JP4726123B2 - Application system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an application system for applying a flowable material to a substrate.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an organic EL display device using an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) material has been developed. For example, in the production of an active matrix drive type organic EL display device using a polymer organic EL material, a glass substrate is used. (Hereinafter simply referred to as “substrate”), the formation of TFT (Thin Film Transistor) circuits, the formation of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) electrodes as anodes, the formation of barrier ribs, and the application liquid containing hole transport materials Application, formation of a hole transport layer by heat treatment, application of a coating solution containing an organic EL material, formation of an organic EL layer by heat treatment, formation of a cathode, and sealing by formation of an insulating film are sequentially performed.

  In the manufacture of such an organic EL display device, various techniques have been proposed for the purpose of improving productivity, reducing device cost, and improving the quality of the organic EL display device. For example, in the manufacturing apparatus of Patent Document 1, an inkjet apparatus that ejects and applies ink containing an organic hole injection material to a substrate, an inkjet apparatus that ejects and applies ink containing an organic EL material, and an ink A plurality of drying furnaces for heating the coated substrate to form a hole injection layer and an organic light emitting layer are arranged around the robot arm in a substantially circumferential shape, and each step is performed continuously to perform an organic EL element. Productivity is improved.

  In the manufacturing apparatus of Patent Document 2, an inkjet apparatus in which a plurality of conveyance apparatuses that convey a substrate are arranged linearly and an ink containing a hole injection / transport material or an organic EL material is applied to one side of these conveyance apparatuses. By disposing a heating device and a cooling device that perform heat treatment on the substrate coated with ink on the other side, vibration and heat transfer between the ink jet device and the heating device are suppressed, and the light emitting element The quality is improved.

In Patent Document 3, an application unit that applies a liquid to a substrate by continuously scanning the nozzle while discharging a liquid containing a hole transport material or an organic EL material from the nozzle, and a substrate on which the liquid is applied On the other hand, a thin film forming apparatus including a bake unit that performs heat treatment is disclosed. Since the thin film forming apparatus does not include a unit that performs a process that requires a reduced-pressure atmosphere, the apparatus cost can be reduced and the control can be simplified. In addition, the thin film forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 3 can perform uniform liquid application on a substrate at a higher throughput than the apparatuses disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 that perform application using an inkjet apparatus.
JP 2003-142260 A JP 2003-217844 A JP 2004-111073 A

  By the way, the surface of the substrate is necessary for sealing with a region where a driver circuit is incorporated or an insulating film around an application region (that is, a light emitting region) where a liquid containing an organic EL material or the like is to be applied. An area is provided. In the manufacture of an organic EL display device, a fluid material containing an organic EL material or the like is provided in a region around these application regions (hereinafter referred to as “application prohibited region”) in the step of forming a hole transport layer or an organic EL layer. If the post-process is performed in a state where the flowable material is adhered, there is a possibility that electrode characteristic deterioration, sealing failure, or the like may occur.

  For this reason, it is necessary to remove the fluid material adhering to the application-prohibited region. However, in the organic EL display device, when water or a solvent adheres to the organic EL material applied to the substrate, the organic EL layer Since the properties are adversely affected, removal methods using a solvent such as edge rinsing and acid cleaning cannot be used. In addition, when a plurality of organic EL display devices are manufactured from one substrate (so-called multi-chamfering is performed), the application prohibited region is also provided at a portion other than the outer periphery of the substrate, so that removal by edge rinsing is not performed. Can not.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its main object to easily obtain a substrate in which the fluid material is fixed only in the application region by removing the fluid material adhering to the application prohibited region.

The invention according to claim 1 is a coating system for applying a flowable material to a substrate, the processing unit group, an unprocessed substrate before processing by the processing unit group, and a processing after processing by the processing unit group An indexer on which a substrate is placed, and the delivery of the substrate to the indexer and the processing unit group, and a predetermined transport path from the indexer to the indexer via at least a part of the processing unit group A substrate transport mechanism that transports the substrate along the substrate, and the processing unit group continuously discharges the flowable material from the nozzle toward the substrate held by the substrate holding unit in which the heating mechanism is built. relatively moving the nozzle relative to the substrate, thereby applying the flowable material in a region including the coating prohibition region on the substrate, the heating mechanism A coating unit for more said flowable material half-dried state, removal of removing the flowable material by irradiating an energy wave or particle toward the flowable material applied to said coating forbidden area from the coating prohibition region seen containing a unit, and the flowable material is the flowable material and heating the substrate coated bake unit for fixing on the substrate, wherein the removal unit, wherein before being heated by the bake unit The flowable material is removed from the substrate .

  A second aspect of the present invention is the coating system according to the first aspect, wherein the processing unit group further includes a buffer unit that temporarily holds the substrate.

  Invention of Claim 3 is an application | coating system of Claim 1 or 2, Comprising: The said removal unit is arrange | positioned in the position closer to the said indexer than any other processing unit among the said processing unit groups. Is done.

  Invention of Claim 4 is an application | coating system in any one of Claim 1 thru | or 3, Comprising: The irradiation of the said energy wave performed toward the said application | coating prohibition area | region on the said board | substrate by the said removal unit, Laser light irradiation.

  A fifth aspect of the present invention is the coating system according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the substrate is a glass substrate for an organic EL display device.

  A sixth aspect of the present invention is the coating system according to the fifth aspect, wherein the flowable material includes a hole transport material.

  The invention according to claim 7 is the coating system according to claim 5, wherein the fluid material is an organic EL material.

Invention of Claim 8 is an application | coating system in any one of Claim 1 thru | or 7, Comprising : When the said board | substrate conveyance mechanism conveys the said board | substrate from the said coating unit to the said removal unit, it hold | maintains. A holding unit and another holding unit configured to hold the substrate when the substrate is transported from the removal unit to the bake unit.

Invention of Claim 9 is an application | coating system of Claim 7, Comprising: The said application unit is provided with the some nozzle which discharges several fluid material, respectively, These fluid materials are mutually A plurality of organic EL materials having different colors are included.

The invention described in claim 10 is the coating system according to claim 7, wherein the processing unit group further includes another coating unit, and the coating unit includes an organic EL material of one color. A first fluid material is applied to the substrate, and the other application unit applies a second fluid material containing an organic EL material of another color different from the one color to the substrate.

The invention of claim 11 is a coating system according to claim 10, wherein the removal unit, the removal and elimination of the second flowable material of the first flowable material from the coating prohibition region Do it in parallel.

The invention according to claim 12 is the coating system according to claim 11 , wherein the processing unit group further includes another baking unit, and the substrate transport mechanism includes the coating unit, the baking unit, and the baking unit. The substrate is transferred in the order of another coating unit, the other baking unit, and the removing unit.

The invention according to claim 13 is the coating system according to claim 5, wherein the processing unit group further includes another coating unit, and the coating unit includes a first flow including a hole transport material. A conductive material is applied to the substrate, and the second application unit applies a second fluid material containing an organic EL material to the substrate.

The invention described in claim 14 is the coating system according to claim 13 , wherein the processing unit group further includes another removal unit, and the removal unit is moved from the coating prohibited area to the first flow. And the second removal unit removes the second fluid material from the application-prohibited area.

The invention according to claim 15 is the coating system according to claim 2, wherein the processing unit group further includes another coating unit and another removal unit, and the coating unit and the removal unit are A first fluidity which is arranged on one side of the buffer unit and wherein the another application unit and the other removal unit are arranged on the other side of the buffer unit, the application unit comprising a hole transport material; A material is applied to the substrate, the removal unit removes the first fluid material from the application prohibited area, and the other application unit applies a second fluid material containing an organic EL material to the substrate. Applying, the another removal unit removes the second flowable material from the application prohibited area.

A sixteenth aspect of the present invention is the coating system according to the first to fifteenth aspects, wherein the processing of the substrate by the processing unit group is performed under normal pressure.

In the present invention, it is possible to easily obtain a substrate in which the fluid material is fixed only in the application region. In the inventions of claims 2 and 11 , the processing time of the substrate can be shortened. In the invention of claim 3, the coating unit and the bake unit can be easily added.

In the invention of claim 4, the fluid material can be removed with high positional accuracy. In the invention of claim 1 , the fluid material can be easily removed. In invention of Claim 8 , it can prevent that fluid material adheres to a bake unit via a conveyance mechanism.

In the invention of claim 9 , a plurality of flowable materials can be applied to the substrate in parallel. In the inventions of claims 10 and 12 , a plurality of fluid materials can be applied to the substrate under application conditions suitable for each fluid material. In the twelfth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to heat a plurality of flowable materials under temperature conditions suitable for each flowable material.

According to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the movement of the atmosphere between the processing unit related to the hole transport material processing and the processing unit related to the organic EL material processing. In the invention of claim 16 , the configuration of the coating system can be simplified.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a coating system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The application system 1 is a system that applies a flowable material to a glass substrate (hereinafter simply referred to as “substrate”) for an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display device. In the present embodiment, the application system 1 uses an active matrix drive system. A fluid material containing a hole transport material and an organic EL material is applied to a substrate for an organic EL display device (the same applies to the following embodiments). In the coating system 1, a layer of a hole transport material (hereinafter referred to as “hole transport layer”) and a layer of an organic EL material (hereinafter referred to as “organic EL layer”) are formed on a substrate on which a TFT circuit, an ITO electrode and a partition wall are formed. ") Is formed.

  Here, the “hole transport layer” does not mean only a narrow hole transport layer that transports holes to the organic EL layer, but injects holes other than the narrow hole transport layer. Also included is a hole injection layer to be performed. The “hole transport material” includes a hole injection material in addition to a hole transport material in a narrow sense.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the coating system 1 includes a processing unit group 2 including a plurality of processing units, an unprocessed substrate before processing by the processing unit group 2 and a processed substrate after processing is performed. The substrate is transferred to the indexer 3 serving as a substrate loading / unloading unit and the processing unit group 2 and the indexer 3, and reaches the indexer 3 from the indexer 3 via at least a part of the processing unit group 2. A multi-transport robot 4 which is a substrate transport mechanism for transporting a substrate along a predetermined transport path is provided. In the coating system 1, the substrate processing by the plurality of processing units in the processing unit group 2 is performed under normal pressure.

  The processing unit group 2 includes a hole transport coating unit 21 that continuously ejects a hole transport liquid, which is a fluid material containing a hole transport material, toward the substrate and applies the hole transport liquid to the substrate. The hole transport liquid is fixed on the substrate by heating the substrate coated with the transport liquid (that is, the hole transport liquid is dried and the hole transport material contained in the hole transport liquid is fixed on the substrate). A hole transport bake unit 22 that forms a layer of a hole transport material (ie, a hole transport layer) on the substrate, and an organic EL liquid that is a fluid material containing the organic EL material is formed by the hole transport layer. The organic EL application unit 24 that continuously discharges the organic EL liquid onto the substrate and applies the organic EL liquid onto the substrate, and the organic EL liquid is fixed on the substrate by heating the substrate on which the organic EL liquid is applied. (That is, the organic EL liquid is dried and organic The organic EL material contained in the L solution is fixed on a substrate) layer of an organic EL material (i.e., the organic EL layer) containing an organic EL baking unit 25 for forming the hole transport layer on the substrate.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the substrate 9. In FIG. 2, parallel oblique lines are applied to a region 91 (hereinafter referred to as “coating region”) where a hole transport liquid and an organic EL liquid are applied on the substrate 9 to form a hole transport layer and an organic EL layer. In the present embodiment, four application regions 91 are provided on the substrate 9, and four organic EL display devices are manufactured from one substrate 9. Since the lattice-shaped region 92 around the four coating regions 91 is used for incorporating a driver circuit or sealing with an insulating film in a later process, a hole transport layer or an organic EL layer should not be formed. This region is hereinafter referred to as “application prohibited region 92”.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the processing unit group 2 includes a hole transport removal unit 23 that removes the hole transport liquid from the coating prohibited region 92 of the substrate 9 on which the hole transport liquid is coated by the hole transport coating unit 21. The organic EL removal unit 26 further removes the organic EL solution from the application prohibited area 92 of the substrate 9 on which the organic EL solution has been applied by the organic EL application unit 24. In the hole transport removal unit 23, the hole transport liquid is removed from the coating prohibited area 92 by irradiating energy waves toward the hole transport liquid applied to the coating prohibited area 92 on the substrate 9. Similarly, in the organic EL removal unit 26, the organic EL liquid is removed from the application prohibited area 92 by irradiating the organic EL liquid applied to the application prohibited area 92 on the substrate 9 with energy waves. In the present embodiment, the energy wave irradiation performed by the hole transport removal unit 23 and the organic EL removal unit 26 toward the coating prohibited region 92 on the substrate 9 is light energy irradiation by laser light irradiation, The hole transport liquid and the organic EL liquid on the coating prohibited area 92 are removed from the coating prohibited area 92 by vaporizing by laser ablation (the same applies to the following embodiments).

  In the processing unit group 2, a hole transport coating unit 21, a hole transport bake unit 22, and a hole transport removal unit 23 are arranged on one side of a linear moving path 41 along which the multi-transport robot 4 moves. On the other side of the moving path 41, an organic EL coating unit 24, an organic EL baking unit 25, and an organic EL removal unit 26 are arranged. In the coating system 1, in the processing unit group 2, the hole transport removal unit 23 and the organic EL removal unit 26 are any other processing units (that is, the hole transport coating unit 21, the hole transport bake unit 22, the organic The EL coating unit 24 and the organic EL baking unit 25) are disposed at a position closer to the indexer 3 than the EL coating unit 24 and the organic EL baking unit 25).

  The indexer 3 is provided on the cassette mounting unit 31 on which a plurality of cassettes 90 that respectively accommodate a plurality of substrates 9 are mounted, and on the processing unit group 2 side, and an indexer robot that carries the substrates 9 to and from the cassettes 90. 32. The indexer 3 faces a clean room passage (not shown), and a cassette 90 containing unprocessed substrates before processing is carried into the indexer 3 by a transport device (not shown) traveling in the clean room passage. The cassette 90 placed on the placement unit 31 and containing the processed substrate after processing is unloaded from the indexer 3.

  The indexer robot 32 moves along a linear movement path 33 substantially perpendicular to the movement path 41 of the multi-transport robot 4 and is positioned at a position corresponding to each cassette 90. Further, the indexer robot 32 delivers the substrate 9 to and from the multi-transport robot 4, whereby the substrate 9 is transferred between the indexer 3 and the processing unit group 2.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the indexer robot 32 and the multi-transport robot 4. As shown in FIG. 3, the indexer robot 32 includes two hands 321 and 322 that hold the substrate 9, advance / retreat mechanisms 324 and 325 that individually advance and retract the hands 321 and 322 with respect to the base unit 323, and a base The base part moving mechanism (illustration omitted) which moves the part 323 is provided. The advance / retreat mechanisms 324 and 325 are multi-joint arm types, and advance and retract the hands 321 and 322 in the horizontal direction while maintaining their postures. The base part 323 of the indexer robot 32 moves on the moving path 33 (see FIG. 1) in the horizontal direction and moves up and down in the vertical direction by the base part moving mechanism, and further, with the rotation axis pointing in the vertical direction as the center. Rotate.

  Similarly to the indexer robot 32, the multi-transport robot 4 also has two hands 421 and 422, which are holding parts for holding the substrate 9, and advance / retreat mechanisms 424 and 425 that advance and retreat the base part 423 individually. And a base part moving mechanism (not shown) for moving the base part 423. The advance / retreat mechanisms 424 and 425 are multi-joint arm types, and advance and retract the hands 421 and 422 in the horizontal direction while maintaining their postures. Further, the base part 423 moves in the horizontal direction along the movement path 41 and moves up and down in the vertical direction by the base part moving mechanism, and further rotates around the rotation axis facing the vertical direction.

  In the coating system 1 shown in FIG. 1, the multi-transport robot 4 that has received the substrate 9 from the indexer robot 32 moves on the moving path 41 to access each processing unit of the processing unit group 2 and holds the substrate 9. When the substrates 421 and 422 are advanced and retracted by the advance / retreat mechanisms 424 and 425, the substrate 9 is carried into and out of each processing unit, and the processed substrate 9 is transferred from the multi-transport robot 4 to the indexer robot 32. Thus, the substrate 9 is unloaded from the processing unit group 2. As described above, in the coating system 1, the substrate 9 is transported along the predetermined transport path by the multi-transport robot 4.

  Here, the “transport route” means a route along which the substrate 9 transported by the substrate transport mechanism moves. For example, when the substrate 9 is transported by the moving multi-transport robot 4 as in the present embodiment, the transport path is as the multi-transport robot 4 moves while being held by the hands 421 and 422. A path through which the board 9 moves and a path through which the hands 421 and 422 move back and forth by the advancing / retreating mechanisms 424 and 425, and the board 9 moves between the units by a plurality of fixed transfer arms or the like. When sequentially transported, the transport path is a path along which the substrate 9 is moved by the plurality of transport arms.

  FIG. 4 is a front view showing the configuration of the hole transport removal unit 23. The hole transport removal unit 23 includes a substrate holding unit 231 that holds the substrate 9, a substrate moving mechanism 232 that moves the substrate 9 in two horizontal directions perpendicular to each other (that is, the left-right direction and the depth direction in FIG. 4), a substrate 9 is provided with a removal head 233 that removes the hole transport liquid applied by irradiating laser beam to the 9 coating prohibited areas 92 and a control unit 234 that controls these configurations.

  FIG. 5 is an enlarged front view showing the internal configuration of the removal head 233. In FIG. 5, the inside of the housing 2330 is drawn to describe the configuration of the removal head 233 accommodated in the housing 2330. As shown in FIG. 5, the removal head 233 includes a laser irradiation unit 2331 that emits laser light, a suction unit 2332 that sucks a removed material (that is, a hole transport liquid) vaporized by laser ablation, and a configuration thereof. A housing 2330 is provided.

  The laser irradiation unit 2331 includes a laser oscillator 2333 that oscillates high-intensity pulsed laser light, a magnifying optical system 2334 that magnifies laser light from the laser oscillator 2333, and a cross-sectional shape of the laser light from the magnifying optical system 2334 that is slit-shaped (width). And a reduction optical system 2336 that guides the laser light shaped by the mask 2335 to the substrate 9 while focusing the laser light. In FIG. 5, the main axis of the laser beam guided from the laser oscillator 2333 to the substrate 9 is indicated by a broken line. The suction unit 2332 includes a suction nozzle 2337 that protrudes toward the substrate 9, and sucks ambient gas above a region on the substrate 9 irradiated with the laser light from the laser irradiation unit 2331.

  When the hole transport liquid is removed from the coating prohibited area 92 (see FIG. 2) on the substrate 9 by the hole transport removal unit 23 shown in FIG. 4, first, the substrate 9 is moved by the substrate moving mechanism 232. Located at the removal start position. That is, the end portion of the coating prohibited area 92 of the substrate 9 is positioned below the reduction optical system 2336 of the removal head 233.

  Subsequently, in a state where the substrate 9 is stationary, suction by the suction unit 2332 is started and irradiation of pulsed laser light from the laser irradiation unit 2331 toward the application prohibited region 92 is started. In the coating prohibited area 92, laser ablation is repeatedly generated by repeatedly performing laser light irradiation, whereby the hole transport liquid adhering to the coating prohibited area 92 of the substrate 9 is vaporized and removed. The vaporized hole transport liquid is sucked together with the surrounding gas by the suction unit 2332. As a result, the vaporized hole transport liquid is prevented from reattaching to the substrate 9 and the hole transport removal unit 23.

  In the hole transport removal unit 23, when a laser beam having a predetermined number of pulses is irradiated to one irradiation region on the substrate 9, the substrate 9 is moved by the substrate moving mechanism 232, and the laser beam is irradiated in the coating prohibited region 92. Area to be moved. Then, by repeating the laser light irradiation and the movement of the substrate 9, the entire region of the coating prohibited area 92 on the substrate 9 is irradiated with the laser light, and the hole transport liquid adhering to the coating prohibited area 92 is removed. .

  The organic EL removal unit 26 has the same structure as the hole transport removal unit 23 shown in FIG. Similarly to the hole transport removal unit 23, the organic EL removal unit 26 applies a laser beam to the substrate holding unit that holds the substrate 9, the substrate moving mechanism that moves the substrate 9, and the coating prohibited area 92 of the substrate 9. The removal head which removes the organic EL liquid which was made, and the control part which controls these structures are provided.

  The internal configuration of the removal head is the same as that of the removal head 233 of the hole transport removal unit 23 shown in FIG. In the organic EL removal unit 26, as in the hole transport removal unit 23, the organic EL liquid is vaporized from the coating prohibited area 92 of the substrate 9 by laser ablation by pulse laser light irradiation from the laser irradiation part of the removal head. By removing the organic EL liquid that has been removed and vaporized by the suction unit together with the surrounding gas, the removed organic EL liquid is prevented from reattaching to the substrate 9 or the organic EL removal unit 26.

  6 and 7 are a plan view and a front view showing the configuration of the organic EL coating unit 24. As shown in FIG. 7, the organic EL coating unit 24 incorporates a heating mechanism using a heater (not shown) and holds the substrate 9 and the substrate holder 241 in a predetermined movement direction (that is, FIG. 6). A substrate moving mechanism 242 that horizontally moves in the vertical direction and rotates about an axis that is oriented in the vertical direction is provided. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, alignment marks (illustrated) formed on the substrate 9 are provided. An alignment mark detection unit 243 for imaging and detecting, a coating head 244 for discharging and applying an organic EL liquid toward the substrate 9 on the substrate holding unit 241, and a movement direction of the substrate holding unit 241. Is a head moving mechanism 245 that moves in the vertical horizontal direction (that is, the left-right direction in FIG. 6), and a control that controls these components. Equipped with a.

  The coating head 244 includes three nozzles 247a, 247b, and 247c that discharge the organic EL liquid, and coating liquid supply units 248a, 248b, and 248c that supply the organic EL liquid to the three nozzles 247a to 247c, respectively. . The nozzles 247a to 247c are arranged substantially linearly in the left-right direction in FIG. 6 (that is, the moving direction of the coating head 244) and are slightly shifted in the vertical direction in FIG. 6 (that is, the moving direction of the substrate 9). Arranged. 6, the distance between the nozzle 247a and the nozzle 247b and the distance between the nozzle 247b and the nozzle 247c extend in the left-right direction in FIG. It is made equal to the pitch between the partition walls (hereinafter referred to as “partition wall pitch”).

  The coating liquid supply unit 248a includes a storage tank that stores the organic EL liquid, a pump that sucks the organic EL liquid from the storage tank, a flowmeter that detects the flow rate of the organic EL liquid, and a filter that removes foreign matter in the organic EL liquid. And the pump is controlled by the control unit based on the output from the flowmeter, whereby the organic EL liquid is supplied to the nozzle 247a at a preset flow rate and discharged toward the substrate 9 (application) The same applies to the liquid supply units 248b and 248c and the nozzles 247b and 247c). In the coating head 244, three types of organic EL liquids each including three types of organic EL materials having different colors from red (R), green (G), and blue (B) are respectively supplied from three coating liquid supply units. It is supplied to the nozzles 247a to 247c and discharged.

  When the organic EL liquid application is performed by the organic EL application unit 24, first, the substrate 9 is placed and held on the substrate holding unit 241, and the substrate moving mechanism 242 is based on the output from the alignment mark detection unit 243. Is driven and the substrate 9 is positioned at the application start position indicated by the solid line in FIG. The coating head 244 is previously positioned at a position indicated by a solid line in FIGS. 6 and 7.

  Subsequently, the coating liquid supply units 248a to 248c are controlled to start discharging the organic EL liquid from the nozzles 247a to 247c, and the head moving mechanism 245 is driven to drive the coating head 244 (that is, the nozzles 247a to 247c). The move starts. In the organic EL coating unit 24, the three nozzles 247 a to 247 c of the coating head 244 are continuously discharged from the three nozzles 247 a to 247 c toward the substrate 9, while the nozzles 247 a to 247 c are ejected from the substrate 9 as shown in FIG. By relatively moving from the left side to the right side, the organic EL liquid is applied in a stripe pattern on the substrate 9. As described above, a plurality of partition walls are formed in advance in the application region 91 on the substrate 9, and three types of organic EL liquids are applied to adjacent three groove portions between the partition walls.

  When the coating head 244 moves to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIGS. 6 and 7, the substrate moving mechanism 242 is driven, and the substrate 9 together with the substrate holding portion 241 is three times the partition pitch on the upper side in FIG. Move a distance. Then, the coating head 244 moves from the right side to the left side in FIG. 6 while discharging the organic EL liquid, whereby three types of organic EL liquids are applied on the substrate 9 in stripes.

  FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the substrate 9, and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate 9 at the position AA in FIG. 8. In the organic EL coating unit 24, by repeatedly moving the coating head 244 in the left-right direction and the pitch movement of the substrate 9, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the coating prohibited region 92 on the substrate 9 is included. The organic EL liquid 93 is applied in stripes to the regions (that is, the left and right regions of the application region 91 in the application prohibited region 92 and the groove between the partition walls of the application region 91). In FIG. 8, for convenience of illustration, the width and pitch of the organic EL liquid 93 applied on the substrate 9 are drawn larger than actual.

  In the organic EL application unit 24, the organic EL liquid 93 is continuously discharged from the nozzles 247a to 247c (see FIGS. 6 and 7) of the application head 244 while the organic EL liquid 93 is being applied. In the organic EL coating unit 24, the coating head 244 is retracted from the substrate 9 with respect to a region of the coating prohibited region 92 that extends perpendicularly to the moving direction of the substrate 9 (that is, a region that extends in the left-right direction in FIG. 8). In this state, by moving the substrate 9 by a distance equal to the width of the region (that is, the vertical width in FIG. 8), the application of the organic EL liquid 93 to the region is avoided.

  When the substrate 9 moves to the application end position indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 6, the discharge of the organic EL liquid 93 from the nozzles 247a to 247c is stopped, and the application of the organic EL liquid 93 to the substrate 9 is completed. Then, in the organic EL removal unit 26 described above, the organic EL liquid 93 is removed from the application prohibited area 92 of the substrate 9, so that the organic EL liquid 93 is only on the application area 91 of the substrate 9 as shown in FIG. 10. Is left behind.

  The hole transport coating unit 21 has the same configuration as the organic EL coating unit 24 shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. Similar to the organic EL coating unit 24, the hole transport coating unit 21 is a substrate holding unit that holds the substrate 9, a substrate moving mechanism that moves and rotates the substrate holding unit, and an alignment mark detection that detects and detects an alignment mark. A coating head that coats the hole transport liquid toward the substrate 9, a head moving mechanism that moves the coating head, and a control unit that controls these configurations.

  As with the coating head 244 of the hole transport coating unit 21, the coating head of the hole transport coating unit 21 has three nozzles that discharge the hole transport liquid and the hole transport liquid to the three nozzles, respectively. Each is provided with a coating liquid supply unit for supplying, and the interval between the nozzles in the moving direction of the substrate 9 is made equal to the partition pitch. In the hole transport coating unit 21, a single type of hole transport liquid is supplied to and discharged from three nozzles, and is applied to three adjacent grooves between the partition walls on the substrate 9. In the hole transport coating unit 21, as in the organic EL coating unit 24, the coating head is retracted from the substrate 9 with respect to the region of the coating prohibited region 92 that extends perpendicular to the moving direction of the substrate 9. By moving 9, the application of the hole transport liquid is avoided.

  FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the hole transport bake unit 22. As shown in FIG. 11, the hole transport bake unit 22 is heated by the heating unit 221 that heats the substrate 9 coated with the hole transport liquid and fixes the hole transport liquid on the substrate 9, and the heating unit 221. A cooling unit 222 is provided for cooling the substrate 9 to room temperature. In FIG. 11, for convenience of illustration, the heating unit 221 and the cooling unit 222 are drawn separately, but in actuality, the heating unit 221 is arranged over the cooling unit 222.

  The heating unit 221 includes a hot plate 2211 in which a heater (not shown) is incorporated, and a housing 2212 that accommodates the hot plate 2211 therein. The housing 2212 has an opening 2213 that is used for loading and unloading the substrate 9. Is formed. In the heating unit 221, the substrate 9 is placed on the hot plate 2211 that is heated by the heater and is at a high temperature (or is held on the hot plate 2211 at a position separated from the hot plate 2211 by a minute distance. The substrate 9 is heated, the solvent component is evaporated from the hole transport liquid applied to the substrate 9, the hole transport liquid is fixed on the substrate 9, and a hole transport layer is formed on the substrate 9. The

  The cooling unit 222 includes a cool plate 2221 through which a coolant flows and a housing 2222 that accommodates the cool plate 2221. The housing 2222 has an opening 2223 that is used for loading and unloading the substrate 9. . In the cooling unit 222, the substrate 9 heated by the heating unit 221 is placed on the cool plate 2221 and cooled, so that the high-temperature substrate 9 can be rapidly cooled to room temperature.

  Since the organic EL bake unit 25 has the same configuration as the hole transport bake unit 22 shown in FIG. The organic EL bake unit 25 is heated by the heating unit that heats the substrate 9 on which the organic EL liquid is applied and fixes the organic EL liquid on the substrate 9, as in the hole transport bake unit 22. A cooling unit for cooling the substrate 9 to room temperature. The heating unit includes a hot plate with a built-in heater and a housing that accommodates the hot plate therein, and the cooling unit includes a cool plate through which the refrigerant flows and a housing that accommodates the cool plate therein.

  In the organic EL bake unit 25, similarly to the hole transport bake unit 22, the solvent component is evaporated from the organic EL liquid applied to the substrate 9 by placing the substrate 9 on the hot plate of the heating unit. The organic EL liquid is fixed on the substrate 9, and an organic EL layer is formed on the substrate 9. And the board | substrate 9 after a heating is mounted on the cool plate of a cooling part, and the high temperature board | substrate 9 is rapidly cooled to normal temperature.

  Next, the operation of the coating system 1 will be described. FIG. A thru | or FIG. C is a diagram showing a flow of operation of the coating system 1. In the coating system 1 shown in FIG. 1, a cassette 90 in which a plurality of substrates 9 on which TFT circuits, ITO electrodes, and partition walls are formed is housed is placed in advance on the cassette placing portion 31 of the indexer 3. First, the substrate 9 is taken out from the cassette 90 on the cassette placement unit 31 by the indexer robot 32 (see FIG. 3) of the indexer 3, and the substrate 9 held by the hand 321 of the indexer robot 32 is removed by the multi-transport robot 4. It is received and held in the hand 421 (see FIG. 3) (step S11).

  Subsequently, the multi-transport robot 4 moves on the moving path 41 to the front of the hole transport coating unit 21, and the substrate 9 held by the hand 421 is carried into the hole transport coating unit 21 and placed on the substrate holding unit. (Step S12). In the hole transport coating unit 21, the hole transport liquid is discharged toward the substrate 9, and the region on the substrate 9 including the coating prohibited region 92 (that is, the groove between the partition walls of the coating region 91 and the coating prohibited region 92). A hole transport liquid is applied in a stripe pattern (step S13).

  When the application of the hole transport liquid is completed, the substrate 9 is unloaded from the hole transport coating unit 21 by the multi-transport robot 4 (step S14), and is transported to the hole transport removal unit 23 to the hole transport removal unit 23. It is carried in (step S15). At this time, the substrate 9 is held and transported by the hand 421 of the multi-transport robot 4. In addition, on the substrate 9, a part of the solvent component of the hole transport liquid applied by the hole transport coating unit 21 is evaporated by the heating mechanism of the substrate holding part, and the hole transport liquid is in a certain dry state (so-called It adheres on the application prohibited area 92 and the application area 91 in a state of being dried. In the hole transport removal unit 23, the hole transport liquid is removed from the coating prohibited area 92 of the substrate 9 held by the substrate holder 231 by laser ablation by laser light irradiation from the removal head 233 (see FIG. 5). (Step S16).

  When the hole transport liquid is removed from the coating prohibited area 92, the substrate 9 is unloaded from the hole transport removal unit 23 by the multi-transport robot 4 (step S17), and is transported to the hole transport bake unit 22 and the holes. It is carried into the transport bake unit 22 (step S21). When the substrate 9 is transported from the hole transport removal unit 23 to the hole transport bake unit 22, the substrate 9 is removed from the hand 422 (that is, the hole transport removal unit 21 from the hole transport coating unit 21) of the multi-transport robot 4. It is held by another holding unit that is different from the holding unit held when transported to the unit 23.

  In the hole transport bake unit 22, the substrate 9 from which the hole transport liquid has been removed from the coating prohibited area 92 is placed on the hot plate 2211 (see FIG. 11) of the heating unit 221 and heated. The hole transport liquid applied to the grooves in between is fixed on the substrate 9 (its ITO electrode) to form a hole transport layer (step S22). Subsequently, the substrate 9 is unloaded from the heating unit 221 by the multi-transport robot 4 and loaded into the cooling unit 222, and is placed on the cool plate 2221 (see FIG. 11) and cooled to room temperature (step S23).

  When the cooling of the substrate 9 is completed, the substrate 9 is unloaded from the hole transport bake unit 22 by the multi-transport robot 4 (step S24), and is loaded into the organic EL coating unit 24 (step S25). In the organic EL coating unit 24, three types of organic EL liquids are discharged toward the substrate 9 held by the substrate holding unit 241, and the region on the substrate 9 including the coating prohibited region 92 (that is, the coating prohibited region 92, and Then, three types of organic EL liquids are applied in stripes to the region on the hole transport layer formed in the groove between the partition walls of the application region 91 (step S26).

  When the application of the organic EL liquid is completed, the substrate 9 is unloaded from the organic EL coating unit 24 by the multi-transport robot 4 (step S27), and is loaded into the organic EL removal unit 26 (step S31). On the substrate 9, a part of the solvent component of the organic EL liquid applied by the organic EL application unit 24 is evaporated by the heating mechanism of the substrate holding unit 241, and the organic EL liquid is dried to some extent (so-called “dried state”). Are adhered on the coating prohibited area 92 and the coating area 91 (hole transport layer). In the organic EL removal unit 26, the organic EL liquid is removed from the coating prohibited area 92 of the substrate 9 held by the substrate holding part by laser ablation by irradiation of the laser beam from the removal head (step S32).

  When the organic EL liquid is removed from the application prohibited area 92, the multi-transport robot 4 carries the substrate 9 out of the organic EL removal unit 26 (step S33) and into the organic EL bake unit 25 (step S34). When the substrate 9 is transported from the organic EL removal unit 26 to the organic EL bake unit 25, the substrate 9 is transferred from the organic EL coating unit 24 to the organic EL removal unit 26 among the hands 421 and 422 of the multi-transport robot 4. It is held by a hand different from the hand used when transporting the substrate 9 to the edge.

  In the organic EL baking unit 25, the substrate 9 from which the organic EL liquid has been removed from the application prohibited region 92 is heated by the hot plate of the heating unit, and the organic EL liquid applied on the hole transport layer of the substrate 9 is transferred to the substrate 9 ( And the organic EL layer is formed (step S35). Subsequently, the substrate 9 is unloaded from the heating unit by the multi-transport robot 4 and loaded into the cooling unit, and cooled to room temperature by the cool plate (step S36).

  When the formation of the organic EL layer laminated on the hole transport layer in the coating region 91 of the substrate 9 is completed, the substrate 9 is unloaded from the organic EL bake unit 25 by the multi-transport robot 4 (step S37), and is sent to the indexer 3. And is received by the indexer robot 32 and stored in the cassette 90 on the cassette mounting portion 31 (step S38). In the coating system 1, when a predetermined number of processed substrates are stored in the cassette 90, the cassette 90 is unloaded from the coating system 1, and the cathode is formed and sealed with an insulating film by another device. Thus, an organic EL display device is manufactured.

In the coating system 1 described above, paying attention to the configuration relating to the formation of the hole transport layer, the processing unit group 2 includes a hole transport coating unit 21 for coating the substrate 9 with a hole transport liquid, and a hole transport liquid. A hole transport removal unit 23 that removes the hole transport liquid from the coating prohibited area 92 of the coated substrate 9, and a hole transport bake unit 22 that heats the substrate 9 and fixes the hole transport liquid onto the substrate 9. including. Thereby, the board | substrate 9 with which the positive hole transport liquid fixed only to the application | coating area | region 91 and the positive hole transport layer was formed can be obtained easily. Also, the processing time of the substrate 9 can be shortened because the application of the hole transport liquid, the removal of the hole transport liquid from the coating prohibited area 92, and the fixing of the hole transport liquid can be performed in one system. In addition, the manufacturing cost of the coating system 1 can be reduced (the matters described in this paragraph are the same in the following second to sixth embodiments).

In the hole transport removal unit 23, the hole transport liquid is removed from the coating prohibited area 92 of the substrate 9 before being heated by the hole transport bake unit 22. That is, since the hole transport fluid can be removed prior to fixing the substrate 9, it is possible to easily remove the hole transporting liquid (the same in the second of stone sixth embodiment).

In the hole transport removal unit 23, the hole transport liquid is removed by laser ablation by laser light irradiation. In laser light irradiation, the region irradiated with the laser light can be defined with high accuracy, so that the hole transport liquid can be removed with high positional accuracy. In addition, irradiation with laser light having a controlled wavelength does not generate ozone (O ₃ ) that may affect the hole transport liquid, so that a high-quality hole transport layer can be formed ( The same applies to the second to sixth embodiments).

Next, paying attention to the configuration related to the formation of the organic EL layer, similarly to the configuration related to the formation of the hole transport layer, the organic EL liquid is applied to the substrate 9 by the organic EL application unit 24, and the organic EL removal unit 26 The organic EL liquid is removed from the coating prohibited area 92, and the organic EL liquid is fixed to the coating area 91 of the substrate 9 by the organic EL bake unit 25. The substrate 9 on which the EL layer is formed can be easily obtained. Further, since the application of the organic EL liquid, the removal of the organic EL liquid from the coating prohibited area 92, and the fixing of the organic EL liquid can be performed in one system, the processing time of the substrate 9 can be shortened and the coating system 1 can be used. The manufacturing cost can be reduced (the same applies to the third and fifth embodiments).

In the organic EL removal unit 26, the organic EL liquid is removed from the coating prohibited area 92 of the substrate 9 before being heated by the organic EL bake unit 25. That is, since the organic EL liquid can be removed prior to fixing the substrate 9, it is possible to easily remove the organic EL solution (same as in the second of stone sixth embodiment).

In the organic EL removal unit 26 as well, as with the hole transport removal unit 23, the organic EL liquid can be removed with high positional accuracy by removing the organic EL liquid by laser ablation by laser light irradiation. In addition, irradiation with laser light having a controlled wavelength does not generate ozone that may affect the organic EL liquid, so that a high-quality organic EL layer can be formed (second to sixth ). The same applies to the embodiment).

In the organic EL application unit 24, in particular, three types of organic EL liquids each containing three colors of organic EL materials can be applied to the substrate 9 in parallel. Thereby, it is not necessary to provide a plurality of organic EL coating units for coating a plurality of organic EL liquids, and the coating system 1 can be downsized. In addition, since the movement of the substrate 9 between the plurality of organic EL coating units can be omitted, the processing time of the substrate 9 can be shortened (the same applies to the third and fifth embodiments).

Next, paying attention to the entire coating system 1, the processing unit group 2 applies a hole transport coating unit 21 for coating the substrate 9 with a hole transport liquid, and an organic EL coating unit 24 for coating the substrate 9 with an organic EL liquid. Since the hole transport liquid and the organic EL liquid can be applied in one system, the processing time of the substrate 9 can be further shortened. The coating system 1 is particularly suitable for a system in which a hole transport liquid and an organic EL liquid are applied to the substrate 9 for an organic EL display device (the same applies to the second to sixth embodiments).

In the processing unit group 2, the hole transport liquid is removed from the application prohibited area 92 of the substrate 9 by the hole transport removal unit 23, and the organic EL liquid is removed from the application prohibited area 92 by the organic EL removal unit 26. Assuming that the hole transport liquid and the organic EL liquid are removed by a common removal unit, when the hole transport liquid adheres to the removal unit, the organic EL liquid before fixing on the substrate 9 that is subsequently carried in is removed. There is a possibility that the hole transport liquid will be mixed in. Further, when the organic EL liquid adheres to the removal unit, the organic EL liquid may be mixed in the hole transport liquid before fixing on the substrate 9 that is subsequently carried. In the coating system 1, by providing the hole transport removal unit 23 and the organic EL removal unit 26 in the processing unit group 2, mixing of the hole transport liquid and the organic EL liquid on the substrate 9 can be reliably prevented. . Furthermore, the processing time of the substrate 9 can be shortened by providing a plurality of removal units in the processing unit group 2 (the same applies to the second to sixth embodiments).

By the way, the hole transport liquid and the organic EL liquid have different characteristics (for example, wavelength, frequency, (laser) fluence, etc.) of laser light for efficient removal. In the coating system 1, by providing the hole transport removal unit 23 and the organic EL removal unit 26 in the processing unit group 2, each of the hole transport liquid and the organic EL liquid can be removed by laser light having different characteristics. Therefore, removal of the hole transport liquid and removal of the organic EL liquid can be performed efficiently (the same applies to the second to sixth embodiments).

In the coating system 1, in the processing unit group 2, the hole transport removal unit 23 and the organic EL removal unit 26 are arranged at a position closer to the indexer 3 than any other processing unit. Thereby, in the processing unit group 2, the other hole transport coating unit, hole transport bake unit, organic EL coating unit, and organic EL bake unit are placed outside the array of the plurality of processing units (that is, on the side far from the indexer 3). Can be easily added (similarly in the second, fifth and sixth embodiments).

In the coating system 1, the substrate 9 is held by the hand 421 when the substrate 9 is transported from the hole transport coating unit 21 to the hole transport removal unit 23 by the multi-transport robot 4, and the substrate 9 is correctly transferred from the hole transport removal unit 23. Since it is held by the hand 422 when transported to the hole transport bake unit 22, it is ensured that the hole transport liquid adheres to the hole transport bake unit 22 via the multi transport robot 4 (hands 421, 422). Can be prevented. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent unnecessary hole transport liquid from adhering to the substrate 9 sequentially carried into the hole transport bake unit 22 (in the second, fifth and sixth embodiments). The same).

Similarly, when the substrate 9 is transported from the organic EL coating unit 24 to the organic EL removal unit 26 by the multi-transport robot 4, the substrate 9 is held by the hand 421 and transported from the organic EL removal unit 26 to the organic EL bake unit 25. Since it is held by the hand 422 at this time, the organic EL liquid can be reliably prevented from adhering to the organic EL bake unit 25 via the multi-transport robot 4 (the hands 421 and 422). As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent unnecessary organic EL liquid from adhering to the substrate 9 sequentially carried into the organic EL bake unit 25 (the same applies to the second, fifth and sixth embodiments). .

In the coating system 1, since all the processing on the substrate 9 in the processing unit group 2 is performed under normal pressure, the configuration of the coating system 1 can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be further reduced (second to sixth embodiments). Same in form).

  Next, the coating system 1a according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a configuration of the coating system 1a. As shown in FIG. 13, in the coating system 1a, the processing unit group 2 replaces the organic EL coating unit 24 of the coating system 1 shown in FIG. , “Organic EL liquid (R)”) on the substrate 9, an organic EL liquid containing green (G) organic EL material (hereinafter, “organic EL liquid (G)”) And the second organic EL coating unit 24b for coating the substrate 9 and an organic EL liquid containing a blue (B) organic EL material (hereinafter referred to as “organic EL liquid (B)”). A third organic EL coating unit 24c to be coated is included. Hereinafter, the first organic EL coating unit 24a to the third organic EL coating unit 24c are collectively referred to as “organic EL coating units 24a to 24c” as necessary. Other configurations are the same as those in FIG. 1, and the same reference numerals are given in the following description.

  The structure of the organic EL coating units 24 a to 24 c is substantially the same as that of the organic EL coating unit 24 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, but the intervals between the three nozzles of the coating head are different from each other in the movement direction of the substrate 9. It is 3 times the upper partition wall pitch, and is an organic EL liquid of the same color from three nozzles (that is, one of the organic EL liquid (R), organic EL liquid (G), and organic EL liquid (B)) Hereinafter, when it is not necessary to distinguish between these three types, they are different from each other in that they are collectively referred to as “organic EL liquid” as in the first embodiment.

  In the first organic EL coating unit 24a, the nozzle that discharges the organic EL liquid (R) and the movement of the substrate 9 are repeated, whereby the organic EL liquid is formed in the plurality of grooves between the partition walls on the coating prohibited area 92 and the coating area 91. (R) is applied in stripes. The stripe-shaped organic EL liquid (R) applied by the first organic EL application unit 24 a is arranged with an interval of three times the partition wall pitch in the moving direction of the substrate 9. In other words, two grooves to which the organic EL liquid (R) is not applied are sandwiched between the two grooves to which the organic EL liquid (R) is applied.

  Similarly, in the second organic EL application unit 24b, the substrate 9 including the application prohibited region 92 to which the organic EL liquid (R) is applied by repeating the movement of the nozzle that discharges the organic EL liquid (G) and the substrate 9 is repeated. In the upper region (that is, the plurality of groove portions adjacent to one side of the plurality of groove portions coated with the organic EL liquid (R) and the coating prohibited region 92 coated with the organic EL liquid (R)), the organic EL The liquid (G) is applied in stripes at intervals of 3 times the partition pitch, and the organic EL liquid (G) and the groove where the organic EL liquid (R) is applied are also applied to the third organic EL application unit 24c. The organic EL liquid (B) is applied in stripes at intervals of 3 times the partition pitch in the grooves between the grooves.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a part of the operation flow of the coating system 1a. The flow of operations before and after the operations shown in FIG. 14 (steps S51 to S59) are shown in FIG. A thru | or FIG. This is the same as steps S11 to S24 and steps S31 to S38 shown in FIG.

  In the coating system 1a, as in the first embodiment, the substrate 9 taken out from the cassette 90 of the indexer 3 by the indexer robot 32 is received by the multi-transport robot 4 and loaded into the hole transport coating unit 21, where After the hole transport liquid is applied to the area on the substrate 9 including the application prohibited area 92 in the hole transport application unit 21, it is carried out of the hole transport application unit 21 (FIG. 12.A: steps S11 to S14).

  The substrate 9 transported from the hole transport coating unit 21 is transported to the hole transport removal unit 23 where the hole transport liquid is removed from the coating prohibited area 92 and transported from the hole transport removal unit 23 to transport holes. It is carried into the bake unit 22 (steps S15 to S21). Then, the substrate 9 is heated by the heating unit 221, whereby the hole transport liquid is fixed on the coating region 91 of the substrate 9 to form a hole transport layer, and the substrate 9 cooled to room temperature by the cooling unit 222 is formed. It is unloaded from the hole transport bake unit 22 (steps S22 to S24).

  The substrate 9 carried out from the hole transport bake unit 22 is carried by the multi-carrying robot 4 and carried into the first organic EL coating unit 24a (FIG. 14: step S51), on the substrate 9 including the coating prohibited area 92. The organic EL liquid (R) is applied in stripes to the regions (that is, the regions on the coating prohibited region 92 and the hole transport layer) (step S52). Subsequently, the substrate 9 is unloaded from the first organic EL coating unit 24a and loaded into the second organic EL coating unit 24b (steps S53 and S54), and the organic EL liquid (G) is coated in a stripe shape (step S55). ). Next, the substrate 9 is unloaded from the second organic EL coating unit 24b and loaded into the third organic EL coating unit 24c (steps S56 and S57), and the organic EL liquid (B) is applied in a stripe shape to the substrate 9. The application of the three types of organic EL liquids (that is, organic EL liquid (R), organic EL liquid (G), and organic EL liquid (B)) is completed (step S58).

  When the application of the three types of organic EL liquids to the substrate 9 is completed, the substrate 9 is unloaded from the third organic EL coating unit 24c by the multi-transport robot 4 (step S59) and loaded into the organic EL removal unit 26 (FIG. 12. C: Step S31). In the organic EL removal unit 26, the organic EL liquid (R), the organic EL liquid (G), and the organic EL liquid (B) are removed from the coating prohibited area 92 in parallel, and then the substrate 9 is removed from the organic EL liquid. It is carried out from the unit 26 and carried into the organic EL bake unit 25 (steps S32 to S34).

  In the organic EL baking unit 25, after the substrate 9 is heated by the heating unit, the organic EL liquid is fixed on the coating region 91 of the substrate 9 to form the organic EL layer, and then the substrate 9 is cooled to room temperature by the cooling unit. It is cooled (steps S35 and S36). Thereafter, the substrate 9 is unloaded from the organic EL bake unit 25, transferred to the indexer 3, and received by the indexer robot 32 (steps S37 and S38).

In the coating system 1 a, the processing unit group 2 removes the three types of organic EL liquids from the organic EL coating units 24 a to 24 c that sequentially apply the three types of organic EL liquids to the substrate 9 and the coating prohibited area 92 of the substrate 9. Since the organic EL removing unit 26 and the organic EL baking unit 25 for fixing the organic EL liquid by heating the substrate 9 are included, the substrate 9 on which the organic EL liquid is fixed only in the coating region 91 and the organic EL layer is formed. In addition, the processing time of the substrate 9 can be shortened and the manufacturing cost of the coating system 1a can be reduced ( the same applies to the fourth and sixth embodiments).

As described above, in the processing unit group 2, three types of organic EL liquids are applied to the substrate 9 by the organic EL application units 24a to 24c, which are individual processing units. For this reason, three types of organic EL liquids can be applied to the substrate 9 under application conditions suitable for each, and as a result, the quality of application of the three types of organic EL liquids can be improved ( fourth). And the same in the sixth embodiment).

Further, the organic EL liquid (R), the organic EL liquid (G), and the organic EL liquid (B) are removed from the coating prohibited area 92 by the single organic EL removal unit 26 in parallel, thereby processing the substrate 9. Time can be further shortened (the same applies to the fourth and sixth embodiments). In the coating system 1a, the coating order of the organic EL liquid (R), the organic EL liquid (G), and the organic EL liquid (B) may be freely changed.

Next, the coating system 1b according to the technique related to the present invention will be described. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a configuration of the coating system 1b. As shown in FIG. 15, in the coating system 1b, the processing unit group 2 replaces the organic EL baking unit 25 shown in FIG. 13 and heats the substrate 9 coated with the organic EL liquid (R). Bake unit 25a, second organic EL baking unit 25b for heating substrate 9 coated with organic EL liquid (G), and third organic EL baking unit for heating substrate 9 coated with organic EL liquid (B) 25c. Hereinafter, the first organic EL baking unit 25a to the third organic EL baking unit 25c are collectively referred to as “organic EL baking units 25a to 25c” as necessary. The structure of the organic EL baking units 25a to 25c is the same as that of the hole transport baking unit 22 shown in FIG. Other configurations are the same as those in FIG. 13, and the same reference numerals are given in the following description.

  FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a part of the operation flow of the coating system 1b. The flow of the operation before and after the operation (steps S61 to S67) shown in FIG. A thru | or FIG. Since this is the same as steps S11 to S24 and step S38 shown in C, the description will be simplified below.

  In the coating system 1b, after the substrate 9 is received from the indexer robot 32 by the multi-transport robot 4, the substrate 9 is transported in the order of the hole transport coating unit 21, the hole transport removal unit 23, and the hole transport bake unit 22. As a result, the hole transport liquid is applied to the substrate 9, the hole transport liquid is removed from the coating prohibited area 92, and the hole transport liquid is fixed to form a hole transport layer on the substrate 9. (Steps S11 to S24).

  When the hole transport layer is formed, the multi-transport robot 4 transports the substrate 9 in the order of the first organic EL coating unit 24a and the first organic EL baking unit 25a, and coats the substrate 9 with the organic EL liquid (R). Then, the organic EL liquid (R) is fixed by heating the substrate 9, and a layer of red (R) organic EL material is formed on the hole transport layer of the substrate 9 (steps S61 and S62).

  Subsequently, the multi-transport robot 4 transports the substrate 9 in the order of the second organic EL coating unit 24 b and the second organic EL baking unit 25 b, coating the substrate 9 with the organic EL liquid (G), and heating the substrate 9. The organic EL liquid (G) is fixed by the above, and a green (G) organic EL material layer is formed on the hole transport layer of the substrate 9 (steps S63 and S64).

  Further, the multi-transport robot 4 transports the substrate 9 in the order of the third organic EL coating unit 24 c and the third organic EL baking unit 25 c, and applies the organic EL liquid (B) to the substrate 9 and heats the substrate 9. The organic EL liquid (B) is fixed to form a blue (B) organic EL material layer on the hole transport layer of the substrate 9 (steps S65 and S66).

  When the application and fixing of the three types of organic EL liquids are completed, the substrate 9 is unloaded from the third organic EL baking unit 25c and loaded into the organic EL removal unit 26. In the organic EL removal unit 26, the substrate 9 is fixed to the coating prohibited area 92. The three types of organic EL liquids are irradiated with laser light to remove the organic EL liquid (step S67). Thereafter, the substrate 9 unloaded from the organic EL removal unit 26 is transported to the indexer 3 and received by the indexer robot 32 (step S38).

  In the coating system 1b, the three types of organic EL liquids are respectively applied to the substrate 9 by the organic EL coating units 24a to 24c, which are individual processing units, and further, after each coating, the organic EL baking that is an individual processing unit. The unit 25a to 25c is heated and fixed to the substrate 9. For this reason, three types of organic EL liquids can be applied to the substrate 9 under application conditions suitable for each, and further, heating can be performed under temperature conditions suitable for each. As a result, it is possible to improve the quality of the application and heat treatment of the three types of organic EL liquids. Moreover, the processing time of the board | substrate 9 can be shortened more by removing three types of organic EL liquid apply | coated separately by the one organic EL removal unit 26 in parallel.

Next, a coating system 1c according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the coating system 1c. As shown in FIG. 17, the coating system 1 c is configured to replace each processing of the processing unit group 2 between the indexer 3 and the processing unit group 2, instead of the multi-transport robot 4 moving on the moving path 41 shown in FIG. 1. A plurality of fixed transfer arms 4a arranged between the units are provided as a transfer mechanism. Other configurations are the same as those in FIG. 1, and the same reference numerals are given in the following description.

  In the coating system 1c, the substrate 9 is moved from the indexer 3 to the hole transport coating unit 21, the hole transport removal unit 23, the hole transport bake unit 22, the organic EL coating unit 24, and the organic EL removal unit by the plurality of transfer arms 4a. 26 and the organic EL bake unit 25 are sequentially conveyed along a predetermined conveyance path to the indexer 3. Then, by processing each unit, a hole transport layer and an organic EL layer are formed in the coating region 91 of the substrate 9 as in the first embodiment.

In the coating system 1c, the transport arm 4a that transports the substrate 9 from the hole transport removal unit 23 to the hole transport bake unit 22 transports the substrate 9 from the hole transport coating unit 21 to the hole transport removal unit 23. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the hole transport liquid from adhering to the hole transport bake unit 22 via the transport arm 4a. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent unnecessary hole transport liquid from adhering to the substrate 9 sequentially carried into the hole transport bake unit 22 (the same applies to the fourth embodiment).

Similarly, the transfer arm 4a for transferring the substrate 9 from the organic EL removal unit 26 to the organic EL bake unit 25 is different from the transfer arm 4a for transferring the substrate 9 from the organic EL coating unit 24 to the organic EL removal unit 26. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the organic EL liquid from adhering to the organic EL bake unit 25 via the transport arm 4a. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent unnecessary organic EL liquid from adhering to the substrate 9 sequentially carried into the organic EL bake unit 25 (the same applies to the fourth embodiment).

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a configuration of a coating system 1d according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 18, the coating system 1 d has substantially the same configuration as the coating system 1 a (see FIG. 13) according to the second embodiment, but a plurality of transfer arms 4 a are provided instead of the multi-transfer robot 4. Is different. Other configurations are the same as those in FIG. 13, and the same reference numerals are given in the following description.

  In the coating system 1d shown in FIG. 18, as in the second embodiment, the organic EL liquid (R), the organic EL liquid (G), and the organic EL liquid are applied to the substrate 9 after the formation of the hole transport layer. (B) is sequentially applied, and after the three types of organic EL liquids are removed from the application prohibited region 92, a heat treatment is performed to form an organic EL layer.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a configuration of a coating system 1e according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 19, in the coating system 1e, the processing unit group 2 temporarily holds the substrate 9 being processed in the processing unit group 2 in addition to the plurality of processing units of the coating system 1 shown in FIG. A buffer unit 27 is further included. Other configurations are the same as those in FIG. 1, and the same reference numerals are given in the following description.

  In the processing unit group 2, the processing time in each processing unit is different. For example, the time required for heating and cooling the substrate 9 in the hole transport bake unit 22 and the organic EL bake unit 25 depends on the hole transport liquid and the organic EL liquid applied in the hole transport coating unit 21 and the organic EL coating unit 24. It is longer than the time required and longer than the time required for removing the hole transport liquid and the organic EL liquid in the hole transport removal unit 23 and the organic EL removal unit 26.

  In the coating system 1e, the processing time between the processing units when processing a plurality of substrates 9 by temporarily storing and holding the processing substrate 9 in a cassette (not shown) of the buffer unit 27 is provided. In other words, the processing time of the substrate 9 can be shortened because the difference in the (tact time) can be adjusted and the processing order of the substrate 9 can be made flexible. For example, the substrate 9 on the way of transport can be temporarily stored in the buffer unit 27, and priority can be given to the loading / unloading of the substrate 9 with respect to the hole transport bake unit 22 and the organic EL bake unit 25 with a long processing time. From this viewpoint, it is preferable that the buffer unit 27 is disposed at a position closest to the hole transport bake unit 22 and the organic EL bake unit 25.

  In addition, while the hole transport bake unit 22 performs the heat treatment on one substrate 9, the subsequent substrate 9 in which the application of the hole transport liquid and the removal from the coating prohibited area 92 has been completed is stored in the buffer unit 27. By doing so, the hole transport liquid can be continuously applied to the plurality of substrates 9 in the hole transport coating unit 21. In the hole transport coating unit 21, when the ejection of the hole transport liquid is stopped, it takes some time to stabilize the flow rate when the ejection is restarted. It is preferable not to stop the discharge while waiting for the substrate 9 to be carried. For this reason, if the time which waits for carrying in of the board | substrate 9 is long, the usage-amount of a positive hole transport liquid will increase. In the coating system 1e, by providing the buffer unit 27, continuous coating on the plurality of substrates 9 can be realized, and the amount of the hole transport liquid used can be reduced (the same applies to the coating of the organic EL liquid).

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a configuration of a coating system 1f according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 20, the processing unit group 2 of the coating system 1f includes a hole transport removing unit 23, three hole transport coating units 21, and a hole transport bake unit 22 as processing units for forming a hole transport layer. The organic EL removal unit 26, the first organic EL coating unit 24a, the second organic EL coating unit 24b, the third organic EL coating unit 24c, and the organic EL baking unit 25 are included as processing units for forming the organic EL layer. . The processing unit group 2 also includes a buffer unit 27a that temporarily holds the substrate 9 being processed. The buffer unit 27a has a horizontally long shape extending along the arrangement of the processing units.

  In the processing unit group 2, processing units related to the formation of the hole transport layer are arranged on one side of the buffer unit 27a, and processing units related to the formation of the organic EL layer are arranged on the other side. The coating system 1f includes two multi-transport robots 4 as a transport mechanism for the substrate 9, and includes a plurality of processing units related to the formation of the hole transport layer and the buffer unit 27a, and a formation of the organic EL layer. A moving path 41 on which the multi-transport robot 4 moves is provided between the plurality of processing units and the buffer unit 27a.

  In the coating system 1 f, three heating units (not shown) are provided inside the hole transport bake unit 22, and the three substrates 9 on which the hole transport liquid is coated by the three hole transport coating units 21. However, after removal of the organic EL liquid from the coating prohibited area 92, the hole transport layer is formed by being heated in parallel by the three heating units. The three substrates 9 for which the processing relating to the formation of the hole transport layer has been completed are accommodated in the buffer unit 27a by one multi-transport robot 4, and are sequentially taken out from the buffer unit 27a by the other multi-transport robot 4 to be organic EL. The organic EL layer is formed by being sequentially conveyed to the processing unit relating to the formation of the layer.

  In the coating system 1f, the hole transport layer and the organic EL layer are disposed by separating the processing unit for forming the hole transport layer and the processing unit for forming the organic EL layer with the buffer unit 27a interposed therebetween. The difference of the processing time concerning formation of can be adjusted, and the movement of the atmosphere between the processing unit related to the formation of the hole transport layer and the processing unit related to the formation of the organic EL layer can be suppressed. As a result, the quality of processing for the substrate 9 can be improved.

  Next, another example of the coating system is shown. In the following example, the processing unit related to the formation of the hole transport layer is omitted from the processing unit group 2, and the substrate 9 on which the hole transport layer is formed externally, such as another system or apparatus, is applied to the coating system. It is carried in.

  A coating system 1g shown in FIG. 21 includes an indexer 3, a multi-transport robot 4, and a processing unit group 2. The processing unit group 2 includes two organic EL removal units 26, two organic EL coating units 24, and two organic EL baking units 25. Includes one by one. The processing unit group 2 of the coating system 1h shown in FIG. 22 includes two organic EL removal units 26, a first organic EL coating unit 24a, a second organic EL coating unit 24b, a third organic EL coating unit 24c, and an organic EL baking unit. 25. The processing unit group 2 of the coating system 1j shown in FIG. 23 replaces the organic EL baking unit 25 shown in FIG. 22 with a first organic EL baking unit 25a, a second organic EL baking unit 25b, and a third organic EL baking unit 25c. including.

  The coating systems 1k and 1m shown in FIGS. 24 and 25 include an indexer 3, a plurality of transfer arms 4a, and a processing unit group 2. In the coating system 1k, the substrate 9 is transported and processed in the order of the organic EL coating unit 24, the organic EL removal unit 26, and the organic EL baking unit 25, whereby an organic EL layer is formed on the substrate 9. In the coating system 1m, the substrate 9 is transported in the order of the first organic EL coating unit 24a, the second organic EL coating unit 24b, the third organic EL coating unit 24c, the organic EL removal unit 26, and the organic EL baking unit 25.

  In the application system, it is not always necessary to apply three types of organic EL liquids, and one type, two types, or four or more types of organic EL liquids may be applied. In the coating system, the processing unit related to the formation of the organic EL layer may be omitted from the processing unit group 2, and only the hole transport layer may be formed.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention has been described, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various change is possible.

For example, in the coating system 1e according to the fifth embodiment, the processing unit group 2 may include a plurality of buffer units 27. The buffer unit 27 may be provided in the processing unit group 2 having another configuration. For example, the buffer unit 27 may be provided in the processing unit group 2 of the coating systems 1g, 1h, and 1j illustrated in FIGS. Moreover, you may provide in the coating system 1a which concerns on 2nd Embodiment , and the coating system 1b which concerns on related technology . In the hole transport coating unit 21 of the coating systems 1a and 1b, the hole transport liquid is applied to all the groove portions of the coating region 91 of the substrate 9, but the first organic EL coating unit 24a and the second organic EL. In the coating unit 24b and the third organic EL coating unit 24c, the organic EL liquid (R), the organic EL liquid (G), and the organic EL liquid (B) are applied to the 1/3 number of grooves. Accordingly, the processing time in the hole transport coating unit 21 is about three times the processing time in each of the organic EL coating units 24a to 24c. In the coating systems 1a and 1b, the buffer unit 27 can also adjust the difference in processing time between the units.

Removal of the hole transport liquid and the organic EL liquid in the hole transport removal unit 23 and the organic EL removal unit 26 is not necessarily limited to that by laser light irradiation. For example, other energy waves such as plasma and corona can be removed. It may be performed by irradiation. May also be performed by a blasting method by irradiation of fine particles such as dry ice (CO _2). When there is a request for downsizing of the coating system, the hole transport liquid and the organic EL liquid may be removed from the coating prohibited area 92 by one removal unit.

  In the coating system according to the above-described embodiment, laser light irradiation may be performed on the entire coating prohibited area 92 of the substrate 9. For example, in the hole transport removal unit 23, a region extending in one direction of the coating prohibited region 92 is irradiated with laser light to remove the hole transport liquid, and the substrate moving mechanism 232 rotates the substrate 9 by 90 °. Thereafter, a laser beam is applied to a region extending perpendicularly to the one direction. In this way, by irradiating the region where the hole transport liquid is not applied in the hole transport coating unit 21 in the coating prohibited region 92, the foreign matter adhering to the region due to some abnormality is removed. (The same applies to the organic EL removal unit 26 and the like).

  In the organic EL application units 24a to 24c that apply the organic EL liquid (R), the organic EL liquid (G), and the organic EL liquid (B) to the substrate 9, respectively, one or two nozzles that discharge the organic EL liquid are used. Alternatively, four or more may be provided (the same applies to the hole transport coating unit 21). In the organic EL application unit 24 that applies the organic EL liquid (R), the organic EL liquid (G), and the organic EL liquid (B) in parallel, the number of nozzles may be a multiple of three.

  In the coating system according to the above embodiment, the substrate to be coated is not necessarily limited to the glass substrate for the organic EL display device, and the fluid material to be coated is not limited to the hole transport liquid or the organic EL liquid. Other than that. The coating system may be used, for example, to apply a fluid material to a substrate used in a liquid crystal display device or a plasma display device, or may be used to apply a fluid material to a semiconductor substrate.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the coating system which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a top view which shows a board | substrate. It is a figure which shows an indexer robot and a multi conveyance robot. It is a front view which shows the structure of a positive hole transport removal unit. It is a front view which expands and shows a removal head. It is a top view which shows the structure of an organic electroluminescent application unit. It is a front view which shows the structure of an organic EL application | coating unit. It is a top view which shows a board | substrate. It is sectional drawing which shows a board | substrate. It is sectional drawing which shows a board | substrate. It is a perspective view which shows a positive hole transport bake unit. It is a figure which shows the flow of operation | movement of a coating system. It is a figure which shows the flow of operation | movement of a coating system. It is a figure which shows the flow of operation | movement of a coating system. It is a figure which shows the structure of the coating system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows a part of operation | movement flow of a coating system. It is a figure which shows the structure of the coating system which concerns on related technology . It is a figure which shows a part of operation | movement flow of a coating system. It is a figure which shows the structure of the coating system which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the coating system which concerns on 4th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the coating system which concerns on 5th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the coating system which concerns on 6th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of another coating system. It is a figure which shows the structure of another coating system. It is a figure which shows the structure of another coating system. It is a figure which shows the structure of another coating system. It is a figure which shows the structure of another coating system.

Explanation of symbols

1, 1a-1m coating system 2 processing unit group 3 indexer 4 multi-transport robot 4a transport arm 9 substrate 21 hole transport coating unit 22 hole transport bake unit 23 hole transport removal unit 24 organic EL coating unit 24a first organic EL Coating unit 24b Second organic EL coating unit 24c Third organic EL coating unit 25 Organic EL baking unit 25a First organic EL baking unit 25b Second organic EL baking unit 25c Third organic EL baking unit 26 Organic EL removal unit 27, 27a Buffer unit 92 Application prohibited area 247a to 247c Nozzle 421 and 422 Hand S11 to S17, S21 to S27, S31 to S38, S51 to S59, S61 to S67 Steps

Claims (16)

An application system for applying a flowable material to a substrate,
A group of processing units;
An indexer on which an unprocessed substrate before processing by the processing unit group and a processed substrate after processing by the processing unit group are placed;
Substrate transport for delivering a substrate to the indexer and the processing unit group, and transporting the substrate along a predetermined transport path from the indexer to the indexer via at least a part of the processing unit group Mechanism,
With
The processing unit group is
The nozzle is moved relative to the substrate while continuously ejecting the flowable material from the nozzle toward the substrate held by the substrate holding unit having a built-in heating mechanism. An application unit that applies the flowable material to a region that includes:
A removal unit that irradiates an energy wave or fine particles toward the flowable material applied to the application prohibited area to remove the flowable material from the application prohibited area;
A baking unit that heats the substrate coated with the flowable material to fix the flowable material on the substrate;
Only including,
The coating system , wherein the removing unit removes the flowable material from the substrate before being heated by the bake unit . The coating system according to claim 1,
The coating system, wherein the processing unit group further includes a buffer unit that temporarily holds the substrate. The coating system according to claim 1 or 2,
In the treatment unit group, the removal unit is disposed at a position closer to the indexer than any other treatment unit. The coating system according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The coating system according to claim 1, wherein the irradiation of the energy wave performed toward the coating prohibited area on the substrate by the removing unit is a laser beam. The coating system according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The coating system, wherein the substrate is a glass substrate for an organic EL display device. The coating system according to claim 5,
An application system, wherein the flowable material includes a hole transport material. The coating system according to claim 5,
The coating system, wherein the fluid material is an organic EL material. The coating system according to any one of claims 1 to 7 ,
The substrate transport mechanism is
A holding unit for holding the substrate when the substrate is transported from the coating unit to the removal unit;
Another holding unit for holding the substrate when the substrate is transported from the removal unit to the bake unit;
An application system comprising: The application system according to claim 7,
The application unit includes a plurality of nozzles that respectively discharge a plurality of flowable materials,
The coating system, wherein the plurality of flowable materials each include a plurality of organic EL materials having different colors. The application system according to claim 7,
The processing unit group further includes another coating unit,
The application unit applies a first fluid material containing an organic EL material of one color to the substrate, and the other application unit uses an organic EL material of another color different from the one color. A coating system comprising: coating a second fluid material containing: on the substrate. The coating system according to claim 10 ,
The application system, wherein the removal unit performs the removal of the first fluid material from the application prohibited area and the removal of the second fluid material in parallel. The coating system according to claim 11 ,
The processing unit group further includes another baking unit;
The coating system, wherein the substrate transport mechanism transports the substrate in the order of the coating unit, the bake unit, the another coating unit, the another baking unit, and the removal unit. The coating system according to claim 5,
The processing unit group further includes another coating unit,
The application unit applies a first fluid material containing a hole transport material to the substrate, and the another application unit applies a second fluid material containing an organic EL material to the substrate. Application system. The coating system according to claim 13 ,
The processing unit group further includes another removal unit;
The application system, wherein the removal unit removes the first fluid material from the application prohibited area, and the other removal unit removes the second fluid material from the application prohibited area. The coating system according to claim 2,
The processing unit group further includes another application unit and another removal unit;
The application unit and the removal unit are arranged on one side of the buffer unit and the another application unit and the other removal unit are arranged on the other side of the buffer unit;
The application unit applies a first fluid material containing a hole transport material to the substrate, the removal unit removes the first fluid material from the application prohibited region, and the other application unit A coating system, wherein a second fluid material containing an organic EL material is coated on the substrate, and the other removal unit removes the second fluid material from the coating prohibited area. A coating system according to claim 1-15 ,
The coating system, wherein the processing of the substrate by the processing unit group is performed under normal pressure.

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