JP2016059908A - Application method and application device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an application method capable of applying a liquid material of high viscosity without damaging an object.SOLUTION: In an ink application method, ink 22 is caused to adhere to the tip 24a of an application needle 24, the application needle 24 is arranged above a mechanism part 40a of MEMS 40, and the application needle 24 is lowered to bring the tip 24a into contact with the surface of the mechanism part 40a. After the stand-by for a prescribed time, the application needle 24 is raised while relatively moving the application needle 24 and the MEMS 40 in a horizontal direction, the tip 24a of the application needle 24 is separated from the surface of the mechanism part 40a, and an ink layer 22a is formed on the surface of the mechanism part 40a. The force by which the mechanism part 40a is pulled by the adhesive force of the ink 22 can be reduced as compared with the case where only the application needle 24 is raised in a vertical direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to a coating method and a coating apparatus, and more particularly to a coating method and a coating apparatus that apply a liquid material to an object.

  A technique for applying a liquid material such as ink using an application needle having a tip diameter of several tens of micrometers, and a technique for processing a pattern using laser light having a spot diameter of several micrometers to several tens of micrometers When combined with precision positioning technology, it is possible to create fine patterns and accurately process predetermined positions on the pattern, so these technologies can be used for flat panel display correction work and solar cell scribing work. It has been conventionally used (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3).

  In particular, the technique using a coating needle can be applied even with high-viscosity ink, which the dispenser is not good at, and has recently been used to form a thick film having a thickness of 10 μm or more as compared with a flat panel display pattern. This technique is used, for example, for forming electronic circuit patterns and printed circuit board wirings of semiconductor devices such as MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) and sensors. Patterns produced by printed electronics technology, which is a promising manufacturing technology in the future, are also classified as thick films. Therefore, the technique of applying a liquid material using an application needle is a processing technique that is expected to be used in the future.

JP 2007-268354 A JP 2009-122259 A JP 2012-006077 A

  By the way, for example, as a method of forming a thick ink film on the surface of a mechanism portion provided in the MEMS, a method of applying high viscosity ink using an application needle is conceivable. However, in this coating method, when the tip of the coating needle to which ink is attached is brought into contact with the MEMS mechanism and separated, the MEMS mechanism may be pulled and damaged by the adhesive force of the ink.

  Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to provide a coating method and a coating apparatus capable of coating a liquid material having a high viscosity without damaging an object.

  An application method according to the present invention is an application method in which a liquid material is applied to an object using an application needle, the first step of attaching the liquid material to the tip of the application needle, and the application needle is lowered. A second step of bringing the tip portion into contact with the object, and a third step of lifting the application needle while moving the application needle and the object in the horizontal direction to separate the tip portion from the object.

  Another application method according to the present invention is an application method in which a liquid material is applied to an object using an application needle, the first step of attaching the liquid material to the tip of the application needle, and the application needle being lowered. If the adhesive force of the liquid material is smaller than a predetermined value, the application needle without moving the application needle and the object relative to each other in the horizontal direction. And when the adhesive force of the liquid material is greater than a predetermined value, a third step of raising the application needle while relatively moving the application needle and the object in the horizontal direction is included.

Preferably, the tip of the application needle is brought into contact with the object and waits for a predetermined time.
In addition, the coating apparatus according to the present invention controls an application unit that attaches a liquid material to the tip portion of the application needle, a drive unit that moves the application unit and the object relative to each other, and a drive unit that controls the application unit in advance. Place the tip of the application needle at a predetermined position, lower the application needle to bring the tip into contact with the object, and raise the application needle while relatively moving the application needle and the object in the horizontal direction. And a control device for applying a liquid material to the object.

  Another application device according to the present invention includes an application unit that attaches a liquid material to a tip portion of an application needle, a drive device that relatively moves the application unit and the object, and a drive device that controls the upper side of the object. The tip of the application needle is placed at a predetermined position, the application needle is lowered, the tip is brought into contact with the object, the application needle is raised, the tip is separated from the object, and the liquid material is applied to the object. And a control device for applying the coating. When the adhesive force of the liquid material is smaller than a predetermined value, the control device raises the application needle without relatively moving the application needle and the object in the horizontal direction, and the adhesive force of the liquid material is When it is larger than the determined value, the application needle is raised while relatively moving the application needle and the object in the horizontal direction.

  Preferably, the control device raises the application needle after waiting for a predetermined time by bringing the tip of the application needle into contact with the object.

  In the coating method and the coating apparatus according to the present invention, the tip of the coating needle is lifted while the coating needle and the object are relatively moved in the horizontal direction to separate the tip from the target. The pulling force can be reduced. Therefore, a liquid material having a high viscosity can be applied without damaging the object.

It is a figure which shows the whole structure of the ink application apparatus used in the ink application method by one embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the application | coating unit contained in the application | coating mechanism part shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the container and application needle | hook shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the method of apply | coating ink with low viscosity using the ink application | coating apparatus shown in FIGS. It is sectional drawing which shows the method of apply | coating high viscosity ink using the ink application | coating apparatus shown in FIGS. It is a figure which shows the example of a change of embodiment.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an ink coating apparatus 1 used in an ink coating method according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an ink coating apparatus 1 includes an observation optical system 2 for observing the surface of a substrate, a monitor 3 for displaying an observed image, and irradiating the substrate with laser light through the observation optical system 2 to cut unnecessary portions. A cutting laser unit 4 to be applied, an application mechanism unit 5 that applies ink to the tip of the application needle and applies the ink to a target region of the substrate, a substrate heating unit 6 that heats the ink applied to the target region, and a target region An image processing unit 7 for recognizing the image, a host computer 8 for controlling the entire apparatus, and a control computer 9 for controlling the operation of the apparatus mechanism unit. In addition, an XY stage 10 that moves a substrate having a target region in the XY direction (horizontal direction), a chuck unit 11 that holds the substrate on the XY stage 10, and the observation optical system 2 and the coating mechanism unit 5 are moved in the Z direction. A Z stage 12 that is moved in the (vertical direction) is provided.

  The XY stage 10 is used to relatively move the substrate to an appropriate position when the ink is applied to the target area by the application mechanism unit 5 or when the surface of the substrate is observed by the observation optical system 2. The XY stage 10 shown in FIG. 1 has a configuration in which two uniaxial stages are stacked in a perpendicular direction. However, the XY stage 10 only needs to be able to move the substrate relative to the observation optical system 2 and the coating mechanism unit 5, and is limited to the configuration of the XY stage 10 shown in FIG. is not. When the substrate size is large, a gantry-type XY stage that can move independently in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction may be used.

  FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of the coating unit 20 included in the coating mechanism unit 5 illustrated in FIG. 2A, the coating unit 20 has a first hole 21a at the bottom thereof, a container 21 into which ink 22 has been injected, and a lid 23 that has the second hole 23a opened and seals the container 21. And a coating needle 24 having substantially the same diameter as the first and second holes 21a and 23a. The tip of the application needle 24 penetrates the second hole 23a and is immersed in the ink 22.

  FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the portion of the application needle 24 and the container 21. The first hole 21 a opened in the bottom of the container 21, the second hole 23 a opened in the lid 23, and the application needle The dimensional relationship with 24 is expressed. When the diameter of the first hole 21a is Dd, the diameter of the second hole 23a is Du, and the diameter of the application needle 24 is D, Dd and Du are larger than D and Dd> Du> D. . This relational expression is valid when the application needle 24 is not a step but a straight type.

  Further, half of the difference between the diameter Dd of the first hole 21 a and the diameter D of the application needle 24 (one-side gap) is Δd, and half of the difference between the diameter Du of the second hole 23 a and the diameter D of the application needle 24. If (one-side gap) is Δu, there is a relationship of Δd> Δu, and the first hole opened at the bottom of the container 21 rather than the gap between the second hole 23a opened at the lid 23 and the application needle 24. The gap between 21a and application needle 24 is set larger. For this reason, the attitude of the container 21 can be maintained by the second hole 23a and the application needle 24. Furthermore, even if the application needle 24 is in contact with the inner surface of the second hole 23a, the application needle 24 is Since it does not contact the inner surface of the first hole 21a, deformation due to wear of the first hole 21a can be suppressed. Therefore, since the amount of the ink 22 adhering to the tip 24a of the application needle 24 does not change, stable application is possible.

  Returning to FIG. 2, the base end portion of the application needle 24 is fixedly supported by the application needle fixing plate 25. The application needle fixing plate 25 is fixed to the slide portion 26 b of the linear motion guide member 26, and the rail portion 26 a of the linear motion guide member 26 is fixed to the support base 29. The linear motion guide member 26 has a rolling guide configuration in which a rolling element (ball or the like) is interposed between the rail portion 26a and the slide portion 26b, and the rail portion 26a and the slide portion 26b are freely movable with extremely light force. It is a linear guide that can move linearly. In order to improve application accuracy, a light preload may be applied.

  Stoppers 27 and 28 are respectively provided at the upper and lower ends of the linear motion guide member 26 to prevent the slide portion 26b from coming out of the rail portion 26a. If the linear motion guide member 26 has a stopper function, the stoppers 27 and 28 may be omitted.

  The support base 29 is provided with an air cylinder 30 with the output shaft 30a facing upward. A drive plate 31 having a pin 31a fixed to the tip is fixed horizontally at the tip of the output shaft 30a of the air cylinder 30, and moves up and down integrally with the output shaft 30a. As shown in FIG. 2B, the pin 31a is in contact with the lower side of the notch 25a provided in the application needle fixing plate 25, and the application needle fixing plate 25 is moved by the vertical movement of the output shaft 30a of the air cylinder 30. Has the ability to move up and down.

  The container 21 is made of, for example, a resin such as polypropylene resin, fluororesin, or polyacetal resin, and a protruding portion 21 b is provided on a side portion of the container 21. A magnetic pin 32 is fixed to the protrusion 21b so as to protrude upward from the protrusion 21b. The container 21 may be formed by injection molding. In this case, the pin 32 can be integrally formed at the time of injection molding.

  A magnet 33 is fixed to the lower end surface of the support base 29 that fixes the linear motion guide member 26. By adsorbing the upper end surface of the pin 32 fixed to the container 21 to the lower end surface of the magnet 33, the container 21 is supported by being suspended from the support base 29 at one point, and the second opened in the lid 23. When the application needle 24 is passed through the hole 23a, the gap Δu is small, so that the container 21 is held at a predetermined position. Also, by setting the gap Δd between the first hole 21a opened at the bottom of the container 21 and the application needle 24 to be sufficiently larger than Δu, the application needle 24 moves up and down without contacting the first hole 21a. It becomes possible to do. For example, Δd = 200 μm and Δu = 100 μm are set.

  If the application needle 24 is inserted into the second hole 23a opened in the lid 23 of the container 21, the posture of the container 21 is restricted to some extent by the application needle 24 and the second hole 23a, and the posture of the container 21 is determined. Hold posture.

  Since the first hole 21a opened at the bottom of the container 21 and the application needle 24 do not come into contact with each other, generation of dust can be prevented, and entry of dust into the ink 22 can be suppressed. Further, the container 21 is only supported on one surface by the suction force of the magnet 33 and the pin 32 fixed to the container 21. Even if the application needle 24 and the second hole 23 a come into contact with each other, the container 21 is fixed. Has a self-aligning property and therefore has little influence on the application needle 24. The surface where the pin 32 and the magnet 33 contact is almost flat, and they have a diameter of about 3 mm. The contact surface between the pin 32 and the magnet 33 is set so that a reference line connecting the center of the first hole 21a and the center of the second hole 23a substantially coincides with the center line of the application needle 24.

  4A to 4D are cross-sectional views showing a process of applying the low viscosity ink 22 to the target region 35a on the surface of the substrate 35 using the ink application device shown in FIGS. . Since the adhesive force of the ink 22 having a low viscosity is smaller than a predetermined value, even if the tip 24a of the application needle 24 to which the ink 22 is attached is brought into contact with the target area 35a, the application needle 24 is raised vertically. It is assumed that the target area 35a is not pulled and damaged by the adhesive force of the ink 22.

  The coating mechanism unit 5 also includes a sub-Z stage 34 that lowers and raises the coating unit 20 in the Z-axis direction (vertical direction, the length direction of the coating needle 24). The sub-Z stage 34 has a drive shaft 34 a that expands and contracts in the Z-axis direction, and the distal end portion of the drive shaft 34 a is fixed to the upper end portion of the support base 29. The sub-Z stage 34 has coordinates in the Z-axis direction, and has a function of moving the drive shaft 34a from any first coordinate to any second coordinate at a desired speed. First, as shown in FIG. 4A, the coating unit 20 and the substrate 35 are relatively moved using the XY stage 10 and the Z stage 12, and the tip of the coating needle 24 is disposed above the target area 35a of the substrate 35. .

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, the output shaft 30a of the air cylinder 30 is moved downward (in the direction in which the output shaft 30a is pulled in), and the drive plate 31 that moves integrally with the output shaft 30a is moved. Move down. The pin 31 a fixed to the tip of the drive plate 31 is in contact with a notch 25 a provided on the application needle fixing plate 25 from below, and the application needle fixing plate 25 moves along the linear motion guide member 26 as the drive plate 31 descends. Move down. Accordingly, the application needle 24 also moves downward, and the tip end portion 24a of the application needle 24 protrudes from the first hole 21a opened at the bottom of the container 21. In this state, the ink 22 is attached to the tip end portion 24a of the application needle 24, and the application needle 24 can be applied. At this time, the tip of the application needle 24 is disposed immediately above the target area 35a, and the distance between the tip of the application needle 24 and the surface of the target area 35a is set to a predetermined distance. That is, the tip of the application needle 24 is arranged at a predetermined position above the target area 35a.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4C, the entire coating unit 20 is lowered at a predetermined speed using the sub Z stage 34, and the tip of the coating needle 24 to which the ink 22 has adhered contacts the target area 35 a of the substrate 35. Let Thereby, the ink 22 of the application needle tip 24a is applied to the target area 35a, and the ink layer 22a is formed.

  Even if the application unit 20 is continuously lowered after the tip of the application needle 24 comes into contact with the target area 35a, the slide portion 26b retreats upward along the rail portion 26a. Load is not applied. Therefore, the load applied to the substrate 35 at the time of application is a combined weight of the slide portion 26b, the application needle fixing plate 25, and the application needle 24, for example, a light load of about 10 g.

  After the tip of the application needle 24 is brought into contact with the target area 35a for a certain period of time, as shown in FIG. 4D, the output shaft 30a of the air cylinder 30 is moved upward (in the direction in which the output shaft 30a protrudes). The tip 24a of the application needle 24 is returned to the state immersed in the ink 22 of the container 21 and the drive shaft 34a of the sub Z stage 34 is moved upward to move the entire application unit 20 upward. The coating operation is completed.

  Here, the lowering of the coating unit 20 is performed by the sub-Z stage 34, but it may be performed by the Z stage 12 on which the observation optical system 2 is mounted instead.

  As a method of forming such a thick film of the ink 22 on the surface of the target region 35a of the substrate 35 using such an ink application device 1, a method of applying the ink 22 having a high viscosity can be considered. However, since the adhesive force of the ink 22 having a high viscosity is larger than a predetermined value, the application needle 24 is raised vertically after the tip portion 24a of the application needle 24 to which the ink 22 has adhered is brought into contact with the target region 35a. Then, the target area 35a may be pulled and damaged by the adhesive force of the ink 22.

  5A to 5D are cross-sectional views showing a process of applying the ink 22 having a high viscosity to the target area 35a on the surface of the substrate 35 using the ink application apparatus shown in FIGS. FIG. 5 is a diagram contrasted with FIGS. The application process shown in FIGS. 5A to 5D is different from the application process shown in FIGS. 4A to 4D in that the ink 22 is used as shown in FIGS. When the tip 24a of the applied application needle 24 is brought into contact with the target area 35a to be detached, the sub-Z stage 34 is controlled while the application needle 24 and the substrate 35 are relatively moved in the horizontal direction by controlling the XY stage 10. Thus, the application needle 24 is raised. FIG. 5D shows a state in which the ink layer 22 a is disposed diagonally to the left of the application needle 24 because the substrate 35 is moved relative to the application needle 24 in the left direction.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, when the ink 22 having high viscosity is applied, the application needle 24 and the substrate 35 are relatively moved in the horizontal direction when the tip portion 24a of the application needle 24 is separated from the target region 35a. Since the application needle 24 is raised, the force with which the target region 35a is pulled by the adhesive force of the ink 22 can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to apply the ink 22 having a high viscosity without damaging the target area 35a.

  When applying the ink 22 having a low viscosity, the application needle 24 is raised without causing the application needle 24 and the substrate 35 to move relative to each other in the horizontal direction when the tip 24a of the application needle 24 is detached from the target area 35a. Therefore, the application needle 24 can be quickly returned to the standby position, and the application time can be shortened.

  FIGS. 6A to 6C are diagrams showing a modification of the above embodiment, and showing a method of applying the ink 22 having a high viscosity to the surface of the mechanism portion 40a of the MEMS 40. FIG. As shown in FIG. 6A, the tip 24a of the application needle 24 to which the ink 22 is attached is brought into contact with the surface of the mechanism 40a and waits for a predetermined time. Next, as shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C, the auxiliary Z stage 34 and the XY stage 10 are controlled, and the application needle 24 is raised while the application needle 24 and the MEMS 40 are relatively moved in the horizontal direction. The ink layer 22a is formed on the surface of the mechanism portion 40a by separating the 24 tip portions 24a from the surface of the mechanism portion 40a. At this time, compared with the case where the application needle 24 is merely raised in the vertical direction, the force by which the mechanism portion 40a is pulled by the adhesive force of the ink 22 can be reduced. Therefore, the thick ink layer 22a can be formed by applying the ink 22 having a high viscosity without damaging the mechanical part 40a of the MEMS 40.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Pattern correction apparatus 2 Observation optical system 3 Monitor 4 Cutting laser part 5 Coating mechanism part 6 Substrate heating part 7 Image processing part 8 Host computer 9 Control computer 10 XY stage 11 Chuck part , 12 Z stage, 20 coating unit, 21 container, 21a first hole, 22 ink, 23 lid, 23a second hole, 24 coating needle, 24a tip, 25 coating needle fixing plate, 25a notch, 26 Linear motion guide member, 26a Rail portion, 26b Slide portion, 27, 28 Stopper, 29 Support base, 30 Air cylinder, 30a Output shaft, 31 Drive plate, 31a, 32 pin, 33 Magnet, 35 Substrate, 35a Target area, 40 MEMS, 40a Mechanism part.

Claims (6)

An application method of applying a liquid material to an object using an application needle,
A first step of attaching the liquid material to the tip of the application needle;
A second step of lowering the application needle and bringing the tip into contact with the object;
And a third step of lifting the application needle while relatively moving the application needle and the object in the horizontal direction to separate the tip from the object. An application method of applying a liquid material to an object using an application needle,
A first step of attaching the liquid material to the tip of the application needle;
A second step of lowering the application needle and bringing the tip into contact with the object;
When the adhesive force of the liquid material is smaller than a predetermined value, the application needle is raised without relatively moving the application needle and the object in the horizontal direction, and the adhesive force of the liquid material is determined in advance. And a third step of raising the application needle while moving the application needle and the object relative to each other in a horizontal direction when the value is larger than a predetermined value.   3. The coating method according to claim 1, wherein, in the second step, the tip of the coating needle is brought into contact with the object and waits for a predetermined time. An application unit for attaching a liquid material to the tip of the application needle;
A driving device for relatively moving the coating unit and the object;
Controlling the driving device, disposing the tip of the application needle at a predetermined position above the object, lowering the application needle to bring the tip into contact with the object; and A coating apparatus, comprising: a control device that raises the application needle while moving the object relative to the horizontal direction to disengage the tip from the object and applies the liquid material to the object. An application unit for attaching a liquid material to the tip of the application needle;
A driving device for relatively moving the coating unit and the object;
The driving device is controlled, the tip of the application needle is arranged at a predetermined position above the object, the application needle is lowered, the tip is brought into contact with the object, and the application needle is moved. A controller that raises and separates the tip from the object and applies the liquid material to the object;
When the adhesive force of the liquid material is smaller than a predetermined value, the control device raises the application needle without relatively moving the application needle and the object in the horizontal direction, and the liquid material An applicator that raises the applicator needle while relatively moving the applicator needle and the object in the horizontal direction when the adhesive strength of the applicator is greater than a predetermined value.   The said control apparatus is an application apparatus of Claim 4 or 5 which raises the said application needle | hook after contacting the said front-end | tip part of the said application needle | hook with the said object, and waiting for predetermined time.

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