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

Abstract

The film forming apparatus includes: a vapor deposition mechanism that discharges a vapor deposition material to a substrate through a mask having a plurality of openings for forming a film on the vapor deposition material; and a position adjustment mechanism that adjusts the relative position of the mask and the substrate. The plurality of openings have a tapered shape in which the opening area on the vapor deposition mechanism side is larger than the opening area on the substrate side. After the vapor deposition mechanism performs a first discharge of the vapor deposition substance to the substrate, the vapor deposition portion of the substrate is changed by adjusting the relative position of the mask and the substrate by the position adjustment mechanism, and the vapor deposition mechanism performs a second discharge of the vapor deposition substance to the substrate.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a technology of film formation on a substrate, and relates to a film formation apparatus, a film formation method, a manufacturing method of an electronic device, and a mask. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the manufacturing of an organic EL display or the like, a mask is used to form a film of an evaporation material on a substrate. As a pre-treatment of film formation, alignment of the mask and the substrate is performed, and the two are overlapped (for example, Patent Literature 1). A pattern identical to a pattern formed on the substrate is formed on the mask, and a desired pattern is formed on the substrate by one film formation process.

[0003] PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

[0004] PATENT LITERATURE

[0005] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-007538 SUMMARY

[0006] PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0007] In a small display called a micro display, the pitch between pixels is narrow. As a mask corresponding thereto, there is a method of thinning a pattern forming portion, but the strength decreases. If the pattern forming portion is given a thickness, the pitch between pixels cannot be sufficiently reduced, and the evaporation material passing through the opening portion decreases, and sometimes the film (pixel) decreases more than the opening portion.

[0008] The present application provides a technology capable of improving the durability of a mask and capable of forming a finer film.

[0009] SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM

[0010] According to the present application, there is provided a film formation apparatus including:

[0011] an evaporation mechanism that discharges an evaporation material toward a substrate via a mask having a plurality of opening portions for film formation of the evaporation material; and

[0012] a position adjustment mechanism that adjusts the relative position of the mask and the substrate,

[0013] The film formation apparatus is characterized in that:

[0014] the plurality of opening portions have a tapered shape in which the opening area on the evaporation mechanism side is larger than the opening area on the substrate side,

[0015] After the vapor deposition mechanism releases the vapor deposition material from the substrate for the first time, the position adjustment mechanism adjusts the relative position of the mask and the substrate, thereby changing the vapor deposition area of ​​the substrate, and the vapor deposition mechanism releases the vapor deposition material from the substrate for the second time.

[0016] Invention Effects

[0017] According to the present invention, a technique is provided that can improve the durability of the mask and enable the formation of finer films. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a part of an electronic device production line.

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

[0020] Figure 3 It includes a three-dimensional view of the substrate and mask, as well as a magnified view of a portion of the substrate and mask.

[0021] Figure 4A yes Figure 3 A sectional view along line AA.

[0022] Figure 4B yes Figure 3 BB line section view.

[0023] Figure 4C This is a cross-sectional view of the opening in the comparative example.

[0024] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 A diagram illustrating the operation of the film-forming device.

[0025] Figure 6 yes Figure 2 A diagram illustrating the operation of the film-forming device.

[0026] Figure 7 yes Figure 2 A diagram illustrating the operation of the film-forming device.

[0027] Figure 8 yes Figure 2 A diagram illustrating the operation of the film-forming device.

[0028] Figure 9 yes Figure 2 A diagram illustrating the operation of the film-forming device.

[0029] Figure 10 yes Figure 2 A diagram illustrating the operation of the film-forming device.

[0030] Figure 11 yesFigure 2 A diagram illustrating the operation of the film-forming device.

[0031] Figure 12A This is an overall diagram of an organic EL display device.

[0032] Figure 12B It is a diagram that represents the cross-sectional structure of a pixel. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following embodiments do not limit the invention as described in the claims. Multiple features are described in the embodiments, but not all of these features are necessarily essential to the invention, and the multiple features can be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the same or identical structures are labeled with the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0034] <First Implementation Method>

[0035] <Electronic Component Production Line>

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing a portion of the structure of an electronic device production line 100 to which the film-forming apparatus of the present invention can be applied. In each figure, arrows X and Y represent mutually orthogonal horizontal directions, and arrow Z represents the vertical direction (direction of gravity). Figure 1 The production line is used for manufacturing light-emitting elements, such as those for organic EL display devices. The production line 100 includes a transfer chamber 120 that has an octagonal shape when viewed from above. A substrate 101 is fed into the transfer chamber 120 from the transfer path 110, and the substrate 101 after film deposition is sent out from the transfer chamber 120 to the transfer path 111.

[0037] Multiple film-forming devices 1 for forming films on substrate 101 are arranged around the transfer chamber 120. A transfer chamber 130 is arranged adjacent to each film-forming device 1. A storage chamber 140 for storing a mask 102 is arranged around the transfer chamber 130, which has an octagonal shape when viewed from above.

[0038] A transfer unit 121 for transferring substrate 101 is disposed in transfer chamber 120. In this embodiment, transfer unit 121 is a horizontally articulated robot that carries and transfers substrate 101 in a horizontal posture on its hand. Transfer unit 121 performs an input operation to transfer substrate 101 fed in from transfer path 110 to film forming apparatus 1 and an output operation to transfer substrate 101 formed by film forming apparatus 1 from film forming chamber 1 to transfer path 111.

[0039] Each transfer chamber 130 is equipped with a transfer unit 131 for transferring masks 102. In this embodiment, the transfer unit 131 is a horizontally articulated robot that carries and transfers masks 102 in a horizontal posture on its hands. The transfer unit 131 performs the actions of transferring masks 102 from storage chamber 140 to film forming apparatus 1 and transferring masks 102 from film forming apparatus 1 to storage chamber 140.

[0040] <Film Forming Device>

[0041] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a film-forming apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The film-forming apparatus 1 is an apparatus for depositing a vapor-deposited material onto a substrate 101, using a mask 102 to form a thin film of the vapor-deposited material with a predetermined pattern. The material of the substrate 101 used for film formation by the film-forming apparatus 1 can be appropriately selected from materials such as glass, resin, and metal. Particularly in this embodiment, the substrate 101 is, for example, a glass substrate on which a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) is formed, or a semiconductor wafer (silicon wafer) on which semiconductor elements are formed.

[0042] The vapor deposition material can be organic materials, inorganic materials (metals, metal oxides, etc.), etc. The film deposition apparatus 1 can be used in manufacturing apparatuses for electronic devices and optical components, such as display devices (flat panel displays, etc.), thin-film solar cells, organic photoelectric conversion elements (organic thin-film camera elements), etc., and is particularly applicable to manufacturing apparatuses for organic EL panels. In the following description, an example of film deposition apparatus 1 depositing a film on substrate 101 by vacuum vapor deposition will be described; however, the present invention is not limited to this, and various film deposition methods such as sputtering and CVD can be applied.

[0043] The film-forming apparatus 1 has a box-shaped vacuum chamber 2. The internal space of the vacuum chamber 2 is maintained in a vacuum atmosphere or an inactive gas atmosphere such as nitrogen. In this embodiment, the vacuum chamber 2 is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown). A vapor deposition unit 10 is arranged inside the vacuum chamber 2. The vapor deposition unit 10 has a vapor deposition source that releases vapor deposition material upwards. A baffle 10a is arranged above the vapor deposition unit 10 to restrict and release the release of vapor deposition material. The baffle 10a is opened and closed by an opening and closing mechanism (not shown). Figure 2 The diagram shows the baffle 10a in the closed state, restricting the release of vapor-deposited material based on the vapor deposition unit 10. An anti-adhesion plate 2a is also disposed above the vapor deposition unit 10. The anti-adhesion plate 2a prevents vapor-deposited material from unnecessarily adhering to the following structures disposed in the upper part of the internal space of the vacuum chamber 2.

[0044] A substrate support plate 3 is provided inside the vacuum chamber 2 to support the substrate 101 in a horizontal position. In this embodiment, the substrate support plate 3 is an electrostatic chuck, which attracts and holds the substrate 101 by electrostatic force on its lower surface. A cooling plate 4 is fixed on the substrate support plate 3. The cooling plate 4 is equipped with, for example, a water cooling mechanism, and cools the substrate 101 via the substrate support plate 3 during film formation.

[0045] The substrate support plate 3 and the cooling plate 4 are suspended from the magnet plate 5 by displacement in the Z direction via the support portion 5a. The magnet plate 5 attracts the plate of the mask 102 by magnetic force. During film formation, the substrate 101 is held between the magnet plate 5 and the mask 102 by magnetic force, thereby improving the adhesion between the substrate 101 and the mask 102.

[0046] The film-forming apparatus 1 includes a mask support unit 6 that supports the mask 102 during film formation. In this embodiment, the mask support unit 6 also performs the transfer operation of the substrate 101 between the transfer unit 121 and the substrate support plate 3. The mask support unit 6 includes a pair of support members 6a separated along the X direction. Each support member 6a is raised and lowered by a corresponding actuator 6b. In this embodiment, each support member 6a is provided with an actuator 6b, but a pair of support members 6a can also be raised and lowered by a single actuator 6b. The actuator 6b is, for example, an electric cylinder or an electric ball screw mechanism. The support member 6a has a claw portion F1 at its lower end. The periphery of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is placed on the claw portion F1. Figure 2 In this example, the mask 102 is placed on the claw F1. A pair of support members 6a move up and down synchronously, causing the substrate 101 and the mask 102 to move up and down. The claw F1 may also have a mechanism that can release the mask 102.

[0047] The film deposition apparatus 1 includes an alignment unit 8 for aligning the substrate 101 and the mask 102. The alignment apparatus 8 includes a drive mechanism 80 and multiple measurement units SR. The drive mechanism 80 includes a distance adjustment unit 81, a support shaft 82, a stage 83, and a position adjustment unit 84.

[0048] The distance adjustment unit 81 is a mechanism that raises and lowers the support shaft 82 along the Z direction. For example, it may include an electric cylinder or an electric ball screw mechanism. A magnet plate 5 is fixed to the lower end of the support shaft 82. The substrate support plate 3 is raised and lowered via the magnet plate 5 by raising and lowering the support shaft 82. The distance between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is adjusted by raising and lowering the substrate support plate 3, causing the substrate 101 supported on the substrate support plate 3 and the mask 102 to approach and move away (separate) along the thickness direction (Z direction) of the substrate 101. In other words, the distance adjustment unit 81 moves the substrate 101 and the mask 102 closer together or further away in the opposite direction. It should be noted that the "distance" adjusted by the distance adjustment unit 81 is the so-called vertical distance (or vertical distance), and the distance adjustment unit 81 is also called a unit for adjusting the vertical position of the substrate 101. The distance adjustment unit 81 is mounted on the position adjustment unit 84 via a stand 83.

[0049] The position adjustment unit 84 adjusts the relative position of the substrate 101 with respect to the mask 102 by displacing the substrate support plate 3 in the XY plane. That is, the position adjustment unit 80 can also be described as a unit that adjusts the horizontal position of the mask 102 and the substrate 101. The position adjustment unit 80 can displace the substrate support plate 6 along the X direction, Y direction, and the rotational direction (θ direction) about the Z direction axis. In this embodiment, the position of the mask 102 is fixed, and the relative position of the substrate 101 is adjusted by displacing it. However, it is also possible to adjust the position by displacing the mask 102, or by displacing both the substrate 101 and the mask 102.

[0050] The position adjustment unit 84 includes a fixed plate 20a and a movable plate 20b. Both the fixed plate 84a and the movable plate 84b are rectangular frame-shaped plates, with the fixed plate 84a fixed to the upper wall 20 of the vacuum chamber 2. An actuator is provided between the fixed plate 20a and the movable plate 20b, which causes the movable plate 20b to move relative to the fixed plate 20a in the X-direction, Y-direction, and rotational directions about the Z-direction.

[0051] A frame-like platform 83 is mounted on the movable plate 84b, and a distance adjustment unit 81 is supported on the platform 83. When the movable plate 84b is displaced, the platform 83 and the distance adjustment unit 81 are displaced as a whole. This allows the substrate 101 to be displaced along the X-direction, Y-direction, and rotational directions about the Z-direction axis. An opening is formed in the upper wall portion 20 for the support shaft 82, support members 6a and 7a to pass through. These openings are sealed by sealing members (bellows, etc., not shown) to maintain the airtightness of the vacuum chamber 2.

[0052] The measurement unit SR measures the positional deviation between the substrate 101 and the mask 102. In this embodiment, the measurement unit SR is an image-capturing device (camera). The measurement unit SR is disposed on the upper wall 20 and is capable of capturing images within the vacuum chamber 2. Alignment marks (not shown) are formed on the substrate 101 and the mask 102, respectively. The measurement unit SR captures images of each alignment mark on the substrate 101 and the mask 102. The positional deviation between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is calculated based on the position of each alignment mark, and the relative position of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is adjusted by the position adjustment unit 84 to eliminate the positional deviation.

[0053] The control device 9 controls the entire film-forming apparatus 1. The control device 9 includes a processing unit 90, a storage unit 91, an input / output interface (I / O) 92, and a communication unit 93. The processing unit 90 is a processor, such as a CPU, that executes the program stored in the storage unit 92 to control the film-forming apparatus 1. The storage unit 91 is a storage device such as ROM, RAM, or HDD, which stores various control information in addition to the program executed by the processing unit 90. The I / O 92 is an interface for transmitting and receiving signals between the processing unit 90 and external devices. The communication unit 93 is a communication device that communicates with a host device or other control devices via a communication line.

[0054] <Structure example of substrate and mask>

[0055] Figure 3 An example of a substrate 101, a mask 102, and an electrostatic chuck 103 is shown. The substrate 101 is a circular silicon wafer, from which multiple chips 101a are cut after film deposition, etc. In the illustrated example, for each chip 101a, it is envisioned that a matrix pattern of multiple pixels 101b of a predetermined color (e.g., red, blue, or green) is formed by the film deposition apparatus 1. The spacing between adjacent pixels 101b in the X direction is P0.

[0056] The mask 102, like the substrate 101, is a circular component, comprising a mask portion 102b corresponding to each chip 101a and a frame portion 102a surrounding the mask portion 102b. Multiple openings (through holes) 102c are formed in the mask portion 102b to allow the vapor-deposited material deposited on the substrate 101 to pass through. The arrangement of the openings 102c defines the film deposition pattern on the substrate 101. The multiple openings 101b form a matrix pattern, and the number and position (spacing) of the openings 101b in the Y direction are consistent with those of the pixels 101b. On the other hand, the spacing P1 of the openings 101b in the X direction is longer than the spacing P0. In this embodiment, this is an integer multiple relationship as shown by P1 = N × P0 (N is an integer greater than or equal to 2). In the illustrated example, N = 2. Therefore, the number of openings 101b in the X direction is half the number of pixels 101b in the X direction.

[0057] Figure 4A and Figure 4B is Figure 3 A cross-sectional view taken along line A-A and a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B. The mask 102 is formed of, for example, a silicon plate (a plate of Si). By using a silicon wafer as the mask 102, finer and more precise openings 102c can be formed through the application of semiconductor manufacturing techniques. The frame portion 102a is a relatively thick-walled thick portion, and the mask portion 102b is a relatively thin-walled thin portion. The rigidity of the frame portion 102a is higher than that of the mask portion 102b. The mask portion 102b can be formed thin without significantly reducing the overall rigidity of the mask 102. By providing a magnetic body (not shown) in the frame portion 102a, the mask 102 can be brought into close contact with the substrate 101 by the magnetic force of the magnet plate 5 during film formation. The magnetic body is, for example, a thin film of a magnetic material such as nickel (Ni).

[0058] The opening 102c has a tapered shape in which the opening area on the side of the evaporation unit 10 is larger than the opening area on the side of the substrate 101. In the case of the present embodiment, the opening 102c has a frustum of a cone shape, the diameter of one end on the side of the evaporation unit 10 is D2, and the diameter of the other end on the side of the substrate 101 is D1 (<D2). The tapered angle θ is the angle between the surface of the mask 102 on the side of the substrate 101 and the inner peripheral surface of the opening 102c, and the thickness t is the thickness of the mask portion 102b. The opening ********** 102c may also have a frustum of a pyramid shape.

[0059] Here, if the thickness t is thin, the strength of the mask portion 102b decreases, and there are cases where fine particles enter between the substrate 101 and the mask portion 102b during film formation and cases where the mask portion 102b is damaged. When the thickness t is increased, if the opening 102c has a cylindrical shape or a cylindrical shape, the evaporation material passing through the opening 102c sometimes decreases. Fig. 4(C) shows an example where the opening 102c has a cylindrical shape as a comparative example. In the case of such a shape, if the thickness t becomes thick, the evaporation material incident obliquely with respect to the opening 102c as shown by the dashed line cannot pass through the opening 102c. As a result, a phenomenon occurs in which the film (pixel) to be formed is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the opening 102c. <**********

[0060] By making the opening 102c have a tapered shape as in the present embodiment, the evaporation material can easily pass through the opening 102c. Therefore, the thickness t can be increased and a film (pixel) corresponding to the cross-sectional area of the opening 102c on the side of the substrate 101 can be formed. On the other hand, in the case where the opening 102c has a tapered shape as in the present embodiment, the cross-sectional area on the side of the evaporation unit 10 increases. If the pitch P1 of the openings ********** 102c is made to coincide with the pitch P0 of the pixels 101b, the openings 102c cannot be arranged according to the number of pixels 101b, or there will be a restriction on the tapered angle θ.

[0061] Therefore, in this embodiment, the substrate 101 is deposited in multiple stages using the mask 102. In this embodiment, since P1 = 2 × P0, the substrate 101 is deposited in two stages. Specifically, in the first deposition, multiple pixels 101b are deposited on the substrate 101 at a spacing P1. Then, the relative position of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 in the X direction is adjusted to change the deposition area of ​​the substrate. The adjustment of the relative position is a displacement of a distance shorter than the spacing P1 of the opening 102c. In this embodiment, the relative position is adjusted to a spacing P0. Then, a second deposition is performed. Thus, multiple pixels 101b are deposited on the substrate 101 at a target spacing P0.

[0062] Thus, in this embodiment, by combining the shape of the opening 102c with multi-stage film formation, the thickness t can be increased to improve the durability of the mask 102, and a finer film can be formed. It should be noted that if the relationship is P1=3×P0, then the film formation of the substrate 101 can be performed in three stages; if the relationship is P1=4×P0, then the film formation of the substrate 101 can be performed in four stages.

[0063] Regarding the number of film deposition stages, as an example, it can be specified based on the diameter D2 of the opening 102c and the pixel pitch P0 of the pixel 101b as follows: Number of film deposition stages ≥ D2 ÷ P0

[0064] The diameter D2 is calculated based on the thickness t, the cone angle θ, and the diameter D1 of the opening 102c, as follows: D2 = t ÷ (tanθ × 2) + D1

[0065] Therefore, the number of film deposition cycles can also be specified based on the thickness t, the cone angle θ, the diameter D1 of the opening 102c, and the pixel pitch P0 of the pixel 101b as follows: Number of film deposition cycles ≥ (t ÷ (tanθ × 2) + D1) ÷ P0

[0066] Within the range of the above relationships, the parameters can be designed appropriately.

[0067] <Control Example>

[0068] This section describes a control example of the film-forming apparatus 1 executed by the processing unit 90 of the control unit 9. Figures 5-11 This is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the film forming apparatus 1, showing an example of film forming from the feeding of the substrate 101 until its discharge.

[0069] Figure 5State ST51 shows the state where the substrate 101 is fed into the vacuum chamber 2. The substrate 101 is transferred by the transfer robot 121 to the lower part of the substrate support plate 3. The substrate adsorption surface 3a on the lower surface of the substrate support plate 3 is horizontal. Next, the substrate 101 is transferred from the transfer robot 121 to the substrate support plate 3 by the mask support unit 6. Figure 5 The state ST52 illustrates this operation. By raising the support member 6a, the periphery of the substrate 101 is placed on the claw F1. The substrate 101 rises from the transfer robot 121 and is pressed against the substrate adsorption surface 3a of the substrate support plate 3. The electrostatic chuck of the substrate support plate 3 is activated to adsorb and hold the substrate 101.

[0070] Next, the mask 102 is sent into the vacuum chamber 2. Figure 6 State ST61 shows the state in which the mask 102 is placed into the vacuum chamber 2. The mask 102 is placed into the vacuum chamber 2 from the storage chamber 140 by the transfer robot 131. The mask 102 is located directly below the substrate 101. Next, the mask 102 is transferred from the transfer robot 131 to the mask support unit 6 to align it. Figure 6 State ST62 illustrates this operation. The mask 102 is lifted from the transfer robot 131 by raising the support member 6a, which places the periphery of the mask 102 onto the claw F1. The mask 102 is then supported by the support member 6a and, through further lifting, is positioned in an alignment position. In this embodiment, the mask 102 is raised to the alignment position, but it could also be a structure where the substrate 101 is lowered to the alignment position.

[0071] Next, perform the alignment action. For example... Figure 7 As shown in state ST71, the relative position of the alignment mark on substrate 101 and the alignment mark on mask 102 is measured by the measurement unit SR. If the measurement result (the positional deviation between substrate 101 and mask 102) is within the allowable range, the alignment operation ends. If the measurement result is outside the allowable range, a control amount (the displacement of substrate 101) is set based on the measurement result to bring the positional deviation within the allowable range.

[0072] "Position deviation" is defined by the distance and direction (X, Y, θ) of the position deviation. Based on the set control variables, such as... Figure 7 The position adjustment unit 80 is activated as shown in state ST71. As a result, the substrate support plate 3 is displaced in the XY plane, adjusting the relative position of the substrate 101 with respect to the mask 102.

[0073] To determine whether the measurement results are within the acceptable range, for example, the distance between the alignment marks can be calculated separately and the average and sum of squares of the distance can be compared with a preset threshold.

[0074] After adjusting the relative positions, the relative positions of the alignment marks on the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are measured again using the measurement unit SR. If the measurement result is within the acceptable range, the alignment operation ends. If the measurement result is outside the acceptable range, the relative position of the substrate 101 relative to the mask 102 is adjusted again. This process of measurement and relative position adjustment is repeated until the measurement result is within the acceptable range.

[0075] Next, the first film formation process will be carried out. First, the substrate 101 will be aligned with the mask 102. Figure 8 The state ST81 illustrates this operation. When the substrate support plate 3 is lowered, the substrate 101 is placed on the mask 102, and the entire surface of the substrate 101 to be processed contacts the mask 102. The magnet plate 5 abuts against the cooling plate 4, and from top to bottom, the magnet plate 5, cooling plate 4, substrate support plate 3, substrate 101, and mask 102 are in a state of close contact. The magnetic force of the magnet plate 5 attracts the mask 102, enabling the mask 102 and substrate 101 to be in close contact as a whole.

[0076] With the above preparations complete, the film formation process will proceed as follows: Figure 8 As shown in state ST82, the baffle 10a is opened, and the vapor deposition material is released from the vapor deposition unit 10. The vapor deposition material is deposited onto the substrate 101 via the mask 102.

[0077] After the initial release of the vapor-deposited material, the vapor-deposited portion of the substrate 101 is changed by adjusting the relative position of the mask 102 and the substrate 101. Firstly, as... Figure 9 As shown in state ST91, the magnet plate 5 is raised, causing the substrate 101 to separate from the mask 102 along the Z direction. Next, as... Figure 9 As shown in state ST92, the position adjustment unit 80 moves the substrate 101 a distance P0 along the X direction. This changes the vapor deposition area of ​​the substrate 101.

[0078] It should be noted that in this embodiment, when the evaporation area is changed, the substrate 101 is moved a distance P0 along the X direction. However, alignment marks for the substrate 101 and the mask 102 for the second film deposition operation can also be pre-set. Figure 7 The same alignment is performed to change the relative position of substrate 101 and mask 102.

[0079] Next, the second film deposition process is performed. The steps are the same as the first film deposition process. First, the substrate 101 is aligned with the mask 102. Figure 10The state ST101 illustrates this operation. When the substrate support plate 3 is lowered, the substrate 101 is placed on the mask 102, and the entire surface of the substrate 101 to be processed contacts the mask 102. The magnet plate 5 abuts against the cooling plate 4, and from top to bottom, the magnet plate 5, cooling plate 4, substrate support plate 3, substrate 101, and mask 102 are in a state of close contact. The magnetic force of the magnet plate 5 attracts the mask 102, enabling the mask 102 and the substrate 101 to be in close contact as a whole.

[0080] With the above preparations complete, the film formation process will proceed as follows: Figure 10 As shown in state ST102, the baffle 10a is opened, and the vapor deposition material is released from the vapor deposition unit 10. The vapor deposition material is deposited onto the substrate 101 via the mask 102.

[0081] By following the steps above, use Figure 3 The mask 102, which is exemplified by having an opening 102c with a spacing P1, is capable of [capturing / transmitting / conducting] [the following text is incomplete and likely refers to a different topic:] Figure 3 The pixel 101b with a pitch P0 is formed on the substrate 101.

[0082] Once the film formation is complete, the mask 102 and the substrate 101 are respectively ejected. Figure 11 State ST111 illustrates the operation of delivering the mask 102. First, the magnet plate 5 is raised to separate the substrate 101 from the mask 102. After the hand of the transfer robot 131 enters under the mask 102, the support member 6a of the mask support unit 6 is lowered, transferring the mask 102 from the support member 6a to the transfer robot 131. The transfer robot 131 then transfers the mask 102 to the storage chamber 140.

[0083] Next, the substrate 101 with the film formed is delivered. The support member 6a of the mask support unit 6 is raised, and the substrate 101 is supported from below by the claw F1. The substrate 101 is transferred to the support member 6a by releasing the substrate support unit 3 from the substrate 101. After the hand of the transfer robot 121 enters under the substrate 101, as... Figure 11 As shown in state ST112, the support member 6a of the mask support unit 6 is lowered, and the substrate 101 is transferred from the support member 6a to the transfer robot 121. The transfer robot 121 transfers the substrate 101 to the transfer path 111. Through the above description, the operation from the insertion of the substrate 101 to the ejection of the substrate is completed.

[0084] <Second Implementation Method>

[0085] In the first embodiment, the X-direction spacing between pixels 101b and opening 102c is set to P1 = N × P0, but the Y-direction spacing can also be set to the spacing of opening 102c = n × the spacing of pixels 10b (n is an integer greater than or equal to 2). In this case, it is only necessary to... Figure 9 and Figure 10 The changes to the vapor deposition area and the film formation process shown can be performed n-1 times in the Y direction.

[0086] <Third Implementation Method>

[0087] Next, an example of a manufacturing method for an electronic device will be described. The structure and manufacturing method of an organic EL display device will be illustrated below as an example of an electronic device.

[0088] First, let me explain the manufactured organic EL display device. Figure 12A This is an overall diagram of the organic EL display device 50. Figure 12B It is a diagram that represents the cross-sectional structure of a pixel.

[0089] like Figure 12A As shown, pixels 52, each having multiple light-emitting elements, are arranged in a matrix in the display area 51 of the organic EL display device 50. Each light-emitting element has a structure having an organic layer sandwiched between a pair of electrodes, as detailed below.

[0090] It should be noted that the term "pixel" here refers to the smallest unit capable of displaying the desired color within the display area 51. In the case of a color organic EL display device, pixel 52 is constructed by a combination of multiple pixels (referred to as sub-pixels to distinguish them from the overall pixel) representing different light-emitting elements: a first light-emitting element 52R, a second light-emitting element 52G, and a third light-emitting element 52B. Pixel 52 is typically 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 52 may contain at least one sub-pixel, preferably two or more sub-pixels, and more preferably three or more sub-pixels. For example, the sub-pixels constituting pixel 52 may be a combination of four sub-pixels: red (R) light-emitting elements, green (G) light-emitting elements, blue (B) light-emitting elements, and yellow (Y) light-emitting elements.

[0091] Figure 12B yes Figure 12AA partial cross-sectional view at line AB. Pixel 52 has multiple sub-pixels composed of organic EL elements on substrate 53. Each organic EL element includes a first electrode (anode) 54, a hole transport layer 55, any 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. The hole transport layer 55, red layer 56R, green layer 56G, blue layer 56B, and electron transport layer 57 are equivalent to organic layers. The red layer 56R, green layer 56G, and blue layer 56B are respectively formed into patterns corresponding to light-emitting elements (sometimes referred to as organic EL elements) that emit red, green, and blue light, respectively.

[0092] Furthermore, the first electrode 54 is formed separately for each light-emitting element. The hole transport layer 55, electron transport layer 57, and second electrode 58 can be formed shared by multiple light-emitting elements 52R, 52G, and 52B, or they can be formed separately for each light-emitting element. That is, they can be formed as follows: Figure 12B The hole transport layer 55 is formed as a shared layer across multiple sub-pixel regions. On this basis, the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, and the blue layer 56B are formed separately according to each sub-pixel region. Then, the electron transport layer 57 and the second electrode 58 are formed as a shared layer across multiple sub-pixel regions on top of it.

[0093] It should be noted that an insulating layer 59 is provided between the first electrodes 54 to prevent short circuits between them. In addition, since the organic EL layer is susceptible to deterioration due to moisture and oxygen, a protective layer 60 is provided to protect the organic EL element from moisture and oxygen.

[0094] exist Figure 12B In this design, the hole transport layer 55 and the electron transport layer 57 are represented by a single layer, but depending on the structure of the organic EL display element, they can also be formed by multiple layers having a hole blocking layer and an electron blocking layer. Furthermore, a hole injection layer can also be formed between the first electrode 54 and the hole transport layer 55, and this hole injection layer has a band structure that allows for smooth injection of holes from the first electrode 54 to 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.

[0095] The red layer 56R, green layer 56G, and blue layer 56B can each be formed from a single emitting layer, or they can be formed by stacking multiple layers. For example, the red layer 56R can be constructed using 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 in the emitting layers can be adjusted, and the light path length can be adjusted, thereby improving the color purity of the light-emitting element.

[0096] It should be noted that although an example of red layer 56R is shown here, the same structure can also be used in green layer 56G and blue layer 56B. Furthermore, the number of layers can be set to two or more. In addition, layers of different materials, such as the light-emitting layer and the electron-blocking layer, can be stacked, or layers of the same material can be stacked, for example, two or more layers of the light-emitting layer.

[0097] Next, an example of a method for manufacturing an organic EL display device will be specifically described. Here, it is assumed that the red layer 56R consists of two layers, a lower layer 56R1 and an upper layer 56R2, and the green layer 56G and the blue layer 56B consist of a single light-emitting layer. It is assumed that the film-forming apparatus 1 has six film-forming chambers.

[0098] First, a substrate 53 is prepared, which includes a circuit (not shown) for driving an organic EL display device and a first electrode 54. 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 with a polyimide film laminated on a glass substrate is used as the substrate 53.

[0099] A resin layer such as acrylic or polyimide is applied to a substrate 53 on which the first electrode 54 is formed by rod coating or spin coating. The resin layer is then patterned using photolithography to create openings in the areas where the first electrode 54 is formed, thus forming an insulating layer 59. These openings correspond to the light-emitting areas where the light-emitting element actually emits light. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the large substrate is processed until the insulating layer 59 is formed. After the insulating layer 59 is formed, a dicing process is performed to divide the substrate 53.

[0100] A substrate 53 patterned with an insulating layer 59 is fed into a first film-forming chamber, and a hole transport layer 55 is formed on the first electrode 54 of the display area as a common layer. The hole transport layer 55 is formed using a mask with openings for each display area 51 of the panel portion of the final organic EL display device.

[0101] Next, the substrate 53 with the hole transport layer 55 formed thereon is fed into the second film deposition chamber. Alignment is performed between the substrate 53 and the mask, and the substrate is placed onto the mask. A red layer 56R is deposited on the portion of the substrate 53 on the hole transport layer 55 where the red-emitting element is located (the region forming the red sub-pixels). Here, the mask used in the second film deposition chamber is a high-precision mask with openings formed only in the regions of the substrate 53 that become red sub-pixels, among the multiple regions that become sub-pixels in the organic EL display device. Therefore, the red layer 56R, containing the red emitting layer, is deposited only in the regions of the multiple sub-pixels on the substrate 53 that become red sub-pixels. In other words, the red layer 56R is not deposited in the regions of the multiple sub-pixels on the substrate 53 that become blue or green sub-pixels, but is selectively deposited in the regions that become red sub-pixels.

[0102] Similar to the deposition of the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G is deposited in the third deposition chamber, and then the blue layer 56B is deposited in the fourth deposition chamber. After the deposition of the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, and the blue layer 56B is completed, the electron transport layer 57 is deposited over the entire display area 51 in the fifth deposition chamber. The electron transport layer 57 is formed as a common layer on the three color layers 56R, 56G, and 56B.

[0103] The substrate with the electron transport layer 57 formed is moved to the sixth film deposition chamber, where the second electrode 58 is formed. In this embodiment, each layer is formed by vacuum evaporation in the first to sixth film deposition chambers. However, the present invention is not limited to this; for example, the second electrode 58 in the sixth film deposition chamber can be formed by sputtering. Then, the substrate with the second electrode 58 formed is moved to the sealing apparatus, where 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 although the protective layer 60 is formed by CVD here, it is not limited to this method and can also be formed by ALD or inkjet methods.

[0104] Here, regarding film formation in the first to sixth film formation chambers, a mask with openings corresponding to the patterns of each layer to be formed is used for film formation. During film formation, after adjusting (aligning) the relative positions of the substrate 53 and the mask, the substrate 53 is placed on the mask for film formation.

[0105] <Other Implementation Methods>

[0106] The present invention can also be implemented by a process in which a program that implements one or more functions of the above embodiments is supplied to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and one or more processors in the computer of the system or device reads and executes the program. Furthermore, it can also be implemented by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0107] 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, the claims are appended to disclose the scope of the invention.

[0108] [Explanation of Labels in the Attached Image]

[0109] 1 Film deposition apparatus, 5 Magnet plates, 8 Alignment units, 10 Evaporation units, 101 Substrate, 102 Mask, 1021 Magnetic body

Claims

1. A film forming apparatus comprising: an evaporation mechanism that discharges an evaporation material toward a substrate via a mask having a plurality of opening portions for film formation of the evaporation material; and a position adjustment mechanism that adjusts a relative position of the mask and the substrate, wherein the plurality of opening portions have a tapered shape in which an opening area on a side of the evaporation mechanism is larger than an opening area on a side of the substrate, wherein after the evaporation mechanism discharges the evaporation material toward the substrate for a first time, the position adjustment mechanism adjusts the relative position of the mask and the substrate, thereby changing an evaporation site of the substrate, and the evaporation mechanism discharges the evaporation material toward the substrate for a second time.

2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first discharge, the changing of the evaporation site, and the second discharge are performed during a period from a substrate feeding-in to a substrate feeding-out of the film forming apparatus.

3. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of pixels of a prescribed color are formed on the substrate by the first discharge and the second discharge.

4. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position adjustment mechanism adjusts the relative position by a distance shorter than a distance between adjacent opening portions after the first discharge.

5. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of opening portions are formed at a first pitch, wherein the plurality of opening portions are formed at a second pitch that is an integer multiple of 2 or more times the first pitch, and wherein the position adjustment mechanism adjusts the relative position by the first pitch after the first discharge.

6. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor wafer, and wherein the mask is a silicon plate.

7. A film forming method comprising: a first evaporation process in which an evaporation material is discharged from an evaporation mechanism toward a substrate via a mask having a plurality of opening portions for film formation of the evaporation material; a changing process in which an evaporation site of the substrate is changed by adjusting a relative position of the mask and the substrate; and a second evaporation process in which the evaporation material is discharged from the evaporation mechanism toward the substrate via the mask, wherein the plurality of opening portions have a tapered shape in which an opening area on a side of the evaporation mechanism is larger than an opening area on a side of the substrate.

8. A film forming method comprising: an evaporation process in which an evaporation material is discharged from an evaporation mechanism toward a substrate via a mask having a plurality of opening portions for film formation of the evaporation material; and a changing process in which an evaporation site of the substrate is changed by adjusting a relative position of the mask and the substrate, wherein the plurality of opening portions have a frustoconical shape in which an opening area on a side of the evaporation mechanism is larger than an opening area on a side of the substrate, and wherein the evaporation process and the changing process are repeated a prescribed number of times. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The relationship between the prescribed number of times, the diameter of the evaporation mechanism side of the plurality of opening portions, and the pitch at which the substrate is subjected to film formation is The prescribed number of times ≥ the diameter ÷ the pitch.

9. A method for manufacturing an electronic device, characterized by The method for manufacturing an electronic device includes a film formation process of subjecting a substrate to film formation by the film formation apparatus according to claim 1.

10. A mask having a plurality of opening portions for a plurality of pixels of an evaporation material to be subjected to film formation on a substrate, the mask characterized by The pitch of the plurality of opening portions is longer than the pitch of the plurality of pixels, The plurality of opening portions have a tapered shape in which the opening area of one end side is larger than the opening area of the other end side.

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