TWI693478B - Maskless exposure device and exposure method - Google Patents

Abstract

A maskless exposure device is obtained. The maskless exposure device is capable of exposing continuous substrates without interruption or meandering of pattern lines, and can expose continuous elongated patterns with high accuracy.

The maskless exposure device includes: exposure means containing an array of light modulating elements; substrate holding means, which holds a part of the longitudinal direction of the elongated substrate in a planar shape; relative movement means, which is in the longitudinal direction of the elongated substrate, so that The exposure means moves relative to the substrate holding means; the data memory means memorizes the divided exposure pattern data that divides the stripe exposure pattern data of the stripe substrate in the length direction of the stripe substrate; and the exposure control means borrows The relative movement means moves the exposure means and the substrate holding means relatively, and according to the divided exposure pattern data memorized by the data memory means, causes the exposure means to expose the long substrate.

Description

Maskless exposure device and exposure method

The invention relates to a maskless exposure device and an exposure method for directly drawing and forming a long pattern without using a photomask.

In large machines such as automobiles, electrical device parts (control circuit boards, etc.) are installed in plural places. In the past, signal wires or power wires between electrical device parts have conventionally used bundled plural covered wires (covered wires). On the other hand, because the weight of the covered electric wire is heavy, it is tried to use the wiring by the FPC board instead of the covered electric wire. In the case of an FPC board, multiple wires are concentrated into a predetermined planar shape, the thickness is thinner than that of the covered wire, and the flexibility of the wires increases the degree of freedom of wiring.

【Advanced Patent Literature】 【Patent Literature】

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-227661

[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-300804

However, compared to small FPC substrates, exposure devices for large FPC substrates, particularly long FPC substrates, have difficulties. In particular, use The contact exposure device of the photomask needs to prepare a photomask corresponding to the entire surface of the long pattern. Since several photomasks must be replaced while performing exposure, there is a problem that the exposure device becomes large or the productivity is low.

On the other hand, as an apparatus for exposing a pattern to an FPC substrate without using a photomask, a roll-to-roll hoodless exposure apparatus is known. The hoodless exposure apparatus includes a DMD (Digital Micro-mirror Device) in an exposure section Array of light modulation components. In the case of such a maskless exposure apparatus, in order to obtain exposure accuracy, an exposure table is generally used for exposure while maintaining the plane of the elongated substrate (Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses a roll-to-roll hoodless exposure device that sucks and fixes a long substrate (workpiece) on an exposure table, and connects the exposure portion and the surface of the long workpiece in the optical axis direction When the distance is kept at a constant value, the light modulation element array and the long workpiece are relatively moved, and the pattern light is projected on the photosensitive agent layer on the surface of the long workpiece. However, in the roll-to-roll hoodless exposure device shown in Patent Document 1, since the long pattern exceeding the size of the table cannot be exposed, the maximum size of the FPC substrate that can be exposed is limited by the size of the table.

On the other hand, Patent Document 2 is a roll-to-roll hoodless exposure apparatus that does not use a table. Since a long workpiece that is erected on two rollers and continuously transported is continuously exposed during transport, the maximum size of the FPC substrate is not limited by the size of the table. However, in a hoodless exposure apparatus that does not have an exposure stage as shown in Patent Document 2, it is difficult to perform exposure while maintaining the flatness of the work, so there is a problem in exposure accuracy.

The present invention is based on the above problem awareness, and its object is to obtain a maskless exposure device and an exposure method, the maskless exposure device The board will not be broken or meandered, and it can expose the continuous long pattern with high precision.

The present invention is accomplished based on the following points: when exposing a long pattern to a long substrate held by a substrate holding means (exposure table), the long pattern is adjusted according to the position of a part of the exposed long pattern The exposure position of the remaining part of the pattern (or the remaining part of the long pattern), thereby forming a continuously connected pattern.

The maskless exposure device of the present invention is characterized by including: an exposure means containing an array of light modulating elements; a substrate holding means that holds a part of the longitudinal direction of the elongated substrate in a plane shape; a relative movement means is located on the elongated The longitudinal direction of the substrate moves the exposure means and the substrate holding means relatively; the data memory means memorizes the divided exposure pattern data that divides the long exposure pattern data of the elongated substrate in the longitudinal direction of the elongated substrate; and the exposure The control means causes the exposure means to expose the elongated substrate according to the divided exposure pattern data memorized by the data storage means under the relative movement means to move the exposure means and the substrate holding means relatively.

The exposure control means is in a preferred embodiment. According to one piece of divided exposure pattern data, the position of the divided pattern exposed on the elongated substrate is used as a reference by the exposure means to adjust the unexposed divided exposure pattern that is subsequently exposed At the exposure position of the data, a continuously connected strip pattern is formed on the strip substrate.

The adjacent divided exposure pattern data is preferably overlapped in the longitudinal direction of the long substrate.

The exposure control means is preferably provided with a mark position detection means, which detects the position of the pattern alignment mark formed by the strip substrate exposed by the exposure means.

Preferably, the exposure position control means further includes a substrate end face detection means. The substrate end face detection means detects the position of at least one end face of the elongated substrate along the relative movement direction.

Moreover, the exposure position control means is provided with an imaging means, which captures the pattern alignment mark and the substrate end face in the same field of view, and has both the mark position detection means and the substrate end face detection means.

The data memory means actually switches the divided exposure pattern data exposed by the divided exposure means according to the transportation of the long substrate.

The maskless exposure method of the present invention is to form a continuously connected strip pattern on the strip substrate by a maskless exposure device. The maskless exposure device includes: an exposure means including a light modulating element that generates an exposure pattern Array; substrate holding means, which holds a part of the longitudinal direction of the elongated substrate in a planar shape; and relative movement means, which moves the exposure means and the substrate holding means relatively in the longitudinal direction of the elongated substrate; the coverless The exposure method is characterized by a forming step, which is to form a plurality of divided exposure pattern data that divides the strip exposure pattern data of the strip substrate in the longitudinal direction of the strip substrate; the exposure step uses the relative movement means Moving the exposure means and the substrate holding means relatively, exposing any selected one of the plurality of divided exposure pattern data to the elongated substrate; and the exposure step is based on the one selected divided exposure pattern data Using the exposure means to expose the position of the divided pattern of the long substrate as a reference, adjust the unexposed divided exposure pattern data of the subsequent exposure The exposure position exposes the continuously connected strip pattern on the strip substrate.

In the maskless exposure method here, the divided exposure pattern data adjacent to each other are preferably overlapped in the longitudinal direction of the elongated substrate.

According to the maskless exposure device and the exposure method of the present invention, the long substrate will not be broken or meandered, and continuous long patterns can be exposed with high accuracy.

1‧‧‧Exposure device

2‧‧‧Bracket

10‧‧‧Supply Department

11‧‧‧Supply reel

12, 14‧‧‧Guide roller

13‧‧‧Supply side tension roller

15‧‧‧Supply side brake roller

16‧‧‧Front and rear position sensor

20‧‧‧winding section

21‧‧‧winding reel

22、24‧‧‧Guide roller

23‧‧‧winding side tension roller

25‧‧‧winding side brake roller

30‧‧‧Exposure Department

31‧‧‧Exposure table (substrate holding means)

32‧‧‧Mobile part of table (relative moving means)

33‧‧‧rail

34‧‧‧ Lifting Department

41‧‧‧Aim at the camera

51‧‧‧Exposure unit (exposure means)

52‧‧‧Exposure unit driver

60‧‧‧Exposure device control unit

60a‧‧‧Image Processing Department

60b‧‧‧Mark position detection method

60c‧‧‧Substrate detection method

60d‧‧‧ Split exposure data production department

60e‧‧‧memory means

60f‧‧‧Exposure control method

61‧‧‧Monitor

W‧‧‧Long substrate (photosensitive substrate)

A‧‧‧The first exposure start position on the long substrate W (point A)

A1‧‧‧The first exposure start position on the long substrate W (point A1)

B‧‧‧End position of exposure on the strip substrate W (point B)

DE‧‧‧ exposed area (area that can be exposed in one exposure step)

P‧‧‧Long exposure pattern data

DP1~DP5‧‧‧‧Exposure pattern data

AO1~AO4‧‧‧‧overlap

MP‧‧‧ Pattern alignment mark

AC‧‧‧Focus on camera 41

AE‧‧‧Exposure range of exposure unit 51

EW‧‧‧Substrate end face

PL‧‧‧Line drawing pattern (split pattern)

Fig. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a roll-to-roll type exposure apparatus to which the coverless exposure apparatus of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the exposure device of FIG. 1 that is aligned with the camera and the exposure table.

FIG. 3 is a plan view including the exposure unit of the exposure device of FIG. 1 and a part directed toward the camera.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of the maskless exposure apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an example of the long exposure pattern data drawn on the long substrate using the maskless exposure device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing that the strip exposure pattern data of FIG. 5 is divided into 5 parts of divided exposure pattern data in the longitudinal direction of the strip substrate.

Figure 7 (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), and (6) are the exposures of the long substrate when divided exposure is performed based on the divided exposure pattern data divided as shown in Figure 6 A plan view of an example of the operation of the unit and the substrate aligned with the camera and the exposure table.

Fig. 1 shows the basic structure of a roll-to-roll type exposure apparatus 1 to which the maskless exposure apparatus of the present invention is applied. The exposure apparatus 1 includes, in order from the upstream side to the downstream side of the transport direction M of the long substrate (workpiece) W, a supply unit 10 for supplying the long substrate W; and an exposure unit 30 for exposing the pattern to the long substrate An electronic circuit is formed on the surface of W; and the winding part 20 collects the exposed long substrate W.

The long substrate W is a sheet-like substrate using a copper-clad laminate or the like coated with a photosensitive material such as a photoresist, and has a length of tens to hundreds of meters. After exposure, through the steps of development, etching, cutting, etc., it becomes the base material of the FPC substrate.

The supply unit 10 constitutes a workpiece supply system including a supply reel 11, a guide roller 12, a supply-side tension roller 13, and a guide roller 14 in order from the upstream side to the downstream side of the transport direction M of the long substrate W The supply-side brake roller 15 and the front-end position sensor 16 are used to supply the long substrate W to the exposure section 30. The winding section 20 constitutes a workpiece winding system including a winding-side brake roller 25, a guide roller 24, and a winding-side tension in order from the upstream side to the downstream side of the transport direction M of the long substrate W The roller 23, the guide roller 22, and the winding reel 21 are used to wind the long substrate W exposed by the exposure unit 30.

The exposure unit 30 is arranged between the supply-side brake roller 15 and the winding-side brake roller 25. The moving direction (transport direction M) of the long substrate W moving between the supply-side brake roller 15 and the winding-side brake roller 25 is defined as the X direction, and the direction (thickness direction) orthogonal to the long substrate W is defined In the Z direction, the direction orthogonal to the X direction and the Z direction is defined as the Y direction. The exposure unit 30 includes an exposure stage (substrate holding means) 31, a pair of alignment cameras 41 (refer to FIG. 2), and Exposure unit (exposure means) 51.

The exposure unit 51 includes a plurality of exposure heads (not shown), and is regularly arranged at a predetermined distance from the long substrate W vertically upward. A light source and an illumination optical system (not shown) are arranged for each exposure head, and the light emitted from the light source is guided to the corresponding exposure head through the corresponding illumination optical system, respectively. Each exposure head includes a DMD (Digital Micro-mirror Device) in which a plurality of micro-mirrors are arranged two-dimensionally, and an imaging optical system that images the DMD image on a long substrate. The exposure unit 51 can expose an image in the exposure range AE (see FIG. 3).

The technique of multiple exposure of a pattern using DMD is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-084444, and is a well-known technique widely used in practice. In addition, a technique for drawing a case using a plurality of headers is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-195512, and is a well-known technique that has been widely put into practical use.

The exposure unit (exposure means) 51 is formed by dividing the strip exposure pattern data exposed on the strip substrate W into a plurality of split exposure pattern data after being produced in the length direction of the strip substrate W, and then dividing the split exposure pattern data according to Sequence exposure on the long substrate W. FIG. 5 shows a specific example of the strip exposure pattern data P, and FIG. 6 shows the split exposure pattern data DPn (n=1 to 5) that divides the strip exposure pattern data P into 5 parts in the length direction of the strip substrate W ). The long exposure pattern data P is as shown in the figure, for example, a wiring pattern with a size of 2000 (X) × 250 (Y) mm. The width or interval of the wiring is, for example, 2 mm. The figure shows an example of a wiring-only pattern. However, a circuit pattern or the like for assembling electrical components may be provided in a long pattern.

The divided exposure pattern data DP1 to DP5 are shown in Figure 6, There are overlapping sections AO1 to AO4, and each of the overlapping sections AO1 to AO4 includes a pair of pattern alignment marks MP on both sides in the Y direction of the line drawing pattern PL extending in the longitudinal direction of the long substrate W.

The exposure table 31 sucks (for example, vacuum sucks) the back surface of the long substrate W and holds it in a planar shape, and can move freely in the X direction and the Z direction. That is, the rack 2 is provided with a guide rail 33 extending in the X direction, and supports a lifting section 34 that lifts the exposure table 31 to the table moving section 32, and the table moving section 32 is supported by the guide rail 33 to be freely movable . The exposure stage 31 is raised and lowered between the upper end position in contact with the back surface of the elongated substrate W and the lower end position separated from the back surface of the elongated substrate W by the elevating portion 34. The table moving unit 32 is movable in the forward and reverse directions (downstream direction and upstream direction) in the X direction. In FIG. 1, the movable trajectory 31M of the exposure stage 31 is shown by a two-dot chain line. The table moving unit 32 constitutes relative movement means for relatively moving the exposure table 31 and the exposure unit 51 in the longitudinal direction of the long substrate W. The range (area) of the exposure table 31 that can adsorb and hold the long substrate W at a time is, for example, 620 (X)×520 (Y) mm.

FIG. 2 is a view of the state where the exposure stage 31 sucks and holds the long substrate W from the substrate surface side. The symbol DE indicates an area that can be exposed in one exposure step (ie, an area that divides the exposure pattern data DP1 to DP5). Symbol A is the exposure start position of the first exposure step, and symbol B is the exposure end position of the first exposure step.

A pair of alignment cameras 41 are provided on the upstream side of the exposure unit 51, and photograph the pattern alignment marks MP that are exposed and formed on the long substrate W. The image captured by each alignment camera 41 is processed by the image processing unit 60a (refer to FIG. 4), and the pattern alignment mark is obtained by the mark position detection means 60b MP location information.

In this embodiment, the alignment camera 41 not only captures the pattern alignment mark MP, but also takes the substrate end surface EW as a kind of mark for shooting, and is provided with a substrate end surface detection means 60c that detects the position of the end surface. If the pattern alignment mark MP and the substrate end surface EW enter the field of view AC of the alignment camera 41 at the same time, the alignment camera 41 can be photographed without moving the alignment camera 41 in the Y direction (Figure 5), but The alignment camera 41 may be moved in the Y direction to capture the pattern alignment mark MP and the substrate end surface EW. Here, the alignment camera 41, the image processing section 60a, and the substrate end surface detection means 60c constitute substrate end surface detection means that detects the position of at least one end surface of the long substrate W along the relative movement direction. The alignment camera 41 is an imaging means that combines the mark position detection means 60b and the substrate end face detection means 60c by capturing the pattern alignment mark MP and the substrate end face EW in the same field of view CA.

By obtaining the position information of the substrate end surface EW by the image processing section 60a (mark position detection means), it is possible to prevent distortion of the divided exposure pattern data DP1 to DP5 (snake) or the divided exposure pattern data DP1 to DP5 from being caused by oblique exposure Beyond the workpiece. Specifically, for example, when determining the exposure positions of the divided exposure pattern data DP1 to DP5, the X-direction correction amount of the divided exposure pattern data DP1 to DP5 is based on the pattern alignment mark MP of at least one of the pair of pattern alignment marks MP Determined by the position information, the Y-direction correction amount is determined based on the position information of at least one substrate end surface EW or the position information of at least one pattern alignment mark MP.

The substrate end face detection means 60c (and the mark position detection means 60b) can detect the X direction of the substrate end face EW (the longitudinal direction of the long substrate W) The angle is used as the θ direction correction amount. For example, the case where the substrate end surface EW (the longitudinal direction of the long substrate W) is parallel to the X direction is detected as 0°. The detected θ-direction correction amount can be adjusted by changing the Y-direction drawing timing of the exposure unit 51 (DMD).

Fig. 4 is a control block diagram of the maskless exposure apparatus of the present invention. The exposure apparatus 1 further includes a supply section 10, a winding section 20, and an exposure section 30, and an exposure apparatus control section 60 that controls these components in an integrated manner. The exposure device control unit 60 includes an image processing unit 60a, a data memory means 60e for storing stripe exposure pattern data, and a split exposure data creation unit 60d for creating split exposure pattern data required for actual exposure from the strip exposure pattern data. The image processing unit 60 a has a function of detecting pattern position information (X-direction position, Y-direction position and tilt angle θ of the divided exposure pattern data DPn) from the image data captured by the alignment camera 41. The exposure device 1 (exposure unit 30) further includes a monitor 61 that displays the image data captured by the camera 41. The user can view the display of the monitor 61 to recognize the alignment.

The exposure apparatus 1 includes a supply reel drive unit 11a that controls the supply reel 11 on the supply unit 10 side, and a brake roller drive unit 15a that controls the supply side brake roller 15 on the winding unit 20 side. The winding reel drive part 21a which drives and controls the winding reel 21 and the brake roller drive part 25a which drives and controls the winding side brake roller 25. The exposure device control unit 60 applies forward and reverse rotational forces to the supply reel 11 and the winding reel 21 via the supply reel driving unit 11a and the winding reel driving unit 21a, and moves the long substrate W forward and backward. The exposure device control unit 60 presses the long substrate through the pair of supply-side brake rollers 15 and the pair of winding-side brake rollers 25 via the brake roller drive units 15a and 25ba W, and move in the X direction of the long substrate W to generate a braking force (load). Further, the pair of supply-side brake rollers 15 and the pair of winding-side brake rollers 25 are separated from the long substrate W to release the braking force (load). The exposure device control unit 60 detects the front and rear ends of the elongated substrate W in the X direction (longitudinal direction) from the front and rear end position sensors 16 and passes through these front and rear ends.

The exposure section 30 includes an exposure unit driving section 52 that drives the exposure unit 51 based on the divided exposure pattern data generated by the divided exposure data creation section 60d. The exposure section 30 includes a table movement drive section 32a that drives the table movement section 32 under the control of the exposure device control section 60, a lifting section drive section 34a that drives the lifting section 34 to move the exposure table 31 up and down, and the exposure The surface of the table 31 attracts or releases the suction driving portion 31a of the long substrate W.

The divided exposure data production unit 60d produces the divided exposure pattern data DPn required for the exposure step of one portion based on the long exposure pattern data P memorized by the data memory means 60e. Among them, n is a positive integer of 2 or more, and the maximum value becomes the number of divisions of the long exposure pattern data P. The divided exposure data creation unit 60d creates the divided exposure pattern data DPn so that the divided exposure pattern data DP is created from the long exposure pattern data P in such a manner that the divided exposure pattern overlaps in the overlap interval AO. The exposure unit driving unit 52 drives the exposure unit 51 based on the divided exposure pattern data DPn, and exposes the divided exposure pattern to the long substrate W.

The exposure device control unit 60 is provided with exposure control means 60f (FIG. 4), which performs a plurality of exposure operations by switching the divided exposure pattern data DPn, thereby connecting one continuous strip The line drawing pattern PL is exposed to the long substrate W. The exposure device control unit 60 (exposure control means 60f) is via the above driving units 11a and 15a, 21a and 25a, 31a and 32a and 34a drive control each component of the supply unit 10, the winding unit 20, and the exposure unit 30.

The pattern alignment mark MP on the drawing data may include the stripe exposure pattern data P in advance, or the pattern alignment mark MP may be automatically added when the divided exposure pattern data DPn is produced.

The pattern alignment mark MP on the drawing is represented by a round mark, but it may also be a well-known position alignment mark such as a cross.

Next, based on FIG. 7, an example of the exposure operation of the maskless exposure apparatus and exposure method according to the present invention will be described. In Fig. 7, the left direction in the X direction is defined as the downstream direction, and the right direction is defined as the upstream direction.

Step 1: The exposure stage 31 at the preparation position rises from the lowered position to the holding position of the long substrate W, and sucks and fixes a part of the back surface of the long substrate W (Figure 7 (1)). The supply-side brake roller 15 and the winding-side brake roller 25 are separated from the elongated substrate W to release the braking force on the movement of the elongated substrate W. In this state, the exposure stage 31 moves the exposure unit 51 in the downstream direction, and the exposure unit 51 draws (exposes) the line drawing pattern (divided pattern) PL on the long substrate W based on the divided exposure pattern data DPn (DP1). The pattern alignment marks MP are exposed to both sides near the upstream end of the line drawing pattern PL. In this way, when the exposure of the divided exposure pattern data DPn (DP1) and the pattern alignment mark MP ends, the exposure stage 31 stops at the X-direction exposure end position (Figure 7 (2)). The exposed pattern alignment mark MP uses the self-coloring effect of the photoresist to form a photographable image.

The timing of the exposure unit 51 drawing (exposure) the divided exposure pattern data DPn (DP1) is from the starting position in the downstream direction according to the exposure table 31 The distance moved is controlled. The exposure start point (the exposure start line orthogonal to the conveyance direction M of the substrate W) A is the first exposure start position on the elongated substrate W, and the exposure end point (the same) B is the first position on the elongated substrate W One exposure end position B.

The exposure of the first divided exposure pattern data DPn (DP1) is because the pattern alignment mark MP is not formed on the substrate, so the pattern alignment mark MP is not captured by the alignment camera 41 before exposure. Alternatively, the end surface EW of the long substrate W is photographed, and the drawing exposure position (Y and θ coordinates) of the divided exposure pattern data DP1 is determined.

Step 2: The supply-side brake roller 15 and the winding-side brake roller 25 pinch the elongated substrate W, the exposure table 31 releases the suction of the elongated substrate W and descends, and the supply reel 11 winds the elongated substrate W and causes The long substrate W moves in the upstream direction. Then, in a state where the alignment camera 41 captures the pattern alignment mark MP in its field of view CA, the supply reel 11 is stopped, and the supply-side brake roller 15 and the winding-side brake roller 25 nip the long substrate W to restrict ( (Suppress) the movement of the long substrate W. After the exposure stage 31 returns to the exposure starting position in the X direction, it rises to the position where the long substrate W is held, and suction-holds the back of a part of the long substrate W that has been stopped (Figure 7 (3)).

The alignment camera 41 captures the pattern alignment mark MP (and the substrate end surface EW), and then, based on the captured image data, the image processing unit 60a detects the position of the pattern alignment mark MP formed on the long substrate W, and then sets the connection The connection position (matching connection position) of the newly exposed divided exposure pattern data DPn+1 (DP2) and the exposed divided exposure pattern data DPn (DP1). The set matching connection position includes the overlapping section AOn(AO1) (Figure 6).

Step 3: Release the supply-side brake roller 15 and the winding-side brake roller 25 The nip of the long substrate W moves the exposure unit 51 in the downstream direction while the exposure stage 31 attracts the long substrate W. The exposure unit 51 connects the divided exposure pattern data DPn (DP1) to the divided exposure pattern data DPn+1 (DP2) through the overlap interval AOn (overlap interval AO1) and the divided exposure pattern data DPn (DP1), and the line drawing pattern (divided pattern) of the divided exposure pattern data DP2 PL is drawn (exposed) on the long substrate W, a pair of pattern alignment marks MP are exposed on both sides near the upstream end of the line drawing pattern PL, and the exposure stage 31 stops at the exposure stop position (Figure 7 ( 4)). The divided exposure pattern data DPn (DP1) and DPn+1 (DP2) are connected via the overlap interval AOn (AO1).

The timing of the exposure unit 51 drawing (exposure) the divided exposure pattern data DPn+1 (DP2) is based on the connection position matched in step 2 and the divided exposure pattern data DPn+1 (DP2), and starts from the exposure table 31 from the beginning The distance the position moves in the downstream direction is controlled. The point A1 is the second and subsequent exposure start positions on the elongated substrate W, and coincides with the downstream end point of the overlapping section AOn(AO1) on the elongated substrate W. Point B is the end position of the exposure on the elongated substrate W and coincides with the upstream end point of the divided exposure pattern data DPn+1 (DP2) on the elongated substrate W. The downstream end point of the overlap section AOn (AO2) is the downstream end point of the divided exposure pattern data DPn+1 (DP2), which coincides with the A1 point which is the exposure start position on the long substrate W, and the divided exposure pattern data DPn The upstream end point of +1 (DP2) coincides with point B which is the exposure end position on the long substrate W.

After that, steps 2 and 3 are repeated in sequence to expose the terminal of the long exposure pattern (Figure 7, (5), (6)).

In the above embodiments, the exposure pattern data is divided in order. The DPn is exposed, but the present invention may not expose the divided exposure pattern data DPn sequentially, and the shifting order may, for example, change the order or reverse the order, or may expose the same divided exposure pattern data DPn Plural times.

In the above embodiment, the alignment camera 41 not only captures the pattern alignment mark MP, but also takes the substrate end surface EW as a kind of mark, but it is not necessary to use the substrate end surface EW as a reference. Furthermore, a part of the line drawing pattern PL may be used as the pattern alignment mark without forming (exposure) the special pattern alignment mark MP.

W‧‧‧Strip substrate

AE‧‧‧Exposure unit

51‧‧‧ exposure range

EW‧‧‧Substrate end face

AC‧‧‧Focus on camera 41

31‧‧‧Exposure Workbench

41‧‧‧Aim at the camera

51‧‧‧Exposure unit

MP‧‧‧ Pattern alignment mark

PL‧‧‧Line drawing pattern (split pattern)

Á‧‧‧ The first exposure start position on the long substrate W (point A)

B‧‧‧End position of exposure on the strip substrate W (point B)

AO1‧‧‧Overlap

A1‧‧‧The first exposure start position on the long substrate W (point A1)

AO2‧‧‧Overlap interval

Claims (8)

A maskless exposure device is characterized by comprising: an exposure means containing an array of light modulating elements; a substrate holding means, which holds a part of the longitudinal direction of the elongated substrate in a plane shape; a relative movement means, which is attached to the elongated substrate The longitudinal direction, the exposure means and the substrate holding means are relatively moved; the data memory means is to store the strip exposure pattern data exposed on the strip substrate; the division exposure data production section, based on the strip exposure pattern The divided exposure pattern data divided in the longitudinal direction of the elongated substrate; and the exposure control means is based on the divided exposure memorized by the data memory means when the exposure means and the substrate holding means are relatively moved by the relative movement means Pattern data, so that the exposure means exposes the elongated substrate; wherein the exposure control means switches the divided exposure pattern data exposed by the exposure means according to the conveyance of the elongated substrate. For example, a maskless exposure device according to item 1 of the patent application, wherein the exposure control means is based on the divided exposure pattern data, and the exposure means adjusts the subsequent exposure by using the position of the divided pattern exposed on the elongated substrate as a reference The unexposed exposure position of the divided exposure pattern data forms a continuously connected long pattern on the long substrate. For example, the hoodless exposure device according to item 2 of the patent application, in which adjacent divided exposure pattern data are overlapped in the longitudinal direction of the long substrate. Such as the coverless exposure device of the third patent application, where the exposure control The means is provided with mark position detection means, which detects the position of the pattern alignment mark formed by the strip substrate exposed by the exposure means. As claimed in claim 4 of the scope of the maskless exposure device, wherein the exposure control means is provided with a substrate end face detection means, the substrate end face detection means is to detect at least one end face of the elongated substrate along the relative movement direction s position. For example, a maskless exposure device according to item 5 of the patent application, wherein the exposure control means is provided with an imaging means that captures the pattern alignment mark and the end face of the substrate by capturing the pattern in the same field of view, as well as the position detection of the mark Means and end detection means of the substrate. A maskless exposure method, in which a continuously connected strip pattern is formed on the strip substrate by a maskless exposure device, the maskless exposure device includes: an exposure means, which contains a light modulation element array that generates an exposure pattern ; The substrate holding means is to hold a part of the long substrate in the longitudinal direction into a flat shape; and the relative movement means is to move the exposure means and the substrate holding means relatively in the length direction of the long substrate; it is characterized by having : Forming step, which is to form a plurality of divided exposure pattern data that divide the strip exposure pattern data of the strip substrate in the length direction of the strip substrate; the exposure step is to make the exposure means and the substrate by the relative movement means Under the relative movement of the holding means, the selected one of the plurality of divided exposure pattern data is exposed to the elongated substrate; the switching step, according to the conveyance of the elongated substrate, switches the exposure means to expose The divided exposure pattern data of the light; and the exposure step, based on the position of the divided pattern exposed on the elongated substrate by the exposure means according to the selected divided exposure pattern data as a reference, to adjust the unexposed division of the subsequent exposure The exposure position of the exposure pattern data exposes the continuously connected strip patterns on the strip substrate. For example, the maskless exposure method according to item 7 of the patent application scope, wherein the adjacent divided exposure pattern data is the overlapping of the longitudinal ends of the elongated substrate.

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