KR20110058233A - A device and method for controlling flatness of substrate in coating region and a coating apparatus having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: Device and method for controlling the flatness of a substrate in a coating region is provided to minimize or prevent stains since a coating solution is applied on the substrate in a constant thickness. CONSTITUTION: A device(200) for controlling the flatness of a substrate in a coating region comprises: a plurality of flatness sensors(220) for measuring the flatness of the substrate in a real time; a control device(224) for outputting the pressure distribution state of the substrate by coping with the flatness of the measured substrate; an air ejector(221) for jetting the air to the substrate by corresponding to the pressure distribution state of the outputted substrate; and an air feeder(228) for supplying the air to the air ejector.

Description

A device and method for controlling flatness of substrate in coating region and a coating apparatus having the same}

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlling the flatness of a substrate in a coating area, and a coating apparatus having the same. More specifically, the present invention uses a plurality of flatness detection sensors attached to the front of the nozzle device in real time when manufacturing a flat panel display (hereinafter referred to as “FPD”) such as a PDP panel or an LCD panel. Apparatus and method for controlling flatness of a substrate in a coating area that allows the substrate to remain flat at the coating position by injecting air over the substrate corresponding to the measured flatness of the substrate, and a coating apparatus having the same will be.

In general, in order to manufacture an electronic device such as an FPD, application of a coating liquid onto a work piece such as a glass substrate (hereinafter referred to as a “substrate”) is required, and for this purpose, a nozzle dispenser or a slit die ( Hereinafter, a coating apparatus having a nozzle dispenser and a slit die collectively referred to as a "nozzle apparatus" is used. Such a coating apparatus performs a coating operation of various coating liquids while positioning a substrate on a stage and moving a nozzle apparatus attached to a gantry in a horizontal direction. Examples of the coating operation of the coating liquid include a case where a photosensitive coating liquid such as a photoresist liquid is applied to form a circuit or a pattern on the LCD panel substrate when the LCD panel is manufactured. In the case of manufacturing a PDP panel, a coating liquid or a photosensitive coating liquid may be applied to form a dielectric, a lower dielectric, and a partition on a PDP panel substrate.

However, in the above-described prior art, since the nozzle apparatus installed on the stage and the gantry to which the nozzle apparatus is attached is moved on the substrate, the precise driving of the coating apparatus becomes difficult. Complex. More specifically, enormous energy is required for the movement of large, large nozzle devices, gantry and stages. In addition, after the coating liquid is applied, it is necessary to return to the original position and repeat the above-described operation, thereby causing a problem that the efficiency of the coating liquid coating operation is lowered. In addition, the nozzle device and the gantry must be enlarged according to the requirements of the large area FPD. The weight of the oversized gantry amounts to approximately 1 to 2 tons, making it difficult to implement a drive that precisely accelerates or decelerates while moving such a massive gantry.

As a way to solve the problems of the coating apparatus of the conventional nozzle movement method described above, a floating type substrate for applying a coating liquid to the surface of the substrate while floating and transporting the substrate through air injection or air injection and suction. A transport device has been proposed.

Figure 1a is a schematic view showing a perspective view of a substrate transfer apparatus and a coating apparatus of the prior art floating method according to the prior art, Figure 1b is a substrate transfer apparatus and the same of the conventional method shown in Figure 1a It is a figure which shows the front view of one application | coating device schematically. 1A and 1B, the substrate transfer apparatus of the floating method according to the related art and the coating apparatus having the same are, for example, a "coating method and coating apparatus" by Tokyo Electron Co., Ltd. on March 20, 2006. It is disclosed in detail in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-252971, filed under Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-76815 under the name of the invention, and published on October 4, 2007.

Referring again to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the coating apparatus 40 according to the prior art includes a substrate transfer apparatus 84 in a floating manner. The substrate G is transferred onto the loading region of the stage 76 (M1 region in FIG. 1B) by, for example, a transfer arm (not shown). Thereafter, a plurality of lift pins 86 are lifted by the lift device (not shown) provided under the loading area M1 area of the stage 76 to support the substrate G. Thereafter, when the plurality of lift pins 86 are lowered, the substrate G is provided on the suction pad 104 on the support 102 provided on the pair of sliders 98 that are movable on the pair of linear motion guides 96. Is mounted in a vacuum adsorption manner. Only a plurality of air jets 88 are provided on the loading region M1 region. The substrate G, which is bent down by self-weight on the loading region M1 region, floats to a floating height Ha in the range of approximately 250 to 350 μm by air ejected through the air ejection opening 88. In the state, it is conveyed by the floating substrate transfer apparatus 84 onto the coating region (M3 region shown in Fig. 1B) (i.e., in the X direction) via the first interface region (M2 region). An air inlet 90 connected to a vacuum pumping device (not shown) is partially provided in the first interface region M2. When the substrate G enters the first interface region M2 region, the ejection output of the air ejection opening 88 is partially offset by the suction force of the air intake opening 90, so that the floating height of the substrate G gradually decreases. Enter the coating area (M3 area). In the coating area (M3 area), the number of air inlets 90 is provided more than the first interface area (M2 area), so that the substrate G is floated at a coating height Hb of approximately 50 mu m. Feed in the axial direction. In this coating area (M3 area), the nozzle device 78 receives a coating liquid (for example, a resist liquid) through the supply pipe 94 and applies the coating liquid onto the substrate G.

Thereafter, the substrate G coated with the coating liquid is transferred to the second interface region M4 region. Similar to the first interface region M2 region, the second interface region M4 region is partially provided with an air intake port 90 connected to a vacuum pumping device (not shown) (see FIG. 1A). When the substrate G enters the second interface region M4 region, only part of the ejection output of the air ejection opening 88 is canceled by the suction force of the air intake opening 90, so that the floating height of the substrate G gradually increases. Thereafter, the substrate G enters the unloading region M5 region, and the unloading region M5 region is provided with only a plurality of air jets 88 as with the loading region M1 region. Therefore, the board | substrate G is floated by the air which blows out through the some air ejection opening 88 provided in the unloading area | region M5 area | region, and the board | substrate G in the state which floated at the floating height Hc of the range of about 250-350 micrometers. ) Is released from the vacuum adsorption provided from the adsorption pad 104. Thereafter, a plurality of lift pins 86 are raised by a lifting device (not shown) provided below the stage 76 of the unloading region M5 region to raise the substrate G, and then the robot arm ( (Not shown) to the next process location.

The above-mentioned floating substrate transfer device 84 and the coating device 40 having the same can solve most of the disadvantages of the coating apparatus of the nozzle movement method in that the substrate G is moved in the floating manner. Although the advantage is achieved, it still has the following problem.

More specifically, the air injected through the plurality of air blowers 88 is only partially sucked through the plurality of air inlets 90, but most of them have a very narrow gap formed between the substrate G and the stage 76. (Corresponds to the height of the injury), it diffuses outward as shown in FIG. 1C. In this case, air diffuses into a wide space in a narrow gap to exert pressure on the substrate G and the stage 76. The stage 76 is substantially unaffected by air due to the heavy weight, but the end portion of the substrate G is lifted upward by the pressure of the air because the substrate G is in a floating state. Therefore, the substrate G is bent in a state where the center portion is concave downward as a whole as shown in FIG. 1C.

When the warpage of the substrate G as described above is concave downward as a whole occurs, when the substrate G passes through the lower part of the coating apparatus 78, the floating height (or the coating height of the coating liquid) of the substrate G is increased. Since it is not constant, the coating liquid may not be applied to a predetermined thickness on the substrate G, and staining occurs.

In addition, staining increases the possibility of deterioration or failure of coating quality of the final product. As a result, the manufacturing cost and time of the final product is increased and productivity is lowered.

Therefore, a new method for solving the above-mentioned problems is required.

The present invention is to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, in response to the flatness of the substrate measured in real time by using a plurality of flatness detection sensors attached to the front of the nozzle device when manufacturing a flat panel display (FPD) An apparatus and method for controlling flatness of a substrate in a coating area that allows the substrate to remain flat at the coating position by injecting air over the substrate, and a coating apparatus having the same.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for controlling flatness of a substrate in a coating area, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of flatness sensing sensors provided in front of the nozzle device and measuring the flatness of the substrate in real time; A control device connected to each of the plurality of flatness detection sensors in a wired or wireless manner and calculating a pressure distribution state of the substrate in response to the measured flatness of the substrate; An air ejecting apparatus provided in front of the nozzle apparatus and ejecting air onto the substrate in response to a pressure distribution state of the substrate calculated from the control apparatus; And an air supply device connected to the air blowing device and the control device, respectively, to supply the air to the air blowing device.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a coating apparatus comprising: a first floating unit providing a loading area of a substrate, a second floating unit providing a coating area of the substrate, and a first providing an unloading area of the substrate. A floating stage consisting of three floating units; A substrate transfer unit mounted on the substrate by a vacuum suction method and transferring the substrate from the loading region to the unloading region through the coating region; A nozzle device positioned on the second floating unit and applying a coating liquid onto the substrate; A gantry to which the nozzle device is fixedly mounted; And a front surface of the nozzle device, measuring the flatness of the substrate in the coating area in real time to calculate a pressure distribution state of the upper portion of the substrate in correspondence to the flatness, and corresponding to the pressure distribution state. And an apparatus for controlling the flatness of the substrate for controlling the air to blow out.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of controlling flatness of a substrate in a coating area, comprising the steps of: a) transferring the substrate onto the coating area in a floating manner; b) measuring the flatness of the substrate in real time using a plurality of flatness detection sensors provided in front of the nozzle apparatus provided on the substrate in the coating area and transmitting the same to the control device; c) calculating a pressure distribution state of the substrate in response to the flatness of the substrate; And d) controlling the substrate to eject air on the substrate in response to the pressure distribution to maintain the substrate flat at the coating position.

The apparatus and method for controlling the flatness of a substrate in the coating area of the present invention, and a coating apparatus having the same, the following advantages are achieved.

1. The substrate is maintained flat in the coating area by detecting the flatness of the substrate due to the diffusion of air supplied from the air floating unit by the plurality of flatness detection sensors on the coating area. Can be.

2. Since the substrate is flat in the coating area, the coating height of the coating liquid is kept constant. Therefore, the coating liquid is applied to the substrate to a certain thickness to minimize or prevent the possibility of staining.

3. The possibility of defective coating quality of the final product is minimized.

4. Productivity is increased because the manufacturing cost and time of the final product is significantly reduced.

Further advantages of the present invention can be clearly understood from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like or similar reference numerals denote like elements.

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

FIG. 2A is a side view schematically showing an apparatus for controlling flatness of a substrate in a coating area and a coating apparatus having the same according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2B is an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2A. Is a plan view schematically illustrating an apparatus for controlling flatness of a substrate in a coating area according to the present invention.

2A and 2B, an apparatus 200 for controlling flatness of a substrate in a coating area according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided in front of the nozzle apparatus 278, and the flatness of the substrate G is provided. A plurality of flatness detection sensors 220 for measuring the degree in real time; The control device 224 is connected to the plurality of flatness detection sensors 220 in a wired or wireless manner, respectively, and calculates a pressure distribution state of the substrate G in response to the measured flatness of the substrate G. ; An air ejecting device 221 provided in front of the nozzle device 278 to eject air onto the substrate G in response to a pressure distribution state of the substrate G calculated from the control device 224; ; And an air supply device 228 connected to the air blowing device 221 and the control device 224 to supply the air to the air blowing device 221, respectively.

2A and 2B, the coating apparatus 240 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an apparatus 200 for controlling the flatness of the substrate in the coating area as described above.

More specifically, the coating apparatus 240 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first floating unit 276a that provides a loading area of the substrate G, and a second providing the coating area of the substrate G. A floating stage 276 consisting of a floating unit 276b and a third floating unit 276c providing an unloading area of the substrate G; A substrate transfer unit (not shown), in which the substrate G is mounted in a vacuum adsorption method and transferring the substrate G from the loading region to the unloading region through the coating region; A nozzle device 278 positioned on the second floating unit 276b and applying a coating liquid onto the substrate G; A gantry 230 to which the nozzle device 278 is fixedly mounted; And a front surface of the nozzle device 278, measuring the flatness of the substrate G in the coating area in real time to calculate a pressure distribution state of the substrate G in response to the flatness. And an apparatus 200 for controlling the flatness of the substrate for controlling the air to be ejected onto the substrate G in response to the pressure distribution.

Hereinafter, the components and operations of the apparatus 200 for controlling the flatness of the substrate in the coating area and the coating apparatus 240 having the same in detail will be described in detail.

Referring again to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the coating apparatus 240 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first floating unit 276a that provides a loading area of the substrate G; A second floating unit 276b providing a coating area of the substrate G; The floating stage 276 is composed of a third floating unit 276c which provides an unloading area of the substrate G. When the substrate G is loaded on the loading region, it is mounted on the substrate transfer unit (not shown) by vacuum suction method. The substrate transfer unit (not shown) transfers the substrate G from the loading area to the unloading area via the coating area. This substrate transfer unit is substantially the same as the substrate transfer apparatus 84 of the prior art shown in FIG. 1A, and the loading operation, the transfer operation, and the coating operation and the unloading operation of the substrate G are illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B. It is substantially the same as the prior art described in detail with reference to.

On the other hand, when the substrate G is transferred to the coating area on the second floating unit 276b by the substrate transfer unit (not shown), the nozzle device 278 fixedly mounted to the gantry 230 is placed on the substrate G. Apply the coating solution. Subsequently, the substrate G is transferred by the substrate transfer unit (not shown) to the unloading area on the third floating unit 276c and unloaded for subsequent processing.

In the coating apparatus 240 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, when the coating liquid is applied on the substrate G in the coating area, the flatness of the substrate G is measured on the substrate G in real time. It is characterized by using an apparatus 200 for controlling the flatness of the substrate for controlling to blow out the air. Therefore, hereinafter, the apparatus 200 for controlling the flatness of the substrate will be described in detail.

Referring again to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the apparatus 200 for controlling flatness of a substrate in a coating area according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of flatness detection sensors provided in front of the nozzle device 278. 220). The plurality of flatness detection sensors 220 may be fixedly mounted in the grooves 221a formed in the air blowing device 221 or in front of the nozzle device 278 by a clamping member (not shown) provided separately, for example. It can be fixedly mounted. The plurality of flatness detection sensors 220 measures the flatness of the substrate G in real time. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2B, four flatness detection sensors 220 may divide the substrate G into the first to fourth regions R1, R2, R3, and R4, for example. Degrees can be measured. The measured flatness of the first to fourth regions R1, R2, R3, and R4 is transmitted to the control device 224 connected to the plurality of flatness detection sensors 220 in a wired or wireless manner, respectively. The control device 224 calculates the pressure distribution state of the substrate G in response to the flatness of the first to fourth regions R1, R2, R3, and R4. Here, the apparatus 200 for controlling the flatness of the substrate G in the coating area according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected to the control device 224, and displays the pressure distribution state of the substrate G. The monitoring device 226 may further include.

On the other hand, the air blowing device 221 is provided in front of the nozzle device 278. The air blowing device 221 may be mounted to the gantry 230, for example, by the connecting member 231. Alternatively, the air blowing device 221 may be provided in front of the nozzle device 278 by a frame (not shown) provided separately. This air blowing device 221 is connected to the air supply 228, which is also connected to the control device 224. The control device 224 corresponds to the pressure distribution state of the first to fourth regions R1, R2, R3, and R4 in accordance with the movement of the substrate G, respectively. The amount of air to be supplied to each can be controlled. Accordingly, the air blowing device 221 blows off the air corresponding to the pressure distribution state of the first to fourth regions R1, R2, R3, and R4 that exist behind the coating start position on the substrate G, respectively. The air blowing device 221 does not need to blow air on the substrate G after the coating is made.

2C is a perspective view schematically showing the air blowing device of the present invention.

As described above, the air blowing device 221 includes a plurality of air blowing holes 223. The plurality of air blowing holes 223 are formed to face the upper portion of the substrate G. The plurality of air blowing holes 223 may include a plurality of rows of air blowing holes 223c1, 223c2, 223c3, and 223c4 and a plurality of rows of air blowing holes 223r1,..., 223r12. In the embodiment of FIG. 2C, the plural columns are four columns and the plural rows are twelve rows. Or can be reduced. Also, referring to FIG. 2A, the substrate G in the coating area is typically transferred onto the coating area provided by the second floating unit 276b with the central portion of the substrate G concavely curved. Accordingly, the substrate G is in a state where the front end portion E1 is high and the rear end portion (center portion) E2 is low in the forward direction FR in the advancing direction, and thus, the plurality of air blowing holes 223 of the air blowing device 221. In the direction of heat, the amount of air must be increased along the direction of the plurality of first thermal air blowers 223c1 in the plurality of fourth thermal air blowers 223c4. In addition, since the substrate G is in a state where the front end portion E2 is low and the rear end portion E3 is high in the advancing direction in the rear region BR, the plurality of air blowing holes 223 of the air blowing device 221 In the case of the column direction, the amount of air must be increased along the directions of the plurality of first column air blower outlets 223c1 and the plurality of fourth column air blower outlets 223c4, and in the case of the row direction, the front region FR and In both of the rear regions BR, the amount of air must be increased in the direction of the first row air blower 223r1 and the twelfth row air blower 223r12 in the row of the middle portion, i.e., in the air blower 221 The amount of blown air should increase as the plurality of air blowers 223 go from the middle portion to the end direction along the column direction and the row direction, and the specific increase amount of air corresponds to the pressure distribution state on the substrate G, respectively. Controlled by 224.

In addition, in the plurality of air blowing holes 223, the air blowing holes (for example, the fourth row air blowing holes 223c4) of some rows of the plurality of rows of air blowing holes 223c1, 223c2, 223c3, and 223c4 are respectively discharged in the inclined direction. Can be provided as an inclined air outlet (see FIG. 2A). This inclined air jet 223c4 supplies air near the coating position of the substrate G so that dead zones do not occur to compensate for the warpage of the substrate G. In this case, it is apparent that the air blown out by the inclined air jet port 223c4 should be supplied near the coating position of the substrate G to such an extent that it does not affect the discharge direction of the coating liquid by the nozzle device 278.

In the present invention, as described above, the air is blown onto the substrate G to correspond to the pressure distribution state on the substrate G to compensate for the warpage of the substrate G in the coating area. You can stay flat at. As a result, the coating height of the coating liquid is kept constant so that the coating liquid can be applied to a constant thickness, so that the possibility of staining is minimized or prevented.

In the above-described embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the air blowing device 221 may further include an air dispersion preventing wall 222 provided around the outside thereof.

In addition, as described above, the monitoring device 226 is selectively operated by the air supplied by the air blowing device 221 in addition to the operation of displaying the pressure distribution state on the substrate G calculated by the control device 224. The pressure distribution state (hereinafter referred to as the "compensated pressure distribution state") on the compensated substrate G can be displayed. Depending on the compensated pressure distribution state on this substrate G provided by the monitoring device 226, the control device 224 may have insufficient or excessive compensation pressure applied on the substrate G, for example by air. In this case, the air supply device 228 is additionally controlled to increase or decrease the supply amount of air so that the substrate G can be kept flat at the coating position.

The control device 224 used in one embodiment of the present invention described above is embodied as, for example, a microprocessor or personal computer (PC), and the monitoring device 226 may be a screen or touch screen (for example). It may be implemented as a display device such as a touch screen).

3 is a flowchart of a method of controlling flatness of a substrate in a coating area according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3 in conjunction with FIGS. 2A-2C, a method 300 of controlling flatness of a substrate in a coating area according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a) transferring the substrate G onto the coating area in a floating manner. Step 310; b) measuring the flatness of the substrate G in real time using a plurality of flatness detection sensors 220 provided in front of the nozzle device 278 provided on the substrate G in the coating area. Transmitting to the control device 224 (320); c) calculating (330) a pressure distribution state of the substrate (G) corresponding to the flatness of the substrate (G); And d) controlling 340 to eject air on the substrate G so that the substrate G remains flat at the coating position in response to the pressure distribution.

The method 300 for controlling the flatness of the substrate in the coating area according to the embodiment of the present invention described above further includes the step (331) of displaying the pressure distribution between the steps c) and d). It can be included as.

In addition, the method 300 of controlling the flatness of the substrate in the coating area according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: e) displaying the compensated pressure distribution state of the substrate G by the ejection of the air (350) And optionally f) increasing or decreasing the supply amount of the air (360) if the compensation pressure applied on the substrate (G) by the ejection of the air is insufficient or excessive. It can be included as.

Various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. It is not. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should not be limited by the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be determined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

Figure 1a is a schematic view showing a perspective view of a substrate transfer apparatus of the floating method and a coating apparatus having the same according to the prior art.

FIG. 1B schematically illustrates a front view of a substrate transfer apparatus of a floating method according to the related art shown in FIG. 1A and a coating apparatus having the same.

FIG. 1C is a view schematically showing that air injected through a plurality of air ejecting holes in the prior art is diffused to the outside through a very narrow gap formed between the substrate and the stage.

2A is a side view schematically illustrating an apparatus for controlling flatness of a substrate in a coating area and a coating apparatus having the same according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2B is a schematic plan view of an apparatus for controlling flatness of a substrate in a coating area according to an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2A.

2C is a perspective view schematically showing the air blowing device of the present invention.

3 is a flowchart of a method of controlling flatness of a substrate in a coating area according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (16)

An apparatus for controlling flatness of a substrate in a coating area, A plurality of flatness detection sensors provided in front of the nozzle device and measuring the flatness of the substrate in real time; A control device connected to each of the plurality of flatness detection sensors in a wired or wireless manner and calculating a pressure distribution state of the substrate in response to the measured flatness of the substrate; An air ejecting apparatus provided in front of the nozzle apparatus and ejecting air onto the substrate in response to a pressure distribution state of the substrate calculated from the control apparatus; and An air supply device connected to the air blowing device and the control device, respectively, to supply the air to the air blowing device; Apparatus for controlling the flatness of the substrate in the coating area comprising a. The method of claim 1, And the air blowing device controls the flatness of the substrate in the coating area provided in front of the nozzle device by a frame mounted to the gantry or provided separately. The method of claim 1, And the plurality of flatness detection sensors are fixedly mounted in grooves formed in the air blowing device or fixedly mounted in front of the nozzle device by a clamping member provided separately. The method of claim 3, wherein The air blowing device controls the flatness of the substrate in the coating area further comprising an air dispersion preventing wall provided around its outer circumference. The method of claim 1, The apparatus for controlling the flatness of the substrate in the coating area is connected to the control device and further comprises a monitoring device for displaying the pressure distribution state of the substrate. The method of claim 5, And the monitoring device controls the flatness of the substrate in the coating area displaying the compensated pressure distribution state of the substrate compensated by the air supplied by the air blowing device. The method of claim 6, In accordance with the compensated pressure distribution, the control device controls the flatness of the substrate in the coating area further controlling the air supply so that the supply of air is increased or decreased. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The control device controls the flatness of the substrate in the coating area implemented by a microprocessor or personal computer (PC). The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The air blowing device includes a plurality of air blowing holes consisting of a plurality of rows and a plurality of air blowing holes, The amount of air blown out of the plurality of rows and the plurality of rows of air blowers is increased from the middle portion to the end direction along the column direction and the row direction. A device for controlling the flatness of a substrate in the coating area. The method of claim 9, And a plurality of rows of the air jets of the plurality of rows of the air jets to control the flatness of the substrate in the coating area provided to the inclined air jets so that the air can be discharged in the oblique direction. In the coating apparatus, A floating stage comprising a first floating unit providing a loading area of a substrate, a second floating unit providing a coating area of the substrate, and a third floating unit providing an unloading area of the substrate; A substrate transfer unit mounted on the substrate by a vacuum suction method and transferring the substrate from the loading region to the unloading region through the coating region; A nozzle device positioned on the second floating unit and applying a coating liquid onto the substrate; A gantry to which the nozzle device is fixedly mounted; And It is provided in front of the nozzle device, the flatness of the substrate in the coating area in real time to calculate the pressure distribution state of the upper portion of the substrate corresponding to the flatness, and in response to the pressure distribution state on the substrate For controlling the flatness of the substrate for controlling the air to blow out Coating device comprising a. The method of claim 11, The apparatus for controlling the flatness of the substrate A plurality of flatness detection sensors provided in front of the nozzle device and configured to measure the flatness of the substrate in real time; A control device connected to each of the plurality of flatness detection sensors in a wired or wireless manner and calculating a pressure distribution state of the substrate in response to the measured flatness of the substrate; An air ejecting apparatus provided in front of the nozzle apparatus and ejecting air onto the substrate in response to a pressure distribution state of the substrate calculated from the control apparatus; And An air supply device connected to the air blowing device and the control device, respectively, to supply the air to the air blowing device; Coating device comprising a. A method of controlling flatness of a substrate in a coating area, a) transferring the substrate onto the coating area in a floating manner; b) measuring the flatness of the substrate in real time using a plurality of flatness detection sensors provided in front of the nozzle apparatus provided on the substrate in the coating area and transmitting the same to the control device; c) calculating a pressure distribution state of the substrate in response to the flatness of the substrate; And d) controlling the substrate to eject air on the substrate in response to the pressure distribution so that the substrate remains flat at the coating position; Method of controlling the flatness of the substrate in the coating area comprising a. The method of claim 13, The method of controlling the flatness of the substrate further comprises: c1) displaying the pressure distribution state between the steps c) and d). 15. The method of claim 14, The method of controlling the flatness of the substrate in the coating area further comprises e) displaying the compensated pressure distribution state of the substrate by the ejection of the air. The method of claim 15, The method of controlling the flatness of the substrate in the coating area optionally further comprises f) increasing or decreasing the supply of air when the compensation pressure applied on the substrate by the ejection of the air is insufficient or excessive. To control the flatness of the substrate.

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