Substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing method, and article manufacturing method

Abstract

This substrate processing apparatus processes an organic EL substrate and comprises: a measurement unit that measures the pressure inside a chamber for processing the organic EL substrate; a supply unit that supplies gas for providing a prescribed environment inside the chamber; an exhaust unit that exhausts the gas from the chamber; and a control unit that controls the supply unit or the exhaust unit so that the pressure inside the chamber is within a set pressure range, on the basis of the pressure measured by the measurement unit. The control unit changes the pressure range so that the range becomes narrower over time, and, on the basis of the changed pressure range, controls the adjustment range of the amount of gas supplied by the supply unit or the adjustment range of the amount of gas exhausted by the exhaust unit so that the range becomes smaller over time.

Description

Substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing method, and article manufacturing method

[0001] The disclosed technology relates to a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate processing method, and a method for manufacturing an article.

[0002] There are two main methods for manufacturing organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays that utilize the light emitted by an electronic material called organic electroluminescence (EL): vacuum deposition and coating. While vacuum deposition can maintain a low-oxygen, low-dew-point environment (a dew point temperature of 0°C or below is called a "low dew point"), the vacuum equipment requires specialized vacuum-resistant components and vacuum pumps, which can result in high equipment costs. Furthermore, vacuum deposition requires the use of high-resolution pixel deposition masks, which can make it difficult to manufacture the large-area deposition masks required for large-screen displays.

[0003] Therefore, as an alternative to the vacuum deposition method for producing large displays, there is a coating method that uses printing technologies such as inkjet technology to coat liquid organic EL materials onto a substrate under atmospheric pressure. After coating the liquid organic EL material onto a substrate, it is dried to form a uniform thin film, thereby forming an element. A manufacturing method for coating organic EL displays that improves production efficiency and performance is being developed.

[0004] Because organic EL displays can experience degradation of product characteristics (such as efficiency and lifespan) due to the influence of the manufacturing environment during manufacturing, they must be manufactured in a low-oxygen, low-dew-point environment to prevent this degradation. Therefore, in the manufacture of organic EL displays using a coating method, the processing chamber (hereinafter referred to as the "chamber") in which the substrates are processed must be filled with an inert gas to create a low-dew-point, low-oxygen environment around the manufacturing equipment, with moisture levels of 1 ppm or less and oxygen levels of 1 ppm or less. In the following description, the term "inert gas" refers to a gas with an active gas concentration as close to 0 ppm as possible.

[0005] Patent Document 1 discloses a substrate processing apparatus for processing organic EL substrates, which includes a configuration in which an inert gas circulation and purification device is connected to a chamber to supply nitrogen gas into the chamber, and a configuration in which the nitrogen gas is introduced into the chamber through a high-performance filter inside the chamber. The organic EL display manufacturing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a configuration in which the introduced nitrogen gas is returned to the high-performance filter and circulated, and a configuration in which the pressure inside the chamber is made positive relative to atmospheric pressure.

[0006] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses the configuration of a gas replacement system that can maintain a low-oxygen, low-dew-point environment by connecting an inert gas circulation purification device to a chamber. In the gas replacement system of Patent Document 2, dry air is introduced into the booth and moisture is discharged outside the device during maintenance and other operations. Therefore, the metal catalyst section that removes oxygen is closed with a valve, and only the molecular sieve section of the desiccant that adsorbs and removes moisture can be operated independently in a circulating manner. When there are multiple booths, some are independently broken down to the atmosphere to shorten downtime.

[0007] JP 2013-140721 A JP 2020-193765 A

[0008] However, in coating-type organic EL element manufacturing equipment, fluctuations in the internal pressure of the chamber can occur due to internal pressure control of the inert gas circulation and purification device. When the pressure inside the chamber changes, the amount of solvent evaporated from the liquid organic EL material can change, resulting in fluctuations in the evaporation rate. Changes in the flow behavior of the liquid organic EL material due to Marangoni convection, etc., can result in differences in the thickness of the thin film on each substrate after drying. To reduce variations in the dried thin film on each substrate due to fluctuations in the solvent evaporation rate, it may be necessary to suppress pressure changes inside the organic EL element manufacturing equipment.

[0009] When adjusting the pressure inside the chamber, the supply of inert gas can be controlled by opening and closing the supply amount adjustment valve depending on whether the measurement value of a sensor measuring the pressure inside the chamber is lower than an supply threshold. Also, the exhaust of inert gas from the chamber can be controlled by opening and closing the exhaust amount adjustment valve depending on whether the measurement value of the sensor is higher than an exhaust threshold. Adjusting the pressure inside the chamber by controlling the supply or exhaust in this way can cause fluctuations in the pressure inside the chamber (pressure hunting).

[0010] On the other hand, if the pressure inside the chamber becomes negative compared to the surroundings, the surrounding atmosphere may be sucked in through small gaps in the chamber, making it impossible to maintain a high level of cleanliness or a low-oxygen, low-dew-point environment. Therefore, it may be necessary to control the supply and exhaust of the inert gas while maintaining the pressure inside the chamber at a pressure slightly higher than the pressure outside the chamber 1 (hereinafter also referred to as "slightly positive pressure").

[0011] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the disclosed technique aims to provide an advantageous technique for processing an organic EL substrate.

[0012] A substrate processing apparatus for processing an organic EL substrate according to one aspect of the disclosed technology includes a measurement unit that measures the pressure inside a chamber for processing the organic EL substrate; a supply unit that supplies gas to create a predetermined environment inside the chamber; an exhaust unit that exhausts the gas from the chamber; and a control unit that controls the supply unit or the exhaust unit based on the pressure measured by the measurement unit so that the pressure inside the chamber falls within a set pressure range, wherein the control unit changes the pressure range to narrow over time, and controls the adjustment range of the amount of gas supplied by the supply unit or the adjustment range of the amount of gas exhausted by the exhaust unit to narrow over time based on the changed pressure range.

[0013] The disclosed technique can provide an advantageous technique for processing an organic EL substrate.

[0014] For example, in a substrate processing environment in a coating-type organic EL element manufacturing apparatus, a technology can be provided that simultaneously maintains a low-oxygen and low-dew-point environment equivalent to atmospheric pressure. Furthermore, a technology can be provided that suppresses the range and slope (rate of change) of pressure fluctuations in order to suppress pressure hunting that can occur during pressure control. By providing such a technology, the disclosed technology enables processing of organic EL substrates in a chamber under stable pressure.

[0015] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment. Fig. 2 is a timing chart of pressure control in the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment. Fig. 3 is a timing chart of pressure control when the pressure control according to the embodiment is not performed. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the flow of a supply process for supplying gas to a chamber in the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the flow of an exhaust process for exhausting gas from a chamber in the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the flow of a process for changing the setting of a pressure range in a stable period in the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention claimed. Although multiple features are described in the embodiments, not all of these multiple features are necessarily essential to the invention, and multiple features may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0017] 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a substrate processing apparatus 100 for processing an organic EL substrate according to an embodiment. The substrate processing apparatus 100 has a chamber 1 that constitutes the housing of the apparatus. The chamber 1 is a member that defines an internal space 101 separated from an external space, and the chamber 1 is a member that surrounds the internal space 101. The overall configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 may be said to be an organic EL display manufacturing apparatus or a pressure control system that controls the pressure inside the chamber 1.

[0018] In the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 100 for processing organic EL substrates shown in Figure 1, the internal space 101 of the chamber 1 may include a group of processing chambers connected to each other for performing various processes. The group of processing chambers may include, for example, a group of processing chambers connected to each other for performing various processes, such as a preprocessing process for the substrate, a transfer process for transferring the substrate between processing chambers, and a coating process for depositing or applying a solution film on the substrate using a coating method to obtain a coated substrate. The internal space 101 on the side where the group of processing chambers for performing various processes is located will be referred to as the "inside" of the chamber 1, and the space on the side where the group of processing chambers is not located will be referred to as the "outside" of the chamber 1.

[0019] The substrate processing apparatus 100 may be configured to perform a process of disposing or applying a solution film (a solution containing a solute and a solvent for forming an organic film) on a substrate inside the chamber 1 by a coating method using an inkjet printing device, a slit coater, etc. Alternatively, the substrate processing apparatus 100 may be configured to perform a drying process of drying the applied solution film on the substrate.

[0020] The solution film applied to the substrate may be, for example, a film composed of a solution containing a solute and a solvent for forming an organic film of an organic electronic material. The organic film may be, for example, any of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light-emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer of an organic EL device. Manufacturing an organic EL device may include a step of forming each organic film, such as a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light-emitting layer, an electron transport layer, or an electron injection layer, on a substrate.

[0021] The substrate processing apparatus 100 for processing organic EL substrates is an apparatus that can perform predetermined substrate processing by maintaining a low-oxygen, low-dew-point inert gas environment while controlling the pressure inside the chamber 1 to a slightly positive pressure. When controlling the pressure inside the chamber 1, the substrate processing apparatus 100 can perform pressure control that suppresses the width and slope (rate of change) of pressure fluctuations inside the chamber 1. The configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 100 and the processing related to pressure control will be described below.

[0022] (Configuration of substrate processing apparatus 100 for processing organic EL substrates) Chamber 1 is connected to an inert gas circulation purification device 6 (hereinafter also simply referred to as circulation purification device 6) through gas piping 140. Gas piping 140 has a gas supply pipe 141 for supplying inert gas to chamber 1, a gas exhaust pipe 142 for exhausting the inert gas from chamber 1, and bypass piping 12. Bypass piping 12 is provided between circulation purification device 6 and chamber 1, and connects gas supply pipe 141 and gas exhaust pipe 142.

[0023] The circulation purification device 6 comprises a purification section 7 and valves 15 and 16. By switching the opening and closing of the valves 15 and 16, it is possible to switch the flow path through which the inert gas flows inside the circulation purification device 6. The purification section 7 comprises a nitrogen purification section containing a metal catalyst such as a copper catalyst or a platinum catalyst that removes oxygen from the inert gas, and a moisture removal section filled with molecular sieves, which are desiccants that adsorb and remove moisture from the gas.

[0024] A blower 5 (air blower) sucks out the inert gas in the chamber 1 and supplies the sucked inert gas to the circulation purification device 6. A purification section 7 of the circulation purification device 6 removes oxygen and moisture from the inert gas supplied by the blower 5 using a nitrogen purification section and a moisture removal section. The circulation purification device 6 returns the inert gas from which oxygen and moisture have been removed to the chamber 1. In this way, the inert gas from which oxygen and moisture have been removed is configured to circulate between the chamber 1 and the circulation purification device 6.

[0025] Furthermore, the pressure measuring unit 3 is connected to the chamber 1 , measures the pressure in the internal space 101 of the chamber 1 , and outputs a signal indicating the measurement result to the control unit 2 .

[0026] The gas supply unit 89 has an internal configuration including a valve 8 and an aperture adjustment throttle 9. A supply gas line 90 supplies inert gas from a gas supply source (not shown) to the gas supply unit 89. The gas supply unit 89 supplies the inert gas to create a predetermined environment inside the chamber 1. Generally, moisture and oxygen present in air can deteriorate the materials when they enter an organic EL element. By creating an inert gas environment inside the chamber 1, deterioration of the organic EL element can be suppressed, and the internal environment of the chamber 1 can be made into a low-oxygen, low-dew-point environment, for example, with moisture of 1 ppm or less and oxygen of 1 ppm or less.

[0027] The valve 8 and the aperture adjustment orifice 9 connected to the supply gas line 90 may be configured with automatically controllable valves such as air-operated valves or solenoid valves. A control unit 2 (described later) can control (adjust) the opening and closing of the valve 8 and the aperture of the aperture adjustment orifice 9 based on a control command. The valve 8 is connected to the supply gas line 90, and opening the valve 8 enables the supply of inert gas to the aperture adjustment orifice 9. The aperture of the aperture adjustment orifice 9 can be controlled (adjusted) based on a control command from the control unit 2. By adjusting the aperture of the aperture adjustment orifice 9, an inert gas with a controlled (adjusted) supply flow rate can be supplied to the chamber 1 via the circulation purification device 6.

[0028] The gas exhaust unit 111 is connected to the chamber 1 via the circulation purification device 6. The gas exhaust unit 111 has an internal configuration including a valve 11 and an aperture-adjustable orifice 10. The valve 11 and aperture-adjustable orifice 10, which are connected to the exhaust gas line 112, are automatically controllable valves such as air-operated valves and solenoid valves. The control unit 2 can control (adjust) the opening and closing of the valve 11 and the aperture of the aperture-adjustable orifice 10 based on a control command. Opening the valve 11 enables exhaust of inert gas from the exhaust gas line 112. The aperture-adjustable orifice 10 can control (adjust) its aperture based on a control command from the control unit 2. By adjusting the aperture of the aperture-adjustable orifice 10, inert gas with a controlled exhaust flow rate can be exhausted from the exhaust gas line 112.

[0029] The control unit 2 controls various components of the substrate processing apparatus 100. For example, the control unit 2 can control the gas supply unit 89 and the gas exhaust unit 111 based on the pressure in the internal space 101 measured by the pressure measurement unit 3 (pressure measurement sensor). The control unit 2 may adjust the pressure in the chamber 1 to a predetermined target pressure based on the pressure in the internal space 101 measured by the pressure measurement unit 3. For example, the control unit 2 may control the gas supply unit 89 and the gas exhaust unit 111 to be between a predetermined upper target pressure value and a predetermined lower target pressure value (pressure range) based on the pressure in the internal space 101 measured by the pressure measurement unit 3, in order to control the pressure in the internal space 101 to a slightly positive pressure state.

[0030] 4 is a diagram illustrating the flow of a gas supply process for supplying an inert gas to the chamber 1. In step S41, the pressure measurement unit 3 measures the pressure in the internal space 101. The pressure measurement unit 3 outputs a signal indicating the measurement result to the control unit 2.

[0031] In step S42, the control unit 2 compares the measurement result of the pressure measurement unit 3 with the gas supply start pressure. Here, the gas supply start pressure is a reference pressure for determining the start of supply of the inert gas to the chamber 1.

[0032] If it is determined in step S42 that the measurement result of the pressure measurement unit 3 is higher than the gas supply start pressure (S42-NO), the process proceeds to Fig. 5 (gas exhaust process). On the other hand, if it is determined in step S42 that the measurement result of the pressure measurement unit 3 is lower than the gas supply start pressure (S42-YES), the process proceeds to step S43.

[0033] In step S43, the control unit 2 opens the valve 8 of the supply gas line 90. Then, in step S44, the control unit 2 controls (adjusts) the aperture of the aperture adjustment throttle 9. The control unit 2 adjusts the gas supply amount by adjusting the aperture of the aperture adjustment throttle 9 of the supply gas line 90 according to the difference (here, the difference refers to the absolute value of the difference; the same applies below) between the target pressure (e.g., a lower limit target value) and the measurement result (the current pressure in the internal space 101). By adjusting the gas supply amount, the pressure in the internal space 101 of the chamber 1 can be adjusted. Here, the target pressure is a target pressure in pressure control that maintains the internal pressure of the chamber 1 at a slightly positive pressure relative to the outside, and in the gas supply process, it may be the lower limit pressure of the pressure range that maintains the pressure in the internal space 101 at a slightly positive pressure (lower limit target value).

[0034] Equation (1) shown below is a calculation formula for adjusting the opening (throttle amount) of the opening adjustment throttle 9. In equation (1), K1 represents the minimum throttle value (minimum opening) of the opening adjustment throttle 9 during supply. P is the measurement result of the pressure measurement unit 3, and represents the current pressure (current pressure) of the internal space 101 in the chamber 1. Ptarget1 is the target pressure of the internal space 101, and may be, for example, a lower limit target value.

[0035] β is an operating gain (opening adjustment parameter) for adjusting the opening of the opening adjustment throttle 9, and is a parameter that indicates how sensitively the opening is adjusted in response to the difference (absolute value of the difference) between the current pressure and the target pressure. By changing the setting of the opening adjustment parameter β, the flow rate of the inert gas supplied can be adjusted. For example, to narrow the opening of the opening adjustment throttle 9, the opening adjustment parameter β can be adjusted to be smaller. On the other hand, to widen the opening of the opening adjustment throttle 9, the opening adjustment parameter β can be adjusted to be larger.

[0036] Opening degree = K1 x (1 + β x |(P - Ptaget1)| / Ptaget1) (1) K1: Minimum throttle value at the time of supply (minimum opening degree) P: Current pressure in the internal space 101 (current pressure) Ptaget1: Target pressure (lower limit target value) β: Opening degree adjustment parameter The control unit 2 controls (adjusts) the opening degree of the opening degree adjustment orifice 9 based on equation (1), and the gas supply unit 89 adjusts the amount of inert gas supplied based on the adjusted opening degree of the opening degree adjustment orifice 9.

[0037] In step S45, the pressure in the internal space 101 is measured by the pressure measuring unit 3. The pressure measuring unit 3 outputs a signal indicating the measurement result to the control unit 2.

[0038] In step S46, the control unit 2 compares the measurement result of the pressure measurement unit 3 with the gas supply stop pressure. Here, the gas supply stop pressure is a reference pressure for determining whether to stop the supply of inert gas to the chamber 1. If the measurement result of the pressure measurement unit 3 is lower than the gas supply stop pressure (S46-NO), the process returns to step S44, and the same process is repeated. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S46 that the measurement result of the pressure measurement unit 3 is higher than the gas supply stop pressure (S46-YES), the process proceeds to step S47.

[0039] In step S47, the control unit 2 closes the valve 8 of the supply gas line 90. This stops the supply of inert gas to the chamber 1. Then, in step S48, the control unit 2 returns the aperture of the aperture adjustment throttle 9 to the initial value setting. Then, the process returns to step S41, and the same process is repeated. The pressure in the internal space 101 of the chamber 1 is measured by the pressure measurement unit 3, and the gas supply process of FIG. 4 can be performed in accordance with the measurement result of the pressure measurement unit 3.

[0040] 5 is a diagram illustrating the flow of a gas exhaust process for exhausting an inert gas from the chamber 1. In step S51, the pressure measurement unit 3 measures the pressure in the internal space 101. The pressure measurement unit 3 outputs a signal indicating the measurement result to the control unit 2.

[0041] In step S52, the control unit 2 compares the measurement result of the pressure measurement unit 3 with the gas exhaust start pressure. Here, the gas exhaust start pressure is a reference pressure for determining the start of exhaust of the inert gas from the chamber 1.

[0042] If it is determined in step S52 that the measurement result of the pressure measurement unit 3 is lower than the gas exhaust start pressure (S52-NO), the process proceeds to Fig. 4 (gas supply process). On the other hand, if it is determined in step S52 that the measurement result of the pressure measurement unit 3 is higher than the gas exhaust start pressure (S52-YES), the process proceeds to step S53.

[0043] In step S53, the control unit 2 opens the valve 11 in the exhaust gas line 112. Then, in step S54, the control unit 2 controls (adjusts) the aperture of the aperture adjustment throttle 10. The control unit 2 adjusts the amount of gas exhausted by adjusting the aperture of the aperture adjustment throttle 10 in the exhaust gas line 112 according to the difference (absolute value of the difference) between the target pressure (e.g., upper limit target value) and the measurement result (the current pressure in the internal space 101). By adjusting the amount of gas exhausted, the pressure in the internal space 101 of the chamber 1 is adjusted. Here, the target pressure is a pressure targeted in pressure control that maintains the internal pressure of the chamber 1 at a slightly positive pressure relative to the outside, and in the gas exhaust process, it may be the upper limit pressure of the pressure range that maintains the pressure in the internal space 101 at a slightly positive pressure (upper limit target value).

[0044] Equation (2) shown below is a calculation formula for adjusting the opening (throttle amount) of the opening adjustment throttle 10. In equation (2), K2 represents the minimum throttle value (minimum opening) of the opening adjustment throttle 10 during exhaust. P is the measurement result of the pressure measurement unit 3, and represents the current pressure (current pressure) of the internal space 101 in the chamber 1. Ptarget2 is the target pressure of the internal space 101, and may be, for example, an upper limit target value.

[0045] γ is an operating gain (opening adjustment parameter) for adjusting the opening of the opening-adjustable orifice 10, and is a parameter that indicates how sensitively the opening is adjusted in response to the difference (absolute value of the difference) between the current pressure and the target pressure. By changing the setting of the opening adjustment parameter γ, the flow rate of the inert gas exhausted can be adjusted. For example, to narrow the opening of the opening-adjustable orifice 10, the opening adjustment parameter γ can be adjusted to be smaller. On the other hand, to widen the opening of the opening-adjustable orifice 10, the opening adjustment parameter γ can be adjusted to be larger.

[0046] Opening degree = K2 × (1 + γ × |(P - Ptaget2)| / Ptaget2) (2) K2: Minimum throttling value during exhaust (minimum opening degree) P: Current pressure in the internal space 101 (current pressure) Ptaget2: Target pressure (upper limit target value) γ: Opening degree adjustment parameter The control unit 2 controls (adjusts) the opening degree of the opening degree adjustment throttle 10 based on equation (2), and the gas exhaust unit 111 adjusts the amount of inert gas exhausted based on the adjusted opening degree of the opening degree adjustment throttle 10.

[0047] In step S55, the pressure measuring unit 3 measures the pressure in the internal space 101. The pressure measuring unit 3 outputs a signal indicating the measurement result to the control unit 2.

[0048] In step S56, the control unit 2 compares the measurement result of the pressure measurement unit 3 with the gas exhaust stop pressure. Here, the gas exhaust stop pressure is a reference pressure for determining whether to stop the exhaust of the inert gas from the chamber 1. If the measurement result of the pressure measurement unit 3 is higher than the gas exhaust stop pressure (S56-NO), the process returns to step S54, and the same process is repeated. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S56 that the measurement result of the pressure measurement unit 3 is lower than the gas exhaust stop pressure (S56-YES), the process proceeds to step S57.

[0049] In step S57, the control unit 2 closes the valve 11 of the exhaust gas line 112. This stops the exhaust of the inert gas from the chamber 1. Then, in step S58, the control unit 2 returns the aperture of the aperture adjustment throttle 10 to the initial value setting. Then, the process returns to step S51, and the same process is repeated. The pressure in the internal space 101 of the chamber 1 is measured by the pressure measurement unit 3, and the gas exhaust process of FIG. 5 can be performed in accordance with the measurement result of the pressure measurement unit 3.

[0050] When performing maintenance or adjustment of the substrate processing apparatus 100, the valves 15 and 16 in the inert gas circulation refinement apparatus 6 are closed to return the inert gas environment to an atmospheric environment and protect the catalyst. Then, the valve 13 in the air replacement line 115 is opened, and the aperture of the aperture-adjusting orifice 14 in the air replacement line 115 is adjusted to perform air replacement. The valve 13 and aperture-adjusting orifice 15 in the air replacement line 115 are automatically controllable valves such as air-operated valves or solenoid valves, and the control unit 2 can control (adjust) the opening and closing of the valve 13 and the aperture of the aperture-adjusting orifice 15 based on control commands.

[0051] Furthermore, by adjusting the amount of circulating gas output from the inert gas circulating purification device 6 flowing into the bypass pipe 12 and the chamber 1 using the flow rate adjuster 4 (flow rate adjustment throttle) provided in the gas supply pipe 141, it is possible to reduce unstable flow conditions immediately after starting the blower 5. The control unit 2 can control (adjust) the flow rate of the flow rate adjuster 4 (flow rate adjustment throttle) based on a control command.

[0052] As an example of flow rate control by the flow rate adjuster 4, in the initial state immediately after the start of the blower 5, the throttle opening of the flow rate adjuster 4 may be closed to increase the flow rate of the gas flowing through the bypass pipe 12. Also, in a steady state where the operation of the blower 5 is stable, the throttle opening of the flow rate adjuster 4 may be opened to reduce the flow rate of the gas flowing through the bypass pipe 12 and increase the flow rate of the gas flowing to the chamber 1 side.

[0053] For example, the control unit 2 may close the throttle opening of the flow rate regulator 4 until a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of gas supply, thereby increasing the flow rate of gas flowing through the bypass pipe 12 and reducing the flow rate to the chamber 1. Alternatively, the control unit 2 may control the amount of gas supply such that, after the predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit 2 opens the throttle opening of the flow rate regulator 4, thereby reducing the flow rate of gas flowing through the bypass pipe 12 and increasing the flow rate to the chamber 1.

[0054] The chamber 1 has a sealed structure in which the internal space 101 is sealed, but if the pressure inside the chamber 1 becomes negative compared to the surroundings, the surrounding atmosphere may be sucked in through small gaps in the chamber 1, making it impossible to maintain a high level of cleanliness or a low-oxygen, low-dew-point environment. Therefore, pressure control may be required to keep the pressure inside the chamber 1 slightly higher (slightly positive pressure) than the external pressure.

[0055] On the other hand, in a substrate processing apparatus 100 that processes organic EL substrates using a coating method in which a liquid organic EL material is applied to a substrate and then dried to form a uniform thin film, the pressure inside the chamber 1 can change. When the pressure inside the chamber changes, the evaporation rate of the solvent in the liquid organic EL material fluctuates, which can result in differences in the thickness of the thin film on each substrate after drying. Therefore, to suppress pressure hunting that can occur during pressure control, it may be necessary to suppress the range and slope (rate of change) of the pressure fluctuation. In other words, it may be necessary to control the supply and exhaust of inert gas so as to suppress the range and slope (rate of change) of the pressure fluctuation while maintaining the pressure inside the chamber at a slightly positive pressure.

[0056] 2 is a timing chart of pressure control within a chamber in the substrate processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment. 201 in 2A of FIG. 2 shows fluctuations in pressure in the internal space 101 of the chamber 1 when exhaust and supply of an inert gas are alternately repeated. In 2A of FIG. 2, "exhaust-on" indicates the start of exhaust, and "exhaust-off" indicates the end of exhaust. Furthermore, "supply-on" indicates the start of supply, and "supply-off" indicates the end of supply.

[0057] Here, the pressure when exhaust-on is the gas exhaust start pressure described in step S52 of Fig. 5, and the pressure when exhaust-off is the gas exhaust stop pressure described in step S56 of Fig. 5. Also, the pressure when supply-on is the gas supply start pressure described in step S42 of Fig. 4, and the pressure when supply-off is the gas supply stop pressure described in step S46 of Fig. 4.

[0058] After the start of circulation of the inert gas by the circulation purification device 6, during a period when the circulation flow of the inert gas is unstable (the initial period of startup: for example, a predetermined time of about 15 minutes), the pressure range of the internal space 101 of the chamber 1 is set in advance. For example, as described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 , an upper limit pressure (upper limit target value) and a lower limit pressure (lower limit target value) within the pressure range in which the pressure of the internal space 101 is maintained at a slightly positive pressure are set in advance. Then, by repeatedly adjusting the supply and exhaust of the inert gas between the upper limit target value and the lower limit target value, fluctuations in the pressure in the internal space 101 of the chamber 1 (pressure hunting) may occur.

[0059] The control unit 2 changes the pressure range so as to narrow it over time, and based on the changed pressure range, controls the adjustment range of the gas supply amount by the gas supply unit 89 or the adjustment range of the gas exhaust amount by the gas exhaust unit 111 so as to narrow it over time. During the initial startup period, the pressure range between the initial upper limit target value and the initial lower limit target value may be set large in advance, for example, to a pressure range of about 500 to 300 Pa, as indicated by dashed lines 202 and 203 in 2A of FIG.

[0060] Then, during the period after the circulation of the inert gas has stabilized (the stable period), the upper target value is gradually brought closer to the lower target value, and the pressure range between the upper target value and the lower target value (e.g., a pressure range lower than 100 Pa) is adjusted to be narrower than the pressure range set as the initial value (e.g., a pressure range of about 500 to 300 Pa). The control unit 2 controls the supply (supply amount) of gas by the gas supply unit 89 or the exhaust (exhaust amount) of gas by the gas exhaust unit 111 so that the difference (absolute value of the difference) between the upper target value and the lower target value falls within the changed pressure range (e.g., a pressure range lower than 100 Pa). During the stable period, by gradually narrowing the pressure range set as the initial value over time, the pressure fluctuation width due to up and down fluctuations in pressure (pressure hunting) can be suppressed.

[0061] FIG. 3 is a timing chart of pressure control within the chamber when the pressure control according to the embodiment is not performed (comparative example). 301 in FIG. 3A shows pressure fluctuations in the internal space 101 of the chamber 1 when exhaust and supply of inert gas are alternately repeated. Dashed lines 302 and 303 show the pressure range between the initial upper target value and the initial lower target value. 3B in FIG. 3 shows the exhaust aperture of the gas exhaust unit 111. In the comparative example of FIG. 3B, the exhaust aperture 304 is constant during the initial startup period and the stable period. 3C in FIG. 3 shows the supply aperture of the gas supply unit 89. In the comparative example of FIG. 3C, the supply aperture 305 is constant during the initial startup period and the stable period.

[0062] It is not sufficient to simply narrow the pressure range by gradually moving the upper target value closer to the lower target value after the circulation of the inert gas has stabilized, as shown in 3A in Fig. 3. This is because if the pressure range between the upper and lower target values ​​falls below a certain value, the supply and exhaust of the inert gas will be repeated frequently, which will inevitably cause fluctuations in pressure (pressure hunting).

[0063] 2B, the pressure control of the chamber 1 in this embodiment adjusts the aperture of the aperture-adjustable throttle 10 in the exhaust gas line in accordance with the difference (absolute value of the difference) between the target pressure (upper limit target value) and the current pressure (current pressure) in the internal space 101 measured by the pressure measurement unit 3. As the upper limit target value approaches the lower limit target value, the aperture of the aperture-adjustable throttle 10 may be controlled to be more gradual in accordance with the difference (absolute value of the difference) between the target value and the current pressure in the internal space 101. As shown in 2B of FIG. 2B, the exhaust aperture 204 may be controlled to decrease over time during the stable period.

[0064] For example, when the circulation flow is stable, the maximum opening area S1 of the opening adjustment throttle 10 ＭＡＸ For example, the opening adjustment range of the opening adjustment throttle 10 may be limited to the maximum opening area S1 ＭＡＸ The exhaust opening may be controlled to be adjusted within a limited range (for example, within 25% of the maximum open area). By controlling the exhaust opening to be adjusted within a limited range, the slope (rate of change) of pressure over time can be suppressed.

[0065] 2C , the supply is also controlled by adjusting the aperture of the aperture adjustment throttle 9 in the supply gas line in accordance with the difference (absolute value of the difference) between the target pressure (lower limit target value) and the current pressure (current pressure) in the internal space 101 measured by the pressure measurement unit 3. As the upper limit target value approaches the lower limit target value, the aperture adjustment of the aperture adjustment throttle 9 may be controlled to be gentler in accordance with the difference (absolute value of the difference) between the target value and the current pressure in the internal space 101. As shown in 2C of FIG. 2C , the supply aperture 205 may be controlled to decrease over time during the stable period.

[0066] For example, when the circulation flow is stable, the maximum opening area S2 of the opening adjustment throttle 9 ＭＡＸ For example, the adjustment range of the opening degree may be limited to the maximum opening area S2 of the opening degree adjustment throttle 9. ＭＡＸThe supply opening may be controlled to be adjusted within a limited range (for example, within 25% of the maximum open area). By controlling the supply opening to restrict the adjustment range, the slope (rate of change) of pressure over time can be suppressed.

[0067] In operating the apparatus, the control unit 2 may set different pressures for starting gas supply and stopping gas supply to control the amount of gas supplied by the gas supply unit 89, or may set different pressures for starting gas exhaust and stopping gas exhaust to control the amount of gas exhausted by the gas exhaust unit 111. That is, the pressure set value for starting exhaust (gas exhaust start pressure) and the pressure set value for stopping exhaust (gas exhaust stop pressure) may be set to different values, or the pressure set value for starting supply (gas supply start pressure) and the pressure set value for stopping supply (gas supply stop pressure) may be set to different values.

[0068] The magnitude relationship between the gas exhaust start pressure and the gas exhaust stop pressure can be set arbitrarily. The magnitude relationship between the gas supply start pressure and the gas supply stop pressure can also be set arbitrarily. A slight leak occurs in the chamber 1, and the pressure in the internal space 101 tends to gradually decrease. To suppress frequent pressure control, the gas exhaust stop pressure (exhaust-off) may be set higher than the gas exhaust start pressure (exhaust-on). The gas supply stop pressure (supply-off) may also be set higher than the gas supply start pressure (supply-on).

[0069] 6 is a diagram showing the process flow for changing the pressure range setting in the stable period. Changing the pressure range in the stable period involves changing the pressure range that was previously set as the pressure range for the initial start-up of the inert gas circulation purification apparatus 6. In FIG. 6, steps S61 to S63 show the process flow for the initial start-up, step S64 is a determination of the end of the initial start-up, and steps S65 to S68 show the process flow for the stable period.

[0070] In step S61, an initial value of the pressure range at the start of startup of the circulation purification apparatus 6 is set. The control unit 2 may set the pressure range information acquired through communication with an external device, or may set the pressure range at the start of startup based on pressure range information input from an input device. The pressure range between the initial upper target value and the initial lower target value may be set large in advance, for example, to approximately 500 to 300 Pa.

[0071] In step S62, the control unit 2 controls and starts the circulation refinement device 6. When the circulation refinement device 6 is started, the circulation of the inert gas begins.

[0072] In step S63, the supply process or the exhaust process is repeated. The pressure in the internal space 101 of the chamber 1 is measured by the pressure measurement unit 3, and the gas supply process shown in Fig. 4 or the gas exhaust process shown in Fig. 5 is repeated depending on the measurement results of the pressure measurement unit 3. Repeated adjustment of the supply and exhaust of the inert gas may cause fluctuations in the pressure in the internal space 101 of the chamber 1 (pressure hunting).

[0073] In step S64, the control unit 2 determines whether the initial startup period has ended based on the time elapsed since the start of startup of the circulation purification device 6 (the start of supply of inert gas) (for example, 15 minutes have elapsed since the start of startup). If the control unit 2 determines that the initial startup period has not ended (S64-NO), the process returns to step S63, and the same process is performed. On the other hand, if the control unit 2 determines in step S64 that the initial startup period has ended (S64-YES), the process proceeds to step S65.

[0074] The determination of the end of the initial startup period is not limited to the elapsed time from the start of startup (start of supply of inert gas), but may be based on the rate of change of the internal pressure in the internal space 101 of the chamber 1. For example, the control unit 2 may acquire the rate of change of the internal pressure based on the measurement results of the pressure measurement unit 3, and when the rate of change of the internal pressure becomes smaller than a predetermined threshold, determine that the internal pressure state is stabilized and that the initial startup period has ended (S64-YES).

[0075] In step S65, the control unit 2 changes the pressure range setting by subtracting the adjustment pressure Δ from the upper limit target value (upper limit pressure) of the pressure range set as the initial value. By gradually narrowing the pressure range set as the initial value through the processing of this step, the pressure fluctuation width in the up and down fluctuations of pressure (pressure hunting) can be suppressed.

[0076] In step S66, the control unit 2 restricts the adjustment range of the aperture adjustment throttle. For example, in the gas supply process, the control unit 2 adjusts the aperture of the aperture adjustment throttle 9 in accordance with the difference (absolute value of the difference) between the target pressure (lower limit target value) and the measurement result (current pressure in the internal space 101), and the gas supply unit 89 adjusts the supply amount of inert gas based on the adjusted aperture of the aperture adjustment throttle 9. For example, the control unit 2 may adjust the adjustment range of the aperture adjustment throttle 9 in accordance with the difference (absolute value of the difference) between the target pressure (lower limit target value) and the measurement result (current pressure in the internal space 101). ＭＡＸ The amount of inert gas supplied by the gas supply unit 89 may be controlled by setting the opening adjustment parameter β in the formula (1) so as to limit the adjustment range of the opening.

[0077] The control unit 2 may set the opening adjustment parameter β so as to limit the adjustment range based on the number of times the process is repeated. For example, the opening adjustment parameter β may be set so that the area is within 25 percent of the maximum released area for the first to tenth loop repetitions, within 20 percent of the maximum released area for the eleventh to twentyth loop repetitions, and within 17 percent of the maximum released area for the subsequent loop repetitions.

[0078] In the gas exhaust process, the control unit 2 adjusts the aperture of the aperture-adjusting orifice 10 in accordance with the difference (absolute value of the difference) between the target pressure (upper limit target value) and the measurement result (current pressure in the internal space 101), and the gas exhaust unit 111 adjusts the exhaust amount of the inert gas based on the adjusted aperture of the aperture-adjusting orifice 10. For example, the control unit 2 adjusts the maximum opening area S1 of the aperture-adjusting orifice 10. ＭＡＸ The amount of inert gas exhausted by the gas exhaust amount adjusting mechanism may be controlled by setting the opening adjustment parameter γ in equation (2) so as to limit the adjustment range of the opening.

[0079] The control unit 2 may set the opening adjustment parameter γ in equation (2) so as to limit the adjustment range based on the number of times the process is repeated. For example, the opening adjustment parameter γ may be set so that the area is within 25 percent of the maximum released area for the first to tenth loop repetitions, within 20 percent of the maximum released area for the eleventh to twentyth loop repetitions, and within 17 percent of the maximum released area for the subsequent loop repetitions.

[0080] In adjusting the opening of the opening-adjustable throttle 10, it is possible to use equation (2), as explained in the processing of step S54 in Fig. 5, but the setting of the upper limit target value is changed in step S65. In this case, in the calculation using equation (2), it is sufficient to use the pressure obtained by subtracting the adjustment pressure Δ from the upper limit target value set as the initial value (upper limit target value - adjustment pressure Δ).

[0081] In this embodiment, a configuration in which the upper limit target value is brought closer to the lower limit target value is described as an example, but the disclosed technology is not limited to this example, and a configuration in which the lower limit target value is brought closer to the upper limit target value may also be used. In this case, in the process of step S65, the pressure range setting may be changed by adding the adjustment pressure Δ to the lower limit target value (lower limit pressure) of the pressure range set as the initial value. In this case, in the calculation using equation (1), the pressure obtained by adding the adjustment pressure Δ to the lower limit target value set as the initial value (lower limit target value + adjustment pressure Δ) may be used.

[0082] Alternatively, the disclosed technology may change the pressure range settings so that both the upper and lower target values ​​approach each other. That is, at least one of the upper and lower target values ​​may approach the other. By controlling the adjustment range of the apertures 9 and 10 so that it is adjusted within a limited range, the slope (rate of change) of the pressure over time can be suppressed.

[0083] In step S67, the supply process or the exhaust process is repeated. The pressure in the internal space 101 of the chamber 1 is measured by the pressure measurement unit 3, and the gas supply process or the gas exhaust process is repeated depending on the measurement results of the pressure measurement unit 3. In the gas supply process or the gas exhaust process performed in this step, the width and gradient (rate of change) of the pressure fluctuation in the chamber 1 are suppressed, as shown in 2B and 2C in FIG.

[0084] In step S68, the control unit 2 determines whether the pressure range between the upper and lower target values ​​has been adjusted to a predetermined range (e.g., a pressure range lower than 100 Pa). If the pressure range has not been adjusted to the predetermined range (NO in S68), the control unit 2 returns to step S65 and repeats the same process. On the other hand, if the determination in step S68 is that the pressure range has been adjusted to the predetermined range (YES in S68), the process ends.

[0085] The determination of the end of pressure control is not limited to a pressure range, but may be repeated from the initial start-up stage to a stable period until a predetermined time has elapsed, and may be terminated after the stable period has elapsed.

[0086] The control unit 2 controls the gas supply (supply amount) by the gas supply unit 89 or the gas exhaust (exhaust amount) by the gas exhaust unit 111 so as to adjust the pressure inside the chamber 1 to a pressure state 10 Pa to 300 Pa higher than the pressure outside the chamber 1. Through this pressure control, the pressure in the internal space 101 of the chamber 1 can be adjusted to a slightly positive pressure state 10 Pa to 300 Pa higher than the pressure of the ambient environment outside the chamber 1 (atmospheric pressure). Furthermore, by gradually narrowing the pressure range set as the initial value over time, the pressure fluctuation range during up and down pressure fluctuations (pressure hunting) can be limited to a pressure range below 100 Pa, for example. This makes it possible to prevent variations in the thickness of the thin film on each substrate after drying due to changes in the pressure inside the chamber after applying the liquid organic EL material to the substrate.

[0087] Furthermore, in the past, in order to achieve stable slightly positive pressure control, it was necessary to manufacture the chamber from a metal material due to the need to reduce minute leaks from gaps in the chamber. Chambers made of resin materials may have relatively more leaks than chambers made of metal materials. However, by controlling the pressure in the internal space of the chamber 1 to a slightly positive pressure state through pressure control using the disclosed technology, it becomes possible to construct the chamber 1 using a resin material. This reduces the manufacturing cost of the device. The resin material used to construct the chamber 1 is preferably one that has low oxygen and moisture permeability, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) may be used, for example. Furthermore, since flowing a dry inert gas can cause static electricity, a resin material with an antistatic coating applied to its surface may be used to suppress static electricity generation.

[0088] The above describes an embodiment of the disclosed technology, but the components constituting the system or device and the numerical values ​​described as control parameters are merely examples and do not specify the scope of the present invention.

[0089] In organic EL element manufacturing equipment, pressure control technology simultaneously maintains low oxygen and a low dew point in an atmospheric pressure environment and suppresses pressure hunting that occurs when controlling the pressure inside the chamber, stabilizing the evaporation rate of liquid organic EL materials. This suppresses differences in thin film thickness on each substrate after drying, making it possible to improve yields due to poor characteristics and variations in organic EL displays, and contributing to the spread of large organic EL displays, which have not been widely used until now due to low yields.

[0090] (Embodiment of Method for Manufacturing Article) A method for manufacturing an article (electronic device) according to an embodiment can be applied to manufacturing an article such as an organic EL (OLED) panel using an inkjet printing device, a slit coater, etc. The method for manufacturing an article according to this embodiment includes a step (coating step) of obtaining a coated substrate by arranging or coating a solution film on a substrate by a coating method using an inkjet printing device, a slit coater, etc.

[0091] The method for producing an article of this embodiment also includes a step (drying step) of drying the solution film on the coated substrate to obtain a dry substrate on which a dry film has been formed. Furthermore, this production method also includes other well-known steps (such as firing, cooling, dehumidification, dry cleaning, electrode formation, and sealing film formation). The method for producing an article of this embodiment is advantageous over conventional methods in at least one of the performance, quality, productivity, and production cost of the article.

[0092] (Summary of Embodiments) [Item 1] A substrate processing apparatus for processing an organic EL substrate, comprising: a measurement unit that measures the pressure inside a chamber for processing the organic EL substrate; a supply unit that supplies a gas for creating a predetermined environment inside the chamber; an exhaust unit that exhausts the gas from the chamber; and a control unit that controls the supply unit or the exhaust unit based on the pressure measured by the measurement unit so that the pressure inside the chamber falls within a set pressure range, wherein the control unit changes the pressure range to narrow over time, and controls an adjustment range of the supply amount of the gas by the supply unit or an adjustment range of the exhaust amount of the gas by the exhaust unit to narrow over time based on the changed pressure range. [Item 2] The substrate processing apparatus of item 1, wherein the control unit changes the pressure range to narrow by bringing at least one of an upper target value and a lower target value within the set pressure range closer to the other target value. [Item 3] The substrate processing apparatus of item 2, wherein the control unit controls the adjustment range of the gas exhaust rate based on a difference between the pressure and the upper limit target value. [Item 4] The substrate processing apparatus of item 2, wherein the control unit controls the adjustment range of the gas supply rate based on a difference between the pressure and the lower limit target value. [Item 5] The substrate processing apparatus of item 1, wherein the control unit changes the pressure range so that, of the upper limit target value and the lower limit target value within the set pressure range, the upper limit target value approaches the lower limit target value over time, and controls the adjustment range of the gas exhaust rate based on the difference between the upper limit target value and the pressure within the changed pressure range. [Item 6] The substrate processing apparatus of item 1, wherein the control unit changes the pressure range so that, of the upper limit target value and the lower limit target value within the set pressure range, the upper limit target value approaches the lower limit target value over time, and controls the adjustment range of the gas supply rate based on the difference between the pressure and the lower limit target value within the changed pressure range.[Item 7] The substrate processing apparatus of any one of items 1 to 6, wherein the control unit changes the pressure range so as to narrow it over time after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of gas supply, and controls the adjustment range of the gas supply amount or the adjustment range of the gas exhaust amount to narrow it over time based on the changed pressure range. [Item 8] The substrate processing apparatus of any one of items 1 to 6, wherein the control unit changes the pressure range so as to narrow it over time when a rate of change of the pressure acquired based on the measurement result of the measurement unit becomes smaller than a predetermined threshold, and controls the adjustment range of the gas supply amount or the adjustment range of the gas exhaust amount to narrow it over time based on the changed pressure range. [Item 9] The substrate processing apparatus of item 7, further comprising: a gas supply pipe provided with a flow rate adjustment unit for supplying the gas to the chamber, a gas exhaust pipe for exhausting the gas from the chamber, and a bypass pipe connecting the gas supply pipe and the gas exhaust pipe, wherein the control unit controls the supply amount of the gas by closing the throttle aperture of the flow rate adjustment unit to increase the flow rate of the gas flowing into the bypass pipe and reduce the flow rate to the chamber until the predetermined time has elapsed, and after the predetermined time has elapsed, opening the throttle aperture of the flow rate adjustment unit to reduce the flow rate of the gas flowing into the bypass pipe and increase the flow rate to the chamber. [Item 10] The substrate processing apparatus of any one of items 1 to 9, further comprising: a gas supply pipe provided with a flow rate adjustment unit for supplying the gas to the chamber, a gas exhaust pipe for exhausting the gas from the chamber, and a bypass pipe connecting the gas supply pipe and the gas exhaust pipe, wherein the control unit controls the supply amount of the gas by the supply unit or the exhaust of the gas by the exhaust unit so that a difference between an upper limit target value and a lower limit target value in the changed pressure range is less than 100 Pa. [Item 11] The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 10, wherein the control unit controls the supply of the gas by the supply unit or the exhaust of the gas by the exhaust unit so as to adjust the pressure in the chamber to a pressure state that is 10 Pa to 300 Pa higher than the pressure outside the chamber.[Item 12] The substrate processing apparatus of any one of items 1 to 11, wherein the control unit controls the amount of gas supplied by the supply unit by setting different pressures for starting supply of the gas and stopping supply of the gas. [Item 13] The substrate processing apparatus of any one of items 1 to 12, wherein the control unit controls the amount of gas exhausted by the exhaust unit by setting different pressures for starting exhaust of the gas and stopping exhaust of the gas. [Item 14] The substrate processing apparatus of any one of items 1 to 13, wherein the chamber is made of a resin material. [Item 15] The substrate processing apparatus of any one of items 1 to 14, wherein the gas supplied by the supply unit includes an inert gas. [Item 16] A substrate processing method for a substrate processing apparatus that processes an organic EL substrate, comprising: a step in which a measurement unit measures the pressure inside a chamber that processes the organic EL substrate; a step in which a supply unit supplies a gas for creating a predetermined environment inside the chamber; a step in which an exhaust unit exhausts the gas from the chamber; and a control step in which a control unit controls the supply unit or the exhaust unit based on the pressure measured by the measurement unit so that the pressure inside the chamber is within a set pressure range, wherein the control step changes the pressure range to narrow over time, and controls the adjustment range of the supply amount of the gas by the supply unit or the adjustment range of the exhaust amount of the gas by the exhaust unit to narrow over time based on the changed pressure range. [Item 17] A method for manufacturing an article, comprising a step of processing the organic EL substrate using the substrate processing apparatus described in any one of items 1 to 15.

[0093] The present invention can also be realized by a process in which a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in the computer of the system or device read and execute the program. The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

[0094] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the invention.

[0095] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-049990, filed March 26, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0096] 1: Chamber, 2: Control unit, 3: Pressure measurement unit, 4: Flow rate adjustment throttle, 5: Blower (gas circulation blower), 6: Inert gas circulation purification device, 7: Purification unit (purification column), 8: Valve, 9: Supply gas line aperture adjustment throttle, 10: Exhaust gas line aperture adjustment throttle, 11: Valve, 12: Bypass piping, 13: Air replacement line valve, 14: Air replacement line aperture adjustment throttle, 15: Valve, 16: Valve, 141: Gas supply piping, 142: Gas exhaust piping

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus for processing organic EL substrates, comprising: a measurement unit that measures the pressure inside a chamber for processing the organic EL substrate; a supply unit that supplies gas to create a predetermined environment inside the chamber; an exhaust unit that exhausts the gas from the chamber; and a control unit that controls the supply unit or the exhaust unit based on the pressure measured by the measurement unit so that the pressure inside the chamber falls within a set pressure range, wherein the control unit changes the pressure range so as to narrow it over time, and controls the adjustment range of the amount of gas supplied by the supply unit or the adjustment range of the amount of gas exhausted by the exhaust unit so as to narrow it over time based on the changed pressure range.

2. The substrate processing apparatus described in claim 1, characterized in that the control unit changes the pressure range to narrower by bringing at least one of the upper limit target value and the lower limit target value in the set pressure range closer to the other target value.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit controls the adjustment range of the gas exhaust amount based on the difference between the pressure and the upper limit target value.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit controls the adjustment range of the gas supply amount based on the difference between the pressure and the lower limit target value.

5. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that the control unit changes the pressure range so that, of the upper limit target value and the lower limit target value in the set pressure range, the upper limit target value approaches the lower limit target value over time, and controls the adjustment range of the gas exhaust amount based on the difference between the upper limit target value in the changed pressure range and the pressure.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit changes the pressure range so that, of the upper limit target value and the lower limit target value in the set pressure range, the upper limit target value approaches the lower limit target value over time, and controls the adjustment range of the gas supply amount based on the difference between the lower limit target value in the changed pressure range and the pressure.

7. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that the control unit changes the pressure range so as to narrow it over time after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the gas supply, and controls the adjustment range of the gas supply amount or the adjustment range of the gas exhaust amount so as to narrow it over time based on the changed pressure range.

8. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that the control unit changes the pressure range so as to narrow it over time when the rate of change of the pressure obtained based on the measurement results of the measurement unit becomes smaller than a predetermined threshold, and controls the adjustment range of the gas supply amount or the adjustment range of the gas exhaust amount so as to narrow it over time based on the changed pressure range.

9. A substrate processing apparatus as described in claim 7, further comprising: a gas supply pipe provided with a flow rate adjustment unit for supplying the gas to the chamber; a gas exhaust pipe for exhausting the gas from the chamber; and a bypass pipe connecting the gas supply pipe and the gas exhaust pipe, wherein the control unit controls the supply amount of the gas by closing the throttle opening of the flow rate adjustment unit until the predetermined time has elapsed, thereby increasing the flow rate of gas flowing into the bypass pipe and reducing the flow rate to the chamber, and by opening the throttle opening of the flow rate adjustment unit after the predetermined time has elapsed, thereby reducing the flow rate of gas flowing into the bypass pipe and increasing the flow rate to the chamber.

10. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that the control unit controls the supply of the gas by the supply unit or the exhaust of the gas by the exhaust unit so that the difference between the upper target value and the lower target value in the changed pressure range is within a pressure range lower than 100 Pa.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit controls the supply of the gas by the supply unit or the exhaust of the gas by the exhaust unit so as to adjust the pressure in the chamber to a pressure state that is 10 Pa to 300 Pa higher than the pressure outside the chamber.

12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the amount of gas supplied by the supply unit by setting different pressures for starting the supply of the gas and for stopping the supply of the gas.

13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the amount of gas exhausted by the exhaust unit by setting different pressures for starting exhaust of the gas and for stopping exhaust of the gas.

14. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chamber is made of a resin material.

15. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas supplied by the supply unit includes an inert gas.

16. A substrate processing method for a substrate processing apparatus that processes organic EL substrates, comprising: a step in which a measurement unit measures the pressure inside a chamber that processes the organic EL substrate; a step in which a supply unit supplies a gas to create a predetermined environment inside the chamber; a step in which an exhaust unit exhausts the gas from the chamber; and a control step in which a control unit controls the supply unit or the exhaust unit based on the pressure measured by the measurement unit so that the pressure inside the chamber falls within a set pressure range, wherein the control step changes the pressure range so as to narrow it over time, and controls the adjustment range of the amount of gas supplied by the supply unit or the adjustment range of the amount of gas exhausted by the exhaust unit so as to narrow it over time based on the changed pressure range.

17. A method for manufacturing an article, comprising a step of processing the organic EL substrate using the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

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