Alignment apparatus, alignment method, film deposition apparatus, film deposition method, and method for manufacturing electronic devices

Abstract

To suppress the reduction of alignment accuracy resulting from the inclination of the optical axis of an alignment camera.SOLUTION: An alignment device includes: movement means for moving at least one of a substrate and a mask in a movement direction intersecting the film deposition surface of the substrate; measurement means for measuring a relative positional relationship between the substrate and the mask in a direction along the film deposition surface of the substrate using optical imaging means; alignment means for adjusting the relative positional relationship between the substrate and the mask on the basis of measurement results obtained by the measurement means; adjustment means for adjusting the inclination of at least one of the optical axis of the imaging means and the movement direction by the movement means; and control means for controlling the adjustment means on the basis of a relative inclination between the optical axis of the imaging means and the movement direction by the movement means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an alignment apparatus, an alignment method, a film forming apparatus, a film forming method, and a method for manufacturing an electronic device.

Background Art

[0002] In the manufacturing process of an organic EL display, a mask film forming method is used to form a film of a predetermined pattern on a substrate through a mask having an opening formed in a predetermined pattern. In the mask film forming method, after aligning the mask and the substrate, the mask and the substrate are brought into close contact with each other to perform film formation. In order to accurately form a film by the mask film forming method, it is important to perform the alignment of the mask and the substrate with high accuracy.

[0003] After the alignment between the mask and the substrate is completed, a positional deviation between the mask and the substrate may occur due to the operation of the apparatus such as a lifting operation. In Patent Document 1, after the substrate and the mask that have been aligned are brought into close contact with each other, an alignment mark is imaged again with an alignment camera, the amount of positional deviation is measured based on the captured image, this is stored as an offset amount, and the offset amount is reflected in the target position in the alignment, thereby suppressing the positional deviation caused by the mechanical operation.

[0004] The optical axis of the camera optical system for imaging the alignment mark may be inclined relative to the moving direction by the lifting mechanism of the mask or the substrate. In this case, the amount of positional deviation between the alignment marks in the captured image does not match the actual amount of positional deviation between the alignment marks in the state where the substrate and the mask are in close contact with each other. Therefore, alignment based on the captured image cannot be performed accurately. In Patent Document 2, the inclination of the optical axis is measured in advance, the amount of positional deviation between the alignment marks obtained from the captured image is corrected based on the inclination of the optical axis, and alignment between the mask and the substrate is performed based on the corrected amount of positional deviation.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-105629 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-080563 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] One way to improve alignment accuracy is to adjust the optical axis of the alignment camera so that the tilt of the optical axis with respect to the direction of movement by the lifting mechanism is minimized. For example, as part of the initial setup of the film deposition apparatus, the tilt of the optical axis can be measured using a measurement substrate and mask, and the optical axis of the alignment camera can be adjusted according to the measured tilt of the optical axis.

[0007] However, in some cases, multiple types of masks with different aperture patterns are used in a single deposition apparatus. When the type of mask is different, the direction of movement of the lifting mechanism and the tilt of the substrate and mask near the alignment marks change, which in turn changes the tilt of the optical axis. The method of adjusting the tilt of the optical axis as an initial setting of the deposition apparatus cannot accommodate the change in the tilt of the optical axis that occurs depending on the type of mask.

[0008] The present invention aims to suppress the decrease in alignment accuracy caused by the tilt of the optical axis of an alignment camera. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention provides a moving means for moving at least one of the substrate and the mask along a direction of movement intersecting the film deposition surface of the substrate, A measuring means for measuring the relative positional relationship between the substrate and the mask in a direction along the film deposition surface of the substrate using an optical imaging means, Alignment means for adjusting the relative positional relationship between the substrate and the mask based on the measurement results from the measurement means, An adjustment means for adjusting the tilt of at least one of the optical axis of the imaging means and the direction of movement by the moving means, A control means for controlling the adjustment means based on information regarding the relative inclination between the optical axis of the imaging means and the direction of movement by the moving means, A storage means for storing information relating the type of mask and the relative tilt when that type of mask is used. An alignment device that , The alignment device is characterized in that the control means controls the adjustment means based on information regarding the relative tilt corresponding to the type of mask, which is selected according to information regarding the type of mask used in the alignment device.

[0010] The present invention includes a measurement step of measuring the relative positional relationship between the substrate and the mask in the direction along the film deposition surface of the substrate using an optical imaging means, An alignment step is performed to adjust the relative positional relationship between the substrate and the mask based on the measurement results obtained in the measurement step, After the alignment step, a moving step is performed to move at least one of the substrate and the mask so that they are brought closer together. has , by alignment device Alignment method, A control step that performs control to adjust the tilt of at least one of the optical axis of the imaging means and the direction of movement in the movement step, based on information regarding the relative inclination between the optical axis of the imaging means and the direction of movement in the movement step, of Including, The alignment device has a storage means for storing information relating the type of mask and the relative tilt when that type of mask is used, In the control step, the tilt is adjusted based on information regarding the relative tilt corresponding to the type of mask, which is selected according to the information regarding the type of mask used in the alignment device. This alignment method is characterized by the following: [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the decrease in alignment accuracy caused by the tilt of the optical axis of the alignment camera. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] Figure schematically showing the configuration of the manufacturing apparatus of the electronic device of the embodiment [Figure 2] Figure showing the configuration of the alignment apparatus of the embodiment [Figure 3] Figure schematically showing the configuration of the camera adjustment mechanism of the embodiment [Figure 4] Figure showing the configuration of the substrate mark and the mask mark of the embodiment [Figure 5] Figure showing the support structure of the carrier and the mask in the alignment apparatus of the embodiment [Figure 6] Figure showing the optical axis deviation of the alignment camera of the embodiment [Figure 7] Figure explaining the method of obtaining the optical axis deviation of the alignment camera of the embodiment [Figure 8] Figure showing the change in the optical axis deviation of the alignment camera of the embodiment [Figure 9] Figure showing the flowchart of the alignment process of the embodiment [Figure 10] Figure showing the configuration of the organic EL display device of the embodiment

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out this invention will be exemplarily described with reference to the drawings. However, dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, etc. of the components are not intended to limit the scope of this invention only thereto, unless otherwise specified.

[0014] An alignment apparatus, an alignment method, a film forming apparatus, a film forming method, and a method for manufacturing an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The film forming apparatus of the present embodiment forms a film on the surface of a substrate. This apparatus forms a thin film by depositing a film-forming material through a mask. Examples of film-forming methods include vacuum deposition and sputtering. By aligning the substrate and mask and performing film formation, a thin film with a pattern corresponding to the opening pattern of the mask is formed on the substrate. When multiple layers are formed on the substrate, the layer already formed in the previous step may also be referred to as the "substrate." The alignment apparatus according to this embodiment performs alignment to adjust the relative position of the substrate and mask in order to perform thin film formation via the mask with high precision. The present invention is applicable to alignment apparatuses for aligning substrates and masks in general, and its application is not limited to film-forming apparatuses.

[0015] Examples of substrate materials include glass, semiconductors such as silicon, polymer films, and metals. Examples of substrates include silicon wafers and substrates on which films such as polyimide are laminated. Examples of film-forming materials include organic materials and inorganic materials (metals, metal oxides). Examples of masks include metal masks having aperture patterns corresponding to the thin film pattern formed on the substrate. Examples of electronic devices manufactured by the manufacturing method of this embodiment include various electronic devices such as semiconductor devices, magnetic devices, and electronic components, optical components, light-emitting elements, photoelectric conversion elements, touch panels, display devices equipped with light-emitting elements (e.g., organic EL display devices), lighting devices (e.g., organic EL lighting devices), and sensors equipped with photoelectric conversion elements (e.g., organic CMOS image sensors). It is particularly suitable for manufacturing organic light-emitting elements such as OLEDs and organic photoelectric conversion elements such as organic thin-film solar cells.

[0016] <Embodiment 1> Figure 1 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of the electronic device manufacturing apparatus according to this embodiment. Here, an in-line type organic EL display manufacturing apparatus including a film deposition apparatus will be used as an example. The film deposition apparatus is a vacuum deposition apparatus that deposits film deposition material onto a substrate using an evaporation source. The manufacturing of the organic EL display is carried out by loading a substrate of a predetermined size into the manufacturing apparatus, depositing an organic EL layer and a metal layer in the film deposition apparatus, and then performing post-processing steps such as cutting the substrate. The configuration of the post-processing steps is not shown in Figure 1. Hereinafter, the directions along the film deposition surface of the substrate will be referred to as the X direction and Y direction, and the direction intersecting the film deposition surface of the substrate will be referred to as the Z direction. In this embodiment, the XY plane is parallel to the horizontal plane, and the Z direction is parallel to the vertical direction.

[0017] The manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a substrate input chamber 101, a carrier confluence chamber 102, a mask confluence chamber 103, an alignment chamber 104, a film deposition chamber 105, a mask separation chamber 106, a mask separation chamber 107, a carrier separation chamber 108, a substrate discharge chamber 109, a mask transport chamber 110, a carrier transport chamber 111, a mask loading chamber 112, a mask removal chamber 113, and a mask transport chamber 114.

[0018] In the substrate input chamber 101, the substrates 10 transported from upstream are fed into the manufacturing equipment 1 and transported to the carrier merging chamber 102 downstream. In the carrier merging chamber 102, the substrate 10 and the carrier 11 for holding the substrate 10 merge, the substrate 10 is clamped by the carrier 11, and then transported to the downstream mask merging chamber 103. In the mask merging chamber 103, the carrier 11 and the mask 12 merge and are then transported to the downstream alignment chamber 104.

[0019] In the alignment chamber 104, the substrate 10 and the mask 12 are aligned. After the alignment is complete, the substrate 10 and the mask 12 are brought into close contact and transported to the downstream deposition chamber 105. Alignment is performed by precisely aligning the substrate marks, which are alignment marks provided on the substrate 10, with the mask marks, which are alignment marks provided on the mask 12. Details of the alignment will be described later. In the film deposition chamber 105, a film deposition process is performed on the film deposition surface of the substrate 10 via a mask 12 using an evaporation source that heats and evaporates the film deposition material. In the mask separation chamber 106, the carrier 11 holding the substrate 10 after the film deposition process is completed, and the mask 12 are brought in. When the mask 12 needs to be replaced, the mask 12 is separated from the carrier 11 in the mask separation chamber 106 and transported to the mask removal chamber 113 as a used mask 18. When the mask 12 needs to be reused, the carrier 11 and the mask 12 pass through the mask separation chamber 106 and are transported to the mask separation chamber 107.

[0020] In the mask separation chamber 107, the mask 12 is separated from the carrier 11. The separated mask 12 is then transported back to the mask merging chamber 103 via the mask transport chamber 110 for reuse. In the carrier separation chamber 108, the carrier 11 and the substrate 10 are separated. The separated carrier 11 is transported again to the carrier merging chamber 102 via the carrier transport chamber 111 and reused. The substrate 10, separated from the carrier 11 after the film deposition process, is transported to the next process from the substrate unloading chamber 109.

[0021] As described above, the transport path A for the substrate 10, the transport path B for the carrier 11, and the transport path C for the mask 12 shown in Figure 1 are configured. The transport path B for the carrier 11 and the transport path C for the mask 12 form a circulation path, and the same carrier 11 and mask 12 are repeatedly used in the film deposition process. After a certain number of film deposition processes, the mask 12 is separated in the mask separation chamber 106 and then transported to the mask removal chamber 113 as a used mask 18.

[0022] In the mask removal chamber 113, the used mask 18 is moved by a lifting mechanism to a position lower than the Z-direction positions of the substrate 10, carrier 11, and mask 12 in transport paths A, B, and C. After that, the used mask 18 is transported to the alignment chamber 104. In the alignment room 104, the transport path D for the used mask 18 intersects with the transport paths A, B, and C for the substrate 10, carrier 11, and mask 12. However, since transport path D passes at a lower position in the Z direction than transport paths A, B, and C, the transport of the used mask 18 and the transport of the substrate 10, carrier 11, and mask 12 can be controlled independently. The used mask 18 is transported from the alignment room 104 to the mask transport room 114, and from the mask transport room 114 to the next process.

[0023] When mask 12 is fed into transport path D as a used mask 18, a new mask 19 is transported from mask preparation room 112 to mask separation room 107 via transport path E. This places the new mask 19 into mask transport path C. The new mask 19 is then brought from mask stocker 115 into mask preparation room 112. Mask stocker 115 stores multiple types of masks with different opening patterns, making it possible to perform film deposition using different types of masks in film deposition room 105.

[0024] As described above, in the manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, multiple transport paths can intersect in the same chamber by making the positions of multiple independent transport paths in the Z direction different from each other. This makes it possible to flexibly design transport paths even when the arrangement of the chamber is restricted by conditions such as the floor area and shape of the installation site of the manufacturing apparatus 1. In this embodiment, a configuration in which two transport paths with different positions in the Z direction intersect in one chamber is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this example. If the positions in the Z direction are different, multiple independent transport path systems can coexist in one chamber, and the number of systems may be two or more, and the transport direction relationship between different systems can be either intersecting or running parallel. In addition, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which the transport path D for used masks 18 is at a lower position in the Z direction than the transport paths A, B, and C for substrates 10, carriers 11, and masks 12, but the positional relationship in the Z direction is not limited to this, and transport path D may be at a higher position in the Z direction than transport paths A, B, and C.

[0025] Transport path A for substrate 10, transport path B for carrier 11, transport path C for mask 12, used The chambers constituting the transport path D for the mask 18 and the transport path E for the new mask 19 are maintained in a high vacuum state during the manufacturing of organic EL displays. The mask stocker 115 is maintained at atmospheric pressure. The present invention can also be applied to a cluster-type electronic device manufacturing apparatus in which multiple film deposition apparatuses are arranged around a transport robot that transports substrates. Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied to an electronic device manufacturing apparatus that does not use carriers. Since the bending of the substrate can be suppressed by holding the substrate with a highly rigid carrier, the use of carriers is preferable when performing film deposition on large substrates that are prone to bending.

[0026] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the alignment apparatus 80 in the alignment chamber 104. In the alignment chamber 104, the carrier 11 and the mask 12 are transported from the mask merging chamber 103 on the carrier transport roller 20, which is the first transport means, and the mask transport roller 21, which is the second transport means. The transport paths A and B of the carrier 11 and substrate 10 by the carrier transport roller 20 and the transport path C of the mask 12 by the mask transport roller 21 are parallel in the +Y direction. After alignment (positioning) is performed to adjust the relative positional relationship between the substrate 10 and the mask 12, the carrier 11 holding the substrate 10 is placed on the mask 12, and with the substrate 10 and mask 12 in close contact, the substrate 10 with the mask 12 on it is transported to the film deposition chamber 105 by the mask transport roller 21, which is the transport means.

[0027] In the alignment chamber 104, used masks 18, which are different workpieces from the substrates 10 and masks 12 that are transported from the mask removal chamber 113 along transport paths A, B, and C, are transported on a transport roller 36, which is a third transport means. The transport path D for the used masks 18 by the transport roller 36 is parallel to the -X direction. The transport path D for the used masks 18 is a path that transports them at a lower position than the transport paths A, B, and C of the substrates 10, carriers 11, and masks 12 in the Z direction, which is the direction that intersects the film deposition surface of the substrates 10, and intersects with transport paths A, B, and C. Because the positions in the Z direction of transport paths A, B, and C and transport path D are different, the transport of used masks 18 by the transport roller 36 can be controlled independently of the transport of the substrates 10, carriers 11, and masks 12 by the carrier transport roller 20 and the mask transport roller 21. However, in this embodiment, while the alignment device 80 is performing alignment of the substrate 10 and the mask 12, the transport of the used mask 18 by the transport roller 36 is stopped. This makes it possible to suppress the vibrations generated by the transport operation of the used mask 18 from affecting the alignment.

[0028] The film-forming surface of the rectangular substrate 10 is assumed to be parallel to the horizontal plane in an ideal state without deflection. Of the two opposing sets of sides of the substrate 10, the direction perpendicular to the transport direction by the carrier transport roller 20 and the mask transport roller 21 is defined as the X direction, and the direction parallel to it is defined as the Y direction. Furthermore, rotation around the X axis is represented by θX, rotation around the Y axis by θY, and rotation around the Z axis by θZ.

[0029] The alignment device 80 has a vacuum chamber 22. The inside of the vacuum chamber 22 is maintained in a vacuum atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere such as nitrogen gas. In this specification, "vacuum" refers to the state of a space filled with a gas at a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, and typically refers to the state of a space filled with a gas at a pressure lower than 1 atm (1013 hPa). A mask support unit 16 and a carrier support unit 17 are provided inside the vacuum chamber 22.

[0030] The carrier support unit 17 supports the carrier 11 that has been transported by the carrier transport roller 20. The mask support unit 16 supports the mask 12 that has been transported by the mask transport roller 21. After the alignment of the substrate 10 and the mask 12 is completed, the carrier 11 is placed on top of the mask 12, and the substrate 10 and the mask 12 are brought into close contact. The carrier 11 holding the substrate 10 and the mask 12 are then transported out of the alignment chamber 104 as a single unit by the mask transport roller 21. In the case of a configuration that does not use the carrier 11, the carrier A substrate support unit is provided to directly support the substrate 10 instead of the support unit 17.

[0031] On the outer side of the upper partition wall of the vacuum chamber 22, a lifting base 23, a lifting slider 24, a clamp slider 25, and an alignment stage 26 are provided. The alignment stage 26 is connected to the lifting base 23. The lifting slider 24 moves the carrier support unit 17 in the Z direction, and the alignment stage 26 moves the carrier support unit 17 in the X, Y, and θZ directions. The drive mechanisms for the lifting slider 24 and the alignment stage 26 consist of actuators such as a motor and a ball screw, or a motor and a linear guide.

[0032] The lifting slider 24 moves the substrate 10 and the mask 12 relative to each other in a direction intersecting the plane along the film deposition surface of the substrate 10. In this embodiment, the direction of relative movement between the substrate 10 and the mask 12 by the lifting slider 24 is the Z direction, i.e., the vertical direction, which is perpendicular to the plane along the film deposition surface of the substrate 10.

[0033] The alignment stage 26 is an alignment means that adjusts the relative positional relationship between the substrate 10 and the mask 12, which are held by the carrier 11, in a direction along the film deposition surface of the substrate 10. In this embodiment, the alignment stage 26 adjusts the relative positional relationship between the substrate 10 and the mask 12 by moving the substrate 10 in the X, Y, and θZ directions. The alignment stage 26 has a chamber fixing part 37 fixed to the outside of the upper partition wall of the vacuum chamber 22, an actuator part 28 that generates driving force in the X, Y, and θZ directions for the carrier support unit 17, and a connecting part 29 that connects the alignment stage 26 and the carrier support unit 17.

[0034] The actuator unit 28 consists of an actuator that generates a driving force in the X direction, an actuator that generates a driving force in the Y direction, and an actuator that generates a driving force in the θZ direction. Alternatively, a UVW-type actuator system may be used, in which multiple actuators cooperate to generate driving forces in the X, Y, and θZ directions. The actuator unit 28 operates according to control signals transmitted from the control unit 30, causing the carrier support unit 17 to move or rotate in the X, Y, and θZ directions. This causes the carrier 11 holding the substrate 10 to move or rotate in the X, Y, and θZ directions. The control unit 30 transmits control signals to the actuator unit 28 indicating the amount of movement in each of the X, Y, and θZ directions. If the actuator unit 28 is a UVW type system, the control unit 30 transmits control signals to the actuator unit 28 indicating the amount of movement for each of the UVW actuators.

[0035] In this embodiment, an alignment stage 26 is shown as adjusting the position of the carrier 11, but this is not limited to this configuration as long as the relative positions of the substrate 10 and the mask 12 can be adjusted. For example, a configuration that adjusts the position of the mask 12, or a configuration that adjusts the positions of both the carrier 11 and the mask 12, is also acceptable.

[0036] Multiple alignment cameras 31, which are optical imaging means, are provided on the outside of the upper partition wall of the vacuum chamber 22. Furthermore, through-holes for imaging are provided in the upper partition wall of the vacuum chamber 22, on the optical axis 33 of the alignment cameras 31. These through-holes are sealed by window glass 32, allowing for both imaging of the interior from outside the vacuum chamber 22 and maintaining the internal air pressure of the vacuum chamber 22.

[0037] On the outer side of the upper partition wall of the vacuum chamber 22, a camera adjustment mechanism 35 is provided for each of the multiple alignment cameras 31. This mechanism is an adjustment means for adjusting the position of the alignment camera 31 in the X, Y, and Z directions, as well as the inclination of the optical axis 33 around the X and Y axes.

[0038] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the camera adjustment mechanism 35. The camera adjustment mechanism 35 includes an actuator 48 that generates a driving force to move the alignment camera 31 in the Z direction, a slider 40 on which the actuator 48 is provided, and actuators 46 that generate a driving force to move the slider 40 in the X direction relative to the upper partition wall of the vacuum chamber 22, actuator 47 that generates a driving force to move it in the Y direction, actuator 43 that generates a driving force to rotate it in the θX direction, and actuator 45 that generates a driving force to rotate it in the θY direction. The camera adjustment mechanism 35 adjusts the tilt of the optical axis 33 of the alignment camera 31 by moving the alignment camera 31 in the X, Y, Z, θX, and θY directions. The configuration of the actuators is not limited to that of the actuator unit 28. The operation of the actuators 46, 47, 48, 43, and 45 in the X, Y, Z, θX, and θY directions that constitute the camera adjustment mechanism 35 is controlled by control signals from the control unit 30.

[0039] Figure 4(A) is a top view of the substrate 10 supported by the carrier 11. The outer edge of the carrier 11 is shown by a dashed line. The substrate 10 has substrate marks 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d at its four corners. Each of the substrate marks 13a to 13d is simultaneously imaged by the corresponding four alignment cameras 31a to 31d, and the position of the center point of each of the substrate marks 13a to 13d is obtained based on the captured images. Positional information of the substrate 10 can be obtained from the positional relationship of the four points.

[0040] Figure 4(B) is a top view of the mask 12. The mask 12 has a structure in which a mask foil 12b with a thickness of several μm to several tens of μm is welded and fixed to a frame-shaped mask frame 12a. The mask frame 12a supports the mask foil 12b so that it does not bend when it is pulled in its planar direction (X direction and Y direction). The mask foil 12b has a boundary portion that forms an opening corresponding to the pattern to be deposited on the substrate 10, and when the mask 12 is placed on the substrate 10, the boundary portion adheres closely to the substrate 10, shielding the deposition material that flies toward the substrate 10 due to evaporation or sputtering. When a glass substrate or a substrate on which a resin film such as polyimide is formed on a glass substrate is used as the substrate 10, iron or an iron alloy, for example, an iron alloy containing nickel, can be used as the main material for the mask frame 12a and the mask foil 12b.

[0041] Mask marks 14a, 14b, 14c, and 14d are provided at the four corners of the mask frame 12a. Each of the mask marks 14a to 14d is imaged by the corresponding four alignment cameras 31a to 31d, and the position of the center point of each of the mask marks 14a to 14d is obtained based on the captured images. Position information of the mask 12 can be obtained from the positional relationship of the four points. Note that the positions and number of substrate marks 13, mask marks 14, and alignment cameras 31 are not limited to this example.

[0042] Figure 4(C) schematically shows the field of view 44 of the alignment camera 31 and a pair of substrate marks 13 and mask marks 14 captured within the field of view 44. If both the substrate marks 13 and mask marks 14 are simultaneously within the field of view 44 of the alignment camera 31, the positional relationship of the center points of the substrate marks 13 and mask marks 14 can be obtained based on the image captured from the field of view 44. The coordinates of the center points of the substrate marks 13 and mask marks 14 are determined by image processing performed by the control unit 30 based on the image obtained by the alignment camera 31. Note that image processing may be performed by an image processing device provided separately from the control unit 30. Furthermore, the shapes of the substrate marks 13 and mask marks 14 are not limited to the square or circular shapes exemplified in Figure 4, but it is preferable to use shapes such as an X mark or a cross shape that have symmetry and make it easy to calculate the center position as an alignment mark.

[0043] Multiple alignment cameras 31 are supported on a substrate 10 inside a vacuum chamber 22. The alignment marks provided on the substrate 10, namely the substrate marks 13, and the alignment marks provided on the mask 12, namely the mask marks 14, are positioned to be imaged. When aligning the substrate 10 and the mask 12, the substrate marks 13 and the mask marks 14 are included within the imaging field of the alignment camera 31. The control unit 30 is a measuring means that acquires the positions of the substrate 10 and the mask 12 based on the images of the substrate marks 13 and the mask marks 14 captured by the alignment camera 31, and measures the relative positional relationship between the substrate 10 and the mask 12 in the direction along the film deposition surface of the substrate 10.

[0044] The control unit 30 analyzes the image captured by the alignment camera 31 to detect the substrate mark 13 and the mask mark 14, and obtains their positions. Based on the position information of the substrate mark 13 and the mask mark 14, the control unit 30 obtains the relative positional relationship between the substrate mark 13 and the mask mark 14 in a direction along the XY plane parallel to the film deposition surface of the substrate 10. The relative positional relationship information is, for example, the distance and angle between the substrate mark 13 and the mask mark 14. Based on the relative positional relationship between the substrate mark 13 and the mask mark 14, the control unit 30 calculates the amount of movement of the carrier 11 in the X, Y, and θZ directions to bring the substrate mark 13 and the mask mark 14 closer together. The calculated amount of movement in the X, Y, and θZ directions is converted into drive amounts for stepping motors, servo motors, etc., equipped in each actuator of the actuator section 28 of the alignment stage 26, and a control signal is output. As a result, the carrier 11 moves in the XY plane. At this time, the distance between the substrate 10 and the mask 12 in the Z direction does not change, but the position of the carrier 11 changes in the XY plane. The XY plane is a plane parallel to the film deposition surface of the substrate 10 in an ideal state without deflection, and in this embodiment it is parallel to the horizontal plane. In the separated state where the substrate 10 and the mask 12 are separated, the alignment device 80 performs alignment to adjust the relative position of the substrate 10 and the mask 12 in the XY plane parallel to the film deposition surface of the substrate 10, based on the measurement result of the relative position relationship between the substrate 10 and the mask 12 in the direction along the film deposition surface of the substrate 10. After the alignment is completed, the carrier 11 is placed on the mask 12 by the lifting slider 24, switching the state in which the substrate 10 is placed on the mask 12. The lifting slider 24 is a moving means that moves the substrate 10 in a direction intersecting the film deposition surface so as to switch between the separated state and the placed state. In this embodiment, the direction of movement of the substrate 10 is substantially parallel to the Z direction.

[0045] In this embodiment, an example of performing alignment using one type of alignment camera 31 is described, but alignment can also be performed using two or more cameras with different magnifications and fields of view. For example, there is an alignment method that uses a camera with a relatively wide field of view but low magnification and a camera with a relatively narrow field of view but high magnification. First, a rough alignment can be performed using the low-magnification camera to roughly adjust the positions so that both the substrate mark 13 and the mask mark 14 are within the field of view of the high-magnification camera, and then a fine alignment can be performed using the high-magnification camera to precisely align the positions of the substrate mark 13 and the mask mark 14.

[0046] In this embodiment, the alignment device 80 performs alignment between the substrate 10 and the mask 12 by driving the alignment stage 26 while the carrier 11 is held in a separated state, with the position of the carrier 11 in the Z direction at a predetermined position where the substrate 10 and the mask 12 do not come into contact, taking into account deflection. The position of the carrier 11 in the Z direction when performing alignment is referred to as the alignment position. After the alignment of the substrate 10 and the mask 12 is completed, the carrier 11 is lowered and placed on the mask 12, switching to a mounted state where the substrate 10 and the mask 12 are in close contact. The position of the carrier 11 in the Z direction at this time is referred to as the mask mounting position. The alignment camera 31 captures images of the substrate mark 13 and mask mark 14 when the carrier 11 is in the alignment position and at least two other positions, when the carrier 11 is in the mask mounting position. The control unit 30 captures images of the substrate mark 13 and mask mark 14 with the alignment camera 31 in the separated state of the alignment position and performs alignment based on the captured images. After the alignment is completed, in the mounted state... At the mask placement position, the alignment camera 31 captures images of the substrate mark 13 and the mask mark 14. Based on the captured images, it is checked whether any misalignment has occurred due to contact between the substrate 10 and the mask 12 during the process of placing the carrier 11 onto the mask 12. If misalignment has occurred, alignment is performed again at the alignment position.

[0047] Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the support structure of the carrier 11 and mask 12 holding the substrate 10 in the alignment device 80. The carrier support unit 17 that supports the carrier 11 has a carrier receiving claw 41 that protrudes in the X direction from the lower end of a support column 38 that extends in the Z direction, a carrier receiving surface 42 positioned on the upper surface of the carrier receiving claw 41, and a carrier clamp 27. With the peripheral edge of the carrier 11 along the side parallel to the transport direction, i.e., the Y direction, placed on the carrier receiving surface 42, the carrier clamp 27 is lowered by the clamp slider 25, and the carrier clamp 27 is pressed against the peripheral edge of the carrier 11 from above, thereby fixing the carrier 11 to the carrier support unit 17. In this state, the substrate 10 can be moved relative to the mask 12 by driving the alignment stage 26.

[0048] When the mask 12 is placed on the mask transport roller 21 and transported into the vacuum chamber 22, the mask support unit 16 rises to support the mask 12. This transfers the mask 12 from the mask transport roller 21 to the mask support unit 16. The mask support unit 16 has a lifting mechanism that moves the mask 12 in the Z direction. Alignment, which involves moving the substrate 10 relative to the mask 12 in a direction along the film deposition surface, is performed with the mask 12 transferred to and supported by the mask support unit 16. Although alignment may be performed with the mask 12 placed on the mask transport roller 21 without using the mask support unit 16, performing alignment with the mask 12 supported by the mask support unit 16, as in this embodiment, can suppress the reduction in alignment accuracy due to vibrations from the mask transport roller 21.

[0049] Referring to Figure 6, the effect of the tilt of the optical axis 33 of the alignment camera 31 on alignment will be explained. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the substrate 10 at the alignment position, the mask 12 supported by the mask support unit 16, and the optical axis 33 of the alignment camera 31. The film deposition surface of the substrate 10 is parallel to the XY plane, and the direction of movement of the substrate 10 by the lifting slider 24 is parallel to the Z direction, i.e., the vertical direction. The substrate 10 and the mask 12 at the alignment position are separated by a distance H in the Z direction. After alignment is completed, the substrate 10 is lowered by a distance H using the lifting slider 24 and moved to the mask placement position, so that the substrate 10 and the mask 12 are in close contact.

[0050] In some cases, the optical axis 33 of the alignment camera 31 and the direction of movement when moving at least one of the substrate 10 and the mask 12 to switch between a separated state and a mounted state may be tilted relative to each other. This is called optical axis misalignment. In Figure 6, the optical axis 33 of the alignment camera 31 is tilted relative to the direction of movement of the substrate 10 by the lifting slider 24, that is, the lifting direction of the substrate 10 (in this case, the Z direction). In this case, in the image captured at the alignment position, that is, within the field of view of the alignment camera 31, the substrate mark 13 at coordinates (0, 0, H) on the substrate 10 and the mask mark 14 at coordinates (dx, dy, 0) on the mask 12 appear to coincide. If we consider the relative inclination φx between the projection 33x of the optical axis 33 onto the XZ plane and the vertical direction of the substrate 10, and the relative inclination φy between the projection 33y of the optical axis 33 onto the YZ plane and the vertical direction of the substrate 10, then the relationships dx = tan(φx) and dy = tan(φy) hold. Even if the positions of the substrate mark 13 and the mask mark 14 are aligned based on the image captured by the alignment camera 31 at the alignment position, when the substrate 10 is lowered to the mask placement position, the positions of the substrate mark 13 and the mask mark 14 will be shifted by dx in the X direction and dy in the Y direction. Therefore, if there is an optical axis misalignment, it is not possible to perform alignment based on the image captured by the alignment camera 31 with high accuracy.

[0051] Therefore, in the alignment device 80 of this embodiment, the tilt of the optical axis 33 of the alignment camera 31 is adjusted by the camera adjustment mechanism 35 to reduce the optical axis misalignment. Specifically, the control unit 30 acquires information regarding the optical axis misalignment of the alignment camera 31, and based on the optical axis misalignment information, controls the X-direction actuator 46, Y-direction actuator 47, Z-direction actuator 48, θX-direction actuator 43, and θY-direction actuator 45 of the camera adjustment mechanism 35 to reduce the optical axis misalignment.

[0052] Referring to Figure 7, the method for measuring optical axis misalignment will be explained. Figure 7(A) shows the state where the substrate 10 is in the first position in the Z direction, and Figure 7(B) shows the state where the substrate 10 is in the second position in the Z direction. Figure 7(C) shows the field of view 44 of the alignment camera 31 when the substrate 10 is in the first position, and Figure 7(D) shows the field of view 44 of the alignment camera 31 when the substrate 10 is in the second position. The coordinate system within the field of view 44 is represented by x, y, and z. The first position and the second position are separated by a distance D in the Z direction. Here, the optical axis misalignment is assumed to be such that the optical axis 33 of the alignment camera 31 is tilted by an angle φ about the Y axis with respect to the vertical movement direction 39 of the substrate 10 by the vertical slider 24.

[0053] First, with the substrate 10 in the first position, the substrate mark 13 is imaged by the alignment camera 31. Next, the substrate 10 is raised by a distance H in the Z direction using the lifting slider 24 and moved to the second position. Then, with the substrate 10 in the second position, the substrate mark 13 is imaged again by the alignment camera 31.

[0054] Image 13a of the substrate mark 13 in the image captured at the first position and image 13b of the substrate mark 13 in the image captured at the second position are located at positions where the substrate mark 13 is orthogonally projected onto a plane normalized to the optical axis 33. As shown in Figure 7(D), within the field of view 44 of the alignment camera 31, i.e., in the captured image, image 13b of the substrate mark 13 at the second position is located at a distance δ from image 13a of the substrate mark 13 at the first position. As shown in Figure 7(B), the distance δ of the displacement of the substrate mark 13 in the captured image when the substrate 10 is moved from the first position to the second position, the distance D in the Z direction between the first and second positions, and the optical axis misalignment φ are related by the equation φ = arcsin(δ / D). Based on this relationship, the optical axis misalignment can be determined from the amount of displacement of the substrate mark 13 in the captured image when the substrate mark 13 is captured at different heights. The control unit 30, alignment camera 31, and lifting slider 24 for raising and lowering the substrate 10, which perform the above-described optical axis misalignment measurement process, constitute the optical axis misalignment measurement means. The control unit 30 can acquire information regarding the optical axis misalignment based on the measurement results of the optical axis misalignment measurement means. The information regarding the optical axis misalignment includes the value of the optical axis misalignment and information on the amount of movement of the camera adjustment mechanism 35 to reduce the optical axis misalignment. Based on the information regarding the optical axis misalignment, the control unit 30 can reduce the optical axis misalignment by controlling the camera adjustment mechanism 35 to adjust the position of the alignment camera 31 in the X, Y, and Z directions and the angles in the θX and θY directions.

[0055] Here, when the weight of the substrate 10, carrier 11, mask 12, etc. is applied to the components constituting the alignment device 80, the operation of the alignment device 80 may be affected due to distortion of the components, etc. As described above, the manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment can perform film deposition by switching between multiple types of masks 12 with different aperture patterns, but the effect on the operation of the alignment device 80 also changes when the type of mask 12 changes. For example, when it affects the operation of the lifting slider 24 or the mask support unit 16, when the type of mask 12 changes, the lifting direction of the substrate 10, carrier 11, mask 12, etc., and the bending and tilt of the substrate 10, carrier 11, mask 12, etc., supported by the carrier support unit 17 or mask support unit 16 change. Therefore, when the type of mask 12 changes, the optical axis misalignment also changes.

[0056] Figure 8 schematically shows the change in optical axis misalignment when the type of mask 12 is changed. In Figure 8(A), the vertical direction 39a of the substrate 10 is tilted at an angle φa relative to the optical axis 33 of the alignment camera 31. When the type of mask 12 is changed, the vertical direction 39b of the substrate 10 is tilted at an angle φb relative to the optical axis 33 of the alignment camera 31, as shown in Figure 8(B). In this case, when the substrate 10 is raised or lowered by a distance D along the vertical direction from the first position to the second position, the distance the substrate mark 13 moves within the field of view 44 of the alignment camera 31 changes from δa to δb. The movement distances δa and δb of the substrate mark 13 in the captured image, the vertical distance D of the substrate 10, and the optical axis misalignments φa and φb are related by the equations φa = arcsin(δa / D) and φb = arcsin(δb / D). Furthermore, if the type of mask 12 is changed, depending on the configuration of the alignment device 80, the vertical movement direction of the mask 12, the tilt of the substrate 10, the tilt of the mask 12, or combinations thereof may change, rather than the vertical movement direction of the substrate 10.

[0057] Conventionally, the process of adjusting the position and angle of the alignment camera 31 to reduce optical axis misalignment was performed manually as part of the initial setup of the manufacturing apparatus 1. Therefore, it was difficult to respond to changes in optical axis misalignment caused by changes in the type of mask 12 after the manufacturing apparatus 1 had started operating.

[0058] Therefore, in the alignment apparatus 80 of this embodiment, if there is a change in the type of mask 12 used for film deposition, the control unit 30 acquires information on the optical axis misalignment corresponding to the type of mask 12 used and controls the actuator of the camera adjustment mechanism 35 based on that information. As a result, even if there is a change in the type of mask 12, the position of the alignment camera 31 in the X, Y, and Z directions, as well as the angles around the X and Y axes, can be adjusted so that the optical axis misalignment is minimized.

[0059] Information on the optical axis misalignment corresponding to the type of mask 12 can be obtained by measuring the distance the substrate mark 13 moves in the captured image when the substrate 10 is moved from the first position to the second position each time the type of mask 12 is changed. Alternatively, for each of the multiple types of masks 12, the type of mask and the information on the optical axis misalignment when using that type of mask, which has been measured in advance, may be stored in the storage unit 34, which is a storage means. The control unit 30 can obtain information on the type of mask 12 used in the alignment device 80 and obtain information on the optical axis misalignment corresponding to the type of mask from the storage unit 34.

[0060] As a method for obtaining information on the type of mask 12 brought into the alignment room 104, for example, when a new mask 12 is fed from the mask preparation room 112 into the manufacturing apparatus 1, the identification information of the mask 12 may be transmitted to the control unit 30, or the identification information may be attached to the mask 12 and read by a reader installed in the alignment room 104 and transmitted to the control unit 30, or any other method may be used.

[0061] As information regarding optical axis misalignment, for example, information on the operating amounts of the X-direction actuator, Y-direction actuator, Z-direction actuator, θX-direction actuator, and θY-direction actuator of the camera adjustment mechanism 35, which is used to make the optical axis 33 parallel to the vertical direction of the substrate 10, can be provided. This allows for automatic adjustment of the position and angle of the alignment camera 31 even when the type of mask 12 is changed. Even after the manufacturing apparatus 1 has started operation, it becomes possible to efficiently deposit films while switching between multiple types of masks 12. As information regarding optical axis misalignment, the optical axis misalignment value may also be provided. In this case, the control unit 30 calculates the operating amount of each actuator of the camera adjustment mechanism 35 based on the optical axis misalignment value and controls each actuator, thereby automatically adjusting the position and angle of the alignment camera 31.

[0062] Note that when the substrate 10 and the mask 12 are separated by a distance H in the Z direction, the state in which the substrate 10 and the mask 12 are aligned is called the state in which the carrier 11 is located at the mask 12 The state in which the substrate 10 and the mask 12 are placed on the substrate and are in close contact may be defined as the state in which the substrate 10 and the mask 12 are in the mask placement position. In this case, the means for moving the substrate 10 and the mask 12 to switch between a separated state and a placed state can be any means that moves at least one of the substrate 10 and the mask 12. For example, any of the following are possible: a means for fixing the mask 12 and raising or lowering the substrate 10, a means for fixing the substrate 10 and raising or lowering the mask 12, and a means for raising or lowering both the substrate 10 and the mask 12.

[0063] When raising or lowering the mask 12, the relative inclination between the raising / lowering direction of the mask 12 and the optical axis 33 of the alignment camera 31 affects the alignment accuracy. Therefore, it is preferable to acquire information on the relative inclination between the raising / lowering direction of the mask 12 and the optical axis 33 of the alignment camera 31, according to the type of mask 12, and then drive the camera adjustment mechanism 35 based on this information to adjust the position and angle of the alignment camera 31 in the X, Y, Z, θX, and θY directions.

[0064] Furthermore, when both the substrate 10 and the mask 12 are raised and lowered, the relative inclination between the raising and lowering direction of the substrate 10 and the optical axis 33 of the alignment camera 31, and the relative inclination between the raising and lowering direction of the mask 12 and the optical axis 33 of the alignment camera 31, affect the alignment accuracy. Therefore, it is preferable to acquire information on the relative inclination between the raising and lowering direction of the substrate 10 and the optical axis 33 of the alignment camera 31, according to the type of mask 12, and information on the relative inclination between the raising and lowering direction of the mask 12 and the optical axis 33 of the alignment camera 31, and then drive the camera adjustment mechanism 35 based on this information to adjust the position and angle of the alignment camera 31 in the X, Y, Z, θX, and θY directions.

[0065] In this embodiment, an example was described in which the position and angle of the alignment camera 31 are adjusted by the camera adjustment mechanism 35 to reduce optical axis misalignment. However, the direction of movement when moving at least one of the substrate 10 and the mask 12 to switch between a separated state and a mounted state may also be adjusted. For example, the vertical direction of the substrate 10 or the vertical direction of the mask 12 may be adjusted. Alternatively, the adjustment of the position and angle of the alignment camera 31 may be combined with the adjustment of the vertical direction of the substrate 10. For example, when adjusting the vertical direction of the substrate 10, an actuator is provided to adjust the position and angle of the vertical slider 24 that raises and lowers the substrate 10 relative to the vacuum chamber 22, similar to the camera adjustment mechanism 35 shown in Figure 3, and the actuator is controlled by the control unit 30 according to the type of mask 12. This makes it possible to automatically adjust so that the optical axis 33 and the vertical direction of the substrate 10 are parallel and optical axis misalignment is eliminated.

[0066] The control unit 30 controls the operation of the actuator unit 28 of the alignment stage 26, the actuator of the lifting slider 24, and the alignment camera 31, and performs image processing of the images captured by the alignment camera 31 to align the substrate 10 and the mask 12. The control unit 30 also controls the transport of the substrate 10, carrier 11, mask 12, and used mask 19 in the alignment chamber 104 by controlling the operation of the transport rollers 20, 21, 36, etc. The control unit 30 also controls the lifting and lowering of the carrier 11 and mask 12 by controlling the operation of the lifting slider 24, mask support unit 16, and carrier support unit 17. In addition, the control unit 30 controls the tilt of the optical axis 33 of the alignment camera 31 by controlling the operation of the actuators 43, 45, 46, 47, and 48 of the camera adjustment mechanism 35 according to the type of mask 12. The control unit 30 also performs various other controls related to the operation of the alignment device 80.

[0067] The control unit 30 is composed of a computer having, for example, a processor, memory, storage, I / O, etc. The functions of the control unit 30 are realized by the processor executing a program stored in the memory or storage of the storage unit 34. As the computer, a general-purpose personal computer may be used, or an embedded computer or a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) may be used. Some or all of the functions of the control unit 30 may be configured using circuits such as ASICs or FPGAs. Furthermore, a control unit 30 may be provided for each alignment device 80, or one control unit 30 may control multiple alignment devices 80.

[0068] The memory unit 34 is a storage means for storing the executable program and data used by the control unit 30. Any storage means such as flash memory, non-volatile memory, SSD, HDD, etc. can be used.

[0069] The alignment process flow of this embodiment will be explained with reference to Figure 9. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the alignment process flow in the alignment chamber 104. The process shown in the flowchart of Figure 9 is executed by the control unit 30 controlling the operation of each part of the alignment device 80.

[0070] In step S10, the control unit 30 controls the operation of each part of the alignment chamber 104 so that the carrier 11 holding the substrate 10 that has been transported from the mask merging chamber 103 on the carrier transport roller 20, and the mask 12 that has been transported on the mask transport roller 21, are brought into the alignment chamber 104. In step S11, the control unit 30 acquires information on the type of mask 12 that was delivered in step S10. In step S12, the control unit 30 determines whether the type of mask 12 acquired in step S11 has changed from the type of mask 12 used during the previous alignment process. If the type has changed, the process proceeds to step S13; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S14.

[0071] In step S13, the control unit 30 retrieves information regarding the optical axis misalignment corresponding to the type of mask selected in step S11 from the storage unit 34, and operates the actuators in the X, Y, Z, θX, and θY directions of the camera adjustment mechanism 35 based on this information. This adjusts the position and angle of the alignment camera 31 so that the optical axis misalignment is eliminated. The optical axis misalignment is a device-specific value determined by the physical characteristics of the mask 12 and the physical characteristics of the alignment device 80, and this value does not change unless the type of mask 12 is changed. Therefore, if there is no change from the type of mask 12 used in the previous alignment process, the optical axis misalignment adjustment process in step S13 is not performed, and the process proceeds to step S14.

[0072] In step S14, the control unit 30 raises the carrier support unit 17 in the Z direction, thereby transferring the carrier 11 from the carrier transport roller 20 to the carrier support unit 17. In step S15, the control unit 30 raises the mask support unit 16 in the Z direction, thereby transferring the mask 12 from the mask transport roller 21 to the mask support unit 16. In step S16, the control unit 30 moves the carrier transport roller 20 to the rear and lowers the carrier support unit 17 in the Z direction, thereby moving the carrier 11 to the alignment position and separating it.

[0073] In step S17, the control unit 30 uses the alignment camera 31 to capture images of the substrate marks 13 on the substrate 10 and the mask marks 14 on the mask 12, and obtains the relative positional displacement amount of the substrate 10 and the mask 12 based on the captured images. In step S18, the control unit 30 determines whether the misalignment amount obtained in step S17 is below a threshold. The threshold is a value preset based on the upper limit of the misalignment amount between the substrate 5 and the mask 6 that allows for proper film deposition. The threshold is, for example, on the order of several micrometers, but is set appropriately according to the required device characteristics and film deposition accuracy. If the value is below the threshold, it is determined that the relative positional relationship between the substrate 10 and the mask 12 satisfies a predetermined target, and the process proceeds to step S20. If the amount of misalignment is greater than the threshold, the process proceeds to step S19.

[0074] In step S19, the control unit 30 moves the alignment stage 26 in the X, Y, and θZ directions so that the substrate mark 13 and the mask mark 14 are closer together, based on the amount of misalignment acquired in step S17, and then executes step S17 again. In step S20, the control unit 30 moves the carrier 11 to the mask placement position by lowering the carrier support unit 17 in the Z direction. As a result, the carrier 11 is placed on the mask 12, and the substrate 10 and the mask 12 are in close contact. In step S21, the control unit 30 uses the alignment camera 31 to capture images of the substrate marks 13 on the substrate 10 and the mask marks 14 on the mask 12, and obtains the relative positional displacement amount of the substrate 10 and the mask 12 based on the captured images.

[0075] In step S22, the control unit 30 determines whether the misalignment amount obtained in step S21 is less than or equal to a threshold. The threshold is a value preset based on the upper limit of the misalignment amount between the substrate 5 and the mask 6 that allows for proper film deposition. The threshold may be the same as the threshold used in step S18, or it may be set separately. If the misalignment amount is less than or equal to the threshold, the process proceeds to step S23; if the misalignment amount is greater than the threshold, the process proceeds to step S16. If the process proceeds to step S16, the control unit 30 moves the carrier 11 to the alignment position and separates it by raising the carrier support unit 17 in the Z direction. In step S23, the control unit 30 lowers the mask support unit 16 in the Z direction, thereby transferring the mask 12, on which the carrier 11 is placed, to the mask transport roller 21 and transporting it to the deposition chamber 105.

[0076] <Embodiment 2> A method for manufacturing an electronic device by forming an organic film on a substrate using the film deposition apparatus of the above embodiment will be described. Here, a method for manufacturing an organic EL element used in an organic EL display will be used as an example of the electronic device. However, the electronic device is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can also be applied to the manufacture of thin-film solar cells and organic CMOS image sensors. The manufacturing method of the electronic device of this embodiment includes a step of forming an organic film on a substrate 5 using the film deposition apparatus of the above embodiment. Furthermore, after forming the organic film on the substrate 5, there is a step of forming a metal film or a metal oxide film. The structure of an organic EL display device 600 using an organic EL element manufactured by such a process will be described below.

[0077] Figure 10(A) shows an overall view of the organic EL display device 600, and Figure 10(B) shows the cross-sectional structure of a single pixel of the organic EL display device 600. As shown in Figure 10(A), multiple pixels 62, each having multiple light-emitting elements, are arranged in a matrix in the display area 61 of the organic EL display device 600. Each light-emitting element has a structure comprising an organic layer sandwiched between a pair of electrodes. Here, a pixel refers to the smallest unit capable of displaying a desired color in the display area 61. The pixels 62 of the organic EL display device 600 are composed of a combination of a first light-emitting element 62R, a second light-emitting element 62G, and a third light-emitting element 62B, each emitting light in a different color. The first light-emitting element 62R, the second light-emitting element 62G, and the third light-emitting element 62B are a red light-emitting element, a green light-emitting element, and a blue light-emitting element, respectively. Note that the number of light-emitting elements per pixel and the combination of emitted colors are not limited to this example. For example, a combination of a yellow light-emitting element, a cyan light-emitting element, and a white light-emitting element is possible, or at least one color is sufficient. Also, each light-emitting element may be composed of multiple light-emitting layers stacked on top of each other.

[0078] A pixel 62 is composed of multiple light-emitting elements that emit light of the same color, and a color filter is used in which different color conversion elements are arranged to correspond to each light-emitting element, so that one pixel 62 can achieve the desired result. The display may be made capable of displaying color. For example, a color filter may be used in which pixel 62 is composed of three white light-emitting elements, and red, green, and blue color conversion elements are arranged to correspond to each light-emitting element. Alternatively, a color filter may be used in which pixel 62 is composed of three blue light-emitting elements, and red, green, and colorless color conversion elements are arranged to correspond to each light-emitting element. Note that the number of light-emitting elements per pixel and the combination of emitted colors are not limited to these examples. In the latter case, by using a quantum dot color filter (QD-CF) made of quantum dot (QD) material as the material constituting the color filter, the display color gamut can be made wider than that of an organic EL display device that does not use a quantum dot color filter.

[0079] Figure 10(B) is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the line A and B in Figure 10(A). Pixel 62 has an organic EL element formed on a substrate 5, comprising a first electrode (anode) 64, a hole transport layer 65, an emissive layer 66R, 66G, or 66B, an electron transport layer 67, and a second electrode (cathode) 68. The hole transport layer 65, emissive layers 66R, 66G, 66B, and electron transport layer 67 are organic layers. The emissive layer 66R is an organic EL layer that emits red light, the emissive layer 66G is an organic EL layer that emits green light, and the emissive layer 66B is an organic EL layer that emits blue light. When a color filter or quantum dot color filter is used, the color filter or quantum dot color filter is placed on the light-emitting side of each emissive layer, i.e., at the top or bottom of Figure 10(B).

[0080] The light-emitting layers 66R, 66G, and 66B are organic EL elements, which are light-emitting elements that emit red, green, and blue light, respectively. The light-emitting layers 66R, 66G, and 66B are formed according to the arrangement pattern of the light-emitting elements 62R, 62G, and 62B. The first electrode 64 is formed for each light-emitting element and is separated from each other. The hole transport layer 65, electron transport layer 67, and second electrode 68 may be formed to be shared by multiple light-emitting elements 62R, 62G, and 62B, or they may be formed separately for each light-emitting element. An insulating layer 69 is provided between the first electrode 64 and the second electrode 68 to prevent short circuits caused by foreign matter. Since organic EL layers degrade due to moisture and oxygen, a protective layer P is provided to protect the organic EL elements from moisture and oxygen.

[0081] This paper describes a method for manufacturing an organic EL display device as an electronic device.

[0082] First, a substrate 5 is prepared on which a circuit (not shown) for driving an organic EL display device and a first electrode 64 are formed.

[0083] Next, a resin layer such as acrylic resin or polyimide is formed on the substrate 5 on which the first electrode 64 is formed by spin coating. The resin layer is then patterned by lithography so that an opening is formed in the area where the first electrode 64 is formed, thereby forming an insulating layer 69. This opening corresponds to the light-emitting region where the light-emitting element actually emits light.

[0084] Next, the substrate 5 with the insulating layer 69 patterned is loaded into the first deposition apparatus, the substrate is held in a substrate holding unit, and the hole transport layer 65 is deposited as a common layer on the first electrode 64 of the display area. The hole transport layer 65 is deposited by vacuum deposition. In practice, the hole transport layer 65 is formed to a size larger than the display area 61, so a high-resolution mask is not required. Here, the deposition apparatus used in this step and in the deposition of each of the following layers is the deposition apparatus described in any of the embodiments above.

[0085] Next, the substrate 5, on which the hole transport layer 65 has been formed, is loaded into the second deposition apparatus and held in the substrate holding unit. Alignment is performed between the substrate 5 and the mask 6, the substrate 5 is placed on the mask 6, and a red light-emitting layer 66R is formed on the portion of the substrate 5 where the red light-emitting elements are to be placed. By using the deposition apparatus of Embodiment 2, the alignment of the mask 6 and the substrate 5 is performed. This process can be performed with high precision, and the mask 6 and substrate 5 can be brought into good contact, thus enabling high-precision film deposition.

[0086] Similar to the deposition of the light-emitting layer 66R, a light-emitting layer 66G that emits green light is deposited using a third deposition apparatus, and then a light-emitting layer 66B that emits blue light is deposited using a fourth deposition apparatus. After the deposition of the light-emitting layers 66R, 66G, and 66B is completed, an electron transport layer 67 is deposited over the entire display area 61 using a fifth deposition apparatus. Each of the light-emitting layers 66R, 66G, and 66B may be a single layer or a layer made up of multiple different layers stacked together. The electron transport layer 67 is formed as a common layer for the three colored light-emitting layers 66R, 66G, and 66B. In Embodiment 2, the electron transport layer 67 and the light-emitting layers 66R, 66G, and 66B are deposited by vacuum deposition.

[0087] Next, a second electrode 68 is formed on the electron transport layer 67. The second electrode may be formed by vacuum deposition or by sputtering. After that, the substrate 5 on which the second electrode 68 has been formed is moved to a sealing apparatus and a sealing process is performed in which a protective layer P is formed by plasma CVD, completing the organic EL display device 600. In this example, the protective layer P is formed by the CVD method, but it is not limited to this and may also be formed by the ALD method or the inkjet method.

[0088] Between the time the substrate 5, which has the insulating layer 69 patterned on it, is brought into the film deposition apparatus and the time the protective layer P is deposited, the substrate 5 is exposed to an atmosphere containing moisture and oxygen, and the light-emitting layer may deteriorate due to moisture and oxygen. In Embodiment 2, the loading and unloading of the substrate 5 between the film deposition apparatuses is performed under a vacuum atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere.

[0089] According to the alignment apparatus, film deposition apparatus, or method for manufacturing electronic devices of this embodiment, it is possible to achieve good film deposition with improved alignment accuracy. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0090] 10: Substrate, 12: Mask, 16: Mask support unit, 24: Lifting slider, 26: Alignment stage, 28: Actuator unit, 30: Control unit, 31: Alignment camera, 35: Camera adjustment mechanism

Claims

1. A moving means for moving at least one of the substrate and the mask along a direction of movement that intersects the film deposition surface of the substrate, A measuring means for measuring the relative positional relationship between the substrate and the mask in a direction along the film deposition surface of the substrate using an optical imaging means, Alignment means for adjusting the relative positional relationship between the substrate and the mask based on the measurement results from the measurement means, An adjustment means for adjusting the tilt of at least one of the optical axis of the imaging means and the direction of movement by the moving means, A control means for controlling the adjustment means based on information regarding the relative inclination between the optical axis of the imaging means and the direction of movement by the moving means, An alignment device having a storage means for storing, in association with the type of mask and information relating to the relative tilt when that type of mask is used, The alignment device is characterized in that the control means controls the adjustment means based on information regarding the relative tilt corresponding to the type of mask, which is selected according to information regarding the type of mask used in the alignment device.

2. The alignment device according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the adjustment means so that the relative tilt becomes smaller.

3. The alignment device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the information relating to the relative tilt includes information on the amount of movement of the adjustment means.

4. The system includes a tilt measuring means for measuring the relative tilt, The alignment device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control means controls the adjustment means based on the relative tilt information obtained from the measurement results of the tilt measuring means.

5. The alignment device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the adjustment means has an actuator for adjusting the position and angle of the imaging means.

6. The alignment device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the adjustment means has an actuator for adjusting the position and angle of the moving means.

7. The alignment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the measuring means measures the relative positional relationship between the substrate and the mask based on an image captured of a substrate mark provided on the substrate and a mask mark provided on the mask.

8. The alignment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the moving means places the substrate on the mask after the relative positional relationship between the substrate and the mask satisfies a predetermined target by the alignment means.

9. An alignment chamber having an alignment device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, A film deposition chamber having a film deposition means for depositing a film on the film deposition surface of the substrate on which the mask is placed, via the mask, A transport means for transporting the substrate on which the mask is placed in the alignment chamber to the film deposition chamber, A film deposition apparatus equipped with the following features.

10. The alignment room is, A first transport means for transporting the substrate, A second transport means for transporting the mask, A third transport means that transports a workpiece different from the substrate and the mask at a position different from the position in which the first transport means transports the substrate and the position in which the second transport means transports the mask, in a direction intersecting the film-forming surface of the substrate. A film deposition apparatus according to claim 9, having the following features.

11. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the third transport means stops transporting the workpiece when the substrate and the mask are being aligned in the alignment chamber.

12. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the transport directions of the substrate and the mask by the first transport means and the second transport means and the transport direction of the workpiece by the third transport means intersect.

13. A measurement step in which the relative positional relationship between the substrate and the mask in the direction along the film deposition surface of the substrate is measured using an optical imaging means, An alignment step is performed to adjust the relative positional relationship between the substrate and the mask based on the measurement results obtained in the measurement step, After the alignment step, a moving step is performed to move at least one of the substrate and the mask so that they are brought closer together. An alignment method using an alignment device having, A control step that performs control to adjust the tilt of at least one of the optical axis of the imaging means and the direction of movement in the movement step, based on information regarding the relative inclination between the optical axis of the imaging means and the direction of movement in the movement step, Includes, The alignment device has a storage means for storing information relating the type of mask and the relative tilt when that type of mask is used, The alignment method is characterized in that, in the control step, the tilt is adjusted based on information regarding the relative tilt corresponding to the type of mask, which is selected according to information regarding the type of mask used in the alignment device.

14. A film deposition method comprising depositing a film on a substrate on which a mask whose relative positional relationship has been adjusted by the alignment method described in claim 13 is placed, via the mask.

15. A method for manufacturing an electronic device, characterized by comprising the step of forming an organic film on a substrate using the film formation method described in claim 14.

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