JP5371859B2 - Proximity exposure apparatus, substrate support method for proximity exposure apparatus, and display panel substrate manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a proximity exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate using a proximity method in manufacturing a display panel substrate such as a liquid crystal display device, a substrate support method for the proximity exposure apparatus, and a display panel using the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a proximity exposure apparatus suitable for exposing a large substrate, a substrate support method for the proximity exposure apparatus, and a display panel substrate manufacturing method using them.

  Manufacturing of TFT (Thin Film Transistor) substrates, color filter substrates, plasma display panel substrates, organic EL (Electroluminescence) display panel substrates, and the like of liquid crystal display devices used as display panels is performed using photolithography using an exposure apparatus. This is performed by forming a pattern on the substrate by a technique. As an exposure apparatus, a projection method in which a mask pattern is projected onto a substrate using a lens or a mirror, and a minute gap (proximity gap) is provided between the mask and the substrate to transfer the mask pattern to the substrate. There is a proximity method. The proximity method is inferior in pattern resolution performance to the projection method, but the configuration of the irradiation optical system is simple, the processing capability is high, and it is suitable for mass production.

  The proximity exposure apparatus includes a chuck that supports a substrate and a mask holder that holds a mask, and performs exposure by bringing the mask held by the mask holder and the substrate supported by the chuck very close to each other. Conventionally, there are chucks that have a flat surface and those that have a plurality of pin-shaped protrusions on the surface. In the latter, the substrate is supported at a plurality of points by pin-shaped convex portions, and the space between the portion other than the pin-shaped convex portions and the substrate is evacuated to support the substrate by vacuum suction. In such a chuck, in order to vacuum-suck a large substrate evenly, the space between the substrate and the portion other than the pin-shaped convex portion and the substrate is divided into a plurality of vacuum compartments for evacuation. Therefore, a bank (line) for forming a vacuum section is provided on the surface of the chuck.

  In a substrate that transmits light, such as a glass substrate, the light transmitted through the substrate during exposure is reflected by the chuck, passes through the substrate again, and reaches the surface of the substrate. The phenomenon of being baked on may occur. This phenomenon is called “backside transfer”. In a conventional chuck having a flat front surface, dirt on the back surface of the substrate is accumulated on the chuck, and the back surface transfer occurs due to the dirt. On the other hand, in a chuck having pin-shaped convex portions on the front surface, the occurrence of back surface transfer due to accumulation of dirt is small.

  In order to improve exposure accuracy with a proximity exposure apparatus, the substrate must be supported more flat during exposure. Therefore, a high flatness is required for the chuck that supports the substrate. In particular, the demand for the flatness of the chuck increases as the size of the substrate increases. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for supporting a chuck at a number of points, adjusting the height of each point that supports the chuck, correcting the deflection of the chuck, and improving the flatness of the chuck. In Patent Document 2, an opening is provided on the center side of the peripheral portion of the chuck, and a height adjusting mechanism closer to the central portion side than the peripheral portion of the chuck is operated from the opening. A technique is disclosed in which the height of each point that supports the back surface of the chuck is easily adjusted even if the size of the chuck is increased by operating from the outside of the chuck.

JP 2006-235019 A JP 2009-282110 A

  When an opening is provided in the chuck as described in Patent Document 2, exposure unevenness occurs in the opening portion as it is, and therefore it is necessary to close the opening with a lid. However, when the lid is attached to the chuck, it is difficult to make the height of the upper surface of the lid exactly the same as the height of the upper surface of the chuck. If the upper surface of the lid attached to the chuck is slightly higher than the upper surface of the chuck, when the substrate is mounted on the chuck, the portion mounted on the lid of the substrate rises and becomes higher than the others. Also, if the upper surface of the lid attached to the chuck is lower than the upper surface of the chuck, when the substrate mounted on the chuck is vacuum-sucked, the air between the substrate and the lid is not attracted by the lid itself. The pressure is lowered by the vacuum suction around the periphery, and the portion mounted on the lid of the substrate is recessed and becomes lower than the others. For this reason, conventionally, it has been impossible to completely prevent uneven exposure caused by the height of the lid closing the opening of the chuck.

  An object of the present invention is to effectively suppress uneven exposure that occurs due to the height of a lid that closes an opening of a chuck. Another object of the present invention is to manufacture a large display panel substrate with a high yield.

  The proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention includes a chuck that supports a substrate and a mask holder that holds the mask, and provides a minute gap between the mask and the substrate to transfer the mask pattern to the substrate. In the exposure apparatus, the chuck includes at least one opening, a lid that closes the opening, a first height adjustment mechanism that adjusts a mounting height of the lid with respect to the chuck, and a non-vacuum compartment formed around the opening; An air passage extending from the non-vacuum compartment to the back surface of the chuck, and a vacuum compartment formed around the non-vacuum compartment, wherein the first height adjustment mechanism is configured such that the height of the upper surface of the lid is higher than the height of the upper surface of the chuck. The vacuum section is used to vacuum-adsorb the substrate and fix it to the chuck, and the air passage opens the non-vacuum section to the atmosphere to prevent a decrease in air pressure in the non-vacuum section. That.

  Further, the substrate support method of the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention comprises a chuck for supporting the substrate and a mask holder for holding the mask, and a fine gap is provided between the mask and the substrate to form a mask pattern. A method for supporting a substrate of a proximity exposure apparatus that transfers to a substrate, wherein the chuck includes at least one opening, a lid that closes the opening, and a first height adjustment mechanism that adjusts a mounting height of the lid with respect to the chuck. Provided, forming a non-vacuum section around the opening of the chuck, providing an air passage leading from the non-vacuum section to the back surface of the chuck, forming a vacuum section around the non-vacuum section, by the first height adjustment mechanism, Adjust the mounting height of the lid with respect to the chuck so that the height of the upper surface of the lid is lower than the height of the upper surface of the chuck. The non-vacuum compartment by the air passage open to the atmosphere, thereby preventing a decrease in air pressure of the non-vacuum sections.

  The chuck is provided with at least one opening, a lid that closes the opening, and a first height adjustment mechanism that adjusts the height of the lid attached to the chuck, and the lid is attached to the chuck by the first height adjustment mechanism. The height is adjusted so that the height of the upper surface of the lid is lower than the height of the upper surface of the chuck. Therefore, when the substrate is mounted on the chuck, there is no possibility that the portion mounted on the lid of the substrate will rise. Then, a non-vacuum compartment is formed around the opening of the chuck, an air passage leading from the non-vacuum compartment to the back surface of the chuck is provided, a vacuum compartment is formed around the non-vacuum compartment, and the substrate is vacuum-adsorbed by the vacuum compartment. The substrate is fixed to the chuck and the non-vacuum compartment is opened to the atmosphere by the air passage to prevent the pressure of the air in the non-vacuum compartment from being lowered. The pressure of the air in the compartment does not drop, and the depression of the portion mounted on the lid of the substrate becomes extremely small. Therefore, uneven exposure caused by the height of the lid that closes the opening of the chuck is effectively suppressed.

  The proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention further includes a chuck support base that supports the back surface of the chuck at a plurality of locations, and a second height adjustment mechanism that adjusts the height at which the chuck support base supports the back surface of the chuck. The second height adjusting mechanism is operated from above the chuck through the opening from which the lid is removed.

  Further, the substrate support method of the proximity exposure apparatus according to the present invention includes a chuck mounted on a chuck support base, the back surface of the chuck being supported at a plurality of locations by the chuck support base, and the chuck support base supporting the back surface of the chuck. A second height adjusting mechanism for adjusting the height is provided, and the second height adjusting mechanism is operated from above the chuck through the opening from which the lid is removed.

  A chuck is mounted on the chuck support base, the back surface of the chuck is supported at a plurality of locations by the chuck support base, and a second height adjustment mechanism is provided for adjusting the height at which the chuck support base supports the back surface of the chuck. Since the second height adjustment mechanism is operated from above the opening through the opening from which the lid is removed, the height of each point supporting the back surface of the chuck can be easily increased even if the size of the chuck increases as the substrate size increases. It is adjusted and the flatness of the chuck is improved. Further, uneven exposure caused by the height of the lid that closes the opening provided to adjust the height for supporting the back surface of the chuck is effectively suppressed.

  Alternatively, the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention includes a push-up pin that is lifted from the opening of the chuck and receives or transfers the substrate, and includes a push-up pin unit attached to the cover, and the cover passes through the push-up pin. It has a hole.

  Further, the substrate support method of the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention is a through-hole through which a push-up pin unit having a push-up pin that rises from the opening of the chuck and receives or transfers the substrate is attached to the cover, and the push-up pin passes through the cover. Is provided.

  A push-up pin unit that has a push-up pin that moves up from the opening of the chuck and receives or transfers the substrate is attached to the lid, so even if the chuck becomes larger as the substrate becomes larger, the height of the push-up pin can be adjusted. This is easily done at the same time as adjusting the height of the lid. Further, uneven exposure caused by the height of the lid that closes the opening provided for inserting the push-up pin unit is effectively suppressed.

  The method for producing a display panel substrate according to the present invention exposes a substrate using any one of the above-described proximity exposure apparatuses, or uses the substrate support method of any of the above-described proximity exposure apparatuses to form a substrate. The substrate is exposed in support. Since uneven exposure caused by the height of the lid that closes the opening of the chuck is effectively suppressed, the occurrence of defective products is reduced.

  According to the proximity exposure apparatus and the substrate support method of the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention, the chuck has at least one opening, a lid that closes the opening, and a first height that adjusts the height of attachment of the lid to the chuck. An adjustment mechanism, a non-vacuum compartment is formed around the opening of the chuck, an air passage leading from the non-vacuum compartment to the back surface of the chuck is provided, a vacuum compartment is formed around the non-vacuum compartment, and the first height The adjustment mechanism adjusts the mounting height of the lid with respect to the chuck so that the height of the upper surface of the lid is lower than the height of the upper surface of the chuck, the substrate is vacuum-adsorbed by the vacuum compartment, and the substrate is fixed to the chuck. By exposing the non-vacuum compartment to the atmosphere by the passage and preventing the air pressure in the non-vacuum compartment from decreasing, the uneven exposure caused by the height of the lid that closes the opening of the chuck is effectively suppressed. Door can be.

  Furthermore, according to the proximity exposure apparatus and the substrate support method of the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention, the chuck is mounted on the chuck support base, and the back surface of the chuck is supported at a plurality of locations by the chuck support base. The second height adjustment mechanism that adjusts the height to support the back surface of the chuck is provided, and the size of the substrate is increased by operating the second height adjustment mechanism from above the chuck through the opening from which the lid is removed. Accordingly, even if the chuck is enlarged, the height of each point supporting the back surface of the chuck can be easily adjusted to improve the flatness of the chuck. Then, uneven exposure caused by the height of the lid that closes the opening provided to adjust the height for supporting the back surface of the chuck can be effectively suppressed.

  Alternatively, according to the proximity exposure apparatus and the substrate exposure method of the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention, a push-up pin unit having a push-up pin that rises from the opening of the chuck and receives or transfers the substrate is attached to the lid. By providing a through-hole through which the push-up pin passes, even if the chuck becomes larger as the substrate becomes larger, adjustment of the height of the push-up pin can be easily performed simultaneously with the adjustment of the height of attachment of the lid. . And the exposure nonuniformity which generate | occur | produces by the height of the lid | cover which closes the opening provided in order to insert a pushing-up pin unit can be suppressed effectively.

  According to the method for manufacturing a display panel substrate of the present invention, it is possible to effectively suppress exposure unevenness caused by the height of the lid that closes the opening of the chuck, and to reduce the occurrence of defective products. Panel substrates can be manufactured with high yield.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the proximity exposure apparatus by one embodiment of this invention. 2A is a top view of the chuck of the proximity exposure apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a side view of the chuck and the chuck support base. It is a figure which shows the vacuum division of the chuck | zipper of the proximity exposure apparatus by one Embodiment of this invention. 4A is a top view of the chuck support, and FIG. 4B is a side view of the chuck support. It is a partial cross section side view of the height adjustment mechanism provided in the chuck | zipper support stand. It is a top view of the opening part of the chuck member 10a. It is a partial cross section side view of the AA part of FIG. It is a partial cross section side view of the BB part of FIG. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the proximity exposure apparatus by other embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the chuck | zipper of the proximity exposure apparatus by other embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the vacuum division of the chuck | zipper of the proximity exposure apparatus by other embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the opening part provided in the center part vicinity of the chuck | zipper. It is a partial cross section side view of the CC section of FIG. It is a partial cross section side view of the DD section of FIG. 15A is a top view of the push-up pin, and FIG. 15B is a partial cross-sectional side view of the EE portion of FIG. 15A. FIG. 16A is a top view of a through hole provided in the vicinity of the periphery of the chuck, and FIG. 16B is a partial cross-sectional side view of the FF portion in FIG. It is a figure explaining operation | movement of a push-up pin unit. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the manufacturing process of the TFT substrate of a liquid crystal display device. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the manufacturing process of the color filter board | substrate of a liquid crystal display device.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a proximity exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The proximity exposure apparatus of the present embodiment includes a base 3, an X guide 4, an X stage 5, a Y guide 6, a Y stage 7, a θ stage 8, a chuck support base 9, a chuck 10, a mask holder 20, and an X stage drive circuit. 71, a Y stage drive circuit 72, a θ stage drive circuit 73, and a main controller 80. In addition to these, the proximity exposure apparatus carries a substrate 1 into the chuck 10 and also carries a substrate transport robot that unloads the substrate 1 from the chuck 10, an irradiation optical system that irradiates exposure light, and a temperature at which temperature management in the apparatus is performed. A control unit is provided.

  Note that the XY directions in the embodiments described below are examples, and the X direction and the Y direction may be interchanged.

  In FIG. 1, the chuck 10 is in a load / unload position where the substrate 1 is loaded and unloaded. At the load / unload position, the substrate 1 is carried into the chuck 10 and the substrate 1 is carried out of the chuck 10 by a substrate transfer robot (not shown). The loading of the substrate 1 onto the chuck 10 and the unloading of the substrate 1 from the chuck 10 are performed using a plurality of push-up pins provided on the chuck 10. The push-up pin is housed inside the chuck 10 and is lifted from the inside of the chuck 10 to receive the substrate 1 from the substrate transfer robot and unload the substrate 1 from the chuck 10 when loading the substrate 1 onto the chuck 10. In doing so, the substrate 1 is delivered to the substrate transfer robot.

  A mask holder 20 that holds the mask 2 is installed above the exposure position where the substrate 1 is exposed. The mask holder 20 holds the periphery of the mask 2 by vacuum suction. An irradiation optical system (not shown) is disposed above the mask 2 held by the mask holder 20. At the time of exposure, exposure light from the irradiation optical system passes through the mask 2 and is irradiated onto the substrate 1, whereby the pattern of the mask 2 is transferred to the surface of the substrate 1 and a pattern is formed on the substrate 1.

  The chuck 10 is mounted on the θ stage 8 via the chuck support 9, and a Y stage 7 and an X stage 5 are provided below the θ stage 8. The X stage 5 is mounted on an X guide 4 provided on the base 3 and moves along the X guide 4 in the X direction (the horizontal direction in FIG. 1). The Y stage 7 is mounted on a Y guide 6 provided on the X stage 5 and moves along the Y guide 6 in the Y direction (the depth direction in FIG. 1). The θ stage 8 is mounted on the Y stage 7 and rotates in the θ direction. The chuck support 9 is mounted on the θ stage 8 and supports the chuck 10. The X stage drive circuit 71, the Y stage drive circuit 72, and the θ stage drive circuit 73 drive the X stage 5, the Y stage 7, and the θ stage 8 under the control of the main controller 80, respectively.

  The chuck 10 is moved between the load / unload position and the exposure position by the movement of the X stage 5 in the X direction and the movement of the Y stage 7 in the Y direction. At the load / unload position, the substrate 1 mounted on the chuck 10 is pre-aligned by moving the X stage 5 in the X direction, moving the Y stage 7 in the Y direction, and rotating the θ stage 8 in the θ direction. Is done. At the exposure position, the X stage 5 is moved in the X direction and the Y stage 7 is moved in the Y direction, whereby the substrate 1 mounted on the chuck 10 is stepped in the XY direction. Then, the substrate 1 is positioned by the movement of the X stage 5 in the X direction, the movement of the Y stage 7 in the Y direction, and the rotation of the θ stage 8 in the θ direction. Further, the mask holder 20 is moved in the Z direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1) and tilted by a Z-tilt mechanism (not shown), so that the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is adjusted.

  In the present embodiment, the gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 is adjusted by moving the mask holder 20 in the Z direction and tilting. However, the chuck support 9 is provided with a Z-tilt mechanism. The gap between the mask 2 and the substrate 1 may be adjusted by moving the chuck 10 in the Z direction and tilting.

  2A is a top view of the chuck of the proximity exposure apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a side view of the chuck and the chuck support base. In the present embodiment, the chuck 10 includes three chuck members 10a, 10b, and 10c. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the chuck 10 may be composed of one or four or more chuck members. If the chuck 10 is composed of a plurality of chuck members, the chuck 10 can be easily processed and transported for each chuck member even if the overall size of the chuck 10 is large.

  In FIG. 2A, a convex portion (not shown) and a bank 12 are provided on the surface of each chuck member 10a, 10b, 10c. The convex portion has a pin shape with a diameter of several mm, and a plurality of convex portions are provided on the surface of each chuck member 10a, 10b, 10c at a predetermined interval. When the substrate is mounted on the chuck 10, the convex portion supports the substrate at a plurality of points. At this time, a space is formed between the portion other than the convex portion on the surface of the chuck 10 and the substrate. The bank 12 is a continuous wall having a predetermined width, and forms a vacuum compartment in a space between a portion other than the convex portion on the surface of the chuck 10 and the substrate.

  Note that the bank 12 is not a straight line but an irregular line so that it is difficult for the human eye to recognize the back surface transfer, but in FIG. 2A, the bank 12 is easy to see. The edges of are indicated by straight lines. Further, in addition to the convex portion and the bank 12, the chuck members 10a, 10b, and 10c are provided with suction holes for evacuating the vacuum section and through holes through which the push-up pins pass. They are omitted in (a).

  FIG. 3 is a view showing the vacuum compartment of the chuck of the proximity exposure apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, regions 10 f to 10 z surrounded by broken lines and shaded on the chuck members 10 a, 10 b, and 10 c are vacuum sections formed by the banks 12. In the present embodiment, the chuck member 10a is provided with a total of 13 rectangular or square vacuum compartments 10f to 10r, and the chuck members 10b and 10c are provided with a total of four vacuum compartments 10s to 10v and 10w to 10z. However, the shape and number of the vacuum compartments are not limited thereto.

  In FIG.2 (b), the chuck | zipper support stand 9 supports the back surface of each chuck | zipper member 10a, 10b, 10c in multiple places. As will be described later, the chuck support base 9 is provided with a plurality of height adjustment mechanisms that adjust the height at which the chuck support base 9 supports the back surfaces of the chuck members 10a, 10b, and 10c. Also, a plurality of height adjustment mechanisms for adjusting the height at which the chuck support 9 supports the back surface of the chuck member 10a are provided near the center of the back surface of the chuck member 10a, as will be described later.

  In FIG. 2A, a plurality of circular openings are provided near the center of the chuck member 10a, and a lid 14 is attached to the openings. In the present embodiment, after each chuck member 10a, 10b, 10c is mounted on the chuck support base 9, the height adjustment mechanism provided on the chuck support base 9 is operated from the outside of the chuck 10, or the chuck member 10a A height adjusting mechanism provided near the center of the back surface is operated from the opening to adjust the height at which the chuck support 9 supports the back surface of each chuck member 10a, 10b, 10c. Even if the size of the entire chuck 10 is large and the tool does not reach the height adjustment mechanism provided near the center of the back surface of the chuck member 10a from the outside of the chuck 10, it is provided near the center of the back surface of the chuck member 10a. Since the height adjustment mechanism can be easily operated from the opening, the flatness of the chuck 10 can be improved.

  In the present embodiment, twelve openings are provided in the vicinity of the central portion of the chuck member 10a, but the position and number of the openings are not limited to this.

  4A is a top view of the chuck support, and FIG. 4B is a side view of the chuck support. The chuck support 9 includes a frame 30, a height adjustment mechanism including an adjustment screw 31, and a receiving part 35. The frame 30 is mounted on the θ stage 8 of FIG. The frame 30 has a plurality of spokes having a predetermined thickness extending radially or vertically and horizontally, and a rim having a predetermined thickness is attached to the middle and the tip of each spoke to form a lattice-shaped frame. . On the upper surface of the frame 30, a height adjusting mechanism including the adjusting screw 31 and a receiving portion 35 with which the height adjusting mechanism provided near the center of the back surface of the chuck member 10a contacts are attached.

  In the present embodiment, the height adjusting mechanism including the adjusting screw 31 is attached at 82 places and the receiving portion 35 is attached at 12 places. However, the height adjusting mechanism and the receiving portion 35 including the adjusting screw 31 are provided. These numbers and their arrangement are appropriately determined according to the size and shape of the chuck member.

  In FIG. 2B, a plurality of support portions 15 with which the adjusting screws 31 are in contact are provided on the back surfaces of the chuck members 10a, 10b, and 10c. The adjusting screw 31 contacts the support portion 15 provided on the back surface of each chuck member 10a, 10b, 10c, and supports the back surface of each chuck member 10a, 10b, 10c at a plurality of points.

  FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the height adjusting mechanism provided on the chuck support. The height adjustment mechanism includes a screw hole provided in the frame 30, an adjustment screw 31, a spring washer 32, a flat washer 33, and a set nut 34. The support portion 15 provided on the back surface of each chuck member 10a, 10b, 10c includes a screw receiver 16, a cover 17, and a bolt 18.

  The head of the adjustment screw 31 forms a part of a spherical surface, and the apex thereof is in contact with the screw receiver 16. A spring washer 32 is inserted between the head of the adjustment screw 31 and the cover 17, and the cover 17 is fixed to the screw receiver 16 with a bolt 18. By inserting the spring washer 32 between the head of the adjusting screw 31 and the cover 17, the lateral displacement of each chuck member 10a, 10b, 10c is prevented.

  A screw portion 31 a of the adjustment screw 31 is screwed into a screw hole provided in the frame 30. A flat washer 33 and a set nut 34 are attached to the screw portion 31 a of the adjustment screw 31, and the adjustment screw 31 is fixed to the frame 30 by the set nut 34. The height of the point where the adjusting screw 31 supports the back surface of each chuck member 10a, 10b, 10c is adjusted by loosening the locking nut 34, adjusting the screwing amount of the adjusting screw 31, and tightening the locking nut 34 again. The

  FIG. 6 is a top view of the opening of the chuck member 10a. In FIG. 6, a plurality of convex portions 11 are provided at predetermined intervals on the surfaces of the chuck member 10 a and the lid 14. A bank 12 is provided around the opening of the chuck member 10 a, and a vacuum compartment is formed outside the bank 12. The vacuum compartment formed outside the bank 12 is provided with a suction hole 13 for evacuating the vacuum compartment, and the suction hole 13 is connected to a vacuum facility (not shown). The periphery of the opening inside the bank 12 forms a non-vacuum compartment. In the center of the lid 14, a screw hole and air passage 14a described later is provided. Further, screw holes into which set screws 47, 48 and 49, which will be described later, are screwed are provided at a plurality of locations around the lid 14.

  7 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the AA portion of FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the BB part of FIG. In FIG. 7, a support member 40 that supports the lid 14 is attached around the opening on the back surface of the chuck member 10a. The support member 40 is fixed to the back surface of the chuck member 10a by a bolt 45. The support member 40 is provided with an air passage 40a, and the non-vacuum compartment formed around the opening on the surface of the chuck member 10a is connected to the chuck member 10a via the screw hole / air passage 14a and the air passage 40a. Leading to the back of When removing the lid 14, a screw (not shown) is screwed into the screw hole / air passage 14a, and the screw 14 is pulled to lift the lid 14 from the opening of the chuck member 10a.

  The height adjustment mechanism provided near the center of the back surface of the chuck member 10 a includes a screw hole provided in the support member 40, an adjustment screw 41, a spring washer 42, and a set nut 44. . The receiving portion 35 provided on the upper surface of the frame 30 includes a screw receiver 36, a cover 37, and a bolt 38.

  The head of the adjustment screw 41 forms a part of a spherical surface, and its apex is in contact with the screw receiver 36. A spring washer 42 is inserted between the head of the adjustment screw 41 and the cover 37, and the cover 37 is fixed to the screw receiver 36 by a bolt 38. By inserting the spring washer 42 between the head of the adjustment screw 41 and the cover 37, the lateral displacement of the chuck member 10a is prevented.

  The screw portion 41 a of the adjustment screw 41 is screwed into a screw hole provided in the support member 40. A groove (not shown) for turning the adjustment screw 41 from above is provided at the upper end of the screw portion 41a of the adjustment screw 41. A lock nut 44 is attached to the screw portion 41 a of the adjustment screw 41, and the adjustment screw 41 is fixed to the support member 40 by the lock nut 44. The height at which the chuck support 9 supports the back surface of the chuck member 10a is adjusted by loosening the lock nut 44, adjusting the screwing amount of the adjustment screw 41, and tightening the lock nut 44 again. Even if the size of the chuck 10 increases as the substrate size increases, the height of each point that supports the back surface of the chuck 10 is easily adjusted, and the flatness of the chuck 10 is improved. After performing these operations from the opening without attaching the lid 14 to the opening of the chuck member 10a, the lid 14 is attached to the opening.

  In FIG. 8, the set screw 48 is screwed into a screw hole provided in the peripheral portion of the lid 14 and is fixed by a set screw 49. The set screw 48 protrudes from the bottom surface of the lid 14 and contacts the support member 40. In the present embodiment, the mounting height of the lid 14 to the chuck member 10a is adjusted by removing the set screw 49, adjusting the screwing amount of the set screw 48, and tightening the set screw 49 again. The mounting height of the lid 14 can be easily adjusted using the set screw 48 protruding from the bottom surface of the lid 14.

  At this time, the mounting height of the lid 14 is adjusted so that the height of the upper surface of the lid 14 is 0.05 to 0.2 mm lower than the height of the upper surface of the chuck member 10a. Since the height of the upper surface of the lid 14 is intentionally lower than the height of the upper surface of the chuck member 10a, when the substrate is mounted on the chuck 10, there is no possibility that the portion mounted on the lid 14 of the substrate will rise. After adjusting the mounting height of the lid 14, the lid 14 is fixed to the support member 40 with bolts 46 and the bolts 46 are fixed with set screws 47 in FIG. 7.

  In FIG. 7, after the substrate is mounted on the chuck 10, the vacuum compartment formed outside the bank 12 of the chuck member 10 a is evacuated by the suction holes 13 to vacuum-suck the substrate. At this time, since the non-vacuum compartment formed around the opening is opened to the atmosphere by the screw hole / air passage 14a and the air passage 40a, the pressure of the air in the non-vacuum compartment is prevented from being lowered. Even if the air leaks into the surrounding vacuum compartment, the pressure of the air in the non-vacuum compartment does not drop, and the depression of the portion mounted on the lid 14 of the substrate becomes extremely small. Therefore, uneven exposure caused by the height of the lid 14 closing the opening of the chuck member 10a is effectively suppressed.

  1 to 8, the chuck 10 is mounted on the chuck support base 9 and the back surface of the chuck 10 is supported by the chuck support base 9 at a plurality of locations. The height adjustment mechanism for adjusting the height for supporting the back surface of the chuck 10 is provided, and the height adjustment mechanism is operated from above the chuck 10 through the opening from which the lid 14 is removed. However, the flatness of the chuck 10 can be improved by easily adjusting the height of each point supporting the back surface of the chuck 10. Further, uneven exposure caused by the height of the lid 14 that closes the opening provided to adjust the height for supporting the back surface of the chuck 10 can be effectively suppressed.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a proximity exposure apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. The proximity exposure apparatus of the present embodiment includes a base 3, an X guide 4, an X stage 5, a Y guide 6, a Y stage 7, a θ stage 8, a chuck support base 9, a chuck 10, a push-up pin unit, a mask holder 20, An X stage drive circuit 71, a Y stage drive circuit 72, a θ stage drive circuit 73, and a main controller 80 are configured. Base 3, X guide 4, X stage 5, Y guide 6, Y stage 7, θ stage 8, chuck support base 9, mask holder 20, X stage drive circuit 71, Y stage drive circuit 72, θ stage drive circuit 73, The configuration and operation of the main controller 80 are the same as those in the embodiment shown in FIG.

  FIG. 10 is a top view of a chuck of a proximity exposure apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. A convex portion (not shown) and a bank 12 are provided on the surface of the chuck 10. The convex portion has a pin shape with a diameter of several mm, and a plurality of convex portions are provided on the surface of the chuck 10 at a predetermined interval. When the substrate is mounted on the chuck 10, the convex portion supports the substrate at a plurality of points. At this time, a space is formed between the portion other than the convex portion on the surface of the chuck 10 and the substrate. The bank 12 is a continuous wall having a predetermined width, and forms a vacuum compartment in a space between a portion other than the convex portion on the surface of the chuck 10 and the substrate.

  Note that the bank 12 is not a straight line but an irregular line so that it is difficult to be recognized by the human eye when the back surface transfer occurs, but in FIG. It is shown by a straight line. Further, in addition to the convex portion and the bank 12, suction holes for evacuating the vacuum compartment are provided on the surface of the chuck 10, but these are omitted in FIG.

  FIG. 11 is a view showing a vacuum compartment of a chuck of a proximity exposure apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 11, regions 10 f to 10 t, 10 w, and 10 x surrounded by a broken line on the chuck 10 and shaded are vacuum sections formed by the banks 12. In the present embodiment, the chuck 10 is provided with a total of 17 rectangular or square vacuum sections 10f to 10t, 10w, and 10x. However, the shape and number of the vacuum sections are limited to this. is not.

  In FIG. 10, a plurality of openings into which a push-up pin unit to be described later is inserted are provided near the center of the chuck 10, and a lid 53 is fitted to the openings. The lid 53 is provided with a through hole, and a push-up pin 52 is inserted into the through hole from below the lid 53. A plurality of through holes are provided in the vicinity of the periphery of the chuck 10 outside the opening, and a push-up pin 52 is inserted into the through hole from below the chuck 10.

  In the present embodiment, 16 openings are provided near the center of the chuck 10, but the position and number of openings are not limited to this. In the present embodiment, 42 through holes are provided in the vicinity of the periphery of the chuck 10, but the position and number of the through holes are not limited to this.

  FIG. 12 is a top view of an opening provided near the center of the chuck. In FIG. 12, a plurality of convex portions 11 are provided at predetermined intervals on the surfaces of the chuck 10 and the lid 53. A bank 12 is provided around the opening of the chuck 10, and a vacuum compartment is formed outside the bank 12. The vacuum compartment formed outside the bank 12 is provided with a suction hole 13 for evacuating the vacuum compartment, and the suction hole 13 is connected to a vacuum facility (not shown). The periphery of the opening inside the bank 12 forms a non-vacuum compartment. In the center of the push-up pin 52, an air passage 52a described later is provided. Further, a screw hole into which the set screw 56a is screwed and a stepped hole through which the bolt 57 is passed are provided at a plurality of locations on the periphery of the lid 53.

  13 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the CC portion of FIG. 12, and FIG. 14 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the DD portion of FIG. 13 and 14, the push-up pin unit inserted into the opening provided near the center of the chuck 10 includes a motor 51, a push-up pin 52, a flange 54a, bolts 55a and 57, and a set screw 56a. Has been. The motor 51 includes a pulse motor, a ball screw connected to the pulse motor, and a rod. By driving the ball screw with the pulse motor, the rod housed in the rod housing portion 51a is raised. And descend. A push-up pin 52 is attached to the tip of the rod of the motor 51.

  In FIG. 13, a flange 54 a is attached to the upper surface of the rod storage portion 51 a of the motor 51, and the flange 54 a is fixed to the back surface of the lid 53 by a bolt 55 a. An air passage 52d described later is provided in the flange 54a. On the other hand, a ring-shaped support plate 58 that supports the lid 53 is attached around the opening on the back surface of the chuck 10. The support plate 58 is fixed to the back surface of the chuck 10 by bolts 59. The lid 53 is fixed to the support plate 58 by bolts 57 that pass through holes with steps in the periphery of the lid 53. In FIG. 14, the set screw 56 a is screwed into the screw hole in the peripheral portion of the lid 53, protrudes from the bottom surface of the lid 53, and contacts the upper surface of the support plate 58.

  In the present embodiment, when the push-up pin unit is attached to the chuck 10, first, the push-up pin unit is inserted into the opening from above the chuck 10. Next, the lid 53 is inserted into the opening, the screwing amount of the set screw 56a is adjusted, and the mounting height of the lid 53 is adjusted. Even if the size of the chuck 10 is increased with the increase in the size of the substrate, the adjustment of the attachment height of the push-up pin 52 can be easily performed simultaneously with the adjustment of the attachment height of the lid 53.

  At this time, the mounting height of the lid 53 is adjusted so that the height of the upper surface of the lid 53 is 0.05 to 0.2 mm lower than the height of the upper surface of the chuck 10. Since the height of the upper surface of the lid 53 is intentionally made lower than the height of the upper surface of the chuck 10, when the substrate is mounted on the chuck 10, there is no possibility that the portion mounted on the lid 53 of the substrate will rise. After adjusting the mounting height of the lid 53, the lid 53 is fixed to the support plate 58 with bolts 57 in FIG. 13.

  15A is a top view of the push-up pin, and FIG. 15B is a partial cross-sectional side view of the EE portion of FIG. 15A. As shown in FIG. 15A, an air passage 52 a is provided in the center of the push-up pin 52. As shown in FIG. 15 (b), a hole into which the rod 51b of the motor 51 is inserted is provided inside the push-up pin 52, and air passages 52b and 52c connected to the air passage 52a are provided on the side of the hole. Is formed. The non-vacuum compartment formed around the opening on the surface of the chuck 10 is connected to the back surface of the chuck 10 via the air passages 52a, 52b, 52c provided in the push-up pin 52 and the air passage 52d provided in the flange 54a. Communicates.

  In FIG. 12, after the substrate is mounted on the chuck 10, the vacuum section formed outside the bank 12 of the chuck 10 is evacuated by the suction holes 13 to vacuum suck the substrate. At this time, the air passages 52a, 52b, 52c provided in the push-up pin 52 and the air passage 52d provided in the flange 54a release the non-vacuum compartment formed around the opening to the atmosphere, and the air in the non-vacuum compartment Since the pressure drop is prevented, even if the air in the non-vacuum compartment leaks into the surrounding vacuum compartment, the pressure of the air in the non-vacuum compartment does not drop, and the depression of the portion mounted on the lid 53 of the substrate Becomes extremely small. Therefore, uneven exposure caused by the height of the lid 53 that closes the opening of the chuck 10 is effectively suppressed.

  FIG. 16A is a top view of a through hole provided in the vicinity of the periphery of the chuck, and FIG. 16B is a cross-sectional view of the section F-F in FIG. The push-up pin unit of the push-up pin inserted into the through hole provided near the periphery of the chuck includes a motor 51, a push-up pin 52, a flange 54b, a bolt 55b, and a set screw 56b.

  In FIG. 16B, a flange 54b is attached to the upper surface of the rod storage portion 51a of the motor 51, and the flange 54b is fixed to the back surface of the chuck 10 by a bolt 55b. The flange 54b has a plurality of screw holes into which the set screw 56b is screwed. The set screw 56b is screwed into the screw hole of the flange 54b, protrudes from the upper surface of the flange 54b, and contacts the back surface of the chuck 10. doing. The mounting height of the push-up pin unit is adjusted by reaching from the outside of the chuck 10 to the bottom of the chuck 10 or using a jig to loosen the bolt 55b and adjust the screwing amount of the set screw 56b. .

  FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the push-up pin unit. In the following description, the position in the Z direction of the push-up pin 52 when the substrate 1 is mounted on the chuck 10 is the substrate mounting position, and the position in the Z direction of the push-up pin 52 when receiving the substrate 1 from the substrate transport robot is the substrate receiving position. The position in the Z direction of the push-up pin 52 when the substrate 1 is delivered to the substrate transport robot 30 is defined as a substrate delivery position. When in the substrate mounting position, the push-up pin 52 is completely stored in the through-hole provided in the lid 53 of the push-up pin unit or the through-hole provided in the chuck 10, and the tip of the push-up pin 52 protrudes from the surface of the chuck 10. Absent. In the present embodiment, the substrate receiving position and the substrate delivery position are the same position, but they may be different positions in the Z direction.

  When loading the substrate 1 onto the chuck 10, first, the motor 51 of each push-up pin unit raises the push-up pin 52 from the substrate mounting position to the substrate receiving position (FIG. 17A). The substrate transfer robot moves the handling arm 60 on which the substrate 1 is mounted above the chuck 10 (FIG. 17A). Next, the substrate transfer robot lowers the handling arm 60 and places the substrate 1 on the push-up pin 52 (FIG. 17B), further lowers the handling arm 60 and separates the handling arm 60 from the substrate 1 ( FIG. 17 (c)). Accordingly, each push-up pin 52 receives the substrate 1 from the substrate transport robot. Next, the substrate transfer robot retracts the handling arm 60 from above the chuck 10 (FIG. 17D). Subsequently, the motor 51 of each push-up pin unit lowers the push-up pin 52 from the substrate receiving position to the substrate mounting position, and mounts the substrate 1 on the chuck 10 (FIG. 17E).

  When unloading the substrate 1 from the chuck 10, contrary to the above, first, the motor 51 of each push-up pin unit raises the push-up pin 52 from the substrate mounting position to the substrate delivery position (FIG. 17D). The substrate transfer robot inserts the handling arm 60 into the space between the substrate 1 and the chuck 10 (FIG. 17C). Next, the substrate transfer robot raises the handling arm 60 to place the substrate 1 on the handling arm 60 (FIG. 17B), further raises the handling arm 60 and lifts the substrate 1 from the push-up pin 52 ( FIG. 17 (a)). Thus, each push-up pin 52 delivers the substrate 1 to the substrate transport robot. Thereafter, the substrate transfer robot retracts the handling arm 60 on which the substrate 1 is mounted from the upper space of the chuck 10.

  According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 to 17, a push-up pin unit having a push-up pin 52 that rises from the opening of the chuck 10 and receives or transfers the substrate 1 is attached to the lid 53 and pushed up to the lid 53. By providing the through-hole through which the pin 52 passes, even if the chuck 10 is enlarged with the increase in the size of the substrate 1, the attachment height of the push-up pin 52 is easily adjusted simultaneously with the adjustment of the attachment height of the lid 53. be able to. Further, uneven exposure caused by the height of the lid 53 that closes the opening provided for inserting the push-up pin unit can be effectively suppressed.

  The substrate is exposed using the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention, or the substrate is supported by using the substrate support method of the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention, and the substrate is exposed, thereby opening the chuck. Since exposure unevenness caused by the height of the lid to be closed can be effectively suppressed and generation of defective products can be reduced, a large display panel substrate can be manufactured with a high yield.

  For example, FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing an example of the manufacturing process of the TFT substrate of the liquid crystal display device. In the thin film formation step (step 101), a thin film such as a conductor film or an insulator film, which becomes a transparent electrode for driving liquid crystal, is formed on the substrate by sputtering, plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD), or the like. In the resist coating process (step 102), a photosensitive resin material (photoresist) is applied by a roll coating method or the like to form a photoresist film on the thin film formed in the thin film forming process (step 101). In the exposure step (step 103), the mask pattern is transferred to the photoresist film using a proximity exposure apparatus, a projection exposure apparatus, or the like. In the development step (step 104), a developer is supplied onto the photoresist film by a shower development method or the like to remove unnecessary portions of the photoresist film. In the etching process (step 105), a portion of the thin film formed in the thin film formation process (step 101) that is not masked by the photoresist film is removed by wet etching. In the peeling step (step 106), the photoresist film that has finished the role of the mask in the etching step (step 105) is peeled off with a peeling solution. Before or after each of these steps, a substrate cleaning / drying step is performed as necessary. These steps are repeated several times to form a TFT array on the substrate.

  FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing an example of the manufacturing process of the color filter substrate of the liquid crystal display device. In the black matrix forming step (step 201), a black matrix is formed on the substrate by processing such as resist coating, exposure, development, etching, and peeling. In the colored pattern forming step (step 202), a colored pattern is formed on the substrate by a dyeing method, a pigment dispersion method, a printing method, an electrodeposition method, or the like. This process is repeated for the R, G, and B coloring patterns. In the protective film forming step (step 203), a protective film is formed on the colored pattern, and in the transparent electrode film forming step (step 204), a transparent electrode film is formed on the protective film. Before, during or after each of these steps, a substrate cleaning / drying step is performed as necessary.

  In the TFT substrate manufacturing process shown in FIG. 18, in the exposure process (step 103), in the color filter substrate manufacturing process shown in FIG. 19, in the black matrix forming process (step 201) and the colored pattern forming process (step 202). In this exposure process, the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention or the substrate support method of the proximity exposure apparatus of the present invention can be applied.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Board | substrate 2 Mask 3 Base 4 X guide 5 X stage 6 Y guide 7 Y stage 8 θ stage 9 Chuck support stand 10 Chuck 10a, 10b, 10c Chuck member 11 Protrusion part 12 Bank 13 Adsorption hole 14 Cover 14a Screw hole and air passage DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 15 Support part 16,36 Screw receiver 17,37 Cover 18,38 Bolt 20 Mask holder 30 Frame 31,41 Adjustment screw 32,42 Spring washer 33 Plain washer 34,44 Stop nut 35 Receiving part 40 Support member 40a Air passage 45, 46 Bolt 47, 48, 49 Set screw 51 Motor 52 Push-up pin 52a, 52b, 52c, 52d Air passage 53 Lid 54a, 54b Flange 55a, 55b, 57, 59 Bolt 56a, 56b Set screw 58 Support plate 60 Handling arm 71 Stage drive circuit 72 Y stage driving circuit 73 theta stage driver 80 Main controller

Claims (8)

In a proximity exposure apparatus that includes a chuck that supports a substrate and a mask holder that holds a mask, and provides a minute gap between the mask and the substrate to transfer the mask pattern to the substrate.
The chuck includes at least one opening, a lid that closes the opening, a first height adjustment mechanism that adjusts a mounting height of the lid with respect to the chuck, and a non-vacuum compartment formed around the opening. An air passage leading from the non-vacuum compartment to the back surface of the chuck, and a vacuum compartment formed around the non-vacuum compartment,
The first height adjusting mechanism is adjusted such that the height of the upper surface of the lid is lower than the height of the upper surface of the chuck;
The vacuum compartment is fixed to the chuck by vacuum suction of the substrate,
The proximity exposure apparatus, wherein the air passage opens the non-vacuum section to the atmosphere to prevent a decrease in pressure of air in the non-vacuum section. A chuck support for supporting the back surface of the chuck at a plurality of locations;
A second height adjusting mechanism for adjusting a height at which the chuck support base supports the back surface of the chuck;
The proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second height adjustment mechanism is operated from above the chuck through the opening from which the lid is removed. A push-up pin that rises from the opening of the chuck and receives or transfers a substrate, and includes a push-up pin unit attached to the lid;
The proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lid has a through hole through which the push-up pin passes. A substrate support method for a proximity exposure apparatus, comprising a chuck for supporting a substrate and a mask holder for holding a mask, and providing a minute gap between the mask and the substrate to transfer the mask pattern to the substrate. ,
The chuck is provided with at least one opening, a lid that closes the opening, and a first height adjustment mechanism that adjusts a mounting height of the lid with respect to the chuck,
Forming a non-vacuum compartment around the opening of the chuck,
Provide an air passage from the non-vacuum compartment to the back of the chuck,
Forming a vacuum compartment around the non-vacuum compartment;
The height of the lid attached to the chuck is adjusted by the first height adjustment mechanism so that the height of the upper surface of the lid is lower than the height of the upper surface of the chuck;
Vacuum adsorption of the substrate by the vacuum compartment, fixing the substrate to the chuck,
A substrate support method for a proximity exposure apparatus, characterized in that a non-vacuum section is opened to the atmosphere by an air passage to prevent a decrease in pressure of air in the non-vacuum section. The chuck is mounted on the chuck support base, and the back surface of the chuck is supported at multiple locations by the chuck support base.
A second height adjusting mechanism for adjusting a height at which the chuck support base supports the back surface of the chuck;
5. The substrate support method for a proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second height adjustment mechanism is operated from above the chuck through the opening from which the lid is removed. A push-up pin unit having a push-up pin that lifts from the opening of the chuck and receives or transfers the substrate is attached to the lid,
5. The method of supporting a substrate of a proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a through-hole through which the push-up pin passes is provided in the lid.   A method for manufacturing a display panel substrate, wherein the substrate is exposed using the proximity exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.   A method for manufacturing a display panel substrate, wherein the substrate is exposed by supporting the substrate using the substrate supporting method of the proximity exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 6.

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