JP6575651B2 - Method for confirming performance of substrate processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a performance confirmation method for a substrate processing apparatus that tests a performance of a substrate processing apparatus that conveys a long sheet substrate and performs processing for forming an electronic device pattern on the sheet substrate.

  In Patent Document 1 below, exposure projected from two exposure heads on the entire three-dimensional exposure region on the arcuate curved surface of a flexible recording medium supported along the curved surface of a drum that is driven to rotate. When the exposure light beam is exposed, the focal length adjustment means causes the exposure light beam from the exposure head to focus and form an image over the entire three-dimensional curved exposure area of the recording medium. The focal length of each microlens of the microlens array that collects the light beam from each mirror of the micromirror (DMD) onto the recording medium is made to follow the curved surface, or for exposure via a cylindrical lens An exposure apparatus is disclosed in which good image formation is obtained over the entire curved exposure region by projecting the light beam onto a recording medium. In this case, in the exposure apparatus using the microlens array as in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to three-dimensionally match the best focus surface of the light beam for exposure with the exposure area of the curved recording medium. However, when the thickness of the flexible recording medium changes relatively large, the degree of three-dimensional curvature of the exposure area of the recording medium changes, so that the exposure light beam has a curved best focus surface. Consistency is lost, and an error occurs in the interval between the exposure positions of the two exposure heads in the circumferential direction of the recording medium. Such a loss of consistency and an error in the interval can be adjusted again by stopping the apparatus. However, when the recording medium is processed by the roll-to-roll method, if only the exposure apparatus is temporarily stopped, there is a risk of stopping the entire production line.

JP 2006-098719 A

An aspect of the present invention includes a conveyance unit that sends a long sheet substrate having flexibility in a long direction, and a processing unit that performs a predetermined process for forming a pattern for an electronic device on the sheet substrate. A performance verification method for a substrate processing apparatus for testing the performance of the substrate processing apparatus, wherein the sheet substrate has a plurality of pattern formation regions for the electronic device set with a predetermined margin in the longitudinal direction. wherein in a state in which through the conveying section and the processing section, the distal end portion of the flexible test sheet substrate having a predetermined length in the conveyance direction by the conveyance section, the sheet substrate in front of the processing unit the bonded to margin, the state of repeating the test sheet substrate to the sheet substrate by the transport unit, and both feed supplying to the processing unit, the test sheet group to be supplied to the processing unit In contrast, a processing stage for performing a test process by the processing section, a recovery stage for separating and recovering the test sheet substrate after passing through the processing section, and the recovered test Measuring a state of the test processing applied to the sheet substrate.

It is a figure which shows the whole structure of the exposure apparatus by 1st Embodiment. It is detail drawing which shows the state by which the board | substrate was wound around the rotating drum of the drawing apparatus shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the drawing line of the spot light scanned on a board | substrate, and the alignment mark formed on the board | substrate. It is a figure which shows the optical structure of the scanning unit shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure of the beam distribution part shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the control apparatus shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the specific structure of the light source device shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the exposure apparatus shown in FIG. 1. It is a figure explaining the focus error of the spot light resulting from the difference of the thickness of the board | substrate for device manufacture, and the thickness of a test sheet | seat board | substrate, and the position error to the subscanning direction of a drawing line. It is a graph which shows the tendency of the error amount of the space | interval of the subscanning direction of the drawing line of the odd number and even number which arises by the thickness difference from the board | substrate of a test sheet substrate. It is a graph which shows the tendency of the error amount of the space | interval of the subscanning direction of the drawing line of the odd-numbered and even-numbered which arises with the positional change amount of the exposure head in the Z direction. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the substrate processing apparatus in 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the bonding state of the board | substrate for device manufacture, and the sheet | seat board | substrate for a test. It is a figure which shows a state when the test sheet | seat board | substrate is inserted in the middle of the board | substrate for device manufacture. It is a figure which shows the structure of the sheet | seat board | substrate for a test by 3rd Embodiment.

  A method for confirming the performance of a substrate processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings by listing preferred embodiments. In addition, the aspect of this invention is not limited to these embodiment, What added the various change or improvement is included. That is, the constituent elements described below include those that can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art and substantially the same elements, and the constituent elements described below can be appropriately combined. In addition, various omissions, substitutions, or changes of the components can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a device manufacturing system 10 including an exposure apparatus (pattern drawing apparatus) EX that performs an exposure process on a substrate (irradiated body) P according to the first embodiment. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system in which the gravity direction is the Z direction is set, and the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction will be described according to the arrows shown in the drawing.

  The device manufacturing system 10 is a system (substrate processing apparatus) that manufactures an electronic device by performing predetermined processing (such as exposure processing) on the substrate P. In the device manufacturing system 10, for example, a manufacturing line for manufacturing a flexible display as an electronic device, a film-like touch panel, a film-like color filter for a liquid crystal display panel, a flexible wiring, or a flexible sensor is constructed. It is a manufacturing system. The following description is based on the assumption that a flexible display is used as the electronic device. Examples of the flexible display include an organic EL display and a liquid crystal display. The device manufacturing system 10 sends out a substrate P from a supply roll obtained by winding a flexible sheet-like substrate (sheet substrate) P in a roll shape, and continuously performs various processes on the delivered substrate P. Thereafter, the substrate P after various treatments is wound up by a collecting roll, and has a so-called roll-to-roll structure. The substrate P has a belt-like shape in which the moving direction (transport direction) of the substrate P is the longitudinal direction (long) and the width direction is the short direction (short). In the first embodiment, a film-like substrate P is subjected to a processing device (first processing device) PR1, an exposure device EX, and a processing device (second processing device) PR2 in a subsequent process, The example processed continuously is shown.

  In the first embodiment, the horizontal plane parallel to the floor E of the factory where the apparatus is installed and the transport direction of the substrate P is the X direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X direction in the horizontal plane, that is, The width direction (short direction) of the substrate P is the Y direction, and the Z direction is a direction (upward direction) orthogonal to the X direction and the Y direction, and is parallel to the direction in which gravity acts.

  As the substrate P, for example, a resin film or a foil (foil) made of a metal or alloy such as stainless steel is used. Examples of the material of the resin film include polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, polyester resin, ethylene vinyl copolymer resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, cellulose resin, polyamide resin, polyimide resin, polycarbonate resin, polystyrene resin, and vinyl acetate resin. Among them, one containing at least one or more may be used. Further, the thickness and rigidity (Young's modulus) of the substrate P may be in a range that does not cause folds or irreversible wrinkles due to buckling in the substrate P when passing through the conveyance path of the device manufacturing system 10. . As a base material of the substrate P, a film such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or PEN (polyethylene naphthalate) having a thickness of about 25 μm to 200 μm is typical of a suitable sheet substrate.

  Since the substrate P may receive heat in each process performed by the processing apparatus PR1 and the processing apparatus PR2, it is preferable to select the substrate P made of a material whose thermal expansion coefficient is not significantly large. For example, the thermal expansion coefficient can be suppressed by mixing an inorganic filler with a resin film. The inorganic filler may be, for example, titanium oxide, zinc oxide, alumina, or silicon oxide. The substrate P may be a single layer of ultrathin glass having a thickness of about 100 μm manufactured by a float process or the like, or a laminate in which the above resin film, foil, or the like is bonded to the ultrathin glass. It may be.

  By the way, the flexibility of the substrate P means the property that the substrate P can be bent without being sheared or broken even when a force of its own weight is applied to the substrate P. . In addition, flexibility includes a property of bending by a force of about its own weight. The degree of flexibility varies depending on the material, size and thickness of the substrate P, the layer structure formed on the substrate P, the environment such as temperature or humidity, and the like. In any case, when the substrate P is correctly wound around the conveyance direction changing members such as various conveyance rollers and rotating drums provided in the conveyance path in the device manufacturing system 10 according to the first embodiment, If the substrate P can be smoothly transported without being bent and creased or damaged (breaking or cracking), it can be said to be a flexible range.

  The pre-process processing apparatus PR1 is a coating apparatus that performs a coating process and a drying process on the substrate P while transporting the substrate P along the longitudinal direction at a predetermined speed. After the photosensitive functional liquid is selectively or uniformly applied to the surface of the substrate P, the processing apparatus PR1 removes the solvent or water contained in the photosensitive functional liquid and dries the photosensitive functional liquid. Thereby, a film to be a photosensitive functional layer (photosensitive layer) is selectively or uniformly formed on the surface of the substrate P. The photosensitive functional layer may be formed on the surface of the substrate P by attaching a dry film to the surface of the substrate P. In this case, instead of the processing apparatus PR1, a pasting apparatus (processing apparatus) for attaching the dry film to the substrate P may be provided.

  Here, a typical one of the photosensitive functional liquid (layer) is a photoresist (liquid or dry film). However, as a material that does not require development processing, the lyophilic property of the part that has been irradiated with ultraviolet rays. There is a photosensitive silane coupling agent (SAM) that is modified, or a photosensitive reducing agent in which a plating reducing group is exposed in a portion irradiated with ultraviolet rays. When a photosensitive silane coupling agent is used as the photosensitive functional liquid (layer), the pattern portion exposed to ultraviolet rays on the substrate P is modified from lyophobic to lyophilic. Therefore, by selectively applying conductive ink (ink containing conductive nanoparticles such as silver or copper) or a liquid containing a semiconductor material on the lyophilic portion, a thin film transistor (TFT) or the like A pattern layer serving as an electrode, a semiconductor, insulation, or a connection wiring can be formed. When a photosensitive reducing agent is used as the photosensitive functional liquid (layer), the plating reducing group is exposed to the pattern portion exposed to ultraviolet rays on the substrate P. Therefore, after exposure, the substrate P is immediately immersed in a plating solution containing palladium ions or the like for a certain period of time to form (deposit) a pattern layer made of palladium. Such a plating process is an additive process, but may be based on an etching process as a subtractive process. In that case, the substrate P sent to the exposure apparatus EX is made of PET or PEN as a base material, and a metal thin film such as aluminum (Al) or copper (Cu) is deposited on the entire surface or selectively, and further, It may be a laminate of a photoresist layer thereon.

  The exposure apparatus (processing unit) EX performs exposure processing (pattern) on the substrate P while transporting the substrate P transported from the processing apparatus PR1 toward the processing apparatus PR2 in the transport direction (+ X direction) at a predetermined speed. A processing apparatus for performing (drawing). The exposure apparatus EX uses a light corresponding to a pattern for an electronic device (for example, a pattern of an electrode or wiring of a TFT constituting the electronic device) on the surface of the substrate P (the surface of the photosensitive functional layer, that is, the photosensitive surface). Irradiate the pattern. Thereby, a latent image (modified portion) corresponding to the pattern is formed on the photosensitive functional layer.

  In the first embodiment, the exposure apparatus EX is a direct drawing type exposure apparatus that does not use a mask, that is, a so-called raster scan type pattern drawing apparatus. As will be described in detail later, the exposure apparatus EX converts the spot light SP of the pulsed beam LB (pulse beam) for exposure onto the substrate P while conveying the substrate P in the longitudinal direction (sub-scanning direction). The intensity of the spot light SP is rapidly modulated (ON / OFF) according to the pattern data (drawing data) while one-dimensionally scanning (main scanning) in a predetermined scanning direction (Y direction) on the irradiated surface (photosensitive surface). Off). Thereby, a light pattern corresponding to a predetermined pattern such as an electronic device, a circuit, or a wiring is drawn and exposed on the irradiated surface of the substrate P. That is, the spot light SP is relatively two-dimensionally scanned on the irradiated surface of the substrate P by the sub-scanning of the substrate P and the main scanning of the spot light SP, and a predetermined pattern is drawn and exposed on the substrate P. . Further, since the substrate P is transported along the longitudinal direction, a plurality of exposure regions W where the pattern is exposed by the exposure apparatus EX are provided at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction of the substrate P. (See FIG. 3). Since an electronic device is formed in the exposure area W, the exposure area W is also a device formation area.

  The post-processing processing apparatus PR2 is a wet processing apparatus that performs wet processing and drying processing on the substrate P while transporting the substrate P transported from the exposure apparatus EX at a predetermined speed. In the first embodiment, the processing apparatus PR2 performs a development process or a plating process which is a kind of wet process on the substrate P. Therefore, the processing apparatus PR2 includes a developing unit that immerses the substrate P in the developer for a predetermined time, a plating unit that immerses the substrate P in the electroless plating solution for a predetermined time, and a cleaning unit that cleans the substrate P with pure water or the like. And a drying unit for drying the substrate P. As a result, a pattern layer corresponding to the latent image is deposited (formed) on the surface of the photosensitive functional layer. That is, a predetermined material (for example, resist, palladium) is selectively formed on the substrate P according to the difference between the irradiated portion and the non-irradiated portion of the spot light SP on the photosensitive functional layer of the substrate P, and this is the pattern. Become a layer.

  In the case where a photosensitive silane coupling agent is used as the photosensitive functional layer, a coating process or a plating process of a liquid (for example, a liquid containing conductive ink or the like) as a wet process is performed by the processing apparatus PR2. Is called. Even in this case, a pattern layer corresponding to the latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive functional layer. That is, a predetermined material (for example, conductive ink or palladium) is selectively formed on the substrate P according to the difference between the irradiated portion of the spot light SP of the photosensitive functional layer of the substrate P and the irradiated portion, This is the pattern layer.

  Now, the exposure apparatus EX shown in FIG. 1 is stored in the temperature control chamber ECV. This temperature control chamber ECV keeps the inside at a predetermined temperature and a predetermined humidity, thereby suppressing a change in shape due to the temperature of the substrate P transported inside, and occurring along with the hygroscopicity and transport of the substrate P. The humidity is set in consideration of static charge. The temperature control chamber ECV is arranged on the floor E of the manufacturing plant via passive or active vibration isolation units SU1, SU2. The vibration isolation units SU1 and SU2 reduce vibration from the floor E. The floor surface E may be the floor surface of the factory itself, or may be a surface on an installation base (pedestal) that is exclusively installed on the floor surface in order to obtain a horizontal surface. The exposure apparatus EX includes a substrate transport mechanism (substrate transport unit) 12, a light source device LS, a beam distribution unit BDU, an exposure head 14, a control device 16, and a plurality of alignment microscopes AM1m and AM2m (m = 1). 2, 3, 4) and a plurality of encoder heads ENja, ENjb (j = 1, 2, 3, 4). The control device (control unit) 16 controls each part of the exposure apparatus EX. The control device 16 includes a computer and a recording medium on which the program is recorded, and functions as the control device 16 of the first embodiment when the computer executes the program.

  The substrate transport mechanism 12 constitutes a part of the substrate transport device (substrate transport unit) of the device manufacturing system 10, and transports the substrate P transported from the processing apparatus PR1 at a predetermined speed in the exposure apparatus EX. After that, it is sent to the processing apparatus PR2 at a predetermined speed. The substrate transport mechanism 12 defines a transport path for the substrate P transported in the exposure apparatus EX. The substrate transport mechanism 12 includes an edge position controller EPC, a driving roller R1, a tension adjusting roller RT1, a rotating drum (cylindrical drum) DR, a tension adjusting roller RT2, in order from the upstream side (−X direction side) in the transport direction of the substrate P. A driving roller R2 and a driving roller R3 are provided.

  In the edge position controller EPC, the position in the width direction (the Y direction and the short direction of the substrate P) of the substrate P transported from the processing apparatus PR1 is within a range of about ± 10 μm to several tens μm with respect to the target position. The position of the substrate P in the width direction is adjusted by moving the substrate P in the width direction so as to fall within (allowable range). The edge position controller EPC finely moves the roller of the edge position controller EPC in the Y direction on the basis of a detection signal from an edge sensor (not shown) that detects the position of the edge (edge) in the width direction of the substrate P. The position of P in the width direction is adjusted. The driving roller (nip roller) R1 rotates while holding both front and back surfaces of the substrate P conveyed from the edge position controller EPC, and conveys the substrate P toward the rotating drum DR. The edge position controller EPC appropriately adjusts the position in the width direction of the substrate P so that the longitudinal direction of the substrate P wound around the rotating drum DR is always perpendicular to the central axis AXo of the rotating drum DR. The parallelism between the rotation axis of the roller and the Y axis of the edge position controller EPC may be appropriately adjusted so as to correct the tilt error in the traveling direction of the substrate P.

  The rotary drum DR has a central axis AXo extending in the Y direction and extending in a direction intersecting with the direction in which gravity works, and a cylindrical outer peripheral surface having a constant radius from the central axis AXo. The rotating drum DR rotates around the central axis AXo while supporting (holding) a part of the substrate P by bending the outer surface (circumferential surface) into a cylindrical surface in the longitudinal direction. Transport P in the + X direction. The rotating drum DR supports an area (portion) on the substrate P onto which the beam LB (spot light SP) from the exposure head 14 is projected on its outer peripheral surface. The rotating drum DR supports (holds and holds) the substrate P from the surface (back surface) side opposite to the surface (surface on which the photosensitive layer is formed) on which the electronic device is formed. On both sides in the Y direction of the rotating drum DR, shafts Sft supported by annular bearings are provided so that the rotating drum DR rotates around the central axis AXo. The shaft Sft rotates at a constant rotational speed around the central axis AXo by receiving a rotational torque from a rotational drive source (not shown) (for example, a motor or a speed reduction mechanism) controlled by the control device 16. For convenience, a plane including the central axis AXo and parallel to the YZ plane is referred to as a central plane Poc. In the present embodiment, it is described that the long sheet-like substrate P is transported in the longitudinal direction by the rotary drum DR. However, when performing various types of test exposure, the entire circumference of the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum DR. A sheet substrate shorter than the length can be wound around the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum DR. The sheet substrate used for the test exposure preferably has the same specifications (material, thickness, type of photosensitive layer, etc.) as the long substrate P. However, since the test exposure is performed in order to check the basic performance (resolution, overlay accuracy, splicing accuracy, focus accuracy, etc.) as the pattern drawing apparatus, even if the sheet substrate P of a single wafer becomes expensive It is better that deformation (distortion) due to tension, temperature, humidity, etc. is small. For this reason, the sheet substrate for test exposure does not necessarily have the same specifications as the long substrate P.

  The driving rollers (nip rollers) R2 and R3 are arranged at a predetermined interval along the transport direction (+ X direction) of the substrate P, and give a predetermined slack (play) to the substrate P after exposure. Similarly to the drive roller R1, the drive rollers R2 and R3 rotate while holding both front and back surfaces of the substrate P, and transport the substrate P toward the processing apparatus PR3. The tension adjusting rollers RT1 and RT2 are urged in the −Z direction, and apply a predetermined tension in the longitudinal direction to the substrate P that is wound around and supported by the rotary drum DR. As a result, the longitudinal tension applied to the substrate P applied to the rotating drum DR is stabilized within a predetermined range. The control device 16 rotates the driving rollers R1 to R3 by controlling a rotation driving source (not shown) (for example, a motor, a speed reducer, etc.). Note that the rotation shafts of the drive rollers R1 to R3 and the rotation shafts of the tension adjustment rollers RT1 and RT2 are parallel to the central axis AXo of the rotation drum DR.

  The light source device LS generates and emits a pulsed beam (pulse beam, pulsed light, laser) LB. This beam LB is ultraviolet light having a peak wavelength at a specific wavelength (for example, 355 nm) in a wavelength band of 370 nm or less, and the light emission frequency (oscillation frequency, predetermined frequency) of the beam LB is Fa. The beam LB emitted from the light source device LS enters the exposure head 14 via the beam distribution unit BDU. The light source device LS emits and emits the beam LB at the emission frequency Fa according to the control of the control device 16. Although the configuration of the light source device LS will be described in detail later, in the first embodiment, a semiconductor laser element that generates pulsed light in the infrared wavelength region, a fiber amplifier, and an amplified infrared wavelength region pulse It consists of a wavelength conversion element (harmonic generation element) that converts light into pulsed light in the ultraviolet wavelength range, and can emit light at an oscillation frequency Fa of 100 MHz to several hundreds of MHz. It is assumed that a fiber amplifier laser light source (harmonic laser light source) capable of obtaining high-intensity ultraviolet pulsed light of about picoseconds to several tens of picoseconds is used.

  The beam distribution unit BDU includes a plurality of mirrors and beams that distribute the beam LB from the light source device LS to each of the plurality of scanning units Un (n = 1, 2,..., 6) constituting the exposure head 14. A splitter and a drawing optical element (AOM) that modulates the intensity of each beam LB incident on each scanning unit Un according to the drawing data are described in detail later with reference to FIG.

  The exposure head (processing unit) 14 is a so-called multi-beam type exposure head in which a plurality of scanning units Un (U1 to U6) having the same configuration are arranged. The exposure head 14 draws a pattern on a part of the substrate P supported by the outer peripheral surface (circumferential surface) of the rotary drum DR by a plurality of scanning units Un (U1 to U6). Since the exposure head 14 repeatedly performs pattern exposure for an electronic device on the substrate P, an exposure region (electronic device formation region) W where the pattern is exposed is a longitudinal direction of the substrate P as shown in FIG. Are provided at predetermined intervals. As shown in FIG. 2, the plurality of scanning units Un (U1 to U6) are arranged in a staggered arrangement in two rows in the transport direction of the substrate P with the center plane Poc interposed therebetween. The odd-numbered scanning units U1, U3, U5 are arranged in a line on the upstream side (−X direction side) in the transport direction of the substrate P with respect to the center plane Poc and at a predetermined interval along the Y direction. Has been placed. The even-numbered scanning units U2, U4, U6 are arranged in a line at a predetermined interval along the Y direction on the downstream side (+ X direction side) in the transport direction of the substrate P with respect to the center plane Poc. Yes. The odd-numbered scanning units U1, U3, U5 and the even-numbered scanning units U2, U4, U6 are provided symmetrically with respect to the center plane Poc when viewed in the XZ plane.

  Each scanning unit Un (U1 to U6) projects the beam LBn (n = 1 to 6) supplied from the beam distribution unit BDU so as to converge on the spot light SP on the irradiated surface of the substrate P. The spot light SP is scanned one-dimensionally by a rotating polygon mirror PM (see FIG. 4). The spot light SP is one-dimensionally scanned in the Y direction on the irradiated surface of the substrate P by the polygon mirror PM of each of the scanning units Un (U1 to U6). By this scanning of the spot light SP, a linear drawing line (scanning line) SLn (n = 1, 2, n) on which a pattern for one line is drawn on the substrate P (on the irradiated surface of the substrate P). ..., 6) are defined.

  The scanning unit U1 scans the spot light SP along the drawing line SL1, and similarly, the scanning units U2 to U6 scan the spot light SP along the drawing lines SL2 to SL6. The drawing lines SL1 to SL6 of the plurality of scanning units U1 to U6 are separated in the sub-scanning direction, which is the long direction of the substrate P, as shown in FIGS. However, the Y direction (the width direction of the substrate P or the main scanning direction) is set to be joined without being separated from each other. In the beam LBn emitted from the beam distribution unit BDU, the beam incident on the scanning unit U1 is represented by LB1, and similarly, the beam LBn incident on the scanning units U2 to U6 is represented by LB2 to LB6. The beam LBn incident on the scanning unit Un may be a linearly polarized light (P-polarized light or S-polarized light) polarized in a predetermined direction or a circularly polarized beam.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the plurality of scanning units U <b> 1 to U <b> 6 are arranged so as to cover all of the exposure region W in the width direction. Thereby, each scanning unit U1-U6 can draw a pattern for every some area | region (drawing range) divided | segmented in the width direction of the board | substrate P. FIG. For example, when the scanning length in the Y direction (the length of the drawing line SLn) by one scanning unit Un is about 20 to 60 mm, three odd numbered scanning units U1, U3, U5 and even numbered scanning unit U2 are used. , U4, and U6, a total of six scanning units Un in the Y direction, the width in the Y direction that can be drawn is increased to about 120 to 360 mm. In principle, the lengths of the respective drawing lines SL1 to SL6 (the length of the drawing range) are the same. That is, the scanning distance of the spot light SP of the beam LBn scanned along each of the drawing lines SL1 to SL6 is basically the same. If it is desired to further increase the width of the exposure region W (the width of the substrate P), the length of the drawing line SLn itself can be increased or the number of scanning units Un arranged in the Y direction can be increased. it can.

  Each actual drawing line SLn (SL1 to SL6) is set slightly shorter than the maximum length (maximum scanning length) that the spot light SP can actually scan on the irradiated surface. For example, if the scanning length of the drawing line SLn on which pattern drawing is possible is 30 mm when the drawing magnification in the main scanning direction (Y direction) is an initial value (no magnification correction), the maximum scanning on the irradiated surface of the spot light SP The length is set to about 31 mm with a margin of about 0.5 mm on each of the drawing start point (scanning start point) side and the drawing end point (scanning end point) side of the drawing line SLn. With this setting, the position of the 30 mm drawing line SLn can be finely adjusted in the main scanning direction and the drawing magnification can be finely adjusted within the maximum scanning length of 31 mm of the spot light SP. Become. The maximum scanning length of the spot light SP is not limited to 31 mm, and is mainly determined by the aperture of the fθ lens FT (see FIG. 4) provided after the polygon mirror (rotating polygon mirror) PM in the scanning unit Un.

  The plurality of drawing lines SL1 to SL6 are arranged in a staggered arrangement in two rows in the circumferential direction of the rotary drum DR with the center plane Poc interposed therebetween. The odd-numbered drawing lines SL1, SL3, and SL5 are located on the irradiated surface of the substrate P on the upstream side (−X direction side) in the transport direction of the substrate P with respect to the center plane Poc. The even-numbered drawing lines SL2, SL4, and SL6 are positioned on the irradiated surface of the substrate P on the downstream side (+ X direction side) in the transport direction of the substrate P with respect to the center plane Poc. The drawing lines SL1 to SL6 are substantially parallel to the width direction of the substrate P, that is, the central axis AXo of the rotary drum DR.

  The drawing lines SL1, SL3, and SL5 are arranged in a line on a straight line at a predetermined interval along the width direction (main scanning direction) of the substrate P. Similarly, the drawing lines SL2, SL4, and SL6 are arranged in a line on the straight line at a predetermined interval along the width direction (main scanning direction) of the substrate P. At this time, the drawing line SL2 is arranged between the drawing line SL1 and the drawing line SL3 in the width direction of the substrate P. Similarly, the drawing line SL3 is arranged between the drawing line SL2 and the drawing line SL4 in the width direction of the substrate P. The drawing line SL4 is arranged between the drawing line SL3 and the drawing line SL5 with respect to the width direction of the substrate P, and the drawing line SL5 is arranged between the drawing line SL4 and the drawing line SL6 with respect to the width direction of the substrate P. Has been.

  The main scanning direction of the spot light SP by each of the beams LB1, LB3, and LB5 scanned along the odd-numbered drawing lines SL1, SL3, and SL5 is a one-dimensional direction and is the same direction. Yes. The main scanning direction of the spot light SP by the beams LB2, LB4, and LB6 scanned along the even-numbered drawing lines SL2, SL4, and SL6 is a one-dimensional direction and is the same direction. Yes. The main scanning direction of the spot light SP of the beams LB1, LB3, LB5 scanned along the drawing lines SL1, SL3, SL5 and the beams LB2, LB4, LB6 scanned along the drawing lines SL2, SL4, SL6. The main scanning direction of the spot light SP may be opposite to each other. In the first embodiment, the main scanning direction of the spot light SP of the beams LB1, LB3, and LB5 scanned along the drawing lines SL1, SL3, and SL5 is the -Y direction. The main scanning direction of the spot light SP of the beams LB2, LB4, and LB6 scanned along the drawing lines SL2, SL4, and SL6 is the + Y direction. Thereby, the drawing start point side ends of the drawing lines SL1, SL3, SL5 and the drawing start point side ends of the drawing lines SL2, SL4, SL6 are adjacent or partially overlapped in the Y direction. Further, the end of the drawing lines SL3 and SL5 on the drawing end point side and the end of the drawing lines SL2 and SL4 on the drawing end point side are adjacent or partially overlap in the Y direction. When arranging each drawing line SLn so that the ends of the drawing lines SLn adjacent in the Y direction partially overlap, for example, the drawing start point or the drawing end with respect to the length of each drawing line SLn It is preferable to overlap within a range of several percent or less in the Y direction including points. Note that joining the drawing lines SLn in the Y direction means that the ends of the drawing lines SLn are adjacent to each other or partially overlap in the Y direction. That is, it means that the patterns drawn by each of the two drawing lines SLn adjacent to each other in the Y direction are joined and exposed in the Y direction.

Note that the width in the sub-scanning direction (dimension in the X direction) of the drawing line SLn is a thickness corresponding to the effective size (diameter) φ of the spot light SP on the substrate P. For example, when the effective size (dimension) φ of the spot light SP is 3 μm, the width of the drawing line SLn is also 3 μm. Further, in the case of the first embodiment, since the beam LB from the light source device LS is pulsed light, the spot light SP projected on the drawing line SLn during the main scanning is the oscillation frequency Fa of the beam LB. It becomes discrete according to (for example, 100 MHz). Therefore, it is necessary to overlap the spot light SP projected by one pulse light of the beam LBn from the beam distribution unit BDU and the spot light SP projected by the next one pulse light in the main scanning direction. The amount of overlap is set by the size φ of the spot light SP, the scanning speed (main scanning speed) Vs of the spot light SP, and the oscillation frequency Fa of the beam LB. The effective size φ of the spot light SP is determined by 1 / e ² (or 1/2) of the peak intensity of the spot light SP when the intensity distribution of the spot light SP is approximated by a Gaussian distribution.

  In the first embodiment, the scanning speed Vs and the oscillation frequency Fa of the spot light SP are set so that the spot light SP overlaps by about φ × ½ with respect to the effective size (dimension) φ. Is done. Therefore, the projection interval of the spot light SP along the main scanning direction is φ / 2. Therefore, also in the sub-scanning direction (direction orthogonal to the drawing line SLn), the substrate P is effective for the spot light SP between one scanning of the spot light SP along the drawing line SLn and the next scanning. It is desirable to set so as to move by a distance of about ½ of a large size φ. The exposure amount to the photosensitive functional layer on the substrate P can be set by adjusting the peak value of the beam LB (pulse light). However, the exposure amount can be increased in a situation where the intensity of the beam LB cannot be increased. In the case where the spot light SP is desired, the spot light SP is caused to fall by the decrease in the scanning speed Vs of the spot light SP in the main scanning direction, the increase in the oscillation frequency Fa of the beam LB, or the decrease in the transport speed Vt of the substrate P in the sub-scanning direction. The overlap amount in the main scanning direction or the sub-scanning direction may be increased. The scanning speed Vs of the spot light SP in the main scanning direction increases in proportion to the rotational speed (rotational speed Vp) of the polygon mirror PM.

  Each scanning unit Un (U1 to U6) irradiates each beam LBn toward the substrate P so that each beam LBn travels toward the central axis AXo of the rotary drum DR at least in the XZ plane. Thereby, the optical path (beam central axis) of the beam LBn traveling from each scanning unit Un (U1 to U6) toward the substrate P becomes parallel to the normal line of the irradiated surface of the substrate P in the XZ plane. Further, each scanning unit Un (U1 to U6) is configured such that the beam LBn irradiated to the drawing line SLn (SL1 to SL6) is perpendicular to the irradiated surface of the substrate P in a plane parallel to the YZ plane. The beam LBn is irradiated toward the substrate P. That is, the beam LBn (LB1 to LB6) projected onto the substrate P is scanned in a telecentric state with respect to the main scanning direction of the spot light SP on the irradiated surface. Here, a line perpendicular to the irradiated surface of the substrate P (also referred to as an optical axis) through each midpoint of a predetermined drawing line SLn (SL1 to SL6) defined by each scanning unit Un (U1 to U6). Is referred to as the irradiation center axis Len (Le1 to Le6).

  Each irradiation central axis Len (Le1 to Le6) is a line connecting the drawing lines SL1 to SL6 and the central axis AXo on the XZ plane. The irradiation center axes Le1, Le3, Le5 of the odd-numbered scanning units U1, U3, U5 are in the same direction in the XZ plane, and the irradiation center axes Le2 of the even-numbered scanning units U2, U4, U6. , Le4 and Le6 are in the same direction in the XZ plane. Further, the irradiation center axes Le1, Le3, Le5 and the irradiation center axes Le2, Le4, Le6 are set such that the angle is ± θ1 with respect to the center plane Poc in the XZ plane (see FIG. 1).

  A plurality of alignment microscopes AM1m (AM11 to AM14) and AM2m (AM21 to AM24) shown in FIG. 1 detect a plurality of alignment marks (marks) MKm (MK1 to MK4) formed on the substrate P shown in FIG. For this purpose, a plurality (four in the first embodiment) are provided along the Y direction. The plurality of alignment marks MKm (MK1 to MK4) are reference marks for relatively aligning (aligning) the substrate P with a predetermined pattern drawn in the exposure region W on the irradiated surface of the substrate P. It is. A plurality of alignment microscopes AM1m (AM11 to AM14) and AM2m (AM21 to AM24) are arranged on the substrate P supported by the outer peripheral surface (circumferential surface) of the rotating drum DR, and a plurality of alignment marks MKm (MK1 to MK4). Is detected. The plurality of alignment microscopes AM1m (AM11 to AM14) are more than the irradiated area (area surrounded by the drawing lines SL1 to SL6) on the substrate P by the spot light SP of the beam LBn (LB1 to LB6) from the exposure head 14. It is provided on the upstream side (−X direction side) in the transport direction of the substrate P. Further, the plurality of alignment microscopes AM2m (AM21 to AM24) are irradiated from the exposure head 14 by the spot light SP of the beam LBn (LB1 to LB6) on the substrate P (region surrounded by the drawing lines SL1 to SL6). Is also provided on the downstream side (+ X direction side) in the transport direction of the substrate P.

  The alignment microscopes AM1m (AM11 to AM14) and AM2m (AM21 to AM24) are a local region (observation region) Vw1m (Vw11) including a light source that projects illumination light for alignment onto the substrate P and an alignment mark MKm on the surface of the substrate P. To Vw14), an observation optical system (including an objective lens) for obtaining magnified images of Vw2m (Vw21 to Vw24), and while the substrate P is moving in the transport direction, the transport speed Vt of the substrate P is increased. And an image sensor such as a CCD or a CMOS that captures an image with a high-speed shutter. Imaging signals (image data) captured by each of the plurality of alignment microscopes AM1m (AM11 to AM14) and AM2m (AM21 to AM24) are sent to the control device 16. The control device 16 is provided with a mark position detection unit, and detects the position (mark position information) of the alignment mark MKm (MK1 to MK4) on the substrate P by performing image analysis of a plurality of imaging signals. The alignment illumination light is light in a wavelength region that has little sensitivity to the photosensitive functional layer on the substrate P, for example, light having a wavelength of about 500 to 800 nm.

  The plurality of alignment marks MK1 to MK4 are provided around each exposure region W. A plurality of alignment marks MK1 and MK4 are formed on both sides of the exposure region W in the width direction of the substrate P at a constant interval Dh along the longitudinal direction of the substrate P. The alignment mark MK1 is formed on the −Y direction side in the width direction of the substrate P, and the alignment mark MK4 is formed on the + Y direction side in the width direction of the substrate P. Such alignment marks MK1 and MK4 are located at the same position in the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the substrate P when the substrate P is not deformed due to a large tension or a thermal process. Be placed. Furthermore, alignment marks MK2 and MK3 are between alignment mark MK1 and alignment mark MK4, and extend in the width direction (short direction) of substrate P at the margins of exposure region W between the + X direction side and the −X direction side. Is formed. The alignment marks MK2 and MK3 are formed between the exposure area W and the exposure area W. The alignment mark MK2 is formed on the −Y direction side in the width direction of the substrate P, and the alignment mark MK3 is formed on the + Y direction side of the substrate P.

  Further, the spacing in the Y direction between the alignment mark MK1 and the alignment mark MK2 in the margin portion arranged at the −Y direction end of the substrate P, the spacing in the Y direction between the alignment mark MK2 in the margin portion and the alignment mark MK3, and The interval in the Y direction between the alignment mark MK4 arranged at the end on the + Y direction side of the substrate P and the alignment mark MK3 in the blank portion is set to the same distance. These alignment marks MKm (MK1 to MK4) may be formed together when the first pattern layer is formed. For example, when the pattern of the first layer is exposed, the alignment mark pattern may be exposed around the exposure area W where the pattern is exposed. The alignment mark MKm may be formed in the exposure area W. For example, it may be formed in the exposure area W along the outline of the exposure area W. Further, a pattern portion at a specific position or a specific shape portion in the pattern of the electronic device formed in the exposure region W may be used as the alignment mark MKm.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the alignment microscopes AM11 and AM21 are arranged so as to image the alignment mark MK1 existing in the observation regions (detection regions) Vw11 and Vw21 by the objective lens. Similarly, the alignment microscopes AM12 to AM14 and AM22 to AM24 are arranged so as to image the alignment marks MK2 to MK4 existing in the observation areas Vw12 to Vw14 and Vw22 to Vw24 by the objective lens. Therefore, the plurality of alignment microscopes AM11 to AM14 and AM21 to AM24 correspond to the positions of the plurality of alignment marks MK1 to MK4, and the substrates P in the order of AM11 to AM14 and AM21 to AM24 from the −Y direction side of the substrate P. It is provided along the width direction. In FIG. 2, the observation region Vw2m (Vw21 to Vw24) of the alignment microscope AM2m (AM21 to AM24) is not shown.

  In the plurality of alignment microscopes AM1m (AM11 to AM14), the distance in the longitudinal direction between the exposure position (drawing lines SL1 to SL6) and the observation region Vw1m (Vw11 to Vw14) in the X direction is the X direction of the exposure region W. It is provided to be shorter than the length. Similarly, in the plurality of alignment microscopes AM2m (AM21 to AM24), the distance in the longitudinal direction between the exposure position (drawing lines SL1 to SL6) and the observation region Vw2m (Vw21 to Vw24) in the X direction is X in the exposure region W. It is provided to be shorter than the length in the direction. The number of alignment microscopes AM1m and AM2m provided in the Y direction can be changed according to the arrangement and number of alignment marks MKm formed in the width direction of the substrate P. The sizes of the observation regions Vw1m (Vw11 to Vw14) and Vw2m (Vw21 to Vw24) on the irradiated surface of the substrate P are set according to the sizes of the alignment marks MK1 to MK4 and the alignment accuracy (position measurement accuracy). However, it is about 100 to 500 μm square.

  As shown in FIG. 2, scale parts SDa and SDb having scales formed in an annular shape over the entire circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum DR are provided at both ends of the rotary drum DR. The scale portions SDa and SDb are diffraction gratings in which concave or convex lattice lines (scales) are engraved at a constant pitch (for example, 20 μm) in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum DR. Configured as The scale portions SDa and SDb rotate integrally with the rotary drum DR around the central axis AXo. A plurality of encoder heads (hereinafter also simply referred to as encoders) ENja and ENjb (j = 1, 2, 3, 4) as scale reading heads for reading the scale portions SDa and SDb are opposed to the scale portions SDa and SDb. (See FIGS. 1 and 2). In FIG. 2, the encoders EN4a and EN4b are not shown.

  The encoders ENja and ENjb optically detect the rotational angle position of the rotary drum DR. Four encoders ENja (EN1a, EN2a, EN3a, EN4a) are provided to face the scale portion SDa provided at the end portion on the −Y direction side of the rotary drum DR. Similarly, four encoders ENjb (EN1b, EN2b, EN3b, EN4b) are provided so as to face the scale part SDb provided at the end on the + Y direction side of the rotary drum DR.

  The encoders EN1a and EN1b are provided on the upstream side (−X direction side) in the transport direction of the substrate P with respect to the center plane Poc, and are disposed on the installation direction line Lx1 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). . The installation azimuth line Lx1 is a line connecting the projection positions (reading positions) of the measurement light beams on the scale portions SDa and SDb of the encoders EN1a and EN1b and the central axis AXo on the XZ plane. Further, the installation orientation line Lx1 is a line connecting the observation region Vw1m (Vw11 to Vw14) of each alignment microscope AM1m (AM11 to AM14) and the central axis AXo on the XZ plane. That is, the plurality of alignment microscopes AM1m (AM11 to AM14) are also arranged on the installation orientation line Lx1.

  The encoders EN2a and EN2b are provided on the upstream side (−X direction side) in the transport direction of the substrate P with respect to the center plane Poc, and downstream in the transport direction of the substrate P (+ X direction) from the encoders EN1a and EN1b. Side). The encoders EN2a and EN2b are disposed on the installation direction line Lx2 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The installation azimuth line Lx2 is a line connecting the projection positions (reading positions) of the measurement light beams on the scale portions SDa and SDb of the encoders EN2a and EN2b and the central axis AXo on the XZ plane. The installation azimuth line Lx2 overlaps with the irradiation center axes Le1, Le3, Le5 at the same angular position in the XZ plane.

  The encoders EN3a and EN3b are provided on the downstream side (+ X direction side) in the transport direction of the substrate P with respect to the center plane Poc, and are disposed on the installation direction line Lx3 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The installation azimuth line Lx3 is a line connecting the projection positions (reading positions) of the light beams for measurement of the encoders EN3a and EN3b onto the scale portions SDa and SDb and the central axis AXo on the XZ plane. This installation orientation line Lx3 overlaps with the irradiation center axes Le2, Le4, and Le6 at the same angular position in the XZ plane. Therefore, the installation azimuth line Lx2 and the installation azimuth line Lx3 are set so that the angle is ± θ1 with respect to the center plane Poc in the XZ plane (see FIG. 1).

  The encoders EN4a and EN4b are provided on the downstream side (+ X direction side) in the transport direction of the substrate P from the encoders EN3a and EN3b, and are arranged on the installation direction line Lx4 (see FIG. 1). The installation azimuth line Lx4 is a line connecting the projection positions (reading positions) of the measurement light beams on the scale portions SDa and SDb of the encoders EN4a and EN4b and the central axis AXo on the XZ plane. Further, the installation orientation line Lx4 is a line connecting the observation region Vw2m (Vw21 to Vw24) of each alignment microscope AM2m (AM21 to AM24) and the central axis AXo on the XZ plane. That is, the plurality of alignment microscopes AM2m (AM21 to AM24) are also arranged on the installation direction line Lx4. The installation azimuth line Lx1 and the installation azimuth line Lx4 are set such that the angle is ± θ2 with respect to the center plane Poc in the XZ plane (see FIG. 1).

  Each encoder ENja (EN1a to EN4a), ENjb (EN1b to EN4b) projects a measurement light beam toward the scale portions SDa and SDb, and a detection signal (two-phase) obtained by photoelectrically detecting the reflected light beam (diffracted light). Signal) to the control device 16. In the controller 16, the detection signal (two-phase signal) for each encoder is interpolated, and the amount of movement of the grids of the scale portions SDa and SDb is digitally counted. Alternatively, a plurality of counter circuits that measure the movement amount of the substrate P with submicron resolution are provided. From the change in the angle of the rotary drum DR, the transport speed Vt of the substrate P can also be measured. Based on the count value of the counter circuit corresponding to each of the encoders ENja (EN1a to EN4a) and ENjb (EN1b to EN4b), the position of the alignment mark MKm (MK1 to MK4), the exposure area W on the substrate P and each drawing line The positional relationship of SLn in the sub-scanning direction can be specified. In addition, based on the count value of the counter circuit, an address position (access address) in the sub-scanning direction of the memory unit that stores drawing data (for example, bitmap data) of a pattern to be drawn on the substrate P is also designated.

  Next, the optical configuration of the scanning units Un (U1 to U6) will be described with reference to FIG. Since each scanning unit Un (U1 to U6) has the same configuration, only the scanning unit U1 will be described as a representative, and the description of the other scanning units Un will be omitted. In FIG. 5, the direction parallel to the irradiation center axis Len (Le1) is the Zt direction, and the substrate P is on the plane orthogonal to the Zt direction, and the substrate P passes from the processing apparatus PR1 through the exposure apparatus EX to the processing apparatus PR2. The direction toward the Xt direction is defined as the Yt direction, and the direction perpendicular to the Xt direction and on the plane orthogonal to the Zt direction is defined as the Yt direction. That is, the three-dimensional coordinates Xt, Yt, and Zt in FIG. 4 are the same as the three-dimensional coordinates X, Y, and Z in FIG. 1, and the Z-axis direction is parallel to the irradiation center axis Len (Le1). Thus, the three-dimensional coordinates rotated are as follows.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the scanning unit U1, a reflection mirror M10, a beam expander BE, a reflection mirror M11, Polarization beam splitter BS1, reflection mirror M12, shift optical member (parallel plate) SR, deflection adjustment optical member (prism) DP, field aperture FA, reflection mirror M13, λ / 4 wavelength plate QW, cylindrical lens CYA, reflection mirror M14, A polygon mirror PM, an fθ lens FT, a reflection mirror M15, and a cylindrical lens CYb are provided. Further, in the scanning unit U1, an origin sensor (origin detector) OP1 that detects the timing at which the scanning unit U1 can start drawing, and reflected light from the irradiated surface (substrate P) are detected via the polarization beam splitter BS1. An optical lens system G10 and a photodetector DT are provided.

  The beam LB1 incident on the scanning unit U1 travels in the −Zt direction, and is incident on the reflection mirror M10 inclined by 45 ° with respect to the XtYt plane. The axis of the beam LB1 incident on the scanning unit U1 is incident on the reflection mirror M10 so as to be coaxial with the irradiation center axis Le1. The reflection mirror M10 moves the incident beam LB1 in the −Xt direction toward the reflection mirror M11 that is separated in the −Xt direction from the reflection mirror M10 along the optical axis AXa of the beam expander BE set parallel to the Xt axis. reflect. Therefore, the optical axis AXa is orthogonal to the irradiation center axis Le1 in a plane parallel to the XtZt plane. The beam expander BE includes a condensing lens Be1 and a collimating lens Be2 that collimates the beam LB1 diverged after being converged by the condensing lens Be1, and expands the diameter of the beam LB1.

  The reflection mirror M11 is disposed with an inclination of 45 ° with respect to the YtZt plane, and reflects the incident beam LB1 (optical axis AXa) toward the polarization beam splitter BS1 in the −Yt direction. The polarization separation surface of the polarization beam splitter BS1 disposed away from the reflection mirror M11 in the -Yt direction is disposed at an angle of 45 ° with respect to the YtZt plane, reflects the P-polarized beam, and is orthogonal to the P-polarized light. It transmits a linearly polarized (S-polarized) beam polarized in the direction. Since the beam LB1 incident on the scanning unit U1 is a P-polarized beam here, the polarization beam splitter BS1 reflects the beam LB1 from the reflection mirror M11 in the -Xt direction and guides it to the reflection mirror M12 side.

  The reflection mirror M12 is disposed with an inclination of 45 ° with respect to the XtYt plane, and reflects the incident beam LB1 in the −Zt direction toward the reflection mirror M13 that is separated from the reflection mirror M12 in the −Zt direction. The beam LB1 reflected by the reflecting mirror M12 is shifted along the optical axis AXc parallel to the Zt axis by a shift optical member SR composed of two quartz parallel plates Sr1 and Sr2, and two wedge-shaped prisms Dp1 and Dp2. Is incident on the reflection mirror M13 after passing through the deflection adjusting optical member DP and the field aperture (field stop) FA. The shift optical member SR tilts each of the parallel plates Sr1 and Sr2 so that the center position in the cross section of the beam LB1 is two-dimensionally within a plane (XtYt plane) orthogonal to the traveling direction (optical axis AXc) of the beam LB1. To adjust. The deflection adjusting optical member DP rotates each of the prisms Dp1 and Dp2 around the optical axis AXc, thereby bringing the axis of the beam LB1 into parallel with the optical axis AXc, or the beam LB1 reaching the irradiated surface of the substrate P. These axes can be parallel to the irradiation center axis Le1.

  The reflection mirror M13 is arranged with an inclination of 45 ° with respect to the XtYt plane, and reflects the incident beam LB1 toward the reflection mirror M14 in the + Xt direction. The beam LB1 reflected by the reflection mirror M13 enters the reflection mirror M14 via the λ / 4 wavelength plate QW and the cylindrical lens CYa. The reflection mirror M14 reflects the incident beam LB1 toward the polygon mirror (rotating polygonal mirror, scanning deflection member) PM. The polygon mirror PM reflects the incident beam LB1 toward the + Xt direction toward the fθ lens FT having the optical axis AXf parallel to the Xt axis. The polygon mirror PM deflects (reflects) the incident beam LB1 one-dimensionally in a plane parallel to the XtYt plane in order to scan the spot light SP of the beam LB1 on the irradiated surface of the substrate P. Specifically, the polygon mirror PM has a rotation axis AXp extending in the Zt-axis direction and a plurality of reflection surfaces RP formed around the rotation axis AXp (in this embodiment, the number Np of reflection surfaces RP is eight). ). By rotating the polygon mirror PM around the rotation axis AXp in a predetermined rotation direction, the reflection angle of the pulsed beam LB1 irradiated on the reflection surface RP can be continuously changed. Thereby, the reflection direction of the beam LB1 is deflected by the single reflection surface RP, and the spot light SP of the beam LB1 irradiated on the irradiated surface of the substrate P is changed in the main scanning direction (width direction of the substrate P, Yt direction). Can be scanned along.

  That is, the spot light SP of the beam LB1 can be scanned once along the main scanning direction by one reflecting surface RP of the polygon mirror PM. For this reason, the number of drawing lines SL1 in which the spot light SP is scanned on the irradiated surface of the substrate P by one rotation of the polygon mirror PM is eight, which is the same as the number of the reflecting surfaces RP. The polygon mirror PM is rotated at a constant speed by a rotation drive source (for example, a motor, a speed reduction mechanism, etc.) RM under the control of the control device 16. As described above, the effective length (for example, 30 mm) of the drawing line SL1 is shorter than the maximum scanning length (for example, 31 mm) that allows the spot light SP to be scanned by the polygon mirror PM. In the initial setting (design), the center point of the drawing line SL1 (the point through which the irradiation center axis Le1 passes) is set at the center of the maximum scanning length.

  The cylindrical lens CYa converges the incident beam LB1 on the reflection surface RP of the polygon mirror PM in the non-scanning direction (Zt direction) orthogonal to the main scanning direction (rotation direction) by the polygon mirror PM. That is, the cylindrical lens CYa converges the beam LB1 in a slit shape (ellipse shape) extending in a direction parallel to the XtYt plane on the reflection surface RP. When the reflecting surface RP is inclined with respect to the Zt direction by a cylindrical lens CYa whose generating line is parallel to the Yt direction and a cylindrical lens CYb described later (inclination of the reflecting surface RP with respect to the normal of the XtYt plane). Even if it exists, the influence can be suppressed. For example, it is possible to prevent the irradiation position of the beam LB1 (drawing line SL1) irradiated on the irradiated surface of the substrate P from shifting in the Xt direction due to a slight tilt error for each reflecting surface RP of the polygon mirror PM. it can.

  The fθ lens FT having the optical axis AXf extending in the Xt-axis direction is a telecentric scan lens that projects the beam LB1 reflected by the polygon mirror PM onto the reflection mirror M15 so as to be parallel to the optical axis AXf on the XtYt plane. It is. The incident angle θ of the beam LB1 to the fθ lens FT changes according to the rotation angle (θ / 2) of the polygon mirror PM. The fθ lens FT projects the beam LB1 to the image height position on the irradiated surface of the substrate P in proportion to the incident angle θ through the reflection mirror M15 and the cylindrical lens CYb. When the focal length is fo and the image height position is y, the fθ lens FT is designed so as to satisfy the relationship y = fo × θ (distortion aberration). Therefore, the fθ lens FT enables the beam LB1 to be scanned accurately at a constant speed in the Yt direction (Y direction). When the incident angle θ to the fθ lens FT is 0 degree, the beam LB1 incident on the fθ lens FT travels along the optical axis AXf.

  The reflection mirror M15 reflects the beam LB1 from the fθ lens FT in the −Zt direction toward the substrate P via the cylindrical lens CYb. By the fθ lens FT and the cylindrical lens CYb in which the generatrix is parallel to the Yt direction, the beam LB1 projected onto the substrate P is a minute spot light having a diameter of about several μm (for example, 3 μm) on the irradiated surface of the substrate P. Converged to SP. Further, the spot light SP projected on the irradiated surface of the substrate P is one-dimensionally scanned by the polygon mirror PM along the drawing line SL1 extending in the Yt direction. The optical axis AXf of the fθ lens FT and the irradiation center axis Le1 are on the same plane, and the plane is parallel to the XtZt plane. Therefore, the beam LB1 traveling on the optical axis AXf is reflected in the −Zt direction by the reflecting mirror M15, and is projected on the substrate P coaxially with the irradiation center axis Le1. In the first embodiment, at least the fθ lens FT functions as a projection optical system that projects the beam LB1 deflected by the polygon mirror PM onto the irradiated surface of the substrate P. At least the reflecting members (reflecting mirrors M11 to M15) and the polarizing beam splitter BS1 function as an optical path deflecting member that bends the optical path of the beam LB1 from the reflecting mirror M10 to the substrate P. By this optical path deflecting member, the incident axis of the beam LB1 incident on the reflecting mirror M10 and the irradiation center axis Le1 can be made substantially coaxial. With respect to the XtZt plane, the beam LB1 passing through the scanning unit U1 passes through the optical path bent in a crank shape, and then travels in the −Zt direction and is projected onto the substrate P.

  In this way, with the substrate P being transported in the sub-scanning direction, the spot light SP of the beam LBn (LB1-LB6) is primary in the main scanning direction (Y direction) by each scanning unit Un (U1-U6). By performing original scanning, the spot light SP can be relatively two-dimensionally scanned on the irradiated surface of the substrate P.

  As an example, the effective length (drawing length) of each of the drawing lines SL1 to SL6 is 30 mm, and the effective size φ is ½ each of the spot light SP with 3 μm, that is, 1.5 (= 3 When the spot light SP is irradiated onto the irradiated surface of the substrate P along the drawing lines SLn (SL1 to SL6) while being overlapped by × 1/2) μm, the pulsed spot light SP is 1.5 μm. Irradiated at intervals. Therefore, the number of spot lights SP irradiated in one scan is 20000 (= 30 [mm] /1.5 [μm]). Further, assuming that the feed speed (conveyance speed) Vt of the substrate P in the sub-scanning direction is 0.6048 mm / sec and that the scanning of the spot light SP is also performed at 1.5 μm intervals in the sub-scanning direction. The time difference Tpx between one scan start (drawing start) time and the next scan start time along the line is about 620 μsec (= 0.375 [μm] /0.6048 [mm / sec]). This time difference Tpx is a time for which the polygon mirror PM of the eight reflecting surface RP rotates by one surface (45 degrees = 360 degrees / 8). In this case, since the time for one rotation of the polygon mirror PM needs to be set to be about 4.96 msec (= 8 × 620 [μsec]), the rotation speed Vp of the polygon mirror PM is about 201 per second. .613 rotations (= 1 / 4.96 [msec]), that is, about 12096.8 rpm.

  On the other hand, the maximum incident angle (corresponding to the maximum scanning length of the spot light SP) at which the beam LB1 reflected by one reflecting surface RP of the polygon mirror PM effectively enters the fθ lens FT is the focal length and the maximum scanning length of the fθ lens FT. It will be roughly decided by. As an example, when the reflecting surface RP is eight polygon mirrors PM, the ratio (scanning efficiency) of the rotation angle α that contributes to actual scanning out of the rotation angle 45 degrees for one reflection surface RP is α / 45 degrees. expressed. In the first embodiment, since the rotation angle α that contributes to actual scanning is in a range larger than 10 degrees and smaller than 15 degrees, the scanning efficiency is 1/3 (= 15 degrees / 45 degrees), and fθ. The maximum incident angle of the lens FT is 30 degrees (± 15 degrees with respect to the optical axis AXf). Therefore, the time Ts required to scan the spot light SP by the maximum scanning length (for example, 31 mm) of the drawing line SLn is Ts = Tpx × scanning efficiency. In the case of the above numerical example, the time Ts, About 206.666... Μsec (= 620 [μsec] / 3). Since the effective scanning length of the drawing lines SLn (SL1 to SL6) in the first embodiment is 30 mm, the scanning time Tsp of one scanning of the spot light SP along the drawing lines SLn is about 200 μsec ( = 206.666 (μsec) × 30 (mm) / 31 (mm)). Accordingly, since it is necessary to irradiate 20000 spot light SP (pulse light) during this time Tsp, the emission frequency (oscillation frequency) Fa of the beam LB from the light source device LS is Fa≈20,000 times / 200 μsec≈ 100 MHz.

  The origin sensor OP1 shown in FIG. 4 generates an origin signal SZ1 when the rotational position of the reflection surface RP of the polygon mirror PM reaches a predetermined position where the scanning of the spot light SP by the reflection surface RP can be started. In other words, the origin sensor OP1 generates the origin signal SZ1 when the angle of the reflection surface RP from which the spot light SP is scanned becomes a predetermined angular position. Since the polygon mirror PM has eight reflecting surfaces RP, the origin sensor OP1 outputs the origin signal SZ1 eight times during the period in which the polygon mirror PM rotates once. The origin signal SZ1 generated by the origin sensor OP1 is sent to the control device 16. After the origin sensor OP1 generates the origin signal SZ1, scanning of the spot light SP along the drawing line SL1 is started after the delay time Td1 has elapsed. That is, the origin signal SZ1 is information indicating the drawing start timing (scanning start timing) of the spot light SP by the scanning unit U1. The origin sensor OP1 includes a beam transmission system opa for emitting a laser beam Bga in a wavelength region that is non-photosensitive to the photosensitive functional layer of the substrate P to the reflecting surface RP, and a laser beam Bga reflected by the reflecting surface RP. And a beam receiving system opb that receives the reflected beam Bgb and generates an origin signal SZ1.

  The origin sensors OPn provided in the scanning units U2 to U6 are represented by OP2 to OP6, and origin signals SZn generated by the origin sensors OP2 to OP6 are represented by SZ2 to SZ6. Based on these origin signals SZn (SZ1 to SZ6), the control device 16 manages which scanning unit Un will scan the spot light SP from now on. In addition, the delay time Tdn from when the origin signals SZ2 to SZ6 are generated until the scanning units U2 to U6 start scanning the spot light SP along the drawing lines SL2 to SL6 may be represented by Td2 to Td6. In the present embodiment, using the origin signals SZ1 to SZ6, synchronous control for matching the rotation speed Vp of the polygon mirror PM of each of the scanning units U1 to U6 to a predetermined value, and the rotation angle position (angle phase) of each polygon mirror PM. Is synchronized with the predetermined relationship.

  The photodetector DT shown in FIG. 4 is, for example, reflected light generated when a reference pattern formed on the surface of the rotating drum DR or a reference pattern formed at a specific position on the substrate P is scanned with the spot light SP. A photoelectric conversion element that photoelectrically converts the change of If the spot light SP of the beam LB1 is irradiated from the scanning unit U1 to the area where the reference pattern (or the reference pattern on the substrate P) of the rotary drum DR is formed, the reflected light is reflected from the fθ lens FT being a telecentric system. Are a cylindrical lens CYb, a reflection mirror M15, an fθ lens FT, a polygon mirror PM, a reflection mirror M14, a cylindrical lens CYa, a λ / 4 wavelength plate QW, a reflection mirror M13, a field aperture FA, a deflection adjustment optical member DP, and a shift optical member. The light passes through SR and the reflection mirror M12 and returns to the polarization beam splitter BS1. The beam LB1 irradiated to the substrate P is converted from the P-polarized light to the circularly-polarized beam LB1 by the action of the λ / 4 wavelength plate QW, reflected by the surface of the rotating drum DR (or the surface of the substrate P), and polarized. The reflected light returning to the beam splitter BS1 is converted from circularly polarized light to S polarized light by the λ / 4 wavelength plate QW. Therefore, the reflected light from the rotating drum DR passes through the polarization beam splitter BS1 and reaches the photodetector DT via the optical lens system G10. The scanning unit Un can be calibrated based on the position information of the reference pattern with respect to the drawing line SLn measured based on the detection signal from the photodetector DT.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram of the configuration in the beam distribution unit BDU viewed in the XY plane. The beam distribution unit BDU includes a plurality of drawing optical elements AOMn (AOM1 to AOM6), a plurality of beam splitters BSa to BSe, a plurality of reflection mirrors MR1 to MR5, and a plurality of reflection mirrors FM1 to FM6. Have. The drawing optical elements AOMn (AOM1 to AOM6) are arranged in each of the optical paths in which the beam LB from the light source device LS is distributed into six, and the first-order diffracted light obtained by diffracting the incident beam in response to a high-frequency drive signal. , An acousto-optic modulator (AOM) that emits as beams LBn (LB1 to LB6). The diffraction direction of the first-order diffracted light (beams LB1 to LB6) in each of the drawing optical elements AOMn (AOM1 to AOM6) is the −Z direction in a plane parallel to the XZ plane, and each drawing optical element AOMn is in the on state ( The beams LBn (LB1 to LB6) emitted from the respective drawing optical elements AOMn in the state of generating the first-order diffracted light) are reflected by the reflecting mirrors FM1 to FM6 for reflecting the light whose reflecting surfaces are inclined with respect to the XY plane. Is reflected in the −Z direction toward the corresponding scanning units U1 to U6 (reflection mirror M10).

  The beam LB from the light source device LS is divided into two by the beam splitter BSa, and the beam transmitted through the beam splitter BSa is reflected by the reflection mirrors MR1 and MR2, and then divided into two by the beam splitter BSb. The beam reflected by the beam splitter BSb enters the drawing optical element AOM5, and the beam transmitted through the beam splitter BSb is divided into two by the beam splitter BSc. The beam reflected by the beam splitter BSc enters the drawing optical element AOM3, and the beam transmitted through the beam splitter BSc is reflected by the reflection mirror MR3 and enters the drawing optical element AOM1. Similarly, the beam reflected by the beam splitter BSa is reflected by the reflection mirror MR4 and then divided into two by the beam splitter BSd. The beam reflected by the beam splitter BSd enters the drawing optical element AOM6, and the beam transmitted through the beam splitter BSd is divided into two by the beam splitter BSe. The beam reflected by the beam splitter BSe enters the drawing optical element AOM4, and the beam transmitted through the beam splitter BSe is reflected by the reflecting mirror MR5 and enters the drawing optical element AOM2.

  As described above, the beam LB from the light source device LS is incident on each of the six drawing optical elements AOMn (AOM1 to AOM6) while being amplitude-divided (intensity-divided) by about 1/6. Each of the scanning units Un (U1 to U6) is turned on / off by applying a high-frequency drive signal to each of the drawing optical elements AOMn (AOM1 to AOM6) according to the bit data for each pixel of the drawing data. The intensity of the spot light SP scanned along the drawing line SLn is modulated. As a result, a pattern corresponding to the drawing data (bitmap) is simultaneously drawn on the substrate P by each scanning unit Un (U1 to U6). The drawing data (pattern data) is obtained by dividing a pattern drawn by the scanning unit Un by pixels having dimensions set according to the size φ of the spot light SP, and each of the plurality of pixels is logical information corresponding to the pattern. (Pixel data). That is, in the drawing data, the direction along the scanning direction (main scanning direction, Y direction) of the spot light SP is the row direction, and the direction along the transport direction (sub-scanning direction, X direction) of the substrate P is the column direction. Thus, it is bitmap data composed of logical information (pixel data) of a plurality of pixels that are two-dimensionally decomposed.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of the control device 16 shown in FIG. 1. The control device 16 controls the drawing control unit 100 that controls the entire drawing operation and the origins of the scanning units U1 to U6. The origin signals SZ1 to SZ6 from the beam receiving system opb of the sensor OPn are input and imaged by the polygon mirror driving unit 102 that controls the motor RM for rotating the polygon mirror PM and each of the plurality of alignment microscopes AM1m and AM2m. Based on detection signals (two-phase signals) from the alignment unit 104 that analyzes the images of the alignment marks MK1 to MK4 and generates mark position information, and the encoder heads EN1a to EN4a and EN1b to EN4b, Encoder counter that digitally counts the movement amount and movement position of scale parts SDa and SDb in the circumferential direction For each of the drawing lines SL1 to SL6 read out from the drawing data storage unit 108 and the drawing data storage unit 108 for storing drawing data of a pattern to be drawn in each of the scanning units U1 to U6 in a bitmap format. Control of the AOM drive unit 110 that modulates the drawing optical elements AOM1 to AOM6 corresponding to each of the scanning units U1 to U6 in accordance with the drawing data string (bitstream signal), and the control of the drive system (motor, etc.) of the rotary drum DR And a drive control unit 112 that controls the Z drive system ZTU (see FIG. 8) that finely moves the exposure head 14 (scanning unit Un) in the Z direction with respect to the rotary drum DR. Further, the drawing control unit 100 sends information TMg for correcting the drawing magnification to the light source device LS, and the light source device LS emits the beam at the timing when each of the scanning units U1 to U6 scans the substrate P with the spot light SP. A drawing switch signal SHT and the like for controlling to emit LB are sent.

  In the present embodiment, the beam LB of the light source device LS is pulsed light having an oscillation frequency Fa (for example, 100 MHz). For this purpose, the light source device LS generates a clock signal LTC having the oscillation frequency Fa. One clock pulse of the clock signal LTC corresponds to one pulse emission of the beam LB. Furthermore, the light source device LS includes a correction unit that corrects the drawing magnification by finely adjusting the cycle of the clock signal LTC while at least the spot light SP is scanned along the drawing line SLn. The clock signal LTC is also used by the polygon mirror drive unit 102 to manage the rotational speed Vp of the polygon mirror PM. In addition, the light source device LS is a pixel for shifting the drawing data string (pixel string) sent from the drawing data storage unit 108 to the AOM driving unit 110 during one scan of the spot light SP for each bit data of one pixel. A shift signal (pixel shift pulse) BSC is generated.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of the light source device (pulse light source device, pulse laser device) LS. The light source device LS as a fiber laser device includes a pulsed light generation unit 20 and a control circuit 22. The pulse light generator 20 includes DFB semiconductor laser elements 30 and 32, a polarization beam splitter 34, an electro-optic element (intensity modulation section) 36 as a drawing light modulator, a drive circuit 36a for the electro-optic element 36, and a polarization beam splitter. 38, an absorber 40, an excitation light source 42, a combiner 44, a fiber optical amplifier 46, wavelength conversion optical elements 48 and 50, and a plurality of lens elements GL. The control circuit 22 has a signal generator 22a that generates a clock signal LTC and a pixel shift pulse BSC.

  In response to the clock signal LTC, the DFB semiconductor laser element (first solid-state laser element) 30 has sharp or sharp pulsed seed light (pulse beam, beam) at an oscillation frequency Fa (for example, 100 MHz) which is a predetermined frequency. ) S1 is generated, and the DFB semiconductor laser element (second solid-state laser element) 32 responds to the clock signal LTC and has a slow (time broad) pulse at an oscillation frequency Fa (for example, 100 MHz) which is a predetermined frequency. A seed light (pulse beam, beam) S2 is generated. The seed light S1 generated by the DFB semiconductor laser element 30 and the seed light S2 generated by the DFB semiconductor laser element 32 are synchronized in emission timing. The seed lights S1 and S2 both have substantially the same energy per pulse, but have different polarization states, and the peak intensity of the seed light S1 is stronger. The seed light S1 and the seed light S2 are linearly polarized light, and their polarization directions are orthogonal to each other. In the first embodiment, the polarization state of the seed light S1 generated by the DFB semiconductor laser element 30 will be described as S-polarized light, and the polarization state of the seed light S2 generated by the DFB semiconductor laser element 32 will be described as P-polarized light. The seed lights S1 and S2 are light in the infrared wavelength region.

  The control circuit 22 controls the DFB semiconductor laser elements 30 and 32 so that the seed lights S1 and S2 emit light in response to the clock pulse of the clock signal LTC sent from the signal generator 22a. As a result, the DFB semiconductor laser elements 30 and 32 emit the seed lights S1 and S2 simultaneously at a predetermined frequency (oscillation frequency) Fa in response to each clock pulse (oscillation frequency Fa) of the clock signal LTC. The control circuit 22 is controlled by the drawing control unit 100 in the control device 16. The clock pulse period (= 1 / Fa) of the clock signal LTC is referred to as a reference period Ta. The seed lights S 1 and S 2 generated by the DFB semiconductor laser elements 30 and 32 are guided to the polarization beam splitter 34.

  As will be described in detail later, the clock signal LTC serving as the reference clock signal is an address counter for designating an address in the row direction in the memory circuit that stores bitmap-like drawing pattern data in the drawing data storage unit 108. This is the base of the pixel shift pulse BSC supplied to the (register). Further, magnification correction information TMg for performing magnification correction of the drawing line SLn on the irradiated surface of the substrate P is sent from the drawing control unit 100 in the control device 16 to the signal generating unit 22a. Thereby, the length (scanning length) of the drawing line SLn on the irradiated surface of the substrate P can be finely adjusted from the ppm order to the% order. The expansion / contraction of the drawing line SLn (fine adjustment of the scanning length) can be performed within the range of the maximum scanning length (for example, 31 mm) of the drawing line SLn. Note that the magnification correction in the first embodiment is a spot projected along the main scanning direction while the number of spot lights SP corresponding to one pixel (1 bit) on the drawing data is kept constant. By uniformly finely adjusting the projection interval of the light SP (that is, the cycle of the clock signal LTC), the magnification in the scanning direction of the entire drawing line SLn is uniformly corrected.

  The polarizing beam splitter 34 transmits S-polarized light and reflects P-polarized light. The seed beam S1 generated by the DFB semiconductor laser element 30 and the seed light S2 generated by the DFB semiconductor laser element 32 Is guided to the electro-optic element 36. That is, the polarization beam splitter 34 guides the seed light S 1 to the electro-optic element 36 by transmitting the S-polarized seed light S 1 generated by the DFB semiconductor laser element 30. The polarization beam splitter 34 reflects the P-polarized seed light S2 generated by the DFB semiconductor laser element 32 to guide the seed light S2 to the electro-optic element 36. The DFB semiconductor laser elements 30 and 32 and the polarization beam splitter 34 constitute a pulse light source unit 35 that generates seed lights S1 and S2.

  The electro-optic element (intensity modulation section) 36 is transmissive to the seed lights S1 and S2, and for example, an electro-optic modulator (EOM: Electro-Optic Modulator) is used. The seed light S1 and S2 from each of the DFB semiconductor laser element 30 and the DFB semiconductor laser element 32 has a long wavelength range of 800 nm or more, and therefore, the electro-optic element 36 having a polarization state switching response of about GHz is used. Can do. In response to the high / low state of the drawing switch signal SHT, the electro-optical element 36 switches the polarization states of the seed lights S1 and S2 by the drive circuit 36a. The drawing switch signal SHT is in a high state immediately before any of the scanning units U1 to U6 starts drawing, or at a time before the drawing start by a certain time, and all of the scanning units U1 to U6 perform drawing. If not, it goes low. The drawing switch signal SHT is sent from the drawing control unit 100 that monitors the generation state of the origin signals SZ1 to SZ6 in FIG.

  When the drawing switch signal SHT input to the drive circuit 36a is in a low (“0”) state, the electro-optic element 36 directly guides the polarization state of the seed lights S1 and S2 to the polarization beam splitter 38 without changing the polarization state. Conversely, when the drawing switch signal SHT input to the drive circuit 36a is in a high (“1”) state, the electro-optic element 36 changes the polarization state of the incident seed light S1 and S2, that is, changes the polarization direction. The beam is changed by 90 degrees and guided to the polarization beam splitter 38. The drive circuit 36a drives the electro-optic element 36 in this manner, so that the electro-optic element 36 converts the S-polarized seed light S1 into the P-polarized seed light when the drawing switch signal SHT is in the high state (“1”). The light is converted into light S1, and the P-polarized seed light S2 is converted into S-polarized seed light S2.

  The polarizing beam splitter 38 transmits P-polarized light and guides it to the combiner 44 via the lens element GL, and reflects S-polarized light to the absorber 40. The light (seed light) that passes through the polarization beam splitter 38 is represented by a beam Lse. The oscillation frequency of this pulsed beam Lse is Fa. The excitation light source 42 generates excitation light, and the excitation light is guided to the combiner 44 through the optical fiber 42a. The combiner 44 combines the beam Lse emitted from the polarization beam splitter 38 and the excitation light and outputs the combined light to the fiber optical amplifier 46. The fiber optical amplifier 46 is doped with a laser medium that is pumped by pumping light. Therefore, in the fiber optical amplifier 46 that transmits the synthesized beam Lse and the pumping light, the laser medium is pumped by the pumping light, so that the beam Lse as the seed light is amplified. As the laser medium doped in the fiber optical amplifier 46, rare earth elements such as erbium (Er), ytterbium (Yb), thulium (Tm) are used. The amplified beam Lse is emitted from the exit end 46 a of the fiber optical amplifier 46 with a predetermined divergence angle, converged or collimated by the lens element GL, and enters the wavelength conversion optical element 48.

The wavelength conversion optical element (first wavelength conversion optical element) 48 is configured to convert the incident beam Lse (wavelength λ) into the second half of the wavelength λ by the second harmonic generation (SHG). Convert to harmonics. As the wavelength conversion optical element 48, a PPLN (Periodically Poled LiNbO3) crystal which is a quasi phase matching (QPM) crystal is preferably used. It is also possible to use a PPLT (Periodically Poled LiTaO3) crystal or the like.

  The wavelength conversion optical element (second wavelength conversion optical element) 50 includes the second harmonic wave (wavelength λ / 2) converted by the wavelength conversion optical element 48 and the seed light remaining without being converted by the wavelength conversion optical element 48. A third frequency with a wavelength of 1/3 of λ is generated by sum frequency generation (SFG) with (wavelength λ). The third harmonic becomes ultraviolet light (beam LB) having a peak wavelength in a wavelength band of 370 mm or less (for example, 355 nm).

  When the drawing switch signal SHT applied to the drive circuit 36a is low (“0”), the electro-optic element (intensity modulation unit) 36 directly does not change the polarization state of the incident seed light S1 and S2, and the polarization beam splitter 38 Lead to. Therefore, the beam Lse that passes through the polarization beam splitter 38 becomes the seed light S2. In this case, the beam Lse has a low peak intensity of the pulse and has a time-broad and dull characteristic. Since the fiber optical amplifier 46 has low amplification efficiency with respect to the seed light S2 having such a low peak intensity, the beam LB emitted from the light source device LS becomes light that is not amplified to the energy necessary for exposure. Therefore, from the viewpoint of exposure, the light source device LS has substantially the same result as not emitting the beam LB. That is, the intensity of the spot light SP applied to the substrate P is at a very low level. However, even during the period when the pattern is not exposed (non-drawing period), the ultraviolet beam LB derived from the seed light S2 is irradiated with a slight intensity. Therefore, when the drawing lines SL1 to SL6 remain at the same position on the substrate P for a long time (for example, when the substrate P is stopped due to a trouble in the transport system, etc.), the beam LB of the light source device LS. A movable shutter may be provided on the exit window (not shown) to close the exit window.

  On the other hand, when the drawing switch signal SHT applied to the drive circuit 36a is high (“1”), the electro-optical element (intensity modulation unit) 36 changes the polarization state of the incident seed lights S1 and S2 to change the polarization beam splitter 38. Lead to. Therefore, the beam Lse that passes through the polarization beam splitter 38 is generated from the seed light S 1 from the DFB semiconductor laser element 30. Since the seed light S1 from the DFB semiconductor laser element 30 has a strong peak intensity, the P-polarized beam LB that is efficiently amplified by the fiber optical amplifier 46 and output from the light source device LS is energy required for exposure of the substrate P. have. That is, the intensity of the spot light SP applied to the substrate P is at a high level. As described above, since the electro-optic element 36 responding to the drawing switch signal SHT is provided in the light source device LS, scanning is performed only during a period during which the drawing operation is performed by scanning the spot light SP while the polygon mirror PM is rotating. It is possible to cause the units U1 to U6 to transmit the beams LB (LB1 to LB6).

  In the configuration of FIG. 7, the DFB semiconductor laser element 32 and the polarization beam splitter 34 are omitted, and only the seed light S1 from the DFB semiconductor laser element 30 is switched by switching the polarization state of the electro-optic element 36, thereby the fiber optical amplifier 46. It is also conceivable to guide the light in burst waves. However, when this configuration is adopted, the incident periodicity (frequency Fa) of the seed light S1 to the fiber optical amplifier 46 is to be drawn, and the scanning cycle of the spot light SP along the drawing line SLn (each surface of the polygon mirror PM). In accordance with the reflection period of the beam LBn). That is, after the seed light S1 from the DFB semiconductor laser element 30 does not enter the fiber optical amplifier 46, when the seed light S1 suddenly enters the fiber optical amplifier 46, the seed light S1 immediately after the incident is more than usual. There is a problem that a beam having a greater intensity than specified is generated from the fiber optical amplifier 46. Therefore, in the present embodiment, as a preferred mode, the seed light S2 from the DFB semiconductor laser element 32 (time-broadly pulsed light with a reduced peak intensity) is a period in which the seed light S1 is not incident on the fiber optical amplifier 46. Is incident on the fiber optical amplifier 46 to solve such a problem.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the oscillation frequency Fa of the beam LB from the light source device LS and the scanning speed Vs of the spot light SP are approximately ½ of the effective size φ of the spot light SP on the substrate P. It is set to overlap in the main scanning direction, and each pixel when the pattern to be drawn is decomposed into two-dimensional pixels is drawn with two spots (pulses) of the spot light SP in each of the XY directions. Set to However, when correcting the drawing magnification based on the magnification correction information TMg, the period of the clock pulse of the clock signal LTC is expanded or contracted (the oscillation frequency Fa is increased or decreased), so that two consecutive spots irradiated on the substrate P The light SP slightly increases / decreases from 1/2 of the effective size φ, and the size of one pixel in the main scanning direction is slightly expanded / contracted.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8, the exposure apparatus EX according to the present embodiment has an upper main body frame 120 that supports the exposure head 14 having the scanning units Un (U1 to U6) and the beam distribution unit BDU in a fixed positional relationship. A lower body frame 130 that supports the shaft Sft of the rotating drum DR via a bearing, and an upper body frame 120 that is supported on the lower body frame 130 at three locations, and the position of the upper body frame 120 in the Z direction ( Z support mechanisms 132A, 132B, and 132C that finely adjust the height position) are further provided. The three Z support mechanisms 132A, 132B, and 132C are arranged at the positions of the vertices of an equilateral triangle or an isosceles triangle in the XY plane. Further, in the vicinity of each of the Z support mechanisms 132A, 132B, and 132C, Z sensors 133A, 133B, and 133C that measure a change in the position of the upper main body frame 120 in the Z direction with respect to the lower main body frame 130 (the rotating drum DR). Is provided.

  Each of the Z support mechanisms 132A, 132B, 132C is an electric actuator, an ultrasonic motor, or the like, and an electric actuator that finely moves each of the three positions of the upper body frame 120 in the Z direction, or a manual fine movement mechanism such as a micro gauge. Have. When the Z support mechanisms 132A, 132B, and 132C have electric actuators, the Z drive system ZTU is configured according to a command sent from the drawing control unit 100 of FIG. 6 via the drive control unit 112. , 132C individually servo-controls the measurement information measured by each of the Z sensors 133A, 133B, 133C as feedback information. Measurement information measured by each of the Z sensors 133A, 133B, and 133C is also sequentially sent to the drawing control unit 100 via the Z drive system ZTU and the drive control unit 112. Further, when each of the Z support mechanisms 132A, 132B, and 132C has a manual fine movement mechanism, the Z drive system ZTU and the drive control unit 112 do not need the function of controlling the actuator, but the Z sensors 133A, 133B, and 133C It is used as a function of sending measurement information measured by each to the drawing control unit 100. Although omitted in FIG. 8, the alignment microscopes AM1m and AM2m are supported by either the upper main body frame 120 or the lower main body frame 130.

  By the exposure apparatus EX as described above, the pattern drawn on the substrate P in each of the scanning units Un (U1 to U6) is connected in the main scanning direction to expose the pattern of the electronic device or the like. Calibration may be performed at an appropriate time in order to maintain drawing quality and alignment accuracy. For calibration of this type of exposure apparatus EX, for example, measurement of exposure amount and illuminance unevenness, measurement of focus error (offset), measurement of resolution, measurement of overlay accuracy, arrangement of drawing lines SLn (scanning unit Un) Measurement of error, measurement of baseline error, which is the circumferential distance between detection region Vw1m of alignment microscope AM1m and drawing line SLn, measurement of each drawing distortion (fθ characteristic) of scanning unit Un, and correction of drawing magnification Various measurements such as measurement of setting accuracy and measurement of total pitch error in the main scanning direction and sub-scanning direction of the exposure area to be drawn are involved. Many of these measurements are ultimately confirmed by test exposure.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, a long test film (a sheet substrate for test drawing) used for such measurement is transported by a rotating drum DR, or a sheet substrate for test drawing made into a single sheet is rotated. The test exposure is performed by pasting on the outer peripheral surface of the drum DR. Regardless of whether the sheet substrate for test exposure is long or single wafer, a photosensitive layer such as a resist is formed on the surface before the test exposure. In addition, the test exposure sheet substrate is formed by applying a liquid resist by a die coating method or the like on a flexible substrate that is less susceptible to deformation (strain) due to stress (tension) change, temperature change, humidity change, or dry film. It is made by laminating resist (DRF). For example, when the substrate P on which the electronic device is formed is a PET substrate having a thickness of 100 μm or less from the relationship between mass productivity and cost, when the same PET substrate is used as a test film, the thickness is, for example, about 200 μm, which is about twice as thick. Thus, a sheet substrate for test drawing with less deformation (distortion) due to a change in stress (tension) can be produced. Further, an aluminum foil or a copper foil may be rolled and laminated on a PET substrate serving as a base material (base substrate) to a thickness of about several tens of μm.

  When the test drawing sheet substrate (test sheet substrate) as described above is supported by the rotary drum DR and the test exposure is performed, if the thickness of the test sheet substrate is different from the thickness of the device manufacturing substrate P, it remains as it is. Then, there may be a problem in exposing a test pattern or the like for test exposure with good quality while maintaining alignment accuracy. One of the factors is the focus error of the spot light SP caused by the difference between the thickness of the device manufacturing substrate P and the thickness of the test sheet substrate, and the position error of the drawing line SLn in the sub-scanning direction.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the focus error of the spot light SP and the position error of the drawing line SLn in the sub-scanning direction. The outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum DR, the surface of the device manufacturing substrate P, and the test It is a figure which exaggerates the case where the surface of the sheet | seat board | substrate TF is set with a different radius with a thickness difference from the central axis AXo of the rotating drum DR, respectively. In FIG. 9, when viewed in the XZ plane, the position of the drawing line SL1 where the beam LB1 from the odd-numbered scanning unit U1 converges as the spot light SP with the best focus, and the beam from the odd-numbered scanning unit U2 The drawing line SL2 where the light beam LB2 is focused as the spot light SP with the best focus is in a state where both are aligned with the surface of the substrate P. In this state, if the test sheet substrate TF having a thickness about twice that of the substrate P is supported on the surface of the rotary drum DR, the drawing line SL1 is drawn on the surface of the test sheet substrate TF. The drawing line SL2 is shifted to the drawing line SL2a, and the defocused spot light SP is projected. If the focal depth (DOF) at the condensing position of the beams LB1 and LB2 is large, the influence of the defocusing is small, but the distance in the circumferential direction between the drawing line SL1a and the drawing line SL2a on the surface of the test sheet substrate TF. Is slightly longer than the circumferential distance between the drawing line SL1 and the drawing line SL2 on the surface of the substrate P.

  FIG. 10 shows a test using the circumferential distance between the drawing line SL1 and the drawing line SL2 when the spot light SP is projected in the best focus state on the surface (irradiated surface) of the substrate P as a reference point (zero point). Taking the thickness difference ΔHf of the thickness of the test sheet substrate TF from the thickness of the substrate P on the horizontal axis, the circumferential distance between the drawing line SL1a and the drawing line SL2a on the surface of the test sheet substrate TF is It is the graph which took the error amount (DELTA) Xf changed from the distance of the circumferential direction of drawing line SL1 and drawing line SL2 on the surface on the vertical axis | shaft. That is, FIG. 10 shows a tendency of the error amount ΔXf of the interval between the odd-numbered and even-numbered drawing lines SLn in the sub-scanning direction caused by the thickness difference ΔHf from the substrate P of the test sheet substrate TF. A tendency as shown in FIG. 10 (a relation map or relational expression between the thickness difference ΔHf and the error amount ΔXf) is stored in advance in the drawing control unit 100, and the thickness of the test sheet substrate TF to be used at the time of test exposure. Accordingly, an error amount ΔXf between the odd-numbered drawing lines SL1 (SL1a), SL3 (SL3a), and SL5 (SL5a) and the even-numbered drawing lines SL2 (SL2a), SL4 (SL4a), and SL6 (SL6a) is For correction, for example, the drawing control unit 100 controls the pattern drawing positions of the even-numbered scanning units U1, U3, and U5 to be shifted by the error amount ΔXf in the sub-scanning direction.

  Further, in the test exposure, as a method for obtaining the best focus position of the spot light SP, the entire exposure head 14 is moved in the Z direction by a certain amount by each of the Z support mechanisms 132A, 132B, 132C shown in FIG. By shifting, the exposure of the force check pattern (line and space of a constant pitch) is repeated, and the resist image of the force check pattern after development of the exposed substrate is observed most clearly. A method in which the direction position is the best focus position can be implemented. In that case, an error amount ΔXf as shown in FIG. 10 may be generated by moving the exposure head 14 (scanning unit Un) in the Z direction.

  This will be described again with reference to FIG. In FIG. 9, it is assumed that the beams LB1 and LB2 are projected on the surface of the substrate P in the best focus state, and the Z direction position of the exposure head 14 at that time is Zf0 (reference point), and exposure is performed from the position Zf0. Assume that the head 14 is translated in the Z direction by ± ΔZf. When the exposure head 14 is shifted upward by + ΔZf, as shown in FIG. 9, the drawing lines SL1 and SL2 generated in the best focus state on the substrate P are drawn upward by + ΔZf. SL2 ′. On the other hand, when the exposure head 14 is shifted downward by −ΔZf, the drawing lines SL1 and SL2 generated in the best focus state on the substrate P are displaced downward by −ΔZf as shown in FIG. The drawing lines are SL1 ″ and SL2 ″. Therefore, even when the exposure head 14 is shifted in the Z direction during the test exposure for obtaining the best focus position, for example, on the surface of the test sheet substrate TF, an odd number is generated according to the displacement of the exposure head 14 in the + Z direction. The drawing lines are displaced (laterally shifted) as the drawing lines SL1c, SL1a, and SL1 ′, and the even-numbered drawing lines are displaced (laterally shifted) as the drawing lines SL2c, SL2a, and SL2 ′.

  FIG. 11 shows a reference point that is the position Zf0 in the Z direction of the exposure head 14 where the drawing line SL1 and the drawing line SL2 are positioned so that the spot light SP is projected onto the surface (irradiated surface) of the substrate P in the best focus state. As a (zero point), the amount of change ΔZf in the Z direction of the exposure head 14 is taken on the horizontal axis, and on the irradiated surface (the surface of the test sheet substrate TF, the surface of the substrate P, or the surface of the rotary drum DR). It is the graph which took the error amount (DELTA) Xf from the reference point of the circumferential direction space | interval of the odd-numbered drawing line and the even-numbered drawing line as the vertical axis | shaft. That is, FIG. 11 shows the tendency of the error amount ΔXf of the interval between the odd-numbered and even-numbered drawing lines SLn in the sub-scanning direction caused by the position change amount ΔZf of the exposure head 14 in the Z direction. A tendency as shown in FIG. 11 (a relational map or relational expression between the position change amount ΔZf and the error amount ΔXf) is stored in advance in the drawing control unit 100, and the position of the exposure head 14 in the Z direction during test exposure. In accordance with (measured by the Z sensors 133A, 133B, and 133C in FIG. 8), the error amount ΔXf between the odd-numbered drawing lines SL1, SL3, and SL5 and the even-numbered drawing lines SL2, SL4, and SL6 is corrected. As described above, for example, the drawing control unit 100 controls the pattern drawing positions of the even-numbered scanning units U1, U3, and U5 to be shifted by the error amount ΔXf in the sub-scanning direction.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the thickness of the substrate (substrate P, test sheet substrate TF) on which a pattern is drawn, or the irradiated surface that is the surface of the exposure head 14 and the rotary drum DR or the substrate P (TF). An error amount ΔXf in the circumferential interval between the odd-numbered drawing lines and the even-numbered drawing lines caused by the change in the Z-direction interval (focus change) between the exposure head 14 and the exposure head 14 is obtained, and the test exposure or the substrate P is detected. Since the pattern drawing can be performed by each scanning unit Un so that the error amount ΔXf is corrected at the time of the main exposure, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the drawing quality due to the focus change. In addition, it is possible to maintain high joint accuracy between patterns drawn by the odd-numbered scanning units and the even-numbered scanning units.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus (pattern drawing apparatus) according to the second embodiment. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system in which the gravity direction is the Z direction is set, and the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction will be described according to the arrows shown in the drawing. Further, in the configuration of each part shown in FIG. 12, the same members and configurations as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The substrate processing apparatus according to the second embodiment includes a storage unit BF1 that folds a plurality of substrates P sent from the processing apparatus PR1 in the previous process and stores the substrates P over a predetermined length, and a width direction of the substrates P. An edge position control unit EPC1 that adjusts the position in the (Y direction) to the correct position, a supply roll RTF wound with a test sheet substrate TF on which a photosensitive layer is formed, and a front end of the test sheet substrate TF fed from the supply roll RTF Bonding mechanism 140 for overlapping and bonding the portion on the surface of the substrate P, the rotary drum DR, the exposure head 14 including the scanning units U1 to U6, the alignment microscopes AM1m and AM2m, and the tip portion being bonded to the substrate P The collection roll RTu that collects the test sheet substrate TF that is combined and conveyed on the substrate P, and the edge position control unit EPC When provided with a storage unit BF2 for storing across the substrate P to a predetermined length, a. The supply roll RTF, the bonding mechanism 140, and the recovery roll RTu constitute a substrate supply / recovery unit. The substrate P sent out from the edge position control unit EPC2 is sent to the processing apparatus PR2 in the subsequent process via the storage unit BF2.

  In the present embodiment, the test exposure can be performed by passing the test sheet substrate TF through the pattern drawing apparatus in a state where the substrate P on which the electronic device is formed is mounted on the pattern drawing apparatus. Therefore, when it is necessary to perform test exposure for calibration and performance confirmation of the pattern drawing apparatus during the execution of the exposure process for exposing the pattern for the electronic device to the substrate P, as shown in FIG. For example, when the margin Eas between the exposure area W2 and the exposure area W3 on the substrate P comes to the position of the bonding mechanism 140, the conveyance of the substrate P (rotation of the rotating drum DR) is temporarily stopped, and the test is performed. The front end portion of the sheet substrate TF for use is positioned and bonded to the blank portion Eas of the substrate P. When pasting is completed, the conveyance (rotation of the rotating drum DR) of the substrate P at a predetermined speed is started again. As a result, the substrate P and the test sheet substrate TF are overlapped with each other and supported and sent continuously to the rotary drum DR, and the test pattern is exposed on the photosensitive layer of the test sheet substrate TF. The test sheet substrate TF subjected to the test exposure is wound around the collection roll RTu after the rotary drum DR. At that time, although not shown in FIG. 13, a peeling mechanism that peels off the front end portion of the test sheet substrate TF from the substrate P is used. When a series of test exposures are completed, the bonding mechanism 140 cuts the test sheet substrate TF. When the test sheet substrate TF has transparency, when the test exposure is performed on the test sheet substrate TF so as to overlap the substrate P, the test pattern or the like is also exposed to the photosensitive layer on the surface of the substrate P. Therefore, an opaque layer that shields (or absorbs) exposure light (drawing beam LBn) from the exposure head 14 is formed on the back surface of the test sheet substrate TF, for example, a layer having a predetermined thickness made of aluminum foil or copper foil. Uniformly formed. Further, a resin film is formed on the entire surface of the back surface of the test sheet substrate TF that comes into contact with the substrate P with a uniform thickness to prevent dust from being caught or scratched.

  When the cut test sheet substrate TF is wound on the collection roll RTu, the collection roll RTu is sent to a development process to develop the photosensitive layer (resist), and a test pattern register image that appears on the test sheet substrate TF is obtained. Various inspections and measuring devices are used to check various qualities and accuracy. On the other hand, when the test sheet substrate TF is completely peeled off from the surface of the substrate P, the conveyance of the substrate P is stopped, and the substrate P is reversed so that the blank portion Eas of the substrate P returns to the position of the bonding mechanism 140. In the direction (reverse rotation of the rotating drum DR). By this reverse conveyance, the exposure process from, for example, the unexposed exposure area W3 on the substrate P can be resumed. As described above, the storage units BF1 and BF2 are provided so that the substrate processing (substrate transport) in the processing apparatus in the previous process or the subsequent process is not hindered by the temporary stop and the reverse transport of the substrate P. Also in the present embodiment, when the best focus position of each scanning unit Un is confirmed by test exposure, the thickness change of the test sheet substrate TF and the Z of the exposure head 14 are changed as in the first embodiment. Correction is performed in consideration of the error amount ΔXf of the distance between the odd-numbered and even-numbered drawing lines SLn that can be generated in accordance with the change in the position of the direction.

  According to the present embodiment, even when the substrate P is being processed by the substrate processing apparatus (pattern drawing apparatus), the processing (test exposure or the like) on the test sheet substrate TF is performed without removing the substrate P from the apparatus. Therefore, even when a specific processing apparatus in the production line has to be temporarily stopped for adjustment (calibration, maintenance, etc.), the downtime can be shortened. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, as an apparatus for performing pattern exposure processing by a pattern drawing apparatus (exposure apparatus EX or exposure head 14), a mask method and a maskless method are used for an exposure apparatus. Regardless, since the same test exposure may be executed, any exposure apparatus may be used. Further, the substrate processing apparatus is not limited to the exposure apparatus, but a processing apparatus that requires some kind of test processing (pilot processing), for example, test printing for confirming the print quality and coating state after ink replenishment is performed. It may be a printing apparatus or an inkjet printing apparatus, or may be a film forming apparatus that forms an inorganic film or an organic film on the surface of the substrate by vapor deposition or mist deposition.

(Modification)
FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a modification for feeding the test sheet substrate TF to the processing apparatus (pattern drawing apparatus). In the present modification, for example, the substrate P is cut by the cutting mechanism disposed in the bonding mechanism 140 in FIG. 12 at the margin between the exposure area W2 and the exposure area W3 on the substrate P, and the exposure area W2 The leading end portion of the test sheet substrate TF is attached to the preceding cutting portion (corresponding to the blank portion Eas) of the substrate P where the exposure area W3 is formed, and the subsequent cutting portion ( The rear end portion of the test sheet substrate TF is pasted to the blank portion Eas). As described above, even when the test sheet substrate TF is inserted in the middle of the device manufacturing substrate P, the test sheet substrate TF is carried into the processing apparatus along with the substrate P.

[Third Embodiment]
FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a test sheet substrate TF according to the third embodiment. As described in the first embodiment, when the best focus position is found by test exposure, the exposure head 14 or the rotary drum DR needs to be finely moved in the Z direction. By adopting a configuration in which the thickness of the sheet substrate TF is changed stepwise in the longitudinal direction, fine movement in the Z direction of the exposure head 14 or the rotary drum DR is unnecessary.

  As shown in FIG. 15, the test sheet substrate TF is formed on the surface of a base substrate (base sheet) FS having a thickness Ta, in order, a first substrate FS1, a second substrate FS2, a third substrate FS3, a first substrate FS having a thickness Tb. The four substrates FS4 are laminated in a staircase pattern while shifting by a predetermined amount in the conveying direction (long direction) of the test sheet substrate TF. Here, when the thickness Ta of the base substrate FS is 50 μm and the thickness Tb of each of the first substrate FS1 to the fourth substrate FS4 is 25 μm, for example, when the base substrate FS is brought into close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum DR, The surface of the second substrate FS2 is equivalent to a single substrate having a thickness of just 100 μm adhered to the surface of the rotary drum DR. Similarly, the surface of the first substrate FS1 is equivalent to a single substrate having a thickness of just 75 μm brought into close contact with the surface of the rotating drum DR, and the surface of the third substrate FS3 is the surface of the rotating drum DR. This is equivalent to a single substrate having a thickness of just 125 μm, and the surface of the fourth substrate FS4 is in close contact with the surface of the rotary drum DR with a single substrate having a thickness of just 150 μm. Is equivalent to.

  On each surface of the first substrate FS1 to the fourth substrate FS4, an area TAG where a test pattern is exposed at the time of test exposure is secured, and alignment marks MK1 to MK4 that can be detected by the alignment microscopes AM1m and AM2m are provided. It is provided similarly to FIG. The alignment marks MK1 to MK4 are used for alignment when the test pattern is exposed in each region TAG, but are not necessarily required. Further, the test pattern exposed to each region TAG is the same, and is a resolution chart, a box-in-box pattern for checking overlay accuracy, or the like. The test sheet substrate TF may be long or single-wafer, but when it is long, a laminate of the first substrate FS1 to the fourth substrate FS4 on the base substrate FS. What is necessary is just to laminate (thin film laminated body) at a fixed space | interval in the elongate direction.

  Now, during test exposure, a test sheet substrate TF having a photosensitive layer formed on the surface thereof is wound around the rotating drum DR, and the rotating drum DR is rotated at a constant speed, while the base substrate FS and the first substrate FS1 to the first substrate FS1. The same test pattern is repeatedly exposed in each region TAG of the four substrates FS4. At that time, the relative distance in the Z direction between the exposure head 14 and the surface of the rotary drum DR is kept constant. That is, when the thickness of the device substrate P is 100 μm and the pattern writing apparatus (exposure head 14) is set to perform pattern exposure in an optimal focus state on the substrate P, the second substrate The test pattern should be exposed in the best focus state (error is 0 μm) in the area TAG on the surface of FS2. The test patterns are exposed in the defocused states of −50 μm, −25 μm, +25 μm, and +50 μm on the respective regions TAG of the other base substrate FS, first substrate FS1, third substrate FS3, and fourth substrate FS4. Should be. The test sheet substrate TF thus exposed is developed and a resist image corresponding to the test pattern is observed for each region TAG to verify whether or not the exposure is actually performed in such a focus state. it can. If the verification reveals that the best focus position is deviated from the surface of the substrate P having a thickness of 100 μm, the position of the exposure head 14 in the Z direction is adjusted according to the amount of deviation.

  In addition, using the test sheet substrate TF, it is possible to check the joining accuracy between the test patterns drawn on each drawing line SLn of the scanning unit Un. In that case, as described with reference to FIG. 10, the error amount ΔXf of the position of the drawing line SLn in the sub-scanning direction according to the thickness change of the test sheet substrate TF is set to the drawing position of the test pattern at the time of test exposure. The amount of error ΔXf when the focus state is changed every 25 μm when the test pattern is exposed without considering the error amount ΔXf and the developed resist image is observed at the time of test exposure may be canceled. It may be confirmed whether or not the splicing error is suitable for the above.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Device manufacturing system 12 ... Substrate conveyance mechanism 14 ... Exposure head 16 ... Control apparatus 20 ... Pulse light generation part 22 ... Control circuit 22a ... Signal generation part 30, 32 ... DFB semiconductor laser element 34, 38 ... Polarization beam splitter 35 ... Pulse light source unit 36 ... electro-optical element 42 ... excitation light source 44 ... combiner 46 ... fiber optical amplifier 48, 50 ... wavelength conversion optical element 100 ... drawing control unit 102 ... polygon mirror driving unit 104 ... alignment unit 106 ... encoder counter unit 108 ... Drawing data storage unit 110 ... AOM driving unit 112 ... drive control unit 120 ... upper main body frame 130 ... lower main body frame 132A-132C ... Z support mechanism 133A-133C ... Z sensors AM1m (AM11-AM14), AM2m (AM21-AM24) ... Alignment Microscope AOMn (AOM1 to AOM6) ... Drawing optical element AXo ... Center axis BDU ... Beam distributor DR ... Rotating drum EX ... Exposure device FT ... fθ lens FS ... Base substrate FS1 ... First substrate FS2 ... Second substrate FS3 ... Third substrate FS4 ... Fourth substrate LB, LBn (LB1-LB6), Lse ... Beam MKm (MK1-MK4) ... Alignment mark OPn (OP1-OP6) ... Origin sensor P ... Substrate PM ... Polygon mirror RTF ... Supply roll RTu ... Recovery roll SLn (SL1 to SL6) ... Drawing line SP ... Spot light SZn (SZ1 to SZ6) ... Origin signal TF ... Test sheet substrate Un (U1 to U6) ... Scanning unit W ... Exposure area

Claims (8)

Performance of a substrate processing apparatus including a transport unit that sends a long sheet substrate having flexibility in a longitudinal direction and a processing unit that performs a predetermined process for forming a pattern for an electronic device on the sheet substrate A method for confirming the performance of a substrate processing apparatus for testing
A transport direction by the transport unit in a state where the sheet substrate in which a plurality of pattern formation regions for the electronic device are set across the predetermined margin in the longitudinal direction is passed through the transport unit and the processing unit. with respect to the distal end portion of the flexible test sheet substrate having a predetermined length, bonded to the margin of the sheet on the substrate in front of the processing unit, the said test sheet substrate by the transport unit sheet A supply stage for supplying both to the processing unit while being stacked on the substrate;
A processing step of performing a test process by the processing unit on the test sheet substrate supplied to the processing unit;
A recovery step of recovering the test sheet substrate after being separated from the sheet substrate after passing through the processing unit;
A measurement stage for measuring the state of the test processing applied to the collected test sheet substrate;
A method for confirming the performance of a substrate processing apparatus. A method for confirming the performance of a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1,
Said supply step, the pre-Symbol processor bonding mechanism provided in front of, comprising, attaching to the margin of the sheet substrate tip portion of the test sheet substrate, verifying the performance of the substrate processing apparatus Method. It is the performance confirmation method of the substrate processing apparatus of Claim 1 or 2, Comprising:
The processing unit is an exposure apparatus that exposes the pattern for the electronic device to the formation region on the sheet substrate and exposes the test pattern to the test sheet substrate , and confirms performance of the substrate processing apparatus. Method. A method for confirming performance of a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 ,
A photosensitive layer that is sensitive to exposure light from the exposure apparatus is formed on each surface of the sheet substrate and the test sheet substrate,
By the exposure light when exposing the test pattern, wherein as the photosensitive layer of the sheet substrate is not exposed, the test sheet substrate is opaque formed with respect to the exposure light, verifying the performance of the substrate processing apparatus Method. A method for confirming the performance of a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 or 4 ,
In the measurement stage, an exposure amount and illuminance unevenness required for calibration of the exposure apparatus are measured by measuring the test pattern formed on the test sheet substrate using an inspection apparatus or a measurement apparatus. A method for confirming the performance of a substrate processing apparatus, wherein at least one of the performance of focus error, resolution, overlay accuracy, distortion, and total pitch error is confirmed. It is the performance confirmation method of the substrate processing apparatus of Claim 1 or 2 , Comprising:
The said process part is a printing apparatus in which trial printing for confirmation of printing quality or a coating-film state is possible , or the performance confirmation method of the substrate processing apparatus which is an inkjet printing apparatus. It is the performance confirmation method of the substrate processing apparatus of Claim 1 or 2 , Comprising:
The substrate processing apparatus performance confirmation method, wherein the processing unit is a film forming apparatus that forms an inorganic film or an organic film on the surface of the sheet substrate by a vapor deposition method or a mist deposition method. It is the performance confirmation method of the substrate processing apparatus of any one of Claims 1-7 ,
In the substrate processing apparatus, the entire back surface of the test sheet substrate overlaid on the front surface of the sheet substrate is formed with a uniform thickness of a resin film for suppressing dust pinching and generation of scratches. Performance check method.

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