WO2013035661A1 - Substrate processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

This substrate processing device forms a pattern on the surface to be treated of a substrate and is provided with: a hollow mask holding part that is rotatable about an axis of rotation and holds a mask in which a pattern is formed; a control device that controls the rotation of the mask holding part and also controls the transporting of substrates; and an optical system which forms the pattern on the substrate and has an optical member that is disposed within the mask holding part and deflects the light that has come via the pattern within the mask holding part.

Description

Substrate processing equipment

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus.
This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-195468 for which it applied on September 7, 2011, and uses the content here.

As display elements constituting display devices such as display devices, for example, liquid crystal display elements, organic electroluminescence (organic EL) elements, electrophoretic elements used in electronic paper, and the like are known. As one of methods for manufacturing these elements, for example, a method called a roll-to-roll method (hereinafter simply referred to as “roll method”) is known (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).

In the roll method, a long sheet-like substrate wound around a substrate supply side roller is sent out and the substrate is transported while being wound up by a substrate recovery side roller, and the substrate is taken out after being sent out. In this manner, a pattern such as a display circuit or a driver circuit is sequentially formed on a substrate until it is formed. In recent years, processing apparatuses that form highly accurate patterns have been proposed.

International Publication No. 2008/1229819

By the way, even in the roll method as described above, there is a demand for a technology that enables a display element to be efficiently manufactured on a substrate.

An object of an aspect of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of performing efficient processing on a substrate.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus for forming a pattern on a surface to be processed of a substrate, which is a hollow mask that holds a mask on which a pattern is formed and is rotatable about a rotation axis. A holding unit, a control device for controlling the rotation of the mask holding unit and controlling the conveyance of the substrate, and an optical element arranged inside the mask holding unit and deflecting light through the pattern inside the mask holding unit A substrate processing apparatus including a member and an optical system for forming a pattern on a substrate is provided.

According to the aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of performing efficient processing on a substrate.

Schematic which shows the structure of the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. Schematic which shows the structure of the processing apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an exposure apparatus according to the present embodiment. Schematic which shows the structure of the mask holding | maintenance apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. Schematic which shows the mechanism of the rotational drive and fine movement of the mask holding | maintenance apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. Schematic which shows the structure of the projection optical system which concerns on this embodiment. Schematic which shows the one aspect | mode of the exposure operation | movement which concerns on this embodiment. Schematic which shows the structure of the mask holding | maintenance apparatus which concerns on the modification of this embodiment. Schematic which shows the structure of the projection optical system which concerns on the modification of this embodiment. Schematic which shows the structure of the projection optical system which concerns on the modification of this embodiment. Schematic which shows the structure of the projection optical system which concerns on the modification of this embodiment. The perspective view which shows the structure of the mask holding | maintenance apparatus which concerns on the modification of this embodiment. Schematic which shows the structure of the projection optical system which concerns on the modification of this embodiment. Schematic which shows the structure of the projection optical system which concerns on the modification of this embodiment. Schematic which shows the structure of the exposure apparatus which concerns on the modification of this embodiment. Schematic which shows the structure of the exposure apparatus which concerns on the modification of this embodiment.

Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a substrate processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 100 performs processing on a substrate supply unit 2 that supplies a strip-shaped substrate (for example, a strip-shaped film member) S and a surface (surface to be processed) Sa of the substrate S. The substrate processing unit 3, the substrate recovery unit 4 that recovers the substrate S, and a control unit CONT that controls these units are provided.

The substrate processing unit 3 executes various processes on the surface of the substrate S after the substrate S is sent out from the substrate supply unit 2 until the substrate S is recovered by the substrate recovery unit 4. The substrate processing apparatus 100 can be used when a display element (electronic device) such as an organic EL element or a liquid crystal display element is formed on the substrate S.

In this embodiment, an XYZ coordinate system is set as shown in FIG. 1, and the following description will be given using this XYZ coordinate system as appropriate. In the XYZ coordinate system, for example, the X axis and the Y axis are set along the horizontal plane, and the Z axis is set upward along the vertical direction. Also, the substrate processing apparatus 100 transports the substrate S from the minus side (− side) to the plus side (+ side) along the X axis as a whole. In that case, the width direction (short direction) of the strip | belt-shaped board | substrate S is set to the Y-axis direction.

As the substrate S to be processed in the substrate processing apparatus 100, for example, a foil such as a resin film or stainless steel can be used. For example, the resin film is made of polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, polyester resin, ethylene vinyl copolymer resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, cellulose resin, polyamide resin, polyimide resin, polycarbonate resin, polystyrene resin, vinyl acetate resin, etc. Can be used.

The substrate S can have a low coefficient of thermal expansion so that its dimensions do not substantially change even when it receives heat at a relatively high temperature (for example, about 200 ° C.) (thermal deformation is small). For example, an inorganic filler can be mixed with a resin film to reduce the thermal expansion coefficient. Examples of the inorganic filler include titanium oxide, zinc oxide, alumina, silicon oxide and the like. The substrate S may be a single piece of ultrathin glass having a thickness of about 100 μm manufactured by a float process or the like, or a laminate in which the resin film or aluminum foil is bonded to the ultrathin glass.

The dimension in the width direction (short direction) of the substrate S is, for example, about 1 m to 2 m, and the dimension in the length direction (long direction) is, for example, 10 m or more. Of course, this dimension is only an example and is not limited thereto. For example, the dimension in the Y direction of the substrate S may be 1 m or less, 50 cm or less, or 2 m or more. Moreover, the dimension of the X direction of the board | substrate S may be 10 m or less.

The substrate S is formed to have flexibility. Here, the term “flexibility” refers to the property that the substrate can be bent without being broken or broken even if a force of its own weight is applied to the substrate. In addition, flexibility includes a property of bending by a force of about its own weight. The flexibility varies depending on the material, size, thickness, environment such as temperature, etc. of the substrate. As the substrate S, a single strip-shaped substrate may be used, but a configuration in which a plurality of unit substrates are connected and formed in a strip shape may be used.

The substrate supply unit 2 supplies and supplies the substrate S wound in a roll shape to the substrate processing unit 3, for example. In this case, the substrate supply unit 2 is provided with a shaft around which the substrate S is wound, a rotation drive device that rotates the shaft, and the like. In addition, for example, a configuration in which a cover portion that covers the substrate S wound in a roll shape or the like may be provided. The substrate supply unit 2 is not limited to a mechanism that sends out the substrate S wound in a roll shape, and includes a mechanism (for example, a nip type driving roller) that sequentially sends the belt-like substrate S in the length direction. I just need it.

The substrate collection unit 4 collects the substrate S that has passed through the substrate processing apparatus 100, for example, in a roll shape. Similar to the substrate supply unit 2, the substrate recovery unit 4 is provided with a shaft for winding the substrate S, a rotational drive source for rotating the shaft, a cover for covering the recovered substrate S, and the like. Alternatively and / or additionally, when the substrate S is cut into a panel shape in the substrate processing unit 3, the substrate recovery unit 4 is wound in a roll shape, for example, the substrate S is recovered in a stacked state. The substrate S may be collected in a state different from the state.

The substrate processing unit 3 transports the substrate S supplied from the substrate supply unit 2 to the substrate recovery unit 4 and processes the surface Sa of the substrate S during the transport process. The substrate processing unit 3 includes a processing device 10 that performs processing on the surface Sa to be processed of the substrate S, and a transport device 20 that includes a driving roller R that sends the substrate S under conditions corresponding to the processing mode. Have.

The processing apparatus 10 has various apparatuses for forming, for example, organic EL elements on the surface Sa to be processed of the substrate S. Examples of such an apparatus include, for example, a partition forming apparatus such as an imprint method for forming a partition on the surface Sa, an electrode forming apparatus for forming an electrode, and a light emitting layer forming apparatus for forming a light emitting layer. Etc.

More specifically, a droplet coating apparatus (for example, an ink jet type coating apparatus), a film forming apparatus (for example, a plating apparatus, a vapor deposition apparatus, a sputtering apparatus), an exposure apparatus, a developing apparatus, a surface modification apparatus, a cleaning apparatus, and the like. It is done. Each of these apparatuses is appropriately provided along the transport path of the substrate S, and a flexible display panel and the like can be produced by a so-called roll-to-roll system. In the present embodiment, an exposure apparatus is provided as the processing apparatus 10, and apparatuses that perform processes before and after the photosensitive apparatus (photosensitive layer forming process, photosensitive layer developing process, etc.) are also provided in-line as necessary.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a schematic overall configuration of an exposure apparatus provided in the processing apparatus 10, and the exposure apparatus in the present embodiment has a plurality of exposure apparatuses EX (EX1 to EX4). Each of the plurality of exposure apparatuses EX1 to EX4 is configured to image-project a part of the mask pattern formed in a cylindrical surface shape onto the projection areas PA1 to PA4 on the processing surface Sa of the substrate S, and the cylindrical mask The apparatus is configured as an apparatus that performs scanning exposure by synchronizing the rotation speed of the pattern and the conveyance speed of the substrate S in the X direction.

The plurality of exposure apparatuses EX1 to EX4 are arranged so that the projection areas PA1 to PA4 closely or partially overlap with each other in the Y direction, and spaced apart so as not to interfere spatially in the X direction. Yes.

In this embodiment, the pattern area to be exposed on the surface Sa to be processed of the substrate S, for example, the entire width (Y direction) of the display panel of the organic EL display is the size of the exposure field of each exposure apparatus (each Y of PA1 to PA4). Here, the stripe-shaped exposed areas on the surface Sa to be scanned and exposed by the exposure fields of the four exposure apparatuses EX1 to EX4 are connected in the Y direction. The

FIG. 3 is a view showing a schematic configuration of the exposure apparatus EX. The plurality of exposure apparatuses EX1 to EX4 have the same configuration. Hereinafter, one exposure apparatus EX will be described as a representative.
As shown in FIG. 3, the exposure apparatus EX is an apparatus that projects an image of a pattern Pm formed on a cylindrical mask M onto a substrate S. The exposure apparatus EX includes an illumination apparatus IL that illuminates the mask M, a projection optical system PL that projects an image of a pattern Pm onto the substrate S, and an axis C that is parallel to the Z axis while holding the mask M in a cylindrical shape. A mask holding device (mask holding unit) MST that can rotate at the center and a substrate transfer device (substrate transfer unit) SST that transfers the substrate S in a state in which the speed is controlled in the X direction are provided.

The illumination device IL includes a light source device 21 for irradiating the mask M with the exposure illumination light ELI and an irradiation optical system 22. The illumination light ELI emitted from the light source device 21 is irradiated to a slit-shaped region on the mask M through the irradiation optical system 22. The irradiation optical system 22 is shown in a simplified manner in FIG. 3, but actually includes a plurality of optical elements that guide the illumination light ELI.

In FIG. 3, the slit-shaped irradiation area of the illumination light ELI extends in the surface length direction of the cylindrical surface of the mask M, that is, the Z direction parallel to the axis C, and the Z direction of the pattern formation area on the mask M on which the pattern Pm is formed. It is set to cover the width of.

The mask holding device MST has a drum member 40 and a driving device ACM. The drum member 40 is formed in a cylindrical shape centered on an axis C parallel to the Z-axis direction. The drum member 40 has a cylindrical surface 40a corresponding to the outer peripheral surface. The drum member 40 is formed so as to hold the mask M along the cylindrical surface 40a.

In the present embodiment, the mask M is made as a transmission type mask substrate in which a pattern Pm is formed on one surface of a strip-shaped ultrathin glass plate (for example, a thickness of 100 to 500 μm) with good flatness using a light shielding layer such as chromium. , And is used in a state of being wound along the cylindrical surface 40a of the drum member 40 while being curved.

Therefore, an opening corresponding to the size of the pattern formation region (region to be projected and exposed) on the mask M is formed on the cylindrical surface 40a of the drum member 40 over a predetermined angle in the circumferential direction. M is held at the peripheral portion of the opening.

A plurality of openings can be provided along the cylindrical surface 40a, such as two places and three places. The same mask M is attached to each opening to increase productivity, or different masks (different products) are attached. For example, a plurality of types of panels having different display sizes can be simultaneously produced on the substrate S.

The drum member 40 is rotatably provided along the circumferential direction of the cylindrical surface 40a (that is, around the axis C as the central axis of the cylindrical surface 40a). The driving device ACM includes a rotary motor that rotates the drum member 40 and an actuator (such as a piezo motor or an electromagnetic linear motor) that finely moves the entire drum member 40 in the X, Y, and Z directions in the drawing.

As the fine movement axis of the drum member 40, an actuator for enabling the axis C during rotation to be slightly tilted in the XZ plane in FIG. 3 may be provided. This is because the longitudinal direction (Z direction) of the irradiated region on the mask M irradiated with the slit-shaped illumination light ELI corresponds to an error that is relatively slightly inclined in the ZX plane during rotation.

The drum member 40 has a first end face 40b formed at an end in the + Z direction and a second end face 40c formed at an end on the −Z side. The drum member 40 is disposed such that the first end surface 40b and the second end surface 40c are parallel to the XY plane. The second end surface 40c of the drum member 40 is directed to the substrate S side.

The mask M is held on the cylindrical surface 40 a so that the pattern surface on which the pattern Pm is formed faces the inside of the drum member 40. For this reason, the pattern Pm is disposed on a surface substantially coinciding with the cylindrical surface 40a. The mask M is detachably held on the cylindrical surface 40a.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the mask holding device MST.
As shown in FIG. 4, the drum member 40 is provided so as to be rotatable about the axis C along the circumferential direction of the cylindrical surface 40 a. The drum member 40 is detachably attached to the exposure apparatus EX by a fixing device (not shown).

As described above, the drum member 40 has a plurality of openings 41 (OP) and 42 (OP) for exposing the pattern formation region of the mask M in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical surface 42a. It is formed according to the size. In the configuration of FIG. 4, two masks M are mounted, and the openings 41 (OP) and 42 (OP) are formed so as to communicate the inside and the outside of the drum member 40.

When the outer dimensions of the two masks M are the same, the circumferential dimension Cm of the mask M when wound is Lm, and the gap dimension between the circumferential masks is Lg, the total circumferential length CW of the cylindrical surface 40a is 2 · (Lm + Lg), and the diameter is CW / π.

The first opening 41 (OP) and the second opening 42 (OP) are arranged so as to face each other across the axis C, and the dimension in the circumferential direction and the dimension in the Z direction are the pattern formation region on the mask M. Larger than the outer dimension of the mask M.

The drum member 40 has a mask suction part SC in a region around the first opening 41 and the second opening 42. The mask suction part SC has a suction port 43 and a suction pump (vacuum source, electromagnetic valve, etc.) 44 connected to the suction port 43. The mask suction unit SC can suck the mask M to the drum member 40 by sucking the outer portion of the pattern formation region of the mask M through the suction port 43. The mask suction unit SC can release the holding of the mask M by stopping the suction of the mask M. By adjusting the suction of the mask suction part SC, the switching between the attachment and removal of the mask M can be performed smoothly.

The mover of the driving device ACM is connected to both end sides or one end side of the drum member 40 in the axis C direction. As such a rotation mechanism, for example, a gear mechanism that transmits a rotational force to the drum member 40 is used. It may be a part, or may be a mover (magnet part or coil part) of an electromagnetic motor mechanism.

In this embodiment, a part of the projection optical system (at least a reflection mirror as a deflecting member) that enters the imaged light beam from the pattern Pm is installed inside the drum member 40. Therefore, the drum member 40 is arranged vertically. It is difficult to provide a mechanical shaft structure along the axis C that is supported and rotated inside the drum.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, as an example, with the structure as shown in FIG. 5, the mask holding device MST (drum member 40) is supported in a vertical arrangement, and rotational driving and fine driving are performed.

In FIG. 5, the second end surface 40C on the lower side of the drum member 40 is placed on the ring-shaped pedestal 200 in a state where the XY directions are positioned by three piece members 200a and 200b (200C not shown). Fixed by vacuum suction or the like.

In this state, the suction port 43 formed around the openings 41 (OP) and 42 (OP) of the cylindrical surface 40 a is connected to a vacuum pump or the like via the second end surface 40 C and the flow path in the pedestal 200. .
The lower surface of the pedestal 200 is formed flat, and a plurality of magnets constituting a linear motor are embedded along the circumference.

Coil members 201a, 201b, 201c constituting a linear motor are arranged at three angular positions below the pedestal 200 at an angular interval of 120 °. Pad surfaces as air bearings are formed on the upper surfaces of the coil members 201a, 201b, and 201c, and the pedestal 200 is given a driving torque in the XY plane in a non-contact state while floating slightly.

The coil members 201a, 201b, and 201c generate a thrust (torque in the tangential direction of the circumference of the drum member 40) that causes the pedestal 200 to rotate around the axis C. In addition, the thrust toward the axis C (drum The radial force of the member 40 can also be generated individually.

Thereby, the pedestal 200 and the drum member 40 can be rotated around the axis C and can also be finely moved in the XY directions.

Furthermore, each of the three coil members 201a, 201b, 201c can be individually adjusted in the height direction in the Z direction by actuators (piezo elements, voice coil motors, etc.) 202a, 202b, 202c that can be finely moved in the Z direction. Thus, the inclination of the pedestal 200 and the drum member 40 is finely adjusted.

Near the first end surface 40b above the drum member 40, a sensor 203a that measures the positional change in the XY plane of the side surface of the drum member 40 and the displacement in the Z direction with an accuracy of submicron or less at an angular interval of 120 °. , 203b, 203c are provided, and posture changes such as a positional deviation error in the X and Y directions when the drum member 40 rotates and a relative tilt error between the Z axis and the axis C are sequentially detected.
Various types of detected error information are used for feedback control and feedforward control of the coil member 201 and the actuator 202, and are controlled so that these errors are not more than an allowable value.

Each of the three sensors 203 also incorporates an optical encoder head, and engraves graduation lines at a constant pitch in the circumferential direction on the side surface parallel to the first end surface 40b or the cylindrical surface 40a of the drum member 40. The provided scale (or hologram scale) is read, and the rotational speed of the drum member 40 (or the scanning speed in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical pattern surface of the mask M) is accurately measured.

In such an encoder system, in order to generate a reference origin signal for each rotation of the drum member 40, an origin mark is also engraved along with the scale.

As the sensor, a non-contact type displacement sensor that detects a positional change in the axis C direction (direction parallel to the XY plane) of the pattern surface of the mask M during rotation of the drum member 40 is provided at a plurality of locations in the Z direction. It is also possible to obtain at least the posture of the pattern surface portion of the mask irradiated with the illumination light ELI in real time and perform focus adjustment and leveling adjustment on the projection optical system by the coil member 201 and the actuator 202.

Here, referring back to FIG. 3, the projection optical system PL schematically shown projects, for example, an image of the pattern Pm onto the substrate S at the same magnification (1 ×), and includes a lens system 51, a reflecting mirror 52, and a lens. A system 53, a concave mirror 54 (which may be a plane mirror), an imaging lens system 55, and the like are included.

As shown in FIG. 5, the drum member 40 is rotatably provided in the exposure apparatus body, whereas the position of the projection optical system PL is fixed in the exposure apparatus body. The lens system 51 is provided in an inner region of the cylindrical drum member 40 (hereinafter, this inner region is appropriately referred to as the inner side of the drum member 40). The lens system 51 guides light (projection light beam) generated from the pattern Pm of the mask M by irradiation of the illumination light ELI.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a partial configuration of the projection optical system PL. In FIG. 6, the drum member 40 is not shown for easy understanding of the drawing.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the reflecting mirror 52 is provided inside the cylindrical drum member 40. The reflecting mirror 52 reflects the projection light beam from the mask M guided by the lens system 51 (not shown in FIG. 6) toward the first end surface 40b of the drum member 40. The projection light beam reflected by the reflecting mirror 52 is emitted from the first end surface 40 b to the outside of the drum member 40 through the lens system 53. The reflecting mirror 52 is disposed so as to be within the + X side half of the inside of the drum member 40.

The optical axis of the lens system 53 is arranged in parallel with the axis C of the rotation center of the drum member 40.
The projection light beam that has passed through the lens system 53 is disposed at or near the pupil position of the projection optical system PL, and is guided to a concave mirror 54 having a concave reflecting surface 54a formed on the surface thereof. The projection light beam reflected by the concave mirror 54 passes through the lens system 53 again.

The projection light beam from the concave mirror 54 that passes through the lens system 53 passes through the inside of the drum member 40 along the axis C from the first end surface 40b side to the second end surface 40c side.

The imaging lens system 55 is disposed opposite to the second end surface 40c of the drum member 40. The imaging lens system 55 receives the projection light beam from the lens system 53 and forms and projects an image of the pattern Pm on the projection area PA of the substrate S.

6, the lens system 53 and the concave mirror 54 (which may be a plane mirror) are arranged coaxially to constitute a catadioptric optical system, but the circular field region (in the XY plane) of the lens system 53 is shown. ) Is bent by the reflecting mirror 52, and the other half of the optical path is configured to go straight to the subsequent lens system 55.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the substrate transport apparatus SST guides the substrate S through the projection area PA. The substrate transport device SST includes a transport roller 80, an upstream roller 81, a downstream roller 82, and a drive device ACS.

The conveyance roller 80 is formed in a cylindrical shape and has a cylindrical surface 80a corresponding to the outer peripheral surface. The cylindrical surface 80a is a support surface that supports the substrate S. The board | substrate S conveyed by the conveyance roller 80 is curved and conveyed along the surface shape of the cylindrical surface 80a.

The cylindrical surface 80a is disposed at a position optically conjugate with the cylindrical surface 40a with respect to the projection optical system PL. Strictly speaking, the upper surface (photosensitive surface) of the substrate S wound around the cylindrical surface 80 a is disposed so as to be optically conjugate with the cylindrical surface 40 a of the drum member 40.

As an example, the thickness of the substrate S can be in the range of 10 μm to 200 μm, but it is possible to use a variation in thickness that is less than the depth of focus (DOF) on the image side of the projection optical system PL. It is.

In such a case, the non-contact sensor sequentially detects the radial position of the surface portion of the cylindrical surface 40a (pattern surface of the mask M) of the drum member 40 near the position where the illumination light ELI is projected. The focusing may be performed by adjusting the known thickness of the substrate S to the position.

Conversely, when the thickness unevenness of the substrate S is large or when the local minute irregularities are large, the position change in the Z direction on the surface of the substrate S is detected by a non-contact sensor and focused.

In any case, precise focusing is possible, but in particular, the former method (detection of the cylindrical surface 40a) allows stable measurement at all times regardless of the presence or absence of the mask M and the material.

The same detection method for focusing is also applied to the conveyance roller 80 in FIG. 3, and the position change in the Z direction of the surface of the substrate S is directly measured, or the cylindrical surface not covered with the substrate S Whether the position change of a part of 80a is measured or both are used together is appropriately determined according to the required accuracy.

By the way, the cylindrical surface 80a is set to bend in a direction optically corresponding to the curve direction of the projection image of the mask M formed by the projection optical system PL. Specifically, it is formed as a cylindrical surface convex toward the projection optical system PL, corresponding to the mask M curved into a concave cylindrical surface toward the projection optical system PL.

The cylindrical surface 80a is formed to have the same curvature as the curvature of the mask M (the curvature of the cylindrical surface 40a), but is not necessarily the same, and the width in the circumferential direction of the slit-shaped illumination light ELI, The relationship between the curvatures of the cylindrical surface 80a and the cylindrical surface 40a can be set as appropriate in consideration of the depth of focus (DOF) of the projection optical system PL, the line width of the pattern to be projected, and the like.

When the substrate S is curved and guided so that both the curvatures of the cylindrical surface 80a (strictly, the surface to be processed Sa of the substrate S) and the cylindrical surface 40a are the same, the illumination light ELI is applied to the mask M. The irradiated surface and the irradiated surface on which the projection light beam is irradiated onto the substrate S are cylindrical surfaces having the same curvature. In other words, the curvature of the mask M located in the field of view of the projection optical system PL and the curvature of the substrate S located in the projection area of the projection optical system PL (that is, the region where the pattern Pm in the field of view is projected). And become equal. For this reason, the mask M and the substrate S satisfy the conjugate relationship with each other over the entire surface of the projection optical system PL in the field of view and in the projection region, and the projection image of the pattern Pm is formed on the substrate S over the entire surface of the projection region. It can project well.

Accordingly, the width of the slit-shaped illumination light ELI in the circumferential direction can be made relatively large, the energy per unit time given to the photosensitive layer of the substrate S can be increased, and the pattern image transferred to the substrate S can be increased. While maintaining the quality, the rotational speed of the mask M and the transport speed of the substrate S can be increased to increase productivity.

The upstream roller 81 carries the substrate S into the transport roller 80. The downstream roller 82 unloads the substrate S from the transport roller 80. The upstream roller 81 and the downstream roller 82 transport the substrate S at a predetermined transport speed, for example. The drive device ACS adjusts the rotation speeds of the upstream roller 81 and the downstream roller 82.

The drive device ACS adjusts the rotation speed of the transport roller 80 and the rotation speed of the upstream roller 81 and the downstream roller 82 based on the control signal from the control unit CONT shown in FIG. The conveyance speed of the substrate S is adjusted. The control unit CONT controls the driving of the mask-side drive device ACM and the drive of the drive device ACS so that the rotational speed (circumferential speed) of the mask M and the transport speed of the substrate S are stabilized in a predetermined relationship.

Specifically, the control unit CONT compares the moving speed (peripheral speed) of the mask M along the cylindrical surface 40a with the transport speed in the length direction of the substrate S (that is, the moving speed of the surface of the substrate S). Controls the drive of the drive device ACM and the drive device ACS so as to be equal to the projection magnification (either reduction, equal magnification, or enlargement) of the projection optical system PL.

Since the exposure apparatus EX configured as described above is arranged side by side in the Y direction as shown in FIG. 2, the mask holding device MST and the projection optical system PL provided in each exposure apparatus EX are arranged in the Y direction ( A plurality of substrates are arranged side by side in a direction intersecting the transport direction (X direction) of the substrate S. Further, the mask holding device MST is arranged so as to be shifted by a predetermined distance in the X direction (the transport direction of the substrate S).

The substrate processing apparatus 100 configured as described above manufactures display elements (electronic devices) such as an organic EL element and a liquid crystal display element by a roll method under the control of the control unit CONT.
Hereinafter, a process of manufacturing a display element using the substrate processing apparatus 100 having the above configuration will be described (see FIGS. 1 to 6).

First, in the configuration shown in FIG. 1, a belt-like substrate S wound around a roller (not shown) is attached to the substrate supply unit 2.
The controller CONT rotates a roller (not shown) so that the substrate S is sent out from the substrate supply unit 2 from this state. Then, the substrate S that has passed through the substrate processing unit 3 is taken up by a roller (not shown) provided in the substrate recovery unit 4. By controlling the substrate supply unit 2 and the substrate recovery unit 4, the surface Sa to be processed of the substrate S can be continuously transferred to the substrate processing unit 3.

The control unit CONT appropriately transfers the substrate S in the substrate processing unit 3 by the transfer device 20 of the substrate processing unit 3 after the substrate S is sent out from the substrate supply unit 2 and taken up by the substrate recovery unit 4. The components of the display element are sequentially formed on the substrate S by the processing apparatus 10 while being conveyed. In this process, when processing is performed by the exposure apparatus EX, first, the mask M is attached to the drum member 40 of the mask holding apparatus MST. Further, the substrate S is guided by the transport roller 80 of the substrate transport apparatus SST.

Next, the control unit CONT emits the illumination light ELI from the light source device 21 while rotating the drum member 40 by the driving device ACM (see FIGS. 1 and 3). Due to the rotation of the drum member 40, the mask M moves in the rotation direction integrally with the drum member 40. Further, the control unit CONT rotates the transport roller 80 in synchronization with the rotation of the drum member 40. The substrate S moves in synchronization with the mask M by the rotation of the transport roller 80.

Note that the master-slave relationship of the synchronous control may follow and control the rotation of the transport roller 80 on the substrate S side based on the rotation of the drum member 40 on the mask M side as described above. The rotation of the mask M may be subjected to follow-up control based on the conveyance.

The illumination light ELI emitted from the light source device 21 is irradiated in a slit shape onto the moving mask M via the irradiation optical system 22. The illumination light ELI sequentially passes through the mask M and the first opening 41 (or the second opening 42), and enters the lens system 51 of the projection optical system PL provided in the drum member 40.

The projection light beam generated from the mask M by irradiation of the illumination light ELI is guided to the reflecting mirror 52 through the lens system 51, and is circular in the lens system 53 arranged in the inner space of the drum member 40 by the reflecting mirror 52. Reflected toward half of the field of view (see FIGS. 3-6).

The projection light beam emitted through the almost half field of view of the lens system 53 to the outside of the drum member 40 on the + Z side is reflected to the −Z side by the reflecting surface 54 a of the concave mirror 54. The reflected projection light beam is guided in the −Z direction so as to pass through the other half of the visual field region of the lens system 53, and again travels toward the second end face 40 c of the drum member 40.

Thus, the projection light beam incident on the lens system 53 in the internal space of the drum member 40 from the first end surface 40b side passes through the −X side of the reflecting mirror 52 so as to avoid the reflecting mirror 52, and the second end surface 40c. Proceed toward the side. Thereafter, the projection light beam is irradiated onto the substrate S through the imaging lens system 55. Thereby, the image of the pattern Pm is projected onto the projection area PA of the substrate S.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the exposure processing is performed using the four exposure apparatuses EX1 to EX4. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, on the substrate S, a portion exposed only by a single image projected onto the projection areas PA1 to PA4, a part of the image projected onto the projection area PA1, and the projection area A part exposed by a part of the image projected on PA2, a part exposed by a part of the image projected on projection area PA2 and a part of the image projected on projection area PA3, and a projection area A part to be exposed is formed by a part of the image projected on PA3 and a part of the image projected on projection area PA4. By performing the exposure operation in this way, a large-area exposure pattern PX in which the images of the patterns Pm of the four masks M are connected in the Y direction is formed on the substrate S.

As described above, the pattern Pm of the mask M mounted on each of the four exposure apparatuses EX1 to EX4 needs to be projected and exposed (scanning exposure) in a connected state on the substrate S as a result. The timing at which the mask M held by the mask holding device MST (drum member 40) of the apparatus receives exposure to the illumination light ELI and starts exposure is the interval distance BL in the X direction between the projection areas PA1 to PA4 and the substrate S. These are sequentially shifted by a ratio (BL / Vs) to the conveyance speed Vs.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the pattern Pm is arranged along the cylindrical surface 40 a of the drum member 40, and the transfer light (projection light flux) generated from the pattern Pm is generated on the drum member 40. A reflecting mirror 52 (deflection member) that changes the traveling direction is provided inside the first end face 40b and the second end face 40c. Accordingly, in principle, projection exposure is possible wherever the mask pattern is formed in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical surface 40a of the drum member 40, and the cylindrical surface 40a of the drum member 40 is exposed to the pattern Pm. There is no need to arrange a light passage part (window part) for allowing light to pass through again, and a plurality of masks M or one long mask can be wound along the circumferential direction of the cylindrical surface 40a.

For this reason, it is possible to continuously expose the image of the pattern Pm on the substrate S by irradiating the illumination light ELI while rotating the drum member 40. This makes it possible to perform an efficient exposure process on the substrate S.

The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and appropriate modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which two masks M are mounted on the drum member 40 has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the configuration is such that three or more masks M can be mounted. Alternatively, the projection optical system PL may be an enlarged projection optical system having an enlargement magnification of, for example, 2 times or more.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the second embodiment, in which a mask holding device MST (drum member 40) capable of mounting three masks M of the same size on the circumference is combined with an enlarged projection optical system PL. It is an example of a structure of the exposure apparatus in a case.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 8, as in the first embodiment, the outer periphery of the drum member 40 formed into a hollow cylindrical shape by a light metal such as aluminum, a low thermal expansion metal such as invar, a composite material containing carbon, ceramics, or the like. In the wall, three openings, a first opening 41, a second opening 42, and a third opening 43, are formed as a plurality of openings OP. In addition, the drum member 40 can be reduced in weight by forming the drum member 40 with aluminum or a composite material. In addition, although not shown in the drawings, the drum member 40 may have four or more openings arranged in the circumferential direction, and the mask M may be attached to each opening.

In the previous first embodiment, the case where there is one reflecting mirror (optical member) 52 provided inside the drum member 40 has been described as an example, but in the second embodiment, the enlargement is as shown in FIG. In order to obtain a projection system, three reflecting mirrors 52A, 52B, and 52C are combined.

Also in the present embodiment, the illumination light ELI irradiates the slit-shaped illumination region ILS extending in the Z direction on the cylindrical surface 40a of the drum member 40 (pattern surface of the mask M).
In FIG. 8, AX represents the optical axis of the lens system. In this case, the projection light beam generated in the illumination area ILS in the pattern Pm on the mask M has a lens system 51 having an optical axis AX parallel to the X axis. To the first reflecting mirror 52A. At this time, the projection light beam passes through a region decentered in the + Y direction with respect to the optical axis AX in the field of view of the lens system 51 and reaches the reflecting mirror 52A (the reflecting surface is inclined at 45 degrees in the XZ plane).

The projection light beam reflected vertically (+ Z direction) by the first reflecting mirror 52A enters the lens system 53 and the concave mirror 54 (which may be a plane mirror) constituting the catadioptric projection optical system, and is arranged at or near the pupil position. The reflected light is reflected by the concave mirror 54, and returns to the lens system 51 again through the lens system 53 and the reflecting mirror 52A.

Since the return light (projection light beam) is decentered in the −Y direction with respect to the optical axis AX of the lens system 51, it is reflected in the + Y direction by the second reflecting mirror 52B. The reflecting surface of the reflecting mirror 52B has an inclination of 45 degrees when viewed in the XY plane, and is disposed on the −Y side with respect to the optical axis AX of the lens system 51.

The projection light beam reflected in the + Y direction by the second reflecting mirror 52B reaches the third reflecting mirror 52C (the reflecting surface is inclined at 45 degrees in the YZ plane), where it is reflected in the -Z direction. The projection light beam reflected by the third reflecting mirror 52C is emitted from the second end face 40c side of the drum member 40 to the −Z side, and extends in a slit shape in the Y direction on the substrate S via the imaging lens system 55. The projected area PA is irradiated.

In this embodiment, a partial image of the pattern Pm existing in the slit-shaped illumination area ILS on the mask M is enlarged and formed in the projection area PA, but the lens system 51 is added to the lens system 53 and the concave mirror 54. The system has a magnification close to the same magnification, and the magnification is earned by the subsequent imaging lens system 55.

When the contribution of magnification enlargement by the imaging lens system 55 is large and the required resolution (NA) is not so high, the imaging lens system 55 can also have a half field of view (half field), so that the projection beam does not pass. A part of the lens can be cut out, and the dimension in the X direction of the projection optical system PL can be made compact.

When the magnification of the projection optical system PL is Me, the peripheral speed Vm of the cylindrical surface 40a (mask pattern surface) of the drum member 40 and the peripheral speed (feed speed) Vs of the substrate S on the transport roller 80 are Needs to be kept in the relationship of Vs = Me · Vm.

If Me = 2.5 and the substrate S feed rate is 100 mm / second, the peripheral speed of the mask M mounted on the drum member 40 needs to be 100 / 2.5 = 40 mm / second. .

In the present embodiment, the three masks M are mounted on the drum member 40, but the required number of mounted sheets is generally determined by the panel size of the display produced on the substrate S and the practical diameter of the drum member 40. Come.

For example, in the case of a 40-inch (16: 9) display, the panel size is about 100 cm in the horizontal direction (the display area is about 88 cm) and about 60 cm in the vertical direction (the display area is about 50 cm).

When the horizontal direction of the panel is aligned with the long direction (X direction) of the substrate S, if four exposure apparatuses EX1 to EX4 are arranged in the width direction (Y direction) of the substrate S, projection by one exposure apparatus is performed. The dimension in the longitudinal direction (Y direction) of the area PA is required to be 15 cm or more.

Therefore, if the magnification Me of the magnification projection optical system PL shown in FIG. 8 is 2.5, the dimension in the longitudinal direction (Z direction) of the illumination area ILS on the mask M, that is, the axis C direction of the pattern Pm. The dimension is required to be 6.0 cm or more.

On the other hand, with respect to the horizontal direction of the panel, the size of the mask M should be 100 cm by being enlarged 2.5 times in the X direction on the substrate S. Therefore, the peripheral length of the mask M is at least 40 cm, with a margin of 45 cm. It would be good if there was.

However, when using one mask that is rounded and has a circumferential length of 45 cm, the minimum diameter of the cylindrical surface 40a of the drum member 40 is 45 / π≈14.3 cm. It becomes difficult to arrange the reflecting mirror.

Therefore, assuming that the diameter of the drum member 40 is such that a lens system, a reflecting mirror, or the like can be incorporated into the internal space, and the diameter of the cylindrical surface 40a is 45 cm, the peripheral length is 141.4 cm.

As previously calculated, assuming that the peripheral length of the mask M for setting the horizontal dimension of the panel to 100 cm is at least 45 cm, if a drum member having a diameter of the cylindrical surface 40a of 45 cm is prepared, it is about 2 cm in the circumferential direction. It is possible to wind the three masks M with a gap therebetween.

In this case, if the feeding speed (scanning speed) of the substrate S during exposure is 100 mm / second, the peripheral speed of the mask M (cylindrical surface 40a) is 40 mm / second, and the drum member 40 having a diameter of 45 cm is approximately 3. One rotation is made in 53 seconds.

Now, in the configuration of the magnifying projection optical system PL shown in FIG. 8, the three plane mirrors 52A, 52B, and 52C are used for bending the optical path, but it may be configured with two.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the projection optical system PL according to the third embodiment.
The enlarged projection optical system PL in FIG. 9 is rotated by 90 degrees as a whole with respect to the arrangement of the projection optical system in FIG. 8, and the arrangement of the mask M, the irradiation direction of the illumination light ELI, and the slit-shaped irradiation region ILS. Is the same as the coordinate system XYZ in FIG.

9 is obtained by removing the first reflecting mirror 52A from the configuration of FIG. In the configuration shown in FIG. 9, the projection optical system PL includes a lens system 51, a lens system 53, a second reflecting mirror 52B, a third reflecting mirror 52C, and an imaging lens system 55 along the optical path of the illumination light ELI. ing.

In the projection optical system PL, the lens system 51 other than the imaging lens system 55, the lens system 53, the second reflecting mirror 52B, and the third reflecting mirror 52C are disposed in an internal space of a drum member 40 (not shown). Further, the lens system 51, the lens system 53, and the concave mirror 54 (which may be a plane mirror) are arranged coaxially along the common optical axis AX, and the second reflecting mirror 52B is a circular field of view of the lens system 51 in FIG. The lower half, that is, on the −Y direction side with respect to the optical axis AX, is inclined by 45 ° in the XY plane.

In this configuration, the projection light beam (principal ray) generated from the pattern existing in the slit-shaped illumination area ILS on the mask M is an area decentered in the + Y direction from the optical axis AX in the circular field of the lens system 51. Thus, the lens system 53 and the concave mirror 54 are reached without being blocked by the second reflecting mirror 52B.

Since the concave mirror 54 is arranged at or near the pupil position as in FIG. 8, the light beam that has passed through the upper region of the field of view of the lens system 51 (+ Y direction with respect to the optical axis AX) is reflected by the concave mirror 54. Then, it enters the lens system 53 again, and returns to the lens system 51 through a region decentered in the −Y direction with respect to the optical axis AX.

The return light beam is reflected in the + Y direction by the second reflecting mirror 52B before the lens system 51, and is reflected in the −Z direction by the third reflecting mirror 52C inclined by 45 ° in the YZ plane. The projection light beam reflected by the third reflecting mirror 52C enters the imaging lens system 55 that obtains most of the magnification, and a part of the pattern image of the mask M is formed on the substrate S as in FIG. An image is formed in a projection area PA extending in a slit shape in the direction.

In the present embodiment, since the lens system 51, the lens system 53, and the concave mirror 54 constituting the projection optical system PL are linearly arranged, there is a possibility that the dimension in the X direction of that portion becomes longer than that in FIG. There is also. However, even in such a case, if measures are taken such as increasing the diameter of the drum member 40 constituting the mask holding device MST and increasing the number of masks M wound in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical surface 40a, the efficiency is the same as in FIG. Exposure can be performed.

When applied with the specific numerical values illustrated in FIG. 8, if the dimension (Dm) in the circumferential direction of the mask M is 45 cm and the distance (Gm) between the masks in the circumferential direction is 2 cm, four masks M The total circumferential length (Cm) of the cylindrical surface 40a of the drum member 40 necessary for winding
Cm = 4 · (Dm + Gm) = 188 cm
Thus, the diameter of the cylindrical surface 40a is Cm / π≈60 cm.

As described above, in this embodiment, although the diameter of the drum member 40 may be increased, since one plane reflecting mirror is omitted, the light loss (and heat absorption) can be reduced correspondingly, and the projection optics can be reduced. There is also an advantage that the fluctuation of the optical characteristics of the system is suppressed.

The configuration of the projection optical system PL as described above can be different from the above embodiment. Hereinafter, variations of the projection optical system PL will be described. In the following description, illustration of the drum member 40 may be omitted.

10A and 10B are diagrams showing an embodiment of a projection optical system as the fourth embodiment. 10A and 10B are diagrams of the same configuration when viewed from different positions.
The projection optical system PL1 shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B includes a plane reflecting mirror 52, a lens system 53 (lens systems 53A to 53C), and a concave mirror 54, and is configured as an equal magnification projection system.
The projection optical system PL1 shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B has the same configuration as that shown in FIG. 6, and the lens systems 53A to 53C and the concave mirror 54 (may be a plane mirror) are arranged coaxially on the same optical axis. Functions as a double catadioptric imaging system.

The reflecting mirror 52 is arranged between the substrate S and the lens system 53A so that the reflecting surface is inclined by 45 ° in the YZ plane. However, as described with reference to FIG. In order to spatially separate the projection light beam traveling toward the substrate S, it is provided only in the space below the optical axis (−X direction) in FIG. 10A.

When the illumination light ELI extending in a slit shape in the Z direction irradiates the cylindrical mask M (the center line of rotation is parallel to the Z axis), the projection light beam generated from the pattern of the mask M is + Z by the reflecting mirror 52. And is incident on the concave mirror 54 disposed on the pupil plane via the lower side of the circular field of view of the lens system 53 (−X direction with respect to the optical axis). The projection light beam reflected to the −Z side by the concave mirror 54 passes through the upper side of the circular field of view of the lens system 53 (in the + X direction with respect to the optical axis) and is not blocked by the reflecting mirror 52, but is processed on the substrate S. The surface Sa is irradiated.

10A and 10B, the cylindrical mask M has a relatively small diameter. However, since the projection magnification of the projection optical system PL1 is equal, it is for a panel having a size of 100 cm in the feed direction of the substrate S. When the pattern is transferred, the peripheral length of the mask M needs to be 100 cm or more, for example, about 110 cm.

Assuming that only one such mask is wound around the drum member 40, the total circumferential length (Cm) of the cylindrical surface 40a of the drum member 40 is about 120 cm with a margin, and the drum member 40 (cylindrical surface) The diameter of 40a) is about 39 cm. However, since the opening (41, 42, etc.) for exposing the pattern Pm of the mask M is necessary on the cylindrical surface 40a of the drum member 40, a configuration in which only one mask M is wound is difficult. Therefore, in such a case, it is necessary to take a countermeasure such as making a drum member having a large diameter so that two masks M can be wound.

Next, a modified example of the present embodiment will be briefly described with reference to FIG.
The drum member 40 of the mask holding device MST in each of the previous embodiments is formed in a cylindrical frame shape using a metal, a composite material, or the like so that a mask M obtained by patterning a light shielding layer formed on an extremely thin glass plate can be wound. Met.

In such a configuration, it is difficult to configure a cylindrical frame for winding one mask. However, in the mask holding device MST in the present embodiment, a cylinder having a thickness of, for example, several mm or more as shown in FIG. A mask M made of an ultra-thin glass plate (or a resin or plastic transparent sheet) is attached to the inner peripheral surface of the glass tube GT through an adhesive layer having a high transmittance with respect to the illumination light ELI. A ring member Re made of metal or ceramics is fixed to the end of the tube GT.

As the glass tube GT, it is sufficient if the transmittance is high in the wavelength range of the illumination light ELI for exposure, and quartz made of a material that absorbs less ultraviolet light around 300 to 400 nm can be used.

As described above, when the mask holding device MST is configured so that the axis C serving as the center of rotation is vertical using the relatively thick glass tube GT, even a single mask has high rigidity and high accuracy. The mask pattern Pm can be held. Of course, the present embodiment is not limited to a configuration that holds one mask, and can be similarly applied to a configuration that holds two or more masks as described in the previous embodiments.

When a sheet-like mask made of an ultra-thin glass plate or a resin film is wound around the glass tube GT, a plurality of panel patterns may be formed side by side in the circumferential direction on one sheet-like mask.

In the case of the present embodiment, the pattern surface of the mask M (the surface on which the light shielding layer is formed) can be on the axis C side, but if the flatness and thickness unevenness of the ultrathin glass plate that is the base material of the mask M is good Alternatively, the pattern surface may be bonded to the inner peripheral surface side of the glass tube GT.

Furthermore, when such a glass tube GT having a particularly high processing accuracy on the inner peripheral surface can be used, a pattern Pm made of a light shielding layer (such as chromium) may be directly formed on the inner peripheral surface.

Next, a modification of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 12A and 12B.
In the exposure apparatus EX described in each of the above embodiments, a transmissive mask that transmits the illumination light ELI is used as the mask M. However, in the present embodiment, a reflective mask that reflects the illumination light ELI is used. . In this case, the illumination light ELI is irradiated from the inside of the cylinder onto a reflective mask pattern formed on the inner surface of the cylinder, and a projection optical system is provided that projects reflected light from the pattern toward the inside of the cylinder toward the substrate S. .

First, the configuration of such a reflective projection optical system and a reflective mask (an internal reflective cylindrical mask) will be described with reference to FIGS. 12A and 12B.

As shown in FIG. 12A, the exposure apparatus EX includes a polarizing beam splitter 110, phase plates 111 to 113, a lens system 51, a plane reflecting mirror 52, a lens system 53, a concave mirror 54, and a lens system 55 as a projection optical system PL2. is doing.

The lens systems 51 and 53 and the concave mirror 54 are all arranged coaxially along the optical axis AX parallel to the Z axis, and the polarization beam splitter 110 made as a rectangular parallelepiped optical block is also connected to the lens system 51 and the lens system 53. Between the optical axes AX.

The reflecting surface 110a of the polarizing beam splitter 110 is disposed so as to be inclined at 45 ° with respect to the XY plane and the YZ plane in the figure, and the S-polarized component (longitudinal vibration) of the incident light is reflected and P-polarized. The component (lateral vibration) is formed to be transmitted.

The wave plates 111 to 113 give a phase difference of λ / 4 between orthogonal polarization components. The wave plate 111 is disposed on the + Z side of the polarizing beam splitter 110, the wave plate 112 is disposed on the −Z side of the polarizing beam splitter 110, and the wave plate 113 is disposed on the −X side of the polarizing beam splitter 110.

The lens system 51 is disposed on the + Z side of the wave plate 111, and the drum member 40 of the mask holding device MST is disposed on the + Z side of the lens system 51 so as to be rotatable about an axis C parallel to the Z axis. . As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, a mask M is held in a cylindrical shape on the inner peripheral surface of the drum member 40. Further, as shown in FIG. 12B, a pattern Pm is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the mask M. In this embodiment, the inner peripheral surface of the mask M is formed of a metal layer having a high light reflectance such as aluminum, and the pattern Pm laminated thereon has a light absorption rate in the wavelength region (ultraviolet) of the illumination light ELI. It is formed using a high material.

In the configuration in which a high reflectance layer is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the mask M and the pattern Pm patterned by the light absorption layer is laminated on the surface, no reflected light is generated from the pattern Pm where the light absorption layer remains. The reflected light from the portion of the high reflectance layer without the light absorption layer is used as a projection light beam (imaging light beam).

The relationship between reflection and absorption with respect to illumination light may be reversed, and the surface of the mask M serving as a base layer may be a light absorption layer, and the pattern Pm laminated thereon may be made of a highly reflective material. Furthermore, in the case of the internal reflection type cylindrical mask, since it is not necessary to form a large opening in the drum member 40 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, the rigidity of itself can be kept extremely high.

Now, on the + Z side of the lens system 51, in the internal space of the drum member 40 (cylindrical mask M), as shown in FIG. 12B, a plane reflecting mirror 52 inclined by 45 ° with respect to the XY plane and the XZ plane is provided. Has been placed. The lens system 53 and the concave mirror 54 are disposed on the −Z side of the wave plate 112. The imaging lens system 55 is disposed on the −X side of the wave plate 113. On the −X side of the imaging lens system 55, a transport roller 80 (rotational axis is parallel to the Y axis) of the substrate transport device SST is provided, and the substrate S is transported in the + X direction along the horizontal plane (XY plane). It enters 80, is wound around about a half turn here, and is conveyed so as to exit in the -X direction.

When performing the exposure processing in the above configuration, first, the illumination light ELI adjusted to S-polarized light (linearly polarized light) by a light source or illumination optical system (not shown) is incident in the −X direction from the surface of the polarizing beam splitter 110 on the + X side. Let

The illumination light ELI is reflected in the + Z direction by the reflection surface 110a of the polarization beam splitter 110. The illumination light ELI emitted from the polarization beam splitter 110 is converted into clockwise circularly polarized light when viewed in the light traveling direction by the wave plate 111 and reaches the lens system 51 in this polarization state.

In the following description, it is assumed that the rotation direction (clockwise and counterclockwise) of circularly polarized light is all viewed in the light traveling direction.

Thereafter, the illumination light ELI is reflected to the + Y side by the reflecting mirror 52 installed in the internal space of the drum member 40 through the lens system 51 as shown in FIG. 12B. The illumination light ELI (counterclockwise circularly polarized light) reflected by the reflecting mirror 52 is irradiated with a mask M (pattern Pm) formed on the inner peripheral surface of the drum member 40.

As is clear from the arrangement of FIG. 12B, the illumination light ELI irradiated to the mask M (pattern Pm) needs to be a light beam extending in a slit shape in the Z direction so as to cover the width of the pattern Pm in the Z direction. There is.

For this purpose, the cross-sectional shape (intensity distribution) of the illumination light ELI at a position optically conjugate with the surface of the mask M (pattern Pm) in the optical path of the illumination optical system that projects the illumination light ELI onto the polarization beam splitter 110. ) Into a slit shape.

In FIG. 12A, the optical axis of the illumination optical system (not shown) is set to be orthogonal to the optical axis AX at the center of the polarization beam splitter 110, but the optical axis of the illumination optical system is parallel to the X axis in FIG. 12A. , The cross-sectional shape of the illumination light ELI on the plane conjugate with the mask surface in the illumination optical system extends in a slit shape in the Y direction.

Of the illumination light ELI irradiated to the mask M, the light irradiated and reflected on the part other than the pattern Pm patterned by the light absorption layer becomes a projection light beam and proceeds to the −Y side in FIG. 12B.

The projection light beam (clockwise circularly polarized light) reflected by the mask M is reflected to the −Z side by the reflecting mirror 52, and the projection light beam (left-handed circularly polarized light) reflected by the reflecting mirror passes through the lens system 51. Is transmitted through the wave plate 111 in the -Z direction. At this time, the circularly polarized light beam for projection is converted into P-polarized light (linearly polarized light) by the wave plate 111.

The P-polarized light beam for projection enters the polarization beam splitter 110, passes through the reflection surface 110a as it is, and is converted into clockwise circular polarization through the wave plate 112. The projection light beam (clockwise circularly polarized light) is guided to the concave mirror 54 disposed at the pupil position via the lens system 53 and is reflected in the + Z direction by the concave mirror 54.

The projection light beam (left-handed circularly polarized light) reflected by the concave mirror 54 travels backward through the lens system 53 and enters the wave plate 112 again, is converted into S-polarized light, and then enters the polarizing beam splitter 110. The projection light beam (S-polarized light) incident on the polarizing beam splitter 110 is reflected in the −X direction by the reflecting surface 110a, exits the polarizing beam splitter 110, passes through the wave plate 113, and is converted into clockwise circularly polarized light. Irradiation is performed in the projection area PA extending in a slit shape in the Y direction on the substrate S via the image lens system 55.

In the projection optical system PL2 in FIG. 12A, the optical path from the mask M through which the projection light beam passes to the concave mirror 54 and the optical path from the concave mirror 54 to the substrate S are optically symmetrical with respect to the pupil plane. The reflection pattern image of the mask M is imaged and projected in the projection area PA of the substrate S at the same magnification.

Of course, if the imaging lens system 55 is replaced with a lens configuration having an enlargement magnification as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the same enlarged projection exposure is possible.

The projection optical system PL2 shown in FIG. 12A has a specific polarization characteristic for the illumination light ELI, and is used for projection from the mask M reaching the concave mirror 54 by combining the polarization beam splitter 110 and the wave plates 111 to 113. The light flux and the projection light flux reflected by the concave mirror 54 and reaching the substrate S are separated by a polarization operation. Therefore, the illumination area ILS on the mask by the illumination light ELI and the projection area PA on the substrate S can be arranged on the optical axis AX, and include the center of the circular field area by the lens systems 51, 53, and 55. It can be used in the form of a slit.

FIG. 13 shows a schematic configuration of an exposure apparatus according to a modification of the present embodiment, and a plurality of exposure apparatuses (here, EX5) constituted by the projection optical system PL2 and the internal reflection type cylindrical mask described in FIG. 12A. , EX6) are juxtaposed in the transport direction of the substrate S.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 13, exposure apparatuses EX5 and EX6 are arranged symmetrically in the X direction with the conveyance roller 80 interposed therebetween. The exposure apparatus EX5 projects an image of the pattern Pm on the projection area PA5 on the + X side of the substrate S wound around the transport roller 80. The exposure apparatus EX6 projects an image of the pattern Pm onto the projection area PA6 on the −X side of the substrate S wound around the transport roller 80.

Since the two projection areas PA5 and PA6 are opposed to each other at 180 ° as the rotation angle of the transport roller 80, an auxiliary guide member (a nip roller or a nip roller) for winding the substrate S around the transport roller 80 over 180 ° or more. Air turn bar etc. are provided.

In FIG. 13, since the transport roller 80 having a rotation center parallel to the Y axis rotates clockwise in the XZ plane, the substrate S is transported as indicated by an arrow, so that the surface to be processed Sa is exposed first. The mask pattern image by the apparatus EX6 (projection area PA6) is scanned and exposed, and the mask pattern image by the exposure apparatus EX5 (projection area PA5) is scanned and exposed from the position where the transport roller 80 is rotated 180 °.

When the two projection areas PA5 and PA6 are arranged relatively shifted in the Y direction on the substrate S as shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, the stripes are formed on the processing surface Sa via the projection area PA6. The pattern image transferred in a shape and the pattern image transferred in a stripe shape on the surface Sa to be processed via the projection area PA5 can be continued in the Y direction, and a larger display panel can be manufactured. .

In the exposure apparatus EX shown in FIG. 12A, the illumination light ELI incident on the polarization beam splitter 110 is S-polarized light. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the illumination light ELI incident on the polarization beam splitter 110 is P-polarization. You may be the aspect to do.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 14, the exposure apparatus EX has a polarizing beam splitter 110, wave plates 111 to 113, a lens system 51, a reflecting mirror 52, a lens system 53, and a concave mirror 54 (which may be a plane mirror) as a projection optical system. The lens systems 51 to 53 and the concave mirror 54 are coaxially arranged with respect to the optical axis AX that has the lens system 55 and goes straight on the reflection surface 110a of the polarization beam splitter 110, or the optical axis that is bent by the reflection surface 110a.

The reflecting surface 110a of the polarizing beam splitter 110 is disposed so as to be inclined by 45 ° with respect to the XY plane and the YZ plane. The reflective surface 110a is formed to reflect S-polarized light and transmit P-polarized light.

Wave plates 111 to 113 arranged around the polarizing beam splitter 110 have the same functions as those shown in FIG. 12A. The wave plate 111 is arranged on the + X side of the polarizing beam splitter 110, and the wave plate 112 Is disposed on the + Z side of the polarizing beam splitter 110, and the wave plate 113 is disposed on the −Z side of the polarizing beam splitter 110.

The lens system 51 is disposed on the + X side of the wave plate 111, and the drum member 40 of the mask holding device MST is disposed on the + X side of the lens system 51. The inner peripheral surface of the drum member 40 is provided with a pattern Pm of an internal reflection type cylindrical mask M as in FIGS. 12A and 12B.

The reflection mirror 52 is disposed inside the drum member 40, and the reflection plane is disposed so as to be inclined by 45 ° with respect to the XZ plane and the YZ plane. The lens system 53 and the concave mirror 54 are disposed on the + Z side of the wave plate 112. The lens system 55 is disposed on the −Z side of the wave plate 113. A conveyance roller 80 of the substrate conveyance device SST is provided on the −Z side of the lens system 55. By rotating the roller 80 around the rotation center Cxr, the substrate S is wound around the conveyance roller 80 and conveyed. It has become.

In this configuration, P-polarized illumination light ELI is incident on the polarization beam splitter 110. The illumination light ELI passes through the reflecting surface 110a, is converted into circularly polarized light by the wave plate 111, is reflected by the reflecting mirror 52 toward the −Y direction side, and then irradiates the inner reflection type cylindrical mask M. As a result, the light reflected in the illumination area on the mask (here, the slit shape extending in the X direction) returns to the reflecting mirror 52 as a projection light beam, and returns to the wave plate 111 through the lens system 51. come.

The projection light beam generated from the mask M is converted into S-polarized light by the wave plate 111, enters the polarization beam splitter 110, and then is reflected to the + Z side by the reflecting surface 110 a. Thereafter, the projection light beam is converted into circularly polarized light by the wave plate 112 and enters the lens system 53 and the concave mirror 54. The projection light beam reflected by the concave mirror 54 in the −Z direction is incident on the wave plate 112 through the lens system 53, converted into P-polarized light by the wave plate 112, and then transmitted through the reflection surface 110 a of the polarization beam splitter 110. To do. Thereafter, the projection light beam is converted into circularly polarized light by the wave plate 113, and irradiated onto the substrate S through the lens system 55. As a result, a pattern image is formed in the projection area PA of the processing surface Sa of the substrate S.

As described above, even when a reflective mask is used as the mask M, the image of the pattern Pm is continuously applied to the substrate S by irradiating the illumination light ELI while rotating the drum member 40. It becomes possible to expose. This makes it possible to perform an efficient exposure process on the substrate S.

In the example of FIG. 14, the cylindrical mask M (drum member 40) is set so that the axis C, which is the center of rotation, is parallel to the X axis, that is, is set horizontally. When 40 is placed vertically, the entire configuration of FIG. 14 may be rotated by 90 ° within the paper.

14 (or FIG. 12A), if the extension line of the optical axis AX of the lens system 55 is set so as to pass through the rotation center Cxr of the transport roller 80, the drum member 40 and the lens system 51, 53, 55, the reflecting mirror 52, the concave mirror 54, the polarizing beam splitter 110, and the wave plate 111 to 113 can be arranged at an arbitrary angle in the paper, so that a plurality of exposure apparatuses can be arranged. It can arrange | position around the conveyance roller 80 and can implement exposure processing like previous FIG.

S ... Substrate CONT ... Control unit EX ... Exposure device M ... Mask Pm ... Pattern IL ... Illumination optical system PL ... Projection optical system MST ... Mask holding device PST ... Substrate transport device IU ... Illumination device ELI ... Illumination light ACM ... Drive device C ... axis OP ... opening SC ... mask suction part PA ... projection area SST ... substrate transport device ACS ... drive device PX ... exposure pattern 10 ... processing device 20 ... transport device 21 ... light source device 22 ... irradiation optical system 40 ... drum member 40a ... cylindrical surface 51 ... lens system 52 ... reflecting mirror 53 ... lens 54 ... concave mirror (or plane mirror) 55 ... imaging lens system 80 ... transport roller 100 ... substrate processing apparatus.

Claims (15)

1. A substrate processing apparatus for forming a pattern on a surface to be processed of a substrate,
   A hollow mask holding portion that holds the mask on which the pattern is formed and is rotatable around a rotation axis;
   A control device for controlling the rotation of the mask holding unit and controlling the conveyance of the substrate;
   A substrate processing apparatus comprising: an optical member that is disposed inside the mask holding unit and that deflects light through the pattern inside the mask holding unit, and that forms the pattern on the substrate.
2. The optical system includes a first partial optical system disposed between the optical member and the substrate,
   The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mask holding unit rotates around an optical axis of the first partial optical system.
3. The optical system includes a concave mirror and a second partial optical system that guides light through the pattern to the concave mirror and guides the light reflected by the concave mirror to the optical member;
   The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the optical member deflects the light reflected by the concave mirror through the second partial optical system to the first partial optical system.
4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein at least a part of the second partial optical system is arranged inside the mask holding unit, and the concave mirror is arranged outside the mask holding unit.
5. The mask holding part has a hollow cylindrical member formed with a cylindrical surface,
   The concave mirror is disposed outside one end of the hollow cylindrical member, and at least a part of the first partial optical system is disposed outside the other end of the hollow cylindrical member. Substrate processing equipment.
6. The mask holding part has a hollow cylindrical member formed with a cylindrical surface,
   The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hollow cylindrical member includes a holding mechanism that holds the mask along the cylindrical surface.
7. The mask holding portion has an opening corresponding to a pattern region in which the pattern is formed in the mask,
   The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the holding mechanism is provided in a peripheral region of the opening.
8. The mask is a reflective mask;
   The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the mask holding unit holds the reflective mask such that a pattern of the reflective mask is placed inside the cylindrical surface.
9. The substrate processing apparatus of Claim 8. It has an illumination optical system which irradiates light toward the said reflective mask from the inside of the said mask holding part.
10. The hollow cylindrical member is formed of a material capable of transmitting the light,
    The mask is a transmissive mask;
    The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the mask holding unit holds the transmissive mask so that a pattern of the transmissive mask is placed inside the cylindrical surface.
11. The mask is a transmissive mask;
    The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the mask holding unit holds the transmissive mask so that a pattern of the transmissive mask is placed inside the cylindrical surface.
12. The substrate processing apparatus of Claim 10. It has an illumination optical system which irradiates light toward the said transmissive | pervious mask from the outer side of the said mask holding part.
13. A plurality of the mask holding portions and the optical system are arranged side by side in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the substrate,
    The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of mask holding units is shifted in the transport direction.
14. The substrate is a strip-shaped sheet substrate,
    A substrate transport unit that transports the belt-shaped sheet substrate so that the surface to be processed is along a cylindrical surface;
    The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control device synchronously controls conveyance of the sheet substrate by the substrate conveyance unit and rotation of the mask holding unit.
15. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a rotation axis of the mask holding unit is inclined, or coaxial or parallel to the optical axis of the first partial optical system.

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