JPH07311375A - Inspection stage of liquid crystal display substrate inspecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate alignment of a liquid crystal display substrate relative to an inspection stage by providing a stage top with a chucking plate, alignment stage and probe frame stage. CONSTITUTION:The stage top 8 is arranged atop the inspection stage 1. This stage top 8 is formed by building the XYtheta stage (alignment stage) 9, the chucking plate 10, a lift pin 11, the probe frame stage 12, a probe frame 13, etc., and has a function to adjust the position and direction of the substrate 4 and a function to execute probing on the substrate 4. The exact alignment of the substrate is executed by the alignment stage 9 of the stage top 8 when the alignment stage adjusts the position and direction of the chucking plate 10 holding the liquid crystal substrate 4. The probing to the contact pads of the substrate is executed by the probe frame stage 12 of the stage top 8.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inspection stage provided in an apparatus for inspecting a liquid crystal display substrate used for a liquid crystal display panel or the like for a defect and for holding and scanning the liquid crystal display substrate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A liquid crystal display panel is one in which a transparent substrate is arranged on a liquid crystal display substrate via a spacer, and liquid crystal is sealed in a space formed between the liquid crystal display substrate and the transparent substrate. In recent years, liquid crystal display panels have been increasing in area and density because they are applied to liquid crystal televisions and the like, but due to this, pixel dimensions and wiring widths have become extremely small. It is inevitable that disconnection defects and short-circuit defects will occur due to dust in the atmosphere. Therefore, the liquid crystal display substrate is inspected using an inspection device before the liquid crystal panel is assembled.

In this liquid crystal display substrate inspection device,
When a voltage is applied to the pixel electrode on the liquid crystal display substrate, it is intended to detect that the defective portion is electrically or optically different from the normal portion at that time. Therefore, the liquid crystal display substrate inspection device, a probe frame having a plurality of probes pressed against the contact pad on the liquid crystal display substrate, a voltage application / current measuring device for measuring the current after applying a voltage to the probe, It has an inspection head in which optical devices such as a light source and a light receiver are built in, and an inspection stage for holding and scanning a liquid crystal display substrate to be inspected below the inspection head.

[0004]

By the way, in the conventional liquid crystal display substrate inspection apparatus, when the probe is pressed against a plurality of contact pads on the liquid crystal display substrate, a needle is placed on the contact pad having a small area of, for example, 1 mm or less. Since it is necessary to bring the probe into contact with each other, high positional accuracy is required when holding the liquid crystal display substrate in the inspection stage. However, the movement of the inspection stage itself in the front-back, left-right direction in the horizontal plane is for scanning the liquid crystal display substrate, and the operator must manually perform the alignment with respect to the inspection stage, which is troublesome. At the same time, it was difficult to improve the positional accuracy.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an inspection stage of a liquid crystal display substrate inspection device which can easily align the liquid crystal display substrate with the inspection stage. And

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the inspection stage of the liquid crystal display substrate inspection device according to claim 1 is provided in the liquid crystal display substrate inspection device, and the liquid crystal display substrate is provided below the inspection head. Is a test stage for inspecting the entire surface of the liquid crystal display substrate by holding the liquid crystal and scanning the liquid crystal display substrate in the front-rear and left-right directions, and a stage top is installed on the upper surface of the liquid crystal display substrate. A chuck plate for holding a display substrate, an alignment stage for adjusting the position and orientation of the chuck plate, and a probe frame stage for holding a probe frame for probing the contact pads of the liquid crystal display substrate are provided. Is characterized by Than it is.

Further, in the inspection stage of the liquid crystal display substrate inspection apparatus according to claim 2, the chuck plate is installed so as to be movable in the front-rear and left-right directions in a horizontal plane with respect to the alignment stage and rotatable. It is what

The inspection stage of the liquid crystal display substrate inspection device according to claim 3 is the stage top.
A plurality of lift pins that extend in the vertical direction and support the substrate at a plurality of points are provided so as to be able to move up and down. The lift pins are capable of being raised to a position protruding above the chuck plate by a certain amount, and the top surface. It is characterized in that it can be lowered to a position where it is buried below a certain size.

Further, the inspection stage of the liquid crystal display substrate inspection device according to claim 4 is characterized in that the probe frame stage is provided so as to be able to move up and down when the lift pins are in a lowered state to a lower limit position. Is.

[0010]

According to the inspection stage of the liquid crystal display substrate inspection apparatus of claim 1, the stage top is provided on the inspection stage, and the alignment stage of the stage top adjusts the position and orientation of the chuck plate holding the liquid crystal display substrate. By doing so, accurate alignment of the substrate is performed. Further, the probe frame stage on the stage top performs probing on the contact pads of the substrate.

Further, according to the inspection stage of the liquid crystal display substrate inspection device of the second aspect, the chuck plate is moved in the front-rear, left-right direction in the horizontal plane and rotated, so that the liquid crystal display substrate is placed on the chuck plate. If the displacement occurs when the above-mentioned process is performed, the position and the orientation of the chuck plate are corrected.

Further, according to the inspection stage of the liquid crystal display substrate inspection device of the third aspect, when the substrate is introduced into the inspection stage, first, the plurality of lift pins are raised to the upper limit, and the substrate is picked up at a plurality of points. The substrate is placed on the chuck plate when it is supported and then the lift pins are lowered to the lower limit, whereupon the substrate is held by the chuck plate. On the other hand, when the substrate is taken out from the inspection stage, first, the holding state of the substrate on the chuck plate is released, and then, when the lift pins rise, the substrate is separated from the chuck plate and is supported by the plurality of lift pins.

According to the inspection stage of the liquid crystal display substrate inspection device of the fourth aspect, the probe frame is in the state where the lift pins are lowered to the lower limit position, that is, when the liquid crystal display substrate is held by the chuck plate. Since the probe frame also rises and falls as the stage rises and falls, probing of the contact pads on the substrate is performed.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 shows the inspection stage 1 of this embodiment.
It is a figure which shows the liquid crystal display board inspection device 2 provided with. A liquid crystal display substrate inspection device 2 (hereinafter, simply referred to as a substrate inspection device) has a base 3 on which an inspection stage 1 for scanning a liquid crystal display substrate 4 (hereinafter simply referred to as a substrate) to be inspected is installed. In the horizontal plane, it is movable in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction (the direction perpendicular to the paper surface and the left-right direction in FIG. 3). An inspection head 5 having a built-in optical device such as a light source, a light receiver, and a CCD camera is installed above the inspection stage 1 to apply a voltage to a probe described later to measure a current.
A current measuring device (not shown) is installed.

A handling robot 6 is installed beside the substrate inspecting apparatus 2 for automatically introducing the substrate 4 into and out of the inspection stage 1 of the substrate inspecting apparatus 2. The handling robot 6 is of a forklift type in which a fork 7 on which the substrate 4 is placed can be rotated, horizontally moved, and moved up and down.

A stage top 8 is installed on the upper surface of the inspection stage 1. Stage top 8 is X
The Yθ stage 9 (alignment stage), the chuck plate 10, the lift pins 11, the probe frame stage 12, the probe frame 13 and the like are incorporated, and the function of adjusting the position and orientation of the substrate 4 and the probing of the substrate 4 are performed. It has a combination of functions. Hereinafter, the configuration of the stage top 8 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, an XYθ stage 9 is provided below the stage top 8, and a chuck plate 10 is fixed above the XYθ stage 9. As shown in FIG. 2, in the XYθ stage 9, an X lead screw 1 extending in the X direction (the arrow X direction in FIG. 2) is provided.
Y lead screws (not shown) extending in the Y direction (arrow Y direction in FIG. 2) are provided orthogonally above 4 and X and Y stepping motors 16 and 17 for rotating these lead screws are provided. It is provided for each lead screw.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a chuck plate base (not shown) is provided on the upper Y lead screw, and a θ stepping motor (see FIG. The chuck plate 10 is fixed via a rotary shaft 31 which is rotatable in the θ direction (the arrow θ direction in the drawing) by connecting (not shown). Further, the chuck plate 10 has a large number of suction holes 18, 18, ... And four lift pin insertion holes 19
Are formed so as to penetrate in the thickness direction, and suction holes 18, 1 are formed.
, ... are connected to a vacuum exhaust source (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 2, the chuck plate 10
Two lift pin support plates 20 and 20 are provided below, and two lift pins 11 and 11 are provided upright on both sides of the upper surface of each lift pin support plate 20, respectively. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, each lift pin 11 is inserted into the lift pin insertion hole 19 of the chuck plate 10, and the lift pin support plate 20 is connected to the lift pin support plate elevating mechanism 25. In addition, the stage top horizontal rail 21
Two pairs of stoppers 22, 22 are provided on the upper surface of the and the lower surface of the lift pin support plate 20.

Therefore, the lift pin support plate 20 and the lift pin 11 are raised and lowered by the lift pin support plate elevating mechanism 25, and the lower range of the lift pin 11 is limited by the stopper 22. , The tip of the lift pin 11 projects from the upper surface of the chuck plate 10 by a length corresponding to the thickness of the fork 7 of the handling robot 6 or more,
When the lift pin 11 moves to the lower limit, the tip of the lift pin 11 moves within a range in which it is slightly buried from the upper surface of the chuck plate 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, the chuck plate 10
A probe frame stage 12 for supporting the probe frame 13 is provided above. The probe frame stage 12 includes a frame portion 23 and a support portion 24 extending downward from the frame portion 23, and the support portion 24 is connected to a probe frame stage lifting mechanism (not shown). The probe frame 13 is replaceably attached to the upper surface of the frame portion 23 of the probe frame stage 12 by screwing.

Therefore, the guide frame 26 below the supporting portion 24 slides while engaging with the supporting pillar 28 standing on the stage top bottom plate 27 by the operation of the probe frame stage lifting mechanism, whereby the probe frame stage 12 is moved. It is designed to rise and fall. Further, a mechanical stopper (not shown) is attached to the probe frame stage 12, and the mechanical stopper comes into contact with the frame supporting the support column 28 so that the ascending / descending limit of the probe frame stage 12 is limited. It has become. When the probe frame stage 12 moves up to the upper limit position, the probe 30 protruding downward from the attached probe frame 13 is located at a height that does not hinder the loading and unloading of the substrate 4 into and from the chuck plate 10. It is like this.

The board 4 is manufactured by using the board inspecting apparatus 2 having the above structure.
When performing the inspection, the operator attaches the probe frame 13 corresponding to the substrate 4 to be inspected to the probe frame stage 12 in advance and sets the substrate 4 at a predetermined position. As an initial state of the device 2, the lift pins 11 and the probe frame stage 12 are in a raised state. When the inspection is started, the handling robot 6 places the substrate 4 on the fork 7 and introduces the substrate 4 from the side into the space between the chuck plate 10 and the probe frame stage 12. Then, the handling robot 6 moves the substrate 4 to the four lift pins 11
After remounting on top, the fork 7 is pulled out from the space. Then, as the lift pin support plate 20 descends, the lift pins 11 descend, and after the substrate 4 supported by the lift pins 11 is placed on the chuck plate 10, the substrate 4 is securely sucked onto the chuck plate 10 by vacuum suction. Retained.

Next, the CCD camera of the inspection head 5
The positions of the two alignment marks formed on the substrate 4 are detected, the orientation of the substrate 4 is calculated from the positions of the two points, and the θ stepping motor is driven based on the difference between the orientation and the reference orientation stored in advance. By doing so, the chuck plate 10 rotates until it coincides with the reference direction. Similarly, the difference between the detected position of the alignment mark and the reference position of the alignment mark stored in advance is calculated, and the X and Y stepping motors 16 and 17 are driven based on the difference to hold the substrate 4. The chuck plate 10 thus moved moves to the reference position in the inspection stage 1. This completes the adjustments in the X, Y, and θ directions by the XYθ stage 9.

Then, the probe frame stage elevating mechanism is operated to operate the probe frame stage 1
2 is lowered and the probe frame 13 is lowered accordingly, so that the probe 30 of the probe frame 13 is pressed against the contact pad of the substrate 4 with a slight pressure,
A voltage is applied by the voltage application / current measuring device to start measurement. Then, thereafter, the inspection stage 1 is moved in a state where the position of the XYθ stage 9 in the inspection stage 1 is fixed, so that the substrate 4 is scanned below the inspection head 5 to inspect the entire surface of the substrate 4. Be done.

After the inspection is completed, the probe frame stage 12 is lifted, the vacuum suction of the chuck plate 10 is released, and then the lift pins 11 are lifted to lift the substrate 4 from the chuck plate 10. Therefore, the handling robot 6 attaches the fork 7 to the substrate 4 and the chuck plate 1.
It is inserted between 0 and 0 to receive the substrate 4, and the substrate 4 is led out of the inspection stage 1. In this way, the inspection of one substrate 4 is completed.

In the inspection stage 1 of this embodiment, a stage top 8 having both the function of adjusting the position and orientation of the chuck plate 10 and the function of probing the substrate 4 is provided on the upper surface of the inspection stage 1. Since it is not necessary to manually position the substrate 4 in the inspection stage 1 as in the case of the conventional apparatus, it is possible to reduce the time and labor required for the positioning. In addition, XYθ is automatically obtained by data processing based on the comparison between the alignment mark position of the substrate 4 and the reference position.
Since the stage 9 is moved, alignment can be performed with higher accuracy than manually performed.

Further, as the series of operations of the stage top 8 is such that the probing is continuously performed after the adjustment of the position and the orientation of the chuck plate 10 is completed, the inspection time is shortened as compared with the conventional apparatus. Therefore, the substrate inspection device 2 can have a high processing capacity.

In the present embodiment, the XYθ stage 9 is configured not only to move in the X and Y directions but also to rotate in the θ direction, so that the position of the chuck plate 10 in the inspection stage 1 is sufficient. It is also possible to adjust the orientation. Therefore, when the substrate 4 is placed on the chuck plate 10, the chuck plate 1
Even if both the position and the orientation of the substrate 4 with respect to 0 occur, the XYθ stage 9 can correct the displacement. As a result, even if the handling robot 6 which is not so accurate is used, it is possible to sufficiently cope with it.

Further, since the substrate 4 is supported by the lift pins 11 when the substrate 4 is introduced into and taken out of the inspection stage 1, there is a gap between the substrate 4 and the chuck plate 10. Then, the fork 7 of the handling robot 6 is inserted into this gap, and the substrate 4 and the lift pin 11 are transferred. Therefore,
By using the inspection stage 1 of this configuration, the forklift type handling robot 6 can be applied.

Further, since the chuck plate 10 is accurately aligned, the probe frame 13 is lowered while being securely fixed to the probe frame stage 12 by screwing.
Since the probe 30 of the probe frame 13 is reliably pressed against the contact pad of the substrate 4, stable probing can be performed.

In this embodiment, a lead screw or a stepping motor is used as a mechanism for driving the XYθ stage 9, and the stepping motor is operated by the difference when the alignment mark on the substrate 4 is detected and compared with the reference. However, the configuration is not limited to these, and another drive mechanism or substrate position detection mechanism may be used. Further, in the present embodiment, four lift pins 11 are provided so as to penetrate the chuck plate 10, and the probe frame stage 12 including the frame portion 23 and the support portion 24 extending therebelow is provided. Various design changes can be made to the details of the stage top such as the installation position, the shape of the probe frame stage, and the like.

[0033]

As described above in detail, the first aspect of the present invention is as follows.
The inspection stage of the liquid crystal display substrate inspection apparatus described above includes a chuck plate for holding a substrate, an alignment stage for adjusting the position and orientation of the chuck plate, and a stage having a probe frame stage for holding a probe frame for probing the substrate. Since the top is installed, it is not necessary to manually position the substrate in the inspection stage as in the case of the conventional apparatus, and it is possible to reduce the labor required for the positioning. Further, since the probe frame stage holding the probe frame can perform probing on the substrate, the probing can be efficiently performed after the alignment of the substrate is performed.

Further, in the inspection stage of the liquid crystal display substrate inspection device according to the second aspect, since the chuck plate is movable in the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and rotatable in the horizontal plane, the chuck plate in the inspection stage can be rotated. Both position and orientation can be adjusted. Therefore, when the substrate is placed on the chuck plate, even if both the position and the direction of the substrate with respect to the chuck plate are displaced, the displacement can be reliably corrected.

Further, in the inspection stage of the liquid crystal display substrate inspection device according to the third aspect, lift pins for supporting the substrate are provided on the stage top so as to be able to move up and down, and the lift pins are projected upward from the upper surface of the chuck plate. Since the substrate rises and descends to a position where it is buried below, a substrate is supported by lift pins when the substrate is introduced into and taken out from the inspection stage, so that a gap is formed between the substrate and the chuck plate. By introducing a forklift type handling robot or the like capable of inserting a fork into the gap, mechanization of substrate handling can be achieved.

Further, in the inspection stage of the liquid crystal display substrate inspection device according to claim 4, the probe frame stage for supporting the probe frame is raised,
Since it is provided so that it can be lowered, the probe is accurately aligned with the probe frame stage, and the probe of the probe frame is reliably pressed onto the contact pads of the substrate for stable probing. Can be done.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing an inspection stage according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing the whole of the liquid crystal display substrate inspection device including the inspection stage.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Inspection Stage 2 Liquid Crystal Display Substrate Inspection Device 4 Liquid Crystal Display Substrate 5 Inspection Head 8 Stage Top 9 XYθ Stage (Alignment Stage) 10 Chuck Plate 11 Lift Pin 12 Probe Frame Stage 13 Probe Frame

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Toshitaka Ono 3-15-15 Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. Toni Technical Center (72) Inventor Susumu Murayama 3-chome, Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo No. 1-15 Ishikawashima Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. Toni Technical Center (72) Inventor Terumasa Ishihara 5236 Kamo, Dejima Village, Shinji-gun, Ibaraki Prefecture Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. Tsuchiura Works (72) Inventor Takeuchi Mutsushi Ibaraki 5236 Kamo, Dejima-mura, Shinji-gun Ishi Kawashima Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. Tsuchiura Works

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An inspection for inspecting the entire surface of the liquid crystal display substrate, which is provided in a liquid crystal display substrate inspection device, holds the liquid crystal display substrate below an inspection head, and scans the liquid crystal display substrate in the front-back, left-right direction in a horizontal plane. A stage, wherein a stage top is installed on an upper surface of the stage, a chuck plate for holding the liquid crystal display substrate, an alignment stage for adjusting a position and an orientation of the chuck plate, and the liquid crystal. An inspection stage of a liquid crystal display substrate inspection device, comprising: a probe frame stage for holding a probe frame for probing a contact pad of a display substrate. 2. The inspection stage of the liquid crystal display substrate inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chuck plate is installed so as to be movable in front, rear, left and right directions and rotatable in a horizontal plane with respect to the alignment stage. The inspection stage of the characteristic liquid crystal display board inspection device. 3. The inspection stage of the liquid crystal display substrate inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of lift pins extending in the vertical direction and supporting the substrate at a plurality of points are provided on the stage top so as to be able to move up and down. The liquid crystal display is characterized in that the lift pin can be raised up to a position protruding upward from the upper surface of the chuck plate by a predetermined dimension, and can be lowered down to a position buried below the upper surface by a fixed dimension. Inspection stage of board inspection equipment. 4. The inspection stage of the liquid crystal display substrate inspection device according to claim 3, wherein when the lift pins are in a lowered state to a lower limit position,
An inspection stage of a liquid crystal display substrate inspection device, wherein the probe frame stage is provided so as to be able to move up and down.