KR100966130B1 - Apparatus for applying solution and method for applying solution - Google Patents

Abstract

In the coating device of the solution which apply | coats a solution by a predetermined | prescribed application | coating pattern to the board | substrate conveyed in a predetermined direction,

A head 9 having a plurality of nozzles 16 for ejecting the solution by an ink jet method, a drive unit 20 for intermittently discharging the solution from each nozzle of the head, and a nozzle provided in the head Coordinate data is stored, and the control apparatus 21 which controls the drive of the said drive part according to the coordinate data and the application | coating pattern of a solution, and discharges a solution from a said nozzle to a board | substrate is provided.

Substrate, coating pattern, nozzle, drive unit, control device.

Description

APPLICATION APPARATUS AND APPLICATION METHOD OF SOLUTION {APPARATUS FOR APPLYING SOLUTION AND METHOD FOR APPLYING SOLUTION}

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The front view which shows schematic structure of the coating device which shows one Example of this invention.

2 is a side view of the coating apparatus.

3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the head.

4 is a bottom view of the head.

5 is a control circuit diagram for discharging a solution from a nozzle of each head.

6 (A) to 6 (C) are explanatory views showing the arrangement of the heads and the pattern of the solution applied to the substrate.

7 is an explanatory diagram for uniformly supplying an amount of a solution discharged and supplied from a plurality of nozzles of one head in a pattern.

It is explanatory drawing for adjusting the outer edge shape of the application pattern of a solution so that the quantity of the solution supplied to an outer peripheral edge part may not become excess.

9 (A) to 9 (C) are explanatory diagrams for obtaining the shape precision of a fired pattern.                 

10 (A) to 10 (D) are explanatory diagrams of a solution coating method in the case where different water repellent films are formed on a substrate.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

9: head, 16: nozzle, 20: drive part, 21: control device.

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a coating apparatus and a coating method for discharging a solution from a nozzle to apply a predetermined coating pattern to a substrate.

Generally, in the manufacturing process of a liquid crystal display device or a semiconductor device, there exists a film-forming process for forming a circuit pattern in board | substrates, such as a glass substrate and a semiconductor wafer. In this 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 discharges the solution which forms this functional thin film from a nozzle, and apply | coats to the board surface of a board | substrate is used. This coating apparatus has a conveyance table which conveys a board | substrate, and the several head in which the said nozzle was formed above is parallel to the conveyance direction of a board | substrate above this conveyance table. Each head is supplied with a solution from a solution tank connected through a supply pipe. Thereby, the solution discharged from a nozzle is apply | coated to the upper surface of the board | substrate conveyed in a predetermined direction.                         

It is required for the substrate to apply the solution in a predetermined coating pattern. Therefore, conventionally, the solution is discharged from the number of nozzles corresponding to the width dimension of the coating pattern while the substrate is conveyed a predetermined distance from the predetermined position. Accordingly, the substrate is coated with a predetermined coating pattern, usually a rectangular coating pattern, by a solution composed of a plurality of dots arranged in a lattice shape.

When the number of nozzles for discharging the solution is set in accordance with the width dimension of the coating pattern of the solution applied to the substrate, and the solution is discharged while the substrate is conveyed a predetermined distance from the predetermined position, the solution is reliably rectangular. It is possible to apply | coat with a coating pattern of a shape. However, the discharge amount of the solution from the plural nozzles formed in the head is uneven due to the connection position of the solution supply pipe connected to the head, the connection position of the drainage pipe through which the solution flows out of the head, and the like.

Therefore, in the application pattern of the solution applied to the substrate, unevenness occurs in the supply amount of the solution, so that the film thickness of the functional thin film formed by drying the solution may not be constant or at the periphery of the application pattern. When the supply amount of the solution is extremely large, the solution may be protruded from the coating pattern, and the shape of the coating pattern may be damaged.

The present invention provides a coating device and a coating method for a solution which makes it possible to almost equalize a solution supply amount in a coating pattern when discharging the solution onto a substrate from a plurality of nozzles formed in the head and applying the coating pattern in a predetermined coating pattern. It is in doing it.

The present invention is a coating device for a solution for applying a solution in a predetermined coating pattern to a substrate conveyed in a predetermined direction,

A head having a plurality of nozzles for discharging the solution by an ink jet method;

A drive unit for intermittently discharging the solution from each nozzle of the head;

Coordinate data of the nozzle provided in the head is stored, and a control device for controlling the drive of the drive unit in accordance with the coordinate data and the application pattern of the solution to discharge the solution from the nozzle to the substrate

It is in the coating device of the solution characterized by including.

The present invention is a method for applying a solution in which a solution is discharged from a plurality of nozzles provided in a head by an ink jet method and applied to a substrate conveyed in a predetermined direction with a predetermined coating pattern.

Storing coordinate data of the nozzle;

Controlling the discharge of the solution from each nozzle according to the coordinate data and the application pattern of the solution applied to the substrate

It is in the coating method of the solution characterized by including the following.

According to the present invention, a plurality of nozzle positions provided on the head are used as coordinate data, and the number of times of discharging of the solution is controlled for each nozzle by the coordinate data and the application pattern of the solution, thereby uniformly applying or applying the solution in the application pattern. It becomes possible to adjust the external shape of the pattern to a predetermined shape or the like.                     

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The coating device of this invention shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 has the base 1 of substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. Legs 2 are provided at predetermined positions on the lower surface of the base 1, respectively, and the base 1 is supported horizontally.

The mounting plate 3 is provided in the width direction both ends of the upper surface of the said base 1 along the longitudinal direction, respectively. The guide member 4 is provided in the width direction inner one end part of the said base 1 of these mounting plates 3 along the longitudinal direction, respectively. On the upper surface side of these guide members 4, a substantially rectangular plate-shaped conveying table 5 is slidably supported by a slide member 6 having a substantially L-shaped cross section provided in parallel on both sides thereof.

A drive device (not shown) is connected to the transfer table 5, and the drive table 5 can be driven along the guide member 4 by operating the drive device.

The upper surface of the conveying table 5 is supported by a supporting means such as an electrostatic chuck or a suction chuck such that, for example, a substrate W such as a glass substrate used in a liquid crystal display device can be detachably attached. do. The board | substrate W is conveyed along the longitudinal direction of the said base 1 by being supported by the upper surface of the said conveyance table 5.

A door-shaped support 7 is erected on the longitudinal intermediate portion of the base 1 so as to span the pair of guide members 4. A mounting member 8 made of footnotes is provided horizontally on the upper portion of the support 7, and a plurality of heads 9 of an ink jet method are provided on one side of the mounting member 8. ) Are arranged in two rows in a zigzag shape with respect to the conveying direction. In the present embodiment, for example, as shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6A, seven heads 9 are arranged in a zigzag shape in two rows.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, each of the heads 9 includes a head body 11. The head main body 11 has the opening part 12 which communicates with the lower surface side from the upper surface side, and the lower surface opening is closed by the flexible board 13. The flexible plate 13 is covered by the nozzle plate 14. As a result, a liquid chamber 15 is formed between the flexible plate 13 and the nozzle plate 14 on the lower surface side of the head main body 11.

A supply hole 17 communicating with the liquid chamber 15 is formed at one end in the longitudinal direction of the head body 11. From this supply hole 17, the solution which forms functional thin films, such as an orientation film and a resist, is supplied to the said liquid chamber 15 through the supply pipe 17a. As a result, the inside of the liquid chamber 15 is filled with a solution.

As shown in FIG. 4, the nozzle plate 14 includes a plurality of nozzles 16 in a substantially center portion in the width direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the head body 11, that is, in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the substrate W. As shown in FIG. ) Is punched in a zigzag shape. As shown in FIG. 3, the piezoelectric element 18 is provided in the upper surface of the said flexible board 13 facing the nozzle 16, respectively.

The plurality of heads 9 are arranged such that the nozzles 16 formed in a zigzag shape on the nozzle plates 14 of the respective heads 9 are at regular intervals along the width direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the substrate W. It arrange | positions in 2 rows of zigzag shape by the predetermined | prescribed overlap allowance part L shown to 6 (A). Thereby, in the width direction full length orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the board | substrate W, the space | interval of the nozzle 16 formed in the nozzle plate 14 of the adjacent head 9 is set constant.

Each piezoelectric element 18 is supplied with a driving voltage through a driving unit 20 formed in the opening 12. As a result, the solution is discharged from the nozzle 16 corresponding to the driven piezoelectric element 18 to the substrate W on the transfer table 5.

As shown in FIG. 3, the other end of the head main body 11 in the longitudinal direction is provided with a number of times 19 communicating with the liquid chamber 15. From this number of holes 19, the solution supplied to the liquid chamber 15 is counted through the drainage pipe 19a. That is, the heads 9 not only spray the solution supplied to the liquid chamber 15 from the nozzles 16, but also circulate the inside of the liquid chamber 15 to be counted from the number of times 19. .

As shown in FIG. 5, the drive part 20 formed in each head 9 is controlled by the control apparatus 21. FIG. That is, in the said control apparatus 21, the X, Y coordinate of each nozzle 16 formed in the some head 9 is memorize | stored. The X and Y coordinates of each nozzle 16 are set according to the mounting position of the head 9, for example after attaching each head 9 to the mounting member 8. In FIG. Although the drive part 20 is shown separate from the head 9, in this embodiment, the said drive part 20 is accommodated in the head 9 as shown in FIG.

The control device 21 controls the driving of the drive unit 20 according to the coordinates of the stored nozzles 16 and the application pattern P of the solution applied to the substrate W to discharge the solution. The piezoelectric element 18 corresponding to (16) is operated.

The timing at which discharge of the solution is started on the substrate W and the timing at which the discharge is terminated are at the distal end position of the substrate W that has been conveyed below the head 9 by the transfer table 5 as shown in FIG. 1. And the first and second sensors 23 and 24 respectively detect the front end position of the substrate W that has passed through the head 9 and reached a predetermined position, and is controlled by the detection signal.

By operating the piezoelectric element 18 once, the amount of solution discharged from each nozzle 16 of each head 9 is predicted in advance. In each head 9, from the nozzle 16 at the position close to the supply hole 17 and the nozzle 16 at the position close to the number hole 19, as described above, the width direction of the head 9 is as described above. There exists a tendency for the discharge amount of a solution to increase more than the other nozzle 16 located in a center part.

When the solution is discharged at a predetermined timing from the nozzle 16 of each head 9 while the substrate W is conveyed at a predetermined speed, dot solutions are discharged in a matrix form on the substrate W. FIG. .

As shown in FIG. 6 (A), the plurality of heads 9 are arranged in a zigzag shape, and the X and Y coordinates of the nozzles 16 for each head 9 stored in the control device 21 are also heads. It is memorize | stored in the zigzag shape same as the arrangement state of (9).                     

Therefore, when apply | coating a solution to a board | substrate W in a rectangular shape, the X, Y coordinate of the nozzle 16 of each head 9 memorize | stored in the control apparatus 21 is built in this control apparatus 21. Coordinate transformation of the zigzag arrangement state and the inverse state, ie, the state that each head 9 is arranged in a line, by the conversion part which is not shown in figure, and the nozzle of each head 9 according to the conversion coordinate The timing of solution discharge from (16) is controlled.

Accordingly, the solution discharged from each head 9 is applied as a whole in a rectangular coating pattern P as shown in Fig. 6B, and as shown in Fig. 6C, the head 9 is shown. In correspondence with the arrangement state of, the zigzag pattern is prevented from being applied in a zigzag pattern for each pattern Ph of the heads 9.

Considering the distribution of the solution discharged from the plurality of nozzles 16 of one head 9 to the substrate W, the supply amount of the solution to the both ends of the longitudinal direction of the head 9 for the above-described reason is centered. It increases in comparison with the part. Therefore, according to the discharge amount of the solution from each nozzle 16 measured previously, the discharge frequency from the nozzle 16 with a large discharge amount of a solution is made to be subtracted.

For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the solution is transferred from the nozzles 16 arranged in the width direction of one head 9 (this direction is referred to as the column direction). The case where the coating pattern Ph is formed by discharging 12 times at a predetermined pitch according to the row direction) is considered. In this case, the number of discharges from the nozzles 16 supplying the solution to both ends in the column direction corresponding to n ₁ is made to bleed 6 out of 12 times. Similarly, the number of discharges from the nozzle 16 corresponding to n ₂ in the second row in the width direction is thinned four times, and the number of discharges from the nozzle 16 corresponding to the third row in n ₃ is thinned out three times. In addition, the number of discharges from the nozzle 16 corresponding to the fourth row represented by n ₄ is to be removed twice.

Thereby, even if there is a difference in the amount of the solution discharged from the plurality of nozzles 16 located in the column direction of the head 9, the number of discharges is removed from the nozzle 16 according to the difference, In order to change the number of dots d formed, the solution can be supplied in almost uniform amounts in the column direction and the row direction of the coating pattern Ph on which one head 9 is formed. Therefore, the functional thin film of uniform film thickness can be formed in the board | substrate W. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 7, the solution is apply | coated to the board | substrate W with the application | coating pattern Ph with the matrix-shaped dot d by which predetermined location was chopped, and the application | coating pattern Ph of the some head 9 was arranged side by side. In the case of forming the coating pattern P of the rectangular shape shown in FIG. 6 (B), the functional thin film formed by drying a solution after application | coating is carried out when the dot d which forms the outer periphery edge of the coating pattern P is removed. The outer circumferential edge shape may not be straight. That is, the appearance precision of the coating pattern P may be impaired.

Therefore, when forming the application pattern P of the rectangular shape shown in FIG. 6 (B) by the control signal from the control apparatus 21, the dot which forms the perimeter of the outer periphery edge of the application pattern P ( The solution is discharged from the nozzle 16 without pulling d). Thereby, since the linear shape of the outer peripheral edge of the application | coating pattern P can be maintained, it becomes possible to ensure the precision of the external shape of the functional thin film formed by drying a solution.

In order to adjust the outer circumferential edge shape of the coating pattern P, in the coating pattern Ph on which one head 9 is formed, the number of discharges of the solution in the first row in the width direction indicated by n ₁ in FIG. If it does so, the quantity of the solution supplied to the outer peripheral edge part of application | coating pattern P (Ph) by that much increases.

Accordingly, in that case, the coating pattern (Ph) showing a thinning bet number of dots (d) to form a fourth column shown in the second column, the third column indicates the n ₃ represented by n ₂ in Fig. 8, n ₄ in Fig. 7 For example, the number of times of discharging the solution from the nozzle 16 is controlled by the control device 21 so as to be increased one by one.

Thereby, while the shape precision of the outer peripheral edge of the coating pattern P is maintained, the quantity of the solution supplied to the peripheral part of the coating pattern P, especially the both ends of the column direction of the coating pattern P can be prevented from becoming excess. Can be. Then, if necessary, the dot d after the fifth column n ₅ may be removed.

As shown in Fig. 9A, the solution is applied to the substrate W by a predetermined coating pattern P to be flattened, and then the solution is baked and dried to form a functional thin film. When the solution is calcined, the shape S of the functional thin film deforms smaller than the shape of the application pattern P of the solution, as shown in Fig. 9B due to evaporation of the solvent in the solution. The deformation amount can be experimentally determined in advance.                     

Therefore, when applying a solution to the board | substrate W, when a solution is apply | coated by the control apparatus 21 by the application pattern H which correct | amended the deformation amount according to baking of a solution, as shown to FIG. 9 (C), FIG. As shown by a dashed line in 9 (C), the pattern P ₁ of the functional thin film formed after baking can be made into desired shape precision.

In the case of the glass substrate used for a liquid crystal display panel, as shown in FIG. 10 (A), the board | substrate W has the part in which the ITO film 32 is overlapped and formed on the chromium film 31. As shown in FIG. . The chromium film 31 and the ITO film 32 have different water repellency for the solution. In other words, the ITO film 32 has a higher water repellency to the solution than the chromium film 31. Therefore, when the solution is applied onto the substrate W, as shown in Fig. 10B, the coating pattern P is recessed in the ITO film 32 portion of the substrate W rather than the chromium film 31 portion. The recessed part 33 which entered is formed.

Therefore, when apply | coating a solution to the part in which the ITO membrane 32 was superposed | polymerized on the chromium film 31, the application state of a solution is controlled by the control apparatus 21, and it shows in FIG. 10 (C). As described above, in the coating pattern P, the convex portion 34 protruding outward is formed in the portion of the chromium film 31 so as to dent the solution inward.

As a result, the coating pattern P of the solution after the coating is almost as straight as the point applied on the chromium film 31 and the point applied on the ITO film 32 as shown in Fig. 10D. Even if a film having different water repellency is formed on the substrate W, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of irregularities on the outer circumferential edge of the coating pattern P. FIG.                     

As mentioned above, in apply | coating a solution to the board | substrate W, the control apparatus 21 memorize | stores the X and Y coordinate of the nozzle 16 formed in the some head 9, The coordinate and the board | substrate W The discharge of the solution from each of the nozzles 16 was controlled in accordance with the pattern P to be formed in the.

Therefore, it becomes possible to control the application | coating pattern of the solution apply | coated to the board | substrate W to a desired shape precisely by the control apparatus 21.

In addition, even if the discharge amount of the solution from the plurality of nozzles 16 formed in the heads 9 is different, it is possible to make the supply amount of the solution in the coating pattern P uniform by controlling the number of discharges by the control device 21. It becomes possible. As a result, a functional thin film having a uniform thickness can be formed on the substrate W. FIG.

The present invention is not limited to the one embodiment described above, and the shape of the coating pattern formed on the substrate, for example, is not limited to a rectangular shape, but may be another shape, and the solution discharged from the nozzle onto the substrate may be any shape. It is possible to apply | coat a solution by controlling the arrangement | positioning of this dot by a control apparatus.

As a board | substrate, it is not limited to the glass substrate of a liquid crystal display panel, Even if it is a semiconductor wafer, this invention can be applied similarly.

As mentioned above, according to this invention, the some nozzle position provided in the head was memorize | stored as coordinate data, and discharge of the solution from each nozzle was controlled according to the coordinate data and the application | coating pattern of a solution.

Therefore, for example, by controlling the number of discharges within a predetermined time of the solution from each nozzle, the solution can be applied in the coating pattern in a substantially uniform distribution state, the appearance of the pattern can be adjusted to a predetermined form, and the like.

Claims (7)

In the coating device of the solution which apply | coats a solution by a predetermined | prescribed application | coating pattern to the board | substrate conveyed in a predetermined direction, A head having a plurality of nozzles for discharging the solution by an ink jet method; A drive unit for intermittently discharging a solution from each nozzle of the head; The control apparatus for setting the application pattern of the said solution to the said board | substrate to the pattern which correct | amended the shape changed by drying of the said solution, and controlling the drive of the said drive part according to the said application pattern, and discharging a solution from the nozzle to a board | substrate. Apparatus for applying a solution, characterized in that it comprises a. The method of claim 1, The control device is a coating device for a solution, characterized in that the amount of the discharged from the nozzle that the amount of the solution discharged by the drive unit is larger than the other nozzles. The method of claim 1, And the control device reduces the number of times of discharging of the solution from the nozzle having a larger discharge amount than other nozzles in a portion except the outer peripheral edge of the coating pattern. The method of claim 1, A portion of the substrate to which the solution is applied is provided with a plurality of films having different water repellency for the solution, and the control device corrects the coating pattern of the solution according to the difference in water repellency of the plurality of films. Application apparatus of the solution made. In the application method of the solution which discharges a solution from the some nozzle provided in the head by the inkjet system, and apply | coats with a predetermined | prescribed application | coating pattern to the board | substrate conveyed in a predetermined direction, Setting the application pattern of the solution to the substrate to a pattern which has previously corrected a shape that is changed by drying the solution, and controlling the ejection of the solution from each nozzle according to the application pattern Method for applying a solution, characterized in that it comprises a. delete delete

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