Film forming apparatus, film forming method, and manufacturing method

Abstract

The invention relates to a film forming apparatus, a film forming method, and a manufacturing method. In a film forming apparatus that forms a film by aligning a substrate and a mask, the positional relationship between a substrate and a member that abuts against the substrate is appropriately controlled. The film forming apparatus includes: a chamber in which a film is formed on a substrate; a substrate supporting part which is arranged in the chamber and supports the outer edge of the substrate; a mask support unit that is disposed in the chamber and that supports the mask so as to be parallel to the substrate; a first member that is disposed on the opposite side of the mask with the substrate interposed therebetween in the chamber, and that can come into contact with the substrate; a first alignment member that adjusts a relative position of the substrate and the mask in a plane, and adjusts a distance between the substrate and the mask; and a second alignment member that adjusts in-plane relative positions of the first member and at least one of the substrate and the mask, and that adjusts a distance between the first member and at least one of the substrate and the mask.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a film forming device, a film forming method and a manufacturing method. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, panels used in organic EL display devices have become larger, and substrates used to manufacture panels have also become larger. Therefore, when the panel is manufactured by attaching the evaporated material to the substrate in the film forming chamber, the deflection caused by the dead weight of the central part of the substrate becomes larger.

[0003] Therefore, in order to reduce the deflection caused by the weight of the substrate, after the substrate and the mask are aligned, a cooling plate is pressed against the substrate from the side of the substrate opposite to the film-forming surface. This allows the substrate to be closely attached to the mask and suppresses the temperature rise of the substrate during film formation.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 6351918

[0007] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0008] However, in the method of Patent Document 1, the positional relationship between the substrate and the cooling plate is not adjusted. Here, since there is a limit to the conveying accuracy when the substrate is conveyed into the film forming chamber, even if the substrate and the mask are well aligned, the positional relationship between the substrate and the cooling plate cannot be guaranteed to be good. Assuming that the deviation of the positional relationship between each substrate and the cooling plate becomes larger, the contact position when the cooling plate is pressed against the substrate will deviate, which may affect the positional relationship between the substrate and the mask.

[0009] In addition, when the mask is made of a metal material, sometimes the mask is attracted to the substrate by bringing a magnet into contact with the substrate from the surface opposite to the surface in contact with the mask, thereby improving the close contact between the substrate and the mask. However, if the deviation in the positional relationship between each substrate and the magnet becomes large, the positional relationship between the substrate and the mask may be affected as in the case of the cooling plate. Summary of the invention

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to appropriately control the positional relationship between a member in contact with a substrate and the substrate in a film forming apparatus that forms a film by aligning a substrate and a mask.

[0011] Means for solving problems

[0012] The present invention adopts the following structure. That is,

[0013] A film forming device, characterized in that the film forming device comprises:

[0014] a chamber in which a film is formed on a substrate;

[0015] a substrate supporting portion, the substrate supporting portion being disposed in the chamber and supporting an outer edge of the substrate;

[0016] a mask supporting portion, the mask supporting portion being arranged in the chamber and supporting the mask in a manner parallel to the substrate;

[0017] a first component, the first component being arranged in the chamber on a side opposite to the mask across the substrate, the first component being capable of abutting against the substrate;

[0018] a first alignment member, the first alignment member adjusting a relative position of the substrate and the mask in a plane and adjusting a distance between the substrate and the mask; and

[0019] A second alignment member adjusts a relative position of the first component and at least one of the substrate and the mask in a plane, and adjusts a distance between the first component and at least one of the substrate and the mask.

[0020] Effects of the Invention

[0021] According to the present invention, in a film forming apparatus that forms a film by aligning a substrate and a mask, it is possible to appropriately control the positional relationship between a member that comes into contact with a substrate and the substrate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a portion of a production line for electronic devices.

[0023] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0024] Figure 3 It is a perspective view showing a structure related to alignment.

[0025] Figure 4 It is a flow chart related to alignment and film formation.

[0026] Figure 5 (a) and (b) are cross-sectional views of main parts showing the state of alignment in the first embodiment.

[0027] Figure 6 (a) and (b) are continuation diagrams of cross-sectional views of main parts showing the state of alignment in the first embodiment.

[0028] Figure 7(a) and (b) are cross-sectional views of main parts showing the state of film formation in the first embodiment.

[0029] Figure 8 It is a cross-sectional view of the main parts showing the alignment state in the second embodiment.

[0030] Fig. 9 It is a cross-sectional view of the main parts showing the alignment state in the third embodiment.

[0031] Fig.10 (a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams related to the manufacture of an organic EL display device.

[0032] Description of Reference Numerals

[0033] 3: Vacuum chamber, 5: Mask stage, 6: Substrate support unit, 9: Plate unit, 10: Cooling plate, 11: Magnet plate, 13: Plate position adjustment unit, 19: Plate distance adjustment unit, 20: Substrate position adjustment unit, 22: Substrate distance adjustment unit, 62: Loading unit DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the mode for implementing the present invention will be described in detail by way of example based on the embodiments. However, the size, material, shape, relative arrangement, etc. of the components described in the embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to these unless otherwise specified. Although a plurality of features are described in the embodiments, not all of these features are necessary for the invention, and a plurality of features may be combined arbitrarily.

[0035] The present invention is applicable to a film forming device that forms a thin film of a film forming material on the surface of a film forming object such as a substrate after alignment with a mask by evaporation or the like. The present invention can be grasped as an alignment device, a film forming device, an alignment method, and a film forming method. The present invention can also be grasped as an electronic device manufacturing device and a control method thereof, and an electronic device manufacturing method. The present invention can also be grasped as a program that enables a computer to execute a control method or a manufacturing method, and a storage medium storing the program. The storage medium can be a non-temporary storage medium that can be read by a computer.

[0036] As the material of the substrate in the present invention, any material such as glass, resin, metal, silicon, etc. can be used. As the film-forming material, any material such as organic material, inorganic material (metal, metal oxide) can be used. The "substrate" in the following description includes a substrate on which one or more films have been formed on the surface of the substrate material. The technology of the present invention is typically suitable for manufacturing devices for electronic devices and optical components. It is particularly suitable for organic electronic devices such as organic EL displays having organic EL elements and organic EL display devices using the organic EL displays. The present invention can also be used for thin-film solar cells and organic CMOS image sensors.

[0037] [Implementation Method 1]

[0038] The configuration of the device and the processing flow in the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0039] <Production line for electronic devices>

[0040] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing a part of the structure of a production line of electronic devices to which the film-forming apparatus of the present invention can be applied. Figure 1 The production line is used, for example, for manufacturing a display panel of an organic EL display device, and the substrate 100 is sequentially transported to the film forming unit 301 for film forming.

[0041] In the film forming unit 301, a plurality of film forming chambers 303a to 303d for performing film forming processing on the substrate 100 and a mask storage chamber 305 for storing masks before and after use are arranged around the conveying chamber 302. A conveying robot 302a for conveying the substrate 100 is arranged in the conveying chamber 302. The conveying robot 302a includes a hand for holding the substrate 100 and a multi-joint arm for moving the hand in the horizontal direction. The film forming unit 301 is a group-type structure in which a plurality of film forming chambers 303a to 303d are arranged in a manner surrounding the conveying robot 302a. It should be noted that when the film forming chambers 303a to 303d are collectively referred to, or when no distinction is made, they are marked as film forming chambers 303.

[0042] In the conveying direction (arrow direction) of the substrate 100, a buffer chamber 306, a swirl chamber 307, and a transfer chamber 308 are respectively arranged on the upstream and downstream sides of the film forming unit 301. During the manufacturing process, each chamber is maintained in a vacuum state. Figure 1 Only one film forming unit 301 is shown in the figure, but the production line of this embodiment has a plurality of film forming units 301, and the plurality of film forming units 301 have a structure connected by a connecting device consisting of a buffer chamber 306, a swirl chamber 307, and a delivery chamber 308. It should be noted that the structure of the connecting device is not limited to this, and for example, it can also be composed of only the buffer chamber 306 or the delivery chamber 308.

[0043] The transfer robot 302a transfers the substrate 100 from the upstream delivery chamber 308 to the transfer chamber 302, transfers the substrate 100 between the film forming chambers 303, transfers the mask between the mask storage chamber 305 and the film forming chamber 303, and transfers the substrate 100 from the transfer chamber 302 to the downstream buffer chamber 306.

[0044] The buffer chamber 306 is a chamber for temporarily storing substrates 100 according to the operation status of the production line. A substrate storage rack also called a box and a lifting mechanism are provided in the buffer chamber 306. The substrate storage rack has a multi-layer structure capable of storing a plurality of substrates 100 while maintaining a horizontal state in which the processed surface (film-forming surface) of the substrate 100 faces downward in the direction of gravity. The lifting mechanism raises and lowers the substrate storage rack in order to make the layer of the substrate 100 sent in or out consistent with the conveying position. In this way, a plurality of substrates 100 can be temporarily stored and kept in the buffer chamber 306.

[0045] The swirl chamber 307 is provided with a device for changing the orientation of the substrate 100. In the present embodiment, the swirl chamber 307 rotates the orientation of the substrate 100 by 180 degrees by a conveying robot provided in the swirl chamber 307. The conveying robot provided in the swirl chamber 307 rotates 180 degrees while supporting the substrate 100 received in the buffer chamber 306, and delivers it to the delivery chamber 308, thereby exchanging the front end and the rear end of the substrate in the buffer chamber 306 and the delivery chamber 308. Thus, the orientation of the substrate 100 when it is delivered to the film forming chamber 303 is the same in each film forming unit 301, so that the scanning direction for film forming on the substrate S and the orientation of the mask can be made consistent in each film forming unit 301. By adopting the above-mentioned structure, the orientation of the mask set in the mask storage chamber 305 can be made consistent in each film forming unit 301, which can simplify the management of the mask and improve the usability.

[0046] The control system of the production line includes a host device 300 that controls the entire production line as a main computer and control devices 14a to 14d, 309, and 310 that control each structure, which can communicate via a wired or wireless communication line 300a. The control devices 14a to 14d are provided corresponding to the film forming chambers 303a to 303d, and control the film forming device 1 described later. It should be noted that when the control devices 14a to 14d are collectively referred to, or when no distinction is made, they are marked as the control device 14.

[0047] The control device 309 controls the transfer robot 302a. The control device 310 controls the devices of the swirl chamber 307. The host device 300 sends information on the substrate 100 and instructions such as transfer timing to each control device 14, 309, 310, and each control device 14, 309, 310 controls each structure based on the received instructions.

[0048] <Overview of Film Forming Apparatus>

[0049] Figure 2 303 is a schematic diagram of a film forming device 1. The film forming device 1 provided in the film forming chamber 303 is a device for forming a film of a vapor-deposited substance on a substrate 100, and a thin film of the vapor-deposited substance of a prescribed pattern is formed using a mask 101. It should be noted that the film forming method is not limited to vapor deposition, and various film forming methods such as sputtering can be applied. In the figure, the arrow Z indicates the up and down direction (direction of gravity), and the arrows X and Y indicate mutually orthogonal horizontal directions. In addition, for components that appear symmetrically on the left and right, the figure mark of one side is sometimes omitted.

[0050] The film forming device 1 has a box-shaped vacuum chamber 3 (also referred to as a chamber) capable of maintaining a vacuum inside. The internal space 3a of the vacuum chamber 3 is maintained as a vacuum environment or an inert gas environment such as nitrogen. In the present embodiment, the vacuum chamber 3 is connected to a vacuum pump not shown. It should be noted that, in this specification, "vacuum" refers to a state filled with a gas with a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure, in other words, a reduced pressure state. In the internal space 3a of the vacuum chamber 3, there are arranged a substrate support unit 6 that supports the substrate 100 in a horizontal posture, a mask stage 5 that supports the mask 101 to be parallel to the substrate 100, a film forming unit 4 as a film forming source (evaporation source), and a plate unit 9.

[0051] The mask 101 (mask support portion) is a metal mask having an opening pattern corresponding to the thin film pattern formed on the substrate 100, and is placed on the mask stage 5. It should be noted that the mask stage 5 can be replaced by a component of other methods for fixing the mask 101 at a predetermined position. For example, it can also be a mechanism for clamping and holding the mask 101, or a mechanism for adsorbing and holding the mask 101. As the mask 101, a mask having a structure in which a mask foil with a thickness of about several μm to tens of μm is welded and fixed on a frame-shaped mask frame can be used. After the substrate 100 and the mask 101 become parallel, the in-plane positions of the two are relatively adjusted. Thereafter, the film forming process is performed in a state where the substrate 100 and the mask 101 overlap.

[0052] The plate unit 9 (first component) includes a cooling plate 10 (cooling plate) and a magnet plate 11 including a magnet. The magnet plate 11 is disposed above the cooling plate 10 so as to be displaceable in the Z direction relative to the cooling plate 10. The plate unit 9 is disposed on the side opposite to the mask 101 across the substrate 100. That is, the plate unit 9 is disposed on the surface of the substrate 100 opposite to the film-forming surface. By displacing the plate unit 9 in the Z direction, the cooling plate 10 can abut against the substrate 100.

[0053] The cooling plate 10 has a function of suppressing heat rise by contacting with the substrate 100 during film formation. As the cooling plate 10, a member having a water cooling mechanism or the like that actively cools the substrate 100, or a plate-shaped member that absorbs heat from the substrate 100 by heat conduction can be used. The magnet plate 11 is a plate-shaped member that functions as a mask support member that attracts the mask 101 by magnetic force. The magnet of the magnet plate 11 applies a magnetic force to the mask 101 from the upper surface of the substrate 100 via the cooling plate 10 and the substrate 100, thereby improving the close contact between the substrate 100 and the mask 101 and improving the film formation accuracy corresponding to the pattern.

[0054] It should be noted that only one of the cooling plate 10 and the magnet plate 11 may be configured while omitting the other. In this case, the component of the configured one is the first component. For example, when the heat rise of the substrate 100 is limited, the cooling plate 10 may not be provided. In addition, when the mask 101 can be held by force by a physical holding mechanism or an electrostatic chuck, the magnet plate 11 may not be provided. In addition, the cooling plate 10 and the magnet plate 11 may not move integrally.

[0055] In addition, the plate unit 9 has a function as a pressing component that presses the substrate 100 downward after alignment with the mask 101 to increase the close contact between the substrate 100 and the mask 101. That is, the pressing component can also be considered to be the first component. It should be noted that, in the case where the plate unit 9 only has the cooling plate 10, the cooling plate 10 functions as a pressing component. In addition, in the case where the plate unit 9 only has the magnet plate 11, the magnet plate 11 functions as a pressing component. In addition, the plate unit 9 may also adopt a structure that does not have any of the cooling plate 10 and the magnet plate 11, and only functions as a pressing component.

[0056] The film forming unit 4 is composed of a container for storing materials, a heater for heating the container, a baffle, a driving mechanism for an evaporation source, an evaporation rate monitor, etc., and is an evaporation source for evaporating the evaporation material onto the substrate 100. The film forming unit 4 is arranged below the mask stage 5 in the vertical direction. When viewed from the substrate 100, the film forming unit 4 is arranged on the same side as the mask 101. The film forming unit 4 forms a film on the substrate 100 via the mask 101.

[0057] <Alignment Device>

[0058] The film forming apparatus 1 includes an alignment device 2 for aligning a substrate 100 and a mask 101. The alignment device 2 includes a substrate support unit 6, a substrate position adjustment unit 20, a substrate distance adjustment unit 22, a plate position adjustment unit 13, a plate distance adjustment unit 19, a first measurement unit 7, and a second measurement unit 8. The following describes the configurations of the alignment device.

[0059] (Substrate support unit)

[0060] The alignment device 2 includes a substrate support unit 6 (substrate support portion) that supports the outer edge of the substrate 100. The substrate support unit 6 includes a frame-shaped substrate support base 61 supported by a support shaft R1, and a plurality of loading portions 62 protrude from the substrate support base 61 toward the inner side of the substrate. The loading portions 62 are also called "receiving claws". When the substrate 100 is delivered to the vacuum chamber 3 by the conveying robot 302a, the plurality of loading portions 62 receive and support the edge of the peripheral portion of the substrate 100. The loading portion 62 can be composed of, for example, a finger-shaped plate-like member. When a leaf spring is used as the loading portion 62, the elastic force of the leaf spring can be used to press the substrate 100 relative to the plate unit 9.

[0061] The substrate support unit 6 is provided with a plurality of clamping parts 63 corresponding to the plurality of placement parts 62. The clamping part 63 is moved up and down along the Z direction toward the placement part 62 by the clamping actuator, so that the substrate 100 can be switched between a clamped state and a released state. In the clamped state, the placement part 62 and the clamping part 63 clamp the substrate 100, thereby fixing the substrate 100.

[0062] (Substrate position adjustment unit, substrate distance adjustment unit)

[0063] The alignment device 2 includes a substrate position adjustment unit 20 for adjusting the relative position of the substrate 100 supported by the substrate support unit 6 at the periphery and the mask 101. The substrate position adjustment unit 20 adjusts the relative position of the substrate 100 with respect to the mask 101 in the plane by displacing the substrate support unit 6 on the XY plane. The substrate position adjustment unit 20 moves the substrate support unit 6 in the X direction and the Y direction and rotates around the axis in the Z direction. In the alignment of the present embodiment, the position of the mask 101 is fixed and the substrate 100 is displaced, but the mask 101 may also be displaced, or both the substrate 100 and the mask 101 may be displaced.

[0064] As an example, the substrate position adjustment unit 20 may also be configured to include: a fixed plate fixed to the upper wall portion 30 of the vacuum chamber 3, an actuator disposed on the fixed plate and performing XY movement and θ rotation, and a movable plate displaced according to the operation of the actuator. In this embodiment, a first lifting plate 220 is connected to the movable plate of the substrate position adjustment unit 20, and the substrate distance adjustment unit 22 is supported by the first lifting plate 220.

[0065] The substrate distance adjustment unit 22 is, for example, a rod-shaped direct-acting mechanism having an actuator and a ball screw, which can raise and lower the first lifting plate 220 in the Z direction. That is, the driving force in the Z direction generated by the substrate distance adjustment unit 22 is transmitted to the substrate support unit 6 via the first lifting plate 220, thereby raising and lowering the substrate 100. As a result, the substrate 100 and the mask 101 are brought close to or separated. In addition, the XY movement and θ rotation performed by the substrate position adjustment unit 20 are transmitted to the substrate support unit 6 via the first lifting plate 220, thereby adjusting the in-plane position of the substrate 100. It should be noted that in the present embodiment, the position of the mask stage 5 is fixed and the distance in the Z direction of the substrate support unit 6 is adjusted, but it is not limited to this. The mask stage 5 side can also be moved for adjustment, or both the substrate support unit 6 and the mask stage 5 can be moved.

[0066] It should be noted that any structure can be used as the substrate position adjustment unit 20 and the substrate distance adjustment unit 22 as long as the position adjustment and the distance adjustment can be performed. For example, a substrate carrier that uses magnetic force to float the substrate can also be provided. The substrate position adjustment unit 20 and the substrate distance adjustment unit 22 can be collectively referred to as a first alignment member that adjusts the relative position of the substrate 100 and the mask 101 within the plane and adjusts the distance in the normal direction of the plane.

[0067] (Board position adjustment unit, board distance adjustment unit)

[0068] The plate position adjustment unit 13 is a mechanism for adjusting the positional relationship between the plate unit 9 and the substrate 100 (or the mask 101) in the plane by adjusting the position of the plate unit 9 in the XY plane. As the plate position adjustment unit 13, for example, a driving mechanism having an actuator that performs XY movement and θ rotation can be used, similarly to the substrate position adjustment unit 20. The XY movement and θ rotation performed by the plate position adjustment unit 13 are transmitted to the plate unit 9 via the support shaft R2, thereby displacing the in-plane position of the plate unit 9. As a result, the cooling plate 10 and the magnet plate 11 are aligned with the substrate 100 (or the mask 101).

[0069] The plate distance adjustment unit 19 is, for example, a rod-shaped direct-acting mechanism having an actuator and a ball screw, and is capable of raising and lowering the second lifting plate 230 in the Z direction. That is, the driving force in the Z direction generated by the plate distance adjustment unit 19 is transmitted to the plate unit 9 via the second lifting plate 230, thereby raising and lowering the plate unit 9. As a result, the cooling plate 10 and the magnet plate 11 are brought close to or separated from the substrate 100. For example, when the cooling plate 10 is pressed against the substrate 100 before film formation, after the substrate 100 and the cooling plate 10 are aligned by the plate position adjustment unit 13, the substrate 100 and the cooling plate 10 are brought close to each other by the plate distance adjustment unit 19. It should be noted that the present embodiment is not limited to a structure that moves the plate unit 9 up and down, but may also be a structure that moves the substrate support unit 6 up and down, or both the plate unit 9 and the substrate support unit 6 may be moved up and down. The plate position adjustment unit 13 and the plate distance adjustment unit 19 can be collectively referred to as a second alignment component for adjusting the relative position within the surface of the substrate 100 and / or mask 101 and the cooling plate 10 and / or magnet plate 11 and the distance in the normal direction of the surface.

[0070] (Measurement unit)

[0071] The alignment device 2 includes a measuring unit (a first measuring unit 7 and a second measuring unit 8) for measuring the positional deviation between the substrate 100 supported at the peripheral edge by the substrate supporting unit 6 and the mask 101. Figure 2 In addition, refer to Figure 5 Provide explanation. Figure 5 1 is an explanatory diagram of the first measuring unit 7 and the second measuring unit 8, and shows a method of measuring the positional deviation between the substrate 100 and the mask 101. The first measuring unit 7 and the second measuring unit 8 of this embodiment are both imaging devices (cameras) for capturing images. The first measuring unit 7 and the second measuring unit 8 are arranged above the upper wall portion 30, and can capture images in the vacuum chamber 3 through the window portion formed in the upper wall portion 30.

[0072] like Figure 3 As shown, a substrate coarse alignment mark 100a and a substrate fine alignment mark 100b are formed on the substrate 100, and a mask coarse alignment mark 101a and a mask fine alignment mark 101b are formed on the mask 101. Hereinafter, the substrate coarse alignment mark 100a is sometimes referred to as a substrate coarse mark 100a, and the substrate fine alignment mark 100b is sometimes referred to as a substrate fine mark 100b, and the two are collectively referred to as substrate marks. In addition, the mask coarse alignment mark 101a is sometimes referred to as a mask coarse mark 101a, and the mask fine alignment mark 101b is sometimes referred to as a mask fine mark 101b, and the two are collectively referred to as mask marks.

[0073] The substrate rough mark 100a is formed at the center of the short side of the substrate 100. The substrate fine mark 100b is formed at the four corners of the substrate 100. The mask rough mark 101a is formed at the center of the short side of the mask 101 corresponding to the substrate rough mark 100a. In addition, the mask fine mark 101b is formed at the four corners of the mask 101 corresponding to the substrate fine mark 100b.

[0074] The first measurement unit 7 is a low-magnification CCD camera with a relatively wide field of view but low resolution, and measures the approximate positional deviation between the substrate 100 and the mask 101. Figure 3 , a configuration is shown in which one first measurement unit 7 is used to collectively capture the entire substrate 100 , but the present invention is not limited thereto, and one first measurement unit 7 may be provided on each short side, so that two first measurement units 7 in total may be provided.

[0075] The second measuring unit 8 is provided with four (second measuring units 8a to 8d) so as to photograph the corresponding groups (here 4 groups) of substrate fine marks 100b and mask fine marks 101b. The second measuring unit 8 is a high-magnification CCD camera with a relatively narrow field of view but high resolution. It should be noted that the structures of the first measuring unit and the second measuring unit 8 are not limited to this. For example, the number and position of cameras used for coarse alignment and fine alignment, respectively, can be appropriately determined according to the size of the substrate and the required alignment accuracy. Regarding the type of camera, it is not limited to CCD cameras, and CMOS cameras or other shooting components can also be used.

[0076] In this embodiment, after roughly adjusting the positions of the substrate 100 and the mask 101 based on the measurement results of the first measurement unit 7 , the substrate 100 and the mask 101 are accurately adjusted based on the measurement results of the second measurement unit 8 .

[0077] <Control device>

[0078] The control device 14 includes a processing unit 141, a storage unit 142, an I / O 143 as an input / output interface, a communication unit 144, a display unit 145, and an input unit 146. The processing unit 141 is a processor such as a CPU, and executes a program stored in the storage unit 142 to control the film forming apparatus 1. The storage unit 142 is a storage device such as a ROM, a RAM, and a HDD, and stores various control information in addition to the program executed by the processing unit 141. The I / O 143 sends and receives signals between the processing unit 141 and external devices.

[0079] The communication unit 144 is a communication device that communicates with the host device 300 or other control devices 14, 309, 310, etc. via the communication line 300a. The processing unit 141 receives information from the host device 300 via the communication unit 144, or sends information to the host device 300. The display unit 145 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, which displays various information. The input unit 146 is, for example, a keyboard or a pointing device, which receives various inputs from the user. It should be noted that all or part of the control devices 14, 309, 310 and the host device 300 can also be composed of a PLC, an ASIC, or an FPGA.

[0080] <Processing Flow>

[0081] The processing flow of Embodiment 1 will be described. In this embodiment, alignment is performed between the panel unit 9 and the substrate 100, and the timing of the alignment is after the rough alignment is performed.

[0082] Figure 4 The flowchart starts at the time when the substrate 100 starts to be transported into the vacuum chamber 3 . In step S101 , the transport robot 302 a with the substrate 100 mounted on the finger enters the vacuum chamber 3 and mounts the substrate 100 on the mounting portion 62 of the substrate support unit 6 . Figure 5 (a) is a cross-sectional view of the vacuum chamber 3 at the time of S101, and only components necessary for the description are shown.

[0083] In step S102, Figure 5 As shown in (b), the substrate 100 and the mask 101 are roughly aligned. At this time, after the conveying robot 302a retreats from the vacuum chamber 3, the clamping part 63 of the substrate support unit 6 descends to clamp the substrate 100 between the mounting part 62. Then, the substrate distance adjustment unit 22 descends the substrate support unit 6 and sets the distance between the substrate 100 and the mask 101 as the rough alignment distance S1. Then, the first measurement unit 7 captures the substrate rough mark 100a and the mask rough mark 101a to obtain an image. The control device 14 determines whether the positional relationship (distance, angle) between the substrate rough mark 100a and the mask rough mark 101a in the image is within a prescribed range. If it is outside the prescribed range, the substrate position adjustment unit 20 adjusts the in-plane position of the substrate 100. And, if the positional relationship is within the prescribed range, the rough alignment is completed.

[0084] In step S103, the plate unit 9 and the substrate 100, which are characteristic of the present embodiment, are aligned. Since the plate unit 9 includes the cooling plate 10 and the magnet plate 11, in step S103, it can be said that the cooling plate 10 and the substrate 100 are aligned, or it can be said that the magnet plate 11 and the substrate 100 are aligned. In addition, since the substrate 100 and the mask 101 are roughly aligned at the time of step S103, in this step, it can be said that the plate unit 9 and the mask 101 are aligned, or it can be said that the cooling plate 10 and the mask 101 are aligned, or it can be said that the magnet plate 11 and the mask 101 are aligned. In addition, since the plate unit 9 can also function as a pressing member that presses the substrate 100 toward the mask 101, in this step, it can be said that the pressing member and the substrate 100 are aligned, or it can be said that the pressing member and the mask 101 are aligned.

[0085] In this step S103, if Figure 6 As shown in (a), first, the plate distance adjustment unit 19 is driven to lower the plate unit 9 so that the distance between the lower surface of the plate unit 9 and the substrate 100 is close to the specified plate alignment distance S2. Then, the first measurement unit 7 takes a picture of the plate unit 9 and the substrate 100 to obtain an image. The control device 14 analyzes the plate unit 9 and the substrate 100 in the image to determine whether the two are within the specified range of positional relationship. It should be noted that when analyzing the image, the positions of the mark set on the plate unit 9 and the rough mark on the substrate can be compared, or the judgment can be made based on the respective shapes of the plate unit 9 and the substrate 100. In addition, it is also possible to take the picture by the second measurement unit 8 instead of the first measurement unit 7. If the positional relationship is outside the specified range, the plate position adjustment unit 13 adjusts the in-plane position of the plate unit 9. Moreover, if the positional relationship is within the specified range, the alignment of the plate unit 9 is completed.

[0086] In step S104, Figure 6 As shown in (b), the substrate 100 and the mask 101 are finely aligned with high precision. First, the substrate distance adjustment unit 22 lowers the substrate support unit 6 so that the distance between the substrate 100 and the mask 101 is close to the fine alignment distance S3. Then, the second measurement unit 8 captures the substrate fine mark 100b and the mask fine mark 101b to obtain an image. The control device 14 determines whether the positional relationship (distance, angle) between the substrate fine mark 100b and the mask fine mark 101b in the image is within a specified range. If it is outside the specified range, the substrate position adjustment unit 20 adjusts the in-plane position of the substrate 100. And, if the positional relationship is within the specified range, the fine alignment is completed.

[0087] In step S105, Figure 7As shown in (a), the substrate 100 and the mask 101 are pressed by the plate unit 9. First, the substrate distance adjustment unit 22 further lowers the substrate support unit 6 so that the lower surface of the substrate 100 and the upper surface of the mask 101 are at the same height, so that the substrate 100 and the mask 101 are in close contact. Then, the clamping part 63 rises to transfer the end of the substrate 100 from the clamped state to the released state. Then, the plate distance adjustment unit 19 lowers the plate unit 9 to press the substrate 100 toward the mask 101. At this time, since the clamping of the end of the substrate is released, the deflection and undulation of the substrate 100 retreat toward the end of the substrate, and the flatness of the substrate 100 is improved.

[0088] In step S106, if Figure 7 As shown in (b), the film forming process is performed. At this time, the control device 14 causes an electric current to flow in the heater of the film forming unit 4 as the film forming source to heat the evaporation material. As a result, the vaporized evaporation material splashes from the film forming unit 4 and adheres to the film forming surface of the substrate 100 through the mask 101. As a result, a thin film corresponding to the mask pattern is formed.

[0089] In this process, after the fine alignment is completed, the plate unit 9 fixes the substrate 100, so that the substrate 100 and the mask 101 are aligned with high precision, and the close contact state between the substrate 100 and the mask is stable. In addition, the cooling plate 10 included in the plate unit 9 suppresses the temperature rise of the substrate 100, which helps to stabilize the film formation. In addition, since the magnet plate 11 included in the plate unit 9 attracts the mask, the close contact state between the substrate 100 and the mask 101 is stable. In addition, since the plate unit 9 and the substrate 100 are aligned in step S103, the substrate 100 can be fixed with high precision by the plate unit 9, and the position deviation when the plate unit 9 is pressed will not be caused.

[0090] [Implementation Method 2]

[0091] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The description of the same configuration and processing as those of the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0092] In this embodiment, if Figure 8 As shown, before the substrate is introduced into the vacuum chamber 3, the plate unit 9 is aligned with the mask 101. Since the plate unit 9 includes the cooling plate 10 and the magnet plate 11, in this embodiment, it can be said that the cooling plate 10 and the mask 101 are aligned, and it can also be said that the magnet plate 11 and the mask 101 are aligned. In addition, since the plate unit 9 can also function as a pressing member that presses the substrate 100 toward the mask 101, in this embodiment, it can also be said that the pressing member and the mask 101 are aligned.

[0093] In this embodiment, the plate unit 9 and the mask 101 are aligned before the substrate 100 is introduced. It should be noted that the substrate 100 is aligned with the mask 101 through coarse alignment and fine alignment in the subsequent process, so that the positional relationship between the plate unit 9 and the substrate 100 and the mask 101 is within an appropriate range.

[0094] [Implementation method 3]

[0095] Next, Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described. The description of the same configuration and processing as those of the above-described embodiments will be omitted.

[0096] In this embodiment, if Fig. 9 As shown, the alignment of the plate unit 9 and the mask 101 is performed before the fine alignment of the substrate 100 and the mask 101 is performed. That is, after the substrate 100 reaches the fine alignment distance S3, the plate distance adjustment unit 19 lowers the plate unit 9 to make it close to the substrate 100. Then, the control device 14 uses the plate position adjustment unit 13 to adjust the in-plane position of the plate unit 9 based on the image captured by the second measurement unit 8 until the positional relationship between the plate unit 9 and the substrate 100 is within a specified range.

[0097] It should be noted that, since the plate unit 9 includes the cooling plate 10 and the magnet plate 11, in the present embodiment, it can be said that the cooling plate 10 and the substrate 100 are aligned, or it can be said that the magnet plate 11 and the substrate 100 are aligned. In addition, considering that the plate unit 9 can also function as a pressing member that presses the substrate 100 toward the mask 101, in the present embodiment, it can also be said that the pressing member and the substrate 100 are aligned. In addition, considering that the substrate 100 and the mask 101 are roughly aligned, in the present embodiment, it can also be considered that the plate unit 9 (or any one of the cooling plate 10, the magnet plate 11, and the pressing member) and the mask 101 are aligned.

[0098] [Other embodiments]

[0099] The present invention can adopt various modified examples. For example, the alignment of the substrate 100 and the mask 101 can be performed in one stage instead of two stages. In the case of one stage alignment, the timing of the position adjustment of the plate unit 9 can be any time as long as it is before the plate unit 9 presses the substrate 100. For example, it can be any timing before the substrate is fed in, after the substrate is fed in, before the alignment of the substrate and the mask, or after the alignment of the substrate and the mask.

[0100] In addition, in the above embodiment, the cooling plate 10 and the magnet plate 11 are displaced as a whole, but they may be displaced separately. In this case, it is preferable to adjust the position between the plate on the side close to the substrate 100 and the substrate 100. In addition, the plate unit 9 may be a structure having only one of the cooling plate 10 and the magnet plate 11.

[0101] In the above embodiment, the panel unit 9 is moved relative to the substrate 100 or the mask 101 , but the present invention is not limited thereto. The panel unit 9 may be moved relative to the substrate 100 or the mask 101 .

[0102] In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the plate unit 9 is photographed using a camera (first measurement unit 7 or second measurement unit 8) for aligning the substrate 100 and the mask 101, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, a camera for aligning the plate unit 9 may be arranged on the upper part of the vacuum chamber 3. In addition, the position information of the plate unit 9 may be obtained by a measuring device such as an encoder.

[0103] As described above, according to the embodiments of the present invention, even when the position of the substrate 100 in the chamber is not fixed due to, for example, the accuracy of the transfer robot 302a, the positional relationship between the substrate 100 and / or the mask 101 and the cooling plate 10 and / or the magnet plate 11 can be within an appropriate range. As a result, when the substrate 100 and the mask 101 are brought into close contact with each other via the cooling plate 10 and / or the magnet plate 11, the possibility of the positional relationship between the substrate 100 and the mask 101 being shifted can be reduced.

[0104] <Method for manufacturing electronic device>

[0105] Next, an example of a method for manufacturing an electronic device using the film-forming apparatus of this embodiment will be described. Hereinafter, as an example of an electronic device, the structure of an organic EL display device will be described, and a method for manufacturing the organic EL display device will be described.

[0106] First, the manufactured organic EL display device will be described. Fig.10 (a) is an overall view of an organic EL display device 180. Fig.10 (b) shows the cross-sectional structure of a pixel.

[0107] like Fig.10As shown in (a), in the display area 51 of the organic EL display device 50, a plurality of pixels 52 having a plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged in a matrix. Each light-emitting element has a structure having an organic layer sandwiched by a pair of electrodes, and the details are described later. It should be noted that the pixel mentioned here refers to the smallest unit that can display the desired color in the display area 51. In the case of the organic EL display device of this embodiment, the pixel 52 is composed of a combination of a first light-emitting element 52R, a second light-emitting element 52G, and a third light-emitting element 52B that show different light emission from each other. The pixel 52 is mostly composed of a combination of a red light-emitting element, a green light-emitting element, and a blue light-emitting element, but it can also be a combination of a yellow light-emitting element, a cyan light-emitting element, and a white light-emitting element, as long as it is at least one color, without special limitation.

[0108] Fig.10 (b) Yes Fig.10 (a) is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram at the AB line. The pixel 52 is composed of a plurality of light-emitting elements, each of which has a first electrode (anode) 54, a hole transport layer 55, any one of the light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B, an electron transport layer 57, and a second electrode (cathode) 58 on a substrate 53. Among them, the hole transport layer 55, the light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, 56B, and the electron transport layer 57 are equivalent to organic layers. In addition, in the present embodiment, the light-emitting layer 56R is an organic EL layer that emits red light, the light-emitting layer 56G is an organic EL layer that emits green light, and the light-emitting layer 56B is an organic EL layer that emits blue light. The light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B are formed into patterns corresponding to the light-emitting elements (sometimes also referred to as organic EL elements) that emit red light, green light, and blue light, respectively.

[0109] In addition, the first electrode 54 is formed separately for each light-emitting element. The hole transport layer 55, the electron transport layer 57, and the second electrode 58 may be formed in common in the plurality of light-emitting elements 52R, 52G, and 52B, or may be formed for each light-emitting element. It should be noted that in order to prevent the first electrode 54 and the second electrode 58 from being short-circuited due to foreign matter, an insulating layer 59 is provided between the first electrode 54. In addition, since the organic EL layer is degraded by moisture and oxygen, a protective layer 40 is provided to protect the organic EL element from moisture and oxygen corrosion.

[0110] exist Fig.10In (b), the hole transport layer 55 and the electron transport layer 57 are shown as a single layer, but they can also be formed by a plurality of layers including a hole blocking layer and an electron blocking layer according to the structure of the organic EL display element. In addition, a hole injection layer having an energy band structure that can smoothly inject holes from the first electrode 54 to the hole transport layer 55 can also be formed between the first electrode 54 and 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.

[0111] Next, an example of a method for manufacturing an organic EL display device will be described in detail.

[0112] First, a substrate 53 on which a circuit (not shown) for driving the organic EL display device and the first electrode 54 are formed is prepared.

[0113] Acrylic resin is formed by spin coating on the substrate 53 having the first electrode 54 formed thereon, and the acrylic resin is patterned by photolithography to form an opening in the portion having the first electrode 54 formed thereon to form the insulating layer 59. The opening corresponds to a light emitting region where the light emitting element actually emits light.

[0114] The substrate 53 patterned with the insulating layer 59 is introduced into the first organic material film forming device, and the substrate is held by the substrate support table and the electrostatic chuck, and the hole transport layer 55 is formed as a common layer on the first electrode 54 in the display area. The hole transport layer 55 is formed by vacuum evaporation. In fact, since the hole transport layer 55 is formed to be larger than the display area 51, a high-definition mask is not required.

[0115] Next, the substrate 53 formed with the hole transport layer 55 is introduced into the second organic material film forming device and held by the substrate support table and the electrostatic chuck. The substrate and the mask are aligned, the substrate is placed on the mask, and the light-emitting layer 56R emitting red light is formed on the portion of the substrate 53 where the element emitting red light is arranged.

[0116] Similar to the film formation of the light-emitting layer 56R, the light-emitting layer 56G emitting green light is formed by the third organic material film-forming device, and the light-emitting layer 156B emitting blue light is further formed by the fourth organic material film-forming device. After the film formation of the light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B is completed, the electron transport layer 57 is formed in the entire display area 51 by the fifth film-forming device. The electron transport layer 57 is formed as a common layer in the light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B of the three colors.

[0117] The substrate on which the electron transport layer 57 has been formed is moved in a metallic vapor deposition material film forming apparatus to form a film of the second electrode 58 .

[0118] Thereafter, the process is moved to a plasma CVD device to form a protective layer 40 , thereby completing the organic EL display device 50 .

[0119] If the substrate 53 having the insulating layer 59 patterned thereon is exposed to an environment containing moisture and oxygen from the time when it is introduced into the film forming apparatus until the film forming of the protective layer 40 is completed, the light-emitting layer composed of the organic EL material may be degraded by moisture and oxygen. Therefore, in this embodiment, the substrate is introduced and removed between the film forming apparatuses in a vacuum environment or an inert gas environment.

Claims

1. A film forming device, characterized in that: The film forming device comprises: a chamber in which a film is formed on a substrate; a substrate supporting portion, the substrate supporting portion being disposed in the chamber and supporting an outer edge of the substrate; a mask supporting portion, the mask supporting portion being arranged in the chamber and supporting the mask in a manner parallel to the substrate; a first component, the first component being arranged in the chamber on a side opposite to the mask across the substrate, the first component being capable of abutting against the substrate; a first alignment member, the first alignment member adjusting the relative position of the substrate and the mask in a plane and adjusting the distance between the substrate and the mask; as well as A second alignment member adjusts a relative position of the first component and at least one of the substrate and the mask in a plane, and adjusts a distance between the first component and at least one of the substrate and the mask.

2. The film forming device according to claim 1, wherein: The first member is a cooling plate that comes into contact with the substrate to suppress heat rise of the substrate.

3. The film forming device according to claim 1, wherein: The first member is a magnet that attracts the mask via the substrate.

4. The film forming device according to claim 1, wherein: The first member is a pressing member that presses the substrate in a direction toward the mask.

5. The film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The second alignment member adjusts the relative position and distance between the first component and the mask in a plane before the substrate is introduced into the chamber.

6. The film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The second alignment member adjusts the relative position and distance between the first component and the substrate in a plane after the substrate is introduced into the chamber.

7. The film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: After the relative position and distance between the substrate and the mask in a plane are adjusted by the first alignment member, the relative position and distance between the first component and the substrate in a plane are adjusted by the second alignment member.

8. The film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The first alignment component performs two-stage alignment of coarse alignment and fine alignment. In the coarse alignment, the relative position and distance between the substrate and the mask in a plane are roughly adjusted. In the fine alignment, the relative position and distance between the substrate and the mask in a plane are adjusted with high precision.

9. The film forming device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The second alignment component adjusts the relative position and distance between the first component and the substrate in a plane after the rough alignment and before the fine alignment.

10. The film forming device according to claim 8, wherein: The second alignment component adjusts the relative position and distance between the first component and the substrate in a plane after the rough alignment and the fine alignment.

11. A film forming method, characterized in that: Using the film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, a film is formed on a substrate via a mask.

12. A manufacturing method, characterized in that: An electronic device is manufactured using the film forming method according to claim 11.

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