KR0141062B1 - Optical apparatus and exposure apparatus using the optical apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus, which is located on the leftmost side of a light source 1 for emitting light, and the optical integrator 2 for converting light emitted from the light source 1 into a point light source is described above. It is located on the right side of the light source 1 and has a condensing lens 3, a vertically symmetrical structure, a blind 4 for adjusting the exposure area, an illuminance around the exposure area, and an adjustment of the size of the exposure area. An optical device 12 for forming the blind 4 at a constant magnification, and a reticle 5 on which various circuit patterns are drawn and to which a pellicle 11 is attached. And a projection plate 6 on which the point light source is projected, an entrance pupil 7 of the projection lens 6 on which the point light source is imaged, and a photoresist, and a glass plate to which the circuit patterns are transferred. (8) consists of a structure located on the right side in this order, It is possible to manufacture a single reticle having a predetermined pattern, to manufacture a large-area liquid crystal panel, to make a liquid crystal with fewer reticle replacement times than a conventional exposure apparatus, and to manufacture a liquid crystal panel of the same size. An optical device and an exposure device using the optical device, characterized in that the operation is characterized by the use of a smaller reticle pattern.

Description

Optical device and exposure device using optical device

1 is a configuration diagram of an illumination optical system and a projection optical system of an exposure apparatus for manufacturing an active matrix liquid crystal display device according to the prior art.

2 is a perspective view showing an exposure process of a conventional exposure apparatus.

3 is a configuration diagram of an exposure apparatus using an optical apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a block diagram of an optical device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

5 is an illuminance distribution chart during the primary exposure of the exposure apparatus using the optical apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

6 is an illuminance distribution chart at the time of secondary exposure of the exposure apparatus using the optical apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

1: light source 2: optical integrator

3: condensing lens 4: blind

5: reticle 6: projection lens

7: entrance pupil of the projection lens 8: glass plate

9: aperture 10: optical system section

11 pellicle 12 optical device

13 prism 14: first lens

15: second lens 16: total reflection mirror

The present invention relates to an optical apparatus and an exposure apparatus using the optical apparatus. More specifically, an optical system is provided between the blind and the reticle, so that a single reticle having a continuous pattern can be manufactured, and a liquid crystal panel having the same size can be obtained. It relates to an optical device that can use a smaller reticle pattern when manufactured and an exposure device using the optical device.

In the image information age, much expectation is gathered in the display device which is a person in charge of information transmission. As a result, various flat display devices in place of the cathode ray tube have been developed and are rapidly spreading.

Among them, the liquid crystal display device is extremely lightweight, thin, low-cost, low power consumption, and has a good lighting characteristic, which is well matched with integrated circuits. The trend is.

In particular, an active matrix liquid crystal display device in which switching elements are arranged for each pixel is a fusion of semiconductor technology and liquid crystal technology, and its display performance is excellent, and demand is gradually increasing. It is used as an element.

The illumination optical system and the projection optical system of a conventional exposure apparatus for manufacturing an active matrix liquid crystal display device will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a configuration diagram of an illumination optical system and a projection optical system of an exposure apparatus for manufacturing an active matrix liquid crystal display device according to the prior art.

As shown in FIG. 1, the configuration of the illumination optical system and the projection optical system of the exposure apparatus for manufacturing an active matrix liquid crystal display device according to the prior art is

A light source 1 for emitting light;

An optical integrator (2) for converting light emitted from the light source (1) into a point light source;

A condensing lens (3) for forming the point light source; Blinds 4 for adjusting the exposure area;

A reticle 5 in which various circuit patterns are drawn; A projection lens 6 on which the point light source is projected;

An entrance pupil 7 of the projection lens 6 in which the point light source is formed; The photoresist is applied and consists of a glass plate 8 to which the circuit patterns are transferred.

The operation of the illumination optical system and the projection optical system of the exposure apparatus for manufacturing an active matrix liquid crystal display device according to the prior art is as follows.

When power is applied by the surface bottom user, light is emitted from the light source 1 and converted into a point light source in the optical integrator 2.

The point light source passes through the blinds 4 for adjusting the exposure area through the condensing lens 3, illuminates the reticle 5 on which various circuit patterns are drawn, and the entrance pupil of the projection lens 6 7. ) Is transferred to the glass plate 8 to which the photoresist is applied.

The exposure operation as described above is repeated several times to connect the various circuit patterns already formed on the reticle 5 in the glass plate 8.

Such a process is called a stitching process.

In the conventional exposure apparatus, in order to perform the stitching process, the exposure area of the separated circuits is precisely adjusted by the blinds 4 to be stitched in a desired pattern on the glass plate.

2 is a perspective view showing an exposure process of a conventional exposure apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the case of exposure using a conventional exposure apparatus, a transparent plate called a pellicle is made of a reticle (to prevent the deterioration of image quality due to dust or the like between the blind 4 and the reticle 5). 5) Since a certain gap is formed between the blind 4 and the pattern formation surface of the reticle 5 by installing it at the position of about 5 millimeters at the top, the circuit patterns of the reticle 5 are each separated and exist on the reticle.

That is, the circuit pattern is printed on the reticle in the unit of the exposure area in one exposure.

This set the correct exposure by the blinds. Even though the light is scattered at the end of the blind, noise is generated by the scattered light at the edge of the pattern positioned below the blind.

That is, the uniformity of light is lowered at the edge of the exposed portion.

Therefore, conventionally, since the pattern on the reticle should be limited to a region smaller than the exposure area of the blind, the desired uniformity of light can be obtained, each pattern and the like existed on the reticle plane independently while maintaining a constant interval.

However, the illumination optical system and the leakage optical system of the exposure apparatus for manufacturing a conventional active matrix liquid crystal display device have the following disadvantages because each pattern independently maintains a constant interval.

1. The size of the reticle is increased, which makes it difficult to drive and manufacture the reticle.

2. When manufacturing a large area liquid crystal panel, the number of exposures increases, and thus many patterns are required on the reticle, and thus, the number of reticle replacements also increases.

3. Increasing the number of reticle changes will soon reduce production per unit time.

4. A high precision position control system is needed to realize an accurate stitching process.

5. The light utilization efficiency is lowered by the light blocking portion between the pattern and the pattern.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to solve the disadvantages of the prior art, by providing an optical system between the blind and the reticle, it is possible to manufacture a single reticle having a continuous pattern, and to produce a smaller liquid crystal panel when the same size An object of the present invention is to provide an optical apparatus that can use a reticle pattern and an exposure apparatus using the optical apparatus.

The configuration of the present invention to achieve the above object.

A light source for emitting light;

An optical integrator for converting light emitted from the light source into a point light source; A condensing lens for forming the point light source;

Blinds for adjusting the exposure area;

An optical device for adjusting illuminance around the exposure area, allowing various types of light to pass therethrough, and for forming the blinds at a constant magnification;

A reticle attached with a pellicle adapted to transmit a certain amount of light and drawing various circuit patterns;

A projection lens to which the point light source is projected;

An incident pupil of the projection lens in which the point light source is formed;

A photoresist is applied and consists of a glass plate to which the circuit patterns are transferred.

The optical device may include an aperture that adjusts illuminance around the exposure area, adjusts the size of the exposure area, and allows various types of light to pass therethrough;

It consists of an optical system section for forming blinds at a constant magnification.

The optical system unit includes a prism for changing a path of light; And a first lens, a second lens, and a total reflection mirror for forming an image of the blind.

When described with reference to the accompanying drawings the most preferred embodiment which can easily implement this invention by the above configuration as follows.

For reference, the same reference numerals in the accompanying drawings are the same components.

3 is a configuration diagram of an exposure apparatus using an optical device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of an optical device according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an illuminance distribution diagram during the primary exposure of the exposure apparatus using the optical apparatus, and FIG. 6 is an illuminance distribution diagram during the secondary exposure of the exposure apparatus using the optical apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the configuration of the exposure apparatus using the optical apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, the light source 1 for emitting light is located on the leftmost side, and the light emitted from the light source 1 The optical integrator 2 for converting the light into a point light source is located on the right side of the light source 1, and has a condensing lens 3, a vertically symmetrical structure, a blind 4 for adjusting the exposure area, Optical device 12 and various circuits for adjusting illuminance around the exposure area, adjusting the size of the exposure area, allowing various types of light to pass through, and forming the blind 4 at a constant magnification. The entrance pupil 7 of the reticle 5 on which the pattern is drawn and to which the pellicle 11 is attached, the projection lens 6 on which the point light source is projected, and the projection lens 6 on which the point light source is formed. And a photoresist is applied, and the circuit patterns are transferred. A glass plate (8) it consists of a structure located on the right side in this order.

As shown in FIG. 4, the configuration of the optical device described above includes an aperture 9 for adjusting the illuminance around the exposure area and adjusting the size of the exposure area at an upper end thereof, and at the bottom thereof, an optical system unit 10. Of the prism 13, the convex lens 14, the concave lens 15 and the total reflection mirror 16 for forming an image of the blind 4 on the right side thereof are arranged to some distance in order. Is made of.

Operation of the exposure apparatus using the optical device and the optical device according to the embodiment of the present invention by the above configuration is as follows.

First, when power is applied by the user, light is emitted from the light source 1 and converted into a point light source in the optical integrator 2.

The point light source passes through the condensing lens 3, the exposure area is adjusted by the blinds 4, passes through the prism 13 of the optical system unit 10 of the optical device 12, and the convex lens 14. ), Reflected by the total reflection mirror 16 via the concave lens 15, through the concave lens 15 and the convex lens 14, through the pellicle 11 through the prism, and various circuit patterns are drawn. The exposure area of the blind 4 is reshaped on the reticle 5, and is imaged on the entrance pupil 7 of the projection lens 6 by the aperture 9 of the optical device 12 to apply a photoresist. The glass plate 8 is transferred.

In this case, the diaphragm 9 accurately adjusts the illuminance around the exposure area.

The optical device 12 has a continuous pattern, and the exposure operation is performed while changing the exposure area of the blind 4.

In the above, after the first exposure and the second exposure, the overlap of the first exposure area at the time of the first exposure and the several millimeters is made, so that perfect stitching is performed.

Looking at the stitching process in more detail as follows.

The illuminance distribution of the pattern during the first exposure has the same distribution as that of FIG. 5 with respect to the reticle size (L).

At this time, the roughness of the end is adjusted by adjusting the aperture (9).

Then, in the second exposure, as shown in FIG. 6, the exposure is slightly overlapped with the primary exposure (ΔL) to achieve perfect stitching.

As described above, in the embodiment of the present invention, by installing an optical system between the blind and the reticle, it is possible to manufacture a single reticle having a continuous pattern, to make a large area of the liquid crystal panel, and to the existing exposure apparatus Compared to the present invention, it is possible to provide an optical apparatus and an exposure apparatus using the optical apparatus, which enables the production of liquid crystals with fewer reticle replacement times, and the effect of using a smaller reticle pattern when manufacturing the same size liquid crystal panel.

Claims (5)

A light source for emitting light; An optical integrator for converting light emitted from the light source into a point light source; A condensing lens for forming the point light source; Blinds for adjusting the exposure area; An optical device for adjusting illuminance around the exposure area, allowing various types of light to pass therethrough, and for forming the blinds at a constant magnification; A reticle attached with a pellicle for transmitting a predetermined amount of light and drawn with various circuit patterns; A projection lens to which the point light source is projected; An incident pupil of the projection lens in which the point light source is formed; An exposure apparatus using an optical apparatus, wherein a photoresist is applied and the circuit patterns are composed of a glass plate to be transferred. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an aperture to adjust illuminance around the exposure area, to adjust the size of the exposure area, and to allow various types of light to pass therethrough; And an optical system unit for forming the blinds at a constant magnification. The optical system of claim 2, wherein the optical system unit comprises: a prism for changing a path of light; And a convex lens, a concave lens and an electric yarn mirror for forming an image of the blind. The optical device according to claim 2, wherein the optical system unit is operable to fully realize the stitching process. The optical device according to claim 2, wherein the optical system unit has one continuous pattern to expose the blind while changing the exposure area of the blind.