Laser processing apparatus and laser processing method

Abstract

To improve processing quality of a substrate which is processed to have a drilled hole by irradiation with a laser beam.SOLUTION: A laser processing device 1 has: a table 20 capable of supporting a substrate 10; a laser irradiation part 30 for irradiating the substrate 10 supported by the table 20 with a laser beam 40; a temperature / humidity measuring part 60 for measuring the temperature and the humidity in the periphery of the substrate 10 supported by the table 20; and a control part 70 for determining a laser irradiation position on the substrate 10, on the basis of the measurement result of the temperature and the humidity obtained by the temperature / humidity measuring part 60. The control part 70 corrects a laser irradiation position on the substrate 10 with respect to a previously registered laser irradiation position, and determines the laser irradiation position, on the basis of the measurement result of the temperature and the humidity.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a laser processing technology for forming holes by irradiating a substrate with a laser.

Background Art

[0002] As an example of a laser processing apparatus for forming holes by irradiating a substrate with a laser, there is known a laser processing apparatus including an XY table for supporting a substrate, a laser light source for oscillating a laser, laser light source driving means for driving the laser light source, and table driving means for moving the XY table.

[0003] As a method for processing a substrate using the laser processing apparatus as described above, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a processing method in which a laser is passed through a diffraction grating disposed near the laser light source and split into a plurality of beams, and then the split laser is irradiated onto the substrate.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the case of the substrate processing method described in Patent Document 1 above, when irradiating the substrate with a laser, the deformation of the substrate due to the influence of the atmosphere on the substrate supported by the XY table is not particularly considered. In the processing of forming holes by irradiating the substrate with a laser, it is known that, for example, the substrate may expand and contract by about 10 to 15% and deform due to the influence of changes in temperature and humidity around the substrate.

[0006] However, in the substrate processing method described in Patent Document 1, it is not possible to correct the laser irradiation position even if the substrate deforms due to changes in temperature and humidity. Therefore, there is a concern that the hole formation position will shift, resulting in a decrease in the processing quality of the substrate.

[0007] The objective of the present invention is to provide a laser processing technology that improves the processing quality of substrates. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One embodiment of the present invention is a laser processing apparatus for forming holes in a substrate by irradiating it with a laser, comprising: a table capable of supporting the substrate; a laser irradiation unit for irradiating the substrate supported by the table with a laser; a temperature and humidity measuring unit for measuring the temperature and humidity around the substrate supported by the table; and a control unit for determining the laser irradiation position on the substrate based on the temperature and humidity measurement results obtained by the temperature and humidity measuring unit, wherein the control unit corrects the laser irradiation position on the substrate with respect to a pre-registered laser irradiation position based on the temperature and humidity measurement results.

[0009] Another embodiment of the present invention is a laser processing method for forming holes in a substrate by irradiating it with a laser, comprising: (a) placing the substrate on a table; (b) measuring the temperature and humidity around the substrate supported by the table; (c) after step (b), determining the laser irradiation position on the substrate based on the temperature and humidity measurement results; and (d) after step (c), irradiating the laser from a laser irradiation unit onto the laser irradiation position on the substrate determined in step (c) to form the holes in the substrate, wherein in step (c), the laser irradiation position on the substrate is corrected with respect to a pre-registered laser irradiation position based on the temperature and humidity measurement results, and in step (d), the laser is irradiated from the laser irradiation unit onto the corrected laser irradiation position on the substrate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] Uniform laser processing technology can improve the processing quality of substrates. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing an example of a laser processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the support configuration of the substrate by the table of the laser processing apparatus. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a plan view showing the positioning of the substrate on the table of the laser processing apparatus. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a flowchart showing an example of the laser processing procedure using the laser processing device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] One embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0013] <About laser processing equipment> The laser processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, shown in Figure 1, is an apparatus that irradiates a substrate 10 with a laser 40 to form a hole in the substrate 10. In this embodiment, the case in which a through hole 10a is formed in the substrate 10 will be described.

[0014] The laser processing apparatus 1 includes a table 20 capable of supporting a substrate 10, a laser irradiation unit 30 that irradiates the substrate 10 supported by the table 20 with a laser 40, a temperature and humidity measuring unit 60 that measures the temperature and humidity around the substrate 10 supported by the table 20, and a control unit 70 that determines the laser irradiation position on the substrate 10 based on the temperature and humidity measurement results obtained by the temperature and humidity measuring unit 60.

[0015] The laser processing device 1 is installed, for example, in a cleanroom, and the hole processing in the substrate 10 is performed by the laser processing device 1 within this cleanroom.

[0016] As the substrate 10 on which the through hole 10a is formed by the laser processing apparatus 1, for example, a ceramic green sheet, which is a thin plate-shaped member having a rectangular planar shape. However, the substrate 10 is not limited to a ceramic green sheet, and may be, for example, a glass substrate or a resin substrate mainly composed of a glass epoxy resin.

[0017] The table 20 can support the substrate 10. As shown in FIG. 2, a suction jig 90 is attached to the upper surface of the table 20, and the substrate 10 is placed on the suction jig 90. The suction jig 90 is provided with a plurality of suction holes 90a, and vacuum evacuation is performed through these plurality of suction holes 90a. Thereby, the substrate 10 is suction-held by the table 20 via the suction jig 90. Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 3, the table 20 is provided so as to be movable in the X direction and the Y direction.

[0018] Also, as shown in FIG. 1, the table 20 is provided with positioning pins 50 in which the coordinates of the installation positions on the table 20 are registered in advance, and the substrate 10 is positioned by the positioning pins 50 on the table 20. Incidentally, it is known that the substrate 10 expands and contracts and deforms mainly along the X direction and the Y direction from the vicinity of the center of the substrate 10 under the influence of changes in the temperature and humidity around the substrate 10.

[0019] Therefore, in the laser processing apparatus 1, as shown in FIG. 3, the positioning pins 50 are installed so that the positioning pins 50 are arranged at the centers of the respective sides 10d and 10e in the X direction and the Y direction of the substrate 10. Specifically, a positioning pin 50a is provided on a center line 10c passing through the center of a side 10e provided along the Y direction of the substrate 10, while a positioning pin 50b is provided on a center line 10b passing through the center of a side 10d provided along the X direction of the substrate 10.

[0020] When the substrate 10 is placed on the table 20, it is positioned and placed by these positioning pins 50a and 50b. As a result, the substrate 10 is positioned by the positioning pins 50a and 50b arranged on the center lines 10b and 10c of the sides 10d and 10e of the substrate 10 respectively.

[0021] Also, as shown in FIG. 2, the laser irradiation unit 30 includes a laser oscillator 30a, an optical modulator 30b, a galvanometer scanner 30c, a condenser lens 30d, etc. Then, the laser irradiation unit 30 irradiates the laser 40 to a desired position on the substrate 10. Specifically, the laser 40 oscillated from the laser oscillator 30a of the laser irradiation unit 30 passes through the optical modulator 30b and the galvanometer scanner 30c, and then passes through the condenser lens 30d and irradiates the substrate 10, whereby the substrate 10 is drilled.

[0022] The laser 40 is, for example, a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser, but is not limited to the carbon dioxide laser.

[0023] The laser irradiation unit 30 also includes a camera 80 as a means capable of imaging the irradiation position of the laser 40.

[0024] In the laser processing apparatus 1, a temperature and humidity measurement unit 60 is installed above the table 20. Thereby, when the substrate 10 is irradiated with the laser 40 for drilling, it is possible to measure the temperature and humidity around the substrate 10 supported by the table 20. The measurement results of the temperature and humidity obtained by the temperature and humidity measurement unit 60 are transmitted to the control unit 70.

[0025] Here, the laser irradiation position is registered in the control unit 70 in advance. Then, the control unit 70 corrects the laser irradiation position on the substrate 10 based on the measurement results of the temperature and humidity obtained by the temperature and humidity measurement unit 60 with respect to the laser irradiation position registered in advance. Further, the control unit 70 controls the laser irradiation unit 30 to irradiate the laser 40 to the corrected laser irradiation position on the substrate 10, and the substrate 10 is drilled.

[0026] Specifically, the control unit 70 reads correction data for correcting the laser irradiation position, which has been registered in advance, based on the temperature and humidity measurement data obtained by the temperature and humidity measurement unit 60, and corrects the laser irradiation position on the substrate 10.

[0027] As shown in Figure 2, the control unit 70 has pre-registered data such as the expansion and contraction rate of the material of the substrate 10 in which the through-hole 10a is formed, as registered data 70a. This registered data 70a is the expansion and contraction rate of the material of the substrate 10 corresponding to the measured temperature and humidity. For example, if the main component of the substrate 10 is ceramic material, the expansion and contraction rate to be read out is the expansion and contraction rate of the ceramic material corresponding to the measured temperature and humidity. Alternatively, if the main component of the substrate 10 is glass epoxy resin, the expansion and contraction rate to be read out is the expansion and contraction rate of the glass epoxy resin corresponding to the measured temperature and humidity.

[0028] As a result, the control unit 70 reads registered data 70a (correction data), such as the expansion and contraction ratio of the substrate 10 material, based on the temperature and humidity measurement results from the temperature and humidity measurement unit 60, and calculates the amount of expansion and contraction of the substrate 10 based on the expansion and contraction ratio of the substrate 10 material. Then, it corrects the laser irradiation position on the substrate 10 based on the calculated amount of expansion and contraction of the substrate 10. In other words, it determines the laser irradiation position.

[0029] Furthermore, the control unit 70 may store information about the substrate 10, such as its thickness and area (size). In addition, the control unit 70 stores the coordinates of the position pins 50 as registered data 70a. Moreover, the control unit 70 stores a processing program 70b used when drilling holes in the substrate 10.

[0030] As a result, when drilling holes in the substrate 10, the control unit 70 uses the position (coordinates) of the positioning pins 50, which have been previously registered as registered data 70a, as a reference 10f, and corrects the laser irradiation position on the substrate 10 using the processing program 70b.

[0031] At this time, the position of the positioning pin 50 is on the centerlines 10b and 10c of the X and Y sides 10d and 10e of the substrate 10, respectively. As a result, the position of the central part of the processed surface of the substrate 10 becomes the reference 10f when correcting the position where the laser 40 is irradiated.

[0032] <About laser processing methods> Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the laser processing procedure in this embodiment. The laser processing procedure in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 4.

[0033] The process shown in step S1 of Figure 4 is initiated. Specifically, the laser 40 is irradiated onto the substrate 10 to begin drilling holes in the substrate 10. First, the substrate 10 is placed on the table 20. More specifically, the substrate 10 is placed on a suction jig 90 provided on the table 20, and vacuum is evacuated through a plurality of suction holes 90a provided on the suction jig 90, and the substrate 10 is held in place by suction from the table 20. At this time, as shown in Figure 3, the substrate 10 is brought into contact with positioning pins 50a and 50b, and the X and Y directions of the substrate 10 are positioned by the positioning pins 50a and 50b. The coordinates of the installation positions of the positioning pins 50a and 50b are registered in the control unit 70 in advance.

[0034] Next, the temperature and humidity measurement shown in step S2 of Figure 4 is performed. Specifically, the temperature and humidity measurement unit 60, located above the table 20, measures the temperature and humidity around the substrate 10 supported by the table 20. The results of this temperature and humidity measurement are transmitted to the control unit 70.

[0035] Next, the expansion ratio determination is performed using the registered data shown in step S3 of Figure 4. Specifically, the position of the laser 40 irradiating the substrate 10 is determined based on the temperature and humidity measurement results from the temperature and humidity measurement unit 60. Here, the laser irradiation position on the substrate 10 is corrected based on the temperature and humidity measurement results from the temperature and humidity measurement unit 60 and the expansion ratio data of the substrate 10 material that has been previously registered in the control unit 70.

[0036] In detail, based on the temperature and humidity measurement results from the temperature and humidity measurement unit 60, the control unit 70 reads the expansion ratio of the substrate material 10 from the registered data 70a, and further corrects the laser irradiation position on the substrate 10 based on the read expansion ratio. That is, the preset hole drilling position is corrected based on the read data of the expansion ratio of the substrate material 10.

[0037] For example, if the substrate 10 is mainly made of ceramic material, the control unit 70 reads out the expansion and contraction ratio of the ceramic material corresponding to the temperature and humidity measurement results from the temperature and humidity measurement unit 60, and corrects the laser irradiation position on the substrate 10 based on the read-out expansion and contraction ratio of the ceramic material relative to a pre-registered laser irradiation position.

[0038] Then, during the above correction, the processing program shown in step S4 of Figure 4 is modified to reflect the expansion ratio. Specifically, the control unit 70 reads the expansion ratio of the substrate material 10 from the registered data 70a based on the temperature and humidity measurement results, and corrects the laser irradiation position on the substrate 10 by reflecting this read data of the expansion ratio of the substrate material 10 in the processing program 70b stored in the control unit 70.

[0039] In this process, the processing program 70b determines the laser irradiation position on the substrate 10, which is positioned on the table 20 by the positioning pins 50, using the position of the positioning pins 50 as the reference 10f. That is, it calculates the distances in the X and Y directions that need to be corrected using the expansion and contraction ratio of the substrate 10 material that has been read out. Based on the calculation results of these corrected distances, the laser irradiation position on the substrate 10 for drilling is corrected using the position of the positioning pins 50 as the reference 10f.

[0040] Furthermore, since it is known that a thin plate-shaped substrate 10 expands and contracts uniformly along the X and Y directions, mainly from near the center of the substrate 10, due to the influence of changes in temperature and humidity around the substrate 10, the position of the positioning pins 50 installed on the centerlines 10b and 10c of the vertical and horizontal sides 10d and 10e of the substrate 10 can be used as a reference 10f to determine the position where the laser 40 should be irradiated.

[0041] The control unit 70 determines the laser irradiation position on the substrate 10 by using a method that involves the expansion and contraction ratio of the substrate 10 material based on the temperature and humidity measurement results obtained by the temperature and humidity measurement unit 60 as described above, and a processing program 70b that reflects this expansion and contraction ratio.

[0042] Next, the processing shown in step S5 of Figure 4 is performed. That is, the laser 40 is irradiated from the laser irradiation unit 30 to the laser irradiation position on the substrate 10 determined by the processing program 70b, thereby forming a through hole 10a at the desired position on the substrate 10. At this time, the substrate 10 is imaged by the camera 80 provided on the laser irradiation unit 30, the table 20 or the laser irradiation unit 30 is moved to the determined laser irradiation position, and then the laser 40 is irradiated to the desired position on the substrate 10.

[0043] As described above, in the laser processing method of this embodiment, the laser irradiation position on the substrate 10 is corrected based on the measurement results of the temperature and humidity around the substrate 10, and the laser 40 is irradiated from the laser irradiation unit 30 to the corrected laser irradiation position on the substrate 10 to form a through hole 10a in the substrate 10.

[0044] According to the laser processing apparatus 1 and laser processing method of this embodiment, even if the substrate 10 deforms due to changes in temperature and humidity around the substrate 10, the laser irradiation position on the substrate 10 is corrected according to the temperature and humidity, and the laser 40 can be irradiated onto the deformed substrate 10 at an appropriate position.

[0045] This makes it possible to suppress the displacement of the through-holes 10a formed by the laser 40 even if the substrate 10 is deformed. As a result, the positional accuracy of the through-holes 10a formed in the substrate 10 can be improved, and the processing quality of the substrate 10 on which the holes are drilled can be improved.

[0046] Furthermore, by using the expansion / contraction ratio of the substrate 10 material as registered data 70a for position correction when irradiating the substrate 10 with the laser 40, the amount of deformation of the substrate 10 in response to changes in temperature and humidity can be appropriately calculated. As a result, the accuracy of correcting the laser irradiation position in response to the deformation of the substrate 10 due to changes in temperature and humidity can be further improved.

[0047] Furthermore, by correcting the laser irradiation position for drilling using the position of the positioning pin 50, whose installation position has been registered in advance, as a reference 10f, the laser irradiation position can be corrected easily and with high precision.

[0048] Furthermore, if information such as the thickness and area (size) of the substrate 10 is registered as registered data 70a in the control unit 70, when correcting the laser irradiation position on the substrate 10, the processing program 70b may also reflect information such as the thickness and area of ​​the substrate 10 in addition to the expansion and contraction ratio of the substrate 10 material to determine the laser irradiation position. This makes it possible to further improve the accuracy of correcting the laser irradiation position on the substrate 10.

[0049] Although one embodiment of a laser processing apparatus and laser processing method has been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the case in which the processing program 70b is stored in the control unit 70 was described, but the processing program 70b may be stored in a second control unit or the like that, which is different from the control unit 70.

[0050] In this case, by enabling the transmission and reception of signals between the control unit 70 and the second control unit, the data (information) of the expansion ratio of the substrate 10 registered in the control unit 70 is read, and the expansion ratio data is transmitted to the second control unit, where the second control unit reflects the expansion ratio data of the substrate 10 in the processing program 70b to determine the laser irradiation position on the substrate 10. Then, under the control of the control unit 70 or the second control unit, the laser 40 is irradiated onto the corrected position on the substrate 10, thereby forming a through hole 10a in the substrate 10. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0051] 1…Laser processing device, 10…Substrate, 10a…Through hole (hole), 10b,10c…Center line, 10d,10e…Edge, 10f…Reference, 20…Table, 30…Laser irradiation unit, 30a…Laser oscillator, 30b…Optical modulator, 30c…Galvanometer scanner, 30d…Focusing lens, 40…Laser, 50,50a,50b…Positioning pins, 60…Temperature and humidity measurement unit, 70…Control unit, 70a…Registered data, 70b…Processing program, 80…Camera, 90…Suction jig, 90a…Suction hole

Claims

1. A laser processing apparatus that forms holes in a substrate by irradiating it with a laser, A table capable of supporting the aforementioned substrate, A laser irradiation unit that irradiates the substrate supported by the table with a laser, A temperature and humidity measuring unit that measures the temperature and humidity around the substrate supported by the table, A control unit that determines the laser irradiation position on the substrate based on the temperature and humidity measurement results obtained by the temperature and humidity measuring unit, It has, The control unit determines the laser irradiation position on the substrate by correcting the laser irradiation position on the substrate with respect to a pre-registered laser irradiation position based on the temperature and humidity measurement results.

2. In the laser processing apparatus according to claim 1, The control unit has pre-registered data on the expansion and contraction rate of the substrate material corresponding to the temperature and humidity measurement results. The control unit corrects the laser irradiation position on the substrate based on data of the expansion ratio of the substrate material, in a laser processing apparatus.

3. In the laser processing apparatus according to claim 1, The table is provided with positioning pins whose coordinates on the table are pre-registered. The control unit corrects the laser irradiation position on the substrate, which is positioned on the table by the positioning pins, using the position of the positioning pins as a reference, for the substrate, in a laser processing apparatus.

4. A laser processing method for forming holes in a substrate by irradiating it with a laser, (a) A step of placing the substrate on a table, (b) A step of measuring the temperature and humidity around the substrate supported by the table, (c) After step (b), a step of determining the laser irradiation position on the substrate based on the temperature and humidity measurement results, (d) After step (c), a step of irradiating the laser from the laser irradiation unit to the laser irradiation position on the substrate determined in step (c) to form the hole in the substrate, It has, In step (c) above, based on the measurement results of temperature and humidity, the laser irradiation position on the substrate is corrected with respect to the pre-registered laser irradiation position. A laser processing method in which, in step (d), the laser is irradiated from the laser irradiation unit to the corrected laser irradiation position on the substrate.

5. In the laser processing method according to claim 4, In step (c) above, a laser processing method is used to correct and determine the laser irradiation position on the substrate based on the measured temperature and humidity and pre-registered data on the expansion ratio of the substrate material.

6. In the laser processing method according to claim 4, In step (a) above, the substrate is positioned on the table using positioning pins whose installation position coordinates have been registered in advance. In step (c) above, a laser processing method is provided in which the laser irradiation position is determined with respect to the substrate positioned on the table by the positioning pins, with respect to the position of the positioning pins as the reference.

Images