JP2015068513A - Dry device, dry processing method, substrate holder and solvent adsorption sheet - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently remove a solvent from an organic material film on a substrate in a short time, with a simple facility.SOLUTION: A sheet support part 5 of a dry device 100 supports a flexible solvent adsorption sheet 200 adsorbing a solvent volatilized from an organic material film formed on a substrate S in a processing container 1. The sheet support part 5 is arranged in a state of separating the solvent adsorption sheet 200, with respect to a placement table 3 and the substrate S supported thereon. The sheet support part 5 includes a first roll holding part 51A around which an unused solvent adsorption sheet 200 is wound, and a second roll holding part 51B that takes up a solvent adsorption sheet 200 exposed to atmosphere in the processing container 1.

Description

  The present invention relates to a drying apparatus, a drying processing method, a substrate holder used for them, and a solvent adsorption sheet that can be used for drying an organic material film on a substrate, for example, in the process of manufacturing an organic EL element.

  An organic EL (Electro Luminescence) element is a light-emitting element that utilizes the luminescence of an organic compound generated by passing an electric current, and a laminate of a plurality of organic functional films (hereinafter referred to as “EL”) between a pair of electrodes. The layer is generically referred to as “layer”). Here, the EL layer is, for example, from the anode side, [hole transport layer / light-emitting layer / electron transport layer], [hole injection layer / hole transport layer / light-emitting layer / electron transport layer], or [positive The hole injection layer / the hole transport layer / the light emitting layer / the electron transport layer / the electron injection layer] are stacked in this order.

  The EL layer is formed by depositing or applying an organic material on the substrate for each layer. In the case of forming a highly accurate fine pattern, it is considered advantageous to use an ink jet printing method as a coating method.

  The organic material film printed on the substrate by the inkjet printing method contains a large amount of ink-derived solvent. In order to remove this solvent, vacuum drying is performed. The dried organic material film is further baked in a low oxygen atmosphere. By this baking treatment, the organic material film is changed to an organic functional film constituting the EL layer. Therefore, printing, drying, and baking processes are repeatedly performed in the formation process of the EL layer using the inkjet printing method.

  During the drying process, a large amount of the solvent is volatilized from the organic material film on the substrate. Therefore, if the solvent is not quickly removed from the processing container of the drying apparatus, the drying efficiency is lowered. It is known that the state of the organic material film after drying affects the characteristics of the EL layer. If the solvent concentration in the organic material film is nonuniform in the plane of the substrate during the drying process, the characteristics of the organic EL element in the plane of the substrate may vary. For example, if the dry state is not uniform in the plane of the substrate, it may cause problems such as display unevenness when used as an organic EL display.

  When the inside of the processing container of the drying apparatus is depressurized, the amount of exhaust gas decreases as the pressure decreases.Therefore, there is a problem that the amount of exhaust gas decreases in a high vacuum state and the drying efficiency of the organic material film decreases. there were. In a high vacuum state, the movement of a high-boiling point solvent having a large molecular weight is small because the diffusion is dominant, and the movement of the high-boiling point solvent is less likely to stay in the processing vessel and be discharged outside. There was a problem of lowering.

  Patent Document 1 proposes that a porous adsorbing member made of a metal such as nickel or a ceramic such as zirconia is disposed in a processing container of a drying apparatus used for a drying process in an organic EL manufacturing process. The porous adsorbing member described in Patent Document 1 requires a regeneration process because the adsorption efficiency of the solvent decreases as the drying process is repeated. Patent Document 1 proposes to separately prepare a drying device having the same configuration as the drying device and perform a heat treatment in a high vacuum for the regeneration treatment of the porous adsorbing member. However, providing a separate dedicated chamber for the purpose of recycling the porous adsorbing member leads to an increase in equipment and footprint. Moreover, in patent document 1, since the heating in a high vacuum is required for the reproduction | regeneration processing of a porous adsorption member, it cannot be said that it is a good point also at the point of energy efficiency.

JP 2010-169308 A (FIG. 1, paragraph 0032, etc.)

  An object of the present invention is to provide a drying apparatus and a drying processing method capable of efficiently removing a solvent from an organic material film on a substrate in a short time with simple equipment.

  In order to solve the above problems, the drying apparatus of the present invention removes the solvent in the organic material film applied to the surface of the substrate and dries it. The drying apparatus of the present invention includes a processing container that can be evacuated, a substrate support that supports the substrate in the processing container, and a flexibility that adsorbs the solvent volatilized from the organic material film in the processing container. The solvent adsorption sheet is provided with a sheet support portion arranged in a state of being separated from the substrate support portion.

  In the drying apparatus of the present invention, the solvent adsorbing sheet includes a resin film and a solvent absorption layer formed on the resin film. And the said sheet | seat support part may be supported so that the said solvent absorption layer may face the said organic material film | membrane of the said board | substrate.

  In the drying apparatus of the present invention, the sheet supporting portion bends the solvent adsorbing sheet so that the distance from the central portion of the substrate is relatively small and the distance from the edge portion of the substrate is relatively large. You may support in the state which was not.

  The drying apparatus of the present invention may further include a pressing member that presses the solvent adsorbing sheet supported by the sheet support portion toward the substrate side.

  The drying apparatus of the present invention further includes an adsorption amount adjusting plate for adjusting the adsorption amount of the solvent to the solvent adsorption sheet between the solvent adsorption sheet and the substrate supported by the sheet support unit. You may have.

  In addition, the drying apparatus of the present invention may further include a solvent spray unit that sprays the same or different solvent as the solvent toward the solvent adsorbing sheet supported by the sheet support unit.

  Moreover, the drying apparatus of this invention WHEREIN: The said board | substrate support part may support the said board | substrate in a perpendicular direction.

  Moreover, the drying apparatus of this invention WHEREIN: The said solvent adsorption sheet may be formed in elongate. And the said sheet | seat support part winds and hold | maintains the 1st roll holding | maintenance part hold | maintained in the state which wound the said solvent adsorption sheet, and the said solvent adsorption sheet exposed to the atmosphere in the said processing container. And a roll holding unit.

  The substrate holder of the present invention is used for a drying process in which the solvent in the organic material film applied to the surface of the substrate is removed and dried. The substrate holder of the present invention includes a substrate holding member that holds the substrate and a flexible solvent adsorbing sheet that adsorbs the solvent volatilized from the organic material film. And a sheet support member that supports the organic material film in a state of being separated and at least partially opposed to the organic material film.

  A drying apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention removes the solvent in the organic material film applied to the surface of the substrate and dries it. The drying apparatus includes a processing container that can be evacuated, and a holder support portion that supports the substrate holder in the processing container. The substrate holder may be carried into the processing container or carried out of the processing container while holding the substrate.

  In the drying apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, the holder support portion may support a plurality of the substrate holders in a stacked state.

  The solvent adsorbing sheet of the present invention is disposed in a state of being separated from the substrate in a processing container of a drying apparatus that removes the solvent in the organic material film applied to the surface of the substrate and dries. It is a flexible solvent adsorbing sheet that adsorbs the solvent volatilized from the organic material film applied to the surface.

  The solvent adsorption sheet of the present invention may include a resin film and a solvent absorption layer formed on the resin film.

  The solvent adsorbing sheet of the present invention may be formed in a long shape and supplied to a position facing the substrate by a roll-to-roll method and recovered.

  In the solvent adsorbing sheet of the present invention, solvent holding units that hold the adsorbed solvent may be provided at predetermined intervals.

  The drying treatment method of the present invention is a drying treatment method in which a solvent in an organic material film applied to the surface of a substrate is removed under reduced pressure and dried. In this drying processing method, a flexible solvent adsorbing sheet is disposed in a state of being separated from the substrate and at least partially opposed to adsorb the solvent volatilized from the organic material film. It is.

  In the drying treatment method of the present invention, the organic material film may be applied on the substrate by an inkjet printing method in the manufacture of an organic EL element.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to quickly adsorb the solvent volatilized from the organic material film on the substrate by the solvent adsorbing sheet and perform the drying process efficiently in a short time. Therefore, according to the present invention, for example, the throughput can be improved in the manufacturing process of an organic EL display or the like, and the reliability of the product can be improved.

It is sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of the drying apparatus of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is principal part sectional drawing which shows typically the structure in the preferable aspect of a solvent adsorption sheet. It is a principal part top view in the preferable aspect of a solvent adsorption sheet. It is a principal part sectional surface which shows the structure of the 1st modification of the drying apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a top view which shows the structure of the 1st modification of the drying apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a principal part sectional surface which shows the structure of the 2nd modification of the drying apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a top view which shows the structure of the 2nd modification of the drying apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a principal part sectional surface which shows the structure of the 3rd modification of the drying apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a top view which shows the structure of the 3rd modification of the drying apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the outline of the manufacturing process of an organic EL element. It is sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of the drying apparatus of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view explaining the structural example of a substrate holder. It is a front view explaining the structural example of a substrate holder. It is sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of the drying apparatus of the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a graph which shows the measurement result of the drying processing time in a test example.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a single-wafer drying apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The drying apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is a solvent in an organic material film applied to the surface of a glass substrate (hereinafter simply referred to as “substrate”) S for an organic EL display as an object to be processed. It is used for the drying process which removes and dries.

  The drying apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment volatilizes from the organic material film in the processing container 1 that can be evacuated, the mounting table 3 as a substrate support unit that supports the substrate S in the processing container 1, and the processing container 1. A sheet support unit 5 that arranges a flexible solvent adsorbing sheet 200 that adsorbs a solvent in a state of being separated from the mounting table 3, and a control unit 6 are provided.

<Processing container>
The processing container 1 is a pressure-resistant container that can be evacuated. The processing container 1 is formed of a metal material. As a material for forming the processing container 1, for example, aluminum, aluminum alloy, stainless steel, or the like is used. The processing container 1 includes a bottom wall 11, four rectangular tubular side walls 13, and a ceiling portion 15.

  The side wall 13 is provided with a loading / unloading port 13a for loading and unloading the substrate S into the apparatus. The loading / unloading port 13a is for loading / unloading the substrate S to / from the outside of the processing container 1. A gate valve GV is provided at the carry-in / out port 13a. The gate valve GV has a function of opening and closing the loading / unloading port 13a. The gate valve GV hermetically seals the processing container 1 in the closed state, and enables the transfer of the substrate S between the processing container 1 and the outside in the open state.

  The bottom wall 11 is provided with a plurality of exhaust ports 11a. The exhaust port 11 a is connected to an external exhaust device 19 through an exhaust pipe 17. By driving the exhaust device 19, the inside of the processing container 1 can be evacuated to a predetermined vacuum level, for example, a pressure of about 0.1 Pa.

<Mounting table>
Inside the processing container 1, a mounting table 3 is disposed as a substrate support unit that supports the substrate S. The mounting table 3 is fixed to the bottom wall 11 via a column 3a. Although not shown, the mounting table 3 has a mechanism for moving the substrate S up and down, for example, a lift pin, a delivery position for transferring the substrate S, and a drying process by placing the substrate S on the mounting table 3. The height position of the substrate S can be adjusted with respect to the processing position.

<Sheet support part>
In the drying apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the sheet support unit 5 supports a flexible solvent adsorbing sheet 200 that adsorbs the solvent volatilized from the organic material film in the processing container 1. The sheet support unit 5 is disposed in a state where the solvent adsorption sheet 200 is separated from the mounting table 3 and the substrate S supported thereon. In the present embodiment, the sheet support unit 5 includes a first roll holding unit 51 </ b> A that holds an unused solvent adsorbing sheet 200 in a wound state, and a solvent adsorbing sheet 200 that is exposed to the atmosphere in the processing container 1. A second roll holding portion 51B that winds and holds the roll.

  The first roll holding unit 51A includes a column 53A fixed to the ceiling 15 of the processing container 1 and a core member 55A supported rotatably at the tip of the column 53A. The second roll holding unit 51B includes a support column 53B fixed to the ceiling 15 of the processing container 1, and a core member 55B supported rotatably at the tip of the support column 53B. The first roll holding part 51 </ b> A and the second roll holding part 51 </ b> B support the long and roll-shaped solvent adsorption sheet 200 so as to be suspended from the ceiling part 15 of the processing container 1. The core member 55A winds the unused solvent adsorption sheet 200, and the core member 55B winds the used solvent adsorption sheet 200.

  The sheet support unit 5 rotates the core member 55A and the core member 55B to move the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 in the direction indicated by the white arrow in FIG. 1 (that is, from the first roll holding unit 51A side to the second position). (Toward the roll holding unit 51B side), and is moved continuously at a predetermined speed or intermittently at a predetermined length. In this way, the sheet support unit 5 can send out and recover the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 above the substrate S.

  Meanwhile, in the plane of the substrate S, the drying of the organic material film tends to be slow at the central portion, and the drying of the organic material film tends to be quick at the edge portion. Therefore, in the drying apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 can be supported by the sheet support unit 5 in a bent state. By bending the solvent adsorbing sheet 200, the distance from the central portion of the substrate S is relatively small and the distance from the edge portion of the substrate S is relatively large. In the central part of the substrate S having a short distance from the solvent adsorbing sheet 200, the volatilization of the solvent from the organic material film is promoted by the adsorption to the solvent adsorbing sheet 200, and the drying rate can be improved. As a method of bending the solvent adsorbing sheet 200, for example, the flexibility of the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 is used, and the distance between the first roll holding unit 51A and the second roll holding unit 51B is adjusted to adjust the solvent adsorbing sheet 200. A method of lowering the tension applied to 200 can be mentioned.

<Solvent adsorption sheet>
Here, a configuration example of the solvent adsorption sheet 200 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional structure in a preferred embodiment of the solvent adsorption sheet 200. The solvent adsorption sheet 200 has flexibility and includes a film-like base resin layer 201 and a solvent absorption layer 202 formed on the base resin layer 201. The solvent adsorption sheet 200 is disposed in the processing container 1 of the drying apparatus 100 in a state of being separated from the mounting table 3 and the substrate S, and adsorbs the solvent volatilized from the organic material film applied to the surface of the substrate S. By adsorbing the solvent in the processing container 1 using the solvent adsorbing sheet 200, the solvent concentration in the atmosphere is reduced to promote the volatilization of the solvent from the organic material film, and the solvent adheres to the inner wall of the processing container 1. The amount can be reduced.

  The base resin layer 201 is made of a resin material. The resin material constituting the base resin layer 201 is not particularly limited as long as it supports the solvent absorption layer 202 and can impart flexibility to the solvent adsorption sheet 200. Further, the base resin layer 201 preferably has a property of having a low affinity with the solvent contained in the organic material film and being difficult to permeate the solvent. Examples of a preferable material for the base resin layer 201 include PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and PI (polyimide).

  The solvent absorption layer 202 has a structure in which a filler 203 having an adsorptivity to a solvent volatilized from an organic material film is fixed by a solvent permeable resin 204. The filler 203 is not particularly limited as long as it has an adsorptivity to an organic solvent. Preferred materials for the filler 203 include, for example, porous ceramics such as porous silica and porous alumina, as well as zeolite, carboxymethyl cellulose, activated carbon and the like. Among these, those having a large specific surface area are preferable, and it is most preferable to use fine particles of porous silica. The fine particles forming the filler 203 may be spherical, but preferably have non-spherical and random shapes as shown in FIG.

  The physical properties of the fine particles constituting the filler 203 will be described by taking porous silica as an example. First, the average particle diameter of the porous silica can be selected from the range of, for example, 50 nm or more and 500 μm or less according to the thickness of the solvent absorption layer 202. Here, the average particle diameter is measured by a laser diffraction / scattering method, and the particle diameter when the porous silica is non-spherical is calculated based on the long diameter. The porosity of the porous silica is, for example, in the range of 40% or more and 80% or less, preferably in the range of 50% or more and 70% or less, and most preferably 55% or more from the viewpoint of increasing the adsorption of solvent molecules. It can be in the range of 65% or less.

  The solvent permeable resin 204 is held in a state where the filler 203 is embedded. The solvent permeable resin 204 is not particularly limited as long as it has a function of stably holding the filler 203 and has an affinity for the solvent volatilized from the organic material film and can permeate the solvent. . As a preferable material of the solvent permeable resin 204, for example, a resin material such as PVA (polyvinyl alcohol), polyvinyl pyrrolidone, and aqueous polymer isocyanate can be used. Among these, PVA (polyvinyl alcohol), which has an excellent function of holding the filler 203 and has high solvent permeability, is most preferable.

  The filling amount of the filler 203 in the solvent absorption layer 202 is, for example, from the viewpoint of securing the support property of the filler 203 and suppressing the generation of particles caused by the filler 203 while enhancing the adsorption of solvent molecules. It is preferably 50% by weight or more of the entire layer 202, and more preferably in the range of 50% by weight or more and 90% by weight or less.

  The solvent adsorbing sheet 200 can be formed by applying a mixture of the filler 203 and the solvent permeable resin 204 on the base resin layer 201 and spreading it so as to have a uniform thickness. The thickness of the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 is not particularly limited as long as flexibility is not impaired, but is preferably within a range of 0.1 mm to 5 mm, for example. Moreover, the ratio of the thickness of the base resin layer 201 and the solvent absorption layer 202 can be appropriately determined in consideration of the flexibility of the entire solvent adsorption sheet 200 and the retention stability of the filler 203.

  As a particularly preferable embodiment of the solvent adsorption sheet 200, for example, a film made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is used as the base resin layer 201, porous silica having a porosity of around 60% is used as the filler 203, and PVA ( Polyvinyl alcohol) may be used.

  The solvent adsorption sheet 200 is preferably arranged so that the solvent absorption layer 202 faces the substrate S. In the solvent adsorbing sheet 200, the solvent permeates the solvent permeable resin 204 from the surface 202 a (the side where the base resin layer 201 is not formed) of the solvent absorbing layer 202 and is adsorbed by the embedded filler 203. To collect the solvent. In FIG. 2, as an example, the filler 203 in a state where the solvent is adsorbed is shown in black. Once the solvent is adsorbed by the filler 203, the solvent permeable resin 204 is present in the surrounding area, so that leakage from the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 to the outside is suppressed at room temperature. As described above, the solvent permeable resin 204 has a function of stably supporting the adsorbent 203 so as not to cause generation of particles, and the filler 203 by rapidly permeating the solvent from the surface 202a side of the solvent absorbing layer 202. And a barrier function that suppresses re-diffusion of the solvent adsorbed on the filler 203 to the outside. Therefore, by disposing the solvent adsorption sheet 200 in the processing container 1, the solvent concentration in the processing container 1 can be reduced almost irreversibly, and the volatilization of the solvent from the organic material film on the substrate S can be reduced. Can promote. Note that the solvent absorption layer 202 may be provided with a base resin on both sides of the base resin layer 201, respectively.

  The solvent adsorption sheet 200 can be formed in a strip shape or a long shape. The width and length of the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 are preferably greater than or equal to the width and length of the substrate S. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a main part in a preferred embodiment when the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 is formed in a long shape. In FIG. 3, for reference, the size of the substrate S is projected onto the solvent adsorption sheet 200 and indicated by a broken line. By forming the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 to be long, it is possible to supply and collect the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 at a position facing the substrate S by a roll-to-roll method as shown in FIG. That is, the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 is formed in a long shape and is moved continuously or intermittently in the direction indicated by the white arrow in FIG. It can be applied to a plurality of substrates S while changing the part. The used solvent adsorption sheet 200 can be reused by removing the solvent by, for example, heat treatment, but may be discarded as it is.

  In FIG. 3, the aspect which provided the gather 205 as a solvent holding | maintenance part at the predetermined space | interval in the solvent adsorption sheet 200 is shown. The gather 205 is a wrinkle formed by forcibly bending the solvent adsorbing sheet 200, for example. For example, when the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 is used in the roll-to-roll method, the gather 205 leaks the adsorbed solvent on the winding side (the core member 55B of the second roll holding unit 51B in FIG. 1). In order to prevent this, it has a function of increasing the solvent retention. As the solvent holding unit, instead of the gather 205, a fiber material having a high solvent holding ability or the like is attached to the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 at a predetermined interval, or the thickness of the solvent absorbing layer 202 is partially increased. Also good.

<Pressure control mechanism>
The drying device 100 of the present embodiment further includes an exhaust device 19. The exhaust device 19 may be a constituent part of the drying device 100 or may be an external device different from the drying device 100. The exhaust device 19 has, for example, a vacuum pump such as a turbo molecular pump or a dry pump. The drying apparatus 100 further includes an exhaust pipe 17 that connects the exhaust port 11 a and the exhaust apparatus 19, and an APC (Adaptive Pressure Control) valve 23 provided in the middle of the exhaust pipe 17. By operating the vacuum pump of the exhaust device 19 and adjusting the opening of the APC valve 23, the internal space of the processing container 1 can be evacuated to a predetermined degree of vacuum. The APC valve 23 includes one master valve and a plurality of slave valves, and each slave valve operates in conjunction with the master valve.

  The drying apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment further includes a pressure gauge 25 for monitoring the pressure in the processing container 1. The pressure gauge 25 transmits the measured pressure in the processing container 1 as an electric signal to the APC valve 23 of the master valve.

  In the present embodiment, the exhaust device 19, the exhaust pipe 17, the APC valve 23, and the pressure gauge 25 constitute a pressure control mechanism that exhausts the inside of the processing container 1 under reduced pressure and adjusts it to a predetermined pressure.

<Gas supply mechanism>
The drying apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes a gas supply device 27 that supplies gas into the processing container 1. The gas supply device 27 may be a constituent part of the drying device 100 or an external device different from the drying device 100. A gas introduction part 15 a is provided in the ceiling part 15 of the processing container 1. A gas supply device 27 is connected to the gas introduction part 15a. The gas introduction part 15a may be provided at a position other than the ceiling part 15, for example, at the side wall 13 or the like. The gas supply device 27 is connected to the gas supply source 29 for supplying gas to the gas introduction unit 15a, the gas supply source 29 and the gas introduction unit 15a, and one or a plurality of gas supplies for supplying gas to the gas introduction unit 15a. A pipe 31 (only one is shown) is provided. The gas introduction part 15a may be provided with a nozzle or a shower head (not shown). In addition, the gas supply device 27 includes a mass flow controller (MFC) 33 that controls the gas flow rate and a plurality of open / close valves 35 (only two are shown) in the middle of the pipe 31. The flow rate of the gas introduced into the processing container 1 from the gas introduction unit 15 a is controlled by the mass flow controller 33 and the opening / closing valve 35. As the gas supplied from the gas supply source 29, for example, an oxidizing gas such as oxygen gas or ozone gas, a plasma forming inert gas such as argon gas, or a replacement gas such as nitrogen gas or dry air is preferably used.

<Control unit>
As shown in FIG. 1, each component of the drying apparatus 100 is connected to and controlled by the control unit 6. The control unit 6 includes a controller 61 including a CPU, a user interface 62, and a storage unit 63. The controller 61 has a computer function, and controls each component in the drying apparatus 100 in an integrated manner. The user interface 62 includes a keyboard on which the process manager manages command input in order to manage the drying apparatus 100, a display that visualizes and displays the operating status of the drying apparatus 100, and the like. The storage unit 63 stores a recipe in which a control program (software) for realizing various processes executed by the drying apparatus 100 under the control of the controller 61 and processing condition data are recorded. The user interface 62 and the storage unit 63 are connected to the controller 61.

  Then, if necessary, an arbitrary recipe is called from the storage unit 63 by an instruction from the user interface 62 and is executed by the controller 61, so that a desired process in the drying apparatus 100 can be performed under the control of the controller 61. Done. Recipes such as the control program and processing condition data can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a hard disk, a flexible disk, or a flash memory. Alternatively, it can be transmitted from other devices as needed via, for example, a dedicated line and used online.

  Next, a modification of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. As described above, in the plane of the substrate S, the drying of the organic material film tends to be slow at the center portion, and the drying of the organic material film tends to be quick at the edge portion. In the first to third modifications shown below, the solvent adsorption sheet 200 is used so that the drying proceeds more uniformly in the plane of the substrate S.

[First Modification]
FIG. 4 is a view showing a main part of the drying apparatus 100 of the first modified example. FIG. 5 shows a state in which the inside of the processing container 1 is viewed from the ceiling 15 side in the present modification.

  The drying apparatus 100 according to the present modification includes a roller 70 as a pressing member that presses the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 supported by the sheet support unit 5 toward the substrate S side. The roller 70 is rotatably supported by an arm 71 that is fixed to the ceiling portion 15 and can extend and contract in the vertical direction. Then, by extending the arm 71 and pressing the roller 70 against the upper surface of the solvent adsorption sheet 200, the central portion of the solvent adsorption sheet 200 can be brought closer to the substrate S side. That is, by using the roller 70, a state in which the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 is bent so that the distance from the central portion of the substrate S is relatively small and the distance from the edge portion of the substrate S is relatively large is created. Can do. In FIG. 5, the bending of the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 is indicated by a dashed arrow. In the central part of the substrate S having a relatively small distance from the solvent adsorbing sheet 200, it is easier to adsorb the solvent volatilized from the organic material film than in the edge part. Thus, by bringing the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 close to the central portion of the substrate S, the volatilization of the solvent from the organic material film in the central portion of the substrate S is promoted compared to the edge portion, and is uniform in the plane of the substrate S. Drying can be realized.

  Since the other configuration in the present modification is the same as that of the drying apparatus 100 in FIG. 1, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

[Second Modification]
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a main part of a drying apparatus 100 according to a second modification. FIG. 7 shows a state in which the inside of the processing container 1 is viewed from the ceiling 15 side in the present modification. The drying apparatus 100 according to the present modification includes a plate 73 as an adsorption amount adjusting plate that adjusts the adsorption amount of the solvent to the solvent adsorption sheet 200 between the solvent adsorption sheet 200 and the substrate S. The plate 73 is supported by arms 57A and 57B installed obliquely downward from the support pillars 53A of the first roll holding part 51A and the support pillars 53B of the second roll holding part 51B, respectively. Further, the plate 73 is disposed in a state of being substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the upper surface of the substrate S placed on the mounting table 3. In this modification, the plate 73 has an opening 73a that penetrates at a position corresponding to the central portion of the substrate S, for example. Through the opening 73 a of the plate 73, the solvent volatilized from the organic material film can be efficiently adsorbed to the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 at the central portion of the substrate S where the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 and the substrate S directly face each other. On the other hand, at the edge portion of the substrate S, the plate 73 interposed between the solvent adsorption sheet 200 and the substrate S serves as a baffle plate, and the adsorption of the solvent to the solvent adsorption sheet 200 is suppressed. As a result, volatilization of the solvent from the organic material film in the central portion of the substrate S is promoted compared to the edge portion, and uniform drying can be realized within the surface of the substrate S.

  Since the other configuration in the present modification is the same as that of the drying apparatus 100 in FIG. 1, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. The adsorption amount adjusting plate is not limited to the plate 73 having the opening 73a in the central portion, and the aperture ratio of the portion corresponding to the central portion of the substrate S is increased in, for example, a lattice shape or a mesh shape. The aperture ratio may be changed.

[Third Modification]
FIG. 8 is a view showing a main part of a drying apparatus 100 according to a third modification. FIG. 9 shows a state in which the inside of the processing container 1 is viewed from the ceiling portion 15 side in the present modification. The drying apparatus 100 according to the present modification includes a solvent spray unit 75 that sprays the evaporated solvent toward the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 supported by the sheet support unit 5. The solvent spray unit 75 includes a nozzle unit 77 that sprays a solvent, a solvent storage unit 79, and a pipe 81 that connects the nozzle unit 77 to the solvent storage unit 79. The pipe 81 may be provided with a valve or a vaporizer (not shown).

  The solvent spray unit 75 sprays the solvent on the upstream side in the supply direction from the portion facing the substrate S in the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 supplied from the first roll holding unit 51A to the second roll holding unit 51B. It is provided at a position where it can be made. In this modification, the solvent spraying portions 75 are arranged one by one near both ends in the width direction of the solvent adsorbing sheet 200, and spray the solvent toward the edge portion of the long solvent adsorbing sheet 200.

  The solvent spray unit 75 sprays the same or different solvent as the solvent that volatilizes from the organic material film of the substrate S, for example. As described above, the edge portion of the substrate S tends to evaporate the solvent faster than the central portion, and the organic material film tends to dry faster. In this modification, the solvent adsorption from the organic material film on the edge portion of the substrate S is suppressed by spraying the solvent in advance on the edge portion of the solvent adsorption sheet 200 corresponding to the edge portion of the substrate S. As a result, the volatilization of the solvent from the organic material film at the edge portion of the substrate S is suppressed, the difference in drying speed within the surface of the substrate S is reduced, and a uniform dry state can be realized.

  The ink for forming the organic material film is composed of a solute and a solvent, and the component to be dried is mainly a solvent. Many organic compounds contained in the solvent have a high boiling point. For example, 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone (boiling point 220 ° C., melting point 8 ° C.), 4 -Tert-Butylanisole (4-tert-Butylanisole, boiling point 222 ° C, melting point 18 ° C), Trans-Anethole (Trans-Anethole, boiling point 235 ° C, melting point 20 ° C), 1,2-dimethoxybenzene (1,2-Dimethoxybenzene) , Boiling point 206.7 ° C., melting point 22.5 ° C., 2-methoxybiphenyl (boiling point 274 ° C., melting point 28 ° C.), phenyl ether (Phenyl Ether, boiling point 258.3 ° C., melting point 28 ° C.), 2-ethoxynaphthalene (2- Ethoxynaphthalene, boiling point 282 ° C., melting point 35 ° C., benzyl phenyl ether (Benzyl Phenyl Ether, boiling point 288 ° C., melting point 39 ° C.), 2,6-dimethoxytoluene (2,6-Dimethoxytoluene, boiling point 222 ° C., melting point 39 ° C.), 2-Propoxynaphthalene, boiling point 305 ℃, melting point 40 ℃), 1,2,3-trimethoxybenzene (1,2,3-Trimethoxybenzene, boiling point 235 ℃, melting point 45 ℃), cyclohexylbenzene (cyclohexylbenzene, boiling point 237.5 ℃, melting point 5 ℃), dodecylbenzene (Dodecylbenzene, boiling point 288 ° C., melting point −7 ° C.), 1,2,3,4-tetramethylbenzene (1,2,3,4-tetramethylbenzene, boiling point 203 ° C., melting point 76 ° C.) and the like. These high boiling point organic compounds may be combined in the ink in a combination of two or more. The solvent sprayed from the solvent spraying unit 75 is preferably a solvent containing the same type of high boiling point organic compound contained in the organic material film, but a different type of solvent from the high boiling point organic compound contained in the organic material film. The solvent may be included.

  Since the other configuration in the present modification is the same as that of the drying apparatus 100 in FIG. 1, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. In the present modification, the number of nozzle portions 77 is not limited to two in the width direction of the solvent adsorbing sheet 200, and may be one or three or more. Further, the nozzle portion 77 can be provided near the center in the width direction of the solvent adsorbing sheet 200.

[Drying procedure]
The procedure of the drying process using the drying apparatus 100 configured as described above will be described. First, as a previous step, an organic material film is printed in a predetermined pattern on the substrate S by an external inkjet printing apparatus (not shown). Next, the gate valve GV is opened, and the substrate S on which the organic material film is printed is transferred to the mounting table 3 of the drying device 100 by an external transfer device (not shown).

  Next, the gate valve GV of the drying apparatus 100 is closed, the exhaust apparatus 19 is operated, and the inside of the processing container 1 is evacuated under reduced pressure. While the pressure in the processing container 1 is monitored by the pressure gauge 25, the opening degree of the APC valve 23 is controlled to reduce the pressure to a predetermined degree of vacuum. In this manner, a drying process for removing the solvent contained in the organic material film formed on the substrate S can be performed. During the drying process, the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 is disposed in a state of being separated from the substrate S by the sheet support unit 5. The solvent adsorbing sheet 200 is disposed so that the solvent absorbing layer 202 faces the upper surface (the organic material film forming surface) of the substrate S. The solvent adsorbing sheet 200 can promptly adsorb the solvent volatilized from the organic material film on the substrate S, and reduce the solvent concentration in the atmosphere to promote the volatilization of the solvent from the organic material film. Moreover, adhesion of the solvent to the inner wall of the processing container 1 can also be suppressed. Furthermore, by applying the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 in the modes shown in the first to third modifications (see FIGS. 4 to 9), a more uniform drying process can be performed in the plane of the substrate S.

  When the predetermined time has elapsed, the exhaust device 19 is stopped, the inside of the processing container 1 is increased to a predetermined pressure, the gate valve GV of the drying apparatus 100 is opened, and the substrate S is transferred to the processing container by an external transfer device (not shown). Unload from 1. With the above procedure, the drying process for one substrate S is completed.

  The solvent volatilized from the organic material film on the substrate S remains in the processing container 1 where the drying process is completed and the substrate S is unloaded. In particular, a solvent adheres to the inner wall surface of the processing container 1. In such a state where the solvent is adhered, it is difficult to keep the condition in the processing container 1 constant when performing the subsequent drying processing of the substrate S. Therefore, after carrying out the substrate S after the drying process, the solvent remaining in the processing container 1 can also be adsorbed using the solvent adsorbing sheet 200.

  As described above, the drying apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes the sheet support unit 5, and the substrate S can be quickly dried by providing the solvent adsorption sheet 200 therein. Therefore, in the drying apparatus 100, the throughput can be greatly improved not only when the single substrate S is dried, but also when the plurality of substrates S are exchanged. In addition, when processing by sequentially replacing a plurality of substrates S, it is possible to arrange the processing container 1 in the same condition and perform a stable drying process. For example, the reliability of a product such as an organic EL display is also improved. Can be improved.

[Application example to manufacturing process of organic EL element]
In the manufacture of an organic EL element, a plurality of organic functional films are formed as an EL layer between an anode and a cathode. The drying apparatus 100 of the present embodiment can be applied to the manufacture of an organic EL element having any laminated structure. Here, as an example of the EL layer, an organic EL element having a hole injection layer / hole transport layer / light emitting layer / electron transport layer / electron injection layer from the anode side to the cathode side is taken as an example. Specific processing by the drying apparatus 100 will be described.

  In FIG. 10, the outline of the manufacturing process of an organic EL element was shown. In this example, the organic EL element is manufactured by the steps STEP1 to STEP8. In STEP 1, an anode (pixel electrode) is formed on the substrate S with a predetermined pattern by, for example, vapor deposition. Next, in STEP2, a partition (bank) made of an insulator is formed between the anodes by a photolithography method. As an insulating material for forming the partition wall, for example, a polymer material such as a photosensitive polyimide resin can be used.

  Next, in STEP 3, a hole injection layer is formed on the anode formed in STEP 1. First, an organic material serving as a material for the hole injection layer is printed on the anode partitioned by each partition wall by an ink jet printing method. Next, the organic material film printed in this manner is subjected to a vacuum drying process for removing the solvent by using the drying apparatus 100. Next, the substrate S after the drying process is transferred to a baking apparatus, and a baking process in the atmosphere is performed to form a hole injection layer.

  Next, in STEP 4, a hole transport layer is formed on the hole injection layer formed in STEP 3. First, an organic material serving as a material for the hole transport layer is printed on the hole injection layer by an inkjet printing method. The organic material film printed in this manner is subjected to a vacuum drying process for removing the solvent using the drying apparatus 100. Next, the substrate S after the drying process is transferred to a baking apparatus, and a baking process in the atmosphere is performed to form a hole transport layer.

  Next, in STEP 5, a light emitting layer is formed on the hole transport layer formed in STEP 4. First, an organic material to be a material for the light emitting layer is printed on the hole transport layer by an ink jet printing method. The organic material film printed in this manner is subjected to a vacuum drying process for removing the solvent using the drying apparatus 100. Next, the substrate S after the drying process is transferred to a baking apparatus, and a baking process in the air is performed to form a light emitting layer. In addition, when a light emitting layer consists of multiple layers, the said process is repeated.

  Next, an organic EL element is obtained by sequentially forming an electron transport layer (STEP 6), an electron injection layer (STEP 7), and a cathode (STEP 8) on the light emitting layer by, for example, vapor deposition. Moreover, an electron carrying layer (STEP6) and an electron injection layer (STEP7) can also be formed by the inkjet printing method.

  In the manufacturing process of such an organic EL element, the drying apparatus 100 includes STEP3 (hole injection layer formation), STEP4 (hole transport layer formation), STEP5 (light emitting layer formation), STEP6 (electron transport layer formation), and It can be preferably applied to STEP 7 (electron injection layer formation). That is, after printing the organic material film that is the previous stage of each layer by the ink jet printing method, the drying apparatus 100 can be used to perform a vacuum drying process on the organic material film. Here, the drying apparatus 100 includes the sheet support unit 5, and the solvent adsorption sheet 200 that adsorbs the solvent volatilized from the organic material film can be disposed in the processing container 1 to perform the drying process. As the efficiency increases, the dried state of the organic material film in the plane of the substrate S can be made uniform. Furthermore, by using the solvent adsorption sheet 200, it is possible to reliably remove the solvent adhering to the inside of the processing container 1 by the drying process of the substrate S (refresh process) in a short time. Therefore, in the drying apparatus 100, the throughput can be significantly improved not only when processing a single substrate S but also when processing a plurality of substrates S repeatedly. In addition, the reliability of the drying process is increased, and the reliability of a product such as an organic EL display can be improved.

  As described above, by using the drying apparatus 100, the drying process necessary for forming the EL layer can be efficiently performed with high throughput in the manufacturing process of the organic EL element.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a drying apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a drying apparatus 101 according to the second embodiment. The main difference from the drying apparatus 100 of the first embodiment is that the drying apparatus 101 of the present embodiment uses a substrate holder 90 that holds the substrate S so that the substrate S can be transported. The flexible solvent adsorbing sheet 200 can be attached. Hereinafter, the difference from the drying apparatus 100 of the first embodiment will be mainly described. In the drying apparatus 101 of the present embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those of the first embodiment. Description is omitted.

  The drying apparatus 101 according to the present embodiment includes a processing container 1 that can be evacuated, a mounting table 3 </ b> A as a holder support unit that supports a substrate holder in the processing container 1, and a control unit 6. The mounting table 3A is configured so that one or a plurality of substrate holders 90 can be mounted. In FIG. 11, four substrate holders 90 are placed in a stacked state. The substrate holder 90 is used for a drying process in which the solvent in the organic material film applied to the surface of the substrate S is removed and dried.

  FIG. 12 is a side view of the substrate holder 90 used in the present embodiment, and FIG. 13 is a front view thereof. 12 and 13 show the substrate holder 90 that holds the substrate S and supports the solvent adsorbing sheet 200.

  The substrate holder 90 includes a substrate holding member 91 that holds the substrate S, and a sheet support member 93 that supports the solvent adsorption sheet 200. The sheet support member 93 supports the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 so as to face the substrate S held by the substrate holding member 91.

  The substrate holding member 91 includes a plate-like base portion 91a and a plurality of support portions 91b rising from the base portion 91a at a predetermined interval. The support portions 91b are provided at both left and right ends of the base portion 91a so as to support the vicinity of both ends of the substrate S in the width direction. The height of the upper surface of the base portion 91a is lower than the height of the support portion 91b, and a step 91c is formed. Using this step 91c, a pick of a transfer device (not shown) is inserted between the left and right support portions 91b, and the substrate S is placed on the support portion 91b, or the substrate S placed on the support portion 91b is placed on the substrate S. It can be taken out. A recess 91a1 is formed at the bottom of the base 91a. The recess 91a1 is provided corresponding to a columnar portion 93a of a sheet support member 93 described later.

  The sheet support member 93 includes a columnar portion 93a that rises from a plurality of support portions 91b of the substrate holding member 91, and a support plate 93b that extends in a horizontal direction from the columnar portions 93a. The support plates 93b are provided in pairs on the left and right sides in the width direction of the substrate holding member 91 so that the vicinity of both ends in the width direction of the solvent adsorption sheet 200 can be supported. In order to fix the solvent adsorbing sheet 200, the support plate 93b may include fixing means such as a hook, a clip, and an adhesive material. The sheet support member 93 supports the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 with a predetermined interval from the substrate S held by the substrate holding member 91. The solvent adsorbing sheet 200 used in the present embodiment has a strip shape, and the surface 202a of the solvent absorbing layer 202 is placed on the sheet support member 93 so as to face the upper surface (organic material film forming surface) of the substrate S. Supported. At this time, since the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 has flexibility, for example, as shown in FIG. 13, the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 is deployed in a state where it is bent so that the central portion is lower than the vicinity of both left and right ends supported by the support plate 93b. can do.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the substrate holder 90 can be stacked in multiple stages. When the substrate holder 90 is stacked in a plurality of stages, the tip of the columnar portion 93a of the sheet support member 93 in the lower substrate holder 90 is fitted into a recess 91a1 formed on the bottom of the base 91a in the upper substrate holder 90. Position. By stacking the substrate holders 90 in multiple stages in such a positioned state, the substrate holders 90 can be prevented from being displaced or dropped.

  The substrate holder 90 is carried into the processing container 1 while holding the substrate S, or is carried out of the processing container 1. Loading and unloading of the substrate holder 90 can be performed in a state where a plurality of substrate holders 90 are stacked in multiple stages.

[Drying procedure]
A procedure of a drying process using the drying apparatus 101 configured as described above will be described. First, as a previous step, an organic material film is printed in a predetermined pattern on the substrate S by an external inkjet printing apparatus (not shown). Next, after the substrate S on which the organic material film is printed is held by the substrate holding member 91 of the substrate holder 90, the strip-shaped solvent adsorption sheet 200 is mounted on the sheet support member 93. In this way, the substrate holder 90 holding the substrate S and mounting the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 is stacked in multiple stages. Then, the gate valve GV is opened, and the substrate holders 90 stacked in multiple stages are transferred to the mounting table 3A of the drying apparatus 101 by an external transfer device (not shown).

  Next, the gate valve GV of the drying apparatus 101 is closed, the exhaust apparatus 19 is operated, and the inside of the processing container 1 is evacuated under reduced pressure. While the pressure in the processing container 1 is monitored by the pressure gauge 25, the opening degree of the APC valve 23 is controlled to reduce the pressure to a predetermined degree of vacuum. In this manner, a drying process for removing the solvent contained in the organic material film formed on the substrate S can be performed. During the drying process, in each substrate holder 90, the solvent absorption layer 202 of the solvent adsorption sheet 200 is disposed so as to face the upper surface (the organic material film formation surface) of the substrate S. The solvent adsorbing sheet 200 can quickly adsorb the solvent volatilized from the organic material film of each substrate S, and can reduce the solvent concentration in the atmosphere to promote the volatilization of the solvent from the organic material film. Moreover, adhesion of the solvent to the inner wall of the processing container 1 can also be suppressed.

  After a predetermined time has elapsed, the exhaust device 19 is stopped, the inside of the processing container 1 is increased to a predetermined pressure, the gate valve GV of the drying device 101 is opened, and the substrates stacked in multiple stages by an external transfer device (not shown). The holder 90 is unloaded from the processing container 1. With the above procedure, the drying process for the plurality of substrates S is completed.

  As described above, the drying apparatus 101 according to the present embodiment can simultaneously dry a plurality of substrates S by using the substrate holder 90 in which the solvent adsorption sheet 200 is mounted on the S substrates. . Therefore, in the drying apparatus 101, the throughput when drying the plurality of substrates S can be greatly improved. Moreover, it becomes possible to perform the stable drying process with respect to the several board | substrate S, for example, can also improve the reliability of products, such as an organic EL display.

  Other configurations and effects in the present embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment. Further, the drying apparatus 101 can be applied to a manufacturing process of an organic EL element as in the first embodiment. Note that the drying apparatus 101 according to the present embodiment is not limited to the case where a plurality of substrate holders 90 are stacked and collectively processed. For example, only one substrate holder 90 is carried into the processing container 1 to perform the drying process. May be. Moreover, the board | substrate holder 90 is not restricted to the structure illustrated in FIGS. 11-13, A various deformation | transformation is possible if it has an equivalent function.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a drying apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a drying apparatus 102 according to the third embodiment. As a main difference from the drying apparatus 100 of the first embodiment, in the drying apparatus 102 of the present embodiment, the substrate S is placed in the vertical direction instead of the mounting table 3 for placing the substrate S in the horizontal direction. While having the substrate support part 3B to support, the sheet | seat support part 5 is arrange | positioned so that the solvent adsorption sheet 200 can be mounted in parallel with respect to the vertically mounted substrate S supported by the substrate support part 3B. Hereinafter, the difference from the drying apparatus 100 of the first embodiment will be mainly described. In the drying apparatus 102 of the present embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those of the first embodiment. Description is omitted.

  The drying apparatus 102 according to the present embodiment adsorbs the processing container 1 that can be evacuated, the substrate support 3B that supports the substrate S in the processing container 1, and the solvent volatilized from the organic material film in the processing container 1. The sheet support part 5 which arrange | positions the flexible solvent adsorption sheet 200 in the state spaced apart with respect to the board | substrate support part 3B, and the control part 6 are provided.

<Processing container>
The processing container 1 is a pressure-resistant container that can be evacuated. The processing container 1 is formed of a metal material. As a material for forming the processing container 1, for example, aluminum, aluminum alloy, stainless steel, or the like is used. The processing container 1 includes a bottom wall 11, four rectangular tubular side walls 13, and a ceiling portion 15.

  The ceiling portion 15 is provided with a loading / unloading port 15b for loading and unloading the substrate S into the apparatus. The loading / unloading port 15 b is for loading / unloading the substrate S to / from the outside of the processing container 1. A gate valve GV is provided at the loading / unloading port 15b. The gate valve GV has a function of opening and closing the loading / unloading port 15b, and hermetically seals the processing container 1 in the closed state, and enables the transfer of the substrate S between the processing container 1 and the outside in the opened state.

  The side wall 13 is provided with a plurality of exhaust ports 13c. The exhaust port 13 c is connected to an external exhaust device 19 through an exhaust pipe 17. By driving the exhaust device 19, the inside of the processing container 1 can be evacuated to a predetermined vacuum level, for example, a pressure of about 0.1 Pa. In addition, a gas introduction part 13b is provided on the other side wall 13 facing the side wall 13 in which the exhaust port 13c is formed. A gas supply device 27 is connected to the gas introduction part 13b.

<Board support part>
A substrate support 3 </ b> B that supports the substrate S is disposed inside the processing container 1. The substrate support portion 3B is fixed to the side wall 13 via a support column 3a. The substrate support portion 3B includes a clamp 4 for holding the substrate S in a vertically placed state in the vertical direction. The substrate 4 can be stably held by the clamp 4 on the substrate support 3B.

<Sheet support part>
In the drying apparatus 102 of the present embodiment, the sheet support unit 5 supports a flexible solvent adsorbing sheet 200 that adsorbs the solvent volatilized from the organic material film in the processing container 1. In the present embodiment, the sheet support unit 5 is configured to wind up the first roll holding unit 51 </ b> A around which the unused solvent adsorption sheet 200 is wound and the solvent adsorption sheet 200 exposed to the atmosphere in the processing container 1. Roll holding portion 51B. The first roll holding part 51A and the second roll holding part 51B are fixed to the side wall 13 so that the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 can be mounted in parallel to the vertically placed substrate S supported by the substrate support part 3B. ing.

  The drying apparatus 102 according to the present embodiment includes the substrate support portion 3B that can vertically place the substrate S and the sheet support portion 5 that can mount the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 in parallel to the substrate S. First, even if a solvent or particles fall from the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 arranged to face the organic material film forming surface of the substrate S, adhesion to the substrate S is prevented. Therefore, it is possible to perform a drying process without worrying about particle contamination on the substrate S, and the reliability of a product such as an organic EL display can be improved.

  Other configurations and effects in the present embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment. Moreover, the 1st-3rd modification (refer FIGS. 4-9) is applicable to the drying apparatus 102 similarly to 1st Embodiment. Moreover, the drying apparatus 102 can be applied to a manufacturing process of an organic EL element, as in the first embodiment.

[Test example]
Next, test results for confirming the effect of the solvent adsorption sheet 200 will be described. Except that the sheet support portion 5 is not provided, in the drying apparatus having the same configuration as the drying apparatus 100 of FIG. 1, two strip-shaped solvent adsorption sheets 200 are arranged side by side in the processing container 1, and the substrate S The organic material film was dried. The total area of the two solvent adsorption sheets 200 was made larger than the area of the substrate S.

  The solvent adsorption sheet 200 was attached to the inner wall surface of the ceiling portion 15 or arranged so as to be parallel to the substrate S placed on the placement table 3 using a support. In this test, the distance (gap) between the substrate mounting surface of the mounting table 3 and the solvent adsorption sheet 200 was set to 25 mm (Example 1) or 5 mm (Example 2). As a comparative example, the drying process was performed under the same conditions even when the solvent adsorbing sheet 200 was not provided. The distance from the substrate mounting surface of the mounting table 3 to the ceiling portion 15 in the comparative example was 25 mm.

  In the drying process, samples obtained by applying ink A, ink B, and ink C containing different types of solvents on the substrate S are used as samples, and the time until the drying process is completed for each ink is determined in the center portion of the substrate S. And measured at the edge. The results are shown in FIG. From FIG. 15, it can be seen that by deploying the solvent adsorbing sheet 200, both the examples 1 and 2 shortened the time until the drying was completed as compared with the comparative example. For example, in the ink A, the drying process time of Example 1 was shortened by about 25% at the edge portion of the substrate S and by about 35% at the center portion as compared with the comparative example. In the ink B, compared with the comparative example, the drying processing time of Example 2 was shortened by about 13% at the edge portion of the substrate S and by about 35% at the central portion. Further, in the ink C, the drying processing time of Example 1 was shortened by about 17% at the edge portion of the substrate S and by about 40% at the center portion as compared with the comparative example.

  In addition, by providing the solvent adsorbing sheet 200, the difference in drying time between the central portion and the edge portion of the substrate S was significantly reduced.

  From the above results, it is possible to reduce the drying time of the organic material film on the substrate S and to increase the drying speed in the plane of the substrate S by disposing the solvent adsorption sheet 200 in the processing container 1 and performing the drying process. It was confirmed that it could be made uniform.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described in detail for the purpose of illustration, this invention is not restrict | limited to the said embodiment, A various deformation | transformation is possible. For example, the manufacturing process of the organic EL element is not limited to that illustrated in FIG. For example, the EL layer is directed from the anode side to the cathode side in the order of [hole transport layer / light emitting layer / electron transport layer], [hole injection layer / hole transport layer / light emitting layer / electron transport layer], etc. The drying apparatuses 100, 101, and 102 of the present invention can be similarly applied to the manufacture of organic EL elements having a laminated structure.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Processing container, 3 ... Mounting stand, 5 ... Sheet support part, 6 ... Control part, 11 ... Bottom wall, 13 ... Side wall, 13a ... Carry-in / out port, 15 ... Ceiling part, 15a ... Gas introduction part, 17 ... Exhaust pipe , 19 ... Exhaust device, 23 ... APC valve, 25 ... Pressure gauge, 27 ... Gas supply device, 31 ... Pipe, 33 ... Mass flow controller (MFC), 35 ... Open / close valve, 51A ... First roll holder, 51B ... Second roll holding unit, 61 ... controller, 62 ... user interface, 63 ... storage unit, 100 ... drying device, 200 ... solvent adsorption sheet, S ... substrate, GV ... gate valve

Claims (17)

A drying apparatus that removes the solvent in the organic material film applied to the surface of the substrate and dries it,
A processing container capable of being evacuated;
A substrate support for supporting the substrate in the processing container;
A sheet support part for disposing a flexible solvent adsorbing sheet that adsorbs the solvent volatilized from the organic material film in the processing container in a state of being separated from the substrate support part;
A drying apparatus comprising: The solvent adsorption sheet comprises a resin film and a solvent absorption layer formed on the resin film,
The drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet support portion supports the solvent absorption layer so as to face the organic material film of the substrate.   The sheet support portion supports the solvent adsorbing sheet in a bent state so that the distance from the central portion of the substrate is relatively small and the distance from the edge portion of the substrate is relatively large. Or the drying apparatus of 2.   Furthermore, the drying apparatus of any one of Claim 1 to 3 provided with the press member which presses the said solvent adsorption sheet supported by the said sheet | seat support part toward the said substrate side.   Furthermore, the adsorption amount adjustment board which adjusts the adsorption amount of the said solvent to the said solvent adsorption sheet is provided between the said solvent adsorption sheet and the said board | substrate supported by the said sheet | seat support part. The drying apparatus according to any one of the above.   The drying according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a solvent spraying unit that sprays the same or different solvent as the solvent toward the solvent adsorbing sheet supported by the sheet supporting unit. apparatus.   The drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate support unit supports the substrate in a vertical direction. The solvent adsorption sheet is formed in a long shape,
The seat support part
A first roll holding unit that holds the solvent adsorption sheet in a wound state; and a second roll holding unit that winds and holds the solvent adsorption sheet exposed to the atmosphere in the processing container. The drying apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7. A substrate holder for use in a drying process in which a solvent in an organic material film applied to the surface of a substrate is removed and dried,
A substrate holding member for holding the substrate;
A flexible solvent adsorbing sheet that adsorbs the solvent volatilized from the organic material film is separated from the organic material film of the substrate held by the substrate holding member, and at least partially opposed to the organic material film. A sheet support member that supports the
A substrate holder comprising: A drying apparatus that removes the solvent in the organic material film applied to the surface of the substrate and dries it,
A processing container capable of being evacuated;
A holder support for supporting the substrate holder according to claim 9 in the processing container,
With
The drying apparatus characterized in that the substrate holder is carried into the processing container or carried out of the processing container while holding the substrate.   The drying apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the holder support unit supports a plurality of the substrate holders in a stacked state.   The organic material applied to the surface of the substrate, disposed in a state of being separated from the substrate in a processing container of a drying apparatus that removes the solvent in the organic material film applied to the surface of the substrate and dries. A flexible solvent adsorption sheet that adsorbs the solvent volatilized from the film.   The solvent adsorption sheet according to claim 12, comprising a resin film and a solvent absorption layer formed on the resin film.   The solvent adsorbing sheet according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the solvent adsorbing sheet is formed in a long shape, and is supplied to and recovered from a position facing the substrate by a roll-to-roll method.   The solvent adsorbing sheet according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein a solvent holding unit for holding the adsorbed solvent is provided at a predetermined interval. A drying method for removing the solvent in the organic material film applied to the surface of the substrate under reduced pressure and drying the film,
A drying process characterized in that a flexible solvent adsorbing sheet is disposed in a state of being separated from the substrate and at least partially opposed to adsorb the solvent volatilized from the organic material film. Method.   The drying method according to claim 16, wherein the organic material film is applied on the substrate by an ink jet printing method in manufacturing an organic EL element.

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