WO2016166965A1 - Method for discharging liquid droplets, and liquid droplet discharging device and program - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a method for discharging liquid droplets, the method being capable of reducing non-uniformity in the discharged amount of liquid droplets and suppressing the occurrence of uneven coatings. According to the method for discharging liquid droplets, liquid droplets are discharged from a plurality of nozzles into a plurality of liquid droplet impact regions while a liquid droplet discharging head including the nozzles and a substrate including the liquid droplet impact regions are moved relative to each other, wherein, when continuously discharging the liquid droplets from the nozzles, the discharged amount of the liquid droplets is calibrated on the basis of discharged amount information regarding the discharged order of the liquid droplets.

Description

Droplet ejection method, droplet ejection apparatus, and program

The present invention relates to a droplet discharge method, a droplet discharge device, and a program.

In recent years, there has been a method of drawing a target drawing image by ejecting droplets containing a functional material from a plurality of micro nozzles onto a substrate and solidifying the droplets disposed on the substrate to form a thin film. Proposed. Typical examples of the thin film include a color filter film and a light emitting layer of an organic EL panel.

In particular, in the field of organic semiconductors such as organic EL panels, the conventional vapor deposition process has a problem that the use efficiency of the material is low and the cost is high, and the fine metal mask is displaced due to the high temperature during vapor deposition, and the accuracy of the film formation pattern is reduced. Attention has been focused on printing methods using the above-described ink jet technology.

In the inkjet method, the droplets placed in the droplet landing area are dried and solidified to form a functional film such as a colored film or a light-emitting layer. The amount changed, and the functional film was sometimes uneven. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a method of correcting fluctuations in the discharge amount caused by the number of used nozzles and the combination of nozzles.

JP 2008-3586 A

However, with the recent demand for higher definition drawing quality, slight unevenness has also become a problem. Therefore, there is a demand for droplet discharge amount control that can suppress the occurrence of unevenness. In particular, in an organic semiconductor element or the like having a total landing number of about 10 drops arranged in one droplet landing area, the contribution to the functional film for each drop is greater. Therefore, streaky unevenness is more likely to occur in an organic semiconductor element or the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a droplet discharge method, a droplet discharge device, and a program that can suppress variations in the discharge amount of droplets and can further prevent the occurrence of coating unevenness.

According to the aspect of the present invention, a plurality of liquids are ejected from the plurality of nozzles into the droplet landing area while relatively moving the droplet discharge head having the plurality of nozzles and the substrate having the droplet landing area. A droplet discharge method for discharging droplets, wherein, when discharging the plurality of droplets from at least one of the plurality of nozzles, based on discharge amount information regarding the discharge order of each of the plurality of droplets Thus, a droplet discharge method for correcting the discharge amount of each of the plurality of droplets is provided.
According to this method, it is possible to correct variations in droplet discharge amount due to residual vibration of the nozzle meniscus when a plurality of droplets are continuously discharged, and it is possible to discharge droplets in a uniform amount. .

The discharge amount information related to the discharge order of the plurality of droplets includes a step of continuously discharging droplets from the droplet discharge head to the medium, measuring a total weight of the droplets on the medium for each discharge, and a discharge From the difference of the total weight for each, the step of calculating the droplet discharge amount for each discharge order is compared with the droplet discharge amount for each discharge order, and a function of the discharge amount with respect to the discharge order is derived. And a method that is a function of the discharge amount defined by the process including the process.

According to the aspect of the present invention, the liquid droplet ejection head having a plurality of nozzles and the substrate having the droplet landing area are relatively moved, and the liquid is discharged from each of the plurality of nozzles into the droplet landing area. A liquid droplet ejection method for ejecting liquid droplets, wherein when the liquid droplets are ejected from each of the plurality of nozzles, the liquid based on ejection amount information relating to the ejection state of the adjacent nozzles of the plurality of nozzles A droplet discharge method for correcting the droplet discharge amount is provided.
According to this method, it is possible to correct variations in droplet discharge amount caused by structural crosstalk such as a change in capacity caused by operation between adjacent nozzles, and it is possible to discharge droplets in a uniform amount. .

The plurality of nozzles include a first nozzle, a second nozzle that is a nozzle on both sides of the first nozzle, and a third nozzle. Discharge amount information regarding the discharge state of the adjacent nozzles is A step of discharging droplets from the first nozzle in a state where droplets are not discharged from both the second nozzle and the third nozzle adjacent to one nozzle, and measuring a discharge amount at the time of single discharge; Measuring the discharge amount of the first nozzle by simultaneously discharging droplets from the nozzle and the second nozzle, and comparing the measured discharge amount of the first nozzle with the discharge amount at the time of the single discharge. The step of obtaining the function of the discharge amount at the time of one-side simultaneous discharge with respect to the discharge amount at the time of single discharge, and the discharge amount of the first nozzle by simultaneously discharging droplets from the first to third nozzles are measured. The measured discharge amount of the first nozzle and the simple As a method that is a function of the discharge amount defined by the process including the step of obtaining the function of the discharge amount at the time of both-side simultaneous discharge with respect to the discharge amount at the time of single discharge by comparing the discharge amount at the time of discharge Good.

As a method of correcting the droplet discharge amount based on discharge amount information regarding the number of the nozzles that simultaneously discharge droplets among the plurality of nozzles when discharging the droplets from each of the plurality of nozzles. Also good.
According to this method, it is possible to correct the variation in the ejection amount accompanying the change in the number of nozzles used.

The droplet discharge head includes a driving element provided in each of the plurality of nozzles, a plurality of driving circuits that supply a driving voltage to the driving element, and a selection circuit that selectively connects the driving element and the driving circuit. And, when ejecting the droplets from each of the plurality of nozzles, correcting the ejection amount of the droplets based on ejection information relating to the drive circuit connected to the drive element It is good.
According to this method, it is possible to correct variations in the ejection amount due to individual differences in the drive circuit.

The droplet discharge head includes a driving element provided in each of the plurality of nozzles, a plurality of driving circuits that supply a driving voltage to the driving element, and a selection circuit that selectively connects the driving element and the driving circuit. When the droplets are ejected from each of the plurality of nozzles, the ejection amount of the droplets is corrected based on ejection information regarding the number of connection of the drive elements for each of the drive circuits. It is good also as a method.
According to this method, it is possible to correct the variation in the ejection amount due to the difference in the number of drive nozzles for each drive circuit.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a droplet discharge head having a plurality of nozzles, a stage that supports a substrate having a droplet landing area, a drive device that relatively moves the droplet discharge head and the stage, and When discharging a plurality of droplets from at least one of the plurality of nozzles, the discharge amount of each of the plurality of droplets is corrected based on the discharge amount information regarding the discharge order of each of the plurality of droplets. There is provided a droplet discharge device having a control device.
According to this configuration, it is possible to correct a variation in droplet ejection amount due to residual vibration of the nozzle meniscus during continuous ejection, and to provide a droplet ejection device that can eject droplets in a uniform amount. .

According to an aspect of the present invention, a droplet discharge head having a plurality of nozzles, a stage that supports a substrate having a droplet landing area, a drive device that relatively moves the droplet discharge head and the stage, and And a control device that corrects a discharge amount of a droplet discharged from each of the plurality of nozzles based on discharge amount information regarding a discharge state of the adjacent nozzle among each of the plurality of droplets. An apparatus is provided.
According to this configuration, it is possible to correct a variation in droplet discharge amount caused by structural crosstalk such as a change in capacity caused by operation between adjacent nozzles, and to discharge droplets in a uniform amount. A droplet discharge device is provided.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a droplet discharge head having a plurality of nozzles, a stage that supports a substrate having a droplet landing area, a drive device that relatively moves the droplet discharge head and the stage, and The ejection amount of droplets ejected from each of the plurality of nozzles is corrected based on ejection amount information relating to the number of nozzles that simultaneously eject droplets out of each of the plurality of droplets. A droplet ejection device having a control device.
According to this configuration, it is possible to correct the variation in the ejection amount accompanying the change in the number of nozzles used.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a droplet discharge head having a plurality of nozzles, a stage that supports a substrate having a droplet landing area, and a drive device that relatively moves the droplet discharge head and the stage. The droplet discharge head includes a drive element provided in each of the nozzles, a plurality of drive circuits that supply a drive voltage to the drive element, and a selection circuit that selectively connects the drive element and the drive circuit A droplet having a control device that corrects the ejection amount of the droplet based on ejection information related to the drive circuit connected to the drive element when the droplet is ejected from the nozzle. A dispensing device is provided.
According to this configuration, it is possible to correct variations in the ejection amount due to individual differences in the drive circuit.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a droplet discharge head having a plurality of nozzles, a stage that supports a substrate having a droplet landing area, and a drive device that relatively moves the droplet discharge head and the stage. The droplet discharge head includes a drive element provided in each of the nozzles, a plurality of drive circuits that supply a drive signal to the drive element, and a drive signal that selectively connects the drive element and the drive circuit And a control circuit that corrects the ejection amount of the droplet based on ejection information relating to the number of connections of the drive elements for each of the drive circuits when the droplet is ejected from the nozzle. A droplet discharge device is provided.
According to this configuration, it is possible to correct the variation in the ejection amount due to the difference in the number of drive nozzles for each drive circuit.

According to the aspect of the present invention, a droplet is discharged from the nozzle into the droplet landing region while relatively moving a droplet discharge head having a plurality of nozzles and a substrate having a droplet landing region. There is provided a program for causing a computer to execute an operation, which includes a step of executing the above-described discharge amount correction operation.
According to this configuration, it is possible to effectively correct the discharge amount variation in the droplet discharge device.

The top view of the board | substrate where a droplet is discharged. Sectional drawing of the board | substrate from which a droplet is discharged. The perspective view which shows the principal part of a droplet discharge apparatus. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an arrangement configuration of droplet discharge heads in the head unit. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an electrical configuration of a droplet discharge device related to driving of a droplet discharge head. The timing diagram of a drive signal and a control signal. The block diagram which shows the apparatus structure for performing the setting of a drive signal. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a droplet discharge method according to the embodiment. Explanatory drawing of the process which prescribes | regulates a reference | standard discharge amount. The graph which shows distribution of the discharge amount for every nozzle. Explanatory drawing regarding the influence of the adjacent nozzle with respect to the discharge amount of a droplet. Explanatory drawing regarding the discharge amount fluctuation | variation when discharging continuously. The figure which shows the discharge pattern in an Example.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
The scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment, and can be arbitrarily changed within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. Moreover, in the following drawings, in order to make each structure easy to understand, the actual structure may be different from the scale, number, or the like in each structure.

(Substrate (base))
A substrate (base) used in the droplet discharge method of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a substrate onto which droplets are discharged. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a substrate onto which droplets are discharged.

1 and 2 is used for a color display device. A substrate 1 includes a bank 3 formed in a region between a plurality of droplet landing regions (for example, pixels) 2 constituting R (red), G (green), and B (blue) and a droplet landing region 2. And have. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the droplet landing area 2 has a so-called stripe arrangement, but may have a delta arrangement or a mosaic arrangement. The droplet landing area 2 is not limited to a rectangle, but may be a triangle or a honeycomb.

The substrate 1 has a substrate body 4 made of glass, for example. A plurality of partitioned areas 6 partitioned by the banks 3 are formed on the substrate body 4. A colored film or a light emitting layer is formed in each droplet landing region 2 by discharging droplets into the partition region 6 surrounded by these banks 3. A light shielding portion 5 made of a light shielding material may be formed in the lower portion of the bank 3. In the case of the present embodiment, the plurality of partitioned areas 6 have the same shape and size.

In the substrate 1, the exposed surface of the droplet landing area 2 may be subjected to a lyophilic process. Further, the surface of the bank 3 may be subjected to a liquid repellency treatment. The liquid repellent treatment of the bank 3 can be realized by, for example, plasma surface treatment of oxygen or fluorocarbon. By selectively forming the lyophilic region (exposed surface of the droplet landing region 2) and the lyophobic region (the surface of the bank 3) in this manner, the droplets that have landed on the substrate 1 are outside the droplet landing region 2. Can be prevented from overflowing.

(Droplet discharge device)
Next, the configuration of the droplet discharge device will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a main part of the droplet discharge device. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the droplet discharge heads in the head unit.

3 is moved in the main scanning direction by a pair of linearly provided guide rails 201, an air slider provided inside the guide rail 201, and a linear motor (not shown). Main scanning moving table 203. Further, the droplet discharge device 200 includes a pair of guide rails 202 linearly provided so as to be orthogonal to the guide rails 201 above the guide rails 201, an air slider and a linear motor provided inside the guide rails 202. (Not shown) and a sub-scanning moving base 204 that moves along the sub-scanning direction.

A stage 205 for placing the substrate 1 is provided on the main scanning moving table 203. The stage 205 has a mechanism for sucking and fixing the substrate 1 described above. The stage 205 aligns the reference axis in the substrate 1 with the rotation mechanism 207 in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction.

The sub-scanning moving table 204 includes a carriage 209 that is attached in a suspended manner via a rotation mechanism 208. The carriage 209 includes a head unit 10 including a plurality of droplet discharge heads 11 and 12 (see FIG. 4), and a droplet supply mechanism (not shown) for supplying droplets to the droplet discharge heads 11 and 12. And a control circuit board 30 (see FIG. 5) for performing electrical drive control of the droplet discharge heads 11 and 12.

As shown in FIG. 4, the head unit 10 includes droplet discharge heads 11 and 12 that discharge droplets corresponding to R, G, and B from the nozzle 20. The nozzle 20 constitutes a nozzle group 21A, 21B. The nozzle groups 21A and 21B each have a line arrangement with a predetermined pitch (for example, 180 DPI), and are further arranged in a staggered arrangement. In addition, the direction of arrangement of the nozzle groups 21A and 21B coincides with the sub-scanning direction.

The droplet discharge head 11 and the droplet discharge head 12 are arranged with their positions shifted in the sub-scanning direction, and each nozzle group 21A, 21B complements the dischargeable range and has a continuous constant pitch scanning locus. Draw. Further, several nozzles 20 at the ends of the nozzle groups 21A and 21B are dummy nozzles that are not used in view of the peculiarities of the characteristics.

The volume of the liquid chamber (cavity) communicating with the nozzle 20 in the droplet discharge heads 11 and 12 is variable by driving the piezoelectric element 16 (see FIG. 5). By supplying a drive signal to the piezoelectric element 16 to control the volume in the cavity, the liquid pressure in the cavity is controlled and droplets are ejected from the nozzle 20.

As described above, in the droplet discharge device 200, the nozzle groups 21A and 21B are scanned in the main scanning direction with respect to the substrate 1 by the movement of the main scanning moving table 203, and the discharge ON / OFF control for each nozzle 20 (hereinafter, referred to as the nozzle 20). By performing the discharge control, it is possible to dispose droplets at positions along the scanning locus of the nozzle 20 on the substrate 1.

Note that the configuration of the droplet discharge device is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the arrangement direction of the nozzle groups 21A and 21B can be inclined from the sub-scanning direction so that the pitch of the scanning locus of the nozzles 20 is narrower than the pitch between the nozzles 20 in the nozzle groups 21A and 21B. . Further, the number of the droplet discharge heads 11 and 12 in the head unit 10 and the arrangement configuration thereof can be appropriately changed. Further, as a driving method of the droplet discharge heads 11 and 12, for example, a so-called thermal method in which a heating element is provided in a cavity can be adopted.

(Electric configuration and electrical operation of droplet discharge device)
Next, with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the electrical configuration and operation of the liquid droplet ejection apparatus according to the present invention will be described.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an electrical configuration of a droplet discharge device related to driving of the droplet discharge head. FIG. 6 is a timing diagram of the drive signal and the control signal.

As shown in FIG. 5, the droplet discharge head 11 (12) includes a piezoelectric element 16 provided for each nozzle 20 (see FIG. 4) of the nozzle group 21 </ b> A (21 </ b> B) and a drive signal COM to each piezoelectric element 16. A switching circuit 17 for switching between supply / non-supply of these and a drive signal selection circuit 18 for selecting signal lines COM1 to COM4 for supplying drive signals to the piezoelectric elements 16. The droplet discharge head 11 (12) is electrically connected to the control circuit board 30.

The control circuit board 30 includes drive circuits 31A to 31D including D / A converters (DACs) that generate independent drive signals COM, and slew rate data (waveform data WD1) of the drive signals COM generated by the drive circuits 31A to 31D. A waveform data selection circuit 32 having a storage memory for waveform data WD4) and a data memory 33 for storing discharge control data received from the outside. The drive signals generated by the drive circuits 31A to 31D are output to the signal lines COM1 to COM4 in the control circuit board 30, respectively.

In the nozzle group 21A (21B), one electrode 16c of the piezoelectric element 16 is connected to a ground line (GND) of the drive circuits 31A to 31D. The other electrode (hereinafter referred to as segment electrode 16s) of the piezoelectric element 16 is connected to the signal lines COM1 to COM4 via the switching circuit 17 and the drive signal selection circuit 18. A clock signal (CLK) and a latch signal (LAT) corresponding to each ejection timing are input to the switching circuit 17, the drive signal selection circuit 18, and the waveform data selection circuit 32.

The data memory 33 stores the following data for each ejection timing that is periodically set according to the scanning position of the droplet ejection head 11 (12).
(1) Discharge data (SIA) that defines switching of supply / non-supply (ON / OFF) of the drive signal COM to the piezoelectric element 16
(2) Drive signal selection data (SIB) that defines the signal lines COM1 to COM4 corresponding to each piezoelectric element 16
(3) Waveform number data (WN) defining the type of waveform data WD1 to WD4 input to the drive circuits 31A to 31D

In the present embodiment, ejection data (SIA) is 1 bit (0, 1) per nozzle, drive signal selection data (SIB) is 2 bits (0, 1, 2, 3) per nozzle, waveform number Data (WN) is composed of 7 bits (0 to 127) per 1D / A converter. These data structures can be changed as appropriate.

In the above-described configuration, drive control related to each ejection timing is performed as follows.
In the period from the timing t1 to t2 shown in FIG. 6, the ejection data (SIA), the drive signal selection data (SIB), and the waveform number data (WN) are converted into serial signals, respectively, and the switching circuit 17 and the drive signal selection circuit 18 are converted. Is transmitted to the waveform data selection circuit 32.

Each data is latched at timing t2, so that the segment electrode 16s of each piezoelectric element 16 related to ejection (ON) is connected to each signal line COM1 to COM4 designated by the drive signal selection data (SIB). It becomes. For example, when the drive signal selection data (SIB) is 0, 1, 2, 3, the segment electrodes 16s of the corresponding piezoelectric element 16 are connected to the signal line COM1, the signal line COM2, the signal line COM3, and the signal line COM4, respectively. The In addition, waveform data WD1 to WD4 of drive signals related to generation of the drive circuits 31A to 31D are set.

In each period of timing t3 to t4, t4 to t5, and t5 to t6, the drive signal COM is generated in a series of steps of increasing potential, maintaining potential, and decreasing potential according to the waveform data set at timing t2. Then, the generated drive signal is supplied to the piezoelectric element 16 connected to the signal lines COM1 to COM4, and volume (pressure) control of the cavity communicating with the nozzle is performed.

Here, the potential increasing component at the timings t3 to t4 expands the cavity and draws ink into the nozzle. The potential drop component at timings t5 to t6 plays a role of causing the cavity to contract and ejecting ink by pushing it out of the nozzle.

The time component and the voltage component related to the potential increase, potential retention, and potential decrease in the drive signal COM closely depend on the discharge amount of the droplets discharged by the supply. In particular, in the piezoelectric head, since the discharge amount exhibits a good linearity with respect to the change of the voltage component, the voltage difference at timings t3 to t6 is defined as the drive voltage Vh, and this is used as the discharge amount control condition. can do.

The drive signal COM is not limited to a simple trapezoidal wave as shown in the present embodiment, and various known shapes can be adopted as appropriate. Further, when a different driving method (for example, a thermal method) is adopted, the pulse width (time component) of the driving signal can be used as a condition for controlling the ejection amount.

In the present embodiment, a plurality of types of waveform data having different drive voltages Vh are prepared, and independent waveform data WD1 to WD4 are input to the drive circuits 31A to 31D, respectively, so that each signal line COM1 to COM4 is input. It is possible to output drive signals COM having different drive voltages Vh. The types of waveform data that can be prepared are 128 types corresponding to the information amount (7 bits) of the waveform number data (WN), for example, corresponding to the drive voltage Vh in increments of 0.1V.

The droplet discharge device 200 of the present embodiment includes drive signal selection data (SIB) that defines the correspondence between the piezoelectric elements 16 provided corresponding to the nozzles and the signal lines COM1 to COM4, and the signal lines COM1 to COM4. By appropriately setting the waveform number data (WN) that defines the correspondence with the type of drive signal (drive voltage Vh), the discharge amount of the liquid droplets discharged from the nozzle can be controlled.
In the droplet discharge device 200 of the present embodiment, the drive signal selection data (SIB) and the waveform number data (WN) can be updated at each discharge timing, so that the change in the discharge data (SIA) is made to correspond. It is also possible to set the drive signal finely.

(Droplet ejection method)
Next, the droplet discharge method of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an apparatus configuration for setting a drive signal. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the droplet discharge method of this embodiment. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a process for defining the reference discharge amount. FIG. 10 is a graph showing the distribution of the discharge amount for each nozzle. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram regarding the influence of adjacent nozzles on the droplet discharge amount. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram relating to the discharge amount variation when continuous discharge is performed.

[Drive signal setting device]
In FIG. 7, a setting device 300 for setting a drive signal includes an ink supply device 301 that supplies ink to the droplet discharge head 11 (12), and a control circuit board 302 that drives the droplet discharge head 11. Prepare. The setting device 300 includes an ink receiving container 303 that receives and stores ink discharged from the droplet discharge head 11, and a weight measuring device 304 that measures the weight of the ink receiving container 303. The setting device 300 includes an ink receiving substrate 305 that receives ink ejected from the droplet ejection head 11, a substrate moving device 306 that moves the ink receiving substrate 305 in the substrate surface direction, and ink disposed on the ink receiving substrate 305. And a volume measuring device 307 for measuring the volume of. The setting device 300 controls the driving of the droplet discharge head 11 via the control circuit substrate 302, controls the driving of the substrate moving device 306, controls the weighing operations of the weight measuring device 304 and the volume measuring device 307, and measures the weighing. A computer 308 is provided for performing calculations based on the results.

The control circuit board 302 corresponds to the control circuit board 30 shown in FIG. The ink receiving container 303 may be made of any material that does not erode by ink, but preferably has a configuration that suppresses volatilization of ink by disposing a porous member such as a sponge in the opening. . A general electronic balance can be used for the weight weighing device 304. As the volume measuring device 307, a three-dimensional shape measuring device using a white interference method can be used.

The setting device 300 can measure the discharge amount as a weight or a volume by using two types of measuring devices, a weight measuring device 304 and a volume measuring device 307. The weight weighing device 304 is suitable for measuring an average discharge amount in the entire nozzle group at high speed and with high accuracy. The volume measuring device 307 is suitable for measuring the discharge amount of each nozzle.

[Details of droplet discharge method]
Next, the droplet discharge method of this embodiment will be specifically described.
As shown in FIG. 8, the droplet discharge method of the present embodiment discharges based on the discharge information measurement step ST1 for measuring discharge information of each nozzle in the droplet discharge device and the discharge information measured in the discharge information measurement step. A discharge amount setting step ST2 for setting the amount. The ejection information measurement step ST1 is a so-called initial setting step, and may be performed when the droplet ejection head is replaced or when the ink type is changed. That is, in the operation of discharging droplets onto the product substrate, only the discharge amount setting step ST2 has to be executed based on the discharge information measured in the discharge information measurement step ST1.

<Discharge information measurement process>
In the discharge information measurement step ST1, the measurement step ST11 of the discharge information D1 related to the number of used nozzles, the measurement step ST12 of the discharge information D2 related to the discharge state of the adjacent nozzles, and the measurement step ST13 of the discharge information D3 related to the discharge order during continuous discharge. And a measurement process ST14 of the discharge information D4 related to the individual difference of the drive circuit, and a measurement process ST15 of the discharge information D5 related to the load state of the drive circuit.

<Discharge information D1 regarding the number of nozzles used>
In the measurement step ST11 of the discharge information D1 related to the number of used nozzles, the distribution of the discharge amount of each nozzle corresponding to the number of used nozzles is measured. In the measurement process ST11, the average discharge amount of each nozzle is also calculated. The measurement step S11 is a step S1 of measuring the average discharge amount of the entire droplet discharge head, a step S2 of calculating the reference drive voltage Vs, a step S3 of calculating the correlation coefficient α, and measuring the discharge amount of each nozzle. Step S4, and step S5 for calculating an average value of the discharge amount of each nozzle.

First, in step S1 of measuring the average discharge amount, the average discharge amount of all nozzles 20 (excluding dummy nozzles) in the nozzle group 21A is measured in a state where the droplet discharge head 11 is attached to the setting device 300. Specifically, ejection is performed a number of times (for example, 100,000 times) for each nozzle 20, the total weight is measured by the weight measuring device 304, and the measurement result is divided and measured. This measurement is performed under two conditions of driving voltage Vh (for example, 20 V and 30 V).

Next, in step S2 for calculating the reference drive voltage Vs, the relationship between the drive voltage Vh and the average discharge amount under the two conditions measured in step S1 is linearly complemented to obtain a reference discharge amount q0 (design value according to the specification). The reference drive voltage Vs for obtaining the average discharge amount is calculated. In step S3 for calculating the correlation coefficient α, the rate of change of the average discharge amount with respect to the drive voltage Vh is calculated as the correlation coefficient α when the discharge amount is corrected by the drive voltage Vh.

Next, in step S4 of measuring the discharge amount of each nozzle, a plurality of driving signals are supplied to all the piezoelectric elements of the nozzle group 21A, and ink is discharged to the ink receiving substrate 305. Measure the discharge amount. For example, ink is ejected using the six ejection patterns shown in FIG.

In FIG. 9, (a) is a discharge pattern (1/2 Duty, 1 Shot) for discharging droplets from every other nozzle 20 once, and (b) is a liquid from each other nozzle 20 once. A discharge pattern (1/3 Duty, 1 Shot) for discharging droplets, (c) is a discharge pattern (1/2 Duty, 2 Shot) for discharging two droplets continuously from every other nozzle 20, and every two (d). (E) is a discharge pattern (1/2 duty, 2shot) in which droplets are continuously discharged from every other nozzle 20, and (e) is a discharge pattern (1/2 duty, 3shot), in which droplets are discharged from every other nozzle 20 three times. f) is an ejection pattern (1/3 Duty, 3 Shot) for ejecting three droplets from every second nozzle 20 continuously.

Since the surface of the ink receiving substrate 305 is liquid-repellent, the ink ejected from each nozzle forms independent hemispherical droplets on the substrate. The three-dimensional shape of the droplet is measured by the volume measuring device 307, and the measurement data is analyzed by the computer 308, whereby the discharge amount can be obtained.

Next, in step S5 for calculating the average value of the discharge amount of each nozzle, the average value or median value of the discharge amount of each nozzle 20 is calculated from the discharge amount data of each nozzle measured in step S4. In the six discharge patterns shown in FIG. 9, the average value or the median value of the discharge amount is calculated for each number of nozzles used (1/2 duty, 1/3 duty). In the following description, the case where the average value of the discharge amount of each nozzle 20 is calculated will be described as an example, but the same applies to the case where the median value of the discharge amount of each nozzle is calculated.

FIG. 10 shows, for example, an average value of the discharge amount of each nozzle calculated in step S5 as a spatial distribution in the nozzle row arrangement direction. In the example shown in FIG. 10, the discharge amount is relatively large near the end of the nozzle row, and the discharge amount is relatively small near the center of the nozzle row. Further, in the condition where the number of used nozzles at the time of ejection is large (for example, 1/2 Duty in FIG. 9), the ejection amount is relatively larger than the condition in which the number of used nozzles is small (for example, 1/3 Duty in FIG. 9). FIG. 10 shows an example of the discharge amount distribution, and the distribution of the discharge amount may have a shape other than that illustrated.

As described above, the discharge information D1 regarding the number of used nozzles can be acquired.
When ink is ejected from a nozzle of a droplet ejection head onto an object to be ejected, as with the substrate 1 shown in FIG. 1, a single droplet is applied to a droplet landing area 2 partitioned by a bank 3 and arranged at a predetermined interval. Droplets are ejected from a plurality of nozzles arranged in the direction. Since the pitch of the droplet landing area 2 varies depending on the product, a nozzle (discharge nozzle) used for discharging ink and a nozzle (non-discharge nozzle) not used for discharge are inevitably generated. In this case, the ejection nozzles and the non-ejection nozzles change every scan, and all the nozzles are not used at the same time. In addition, when the type of product is changed, the discharge nozzle and the non-discharge nozzle are changed for each scan.

Therefore, when ink is ejected from the nozzles onto the substrate 1, the number of nozzles used changes for each scan. When the number of nozzles used changes, the discharge amount from the nozzles changes as shown in FIG. 10. Therefore, in order to always discharge a constant amount of ink to the droplet landing region 2, the discharge of each nozzle is performed every scan. The amount needs to be corrected. Based on the discharge information D1 acquired in the measurement step ST11, the discharge amount according to the number of used nozzles can be corrected, and the variation in the discharge amount for each nozzle position can also be corrected.

<Discharge information D2 regarding the discharge state of adjacent nozzles>
Next, the measurement process ST12 of the discharge information D2 regarding the discharge state of adjacent nozzles will be described with reference to FIG. In the measurement step ST12, when the droplet is ejected, a change in the ejection amount when the adjacent nozzles in the nozzle row are ejecting at the same time is measured.
Adjacent nozzles in the nozzle array cause structural crosstalk due to vibrations of the piezoelectric elements 16 and the cavities communicating with the nozzles. Therefore, when droplets are simultaneously ejected from two or more nozzles that are continuous in the nozzle row direction, the ejection amount changes due to the influence of the crosstalk.

FIG. 11A is a schematic diagram showing the size of a droplet during single ejection in which droplets are ejected from only the nozzle 20a. FIG. 11B is a schematic diagram showing the size of droplets at the time of one-side simultaneous ejection in which droplets are ejected from the nozzle 20a and the nozzle 20b adjacent to the nozzle 20a. FIG. 11C is a schematic diagram showing the size of droplets at the time of simultaneous ejection on both sides in which droplets are ejected from the nozzle 20a and its adjacent nozzles 20b and 20c. FIG. 11D is a schematic diagram showing the size of droplets when droplets are simultaneously ejected from the four nozzles 20a to 20d including the nozzle 20d further outside the nozzle 20b.

As shown in FIG. 11B, the droplet 120B when ejected simultaneously from the nozzle 20a and the adjacent nozzle 20b is a droplet when the droplet is ejected only from the nozzle 20a shown in FIG. It becomes smaller than 120A. In FIG. 11B, the sizes of the droplets ejected from the nozzles 20a and 20b are substantially the same.

Further, as shown in FIG. 11 (c), the droplets discharged simultaneously from the three consecutive nozzles 20a, 20b, and 20c differ depending on the position of the nozzle. The droplets ejected from the nozzles 20b and 20c at both ends are droplets 120B having the same size as that in FIG. On the other hand, the droplet 120C discharged from the nozzle 20a sandwiched between the two nozzles 20b and 20c is smaller than the droplet 120B discharged from the nozzles 20b and 20c.

That is, the droplet discharged from the nozzle 20a is the largest droplet 120A during single discharge, slightly smaller droplet 120B during one-side simultaneous discharge, and the smallest droplet 120C during both-side simultaneous discharge. The above relationship is also applied when discharging simultaneously from four or more nozzles continuous in the nozzle row direction. That is, as shown in FIG. 11D, the smallest droplet 120C is ejected from the nozzles 20a and 20b at the time of both-side simultaneous ejection, and the slightly smaller droplet 120B is ejected from the nozzles 20c and 20d at the time of one-side simultaneous ejection. Is done. The same applies to the case where five or more nozzles are continuous.

In the measurement step ST12, the discharge operation from each nozzle of the droplet discharge head 11 to the ink receiving substrate 305 is performed for at least the three discharge patterns of FIGS. 11 (a) to 11 (c). By measuring the droplets landed on the ink receiving substrate 305 with the volume measuring device 307, the ejection amounts of the droplets 120A, 120B, and 120C are measured. As described above, the discharge information D2 regarding the discharge state of the adjacent nozzles can be acquired.

The discharge information D2 is acquired as the volume ratio (discharge amount ratio) of the droplets 120A, 120B, and 120C. For example, when the droplet 120A is 100%, the droplet 120B is acquired as 95%, and the droplet 120C is acquired as 92%. Based on the discharge information D2 acquired in the measurement process ST12, it is possible to correct the discharge amount from the nozzle that varies depending on the discharge state of the adjacent nozzle.
In the present embodiment, the case has been described where the size of the liquid droplet decreases as the number of adjacent nozzles that simultaneously perform the discharge operation increases. Sometimes.

<Discharge information D3 regarding the discharge order during continuous discharge>
Next, the measurement process ST13 of the discharge information D3 related to the discharge order at the time of continuous discharge will be described with reference to FIG. In the measurement step ST13, when droplets are continuously ejected from one nozzle, a change in the ejection amount of the second or third ejected droplet is measured.
In the case where droplets are continuously discharged from one nozzle at a high frequency (for example, about 30 kHz), an attempt is made to discharge the next droplet before the vibration of the nozzle meniscus after discharge is settled. Therefore, the droplet discharge amount changes due to the influence of the vibration of the nozzle meniscus.

FIG. 12A is a schematic diagram showing a state where a droplet is ejected from the nozzle 20 only once. FIG. 12B is a schematic diagram illustrating a state in which droplets are ejected from the nozzle 20 in a continuous manner. FIG. 12C is a schematic diagram showing a state in which liquid droplets are ejected from the nozzle 20 in a continuous manner.

The frequency of the nozzle meniscus in each nozzle is substantially constant, and the maximum frequency for discharging the droplets of the droplet discharge head 11 is also fixed. It becomes a certain tendency with the nozzle. For example, when the size of the droplet 120a when ejected only once as shown in FIG. 12A is 100%, the size of the second droplet 120b shown in FIG. 12B is 90%. The size of the third droplet 120c shown in 12 (c) is 95%.

In the measurement step ST13, the weight of the ink stored in the ink receiving container 303 is measured every time the liquid droplet is discharged once while the liquid droplets are continuously discharged to the ink receiving container 303. By calculating the difference in weight each time a droplet is discharged, the weight of the droplet for each time can be acquired.

The ejection information D3 can be acquired as the weight ratio (ejection amount ratio) of the second droplet and the third droplet with respect to the first droplet based on the weight of each droplet measured by the above procedure. it can. Furthermore, if necessary, the fourth and fifth droplets of continuous ejection can be similarly measured, and the weight ratio with respect to the first droplet can be acquired as ejection information D3.

Based on the discharge information D3 acquired in the measurement step ST13, it is possible to correct the discharge amount that varies according to the discharge order when droplets are continuously discharged from one nozzle.

<Discharge information D4 regarding individual differences of drive circuits>
Next, the measurement process ST14 of the ejection information D4 related to individual differences in the drive circuit will be described with reference to FIG. In the measurement step ST14, a change in droplet discharge amount due to individual differences between the four drive circuits 31A to 31D (D / A converters) provided on the control circuit board 30 is measured.

As described above, the piezoelectric element 16 provided corresponding to the nozzle 20 is driven based on the drive signal COM input from any of the four drive circuits 31A to 31D. The four drive circuits 31A to 31D are equivalent to each other, but it is inevitable that individual differences occur. Therefore, even if the same waveform data is supplied from the waveform data selection circuit 32 to the drive circuits 31A to 31D, the drive voltage Vh output from the drive circuits 31A to 31D may not have the same voltage value. When the drive voltage Vh input to the piezoelectric element 16 varies, the discharge amount of the droplet also varies.

In the measurement step ST14, for example, in the state where the same waveform data is input to the drive circuits 31A to 31D, the drive circuits 31A to 31D are operated one by one to execute the droplet discharge operation. The ejected droplets are landed on the ink receiving substrate 305, and the volume of the droplets corresponding to each nozzle is measured using the volume measuring device 307.
The volume of the droplet obtained by the above measurement is compared between the drive circuits 31A to 31D for the same nozzle, and is calculated as a volume ratio (discharge amount ratio). For example, when the ejection amount when driven by the drive circuit 31A is 100% for one nozzle, the volume ratio is 99% for the drive circuit 31B, 101% for the drive circuit 31C, and 99.5% for the drive circuit 31D. Is obtained. The obtained volume ratio for each nozzle is the discharge information D4.

Based on the discharge information D4 acquired in the measurement step ST14, when the drive circuits 31A to 31D connected to the nozzles are selected, the discharge amount that varies due to individual differences of the drive circuits can be corrected. .

<Discharge information D5 regarding the load state of the drive circuit>
Next, the measurement process ST15 of the discharge information D5 regarding the load state of the drive circuit will be described. In the measurement step ST15, a change in droplet discharge amount due to the difference in the number of piezoelectric elements 16 driven in the four drive circuits 31A to 31D provided on the control circuit board 30 (difference in load state) is measured.

As described above, the piezoelectric element 16 provided corresponding to the nozzle 20 is driven based on the drive signal COM input from any of the four drive circuits 31A to 31D. Since the four drive circuits 31A to 31D can be connected to an arbitrary piezoelectric element 16, and the number of nozzles may not be divisible by 4, the number of piezoelectric elements 16 connected to the drive circuits 31A to 31D is not necessarily the same. . For example, as shown below, the drive circuit 31A may drive 18 nozzles, and the other drive circuits 31B to 31D may drive 17 nozzles. When the number of nozzles to be driven differs in the drive circuits 31A to 31D in this way, a difference occurs in the amount of current flowing through the signal lines COM1 to COM4 (electrical crosstalk), and as a result, the droplet discharge amount may change. is there.

Drive circuit 31A Number of drive nozzles: 18 Ratio of discharge amount: 100.15%
Drive circuit 31B Number of drive nozzles: 17 Ratio of discharge amount: 99.95%
Drive circuit 31C Number of drive nozzles: 17 Ratio of discharge amount: 99.95%
Drive circuit 31D Number of drive nozzles: 17 Ratio of discharge amount: 99.95%

In the measurement step ST15, various numbers of nozzles are assigned to the drive circuits 31A to 31D to discharge droplets. The discharged droplets are accommodated in the ink receiving container 303, and the weight of the ink corresponding to each of the drive circuits 31A to 31D is measured using the weight measuring device 304. Thereby, it is possible to acquire the change in the ejection amount when the number of nozzles driven in the drive circuits 31A to 31D changes. From the measurement result, for example, it is possible to obtain a change ratio such as “the discharge amount increases by 0.2% when the number of nozzles to be driven increases by one”. The obtained change ratio is the discharge information D5.

Based on the discharge information D5 acquired in the measurement step ST15, it is possible to correct the discharge amount that fluctuates due to electrical crosstalk when the load state (number of nozzles to be driven) of the drive circuits 31A to 31D changes. .

<Discharge amount setting process>
Next, the discharge amount setting step ST2 using the discharge information D1 to D5 will be described.
The discharge amount setting step ST2 includes a step ST21 for performing correction based on the number of used nozzles, a step ST22 for performing correction based on the discharge state of adjacent nozzles, a step ST23 for performing correction based on the discharge order at the time of continuous discharge, and a step. It includes a step ST24 of selecting a drive circuit connected to the piezoelectric element based on the drive voltage corrected in ST21 to ST23, and a step ST25 of performing correction based on the drive circuit connected to the piezoelectric element.

First, in step ST21, the ejection amount is corrected using the ejection information D1 regarding the number of used nozzles. Specifically, in the discharge pattern of the droplet discharge head 11 (nozzle group 21A) defined for each scan, when the ratio of discharge nozzles is, for example, 2/5, the used nozzles shown in FIG. An average discharge amount of the corresponding nozzle is acquired by interpolating two discharge amount graphs for each number (1/2 duty, 1/3 duty). Further, a drive voltage Vh1 for correcting the obtained discharge amount to the reference discharge amount q0 is calculated.

Next, in step ST22, the discharge amount is corrected using the discharge information D2 relating to the discharge state of the adjacent nozzles. Specifically, in the discharge pattern of the droplet discharge head 11 (nozzle group 21A) defined for each scan, the discharge state of each nozzle is set to “single discharge”, “single-side simultaneous discharge”, or “both-side simultaneous discharge”. Classify either. For the nozzles classified as “single discharge”, the discharge amount is not corrected. For nozzles classified as “one-sided simultaneous discharge” or “both-side simultaneous discharge”, the drive voltage Vh1 set in step ST21 is set based on the discharge information D2 so that the discharge amount is equivalent to “single discharge”. Further, the driving voltage is corrected to Vh2.

Next, in step ST23, the ejection amount is corrected using the ejection information D3 relating to the ejection order during continuous ejection. Specifically, the discharge pattern of the droplet discharge head 11 (nozzle group 21A) defined for each scan is compared with the discharge pattern corresponding to the preceding and following scans, and the presence or absence of continuous discharge is classified for each nozzle. For example, in each discharge pattern, a “continuous discharge number” is assigned to each nozzle. If the “continuous discharge number” is “1”, it is the first droplet at the time of continuous discharge. Similarly, if “continuous discharge number” is “2”, it is the second droplet for continuous discharge, and if “continuous discharge number” is “3”, it is the third droplet for continuous discharge.

吐出 No correction of the discharge amount is performed for the nozzle whose “continuous discharge number” is “1”. When the “continuous discharge number” is “2” or “3”, based on the discharge information D3, a process is performed so that the discharge amount is equivalent to that of the droplet having the “continuous discharge number” “1”. The drive voltage Vh2 set in ST22 is further corrected to the drive voltage Vh3.

Next, in step ST24, the drive circuits 31A to 31D connected to each nozzle are selected based on the drive voltage Vh3 that is the result of the sequential correction in steps ST21 to ST23. In this embodiment, since four drive circuits 31A to 31D are provided, the drive voltage Vh3 for each nozzle is classified into four levels for each voltage value, and waveform data corresponding to each level is selected. Then, the selected four waveform data are determined as drive waveforms to be supplied to the drive circuits 31A to 31D. Accordingly, the drive circuits 31A to 31D are assigned to the nozzles used for ejection.

Next, in step ST25, the ejection amount is corrected using the ejection information D4 and the ejection information D5 regarding the drive circuit to be connected. Specifically, based on the ejection information D4, the change in drive voltage due to the individual difference between the drive circuits 31A to 31D is corrected. The change in the drive voltage is corrected by reselecting the waveform data supplied to each of the drive circuits 31A to 31D.

Also, based on the ejection information D5, the ejection amount due to the difference in the number of drive nozzles of the drive circuits 31A to 31D is corrected. For example, if the difference is a discharge amount of 0.2% per nozzle, the value obtained by multiplying the difference in the number of nozzles by 0.2% is the discharge amount to be corrected, and this is the drive voltage for correcting this discharge amount. The waveform data supplied to the drive circuits 31A to 31D is reselected.

Through the above steps ST21 to ST25, the setting of the discharge amount for each nozzle is completed.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the number of used nozzles that cause variation in the discharge amount of each nozzle, the discharge state of adjacent nozzles, the discharge order during continuous discharge, individual differences in the drive circuit, and the drive circuit Appropriate correction can be performed for each of the five elements of the load state. As a result, it is possible to suppress variations in droplet discharge amount with extremely high accuracy.

In this embodiment, the discharge amount is corrected for all of the five elements: the number of used nozzles, the discharge state of adjacent nozzles, the discharge order during continuous discharge, individual differences in the drive circuit, and the load state of the drive circuit. However, each element is independent and can be implemented by one or more combinations.

The droplet discharge method of the present embodiment can also be provided as a control program for the droplet discharge device. This program executes the droplet discharge method described above. That is, the droplet discharge device 200 is caused to execute the droplet discharge method via the computer 308 shown in FIG.
The program may be stored (stored) in a memory of a computer, for example, or may be recorded in an external recording device or recording medium. By using this program, it is possible to stably apply ink to the pixel area even when there is a restriction on nozzle allocation to the pixel area.

(Example of droplet discharge method)
Next, an embodiment of the above-described droplet discharge method will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 13 shows a state in which a three-shot droplet discharge operation is performed with different discharge patterns from the droplet discharge head 11 having 15 nozzles.
When the discharge amount setting operation of the above embodiment is applied to the droplet discharge operation shown in FIG. 13, each correction operation is executed according to the following procedure. By executing each correction operation, it is possible to suppress variation in the ejection amount of each nozzle and apply ink to the substrate in an accurate amount.

<First shot>
Number of nozzles used: 9 nozzles (15 nozzles)
One side simultaneous discharge nozzle: No. 2, 3, 7, 9, 13, 14
Simultaneous discharge nozzles on both sides: No. 8

(1) Step ST21: Since the number of used nozzles is 9/15 Duty, the discharge amount distribution is obtained by extrapolating the discharge amount distribution of 1/2 Duty, 1 Shot and the discharge amount distribution of 1/3 Duty, 1 Shot. Thereby, the variation in the ejection amount for each nozzle position is corrected. Since 9/15 Duty is larger than 1/2 Duty, the 9/15 Duty discharge amount is corrected by extrapolating the relationship between the 1/2 Duty average discharge amount and the 1/3 Duty average discharge amount.
(2) Step ST22: For each one-side simultaneous discharge nozzle and both-side simultaneous discharge nozzle, the respective discharge amounts are corrected based on the discharge information D2.
(3) Step ST23: Since it is the first shot, there is no influence of continuous ejection. Therefore, no correction is performed.
(4) Step ST25: Correct each discharge amount based on the individual difference (discharge information D4) of the drive circuit connected to each nozzle and the load state (discharge information D5).

<Second shot>
Number of nozzles used: 6 nozzles (15 nozzles)
One side simultaneous discharge nozzle: No. 2, 3, 7, 8
Both sides simultaneous discharge nozzle: None

(1) Step ST21: Since the number of nozzles used is 6/15 Duty, the ejection amount distribution is obtained by interpolating the ejection amount distribution of 1/2 Duty, 1 Shot and the ejection amount distribution of 1/3 Duty, 1 Shot. Thereby, the variation in the ejection amount for each nozzle position is corrected. Further, the 6/15 duty discharge amount is corrected by interpolating the relationship between the average discharge amount of 1/2 duty and the average discharge amount of 1/3 duty.
(2) Step ST22: For each one-side simultaneous discharge nozzle and both-side simultaneous discharge nozzle, the respective discharge amounts are corrected based on the discharge information D2.
(3) Step ST23: Since this is the second shot, the nozzle No. 2, 3, 7, 8, 11, and 14 are affected by continuous discharge. These nozzles are corrected based on the discharge information D3.
(4) Step ST25: Correct each discharge amount based on the individual difference (discharge information D4) of the drive circuit connected to each nozzle and the load state (discharge information D5).

<3rd shot>
Number of nozzles used: 2 nozzles (15 nozzles)
One side simultaneous discharge nozzle: None Both sides simultaneous discharge nozzle: None

(1) Step ST21: Since the number of used nozzles is 2/15 Duty, the discharge amount distribution is obtained by extrapolating the discharge amount distribution of 1/2 Duty, 1 Shot and the discharge amount distribution of 1/3 Duty, 1 Shot. Thereby, the variation in the ejection amount for each nozzle position is corrected. Since 2/15 Duty is less than 1/3 Duty, the 2/15 Duty ejection amount is corrected by extrapolating the relationship between the 1/2 Duty average ejection amount and the 1/3 Duty average ejection amount.
(2) Step ST22: Since there is no one-side simultaneous discharge nozzle and both-side simultaneous discharge nozzle, the discharge amount is not corrected.
(3) Step ST23: Since this is the third shot, the nozzle No. 2 and 8 have the effect of continuous discharge. These nozzles are corrected based on the discharge information D3.
(4) Step ST25: Correct each discharge amount based on the individual difference (discharge information D4) of the drive circuit connected to each nozzle and the load state (discharge information D5).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Board | substrate, 2 ... Droplet landing area | region, 11, 12 ... Droplet discharge head, 18 ... Drive signal selection circuit, 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d ... Nozzle, 31A, 31B, 31C, 31D ... Drive circuit, 120A, 120B, 120C ... droplet, 200 ... droplet discharge device, 205 ... stage, 308 ... computer, Vh, Vh1, Vh2, Vh3 ... drive voltage, COM ... drive signal, D1, D2, D3, D4, D5 ... Discharge information, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, ST21, ST22, ST23, ST24, ST25 ... process

Claims (13)

1. A droplet that discharges a plurality of droplets from each of the plurality of nozzles into the droplet landing region while relatively moving a droplet discharge head having a plurality of nozzles and a substrate having a droplet landing region. A discharge method,
   When discharging the plurality of droplets from at least one of the plurality of nozzles, the discharge amount of each of the plurality of droplets based on discharge amount information regarding the discharge order of each of the plurality of droplets Correct,
   Droplet ejection method.
2. The discharge amount information regarding the discharge order of the plurality of droplets is:
   Continuously discharging droplets from the droplet discharge head to the medium, and measuring the total weight of the droplets on the medium for each discharge;
   Calculating a droplet discharge amount for each discharge order from the difference in the total weight for each discharge;
   Comparing the discharge amount of the droplets for each discharge order and deriving a function of the discharge amount with respect to the discharge order;
   Is a function of the discharge rate defined by the process including
   The droplet discharge method according to claim 1.
3. A droplet discharge method for discharging droplets from each of the plurality of nozzles into the droplet landing area while relatively moving a droplet discharge head having a plurality of nozzles and a substrate having a droplet landing area Because
   When ejecting the droplets from each of the plurality of nozzles, the ejection amount of the droplets is corrected based on ejection amount information regarding the ejection state of the adjacent nozzles of the plurality of nozzles.
   Droplet ejection method.
4. The plurality of nozzles includes a first nozzle, a second nozzle that is a nozzle on both sides of the first nozzle, and a third nozzle,
   The discharge amount information related to the discharge state of the adjacent nozzles is
   A step of discharging droplets from the first nozzle in a state where droplets are not discharged from the second nozzle and the third nozzle and measuring a discharge amount at the time of single discharge;
   The first nozzle and the second nozzle are simultaneously discharged to measure the discharge amount of the first nozzle, and the measured discharge amount of the first nozzle and the discharge amount at the time of the single discharge are determined. By comparing, obtaining a function of the discharge amount at the time of single-sided simultaneous discharge with respect to the discharge amount at the time of single discharge;
   The droplets are simultaneously discharged from the first to third nozzles to measure the discharge amount of the first nozzle, and the measured discharge amount of the first nozzle is compared with the discharge amount at the time of the single discharge. The process of obtaining a function of the discharge amount at the time of simultaneous discharge on both sides with respect to the discharge amount at the time of single discharge,
   Is a function of the discharge rate defined by the process including
   The droplet discharge method according to claim 3.
5. When ejecting the droplets from each of the plurality of nozzles, the ejection amount of the droplets is corrected based on ejection amount information regarding the number of the nozzles that simultaneously eject droplets among the plurality of nozzles.
   The droplet discharge method according to claim 1.
6. The droplet discharge head includes a driving element provided in each of the plurality of nozzles, a plurality of driving circuits that supply a driving voltage to the driving element, and a selection circuit that selectively connects the driving element and the driving circuit. And
   When ejecting the droplets from each of the plurality of nozzles, the ejection amount of the droplets is corrected based on ejection information related to the drive circuit connected to the drive element.
   The droplet discharge method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
7. The droplet discharge head includes a driving element provided in each of the plurality of nozzles, a plurality of driving circuits that supply a driving voltage to the driving element, and a selection circuit that selectively connects the driving element and the driving circuit. And
   When ejecting the droplets from each of the plurality of nozzles, the ejection amount of the droplets is corrected based on ejection information related to the number of connection of the drive elements for each of the drive circuits.
   The droplet discharge method according to claim 1.
8. A droplet discharge head having a plurality of nozzles;
   A stage for supporting a substrate on which a droplet landing area is formed;
   A driving device for relatively moving the droplet discharge head and the stage;
   When discharging a plurality of droplets from at least one of the plurality of nozzles, the discharge amount of each of the plurality of droplets is determined based on discharge amount information regarding the discharge order of each of the plurality of droplets. A control device to correct,
   A droplet discharge device.
9. A droplet discharge head having a plurality of nozzles;
   A stage for supporting a substrate having a droplet landing area;
   A driving device for relatively moving the droplet discharge head and the stage;
   A control device that corrects the ejection amount of droplets ejected from each of the plurality of nozzles based on ejection amount information regarding the ejection state of the adjacent nozzles of the plurality of nozzles;
   A droplet discharge device.
10. A droplet discharge head having a plurality of nozzles;
    A stage for supporting a substrate having a droplet landing area;
    A driving device for relatively moving the droplet discharge head and the stage;
    Correcting the droplet discharge amount from each of the plurality of nozzles based on discharge amount information relating to the number of nozzles that simultaneously discharge droplets of each of the plurality of droplets A control device,
    A droplet discharge device.
11. A droplet discharge head having a plurality of nozzles;
    A stage for supporting a substrate having a droplet landing area;
    A driving device for relatively moving the droplet discharge head and the stage;
    With
    The droplet discharge head includes a driving element provided in each of the nozzles, a plurality of driving circuits that supply a driving voltage to the driving element, a selection circuit that selectively connects the driving element and the driving circuit, Have
    A controller that corrects the ejection amount of the droplet based on ejection information related to the drive circuit connected to the drive element when ejecting the droplet from the nozzle;
    Droplet discharge device.
12. A droplet discharge head having a plurality of nozzles;
    A stage for supporting a substrate having a droplet landing area;
    A driving device for relatively moving the droplet discharge head and the stage;
    With
    The droplet discharge head includes a driving element provided in each of the nozzles, a plurality of driving circuits that supply a driving signal to the driving element, and a driving signal selection circuit that selectively connects the driving element and the driving circuit. And having
    A droplet discharge device comprising: a control device that corrects the droplet discharge amount based on discharge information related to the number of connected drive elements for each of the drive circuits when discharging the droplets from the nozzle.
13. An operation of ejecting a plurality of droplets from the plurality of nozzles into the droplet landing area while relatively moving a droplet discharge head having a plurality of nozzles and a substrate having a droplet landing area on a computer. A program to be executed,
    The program which has a step which performs the correction | amendment operation | movement of the discharge amount of any one of Claim 1 to 7.

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