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

Abstract

The invention relates to a film forming apparatus, a film forming method, and a method for manufacturing an electronic device. A reduction in alignment precision is suppressed in a film forming apparatus that forms a film using a plurality of stages. A film forming apparatus having a plurality of film forming stages includes an adjustment unit that performs alignment processing of a substrate and a mask by using one of the plurality of film forming stages while performing film forming processing by using the other of the plurality of film forming stages. The adjustment unit acquires information on the relative position of the substrate and the mask in a contact state in which a holding member holding the substrate or the substrate and the mask are at least partially in contact, and adjusts the relative position of the substrate and the mask in the contact state to be within a predetermined range on the basis of the information on the relative position. In a state in which the relative position is adjusted to be within a predetermined range, the magnetic attraction member is moved to a position at which the mask is attracted in order to fix the positions of the substrate and the mask.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to film-forming apparatus, film-forming method, and method for manufacturing electronic devices. Background Technology

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a film-forming apparatus that uses two stages for film formation, so that the substrate and mask can be aligned using the other stage while scanning film formation is performed using one stage.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2024-068531

[0006] In a film deposition apparatus that uses two stages for film deposition, while film deposition is being performed on one stage, alignment of the substrate and mask is being performed on the other stage. When film deposition is being performed on one stage, vibrations generated by the movement of the film deposition unit can propagate to the other stage where alignment is being performed. This can cause vibrations in the substrate holding member and the mask stage that holds the mask, potentially leading to a decrease in alignment accuracy. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a technique for suppressing the reduction of alignment accuracy in a film-forming apparatus that uses multiple stages for film formation.

[0009] Methods for solving problems

[0010] One aspect of the film-forming apparatus of the present invention is a film-forming apparatus having multiple film-forming stages. The film-forming apparatus includes an adjustment component that, during film-forming processing using one of the multiple film-forming stages, performs alignment processing of the substrate and mask using another film-forming stage.

[0011] The adjustment component obtains information about the relative position of the substrate and the mask when the holding component holding the substrate or the substrate and the mask are in contact at least partially in contact. Based on the relative position information, the relative position of the substrate and the mask is adjusted to a predetermined range in the contact state. When the relative position is adjusted to the predetermined range, the magnetic adsorption component moves toward the position where the mask is adsorbed in order to fix the position of the substrate and the mask.

[0012] Another aspect of the film-forming method of the present invention is a film-forming apparatus having multiple film-forming stages, wherein the film-forming method includes an adjustment step in which, during the film-forming process using one of the multiple film-forming stages, an alignment process between the substrate and the mask is performed using another film-forming stage.

[0013] In the adjustment process, information on the relative position of the substrate and the mask is obtained when the holding member holding the substrate or the substrate and the mask are in contact state with at least a portion of each other. Based on the relative position information, the relative position of the substrate and the mask is adjusted to a predetermined range in the contact state. When the relative position is adjusted to the predetermined range, in order to fix the position of the substrate and the mask, the magnetic adsorption member is moved toward the position where the mask is adsorbed.

[0014] Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing an electronic device that includes a film deposition step of depositing a film on a substrate that has undergone the alignment treatment in the adjustment step of the above-described film deposition method.

[0015] Invention Effects

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the reduction of alignment accuracy in a film-forming apparatus that uses multiple worktables for film formation. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a top view schematically showing the structure of a film-forming system equipped with the film-forming apparatus of the embodiment.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a front view schematically illustrating the structure of the film-forming apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a diagram illustrating the structure of the film-forming stage according to the embodiment.

[0020] Figure 4 This is an explanatory diagram of the measurement unit in the implementation method.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating a seating member provided in the embodiment of the retaining member.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating the outline of the film-forming process of the film-forming apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating the alignment process of the film-forming apparatus.

[0024] Figure 8These are diagrams illustrating the manufacturing method of electronic devices. (A) is an overall view of an organic EL display device, and (B) is a diagram showing the cross-sectional structure of a pixel.

[0025] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0026] SY: Film forming system, 1: Film forming device, 3: Chamber, 6A, 6B: Substrate support unit, 5A, 5B: Mask stage, 7: First measuring unit, 8: Second measuring unit, 12A, 12B: Film forming stage, 13: Plate unit lifting unit, 14: Film forming unit, 15A, 15B: Holding member (electrostatic chuck), 20: Position adjustment unit, 22: Distance adjustment unit, 55A: Distance measuring sensor, 115A: Sealing member, 200: Control unit, Adjustment unit (7, 8, 13, 20, 22). Detailed Implementation

[0027] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the following embodiments do not limit the invention as defined in the claims. Several features are described in the embodiments, but these features are not limited to those essential to the invention; moreover, these features can be combined arbitrarily. In the accompanying drawings, the same or identical structures are labeled with the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0028] <Overview of Film-Forming Systems>

[0029] Figure 1 This is a top view schematically illustrating the structure of a film-forming system SY provided with the film-forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment. The film-forming system SY is a system for performing film-forming processing on an incoming substrate and removing the processed substrate. For example, an electronic device production line can be constructed by arranging multiple film-forming systems SY. Examples of electronic devices include, for instance, the display panel of an organic EL display device used in smartphones. In addition to the film-forming apparatus 1, the film-forming system SY also includes an infeed chamber 31, a substrate transport chamber 32, a removal chamber 34, and a mask storage chamber 36. Furthermore, the structure of the film-forming apparatus 1 will be described later.

[0030] A substrate 100 for film deposition based on the film deposition apparatus 1 is moved into the loading chamber 31. A transport robot 320 for transporting the substrate 100 is provided in the substrate transport chamber 32. The transport robot 320 transports the substrate 100 moved into the loading chamber 31 to the film deposition apparatus 1. In addition, the transport robot 320 transports the substrate 100 that has completed the film deposition process in the film deposition apparatus 1 to the unloading chamber 34. The substrate 100 transported to the unloading chamber 34 by the transport robot 320 is unloaded from the unloading chamber 34 to the outside of the film deposition system SY. Furthermore, when multiple film deposition systems SY are arranged in a row, the unloading chamber 34 of the upstream film deposition system SY can also serve as the substrate transport chamber 32 of the downstream film deposition system SY. In addition, a mask 101 for film deposition in the film deposition apparatus 1 is stored in the mask storage chamber 36. The mask 101 stored in the mask storage chamber 36 is transported to the film deposition apparatus 1 by the transport robot 320.

[0031] The film-forming apparatus 1, which constitutes the film-forming system SY, and the interior of each chamber are maintained in a vacuum state by an exhaust mechanism such as a vacuum pump. Furthermore, in this embodiment, "vacuum" refers to a state filled with gas at a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure; in other words, it refers to a depressurization state.

[0032] <Overview of the film-forming device>

[0033] Figure 2 This is a schematic front view showing the structure of the film-forming apparatus 1. The film-forming apparatus 1 is a film-forming apparatus that performs film formation while moving the film-forming source 140 relative to the substrate 100. In this embodiment, the substrate 100 is formed by vapor deposition. As the material of the substrate 100 to which vapor deposition is performed in the film-forming apparatus 1, glass, resin, metal, etc., can be appropriately selected, and a material with a resin layer such as polyimide formed on glass is preferred. As the film-forming material, organic materials, inorganic materials (metals, metal oxides, etc.), etc., are used. The film-forming apparatus 1 can be applied to manufacturing apparatuses for electronic devices, optical components, etc., such as display devices (flat panel displays, etc.), thin-film solar cells, organic photoelectric conversion elements (organic thin-film camera elements), etc., and in particular, it can be applied to manufacturing apparatuses for organic EL panels. In addition, as the size of the substrate to which the film-forming apparatus 1 performs film formation, examples include substrates of the G8H size (1100mm × 2500mm, 1250mm × 2200mm), but the size of the substrate to which the film-forming apparatus 1 performs film formation can be appropriately set.

[0034] The film forming apparatus 1 includes a chamber 3, film forming worktables 12A and 12B, a film forming unit 14, substrate gates 18A and 18B, and a control unit 200.

[0035] The control unit 200 controls the operation of each component of the film-forming apparatus 1. For example, the control unit 200 may be configured to include a processor, such as a CPU, a memory such as RAM and ROM, and various interfaces. For example, the control unit 200 performs various processes of the film-forming apparatus 1 by reading a program stored in ROM into RAM and executing it. For example, the control unit 200 executes various processes such as film-forming processing based on instructions received from the host computer of the unified control film-forming system SY.

[0036] The chamber 3 houses the film deposition unit 14, substrate gates 18A and 18B, and film deposition stages 12A and 12B within its internal space 1001. The internal space 1001 of the chamber 3 can be maintained at a vacuum by an exhaust mechanism such as a vacuum pump (not shown). For example, the chamber 3 is provided with an opening (not shown) for loading and unloading the substrate 100, through which the substrate 100 is moved between the chamber 3 and the substrate transport chamber 32.

[0037] Film deposition stages 12A and 12B are stages for depositing films on the substrate 100. In this embodiment, film deposition stages 12A and 12B are arranged adjacent to each other across substrate gates 18A and 18B. In the following description, film deposition is performed on substrate 100A on film deposition stage 12A, and film deposition is performed on substrate 100B on film deposition stage 12B.

[0038] <Structure of the film-forming stage>

[0039] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates the structure of the film deposition stage 12A. The film deposition stage 12A includes a substrate support unit 6A, a mask stage 5A (placement portion) for mounting the mask 101, a support column 124A, and an alignment device 2A. Here, the structure of the film deposition stage 12A and the alignment device 2A will be described as an example, but the structures of the film deposition stage 12B and the alignment device 2B are similar. In the following description, the suffix "A" indicates the structure on the film deposition stage 12A side, and the suffix "B" indicates the structure on the film deposition stage 12B side. When referring to both uniformly, the suffixes may sometimes be omitted in the description.

[0040] The substrate support unit 6A supports the periphery of the substrate 100A. The substrate support unit 6A can support the periphery of the substrate 100A from below, or it can support the substrate 100A by clamping the periphery of the substrate 100A. For example, the substrate support unit 6A can be raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism, enabling it to support the substrate 100A received from the transport robot 320 in the substrate transport chamber 32. The lifting mechanism can utilize known technologies such as ball screw mechanisms.

[0041] The substrate support unit 6A includes multiple base portions 61 forming its outer frame and multiple substrate mounting portions 62 protruding inward from the base portions 61. Furthermore, the substrate mounting portions 62 are sometimes referred to as "receiving claws" or "finger portions." The base portions 61 are each supported by a support shaft R3. The multiple substrate mounting portions 62 are arranged at intervals in the X and Y directions of the base portions 61 to receive the peripheral portion of the substrate 100A. The substrate 100A, which is transported into the film forming apparatus 1 by the transport robot 320, is supported by the multiple substrate mounting portions 62.

[0042] In this embodiment, the plurality of substrate mounting portions 62 are composed of leaf springs. When the substrate 100A supported by the plurality of substrate mounting portions 62 is held in the holding member 15A, the elastic force of the leaf springs can be used to press the substrate 100A into the holding member 15A.

[0043] The film-forming stage 12A includes a holding member 15A capable of holding the substrate 100A. In this embodiment, the holding member 15A is disposed between the substrate support unit 6A and the plate unit 9A and is supported by one or more support shafts R1. In this embodiment, the holding member 15A is supported by four support shafts R1 in the X and Y directions. In one embodiment, the support shafts R1 are cylindrical shafts.

[0044] In this embodiment, the holding member 15A is an electrostatic chuck that adsorbs the substrate 100A by electrostatic force. For example, the holding member 15A has a structure in which circuits such as metal electrodes are embedded inside a ceramic matrix (also called a substrate). For example, when a positive (+) and a negative (-) voltage are applied to the metal electrodes disposed in the electrode placement area, polarization charges are induced to the substrate 100A through the ceramic matrix, and the substrate 100A is adsorbed and fixed to the holding surface 150 (adsorption surface) of the holding member 15A by the electrostatic attraction (electrostatic force) between the substrate 100A and the holding member 15A.

[0045] Multiple touch sensors 1621 are embedded in the holding member 15A to detect contact between the holding member 15A and the substrate 100A. However, as long as contact with the substrate 100A can be detected, a non-contact sensor that detects the substrate 100A can be used instead of a touch sensor. For example, multiple touch sensors 1621 can be provided along the periphery of the holding member 15A, or a single touch sensor 1621 can be provided in the center of the holding member 15A. In this way, by providing touch sensors 1621 at multiple locations on the holding member 15A, it can be confirmed that the entire surface of the substrate 100A is adsorbed onto the holding surface 150 (adsorption surface). Furthermore, the number and arrangement of the touch sensors 1621 can be appropriately changed. Multiple openings are formed in the holding member 15A, and the measurement units (first measurement unit 7 and second measurement unit 8, described later) take pictures of the mask marks described later through the multiple openings.

[0046] In this embodiment, the retaining member 15A is provided with a seating member 115A (also called a gap block). Figure 5 This diagram illustrates a seating member 115A disposed on a holding member 15A. The seating member 115A is configured to protrude in the Z direction from the substrate 100A. The seating member 115A is disposed outside the area of ​​the holding member 15 that holds the substrate 100A. Multiple seating members 115A are disposed at predetermined intervals in both the X and Y directions. Furthermore, the placement of the seating members 115A is arbitrary.

[0047] In this embodiment, when the holding member 15A of the holding substrate 100A is in a contact state with the mask 101A at least partially in contact, the sitting member 115A provided on the holding member 15A may also contact the mask 101A. Alternatively, if the sitting member 115A is not used, a portion of the substrate 100A held (adsorbed) on the holding member 15A (e.g., the peripheral portion without a pattern) may contact the mask 101A.

[0048] In this embodiment, a distance measuring sensor 55A is provided on the mask stage 5A to measure the distance between the holding member 15A and the mask stage 5A. The distance measuring sensor 55A measures the distance between the holding member 15A and the mask stage 5A in a non-contact manner. For example, a laser distance sensor can be used as the distance measuring sensor 55A. Furthermore, the type of distance measuring sensor 55A is not limited to this example; any sensor capable of measuring distance in a non-contact manner can be used. Additionally, in Figure 2 and Figure 3 The example shown illustrates a structure in which a distance measuring sensor 55A is provided on a mask stage 5A, but it is not limited to this example structure; it can be provided on either the mask stage 5A or the holding member 15A.

[0049] <Position Adjustment Unit>

[0050] The alignment device 2A includes a position adjustment unit 20 that adjusts the relative position of a substrate 100A (supported by a substrate support unit 6A at its periphery) and a mask 101A (held by a holding member 15A). The position adjustment unit 20 adjusts the relative position of the substrate 100A with respect to the mask 101A by displacing the substrate support unit 6A or the holding member 15A in the XY plane. In other words, the position adjustment unit 20 is a unit that adjusts the horizontal position of the mask 101A and the substrate 100A. For example, the position adjustment unit 20 can displace the substrate support unit 6A in the X direction, Y direction, and rotational directions about the Z direction. In this embodiment, the relative position of the mask 101A and the substrate 100A is adjusted by fixing the position of the mask 101A and displacing the substrate 100A. However, it is also possible to adjust by displacing the mask 101A, or by displacing both the substrate 100A and the mask 101A.

[0051] In this embodiment, the position adjustment unit 20 includes a fixed plate 20a, a movable plate 20b, and a plurality of actuators 201 disposed between these plates. The fixed plate 20a is fixed to the upper wall 30 of the chamber 3. In addition, a frame-like platform 21 is mounted on the movable plate 20b, and the distance adjustment unit 22 and the plate unit lifting unit 13 are supported on the platform 21. When the movable plate 20b is displaced in the horizontal direction relative to the fixed plate 20a by the actuators 201, the platform 21, the distance adjustment unit 22, and the plate unit lifting unit 13 are displaced as a whole.

[0052] Multiple actuators 201 may include, for example, actuators capable of displacing the movable plate 20b in the X direction and actuators capable of displacing the movable plate 20b in the Y direction. By controlling their movement, the movable plate 20b can be displaced in the X direction, Y direction, and rotational direction about the Z direction. For example, the multiple actuators 201 may include a motor as a drive source and a ball screw mechanism that converts the driving force of the motor into linear motion.

[0053] <Distance Adjustment Unit>

[0054] The distance adjustment unit 22 adjusts the distance between the holding member 15A and the substrate support unit 6A and the mask stage 5A by raising and lowering them, thereby bringing the substrate 100A and the mask 101A closer together and further apart in the thickness direction (Z direction) of the substrate 100A. In other words, the distance adjustment unit 22 brings the substrate 100A and the mask 101A closer together in the same direction or separates them in the opposite direction. Furthermore, the "distance" adjusted by the distance adjustment unit 22 is the so-called vertical distance (or vertical distance), and the distance adjustment unit can also be described as a unit that adjusts the vertical position of the mask 101A and the substrate 100A.

[0055] like Figure 3As shown, the distance adjustment unit 22 includes a first lifting plate 220. A guide rail 21a extending in the Z direction is formed on the side of the platform 21, and the first lifting plate 220 can move freely up and down in the Z direction along the guide rail 21a.

[0056] The first lifting plate 220 supports the retaining member 15A via a plurality of support shafts R1. When the first lifting plate 220 rises or falls, the retaining member 15A rises or falls accordingly. In other words, the first lifting plate 220 supports the plurality of support shafts R1 supporting the retaining member 15A, and through the rise and fall of the first lifting plate 220, the plurality of support shafts R1 rise and fall synchronously, allowing the retaining member 15A to rise and fall while maintaining its parallelism. Furthermore, the first lifting plate 220 supports the base plate support unit 6A via a plurality of actuators 65 and a plurality of support shafts R3. When the first lifting plate 220 rises or falls, the base plate support unit 6A rises or falls accordingly. Additionally, the plurality of actuators 65 can move the connected plurality of support shafts R3 in the vertical direction. The base plate support unit 6A moves relative to the retaining member 15A in the vertical direction via the plurality of actuators 65. The plurality of actuators 65 may, for example, be configured to move the support shafts R3 in the vertical direction via a motor and a ball screw mechanism.

[0057] The lifting and lowering of the first lifting plate 220 will be described more specifically. The distance adjustment unit 22 includes a drive unit 221, which serves as an actuator supported on the frame 21 and lifts and lowers the first lifting plate 220. The drive unit 221 is a mechanism that transmits the driving force of the motor 221a, which serves as the drive source, to the first lifting plate 220. In this embodiment, a ball screw mechanism having a ball screw shaft 221b and a ball nut 221c is used as the transmission mechanism of the drive unit 221. The ball screw shaft 221b extends along the Z direction and rotates about the Z-axis by the driving force of the motor 221a. The ball nut 221c is fixed to the first lifting plate 220 and engages with the ball screw shaft 221b. By rotating the ball screw shaft 221b and switching its rotation direction, the first lifting plate 220 can be lifted and lowered in the Z direction. The amount of lifting and lowering of the first lifting plate 220 can be controlled, for example, based on the detection results of a sensor such as a rotary encoder that detects the rotation amount of each motor 221a. Therefore, the position of the holding member 15A in the Z direction that holds and supports the substrate 100A can be controlled, and the contact and separation between the substrate 100A and the mask 101A can be controlled.

[0058] <Plate Unit Lifting Unit>

[0059] The plate unit lifting unit 13 lifts and lowers the plate unit 9, which is connected to the second lifting plate 112 and disposed inside the chamber 3, by lifting and lowering the second lifting plate 112 disposed outside the chamber 3. The plate unit 9 is connected to the second lifting plate 112 via one or more support shafts R2. In this embodiment, the plate unit 9 is supported by two support shafts R2. The support shafts R2 extend upward from the magnetic adsorption member 11 of the magnetic adsorption mask 101 and are connected to the second lifting plate 112 through the opening of the upper wall portion 30, the openings of the fixed plate 20a and the movable plate 20b, and the opening of the first lifting plate 220.

[0060] The second lifting plate 112 can move freely up and down in the Z direction along the guide shaft 112a. The plate unit lifting unit 13 has a drive mechanism supported on the frame 21 and for raising and lowering the second lifting plate 112. The drive mechanism of the plate unit lifting unit 13 is a mechanism that transmits the driving force of the motor 13a, which is the drive source, to the second lifting plate 112. In this embodiment, a ball screw mechanism with a ball screw shaft 13b and a ball nut 13c is used as the transmission mechanism of the plate unit lifting unit 13. The ball screw shaft 13b extends along the Z direction and rotates about the Z-direction axis by the driving force of the motor 13a. The ball nut 13c is fixed to the second lifting plate 112 and engages with the ball screw shaft 13b. By rotating the ball screw shaft 13b and switching its rotation direction, the second lifting plate 112 can be raised and lowered in the Z direction. The amount of raising and lowering of the second lifting plate 112 can be controlled, for example, by the detection results of a sensor such as a rotary encoder that detects the rotation amount of each motor 13a. Therefore, the position of the board unit 9 in the Z direction can be controlled, and the contact and separation between the board unit 9 and the substrate 100A can be controlled.

[0061] <Measurement Unit>

[0062] The alignment device 2A includes a measuring unit (first measuring unit 7 and second measuring unit 8) for measuring the positional offset between the substrate 100A supported by the substrate support unit 6A and the mask 101A. Figure 4 This is an explanatory diagram of the first measuring unit 7 and the second measuring unit 8, showing the method for measuring the positional offset between the substrate 100A and the mask 101A. In this embodiment, both the first measuring unit 7 and the second measuring unit 8 are image capturing devices (cameras). The first measuring unit 7 and the second measuring unit 8 are disposed above the upper wall portion 30 of the chamber 3, and can capture images inside the chamber 3 through a window (not shown) formed in the upper wall portion 30.

[0063] A substrate coarse alignment mark 1000a and a substrate fine alignment mark 1000b are formed on substrate 100A, and a mask coarse alignment mark 1010a and a mask fine alignment mark 1010b are formed on mask 101. Hereinafter, substrate coarse alignment mark 1000a is sometimes referred to as substrate coarse mark 1000a, and substrate fine alignment mark 1000b is sometimes referred to as substrate fine mark 1000b, and both are collectively referred to as substrate marks. In addition, mask coarse alignment mark 1010a is sometimes referred to as mask coarse mark 1010a, and mask fine alignment mark 1010b is sometimes referred to as mask fine mark 1010b, and both are collectively referred to as mask marks.

[0064] A coarse substrate mark 1000a is formed at the center of the short side of substrate 100A. A fine substrate mark 1000b is formed at the four corners of substrate 100A. A coarse mask mark 1010a is formed at the center of the short side of mask 101, corresponding to the coarse substrate mark 1000a. Similarly, fine mask marks 1010b are formed at the four corners of mask 101, corresponding to the fine substrate mark 1000b.

[0065] The second measurement unit 8 is provided in four units (8a to 8d) to photograph each group (four groups in this embodiment) of the corresponding fine markings 1000b on the substrate and fine markings 1010b on the mask. The second measurement unit 8 is a high-magnification camera (fine camera) with a relatively narrow field of view but high resolution (e.g., on the order of a few μm), which measures the positional offset between the substrate 100A and the mask 101A with high precision. The first measurement unit 7 is provided in one unit, which photographs each group (two groups in this embodiment) of the corresponding coarse markings 1000a on the substrate and coarse markings 1010a on the mask.

[0066] The first measurement unit 7 is a low-magnification camera (coarse camera) with a relatively wide field of view but low resolution, used to measure the approximate positional offset between the substrate 100A and the mask 101A. Figure 4 The example shows a structure in which two sets of substrate rough markings 1000a and mask rough markings 1010a are photographed simultaneously using a first measuring unit 7, but it is not limited to this. Similar to the second measuring unit 8, two first measuring units 7 can also be provided at positions corresponding to each set, so as to photograph each set of substrate rough markings 1000a and mask rough markings 1010a respectively.

[0067] In this embodiment, after the approximate position adjustment of the substrate 100A and the mask 101A is performed based on the measurement results of the first measurement unit 7, the precise position adjustment of the substrate 100A and the mask 101A is performed based on the measurement results of the second measurement unit 8.

[0068] Mask 101A is a metal mask having an opening pattern corresponding to the film deposition pattern formed on substrate 100A, and is placed on mask stage 5A. Mask stage 5A is supported in chamber 3 by support pillar 124A. An opening (not shown) is provided in mask stage 5A, through which film deposition material is dispersed onto the film deposition surface of substrate 100A, which overlaps with mask 101A. Film deposition is performed with substrate 100A and mask 101A overlapping each other. Furthermore, mask stage 5A can be replaced with other mask placement units that place mask 101A at predetermined positions.

[0069] As mask 101A, a mask with a structure in which a mask foil with a thickness of a few μm to tens of μm is welded and fixed in a frame-shaped mask frame can be used. The material of mask 101A is not particularly limited, but metals with a low coefficient of thermal expansion, such as Invar alloy, are preferred.

[0070] <Overview of the film-forming unit>

[0071] The film-forming unit 14 moves while releasing film-forming material to form films on substrates 100A and 100B. In this embodiment, the film-forming unit 14 includes a film-forming source 140 and a moving part 142.

[0072] Film-forming source 140 releases film-forming material. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the film-forming source 140 includes: a plurality of receiving portions 1401a to 1401c, which receive film-forming materials; a plurality of release portions 1402a to 1402c, which are respectively disposed in the plurality of receiving portions 1401a to 1401c for releasing evaporated film-forming materials; and a delineation portion 1403, which delineates the release range of the film-forming materials.

[0073] The film-forming material contained in the housing portions 1401a to 1401c is heated and evaporated by a heater (not shown), and released from the release portions 1402a to 1402c into the internal space 1001 of the chamber 3. In this embodiment, the plurality of housing portions 1401a, 1401b, and 1401c are arranged in the moving direction (X direction) of the film-forming unit 14. In addition, in this embodiment, the plurality of housing portions are arranged in a direction intersecting the moving direction (Y direction) of the film-forming unit 14, similar to the plurality of housing portions 1401a to 1401c. For example, the plurality of housing portions 1401a to 1401c may also contain different film-forming materials. As a result, co-deposition of multiple film-forming materials can be performed on the substrates 100A and 100B.

[0074] The moving part 142 moves the film-forming source 140. In this embodiment, the moving part 142 reciprocates the film-forming source 140 in the direction (X direction) in which the plurality of film-forming stages 12A and 12B are arranged. The moving part 142 can use known techniques. In this embodiment, the moving part 142 is a linear guide including a moving body 1421 on which the film-forming source 140 is placed, a rolling body 1422 rotatably supported on the moving body 1421, and a drive unit (not shown). That is, when the moving body 1421 is driven by a drive unit (not shown) such as a ball screw mechanism, it moves along a track 102 provided on the floor of the chamber 3 via the rolling body 1422.

[0075] Film-forming source gates 16A to 16C (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as film-forming source gate 16 without distinction) are provided on the film-forming source 140 to suppress the film-forming material from flying onto the substrates 100A and 100B. In addition, the film-forming source gate 16 has a rotating part 1602 that rotates the shielding member 1601 with the cross direction (Y direction) intersecting the moving direction as the axial direction.

[0076] Figure 6 This diagram illustrates the general outline of the film-forming process of the film-forming apparatus according to the embodiment. Each film-forming source gate 16 is configured to suppress the film-forming material released from the release sections 1402a to 1402c from scattering onto the substrates 100A and 100B at a suppression position (see reference). Figure 6 ST1) and the permissible locations where film-forming material is allowed to scatter onto substrates 100A and 100B (refer to ST1) Figure 6 Displacement between ST2 and ST2.

[0077] Substrate gates 18A and 18B (hereinafter sometimes referred to as substrate gate 18 without distinction) are in the standby position POS1 of the film deposition unit 14 (see reference). Figure 6 In the case of ST1), the film-forming material is prevented from scattering from the film-forming unit 14 onto the substrates 100A and 100B. The substrate gate 18A is an example of a gate that controls the injection of film-forming material onto the substrate 100A. The substrate gate 18A includes a shielding member 1801a, a support member 1802a, and a lifting portion 1803a. The substrate gate 18B is an example of a gate that controls the injection of film-forming material onto the substrate 100B. The substrate gate 18B includes a shielding member 1801b, a support member 1802b, and a lifting portion 1803b.

[0078] Support members 1802a and 1802b each have a support column that supports shielding members 1801a and 1801b from above in the Z direction, and are configured to be able to move up and down in the Z direction via lifting parts 1803a and 1803b. Substrate gates 18A and 18B are configured to move up and down in the vertical direction, and film formation source 140 is configured to be covered by substrate gates 18A and 18B.

[0079] Shielding members 1801a and 1801b can be positioned at the suppression position POS10 (refer to...) Figure 6 ST1) and Permitted Location POS20 (refer to Figure 6 The shielding member POS10 is an example (first height) of the position of the shielding members 1801a and 1801b that prevents the film-forming material from flying from the film-forming unit 14 to the substrates 100A and 100B when the shielding members 1801a and 1801b are located at the suppression position POS10. The permissible position POS20 is an example (second height) of a position higher than the suppression position that allows the film-forming material to fly from the film-forming unit 14 to the substrates 100A and 100B when the shielding members 1801a and 1801b are located at the permissible position POS20. Furthermore, the shielding member 1801a has a portion extending vertically in the Z direction so that when the shielding member 1801a is located at the suppression position POS10, the film-forming material is prevented from flying to the substrate 100A regardless of whether the shielding member 1801b is located at the suppression position POS10 or the permissible position POS20.

[0080] <Action Example>

[0081] like Figure 6 As shown, the film deposition unit 14 deposits a film on the substrate while reciprocating along the X direction below the film deposition stage 12A and film deposition stage 12B. Furthermore, the film deposition unit 14 performs film deposition on each substrate by reciprocating once along the X direction below each substrate. The film deposition unit 14 performs film deposition on each substrate a total of two times while moving: once while moving towards the positive side of the X direction, and once while moving towards the negative side of the X direction. In this embodiment, the film deposition in the forward direction for substrate 100A and the film deposition in the forward direction for substrate 100B are opposite to the moving direction of the film deposition unit 14. The same applies to the return direction.

[0082] exist Figure 6 In this process, the film-forming unit 14 moves from position POS1 at the negative end in the X direction to a predetermined position at the positive end, then turns back and moves back to position POS1. During this time, the film-forming unit 14 sequentially performs film formation in the film-forming stage 12A in the return direction for the first substrate 100A and in the forward direction for the substrate 100A. In the film-forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment, while film formation is being performed using one film-forming stage 12A, alignment processing is performed on the other film-forming stage 12B. This improves the throughput of the film-forming process.

[0083] State ST1 is the state in which the film-forming unit 14 starts heating in the standby position POS1 to prepare for film formation. Here, the film-forming source gates 16A to 16C and the substrate gates 18A and 18B are positioned in the suppression position until the release amount of film-forming material from the film-forming source 140 stabilizes. This prevents the film-forming material released from the film-forming unit 14 from adhering to the substrate 100 (100A, 100B).

[0084] State ST2 is a state in which film-forming material can be released by heating the film-forming source. The control unit 200 rotates the rotating unit 1602 to move the shielding members 1601a to 1601c from the suppressed position to the allowed position. Furthermore, in state ST2, the film-forming material released from the film-forming unit 14 is suppressed by the substrate gates 18A and 18B located at the suppressed position POS10, so film formation on the substrates 100A and 100B is not performed.

[0085] State ST3 is the state where film deposition begins on substrate 100A. The substrate gate 18A moves from the suppression position POS10 to the allowable position POS20, thereby allowing the film deposition material to scatter on the substrate 100A side. The film deposition unit 14 releases the film deposition material while moving in the positive X direction, thereby attaching the film deposition material to substrate 100A. Here, since the substrate gate 18B remains in the suppression position POS10, film deposition on substrate 100B is not performed.

[0086] When the film-forming unit 14 reaches the designated retraction position, the moving direction of the film-forming unit 14 is switched to the negative side of the X direction to perform a retraction action. Then, while releasing the film-forming material, it moves from the retraction position to the negative side of the X direction to the standby position POS1.

[0087] When the film-forming unit 14 completes its movement from the folded-back position to the standby position POS1, it becomes the state where the film-forming unit 14 has completed one reciprocating film-forming process on the substrate 100A.

[0088] During the film-forming process on the film-forming stage 12A side, an alignment process is performed on the film-forming stage 12B side. Figure 7 The details of the alignment process in the film-forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment will be described later in the flowchart. After the alignment process on the film-forming stage 12B side is completed, the film-forming unit 14 releases the film-forming material while moving to the negative side in the X direction, thereby attaching the film-forming material to the substrate 100B. Here, since the substrate gate 18A remains in the suppressed position POS10, film formation on the substrate 100A is not performed.

[0089] The control unit 200 controls the removal of the substrate 100A after the film deposition process of the substrate 100B, and the insertion of a new substrate 100A to perform an alignment process between the mask 101A and the new substrate 100A. This alignment process is performed in conjunction with... Figure 7 The alignment process described in the flowchart can be performed in the same way.

[0090] <Alignment Process>

[0091] Figure 7 This diagram illustrates the alignment process of the film-forming apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. In the film-forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment, while film-forming processing is performed using one of the multiple film-forming stages 12A and 12B, alignment processing of the substrate 100 and the mask 101 is performed using the other film-forming stage. When film-forming processing is performed using one film-forming stage, if vibrations caused by the movement of the film-forming unit 14 are transmitted via the chamber 3 to the other film-forming stage where alignment processing is performed, the holding member 15 and the mask stage 5 will vibrate, which may lead to a decrease in alignment accuracy.

[0092] The alignment process of this embodiment suppresses the reduction in alignment accuracy caused by the influence of vibrations propagating during the film formation process. In the following description, a specific process will be described using an example of film formation process performed on one of the two film formation stages 12B and alignment process performed on the other film formation stage 12A. In the film formation apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the first measuring unit 7, the second measuring unit 8, the plate unit lifting unit 13, the position adjustment unit 20, and the distance adjustment unit 22 function as adjustment units for alignment processing.

[0093] In step S700 (hereinafter referred to as S700, and the same applies to other steps), a rough alignment measurement is performed. The first measurement unit 7 captures the rough marking 1000a on the substrate. Figure 4 ) and mask rough marking 1010a ( Figure 4 Each group measures the approximate positional offset between the substrate 100 and the mask 101.

[0094] In step S701, the control unit 200, based on the measurement results from the first measurement unit 7, controls the position adjustment unit 20 to perform approximate alignment (rough alignment) of the substrate 100A and the mask 101A. The position adjustment unit 20 adjusts (corrects) the relative position of the substrate 100A with respect to the mask 101A by displacing the substrate support unit 6A or the holding member 15A in the XY plane. This adjustment (correction) of the relative position is performed in a state where the holding member 15A or the substrate 100A held by the holding member 15A is not in contact with the mask 101A.

[0095] In S702, the control unit 200 determines whether the relative position has been adjusted to the specified coarse adjustment range in the coarse alignment. If the relative position has not been adjusted to the specified coarse adjustment range (S702 - No), the process returns to S700, and the processes of S700 and S701 are repeatedly executed. On the other hand, if the relative position has been adjusted to the specified coarse adjustment range in the determination of S702 (S702 - Yes), the control unit 200 causes the process to proceed to S703. Here, the specified coarse adjustment range is a larger adjustment range than the specified fine adjustment range in S708 described later. Coarse alignment adjusts the relative position with lower precision than fine alignment.

[0096] In S703, the control unit 200 controls the distance adjustment unit 22 to lower the holding member 15A along the Z direction, so that the holding member 15A approaches the mask 101A.

[0097] In S704, the distance measuring sensor 55A measures the distance between the holding member 15A and the mask stage 5A, and the control unit 200 determines whether the holding member 15A and the mask 101A are in contact at least partially based on the measurement result of the distance measuring sensor 55A.

[0098] like Figure 5 As shown, the seating member 115A of the holding member 15A is configured to protrude downward in the Z direction from the substrate surface of the substrate 100A. Therefore, contact with the mask 101A can occur as a part of the holding member 15A (seat member 115A) and the mask 101A. Whether or not contact has occurred can be determined based on the measurement result of the distance measuring sensor 55A, but to determine the presence or absence of contact with greater accuracy, the height of the seat member 115A in the Z direction and the thickness of the mask 101A can also be considered. Here, since the height of the seat member 115A in the Z direction and the thickness of the mask 101A in the Z direction are known, the control unit 200 can determine with greater accuracy whether a part of the holding member 15A (seat member 115A) and the mask 101A are in contact by using the measurement result of the distance measuring sensor 55A and the height of the seat member 115A in the Z direction and the thickness of the mask 101A in the Z direction.

[0099] Furthermore, the contact with the mask 101A is not limited to the seating member 115A, but can also be such that a portion of the substrate 100A held in the holding member 15A (e.g., the peripheral portion without a pattern) contacts the mask 101A.

[0100] By making the holding member 15A (e.g., the seating member 115A) or the substrate 100A (e.g., the peripheral portion) held on the holding member 15A in contact with the mask 101A at least partially, the vibrations of the mask stage 5A on which the mask 101A is placed and the holding member 15A can be attenuated. In addition, through at least partial contact, the amplitude and period of the vibration propagating toward the holding member 15A can be synchronized with the amplitude and period of the vibration propagating toward the mask stage 5A.

[0101] In the decision process of S704, if at least some contact is not achieved (S704-No), the process returns to S703 and repeats the same process. On the other hand, in the decision process of S704, if at least some contact is achieved (S704-Yes), the process proceeds to S705.

[0102] In S705, the control unit 200 controls the distance adjustment unit 22 to stop the descent of the retaining member 15A in the Z direction. When the control unit 200 determines that a contact state has been reached, it stops the approach of the retaining member 15A.

[0103] In step S706, a fine alignment measurement is performed. The second measurement unit 8 (8a-8d) captures the fine markings 1000b on the substrate. Figure 4 ) and mask fine marking 1010b ( Figure 4 Each group measures the precise positional offset between substrate 100A and mask 101A.

[0104] In S707, the control unit 200, based on the measurement results of the second measurement unit 8, controls the position adjustment unit 20 to perform precise alignment (fine alignment) of the substrate 100A and the mask 101A. The position adjustment unit 20 precisely adjusts (corrects the position) the relative position of the substrate 100A with respect to the mask 101A by displacing the substrate support unit 6A or the holding member 15A in the XY plane. This position correction step is performed in a contact state where the mask 101A contacts a portion of the holding member 15A (the sitting member 115A) or a portion of the substrate 100A (the peripheral portion). Furthermore, the mask 101A is a fine metal mask with an opening pattern corresponding to the film formation pattern formed on the substrate 100A. The area with the opening pattern is excluded from the contact object and becomes a non-contact state. In addition, the film formation surface of the substrate 100A where the film formation pattern is formed is also excluded from the contact object and becomes a non-contact state.

[0105] In S708, the control unit 200 determines whether the relative position has been adjusted within the specified fine adjustment range in fine alignment. If the relative position has not been adjusted within the specified fine adjustment range (S708 - No), the process returns to S706, and the processes in S706 and S707 are repeated. On the other hand, if the determination in S708 indicates that the relative position has been adjusted within the specified fine adjustment range (S708 - Yes), the control unit 200 causes the process to proceed to S709. Here, the specified fine adjustment range is a narrower adjustment range than the specified coarse adjustment range in S702, and fine alignment adjusts the relative position with higher precision than coarse alignment.

[0106] In step S709, the control unit 200 controls the distance adjustment unit 22 to lower the holding member 15A along the Z direction, causing the holding member 15A to settle on the mask 101A. In step S705, the lowering of the holding member 15A resumes from the stopped state. As the holding member 15A lowers along the Z direction, the area in contact with the mask 101A increases, and when the holding member 15A reaches a predetermined lowering position, it settles on the mask 101A. If a positional offset occurs during the lowering of the holding member 15A, the control unit 200 controls the position adjustment unit 20 based on the measurement results of the second measurement unit 8 to fine-tune the positional offset between the substrate 100A and the mask 101A so that the relative position is within a predetermined fine adjustment range.

[0107] In S710, with the relative position of the board unit lifting unit 13 adjusted to a predetermined fine adjustment range, the magnetic adsorption member 11 is moved to the position of adsorbing the mask 101A in order to fix the positions of the substrate 100A and the mask 101A. The control unit 200 controls the board unit lifting unit 13 to lower the board unit 9, which includes the magnetic adsorption member 11, along the Z direction. When the magnetic adsorption member 11 lowers to the position of adsorbing the mask 101A, the mask 101A is adsorbed to the holding member 15A by the magnetic adsorption force of the magnetic adsorption member 11, and the substrate 100A and the mask 101A held in the holding member 15A are in a tight contact state.

[0108] In S711, a final measurement is performed to confirm whether the state is suitable for film formation. During this final confirmation, the control unit 200 obtains the measurement results from the second measurement unit 8 (8a-8d) and determines whether each measurement result converges within a specified fine adjustment range. If it does not converge within the specified fine adjustment range, the process returns to the fine alignment measurement in S706 and the same process is performed. If the state converges within the specified fine adjustment range, the control unit 200 ultimately determines that the state is suitable for film formation and ends the alignment process.

[0109] According to the alignment process of this embodiment, compared with the alignment process in the prior art, the positional offset in the XY direction caused by vibration can be converged to an error range of about 1 / 10. That is, in the film forming apparatus 1 that uses two worktables for film forming, the reduction in alignment accuracy can be suppressed.

[0110] After the alignment process is completed in the film-forming stage 12A, the process can be transferred to the film-forming stage 12A for further processing. Additionally, Figure 7 The description explains the alignment process in the film-forming stage 12A, but the same applies to the alignment process in the film-forming stage 12B.

[0111] <Manufacturing Methods of Electronic Devices>

[0112] 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 this example, multiple [devices / fabrication points] are installed on the production line. Figure 1 The illustrated film-forming system SY.

[0113] First, the manufactured organic EL display device will be explained. Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating an example of a manufacturing method for an electronic device. Figure 8 (A) is an overall view of the organic EL display device 700. Figure 8 (B) is a diagram representing the cross-sectional structure of a pixel.

[0114] like Figure 8 As shown in (A), in the display area 801 of the organic EL display device 800, a plurality of pixels 802, each having a plurality of light-emitting elements, are arranged in a matrix. Each light-emitting element has a structure having an organic layer sandwiched between a pair of electrodes, which will be described in detail later.

[0115] Furthermore, the term "pixel" here refers to the smallest unit capable of displaying a desired color in the display area 801. In the case of a color organic EL display device, a pixel 802 is constructed by a combination of multiple sub-pixels representing different light-emitting elements: a first light-emitting element 802R, a second light-emitting element 802G, and a third light-emitting element 802B. Pixel 802 is mostly composed of a combination of three sub-pixels: red (R) light-emitting elements, green (G) light-emitting elements, and blue (B) light-emitting elements, but is not limited to this. Pixel 802 may contain at least one sub-pixel, preferably two or more sub-pixels, and more preferably three or more sub-pixels. For example, a combination of four sub-pixels constituting pixel 802: red (R) light-emitting elements, green (G) light-emitting elements, blue (B) light-emitting elements, and yellow (Y) light-emitting elements.

[0116] Figure 8 (B) is Figure 8 A partial cross-sectional view at line AB of (A). Pixel 802 has multiple sub-pixels composed of organic EL elements, which have a first electrode (anode) 804, a hole transport layer 805, any one of a red layer 806R, a green layer 806G, and a blue layer 806B, an electron transport layer 807, and a second electrode (cathode) 808 on a substrate 803. The hole transport layer 805, red layer 806R, green layer 806G, blue layer 806B, and electron transport layer 807 are equivalent to organic layers. The red layer 806R, green layer 806G, and blue layer 806B are respectively formed into patterns corresponding to light-emitting elements (sometimes referred to as organic EL elements) emitting red, green, and blue light, respectively.

[0117] Furthermore, the first electrode 804 is formed separately for each light-emitting element. The hole transport layer 805, the electron transport layer 807, and the second electrode 808 can be formed shared across multiple light-emitting elements 802R, 802G, and 802B, or they can be formed for each light-emitting element. That is, they can also be formed as follows: Figure 8 As shown in (B), based on the hole transport layer 805 being formed as a shared layer across multiple sub-pixel regions, the red layer 806R, the green layer 806G, and the blue layer 806B are formed separately for each sub-pixel region, and an electron transport layer 807 and a second electrode 808 are formed thereon as a shared layer across multiple sub-pixel regions.

[0118] Furthermore, to prevent short circuits between the adjacent first electrodes 804, an insulating layer 809 is provided between the first electrodes 804. Moreover, since the organic EL layer deteriorates due to moisture and oxygen, a protective layer 810 is provided to protect the organic EL element from the effects of moisture and oxygen.

[0119] exist Figure 8 In (B), the hole transport layer 805 and the electron transport layer 807 are represented as a single layer, but depending on the structure of the organic EL display element, they may also be formed by multiple layers having a hole blocking layer and an electron blocking layer. Alternatively, a hole injection layer with a band structure capable of smoothly injecting holes from the first electrode 804 to the hole transport layer 805 may be formed between the first electrode 804 and the hole transport layer 805. Similarly, an electron injection layer may be formed between the second electrode 808 and the electron transport layer 807.

[0120] The red layer 806R, green layer 806G, and blue layer 806B can each be formed from a single emitting layer, or they can be formed by stacking multiple layers. For example, the red layer 806R can be composed of two layers, with the red emitting layer forming the upper layer and a hole transport layer or an electron blocking layer forming the lower layer. Alternatively, the red emitting layer can form the lower layer, and an electron transport layer or a hole blocking layer can form the upper layer. By setting layers on the lower or upper sides of the emitting layers in this way, the emitting position of the emitting layers can be adjusted, and the optical path length can be adjusted, thereby improving the color purity of the light-emitting element.

[0121] Furthermore, an example of red layer 806R is shown here, but the same structure can also be used in green layer 806G and blue layer 806B. Additionally, the number of layers can be two or more. Moreover, layers of different materials can be stacked, such as light-emitting layers and electron-blocking layers, or layers of the same material can be stacked, for example, stacking two or more light-emitting layers.

[0122] 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 806R is composed of two layers, a lower layer 806R1 and an upper layer 806R2, and the green layer 806G and the blue layer 806B are composed of a single light-emitting layer.

[0123] First, a circuit (not shown) for driving an organic EL display device and a substrate 803 on which a first electrode 804 is formed are prepared. Furthermore, the material of the substrate 803 is not particularly limited and can be made of glass, plastic, metal, etc. In this embodiment, a substrate with a polyimide film laminated on a glass substrate is used as the substrate 803.

[0124] An acrylic or polyimide resin layer is coated onto a substrate 803 on which the first electrode 804 is formed by rod coating or spin coating. An insulating layer 809 is then formed by patterning the resin layer in a manner that creates openings in the portion where the first electrode 804 is formed using photolithography. These openings correspond to the light-emitting areas where the light-emitting element actually emits light. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a large substrate is processed before forming the insulating layer 809, and a dicing process is performed to divide the substrate 803 after forming the insulating layer 809.

[0125] A substrate 803 with a patterned insulating layer 809 is fed into a first film-forming apparatus 1, and a hole transport layer 805 is formed on the first electrode 804 of the display area as a common layer. The hole transport layer 805 is formed using a mask with openings formed in each display area 801 of the panel portion of the final organic EL display device.

[0126] Next, the substrate 803 to which the hole transport layer 805 is formed is moved into the second film deposition apparatus 1. Alignment is performed between the substrate 803 and the mask, and the substrate is placed on the mask. A red layer 806R is formed on the portion of the substrate 803 on the hole transport layer 805 where the red-emitting element is disposed (the region forming the red sub-pixel). Here, the mask used in the second film deposition chamber is a high-precision mask with openings formed only in the regions of the red sub-pixels among the multiple regions on the substrate 803 that become sub-pixels of the organic EL display device. Thus, the red layer 806R, including the red emitting layer, is formed only in the regions of the red sub-pixels among the multiple regions on the substrate 803 that become sub-pixels. In other words, the red layer 806R is selectively formed only in the regions of the red sub-pixels, without forming the regions of the blue sub-pixels or the green sub-pixels among the multiple regions on the substrate 803.

[0127] Similar to the deposition of the red layer 806R, the green layer 806G is deposited in the third film deposition apparatus 1, and then the blue layer 806B is deposited in the fourth film deposition apparatus 1. After the deposition of the red layer 806R, the green layer 806G, and the blue layer 806B is completed, an electron transport layer 807 is formed over the entire display area 801 in the fifth film deposition apparatus 1. The electron transport layer 807 is formed as a common layer on the three color layers 806R, 806G, and 806B.

[0128] The substrate to which the electron transport layer 807 is formed is moved to the sixth film deposition apparatus 1, where the second electrode 808 is deposited. In this embodiment, each layer is deposited by vacuum evaporation in the first to sixth film deposition apparatus 1. However, the present invention is not limited to this; for example, the second electrode 808 in the sixth film deposition apparatus 1 can also be deposited by sputtering. Then, the substrate to which the second electrode 808 is formed is moved to a sealing apparatus, where a protective layer 810 is formed by plasma CVD (sealing process), completing the organic EL display device 800. Furthermore, the protective layer 810 is formed by CVD here, but is not limited to this method; it can also be formed by ALD or inkjet printing.

[0129] <Other Implementation Methods>

[0130] The present invention can also be implemented by providing a program that performs one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and having the program be read and executed by one or more processors in the computer of the system or device. Alternatively, it can be implemented by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that performs one or more functions.

[0131] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, claims are attached to disclose the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A film formation apparatus having a plurality of film formation stages, characterized by comprising adjustment means for performing alignment processing of a substrate and a mask using one of the plurality of film formation stages during film formation processing using another of the plurality of film formation stages, the adjustment means acquiring information on a relative position of the substrate and the mask in a state in which a holding means holding the substrate or the substrate and the mask are in contact at least in part, adjusting the relative position of the substrate and the mask to a prescribed range based on the information on the relative position in the state in which the holding means and the mask are in contact at least in part, and moving a magnetic attraction means to a position at which the mask is attracted in order to fix the positions of the substrate and the mask in a state in which the relative position is adjusted to the prescribed range.

2. The film formation apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding means includes an attraction means that holds the substrate by electrostatic force, and has a seating member provided so as to protrude downward from a holding surface of the holding means on an outer side of the holding surface.

3. The film formation apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the seating member is provided in a plurality, and at least any one of the plurality of seating members is in contact with the mask in the state in which the holding means and the mask are in contact at least in part.

4. The film formation apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the mask is a metal mask in which an opening pattern corresponding to a film formation pattern formed on the substrate is formed, the holding means or the substrate and a region in which the opening pattern is not formed are in contact at least in part in the state in which the holding means and the mask are in contact at least in part, and a region in which the opening pattern is formed is in a state in which contact is not made.

5. The film formation apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising: measurement means for measuring a distance between a placement means on which the mask is placed and the holding means; and control means for determining whether the state in which the holding means and the mask are in contact at least in part has been reached using the distance.

6. The film formation apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the measurement means is provided on either one of the placement means and the holding means.

7. The film formation apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the adjustment means adjusts the relative position of the substrate and the mask to a coarse adjustment range that is larger than the prescribed range in a state in which the holding means or the substrate and the mask are not in contact, approaches the holding means in a state in which the relative position is adjusted to the coarse adjustment range, and stops the approach of the holding means in a case in which it is determined that the state in which the holding means and the mask are in contact at least in part has been reached.

8. The film formation apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the magnetic attraction means attracts the mask, and fixes the positions of the substrate held by the holding means and the mask.

9. A film formation method that is a film formation method of a film formation apparatus having a plurality of film formation stages, characterized by comprising: adjusting a relative position of a substrate and a mask in a state in which a holding means holding the substrate or the substrate and the mask are in contact at least in part; adjusting the relative position of the substrate and the mask to a prescribed range based on information on the relative position in the state in which the holding means and the mask are in contact at least in part; and moving a magnetic attraction means to a position at which the mask is attracted in order to fix the positions of the substrate and the mask in a state in which the relative position is adjusted to the prescribed range. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The film formation method has an adjustment process in which, during a film formation process using one of the plurality of film formation stages, an alignment process of a substrate and a mask is performed using another of the film formation stages, In the adjustment process, information of a relative position of the substrate and the mask is acquired in a state in which a holding member holding the substrate or the substrate and the mask are in contact at least in a part, the relative position of the substrate and the mask is adjusted to be within a prescribed range in the state of contact based on the information of the relative position, and a magnetic attraction member is moved to a position at which the mask is attracted in order to fix the positions of the substrate and the mask in a state in which the relative position is adjusted to be within the prescribed range.

10. A method of manufacturing an electronic device, characterized by comprising: The method of manufacturing an electronic device includes a film formation process of forming a film on the substrate on which the alignment process is performed in the adjustment process of the film formation method according to claim 9.

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