TW201921153A - Exposure device comprising a substrate supply device and a substrate winding device - Google Patents

Abstract

An exposure device including a Roll to Roll carrier (RtoR) transport system, wherein exposure is performed while meandering of a long substrate is suppressed. In an exposure device 10 including a RtoR transport system that transports long substrates W1 and W2, the following is provided: a substrate supply device 20, which fixes and holds supply reels 22A and 22B disposed on the upstream side of an exposure table 15; a substrate winding device 30, which fixes and holds winding reels 32A and 32B disposed on the downstream side. At the time exposure is activated, the exposure table 15 is moved in an X direction by a table moving mechanism 50, and the substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30 are moved together in the X direction by a conveyor moving mechanism 60 simultaneously.

Description

Exposure device

The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus that transports a long substrate (workpiece) such as a flexible printed substrate by a roll-to-roll carrier system (hereinafter referred to as an RtoR carrier system).

In the exposure device including the RtoR conveying system, a supply reel (supply roll) is arranged on the upstream side of the exposure table, and a winding reel (roll reel) is arranged on the downstream side. After the long substrate is wound around the supply reel and the winding reel, it is exposed while being conveyed while facing the upstream side to the downstream side.

Specifically, while the exposure table that sucks and supports the back of the long substrate is moved along the long substrate conveying direction, the position of the projection and projection area (exposure target area) of the exposure head provided above the long substrate is moved. Corresponding pattern light. When the exposure table is moved to the exposure end position, the exposure table is lowered and returned to the original exposure position. By repeating the same exposure operation, the entire long substrate is patterned. [Patent Literature] [Patent Literature]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-222370

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

The conventional RtoR transport system is fixed to the base (frame) of the exposure apparatus. Therefore, the long substrate is intermittently pulled out from the supply reel at the start of exposure, and is sent out to the downstream side. In addition, after the exposure is completed, the exposure stage may be returned to the upstream side, and the long substrate may be rolled back to the upstream side. Due to the movement of such a substrate, meandering occurs in the long substrate, and damage to the long substrate such as warping, wrinkling, or abrasion of the long substrate occurs. In particular, when a plurality of long substrates are exposed in parallel and exposed at the same time, the meandering adjustment becomes difficult.

Therefore, it is required to construct a substrate transfer system capable of reliably suppressing the meandering of the long substrate. [Means for solving problems]

The exposure device of the present invention includes: an exposure table that supports a long substrate and can reciprocate along a substrate conveying line; a substrate supply unit that is arranged on the upstream side of the exposure table and is provided with a supply reel; The substrate winding section is arranged on the downstream side of the exposure table, and a winding reel is provided. Here, the "upstream side" refers to the supply reel side supporting the exposure table, and the "downstream side" refers to the winding reel side.

For example, the substrate supply unit may include an upstream support roller, and the substrate winding unit may include a downstream support roller. The long substrate may be formed of a plurality of long substrates arranged in parallel. The exposure stage is only required to be configured to move while lifting and holding a long substrate, for example.

In this invention, a board | substrate supply part and a board | substrate winding part are movable along a board | substrate conveying line. The "substrate transfer line" here means the direction in which the substrate is sent out or the opposite direction, and corresponds to the moving direction of the exposure table. It is only necessary that the substrate supply section and the substrate winding section are moved in accordance with the movement of the exposure table during the exposure operation.

As the exposure device, a table moving mechanism can be provided to reciprocate the exposure table along the substrate transfer line; and a transfer unit moving mechanism can reciprocate the substrate supply portion and the substrate winding portion along the substrate transfer line. mobile. The conveying section moving mechanism can move the substrate supply section and the substrate winding section in an integrated manner, for example, by a single moving mechanism.

A movement control unit may be provided to control the movement of the substrate supply unit and the substrate winding unit so as to maintain a relative positional relationship between the exposure table and the substrate supply unit and the substrate winding unit. For example, a sensor is provided, which detects the distance between at least one of the substrate supply section and the substrate winding section and the exposure table, and the movement control section controls the exposure table and the exposure table in accordance with the detected distance interval. The substrate supply section and the substrate winding section may be moved.

The exposure apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention includes: an exposure table that supports a plurality of long substrates arranged in parallel and can reciprocate along a substrate conveying line; and a plurality of pairs of reels that are relatively opposed to each other. It is arranged on both sides of the exposure table, and carries a plurality of long substrates; the pair of reel pairs and the exposure table can reciprocate along the substrate conveying line.

A plurality of reel pairs may be used to wind a plurality of long substrates in the same direction, and at least one reel pair may be wound in a direction different from other long substrates.

An exposure apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention includes: an exposure table supporting a long substrate; a pair of reels arranged on the upstream side and the downstream side of the exposure table; and an exposure section for the long bar. The substrate is exposed; the exposure section moves the exposure table and a pair of reels relatively along the substrate conveying line. [Effect of the invention]

According to the present invention, the exposure device including the RtoR transport system can perform exposure while suppressing the meandering of the long substrate.

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

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an exposure apparatus according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a part of the exposure device. FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of an exposure apparatus.

The exposure device 10 is an exposure device including an RtoR conveying system that performs an exposure operation while conveying a long substrate W wound into a roll shape, and includes a substrate supply device 20, a substrate winding device 30, and an exposure unit 40. The long substrate W is a long thin film-shaped substrate that is wound around a photosensitive material such as a photoresist after coating (or pasting) a copper thin film layer on the long film. As shown in FIG. 2, the long substrate W is composed of two (pair) substrates W1 and W2 having the same width.

The exposure table (table) 15 is designed to suck the back of the long substrate W and hold it flat, and it can be raised and lowered in the Z direction between the back suction position and a predetermined separation position separated from the back. Lifting. The exposure table 15 is supported by the table moving mechanism 50 as shown below, and is movable in the X direction. In the following, the direction along the conveying direction (conveying line) M of the long substrate W is indicated by "X", the direction (substrate width direction) perpendicular to the conveying direction M is indicated by "Y", and "Z" "Indicates a direction (vertical direction) perpendicular to X and Y.

The exposure unit 40 is disposed at a predetermined distance from the long substrates W1 and W2 in the Z direction, and is fixed to the base 10B via a rack (not shown). As shown in FIG. 3, the exposure unit 40 is composed of a plurality of exposure heads, each of which includes a light source 41 such as a semiconductor laser light, an illumination optical system 42, and a DMD in which a plurality of micromirrors are arrayed. (Digital Micro-mirror Device) 43 and imaging optical system 44 etc. define the exposure area along the conveyance direction M for each exposure head. The light source 41 is driven by the light source control section 110.

The DMD of each exposure head is based on the drawing data (light field data) corresponding to the position of the exposure area transmitted from the exposure control unit 120, and positions the micromirror to position the pattern light onto the long substrate W1. , W2. The positions of the micro-mirrors are switched in accordance with the relative movement of the long substrates W1 and W2 of the exposure unit 40, and the photosensitive materials of the long substrates W1 and W2 are exposed (multiple exposure, etc.) to form a pattern. The controller 100 (see FIG. 3) controls the entire exposure operation of the exposure device 10. In addition, it can also be constituted by using an exposure portion of a mask.

The substrate supply device 20 includes: supply reels 22A and 22B, which are arranged on the upstream side of the exposure table 15; a support roller 24; and a drive mechanism (not shown) for rotating the supply reels 22A and 22B Turn. The driving mechanism is constituted by, for example, a stepping motor. The supply reels 22A and 22B supported by the substrate supply device 20 are cantilevered to hold and fix the unexposed portions of the long substrates W1 and W2 in a state of being wound into a roll, and can be rotated downstream by rotating the shaft The long substrate W is fed out sideways. In addition, when viewed from the exposure table 15, the supply reels 22A and 22B are regarded as the “upstream side” and the winding reels 32A and 32B are regarded as the “downstream side”.

The substrate winding device 30 includes: winding reels 32A and 32B, which are arranged downstream of the exposure table 15; a support roller 34; and a driving mechanism (not shown), which makes the winding reels 32A and 32A, respectively. 32B performs shaft rotation. The winding reels 32A and 32B respectively hold and fix the exposed portions of the long substrates W1 and W2 in a state of being wound into a roll, and the long substrates W1 and W2 can be wound by rotating the shaft. The winding processing of the long substrates W1 and W2 by the substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30 is controlled by the conveyance control unit 130 (see FIG. 3).

The support rollers 24 and 34 respectively disposed between the supply reels 22A and 22B, the winding reels 32A and 32B, and the exposure table 15 support the long substrates W1 and W2 and are configured to transport the long substrates W1 and W2. The tension adjustment roller is rotated at the time of shaft rotation. The support rollers 24 and 34 adjust the height of the long substrates W1 and W2 so that they are moved downstream at the exposure surface height or a position slightly lower than the exposure surface height, and are controlled by the substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30 respectively Cantilever support. In the long substrates W1 and W2, an appropriate tension acts on the erection portion of the interval T (see FIG. 1) of the support rollers 24 and 34, and the long substrates W1 and W2 are carried without wrinkles or elongation.

The supply reels 22A and 22B and the winding reels 32A and 32B are well-known mechanisms including 26A, 26B, 36A, and 36B that include roll-shaped winding portions for fixing the long substrates W1 and W2 when the substrate is mounted. The drive mechanisms of the substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30 rotate the supply reels 22A and 32A, and the supply reels 22B and 32B, respectively, to rotate the long substrate W1 and W2 intermittently carry only a predetermined length.

The table moving mechanism 50 includes a moving member 52 provided with a lifting mechanism (not shown) for cantilevering the exposure table 15 and a pair of guide rails 54A and 54B and an actuator 55 provided on the base 10B. . The pair of guide rails 54A and 54B extend along the X direction, and the moving member 52 is movable along the guide rails 54A and 54B in the X direction and the opposite direction thereof. The actuator 55 is composed of, for example, a ball screw.

The transport unit moving mechanism 60 includes a plate-shaped moving member 62, and a pair of guide rails 64A and 64B and an actuator 65 provided on one of the bases 10B. The substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30 are mounted on a moving member 62 and are moved (interlocked) integrally. A pair of guide rails 64A and 64B extend along the X direction, and the moving member 62 can move along the guide rails 64A and 64B in the X direction and the opposite direction.

The movement control unit 70 provided in the base 10B controls the driving of the actuators 55 and 65 and maintains the relative positional relationship between the transport system (the substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30) and the exposure table 15. That is, the movement of the exposure stage 15, the substrate supply device 20, and the substrate winding device 30 is fed back so that the relative distance interval becomes a constant value.

In order to measure the relative distance between the exposure table 15 and the substrate supply device 20 (the substrate winding device 30) along the conveying direction M, a position detection light sensor 90 is arranged on the substrate supply device 20 and the exposure table. 15 opposite side (see FIG. 2). The position detection light sensor 90 is a built-in light source such as an LED, and illuminates the side surface of the exposure table 15. The side surface of the exposure table 15 is formed so that a difference in light amount occurs between a position where the light is irradiated is located at a reference position and a position other than the reference position. The movement control unit 70 controls the actuators 55 and 65 based on the difference between the relative distance interval corresponding to the detected light amount and the relative distance interval serving as a reference.

A position sensor 80 is provided on the support roller 24 side of the exposure table 15 to detect the position of each of the end faces of the long substrates W1 and W2. The position sensor 80 may be a transmissive light sensor such as a line sensor. The substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30 include a mechanism (not shown) for controlling the axial positions of the supply reels 22A and 22B and the winding reels 32A and 32B, respectively, and respond to the detected end positions. Adjust the axial position of the reel to correct the meandering.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing positions of an exposure table and a conveyance system at the start of exposure and the end of exposure.

Prior to the start of exposure, the exposure stage 15 is used to attract and hold the long substrates W1 and W2, and the supply reels 22A and 22B and the winding reels 32A and 32B are in a stationary state because they are not driven. As the exposure starts, the exposure table 15 moves gradually along the X direction at a predetermined speed. At this time, the substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30 are moved in accordance with the movement of the exposure table 15.

That is, the movement starts in synchronization with the exposure table 15 and gradually moves in the X direction at the same speed as the exposure table 15 so as to maintain the relative positional relationship between the substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30 and the exposure table 15. Move (parallel). Therefore, the long substrates W1 and W2 are not sent out to the downstream side between before the movement of the exposure table 15 and during the movement of the exposure table 15, and remain stationary to the exposure table 15. During the movement of the exposure table 15, the pattern light corresponding to the position of the exposure area of each exposure head is projected from the exposure section 40.

When the exposure stage 15, the substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30 reach the exposure end position, the exposure stage 15 releases the suction support of the long substrates W1 and W2 and descends. Then, the supply reels 22A and 22B and the winding reels 32A and 32B are rotated synchronously, and the long substrates W1 and W2 are wound on the winding reels 32A and 32B only by a predetermined length.

When the winding on the winding reels 32A and 32B ends, the exposure table 15 moves in synchronization with the substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30 to return to the exposure start position. During this period, the supply reels 22A and 22B and the winding reels 32A and 32B are stationary because they are not driven. By repeating the above-mentioned exposure operation, the entire long substrates W1 and W2 are gradually patterned.

In this way, according to this embodiment, the exposure device 10 including the RtoR conveying system for conveying the long substrates W1 and W2 is provided with a substrate supply device 20 that holds a supply roll provided upstream of the exposure table 15 The reels 22A and 22B and the substrate winding device 30 hold the winding reels 32A and 32B provided on the downstream side. During the exposure operation, the exposure table 15 is moved in the X direction by the table moving mechanism 50, and at the same time, the substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30 are moved together in the X direction by the transport unit moving mechanism 60.

Since the substrate transfer system (the substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30) moves with the exposure table 15, the long substrates W1 and W2 are not sent out to the downstream side before and during the movement of the exposure table 15. Therefore, the meandering travel during the exposure of the conventional conveying system is suppressed, and the deviation of the exposure position caused by the meandering travel, the occurrence of wrinkles on the substrate, warping, and the like do not occur. In addition, by constructing such a substrate conveying system, it is not necessary to provide a mechanism such as a tension roller, so that the substrate conveying system can be constructed with a simple configuration.

The substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30 only need to feed the long substrate W in one direction on the downstream side during exposure, and it is not necessary to rewind the substrate. Therefore, it is possible to realize pattern exposure in which the meandering of the long substrate W is suppressed. In particular, it is suitable for the exposure apparatus of the two long substrates W which are difficult to adjust and meander in conveyance.

Since the substrate conveyance system moves, the substrate conveyance length (the substrate length between the supply reels 22A and 22B and the winding reels 32A and 32B) can be made short. By shortening the substrate conveying length, wrinkles, elongation, and the like of the long substrates W1 and W2 are hard to occur, and patterns can be formed with high accuracy. In particular, it is possible to configure a conveying system capable of feeding the long substrates W1 and W2 by simply providing one support roller 24 or 34.

In addition, after the exposure operation is completed, the long substrates W1 and W2 are sent out and wound to the downstream side between the long substrates W1 and W2 that are not attracted and supported by the exposure table 15, so that they can be smoothly wound. At this time, since the substrate carrying length is short, winding in a short time can be realized.

In this embodiment, the exposure table 15 and the substrate transfer system (the substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30) are respectively driven by the table moving mechanism 50 and the conveying section moving mechanism 60. For the long substrates W1 and W2, the winding diameters of the roll-shaped portions of the reels 22A and 22B and the roll-shaped portions of the winding reels 32A and 32B are gradually wound around the long substrates W1 and W2. The process of the substrate winding device 30 gradually changes, and the weight balance becomes unstable.

However, by providing the conveying section moving mechanism 60 which is different from the table moving mechanism 50, even if the weight balance of the long substrates W1 and W2 is changed, it is prevented from affecting the movement control of the exposure table 15. In addition, a conveying system can be constructed by directly using a conventional table moving mechanism.

On the other hand, the substrate supply device 20 is fixed and supported by the moving member 62 in the same manner as the substrate winding device 30 and moves integrally. Since the substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30 are linked, the relative positional relationship between the substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30 does not change, and the relative maintaining relationship with the exposure stage 15 becomes easily. In addition, the conveyance unit moving mechanism 60 can be concentrated by one drive system.

On the other hand, the movement control unit 70 drives the actuators 55 and 65 so that the relative positional relationship between the exposure table 15 and the substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30 is maintained during the movement of the exposure table 15. control. Thereby, the elongated substrates W1 and W2 are prevented from being stretched and warped due to the supply reels 22A and 22B and the winding reels 32A and 32B approaching the exposure table 15, and the exposure position deviation can be prevented.

Alternatively, the movement control unit 70 may be configured to control the movement speed and acceleration when the distance interval becomes a threshold value or more. Alternatively, the supply reels 22A and 22B and / or the winding reels 32A and 32B may be controlled for shaft rotation, and adjusted to an appropriate tension to act on the long substrates W1 and W2.

Not only the two long substrates W1 and W2, but also a plurality of long substrates may be transported side by side and carried at the same time, or it may be constituted by one long substrate. Regarding the substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30, it is also possible to make the substrate supply device 20 and the substrate supply device different from each other without moving them mechanically. In addition, the exposure table 15, the substrate supply device 20, and the substrate winding device 30 may be moved by the same moving mechanism.

In the above embodiment, the substrate supply device 20 is provided on the upstream side of the exposure table 15, the substrate winding device 30 is provided on the downstream side of the exposure table 15, and the supply reels 22A, 22B and the winding roll are provided. The disks 32A and 32B are driven to move the long substrates W1 and W2 in the same direction, but the long substrates W1 and W2 may also be moved in opposite directions to each other.

That is, two pairs of reels can be provided on both sides of the exposure table 15, and the supply reel and the winding reel can be set to wind one pair of reels in the X direction. The reel is set to wind the other reel pair in the -X direction. In this case, a pair of conveying devices that combine the functions of the substrate supply device and the substrate winding device are moved to the exposure table. When the long substrates W1 and W2 are moved in opposite directions to each other in this way, it is possible to reduce a change in the weight balance of the long substrates on the upstream side and the downstream side of the exposure table.

In the above embodiment, the exposure stage 15 is moved to realize the relative movement of the long substrates W1 and W2 and the exposure unit 40 for exposure. However, the exposure stage 15 may be fixed to the base 10B. The exposure unit 40 is moved relative to the substrate conveyance direction by a moving device (not shown). In this case, the substrate supply device 20 and the substrate winding device 30 are fixed to the base 10B so as to maintain a relative positional relationship with the exposure table 15.

10‧‧‧Exposure device

15‧‧‧Exposure Workbench

20‧‧‧ substrate supply device

22A, 22B‧‧‧Supply reels

30‧‧‧ substrate winding device

32A, 32B‧‧‧‧Reel

40‧‧‧Exposure Department

50‧‧‧Workbench moving mechanism

60‧‧‧Transportation department moving mechanism

70‧‧‧Mobility Control Department

80‧‧‧ Position Sensor

90‧‧‧Position sensor for position detection

[FIG. 1] A schematic configuration diagram of an exposure apparatus according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a part of an exposure device. FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of an exposure apparatus. [Fig. 4] A diagram showing positions of an exposure table and a conveying system at the start of exposure and the end of exposure.

Claims (14)

An exposure device is characterized in that it includes: an exposure table supporting a long substrate and reciprocating along a substrate conveying line; a substrate supply section arranged on the upstream side of the exposure table and providing a supply roll The substrate and the substrate winding section are arranged on the downstream side of the exposure table and are provided with a winding reel. The substrate supply section and the substrate winding section are movable along a substrate conveying line. For example, the exposure device of the first patent application scope further includes: a table moving mechanism for reciprocating the exposure table along the substrate conveying line; and a conveying part moving mechanism for the substrate supply section and the substrate. The winding unit reciprocates along a substrate conveying line. For example, the exposure device of the scope of patent application No. 1 or 2, which further includes a movement control section, which is controlled in a manner to maintain the relative positional relationship between the exposure table and the substrate supply section and the substrate winding section. Movement of the substrate supply section and the substrate winding section. For example, the exposure device according to item 3 of the patent application scope further includes a sensor, which detects the distance between at least one of the substrate supply portion and the substrate winding portion and the exposure table; the movement control The system controls the movement of the exposure table, the substrate supply unit, and the substrate winding unit in accordance with the detected distance interval. For example, the exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the substrate supply section is linked to the substrate winding section. For example, the exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the substrate supply section includes an upstream support roller; and the substrate winding section includes a downstream support roller. For example, the exposure device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the elongated substrate is constituted by a plurality of juxtaposed substrates. For example, the exposure device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the exposure table is moved while being adsorbed and held by the long substrate while being lifted. An exposure device, comprising: an exposure table supporting a long substrate and reciprocating along a substrate conveying line; and a pair of reels arranged on the upstream side and downstream of the exposure table, respectively Side, and carry the long substrate; the pair of reels can reciprocate along the substrate conveying line together with the exposure table. For example, the exposure device of the ninth patent application range, wherein the pair of reels can be reciprocated along the substrate conveying line by a moving mechanism different from the moving mechanism of the exposure table. An exposure device is characterized by comprising: an exposure table supporting a plurality of long substrates juxtaposed and capable of reciprocating movement along a substrate conveying line; and a plurality of pairs of reel pairs which are respectively disposed opposite to each other. Both sides of the exposure table carry a plurality of long substrates; the plurality of reel pairs and the exposure table can reciprocate along the substrate conveying line. For example, the exposure device of the eleventh aspect of the patent application, wherein the plurality of reel pairs wind the plurality of long substrates in the same direction. For example, the exposure device of the eleventh aspect of the patent application, wherein at least one of the plurality of reel pairs is wound in a direction different from other long substrates. An exposure apparatus is characterized by comprising: an exposure table supporting a long substrate; a pair of reels arranged on the upstream side and the downstream side of the exposure table; and an exposure section for the long substrate Performing exposure; the exposure unit is relatively movable along the substrate conveying line to the exposure table and the pair of reels.