Drying device, manufacturing device, and method for manufacturing article

Abstract

To solve the problem in which: a drying device and a manufacturing device have been expected, which do not reduce the efficiency of drying processing when performing the drying processing on a substrate with ink applied by an application device.SOLUTION: A drying device comprises: a carry-in port through which a substrate is carried in; a holding mechanism that can hold the carried-in substrate and change the height of the substrate; a drying mechanism that performs drying processing on the carried-in substrate; and a carry-out port through which the substrate subjected to the drying processing is carried out. The carry-in port and the carry-out port are provided at positions different in height from each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a drying apparatus used in manufacturing a substrate for use in, for example, a display device, a manufacturing apparatus for applying a liquid to a substrate and drying the substrate, and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known a method for manufacturing an article, for example, an organic electroluminescence display device, by applying a material to a substrate by an inkjet method. As a manufacturing system for this method, there is known a manufacturing system having an application device that applies ink to the substrate, a drying device that dries the substrate on which the ink has been applied, and a transport device that transports the substrate.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-142260 describes a manufacturing system in which an inkjet device and a drying oven are arranged so as to surround a transfer device equipped with a robot arm. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-142260 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the manufacturing system described in JP 2003-142260 A, no specific consideration was given to the drying apparatus, so substrates could not be efficiently loaded and unloaded from the drying apparatus, resulting in a problem of reduced efficiency of the drying process.

[0006] In addition, in the manufacturing system described in JP 2003-142260 A, an attempt is made to improve throughput by arranging multiple coating devices and drying devices around a transport device. However, since the work of moving substrates between coating devices and drying devices is performed by a single transport device, while the transport device is moving a certain substrate, it may be necessary to make other substrates wait, resulting in wasted wait time. In addition, when wait time occurs, for example, the time required for carrying substrates from a coating device to a drying device may differ for each substrate. As a result, the state of the substrates at the time of carrying them into the drying device varies, making it difficult to control the conditions of the drying process by the drying device.

[0007] Therefore, there has been a demand for a drying device and a manufacturing device that does not reduce the efficiency of the drying process when drying a substrate coated with ink by a coating device, or a manufacturing device that can shorten the transport time from the coating device to the drying device and reduce the variation in the transport time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect of the present invention is a drying apparatus comprising an entrance for loading a substrate, a holding mechanism capable of holding the loaded substrate and changing its height, a drying mechanism for drying the loaded substrate, and an exit for unloading the dried substrate, wherein the entrance and the exit are located at different heights. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a drying device or a manufacturing device that does not reduce the efficiency of the drying process when drying a substrate coated with ink by a coating device. Alternatively, according to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a manufacturing device that can shorten the transport time from the coating device to the drying device and reduce the variation in the transport time. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic diagram of a manufacturing apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] A schematic diagram of the transfer robot and the loading load-lock chamber. [Diagram 3] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the transport robot. [Figure 4] 1A is a schematic side perspective view of the first drying device according to the embodiment 1 as viewed from the carry-in mechanism side, and FIG. 1B is a schematic perspective view for explaining the direction in which a substrate is inserted into and removed from the first drying device according to the embodiment 1. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a loading mechanism that loads a substrate into a first drying device. [Figure 6] 5A to 5C are schematic plan views showing the transport direction of the substrate in each process. [Figure 7] 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure for processing a substrate using a manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] 4 is a time chart for explaining a procedure for processing a plurality of substrates. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a schematic diagram of a manufacturing apparatus according to a modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] 1A is a schematic side perspective view of the drying apparatus according to the second embodiment as viewed from the transport robot side, and FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a schematic diagram of a manufacturing apparatus according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] A conveying device and the like according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiment shown below is merely an example, and those skilled in the art can appropriately modify and implement the detailed configuration without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0012] In the drawings referred to in the following description of the embodiments, elements denoted by the same reference numerals have the same functions unless otherwise noted. When a plurality of identical elements are arranged in a drawing, the reference numerals and their descriptions may be omitted.

[0013] In addition, since the drawings may be represented diagrammatically for the convenience of illustration and explanation, the shape, size, arrangement, etc. of the elements depicted in the drawings may not strictly correspond to the actual objects.

[0014] [Embodiment 1] A manufacturing apparatus, a manufacturing system, and the like according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a plan view that shows a schematic diagram of a manufacturing apparatus into which a substrate is carried in and subjected to processes such as cleaning, dehumidification, ink application, drying, and the like, and then carried out.

[0015] The manufacturing apparatus 100 exemplified in this embodiment is an apparatus for manufacturing a substrate used in a display device. The manufacturing apparatus 100 is configured to include, for example, a film forming apparatus for forming an organic film on a substrate. The organic film may be, for example, any one of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer of an organic electroluminescent element (OLED). The process for manufacturing an organic electroluminescent element performed by the manufacturing apparatus 100 may include a step of forming an organic film such as a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, or an electron injection layer on a substrate by applying a liquid containing a functional material.

[0016] [Device configuration] In the manufacturing apparatus 100, a plurality of processing devices for processing a substrate are arranged in a cluster type, and a transfer chamber 110 is provided at the center thereof to connect the plurality of processing devices. A transfer robot 111 is provided in the transfer chamber 110. Around the transfer chamber 110, a loading load lock chamber 120, a dehumidifier 130, an unloading load lock chamber 180, a baking device 170, a cleaning chamber 140 equipped with a cooling chamber 500, a second drying device 161, a substrate position adjustment device 150 connected to a transfer device 200, a first drying device 160, two transfer mechanisms 300, and a coating device 400 are provided. The manufacturing apparatus 100 also includes a control unit 1000 for controlling the operation of each unit. The manufacturing apparatus 100 can process a plurality of substrates at the same time, and FIG. 1 illustrates a state in which a substrate 010 is set in the dehumidifier 130 and a substrate 020 is present in the loading load lock chamber 120.

[0017] In the following description, the devices arranged around the transfer chamber 110 may be referred to as processing devices. The processing devices referred to here are not limited to devices that directly perform some kind of processing on substrates, but also include devices for transferring and storing substrates, such as the load-lock chamber 120 for loading and unloading, 180 for unloading.

[0018] The types and numbers of various devices included in the manufacturing apparatus 100 are not limited to those shown in Fig. 1, and may be changed as appropriate depending on the processing required for manufacturing various substrates. If the devices and mechanisms related to substrate transportation are collectively called a transport system, the transport system may include a transport robot 111, a transport device 200, a substrate position adjustment device 150, and a transport mechanism 300.

[0019] The manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment necessarily includes a coating apparatus, a drying apparatus, and a transport system. Also, the manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment does not necessarily have to include all of the load-lock chamber for loading, the dehumidifying apparatus, the load-lock chamber for unloading, the baking apparatus, the cooling chamber, and the cleaning chamber, and may include only some of them, or may include other apparatuses. Each component of the manufacturing apparatus 100 will be described below in order.

[0020] The control unit 1000 may be configured with hardware such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA). It may also be configured with a programmable logic device (PLD) or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Alternatively, the control unit 1000 may be configured with a general-purpose or dedicated computer in which a program (software) is embedded, or may be configured with a combination of all or part of the above.

[0021] The control unit 1000 may include a CPU, an I / O port, and a computer-readable recording medium. As the computer-readable recording medium, a non-transitory recording medium that stores a processing program executed by the CPU, parameters necessary for executing the processing, and the like may be used. As the non-transitory recording medium, for example, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a magnetic tape, a USB memory, an SSD, and the like may be used. In addition, the control unit 1000 may include a rewritable storage medium (such as a RAM) that provides a recording area necessary for processing such as calculations.

[0022] The control unit 1000 controls the operation of each unit of the manufacturing apparatus 100. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium included in the control unit 1000 records a program for the manufacturing apparatus 100 to manufacture a substrate for, for example, an organic EL display device, including a substrate processing procedure according to the present embodiment.

[0023] The transfer chamber 110 is disposed approximately in the center of the manufacturing apparatus 100. In this example, the side surface of the outer wall has an octagonal structure divided every 45° when viewed from the center in a plan view, but the transfer chamber 110 may be configured in a shape other than an octagon depending on the number of processing apparatuses to be connected. A partition gate valve 112 may be provided at the connection between the transfer chamber 110 and each processing apparatus.

[0024] A transfer robot 111 is installed in the transfer chamber 110. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the transfer robot 111 and the loading load lock chamber 120 extracted from the manufacturing apparatus 100. Note that the Z-direction arrows shown in Fig. 2 and other drawings indicate a vertically upward direction (opposite to gravity) in order to clarify the positional relationship of the components.

[0025] The transport robot 111 is a robot capable of loading a substrate into or unloading a substrate from a processing device arranged around the transport chamber 110. The transport robot 111 is equipped with a robot hand 1110 capable of holding a substrate SUB at its tip, and the robot hand 1110 is supported by a hand position adjustment mechanism 1112 and a rotation mechanism 1113. The rotation mechanism 1113 can rotate the robot hand 1110 in a direction facing the processing device to which the substrate is to be loaded or unloaded. The hand position adjustment mechanism 1112 can move the robot hand 1110 back and forth or up and down to adjust its position when loading or unloading the substrate SUB into or from the processing device.

[0026] FIG. 3 shows an example of the operation of the transport robot 111. In the figure, the operation of the transport robot 111 for moving the substrate SUB from the loading load lock chamber 120 to the dehumidifier 130 is divided into four stages from the top. First, as shown in the first row of FIG. 3, the transport robot 111 moves the robot hand 1110 to the loading load lock chamber 120 and holds the substrate SUB. Next, as shown in the second row of FIG. 3, the transport robot 111 operates the hand position adjustment mechanism 1112 to move the robot hand 1110 holding the substrate SUB into the transport chamber 110. This makes it possible for the robot hand 1110 to rotate its orientation within the transport chamber 110. Next, as shown in the third row of FIG. 3, the rotation mechanism 1113 of the transport robot 111 rotates the robot hand 1110 holding the substrate SUB so that it faces the dehumidifier 130. Then, the hand position adjustment mechanism 1112 is operated to move the robot hand 1110 holding the substrate SUB into the dehumidifier 130, and the substrate SUB is placed in the dehumidifier 130. Then, as shown in the fourth row of FIG. 3, the transport robot 111 operates the hand position adjustment mechanism 1112 to retreat the robot hand 1110 into the transport chamber 110, thereby completing the transport of the substrate SUB into the dehumidifier 130.

[0027] 1, the loading load lock chamber 120 is a chamber for loading a substrate into the manufacturing apparatus 100 from the outside, and may be configured to store a plurality of substrates. The loading load lock chamber 120 may include a mechanism for filling and exhausting an inert gas therein. A gate valve may be provided at the connection between the loading load lock chamber 120 and the transfer chamber 110 to enable different atmospheres to be created in both chambers.

[0028] The dehumidifier 130 is a device that removes moisture from the substrates, and can store one or more substrates to perform a process of removing moisture. A gate valve can be provided at the connection between the dehumidifier 130 and the transfer chamber 110 to enable different atmospheres to be created in both chambers.

[0029] The unloading load-lock chamber 180 is a chamber for unloading a substrate from the manufacturing apparatus 100 to the outside, and can store multiple substrates. The unloading load-lock chamber 180 may be equipped with a mechanism for filling and exhausting an inert gas inside the chamber. A gate valve 112 may be provided at the connection between the unloading load-lock chamber 180 and the transfer chamber 110 to enable different atmospheres to be created inside both chambers.

[0030] The baking device 170 is a device that bakes the ink applied to the substrate, and is filled with air or an inert gas. It has a mechanism for raising the temperature of the substrate to a temperature at which the ink can be baked. In order to maintain the atmosphere inside the baking device, a gate valve may be provided at the connection between the baking device and the transfer chamber 110 to enable different atmospheres to be created inside both chambers.

[0031] The cleaning chamber 140 is a device for removing impurities from the substrate, and is capable of storing, for example, one substrate for cleaning.

[0032] The cooling chamber 500 is an apparatus for cooling a heated substrate, and is capable of storing and processing, for example, one substrate. For example, it is used to cool a substrate heated in the baking device 170. In addition, when a substrate cleaned in the cleaning chamber 140 needs to be cooled, it may be cooled in the cooling chamber 500.

[0033] The coating device 400 is a device for coating a substrate with ink. An inkjet device of an inkjet type is preferably used, but in some cases, a liquid coating device of another type, such as a dispenser type, may also be used.

[0034] The first drying device 160 and the second drying device 161 are drying devices for drying the ink applied on the substrate. The first drying device 160 has an exit 1602 for unloading the substrate on the side facing the transport chamber 110, and an entrance 1601 for loading the substrate on the side facing the transport mechanism 300. The second drying device 161 has a structure symmetrical to the first drying device 160 in a plan view, but has an exit 1602 for unloading the substrate on the side facing the transport chamber 110, and an entrance 1601 for loading the substrate on the side facing the transport mechanism 300. The first drying device 160 and the second drying device 161 load the substrate into the device through the entrance 1601, perform drying processing, and then load the substrate into the transport chamber 110 through the exit 1602.

[0035] Fig. 4(a) is a schematic side perspective view of the first drying device 160 as viewed from the transport mechanism 300 side, for explaining the structure of the first drying device 160. Fig. 4(b) is a schematic perspective view for explaining the direction in which a substrate is inserted into and removed from the first drying device 160. The second drying device 161 has a structure that is opposite to that of the first drying device 160 shown in Fig. 4(a) on the left and right.

[0036] In Fig. 4(a), the substrate is carried into the apparatus from the front side of the page through an entrance 1601, and after being dried in the apparatus, is discharged to the right side of the figure through an exit 1602. That is, as shown in Fig. 4(b), the substrate 020 before drying is carried into the entrance 1601 along a transport direction D1 by the hand 2102 of the transport mechanism 300. The substrate 010 after drying is carried out from the exit 1602 along a transport direction D2 by the robot hand 1110 of the transport robot 111. In the first drying apparatus 160 and the second drying apparatus 161, the transport direction D1 when the substrate is carried in and the transport direction D2 when the substrate is carried out are perpendicular to each other. Incidentally, the angle at which the conveying direction D1 and the conveying direction D2 intersect does not necessarily have to be perpendicular (90 degrees), but an appropriate intersection angle is set so that the hand 2102 of the conveying mechanism 300 and the robot hand 1110 of the conveying robot 111 do not interfere with each other even if they approach the drying device at the same time.

[0037] The entrance 1601 and the exit 1602 may be provided with, for example, an openable door, which can function as a gate to ensure airtightness during drying treatment. This allows an inert gas to be introduced into the device, or the pressure inside the device to be reduced.

[0038] A receiving mechanism 1611 for receiving a substrate from the transport mechanism 300 is provided near the entrance 1601. When the receiving mechanism 1611 receives a substrate held by the hand 2102 of the transport mechanism 300, the receiving mechanism 1611 descends and the substrate is transferred onto a drying processing plate 1612. Fig. 4(a) shows a state in which the hand 2102 of the transport mechanism 300 holds a substrate 020 for loading, and another substrate 010 is placed on the drying processing plate 1612.

[0039] The first drying device 160 is provided with substrate receiving pins 1613 for supporting and moving the substrate up and down when transferring the substrate from the support mechanism 1611 to the drying processing plate 1612 or when transferring the substrate from the drying processing plate 1612 to the transfer robot 111. The first drying device 160 can hold the substrate 020 and the substrate 010 at different heights. The support mechanism 1611, the substrate receiving pins 1613, etc. can be called a holding mechanism.

[0040] The drying process plate 1612 includes a temperature control mechanism 1630 for controlling the temperature of the substrate to a temperature suitable for performing the drying process. The temperature control mechanism 1630 may include, for example, a heater and a temperature sensor.

[0041] The first drying device 160 also includes a vacuum pump 1631, a pressure gauge 1632, an inert gas inlet INL, and a gas flow regulator 1603 for reducing the pressure inside the device to a pressure suitable for drying when drying the ink applied on the substrate. These may be called a pressure reduction mechanism. The temperature control mechanism 1630 and the pressure reduction mechanism may be called a drying mechanism.

[0042] Returning to FIG. 1, a substrate position adjustment device 150 is installed on the side of the transfer chamber 110 at a position sandwiched between the first drying device 160 and the second drying device 161, and a transfer device 200 is connected to the substrate position adjustment device 150.

[0043] The substrate position adjustment device 150 is a device that adjusts the position and orientation of the substrate before it is carried into the coating device 400 so that ink is applied to a predetermined position on the substrate when the coating device 400 applies ink.

[0044] The transfer device 200 includes a hand capable of holding a substrate, a rotation mechanism for rotating the hand, and an extension mechanism for extending or retracting the hand. The transfer device 200 can use the hand to receive a substrate from any of the substrate position adjustment device 150, the coating device 400, and the left or right transfer mechanisms 300, and can transfer the substrate to any of them.

[0045] For example, a substrate on which ink has not been applied is transferred from the transfer robot 111 to the substrate position adjustment device 150, and after the position and orientation are adjusted, the transfer device 200 carries the substrate into the coating device 400. Furthermore, a substrate on which ink application processing has been completed by the coating device 400 is carried into either the first drying device 160 or the second drying device 161, whichever is capable of accepting the substrate. The control unit 1000 controls the transfer device 200 to carry the substrate on which ink application processing has been completed out of the coating device 400, and have the transfer device 200 carry the substrate out of the coating device 400 and transfer it to one of the transfer mechanisms 300, and have the substrate carried into the carry-in entrance 1601 of either the first drying device 160 or the second drying device 161.

[0046] 5 is a schematic diagram showing the transport mechanism 300 when transporting an ink-coated substrate into the first drying device 160. The transport mechanism 300 includes a hand 2102 that holds the substrate SUB delivered from the transport device 200, and a rotation mechanism 2103 that rotates the held substrate SUB in a plan view. The transport mechanism 300 further includes a lifting mechanism 2101 that lifts and lowers the hand 2102 to match the height of the transport device 200 or the entrance 1601 of the first drying device 160.

[0047] The configuration of the manufacturing apparatus 100 has been described above. Next, a procedure for processing a substrate using the manufacturing apparatus 100 will be described.

[0048] [Processing procedure for circuit boards] Fig. 7 is a flow chart showing a procedure for processing a substrate using manufacturing apparatus 100. Manufacturing apparatus 100 is capable of processing a plurality of substrates sequentially or simultaneously, but when focusing on each individual substrate, each substrate is processed according to the flow shown in Fig. 7. In other words, control unit 1000 of manufacturing apparatus 100 controls each processing device and each transport device so that each substrate is processed according to the processing procedure shown in Fig. 7.

[0049] 6 is a schematic plan view showing a transport direction D3 (third transport direction) when the substrate is carried into the coating apparatus 400, a transport direction D1 (first transport direction) when the substrate is carried into the drying apparatus 160, and a transport direction D2 (second transport direction) when the substrate is carried out from the drying apparatus 160. In this figure, the outline of the substrate is shown by a dotted line so that the orientation of the substrate in each processing apparatus can be seen in plan view.

[0050] First, in step S1, the substrate is carried into the manufacturing apparatus 100 via the entrance load lock chamber 120 and held by the transfer robot 111.

[0051] Next, in step S2, the substrate is transferred by the transfer robot 111 to the dehumidifier 130, where the substrate is subjected to a dehumidification process. The dehumidified substrate is then removed from the dehumidifier 130 by the transfer robot 111.

[0052] Next, in step S3, the substrate is transferred by the transfer robot 111 to the cleaning chamber 140, where a cleaning process is performed. The cleaned substrate is then removed from the cleaning chamber 140 by the transfer robot 111.

[0053] Next, in step S4, the substrate is transported by the transport robot 111 to the substrate position adjustment device 150, where the position and orientation of the substrate are adjusted so that ink is applied to a predetermined position on the substrate. The substrate whose position and orientation have been adjusted is carried into the coating device 400 by the transport device 200. As shown in Fig. 6, the substrate is transported along a transport direction D3 from the transport robot 111 toward the coating device 400, and the orientation of the substrate is maintained so that the longitudinal direction of the substrate is aligned with the transport direction D3.

[0054] Next, in step S5, the coating device 400 performs a coating process on the substrate. That is, for example, ink containing a material for forming an organic EL element is applied to a predetermined position on the substrate. After the coating process is completed, the substrate is carried out of the coating device 400 by the transport device 200.

[0055] Next, in step S6, the substrate is loaded into either the first drying apparatus 160 or the second drying apparatus 161. The control unit 1000 selects either the first drying apparatus 160 or the second drying apparatus 161 into which the substrate can be loaded without waiting time, and loads the substrate therein. In FIG. 6, the substrate transport direction when the drying process is performed using the drying apparatus 160 is illustrated, but when the substrate is processed using the drying apparatus 161, the transport direction can be easily understood by reversing the arrow in FIG. 6.

[0056] To explain the transfer procedure in detail, the transfer device 200 rotates to deliver the substrate to the transfer mechanism 300 on the drying device 160 side while holding the substrate carried out from the coating device 400. The transfer mechanism 300 (FIG. 5) receives the substrate by driving the lifting mechanism 2101 so that the height of the hand 2102 is suitable for receiving the substrate from the transfer device 200. Then, the rotation mechanism 2103 is driven to rotate the hand 2102 so that the short side direction of the substrate coincides with the transfer direction D1 for carrying the substrate into the drying device 160. Then, the lifting mechanism 2101 is driven to adjust the height of the hand 2102 so that the height of the hand 2102 is the height of the entrance 1601 of the first drying device 160, and the hand 2102 is advanced toward the entrance 1601, and the substrate is delivered to the yoke mechanism 1611 (FIG. 4) of the first drying device 160.

[0057] In this embodiment, the substrate is rotated so that the transport direction D1 in which the substrate is transported into the drying device 160 coincides with the short side direction of the substrate, and then the substrate is transported straight in the transport direction D1 to the first drying device 160. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, the substrate can be set in the first drying device 160 so that the short side faces the side of the transport chamber 110. Setting the substrate in such a direction in the drying device can reduce the width of the transport port 1602 used to transport the substrate after drying, which is advantageous for miniaturizing the manufacturing device. This is because the width of the transport port 1602 through which the substrate passes when transporting it from the first drying device 160 to the transport chamber 110 along the transport direction D2 only needs to be larger than the short side direction of the substrate, and does not need to be larger than the long side direction of the substrate.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the substrate after the coating process can be transported to the drying device 160 via a transport path that is a short distance along the transport direction D1, rather than a long distance transport path that passes through the transport chamber 110. This reduces the travel time and suppresses variations in the travel time, making it possible to suppress the progress and variation in the drying of the ink that occurs during the movement.

[0059] Next, in step S7, the substrate is subjected to a drying process in the loaded drying device. As described with reference to Fig. 4(a), the substrate is transferred from the drying mechanism 1611 to the drying process plate 1612 and dried under reduced pressure on the temperature-adjusted drying process plate 1612. The substrate that has been dried is handed over to the robot hand 1110 of the transfer robot 111 and transferred into the transfer chamber 110 through the transfer port 1602.

[0060] Next, in step S8, the substrate is transferred by the transfer robot 111 to the baking apparatus 170, where the baking process is performed. The substrate that has been subjected to the baking process is taken out of the baking apparatus 170 by the transfer robot 111.

[0061] Next, in step S9, the substrate is transferred by the transfer robot 111 to the cooling chamber 500, where it is subjected to a cooling process. The substrate that has been subjected to the cooling process is taken out of the cooling chamber 500 by the transfer robot 111.

[0062] Next, in step S10, the substrate is taken out of the manufacturing apparatus 100 via the unloading load-lock chamber 180, and the processing of the substrate is completed. The processing procedure for one substrate has been described above. Next, a procedure for processing a plurality of substrates in parallel using manufacturing apparatus 100 will be described.

[0063] [Processing procedure for multiple boards]

[0064] The procedure for processing a plurality of substrates will be described with reference to the belt-shaped time chart shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 8 shows the procedure for sequentially loading four substrates (substrate 1 to substrate 4) into manufacturing apparatus 100 and processing them, but this is merely an example and can be modified as appropriate depending on the configuration of the manufacturing apparatus and the substrate processing process. In Fig. 8, the horizontal axis is the time axis, and the timing at which various processes are performed on each of substrates 1 to 4 is shown.

[0065] In the figure, S1, S2, ..., S10 correspond to steps S1, S2, ..., S10 of the process flow described with reference to Figure 7. Also, (120), (130), ..., (180) indicate devices (see Figure 1) in which the respective processes are executed.

[0066] Moreover, R1 to R24 indicate substrate transport operations performed by the transport robot 111, which are performed in the order of R1, R2, etc., but there is no overlap in time because these operations are performed by one transport robot 111. Also, for example, the period indicated by diagonal lines after step S7 or step S8 is a time when the processing of step S7 or step S8 has been completed but the transport robot 111 is waiting for its turn because it is transporting another substrate.

[0067] 8, according to this embodiment, no substrate waits its turn for the drying process between the end of step S5 (coating process) and the start of step S7 (drying process). This is because the substrate is transported from the coating apparatus 400 to the drying apparatus 160 or 161 by the transport apparatus 200 and the transport mechanism 300, and is therefore immediately transported regardless of whether the transport robot 111 is transporting another substrate. This reduces the time it takes for the substrate coated with ink to be transported into the drying apparatus, and does not vary from substrate to substrate.

[0068] In this embodiment, the drying apparatus 160 and the drying apparatus 161 are provided with an entrance 1601 and an exit 1602 arranged at different heights on different sides. The substrate is carried in by the transport mechanism 300 at the entrance 1601, and the substrate is carried out by the transport robot 111 at the exit 1602, but the transport mechanism 300 and the transport robot 111 are arranged so as not to interfere with each other. Therefore, for example, at the timing T1 in FIG. 8, the drying apparatus 160 can simultaneously discharge the substrate 1 and carry in the substrate 3. Also, for example, at the timing T2 in FIG. 8, the drying apparatus 161 can simultaneously carry out the substrate 2 and carry in the substrate 4. Therefore, the time until the substrate coated with ink is carried in the drying apparatus is shortened. Moreover, since the substrate is carried in and out at the same time, the processing cycle of the drying apparatus can be shortened, and the efficiency of the drying process (substrate manufacturing process) can be improved.

[0069] [Modification of the first embodiment] The first embodiment is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, in the manufacturing apparatus 100 of FIG. 1, one coating apparatus and two drying apparatuses are arranged, but the configuration of the manufacturing apparatus is not limited to this.

[0070] The manufacturing apparatus 100A shown in FIG. 9 shows one of the modified examples of the first embodiment. The description of the matters common to the manufacturing apparatus 100 of FIG. 1 will be simplified or omitted. The manufacturing apparatus 100A includes one coating apparatus 400 and one drying apparatus 160. As already described, the drying apparatus 160 includes an entrance 1601 and an exit 1602 arranged at different heights on different sides. The substrate is carried in by the transport mechanism 300 at the entrance 1601, and the substrate is carried out by the transport robot 111 at the exit 1602, but the transport mechanism 300 and the transport robot 111 are arranged so as not to interfere with each other. The drying apparatus 160 can discharge the substrate 1 and carry in the substrate 3 simultaneously or independently. Therefore, the time until the substrate coated with ink is carried in the drying apparatus is shortened, and the processing cycle of the drying apparatus can be increased, thereby improving the efficiency of the drying process (substrate manufacturing process).

[0071] Furthermore, in the manufacturing apparatus 100A, the cooling chamber 500 and the cleaning chamber 140 are connected to different sides of the transfer chamber 110. Therefore, the substrate can be moved into and out of the cooling chamber 500 and the cleaning chamber 140 independently. Therefore, when designing a process for processing multiple substrates, it becomes easy to set the timing of the substrate cleaning process and the cooling process after baking, shortening the time required for the manufacturing process and improving manufacturing efficiency.

[0072] The modified example of the first embodiment is not limited to the manufacturing apparatus 100A in FIG. 9, and the number and arrangement of coating apparatuses and drying apparatuses, and the type, number and arrangement of other processing apparatuses can be appropriately changed.

[0073] [Embodiment 2] With reference to Figs. 10(a), (b) and 11, an example of a manufacturing apparatus, a manufacturing system and the like according to the second embodiment will be described. Fig. 11 is a plan view showing a manufacturing apparatus 100B which performs processes such as loading, cleaning, dehumidifying, applying ink, drying and unloading a substrate. Fig. 10(a) is a schematic side perspective view of the drying apparatus 160A as seen from the transfer chamber 110 side to explain the structure of two drying apparatuses 160A provided in the manufacturing apparatus 100B. Fig. 10(b) is a schematic perspective view to explain the direction in which a substrate is loaded and unloaded from the drying apparatus 160A. Explanations of matters common to the first embodiment will be simplified or omitted.

[0074] The manufacturing apparatus 100B exemplified in this embodiment is an apparatus for manufacturing a substrate to be used in, for example, a display device. The manufacturing apparatus 100B is configured to include, for example, a film forming apparatus for forming an organic film on a substrate. The organic film may be, for example, any one of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer of an organic electroluminescence element (OLED). The process for manufacturing an organic electroluminescence element performed by the manufacturing apparatus 100B may include a step of forming an organic film such as a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, or an electron injection layer on a substrate by applying a solution containing a functional material.

[0075] [Device configuration] In the manufacturing apparatus 100B, a plurality of processing devices for processing substrates are arranged in a cluster configuration, and a transfer chamber 110 is provided at the center thereof to connect the plurality of processing devices. A transfer robot 111 is provided in the transfer chamber 110. Around the transfer chamber 110, a loading load lock chamber 120, a dehumidifier 130, an unloading load lock chamber 180, a baking device 170, a cleaning chamber 140 equipped with a cooling chamber 500, two drying devices 160A, and a substrate position adjustment device 150 connected to a transfer device 200 are provided. The manufacturing apparatus 100B also includes a control unit 1000 for controlling the operation of each unit.

[0076] The drying apparatus 160A used in this embodiment has a different structure from the drying apparatus 160 or the drying apparatus 161 used in embodiment 1. Also, unlike embodiment 1, the drying apparatus 160A does not include a transfer mechanism 300 for carrying a substrate from the coating apparatus 400 into the drying apparatus, and the substrate is carried into the drying apparatus 160A and carried out from the drying apparatus 160A by a transfer robot 111.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 2, the transport robot 111 is equipped with a hand position adjustment mechanism 1112, and when transporting a substrate into or out of the drying apparatus 160A, the position of the robot hand 1110 can be adjusted by moving it back and forth or up and down.

[0078] In Fig. 10(a), the substrate is carried into the device at the front of the page through the entrance 1601A, and after drying in the device, is carried out to the front of the page through the exit 1602A. That is, as shown in Fig. 10(b), the substrate 020 before drying is carried into the entrance 1601A from the height position indicated by 1110A along the transport direction D1 by the robot hand 1110 of the transport robot 111. The substrate 010 after drying is carried out from the exit 1602A along the transport direction D2 by the robot hand 1110 of the transport robot 111 from the height position indicated by 1110A. In the drying device 160A, the transport direction D1 when the substrate is carried in and the transport direction D2 when the substrate is carried out are parallel to each other and are opposite directions (they are 180 degrees apart).

[0079] A receiving mechanism 1611 for receiving a substrate from the robot hand 1110 is provided near the entrance 1601A. When the receiving mechanism 1611 receives the substrate held by the robot hand 1110, the receiving mechanism 1611 descends and the substrate is transferred onto a drying processing plate 1612. Fig. 10(a) shows a state in which the robot hand 1110 holds a substrate 020 at a height 1110A for transport, and another substrate 010 is placed on the drying processing plate 1612.

[0080] The drying apparatus 160A is provided with substrate receiving pins 1613 for moving the substrate up and down when transferring the substrate from the support mechanism 1611 to the drying processing plate 1612, or when transferring the substrate from the drying processing plate 1612 to the transfer robot 111. The drying apparatus 160A can hold the substrate 020 and the substrate 010 at different heights.

[0081] The drying process plate 1612 includes a temperature control mechanism 1630 for controlling the substrate temperature to a temperature suitable for performing the drying process. The temperature control mechanism 1630 may include, for example, a heater and a temperature sensor. The drying device 160A also includes a vacuum pump 1631, a pressure gauge 1632, an inert gas inlet INL, and a gas flow regulator 1603 for adjusting the pressure inside the device to a pressure suitable for reduced pressure drying when drying the ink applied on the substrate. The manufacturing apparatus 100B of this embodiment does not include the transfer mechanism 300 used in the first embodiment, and therefore the configuration of the transfer system can be simplified.

[0082] In addition, in this embodiment, the drying device 160A has an entrance 1601A and an exit 1602A arranged at different heights on the same side. The robot hand 1110 carries the substrate in at the entrance 1601A, and carries the substrate out at the exit 1602A. Therefore, the robot hand 1110 can immediately change the height after transporting a substrate to the entrance 1601A, and carry out another substrate that has been dried through the exit 1602A. Therefore, the drying device can increase the processing cycle, and according to this embodiment, a drying device and a manufacturing device that do not reduce the efficiency of the drying process can be provided. Furthermore, since the drying device 160A can hold multiple substrates inside, even if one substrate is present in the device, another substrate transported from the coating device can be immediately carried in through the entrance 1601A. Therefore, a manufacturing device that can shorten the transport time from the coating device to the drying device and reduce the variation in the transport time can be provided.

[0083] [Other embodiments] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and modifications, and many modifications are possible within the technical spirit of the present invention. For example, the above-described different embodiment and modifications may be combined in whole or in part.

[0084] For example, in the above example, the drying device is configured to be capable of holding two substrates, but it may be configured to be capable of holding a greater number of substrates within the device, or may be configured with a drying mechanism that can dry multiple substrates simultaneously.

[0085] In the above-described embodiment, the case of manufacturing a substrate used in an organic EL display device is illustrated, but the present invention may be embodied in a drying device or manufacturing device used for manufacturing a substrate for other purposes, or for manufacturing an article. For example, the present invention may be applied to a manufacturing device for manufacturing a storage element by applying a liquid containing an electrical material to a substrate. Alternatively, the present invention may be applied to a manufacturing device for manufacturing an optical element by applying an optical material such as a reflective material or a liquid containing an antistatic material to a substrate.

[0086] The present invention can also be realized by a process in which a program for implementing one or more functions of the embodiments is supplied to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or device read and execute the program. The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0087] This specification discloses at least the following: [Item 1] an entrance for carrying in substrates; a holding mechanism capable of holding an input substrate and changing its height; a drying mechanism for drying the substrate carried in; an outlet for carrying out the dried substrate; The inlet and the outlet are provided at different heights. A drying device characterized by: [Matter 2] The drying mechanism includes a pressure reducing mechanism, The entrance and exit are provided with doors that can be opened and closed. 2. The drying apparatus according to item 1, [Matter 3] The inlet and the outlet are provided on different sides of the drying device. 3. The drying apparatus according to item 1 or 2, [Matter 4] In a plan view, a first transport direction when the substrate is carried into the carry-in opening and a second transport direction when the substrate is carried out from the carry-out opening are directions intersecting each other. 4. The drying device according to item 3, [Matter 5] The inlet and the outlet are provided on one side of the drying device. 3. The drying apparatus according to item 1 or 2, [Matter 6] In a plan view, a first transport direction when the substrate is carried into the carry-in entrance and a second transport direction when the substrate is carried out from the carry-out exit are directions that are 180 degrees different from each other. 6. The drying device according to item 5, [Matter 7] A drying device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, an application device that applies ink to a substrate; A transport system for moving the substrate; Equipped with the transfer system includes a transfer mechanism that transfers the substrate from the coating apparatus to the drying apparatus, and a transfer robot that transfers the substrate from the drying apparatus. A manufacturing apparatus comprising: [Matter 8] the drying apparatus is capable of holding a plurality of substrates; the transport system is configured to be capable of simultaneously transporting the substrate from the coating apparatus to the drying apparatus and transporting the substrate from the drying apparatus. 8. The manufacturing apparatus according to item 7. [Matter 9] In a plan view, a first transport direction when the substrate is carried into the carry-in entrance, a second transport direction when the substrate is carried out from the carry-out exit, and a third transport direction when the substrate is carried into the coating device are directions that intersect with each other. 9. The manufacturing apparatus according to item 7 or 8. [Matter 10] The apparatus further includes at least one of a baking device, a cooling chamber, a cleaning chamber, a dehumidifier, an input load lock chamber, an output load lock chamber, and a substrate position adjustment device. 10. The manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 9. [Matter 11] Using the manufacturing apparatus according to any one of items 7 to 10, ink is applied to a substrate and dried. A method for producing an article comprising the steps of: [Matter 12] The ink is a liquid containing a functional material. 12. A method for producing an article according to item 11. [Matter 13] the ink is a liquid for forming any one of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer of an organic electroluminescence element; 13. A method for producing an article according to item 11 or 12. [Matter 14] A drying device according to any one of claims 1, 2, 4 and 5, an application device that applies ink to a substrate; A transport system for moving the substrate; Equipped with the transfer system includes a transfer robot that transfers the substrate from the coating apparatus to the drying apparatus and transfers the substrate from the drying apparatus. A manufacturing apparatus comprising: [Matter 15] the drying apparatus is capable of holding a plurality of substrates; the transport system is configured to be capable of continuously transporting the substrate from the coating apparatus to the drying apparatus and transporting the substrate from the drying apparatus. 15. The manufacturing apparatus according to item 14. [Matter 16] In a plan view, a first transport direction when the substrate is carried into the carry-in entrance and a second transport direction when the substrate is carried out from the carry-out exit are directions that are 180 degrees different from each other, and a third transport direction when the substrate is carried into the coating device is a direction that intersects with the first transport direction and the second transport direction. 16. The manufacturing apparatus according to item 14 or 15. [Matter 17] The apparatus further includes at least one of a baking device, a cooling chamber, a cleaning chamber, a dehumidifier, an input load lock chamber, an output load lock chamber, and a substrate position adjustment device. 17. The manufacturing apparatus according to any one of items 14 to 16, [Matter 18] 18. Using the manufacturing apparatus according to any one of items 14 to 17, ink is applied to a substrate and dried. A method for producing an article comprising the steps of: [Matter 19] The ink is a liquid containing a functional material. 20. The method for producing an article according to item 18, characterized in that: [Matter 20] the ink is a liquid for forming any one of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer of an organic electroluminescence element; 20. A method for producing an article according to item 18 or 19, [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 100···Manufacturing equipment / 110···Transportation room / 111···Transportation robot / 160···First drying device / 160A···Drying device / 161···Second drying device / 200···Transportation device / 300···Transportation mechanism / 1601···Loading entrance / 1602···Loading exit / 1611···Standing mechanism / 1612···Drying processing plate / 1613···Substrate support pin / 1630···Temperature control mechanism / 1631···Vacuum pump / 1000···Control unit

Claims

1. an entrance for carrying in a substrate; a holding mechanism capable of holding an input substrate and changing its height; a drying mechanism for drying the substrate carried in; an outlet for unloading the dried substrate; The inlet and the outlet are provided at different heights. A drying device characterized by:

2. The drying mechanism includes a pressure reducing mechanism, The entrance and exit are provided with doors that can be opened and closed.

2. The drying device according to claim 1 .

3. The inlet and the outlet are provided on different sides of the drying device.

2. The drying device according to claim 1 .

4. In a plan view, a first transport direction when the substrate is carried into the carry-in entrance and a second transport direction when the substrate is carried out from the carry-out exit are directions intersecting each other.

4. The drying device according to claim 3.

5. The inlet and the outlet are provided on one side of the drying device.

2. The drying device according to claim 1 .

6. In a plan view, a first transport direction when the substrate is carried into the carry-in entrance and a second transport direction when the substrate is carried out from the carry-out exit are directions that are 180 degrees different from each other.

6. The drying device according to claim 5.

7. A drying device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, an application device that applies ink to a substrate; A transport system for moving the substrate; Equipped with the transfer system includes a transfer mechanism that transfers the substrate from the coating apparatus to the drying apparatus, and a transfer robot that transfers the substrate from the drying apparatus. A manufacturing apparatus comprising:

8. the drying apparatus is capable of holding a plurality of substrates; the transport system is configured to be capable of simultaneously transporting the substrate from the coating apparatus to the drying apparatus and transporting the substrate from the drying apparatus. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7 .

9. In a plan view, a first transport direction when the substrate is carried into the carry-in entrance, a second transport direction when the substrate is carried out from the carry-out exit, and a third transport direction when the substrate is carried into the coating device are directions that intersect with each other. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7 .

10. The apparatus further includes at least one of a baking device, a cooling chamber, a cleaning chamber, a dehumidifier, an input load lock chamber, an output load lock chamber, and a substrate position adjustment device. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7 .

11. 8. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the ink is applied to a substrate and dried. A method for producing an article.

12. The ink is a liquid containing a functional material. The method of claim 11 .

13. the ink is a liquid for forming any one of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer of an organic EL element; The method of claim 11 .

14. A drying device according to any one of claims 1, 2, 4 and 5; an application device that applies ink to a substrate; A transport system for moving the substrate; Equipped with the transfer system includes a transfer robot that transfers the substrate from the coating apparatus to the drying apparatus and transfers the substrate from the drying apparatus. A manufacturing apparatus comprising:

15. the drying apparatus is capable of holding a plurality of substrates; the transport system is configured to be capable of continuously transporting the substrate from the coating apparatus to the drying apparatus and transporting the substrate from the drying apparatus.

15. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 14.

16. In a plan view, a first transport direction when the substrate is carried into the carry-in entrance and a second transport direction when the substrate is carried out from the carry-out exit are directions that are 180 degrees different from each other, and a third transport direction when the substrate is carried into the coating device is a direction that intersects with the first transport direction and the second transport direction.

15. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 14.

17. The apparatus further includes at least one of a baking device, a cooling chamber, a cleaning chamber, a dehumidifier, an input load lock chamber, an output load lock chamber, and a substrate position adjustment device.

15. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 14.

18. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 14 is used to apply ink to a substrate and dry the ink. A method for producing an article.

19. The ink is a liquid containing a functional material.

20. A method for producing an article according to claim 18.

20. the ink is a liquid for forming any one of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer of an organic EL element; 20. A method for producing an article according to claim 18.

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