JP3119201U - TFT array inspection equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

An inspection apparatus for inspecting an object under vacuum reduces the time required for inspection.
A transport mechanism provided in a transport path for transporting a test object between a main chamber and a load lock chamber, and a retreat for retracting the test object on the transport mechanism to the outside of the transport path. Means (retraction mechanisms 11, 12) are provided in the load lock chamber 2. With this configuration, during inspection of one test object in the main chamber 1, the next test object is loaded into the load lock chamber 2 and kept waiting, and immediately after the test is completed, the main chamber 1 By exchanging the test object between the load lock chamber 2 and the load lock chamber 2, it becomes possible to start the next inspection with almost no space in the main chamber 1.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus for a TFT array formed on a glass substrate in a manufacturing process of, for example, a liquid crystal display.

    A flat panel display such as a liquid crystal display inspects a TFT array formed on a glass substrate in the manufacturing process. The inspection is generally performed by irradiating the substrate with an electron beam in a vacuum chamber and detecting secondary electrons emitted from the substrate. As an apparatus for performing this inspection, as described in Patent Document 1, a main chamber for irradiating the substrate with an electron beam, a load lock chamber for carrying the substrate in and out of the main chamber, The apparatus provided with is conventionally used.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic configuration of such a conventional inspection apparatus and a process for inserting / removing an object to / from the apparatus for inspection.
First, a schematic configuration will be described with reference to FIG.
In the figure, 1 is a main chamber in which the inside is kept in a vacuum, 2 is provided adjacent to the main chamber 1, and a load lock for mediating the loading / unloading of an object between the outside and the main chamber 1 A chamber, 3 is a glass substrate which is a test object. The glass substrate 3 is carried into and out of the load lock chamber 2 via a gate valve 6 between the glass substrate 3 and the like by an external loader (not shown).

A transport mechanism 4 (a roller conveyor in the illustrated example) provided inside the load lock chamber 2 transports the received glass substrate 3 to the main chamber 1 via the gate valve 7, and the main chamber 1 transfers this to the transport mechanism 5. Is transferred to a predetermined inspection position, and after inspection, it is sent back onto the transfer mechanism 4 in the load lock chamber 2 via the gate valve 7. That is, as shown by a dotted line in the drawing, a conveyance path 10 for the test object is formed in which the conveyance mechanisms 4 and 5 and the gate valve 7 are connected.
The load lock chamber 2 can adjust the atmospheric pressure, for example, when the gate valves 6 and 7 are both closed, the internal pressure is reduced from atmospheric pressure to vacuum (substantially the same vacuum pressure as in the main chamber 1), and is returned to atmospheric pressure. Thus, the glass substrate 3 under atmospheric pressure can be brought into the main chamber 1 or taken out from the main chamber 1 without breaking the vacuum in the main chamber 1.

Next, an operation process for carrying the glass substrate 3 in and out of the inspection apparatus configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG. The following items (1), (2)... Correspond to the diagrams (1), (2).
(1) Initially, the gate valve 6 is open and the gate valve 7 is closed, and the interior of the load lock chamber 2 is maintained at atmospheric pressure and the interior of the main chamber 1 is maintained at a predetermined vacuum pressure. In this state, the glass substrate 3 to be inspected is transferred onto the transfer mechanism 4 in the load lock chamber 2 by an external loader (not shown), and then the gate valve 6 is closed and the load lock chamber 2 is evacuated. Pull.

(2) When the internal pressure of the load lock chamber 2 reaches a predetermined vacuum pressure, the gate valve 7 is opened and the glass substrate 3 is transferred to the main chamber 1. Thereafter, the gate valve 7 is closed and the glass substrate 3 is inspected.
(3) When the inspection is completed, the gate valve 7 is opened, the inspected glass substrate 3 is returned to the load lock chamber 2, and the gate valve 7 is closed.
(4) The internal pressure of the load lock chamber 2 is returned to atmospheric pressure, the gate valve 6 is opened, the glass substrate 3 is carried out to the outside, and sent to the next process.
The above is repeated and the glass substrate 3 is inspected one after another.

JP-A-2005-005364

As described above, in the conventional inspection apparatus, it is necessary to adjust the air pressure inside the load lock chamber every time the inspection object is carried in and out, and this takes time, so the time required for inspection per point of the inspection object It was a problem to be long. As a specific numerical example, in the case of TFT array inspection, the net inspection time in the main chamber is about 3 minutes. On the other hand, it is necessary to carry in and out the test object including pressure adjustment and gate valve opening / closing. Each time is about 1 minute, and the time required for inspection per specimen is about 5 minutes.
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the time required for inspection in an inspection apparatus that inspects an object under vacuum during a manufacturing process.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a transport mechanism provided in a transport path for transporting a test object between a main chamber and a load lock chamber, and a test object on the transport mechanism outside the transport path. A retracting means for retracting is provided in the load lock chamber.
By configuring in this way, the next test object is brought into the load lock chamber and kept waiting while one test object is inspected in the main chamber. By exchanging the test object between the chambers, it is possible to start the next inspection with almost no space in the main chamber.

  Since the present invention is configured as described above, the inspection in the main chamber and the loading / unloading of the object with pressure adjustment in the load lock chamber can be performed simultaneously in parallel. The time required for the inspection can be greatly reduced, and an efficient inspection apparatus can be provided.

The inspection apparatus provided by the present invention has the following features. That is, the first feature is that a transport mechanism for transporting the test object is provided in the transport path, and the second feature is a retracting means for retracting the test object on the transport mechanism out of the transport path. It is a point provided.
Therefore, the basic configuration of the best mode is an inspection apparatus having the above two points.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
In the figure, the same components as those in the conventional example shown in FIG. The difference between the apparatus of this embodiment and the conventional example shown in FIG. 5 is that the load lock chamber 2 is provided with two retreat mechanisms 11 and 12 for retreating the test object out of the transport path 10. In this embodiment, since the test object is a glass product, the pallets 31 and 32 are loaded with the test object in consideration of its brittleness.

  The retreat mechanism 11 supports the pallet 31 loaded (or not loaded) with the test object from below and retreats it below the transport mechanism 4. Further, the retreat mechanism 12 lifts the pallet 32 loaded (or not loaded) with the object to be retreated above the transport mechanism 4. In this example, the retracting mechanisms 11 and 12 are respectively provided with hooks 11a and 12a provided at the tips of four arms (only two on one side are visible in the figure) at the lower edges of the pallets 31 and 32, respectively. It is configured to be supported by hanging. Although not shown in the drawing, it is a design matter to provide a groove or the like in a portion that engages with the flanges 11a and 12a on the lower edge of the pallets 31 and 32 to improve positioning accuracy and prevent displacement. Easy to think.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a loader provided in front of the present apparatus in order to carry the test object into and out of the present apparatus. Here, an overhead traveling forklift type is schematically shown as an example. In this method, the test object is placed on the two fork-shaped arms 9a and lifted, and further moved back and forth (left and right in the figure) to move the test object into and out of the load lock chamber 2. However, the loader 9 is an external device and is not directly related to the configuration of the present invention.
In the present invention, since two test objects exist in the inspection apparatus at the same time, these are hereinafter distinguished as a glass substrate 3a and a glass substrate 3b.

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a configuration example of the transport mechanism 4.
As shown in the figure, the transport mechanism 4 is composed of a pair of roller conveyors 41 and 42 provided in parallel in a rail shape, and the pallets 31 or 32 on which the test object is loaded (or not loaded) It is conveyed while being bridged between the roller conveyors 41 and 42. The two roller conveyors 41 and 42 are connected via, for example, air cylinders 43 and 44. By operating the air cylinders 43 and 44, the two roller conveyors 41 and 42 are moved in the horizontal direction (the vertical direction in the figure). The distance between the two can be increased. By moving both roller conveyors 41 and 42 to the position indicated by the chain line in FIG. 2 and making the interval wider than the width of the pallet 31 or 32, the pallet 31 or 32 is retracted downward (in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in the figure). The evacuation route for doing this is secured.
In other words, FIG. 2 shows an example of a transport mechanism retracting means for retracting the transport mechanism 4 from the retreat path of the test object.

FIG. 3 illustrates an operation process of the embodiment apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a continuation of FIG.
Hereinafter, the process of carrying in and out the glass substrates 3a and 3b to and from the apparatus of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the loader 9 shown in FIG. 1 is omitted, but the same loader 9 is used for loading and unloading between the outside and the load lock chamber 2. The following (1) to (8) correspond to (1) to (8) shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
(1) First, the gate valve 6 is opened, the gate valve 7 is closed, the pallets 31 and 32 are both outside the transfer path 10, the inside of the load lock chamber 2 is atmospheric pressure, and the inside of the main chamber 1 is predetermined. The vacuum pressure is maintained. In this state, the glass substrate 3a to be inspected is transferred onto the pallet 31 in the load lock chamber 2 by an external loader (9 in FIG. 1) or the like.

(2) Thereafter, the gate valve 6 is closed, the inside of the load lock chamber 2 is evacuated, the internal atmospheric pressure is adjusted to a predetermined vacuum pressure, and the glass substrate 3 a is lifted together with the pallet 31 onto the transport mechanism 4 by the retreat mechanism 11. In this case, it is placed in the transport path 10 (at this time, the transport mechanism retracting means as illustrated in FIG. 2 is activated to allow the pallet 31 to pass upward).
(3) The gate valve 7 is opened, and the glass substrate 3 a is transferred onto the transfer mechanism 5 in the main chamber 1 together with the pallet 31. Thereafter, the gate valve 7 is closed and the glass substrate 3a is inspected. As described above, the inspection is performed by scanning the glass substrate 3a with an electron beam and detecting secondary electrons emitted from the substrate.
(4) During this inspection, the internal pressure of the load lock chamber 2 is returned to atmospheric pressure, the gate valve 6 is opened, and the glass substrate 3b to be inspected next is placed on the pallet 32 from an external loader (9 in FIG. 1). To be transferred to. Thereafter, the gate valve 6 is closed and the load lock chamber 2 is evacuated.
(5) When the inspection of the glass substrate 3a in the main chamber 1 is completed, the gate valve 7 is opened, and the inspected glass substrate 3a is moved together with the pallet 31 from the transfer mechanism 5 to the transfer mechanism 4.

(6) The glass substrate 3a is retracted downward together with the pallet 31 by the retracting mechanism 11, and the glass substrate 3b located above is lowered by the retracting mechanism 12 together with the pallet 32, and is placed on the transport mechanism 4 and in the transport path 10 To be located.
(7) The glass substrate 3 b on the transport mechanism 4 is sent to the main chamber 1 together with the pallet 32 and transferred onto the transport mechanism 5. Thereafter, the gate valve 7 is closed, and the glass substrate 3b is inspected similarly to the case of the glass substrate 3a.
(8) During this inspection, the internal pressure of the load lock chamber 2 is returned to the atmospheric pressure, the gate valve 6 is opened, the glass substrate 3a is unloaded from the pallet 32, and sent to the next step.
Thereafter, the inspection is carried out in the same manner while carrying in and out the test objects one after another.

  Depending on the size and properties of the test object, the test object may be handled directly without being loaded on the pallet 31 or the like. In addition, although the first embodiment is an example in which the test object is retracted in the vertical direction, the test object may be retracted in the horizontal direction, that is, in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. In this case, since the transport mechanism retracting means is not necessary, the structure can be simplified. However, on the other hand, since a wide retract space is required on both sides of the transport mechanism 4, there is a disadvantage that the installation floor area of the apparatus becomes large. .

  The present invention can be used for inspection of a TFT array formed on a glass substrate in a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal display or the like, for example.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the Example apparatus of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a structure of a part of Example apparatus (FIG. 1). It is a figure which shows the operation | movement process of an Example apparatus (FIG. 1). It is a figure which shows the operation | movement process of the Example apparatus following FIG. It is a figure which shows schematic structure and operation | movement process of a conventional apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main chamber 2 Load lock chamber 3 Glass substrate 3a Glass substrate 3b Glass substrate 4 Conveyance mechanism 5 Conveyance mechanism 6 Gate valve 7 Gate valve 9 Loader 9a Arm 10 Conveyance path 11 Retraction mechanism 11a Recess mechanism 12 Retraction mechanism 12a Recess section 31 Pallet 32 Pallet 41 Roller conveyor 42 Roller conveyor 43 Air cylinder 44 Air cylinder

Claims (2)

  A TFT having a main chamber maintained in a vacuum and a load lock chamber adjacent to the main chamber, and a transfer path for transferring the TFT array substrate between the main chamber and the load lock chamber. In the array inspection apparatus, the load lock chamber includes a transport mechanism that transports the substrate in the transport path, and a retracting unit that retracts the substrate on the transport mechanism out of the transport path. A TFT array inspection device. The retracting means is for retracting the substrate on the transport mechanism below the transport mechanism, and further, the transport mechanism retracting means for retracting the transport mechanism from a retraction path in which the plate-shaped body is retracted by the retracting means. The TFT array inspection apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

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