Film deposition apparatus, film deposition method, and method for manufacturing electronic devices
The film deposition apparatus addresses alignment accuracy issues by using contact-based position adjustment and magnetic adsorption to stabilize the substrate and mask positions, maintaining precision during simultaneous film deposition and alignment processes.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-09-03
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-13
Smart Images

Figure 2026046861000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
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[0001] The present invention relates to a film forming apparatus, a film forming method, and a method for manufacturing an electronic device.
Background Art
[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a film forming apparatus that performs film formation using two stages such that while performing scan film formation on one stage, alignment of a substrate and a mask is performed on the other stage.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] In a film forming apparatus that performs film formation using two stages, while performing film formation processing on one stage, alignment processing of a substrate and a mask is performed on the other stage. When performing film formation processing on one stage, if vibrations generated by the movement of the film forming unit are transmitted to the other stage where alignment processing is performed, the holding member that holds the substrate and the mask stage on which the mask is placed vibrate respectively, which may cause a decrease in alignment accuracy.
[0005] In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a technology capable of suppressing a decrease in alignment accuracy in a film forming apparatus that performs film formation using a plurality of stages.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0006] A film deposition apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention is a film deposition apparatus having a plurality of film deposition stages, comprising an adjustment means for performing alignment processing between a substrate and a mask on one of the plurality of film deposition stages while film deposition processing is being performed on the other film deposition stage, The aforementioned adjustment means is Information on the relative position between the substrate and the mask is acquired while the substrate is being held by a holding means or in a contact state in which the substrate and the mask are in contact at least partially. Based on the relative position information, the relative position of the substrate and the mask is adjusted to a predetermined range while in contact. With the relative positions adjusted to be within the predetermined range, the magnetic adsorption means is moved to a position for adsorbing the mask in order to fix the positions of the substrate and the mask. [Effects of the Invention]
[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress a decrease in alignment accuracy in a film deposition apparatus that performs film deposition using multiple stages. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0008] [Figure 1] A schematic plan view showing the configuration of a film deposition system equipped with the film deposition apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] A schematic front view showing the configuration of a film deposition apparatus according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] A diagram illustrating the configuration of the film deposition stage according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] An explanatory diagram of the measurement unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] A diagram illustrating a seating member provided on a holding member according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] A diagram illustrating the overview of the film deposition process using the film deposition apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] A diagram illustrating the alignment process using a film deposition apparatus. [Figure 8]This diagram illustrates a method for manufacturing electronic devices; (A) is an overall view of an organic EL display device, and (B) is a diagram showing the cross-sectional structure of a single pixel. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0009] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention to the claims. While the embodiments describe multiple features, not all of these features are essential to the invention, and the features may be combined in any way. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, the same or similar configurations are given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.
[0010] <Overview of the film deposition system> Figure 1 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of a film deposition system SY in which the film deposition apparatus 1 according to the embodiment is installed. The film deposition system SY is a system that performs film deposition on substrates that are brought in and discharges the processed substrates. For example, a manufacturing line for electronic devices is formed by installing multiple film deposition systems SY in a row. Examples of electronic devices include display panels for organic EL display devices for smartphones. In addition to the film deposition apparatus 1, the film deposition system SY includes a receiving chamber 31, a substrate transport chamber 32, an discharge chamber 34, and a mask stock chamber 36. The configuration of the film deposition apparatus 1 will be described later.
[0011] Substrates 100 to be deposited by the deposition apparatus 1 are brought into the loading chamber 31. A transport robot 320 for transporting the substrates 100 is provided in the substrate transport chamber 32. The transport robot 320 transports the substrates 100 brought into the loading chamber 31 to the deposition apparatus 1. The transport robot 320 also transports the substrates 100 after the deposition process is completed in the deposition apparatus 1 to the unloading chamber 34. The substrates 100 transported to the unloading chamber 34 by the transport robot 320 are then unloaded from the unloading chamber 34 to the outside of the deposition system SY. If multiple deposition systems SY are installed side by side, the unloading chamber 34 of the upstream deposition system SY may also serve as the substrate transport chamber 32 of the downstream deposition system SY. In addition, mask stock chamber 36 stores masks 101 used for deposition in the deposition apparatus 1. The masks 101 stored in the mask stock room 36 are transported to the film deposition apparatus 1 by the transport robot 320.
[0012] The film deposition apparatus 1 and the interiors of each chamber that constitute the film deposition system SY are maintained in a vacuum state by an exhaust mechanism such as a vacuum pump. In this embodiment, "vacuum" refers to a state filled with gas at a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, in other words, a reduced pressure state.
[0013] <Overview of the film deposition apparatus> FIG. 2 is a front view schematically showing the configuration of the film forming apparatus 1. The film forming apparatus 1 is a film forming apparatus that forms a film while moving a film forming source 140 with respect to a substrate 100. In the present embodiment, a film is formed on the substrate 100 by vapor deposition. As the material of the substrate 100 on which vapor deposition is performed by the film forming apparatus 1, glass, resin, metal, etc. can be appropriately selected, and a substrate having a resin layer such as polyimide formed on glass is preferably used. As the film forming material, organic materials, inorganic materials (such as metals, metal oxides), etc. are used. The film forming apparatus 1 is applicable to manufacturing apparatuses for manufacturing electronic devices such as display devices (such as flat panel displays), thin film solar cells, organic optoelectronic conversion elements (organic thin film imaging elements), and optical members, and in particular, is applicable to manufacturing apparatuses for manufacturing organic EL panels. Further, examples of the size of the substrate on which the film forming apparatus 1 forms a film include substrates of G8H size (1100 mm × 2500 mm, 1250 mm × 2200 mm), but the size of the substrate on which the film forming apparatus 1 forms a film can be set as appropriate.
[0014] The film forming apparatus 1 includes a chamber 3, film forming stages 12A and 12B, a film forming unit 14, substrate shutters 18A and 18B, and a control unit 200.
[0015] The control unit 200 controls the operations of the respective components of the film forming apparatus 1. For example, the control unit 200 may be configured to include a processor represented by a CPU, a memory such as a RAM and a ROM, and various interfaces. For example, the control unit 200 realizes various processes by the film forming apparatus 1 by reading out a program stored in the ROM into the RAM and executing it. For example, the control unit 200 executes various processes such as a film forming process based on an instruction received from a host computer that comprehensively controls the film forming system SY.
[0016] Chamber 3 houses a film forming unit 14, substrate shutters 18A and 18B, and film forming stages 12A and 12B in its internal space 1001. The internal space 1001 of chamber 3 can be maintained in a vacuum by an evacuation mechanism such as a vacuum pump (not shown). For example, chamber 3 is provided with an opening (not shown) for loading and unloading substrate 100, and substrate 100 is moved between the substrate transfer chamber 32 through this opening.
[0017] Film forming stages 12A and 12B are stages where film formation is performed on substrate 100. In this embodiment, film forming stage 12A and film forming stage 12B are provided adjacent to each other with substrate shutters 18A and 18B interposed therebetween. In the following description, it is assumed that film formation is performed on substrate 100A at film forming stage 12A and film formation is performed on substrate 100B at film forming stage 12B.
[0018] <Configuration of Film Forming Stage> FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of film forming stage 12A. Film forming stage 12A includes a substrate support unit 6A, a mask stage 5A (mounting portion) for mounting mask 101, a support column 124A, and an alignment device 2A. Here, the configurations of film forming stage 12A and alignment device 2A are described as an example, but the configurations of film forming stage 12B and alignment device 2B are the same. In the following description, the subscript "A" exemplifies the configuration on the film forming stage 12A side, the subscript "B" exemplifies the configuration on the film forming stage 12B side, and when referring to both together, the subscript may be omitted for explanation.
[0019] Substrate support unit 6A supports the peripheral edge of substrate 100A. Substrate support unit 6A may support the peripheral edge of substrate 100A from below the substrate 100A, or may support substrate 100A by sandwiching the peripheral edge of substrate 100A. For example, substrate support unit 6A can be raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism and can support substrate 100A received from transfer robot 320 in substrate transfer chamber 32. Known techniques such as a ball screw mechanism can be used for the lifting mechanism.
[0020] The substrate support unit 6A comprises a plurality of base portions 61 that constitute its outer frame, and a plurality of substrate mounting portions 62 that protrude inward from the base portions 61. The substrate mounting portions 62 are sometimes also called "receiving claws" or "fingers". Each base portion 61 is supported by a support shaft R3. The plurality of substrate mounting portions 62 are arranged at intervals in the X and Y directions of the base portion 61 so as to receive the peripheral edge of the substrate 100A. The substrate 100A, which has been transported into the film deposition apparatus 1 by the transport robot 320, is supported by the plurality of substrate mounting portions 62.
[0021] In this embodiment, the multiple substrate mounting sections 62 are made of leaf springs, and when the substrate 100A supported by the multiple substrate mounting sections 62 is held by the holding member 15A, the elastic force of the leaf springs can press the substrate 100A against the holding member 15A.
[0022] The film deposition stage 12A includes a holding member 15A capable of holding the substrate 100A. In this embodiment, the holding member 15A is provided between the substrate support unit 6A and the plate unit 9A and is supported by one or more support shafts R1. In this embodiment, the holding member 15A is supported by four support shafts R1 in the X and Y directions. In one embodiment, the support shafts R1 are cylindrical shafts.
[0023] In this embodiment, the holding member 15A is an electrostatic chuck that attracts the substrate 100A by electrostatic force. For example, the holding member 15A has a structure in which an electrical circuit such as metal electrodes is embedded inside a matrix (also called a base) made of ceramic material. For example, when a positive (+) and negative (-) voltage is applied to the metal electrodes placed in the electrode placement area, a polarization charge is induced in the substrate 100A through the ceramic matrix, and the substrate 100A is attracted to and fixed to the holding surface 150 (adsorption surface) of the holding member 15A by electrostatic attraction (electrostatic force) between the substrate 100A and the holding member 15A.
[0024] Multiple touch sensors 1621 are embedded in the holding member 15A to detect contact between the holding member 15A and the substrate 100A. However, it is sufficient to detect contact with the substrate 100A, and non-contact sensors that detect the substrate 100A may be used instead of touch sensors. For example, multiple touch sensors 1621 may be provided along the periphery of the holding member 15A, or one touch sensor 1621 may be provided in the center of the holding member 15A. By providing touch sensors 1621 at multiple locations on the holding member 15A in this way, it is possible to confirm that the entire surface of the substrate 100A is adsorbed to the holding surface 150 (adsorption surface). The number and arrangement of touch sensors 1621 can be changed as appropriate. Multiple openings are formed in the holding member 15A, and measurement units (first measurement unit 7 and second measurement unit 8), described later, capture images of the mask marks described later through the multiple openings.
[0025] In this embodiment, the retaining member 15A is provided with a seating member 115A (also called a gap block). Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the seating member 115A provided on the retaining member 15A. The seating member 115A is provided so as to protrude in the Z direction from the substrate 100A. The seating member 115A is located outside the area in which the retaining member 15 holds the substrate 100A. Multiple seating members 115A are arranged at predetermined intervals in the X and Y directions. The arrangement position of the seating members 115A is arbitrary.
[0026] In this embodiment, when the holding member 15A that holds the substrate 100A and the mask 101A are in contact at least partially, the seating member 115A provided on the holding member 15A may be brought into contact with the mask 101A. Alternatively, if the seating member 115A is not used, a part of the substrate 100A held (adsorbed) by the holding member 15A (for example, the peripheral portion where the pattern is not formed) may be brought into contact with the mask 101A.
[0027] In this embodiment, the mask base 5A is provided with a distance measuring sensor 55A for measuring the distance between the holding member 15A and the mask base 5A. The distance measuring sensor 55A measures the distance between the holding member 15A and the mask base 5A non-contact. For example, a laser distance sensor can be used as the distance measuring sensor 55A. Note that the type of distance measuring sensor 55A is not limited to this example, and any sensor that can measure distance non-contact is applicable. Also, although Figures 2 and 3 illustrate a configuration in which the distance measuring sensor 55A is provided on the mask base 5A, the configuration is not limited to this example, and it is sufficient if it is provided on either the mask base 5A or the holding member 15A.
[0028] <Position adjustment unit> The alignment device 2A includes a position adjustment unit 20 that adjusts the relative position between the substrate 100A, whose peripheral edge is supported by a substrate support unit 6A, or the substrate 100A held by a holding member 15A, and the mask 101A. The position adjustment unit 20 adjusts the relative position of the substrate 100A with respect to the mask 101A by displacing the substrate support unit 6A or the holding member 15A in the XY plane. In other words, the position adjustment unit 20 is a unit that adjusts the horizontal position of the mask 101A and the substrate 100A. For example, the position adjustment unit 20 can displace the substrate support unit 6A in a rotational direction about the X, Y, and Z axes. In this embodiment, the position of the mask 101A is fixed and the substrate 100A is displaced to adjust the relative position of the mask 101A and the substrate 100A, but the adjustment may be made by displacing the mask 101A, or both the substrate 100A and the mask 101A may be displaced.
[0029] In this embodiment, the position adjustment unit 20 comprises a fixed plate 20a, a movable plate 20b, and a plurality of actuators 201 positioned between these plates. The fixed plate 20a is fixed to the upper wall portion 30 of the chamber 3. A frame-shaped support 21 is mounted on the movable plate 20b, and the distance adjustment unit 22 and the plate unit lifting unit 13 are supported on the support 21. When the movable plate 20b is displaced horizontally relative to the fixed plate 20a by the actuators 201, the support 21, the distance adjustment unit 22, and the plate unit lifting unit 13 are displaced together.
[0030] The multiple actuators 201 include, for example, actuators that can displace the movable plate 20b in the X direction and actuators that can displace the movable plate 20b in the Y direction, and by controlling the amount of movement of these actuators, the movable plate 20b can be displaced in a rotational direction around the axes in the X, Y, and Z directions. For example, the multiple actuators 201 may include a motor that is a drive source and a mechanism such as a ball screw mechanism that converts the driving force of the motor into linear motion.
[0031] <Distance adjustment unit> The distance adjustment unit 22 adjusts the distance between the holding member 15A and the substrate support unit 6A and the mask base 5A by raising and lowering them, thereby bringing the substrate 100A and the mask 101A closer together or further apart in the thickness direction (Z direction) of the substrate 100A. In other words, the distance adjustment unit 22 brings the substrate 100A and the mask 101A closer together in the direction of overlapping, or further apart in the opposite direction. The "distance" adjusted by the distance adjustment unit 22 is the so-called vertical distance (or bony distance), and the distance adjustment unit can also be said to be a unit that adjusts the vertical position of the mask 101A and the substrate 100A.
[0032] As shown in Figure 3, the distance adjustment unit 22 is equipped with a first lifting plate 220. A guide rail 21a extending in the Z direction is formed on the side of the frame 21, and the first lifting plate 220 can move up and down in the Z direction along the guide rail 21a.
[0033] The first lifting plate 220 supports the holding member 15A via a plurality of support shafts R1. When the first lifting plate 220 moves up and down, the holding member 15A moves up and down accordingly. In other words, the first lifting plate 220 supports a plurality of support shafts R1 that support the holding member 15A, and as the first lifting plate 220 moves up and down, the plurality of support shafts R1 move up and down synchronously, and the holding member 15A moves up and down while maintaining its parallelism. The first lifting plate 220 also supports the substrate support unit 6A via a plurality of actuators 65 and a plurality of support shafts R3. When the first lifting plate 220 moves up and down, the substrate support unit 6A moves up and down accordingly. The plurality of actuators 65 are also movable vertically on the plurality of support shafts R3 to which they are connected. The substrate support unit 6A moves vertically relative to the holding member 15A by the plurality of actuators 65. Multiple actuators 65 may be configured to move the support shaft R3 vertically, for example, by means of a motor and a ball screw mechanism.
[0034] The raising and lowering of the first lifting plate 220 will be described in more detail. The distance adjustment unit 22 is supported by the frame 21 and includes a drive unit 221 as an actuator for raising and lowering the first lifting plate 220. The drive unit 221 is a mechanism that transmits the driving force of the motor 221a, which is the drive source, to the first lifting plate 220. In this embodiment, a ball screw mechanism having a ball screw shaft 221b and a ball nut 221c is used as the transmission mechanism of the drive unit 221. The ball screw shaft 221b extends in the Z direction and rotates around its axis in the Z direction by the driving force of the motor 221a. The ball nut 221c is fixed to the first lifting plate 220 and meshes with the ball screw shaft 221b. By rotating the ball screw shaft 221b and switching the direction of its rotation, the first lifting plate 220 can be raised and lowered in the Z direction. The amount of lifting of the first lifting plate 220 can be controlled, for example, from the detection results of sensors such as rotary encoders that detect the amount of rotation of each motor 221a. This allows control of the position in the Z direction of the holding member 15A that holds and supports the substrate 100A, and thus control the contact and separation between the substrate 100A and the mask 101A.
[0035] <Plate Unit Lifting Unit> The plate unit lifting unit 13 is connected to the second lifting plate 112, which is located outside the chamber 3, and lifts and lowers the plate unit 9, which is located inside the chamber 3, by raising and lowering the second lifting plate 112, which is located outside the chamber 3. The plate unit 9 is connected to the second lifting plate 112 via one or more support shafts R2. In this embodiment, the plate unit 9 is supported by two support shafts R2. The support shafts R2 extend upward from the magnetic adsorption member 11 that magnetically attracts the mask 101 and are connected to the second lifting plate 112 by passing through the opening in the upper wall portion 30, the openings of the fixed plate 20a and the movable plate 20b, and the opening in the first lifting plate 220.
[0036] The second lifting plate 112 is freely movable up and down in the Z direction along the guide shaft 112a. The plate unit lifting unit 13 is supported by the frame 21 and is equipped with a drive mechanism for raising and lowering the second lifting plate 112. The drive mechanism of the plate unit lifting unit 13 is a mechanism that transmits the driving force of the motor 13a, which is the drive source, to the second lifting plate 112. In this embodiment, a ball screw mechanism having a ball screw shaft 13b and a ball nut 13c is used as the transmission mechanism of the plate unit lifting unit 13. The ball screw shaft 13b extends in the Z direction and rotates around its axis in the Z direction by the driving force of the motor 13a. The ball nut 13c is fixed to the second lifting plate 112 and meshes with the ball screw shaft 13b. By rotating the ball screw shaft 13b and switching the direction of rotation, the second lifting plate 112 can be raised and lowered in the Z direction. The amount of lifting of the second lifting plate 112 can be controlled, for example, from the detection results of sensors such as rotary encoders that detect the rotation amount of each motor 13a. This allows control of the position of the plate unit 9 in the Z direction and control of contact and separation between the plate unit 9 and the substrate 100A.
[0037] <Measurement Unit> The alignment device 2A includes measurement units (first measurement unit 7 and second measurement unit 8) that measure the misalignment between the substrate 100A, whose peripheral edge is supported by the substrate support unit 6A, and the mask 101A. Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of the first measurement unit 7 and the second measurement unit 8, showing the measurement method of the misalignment between the substrate 100A and the mask 101A. Both the first measurement unit 7 and the second measurement unit 8 in this embodiment are imaging devices (cameras) that capture images. The first measurement unit 7 and the second measurement unit 8 are positioned above the upper wall portion 30 of the chamber 3 and can capture images of the inside of the chamber 3 through a window portion (not shown) formed in the upper wall portion 30.
[0038] The substrate 100A has substrate rough alignment marks 1000a and substrate fine alignment marks 1000b formed on it, and the mask 101 has mask rough alignment marks 1010a and mask fine marks 1010b formed on it. Hereinafter, the substrate rough alignment mark 1000a will be referred to as substrate rough mark 1000a, the substrate fine alignment mark 1000b will be referred to as substrate fine mark 1000b, and both may be collectively referred to as substrate marks. Similarly, the mask rough alignment mark 1010a will be referred to as mask rough mark 1010a, the mask fine alignment mark 1010b will be referred to as mask fine mark 1010b, and both may be collectively referred to as mask marks.
[0039] The substrate rough marks 1000a are formed in the center of the short side of the substrate 100A. The substrate fine marks 1000b are formed in the four corners of the substrate 100A. The mask rough marks 1010a are formed in the center of the short side of the mask 101, corresponding to the substrate rough marks 1000a. The mask fine marks 1010b are formed in the four corners of the mask 101, corresponding to the substrate fine marks 1000b.
[0040] The second measurement unit 8 consists of four units (second measurement units 8a to 8d) that image each corresponding set of substrate fine marks 1000b and mask fine marks 1010b (four sets in this embodiment). The second measurement unit 8 is a high-magnification camera (fine camera) with a relatively narrow field of view and high resolution (e.g., on the order of several μm), and measures the positional misalignment between the substrate 100A and the mask 101A with high precision. The first measurement unit 7 consists of one unit that images each corresponding set of substrate rough marks 1000a and mask rough marks 1010a (two sets in this embodiment).
[0041] The first measurement unit 7 is a low-magnification camera (rough camera) with a relatively wide field of view and low resolution, and measures the approximate positional misalignment between the substrate 100A and the mask 101A. In the example in Figure 4, a configuration is shown in which two sets of substrate rough marks 1000a and mask rough marks 1010a are imaged together by one first measurement unit 7, but this is not the only configuration. Similar to the second measurement unit 8, two first measurement units 7 may be provided at positions corresponding to each set of substrate rough marks 1000a and mask rough marks 1010a, respectively.
[0042] In this embodiment, after roughly adjusting the position of the substrate 100A and the mask 101A based on the measurement results of the first measurement unit 7, a precise adjustment of the position of the substrate 100A and the mask 101A is performed based on the measurement results of the second measurement unit 8.
[0043] The mask 101A is a metal mask having an opening pattern corresponding to the film deposition pattern to be formed on the substrate 100A, and is placed on the mask stand 5A. The mask stand 5A is supported by the chamber 3 by a support column 124A. The mask stand 5A is provided with an opening (not shown), through which the film deposition material is scattered onto the film deposition surface of the substrate 100A, which is superimposed on the mask 101A. The film deposition process is carried out with the substrate 100A and the mask 101A superimposed on each other. The mask stand 5A can be replaced with another type of mask mounting unit that places the mask 101A in a predetermined position.
[0044] As the mask 101A, a mask can be used that has a structure in which a mask foil with a thickness of several micrometers to several tens of micrometers is welded and fixed to a frame-shaped mask frame. The material of the mask 101A is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use a metal with a low coefficient of thermal expansion, such as Invar material.
[0045] <Overview of the film deposition unit> The film deposition unit 14 moves while releasing the film deposition material to deposit films on the substrates 100A and 100B. In this embodiment, the film deposition unit 14 includes a film deposition source 140 and a moving part 142.
[0046] The film deposition source 140 releases the film deposition material. As shown in Figure 2, the film deposition source 140 includes a plurality of containment sections 1401a to 1401c for containing the film deposition material, a plurality of discharge sections 1402a to 1402c provided in each of the containment sections 1401a to 1401c for releasing the evaporated film deposition material, and a defining section 1403 for defining the discharge range of the film deposition material.
[0047] The film-forming material contained in the containment sections 1401a to 1401c is heated by a heater (not shown) and evaporated, then released from the discharge sections 1402a to 1402c into the internal space 1001 of the chamber 3. In this embodiment, the multiple containment sections 1401a, 1401b, and 1401c are arranged in the direction of movement (X direction) of the film-forming unit 14. In this embodiment, multiple containment sections are also arranged in a direction (Y direction) that intersects the direction of movement of the film-forming unit 14, similar to the multiple containment sections 1401a to 1401c. For example, the multiple containment sections 1401a to 1401c may contain different film-forming materials. This makes it possible to perform co-deposition, in which multiple film-forming materials are deposited on substrates 100A and 100B.
[0048] The moving unit 142 moves the film deposition source 140. In this embodiment, the moving unit 142 reciprocates the film deposition source 140 in the direction (X direction) in which the multiple film deposition stages 12A and 12B are aligned. Known technology can be used for the moving unit 142. In this embodiment, the moving unit 142 is a linear guide including a moving body 1421 on which the film deposition source 140 is placed, rolling elements 1422 rotatably supported on the moving body 1421, and a drive unit (not shown). That is, when the moving body 1421 is driven by a drive unit (not shown), such as a ball screw mechanism, it moves along a rail 102 provided on the floor of the chamber 3 via the rolling elements 1422.
[0049] The film deposition source shutters 16A to 16C (hereinafter sometimes referred to simply as film deposition source shutter 16) are provided on the film deposition source 140 to suppress the scattering of the film deposition material onto the substrates 100A and 100B. The film deposition source shutter 16 also includes a rotating part 1602 that rotates the shielding member 1601 with the intersecting direction (Y direction) which intersects the direction of movement as its axial direction.
[0050] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the overview of the film deposition process using the film deposition apparatus according to the embodiment, and each film deposition source shutter 16 is provided to be displaceable between a suppression position (see ST1 in Figure 6) that suppresses the scattering of the film deposition material discharged from the discharge sections 1402a to 1402c onto the substrates 100A and 100B, and an allowable position (see ST2 in Figure 6) that allows the scattering of the film deposition material onto the substrates 100A and 100B.
[0051] Substrate shutters 18A and 18B (hereinafter sometimes referred to simply as substrate shutter 18) suppress the scattering of film deposition material from the film deposition unit 14 to the substrates 100A and 100B when the film deposition unit 14 is in standby position POS1 (see ST1 in Figure 6). Substrate shutter 18A is an example of a shutter that controls the incidence of film deposition material onto substrate 100A, and includes a shielding member 1801a, a support member 1802a, and a lifting / lowering section 1803a. Substrate shutter 18B is an example of a shutter that controls the incidence of film deposition material onto substrate 100B, and includes a shielding member 1801b, a support member 1802b, and a lifting / lowering section 1803b.
[0052] Support members 1802a and 1802b are each equipped with a support column that supports shielding members 1801a and 1801b from above in the Z direction, and are configured to move up and down in the Z direction by the lifting parts 1803a and 1803b. Substrate shutters 18A and 18B are configured to move up and down in the vertical direction, and the film deposition source 140 is covered by the substrate shutters 18A and 18B.
[0053] The shielding members 1801a and 1801b are movable between the suppression position POS10 (see ST1 in Figure 6) and the allowable position POS20 (see ST3 in Figure 6). The suppression position POS10 is an example of a position (first height) for the shielding members 1801a and 1801b that suppresses the scattering of film deposition material from the film deposition unit 14 to the substrates 100A and 100B when the shielding members 1801a and 1801b are in place. The allowable position POS20 is an example of a position (second height) that allows the scattering of film deposition material from the film deposition unit 14 to the substrates 100A and 100B when the shielding members 1801a and 1801b are in place, and is higher than the suppression position. Furthermore, when the shielding member 1801a is located at the suppression position POS10, it has a portion that extends vertically in the Z direction to suppress the scattering of the film-forming material onto the substrate 100A, regardless of whether the shielding member 1801b is located at the suppression position POS10 or at the allowable position POS20.
[0054] <Example of operation> As shown in Figure 6, the deposition unit 14 deposits a film on the substrate while reciprocating in the X direction below the deposition stage 12A and deposition stage 12B. The deposition unit 14 also deposits a film on each substrate by making one reciprocating motion in the X direction below each substrate. For each substrate, the deposition unit 14 deposits a film while moving: once while moving in the positive X direction and once while moving in the negative X direction, for a total of two moving depositions. In this embodiment, the direction of movement of the deposition unit 14 is reversed for the deposition on substrate 100A in the forward direction and for the deposition on substrate 100B in the forward direction. The same applies to the return direction.
[0055] In Figure 6, the film deposition unit 14 moves from position POS1 at the negative end in the X direction to a predetermined position at the positive end, then turns around and moves back to position POS1. During this time, the film deposition unit 14 sequentially performs reverse film deposition on the first substrate 100A and forward film deposition on the substrate 100A at the film deposition stage 12A. In the film deposition apparatus 1 of this embodiment, while the film deposition process is being performed at one film deposition stage 12A, the other film deposition stage 12B performs alignment processing. This improves the throughput of the film deposition process.
[0056] State ST1 is the state in which the film deposition unit 14 starts heating in the standby position POS1 and prepares for film deposition. At this point, the film deposition source shutters 16A~16C and the substrate shutters 18A, 18B are positioned in the suppression position until the amount of film deposition material released from the film deposition source 140 stabilizes. This prevents the film deposition material released from the film deposition unit 14 from adhering to the substrate 100 (100A, 100B).
[0057] State ST2 is a state in which the deposition material can be released due to heating of the deposition source. The control unit 200 rotates the rotating part 1602 to move the shielding members 1601a to 1601c from the suppression position to the allowable position. In state ST2, the deposition material released from the deposition unit 14 is suppressed by the substrate shutters 18A and 18B located at the suppression position POS10, so no deposition is performed on the substrates 100A and 100B.
[0058] In state ST3, the process of depositing film onto substrate 100A begins. As the substrate shutter 18A moves from the suppression position POS10 to the allowable position POS20, the scattering of the film-depositing material towards substrate 100A is permitted. The film-depositing unit 14 moves in the positive X direction and releases the film-depositing material, enabling the material to adhere to substrate 100A. However, since the substrate shutter 18B remains in the suppression position POS10, no film is deposited onto substrate 100B.
[0059] When the film deposition unit 14 reaches a predetermined turning position, it switches its direction of movement to the negative X direction and performs a turning operation. Then, from the turning position to the standby position POS1, it moves in the negative X direction while releasing the film deposition material.
[0060] When the film deposition unit 14 has finished moving from the return position to the standby position POS1, the film deposition process on the substrate 100A by the film deposition unit 14 is considered complete.
[0061] While the film deposition process is being carried out on the film deposition stage 12A side, alignment processing is performed on the film deposition stage 12B side. The specific details of the alignment processing in the film deposition apparatus 1 of this embodiment will be described later in the flowchart of Figure 7. After the alignment processing on the film deposition stage 12B side is completed, the film deposition unit 14 moves to the negative side in the X direction and releases the film deposition material, enabling the film deposition material to adhere to the substrate 100B. At this point, the substrate shutter 18A remains in the suppression position POS10, so no film deposition is performed on the substrate 100A.
[0062] The control unit 200 controls the process during the film deposition process of substrate 100B to remove the substrate 100A after the film deposition process is complete, to bring in a new substrate 100A, and to perform alignment processing between the mask 101A and the new substrate 100A. Here, the alignment processing can be performed in the same way as the alignment processing described in the flowchart of Figure 7.
[0063] <Alignment process flow> Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the flow of the alignment process using the film deposition apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. In the film deposition apparatus 1 of this embodiment, while film deposition is being performed on one of the multiple film deposition stages 12A and 12B, the other film deposition stage performs alignment processing between the substrate 100 and the mask 101. When film deposition is being performed on one film deposition stage, vibrations generated by the movement of the film deposition unit 14 are transmitted through the chamber 3 to the other film deposition stage performing alignment processing. This causes the holding member 15 and the mask stand 5 to vibrate, which can lead to a decrease in alignment accuracy.
[0064] The alignment process in this embodiment suppresses the decrease in alignment accuracy due to the influence of vibrations propagating during the film deposition process. In the following description, a specific process will be explained using an example in which film deposition is performed on one of the two film deposition stages, film deposition stage 12B, and alignment is performed on the other film deposition stage 12A. In the film deposition apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the first measurement unit 7, the second measurement unit 8, the plate unit lifting unit 13, the position adjustment unit 20, and the distance adjustment unit 22 function as adjustment units that perform alignment.
[0065] In step S700 (hereinafter simply referred to as S700; the same applies to other steps), rough alignment measurement is performed. The first measurement unit 7 images each pair of substrate rough marks 1000a (Figure 4) and mask rough marks 1010a (Figure 4) and measures the approximate positional misalignment between the substrate 100 and the mask 101.
[0066] In step S701, the control unit 200 controls the position adjustment unit 20 based on the measurement results of the first measurement unit 7 to perform a rough alignment of the substrate 100A and the mask 101A. The position adjustment unit 20 adjusts the relative position of the substrate 100A with respect to the mask 101A by displacing the substrate support unit 6A or the holding member 15A on the XY plane. The adjustment of the relative position (position correction) in this step is performed in a non-contact state between the holding member 15A or the substrate 100A held by the holding member 15A and the mask 101A.
[0067] In S702, the control unit 200 determines whether the relative position has been adjusted within a predetermined rough adjustment range in rough alignment. If the relative position has not been adjusted within the predetermined rough adjustment range (S702-No), the process returns to S700, and the processes of S700 and S701 are repeatedly executed. On the other hand, if the determination in S702 indicates that the relative position has been adjusted within the predetermined rough adjustment range (S702-Yes), the control unit 200 proceeds to S703. Here, the predetermined rough adjustment range is a wider adjustment range than the predetermined fin adjustment range in S708, which will be described later, and rough alignment adjusts the relative position with lower precision than fine alignment.
[0068] In step S703, the control unit 200 controls the distance adjustment unit 22 to lower the holding member 15A in the Z direction, bringing the holding member 15A and the mask 101A closer together.
[0069] In S704, the distance measuring sensor 55A measures the distance between the holding member 15A and the mask base 5A, and the control unit 200 determines, based on the measurement result from the distance measuring sensor 55A, whether the holding member 15A and the mask 101A are in contact, at least partially.
[0070] As shown in Figure 5, the seating member 115A of the retaining member 15A is provided to protrude downward in the Z direction from the substrate surface of the substrate 100A. Therefore, contact with the mask 101A may occur between a part of the retaining member 15A (the seating member 115A) and the mask 101A. Whether or not contact has occurred can be determined based on the measurement result of the distance measuring sensor 55A, but in order to determine the presence or absence of contact with higher accuracy, the height of the seating member 115A in the Z direction and the thickness of the mask 101A may be taken into consideration. Here, since the height of the seating member 115A in the Z direction and the thickness of the mask 101A in the Z direction are known, the control unit 200 can determine with higher accuracy whether or not contact has occurred between a part of the retaining member 15A (the seating member 115A) and the mask 101A by using the measurement result of the distance measuring sensor 55A, the height of the seating member 115A in the Z direction, and the thickness of the mask 101A in the Z direction.
[0071] Furthermore, contact with the mask 101A is not limited to the seating member 115A; a part of the substrate 100A held by the holding member 15A (for example, the peripheral edge where the pattern is not formed) may also be brought into contact with the mask 101A.
[0072] By bringing the holding member 15A (e.g., seating member 115A) or the substrate 100A (e.g., peripheral edge) held by the holding member 15A into contact with the mask 101A in at least a portion of the area, vibrations of the mask base 5A on which the mask 101A is placed and the holding member 15A can be attenuated. Furthermore, at least partial contact allows for synchronization of the amplitude and period of vibrations transmitted to the holding member 15A side with the amplitude and period of vibrations transmitted to the mask base 5A side.
[0073] In the S704 determination process, if at least some parts are not in contact (S704-No), the process returns to S703 and the same process is repeated. On the other hand, if the S704 determination process indicates that at least some parts are in contact (S704-Yes), the process proceeds to S705.
[0074] In S705, the control unit 200 controls the distance adjustment unit 22 to stop the descent of the holding member 15A in the Z direction. If the control unit 200 determines that contact has occurred, it stops the approach of the holding member 15A.
[0075] Fine alignment measurement is performed in S706. The second measurement unit 8 (8a~8d) images each set of substrate fine marks 1000b (Figure 4) and mask fine marks 1010b (Figure 4) and measures the precise positional misalignment between the substrate 100A and the mask 101A.
[0076] In step S707, the control unit 200 controls the position adjustment unit 20 based on the measurement results of the second measurement unit 8 to perform precise positioning (fine alignment) of the substrate 100A and the mask 101A. The position adjustment unit 20 precisely adjusts (corrects the position) the relative position of the substrate 100A with respect to the mask 101A by displacing the substrate support unit 6A or the holding member 15A on the XY plane. The position correction in this step is performed in a contact state in which the mask 101A is in contact with a part of the holding member 15A (seat member 115A) or a part of the substrate 100A (periphery). The mask 101A is a metal mask (Fine Metal Mask) with an opening pattern formed on it that corresponds to the film deposition pattern to be formed on the substrate 100A, and the area where the opening pattern is formed is excluded from contact and is in a non-contact state. Similarly, on the substrate 100A, the film deposition surface on which the film deposition pattern is formed is excluded from contact and is in a non-contact state.
[0077] In S708, the control unit 200 determines whether the relative position has been adjusted within a predetermined fine adjustment range in fine alignment. If the relative position has not been adjusted within the predetermined fine adjustment range (S708-No), the process returns to S706, and processes S706 and S707 are repeatedly executed. On the other hand, if the determination in S708 indicates that the relative position has been adjusted within the predetermined fine adjustment range (S708-Yes), the control unit 200 proceeds to S709. Here, the predetermined fine adjustment range is a narrower adjustment range than the predetermined rough adjustment range in S702, and fine alignment adjusts the relative position with higher precision than rough alignment.
[0078] In S709, the control unit 200 controls the distance adjustment unit 22 to lower the holding member 15A in the Z direction and seat the holding member 15A on the mask 101A. The lowering of the holding member 15A in this step is a restart of the lowering from the state in which the lowering stopped in S705. As the holding member 15A is lowered in the Z direction, the area in contact with the mask 101A increases, and when the holding member 15A has lowered to a predetermined lowering position, the holding member 15A is seated on the mask 101A. If a positional misalignment occurs when the holding member 15A is lowered, the control unit 200 controls the position adjustment unit 20 based on the measurement result of the second measurement unit 8 to fine-tune the positional misalignment between the substrate 100A and the mask 101A so that the relative position is within a predetermined fine adjustment range.
[0079] In S710, the plate unit lifting unit 13 moves the magnetic adsorption member 11 to a position where it will adsorb the mask 101A in order to fix the positions of the substrate 100A and the mask 101A, while the relative positions are adjusted within a predetermined fine adjustment range. The control unit 200 controls the plate unit lifting unit 13 to lower the plate unit 9, including the magnetic adsorption member 11, in the Z direction. When the magnetic adsorption member 11 descends to the position where it will adsorb the mask 101A, the magnetic adsorption force of the magnetic adsorption member 11 attracts the mask 101A to the holding member 15A side, and the substrate 100A held by the holding member 15A and the mask 101A become in close contact.
[0080] In S711, the final measurement is performed to confirm whether the film can be deposited. In the final confirmation, the control unit 200 acquires the measurement results from the second measurement unit 8 (8a to 8d) and makes a final determination as to whether each measurement result falls within a predetermined fine adjustment range. If it does not fall within the predetermined fine adjustment range, the process returns to the fine alignment measurement in S706 and the same process is performed. If it falls within the predetermined fine adjustment range, the control unit 200 makes a final determination that the film can be deposited and terminates the alignment process.
[0081] According to the alignment process of this embodiment, the positional deviation in the XY direction caused by vibration can be reduced to an error range of about one-tenth compared to the alignment process of the conventional technology. In other words, it is possible to suppress a decrease in alignment accuracy in a film deposition apparatus 1 that performs film deposition using two stages.
[0082] After the alignment process in film deposition stage 12A is completed, the film deposition process can proceed in film deposition stage 12A. Furthermore, although Figure 7 illustrates the flow of the alignment process in film deposition stage 12A, the same procedure applies when performing the alignment process in film deposition stage 12B.
[0083] <Methods for manufacturing electronic devices> Next, an example of a manufacturing method for electronic devices will be described. Below, the configuration and manufacturing method of an organic EL display device will be illustrated as an example of an electronic device. In this example, multiple SY film deposition systems, as illustrated in Figure 1, are installed on the manufacturing line.
[0084] First, let's explain the organic EL display device that we manufacture. Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the manufacturing method of the electronic device, with Figure 8(A) being an overall view of the organic EL display device 700 and Figure 8(B) being a cross-sectional view of one pixel.
[0085] As shown in Figure 8(A), the display area 801 of the organic EL display device 800 has multiple pixels 802, each having multiple light-emitting elements, arranged in a matrix. As will be explained in detail later, each light-emitting element has a structure comprising an organic layer sandwiched between a pair of electrodes.
[0086] In this context, a pixel refers to the smallest unit that enables the display of a desired color in the display area 801. In the case of a color organic EL display device, a pixel 802 is composed of a combination of multiple subpixels of a first light-emitting element 802R, a second light-emitting element 802G, and a third light-emitting element 802B, which emit different amounts of light from each other. A pixel 802 is often composed of a combination of three types of subpixels: 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. A pixel 802 may contain at least one type of subpixel, preferably two or more types, and more preferably three or more types. For example, a combination of four types of subpixels, such as 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, may constitute a pixel 802.
[0087] Figure 8(B) is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the line A and B in Figure 8(A). Pixel 802 has multiple subpixels on a substrate 803, each composed of an organic EL element comprising a first electrode (anode) 804, a hole transport layer 805, one of a red layer 806R, a green layer 806G, or a blue layer 806B, an electron transport layer 807, and a second electrode (cathode) 808. Of these, the hole transport layer 805, red layer 806R, green layer 806G, blue layer 806B, and electron transport layer 807 are organic layers. The red layer 806R, green layer 806G, and blue layer 806B are formed in patterns corresponding to light-emitting elements (sometimes described as organic EL elements) that emit red, green, and blue light, respectively.
[0088] Furthermore, the first electrode 804 is formed separately for each light-emitting element. The hole transport layer 805, the electron transport layer 807, and the second electrode 808 may be formed in common across multiple light-emitting elements 802R, 802G, and 802B, or they may be formed for each light-emitting element. That is, as shown in Figure 8(B), the hole transport layer 805 may be formed as a common layer across multiple sub-pixel regions, on which the red layer 806R, green layer 806G, and blue layer 806B may be formed separately for each sub-pixel region, and on top of that, the electron transport layer 807 and the second electrode 808 may be formed as a common layer across multiple sub-pixel regions.
[0089] Furthermore, an insulating layer 809 is provided between the first electrodes 804 to prevent short circuits between the adjacent first electrodes 804. In addition, since the organic EL layer deteriorates due to moisture and oxygen, a protective layer 810 is provided to protect the organic EL element from moisture and oxygen.
[0090] In Figure 8(B), the hole transport layer 805 and the electron transport layer 807 are shown as a single layer, but depending on the structure of the organic EL display element, they may be formed as multiple layers having hole blocking layers and electron blocking layers. Furthermore, a hole injection layer having an energy band structure that allows for smooth injection of holes from the first electrode 804 to the hole transport layer 805 may be formed between the first electrode 804 and the hole transport layer 805. Similarly, an electron injection layer may be formed between the second electrode 808 and the electron transport layer 807.
[0091] Each of the red layer 806R, green layer 806G, and blue layer 806B may be formed as a single light-emitting layer or by stacking multiple layers. For example, the red layer 806R may consist 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 blocking layer. Alternatively, the lower layer may be a red light-emitting layer and the upper layer being an electron transport layer or a hole blocking layer. By providing layers 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.
[0092] Although the example shown here is for the red layer 806R, a similar structure may be used for the green layer 806G or the blue layer 806B. Furthermore, the number of layers may be two or more. Additionally, layers of different materials, such as an emissive layer and an electronic block layer, may be stacked, or layers of the same material may be stacked, for example, by stacking two or more emissive layers.
[0093] Next, we will specifically describe an example of a method for manufacturing an organic EL display device. Here, we assume that the red layer 806R consists of two layers, a lower layer 806R1 and an upper layer 806R2, and that the green layer 806G and the blue layer 806B consist of a single light-emitting layer.
[0094] First, a substrate 803 is prepared on which a circuit (not shown) for driving the organic EL display device and the first electrode 804 are formed. The material of the substrate 803 is not particularly limited and can be made of glass, plastic, metal, etc. In this embodiment, a substrate 803 is used in which a polyimide film is laminated on a glass substrate.
[0095] A resin layer such as acrylic or polyimide is coated onto the substrate 803 on which the first electrode 804 is formed by bar coating or spin coating. The resin layer is then patterned by lithography so that an opening is formed in the area where the first electrode 804 is formed, thereby forming an insulating layer 809. This opening corresponds to the light-emitting region where the light-emitting element actually emits light. In this embodiment, the processing is performed on a large substrate until the insulating layer 809 is formed, and after the insulating layer 809 is formed, a division process is performed to divide the substrate 803.
[0096] A substrate 803 patterned with an insulating layer 809 is brought into the first film deposition apparatus 1, and a hole transport layer 805 is deposited as a common layer on the first electrode 804 of the display area. The hole transport layer 805 is deposited using a mask in which an opening is formed for each display area 801 that will ultimately become the panel portion of each organic EL display device.
[0097] Next, the substrate 803, on which the hole transport layer 805 has been formed, is brought into the second deposition apparatus 1. The substrate 803 is aligned with the mask, the substrate is placed on the mask, and the red layer 806R is deposited on the portion of the substrate 803 where the red-emitting elements are placed (the region where the red subpixels are formed) above the hole transport layer 805. Here, the mask used in the second deposition chamber is a high-resolution mask in which openings are formed only in the multiple regions on the substrate 803 that will become the subpixels of the organic EL display device, specifically in the regions that will become the red subpixels. As a result, the red layer 806R, including the red light-emitting layer, is deposited only in the regions that will become the red subpixels among the multiple regions that will become the subpixels on the substrate 803. In other words, the red layer 806R is not deposited in the regions that will become the blue subpixels or the regions that will become the green subpixels among the multiple regions that will become the subpixels on the substrate 803, but is selectively deposited in the regions that will become the red subpixels.
[0098] Similar to the deposition of the red layer 806R, the green layer 806G is deposited in the third deposition apparatus 1, and then the blue layer 806B is deposited in the fourth deposition apparatus 1. After the deposition of the red layer 806R, the green layer 806G, and the blue layer 806B is completed, the electron transport layer 807 is deposited over the entire display area 801 in the fifth deposition apparatus 1. The electron transport layer 807 is formed as a common layer for the three color layers 806R, 806G, and 806B.
[0099] The substrate with the electron transport layer 807 formed on it is moved to the sixth deposition apparatus 1, where the second electrode 808 is deposited. In this embodiment, each layer is deposited by vacuum deposition in the first to sixth deposition apparatuses 1. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and for example, the second electrode 808 in the sixth deposition apparatus 1 may be deposited by sputtering. After that, the substrate with the second electrode 808 formed on it is moved to a sealing apparatus, where a protective layer 810 is deposited by plasma CVD (sealing step), and the organic EL display device 800 is completed. Here, the protective layer 810 is formed by the CVD method, but it is not limited thereto, and may be formed by the ALD method or the inkjet method.
[0100] <Other Embodiments> The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.
[0101] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, claims are attached to disclose the scope of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0102] SY: Film deposition system, 1: Film deposition apparatus, 3: Chamber, 6A, 6B: Substrate support unit, 5A, 5B: Mask stand, 7: First measurement unit, 8: Second measurement unit, 12A, 12B: Film deposition stage, 13: Plate unit lifting unit, 14: Film deposition unit, 15A, 15B: Holding member (electrostatic chuck), 20: Position adjustment unit, 22: Distance adjustment unit, 55A: Distance measurement sensor, 115A: Seating member, 200: Control unit, Adjustment unit (7,8,13,20,22)
Claims
1. A film deposition apparatus having multiple film deposition stages, The system includes an adjustment means for performing alignment processing between the substrate and the mask in one of the aforementioned multiple film deposition stages while film deposition processing is being performed in the other film deposition stage. The aforementioned adjustment means is Information on the relative position between the substrate and the mask is acquired while the substrate is being held by a holding means or in a contact state in which the substrate and the mask are in contact at least partially. Based on the relative position information, the relative position of the substrate and the mask is adjusted to a predetermined range while in contact. With the relative positions adjusted to within the predetermined range, the magnetic adsorption means is moved to a position for adsorbing the mask in order to fix the positions of the substrate and the mask. A film deposition apparatus characterized by the following features.
2. The film-forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding means includes an adsorption means for holding the substrate by electrostatics, and the holding means has a seating member provided on the outside of the holding surface for holding the substrate so as to protrude downward from the holding surface below the substrate.
3. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of seating members are provided, and in the contact state, at least one of the plurality of seating members is in contact with the mask.
4. The mask is a metal mask having an aperture pattern formed on it that corresponds to the film deposition pattern to be formed on the substrate. In the aforementioned contact state, the holding means or the substrate and the area where the opening pattern is not formed are in contact in at least a portion of the area. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the region where the aperture pattern is formed is in a non-contact state.
5. A measuring means for measuring the distance between the mounting means on which the mask is placed and the holding means, A control means for determining whether the contact state has occurred using the aforementioned distance, The film deposition apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising the following:
6. The film-forming apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the measuring means is provided in either the setting means or the holding means.
7. The aforementioned adjustment means is With the holding means or the substrate and the mask in a non-contact state, the relative position of the substrate and the mask is adjusted to a rough adjustment range wider than the predetermined range. With the relative position adjusted to within the rough adjustment range, bring the holding means closer to the mask. If it is determined that the aforementioned contact state has occurred, the approach of the holding means is stopped. The film deposition apparatus according to feature 1.
8. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the magnetic adsorption means adsorbs the mask and fixes the positions of the substrate held by the holding means and the mask.
9. A method for forming a film using a film deposition apparatus having multiple film deposition stages, Among the aforementioned plurality of film deposition stages, the process includes an adjustment step in which, while one film deposition stage is performing the film deposition process, the other film deposition stage performs an alignment process between the substrate and the mask. In the adjustment process, In a contact state in which the holding means for holding the substrate or the substrate and the mask are in contact at least partially, information on the relative position of the substrate and the mask is acquired. Based on the relative position information, the relative position of the substrate and the mask is adjusted to a predetermined range while in contact. With the relative positions adjusted to within the predetermined range, the magnetic adsorption means is moved to a position for adsorbing the mask in order to fix the positions of the substrate and the mask. A film formation method characterized by the following:
10. A method for manufacturing an electronic device, characterized in that the adjustment step of the film-forming method according to claim 9 includes a film-forming step of forming a film on the substrate that has undergone the alignment treatment.
Citation Information
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