Liquid dispensing head, liquid supply device, and method for manufacturing articles

Abstract

This technology offers advantages for precisely supplying liquid droplets onto a substrate. [Solution] In a liquid dispensing head having a dispensing surface for dispensing liquid, the dispensing surface is provided with m rows of dispensing holes, each row of dispensing holes consists of multiple dispensing holes arranged in one direction at a pitch A for dispensing the liquid as droplets, and the m rows of dispensing holes are arranged offset by a first distance d1 (d1 = A / m) in one direction and by a second distance d2 in a direction perpendicular to one direction, and in both a first orientation where one direction is parallel to a predetermined direction and a second orientation where one direction is tilted at an angle θ with respect to the predetermined direction, the dispensing holes are arranged at equal intervals in the predetermined direction across the entire m rows of dispensing holes, and the angle θ satisfies "d2 = 2n·d1 / tanθ" (where n is a natural number).

Description

【Technical Field】 【0001】 The present invention relates to a liquid ejection head, a liquid supply device, and an article manufacturing method. 【Background Art】 【0002】 In recent years, when manufacturing various functional elements, patterning (i.e., forming a pattern) on a substrate has been attempted using a liquid supply device that supplies (imparts, disposes) a liquid serving as a material for the functional element as droplets onto the substrate by an inkjet method. Such patterning using a liquid supply device has advantages such as high material use efficiency because on-demand patterning is possible, being a non-vacuum process and the manufacturing device being relatively small, and being able to coat a large area at high speed. For example, the liquid supply device can be used to manufacture a display device such as a flat panel display. Various display methods have been proposed for display devices, and in recent years, in particular, the development of display devices using organic EL elements has been actively promoted. Since the organic EL material for manufacturing organic EL elements is expensive, it is effective to use a liquid supply device with good material use efficiency and capable of coating a large area at high speed for creating organic EL elements. 【0003】 In a liquid supply device, liquid is supplied onto a substrate by controlling the ejection of droplets from each nozzle while relatively scanning a head having a plurality of nozzles (ejection holes) for ejecting droplets and the substrate. At this time, by tilting the head with respect to the scanning direction and changing the pitch of the nozzles in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction, the pitch (i.e., resolution) of the droplets supplied onto the substrate can be adjusted. Patent Documents 1 to 2 describe configurations for changing the pitch of a plurality of nozzles in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction. 【Prior Art Documents】 【Patent Documents】 【0004】 【Patent Document 1】 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-194911 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-289322 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve] 【0005】 The print head may have multiple nozzle rows, each with multiple nozzles arranged at a predetermined pitch in one direction, and these rows may be offset from each other. In this case, if the angle at which the print head is tilted relative to the scanning direction is not taken into consideration, it may not be possible to arrange the nozzles at equal intervals in the direction perpendicular to the scanning direction, making it difficult to place droplets at equal intervals on the substrate. In other words, uneven distribution of droplets on the substrate may occur. 【0006】 Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a technology that is advantageous for accurately supplying liquid droplets onto a substrate. [Means for solving the problem] 【0007】 To achieve the above objective, a liquid discharge head as one aspect of the present invention is a liquid discharge head having a discharge surface for discharging liquid, wherein the discharge surface is provided with m rows of discharge holes, each row of discharge holes having a plurality of discharge holes arranged in one direction at a pitch A for discharging the liquid as droplets, and the m rows of discharge holes are arranged offset by a first distance d1 (d1 = A / m) in one direction and by a second distance d2 in a direction perpendicular to one direction, and in each of a first orientation in which one direction is parallel to a predetermined direction and a second orientation in which one direction is tilted at an angle θ with respect to the predetermined direction, the discharge holes are arranged at equal intervals in the predetermined direction across the entire m rows of discharge holes, and the angle θ satisfies "d2 = 2n·d1 / tanθ" (where n is a natural number). 【0008】 Further objects or other aspects of the present invention will be revealed by preferred embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Effects of the Invention] 【0009】 According to the present invention, for example, it is possible to provide a technique that is advantageous for accurately supplying droplets onto a substrate. [Brief explanation of the drawing] 【0010】 [Figure 1] A schematic diagram showing an example configuration of the liquid supply device of the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Flowchart showing the operation sequence of a liquid supply device [Figure 3] This diagram shows an example of nozzle arrangement on the discharge surface of a liquid dispensing head. [Figure 4] A diagram showing an example of the arrangement of multiple target regions on a substrate. [Figure 5] A diagram showing an example of the arrangement of multiple target regions on a substrate. [Figure 6] Figure 4 shows an example of liquid ejection processing being performed on the target region of the R pixel on the substrate using a liquid ejection head. [Figure 7] Figure 5 shows an example of liquid ejection processing being performed on the target region of the R pixel on the substrate using a liquid ejection head. [Figure 8] Figure 5 shows an example of liquid ejection processing being performed on the target region of the G pixels on the substrate using a liquid ejection head. [Modes for carrying out the invention] 【0011】 The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention as defined in the claims. While the embodiments describe multiple features, not all of these features are essential to the invention, and the features may be combined in any way. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, identical or similar configurations are given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted. 【0012】 In this specification and the accompanying drawings, directions are typically indicated in an XYZ coordinate system, where the XY plane is the plane parallel to the horizontal plane (e.g., the surface on which the substrate is placed, or the discharge surface of the liquid discharge head). The directions parallel to the X, Y, and Z axes in the XYZ coordinate system are denoted as the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction, respectively, and the rotations around the X, Y, and Z axes are denoted as θX, θY, and θZ, respectively. Control and driving (movement) with respect to the X, Y, and Z axes means control or driving (movement) with respect to the direction parallel to the X, Y, and Z axes, respectively. Furthermore, control or driving with respect to the θX, θY, and θZ axes means control or driving with respect to rotation around the axis parallel to the X, Y, and Z axes, respectively. 【0013】 <First Embodiment> A liquid supply device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The liquid supply device 1 is a device that forms a pattern on a substrate by ejecting (supplying, applying) a liquid, which is the material of a functional element, onto the substrate as droplets. The liquid supply device 1 may be called a liquid ejection device or an inkjet device, and functions as a substrate processing device for processing substrates such as display panels and semiconductors. For example, the liquid supply device 1 can be used to manufacture display devices such as flat panel displays and OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) devices. In the following, the liquid supplied onto the substrate by the liquid supply device 1 may be simply referred to as "liquid". The liquid may be called ink, and its components are not particularly limited, but may include, for example, a solute and a solvent for forming an organic film on the substrate. 【0014】 [Example of liquid supply system configuration] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example configuration of the liquid supply device 1 of this embodiment, and can be used to explain the basic configuration and operating principle of the liquid supply device 1. The liquid supply device 1 includes a liquid discharge head 5 provided with a plurality of discharge holes 51 for discharging liquid as droplets 4, and performs a discharge process in which droplets 4 are discharged from the liquid discharge head 5 (each discharge hole 51) while scanning the liquid discharge head 5 and the substrate 2 relatively in the scanning direction (Y direction). In this discharge process, droplets 4 are discharged from the liquid discharge head 5 repeatedly multiple times. This makes it possible to supply (apply, arrange) multiple droplets 4 on the substrate 2 in a desired distribution. The discharge process can be performed once or multiple times on one substrate 2. 【0015】 The liquid supply device 1 includes, for example, a substrate stage 3 that holds and moves a substrate 2 of a display panel. The substrate 2 may be appropriately selected from glass substrates, plastic substrates, etc., depending on the product to be manufactured. The substrate 2 is typically a plate-shaped member, but is not limited to a specific shape as long as it can function as a substrate. For example, the substrate 2 may be a deformable film or a disc-shaped substrate. Furthermore, the substrate 2 on the substrate stage 3 may be provided with a pixel area 201 for supplying liquid (droplets) to form an array of display pixels, and an evaluation area 202 where liquid is experimentally supplied to evaluate the state of the liquid (droplets). 【0016】 The liquid supply device 1 includes a liquid discharge head 5 capable of discharging a liquid as liquid droplets 4 toward a substrate 2, a tank 7 for storing the liquid, and a liquid supply system 6 for supplying the liquid from the tank 7 to the liquid discharge head 5. The liquid discharge head 5 has a plurality of discharge holes 51 for discharging the liquid as liquid droplets 4 on a discharge surface 5a (for example, the lower surface facing the substrate 2) according to a drive signal, and the discharge of the liquid droplets 4 from each discharge hole 51 is individually controlled by a control unit 11. Thereby, the liquid droplets 4 can be supplied (coated) to the pixel area 201 on the substrate 2 in a desired distribution. Each discharge hole 51 can be configured as, for example, a nozzle for discharging the liquid droplets 4. Hereinafter, the discharge hole 51 may be referred to as "nozzle 51". The detailed configuration of the liquid discharge head 5 will be described later. Here, the tank 7 may be arranged inside the liquid supply device 1 or may be arranged outside the liquid supply device 1. Further, the liquid supply device 1 may also include a recovery unit 8 that performs a cleaning process or the like on the liquid discharge head 5 to recover the discharge characteristics. 【0017】 The liquid supply device 1 includes a drive mechanism 12 for driving the liquid discharge head 5. The drive mechanism 12 can adjust the inclination amount of the liquid discharge head 5 with respect to the scanning direction by rotationally driving the liquid discharge head 5 in the θZ direction within a plane parallel to the discharge surface 5a of the liquid discharge head 5 (that is, the surface of the substrate 2). Further, the drive mechanism 12 may be configured to adjust the position of the liquid discharge head 5 in the XY direction by driving the liquid discharge head 5 in the XY direction. Here, in the present embodiment, the adjustment of the inclination amount of the liquid discharge head 5 with respect to the scanning direction can be performed by rotationally driving the liquid discharge head 5 in the θZ direction by the drive mechanism 12, but it is not limited thereto. The adjustment of the inclination amount of the liquid discharge head 5 may be performed by rotationally driving the substrate 2 in the θZ direction by the substrate stage 3, or may be performed by rotationally driving the liquid discharge head 5 and the substrate 2 relatively in the θZ direction by the drive mechanism 12 and the substrate stage 3. 【0018】 In the liquid supply device 1, when the substrate 2 is mounted on the substrate stage 3, a placement error may occur. Also, as the substrate 2 undergoes various manufacturing processes, shape distortion may occur in the substrate 2 in the XY directions. Therefore, the liquid supply device 1 includes an alignment scope 9 that measures the position of the substrate 2 and the amount of distortion of the substrate 2. In order to perform alignment measurement on the entire surface of the substrate 2, the alignment scope 9 and the substrate stage 3 are relatively driven in the XY directions. Also, there are variations in the thickness of the substrate 2 mounted on the substrate stage 3. Therefore, when droplets 4 are ejected from the liquid ejection head 5 while relatively scanning the liquid ejection head 5 and the substrate 2 in the scanning direction (Y direction), variations may occur in the adhesion position (landing position) of the droplets 4 on the substrate 2 due to the thickness variations of the substrate 2. Thus, the liquid supply device 1 may include a height sensor 10 that measures the position (height) of the substrate 2 in the Z direction. In order to perform height measurement on the entire surface of the substrate 2, the height sensor 10 and the substrate stage 3 are relatively driven in the XY directions. 【0019】 The control unit 11 is composed of a computer (information processing device) having a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a storage unit such as a memory, and controls each part of the liquid supply device 1 to comprehensively control the patterning on the substrate 2. The control unit 11 may be composed of, for example, a PLD (abbreviation of Programmable Logic Device) such as an FPGA (abbreviation of Field Programmable Gate Array), or an ASIC (abbreviation of Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or a general-purpose computer in which a program is incorporated, or a combination of all or part of these. 【0020】 [Operation Sequence of Liquid Supply Device] The operation sequence of the liquid supply device 1 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 2. In step S101, the control unit 11 transports the substrate 2 into the liquid supply device 1 by controlling a substrate transport device (not shown). Specifically, the control unit 11 transports the substrate 2 onto the substrate stage 3 by controlling a substrate transport device (not shown) and holds the substrate 2 on the substrate stage 3. Next, in step S102, the control unit 11 performs a recovery determination for each nozzle 51 of the liquid discharge head 5. The recovery determination determines whether or not a discharge abnormality has occurred in each nozzle 51 of the liquid discharge head 5, that is, whether or not recovery processing is required for each nozzle 51. If there is a nozzle 51 that is determined to have a discharge abnormality in this recovery determination, the process proceeds to step S103, and the control unit 11 performs recovery processing on each nozzle 51 of the liquid discharge head 5. The recovery processing may include, for example, a process to restore the discharge characteristics of the liquid discharge head 5 by performing a cleaning process on the liquid discharge head 5 (discharge surface 5a) by the recovery unit 8. 【0021】 In step S104, the control unit 11 performs alignment measurement of the substrate 2 by controlling the substrate stage 3 and the alignment scope 9. In step S105, the control unit 11 performs height measurement of the substrate 2 by controlling the substrate stage 3 and the height sensor 10. Note that the order of alignment measurement in step S104 and height measurement in step S105 may be reversed. Information regarding the position, strain amount, and height of the substrate 2 obtained from the alignment measurement and height measurement is stored, for example, in the memory of the control unit 11. The control unit 11 obtains ejection control information based on pixel data that includes information such as the pixel arrangement and pixel size formed on the substrate. The ejection control information includes information indicating the target supply distribution of droplets 4 in the pixel area 201 and evaluation area 202 on the substrate 2. 【0022】 In step S106, the control unit 11 performs a recovery check on each nozzle 51 of the liquid discharge head 5. If any nozzle 51 is determined to have a discharge abnormality in this recovery check, the process proceeds to step S107, where the control unit 11 performs a recovery process on each nozzle 51 of the liquid discharge head 5. Steps S106 to S107 are the same as steps S102 to S103 described above. 【0023】 In step S108, the control unit 11 controls the discharge process based on the target supply distribution in order to form a number of functional elements on the substrate 2 using the liquid supply device 1. As described above, the discharge process is the process of discharging droplets 4 from the liquid discharge head 5 (each discharge hole 51) while scanning the liquid discharge head 5 and the substrate 2 relatively in the scanning direction (Y direction). In this embodiment, the relative scanning between the liquid discharge head 5 and the substrate 2 can be performed by moving the substrate 2 with the substrate stage 3. However, the relative scanning between the liquid discharge head 5 and the substrate 2 may also be performed by moving the liquid discharge head 5 with the drive mechanism 12, or by moving the liquid discharge head 5 and the substrate 2 relatively with the drive mechanism 12 and the substrate stage 3. 【0024】 In step S109, the control unit 11 determines whether the dispensing process for the substrate 2 is complete. If the dispensing process for the substrate 2 is not complete, the process returns to step S106. If the dispensing process for the substrate 2 is complete, the process proceeds to step S110. In step S110, the control unit 11 removes the substrate 2 from the liquid supply device 1 (on the substrate stage 3) by controlling a substrate transport device (not shown). 【0025】 [Configuration of the liquid dispensing head] The liquid supply device 1 is required to manufacture display devices with various resolutions. Therefore, the liquid supply device 1 adjusts the pitch (i.e., resolution) of the non-scanning droplets 4 supplied onto the substrate 2 during the dispensing process by tilting the liquid discharge head 5 with respect to the scanning direction and changing the pitch of the nozzles 51 in the non-scanning direction. However, if the angle at which the liquid discharge head 5 is tilted with respect to the scanning direction is not considered, it may not be possible to arrange the nozzles 51 at equal intervals in the non-scanning direction, making it difficult to arrange the droplets 4 at equal intervals on the substrate 2. In other words, uneven supply of droplets 4 may occur on the substrate 2. Therefore, in this embodiment, the liquid discharge head 5 is configured (designed) so that the nozzles 51 are arranged at equal intervals in the non-scanning direction for each of several desired pitches, depending on the angle (attitude) at which the liquid discharge head 5 is tilted with respect to the scanning direction. The non-scanning direction can be defined as the direction (predetermined direction, X direction) perpendicular to the scanning direction in a plane parallel to the discharge surface 5a of the liquid discharge head 5. 【0026】 The configuration of the liquid discharge head 5 in this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a view of the discharge surface 5a of the liquid discharge head 5 seen from above, and shows an example of the arrangement of the nozzles 51 on the discharge surface 5a. 【0027】 In the liquid discharge head 5 of this embodiment, m nozzle rows 52 are provided on the discharge surface 5a. Each nozzle row 52 consists of multiple nozzles 51 that discharge droplets 4, arranged in one direction D1 (linearly) at a pitch A (distance A). The m nozzle rows 52 are arranged on the discharge surface 5a with a first distance d1 (d1 = A / m) in the one direction D1 and a second distance d2 in the direction D2 perpendicular to the one direction D1. Here, Figure 3 illustrates an example in which four (i.e., m = 4) nozzle rows 52a to 52d are provided on the discharge surface 5a, but the number of nozzle rows 52 provided on the discharge surface 5a is not limited to four; it can be two or more. Furthermore, each nozzle row 52 may be understood as a discharge hole row consisting of multiple discharge holes that discharge droplets 4, arranged in one direction D1 at a pitch A. 【0028】 Figure 3(a) shows an example of nozzle arrangement when the liquid discharge head 5 is in a first position in the rotational direction (θZ direction) in a plane parallel to the discharge surface 5a. In the first position, the arrangement direction (one direction D1) of the nozzles 51 in each nozzle row 52 is parallel to the non-scanning direction (X direction). In this case, the nozzles 51 are arranged at equal intervals in the non-scanning direction across the m nozzle rows. The pitch p1 at which the nozzles 51 are arranged at equal intervals in the non-scanning direction in the first position is equal to the first distance d1. 【0029】 Furthermore, Figure 3(b) shows an example of nozzle 51 arrangement when the liquid discharge head 5 is in a second position in the rotational direction (θZ direction) in a plane parallel to the discharge surface 5a. In the second position, in the rotational direction in a plane parallel to the discharge surface 5a, the arrangement direction (one direction D1) of the nozzles 51 in each nozzle row 52 is tilted at an angle θ with respect to the non-scanning direction (X direction). The angle θ is determined to satisfy the following equation (1). In this case as well, the nozzles 51 are arranged at equal intervals in the non-scanning direction across the entire m nozzle rows 52. The pitch p2 at which the nozzles 51 are arranged at equal intervals in the non-scanning direction in the second position is given by the following equation (2). In equation (1), "n" is a natural number (n=1,2,3,...) and "θ" is not zero or an integer multiple of π / 2. d2 = 2n·d1 / tanθ …(1) p2 = p1·cosθ …(2) 【0030】 The angle θ is selected from within the range of 5 to 10 degrees, and the natural number n is selected from within the range of 2 to 4. As an example, the resolution in the non-scanning direction is set to 600 dpi, the number of nozzle rows 52 is set to 4, and the angle θ is set to 10 degrees. The resolution in the non-scanning direction may be understood as an indicator representing the pitch of the non-scanning droplets 4 to be supplied onto the substrate 2. In this case, the pitch p1 of the nozzles 51 in the first position can be set to 42.3 μm, and the pitch p2 of the nozzles 51 in the second position can be set to 41.7 μm, which is cosθ narrower than the pitch p1. In addition, the second distance d2 can be set to n times 480.2 μm, but if "n" is set too small, it becomes difficult to manufacture the liquid ejection head 5, and if "n" is set too large, the liquid ejection head 5 may become large. 【0031】 As described above, in the first position of the liquid discharge head 5 of this embodiment, where the arrangement direction of the nozzles 51 in each nozzle row 52 is parallel to the non-scanning direction, the nozzles 51 are arranged at equal intervals in the non-scanning direction with a pitch p1 (p1=d1). In other words, by performing the discharge process in the first position, droplets 4 can be supplied onto the substrate 2 at equal intervals with a pitch p1 in the non-scanning direction. Furthermore, in the second position of the liquid discharge head 5 of this embodiment, where the arrangement direction of the nozzles 51 in each nozzle row 52 is tilted at an angle θ with respect to the non-scanning direction, the nozzles 51 are arranged at equal intervals in the non-scanning direction with a pitch p2 (p2=p1·cosθ). In other words, by performing the discharge process in the second position, droplets 4 can be supplied onto the substrate 2 at equal intervals with a pitch p2 in the non-scanning direction. Therefore, according to the liquid discharge head 5 of this embodiment, for each of the multiple desired pitches, droplets 4 can be supplied onto the substrate 2 at equal intervals in the non-scanning direction with high accuracy, and unevenness in the supply of droplets 4 on the substrate can be reduced. 【0032】 Here, the first and second postures were given as examples of the postures of the liquid discharge head 5 in which the nozzles 51 are arranged at equal intervals in the non-scanning direction. However, the postures are not limited to two types, and there may be three or more types. Furthermore, the posture of the liquid discharge head 5 may be determined by the control unit 11. The control unit 11 can determine the angle θ by which the drive mechanism 12 rotates the liquid discharge head 5 in the θZ direction to change the pitch of the nozzles 51 in the non-scanning direction, such that it satisfies the above equation (1). For example, the determination of the angle θ may be performed based on resolution information indicating the resolution in the non-scanning direction. The liquid supply device 1 is provided with a user interface (display unit, input unit), and multiple types of resolutions may be displayed on the display unit in a selectable format. These multiple types of resolutions are set to the resolutions obtained in the postures of the liquid discharge head 5 that satisfy the above equation (1), and include the resolution obtained with the liquid discharge head 5 in the first posture and the resolution obtained with the liquid discharge head 5 in the second posture. As a result, the control unit 11 can acquire the resolution selected by the user via the input unit from among several types of resolutions as resolution information, and determine the orientation of the liquid discharge head 5 based on this resolution information so as to satisfy the above equation (1). 【0033】 <Second Embodiment> A second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the liquid discharge head 5, vibration occurs in each nozzle 51 due to the discharge of droplets 4. If this vibration affects other nozzles 51, it may become difficult to accurately supply droplets 4 onto the substrate 2 from those other nozzles 51. This phenomenon is sometimes called crosstalk. In this embodiment, the orientation of the liquid discharge head 5 during the discharge process is determined based on arrangement information (e.g., design data) indicating the arrangement of multiple target areas on the substrate 2, so as to reduce the effect of crosstalk. Below, an example is described in which the orientation of the liquid discharge head 5 during the discharge process is selected from a first orientation and a second orientation based on the arrangement information so as to reduce the effect of crosstalk. Note that this embodiment basically follows the first embodiment, and matters other than those mentioned below may be followed in accordance with the first embodiment. 【0034】 Figures 4 and 5 show examples of the arrangement of multiple target regions 21 on the substrate 2. Each target region 21 is a region (pixel region) to which droplets 4 should be supplied to form pixels on the substrate 2. Multiple target regions 21 can be classified into pixel regions of three colors: RGB (Red, Green, Blue). In Figures 4 and 5, each target region is labeled "R," "G," and "B" to indicate which type of pixel it is intended to form. 【0035】 Figure 4 shows an example in which multiple target regions 21a, extending longitudinally in the non-scanning direction (X direction), are arranged on the substrate 2 along the scanning direction (Y direction). Each target region 21a is configured, for example, in a rectangular shape, and RGB target regions 21a are repeatedly arranged in the scanning direction. Figure 5 shows an example in which multiple target regions 21b, with different pixel sizes and inter-pixel distances for RGB, are arranged on the substrate 2. Each target region 21b may be configured, for example, in a circular shape. Here, as in the substrate 2 shown in Figures 4 and 5, when it is necessary to supply droplets 4 in three RGB colors to each target region 21, the liquid supply device 1 may be provided with three types of liquid ejection heads 5 that eject droplets 4 (ink) of different colors. The three types of liquid ejection heads 5 may be arranged, for example, along the non-scanning direction (X direction). 【0036】 The following describes the effects of crosstalk on each substrate 2 shown in Figures 4 and 5, when the liquid is dispensed using the liquid dispensing head 5 in the first position and when the liquid is dispensed using the liquid dispensing head 5 in the second position, with reference to Figures 6 to 8. 【0037】 Figure 6 shows an example of liquid ejection processing being performed by the liquid ejection head 5 on the target region 21a of the R pixel on the substrate 2 in Figure 4. In Figure 6, only one nozzle row 52 of the liquid ejection head 5 is shown. This single nozzle row 52 includes nozzles 51a to 51d. 【0038】 Figure 6(a) shows the liquid ejection process being performed on the target area 21a of the R pixel on the substrate 2 by the liquid ejection head 5 in the first orientation. As mentioned above, the first orientation is the orientation of the liquid ejection head 5 when the arrangement direction of the nozzles 51 in the nozzle row 52 is parallel to the non-scanning direction. In this case, all of the nozzles 51a to 51d are positioned on the target area 21a of the R pixel, so during the ejection process, droplets 4 are ejected from the nozzles 51a to 51d at the same time. In other words, the nozzles 51a to 51d are greatly affected by crosstalk, especially between adjacent nozzles 51. As a result, it becomes difficult to supply droplets 4 accurately onto the substrate 2, and uneven supply of droplets 4 may occur on the substrate 2. 【0039】 Figure 6(b) shows the liquid ejection process being performed on the target area 21a of the R pixel on the substrate 2 by the liquid ejection head 5 in the second orientation. As mentioned above, the second orientation is the orientation of the liquid ejection head 5 when the arrangement direction of the nozzles 51 in the nozzle row 52 is tilted at an angle θ with respect to the non-scanning direction. In this case, of the nozzles 51a to 51d, only nozzles 51a and 51c are located on the target area 21a of the R pixel. In other words, adjacent nozzles 51, which are greatly affected by crosstalk, do not eject droplets 4 at the same time. 【0040】 Therefore, in the arrangement of multiple target regions 21a in Figure 4, by tilting the arrangement direction of the nozzles 51 with respect to the non-scanning direction, as shown in Figure 6(b), the distance between nozzles that eject droplets 4 at the same timing can be increased. In other words, the effect of crosstalk can be reduced. Also, as explained in the first embodiment, by tilting the arrangement direction of the nozzles 51 at an angle θ with respect to the non-scanning direction, the nozzles 51 can be arranged at equal intervals in the non-scanning direction across the entire m nozzle rows 52. That is, droplets 4 can be supplied at equal intervals in the non-scanning direction to each target region 21a of the substrate 2, and uneven supply of droplets 4 on the substrate 2 can be reduced. Note that in the substrate 2 of Figure 4, the target regions 21a of the G pixels and the B pixels are the same as the target region 21a of the R pixels. 【0041】 Figure 7 shows an example of liquid ejection processing being performed by the liquid ejection head 5 on the target region 21b of the R pixel on the substrate 2 in Figure 5. In Figure 7, as in Figure 6, only one nozzle row 52 of the liquid ejection head 5 is shown. This single nozzle row 52 includes nozzles 51a to 51d. 【0042】 Figure 7(a) shows the liquid ejection process being performed on the target region 21b of the R pixel on the substrate 2 by the liquid ejection head 5 in the first position. In this case, of the nozzles 51a to 51d, only nozzles 51a and 51c are located on the target region 21b of the R pixel. In other words, adjacent nozzles 51, which are greatly affected by crosstalk, do not eject droplets 4 at the same time. 【0043】 Figure 7(b) shows the liquid ejection process being performed on the target region 21b of the R pixel on the substrate 2 by the liquid ejection head 5 in the second orientation. In this case, the timing of ejection of the droplets 4 from adjacent nozzles 51a and 51b is close, and the effects of crosstalk are significant. 【0044】 Therefore, in the arrangement of the target region 21b of the R pixel in Figure 5, by aligning the nozzle 51 in the direction of arrangement parallel to the non-scanning direction, as shown in Figure 7(a), the distance between nozzles that eject droplets 4 at the same timing can be increased. In other words, the effect of crosstalk can be reduced. Note that in the substrate 2 of Figure 5, the target region 21b of the B pixel is the same as the target region 21b of the R pixel. 【0045】 On the other hand, depending on the arrangement of the target region 21 of pixels of a different color from the R pixels, the effect of crosstalk may be reduced more when the arrangement direction of the nozzles 51 is tilted relative to the non-scanning direction than when the arrangement direction of the nozzles 51 is parallel to the non-scanning direction. Figure 8 shows an example in which the liquid ejection head 5 performs ejection processing on the target region 21b of the G pixels in the substrate 2 of Figure 5. In Figure 8, as with Figures 6 and 7, only one nozzle row 52 of the liquid ejection head 5 is shown. This one nozzle row 52 includes nozzles 51a to 51d. 【0046】 Figure 8(a) shows the liquid ejection process being performed on the target region 21b of the G pixel on the substrate 2 by the liquid ejection head 5 in the first position. In this case, since all nozzles 51a to 51d are positioned on the target region 21b of the G pixel, droplets 4 are ejected from nozzles 51a to 51d at the same time during the ejection process. In other words, the nozzles 51a to 51d are greatly affected by crosstalk, especially between adjacent nozzles 51. As a result, it becomes difficult to supply droplets 4 accurately onto the substrate 2, and uneven supply of droplets 4 may occur on the substrate 2. 【0047】 Figure 8(b) shows the liquid ejection process being performed on the target region 21b of the G pixel on the substrate 2 by the liquid ejection head 5 in the second orientation. In this case, of the nozzles 51a to 51d, only nozzles 51a and 51c are positioned on the target region 21b of the G pixel. In other words, adjacent nozzles 51, which are greatly affected by crosstalk, do not eject droplets 4 at the same time. 【0048】 Therefore, in the arrangement of the target region 21b of the G pixel in Figure 5, by tilting the arrangement direction of the nozzles 51 with respect to the non-scanning direction, as shown in Figure 8(b), the distance between nozzles that eject droplets 4 at the same timing can be increased. In other words, the effect of crosstalk can be reduced. Furthermore, as explained in the first embodiment, by tilting the arrangement direction of the nozzles 51 at an angle θ with respect to the non-scanning direction, the nozzles 51 can be arranged at equal intervals in the non-scanning direction across the entire m nozzle rows 52, thereby reducing uneven supply of droplets 4 on the substrate 2. 【0049】 Thus, depending on the arrangement of the multiple target regions 21 on the substrate 2, the orientation of the liquid discharge head 5 that can reduce the effect of crosstalk during the discharge process may be the first orientation or the second orientation. Therefore, the control unit 11 of this embodiment determines the orientation of the liquid discharge head 5 during the discharge process based on the arrangement information. For example, the control unit 11 selects the orientation of the liquid discharge head 5 during the discharge process from the first orientation and the second orientation based on the arrangement information, and controls the drive mechanism 12 to achieve the selected orientation. This reduces the effect of crosstalk that occurs during the discharge process and allows for accurate supply of liquid droplets onto the substrate 2. 【0050】 <Third Embodiment> A third embodiment of the present invention will now be described. This embodiment basically follows the first embodiment, and can be applied to the first embodiment except for matters mentioned below. Furthermore, the second embodiment may be applied in this embodiment. 【0051】 In the first embodiment described above, an example was explained in which the arrangement direction of the nozzles 51 relative to the non-scanning direction is changed by rotating the liquid discharge head 5 in the θZ direction with the drive mechanism 12, as shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b). However, the discharge surface 5a of the liquid discharge head 5 may be provided with both a first nozzle group consisting of m nozzle rows 52 as shown in Figure 3(a) and a second nozzle group consisting of m nozzle rows 52 as shown in Figure 3(b). The first nozzle group and the second nozzle group are inclined at an angle θ relative to each other, and the angle θ satisfies equation (1) above. Furthermore, the first nozzle group and the second nozzle group may be provided on the same tip on the discharge surface 5a of the liquid discharge head 5, or they may be provided on different tips. Note that the first nozzle group may be understood as a first discharge hole group consisting of m discharge hole rows, and the second nozzle group may be understood as a second discharge hole group consisting of m discharge hole rows. 【0052】 As described above, the liquid discharge head 5 of this embodiment is provided with a first nozzle group and a second nozzle group. The first nozzle group is a nozzle group in which the arrangement direction of the nozzles 51 in each nozzle row 52 is parallel to the non-scanning direction, and the second nozzle group is a nozzle group in which the arrangement direction of the nozzles 51 in each nozzle row 52 is inclined at an angle θ with respect to the non-scanning direction. In this case, the control unit 11 selects the nozzle group to be used for the discharge process from the first nozzle group and the second nozzle group based on the arrangement information so as to reduce the effect of crosstalk. The method for selecting the nozzle group is the same as the method for selecting the orientation of the liquid discharge head 5 described in the second embodiment, so the explanation is omitted here. 【0053】 <Embodiment of Article Manufacturing Method> The article manufacturing method in the embodiment of the present invention is suitable for manufacturing articles such as display panels for organic ELs, microdevices such as semiconductor devices, and elements having fine structures. The article manufacturing method of this embodiment includes a supply step of supplying liquid onto a substrate using the above-described liquid supply device (liquid supply method), a processing step of processing the substrate to which the liquid was supplied in the supply step, and a step of manufacturing an article from the substrate processed in the processing step. Furthermore, such an article manufacturing method includes other well-known steps (such as firing, cooling, cleaning, oxidation, film formation, vapor deposition, doping, planarization, etching, resist stripping, dicing, bonding, packaging, etc.). The article manufacturing method of this embodiment is advantageous over conventional methods in at least one of the performance, quality, productivity, and production cost of the article. 【0054】 <Summary of Embodiments> The disclosures herein include at least the following: a liquid dispensing head, a liquid supply device, and a method for manufacturing articles. (Item 1) A liquid dispensing head having a dispensing surface for dispensing liquid, The discharge surface is provided with m rows of discharge holes, Each discharge hole row consists of multiple discharge holes arranged in one direction at a pitch A for discharging the liquid as droplets, and the m discharge hole rows are offset by a first distance d1 (d1 = A / m) in the one direction and by a second distance d2 in the direction perpendicular to the one direction. A liquid dispensing head characterized in that, in a first posture in which one direction is parallel to a predetermined direction and a second posture in which one direction is tilted at an angle θ with respect to the predetermined direction, the discharge holes are arranged at equal intervals in the predetermined direction throughout the m rows of discharge holes, and the angle θ satisfies "d2 = 2n·d1 / tanθ" (where n is a natural number). (Item 2) The liquid dispensing head is controlled to dispense droplets while the liquid dispensing head and the substrate are scanned relative to each other in the scanning direction during the process of supplying the liquid onto the substrate. The liquid dispensing head according to item 1, characterized in that the predetermined direction is a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction. (Item 3) The liquid discharge head according to item 1 or 2, characterized in that the pitch p1 in which the discharge holes are arranged at equal intervals in the predetermined direction in the first position and the pitch p2 in which the discharge holes are arranged at equal intervals in the predetermined direction in the second position satisfy "p2 = p1·cosθ". (Item 4) The liquid discharge head according to item 3, characterized in that the pitch p1 at which the discharge holes are arranged at equal intervals in the predetermined direction in the first posture is equal to the first distance d1. (Item 5) The liquid dispensing head according to any one of items 1 to 4, characterized in that the angle θ is within the range of 5 to 10 degrees. (Item 6) A liquid dispensing head according to any one of items 1 to 5, characterized in that the natural number n is in the range of 2 to 4. (Item 7) A liquid supply device that supplies liquid to each of a plurality of target regions on a substrate, A liquid dispensing head described in any one of items 1 to 6, The system includes a control unit that controls the process of discharging droplets from the liquid discharging head while scanning the liquid discharging head and the substrate relative to each other in the scanning direction, The liquid supply device is characterized in that the control unit selects the orientation of the liquid discharge head in the processing from the first orientation and the second orientation based on information indicating the arrangement of the plurality of target regions on the substrate. (Item 8) The system further includes a drive mechanism for rotating the liquid discharge head in a plane parallel to the discharge surface, The liquid supply device according to item 7, characterized in that the control unit controls the drive mechanism so that the position of the liquid discharge head in the process becomes a position selected from the first position and the second position based on the information. (Item 9) A liquid dispensing head having a dispensing surface for dispensing liquid, The discharge surface is provided with a first discharge hole group and a second discharge hole group, each consisting of m rows of discharge holes. Each discharge hole row consists of multiple discharge holes arranged in one direction at a pitch A for discharging the liquid as droplets, and the m discharge hole rows are offset by a first distance d1 (d1 = A / m) in the one direction and by a second distance d2 in the direction perpendicular to the one direction. A liquid dispensing head characterized in that the first discharge port group and the second discharge port group are inclined relative to each other at an angle θ, and the angle θ satisfies "d2 = 2n·d1 / tanθ" (where n is a natural number). (Item 10) A liquid supply device that supplies liquid to each of a plurality of target regions on a substrate, The liquid dispensing head described in item 9, The system includes a control unit that controls the process of discharging droplets from the liquid discharging head while scanning the liquid discharging head and the substrate relative to each other in the scanning direction, The liquid supply device is characterized in that the control unit selects the discharge hole group to be used for the processing from the first discharge hole group and the second discharge hole group based on information indicating the arrangement of the plurality of target regions on the substrate. (Item 11) A supply step of supplying liquid onto a substrate using a liquid supply device described in any one of items 7, 8, and 10, A processing step for processing the substrate to which the liquid has been supplied in the supply step, A manufacturing process for producing an article from the substrate processed in the above-mentioned processing step, A method for manufacturing articles, characterized by including the following: 【0055】 The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, claims are attached to disclose the scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols] 【0056】 1: Liquid supply device, 2: Substrate, 3: Substrate stage, 4: Droplet, 5: Liquid discharge head, 11: Control unit, 12: Drive mechanism, 51: Nozzle (discharge hole), 52: Nozzle row (discharge hole row)

Claims

[Claim 1] A liquid dispensing head having a dispensing surface for dispensing liquid, The discharge surface is provided with m rows of discharge holes. Each discharge hole row consists of multiple discharge holes arranged in one direction at a pitch A for discharging the liquid as droplets, and the m discharge hole rows are spaced a distance d in one direction. １ (d １ (= A / m) and a second distance d in a direction perpendicular to the aforementioned one direction ２ They are arranged with a slight offset from each other. In each of the first posture in which one direction is parallel to the predetermined direction and the second posture in which one direction is tilted at an angle θ with respect to the predetermined direction, the discharge holes are arranged at equal intervals in the predetermined direction throughout the m rows of discharge holes, and the angle θ is "d ２ = 2n・d １ A liquid dispensing head characterized by satisfying the condition / tanθ (where n is a natural number). [Claim 2] The liquid dispensing head is controlled to dispense droplets while the liquid dispensing head and the substrate are scanned relative to each other in the scanning direction during the process of supplying the liquid onto the substrate. The liquid dispensing head according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined direction is a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction. [Claim 3] Pitch p at which the discharge holes are arranged at equal intervals in the predetermined direction in the first posture １ and pitch p at which the discharge holes are arranged at equal intervals in the predetermined direction in the second posture ２ wherein "p ２ = p １ · cos θ", The liquid discharge head according to claim 1, characterized in that it satisfies this. [Claim 4] In the first posture, the pitch p of the discharge holes is such that they are arranged at equal intervals in the predetermined direction. １ This is the first distance d １ A liquid dispensing head according to claim 3, characterized in that it is equal to the above. [Claim 5] The liquid dispensing head according to claim 1, characterized in that the angle θ is within the range of 5 to 10 degrees. [Claim 6] The liquid dispensing head according to claim 1, characterized in that the natural number n is in the range of 2 to 4. [Claim 7] A liquid supply device that supplies liquid to each of a plurality of target regions on a substrate, The liquid dispensing head according to claim 1, The system includes a control unit that controls the process of discharging droplets from the liquid discharging head while scanning the liquid discharging head and the substrate relative to each other in the scanning direction, The liquid supply device is characterized in that the control unit selects the orientation of the liquid discharge head in the processing from the first orientation and the second orientation based on information indicating the arrangement of the plurality of target regions on the substrate. [Claim 8] The system further includes a drive mechanism for rotating the liquid discharge head in a plane parallel to the discharge surface, The liquid supply device according to claim 7, characterized in that the control unit controls the drive mechanism so that the posture of the liquid discharge head in the process becomes a posture selected from the first posture and the second posture based on the information. [Claim 9] A liquid dispensing head having a dispensing surface for dispensing liquid, The discharge surface is provided with a first discharge hole group and a second discharge hole group, each consisting of m rows of discharge holes. Each discharge hole row consists of multiple discharge holes arranged in one direction at a pitch A for discharging the liquid as droplets, and the m discharge hole rows are spaced a distance d in one direction. １ (d １ (= A / m) and a second distance d in a direction perpendicular to the aforementioned one direction ２ They are arranged with a slight offset from each other. The first discharge hole group and the second discharge hole group are inclined at an angle θ relative to each other, and the angle θ is "d ２ = 2n・d １ A liquid dispensing head characterized by satisfying the condition / tanθ (where n is a natural number). [Claim 10] A liquid supply device that supplies liquid to each of a plurality of target regions on a substrate, The liquid dispensing head according to claim 9, The system includes a control unit that controls the process of discharging droplets from the liquid discharging head while scanning the liquid discharging head and the substrate relative to each other in the scanning direction, The liquid supply device is characterized in that the control unit selects a group of discharge holes to be used for the processing from the first discharge hole group and the second discharge hole group based on information indicating the arrangement of the plurality of target regions on the substrate. [Claim 11] A supply step of supplying liquid onto a substrate using a liquid supply device according to any one of claims 7, 8, and 10, A processing step for processing the substrate to which the liquid has been supplied in the supply step, A manufacturing process for producing an article from the substrate processed in the above-mentioned processing step, A method for manufacturing articles, characterized by including the following:

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