Liquid dispensing device, maintenance method, control method for liquid dispensing device, and method for manufacturing articles

Abstract

This technology offers advantages in improving the operating rate of liquid dispensing equipment. [Solution] The liquid dispensing device comprises a dispensing head having an end face on which a dispensing port for dispensing liquid is arranged, a maintenance member that can be arranged opposite the end face, and a temperature adjustment unit for adjusting the temperature of the dispensing head, wherein the temperature adjustment unit has the function of heating and cooling the dispensing head.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid ejection device, a maintenance method, a control method of a liquid ejection device, and an article manufacturing method.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, attempts have been made to form a pattern by applying a material of a functional element onto a substrate using a liquid ejection device. Such a patterning method has advantages such as high material use efficiency because on-demand patterning is possible, the manufacturing apparatus can be relatively small because it is a non-vacuum process, and patterns can be formed at high speed over a large area.

[0003] By the way, in a liquid ejection device, during dot pattern formation or standby, abnormalities such as deterioration of ejection failure and landing accuracy may occur due to thickening and sticking caused by drying of the liquid near the opening of the ejection port, clogging of the ejection port, and residual bubbles in the ejection port. Therefore, it is necessary to perform a recovery process to recover such abnormalities. However, when the liquid is a polymer material, it is difficult to dissolve at normal temperature, so it is necessary to raise the temperature to perform the recovery process. Patent Document 1 describes a technique for cleaning the ejection port surface by heating a base for filling the ejection port surface with a liquid. Patent Document 2 describes a technique for wiping the ejection port surface with a wiping member in a heated state.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the configurations described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, immediately after the recovery process by heating, the temperature of the discharge head is higher than normal, so the viscosity of the discharged liquid differs from that of normal, and the discharge characteristics such as velocity and volume may differ from those of normal. Therefore, stable discharge cannot be performed until the temperature of the discharge head and the liquid inside the discharge head decreases and the discharge characteristics return to normal. Thus, from the viewpoint of the operating rate of the device, it is required to quickly lower the temperature of the discharge head after the recovery process by heating.

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a technology that is advantageous for improving the operating rate of liquid dispensing devices. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention relates to a liquid dispensing device, the liquid dispensing device comprising: a dispensing head having an end face on which a dispensing port for dispensing liquid is arranged; a maintenance member that can be arranged opposite the end face; and a temperature adjustment unit for adjusting the temperature of the dispensing head, the temperature adjustment unit having the function of heating and cooling the dispensing head. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, an advantageous technique is provided for improving the operating rate of a liquid dispensing device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram showing the configuration of the liquid dispensing device of the first embodiment. [Figure 2] A diagram showing the circuit configuration for acquiring residual signals. [Figure 3] A diagram illustrating residual signal waveforms. [Figure 4] A diagram illustrating a control method for a liquid dispensing device. [Figure 5] A schematic perspective view illustrating the application of droplets of material for forming a functional element. [Figure 6]A diagram illustrating the details of the heat recovery process in step S307. [Figure 7] A schematic diagram showing the configuration of the liquid dispensing device of the first embodiment. [Figure 8] A schematic diagram showing the configuration of the liquid dispensing device of the first embodiment. [Figure 9] This diagram shows an example of the configuration of a drive circuit that drives a Peltier element, which acts as a temperature control unit. [Figure 10] A diagram showing an example configuration of maintenance components and a temperature control unit. [Figure 11] A diagram showing an example configuration of maintenance components and a temperature control unit. [Figure 12] A schematic diagram showing a part of the configuration of the liquid dispensing device of the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] 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.

[0011] Figure 1 schematically shows the configuration of the liquid dispensing device 1 of the first embodiment. The configuration and operation of the liquid dispensing device 1 will be explained with reference to Figure 1. In the specification and drawings, directions are indicated in an XYZ coordinate system in which the horizontal plane is the XY plane. Generally, the substrate 112 is placed on the substrate stage 113 so that its surface is parallel to the horizontal plane (XY plane). Therefore, below, the directions that are orthogonal to each other in the plane along the surface of the substrate stage 113 on which the substrate 112 is placed will be called the X axis and the Y axis, and the direction perpendicular to the X axis and the Y axis will be called the Z axis. Also, below, the directions parallel to the X axis, Y axis and Z axis in the XYZ coordinate system will be called the X direction, Y direction and Z direction, and the rotation direction around the X axis, rotation direction around the Y axis and rotation direction around the Z axis will be called the θX direction, θY direction and θZ direction, respectively.

[0012] The liquid dispensing apparatus 1 may be understood as a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate 112 for manufacturing articles such as display devices or semiconductor devices. The liquid dispensing apparatus 1 may also be understood as a pattern forming apparatus for forming a pattern on the substrate 112 by placing materials such as functional elements on the substrate 112.

[0013] The liquid dispensing device 1 may include a substrate stage 113 for holding the substrate 112. The substrate 112 can be appropriately selected from various substrates such as glass substrates, plastic substrates, and semiconductor substrates, depending on the product to be manufactured. The substrate 112 is typically a plate-shaped member, but it can be anything that can function as a substrate, for example, a deformable film or a circular substrate. The substrate 112 may have, for example, a pixel area 109 having an array of display pixels by applying a liquid. An evaluation area 110 may be provided on the substrate stage 113 and next to the substrate 112, where the liquid is experimentally dispensed to evaluate the state of the liquid. Alternatively, the evaluation area 110 may be provided in a specific area of ​​the substrate 112. In this specification, "liquid" may be "ink" used to form a pattern or film on the substrate 112. There are no particular limitations on the components of the ink, but for example, a liquid containing a solute and a solvent for forming an organic film can be used.

[0014] The liquid ejection device 1 may include a liquid tank 101 that stores the liquid 103, a discharge head 104 that discharges the liquid, and a liquid supply system 102 that supplies the liquid in the liquid tank 101 to the discharge head 104. The discharge head 104 may be configured to be able to discharge the liquid 103 in the form of droplets 106 toward the target position on the substrate 112. The discharge head 104 may include a plurality of discharge ports 105. The plurality of discharge ports 105 may be arranged in a matrix in the XY direction, for example. Each discharge port 105 may be provided with a discharge element including a piezoelectric element (discharge energy generating element). By controlling the discharge of the liquid 103 from each discharge port 105, the liquid ejection device 1 can apply or arrange the liquid 103 in a desired distribution at the target position within the pixel area 109 on the substrate 112. Further, the liquid ejection device 1 may further include a recovery unit 11 that detects the states (e.g., degree of contamination or discharge characteristics) of the plurality of discharge ports 105 of the discharge head 104 and performs a cleaning process or the like based on the detection result to recover the discharge characteristics.

[0015] When the substrate 112 is placed on the substrate stage 113, an alignment error may occur. Also, the substrate 112 may have shape distortion in the XY direction through various manufacturing processes. Therefore, the liquid ejection device 1 may include an alignment scope 107 for measuring the position and amount of distortion of the substrate 112. Further, since the substrate 112 may have variations in thickness, when the liquid is discharged by the discharge head 104 while scanning the substrate stage 113, variations may occur in the landing position of the droplets 106 on the substrate 112 due to the thickness variations of the substrate 112. Thus, the liquid ejection device 1 may include a height sensor 108 for measuring the position (height) of the substrate in the Z direction.

[0016] The control unit 150 controls each component of the liquid ejection device 1. The control unit 150 can be configured by, for example, a PLD (abbreviation for Programmable Logic Device) such as an FPGA (abbreviation for Field Programmable Gate Array), or an ASIC (abbreviation for Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or a general-purpose computer with a program incorporated therein, or a combination of all or part of these.

[0017] As described above, the ejection head 104 can include a plurality of ejection openings 105. Hereinafter, the surface of the ejection head 104 where the tips of each of the plurality of ejection openings 105 are open is referred to as the end face 111. The end faces of the plurality of ejection openings 105 may be understood, for example, as the surface defined by the tip of each of the plurality of ejection openings 105. The ejection head 104 may be understood as a component having an end face on which one or a plurality of ejection openings 105 for ejecting liquid are arranged.

[0018] The liquid ejection device 1 may further include a pressure control unit 100 that controls the pressure inside the ejection head 104 to eject the liquid 103. When ejecting the liquid or liquid droplets 106, the pressure control unit 100 can perform negative pressure control so that the pressure inside the ejection head 104 becomes a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure (negative pressure). By this negative pressure control, the liquid inside the ejection head 104 forms a meniscus near the opening of the ejection opening 105, and becomes a state suitable for ejecting the liquid, and it is possible to suppress the liquid from leaking at an unintended timing.

[0019] During the ejection of the liquid or during standby, troubles such as ejection failure or disturbance of the ejection level (for example, landing position) (hereinafter simply referred to as "ejection failure") may occur. The causes can be thickening and sticking due to drying of the liquid near the opening of the ejection opening 105, clogging of foreign matter inside the ejection opening 105, or residual air bubbles, etc.

[0020] The state of each discharge port 105 can be confirmed based on the waveform of a residual signal measured after the generation of a specific pressure wave. Figure 2 illustrates a circuit configuration for acquiring the residual signal. Each discharge port 105 is provided with a piezoelectric element 152 for discharging liquid or droplets from the discharge port 105. The discharge head 104 may include a drive circuit 151 that drives the piezoelectric element 152 to generate a pressure wave. The discharge head 104 may also include an amplifier 153 that amplifies the residual signal output from the piezoelectric element 152 due to the distortion of the piezoelectric element 152 by the residual pressure wave generated after the pressure wave is generated, and an AD converter 154 that performs AD conversion on the output of the amplifier 153.

[0021] Figure 3 illustrates residual signal waveforms. In Figure 3, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the change in the potential of the residual signal (residual oscillation waveform). Figure 3(a) illustrates a residual signal waveform that indicates the state of a discharge port 105 capable of stable discharge. Such a residual signal waveform is used as a reference signal waveform. If a residual signal waveform equivalent to the reference waveform is obtained, the control unit 150 can determine that the discharge port 105 is in a normal state. As the discharge malfunction of the discharge port 105 progresses, the residual signal waveform changes. For example, if there is a blockage of foreign matter inside the discharge port 105, the period of the residual signal waveform may lengthen and the amplitude may increase, as illustrated in Figure 3(b). Conversely, if there are air bubbles remaining inside the discharge port 105, the period of the residual signal waveform may shorten and the amplitude may decrease. If the detected residual signal waveform deviates from the reference signal waveform beyond the acceptable range, the control unit 150 can determine that a discharge malfunction has occurred in the discharge port 105.

[0022] The liquid dispensing device 1 may include a recovery unit 11 for restoring the function of the dispensing head 104. The recovery unit 11 may include a maintenance member 114 that can be positioned to face the end face 111 of the dispensing head 104. The maintenance member 114 may be, for example, a cap that can be positioned to face the end face 111 of the dispensing head 104, but may also include, for example, a wiping member for wiping the end face 111 of the dispensing head 104. The wiping member may have, for example, a flat surface that contacts the end face 111. The recovery unit 11 may further include a temperature control unit 115 for adjusting the temperature of the dispensing head 104. The temperature control unit 115 may have the function of heating and cooling (forced cooling) the dispensing head 104. The temperature control unit 115 may include, for example, a Peltier element. Alternatively, the temperature control unit 115 may include a heater and a liquid cooler.

[0023] In one aspect, the maintenance member 114 may include a cap that holds cleaning fluid so that the cleaning fluid for cleaning the end face 111 of the discharge head 104 comes into contact with the end face 111. In such a configuration, a temperature control unit 115 (e.g., a Peltier element) may be arranged to control the temperature of the discharge head 104 by adjusting the temperature of the cap.

[0024] The cap, which serves as a maintenance component 114, may have a recess 161 for storing cleaning fluid for cleaning the end face 111 of the discharge head 104. The liquid discharge device 1 may include a supply passage 120 for supplying cleaning fluid to the recess 161 and a recovery passage 122 for recovering the cleaning fluid from the recess 161. The liquid discharge device 1 may also include a supply unit 118 for supplying cleaning fluid to the recess 161 through the supply passage 120, and a recovery unit 121 for recovering cleaning fluid from the recess 161 through the recovery passage 122. If the temperature control unit 115 includes multiple Peltier elements, the supply passage 120 and the recovery passage 122 may be arranged to pass between the multiple Peltier elements.

[0025] The recovery unit 11 or liquid dispensing device 1 may further include a drive mechanism 117 for moving the maintenance member 114 so that it faces the end face 111 of the dispensing head 104. The drive mechanism 117 may be configured to drive the maintenance member 114 in the X, Y, and Z directions, for example. The drive mechanism 117 may further be configured to drive the maintenance member 114 in at least one of the θX, θY, and θZ directions. If the maintenance member 114 constitutes a movable part integrated with a temperature control unit 115 or the like, the drive mechanism 117 may be configured to drive the maintenance member 114 by driving the movable part.

[0026] In one view, the control unit 150 may be understood as a component that controls the ejection head 104 and the temperature control unit 115. When the control unit 150 performs a maintenance operation in which the end face 111 of the ejection head 104 is maintained by the maintenance member 114, it may cause the temperature control unit 115 to heat the ejection head and then cause the temperature control unit 115 to cool the ejection head. In another view, the control unit 150 may be understood as a component that controls the ejection head 104 in a liquid supply operation in which liquid is supplied to an object such as a substrate 112, so that liquid is ejected from the ejection port 105. When the liquid supply operation is performed after a maintenance operation, the control unit 150 may cause the temperature control unit 115 to cool the ejection head 104 during the maintenance operation and then perform the liquid supply operation (print operation). With such a configuration or operation, the operating rate of the liquid ejection device can be improved compared to when the liquid ejection operation (print operation) is performed after waiting for the ejection head 104 to cool naturally after performing maintenance that involves heating the ejection head 104.

[0027] The liquid dispensing device 1 may include a temperature sensor 131 that directly or indirectly detects the temperature of the dispensing head 104. The control unit 150 recognizes the temperature of the dispensing head 104 based on the output of the temperature sensor 131 and can, for example, perform a liquid supply operation after confirming that the dispensing head 104 has cooled to an appropriate temperature during a maintenance operation. The recovery unit 11 or the liquid dispensing device 1 may include a camera 142 that images the end face 111 of the dispensing head 104, and may also include a camera drive mechanism that changes the position of the camera 142.

[0028] Figure 4 illustrates a control method for the liquid dispensing device 1. In step S301, the control unit 150 may control a substrate transport device (not shown) to transport the substrate 112 into the liquid dispensing device 1 and hold it on the substrate stage 113. In step S302, the control unit 150 may control the substrate stage 113 and the alignment scope 107 to perform alignment measurement of the substrate 112 held by the substrate stage 113. In step S303, the control unit 150 may control the substrate stage 113 and the height sensor 108 to measure the height of the substrate 112. Information regarding the position, strain amount, and height of the substrate 112 obtained from the alignment measurement and height measurement may be stored, for example, in the memory of the control unit 150.

[0029] In step S304, the control unit 150 may determine whether or not recovery processing of the discharge port 105 is necessary. This determination may be made, for example, by determining whether the first peak position of the residual signal waveform matches the first peak position of the reference signal waveform within an acceptable range. However, the determination of whether or not recovery processing is necessary in step S304 may be made by other methods. If it is determined in step S304 that recovery processing is not necessary, the control unit 150 proceeds to step S308. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S304 that recovery processing is necessary, the control unit 150 proceeds to step S305.

[0030] In step S305, the control unit 150 may perform a recovery process at room temperature. This recovery process at room temperature may be, for example, a suction recovery process using a non-contact wipe. Once the recovery process at room temperature is complete, the control unit 150 proceeds to step S306. In step S306, the control unit 150 again determines whether a recovery process is necessary. If it is determined that a recovery process is not necessary, the control unit 150 proceeds to step S308. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S306 that a recovery process is necessary, the control unit 150 proceeds to step S307. In step S307, a heating recovery process is performed. The heating recovery process will be described later.

[0031] In step S308, the control unit 150 generates ejection control information based on a list of target positions on the substrate 112 where droplets should be placed. The ejection control information may include control information for placing droplets at target positions in the pixel area 109 and the evaluation area 110 on the substrate 112. Step S308 may be performed before steps S304 to S307, or it may be performed in parallel with at least a portion of steps S304 to S307.

[0032] In step S309, the control unit 150 performs a liquid ejection operation (printing operation). Specifically, the control unit 150 drives the ejection head 104 and the substrate stage 113 in synchronous motion, for example, and causes the ejection head 104 to eject droplets based on ejection control information. In this control, instead of moving the substrate stage 113, the control unit 150 may move the ejection head 104 in the XY plane without moving the substrate stage 113. Alternatively, the control unit 150 may move both the substrate stage 113 and the ejection head 104. Figure 5 shows a schematic perspective view illustrating the coating of droplets of material for forming functional elements. In Figure 5, the substrate 400 has a substrate surface 401 which is the surface on which the functional elements are formed. Multiple functional elements 402 can be formed in a matrix on the substrate surface 401. Although only 7 × 5 functional elements 402 are shown in Figure 5, a very large number of functional elements can actually be formed. In step S309, the control unit 150 controls a substrate transport device (not shown) to discharge the substrate 112 from the liquid dispensing device 1.

[0033] As mentioned above, if the function of the discharge head 104 cannot be restored by the room temperature recovery process, the control unit 150 performs a heating recovery process. When the temperature near the discharge port 105 rises, the discharge characteristics such as the velocity and volume of the discharged liquid change, so in order to make the discharge port 105 capable of stable discharge, a waiting time is required until the temperature returns to the appropriate level. To shorten this time, in this embodiment, the discharge head 104 is heated to perform a recovery process for the discharge head 104, and then the discharge head 104 is cooled. The cooling is a cooling method that increases the rate of cooling (i.e., the rate of temperature decrease) compared to natural cooling.

[0034] Figure 6 shows a detailed example of the heating recovery process in step S307. In the following explanation referring to Figure 6, unless otherwise specified, it is assumed that the maintenance member 114 is a cap. In step S601, the control unit 150 controls the drive mechanism 117 to move the maintenance member 114 below the end face 111 of the discharge head 104, so as schematically shown in Figure 7, so as to face the end face 111. In other words, in step S601, the control unit 150 positions the maintenance member 114 so as to face the end face 111.

[0035] In step S602, the control unit 150 controls the recovery unit 121, as shown in Figure 8, to supply cleaning liquid 123 into the space between the end face 111 and the maintenance member 114 so that the cleaning liquid 123 contacts the end face 111 of the discharge head 104. In other words, in step S602, the control unit 150 supplies cleaning liquid 123 into the recess 161 so that the cleaning liquid 123 contacts the end face 111 of the discharge head 104. The cleaning liquid 123 is not particularly limited, but for example, a liquid of the same quality as the solvent of the liquid discharged from the discharge head 104 may be used. Alternatively, the liquid may be used as the cleaning liquid by pressurizing the liquid tank 101 with the pressure control unit 100 to discharge liquid from the discharge port 105. In that case, a recovery effect can also be expected by discharging foreign matter clogging the discharge port 105.

[0036] Next, in step S603, the control unit 150 heats the discharge head 104. Specifically, in step S603, the control unit 150 controls the temperature adjustment unit 115 to heat the maintenance member 114. By heating the maintenance member 114, the cleaning liquid 123 is also heated, which in turn heats the discharge head 104. As a result, any liquid or substance adhering to the end face 111 can be dissolved in the cleaning liquid 123.

[0037] In step S604, the control unit 150 controls the recovery unit 121 to recover the cleaning liquid 123, which contains the liquid or substance that was stuck to the end face 111, into the recovery unit 121. In other words, the control unit 150 discharges the cleaning liquid 123 in the space between the end face 111 of the discharge head 104 and the maintenance member 114, or in other words, in the recess 161, into the recovery passage 122.

[0038] In step S605, as shown in Figure 8, the recovery unit 121 is controlled to supply cleaning liquid 123 to the space between the end face 111 of the discharge head 104 and the maintenance member 114 so that the cleaning liquid 123 contacts the end face 111 of the discharge head 104 again. In other words, in step S605, the control unit 150 supplies cleaning liquid 123 to the recess 161 so that the cleaning liquid contacts the end face 111 of the discharge head 104. Alternatively, the liquid tank 101 may be pressurized by the pressure control unit 100 to discharge liquid from the discharge port 105, and this liquid may be used as the cleaning liquid. In that case, a recovery effect can also be expected by discharging foreign matter that is clogging the discharge port 105.

[0039] Next, in step S606, the control unit 150 cools the discharge head 104. Specifically, in step S603, the control unit 150 controls the temperature adjustment unit 115 to cool the maintenance member 114. Cooling the maintenance member 114 also cools the cleaning liquid 123, which in turn cools the discharge head 104. Step S606 may be performed so that the temperature of the discharge head 104 drops to an appropriate temperature for executing step S309.

[0040] In step S607, the control unit 150 controls the recovery unit 121 to recover the cleaning liquid 123 in the space between the end face 111 of the discharge head 104 and the maintenance member 114, in other words, the space in the recess 161, into the recovery unit 121. In other words, the control unit 150 discharges the cleaning liquid 123 in the space between the end face 111 of the discharge head 104 and the maintenance member 114, in other words, the space in the recess 161, into the recovery path 122. In step S608, the control unit 150 controls the drive mechanism 117 to retract the maintenance member 114 from below the end face 111 of the discharge head 104.

[0041] Instead of using a cap as the maintenance member 114 as described above, a wiping member that wipes the end face 111 of the discharge head 104 may be used. In this case, the discharge head 104 can be heated and cooled by heating and cooling the wiping member with the temperature control unit 115.

[0042] Figure 9 shows an example configuration of a drive circuit 170 that drives a Peltier element PE as an example of a temperature control unit 115. The drive circuit 170 can be controlled by a control unit 150. The Peltier element PE may have a first terminal PL1 and a second terminal PL2. The drive circuit 170 may include a first switch PQ1, a second switch PQ2, a third switch NQ1, and a fourth switch NQ2. In one example, the first switch PQ1 and the second switch PQ2 may be composed of PMOS transistors, and the third switch NQ1 and the fourth switch NQ2 may be composed of NMOS transistors.

[0043] In heating mode, when the discharge head 104 or maintenance member 114 is heated by the Peltier element PE, the control unit 150 supplies a control signal P2 to the second switch PQ2 to turn on the second switch PQ2 and supplies a pulse width modulated signal to the third switch NQ1. Also in heating mode, the control unit 150 supplies a control signal P1 to the first switch PQ1 to turn off the first switch PQ1 and supplies a control signal N2 to the fourth switch NQ2 to turn off the fourth switch NQ2. The control unit 150 can control the temperature of the discharge head 104 or maintenance member 114 by controlling the duty cycle of the pulse width modulated signal.

[0044] In cooling mode, when the discharge head 104 or maintenance member 114 is cooled by the Peltier element PE, the control unit 150 supplies a control signal P1 to the first switch PQ1 to turn on the first switch PQ1 and supplies a pulse width modulated signal to the fourth switch NQ2. Also in cooling mode, the control unit 150 supplies a control signal P2 to the second switch PQ2 to turn off the second switch PQ2 and supplies a control signal N1 to the third switch NQ1 to turn off the third switch NQ1. The control unit 150 can control the temperature of the discharge head 104 or maintenance member 114 by controlling the duty cycle of the pulse width modulated signal.

[0045] Figures 10 and 11 show examples of the configuration of the maintenance member 114 and the temperature control unit 115. The cap CP, which serves as the maintenance member 114, may have a recess 161 for storing cleaning fluid for cleaning the end face 111 of the discharge head 104. The supply unit 118 can supply cleaning fluid to the recess 161 through the supply passage 120, and the recovery unit 121 can recover the cleaning fluid from the recess 161 through the recovery passage 122. If the temperature control unit 115 includes multiple Peltier elements, the supply passage 120 and the recovery passage 122 may be arranged to pass between the multiple Peltier elements. The Peltier element PE is provided with a heat dissipation layer 804, and the Peltier element PE may be placed between the cap CP and the heat dissipation layer 804. Figure 11 shows a state in which a maintenance member 114 is positioned below the end face 111 of the discharge head 104 so as to face the end face 111, and cleaning fluid 123 is supplied to the space between the end face 111 of the discharge head 104 and the maintenance member 114.

[0046] Figure 12 schematically shows the configuration of a portion of the liquid dispensing device 1 of the second embodiment. Matters not mentioned regarding the configuration and operation of the liquid dispensing device 1 of the second embodiment may follow those of the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the temperature control unit 115 is located in the dispensing head 104. The temperature control unit 115 may include, for example, a Peltier element. Alternatively, the temperature control unit 115 may include a heater and a liquid cooler.

[0047] The following describes a method for manufacturing articles according to the liquid dispensing device 1 or its control method. The method for manufacturing articles may include the steps of placing liquid droplets on a substrate using the liquid dispensing device 1 and obtaining an article by processing the substrate on which the liquid droplets are placed. Alternatively, the method for manufacturing articles may include the steps of placing liquid droplets on a substrate according to the control method of the liquid dispensing device 1 and obtaining an article by processing the substrate on which the liquid droplets are placed.

[0048] This specification and drawings include the following disclosures: (Item 1) A discharge head having an end face on which a discharge port for discharging liquid is located, A maintenance member that can be positioned to face the end face, The system includes a temperature adjustment unit for adjusting the temperature of the discharge head, The temperature control unit has the function of heating and cooling the discharge head. A liquid dispensing device characterized by the following features. (Item 2) The temperature control unit includes a Peltier element, A liquid dispensing device as described in item 1, characterized by the features described herein. (Item 3) The temperature control unit includes a heater and a liquid cooler. A liquid dispensing device as described in item 1, characterized by the features described herein. (Item 4) The maintenance member includes a cap, A liquid dispensing device as described in item 1, characterized by the features described herein. (Item 5) The maintenance member includes a cap that holds the cleaning fluid so that the cleaning fluid for cleaning the end face comes into contact with the end face, The Peltier element adjusts the temperature of the discharge head by adjusting the temperature of the cap. A liquid dispensing device according to item 2, characterized in that it is a liquid dispensing device. (Item 6) The temperature adjustment unit is located on the discharge head. A liquid dispensing device as described in item 1, characterized by the features described herein. (Item 7) The maintenance member includes a wiping portion for wiping the end face, A liquid dispensing device according to item 6, characterized in that it is a liquid dispensing device. (Item 8) The system further includes a temperature sensor that directly or indirectly detects the temperature of the discharge head. A liquid dispensing device as described in item 1, characterized by the features described herein. (Item 9) The system further comprises a control unit that controls the discharge head and the temperature adjustment unit, When the control unit performs a maintenance operation to maintain the end face with the maintenance member, it heats the discharge head with the temperature adjustment unit and then cools the discharge head with the temperature adjustment unit. A liquid dispensing device as described in item 1, characterized by the features described herein. (Item 10) The control unit controls the discharge head so that liquid is discharged from the discharge port in a liquid supply operation that supplies liquid to an object. When the liquid supply operation is performed after the maintenance operation, the control unit performs the liquid supply operation after the temperature control unit has cooled the discharge head during the maintenance operation. A liquid dispensing device according to item 9, characterized in that it is a liquid dispensing device. (Item 11) The maintenance member includes a cap, The Peltier element is provided with a heat dissipation layer. The Peltier element is positioned between the cap and the heat dissipation layer. A liquid dispensing device according to item 2, characterized in that it is a liquid dispensing device. (Item 12) The cap has a recess for storing cleaning fluid for cleaning the end face, The aforementioned liquid discharge device is A supply passage for supplying the cleaning fluid to the recess, It includes a recovery path for recovering the cleaning fluid from the recess, The temperature control unit includes a plurality of Peltier elements, The supply path and the recovery path are arranged to pass between the plurality of Peltier elements. A liquid dispensing device as described in item 4, characterized by the features described herein. (Item 13) The maintenance member is further provided with a drive mechanism for moving the maintenance member so that it faces the end face. A liquid dispensing device according to any one of items 1 to 12, characterized in that it is a liquid dispensing device. (Item 14) A discharge head having an end face on which a discharge port for discharging liquid is located, A maintenance member that can be positioned to face the end face, A Peltier element for adjusting the temperature of the discharge head, A liquid dispensing device characterized by comprising the following features. (Item 15) The system further comprises a drive circuit for driving the Peltier element, The drive circuit controls the Peltier element to heat the discharge head and then cool the discharge head during a maintenance operation to maintain the end face. A liquid dispensing device according to item 14, characterized by the features described herein. (Item 16) A maintenance method for a discharge head having an end face on which a discharge port for discharging liquid is located, A step of arranging a maintenance member so as to face the end face, A step of supplying the cleaning liquid to the space between the end face and the maintenance member so that the cleaning liquid comes into contact with the end face, The process of heating the discharge head, A step of cooling the discharge head, A maintenance method characterized by including the following. (Item 17) A control method for a liquid dispensing device having a dispensing head having an end face on which a dispensing port for dispensing liquid is arranged, A step of arranging a maintenance member so as to face the end face, A step of supplying the cleaning liquid to the space between the end face and the maintenance member so that the cleaning liquid comes into contact with the end face, The process of heating the discharge head, A step of cooling the discharge head, A step of discharging liquid droplets from the discharging head so that liquid droplets are placed on the substrate, A method for controlling a liquid dispensing device, characterized by including the following: (Item 18) A step of placing liquid droplets on a substrate using a liquid dispensing device described in any one of items 1 to 15, A step of obtaining an article by processing the substrate on which the aforementioned droplets are arranged, A method for manufacturing articles, characterized by including the following: (Item 19) A step of placing liquid droplets on a substrate in accordance with the control method for the liquid dispensing device described in item 17, A step of obtaining an article by processing the substrate on which the aforementioned droplets are arranged, A method for manufacturing articles, characterized by including the following: (others) 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]

[0049] 1: Liquid dispensing device, 104: Maintenance unit, 114: Temperature control unit

Claims

1. A discharge head having an end face on which a discharge port for discharging liquid is located, A maintenance member that can be positioned to face the end face, The system includes a temperature adjustment unit for adjusting the temperature of the discharge head, The temperature control unit has the function of heating and cooling the discharge head. A liquid dispensing device characterized by the following features.

2. The temperature control unit includes a Peltier element, The liquid dispensing device according to feature 1.

3. The temperature control unit includes a heater and a liquid cooler. The liquid dispensing device according to feature 1.

4. The maintenance member includes a cap, The liquid dispensing device according to feature 1.

5. The maintenance member includes a cap that holds the cleaning fluid so that the cleaning fluid for cleaning the end face comes into contact with the end face, The Peltier element adjusts the temperature of the discharge head by adjusting the temperature of the cap. The liquid dispensing device according to feature 2.

6. The temperature adjustment unit is located on the discharge head. The liquid dispensing device according to feature 1.

7. The maintenance member includes a wiping portion for wiping the end face, The liquid dispensing device according to feature 6.

8. The system further includes a temperature sensor that directly or indirectly detects the temperature of the discharge head. The liquid dispensing device according to feature 1.

9. The system further comprises a control unit that controls the discharge head and the temperature adjustment unit, When the control unit performs a maintenance operation to maintain the end face with the maintenance member, it heats the discharge head with the temperature adjustment unit and then cools the discharge head with the temperature adjustment unit. The liquid dispensing device according to feature 1.

10. The control unit controls the discharge head so that liquid is discharged from the discharge port in a liquid supply operation that supplies liquid to an object. When the liquid supply operation is performed after the maintenance operation, the control unit performs the liquid supply operation after the temperature control unit has cooled the discharge head during the maintenance operation. The liquid dispensing device according to feature 9.

11. The maintenance member includes a cap, The Peltier element is provided with a heat dissipation layer. The Peltier element is positioned between the cap and the heat dissipation layer. The liquid dispensing device according to feature 2.

12. The cap has a recess for storing cleaning fluid for cleaning the end face, The aforementioned liquid discharge device is A supply passage for supplying the cleaning fluid to the recess, It includes a recovery path for recovering the cleaning fluid from the recess, The temperature control unit includes a plurality of Peltier elements, The supply path and the recovery path are arranged to pass between the plurality of Peltier elements. The liquid dispensing device according to feature 4.

13. The maintenance member is further provided with a drive mechanism for moving the maintenance member so that it faces the end face. The liquid dispensing device according to feature 1.

14. A discharge head having an end face on which a discharge port for discharging liquid is located, A maintenance member that can be positioned to face the end face, A Peltier element for adjusting the temperature of the discharge head, A liquid dispensing device characterized by comprising the following features.

15. The system further comprises a drive circuit for driving the Peltier element, The drive circuit controls the Peltier element to heat the discharge head and then cool the discharge head during a maintenance operation to maintain the end face. The liquid dispensing device according to feature 14.

16. A maintenance method for a discharge head having an end face on which a discharge port for discharging liquid is located, A step of arranging a maintenance member so as to face the end face, A step of supplying the cleaning liquid to the space between the end face and the maintenance member so that the cleaning liquid comes into contact with the end face, The process of heating the discharge head, A step of cooling the discharge head, A maintenance method characterized by including the following.

17. A control method for a liquid dispensing device having a dispensing head having an end face on which a dispensing port for dispensing liquid is arranged, A step of arranging a maintenance member so as to face the end face, A step of supplying the cleaning liquid to the space between the end face and the maintenance member so that the cleaning liquid comes into contact with the end face, The process of heating the discharge head, A step of cooling the discharge head, A step of discharging liquid droplets from the discharging head so that liquid droplets are placed on the substrate, A method for controlling a liquid dispensing device, characterized by including the following:

18. A step of placing liquid droplets on a substrate using a liquid dispensing device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, A step of obtaining an article by processing the substrate on which the aforementioned droplets are arranged, A method for manufacturing articles, characterized by including the following:

19. A step of placing liquid droplets on a substrate according to the control method for a liquid dispensing device described in claim 17, A step of obtaining an article by processing the substrate on which the aforementioned droplets are arranged, A method for manufacturing articles, characterized by including the following:

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