Drying apparatus, manufacturing apparatus, and method for manufacturing article

Abstract

The invention provides a drying apparatus, a manufacturing apparatus, and an article manufacturing method. Provided are a drying device and a manufacturing device which do not reduce the efficiency of drying processing when a substrate coated with ink by a coating device is subjected to drying processing. The drying device is characterized in that the drying device is provided with a feeding port from which a substrate is fed; a holding mechanism capable of holding the fed substrate and changing the height; the drying mechanism is used for drying the fed substrate; and a delivery port from which the dried substrate is delivered, the delivery port and the delivery port being provided at positions at different heights.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to, for example, a drying device used when manufacturing a substrate used in a display device, a manufacturing device that applies a liquid to a substrate and performs a drying process, and a method for manufacturing an article. Background Art

[0002] A method for manufacturing an article is known in which a material is applied to a substrate by inkjet method to manufacture, for example, an organic EL display device. As a manufacturing system for this purpose, a manufacturing system is known which includes a coating device for applying ink to a substrate, a drying device for drying the substrate coated with ink, and a conveying device for conveying the substrate.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-142260 describes a manufacturing system in which an inkjet device and a drying furnace are arranged so as to surround a conveying device having a robot.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-142260 Summary of the invention

[0007] Problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] In the manufacturing system described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-142260, since the drying device is not specifically studied, the substrate cannot be efficiently carried into and out of the drying device, resulting in a problem of reduced efficiency of the drying process.

[0009] In addition, in the manufacturing system described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-142260, an attempt is made to improve productivity by configuring a plurality of coating devices and drying devices around a conveying device. However, since a single conveying device is used to move a substrate between a coating device and a drying device, other substrates need to be put on standby while the conveying device moves a certain substrate, resulting in wasted standby time. In addition, if standby time is generated, there is a situation where, for example, the time required to feed a substrate from a coating device to a drying device is different for each substrate. As a result, the state of the substrate at the time of feeding it to the drying device is deviated, making it difficult to control the conditions of the drying process performed by the drying device.

[0010] Therefore, a drying device or manufacturing device that does not reduce the efficiency of drying when drying a substrate coated with ink by a coating device is desired. Alternatively, a manufacturing device that can shorten the conveying time from the coating device to the drying device and reduce the variation of the conveying time is desired.

[0011] Solutions for solving problems

[0012] One technical solution of the present invention is a drying device, characterized in that the drying device comprises: an inlet through which a substrate is introduced; a holding mechanism that can hold the introduced substrate and change its height; a drying mechanism that dries the introduced substrate; and an outlet through which the dried substrate is introduced, wherein the inlet and the outlet are arranged at positions with different heights.

[0013] Effects of the Invention

[0014] According to one technical solution of the present invention, a drying device or manufacturing device can be provided that does not reduce the efficiency of the drying process when drying a substrate coated with ink by a coating device. Alternatively, according to one technical solution of the present invention, a manufacturing device can be provided that can shorten the conveying time from the coating device to the drying device and reduce the deviation of the conveying time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 It is a top view schematically showing the manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the transport robot and the load lock chamber for delivery.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the conveying robot.

[0018] Figure 4a This is a schematic side perspective view of the first drying device according to the first embodiment as viewed from the feeding mechanism side. Figure 4b This is a schematic perspective view for explaining the direction in which a substrate is taken in and out of the first drying device according to the first embodiment.

[0019] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram showing a feeding mechanism for feeding a substrate into a first drying device.

[0020] Figure 6 It is a schematic plan view for showing the conveyance direction of the substrate in each process.

[0021] Figure 7 This is a flowchart showing the procedure of processing a substrate using the manufacturing apparatus according to the embodiment.

[0022] Figure 8 It is a timing chart for explaining the steps of processing a plurality of substrates.

[0023] Fig. 9 It is a top view schematically showing a manufacturing apparatus according to a modified example of the first embodiment.

[0024] Fig.10a This is a schematic side perspective view of the drying device according to the second embodiment as viewed from the conveying robot side. Fig.10b This is a schematic perspective view for explaining the direction in which a substrate is taken in and out of the drying device according to the second embodiment.

[0025] Fig.11 It is a top view schematically showing the manufacturing apparatus of the second embodiment.

[0026] Description of Reference Numerals

[0027] 100, manufacturing device; 110, conveying chamber; 111, conveying robot; 160, first drying device; 160A, drying device; 161, second drying device; 200, conveying device; 300, conveying mechanism; 1601, delivery inlet; 1602, delivery outlet; 1611, fixture mechanism; 1612, drying treatment plate; 1613, substrate supporting pins; 1630, temperature control mechanism; 1631, vacuum pump; 1000, control unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The conveying device and the like according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described below is merely an example, and those skilled in the art can appropriately modify the detailed configuration without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0029] In the drawings referred to in the following description of the embodiments, unless otherwise specified, elements shown with the same reference numerals have the same functions. In the drawings, when a plurality of identical elements are arranged, the reference numerals and their descriptions may be omitted.

[0030] In addition, for the convenience of illustration and description, the drawings are sometimes shown schematically, and therefore the shapes, sizes, arrangements, etc. of elements described in the drawings may not always strictly correspond to actual objects.

[0031] [Implementation Method 1]

[0032] Reference Figure 1 , the manufacturing device, manufacturing system, etc. of embodiment 1 are illustrated by way of example. Figure 1 This is a top view schematically showing a manufacturing apparatus that carries in a substrate, performs processes such as cleaning, dehumidification, ink coating, drying, and baking, and then carries out the substrate.

[0033] The manufacturing device 100 illustrated in this embodiment is a device for manufacturing a substrate used in a display device. The manufacturing device 100 is composed of, for example, a film forming device that forms an organic film on a substrate. The organic film can be, for example, any one of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light-emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer of an organic EL element (OLED). The process for manufacturing an organic EL element implemented in the manufacturing device 100 may include the following steps: applying a liquid containing a functional material to a substrate and drying it, and forming an organic film such as a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light-emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer on the substrate.

[0034] [Device structure]

[0035] The manufacturing apparatus 100 is provided with a plurality of processing apparatuses for performing process treatments on substrates in a cluster type configuration, and has a conveying chamber 110 at the center thereof that connects the plurality of processing apparatuses. A conveying robot 111 is arranged in the conveying chamber 110. Around the conveying chamber 110, there are arranged a load lock chamber 120 for delivery, a dehumidification device 130, a load lock chamber 180 for delivery, a baking device 170, a cleaning chamber 140 having a cooling chamber 500, a second drying device 161, a substrate position adjustment device 150 connected to the conveying device 200, a first drying device 160, two conveying mechanisms 300, and a coating device 400. In addition, the manufacturing apparatus 100 has a control unit 1000 for controlling the operation of each part. The manufacturing apparatus 100 can process a plurality of substrates at the same time. Figure 1 2 shows an example of a state in which a substrate 010 is placed in the dehumidifying device 130 and a substrate 020 is present in the carry-in load lock chamber 120 .

[0036] In the following description, the devices arranged around the transfer chamber 110 are sometimes referred to as processing devices. The processing devices mentioned here are not limited to devices that directly perform certain processes on the substrate, and include, for example, devices for transferring and storing the substrate, such as the load lock chamber 120 for transfer and the load lock chamber 180 for transfer.

[0037] The types and numbers of various devices provided in the manufacturing apparatus 100 are not limited to Figure 1 If the devices and mechanisms for conveying substrates are collectively referred to as a conveying system, the conveying system can include a conveying robot 111, a conveying device 200, a substrate position adjusting device 150, and a conveying mechanism 300.

[0038] The manufacturing device of this embodiment must have a coating device, a drying device, and a conveying system. In addition, the manufacturing device of the embodiment may not have all of the load lock chamber for delivery, the dehumidification device, the load lock chamber for delivery, the roasting device, the cooling chamber, and the cleaning chamber, but may have some of them, or may have other devices.

[0039] Hereinafter, each component constituting the manufacturing apparatus 100 will be described in sequence.

[0040] The control unit 1000 is composed of hardware such as FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). It can also be composed of PLD (Programmable Logic Device) or ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). Alternatively, the control unit 1000 can also be composed of a general or dedicated computer loaded with a program (software), or a combination of all or part of the foregoing.

[0041] The control unit 1000 can include a CPU, an I / O port, and a computer-readable recording medium. As a computer-readable recording medium, a non-transient recording medium that stores a processing program executed by the CPU, parameters required for the execution of the processing, etc. can be used. As a non-transient recording medium, for example, a floppy disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a magnetic tape, a USB memory, an SSD, etc. can be used. In addition, the control unit 1000 can include a rewritable storage medium (RAM, etc.) that provides a recording area required for processing such as calculations.

[0042] The control unit 1000 controls the operation of each part of the manufacturing apparatus 100. The computer-readable non-transitory recording medium provided in the control unit 1000 records a program for the manufacturing apparatus 100 to manufacture a substrate for an organic EL display device, for example, represented by the substrate processing steps of this embodiment.

[0043] The transfer chamber 110 is arranged in the approximate center of the manufacturing apparatus 100. In this example, the side surface of the outer wall has an octagonal structure in which the sides are divided every 45 degrees when viewed from the center in a plan view, but it may be configured in a shape other than an octagon according to the number of connected processing apparatuses. A gate valve 112 for separation may be provided at the connection portion between the transfer chamber 110 and each processing apparatus.

[0044] A conveying robot 111 is provided in the conveying room 110. Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a portion of the manufacturing apparatus 100 in which the transfer robot 111 and the load lock chamber 120 for delivery are extracted. Figure 2 The arrow in the Z direction shown in other drawings indicates the vertical upward direction (the direction opposite to gravity).

[0045] The conveying robot 111 is a robot capable of conveying a substrate to or from a processing device arranged around the conveying chamber 110. The conveying robot 111 is provided with a manipulator 1110 capable of holding a substrate SUB at the top end, and the manipulator 1110 is supported by a hand position adjustment mechanism 1112 and a rotation mechanism 1113. The rotation mechanism 1113 can rotate the manipulator 1110 in a direction relative to the processing device, which is the object for conveying / exporting the substrate. When conveying the substrate SUB to or from the processing device, the hand position adjustment mechanism 1112 can move the manipulator 1110 forward and backward or up and down to adjust its position.

[0046] exist Figure 3 An example of the movement of the conveying robot 111 is shown in FIG. In this figure, the movement of the conveying robot 111 for moving the substrate SUB from the input load lock chamber 120 to the dehumidification device 130 is shown in four stages in sequence from the top. First, as Figure 3 As shown in the first layer from the top, the transfer robot 111 moves the robot arm 1110 to the load lock chamber 120 for delivery to hold the substrate SUB. Figure 3 As shown in the second layer from the top, the conveying robot 111 operates the hand position adjustment mechanism 1112 to move the robot hand 1110 holding the substrate SUB into the conveying chamber 110. As a result, the robot hand 1110 can rotate in the conveying chamber 110. Figure 3 As shown in the third layer from the top, the rotating mechanism 1113 of the conveying robot 111 rotates the robot arm 1110 holding the substrate SUB so as to face the dehumidification device 130. Then, the hand position adjustment mechanism 1112 is operated to move the robot arm 1110 holding the substrate SUB into the dehumidification device 130 and place the substrate SUB in the dehumidification device 130. Then, as shown in FIG. Figure 3 As shown on the 4th floor from the top, the conveying robot 111 activates the hand position adjustment mechanism 1112 to cause the manipulator 1110 to retreat into the conveying chamber 110 , thereby completing the delivery of the substrate SUB to the dehumidification device 130 .

[0047] Return to Figure 1The load lock chamber 120 for feeding in is a chamber for feeding in substrates from the outside to the manufacturing apparatus 100, and may be configured to accommodate a plurality of substrates. The load lock chamber 120 for feeding in may be provided with a mechanism for filling inert gas into the chamber or exhausting atmospheric gas from the chamber. A gate valve for allowing different atmospheres in the two chambers may also be provided at the connection portion between the load lock chamber 120 for feeding in and the transfer chamber 110.

[0048] The dehumidifier 130 is a device for removing moisture from substrates, and can store one or more substrates and remove moisture. A gate valve may be provided at the connection between the dehumidifier 130 and the transfer chamber 110 to allow different atmospheres in the two chambers.

[0049] The load lock chamber 180 for sending out is a chamber for sending out substrates from the manufacturing apparatus 100 to the outside, and can accommodate a plurality of substrates. The load lock chamber 180 for sending out may be provided with a mechanism for filling the chamber with an inert gas or exhausting the atmosphere gas from the chamber. A gate valve 112 for making the atmospheres in the two chambers different may also be provided at the connection portion between the load lock chamber 180 for sending out and the transfer chamber 110.

[0050] The baking device 170 is a device for baking the ink applied to the substrate, and the interior is filled with air or inert gas. It has a mechanism for heating the substrate to a temperature at which the ink can be baked. In addition, in order to maintain the atmosphere in the baking device, a gate valve for making the two chambers have different atmospheres can also be provided at the connection portion of the baking device and the conveying chamber 110.

[0051] The cleaning chamber 140 is a device for removing impurities from a substrate, and can accommodate, for example, one substrate and perform a cleaning process.

[0052] The cooling chamber 500 is a device for cooling a heated substrate, and can receive and process one substrate, for example, and is used to cool a substrate heated in the baking device 170. In addition, when it is necessary to cool a substrate cleaned in the cleaning chamber 140, it can also be cooled in the cooling chamber 500.

[0053] The coating device 400 is a device for coating ink on a substrate. An inkjet device of an inkjet method is preferably used, but a liquid coating device of another method such as a dispenser method may also be used depending on the situation.

[0054] The first drying device 160 and the second drying device 161 are drying devices for drying ink applied to a substrate. The first drying device 160 has a delivery port 1602 for delivering a substrate on the side facing the conveying chamber 110, and a delivery port 1601 for delivering a substrate on the side facing the conveying mechanism 300. The second drying device 161 is a structure that is symmetrical with the first drying device 160 in a plan view, and has a delivery port 1602 for delivering a substrate on the side facing the conveying chamber 110, and has a delivery port 1601 for delivering a substrate on the side facing the conveying mechanism 300. For the first drying device 160 and the second drying device 161, a substrate is delivered into the device from the respective delivery ports 1601, and after being dried, the substrate is delivered to the conveying chamber 110 from the respective delivery ports 1602.

[0055] Figure 4a This is a schematic side perspective view of the first drying device 160 as viewed from the conveying mechanism 300 side in order to explain the structure of the first drying device 160. Figure 4b 1 is a schematic perspective view for explaining the direction in which the substrate is taken in and out relative to the first drying device 160. In addition, the second drying device 161 has Figure 4a The first drying device 160 shown is of a left-right reversed structure.

[0056] exist Figure 4a In the figure, the substrate is fed into the device through the feed inlet 1601 from the near side of the paper, and after being dried in the device, it is discharged to the right side of the figure through the feed outlet 1602. Figure 4b As shown, the substrate 020 before drying is delivered to the delivery port 1601 by the hand 2102 of the conveying mechanism 300 along the delivery direction D1. In addition, the substrate 010 after drying is delivered from the delivery port 1602 along the delivery direction D2 by the manipulator 1110 of the conveying robot 111. In the first drying device 160 and the second drying device 161, the delivery direction D1 when delivering the substrate and the delivery direction D2 when delivering the substrate are orthogonal to each other. In addition, the angle at which the delivery direction D1 and the delivery direction D2 intersect may not necessarily be orthogonal (90 degrees), and an appropriate intersection angle may be set so that the hand 2102 of the conveying mechanism 300 and the manipulator 1110 of the conveying robot 111 do not interfere with each other even if they approach the drying device at the same time.

[0057] The inlet 1601 and the outlet 1602 are provided with, for example, openable and closable doors, which can function as shutters for ensuring airtightness during drying, thereby allowing inert gas to be introduced into the device or reducing the pressure in the device.

[0058] A jig mechanism 1611 for receiving a substrate from the conveying mechanism 300 is provided near the introduction port 1601. When the jig mechanism 1611 receives a substrate held by the hand 2102 of the conveying mechanism 300, the jig mechanism 1611 descends and the substrate is transferred onto the drying plate 1612. Figure 4a The state shown is that the substrate 020 is held by the hand 2102 of the transport mechanism 300 for carrying in, and another substrate 010 is placed on the drying treatment plate 1612 .

[0059] The first drying device 160 includes substrate support pins 1613, which are used to support and move the substrate up and down when the substrate is transferred from the jig mechanism 1611 to the drying plate 1612 or when the substrate is transferred from the drying plate 1612 to the conveying robot 111. The first drying device 160 can hold the substrate 020 and the substrate 010 at different heights. The jig mechanism 1611, the substrate support pins 1613, etc. can be referred to as a holding mechanism.

[0060] The drying plate 1612 includes a temperature control mechanism 1630 for controlling the temperature of the substrate to a temperature suitable for the drying process. The temperature control mechanism 1630 may include, for example, a heater and a temperature sensor.

[0061] In addition, the first drying device 160 includes a vacuum pump 1631 for reducing the pressure in the device to a pressure suitable for drying when drying the ink applied to the substrate, a pressure gauge 1632, an inlet INL for an inert gas, and a gas flow regulator 1633. These components may also be referred to as a decompression mechanism. In addition, the temperature control mechanism 1630 and the decompression mechanism may also be referred to as a drying mechanism.

[0062] Return to Figure 1 A substrate position adjusting device 150 is provided at a position on the side surface of the conveying chamber 110 sandwiched between the first drying device 160 and the second drying device 161 , and the conveying device 200 is connected to the substrate position adjusting device 150 .

[0063] The substrate position adjustment device 150 is a device that adjusts the position and posture of the substrate before it is fed to the coating device 400 so that the ink is applied to a predetermined position of the substrate when the ink is applied in the coating device 400 .

[0064] The conveying device 200 includes a hand capable of holding a substrate, a rotating mechanism for rotating the hand, and a telescopic mechanism for extending and retracting the hand. The conveying device 200 can receive a substrate from any of the substrate position adjustment device 150, the coating device 400, and the left and right conveying mechanisms 300 using the hand, and deliver the substrate to any of them.

[0065] For example, after a substrate not coated with ink is handed over from the conveying robot 111 to the substrate position adjustment device 150 and its position and posture are adjusted, it is sent to the coating device 400 by the conveying device 200. In addition, the substrate coated with ink by the coating device 400 is sent to the first drying device 160 and the second drying device 161. The control unit 1000 controls the conveying device 200 to send the substrate coated with ink from the coating device 400 and hand it over to any one of the conveying mechanisms 300, and to send the substrate to the inlet 1601 of any one of the first drying device 160 and the second drying device 161.

[0066] Figure 5 1 is a schematic diagram showing the conveying mechanism 300 when the substrate coated with ink is conveyed to the first drying device 160. The conveying mechanism 300 includes a hand 2102 for holding the substrate SUB delivered from the conveying device 200 and a rotating mechanism 2103 for rotating the held substrate SUB in a plan view. The conveying mechanism 300 also includes a lifting mechanism 2101 for lifting and lowering the hand 2102 in accordance with the height of the conveying device 200 or the inlet 1601 of the first drying device 160.

[0067] The device structure of the manufacturing device 100 has been described above, and the following will describe the procedure of processing a substrate using the manufacturing device 100 .

[0068] [Substrate processing steps]

[0069] Figure 7 1 is a flowchart showing the steps of processing a substrate using the manufacturing apparatus 100. The manufacturing apparatus 100 can process a plurality of substrates sequentially or simultaneously, but the focus is on each substrate, and all substrates follow the same procedure. Figure 7 In other words, the control unit 1000 of the manufacturing device 100 controls each processing device and each conveying device to follow the process shown. Figure 7 The processing steps shown are performed on various substrates.

[0070] also, Figure 6 It is a schematic top view showing the conveying direction D3 (third conveying direction) when the substrate is conveyed to the coating device 400, the conveying direction D1 (first conveying direction) when the substrate is conveyed to the drying device 160, and the conveying direction D2 (second conveying direction) when the substrate is conveyed from the drying device 160. In addition, in this figure, the outer shape of the substrate is indicated by a dotted line so that the posture of the substrate in each processing device can be determined when viewed from above.

[0071] First, in step S1 , the substrate is carried into the manufacturing apparatus 100 via the carry-in load-lock chamber 120 and is held by the transfer robot 111 .

[0072] Next, in step S2 , the substrate is transported to the dehumidification device 130 by the transport robot 111 and subjected to dehumidification treatment. The dehumidified substrate is taken out of the dehumidification device 130 by the transport robot 111 .

[0073] Next, in step S3 , the substrate is transported to the cleaning chamber 140 by the transport robot 111 and subjected to a cleaning process. The cleaned substrate is taken out of the cleaning chamber 140 by the transport robot 111 .

[0074] Next, in step S4, the substrate is transported by the transport robot 111 to the substrate position adjustment device 150, and the position and posture of the substrate are adjusted so that ink is applied to a predetermined position on the substrate. The substrate with adjusted position and posture is transported by the transport device 200 to the coating device 400. Figure 6 As shown, the substrate is transported along a transport direction D3 from the transport robot 111 toward the coating device 400 , and at this time, the posture of the substrate is maintained so that the longitudinal direction of the substrate is along the transport direction D3 .

[0075] Next, in step S5 , the coating device 400 performs a coating process on the substrate. That is, ink containing, for example, a material for forming an organic EL element is coated on a predetermined position of the substrate. The substrate that has completed the coating process is transported from the coating device 400 by the transport device 200 .

[0076] Next, in step S6, the substrate is sent to either the first drying device 160 or the second drying device 161. The control unit 1000 selects the first drying device 160 or the second drying device 161, whichever of the first drying device 160 and the second drying device 161 can be sent without waiting time, to send the substrate. Figure 6 In the embodiment, the conveying direction of the substrate when the drying process is performed using the drying device 160 is illustrated. However, when the process is performed using the drying device 161, Figure 6 The conveying direction can be easily understood by considering the left-right reversal of the arrow.

[0077] Specifically, the conveying step is described. The conveying device 200 rotates while holding the substrate delivered from the coating device 400 to transfer the substrate to the conveying mechanism 300 on the drying device 160 side. The conveying mechanism 300 ( Figure 5) drives the lifting mechanism 2101 so that the height of the hand 2102 becomes a height suitable for receiving the substrate from the conveying device 200, and receives the substrate. Then, the rotating mechanism 2103 is driven to rotate the hand 2102 so that the width direction of the substrate becomes the same direction as the conveying direction D1 to the drying device 160. Then, the lifting mechanism 2101 is driven to adjust the height so that the height of the hand 2102 becomes the height of the inlet 1601 of the first drying device 160, and the hand 2102 moves toward the inlet 1601, and the substrate is handed over to the fixture mechanism 1611 ( Figure 4a , Figure 4b ).

[0078] In this embodiment, after the substrate is rotated so that the conveying direction D1 to the drying device 160 coincides with the width direction of the substrate, the substrate is conveyed straight along the conveying direction D1 to the first drying device 160. Figure 6 As shown, in the first drying device 160, the substrate can be placed in a manner such that the short side is opposite to the side surface of the conveying chamber 110. When the substrate is placed in such an orientation in the drying device, the width of the delivery port 1602 used when the substrate is delivered after the drying process can be reduced, which is advantageous for miniaturization of the manufacturing device. The reason is that the width of the delivery port 1602 through which the substrate passes when being delivered from the first drying device 160 to the conveying chamber 110 along the conveying direction D2 only needs to be larger than the width direction of the substrate, and does not need to be larger than the length direction of the substrate.

[0079] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the substrate after the coating process can be fed into the drying device 160 via a shorter conveying path along the conveying direction D1, rather than via a longer conveying path through the conveying chamber 110. Therefore, while shortening the moving time, the variation of the moving time is suppressed, and the progress of the drying of the ink and the variation thereof that occur during the moving process can be suppressed.

[0080] Next, in step S7, the substrate is dried in a drying device to which the substrate is fed. Figure 4a As described above, the substrate is transferred from the jig mechanism 1611 to the drying plate 1612 and dried under reduced pressure on the temperature-controlled drying plate 1612. The substrate that has been dried is transferred to the manipulator 1110 of the transfer robot 111 and is transferred to the transfer chamber 110 through the delivery port 1602.

[0081] Next, in step S8 , the substrate is transported to the baking device 170 by the transport robot 111 and subjected to a baking process. The substrate subjected to the baking process is taken out from the baking device 170 by the transport robot 111 .

[0082] Next, in step S9 , the substrate is transported to the cooling chamber 500 by the transport robot 111 and subjected to a cooling process. The substrate subjected to the cooling process is taken out of the cooling chamber 500 by the transport robot 111 .

[0083] Next, in step S10 , the substrate is taken out of the manufacturing apparatus 100 through the carry-out load-lock chamber 180 , and the processing of the substrate is completed.

[0084] While the processing procedure for one substrate has been described above, the following will describe a procedure for processing a plurality of substrates in parallel using the manufacturing apparatus 100 .

[0085] [Processing steps for multiple substrates]

[0086] Reference Figure 8 The ribbon-like timing diagram shown illustrates the steps for processing a plurality of substrates. Figure 8 The steps of sequentially placing four substrates (substrates 1 to 4) into the manufacturing device 100 for processing are shown, but this is only an example and can be appropriately changed according to the structure of the manufacturing device and the processing process of the substrates. Figure 8 In FIG. 1 , the horizontal axis is set as the time axis, and the times at which various processes are performed are shown for each of the substrates 1 to 4 .

[0087] In the figure, the steps shown as S1, S2, and S10 are respectively Figure 7 Each process corresponds to step S1, step S2, ... step S10 of the processing flow described. In addition, the reference numerals (120), (130), ... (180) indicate a device that executes each process (see Figure 1 ).

[0088] In addition, the operations shown as R1 to R24 represent the substrate conveying operations performed by the conveying robot 111, and are performed in the order of R1, R2, ..., but since they are operations performed by one conveying robot 111, they do not overlap in time. In addition, for example, the period indicated by the oblique lines after step S7 and step S8 is the time when the processing of step S7 and step S8 is completed but the conveying robot 111 is waiting in line because it is performing another substrate conveying operation.

[0089] according to Figure 8It is clear that according to the present embodiment, no substrate will be queued for drying processing from the end of step S5 (coating processing) to the start of step S7 (drying processing). The reason is that the substrate is transported from the coating device 400 to the drying device 160 or the drying device 161 by the transport device 200 and the transport mechanism 300, so the substrate is immediately transported from the coating device 400 to the drying device 160 or the drying device 161 regardless of whether the transport robot 111 is performing another substrate transport operation. Therefore, the time until the substrate coated with ink is transported to the drying device is shortened, and there is no deviation for each substrate.

[0090] In addition, in this embodiment, the drying device 160 and the drying device 161 have an inlet 1601 and an outlet 1602 arranged at different heights on different sides. The substrate is introduced into the inlet 1601 by the conveying mechanism 300, and the substrate is delivered out of the outlet 1602 by the conveying robot 111, and the conveying mechanism 300 and the conveying robot 111 are arranged in a manner that does not interfere with each other. Figure 8 At the time T1, the drying device 160 can simultaneously perform the discharge of the substrate 1 and the introduction of the substrate 3. Figure 8 At the time T2, the drying device 161 can simultaneously carry out the delivery of the substrate 2 and the delivery of the substrate 4. Therefore, the time until the substrate coated with ink is delivered to the drying device is shortened. In addition, since the delivery and delivery of the substrate are performed simultaneously, the processing cycle of the drying device can be shortened, and the efficiency of the drying process (substrate manufacturing process) can be improved.

[0091] [Variation of Embodiment 1]

[0092] Embodiment 1 is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible. Figure 1 In the manufacturing apparatus 100, one coating apparatus and two drying apparatuses are provided, but the structure of the manufacturing apparatus is not limited thereto.

[0093] Fig. 9 The manufacturing apparatus 100A shown in the figure is one of the modified examples of the first embodiment. Figure 1The matters common to the manufacturing device 100 are simplified or omitted. The manufacturing device 100A includes a coating device 400 and a drying device 160. As already described, the drying device 160 includes an inlet 1601 and an outlet 1602 which are arranged at different sides and at different heights. The substrate is fed in at the inlet 1601 by the conveying mechanism 300, and the substrate is fed out at the outlet 1602 by the conveying robot 111, and the conveying mechanism 300 and the conveying robot 111 are arranged in a manner that does not interfere with each other. The drying device 160 can perform the discharge of the substrate 1 and the feeding of the substrate 3 simultaneously or independently. Therefore, the time until the substrate coated with ink is fed into the drying device is shortened, and the processing cycle of the drying device can be improved, and the efficiency of the drying process (manufacturing process of the substrate) can be improved.

[0094] Furthermore, in the manufacturing apparatus 100A, the cooling chamber 500 and the cleaning chamber 140 are connected to different sides of the conveying chamber 110. Therefore, the substrate can be independently moved in and out of the cooling chamber 500 and the substrate can be independently moved in and out of the cleaning chamber 140. Therefore, when designing a process for processing a plurality of substrates, it is easy to set the timing of the cleaning process of the substrate and the cooling process after firing, which can shorten the time required for the manufacturing process and improve the manufacturing efficiency.

[0095] In addition, the modification of the first embodiment is not limited to Fig. 9 In the manufacturing apparatus 100A, the number and arrangement of coating devices and drying devices, and the type, number and arrangement of other processing devices can be changed as appropriate.

[0096] [Implementation Method 2]

[0097] Reference Fig.10a , Fig.10b and Fig.11 The manufacturing apparatus, manufacturing system, etc. according to the second embodiment will be described with examples. Fig.11 It is a plan view schematically showing a manufacturing apparatus 100B that performs processes such as carrying in, cleaning, dehumidifying, ink coating, drying, baking, and carrying out of a substrate. Fig.10a This is a schematic side perspective view of the drying device 160A viewed from the conveying chamber 110 side in order to explain the structure of the two drying devices 160A provided in the manufacturing apparatus 100B. Fig.10b This is a schematic perspective view for explaining the direction in which the substrate is taken in and out of the drying device 160A. The description of matters common to the first embodiment is simplified or omitted.

[0098] The manufacturing device 100B illustrated in this embodiment is, for example, a device for manufacturing a substrate used in a display device. The manufacturing device 100B is, for example, composed of a film forming device that forms an organic film on a substrate. The organic film may be, for example, any one of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer of an organic EL element (OLED). The process for manufacturing an organic EL element implemented by the manufacturing device 100B may include a step of applying a liquid containing a functional material to a substrate and drying it, and forming an organic film such as a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer on the substrate.

[0099] [Device structure]

[0100] The manufacturing apparatus 100B is provided with a plurality of processing apparatuses for processing substrates in a cluster type, and a conveying chamber 110 is provided at the center thereof to connect the plurality of processing apparatuses. A conveying robot 111 is provided in the conveying chamber 110. A load lock chamber 120 for input, a dehumidifying device 130, a load lock chamber 180 for output, a baking device 170, a cleaning chamber 140 having a cooling chamber 500, two drying devices 160A, and a substrate position adjustment device 150 connected to the conveying device 200 are provided around the conveying chamber 110. In addition, the manufacturing apparatus 100B is provided with a control unit 1000 for controlling the operation of each part.

[0101] The drying device 160A used in this embodiment is different in structure from the drying device 160 or the drying device 161 used in Embodiment 1. In addition, unlike Embodiment 1, there is no conveying mechanism 300 for conveying the substrate from the coating device 400 to the drying device, and the conveying robot 111 is used to convey the substrate to and from the drying device 160A.

[0102] like Figure 2 As shown, the transport robot 111 includes a hand position adjustment mechanism 1112, and can move the robot hand 1110 forward and backward or up and down to adjust its position when the substrate is transported in and out of the drying device 160A.

[0103] exist Fig.10a In the embodiment, the substrate is fed from the near side of the paper surface through the feed inlet 1601A into the device on the far side of the paper surface and after being dried in the device, it is fed out to the near side of the paper surface through the feed outlet 1602A. Fig.10bAs shown, the substrate 020 before drying is delivered to the delivery port 1601A from the height position shown in 1110A along the delivery direction D1 by the manipulator 1110 of the delivery robot 111. In addition, the substrate 010 after drying is delivered from the delivery port 1602A along the delivery direction D2 by the manipulator 1110 of the delivery robot 111 from the height position shown in 1110B. In the drying device 160A, the delivery direction D1 when delivering the substrate and the delivery direction D2 when delivering the substrate are parallel to each other and are in opposite directions (the directions differ by 180 degrees).

[0104] A jig mechanism 1611 for receiving a substrate from the robot 1110 is provided near the introduction port 1601A. When the jig mechanism 1611 receives a substrate held by the robot 1110, the jig mechanism 1611 descends and the substrate is transferred onto the drying plate 1612. Fig.10a The following state is shown: the robot 1110 holds the substrate 020 at a height 1110A for feeding, and another substrate 010 is placed on the drying plate 1612 .

[0105] The drying device 160A includes substrate support pins 1613 for moving the substrate up and down when transferring the substrate from the jig mechanism 1611 to the drying plate 1612 or when transferring the substrate from the drying plate 1612 to the transfer robot 111. The drying device 160A can hold the substrate 020 and the substrate 010 at different heights.

[0106] The drying plate 1612 includes a temperature control mechanism 1630 for controlling the temperature of the substrate to a temperature suitable for drying. The temperature control mechanism 1630 may include, for example, a heater and a temperature sensor. In addition, the drying device 160A includes a vacuum pump 1631 for making the pressure in the device suitable for reduced pressure drying when drying the ink applied on the substrate, a pressure gauge 1632, an inert gas inlet INL, and a gas flow regulator 1633.

[0107] Since the manufacturing apparatus 100B of the present embodiment does not include the conveyance mechanism 300 used in the first embodiment, the device structure of the conveyance system can be simplified.

[0108] In addition, in the present embodiment, the drying device 160A has an inlet 1601A and an outlet 1602A arranged at different heights on the same side. The substrate is fed into the inlet 1601A by the robot 1110, and the substrate is fed out of the outlet 1602A by the robot 1110. Therefore, the robot 1110 changes the height immediately after conveying a certain substrate to the inlet 1601A, and can convey another substrate that has been dried from the outlet 1602A. Therefore, the drying device can improve the processing cycle, and according to the present embodiment, a drying device and a manufacturing device that do not reduce the efficiency of the drying process can be provided. In addition, since the drying device 160A can hold a plurality of substrates inside, even when there is one substrate in the device, another substrate conveyed from the coating device can be immediately fed in from the inlet 1601A. Therefore, a manufacturing device that can shorten the conveying time from the coating device to the drying device and reduce the deviation of the conveying time can be provided.

[0109] [Other embodiments]

[0110] In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and many modifications are possible within the technical concept of the present invention. For example, all or part of the above-described embodiments and modifications may be combined for implementation.

[0111] For example, in the above example, the drying device is configured to hold two substrates, but it may be configured to hold a larger number of substrates in the device, or may be configured to include a drying mechanism that dries multiple substrates simultaneously.

[0112] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the case of manufacturing a substrate used in an organic EL display device is illustrated, but the present invention can also be implemented in a drying device or a manufacturing device used when manufacturing a substrate or an article for other purposes. For example, it can also be applied to a manufacturing device for manufacturing a storage element by applying a liquid containing an electrical material on a substrate. Alternatively, it can also be applied to a manufacturing device for manufacturing an optical element by applying a liquid containing an optical material such as a reflective material or an antistatic material on a substrate.

[0113] The present invention can also be implemented by the following processing: a program that implements one or more functions of the embodiment is supplied to a system or device via the Internet or a storage medium, and one or more processors of a computer of the system or device read and execute the program. In addition, it can also be implemented by using a circuit (such as an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

Claims

1. A drying device, characterized in that: The drying device has: a feed inlet through which a substrate is fed; A holding mechanism capable of holding the fed substrate and changing its height; A drying mechanism, which dries the fed substrate; and a delivery outlet from which the dried substrate is delivered, The inlet and the outlet are provided at positions different in height.

2. The drying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drying mechanism includes a decompression mechanism, The inlet and the outlet include openable and closable doors.

3. The drying device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The inlet and the outlet are provided on different sides of the drying device.

4. The drying device according to claim 3, characterized in that: In a plan view, a first conveying direction when a substrate is introduced into the introduction port and a second conveying direction when a substrate is introduced out of the introduction port are directions intersecting with each other.

5. The drying device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The inlet and the outlet are provided on one side of the drying device.

6. The drying device according to claim 5, characterized in that: In a plan view, a first conveying direction when a substrate is introduced into the introduction port and a second conveying direction when a substrate is introduced out of the introduction port are directions that are 180 degrees apart from each other.

7. A manufacturing device, characterized in that: The manufacturing device has: The drying device according to any one of claims 1 to 4; a coating device that coats ink on a substrate; and A conveyor system, which moves the substrate, The transport system includes a transport mechanism that transports a substrate from the coating device to the drying device, and a transport robot that transports a substrate from the drying device.

8. The manufacturing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The drying device is capable of holding a plurality of substrates, The transport system is configured to simultaneously carry out the feeding of the substrate from the coating device to the drying device and the feeding of the substrate from the drying device.

9. The manufacturing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: In a plan view, a first conveying direction when a substrate is introduced into the introduction port, a second conveying direction when a substrate is introduced out of the introduction port, and a third conveying direction when a substrate is introduced into the coating device are directions intersecting with each other.

10. The manufacturing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The manufacturing apparatus further includes at least one of a baking device, a cooling chamber, a cleaning chamber, a dehumidification device, a load lock chamber for carrying in, a load lock chamber for carrying out, and a substrate position adjustment device.

11. A method for manufacturing an article, characterized in that: Using the manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 10, ink is applied to a substrate and dried.

12. The method for manufacturing an article according to claim 11, characterized in that: The ink is a liquid containing a functional material.

13. The method for manufacturing an article according to claim 11, characterized in that: The ink is a liquid for forming any one of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer of an organic EL element.

14. A manufacturing device, characterized in that: The manufacturing device has: The drying device according to any one of claims 1, 2, 5 and 6; a coating device that coats ink on a substrate; and A conveyor system, which moves the substrate, The transport system includes a transport robot that carries a substrate from the coating device to the drying device and carries a substrate out from the drying device.

15. The manufacturing device according to claim 14, characterized in that: The drying device is capable of holding a plurality of substrates, The transport system is configured to continuously carry out the feeding of the substrate from the coating device to the drying device and the feeding of the substrate from the drying device.

16. The manufacturing device according to claim 14, characterized in that: When viewed from above, the first conveying direction when the substrate is fed into the feed inlet and the second conveying direction when the substrate is fed out of the feed outlet are directions that differ by 180 degrees from each other, and the third conveying direction when the substrate is fed into the coating device is a direction that intersects the first conveying direction and the second conveying direction.

17. The manufacturing device according to claim 14, characterized in that: The manufacturing apparatus further includes at least one of a baking device, a cooling chamber, a cleaning chamber, a dehumidification device, a load lock chamber for carrying in, a load lock chamber for carrying out, and a substrate position adjustment device.

18. A method for manufacturing an article, characterized in that: Using the manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 14 to 17, ink is applied onto a substrate and dried.

19. The method for manufacturing an article according to claim 18, characterized in that: The ink is a liquid containing a functional material.

20. The method for manufacturing an article according to claim 18, characterized in that: The ink is a liquid for forming any one of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer of an organic EL element.

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