Inspection device, film deposition apparatus, inspection method, and manufacturing method for electronic device

Abstract

To release the substrate from suction after film inspection in a shorter time.SOLUTION: An inspection device includes suction means for sucking a substrate, inspection means for inspecting in an inspection area, which is a part thereof, a film formed on the substrate sucked by the suction means, and control means for performing a reduction control for reducing the suction force with respect to the substrate by the suction means as compared to a first portion corresponding to the inspection area of the substrate in a second portion corresponding to the outside of the inspection area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus, a film forming apparatus, an inspection method, and a method for manufacturing an electronic device. [Background technology]

[0002] In the manufacture of organic EL display devices (organic EL displays), etc., the quality of the film is improved by inspecting the film formed on the substrate and reflecting the inspection results in the subsequent manufacture. As an example of such an inspection, Patent Document 1 discloses measuring the film thickness of a film evaporated on a substrate. During the measurement, the substrate is attracted by an electrostatic chuck. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-79032 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] To improve production efficiency, it is necessary to quickly release the substrate after film inspection and transport it. When adsorbing the substrate with an electrostatic chuck, it may take time to release the substrate due to poor peeling of the substrate from the chuck.

[0005] The present invention provides a technique for enabling the substrate to be released from suction in a shorter time after a film has been inspected. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present invention, A suction means for suctioning the substrate; an inspection means for inspecting a film formed in an inspection area of ​​the substrate attracted to the suction means; a control unit that executes a reduction control to reduce an adsorption force applied to the substrate by the adsorption unit in a second portion of the substrate corresponding to a portion outside the inspection area, compared with a first portion of the substrate corresponding to the inspection area. An inspection device is provided. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technique that enables the substrate to be released from suction in a shorter time after a film has been inspected. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a film forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of an inspection device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an adsorption surface of the adsorption unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a substrate supporting unit and an inspection unit. [Figure 7] 3 is a flowchart showing an example of control of the inspection apparatus in FIG. 2. [Figure 8] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the inspection device in FIG. 2. [Figure 9] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the inspection device in FIG. 2. [Figure 10] FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of voltages applied to electrodes. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing another example of voltages applied to the electrodes. [Figure 13] 4 is a flowchart showing another example of control of the inspection apparatus in FIG. 2. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing another configuration example of the substrate supporting unit. [Figure 15] 10 is a flowchart showing another example of control of the inspection apparatus. [Figure 16]6A to 6C are diagrams showing an example of an operation relating to adjustment of the support height of a substrate. [Figure 17] (A) is an overall view of an organic EL display device, and (B) is a diagram showing the cross-sectional structure of one pixel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] 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.

[0010] First Embodiment <Film formation system> 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a film formation system 1 according to one embodiment. The film formation system 1 is an apparatus for forming a film on a substrate 100. The film formation system 1 can be applied to, for example, the manufacture of a display panel for an organic EL display device for a smartphone, in which the substrates 100 are sequentially transported to a film formation block 301, and an organic EL film is formed on the substrates 100.

[0011] In the film formation block 301, a plurality of film formation chambers 303a to 303d in which film formation processing is performed on the substrate 100 and a mask storage chamber 305 in which masks before and after use are stored are arranged around a transfer chamber 302 having an octagonal shape in a plan view. A transfer robot 302a for transferring the substrate 100 is arranged in the transfer chamber 302. The transfer robot 302a includes a hand for holding the substrate 100 and a multi-joint arm for moving the hand in the horizontal direction. In other words, the film formation block 301 is a cluster-type film formation unit in which a plurality of film formation chambers 303a to 303d are arranged so as to surround the transfer robot 302a. In the following description, the film formation chambers 303a to 303d may be referred to as film formation chambers 303 when there is no particular need to distinguish them.

[0012] In the transport direction (arrow direction) of the substrate 100, a buffer chamber 306, a swirl chamber 307, and a delivery chamber 308 are disposed on the upstream side and downstream side of the film formation block 301, respectively. In the manufacturing process, each chamber is maintained in a vacuum state. Although only one film formation block 301 is shown in FIG. 1, the film formation system 1 can include a plurality of film formation blocks 301. Adjacent film formation blocks 301 are connected by a connection device constituted by the buffer chamber 306, the swirl chamber 307, and the delivery chamber 308. The configuration of the connection device is not limited thereto, and may be constituted, for example, by only the buffer chamber 306 or the delivery chamber 308.

[0013] The transport robot 302a transports the substrate 100 from the upstream delivery chamber 308 to the transport chamber 302, transports the substrate 100 between the film formation chambers 303, transports the mask between the mask storage chamber 305 and the film formation chamber 303, and transports the substrate 100 from the transport chamber 302 to the downstream buffer chamber 306.

[0014] The buffer chamber 306 is a chamber for temporarily storing the substrates 100 depending on the operating status of the film formation system 1. The buffer chamber 306 is provided with a multi-stage substrate storage shelf (also called a cassette) capable of storing a plurality of substrates 100 while maintaining the substrate 100 in a horizontal state with the film formation surface of the substrate 100 facing downward in the direction of gravity, and a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the substrate storage shelf to match the stage for loading or unloading the substrate 100 with the transport position. This allows the buffer chamber 306 to temporarily store and retain a plurality of substrates 100.

[0015] The swirl chamber 307 is equipped with a device for changing the orientation of the substrate 100. In this embodiment, the swirl chamber 307 rotates the orientation of the substrate 100 by 180 degrees using a transport robot 307a provided in the swirl chamber 307. The transport robot 307a provided in the swirl chamber 307 rotates 180 degrees while supporting the substrate 100 received in the buffer chamber 306 and delivers it to the delivery chamber 308, so that the front end and the rear end in the transport direction (arrow direction) of the substrate 100 are swapped between the buffer chamber 306 and the delivery chamber 308. As a result, the orientation of the substrate 100 when it is carried into the film formation chamber 303 is the same in each film formation block 301, so that the scan direction of film formation and the orientation of the mask for the substrate 100 can be matched in each film formation block 301. With this configuration, the orientation of the masks placed in the mask storage chambers 305 in each deposition block 301 can be aligned, simplifying mask management and improving usability.

[0016] The delivery chamber 308 is a chamber for delivering the substrate 100 carried in by the transport robot 307a in the swirl chamber 307 to the transport robot 302a in the downstream film-forming block 301. The delivery chamber 308 downstream of the film-forming block 301 functions as an inspection chamber for inspecting the film formed on the substrate 100 in the film-forming block 301.

[0017] The control system of the film forming system 1 includes a host device 300 that controls the entire line as a host computer, and control devices 309, 310, 311, 313a to 313d that control each component, and they can communicate with each other via a wired or wireless communication line 300a. The control devices 313a to 313d are provided corresponding to the film forming chambers 303a to 303d, and control the film forming devices provided in each film forming chamber. The control device 309 controls the transfer robot 302a. The control device 310 controls the transfer robot provided in the swirl chamber 307. The control device 311 controls the inspection device 110 (described later) that constitutes the delivery chamber 308. The host device 300 transmits information about the substrate 100 and instructions such as transfer timing to each of the control devices 309, 310, 311, 313a to 313d, and each of the control devices 309, 310, 311, 313a to 313d controls each component based on the received instructions.

[0018] <Inspection equipment> 2 is a schematic diagram of an inspection apparatus 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention, particularly an inspection apparatus forming a delivery chamber 308 downstream of a film formation block 301. In each of the drawings including FIG. 2, the X and Y directions indicate horizontal directions, and the Z direction indicates vertical directions. The inspection apparatus 110 includes a chamber 10, a suction unit 11, a moving unit 12, a suction auxiliary unit 13, a positioning unit 14, a substrate support unit 15, and an inspection unit 16.

[0019] The chamber 10 has a box shape and forms a delivery chamber 308. The inside of the chamber 10 is maintained in a vacuum atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere such as nitrogen gas. In this embodiment, the chamber 10 is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown). In this specification, "vacuum" refers to a state filled with gas at a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, in other words, a reduced pressure state.

[0020] In this embodiment, the substrate 100 on which a film has been formed, which is to be inspected, is carried into the chamber 10 by the transport robot 307a of the swirl chamber 307 through a carry-in entrance (not shown) formed in the chamber 10. In addition, the inspected substrate 100 is carried out of the chamber 10 by a transport robot (not shown) on the downstream side of the delivery chamber 308 through a carry-out exit (not shown) formed in the chamber 10.

[0021] In this embodiment, the inspection by the inspection unit 16 includes measuring the thickness of the film formed on the substrate 100. The measurement results are used to control the film forming apparatus in the film forming chamber 303, thereby improving the quality of the film formation.

[0022] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of film thickness measurement. In the illustrated example, a film 101 such as an organic electroluminescent film is formed on the lower surface of a substrate 100, and the film 101 is formed in a film formation region as a manufacturing region for electronic devices. An inspection film 103 for film thickness measurement is formed in an inspection region 102 adjacent to the film formation region of the film 101. The inspection region 102 is set at a predetermined position (an end portion of the substrate 100 in this embodiment). In this embodiment, the inspection region 102 is distinguished from the film formation region (manufacturing region), but the inspection region 102 may be a part of the film formation region. The film thickness measurement is performed by moving a measurement head 161 of the inspection unit 16 along the lower surface of the substrate 100 and reading the inspection film 103 with the measurement head 161.

[0023] In this embodiment, the measurement head 161 optically measures the film thickness of the inspection film 103. The measurement head 161 includes a light source that irradiates the substrate 100 with light, and a light receiving unit that receives reflected light from the substrate 100. The light received by the light receiving unit is dispersed to calculate the light intensity for each wavelength band, and the film thickness can be estimated from the relationship between the film thickness and the light intensity in multiple wavelength bands obtained in advance by experiments or the like. Note that the method of measuring the film thickness is not limited to this example, and the inspection content by the inspection unit 16 may be a film property other than the film thickness.

[0024] The suction unit 11 will be described with reference to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the suction unit 11. Fig. 5 is a view showing the suction surface of the suction unit 11. The suction unit 11 of this embodiment is a unit that suctions the substrate 100 by electrostatic force. However, the suction method is not limited to this, and may be, for example, a method of suction using negative pressure or a method of suction using adhesive force.

[0025] The suction unit 11 includes a frame 111 and an adsorption plate (electrode arrangement portion) 112. The frame 111 is a rectangular member that forms the outer shape of the suction unit 11. For example, the frame 111 forms a frame having a size equal to or larger than that of the substrate 100 that is to be adsorbed by the suction unit 11. Components of a moving unit 13 and a positioning unit 14, which will be described later, are provided on the side surface of the frame 111.

[0026] The chucking plate 112 is an electrostatic chuck that chucking the substrate 100 by electrostatic force. For example, the chucking plate 112 has a structure in which an electric circuit such as a metal electrode is embedded inside a matrix (also called a base) made of a ceramic material. A plurality of electrodes 151a to 151l (collectively called electrodes 151) that generate electrostatic force are arranged on the lower surface 112a of the chucking plate 112, and each of these constitutes an adsorption portion. The lower surface 112a forms a horizontal chucking surface that chucks the substrate 100. When a positive (+) and negative (-) voltage is applied to the electrode 151, a polarized charge is induced in the substrate 100 through the ceramic matrix, and the substrate 100 is attracted to and held by the chucking plate 112 due to the electrostatic attraction (electrostatic force) between the substrate 100 and the chucking plate 112. In this embodiment, the plurality of electrodes 151a to 151l are arranged in a matrix, and the application of voltage can be controlled individually.

[0027] The multiple electrodes 151a-151l are divided into three adsorption sites R1-R3 depending on their arrangement. Electrodes 151a-151d are arranged in adsorption site R1, electrodes 115e and 115f are arranged in adsorption site R2, and electrodes 151g-151l are arranged in adsorption site R3. The areas of adsorption sites R1 and R2 are equal to that of adsorption site R3, and adsorption site R3 occupies approximately half of the adsorption range.

[0028] The suction site R1 includes a site 114 corresponding to the inspection region 102 (see FIG. 3). When the substrate 100 is suctioned, the site 114 overlaps with the inspection region 102 (see FIG. 3). The suction sites R2 and R3 are sites corresponding to the outside of the inspection region 102. As will be described later, in this embodiment, the suction site R3 is controlled separately from the suction sites R1 and R2. Therefore, the voltage application control circuit for the plurality of electrodes 151a to 151l may be provided as a separate circuit for the suction site R3 and a separate circuit for the suction sites R1 and R2.

[0029] The suction plate 112 is also provided with a plurality of sensors 113 for detecting the suction and release of the substrate 100 relative to the lower surface 112a. The sensors 113 are, for example, touch sensors for detecting contact of the substrate 100. In this embodiment, the plurality of sensors 113 are arranged in the Y direction at the center position in the X direction of the lower surface 112a. The arrangement of the sensors 113 is not limited thereto, and may be on the periphery of the lower surface 112a. The suction and release of the substrate 100 may be detected, for example, by a capacitance sensor using the electrodes 151, a camera for photographing the positions of the substrate 100 and the suction plate 112, or a laser displacement meter for detecting the position of the substrate 100.

[0030] 2 and 4. The moving unit 12 is a mechanism for moving the suction unit 11. In this embodiment, the moving unit 12 is a lifting unit for vertically lifting the suction unit 11. The moving unit 12 includes a movable part 121, a fixed part 122, and a driving part 123.

[0031] The movable part 121 supports the suction unit 11 and is provided so as to be movable together with the suction unit 11. The movable part 121 includes a lifting member 1211, a plurality of connecting members 1212, and a plurality of lifting shafts 1214. The lifting shaft 1214 is a shaft member that is suspended from the lifting member 1211 and extends in the Z direction, and only the lower end thereof is shown in FIG. 4. The connecting member 1212 is a member that is connected to the suction unit 1212. The lifting shaft 1214 and the connecting member 1212 are connected via a joint 1213 equipped with a spherical bearing, and the connecting member 1212 is swingable relative to the lifting shaft 1214.

[0032] The fixed part 122 is fixed to the upper wall 10a of the chamber 10. The driving part 123 includes a driving source that generates a driving force for moving the movable part 121, and a mechanism for converting the driving force of the driving source into translational motion. For example, the rotational driving force of an electric motor is converted into translational motion by a ball screw mechanism and transmitted to the movable part 121, causing the movable part 121 to rise and fall. This causes the suction unit 11 to rise and fall.

[0033] When the suction unit 11 suctions the substrate 100, the suction auxiliary unit 13 reduces the curvature of the substrate 100 and straightens the substrate 100 so that the substrate 100 is suctioned in a flatter position. The peripheral portion of the substrate 100 is supported by the substrate support unit 15. As a result, the central portion curves downward. The suction auxiliary unit 13 presses the peripheral portion of the substrate 100 downward to straighten this curvature.

[0034] The suction auxiliary unit 13 of this embodiment includes a shaft-shaped pressing part 131 that presses the substrate 100, and a lifting part 132 that raises and lowers the pressing part 131. The lifting part 132 can appropriately employ known technology such as an electric motor and a ball screw mechanism.

[0035] In this embodiment, the suction auxiliary unit 13 presses the substrate 100 so that the substrate 100 supported by the substrate support portion 14 is partially separated from the suction unit 11. Specifically, the pressing portion 131 presses the substrate 100 from above through the through hole 1112 formed in the frame 111 of the suction unit 11. In this embodiment, the suction auxiliary unit 13 presses the four corners of the substrate 100 from above using the four pressing portions 131 to correct the substrate 100 to a more horizontal position. Note that, as another embodiment of the suction unit 13, it may be one that presses the center portion of the substrate 100 from below upward.

[0036] The positioning unit 14 is a unit that positions the suction unit 11. In detail, the positioning unit 14 positions the suction unit 11 at a position where inspection is performed by the inspection unit 16. The positioning unit 14 includes a butting portion 141 and a receiving portion 142.

[0037] The abutment portion 141 is provided on a side surface of the frame 111 of the suction unit 11. That is, the abutment portion 141 moves together with the suction unit 11 by the moving unit 12. In this embodiment, the abutment portion 141 is formed so that the portion that abuts against the receiving portion 142 has a spherical shape.

[0038] The receiving portion 142 is fixed in the chamber 10 at a position corresponding to the abutment portion 141, and receives the abutment portion 141. Here, a conical recess that opens upward is shown as the receiving portion 142. The spherical portion of the receiving portion 142 fits into the recess of the receiving portion 142, thereby defining the position of the suction unit 11. In this embodiment, six abutment portions 141 are provided on the side surface of the frame 111 of the suction unit 11, and six receiving portions 142 are provided at positions corresponding to these. However, the number of abutment portions 141 and receiving portions 142 can be changed. In addition, all of the receiving portions 142 do not have to be conical recesses as shown in the figure. For example, the multiple receiving portions 142 may include a V-shaped groove portion and a flat portion. In addition, the abutment portions 141 and the receiving portions 142 may form a so-called kinematic mount.

[0039] Please refer to Figures 2 and 6. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the substrate supporting unit 15 and the inspection unit 16. The substrate supporting unit 15 is a unit that supports the substrate 100. The substrate 100 to be inspected that is carried into the inspection device 110 is supported by the substrate supporting unit 15, and the inspected substrate 100 is carried out from the substrate supporting unit 15 to the outside. The substrate supporting unit 15 supports the substrate 100 from below. The substrate supporting unit 15 is located between the suction unit 11 and the inspection unit 16 in the vertical direction within the chamber 10. In this embodiment, the substrate supporting unit 15 includes a frame 151 and a plurality of support members 152.

[0040] The frame 151 forms the outer shape of the substrate support unit 15, and is supported by a base member 164 via a support member. The base member 164 is fixed inside the chamber 10. The frame 151 has a rectangular frame shape, and the substrate 100 is supported inside the frame formed by the frame 151. In this embodiment, the frame 151 is composed of a plurality of members 1511 to 1514. The members 1511 and 1513 are arranged to face each other in the Y direction, and the members 1512 and 1514 are arranged correspondingly in the X direction. A gap is provided between the members 1511 and 1513 and the members 1512 and 1514. By providing a gap between the members at the short side of the frame 151, contact between the frame 151 and the transport robot 307a can be avoided when the substrate 100 is transported by the transport robot 307a or the like.

[0041] The support members 152 are parts of the substrate support unit 15 that directly support the substrate 100, and are formed of, for example, leaf springs. In this embodiment, the multiple support members 152 are supported by the frame body 151 so as to extend inside the frame formed by the frame body 151, and the peripheral portion of the substrate 100 is placed on the multiple support members 152. Since the support members 152 are elastic, the load acting on the substrate 100 when the substrate 100 supported by the multiple support members 152 comes into contact with the suction unit 11 can be released by the elastic deformation of the support members 152.

[0042] The inspection unit 16 includes a measuring head 161, a slider 162, and a guide rail 163. The guide rail 163 is provided to extend in the Y direction on a base member 164. The slider 162 can reciprocate in the Y direction by being guided by the guide rail 163. The mechanism for moving the slider 162 can be, for example, a ball screw mechanism using a motor as a drive source, or a linear motor. The measuring head 161 is mounted on the slider 162, and reciprocates in the Y direction together with the slider 162.

[0043] Please refer to FIG. 2. The control device 311 controls the inspection device 110. The control device 311 includes a processing unit 311a, a storage unit 311b, an input / output interface (I / O) 311c, and a communication unit 311d. The processing unit 311a is a processor represented by a CPU, and controls the film forming device 1 by executing a program stored in the storage unit 311b. The storage unit 311b is a storage device such as a ROM, a RAM, or a HDD, and stores various control information in addition to the program executed by the processing unit 311a. The I / O 311c is an interface that transmits and receives signals between the processing unit 311a and an external device. The external device includes an actuator and a sensor that the inspection device 110 includes. The communication unit 311d is a communication device that communicates with a higher-level device or another control device via a communication line.

[0044] <Control example> An example of control of the inspection device 110 by the control device 311 will be described. Fig. 7 is a flow chart showing an example of processing executed by the processing unit 311a, and in particular shows an example of processing related to the inspection of the substrate 100. Figs. 8 and 9 are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the inspection device 110.

[0045] During inspection, the substrate 100 to be inspected is attracted to the attraction plate 112, thereby improving the planarity of the substrate 100. This improves the inspection accuracy. On the other hand, if it takes a long time to release the attraction of the substrate 100, production efficiency decreases. In general, with an electrostatic chuck such as that of this embodiment, even after the application of voltage to the electrode 151 is terminated, there are cases where peeling failure occurs due to the charge on the substrate. If it takes a long time to release the attraction of the substrate 100, the substrate 100 cannot be carried out smoothly, resulting in a decrease in production efficiency.

[0046] Therefore, in this embodiment, a reduction control is performed to reduce the suction force of the suction plate 112 on the substrate 100 at suction site R3 corresponding to the outside of the inspection region 102, compared to suction site R1 corresponding to the inspection region 102. This improves the releasability of the substrate 100 from the suction unit 11 when suction is released. Although suction site R2 does not correspond to the inspection region 102, it is adjacent to suction site R1 and contributes to improving the planarity of the substrate 100 in the inspection region 102 during suction. Therefore, suction site R2 is controlled in the same way as suction site R1.

[0047] 7, it is determined whether or not the substrate 100 has been carried into the inspection device 110. The carrying-in of the substrate 100 can be determined by a notification from another device such as the higher-level device 300 or the control device 310, for example.

[0048] 8 shows the operation of the inspection apparatus 110 when the substrate 100 is loaded. State ST81 shows the state before the substrate 100 is loaded. In state ST101, the suction unit 11 is located at the retracted position POS11. The retracted position is a position higher than the measurement position POS12 (see state ST91) during film thickness measurement, and is a position that prevents the substrate 100 being transported from contacting the suction unit 11 or the substrate support unit 15. The measurement head 161 is located at the retracted position POS21. The retracted position POS21 is a position retracted outward in the Y direction from the substrate 100.

[0049] In state ST82, the transfer robot 307a in the swirl chamber 307 is loading the substrate 100 into the chamber 10. In state ST83, the transfer robot 307a places the substrate 100 on the substrate support unit 15 and then retreats. In this state, the center of the substrate 100 is bent due to its own weight. This completes the loading of the substrate 100.

[0050] 7, the suction auxiliary unit 13 corrects the warp of the substrate 100. The pressing units 131 press the four corners of the substrate 100 from above to correct the substrate 100 to a more horizontal position. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of this.

[0051] In state ST101, the substrate 100 is not pressed by the suction auxiliary unit 13, and in state ST102, the substrate 100 is pressed by the suction auxiliary unit 13. Note that in this figure, the deformation of the substrate 100 is emphasized for ease of understanding.

[0052] In state ST101, due to the positional relationship between the substrate support unit 15 and the substrate 100, the substrate 100 is deformed so that the outer side of the substrate 100 faces upward. Therefore, if the suction unit 11 is moved closer to the substrate 100, the substrate 100 and the suction unit 11 will come into contact with each other from the outer side of the substrate 100. Therefore, as shown in state ST102, the corners of the substrate 100 are pressed by the pressing parts 131 of the suction auxiliary units 13, so that the deformation of the substrate 100 such that the outer side of the substrate 100 faces upward is suppressed. After this, if the suction unit 11 is moved closer to the substrate 100, the substrate 100 and the suction unit 11 will come into contact with each other from above the multiple support members 152 of the substrate support unit 15. As a result, compared to state ST301, the contact area between the substrate 100 and the suction unit 11 increases when the suction unit 11 suctions the substrate, so that the suction unit 11 can smoothly perform the substrate suction operation.

[0053] In S3 of FIG. 7, a voltage is applied to the electrode 115 of the suction unit 11. An adsorption force due to electrostatic force is generated on the adsorption surface 112a. FIG. 11 shows an example of the voltage applied to each of the adsorption sites R1 to R3. "When voltage is applied" in the figure illustrates the voltage applied to each electrode 115 in S3 of FIG. 7. The same voltage (1.5 kV) is applied to all of the electrodes of the adsorption sites R1 to R3. Therefore, a uniform adsorption force due to electrostatic force is generated on the adsorption surface 112a.

[0054] In S4 in Fig. 7, the suction unit 11 is lowered to the measurement position POS12 by the moving unit 12. As a result, the substrate 100 is sucked onto the suction unit 11. The positioning unit 14 also positions the suction unit 11. State ST91 in Fig. 9 shows this state. The suction unit 11 is lowered by the moving unit 12 to the measurement position POS12 for film thickness measurement, and the movement by the moving unit 12 causes the suction unit 11 to be pressed against the substrate 100 supported by the substrate support unit 15. The abutting portion 141 fits into the receiving portion 142, and the position of the suction unit 11 is determined. At this time, the suction unit 11 is slightly displaceable by the action of the joint 1213 equipped with a spherical bearing, and is positioned by the positioning unit 14.

[0055] Then, the suction unit 11 suctions the substrate 100 by electrostatic force while the substrate 100 is pressed against the suction unit 11. In particular, at this stage, the same voltage is applied to all of the electrodes of the suction sites R1 to R3, and a uniform suction force is generated on the suction surface 112a, so that the suction region where the suction plate 112 of the suction unit 11 is provided and the substrate 100 come into contact with each other without any gaps, and bending of the substrate 100 due to its own weight is eliminated.

[0056] 7, the detection result of the sensor 113 is acquired to determine whether or not suction of the substrate 100 is complete. If the sensor 113 detects contact of the substrate 100, it is determined that suction of the substrate 100 is complete, and the process of S6 is executed.

[0057] In S6, as a reduction control, the applied voltage of each electrode 115 of the suction site R3 is changed. "When voltage is changed" in FIG. 11 shows an example. The applied voltage of each electrode 115 of the suction sites R1 and R2 is maintained at the same voltage as "When voltage is applied". Meanwhile, the applied voltage of each electrode 115 of the suction site R3 is reduced to 0.5 kV. This reduces the suction force of the suction site R3, and improves the peelability of the substrate 100 from the suction unit 11 after film thickness measurement. Since the applied voltage of each electrode 115 of the suction sites R1 and R2 is maintained at the initial voltage, the planarity of the inspection area 102 is maintained even if the suction force is reduced at the suction site R3.

[0058] In S7 of Fig. 7, inspection of the substrate 100 is performed. Here, the film thickness of the inspection film 103 (Fig. 3) in the inspection area 102 is measured. State ST92 in Fig. 9 shows this state. The measurement head 161 moves from position POS21 to position POS22 for film thickness measurement. During the movement of the measurement head 161, the film thickness of the inspection film 103 is measured. This completes the inspection.

[0059] 7, the application of voltage to the electrode 115 of the suction unit 11 is stopped (0 V). The suction force of the suction surface 112a disappears, and the substrate 100 is peeled off from the suction surface 112a. Static electricity charged on the substrate 100 may hinder the peeling, but in this embodiment, the applied voltage (i.e., the suction force) is reduced in advance at the suction site R3 (S6), so that the substrate 100 can be peeled off from the suction surface 112a smoothly from the side of the suction site R3.

[0060] In S9, the detection result of the sensor 113 is acquired to determine whether peeling of the substrate 100 is complete. If the sensor 113 does not detect contact of the substrate 100, it is determined that peeling of the substrate 100 is complete, and the process of S10 is executed. In S19, the suction unit 11 is raised to the retracted position POS11 by the moving unit 12. State ST93 in FIG. 9 shows this state. The substrate 100 is placed on the substrate supporting unit 15, and the suction unit 11 is separated from the substrate 100. The measuring head 161 is located at the retracted position POS21.

[0061] In S11 of FIG. 7, an instruction to carry out the substrate 100 is sent to the higher-level device 300 or the like. In response to this, the inspected substrate 100 is carried out from the inspection device 110 by a transport robot (not shown) arranged downstream of the inspection device 110. This completes one inspection process. As described above, in this embodiment, the control (S6) to reduce the suction force at the suction site R3 is performed in advance, so that at the stage of peeling the substrate 100 from the suction unit 11, the suction force at the suction site R3 has already been reduced, and the substrate 100 can be peeled off smoothly. In particular, in this embodiment, half of the electrodes 115 belong to the suction site R3, and by reducing the suction force of these electrodes in advance, the peeling effect of the substrate 100 can be further improved. On the other hand, at the stage of inspection, the substrate 100 is firmly suctioned to the suction unit 11 in the inspection area 102, and flatness is ensured. Therefore, the inspection accuracy is also ensured.

[0062] Second Embodiment Another example of voltage application to each of the adsorption sites R1 to R3 on the electrode 115 will be described with reference to Fig. 12. "During voltage application" illustrates the voltage applied to each electrode 115 in S3 of Fig. 7, and "during voltage change" illustrates the voltage applied to each electrode 115 as a decrease control in S6 of Fig. 7.

[0063] In Example 1, during "voltage application", the same voltage (1.5 kV) is applied to all of the electrodes 115 of the suction sites R1 to R3, as in the first embodiment. Therefore, a uniform suction force is generated on the suction surface 112a due to electrostatic force. During "voltage change", the voltage applied to each electrode 115 of the suction sites R1 and R2 as well as the suction site R3 is changed. The voltage applied to each electrode 115 of the suction sites R1 and R2 is lowered to 1.0 kV than during "voltage application". This can improve the peelability after inspection. As in the first embodiment, the voltage applied to the suction site R3 is lowered to 0.5 kV as a reduction control.

[0064] In Example 2, a voltage of 1.5 kV is applied to the electrodes 115 of the adsorption sites R1 and R2 as in the first embodiment during "voltage application", but a lower voltage of 1.0 kV is applied to the adsorption site R3 as a reduction control. During "voltage change", the voltage applied to each electrode 115 of the adsorption sites R1 and R2 as well as the adsorption site R3 is changed. The voltage applied to each electrode 115 of the adsorption sites R1 and R2 is lowered to 1.0 kV than during "voltage application". This improves the peelability after inspection. The voltage applied to the adsorption site R3 is 0.0 kV as a reduction control, that is, the application of voltage is stopped and the electrostatic force becomes 0.

[0065] <Third embodiment> In the first embodiment, after the suction unit 11 has suctioned the substrate 100, the voltage applied to each electrode 115 of the suction site R3 is changed as the reduction control at the timing of S6 in Fig. 7 before the inspection of the substrate 100, but the timing is not limited to this. For example, the reduction control may be performed during the inspection, or may be performed by the time the inspection is completed.

[0066] Also, the lowering control may be performed at the stage where the suction unit 11 suctions the substrate 100, and not thereafter. Figure 13 shows one such example, and is a flow chart showing a processing example that replaces Figure 7. The differences between the contents of Figure 13 and Figure 7 will be described.

[0067] In the example of Fig. 13, there is no voltage change process corresponding to S6 in Fig. 7. Therefore, a voltage reduction control is performed at the initial voltage application stage of S3, and this is continued until the application is stopped at S8. As an example, in the voltage application of S3, a voltage of 1.5 kV is applied to the electrodes 115 of the suction sites R1 and R2 as in the first embodiment, and 0 V is applied to the electrode 115 of the suction site R3. In other words, no suction force due to electrostatic force is generated at the suction site R3. The suction site R3 is supported only by the support member 152 of the substrate support unit 15.

[0068] <Fourth embodiment> In the first to third embodiments, the suction force of the suction unit 11 is reduced at the suction site R3 by controlling the suction unit 11, but the reduction control can also be performed by controlling components other than the suction unit 11. Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the substrate supporting unit 15 of this embodiment. Below, a description will be given of configurations that are different from the substrate supporting unit 15 of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 6.

[0069] In the substrate support unit 15 of this embodiment, the members 1511 and 1513 of the frame 151 are each composed of two members 1511A, 1511B, and 1513A, 1513B separated in the X direction. The members 1511B and 1513B corresponding to the suction site R3 of the suction unit 11 are fixed to the base member 164, as in the first embodiment. On the other hand, the members 1511A and 1513A corresponding to the suction sites R1 and R2 of the suction unit 11 are fixed to the base member 164 via the displacement unit 17. The displacement unit 17 is a lifting mechanism that displaces the members 1511A and 1513A in the Z direction, and is, for example, an electric cylinder or an air cylinder.

[0070] In this embodiment, a difference in suction force is generated between suction sites R1 and R2 and suction site R3 by raising and lowering members 1511A and 1513A. That is, the target of the reduction control is the substrate support unit 15, and control of the suction unit 11 is not required. Therefore, it is not necessary to change the voltage applied to each electrode of the suction unit 11, and it is possible to use a suction unit that generates a uniform suction force.

[0071] Fig. 15 is a flow chart showing a processing example of this embodiment, which is an alternative processing example to Fig. 7. The differences between the contents of Fig. 15 and Fig. 7 will be described.

[0072] When it is determined in S1 that the substrate 100 has been carried in, in S21, as lowering control, the displacement unit 17 is driven to adjust the support height of the substrate support unit 15. Specifically, the support height of the substrate support unit 15 at the suction sites R1 and R2 is raised. Then, the processes from S2 onwards are executed.

[0073] FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of the adjustment of the support height in S21 and the lowering operation of the suction unit 11 in S4.

[0074] State ST161 shows a stage where the substrate 100 has been carried in. The member 1513A (and member 1511A) is located at the delivery position, and has the same support height (position of the support member 152 in the Z direction) as the member 1513B (and member 1511B). State ST162 shows a stage where the support height of the member 1513A (and member 1511A) has been raised by driving the displacement unit 17 under the control of S21. The support height of the member 1513A (and member 1511A) is higher than the support height of the member 1513B (and member 1511B).

[0075] State ST163 shows a stage in the middle of lowering the suction unit 11 in S4. The suction site R3 is farther away from the substrate 100 than the suction site R1 (and the suction site R2). Even if the same voltage is applied to each electrode 115 of the suction site R1 (and the suction site R2) and the suction site R3, the suction force is relatively lower at the suction site R3. State ST164 shows a stage in which the suction unit 11 has completed suction of the substrate 100. The substrate 100 is in close contact with the suction site R1 (and the suction site R2), and the substrate 100 is almost peeled off at the suction site R3. This improves the peelability of the substrate 100 from the suction unit 11 when the suction is released. In the example of FIG. 16, there is no voltage change process corresponding to S6 in FIG. 7, and the lowering control is realized solely by controlling the support height of the substrate support unit 13.

[0076] <Electronic device manufacturing method> Next, an example of a method for manufacturing an electronic device will be described below. As an example of the electronic device, the configuration of an organic EL display device and a method for manufacturing the same will be described.

[0077] First, the organic EL display device to be manufactured will be described. Fig. 17(A) is an overall view of an organic EL display device 50, and Fig. 17(B) is a diagram showing the cross-sectional structure of one pixel.

[0078] 17(A), a plurality of pixels 52, each including a plurality of light-emitting elements, are arranged in a matrix in a display region 51 of an organic EL display device 50. As will be described in detail later, each of the light-emitting elements has a structure including an organic layer sandwiched between a pair of electrodes.

[0079] The pixel here refers to the smallest unit that allows a desired color to be displayed in the display region 51. In the case of a color organic EL display device, the pixel 52 is configured by a combination of a plurality of sub-pixels, a first light-emitting element 52R, a second light-emitting element 52G, and a third light-emitting element 52B, which emit light different from each other. The pixel 52 is often configured by a combination of three types of sub-pixels, a red (R) light-emitting element, a green (G) light-emitting element, and a blue (B) light-emitting element, but is not limited to this. The pixel 52 needs to include at least one type of sub-pixel, and preferably includes two or more types of sub-pixels, and more preferably includes three or more types of sub-pixels. The sub-pixels that configure the pixel 52 may be, for example, a combination of four types of sub-pixels, a red (R) light-emitting element, a green (G) light-emitting element, a blue (B) light-emitting element, and a yellow (Y) light-emitting element.

[0080] Fig. 17(B) is a schematic partial cross-sectional view taken along the line AB in Fig. 17(A). A pixel 52 has a plurality of sub-pixels on a substrate 53, each of which is composed of an organic EL element having a first electrode (anode) 54, a hole transport layer 55, any one of a red layer 56R, a green layer 56G, and a blue layer 56B, an electron transport layer 57, and a second electrode (cathode) 58. Of these, the hole transport layer 55, the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, the blue layer 56B, and the electron transport layer 57 correspond to organic layers. The red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, and the blue layer 56B are formed in patterns corresponding to light-emitting elements (sometimes referred to as organic EL elements) that emit red, green, and blue colors, respectively.

[0081] In addition, the first electrode 54 is formed separately for each light-emitting element. The hole transport layer 55, the electron transport layer 57, and the second electrode 58 may be formed in common for the plurality of light-emitting elements 52R, 52G, and 52B, or may be formed for each light-emitting element. That is, as shown in Fig. 17(B), the hole transport layer 55 may be formed as a common layer for the plurality of sub-pixel regions, and the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, and the blue layer 56B may be formed separately for each sub-pixel region on top of the hole transport layer 55, and the electron transport layer 57 and the second electrode 58 may be formed as a common layer for the plurality of sub-pixel regions on top of the hole transport layer 55.

[0082] In order to prevent short circuits between adjacent first electrodes 54, an insulating layer 59 is provided between the first electrodes 54. Furthermore, since the organic EL layer deteriorates due to moisture and oxygen, a protective layer 60 is provided to protect the organic EL element from moisture and oxygen.

[0083] 17(B), the hole transport layer 55 and the electron transport layer 57 are shown as a single layer, but they may be formed of multiple layers including a hole blocking layer and an electron blocking layer depending on the structure of the organic EL display element. In addition, a hole injection layer having an energy band structure that allows holes to be smoothly injected from the first electrode 54 to the hole transport layer 55 may be formed between the first electrode 54 and the hole transport layer 55. Similarly, an electron injection layer may be formed between the second electrode 58 and the electron transport layer 57.

[0084] Each of the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, and the blue layer 56B may be formed of a single light-emitting layer, or may be formed by laminating a plurality of layers. For example, the red layer 56R may be configured of two layers, with the upper layer being a red light-emitting layer and the lower layer being a hole transport layer or an electron block layer. Alternatively, the lower layer may be formed of a red light-emitting layer and the upper layer being an electron transport layer or a hole block layer. By providing a layer below or above the light-emitting layer in this way, the light-emitting position in the light-emitting layer can be adjusted, and the optical path length can be adjusted, thereby improving the color purity of the light-emitting element.

[0085] Although the example of the red layer 56R is shown here, the same structure may be adopted for the green layer 56G and the blue layer 56B. The number of layers may be two or more. Furthermore, layers of different materials may be laminated, such as a light-emitting layer and an electron blocking layer, or layers of the same material may be laminated, such as two or more light-emitting layers.

[0086] Next, a specific example of a method for manufacturing an organic EL display device will be described. Here, it is assumed that the red layer 56R is made up of two layers, a lower layer 56R1 and an upper layer 56R2, and the green layer 56G and the blue layer 56B are made up of a single light-emitting layer.

[0087] First, a substrate 53 is prepared on which a circuit (not shown) for driving the organic EL display device and a first electrode 54 are formed. The material of the substrate 53 is not particularly limited, and the substrate 53 may be made of glass, plastic, metal, etc. In this embodiment, a substrate in which a polyimide film is laminated on a glass substrate is used as the substrate 53.

[0088] A resin layer such as acrylic or polyimide is coated by bar coating or spin coating on the substrate 53 on which the first electrode 54 is formed, and the resin layer is patterned by lithography so as to form an opening in the portion where the first electrode 54 is formed, thereby forming an insulating layer 59. This opening corresponds to the light-emitting region where the light-emitting element actually emits light.

[0089] The substrate 53 with the patterned insulating layer 59 is carried into a first film formation chamber, and a hole transport layer 55 is formed as a common layer on the first electrodes 54 in the display regions. The hole transport layer 55 is formed using a mask having an opening for each display region 51 which will eventually become the panel portion of each organic EL display device.

[0090] Next, the substrate 53 on which the hole transport layer 55 has been formed is carried into a second film formation chamber. The substrate 53 and the mask are aligned, and the substrate is placed on the mask. A red layer 56R is formed on the hole transport layer 55 in a portion of the substrate 53 where elements emitting red light are arranged (a region where a red subpixel is formed). Here, the mask used in the second film formation chamber is a high-definition mask in which openings are formed only in a plurality of regions that will become red subpixels among a plurality of regions on the substrate 53 that will become subpixels of the organic EL display device. As a result, the red layer 56R including a red light-emitting layer is formed only in a region that will become a red subpixel among a plurality of regions on the substrate 53 that will become subpixels. In other words, the red layer 56R is selectively formed in a region that will become a red subpixel, without being formed in a region that will become a blue subpixel or a green subpixel among a plurality of regions on the substrate 53 that will become subpixels.

[0091] Similar to the formation of the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G is formed in the third film formation chamber, and then the blue layer 56B is formed in the fourth film formation chamber. After the formation of the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, and the blue layer 56B is completed, the electron transport layer 57 is formed over the entire display area 51 in the fifth film formation chamber. The electron transport layer 57 is formed as a layer common to the three color layers 56R, 56G, and 56B.

[0092] The substrate on which the electron transport layer 57 has been formed is moved to a sixth deposition chamber, where the second electrode 58 is formed. In this embodiment, the layers are formed by vacuum deposition in the first to sixth deposition chambers. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the second electrode 58 may be formed by sputtering in the sixth deposition chamber. Thereafter, the substrate on which the second electrode 68 has been formed is moved to a sealing device, and the protective layer 60 is formed by plasma CVD (sealing process), completing the organic EL display device 50. Note that, although the protective layer 60 is formed by the CVD method here, the present invention is not limited to this, and it may be formed by the ALD method or the inkjet method.

[0093] Here, the films are formed in the first to sixth film formation chambers using a mask having an opening corresponding to the pattern of each layer to be formed. When forming the film, the relative positions of the substrate 53 and the mask are adjusted (aligned), and then the substrate 53 is placed on the mask and film formation is performed.

[0094] <Other embodiments> 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) that implements one or more of the functions.

[0095] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 1 film formation system, 11 adsorption unit, 16 inspection unit, 110 inspection device, 311 control device

Claims

1. A suction means for suctioning the substrate; an inspection means for inspecting a film formed in an inspection area of ​​the substrate attracted to the suction means; a control unit that executes a reduction control to reduce an adsorption force applied to the substrate by the adsorption unit in a second portion of the substrate corresponding to a portion outside the inspection area, compared with a first portion of the substrate corresponding to the inspection area. An inspection device characterized by:

2. 2. The inspection device according to claim 1, The inspection means measures a thickness of the film, the adsorption means adsorbs the substrate by electrostatic force; An inspection device characterized by:

3. 3. The inspection device according to claim 2, The suction means has a plurality of suction portions. An inspection device characterized by:

4. 4. The inspection device according to claim 3, In the reduction control, the adsorption means is controlled so that an adsorption force of the second portion is lower than that of the first portion. An inspection device characterized by:

5. 4. The inspection device according to claim 3, In the reduction control, the adsorption means is controlled so that the electrostatic force in the second region is smaller than that in the first region. An inspection device characterized by:

6. 4. The inspection device according to claim 3, In the reduction control, the adsorption means is controlled so that the electrostatic force at the second portion becomes zero. An inspection device characterized by:

7. 4. The inspection device according to claim 3, the control means executes the lowering control at a stage where the suction means suctions the substrate. An inspection device characterized by:

8. 4. The inspection device according to claim 3, the control means executes the lowering control after the suction means has suctioned the substrate. An inspection device characterized by:

9. 4. The inspection device according to claim 3, the control means executes the lowering control after the suction means has suctioned the substrate and before the inspection means performs inspection. An inspection device characterized by:

10. The inspection device according to claim 8 or 9, the control means controls the suction means so that a similar suction force is generated at the first portion and the second portion at a stage where the suction means suctions the substrate. An inspection device characterized by:

11. The inspection device according to claim 8 or 9, the control means controls the suction means so that a lower suction force is generated at the second portion than at the first portion when the suction means suctions the substrate. An inspection device characterized by:

12. 2. The inspection device according to claim 1, a substrate support means for supporting a substrate to be carried into the inspection device; the suction means suctions the substrate supported by the substrate support means, In the lowering control, when the substrate supported by the substrate supporting means is adsorbed by the adsorption means, the substrate supporting means is controlled such that the second portion is farther away from the substrate than the first portion. An inspection device characterized by:

13. 2. The inspection device according to claim 1, The inspection means measures the thickness of the film by irradiating the film with light. An inspection device characterized by:

14. a film formation chamber for forming a film on a substrate; an inspection room in which an inspection device is disposed and which inspects the film formed on the substrate; The inspection device includes: A suction means for suctioning the substrate; an inspection means for inspecting a film formed in an inspection area of ​​the substrate attracted to the suction means; a control unit that executes a reduction control to reduce an adsorption force applied to the substrate by the adsorption unit in a second portion of the substrate corresponding to a portion outside the inspection area, compared with a first portion of the substrate corresponding to the inspection area. A film forming system comprising:

15. a suction step of suctioning the substrate by a suction means; an inspection step of inspecting a film formed in an inspection area of ​​the substrate adsorbed in the adsorption step; a control step of performing a reduction control to reduce an adsorption force applied to the substrate by the adsorption means in a second portion of the substrate corresponding to a portion outside the inspection area, compared with a first portion of the substrate corresponding to the inspection area.

13. An inspection method comprising:

16. a film forming step of forming a film on a substrate; and an inspection step of inspecting the film formed in the film forming step by the inspection method according to claim 15.

2. A method for producing an electronic device comprising the steps of:

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