Action setting device, action setting method, and manufacturing method of electronic device

Abstract

The present application provides an operation setting device, an operation setting method and a manufacturing method of electronic devices for improving the transport precision of a substrate relative to a film formation chamber. The operation setting device sets the operation of a robot having a robot hand that supports a substrate and transports the substrate to a film formation chamber, wherein the device is provided with: a jig that is supported by the robot hand instead of the substrate, and has a measurement component mounted thereon; a control component that controls the robot to move the robot hand supporting the jig to a measurement position relative to the film formation chamber; and a setting component that acquires the measurement result of the measurement component relative to the film formation chamber, and sets the operation of the robot relative to the movement of the robot hand during the transport of the substrate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to motion setting devices, motion setting methods, and manufacturing methods of electronic devices, and particularly to motion setting technology for robots that transport substrates. Background Technology

[0002] In systems that utilize robots to transport substrates, teaching operations are performed to improve transport accuracy. Known teaching operations include methods based on operator visual verification and methods using sensors to measure transport errors and correct control. Examples of sensor-based methods are disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-523682

[0006] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-142269 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] In the manufacturing of organic EL displays, masks are used to deposit vapor-deposited materials onto a substrate. Low substrate transport accuracy relative to the deposition chamber can lead to reduced yield or errors. For example, mask and substrate alignment is typically performed within the deposition chamber as a pre-treatment for film deposition. During alignment, positional misalignment between the substrate and mask is detected, and the relative positions of the substrate and mask are adjusted based on the detection results. For successful alignment, the substrate must be accurately transported into the substrate's detection area; however, low substrate transport accuracy will prevent successful alignment.

[0009] This invention provides a technique for improving the transport accuracy of a substrate relative to a film-forming chamber.

[0010] Solution for solving the problem

[0011] According to the present invention, a motion setting device is provided, the motion setting device setting the motion of a robot having a supporting manipulator and conveying the substrate to a film deposition chamber, wherein the motion setting device comprises:

[0012] A fixture, which replaces the substrate and is supported on the robotic arm, is equipped with measuring components;

[0013] A control unit that controls the robot to move the manipulator, supported by the gripper, to a measuring position relative to the film-forming chamber; and

[0014] The setting component acquires the measurement results of the measuring component related to the film formation chamber and sets the robot's actions related to the movement of the manipulator during substrate transport.

[0015] Furthermore, according to the present invention, a motion setting method is provided, the motion setting method setting the motion of a robot having a supporting substrate and conveying the substrate to a film deposition chamber, wherein the motion setting method includes:

[0016] The process of supporting a fixture equipped with measuring components on the robotic arm;

[0017] Controlling the robot to move the manipulator, which supports the gripper, to a measurement position relative to the film-forming chamber; and

[0018] A process for obtaining measurement results from the measuring components associated with the film-forming chamber and setting the robot's actions in relation to the movement of the manipulator during substrate transport.

[0019] Furthermore, according to the present invention, a method for manufacturing an electronic device is provided, the method comprising:

[0020] An action setting process for setting the movements of a robot with a supporting arm that transports the substrate to the film deposition chamber;

[0021] The process of controlling the robot to deliver a substrate into the film deposition chamber based on the actions set in the action setting process; and

[0022] The process of forming a film on the substrate in the film-forming chamber.

[0023] in,

[0024] The action setting process includes:

[0025] The process of supporting a fixture equipped with measuring components on the robotic arm;

[0026] Controlling the robot to move the manipulator supported by the gripper relative to the measurement position of the film-forming chamber; and

[0027] A process for obtaining measurement results from the measuring components associated with the film-forming chamber and setting the robot's actions in relation to the movement of the manipulator during substrate transport.

[0028] The effects of the invention

[0029] According to the present invention, a technique for improving the transport accuracy of a substrate relative to a film-forming chamber can be provided. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is a layout diagram of a processing system used as an application example of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the film-forming chamber.

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the film-forming chamber.

[0033] Figure 4 (A) is a side view of the conveyor robot, and (B) is a top view of the manipulator.

[0034] Figure 5 (A) is a top view of fixture T, and (B) is a side view of fixture T.

[0035] Figure 6 (A) is a top view of the fixture T mounted on the robotic arm, and (B) is a side view of the fixture T mounted on the robotic arm.

[0036] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the characteristics of the measured values ​​(determined values) output by the measuring unit.

[0037] Figure 8 This is a flowchart representing a processing example executed by the control device.

[0038] Figure 9 (A) is an explanatory diagram of a measurement example of a measurement unit, and (B) is a diagram showing an example of a measurement result.

[0039] Figure 10 (A) is an explanatory diagram of a measurement example of the measurement unit, and (B) is an explanatory diagram of a detection example of the detection unit.

[0040] Figure 11 (A) is a diagram showing an example of a reference mark being offset, and (B) is a diagram showing an example of a reference mark being properly positioned.

[0041] Figure 12 This is a flowchart representing a processing example executed by the control device.

[0042] Figure 13 (A) is an explanatory diagram of a measurement example of a measurement unit, and (B) is a diagram showing an example of a measurement result.

[0043] Figure 14 This is an explanatory diagram of a measurement example of a measurement unit.

[0044] Figure 15 This is a flowchart representing a processing example executed by the control device.

[0045] Figure 16(A) is a diagram showing an example of an image taken under decompression, and (B) is a diagram showing the brightness changes of the pixels in the image.

[0046] Figure 17 This is a conceptual diagram of a method for setting a movement path using measurement results under various conditions.

[0047] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram representing an example of the object being measured by a measurement unit.

[0048] Figure 19 (A) is an overall view of the organic EL display device, and (B) is a view showing the cross-sectional structure of 1 pixel.

[0049] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0050] 1 Control device, 4 Conveying robot, 6 Manipulator, 101 Film forming chamber, T Fixture, 83X~83Z Measurement unit. Detailed Implementation

[0051] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the following embodiments do not limit the invention as defined in the claims. Although multiple features are described in the embodiments, not all of these features are necessarily essential to the invention, and multiple features can be arbitrarily combined. In the accompanying drawings, the same or identical structures are labeled with the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0052] <First Implementation>

[0053] <System Overview>

[0054] Figure 1 This is a layout diagram of a processing system 100 as an application example of the present invention. The processing system 100 is an apparatus for forming a thin film (material layer) with a desired pattern on the surface of a parallel flat substrate by vacuum evaporation. As the substrate material, any material such as glass, resin, or metal can be selected. Furthermore, as the evaporation material, any material such as organic or inorganic materials (metals, metal oxides, etc.) can be selected. The processing system 100 can be applied, for example, to manufacturing apparatuses for electronic devices (e.g., organic EL display devices, thin-film solar cells), optical components, etc., that use organic thin films. More specifically, the processing system 100 is used, for example, in the manufacture of display panels for organic EL display devices used in smartphones. In the case of display panels for smartphones, for example, after forming an organic EL film on a substrate with dimensions of approximately 1800 mm × approximately 1500 mm and a thickness of approximately 0.5 mm, the substrate is cut to produce multiple small-sized panels.

[0055] The processing system 100 includes a film-forming chamber 101, a transport chamber 102, an infeed chamber 103, a delivery chamber 104, a transport robot 4, and a control device 1. A substrate holder 11 is provided in the film-forming chamber 101 to hold the substrate to which the film is to be formed. A transport robot 4 is provided in the transport chamber 102 to hold and transport the substrate W.

[0056] The transport robot 4 transports substrates into the film-forming chamber 101 and also transports substrates that have completed film formation from the film-forming chamber 101. In this embodiment, the transport robot 4 includes a robotic arm 6 that supports the substrate and a multi-jointed robotic arm 5 that allows the robotic arm 6 to move in three dimensions. The transport robot 4 in this embodiment has two robotic arms 6, but it can also have only one. The transport robot 4 performs the feeding / exporting of substrates to each chamber. For example, a substrate is placed on the robotic arm 6 in the feeding chamber 103, and the transport robot 4 transports it to the film-forming chamber 101. Conversely, a substrate that has completed film formation in the film-forming chamber 101 is placed on the robotic arm 6, and the transport robot 4 transports it to the output chamber 104. The movement of substrates between chambers within the processing system 100 can be freely performed via the transport robot 4.

[0057] Here, the coordinate axes for each chamber are defined. The Y-axis is taken in the horizontal direction from the transport robot 4 toward the film-forming chamber 101. The X-axis is taken in the horizontal direction orthogonal to the Y-axis. The vertical direction orthogonal to both the X and Y axes is defined as the Z-axis. The angle of rotation about the Z-axis is defined as θ.

[0058] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 Explain the structure of the film-forming chamber 101. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the film-forming chamber 101 as viewed along the X direction. Figure 3 This is a top view of a portion of the film-forming chamber 101. The film-forming chamber 101 is a chamber whose interior is maintained as airtight by means of its outer wall portion 101a. The film-forming chamber 101 functions as a vacuum chamber when the pressure is reduced during the film-forming process on the substrate W, and its interior is maintained as a vacuum environment or an inactive gas environment such as nitrogen.

[0059] A portion of the outer wall 101a forms a partition separating the film-forming chamber 101 and the transport chamber 102. An opening OP is formed in this partition. A gate valve 14 opens and closes the opening OP. The gate valve 14 can create a pressure difference between the environments of the film-forming chamber 101 and the transport chamber 102. A robot arm 6 can enter the opening OP, and a transport robot 4 feeds the substrate W into the film-forming chamber 101 through the opening OP, and also feeds the substrate W out of the film-forming chamber 101.

[0060] The film deposition chamber 101 is equipped with a substrate holder 11, a mask M, and a vapor deposition apparatus 8. The substrate holder 11 is a component that holds the substrate W received from the transport robot 4. The mask M is a metal mask with an opening pattern corresponding to the thin film pattern to be formed on the substrate W, and is fixed on a frame-shaped mask stage (not shown). During film deposition, the substrate W is placed on the mask M. A cooling plate can also be provided on the substrate W. The cooling plate is a component that is in close contact with the side of the substrate W opposite to the side facing the mask during film deposition and suppresses the deterioration and degradation of the organic material by suppressing the temperature rise of the substrate W. The cooling plate can also serve as a magnetic plate. The magnetic plate is a component that improves the adhesion between the substrate W and the mask M during film deposition by using magnetic force to attract the mask.

[0061] The vapor deposition apparatus 8 consists of vapor deposition material, a container (crucible) for storing vapor deposition material, a heater, a baffle, a drive mechanism for the evaporation device, an evaporation rate monitor, etc., and releases the vaporized vapor deposition material onto the substrate W to form a film.

[0062] An alignment device 10 is provided in the film deposition chamber 101 to align the substrate W with the mask M. The alignment device 10 aligns the substrate W, which is held in the substrate holder 11, with the mask M. The alignment device 10 includes a detection unit 12 for detecting alignment marks on the substrate W and the mask M, and a position adjustment mechanism 13 for adjusting the position of the substrate W relative to the mask M by moving the substrate holder 11.

[0063] In this embodiment, the detection unit 12 is a camera that captures images of the substrate W inside the film deposition chamber 101 via a transparent window provided on the outer wall portion 101a. The detection unit 12 is supported by the position adjustment portion 15 and can be moved via the position adjustment portion 15 to adjust the focal distance, etc. Based on the images captured by the detection unit 12, the alignment mark W1 on the substrate and the alignment mark on the mask M can be determined, and their XY positions and relative offsets in the XY plane can be measured.

[0064] To align the substrate W with respect to the mask M in both horizontal and rotational directions, at least two detection units 12 are provided. However, depending on the alignment requirements, only one or more units may be provided. Furthermore, to achieve alignment in a short time and with high precision, a two-stage alignment process is preferred: a first alignment (coarse alignment) for rough positioning and a second alignment (fine alignment) for high precision positioning. In this case, two types of detection units may be provided: a detection unit for the first alignment with low resolution but a wide field of view, and a detection unit for the second alignment with a narrow field of view but a high resolution.

[0065] The position adjustment mechanism 13 may include, for example, multiple actuators consisting of a motor and a ball screw, or a motor and a linear guide. These may include actuators for raising and lowering the entire substrate holder 11 in the Z direction, actuators for opening and closing the substrate holding / releasing mechanism of the substrate holder 11, and actuators for displacing the substrate holder 11 in the X-Y and θ directions. In this embodiment, the position adjustment mechanism 13 adjusts the position of the substrate W and the mask M by displacing the substrate holder 11; however, it may also displace the mask M, or both the substrate W and the mask M may be displaced.

[0066] Figure 4 (A) is a side view of the conveyor robot 4. Figure 4 (B) is a top view of the robotic arm 6. Furthermore, the structure of the transport robot (the structure of the robotic arm and robotic hand) described herein is only one example and is not limited to this structure.

[0067] The conveying robot 4 generally includes a robotic arm 6 for carrying the substrate W and a robotic arm 5 for moving the robotic arm 6 freely to any position on the XYZ rectangular coordinate system.

[0068] The robotic arm 5 has a base 510 fixed to the mounting surface of the conveying chamber 102, and three arms 511, 512, and 513 connected sequentially to the base 510 via a first connector 520, a second connector 521, and a third connector 522. The first arm 511 is connected to the base 510 via the first connector 520 and is rotatable about a rotation axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface (Z-direction). The second arm 512 is connected to the first arm 511 via the second connector 521 and is rotatable about a rotation axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface (Z-direction), and is connected to the third arm 513 via the third connector 522 and is rotatable about a rotation axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface (Z-direction). Robotic arms 6 are connected in pairs to the front ends (both ends) of the third arm 513. By combining the rotations of each arm 511 to 513, the horizontal position (XY coordinates) of the robot arm 6 can be arbitrarily displaced.

[0069] Furthermore, the first arm 511 is configured to move vertically (in the Z direction) relative to the base 510 along the direction of the first joint 520. The vertical movement of the first arm 511 causes the second arm 512 and the third arm 513 to also move vertically, thereby changing the height of the robot arm 6 and the height of the base plate W (in the Z direction). Each joint of the robot arm 5 is equipped with a motor and an encoder. Based on the rotation and vertical height of each arm, or the three-dimensional coordinates obtained by converting this information, the required movement amount of the robot arm 6 (the amount of motion of each arm) can be calculated.

[0070] The robotic arm 6 has a pair of main rods 21 extending from the front end of the third arm 513, and multiple ribs 22 extending outward from the sides of the main rods in a direction orthogonal to the main rods 21. Pads 24 for supporting the lower surface of the substrate W are provided at the ends of the ribs 22. The pads 24 are made of elastic materials such as silicone rubber to provide support without damaging the surface of the substrate W, and multiple pads are provided along the outer periphery of the substrate W to accommodate its deflection. Furthermore, multiple second ribs 23 extending parallel to the main rods 21 are provided at both ends of the ribs 22 arranged in the extending direction of the main rods 21, and pads 24 are also provided at their ends.

[0071] The robotic arm 6 is provided with a reference portion 7a and a reference portion 7b. The reference portion 7a and the reference portion 7b are engagement portions for positioning the fixture T, which will be described later. In this embodiment, the reference portion 7a and the reference portion 7b are cylindrical holes.

[0072] The control device 1 controls the processing system 100 and performs various settings-related processing. The control device 1 includes one or more processors, one or more storage devices, and an interface between external devices and the processors. The processor executes programs stored in the storage devices, performing tasks such as controlling the chamber pressure of the film deposition chamber 101, controlling various actuators of the position adjustment mechanism 13, image processing of images captured by the detection unit 12, calculating the offset of alignment marks, setting and controlling the motion of the transport robot 4, and controlling the motion of the vapor deposition apparatus 8. Furthermore, setting the motion of the transport robot 4 includes setting the movement path of the robotic arm 6. The storage devices include semiconductor memories such as RAM and ROM, and storage devices such as HDDs.

[0073] The film deposition process in the film deposition chamber 101 will be described. A substrate W is fed into the film deposition chamber 101 by a transport robot 4, and then transferred from the transport robot 4 to the substrate holder 11. When the transport robot 4 places the substrate W, which is mounted on a robotic arm 6, onto the substrate holder 11 within the film deposition chamber 101, it moves the robotic arm 6 to a position where the alignment mark W1 of the substrate W is within the viewing angle of the detection unit 12 in the horizontal direction. The transport robot 4 then lowers the robotic arm 6 to place the substrate onto the substrate holder 11.

[0074] Next, the relative positions of the substrate W and the mask M are aligned using the alignment device 10. After alignment, the substrate W and the mask M are overlapped. Then, a vapor deposition material is released from the vapor deposition device 8 onto the substrate W to form a film. When film formation is complete, the transport robot 4 receives the substrate W from the substrate holder 11 and sends it out from the film formation chamber 101.

[0075] also, Figures 1-3The structure of the processing system 100 shown is only one example and is not limited to this structure. For example, two or more film-forming chambers 101 may be provided in one processing system 100. In addition, a film-forming chamber equipped with a sputtering device may be provided. In addition, two or more substrate holders 11 may be provided in one film-forming chamber 101. Multiple transport robots 4 may also be provided in one processing system 100.

[0076] <Setting the motion of the transport robot>

[0077] The structure and steps for setting the transport path (movement path of the robot arm 6) of the substrate W for the transport robot 4 are explained. The movement path of the robot arm 6 is set by using the robot arm 6 to support the clamp instead of the substrate W, measuring relative to the film deposition chamber 101, and based on the measurement results.

[0078] Figure 5 (A) is a top view of fixture T. Figure 5 (B) is a side view of fixture T. Additionally, Figure 6 (A) is a top view of the gripper T mounted on the robotic arm 6. Figure 6 (B) is a side view of the fixture T mounted on the robotic arm 6.

[0079] The clamp T is a plate-shaped component with a grid pattern. The clamp T is provided with engaging portions 84a and 84b corresponding to the reference portions 7a and 7b of the robot arm 6. In this embodiment, the engaging portions 84a and 84b are protrusions that engage with the reference portions 7a and 7b. The shapes of the reference portions 7a and 7b and the engaging portions 84a and 84b are not limited to this. For example, separate components that engage with the engaging portions on the robot arm 6 side and the clamp T side respectively can be used for positioning.

[0080] A reference mark T1 is provided on the fixture T. The reference mark T1 is positioned so that it enters the field of view and depth of field of the detection unit 12 when the robot arm 6 moves to the intersection position with the substrate W relative to the substrate holder 11. The detection unit 12 takes an image of the reference mark T1 and confirms the position of the reference mark T1 based on the image, thereby determining whether the robot arm 6 has moved to the appropriate position relative to the substrate holder 11.

[0081] Furthermore, the reference mark T1 is preferably positioned horizontally at the same location as the alignment mark W1 of the substrate W when the robot arm 6 moves to the junction position with the substrate W relative to the substrate holder 11. In this embodiment, the reference mark T1 is a cross-shaped mark, but any shape other than the one described above can be used as long as it is a characteristic shape that allows the operator or image processing unit to accurately identify the position when using the detection unit 12 for imaging.

[0082] The fixture T is preferably of the same weight and center of gravity as the substrate W. That is, the fixture T is preferably configured to reproduce the same weight balance as when the substrate W is actually mounted on the robot arm 6. On the other hand, the shape of the fixture T is not limited to a specific shape as long as the weight balance can be reproduced.

[0083] The fixture T is equipped with measuring units 83X to 83Z. In this embodiment, the measuring units 83X to 83Z are all laser displacement gauges. However, the measuring units 83X to 83Z can be used as long as they are capable of measuring the distance to the object being measured; for example, they could also be cameras. The measuring units 83X to 83Z are connected to the control device 1 in a communicable manner, and the control device 1 can acquire the measurement results of the measuring units 83X to 83Z.

[0084] Measurement units 83X, 83Z, and 83Y respectively measure the distances to the objects to be measured in the X, Z, and Y directions relative to the fixture T. Figure 7 Examples of the characteristics of the measured values ​​(measured values) output by the measuring units 83X to 83Z are shown. Figure 7 This is a graph showing the gap (distance) between each measuring unit 83X to 83Z and the object being measured on the horizontal axis, and the measured values ​​on the vertical axis. Measuring units 83X to 83Z have a defined detection range; if the object is within this range, a measured value is returned; otherwise, an undetectable signal is returned. The measured values ​​exhibit a linear relationship with the gap.

[0085] When the robot arm 6 is moved, the position of the object to be measured relative to the robot arm 6 can be determined based on the position of the robot arm 6 and the measurement results of the measuring units 83X to 83X. More specifically, the relative positional relationship between the outer wall portion 101a of the film-forming chamber 101 and the robot arm 6 can be determined, for example, when the robot arm 6 enters the film-forming chamber 101. In addition, the position of the robot arm 6 within the film-forming chamber 101 can be determined based on the detection results of the reference mark T1 of the fixture T obtained by the detection unit 12. The actions of the transport robot 4 related to the movement path of the robot arm 6 can be set using these measurement results and detection results.

[0086] <Example 1 of setting a movement path>

[0087] In order for the transport robot 4 to transport the substrate W to the substrate holder 11 inside the film deposition chamber 101, the substrate W and the robot arm 6 need to pass through the opening OP without interfering with the outer wall 101a of the film deposition chamber 101. By using the fixture T and the measuring units 83X to 83Z to pre-measure the outer wall 101a around the opening OP, the transport accuracy of the substrate W relative to the film deposition chamber 101 can be improved.

[0088] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating a processing example executed by the processor of the control device 1, and particularly a flowchart illustrating a processing example illustrating the actions of the transport robot 4 during substrate transport. The movement path of the robot arm 6 and the actions of the transport robot 4 that implement this movement path are initially set temporarily based on design information from the processing system 100. Specifically, the movement path Zth1 of the robot arm 6 from its initial position in the transport chamber 102 to the substrate holder 11 in the film deposition chamber 101, and the actions of the transport robot 4 for this purpose, are temporarily set based on design information from the processing system 100. Then, through... Figure 8 The processing modifies the movement path Zth1 to set the final movement path and action. Here, we mainly explain the modification of the movement path in the Z direction.

[0089] In S1, the robot arm 6, which is supported by the clamp T, is moved to a predetermined measurement position relative to the film-forming chamber 101. Figure 9 (A) shows one example of it. Figure 9 (A) illustrates the manner in which the robot arm 6 moves to a position facing the outer wall portion 101a adjacent to the opening OP within the outer wall portion 101a (within the transport chamber 102). The robot arm 6 moves to a position where the measuring range Ms of the measuring unit 83Y mounted on the fixture T includes the surface of the outer wall portion 101a. Furthermore, Figure 8 The processing example is envisioned to be carried out under atmospheric pressure in the film-forming chamber 101 and the transport chamber 102.

[0090] exist Figure 8 In S2, the robot arm 6 is continuously moved along the outer wall portion 101a while measuring distance. Figure 9 In example (A), while the robot arm 6 moves (rises) in the Z direction, distance is measured by the measuring unit 83Y. The measuring unit 83Y measures the distance in the Y direction from the robot arm 6 to the outer wall portion 101a (more precisely, the distance in the Y direction from the measuring unit 83Y to the outer wall portion 101a).

[0091] exist Figure 8 In S3, the edge of the opening OP in the Z direction is determined based on the measurement results of S2. Figure 9 The positions of the upper edge OP-U and the lower edge OP-D shown in (A). Figure 9 (B) represents an example of the measurement result of the measuring unit 83Y. When the measuring unit 83Y faces the opening OP, the outer wall surface 101a is not present within the measurement range Ms, therefore, the measuring unit 83Y returns a measurement failure signal. The positions of the lower edge OP-D and the upper edge OP-U of the opening OP can be detected based on the area where this measurement failure signal exists.

[0092] exist Figure 8 In step S4, the entry height of the robot arm 6 into the opening OP is set. Based on the relationship between the positions of the lower edge OP-D and the upper edge OP-U, the height through the opening OP is adjusted relative to the temporarily set movement path Zth1, thereby temporarily setting the movement path Zth2. Then, the robot arm 6 is moved to the height of the movement path Zth2.

[0093] exist Figure 8 In step S5, the robot arm 6 is moved to the next measurement position relative to the film-forming chamber 101. In this embodiment, the next measurement position is inside the opening OP. Following the movement path Zth2, the robot arm 6 is moved in the Y direction as follows... Figure 10 As shown in (A), the robot arm 6 and the gripper T are brought into the opening OP. The robot arm 6 moves to a position where the measuring unit 83Z faces the top surface of the opening OP. At this time, the measuring range Ms of the measuring unit 83Z includes the top surface of the opening OP.

[0094] exist Figure 8 In S6, distance measurement is performed using the measuring unit 83Z. The measuring unit 83Z measures the distance in the Z direction from the robot arm 6 to the top surface of the opening OP (more precisely, the distance in the Z direction from the measuring unit 83Z to the top surface). Figure 8 In S7, based on the ranging results from S6, the temporarily set movement path Zth2 is corrected as needed. The corrected or uncorrected movement path set in this stage is then set as movement path Zth3.

[0095] exist Figure 8 In S8, the robotic arm 6 moves in the Y direction according to the movement path Zth3. Here, as... Figure 10 As shown in (B), as the next measurement position, the robot 6 is moved to the junction position of the substrate with respect to the substrate holder 11 (the position within the detection range of the detection unit 12). Then, in S9, the reference mark T1 of the fixture T is detected by the detection unit 12 to confirm its position. If the reference mark T1 is not detected, or if it is detected but the position of the reference mark T1 is inappropriate, the movement path Zth3 is corrected.

[0096] Figure 11 (A) shows an example of an image captured by the detection unit 12, illustrating an example where the reference marker T1 is offset from the reference position C. In such a case, the movement path Zth3 is corrected. Figure 11 (B) shows an example of an image captured by the detection unit 12, illustrating an example where the reference marker T1 falls into the reference position C. In such a case, there is no need to correct the movement path Zth3.

[0097] Make the above corrections as needed. Figure 8 In S10, the final movement path of the robotic arm 6 and the actions of the conveying robot 4 for this purpose are determined.

[0098] Through the above steps, the robot arm 6 can be automatically and precisely transported to the field of view of the detection unit 12. In particular, in the initial stage, the area of ​​the opening OP of the film-forming chamber 101 can be measured without the robot arm 6 entering the opening OP. Therefore, the risk of mutual damage or malfunction due to interference between the robot arm 6 and the film-forming chamber 101 can be suppressed.

[0099] Furthermore, by further correcting the conveying height inside the opening OP, the robot arm 6 and the gripper T can be conveyed into the field of view of the detection unit 12 with even higher precision. Therefore, the reference mark T1 can be conveyed to the optimal height at the focal depth of the detection unit 12. As a result, the measurement error of the reference mark T1 by the detection unit 12 is reduced. In addition, the automation of a series of operations also leads to a reduction in operation time.

[0100] <Example 2 of setting the movement path>

[0101] In the above-described setting example 1, when detecting the upper and lower edges of the opening OP, the robot arm 6 is moved in the Z direction, but it can also be moved in the X direction to detect the opening OP and correct the movement track.

[0102] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating a processing example executed by the processor of control device 1, and in particular, a flowchart illustrating a processing example illustrating the operation of setting the substrate transport of transport robot 4. Here, the correction of the X-direction of the movement path and the orientation of robot arm 6 will be mainly explained.

[0103] In S11, the robot arm 6, which supports the clamp T, is moved to a predetermined measurement position relative to the film-forming chamber 101. Figure 13 (A) shows one example of it. Figure 13 (A) illustrates the manner in which the robot arm 6 moves to a position facing the outer wall portion 101a adjacent to the opening OP within the outer wall portion 101a (within the transport chamber 102). The robot arm 6 moves to a position where the measuring range Ms of the measuring unit 83Y mounted on the fixture T includes the surface of the outer wall portion 101a. Furthermore, Figure 12 The processing example is envisioned to be carried out under atmospheric pressure in the film-forming chamber 101 and the transport chamber 102.

[0104] like Figure 13As illustrated in (A), during the stage of the temporarily set movement path Zth1, since the movement path is based on the design information, the X-axis of the robot 6 is not necessarily parallel to the outer wall surface 101a of the film-forming chamber 101. The substrate W used for film formation can also be a large substrate with a long side exceeding 2m; therefore, even a small angular deviation in the θ direction could cause the substrate W to collide with the outer wall 101a of the film-forming chamber 101. Furthermore, it is easier to design the device if the opening OP is as small as possible; therefore, there is no extra clearance between the robot 6 and the substrate W and the opening OP of the film-forming chamber 101.

[0105] exist Figure 12 In step S12, the robot arm 6 is continuously moved along the outer wall portion 101a while measuring distance. Figure 13 In example (A), while the robot arm 6 moves in the X direction, distance is measured by the measuring unit 83Y. The measuring unit 83Y measures the distance in the Y direction from the robot arm 6 to the outer wall portion 101a (more precisely, the distance in the Y direction from the measuring unit 83Y to the outer wall portion 101a).

[0106] exist Figure 12 In S13, the edge of the opening OP in the X direction is determined based on the measurement results of S12. Figure 13 The positions of the right edge OP-R and the left edge OP-L shown in (A). Figure 13 (B) represents an example of the measurement result of the measuring unit 83Y. When the measuring unit 83Y faces the opening OP, the outer wall surface 101a is not present within the measurement range Ms, therefore, the measuring unit 83Y returns a measurement failure signal. The positions of the right edge OP-R and the left edge OP-L of the opening OP can be detected based on the area where this measurement failure signal exists. Furthermore, based on the shift in distance between each measuring point, the tilt θ of the robot arm 6 relative to the outer wall surface 101a can be calculated.

[0107] exist Figure 12 In step S14, the entry position and orientation of the robot arm 6 in the X and Y directions toward the opening OP are set. The movement path Zth1 is modified so that the tilt θ of the orientation reaches 0. Furthermore, the entry position is modified so that the robot arm 6 can pass through the center of the opening OP in the X direction, thereby temporarily setting the modified movement path Zth2.

[0108] exist Figure 12 In step S15, the robot arm 6 is moved to the next measurement position relative to the film-forming chamber 101. In this embodiment, the next measurement position is inside the opening OP. Following the movement path Zth2, the robot arm 6 is moved in the Y direction as follows... Figure 14The robot arm 6 and the gripper T are inserted into the opening OP. The robot arm 6 moves to a position where the measuring unit 83X faces the side of the opening OP. At this time, the measuring range Ms of the measuring unit 83X includes the side of the opening OP.

[0109] exist Figure 12 In step S16, distance measurement is performed using the measuring unit 83X. The measuring unit 83X measures the distance in the X direction from the robot arm 6 to the side of the opening OP (more precisely, the distance in the X direction from the measuring unit 83X to the side). Figure 12 In S17, based on the ranging results from S16, the temporarily set movement path Zth2 is corrected as needed. The corrected or uncorrected movement path set in this stage is then set as movement path Zth3.

[0110] exist Figure 12 In S18, the robotic arm 6 moves in the Y direction according to the movement path Zth3. Here, with... Figure 10 Similarly, in the example shown in (B), the robot arm 6 is moved to the junction position with the substrate relative to the substrate holder 11 (the position within the detection range of the detection unit 12). Then, in S19, the reference mark T1 of the fixture T is detected by the detection unit 12 to confirm its position. If the reference mark T1 is not detected, or if it is detected but the position of the reference mark T1 is inappropriate, the movement path Zth3 is corrected, and in S20, the final movement path and the action of the transport robot 4 for this purpose are determined.

[0111] Through the above steps, the robotic arm 6 can be automatically and precisely transported to the field of view of the detection unit 12, and the path information can be corrected for instruction. In particular, the position of the robotic arm 6 can be transported to the detection unit 12 simultaneously with path correction in the horizontal plane based on the outer wall 101a of the film-forming chamber 101, thus minimizing errors. Furthermore, the automation of a series of operations also reduces the operation time.

[0112] <Second Implementation>

[0113] pass Figure 8 , Figure 12After the process involves mounting the gripper T on the robot arm 6 and setting the movement path of the robot arm 6 and the actions of the transport robot 4 accordingly, the substrate W can be mounted on the robot arm 6 instead of the gripper T, allowing the robot arm 6 to move along the set movement path. Then, when the robot arm 6 is moved to the junction position with the substrate relative to the substrate holder 11 (a position within the detection range of the detection unit 12), the alignment mark W1 of the substrate W is detected by the detection unit 12. The detection results of the reference mark T1 of the gripper T and the detection results of the alignment mark W1 can also be compared to further correct the movement path of the robot arm 6 and the actions of the transport robot 4 accordingly.

[0114] Generally, due to differences in mass and other factors between the fixture T and the substrate W, the transport position of the robot 6 will also differ. Therefore, in addition to the measurement using the fixture T, the detection unit 12 uses the substrate W for measurement, and the difference is used to further correct the movement path of the robot 6 and the movement of the transport robot 4. As a result, the transport accuracy of the substrate W can be further improved.

[0115] <Third Implementation Method>

[0116] In the first and second embodiments, measurements are taken under atmospheric pressure to set the movement path of the robot arm 6. However, after measurements are taken under atmospheric pressure, measurements can also be taken under the same depressurization environment (vacuum environment) as during film formation to set the movement path of the robot arm 6. Figure 15 This is a flowchart representing a processing example executed by the processor of control device 1.

[0117] In S21, atmospheric pressure measurements and movement path settings are performed. This is related to... Figure 8 , Figure 12 The process is the same. In S22, preparations are made for measurement under reduced pressure. Here, the film-forming chamber 101 and the delivery chamber 102 are reduced to a vacuum. Furthermore, prior to this, as an operator's task, the measuring units 83X to 83Z are removed from the fixture T. Most commercially available measuring units use components such as resin parts and adhesive materials that release gas in a vacuum, or sometimes their operation is not guaranteed in a vacuum. In this embodiment, the measuring units 83X to 83Z are removed from the fixture T so that they will not be used in the measurement.

[0118] In S23, the robot arm 6 is moved to the measurement position along the currently set movement path Zth3. In this embodiment, the measurement position is the position where the robot arm 6 intersects with the substrate of the substrate holder 11 (a position within the detection range of the detection unit 12). In S24, the reference mark T is detected by the detection unit 12, and the change in the position of the robot arm 6 is measured based on the image captured by it. Figure 16 (A) shows an example of an image captured, illustrating an example of a reference marker T offset from a reference position C. This positional offset corresponds to the offset of the position of the manipulator 6 under atmospheric pressure and depressurization.

[0119] In addition to positional offsets in the X and Y directions, positional offsets in the Z direction can also be measured using the following method: by comparing the captured images while changing the Z-direction position of the detection unit 12 using the position adjustment unit 15.

[0120] Figure 16 (B) shows that in Figure 16 The example illustrates the change in pixel brightness when the position of the detection unit 12 in the Z direction is changed while taking a picture, as shown by the A-A' line of (A). The illustrated example schematically shows the case where the distance between the detection unit 12 and the reference mark T1 is optimally focused (solid line) and defocused (dashed line). If the position in the Z direction where the image of the reference mark T1 under decompression has the same appearance as the image under atmospheric pressure is determined, then the difference in position in the Z direction becomes the change in the height of the robot 6 under decompression.

[0121] Furthermore, in order to measure the change in position of the robot 6 in the Z direction under such decompression, in addition to the detection unit 12, a rangefinder such as a laser displacement meter can also be used. The rangefinder can also be configured on the outside of the outer wall portion 101a, similar to the detection unit 12, and measure the distance to the reference mark T1 or the clamp T via a window provided in the outer wall portion 101a. Corrections in the X and Y directions can be made using images captured by the detection unit 12, and corrections in the Z direction can be made using the measurement results from the rangefinder.

[0122] <Fourth Implementation>

[0123] It is also possible to measure the movement path of the robot arm 6 and the actions of the conveying robot 4 by combining atmospheric pressure, depressurization, clamp, substrate, and substrate conveying speed. Figure 17 This is its conceptual diagram. In the measurement using fixture T, the measurement results in the atmosphere and in a vacuum are compared and calculated to determine the difference between the atmospheric and vacuum measurements.

[0124] In the measurement of substrate W, based on the measurement results in the atmosphere and the measurement results in the vacuum, as well as the current transport speed, the dependence on the difference between the atmospheric and vacuum environments during substrate transport, and the dependence based on the transport speed, are calculated, namely, the dependence of atmosphere-vacuum-substrate transport speed.

[0125] In particular, when using substrate W for transport, there can be differences in friction caused by the transport speed of robot 6, the type of pad 24 used, or the type of substrate used, which can sometimes affect the horizontal transport position. Therefore, the movement path of robot 6 and the operation of transport robot 4 are set accordingly.

[0126] <Fifth Implementation>

[0127] The measurement object of the measurement units 83X to 83X is not limited to the outer wall portion 101a, but can also be a structure disposed inside the film-forming chamber 101. Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram illustrating one example. In the illustrated example, the substrate holder 11 is the object of measurement. The distance between the robot 6 and the substrate holder 11 in the Z direction is measured by the measurement unit 83Z. The distance between the robot 6 and the substrate holder 11 in the Y direction is measured by the measurement unit 83Y. The movement path of the robot 6 can be set based on the position of the substrate holder 11.

[0128] <Sixth Implementation Method>

[0129] Below, an example of a method for manufacturing an electronic device will be described. Hereinafter, as an example of an electronic device, the structure and manufacturing method of an organic EL display device will be illustrated. Here, we envision a case where film formation is performed sequentially through multiple film-forming chambers 101.

[0130] First, the organic EL display device to be manufactured will be explained. Figure 19 (A) is an overall view of the organic EL display device 50. Figure 19 (B) is a diagram representing the cross-sectional structure of 1 pixel.

[0131] like Figure 19 As shown in (A), a plurality of pixels 52, each equipped with a plurality of light-emitting elements, are arranged in a matrix in the display area 51 of the organic EL display device 50. Details will be described later, but each light-emitting element has a structure having an organic layer sandwiched between a pair of electrodes.

[0132] Furthermore, the term "pixel" as used herein refers to the smallest unit capable of displaying a desired color in the display area 51. In the case of a color organic EL display device, pixel 52 is constituted by a combination of multiple sub-pixels, namely a first light-emitting element 52R, a second light-emitting element 52G, and a third light-emitting element 52B, which emit different colors from each other. Pixel 52 is typically composed of a combination of three types of sub-pixels: red (R) light-emitting elements, green (G) light-emitting elements, and blue (B) light-emitting elements, but is not limited to this. Pixel 52 may contain at least one type of sub-pixel, preferably two or more, and more preferably three or more. For example, the sub-pixels constituting pixel 52 may also be a combination of four types of sub-pixels: red (R) light-emitting elements, green (G) light-emitting elements, blue (B) light-emitting elements, and yellow (Y) light-emitting elements.

[0133] Figure 19 (B) is Figure 19 A partial cross-sectional view along line A-B of (A). Pixel 522 has multiple sub-pixels composed of an organic EL element having a first electrode (anode) 54, a hole transport layer 55, any one of a red layer 56R, a green layer 56G, and a blue layer 56B, an electron transport layer 57, and a second electrode (cathode) 58 on a substrate 53. The hole transport layer 55, red layer 56R, green layer 56G, blue layer 56B, and electron transport layer 57 are equivalent to organic layers. The red layer 56R, green layer 56G, and blue layer 56B are respectively formed into patterns corresponding to light-emitting elements (sometimes referred to as organic EL elements) emitting red, green, and blue light, respectively.

[0134] 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 can be formed commonly across multiple light-emitting elements 52R, 52G, and 52B, or they can be formed for each light-emitting element. That is, they can also be formed as follows: Figure 19 As shown in (B), after the hole transport layer 55 is formed as a common layer across multiple sub-pixel regions, the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, and the blue layer 56B are formed separately for each sub-pixel region. Then, on top of this, the electron transport layer 57 and the second electrode 58 are formed as a common layer across multiple sub-pixel regions.

[0135] Furthermore, to prevent short circuits between the adjacent first electrodes 54, an insulating layer 59 is provided between the first electrodes 54. Also, since the organic EL layer is susceptible to degradation due to moisture and oxygen, a protective layer 60 is provided to protect the organic EL element from moisture and oxygen.

[0136] exist Figure 19In (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 can be formed by multiple layers having a hole blocking layer and an electron blocking layer. Alternatively, a hole injection layer with a band structure can be formed between the first electrode 54 and the hole transport layer 55 to allow holes to be smoothly injected from the first electrode 54 into the hole transport layer 55. Similarly, an electron injection layer can also be formed between the second electrode 58 and the electron transport layer 57.

[0137] The red layer 56R, green layer 56G, and blue layer 56B can each be formed from a single light-emitting layer, or they can be formed by stacking multiple layers. For example, the red layer 56R can be composed 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 can be a red light-emitting layer and the upper layer can be an electron transport layer or a hole blocking layer. By setting layers on the lower or upper sides of the light-emitting layers in this way, the light-emitting position and optical path length in the light-emitting layers can be adjusted, thereby improving the color purity of the light-emitting element.

[0138] Furthermore, an example of red layer 56R is shown here, but green layer 56G and blue layer 56B can also adopt the same structure. Additionally, the number of layers can be two or more. Moreover, layers of different materials can be stacked, such as light-emitting layers and electron-blocking layers, or layers of the same material can be stacked, for example, two or more light-emitting layers.

[0139] The following is a detailed explanation of an example of a manufacturing method for 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, while the green layer 56G and the blue layer 56B consist of a single light-emitting layer.

[0140] First, a substrate 53 is prepared, which has a circuit (not shown) for driving an organic EL display device and a first electrode 54. Furthermore, the material of the substrate 53 is not particularly limited and can be made of glass, plastic, metal, etc. In this embodiment, a substrate with a polyimide film laminated on a glass substrate is used as the substrate 53.

[0141] An acrylic or polyimide resin layer is coated onto the substrate 53 on which the first electrode 54 is formed by rod coating or spin coating. An insulating layer 59 is formed by patterning the resin layer in a way that creates an opening in the portion where the first electrode 54 is formed using photolithography. This opening corresponds to the light-emitting area where the light-emitting element actually emits light.

[0142] A substrate 53 with an insulating layer 59 patterned is fed into a first film-forming chamber 101, so that a hole transport layer 55 is formed as a common layer on the first electrode 54 of the display area. The hole transport layer 55 is formed using a mask with openings in the display area 51 of the panel portion of the final organic EL display device.

[0143] Next, the substrate 53 to which the hole transport layer 55 is formed is fed into the second film deposition chamber 101. Alignment is performed between the substrate 53 and the mask, and the substrate is placed on the mask. A red layer 56R is formed on the portion of the substrate 53 above the hole transport layer 55 where red elements are emitted (the region forming the red subpixel). Here, the mask used in the second film deposition chamber 101 is a high-precision mask with openings formed only in the regions of the substrate 53 that become red subpixels, among the multiple regions that become subpixels in the organic EL display device. Therefore, the red layer 56R, containing the red light-emitting layer, is formed only in the regions of the multiple subpixels on the substrate 53 that become red subpixels. In other words, the red layer 56R is not formed in the regions of the multiple subpixels on the substrate 53 that become blue subpixels or green subpixels, but selectively formed in the regions that become red subpixels.

[0144] Similar to the deposition of the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G is deposited in the third deposition chamber 101, and then the blue layer 56B is deposited in the fourth deposition chamber 101. 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 101. The electron transport layer 57 is formed as a common layer on the three-color layers 56R, 56G, and 56B.

[0145] The substrate to which the electron transport layer 57 is formed is moved to the sixth film deposition chamber 101, and a film is formed on the second electrode 58. In this embodiment, the film is formed by vacuum evaporation in the first to sixth film deposition chambers 101. However, the present invention is not limited to this; for example, the film formation of the second electrode 58 in the sixth film deposition chamber 101 can also be performed by sputtering. Afterward, the substrate to which the second electrode 68 is formed is moved to a sealing device, and a protective layer 60 is formed by plasma CVD (sealing process), thus completing the organic EL display device 50. Furthermore, the protective layer 60 is formed by CVD here, but it is not limited to this; it can also be formed by ALD or inkjet methods.

[0146] Here, the film deposition in the first to sixth film deposition chambers 101 is performed using a mask with openings corresponding to the patterns of each layer to be formed. During film deposition, after the relative positions (alignment) of the substrate 53 and the mask are adjusted, the substrate 53 is placed on the mask to perform film deposition.

[0147] <Other Implementation Methods>

[0148] The present invention can also be implemented by supplying a program that implements one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and having the program read and executed by one or more processors in the computer of the system or device. Alternatively, it can be implemented by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0149] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the claims are appended to disclose the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A motion setting device for setting the motions of a robot having a supporting manipulator and conveying the substrate to a film-forming chamber, characterized in that, The motion setting device includes: A fixture, which replaces the substrate and is supported on the robotic arm, is equipped with measuring components; A control unit that controls the robot to move the manipulator, supported by the gripper, to a measuring position relative to the film-forming chamber; and The system includes a setting component that acquires measurement results from the measuring component related to the film-forming chamber and sets the robot's actions related to the movement of the manipulator during substrate transport. The measuring component includes: The first measuring unit measures the distance to the object being measured in the first direction; The second measuring unit measures the distance to the object being measured in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and The third measuring unit measures the distance to the object being measured in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions.

2. The motion setting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A detection component for detecting the position of the substrate is provided in the film-forming chamber. The control unit controls the robot to position the gripper within the detection range of the detection unit. The setting component acquires the detection results of the detection component related to the gripper, and sets the robot's actions related to the movement of the manipulator based on the measurement results and the detection results.

3. The motion setting device according to claim 2, characterized in that, Measurements taken by the measuring components associated with the film-forming chamber are performed at atmospheric pressure. The detection component performs the detection of the fixture under the same decompression as during film formation.

4. The motion setting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The film-forming chamber has an outer wall portion, and the outer wall portion has an opening that the robotic arm can enter. The control unit controls the robot so that the manipulator moves to a position where the measuring unit can measure the outer wall portion as the measurement position.

5. The motion setting device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The control unit controls the robot to make the manipulator move continuously along the outer wall portion as the measurement position.

6. The motion setting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robot's movements include actions related to the orientation of the robotic arm.

7. The motion setting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit controls the robot to move the manipulator to a position where the measuring unit can measure a predetermined structure disposed inside the film-forming chamber as the measurement position.

8. A motion setting method, comprising setting the motion of a robot having a supporting manipulator and conveying the substrate to a film deposition chamber, characterized in that, The action setting method includes: The process of supporting a fixture equipped with measuring components on the robotic arm, wherein the measuring components include: a first measuring unit that measures the distance to a target object in a first direction; a second measuring unit that measures the distance to a target object in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and a third measuring unit that measures the distance to a target object in a third direction orthogonal to both the first and second directions. Controlling the robot to move the manipulator, which supports the gripper, to a measurement position relative to the film-forming chamber; and A process for obtaining measurement results from the measuring components associated with the film-forming chamber and setting the robot's actions in relation to the movement of the manipulator during substrate transport.

9. A method for manufacturing an electronic device, the method comprising: An action setting process for setting the movements of a robot with a supporting arm that transports the substrate to the film deposition chamber; The process of controlling the robot based on the actions set in the action setting process to deliver the substrate to the film forming chamber; as well as The process of forming a film on the substrate in the film-forming chamber. Its features are, The action setting process includes: The process of supporting a fixture equipped with measuring components on the robotic arm, wherein the measuring components include: a first measuring unit that measures the distance to a target object in a first direction; a second measuring unit that measures the distance to a target object in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and a third measuring unit that measures the distance to a target object in a third direction orthogonal to both the first and second directions. Controlling the robot to move the manipulator, which supports the gripper, to a measurement position relative to the film-forming chamber; and A process for obtaining measurement results from the measuring components associated with the film-forming chamber and setting the robot's actions in relation to the movement of the manipulator during substrate transport.

Images