TWI553418B - Smearing and smearing method - Google Patents

Description

Application device and application method

The present invention relates to a single-piece application. Further, when it is described in detail, an application device and a coating method for forming an application film by a single-piece application (intermittent application) using a slit applicator are further applied. For example, in the case of forming various functional films and photoresist films in the manufacturing process of an electronic device, it is preferable in the case where the surface of the substrate to be coated supplied by the single chip is excellent in uniformity and uniform application.

The electronic device such as a semiconductor and various display devices is composed of a functional film material, and on the other hand, in the process of manufacturing these, such as a photosensitive resist film, and finally, the device is manufactured, and there will be no The requirement that the missing film is produced with high precision. In the formation of photosensitive resist film, in addition to the rotator which has been used in the past, vacuum coating methods such as sputtering and CVD (chemical vapor deposition) and PVD (physical vapor deposition) are often used in order to maintain the coating precision represented by the film thickness distribution. . However, in order to increase the size of the apparatus, the cost of the manufacturing apparatus, and the cost of the manufacturing process, it is expected to improve the technique of the wet coating method applied to the base technology, and many of them can be applied.

In the wet coating method, the applicator head has a linear nozzle, and at least one of the applicator head and the substrate to be coated is relatively moved. The slit is applied because of the high productivity and the large size of the target device. The point of change is subject to the subject. The slit application was originally applied to the case of continuous application of a roll to roll as applied by a magnetic tape, but it has recently been applied to the application of a glass substrate represented by a semiconductor wafer and a liquid crystal device. , that is, intermittent application. Compared with continuous application, the difficulty in the technique of intermittent application is an unsteady flow at the beginning of application and at the end of application. How can it be determined in the case where the thickness of the applied film is greatly changed in this field? The point at which the film thickness is maintained. In other words, the establishment of a coating method in which the film thickness of one of the substrates is extremely small is the most important technical problem.

Various attempts have been made and implemented for this technical issue. When the methods are roughly distinguished, it is a method of coping with a hard body such as a structure supplied by the applicator head and the application liquid, and a method of coping with a software center mainly controlled by the control. First, in the former, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, in order to prevent a large fluctuation in the film thickness at the start of application and at the end of application, the piping for supplying the application liquid from the pump to the applicator head is switched to be different by the switching valve. The path is a configuration and method for suppressing variations in film thickness at the start point and the end point of the smear. Further, in Patent Document 2, the pulsation removing measure of the pump that sends the application liquid is a pulsation removing device such as a filter provided between the pump and the application head, and by removing the pulsation, the thickness of the application film can be uniformly achieved.

On the other hand, the latter control method is as in Patent Document 3 In order to prevent the film thickness at the start of application and at the end of application, the film thickness of the substrate to be coated is controlled by the operation of the substrate on which the smear film is formed in order to prevent the unevenness of the discharge amount from the applicator head. Further, Patent Document 4 proposes a method of detecting the pressure of the application liquid pipe in the vicinity of the application head, and controlling the time point at the start of application and the end of application, and the application of the application property. Further, Patent Document 5 proposes a method of limiting the amount of the application liquid remaining between the application head and the substrate to be coated at the time of discharge, in order to minimize the fluctuation of the film thickness during the intermittent application, and the corresponding application end. The countermeasure for the unsteady flow condition at the time is a structure in which the excess application liquid is absorbed in front of the application head (the direction in which the application is applied) or a vent hole that can be eliminated is provided.

The problem to be solved by the above-described prior invention group is exactly the same as the problem of the present invention, and the object thereof is to improve the film thickness distribution in the intermittent application. However, between the background of these inventions and the subject matter of the present invention, the applicable range of the application material represented by the difference in the thickness of the film thickness level and the viscosity characteristic of the target is increased, or is intended to be faster. The difference in the smear speed and the increase in the severity of the operating conditions such as smearing is remarkable. In the prior invention, the current customer requirements cannot be applied. The reason is that almost all of the inventions are only countermeasures for coping with the problems in the evaluation of manufacturing, and cannot satisfy the versatility required now.

[Practical Technical Literature] [Patent Literature]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-190861

[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 05-31434

[Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-86044

[Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-5682

[Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent No. 3139359

The slit applicator is a category of a die coater if it is explained by the old concept. Although it can be developed on the premise of continuous application of a magnetic tape, the requirements for the one-piece intermittent application of the nearest semiconductor wafer and glass substrate are required. Improve, so it is necessary to welcome to a new stage. The problem to be solved by the present invention is to uniform the thickness of the application film in the intermittent application of the above-mentioned patent document.

The necessary conditions for solving this problem are those that can be realized by the following restrictions. which is,

(A-1)

Can be widely used in most types of smear materials (viscosity range of 1 ~ 50,000 cps).

(A-2)

The application conditions are conditions that are resistant to production. (For example, a uniform application can be obtained by applying a speed of 5 to 150 mm/sec)

(A-3)

The thickness of the smear is 1~500μm except for special cases. degree.

(A-4)

The smear start area, including the unsteady state until the end of the application, reduces the film thickness. (For example, the target film thickness is within ±3%)

(A-5)

The reproducibility and quality of the smear can be kept constant in the application system.

The object of the present invention is under the constraints of (A-1) to (A-5). Provided is an apparatus and method for suppressing variations in the thickness distribution of a smear film and obtaining a uniform smear film. In order to achieve the above object, the problem of the method proposed in the past is also described in some detail.

In Patent Document 1, the pump for supplying the application liquid and the application liquid are discharged, and the flow path connecting the application heads on which the application film is formed on the substrate is replaced by a valve switching when the application is started from the start of application and when the application is stopped. The invention, but in the no-pump assist, the return of the application liquid to the tank is close to impossible. If the pressure difference is often taken into consideration, the uniformity of the film thickness cannot be achieved, and the risk of air bubbles may occur. It is difficult to say that it is expected. Program.

In addition, in the case of the pump for supplying the application liquid and the application head for discharging the application liquid, it is not novel to incorporate an element having a large flow path resistance such as a filter in order to absorb the pulsation peculiar to the pump. Ideas, and in the usual smearing, are necessary. For example, there are various methods for changing the diameter of a pipe for connecting a liquid supply pump and a coating head, or an alternative for placing an accumulator, but there is still no guarantee that good Good smear. That is, although the pulsation removal is a necessary condition for achieving uniformity of the film thickness, it is not a sufficiently necessary condition.

It is obvious from the past latitude and longitude that only a hard countermeasure can not achieve a good coating. On the other hand, a software containing a control method has not found a strong solution. In the case of the application in the unsteady state at the start of the application and at the end of the application, the flow rate of the liquid supply pump is adjusted stepwise, and the film thickness of the substrate is controlled to be constant, regardless of whether it is The same material is used, or the same device is used, and the state of starting the application is different each time. In this scheme, since the reproducibility is not good, only the application of the limited condition can be considered, and there is a problem in practical use.

Further, in Patent Document 4, it is proposed to detect the pressure of the flow path in the vicinity of the applicator head and return the rotation speed of the pump, and control the discharge amount from the applicator head. Compared with other solutions, in order to obtain uniformity of the thickness of the smear film, focusing on the pressure fluctuation in the flow path of the application liquid, the flow control method is advanced one step further, but the important application starts and at the end of the application. The specific control method has not been prompted, and the outcome is simply to specify the proper operation mode of the liquid feeding pump to achieve uniform film thickness. The pressure measurement in the flow path is only a monitoring means, and even if the pressure in the application head is measured, the pressure measurement in the flow path from the outlet of the liquid supply pump is the same as the change in the number of rotations in the measurement liquid supply pump, and has no significant effect. .

Finally, in Patent Document 5, attention is paid to the application between the applicator head and the substrate, that is, the amount of the application liquid remaining in the application space, by controlling the amount to a limited tolerance during the application. The uniformity of the film thickness at the beginning and at the end of the application. With the past The solution for uniformizing the film thickness is only a comparison of the optimum operating mode in the combination of the liquid feeding pump and the applicator head, and the solution for the decision-making mechanism of the detailed mechanism of the spout is observed, which is more advanced than other solutions. However, specifically, in the control of the application liquid remaining in the application space, a means for sucking the excess application liquid is provided in front of the nozzle of the application head, and it is impossible to apply the paint under specific conditions. Negative effects, but in a wide range of material correspondence, is an unrealistic solution. By the way, the inventors have tried to make the applicator head having the same configuration. In the results of the experiment, it is impossible to uniformly inhale the retained application liquid in the application interval in a line shape, and by this suction, the film thickness variation is obtained. the result of. Further, in addition to the attraction, in Patent Document 5, it is also shown that the control of the amount of retention by the positive pressure, that is, the blowing is attempted, but the bubble is involved, and there is no effect. However, from the observation of the detailed application situation, it is important to control the amount of liquid in the application interval to achieve uniformity of the thickness of the application film.

In order to achieve the uniformity of the thickness of the application film in the slit applicator, it is necessary to examine the following viewpoints in order to align the knowledge of the prior invention and the inventors shown above.

(B-1)

In order to achieve uniform film thickness in the intermittent application using the slit applicator, the device is constructed, in particular, the rotational speed and flow of the liquid feeding pump directly related to the hard body represented by the applicator head and the film thickness during the application process. The measurement of the physical quantity such as the pressure in the road makes it necessary to control the flow rate commensurate with the required accuracy and its software.

(B-2)

The smear process should be observed in detail, and the flow of the smear should be considered in consideration of the application start field, the intermediate stable smear field, and the application of the final application field.

(B-3)

Explore solutions that have versatility that can be applied to a wide range of object materials.

(B-4)

In the smeared state, a method of accurately measuring the film thickness is established.

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is that it can be achieved from the viewpoints of (B-1) to (B-4) described above under the limitations of (A-1) to (A-5) described above. The method of uniformizing the film thickness in a single-piece intermittent application of a slit applicator and a specific device.

The present invention is to solve the above problems,

(1) A smear method in which a smear is supplied from a constant flow pump to an applicator head, and the applicator is ejected toward the substrate to be coated from a linear discharge port of the applicator head, and the applicator head and the substrate to be coated are applied At least one of the two moves relative to each other, and a smear film is formed on the substrate to be coated, and a liquid sliding portion is formed in the smear head, and a first pressure detecting means for detecting the pressure of the liquid sliding portion is immediately detected. The pressure of the liquid slidable portion is controlled by determining the relationship between the supply amount per unit time of the film thickness and the pressure of the liquid sliding portion and the rotational speed of the constant flow pump, and the thickness of the smear is predetermined. The shape is formed in a distributed manner.

(2) The smear method of (1), wherein: In the pressure control of the unit, the control rate is changed by increasing the rotation speed of the constant flow pump, increasing the supply flow rate of the application liquid, and decreasing the rotation speed of the constant flow pump to reduce the supply flow rate of the application liquid. .

(3) The smear method according to (1) or (2), wherein the second pressure detecting means is provided at the outlet of the constant flow pump, in addition to the first pressure detecting means, and the control depends on the foregoing The rotation of the constant flow pump of the pressure detecting means is performed by the differential pressure generated by the first and second pressure detecting means in the vicinity of the application end portion, and the reverse rotation of the constant flow pump can be performed. The suckback action.

(4) A squeezing head structure which is mounted on a smear device and supplies the smear to the smear from the linear discharge port of the applicator head while discharging the smear from the smear At least one of the applicator head and the substrate to be coated is relatively moved, and a coating film is formed on the substrate to be coated, and is characterized in that it is composed of two metal members of the head back plate and the head cavity plate, and the head back support The tip end portion of the plate and the head cavity plate is parallel to the application surface of the substrate to be coated, and the distance from the application surface of the substrate to be coated is different, and a step is formed in a cross section.

(5) The applicator head structure according to (4), wherein the step portion of the step which is closer to the application surface of the applied substrate is located in front of the application progress direction.

(6) An applicator head structure which is mounted on a smear device and supplies a smear to a squeegee from a constant flow pump, and smears the smear from the linear discharge port of the applicator head. Head and At least one of the substrates to be coated is relatively moved, and an application film is formed on the substrate to be coated. The discharge flow path in the application head is a structure of the applicator head in which the application surface of the substrate to be coated is inclined.

(7) The applicator head structure according to any one of (4) to (6), wherein a volume of the liquid slidable portion of the application liquid for detecting a pressure in the application head is set to be the number of the substrate to be coated. The supply amount of one application liquid is 5 to 10 times.

(8) A smear method in which an application liquid is supplied from a constant flow pump to an application head, and the application liquid is discharged from the linear discharge port of the application head toward the substrate to be coated, and the application head and the applied substrate are placed. At least one of the movable substrates is formed on the coated substrate, and the application head is moved when the application head having the application surface of the coated substrate is applied by using the discharge flow path in the application head. When the substrate to be coated is fixed, the application head is smeared in a direction in which the application head is not lowered, or the application head is fixed, and when the application substrate is moved, the application head is lowered. The direction moves the aforementioned coated substrate.

(9) A smear method according to any one of (1) to (3) or (8), wherein the applicator head of any one of (4) to (7) is used .

(10) An application device characterized in that an application film is formed on the applied substrate by any one of (1) to (3), (8), and (9).

(11) A method of applying a coating from a constant flow pump to an applicator head The smear is formed by moving at least one of the applicator head and the substrate to be coated while the smear is ejected toward the substrate to be coated from the linear discharge port of the applicator head, and an smear film is formed on the applied substrate. The detection means for measuring the film thickness attached to the application head is characterized in that the result of the measurement of the film thickness after the application and the result of the measurement of the film thickness are predicted to be the operation amount at the time of formation of the application film. The rotation speed of the constant flow pump is formed by distributing the application film thickness to a predetermined shape by controlling the supply amount of the application liquid.

(12) An application device that supplies a coating liquid from a constant flow pump to an application head, and discharges the application liquid onto the substrate to be coated from a linear discharge port of the application head, and applies the application head and the applied substrate. An application device for forming a coating film on at least one of the substrates to be coated, comprising: a measuring means attached to the application head and measuring a film thickness of the application film after the application, and a film from the film The thickness measurement result and the trend result of the film thickness measurement result are predictive devices for predicting the rotational speed of the constant flow pump of the operation amount necessary for the control.

More specifically, the schematic configuration of the slit applicator which is the target device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the slit applicator system 10, the application liquid 12 filled in the tub 11 is sent to the pump 13 for liquid supply, and the flow rate of the application liquid 12 corresponding to the operation command of the pump 13 is passed between the pump 13 and the applicator head 15. The pipe 14 is supplied to the applicator head 15 in the downstream, and the application liquid 12 discharged from the applicator head 15 is spread onto the substrate 16 to be coated, and the applied solution 12 to be coated is dried by heat or ultraviolet rays. Hardening allows the coating to be completed.

In the device mechanism, when the application is performed, the applicator head 15 is fixed, and the mounting table 17 on which the applied substrate 16 is mounted is moved to fix the head to be applied. The case of the substrate moving type; and conversely the substrate to be coated 16 is fixed to move the head of the applicator head 15 to move. The case of the substrate fixing type. The installation area of the apparatus and the maintenance of the gap between the applicator head 15 and the substrate to be coated 16 (this is referred to as a smear interval) at the time of application can be arbitrarily selected, but in the present invention, it is not particularly limited, so Say it.

Therefore, the head is fixed below. The substrate is movable. In this application mechanism, in order to move the mounting table 17 on which the coated substrate 16 is mounted, the drive system is guided by the LM guide, and the representative drive system is an AC servo motor 18 that serves as a drive source (substrate movement) The X-axis drive AC servo motor) moves the substrate to move the X-axis ball screw 19 (this drive system is collectively referred to as the X-axis stage). Moreover, a linear drive system using a linear motor is also possible. In order to accurately set the application interval, the fixing table (referred to as the applicator head fixing Z-axis stage 21) that is fixed to the applicator head 15 of the overhead frame 20 that straddles the substrate mounting stage 17 is moved up and down. . This movement is performed by the Z-axis drive AC servo motor 22 and the Z-axis ball screw. When the application head 15 is a long strip, in other words, when the application width is large, it is a structure supported by both ends of the applicator head 15, that is, a structure having two sets of Z-axis platforms.

In the application device having the above-described configuration, the application operation using the slit applicator will be described. First, the application liquid 12 is accommodated in the tub 11. At this time, the pre-process is to remove the bubbles in the application solution. It is better, but it also has a defoaming function in the tank system that is housed. Generally, the defoaming is exposed to a vacuum environment, but the multi-warming causes the viscosity of the application liquid 12 to decrease to expel the bubbles from the application liquid 12.

From the tank 11 to the center of the liquid supply, that is, the conveyance of the pump 13, a method of using a gravity head of gravity or a method of conveying the tank 11 in a sealed state by air pressure is often used. Further, the liquid supply pump 13 is applied to various types of pumps depending on the final coating target. First of all, the reciprocating pump has a correct amount of liquid per unit operation, but the action and the re-action are different. Especially in the re-operation, the liquid supply amount is almost zero, so a very thin smear film is formed. In the case of a flow rate fluctuation (pulsation), it will have a negative effect on the thickness of the applied coating film.

Reciprocating deformation, with a tube pump. The method of applying the principle of the solenoid valve that is used in the ON/OFF of the liquid supply is a method of hydraulically applying the rubber tube in the rubber tube by the reciprocating electromagnetic piston. By considering the material of the tube, the diameter of the tube, the reciprocating cycle of the piston, etc., it is possible to have the advantage of controlling the amount of liquid to be fed, and on the other hand, the application liquid is highly viscous, and the quantitative decrease due to the deformation of the tube is There are many disadvantages such as the existence of the upper limit of the viscosity of the liquid supply, and it is not suitable for the object of the present invention, that is, a wide range of application liquids.

Compared with the reciprocating type, it is a rotary type pump. Representative for the gear pump. The gap liquid is supplied to the gears in the meshing state of the pair, and is supplied to the gear in the direction of the rotation of the gear. It has a certain level of characteristics such as quantitativeness and stability, and has control along with positive and negative liquid supply and liquid return. In general, since the gear is driven at a high speed, it is not suitable for liquid feeding at a small flow rate, and in order to perform fine flow control, inertial operation during driving is difficult, and application to a coating application device is also difficult.

The same rotary type pump has a screw pump. The configuration of the Mono pump 23, which is a representative example of the screw pump, is as shown in Fig. 2. A drive source, that is, a motor, is disposed on the upstream side of the pump, and the motor is used to drive the AC servo motor 24 for the Mono pump to control the number of revolutions and the rotation angle and the control of the reverse rotation. In the downstream side of the pump, among the pump casings 25 for the Mono pump, the pump rotor 27 and the pump stator 26 are meshed. The AC servo motor 24 shaft and the pump rotor 27 shaft described above are coupled by a universal joint 28. The application liquid 12 supplied to the pump chamber 29 is sucked by the rotation of the pump rotor 27, and is introduced into the gap between the pump stator 26 and the pump rotor 27 which are spirally connected to each other. In the application of the application device such as the effect of ensuring the constant flow rate and the effect of the reverse rotation, the Mono pump 23 has a function as an indispensable controller, and in many pumps, a highly accurate pump can be realized. Further, since the injection molding machine presses the liquid supply in the axial direction, the high viscosity application liquid can also be supplied with liquid, which is also in accordance with the object of the present invention. For the sake of simple discussion, in the present invention, the liquid supply pump 13 refers to the Mono pump 23 for applying liquid to the application liquid.

The application liquid 12 sent out from the liquid supply pump 13 is supplied to the applicator head 15 through the pipe 14. The configuration and structure of the applicator head 15 will be described using FIG. The applicator head 15 is composed of two high-rigidity metal plates, that is, a head cavity plate 30, a head back support plate 31, and a spacer spacer 32 therebetween. The head cavity plate 30 is provided with the application liquid 12 flowing from the pump 13 The liquid sliding portion 33 is provided with a bubble removing vent 34 for air extraction when the upper air bubbles are generated. Further, although the inflow port 35 of the application liquid 12 from the liquid supply pump is provided to the liquid slidable portion 33, it may be provided on the side of the head cavity plate 30 or on the side of the head back plate 31. The liquid slidable portion 33 can also achieve the role of uniformly spreading the application liquid 12 supplied from the spot on the entire width of the application width and the accumulator that absorbs minute fluctuations of the liquid supply pump 13. When the target film thickness is determined, the coating film thickness (liquid film thickness) is determined in consideration of the volume shrinkage caused by the hardening. The thickness of the spacer gasket 32 is a gap that determines the final flow path of the applicator head 15, and this gap is referred to as a applicator head slit spacer 39. Generally, the thickness of the spacer spacer 32 is determined by the thickness of the application film to be a standard way of thinking. The application liquid 12 fed from the liquid supply pump 13 to the applicator head 15 is applied to the to-be-coated substrate 16 from the tip end of the nozzle via the applicator head slit spacer 39.

The film thickness distribution of the feature in the case of being applied by the above-described slit applicator is shown, for example, in Figs. 4(a) to 4(d). First, in the same figure (a), the number of rotations of the set pump is excessively large, and the supply of the applicator head 15 is excessive, and the film thickness gradually increases with time. Then, in contrast to (b), the number of rotations of the pump set is too small, and the supply to the applicator head 15 is insufficient. When the flow rate necessary for application is ensured at the start of the application, the film thickness gradually decreases as the substrate moves. The smear in these two cases is not enough to evaluate because it is not enough. Even if the number of rotations of the pump is adjusted in order to obtain the necessary flow rate, the film thickness distribution of the current slit applicator is most similar to the type of the same figure (c). In the smear start field, the start time point of the mounting table 17 on which the substrate 16 is applied and the variable speed control In this way, it is possible to suppress abnormal film thickness such as protrusions, and in the intermediate field, almost uniform film thickness distribution can be obtained. However, in the end of the application, there is a difference in size, so that the film has an abnormal thickness. This countermeasure is dealt with by the general method of cutting the liquid feeding pump 13 as early as possible, making the film thickness abnormal as unobtrusive as possible, or reducing the application liquid by suction. Further, in the same figure (d), by considering the rotation number pattern of the pump at the start of the application, the early application is started, and by reducing the amount of the residual application liquid in the application interval, the film thickness abnormality can be reduced. However, a smooth film thickness distribution is still not obtained.

In order to further improve the situation described above, it is necessary to focus on the following points and countermeasures.

(C-1)

In order to greatly improve the film thickness distribution in the intermittent application, it is necessary to re-evaluate the hard body in the application device and the soft body in the application method.

(C-2)

In order to uniformize the film thickness distribution in the intermittent application, it is necessary to observe in detail the behavior of the application liquid discharged from the applicator head during the application. In other words, the application liquid in the flow path existing in the application head can be controlled to some extent by the operation of the pump, etc., but it is important to keep in mind that the application liquid that has flowed out of the application head cannot be controlled as long as it cannot be forcibly removed.

(C-3)

In the preceding paragraph, it is necessary to reduce the amount of the application liquid remaining in the vicinity of the nozzle by excessive discharge from the applicator head, especially for the application. In the presence of the applicator head, the retained applicator has the worst effect on the film thickness distribution, so it is considered that the applicator does not remain in the applicator head structure.

(C-4)

The method for controlling the thickness of the applied film is to develop a software that immediately observes the change in the amount of state during the application process, and feeds back to the controller, that is, the liquid feed pump or the platform actuator.

(C-5)

The observation of the state quantity in the smear process of the preceding paragraph is also intended to be a method in which the film thickness measurement is considered to be instantaneous and non-contact measurement, and a method of applying feedback is also powerful.

(C-6)

The measurement of the same state quantity is to immediately detect the pressure in the applicator head, and the relationship between the pressure in the applicator head, the number of rotations of the liquid supply pump, and the discharge flow rate is determined by a test method determined in advance, and the response is also considered. The delay, etc., establishes a method of applying feedback from the pressure variation value.

(C-7)

The method of (C-1)~(C-6) is often considered not only in special cases, but also in general methods for materials with a wide range of application viscosities.

By adopting the means shown above, it is a bottleneck for uniformizing the film thickness in the intermittent application by the slit applicator corresponding to the limited special method, and in the present invention, by the correct Grasp the resolution of the smeared mechanism and the amount of state during the smear process, even if A wide-ranging device and method can be realized by changing the target type of the smear and the desired film thickness.

According to the slit applicator of the present invention, the viscosity application range of the conventionally defined application liquid can be greatly expanded, and in particular, the film thickness distribution during intermittent application of a glass substrate or the like can be remarkably improved, and the film thickness can be achieved. Uniformity. By the coating method using the application, it is possible to prevent the peripheral portion of the application region which is generally regarded as a defect, and in particular, the film thickness in the discontinuous field in the application start region and the application end region is abnormal, and a flat plating film can be realized. By the application of this method, it is possible to accurately coat a film from a film to a thick film, and it is expected that the application range can be extended to the field of vacuum coating, not only the conventional wet coating.

10‧‧‧Slit applicator system

11‧‧‧Slots

12‧‧‧Smear

13‧‧‧ pump

14‧‧‧Pipe

15‧‧‧Smear head

16‧‧‧Applied substrate

17‧‧‧Station

18‧‧‧AC servo motor

19‧‧‧Substrate moving X-axis ball screw

20‧‧‧Elevated frame

21‧‧‧Smear head fixed Z-axis platform

22‧‧‧AC servo motor for Z-axis drive

23‧‧‧Mono Pump

24‧‧‧AC servo motor

25‧‧‧ pump housing

26‧‧‧ pump stator

27‧‧‧ pump rotor

28‧‧‧ universal joint

29‧‧‧ pump room

30‧‧‧ head cavity plate

31‧‧‧ head back plate

32‧‧‧Separator gasket

33‧‧‧ liquid slip

34‧‧‧Ventinel for air bubble removal

35‧‧‧Inlet

36‧‧‧ Film thickness measurement predictive control method slit applicator

37‧‧‧Optical non-contact film thickness measuring sensor

38‧‧‧Pressure detection sensor

39‧‧‧Smear head slit spacer

40‧‧‧Smear head nozzle

41‧‧‧Insufficient application fluid

200‧‧‧Small film thickness

[Fig. 1] A view showing a configuration and a schematic structure of a general slit applicator system.

[Fig. 2] A cross-sectional view showing a schematic structure of a screw pump (mono pump) having a liquid feeding role of a slit applicator.

[Fig. 3] A cross-sectional view showing a schematic structure of an applicator head mounted on a slit applicator.

[Fig. 4] (a) to (d) are explanatory views showing a poor example of the distribution of the thickness of the applied film of the conventional method.

[Fig. 5] A schematic configuration of a slit applicator system for explaining a flow rate prediction method of a non-contact application film thickness measurement result of the present invention.

[Fig. 6] A control block diagram of film thickness prediction control used in the present invention.

[Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is a view showing a schematic configuration of a slit applicator system for controlling the thickness of a coating film which is detected by the pressure of the liquid head of the applicator head.

[Fig. 8] A method for obtaining the basic data necessary for the flow rate detection of the pressure detected in the applicator head of the present invention.

Fig. 9 is a view showing the pressure response in the applicator head caused by the forward reversal of the liquid feeding pump of the present invention.

[Fig. 10] A configuration diagram showing a device for controlling the application of the pressure in each of the pump outlet and the inside of the applicator head according to the present invention.

[Fig. 11] A graph which qualitatively shows the experimental results of the volume of the liquid immersion chamber in the applicator head which can achieve the stable application in the present invention.

[Fig. 12] A view showing a problem in a conventional jet smear.

[Fig. 13] A view showing a squeegee having a structure in which a flow path axis in the applicator head of the present invention is inclined with respect to the surface of the substrate to be coated.

[Fig. 14] Fig. 14 is a view showing an effect of using a squeegee having a structure in which the flow path axis in the applicator head of the present invention is inclined with respect to the surface of the substrate to be coated, and (a) shows that the substrate to be coated is fixed. In the case where the applicator head is moved, (b) is a case where the applicator head is fixed to move the substrate to be coated.

[Fig. 15] A description will be given of a configuration of an applicator head which forms a step on the nozzle surface by slightly deviating the two structural members constituting the applicator head of the present invention. Figure.

Hereinafter, a specific embodiment of the application device and the method using the slit application will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, in the respective drawings, the same reference numerals are attached to the common members and elements. Furthermore, the invention is not limited to the following examples.

[Examples]

The substrate on which the smear film is formed, and the glass substrate is a representative object. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a semiconductor substrate such as a ruthenium wafer or a gallium arsenide substrate, a sapphire substrate such as a sapphire substrate, a glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin, or a ceramic substrate. A PCB (printed circuit board), a film substrate, and the like are also targeted. Further, the surface properties of the substrate are mostly flat, but in particular, a substrate having a curved surface, a concave shape, and a convex surface property is also an object.

On the other hand, the plating material is a liquid material such as the name of the application liquid 12, and after being applied, it is cured by means of firing and hardening. In the case of firing, considering the heat-resistant temperature of the substrate, it has a low-temperature firing and high-temperature firing by a very high temperature curve. Further, the hardening representative has a method of heating and a method of accelerating the hardening reaction by energy wave irradiation such as ultraviolet rays, and recently, in order to reduce the damage and damage at the time of hardening, the method of curing by ultraviolet rays is gradually used. . The ease of handling of the application solution in the application device is generally Represented by the viscosity of the application liquid, in the present invention, the application range of the viscosity of the application liquid can be broadly expanded as compared with the conventionally proposed method. Specifically, the applicable viscosity range in the present invention is 1 to 500,000 cps (millipoise), and the dry film thickness is 0.05 to 1,000 μm (micrometer), although there are exceptions. Hereinafter, specific configurations and methods of the present invention will be described by way of examples.

(Example 1)

The most important object of the present invention is to uniformize the film thickness distribution of the application liquid 12 on the applied substrate 16. Now, the basic thinking of the mold coater including all the slot applicators that have been marketed is "a certain amount of discharge from the liquid supply pump 13 and the amount is placed on the substrate 16 to be coated". In the smear start field and the end of the smear, adjust the way of thinking. This way of thinking is not only unable to reach the general method, but also in the same smear process, the result of no change in condition is obvious.

Fig. 5 is a view showing the configuration of a slit thickness applicator 36 (smear device) for a film thickness measurement predictive control method based on a predictive control method of a film thickness measurement result according to the present invention. In the vicinity of the back of the applicator head 15, there is provided an optical non-contact film thickness measuring sensor 37 which can measure the subsequent film thickness which is applied without contact, and finally the overall film thickness distribution can be uniform. Although the light source of the optical non-contact film thickness measuring sensor 37 uses LEDs in many cases, it has a triangular ranging method and a coaxial confocal method. The former has a large error between materials, and further, the substrate to be measured is warped. Impact The error in the case where the measurement surface is inclined is widened, and the latter is superior in that it has a large disadvantage in that the measurement position is subtly deviated, etc., and the latter is judged to be excellent. Specifically, the fiber coaxial displacement sensor (for example, ZW-S07 manufactured by Omron Co., Ltd.) is excellent in precision and mounting surface. At the same time, the measurement accuracy of the sensor according to the versatile triangulation method is not only poor, and depending on the situation, there is a possibility that the opposite tendency is generated, and the practicability is not good, and the measurement result of the film thickness distribution measured by the method is lacking. Believe.

The non-contact film thickness measurement is because the measurement is performed from the discharge of the applicator head 15 to the subsequent field, so that immediate feedback control and feedforward control cannot be performed. Therefore, the control value at this time point is the trend of the data from several times in the previous stage, and the predictive control is performed along with the assumed rule. The predictive control is a method in which the output (control amount) of the control object is controlled from how it is predicted to cross the future (before the number of steps of the control cycle), and the predicted value of the control amount is converged at the target value. In the case of the present invention, the amount of control is the thickness of the application film, and the amount of operation is the rotation speed of the liquid supply pump 13.

Fig. 6 shows a control block diagram of the predictive control system in the formation of the smear film thickness. The control object in this figure refers to the operation amount (MV), that is, the slit applicator system 10 that operates in accordance with the rotational speed of the liquid supply pump 13, and the disturbance to the output of the control object (DV) is the control amount. (CV) is the film thickness formed. In a portion surrounded by a broken line in the figure (this is referred to as a control operation block), the operation amount (MV) is controlled in such a manner that the control amount (CV) is converged at the target value (SV). For a detailed description, here, the control object model for predicting the amount of control (CV) The type, the chaos model, and the output from these models are the control values of the predicted values (ym, z) to obtain the most suitable operation amount.

The control object model and the out-of-order model are all mathematical models for predicting the amount of control. The control object model is a model that depends on the amount of operations. For this, the out-of-order model is a model that does not depend on the amount of operations. In the control target model, the equation for obtaining the control amount from the operation amount and the elapsed time is considered to be necessary in the present invention in consideration of a mathematical model accompanying the temporal change of the discharge flow rate of the liquid supply pump 13. Moreover, it is also necessary that the external disturbance model is not dependent on the amount of operation. In the present invention, the fluid friction from the liquid supply pump 13 to the flow path of the applicator head 15, the fluctuation of the application interval of the applicator head 15 and the substrate to be coated 16, and the like are the main factors to be considered in the disturbance model. This is a very difficult method for the physical phenomenon. Therefore, in the present invention, the actual film thickness is observed from the estimated value of the film thickness in an ideal state in which the operation amount, that is, the rotational speed of the liquid feeding pump is predicted. The difference of the measurement, this amount is used as a method of obtaining the trend of the out-of-order value z as a trend.

In the control arithmetic block, although the calculation value is calculated in such a manner that the predicted value is converged in the target value, the case of the present invention, that is, the control amount represented at the start of the application and the end of the application in the case of intermittent application When the deviation between the current value and the target value is large, the fluctuation of the operation amount is excessively large, and the control may become unstable. Here, in the control arithmetic block, the control amount is set from the current value to the convergence response until the target value is set as the reference track. Specifically, the control amount is converged at the target value by setting the step response of the one-time delay system (a function of the attenuation of the target value error as an exponential function) as the reference track. Since the process of the control is clear, the current value of the control amount and the target value are also large, and the control can be stably controlled. Further, by applying this method, it is needless to say that the application of a certain film thickness is also possible, and it is also possible to apply the film having an arbitrary film thickness distribution.

(Example 2)

Fig. 7 is a view showing a configuration of a display device in which the pressure of the liquid slidable portion formed in the applicator head of the present invention is immediately detected and fed back to the rotational speed of the liquid feeding pump to obtain a uniform coating film thickness. The composition of the pressure in the applicator head that is abstractly represented is detected by some well-known examples. (For example, JP-A-2003-190861, JP-A-2005-205268, etc.), but all are called the inside of the applicator head or the vicinity of the discharge nozzle, and have a large pressure distribution depending on the position of the flow path in the applicator head. And lack of specificity. Moreover, the pressure value to be measured is controlled by the film thickness, and any specific method is completely unproposed.

In the applicator head 15 in Fig. 7, the application liquid 12 sent from the liquid supply pump 13 is supplied from the inflow port 35, and the liquid ejecting portion 33 to be retained is provided, and the pressure for detecting the pressure in the field is detected. The detection sensor 38 is mounted from the outside. As described above, the liquid sliding portion 33 has a role of uniformly spreading the application liquid 12 supplied from the application liquid inlet 35 at 1 to 2 in the entire application width (corresponding to the length of the slit opening), and Two important roles to reduce the pulsation accompanying the rotation of the feed pump. In the conventional applicator head structure, there is a structure in which a flow path having a narrow slit width is immediately obtained from the inflow port, but the most recent movement is mostly an intermediate liquid slidable portion. Smear the head. The pressure detecting sensor 38 is a general type of pressure sensor using a semiconductor meter type, but the type of the electric resistance strain gauge type is also applicable because of the favorable price.

For specific tactics. The application of the application liquid 12 is considered, and the target film thickness is applied to a predetermined value. In the target application device, the parameter to be changed is the pressure (P) of the liquid sliding portion 33 inside the applicator head 15 and the rotational speed (N) of the liquid supply pump 13 serving as the controller and the application liquid passing through the flow path. In addition to the flow rate (V), the moving speed of the substrate 16 to be coated is considered, but since this amount is a time increase corresponding to the rotational speed of the liquid feeding pump, the pressure (P), the rotational speed (N), and the like are investigated here. The relationship of the flow rate (V) of the application liquid. Specifically, the controller is a test program in which the time of the rotation speed of the liquid supply pump 13 is increased (dN/dt), and the rotation speed (N) and the flow rate (V) are corresponding to the change pressure (P). The relationship between the pressure is obtained as shown in Fig. 8, and the relationship between the pressure (P) for the flow rate of the target and the rotational speed (N) of the pump is obtained. This gradient is a proportionality constant that corrects the pressure to a certain number of rotations of the pump, and the pressure control in the application is achieved in accordance with this relationship. However, in general, the relationship between the pressure and the rotational speed of the pump is mostly non-linear due to the influence of the disordered elements, and the display function corresponds to each level, or the way of thinking that is divided into several levels and the linear relationship is established in one field. No problem. Further, the degree of (dN/dt) is related to the application speed, and the influence of the response delay or the like can be considered in consideration of the actual application conditions and irradiation.

According to the present invention, the flow rate control is performed by replacing the change in the discharge flow rate with the pressure change inside the liquid sliding portion 33 inside the applicator head 15 . The pressure value is detected, and the liquid supply pump 13 is a controller, and is controlled such that the pressure is constant by the rotation speed of the pump. Although the feedback control is basically used for the difference correction of the current measured value of the target pressure value, the time variation of the pump negative pressure and the time change with respect to the movement of the substrate or the head opening portion are not related to the number of rotations. Modeling such as changes in the opening area caused by the internal pressure is added as a feedforward element. Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing the control of pressure control in the application of the present invention. It takes the work of the whole system to take the extravagant elements into it. Moreover, an advancement of this method is that in the application direction, an application shape having an arbitrary distribution of the thickness of the application film can be obtained, and can be obtained by specifying a corresponding pressure distribution.

(Example 3)

In the application device of the pressure control system, as shown in Fig. 7, the liquid supply pump 13 is a rotary type pump represented by a screw pump excellent in controllability, and the forward reversal of the pump is possible. That is, it is also possible to feed the application liquid 12 in the direction in which it is discharged from the nozzle, and vice versa. Although the reverse rotation liquid supply is referred to as a suckback operation, it is possible to use the operation with higher precision and more precise application control.

Fig. 9 is a view showing the relationship between the pressure in the applicator head 15 with the forward reversal of the liquid supply pump 13 and the rotational speed of the pump at that time. In the case of the forward rotation operation, the application liquid 12 is conveyed by the liquid supply pump 13 → the piping 14 → the infusion head inner liquid sliding portion 33 → the application head slit interval portion 39 → the applicator head nozzle portion 40. On the other hand, when the operation is reversed, the opposite flow path is obtained. Generally, the largest fluid resistance in this flow path is located in the smear containing When the position of the applicator head slit spacer 39 of the head nozzle unit 40 is in the forward rotation operation, the pressure in the applicator head 15 increases as the rotational speed of the pump increases, and the ratio tends to gradually decrease.

On the other hand, in the case of the reverse operation, the application liquid 12 in the vicinity of the application head slit spacer 39 is also not easy to operate by the suckback operation, and on the other hand, since the fluid resistance of the pipe 14 in the upstream is small, the vicinity of this The application liquid 12 is rapidly moved toward the pump 13 side, and as a result, the pressure is rapidly reduced. In consideration of such a positive reversal, in the case of the pressure control, the target pressure value or less, and the target pressure value or more, by changing the constant in the proportional control, it is possible to apply a constant pressure. As a result, by applying the surface shape, a smooth spread property without minute irregularities can be obtained.

(Example 4)

In the pressure detecting pressure control in the applicator head according to the embodiments 2 and 3, the pressure detecting position is the liquid sliding portion 33 inside the applicator head, and the controller, that is, the liquid feeding pump 13 and the smear 12 The discharge end, that is, the applicator head nozzle portion 40, is easily presumably delayed in response. However, it is technically impossible to measure the pressure in the vicinity of the nozzle of the applicator head, and since it is a place where the pressure changes rapidly, there is an error in the pressure measurement even if the position is slightly deviated. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 9, the outlet pressure P1 of the liquid supply pump 13 and the pressure P2 of the liquid discharge portion 33 in the applicator head are simultaneously measured, and the fluctuation of the response delay is minimized. There is also a response delay between P1 and P2, and the discharge pressure P3 in the tip of the nozzle There is also a response delay between P2 and P2. These are the only ones that are determined without change, but the response delay also changes due to changes in materials, the state of the substrate, and the change in the time of the pump. Since the discharge pressure P3 in the vicinity of the nozzle cannot be measured, it is a method of minimizing fluctuations in the response of the previous stages, that is, P1 and P2. Specifically, the trend data from P1 and P2 is not only a simple feedback, but also a prediction estimation, and the amount of feedback is added to the assumed value.

According to this method, the difference in the smear behavior under the supercharging condition and the decompression condition can also be considered, and it is also very effective in determining the time point of the retracting behavior accompanying the reversal, by the sucking action in the application liquid. The problem of introducing air can also be solved.

The apparatus and method for applying the application liquid 12 to the applied substrate 16 by a predetermined film thickness distribution have been described above. In the present invention, the most important constituent element at the time of application is the applicator head 15, and the specific structure of the applicator head used in the present invention will be described.

(Example 5)

First, the constituent elements of the present invention will be described by the structure of the applicator head (passive type) represented in Fig. 3. First, the head cavity plate 30 and the head back support plate 31 are necessary as the structural rigidity of the pressure vessel that receives the internal pressure. In other words, when the rigidity of the two structural members is low, the applicator head nozzle portion 40 is deformed by opening the lip by the internal pressure, and the discharge amount of the application liquid 12 from the applicator head nozzle portion 40 also varies greatly depending on the place. The object of the invention cannot be satisfied, that is, the high-precision application of the coating film thickness is not small The necessary conditions for membrane realization.

The point of attention in the present invention is the volume of the liquid slidable portion 33 in the applicator head. As shown in the second embodiment to the fourth embodiment, in the present invention, the pressure detecting sensor 38 is provided so that the pressure inside the applicator head is monitored for high-precision application, and the flow rate is always carried out at a constant flow rate. A method of controlling the rotational speed of the liquid supply pump 13 in such a manner that the target flow pressure value can be achieved. Originally, the role of the liquid sliding portion 33 provided in the applicator head is to alleviate the pulsation of the pump and to cause the smear width to flow uniformly. Further, it is necessary to determine the volume of the liquid slid portion in consideration of the role as the pressure measurement position in the applicator head.

When the volume of the liquid squirting portion 33 is large, the fluctuation of the inflow amount of the small smear 12 from the pump is not ideal for the sensitivity of the pressure detecting sensor 38. Conversely, if the volume is too small, the sensitivity is too high. The effects of noise components will also become stronger and worse. The approximate target, the evaluation of the application performance is a numerical range within ±3% of the allowable range of the film thickness which is a subject of certain discussion. The film thickness refers to the distribution of the height of the application liquid 12 on the applied substrate. However, since the area to be coated is constant, the film thickness is discharged from the applicator head 15 and the application liquid placed on the substrate 16 to be coated is applied. The volume distribution can be replaced within ±3%. In the above-described embodiment, in order to make the discharge flow rate from the applicator head 15 constant, the pressure in the applicator head is detected, and this pressure is controlled to be constant. In order to satisfy the above-described specification value, it is necessary to increase the pressure detection sensitivity to about 1/10 of the required specification value, that is, to an accuracy of about ±0.1 to 0.3%. As a result, each of the coated substrates has one When the volume of the liquid sluice portion is 10 times or less of the amount of the application liquid, the surface of the liquid smearing portion can be sufficiently matched.

There are other restrictions on pressure detection. If the pressure value of the liquid slidable portion 33 is too large, it will become a factor for deforming the member formed by the application head. As a result, the film thickness distribution in the direction of the application width is formed, and naturally, the upper limit of the pressure value for the stable application is set. The upper limit is strictly dependent on the viscosity of the application liquid, the structure of the applicator head, and the liquid supply pump. However, in the range of the application device to be applied, the amount of central deformation in the nozzle opening of the inner pressure container is The most restrictive element of the pressure value. In other words, the pressure value within ±3% of the amount of deformation in the center (corresponding to a deformation amount of at most 6%) is the upper limit. In the embodiment, the internal pressure of 10 MPa is the upper limit of deformation. In this case, when the volume of the liquid slidable portion is about 5 times or more of the amount of application per one of the substrates to be coated, the flow rate fluctuation caused by the deformation can be suppressed. Below ±3%.

On the other hand, it is known from experience that the pulsation caused by the liquid supply pump 13 can be absorbed in the pulsation reduction with a minimum liquid immersion volume of the total application amount of each of the applied substrates 16.

Further, in order to uniformly distribute the flow rate in the entire application width so that the pressure distribution in the liquid slidable portion 33 is not generated, it is important to maintain the same pressure state, and if the volume of the liquid slidable portion 33 is too small, distribution occurs in the direction of the application width. As a problem, if a certain value or more is ensured, a stable parallel flow can be obtained. This condition is a width of the liquid slidable portion having a smear width or more, and a volume of the liquid slidable portion 33 has a volume of three times or more per smear of the substrate, and a good result can be obtained.

In the eleventh diagram, the evaluation parameters are displayed on the vertical axis, and the relationship between the volume of the liquid slidable portion and the ratio of the smear amount per one of the coated substrates is roughly shown on the horizontal axis. From this result, it is understood that the volume of the liquid slidable portion provided in the applicator head is set to 5 to the total flow rate of the application liquid applied to one of the substrates to be coated, in order to achieve stable film thickness within ±3% of the applied thickness. 10 times is necessary. The parameter defined by this numerical value can be changed from the amount of opening displacement in the central portion of the applicator head nozzle portion 40 due to the maximum pressure during the application process, the necessary sensitivity for pressure detection, and the horizontal direction accompanying the pumping liquid. The pulsation absorption and the application width are uniformly determined by the four factors that ensure the parallel flow of the application liquid.

(Example 6)

As shown in Fig. 3, in the usual type of application head, the application liquid 12 conveyed from the liquid supply pump 13 passes through the application head slit spacer 39 once it flows into the liquid discharge portion 33, and finally from the application head nozzle. The portion 40 is applied to the substrate 16 to be coated. The flow path at this time is a jet flow which is discharged perpendicularly to the substrate surface. In the case of the jet application, after the application liquid 12 collides with the surface of the substrate to be coated 16, the application liquid 12 flows forward and backward toward the substrate. Although the application liquid 12 stays in the narrow parallel portion of the bottom surface of the nozzle, there is no major problem. However, as shown in Fig. 12, it immediately stays in the forward direction of the nozzle, and the discharged application liquid 12 is initially uncontrollable. (Control the insoluble application solution 41). Now, all the devices in which the slit applicator is published in the world are handled by the dope 41 which is not controlled by the progress direction (front) of the applicator head 15 by a bulldozer. The method of applying is the current state, and the film thickness is held by the gap between the applicator head 15 and the substrate to be coated 16, and is formed by the "scraping action" corresponding to "shovel" on the front surface of the applicator head 15. In this method, the unsuitable application liquid 41 which is retained in front of the applicator head 15 cannot be handled, and is handled by any method which is not necessary by the end of the application. In the conventional method, no good film can be satisfied. Thick distribution and good method of applying shape. Here, as described below, it is possible to achieve a favorable application condition in which the film thickness variation is small.

(D-1) Remove or reduce the control fluid that is stuck in front of the applicator head.

(D-2) Reduce the pressure in the applicator head as much as possible.

(D-3) Instantly detect the physical quantity that can be detected by a small flow change, and feed back to the controller, that is, the liquid feed pump.

(D-4) In order to be a mechanism for setting the application interval and the slit interval with high precision, it is necessary to improve the machining accuracy.

(D-5) It is also necessary to ensure the smoothness of the applied substrate and the cleanness of the surface.

Fig. 13 shows an example of the structure of the applicator head of the present invention which can solve the above-mentioned technical problems. As can be seen from the figure, the flow path of the application liquid 12 of the applicator head 15 (the application head slit interval portion 39 and the applicator head nozzle portion 40) is a smear that is set at an angle to the surface of the substrate 16 to be coated, which is not a right angle. Head structure. It is not formed by the application surface generated by the continuous slit of the slit applicator, and the head structure for drawing a large number of wirings such as the finger electrodes of the solar cell is described in Japanese No. 2011-270861, but the structure and constituent elements forming the inclined flow path are completely different. In the present invention, the two applicator head constituent elements, that is, between the head cavity plate 30 and the head back support plate 31, are used to hold the spacer pad 32, and the application interval is maintained to form the nozzle face of the applicator head 15. A structure that is cut obliquely. The collision energy of the application liquid 12 is greatly alleviated by inclining the flow path of the applicator head 15 with respect to the substrate surface. Further, the discharge pressure can be lowered by increasing the real cross-sectional area of the flow path by inclining the flow path. The pressure detecting sensor 38 detects the pressure fluctuation caused by the discharge flow, and returns to the rotational speed of the liquid feeding pump 13. By the use of the applicator head 15, the above (D-2) and (D-3) can be satisfied. (D-4) and (D-5) are necessary conditions for all the smears to be common. Therefore, if this part is not mentioned, but it can satisfy (D-1), it becomes a sufficient condition. The angle of inclination of the applicator head is suitably 45 to 75 degrees to the surface of the substrate to be coated. In the following angles, the smear shape represented by the linearity in the smear start position and the end position deteriorates. Further, in the above angles, as in the conventional method, the effect of suppressing the jet flow is less likely to be expected.

The application by the slit applicator has a case where the applied substrate 16 is fixed and the application head 15 is moved and applied as shown in Fig. 14 (a); and as shown in Fig. (b), The application head 15 fixes the case where the application substrate 16 is moved. In the case of (D-1) and (a), when the application head 15 is applied in a direction in which the applicator head 15 is not moved down, a coating result having a uniform film thickness distribution can be obtained. On the other hand, in the case of (b), the direction in which the applicator head 15 falls down will be applied. Good results can be obtained if the sheet 16 is applied movably. In each of the cases (a) and (b), if the operation is reversed, the (D-1) cannot be satisfied, and the result is the same as the conventional one.

By introducing the applicator head as shown in Fig. 13 and the pressure control concept, it is possible to obtain a smear effect from the conventional method, and in particular, the film having a film thickness of 10 μm or less is more effective. Significantly, significant superiority can be demonstrated.

(Example 7)

In the case where the application of the film thickness is relatively large and the case where the application width is relatively large, there is a case where the application head which is inclined by the flow path cannot be used from the viewpoint of attachment and processing of the device to the applicator head. With respect to the surface of the conventionally coated substrate, the structure of the applicator head having a right-angled flow path axis cannot be obtained by a small change. In order to obtain a good film thickness distribution, it is necessary to satisfy the conditions of the above (D-1) to (D-3) at the minimum.

In Fig. 15, a cross-sectional view of the applicator head of the present invention is shown. The applicator head for jet application is composed of two thick metal structural elements, that is, the head cavity plate 30 and the head back plate 31. In the third embodiment, the applicator head nozzle portion 40 which is close to the substrate to be coated 16 has a parallel portion to the surface of the substrate 16 to be coated. Therefore, the application liquid 12 discharged in the state of the jet flow is diffused and diffused toward the front and rear of the applicator head 15. Thereby, the retention of the insufficiency of the application liquid 41 is in front of the applicator head 15, and the film thickness is not a large factor.

In the present invention, according to the diffusion flow generated by the jet The movement is slightly reduced, and the flow direction is consciously produced. By changing the heights of the two structural elements constituting the applicator head 15, a structure having a step parallel to the applicator head nozzle portion 40 is formed.

For example, when the application film thickness is 200 μm (micrometers), the difference in height between the head cavity plate 30 and the head back support plate 31 constituting the applicator head 15, that is, the step difference between the two pallets is set to 190 μm (micrometer). When the application interval of the height of the tip end and the substrate 16 to be coated is set to 10 μm (micrometer), the application interval to the other structural element is 200 μm (micrometer), and regular application is possible.

In this case, it is necessary to apply the element having a narrow application interval as the front to the direction in which the application is performed. Different from the conventional smear, the element having a narrow smear interval is spouted to the nozzle of the application liquid, and the smear of the defensive wall can minimize the retention of the above-mentioned unsuitable smear, by the rear. A stable flow path is formed for high-precision application. If the direction of the applicator head can be changed, it is necessary because attention is not only completely ineffective, and the condition is further deteriorated.

Because of this configuration, it is not suitable in the case of applying a very small film thickness. In this case, the flow path axis in the aforementioned applicator head is advantageous for the applicator head which is inclined with respect to the substrate surface.

11‧‧‧Slots

12‧‧‧Smear

13‧‧‧ pump

14‧‧‧Pipe

15‧‧‧Smear head

16‧‧‧Applied substrate

17‧‧‧Station

18‧‧‧AC servo motor

19‧‧‧Substrate moving X-axis ball screw

20‧‧‧Elevated frame

21‧‧‧Smear head fixed Z-axis platform

22‧‧‧AC servo motor for Z-axis drive

38‧‧‧Pressure detection sensor

Claims (12)

In a smear method, at least one of the application head and the substrate to be coated is attached to the application substrate by discharging the application liquid from the linear discharge port of the application head from the constant flow pump to the application head. Relatively moving, a smear film is formed on the substrate to be coated, and a liquid sliding portion having a width equal to or greater than a smear width is formed in the applicator head, and the first pressure is detected in which the pressure of the liquid sliding portion is immediately detected. The means is determined based on the relationship between the supply amount per unit time of the film thickness and the pressure of the liquid sliding portion and the rotational speed of the constant flow pump, which are determined in advance, and is detected by the first pressure detecting means. The pressure of the liquid flow portion is feedback-controlled so as to control the pressure of the liquid flow portion, and the thickness of the application film is distributed in a predetermined shape. The smear method of the first aspect of the invention, wherein the feedback control of the rotational speed of the constant flow pump when the pressure control of the liquid sliding portion is performed is performed by increasing the rotational speed of the constant flow pump and applying the smear When the supply flow rate of the liquid is increased, and the rotation speed of the constant flow pump is decreased and the supply flow rate of the application liquid is decreased, the control ratio is changed. The smear method of claim 1, wherein a second pressure detecting means is provided at the outlet of the constant flow pump in addition to the first pressure detecting means, and the control is dependent on the first pressure detecting at the time of application Means of the rotation of the aforementioned constant flow pump, In the vicinity of the application end portion, the back pressure caused by the reverse rotation of the constant flow pump can be performed by the differential pressure generated by the first and second pressure detecting means. An applicator head structure which is mounted on a smear device that supplies a smear from a constant flow pump to a liquid slidable portion having a width equal to or larger than a smear width formed in the applicator head, and the aforementioned discharge port from the linear discharge port of the applicator head The application liquid is discharged toward the substrate to be coated, and at least one of the application head and the substrate to be coated is relatively moved, and an application film is formed on the substrate to be coated, and is characterized by: a back-to-back plate and a head cavity plate. a metal member, wherein the tip end portions of the head back plate and the head cavity plate are parallel to the application surface of the coated substrate, and the distance from the application surface of the applied substrate is different, and is formed in a cross-sectional view. The difference is the segment. The applicator head structure of claim 4, wherein a step portion of the step that is close to a surface of the application surface of the applied substrate is located in front of the application direction. The applicator head structure according to the fourth or fifth aspect of the invention, wherein the volume of the liquid sluice portion of the application liquid for detecting the pressure in the application head is set to be a supply of the application liquid per one of the coated substrates. 5 to 10 times the amount. An applicator head structure which is mounted on a smear device that supplies a smear from a constant flow pump to a liquid slidable portion having a width equal to or larger than a smear width formed in the applicator head, and the aforementioned discharge port from the linear discharge port of the applicator head The application liquid is discharged toward the substrate to be coated, and the application head and the applied base are applied. At least one of the plates moves relative to each other, and a coating film is formed on the applied substrate, wherein the discharge flow path in the application head is inclined to the application surface of the applied substrate, and the inside of the application head is detected. The volume of the liquid sluice portion of the application liquid for pressure is set to be 5 to 10 times the supply amount of the application liquid per one of the coated substrates. In a smear method, a smear is supplied from a constant flow pump to a liquid sliding portion having a width equal to or larger than a smear width formed in the application head, and the application liquid is discharged from the linear discharge port of the application head to the substrate to be coated. At least one of the application head and the substrate to be coated is relatively moved, and an application film is formed on the substrate to be coated, wherein the application head having the application surface of the application substrate is inclined by using a discharge flow path in the application head. At the time of application, the application head is moved, and when the substrate to be coated is fixed, the application head is slid in a direction in which the application head is not lowered, or the application head is fixed, and the applied substrate is moved. When the application substrate is moved in the direction in which the application head is lowered, the volume of the liquid slidable portion of the application liquid for detecting the pressure in the application head is set to be the application liquid for each of the coated substrates. 5 to 10 times the supply. A smear method, characterized in that the smear method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, and 8 The applicator head is a applicator head as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7. An application device characterized in that an application film is formed on the applied substrate by a coating method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, 8, and 9. In a smear method, a smear is supplied from a constant flow pump to a liquid sliding portion having a width equal to or larger than a smear width formed in the application head, and the application liquid is discharged from the linear discharge port of the application head to the substrate to be coated. At least one of the application head and the substrate to be coated is relatively moved, and a coating film is formed on the substrate to be coated, and is characterized in that a detection means for measuring the film thickness attached to the application head is provided, and the subsequent film is applied. The thickness measurement result and the trend result of the film thickness measurement result are predicted as the rotation speed of the constant flow pump which is the operation amount at the time of formation of the application film, and the application film thickness is distributed by a predetermined shape by controlling the supply amount of the application liquid. Ground formation. In an application device, the application liquid is supplied from a constant flow pump to a liquid sliding portion having a width equal to or larger than the application width formed in the application head, and the application liquid is discharged from the linear discharge port of the application head toward the substrate to be coated. At least one of the application head and the substrate to be coated is relatively moved, and an application film is formed on the substrate to be coated, and is characterized in that: a measuring means for measuring a film thickness of the application film attached to the application head and measuring the application of the application film And become the film thickness measurement result and the aforementioned film thickness The trend result of the measurement result predicts an operation device for controlling the rotational speed of the above-described constant flow pump for the amount of operation necessary for the control.