JP3063464B2 - Developing method around glass substrate and developing solution coating device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a process for coating a surplus color resist film formed on a peripheral portion of a glass substrate during the formation of a color resist in a color filter manufacturing process, and applying the developing solution to the next development process. The present invention relates to a developing method for a peripheral portion of a glass substrate for preventing a resist from remaining in a process and a developing solution applying apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a dyeing method, a printing method, and a pigment dispersion method have been known as methods for producing a color filter.
Among these, the process of manufacturing a color filter by a pigment dispersion method is, for example, a color resist solution in which a pigment is dispersed in an acrylic resin is applied to a glass substrate by a spinner coating method, and heated and dried to form a color resist layer. Then, a PVA solution is applied thereon by spinner coating as an oxygen barrier film for promoting photocurability (not shown), and dried by heating. Next, the mask pattern is exposed and baked, developed with a sodium carbonate aqueous solution or the like, the unexposed portion of the color resist layer is removed, and dried by heating to form a color filter pattern.

However, as a drawback of applying the color resist solution by the spinner coating method, there are portions where the film thickness becomes large. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, a glass substrate (10) (including a glass substrate on which a resist layer has been formed)
During spinner coating, the color resist solution gathers due to centrifugal force on the periphery and the edge of the glass substrate, and the excess color resist solution cannot be completely removed. An extra color resist layer (R, R) is formed. Further, in this state, when the PVA solution of the oxygen barrier film was applied by the above-described spinner coating method, the periphery of the glass substrate was formed as a thicker film.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As mentioned above,
If exposure baking and development are performed in this state, the hill-shaped surplus color resist layer (R, R) around the glass substrate is partially left without being developed. So red, green,
This has been a major obstacle in the process of manufacturing a color filter in which pattern formation is repeated using a blue color resist. For this reason, if removal is attempted by extending the development time or increasing the concentration of the developing solution, the pattern (12) of the color resist layer is eroded and a clear pattern cannot be obtained, and therefore, the development time must be suppressed. Therefore, an extra color resist layer (R1) around the glass substrate remained.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a method of developing a peripheral portion of a glass substrate in which a developing solution or a similar chemical is applied in advance to the periphery of the glass substrate in order to remove an excess resist film in the peripheral portion of the glass substrate, and development is performed in advance. An object of the present invention is to provide a developer coating device.

[0006]

In order to solve the problems, the present invention is directed to a method of applying a developing solution to a surplus resist film around a glass substrate on which a color resist has been formed and developing the same. Hold the coated glass substrate horizontally
Place the glass substrate (10) on the left and right vertical side edges in the traveling direction.
(e, e), a first developing step of partially applying and developing a developing solution in a coating apparatus , and the upper and lower lateral edges (f, f) of the glass substrate (10) on which the color resist is formed. Partly with the coating device
Ing and a second developing step of developing solution was applied developed,
This is a developing method for removing an excess resist film around the glass substrate.

[0007] In the color filter manufacturing process, a surplus resist film (R, R) around a glass substrate having a color resist film formed thereon, which is horizontally placed on a roller conveyor and conveyed to the right, is subjected to a developing solution. A developer stage around the glass substrate, the substrate stage being capable of vertically moving below the roller conveyor (20).
(30), and a developing unit (25) having developer application rollers (22, 22) at both ends of a support shaft (24) on the upper side thereof are orthogonal to the transport roller (21) of the roller conveyor (20). In the direction of travel of the glass substrate in order to be movable in the vertical direction.
(e, e), a developing unit (25a) having developing solution applying rollers (22a, 22a) at both ends of a support shaft (24a), and a transport roller (2) of a roller conveyor.
A glass substrate characterized in that the glass substrate is provided with a second developer application means for processing both lateral edges (f, f) in the direction of travel of the glass substrate while being fixed at a position parallel to 1). A peripheral developer application device (50).

[0008]

The operation according to the first aspect of the present invention is that, when a color resist is formed by a spinner coating method, a developer is applied to a hill-shaped surplus resist film (R, R) formed around a glass substrate. When the resist film around the glass substrate swells and a part is developed first, and the main development in the color filter manufacturing process is performed, the excess resist film around the glass substrate is developed and removed simultaneously with the unexposed resist film, Excess resist film does not remain.

The operation according to claim 2 of the present invention is that when the glass substrate (10) on which the color resist is formed and conveyed on the roller conveyor enters the position of the first developing unit (25),
The substrate stage (30) ascends from the lower side of the roller conveyor (20) to stop and support the glass substrate, and the developer application roller at the upper left and right vertical edges (e, e) in the traveling direction of the glass substrate.
(22, 22), and the developing unit (25) moves orthogonally to the opposite edge of the roller conveyor (20),
Application rollers (22, 22) apply the developer. Developing unit
When the forward movement of (25) is completed and stopped, the substrate stage (30)
Is lowered, the glass substrate (10) is placed again on the roller conveyor (20), and is conveyed under the second developing unit (25a) fixed at a position parallel to the conveying roller (21), and the glass substrate (10) is applied with the developer. The mechanism applies a developing solution to the upper and lower lateral edges (f, f) of the glass substrate in contact with the rollers (22a, 22a).

[0010]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a color filter production in which peripheral development of a color resist film according to an embodiment of the present invention is performed in advance, and a surplus resist film around a glass substrate is completely removed in the next main development step.

According to the present invention, a color resist is applied by a spinner coating method, a prebaked film is formed, and a hill-shaped surplus resist film (R, R) around the exposed glass substrate is exposed before the main development. And a method of applying a developing solution to the periphery or the end surface of the glass substrate to develop the developing solution and a developing solution applying apparatus.

The developing method of the present invention cannot independently remove an excess resist film. A developing solution is applied to a peripheral portion or an end surface portion of a glass substrate, and a part or most of the peripheral portion is developed. The surplus resist film is removed by a synergistic effect with the main development step to be performed. Therefore, it is desirable to use a developing solution or a similar chemical solution. For example, an inorganic alkali developer (such as calcium carbonate), an organic alkali developer (amine or the like), or 5 to 50
% Lower alcohol (ethanol, IPA, etc.) is effective.

First, using the above-described developer, the color resist film-formed and exposed glass substrate (10) is viewed from the top (not shown) and developed on the left and right vertical side edges (e, e). Applying the developer and then applying the developer on both upper and lower (top and bottom) side edges (f, f), the excess resist film in the hills around the glass substrate
(R, R) swells and the development of this surplus resist film precedes, and in the next main development step, the resist film on the periphery and the end face is completely removed, and the unexposed part of the glass substrate is developed. A pattern (12) is formed. Therefore, it was not necessary to take measures such as extending the time of the main development or increasing the developer concentration.

FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the developing solution applying device of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the developing solution applying device.
(A) and an explanatory view showing a developing solution applying method by this apparatus (B)
It is.

In the color filter manufacturing process in which the glass substrate is transported in the order of resist coating, pre-baking, exposing, main developing, and post-baking, the developing solution applying apparatus (50) according to the present invention is provided between the exposing process and the main developing process. Roller conveyor (2
0) Install on top. This apparatus comprises first and second developing units (25, 25a), both of which have a U-shaped support shaft (2, 25a).
(4, 24a) At the end, a developer application roller (22, 22a) that is rotatable by a drive motor (23, 23a) is provided, and a developer for dropping the developer onto the application roller via a support shaft is provided. A liquid supply pipe (26, 26a) is provided. Adjustment screws (T, T) are provided on the support shaft to adjust the distance between the glass substrate on which the color resist film is formed and the developing solution application roller, and the amount of the developing solution is controlled by adjusting valves (C, C). Mechanism. The developing solution applying rollers (22, 22, 22a, 22a) mounted on the developing units (25, 25a) need to absorb and hold the developing solution, and come into contact with the periphery of the glass substrate (10). Also, a sponge-like roller which does not damage the resist film (11) is preferable.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first developing unit (25) is installed on one side edge orthogonal to the roller conveyor (20), and furthermore, an air cylinder (not shown).
It is possible to move in a direction orthogonal to the transport roller (21) of the roller conveyer by means of the above. A substrate stage (30) that can be moved up and down by an oil cylinder (31) and the like is provided below the roller conveyor (20) below the developing unit (25). If it rises,
The stage surface (g, g) protrudes from between the transport rollers (21).

Next, the second developing unit (25a) has the same structure as that of the first developing unit (25), but the second developing unit (25a) is provided with a transport roller (21) of a roller conveyor (20). )
Is fixedly installed at a position in a direction parallel to.

Glass substrate by this developer coating device (50)
(10) As shown in FIG. 3, the peripheral developer application method is such that a color resist film-formed and exposed glass substrate (10) is conveyed on a roller conveyor, and the first developing unit (25) When it reaches the position, the substrate is stopped by the stopper, and at the same time, the substrate stage (30) rises from below to push up and support the glass substrate. At the same time when the side edge of the raised glass substrate (10) comes into contact with the coating rollers (22, 22), the developing unit
(25) moves to the opposite side of the roller conveyor and stops. During this movement, the developing solution applying roller moves while applying the developing solution to the left and right vertical edges (e, e) in the glass substrate traveling direction (right direction in the figure). When the developing unit (25) moves and the coating is completed, the substrate stage (30) is lowered, the glass substrate (10) is placed again on the transport roller (21), and the substrate moves forward (right side in the figure). Direction) and is transported below the second developing unit (25a).

Next, the transported glass substrate (10) passes through the second developing unit (25a) while being transported. At the time of this passage, the upper and lower lateral edges (f, f) of the glass substrate in the traveling direction
Is applied in contact with the developer application rollers (22a, 22a), whereby the developer is applied. At this time, the first developing unit (2
In 5), the next glass substrate is conveyed, and the substrate stage is raised again to support the glass substrate. When the developing unit returns to the original position (return path), the developing solution is transferred to the upper and lower lateral edges of the glass substrate in the traveling direction. It is a line mechanism for applying and developing on (f, f).

The application rollers (22, 22, 22a, 22a) of the first and second developing units are driven by drive motors (23, 23a).
The automatic rotation at 50 / rpm can be performed, and can be appropriately adjusted according to the amount of the applied developer and the transport speed of the roller conveyor.

[0021]

According to the present invention, there is provided a developer for applying an excess hill-shaped resist film formed around a glass substrate or an end face to a narrow area only by a coating roller when forming a color resist by a spinner coating method. Is completely removed by the synergistic effect of the development of the color filter and the subsequent main development step, thereby removing the obstacle in the color filter production step. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the concentration of the developing solution or extend the developing time, and it is not necessary to perform the work of removing the remaining resist in another step. Since the process is performed automatically in-line, the production efficiency is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a color filter manufacturing method in which peripheral development of a color resist film according to an embodiment of the present invention is performed in advance, and an excess resist film around a glass substrate is completely removed in a subsequent main development step.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a top surface of the developer application device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view (A) of a developer application device of the present invention and an explanatory diagram (B) of a developer application method using the device.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a color filter.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Glass substrate (Including the glass substrate with resist film formed) 11 ... Resist layer 12 ... Pattern layer 20 ... Roller conveyor 21 ... Transport roller 22,22a ... Developer application roller 23,23a ... Driving motor 24,24a ... Support Shafts 25, 25a First and second developing units 26 Developer supply tube 30 Substrate stage 31 Oil cylinder e Vertical right and left edges of glass substrate f Upper and lower horizontal edges of glass substrate g Substrate stage surface C: Adjusting valve T: Adjusting screw R, R1 ... Excess resist film

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02B 5/20-5/28 G03F ^7/ 00-7/00 506 G03F 7/06-7/07 G03F 7 / 12-7/14 G03F 7/26-7/42

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A color filter manufacturing process, a method for developing and applying a developing solution to the excess resist film near color resist film formation already glass substrate peripheral, the mosquito
The glass substrate on which the color resist has been formed is placed in a horizontal state, and the left and right vertical edges of the glass substrate are partially coated with a developing solution with a coating device and developed. In the developing step 1 and the coating apparatus,
Partially second developing step and a developing method around the glass substrate characterized by applying the coating to develop the current image liquid Te. 2. In a process of manufacturing a color filter, a peripheral portion of a glass substrate on which a developer is applied is coated on a surplus resist film around a glass substrate having a color resist film formed thereon, which is horizontally placed on a roller conveyor and conveyed rightward. A developer application device, wherein the developer application device has a substrate stage that can move up and down below a roller conveyor, and a developing unit having developer application rollers at both ends of a support shaft on the upper side.
A first developer application means for processing the left and right vertical edges of the glass substrate in the traveling direction, which is provided so as to be movable in a direction orthogonal to the transport roller of the roller conveyor, and a developer application roller at both ends of the support shaft. And a second developer application means for fixing both upper and lower lateral edges of the glass substrate in the traveling direction by fixing the developing unit to a position parallel to the transport roller of the roller conveyor. Developer coating device around the glass substrate.