JP6840007B2 - Intaglio manufacturing method and intaglio manufacturing equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an intaglio manufacturing method and a manufacturing apparatus having a plurality of recesses that open in a flat portion.

A printing technique is known in which a pattern formed of a printing material such as conductive ink is transferred from a flat plate-shaped intaglio to a flat plate-shaped printing medium (glass, resin film, etc.) and printed. As the intaglio used in such a printing technique, for example, a flat plate made of metal or glass in which a recess is engraved is used. In the step of forming the recess, techniques such as photolithography, etching, plating, and vapor deposition are used. Such a manufacturing method requires a large-scale manufacturing equipment, so that the manufacturing cost is high and the time required for manufacturing is long. In addition, it is difficult to handle high-mix low-volume production.

In order to solve such a problem, a technique for producing an intaglio by exposing a photosensitive resin has also been proposed. Considering the printing characteristics in printing using an intaglio, it is generally desirable that the recesses having a small opening size are deep and the recesses having a large opening size are shallow. However, in exposure under a single condition, it is difficult to individually control the depth of recesses having different aperture sizes.

As a technique for controlling the depth of the recess formed by exposure, for example, there is one described in Patent Document 1. In this technique, a plurality of recesses having different depths are formed by laminating layers formed in a series of steps of coating, exposing, and baking a photosensitive resin layer.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-188926

In the above-mentioned conventional technique, although it is possible to accurately control the depth of the recess, a series of steps including coating, exposure, and baking are repeated, so that the time required for production becomes relatively long. Therefore, it is desired to establish a technique capable of producing an intaglio in a short time by simplifying the manufacturing process.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and in a technique for producing a concave plate by exposing a photosensitive material, the depth of the concave portion can be individually controlled for each opening size, and the time required for production. The purpose is to provide a technology that can shorten the time.

One aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a concave plate having a flat portion and a plurality of recesses opening in the flat portion, and among the photosensitive layers formed of a photocurable material in order to achieve the above object. The first step of exposing and curing the flat region with the first exposure amount required to set the first size of the recesses having the smallest opening size as the target depth, and the exposure. Without exposing the first region of the layer to be the recess having the first size, the second region of the photosensitive layer to be the recess having an opening size larger than the first size is exposed. It includes a second step of exposing with an exposure amount of 2.

Another aspect of the present invention is a concave plate manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a concave plate having a flat portion and a plurality of concave portions opened in the flat portion, and is photocured on the surface of a base material in order to achieve the above object. A holding portion that holds the work on which the photosensitive layer formed of the sex material is formed, an irradiation portion that irradiates the work with light to expose the photocurable material, and an incident pattern of light from the irradiation portion to the work. The control unit includes a control unit for controlling, and the control unit is necessary to set a region of the photosensitive layer to be the flat portion as a target depth of the recess having the smallest opening size of the first size. The first region of the photocurable material layer has an opening size without exposing the first region of the photosensitive layer, which is the recess having the first size, by exposing and curing the first exposure amount. The second region, which is the second size larger than the size and is the recess, is exposed with the second exposure amount.

In the invention configured as described above, by exposing the photocurable material and partially curing it, an intaglio plate in which the cured portion is a flat portion and the uncured portion is a recess is manufactured. As the recesses, those having various opening sizes can be mixed, but considering the printing characteristics in intaglio printing, it is preferable that the recesses having a small opening size are deep and the recesses having a large opening size are shallow. However, as will be described in detail later, in the embodiment in which the unexposed uncured portion is used as the recess, there is a feature that the recess having a larger opening size becomes deeper under a single exposure condition.

Therefore, in the present invention, first, the flat region of the photosensitive layer is exposed under the exposure condition that the recess of the first size having the smallest aperture size becomes the target depth, that is, the first exposure amount. By curing the photocurable material by exposure, recesses of a desired opening size and depth are formed in the first region. On the other hand, in the second region, which should be a recess having a larger opening size, a recess deeper than the recess of the first size is formed at this point. Therefore, the depth of such a second region is adjusted by additionally exposing with a second exposure amount. At this time, the second exposure amount can be arbitrarily set by preventing the first region, which has already reached the desired depth, from being exposed further. Therefore, it is possible to freely adjust the depth of the recess formed in the second region.

In the present invention, the depth of the recess is adjusted by additionally exposing and curing an uncured photocurable material. Therefore, after the exposure with the first exposure amount, the exposure conditions can be changed and the exposure with the second exposure amount can be performed immediately, and the coating or baking of the photosensitive layer is not required during that time. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture the intaglio in a shorter time than before.

When there are three or more types of opening sizes of the recesses to be formed, the smallest one is regarded as the "first size" and the exposure is performed with the first exposure amount, and the larger opening size is regarded as the "first size". It suffices to individually consider it as a "second size" and perform exposure with a second exposure amount. By doing so, it becomes possible to manufacture the intaglio while individually controlling the depth for each opening size.

As described above, according to the present invention, the depth of the recess can be individually controlled according to the opening size, and the intaglio can be manufactured in a short time.

It is a figure which shows two aspects of the intaglio manufacturing apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows typically the spread of the light incident on a photosensitive layer. It is a figure which shows the principle of the method of adjusting the depth of a recess. It is a figure which shows typically the 1st aspect of the exposure pattern. It is a figure which shows typically the 2nd aspect of the exposure pattern. It is a figure which shows typically the 3rd aspect of the exposure pattern. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the manufacturing method of the intaglio in this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the process for creating an exposure pattern. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the arrangement of the concave part and the exposure pattern.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing two aspects of the intaglio manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention. More specifically, FIG. 1A is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a first embodiment of the intaglio manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the intaglio manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows the schematic structure. These intaglio manufacturing devices 1 and 2 are devices capable of executing the intaglio manufacturing method according to the present invention. For example, for the purpose of producing a concave plate by exposing a work 3 in which a uniform photosensitive layer 31 made of a photocurable resin material is formed by coating, for example, on the surface of a flat base material 32 such as a glass plate, a metal plate, or a resin plate. used. As the photocurable resin material, for example, Printite (registered trademark), PG plate, SU-8 and the like can be used.

The intaglio manufacturing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1A includes an exposure apparatus 10 and a control unit 100. The exposure device 10 includes a light generating unit 11, an optical path adjusting unit 12, an optical scanning unit 13, and a work holding unit 14. The work holding portion 14 has a stage surface 141 whose upper surface is horizontal, and holds the work 3 placed on the stage surface 141 with the photosensitive layer 31 facing upward. The work holding portion 14 can be moved in the horizontal direction by the drive mechanism 105 provided in the control unit 100.

The light generating unit 11 has a light source such as a semiconductor laser or a gas laser, and lights up in response to a control command from the lighting control unit 101 provided in the control unit 100 to emit a light beam L1. As the light beam L1, a beam having energy required for curing the photocurable resin material used for the photosensitive layer 31 is used. For example, when the photocurable resin material is an ultraviolet curable type, ultraviolet rays are used as the light beam L1.

The optical path adjusting unit 12 has a function of guiding the light emitted from the light generating unit 11 to the optical scanning unit 13, and includes, for example, a reflection mirror. The optical scanning unit 13 changes the optical path of the light beam L1 incident from the light generating unit 11 via the optical path adjusting unit 12 in response to a control command from the scanning control unit 102 provided in the control unit 100. As a result, the incident position of the light beam L1 on the work 3 held by the work holding portion 14 changes every moment, and the photosensitive layer 31 on the upper surface of the work 3 is subjected to scanning exposure. As the exposure device 10, an exposure device having a known general configuration can be applied. Therefore, detailed description of each configuration of the exposure apparatus 10 will be omitted.

The control unit 100 further stores a CPU (Central Prosessing Unit) 103, which is a processor that executes a control program for controlling each part of the recess plate manufacturing apparatus 1 to execute a predetermined operation, and stores the control program and various data. A memory 104 for the purpose is provided. Further, although not shown, the control unit 100 includes an interface unit for exchanging information with a user and an external device in addition to the above.

The memory 104 stores pattern data representing an intaglio pattern to be formed by exposing the work 3. The CPU 103 controls the lighting control unit 101 and the scanning control unit 102 based on the exposure data stored in the memory 104 to expose the photosensitive layer 31 of the work 3 to a pattern corresponding to the exposure data. Specifically, the scanning control unit 102 sequentially changes the incident position of the light beam L1 on the photosensitive layer 31, and intermittently emits the light beam L1 from the light generating unit 11 in a lighting pattern according to the exposure data. Then, the photosensitive layer 31 of the work 3 is selectively scanned and exposed. The light beam continuously generated by the light source may be opened and closed by a shutter that operates according to the pattern data.

On the other hand, the intaglio manufacturing apparatus 2 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 1B includes an exposure apparatus 20 and a control unit 200. The exposure device 20 includes a light generating unit 21, an optical path adjusting unit 22, an optical scanning unit 23, and a work holding unit 24. The work holding portion 24 has a stage surface 241 whose upper surface is horizontal, and holds the work 3 placed on the stage surface 241 with the photosensitive layer 31 facing upward. The work holding portion 24 can be moved in the horizontal direction by the drive mechanism 205 provided in the control unit 200.

The light generation unit 21 has a light source such as a semiconductor laser or a gas laser, and lights up in response to a control command from the lighting control unit 201 provided in the control unit 200 to emit a light beam L2. The optical path adjusting unit 22 has a function of guiding the light emitted from the light generating unit 21 to the optical scanning unit 23, and includes, for example, a reflection mirror. The optical scanning unit 23 changes the optical path of the light beam L2 incident from the light generating unit 21 via the optical path adjusting unit 22 in response to a control command from the scanning control unit 202 provided in the control unit 200. As a result, the incident position of the light beam L2 on the work 3 held by the work holding portion 24 changes every moment, and the photosensitive layer 31 on the upper surface of the work 3 is subjected to scanning exposure.

A mask 25 is arranged between the optical scanning unit 23 and the work 3 held by the work holding unit 24. Specifically, a mask holding portion 26 is provided between the optical scanning portion 23 and the work holding portion 24, and the mask 25 corresponding to the intaglio pattern to be formed by exposing the work 3 is the mask holding portion 26. It is placed in. As a result, the light beam L2 from the light scanning unit 23 toward the work 3 is partially shielded, and the photosensitive layer 31 of the work 3 is exposed according to the mask pattern from the mask 25. Instead of scanning the light beam L2 such as a laser light beam, light from a light source that emits a light flux having a wider cross-sectional area is incident on the entire mask 25 to collectively expose the photosensitive layer 31. It may be.

The control unit 200 further includes a CPU 203, which is a processor that executes a control program for controlling each part of the recess plate manufacturing apparatus 2 to execute a predetermined operation, and a memory 204 for storing the control program and various data. I have. Further, although not shown, the control unit 200 includes an interface unit for exchanging information with a user and an external device in addition to the above.

Further, as will be described later, in the intaglio manufacturing method by the intaglio manufacturing apparatus 2, a plurality of types of masks 25 are used. Therefore, a plurality of masks 25 having different mask patterns are prepared in advance, and the mask switching unit 206 provided in the control unit 200 selectively mounts the plurality of masks 25 on the mask holding unit 26. In this way, the plurality of masks 25 can be switched.

Although the specific means for determining the pattern of light incident on the photosensitive layer 31 is different between these intaglio plate manufacturing devices 1 and 2, each device partially forms the photosensitive layer 31 with a predetermined pattern. Can be exposed to light. Therefore, the production of the intaglio by the method described below can be performed by using any of the intaglio production devices 1 and 2. Therefore, the following description does not limit which device is used unless otherwise required.

Next, a method for manufacturing the intaglio according to the present invention will be described. As described above, the intaglio is formed by exposing the photosensitive layer 31 formed on the work 3 according to the pattern of the intaglio. The photosensitive layer 31 is made of a photocurable material. Therefore, while the exposed portion of the photosensitive layer 31 is cured and remains as a flat portion, the unexposed portion is not cured and is finally removed to form a recess. In other words, the exposure of the photosensitive layer 31 is a so-called negative exposure type in which a region to be left as a flat portion is exposed and cured, and a region to be a recess is removed without being exposed.

First, the findings of the inventors who have made the invention of the present application will be described. In the following, for convenience of explanation, the surface of the photosensitive layer 31 formed on the work 3 on the side where light is incident is referred to as a “surface” and is designated by reference numeral 31a in the drawing, while the base material is on the opposite side. The surface on the side in contact with 32 is referred to as the "back surface" and is designated by reference numeral 31b.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the spread of light incident on the photosensitive layer. As shown in FIG. 2A, consider a case where a beam-shaped light L having a small cross-sectional area is incident on the photosensitive layer 31. The light L incident on the front surface 31a of the photosensitive layer 31 is scattered inside the photosensitive layer 31, and further reflected and scattered on the back surface 31b of the photosensitive layer 31. Therefore, the range of light reaching inside the photosensitive layer 31 gradually expands from the front surface 31a side to the back surface 31b side as shown by hatching. In this way, within the range where the light reaches, the region where the exposure amount represented by the product of the light intensity and the irradiation time is equal to or more than the threshold value determined by the photocurable material forming the photosensitive layer 31 is exposed and cured.

It has been observed that the curing starts from the back surface 31b side rather than from the front surface 31a side where the light is incident and progresses toward the front surface 31a side. It is considered that the reason is that the light intensity is locally increased by superimposing the light incident from the front surface 31a side and the light reflected by the back surface 31b in the vicinity of the back surface 31b of the photosensitive layer 31. Further, even in a region where the surface of the photosensitive layer 31a is not irradiated with light, it is indirectly exposed by the wraparound of the light incident on the surrounding region, and the curing proceeds from the back surface 31b side of the photosensitive layer 31.

As shown in FIGS. 2 (b) and 2 (c), a case where light L is irradiated on both sides of a region having a predetermined width Da is considered. In both figures, the densities of the arrows representing the light L schematically show the difference in the exposure amount. That is, the example of FIG. 2 (b) having a high density of arrows shows that the exposure amount is larger than the example of FIG. 2 (c) having a lower density of arrows. As shown in these figures, the larger the exposure amount, the larger the spread of light in the photosensitive layer 31.

If the exposure amount of the directly or indirectly exposed regions of the photosensitive layer 31 is large enough to cure the photocurable material, these regions will be cured, while these regions will be cured. The region Ra in FIG. 2 (b) and the region Rb in FIG. 2 (c) surrounded by are not cured, and the uncured photocurable material in this portion is removed to form a recess. As can be seen from the figure, the recess formed in this way becomes shallower as the exposure amount increases.

Further, even if the exposure amount is constant, the depth of the recess formed in the region varies depending on the width of the region sandwiched between the regions irradiated with light. That is, as shown in FIG. 2D, when the interval Db is small as compared with the case where the interval Da of the region irradiated with light is relatively large, the light is exposed by the light wrapping around to the back surface side. The depth of the recesses formed is smaller.

From the above, it can be seen that in the negative exposure in which the exposed area is hardened to become a flat portion, the larger the exposure amount, the shallower the recess, and even if the exposure amount is the same, the smaller the opening size of the recess, the shallower the recess. .. That is, under certain exposure conditions, it can be said that the larger the opening size of the recess, the deeper the recess, and the smaller the aperture size, the shallower the recess. As described above, since the depth of the formed recess depends on the opening size, it is difficult to independently control the opening size and the depth of the recess.

In order to perform good printing with the intaglio, it is preferable to make the recess having a small opening size deep and the recess having a large opening shallow, contrary to the above. In order to make this possible, it is necessary to perform a plurality of exposures with different exposure conditions.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the principle of a method of adjusting the depth of the recess. FIG. 3A shows a desirable cross-sectional profile of the recess 312 that opens into the flat portion 311, with the recesses having a smaller opening size being deeper and the recesses having a larger opening size being shallower. In order to produce this, for example, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the region of the photosensitive layer 31 that is desired to be left as the flat portion 311 is exposed with a constant exposure amount, the depth of each recess depends on the opening size. This is different from the desired profile shown in FIG. 3 (a). In each of the following figures, the cross-sectional profile of the recess is approximately represented by an inverted trapezoid.

Immediately after the exposure, the photosensitive layer 31 is in a state in which the uncured photocurable material is supported in the concave portion surrounded by the portion cured by the exposure (the portion shaded in the lower figure of FIG. 3B). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3C, the depth of the recess can be adjusted by additionally exposing and curing such an uncured photocurable material. By individually changing the exposure conditions according to the required depth, it is possible to set each of the plurality of recesses to a desired depth.

In the irreversible photocuring reaction, the once cured portion cannot be returned to the uncured state, so that the shallowly formed recess cannot be deepened. Initially deeply formed recesses can only be made shallower by additional exposure. For this reason, the initial exposure conditions need to be adapted to the recesses that require the deepest aperture, that is, the smallest aperture size.

As described above, even under the same exposure conditions, the smaller the aperture size, the shallower the recess. Therefore, if the exposure is performed so that the depth of the recess having the smallest aperture size becomes the target depth set for the recess, the aperture size becomes larger. Larger recesses will be deeper. By individually adjusting the depth of such recesses by additional exposure, it is possible to achieve the respective target depths.

A specific exposure process for setting the depth of each recess to the target depth based on the above principle will be described below in order of three modes. Here, an example of forming two types of recesses having different opening sizes will be described, but as will be described later, this idea can be extended even when there are three or more types of opening sizes. Further, an example in which a predetermined exposure pattern is realized by using a mask is shown in order to visualize the state of selective exposure to the photosensitive layer 31 in an easy-to-understand manner. That is, it is an example using the intaglio manufacturing apparatus 2 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 1 (b). However, the same can be considered when the intaglio manufacturing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, which realizes an exposure pattern by controlling the lighting timing of the light source without using a mask, is used.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the first aspect of the exposure pattern. FIG. 4A shows a desirable cross-sectional profile of the intaglio to be manufactured, in which the flat portion 311 formed by the surface of the photosensitive layer 31 has a recess 313 having a relatively small opening size but being deep, and a recess 314 having a larger opening size and being shallower. And are provided. In the following, the region of the photosensitive layer 31 where the photocurable material is finally removed to become the recess 313 will be referred to as "first region R1", and the region to become the recess 314 will be referred to as "second region R2". To do. Further, the opening size of the recess 313 is referred to as "first size S1", and the opening size of the recess 314 is referred to as "second size S2". Further, the target depths of the recess 313 and the recess 314 are represented by reference numerals D1 and D2, respectively.

Here, from the viewpoint of the printing characteristics of intaglio printing, the smaller the opening size of the recess, the deeper it is, but the desirable relationship between the opening size and the depth is not limited to this. For example, a cross-sectional profile in which the depth of the recess is constant regardless of the opening size may be targeted, and a cross-sectional profile in which a recess having a specific opening size has a different depth is targeted. May be good. In either case, the opening size and depth can be set independently, which is a major feature of this technology.

First, as shown in FIG. 4B, by using the mask 251 that shields the region corresponding to the recesses 313 and 314 as the first exposure, only the region of the photosensitive layer 31 that becomes the flat portion 311 is used. Is selectively irradiated with light L. The exposure amount at this time is the exposure amount required to set the depth of the recess 313 whose opening size is the first size S1 to the target depth D1. The exposure amount at this time is referred to as a "first exposure amount". The unexposed photosensitive layer 31 is exposed, and the exposure amount such that the aperture size is the first size S1 and the depth is the target depth D1, that is, the first exposure amount is experimentally obtained in advance. Is possible.

By performing exposure under such exposure conditions, the region of the photosensitive layer 31 that should be the flat portion 311 becomes a "cured region" in which the photocurable material is cured by exposure. On the other hand, the central portion of the first region R1 and the second region R2, which should be the recesses 313 and 314, is an "unexposed region" in which light is not incident and substantially not exposed at all. Then, between the cured region and the unexposed region, an "uncured region" is formed in which a certain amount of light is incident, but the exposure amount does not reach a sufficient amount for curing the photocurable material. .. In reality, the boundary between the cured region, the uncured region and the unexposed region is not so clear, and the exposure amount continuously increases from the unexposed region to the cured region, and the exposure amount is increased. The portion where is exceeded a predetermined threshold is the curing region.

Since the exposure was performed with the first exposure amount, the depth from the surface 31a to the cured region is substantially the target depth D1 in the first region R1 corresponding to the recess 313. On the other hand, in the second region R2 corresponding to the recess 314, the depth from the surface to the cured region is larger than the target depth D2. However, in the vicinity of the bottom portion, there is an uncured region that has been exposed to some extent but has not been cured.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4C, additional exposure (second exposure) is performed using the mask 252 that injects light only into the second region R2 corresponding to the recess 314. The exposure amount at this time is smaller than the first exposure amount and is smaller than the exposure amount required to cure the unexposed photosensitive layer 31. Therefore, the central portion of the second region R2, which was in an unexposed state after the first exposure, is exposed by the second exposure, but is not cured due to insufficient exposure. Become. On the other hand, if the area that was uncured by the first exposure increases the cumulative exposure amount by receiving further exposure and the value is sufficient to cure the photocurable material. Hardens. As a result, the depth of the recess 314 is reduced, and the depth of the recess 314 can be set to the target depth D2 by appropriately setting the exposure amount at this time.

The exposure amount for obtaining the target depth can be obtained, for example, as follows. Regarding the relationship between the exposure amount and the depth of the recess when the recess is directly formed from the unexposed state, the relationship between the exposure amount and the depth of the recess is determined in advance for each size of the recess from the type and thickness of the photocurable material, the wavelength of the irradiation light, etc. It is possible to ask for it. From this relationship, when the concave portion 314 is directly formed from the unexposed state, the exposure amount required to set the concave portion 314 to the target depth D2 can be obtained.

When the depth of the recess 314 is adjusted in the actual processing, the first exposure is performed prior to the exposure for that purpose, and at that time, the second region R2 also wraps around from the other region. It has been exposed to some extent by light. Therefore, the exposure amount received by the second region R2 in the first exposure is subtracted from the exposure amount required for forming the concave portion 314 from the unexposed state, and the exposure amount required in the second exposure is obtained. It becomes. In other words, the recess 314 can be made to a desired depth by making the total amount of exposure received in the two exposures the exposure amount required to make the recess 314 the target depth D2. For example, it is possible to perform the first exposure on a trial basis in advance and measure the depth to the cured region in the second region R2 at that time to estimate the exposure amount.

Light incident on the first region R1 corresponding to the recess 313 is regulated by the mask 252. Therefore, the depth of the recess 313 does not change and remains the target depth D1. The photocurable material in the unexposed region and the uncured region is in a state of maintaining fluidity, and by removing this, an intaglio having a cross-sectional profile close to the desired cross-sectional profile is obtained as shown in FIG. 4 (d). Can be formed.

FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing a second aspect of the exposure pattern. As shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b), the same as the first aspect up to the point where the mask 251 that shields the area corresponding to the recesses 313 and 314 is used and the exposure is performed with the first exposure amount. Is. As a result, a recess 313 having a target depth D1 is formed in the first region R1. On the other hand, at the time of additional exposure (second exposure) to the second region R2 corresponding to the concave portion 314, as shown in FIG. 5C, the opening size S3 larger than the opening size S2 of the concave portion 314. A mask 253 with an opening is used. Therefore, in the second exposure, light is applied to the second region R2 corresponding to the recess 314 and the surrounding region surrounding the second region R2. Also in this case, the exposure amount is set to a small value that does not cure the unexposed photosensitive layer 31.

At the boundary between the portion of the photosensitive layer 31 that should be the recess 314 and the peripheral portion thereof, the light incident on the surface of the photosensitive layer 31 is scattered in the photosensitive layer 31, so that the exposure amount tends to be unstable. In particular, in the portion surrounded by an oval in FIG. 5C, that is, the side wall surface of the recess 314 or the corner portion of the bottom surface, the exposure amount may become unstable and the cross-sectional shape of the recess 314 may vary. In the second aspect, the instability of such a shape is prevented by additionally exposing the vicinity of the boundary between the portion to be the concave portion 314 and the outer portion thereof in the second exposure and surely curing the concave portion 314. It becomes possible to eliminate it.

For example, in the first aspect shown in FIG. 4, in the vicinity of the second region R2, the mask pattern is just inverted between the first exposure and the second exposure. Therefore, even a slight positional deviation between the two masks may cause the exposure amount at the boundary portion to fluctuate, and as a result, the cross-sectional shape of the recess 314 may vary. On the other hand, in the example shown in FIG. 5, by including the peripheral region of the second region R2 in the second exposure range, it is possible to allow a certain degree of misalignment between the masks. Even if the portion that has already become the cured region is further irradiated with light, no change occurs in the region. That is, there is no demerit by extending the second exposure range to the outside of the second region R2. However, it is necessary to avoid causing further exposure to other recesses that have already reached the target depth. This point will be touched upon later.

As described above, also in the second exposure mode, as shown in FIG. 5D, it is possible to form an intaglio having a cross-sectional profile close to the desired cross-sectional profile, as in the first aspect shown in FIG. The second aspect can also be regarded as an improvement of the first aspect in that the shape of the recess can be stabilized.

FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing a third aspect of the exposure pattern. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the masks 251 that shield the regions corresponding to the recesses 313 and 314 are used, and the first and second exposures are performed up to the point where the exposure is performed with the first exposure amount. It is the same as the aspect. As a result, a recess 313 having a target depth D1 is formed in the first region R1.

On the other hand, upon additional exposure to the second region R2 corresponding to the recess 314, as shown in FIG. 6C, the light incident on the second region R2 corresponding to the recess 314 is masked by the mask 254. Light is applied only to the surrounding area. Even with such a configuration, as in the second exposure mode, the cross-sectional shape of the recess 314 is stabilized by selectively increasing the exposure amount of the portion corresponding to the side wall surface and the corner portion of the bottom surface of the recess 314. Can be planned. In this case, since the light irradiation of the second region R2, which is the recess 314, is prevented by the mask 254, the central portion of the second region R2 is not cured by the second exposure. Therefore, the degree of freedom in setting the exposure amount in the second exposure, that is, the "second exposure amount" is higher than that in the first and second exposure modes.

As described above, also in the third exposure mode, as shown in FIG. 6D, as in the first aspect shown in FIG. 4 and the second aspect shown in FIG. 5, a cross-sectional profile close to the desired cross-sectional profile is obtained. It is possible to form an intaglio plate to have. The third aspect can also be regarded as an improvement of the first aspect in that the shape of the recess can be stabilized.

As can be seen from this example, the additional exposure to the second region R2 by the second exposure is not limited to the mode in which the light is directly incident on the target region, and the light is applied to the surrounding region. By irradiating, the second region R2 may be indirectly exposed by the wraparound of light. As is clear from FIG. 6 (c), the mask pattern of the mask 254 in this aspect is a superposition of the mask 251 in the first exposure and the mask 253 in the second aspect shown in FIG. 5 (c). Is equivalent to the mask.

Here, an exposure mode in the case of forming two types of recesses having different aperture sizes has been described. However, the idea is the same even when there are three or more types of recess opening sizes. That is, after the first exposure is performed with the first exposure amount, for the recesses having an aperture size larger than the minimum first size, each opening size is regarded as a "second size" and is individually seconded. By performing two exposures, it is possible to form each at a target depth.

Specifically, for example, there are three types of recesses A, recesses B, and recesses C having different opening sizes, and it is assumed that the recess A has the smallest opening size. In this case, first, the exposure amount required to set the recess A as the target depth is set to the "first exposure amount", and the flat portion other than the recesses A, B, and C is irradiated with light. Perform multiple exposures. Next, as the second exposure to the recess B and / or the surrounding region, an exposure is performed in which the exposure amount required to make the recess B the target depth is set to the "second exposure amount". At this time, measures are taken to prevent the recesses A and C from being exposed (for example, shielding with a mask). As a result, the depth of the recess B is adjusted.

Further, as the second exposure to the concave portion C and / or the surrounding region thereof, the exposure amount required to set the concave portion C as the target depth is set to the "second exposure amount". At this time, measures are taken to prevent the recesses A and B from being exposed. As a result, the depth of the recess C is adjusted. In this way, the recesses A, B, and C are adjusted to the target depths, respectively. The same applies when the opening size is 4 or more.

When there are a plurality of recesses of the same size and the same depth, these recesses may be collectively formed by exposure at the same timing. In this case, the sizes of the plurality of recesses that are collectively formed do not have to be exactly the same. That is, a plurality of recesses having a small difference in size may be regarded as substantially the same size, and the recesses may be exposed at the same timing. For this reason, the plurality of recesses arranged in the intaglio are divided into a plurality of groups according to the opening size, and the depth of the recesses in the same group is adjusted by exposing them at the same timing. May be good.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of the intaglio manufacturing method in this embodiment. This processing is realized by executing a control program prepared in advance by the CPU 103 in the intaglio manufacturing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment and the CPU 203 in the intaglio manufacturing apparatus 2 of the second embodiment to cause each part of the apparatus to perform a predetermined operation. Will be done. As described above, although the exposure pattern generation method is different between the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the basic processing flow is the same.

First, the CPU 103 (203) acquires an exposure recipe for exposing the work 3 from the memory 104 (204) (step S101). The exposure recipe may be obtained by an external device or a user setting operation. The exposure recipe in the recessed plate manufacturing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment defines exposure data and an exposure amount representing an exposure pattern in each exposure. The exposure pattern in the second exposure can be any of the above three modes. Further, the exposure recipe in the intaglio manufacturing apparatus 2 of the second embodiment defines the mask 25 and the exposure amount used in each exposure. In this case as well, the exposure pattern in the second exposure can be any of the above three modes.

Next, the work 3 in which the photosensitive layer 31 made of a photocurable material is formed on the surface of the base material 32 is carried into the apparatus and placed on the work holding portion 14 (24) (step S102). In addition, only the base material 32 may be carried in and the photosensitive layer 31 may be coated and formed in the apparatus. Then, the photosensitive layer 31 is exposed with the first exposure amount and the first exposure pattern specified in the exposure recipe (step S103).

If the opening sizes of the recesses to be formed are all the same, each recess has reached the target depth at this point, and no additional exposure is required. On the other hand, when there are recesses having different aperture sizes, it is necessary to change the exposure pattern and perform additional exposure from the second time onward. Therefore, when the exposure recipe specifies additional exposure (YES in step S104), the CPU 103 changes and sets the exposure amount and the exposure pattern according to the exposure recipe (step S105), and executes the additional exposure. (Step S106). When there are three or more types of recess opening sizes, additional exposure is performed as many times as necessary.

If the depth adjustment for each recess is completed, no additional exposure is required (NO in step S104). In this case, the exposed work 3 is carried out from the apparatus (step S107), and a process of removing the uncured portion of the photosensitive layer 31 is performed by an external apparatus (step S108). At this time, the cured region of the photosensitive layer 31 remains, and the uncured region and the unexposed region are removed. This completes an intaglio in which recesses having a predetermined opening size and depth are arranged at predetermined positions. The uncured portion can be removed by, for example, a cleaning treatment with a treatment liquid, baking, suction removal of a liquid component, or the like. Further, this process may be performed in the intaglio manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a process for creating an exposure pattern. This process may be executed by the CPU 103 (203), but may be executed in advance by a data processing device separate from the concave plate manufacturing device, for example, a personal computer or a workstation to create an exposure pattern. For the intaglio manufacturing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, the exposure pattern is created as drawing data (exposure data) for the control unit 100 to control the exposure apparatus 10. Further, for the intaglio manufacturing apparatus 2 of the second embodiment, the exposure pattern is created as the mask 25 or processing data for manufacturing the mask.

First, design pattern data that specifies the size and arrangement of the recesses in the intaglio to be manufactured is acquired (step S201). A first exposure pattern is created based on this design pattern data (step S202). The first exposure pattern is, for example, as shown in FIG. 4B, a negative for injecting light into a region of the photosensitive layer 31 that should be a flat portion and not incident light in a region that should be a recess. It is a pattern. In this way, the first exposure pattern used in the first exposure is prepared.

Next, data corresponding to the positive pattern in which the first exposure pattern is inverted is created (step S203). The positive data formed in this way is intermediate data for use in subsequent processing and is not actually used for exposure. If the exposure is performed with this pattern, contrary to the first exposure pattern, the light is not incident on the region of the photosensitive layer 31 that should be the flat portion, but the light is incident on the region that should be the concave portion. Become.

Since the area occupied by the flat portion surrounding the recess is specified in the negative pattern data, it is difficult to directly grasp the opening size of each recess from the data. On the other hand, since the positive data specifies the area occupied by the recesses isolated from each other, the opening size and arrangement of the recesses can be easily derived. In addition, the positive data can be easily created as a pattern in which the negative pattern is simply inverted. By creating positive data as intermediate data in this way, subsequent arithmetic processing becomes easy.

The smallest size (first size described above) of the opening sizes of the recesses represented by the positive data can be formed to a desired depth by exposure with the first exposure pattern. On the other hand, for other recesses having a larger opening size than this, additional exposure for adjusting the depth is required, and it is necessary to obtain an exposure pattern for that purpose.

For this purpose, one of the aperture sizes larger than the first size is first selected (step S204). The size selected at this time may be a single value or may be represented by a numerical range having a certain width. Then, among the recesses represented by the positive data, those corresponding to the selected size are extracted (step S205), and the extracted recesses are subjected to the second exposure in the first to third exposure modes described above. An exposure pattern for this is created (step S206). At this time, the exposure pattern is determined so that the recesses other than the extracted recesses are not irradiated with light.

When the first exposure mode is used, the pattern represented by the positive data, in which only the recesses extracted above are left, can be used as the exposure pattern. Further, in the second exposure mode, among the patterns represented by the positive data, only the recesses extracted above are left, and the recesses thus left are expanded according to a certain rule to be an exposure pattern. Further, in the third exposure mode, the exposure pattern can be a combination of the exposure pattern for the second exposure mode and the first exposure pattern which is a negative pattern.

If there is a recess of another aperture size (YES in step S207), steps S204 to S206 are executed for that size to create an exposure pattern. In this way, an exposure pattern corresponding to each aperture size is created.

A plurality of exposure processes are executed using each of the exposure patterns thus created. In the exposure pattern corresponding to each aperture size, the area corresponding to the recess other than the one corresponding to the size is not exposed. Therefore, the smallest first size recess is exposed only in the first exposure and is not exposed further in the subsequent exposure process. Further, the recess having a larger opening size is also exposed only in the first exposure process and the exposure process corresponding to the size of the recess, and is not exposed in other exposure processes. This makes it possible to appropriately adjust the depth of the recesses for each size even when a large number of recesses having different opening sizes are mixed.

In the second and third aspects of the above three exposure modes, the peripheral region of the concave portion to be targeted in the second exposure process is irradiated with light. The idea of how far the outer edge of this surrounding area can be extended will be described below.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the relationship between the arrangement of the recesses and the exposure pattern. Similar to the above description, here, an example in which an exposure pattern is realized by a mask will be used for easy understanding, but the idea is the same even when a mask is not used. As shown in FIG. 9A, consider a case where four recesses 315 to 318 are arranged side by side. Here, the two central recesses 316 and 317 have the same opening size. On the other hand, it is assumed that the adjacent recesses 315 and 316 have different opening sizes, and the recesses 317 and 318 also have different opening sizes.

In the second exposure mode, especially when it is necessary to make the recess 316 sufficiently shallow, the second exposure passes through a mask in order to effectively function the depth adjustment due to the wraparound of light from the surroundings. It is preferable to make the peripheral region Rp shown in FIG. 9B, where light is incident, as wide as possible. Since the peripheral region Rp is a flat portion that has already been cured by the first exposure, light irradiation there does not affect the flat portion.

On the other hand, since the recesses 315 and the recesses 316 have different aperture sizes, the exposure for adjusting the depth needs to be performed individually. Therefore, when the second exposure is performed on the recess 316, it is necessary to prevent the recess 315 from being exposed. In particular, it must be avoided that the depth changes due to further exposure of the recesses whose depth has already been adjusted. From this meaning, it is desirable that the outer edge of the peripheral region Rp set for the recess 316 is as far away as possible from the other recesses 315. In order to achieve both of these, it is preferable that the outer edge of the peripheral region Rp is at most the midpoint between the adjacent recesses, as in the mask 255 shown in FIG. 9B. As long as this condition is satisfied, the shape of the outer edge of the surrounding region Rp is not particularly limited and is arbitrary. The same applies to the space between the recess 317 and the recess 318.

Here, the recess 316 and the recess 317 have the same opening size. Therefore, it is possible to perform the second exposure at the same timing between them. In this case, it does not matter that the flat portion between the two recesses is further exposed. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9C, it is possible to use a mask 256 having a pattern in which peripheral regions of each other are continuous. If there are only two types of opening sizes of the recesses, it is sufficient to prevent exposure to the area corresponding to the recesses having the smaller opening size. Therefore, as a mask pattern, for example, the one having the smaller opening size It is also possible to use one that masks only the recess and its surrounding area.

The same applies to the third exposure mode. That is, like the mask 257 shown in FIG. 9 (d), for example, the mask 256 shown in FIG. 9 (c) plus a pattern for shielding the region corresponding to the recesses 316 and 317 is the third exposure mode. It may be used as a mask used for.

As described above, the intaglio manufacturing apparatus 1 and 2 of the above embodiment partially expose the photosensitive layer formed of the photocurable material and remove the uncured portion to form a flat portion and a recess opened therein. It is an apparatus used in the process of manufacturing an intaglio having a. In these devices, the following exposure process is adopted to adjust the depth of the recess independently of the opening size of the recess.

First, a region of the photosensitive layer other than the recess, that is, a region to be a flat portion is widely exposed. The photosensitive layer of the portion irradiated with light is cured to form a flat portion, and the bottom of the region to be a recess is also partially cured due to scattering and reflection of light inside the photosensitive layer. By setting the exposure condition at this time to an exposure amount such that the concave portion having the smallest opening size has the target depth, the concave portion can be formed at the target depth. Next, the recesses having a larger opening size are adjusted to a desired depth by performing additional exposure individually for each opening size and curing the uncured material.

In this way, the uncured portion is removed after the first exposure and the second and subsequent additional exposures, so that the intaglio having a plurality of recesses whose aperture size and depth are each adjusted to the target values is obtained. It is made. The depth of the recess formed under a single exposure condition depends on the aperture size, but in the present embodiment, the depth of the recess can be individually adjusted for each aperture size by additional exposure, so that different apertures are used. It is possible to form recesses of each size to the target depth. In addition, repeated exposure is performed while leaving the uncured photosensitive layer, and then the uncured portion is removed. Therefore, it is necessary to reapply the photosensitive layer or remove the uncured portion during a plurality of exposure processes. do not do. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture an intaglio in a short time. Further, the intaglio can be manufactured at a lower cost than directly processing the surface of a base material such as a glass plate or a metal plate to form a recess.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications other than those described above can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above description, it is assumed that the depth of the recess is set according to the opening size, and that the recesses of the same size have the same depth. However, even when the target depth is different among a plurality of recesses having the same opening size, for example, it can be dealt with by partially modifying the above process. That is, in the above example, one exposure pattern is set for a plurality of recesses having the same aperture size, but the exposure patterns and exposures corresponding to each of the recesses having the same aperture size but different target depths are distinguished. By setting the amount and performing additional exposure based on the amount, it is possible to form recesses having different depths even with the same aperture size.

Further, in the above description, the opening size of the recess is represented by the width in one cross section. However, as an index representing the opening size, for example, the opening area can be used. Even if the recesses have the same width in the cross section, the depths of the recesses formed under the same exposure conditions may differ from each other if the lengths in the depth direction are different. Further, even in the recesses having the same opening area, the depths of the recesses formed under the same exposure conditions may differ from each other depending on the opening shape. From these facts, it is preferable to select what is used as an index indicating the opening size according to the shape of the recesses arranged on the plate surface of the intaglio plate.

Strictly speaking, "same size" is not defined only because one of the width or area is the same, and the same or substantially the same size including the opening shape is treated as "same size". By doing so, it becomes possible to adjust the depth of each recess more accurately. In this case as well, the above-mentioned concept can be applied to the specific exposure process.

As described above, in the intaglio manufacturing apparatus 1 and 2 of the above-described embodiment, the work holding portions 14 and 24 function as the "holding portion" of the present invention. Further, the light generating unit 11, the optical path adjusting unit 12, and the optical scanning unit 13 are integrated, and the light generating unit 21, the optical path adjusting unit 22, and the optical scanning unit 23 are integrally as the "irradiating unit" of the present invention. It is functioning. Further, the control units 100 and 200 function as the "control unit" of the present invention.

Further, in the intaglio manufacturing process shown in FIG. 7, step S103 corresponds to the "first step" of the present invention, and step S106 corresponds to the "second step" of the present invention. Further, step S108 corresponds to the "third step" of the present invention.

As described above by exemplifying a specific embodiment, the intaglio manufacturing method according to the present invention may be configured to irradiate the second region with light in the second step, for example. According to the findings of the inventors of the present application, the curing proceeds from the back surface side opposite to the front surface on which the light is incident because the irradiated light is scattered inside the photosensitive layer. Therefore, injecting light into the bottom of the second region that has been exposed to some extent in the first step acts to reduce the depth of the recess formed in the second region. By appropriately setting the exposure amount at this time, it is possible to adjust the depth of the recess formed in the second region to a desired value. For example, the second exposure amount is preferably smaller than the exposure amount required to cure the unexposed photosensitive layer. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the entire second region from being cured.

Further, in the second step, it may be configured to irradiate the peripheral region of the second region with light. According to such a configuration, additional exposure is applied to the boundary portion between the exposed region and the unexposed region in the first step, so that the cross-sectional shape of the formed recess is stabilized. Can be done.

Specifically, for example, both the second region and the surrounding region may be irradiated with light, in which case the second exposure amount is smaller than the exposure amount required to cure the unexposed photosensitive layer. Is preferable. By doing so, it is possible to adjust the depth of the concave portion formed in the second region and to stabilize the cross-sectional shape thereof.

Alternatively, for example, the second step may be configured to irradiate the surrounding region with light without irradiating the second region with light. According to such a configuration, since the exposure light in the second step is not directly incident on the second region and exposed, the degree of freedom in setting the second exposure amount is increased.

Further, it is preferable that the second exposure amount is an exposure amount required to make the concave portion of the second size a target depth set corresponding to the concave portion. According to such a configuration, the depth of the recess formed in the second region can be set to the target depth by executing the second step. In this case, the second exposure amount is not the exposure amount for curing the unexposed photosensitive layer at the target depth, but the exposure amount obtained by subtracting the exposure amount received by the second region in the first step from the exposure amount. Is desirable.

Further, for example, the second step may be collectively executed for a plurality of recesses having the same opening size. According to such a configuration, the number of necessary exposures can be reduced and the processing time can be shortened by collectively exposing the regions that can be exposed under the same exposure conditions.

Further, for example, after the first step and the second step, a third step of removing the uncured portion other than the portion cured by exposure in the photosensitive layer may be further provided. With such a configuration, it is possible to manufacture an intaglio having a plurality of recesses having a desired opening size and depth.

Further, in the intaglio manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, the irradiation unit intermittently emits a light beam in a predetermined lighting pattern while changing the incident position with respect to the work, thereby scanning and exposing the photosensitive layer, and the control unit lights the photosensitive layer. It may control the pattern. With such a configuration, it is not necessary to use a mask to realize a predetermined exposure pattern. Therefore, it is particularly suitable for the purpose of manufacturing small lot intaglios.

The present invention can be applied to the production of various intaglio plates used in intaglio printing technology, and the purpose and object of printing are not limited, but the invention is particularly suitable for the production of intaglio plates used for printing small lots.

1,2 Intaglio manufacturing equipment 3 Work 11,21 Light generator (irradiation part)
12, 22 Optical path adjustment part (irradiation part)
13,23 Optical scanning unit (irradiation unit)
14,24 Work holding part (holding part)
31 Photosensitive layer 32 Base material 100,200 Control unit (control unit)
R1 1st area R2 2nd area Rp peripheral area S103 1st process S106 2nd process S108 3rd process

Claims (11)

In a method for manufacturing an intaglio having a flat portion and a plurality of recesses opening in the flat portion,
With the first exposure amount required to set the region to be the flat portion of the photosensitive layer formed of the photocurable material to the first size of the recesses having the smallest opening size as the target depth. The first step of exposure and curing,
The second region of the photosensitive layer, which is the second size of the photosensitive layer and has an opening size larger than the first size, without exposing the first region of the photosensitive layer, which is the recess of the first size. A method for producing an intaglio plate, comprising a second step of exposing the intaglio with a second exposure amount. The method for manufacturing an intaglio according to claim 1, wherein in the second step, the second region is irradiated with light. The method for producing an intaglio according to claim 2, wherein the second exposure amount is smaller than the exposure amount required to cure the unexposed photosensitive layer. The method for manufacturing an intaglio according to claim 1, wherein in the second step, the peripheral region of the second region is irradiated with light. The second step is claimed in claim 4, wherein the second region and the surrounding region are irradiated with light, and the second exposure amount is smaller than the exposure amount required to cure the unexposed photosensitive layer. Intaglio manufacturing method. The method for producing an intaglio according to claim 4, wherein in the second step, the second region is not irradiated with light and the surrounding region is irradiated with light. The recessed plate according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the second exposure amount is an exposure amount required to make the recess of the second size a target depth set corresponding to the recess. Production method. The method for manufacturing an intaglio according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the second step is collectively executed for the plurality of recesses having the same opening size. The method for producing an intaglio according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a third step of removing the uncured portion of the photosensitive layer other than the portion cured by exposure after the first step and the second step. .. In an intaglio manufacturing apparatus that manufactures an intaglio plate having a flat portion and a plurality of recesses opened in the flat portion.
A holding part for holding a work in which a photosensitive layer made of a photocurable material is formed on the surface of a base material,
An irradiation unit that irradiates the work with light to expose the photocurable material, and an irradiation unit.
The control unit includes a control unit that controls the incident pattern of light from the irradiation unit to the work.
The flat region of the photosensitive layer is exposed and cured with the first exposure amount required to set the first size of the recesses having the smallest opening size as the target depth.
The concave portion of the photocurable material layer having an opening size larger than the first size without exposing the first region of the photosensitive layer, which is the concave portion having the first size. An intaglio manufacturing apparatus that exposes a second region with a second exposure amount. The irradiation unit intermittently emits a light beam in a predetermined lighting pattern while changing the incident position with respect to the work, thereby scanning and exposing the photosensitive layer.
The intaglio manufacturing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the control unit controls the lighting pattern.

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