Exposure apparatus, exposure method

Abstract

The present invention provides an exposure apparatus and exposure method for exposing a substrate having stepped portions on its surface while focusing using a focusing unit. [Solution] The exposure apparatus is an exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate having a stepped portion on its surface while focusing using a focus unit, and includes a control unit that changes the measurement conditions of the focus unit based on the relative positional relationship between the measurement position of the focus unit and the stepped portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus and an exposure method. This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-058723 filed on March 31, 2022, and incorporates the content herein by reference.

Background Art

[0002] When manufacturing semiconductor elements, liquid crystal display elements, etc. in a photolithography process, a projection exposure apparatus that transfers the pattern of a mask (reticle) onto a substrate through a projection optical system is used. Here, for the purpose of eliminating the influence of the deflection or flatness of the substrate, an apparatus has been proposed that divides the substrate into regions where the focus position (position in the optical axis direction of the projection optical system) is substantially the same, and performs exposure for each region (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an exposure apparatus is an exposure apparatus that performs exposure while focusing on a substrate having a stepped portion on its surface using a focus unit, and includes a control unit that changes measurement conditions by the focus unit based on a relative positional relationship between a measurement position by the focus unit and the stepped portion.

[0005] According to a second aspect of the present invention, an exposure method is an exposure method that performs exposure while focusing on a substrate having a stepped portion on its surface using a focus unit, and includes a step of changing measurement conditions by the focus unit when a relative positional relationship between a measurement position by the focus unit and the stepped portion is in a specific region set corresponding to the stepped portion.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006] [Figure 1] This is a front view of the main components of the exposure apparatus according to the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a plan view showing the substrate arranged in the exposure apparatus. [Figure 3] This is a detailed diagram of the plate holder for the exposure apparatus. [Figure 4] This is a front view of the conveying device according to the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure 4 is a plan view showing the substrate arranged on the transport device. [Figure 6] This diagram shows the reference edge of the circuit board. [Figure 7] Details of the alignment marks according to the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view of the substrate before the exposure process. [Figure 9] Figure 1 shows the focusing of the exposure apparatus and the substrate. [Figure 10] Figure 2 shows the focusing of the exposure apparatus and the substrate. [Figure 11] Figure 3 shows the focusing of the exposure apparatus and the substrate. [Figure 12] Figure 4 shows the focusing of the exposure apparatus and the substrate. [Figure 13] This is the first state of the process in which the substrate is transported to the exposure apparatus by a transport device. [Figure 14] This is the second stage of the process in which the substrate is transported to the exposure apparatus by a transport device. [Figure 15] This is the third stage of the process in which the substrate is transported to the exposure apparatus by a transport device. [Figure 16] This is the fourth stage of the process in which the substrate is transported to the exposure apparatus by a transport device. [Figure 17] This is the fifth state in the process of transporting the substrate to the exposure apparatus using a transport device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] (Regarding exposure system 100) An exposure system 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The exposure system 100 according to this embodiment comprises an exposure apparatus 10 and a transport apparatus 20. The exposure system 100 is used, for example, when manufacturing an organic EL display, to form TP (Touch Panel) circuits and CF (Color Filter) circuits on the upper surface of a substrate P.

[0008] The substrate P is, for example, a glass plate on which TFTs (Thin Film Transistors) are formed by vapor deposition or other methods, and then sealed. In this embodiment, the substrate P is rectangular in shape. The size of the substrate P is what is known as a G6 half (925 x 1500 mm), which is obtained by dividing a G6 size (1850 x 1500 mm) plate in half.

[0009] The exposure apparatus 10 is used for forming TP circuits and CF circuits on a substrate P. The exposure apparatus 10 exposes the substrate P, which is placed inside the exposure apparatus 10, by projecting the circuit patterns of the TP circuits and CF circuits drawn on a photomask (not shown) onto it. The photomask is a glass plate on which the pattern of the electronic circuit is drawn. In this embodiment, two substrates P are transported to the exposure apparatus 10 at one time. Hereinafter, as shown in Figure 1, of the two substrates P placed in the exposure apparatus 10, the substrate P located on the negative side of the first direction X will be referred to as the first substrate P1. The substrate P located on the positive side of the first direction X will be referred to as the second substrate P2. When the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 are not distinguished, they will be referred to as substrate P.

[0010] As shown in Figures 1 and 9, the exposure apparatus 10 includes a photomask (not shown), a stage unit 11, a removal mechanism 12, a lens 13, a focusing unit 14, optical equipment, a drive unit, a light projection unit, and a storage unit. The stage unit 11 is a part where the substrate P is placed when being exposed by the exposure apparatus 10. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the stage unit 11 includes a housing portion 11d, a third sensor 11p1, a fourth sensor 11p2, and a vacuum suction mechanism 11v.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the housing portion 11d is a groove provided in the stage unit 11. The housing portion 11d houses the holding portion 21 (described later) of the transfer device 20 that is transferred by the transfer device 20. In the stage unit 11, the holding portion 21 holding the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 is housed in the housing portion 11d. Thereby, the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 are placed on the upper surface of the stage unit 11.

[0012] The third sensor 11p1 detects the position of the first substrate P1 with respect to the stage unit 11. The fourth sensor 11p2 detects the position of the second substrate P2 with respect to the stage unit 11. The third sensor 11p1 and the fourth sensor 11p2 are so-called known contact-type potentiometers. Hereinafter, when the third sensor 11p1 and the fourth sensor 11p2 are not distinguished, they are referred to as the stage sensor 11p.

[0013] The stage sensor 11p detects the position of the substrate P by measuring the position of the end face of the substrate P. Specifically, the stage sensor 11p measures the position of the end face corresponding to the reference side of the rectangular substrate P. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the reference side is the side located on the negative side in the first direction X among the sides along the second direction Y in the substrate P (hereinafter referred to as the first side S1), and the side located on the positive side in the second direction Y among the sides along the first direction X in the substrate P (hereinafter referred to as the second side S2). The reference side is provided for each substrate P. Also, the positions of the first side S1 and the second side S2 are the same in any substrate P.

[0014] As shown in Figures 2 and 6, at least three third sensors 11p1 are provided on the first substrate P1. Specifically, for example, the third sensors 11p1 are provided on the first substrate P1 at two locations along the second side S2 and at one location along the first side S1. As shown in Figures 2 and 6, at least three of the fourth sensors 11p2 are provided on the second substrate P2. Specifically, for example, the fourth sensors 11p2 are provided on the second substrate P2 at two locations along the second side S2 and at one location on the side opposite the first side S1. In this case, it is preferable that the third sensor 11p1 provided on the first side S1 of the first substrate P1 and the fourth sensor 11p2 provided on the side opposite the first side S1 of the second substrate P2 are located near the sides opposite the second side S2. This is preferable to further improve the detection accuracy of the positions of the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 by the third sensor 11p1 and the fourth sensor 11p2. The vacuum suction mechanism 11v prevents the substrate P, which is placed on the upper surface of the stage unit 11, from shifting position relative to the stage unit 11. This allows the stage unit 11 to hold the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 by suction. As shown in Figure 3, the vacuum suction mechanism 11v has multiple holes provided on the upper surface of the stage unit 11. The vacuum suction mechanism 11v lowers the air pressure inside the holes when the openings of the holes are blocked by the substrate P. This allows the vacuum suction mechanism 11v to hold the substrate P to the stage unit 11 by suction. When the position of the substrate P is detected by the stage sensor 11p, the substrate P is held by suction to the stage unit 11. This prevents the position of the substrate P from shifting due to contact-type stage sensor 11p.

[0015] The removal mechanism 12 has the role of removing the substrate P after exposure is complete from the exposure apparatus 10. The substrate P is transported into the exposure apparatus 10 while placed on a holding part 21 provided by the transport device 20, which will be described later. When removing the substrate P from the exposure apparatus 10, the substrate P is removed together with the holding part 21 while it is still placed on the holding part 21. For this reason, the removal mechanism 12 has a shape that allows it to grip the holding part 21 without directly touching the substrate P. Furthermore, the removal mechanism 12 can move along the first direction X shown in Figure 1 while gripping the holding part 21.

[0016] The lens 13 is positioned between the photomask and the substrate P and projects the circuit pattern drawn on the photomask. As shown in Figure 9, the exposure apparatus 10 has multiple lenses 13 spaced apart along the Y direction. The lenses 13 are arranged in two rows along the Y direction. The focus unit 14 recognizes the position of the surface of the substrate P and outputs it as information for adjusting the position of the lens 13. The information output by the focus unit 14 is used by the exposure apparatus 10 to focus on the substrate P (details will be described later).

[0017] The optical instrument is an unillustrated configuration located near the lens 13. A known microscope is used as the optical instrument. The optical instrument detects the positions of alignment marks AM (described later) formed on the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2. This allows the position of the substrate P located inside the exposure apparatus 10 to be measured.

[0018] The drive unit has an unillustrated configuration that drives the stage unit 11. The drive unit positions the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 at the exposure position. The exposure position is a predetermined position on the substrate P when exposure light is irradiated by the light-emitting unit. In other words, the drive unit drives the stage unit 11 so that the positions of the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 relative to the light-emitting unit are at the predetermined position.

[0019] The drive unit drives the stage unit 11 based on the detection results of the third sensor 11p1 and the fourth sensor 11p2, for example. In other words, it drives the stage unit 11 based on the information about the position of the substrate P detected by the third sensor 11p1 and the fourth sensor 11p2. The drive unit may drive the stage unit 11 based on the detection results of the optical instrument. In other words, the drive unit may drive the stage unit 11 based on information about the position of the alignment mark AM detected by the optical instrument. The drive unit may drive the stage unit 11 using information stored in the memory unit regarding the positional relationship between the third sensor 11p1 and the fourth sensor 11p2 and the optical device.

[0020] Each of the above pieces of information, namely the detection results of the third sensor 11p1 and the fourth sensor 11p2, the detection results of the optical instrument, and the positional relationship information stored in the memory unit, may be used individually by the drive unit. Each of the above pieces of information may be used by the drive unit by selecting any two as appropriate. Each of the above pieces of information may be used by the drive unit by using all of the above pieces of information simultaneously. The drive unit may drive the stage unit 11 to position the first substrate P1 at the exposure position. In this case, the drive unit may drive the stage unit 11 to position the second substrate P2 at the exposure position after the irradiation of the first substrate P1 with exposure light is complete.

[0021] The light-emitting unit has an unillustrated configuration that irradiates exposure light onto the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2. The light-emitting unit irradiates exposure light onto the positioned first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2. The memory unit has an unillustrated configuration that stores the positional relationship between the third sensor 11p1 and the fourth sensor 11p2 and the optical device. For example, a known flash memory is used for the memory unit. Other recording devices may be used for the memory unit as appropriate.

[0022] The transport device 20 transports the substrate P. The transport device 20 has the role of placing the transported substrate P inside the exposure apparatus 10. The transport device 20 is sized to transport the aforementioned G6 size plates. The transport device 20 in this embodiment is particularly suitable for transporting two of the aforementioned G6 half-size plates simultaneously and placing them in the exposure apparatus 10.

[0023] As shown in Figure 4, the transport device 20 includes a holding unit 21, an alignment mechanism 22, a suction mechanism 23, a transport mechanism 24, a sensor 25, a control unit 26, and an acquisition unit. In this embodiment, each of the above components is held by a frame unit 20R. The frame unit 20R has a first frame unit 20R1, a second frame unit 20R2, and a third frame unit 20R3. The first support section 20R1 is located on top of the support section 20R. The first support section 20R1 holds, for example, the holding section 21.

[0024] The second support section 20R2 extends vertically. The lower end of the second support section 20R2 is connected to the third support section 20R3, and the upper end is connected to the first support section 20R1. In this way, the second support section 20R2 holds the first support section 20R1. The third support section 20R3 is located below the support section 20R. The third support section 20R3 supports, for example, the horizontal movement section 22b of the alignment mechanism 22.

[0025] The holding section 21 transports the substrate P. That is, the holding section 21 holds the substrate P when transporting and installing the substrate P inside the exposure apparatus 10. The holding section 21 is, for example, a grid-like member. The holding section 21 is large enough to hold a G6-sized substrate P without it protruding from the holding section 21. In other words, the holding section 21 is large enough to hold at least two G6 half-size substrates P. In this embodiment, a first substrate P1 and a second substrate P2, each having at least a G6 half-size, are placed in the holding section 21. As described above, the holding portion 21 is positioned on the first base portion 20R1. In this case, the holding portion 21 is held on the first base portion 20R1 by, for example, a spigot structure. In this way, it is preferable that the holding portion 21 is always held in a fixed position relative to the first base portion 20R1.

[0026] The alignment mechanism 22 positions the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 with respect to the holding unit 21. As described above, the substrates P are placed on the holding unit 21 and installed inside the exposure apparatus 10. If the position of the substrates P is misaligned with respect to the holding unit 21, the alignment process of the substrates P in the exposure apparatus 10 will not be performed correctly, resulting in a decrease in productivity due to the stopping of the exposure process or the need to re-feed the substrates P. To prevent this, the alignment mechanism 22 has the role of aligning the substrates P with respect to the holding unit 21.

[0027] As described above, the holding section 21 is large enough to accommodate two G6 half-size substrates P. Therefore, the alignment mechanism 22 has the function of being able to adjust the positions of at least two substrates P placed on the holding section 21 independently. The alignment mechanism 22 comprises a first alignment mechanism 221, a second alignment mechanism 222, and a horizontal movement section 22b. The first alignment mechanism 221 positions the first substrate P1. The second alignment mechanism 222 positions the second substrate P2. In this way, the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 are positioned individually.

[0028] The first alignment mechanism 221 comprises a first gripping portion 22a1 and a first vertical movement portion 22c1. The first gripping portion 22a1 supports the first substrate P1 from below. The first gripping portion 22a1 is the part that directly contacts the first substrate P1 located on the holding portion 21 and grips the first substrate P1. As shown in Figures 4 and 13, the first gripping portion 22a1 is a pincushion-shaped member. The first gripping portion 22a1 is located below the holding portion 21. Here, as described above, the holding portion 21 is a lattice-shaped member. With this shape and positional relationship, the first gripping portion 22a1 approaches the first substrate P1 placed on the holding portion 21 from below the holding portion 21. In addition, the first gripping portion 22a1 lifts and grips the first substrate P1 from below the holding portion 21 through the lattice-shaped gaps in the holding portion 21.

[0029] The first vertical movement unit 22c1 moves the first gripping unit 22a1 in the vertical direction. Here, the vertical direction refers to the third direction Z shown in Figure 4. In other words, the first vertical movement unit 22c1 moves the first gripping unit 22a1 in a straight line along the third direction Z. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, one first vertical movement unit 22c1 is provided for each first gripping unit 22a1.

[0030] As shown in Figure 4, the second alignment mechanism 222 includes a second gripping portion 22a2 and a second vertical movement portion 22c2. The second gripping portion 22a2 supports the second substrate P2 from below. The details of the configuration of the second gripping portion 22a2 are the same as those of the first gripping portion 22a1 described above. Hereafter, when the first gripping portion 22a1 and the second gripping portion 22a2 are not distinguished, they will be referred to as gripping portion 22a. The second vertical movement section 22c2 moves the second gripping section 22a2 in the vertical direction. The details of the configuration of the second vertical movement section 22c2 are the same as those of the first vertical movement section 22c1 described above. Hereafter, when the first vertical movement section 22c1 and the second vertical movement section 22c2 are not distinguished, they will be referred to as the vertical movement section 22c.

[0031] The horizontal movement unit 22b moves at least one of the first gripping unit 22a1 and the second gripping unit 22a2 in the horizontal direction. Here, the horizontal direction refers to the first direction X and the second direction Y as shown in Figure 1, etc. In other words, the horizontal movement unit 22b moves the gripping unit 22a in a straight line along the first direction X and the second direction Y. The horizontal movement unit 22b also rotates the gripping unit 22a with the third direction Z as the axis of rotation. As a result, the alignment mechanism 22 moves the substrate P in the horizontal direction. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, only one horizontal movement section 22b is provided for the first gripping section 22a1 and the second gripping section 22a2. Alternatively, the configuration may be such that one horizontal movement section 22b is provided for each of the first gripping section 22a1 and the second gripping section 22a2.

[0032] The alignment mechanism 22 positions the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 based on the detection results of the first sensor 25a and the second sensor 25b, which will be described later. In other words, it positions the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 based on the information about the position of the substrate P on the holding portion 21 detected by the first sensor 25a and the second sensor 25b. The alignment mechanism 22 may position the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 based on their relative positions. Specifically, the alignment mechanism 22 may position the second substrate P2 relative to the first substrate P1 based on their relative positions. The alignment mechanism 22 may position the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 relative to the holding portion 21 based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit. The information acquired by the acquisition unit will be described later.

[0033] Each of the above pieces of information, namely the detection results of the first sensor 25a and the second sensor 25b, the relative positions of the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2, and the information acquired by the acquisition unit, may be used individually by the alignment mechanism 22. Any two of the above pieces of information may be appropriately selected and used by the alignment mechanism 22. All of the above pieces of information may be used simultaneously by the alignment mechanism 22.

[0034] The adsorption mechanism 23 adsorbs and holds the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 to the holding part 21. As shown in Figure 3, the adsorption mechanism 23 is provided on the holding part 21. By adsorbing the substrate P to the adsorption mechanism 23, the adsorption mechanism 23 fixes the substrate P onto the holding part 21. The adsorption mechanism 23 is, for example, an opening provided at one end of a tube arranged along the grid of the holding part 21. The other end of the tube is provided with a mechanism for sucking in air. When fixing the substrate P to the holding part 21, the adsorption mechanism 23 sucks in the air inside the tube while in close contact with the substrate P. As a result, the adsorption mechanism 23 vacuum-adsorbs to the substrate P. In this manner, the adsorption mechanism 23 fixes the substrate P onto the holding part 21.

[0035] The transport mechanism 24 transports the holding unit 21 with the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 positioned in the holding unit 21. Specifically, the transport mechanism 24 transports the holding unit 21 to the exposure apparatus 10. Alternatively, it removes the holding unit 21, which is located inside the exposure apparatus 10, from the exposure apparatus 10. As shown in Figure 13, the transport mechanism 24 grips the holding unit 21 from both sides in the second direction Y. In this state, the transport mechanism 24 moves along the first direction X by a moving mechanism (not shown). This allows the transport mechanism 24 to transport the holding unit 21.

[0036] The sensor 25 detects the position of the substrate P. Specifically, the sensor 25 detects the position of the substrate P by measuring the position of the edge face of the substrate P. The sensor 25 is provided, for example, on the holding portion 21. The sensor 25 may also be provided on the first mounting portion 20R1. In this embodiment, a known non-contact type line sensor is preferably used for the sensor 25. This prevents the position of the substrate P from shifting due to the use of a contact type sensor 25.

[0037] When the sensor 25 is provided on the holding unit 21, the substrate P is directly aligned with the holding unit 21. In this case, the sensor 25 is transported into the exposure apparatus 10 together with the holding unit 21 by the transport mechanism 24. For this reason, it is preferable to use, for example, a wireless line sensor for the sensor 25. When the sensor 25 is mounted on the first mounting base 20R1, the substrate P is aligned with respect to the first mounting base 20R1. Here, the holding portion 21 is held in a fixed position relative to the first mounting base 20R1 as described above. Therefore, even when the sensor 25 is mounted on the first mounting base 20R1, the substrate P is indirectly aligned with respect to the holding portion 21.

[0038] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, the sensor 25 that detects the position of the first substrate P1 relative to the holding portion 21 is referred to as the first sensor 25a. The sensor 25 that detects the position of the second substrate P2 relative to the holding portion 21 is referred to as the second sensor 25b. Hereafter, when the first sensor 25a and the second sensor 25b are not distinguished, they will be referred to as sensor 25.

[0039] The first sensor 25a is provided on the reference edge of the first substrate P1. As shown in Figure 5, at least three of the first sensors 25a are provided on the first substrate P1. Specifically, for example, the first sensors 25a are provided on the first substrate P1 at two locations along the second edge S2 and at one location on the first edge S1. The second sensor 25b is provided on the side of the second substrate P2 that corresponds to the reference side of the first substrate P1. As shown in Figure 5, at least three second sensors 25b are provided on the second substrate P2. Specifically, for example, the second sensors 25b are provided on the second substrate P2 at two locations along the second side S2 and at one location on the side opposite the first side S1. In this case, it is preferable that the first sensor 25a provided on the first side S1 of the first substrate P1 and the second sensor 25b provided on the side of the second substrate P2 opposite to the first side S1 are located near the side opposite to the second side S2 of each. This is preferable to further improve the accuracy of detection of the position of the substrate P by the sensors 25.

[0040] As described above, two G6 half-size substrates P are placed in the holding section 21. Therefore, in this embodiment, a total of six sensors 25 are provided in the holding section 21. This arrangement helps to grasp not only the positional displacement in the straight-line direction of the plane on which the substrates P are placed, namely the first direction X and the second direction Y, but also the positional displacement in the rotational direction with the third direction Z as the axis of rotation.

[0041] The control unit 26 controls the alignment mechanism 22 based on the detection results of the sensor 25. Specifically, first, it calculates the amount of displacement of the substrate P relative to the holding part 21 based on the position of the substrate P detected by the sensor 25. The amount of displacement is the amount of displacement in the straight-line direction of the first direction X and the second direction Y, and the amount of displacement in the rotational direction with the third direction Z as the axis of rotation. Based on this calculation result, the alignment mechanism 22 moves the substrate P as appropriate. This aligns the substrate P with respect to the holding part 21. As shown in Figure 4, the control unit 26 is connected to each of the above-described components by cables. Alternatively, the control unit 26 may be built into any of the above-described components.

[0042] The control unit 26 includes, for example, a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) connected by a bus and memory, and controls the alignment mechanism 22 by executing a pre-configured control program. The control unit 26 may also be implemented using hardware such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), PLD (Programmable Logic Device), or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Computer-readable recording media include, for example, portable media such as flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, ROMs, and CD-ROMs, and storage devices such as hard disks built into computer systems. The program may also be transmitted via a telecommunications line.

[0043] The acquisition unit acquires at least two pieces of information from the following: information regarding the relative position between the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2, information regarding the relative position between the first substrate P1 and the holding unit 21, and information regarding the relative position between the second substrate P2 and the holding unit 21. The acquisition unit has a configuration that is not shown. The acquisition unit is a processing unit connected to the first sensor 25a and the second sensor 25b. The acquisition unit transmits the above-mentioned information to the control unit 26, for example. This makes the above-mentioned information available to the control unit 26 when it operates the alignment mechanism 22.

[0044] (Regarding Alignment Mark AM) Next, the alignment marks AM provided on the substrate P will be described. The alignment marks AM are used by the optical equipment of the exposure apparatus 10 to determine the position of the substrate P as it is transported into the exposure apparatus 10. Using this information, the exposure apparatus 10 aligns the substrate P with higher precision within the exposure apparatus 10.

[0045] As shown in Figure 6, the alignment marks AM are arranged in multiples at intervals along the first side S1 of the rectangular substrate P and along the side opposite the first side S1. The positional relationship of the alignment marks AM on the substrate P is recorded in advance in the exposure apparatus 10. This allows the exposure apparatus 10 to determine the position of the substrate P inside the exposure apparatus 10. Note that the multiple alignment marks AM shown in Figure 6 are schematic and do not differ in actual size or spacing.

[0046] Here, when the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 are aligned based on the first side S1, the position of the side of the second substrate P2 opposite the first side S1 may be misaligned due to the external shape tolerance of substrate P. To allow for this misalignment, as shown in Figure 6, a tolerance range T is provided on the side of the second substrate P2 opposite the first side S1 to allow for tolerances in the size of substrate P.

[0047] For example, a stage sensor 11p (fourth sensor 11p2) that measures the position of the edge opposite the first edge S1 of the second substrate P2 will have an error in the measured value due to the influence of the outer shape tolerance of the substrate P. When measuring the alignment mark AM, it is necessary to absorb the aforementioned error. One way to absorb the aforementioned error is to enlarge the alignment mark AM, for example. Alternatively, the field of view of the optical instrument may be enlarged. In this embodiment, the error is absorbed by increasing the detection range of the alignment mark AM in the first direction X by making the alignment mark AM take the following form.

[0048] In other words, as shown in Figure 7, the alignment mark AM comprises a first line AM1, a second line AM2, and a coordinate point AM3. The first line AM1 extends in the first direction X. Multiple first lines AM1 are arranged at intervals in the second direction Y. The multiple first lines AM1 form the first pattern AM1P. The second line AM2 extends in the second direction Y. Multiple second lines AM2 are arranged at intervals in the first direction X. The multiple second lines AM2 form the second pattern AM2P. The first pattern AM1P and the second pattern AM2P are arranged to intersect each other. The first pattern AM1P is arranged to intersect with the second pattern AM2P. The second pattern AM2P is arranged to intersect with the first pattern AM1P. The first line AM1 is longer than the second line AM2. Coordinate point AM3 is the reference point when setting alignment marks AM on the substrate P. Coordinate point AM3 is located in the central gap between multiple parallel second lines AM2. Sensor 25 determines the position of substrate P by determining the position of coordinate point AM3.

[0049] As shown in Figure 7, the first line AM1 has a pair of first line AM1a and second line AM1b in the second direction Y. The first line AM1a is located at one end in the first direction X, with coordinate point AM3 as the boundary. The second line AM1b is located at the other end in the first direction X, with coordinate point AM3 as the boundary. As a result, there is only one gap between the first lines AM1 in the second direction Y, at both the end and the other end of the first direction X, with coordinate point AM3 as the boundary. Hereafter, when the first line AM1a and the second line AM1b are not distinguished, they will be referred to as the first line AM1.

[0050] With coordinate point AM3 as the boundary, the first line AM1a is positioned at one end in the first direction X with a gap of 1 distance in the second direction Y. The second line AM1b is positioned at the other end in the first direction X with a gap of 2 distance (different from the 1 distance) in the second direction Y. Let the 1 distance, i.e., the gap between the first lines AM1a, be d1. Let the 2 distance, i.e., the gap between the second lines AM1b, be d2 (d2 > d1). Thus, in the first direction X, with coordinate point AM3 as the boundary, the gaps between the first lines AM1 are different. The first pattern AM1P includes a first set (e.g., a pair of first lines AM1a) consisting of first lines AM1 arranged with a first interval (e.g., d1, which is the gap between two first lines AM1a), and a second set (e.g., a pair of second lines AM1b) consisting of first lines AM1 arranged with a second interval (e.g., d2, which is the gap between two second lines AM1b) that is different from the first interval. The second set (e.g., a pair of second lines AM1b) is positioned so as not to overlap with the first set (e.g., a pair of first lines AM1a) in the first direction X.

[0051] At least four second lines AM2 are provided in the first direction X. This ensures that there are at least three gaps between the second lines AM2. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the second lines AM2 are arranged in pairs in the first direction X, centered on coordinate point AM3, and consist of the first second line AM2a, second second line AM2b, third second line AM2c, fourth second line AM2d, fifth second line AM2e, sixth second line AM2f, and seventh second line AM2g. Hereafter, these will be referred to as second lines AM2 without distinction. The gaps between the second lines AM2 are smallest between the first second lines AM2a, which have coordinate point AM3 inside them. The gaps between the second lines AM2 are set to increase as they move away from coordinate point AM3. In other words, the second lines AM2 are arranged so that the spacing between them increases as they move towards the end of the first direction X. Multiple second lines AM2 are arranged such that the spacing between adjacent second lines AM2 gradually changes in the first direction X. Multiple second lines AM2 are arranged such that the spacing between adjacent second lines AM2 increases as they move away from a predetermined position. This predetermined position is the setting coordinate position of the alignment mark AM (for example, coordinate point AM3).

[0052] In this embodiment, the largest gap between the second lines AM2 is between the sixth second line AM2f and the seventh second line AM2g. Specifically, for example, let the size of the gap between the first second lines AM2a be d3. The gap between the second lines AM2 is set to increase by Δd for each distance from the coordinate point AM3. That is, the gap between the sixth second line AM2f and the seventh second line AM2g is, for example, d3 + Δd × 6. Thus, in the first direction X, the spacing between the second lines AM2 is different from one another. Multiple second lines AM2 are arranged so that their spacings from each other include different values.

[0053] By arranging the first line AM1 and the second line AM2 in this manner, the multiple rectangles formed by the first line AM1 and the second line AM2 will all have different shapes. The second pattern AM2P is arranged such that the multiple rectangles formed by the intersection of multiple second lines AM2 with multiple first lines AM1 are all different shapes. As a result, by determining the size of the gaps between the first lines AM1 and the gaps between the second lines AM2 using an optical instrument, it is possible to determine the position of the rectangle formed by the alignment mark AM from coordinate point AM3. In this way, the exposure apparatus 10 determines the position of the substrate P based on the alignment mark AM.

[0054] In addition to the above, the position of the substrate P can be determined if at least one of the multiple rectangles provided by the alignment mark AM can be measured within the field of view of the optical instrument. Thus, according to the alignment mark AM of this embodiment, the position of the substrate P can be easily detected without expanding the field of view of the optical instrument.

[0055] It is preferable that two types of alignment marks AM be provided: one with a long dimension in the first direction X (for example, d4) and one with a short dimension (for example, d4 × 1 / 2). The one with the long dimension in the first direction X is provided, for example, along the first side S1 of the substrate P. The one with the short dimension in the first direction X is provided along the side of the substrate P opposite to the first side S1. This makes it easier to detect the detailed position afterward by first identifying the one with the long dimension in the first direction X using an optical instrument. Here, the dimension for the one with the short dimension in the first direction X is set to d4 × 1 / 2, but it is not limited to this. The dimension may be appropriately determined as any dimension within the range detectable by the optical instrument.

[0056] (Regarding focusing during exposure) Next, the focusing process during exposure using the exposure apparatus 10 will be explained using Figures 8 to 12. In this embodiment, when exposure is performed, the surface of the substrate P has a step between the touch panel surface TP and the polyimide layer PI, as shown in Figure 8. Depending on the AF function (autofocus function) of the exposure apparatus 10, there is a problem that the focus may be shifted near the boundary between the touch panel surface TP and the polyimide layer PI as the apparatus attempts to focus by following the touch panel surface TP and the polyimide layer PI.

[0057] Therefore, in this embodiment, this is avoided by the following method. Specifically, as shown in Figure 9, the area near the boundary between the touch panel surface TP and the polyimide layer PI is set as a no-go zone A. When the substrate P enters the exposure apparatus 10 in the transport device 20, and the focus unit 14 of the exposure apparatus 10 reaches the no-go zone A as shown in Figure 10, the focus value of the exposure apparatus 10 is fixed. Then, as shown in Figure 11, after the focus unit 14 of the exposure apparatus 10 has passed the no-go zone A, the fixation of the focus value of the exposure apparatus 10 is released. In this way, the above-mentioned problem is avoided by always aligning with the touch panel surface TP.

[0058] Here, as shown in Figure 12, depending on the substrate P, the position of the boundary between the touch panel surface TP and the polyimide layer PI may coincide with the position of the focus unit 14 of the exposure apparatus 10 in the second direction Y (the part marked with × in Figure 12). In this case, it is not possible to set this area as a prohibited zone A, so the following measures are taken.

[0059] In other words, the boundary can be ignored by interpolating the focus value measured by the focus unit 14 of the exposure apparatus 10 as a variation. Alternatively, the part measured by the focus unit 14 of the exposure apparatus 10 can be moved in the second direction Y so that the position of the boundary between the touch panel surface TP and the polyimide layer PI does not coincide with the position of the focus unit 14 of the exposure apparatus 10. One of the above measures ensures that the touch panel surface TP is reliably focused during exposure by the exposure device 10.

[0060] (Regarding the method of transporting substrate P) Next, the method for transporting the substrate P according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 13 to 17. In this embodiment, the substrate P is transported using a holding section 21 on which the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 are placed. Specifically, the substrate P is transported from the transport device 20 to the exposure device 10 while placed on the holding section 21. During the exposure process by the exposure device 10, the substrate P is placed on the stage section 11 of the exposure device 10. The procedure for the above-described steps will be explained below.

[0061] The method for transporting a substrate P according to this embodiment includes an information acquisition step, a positioning step, and a transport step. The information acquisition step involves the acquisition unit acquiring at least two pieces of information from among the following: information regarding the relative position of the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2, information regarding the relative position of the first substrate P1 and the holding unit 21, and information regarding the relative position of the second substrate P2 and the holding unit 21. A sensor 25 is used to acquire each piece of information. The acquisition unit acquires each piece of information detected by the sensor 25 and transmits it to the control unit 26. As a result, the control unit 26 determines the required amount of movement of the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 in the positioning step.

[0062] The positioning step is, for example, the step in which the alignment mechanism 22 positions the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 relative to the holding portion 21. In the positioning step, for example, the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 are positioned based on their relative positions. In the positioning step, the alignment mechanism 22 may position the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 relative to the holding portion 21 based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0063] First, as shown in Figure 13, each of the exposure apparatus 10 and the transport apparatus 20 is provided with one holding section 21 in a state where no substrate P is placed on it. From this state, as shown in Figure 14, the substrate P is placed on the gripping section 22a located on the transport apparatus 20 from an external device G. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 14, the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 are each placed on the gripping section 22a.

[0064] After the substrate P is placed on the gripping part 22a, the gripping part 22a aligns the substrate P, as shown in Figure 15. At this time, the control unit 26 determines the direction of movement, distance of movement, and rotation angle of the substrate P based on the position information of the substrate P detected by the sensor 25. In this embodiment, one gripping part 22a is provided for each substrate P, and each gripping part 22a is driven by a horizontal movement part 22b and an up-and-down movement part 22c. After aligning the substrate P to the specified position in this way, the gripping part 22a descends. Then, the substrate P is placed on the holding part 21. This makes the substrate P ready for transport to the exposure apparatus 10. The positioning step is completed as described above.

[0065] The transport step is the step in which the transport mechanism 24 transports the holding unit 21. At this time, the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 are positioned relative to the holding unit 21. After the alignment of the substrates P with respect to the holding unit 21 is completed, the suction mechanism 23 fixes the substrates P to the holding unit 21. Then, as shown in Figure 16, the transport mechanism 24 transports the holding unit 21 to the exposure apparatus 10. In other words, after positioning and suctioning each of the multiple substrates P with respect to the holding unit 21, the holding unit 21 is transported to the exposure apparatus 10. Here, as shown in Figure 16, when the transport mechanism 24 transports the holding unit 21 to the exposure apparatus 10, the holding unit 21 is also positioned on the exposure apparatus 10 side, so the substrates P cannot be placed on the stage unit 11 as is.

[0066] Therefore, as shown in Figure 17, the removal mechanism 12 moves the holding unit 21, which is placed on the stage unit 11, to the transport device 20. After this, the substrate P, which was placed on the holding unit 21 that was transported to the exposure device 10 by the transport mechanism 24, is placed on the stage unit 11. As shown in Figure 17, the stage unit 11 has a housing section 11d that accommodates the grid-shaped holding unit 21. Therefore, when the holding unit 21 is moved downward in the third direction Z to accommodate the holding unit 21 in the aforementioned space, only the substrate P is placed on the stage unit 11. After that, the removal mechanism 12 that transported the holding unit 21 to the transport device 20 and the transport mechanism 24 that transported the holding unit 21 to the exposure device 10 return to the exposure device 10 and the transport device 20 respectively.

[0067] After the substrate is placed on the stage unit 11, the vacuum suction mechanism 11v provided by the stage unit 11 fixes the substrate P to the stage unit 11. Once this state is reached, the exposure process by the exposure apparatus 10 is started. Furthermore, while the exposure process is underway, it is preferable to place the substrate P again on the holding unit 21, which has been transported to the transport device 20 by the removal mechanism 12, using the external device G, and then perform positioning using the gripping unit 22a. This allows the substrate P that has been exposed to be moved to the transport device 20 by the removal mechanism 12, while simultaneously transporting a new substrate to the exposure apparatus 10 by the transport mechanism 24. Therefore, it is possible to perform the exposure process efficiently without requiring any waiting time in the exposure apparatus 10.

[0068] (Regarding the exposure method for substrate P) Next, a method for exposing the substrate P according to this embodiment will be described. The method for exposing the substrate P according to this embodiment includes a receiving step, a placement step, a positioning step, and an irradiation step.

[0069] The storage step involves storing the holding unit 21, which is transported by the transport method described above, in the storage unit 11d. The placement step involves placing the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 on the upper surface of the stage section 11 by housing the holding section 21 in the housing section 11d. The positioning step involves the drive unit driving the stage unit 11 to position the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 at the exposure position. At this time, the stage sensor 11p detects the edge of the substrate P and determines the position of the substrate P. Based on this, the required amount of movement of the stage unit 11 is determined, and the drive unit performs the alignment. The irradiation step involves the light-emitting unit irradiating exposure light onto the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2. At this time, an optical instrument detects the alignment mark AM of the substrate P. This allows the precise position of the substrate P to be measured, and the irradiation of exposure light is initiated. Through the above steps, the substrate P is exposed to light to form the TP circuit and CF circuit.

[0070] As described above, according to the transport device 20 of this embodiment, the alignment mechanism 22 positions multiple substrates P relative to the holding unit 21. The suction mechanism 23 then adsorbs the multiple substrates P onto the holding unit 21. The transport mechanism 24 then transports the multiple substrates P together with the holding unit 21 to the exposure device 10. As a result, the multiple substrates P are positioned on the holding unit 21 and transported to the exposure device 10 without changing their position. In this way, by transporting the substrates P to the exposure device 10 with their positions already aligned, the time required for aligning the substrates P can be reduced. Furthermore, a decrease in productivity caused by misalignment of the substrates P relative to the exposure device 10 can be prevented. Therefore, the processing of the substrates P by the exposure device 10 can be performed efficiently.

[0071] Furthermore, the system includes a control unit 26 that controls the alignment mechanism 22 based on the detection results of the sensor 25. This allows for more reliable and accurate positioning of the substrate P.

[0072] Furthermore, at least three sensors 25 are provided for each substrate P. This allows for the detection of positional displacement in the rotational direction, in addition to the two directions of the plane on which the substrate P is placed, namely the first direction X and the second direction Y. Therefore, the position of the substrate P can be accurately and reliably determined.

[0073] Furthermore, in addition to the exposure device 10, a transport device 20 is also provided. Therefore, when the substrate P is exposed by the exposure device 10, the transport device 20 can be used to align the substrate P. This prevents a decrease in productivity caused by misalignment of the substrate P relative to the exposure device 10. Thus, the processing of the substrate P by the exposure device 10 can be performed efficiently.

[0074] Furthermore, after positioning and adsorbing each of the multiple substrates P with respect to the holding unit 21, the holding unit 21 is transported to the exposure apparatus 10. By transporting the substrates P to the exposure apparatus 10 with their positions already aligned in this way, the time required for positioning the substrates P can be reduced. In addition, a decrease in productivity caused by misalignment of the substrates P with respect to the exposure apparatus 10 can be prevented. Therefore, the processing of the substrates P by the exposure apparatus 10 can be performed efficiently.

[0075] Furthermore, the first line AM1 is spaced apart in the second direction Y, and the second line AM2 is spaced apart in the first direction X, with different spacing between the first lines AM1 and the second lines AM2. By not making the spacing between the first lines AM1 and the second lines AM2 uniform, it is easy to determine the location of the intersection point on the alignment mark AM by referring to the spacing between adjacent first lines AM1 and second lines AM2. Therefore, even without knowing the position of the entire alignment mark AM, accurate alignment can be achieved by knowing only the spacing between the first lines AM1 and second lines AM2 and the adjacent first lines AM1 and second lines AM2. Thus, this can contribute to more efficient alignment of the substrate P.

[0076] Furthermore, the alignment mechanism 22 includes a first alignment mechanism 221 and a second alignment mechanism 222. This allows the two substrates P placed on the holding portion 21 to be individually aligned. Therefore, the accuracy of the alignment can be increased. Furthermore, the sensor 25 includes a first sensor 25a and a second sensor 25b. This allows the positions of the two substrates P placed on the holding portion 21 to be determined individually. Therefore, the position of the substrates P can be confirmed with higher precision.

[0077] Furthermore, the first sensor 25a is provided on the reference edge of the first substrate P1, and the second sensor 25b is provided on the edge of the second substrate P2 that corresponds to the reference edge of the first substrate P1. By correlating the reference edges of the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 in this way, it becomes easier to confirm the position. Therefore, it becomes easier to align the substrate P.

[0078] Furthermore, according to the exposure apparatus 10 of this embodiment, the holding unit 21 is housed in the housing unit 11d, so that the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 are placed on the upper surface of the stage unit 11. This allows the substrates P to be placed directly on the upper surface of the stage unit 11 without having to move them separately from the holding unit 21. In addition, the movement of the substrates P from the holding unit 21 to the stage unit 11 can be made smoother. Furthermore, misalignment of the substrates P when they move from the holding unit 21 to the stage unit 11 can be prevented.

[0079] Furthermore, at least three stage sensors 11p are provided for each substrate P. This allows for the detection of positional displacement in the rotational direction, in addition to the two directions of the plane on which the substrate P is placed, namely the first direction X and the second direction Y. Therefore, the position of the substrate P can be confirmed with higher precision inside the exposure apparatus 10. Furthermore, the stage unit 11 holds the substrate P by suction. This prevents the substrate P from shifting position inside the exposure apparatus 10. Furthermore, the exposure apparatus 10 is equipped with a drive unit. This allows for more precise alignment of the substrate P within the exposure apparatus 10.

[0080] Furthermore, according to the transport method of this embodiment, the transport mechanism 24 transports the holding unit 21 with the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 positioned. In other words, the positioning of the substrates P is performed before the substrates P are transported into the exposure apparatus 10. This eliminates the need to perform the positioning of the substrates P inside the exposure apparatus 10. Therefore, manufacturing efficiency can be further improved.

[0081] Furthermore, according to the exposure method of this embodiment, the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P2 are placed on the upper surface of the stage section 11 by housing the holding section 21 in the housing section. This allows the substrates P to be placed directly on the upper surface of the stage section 11 without having to move them separately from the holding section 21. In addition, the movement of the substrates P from the holding section 21 to the stage section 11 can be made smoother. Furthermore, misalignment of the substrates P when they move from the holding section 21 to the stage section 11 can be prevented.

[0082] Furthermore, in the alignment mark AM according to this embodiment, the spacing between the first lines AM1 is different from each other, and the spacing between the second lines AM2 is also different from each other. As a result, the shapes of the multiple rectangles formed by the first lines AM1 and the second lines AM2 are all different. Therefore, if any one of the rectangles can be detected by the optical instrument, it is possible to determine which part of the alignment mark AM has been detected. Thus, the position of the substrate P can be reliably confirmed using the alignment mark AM while keeping the size of the optical instrument to the minimum necessary.

[0083] It should be noted that the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it has been explained that the holding section 21 can hold two G6 half-size substrates P, and the alignment mechanism 22 can adjust the positions of at least two substrates P placed on the holding section 21 independently, but it is not limited to this. Specifically, the substrates P may be of a size obtained by further dividing the G6 half-size, and the alignment mechanism 22 may have a configuration that allows the positions of three or more substrates P of such sizes to be adjusted independently.

[0084] Furthermore, although the alignment mechanism 22 has been described as having two gripping parts, if the positions of the multiple substrates P placed on the holding part 21 can be adjusted individually, then there may be only one gripping part.

[0085] Furthermore, without departing from the spirit of the present invention, the components in the above embodiments may be replaced with well-known components as appropriate, and the above-described modifications may be combined as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 10. Exposure apparatus 11 Stage Section 12 Removal mechanism 13 lenses 14 Focusing section 20 Conveying device 21 Holding part 22 Alignment Mechanism 23 Adsorption mechanism 24 Conveying mechanism 25 sensors 26 Control Unit 100 exposure system AM Alignment Mark AM1 1st line AM2 Second Line P board X 1st direction Y Second direction Z 3rd direction

Claims

1. An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate having stepped portions on its surface while focusing using a focusing unit, The invention is characterized by comprising a control unit that changes the measurement conditions of the focus unit based on the relative positional relationship between the measurement position of the focus unit and the stepped portion. Exposure apparatus.

2. The change in the measurement conditions includes fixing the focal value when the measurement position reaches a specific region corresponding to the stepped portion, and releasing the fixation of the focal value after passing through the specific region. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The change in the measurement conditions includes moving the measurement position by the focus unit to a position that does not overlap with the boundary line of the stepped portion, in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the boundary line. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The modification of the measurement conditions includes using the focal value obtained outside the specific region to supplement the measurement value within the specific region. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1.

5. The control unit is characterized by, by changing the measurement conditions, preferentially focusing on the surface at the height position that includes the exposure target area among the multiple surfaces separated by the stepped portion. An exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. An exposure method for exposing a substrate having stepped portions on its surface while focusing using a focusing unit, When the relative positional relationship between the measurement position by the focus unit and the step portion is within a specific region set to correspond to the step portion, the step of changing the measurement conditions by the focus unit, An exposure method characterized by including

7. The step of changing the aforementioned measurement conditions is: The focal value is fixed during the period when the measurement position is within the specified area. The measurement position by the focusing unit is moved relative to a position that does not overlap with the boundary line of the stepped portion, in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the boundary line. The focus values ​​obtained outside the specified region are used to complement the focus control within the specified region. Characterized by including at least one of the following: The exposure method according to claim 6.

8. The step of changing the measurement conditions is characterized by preferentially focusing on the surface at the height position that includes the exposure target area among the multiple surfaces separated by the stepped portion. The exposure method according to claim 6 or 7.

Images