JP7316717B2 - Shims, nozzles and applicators - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to shims, nozzles and applicator devices.

Fine patterns such as wiring, electrodes, and color filters are formed on a glass substrate that constitutes a display panel such as a liquid crystal display. For example, such a pattern is formed by a method such as photolithography. The photolithography method includes a coating step of applying a resist material to a substrate, an exposure step of exposing a film formed of the resist material after coating (hereinafter referred to as a “resist film”), and a development step of developing the resist film after the exposure step. Including process.

For example, in the coating process, a coating device having a nozzle for discharging a coating liquid is used. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a shim of a specific shape sandwiched between a pair of opposing die blocks. Specifically, in Patent Document 1, of the outer peripheral portion located at the opening of the shim, A is the length of the longitudinal portion of the slot that is the flow path of the coating liquid, and B is the opening width of the opening of the shim. , one end of the longitudinal portion of the slot is a, one end of the opening of the shim on the same side as a is b, the normal of the longitudinal portion of the slot passing through a, and the opening of the shim The length AB is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 10 mm, and the angle θ is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 10° is designed to
Further, Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional shim in which the length AB is 0 and the angle θ is 0°.

JP 2015-66537 A

By the way, when the coating liquid is discharged onto the object using the above shim, the coating width tends to be wider than the target value. Therefore, it is required to bring the coating width as close as possible to the target value.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the circumstances as described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a shim and a nozzle having the shim that can bring the coating width as close to the target value as possible. In addition, it is another object of the present invention to provide a coating apparatus capable of strictly controlling the coating width and forming a high-quality coating film by providing such a nozzle.

A shim according to an aspect of the present invention is a shim that is built into a nozzle having a slit-shaped discharge port, and has an opening that opens toward a tip of the nozzle, and the opening is located at the nozzle. A portion closest to the tip has a maximum width, and at least a part of a portion away from the tip of the nozzle has a width narrower than the maximum width.

According to this configuration, the opening of the shim has a maximum width in a portion closest to the tip of the nozzle and a width narrower than the maximum width in at least a part of a portion away from the tip of the nozzle. The widest space is formed in the portion closest to the tip of the nozzle. Therefore, the liquid (coating liquid) discharged from the opening is pulled toward both ends in the longitudinal direction of the opening due to surface tension (capillary action). As a result, the coating liquid discharged from the opening tends to remain in place at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the opening. That is, the coating liquid discharged from the opening is discharged at a predetermined unit flow rate (flow rate per unit length in the longitudinal direction of the opening) at the longitudinal center of the opening, while the coating liquid is discharged at both longitudinal ends of the opening. In the vicinity of the part, it is discharged at a flow rate that is smaller than the unit flow rate by the amount that it stays on the spot. As a result, even if the coating width tends to be wider than the target value when the coating liquid is discharged onto the object, it is possible to suppress the spread of the coating width by the decrease from the unit flow rate. Therefore, the coating width can be brought as close as possible to the target value.

In the above shim, the opening has a minimum width at the portion farthest from the tip of the nozzle, and gradually widens from the portion farthest from the tip of the nozzle toward the tip of the nozzle. good.
According to this configuration, the coating liquid can be smoothly discharged from the part of the opening that is farthest from the tip of the nozzle to the part that is closest to the tip of the nozzle.

In the above shim, one end of the portion of the opening that is farthest from the tip of the nozzle is defined as K1, and one end of the portion of the opening that is closest to the tip of the nozzle that is located on the same side as K1 is defined as K1. K2, the point on the edge of the shim closest to the tip of the nozzle is K3, and the angle formed by a line segment connecting K1 and K2 and a line segment connecting K2 and K3. is G, the angle G may be 91° or more and 96° or less.
With this configuration, the coating width can be brought closer to the target value.

In the above shim, the opening may have an isosceles trapezoidal shape with the base being the portion closest to the tip of the nozzle in the opening.
According to this configuration, since the same amount of the coating liquid remains in place at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the opening, when the coating liquid is discharged onto the object, the spreading of the coating width is balanced at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the opening. can be well suppressed. Therefore, it is easy to make uniform the film thickness of the coating film and the shape of the film end (edge profile).

In the above shim, the opening includes a constant width opening having a constant width between a portion farthest from the tip of the nozzle and a portion near the tip of the nozzle, and a constant width opening connected to the constant width opening. and a widened opening having a width that gradually widens from a portion near the tip of the nozzle toward the tip of the nozzle.
According to this configuration, in the constant-width opening, the coating liquid passes uniformly at a unit flow rate over the entire length of the opening, while in the wide-width opening, the flow rate is lower than the unit flow rate in the vicinity of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the opening. Pass with reduced flow. That is, it is possible to reduce the passing amount of the coating liquid in the vicinity of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the opening at the timing of shifting from the constant-width opening to the wide-width opening. Therefore, it is easy to meet the required specifications such as the type of coating liquid and the material of the shim.

In the above shim, the opening has an inclined portion that is inclined outward from a portion near the tip of the nozzle toward the tip of the nozzle. The height H of the inclined portion may be 3 mm or more and 50 mm or less.
With this configuration, the coating width can be brought closer to the target value.

In the above shim, the coating liquid flowing through the opening may have a viscosity of 0.3 Pa·s or more and 20 Pa·s or less.
With this configuration, the coating width can be brought closer to the target value.

In the above shim, a plurality of openings may be provided at intervals along the edge of the portion of the shim that is closest to the tip of the nozzle.
According to this configuration, when the coating liquid is discharged onto the object, a plurality of coating films can be simultaneously formed on the object at intervals. For example, when making a plurality of panels on one substrate, a gap can be easily provided between two adjacent panels.

A nozzle according to an aspect of the present invention includes the shim described above.

According to this configuration, by providing the shim, it is possible to provide a nozzle capable of bringing the coating width as close as possible to the target value.

A coating apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes a substrate transport section that transports a substrate, and a coating section that includes the nozzle and applies a coating liquid from the nozzle to the substrate being transported. .

According to this configuration, by providing the nozzle, it is possible to provide a coating apparatus capable of strictly controlling the coating width and forming a high-quality coating film.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a shim and a nozzle having the shim, which can bring the coating width as close as possible to a target value. In addition, by providing such a nozzle, it is possible to provide a coating apparatus capable of strictly controlling the coating width and forming a high-quality coating film.

1 is a perspective view of a coating device according to an embodiment; FIG. The front view of the coating device which concerns on embodiment. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a nozzle according to an embodiment; FIG. The front view of the nozzle which concerns on embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram including a VV cross section of FIG. 4; The bottom view of the nozzle which concerns on embodiment. The figure for demonstrating the effect|action of the nozzle which concerns on embodiment. The front view of the shim which concerns on embodiment. The front view of the opening part of the shim which concerns on embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the action of the opening of the shim according to the embodiment; The front view of the opening part of the shim which concerns on the modification of embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system is set, and the positional relationship of each member will be described with reference to this XYZ orthogonal coordinate system. A predetermined direction in the horizontal plane is the X direction, a direction orthogonal to the X direction in the horizontal plane is the Y direction, and a direction orthogonal to the X and Y directions (that is, the vertical direction) is the Z direction.

<Coating device>
As shown in FIG. 1, the coating device 1 is a device for coating a substrate 5 with a coating liquid. For example, the substrate 5 is a glass substrate used for liquid crystal panels and the like. The substrate 5 has a rectangular plate shape. The coating apparatus 1 includes a substrate transfer section 2 that transfers a substrate 5 , a coating section 3 that applies a coating liquid, and a management section 4 that manages the coating section 3 .

<Substrate transfer unit>
The substrate transfer section 2 has a longitudinal side in the Y direction. The substrate transporter 2 transports the substrate 5 in the Y direction. The Y direction is the substrate transport direction in the coating apparatus 1 .
The substrate transfer section 2 includes a pedestal 7 , a stage 8 and a transfer mechanism 9 .

<Frame>
The mount 7 has a longitudinal side in the Y direction. The pedestal 7 supports the stage 8 and the transport mechanism 9 . For example, the gantry 7 is placed on the floor.
The pedestal 7 includes a pedestal body 7a positioned in the center in the X direction, a first pedestal side portion 7b positioned on the -X direction side of the pedestal body 7a, and a second pedestal side portion positioned on the +X direction side of the pedestal body 7a. 7c.

The gantry main body 7 a supports the stage 8 .
The first gantry side portion 7 b and the second gantry side portion 7 c support the transport mechanism 9 . A pair of grooves 7d and 7e (see FIG. 2) extending in the Y direction are provided in each of the first gantry side portion 7b and the second gantry side portion 7c.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pair of grooves 7d and 7e are arranged side by side in the X direction. Hereinafter, of the pair of grooves 7d and 7e, the groove 7d positioned inside in the X direction is also called "inner groove 7d", and the groove 7e positioned outside in the X direction is also called "outer groove 7e". The inner groove 7d is located above the outer groove 7e. The inner groove 7d is positioned closer to the stage 8 than the outer groove 7e.

<Transport Mechanism>
The transport mechanism 9 transports the substrate 5 in the Y direction. One transport mechanism 9 is provided on each upper part of the first gantry side portion 7b and the second gantry side portion 7c. A pair of transport mechanisms 9 are provided with the stage 8 interposed therebetween. The pair of transport mechanisms 9 are line-symmetrical with respect to the center of the stage 8 in the X direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the transport mechanism 9 includes a slider 9a, a substrate holding portion 9b that holds the substrate 5, and a rail 9c that extends in the Y direction on the side of the stage 8. As shown in FIG.
For example, the slider 9a incorporates a linear motor (not shown). The slider 9a is moved along the rail 9c by being driven by a linear motor.

As shown in FIG. 2, the substrate holding part 9b holds the side edge of the substrate 5 in the X direction in a cantilever manner. The substrate holding part 9b holds a portion of the substrate 5 that protrudes outward in the X direction from the stage 8 .
The substrate holding portion 9b is provided at the end of the slider 9a on the stage 8 side. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of (for example, four in this embodiment) substrate holding portions 9b are provided side by side in the Y direction. For example, the substrate holding portion 9b may be provided with a suction pad (not shown) that suctions and holds the substrate 5 .

The rail 9c is provided at the upper end portion on the stage 8 side of each of the first gantry side portion 7b and the second gantry side portion 7c.

Each transport mechanism 9 can transport the substrate 5 independently. Therefore, different substrates 5 can be held by the transport mechanism 9 on the side of the first gantry side portion 7b and the transport mechanism 9 on the side of the second gantry side portion 7c. As a result, the substrates 5 can be alternately transported by the transport mechanisms 9, thereby improving the throughput (for example, the transport speed of the substrates per unit time).
When transporting a substrate having an area about half that of the substrate 5, the two transport mechanisms 9 can hold the substrates one by one. allows two substrates to be transported simultaneously.

<Coating part>
As shown in FIG. 1 , the coating section 3 includes a portal frame 10 , a nozzle 50 , a sensor 15 , a supply section 20 and a waste liquid section 30 .

<gate type frame>
As shown in FIG. 2, the portal frame 10 includes a pair of columnar support members 10a extending in the Z direction, and a bridging member 10b extending in the X direction and bridging between the pair of support members 10a.
Each support member 10a is supported by the first gantry side portion 7b and the second gantry side portion 7c.

Both ends of the bridging member 10b in the X direction are connected to upper ends of the pair of support members 10a. Thus, the portal frame 10 is provided so as to straddle the stage 8 in the X direction. The bridging member 10b can move up and down in the Z direction (movable in the direction of arrow u in FIG. 2) with respect to the strut member 10a. For example, the bridging member 10b may be provided with a slider capable of vertically moving the bridging member 10b with respect to the pair of support members 10a.

The portal frame 10 is connected to a frame moving mechanism 11 . The frame moving mechanism 11 has a rail member 12 extending in the Y direction and a drive mechanism 13 .
One rail member 12 is provided in each of the outer grooves 7e of the first pedestal side portion 7b and the second pedestal side portion 7c.
The drive mechanism 13 is connected to the portal frame 10 . The application unit 3 is movable along the rail member 12 in the Y direction (arrow n direction in FIG. 1) by driving the drive mechanism 13 .

<Nozzle>
As shown in FIG. 2, the nozzle 50 has an elongated shape extending in the X direction (arrow v direction in the figure). Nozzle 50 is a slit nozzle. The nozzle 50 is detachably attached to the lower end (the end on the −Z direction side) of the bridging member 10b of the portal frame 10 .

<Sensor>
A plurality of (for example, three in this embodiment) sensors 15 are provided along the X direction at the lower end of the bridging member 10b. The sensor 15 measures the distance (distance in the Z direction) between the nozzle tip 51a and the opposing surface facing the nozzle tip 51a (for example, the upper surface of the substrate 5 arranged below the nozzle 50).

<Supply Department>
As shown in FIG. 1 , the supply unit 20 includes a pump 21 capable of supplying the application liquid to the nozzle 50 and a supply source 22 capable of supplying the application liquid to the pump 21 .

The supply source 22 includes a storage tank 22a that stores the coating liquid. A pipe 24 through which an inert gas such as nitrogen gas can be introduced is connected to the storage tank 22a. The pipe 24 is connected to the pressurization source 23 via a valve (not shown). The pressure in the storage tank 22a is adjusted by opening/closing control of the valve. The supply source 22 supplies a predetermined amount of application liquid to the pump 21 by adjusting the pressure in the storage tank 22a.

For example, as the coating liquid, a liquid material for forming a resin substrate, an interlayer insulating film, and the like is used. In this embodiment, a liquid containing polyimide having a viscosity of about 1 to 10 Pa·s is used as the coating liquid. In general, a liquid material for forming a TFT, a liquid crystal layer, and the like used in a liquid crystal display device has a viscosity of 0.01 Pa·s or less. Therefore, the liquid containing polyimide has a higher viscosity than the liquid for forming TFTs, liquid crystal layers, and the like. As the coating liquid, a liquid other than the liquid containing polyimide may be used. For example, a chemical solution (liquid) such as a photoresist may be used as the coating solution. The viscosity of the coating liquid is, for example, in the range of 0.3 Pa or more and 20 Pa·s or less.

The supply unit 20 includes a plurality of pipes 24 to 26 that form supply paths (channels) for the application liquid. As described above, the coating liquid flows from source 22 toward nozzle 50 . Hereinafter, in the direction in which the coating liquid flows, the supply source 22 side may be referred to as the "upstream side", and the nozzle 50 side may be referred to as the "downstream side". The supply source 22 is connected to the nozzle 50 through a pipe 25, a pump 21 and a supply pipe 26 in order from the upstream side.

<Waste liquid section>
The waste liquid unit 30 includes a first waste liquid bottle 31 and a second waste liquid bottle 32 that store the waste liquid from the nozzle 50 . The first waste bottle 31 and the second waste bottle 32 are separated in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle 50 with the supply unit 20 interposed therebetween. The first waste liquid bottle 31 and the second waste liquid bottle 32 are connected to a first waste liquid pipe 33 and a second waste liquid pipe 34 that form a waste liquid path (channel) for the coating liquid, respectively. The waste liquid from the nozzle 50 flows toward the first waste liquid bottle 31 and the second waste liquid bottle 32 through the first waste liquid pipe 33 and the second waste liquid pipe 34, respectively.

<Management Department>
The management unit 4 manages the nozzles 50 so that the amount of the coating liquid discharged onto the substrate 5 is constant. As shown in FIG. 1, the management section 4 is provided on the -Y direction side of the application section 3 . The management section 4 includes a preliminary ejection mechanism 41 , a dip tank 42 , a nozzle cleaning device 43 , a storage section 44 and a holding member 45 .

The preliminary ejection mechanism 41 preliminarily ejects the coating liquid. For example, the preliminary ejection mechanism 41 is provided at a position closest to the nozzle 50 when the coating section 3 is arranged in the coating processing area.
A solvent such as thinner is stored inside the dip tank 42 .

The nozzle cleaning device 43 rinses and cleans the vicinity of the ejection port 60 (see FIG. 2) of the nozzle 50 . The nozzle cleaning device 43 includes a cleaning mechanism that moves in the X direction and a moving mechanism that moves the cleaning mechanism (both not shown).

The housing portion 44 houses the preliminary ejection mechanism 41 , the dip tank 42 and the nozzle cleaning device 43 .
As shown in FIG. 2, the length of the accommodating portion 44 in the X direction is smaller than the distance between the support members 10a of the portal frame 10. As shown in FIG. The gate-shaped frame 10 is configured to be movable in the Y direction over the housing portion 44 across the housing portion 44 . With the portal frame 10 moved above the housing 44 , the nozzle 50 is accessible to the preliminary discharge mechanism 41 , the dip bath 42 and the nozzle cleaning device 43 (see FIG. 1 ) in the housing 44 .

As shown in FIG. 2, the holding member 45 supports both ends of the accommodating portion 44 in the X direction from below.
The holding member 45 is connected to the managing section moving mechanism 46 . The management section moving mechanism 46 includes a rail member 47 extending in the Y direction and a drive mechanism 48 .
One rail member 47 is provided in each of the inner grooves 7d of the first pedestal side portion 7b and the second pedestal side portion 7c.
The drive mechanism 48 is connected to the holding member 45 . The management unit 4 is movable in the Y direction (arrow m direction in FIG. 1) along the rail member 47 by being driven by the drive mechanism 48 .

<Nozzle details>
As shown in FIG. 4, the nozzle 50 includes a long nozzle body 51, a connecting member 52 provided at the upper end of the nozzle body 51, and a longitudinal direction of the nozzle body 51 (hereinafter also referred to as "nozzle longitudinal direction"). and a pair of side plates 53 and 54 provided at both ends of the. 1 and 2, the connecting member 52 is illustrated in a simplified manner.

In the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5, the nozzle body 51 has a downward projecting portion that projects downward toward the center in the Y direction. A discharge port 60 for discharging the coating liquid is formed at the lower end of the downward projecting portion (hereinafter referred to as "nozzle tip 51a"). The ejection port 60 extends in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle.

As shown in FIG. 5, the nozzle body 51 includes an ejection port 60 for ejecting the coating liquid, a flow path 61 communicating with the ejection port 60, and an ejection connection path 69 connecting the ejection port 60 and the flow path 61. , a deaeration path 62 (see FIG. 4) communicating with the flow path 61, a supply path 63 for supplying the coating liquid to the flow path 61, and a concave groove 72 for adjusting the width of the discharge port 60 are provided. It is

As shown in FIG. 5 , the nozzle body 51 comprises a first nozzle body 55 and a second nozzle body 56 . The first nozzle body 55 and the second nozzle body 56 are arranged to face each other in the Y direction with the shim 80 interposed therebetween. In the nozzle body 51, the surface 55f of the first nozzle body 55 (inner side in the Y direction) and the surface 56f of the second nozzle body 56 (inner side in the Y direction) face each other, and the first nozzle body 55 and the second nozzle It is assembled with a shim 80 sandwiched between it and the main body 56 . In FIG. 3, the shim 80 is shown in simplified form.

<First nozzle body>
As shown in FIG. 3, the first nozzle body 55 is an elongated member extending in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle. The longitudinal direction of the first nozzle body 55 coincides with the longitudinal direction of the nozzle. Hereinafter, the longitudinal direction of the first nozzle body 55 is also referred to as "nozzle longitudinal direction".

For example, the first nozzle body 55 is made of a metal material such as stainless steel. As shown in FIG. 5 , in the first nozzle body 55 , a concave portion 55 a forming the flow path 61 in the nozzle 50 is provided on a surface 55 f (Y-direction inner side surface) facing the second nozzle body 56 . That is, the channel 61 is provided in the first nozzle body 55 .

As shown in FIG. 4 , the channel 61 includes a distribution channel 64 that communicates with the supply channel 63 and distributes the gas supplied from the supply channel 63 .
The dispersion path 64 is formed linearly along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle. The dispersion path 64 has a symmetrical shape in the nozzle longitudinal direction with the central position of the first nozzle main body 55 in the nozzle longitudinal direction as a reference.

<Second nozzle body>
As shown in FIG. 3, the second nozzle body 56 is an elongated member extending in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle. The longitudinal direction of the second nozzle body 56 coincides with the nozzle longitudinal direction. Hereinafter, the longitudinal direction of the second nozzle body 56 is also referred to as "nozzle longitudinal direction".

For example, the second nozzle main body 56 is formed using a metal material such as stainless steel. The second nozzle body 56 is formed using the same material as the first nozzle body 55 . In the second nozzle body 56, a surface 56f (Y-direction inner surface) facing the first nozzle body 55 is planar. The second nozzle main body 56 is provided with a plurality of (for example, three in this embodiment) through holes 56 a that constitute the supply channel 63 and the degassing channel 62 in the nozzle 50 . That is, the supply channel 63 and the degassing channel 62 are provided in the second nozzle body 56 .

As shown in FIG. 5 , the supply path 63 has a linear shape extending in the thickness direction (Y direction) of the second nozzle body 56 . As shown in FIG. 4, the supply path 63 is positioned in the central portion of the first nozzle body 55 in the nozzle longitudinal direction. The supply passage 63 communicates with the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the dispersion passage 64 of the first nozzle body 55 .

As shown in FIG. 4, a pair of degassing passages 62 are provided apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle. The pair of degassing passages 62 are positioned at both ends of the first nozzle body 55 in the nozzle longitudinal direction. Hereinafter, of the pair of degassing passages 62, the degassing passage 62a located at the first end of the second nozzle body 56 in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle will be referred to as the "first degassing passage 62a" and the second end of the second nozzle body 56. The degassing passage 62b located in the part is also called "second degassing passage 62b".

As shown in FIG. 3, each of the first degassing passage 62a and the second degassing passage 62b has a linear shape extending in the thickness direction (Y direction) of the second nozzle body 56. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4 , each of the first degassing passage 62 a and the second degassing passage 62 b communicates with the end of the dispersion passage 64 of the first nozzle body 55 . The first degassing passage 62 a is connected to the diverting passage 64 at the first end of the first nozzle body 55 . The second degassing passage 62 b is connected to the diverting passage 64 at the second end of the first nozzle body 55 . A first waste liquid pipe 33 (see FIG. 1) is connected to the first degassing passage 62a. A second waste liquid pipe 34 (see FIG. 1) is connected to the second degassing passage 62b.

As shown in FIG. 3 , grooves 72 are provided below the supply path 63 and the degassing path 62 in the second nozzle body 56 . As shown in FIG. 5 , the groove 72 is recessed inward in the Y direction from the Y-direction outer surface of the second nozzle body 56 . As shown in FIG. 3, the concave groove 72 has a linear shape extending in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle.

<Internal structure of the nozzle body>
5, in the nozzle body 51, the space surrounded by the concave portion 55a of the first nozzle body 55 and the surface 56f of the second nozzle body 56 becomes the flow path 61. As shown in FIG. In the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5, the concave portion 55a has a shape including a part of an elliptical shape (an arc of an ellipse) having a major axis inclined downward. In the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5, the gap between the surface 55f of the first nozzle body 55 and the surface 56f of the second nozzle body 56, which is formed between the flow path 61 and the discharge port 60, is It becomes the connection path 69 for discharge.

The discharge port 60 is an opening formed at the -Z side end of the flow path 61 in a state in which the first nozzle body 55, the second nozzle body 56, and the shim 80 are combined. The ejection port 60 is formed in a slit shape along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle.
For example, the dimension of the ejection port 60 in the nozzle longitudinal direction may be smaller than the dimension of the substrate 5 (see FIG. 2) in the X direction. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the application of the coating liquid to the peripheral region of the substrate 5 .

As shown in FIG. 5 , in the nozzle body 51 , the lowest position P1 on the inner wall of the flow path 61 is lower than the connection position P2 between the discharge connection path 69 and the flow path 61 . Inside the nozzle body 51, an acute-angled portion 55b is provided at a connection position P2 between the discharge connection path 69 and the flow path 61. As shown in FIG. The acute-angled portion 55b cuts out the application liquid in the flow path 61 and supplies it to the ejection connection path 69 side.

The acute-angled portion 55 b is formed by a surface 55 f of the first nozzle body 55 that constitutes the discharge connection path 69 and part of the inner wall surface of the flow path 61 . For example, it is preferable to set the angle A1 of the acute angle portion 55b in the range of 15° or more and 90° or less. This makes it possible to feed the application liquid to the ejection connection path 69 side while cutting the application liquid at the acute angle portion 55b. From the viewpoint of effectively cutting out the coating liquid, it is more preferable to set the angle A1 of the acute-angled portion 55b in the range of 20° or more and 40° or less.

<Connecting member>
As shown in FIG. 5 , the connecting member 52 is provided on the surface (upper surface) of the nozzle body 51 opposite to the ejection port 60 . The connecting member 52 connects the first nozzle body 55 and the second nozzle body 56 . As shown in FIG. 4, the connecting member 52 is an elongated member extending in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle. For example, the connecting member 52 is formed using a metal material such as stainless steel. The connecting member 52 is formed using the same material as the nozzle body 51 .

The connecting member 52 is a rectangular top plate having the same outer shape as the upper surface of the nozzle body 51 . As shown in FIG. 3, each of the four corners of the connecting member 52 is provided with a through hole 52h that penetrates the connecting member 52 in the thickness direction. Female screw portions 55m and 56m are provided at corners of the upper surfaces of the first nozzle body 55 and the second nozzle body 56 at positions corresponding to the through holes 52h. For example, by inserting bolts (not shown) through the through holes 52h of the connecting member 52 and screwing them into the female threaded portions 55m and 56m of the first nozzle body 55 and the second nozzle body 56, the first nozzle body 55 and a second nozzle body 56 can be connected. A supply portion 20 and a waste liquid portion 30 are provided on the upper surface of the connecting member 52 (see FIG. 2).

<Side plate>
As shown in FIG. 4, the pair of side plates 53 and 54 are positioned at both ends of the nozzle body 51 in the nozzle longitudinal direction. Hereinafter, of the pair of side plates 53 and 54, the side plate 53 located at the first end of the nozzle body 51 in the nozzle longitudinal direction will be referred to as the "first side plate 53", and the side located at the second end of the nozzle body 51 will be referred to as "first side plate 53". The plate 54 is also called "second side plate 54".

As shown in FIG. 3, each of the first side plate 53 and the second side plate 54 has the same contour shape as the cross section of the nozzle body 51 viewed in the Y direction. For example, each of the first side plate 53 and the second side plate 54 is formed using a metal material such as stainless steel.

The first side plate 53 is a plate member that closes the flow path 61 and the first end side of the groove 72 .
The second side plate 54 is a plate member that closes the channel 61 and the second end side of the groove 72 .

<Adjustment mechanism>
As shown in FIG. 6 , the second nozzle body 56 is provided with an adjustment mechanism 70 capable of adjusting the width of the discharge port 60 . FIG. 6 shows the end of the nozzle body 51 on the second side plate 54 side. Although not shown, the end portion of the nozzle body 51 on the side of the first side plate 53 also has the same configuration as the end portion on the side of the second side plate 54, so the description thereof is omitted.

The adjustment mechanism 70 includes a plurality of adjustment members 71 arranged in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle. As shown in FIG. 5, each adjustment member 71 is positioned to overlap the groove 72 in the Z direction. Each adjustment member 71 is arranged at a position avoiding the supply path 63 and the degassing path 62 (see FIG. 4). For example, the adjustment member 71 is an adjustment screw.

For example, by rotating the adjustment member 71 , the side wall surface of the groove 72 can be pressed to adjust the width of the discharge port 60 . As shown in FIG. 6, the interval between two adjacent adjustment members 71 is narrowed toward the end portion side of the second nozzle main body 56 in the nozzle longitudinal direction. That is, the plurality of adjustment members 71 are arranged so as to be denser toward the end portion side of the second nozzle body 56 in the nozzle longitudinal direction. The plurality of adjusting members 71 are arranged at equal intervals in the portion (portion near the center in the nozzle longitudinal direction) of the second nozzle main body 56 other than both end portions in the nozzle longitudinal direction.

<Application operation>
An example of the coating operation of the coating device 1 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1 , first, in the coating operation of the coating device 1 , the substrate 5 is loaded onto the stage 8 .
Next, the substrate 5 is transported by using the transport mechanism 9 and the coating liquid is applied.
Then, the substrate 5 coated with the coating liquid is unloaded. Such operations are alternately performed using a pair of transport mechanisms 9 .

For example, after the substrate 5 loaded onto the stage 8 is held by the substrate holding portion 9b, the slider 9a is moved in the Y direction along the rail 9c. The substrate 5 moves in the Y direction as the slider 9a moves.

When the tip of the substrate 5 in the transport direction reaches the position of the ejection port 60 of the nozzle 50 (see FIG. 2), the coating liquid is ejected from the ejection port 60 of the nozzle 50 toward the substrate 5 . The coating liquid is discharged while the position of the nozzle 50 is fixed and the substrate 5 is transported by the slider 9a, thereby changing the relative position between the discharge port 60 and the upper surface of the substrate 5. FIG.

<Action of Nozzle>
FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the action of the nozzle 50 according to the first embodiment. In FIG. 7, illustration of the connecting member 52, the supply unit 20, the waste liquid unit 30, and the like is omitted.
The application liquid is supplied to the nozzle 50 via the supply pipe 26 connected to the nozzle 50 using the pump 21 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, the coating liquid is supplied from the supply pipe 26 (see FIG. 1) into the channel 61 through the supply channel 63. As shown in FIG. The coating liquid supplied into the flow path 61 quickly fills both end sides of the flow path 61 in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle.

Since the application liquid is pressurized by the pump 21 (see FIG. 1), it is pushed out toward the discharge connection path 69 . In FIG. 7, the application liquid pushed out toward the ejection connection path 69 is denoted by reference symbol LA, and the application liquid pushed out toward the degassing path 62 is denoted by reference symbol LB.

At this time, the nozzle 50 is formed so that the lowest position P1 on the inner wall of the flow path 61 is lower than the connection position P2 between the discharge connection path 69 and the flow path 61 in the cross-sectional view of FIG. Therefore, unless the inside of the flow path 61 is pressurized, it becomes difficult for the coating liquid to flow into the ejection connection path 69 . Therefore, the application liquid supplied into the channel 61 does not immediately flow into the ejection connection path 69 , but first fills the entire area of the channel 61 and flows into the ejection connection path 69 after the internal pressure is increased. It will happen. Therefore, it is possible to uniformly apply the coating liquid without causing a difference in the amount of the coating liquid to be ejected over the entire area of the ejection port 60 in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle.

By the way, the coating liquid used in this embodiment has thixotropy. Therefore, when shear (strain) is applied to the coating liquid, the polymer chains of the coating liquid are stretched, and the tangled polymer chains are untied, resulting in a decrease in resistance (viscosity).
In general, when the shear is increased, the polymer chains are cut (structurally destroyed) at various locations, further reducing the viscosity. Once the polymer chain is cut, it is difficult to restore it, so even if the shear is removed, the viscosity remains low for a while. In particular, when a coating liquid having a high viscosity is used as the coating liquid, there arises a problem that the coating amount varies due to shear.

In contrast, the nozzle 50 of the present embodiment has an acute angle portion 55b at the connection position P2 between the discharge connection path 69 and the flow path 61, as shown in FIG. The sharp-angled portion 55b feeds the application liquid to the ejection connection path 69 side while cutting it out. Since the above-mentioned shear is not applied to the coating liquid cut out by the acute-angled portion 55b, it is possible to perform coating without giving the coating liquid any shear. That is, in the nozzle 50 of this embodiment, it is not necessary to consider the thixotropy of the coating liquid.

Furthermore, as described above, in the nozzle 50, the lowest position P1 on the inner wall of the flow path 61 is lower than the connection position P2 between the ejection connection path 69 and the flow path 61, so that the flow The pressure of the application liquid filled in the passage 61 tends to increase. The increased pressure favorably pushes the coating liquid toward the degassing path 62, so that it is possible to easily obtain the cutting-out effect of the sharp-angled portion 55b. In addition, the increased pressure described above can promote discharge of air bubbles together with the coating liquid LB, as shown in FIG.

The coating liquid LB thus flows through the degassing path 62 and is discharged to the waste liquid bottles 31 and 32 through the waste liquid pipes 33 and 34 (see FIG. 1). The waste liquid pipes 33 and 34 also function as degassing pipes for circulating air bubbles contained in the coating liquid LB.

On the other hand, the pump 21 (see FIG. 1) that supplies the application liquid into the flow path 61 pressurizes the application liquid in the flow path 61 , and the application liquid is pushed out to the discharge connection path 69 by this pressurization. The application liquid LA pushed out to the ejection connection path 69 is ejected from the ejection port 60 in a state in which the above-described shear is not applied by being cut out by the acute-angled portion 55b. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to perform coating while suppressing the occurrence of unevenness without considering the thixotropy of the coating liquid LA.

As described above, the bubbles contained in the coating liquid are discharged to the outside through the degassing path 62 , so the coating liquid LA from which the bubbles are preferably removed is discharged from the discharge port 60 .

In the nozzle 50, the supply path 63 and the degassing path 62 are formed linearly, so that the coating liquids LA and LB flow smoothly without delay.

As shown in FIG. 1, the coating liquid discharged from the nozzles 50 is applied onto the substrate 5 as the substrate 5 moves. That is, a coating film is formed on a predetermined region of the substrate 5 by passing the substrate 5 under the ejection port 60 (see FIG. 2) for ejecting the coating.

<Sim>
As shown in FIG. 8, the shim 80 has a length in the X direction (longitudinal direction of the nozzle). The shim 80 has a uniform thickness over the longitudinal direction and the vertical direction (Z direction) of the nozzle (see FIG. 5). The shim 80 has a symmetrical shape in the extending direction of the shim 80 with the center position (the center position in the X direction) of the shim 80 in the extending direction of the shim 80 as a reference. The shim 80 has a plate-shaped shim body 81 extending in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle, and an opening 82 opening toward the tip of the nozzle 50 in the shim body 81 .

A plurality of openings 82 are provided at intervals along the edge of the shim 80 closest to the tip of the nozzle 50 . In the example of FIG. 8, nine openings 82 are arranged. The nine openings 82 are composed of one opening 82A (hereinafter also referred to as "central opening 82A") disposed at the central position in the extending direction of the shim 80, and the extension of the shim 80 across the central opening 82A. Four openings 82B (hereinafter also referred to as "side openings 82B") are arranged on both sides in the direction of direction. The side openings 82B have a wider opening width than the central opening 82A. The eight side openings 82B have substantially the same opening width.

<Opening>
Details of the opening 82 will be described below with reference to the side opening 82B. Since the central opening 82A has the same configuration as the side opening 82B except for the size of the opening width, detailed description thereof will be omitted.
As shown in FIG. 9, the side opening 82B (hereinafter also simply referred to as "opening 82") has the maximum width at the portion (ie, lower end) closest to the tip of nozzle 50 (see FIG. 7). For example, the opening width W (maximum width) of the opening 82 is set to about 90 mm.

The opening 82 has a width narrower than the maximum width in at least part of the portion away from the tip of the nozzle 50 . Specifically, the opening 82 has a minimum width at the portion furthest from the tip of the nozzle 50 (ie, the top end). The opening 82 gradually widens from a portion farthest from the tip of the nozzle 50 toward the tip of the nozzle 50 . When viewed from the front in FIG. 9, the opening 82 has an isosceles trapezoidal shape whose base is the portion closest to the tip of the nozzle 50 in the opening 82 . The opening 82 is defined by an upper side 83, which is the farthest portion from the tip of the nozzle 50, and a first side 84 and a second side 85, which are a pair of legs (both ends in the longitudinal direction of the opening 82). there is

Here, one end (one end of the upper side 83) of the portion of the opening 82 farthest from the tip of the nozzle 50 is defined as K1. One end of the portion of the opening 82 closest to the tip of the nozzle 50 (apex of the corner on the opening side of the opening 82) located on the same side as K1 is defined as K2. A point on the edge of the shim 80 closest to the tip of the nozzle 50 is K3. Let G be an angle between a line segment connecting K1 and K2 and a line segment connecting P2 and P3. In this embodiment, the angle G is 91° or more and 96° or less. From the viewpoint of bringing the coating width closer to the target value, it is more preferable to set the angle G in the range of 91° or more and 92° or less.

<Action of shim opening>
FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the function of the opening 82 of the shim 80 according to the embodiment.
When the coating liquid flows out to the opening 82 of the shim 80, the coating liquid is guided by the first side 84 and the second side 85 of the opening 82 and goes from the upper side 83 to the lower end opening. In this embodiment, the opening 82 of the shim 80 has the maximum width at the portion closest to the tip of the nozzle 50 , so that the widest space is formed at the portion of the opening 82 closest to the tip of the nozzle 50 . Therefore, the coating liquid discharged from the opening 82 is pulled to the first side 84 and the second side 85 by surface tension (capillary phenomenon). As a result, the coating liquid discharged from the opening 82 tends to remain in place on the first side 84 and the second side 85 of the opening 82 . As a result, the coating liquid bulges out in a downward convex shape at the longitudinal central portion (opening width central portion) of the opening 82 .

That is, the coating liquid discharged from the opening 82 is discharged at a predetermined unit flow rate (flow rate per unit length in the longitudinal direction of the opening 82) at the longitudinal central portion of the opening 82. FIG. On the other hand, the coating liquid ejected from the opening 82 is ejected at a flow rate that is lower than the unit flow rate by the amount that it stays in the vicinity of the first side 84 and the second side 85 of the opening 82 . As a result, when the coating liquid is discharged onto the object, it is possible to suppress the spread of the coating width by the decrease from the unit flow rate. Reference character D in the drawing indicates a coating width that decreases in the vicinity of the first side 84 and the second side 85 .

As described above, the shim 80 of the present embodiment is built in the nozzle 50 having the slit-shaped discharge port 60, and has the opening 82 that opens toward the tip of the nozzle 50. The portion 82 has a maximum width in a portion closest to the tip of the nozzle 50 and a width narrower than the maximum width in at least part of a portion away from the tip of the nozzle 50 .

According to this configuration, the opening 82 of the shim 80 has the maximum width at the portion closest to the tip of the nozzle 50 and has a width narrower than the maximum width at least part of the portion away from the tip of the nozzle 50. Thus, the widest space is formed in the portion of the opening 82 that is closest to the tip of the nozzle 50 . Therefore, the liquid (coating liquid) discharged from the opening 82 is pulled toward both longitudinal ends of the opening 82 by surface tension (capillary action). As a result, the coating liquid discharged from the opening 82 tends to remain in place at both ends of the opening 82 in the longitudinal direction. That is, the coating liquid discharged from the opening 82 is discharged at a predetermined unit flow rate (flow rate per unit length in the longitudinal direction of the opening 82) at the longitudinal central portion of the opening 82. In the vicinity of both ends in the longitudinal direction, a flow rate that is smaller than the unit flow rate is discharged by the amount that remains in place. As a result, even if the coating width tends to be wider than the target value when the coating liquid is discharged onto the object, it is possible to suppress the spread of the coating width by the decrease from the unit flow rate. Therefore, the coating width can be brought as close as possible to the target value.

The opening 82 has a minimum width at a portion furthest from the tip of the nozzle 50 and gradually widens from the portion furthest from the tip of the nozzle 50 toward the tip of the nozzle 50 .
With this configuration, the coating liquid can be smoothly discharged from the portion of the opening 82 that is farthest from the tip of the nozzle 50 to the portion that is closest to the tip of the nozzle 50 .

One end of the portion of the opening 82 that is farthest from the tip of the nozzle 50 is defined as K1, and one end of the portion of the opening that is closest to the tip of the nozzle 50 that is located on the same side as K1 is defined as K2. Let K3 be the point on the edge of the portion closest to the tip of the nozzle 50, and let G be the angle formed by the line segment connecting K1 and K2 and the line segment connecting K2 and K3. It is 91 degrees or more and 96 degrees or less.
With this configuration, the coating width can be brought closer to the target value.

The opening 82 has an isosceles trapezoid shape whose base is the portion closest to the tip of the nozzle 50 in the opening 82 .
According to this configuration, since the same amount of the coating liquid remains in place at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the opening 82 , when the coating liquid is discharged onto the object, the width of the coating does not spread at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the opening 82 . can be suppressed in a well-balanced manner. Therefore, it is easy to make uniform the film thickness of the coating film and the shape of the film end (edge profile).

The coating liquid flowing through the opening 82 has a viscosity of 0.3 Pa·s or more and 20 Pa·s or less.
With this configuration, the coating width can be brought closer to the target value.

A plurality of openings 82 are provided at intervals along the edge of the shim 80 closest to the tip of the nozzle 50 .
According to this configuration, when the coating liquid is discharged onto the object, a plurality of coating films can be simultaneously formed on the object at intervals. For example, when making a plurality of panels on one substrate, a gap can be easily provided between two adjacent panels.

The nozzle 50 of this embodiment includes the shim 80 described above.

According to this configuration, by providing the shim 80, it is possible to provide the nozzle 50 capable of bringing the coating width as close as possible to the target value.

The coating apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes a substrate transport section 2 that transports the substrate 5 and a coating section 3 that includes the nozzle 50 and applies a coating liquid from the nozzle 50 to the substrate 5 being transported.

According to this configuration, by providing the nozzle 50, it is possible to provide the coating apparatus 1 capable of strictly controlling the coating width and forming a high-quality coating film.

It should be noted that the shapes, combinations, etc., of the constituent members shown in the above examples are merely examples, and can be variously changed based on design requirements and the like.
For example, in the above embodiment, an example in which the transport mechanism 9 transports the substrate 5 in the Y direction has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the drive mechanism 13 may move the nozzle 50 along with the portal frame 10 in the Y direction. For example, the substrate 5 may be placed at a fixed position and only the nozzle 50 may be moved in the Y direction. That is, the substrate 5 and the nozzle 50 may be relatively movable in the Y direction.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the supply path 63 is arranged in the central portion of the first nozzle main body 55 in the nozzle longitudinal direction has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the supply channel 63 may be arranged at the end of the first nozzle body 55 in the nozzle longitudinal direction.

In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the dispersion path 64 has a symmetrical shape in the longitudinal direction of the first nozzle body 55 with respect to the center position of the first nozzle body 55 in the nozzle longitudinal direction. , but not limited to this. For example, the dispersion path 64 may have an asymmetrical shape in the longitudinal direction of the first nozzle body 55 with reference to the center position of the first nozzle body 55 in the nozzle longitudinal direction.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the connecting member 52 is provided on the upper surface of the nozzle body 51 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the connecting member 52 may not be provided on the upper surface of the nozzle body 51 . For example, the upper surface of the nozzle body 51 may be used as an installation space for the supply section 20 and the waste liquid section 30 .

In the above embodiment, an example in which a pair of side plates 53 and 54 are provided at both ends of the nozzle main body 51 in the nozzle longitudinal direction has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, side plates may not be provided at both ends of the nozzle body 51 in the nozzle longitudinal direction.

In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the adjustment mechanism 70 capable of adjusting the width of the discharge port 60 is provided in the second nozzle body 56 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the second nozzle body 56 may not be provided with the adjustment mechanism 70 . For example, the adjustment mechanism 70 may be provided on the first nozzle body 55 . For example, the width of the ejection port 60 may be adjusted by preparing a plurality of shims having different thicknesses and replacing the shims.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the bridging member 10b is provided with a slider capable of vertically moving the bridging member 10b with respect to the pair of support members 10a has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the stage 8 may be provided with elevating pins capable of elevating the substrate 5 .

In the above-described embodiment, the opening 82 has an isosceles trapezoidal shape with the base being the portion of the opening 82 that is closest to the tip of the nozzle, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the opening 182 includes a constant width opening 182a having a constant width between a portion farthest from the tip of the nozzle and a portion near the tip of the nozzle, and a constant width opening 182a. and a widened opening 182b having a width that is contiguous and gradually widens from a portion near the tip of the nozzle toward the tip of the nozzle.

According to this configuration, the coating liquid uniformly passes through the constant-width opening 182a at a unit flow rate over the entire longitudinal direction of the opening 182, while the coating liquid passes through the wide-width opening 182b near both ends in the longitudinal direction of the opening 182. Pass through at a flow rate that is less than the unit flow rate. That is, the passing amount of the coating liquid in the vicinity of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the opening 182 can be reduced at the timing of shifting from the constant width opening 182a to the widening opening 182b. Therefore, it is easy to meet the required specifications such as the type of coating liquid and the material of the shim.

The opening 182 has a sloped portion 186 that slopes outward from a portion near the tip of the nozzle toward the tip of the nozzle. Here, let H be the height of the inclined portion 186 in the direction perpendicular to each of the shim extension direction and the shim thickness direction. That is, the height H of the inclined portion 186 is the length of the Z-direction component of the inclined portion 186 . At this time, the height H of the inclined portion 186 may be 3 mm or more and 50 mm or less.

With this configuration, the coating width can be brought closer to the target value.

Here, I is the width of the inclined portion 186 in the shim extending direction. That is, the width I of the inclined portion 186 is the length in the X direction. At this time, the width I of the inclined portion 186 may be in the range from H/10 to H/2, or in the range from H/6 to H/3. For example, when the height H of the inclined portion 186 is 4 mm, the width I of the inclined portion 186 is set to 1 mm.

According to this configuration, the coating width can be brought closer to the target value (see Table 1).

In addition, each component described as an embodiment or a modification thereof in the above can be appropriately combined without departing from the scope of the present invention, and some of the combined components can be omitted as appropriate.

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

The present inventors confirmed by the following evaluation that the application width can be brought as close as possible to the target value by forming the opening of the shim into a predetermined shape.

(Evaluation content)
Using shims having openings according to the following Comparative Examples 1 to 3 and Examples 1 to 3 as shim openings through which the coating liquid flows out, the application width "target value "difference", presence or absence of "edge waviness" that indicates the evaluation of the edge shape of the coating liquid (coating film) applied to the object, and the "profile" of the coating film that indicates the evaluation of the thickness of the coating film relative to the target thickness. evaluated each. The viscosity of the coating liquid supplied to the opening was set to 5 Pa·s. The opening width of the opening was 90 mm.

(Comparative example 1)
The shim of Comparative Example 1 used had a rectangular opening. That is, in Comparative Example 1, the angle of the corner of the opening on the opening side (corresponding to the angle G of the opening) is 90°.

(Example 1)
The shim of Example 1 had an isosceles trapezoidal opening with an opening angle G of 91°.

(Example 2)
The shim of Example 2 had an isosceles trapezoidal opening with an opening angle G of 92°.

(Example 3)
As the shim of Example 3, a shim having a rectangular opening whose corner on the side of the opening was chamfered by 1 mm×4 mm was used. That is, in Example 3, the width I of the inclined portion of the modified example shown in FIG. 4 mm chamfered) was used.

(Evaluation results)
Regarding the evaluation result of the "difference from the target value" of the coating width, when Comparative Example 1 was used as a reference, Examples 1 to 3 gave good results. Here, when the coating width is x1 and the target value is x2, the difference dx from the target value was calculated by the following formula (1).
dx=x2-x1 (1)
From equation (1), when the coating width x1 is wider than the target value x2, the difference dx from the target value is positive. On the other hand, when the coating width x1 is narrower than the target value x2, the difference dx from the target value is negative.
As for the evaluation result of "edge waviness" of the coating film, Examples 1 and 2 gave good results. In Table 1, when edge waviness occurred, it was indicated as "present", and when edge waviness was suppressed, it was indicated as "absent".
As for the evaluation result of the "profile" of the coating film, Example 2 gave a good result. Here, when the thickness of the coating film is z1 and the target thickness is z2, the profile dz of the coating film was calculated from the following formula (2).
dz=(z1/z2)×100 (2)
From equation (2), the closer the profile dz is to 100%, the better the result.

From the above, it was found that the coating width could be brought as close as possible to the target value by using the shims (Examples 1 to 3) having an opening angle G of 91° or more and 96° or less.
In addition, by using shims (Examples 1 and 2) having an isosceles trapezoidal opening with an angle G of the opening of 91° or 92°, the coating width can be adjusted to the target value as much as possible. It was found that edge waviness of the coating film can be suppressed as well as approaching to .
In addition, by using a shim having an opening angle G of 92° (Example 2), the coating width can be brought as close as possible to the target value, the edge waviness of the coating film can be suppressed, and a good profile of the coating film can be obtained. was found to be obtained.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Coating apparatus 2... Substrate conveyance part 3... Coating part 5... Substrate 50... Nozzle 60... Discharge port 80... Shim 82... Opening part 182... Opening part 182a... Constant width opening part 182b... Expanded width opening part 186... Inclined part

Claims (6)

A shim built into a nozzle having a slit-shaped discharge port,
Having an opening that opens toward the tip of the nozzle,
the opening has a maximum width in a portion closest to the tip of the nozzle and a width narrower than the maximum width in at least part of a portion away from the tip of the nozzle ;
The opening has a minimum width at a portion farthest from the tip of the nozzle, and gradually widens from the portion farthest from the tip of the nozzle toward the tip of the nozzle,
The opening has an isosceles trapezoidal shape with a base that is closest to the tip of the nozzle in the opening,
K1 is one end of the portion of the opening that is farthest from the tip of the nozzle;
K2 is one end located on the same side as K1 among the ends of the portion of the opening that is closest to the tip of the nozzle;
Let K3 be a point on the edge of the shim closest to the tip of the nozzle,
When the angle between the line segment connecting K1 and K2 and the line segment connecting K2 and K3 is G,
The angle G is 91° or more and 92° or less
Sim. the opening has a sloped portion that slopes outward as it approaches the tip of the nozzle from a portion near the tip of the nozzle;
When the height of the inclined portion in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the shim and the thickness direction of the shim is H,
The shim according to claim 1 , wherein the height H of the inclined portion is 3 mm or more and 50 mm or less. The shim according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the coating liquid flowing through the opening has a viscosity of 0.3 Pa·s or more and 20 Pa·s or less. The shim according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein a plurality of the openings are provided at intervals along the edge of the portion of the shim that is closest to the tip of the nozzle. A nozzle comprising a shim according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . a substrate transport unit that transports the substrate;
A coating device comprising the nozzle according to claim 5 , and a coating section that applies a coating liquid from the nozzle to the transported substrate.

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