Alignment device, method of alignment, film deposition apparatus, and method of manufacturing
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2023143161
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-09-04
- Publication Date
- 2025-03-14
Smart Images
Figure 2025035853000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present invention relates to an alignment apparatus, an alignment method, a film forming apparatus, and a manufacturing method. [Background technology]
[0002] Organic EL display devices are used in, for example, smartphones, televisions, automotive displays, VR HMDs (Virtual Reality Head Mount Displays), etc. In the process of manufacturing an organic EL display device, a film forming apparatus is generally used when forming an organic light emitting element (organic EL element: OLED) on a substrate.
[0003] The film forming device deposits the deposition material (film forming material) emitted from the deposition source onto the substrate through a mask on which a pattern corresponding to the pixel pattern is formed, forming a film such as an organic film or a metal film. During this process, it is necessary to align the substrate and the mask with high precision.
[0004] Techniques relating to the alignment of a substrate and a mask have been proposed in the past (see Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which the substrate and the mask are aligned in a state in which the substrate is spaced apart from the mask, and then the substrate and the mask are brought into close contact with each other. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-083311 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0006] However, in the conventional technology, after aligning the substrate and the mask, when the substrate and the mask are brought into close contact with each other, the relative positions of the substrate and the mask may shift (i.e., a positional shift occurs between the substrate and the mask), which may reduce the alignment accuracy.
[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems in the conventional technology, and has an exemplary object to provide a technology that is advantageous for alignment between a substrate and a mask. [Means for solving the problem]
[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an alignment device as one aspect of the present invention is an alignment device used for aligning a substrate and a mask for depositing a pattern on a deposition surface of the substrate, and comprises a substrate holding portion for holding the substrate, a mask holding portion for holding the mask, and a drive portion for driving at least one of the substrate holding portion and the mask holding portion so as to change the relative position of the substrate holding portion and the mask holding portion within a plane along the deposition surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding portion, wherein one of the substrate and the mask includes a convex portion provided on a surface facing each other, and the other of the substrate and the mask includes a concave portion provided on a surface facing each other, and the drive portion drives at least one of the substrate holding portion and the mask holding portion so that the convex portion and the concave portion fit together.
[0009] Further objects or other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Effect of the Invention
[0010] According to the present invention, for example, it is possible to provide a technique that is advantageous for alignment between a substrate and a mask. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0011] [Figure 1]1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a production line to which a film forming apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention can be applied; [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a film forming apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a configuration of a substrate and a mask. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a substrate and a mask are in close contact with each other. [Diagram 5] 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a convex portion provided on a substrate and a concave portion provided on a mask. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a substrate and a mask. [Figure 7] 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a convex portion provided in a bank and a concave portion provided in a membrane portion of a mask. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a bank that functions as a convex portion and a concave portion provided in a membrane portion of a mask. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an organic EL display device as an electronic device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0012] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more features among the multiple features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. In addition, the same reference numbers are used for the same or similar configurations, and duplicated descriptions are omitted.
[0013] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration (layout) of a manufacturing line 100 to which a film forming apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention can be applied. The manufacturing line 100 includes a system that performs a film forming process on a substrate that is carried in and carries out the substrate after the film forming process, and is configured as, for example, a manufacturing line for electronic devices. In each of the following figures, arrow Z indicates the up-down direction (vertical (gravity) direction), and arrows X and Y indicate horizontal directions that are perpendicular to each other.
[0014] The manufacturing line 100 (film forming apparatus) is particularly suitable as a line for manufacturing organic light-emitting elements such as OLEDs and organic photoelectric conversion elements such as organic thin-film solar cells. Examples of electronic devices include light-emitting elements, photoelectric conversion elements, and touch panels. In this embodiment, the electronic devices include display devices (e.g., organic EL display devices) and lighting devices (e.g., organic EL lighting devices) equipped with light-emitting elements, and sensors (e.g., organic CMOS image sensors) equipped with photoelectric conversion elements.
[0015] In this embodiment, the manufacturing line 100 is embodied as a line for manufacturing a display panel of an organic EL display device for a smartphone or a display panel of an organic EL display device for a VR HMD. When manufacturing a display panel for a smartphone, a 4.5 generation substrate (about 700 mm x about 900 mm), a 6th generation full size substrate (about 1500 mm x about 1850 mm), or a half cut size substrate (about 1500 mm x about 925 mm) is used. Films are formed on such substrates to form organic EL elements, and the substrates are cut out to manufacture a plurality of small size panels. When manufacturing a display panel for a VR HMD, a silicon wafer of a predetermined size (for example, 300 mm) is used. Films are formed on such silicon wafers to form organic EL elements, and the silicon wafer is cut out along the regions (scribe regions) between the element formation regions to manufacture a plurality of small size panels. However, the size and type of the substrate are not particularly limited and can be set appropriately.
[0016] 1, the manufacturing line 100 has a transfer chamber 120 having an octagonal shape in a plan view. A substrate 101 to be subjected to a film forming process is carried into the transfer chamber 120 via a transfer path 110 (carry-in path). The substrate 101 to which the film forming process has been performed is carried out from the transfer chamber 120 to a transfer path 111 (carry-out path).
[0017] A plurality of film forming apparatuses 1 that perform film forming processing on a substrate 101 are arranged around the transfer chamber 120. A transfer chamber 130 that has an octagonal shape in a plan view is arranged adjacent to each of the film forming apparatuses 1. A storage chamber 140 that stores a mask 102 is arranged around the transfer chamber 130.
[0018] The transfer chamber 120 is provided with a transfer unit 121 that transfers the substrate 101. In this embodiment, the transfer unit 121 includes a horizontal articulated robot, and transfers the substrate 101 while holding it in a horizontal position. The transfer unit 121 performs a carry-in operation of carrying the substrate 101, on which a film formation process is to be performed, from the transfer path 110 to the film formation apparatus 1, and a carry-out operation of carrying the substrate 101, on which a film formation process is to be performed, out of the film formation apparatus 1 to the transfer path 111.
[0019] Each of the transfer chambers 130 is provided with a transfer unit 131 that transfers the mask 102. In this embodiment, the transfer unit 131 includes a horizontal articulated robot, and transfers the mask 102 while holding it in a horizontal position. The transfer unit 131 performs an operation of transferring the mask 102 from the storage chamber 140 to the film forming apparatus 1, and an operation of transferring the mask 102 from the film forming apparatus 1 to the storage chamber 140.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a film forming apparatus 1 according to one aspect of the present invention. The film forming apparatus 1 performs a film forming process in which a deposition material is attached (deposited) to a substrate 101 to form a film, and in this embodiment, a film is formed on the substrate 101 through a mask 102. Specifically, the film forming apparatus 1 forms a thin film of the deposition material in a predetermined pattern on a film forming surface 101A of the substrate 101 through the mask 102. The material of the substrate 101 can be appropriately selected from glass, resin, metal, and the like. In addition, in this embodiment, the substrate 101 includes, for example, a glass substrate on which a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) is formed, or a silicon wafer (semiconductor wafer) on which a semiconductor element is formed. The mask 102 may be composed of a mask made of silicon (Si), or may be composed of a mask made of a magnetic material such as a metal. As the deposition material, an organic material or an inorganic material (for example, a metal, a metal oxide), etc., is used. Here, an example will be described in which the film forming apparatus 1 performs a film forming process on the substrate 101 by vacuum deposition; however, this is not limited to this, and various film forming processes (film forming methods) such as sputtering and CVD can be applied.
[0021] The film forming apparatus 1 has a box-shaped vacuum chamber 2. The internal space of the vacuum chamber 2 is maintained in a vacuum atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere such as nitrogen gas. In this embodiment, the vacuum chamber 2 is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) in order to maintain the internal space in a vacuum atmosphere.
[0022] A deposition unit 10 is provided in the internal space of the vacuum chamber 2. The deposition unit 10 includes a deposition source that releases a deposition material upward. A shutter 10a is provided above the deposition unit 10 to restrict the release of the deposition material from the deposition source and to release such restriction. The shutter 10a is opened and closed by an opening / closing mechanism (not shown). FIG. 2 shows a state in which the shutter 10a is closed and the release of the deposition material from the deposition unit 10 is restricted. An adhesion prevention plate 2a is further provided above the deposition unit 10. The adhesion prevention plate 2a is provided at the top of the internal space of the vacuum chamber 2 and has a function of suppressing (preventing) the deposition material released from the deposition unit 10 from unnecessarily adhering to the structure.
[0023] In the internal space of the vacuum chamber 2, a substrate holding unit 3 is provided that holds the substrate 101 in a horizontal position. The substrate holding unit 3 is disposed on the opposite side of the mask 102 in the internal space of the vacuum chamber 2. In this embodiment, the substrate holding unit 3 is configured as an electrostatic chuck that attracts and holds the substrate 101 by electrostatic force. Specifically, the substrate holding unit 3 attracts the surface of the substrate 101 opposite to the film formation surface 101A, thereby holding the substrate 101 with the film formation surface 101A of the substrate 101 facing downward (-Z direction). The substrate holding unit 3 may be provided with a cooling plate 4 including, for example, a water cooling mechanism. The cooling plate 4 cools the substrate 101 via the substrate holding unit 3 during the film formation process.
[0024] The substrate holder 3 and the cooling plate 4 are supported (suspended) by the magnet plate 5 via the support 5a. The magnet plate 5 is a plate that applies a magnetic force to the mask 102 to attract the mask 102 when the mask 102 is made of a magnetic material. In the film formation process, the substrate 101 is sandwiched between the magnet plate 5 and the mask 102 attracted by the magnet plate 5. The magnet plate 5 is provided to bring the substrate 101 and the mask 102 close to each other or to bring the substrate 101 and the mask 102 into close contact with each other (to improve adhesion).
[0025] The film forming apparatus 1 has a mask holding mechanism 6 for holding the mask 102. The mask holding mechanism 6 includes mask holding parts 6a spaced apart in the X direction, and an actuator 6b for driving the mask holding parts 6a. The mask holding parts 6a include claw parts F1 provided at the lower end, and the mask 102 (its peripheral part) is placed on the claw parts F1 to hold the mask 102 in a horizontal position. The actuator 6b includes, for example, an electric cylinder or an electric ball screw mechanism, and raises and lowers the mask holding parts 6a (driving them in the Z direction).
[0026] The film forming apparatus 1 has an alignment device 8 used for aligning the substrate 101 and the mask 102. The alignment device 8 has a driving mechanism 80 and a plurality of measurement units SR. The driving mechanism 80 includes a distance adjustment unit 81, a support shaft 82, a stand 83, and a position adjustment unit 84.
[0027] The distance adjustment unit 81 is a mechanism including, for example, an electric cylinder or an electric ball screw mechanism, which moves the support shaft 82 up and down (drives) in the Z direction. A magnet plate 5 is supported (fixed) on the lower end of the support shaft 82. Therefore, the distance adjustment unit 81 moves the support shaft 82 up and down, thereby moving the substrate holding part 3 up and down via the magnet plate 5. By moving the substrate holding part 3 up and down, the distance between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 in the vertical direction (Z direction) is adjusted, and the substrate 101 and the mask 102 held by the substrate holding part 3 are brought closer to each other or separated from each other (separated). In other words, the distance adjustment unit 81 moves the substrate 101 and the mask 102 closer to each other or separated from each other in the overlapping direction (Z direction). The "distance" adjusted by the distance adjustment unit 81 is the so-called vertical distance. Therefore, the distance adjustment unit 81 can also be said to be a unit that adjusts the vertical position of the substrate 101 held by the substrate holding part 3. The distance adjustment unit 81 is mounted on a position adjustment unit 84 via a stand 83 .
[0028] The position adjustment unit 84 adjusts the relative position of the substrate 101 with respect to the mask 102 in the XY plane by displacing (moving) the substrate holding part 3 in the horizontal direction. In this way, the position adjustment unit 84 functions as a unit that adjusts the relative horizontal position of the substrate 101 and the mask 102. In this embodiment, the position adjustment unit 84 displaces the substrate holding part 3 in a rotation direction (θ direction) around the axis in the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction. Note that in this embodiment, the position of the mask 102 is fixed and the substrate 101 is displaced to adjust the relative position of the substrate 101 and the mask 102, but this is not limited to this. For example, the relative position of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 may be adjusted by fixing the position of the substrate 101 and displacing the mask 102, or by displacing both the substrate 101 and the mask 102. In other words, the position adjustment unit 84 only needs to have a function as a drive unit that drives at least one of the substrate holding unit 3 and the mask holding unit 6a so as to change the relative position between the substrate holding unit 3 and the mask holding unit 6a within the XY plane. Note that, here, the XY plane means a plane along the film formation surface 101A of the substrate 101 held by the substrate holding unit 3.
[0029] The position adjustment unit 84 includes a fixed plate 84a and a movable plate 84b. The fixed plate 84a and the movable plate 84b are rectangular frame-shaped plates. The fixed plate 84a is fixed to the upper wall portion 20 of the vacuum chamber 2. An actuator is provided between the fixed plate 84a and the movable plate 84b for displacing the movable plate 84b in rotational directions around axes in the X-, Y-, and Z-directions relative to the fixed plate 84a.
[0030] A frame-shaped stand 83 is placed on the movable plate 84b, and a distance adjustment unit 81 is supported on the stand 83. Therefore, when the movable plate 84b is displaced, the stand 83 and the distance adjustment unit 81 are displaced integrally, so that the substrate 101 held by the substrate holding part 3 can be displaced in the rotational directions around the axes in the X-, Y-, and Z-directions. The upper wall part 20 has openings formed therein for providing the support shaft 82, the mask holding part 6a, the measurement unit SR, and the like. Such openings are sealed by a sealing member (not shown) such as a bellows, and the internal space of the vacuum chamber 2 is kept airtight.
[0031] The measurement unit SR is embodied as an imaging device that captures an image of a measurement target and functions as, for example, a measuring instrument that measures the position of the measurement target. The measurement unit SR is provided, for example, on the upper wall portion 20 of the vacuum chamber 2. In this embodiment, the measurement unit SR detects marks (alignment marks) provided on each of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 arranged in the internal space of the vacuum chamber 2, and measures the relative position (positional deviation) between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 from these positions. In the alignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102, the relative position between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is adjusted via the position adjustment unit 84 so that the positional deviation between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 measured by the measurement unit SR falls within an allowable range.
[0032] The film forming apparatus 1 is composed of a computer (information processing device) and has a control unit 9 that controls each component (operation) of the film forming apparatus 1 in an integrated manner to control the entire film forming apparatus 1. The control unit 9 includes a processing unit 90, a storage unit 91, an input / output (I / O) interface 92, and a communication unit 93. The processing unit 90 includes a processor represented by a CPU, and realizes various operations and processes of the film forming apparatus 1 by executing a program stored in the storage unit 91. The storage unit 91 includes storage devices such as a ROM, a RAM, and a HDD, and stores programs executed by the processing unit 90 and various control information. The I / O interface 92 is an interface for communication (transmission and reception of various information and signals) between the processing unit 90 and an external device. The communication unit 93 is a communication device that communicates with a higher-level device, other control devices, etc. via a communication line.
[0033] Hereinafter, an example of control of the film forming apparatus 1 executed by the control unit 9 (processing unit 90) will be described, from loading the substrate 101, through the film forming process, to unloading the substrate 101.
[0034] First, the substrate 101 is carried into (the internal space of) the vacuum chamber 2. The substrate 101 is carried below the substrate holding part 3 by the transport unit 121. Then, the substrate 101 carried below the substrate holding part 3 is transferred onto the substrate holding part 3. For example, the transport unit 121 is raised (driven in the +Z direction) to press the substrate 101 against the substrate holding part 3. In this state, the function of the substrate holding part 3 as an electrostatic chuck is activated to adsorb the substrate 101, and the substrate 101 is held by the substrate holding part 3.
[0035] Next, the mask 102 is carried into (the internal space of) the vacuum chamber 2. The mask 102 is carried by the transport unit 131 from the storage chamber 140 to the vacuum chamber 2, and is carried to below the mask holding part 6a and below the substrate 101 held by the substrate holding part 3. Then, the mask 102 located below the mask holding part 6a and the substrate 101 is transferred to the mask holding part 6a. For example, the transport unit 131 is raised (driven in the +Z direction) to place the mask 102 on the claw part F1 of the mask holding part 6a, and the mask 102 is held by the mask holding part 6a. In addition, the mask holding part 6a holding the mask 102 is further raised (driven in the +Z direction) by the actuator 6b, and the mask 102 is positioned at an alignment position for aligning the substrate 101 and the mask 102.
[0036] Next, the substrate 101 held by the substrate holder 3 is aligned with the mask 102 held by the mask holder 6a. The alignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is performed in an initial stage when the substrate 101 and the mask 102 overlap when viewed from the Z direction and are not in physical contact with each other. In other words, the alignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is started in a state where a gap is provided between the substrate 101 and the mask 102, that is, in a state where the substrate 101 is separated from the mask 102. In this state, a measuring unit SR provided on the upper wall 20 of the vacuum chamber 2 detects a mark provided on the substrate 101 and a mark provided on the mask 102.
[0037] The measuring unit SR detects the marks on the substrate 101 and the mask 102, and measures the relative position (misalignment) between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 from their positions. If the misalignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 measured by the measuring unit SR is within the allowable range, the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into close contact with each other. On the other hand, if the misalignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 measured by the measuring unit SR is not within the allowable range, the relative positions between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are adjusted so that the misalignment falls within the allowable range. Specifically, first, based on the misalignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 measured by the measuring unit SR, the displacement amount of the substrate 101, which is the control amount required to bring the misalignment within the allowable range, is calculated. The misalignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is defined by the distance and direction (X, Y, θ) of the misalignment. Then, based on the displacement amount (control amount) of the substrate 101, the position adjustment unit 84 drives (displaces) the substrate holding part 3 in the XY plane to adjust the relative position of the substrate 101 with respect to the mask 102. Measurement of the relative position between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 by the measurement unit SR and adjustment of the position of the substrate 101 by the position adjustment unit 84 are repeated until the misalignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 falls within an allowable range. Whether the misalignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 falls within an allowable range can be determined, for example, by comparing the distance (average value or sum of squares) between the mark provided on the substrate 101 and the mark provided on the mask 102 with a threshold value.
[0038] When the misalignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 falls within the tolerance, for example, the substrate holder 3 is lowered (driven in the -Z direction) to bring the substrate 101 (the entire film formation surface 101A) into close contact with the mask 102. At this time, physical contact between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 may cause a shift in the relative positions of the substrate 101 and the mask 102, resulting in a misalignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102. Such misalignment can reduce alignment accuracy, and in particular, when it falls outside the tolerance, can lead to a decrease in yield.
[0039] Therefore, in this embodiment, the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are provided with a configuration (structure) that is advantageous for reducing misalignment that occurs between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 when the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into close contact with each other. Hereinafter, the configuration that is advantageous for reducing misalignment provided on the substrate 101 and the mask 102 will be specifically described with reference to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the configuration of the substrate 101 and the mask 102, and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are in close contact with each other.
[0040] 3, in this embodiment, the substrate 101 has a film-forming surface 101A (the surface where the substrate 101 and the mask 102 face each other) that is in contact with the mask 102, and a convex portion 1012 that protrudes from the surrounding area on the side where the mask 102 is placed is provided. Meanwhile, the mask 102 has a facing surface 102A (the surface where the substrate 101 and the mask 102 face each other) that is in contact with the substrate 101, and a concave portion 1022 that is recessed into the facing surface 102A is provided.
[0041] 3, in this embodiment, a plurality of convex portions 1012 are provided on the deposition surface 101A of the substrate 101, and a plurality of concave portions 1022 are provided on the opposing surface 102A of the mask 102, but this is not limited thereto. It is sufficient that at least one convex portion 1012 and at least one concave portion 1022 are provided on each of the deposition surface 101A of the substrate 101 and the opposing surface 102A of the mask 102.
[0042] In this embodiment, a convex portion 1012 is provided on the film formation surface 101A of the substrate 101, and a concave portion 1022 is provided on the opposing surface 102A of the mask 102. However, a concave portion carved into the film formation surface 101A of the substrate 101 may be provided, and a convex portion protruding from the surrounding area may be provided on the opposing surface 102A of the mask 102 on the side where the substrate 101 is placed. In other words, it is sufficient that one of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 includes a convex portion provided on the opposing surface, and the other includes a concave portion provided on the opposing surface.
[0043] The convex portions 1012 and the concave portions 1022 are provided on the deposition surface 101A of the substrate 101 and the opposing surface 102A of the mask 102 so as to correspond to each other (in terms of position and number). Specifically, the convex portions 1012 and the concave portions 1022 are provided so as to face each other directly when the positional deviation between the substrate 101 held by the substrate holding unit 3 and the mask 102 held by the mask holding unit 6a is within an allowable range. The convex portions 1012 and the concave portions 1022 are basically provided so that the number of the convex portions 1012 and the number of the concave portions 1022 are the same, but this is not limited thereto, and it is allowable that the number of the concave portions 1022 is less than the number of the convex portions 1012.
[0044] In this way, by providing the convex portion 1012 on the substrate 101 side and the concave portion 1022 on the mask 102 side, when the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into close contact with each other, the convex portion 1012 and the concave portion 1022 can be fitted together as shown in Fig. 4. By fitting the convex portion 1012 and the concave portion 1022, the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are physically aligned, and it is possible to suppress misalignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 caused by bringing the substrate 101 and the mask 102 into close contact with each other. Therefore, the misalignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 that occurs when the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into close contact with each other is reduced (reduced to a minimum), and it is possible to suppress (prevent) a decrease in alignment accuracy.
[0045] In this embodiment, before the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into close contact with each other, the relative positions of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are adjusted so that the positional deviation between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 falls within an allowable range when the substrate 101 is separated from the mask 102. Therefore, when the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into close contact with each other, the convex portion 1012 provided on the substrate 101 side and the concave portion 1022 provided on the mask 102 side are in a state of facing each other. Therefore, the convex portion 1012 and the concave portion 1022 can be engaged with each other simply by lowering the substrate holding portion 3. However, it is not necessarily necessary to adjust the relative positions of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 before the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into close contact with each other. In aligning the substrate 101 and the mask 102, when the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into close contact with each other, at least one of the substrate holding portion 3 and the mask holding portion 6a may be driven within the XY plane so that the convex portion 1012 and the concave portion 1022 fit together.
[0046] Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the substrate 101 (its deposition surface 101A) is generally provided with a plurality of chip regions 1014 in which chips are arranged. Meanwhile, the mask 102 (its opposing surface 102A) is provided with a plurality of pattern regions 1024 made of opening patterns for forming patterns in the chip regions 1014, corresponding to the plurality of chip regions 1014. The pattern regions 1024 have the same dimensions (chip size) as the dimensions of the chips arranged in the chip regions 1014. Here, from the viewpoint of yield, it is preferable to reduce the positional deviation that occurs between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 when the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into close contact (contact) with each other for each chip region 1014 of the substrate 101. Therefore, it is preferable that the number of the convex portions 1012 and the concave portions 1022 is provided for the substrate 101 and the mask 102, respectively, according to the number of the chip regions 1014 of the substrate 101, as shown in FIG. 3. Here, the number corresponding to the number of chip regions 1014 on the substrate 101 is a number that contributes to reducing the positional misalignment for each chip region 1014 on the substrate 101, and includes, for example, a number equal to the number of chip regions 1014 or a number greater than the number of chip regions 1014.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, at least one of the convex portions 1012 is provided in the outer peripheral region 1016 of each of the chip regions 1014 of the substrate 101. Similarly, at least one of the concave portions 1022 is provided in the outer peripheral region 1026 of each of the pattern regions 1024 of the mask 102. This effectively (minimizes) the misalignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 when the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into close contact with each other for each chip region 1014 of the substrate 101, and suppresses the decrease in yield caused by such misalignment. The same effect can be obtained by providing at least one convex portion 1012 in the region between each of the chip regions 1014 and providing at least one concave portion 1022 in the region between each of the pattern regions 1024.
[0048] In addition, the convex portion 1012 and the concave portion 1022 must be provided to have dimensions that allow them to be fitted (insertable) with each other. Here, with reference to FIG. 5, a specific numerical example of the dimensions of the convex portion 1012 and the concave portion 1022 will be described, taking as an example a case in which each of the convex portion 1012 and the concave portion 1022 has a truncated cone shape. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of the convex portion 1012 provided on the substrate 101 (film formation surface 101A) and the concave portion 1022 provided on the mask 102 (opposing surface 102A). With reference to FIG. 5, the diameter D1 of the upper bottom surface of the convex portion 1012 is 3.0 μm and the diameter d1 of the lower bottom surface is 3.1 μm, and the diameter D2 of the upper bottom surface of the concave portion 1022 is 3.1 μm and the diameter d2 of the lower bottom surface is 4.0 μm. Designing the convex portion 1012 and the concave portion 1022 to have such dimensions makes it possible to smoothly fit the convex portion 1012 and the concave portion 1022 together, and also makes it possible to suppress misalignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 after the convex portion 1012 and the concave portion 1022 are fitted together. However, the shape and dimensions of each of the convex portion 1012 and the concave portion 1022 can be set arbitrarily within a range in which the convex portion 1012 and the concave portion 1022 are fitted together and the subsequent misalignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is allowed.
[0049] The convex portions 1012 on the substrate 101 (film formation surface 101A) and the concave portions 1022 on the mask 102 (opposing surface 102A) can be formed by a semiconductor process (or a process similar thereto), and therefore can be provided with high positional accuracy and high dimensional accuracy. Furthermore, the positions of the concave portions 1022 provided in the mask 102 may be changed according to the RGB pattern (the arrangement of the chip regions 1014 of the substrate 101).
[0050] As shown in FIG. 6(a) and FIG. 6(b), the chip region 1014 (the chip arranged therein) is provided with a bank 1018 for defining a region (pixel) to be formed with a film, so that the convex portion 1012 may be provided in the bank 1018. In this case, the concave portion 1022 is provided in the pattern region 1024, specifically, in the membrane portion 1028 including the pattern element PE defining the aperture pattern, so as to correspond to the convex portion 1012 provided in the bank 1018. Note that, as shown in FIG. 6(b), it is preferable that one convex portion 1012 is provided for each of the multiple banks 1018. This reduces the positional deviation that occurs between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 when the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into close contact (contact) with each other for each pixel formed on the substrate 10, and suppresses the decrease in yield caused by such positional deviation. However, it is not essential to provide convex portions 1012 for all of the banks 1018, and it is sufficient to provide convex portions 1012 for some of the banks 1018 within the range of allowable positional deviation between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 for each pixel. Figures 6(a) and 6(b) are cross-sectional views showing the configurations of the substrate 101 and the mask 102. Note that Figure 6(b) shows an enlarged view of a portion PT of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 shown in Figure 6(a).
[0051] The thickness of the membrane portion 1028 of the mask 102 is generally about several μm. Therefore, when the convex portion 1012 is provided in the bank 1018, it is necessary to design (set) the dimensions of the convex portion 1012 and the concave portion 1022 so that they can be fitted together, taking into consideration the thickness of the membrane portion 1028 of the mask 102. With reference to FIG. 7, a specific numerical example of the dimensions of the convex portion 1012 and the concave portion 1022 will be described, taking as an example a case in which the convex portion 1012 and the concave portion 1022 each have a truncated cone shape. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of the convex portion 1012 provided in the bank 1018 and the concave portion 1022 provided in the membrane portion 1028 of the mask 102. With reference to FIG. 7, for the convex portion 1012 provided in the bank 1018, the diameter D11 of the upper bottom surface is set to 1.0 μm, and the diameter d11 of the lower bottom surface is set to 1.1 μm. Concerning the recess 1022 provided in the membrane part 1028, the diameter D22 of the upper bottom surface is 0.9 μm, and the diameter d22 of the lower bottom surface is 1.0 μm. By designing the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 to have such dimensions, the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 can be smoothly fitted together, and the misalignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 after the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 are fitted together can be suppressed. However, the respective dimensions of the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 can be arbitrarily set within a range in which the protrusion 1012 and the recess 1022 are fitted together and the subsequent misalignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is allowed.
[0052] Moreover, the bank 1018 has a convex shape that protrudes toward the side on which the mask 102 is superimposed. Therefore, instead of providing the convex portion 1012 in the bank 1018, it is also possible to make the bank 1018 function as the convex portion 1012 as shown in FIG. 8. In this case, the concave portion 1022 is provided in the pattern region 1024, specifically, in the membrane portion 1028 including the pattern element PE that defines the opening pattern, so as to correspond to the bank 1018 that functions as the convex portion 1012. In this way, by providing the concave portion 1022 corresponding to the bank 1018, it is possible to fit the bank 1018 and the concave portion 1022 when the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into close contact (contact). By fitting the bank 1018 and the concave portion 1022, the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are physically aligned, and it is possible to suppress misalignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 caused by bringing the substrate 101 and the mask 102 into close contact. In addition, it is also possible to suppress misalignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 for each pixel formed on the substrate 10. Therefore, misalignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 when the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into close contact with each other is reduced, and deterioration in alignment accuracy can be suppressed (prevented). Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the bank 1018 functioning as the convex portion 1012 and the concave portion 1022 provided in the membrane portion 1028 of the mask 102.
[0053] In this manner, after the substrate 101 held by the substrate holding unit 3 and the mask 102 held by the mask holding unit 6a are aligned (contacted), a film formation process is performed to form a film on the film formation surface 101A of the substrate 101. Specifically, in a state in which the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are entirely contacted with each other, the shutter 10a is opened and a deposition material is released from the deposition unit 10. The deposition material released from the deposition unit 10 adheres to the film formation surface 101A of the substrate 101 through the mask 102, thereby forming a film of the deposition material in a predetermined pattern.
[0054] Next, the mask 102 is carried out from (the internal space of) the vacuum chamber 2. First, the substrate holding part 3 is raised (driven in the +Z direction) to separate the substrate 101 and the mask 102. In addition, the transport unit 131 is positioned below the mask 102, and the mask holding part 6a is lowered (driven in the -Z direction) to transfer the mask 102 from the mask holding part 6a to the transport unit 131. Then, the mask 102 is transported to the storage room 140 by the transport unit 131.
[0055] Next, the substrate 101 that has undergone the film formation process is carried out from (the internal space of) the vacuum chamber 2. The transfer unit 121 is positioned below the substrate 101, and the substrate holding part 3 is lowered (driven in the -Z direction) to transfer the substrate 101 from the substrate holding part 3 to the transfer unit 121. Then, the transfer unit 121 transfers the substrate 101 to the transfer path 111.
[0056] In this manner, the process of carrying in the substrate 101, performing the film formation process, and carrying out the substrate 101 is completed. In this embodiment, as described above, it is possible to reduce the positional deviation that occurs between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 when the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are brought into close contact with each other, and to suppress the deterioration of the alignment accuracy between the substrate 101 and the mask 102. As a result, it is possible to form a film of a deposition material having a predetermined pattern at a predetermined position on the film formation surface 101A of the substrate 101 in the film formation process.
[0057] Next, a method for manufacturing an electronic device using the film forming apparatus 1 (the manufacturing line 100 having the film forming apparatus 1) in this embodiment will be described. Here, an organic EL display device will be taken as an example of the electronic device.
[0058] First, an organic EL display device will be described. Fig. 9(A) is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an organic EL display device 50. Fig. 9(B) is a diagram showing a cross-sectional structure of one pixel of the organic EL display device 50.
[0059] As shown in FIG. 9A, the organic EL display device 50 has a display area 51 in which pixels 52 including a plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged in a matrix. As described later, each of the plurality of light-emitting elements has a structure including an organic layer (organic film) sandwiched between a pair of electrodes. In this embodiment, a pixel means a minimum unit that allows a predetermined color to be displayed in the display area 51. For example, in the organic EL display device 50, a pixel 52 is configured by a combination of a first light-emitting element 52R, a second light-emitting element 52G, and a third light-emitting element 52B that allow different colors to be displayed. The pixel 52 is generally configured by a combination of a red light-emitting element, a green light-emitting element, and a blue light-emitting element, but is not limited thereto. For example, the pixel 52 may be configured by a combination of a yellow light-emitting element, a cyan light-emitting element, and a white light-emitting element, and may be configured by light-emitting elements of at least one color.
[0060] FIG. 9(B) is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line AB in FIG. 9(A). The pixel 52 is an organic EL element having an anode 54, a hole transport layer 55, any one of the light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B, an electron transport layer 57, and a cathode 58 on a substrate 53. Among these, the hole transport layer 55, the light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B, and the electron transport layer 57 correspond to organic layers. In this embodiment, the light-emitting layer 56R is an organic EL layer that emits red light, the light-emitting layer 56G is an organic EL layer that emits green light, and the light-emitting layer 56B is an organic EL layer that emits blue light. The light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B are formed in patterns corresponding to the light-emitting elements (sometimes referred to as organic EL elements) that emit red, green, and blue light, respectively. The anode 54 is formed separately for each light-emitting element. The hole transport layer 55, the electron transport layer 57, and the cathode 58 may be formed in common with the plurality of light emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B, or may be formed for each light emitting element. In order to prevent the anode 54 and the cathode 58 from being shorted due to foreign matter, an insulating layer 59 is provided between the electrodes. Furthermore, since the organic EL layer deteriorates due to moisture and oxygen, a protective layer PL is provided to protect the organic EL element from moisture and oxygen.
[0061] 9(B), the hole transport layer 55 and the electron transport layer 57 are shown as a single layer, but may be formed of multiple layers including a hole blocking layer and an electron blocking layer depending on the structure of the organic EL element. In addition, a hole injection layer having an energy band structure for smoothly injecting holes from the anode 54 to the hole transport layer 55 may be formed between the anode 54 and the hole transport layer 55. Similarly, an electron injection layer may be formed between the cathode 58 and the electron transport layer 57.
[0062] A method for manufacturing an organic EL display device will now be described.
[0063] First, a substrate 53 on which a circuit (not shown) for driving the organic EL display device and an anode 54 are formed is prepared.
[0064] Next, acrylic resin is formed by spin coating on the substrate 53 on which the anode 54 has been formed, and patterned by lithography so as to form an opening in the portion of the acrylic resin where the anode 54 has been formed, to form an insulating layer 59. Such an opening corresponds to a light-emitting region where the light-emitting element actually emits light.
[0065] The substrate 53 with the patterned insulating layer 59 is carried into the film forming apparatus 1 (first film forming chamber) of the production line 100, and a hole transport layer 55 is formed as a common layer on the anode 54 of the display region 51. The hole transport layer 55 is formed by, for example, vacuum deposition. Since the hole transport layer 55 is actually formed to have a size larger than the display region 51, no high-definition mask is required.
[0066] Next, the substrate 53 on which the hole transport layer 55 has been formed is carried into the film formation apparatus 1 (second film formation chamber). The substrate 53 and a mask are aligned, and a red light emitting layer 56R is formed through the mask on a portion of the substrate 53 where a red light emitting element is to be formed.
[0067] Similar to the formation of the light-emitting layer 56R, the light-emitting layer 56G emitting green light is formed in the film formation apparatus 1 (third film formation chamber), and further, the light-emitting layer 56B emitting blue light is formed in the film formation apparatus 1 (fourth film formation chamber). After the light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B are formed, the electron transport layer 57 is formed over the entire display area 51 in the film formation apparatus 1 (fifth film formation chamber). The electron transport layer 57 is formed as a layer common to the three light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B.
[0068] Next, the substrate 53 on which the electron transport layer 57 has been formed is carried into the film formation apparatus 1 (sixth film formation chamber), and the cathode 58 is formed thereon.
[0069] Then, the substrate 53 on which the cathode 58 has been formed is carried into a sealing device, and the protective layer PL is formed by plasma CVD (sealing process), completing the organic EL display device 50. Here, the protective layer PL is formed by the CVD method, but the method is not limited to this. For example, the protective layer PL may be formed by the ALD method or the inkjet method.
[0070] If the substrate 53 on which the insulating layer 59 is patterned is exposed to an atmosphere containing moisture or oxygen during the period from when the substrate 53 is carried into the film forming apparatus 1 until when the protective layer PL is formed, the light emitting layer made of an organic EL material may deteriorate. Therefore, the substrate 53 is preferably carried in and out of the film forming apparatus in a vacuum atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere.
[0071] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]
[0072] 1: Film forming apparatus 8: Alignment apparatus 101: Substrate 101A: Film forming surface 102: Mask 102A: Opposing surface 1012: Convex portion 1022: Concave portion
Claims
1. 1. An alignment apparatus used for aligning a substrate with a mask for depositing a pattern on a deposition surface of the substrate, comprising: A substrate holder for holding the substrate; A mask holding part that holds the mask; a drive unit that drives at least one of the substrate holding unit and the mask holding unit so as to change a relative position between the substrate holding unit and the mask holding unit within a plane along a film formation surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit; having one of the substrate and the mask includes a convex portion provided on a surface facing each other, the other of the substrate and the mask includes a recess provided on a surface facing each other, the driving unit drives at least one of the substrate holding unit and the mask holding unit so that the protrusion and the recess fit together. An alignment apparatus comprising:
2. the one member includes a plurality of protrusions provided on the opposing surfaces, the other member includes a plurality of recesses provided on the opposing surfaces, the driving unit drives at least one of the substrate holding unit and the mask holding unit so that the plurality of protrusions are fitted into the plurality of recesses, respectively.
2. The alignment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
3. The substrate is provided with a plurality of chip regions; the mask is provided with a plurality of pattern areas corresponding to the plurality of chip areas, the number of the protruding portions and the number of the recessed portions correspond to the number of the plurality of chip regions; 2. The alignment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
4. 4. The alignment apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the number of said protrusions and said recesses is the same as the number of said plurality of chip regions.
5. at least one of the protrusion and the recess is provided in an outer circumferential region of each of the plurality of chip regions; the other of the convex portion and the concave portion is provided so that at least one of the convex portion and the concave portion is located in an outer circumferential region of each of the plurality of pattern regions.
4. The alignment apparatus according to claim 3.
6. one of the protrusion and the recess is provided such that at least one is located in an area between each of the plurality of chip areas; the other of the protruding portion and the recessed portion is provided so that at least one of the protruding portion and the recessed portion is located in an area between each of the plurality of pattern areas.
4. The alignment apparatus according to claim 3.
7. 2. The alignment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor wafer.
8. 2. The alignment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mask comprises a mask made of silicon.
9. The substrate is provided with a plurality of chip regions; the mask is provided with a plurality of pattern areas corresponding to the plurality of chip areas, the protruding portion is provided on a bank provided in the chip region, The recess is provided in a membrane portion in the pattern region.
2. The alignment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
10. The substrate is provided with a plurality of chip regions; the mask is provided with a plurality of pattern areas corresponding to the plurality of chip areas, the convex portion is a bank provided in the chip region, the recess is provided in a membrane portion in the pattern region corresponding to the bank; 2. The alignment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
11. 1. An alignment method for aligning a substrate and a mask for depositing a pattern on a deposition surface of the substrate, comprising:
11. A step of aligning the substrate and the mask using an alignment apparatus according to claim 1 ; An alignment method comprising the steps of:
12. A film forming apparatus for forming a film on a substrate through a mask, 11. An alignment apparatus according to claim 1 , which aligns the substrate and the mask. A film forming apparatus comprising:
13. A method for producing an electronic device, comprising the steps of: forming a film on a substrate;
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Alignment device, alignment method, film deposition device, film deposition method, and method for manufacturing electronic device
JP2019083311A