KR20040007251A - A scribing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a scribing apparatus suitable for scribing a brittle material substrate of a large plate. CONSTITUTION: Whole formation necessary for forming a scribe line on the brittle material substrate of a laser beam oscillator 3, an optical unit 4, a bend mirror 5, a cooling jet 6, and a trigger mechanism 7 is fitted integrally to a support 2. In this way, in the scribing apparatus 1, even when each formation necessary for forming the scribe line is moved in relation to the surface of the brittle material substrate S, the occurrence of variation in the forming positions of a heating area and a cooling area is prevented. Accordingly, the formation of a stable scribe line can be maintained, and the stable quality of the disruption surface of the brittle material substrate S disrupted through a break process implemented after the scribe line is formed can be secured.

Description

Scribe device {A SCRIBING APPARATUS}

The present invention relates to a scribe device suitable for forming a scribe line on a large brittle material substrate.

In order to cut a brittle material substrate represented by a glass substrate or the like, a scribing step of forming a scribe line by successive vertical cracks formed at a predetermined depth on the surface of the brittle material substrate in a desired direction ( It is common practice to perform a break process for cutting the brittle material substrate along the scribe line formed in the scribe process by applying pressure to the brittle material substrate in succession to the scribe process and the scribe process.

In the scribing step in the case of cutting a brittle material substrate, a method of forming a scribe line using a cutter wheel made of cemented carbide or sintered diamond is known. However, in such a method using a cutter wheel, a cullet generated during the formation of a scribe line may adhere to the surface of the brittle material substrate, which causes display defects when the brittle material substrate is used in a display device or the like. Becomes In addition, when performing the brake process for cutting the brittle material substrate, unwanted defects may occur in the end portions of the brittle material substrate, and the quality of the brittle material substrate after cutting may be poor.

In contrast, a method of forming a scribe line using a laser beam has recently been put into practical use. In the method of forming a scribe line using this laser beam, as shown in Fig. 6, the laser beam LB from the laser oscillator 61 is applied to the brittle material substrate S to be scribed. It is irradiated. The laser beam LB irradiated from the laser oscillation device 61 forms a laser spot LS on the brittle material substrate S along a scribe predetermined line. The laser beam LB emitted from the laser oscillation device 61 is set to move relatively on the brittle material substrate S along the scribe line SL.

In the vicinity of the irradiation area of the laser beam LB on the surface of the brittle material substrate S, a cooling medium such as cooling water is injected from the cooling nozzle 62 so that a scribe line is formed. On the surface of the brittle material substrate S to which the laser beam LB is irradiated, tensile stress is generated by ejecting a cooling medium after the compressive stress is generated by heating by the laser beam LB. As the tensile stress is generated in an area close to the compressive stress area as described above, a stress gradient is generated between the two areas based on the respective stresses, so that the brittle material substrate S has an end portion of the brittle material substrate S. In the part, continuous vertical cracks (blind cracks) along the scribe line to be scribed are generated from a cut line TR previously formed by a cutter wheel or the like.

In the method of forming a scribe line using the laser beam as described above, the brittle material substrate is used during the braking process because the torsional stress caused by heat, which generates little cullet, is used in forming the scribe line. It is difficult for defects to occur in the cross section.

The method for forming a scribe line using the above-mentioned laser beam irradiation is mainly applied to scribing a small glass substrate or the like used in a liquid crystal display device, but also in the case of scribing a large glass substrate. The same principle can be used to scribe.

In a laser scribe device for scribing a large glass substrate, a laser oscillator for oscillating a laser beam of a predetermined wavelength is provided at a position separated from a large glass substrate to be scribed. It is designed to induce beam energy to an optical device head which is provided on a forming surface of a scribe line of a large glass substrate through an induction device such as a mirror. In the vicinity of the optical head, a cooling nozzle for injecting a cooling medium is provided. In the case where a scribe line is formed on a large glass substrate by using the scribe device, the optical device head and the cooling nozzle are scanned along the direction of the desired scribe line with respect to the large fixed glass substrate to scan the laser beam. By heating by irradiation and cooling by a cooling medium from a cooling nozzle, vertical cracks (blind cracks) are advanced from a cut line formed at an end in advance to form a desired scribe line.

However, in the configuration of such an apparatus, the optical head and the cooling nozzle have to be moved on the large glass substrate in order to form a scribe line on the large glass substrate, which is why the glass substrate of the laser beam is moved in accordance with the movement of the optical head and the cooling nozzle. Fluctuations occur in the optical path with respect to the surface, so that the beam shape formed on the surface of the glass substrate is changed, and the injection position of the cooling medium injected from the cooling nozzle is changed. For this reason, such fluctuations occur, making it difficult to maintain the formation of a stable scribe line. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to ensure the stable quality of the cut surface of the glass substrate after breaking the glass substrate along the scribe line.

Further, in the above scribe device, it is difficult to shorten the processing time (tact) because it is difficult in construction to provide a plurality of optical heads on the same large glass substrate surface.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and in the case of forming a scribe line using laser beam irradiation and cooling by a cooling medium, it is possible to eliminate optical path fluctuations on the scribe line forming surface of the brittle material substrate. It is an object of the present invention to provide a scribing apparatus suitable for scribing a large brittle material substrate since the optical head of the present invention can be provided.

1 is a view showing a schematic configuration of a scribing apparatus of Embodiment 1, (a) is a side view, (b) is a plan view, and (c) is a front view.

Fig. 2 is a side view showing the scribe device of the second embodiment.

3 is a side view showing a scribing apparatus of a third embodiment;

4 is a plan view of the scribe device of the third embodiment;

Fig. 5 is a front view showing the scribe device of the third embodiment.

6 is a schematic diagram for explaining a cutting method of a brittle material substrate using laser beam irradiation.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

1: scribe device 2: support base

3: laser oscillator 4: optical device unit

5: Bend mirror 6: Cooling jet

7 trigger mechanism 10 scribe device

20: scribe device 21: support

22: laser oscillator 23: optical device unit

24: Bend Mirror 25: Cooling Jet

26: trigger mechanism 27: moving mechanism

28: moving base 29: guide rail

In order to solve the above problems, the scribing apparatus of the present invention comprises heating means for forming a heating zone on a brittle material substrate, and cooling for forming a cooling zone at a position close to the heating zone. Means and a cut line forming means for forming a cut line which is a starting point of a scribe line, and is generated between a heating zone and a cooling zone. A scribing apparatus for forming a scribe line formed by continuously advancing vertical cracks advancing from a cut line by a stress gradient. Heating means, cooling means, and cuts, provided with fixing means fixed integrally, and fixed to the fixing means. The forming means and the brittle material substrate, characterized in that the movement around each other in maintaining a relatively constant positional relationship at a predetermined relative speed (相對 速度).

In the scribing apparatus of the present invention, the heating means is configured to form a laser oscillator for oscillating a laser beam and a laser oscillated by the laser oscillator in a predetermined shape. A transmission unit configured to form an optical unit irradiated onto the brittle material substrate and disposed between the laser oscillator and the optical unit, and to transmit a laser beam irradiated from the laser oscillator to the optical unit ( It is preferable that the laser oscillator, the optical unit and the transmission means are integrally fixed to the fixing means.

In the scribing apparatus of the present invention, the cooling means and the cut line forming means are disposed on both sides of the moving direction with the heating means interposed therebetween, and the fixing means moves forward with respect to the brittle material substrate. It is preferable that a scribe is possible in any direction of backward movement.

In the scribing apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable that a plurality of the fixing means is provided and scribe lines are formed simultaneously in a plurality of places of the brittle material substrate.

(Example)

Hereinafter, the scribe device of the present invention will be described in detail.

Example 1

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a scribing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, in which Fig. 1 (a) is a side view, Fig. 1 (b) is a plan view, and Fig. 1 (c) is a front view. Hereinafter, the scribing apparatus 1 of Example 1 is demonstrated using FIG.1 (a)-(c).

This scribing apparatus 1 is provided with the support stand 2 formed in flat form. On the upper surface of the support 2, a laser oscillator 3 which oscillates a laser beam having a predetermined irradiation energy is integrated with the support 2. It is installed. In the support 2, an opening 2a is formed at the laser beam exit side of the laser oscillator 3, and a laser beam irradiated from the laser oscillator 3 is incident on the lower surface of the opening 2a. An optical device unit 4 is formed integrally with the support 2 that exits the surface of the brittle material substrate S to be scribed after being shaped into a predetermined shape. . In addition, at the position above the opening 2a of the support 2, two bend mirrors 5 reflecting the laser beam radiated from the laser oscillator 3 in the direction of the optical device unit 4 provided on the lower surface of the opening 2a are provided. It is installed in one piece.

On the lower surface of the support 2, a cooling jet 6 for injecting a cooling medium to the surface of the brittle material substrate S in the vicinity of the optical device unit 4 is provided integrally with the support 2. On the opposite side of the cooling jet 6, with the optical unit 4 interposed therebetween, a cut line serving as a starting point (trigger) of a scribe line is provided at an end portion of the brittle material substrate S. FIG. A trigger mechanism 7 for forming is provided.

The cooling jet 6, the optical unit 4 and the trigger mechanism 7 are arranged in this order so as to be on the same straight line along the scribe schedule line. The cooling jet 6 and the optical device unit 4 are formed so that the cooling area formed by spraying the cooling medium on the brittle material substrate S and the heating area formed by irradiating a laser beam are formed in a close positional relationship. In order to be close to each other. Since the trigger mechanism 7 may be close to or away from the heating area formed by the laser beam irradiation of the optical device unit 4 as long as it can form the cut line which is the starting point of the scribe line, the installation position may be arbitrarily selected. .

In addition, the support 2 which integrally installs the components of the laser oscillator 3, the bend mirror 5, the optical device unit 4, the cooling jet 6, and the trigger mechanism 7 is arranged along the scheduled scribe line by a drive mechanism not shown in the drawing. In order to form a scribe line, the support base 2 is moved in the direction in which the trigger mechanism 7 side becomes the lead with respect to the brittle material substrate S. As shown in FIG. In addition, the support 2 is adjusted at a suitable moving speed to form a scribe line by this moving mechanism.

The laser beam oscillated from the laser oscillator 3 has a heating temperature of the heating region formed on the brittle material substrate S, rather than a temperature at which the brittle material substrate S is melted to prevent the surface of the brittle material substrate S from melting. It is possible to use a lower energy, that is, smaller than the softening point of the brittle material substrate S. In this case, since the softening point varies depending on the type of the brittle material substrate S to be scribed, it is preferable to set the irradiation energy of the laser beam oscillated from the laser oscillator 3 to be changed according to the type of the brittle material substrate S.

In the optical device unit 4, the laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator 3 and incident through the two bend mirrors 5 is shaped into a desired shape suitable for forming a scribe line, for example, a long ellipse shape along the direction of the scribe scheduled line.

As the cooling medium sprayed from the cooling jet 6, since the cooling water is easy to use, liquids such as cooling medium in gaseous state such as cooling CO ₂ gas, N ₂ gas, He gas, cooling organic solvent, etc. Can be changed to the cooling medium in the state.

The trigger mechanism 7 is provided with a mechanical means such as a cutter wheel so that the cutter wheel is positioned at a desired position of the brittle material substrate S, for example, at an end portion close to the surface of the brittle material substrate S. By pressing the surface of S, a cut line serving as a starting point of the scribe line is formed. Since this mechanical means must not pressurize the brittle material substrate S except at a desired position on the brittle material substrate S, the trigger mechanism 7 is provided with a shank copper mechanism (not shown in the drawing) for moving the mechanical means up and down. . As a means for forming a cut line on the surface of the brittle material substrate S, it is also possible to use an optical means such as a YAG laser in addition to the mechanical means. In this case, since the optical means is in contact with the surface of the brittle material substrate S, it is not necessary to install the shank copper mechanism.

Next, the scribing method using the scribe device 1 of the said structure is demonstrated.

First, the brittle material substrate S to be scribed is placed on a table located below the optical device unit 4, the cooling jet 6, and the trigger mechanism 7 of the scribe device 1. In this manner, the brittle material substrate S is aligned so that the direction of the scribe line on the surface of the brittle material substrate S and the scribe direction of the scribe device 1 coincide with each other.

Next, by driving the moving mechanism, the support 2 on which the optical device unit 4, the cooling jet 6, and the trigger mechanism 7 are integrally moved is moved with respect to the brittle material substrate S. When the support 2 is moved, the trigger mechanism 7 first reaches the end of the brittle material substrate S. At this end position, a mechanical means such as a cutter wheel provided at the tip of the trigger mechanism 7 is pressed against the surface of the brittle material substrate S to form a cut line serving as a starting point of the scribe line at this position.

After the cut line is formed on the surface of the brittle material substrate S, the mechanical means at the tip of the trigger mechanism 7 is in a non-contact state with the surface of the brittle material substrate S so that unintended scratches or the like do not occur on the surface of the brittle material substrate S. Continue to move support 2. When the optical unit 4 and the cooling jet 6 on the lower surface of the support 2 reach the cut line position of the surface of the brittle material substrate S, the laser oscillator 3 starts to be driven and the injection of the cooling medium such as cooling water from the cooling jet 6 begins. do.

When the laser oscillator 3 is driven, a laser beam having a predetermined energy is oscillated. The oscillated laser beam is reflected in the direction of the opening 2a formed in the support 2 in the two bend mirrors 5, and the laser beam passing through the opening 2a is incident on the optical device unit 4. In the optical device unit 4 into which the laser beam has been incident, the laser beam becomes a desired shape such as an elliptic shape and is irradiated toward the surface of the brittle material substrate S. On the surface of the brittle material substrate S, a heating area corresponding to the laser spot of the irradiated laser beam is formed.

From the cooling jet 6, a cooling medium such as cooling water is injected onto the surface of the brittle material substrate S to form a cooling area at a position close to the heating area by the irradiation of the laser beam.

Compression stress occurs in the heating region formed on the surface of the brittle material substrate S, and tensile stress occurs in the cooling region in which the cooling medium is injected. The compressive stress caused by the laser beam irradiation and the tensile stress of the cooling region by the cooling medium formed on the rear side thereof are formed on the scribe line on the brittle material substrate S, and these heating and cooling regions are sequentially formed on the scribe line. By moving to the vertical cracks (blind cracks) in the vertical direction are continuously generated from the cut lines formed at the ends of the brittle material substrate S to form desired scribe lines.

In the scribe device 1 of the first embodiment, all the structures necessary for the formation of the scribe line, such as the laser oscillator 3, the bend mirror 5, the optical device unit 4, the cooling jet 6, and the trigger mechanism 7, are integrally provided on the support 2. For this reason, even if each component is moved with respect to the surface of the brittle material substrate S, the fluctuation of the optical path with respect to the surface of the brittle material substrate S of the laser beam is prevented, so that the beam of the laser beam irradiated onto the surface of the brittle material substrate S is prevented. The shape does not change. In addition, the injection position of the cooling medium injected from the cooling jet 6 is not changed and is constant. Therefore, stable scribe line formation can be maintained, and stable quality of the cut surface of the brittle material substrate S cut through the break process performed after the scribe line is formed can be ensured.

In the first embodiment, the example in which the support 2 moves is described, but the brittle material substrate S may be moved relative to the support 2.

Example 2

Fig. 2 is a side view showing the scribe device 10 of the second embodiment.

This scribe device 10 has the same configuration as that of the scribe device 1 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and the trigger mechanism 7 and the cooling jet 6 are added to the scribe device 1 of the first embodiment. Each of them is provided on both sides of the optical device unit 4 so as to move the moving mechanism for moving the support 2 in the front and rear directions. In this scribe device 10, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same configuration as the scribe device 1 described above.

In the scribing apparatus 10 of the second embodiment, since the trigger mechanism 7 and the cooling jet 6 are respectively provided on both front and rear sides of the optical device unit 4, the brittle material substrate S is finished after one scribe to the brittle material substrate S is completed. The scribe line can be formed continuously by moving the support 2 in the reverse direction to the one scribe by moving the position of.

Therefore, in the scribing apparatus 10 of the second embodiment, the reciprocating cutting can be performed in addition to the effect obtained by the scribing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, so that the processing time can be shortened and the scribe line of a large brittle material substrate Suitable for the formation of

In the second embodiment, the example in which the support 2 moves is described, but the brittle material substrate S may be moved relative to the support 2.

Example 3

3 to 5 show a schematic configuration of the scribe device 20 according to the third embodiment, where FIG. 3 is a side view, FIG. 4 is a plan view, and FIG. 5 is a front view, respectively. 3 to 5, the scribe device 20 of the third embodiment will be described.

This scribe device 20 is provided with the support stand 21 formed in flat form. On the upper surface of the support 21, a laser oscillator 22 for oscillating a laser beam having a predetermined irradiation energy is provided integrally with the support 21. In this support 21, an opening portion 21a is formed on the laser beam exit side of the laser oscillator 22, and the lower surface of the opening 21a is subjected to a laser beam irradiated from the laser oscillator 22, formed into a predetermined shape, and then brittle to be scribed. The optical device unit 23 which exits to the surface of the material substrate S is integrally provided on the support 21. At the position above the opening 21a of the support 21, two bend mirrors 24 which reflect the laser beam irradiated from the laser oscillator 22 in the direction of the optical device unit 23 provided on the lower surface of the opening 21a are provided integrally with the support 21. .

On the lower surface of the support base 21, a cooling jet 25 for injecting a cooling medium to the surface of the brittle material substrate S in the vicinity of the optical device unit 23 is provided integrally with the support. Further, on the opposite side of the cooling jet 25 with the optical unit 23 interposed therebetween, a trigger mechanism 26 for forming a cut line, which is a starting point (trigger) of the scribe line, is provided at the end of the brittle material substrate S. FIG.

In the third embodiment, the laser oscillator 22, the bend mirror 24, the optical device unit 23, the cooling jet 25, and the trigger mechanism 26 are provided in plural supports 21 which are integrally provided, and one brittle body is provided. A scribe line can be formed over a plurality of places at the same time by one scribe with respect to the material substrate S. FIG.

That is, in the scribe device 20 of the third embodiment, a plurality of support bases 21 are provided in one moving mechanism 27. The moving mechanism 27 is equipped with the moving base part 28 in which each support stand 21 was provided. In this scribe device 20, a pair of guide rails 29 are formed on both sides of the moving base 28 of the moving mechanism 27 in parallel with the scribing scheduled line, and the moving base 28 is raised on the guide rail 29 to scribe. It is possible to move on the scheduled line. This movable base 28 is moved along the guide rail 29 by driving means not shown in the drawing.

The bridging material substrate S may be moved and scribed by a moving means not shown in the drawing by fixing the moving stand 28 provided with each support stand 21.

In addition, each support 21 provided on the movable base 28 can be positioned on the movable base 28 in a direction orthogonal to the scribing line as shown by a dotted line in FIG. A scribe line can be formed at the location.

The details of the laser oscillator 22 and the like are the same as those of the laser oscillator 1 of the first embodiment and the like, and thus the details of these structures will be omitted here.

The scribing method using the scribe device 20 is also the same as the scribing method using the scribe device 1 of the first embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. However, in the third embodiment, since a plurality of support bases 21 having a configuration necessary for forming a scribe line, such as a laser oscillator 22, are provided as one unit, a plurality of support substrates S can be simultaneously used for one scribe. The scribe line of can be formed.

As described above, in the scribing apparatus 20 of the third embodiment, a plurality of scribe lines can be simultaneously formed by one scribing, so that the processing time can be further shortened as compared with the scribing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment.

As described above, in the scribing apparatus 20 of the third embodiment, a plurality of supports 21 which are simply configured by integrally configuring the laser oscillator 22 or the like necessary for scribing as one unit and having a plurality of supports 21 for one brittle material substrate S are provided. The scribe lines can be formed simultaneously, which is suitable for forming a plurality of scribe lines for a large brittle material substrate.

In addition, in the third embodiment, each support 21 has the same configuration as that of the support 2 of the scribing apparatus of the first embodiment, so that scribing can be performed in only one direction, but as in the support 2 of the scribing apparatus 10 described in the second embodiment, the trigger The mechanism 7 and the cooling jet 6 may be provided on both sides of the optical device unit 4 so as to be able to move the support in both front and rear directions. In this way, scribing can be performed in both directions, thereby further reducing processing time.

The scribing apparatus of the present invention described above includes a heating means for forming a heating area on a brittle material substrate, cooling means for forming a cooling area at a position close to the heating area, and a cut line for forming a starting point of the scribe line. And fixing means for integrally fixing the cut line forming means, wherein the heating means, the cooling means, and the cut line forming means are moved while maintaining a constant positional relationship with respect to the brittle material substrate. It is done. In the scribing apparatus of the present invention, even if each component necessary for the formation of the scribe line is moved with respect to the surface of the brittle material substrate, variations in the formation positions of the heating zone and the cooling zone are prevented. Therefore, it is possible to maintain the formation of a stable scribe line, and to ensure the stable quality of the cut surface of the brittle material substrate S cut through the brake process performed after the scribe line is formed.

Further, in another scribing apparatus of the present invention, cooling means and cut line forming means are disposed on both sides of the advancing direction of the brittle material substrate with the heating means interposed therebetween, so that the fixing means moves forward with respect to the brittle material substrate. And it can be scribed to the brittle material substrate in any direction of the reverse direction. As a result, the processing time can be shortened, which is suitable for forming a scribe line of a large brittle material substrate.

In still another scribing apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of fixing means for integrally fixing the heating means, the cooling means, and the cut line forming means are provided, and the moving means is provided to move each fixing means in the same direction. Each fixing means is moved in the same direction by the movement of the moving means so that the surface of the brittle material substrate is formed at the same time in a plurality of places to form a scribe line. As a result, a plurality of scribe lines can be formed by one scribing of one brittle material substrate, so that the processing time can be shortened, which is suitable for forming a scribe line of a large brittle material substrate.

Claims (4)

Heating means for forming a heating zone on the brittle material substrate, Cooling means for forming a cooling zone in proximity to the heating zone, and a scribe line It is provided with a cut line forming means for forming a cut line which is a starting point of the movement, and progresses from the cut line by a stress gradient generated between the heating zone and the cooling zone. A scribe device for forming a scribe line formed by continuously advancing vertical cracks, A fixing means for integrally fixing the heating means, the cooling means, and the cut line forming means, wherein the heating means, the cooling means, the cut line forming means, and the brittle material substrate fixed to the fixing means are predetermined. A scribing apparatus, characterized by moving while maintaining a relatively constant positional relationship at a relative speed of. The method of claim 1, The heating means comprises a laser oscillator for oscillating a laser beam, and a laser oscillated by the laser oscillator, in a predetermined shape, onto the brittle material substrate. An optical unit to irradiate, and a transmission means arranged between the laser oscillator and the optical unit to transmit a laser beam irradiated from the laser oscillator to the optical unit, wherein the laser The scribing device, characterized in that the oscillator, the optical unit, and the transmission means are integrally fixed to the fixing means. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The cooling means and the cut line forming means are respectively disposed on both sides of the moving direction with the heating means interposed therebetween, and the fixing means moves in either the forward or backward direction with respect to the brittle material substrate. A scribe device, characterized in that even if scribe. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, And a plurality of fixing means, and scribing lines are formed simultaneously in a plurality of places on the brittle material substrate.