Substrate transport apparatus, cluster apparatus, electronic device manufacturing apparatus, and substrate transport method

Abstract

This technology provides a way to suppress the increase in size of the transport chamber. [Solution] The substrate transport device comprises a transport unit 51 and a control unit that controls the operation of a storage unit. The transport unit 51 has a base 53, a first connecting part 54 rotatably connected to the base 53 about a first rotation axis 54a, a second connecting part 55 rotatably connected to the first connecting part 54 about a second rotation axis 55a, and a support part 57 connected to the second connecting part 55 to support the substrate. The control unit controls the operation of the transport unit 51 so that when transporting a substrate S between the transport chamber 11 and a plurality of connecting chambers connected to a first side Sd1, the position of the second rotation axis 55a is fixed at the first side Sd1. When transporting a substrate S between the transport chamber 11 and a plurality of connecting chambers connected to a second side Sd2, the control unit controls the operation of the transport unit 51 so that the position of the second rotation axis 55a is fixed at the second side Sd2.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate transfer device, a cluster device, a manufacturing device for an electronic device, and a substrate transfer method. It relates to.

Background Art

[0002] An organic EL display device is known as a flat panel display device. An organic EL element constituting an organic EL display device has a basic structure in which a functional layer having a light-emitting layer, which is an organic material layer that causes light emission, is formed between two opposing electrodes (a cathode electrode and an anode electrode). The functional layer and the electrode layer of the organic EL element are formed by depositing the materials constituting each layer on a substrate such as glass through a mask.

[0003] A manufacturing device for an electronic device for manufacturing an organic EL element by depositing a functional layer or an electrode layer on a substrate includes a film-forming chamber as a film-forming device and a substrate transfer device for transferring a substrate to the film-forming chamber and other chambers. Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration including a transfer unit (robot) disposed inside a transfer chamber as a substrate transfer device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Since the transfer chamber temporarily accommodates substrates inside, it needs to be designed in consideration of the size of the substrates. However, for example, when the size of the substrate is increased, simply increasing the size of the transfer chamber according to the size of the substrate will increase the size of the entire manufacturing device.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a technology that can suppress the increase in size of the transport chamber. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The substrate transport apparatus of the present invention is Multiple connection chambers are connected, and a transport unit is provided inside a transport chamber for transporting substrates to the multiple connection chambers, and transports substrates between the transport chamber and the connection chambers. A control unit that controls the operation of the transport unit, A substrate transport device comprising, The aforementioned transport unit is The base installed in the transport chamber, A first connecting portion rotatably connected to the base portion about a first rotation axis extending along the rotation axis direction, the first connecting portion having a first end connected to the base portion and a second end opposite to the first end portion, A second connecting portion is rotatably connected to the second end of the first connecting portion about a second rotation axis extending along the rotation axis, A support portion that is rotatably connected to the second connection portion and supports the substrate, It has, When viewed in the direction of the rotation axis, one side of the transport chamber with respect to the center line in the first direction is In the transport chamber, which is configured to be connected to a plurality of connection chambers on both the first and second sides, with the first side designated as the first side and the other side as the second side, The control unit, When transporting a substrate between the transport chamber and a plurality of connecting chambers connected to the first side, the operation of the transport unit is controlled so that the position of the second rotation axis is fixed on the first side. When transporting a substrate between the transport chamber and a plurality of connection chambers connected to the second side, the operation of the transport unit is controlled so that the position of the second rotation axis is fixed on the second side. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, a technique capable of suppressing an increase in the size of a transfer chamber can be provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009] [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram showing the main configuration of a manufacturing apparatus for an electronic device according to a comparative example. [Figure 2] It is a schematic diagram showing a substrate transfer operation by a substrate transfer apparatus according to a comparative example. [Figure 3] It is a schematic diagram showing the main configuration of a manufacturing apparatus for an electronic device according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] It is an explanatory diagram of a transfer unit according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] It is an explanatory diagram of the arrangement position and operation of a transfer unit according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] It is an explanatory diagram of a substrate transfer operation according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] It is an explanatory diagram of a substrate transfer operation according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] It is an explanatory diagram of the effect of suppressing an increase in the size of a transfer chamber according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a schematic diagram showing an arrangement example of a manufacturing apparatus for an electronic device according to an embodiment. [Figure 10] It is an explanatory diagram of a rib configuration of a transfer chamber according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] It is an explanatory diagram of the reinforcing effect of a reinforcing portion according to an embodiment. [Figure 12] It is an explanatory diagram of an organic EL display device.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be exemplarily and detailedly described based on examples with reference to the drawings. However, dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, etc. of the components described in this embodiment should be appropriately changed according to the configuration of the apparatus to which the invention is applied and various conditions. That is, it is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to the following embodiments.

[0011] The present invention is suitable for forming a thin film of a film-forming material on the surface of an object to be film-formed such as a substrate by vapor deposition or sputtering while transporting the object. The present invention can be regarded as a substrate transport apparatus, its control method, a substrate transport method, or a substrate transport system. The present invention can also be regarded as a film-forming apparatus, a cluster apparatus, its control method, or a film-forming method. The present invention can also be regarded as a manufacturing apparatus for electronic devices or a manufacturing method for electronic devices. The present invention can also be regarded as a program for causing a computer to execute a control method and a storage medium storing the program. The storage medium may be a non-temporary storage medium readable by a computer.

[0012] The present invention can be applied, for example, to an apparatus for forming a thin film of a film-forming material on the surface of an object to be film-formed such as a substrate by vapor deposition or sputtering while transporting the object, and can be preferably applied to an apparatus for forming a thin film (material film) of a desired pattern by vacuum vapor deposition. As the material of the substrate, any material such as glass, a film of a polymer material, a silicon wafer, or metal can be selected, and the substrate may be, for example, a substrate on which a film such as polyimide is deposited on a glass substrate. Also, as the vapor deposition material, any material such as an organic material or a metal-made material (metal, metal oxide, etc.) may be selected. In the following description, the vacuum vapor deposition apparatus In addition to the above, the present invention can also be applied to equipment including sputtering equipment and CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) equipment. Specifically, the technology of the present invention can be applied to manufacturing equipment for organic electronic devices (e.g., organic light-emitting devices, thin-film solar cells), optical components, etc. Among these, a manufacturing equipment for organic light-emitting devices that forms organic light-emitting devices by evaporating a deposition material and depositing it onto a substrate via a mask is one of the preferred applications of the present invention.

[0013] <Comparative Example> Prior to describing embodiments of the present invention, comparative examples will be described. In the comparative examples, the functions and basic configurations of each chamber constituting the electronic device manufacturing apparatus are the same as those of the embodiments of the present invention, which will be described later. The basic configuration of the electronic device manufacturing apparatus will be described below using the comparative examples.

[0014] (Manufacturing equipment for electronic devices) Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the main configuration of an electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100 related to a comparative example. Figure 1 shows a part of the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100 viewed in the direction of gravity. The electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100 includes multiple cluster devices 10 and multiple relay devices 20. Each cluster device 10 and relay device 20 is composed of multiple chambers. In the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100, the cluster devices 10 and relay devices 20 are installed alternately. The relay devices 20 function as relay points for transporting substrates S from one cluster device 10 (first substrate transport device) to another cluster device 10 (second substrate transport device). That is, the substrate S is transported from the cluster device 10 to the relay device 20 downstream in the transport direction, and then from the relay device 20 to the cluster device 10 downstream in the transport direction. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, upstream and downstream refer to the upstream and downstream sides in the transport direction of the substrate S in the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100.

[0015] The cluster apparatus 10 comprises a transport chamber 11, a plurality of film deposition chambers 12 for processing substrates (e.g., film deposition), and a plurality of mask stock chambers 13 for storing masks before and after use. Multiple connection chambers (film deposition chambers 12, mask stock chambers 13, etc.) are connected around the transport chamber 11.

[0016] The relay device 20 includes a buffer chamber 21 configured to temporarily accommodate multiple substrates S, a swivel chamber 22 for swirling the substrates S to change their orientation, and an alignment chamber 23 for performing alignment of the substrates S. The buffer chamber 21, swivel chamber 22, and alignment chamber 23 are installed in this order along the transport direction of the substrates S.

[0017] The transport chamber 11 is a storage chamber configured to accommodate a substrate S inside. In the comparative example, the transport chamber 11 has a shape that is approximately a regular octagon when viewed in the direction of gravity. In this example, four film deposition chambers 12 and two mask stock chambers 13 are connected to the transport chamber 11, and the transport chamber 11 is a chamber for transporting substrates to these connecting chambers.

[0018] A transport unit 51, configured to transport substrates S and masks, is positioned inside the transport chamber 11. The transport unit 51 is a robot having a multi-jointed arm to which a robot hand for holding substrates S or masks is attached. The transport unit 51 constitutes a substrate transport device 50 for transporting substrates S and masks between the transport chamber 11 and each chamber connected to the transport chamber 11. Alternatively, the transport chamber 11 can be considered as a component of the substrate transport device 50.

[0019] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the substrate transport operation by the substrate transport device 50 according to the comparative example. The transport unit 51 receives the substrate S from the alignment chamber 23 of the relay device 20 and transports the substrate S to the film deposition chamber 12. Then, it receives the substrate S after the film deposition process is completed in the cluster device 10 from the film deposition chamber 12 and transports it to the buffer chamber 21 of the relay device 20 connected downstream. The transport unit 51 also transports masks between the film deposition chamber 12 and the mask stock chamber 13.

[0020] Inside the deposition chamber 12 (also called the deposition chamber or deposition apparatus), there is a deposition unit that heats the deposition material stored in the evaporation source with a heater to evaporate it and deposits it onto the substrate via a mask. The deposition unit performs the deposition operation on the substrate S inside the deposition chamber 12. The deposition process, including the transfer of the substrate to the transport unit 51, adjustment of the relative positions of the substrate and the mask (alignment), fixing the substrate onto the mask, and deposition (evaporation), is performed by the deposition chamber 12.

[0021] The mask stock chamber 13 stores new masks to be used in the film deposition process in the film deposition chamber 12 and used masks in two separate cassettes. The transport unit 51 transports the used masks from the film deposition chamber 12 to the cassette in the mask stock chamber 13 and transports the new masks stored in the other cassette in the mask stock chamber 13 to the film deposition chamber 12.

[0022] The rotation of the substrate S within the rotation chamber 22 ensures that the orientation of the substrates being transported to the upstream cluster device 10 and the downstream cluster device 10 is the same, thus facilitating substrate processing. However, the relay device 20 is not limited to this configuration. For example, the alignment chamber 23 may be provided with a configuration or function for changing the orientation of the substrate S, and the relay device 20 may not have a rotation chamber 22.

[0023] The cluster device 10 and the relay device 20 are vacuum devices configured to allow for reduced pressure inside the multiple chambers that make up each of them. The transport chamber 11, film deposition chamber 12, mask stock chamber 13, swirling chamber 22, alignment chamber 23, etc., are maintained in a high vacuum state during the manufacturing process of organic light-emitting devices. The buffer chamber 21 is usually maintained in a low vacuum state, but may be maintained in a high vacuum state if necessary.

[0024] The operation of the cluster device 10 and the relay device 20 is controlled by the control unit 80. The control unit 80, together with the transport unit 51, constitutes the substrate transport device 50. The control unit 80 controls, for example, various operations of the devices in each chamber and the transport operation of the substrate by the transport unit 51, etc. In this specification, the substrate transport device 50 may also be referred to as the "substrate transport system".

[0025] The control unit 80 can be configured by a computer having, for example, a processor, memory, storage, I / O, etc. In this case, the functions of the control unit 80 are realized by the processor executing a program stored in memory or storage. A general-purpose personal computer may be used as the computer, or an embedded computer or PLC (programmable logic controller) may be used. Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the control unit 80 may be configured by circuits such as ASICs or FPGAs. Note that a control unit 80 may be provided for each cluster device 10, substrate transport device 50, and film deposition device, or one control unit 80 may control multiple devices.

[0026] Referring to Figure 1, the configuration of the electronic device manufacturing apparatus has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and may have other types of apparatus and chambers, and the arrangement of these apparatus and chambers may be changed. For example, the electronic device manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention is a substrate The system may also have an in-line configuration in which the mask is mounted on a carrier and transported through multiple deposition apparatuses arranged in a line while deposition is performed. In other words, it may have a configuration that combines cluster type and in-line type. For example, the deposition of the base layer can be performed in a cluster type manufacturing apparatus, while the deposition of the electrode layer (cathode layer), sealing process, and cutting process can be performed in an in-line type manufacturing apparatus.

[0027] In electronic device manufacturing equipment, when increasing the size of the substrate S, the chamber that houses the substrate S must also be increased in size. In particular, the transport chamber 11, through which the substrate S repeatedly moves back and forth, needs to be increased in size while taking into account the movement of the substrate S and the transport unit 51 in order to avoid interference between the substrate S and the chamber. However, simply increasing the size (enlarging) of the transport chamber 11 (for example, by maintaining a similar shape) will increase the size of not only the substrate transport device 50 but also the entire electronic device manufacturing equipment 100. In particular, the more substrate transport devices 50 there are, the larger the size of the electronic device manufacturing equipment 100 becomes. Therefore, as an embodiment of the present invention, a configuration that can suppress the increase in size of the substrate transport device 50 and the electronic device manufacturing equipment 100, and a control method for the transport unit 51 will be described.

[0028] <Embodiment> The following describes exemplary embodiments of the present invention applied to electronic device manufacturing equipment. However, the equipment to which the present invention can be applied is not limited to this, and it can also be applied to various manufacturing equipment such as optical components.

[0029] (Manufacturing equipment for electronic devices) Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the main configuration of the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100 according to this embodiment. Figure 3 shows a part of the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100 viewed in the direction of gravity. The electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100 according to this embodiment is used, for example, to manufacture display panels for organic EL display devices for smartphones. The configuration of this embodiment is particularly suitable for a manufacturing apparatus that deposits organic EL films on substrates S of a size of approximately 2160 mm × approximately 1250 mm or larger.

[0030] In the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100 according to this embodiment, the basic configuration (for example, the main functions of the chamber) is the same as that of the comparative example. Therefore, in the following description, parts common to both the comparative example and the electronic device are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted, while the differences are mainly described.

[0031] As shown in Figure 3, the transport chamber 11 according to this embodiment has a shape that is approximately hexagonal when viewed in the direction of gravity. The transport chamber 11 is not a regular polygon, but is a longitudinally elongated approximately hexagon with two long sides that extend opposite each other, and all interior angles are obtuse. Short sides extend from both ends of the long sides in the direction toward the opposing long side. The short sides extending from each of the two opposing long sides are connected to each other. In this way, the outer circumference of the transport chamber 11 is composed of two long sides and four short sides. Furthermore, chamfers or the like may be applied to the intersections of the short sides and long sides. Also, the shape of the transport chamber 11 when viewed in the direction of gravity may be composed of curves rather than straight lines in some or all of its sides, and may be elliptical.

[0032] Two deposition chambers 12 are connected side-by-side to the long sides of the outer periphery of the transport chamber 11. Additionally, one of the following chambers—a mask stock chamber 13, a buffer chamber 21, or an alignment chamber 23—is connected to the short sides of the outer periphery of the transport chamber 11. In this example, when viewed from above in the direction of gravity, the chambers are connected to the transport chamber 11 in a clockwise order: two deposition chambers 12, a buffer chamber 21, a mask stock chamber 13, two deposition chambers 12, an alignment chamber 23, and another mask stock chamber 13. However, the arrangement and number of each chamber are not limited to this configuration. do not have.

[0033] In Figure 3, the first centerline 11a, which passes through the center of the transport chamber 11 in the short direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and extends in the longitudinal direction, is represented by a dashed line. Similarly, in Figure 3, the second centerline 11b, which passes through the center of the transport chamber 11 in the longitudinal direction and extends in the short direction, is represented by a dashed line.

[0034] In this embodiment, cluster devices 10 connected to the same relay device 20 and arranged adjacent to each other are arranged such that the first centerlines 11a (longitudinal direction) of each transport chamber 11 intersect each other.

[0035] (Transport unit) The configuration of the transport unit 51 according to this embodiment will now be described. Figures 4(a) and 4(b) are explanatory diagrams of the transport unit 51. Figure 4(a) shows a schematic plan view of the transport unit 51 when viewed in the direction of gravity. Figure 4(b) shows a schematic side view of the transport unit 51 when viewed in the horizontal direction. Note that the configuration of the transport unit 51 (robot arm, robot hand) described here is merely an example and is not limited to this configuration. The transport unit 51 is a transport robot consisting of a support part 57, which is a robot hand for supporting (carrying) the substrate W, and a three-joint robot arm for freely moving the support part 57 to any position in the XYZ Cartesian coordinate system.

[0036] The robot arm consists of a base 53 fixedly installed on the installation surface of the transport chamber 11, and a first connecting part 54, a second connecting part 55, and a third connecting part 56 sequentially connected to the base 510. The first connecting part 54 is rotatably connected to the base 53 about a first rotation axis 54a. The second connecting part 55 is rotatably connected to the first connecting part 54 about a second rotation axis 55a. The third connecting part 56 is rotatably connected to the second connecting part 55 about a third rotation axis 56a. In addition, the support part 57 is rotatably connected to the third connecting part 56 about a fourth rotation axis 57a.

[0037] The first rotation axis 54a, the second rotation axis 55a, the third rotation axis 56a, and the fourth rotation axis 57a are all axes that extend perpendicular to the installation surface and along the direction of gravity. Note that extending along does not necessarily mean being parallel, and includes cases where there is a slight angle between them. That is, in this example, the rotation axis directions of the first connection part 54, the second connection part 55, the third connection part 56, and the support part 57 are along the direction of gravity.

[0038] The first connecting portion 54 has a first end (root) connected to the base portion 53 and a second end (tip) opposite to the first end. The first rotation axis 54a is located at the first end (root) of the first connecting portion 54. The second connecting portion 55 has a third end (root) connected to the second end of the first connecting portion 54 and a fourth end (tip) opposite to the third end. The second rotation axis 55a is the second end (tip) of the first connecting portion 54 and is located at the third end (root) of the second connecting portion 55. The third connecting portion 56 has a fifth end (root) connected to the fourth end of the second connecting portion 55 and a sixth end (tip) opposite to the fifth end. The third rotation axis 56a is the fourth end (tip) of the second connecting portion 55 and is located at the fifth end (root) of the third connecting portion 56. The support portion 57 has a seventh end (root) connected to the sixth end of the third connecting portion 56, and an eighth end (tip) opposite to the seventh end. The fourth rotation axis 57a is the sixth end (tip) of the third connecting portion 56, located at the seventh end (root) of the support portion 57. The horizontal position (XY coordinates) of the support portion 57 can be arbitrarily displaced by a combination of rotational movements of the first connecting portion 54, the second connecting portion 55, the third connecting portion 56, and the support portion 57.

[0039] The first connecting portion 54 is configured to be able to move up and down in a direction perpendicular to the installation surface relative to the base portion 53. By raising and lowering the first connection part 54, the height of the support part 57 can be changed, and the height (Z coordinate) of the substrate W can be changed.

[0040] Motors and encoders are provided at the connection points of the base 53, the first connection point 54, the second connection point 55, and the third connection point 56, respectively. The control unit 80 can obtain the required amount of movement of the transport unit 51 from the amount of rotation and lifting height of each connection point, or from the three-dimensional coordinates obtained by converting this information.

[0041] The support portion 57 includes a pair of spine rods 57b extending from the tip of the third connecting portion 56, and a plurality of rib rods 57c extending outward from the sides of the spine rods 57b in directions perpendicular to the spine rods 57b. The upper tip of the rib rods 26 is provided with a pad 57d for supporting the lower surface of the substrate S. The pad 57d is made of an elastic material such as silicone rubber so as to support the substrate S without damaging its surface, and a plurality of pads are provided in an arrangement that takes into account the deflection of the substrate S.

[0042] Figures 5(a) and 5(b) are explanatory diagrams of the arrangement and operation of the transport unit 51. In the following description, the direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the transport chamber 11 will be referred to as the first direction D1, and the direction parallel to the short direction of the transport chamber 11 will be referred to as the second direction D2. Furthermore, in the first direction D1 (longitudinal direction), one side of the transport chamber 11 with respect to the second centerline 11b will be referred to as the first side Sd1, and the other side as the second side Sd2.

[0043] Hereinafter, the four deposition chambers 12 will be referred to as the first deposition chamber 12a (first chamber), the second deposition chamber 12b (second chamber), the third deposition chamber 12c (third chamber), and the fourth deposition chamber 12d (fourth chamber), and will be described separately as necessary. Similarly, the two mask stock chambers 13 will be referred to as the first mask stock chamber 13a (fifth chamber) and the second mask stock chamber 13b (sixth chamber), and will be described separately as necessary. The first deposition chamber 12a, the second deposition chamber 12b, the first mask stock chamber 13a, and the alignment chamber 23 are connected to the first side Sd1 of the transport chamber 11, while the third deposition chamber 12c, the fourth deposition chamber 12d, the second mask stock chamber 13b, and the buffer chamber 21 are connected to the second side Sd2 of the transport chamber 11.

[0044] The first deposition chamber 12a and the first mask stock chamber 13a are adjacent to the alignment chamber 23. The second deposition chamber 12b faces the first deposition chamber 12a in the second direction D2, with the transport chamber 11 in between. The third deposition chamber 12c is adjacent to the first deposition chamber 12a in the first direction D1. The fourth deposition chamber 12d is adjacent to the second deposition chamber 12b in the first direction D1 and faces the third deposition chamber 12c in the second direction D2, with the transport chamber 11 in between. The second mask stock chamber 13b is adjacent to the third deposition chamber 12c and the buffer chamber 21.

[0045] The base 53 of the transport unit 51 is installed such that the first rotation axis 54a is offset from the first centerline 11a and lies on the second centerline 11b. The base 53 (first rotation axis 54a) is positioned closer to the second deposition chamber 12b and the fourth deposition chamber 12d than to the first deposition chamber 12a and the third deposition chamber 12c.

[0046] The substrate transport operation by the transport unit 51 of the substrate transport device 50 will now be described. The substrate transport operation from the transport chamber 11 to each connection chamber connected to the transport chamber 11 is performed with the second rotation axis 55a of the transport unit 51 fixed in a predetermined position. In other words, the control unit 80 moves the second connection part 55 and the third connection part 56 without moving the first connection part 54 to move the support part 57 in and out of the connection chamber.

[0047] The operation of the transport unit 51 will be explained in more detail using the substrate transport operation to the first film deposition chamber 12a as an example. Figure 5(a) shows the start of the operation in which the transport unit 51 transports the substrate S from the first film deposition chamber 12a to the transport chamber 11. Figure 5(b) shows the transport unit 51 transporting the substrate S from the first film deposition chamber 12a to the transport chamber 11.

[0048] In this embodiment, the connection direction between the transport chamber 11 and the first film deposition chamber 12a, that is, the opening direction of the connection portion connecting the transport chamber 11 and the first film deposition chamber 12a, is the second direction D2. As shown in Figures 5(a) and (b), when transporting the substrate S to the first film deposition chamber 12a, the second connection portion 55 and the third connection portion 56 are driven so that the support portion 57 that holds the substrate S moves along the second direction D2. In this way, by moving the substrate S along the connection direction (opening direction), and more ideally parallel to the connection direction, interference between the substrate S and each chamber and connection portion can be suppressed. In Figure 5(b), the direction of movement of the support portion 57 and the substrate S during the substrate transport operation to the first film deposition chamber 12a is shown by thick lines with arrows.

[0049] In this embodiment, the substrate transport operation to the first film deposition chamber 12a is performed with the movement of the first connection part 54 restricted such that the second rotation axis 55a is located at a predetermined position on the first center line 11a, which is a predetermined position on the first side Sd1. The predetermined position of the second rotation axis 55a at this time is called the first position P1.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the substrate transport operation is performed such that the line segment L1 connecting the second rotation axis 55a and the fourth rotation axis 57a is aligned with the direction of movement of the support unit 57. In other words, in the substrate transport operation to the connection chamber according to this embodiment, the support unit 57 (substrate S) moves starting from the second rotation axis 55a, not the first rotation axis 54a.

[0051] In the operation of transporting (removing) the substrate S from the first deposition chamber 12a to the transport chamber 11, the transport unit 51 performs the reverse operation of the substrate transport operation described above. That is, in both the substrate transport operation from the transport chamber 11 to the first deposition chamber 12a and the substrate transport operation from the first deposition chamber 12a to the transport chamber 11, the transport unit 51 is driven so that the second rotation axis 55a is located at the first position P1 and the line segment L1 connecting the second rotation axis 55a and the fourth rotation axis 57a is aligned with the direction of movement of the support part 57.

[0052] Furthermore, the substrate transport operation to the connection chamber connected to the first side Sd1 of the transport chamber 11 is performed in the same way as the substrate transport operation to the first film deposition chamber 12a. Figures 6(a) to 6(d) are explanatory diagrams of the substrate transport operation to the connection chamber connected to the first side Sd1 of the transport chamber 11. Figure 6(a) shows the substrate transport operation to the first film deposition chamber 12a. Figure 6(b) shows the substrate transport operation to the second film deposition chamber 12b. Figure 6(c) shows the substrate transport operation to the alignment chamber 23. Figure 6(d) shows the substrate transport operation to the first mask stock chamber 13a.

[0053] In the substrate transport operation to the connection chamber connected to the first side Sd1 of the transport chamber 11, the transport unit 51 is driven such that the second rotation axis 55a is located at the first position P1, and the line segment L1 connecting the second rotation axis 55a and the fourth rotation axis 57a is aligned with the direction of movement of the support part 57.

[0054] On the other hand, in the substrate transport operation to the connection chamber connected to the second side Sd2 of the transport chamber 11, the control unit 80 controls the operation of the transport unit 51 so that the second rotation axis 55a is located at a predetermined position on the first center line 11a, not at the first position P1, but at a predetermined position on the second side Sd2. The predetermined position of the second rotation axis 55a at this time is called the second position P2.

[0055] Figures 7(a) to 7(d) are explanatory diagrams of the substrate transport operation to the connection chamber connected to the first side Sd1 of the transport chamber 11. Figure 7(a) shows the substrate transport operation to the third film deposition chamber 12c. Figure 7(b) shows the substrate transport operation to the fourth film deposition chamber 12d. Figure 7(c) shows the substrate transport operation to the second mask stock chamber 13b. Figure 7(d) shows the substrate transport operation to the buffer chamber 21.

[0056] In the substrate transport operation to the connection chamber connected to the second side Sd2 of the transport chamber 11, the transport unit 51 is driven such that the second rotation axis 55a is located at the second position P2, and the line segment L1 connecting the second rotation axis 55a and the fourth rotation axis 57a is aligned with the direction of movement of the support part 57.

[0057] Thus, in this embodiment, the starting point of the transport unit 51's operation during substrate transport is the second rotation axis 55a, not the first rotation axis 54a. In other words, the first connection part 54 (second rotation axis 55a) does not move during substrate transport between the transport chamber 11 and the connection chamber, but only moves when transporting the substrate S within the transport chamber 11. That is, with the position of the first connection part 54 fixed, the support part 57 is moved and the substrate S is transported by the rotational motion of the second connection part 55 around the second rotation axis 55a and the rotational motion of the third connection part 56 around the third rotation axis 56a. During substrate transport between the transport chamber 11 and the connection chamber, the position of the second rotation axis 55a is switched between the first position P1 and the second position P2 depending on the chamber being transported. With this operation control of the transport unit 51, the operating range of the transport unit 51 within the transport chamber 11 can be set to be narrower compared to the case where the starting point of the operation is the first rotation axis 54a. This, in turn, helps to suppress the need to increase the size of the transport chamber 11.

[0058] Figures 8(a) and 8(b) are explanatory diagrams illustrating the effect of suppressing the enlargement of the transport chamber 11. Figure 8(a) shows a comparison between a transport chamber 11 with a roughly regular octagonal shape according to a comparative example and the transport chamber 11 according to this embodiment. To configure the chamber to accommodate larger substrates S, it would be easy to simply enlarge the roughly regular octagonal chamber in a similar shape, as shown in the upper part of Figure 8(a). However, in this embodiment, the operation of the transport unit 51 is controlled so that the operating range is narrowed. Therefore, as shown in the lower part of Figure 8(a), the transport chamber 11 can be configured in a smaller shape compared to the case where it is enlarged in a similar shape. As shown in Figure 8(a), the transport chamber 11 according to this embodiment can be configured to be shorter on both sides of the second direction D2 by a length Df1 compared to the transport chamber 11 according to the comparative example.

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the base 53 is installed such that the first rotation axis 54a is offset from the first centerline 11a. Therefore, the position of the second rotation axis 55a (first position P1 and second position P2) during substrate transport operation can be brought closer to the second centerline 11b. With this configuration, both sides of the transport chamber 11 in the first direction D1 can be shortened by a length Df2.

[0060] As described above, according to the configuration of this embodiment, the operation of the transport unit 51 is controlled so that the second rotation axis 55a is fixed at either the first position P1 or the second position P2 during substrate transport. Furthermore, this operation control method makes it possible to suppress the increase in size of the transport chamber 11.

[0061] In this embodiment, the chamber arrangement was such that the position of the second rotation axis 55a in the substrate transport operation was either the first position P1 or the second position P2, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, in the substrate transport operation to the connection chamber connected to the first side Sd1, the second rotation axis 55a may be fixed at different positions. Even in such cases, it is preferable that the fixed positions of each second rotation axis 55a are in close proximity to each other. In such cases, if the fixed position of the second rotation axis 55a is set to the first side Sd1, and the operation of the transport unit 51 is controlled so that the second rotation axis 55a becomes the starting point of the operation, the same effects as in this embodiment can be obtained. This is also true for substrate transport operations to the connection chamber connected to the second side Sd2. In other words, in the teaching work to set the operation for substrate transport operations for the transport unit 51, the position of the second rotation axis 55a should be determined in accordance with the actual device configuration.

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the transport unit 51 was a three-joint robot arm including a first connecting portion 54, a second connecting portion 55, and a third connecting portion 56, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, a transport unit may be used in which a support portion 57, which is configured to be extendable and retractable and does not have a third connecting portion 56, is connected to the second connecting portion 55 without going through the third connecting portion 56. Even with such a configuration, the effect of suppressing the increase in size of the transport chamber 11 can be obtained by setting the starting point of the operation in the substrate transport operation to the second rotation axis 55a.

[0063] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the transport unit 51 is provided with only one support portion 57, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, the second connecting portion 55 may be formed in a bifurcated shape, with a third connecting portion 56 connected to each end, and an independent support portion 57 connected to each third connecting portion 56. With such a configuration, the transport operation of the substrate S and mask can be performed efficiently.

[0064] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the transport chamber 11 is configured to be shorter in the second direction D2 (short direction). This configuration allows for a greater distance between the film deposition chambers 12 and mask stock chambers 13 between adjacent cluster devices 10. In other words, the distance between the cluster devices 10 can be shortened, and the overall length of the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100 can be shortened.

[0065] Furthermore, the cluster device 10 is arranged so that the first centerlines 11a of each transport chamber 11 intersect. In other words, in the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100, the approximate transport direction (transport trajectory) of the substrate S is zigzag (non-linear). With this configuration, the cluster device 10 and relay device 20 can be arranged to avoid the pillars P of the building housing the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100, and is a schematic diagram showing an example in which the cluster device 10 is arranged in a narrow space while avoiding the pillars P of the building.

[0066] (Rib configuration of the conveying chamber) Next, the rib configuration of the conveying chamber 11 will be described. Figures 10(a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams of the rib configuration of the conveying chamber 11. Figure 10(a) is a view of the conveying chamber 11 from below in a vertical direction. Figure 10(b) is a perspective view showing the lower surface 11c of the conveying chamber 11.

[0067] The transport chamber 11 includes a bottom having a lower surface 11c, and a reinforcing section (rib structure) provided on the bottom and composed of a plurality of ribs 11d that reinforce the bottom. The lower surface 11c of the transport chamber 11 is substantially parallel to the horizontal direction and faces the direction of gravity. In addition to the plurality of ribs 11d, the lower surface 11c is provided with an installation section 11e on which the base 53 of the transport unit 51 is installed, and a plurality of columns 11f that support and fix the lower surface 11c from below. In this embodiment, the reinforcing section is provided on the lower surface 11c, but the configuration is not limited to this, and for example, the reinforcing section may also be provided on the upper surface of the bottom (the surface facing the opposite side from the lower surface 11c). Also in this embodiment, four columns 11f with a square cross-section are connected to the lower surface 11c. However, the configuration is not limited to this. Note that, in order to clearly show the reinforcement, the column 11f is omitted from the illustration in Figure 10(b).

[0068] Within the bottom, in the second direction D2, the region on one end where the mounting portion 11e (base portion 53) is provided is defined as the first region Rg1 with respect to the first centerline 11a, and the region on the other end opposite to the first end is defined as the second region Rg2. In this case, the reinforcement portion is configured such that the deformation of the bottom is asymmetrical with respect to the first centerline 11a. More specifically, the reinforcement portion is configured such that the second region Rg2 of the bottom has higher rigidity than the first region Rg1.

[0069] The reinforced section is composed of a total of five ribs 11d. Specifically, there are two ribs 11d extending in the second direction D2 from the first region Rg1 to the second region Rg2, a rib 11d extending in the first direction D1 between these ribs 11d in the first region Rg1, a rib 11d extending along the first centerline 11a between the two ribs 11d, and a rib 11d extending from that rib 11d to the second region Rg2 along the second centerline 11b. The installation section 11e is surrounded by four ribs 11d.

[0070] Figures 11(a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams of the reinforcing effect of the reinforcement part, and are views of the transport chamber 11 as seen in a cross-section perpendicular to the first direction D1 and passing through the second centerline 11b. Figure 11(a) shows how the transport chamber 11 without the reinforcement part deforms. Figure 11(b) shows how the transport chamber 11 with the reinforcement part according to this embodiment deforms.

[0071] As described above, the transport chamber 11 is configured to allow for reduced pressure inside. When the inside of the transport chamber 11 is depressurized during the process of creating a vacuum, the exterior of the transport chamber 11, including the bottom, deforms. In the case of a configuration without reinforcement, as shown in Figure 11(a), the bottom deforms approximately symmetrically with respect to the center line of the second direction D2. If the base 53 (first rotation axis 54a) is positioned close to the end of the second direction D2, the deformation of the bottom may cause the transport unit 51 to tilt. The tilt of the transport unit 51 may not only prevent the substrate S from being transported as intended, but may also cause interference between the transport unit 51 and the substrate S.

[0072] Therefore, in this embodiment, a reinforcing portion is provided so that the deformation of the bottom is asymmetrical in the second direction D2. In this embodiment, a rib 11d extending along the second centerline 11b is provided only in the second region Rg2, and the rigidity against bending of the cross section perpendicular to the first direction D1 of the bottom is higher in the second region Rg2 than in the first region Rg1. With this configuration, the tilting of the transport unit 51 due to the deformation of the bottom during depressurization can be suppressed, thereby suppressing a decrease in transport accuracy by the transport unit 51 and the occurrence of interference between the transport unit 51 and the substrate S.

[0073] (Method of manufacturing electronic devices) Next, an example of a method for manufacturing an electronic device using the film deposition apparatus according to this embodiment will be described. Below, the configuration of an organic EL display device is shown as an example of an electronic device, and a method for manufacturing the organic EL display device will be illustrated.

[0074] First, let's explain the organic EL display device that we manufacture. Figure 12(a) shows an overall view of the organic EL display device 700, and Figure 12(b) shows the cross-sectional structure of a single pixel.

[0075] As shown in Figure 12(a), the display area 701 of the organic EL display device 700 has multiple pixels 702, 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. Here, "pixel" refers to the smallest unit that enables the display of a desired color in the display area 701. In this embodiment, the OLED display device is composed of a combination of a first light-emitting element 702R, a second light-emitting element 702G, and a third light-emitting element 702B, each exhibiting different light emission. The pixel 702 is often composed of a combination of a red light-emitting element, a green light-emitting element, and a blue light-emitting element, but it may also be a combination of a yellow light-emitting element, a cyan light-emitting element, and a white light-emitting element, and is not particularly limited as long as it has at least one color.

[0076] Figure 12(b) is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of line AA in Figure 12(a). Pixel 702 consists of multiple light-emitting elements, each light-emitting element having a first electrode (anode) 704, a hole transport layer 705, one of the light-emitting layers 706R, 706G, or 706B, an electron transport layer 707, and a second electrode (cathode) 708 on the substrate 703. Of these, the hole transport layer 705, the light-emitting layers 706R, 706G, 706B, and the electron transport layer 707 are organic layers. In this embodiment, the light-emitting layer 706R is a red-emitting organic EL layer, the light-emitting layer 706G is a green-emitting organic EL layer, and the light-emitting layer 706B is a blue-emitting organic EL layer. The light-emitting layers 706R, 706G, and 706B are formed in patterns corresponding to the red, green, and blue-emitting light-emitting elements (sometimes described as organic EL elements), respectively.

[0077] Furthermore, the first electrode 704 is formed separately for each light-emitting element. The hole transport layer 705, the electron transport layer 707, and the second electrode 708 may be formed in common for multiple light-emitting elements 702R, 702G, and 702B, or they may be formed for each light-emitting element. In addition, an insulating layer 709 is provided between the first electrode 704 and the second electrode 708 to prevent short circuits caused by foreign matter. Furthermore, since the organic EL layer deteriorates due to moisture and oxygen, a protective layer 710 is provided to protect the organic EL element from moisture and oxygen.

[0078] In Figure 12(b), the hole transport layer 705 and the electron transport layer 707 are shown as a single layer, but depending on the structure of the organic EL display element, they may be formed as multiple layers including a hole blocking layer and an electron blocking layer. Furthermore, a hole injection layer having an energy band structure that allows for smooth injection of holes from the first electrode 704 to the hole transport layer 705 can be formed between the first electrode 704 and the hole transport layer 705. Similarly, an electron injection layer can be formed between the second electrode 708 and the electron transport layer 707.

[0079] Next, we will specifically describe an example of a manufacturing method for an organic EL display device.

[0080] First, a circuit (not shown) for driving the organic EL display device and a substrate (mother glass) 703 on which the first electrode 704 is formed are prepared.

[0081] An acrylic resin is formed on a substrate 703 on which the first electrode 704 is formed by spin coating. The acrylic resin is then patterned by lithography to form an insulating layer 709 in the area where the first electrode 704 is formed. This opening corresponds to the light-emitting region where the light-emitting element actually emits light.

[0082] A substrate 703 patterned with an insulating layer 709 is placed on a substrate carrier on which an adhesive member is arranged. The substrate 703 is held in place by the adhesive member. It is then transported to a first organic material deposition apparatus, and after inversion, a hole transport layer 705 is deposited as a common layer on the first electrode 704 of the display area. The hole transport layer 705 is deposited by vacuum deposition. In practice, since the hole transport layer 705 is formed to a size larger than the display area 701, a high-resolution mask is not required.

[0083] Next, the substrate 703, on which the hole transport layer 705 has been formed, is brought into a second organic material deposition apparatus. The substrate and the mask are aligned, the substrate is placed on the mask, and a red light-emitting layer 706R is deposited on the portion of the substrate 703 where the red light-emitting elements will be placed.

[0084] Similar to the deposition of the light-emitting layer 706R, a light-emitting layer 706G that emits green light is deposited using a third organic material deposition apparatus, and then a light-emitting layer 706B that emits blue light is deposited using a fourth organic material deposition apparatus. After the deposition of light-emitting layers 706R, 706G, and 706B is completed, an electron transport layer 707 is deposited over the entire display area 701 using a fifth deposition apparatus. The electron transport layer 707 is formed as a common layer for the three colored light-emitting layers 706R, 706G, and 706B.

[0085] The substrate, with the electron transport layer 707 formed on it, is moved using a metallic vapor deposition material deposition apparatus to deposit the second electrode 708.

[0086] The material is then moved to a plasma CVD apparatus to deposit a protective layer 710, completing the deposition process on the substrate 703. After inversion, the adhesive material is peeled off the substrate 703, separating it from the substrate carrier. The organic EL display device 700 is then completed after cutting.

[0087] From the time the substrate 703, which has the insulating layer 709 patterned on it, is loaded into the film deposition apparatus until the deposition of the protective layer 710 is completed, exposure to an atmosphere containing moisture or oxygen may cause the light-emitting layer, which is made of organic EL material, to deteriorate due to moisture or oxygen. Therefore, in this embodiment, the loading and unloading of substrates between film deposition apparatuses is performed under a vacuum atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 11...Transport chamber, 50...Substrate transport device, 51...Transport unit, 53...Base, 54...First connection part, 54a...First rotation axis, 55...Second connection part, 55a...Second rotation axis, 57...Support part, 80...Control unit, S...Substrate, Sd1...First side, Sd2...Second side

Claims

1. Multiple connection chambers are connected, and a transport unit is provided inside a transport chamber for transporting substrates to the multiple connection chambers, and transports substrates between the transport chamber and the connection chambers. A control unit that controls the operation of the transport unit, A substrate transport device comprising, The aforementioned transport unit is The base installed in the transport chamber, A first connecting portion rotatably connected to the base portion about a first rotation axis extending along the rotation axis direction, the first connecting portion having a first end connected to the base portion and a second end opposite to the first end portion, A second connecting portion is rotatably connected to the second end of the first connecting portion about a second rotation axis extending along the rotation axis, A support portion that is rotatably connected to the second connection portion and supports the substrate, It has, When viewed in the direction of the rotation axis, one side of the transport chamber with respect to the center line in the first direction is designated as the first side, and the other side as the second side. In the transport chamber configured to be connected to a plurality of connecting chambers on each of the first and second sides, The control unit, When transporting a substrate between the transport chamber and a plurality of connecting chambers connected to the first side, the operation of the transport unit is controlled so that the position of the second rotation axis is fixed on the first side. A substrate transport device characterized by controlling the operation of the transport unit so that the position of the second rotation axis is fixed on the second side when transporting a substrate between the transport chamber and a plurality of connecting chambers connected to the second side.

2. The second connecting portion has a third end connected to the first connecting portion and a fourth end opposite to the third end, The transport unit includes a third connecting portion having a fifth end that is rotatably connected to the fourth end of the second connecting portion about a third rotation axis extending along the rotation axis, and a sixth end that is rotatably connected to the support portion about a fourth rotation axis extending along the rotation axis. The substrate transport apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit controls the operation of the transport unit such that when transporting a substrate between the transport chamber and the connecting chamber, the line segment connecting the second rotation axis and the fourth rotation axis is aligned with the direction of movement of the support portion.

3. The control unit, When transporting a substrate between the transport chamber and a plurality of connection chambers connected to the first side, the second rotation axis is located at a first position which is a predetermined position on the first side, and is set at a first position which is set for each of the plurality of connection chambers connected to the first side. The substrate transport device according to claim 1, characterized in that when transporting a substrate between the transport chamber and the connection chamber connected to the second side, the operation of the transport unit is controlled so that the second rotation axis is located at a second position which is a predetermined position on the second side, and is set for each of the plurality of connection chambers connected to the second side.

4. The substrate transport apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the first position and the second position are positions on the center line of the transport chamber in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction when viewed in the direction of the rotation axis.

5. The substrate transport apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport unit is provided in the transport chamber such that, when viewed in the direction of the rotation axis, the first rotation axis is positioned offset to one end from the center line of the transport chamber in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

6. The transport chamber has a bottom on which the base is installed, and a reinforcing portion provided on the bottom, The substrate transport device according to claim 5, characterized in that, in the second direction, when the region on one end side of the bottom is designated as the first region and the region on the other end side opposite to the one end side is designated as the second region, the reinforcing portion is configured such that the second region of the bottom has higher rigidity than the first region of the bottom.

7. The substrate transport apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport chamber is configured such that one connecting chamber connected to the first side and one connecting chamber connected to the second side are arranged side by side in the first direction.

8. A transport chamber configured to be connected to multiple connection chambers, for transporting substrates to the multiple connection chambers, A transport unit provided inside the transport chamber for transporting a substrate between the transport chamber and the connecting chamber, comprising: a base installed in the transport chamber; a first connecting portion rotatably connected to the base about a first rotation axis extending in the direction of rotation; a second connecting portion rotatably connected to the first connecting portion about a second rotation axis extending in the direction of rotation; a third connecting portion rotatably connected to the second connecting portion about a second rotation axis extending in the direction of rotation; and a support portion rotatably connected to the third connecting portion about a fourth rotation axis extending in the direction of rotation to support the substrate; A control unit that controls the operation of the transport unit, Equipped with, A substrate transport device characterized in that, when transporting a substrate between the transport chamber and the connection chamber, the control unit controls the operation of the transport unit so as to move the support portion by rotational motion of the second connection portion about the second rotation axis and rotational motion of the third connection portion about the third rotation axis, while keeping the position of the first connection portion fixed.

9. A substrate transport apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, Conveying chamber and A plurality of connection chambers connected to the transport chamber, Equipped with, The cluster apparatus is characterized in that the plurality of connection chambers include a film deposition chamber in which a film deposition unit capable of performing a film deposition operation on a substrate is provided inside.

10. A plurality of cluster devices as described in claim 9, When one of the multiple substrate transport devices is designated as the first substrate transport device, and the substrate transport device to which the substrate is transported from the first substrate transport device is designated as the second substrate transport device, the system further includes a relay device that transports the substrate from the first substrate transport device to the second substrate transport device. An electronic device manufacturing apparatus characterized in that the first substrate transport apparatus and the second substrate transport apparatus are arranged such that the longitudinal direction of the transport chamber of the first substrate transport apparatus and the longitudinal direction of the transport chamber of the second substrate transport apparatus intersect each other.

11. A substrate transport method for transporting a substrate between a transport chamber and a chamber connected to the transport chamber, using a transport unit provided inside the transport chamber, The transport unit comprises a base installed in the transport chamber and a rotating shaft relative to the base. It has a first connecting part that is rotatably connected about a first rotation axis extending in the direction, a second connecting part that is rotatably connected to the first connecting part about a second rotation axis extending in the direction of the rotation axis, and a support part that is rotatably connected to the second connecting part and supports the substrate, When viewed in the direction of the rotation axis, one side of the conveying chamber with respect to the center line in the first direction is designated as the first side, and the other side as the second side. A substrate transport method characterized in that the transport unit operates such that when transporting a substrate between the transport chamber and the connection chamber connected to the first side, the position of the second rotation axis is fixed on the first side, and when transporting a substrate between the transport chamber and the connection chamber connected to the second side, the position of the second rotation axis is fixed on the second side.

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