Conveying device, control method, film deposition system, and method for manufacturing electronic devices

Abstract

To improve the transport efficiency of circuit boards. [Solution] A horizontal multi-joint transport device comprising: an arm having a plurality of links connected so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction; a hand supported at one end of the arm and supporting a substrate; a pivoting means supporting the other end of the arm and pivoting the arm; and a control means for controlling a movement of the hand from a first position for transferring the substrate to a second position for transferring the substrate, wherein the movement includes a pivoting movement of the arm, a link rotation movement which is a rotation movement between the links of the arm, and a hand rotation movement which is a rotation movement of the hand, and the control means controls the movement such that the link movement is performed in one direction, the hand rotation movement is performed in one direction, and the link rotation movement and the hand rotation movement are performed during the pivoting movement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a transfer device, a control method, a film-forming system, and a method for manufacturing an electronic device.

Background Art

[0002] In the manufacture of an organic EL display or the like, a predetermined process is executed on a substrate, such as a film-forming process of depositing a vapor deposition material on the substrate. When such a process is performed, the substrate is transferred to various processing devices such as a film-forming device by a transfer device. Patent Document 1 discloses a horizontally articulated transfer device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a horizontally articulated transfer device, when transferring a substrate, the transfer efficiency can be improved by moving the hand portion that supports the substrate from the position of the transfer source to the position of the transfer destination in a shorter time. There is room for improvement in the control of the movement of the hand portion in the prior art.

[0005] The present invention provides a technique for improving the transfer efficiency of a substrate.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to the present invention, a horizontally articulated transfer device, an arm having a plurality of links connected so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction, a hand supported at one end of the arm and supporting a substrate, a turning means that supports the other end of the arm and turns the arm, The system includes control means for controlling the movement of the hand from a first position in which the substrate is transferred to a second position in which the substrate is transferred, The aforementioned movement operation is The rotational movement of the aforementioned arm, The link rotation movement is the rotational movement between the links of the aforementioned arm, This includes a hand rotation operation, which is the rotational operation of the hand, The control means is The aforementioned link rotation operation is performed in one direction. The aforementioned hand rotation operation is performed in one direction, and The movement is controlled so that the link rotation and the hand rotation occur during the rotation operation. A conveying device characterized by the above is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the transport efficiency of substrates can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram of a film deposition system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Schematic diagram of a film deposition apparatus. [Figure 3] An explanatory diagram of the interior of the transport room. [Figure 4] An explanatory diagram of a substrate transport device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure 4 is a plan view of the substrate transport device. [Figure 6] Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the substrate transport device. [Figure 7] Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the substrate transport device. [Figure 8] Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the substrate transport device. [Figure 9] Operational diagram of the comparative example. [Figure 10] A timing chart showing the change in rotation angle for the comparative example. [Figure 11]Operation explanatory diagram of the substrate transfer device of FIG. 4. [Figure 12] Timing chart showing the change in the rotation angle in the control of the embodiment. [Figure 13] Another operation explanatory diagram of the substrate transfer device of FIG. 4. [Figure 14] Timing chart showing the change in the rotation angle in the control of FIG. 13. [Figure 15] (A) is an overall view of the organic EL display device, and (B) is a diagram showing the cross-sectional structure of one pixel.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although a plurality of features are described in the embodiments, not all of these plurality of features are essential to the invention, and the plurality of features may be arbitrarily combined. Further, in the accompanying drawings, the same or similar configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0010] <First Embodiment> <Film Forming System> FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a film forming system 1 according to an embodiment. The film forming system 1 is a device for forming a film on a substrate 100. The film forming system 1 can be applied, for example, to the manufacture of a display panel of an organic EL display device for a smartphone, and the substrate 100 is sequentially transferred to the film forming block 301, and the organic EL film is formed on the substrate 100.

[0011] The deposition block 301 has a transport chamber 302, which has an octagonal shape in plan view, surrounded by multiple deposition chambers 303a to 303d where the deposition process on the substrate 100 takes place, and a mask storage chamber 305 where masks before and after use are stored. A transport device 302a for transporting the substrate 100 is located in the transport chamber 302. In other words, the deposition block 301 is a cluster-type deposition unit in which multiple deposition chambers 303a to 303d are arranged to surround the transport device 302a. In the following description, when there is no particular distinction between deposition chambers 303a to 303d, they may be referred to as deposition chamber 303.

[0012] In the transport direction of the substrate 100 (arrow direction), a buffer chamber 306, a swirling chamber 307, and a transfer chamber 308 are located upstream and downstream of the film deposition block 301, respectively. During the manufacturing process, each chamber is maintained under vacuum. Although only one film deposition block 301 is shown in Figure 1, the film deposition system 1 can be equipped with multiple film deposition blocks 301. Adjacent film deposition blocks 301 are connected by a coupling device consisting of a buffer chamber 306, a swirling chamber 307, and a transfer chamber 308. The configuration of the coupling device is not limited to this, and for example, it may consist only of a buffer chamber 306 or a transfer chamber 308.

[0013] The transport device 302a is responsible for transporting the substrate 100 from the upstream transfer chamber 308 to the transport chamber 302, transporting the substrate 100 between the film deposition chambers 303, transporting the mask between the mask storage chamber 305 and the film deposition chamber 303, and transporting the substrate 100 from the transport chamber 302 to the downstream buffer chamber 306.

[0014] The buffer chamber 306 is a chamber for temporarily storing substrates 100 depending on the operating status of the film deposition system 1. The buffer chamber 306 is equipped with a multi-tiered substrate storage rack (also called a cassette) capable of storing multiple substrates 100 while maintaining a horizontal state with the film deposition surface of the substrates 100 facing downward in the direction of gravity, and a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the substrate storage rack to align the stage for loading or unloading substrates 100 with the transport position. As a result, the buffer chamber 306 can temporarily accommodate and store multiple substrates 100.

[0015] The rotating chamber 307 is equipped with a device for changing the orientation of the substrate 100. In this embodiment, the rotating chamber 307 rotates the orientation of the substrate 100 by 180 degrees using a transport robot 307a provided in the rotating chamber 307. The transport robot 307a provided in the rotating chamber 307 rotates 180 degrees while supporting the substrate 100 received in the buffer chamber 306 and hands it over to the transfer chamber 308, thereby swapping the front and rear ends of the substrate 100 in the transport direction (arrow direction) between the buffer chamber 306 and the transfer chamber 308. As a result, the orientation of the substrate 100 when it is brought into the deposition chamber 303 is the same in each deposition block 301, so that the scanning direction and mask orientation for deposition on the substrate 100 can be matched in each deposition block 301. This configuration allows for the masks to be placed in the mask storage chamber 305 in the same orientation in each film deposition block 301, simplifying mask management and improving usability.

[0016] The transfer chamber 308 is a room for transferring the substrate 100, which has been brought in by the transport robot 307a of the rotating chamber 307, to the transport device 302a of the film deposition block 301 downstream. The transfer chamber 308, located downstream of the film deposition block 301, functions as an inspection room for inspecting the film deposited on the substrate 100 in the film deposition block 301.

[0017] The control system of the film deposition system 1 includes a host computer, a higher-level device 300 that controls the entire line, and control devices 309, 310, 311, 313a to 313d that control each component, which can communicate via a wired or wireless communication line 300a. The control devices 313a to 313d are provided corresponding to the film deposition chambers 303a to 303d and control the film deposition equipment provided in each film deposition chamber. Control device 309 controls the transport device 302a. Control device 310 controls the transport robot provided in the turning chamber 307. Control device 311 controls the inspection device 110, which will be described later, and which constitutes the transfer chamber 308. The higher-level device 300 transmits information about the substrate 100 and instructions such as transport timing to each control device 309, 310, 311, 313a to 313d, and each control device 309, 310, 311, 313a to 313d controls each component based on the received instructions.

[0018] <Film forming equipment> Figure 2 is a schematic front view showing the configuration of the film deposition apparatus 2 provided in each film deposition chamber 303. In the following figures, arrows X and Y indicate the horizontal direction which is perpendicular to each other, and arrow Z indicates the vertical direction.

[0019] The film deposition apparatus 2 comprises an evaporation source unit 4 and a plurality of film deposition stages 30A, 30B. The evaporation source unit 4 and the film deposition stages 30A, 30B are arranged inside a chamber 3 that is maintained under vacuum during use. In this embodiment, the plurality of film deposition stages 30A, 30B are provided at the top of the chamber 3, spaced apart in the X direction, with the evaporation source unit 4 located below them. The chamber 3 is also provided with a plurality of substrate loading and unloading ports (not shown) for loading and unloading substrates 100.

[0020] The film deposition stages 30A and 30B are arranged side by side in the X direction and are capable of depositing films on the substrate 100. Film deposition stage 30A supports the substrate 100 and the mask 101 and adjusts their positions. Film deposition stage 30A includes a substrate support section 32A, a mask support section 34A, a support column 35A, and an alignment mechanism 36A.

[0021] The substrate support portion 32A supports the substrate 100. In this embodiment, the substrate support portion 32A supports the edge of the substrate 100 from below. However, the substrate support portion 32A may support the substrate by clamping the edge of the substrate 100, or it may support the substrate 100 by adsorbing the substrate 100 with an electrostatic chuck or an adhesive chuck, etc.

[0022] The substrate support section 32A can receive the substrate 100 from the transport device 302a in the transport chamber 302. Furthermore, the substrate support section 32A can be raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism (not shown), allowing the substrate 100 received from the transport device 302a to be placed on top of the mask 101 supported by the mask support section 34A. Known technologies such as a ball screw mechanism can be used for the lifting mechanism.

[0023] The mask support portion 34A supports the mask 101. In this embodiment, the mask support portion 34A is provided with an opening (not shown), through which a deposition material is deposited on the film-forming surface of the substrate 100 superimposed on the mask 101. The mask support portion 34A is also supported in the chamber 3 by a support column 35A.

[0024] The alignment mechanism 36A aligns the substrate 100 and the mask 101. The alignment mechanism 36A aligns the substrate 100 supported by the substrate support 32A and the mask 101 supported by the mask support 32 by adjusting the horizontal relative positions of the substrate support 32A and the mask support 34A.

[0025] Since known techniques can be used for the alignment of the substrate 100 and the mask 101, a detailed explanation will be omitted. As an example, the alignment mechanism 36A detects alignment marks formed on the substrate 100 and the mask 101 using a camera (not shown). The alignment mechanism 36A then adjusts the positional relationship between the substrate 100 and the mask 101 so that the relationship between the position of the substrate 100 calculated from the marks formed on the substrate 100 and the position of the mask 101 calculated from the marks formed on the mask 101 satisfies predetermined conditions. For example, the marks formed on the substrate 100 and the marks formed on the mask 101 are superimposed, the amount of misalignment of the marks is measured with a camera, and the position of the substrate 100 is adjusted to satisfy predetermined conditions.

[0026] Once the alignment by the alignment mechanism 36A is complete, the substrate support section 32A places the supported substrate 100 on top of the mask 101. With the substrate 100 and mask 101 superimposed, the evaporation source unit 4 performs film deposition on the substrate 100.

[0027] The film deposition stage 30B has the same configuration as the film deposition stage 30A. Specifically, the film deposition stage 30B has a substrate support section 32B, a mask support section 34B, a support column 35B, and an alignment mechanism 36B, which correspond to the substrate support section 32A, the mask support section 34A, the support column 35A, and the alignment mechanism 36A, respectively.

[0028] The film deposition apparatus 2 of this embodiment is a so-called dual-stage film deposition apparatus 2 having a plurality of film deposition stages 30A and 30B. For example, while deposition is being performed on the substrate 100 in the film deposition stage 30A, alignment of another substrate 100 and mask 101 can be performed in the film deposition stage 30B, allowing the film deposition process to be executed efficiently.

[0029] The evaporation source unit 4 moves along the moving part 6, releasing the deposition material to form a film on the substrate 100. In this embodiment, the evaporation source unit 4 includes a plurality of evaporation sources 5. Each evaporation source 5 includes a material container (crucible) for containing the deposition material and a heating unit for heating the deposition material contained in the material container. The deposition material heated by the heating unit evaporates and is released from the material container.

[0030] In this embodiment, the movable part 6 moves the evaporation source unit 4 by a rack-pinion mechanism. The movable part 6 includes a drive unit having a pinion 8 that rotates using a motor as the drive source, and a slider 9. The evaporation source unit 4 and the drive unit are mounted on the slider 9. The slider 9 is movable in the X direction along a guide rail 7 that extends in the X direction. The movable part 6 has a rack (not shown) that extends in the X direction, and the pinion 8 meshes with this rack. The axis of rotation of the pinion 8 is in the Y direction. By rotating the pinion 8, the slider 9 and the evaporation source unit 4 move together according to the direction of rotation.

[0031] <Substrate transport equipment> The conveying device 302a will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 5. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the interior of the conveying chamber 302, and Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of the conveying device 302a. Figure 5 is a plan view of the conveying device 302a.

[0032] The transport chamber 302 has a bottom wall 302b that is octagonal in shape when viewed from above, with side walls erected from each side. Openings 302c to 302g are formed in each side wall for passing the substrate 100 or mask 101. Gate valves are provided in each opening 302c to 302g.

[0033] Opening 302c forms a passage for transporting the substrate 100 from the transfer chamber 308 to the transport chamber 302. Opening 302d forms a passage for transporting the substrate 100 from the transport chamber 302 to the buffer chamber 306. Opening 302e forms a passage for transporting the mask 101 between the mask storage chamber 305 and the transport chamber 302. Openings 302f and 302g form passages for transporting the substrate 100 between the deposition chamber 303 and the transport chamber 302. One of openings 302f and 302g corresponds to one of the deposition stages 30A and 30B, and the other of openings 302f and 302g corresponds to the other of the deposition stages 30A and 30B.

[0034] The transport device 302a is a horizontal articulated robot and comprises a hand 11, an arm 12, and a base 13.

[0035] The base 13 constitutes the base portion of the conveying device 302a and is installed on the bottom wall 302b of the conveying chamber 302. More specifically, the base 13 has a bottomed cylindrical case 13a with a flange portion 13b and is fixed to an opening provided in the bottom wall 302b via the flange portion 13bc.

[0036] The base 13 includes a swivel unit 14 that rotates the arm 12 and a lifting unit 15 that raises and lowers the arm 12 together with the swivel unit 14. The swivel unit 14 uses a motor 14a as a drive source to rotate the arm 12 around a vertical swivel centerline C. The lifting unit 15 uses a motor 15a as a drive source to raise and lower the arm 12 and the swivel unit 14 in the vertical direction. The swivel unit 14 is, for example, a gear mechanism or a belt drive mechanism that rotates the swivel center axis, and the lifting unit 15 is, for example, a ball screw mechanism.

[0037] The arm 12 has multiple links (arm members). In this embodiment, the arm 12 has two links 121 and 122. The tip of the arm 12 is supported by the hand 11, and the base of the arm 12 is supported by the base 13.

[0038] One end of link 121 is connected to the slewing unit 14, and link 121 rotates around the slewing centerline C by the slewing unit 14. The other end of link 121 is connected to one end of link 122. Link 122 is supported by link 121 so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis. Link 121 is equipped with a motor 121a that rotates link 122 relative to link 121. The other end of link 122 is connected to the hand 11. The hand 11 is supported by link 122 so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis. Link 122 is equipped with a motor 122a that rotates hand 11 relative to link 122.

[0039] The hand 11 has a fork support 11a that is rotatably connected to the tip of the link 122, and four forks 11b on which the substrate 100 and mask 101 are mounted. Two of the four forks 11b are arranged parallel to each other with a predetermined distance between them. These two forks 11b are fixed to the fork support 11a so as to protrude from the fork support 11a to one side in the horizontal direction. The remaining two forks 11b are fixed to the fork support 11a so as to protrude from the fork support 11a in the opposite direction from the two forks 11b that protrude from the fork support 11a to one side in the horizontal direction.

[0040] As shown in Figure 3, in this embodiment, the hand 11 can support two substrates 100 simultaneously. Therefore, for example, it is possible to support a substrate 100 before film deposition, remove a substrate 100 after film deposition from the film deposition apparatus 1, and transport the substrate 100 before film deposition to the film deposition apparatus 1.

[0041] Furthermore, the support and carrying of the substrate 100 and mask 101 by the hand 11 may involve gripping and holding the edges of the substrate 100, or by suction and holding the substrate 100, etc.

[0042] The control device 309 controls the entire transport device 302a. The control device 309 comprises a processing unit 3091, a storage unit 3092, an input / output interface (I / O) 3093, and a communication unit 3094.

[0043] The processing unit 3091 is a processor, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), which controls the transport device 302a by executing programs stored in the memory unit 3092. The memory unit 3092 is a storage device such as ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), or HDD (Hard Disk Drive), which stores various control information in addition to the programs executed by the processing unit 3091. The I / O (Input / Output) 3093 is an interface for sending and receiving signals between the processing unit 3091 and external devices. The communication unit 3094 is a communication device that communicates with the higher-level device 300 or other control devices 14, 310, etc., via the communication line 300a, and the processing unit 3091 receives information from or transmits information to the higher-level device 300, etc., via the communication unit 3094.

[0044] Sensor 14b detects the rotation angle θa of link 121 (rotation angle of arm 12) by the swivel unit 14. Sensor 121b detects the rotation angle θb of link 122 relative to link 121. Sensor 122b detects the rotation angle θc of hand 11 relative to link 122. Sensors 14b, 121b, and 122b are, for example, rotary encoders.

[0045] <Control Example> An example of controlling the transport device 302a by the control device 309 will be described. The transport operation of the substrate 100 by the transport device 302a is performed in four operations: moving the hand 11 to a position corresponding to the transport source, transferring the substrate 100 from the transport source, moving the hand 11 to a position corresponding to the transport destination, and transferring the substrate 100 to the transport destination. As an example, the operation of transporting the substrate 100 from the transfer chamber 308 to the transport chamber 302 and then transporting the substrate 100 out to the film deposition chamber 303a will be described with reference to Figures 6 to 8. Figures 6 to 8 are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the transport device 302a. Figures 6 to 8 show a series of operations in which substrate 100B is transported from the transfer chamber 308 to the transport chamber 302 and another substrate 100A is transported out to the film deposition chamber 303a.

[0046] State ST61 in Figure 6 shows the state in which the hand 11 has completed moving to position P1, which corresponds to the transfer chamber 308, the source of transport. The substrate 100A, before film deposition, is already supported by the hand 11. The hand 11 is in a position facing the reciprocating direction L1 of the linear reciprocating motion in the transfer operation. In this embodiment, the reciprocating direction L1 is the longitudinal direction of the fork 11b. The reciprocating direction L1 is perpendicular to the pivot centerline C.

[0047] State ST62 and ST63 in Figure 6 show the transfer operation of the substrate 100B. State ST62 shows the state in which the arm 12 is extended and the hand 11 has entered under the substrate 100B in the transfer chamber 308. The substrate 100B is placed on and supported by the hand 11 as it is raised by the lifting unit 15. State ST63 shows the state in which the arm 12 is retracted and the substrate 100B on the hand 11 has been carried into the transport chamber 302. The substrate 100B is placed on and supported by the hand 11 as it is raised by the lifting unit 15.

[0048] Next, the hand 11 is moved to a position corresponding to the deposition chamber 303a, which is the destination for transport. State ST71 in Figure 7 shows the state at the start of the hand 11's movement, which is the same state as state ST63 in Figure 6. Links 121 and 122 of the arm 12 are overlapping in the vertical direction. State ST72 in Figure 7 shows the state when the hand 11 has completed its movement. As already explained, the deposition chamber 303a is equipped with a deposition apparatus 2 having two deposition stages 30A and 30B. In state ST72, the hand 11 is positioned at position P2, which corresponds to the opening 302g, which is the passage for the substrate 100, relative to one of the two deposition stages 30A and 30B.

[0049] In state ST72 of Figure 7, line L2 is a horizontal imaginary line perpendicular to the pivot center line C and directed toward the deposition chamber 303a. On the other hand, the reciprocating movement direction L3 at position P2 is parallel to the horizontal imaginary line L2 and shifted horizontally perpendicular to the imaginary line L2. That is, in order to align with the position of the opening 302g, the hand 11 moves from state ST71 around the pivot center of the arm 12 indicated by the pivot center line C, and moves to a position shifted horizontally perpendicular to the imaginary line L2. An example of the movement operation of the transport device 302a for this purpose will be described later.

[0050] Next, a transfer operation is performed to move the substrate 100A, supported by the hand 11, to the deposition chamber 303a, which is the destination. State ST81 in Figure 8 shows the state at the start of movement of the hand 11, and is the same state as state ST72 in Figure 7. States ST82 and 83 in Figure 8 show the transfer operation of the substrate 100A. State ST82 shows the state in which the arm 12 is extended in the reciprocating direction L3 and the hand 11 has entered the deposition chamber 303a. The substrate 100A is handed over to the deposition apparatus 2 by the lowering of the hand 11 by the lifting unit 15. State ST83 shows the state in which the arm 12 is retracted in the reciprocating direction L3 and the hand 11 has returned to the transport chamber 302. This completes the series of operations.

[0051] <Movement control> The movement of the hand 11 from state ST71 to state ST72 in Figure 7 and its control will be explained. First, a comparative example will be explained with reference to Figure 9. State ST91 in Figure 9 shows the state at the start of the hand 11's movement, and is the same state as state ST63 in Figure 6 and state ST71 in Figure 7. From this state, as shown in state ST92 in Figure 9, the arm 12 is rotated by the swivel unit 14, and the hand 11 is rotated by the motor 122a. The swivel of the arm 12 and the rotation of the hand 11 are performed until the hand 11's reciprocating movement direction becomes the imaginary line L2 in state ST72 in Figure 7, as shown in state ST93 in Figure 9. The longitudinal direction of link 122 and the longitudinal direction (reciprocating movement direction) of hand 11 coincide, and the angle between them is 0 degrees. From state ST91 to state ST93, link 121 and link 122 are maintained in a state of being stacked vertically.

[0052] Next, a shift operation is performed to shift the position of the hand 11 so that its reciprocating direction becomes the same as the reciprocating direction L3 in state ST72 of Figure 7. State ST94 in Figure 9 shows this shift operation. The motor 121a rotates link 122 relative to link 121, the slewing unit 14 rotates the arm 12, and the motor 122a rotates the hand 11. The direction of rotation of the arm 12 by the slewing unit 14 and the direction of rotation of the hand 11 by the motor 122a are reversed compared to states ST91 to ST93. The hand 11 is then positioned at position P2 and the operation is completed.

[0053] Figure 10 is a timing chart showing the change in rotation angles θa to θc in the comparative example. The movement starts at time t1 and is completed at time t3. Time t2 indicates the start timing of the shift operation, and times t2 to t3 correspond to states ST93 to ST94.

[0054] The rotation angle θa of link 121 by the swivel unit 14 (the swivel angle of arm 12) changes from a1 to a3 with rotation in one direction, and then returns to a2 with rotation in the opposite direction. The rotation angle θb of link 122 relative to link 121 remains at b1 from time t1 to t2, and changes to b2 when the shift operation starts. Rotation angle b1 means that links 121 and 122 are stacked vertically (the relative angle between them in the longitudinal direction is 0), and rotation angle b2 means that links 121 and 122 are spread out in a V shape. The rotation angle θc of hand 11 relative to link 122 changes from c1 to c3 with rotation in one direction, and then returns to c2 with rotation in the opposite direction.

[0055] In the comparative example, the movement of the hand 11 around the pivot point of the arm 12 and the shifting movement in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the virtual line L2 are separated at time t2. As a result, the arm 12 rotates in the opposite direction and the hand 11 rotates in the opposite direction, making the movement of the hand 11 inefficient.

[0056] Next, an example of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 11. In this embodiment, the movement of the hand 11 does not consist solely of the shifting operation of the hand 11 as in the comparative example. The movement of the hand 11 around the pivot center of the arm 12 and the shifting of the hand 11 are performed in parallel, and during the rotation of the arm 12, the rotation of link 122 relative to link 121 (link rotation operation) and the rotation of the hand 11 relative to link 122 (hand rotation operation) are performed. The rotation of the arm 12 and the rotation of the hand 11 are performed in only one direction, and rotation or pivoting in the opposite direction is not performed. This improves the efficiency of the movement of the hand 11 and improves the transport efficiency of the substrate.

[0057] State ST111 in Figure 11 shows the state at the start of movement of the hand 11, which is the same state as state ST63 in Figure 6 and state ST71 in Figure 7. From this state, as shown in states ST112 and ST113 in Figure 11, the swivel unit 14 rotates the arm 12, and the motor 122a rotates the hand 11. In addition, the motor 121a rotates link 122 relative to link 121. Finally, the hand reaches state ST114, and the operation is completed with the hand 11 at position P2. The longitudinal direction of link 122 and the longitudinal direction (reciprocating direction) of the hand 11 do not coincide, and the rotational movement of the hand 11 stops with a predetermined angle remaining between them.

[0058] Figure 12 is a timing chart showing the change in rotation angles θa to θc in this embodiment. The movement starts at time t11 and is completed at time t12. Times t11 to t12 correspond to states ST111 to ST114.

[0059] The rotation angle θa of link 121 (rotation angle of arm 12) by the swivel unit 14 changes from a1 to a2 due to unidirectional rotation between time t11 and t12. There is no rotation in the opposite direction, as in the comparative example. The rotation angle θb of link 122 relative to link 121 changes continuously from b1 to b2 between time t11 and t12. That is, immediately after the start of operation, links 121 and 122 begin to open in a V-shape, and the angle of opening gradually increases. The rotation angle θc of hand 11 relative to link 122 also changes from c1 to c2 due to unidirectional rotation between time t11 and t12. There is no rotation in the opposite direction, as in the comparative example.

[0060] In this embodiment, the rotational movement of the arm 12, the rotational movement of the link 122 relative to the link 121, and the rotational movement of the hand 11 relative to the link 122 are performed in only one direction and synchronously, thereby improving the efficiency of the hand 11's movement and the efficiency of transporting the substrate.

[0061] <Second Embodiment> In the control of the movement of the hand 11 in the first embodiment (Figures 11 and 12), the rotation of the arm 12, the rotation of link 122 relative to link 121, and the rotation of the hand 11 relative to link 122 were performed continuously from the start to the end of the movement control. However, the link rotation operation of link 122 relative to link 121 may be performed during a portion of the movement of the arm 12's rotation. Alternatively, the rotation operation of the arm 12 may be temporarily paused midway, and the link rotation operation of link 122 relative to link 121 may be performed when the rotation is resumed.

[0062] Figure 13 shows an example of the movement and control of the hand 11 in this embodiment. State ST131 in Figure 13 shows the state at the start of movement of the hand 11, and is the same state as state ST63 in Figure 6 and state ST71 in Figure 7. From this state to state ST112 in Figure 13, the arm 12 is rotated by the swivel unit 14, and the hand 11 is rotated by the motor 122a. Link 122 does not rotate relative to link 121, and from state ST131 to state ST132, links 121 and 122 are maintained in a state where they are stacked vertically.

[0063] Here, the rotation of arm 12 and hand 11 are temporarily stopped and then resumed. Upon resumption, the rotation of link 122 relative to link 121 begins. State ST133 in Figure 13 shows the state after the operation has resumed. The rotation unit 14 rotates arm 12, and motor 122a rotates hand 11. In addition, motor 121a rotates link 122 relative to link 121. Finally, the state ST134 is reached, and hand 11 is in position P2, completing the operation.

[0064] Figure 14 is a timing chart showing the change in rotation angles θa to θc in this embodiment. The movement starts at time t21 and is completed at time t24. At time t22, the rotation of the arm 12 and the rotation of the hand 11 are temporarily stopped, and at time t23, the rotation of the arm 12 and the rotation of the hand 11 resume, and the rotation of link 122 relative to link 121 begins.

[0065] The rotation angle θa of link 121 by the swivel unit 14 (the swivel angle of arm 12) changes from a1 to a2 due to unidirectional rotation between time t21 and t24. However, this rotation is stopped between time t22 and t23. There is no rotation in the opposite direction, as in the comparative example. The rotation angle θc of hand 11 relative to link 122 also changes from c1 to c2 due to unidirectional rotation between time t21 and t24. However, this rotation is stopped between time t22 and t23. There is no rotation in the opposite direction, as in the comparative example.

[0066] The rotation angle θb of link 122 relative to link 121 changes continuously from b1 to b2 between time t23 and t24. That is, from the moment arm 12 resumes its rotation, links 121 and 122 begin to open in a V-shape, and the angle of opening gradually increases. The end of arm 12's rotational movement coincides with the end of link 122's hand rotation relative to link 121.

[0067] Thus, in this embodiment as well, the efficiency of the movement of the hand 11 can be improved compared to the comparative example, and the efficiency of transporting the substrate can be improved.

[0068] <Third Embodiment> In the first and second embodiments, two openings 302f and 302g are provided corresponding to the deposition chamber 303a. However, a single-stage type deposition apparatus may be placed in the deposition chamber 303a, and the transport chamber 302 may have only one corresponding opening. In this configuration as well, the movement and control described in Figures 11 to 14 can be performed to align the position of the hand 11 with the opening.

[0069] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, a double-type hand 11 capable of supporting two substrates 100 was exemplified as the hand 11, but the movement operation and control of the above embodiments can also be applied to a single-type hand capable of supporting one substrate 100.

[0070] Furthermore, while the first and second embodiments described the operation of transporting the substrate 100 from the transfer chamber 308 to the transport chamber 302 and transporting it out to the film deposition chamber 303a, other transport patterns can also be performed using the movement operations and control described in Figures 11 to 14. Examples of transport patterns include transporting substrates between film deposition chambers and transporting substrates from a film deposition chamber to a buffer chamber.

[0071] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, the movement of the hand 11 to position P1 was initiated only after the hand 11 had completed its linear reciprocating motion at position P1. However, the rotation of the arm 12 by the swivel unit 14 and the rotation of the hand 11 during the movement may be initiated during the contraction of the arm 12 (between state ST62 and state ST63 in Figure 6). In this case, the rotation of link 122 relative to link 121 (link rotation) may be initiated without completely contracting the arm 12 (without returning link 121 and link 122 to the state where they are stacked vertically).

[0072] <Fourth Embodiment: Method for Manufacturing an Electronic Device> Next, an example of an electronic device manufacturing method will be described. The configuration and manufacturing method of an organic EL display device will be illustrated as an example of an electronic device.

[0073] First, let me explain the organic EL display device that will be manufactured. Figure 15(A) is an overall view of the organic EL display device 50, and Figure 15(B) is a diagram showing the cross-sectional structure of one pixel.

[0074] As shown in Figure 15(A), the display area 51 of the organic EL display device 50 has multiple pixels 52, each having multiple light-emitting elements, arranged in a matrix. As will be explained in detail later, each light-emitting element has a structure comprising an organic layer sandwiched between a pair of electrodes.

[0075] In this context, a pixel refers to the smallest unit that enables the display of a desired color in the display area 51. In the case of a color organic EL display device, a pixel 52 is composed of a combination of multiple subpixels of a first light-emitting element 52R, a second light-emitting element 52G, and a third light-emitting element 52B, which emit different amounts of light from each other. A pixel 52 is often composed of a combination of three types of subpixels: a red (R) light-emitting element, a green (G) light-emitting element, and a blue (B) light-emitting element, but is not limited to this. A pixel 52 may contain at least one type of subpixel, preferably two or more types, and more preferably three or more types. For example, the subpixels constituting a pixel 52 may be a combination of four types of subpixels: a red (R) light-emitting element, a green (G) light-emitting element, a blue (B) light-emitting element, and a yellow (Y) light-emitting element.

[0076] Figure 15(B) is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the line A and B in Figure 15(A). Pixel 52 has multiple subpixels on a substrate 53, each composed of an organic EL element comprising a first electrode (anode) 54, a hole transport layer 55, one of a red layer 56R, a green layer 56G, or a blue layer 56B, an electron transport layer 57, and a second electrode (cathode) 58. Of these, the hole transport layer 55, red layer 56R, green layer 56G, blue layer 56B, and electron transport layer 57 are organic layers. The red layer 56R, green layer 56G, and blue layer 56B are formed in patterns corresponding to light-emitting elements (sometimes described as organic EL elements) that emit red, green, and blue light, respectively.

[0077] Furthermore, the first electrode 54 is formed separately for each light-emitting element. The hole transport layer 55, the electron transport layer 57, and the second electrode 58 may be formed in common across multiple light-emitting elements 52R, 52G, and 52B, or they may be formed for each light-emitting element. That is, as shown in Figure 15(B), the hole transport layer 55 may be formed as a common layer across multiple sub-pixel regions, on which the red layer 56R, green layer 56G, and blue layer 56B may be formed separately for each sub-pixel region, and on top of that, the electron transport layer 57 and the second electrode 58 may be formed as a common layer across multiple sub-pixel regions.

[0078] Furthermore, an insulating layer 59 is provided between the first electrodes 54 to prevent short circuits between the adjacent first electrodes 54. In addition, since the organic EL layer deteriorates due to moisture and oxygen, a protective layer 60 is provided to protect the organic EL element from moisture and oxygen.

[0079] In Figure 15(B), the hole transport layer 55 and the electron transport layer 57 are shown as a single layer, but depending on the structure of the organic EL display element, they may be formed as multiple layers having hole blocking layers and electron blocking layers. In addition, a hole injection layer having an energy band structure that allows for smooth injection of holes from the first electrode 54 to the hole transport layer 55 may be formed between the first electrode 54 and the hole transport layer 55. Similarly, an electron injection layer may be formed between the second electrode 58 and the electron transport layer 57.

[0080] Each of the red layer 56R, green layer 56G, and blue layer 56B may be formed as a single light-emitting layer or by stacking multiple layers. For example, the red layer 56R may consist of two layers, with the upper layer being a red light-emitting layer and the lower layer being a hole transport layer or an electron blocking layer. Alternatively, the lower layer may be a red light-emitting layer and the upper layer being an electron transport layer or a hole blocking layer. By providing layers below or above the light-emitting layer in this way, the light-emitting position in the light-emitting layer can be adjusted, and the optical path length can be adjusted, thereby improving the color purity of the light-emitting element.

[0081] Although the example shown here is for the red layer 56R, a similar structure may be used for the green layer 56G or the blue layer 56B. Furthermore, the number of layers may be two or more. Additionally, layers of different materials, such as the light-emitting layer and the electron-blocking layer, may be stacked, or layers of the same material may be stacked, for example, by stacking two or more light-emitting layers.

[0082] Next, we will specifically describe an example of a method for manufacturing an organic EL display device. Here, we assume that the red layer 56R consists of two layers, a lower layer 56R1 and an upper layer 56R2, and that the green layer 56G and the blue layer 56B consist of a single light-emitting layer.

[0083] First, a circuit (not shown) for driving the organic EL display device and a substrate 53 on which the first electrode 54 is formed are prepared. The material of the substrate 53 is not particularly limited and can be made of glass, plastic, metal, etc. In this embodiment, a substrate 53 is used in which a polyimide film is laminated on a glass substrate.

[0084] A resin layer, such as acrylic or polyimide, is coated onto the substrate 53 on which the first electrode 54 is formed by bar coating or spin coating. The resin layer is then patterned by lithography to form an insulating layer 59 in the area where the first electrode 54 is formed. This opening corresponds to the light-emitting region where the light-emitting element actually emits light.

[0085] A substrate 53 with an insulating layer 59 patterned on it is brought into the first deposition chamber, and a hole transport layer 55 is deposited as a common layer on the first electrode 54 of the display area. The hole transport layer 55 is deposited using a mask in which an opening is formed for each display area 51 that will ultimately become the panel portion of each organic EL display device.

[0086] Next, the substrate 53, on which the hole transport layer 55 has been formed, is brought into the second deposition chamber. The substrate 53 is aligned with the mask, the substrate is placed on the mask, and the red layer 56R is deposited on the portion of the substrate 53 where the red-emitting elements are placed (the region where the red subpixels are formed) above the hole transport layer 55. Here, the mask used in the second deposition chamber is a high-resolution mask in which openings are formed only in the multiple regions on the substrate 53 that will become the subpixels of the organic EL display device, specifically in the regions that will become the red subpixels. As a result, the red layer 56R, including the red light-emitting layer, is deposited only in the regions that will become the red subpixels among the multiple regions that will become the subpixels on the substrate 53. In other words, the red layer 56R is not deposited in the regions that will become the blue subpixels or the regions that will become the green subpixels among the multiple regions that will become the subpixels on the substrate 53, but is selectively deposited in the regions that will become the red subpixels.

[0087] Similar to the deposition of the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G is deposited in the third deposition chamber, and then the blue layer 56B is deposited in the fourth deposition chamber. After the deposition of the red layer 56R, green layer 56G, and blue layer 56B is completed, the electron transport layer 57 is deposited over the entire display area 51 in the fifth deposition chamber. The electron transport layer 57 is formed as a common layer for the three color layers 56R, 56G, and 56B.

[0088] The substrate with the electron transport layer 57 formed on it is moved to the sixth deposition chamber, where the second electrode 58 is deposited. In this embodiment, each layer is deposited by vacuum deposition in the first to sixth deposition chambers. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and for example, the second electrode 58 in the sixth deposition chamber may be deposited by sputtering. After that, the substrate with the second electrode 68 formed on it is moved to a sealing device, where a protective layer 60 is deposited by plasma CVD (sealing step), and the organic EL display device 50 is completed. Here, the protective layer 60 is formed by the CVD method, but it is not limited thereto, and may be formed by the ALD method or the inkjet method.

[0089] In the first to sixth deposition chambers, film deposition is carried out using a mask with openings corresponding to the pattern of each layer to be formed. During film deposition, the relative positions of the substrate 53 and the mask are adjusted (aligned), and then the substrate 53 is placed on the mask to perform the deposition.

[0090] <Other Embodiments> The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0091] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, claims are attached to disclose the scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 1 film deposition system, 11 hand, 12 arm, 14 swivel unit, 302a transport device, 309 control device

Claims

1. A horizontal multi-joint type transport device, An arm having multiple links connected so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction, A hand supported at one end of the aforementioned arm, which supports the circuit board, A pivoting means for supporting the other end of the arm and rotating the arm, The system includes control means for controlling the movement of the hand from a first position in which the substrate is transferred to a second position in which the substrate is transferred, The aforementioned movement is The rotational movement of the aforementioned arm, The link rotation movement is the rotational movement between the links of the aforementioned arm, This includes a hand rotation operation, which is the rotational operation of the hand, The control means is The aforementioned link rotation operation is performed in one direction. The aforementioned hand rotation operation is performed in one direction, and The movement is controlled so that the link rotation and the hand rotation occur during the rotation operation. A conveying device characterized by the following features.

2. A conveying device according to claim 1, In the aforementioned movement, the hand, The arm moves around its pivot center and moves in a direction perpendicular to a virtual line perpendicular to the pivot center line of the arm. A conveying device characterized by the following features.

3. A conveying device according to claim 1, The control means is The movement is controlled such that the link rotation and hand rotation operations begin at the start of the rotation operation, and the link rotation and hand rotation operations end at the end of the rotation operation. A conveying device characterized by the following features.

4. A conveying device according to claim 1, The control means is The movement is controlled such that the link rotation and the hand rotation occur during a portion of the operating period of the aforementioned rotational movement. A conveying device characterized by the following features.

5. A conveying device according to claim 4, The control means is The movement is controlled so that the end of the rotational movement coincides with the end of the link rotation and the hand rotation movements. A conveying device characterized by the following features.

6. A conveying device according to claim 4, The control means is The movement is controlled such that, after temporarily suspending the rotational movement, the rotational movement is resumed and the link rotation and hand rotation operations are initiated. A conveying device characterized by the following features.

7. A conveying device according to claim 1, The control means is The movement is controlled so that the rotational movement is performed in one direction. A conveying device characterized by the following features.

8. A conveying device according to claim 1, The aforementioned multiple links are, A first link supported by the aforementioned pivoting mechanism, A second link connected to the first link and supporting the hand, The aforementioned link rotation operation is the operation in which the second link rotates relative to the first link. A conveying device characterized by the following features.

9. A control method for a horizontally articulated transport device, The aforementioned transport device is An arm having multiple links connected so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction, A hand supported at one end of the aforementioned arm, which supports the circuit board, Includes a pivoting means that supports the other end of the arm and rotates the arm, The control method described above is The system includes a control step for controlling the movement of the hand from a first position where the substrate is transferred to a second position where the substrate is transferred. The aforementioned movement is The rotational movement of the aforementioned arm, The link rotation movement is the rotational movement between the links of the aforementioned arm, This includes a hand rotation operation, which is the rotational operation of the hand, In the control process described above, The aforementioned link rotation operation is performed in one direction. The aforementioned hand rotation operation is performed in one direction, and The movement is controlled such that the link rotation and the hand rotation occur during the rotation operation. A control method characterized by the following:

10. A transport room equipped with a horizontal multi-joint transport device, A transfer room is provided adjacent to the aforementioned transport room, A film deposition chamber is provided adjacent to the transport chamber and is equipped with a film deposition apparatus for depositing a vapor deposition material onto a substrate, A film deposition system comprising, The aforementioned transport device is An arm having multiple links connected so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction, A hand supported at one end of the aforementioned arm, which supports the circuit board, A pivoting means for supporting the other end of the arm and rotating the arm, The system includes control means for controlling the movement of the hand from a first position where the substrate is transferred between the transport chamber and the handover chamber, to a second position where the substrate is transferred between the transport chamber and the film deposition chamber. The aforementioned movement is The rotational movement of the aforementioned arm, The link rotation movement is the rotational movement between the links of the aforementioned arm, This includes a hand rotation operation, which is the rotational operation of the hand, The control means is The aforementioned link rotation operation is performed in one direction. The aforementioned hand rotation operation is performed in one direction, and The movement is controlled so that the link rotation and the hand rotation occur during the rotation operation. A film deposition system characterized by the following features.

11. The system comprises a film formation step of forming a film on a substrate using the film formation system described in claim 10. A method for manufacturing an electronic device characterized by the following:

Images