Inkjet device, control method, and article manufacturing method

Abstract

To provide an inkjet device that has higher durability and reliability.SOLUTION: An inkjet device comprises a substrate stage for holding a substrate, an inkjet unit, which can be lifted and driven and which includes an inkjet head for discharging ink onto the substrate held on the substrate stage, a carriage base supporting the inkjet unit, which is provided with an opening part through which the inkjet unit being lifted passes, and a maintenance unit arranged upper than the carriage base. Pressure in a first space upper than the opening part in the inkjet device is lower than pressure in a second space lower than the opening part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an ink-jet device, a control method, and a method for manufacturing an article. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, when manufacturing various functional elements, attempts have been made to form patterns on a substrate using an inkjet device (liquid supplying device) that supplies (applies) liquid, which is the material of the functional element, as droplets onto the substrate by the inkjet method. Pattern formation using such an inkjet device has the advantages of high material usage efficiency because on-demand patterning is possible, a non-vacuum process that makes the manufacturing device relatively small, and the ability to coat a large area at high speed. For example, inkjet devices can be used to manufacture display devices such as flat panel displays.

[0003] Various display methods have been proposed for display devices manufactured using an inkjet device. In recent years, there is a method in which a color conversion section containing a quantum dot material is generated by an inkjet device on top of a self-emitting section generated by a deposition method. There is also a method in which a functional element is patterned on a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) device by an inkjet device to form a self-emitting element. In the latter case, either an organic EL material or a quantum dot material is used as the self-emitting element. Patent Document 1 describes the creation of organic EL elements using the inkjet method in the manufacturing process of a display device.

[0004] An inkjet device that patterns a functional element may have an inkjet head that ejects ink, a receiving medium to be patterned (usually a substrate), a mechanism that holds, scans, and transports the receiving medium, and a mechanism for maintaining the head. In Patent Document 2, the head is raised and lowered in the vertical direction, and head maintenance is performed at the raised position, thereby increasing the utilization rate of the space in the upward direction of the device and making the device smaller. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-12815 [Patent Document 2] JP 2003-103764 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In recent years, as displays have become increasingly finer, the required precision for the position (landing position) where ink droplets ejected from a head land on a substrate is becoming higher. Accordingly, it is considered that the requirements for the positional precision of the mechanism (substrate stage) that holds the substrate and positions it relative to the head will also become stricter, in addition to the precision of the inkjet head side, such as the ink ejection angle. In order to meet the strict requirements, it is possible that precise methods such as air bearings as a guide method and laser interferometers for position control will be adopted for the stage device. In addition, when manufacturing display elements such as organic EL displays using the inkjet method, it is common to apply an appropriate amount of ink inside a partition wall called a bank that divides each pixel formed on a substrate. As the size of the bank becomes smaller with the increase in fineness, the total amount of liquid ejected also becomes smaller, so that the size of the ejected ink droplets may also be required to be smaller with the increase in fineness.

[0007] In the device described in Patent Document 2, the ink droplets discharged from the inkjet head and the even smaller ink droplets (called mist) that are generated by separating from the main droplets may drift inside the device after being discharged for inspection by the maintenance unit. Therefore, there is a risk that they may adhere to the air bearings and the target mirror of the laser interferometer in the device. If the device is used for a long period of time in an environment where ink adheres to the air bearings and mirrors, the adhesion of the minute ink droplets may cause problems in driving the stage, leading to a deterioration in accuracy or the device stopping. In addition, if the device is used in an environment where the minute ink droplets continue to adhere repeatedly to the stage device until the device stops, the device may stop for a long period of time to clean or replace the precision parts of the stage, which may significantly damage the reliability of the device.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an exemplary object to provide an inkjet apparatus with higher durability and reliability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an inkjet device as one aspect of the present invention comprises a substrate stage for holding a substrate, an inkjet unit that can be raised and lowered and includes an inkjet head for ejecting ink onto a substrate held by the substrate stage, a carriage base that supports the inkjet unit and has an opening through which the inkjet unit passes as it rises and falls, and a maintenance unit that is arranged above the carriage base, and is characterized in that the pressure in a first space above the opening is lower than the pressure in a second space below the opening. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, for example, it is possible to provide an inkjet device with higher durability and reliability. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a basic configuration of an inkjet device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a substrate on which a functional element is formed. [Diagram 3] 1 is a diagram showing the inkjet device when the inkjet head is in the ejection position, as viewed from the X direction. [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram showing the inkjet device when the inkjet head is in the ejection position, as viewed from the Y direction. [Diagram 5] 1 is a diagram showing the inkjet device when the inkjet head is in the maintenance position, as viewed from the X direction. [Figure 6] 13 is a diagram showing the inkjet device when the inkjet head is in the maintenance position, as viewed from the Y direction. [Figure 7] 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating other configuration examples of the carriage base and the stage base. [Figure 8] 5 is a flowchart showing an operation sequence of the inkjet device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of an inkjet device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of an inkjet device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 11] 13A to 13C are diagrams illustrating the role of a shutter unit according to the third embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of an inkjet device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an inkjet device according to a fifth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although the embodiments describe a number of features, not all of these features are essential to the invention, and the features may be combined in any manner. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, the same reference numbers are used for the same or similar configurations, and duplicated descriptions are omitted.

[0013] <Inkjet device configuration> The basic configuration and operation principle of an inkjet device 100 (also called a liquid supply device, a liquid ejection device, or an inkjet drawing device) will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the basic configuration of the inkjet device 100. The inkjet device 100 is a device that forms a pattern by supplying (applying) a liquid, which is a material of a functional element, onto a substrate 200, and functions as a substrate processing device that processes substrates such as display panels and semiconductors. For example, the inkjet device 100 can be used to manufacture display devices such as flat panel displays and OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) devices. The liquid supplied onto the substrate 200 is used to form a pattern or a film on the substrate 200, and may be called ink. There is no particular limitation on the components of the liquid, but for example, a liquid containing a solute and a solvent for forming an organic film can be used.

[0014] In the specification and drawings, as shown in FIG. 1, directions are indicated in an XYZ coordinate system in which a plane parallel to the plane on which the substrate 200 is disposed is the XY plane. The inkjet device 100 includes a substrate stage 300 for holding and fixing the substrate 200 of the display panel. That is, the substrate stage 300 holds the substrate 200. The substrate 200 is appropriately selected from a glass substrate, a plastic substrate, or the like, depending on the target product to be manufactured. The substrate 200 is typically a plate-shaped member, but the form is not limited as long as it can function as a base body. For example, it may be a deformable film, or a circular substrate may be used.

[0015] 2 is a schematic perspective view of a substrate on which functional elements are formed. Since this is a schematic diagram, only 7×5 functional elements 21 are shown, but in reality, a very large number of functional elements can be formed. The substrate 200 is provided with a pixel area 23 for applying ink to form an array of a large number of display pixels, and an ejection evaluation area 22 within the substrate where ink is test-ejected to evaluate the state of the ink.

[0016] Returning to Fig. 1, the inkjet device 100 includes an inkjet unit 500 having an inkjet head 501 (shown in Fig. 3 etc.), an ink supply system 6 that supplies ink to the inkjet head 501, and an ink tank 7 that stores the ink. It also includes a recovery unit 800 (shown in Fig. 3 etc.) that performs cleaning processing or the like on the ejection nozzles of the inkjet head 501 to restore the ejection characteristics, and an inspection unit 900 (shown in Fig. 3 etc.) that inspects the ejection state of the ink. In this specification, the recovery unit 800 and the inspection unit 900 are collectively referred to as a maintenance unit.

[0017] The inkjet head 501 ejects ink droplets 400 toward a predetermined position on the substrate 200. The inkjet heads 501 are arranged in the X and Y directions, and the ejection of ink droplets from each inkjet head 501 can be individually controlled to apply (eject) ink with a desired distribution to the pixel area 23 on the substrate 200. Each inkjet head 501 has an ejection surface facing the substrate 200 in an ejection process (drawing process) for ejecting liquid onto the substrate 200, and ejects ink droplets 400 from each of a plurality of ejection holes (ejection nozzles) provided on the ejection surface. When the display element is manufactured using the inkjet method, the pixel area from which the ink is ejected is formed with a partition wall (called a bank) that divides each pixel area. The inkjet device 100 is required to precisely position the ejection nozzle of the inkjet head 501 and the display element on the substrate so that the ink droplets do not protrude outside the bank, and to apply an appropriate amount of ink so that the ink droplets do not overflow from the bank.

[0018] In a typical inkjet device, when a substrate is placed on a substrate stage, a placement error may occur. It is also known that a substrate undergoes various manufacturing processes, resulting in shape distortion in the XY directions of the substrate. For this reason, the inkjet device 100 is provided with an alignment scope 11 that measures the position of the substrate 200 and the amount of distortion of the substrate 200. Since the substrate 200 has thickness variations due to manufacturing, when the inkjet head 501 ejects ink droplets 400 while scanning the substrate stage 300 in the Y direction, the landing positions of the ink droplets on the substrate 200 vary due to the thickness variations of the substrate 200. For this reason, the inkjet device 100 is provided with a height sensor 10 that measures the position (height) of the substrate 200 in the Z direction.

[0019] The inkjet device 100 also includes a control unit 12 as a control section. The control unit 12 is configured by a computer having a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a storage section such as a memory. The control unit 12 controls each section of the inkjet device 100, such as the substrate stage 300 and the inkjet unit 500. The control unit 12 may be configured by a PLD (abbreviation for Programmable Logic Device) such as an FPGA (abbreviation for Field Programmable Gate Array), an ASIC (abbreviation for Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a general-purpose computer with a built-in program, or a combination of all or part of these.

[0020] First Embodiment Next, a detailed configuration of the inkjet device 1 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6. FIG. 3 is a view of the inkjet device 1 when the inkjet head 501 is in the discharge position, as viewed from the X direction. FIG. 4 is a view of the inkjet device 1 when the inkjet head 501 is in the discharge position, as viewed from the Y direction. FIG. 5 is a view of the inkjet device 1 when the inkjet head 501 is in the maintenance position, as viewed from the X direction. FIG. 6 is a view of the inkjet device 1 when the inkjet head 501 is in the maintenance position, as viewed from the Y direction. The inkjet device 1 according to the present embodiment is an apparatus for manufacturing a high-definition display, as an example. The inkjet device 1 for manufacturing a high-definition display needs to position the discharge nozzle of the inkjet head 501 and the bank position on the substrate 200 placed on the substrate stage 300 with high accuracy. For this reason, the substrate stage 300 is provided with an air bearing in the guide mechanism and a laser interferometer 306 for position measurement. Although not shown, a linear motor is used as an actuator for the substrate stage 300, as an example. An air bearing guide 302 is installed on the stage base 101, and a linear air bearing is formed together with an air bearing pad 301 attached to the bottom of the substrate stage 300, allowing the substrate stage 300 to slide (drive) on the stage base 101. Although only the Y-axis is described here, an air bearing may also be used for the X-axis as well, if necessary.

[0021] A substrate chuck base 307 is installed on the top of the substrate stage 300, and a substrate chuck 304 for fixing the substrate 200 by suction and an interferometer mirror 305 are installed on the substrate chuck base 307. An interferometer stage 303 is fixed to the carriage base 104, and a laser interferometer 306 is installed thereon, and the stage position is measured by irradiating the interferometer mirror 305 with a laser. The substrate stage 300 is a two-axis stage with at least XY axes, but may have three axes, XYZ axes and three rotation axes, depending on the case (axis other than the Y axis is not shown in this figure).

[0022] The inkjet unit 500 that ejects ink droplets onto the substrate 200 is located at the center of the inkjet device 100, above the substrate stage 300 (+Z side). The inkjet unit 500 includes a carriage 502, a carriage guide base 503, a carriage guide rail 505, a carriage guide nut 504, and an inkjet head 501. The inkjet head 501 is guided at both ends by the carriage guide and driven in the Z-axis up and down direction (lifting and lowering direction) by an actuator unit (not shown). The inkjet unit 500 ejects ink onto the substrate 200 held by the substrate stage 300. Here, the carriage guide includes a carriage guide rail 505 and a carriage guide nut 504. The actuator unit also includes a ball screw and a motor.

[0023] The lowest position of the inkjet head 501 in the processing space of the inkjet device 1 is a discharge position for discharging ink onto the substrate 200. The highest position of the inkjet head 501 in the processing space of the inkjet device 1 is a maintenance position for processing the inkjet head 501 with the inspection unit 900 and the recovery unit 800. The carriage guide base 503 is installed on the carriage base 104, and is structured so that the inkjet unit 500 passes through an opening 120 provided in the carriage base 104 when moving up and down between the discharge position and the maintenance position. That is, the carriage base 104 supports the inkjet unit 500 and has the opening 120 through which the inkjet unit 500 passes. The space above the carriage base 104 is a maintenance space 1400 (first space) for performing maintenance processing on the inkjet head 501 with the inspection unit 900 and the recovery unit 800. On the other hand, the space below the carriage base 104 is a drawing space 1300 (second space) in which the inkjet head 501 performs drawing processing on the substrate 200. The recovery unit 800 and the inspection unit 900 are disposed in the maintenance space 1400, and the substrate stage 300 is disposed in the drawing space 1300. In this specification, the processing space is a concept that includes the drawing space 1300 and the maintenance space 1400.

[0024] The position where ink is discharged onto the substrate 200 (discharge position) is set with a specified gap from the substrate 200, and is adjusted using the Z axis of the inkjet unit 500 or the Z axis of the substrate stage 300, or both. FIGS. 3 and 4 show the inkjet device 1 in a state where the inkjet unit 500 is in the discharge position. Meanwhile, FIGS. 5 and 6 show a state where the inkjet unit 500 has moved from the discharge position to an upper maintenance position, and the recovery unit 800 or the inspection unit 900 has entered below the inkjet head 501. By the recovery unit 800 or the inspection unit 900 entering below the inkjet head 501, a maintenance process is performed by the recovery unit 800 or the inspection unit 900.

[0025] 3 to 6 show, as an example, three types of inkjet heads 501 in the Y direction, and an example in which the inkjet heads in the X direction are the same size as the substrate width, but the type of inkjet head mounted can have any width in the X direction. For example, if the width of the inkjet head is smaller than the substrate width, it is possible to eject ink onto the entire surface of the substrate by ejecting ink while scanning the substrate stage 300 multiple times in the Y direction while stepping in the X direction.

[0026] Next, the maintenance unit will be described. The recovery unit 800 and the inspection unit 900 are both mounted (installed) on the carriage base 104. The recovery unit 800 is disposed on one side of the maintenance space 1400. The recovery unit 800 has a recovery unit base 801 that holds the entire recovery unit, a drive guide 802, and a recovery section 803. The drive guide 802 is a guide for driving the recovery unit 800, and may include a guide rail and a nut.

[0027] The inspection unit 900 is disposed on the other side of the maintenance space 1400 with respect to the recovery unit 800. When the inkjet head 501 is in the maintenance position, the inspection unit 900 moves to below the inkjet head 501 and performs various inspections using an inspection section 903. Similar to the recovery unit 800, the inspection unit 900 has an inspection unit base 901, and a guide rail and nut as a drive guide 902.

[0028] The recovery unit 803 may be, for example, a member made of a thin plate-like material such as rubber that physically contacts the surface (ejection surface) of the inkjet head 501 and scans it to perform a physical wiping operation to sweep away dirt from the ejection surface. Furthermore, as a physical wiping operation, a wiper having a roller shape may be used, or a cloth wiper such as a nonwoven fabric may be scanned to perform physical wiping. Alternatively, a wiping operation may be performed to suck out dirt from the ejection surface of the inkjet head in a non-contact manner by scanning a suction nozzle that is placed close to the ejection surface of the inkjet head 501. Furthermore, a non-contact wiping operation may be performed by scanning the ejection surface of the inkjet head 501 while blowing compressed air from a minute slit onto the ejection surface of the inkjet head 501, or a wiping operation may be performed to forcibly suck out ink inside the nozzle by various suction methods. Furthermore, a chemical solution may be used as an auxiliary to remove dirt from the ejection surface of the inkjet head 501. A chemical solution may be soaked into a nonwoven fabric or porous wipe material to perform physical wiping, a chemical solution may be sprayed by a spray, or a chemical solution may be applied by a slit nozzle. There are various types of processing by the recovery unit 803, such as a combination of the above-mentioned wiping method and chemical application method. During the operation of the recovery unit 803 during recovery processing, there is a risk that the ink or cleaning chemical will scatter, that floating minute droplets such as mist will be generated, or that the ink or chemical adhering to the device will drip down to the bottom of the device, which may cause contamination inside the device.

[0029] The inspection unit 903 may be, for example, a flying droplet observation device that measures the speed and volume of ink droplets ejected from the inkjet head 501, or a microscope that observes ink stains on the ejection surface of the inkjet head 501 from a macro- or micro-perspective, or a mass measuring device that measures the total volume of ejected ink by total weight, or a detection mechanism that detects non-ejection for each nozzle. Even when the inspection unit 903 is used, there is a risk that minute droplets such as mist may drift inside the device.

[0030] The inkjet unit 500 moves (moves or ascends) between the drawing space 1300 and the maintenance space 1400 by driving the carriage 502. As described above, in the maintenance space 1400, contamination of the inside of the apparatus is likely to occur due to ink mist, ink, splashes of cleaning liquid, and drooping of ink and chemicals attached to the unit, which can contaminate the inside of the apparatus, and there is a high risk of contaminating the substrate stage 300 located at the bottom of the apparatus. The substrate stage 300 includes an interferometer mirror 305 for ensuring high positioning accuracy, an air bearing guide 302, a substrate chuck 304 for adsorbing the substrate, and the like. If these are contaminated by ink mist or drooping of ink and cleaning liquid, it may lead to an error that stops the apparatus. For example, if the interferometer mirror 305 becomes dirty and the surface reflectance does not recover, or the reflective film is damaged, recovery cannot be achieved by measures such as wiping. In such a case, the parts themselves must be replaced, and recovery may take a long time. Therefore, how to deal with the above-mentioned contamination has a large impact on the reliability and durability of the device.

[0031] In the inkjet device 1, gas (controlled gas) whose temperature is controlled by an air conditioner (not shown) is flowed into the device in order to ensure the device precision. In addition, in order to prevent particles (foreign matter) from adhering to the substrate 200, the temperature-controlled gas is flowed into the device after removing particles through a filter such as HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) or ULPA (Ultra Low Penetration Air). The inkjet device 1 includes a housing (chamber 102) that covers the entire device, blowing ports 109 and 108, and suction ports 110 and 106. Depending on the balance between the blowing flow rate and suction flow rate of each of the blowing ports 109, 108, suction ports 110, and 106, and the blowing / suction flow rate from the outside air communication port, an air flow is generated in the device, and a pressure difference is also generated.

[0032] Here, the opening 105 provided in the chamber 102 is an opening for transporting the substrate 200 to the substrate stage 300 by a robot (not shown), but can also be one of the outside air communication ports. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which an outlet 109 is provided on the back side (+Y direction) of the laser interferometer 306, which is important for ensuring the stage accuracy, and an intake port 110 is provided in the direction in which the laser interferometer 306 emits the laser (-Y direction). In this configuration, an air flow is generated in the drawing space 1300 from the +Y direction to the -Y direction to ensure the accuracy of the laser interferometer 306. In addition, since the outlet 108 is provided at the top of the chamber 102, a downflow is formed throughout the chamber, suppressing the inflow of particles into the processing space.

[0033] The inkjet device 1 has a hood 107 (cover) that covers the entirety of the inkjet unit 500, the recovery unit 800, and the inspection unit 900 when they are positioned in the maintenance space, that is, the entire maintenance space. That is, in this embodiment, the maintenance space 1400 is a space surrounded by the carriage base 104 and the hood 107, and the hood 107 is an enclosing member that surrounds the maintenance space 1400 together with the carriage base 104. An intake port 106 is formed on the upper part of the hood 107, in other words, on the upper side of the inkjet unit 500 in the maintenance position. The intake port 106 is disposed on the upper part of the maintenance space 1400 and draws in the gas in the maintenance space 1400. As a result, an airflow is generated from the drawing space 1300 toward the maintenance space 1400 through the opening 120 of the carriage base 104. At this time, the maintenance space 1400 is at a negative pressure relative to the drawing space 1300. This flow sweeps away minute droplets (contamination factors) such as mist generated in the maintenance space 1400 to the upper part of the apparatus, reducing the risk of the mist floating in the drawing space 1300 and contaminating key components such as the substrate stage 300.

[0034] In addition, since the recovery unit base 801 itself has a size that covers the opening 120 of the carriage base 104, the recovery unit base 801 itself acts as a cover against the scattering and drooping of ink and cleaning liquid, reducing the risk of contamination, which is preferable. The same applies to the inspection unit base 901. In other words, it is preferable that the size (area) of the recovery unit base 801 and the inspection unit base 901, which are the bases of the maintenance unit, is larger than the size (area) of the opening 120. By moving the recovery unit base 801 or the inspection unit base 901 to a position that overlaps the opening 120, the opening 120 is covered, thereby reducing the risk of contamination such as the scattering and drooping of ink and cleaning liquid.

[0035] In this embodiment, the carriage base 104 is described as having an integrated structure, but as shown in Fig. 7, the carriage base 104 may be configured as a divided structure to obtain the same effect. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the carriage base 104 and the stage base 101. Fig. 7(A) is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the carriage base 104. As shown in Fig. 7(A), the carriage base 104 may be formed by combining a first part 122 having a first cutout 121 and a second part 124 having a second cutout 123. In this case, an opening 120 is formed by the first cutout 121 and the second cutout 123.

[0036] Similarly, the stage base 101 may also be configured with a divided structure. Specifically, this will be described with reference to FIG. 7(B). FIG. 7(B) is a diagram showing another example of the structure of the stage base 101. For example, the stage base 101 may be formed by combining a first base part 141, a second base part 142, and a third base part 143. Note that this is just one example of a divided structure, and the present invention is not limited to this.

[0037] Next, the operation sequence of the inkjet device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation sequence of the inkjet device 1 according to the first embodiment. Each operation (step) shown in this flowchart can be executed under the control of the control unit 12.

[0038] First, in S11, the control unit 12 adjusts the blowing flow rate or suction flow rate of each of the blowing ports 109, 108 and the suction ports 110 and 106 so that the maintenance space 1400 becomes a negative pressure relative to the drawing space 1300. Specifically, for example, the pressures of the drawing space 1300 and the maintenance space 1400 are measured in advance. Then, based on the measurement results, the control unit 12 determines the parameters of the blowing flow rate or suction flow rate of each of the blowing ports 109, 108 and the suction ports 110 and 106 so that the maintenance space 1400 becomes a negative pressure relative to the drawing space 1300.

[0039] In S12, the control unit 12 controls a conveying device (not shown) to load the substrate 200 onto the substrate stage 300 and make the substrate stage 300 hold the substrate 200. When the substrate 200 is loaded into the inkjet device 1, in S13, the control unit 12 determines whether or not to perform a maintenance judgment. For example, when performing a drawing process on the first substrate 200 of a lot, it is preferable to perform a maintenance judgment. In addition, when a drawing process has been performed a predetermined number of times or when the device has operated for a predetermined time, it may be determined that a maintenance judgment is to be performed. Note that the maintenance judgment here is a concept that includes a nozzle recovery judgment and a nozzle inspection, which will be described later. If a maintenance judgment is not to be performed (NO), the process proceeds to S17, and if a maintenance judgment is to be performed (YES), the process proceeds to S14. Note that the maintenance judgment is a concept that includes a nozzle recovery judgment and a nozzle inspection, which will be described later.

[0040] In S14, the control unit 12 performs a recovery judgment of the ejection nozzle of the inkjet head 501 by the inspection unit 900, that is, a judgment as to whether or not a recovery process is required for the ejection nozzle (nozzle recovery judgment). If the recovery process of the ejection nozzle is not required (OK), the process proceeds to S17, and if the recovery process of the ejection nozzle is required (NG), the process proceeds to S15. In S15, the recovery unit 800 performs a recovery process for the inkjet head 501. In S16, the inspection unit 900 performs an inspection process (nozzle inspection) for the ejection nozzle of the inkjet head 501. Specifically, the control unit 12 uses the inspection unit 900 to judge whether or not the ejection nozzle of the inkjet head 501 has recovered. If the ejection nozzle has not recovered (NG), the process returns to S15, and if the ejection nozzle has recovered (OK), the process proceeds to S17.

[0041] In S17, the control unit 12 aligns the substrate 200. Specifically, the control unit 12 moves the substrate stage 300 so that the alignment mark of the substrate 200 is located below the alignment scope 11. Then, the control unit 12 measures the position of the alignment mark based on an image obtained by causing the alignment scope 11 to capture an image of the alignment mark. For example, the measurement is performed for each of a plurality of alignment marks provided on the substrate 200. Then, based on the measurement results of the positions of the plurality of alignment marks, the control unit 12 drives the substrate 200 by the substrate stage 300 in the XY directions and the θZ directions so that the substrate 200 is at a target position and a target attitude. This allows the substrate 200 to be aligned.

[0042] In S18, the control unit 12 adjusts the height (position in the Z direction) of the substrate 200 by the substrate stage 300. Specifically, the control unit 12 moves the substrate stage 300 so that the substrate 200 (e.g., the center of the substrate 200) is disposed below the height sensor 10, and causes the height sensor 10 to detect the surface height of the substrate 200. Then, based on the detection result by the height sensor 10, the control unit 12 adjusts the height of the substrate 200 by the substrate stage 300 so that the distance between the substrate 200 and the inkjet head 501 becomes a target distance.

[0043] The alignment measurement (S17) and the substrate height measurement (S18) may be performed in reverse order. Information relating to the measured position, distortion amount, and height of the substrate 200 is stored in the control unit 12.

[0044] In S19, the control unit 12 performs drawing processing. Specifically, the control unit 12 obtains discharge control information based on pixel data including information such as pixel arrangement and pixel size formed on the substrate. The discharge control information includes information indicating a target ink application distribution in a pixel area 23 (shown in FIG. 2) on the substrate 200, a discharge evaluation area 22 (shown in FIG. 2) inside the substrate, and a discharge evaluation area 30 (shown in FIG. 1) outside the substrate. The control unit 12 controls the discharge of ink droplets by the inkjet head 501 based on the target application distribution while synchronously driving the inkjet head 501 and the substrate stage 300, thereby performing drawing processing. In other words, the drawing processing can also be called a discharge processing.

[0045] In S20, the control unit 12 judges whether or not the discharge to the target coating distribution is completed based on the discharge control information and the drawing process is completed. If the drawing process is not completed (NO), the process returns to S19, and if the drawing process is completed (YES), the process proceeds to S21. Then, in S21, the control unit 12 controls a transport device (not shown) to transport the substrate 200 out of the substrate stage 300.

[0046] In S22, the control unit 12 judges whether or not there is an unprocessed substrate 200. If there is an unprocessed substrate 200 (YES), the process returns to S12. On the other hand, if there is no unprocessed substrate 200 (NO), the process ends.

[0047] Note that, although an example in which the nozzle recovery judgment (S14) and the nozzle recovery process (S15) are performed immediately after the substrate is loaded (S12) has been described here, the nozzle recovery judgment and the nozzle recovery process may be performed prior to the drawing process (S19). For example, they may be performed immediately before the drawing process (S19).

[0048] In this description, the substrate stage 300 is driven, but the substrate stage 300 may be fixed and the inkjet head 501, alignment scope 11, etc. may be driven within the XY plane. Also, the substrate stage 300, inkjet head 501, alignment scope 11, etc. may be driven individually.

[0049] The flow is not limited to the above as long as the maintenance space 1400 is relatively negative in pressure with respect to the drawing space 1300. For example, a measuring device for measuring the pressure in the drawing space 1300 and the maintenance space 1400 may be provided in each space. Then, based on the results of the measuring device, the blowing flow rate or the suction flow rate of each of the blowing ports 109, 108 and the suction ports 110 and 106 may be actively controlled.

[0050] As described above, the inside of the device is easily contaminated during the maintenance process, i.e., during the nozzle recovery process and the nozzle inspection process. For this reason, the blowing flow rate or the suction flow rate of each of the blowing ports 109, 108 and the suction ports 110 and 106 may be controlled so that the pressure in the maintenance space 1400 is lower during the maintenance process. Specifically, the control unit 12 controls the suction flow rate of the suction port 106 disposed in the maintenance space 1400 during the maintenance process, i.e., during S14 to S16 in FIG. 8, so that it is higher than during the drawing process (S19). This makes it possible to lower the pressure in the maintenance space 1400 during the maintenance process.

[0051] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to reduce contamination of the stage caused by minute ink droplets and the like that occur during maintenance processing.

[0052] <Second embodiment> Next, an inkjet device 2 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the inkjet device 2 according to the second embodiment. In the first embodiment, an example was described in which a hood 107 is provided to cover the entire maintenance space 1400, and an intake port 106 is provided on the upper part of the hood 107. According to the configuration of the first embodiment, gas is drawn from the drawing space 1300 to the maintenance space 1400, and as a result, the maintenance space 1400 becomes relatively negative pressure. On the other hand, the inkjet device 2 according to the second embodiment has an outlet 112 and an intake port 113 in the chamber 102. The outlet 112 blows gas into the maintenance space 1400, and the intake port 113 sucks the gas in the maintenance space 1400. In the inkjet device 2, the hood 107 covering the entire maintenance space 1400 is not provided, and the outlet 112 is provided in the +Y direction and the intake port 113 is provided in the -Y direction in the maintenance space 1400, forming a flow from the +Y direction to the -Y direction. That is, in this embodiment, the maintenance space 1400 is a space surrounded by the carriage base 104 and the chamber 102 , and the chamber 102 is an enclosing member that surrounds the maintenance space 1400 together with the carriage base 104 .

[0053] A pressure difference is generated at each location according to the balance of the airflow rates of the suction ports 109, 112, the blowout ports 110, and 113. For example, by making the flow rate of the blowout port 109 excessive relative to the flow rate of the suction port 110 and making the suction flow rate of the suction port 113 excessive relative to the flow rate of the blowout port 112, a flow is generated from the blowout port 109 to the suction port 113. As a result, in the second embodiment as well, the maintenance space 1400 has a relatively negative pressure relative to the drawing space 1300. That is, the control unit 12 controls the blowout / suction flow rates of the suction ports 109, 112, the blowout ports 110, and 113 so that the pressure of the maintenance space 1400 is lower than that of the drawing space 1300. The airflow caused by this control reduces the risk of contaminants scattering from the maintenance space 1400 to the drawing space 1300.

[0054] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to reduce contamination of the stage caused by minute ink droplets and the like that occur during maintenance processing.

[0055] <Third embodiment> Next, an inkjet device 3 according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of an inkjet device 3 according to a third embodiment. The third embodiment is characterized in that, compared to the first embodiment, a shutter unit 510 that closes the opening 120 of the carriage base 104 is formed. That is, the inkjet device 3 according to the third embodiment includes a shutter unit 510 for covering the opening 120.

[0056] The shutter unit 510 has a shutter blade 511 (shutter), a shutter guide 512, and a shutter actuator (not shown). The shutter actuator includes, for example, a ball screw or an air cylinder. The control unit 12 drives the shutter blade 511 when the inkjet unit 500 moves to the maintenance space 1400. Specifically, the shutter blade 511 can be driven between a closed position (first position) for closing the opening 120 and an open position (second position) for opening the opening 120. The control unit 12 moves the shutter blade 511 to the closed position when the inkjet unit 500 moves to the maintenance space 1400. In this way, the shutter blade 511 serves to close (cover) the opening 120 of the carriage base 104.

[0057] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the role of the shutter unit 510 according to the third embodiment. The inkjet device 3 further includes an airflow adjustment member 520 for adjusting the airflow passing through the opening 120, located at the bottom of the carriage base 104 and near the opening 120. The airflow adjustment member 520 can also be said to be an opening restriction member for restricting the opening. The shutter blade 511 plays the role of a cover against the scattering and dripping of ink and cleaning liquid from the maintenance space 1400, and is therefore more effective in reducing contamination of the substrate stage 300. In the first embodiment, when the inkjet unit 500 is in the drawing space 1300, the opening 120 of the carriage base 104 is narrowed by the inkjet unit 500, and a flow occurs in the gap between the opening 120 and the inkjet unit 500. FIG. 11(A) is a diagram showing a state in which the inkjet unit 500 is in the drawing space 1300. On the other hand, when the inkjet unit 500 is in the maintenance position, the entire opening 120 becomes a flow path. Therefore, the fluid conductance of the opening 120 in the carriage base 104 changes depending on the position of the inkjet unit 500, and the pressure loss, flow rate, and flow speed at the opening 120 change.

[0058] Furthermore, the change in conductance will cause a change in the balance of pressure and flow rate within the entire apparatus, which may adversely affect the air conditioning control of the entire apparatus.

[0059] In the first embodiment, the size of the recovery unit base 801 and the inspection unit base 901 is made larger than the opening 120 of the carriage base 104. This allows them to play the same role as the shutter blade 511 in this embodiment in protecting the substrate stage 300 from the scattering and dripping of ink and cleaning liquid. However, if the recovery unit base 801 and the inspection unit base 901 are sized to cover the entire surface of the opening 120, there may be cases where a problem occurs in which the conductance becomes too small. Even in such a case, by having the shutter unit 510 act as a cover, it is possible to provide flexibility in the size of the recovery unit base 801 and the inspection unit base 901.

[0060] 11(B) is a diagram for explaining the drive of the shutter unit 510 when the inkjet unit 500 is in the maintenance space 1400. This diagram shows a state in which the shutter blade 511 is in the closed position. As shown in this diagram, even when the inkjet unit 500 is in the maintenance space 1400, it is possible to adjust the conductance from the imaging space 1300 to the maintenance space 1400 by the shutter blade 511 and the airflow adjustment member 520. The fluid conductance formed by the airflow adjustment member 520 and the inkjet unit 500 shown in FIG. 11(A) and the fluid conductance formed by the airflow adjustment member 520 and the shutter blade 511 shown in FIG. 11(B) are designed to be approximately the same. Specifically, the arrangement and size of the shutter blade 511 and the airflow adjustment member 520 are determined so that the distance between the airflow adjustment member 520 and the shutter blade 511 when the shutter blade 511 is in the closed position is substantially the same as the distance between the inkjet unit 500 and the airflow adjustment member 520 when the shutter blade 511 is in the open position. If the size and arrangement of the inkjet unit 500 can be flexibly changed, the size and arrangement of the inkjet unit 500 may be determined so that the above-mentioned distances are substantially the same. This makes the amount of gas flowing from the drawing space 1300 to the maintenance space 1400 substantially the same when the inkjet head 501 is in the drawing position and when it is in the maintenance position. A constant amount of air flows regardless of the position of the inkjet head 501. This is expected to have a stable effect of reducing the floating of pollutants such as mist.

[0061] In this case, the conductance of the recovery unit base 801 and the inspection unit base 901 is preferably set to be sufficiently larger than the conductance of the shutter blade 511 and the airflow adjustment member 520 and the conductance formed by the inkjet unit 500 and the airflow adjustment member 520. The magnitude of the fluid conductance can be roughly considered to be substantially the same if the opening area is the same. However, in detail, it is preferable to calculate the conductance by using simulation software such as CFD (Dynamics Fluid Computational) with detailed consideration of the influence of the structure. In addition, by reducing the conductance, the flow rate in the gap increases, and it is also possible to increase the effect of pushing back the mist. It is preferable to determine the conductance of the airflow adjustment member 520 in consideration of the balance of the entire device, such as the pressure loss at the opening 120 and the suction / blow flow rate.

[0062] 11 shows the airflow adjustment member 520 fixed to the carriage base 104, but a punched metal or slit structure may also be used. Alternatively, a variable structure or a double punched metal / slit structure is more preferable because it makes it possible to adjust the conductance.

[0063] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to reduce contamination of the stage due to minute ink droplets and the like that occur during maintenance processing while allowing freedom in the sizes of the recovery unit base 801 and the inspection unit base 901.

[0064] <Fourth embodiment> An inkjet device 4 according to a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 12. Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the inkjet device 4 according to the fourth embodiment. In the inkjet device 4, an outlet 114 is provided behind the inspection unit 900 (-Y direction) inside the hood 107, and an inlet 115 is provided behind the recovery unit 800 (+Y direction). That is, the inkjet device 4 has the outlet 114 on the inspection unit 900 side of the maintenance space 1400, and the inlet 115 on the recovery unit 800 side.

[0065] The space inside the hood 107 is a space where ink and cleaning liquid are used in the recovery process and the inspection process, and there is a risk that in addition to ink mist, evaporated organic solvents may remain locally and the solvent concentration may become high. Depending on the type of solvent, there are cases where safety considerations such as explosion prevention are required in a closed space where the organic solvent concentration is high. Therefore, it is preferable to form an approximately horizontal air flow from one side to the other inside the hood 107. In general, the recovery unit 800 uses cleaning liquid and the like more than the inspection unit 900, so it is considered that this unit is more susceptible to contamination. In addition, if the inspection unit 900 is contaminated by ink mist or the like, it may cause a malfunction, so it is preferable to place the inspection unit on the upstream side and the recovery unit on the downstream side in terms of contamination of the entire device.

[0066] Therefore, the control unit 12 adjusts the blowing flow rate or the suction flow rate of each of the suction ports 106, 110, 115 and the blowing ports 109 and 114 so that the maintenance space 1400 has a negative pressure relative to the drawing space 1300. Furthermore ..., 114 so that the maintenance space 1400 has a negative pressure relative to the drawing space 1300.

[0067] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to reduce contamination of the stage due to minute ink droplets and the like generated during maintenance processing, while taking into consideration the safety of the space inside the hood 107.

[0068] <Fifth embodiment> An inkjet device 5 according to a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 13. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the inkjet device 5 according to the fifth embodiment. The inkjet device 5 has a structure in which a drawing space 1300 and a maintenance space 1400 are sealed. In other words, the drawing space 1300 and the maintenance space 1400 in the inkjet device 5 are closed spaces (closed spaces). The maintenance space 1400 has a structure closed by the hood 107 and the carriage base 104. The drawing space 1300 has a structure closed by the carriage base 104, the stage base 101, the column 111 (shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6), the front panel 131, and the back panel 132. Although the above description has been given of a sealed structure using a plurality of members, a closed structure may be used using appropriately integrated members.

[0069] The blowing port 109 and the suction port 110 are present inside the closed structure 700 (here, the drawing space 1300). By controlling the air conditioning of the closed structure 700 and inside it, for example, when the type of gas inside the structure 700 is nitrogen or dry air, it is advantageous to ensure the purity of the gas. The suction port 109 and the blowing port 110 are connected to an air conditioner (not shown), and the controlled gas is circulated and introduced into the sealed structure 700 of the inkjet device 5 after performing purity control, temperature control, etc. In addition, the space through which the controlled gas flows is only inside the structure 700, which is advantageous in reducing the gas flow rate required for circulation. Furthermore, the chamber 102 also functions as a safety measure in case of leakage when the controlled gas is, for example, nitrogen. By providing the blowing port 108 and the suction port 116 inside the chamber 102, an air flow flowing from top to bottom inside the chamber 102 can be formed, limiting the inflow of particles into the processing space.

[0070] The sealed structure 700 has a gate valve 130 on a front panel 131. When the substrate 200 is loaded into the inkjet device 5, this gate valve 130 opens, and the substrate 200 is placed on the substrate chuck 304 by a substrate loading robot (not shown). Although the connection between the sealed structure 700 and the substrate loading robot is not shown, in order to maintain the environment during substrate transport, the respective devices are connected by the gate valve 130, and the substrate is kept exposed to the controlled gas.

[0071] In this embodiment, the control unit 12 also adjusts the arrangement and flow rate balance of the blowing ports and the suction ports inside the sealed structure 700. Specifically, the control unit 12 adjusts the blowing flow rate or the suction flow rate of each of the suction ports 106, 110, 115, the blowing ports 109, and 114 so that the maintenance space 1400 has a relatively negative pressure with respect to the drawing space 1300. This makes it possible to adopt a structure in which a flow occurs from the drawing space 1300 to the maintenance space 1400, thereby reducing the risk of scattering of contaminants. Note that, here, the arrangement of the blowing ports and the suction ports in the fourth embodiment is adopted as an example, but it is also possible to apply it to other embodiments.

[0072] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to reduce contamination of the stage due to minute ink droplets and the like generated during maintenance processing while ensuring the purity of the gas inside the structure 700.

[0073] <Embodiment of the article manufacturing method> The article manufacturing method according to the embodiment of the present invention is suitable for manufacturing articles such as display panels for organic EL displays, microdevices such as semiconductor devices, and elements having fine structures. The article manufacturing method according to the present embodiment includes a supplying step of supplying liquid onto a substrate using the above-mentioned liquid supplying device (liquid supplying method), a processing step of processing the substrate to which the liquid has been supplied in the supplying step, and a step of manufacturing an article from the substrate processed in the processing step. Furthermore, the article manufacturing method includes other well-known steps (baking, cooling, cleaning, oxidation, film formation, deposition, doping, planarization, etching, resist stripping, dicing, bonding, packaging, etc.). The article manufacturing method according to the present embodiment is advantageous in at least one of the performance, quality, productivity, and production cost of the article compared to conventional methods.

[0074] <Other embodiments> Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

[0075] The present invention can also be realized by a process in which a program for implementing one or more of the functions of the above-described 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) for implementing one or more of the functions.

[0076] The disclosure of this embodiment includes the following configuration. (Configuration 1) A substrate stage for holding a substrate; an inkjet unit including an inkjet head that can be raised and lowered and that ejects ink onto the substrate held by the substrate stage; a carriage base that supports the inkjet unit and has an opening through which the inkjet unit passes as it ascends and descends; a maintenance unit disposed above the carriage base, An inkjet device, wherein a pressure in a first space above the opening is lower than a pressure in a second space below the opening.

[0077] (Configuration 2) a surrounding member that, together with the carriage base, surrounds the first space; 2. The inkjet device according to claim 1, wherein the surrounding member has a suction port for sucking in gas from the first space.

[0078] (Configuration 3) The ink-jet device according to configuration 2, wherein the suction port is disposed in an upper portion of the enclosure member, and forms an airflow from the second space to the first space within the device.

[0079] (Configuration 4) Further, the gas supply device has an outlet for blowing gas into the first space, the maintenance unit includes a recovery unit that is disposed on one side of the first space and performs a recovery process on the inkjet head, and an inspection unit that is disposed on the other side of the first space and inspects the inkjet head, The inkjet device according to configuration 2 or 3, wherein the air outlet is disposed on the inspection unit side and the air inlet is disposed on the recovery unit side, and forms an airflow that is approximately horizontal in the first space.

[0080] (Configuration 5) 5. The inkjet device according to any one of configurations 2 to 4, further comprising a control unit that controls at least the suction flow rate of the suction port so that the pressure of the first space is lower than that of the second space.

[0081] (Configuration 6) The inkjet device described in configuration 5, wherein the control unit controls the suction flow rate at the suction port during a recovery process or inspection process of the inkjet head so that the suction flow rate is greater than the suction flow rate when the inkjet head performs a drawing process on the substrate.

[0082] (Configuration 7) 7. The inkjet device of any one of configurations 1 to 6, further comprising a shutter for covering the opening.

[0083] (Configuration 8) The carriage base further includes an adjustment member for adjusting an air flow, The shutter is movable between a first position that covers the opening and a second position that opens the opening, The inkjet device according to configuration 7, wherein a distance between the adjustment member and the shutter when the shutter is in the first position is substantially the same as a distance between the inkjet unit and the adjustment member when the shutter is in the second position.

[0084] (Configuration 9) 9. The inkjet device according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, further comprising an adjustment member disposed below the carriage base for adjusting the airflow passing through the opening.

[0085] (Configuration 10) 10. The inkjet device according to any one of configurations 1 to 9, wherein an area of ​​a base of the maintenance unit is larger than an area of ​​the opening.

[0086] (Configuration 11) 11. The inkjet device according to any one of configurations 1 to 10, further comprising a cover that covers the inkjet unit and the maintenance unit when the inkjet unit is positioned in the first space.

[0087] (Configuration 12) 12. The ink jet device according to any one of configurations 1 to 11, wherein the first space and the second space are closed spaces.

[0088] (Configuration 13) 13. The inkjet device according to any one of configurations 1 to 12, wherein the maintenance unit is installed on the carriage base.

[0089] (Configuration 14) 14. The inkjet device according to any one of configurations 1 to 13, wherein at least one of the carriage base and the stage base has a split structure.

[0090] (Control method 1) an inkjet device having an inkjet unit that can be driven to move up and down in a substrate stage direction and that ejects ink onto a substrate held by the substrate stage; a carriage base that supports the inkjet unit and has an opening through which the inkjet unit passes; a substrate stage that is disposed below the carriage base and that can hold the substrate and be driven on a stage base; and a maintenance unit that is disposed above the carriage base, A control method for an inkjet device, comprising controlling a pressure in a first space above the opening to be lower than a pressure in a second space below the opening.

[0091] (Article manufacturing method 1) A supplying step of supplying a liquid onto a substrate using the inkjet device according to any one of configurations 1 to 14; a processing step of processing the substrate to which the liquid has been supplied in the supplying step; and a manufacturing step of manufacturing an article from the substrate processed in the processing step. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 1,2,3,4,5,100 Inkjet device 12 Control unit 106,110,113,115,116 Intake port 108,109,112,114 Air outlet 120 Opening 200 boards 300 Substrate Stage 400 ink droplets 500 Inkjet Unit 800 Healing Units 900 Inspection Units 1300 Drawing Space 1400 Maintenance Space

Claims

1. a substrate stage for holding the substrate; an inkjet unit that can be driven to move up and down and includes an inkjet head that ejects ink onto the substrate held by the substrate stage; a carriage base that supports the inkjet unit and has an opening through which the inkjet unit passes as it moves up and down; a maintenance unit disposed above the carriage base, An ink jet device, characterized in that a pressure in a first space above the opening is lower than a pressure in a second space below the opening.

2. a surrounding member that surrounds the first space together with the carriage base; The ink jet device according to claim 1 , wherein the surrounding member has a suction port for sucking gas from the first space.

3. The inkjet device according to claim 2 , wherein the suction port is disposed in an upper portion of the enclosure member, and forms an airflow from the second space to the first space.

4. Further, the gas supply device has an outlet for blowing gas into the first space, the maintenance unit includes a recovery unit that is disposed on one side of the first space and performs recovery processing on the inkjet head, and an inspection unit that is disposed on the other side of the first space and inspects the inkjet head, The inkjet device according to claim 2 , wherein the air outlet is disposed on the inspection unit side and the air intake is disposed on the recovery unit side, and forms a substantially horizontal airflow within the first space.

5. 3. The ink jet device according to claim 2, further comprising a control unit that controls at least the suction flow rate of the suction port so that the pressure in the first space is lower than the pressure in the second space.

6. 6. The inkjet device according to claim 5, wherein the control unit controls the suction flow rate of the suction port during a recovery process or an inspection process of the inkjet head so that the suction flow rate is greater than the suction flow rate when the inkjet head performs a drawing process on the substrate.

7. The ink jet device according to claim 1 , further comprising a shutter for covering the opening.

8. an adjusting member for adjusting the airflow at a lower portion of the carriage base; the shutter is drivable between a first position that covers the opening and a second position that opens the opening, 8. The inkjet device according to claim 7, wherein the distance between the adjustment member and the shutter when the shutter is in the first position is substantially the same as the distance between the inkjet unit and the adjustment member when the shutter is in the second position.

9. 2. The ink jet device according to claim 1, further comprising an adjusting member disposed below the carriage base for adjusting the airflow passing through the opening.

10. The inkjet device according to claim 1 , wherein an area of ​​a base of the maintenance unit is larger than an area of ​​the opening.

11. The inkjet device according to claim 1 , further comprising a cover that covers the inkjet unit and the maintenance unit when positioned in the first space.

12. The ink jet device according to claim 1 , wherein the first space and the second space are closed spaces.

13. 2. The inkjet device according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance unit is installed on the carriage base.

14. 2. The inkjet device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the carriage base and the stage base of the substrate stage has a split structure.

15. A control method for an inkjet device having a substrate stage that holds a substrate, an inkjet unit that can be driven to move up and down and that ejects ink onto the substrate held by the substrate stage, a carriage base that supports the inkjet unit and has an opening through which the inkjet unit passes as it moves up and down, and a maintenance unit that is arranged above the carriage base, A control method for an ink jet device, comprising controlling the pressure in a first space above the opening to be lower than the pressure in a second space below the opening.

16. a supplying step of supplying a liquid onto a substrate using the inkjet device according to any one of claims 1 to 14; a processing step of processing the substrate to which the liquid has been supplied in the supplying step, An article manufacturing method, comprising manufacturing an article from the substrate processed in the processing step.

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