KR100907389B1 - Coating apparatus and coating method - Google Patents

Abstract

When the head 5 having a plurality of nozzles 53a in the Y direction is sprayed with a solution onto the substrate W to form an application pattern, a difference in the injection amount of the solution occurs between the nozzles 53a arranged in the Y direction. Therefore, the head 5 is moved in the Y direction by the distance ΔL, and the coating is applied several times so as to form the same coating pattern, and the unevenness (unevenness) in the coating thickness is corrected to achieve uniform coating film thickness.

Description

Coating device and coating method {COATING APPARATUS AND COATING METHOD}

The present invention relates to an improvement of an ink jet method coating apparatus and a coating method which sprays a solution from a nozzle to apply a predetermined coating pattern on a substrate.

Generally, in the film-forming process in the manufacturing process of a liquid crystal display device or a semiconductor device, functional thin films, such as an orientation film and a resist, are formed in substrate surfaces, such as a glass substrate and a semiconductor wafer.

In the case of forming a functional thin film on the substrate surface, an ink jet coating apparatus is used which sprays (ejects) a solution for forming the functional thin film from a plurality of nozzles and applies the dot to the substrate in a dot shape (see Patent Document 1). ).

The conventional ink jet coating apparatus has a conveying table for conveying a substrate, and has a plurality of heads having a plurality of nozzles (pores or orifices) formed in a columnar shape above the conveying table. In parallel with the conveyance direction, the solution supplied to the head is sprayed toward the substrate to move relatively, and a set coating pattern is formed.

The said coating device injects a solution in a dot form from each nozzle, while a board | substrate is conveyed by a conveyance table at a predetermined distance. For this reason, on the board | substrate, the application | coating pattern which the line of dots of a solution lined up at the same interval as the nozzle space | interval is formed in a straight line along the conveyance direction of a board | substrate, and generally forms a spherical coating pattern as a whole. The solution applied in the shape of a dot forms a coating film through the leveling which flows on a board | substrate, connects and expands planarly adjacent solution, and flattens.

[Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-105938]

In the inkjet coating apparatus which apply | coats a solution to a board | substrate surface, several head is provided in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of a board | substrate, and each head is formed in the column direction by the formation of many nozzles in the column shape. Therefore, according to the width dimension of an application | coating pattern, a required number of nozzles are selected and a solution is sprayed over predetermined length (distance).

However, for such heads, one injection amount (discharge amount) shows an irregular gap between each nozzle.

If there is a difference in the amount of solution injection between the nozzles, the size of the solution dots, that is, the amount of application of the solution, is scattered between the hot spots in the dot row forming the coating pattern. For this reason, the uniformity of the film thickness formed through application | coating of a solution → leveling of a solution → drying of a solution was impaired, and the phenomenon which the quality of a favorable film | membrane etc. which cannot obtain a favorable film | membrane occurred.

Thus, the present invention provides an ink jet method which can form a good coating film by bringing the coating film thickness closer to a uniform state in the coating pattern when the solution is sprayed toward the substrate from a plurality of nozzles arranged in a thermal shape. It is an object to provide a coating device and a coating method.

A first aspect of the present invention is an ink jet coating apparatus for spraying a solution from a plurality of nozzles formed in a head to apply a solution to a substrate surface to draw a set coating pattern, wherein the head and the substrate are connected to the nozzle. A first moving mechanism capable of relative movement in a direction intersecting with a rectangular array direction of the second moving mechanism, a second moving mechanism capable of relatively moving the head and the substrate in a length arrangement direction of the nozzle, the first moving mechanism and the nozzle By controlling the second moving mechanism based on the injection amount difference between the plurality of nozzles, the relative position of the head and the substrate is different from the length arrangement direction, and the solution is controlled. And a controller which controls to apply the coating in turn.

A second aspect of the present invention is an ink jet coating apparatus for spraying a solution from a plurality of nozzles formed on a head to apply a solution to a substrate surface to draw a set coating pattern, wherein the head and the substrate are attached to the nozzle. A first moving mechanism capable of relative movement in a direction intersecting the length arrangement direction of the second moving mechanism; a second moving mechanism capable of relative movement in the length arrangement direction of the head and the substrate; and the first moving mechanism; In addition to controlling the solution spraying operation of the nozzle, when the pitch in the length arrangement direction of the nozzle is P and the positive integer is n, the relative position of the head and the substrate in the rectangular arrangement direction (n × P + P / 2) it is characterized in that it comprises a controller for controlling to apply the solution several times.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet coating method in which a solution is sprayed from a plurality of nozzles formed on a head to apply a solution to a substrate surface so as to draw a set coating pattern. Based on this, the solution is applied several times by varying the relative position between the head and the substrate in the length arrangement direction of the nozzle.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet coating method in which a solution is sprayed from a plurality of nozzles formed in a head to apply a solution to a substrate surface to draw a coating pattern. When P and a positive integer are n, the relative position between the head and the substrate between the previous application position and the current application position is different (n × P + P / 2), and the solution is repeated several times. It is characterized by applying.

According to the ink jet coating apparatus and the coating method according to the present invention as described above, at least the relative position between the head and the substrate in the direction of the arrangement of the nozzles, and by applying the solution several times to correct the injection amount gap between the nozzles And a favorable coating film can be obtained.

1 is a front view showing a first embodiment of a coating device according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 (a) is a left side view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 2 (b) is an enlarged plan view of the main part of Fig. 2 (a).

3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the head shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the head shown in FIG. 3. FIG.

FIG. 5 is a control circuit diagram of the head shown in FIG. 1.

6 is an operation explanatory diagram of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

7 is an operation explanatory diagram of a second embodiment of the coating device according to the present invention.

As a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal display device or a semiconductor device, there exists a film-forming process for forming a circuit pattern etc. in board | substrates, such as a glass substrate and a semiconductor wafer. By this film-forming process, functional thin films, such as an oriented film and a resist, are formed in the board surface of a board | substrate, for example.

When forming a functional thin film on a board | substrate, the inkjet type | mold coating apparatus which sprays the solution which forms this functional thin film from multiple nozzles, and apply | coats to a board | substrate plate surface may be used.

In such an ink jet coating apparatus, there is a case where an injection amount difference between nozzles occurs, but even in this case, the present invention provides a difference in injection amount by sliding the relative position between the substrate and the head in the nozzle array direction and applying the solution several times. It is achieved by paying attention to the nonuniform coating film thickness resulting from the above, and one embodiment of the inkjet method coating apparatus and coating method which concerns on this invention is demonstrated below with reference to drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a front view showing a first embodiment in an ink jet coating apparatus according to the present invention, in which Fig. 2 (a) is a left side view thereof and Fig. 2 (b) is an essential part of Fig. 2 (a). An enlarged plan view of the.

The ink jet coating apparatus has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped base 1 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 (a), and the legs 1a are provided at predetermined positions on the lower surface of the base 1, respectively. It is provided, and the base 1 is supported horizontally.

On both ends of the width direction (arrow Y direction of FIG. 2) of the surface of the base 1, elongate fixing plate 1b is provided along the longitudinal direction (arrow X direction of FIG. 1), and on the inner side on these fixing plates 1b, A pair of guide rails 1c are provided along the longitudinal direction.

On the pair of guide rails 1c, a substantially spherical plate-shaped conveying table 2 is freely moved in the longitudinal direction through a slide member 2a having a substantially L-shaped cross section provided parallel to both sides of the lower surface thereof. Possibly supported. On the conveyance table 2, the board | substrate W, such as a glass substrate used for a liquid crystal display device, is detachably held by holding means, such as an electrostatic zipper and a suction zipper, for example.

The guide rail 1c and the conveyance table 2 comprise a 1st moving mechanism with the drive mechanism not shown with respect to the conveyance table 2, and move the conveyance table 2 toward an X direction (length direction). It is possible.

Moreover, the door-shaped support body 3 is located in the longitudinal middle part of the said base 1 so that it may pass over a pair of guide rail 1c.

The guide member 3a is provided horizontally in the width direction (Y direction) at the upper position of the door-shaped support body 3, and the holding table 4 is guided in the width direction to the guide member 3a, It is supported to be movable.

On one side of the holding table 4, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), a plurality of heads (7 in this embodiment) of the ink jet system are arranged in the direction of arrow Y. As shown in FIG. And are arranged in a zigzag shape on the left and right sides, and are installed and fixed. In addition, in each head 5, as mentioned later, many nozzles (pore) are formed long in a row in the Y direction.

Therefore, since the guide member 3a and the holding table 4 comprise the 2nd moving mechanism with the drive mechanism which is not shown with respect to the holding table 4, the several head 5 whole is integrated, and the conveyance table (2) Relative position adjustment with respect to the Y direction between the board | substrate W is possible.

In this way, since the first moving mechanism moves the substrate W in the X direction, and the second moving mechanism moves the head 5 in the Y direction, the head 5 and the substrate W move relatively in the X-Y direction. It is possible.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, the base 1 includes a controller 6 in which nozzles of the head 5 are collectively controlled in the nozzles of the head 5 together with the first and second moving mechanisms. have.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the head 5 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged bottom view of the head 5.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the head 5 has a head main body 51, the head main body 51 has an opening 51a communicating from the surface side to the lower surface side. It is closed by the flexible board 52.

The flexible plate 52 is further covered by the nozzle plate 53, and is connected to the main pipe 54a and the main pipe 54a between the flexible plate 52 and the nozzle plate 53. ) Is formed.

In the center part of the nozzle plate 53, as shown in FIG. 4, many nozzles (pore or hole) 53a form the row | line with pitch P in the longitudinal direction (Y direction), and install in zigzag form. It is.

Therefore, the supply hole 51b which communicates with the main pipe | tube 54a is formed in the longitudinal end part of the head main body 51, and functional thin film, such as an orientation film, a resist, is formed in this supply hole 51b, for example. It is comprised so that the solution to be supplied may be supplied through the supply pipe 51c, and the main pipe 54a and the liquid chamber 54 may be filled with a solution.

As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of piezoelectric elements 55 are disposed on the surface of the flexible plate 52 so as to face the nozzles 53a, respectively. This piezoelectric element 55 is connected to the drive part 6a. The drive part 6a supplies a drive voltage to each piezoelectric element 55. By supplying this drive voltage, the piezoelectric element 55 is stretched and contracted, so that the portion corresponding to the piezoelectric element 55 of the flexible plate 52 is deformed. As a result, volume change arises in the liquid chamber 54, and the positive solution according to the volume change is sprayed and apply | coated toward the board | substrate W on the conveyance table 2 from the nozzle 53a corresponding to the piezoelectric element 55. FIG.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, 51 d of collection | recovery holes which communicate with the main pipe | tube 54a are formed in the Y direction and the edge part (left end part) of the head main body 51, and this collection hole 51d sprays, The remaining solution in the main pipe 54a is pushed up and recovered through the drainage pipe 51e.

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing a control system between the controller 6 and each of the heads 5, and the controller 6 controls the driving of the piezoelectric elements 55 of the respective heads 5 through the respective driving units 6a. .

The operation, that is, the coating method of the coating apparatus by the ink jet method of the above-described configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 and 6.

In addition, the inkjet coating apparatus of the above-described configuration has a piezoelectric element 55 corresponding to the nozzles 53a of all seven heads 5 while the controller 6 controls the first and second moving mechanisms. Drive control, and a solution can be applied to the substrate W surface, in the following operation description, for convenience of explanation, the controller 6 is a piezoelectric element 55 corresponding to the nozzle 53a of one head 5; ), And a predetermined coating pattern is obtained by applying twice.

That is, Fig. 6 (a) is a curve formed by connecting the injection amount values of the solution injected from one head 5 having the nozzles 53a arranged at a length L having a pitch P, from each nozzle 53a. Curve A showing the solution injection amount of. As shown in Fig. 6 (a), an irregular injection amount gap occurs between the nozzles 53a.

Thus, in this embodiment, in one head 5, the controller 6 controls the second moving mechanism in order to correct the application corresponding to the position of the nozzle 53a and with the solution gap, and the substrate W By reapplying the relative position in the Y direction between the head and the head 5 by a distance ΔL, it is offset, and the uneven coating distribution on the coating pattern caused by the gap is corrected to achieve uniform coating film thickness.

That is, in the first application, the controller 6 is in the position shown in Fig. 6 (a), and the nozzle 53a located in the range from the left end of the head 5 to the distance ΔL stops the application by injection. The substrate W is moved in the X direction to apply the coating. Thereby, on the board | substrate W, the coating pattern in which the dot line of the solution was lined up at the same interval as the nozzle space | interval in linear form in the conveyance direction of the board | substrate W is formed. And this application | coating pattern has the difference of the application quantity of a solution between dot rows. Therefore, when a solution is leveled on the board | substrate W, the nonuniform coating film of the height shape shown to FIG. 6 (b) is formed in the board | substrate W. FIG.

Thus, the controller 6 then controls the second moving mechanism to move the relative position between the head 5 and the substrate W in the direction shown in the drawing right by ΔL in the rectangular arrangement direction of the nozzle (that is, the Y direction).

That is, the controller 6 has the memory | storage 6b, The distance 6L is input and memorize | stored in this memory | storage 6b by an input device, such as a keyboard or a touch panel which is not shown in figure. Therefore, the controller 6 reads the distance ΔL stored in the memory 6b to control the movement of the head in the Y direction.

The solution is ejected from each nozzle 53a with the head 5 moved to the right by the distance ΔL. The curve showing the solution injection amount at that time is in a state slid by ΔL in the right direction with respect to the curve A, as indicated by the dotted line B in FIG. 6 (c).

However, at this time, in order to obtain the coating pattern of the same shape, the nozzle 53a which stops spraying by the nozzle 53a of the head 5 is the head (at the position shown in FIG. 5) It shall be located in the range of distance (DELTA) L from a right end.

By the two coatings, the nozzle 53a with a larger injection amount is applied to the portion where the solution is injected from the nozzle 53a with less injection amount during the first application, than the nozzle 53a during the first application with the second application. The solution is sprayed from. In addition, the solution is injected from the nozzle 53a having a lower injection amount than the nozzle 53a at the first application by the second application to the part where the solution is injected from the nozzle 53a having a high injection amount at the first application. As a result, the injection amount difference of the solution is corrected between the nozzles 53a. Therefore, the coating film formed on the board | substrate W is flattened by thickness being uniform by the width | variety L- (DELTA) L in a Y direction as shown to FIG. 6 (d).

However, in the example shown in FIG. 6, by description of the 1st and 2nd application | coating, it showed that the part with large injection volume and the part with small injection amount canceled correctly. In reality, however, in the first application, a portion having a large amount of injection and a portion having a small amount of injection are mixed in the arrangement direction (Y direction) of the nozzle 53a. By relying on the curve shown in (a), it is decided by considering how much the relative position between the head 5 and the substrate W is moved at the time of the second coating, so that the entire coating pattern becomes a uniform coating pattern. ΔL thus determined is stored in the memory 6b by the above-described input device.

In addition, in the above description, the controller 6 controls the solution sprayed from the nozzles 53a of the one head 5, but in the case of operating and applying the seven heads 5, FIG. By applying the nozzle 53a operation located in the distance ΔL range from the right end of the shown head 5 to the head 5 positioned to the rightmost side, a long (wide) application pattern in the Y direction can be formed. .

Moreover, in the said application | coating method, although it apply | coats twice, it is clear that the starting position of a X direction is good also for the method of returning to the beginning position, and the method of returning from behind.

However, when the solution is sprayed from the head 5 arranged in a zigzag shape and the nozzles 53a arranged in a zigzag shape to draw a spherical coating pattern on the substrate W, solution spraying from each nozzle 53a is applied. When starting and stopping at the same time, unevenness occurs in this part because the sprayed dot solution becomes zigzag at the X-direction end portion of the coating pattern.

Therefore, the controller 6 may inject the solution from each nozzle 53a at a timing at which the pattern formation scheduled region on the substrate W passes under each nozzle 53a of each head 5 during the transfer of the substrate W. FIG. The drive unit 6a is controlled. Thereby, the coating pattern of the predetermined shape without an unevenness | corrugation in the X direction can be formed.

Thus, the coating apparatus and the coating method by the inkjet system of this embodiment differ by ΔL in the length direction (Y direction) of the nozzle 53a between the first coating and the second coating which is applied so as to overlap therewith. , And control to draw the same coating pattern, but considering that the nozzle 53a has a pitch P in the Y direction, when n is a positive integer, the length of ΔL is a position where the nozzle positions do not overlap. That is, it is preferable that it is (n * P + P / 2), and n≥5 according to experiment.

Here, as for ΔL = n × P + P / 2 (n is a positive integer), in ΔL = P / 2, the dot rows formed by the same nozzle 53a are adjacent to each other, and the injection amount difference between the nozzles 53a is different. This is because the influence on the coating film thickness is remarkable.

It demonstrates using the head 5 shown in FIG. When the head 5 is moved P / 2 to the left by the first application and the second application, dot rows formed of the solution sprayed from the nozzle 53a at the right end of the drawing during the second application (right nozzle 53a) Dot array of the dot) is the dot array (the second formed from the dot jet of the right end nozzle 53a at the time of the first application | coating, and the solution sprayed from the 2nd nozzle 53a of the 1 P left side of the nozzle 53a). The dot rows of the nozzles 53a). If the solution injection amount from the nozzle 53a at the right end is larger than the average value of the solution injection amounts from all the nozzles 53a, the dot rows having a larger application amount than the average are arranged in two rows at the right end of the application pattern. Therefore, the influence of the excessive injection amount by the nozzle 53a at the right end appears more remarkably on the coating film, and the right end of the coating pattern has more coating amount of the solution than other parts, and the coating film thickness at that part is different. It may become thicker than the part.

On the other hand, when the head 5 is moved n * P + P / 2 to the left direction by the 1st application | coating and the 2nd application | coating, for example, when it is set as n = 1, the right end nozzle 53a by 2 application | coatings Between the two rows of dot rows formed by the two rows, dot rows ejected from the second nozzle 53a at the left position of the nozzle 53a at the right end are positioned. Thereby, even if the solution injection amount from the right end nozzle 53a is larger than an average value, it may be alleviated by interposing between the dot rows of the 2nd nozzle 53a. This is because the amount of solution sprayed from the second nozzle 53a can be expected to be smaller than the amount of solution sprayed from the right end nozzle 53a due to the irregular gap between the nozzles 53a. Even if the amount of solution sprayed from the second nozzle 53a is larger than the amount of solution sprayed from the right end nozzle 53a, the gap is likely to be alleviated when viewed as a whole of the nozzle rows having the irregular spray amount gap, and the coating film as a whole. The thickness can be brought closer to a uniform state.

In this way, by moving the head 5 by n × P + P / 2, the probability that the injection amount gap from the nozzle 53a is alleviated by the solution injected from the other nozzle 53a is increased, and as a result, the coating film thickness is uniform. You can get closer to the state.

The same applies to the case where the solution injection amount from the right end nozzle 53a is smaller than the average. In addition, the solution injection amount difference from each nozzle 53a may be calculated | required, and said n may be set based on this injection amount difference.

That is, the amount of one solution injection from each nozzle 53a is calculated | required using measuring instruments, such as an electronic balance. For example, the solution is sprayed from the nozzle 53a in a predetermined number of times to extract the solution. And the weight of the collected solution is measured with a measuring instrument. The measured value is then divided by the set number of times, and the value is obtained as the injection amount of the solution sprayed from the nozzle at once. This is done for each nozzle 53a.

The injection amounts for the nozzles 53a obtained in this manner are arranged side by side in the arrangement order of the nozzles 53a, and the respective injection amounts are bundled with a line, and as shown in FIG. 6 (a), the solution injection amounts from each nozzle 53a are determined. Obtained solid line A is obtained.

Therefore, the operator sequentially moves the solid line A and the curve having the same shape (for example, the dotted line B shown in Fig. 6 (c)) by the solid line A, by P / 2 to the right or the left in the Y direction, The value of n where the injection amount of the dotted line B is located in the part with small injection amount in solid line A, and the part where the injection amount of the dotted line B is located in the part with large injection amount in solid line A is calculated | required.

Here, it is preferable to set the value of n to a value as small as possible, because it can improve the coating operation efficiency for forming the coating pattern. Although distance (DELTA) L shown in FIG.6 (c) shows the range which stops solution injection from the nozzle 53a, when the value of n is small, this distance (DELTA) L can be made small. If this distance ΔL is small, the number of nozzles 53a positioned within the range is reduced, and the number of nozzles 53a at which solution injection stops can be reduced. Therefore, among the nozzles 53a arranged in the head 5, many nozzles 53a can be provided for application | coating, and an application | coating operation can be performed with good efficiency.

Moreover, it is preferable that measuring instruments, such as an electronic balance, be provided on an application device.

For example, the measuring device is disposed on the coating device through the moving device so as to be able to move to the lower part of each nozzle 53a of each head 5. A sampling container such as a beaker is installed on the sample object of the measuring instrument. The measuring device obtains the weight of the collected solution from the weight difference before and after solution collection.

In this way, since the solution injection amount from each nozzle 53a can be calculated | required on the application | coating apparatus, workability improves, without the hassle of conveying the collected solution to another measuring instrument.

In addition, the measurement of the solution injection amount from each nozzle 53a by the said measuring device is performed only once at the start of an application | coating operation | movement every time a set time passes, or every time the board | substrate process of a set number of sheets is completed. It is good. Further, the latter is preferable because the value of n or the distance ΔL can be changed in accordance with the change of the solution injection amount from the nozzle 53a.

In addition, although the measuring device demonstrated the electronic balance which calculates the injection amount of the solution from the nozzle 53a by weight as an example, the point should just be able to calculate the injection amount, and it is ejected from the nozzle 53a, and apply | coats it to the solution in an emergency, or a board | substrate. It is also possible to use an image processing apparatus that calculates the injection amount based on the captured image of the prepared solution.

In addition, in the row of nozzles 53a of the head 5, the solution injection amount is the most at both ends in the row Y direction and tends to decrease gradually as it gets closer to the center part. By setting it as / 2, an application | coating pattern can be made substantially flat.

That is, in the first embodiment, it was explained that only ΔL was applied twice at the position of the head 5 with the difference in the thermal direction (Y direction), but the second of the present invention in which ΔL length was applied twice as L / 2 was applied. An embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7.

In addition, since the second embodiment is made from the same configuration as compared with the first embodiment of the above description, the control operation by the controller 6, i.e., the application method is only different, and therefore, another method will be described in particular.

That is, FIG.7 (a) and FIG.7 (b) are the top views which showed the position of the Y-direction in the seven heads 5 which apply | coat two times, only difference in distance (DELTA) L.

With the application of the first (FIG. 7 (a)) position and the application of the next time (the second, ie FIG. 7 (b)), the position of the head 5 is placed in the Y direction and the difference of the distance ΔL = L / 2 is determined. The controller 6 performs drive control.

At the time of 1st application | coating, application | coating is performed to the X direction in the state which stopped spraying the solution with respect to the nozzle 53a of the left half L / 2 of the left end head 5 shown to Fig.7 (a).

In the second coating, the coating is again performed in the X direction while the solution injection is stopped with respect to the nozzle 53a of the right half (L / 2) of the right end head 5 shown in Fig. 7B. do.

Fig. 7 (c) shows a planar coating pattern Ph applied to the substrate W at the positions of Figs. 7 (a) and 7 (b). The spherical shape having a length and width of 6.5 L in the Y direction by the above operation is shown. As a result, a coating film having a flat coating thickness is formed.

As described in the first embodiment, in the second embodiment in which the seven heads 5 are driven and applied as if they are connected in a zigzag pattern, the heads of the left and right ends are respectively applied to the first and the next application. Spraying is stopped for some nozzles 53a of 5 and 5, but application is carried out by driving each piezoelectric element 55 without any stop for nozzles 53a of the intermediate five heads 5. .

As described above, according to the ink jet coating apparatus and the coating method according to the above embodiments, the solution injection amount difference and the gap based on the positional difference of the nozzles 53a in the head 5 are corrected, and the substrate W surface It is possible to form a good coating film by making the thickness of the coating film formed on the surface close to a uniform state.

That is, in two solution coatings on the substrate W, the nozzles 53a at the time of the first application by the second application are applied to the part where the solution is injected from the nozzle 53a having a small injection amount during the first application. The nozzle 53a at the time of the first application | coating by the 2nd application | coating to the part which sprayed a solution from the nozzle 53a which has a larger injection volume, and the solution was injected from the nozzle 53a which has a high injection quantity at the time of 1st application | coating. The solution can be jetted from the nozzle 53a having a smaller injection volume than. Therefore, since the application amount of a solution is equalized with respect to the whole application pattern, the apply | coated solution is planarized by leveling and a favorable coating film can be obtained.

For this reason, even if the dispersion | variation in the solution injection quantity from each nozzle 53a forms an application | coating pattern in the pattern formation scheduled area | region on the board | substrate W by one conveyance by the allowable gap, ie, the X direction of the board | substrate W, the thickness within an allowable range In the case of a lattice that can obtain a coating film having a gap, the thickness can be closer to a more uniform state than in the case of forming a coating pattern by one conveyance in the X direction, and a coating film having good quality without spots is formed. can do. Therefore, the film quality of the functional thin film formed on the substrate W can be improved.

Further, even when the solution injection amount gap from each nozzle 53a exceeds the allowable gap, the injection amount gap is corrected by the second solution application. For this reason, the coating film thickness obtained from the application | coating pattern formed by the 2nd solution application | coating can become close to a uniform state, and it becomes possible to reduce application | coating defect and to improve production efficiency.

This is because, for example, even when the injection amount from one nozzle 53a decreases or stops due to a difference in nozzle 53a or the like, the substrate in the X direction to compensate for the injection amount from the clogged nozzle 53a. Each time W moves, the head 5 is moved by the distance ΔL in the Y direction to apply the solution several times, thereby alleviating the gap in the thickness of the coating film. Therefore, even when inconvenience, such as the difference of the nozzle 53a, it becomes possible to continue application | coating without stopping an application | coating device immediately for maintenance management, and can improve production efficiency.

However, although description of each Example demonstrated application | coating twice and correct | amending the gap of coating film thickness, you may make it apply | coat three or more times by the same method and idea. Moreover, although the application | coating pattern formed in the board | substrate W demonstrated as spherical shape, another shape is also good. Moreover, the board | substrate W is not limited to the glass substrate in a liquid crystal display panel, etc., A semiconductor wafer may also be sufficient.

However, when a coating pattern is formed by applying twice to the pattern formation scheduled area | region on a board | substrate, when one application | coating amount from the nozzle 53a forms a coating pattern by one application | coating, It is good to set it as half injection amount. In addition, when forming an application | coating pattern by 3 or more application | coatings, what is necessary is just to make the injection quantity at the time of forming an application | coating pattern by one application | coating divided by the number of application | coatings, and to make one solution injection quantity from the nozzle 53a. .

In addition, in the case where the application of the solution is performed m times (two or more times) in the pattern formation scheduled region on the substrate W, each time the application is performed, the relative position between the head 5 and the substrate W is in the nozzle length arrangement direction. It is good to make it move by distance (DELTA) L = n * P + P / m to one direction in (Y direction shown in FIG. 6).

For example, the case where application | coating is performed 3 times is demonstrated with reference to FIG. Here, it is assumed that the head 5 is moved to the right in the Y direction shown in FIG. 6.

First, as shown to Fig.6 (a), 1st application | coating is performed. At this time, the difference from FIG. 6 (a) is that the solution from the nozzle 53a located in the range of distance 2 × ΔL = 2 × (n × P + P / 3) from the left end nozzle 53a position of the head 5. This is to stop the injection.

When the first application is completed, the head 5 is moved to the right in the Y direction by the distance ΔL, and in this state, the second application is performed as shown in Fig. 6C. 6C differs from the position of the right nozzle 53a of the head 5 in the range of distance ΔL from the position of the left nozzle 53a of the head 5 in this case. The solution injection from the nozzle 53a is also stopped.

When the second application is completed, the head 5 is further moved to the right in the Y direction by the distance ΔL, and the third application is performed in this state. At this time, the solution injection from the nozzle 53a located in the range of distance 2x (DELTA) L from the position of the right nozzle 53a of the head 5 is stopped.

In this way, the solution is applied over the width (L-2 × ΔL = L− (m-1) × ΔL) in the Y direction with respect to the array length L of the nozzle 53a of the head 5 by three coatings. do.

Here, even when the m value is set to 4 or more, the solution injection from the nozzle 53a at a position deviated from the range of (L- (m-1) x ΔL) at the time of each application is stopped, and thus the same as described above. Application can be carried out as a matter of course.

According to the above embodiment, when the dot row spacing of the solutions has a gap, the film thickness of the coating film formed tends to be thicker at the narrow interval of the dot row and thinner at the wider portion, but the thickness of the head 5 and the substrate W is increased. By moving the relative positions as described above, the dot rows of the solution can be arranged at the same interval of P / m, so that the difference in the coating film thickness caused by the gap between the dot rows of the solutions can be prevented, and the coating film is uniform. Can improve the sex.

Moreover, although the example which arrange | positioned the some head 5 and the some nozzle 53a in the zigzag form was demonstrated, it is not limited to a zigzag form and may arrange | position in linear form.

According to the present invention, when the solution is sprayed toward a substrate from a plurality of nozzles arranged in a column, the ink jet coating apparatus can form a good coating film by making the coating film thickness in the coating pattern close to a uniform state. And a coating method.

Claims (7)

delete In the inkjet coating apparatus for spraying a solution from a plurality of nozzles formed in the head to apply the solution to the substrate surface to draw a set coating pattern, A first moving mechanism capable of relatively moving the head and the substrate in a direction crossing the length arrangement direction of the nozzle; A second moving mechanism capable of relatively moving the head and the substrate in a length arrangement direction of the nozzle; While controlling the solution injection operation of the first moving mechanism and the nozzle, when the pitch in the length arrangement direction of the nozzle is P and the positive integer is n, the relative position of the head and the substrate is arranged in the length. And a controller for controlling the application of the solution several times in different directions (n × P + P / 2). In the inkjet coating apparatus for spraying a solution from a plurality of nozzles formed in the head to apply the solution to the substrate surface to draw a set coating pattern, A first moving mechanism capable of relatively moving the head and the substrate in a direction crossing the length arrangement direction of the nozzle; A second moving mechanism capable of relatively moving the head and the substrate in a length arrangement direction of the nozzle; While controlling the solution injection operation of the first moving mechanism and the nozzle, the pitch of the nozzle in the longitudinal arrangement direction is set to P, a positive integer n, and the number of application of m are relative to the head and the substrate. And a controller for controlling the application of the solution m times by varying the position by (n × P + P / m) in the length arrangement direction. The method according to claim 2 or 3, An ink jet coating apparatus, comprising: a measuring device for measuring the amount of solution injected from each nozzle. delete An ink jet coating method for spraying a solution from a plurality of nozzles formed in a head to apply a solution to a substrate surface to draw a set coating pattern , wherein the head and the substrate are intersected with a length arrangement direction of the nozzle. A first moving mechanism capable of relatively moving, a second moving mechanism capable of moving relatively relative to the head and the substrate in a length arrangement direction of the nozzle, and controlling a solution injection operation of the first moving mechanism and the nozzle, An ink jet having a controller for controlling the application of the solution several times by controlling the second moving mechanism based on the injection amount difference between the plurality of nozzles, different from the length arrangement direction of the relative position of the head and the substrate; In the coating method of the method, When the pitch in the length arrangement direction of the nozzle is P and the positive integer is n, the relative position between the head and the substrate between the previous application position and the current application position is set in the length arrangement direction (n × P + P / 2). The ink jet coating method, characterized in that the solution is applied several times as different. An ink jet coating method for spraying a solution from a plurality of nozzles formed in a head to apply a solution to a substrate surface to draw a set coating pattern , wherein the head and the substrate are intersected with a length arrangement direction of the nozzle. A first moving mechanism capable of relatively moving, a second moving mechanism capable of moving relatively relative to the head and the substrate in a length arrangement direction of the nozzle, and controlling a solution injection operation of the first moving mechanism and the nozzle, An ink jet having a controller for controlling the application of the solution several times by controlling the second moving mechanism based on the injection amount difference between the plurality of nozzles, different from the length arrangement direction of the relative position of the head and the substrate; In the coating method of the method, When the pitch in the length arrangement direction of the nozzle is P and the positive integer is n, and the application number is m, the relative position between the head and the substrate between the previous application position and the current application position is the length arrangement direction. (N x P + P / m) by differently, the coating method of the ink jet method characterized in that the solution is applied several times.

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