Film forming apparatus and film forming method

Abstract

A film forming apparatus is provided with a vapor deposition means for forming a film on a substrate supported by a support means in a chamber by discharging a vapor deposition substance through a mask onto the substrate, and is provided with a film thickness measuring means for measuring the thickness of the film on the substrate. And a film thickness measuring member that measures the film thickness of a film formed on the substrate in a state in which the substrate is supported by the support member. The vapor deposition member forms a film on the substrate in a state in which the mask overlaps a first region of the substrate, and after the mask and the substrate are moved relative to each other so that the mask overlaps a second region of the substrate in a state in which the substrate is located in the chamber, the vapor deposition member forms the film on the substrate in a state in which the mask overlaps the second region of the substrate. A film is formed on the substrate. The film thickness measuring means measures the film thickness of the first region after the film formation of the first region and before the film formation of the second region is completed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a film-forming technique for a substrate. Background Art

[0002] In the manufacture of organic EL displays and the like, a mask is used to form a film of a vapor deposition material on a substrate. As an example of a manufacturing apparatus, a cluster-type manufacturing apparatus including a vapor deposition chamber and an inspection chamber is disclosed in Patent Document 1. After forming a film on the substrate in the vapor deposition chamber, the substrate is transferred to the inspection chamber and the film thickness is measured. The measurement result is reflected in the subsequent film-forming conditions. In addition, as the substrate becomes larger, it is sometimes difficult to simultaneously form a film over the entire surface of the substrate. In Patent Document 2, an apparatus for forming a film on each of a plurality of regions of a substrate is disclosed.

[0003] Prior Art Documents

[0004] Patent Documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-322612

[0006] Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2021-102812 Summary of the Invention

[0007] Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0008] By measuring the film thickness as in Patent Document 1, the film-forming conditions in subsequent film formation can be improved. However, in the apparatus of Patent Document 1, in order to measure the film thickness, it is necessary to transfer the substrate from the vapor deposition chamber to the inspection chamber, and the time required for inspection becomes long, resulting in a reduction in manufacturing efficiency.

[0009] The present invention provides a technique capable of measuring the film thickness without significantly reducing the manufacturing efficiency.

[0010] Means for Solving the Problems

[0011] According to the present invention, there is provided a film-forming apparatus including:

[0012] a support member that supports a substrate in a chamber; and

[0013] a vapor deposition member that discharges a vapor deposition material onto the substrate supported by the support member through a mask to form a film on the substrate,

[0014] characterized in that

[0015] the film-forming apparatus includes a film thickness measurement member that measures the film thickness of the film formed on the substrate while the substrate is supported by the support member,

[0016] The vapor deposition component forms a film on the substrate in a state where the mask overlaps a first region of the substrate.

[0017] The vapor deposition component forms a film on the substrate in a state where the substrate is located in the chamber, after the mask and the substrate are relatively moved so that the mask overlaps a second region of the substrate.

[0018] The film thickness measurement component measures the film thickness of the first region after film formation in the first region and before film formation in the second region is completed.

[0019] Effects of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technique capable of measuring the film thickness without significantly reducing the manufacturing efficiency. Description of the Drawings

[0021] Figure 1 It is a schematic view of a part of a production line of an electronic device.

[0022] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 3 It is Figure 2 A cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of

[0024] Figure 4 It is Figure 2 An operation explanatory view of the film forming apparatus of

[0025] Figure 5 It is Figure 2 An operation explanatory view of the film forming apparatus of

[0026] Figure 6 It is Figure 2 An operation explanatory view of the film forming apparatus of

[0027] Figure 7 It is Figure 2 An operation explanatory view of the film forming apparatus of

[0028] Figure 8 It is Figure 2 An operation explanatory view of the film forming apparatus of

[0029] Figure 9 It is Figure 2 An operation explanatory view of the film forming apparatus of

[0030] Figure 10 It is Figure 2 An operation explanatory view of the film forming apparatus of

[0031] Figure 11 It is Figure 2Operation explanatory diagram of a film forming apparatus.

[0032] Figure 12 It is an operation explanatory diagram of another film forming apparatus.

[0033] Figure 13A It is an overall view of an organic EL display device.

[0034] Figure 13B It is a diagram showing a cross-sectional structure of one pixel. Detailed implementation mode

[0035] Hereinafter, the implementation mode will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, the following implementation mode does not limit the technical solution related to the claims. Although multiple features are described in the implementation mode, these multiple features are not all essential for the invention. In addition, the multiple features can be arbitrarily combined. Moreover, in the drawings, the same or identical structures are labeled with the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0036] <First Embodiment>

[0037] <Production line of electronic devices>

[0038] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram showing a part of the structure of a production line of an electronic device to which the film forming apparatus of the present invention can be applied. Figure 1 The production line is used, for example, to manufacture a display panel of an organic EL display device for a smartphone. The substrate 101 is sequentially conveyed to the film forming block 301, and organic EL film formation is performed on the substrate 101.

[0039] In the film forming block 301, around a transfer chamber 302 having an octagonal shape in plan view, a plurality of film forming chambers 303a to 303d for performing film forming processing on the substrate 101 and mask storage chambers 304 and 305 for storing masks before and after use are arranged. A transfer robot 302a for transferring the substrate 101 is arranged in the transfer chamber 302. The transfer robot 302a includes a hand for holding the substrate 101 and a multi-joint arm for moving the hand in the horizontal direction. In other words, the film forming block 301 is a cluster type film forming unit in which a plurality of film forming chambers 303a to 303d are arranged so as to surround the transfer robot 302a. In addition, when collectively referring to the film forming chambers 303a to 303d, or when not distinguishing, they are labeled as film forming chamber 303.

[0040] In the transfer direction (arrow direction) of the substrate 101, a buffer chamber 306, a turning chamber 307, and a transfer chamber 308 are arranged on the upstream side and the downstream side of the film forming block 301, respectively. During the manufacturing process, each chamber is maintained in a vacuum state. In addition, in Figure 1Only one film-forming block 301 is illustrated in the figure, but the production line of this embodiment has a plurality of film-forming blocks 301, and the plurality of film-forming blocks 301 have a structure connected by a connecting device composed of a buffer chamber 306, a turning chamber 307, and a transfer chamber 308. In addition, the structure of the connecting device is not limited to this. For example, it may be composed of only the buffer chamber 306 or the transfer chamber 308.

[0041] The transfer robot 302a carries the substrate 101 from the upstream transfer chamber 308 into the transfer chamber 302, transfers the substrate 101 between the film-forming chambers 303, transfers the mask between the mask storage chamber 305 and the film-forming chamber 303, and carries the substrate 101 out of the transfer chamber 302 to the downstream buffer chamber 306.

[0042] The buffer chamber 306 is a chamber for temporarily storing the substrate 101 according to the operating conditions of the production line. In the buffer chamber 306, there are provided a substrate storage rack (also called a cassette) having a multi-layer structure and a lifting mechanism. The multi-layer substrate storage rack can store a plurality of substrates 101 in a horizontal state with the processed surface (film-forming surface) of the substrate 101 facing downward in the direction of gravity. The lifting mechanism raises and lowers the substrate storage rack so that the layer for loading or unloading the substrate 101 coincides with the transfer position. Thus, a plurality of substrates 101 can be temporarily accommodated and retained in the buffer chamber 306.

[0043] The turning chamber 307 is provided with a device for changing the direction of the substrate 101. In this embodiment, the turning chamber 307 rotates the direction of the substrate 101 by 180 degrees by a transfer robot provided in the turning chamber 307. The transfer robot provided in the turning chamber 307 turns 180 degrees while supporting the substrate 101 received in the buffer chamber 306 and delivers it to the transfer chamber 308. In the buffer chamber 306 and the transfer chamber 308, the front end and the rear end of the substrate are swapped. Thus, since the orientation when the substrate 101 is carried into the film-forming chamber 303 is the same in each film-forming block 301, the scanning direction of the film formation with respect to the substrate S and the orientation of the mask can be made consistent in each film-forming block 301. By adopting such a structure, in each film-forming block 301, the orientation of the mask provided in the mask storage chamber 305 can be made consistent, the management of the mask can be simplified, and the usability can be improved.

[0044] The control system of the production line includes an upper device 300 that controls the entire line as a main computer and control devices 10a to 10d, 309, and 310 that control each structure, and they can communicate via a wired or wireless communication line 300a. The control devices 10a to 10d are provided corresponding to the film-forming chambers 303a to 303d and control the film-forming device 1 described later. In addition, when collectively referring to the control devices 10a to 10d, or when not distinguishing, they are marked as the control device 10.

[0045] The control device 309 controls the transfer robot 302a. The control device 310 controls the device of the rotation chamber 307. The upper device 300 sends instructions such as information related to the substrate 101 or transfer timing to each of the control devices 14, 309, and 310, and each of the control devices 14, 309, and 310 controls each structure according to the received instructions.

[0046] <Film forming apparatus>

[0047] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the film forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the Figure 2 III-III line. In addition, in each figure, arrow X and arrow Y represent horizontal directions orthogonal to each other, and arrow Z represents the vertical direction.

[0048] The film forming apparatus 1 is an apparatus for forming a vapor deposition material on the substrate 101 via the mask 102, and forms a thin film of the vapor deposition material having a predetermined pattern on the substrate 101. The material of the substrate 101 on which film formation is performed in the film forming apparatus 1 can be appropriately selected from materials such as glass, resin, and metal. In particular, in the present embodiment, the substrate 101 is, for example, a glass substrate on which a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) is formed or a silicon wafer on which a semiconductor element is formed.

[0049] As the vapor deposition material, there are materials such as organic materials and inorganic materials (metals, metal oxides, etc.). The film forming apparatus 1 can be applied, for example, to manufacturing apparatuses for manufacturing electronic devices such as display devices (flat panel displays, etc.), thin film solar cells, and organic optoelectronic conversion elements (organic thin film imaging elements), and optical members, and can be particularly applied to a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL panel. In the following description, an example in which the film forming apparatus 1 forms a film on the substrate 101 by vacuum evaporation is described, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and various film forming methods such as sputtering and CVD can be applied.

[0050] The film forming apparatus 1 has a box-shaped vacuum chamber 2. The internal space of the vacuum chamber 2 is maintained in a vacuum atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere such as nitrogen. In the present embodiment, the vacuum chamber 2 is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown). A gate 21 that is opened and closed is provided in a part of the side wall of the vacuum chamber 2. The transfer robot 302a transfers the substrate 101 and the mask 102 into the vacuum chamber 2 through the gate 21.

[0051] Inside the internal space of the vacuum chamber 2, a substrate support plate 3 that supports the substrate 101 in a horizontal posture is provided. In the case of the present embodiment, the substrate support plate 3 is an electrostatic chuck, and the substrate 101 is adsorbed and held on its lower surface by electrostatic force. A cooling plate 4 is fixed to the substrate support plate 3. The cooling plate 4 is provided with, for example, a water cooling mechanism or the like, and cools the substrate 101 when film formation is performed by means of the substrate support plate 3.

[0052] The substrate support plate 3 and the cooling plate 4 are suspended on the magnet plate 5 via the support portion 5a so as to be displaceable in the Z direction. The magnet plate 5 is a plate that attracts the mask 102 by magnetic force. Since the substrate 101 is sandwiched between the magnet plate 5 and the mask 102 by magnetic force during film formation, the adhesion between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 can be improved.

[0053] The film forming apparatus 1 includes two sets of transfer units 6 for moving and mounting the substrate 101 between the hand of the transfer robot 302a and the substrate support plate 3. The two sets of transfer units 6 are arranged apart in the X direction, and each transfer unit 6 supports each end of the substrate 101 in the X direction.

[0054] In the present embodiment, each transfer unit 6 includes a plurality of support members 6a, a beam member 6b supporting the plurality of support members 6a, and a plurality of actuators 6c for lifting and lowering the beam members 6b. The actuator 6c is, for example, an electric cylinder or an electric ball screw mechanism. Each actuator 6c is driven synchronously. The plurality of support members 6a are separated and arranged in the Y direction. Each support member 6a includes a claw portion F at its lower end portion. The peripheral portion of the substrate 101 is placed on the claw portion F. Figure 2 302a shows a state where the substrate 101 is placed on the hand of the transfer robot 302a. Figure 3 The state where the substrate 101 is placed on the claw portion F is shown.

[0055] A film forming unit 7 is disposed in the internal space of the vacuum chamber 2. The film forming unit 7 releases a vapor deposition material onto the substrate 101 supported by the substrate support plate 3 via the mask 102, and forms a film on the substrate 101. The film forming unit 7 includes a support body 70 in a rectangular parallelepiped shape with an upper portion open. A support table 70a for supporting the mask 102 is integrally formed at the periphery of the opening portion at the upper portion of the hollow support body 70. The peripheral portion of the mask 102 is placed on the support table 70a. An opening 70b is formed at a portion of the side wall of the support body 70 so that the transport robot 302a can carry the mask 102 in and out of the support table 70a.

[0056] A vapor deposition source 71 is disposed in the support body 70. The vapor deposition source 71 releases vapor deposition material upward. A baffle 72 is disposed above the vapor deposition source 71 to restrict and release the release of the vapor deposition material. The baffle 72 is configured to be movable in the X1 direction and is opened and closed by an opening and closing mechanism (not shown). The X1 direction is parallel to the X direction. Figure 2 and Figure 3This shows the case where the baffle 72 is in the closed state, restricting the release of the evaporation material from the evaporation source 71. An adhesion prevention plate 73 is disposed around the evaporation source 71. In addition, the side wall portion of the support body 70 also serves as an adhesion prevention plate. The adhesion prevention plate 73 and the side wall portion of the support body 70 function as shielding members for preventing the evaporation material from adhering to unnecessary portions.

[0057] The film forming unit 7 of the present embodiment is a mobile unit that can be moved in the Y1 direction by the transfer unit 75. The Y1 direction is parallel to the Y direction. The transfer unit 75 includes a pair of rail members 76 disposed at the bottom of the vacuum chamber 2 and separated in the X direction. Each rail member 76 extends in the Y direction. The transfer unit 75 includes a slider 77 that moves on the pair of rail members 76. The support body 70 is mounted on the slider 77. The slider 77 is moved in the Y1 direction by a drive mechanism (not shown). The drive mechanism is, for example, an electric cylinder, an electric ball screw mechanism, or an electric rack and pinion mechanism.

[0058] In the present embodiment, a film is formed on each of a plurality of regions on the substrate 101. As an example, as Figure 1 shown, the substrate 101 is divided into two regions, region 101a and region 101b. After the film forming unit 7 forms a film on one of the two regions, it moves and forms a film on the other region. Thus, by forming a film on each of a plurality of regions on the substrate 101, it is possible to form a film on a relatively large substrate using a relatively small and highly accurate mask 102.

[0059] The film forming apparatus 1 includes an alignment unit 8 that aligns the substrate 101 and the mask 102. The alignment device 8 includes a drive mechanism 80 and a plurality of measurement units SR. The drive mechanism 80 includes a distance adjustment unit 81, a support shaft 82, a stage 83, and a position adjustment unit 84.

[0060] The distance adjustment unit 81 is a mechanism that raises and lowers the support shaft 82 in the Z direction. For example, it includes an electric cylinder or an electric ball screw mechanism. A magnet plate 5 is fixed to the lower end portion of the support shaft 82, and the substrate support plate 3 is raised and lowered via the magnet plate 5 by the raising and lowering of the support shaft 82. By raising and lowering the substrate support plate 3, the distance between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is adjusted, so that the substrate 101 supported on the substrate support plate 3 approaches and separates (moves away) from the mask 102 in the thickness direction (Z direction) of the substrate 101. In other words, the distance adjustment unit 81 causes the substrate 101 and the mask 102 to approach in the overlapping direction or separate in the opposite direction. In addition, the "distance" adjusted by the distance adjustment unit 81 is a so-called vertical distance (or perpendicular distance), and the distance adjustment unit 81 can also be said to be a unit that adjusts the vertical position of the substrate 101. The distance adjustment unit 81 is mounted on the position adjustment unit 84 via the stage 83.

[0061] The position adjustment unit 84 adjusts the relative position of the substrate 101 with respect to the mask 102 by displacing the substrate support plate 3 in the X-Y plane. That is, the position adjustment unit 80 can also be said to be a unit that adjusts the horizontal positions of the mask 102 and the substrate 101. The position adjustment unit 80 is capable of displacing the substrate support plate 6 in the rotational directions (θ directions) about the axes in the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction.

[0062] The position adjustment unit 84 includes a fixed plate 84a and a movable plate 84b. The fixed plate 84a and the movable plate 84b are rectangular frame-shaped plates, and the fixed plate 84a is fixed to the upper wall portion 20 of the vacuum chamber 2. Between the fixed plate 84a and the movable plate 84b, an actuator is provided that displaces the movable plate 84b with respect to the fixed plate 84a in the rotational directions about the axes in the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction.

[0063] A frame-shaped stage 83 is mounted on the movable plate 84b, and the distance adjustment unit 81 is supported on the stage 83. When the movable plate 84b is displaced, the stage 83 and the distance adjustment unit 81 are displaced integrally. Thereby, the substrate 101 can be displaced in the rotational directions about the axes in the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction. Openings through which the support shaft 82, the lift shaft of the actuator 6c, etc. pass are formed in the upper wall portion 20. These openings are sealed by a sealing member (such as a bellows) not shown, maintaining the airtightness inside the vacuum chamber 2.

[0064] The measurement unit SR measures the positional deviation between the substrate 101 and the mask 102. The measurement unit SR in the present embodiment is an imaging device (camera) that takes images. The measurement unit SR is disposed on the upper wall portion 20 and can take images inside the vacuum chamber 2. Alignment marks (not shown) are respectively formed on the substrate 101 and the mask 102. The measurement unit SR takes images of the respective alignment marks on the substrate 101 and the mask 102. Based on the positions of the respective alignment marks, the positional deviation amount between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is calculated, and the relative positions of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are adjusted by the position adjustment unit 84 to eliminate the positional deviation amount.

[0065] The film thickness measurement unit 9 measures the film thickness of the film formed on the substrate 101. The film thickness measurement unit 9 includes a measuring device 90 and an actuator 91 that moves the measuring device 90. The measuring device 90 is an optical measuring device having a light emitting element E1 and a light receiving element E2. Light is irradiated from the light emitting element E1 to the film forming surface of the substrate 101, and the reflected light is received by the light receiving element E2. The film thickness is measured based on the light receiving intensity of the reflected light. The actuator 91 is, for example, an electric cylinder that moves the measuring device 90 in the X direction. Figure 2 Indicates the state where the measuring device 90 is in the standby position. The standby position is a position where the measuring device 90 does not interfere with the support 70.

[0066] The control device 10 controls the entire film forming device 1. The control device 10 includes a processing unit 11, a storage unit 12, an input / output interface (I / O) 13, and a communication unit 14. The processing unit 11 is a processor represented by a CPU, and executes a program stored in the storage unit 12 to control the film forming device 1. The storage unit 12 is a storage device such as a ROM, a RAM, or an HDD, and stores various control information in addition to the program executed by the processing unit 11. The I / O 13 is an interface for transmitting and receiving signals between the processing unit 11 and external devices. The communication unit 14 is a communication device that communicates with a host device or other control devices via a communication line.

[0067] <Control Example>

[0068] A control example of the film forming device 1 executed by the processing unit 11 of the control unit 10 will be described. Figures 4 to 11 It is an operation explanatory diagram of the film forming device 1, showing an example from the loading of the substrate 101 to the completion of film formation. The mask 102 is previously placed on the support table 70a. The measuring device 90 is in the standby position.

[0069] Figure 4 The state ST41 indicates the state of loading the substrate 101 into the vacuum chamber 2. The substrate 101 is transported by the transfer robot 302a to below the substrate support plate 3. Then, the substrate 101 is moved and placed from the transfer robot 302a to the substrate support plate 3 by the transfer unit 6. Figure 4 The state ST42 indicates its operation. By raising the support member 6a, the periphery of the substrate 101 is placed on the claw portion F, the substrate 101 rises from the transfer robot 302a, and is pressed against the lower surface (substrate adsorption surface) of the substrate support plate 3. The electrostatic chuck of the substrate support plate 3 is actuated to adsorb and hold the substrate 101. Then, as Figure 5 shown in the state ST51, the support member 6a descends to the retracted position so as not to interfere with the claw portion F.

[0070] Preparation for film formation on the region 101a of the substrate 101 is performed. The film forming unit 7 is located at a position facing the evaporation source 71 and the region 101a ( Figure 3 the position). Then, an alignment operation is performed. As Figure 5 shown in the state ST52, the substrate support plate 3 is lowered by the distance adjustment unit 81 to bring the substrate 101 closer to the mask 102. At this stage, the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are separated in the Z direction. Then, the relative positions of the alignment marks on the substrate 101 and the alignment marks on the mask 102 are measured by the measuring unit SR. If the measurement result (the position offset between the substrate 101 and the mask 102) is within the allowable range, the alignment operation is ended. If the measurement result is outside the allowable range, a control amount (the displacement amount of the substrate 101) for bringing the position offset within the allowable range is set based on the measurement result.

[0071] The “position shift amount” is defined by the distance and direction (X, Y, θ) of the position shift. Based on the set control amount, the position adjustment unit 80 operates. As a result, the substrate support plate 3 is displaced on the XY plane, and the relative position of the substrate 101 with respect to the mask 102 is adjusted.

[0072] Whether or not the measurement result is within the allowable range can be determined by, for example, calculating the distances between the alignment marks and comparing the average value or the sum of squares of the distances with a preset threshold value.

[0073] After the relative position is adjusted, the relative position of the alignment mark of the substrate 101 and the alignment mark of the mask 102 is measured again by the measurement unit SR. If the measurement result is within the allowable range, the alignment operation is terminated. If the measurement result is outside the allowable range, the relative position of the substrate 101 with respect to the mask 102 is adjusted again. Thereafter, the measurement and relative position adjustment are repeated until the measurement result is within the allowable range.

[0074] Next, the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are overlapped. Figure 6 The state ST62 represents its operation. When the substrate support plate 3 is lowered by the distance adjustment unit 81, the substrate 101 is placed on the mask 102, and the area 101a of the substrate 101 contacts the mask 102. The magnet plate 5 abuts against the cooling plate 4, and the magnet plate 5, the cooling plate 4, the substrate support plate 3, the substrate 101, and the mask 102 are in close contact from top to bottom. The mask 102 can be attracted by the magnetic force of the magnet plate 5, and the mask 102 and the area 101a of the substrate 101 are in close contact as a whole.

[0075] As described above, the preparation for film formation is completed, and then, as Figure 6 The status of ST62 and Figure 7 As shown in the state ST71, the shutter 72 is opened, and the evaporation material 71a is released from the evaporation source 71. The evaporation material is evaporated on the substrate 101 through the mask 102. The scattering range of the evaporation material is restricted by the adhesion prevention plate 73 and the side wall of the support body 70, and in particular, the area 101b of the substrate 101 is shielded from the evaporation source 71. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the evaporation material from being attached to the area 101b that is not the current film formation object.

[0076] Thus, when the film formation on the region 101a is completed, the film formation on the region 101b is transferred. Figure 8 As shown in the state ST81, the shutter 72 is closed, and the substrate support plate 3 is raised by the distance adjustment unit 81 to separate the substrate 101 from the mask 102. Figure 7As shown in the state ST72, the film forming unit 7 is moved in the Y1 direction by the transfer unit 75 to a position where the film forming unit 7 faces the evaporation source 71 and the region 101a ( Figure 3 position). Then, an alignment operation is performed.

[0077] The alignment operation is the same as when forming a film on the region 101a. The substrate support plate 3 is lowered by the distance adjustment unit 81 to bring the substrate 101 closer to the mask 102. At this stage, the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are separated in the Z direction. Next, as Figure 8 shown in the state ST82, the relative positions of the alignment marks on the substrate 101 and the alignment marks on the mask 102 are measured by the measurement unit SR. If the measurement result is within the allowable range, the alignment operation ends. If the measurement result is outside the allowable range, a control amount for accommodating the position offset within the allowable range is set based on the measurement result.

[0078] Based on the set control amount, the position adjustment unit 80 operates. As a result, the substrate support plate 3 is displaced in the X - Y plane to adjust the relative position of the substrate 101 with respect to the mask 102. After adjusting the relative position, the relative positions of the alignment marks on the substrate 101 and the alignment marks on the mask 102 are measured again by the measurement unit SR. If the measurement result is within the allowable range, the alignment operation ends. If the measurement result is outside the allowable range, the relative position of the substrate 101 with respect to the mask 102 is adjusted again. After that, the measurement and the relative position adjustment are repeated until the measurement result is within the allowable range.

[0079] In parallel with the alignment operation, the operation of the film thickness measurement unit 9 is started. As Figure 8 shown in the state ST82, the measuring device 90 moves to the measurement position facing the region 101a.

[0080] Next, the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are overlapped. Figure 9 The states ST91, Figure 10 the state ST101 show this operation. When the substrate support plate 3 is lowered by the distance adjustment unit 81, the substrate 101 is placed on the mask 102, and the region 101b of the substrate 101 contacts the mask 102. The magnet plate 5 abuts against the cooling plate 4, and in order from top to bottom, the magnet plate 5, the cooling plate 4, the substrate support plate 3, the substrate 101, and the mask 102 are in a state of being closely attached. The mask 102 can be attracted by the magnetic force of the magnet plate 5 so that the mask 102 is closely attached to the entire region 101b of the substrate 101.

[0081] As described above, the preparation for film formation is completed. Next, as Figure 9 shown in the state ST92 and Figure 10As shown in the state ST102, the shutter 72 is opened, and the evaporation material 71a is released from the evaporation source 71. The evaporation material is evaporated on the substrate 101 through the mask 102. The scattering range of the evaporation material is restricted by the adhesion prevention plate 73 and the side wall of the support body 70, and in particular, the area 101a of the substrate 101 is shielded from the evaporation source 71. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the evaporation material from being attached to the area 101a that is not the current film formation object.

[0082] like Figure 10 Status ST102 and Figure 11 As shown in the state ST111, the film thickness of the film formed in the region 101a of the substrate 101 during the film formation in the region 101b is measured in a manner that the substrate 101 is supported by the substrate support plate 3. By moving the measuring device 90 in the X direction while measuring, the film thickness of multiple positions in the region 101a can be measured. In this embodiment, the measuring device 90 is moved from the center of the region 101a in the X direction along the end to scan the film thickness. The measuring device 90 returns to the standby position after the film thickness measurement is completed.

[0083] The film thickness measurement result is stored in the storage unit 12 and can be used to set film forming conditions (e.g., controlling the film thickness based on the release time of the evaporation material, etc.) for other substrates 101 (e.g., the substrate that will be the next film forming object, etc.). The film forming accuracy can be improved. The film thickness measurement result can also be provided to the control unit 10 of the film forming device 1 configured in another film forming chamber via the upper device 300, and used to set the film forming conditions of the substrate 101 formed by the film forming device 1. In addition, when different films are formed on the same substrate 101, the film thickness measurement result of the lower film can also be used to set the film forming conditions of the upper film.

[0084] When the film formation on the region 101b is completed, the film formation on the entire substrate 101 is completed. Then, the substrate 101 is carried out of the vacuum chamber 2. When being carried out, the substrate 101 is moved from the substrate support unit 3 to the transfer robot 302a by the transfer unit 6, and the transfer robot 302a transfers the substrate to the outside of the vacuum chamber 2.

[0085] As described above, in this embodiment, the film thickness of the film in the region 101 a after film formation is measured during film formation in the region 101 b , so that a technique capable of measuring the film thickness without significantly reducing the manufacturing efficiency can be provided.

[0086] <Second Embodiment>

[0087] In the first embodiment, the film thickness of the film in the region 101a after film formation is completed is measured during film formation in the region 101b. However, the film thickness of the region 101a can be measured at any time after film formation in the region 101a until film formation on the substrate 101 is completed.

[0088] For example, in the example of the state ST112 of Figure 11 when aligning the region 101b with the mask 102, the film thickness of the region 101a is measured. In this example, by finishing the measurement of the film thickness of the region 101a before the start of film formation in the region 101b, the measurement result of the film thickness of the region 101a can also be used for setting the film formation conditions of the region 101b on the same substrate 101.

[0089] <Third Embodiment>

[0090] In the first embodiment, the method of moving the evaporation source 71 (film formation unit 7) when forming films on the two regions 101a and 101b in sequence is adopted, but the method of moving the substrate 101 can also be adopted. In other words, as long as the substrate 101 and the mask 102 can be relatively moved. Figure 12 is a diagram schematically showing the method of moving the substrate 101. In the illustrated example, film formation is performed on the region 101b first, and then on the region 101a. The substrate 101 is supported by a substrate support mechanism (not shown).

[0091] Figure 12 The state ST121 of Figure 12 represents the stage of film formation on the region 101b. The substrate 101 is arranged so that the evaporation source 71 and the mask 102 face the region 101b, and alignment between the region 101b and the mask 102 is performed. Then, as shown in the state ST122 of Figure 12 the evaporation material 71a is released from the evaporation source 71, and film formation is performed on the region 101b. An adhesion prevention plate 78 is arranged around the mask 102, and the region 101a of the substrate 101 is shielded from the evaporation source 71. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the evaporation material from adhering to the region 101a that is not the current film formation object.

[0092] When the film formation on the region 101b is completed, as shown in the state ST123 of Figure 12 the process transfers to the film formation on the region 101a. The substrate 101 is moved so that the evaporation source 71 and the mask 102 face the region 101a. Then, alignment between the region 101a and the mask 102 is performed. After that, as shown in the state ST124 of Figure 12 the evaporation material 71a is released from the evaporation source 71, and film formation is performed on the region 101a. The region 101b of the substrate 101 is shielded from the evaporation source 71 by the adhesion prevention plate 78. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the evaporation material from adhering to the region 101b that is not the current film formation object. In parallel with the film formation on the region 101a, the film thickness of the region 101b is measured by the measuring device 90.

[0093] As described above, in the present embodiment, since the film thickness of the film in the region 101b where film formation is completed is measured during the film formation in the region 101a, a technique capable of measuring the film thickness without significantly reducing the manufacturing efficiency can be provided. The timing of measuring the film thickness of the region 101b may also be Figure 12 the timing of the movement of the substrate 101 shown in the state ST123. In this case, even when the position of the measuring device 90 is fixed without moving the measuring device 90, since the substrate 101 moves, the film thickness of the region 101b can be measured over a wide range by the measuring device 90.

[0094] <Fourth Embodiment>

[0095] In each of the above embodiments, the substrate 101 is divided into two regions 101a and 101b for film formation, but it may also be divided into three or more regions for film formation. In this case, the first region where film formation is performed may be the object of film thickness measurement, or the regions where film formation is performed after the second region may be the object of film thickness measurement. Further, when the first region where film formation is performed is the object of film thickness measurement, the timing of measurement may be during the film formation of the second region or during the film formation of the third and subsequent regions.

[0096] In addition, in each of the above embodiments, the substrate 101 is divided into two regions 101a and 101b in the Y direction for film formation, but it may also be divided into a plurality of regions in the X direction for film formation, or it may be divided into a plurality of regions in both the X direction and the Y direction for film formation.

[0097] <Fifth Embodiment>

[0098] In the first embodiment, the measurement range of the film thickness of the region 101a is set to the range from near the center in the X direction of the region 101a to the end, but it is not limited thereto, and it may be a narrower range or a wider range. In the case of a wider range, for example, it may be the entire region in the X direction of the region 101a. Further, the measurement range may not be the range in the X direction but the range in the Y direction. Or, it may be the range in both the X direction and the Y direction.

[0099] <Sixth Embodiment>

[0100] In the first embodiment, as the mechanism for supporting the substrate 101, the substrate support plate 3 having an electrostatic chuck is exemplified, but the mechanism for supporting the substrate 101 is not limited thereto. For example, it may be a clamping form that mechanically clamps the peripheral portion of the substrate 101. Or, it may be a roller that supports the substrate 101 from below and has a transfer function in addition to the support function of the substrate 101.

[0101] In addition, in the first embodiment, when aligning the substrate 101 and the mask 102, the substrate 101 was displaced to adjust the relative position with the mask 102. However, it may also be configured to displace the mask 102 to adjust the relative position with the substrate 101.

[0102] <Seventh Embodiment: Method for Manufacturing Electronic Device>

[0103] Next, an example of a method for manufacturing an electronic device will be described. Hereinafter, as an example of an electronic device, the structure and manufacturing method of an organic EL display device will be illustrated. In the case of this example, Figure 1 The film forming blocks 301 shown are provided at, for example, three locations on the production line.

[0104] First, the organic EL display device to be manufactured will be described. Figure 13A is an overall view of the organic EL display device 50, Figure 13B is a diagram showing the cross-sectional structure of one pixel.

[0105] As Figure 13A shown, in the display area 51 of the organic EL display device 50, a plurality of pixels 52 each including a plurality of light emitting elements are arranged in a matrix. Details will be described later. Each light emitting element has a structure including an organic layer sandwiched between a pair of electrodes.

[0106] The pixel as used herein refers to the smallest unit that can display a desired color in the display area 51. In the case of a color organic EL display device, the pixel 52 is composed of a combination of a plurality of sub-pixels that display mutually different light emissions, namely, a first light emitting element 52R, a second light emitting element 52G, and a third light emitting element 52B. The pixel 52 is often composed of a combination of three types of sub-pixels, namely, a red (R) light emitting element, a green (G) light emitting element, and a blue (B) light emitting element, but is not limited thereto. The pixel 52 only needs to include at least one type of sub-pixel, preferably includes two or more types of sub-pixels, and more preferably includes three or more types of sub-pixels. As the sub-pixels constituting the pixel 52, for example, a combination of four types of sub-pixels, namely, a red (R) light emitting element, a green (G) light emitting element, a blue (B) light emitting element, and a yellow (Y) light emitting element, may also be used.

[0107] Figure 13B is Figure 13APartial cross-sectional schematic diagram of line A-B. Pixel 52 has a plurality of sub-pixels on substrate 53, which are composed of organic EL elements including a first electrode (anode) 54, a hole transport layer 55, any one of a red layer 56R, a green layer 56G, a blue layer 56B, an electron transport layer 57, and a second electrode (cathode) 58. Among them, the hole transport layer 55, the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, the blue layer 56B, and the electron transport layer 57 correspond to organic layers. The red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, and the blue layer 56B are respectively formed into patterns corresponding to light-emitting elements (sometimes also described as organic EL elements) that emit red, green, and blue light.

[0108] 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 can be formed jointly across a plurality of light-emitting elements 52R, 52G, 52B, or can be formed for each light-emitting element. That is, as Figure 13B shown, it can also be that the hole transport layer 55 is formed as a common layer across a plurality of sub-pixel regions, and the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, and the blue layer 56B are formed separately for each sub-pixel region, and then on top of them, the electron transport layer 57 and the second electrode 58 are formed as a common layer across a plurality of sub-pixel regions.

[0109] In addition, in order to prevent short circuits between adjacent first electrodes 54, an insulating layer 59 is provided between the first electrodes 54. And since the organic EL layer deteriorates due to moisture or oxygen, a protective layer 60 is provided to protect the organic EL element from the influence of moisture or oxygen.

[0110] In Figure 13B the hole transport layer 55 and the electron transport layer 57 are represented by one layer, but they can also be formed by multiple layers having 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 into the hole transport layer 55 can 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] Each of the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, and the blue layer 56B can be formed by a single light-emitting layer or can be formed by laminating multiple layers. For example, it can be that the red layer 56R is composed of two layers, the upper layer is formed by a red light-emitting layer, and the lower layer is formed by a hole transport layer or an electron blocking layer. Or it can also be that the lower layer is formed by a red light-emitting layer and the upper layer is formed by an electron transport layer or a hole blocking layer. By providing a layer on the lower side or the upper side of the light-emitting layer like this, it has the effect of improving the color purity of the light-emitting element by adjusting the light-emitting position in the light-emitting layer and adjusting the optical path length.

[0112] In addition, an example of the red layer 56R is shown here, but the green layer 56G or the blue layer 56B may have the same structure. Further, the number of stacked layers may be two or more. Also, layers of different materials such as a light-emitting layer and an electron-blocking layer may be stacked, or layers of the same material such as two or more light-emitting layers may be stacked, for example.

[0113] Next, an example of a method for manufacturing an organic EL display device will be specifically described. Here, it is assumed that the red layer 56R is composed of two layers, a lower layer 56R1 and an upper layer 56R2, and the green layer 56G and the blue layer 56B are each composed of a single light-emitting layer.

[0114] First, a circuit (not shown) for driving the organic EL display device and a substrate 53 having a first electrode 54 formed thereon are prepared. In addition, the material of the substrate 53 is not particularly limited and can be made of glass, plastic, metal, etc. In the present embodiment, as the substrate 53, a substrate having a polyimide film laminated on a glass substrate is used.

[0115] A resin layer such as acrylic or polyimide is coated on the substrate 53 having the first electrode 54 formed thereon by bar coating or spin coating, and the resin layer is patterned by photolithography to form an opening in the portion where the first electrode 54 is formed, thereby forming an insulating layer 59. The opening portion corresponds to the light-emitting region where the light-emitting element actually emits light. In addition, in the present embodiment, the large substrate is processed before the formation of the insulating layer 59, and after the formation of the insulating layer 59, a dividing process for dividing the substrate 53 is performed.

[0116] The substrate 53 having the insulating layer 59 patterned thereon is transferred into the first film-forming chamber 303, and the hole transport layer 55 is formed as a common layer on the first electrode 54 in the display region. The hole transport layer 55 is formed using a mask having openings formed in each display region 51 of the panel portion that will eventually become individual organic EL display devices.

[0117] Next, the substrate 53 formed up to the hole transport layer 55 is carried into the second film formation chamber 303. Alignment of the substrate 53 and the mask is performed, the substrate is placed on the mask, and a red layer 56R is formed on the portion of the substrate 53 above the hole transport layer 55 where elements that emit red light are arranged (the region where red sub-pixels are formed). Here, the mask used in the second film formation chamber is a high-precision mask that forms openings in only the multiple regions that become red sub-pixels among the multiple regions on the substrate 53 that are sub-pixels of the organic EL display device. As a result, the red layer 56R containing the red light-emitting layer is formed in only the regions that become red sub-pixels among the regions on the substrate 53 that are multiple sub-pixels. In other words, the red layer 56R is not formed in the regions that become blue sub-pixels or green sub-pixels among the regions on the substrate 53 that are multiple sub-pixels, but is selectively formed in the regions that become red sub-pixels.

[0118] Similar to the formation of the red layer 56R, a green layer 56G is formed in the third film formation chamber 303, and further, a blue layer 56B is formed in the fourth film formation chamber 303. After the formation of the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, and the blue layer 56B is completed, an electron transport layer 57 is formed over the entire display region 51 in the fifth film formation chamber 303. The electron transport layer 57 is formed as a common layer over the three-color layers 56R, 56G, and 56B.

[0119] The substrate formed with the electron transport layer 57 is moved to the sixth film formation chamber 303, and the second electrode 58 is formed. In the present embodiment, in the first film formation chamber 303 to the sixth film formation chamber 303, each layer is formed by vacuum evaporation. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the formation of the second electrode 58 in the sixth film formation chamber 303 may also be performed by sputtering. Then, the substrate formed up to the second electrode 68 is moved to a sealing device, and a protective layer 60 is formed by plasma CVD (sealing process), and the organic EL display device 50 is completed. Here, the protective layer 60 is formed by the CVD method, but is not limited thereto, and may also be formed by the ALD method or the inkjet method.

[0120] Here, the formation in the first film formation chamber 303 to the sixth film formation chamber 303 is performed using a mask formed with openings corresponding to the patterns of the respective layers to be formed. During film formation, after adjusting the relative positions (alignment) of the substrate 53 and the mask, the substrate 53 is placed on the mask and film formation is performed. Here, the alignment process performed in each film formation chamber is carried out according to the above-described alignment process.

[0121] <Other Embodiments>

[0122] The present invention can also be implemented by a process of providing a program that implements one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus via a network or a storage medium, and reading and executing the program by one or more processors in a computer of the system or apparatus. In addition, it can also be implemented by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0123] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the claims are appended to disclose the scope of the invention.

[0124] Description of Reference Numerals

[0125] 1 Film Forming Apparatus, 71 Evaporation Source, 91 Measuring Device, 101 Substrate, 101a Region, 101b Region, 102 Mask.

Claims

1. A film forming apparatus, comprising: a support member that supports a substrate in a chamber; and a vapor deposition member that emits a vapor deposition material onto the substrate supported by the support member through a mask to form a film on the substrate, wherein, The film forming apparatus includes a film thickness measurement component that measures the film thickness of a film formed on the substrate while the substrate is supported by the support component. The evaporation component forms a film on the substrate while the mask overlaps the first region of the substrate. The evaporation component forms a film on the substrate while the substrate is in the chamber, after the mask and the substrate are relatively moved so that the mask overlaps the second region of the substrate. The film thickness measurement component measures the film thickness of the first region after film formation in the first region and before film formation in the second region is completed.

2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The film thickness measurement component measures the film thickness of the first region during film formation in the second region.

3. The film forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, The film forming apparatus includes a shielding component that shields the first region from the evaporation component during film formation in the second region.

4. The film forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, Based on the measurement result of the film thickness measurement component, the film forming conditions for other substrates are set.

5. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The film thickness measurement component measures the film thickness of the first region after film formation in the first region and before film formation in the second region starts. Based on the measurement result of the film thickness measurement component, the film forming conditions for the second region are set.

6. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The film thickness measurement component includes: a light emitting element that irradiates light to the first region; and a light receiving element that receives the reflected light from the first region.

7. A film forming method, comprising: a film forming step of emitting a vapor deposition material onto a substrate through a mask to form a film on the substrate; And a film thickness measurement process that measures the film thickness of a film formed on the substrate, characterized in that the film forming process includes: a first region film forming process that forms a film on the substrate while the mask overlaps the first region of the substrate; a movement process that, after the first region film forming process, relatively moves the mask and the substrate in the state where the substrate is in the chamber so that the mask overlaps the second region of the substrate; And a second region film forming process that, after the movement process, forms a film on the substrate while the mask overlaps the second region of the substrate, In the film thickness measurement process, the film thickness of the first region is measured after film formation in the first region and before film formation in the second region is completed.

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