Thin film deposition apparatus, thin film deposition method, and manufacturing method

Abstract

This provides a new technology that offers advantages in terms of alignment between the substrate and the mask. [Solution] A film deposition apparatus for depositing a film on a substrate via a mask is provided, comprising: a chamber defining a room in which a substrate support for supporting the substrate and a mask support for supporting the mask are arranged; an alignment mechanism disposed outside the chamber and adjusting the positions of the substrate and the mask by changing the relative positions of the substrate support and the mask support via a connecting shaft connected to at least one of the substrate support and the mask support; and a measuring unit for measuring the relative positions of the chamber and the support to which the connecting shaft is connected.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a film forming apparatus, a film forming method, and a manufacturing method.

Background Art

[0002] Organic EL display devices (organic EL displays) are applied not only to smartphones, TVs, and automotive displays, but also to VR HMDs (Virtual Reality Head Mount Displays) and the like. In particular, in display devices used for VR HMDs, forming a pixel pattern with high precision, that is, further increasing the resolution, is required.

[0003] When manufacturing an organic EL display device, a film forming apparatus (evaporation apparatus) is used to form an organic light emitting element (organic EL element: OLED) that constitutes the organic EL display device. The film forming apparatus forms (films) a film such as an organic layer or a metal layer by depositing (adhering) the material released from the evaporation source onto the substrate through a mask on which a pattern corresponding to the pixel pattern is formed.

[0004] In such a film forming apparatus, in order to improve the film forming accuracy, it is necessary to align (align) the substrate and the mask before forming a film on the substrate. For this reason, a film forming apparatus having an alignment mechanism that is connected to a substrate support that supports the substrate and / or a mask support that supports the mask and relatively moves the substrate and the mask by driving the substrate support and / or the mask stage has been proposed (see Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which the substrate support and / or the mask support are arranged inside the chamber of the chamber, and the alignment mechanism is arranged outside the chamber of the chamber.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0006] However, in conventional technology, the relative position (orientation) of the alignment mechanism to the chamber may fluctuate due to external factors affecting the chamber (for example, deformation of the installation floor caused by the connection of other devices). In such cases, the connecting shaft that connects the substrate support and / or mask support to the alignment mechanism may come into contact with the chamber (upper wall), potentially leading to a decrease in the alignment accuracy between the substrate and the mask, or malfunction of the device.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art, and its exemplary objective is to provide a new technology that is advantageous with respect to the alignment of a substrate and a mask. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, a film deposition apparatus as one aspect of the present invention is a film deposition apparatus for depositing a film on a substrate via a mask, comprising: a chamber defining a room in which a substrate support for supporting the substrate and a mask support for supporting the mask are arranged; an alignment mechanism disposed outside the chamber and adjusting the positions of the substrate and the mask by changing the relative positions of the substrate support and the mask support via a connecting shaft connected to at least one of the substrate support and the mask support; and a measuring unit for measuring the relative positions of the chamber and the support to which the connecting shaft is connected.

[0009] Further objects or other aspects of the present invention will be revealed by embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, for example, it is possible to provide a new technique that is advantageous with respect to the alignment of a substrate and a mask. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] A diagram schematically showing the configuration of a manufacturing line to which a film forming apparatus as one aspect of the present invention can be applied. [Figure 2] A diagram schematically showing the configuration of a film forming apparatus as one aspect of the present invention. [Figure 3] A diagram showing an example of the arrangement of alignment marks on a substrate. [Figure 4] A diagram showing an example of the arrangement of alignment marks on a mask. [Figure 5] A diagram showing an image obtained by simultaneously imaging the alignment marks shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 with an alignment camera. [Figure 6] A block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vibration isolation table. [Figure 7] A diagram showing the positional relationship of sensor portions provided on a mask support. [Figure 8] A flowchart for explaining an adjustment process for adjusting the relative position of an alignment mechanism with respect to a vacuum chamber. [Figure 9] A top view of the upper surface of the chamber upper plate of a vacuum chamber. [Figure 10] A diagram schematically showing the configuration of a film forming apparatus as a comparative example of the film forming apparatus shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 11] A diagram schematically showing the configuration of a film forming apparatus as one aspect of the present invention. [Figure 12] A diagram for explaining the vibration transmission characteristics of a vibration isolation table. [Figure 13] A diagram showing an example of deformation of a vacuum chamber. [Figure 14] A diagram for explaining the respective ranges of the corners of the chamber upper plate and the upper portions of the chamber side plates. [Figure 15] A diagram for explaining an organic EL display device as an electronic device.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of the features described in the embodiments are essential for the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. Also, the same or similar configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration (layout) of a manufacturing line 100 to which a film forming apparatus as one aspect of the present invention can be applied. The manufacturing line 100 is suitable as a line for manufacturing electronic devices, particularly organic light emitting elements such as OLEDs and organic optoelectronic conversion elements such as organic thin film solar cells. In each figure, an arrow Z indicates the vertical direction (direction of gravity), and arrows X and Y indicate horizontal directions orthogonal to each other.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the manufacturing line 100 has a transfer chamber 120 having an octagonal shape in plan view. A substrate 2 on which a film forming process is to be performed is carried into the transfer chamber 120 via a transfer path 110 (loading path). Further, the substrate 2 on which the film forming process has been performed is carried out from the transfer chamber 120 to a transfer path 111 (unloading path).

[0015] A plurality of film forming apparatuses 1 for performing a film forming process on the substrate 2 are arranged around the transfer chamber 120. A transfer chamber 130 having an octagonal shape in plan view is adjacently arranged for each of the film forming apparatuses 1. A storage chamber 140 for storing a mask 29 is arranged around the transfer chamber 130.

[0016] The transfer chamber 120 is provided with a transfer unit 1211 for transferring the substrate 2. In the present embodiment, the transfer unit 1211 includes a horizontal articulated robot and holds and transfers the substrate 2 in a horizontal posture. The transfer unit 1211 performs a loading operation of loading the substrate 2 on which the film forming process is to be performed from the transfer path 110 into the film forming apparatus 1 and an unloading operation of unloading the substrate 2 on which the film forming process has been performed from the film forming apparatus 1 to the transfer path 111.

[0017] Each of the transport chambers 130 is provided with a transport unit 131 for transporting the masks 29. In this embodiment, the transport unit 131 includes a horizontal articulated robot and transports the masks 29 while holding them in a horizontal position. The transport unit 131 performs the operation of transporting the masks 29 from the storage chamber 140 to the film deposition apparatus 1, and the operation of transporting the masks 29 from the film deposition apparatus 1 to the storage chamber 140.

[0018] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the film deposition apparatus 1 as one aspect of the present invention. The film deposition apparatus 1 is embodied, for example, as a deposition apparatus used in the manufacture of an organic EL display device. The film deposition apparatus 1 performs a film deposition process in which a deposition material is deposited (adhered) onto a substrate 2 to form a film, and in this embodiment, the film is deposited on the substrate 2 via a mask 29.

[0019] The film deposition apparatus 1 has a box-shaped vacuum chamber 5. The vacuum chamber 5 is generally composed of a hexahedron and includes a chamber top plate 7 (top plate), chamber side plates 6 (side walls), and a chamber bottom plate 8. The vacuum chamber 5 is supported on the installation floor FL via chamber legs 9.

[0020] The vacuum chamber 5 defines a chamber 24 (internal space) that is maintained in a vacuum atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere such as nitrogen gas. In this embodiment, the vacuum chamber 5 is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) to maintain the chamber 24 in a vacuum atmosphere. Note that "vacuum" means a state in which the chamber is filled with a gas at a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, i.e., a reduced pressure state. The chamber 24 of the vacuum chamber 5 contains the various units of the film deposition apparatus 1, in this embodiment, a substrate support 12 that supports the substrate 2, a mask support 4 that supports the mask 29 via a mask frame 3 that fixes the mask 29, and a deposition source 22.

[0021] The substrate support 12 and mask support 4, located in the interior 24 of the vacuum chamber 5, are connected to an alignment mechanism AM located outside the vacuum chamber 5 using a vacuum sealing member including a vacuum bellows 25. The alignment mechanism AM is a general term for the mechanism in the film deposition apparatus 1 that adjusts the relative position of the substrate 2 and the mask 29, including the substrate alignment mechanism 17 and the mask alignment mechanism 15. The substrate support 12 is connected to the substrate alignment mechanism 17 via the substrate connecting shaft 13 (substrate support column). The mask support 4 is connected to the mask alignment mechanism 15 via the mask connecting shaft 16 (mask support plate column). The alignment mechanism AM includes the substrate alignment mechanism 17 and the mask alignment mechanism 15, and adjusts the position of the substrate 2 and the mask 29 by changing the relative position of the substrate support 12 and the mask support 4 via the substrate connecting shaft 13 and the mask connecting shaft 16.

[0022] The substrate support 12 supports the substrate 2 via a chuck 11. The chuck 11 includes, for example, an electrostatic chuck, and the substrate 2 can be easily attached to and detached by switching between applying and not applying voltage.

[0023] The alignment camera 19 is positioned (mounted) above the vacuum chamber 5, more specifically on the chamber top plate 7 of the vacuum chamber 5, and a viewport 27 is provided on the chamber top plate 7 on the optical axis of the alignment camera 19. The viewport 27 is a window for observing the interior 24 from outside the vacuum chamber 5 and is made of a material resistant to reduced pressure.

[0024] In the film deposition apparatus 1, even when the substrate support 12 or the mask support 4 is driven, the airtightness of the chamber 24 of the vacuum chamber 5 is maintained, and the pressure in the chamber 24 can be kept constant.

[0025] The mask 29 is a thin plate-shaped member having openings in part or all of its form. In film formation processes where finer patterns are required, the mask 29 has a thickness of 100 μm or less, preferably 10 μm or less.

[0026] The mask 29 can be made from metal materials such as copper, nickel, or stainless steel. Alternatively, instead of metal materials, the mask 29 may be manufactured by electroforming using nickel alloys such as nickel-cobalt alloy, nickel-iron alloy (Invar), or nickel-iron-cobalt alloy (Super Invar). In particular, the thermal expansion coefficients of Invar and Super Invar are smaller than those of other metals, ranging from 0.5 to 2.0 × 10⁻⁶. -6 Because the temperature is / °C, deformation of the mask 29 due to thermal expansion during film formation can be suppressed.

[0027] Furthermore, the mask 29 may be made of an inorganic material based on silicon or SiO2. In this case, a mask membrane is formed by creating micropores in the silicon wafer by etching. The thickness of the mask membrane is, for example, 5 to 10 μm. It is also possible to apply a metal coating to such a mask and attach it to the substrate 2 using a magnet.

[0028] Depending on the purpose, substrate 2 can be a silicon wafer substrate, a glass substrate, a plastic substrate, etc. When manufacturing a high-definition display, substrate 2 is a substrate on which the driving circuit and pixel electrodes are pre-formed.

[0029] The alignment camera 19 is used to measure the positions (planar positions) of the substrate 2 and the mask 29 during alignment of the substrate 2 and the mask 29. As described above, the alignment mechanism AM includes a substrate alignment mechanism 17 for adjusting the horizontal position of the substrate support 12 and a mask alignment mechanism 15 for adjusting the horizontal position of the mask support 4. The mask alignment mechanism 15 can also drive the mask support 4 (and the mask 29 supported by it) in the vertical direction (up and down direction) in addition to the horizontal direction. Therefore, for example, when loading a mask 29 held by a robot hand (not shown), it is possible to lower the mask support 4 and place the mask 29 onto the mask support 4 from the robot hand.

[0030] Each of the substrate 2 and the mask 29 is provided with marks used for aligning the substrate 2 and the mask 29, so-called alignment marks. The alignment camera 19 is positioned above the alignment marks so that the alignment marks provided on each of the substrate 2 and the mask 29 can be observed (detected) via the viewport 27. The alignment of the substrate 2 and the mask 29 is performed when the substrate 2 and the mask 29 are separated, as shown in Figure 2.

[0031] Referring to Figures 3, 4, 5(a), and 5(b), the alignment marks on the substrate 2 and the mask 29, and the alignment between the substrate 2 and the mask 29 will be explained. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of alignment marks on the substrate 2. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of alignment marks on the mask 29. Figures 5(a) and 5(b) are diagrams showing images obtained by simultaneously capturing the alignment marks shown in Figures 3 and 4 with the alignment camera 19.

[0032] As shown in Figure 3, the substrate 2 is provided with two substrate marks 62 for alignment measurement as alignment marks. Similarly, as shown in Figure 4, the mask 29 is provided with two mask marks for alignment measurement as alignment marks. In this embodiment, two marks are provided on both the substrate 2 and the mask 29 as alignment marks, but this is not limited to this, and two or more marks may be provided.

[0033] When measuring the relative position between the substrate 2 and the mask 29, the substrate mark 62 and the mask mark 61 are placed within the field of view of the alignment camera 19, and images of these marks are simultaneously captured by the alignment camera 19. From the images acquired by the alignment camera 19, the relative position and angle between the substrate mark 62 and the mask mark 61 are derived, for example, by calculation, and both translational and rotational components are determined. Alternatively, the centroid coordinates of the marks may be derived by image processing, and their positions on the XY coordinate system may be determined.

[0034] The process of aligning the substrate 2 and the mask 29 will be explained with reference to Figures 5(a) and 5(b). Figure 5(a) shows an image acquired before the alignment of the substrate 2 and the mask 29 is completed, and Figure 5(b) shows an image acquired after the alignment of the substrate 2 and the mask 29 is completed. Before the alignment of the substrate 2 and the mask 29 is completed, as shown in Figure 5(a), the substrate mark 62 and the mask mark 61 are separated, so the distance between the marks between the substrate mark 62 and the mask mark 61 is calculated. Based on this distance between marks, the position of the substrate 2 is adjusted (changed) by driving the substrate support 12 in the horizontal or rotational direction via the substrate alignment mechanism 17, for example, to align the substrate 2 and the mask 29 as shown in Figure 5(b). At this time, the completion of the alignment of the substrate 2 and the mask 29 is determined when the distance between the marks between the substrate mark 62 and the mask mark 61 is within a threshold s. In other words, the circuit board alignment mechanism 17 is retried until the distance between the circuit board mark 62 and the mask mark 61 is within the threshold s, and the alignment of the circuit board 2 and the mask 29 continues.

[0035] Once the alignment of the substrate 2 and the mask 29 is complete, the magnet mechanism 20 lowers the magnet 21, which is located in the chamber 24 of the vacuum chamber 5. By bringing the magnet 21 closer to the mask 29, the mask 29 is pulled towards the magnet 21, and finally, the substrate 2 and the mask 29 can be brought into close contact. The film deposition process is carried out with the substrate 2 and the mask 29 in close contact.

[0036] In this embodiment, the substrate 2 and the mask 29 are aligned by driving the substrate support 12 (the substrate 2 supported by it) via the substrate alignment mechanism 17, but this is not the only possible method. For example, the substrate 2 and the mask 29 may be aligned by driving the mask support 4 (the mask 29 supported by it) via the mask alignment mechanism 15. Furthermore, by driving both the substrate support 12 and the mask support 4, the time required for aligning the substrate 2 and the mask 29 (adjusting the relative position of the substrate 2 and the mask 29) can be reduced.

[0037] The deposition source 22 is located in the chamber 24 of the vacuum chamber 5 and is a unit for evaporating the deposition material. The deposition source 22 heats and evaporates the deposition material contained in the crucible, and diffuses the evaporated particles VV above the vacuum chamber 5. The evaporated particles VV pass through the pattern (fine openings) of the mask 29 and reach the substrate 2 for deposition. As a result, a film with a pattern corresponding to the pattern of the mask 29 is formed (deposited) over the entire substrate 2. In practice, since RGB patterns are deposited independently, multiple vacuum chambers for depositing (depositing) each color of organic material are arranged in lines.

[0038] The deposition source 22 is attached to a movable mechanism 23 located on the bottom plate 8 of the vacuum chamber 5, and is movable to any position within the chamber 24 of the vacuum chamber 5. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to deposit a film while scanning the substrate 2 with the deposition source 22 using the movable mechanism 23, or to deposit a film in a spot by fixing the deposition source 22 to a fixed point.

[0039] The vibration isolation table 10 is positioned between the base plate 14 supporting the alignment mechanism AM and the vacuum chamber 5 (chamber upper plate 7). In this embodiment, the vibration isolation table 10 is provided at four locations corresponding to the four corners of the base plate 14 and has the function of vibration isolation of the substrate support 12 and the mask support 4. To realize this function, the vibration isolation table 10 includes a servo valve 121, an air actuator 122, a linear motor 123, an acceleration sensor 124, and a displacement sensor 125, as shown in Figure 6. Figure 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the vibration isolation table 10. The servo valve 121 is built into the main body of the vibration isolation table 10 and adjusts the force generated by the air actuator 122 by the air pressure supplied from the air source. The linear motor 123 is used in conjunction with the air actuator 122 and, for example, if the vibration isolation table 10 is an active vibration isolation table, it generates a force that dampens the 2-3 Hz resonance peak, which is a characteristic of the vibration isolation table itself. The acceleration sensor 124 is built into the main body of the vibration isolation table 10 and detects disturbance vibrations transmitted from the vacuum chamber 5 (chamber upper plate 7). The vibration isolation table 10 dampens vibrations transmitted from the vacuum chamber 5 to the base plate 14 by feeding back the detection results of the acceleration sensor 124 to the air actuator 122 and the linear motor 123. The displacement sensor 125 is built into the main body of the vibration isolation table 10 and can adjust the position (orientation) of the base plate 14 supported by the vibration isolation table 10 via the air actuator 122 and the linear motor 123. If a level is provided on the base plate 14, it is also possible to detect and adjust the tilt of the base plate 14.

[0040] In this embodiment, the alignment mechanism AM is supported on the surface plate 14 via the vibration isolation table 10. Therefore, the alignment mechanism AM is isolated from vibrations caused by, for example, the movement of the deposition source 22, vibrations of the installation floor FL, and vibrations caused by the operation of the vacuum pump and the transport unit of the adjacent transport room, thereby enabling high-precision alignment between the substrate 2 and the mask 29.

[0041] The sensor arrangement for measuring the position (orientation) of the vibration isolation table 10 will be explained using Figures 3 and 7. The measurement unit 80 includes a target 26 provided in the vacuum chamber 5 in Figure 2, and sensor units S1, S2, and S3 for detecting the target 26, and measures the relative position between the vacuum chamber 5 and the substrate support 12 or mask support 4. In this embodiment, the sensor units S1, S2, and S3 are provided in the mask support 4, and the target 26 is fixed to the inner surface of the corner of the chamber upper plate 7 of the vacuum chamber 5. Specifically, as shown in Figure 7, the sensor units S1, S2, and S3 are provided in the three corners of the mask support 4, the distance between sensor unit S1 and sensor unit S2 (in the X direction) is DX, and the distance between sensor unit S2 and sensor unit S3 (in the Y direction) is DY. Furthermore, the target 26 is provided extending from the inner surface of the corner of the chamber upper plate 7 such that at least a part of it (for example, the tip) is located within the detection range of each sensor part S1, S2, and S3. The target 26 is preferably made of a low thermal expansion material or a high rigidity material. Figure 7 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the sensor parts S1, S2, and S3 provided on the mask support 4, and shows the mask support 4 as viewed from above.

[0042] The measurement unit 80 measures the relative position (attitude) between the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask support 4 by detecting the target 26 (its tip) with the sensor units S1, S2, and S3. In this embodiment, the sensor units S1, S2, and S3 are provided on the mask support 4, but are not limited to this and may be provided on the substrate support 12. Furthermore, it is preferable that the sensor units S1, S2, and S3 are displacement sensors that can be used in a vacuum atmosphere, have low outgassing, and detect the target 26 without contact, such as eddy current sensors, capacitance sensors, or laser displacement sensors.

[0043] The reason for providing sensor units S1, S2, and S3 near the substrate support 12 and mask support 4 located in the interior 24 of the vacuum chamber 5 will be explained. In the film deposition apparatus 1, the alignment mechanism AM provided on the base plate 14 is located outside the vacuum chamber 5 (on the atmospheric side) and supports the substrate support 12 and mask support 4 in the interior 24 (vacuum side) of the vacuum chamber 5 via each connecting shaft. Because such connecting shafts are long in order to secure the drive stroke and prevent interference with each mechanism, a moment force is applied due to their own weight and the tension of the cable mounting section (power supply and signal lines, etc.), causing them to deform relative to the base plate 14. The amount of displacement, including the deformation of the connecting shafts, is measured by sensor units S1, S2, and S3 located near the substrate support 12 and mask support 4. This makes it possible to measure the relative position (attitude) between the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask support 4 or substrate support 12, including the deformation of the connecting shafts, in the actual support state. Furthermore, positioning the sensor units S1, S2, and S3 near the support that holds the substrate 2 and mask 29, which are the targets of alignment, rather than on the atmospheric side, follows Abbe's principle and is a necessary configuration for achieving high-precision measurement.

[0044] As shown in Figure 7, the rotation angle θx around the X axis and the rotation angle θy around the Y axis can be determined from the values ​​detected by the sensor units S1, S2, and S3 (detected values). For example, if the detected values ​​of the sensor units S1, S2, and S3 are dz1, dz2, and dz3, respectively, the rotation angles θx and θy can be calculated using the following formulas. θx = tan -1 ((dz3-dz2) / DY) θy = tan -1 ((dz1-dz2) / DX) The relative position between the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask support 4 (or substrate support 12), measured by the measurement unit 80, is output to the control unit 35. The control unit 35 is composed of a computer (information processing device) including, for example, a CPU and memory. The control unit 35 comprehensively controls each part of the film deposition apparatus 1 according to a program stored in a memory unit or the like to operate the film deposition apparatus 1.

[0045] In this embodiment, the control unit 35 adjusts the relative position of the alignment mechanism AM with respect to the vacuum chamber 5 based on the relative position of the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask support 4 obtained from the measurement unit 80. For example, the control unit 35 performs an adjustment process to adjust the relative position of the alignment mechanism AM with respect to the vacuum chamber 5 by controlling the vibration isolation table 10 so that the deviation of the relative position of the alignment mechanism AM with respect to the vacuum chamber 5 falls within an acceptable range. Specifically, the control unit 35 controls the vibration isolation table 10 according to command values ​​obtained from the detected values ​​detected by the sensor units S1 to S3, and adjusts the position (attitude) of the alignment mechanism AM by driving the air actuator 122 and linear motor 123 of the vibration isolation table 10. The vibration isolation table 10 adjusts the relative position of the alignment mechanism AM with respect to the vacuum chamber 5 by changing the distance between the base plate 14 that supports the alignment mechanism AM and the vacuum chamber 5. Thus, in this embodiment, the vibration isolation table 10 functions as an adjustment unit that adjusts the relative position of the alignment mechanism AM with respect to the vacuum chamber 5. However, if the vibration isolation table 10 does not have a function to adjust the relative position of the alignment mechanism AM with respect to the vacuum chamber 5, it is necessary to provide an adjustment unit separately from the vibration isolation table 10 for adjusting the relative position of the alignment mechanism AM with respect to the vacuum chamber 5.

[0046] Referring to Figure 8, the adjustment process in the control unit 35, that is, the process of adjusting the relative position of the alignment mechanism AM with respect to the vacuum chamber 5, will be described. This adjustment method is performed by the control unit 35 comprehensively controlling each part of the film deposition apparatus 1.

[0047] In S802, the measurement unit 80 (sensor units S1 to S3) measures the relative position between the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask support 4 (or substrate support 12).

[0048] In S804, it is determined whether the relative position between the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask support 4, as measured in S802, is below a threshold. Here, the threshold is set by deriving the range in which they are not in contact from the amount of clearance between the mask connecting shaft 16 and the substrate connecting shaft 13, which are the introduction parts of the alignment mechanism AM to the vacuum chamber 5, and the opening (through hole) of the vacuum chamber 5. If the relative position between the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask support 4 is below the threshold, that is, if the deviation of the relative position of the alignment mechanism AM with respect to the vacuum chamber 5 is within the acceptable range, the process proceeds to S806. On the other hand, if the relative position between the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask support 4 is greater than the threshold, that is, if the deviation of the relative position of the alignment mechanism AM with respect to the vacuum chamber 5 is not within the acceptable range, the process proceeds to S808.

[0049] In S806, the alignment mechanism AM aligns the substrate 2 and the mask 29. Specifically, the alignment mechanism AM adjusts the position of the substrate 2 and the mask 29 by changing the relative position of the substrate support 12 and the mask support 4 via the substrate connecting shaft 13 and the mask connecting shaft 16. Once the alignment of the substrate 2 and the mask 29 is complete, the process proceeds to S802 (returns).

[0050] In S808, the relative position of the alignment mechanism AM with respect to the vacuum chamber 5 is adjusted on the vibration isolation table 10 based on the relative position of the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask support 4 measured in S802. Specifically, the distance between the base plate 14 and the vacuum chamber 5 is changed via the vibration isolation table 10 to adjust the relative position of the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask support 4 so that the misalignment of the relative position of the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask support 4 falls within an acceptable range. Once the adjustment of the relative position of the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask support 4 is complete, the process proceeds to S802 (returns).

[0051] Figure 9 is a top view of the upper chamber plate 7 of the vacuum chamber 5. As described above, the upper chamber plate 7 is provided with openings for introducing the substrate connecting shaft 13 and the mask connecting shaft 16 into the chamber 24 of the vacuum chamber 5. For example, as shown in Figure 9, the mask connecting shaft 16 is introduced into the chamber 24 of the vacuum chamber 5 through opening 71, and the substrate connecting shaft 13 is introduced into the chamber 24 of the vacuum chamber 5 through opening 72. The clearance between the mask connecting shaft 16 and opening 71 and the clearance between the substrate connecting shaft 13 and opening 72 are preferably 1 mm to 5 mm. If the area of ​​openings 71 and 72 is large, the load on the vibration isolation table 10 through openings 71 and 72 will increase when the chamber 24 of the vacuum chamber 5 is in a vacuum atmosphere. -4 Pa to 1 × 10 -5 The pressure is maintained at Pa, and the pressure applied to openings 71 and 72 is roughly equivalent to atmospheric pressure. Consequently, a load of 1000N to 5000N is applied, and in order to cancel this load, it is necessary to increase the supply pressure of the vibration isolation table 10 to generate thrust.

[0052] In practice, since there are limits to the load-bearing capacity and air pressure supplied to the vibration isolation table 10, it is preferable to minimize the area of ​​the openings 71 and 72. However, if the clearance between the mask connecting shaft 16 and the opening 71, or the clearance between the substrate connecting shaft 13 and the opening 72 is narrow, there is a risk that they will come into contact if the position (orientation) of the base plate 14 supported by the vibration isolation table 10 changes. Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to avoid contact between the opening 71 and the mask connecting shaft 16, and between the opening 72 and the substrate connecting shaft 13, a threshold is set for the relative position between the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask support 4, as described in S804. This makes it possible for the vibration isolation table 10 to exhibit the desired vibration isolation performance. It is preferable to set the threshold to 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, which is 1 / 10 of the clearance between the mask connecting shaft 16 and the opening 71, or the clearance between the substrate connecting shaft 13 and the opening 72.

[0053] Here, referring to Figure 10, the film deposition apparatus 1000 will be described as a comparative example of the film deposition apparatus 1. Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the film deposition apparatus 1000. In the film deposition apparatus 1000, the configuration of the mask 29, substrate 2, alignment camera 19, mask support 4, substrate support 12, etc., is the same as that of the film deposition apparatus 1 shown in Figure 1. However, the film deposition apparatus 1000 does not have a measurement unit 80 (sensor units S1 to S3 and target 26) or a control unit 35.

[0054] Generally, as described above, film deposition equipment and film deposition lines perform film deposition in separate vacuum chambers for each color, and the vacuum chambers are connected by transport chambers. Figure 10 shows the film deposition equipment 1000 connected to transport chambers 300, such as transport chambers 120 and 130. The transport chamber 300 includes chamber support columns 32 that support the transport chamber 30 and transport chamber legs 33. The film deposition equipment 1 and the transport chamber 300 are connected via a door valve 31, and the door valve 31 is opened when a transport unit (not shown) placed in the transport chamber 30 transports a substrate 2 or a mask 29.

[0055] The film deposition apparatus 1000 (and film deposition line) is often installed on the upper floors of the factory due to the manufacturing process of organic EL display devices. In this case, if the transport chamber 300 is installed adjacent to the film deposition apparatus 1000, the increased weight of the transport chamber 300 (several tons) will cause the installation floor FL to sink by a sinking amount Df. The sinking amount Df is generally expected to be around 0.5 mm to 5 mm. Furthermore, by connecting the transport chamber 300 and the film deposition apparatus 1000 via the door valve 31, the vacuum chamber 5 deforms due to the fastening force, causing the entire film deposition apparatus 1000 to tilt, as shown in Figure 10. At this time, the alignment mechanism AM, which is located on the base plate 14 supported by the vibration isolation table 10, will be tilted relative to the vacuum chamber 5.

[0056] When the alignment mechanism AM is tilted relative to the vacuum chamber 5, contacts f1, f2, f3, f4, and f5 occur between the mask connecting shaft 16 and the substrate connecting shaft 13 and the openings on the upper chamber plate 7 of the vacuum chamber 5, as shown in Figure 10. For example, contact f1 indicates contact between the mask connecting shaft 16 and the vacuum chamber 5 (the upper chamber plate 7). Contacts f1 to f5 are factors that reduce the vibration isolation performance of the vibration isolation table 10. This is because vibrations from the vacuum chamber 5 are transmitted to the base plate 14 via contacts f1 to f5. Consequently, the alignment mechanism AM located on the base plate 14 also vibrates, hindering the alignment between the substrate 2 and the mask 29, leading to a decrease in alignment accuracy and an increase in the number of alignment retries.

[0057] In contrast to the comparative example (film deposition apparatus 1000), the film deposition apparatus 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 11, can adjust the relative position of the alignment mechanism AM with respect to the vacuum chamber 5 even when the installation floor FL sinks by a sinking amount Df. Specifically, the measurement unit 80 measures the relative position between the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask support 4 (or substrate support 12). The relative position of the alignment mechanism AM with respect to the vacuum chamber 5 is then adjusted so that the deviation of the relative position of the alignment mechanism AM with respect to the vacuum chamber 5 falls within an acceptable range. As a result, the relative position between the vacuum chamber 5 and the alignment mechanism AM is kept constant, and the vibration isolation performance of the vibration isolation table 10 can be fully demonstrated without contact f1 to f5 occurring, as in the comparative example. Therefore, the alignment of the substrate 2 and the mask 29 is not hindered by the alignment mechanism AM placed on the base plate 14, which is advantageous in terms of alignment between the substrate 2 and the mask 29.

[0058] Referring to Figure 12, the vibration transmission characteristics of the vibration isolation table 10 will be explained. In Figure 12, the horizontal axis represents frequency [Hz], and the vertical axis represents the vibration transmission coefficient [times] of the vibration isolation table 10. Characteristic PI shows the vibration transmission characteristics between the vacuum chamber 5 and the base plate 14 (vibration isolation table 10) in the film deposition apparatus 1 of this embodiment. Referring to characteristic PI, in this embodiment, with a breakpoint between 2Hz and 3Hz, vibrations are suppressed to about 0.1 times around 10Hz on the high-frequency side. Therefore, vibrations from the installation floor FL can be reduced over a wide range of frequencies. On the other hand, characteristic CE shows the vibration transmission characteristics between the vacuum chamber 5 and the base plate 14 (vibration isolation table 10) in the film deposition apparatus 1000 of the comparative example. Referring to characteristic CE, in the comparative example, compared to characteristic PI, multiple vibration peaks VP are prominent, amplifying the vibration transmission characteristics of the vibration isolation table 10 by several to tens of times. This is because contacts f1 to f5 exhibit nonlinear spring-like characteristics, which hinders the vibration isolation performance of the vibration isolation table 10.

[0059] According to this embodiment, normal vibration transmission characteristics can be obtained in the vibration isolation table 10. For example, the vibration amplitude of the alignment mechanism AM, which was 4 μm to 10 μm, can be reduced to 1 μm or less. Therefore, high-precision alignment between the substrate 2 and the mask 29 can be achieved in the chamber 24 of the vacuum chamber 5, and the deposition material (organic material, etc.) can be deposited (adhered) onto the substrate 2 with high precision and density to form a film.

[0060] In this embodiment, the relative position between the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask support 4 is measured, and the position of the substrate 2 and the mask 29 is adjusted by changing this relative position. However, the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the relative position between the vacuum chamber 5 and the substrate support 12 may be measured, and the position of the substrate 2 and the mask 29 may be adjusted by changing this relative position. In this case, the measuring unit 80 is located on the substrate support 12. Alternatively, both the relative position between the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask support 4, and the relative position between the vacuum chamber 5 and the substrate support 12 may be measured, and the position of the substrate 2 and the mask 29 may be adjusted by changing these relative positions. In this case, the measuring unit 80 is located on both the mask support 4 and the substrate support 12. In this way, the relative position between the vacuum chamber 5 and at least one of the substrate support 12 and the mask support 4 is measured. Then, the relative position between the substrate support 12 and the mask support 4 is changed via a connecting shaft connected to the vacuum chamber 5 and at least one of the substrate support 12 and the mask support 4, thereby adjusting the position of the substrate 2 and the mask 29.

[0061] Furthermore, in Figure 2, the target 26 is fixed to the inner surface of the corner of the chamber top plate 7 of the vacuum chamber 5. However, as shown in Figure 13, the target 26 may also be fixed to the inner surface of the upper part of the chamber side plate 6 of the vacuum chamber 5. Figure 13 is a diagram showing an example of deformation of the vacuum chamber 5, where the dotted lines show the shape of the chamber side plate 6 and the chamber top plate 7 in atmospheric conditions, and the solid lines show the shape of the chamber side plate 6 and the chamber top plate 7 in a vacuum condition. In a vacuum condition, as shown in Figure 13, the central part of the chamber side plate 6 and the chamber top plate 7 away from the fastening parts on each surface becomes concave. If the target 26 is fixed to a location where such deformation is large, it will be affected by the deformation, making it difficult to detect the accurate position (orientation) of the target 26. Therefore, it is preferable to fix the target 26 to the inner surface of the upper part of the chamber side plate 6, where the deformation is small. This makes it possible to measure the relative position between the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask support 4 (or substrate support 12) with high precision without being affected by the deformation of the vacuum chamber 5 in a vacuum condition. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 13, the corners of the chamber upper plate 7 are also areas where deformation is small. Therefore, as shown in Figure 2, even if the target 26 is fixed to the inner surface of the corner of the chamber upper plate 7, it is possible to measure the relative position between the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask support 4 with high precision without being affected by the deformation of the vacuum chamber 5 in a vacuum state.

[0062] Referring to Figure 14, the range of the corners of the chamber upper plate 7 on which the target 26 is placed, and the range of the upper part of the chamber side plate 6 on which the target 26 is placed will be explained in detail. If the width of the chamber upper plate 7 in the X direction (first direction) is Lx and the width in the Y direction (second direction) perpendicular to the X direction is Ly, then the corners of the chamber upper plate 7 are defined as the range represented by Lx / 3 and Ly / 3 from the edge of the chamber upper plate 7. Also, if the width of the chamber side plate 6 in the Y direction is Ly and the width in the Z direction (third direction) perpendicular to the Y direction is Lz, then the upper part of the chamber side plate 6 is defined as the range represented by Ly / 3 and Lz / 3 from the edge of the chamber side plate 6.

[0063] Furthermore, in another embodiment, the present invention is also applicable to a film deposition apparatus having a configuration in which the substrate alignment mechanism 17 is arranged in the chamber 24 of the vacuum chamber 5. In this case, the relative position between the substrate alignment mechanism 17 arranged in the chamber 24 of the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask support 4 is measured by the measuring unit 80. This avoids contact between the opening of the chamber upper plate 7 of the vacuum chamber 5 and the mask connecting shaft 16, allowing the vibration isolation table 10 to exhibit sufficient vibration isolation performance and enabling high-precision alignment between the substrate 2 and the mask 29.

[0064] Next, a manufacturing method for producing electronic devices using the film deposition apparatus 1 (or the manufacturing line having it) in this embodiment will be described. Here, an organic EL display device will be used as an example of the electronic device.

[0065] First, let's explain the organic EL display device. Figure 15(A) shows the overall configuration of the organic EL display device 50. Figure 15(B) shows the cross-sectional structure of one pixel of the organic EL display device 50.

[0066] As shown in Figure 15(A), the organic EL display device 50 has a display area 51 in which pixels 52, each containing a plurality of light-emitting elements, are arranged in a matrix. As will be described later, each of the plurality of light-emitting elements has a structure comprising an organic layer (organic film) sandwiched between a pair of electrodes. In this embodiment, a pixel means the smallest unit that enables the display of a predetermined color in the display area 51. For example, in the organic EL display device 50, the pixels 52 are composed of a combination of a first light-emitting element 52R, a second light-emitting element 52G, and a third light-emitting element 52B, each enabling the display of different colors. Generally, the pixels 52 are composed of a combination of a red light-emitting element, a green light-emitting element, and a blue light-emitting element, but are not limited to this. For example, they may be composed of a combination of a yellow light-emitting element, a cyan light-emitting element, and a white light-emitting element, and only need to be composed of at least one color of light-emitting element.

[0067] Figure 15(B) is a partial cross-sectional view along the A-B line shown in Figure 15(A). The pixel 52 consists of an organic EL element on a substrate 53, comprising an anode 54, a hole transport layer 55, one of the light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B, an electron transport layer 57, and a cathode 58. Of these, the hole transport layer 55, the light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B, and the electron transport layer 57 correspond to organic layers. In this embodiment, the light-emitting layer 56R is an organic EL layer that emits red light, the light-emitting layer 56G is an organic EL layer that emits green light, and the light-emitting layer 56B is an organic EL layer that emits blue light. The light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B are formed in patterns corresponding to light-emitting elements (sometimes referred to as organic EL elements) that emit red, green, and blue light, respectively. The anode 54 is formed separately for each light-emitting element. The hole transport layer 55, electron transport layer 57, and cathode 58 may be formed in common with multiple light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B, or they may be formed for each light-emitting element. In addition, an insulating layer 59 is provided between the electrodes to prevent the anode 54 and cathode 58 from short-circuiting due to foreign matter. Furthermore, since the organic EL layer deteriorates due to moisture and oxygen, a protective layer PL is provided to protect the organic EL element from moisture and oxygen.

[0068] In Figure 15(B), the hole transport layer 55 and the electron transport layer 57 are shown as a single layer, but depending on the structure of the organic EL device, they may be formed from multiple layers, including a hole blocking layer and an electron blocking layer. Furthermore, a hole injection layer having an energy band structure may be formed between the anode 54 and the hole transport layer 55 to facilitate the smooth injection of holes from the anode 54 to the hole transport layer 55. Similarly, an electron injection layer may be formed between the cathode 58 and the electron transport layer 57.

[0069] The following describes the manufacturing method for organic EL display devices.

[0070] First, a substrate 53 is prepared on which a circuit (not shown) for driving the organic EL display device and an anode 54 are formed.

[0071] Next, an acrylic resin is formed on the substrate 53 on which the anode 54 is formed by spin coating, and an insulating layer 59 is formed by patterning the acrylic resin in the area where the anode 54 is formed using lithography. This opening corresponds to the light-emitting region where the light-emitting element actually emits light.

[0072] A substrate 53 with an insulating layer 59 patterned on it is brought into the film deposition apparatus 1 (first film deposition chamber) of the manufacturing line, and a hole transport layer 55 is deposited as a common layer on the anode 54 of the display area 51. The hole transport layer 55 is deposited, for example, by vacuum deposition. Since the hole transport layer 55 is actually formed to be larger than the display area 51, a high-resolution mask is not required.

[0073] Next, the substrate 53, on which the hole transport layer 55 has been formed, is brought into the film deposition apparatus 1 (second film deposition chamber). The substrate 53 and the mask are aligned, and a red light-emitting layer 56R is deposited on the portion of the substrate 53 that will form the red light-emitting element, via the mask.

[0074] Similar to the deposition of the light-emitting layer 56R, a light-emitting layer 56G that emits green light is deposited in the deposition apparatus 1 (third deposition chamber), and then a light-emitting layer 56B that emits blue light is deposited in the deposition apparatus 1 (fourth deposition chamber). After the light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B have been deposited, an electron transport layer 57 is deposited over the entire display area 51 in the deposition apparatus 1 (fifth deposition chamber). The electron transport layer 57 is formed as a layer common to the three light-emitting layers 56R, 56G, and 56B.

[0075] Next, the substrate 53, on which the electron transport layer 57 has been formed, is brought into the film deposition apparatus 1 (sixth film deposition chamber) to deposit the cathode 58.

[0076] Then, the substrate 53 with the cathode 58 formed is brought into a sealing device, and a protective layer PL is deposited by plasma CVD (sealing process) to complete the organic EL display device 50. Here, the protective layer PL is formed by the CVD method, but it is not limited to this. For example, the protective layer PL may be deposited by the ALD method or the inkjet method.

[0077] Furthermore, if the substrate 53, which has the insulating layer 59 patterned on it, is exposed to an atmosphere containing moisture or oxygen between the time it is loaded into the film deposition apparatus 1 and the time the protective layer PL is deposited, the light-emitting layer made of organic EL material may deteriorate. Therefore, it is preferable that the loading and unloading of the substrate 53 between film deposition apparatuses be carried out under a vacuum atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere.

[0078] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0079] 1: Film deposition apparatus 2: Substrate 4: Mask support 10: Vibration isolation table 12: Substrate support 29: Mask 35: Control unit 80: Measurement unit

Claims

1. A film deposition apparatus that deposits a film onto a substrate via a mask, A chamber that defines the room in which the substrate support that supports the substrate and the mask support that supports the mask are arranged, An alignment mechanism is provided, which is located outside the chamber and adjusts the position of the substrate and the mask by changing the relative position of the substrate support and the mask support via a connecting shaft connected to at least one of the substrate support and the mask support, A measuring unit that measures the relative position between the chamber and the support to which the connecting shaft is connected, A film deposition apparatus characterized by having

2. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an adjustment unit disposed outside the chamber for adjusting the relative position of the alignment mechanism with respect to the chamber.

3. The chamber is further provided with a base plate located outside the chamber and supporting the alignment mechanism, The adjustment unit adjusts the relative position of the alignment mechanism with respect to the chamber by changing the distance between the base plate and the chamber. The film deposition apparatus according to feature 2.

4. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the adjustment unit includes a vibration isolation table disposed between the surface plate and the chamber.

5. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the vibration isolation table isolates the substrate support and the mask support.

6. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a control unit that controls the adjustment unit so that the deviation of the relative position of the alignment mechanism with respect to the chamber falls within an acceptable range, based on the relative position measured by the measurement unit.

7. The aforementioned measuring unit is A target provided in the chamber, A sensor unit for detecting the target is provided on the support to which the connecting shaft is connected, The film deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by including the following:

8. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the target is fixed to the inner surface of the corner of the upper plate of the chamber.

9. The film-forming apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, if the width of the upper plate in a first direction is Lx and the width in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction is Ly, the corner portion is in a range represented by Lx / 3 and Ly / 3 from the edge of the upper plate.

10. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the target is fixed to the inner surface of the upper part of the side plate of the chamber.

11. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that, if the width of the side plate in the second direction is Ly and the width in the third direction perpendicular to the second direction is Lz, the upper part is in a range represented by Ly / 3 and Lz / 3 from the end of the side plate.

12. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the target is made of a low thermal expansion material.

13. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the target is made of a high-rigidity material.

14. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the sensor unit detects the target without contact.

15. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the sensor unit includes an eddy current sensor, a laser displacement sensor, or a capacitance sensor.

16. A method for forming a film, characterized by forming a film on a substrate via a mask using a film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. A manufacturing method characterized by manufacturing an electronic device using a film deposition apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 15.

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