the substrate surface.

  Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-198982 (Patent Document 2) discloses, as a method for forming an electrode pattern in a solar cell element, a paste-like coating liquid (electrode material) containing a pattern material (wiring material) from a nozzle continuously. And a method of drawing an electrode pattern on a substrate surface. In addition, in Patent Document 2, in particular, when a large number of thin electrodes called finger electrodes are formed on a substrate, a plurality of fluid electrodes communicated with the liquid reservoir space in a direction crossing the relative movement direction with the substrate. By using the nozzle in which the discharge ports are arranged and discharging the electrode material from each discharge port all at once, it extends along the relative movement direction on the substrate surface in one relative movement between the nozzle and the substrate. A method for forming a large number of thin electrodes at once is described.

JP 2005-353851 A JP 2011-198982 A

  By the way, in the solar cell element described in Patent Document 1, a rigid thin plate substrate such as a silicon wafer is used as a semiconductor substrate on which an electrode pattern is formed. For this reason, during screen printing of the electrode pattern on the semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate may be broken by the printing pressure of the squeegee, which causes a decrease in yield in the manufacture of solar cell elements. Further, the screen printing plate in which the electrode pattern is imitated needs to be periodically cleaned and replaced, which causes a cost increase.

  On the other hand, in the method for forming an electrode pattern in a solar cell element described in Patent Document 2, an electrode pattern can be formed with a nozzle in a non-contact state with respect to the substrate surface. Substrate cracking does not occur. In addition, costs due to cleaning and replacement of consumables such as screen printing plates can be suppressed.

  However, on the other hand, in the electrode pattern forming method described in Patent Document 2, the discharge control of the electrode material from each discharge port is batch control in units of nozzles. The length of the wiring pattern of the finger electrode is the same corresponding to the relative movement amount between the nozzle and the substrate.

  In addition, a wafer obtained by thinly slicing a silicon ingot is used for manufacturing a semiconductor substrate of a solar cell element. In this case, the shape of the wafer can be made square when a polycrystalline silicon wafer is used, but when a single crystal silicon wafer is used, the wafer becomes a circular wafer in terms of manufacturing a silicon ingot for cutting out the wafer. Therefore, in order to minimize unnecessary gaps when arranging solar cell elements on a panel while cutting a substrate with as large an area as possible from a circular wafer, the circular wafer is an octagon with a small four corners cut off. It is used after being processed into a substrate.

  Therefore, when the finger electrode pattern is formed on such an octagonal semiconductor substrate using the electrode pattern forming method described in Patent Document 2, the discharge of the electrode material from each discharge port of the nozzle is performed. Since the control is batch control in units of nozzles, finger electrodes cannot be formed on the octagonal semiconductor substrate surface without being excessive or insufficient. If the finger electrodes are formed on the octagonal semiconductor substrate surface without excess or deficiency, the electrode material is also discharged to the edge portion of the four corners of the rectangle and the peripheral device portion. As a result, the electrode material for forming the finger electrode may adhere to the electrode pattern or the semiconductor layer on the opposite side, which may cause a failure such as a short circuit.

  Therefore, the present invention uses a nozzle in which a plurality of discharge ports are arranged along the direction intersecting the moving direction of the substrate, and discharges the electrode material from each discharge port at the same time. In a wiring forming apparatus that simultaneously forms a plurality of thin electrodes extending along the relative movement direction on the substrate surface by one relative movement of the above, a special substrate such as the octagonal semiconductor substrate of the solar cell element described above is used. Even if it exists, it aims at providing the wiring formation apparatus which can form a wiring pattern without excess and deficiency on a board | substrate, and can aim at reduction of a defect.

  In this case, the special substrate is not limited to an octagonal substrate, and is related to the relative movement between the nozzle and the substrate, intersects with the relative movement direction, and the arrangement direction of the plurality of discharge ports formed in the nozzle. Substrates having intersecting edge portions and substrates having edge portions that cannot pass through a plurality of discharge ports formed in the nozzle at the same time and do not follow the relative movement direction between the nozzle and the substrate are applicable.

  In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, a wiring forming apparatus includes a substrate mounting table on which a substrate is mounted, and a coating liquid containing a wiring material on the substrate surface of the substrate mounted on the substrate mounting table. A coating nozzle that discharges, and a relative movement mechanism that relatively moves one of the coating nozzle and the substrate mounting table with respect to the other, the coating nozzle in a direction that intersects a relative movement direction of the relative movement mechanism A plurality of discharge ports arranged along with each other, a plurality of pistons provided for each discharge port in order to individually control the discharge of the coating liquid from each discharge port, and a piston control mechanism for individually controlling the drive of each piston The pistons are aligned with a desired wiring pattern in synchronization with an operation in which the substrate placed on the substrate placement table passes below the coating nozzle by relative movement by the relative movement mechanism. And adapted to be individually driven and controlled by the piston control mechanism.

  In order to solve the above problem, in the present invention, in the wiring forming device, the piston control mechanism stores the piston drive medium supplied under pressure and sends the piston drive medium to each piston drive chamber. A piston drive medium chamber to which a path is connected; a piston control rod which is installed in the piston drive medium chamber and has a piston control pattern formed in accordance with a wiring pattern applied to the outer periphery thereof; and the piston control rod A piston control rod drive motor that rotationally drives the piston control rod in synchronization with the movement of the substrate mounting table, so that the piston control pattern is rotated in each flow path of the piston drive medium chamber. The individual drive control of the piston is performed by individually controlling opening and closing of the opening.

  Further, in order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, in the wiring forming device, the piston control rod is a rotating body having a cylindrical main body and a piston control pattern attached to an outer peripheral surface thereof, and the rotating shaft is Both ends of the coating nozzle are supported by bearings in the coating nozzle in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) and installed in the piston drive medium chamber. The piston control pattern is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the piston control rod. The thickness in the radial direction is constant, and the outer peripheral surface of the piston control pattern is in contact with the opening of the flow path to the piston driving chamber formed at the bottom of the piston driving medium chamber, or slightly spaced. Configured to do.

  Further, in order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, in the wiring forming device, a material provided in advance in the lower part of the piston in the piston driving chamber in correspondence with each piston driving chamber before application to the substrate surface. While filling the coating liquid containing the wiring material via the introduction path, and after the start of coating on the substrate surface, while the piston control pattern does not block the opening of each flow path of the piston drive medium chamber, The piston drive medium pushes down the piston in the piston drive chamber, and discharge of the coating liquid is individually controlled from each discharge port.

According to the present invention, the relative movement between the nozzle and the substrate, the substrate having an edge that intersects the relative movement direction and also intersects the arrangement direction of a plurality of discharge ports formed in the nozzle, A wiring pattern can be formed on the substrate without excess or deficiency even on a substrate that cannot pass through the multiple ejection openings formed in the nozzle at the same time and has a peripheral portion that does not follow the relative movement direction between the nozzle and the substrate. It is possible to reduce defects.
Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of embodiments.

1 is a schematic plan configuration diagram of a wiring forming apparatus in Example 1. FIG. It is the front view which looked at the wiring formation apparatus in Example 1 in the Y-axis positive direction. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the coating nozzle taken along line M-M ′ in the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of a piston in a piston drive chamber in the cross-sectional view of the application nozzle shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line N-N ′ of the coating nozzle illustrated in FIG. 3, as viewed from a cutting line N-N ′ illustrated in FIG. It is the development which opened the surface of the outermost periphery of the piston control pattern 23 formed in the outer peripheral surface of the piston control rod 22 in Example 1 planarly. 1 is a configuration diagram of a control device 50 and a control system of a wiring forming device in Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a control flowchart of a wiring formation processing control unit 56 of the wiring forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. It is a figure explaining the state of the piston vicinity in the initial state of the control flowchart in Example 1. FIG. It is a figure explaining the position of the piston control pattern in each state of the control flowchart in Example 1. FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic plan configuration diagram of a wiring forming apparatus according to a second embodiment. It is the front view which looked at the wiring formation apparatus in Example 2 to the Y-axis positive direction. 10 is a control flowchart of a wiring formation processing control unit 56 of the wiring forming apparatus according to the second embodiment.

  Embodiments of a wiring forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description, in the manufacture of solar cell elements, an example in which the wiring forming apparatus according to the present embodiment is applied to the use of forming finger electrodes on the substrate surface of a semiconductor substrate will be described. However, the present invention is not limited to the manufacture of solar cell elements. The wiring forming apparatus of the present invention can be effectively applied to the use of simultaneously forming a large number of wiring patterns extending along a predetermined direction on the substrate surface.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan configuration diagram of a wiring forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a view of the wiring forming apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the front in the positive Y-axis direction.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the wiring forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes an application nozzle 1 that applies an electrode material to a semiconductor substrate from a plurality of ejection openings, a nozzle lifting / lowering stage 2, a substrate transfer stage 3, and the like. The substrate mounting table 4, the coating liquid supply system 7, the piston drive medium supply system 14, the surplus coating liquid receiver 18, and the nozzle cleaning mechanism 19 are provided. The coating liquid supply system 7 and the piston drive medium supply system 14 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematically shown.

  The substrate mounting table 4 is fixed to the substrate transfer stage 3, and a semiconductor substrate 5 on which the electrode material 8 is to be applied is placed. When the substrate transport stage 3 is moved and operated, the substrate mounting table 4 fixed to the substrate transport stage moves in the extending direction (X-axis direction) of the substrate transport stage 3, and the semiconductor mounted and held on the substrate mounting table 4 The substrate 5 is transported.

  Further, a moving mechanism that moves and displaces on the horizontal surface along the Y-axis direction (width direction of the substrate transfer stage 3) perpendicular to the transfer direction (X-axis direction) of the substrate transfer stage 3 on the substrate mounting table 4 41 or a rotation mechanism 42 that rotates and displaces the substrate mounting table 4 in a horizontal plane. According to the moving mechanism 41, the relative position in the Y-axis direction of the semiconductor substrate 5 with respect to the coating nozzle 1 when the semiconductor substrate 5 passes below the coating nozzle 1 can be adjusted. For example, the relative orientation of the semiconductor substrate 5 with respect to the coating nozzle 1 when the semiconductor substrate 5 passes below the coating nozzle 1 can be adjusted.

  Nozzle support for supporting the coating nozzle 1 in the middle of the conveyance section along the extending direction of the substrate conveyance stage 3 so as not to obstruct the conveyance of the semiconductor substrate 5 placed and held on the substrate table 4. A frame 17 is installed across the substrate transfer stage 3.

  The nozzle support frame 17 is provided with a nozzle raising / lowering stage 2 extending in the height direction (Z-axis direction). A coating nozzle 1 is attached and fixed to the nozzle lifting / lowering stage 2 with its discharge port facing downward.

  When the nozzle lifting / lowering stage 2 is moved and actuated, the coating nozzle 1 attached and fixed to the nozzle lifting / lowering stage 2 moves along the extending direction (Z-axis direction) of the nozzle lifting / lowering stage 2 to lift and lower the coating nozzle 1. The nozzle raising / lowering stage 2 is formed between the discharge port of the coating nozzle 1 and the surface of the semiconductor substrate 5 when the semiconductor substrate 5 placed and held on the substrate mounting table 4 by the substrate transport stage 3 passes below the coating nozzle 1. The distance in the height direction (Z-axis direction) is adjusted by moving the application nozzle 1 up and down.

  The surplus coating liquid receiver 18 receives the surplus electrode material 8 discharged from the discharge port of the coating nozzle 1 when the electrode material 8 is filled into the coating nozzle 1 before the electrode material 8 is applied to the semiconductor substrate 5. It is to be collected. Specifically, for example, a concave shape is formed above, and the electrode material 8 discharged from the application nozzle 1 is stored. For example, the surplus coating liquid receiver 18 is fixed to the substrate transport stage 3 at a predetermined distance from the substrate platform 4.

  The nozzle cleaning mechanism 19 removes the electrode material 8 adhering to the vicinity of the discharge port of the coating nozzle 1. Specifically, for example, a spatula is provided, and the electrode material 8 in the vicinity of the discharge port is scraped off by relative movement with the application nozzle 1. Or it is good also as a structure wiped off using a film, a waste, etc. The nozzle cleaning mechanism 19 is fixed to the substrate transport stage 3 at a predetermined distance from, for example, the excess coating solution receiver 18.

  The electrode material 8 is stored in the electrode material tank 9 and supplied to the application nozzle 1 through the pipe 7. A high pressure gas is connected to the electrode material tank 9 via a high pressure gas supply valve 33, a regulator 10, and an air release valve 35, and the pressure in the electrode material tank 9 is controlled by the regulator 10, and the electrode material 8 to the coating nozzle 1 is controlled. To control the feed rate. A valve 6 is installed in the middle of the pipe 7 and performs ON / OFF control of the supply of the electrode material 8 to the coating nozzle 1. As the electrode material 8, for example, a silver paste for screen printing is used.

  In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the configuration is such that the feeding of the electrode material 8 by the high-pressure gas from the high-pressure gas source and the supply of the electrode material 8 to the coating nozzle 1 by opening and closing the valve 6 are controlled. However, the control can be performed using various liquid feed pumps such as a cylinder pump, a Mono pump, a piston pump, a plunger pump, a diaphragm pump, and a reciprocating pump.

  The piston drive medium 12 is a medium for vertically driving the piston 28 for extruding the electrode material 8 for each discharge port in the coating nozzle 1, and can be said to be a component unique to the wiring forming apparatus of the present embodiment. As the piston drive medium 12, for example, a gas such as air, nitrogen, water, a liquid insoluble in the electrode material 8, a liquid component contained in the electrode material 8, or a part thereof is used. As shown in FIG. 4, the piston drive medium 12 is moderate in the cylinder-shaped piston drive chamber 30 so as not to leak from the piston drive medium side to the electrode material side through the gap between the piston 28 and the piston drive chamber inner surface. Those having viscosity and wettability are desirable. Or, in the piston driving chamber 30, even if it leaks from the piston driving medium side to the electrode material side through the gap of the piston 28 and enters the electrode material 8, it does not adversely affect the coating characteristics and the performance as a solar cell element. But it ’s okay.

  The piston drive medium 12 is stored in a piston drive medium tank 13 and supplied to the application nozzle 1 through a pipe 14. A high pressure gas is connected to the piston drive medium tank 13 via a high pressure gas supply valve 34, a regulator 15, and an atmosphere release valve 36, and the pressure in the piston drive medium tank 13 is controlled by the regulator 15, and the piston to the coating nozzle 1 is controlled. The supply speed of the drive medium 12 is controlled. A valve 11 is installed in the middle of the pipe 14 and performs ON / OFF control of the supply of the piston drive medium 12 to the application nozzle 1.

  In the illustrated example, the configuration is such that the pumping of the piston driving medium 12 by the high pressure gas from the high pressure gas source and the supply of the piston driving medium 12 to the coating nozzle 1 by opening and closing the valve 11 are controlled. It is also possible to control using various liquid feed pumps such as a cylinder pump, a Mono pump, a piston pump, a plunger pump, a diaphragm pump, and a reciprocating pump.

FIG. 3 shows an application nozzle passing through the center line of one discharge port 27 of the application nozzle 1 and passing through the connection port 24 of the pipe 7 of the electrode material application liquid supply system and the connection port 20 of the pipe 14 of the piston drive medium supply system. 1 is a sectional view taken along line MM ′ of FIG.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the piston 28 in the piston drive chamber 30 in the cross-sectional view of the coating nozzle 1 shown in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line NN ′ as viewed from the cutting line NN ′ shown in FIG.

  The application nozzle 1 includes a cavity 25, a material introduction path 26, a piston drive medium chamber 21, a piston control rod 22, a piston 28, a piston drive chamber 30, and a discharge port 27. The discharge ports are formed at the tip end portions of the discharge port introduction paths 29 in which the number of finger wirings of the solar cell element is arranged as shown in FIG. The same number of material introduction paths 26, pistons 28, and piston drive chambers 30 as the discharge ports 27 are provided so as to correspond to the respective discharge ports 27 (see FIG. 4).

  The electrode material 8 is introduced into the application nozzle 1 from the material introduction port 24 and is first stored in the cavity 25. The cavity 25 communicates with each material introduction path 26, and the electrode material 8 stored in the cavity 25 is supplied to each material introduction path 26. The electrode material 8 is filled in the piston driving chamber 30 below the piston 28 and the discharge port introduction passage 29 via the material introduction passage 26.

  The piston drive medium 12 is introduced into the application nozzle 1 from the piston drive medium introduction port 20 and is first stored in the piston drive medium chamber 21. The piston drive medium chamber 21 is configured as one storage chamber that is continuous in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the application nozzle 1, communicates with each piston drive chamber 30, and piston drive stored in the piston drive medium chamber 21. The medium 12 is supplied to each piston drive chamber 30.

  The piston control rod 22 is a rotating body having a cylindrical main body and a wing-shaped pattern 23 attached to the outer peripheral surface thereof. Both ends of the piston control rod 22 are matched to the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the application nozzle 1. Is supported by a bearing portion (not shown) in the application nozzle 1 and installed in the piston drive medium chamber 21, and is rotationally driven by the piston control rod drive motor 16. A piston control pattern 23 having a constant radial thickness is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the piston control rod 22. FIG. 6 is a developed view in which the outermost surface of the piston control pattern 23 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the piston control rod 22 is opened in a planar shape.

The bottom of the piston drive medium chamber 21 is configured by a cylindrical surface having an outermost radius with a piston control pattern 23 formed on the outer periphery of the piston control rod 22, and a flow path to each piston drive chamber 30 at the bottom of the cylindrical surface. Is connected. In the MM ′ cross-sectional view of FIG. 3, two piston control patterns 23 are shown. Each piston control pattern is shown by connecting a cross-sectional area and an area visible behind.
As shown in FIG. 4, the piston control pattern 23 is moved from the piston drive medium chamber 21 to the piston drive chamber when the outer peripheral surface reaches the bottom of the piston drive medium chamber 21 as the piston control rod 22 rotates. In order to cut off the supply of the piston drive medium 12 to 30, the inner wall of the piston drive medium chamber 21 is in contact with the vicinity of the opening of the flow path to the piston drive chamber 30, or is configured to maintain a slight gap. ing.

FIG. 7 shows a configuration diagram of the control device 50 and the control system of the wiring forming apparatus 100.
The control device 50 includes an input unit 51, an output unit 52, a calculation unit 53, a storage unit 54, and a communication unit 55.
The storage unit 54 includes a control program storage area 57 for storing a wiring formation processing control program and other programs, and a wiring formation processing control parameter storage area 58 for storing control parameters for each control target.
The calculation unit 53 loads a control program stored in the control program storage area 57 of the storage unit 54 and executes the wiring formation processing control unit 56.

  Control signals generated by the wiring formation processing control unit 56 are transmitted via the communication unit 55 and the local bus 59 to the substrate transfer stage control device 61, the nozzle lifting / lowering stage control device 62, the piston control rod drive motor 16, and the piston drive medium supply valve control. Device 63, electrode material supply valve control device 64, high-pressure gas supply valve control device 65, regulator control device 66, atmospheric release valve control device 67, nozzle cleaning mechanism control device 68, and discharge port cap control device 69 (in the second embodiment) To be used) to control each control target.

  A control flow of the wiring formation processing control unit 56 of the wiring forming apparatus 100 in this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  In the initial state of this flowchart, as shown in FIG. 9, the piston 28 is assumed to be located at the upper end of the piston drive chamber 30, and the piston drive chamber 30 and the discharge port introduction passage 29 are filled with the electrode material 8. It shall be. Further, the piston control pattern 23 is set so that the position of the broken line A shown in the developed view of FIG. 10 coincides with the center position of the flow path communicating with the piston control chamber 30. That is, the piston control pattern 23 blocks the piston drive medium 12 in the piston drive medium chamber 21 from flowing into the piston drive chamber 30.

  In step S10, the semiconductor substrate 5 to be applied is loaded and placed from the outside of the apparatus at a predetermined position on the substrate placing table 4 by a transfer robot (not shown). The coating process on the substrate is started according to the completion of the substrate placement.

  Next, in step S20, the nozzle raising / lowering stage 2 is driven and set so that the gap in the height direction between the discharge port of the application nozzle 1 and the surface of the semiconductor substrate 5 becomes a predetermined value at the time of application.

  Next, in step S30, the high pressure gas supply valve 34 is opened, the piston drive medium tank 13 is pressurized with high pressure gas, and the valve 11 is further opened to bring the inside of the piston drive medium chamber 21 into a pressurized state. .

  Next, in step S40, the substrate transfer stage 3 is driven to start the relative movement of the semiconductor substrate 5 under the coating nozzle 1, and the piston control rod 22 is driven in synchronization with the electrode material coating start position. The electrode material 8 is applied to the surface of the semiconductor substrate 5. At this time, the position of the piston control pattern 23 with respect to the flow path communicating from the piston drive medium chamber 21 to the piston control chamber 30 moves from the broken line A to the broken line F shown in the development view of FIG.

In the initial state of the broken line A, since all the flow paths communicating with the piston control chamber 30 are blocked by the piston control pattern 23, the piston 28 is in a stationary state. (The position of the point A attached to the position of the outermost periphery of the piston control pattern 23 of Fig. 9 corresponds to the position of the broken line A shown in the developed view of Fig. 10. The positions of the points B and C are also the same. )
In the state of the broken line B, the central flow path in the arrangement of flow paths communicating with the piston control chamber 30 is released from being blocked by the piston control pattern 23, and the pressure of the piston drive medium chamber 21 is transmitted to the piston 28. The piston 28 is driven downward by the transmitted pressure of the piston drive medium 12, and the electrode material 8 filled in the piston control chamber 30 and the discharge port introduction passage 29 is discharged from the discharge port 27. That is, in the state of the broken line B, it becomes the application start end of the region excluding the edge portion of the semiconductor substrate 5.

In the transition period from the state of the broken line B to the state of the broken line C, the flow path communicating with the piston control chamber 30 is gradually opened from the center toward the end. Along with this, application starts gradually from the center toward the end. The application start timing at this time is set so that the electrode material 8 is applied along the edge of the semiconductor substrate 5.
In the transition period from the state of the broken line C to the state of the broken line D, all of the flow paths communicating with the piston control chamber 30 are opened, and the electrode material 8 is discharged from all the discharge ports.

  In the transition period from the state of the broken line D to the state of the broken line E, the flow path communicating with the piston control chamber 30 is gradually blocked from the end toward the center. Along with this, application is gradually stopped from the end toward the center. The application completion timing at this time is set so that the electrode material 8 is applied along the edge of the semiconductor substrate 5.

  In the state of the broken line E, all of the flow paths communicating with the piston control chamber 30 are blocked, and the discharge of the electrode material 8 is stopped. That is, in the state of the broken line E, it becomes the coating end of the central region excluding the edge portion of the semiconductor substrate 5.

  Next, in step S50, the driving of the piston control rod 22 is stopped at the position of the broken line F, and at the same time, the high-pressure gas supply valve 34 is closed, the atmosphere release valve 36 is opened, and the high-pressure gas enters the piston drive medium tank 13. Release the applied pressure to the atmosphere. Further, the substrate transport stage 3 is driven to move the surplus coating solution receiver 18 to the position of the coating nozzle 1 and stop it.

  Next, in step S60, the piston control rod 22 is driven to move the position of the piston control pattern 23 relative to the flow path communicating with the piston control chamber 30 to the position of the broken line G shown in the development view of FIG. At this time, all the channels communicating with the piston control chamber 30 are connected to the piston drive medium chamber 21.

  Next, in step S70, the high pressure gas supply valve 33 is opened, the electrode material tank 9 is pressurized with the high pressure gas, and the valve 6 is further opened. As a result, the electrode material 8 is pushed into the piston control chamber 30 and the discharge port introduction path 29 via the cavity 25 in the coating nozzle 1 and each material introduction path 26. Since the pressure of the piston drive medium chamber 21 is in the open state to the atmosphere, the piston 28 moves to the upper end of the piston control chamber 30 by the pressure of the electrode material 8, and the electrode control material 30 is filled into the piston control chamber 30. At this time, when the pressure loss of the discharge port 27 is small with respect to the pressure of the electrode material 8, the electrode material 8 is discharged from the discharge port 27, but the discharged electrode material is recovered by the surplus coating liquid receiver 18. .

  Next, in step S80, the valve 6 is closed, the high-pressure gas supply valve 33 is closed, the atmosphere release valve 35 is opened, and the pressurization to the electrode material tank 9 is released. Further, the valve 11 is closed, the air release valve 36 is closed, the piston control rod is driven, and the position of the piston control pattern 23 with respect to each flow path communicating with the piston control chamber 30 is shown in the developed view of FIG. To the position of the broken line A shown in FIG. Finally, the atmosphere release valve 35 is closed. Thereby, each valve and piston control rod 22 are set to an initial state.

  Next, in step S <b> 90, the substrate transport stage 3 is driven to move the nozzle cleaning mechanism 19 to the position of the coating nozzle 1, and the electrode material 8 attached near the discharge port of the coating nozzle 1 is removed.

Next, in step S100, the substrate transfer stage 3 is driven to move the substrate mounting table 4 to the substrate loading position which is the initial state.
Finally, in step S11, the semiconductor substrate 5 coated with the electrode material 8 is carried out of the apparatus to the next drying / baking process by a transfer robot (not shown).
In the present embodiment, the substrate is carried out at the end of the flow, but may be performed at any timing as long as it is after step S40.

  In addition, when the electrode material 8 is filled in step S70, if the pressure loss of the discharge port 27 is sufficiently high with respect to the pressure of the electrode material 8 and the electrode material 8 is not discharged from the discharge port 27, the excess coating liquid receiver 18 and You may abbreviate | omit the excess coating liquid receiving position movement in step S50.

  Further, if the electrode material 8 at the discharge port 27 has good fluidity and the electrode material 8 does not remain in the vicinity of the discharge port 27 or does not affect the next discharge even if it remains, the nozzle cleaning mechanism. 19 and step S90 may be omitted.

  As described above, according to the wiring forming apparatus of the present embodiment, even if the semiconductor substrate 5 has an octagonal shape in which four corners of a quadrangle are cut off, finger wiring can be collectively formed without excess or deficiency.

In the present embodiment, an example of the wiring forming apparatus 120 that can reduce excessive discharge when the electrode material is filled into the coating nozzle 1 in the wiring forming apparatus 100 described in the first embodiment will be described.
FIG. 11 is a schematic plan configuration diagram of a wiring forming apparatus 120 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
12 is a view of the wiring forming apparatus 120 shown in FIG. 11 as viewed from the front in the positive direction of the Y axis.

  In addition, in the wiring formation apparatus 120 in Example 2, since the internal structure of the coating nozzle 1 is the same as that of Example 1 shown in FIGS. 3-6, description is abbreviate | omitted. The wiring forming apparatus 120 in the present embodiment includes a coating nozzle 1, a nozzle lifting / lowering stage 2, a substrate transport stage 3, a substrate mounting table 4, a coating liquid supply system 7, a piston drive medium supply system 14, and a discharge port. A cap 31 and a nozzle cleaning mechanism 19 are provided.

The discharge port cap 31 closes the discharge port in order to prevent the electrode material 8 from being discharged from the discharge port when the coating nozzle 1 is filled with the electrode material. As the structure of the discharge port cap 31, for example, it is assumed that the electrode material 8 is not discharged from the discharge port when the surface is pressed against the discharge port, such as rubber, plastic, film, or waste cloth.
In the present embodiment, since the components other than the discharge port cap 31 are the same as those in the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart for explaining the control flow of the wiring formation processing control unit 56 of the wiring forming apparatus 120 in this embodiment.
The initial state and steps S10 to S40 are the same as those in the first embodiment shown in FIG.

  In step S55, the driving of the piston control rod 22 is stopped at the position of the broken line F, and at the same time, the high pressure gas supply valve 34 is closed, the atmosphere release valve 36 is opened, and the high pressure gas is applied to the piston drive medium tank 13. Release the air pressure to the atmosphere. Further, the substrate transfer stage 3 is driven to move the horizontal position of the discharge port cap 31 to the position of the application nozzle 1 and stop. Further, the nozzle lifting / lowering stage 2 is driven to press the discharge port of the application nozzle 1 against the surface of the discharge port cap 31. Alternatively, an actuator (not shown) provided below the discharge port cap 31 is driven to press the discharge port cap 31 against the discharge port of the application nozzle 1.

  Next, in step S60, the piston control rod 22 is driven to move the position of the piston control pattern 23 relative to the flow path communicating with the piston control chamber 30 to the position of the broken line G shown in the development view of FIG. At this time, all the channels communicating with the piston control chamber 30 are connected to the piston drive medium chamber 21.

  Next, in step S70, the high pressure gas supply valve 33 is opened, the electrode material tank 9 is pressurized with the high pressure gas, and the valve 6 is further opened. As a result, the electrode material 8 is pushed into the piston control chamber 30 and the discharge port introduction path 29 via the cavity 25 in the coating nozzle 1 and each material introduction path 26. Since the pressure of the piston drive medium chamber 21 is in the open state to the atmosphere, the piston 28 moves to the upper end of the piston control chamber 30 by the pressure of the electrode material 8, and the electrode control material 30 is filled into the piston control chamber 30. At this time, since the discharge port 27 is closed by the discharge port cap 31, the electrode material 8 is not discharged.

Steps S80 to S110 are the same as the steps of the first embodiment shown in FIG.
In the present embodiment, the substrate is carried out at the end of the flow, but may be performed at any timing as long as it is after step S40.

  Further, if the electrode material 8 at the discharge port 27 has good fluidity and the electrode material 8 does not remain in the vicinity of the discharge port 27 or does not affect the next discharge even if it remains, the nozzle cleaning mechanism. 19 and step S90 may be omitted.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Application nozzle 2 Nozzle raising / lowering stage 3 Substrate conveyance stage 4 Substrate mounting base 5 Semiconductor substrate 6 Valve 7 Coating liquid supply system 8 Electrode material 9 Electrode material tank 10 Regulator 11 Valve 12 Piston drive medium 13 Piston drive medium tank 14 Piston drive medium supply System 15 Regulator 16 Piston control rod drive motor 17 Nozzle support frame 18 Excess coating liquid receiver 19 Nozzle cleaning mechanism 20 Piston drive medium introduction port 21 Piston drive medium chamber 22 Piston control rod 23 Piston control pattern 24 Material introduction port 25 Cavity 26 Material introduction Path 27 Discharge port 28 Piston 29 Discharge port introduction path 30 Piston drive chamber 31 Discharge port caps 33, 34 High pressure gas supply valves 35, 36 Atmospheric release valve 41 Y-axis direction moving mechanism 42 The substrate mounting table 4 is changed in a horizontal plane. Rotating mechanism 50 Control device 51 Input unit 52 Output unit 53 Operation unit 54 Storage unit 55 Communication unit 56 Wiring formation processing control unit 57 Control program storage area 58 Wiring formation processing control parameter storage area 59 Local bus 61 Substrate transport stage control device 62 Nozzle lift stage control device 63 Piston drive medium supply valve control device 64 Electrode material supply valve control device 65 High pressure gas supply valve control device 66 Regulator control device 67 Atmospheric release valve control device 68 Nozzle cleaning mechanism control device 69 Discharge port cap control device 100 Wiring forming apparatus 120 of Example 1 Wiring forming apparatus of Example 2

Claims (9)

A substrate mounting table on which the substrate is mounted;
A coating nozzle for discharging a coating liquid containing a wiring material to the substrate surface of the substrate placed on the substrate placing table;
A relative movement mechanism for moving either one of the coating nozzle and the substrate mounting table relative to the other;
The application nozzle is provided for each discharge port in order to individually control the discharge of the coating liquid from each discharge port and a plurality of discharge ports arranged along the direction intersecting the relative movement direction by the relative movement mechanism. A plurality of pistons, and a piston control mechanism for individually controlling the driving of each piston,
Each of the pistons is arranged in accordance with a desired wiring pattern in synchronization with an operation in which a substrate placed on the substrate placing table passes below the coating nozzle by relative movement by the relative movement mechanism. A wiring forming apparatus that is individually driven and controlled by the apparatus. In the wiring formation apparatus according to claim 1,
The piston control mechanism stores a piston drive medium supplied by pressurization, and a piston drive medium chamber connected to a flow path for sending the piston drive medium to each piston drive chamber;
A piston control rod installed in the piston drive medium chamber and formed with a piston control pattern having a shape matching the wiring pattern applied to the outer periphery thereof;
A piston control rod drive motor that rotationally drives the piston control rod;
Synchronously with the movement of the substrate mounting table, the piston control rod is rotationally controlled, and the piston control pattern individually controls the opening and closing of each flow path of the piston drive medium chamber. A wiring forming apparatus that performs individual drive control. In the wiring formation apparatus according to claim 2,
The piston control rod is a rotating body having a cylindrical main body and a piston control pattern attached to the outer peripheral surface thereof. The rotation axis of the piston control rod is aligned with the longitudinal direction of the application nozzle (Y-axis direction). Supported by the bearing unit and installed in the piston drive medium chamber,
The piston control pattern is formed with a constant radial thickness on the outer peripheral surface of the piston control rod, and the outer peripheral surface of the piston control pattern flows to the piston drive chamber formed at the bottom of the piston drive medium chamber. A wiring forming apparatus configured to be in contact with an opening of a road or to be slightly spaced. In the wiring formation apparatus according to claim 2,
The lower part of the piston in the piston driving chamber is filled with a coating liquid containing a wiring material via a material introduction path provided corresponding to each piston driving chamber in advance before application to the substrate surface. After the start of application to the surface, while the piston control pattern does not block the opening of each flow path of the piston drive medium chamber, the piston drive medium pushes down the piston of the piston drive chamber and applies from each discharge port A wiring forming apparatus that individually controls liquid discharge.   5. The wiring forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the piston driving medium is air, a gas such as nitrogen, water, a liquid insoluble in the electrode material, or a liquid component contained in the electrode material. Wiring forming device. In the wiring formation apparatus according to claim 2 or 3,
In addition to the discharge port, it has a coating liquid supply path for filling the inside of the piston driving chamber with the coating liquid, and fills the piston driving chamber from the coating liquid supply path to the inside of the piston driving chamber before applying the coating liquid to the substrate. A wiring forming apparatus characterized by: In the wiring formation apparatus according to claim 6,
A wiring forming apparatus having a coating liquid recovery mechanism and recovering a coating liquid discharged from a discharge port when the coating liquid is filled. In the wiring formation apparatus according to claim 6,
It has a discharge port cap mechanism that blocks the discharge port and prevents the coating liquid from being discharged, and prevents the coating liquid from being discharged from the discharge port by the discharge port cap mechanism when the coating liquid is filled. Wiring forming device. In the wiring formation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
A wiring forming apparatus comprising a nozzle cleaning mechanism for cleaning an unnecessary coating liquid adhering to the vicinity of the discharge port.

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