Film forming apparatus, film forming method, and method for manufacturing electronic device

Abstract

The film forming apparatus includes: an adsorption unit that adsorbs a substrate; a lifting unit that lifts the suction unit relative to the mask; and a vapor deposition unit that discharges a vapor deposition material to the substrate via the mask. The lifting unit is provided with a plurality of carrying parts, and the plurality of carrying parts are provided with carrying surfaces for carrying the spherical surfaces of the adsorption units.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to film forming technology. Background Art

[0002] In the manufacture of organic EL displays, a film of a vapor-deposited substance is formed on a substrate using a mask. Patent Document 1 discloses a film-forming apparatus that uses an adsorption unit such as an electrostatic chuck to hold and support a substrate, bringing the substrate close to the mask to form a film of the vapor-deposited substance on the substrate.

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-57673 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0007] To move the substrate closer to or further away from the mask, a lifting mechanism for the suction unit is provided. Vibrations generated by the driving of various components of the film deposition apparatus can be transmitted to the suction unit via the lifting mechanism. When the suction unit resonates due to this vibration, it can affect the alignment accuracy between the substrate and mask, the film deposition quality, and the substrate's holding performance.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for reducing vibration of an adsorption unit.

[0009] Means for solving problems

[0010] According to the present invention, there is provided a film forming apparatus comprising:

[0011] an adsorption unit, wherein the adsorption unit adsorbs the substrate;

[0012] a lifting unit configured to lift and lower the adsorption unit relative to the mask; and

[0013] a vapor deposition unit that releases a vapor deposition substance toward the substrate through the mask,

[0014] The film forming device is characterized in that

[0015] The lifting unit includes a plurality of placement portions having placement surfaces on which the spherical surface of the adsorption unit is placed.

[0016] Effects of the Invention

[0017] According to the present invention, a technique for reducing vibration of an adsorption unit can be provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1A schematic diagram of a portion of a production line for electronic devices.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a film forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is an illustration of the measurement unit.

[0021] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 Operational diagram of the film forming device.

[0022] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 Operational diagram of the film forming device.

[0023] Figure 6 yes Figure 2 Operational diagram of the film forming device.

[0024] Figure 7 This is an explanatory diagram of the support structure of the adsorption unit.

[0025] Figure 8A yes Figure 7 Line II cross-sectional view.

[0026] Figure 8B yes Figure 7 Cross-sectional view along line II-II.

[0027] Figure 9 yes Figure 7 Cross-sectional view along line III-III.

[0028] Figure 10A This is an overall diagram of an organic EL display device.

[0029] Figure 10B This is a diagram showing the cross-sectional structure of one pixel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The following embodiments are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention as protected by the claims. While various features are described in the embodiments, these features are not necessarily essential to the invention, and any combination of features is possible. In the accompanying drawings, identical or similar structures are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions are omitted.

[0031] <Electronic device production line>

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing a part of the structure of a production line for electronic devices to which the film-forming apparatus of the present invention can be applied. Figure 1The production line is used to manufacture display panels of organic EL display devices for smartphones, for example. Rectangular substrates 100 are sequentially transported to the film forming module 301 , and organic EL films are formed on the substrates 100 .

[0033] In the film forming module 301, a plurality of film forming chambers 303a to 303d for performing film forming on the substrate 100 and a mask storage chamber 305 for storing masks before and after use are arranged around a conveying chamber 302 having an octagonal shape when viewed from above. 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-jointed arm for moving the hand in the horizontal direction. In other words, the film forming module 301 is a group-type film forming unit 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 recorded as film forming chambers 303.

[0034] In the conveying direction of the substrate 100 (arrow direction), a buffer chamber 306, a rotation chamber 307, and a transfer chamber 308 are respectively arranged on the upstream and downstream sides of the film forming module 301. During the manufacturing process, each chamber is maintained in a vacuum state. Figure 1 Although only one film forming module 301 is shown in the figure, the production line of this embodiment includes multiple film forming modules 301, and the multiple film forming modules 301 are connected by a connecting device consisting of a buffer chamber 306, a rotation 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.

[0035] The conveying robot 302a delivers the substrate 100 from the upstream transfer chamber 308 to the conveying chamber 302, conveys the substrate 100 between the film forming chambers 303, conveys the mask between the mask storage chamber 305 and the film forming chamber 303, and conveys the substrate 100 from the conveying chamber 302 to the downstream buffer chamber 306.

[0036] The buffer chamber 306 is a chamber used to temporarily store substrates 100 depending on the operating conditions of the production line. A substrate storage rack, also known as a cassette, and a lifting mechanism are provided in the buffer chamber 306. The substrate storage rack has a multi-layer structure capable of storing multiple substrates 100 while maintaining a horizontal position with the processed surface (film-forming surface) of the substrate 100 facing downward in the direction of gravity. The lifting mechanism raises and lowers the substrate storage rack to align the layer of substrates 100 being fed in or out with the conveying position. This allows multiple substrates 100 to be temporarily stored in the buffer chamber 306 and remain there.

[0037] The rotation chamber 307 is equipped with a device for changing the orientation of the substrate 100. For example, in the rotation chamber 307, the orientation of the substrate 100 is rotated 180 degrees by a conveying robot provided in the rotation chamber 307. The conveying robot provided in the rotation 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, since the orientation of the substrate 100 when it is delivered to the film forming chamber 303 becomes the same in each film forming module 301, the scanning direction of the film formed with respect to the substrate 100 and the orientation of the mask can be made consistent in each film forming module 301. By adopting such a structure, in each film forming module 301, the orientation of the mask set in the mask storage chamber 305 can be made consistent, which can simplify the management of the mask and improve the usability.

[0038] The production line control system consists of a host device 300, which serves as a main computer and controls the entire production line, and control devices 14a-14d, 309, and 310, which control the various components. These devices can communicate via a wired or wireless communication line 300a. The control devices 14a-14d are located corresponding to the film-forming chambers 303a-303d and control the film-forming apparatus 1, described later. It should be noted that when collectively referring to the control devices 14a-14d, or when no distinction is made, they are referred to as the control device 14.

[0039] The control device 309 controls the transfer robot 302a. The control device 310 controls the devices in the rotation chamber 307. The host device 300 sends information about 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.

[0040] <Overview of Film Formation Apparatus>

[0041] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of a film forming device 1 according to an embodiment. 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 predetermined pattern is formed on the substrate 100 using a mask 101. The material of the substrate 100 on which the film is formed in the film forming device 1 can be appropriately selected from materials such as glass, resin, and metal, and preferably a material having a resin layer such as polyimide formed on glass is used. As the vapor-deposited substance, there are organic materials, inorganic materials (metals, metal oxides, etc.) and the like. The film forming device 1 can be applied to manufacturing devices for manufacturing electronic devices, optical components, such as display devices (flat panel displays, etc.), thin-film solar cells, organic photoelectric conversion elements (organic thin-film imaging elements), and in particular, can be applied to manufacturing devices for manufacturing organic EL panels. In the following description, an example in which the film forming device 1 forms a film on the substrate 100 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. In addition, in each figure, the arrow Z indicates the up-down direction (the direction of gravity), and the arrow X and the arrow Y indicate horizontal directions that are orthogonal to each other.

[0042] The film forming apparatus 1 includes a box-shaped vacuum chamber 3 (sometimes simply referred to as chamber 3) capable of maintaining a vacuum interior. The interior space 3a of the vacuum chamber 3 is maintained in a vacuum atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere such as nitrogen. In this 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 of being filled with a gas at a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, in other words, a reduced pressure state.

[0043] Arranged in the internal space 3 a of the vacuum chamber 3 are a substrate support unit 6 that supports the substrate 100 in a horizontal posture, a mask stage 5 that supports the mask 101 , a vapor deposition unit 4 , a plate unit 9 , and an adsorption unit 15 .

[0044] The mask 101 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 with a component of other methods for fixing the mask 101 in a predetermined position. As the mask 101, a mask having a structure in which a mask foil with a thickness of several μm to several tens of μm is welded and fixed on a frame-shaped mask frame can be used. The material of the mask 101 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use a metal with a small thermal expansion coefficient such as Invar alloy material. The film forming process is performed in a state where the substrate 100 is placed on the mask 101 and the substrate 100 and the mask 101 are superimposed on each other.

[0045] The plate unit 9 includes a cooling plate 90 and a magnet plate 91. The cooling plate 90 is suspended below the magnet plate 91 via a support portion 92 so as to be displaceable in the Z direction relative to the magnet plate 91. The cooling plate 90 has the function of cooling the substrate 100 adsorbed by the adsorption unit 15 during film formation by contacting the adsorption unit 15 described later during film formation. The cooling plate 90 is not limited to a structure that actively cools the substrate 100 by including a water cooling mechanism or the like, but may also be a plate-shaped member that absorbs heat from the substrate 100 by contacting the adsorption unit 15 without including a water cooling mechanism or the like. The magnet plate 91 is a plate that attracts the mask 101 by magnetic force. It is placed on the upper surface of the substrate 100 and improves the adhesion between the substrate 100 and the mask 101 during film formation.

[0046] It should be noted that the cooling plate 90 and the magnet plate 91 may be omitted as appropriate. For example, if the adsorption unit 15 is provided with a cooling mechanism, the cooling plate 90 may not be provided. In addition, if the adsorption unit 15 adsorbs the mask 101, the magnet plate 91 may not be provided.

[0047] The evaporation unit 4 is composed of a heater, a baffle, a drive mechanism for the evaporation source, an evaporation rate monitor, and the like, and is a evaporation source that deposits the evaporation material onto the substrate 100. More specifically, in this embodiment, the evaporation unit 4 is a linear evaporation source having multiple nozzles (not shown) arranged in the X direction, from which the evaporation material is discharged. For example, the linear evaporation source is reciprocated in the Y direction (the depth direction of the device) by an evaporation source movement mechanism (not shown). In this embodiment, the evaporation unit 4 is disposed in the same vacuum chamber 3 as the alignment device 2, described later.

[0048] <Alignment Device>

[0049] 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 suction unit 15, a position adjustment unit 20, a distance adjustment unit 24, and measurement units 7 and 8. The following describes the components of the alignment device.

[0050] (Substrate support unit)

[0051] The alignment device 2 includes a substrate support unit 6 that supports the peripheral portion of the substrate 100. The substrate support unit 6 includes a base portion 61 that is a rectangular frame and a plurality of loading portions 62 that protrude inward from the base portion 61. The substrate 100 is loaded onto the plurality of loading portions 62. It should be noted that the loading portions 62 and 63 are sometimes also referred to as "receiving claws" or "fingers." The loading portion 62 can be composed of a leaf spring. Thus, when the substrate 100 is adsorbed onto the adsorption unit 15, the elastic force of the leaf spring can be used to press the substrate 100 onto the adsorption unit 15.

[0052] The base portion 61 is suspended from a plurality of support shafts 63. The support shafts 63 extend in the Z direction and are moved in the Z direction by actuators 64 mounted on the lifting plate 25. It should be noted that the substrate support unit 6 may also be provided with a plurality of clamping portions corresponding to the plurality of placement portions 62, so that the clamping portions clamp and hold the peripheral edge of the substrate 100 placed on the placement portions 62.

[0053] (Adsorption unit)

[0054] The alignment device 2 includes a suction unit 15 disposed within the vacuum chamber 3 and capable of suctioning the substrate 100. In this embodiment, the suction unit 15 is disposed between the substrate support unit 6 and the plate unit 9 and is suspended by a plurality of support shafts 27. The support shafts 27 extend in the Z direction and are movable in the Z direction. The suction unit 15 is supported at its lower end and is fixed to the lifting plate 25 at its upper end.

[0055] In this embodiment, the adsorption unit 15 is an electrostatic suction cup that utilizes electrostatic force to adsorb the substrate 100. For example, the adsorption unit 15 has a structure in which a circuit such as a metal electrode is embedded inside a base (also referred to as a "matrix") made of ceramic material. For example, when positive (+) and negative (-) voltages are applied to the metal electrodes arranged in the electrode configuration area 151, polarized charges are induced on the substrate 100 through the ceramic base, and the substrate 100 is fixed to the adsorption surface (lower surface) of the adsorption unit 15 by the electrostatic attraction (electrostatic force) between the substrate 100 and the adsorption unit 15. It should be noted that the adsorption unit 15 can also be an adhesive suction cup (PSC: Physical Sticky Chuck) having physical adhesiveness on its surface.

[0056] (Position adjustment unit)

[0057] The alignment device 2 includes a position adjustment unit 20 that adjusts the relative position of the substrate 100 supported by the substrate support unit 6 at its periphery, or the substrate 100 adsorbed by the adsorption unit 15, and the mask 101. The position adjustment unit 20 adjusts the relative position of the substrate 100 with respect to the mask 101 by displacing the substrate support unit 6 or the adsorption unit 15 on the XY plane. That is, the position adjustment unit 20 can also be said to be a unit that adjusts the horizontal position of the mask 101 and the substrate 100. For example, the position adjustment unit 20 can displace the substrate support unit 6 in the X direction, the Y direction, and the rotational direction around the axis in the Z direction. In this embodiment, the position of the mask 101 is fixed, and the substrate 100 is displaced to adjust their relative position, but the mask 101 can also be displaced to make the adjustment, or both the substrate 100 and the mask 101 can be displaced.

[0058] In this embodiment, the position adjustment unit 20 includes a fixed plate 21, a movable plate 22, and a plurality of actuators M disposed between these plates. The fixed plate 21 is fixed to the upper wall 30 of the vacuum chamber 3. Furthermore, a frame-shaped stage 23 is mounted on the movable plate 22, and the stage 23 supports the distance adjustment unit 24 and other components. When the movable plate 22 is horizontally displaced relative to the fixed plate 21 by the actuators M, the stage 23 and the various structures supported by the stage 23 are displaced integrally.

[0059] The plurality of actuators M include, for example, an actuator capable of displacing the movable plate 21 in the X direction and an actuator capable of displacing the movable plate 22 in the Y direction. By controlling the amount of movement of these actuators, the movable plate 22 can be displaced in the X direction, the Y direction, and the rotational direction around the Z axis. For example, the plurality of actuators M may include a motor as a drive source and a ball screw mechanism that converts the motor's drive force into linear motion.

[0060] (Distance adjustment unit)

[0061] The distance adjustment unit 24 is a lifting unit that adjusts the distance between the suction unit 15 and the substrate support unit 6 and the mask 101 on the mask stage 5 by raising and lowering them, thereby bringing the substrate 100 and the mask 101 closer together and further apart (separating) in the thickness direction (Z direction) of the substrate 100. In other words, the distance adjustment unit 24 brings the substrate 100 and the mask 101 closer together in the direction of overlap, or separates them in the opposite direction. It should be noted that the "distance" adjusted by the distance adjustment unit 24 is the so-called vertical distance (or plumb distance), and the distance adjustment unit can also be said to be a unit that adjusts the vertical position of the mask 101 and the substrate 100.

[0062] The distance adjustment unit 24 includes a lifting plate 25. A guide rail 23a extending in the Z direction is formed on a side portion of the stage 23, and the lifting plate 25 is movable up and down in the Z direction along the guide rail 23a.

[0063] The lifting plate 25 supports the suction unit 15 via multiple support shafts 27. As the lifting plate 25 is raised or lowered, the suction unit 15 also rises or falls. In other words, the lifting plate 25 supports the multiple support shafts 27 that support the suction unit 15. As the lifting plate 25 is raised or lowered, the multiple support shafts 27 rise or fall synchronously, allowing the suction unit 15 to rise or fall while maintaining its parallelism.

[0064] The lifting plate 25 supports the substrate support unit 6 via a plurality of actuators 64 and a plurality of support shafts 63. When the lifting plate 25 is raised or lowered, the substrate support unit 6 is also raised or lowered. Furthermore, the substrate support unit 6 is raised or lowered by the actuator 64 moving the support shaft 63 in the Z direction. The actuator 64 is, for example, an electric cylinder equipped with a motor and a ball screw mechanism.

[0065] The lifting mechanism of the lifting plate 25 will be described in more detail. The distance adjustment unit 24 includes a motor 26 supported on the stage 23 and a ball screw mechanism 26a as a transmission mechanism driven by the motor 26. The ball screw mechanism 26a includes a ball screw shaft extending in the Z direction and a ball nut fixed to the lifting plate 25. By rotating the ball screw shaft and switching its rotation direction, the lifting plate 25 can be raised and lowered in the Z direction. The lifting amount of the lifting plate 25 can be controlled, for example, based on the detection results of sensors such as a rotary encoder that detects the rotation amount of the motor 26. In this way, the position of the adsorption unit 15 that adsorbs and supports the substrate 100 in the Z direction can be controlled, and the contact and separation between the substrate 100 and the mask 101 can be controlled.

[0066] It should be noted that the distance adjustment unit in this embodiment fixes the position of the mask stage 5 and moves the substrate support unit 6 and the suction unit 15 to adjust the distance between them in the Z direction, but this is not limited to this. The position of the substrate support unit 6 or the suction unit 15 can also be fixed and the mask stage 5 can be moved to adjust the distance, or the substrate support unit 6, the suction unit 15, and the mask stage 5 can be moved separately to adjust the distance between them.

[0067] (Panel unit lifting unit)

[0068] The lifting mechanism of the panel unit 9 will be described. The magnet plate 91 of the panel unit 9 is connected to a lifting plate 94 via a plurality of support shafts 93. The lifting plate 94 is lifted and lowered by a motor 95 and a ball screw mechanism 95a, which transmits its driving force. The motor 95 is supported by the stage 23.

[0069] The support shafts 27, 63, and 93 extend through the opening of the upper wall 30 of the chamber 3 into the chamber 3. To maintain the airtightness of the vacuum chamber 3, the opening of the upper wall 30 is provided with an airtight member such as a bellows.

[0070] (Measurement unit)

[0071] The alignment device 2 includes measurement units 7 and 8 for measuring positional deviation between the substrate 100 and the mask 101 whose peripheral portions are supported by the substrate support unit 6. Figure 2 In addition, refer to Figure 3 Provide explanation. Figure 3This is an explanatory diagram of the measurement units 7 and 8, illustrating a method for measuring positional misalignment between the substrate 100 and the mask 101. In this embodiment, the measurement units 7 and 8 are both imaging devices (cameras) that capture images. The measurement units 7 and 8 are positioned above the upper wall 30 and are capable of capturing images of the interior of the vacuum chamber 3 through windows (not shown) formed in the upper wall 30. The suction unit 15 has multiple openings formed therein for the measurement units 7 and 8 to capture images of the alignment marks on the substrate 100 and the mask 101.

[0072] Substrate coarse alignment marks 100a and substrate fine alignment marks 100b are formed on substrate 100, and mask coarse alignment marks 101a and mask fine alignment marks 101b are formed on mask 101. Hereinafter, substrate coarse alignment marks 100a may be referred to as substrate coarse marks 100a, and substrate fine alignment marks 100b may be referred to as substrate fine marks 100b, with both being collectively referred to as substrate marks. Furthermore, mask coarse alignment marks 101a may be referred to as mask coarse marks 101a, and mask fine alignment marks 101b may be referred to as mask fine marks 101b, with both being collectively referred to as mask marks.

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

[0074] Four measurement units 8 are provided to capture images of corresponding sets of substrate fine marks 100b and mask fine marks 101b (four sets in this embodiment). The measurement units 8 are high-magnification CCD cameras (fine cameras) with a relatively narrow field of view but high resolution (e.g., on the order of several μm), and accurately measure the positional offset between the substrate 100 and mask 101. A single measurement unit 7 is provided to capture images of corresponding sets of substrate coarse marks 100a and mask coarse marks 101a (two sets in this embodiment).

[0075] The measuring unit 7 is a low-magnification CCD camera (coarse camera) with a relatively wide field of view but low resolution, and measures the rough positional deviation between the substrate 100 and the mask 101. Figure 3 In the example shown, a configuration is shown in which a single measurement unit 7 collectively captures two sets of substrate rough marks 100a and mask rough marks 101a. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. Similarly to the measurement unit 8, two measurement units 7 may be provided at positions corresponding to the respective sets, so as to capture the respective sets of substrate rough marks 100a and mask rough marks 101a.

[0076] By providing two types of measurement units 7 and 8 in this manner, 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 , precise position adjustment of the substrate 100 and the mask 101 can be performed based on the measurement results of the measurement unit 8 .

[0077] <Control device>

[0078] The control device 14 is an electronic circuit that controls the entire film forming apparatus 1. The control device 14 includes, for example, a processing unit, a storage unit, an input / output interface (I / O), and a communication unit. The processing unit is a processor, represented by a CPU, that executes programs stored in the storage unit to control the film forming apparatus 1. The storage unit is a storage device such as ROM, RAM, or HDD, which stores various control information in addition to the programs executed by the processing unit. The input / output interface is an interface for sending and receiving signals between the processing unit and external devices. The communication unit is a communication device that communicates with the host device 300 or other control devices 14, 309, 310, etc. via the communication line 300a.

[0079] <Operation Example of Film Forming Apparatus>

[0080] An operation example of the film forming apparatus 1 will be described. Figure 2 This is the state where the substrate 100 is transported into the film forming apparatus 1 by the transport robot 302a and the transport robot 302a retreats. Figures 4 to 6 The following actions are explained.

[0081] Figure 4 State ST41 illustrates the operation of causing the suction unit 15 to suction the substrate 100. The substrate support unit 6 is raised by driving the actuators 64, and the substrate 100 is brought into close contact with the lower surface of the suction unit 15. By driving the suction unit 15, the substrate 100 is suctioned by the suction unit 15.

[0082] Then, if Figure 4 As shown in state ST42, the motor 26 drives the lifting plate 25 to descend, thereby lowering the suction unit 15 and the substrate support unit 6, and the actuators 64 drive the substrate support unit 6 to further descend. The suction unit 15 descends to a position for aligning the substrate 100 and the mask 101.

[0083] Figure 5 FIG. 1 shows an example of alignment operation of substrate 100 and mask 101. The alignment operation includes a measurement operation using positional deviation amounts of measurement units 7 and 8 ( Figure 5 State ST51) and relative position adjustment operation using the position adjustment unit 20 ( Figure 5In addition, the alignment operation includes a coarse alignment operation using the measurement result of the measurement unit 7 and a fine alignment operation using the measurement result of the measurement unit 8.

[0084] The “positional deviation amount” is defined by the distance and direction (X, Y, θ) of the positional deviation. The position adjustment unit 20 displaces the substrate support unit 6 on the XY plane to adjust the relative position of the substrate 101 with respect to the mask 102 .

[0085] In the rough alignment operation, the alignment mark is photographed by the measuring unit 7, the position deviation is measured, and the position adjustment unit 20 is operated to reduce the position deviation. The measurement and position adjustment are repeated until the position deviation is within the allowable range.

[0086] After the rough alignment is complete, fine alignment is performed. During fine alignment, while the lift plate 25 is lowered, bringing the distance between the substrate 100 and the mask 101 closer than during the rough alignment, the measurement unit 8 captures the alignment marks and measures the amount of positional deviation. The position adjustment unit 20 is then activated to minimize the amount of positional deviation. This measurement and positional adjustment process is repeated until the amount of positional deviation falls within the acceptable range.

[0087] When the alignment is complete, Figure 6 As shown in the state ST61, the lifting plate 25 is lowered to overlap the substrate 100 and the mask 101. Figure 6 As shown in state ST62, the motor 95 is driven to lower the plate unit 9 to the suction unit 15. After the cooling plate 90 contacts the suction unit 15, the magnet plate 5 contacts the cooling plate 4. The magnetic force of the magnet plate 91 attracts the mask 102, bringing the mask 102 and substrate 101 into close contact. Subsequently, the vapor deposition unit 4 performs vapor deposition, forming a thin film on the substrate 100.

[0088] <Support Structure of Adsorption Unit>

[0089] The support structure of the adsorption unit 15 will be described. Vibrations generated by driving the various components of the film-forming apparatus 1 can be transmitted to the adsorption unit 15 via the support shaft 27. When the adsorption unit 15 resonates due to this transmission of vibration, this may affect the alignment accuracy between the substrate 100 and the mask 101, the film-forming quality, and the ability to hold the substrate 100. In this embodiment, the support structure of the adsorption unit 15 is configured to reduce resonance. Figure 7 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a support structure between the support shaft 27 and the adsorption unit 15. In the following description, for convenience, the Y direction is referred to as the front-rear direction, and the X direction is referred to as the left-right direction.

[0090] The suction unit 15 has a rectangular shape when viewed from above, with a front side 15F and a rear side 15B facing each other in the Y direction, a left side 15L and a right side 15R facing each other in the X direction, and rectangular corners 15a to 15d. The suction unit 15 includes a plurality of suction plates (electrode plates) 150 arranged in a planar manner, and a rectangular, cylindrical support member 151 that supports these plurality of suction plates 150 and forms the outer shape of the suction unit 15. The sides 15F to 15R and corners 15a to 15d are essentially formed by the support member 151.

[0091] Four support shafts 27 are provided. These four support shafts 27 are positioned at the vertices of a quadrilateral in a plan view, with two located on the front side (one side in the Y direction) and two located on the rear side (the other side in the Y direction). The two front support shafts 27 are separated in the X direction, and the two rear support shafts 27 are also separated in the X direction. The separation distance between the two front support shafts 27 and the separation distance between the two rear support shafts 27 in the X direction are the same.

[0092] The frame member 10 is supported below the support shafts 27. The frame member 10 has a rectangular shape that follows the outer shape of the suction unit 15 when viewed from above. It has a front edge 10F and a rear edge 10B that face each other in the Y direction, and a left side 10L and a right side 10R that face each other in the X direction. Each support shaft 27 is connected to the frame member 10 via a connecting member 11 on the inner side of the frame member 10. The number of support shafts 27 can be three or fewer, or five or more. However, since the frame member 10 is rectangular, four support shafts 27 can provide balanced support for the frame member 10.

[0093] The adsorption unit 15 is supported at three locations, two of which are the lower end portions of the two support shafts 27 on the rear side. Figure 8A yes Figure 7 The II line cross-sectional view shows the supporting structure at two locations.

[0094] The suction unit 15 has a connecting member 153 on each of the two rear support shafts 27. The connecting member 153 is fixed to the support member 151. The connecting member 153 includes a cylindrical guide portion 1531 having a through-hole in the Z direction through which the support shaft 27 is inserted, and an abutment portion 1532 that protrudes outward in the Y direction from the lower end of the guide portion 1531. A linear bushing 16 serving as a preload is provided in the guide portion 1531. The support shaft 27 is inserted through the linear bushing 16, and the suction unit 15 is guided by the linear bushing 16 in the guide portion 1531, allowing relative displacement in the Z direction relative to the support shaft 27.

[0095] A placement portion 28 is provided at the lower end of each of the two rear support shafts 27. The suction unit 15 is placed on the placement portion 28. A ball seat 281 is provided on the placement portion 28. A spherical placement surface 281a is formed on the upper surface of the ball seat 281. The suction unit 15 is placed on the placement surface 281a by the lower surface of the contact portion 1532 contacting the placement surface 281a.

[0096] The remaining one of the three supporting locations of the adsorption unit 15 is the center portion of the front side portion 15F in the X direction. Figure 8B yes Figure 7 The cross-sectional view taken along line II-II shows the remaining support structure.

[0097] The suction unit 15 includes an inverted L-shaped contact portion 152 provided at the center portion of the front side portion 15F in the X direction.

[0098] A C-shaped support member 29 is provided on the front edge 10F of the frame member 10. The support member 29 has a placement portion 29 at its lower end. The suction unit 15 is also placed on the placement portion 29. A ball seat 291 is provided on the placement portion 29. A spherical placement surface 291a is formed on the upper surface of the ball seat 291. The suction unit 15 is placed on the placement surface 291a by the lower surface of the upper portion of the abutment portion 152 abutting against the placement surface 291a.

[0099] Figure 9 yes Figure 7 The III-III line sectional view shows the structure around the two support shafts 27 on the front side. On the two support shafts 27 on the front side, there is no connection with the adsorption unit 15 through the connecting part 153 or the placement of the adsorption unit 15. At these two locations, the adsorption unit 15 and the frame part 10 are connected by the elastic part 12. Specifically, the adsorption unit 15 has a mounting portion 154 provided on the support part 151. One end of the elastic part 12 is fixed to the mounting portion 154. The other end of the elastic part 12 is locked to the frame part 10. Specifically, one of the two elastic parts 12 is locked to the left part 10L, and the other elastic part 12 is locked to the right part 10R. In the case of this embodiment, the elastic part 12 is a leaf spring that applies an elastic force in a manner that resists the relative displacement between the frame part 10 and the adsorption unit 15 in the Z direction.

[0100] According to the above structure, in this embodiment, the adsorption unit 15 is a structure that is placed and supported on the carrier portion 28 and the carrier portion 29, and the adsorption unit 15 can be relatively displaced in the vertical direction relative to the support shaft 27. Compared with a structure in which the adsorption unit 15 is rigidly connected to the support shaft 27, it is possible to prevent the vibration of the support shaft 27 from being transmitted to the adsorption unit 15 and resonating. In particular, the adsorption unit 15 is placed on the spherical supporting surfaces 281a and 291a. The contacts between the adsorption unit 15 and the supporting surfaces 281a and 291a become point contacts, which can more effectively suppress the transmission of vibration and prevent the adsorption unit 15 from resonating.

[0101] In this embodiment, the suction unit 15 is vertically displaceable relative to the support shaft 27, but the elastic member 12 resists vertical displacement. With respect to microvibrations that do not resonate, the suction unit 15 maintains contact with the placement surfaces 281a and 291a, and the suction unit 15 maintains a stable posture.

[0102] In the present embodiment, the adsorption unit 15 is placed and supported at a total of three locations, namely, two placement portions 28 and one placement portion 29. The placement portions may be four or more. However, since the plane is defined by three points, by supporting the adsorption unit 15 by the placement portions 28 and 29 at three locations, as in the present embodiment, the adsorption unit 15 can be fully supported in a horizontal posture. In addition, when the placement portions are four or more, if the placement heights of the four locations are not strictly consistent, the posture of the adsorption unit 15 may sometimes slightly shake. By supporting the adsorption unit 15 by the placement portions 28 and 29 at three locations, as in the present embodiment, such shaking can be prevented. In particular, in the present embodiment, since the contacts between the adsorption unit 15 and the placement surfaces 281a and 291a are point contacts, supporting the adsorption unit 15 at three points can further prevent shaking.

[0103] The three mounting locations of the suction unit 15 are one location in the center of the front side 15F and two locations on the rear side 15R. Since the mounting locations are evenly distributed, the support stability of the suction unit 15 can be improved. The two mounting locations on the rear side 15R are located on the left side 15L and the right side 15R. In this embodiment, the mounting locations are particularly located on the left side 15L near the corner 15c and the right side 15R near the corner 15d. The three mounting locations of the suction unit 15 form an equilateral triangle or an isosceles triangle, which can improve the support stability of the suction unit 15.

[0104] A placement portion 29 is formed at a central portion of the front edge 15F by a support member 29 provided on the frame member 10. The use of the frame member 10 allows the placement portion to be located at a location away from the support shaft 27, achieving a balance between design freedom and support stability of the suction unit 15.

[0105] As described above, after alignment is completed, the suction unit 15 adsorbing the substrate 100 is placed on the mask 101 by the lowering of the lifting plate 25. At this time, the weight of the suction unit 15 acts on the mask 101. The suction unit 15 is guided by the linear bushing 16, and the connecting member 11 and the ball seats 281 and 291 slide relative to the suction unit 15 in the downward Z direction. As a result, the contact portions 1532 and 152 may sometimes float from the ball seats 281 and 291.

[0106] On the other hand, when the lifting plate 25 rises after film formation is completed, the contact portions 1532 and 152 again contact the ball seats 281 and 291. The suction unit 15 is lifted up, and the mask 101 and the substrate 100 are separated.

[0107] In this way, when alignment and film formation are repeated during production, the ball seats 281 and 291 may repeatedly contact and separate from the contact portions 1532 and 152. If debris is generated due to this wear, it will become a major factor in the deterioration of the yield.

[0108] Therefore, the surfaces of the ball seats 281, 291 and the contact portions 1532, 152 may be coated with a wear-resistant coating such as DLC (Diamond-like Carbon). Furthermore, the ball seats 281, 291 and the contact portions 1532, 152 may be made of hardened steel (pre-hardened steel, etc.) that has been quenched and has sufficient hardness to not exceed the yield point.

[0109] <Method for Manufacturing Electronic Device>

[0110] Next, an example of a method for manufacturing an electronic device is described. Hereinafter, the structure and manufacturing method of an organic EL display device are illustrated as an example of an electronic device. In this example, for example, three locations are provided on the production line. Figure 1 The film forming module 301 is shown as an example.

[0111] First, the manufactured organic EL display device will be described. Figure 10A is an overall diagram of the organic EL display device 50, Figure 10B This is a diagram showing the cross-sectional structure of one pixel.

[0112] like Figure 10AAs shown, a plurality of pixels 52 each including a plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged in a matrix in a display area 51 of an organic EL display device 50. Each light-emitting element has a structure including an organic layer sandwiched between a pair of electrodes, as will be described in detail later.

[0113] It should be noted that the pixel referred to here refers to the minimum unit that can display the desired color in the display area 51. In the case of a color organic EL display device, the pixel 52 is formed by a combination of multiple sub-pixels of a first light-emitting element 52R, a second light-emitting element 52G, and a third light-emitting element 52B that show different light emissions from each other. The pixel 52 is mostly composed of a combination of three sub-pixels: a red (R) light-emitting element, a green (G) light-emitting element, and a blue (B) light-emitting element, but is not limited to this. The pixel 52 only needs to include at least one sub-pixel, preferably includes two or more sub-pixels, and more preferably includes three or more sub-pixels. As the sub-pixels constituting the pixel 52, for example, it can also be a combination of four sub-pixels: 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.

[0114] Figure 10B yes Figure 10A Schematic diagram of a partial cross-section taken along line AB of FIG. Pixel 52 includes multiple sub-pixels formed of organic EL elements. These organic EL elements include a first electrode (anode) 54, a hole transport layer 55, one of a red layer 56R, a green layer 56G, or a blue layer 56B, an electron transport layer 57, and a second electrode (cathode) 58 on a substrate 53. 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 formed in patterns corresponding to light-emitting elements (sometimes referred to as organic EL elements) that emit red, green, and blue light, respectively.

[0115] 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 together over the plurality of light emitting elements 52R, 52G, 52B, or may be formed for each light emitting element. Figure 10B As shown, after the hole transport layer 55 is formed as a common layer in multiple sub-pixel areas, the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, and the blue layer 56B are formed separately according to each sub-pixel area, and then the electron transport layer 57 and the second electrode 58 are formed as a common layer thereon in multiple sub-pixel areas.

[0116] Note that, to prevent short circuits between adjacent first electrodes 54, an insulating layer 59 is provided between the first electrodes 54. Furthermore, since the organic EL layer is degraded by moisture and oxygen, a protective layer 60 is provided to protect the organic EL element from moisture and oxygen.

[0117] exist Figure 10B In the figure, the hole transport layer 55 and the electron transport layer 57 are shown as a single layer. However, depending on the structure of the organic EL display element, they can also be formed of multiple layers including a hole blocking layer and an electron blocking layer. In addition, a hole injection layer can be formed between the first electrode 54 and the hole transport layer 55. This hole injection layer has an energy band structure that allows for smooth injection of holes from the first electrode 54 into the hole transport layer 55. Similarly, an electron injection layer can also be formed between the second electrode 58 and the electron transport layer 57.

[0118] The red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, and the blue layer 56B can each be formed of a single light-emitting layer or by stacking multiple layers. For example, the red layer 56R can be composed of two layers, with the red light-emitting layer forming the upper layer and the hole transport layer or electron blocking layer forming the lower layer. Alternatively, the red light-emitting layer can form the lower layer and the electron transport layer or hole blocking layer can form the upper layer. By providing layers below or above the light-emitting layer in this manner, the light emission position in the light-emitting layer is adjusted, and the optical path length is adjusted, thereby having the effect of improving the color purity of the light-emitting element.

[0119] It should be noted that while the example of the red layer 56R is shown here, the same structure can also be used for the green layer 56G and the blue layer 56B. Furthermore, the number of stacked layers can be two or more. Furthermore, layers made of different materials can be stacked, as in the case of the light-emitting layer and the electron-blocking layer, or layers made of the same material can be stacked, for example, two or more light-emitting layers can be stacked.

[0120] Next, an example of a method for manufacturing an organic EL display device will be described in detail. 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 composed of a single light-emitting layer. Six film-forming chambers are assumed as film-forming chambers 303.

[0121] First, a substrate 53 is prepared on which a circuit (not shown) for driving the organic EL display device and a first electrode 54 are formed. It should be noted that the material of the substrate 53 is not particularly limited and can be made of glass, plastic, metal, etc. In this embodiment, a substrate 53 is used in which a polyimide film is laminated on a glass substrate.

[0122] A resin layer such as acrylic or polyimide is applied to the substrate 53 having the first electrode 54 formed thereon by bar coating or spin coating. The resin layer is then patterned by photolithography to form openings in the portion where the first electrode 54 is formed, thereby forming an insulating layer 59. This opening corresponds to the light-emitting region where the light-emitting element actually emits light. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the large substrate is processed before forming the insulating layer 59, and the substrate 53 is divided after the insulating layer 59 is formed.

[0123] The substrate 53 with the insulating layer 59 patterned thereon is brought into the first film-forming chamber 303, where a 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 using a mask having openings formed in each display area 51 of the panel portion of the organic EL display device.

[0124] Next, the substrate 53 formed to the hole transport layer 55 is sent to the second film forming chamber 303. The substrate 53 and the mask are aligned, the substrate is placed on the mask, and the red layer 56R is formed on the portion of the hole transport layer 55 where the red light emitting element of the substrate 53 is configured (the region where the red sub-pixel is formed). Here, the mask used in the second film forming chamber is a high-precision mask with openings formed only in the multiple regions that become red sub-pixels among the multiple regions on the substrate 53 that become sub-pixels of the organic EL display device. As a result, the red layer 56R including the red light emitting layer is formed only in the region that becomes red sub-pixels among the regions that become multiple sub-pixels on the substrate 53. In other words, the red layer 56R is not formed in the region that becomes blue sub-pixels or the region that becomes green sub-pixels among the regions that become multiple sub-pixels on the substrate 53, but is selectively formed in the region that becomes red sub-pixels.

[0125] Similar to the formation of the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G is formed in the third film-forming chamber 303, and the blue layer 56B is further formed in the fourth film-forming chamber 303. After the formation of the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, and the blue layer 56B is completed, the electron transport layer 57 is formed over the entire display area 51 in the fifth film-forming chamber 303. The electron transport layer 57 is formed as a common layer in the three color layers 56R, 56G, and 56B.

[0126] The substrate on which the electron transport layer 57 has been formed is moved to the sixth film forming chamber 303 to form the second electrode 58. In this embodiment, the film formation of each layer is performed by vacuum evaporation in the first film forming chamber 303 to the sixth film forming chamber 303. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the film formation of the second electrode 58 in the sixth film forming chamber 303 can also be performed by sputtering. Thereafter, the substrate on which the second electrode 58 has been formed 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. It should be noted that the protective layer 60 is formed by the CVD method here, but it is not limited to this. It can also be formed by the ALD method or the inkjet method.

[0127] Film formation in the first to sixth film forming chambers 303 is performed using masks having openings corresponding to the patterns of the respective layers to be formed. During film formation, after the relative positions of the substrate 53 and the mask are adjusted (aligned), the substrate 53 is placed on the mask and film formation is performed.

[0128] The present 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 appended claims are intended to disclose the scope of the invention.

[0129] Description of Reference Numerals

[0130] 1 film forming device, 15 adsorption unit, 24 distance adjustment unit, 28 placement unit, 29 placement unit.

Claims

1. A film forming device comprising: an adsorption unit, wherein the adsorption unit adsorbs the substrate; a lifting unit, configured to lift the adsorption unit relative to the mask; as well as a vapor deposition unit that releases a vapor deposition substance toward the substrate through the mask, The film forming device is characterized in that The lifting unit includes a plurality of placement portions having placement surfaces on which the spherical surface of the adsorption unit is placed.

2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The lifting unit comprises: frame components; and a plurality of support shafts connected to the frame member and movable in the vertical direction; At least one of the plurality of placement portions is provided on the frame member.

3. The film forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: The plurality of loading portions include: A mounting portion provided on the frame member; and The support shaft is provided on the mounting portion.

4. The film forming apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The plurality of placement portions are three placement portions.

5. The film forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein: The adsorption unit has a rectangular shape having a first side and a second side facing each other, and a third side and a fourth side facing each other, The first placing portion among the three placing portions is used to place the central portion of the first side portion. The second placement portion of the three placement portions places a portion closer to the second side portion than the first side portion and closer to the third side portion than the fourth side portion. The third placement portion of the three placement portions places a portion that is closer to the second side portion than the first side portion and closer to the fourth side portion than the third side portion.

6. The film forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein: The third side portion is placed on the second placement portion, The fourth side portion is placed on the third placement portion.

7. The film forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein: The frame member has a rectangular shape following the shape of the adsorption unit, The plurality of support shafts are four support shafts.

8. The film forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: The film forming device includes an elastic member connecting the frame member and the adsorption unit.

9. The film forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: The film forming apparatus includes a guide portion provided on the adsorption unit and guiding vertical movement of the support shaft on which the placement portion is provided.

10. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The adsorption unit is an electrostatic chuck.

11. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The spherical surface is coated.

12. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The material of the portion forming the spherical surface is hardened steel.

13. A film forming method, characterized in that: The method comprises the step of forming a film of a vapor deposition substance on a substrate using the film forming apparatus according to claim 1.

14. A method for manufacturing an electronic device, characterized in that: The method comprises the step of forming a film of a vapor deposition substance on a substrate using the film forming apparatus according to claim 1.

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