Alignment apparatus, alignment method, film forming apparatus, and manufacturing method

Abstract

The present invention provides an alignment device for aligning a substrate and a mask for forming a film pattern on a film forming surface of the substrate, the alignment device being characterized by comprising: a substrate holding unit for holding the substrate; a mask holding unit that holds the mask, and a mask holding unit that holds the mask; and a drive unit that drives at least one of the substrate holding unit and the mask holding unit so as to change the relative position of the substrate holding unit and the mask holding unit in a plane along the film formation surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit, and a drive unit for driving at least one of the substrate holding unit and the mask holding unit, the drive unit being configured to drive at least one of the substrate holding unit and the mask holding unit, the drive unit being configured to drive at least one of the substrate holding unit and the mask holding unit, the drive unit being configured to drive at least one of the substrate holding unit and the mask holding unit, and the drive unit being configured to drive at least one of the substrate holding unit and the mask holding unit. And the convex part and the concave part are embedded.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to an alignment device, an alignment method, a film forming device, and a manufacturing method. BACKGROUND

[0002] An organic EL display device (organic EL display) is applied, for example, to a smartphone, a television, a display for a car, a VR HMD (Virtual Reality Head Mount Display), and the like. In a process of manufacturing an organic EL display device, when an organic light emitting element (organic EL element: OLED) is formed on a substrate, a film forming device is generally used.

[0003] The film forming device causes an evaporation material (film forming material) emitted from an evaporation source to adhere to a substrate via a mask in which a pattern corresponding to a pixel pattern is formed, thereby forming (film forming) a film such as an organic film or a metal film. At this time, it is necessary to perform alignment (alignment) of the substrate and the mask with high precision.

[0004] A technology related to alignment of a substrate and a mask has been conventionally proposed (see Patent Literature 1). In Patent Literature 1, a technology in which the substrate and the mask are aligned in a state in which the substrate is separated from the mask, and then the substrate and the mask are brought into close contact is disclosed.

[0005] PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

[0006] PATENT LITERATURE

[0007] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-083311 SUMMARY

[0008] PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0009] However, in the related art, after the substrate and the mask are aligned, when the substrate and the mask are brought into close contact, the relative positions of the substrate and the mask can shift (i.e., a positional shift can occur between the substrate and the mask), and the alignment precision can decrease.

[0010] The present application provides a technology that is advantageous for alignment of a substrate and a mask.

[0011] MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0012] An alignment device as one aspect of the present application is used for alignment of a substrate and a mask used for forming a pattern on a film formation surface of the substrate, characterized by having: a substrate holding portion holding the substrate; a mask holding portion holding the mask; and a driving portion driving at least one of the substrate holding portion and the mask holding portion so as to change a relative position of the substrate holding portion and the mask holding portion in a plane along a film formation surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding portion, a member of one of the substrate and the mask including a convex portion provided on a surface facing each other, a member of the other of the substrate and the mask including a concave portion provided on a surface facing each other, the driving portion driving at least one of the substrate holding portion and the mask holding portion so as to fit the convex portion with the concave portion.

[0013] Effects of the Invention

[0014] According to the present application, for example, it is possible to provide a technique that is advantageous for alignment of a substrate and a mask.

[0015] Other features and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating the principles of the present application. It should be noted, however, that the accompanying drawings BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present application and

[0017] Figure 1 is a diagram schematically showing a structure of a production line to which a film formation device as one aspect of the present application can be applied.

[0018] Figure 2 is a diagram schematically showing a structure of a film formation device as one aspect of the present application.

[0019] Figure 3 is a plan view showing a structure of a substrate and a mask.

[0020] Figure 4 is a sectional view showing a state in which the substrate and the mask are in close contact.

[0021] Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing a convex portion provided to the substrate and a concave portion provided to the mask.

[0022] Figure 6A is a sectional view showing a structure of a substrate and a mask.

[0023] Figure 6B is a sectional view showing a structure of a substrate and a mask.

[0024] Figure 7 It is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the protrusions provided on the cofferdam and the recesses provided on the diaphragm portion of the mask.

[0025] Figure 8 It is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the cofferdam functioning as a convex part and the concave part of the diaphragm portion set in the mask.

[0026] Figure 9A This is a diagram used to illustrate an organic EL display device as an electronic component.

[0027] Figure 9B This is a diagram used to illustrate an organic EL display device as an electronic component. Detailed Implementation

[0028] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention as defined by the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessary for the invention. Two or more features from the plurality of features described in the embodiments may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, the same or identical structures are labeled with the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure (layout) of a production line 100 that can utilize a film-forming apparatus as an aspect of the present invention. The production line 100 includes a system for performing film-forming processing on a fed substrate and for discharging the film-formed substrate, for example, a production line configured as an electronic device. It should be noted that in the following figures, arrow Z represents the vertical direction (vertical (gravity) direction), and arrows X and Y represent mutually orthogonal horizontal directions.

[0030] Production line 100 (film forming apparatus) is particularly suitable as a production line for manufacturing organic light-emitting elements such as OLEDs and organic photoelectric conversion elements such as organic thin-film solar cells. Examples of electronic devices include light-emitting elements, photoelectric conversion elements, and touch panels. In this embodiment, electronic devices include display devices equipped with light-emitting elements (e.g., organic EL display devices), lighting devices (e.g., organic EL lighting devices), and sensors equipped with photoelectric conversion elements (e.g., organic CMOS image sensors).

[0031] In this embodiment, production line 100 is specifically defined as a production line for manufacturing display panels for OLED display devices used in smartphones or OLED display devices used in VRHMDs. When manufacturing display panels for smartphones, a 4.5-generation substrate (approximately 700mm x approximately 900mm), a 6th-generation full-size substrate (approximately 1500mm x approximately 1850mm), or a half-cut substrate (approximately 1500mm x approximately 925mm) is used. Film formation for OLED elements is performed on such substrates, and the substrates are cut to manufacture multiple small-sized panels. Alternatively, when manufacturing display panels for VRHMDs, a silicon wafer of a specified size (e.g., 300mm) is used. Film formation for OLED elements is performed on such silicon wafers, and the silicon wafers are cut along the areas between the element formation regions (scribe lines) to manufacture multiple small-sized panels. However, the size and type of the substrate are not particularly limited and can be appropriately set.

[0032] like Figure 1 As shown, the production line 100 has a conveying chamber 120, which has an octagonal shape when viewed from above. A substrate 101 for film deposition processing is fed into the conveying chamber 120 via a conveying path 110 (feed path). The substrate 101 for film deposition processing is then fed out from the conveying chamber 120 to a conveying path 111 (out path).

[0033] Multiple film-forming apparatuses 1 for forming films on substrate 101 are arranged around the transport chamber 120. Each film-forming apparatus 1 is adjacent to a transport chamber 130 having an octagonal shape when viewed from above. A storage chamber 140 for storing a mask 102 is arranged around the transport chamber 130.

[0034] A transport unit 121 for transporting substrate 101 is provided in the transport chamber 120. In this embodiment, the transport unit 121 includes a horizontally articulated robot that holds and transports substrate 101 in a horizontal posture. The transport unit 121 performs the following actions: feeding the substrate 101 to be coated into the coating apparatus 1 from the transport path 110 and feeding the coated substrate 101 out of the coating apparatus 1 to the transport path 111.

[0035] Each transport chamber 130 is provided with a transport unit 131 for transporting the mask 102. In this embodiment, the transport unit 131 includes a horizontally articulated robot that holds and transports the mask 102 in a horizontal posture. The transport unit 131 performs actions of transporting the mask 102 from the storage chamber 140 to the film forming apparatus 1 and transporting the mask 102 from the film forming apparatus 1 to the storage chamber 140.

[0036] Figure 2This diagram schematically illustrates the structure of a film-forming apparatus 1, which is one aspect of the present invention. The film-forming apparatus 1 performs a film-forming process in which a vapor-deposited material is attached (deposited) onto a substrate 101 to form a film. In this embodiment, the film is formed on the substrate 101 via a mask 102. Specifically, the film-forming apparatus 1 forms a thin film of vapor-deposited material with a predetermined pattern on the film-forming surface 101A of the substrate 101 via the mask 102. As the material of the substrate 101, glass, resin, metal, etc., can be appropriately selected. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the substrate 101 includes, for example, a glass substrate on which a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) is formed, or a silicon wafer (semiconductor wafer) on which semiconductor elements are formed. The mask 102 can be made of silicon (Si) or a mask made of a magnetic material such as a metal. As the vapor-deposited material, organic or inorganic materials (e.g., metals, metal oxides), etc., are used. Here, an example of film deposition on substrate 101 by vacuum evaporation is described, but it is not limited to this, and various film deposition processes (film deposition methods) such as sputtering or CVD can also be applied.

[0037] 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) in order to maintain its internal space in a vacuum atmosphere.

[0038] A vapor deposition unit 10 is disposed inside the vacuum chamber 2. The vapor deposition unit 10 includes a vapor deposition source that releases vapor deposition material upwards. Above the vapor deposition unit 10, a baffle 10a is disposed for limiting the release of vapor deposition material from the vapor deposition source and for releasing the limiting effect. The baffle 10a is opened and closed by an opening and closing mechanism (not shown). Figure 2 This indicates that the baffle 10a is closed, and the release of vaporized material from the vapor deposition unit 10 is restricted. An anti-adhesion plate 2a is also provided above the vapor deposition unit 10. The anti-adhesion plate 2a functions to suppress (prevent) the vaporized material released from the vapor deposition unit 10 from unnecessarily adhering to the structure located in the upper part of the internal space of the vacuum chamber 2.

[0039] A substrate holding portion 3 is provided inside the vacuum chamber 2 to hold the substrate 101 in a horizontal position. The substrate holding portion 3 is disposed on the side opposite to the mask 102 inside the vacuum chamber 2. In this embodiment, the substrate holding portion 3 is configured as an electrostatic chuck that uses electrostatic force to attract and hold the substrate 101. Specifically, the substrate holding portion 3 holds the substrate 101 by attracting the side of the substrate 101 opposite to the film-forming surface 101A, so that the film-forming surface 101A of the substrate 101 faces downward (in the -Z direction). It should be noted that a cooling plate 4, such as a water-cooling mechanism, may also be provided on the substrate holding portion 3. The cooling plate 4 cools the substrate 101 via the substrate holding portion 3 during the film-forming process.

[0040] The substrate holding portion 3 and the cooling plate 4 are supported (suspended) by the magnet plate 5 via the support portion 5a. The magnet plate 5 is used to attract the mask 102 when the mask 102 is made of a magnetic material, by applying magnetic force to the mask 102. During the film deposition process, the substrate 101 is sandwiched between the magnet plate 5 and the mask 102, which is attracted by the magnet plate 5. The magnet plate 5 is provided to bring the substrate 101 and the mask 102 closer together, or to make the substrate 101 and the mask 102 adhere tightly (improving adhesion).

[0041] The film-forming apparatus 1 has a mask holding mechanism 6 for holding a mask 102. The mask holding mechanism 6 includes a mask holding portion 6a separated in the X direction and an actuator 6b for driving the mask holding portion 6a. The mask holding portion 6a includes a claw portion F1 disposed at its lower end, which holds the mask 102 (its peripheral portion) in a horizontal position by placing it on the claw portion F1. The actuator 6b includes, for example, an electric cylinder or an electric ball screw mechanism, for raising and lowering the mask holding portion 6a (driven in the Z direction).

[0042] The film deposition apparatus 1 includes an alignment device 8 for aligning the substrate 101 and the mask 102. The alignment device 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.

[0043] The distance adjustment unit 81, for example, includes an electric cylinder or an electric ball screw mechanism, which is a mechanism for raising (driving) the support shaft 82 in the Z direction. A magnet plate 5 is supported (fixed) at the lower end of the support shaft 82. Therefore, by raising and lowering the support shaft 82 via the distance adjustment unit 81, the substrate holding part 3 is raised and lowered via the magnet plate 5. By raising and lowering the substrate holding part 3, the distance between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 in the vertical direction (Z direction) is adjusted, causing the substrate 101 and the mask 102 held in the substrate holding part 3 to approach or separate (separate). In other words, the distance adjustment unit 81 causes the substrate 101 and the mask 102 to approach or separate in the overlapping direction (Z direction). It should be noted that the "distance" adjusted by the distance adjustment unit 81 is the so-called vertical distance. Therefore, the distance adjustment unit 81 can also be described as a unit that adjusts the vertical position of the substrate 101 held in the substrate holding part 3. The distance adjustment unit 81 is placed on the position adjustment unit 84 via a stand 83.

[0044] The position adjustment unit 84 adjusts the relative position of the substrate 101 with respect to the mask 102 in the XY plane by displacing (moving) the substrate holding part 3 in the horizontal direction. Thus, the position adjustment unit 84 functions as a unit for adjusting the relative horizontal position of the substrate 101 and the mask 102. In this embodiment, the position adjustment unit 84 displaces the substrate holding part 3 in the X direction, the Y direction, and the rotational direction (θ direction) about the Z direction axis. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the relative position of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is adjusted by fixing the position of the mask 102 and displacing the substrate 101, but this is not a limitation. For example, the relative position of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 can be adjusted by fixing the position of the substrate 101 and displacing the mask 102, or by displacing both the substrate 101 and the mask 102. In other words, the position adjustment unit 84 only needs to function as a driving unit, which drives at least one of the substrate holding part 3 and the mask holding part 6a to change the relative position of the substrate holding part 3 and the mask holding part 6a in the XY plane. It should be noted that, here, "in the XY plane" refers to the plane along the film-forming surface 101A of the substrate 101 held by the substrate holding part 3.

[0045] The position adjustment unit 84 includes a fixed plate 84a and a movable plate 84b. Both the fixed plate 84a and the movable plate 84b are rectangular frame-shaped plates. The fixed plate 84a is fixed to the upper wall 20 of the vacuum chamber 2. An actuator is provided between the fixed plate 84a and the movable plate 84b to displace the movable plate 84b relative to the fixed plate 84a in the X direction, Y direction, and rotational directions about the Z direction.

[0046] A frame-like platform 83 is mounted on the movable plate 84b, and a distance adjustment unit 81 is supported on the platform 83. Therefore, when the movable plate 84b is displaced, the platform 83 and the distance adjustment unit 81 are displaced together, thus enabling the substrate 101 held in the substrate holding part 3 to be displaced in the X direction, Y direction, and rotational directions about the Z direction. An opening is formed on the upper wall part 20 for mounting the support shaft 82, the mask holding part 6a, the measuring unit SR, etc. This opening is sealed by a sealing component (not shown) such as a bellows to maintain the airtightness of the internal space of the vacuum chamber 2.

[0047] The measurement unit SR is specifically designed as an imaging device that captures images of the object being measured, for example, functioning as a measuring instrument for measuring the position of the object. The measurement unit SR is, for example, located on the upper wall 20 of the vacuum chamber 2. In this embodiment, the measurement unit SR detects marks (alignment marks) respectively disposed on the substrate 101 and the mask 102 arranged within the interior space of the vacuum chamber 2, and measures the relative position (position offset) of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 based on their positions. During the alignment of the substrate 101 and the mask 102, the relative position of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is adjusted via the position adjustment unit 84 so that the position offset of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 measured by the measurement unit SR is within an acceptable range.

[0048] The film-forming apparatus 1 has a control unit 9, which is composed of a computer (information processing device) that comprehensively controls the operation of each component of the film-forming apparatus 1 and controls the entire film-forming apparatus 1. The control unit 9 includes a processing unit 90, a storage unit 91, an input / output (I / O) interface 92, and a communication unit 93. The processing unit 90 includes a processor, such as a CPU, which executes programs stored in the storage unit 91 to perform various operations and processes of the film-forming apparatus 1. The storage unit 91 includes storage devices such as ROM, RAM, and HDD, storing programs executed by the processing unit 90 and various control information. The I / O interface 92 is an interface for communication (sending and receiving various information and 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.

[0049] Hereinafter, an example of the control of the film forming apparatus 1 performed by the control unit 9 (processing unit 90) will be described, which is an example of the substrate 101 being fed in and undergoing film forming process until the substrate 101 is sent out.

[0050] First, the substrate 101 is fed into the vacuum chamber 2 (the internal space). The substrate 101 is transported to the area below the substrate holding section 3 via the transport unit 121. Then, the substrate 101, which has been transported to the area below the substrate holding section 3, is transferred to the substrate holding section 3. For example, by raising the transport unit 121 (driving it in the +Z direction), the substrate 101 is pressed against the substrate holding section 3. In this state, the substrate holding section 3 functions as an electrostatic chuck to attract the substrate 101, and the substrate 101 is held by the substrate holding section 3.

[0051] Next, the mask 102 is fed into the vacuum chamber 2 (internal space). The mask 102 is transported from the receiving chamber 140 to the vacuum chamber 2 via the transport unit 131, and is transported below the mask holding portion 6a and below the substrate 101 held in the substrate holding portion 3. Then, the mask 102 located below the mask holding portion 6a and the substrate 101 is transferred to the mask holding portion 6a. For example, by raising the transport unit 131 (driving in the +Z direction), the mask 102 is placed on the claw portion F1 of the mask holding portion 6a, and the mask 102 is held by the mask holding portion 6a. In addition, by using the actuator 6b, the mask holding portion 6a holding the mask 102 is further raised (driven in the +Z direction), so that the mask 102 is located at the alignment position for aligning the substrate 101 and the mask 102.

[0052] Next, alignment is performed on the substrate 101 held by the substrate holding part 3 and the mask 102 held by the mask holding part 6a. The alignment of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is initially performed when the substrate 101 and the mask 102 overlap from a viewpoint observed in the Z direction and are not physically in contact. In other words, alignment of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 begins with a gap between them, i.e., with the substrate 101 separated from the mask 102. In this state, the markings provided on the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are detected by the measuring unit SR provided on the upper wall 20 of the vacuum chamber 2.

[0053] The relative position (position offset) of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is measured by the measurement unit SR, which detects marks on the substrate 101 and the mask 102 based on their positions. If the position offset of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 measured by the measurement unit SR is within the allowable range, the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into contact. On the other hand, if the position offset of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 measured by the measurement unit SR is not within the allowable range, the relative position of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is adjusted to bring the position offset within the allowable range. Specifically, firstly, based on the position offset of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 measured by the measurement unit SR, the control amount required to bring the position offset within the allowable range, i.e., the displacement of the substrate 101, is determined. The position offset of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is defined by the distance and direction (X, Y, θ) of the position offset. Then, based on the displacement (control amount) of the substrate 101, the position adjustment unit 84 drives (displaces) the substrate holding part 3 in the XY plane to adjust the relative position of the substrate 101 relative to the mask 102. The measurement of the relative position of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 by the measurement unit SR and the adjustment of the position of the substrate 101 by the position adjustment unit 84 are repeated until the positional offset of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is within an acceptable range. It should be noted that the determination of whether the positional offset of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is within an acceptable range can be made, for example, by comparing the distance (average value, sum of squares) between the marks provided on the substrate 101 and the marks provided on the mask 102 with a threshold.

[0054] When the positional offset between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is within the allowable range, for example, by lowering the substrate holding portion 3 (driving it in the -Z direction), the substrate 101 (the entire film-forming surface 101A) is brought into close contact with the mask 102. At this time, since the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are in physical contact, their relative positions may shift, and a positional offset may occur between the substrate 101 and the mask 102. This positional offset becomes a major cause of reduced alignment accuracy, and in particular, when it deviates from the allowable range, it leads to a decrease in yield.

[0055] Therefore, in this embodiment, a structure (configuration) is provided on the substrate 101 and the mask 102 to reduce positional offset between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 when they are brought into close contact. Hereinafter, reference will be made to... Figure 3 as well as Figure 4 The structures provided on the substrate 101 and the mask 102 that help reduce positional offset will be described in detail. Figure 3 This is a top view showing the structure of the substrate 101 and the mask 102.Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are tightly attached.

[0056] like Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, on the substrate 101, on the surface that contacts the mask 102, i.e., the film-forming surface 101A (the surfaces of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 facing each other), a convex protrusion 1012 that protrudes beyond the peripheral portion is provided on the side where the mask 102 overlaps. On the other hand, on the mask 102, on the surface that contacts the substrate 101, i.e., the opposing surface 102A (the surfaces of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 facing each other), a concave recess 1022 formed by cutting into the opposing surface 102A is provided.

[0057] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, as Figure 3 As shown, a plurality of protrusions 1012 are provided on the film-forming surface 101A of the substrate 101, and a plurality of recesses 1022 are provided on the opposing surface 102A of the mask 102, but this is not limited to this. It is sufficient to provide at least one protrusion 1012 and at least one recess 1022 on the film-forming surface 101A of the substrate 101 and the opposing surface 102A of the mask 102, respectively.

[0058] In this embodiment, a protrusion 1012 is provided on the film-forming surface 101A of the substrate 101, and a recess 1022 is provided on the opposing surface 102A of the mask 102. However, it is also possible to provide a recessed portion formed by cutting into the film-forming surface 101A on the substrate 101, and to provide a protruding portion that protrudes beyond the periphery on the opposing surface 102A of the mask 102 on the side where the substrates 101 overlap. In other words, a component of one of the substrates 101 and the mask 102 may include a protrusion provided on the opposing surfaces, and a component of the other may include a recess provided on the opposing surfaces.

[0059] The protrusions 1012 and recesses 1022 are respectively disposed on the film-forming surface 101A of the substrate 101 and the facing surface 102A of the mask 102 in a mutually corresponding manner (in terms of position and number). Specifically, the protrusions 1012 and recesses 1022 are disposed such that, when the positional offset between the substrate 101 held by the substrate holding portion 3 and the mask 102 held by the mask holding portion 6a is within an acceptable range, the protrusions 1012 and recesses 1022 face each other directly. In addition, the protrusions 1012 and recesses 1022 are generally disposed in such a manner that the number of protrusions 1012 is the same as the number of recesses 1022, but this is not a limitation, and it is permissible for the number of recesses 1022 to be less than the number of protrusions 1012.

[0060] Thus, by providing a protrusion 1012 on the substrate 101 side and a recess 1022 on the mask 102 side, when the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into close contact, as... Figure 4 As shown, the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 can be fitted together. By fitting the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 together, the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are physically aligned, and positional displacement between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 caused by bringing the substrate 101 and the mask 102 into close contact can be suppressed. Therefore, the positional displacement generated between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 when bringing the substrate 101 and the mask 102 into close contact is reduced (suppressed to a minimum), and a decrease in alignment accuracy can be suppressed (prevented).

[0061] In this embodiment, before bringing the substrate 101 and the mask 102 into close contact, the relative positions of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are adjusted while the substrate 101 is separated from the mask 102, so that the positional offset of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is within an acceptable range. Therefore, when bringing the substrate 101 and the mask 102 into close contact, the protrusion 1012 provided on the substrate 101 side and the recess 1022 provided on the mask 102 side are facing each other. Therefore, the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 can be engaged simply by lowering the substrate holding portion 3. However, it is not always necessary to adjust the relative positions of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 before bringing them into close contact. During the alignment of the substrate 101 and the mask 102, when the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into close contact, at least one of the substrate holding part 3 and the mask holding part 6a is driven in the XY plane to make the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 fit together.

[0062] In addition, such as Figure 3 As shown, a plurality of chip regions 1014 for configuring chips are typically provided on the substrate 101 (film-forming surface 101A). On the other hand, a plurality of patterned regions 1024, each consisting of an opening pattern for forming a film pattern on the chip regions 1014, are provided on the mask 102 (facing surface 102A), corresponding to the plurality of chip regions 1014. The patterned regions 1024 have the same size (chip size) as the chip disposed on the chip regions 1014. Here, from the viewpoint of yield, it is preferable to reduce the positional offset between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 when the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into close contact (contact) for each chip region 1014 of the substrate 101. Therefore, as Figure 3As shown, the protrusions 1012 and recesses 1022 can be provided in numbers corresponding to the number of chip regions 1014 on the substrate 101 and the mask 102, respectively. Here, the number corresponding to the number of chip regions 1014 on the substrate 101 is a number that helps reduce the positional offset of each chip region 1014 on the substrate 101, for example, including the same number as the number of chip regions 1014, or a number greater than the number of chip regions 1014.

[0063] In addition, such as Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the protrusion 1012 is provided as at least one located on the outer peripheral region 1016 of each of the plurality of chip regions 1014 on the substrate 101. Similarly, the recess 1022 is provided as at least one located on the outer peripheral region 1026 of each of the plurality of pattern regions 1024 on the mask 102. Thus, for each chip region 1014 of the substrate 101, the positional offset generated between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 when the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into close contact can be effectively (minimally) reduced, and the yield reduction caused by this positional offset can be suppressed. It should be noted that the same effect can also be achieved when at least one protrusion 1012 is located in the region between each of the plurality of chip regions 1014, and at least one recess 1022 is located in the region between each of the plurality of pattern regions 1024.

[0064] Furthermore, the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 need to be configured to have dimensions that allow them to interlock (fit) (plug in / out). Here, refer to... Figure 5 Taking the case where the convex part 1012 and the concave part 1022 are respectively truncated cone shapes as examples, the specific numerical values ​​of the dimensions of the convex part 1012 and the concave part 1022 will be explained. Figure 5 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the protrusion 1012 provided on the substrate 101 (film-forming surface 101A) and the recess 1022 provided on the mask 102 (facing surface 102A). (Refer to...) Figure 5 Regarding the protrusion 1012, the diameter D1 of the upper bottom surface is set to 3.0 μm, and the diameter d1 of the lower bottom surface is set to 3.1 μm. Regarding the recess 1022, the diameter D2 of the upper bottom surface is set to 3.1 μm, and the diameter d2 of the lower bottom surface is set to 4.0 μm. By designing the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 with such dimensions, the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 can be smoothly fitted together, and the positional displacement between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 after the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 are fitted together can also be suppressed. However, the shape and size of the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 can be arbitrarily set within the allowable range of positional displacement between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 after the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 are fitted together.

[0065] The protrusions 1012 on the substrate 101 (film-forming surface 101A) and the recesses 1022 on the mask 102 (facing surface 102A) can be formed using semiconductor processes (the same processes as semiconductor processes), thus enabling them to be positioned with high positional and dimensional accuracy. Furthermore, the recesses 1022 provided on the mask 102 can also be positioned according to the RGB pattern (the arrangement of chip regions 1014 on the substrate 101).

[0066] In addition, such as Figure 6A as well as Figure 6B As shown, since a bank 1018 for defining a film-forming area (pixel) is provided in the chip region 1014 (the chip disposed in the chip region 1014), the protrusion 1012 can also be provided in the bank 1018. In this case, the recess 1022 is provided in the pattern region 1024 in a manner corresponding to the protrusion 1012 provided in the bank 1018, specifically in the membrane portion 1028 including the pattern element PE defining the opening pattern. It should be noted that, as Figure 6B As shown, it is preferable to provide a protrusion 1012 for each of the plurality of cofferdams 1018. This reduces the positional shift that occurs between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 when they are brought into contact (close contact) for each pixel formed on the substrate 10, and suppresses the decrease in yield caused by this positional shift. However, it is not necessary to provide a protrusion 1012 for all cofferdams 1018; as long as the positional shift between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 for each pixel is within the allowable range, a protrusion 1012 can be provided on a portion of the plurality of cofferdams 1018. Figure 6A as well as Figure 6B This is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the substrate 101 and the mask 102. It should be noted that... Figure 6B Magnification Figure 6A The substrate 101 and a portion of the mask 102 shown are PT.

[0067] The thickness of the diaphragm portion 1028 of the mask 102 is typically around several μm. Therefore, when the protrusion 1012 is disposed on the dam 1018, the thickness of the diaphragm portion 1028 of the mask 102 needs to be considered when designing (setting) the dimensions of the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 so that they can fit together. (Refer to...) Figure 7 Taking the case where the convex part 1012 and the concave part 1022 are respectively truncated cone shapes as examples, the specific numerical values ​​of the dimensions of the convex part 1012 and the concave part 1022 will be explained. Figure 7 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the protrusion 1012 provided on the cofferdam 1018 and the recess 1022 provided on the diaphragm portion 1028 of the mask 102. (Refer to...)Figure 7 Regarding the protrusion 1012 provided in the cofferdam 1018, the diameter D11 of the upper bottom surface is set to 1.0 μm, and the diameter d11 of the lower bottom surface is set to 1.1 μm. Regarding the recess 1022 provided in the diaphragm portion 1028, the diameter D22 of the upper bottom surface is set to 0.9 μm, and the diameter d22 of the lower bottom surface is set to 1.0 μm. By designing the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 with such dimensions, the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 can be smoothly fitted together, and the positional displacement of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 after the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 are fitted together can also be suppressed. However, the dimensions of the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 can be arbitrarily set within the allowable range of positional displacement between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 after the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 are fitted together.

[0068] Furthermore, the cofferdam 1018 has a convex shape that protrudes towards the side overlapping the mask 102. Therefore, it is also possible to omit the protrusion 1012 on the cofferdam 1018, and instead... Figure 8 As shown, the dam 1018 functions as a protrusion 1012. In this case, the recess 1022 is provided in the patterned area 1024 in a manner corresponding to the dam 1018 which functions as a protrusion 1012, specifically in the film portion 1028 including the pattern element PE that defines the opening pattern. Thus, by providing the recess 1022 corresponding to the dam 1018, the dam 1018 and the recess 1022 can be fitted together when the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into contact. By fitting the dam 1018 and the recess 1022 together, the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are physically aligned, and positional displacement between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 caused by bringing the substrate 101 and the mask 102 into contact can be suppressed. In addition, positional displacement between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 can also be suppressed for each pixel formed on the substrate 10. Therefore, when the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into close contact, the positional offset between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is reduced, which can suppress (prevent) the reduction in alignment accuracy. Figure 8 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the dike 1018, which functions as a protrusion 1012, and the recess 1022 of the diaphragm portion 1028 provided in the mask 102.

[0069] Thus, after aligning (and pressing) the substrate 101 held by the substrate holding part 3 and the mask 102 held by the mask holding part 6a, a film formation process is performed to form a film on the film formation surface 101A of the substrate 101. Specifically, with the substrate 101 and the mask 102 in close contact, the baffle 10a is opened, and the vapor deposition material is released from the vapor deposition unit 10. The vapor deposition material released from the vapor deposition unit 10 adheres to the film formation surface 101A of the substrate 101 via the mask 102, thereby forming a film of vapor deposition material with a predetermined pattern.

[0070] Next, the mask 102 is ejected from the vacuum chamber 2 (internal space). First, the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are separated by raising the substrate holding part 3 (driven in the +Z direction). Then, the mask holding part 6a is lowered (driven in the -Z direction) by positioning the transport unit 131 below the mask 102, transferring the mask 102 from the mask holding part 6a to the transport unit 131. Then, the mask 102 is transported to the storage chamber 140 via the transport unit 131.

[0071] Next, the substrate 101, which has undergone film deposition treatment, is ejected from the vacuum chamber 2 (internal space). By positioning the transport unit 121 below the substrate 101, the substrate holding part 3 is lowered (driven in the -Z direction), and the substrate 101 is transferred from the substrate holding part 3 to the transport unit 121. Then, the substrate 101 is transported to the transport path 111 by the transport unit 121.

[0072] Thus, the process of feeding the substrate 101 and undergoing film deposition until the substrate 101 is discharged is completed. In this embodiment, as described above, it is possible to reduce the positional shift that occurs between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 when they are brought into close contact, and to suppress the reduction in the alignment accuracy of the substrate 101 and the mask 102. As a result, in the film deposition process, a film of vapor-deposited material with a predetermined pattern can be formed at a predetermined position on the film deposition surface 101A of the substrate 101.

[0073] Next, a manufacturing method for producing electronic devices using the film-forming apparatus 1 (production line 100 having the film-forming apparatus 1) in this embodiment will be described. Here, an organic EL display device will be used as an example of an electronic device.

[0074] First, let's explain the organic EL display device. Figure 9A This is a diagram showing the overall structure of the organic EL display device 50. Figure 9B This is a diagram showing the cross-sectional structure of one pixel of an organic EL display device 50.

[0075] like Figure 9AAs shown, the organic EL display device 50 has a display area 51 comprising a matrix of pixels 52 including multiple light-emitting elements. As described later, each of the multiple light-emitting elements has a structure having an organic layer (organic film) sandwiched between a pair of electrodes. It should be noted that in this embodiment, a pixel refers to the smallest unit in the display area 51 capable of displaying a specified color. For example, in the organic EL display device 50, a pixel 52 is constructed by a combination of a first light-emitting element 52R, a second light-emitting element 52G, and a third light-emitting element 52B capable of displaying different colors. A pixel 52 is typically composed of a combination of red, green, and blue light-emitting elements, but is not limited to this. For example, it may also be composed of a combination of yellow, cyan, and white light-emitting elements, as long as it is composed of light-emitting elements of at least one color.

[0076] Figure 9B yes Figure 9A A partial cross-sectional view at line AB is shown. Pixel 52 is composed of an organic EL element having an anode 54, a hole transport layer 55, any one of light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B, an electron transport layer 57, and a cathode 58 on a substrate 53. The hole transport layer 55, light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B, and the electron transport layer 57 correspond to organic layers. In this embodiment, the light-emitting layer 56R is an organic EL layer emitting red light, the light-emitting layer 56G is an organic EL layer emitting green light, and the light-emitting layer 56B is an organic EL layer emitting blue light. The light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B are formed in patterns corresponding to the light-emitting elements (sometimes referred to as organic EL elements) emitting red, green, and blue light, respectively. The anode 54 is formed separately for each light-emitting element. The hole transport layer 55, electron transport layer 57, and cathode 58 can be shared with multiple light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B, or they can be formed separately for each light-emitting element. It should be noted that an insulating layer 59 is provided between the electrodes to prevent short circuits between the anode 54 and the cathode 58 due to foreign matter. Furthermore, since the organic EL layer can deteriorate due to moisture and oxygen, a protective layer PL is provided to protect the organic EL element from the effects of moisture and oxygen.

[0077] exist Figure 9B In this diagram, the hole transport layer 55 and the electron transport layer 57 are shown as a single layer, but depending on the structure of the organic EL device, they can also be formed from multiple layers, including a hole blocking layer and an electron blocking layer. Alternatively, a hole injection layer can be formed between the anode 54 and the hole transport layer 55, and this hole injection layer has a band structure for facilitating the injection of holes from the anode 54 to the hole transport layer 55. Similarly, an electron injection layer can be formed between the cathode 58 and the electron transport layer 57.

[0078] The manufacturing method of an organic EL display device will be described below.

[0079] First, a substrate 53 is prepared having a circuit (not shown) for driving an organic EL display device and an anode 54.

[0080] Next, acrylic resin is formed on the substrate 53 where the anode 54 is formed by spin coating. An insulating layer 59 is formed by photolithography to pattern the acrylic resin in such a way that an opening is formed in the portion where the anode 54 is formed. This opening corresponds to the light-emitting area where the light-emitting element actually emits light.

[0081] A substrate 53 patterned with an insulating layer 59 is fed into the film deposition apparatus 1 (first film deposition chamber) of the production line 100, and a hole transport layer 55 is formed as a common layer on the anode 54 of the display area 51. The hole transport layer 55 is formed, for example, by vacuum evaporation. The hole transport layer 55 is actually formed in a size larger than the display area 51, therefore, a high-precision mask is not required.

[0082] Next, the substrate 53 to which the hole transport layer 55 is formed is fed into the film forming apparatus 1 (second film forming chamber). The substrate 53 and the mask are aligned, and through the mask, a red light emitting layer 56R is formed on the portion of the substrate 53 that forms the light emitting element that emits red light.

[0083] Similar to the deposition of the light-emitting layer 56R, a green light-emitting layer 56G is deposited in the film deposition apparatus 1 (third film deposition chamber), and then a blue light-emitting layer 56B is deposited in the film deposition apparatus 1 (fourth film deposition chamber). After the deposition of the light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B, an electron transport layer 57 is deposited throughout the display area 51 in the film deposition apparatus 1 (fifth film deposition chamber). The electron transport layer 57 is formed as a common layer on the three light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B.

[0084] Next, the substrate 53 to which the electron transport layer 57 is formed is fed into the film forming apparatus 1 (sixth film forming chamber) and the film forming cathode 58.

[0085] Then, the substrate 53 formed to the cathode 58 is fed into a sealing device, and a protective layer PL is formed by plasma CVD (sealing process), thus completing the organic EL display device 50. Here, the protective layer PL is formed by CVD, but it is not limited to this method. For example, the protective layer PL can also be formed by ALD or inkjet methods.

[0086] It should be noted that if the substrate 53, which has an insulating layer 59, is exposed to an atmosphere containing moisture and oxygen during the period from when the substrate 53 is fed into the film forming apparatus 1 until the protective film forming layer PL is formed, the light-emitting layer made of organic EL material may deteriorate. Therefore, the feeding and unloading of the substrate 53 between film forming apparatuses is preferably performed under a vacuum atmosphere or an inactive gas atmosphere.

[0087] This 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 appended to disclose the scope of the invention.

[0088] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-143161, filed on September 4, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. An alignment apparatus for aligning a substrate and a mask, the mask being used to form a film pattern on the film-forming surface of the substrate, characterized in that, The alignment device has: A substrate holding portion, wherein the substrate holding portion holds the substrate; A mask holding part, wherein the mask holding part holds the mask; as well as A driving unit drives at least one of the substrate holding unit and the mask holding unit to change the relative position of the substrate holding unit and the mask holding unit within a plane along the film-forming surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit. A component of one of the substrate and the mask includes protrusions disposed on surfaces facing each other. The component of the other of the substrate and the mask includes a recess disposed on surfaces facing each other. The driving unit drives at least one of the substrate holding unit and the mask holding unit to engage the protrusion with the recess.

2. The alignment device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, One of the components includes a plurality of protrusions disposed on the mutually facing surfaces. The other component includes a plurality of recesses disposed on the mutually facing surfaces. The driving unit drives at least one of the substrate holding unit and the mask holding unit to engage each of the plurality of protrusions with each of the plurality of recesses respectively.

3. The alignment device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple chip regions are disposed on the substrate. The mask is provided with multiple patterned areas that correspond to the multiple chip areas respectively. The protrusions and concave portions are provided in a number corresponding to the number of the plurality of chip regions.

4. The alignment device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that, The number of each of the protrusions and the recesses is the same as the number of the plurality of chip regions.

5. The alignment device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that, One of the protrusions and the recesses is configured such that at least one is located in the outer peripheral region of each of the plurality of chip regions. The other of the protrusion and the recess is configured such that at least one is located in the outer peripheral region of each of the plurality of pattern regions.

6. The alignment device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that, One of the protrusions and the recesses is configured such that at least one region is located between each of the plurality of chip regions. The other of the protrusion and the recess is configured as at least one region located between the plurality of pattern regions.

7. The alignment device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The substrate includes a semiconductor wafer.

8. The alignment device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The mask includes a mask made of silicon.

9. The alignment device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple chip regions are disposed on the substrate. The mask is provided with multiple patterned areas that correspond to the multiple chip areas respectively. The protrusion is disposed on the dam formed in the chip area. The recess is provided in the diaphragm portion of the patterned area.

10. The alignment device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple chip regions are disposed on the substrate. The mask is provided with multiple patterned areas that correspond to the multiple chip areas respectively. The protrusion is a dike provided in the chip area. The recess is provided in the membrane portion of the pattern area, corresponding to the cofferdam.

11. An alignment method for aligning a substrate and a mask for forming a film pattern on a film-forming surface of the substrate, characterized in that, The alignment method comprises the following steps: The substrate and the mask are aligned using the alignment device according to claim 1.

12. A film-forming apparatus for forming a film on a substrate via a mask, characterized in that, The film-forming apparatus has an alignment device as described in claim 1 for aligning the substrate and the mask.

13. A manufacturing method, characterized in that, The manufacturing method uses the film-forming apparatus of claim 12 to manufacture electronic devices.

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