KR101380371B1 - System and method for curing of substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

A substrate curing system and a curing method according to the present invention include a bonding chamber for aligning a thin film transistor substrate on which a thin film transistor is formed and a color filter substrate on which a color filter layer is formed, and bonding the thin film transistor substrate and the color filter substrate together; A buffer chamber through which a bonded substrate on which the thin film transistor substrate and the color filter substrate are bonded is transferred; A transfer robot for transferring the bonded substrate from the bonded chamber to the buffer chamber; A first hardening part installed on a path from the cementing chamber to the transport robot; According to the present invention having the configuration as described above comprising a second hardening portion provided on the path carried into the buffer chamber from the transfer robot, as the curing proceeds in the process of transferring the bonded substrate to the buffer chamber, the productivity is improved. And, there is no configuration of a separate curing chamber for the curing process time is shortened, there is an effect that the cost is reduced.

Description

Substrate hardening system and hardening method {SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CURING OF SUBSTRATE}

The present invention relates to a substrate curing system and a curing method, and more particularly, to a substrate curing system and a curing method in which the curing proceeds in the process of transferring the bonded substrate to the buffer chamber.

Examples of flat panel displays include liquid crystal displays (LCDs), plasma display panels (PDPs), and organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs).

In these flat panel displays, an LCD combines a TFT substrate on which a thin film transistor is formed with a color filter substrate on which a color filter layer is formed to form a panel.

In constructing the panel as described above, a sealant for airtightness is applied between the TFT substrate and the color filter substrate, and the curing is performed. Generally, the sealant may be an ultraviolet curable material. In the process of curing the sealant, the panel is temporarily bonded in a separate curing chamber, and a mask is formed so that light is irradiated only to the adhesive region, which is a part except the portion where the liquid crystal is stored. Be sure to

However, the method of using a separate curing chamber as described above has a problem incurred in the cost of manufacturing the curing chamber, the process time is longer as the curing process in a separate space is reduced production efficiency.

The present invention is to provide a substrate curing system and a curing method of the curing proceeds in the process of transferring the bonded substrate without a separate curing chamber.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate curing system comprising: a bonding chamber for aligning a thin film transistor substrate on which a thin film transistor is formed and a color filter substrate on which a color filter layer is formed, and bonding the thin film transistor substrate and the color filter substrate together; A buffer chamber through which a bonded substrate on which the thin film transistor substrate and the color filter substrate are bonded is transferred; A transfer robot for transferring the bonded substrate from the bonded chamber to the buffer chamber; A first hardening part installed on a path from the cementing chamber to the transport robot; And a second hardening part provided on a path carried from the transfer robot to the buffer chamber.

The coalescing chamber may include an upper chamber including an upper plate having an adhesive chuck to adhere the color filter substrate, and a lower surface facing the upper chamber and holding the thin film transistor substrate bonded to the color filter substrate. The lower chamber includes a chamber lifting unit configured to raise and lower the upper chamber to closely contact and space toward the lower chamber to form a bonding space.

The first hardening part and the second hardening part may have a bar shape, and the first hardening part and the second hardening part may be a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) or ultraviolet light (ULTRAVIOLET) lamps.

The first cured part and the second cured part are respectively disposed above and below the path through which the bonded substrate is transported, and the first hardened part and the second cured part are liftable with respect to the bonded substrate.

On the other hand, the substrate curing method according to the present invention includes a bonding step of bonding the thin film transistor substrate on which the thin film transistor is formed and the color filter substrate on which the color filter layer is formed; A first curing step of curing a sealant by irradiating light onto the bonded substrate while the transport robot is carried out of the bonded chamber by the bonded substrate; And a second curing step of curing the sealant by irradiating with light while bringing the bonded substrate to which the transfer robot is bonded after the first curing step into the buffer chamber.

The chamber entry speed at which the transfer robot enters the cementation chamber for the first curing step is different from the chamber ejection speed at which the cemented substrate is received and taken out of the cementation chamber.

The buffer entry speed at which the transfer robot enters the buffer chamber for the second curing step is different from the buffer discharge speed taken out from the buffer chamber.

The chamber discharge speed and the buffer entry speed may be the same, and the chamber discharge speed may be faster than the buffer entry speed or the chamber discharge speed may be slower than the buffer entry speed.

Substrate curing system and curing method according to the present invention has the effect of improving the productivity as the curing proceeds in the process of transferring the bonded substrate to the buffer chamber.

In addition, there is no configuration of a separate curing chamber for curing, shortening the process time, there is an effect that the cost is reduced.

1 is a layout view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate curing system according to the present embodiment in a cluster form.
2 is a layout view showing the schematic configuration of the substrate curing system according to the present embodiment in an inline form.
3 and 4 are views showing the bonding chamber constituting the substrate curing system according to the present embodiment.
5 is a view showing a first curing unit and a second curing unit constituting the substrate curing system according to the present embodiment.
6 is a view showing a curing module provided in the first curing unit and the second curing unit constituting the substrate curing system according to the present embodiment.
7 to 10 are state diagrams showing the curing procedure of the substrate curing system according to the present embodiment.
11 is a flowchart of a substrate curing method according to the present embodiment.

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

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the substrate curing system according to the present embodiment includes a bonding chamber 100, a first curing unit 200, a transfer robot 300, a second curing unit 400, and a buffer chamber ( 500). The first hardening part 200 and the second hardening part 400 are installed on a path transferred by the transfer robot 300 to seal the sealant of the bonded substrate in the process of being transferred by the transfer robot 300. Harden.

The structure of the substrate curing system may be in the form of a cluster (CLUSTER) based on the transfer robot 400 as shown in FIG. 1, or may be in-line form as shown in FIG. 2.

3 and 4 show the bonding chamber 100 constituting the substrate curing system according to the present embodiment, wherein the bonding chamber 100 is a color filter substrate (S1, hereinafter referred to as an upper substrate) and a thin film on which a color filter layer is formed. The thin film transistor substrate S2 (hereinafter referred to as a lower substrate) on which the transistor layer is formed includes an upper chamber 102 and a lower chamber 104 positioned at upper and lower portions, respectively. The lower chamber 104 is fixed to the base (unsigned), and the upper chamber 102 is lifted up and down by the chamber lifting unit 106 composed of a universal joint, a ball screw, or the like.

The upper chamber 102 is provided with an upper surface plate 110 for holding the upper substrate S1, and the upper surface plate 110 is provided with an adhesive chuck 120 for adhering the upper substrate S1. A plurality of adhesive chuck 120 is installed distributed in the upper surface plate (110). In addition, the upper surface plate 110 of the upper chamber 102 is provided with a plurality of vacuum suction pins 122 for vacuum suction in a liftable form. The vacuum suction pin 122 is lowered when the substrate S1 to be positioned on the upper surface plate 110 enters the inside, and the upper and lower substrates S1 are adsorbed by the upper substrate S1 by adsorption. ) Is attached. Then, when the chambers 102 and 104 are in close contact with each other and a vacuum is formed, the upper substrate S1 maintains the upper substrate S1 by the adhesive chuck 120.

The adhesive chuck 120 has a diaphragm which is protruded by air to detach the adhesive part (not shown) and the substrates S1 and S2 attached to the adhesive part.

The adhesion chuck 120 includes an organopolysiloxane (10 to 75 parts by weight), an organohydrogenpolysiloxane (5 to 30 parts by weight), an addition reaction catalyst, and the like containing an alkenyl group bonded to a small amount of silicon atoms. It is manufactured by hardening addition reaction hardening type silicone rubber composition which has a main component. In addition, the adhesive portion may be directly formed by compression molding, injection molding, injection molding, punching, or the like.

In addition, a sealing film (not shown) may be coated on another surface of the adhesive chuck 120 other than the surface that is attached to the upper substrate S1. This sealing film is composed of Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR), Room-Temperature-Vulcanizing (RTV) Elastomers (HCR), High Consistency Silicone Rubber (HCR), Silicone Modified Organic Compound (SMO) ) Elastomeric Emulsion (SMO) Elastomeric Emulsion and other components that can perform a sealing function can be formed.

The lower chamber 104 is provided with a lower surface plate 114 for holding the lower substrate S2, and the lower surface plate 114 is provided with a substrate chuck 132 for chucking the lower substrate S2. The substrate chuck 132 installed on the lower surface plate 210 may be an electrostatic chuck (ESC) that chucks the substrate with an electrostatic force to seat the lower substrate S2, or other adhesive chucks such as other adhesive chucks. It can be a kind of chuck device.

The lower surface plate 114 may include a plurality of lift pins that penetrate through the lower surface plate 114 and the substrate chuck 132. The lift pin 162 rises to the bottom surface of the lower substrate S2 to support the lower substrate S2 when the lower substrate S2 seated on the substrate chuck 132 is loaded, and then descends to lower the lower substrate chuck. 132 serves to seat the lower substrate (S2). And when the upper substrate (S1) and the lower substrate (S2) are bonded to each other and serves to raise the panel to take out the bonded panel to the outside.

In addition, a camera 172 may be installed in the upper chamber 102 to photograph the alignment marks displayed on the upper substrate S1 and the lower substrate S2 so as to confirm whether the substrates are positioned at the correct bonding points. . The camera photographs the alignment marks formed on the upper substrate S1 and the lower substrate S2 through the photographing hole 172a penetrating the upper chamber 102. In this case, an illumination device (not shown) may be installed below the lower chamber 104 so that the camera can photograph the alignment mark to provide illumination to the camera.

The upper chamber 102 and the lower chamber 104 are in close contact with each other to form a process space, and a high vacuum molecular pump (TMP) and a dry pump (199, dry pump) are implemented to realize the process space in a vacuum atmosphere. May be connected to the chambers 102, 104.

In addition, a lower surface alignment device 182 connected to the lower surface 104 is installed at an outer lower portion of the lower chamber 104. Lower surface alignment device 182 may be a UVW stage. In addition, a lower driving part 184 is installed below the lower surface alignment device 182 to drive the lower surface alignment device 182 and the lower surface 210 up and down. The lifting drive unit 184 may be a linear motor or a hydraulic actuator. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, when the upper substrate S1 and the lower substrate S2 are bonded together, the lower surface plate 114 may rise to the upper surface plate 110 side and may be lowered after the adhesion.

Reference numerals 177 and 187 are lifting motors for lifting and lowering the vacuum suction pin 122 and the lift pin 162, and 177a and 187a are respectively for synchronizing the vacuum suction pin 122 and the lift pin 162 by grouping them. Pin plate. Each pin plate 177a and 187a may be located inside the chambers 102 and 104 as shown, and may be shaped to be located outside the chambers 102 and 104, although not shown. . The pin plates 177a and 187a may be manufactured in plural forms, and each lifting motor 177 and 187 may also be installed in plural forms. In this case, the plurality of vacuum suction pins 122 and the lift pins 162 may be grouped and operated.

As described above, when the upper substrate S1 enters the inside of the bonding chamber 100, the vacuum adsorption pin 122 descends to absorb the upper substrate S2 by vacuum, then rises to the upper surface 110 to be adhered. The upper substrate S1 is attached to the chuck 120. Subsequently, when the lower substrate S2 enters the inside, the lift pin 162 is lifted up and received, descends, falls on the lower surface 114, and a substrate chuck 132 composed of an electrostatic chuck or an adhesive chuck disposed on the lower surface 114. To be maintained. In this state, the upper chamber 102 and the lower chamber 104 are in close contact with each other to form a process space, and a vacuum atmosphere is created by the pump 199. The upper substrate S1 and the lower substrate S2 are checked by the camera 172 in the middle of the vacuum atmosphere, and the upper substrate S1 is lowered after the alignment is completed by the lower surface alignment device 182. As shown in FIG. 4, the two substrates S1 and S2 are brought into a temporary bonding state by dropping toward the substrate S2. After venting (VENT) the interior of the chamber (102) (104) to the standby state (open), the transport robot 300 to carry out the substrate (S1) (S2) is temporarily bonded to the chamber (102, 104) To enter. In this case, the substrates S1 and S2 are supported by the lift pin 162 which is raised, and the fork 302 of the transfer robot 300 moves the substrates S1 and S2 between the lift pins 162. Receive.

The substrates S1 and S2 received by the transfer robot 300 pass through the first curing unit 200 in the standby state. Since the first hardening part 200 and the second hardening part 400 have the same shape, the indication of the second hardening part 400 together with the reference number describing the first hardening part 200 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 5, the first hardening parts 200 and 400 may be in the form of bars 201 that are installed inside the frame 202 of a predetermined shape. If the bonding substrate (S1) (S2) passes through the first hardened portion (200, 400) by the transfer robot 300 by manufacturing in the form of a bar (bar) light is irradiated to the bonded substrate (S1) (S2) The sealant hardens.

The bar-shaped first hardening parts 200 and 400 may be made wider than the widths of the substrates S1 and S2 to allow the sealant to harden.

The light source of the first curing unit 200 and 400 may have a shape in which a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) 208 are disposed, or may be in the form of an ultraviolet lamp in which ultraviolet light is irradiated.

The first curing unit 200 (400) may be installed at upper and lower portions, respectively, to more accurately cure the sealant of the substrates S1 and S2, and the first curing unit 200 (400) may be transferred to the substrate S1. (S2) can be manufactured in a form that can be lifted and lowered.The lifting and lowering of the first hardening part 200 and 400 is made possible by the lifting motor 206. The frame 202 is used to lift and lower the bar 201. The guide 204 is installed.

As described above, the hardening parts 200 and 400 may have a bar shape, and as illustrated in FIG. 6, the hardening parts 200 and 400 may be manufactured in the same shape as that of the substrates S1 and S2.

That is, the light is arranged in the same pattern as that of the sealant applied to the substrates S1 and S2.

Curing by the curing unit 200, 400 as described above may be adjusted by the transfer speed of the transfer robot (300). That is, through the method of slowing down the speed when passing through the hardening parts 200 and 400, more reliable hardening can be achieved.

The speed of the transfer robot 300 is a speed to enter the bonding chamber 100, a speed to receive and take out the substrate (S1) (S2) and a speed to enter the buffer chamber 500 and the substrate (S1) (S2) It can be distinguished by the speed of putting down and returning.

The transfer robot 300 is provided with a plurality of stages to carry out the plane reciprocating motion and at the same time to the lifting and lowering movement of the substrates S1 and S2. The transfer robot 300 is substantially provided with a plurality of forks 302 on which the substrates S1 and S2 are placed.

In the process of being transferred by the transfer robot 300, the substrates S1 and S2 which have been cured are carried into the buffer chamber 500. The buffer chamber 500 is a place where the substrates S1 and S2, which have been bonded and cured, are temporarily stored. The buffer chamber 500 is a waiting place for a subsequent process.

A plurality of bonded substrates S1 and S2 are mounted in the buffer chamber 500.

On the other hand, the substrate curing method according to the present embodiment in the bonding step (S100), the bonded substrate (S1) (S2) bonded to the upper substrate (S1) and the lower substrate (S2) in the bonding chamber 100, the transfer robot The transfer robot 3000 after the first curing step S200 and the first curing step S200 to harden by irradiating light onto the bonding substrates S1 and S2 while the 300 is carried out from the bonding chamber 100. And a second curing step S300 of irradiating and curing the light while bringing the bonded substrate S1 and S2 into the buffer chamber 500.

Chamber for receiving the transport substrate 300 and the bonding substrate (S1) (S2) in the bonding chamber 100, the transfer robot 300 enters the bonding chamber 100 for the first curing step (S200) The discharge speed V2 can be made different. The chamber carrying out speed V2 may be slowed down and the curing may be performed by the first curing unit 200.

In addition, for the second curing step (S300), the transfer robot 300 may be different from the buffer entry speed (V3) to enter the buffer chamber 500 and the buffer discharge speed (V4) to be carried out from the buffer chamber 500. Can be. In this case, the buffer entry speed V3 may be slowed to cure by the second curing unit 400.

In addition, the chamber discharge speed V2 and the buffer entry speed V3 may be the same, and the chamber discharge speed V2 may be faster than the buffer entry speed V3, or the chamber discharge speed V2 may be the buffer entry speed V3. Can be slower than Thus, adjusting the chamber discharge rate (V2) and the buffer entry speed (V3) is to optimize the process time by adjusting the speed according to the process time.

Hereinafter, a curing method will be described through an operating state of the substrate curing system according to the present embodiment as described above.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the upper substrate S1 and the lower substrate S2 are temporarily bonded in the bonding chamber 100, the upper chamber 102 and the lower chamber 104 are spaced apart and the lift pins 162. ) Is raised to support the bonded substrates S1 and S2.

In this state, the transfer robot 300 enters the chamber entrance speed V1 toward the bonding chamber 100 and receives the bonding substrates S1 and S2. Thereafter, the transfer robot 300 passes through the first curing unit 200 at a chamber discharge speed V2, as shown in FIG. 8. At this time, the sealant of the bonding substrates S1 and S2 is cured by the first curing unit 200. The chamber carry-out speed V2 may be slower than the chamber entry speed V1 for curing.

When the hardening by the first hardening unit 200 is completed, the transfer robot 300 is shown in FIG. 9 to bring the bonded substrates S1 and S2 into the buffer chamber 500. The hardening is once again passing through 400). Thereafter, the transfer robot 300 is pulled out of the bonded substrate (S1) (S2) to the buffer chamber 500, as shown in FIG.

The buffer entry speed V3 of the transfer robot 300 carrying the substrates S1 and S2 into the buffer chamber 500 is transferred to the buffer chamber 500 so that accurate sealant curing is performed by the second curing unit 400. It is possible to make it slower than the buffer discharge speed V4 which exits after carrying in board | substrate S1 and S2.

On the other hand, the chamber take-out speed V2 and the buffer entry speed V3 can be the same, and are made slower than the chamber entry speed V1 and the buffer take-out speed V4, and are ensured by the hardening parts 200 and 400. To allow sealant curing.

Another method is to relatively different chamber ejection speed (V2) and buffer entry speed (V3). For example, the chamber discharge speed V2 is faster or slower than the buffer entry speed V3. This is to shorten the process time, one hardening is similar to the temporary hardening, the other hardening is for a more complete cure.

In addition, in the present embodiment, two hardening parts are installed on the transfer path of the bonded substrate, but in consideration of the process time, the modified embodiment by one hardening part is possible when adjusting the feeding speed.

The above embodiment of the present invention should not be construed as limiting the technical idea of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is limited only by the matters described in the claims, and those skilled in the art will be able to modify the technical idea of the present invention in various forms. Accordingly, such improvements and modifications will fall within the scope of the present invention as long as they are obvious to those skilled in the art.

100 ... Adhesion chamber
200 ... 1st hardened part
300 ... Transfer Robot
400 ... second hardened part
500 ... buffer chamber
102.Top chamber
104 ... lower chamber

Claims (13)

A bonding chamber for aligning the thin film transistor substrate on which the thin film transistor is formed with the color filter substrate on which the color filter layer is formed, and bonding the thin film transistor substrate and the color filter substrate together;
A buffer chamber through which a bonded substrate on which the thin film transistor substrate and the color filter substrate are bonded is transferred;
A transfer robot for transferring the bonded substrate from the bonded chamber to the buffer chamber;
A first curing unit installed on a path carried out from the bonding chamber to the transfer robot and irradiating light toward the bonded substrate being transferred by the transfer robot;
And a second hardening unit installed on a path carried from the transfer robot to the buffer chamber and irradiating light toward the bonded substrate being transported by the transfer robot. The upper chamber of claim 1, wherein the bonding chamber comprises an upper plate including an upper plate having an adhesive chuck to adhere the color filter substrate, and the thin film transistor substrate facing the upper chamber and bonded to the color filter substrate. And a lower chamber including a lower surface to lower the upper chamber, and a chamber lifter configured to lift and lower the upper chamber to close and close the lower chamber to form a bonding space. The method of claim 1, wherein the first hardening portion and the second hardening portion are provided in the form of a bar, and the first and second hardening portions are arranged in the same pattern as the sealant applied to the bonded substrate. A substrate curing system having a light source. The substrate curing system of claim 3, wherein the first curing unit and the second curing unit are a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs). 4. The substrate curing system of claim 3, wherein the first and second curing portions are ultraviolet light lamps. The substrate curing system of claim 3, wherein the first curing unit and the second curing unit are disposed above and below a path through which the bonded substrate is transferred. 4. The substrate curing system of claim 3, wherein the first and second hardened portions are liftable with respect to the bonded substrate. Bonding the thin film transistor substrate on which the thin film transistor is formed and the color filter substrate on which the color filter layer is formed in the bonding chamber;
A first curing step of curing a sealant by irradiating light toward the bonded substrate being transported while the bonded substrate bonded in the bonding chamber is carried out from the bonding chamber by a transfer robot;
And a second curing step of curing the sealant by irradiating light toward the bonding chamber during transfer while the bonded substrate is brought into the buffer chamber by the transfer robot after the first curing step. Curing method. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the chamber entry speed at which the transfer robot enters the cementation chamber for the first curing step is different from the chamber ejection rate at which the cemented substrate is received and taken out of the cementation chamber. . 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the buffer entry speed at which the transfer robot enters the buffer chamber for the second curing step is different from the buffer discharge speed at which the transfer robot is discharged from the buffer chamber. The method of claim 9, wherein the chamber ejection rate and the buffer entry rate are the same. The method of claim 9, wherein the chamber ejection rate is faster than the buffer entry rate. 11. The method of claim 9 or 10, wherein the chamber ejection rate is slower than the buffer entry rate.

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