JP4420640B2 - Substrate bonding apparatus and substrate bonding method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement of a substrate bonding apparatus and a substrate bonding method suitable for manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel.

The liquid crystal display panel is manufactured by enclosing a liquid crystal between two first and second glass substrates.
In the case of manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel, for example, the first substrate is a TFT substrate on which a TFT is formed, the second substrate is a color filter substrate on which a color filter is formed, and a liquid crystal is formed on the display surface of the first substrate. It is dropped and spacers are dispersed, and a photo-curing sealant that is an adhesive is applied so as to surround the display surface, and the first substrate and the second substrate are attached via the applied sealant. Combined.

  In the conventional substrate bonding apparatus, the upper substrate is held on the upper stage and the lower substrate is held on the lower stage by electrostatic chuck or vacuum suction in a reduced-pressure atmosphere in the chamber, and in many cases, the upper substrate is connected to an air cylinder. The stage moves toward the lower stage below, and the upper and lower substrates are bonded together through a positioning operation.

  In manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel, since the two substrates to be bonded are required to be aligned with high accuracy, the alignment operation is performed with the upper and lower substrates approaching each other. The two substrates bonded through the sealant are then supplied with nitrogen gas, clean dry air, or the like in the chamber, and the pressure is increased to atmospheric pressure, so-called air release.

  Due to this release to the atmosphere, the bonded substrates are further compressed by receiving a pressure difference between the inner space of the substrate and the outside, which is generated when the inside of the chamber changes from a vacuum state to an atmospheric pressure state, a so-called internal / external pressure difference. Therefore, a narrow cell gap (cell thickness) regulated by the spacer is formed between both substrates.

In this way, the bonded substrate after the formation of the cell gap is subjected to a curing operation by irradiating the sealing agent with light such as ultraviolet rays.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-66163

  As described above, in the substrate bonding apparatus, after the positioning operation between the upper substrate and the lower substrate held on the stage in the chamber is performed, the bonding is performed by pressing the air cylinder, and the internal / external pressure difference under the atmosphere is released. A cell gap is formed by using.

  If the upper and lower substrates bonded in the chamber are released from the pressure state by the air cylinder through the stage holding the substrate before the pressure increase toward the atmospheric pressure in the chamber is started At that moment, the elastic sealing agent is released from the compressed state and tends to be deformed in a direction to return to the original shape state.

  When the elastic sealing agent is deformed (restored), a displacement occurs between the two substrates once positioned with high accuracy. In addition, such deformation of the sealant loses the uniformity of the shape in the entire application region, and liquid crystal leaks or gap unevenness occurs when the cell gap is formed by the release to the atmosphere, resulting in poor display. There is a risk of connection.

  Therefore, when the cell gap is formed, in order to avoid the deformation of the sealing agent described above and maintain the positioning accuracy between the two substrates, the substrate is pressed by the stage until the pressure inside the chamber reaches the atmospheric pressure for forming the cell gap. Can be continued.

  However, if the pressure on the substrate by the stage is continued and the pressure inside the chamber is increased to the atmospheric pressure with the substrate restrained, the pressure applied by the air cylinder is applied to the substrate in addition to the pressure applied by the internal and external pressure difference. Thus, an excessive pressure is applied to the substrate more than necessary.

  If excessive pressure is applied to the substrate in this way, excessive pressure is applied to the spacer for regulating the gap, which may damage the spacer or damage the bonded substrate itself. was there. In such a case, problems such as display defects occur in the manufactured liquid crystal display panel, resulting in a problem that the product quality is lowered.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate bonding apparatus and a substrate bonding method that can avoid application of excessive pressure to the substrate and improve product quality in cell gap formation.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate bonding apparatus for bonding first and second substrates through an adhesive in a reduced-pressure atmosphere. A first stage that detachably holds the applied first substrate, and the second substrate that faces the first stage and is bonded to the first substrate are detachable in the chamber. A second stage held on the substrate, and at least one of the second stage and the first stage is moved in the bonding direction so that a preset pressing force can be applied to the substrate. And a pressure in the chamber after the air supply operation in the chamber is started after the preset pressure is applied to the two substrates by the moving mechanism. And a control unit for controlling so as to release the pressure applied to the two substrates by the moving mechanism before reaching the pressure corresponding to the pressure, the pre-set pressure, the cell gap formed The controller is set to a value smaller than the pressure, and the controller releases the pressurization by the moving mechanism at a timing when the increase in the pressure in the chamber reaches a pressure value corresponding to the preset pressure. In addition, the holding of the substrate by at least one of the first and second stages is released .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the substrate bonding method for bonding the first and second substrates through an adhesive in a reduced-pressure atmosphere, the first and second substrates arranged in the chamber are held. Then, after the first step of aligning and after the first step, at least one of the first and second stages is driven and set in advance in a reduced-pressure atmosphere in the chamber. A second step of bonding the first and second substrates through the adhesive by applying the predetermined applied pressure, and a third step of increasing the pressure in the chamber after the second step. In the course of the third step, the pressure applied to the two substrates by the first and second stages before the pressure in the chamber due to the pressure rises to a pressure corresponding to the cell gap formation pressure. Release pressure That the fourth step, after the fourth step, and a fifth step of removing the two substrates bonded from the chamber returned to atmospheric pressure, the preset pressure is It is set to a value smaller than the cell gap forming pressure, and in the fourth step, the moving mechanism is at a timing when the increase width of the pressure in the chamber reaches a pressure value corresponding to the preset pressure. The pressure applied by the step is released, and the holding of the substrate by at least one of the first and second stages is released .

  As described above, according to the substrate bonding apparatus of the first invention and the substrate bonding method of the second invention, the first and second pressures before the chamber internal pressure reaches the pressure corresponding to the cell gap forming pressure. Since the pressurization of the two substrates by each stage of 2 is released, the application of an excessive pressure obtained by adding the predetermined pressure to the internal / external pressure difference due to release to the atmosphere is avoided, and a cell gap is formed properly. The manufactured good bonded substrate can be manufactured, and the product quality can be improved.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a substrate bonding apparatus and a substrate bonding method of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  The present invention utilizes the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the two substrates bonded in a vacuum chamber in a reduced pressure state by pressing through an adhesive, by returning the chamber to atmospheric pressure (opening to the atmosphere). In a substrate bonding apparatus and a substrate bonding method for forming a cell gap, an object of the present invention is to manufacture a good bonded substrate by preferably avoiding applying a pressing force exceeding the above-mentioned internal / external pressure difference to the substrate. To do.

  In the following description, prior to the formation of the cell gap, a predetermined pressing force applied to the substrate is applied in the vacuum chamber in order to bond the two positioned substrates through an adhesive by a mechanical press operation. The pressure is referred to as “preset pressure”, and in the state where the pressurization is released, the inside of the chamber is filled with air in order to form a predetermined cell gap between the two bonded substrates. The pressing force based on the internal / external pressure difference acting on the two substrates bonded together when opened is referred to as “cell gap forming pressure”.

  Therefore, in the process until the pressure in the chamber in the reduced pressure reaches the atmospheric pressure, the present invention is preferably configured so that the pressing force based on the pressure difference between the inside and outside acting on the substrate due to the pressure increase in the chamber is “preset pressure force”. When the pressure reaches the "cell gap forming pressure" due to the difference in pressure between the inside and outside of the atmospheric pressure by releasing the pressurization by the press operation, the substrate is pressurized when the substrates are bonded together. The aim is to avoid an excessive pressing force such as "pressing force" acting on the bonded substrates, and to obtain a well bonded substrate without causing a positional shift between the substrates.

  FIG. 1 is a main block diagram showing an embodiment of a substrate bonding apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the controller shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 1, the substrate bonding apparatus has a chamber 1 composed of a movable upper housing 1A and a fixed lower housing 1B. Note that a packing (not shown) is interposed between the upper housing 1A and the lower housing 1B so that a sealed space is formed in the chamber 1. FIG. 1 shows a state where the upper housing 1 </ b> A is pressed against the lower housing 1 </ b> B and a closed space is formed in the chamber 1.

  The chamber 1 is connected to a vacuum pump 2 that forms a vacuum source via a vacuum passage 2a, and supplies an inert gas such as nitrogen into the chamber 1 in a reduced-pressure atmosphere to return to atmospheric pressure. A supply tank 3 is connected via a purge (atmospheric release) passage 3a. The vacuum passage 2a and the purge passage 3a are provided with on-off valves 2b and 3b, respectively, and the on-off valves 2b and 3b are configured to be opened and closed by the controller 4.

  Further, a moving mechanism 6 such as an air cylinder is installed on the upper housing 1A, and the upper stage 5a connected to the action rod 6a of the moving mechanism 6 moves in the vertical direction indicated by the arrow Z in the upper housing 1A. Embedded as possible. In the lower housing 1B, a lower stage 5b supported by the XY-θ moving table 7 is disposed opposite to the upper stage 5a.

  Although not shown, an electrostatic chuck mechanism is incorporated in each of the upper and lower stages 5a and 5b, and the electrostatic chuck mechanism includes two upper and lower first substrates (upper substrates) 8a and a second substrate (lower substrates) to be bonded together. ) 8b are held in the chamber 1 so as to face each other.

  In particular, when laminating a large glass substrate, it may be stabilized only by placing the glass substrate on the upper surface of the lower stage 5b. Therefore, in this specification, the attachment / detachment of the substrate to / from the stage includes the case where the substrate is placed on the lower stage 5b or the substrate is lowered from the lower stage 5b without using fixing means such as an electrostatic chuck. .

  Therefore, the first upper substrate 8a is held on the upper stage 5a, the second lower substrate 8b is held on the lower stage 5b, and the lower substrate 8b held on the lower stage 5b has a sealing agent 9 as an adhesive. Is applied in advance so as to surround the prescribed region (display region), and the liquid crystal 10 is dropped in the enclosed region. Further, in this embodiment, ultraviolet (UV) irradiation light sources 11 and 11 are incorporated in the upper stage 5a so that the sealing agent 9 obtained by bonding the two substrates 8a and 8b can be irradiated with ultraviolet rays and cured. It is configured. However, a thermosetting resin can also be used as the sealant 9.

  Further, although not shown in the drawing, spherical spacers are dispersed in advance in the display area surrounded by the sealant 9 on the lower substrate 8b, or columnar spacers are planted.

  The moving mechanism 6 is configured to be able to move the upper stage 5a up and down in the direction of the arrow Z in the figure under the control of the controller 4.

  A sensor 12 for detecting the pressure in the chamber is attached to the lower housing 1B, and a detection signal of the pressure in the chamber 1 forming a closed space is supplied to the controller 4. As the sensor 12, a known barometer can be adopted.

  In the substrate bonding apparatus having the above configuration, the chamber 1 in which the closed space is formed is evacuated by opening the on-off valve 2b of the vacuum passage 2a in response to a control signal from the controller 4, and the reduced pressure atmosphere in the chamber 1 reaches, for example, about 1 Pa. A state is formed. At this time, the on-off valve 3b of the purge passage 3a is in a closed state.

  After the inside of the chamber 1 is evacuated and a reduced pressure atmosphere is formed, the upper stage 5a is actuated by the moving mechanism 6, and the lower surface of the upper substrate 8a is lowered to a position close to the upper surface of the lower substrate 8b.

  In this state, a positioning operation between the upper and lower substrates 8a and 8b is performed with high accuracy by an alignment mechanism including a position recognition camera (not shown).

  In a state where the upper and lower substrates 8a and 8b are positioned with high accuracy, the controller 4 controls the movement of the moving mechanism 6, further lowers the upper stage 5a, and applies a pressure set in advance for bonding the substrates. Since the upper substrate 8a is pressed toward the lower substrate 8b, the upper and lower substrates 8a and 8b are bonded together by pressing the sealing agent 9 as an adhesive. In this bonding operation, the liquid crystal 10 dropped on the surface of the lower substrate 8b is also pressed by the upper substrate 8a, so that the liquid crystal 10 spreads and expands along the surface of the lower substrate 8b.

  After the two upper and lower substrates 8a and 8b are thus bonded together in the chamber 1 in a reduced pressure atmosphere, the controller 4 closes the on-off valve 2b and opens the on-off valve 3b of the purge passage 3a. As a result, an inert gas such as nitrogen gas in the supply tank 3 is supplied into the chamber 1, and the pressure in the chamber 1 increases toward the atmospheric pressure.

  During the pressure increase operation in the chamber 1, the sensor 12 detects the pressure in the chamber 1 that increases every time after the opening / closing valve 3b is opened from before the opening / closing valve 3b is opened, and the data is compared with the controller 4 shown in FIG. It supplies to the determination part 41.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the controller 4 includes a comparison determination unit 41 and a data setting unit 42. In this embodiment, the upper substrate 8a presses the lower substrate 8b as described above. Thus, the mechanical pressure set for bonding, that is, “preset pressure” is stored in advance as a set value.

The comparison / determination unit 41 introduces the data (Pa) of the pressure in the chamber 1 supplied from the sensor 12 and increases the pressure in the chamber 1, that is, the pressure in the chamber 1 before the on-off valve 3b is opened. Is converted into data (Kg / m ² ) of pressure applied to the substrate by the internal / external pressure difference caused by the pressure difference and stored in the data setting unit 42. Compare with the recorded data. Therefore, when it is determined that the applied pressure applied to the substrate due to the internal / external pressure difference due to the increase in the internal pressure of the chamber 1 detected by the sensor 12 has become a pressure value corresponding to the applied pressure stored in the data setting unit 42, the controller 4 drives and controls the moving mechanism 6 and the upper substrate 8a holding mechanism incorporated in the upper stage 5a, stops the pressurizing (lowering) operation by the moving mechanism 6, and maintains the upper stage 5a at the current position (height). At the same time, control is performed to release the holding function of the upper substrate 8a of the upper stage 5a. At this time, the controller 4 may release (stop) the pressurizing operation and move the upper stage 5a upward by controlling the moving mechanism 6.

  Even after the controller 4 releases the pressurizing operation of the moving mechanism 6 and the so-called restraint release such as the release of the holding function of the upper substrate 8a of the upper stage 5a, the open on-off valve 3a is continued toward the atmospheric pressure. Since an inert gas such as nitrogen gas is supplied from the supply tank 3 into the chamber 1, the two substrates 8a and 8b bonded together are directed to forming an appropriate cell gap based on the internal / external pressure difference. Pressed.

  As described above, in the substrate bonding apparatus according to this embodiment, in the process in which the pressure inside the chamber 1 is increased to atmospheric pressure, the pressure acting on the substrate due to the increase in the pressure in the chamber 1 is the pressure applied by the moving mechanism 6. That is, when the "predetermined pressurizing force" is reached, the pressurization by the moving mechanism 6 and the holding of the upper substrate 8a by the upper stage 5a are each released, so the pressurization by the moving mechanism 6 is released. However, since the substrate is pressed with a “preset pressure” due to the internal / external pressure difference, at least the sealant 9 can be prevented from being restored, and the cell gap formation pressure is set to “preset”. It is avoided that the pressing force exceeding the pressure value to which the applied pressure is applied is applied to the two bonded substrates, and both substrates 8a in the bonded state While stable without the relative position of 8b is to cause a positional deviation from each other, it proceeds as subsequently subjected to internal and external pressure difference for the cell gap formation.

  It should be noted that when the increase in the pressure in the chamber 1 due to the release of the atmosphere reaches a preset applied pressure, the upper substrate 8a is released from being held together with the pressing of the upper substrate 8a by the moving mechanism 6, but in short, it is pasted. Since the restraint from the stage with respect to the bonded substrate may be released together with the pressing against the bonded substrate, for example, the holding of the lower stage 5b with respect to the lower substrate 8b may be released together with the pressing of the upper substrate 8a.

  Further, the upper stage 5a can be switched with respect to the moving mechanism 6 or the lower stage 5b with respect to the moving table 7 can be switched between a fixed state and a floating state. When the upper stage 5a or the lower stage 5b is fixed and the pressing of the upper substrate 8a is released, the upper stage 5a or the lower stage 5b may be in a floating state. By doing so, even if both stages 5a and 5b restrain (hold) the substrates 8a and 8b after releasing the pressurizing operation by the moving mechanism 6, they receive a pressing force based on the internal / external pressure difference. If the distance between the two substrates 8a and 8b is reduced, the upper stage 5a or the lower stage 5b can be moved accordingly, and even if the restraint of the substrates 8a and 8b is maintained by both stages 5a and 5b, Can prevent the formation of the cell gap.

  In this embodiment, the purge passage 3a is connected to the supply tank 3, and the opening and closing valve 3b is opened to supply the inert gas or the like into the chamber 1. However, the purge passage 3a is connected to the supply tank 3. It may be configured to simply open to the outside of the chamber 1 without being connected to.

  In any case, according to this embodiment, when the cell gap is formed, a value obtained by applying a preset pressing force to the internal / external pressure difference with respect to the two substrates bonded together with the sealing agent as an adhesive interposed therebetween. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an excessive pressurizing force exceeding 1 from being applied to the bonded substrates, thereby forming a good cell gap.

  The substrate after the formation of the cell gap is cured with the sealing agent 9 by ultraviolet irradiation from the ultraviolet irradiation light sources 11 and 11 shown in FIG. 1, and further, the holding of the lower substrate 8b of the lower stage 5b is released and the upper housing 1A is raised. Then, it is taken out from the opened chamber 1 by a transfer robot or the like and carried out.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of the substrate bonding apparatus in the above embodiment.

  That is, the first and second upper and lower two substrates 8a and 8b bonded together with the adhesive 9 in a reduced-pressure atmosphere are sequentially applied to the stages 5a and 5b, which are substrate holding mechanisms, by a transport robot (not shown). It is conveyed and held (step 3A).

  Next, the inside of the closed chamber 1 is decompressed by opening the on-off valve 2a (step 3B).

  Next, alignment between the upper and lower substrates 8a and 8b is performed (step 3C), and the moving mechanism 6 is controlled to perform bonding through the sealant 9 by applying a predetermined pressure (step 3D). .

  After the bonding, the on-off valve 2a is closed, the on-off valve 3a is opened, nitrogen gas or the like is sucked into the chamber 1 and pressure increase toward the atmospheric pressure is started (step 3E).

  Based on the detection signal from the sensor 12, the comparison / determination unit 41 of the controller 4 stores the applied pressure acting on the two substrates 8 a and 8 b bonded together by the pressure increase in the chamber 1. ), That is, it is determined whether or not the “predetermined pressurizing force” has been reached (step 3F), and when it is determined that it has reached (YES), pressurization by the moving mechanism 6 and the upper substrate 8a by the upper stage 5a. The constraint is released (released) (step 3G). Then, after a preset time has elapsed after the pressure in the chamber 1 reaches atmospheric pressure and a cell gap is formed, the inside of the opened chamber 1 is subjected to a curing operation of the sealant 9 by ultraviolet irradiation and the like. Then, the two bonded substrates 8a and 8b are taken out and transferred by the transfer robot (step 3H), and the process ends.

  In the above steps, the order of (Step 3B) and (Step 3C) may be reversed.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the pressure in the chamber 1 after the opening of the on-off valve 3b is pasted due to the difference between the internal and external pressure generated by the increase in pressure while the pressure in the chamber 1 is increased to atmospheric pressure. The comparison / determination unit 41 is configured to receive the output of the sensor 12 to determine whether or not a pressure value that applies a preset pressure force to the two substrates 8a and 8b has been reached. Whether or not the pressure value for applying a preset pressure to the substrate has been reached may be determined by measuring the elapsed time after opening the on-off valve 3b.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the controller 4 has a built-in timer 43 that operates based on the opening operation signal for the on-off valve 3b. When it is determined that the time required to reach a pressure value at which a preset pressing force can be applied to the substrate has elapsed, the moving mechanism 6 and the like are driven to operate the first and second upper and lower stages 5a and 5b. Even when configured to release the pressure on the substrates 8a and 8b and the restraint on the substrates, the same operations and effects as in the above embodiment can be obtained.

  Note that the time until the inside of the chamber 1 reaches a pressure at which a preset pressurizing force can be applied to the substrate is calculated based on the flow rate of the gas supplied from the purge passage 3a and the volume in the chamber 1, Etc. can be obtained in advance.

  Further, in the embodiment described above, the internal pressure of the chamber 1 is increased by opening the on-off valve 3b, and the pressing force due to the internal / external pressure difference acting on the substrate is the applied pressure by the moving mechanism 6, that is, "preset pressure" Is configured to release the pressurization by the moving mechanism 6 and the restraint of the upper substrate 8a by the upper stage 5a, even if the pressurization by the moving mechanism 6 is continued. Since an excessive pressing force equal to or greater than the pressing force obtained by adding the “predetermined pressing force” to the “cell gap forming pressure” does not have to be applied, the increase in the pressure in the chamber 1 is set to the “cell gap forming pressure”. Before reaching the pressure that can be applied, the pressure applied to the two substrates by the moving mechanism 6 and the restraint of the upper substrate 8a by the upper stage 5a may be released.

  Therefore, in this case, instead of the “preset pressure” value, the “cell gap forming pressure” value is set in the data setting unit 42, and the increase in the chamber pressure is set to “act the cell gap forming pressure”. Before reaching the “pressure value to be obtained”, that is, the comparison determination unit 41 compares that the increase in the pressure in the chamber 1 has reached a pressure value at which a pressure obtained by subtracting a predetermined pressure from the “cell gap forming pressure” can be applied. At the time of determination, the controller 4 may be configured to release the pressurization and restraint on the two substrates. Also, here, since the increase width of the pressure in the chamber 1 can be grasped as a time function after the opening of the on-off valve 3b, the configuration shown in FIG. 4 can be applied. 3 is applied, and in step 3F, the pressure increase width in the chamber 1 is compared with the pressure value at which the “cell gap forming pressure” can be applied. Bonding can be performed in the same procedure only by changing to shift to “release the substrate” in step 3G until reaching a pressure value at which the “cell gap forming pressure” can be applied.

  Further, the pressure W1 obtained by subtracting the “preset pressure” from the “cell gap forming pressure” is stored in the data setting unit 42, and the increase in the pressure in the chamber 1 after the opening / closing valve 3b is opened is applied to the substrate. The pressure applied by the moving mechanism 6 and the restraint of the upper substrate 8a by the upper stage 5a may be released before reaching the pressure value at which the applied pressure W1 can be applied. In this case, compared to the case where the “cell gap forming pressure” is set in the data setting unit 42 described above, the occurrence of damage to the spacers and the like due to over-pressurization can be suppressed more reliably, and the quality of the bonded substrate can be trusted. The sex can be further improved.

  In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the pressing force based on the internal / external pressure difference acting on the two substrates bonded to each other when released into the atmosphere is referred to as the “cell gap forming pressure” has been described. Alternatively, a pressing force based on a pressure difference between the inside and outside at a low pressure may be set as the “cell gap forming pressure”. That is, any pressure may be used as long as an appropriate cell gap can be obtained between the substrates in a state where the “cell gap forming pressure” is applied.

  As described above, according to the substrate bonding apparatus and the substrate bonding method of the present invention, the two substrates bonded through the adhesive in the chamber are subjected to a pressurizing operation without excess or deficiency. Since it is taken out from the laminating operation through the pressure increase to the atmospheric pressure in the chamber, it is possible to prevent the bias of the pressurizing force due to the mechanical press operation as much as possible, and to obtain a uniform and good relative substrate position. . Therefore, for example, it can be adopted in the manufacture of a liquid crystal display panel to improve the quality of the bonded substrate and the manufacturing yield.

It is a block diagram which shows one Example of the board | substrate bonding apparatus of this invention. It is a block diagram of the controller shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement procedure of the apparatus shown in FIG. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, it is determined whether or not the pressure in the chamber 1 has reached a pressure corresponding to the applied pressure at the time of bonding by measuring the elapsed time after opening the on-off valve 2a. It is a block diagram of the comprised controller 4. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Chamber 1A, 1B Housing 2 Vacuum pump (vacuum source)
2b On-off valve 3 Supply tank 3b On-off valve 4 Controller 41 Comparison determination unit 42 Data setting unit 43 Timer 5a, 5b Stage 6 Movement mechanism 7 XY-θ movement tables 8a, 8b Substrate 9 Sealing agent (adhesive)
10 Liquid crystal 11 Ultraviolet irradiation light source 12 Sensor

Claims (6)

In the substrate laminating apparatus for laminating the first and second substrates via an adhesive in a reduced pressure atmosphere,
A chamber that can supply and exhaust air;
A first stage that detachably holds the first substrate coated with an adhesive in the chamber;
A second stage facing the first stage and removably holding the second substrate bonded to the first substrate in the chamber;
A moving mechanism capable of moving at least one of the second stage and the first stage in the bonding direction and applying a preset pressure force to the substrate;
After applying the preset pressurizing force to the two substrates by this moving mechanism, after starting the air supply operation in the chamber and before the pressure in the chamber reaches a pressure corresponding to the cell gap forming pressure And a controller for controlling to release the pressure applied to the two substrates by the moving mechanism ,
The preset pressing force is set to a value smaller than the cell gap forming pressure,
The controller releases the pressurization by the moving mechanism and at least one of the first stage and the second stage at a timing when an increase width of the pressure in the chamber reaches a pressure value corresponding to the preset pressure. A substrate bonding apparatus characterized by releasing the holding of the substrate by either of them. 2. The substrate bonding apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a timer, which measures a timing at which an increase width of the pressure in the chamber reaches a pressure value corresponding to a preset applied pressure . The cell gap formation pressure, substrate bonding apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the atmospheric pressure.
The first stage is located above and the second stage is located below,
The controller releases the pressurization by the moving mechanism at a timing when the increase range of the pressure in the chamber reaches a pressure value corresponding to the preset pressure, and then the first stage by the first stage. The substrate bonding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding of the substrate is released and the first stage is moved upward . In the substrate bonding method in which the first and second substrates are bonded via an adhesive in a reduced-pressure atmosphere,
A first step of holding and aligning the first and second substrates disposed in the chamber;
After the first step, at least one of the first and second stages is driven in a reduced-pressure atmosphere in the chamber, and the adhesive is applied by applying a predetermined pressurizing force set in advance. A second step of bonding the first and second substrates through,
After this second step, a third step of increasing the pressure in the chamber;
In the progress of the third step, the two substrates are pressurized by the first and second stages before the pressure in the chamber due to the pressure reaches the pressure corresponding to the cell gap forming pressure. A fourth step to cancel;
After the fourth step, a fifth step is taken out of the two substrates bonded from the inside of the chamber returned to the atmospheric pressure ,
The preset pressing force is set to a value smaller than the cell gap forming pressure,
In the fourth step, when the increase in the chamber pressure reaches a pressure value corresponding to the preset pressure, the pressurization by the moving mechanism is released and the first and second stages are A method for laminating substrates, wherein the holding of the substrate by at least one of them is released . The first stage is located above and the second stage is located below,
In the fourth step, after the pressure applied by the moving mechanism is released, the holding of the first substrate by the first stage is released, and the first stage is moved up. The substrate bonding method according to claim 5.

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