KR100547408B1 - Photosensitive resin coating device and coating method using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a photosensitive resin coating apparatus of a flat panel display panel, and to easily coating a photosensitive resin and to obtaining a high quality coating quality regardless of the size of a substrate.

Such a coating apparatus includes a bath providing a region to which a photosensitive resin is applied, a photoresist jetting means installed to correspond to a setting position of a substrate in the bath, and coating a photosensitive resin onto a surface of the substrate, and an atmosphere of the interior of the bath. It includes a pressure holding means for maintaining a constant pressure,

The pressure holding means is characterized in that the space corresponding to the coating area of the substrate in the bath using the injection fluid to be formed and maintained in a vapor pressure environment.

Flat panel display panel, photosensitive resin coating, substrate photo process, bath, photoresist injection means, pressure holding means, injection fluid, thinner, leveling environment of coating liquid, high quality coating quality, pressure atmosphere environment using spray fluid maintain.

Description

Photosensitive resin coating device and coating method using the same {photosensitive-polymer coater and the coating method of the same}

1 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the internal structure of the photosensitive resin coating apparatus according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view of Figure 1 for explaining the structure and operation of the photosensitive liquid injection means of the photosensitive resin coating apparatus according to the present invention.

Figure 3 is a partially enlarged perspective view of Figure 1 for explaining the pressure holding means structure and action of the photosensitive resin coating apparatus according to the present invention.

Figure 4 is a preferred overall coating process of the photosensitive resin coating method according to the invention.

5 is a detailed process diagram of FIG.

Figure 6 is a front view briefly showing the structure of a conventional coating apparatus according to the prior art.

7 is a partially enlarged view.

The present invention relates to a photosensitive resin coating apparatus and a coating method using the same, and more particularly, can be used for the photosensitive resin coating of a flat panel display panel, coating of the photosensitive resin is easy, and high quality coating regardless of the size of the substrate. The present invention relates to a photosensitive resin coating apparatus and a coating method using the same.

In general, a method for forming a thin film or a circuit pattern coated with a photosensitive resin on a surface of a glass substrate in a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal display device may include photolithography techniques such as semiconductor manufacturing, for example, a photosensitive resin on a surface of a substrate. A photosensitive film is formed by a coating treatment step of applying photosensitive polymer, a circuit pattern is exposed to a photosensitive film of a substrate by an exposure process, and a circuit pattern exposed by a developing process DEVELOP is developed.

In the above-mentioned photosensitive resin coating process, the photosensitive resin is coated on the surface of the substrate to form a photosensitive film having a uniform surface layer. The key to the process technology is a coating method of the photosensitive resin, for example, spin coating by rotation. Methods, silk screen method using a screen, etc. Among these coating methods, a spin coating method having a relatively simple process and excellent coating quality is mainly used.

In the spin coating method, as shown in FIG. 6, the substrate P is set in a horizontal posture on the support 110 installed on the rotation shaft 100, the photosensitive resin is applied to the main surface of the substrate P, and then the rotation shaft ( The photosensitive resins applied by rotating 100 are gradually diffused toward the edge of the substrate P by centrifugal force to have a uniform coating layer and to form the photosensitive film F. FIG.

However, since the conventional spin coating method is a structure for coating the photosensitive resin applied by the rotation of the substrate P, a solvent such as thinner contained in the resin when the photosensitive resin applied during the rotation of the substrate P is diffused. As (i) evaporates, the diffusion action is not performed smoothly. As shown in FIG. 7, the edge region of the photosensitive film F formed on the surface of the substrate P is formed to form satisfactory coating quality. Difficult to obtain

In addition, in the case of the large-area substrate P, since four corners are far from the rotation center region, turbulence is formed around them at high speed during rotation, and the diffusion distance of the photoresist is relatively far from the center. Since evaporation of the solvent is accelerated, there is a limit in obtaining a coating layer having a uniform surface in structure.

In addition, although the conventional silk screen method is not shown in the drawings, when the substrate is large, it is difficult to uniformly apply the photosensitive resin to the surface of the substrate, and in addition, it is necessary to secure an excessive coating space when applying the structure, and the silk screen at regular intervals. It is difficult to expect satisfactory coating quality and equipment efficiency because of the excessive cost of maintenance due to replacement.

The present invention has been made to solve the conventional problems as described above, the object of the present invention is easy to coat the photosensitive resin, a photosensitive resin coating apparatus that can obtain a good coating quality irrespective of the size of the substrate and It is to provide a coating method using the same.                         

In order to realize the object of the present invention as described above, a bath providing a region to which the photosensitive resin is applied, and a photosensitive liquid spraying means provided to correspond to the setting position of the substrate in the bath and coating the photosensitive resin on the surface of the substrate. And, the pressure holding means for maintaining a constant atmosphere pressure of the inside of the bath,

The pressure maintaining means provides a photosensitive resin coating apparatus, characterized in that for forming and maintaining a space corresponding to the coating area of the substrate in the vapor pressure environment using the injection fluid.

In addition, in order to realize another object of the present invention, the step of applying a photosensitive resin to the surface of the substrate, and the leveling so that the applied photosensitive resin is formed uniformly on the surface of the substrate,

The leveling step may include forming an environment for surface leveling of the photosensitive resin in the inner region of the bath, and forming the coating layer on the substrate while the photosensitive resin is leveled in the leveling environment for a predetermined time period. It provides a coating method using the same.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail.

1 to 2 and 3, the photosensitive resin coating apparatus according to the present invention includes a bath (2) for providing a closed space to which the photosensitive resin (W) is applied, and the substrate inside the bath (2). Photosensitive liquid applying means (4) installed so as to correspond to (P) and applying the photosensitive resin (W) to the surface of the substrate (P), and pressure holding means (6) for adjusting the internal atmospheric pressure of the bath (2). It includes.

The bath 2 is to provide a space in which the substrate P passes in a horizontal posture and the photosensitive resin W can be smoothly applied. For example, as shown in FIG. Can be. In addition, the substrate transport apparatus 8 is set in the bath 2 so that the substrate P can be moved along a predetermined transfer section as shown in the drawing.

The substrate conveying apparatus 8 may be made of a conventional substrate (P) transfer structure for conveying the substrate (P) is made in the form of a belt or roller conveyor.

The bath 2 is formed by the injection fluid G sprayed from the pressure holding means 6, which will be described later, after the photosensitive resin W is applied to the inside of the substrate P. The spatial environment of the area corresponding to the application area or the entire area inside the bath 2 is, for example, a structure in which the areas can be selectively sealed so that the atmospheric pressure close to the saturated vapor pressure can be maintained.

Although the sealing structure as described above is not shown in the drawings, for example, a separate auxiliary bath may be installed in the bath 2 to correspond to the application area of the substrate P. For example, only the corresponding area may be sealed, or, for example, an inlet and an outlet side of the substrate P that communicates with the outside in the bath 2 and may be sealed by installing the blocking plates. It may be made of. Of course, in addition to the sealing or blocking structure for maintaining the atmosphere pressure inside the bath (2) may be variously applied.

The photoresist injection means 4 is to apply a photosensitive resin (W) to the upper surface of the substrate (P) located in the inner region of the bath (2), in the present embodiment the bath (2) In FIG. 1, the photosensitive resin W is positioned in a posture corresponding to the surface of the substrate P as shown in FIG. 1.

When the photosensitive liquid ejecting means 4 applies the photosensitive resin W to the surface of the substrate P inside the bath 2, for example, the substrate P is fixed along the substrate P while the substrate P is fixed. Applying the photosensitive resin (W) while moving, or on the contrary, in the interior of the bath (2), for example, fixed in the posture as shown in the figure is set to a structure that can be applied when the substrate (P) moves along the moving section Can be.

The photosensitive liquid jetting means 4 is made of a conventional jetting nozzle to which the photosensitive resin W can be applied by the jetting action. Although not shown in the figure, the photosensitive resin W supplied to the jetting means 4 may be supplied by, for example, a well-known method outside the bath 2.

The photosensitive resin W applied to the substrate P by the photosensitive liquid jetting means 4 includes a predetermined solvent, and has a resin having the same component as that generally used in the field of the present invention. Is used. As a solvent contained in the photosensitive resin (W), for example, thinner having a volatility (thinner) is used.

The solvent, ie, thinner, is used as a diffusing agent that induces the photosensitive resin W to be smoothly diffused from the surface of the substrate P in addition to the dilution function of the photosensitive resin W.

On the other hand, when the photosensitive resin W is applied to the surface of the substrate P, the pressure holding means 6 may be formed in a saturated vapor pressure atmosphere, for example, in an area corresponding thereto or in an entire area inside the bath 2. In order to control the environment inside the bath (2) by spraying the injection fluid (G) so that, in the present embodiment is made of a conventional injection nozzle capable of injecting a gas injection fluid (G), Figure 1 As shown in FIG. 2, the vessel 2 is positioned to correspond to the upper region of the substrate P. As shown in FIG.

As the injection fluid G injected from the pressure holding means 6, for example, a thinner or a gas of a similar component used as a solvent in the photosensitive resin W may be used.

Although the pressure holding means 6 is not shown in the drawing, the injection fluid G is supplied from the outside of the bath 2, and the operation control of the holding means 6 is linked to the photosensitive liquid injection means 4. For example, when the photosensitive resin W is applied to the substrate P by the photosensitive liquid ejecting means 4, the photosensitive resin W is sensed and set to spray a predetermined spraying fluid G. Since such a control structure can be easily implemented as long as one of ordinary skill in the art, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The pressure holding means 6 having the above-described structure sprays the injection fluid G, that is, thinner gas, corresponding to the area of the substrate P on which the photosensitive resin W is coated, so that the photosensitive resin coated as shown in FIG. The environment in which the solvent can be prevented from evaporating in W), for example, the surface is maintained in a saturated vapor pressure atmosphere environment for a predetermined time, so that the coated photosensitive resin W is smoothly diffused by the solvent and has a uniform surface. The so-called photosensitive resin (W), that is, to have a leveling effect of the coating liquid (to) to obtain a good coating quality.

Next, a preferred embodiment of the coating method using the photosensitive resin coating apparatus according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 4 is a preferred overall process of the photosensitive resin coating method according to the invention, the step (S1) of applying the photosensitive resin (W) to the surface of the substrate (P) in the interior region of the bath (2), and the applied photosensitive resin ( And leveling such that W) is uniformly formed on the surface of the substrate P. FIG.

The photosensitive resin applying step (S1) is moved by the substrate transfer device 8 so that the substrate P can be applied to the photosensitive resin W by the photosensitive liquid ejecting means 4 inside the bath 2. It is done in the same state as in.

At this time, the substrate (P) is positioned in a flat position inside the bath (2). Such a posture is not maintained, for example, if the photosensitive resin (W) is applied in an inclined posture will flow along the inclined surface, it is difficult to apply smoothly.

As described above, when the substrate P is located in the coating area inside the bath 2, the photosensitive resin is sprayed onto the surface of the substrate P through the photosensitive liquid jetting means 4, that is, the injection nozzle, as shown in FIG. Apply (W). The application of the photosensitive resin (W) is made by the movement of the jetting means (4) in a fixed position as shown in the drawing, the substrate (P) in the coating area inside the bath (2), or vice versa The substrate P may be moved in one direction while the 4 is fixed.

Although the surface of the photosensitive resin W coated on the surface of the substrate P by the photosensitive liquid ejecting means 4 is not shown in the drawing, the application by spraying and the viscosity of the photosensitive resin W are performed. For example, a corrugated pattern is formed and when viewed in cross section, it is in a state having an irregular surface layer.

When the photosensitive resin coating step S1 is completed as described above, the coating liquid leveling step S2 is performed such that the photosensitive resin W is uniformly formed on the surface of the substrate P.

Referring to FIG. 7, the coating liquid leveling step S2 may include forming an environment of the bath 2 for surface leveling of the photosensitive resin W coated on the substrate P, and S2-1. And forming the coating layer while allowing the photosensitive resin W applied to the substrate P to be leveled for a predetermined time in a leveling environment (S2-2).

In forming the leveling environment (S2-1), an atmosphere inside the bath 2 to prevent evaporation of the solvent, ie, thinner, included in the photosensitive resin W applied to the surface of the substrate P. To create pressure.

The environmental composition as described above is made by the pressure holding means 6 installed in the bath 2 to inject the injection fluid G as shown in FIG. In this case, the injection fluid (G) is made of a solvent included in the photosensitive resin (W), that is, a gas having the same or similar components as the thinner.

Then, the pressure holding means 6 is operated such that the application area inside the bath 2 is created by the injection fluid G, for example, in a leveling environment within a vapor pressure range of 60% to 100%.

When the leveling environment is formed in the bath 2 by the above-described process, a step (S2-2) of forming a coating layer in such an environment is performed.

In the forming of the coating layer (S2-2), the photosensitive resin (W) applied while the substrate P stays in the leveling environment inside the bath 2 for a predetermined time is applied on the surface of the substrate P. The uniform coating layer W1, that is, the photosensitive film is formed.

Since the coating layer forming step (S2-2) is performed in the bath (2) in which the leveling environment of the saturated vapor pressure atmosphere is formed, the solvent contained in the coating liquid during the leveling of the photosensitive resin (W), that is, the coating liquid is evaporated. Since it can be suppressed to induce a smooth diffusion by the solvent it is possible to form the optimum coating layer (W1).

At this time, the inside of the bath 2 is set by the pressure holding means 6 so as to maintain the leveling environment within the range of approximately 2 seconds to 15 seconds, and the leveling of the photosensitive resin (W) is made within this time range. If the leveling environment of the bath 2 is set to be shorter than the above time, the solvent evaporation of the applied photosensitive resin W may not be smoothly suppressed and satisfactory coating quality cannot be obtained. If the leveling environment of the bath 2 is longer than the above time range, the photosensitive resin ( Not only can W) spread excessively, but it also takes excessive time, which can reduce work efficiency and productivity.

Accordingly, the coating layer W1 may be formed by easily applying the photosensitive resin W to the substrate P by the above processes, and when the coating layer W1 is formed, a corresponding region inside the bath 2 may be formed. Since the photosensitive resin W coated on the surface of the substrate P is uniformly diffused, the coating layer W1 having the optimum coating quality, that is, the photosensitive film may be formed.

In the above-described embodiment, the leveling environment is maintained by the pressure holding means 6 inside the bath 2 as an example, but the pressure holding means 6, i.e., without using the injection fluid G, the bath ( 2) The leveling environment may be created by limiting the size of the spatial region in which the photosensitive resin W is leveled.

The structure of the bath 2 for creating the leveling environment will be described in more detail. The photosensitive resin W coated on the substrate P is provided with a minimum space area in which the level of the photosensitive resin W can be optimally leveled and can be sealed. For example, the size of the bath 2 may be manufactured to correspond to the size of the bath 2, or only a corresponding region requiring a leveling environment inside the bath 2 may be selectively sealed.

Accordingly, the bath 2 may provide a minimum leveling space corresponding to the application surface of the photosensitive resin W applied to the substrate P, so that the solvent of the photosensitive resin W applied to the substrate P, namely, In addition to maintaining an atmosphere capable of suppressing evaporation of the thinner, the evaporated thinner may remain in a limited leveling space and form a leveling environment as in the above-described embodiment to form a high quality coating layer (W1).

In addition, since the structure of the bath 2 is not required to install a separate pressure holding means 6, not only the structure is simple, but also the size of the bath 2 can be downsized, so that the installation area can be easily secured. Since the process of spraying the injection fluid G does not have to be performed, the efficiency of the process can be further improved.

In the above description of the preferred embodiment of the photosensitive resin coating apparatus and a coating method using the same according to the present invention, the present invention is not limited to this, but the scope of the claims and the detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings in various ways Modifications can be made and this is also within the scope of the present invention.

As described above, the photosensitive resin coating apparatus according to the present invention has a simple structure, easy application of the photosensitive liquid, and a state in which the optimum atmosphere pressure, that is, a leveling environment is formed by the pressure holding means inside the bath when the photosensitive liquid is leveled As a result, the coating film having a good coating quality can be formed.

In addition, the pressure holding means is a structure that forms a leveling environment using a solvent, that is, a spray fluid such as thinner contained in the photosensitive liquid, so that the structure is simple and the operation of the inside of the bath can be made to the optimum leveling environment with a simple operation. Can be.

In addition, the photosensitive resin coating method according to the present invention is not only a simple process, but also by coating and leveling the photosensitive resin in a single bath to form a coating layer, as well as work efficiency, and can greatly improve the efficiency of the process. .

Claims (9)

delete delete delete delete delete Applying a photosensitive resin containing thinner solvent to the surface of the substrate in a bath having a minimum space corresponding to the size of the substrate, and using the thinner solvent contained in the photosensitive resin applied to the substrate in the minimum bath space. Forming an atmosphere for leveling the resin and uniformly leveling the photosensitive resin applied to the substrate with the atmosphere. The method according to claim 6, wherein the leveling step, while maintaining the substrate to which the photosensitive resin is applied for a predetermined time in the minimum space, the leveling operation is performed in an atmosphere in which the thinner solvent contained in the resin is diffused and distributed in the space Photosensitive resin coating method characterized in that. The method of claim 6, wherein the leveling of the photosensitive resin coating method, characterized in that the substrate stays within the range of 2 seconds to 15 seconds in a state in which thinner solvent is diffused and distributed in the minimum bath space. A bath having a minimum enclosed space for applying the photosensitive resin and leveling the applied resin, and for moving the substrate into the bath and leveling the substrate in a horizontal position in the minimum enclosed space. And a conveying apparatus, and means for applying a photosensitive resin located inside the bath and containing a thinner solvent on the substrate, The bath is a photosensitive resin coating apparatus wherein the thinner solvent contained in the photosensitive resin to be applied to the substrate stays in a state in which the diffusion is naturally diffused in the minimum sealed space while the atmosphere for leveling the resin is formed.

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