KR101009670B1 - Equipment for Inspection - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a test equipment for inspecting the state of the substrate after a predetermined process on the substrate, and comprises a stage made of a stone panel, a stone panel, made of a left and right supports located on both sides of the stage, and a stone panel And positioned across the left and right supports, located at the center of the head support passing through the left and right supports, and at the initial operation of the head support, and inspecting or repairing a predetermined portion of the substrate introduced into the stage. It characterized in that it comprises a head passing through the rail provided in the support.

Inspection equipment, gantry system, head, stage, stone platform

Description

Inspection Equipment

1 is an exploded perspective view showing a general liquid crystal display device

2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of forming a TFT substrate of a general liquid crystal display device;

3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of forming a color filter substrate of a general liquid crystal display device.

4 is a flowchart of a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal injection type liquid crystal display device.

5 is a flowchart of a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal drop type liquid crystal display device.

6 is a perspective view showing a conventional inspection equipment

7 is a plan view of FIG.

8 is a perspective view showing the inspection equipment of the present invention

9 is a top view of FIG. 8

Description of the Related Art [0002]

100: inspection equipment 101a, 101b: left, right support

102a and 102b: first and second rails 103: head

104: head support portion 105: third rail

106a, 106b: left and right junctions 110: stage

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly, to inspection equipment for inspecting a state of a substrate after performing a predetermined process on the substrate.

As the information society develops, the demand for display devices is increasing in various forms, and in recent years, liquid crystal display devices (LCDs), plasma display panels (PDPs), electro luminescent displays (ELD), and vacuum fluorescent (VFD) Various flat panel display devices such as displays have been studied, and some of them are already used as display devices in various devices.

Among them, LCD is the most widely used as the substitute for CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) for mobile image display device because of its excellent image quality, light weight, thinness, and low power consumption. In addition to the use of the present invention has been developed in various ways such as a television and a computer monitor for receiving and displaying broadcast signals.

In order to use such a liquid crystal display as a general screen display device in various parts, it is a matter of how high quality images such as high definition, high brightness and large area can be realized while maintaining the characteristics of light weight, thinness and low power consumption. Can be.

Hereinafter, a conventional liquid crystal display and an inspection apparatus thereof will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.                         

1 is an exploded perspective view showing a general liquid crystal display.

A general liquid crystal display device, as shown in FIG. 1, is injected between a first substrate 1 and a second substrate 2 bonded to each other with a predetermined space, and between the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2. It consists of the liquid crystal layer 3.

In more detail, the first substrate 1 may have a plurality of gate lines 4 in one direction and constant in a direction perpendicular to the gate lines 4 at regular intervals to define the pixel region P. FIG. A plurality of data lines 5 are arranged at intervals. In addition, a pixel electrode 6 is formed in each pixel region P, and a thin film transistor T is formed at a portion where the gate line 4 and the data line 5 cross each other, so that the thin film transistor is formed. The data signal of the data line 5 is applied to each pixel electrode 6 in response to the signal of the gate line 4.

In addition, a black matrix layer 7 is formed on the second substrate 2 to block light in portions other than the pixel region P, and portions R corresponding to the respective pixel regions are formed to express colors. , G, B color filter layers 8 are formed, and a common electrode 9 for realizing an image is formed on the color filter layers 8.

In the liquid crystal display as described above, the liquid crystal layer 3 formed between the first and second substrates 1 and 2 is aligned by an electric field between the pixel electrode 6 and the common electrode 9, and the liquid crystal is aligned. According to the degree of alignment of the layer 3, the amount of light passing through the liquid crystal layer 3 may be adjusted to express an image.

Hereinafter, a manufacturing method of a general liquid crystal display device will be described in detail.                         

2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of forming a TFT substrate of a general liquid crystal display device.

In the process of forming a TFT substrate of FIG. 2 and a general liquid crystal display, first, a metal material is deposited on a first substrate (see 1 in FIG. 1) and selectively removed to form a gate line 4 and the gate line 4. A gate electrode protruding from is formed (S1).

Subsequently, a gate insulating film (not shown) including the gate line 4 and the gate electrode is deposited on the entire surface of the first substrate 1 (S2).

Subsequently, an amorphous silicon layer and an n + layer are entirely deposited on the gate insulating layer and selectively removed to form a semiconductor layer (not shown) (S2).

Subsequently, a metal material is deposited on the entire surface of the first substrate 1 including the semiconductor layer, and selectively removed, thereby spaced apart from the data line 5, the source electrode protruding from the data line, and the source electrode. A drain electrode is formed (S3).

Subsequently, a protective film is deposited on the entire surface of the first substrate 1 including the data line 5 and the like, and the protective film is selectively removed to form a contact hole in which the drain electrode is partially exposed (S4).

Subsequently, the contact hole is filled, and a transparent electrode is deposited on the entire surface of the passivation layer and then selectively removed to form a pixel electrode (S5).

The color filter substrate opposed to the TFT substrate formed in the process sequence as shown in FIG. 2 is manufactured in the following order.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of forming a color filter substrate of a general liquid crystal display.

As shown in FIG. 3, a black matrix material is deposited on the second substrate 2 and selectively removed to remove the black matrix material on the gate line 4, the data line, and the thin film transistor T of the first substrate 1. The black matrix layer 7 is formed to correspond (S6).

Subsequently, R, G, and B color filter layers 8 are sequentially formed so as to correspond to the pixel areas defined by the gate line 4 and the data line 5 (S7).

Next, a common electrode is formed on the entire surface of the second substrate including the black matrix layer 7 and the color filter layer 8 (S8).

Thus, the array process of the said TFT substrate and a color filter substrate is completed.

Liquid crystal displays are largely classified into an array process, a cell process, a module process, and the like.

The array process proceeds as described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

Meanwhile, a cell process of a general liquid crystal display device may be classified into a liquid crystal injection method and a liquid crystal drop method according to a method of forming a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates.

4 is a flowchart of a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal injection type liquid crystal display device.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the method of manufacturing the liquid crystal injection type liquid crystal display, first, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an array process is performed. That is, a TFT array including a gate line 4 and a data line 5, a pixel electrode 6, and a thin film transistor T is formed on the first substrate 1, and as shown in FIG. The color filter array provided with the black matrix layer 7, the color filter layer 8, the common electrode 8, etc. in the board | substrate 2 is formed.

In this case, the array process does not form one liquid crystal panel on one substrate, but designs a plurality of liquid crystal panels on one large glass substrate to form a TFT array and a color filter array in each liquid crystal panel region. .

 In this way, the TFT substrate on which the TFT array is formed and the color filter substrate on which the color filter array is formed are moved to the cell processing line.

Subsequently, an alignment process is applied to the TFT substrate and the color filter substrate, and an alignment process (rubbing process) is performed to make the liquid crystal molecules have uniform orientation (S10).

Here, the alignment step (S10) proceeds in order of cleaning before the alignment film coating, alignment film printing, alignment film firing, alignment film inspection, rubbing process.

Subsequently, the TFT substrate and the color filter substrate are cleaned, respectively (S20).

Further, a ball spacer is disposed on the TFT substrate or the color filter substrate to maintain a constant cell gap (S30), and the two substrates are bonded to the outer portion of each liquid crystal panel region. Form a seal pattern (seal pattern) for (S40). At this time, the seal pattern is formed to have a liquid crystal injection hole pattern for injecting liquid crystal.

Here, the ball spacer is formed of plastic balls or elastic plastic fine particles.

The TFT substrate and the color filter substrate face each other so that the seal patterns face each other, thereby bonding the two substrates and curing the seal patterns (S50).

Thereafter, the bonded and cured TFT substrate and the color filter substrate are cut and processed for each unit liquid crystal panel region (S60) to produce a unit liquid crystal panel having a predetermined size.

Thereafter, the liquid crystal is injected through the liquid crystal injection hole of each unit liquid crystal panel, and after completion of the injection, the liquid crystal injection hole is sealed (S70) to form a liquid crystal layer. Then, the liquid crystal display device is manufactured by performing the inspection (S80) of the appearance and electrical defect of each unit liquid crystal panel.

Here, the liquid crystal injection process will be briefly described as follows.

First, the container containing the liquid crystal material to be injected and the liquid crystal panel to inject the liquid crystal are placed in the chamber, and the pressure in the chamber is maintained in a vacuum state to remove moisture from the liquid crystal material or the inner wall of the container. Then, bubbles are de-included and the inner space of the liquid crystal panel is vacuumed.

The liquid crystal injection hole of the liquid crystal panel is immersed in or contacted with a container containing a liquid crystal material in a desired vacuum state, and then the pressure inside the chamber is changed from a vacuum state to an atmospheric pressure state, and the pressure inside the liquid crystal panel and the pressure of the chamber. By the difference, the liquid crystal material is injected into the liquid crystal panel through the liquid crystal injection hole.

The manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display of the liquid crystal injection method has the following problems.

First, after cutting into a unit panel, the liquid crystal injection hole is immersed in the liquid crystal liquid by maintaining the vacuum state between the two substrates, so that the liquid crystal injection takes a lot of time, the productivity is reduced.                         

Second, in the case of manufacturing a large-area liquid crystal display device, when the liquid crystal is injected by the liquid crystal injection method, the liquid crystal is not completely injected into the panel, which causes a defect.

Third, since the process is complicated and time-consuming as described above, several liquid crystal injection equipment is required, which requires a lot of space.

Accordingly, in order to overcome the problems of the liquid crystal injection method, a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal drop type liquid crystal display device in which a liquid crystal is dropped on one of two substrates and then the two substrates are bonded to each other has been developed.

5 is a flowchart of a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal drop type liquid crystal display device.

That is, the liquid crystal display device manufacturing method of the liquid crystal dropping method is a method of dropping an appropriate amount of liquid crystal onto any one of the two substrates before bonding the two substrates, and then joining the two substrates together.

Therefore, when the ball spacer is used to maintain the cell gap as in the liquid crystal injection method, when the dropped liquid crystal spreads, the ball spacer is moved in the liquid crystal spreading direction and the spacer is pushed to one side, thereby making it impossible to maintain the accurate cell gap.

Therefore, in the liquid crystal dropping method, a fixed spacer (column spacer or patterned spacer) in which the spacer is fixed to the substrate should be used without using the ball spacer.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5, in the array process, a black matrix layer, a color filter layer, and a common electrode are formed on a color filter substrate, and a photosensitive resin is formed on the common electrode and selectively removed to form column spacers on the black matrix layer. do.                         

Then, an alignment film is applied to the entire TFT substrate including the column spacer and the color filter substrate, and the alignment film is rubbed.

As described above, the TFT substrate and the color filter substrate on which the alignment process is completed are cleaned (S101), and then, a liquid crystal is dropped into a predetermined region on one of the TFT substrate and the color filter substrate (S102), and each liquid crystal of the remaining substrates. A seal pattern is formed at an outer portion of the panel region by using a dispensing apparatus (S103).

At this time, the liquid crystal may also be dropped on one of the two substrates and a seal pattern may be formed.

Then, the substrate on which the liquid crystal is not dropped is inverted (inverted to face each other) (S104), the TFT substrate and the color filter substrate are pressed together, and the seal pattern is cured (S105).

Subsequently, the bonded substrate is cut and processed for each unit liquid crystal panel (S106).

The liquid crystal display device is manufactured by inspecting the appearance and electrical defect of the processed unit liquid crystal panel (S107).

As described above, as the liquid crystal display device develops in a large area, the liquid crystal dropping method is mainly used for the ease of the manufacturing process, and in this case, it is difficult to uniformly distribute the ball spacer, so that the column is fixed at a predetermined position. The spacer is mainly used.

As described above, after each step is performed between the manufacturing processes of the liquid crystal display device to be manufactured, an inspection apparatus is provided to inspect the state of the substrate, and thus a defect in the substrate should be detected.

6 is a perspective view showing a conventional inspection equipment, Figure 7 is a plan view of FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the inspection apparatus 20 according to the related art has a predetermined distance between the stage 30, the left and right supporters 21a and 21b positioned at both sides of the stage 20, and the left and right supporters 21a and 21b. The first and second rails 22a and 22b formed on the stage 30 are spaced apart from each other and positioned in a direction crossing the left and right supporters 21a and 21b and pass between the left and right supporters 21a and 21b. Located at the X-axis origin of the head support 24, the joints (26a, 26b) connecting the head support 24 and the left and right support (21a, 21b) and the head support (24) during the initial operation, the stage It includes a head 23 for inspecting or repairing a predetermined portion of the substrate introduced into the 30 and passing through the third rail 25 provided in the head support.

Here, the stage 30 and the left and right supporters 21a and 21b are made of a stone plate, and the head support 24 is made of aluminum (Al).

The head includes one of a CCD, a laser, and an optical sensor, and a substrate (not shown) introduced into the stage 30 is staged through the head support 24 through the left and right junctions 26a and 26b. By moving in the Y-axis direction on the first and second rails 22a and 22b of the 30 or by moving the head 23 in the X-axis direction on the third rail 25 in the head support 24. Then, a predetermined portion of the substrate is scanned and inspected or repaired. In this case, when inspection is required, the head 23 is inspected using an imaging device such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or an optical sensor, and when a repair is required, a laser or a separate repair means is provided. To perform the repair.

Here, the head support 25 passing through the first and second rails 22a and 22b and the head 23 passing through the third rail 25 are moved at a constant speed.

The driving of the conventional inspection equipment 20 is performed as follows.

When the substrate is introduced into the stage 30 in the conventional inspection equipment 20, the stage 30 causes the substrate to be vacuumed and the head support 23 corresponds to a predetermined portion on the substrate. 24 is moved in the Y-axis direction on the first and second rails 22a and 22b of the stage 30 through the left and right junctions 26a and 26b, or a third rail in the head support 24 ( 25, the head 23 is moved in the X-axis direction so that a predetermined portion of the substrate is scanned and inspected or repaired.

The inspection equipment introduced in FIGS. 6 and 7 is called a gantry system, whose shape is the form of a bridge through which the head support passes between two supports on both sides, and this gantry system is a rail linear. It is formed with a guide and a motor (not shown). At this time, the motor is provided outside the stage, and functions to adjust the head support or the head to move at a constant speed.

As described above, this conventional inspection equipment 20 was operated with the head 23 on the head support 24 positioned at the "0" point position on the X axis.

When the head 23 or the head support 24 is moved by such an inspection operation, the heavy head 23 is positioned on one side of the head support 24, and the head support 24 is bent, which causes precise control. And there was a limit in speed improvement.                         

In particular, when the substrate is small, the length of the head support 24 does not occur much because the length of the head support 24 is small, but as the substrate becomes larger, the length of the head support 24 becomes relatively longer, and the head support ( Since the heavy head 23 is supported over a long distance at 24, the bending phenomenon of the head support 24 made of aluminum is further intensified.

The conventional inspection equipment as described above has the following problems.

First, in the conventional inspection equipment, a heavy head is supported by an aluminum head support, so that warpage occurs. In particular, in the trend toward larger areas, the length of the head support is relatively longer, and this warping phenomenon is intensified.

Second, in the inspection or repair process, the moving speed of the head or the head support depends on the time taken for the inspection or repair process, and the processing time is reduced due to the head support where the actual bending occurs, and the process precision is also decreased. .

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and after that, the object of the present invention is to provide inspection equipment for inspecting the state of the substrate after a predetermined process.

The inspection equipment of the present invention for achieving the above object is made of a stage made of a stone panel, a stone panel, made of left and right supports located on both sides of the stage, and a stone panel, located across the left and right supports And a head support passing through the left and right supports and a head positioned at the center of the head support during initial operation, inspecting or repairing a predetermined portion of the substrate introduced into the stage, and passing the rail provided in the head support. There is a characteristic in that it is made.

The head is provided with any one of a CCD, a laser, and an optical sensor.

The head support and the head are moved at a constant speed.

The stage is further provided with a rail for moving the head support in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the head support is formed at portions spaced apart from the left and right supports at predetermined intervals.

Hereinafter, the inspection equipment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in detail as follows.

8 is a perspective view showing the inspection equipment of the present invention, Figure 9 is a plan view of FIG.

8 and 9, the inspection equipment 100 of the present invention is predetermined to the stage 110, the left and right supports 101a, 101b located on both sides of the stage 110, and the left and right supports 101a, 101b. The first and second rails 102a and 102b formed on the stage 110 and spaced apart from each other are positioned in a direction crossing the left and right supporters 101a and 101b, and between the left and right supporters 101a and 101b. It is located in the center of the X-axis of the head support 104 passing through, the joints (106a, 106b) connecting the head support 104 and the left and right support (101a, 101b) and the head support 104 during the first operation, It includes a head 103 for inspecting or repairing a predetermined portion of the substrate introduced into the stage 110 and passing through the third rail 105 provided in the head support 104.

Here, the stage 110 and the left and right supports (101a, 101b) is made of a stone plate, the head support 104 is also made of the same stone plate. This is to prevent the bending when the head 103 is located in the center of the head support 104, wherein the head support 104 is the left and right support through the junction (106a, 106b) It is connected to (101a, 101b).

And, the head 103 provided in the head support 104 is located in the center, by taking this configuration, it is possible to find a portion of the substrate (not shown) that requires inspection faster than when the head is located at the origin. have.

In this case, the junction parts 106 and 106b are formed by providing a magnetic component at portions corresponding to the first and second rails 102a and 102b.

The head 103 is provided with any one of a CCD, a laser, and an optical sensor, and the head support 104 is connected to the left and right junctions 106a and 106b for a substrate (not shown) introduced into the stage 110. To move in the Y-axis direction on the first and second rails 102a and 102b of the stage 110 or to move the head 103 left or right on the third rail 105 in the head support 104. By moving in the X-axis direction, a predetermined portion of the substrate is scanned and inspected or repaired. In this case, when inspection is required, the head 103 is inspected using an imaging device such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or an optical sensor, and when a repair is required, a laser or a separate repair means is provided. To perform the repair.

Here, the head support 105 passing through the first and second rails 102a and 102b and the head 103 passing through the third rail 105 are moved at a constant speed.

The driving of the inspection equipment 100 of the present invention is made as follows.

When the substrate is introduced into the stage 110 in the inspection equipment 100 of the present invention, the stage 110 to hold the substrate in a vacuum, so that the head 103 corresponds to a predetermined portion on the substrate, the head support Move the 104 in the Y-axis direction on the first and second rails 102a, 102b of the stage 110 through the left and right junctions 106a, 106b, or the third rail in the head support 104; The head 103 is moved on the left or right in the X-axis direction on the 105 so as to scan or inspect a predetermined portion of the substrate.

In the inspection equipment 100 of the present invention, the head 103 on the head support 104 is positioned at the center of the X axis, and the initial operation is started. In addition, the head support 104 is composed of a stone plate of the same material as the stage (110).

When the head 103 or the head support 104 moves in the inspection operation using the inspection equipment of the present invention, even if the heavy head 103 is located in the center of the head support 104, the head support 104 is It is composed of a high-grade stone plate to prevent the warpage phenomenon, by preventing the warpage phenomenon, precise control at the time of inspection was possible, it is possible to improve the speed.                     

As such, the reason why the position of the head 103 is located at the center of the X axis, that is, the center of the head support 104 is that when the head 103 is positioned at the center of the head support 104, the inspection is performed. This is because the head 103 can move correspondingly with an optimum distance to a required area. In addition, if the head 103 is moved to one side, the head support 104 is relatively large as the weight of the head is small or the stage itself is small, but the size of the substrate becomes larger and larger. This is to improve this because there is a possibility that the degree of bending becomes longer and the deterioration of the function due to bending occurs a lot.

In addition, by changing the material of the head support portion from the shape of the existing aluminum (Al) to the stone plate material, it is possible to minimize the warpage phenomenon by the weight of the head. That is, when aluminum supports the head more than a certain weight, there is a high possibility of warpage. However, as with the inspection apparatus of the present invention, when the head support 104 is used as a stone plate, the performance of the stone plate itself is excellent in bending, and thus the possibility of problems such as bending or other speed decrease during driving is reduced.

The inspection equipment of the present invention as described above has the following effects.

The inspection equipment of the present invention comprises a head support with a stone plate, and by positioning the head in the center of the X-axis direction, it is possible to prevent the speed decrease and warpage caused by the head bias during high speed operation, thereby ensuring a high speed operation It became possible.

Claims (4)

A stage composed of stone tablets; A left and right support made of a stone platform and positioned on both sides of the stage; A head support which is made of stone tablets and is located across the left and right supports and passes through the left and right supports; A head positioned at the center of the head support during initial operation, inspecting or repairing a predetermined portion of the substrate introduced into the stage, and passing the first rail provided in the head support; And And a second rail for moving the head support in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the head support is formed. The method of claim 1, The head is equipped with any one of a CCD, a laser, an optical sensor. The method of claim 1, And the head support and the head are moved at a constant speed. delete

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