JP2002035666A - Coating device and coating method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To uniformly and efficiently apply a coating liquid on a single-wafer type substrate to be coated, by reducing a portion of the film having a poor film thickness formed at the end of the film formation on the substrate to be coated. Provided is a coating device that can apply the coating liquid to an object. SOLUTION: The horizontal position of the stage 3 is adjusted so that a slit 5a of a coating nozzle 5 is located above a start end 8a of a substrate 8 to be coated held by a substrate holder 6 on the stage 3. Next, the application liquid is continuously supplied from the application liquid supply mechanism 18 to the application nozzle 5, and the application liquid is discharged downward from the slit 5 a of the application nozzle 5. At the same time, the stage 3 is slid by the air slide linear motor 2 to apply the coating liquid discharged from the coating nozzle 5 to the substrate 8 to be coated.
Apply on top. The linear motor 2 continues the relative movement between the application nozzle 5 and the substrate 8 beyond the end 8b of the substrate 8 when the application to the substrate 8 is completed. At this time, the application liquid stopping mechanism 20 stops the application of the application liquid from the application liquid supply mechanism 18 to the application nozzle 5 so that the discharge of the application liquid from the application nozzle 5 is stopped near the end 8b of the substrate 8 to be applied. Supply of water is stopped.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coating apparatus and a coating method for coating a coating liquid on a substrate to be coated, and more particularly to a coating method for coating a single-wafer type substrate such as a large glass substrate or a plastic substrate. The present invention relates to a coating apparatus and a coating method for uniformly and efficiently applying a liquid.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, LCDs (liquid crystal displ.
As a method of applying a coating liquid on a large glass substrate used for a color filter for ay), a spin coating method is often used.

[0003] The spin coating method includes an open air type and a closed cup type. In any of these methods, the use efficiency of the coating material is as low as about 10%, and the coating film in the rotation center portion and the peripheral portion of the substrate to be coated is used. There is a disadvantage that the thickness is too large compared to the intermediate portion. For this reason, for example, when a range of about several μm ± 3% is required as the coating film thickness, it is difficult to use the coating film formed by the spin coating method as it is, and the rotation center portion of the substrate to be coated is difficult. It is necessary to use only a portion which is an intermediate portion between the peripheral portion and the peripheral portion and has a relatively uniform coating film thickness. That is, the spin coating method has problems in the amount of the coating liquid used, the effective use of the substrate to be coated, and the like.

As a method for solving such a drawback of the spin coating method, a knife coating method, a roll coating method, and the like have been proposed. In both the knife coating method and the roll coating method, a coating clearance is provided on the substrate to be coated, and the coating film thickness is determined by the set value to obtain the smoothness of the coating surface. This is disadvantageous in that it is difficult to obtain a uniform film thickness when the smoothness (degree of unevenness) of the surface of the coated substrate is lower than the coating accuracy (the degree of unevenness is large).

[0005] In view of the above, the above-mentioned drawbacks of the respective coating methods are solved and a uniform coating film is formed on a single-wafer type substrate to be coated in a stable state without being affected by the physical properties of the coating solution. Die coating, extrusion coating, and bead coating have been proposed as possible methods (see Japanese Patent Application No. 05-146775).

As a coating apparatus based on these coating methods, for example, a coating liquid is discharged from a coating nozzle onto a substrate to be coated with a predetermined coating clearance, and at the same time, the substrate to be coated is slid at a constant speed. Moving) to form a coating film on a substrate to be coated. At this time, the application liquid is continuously supplied to the application nozzle from the application liquid supply mechanism, and the discharge amount of the application liquid discharged from the application nozzle is kept constant.
When a coating film is formed on the substrate to be coated, a certain amount of beads are formed between the coating nozzle and the substrate to be coated,
A certain amount of them is applied on a substrate to be applied.

In the above-described conventional coating apparatus, when the application of the coating liquid to the substrate 8 is completed, as shown in FIG.
In the vicinity, the application target substrate 8 is relatively stopped with respect to the application nozzle 5, and after the discharge of the application liquid from the application nozzle 5 is stopped, the application nozzle 5 is retracted upward.

[0008]

However, in the above-described conventional coating apparatus, when the application of the coating liquid to the substrate 8 to be coated is completed, the coating is performed in the vicinity of the end 8b on the end side of the substrate 8 to be coated. Since the relative movement between the nozzle 5 and the substrate 8 to be coated is stopped, even if the discharge of the coating liquid from the coating nozzle 5 is stopped, the coating nozzle 5 and the substrate Most of the application liquid (bead) between the substrate and the application substrate 8 remains. That is, in the vicinity of the end side end portion 8b of the substrate 8 to be coated, an amount of the coating solution remaining on the substrate 8 to be applied in a steady state or more is left. There is a problem that the thickness becomes a defective portion that deviates from a regular value.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and reduces a portion of a coating film formed at the end of coating film formation on a substrate to be coated which has a poor film thickness. An object of the present invention is to provide a coating apparatus and a coating method capable of uniformly and efficiently applying a coating liquid on a single-wafer type substrate to be coated such as a plastic substrate.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coating apparatus for applying a coating liquid on a substrate to be coated, a coating nozzle for discharging the coating liquid, and a coating nozzle for coating the coating nozzle. A moving mechanism that relatively moves the coating nozzle and the substrate to be coated in a state where the substrate faces the substrate,
A coating liquid supply mechanism for supplying a coating liquid to the coating nozzle, wherein the moving mechanism relatively moves the coating nozzle and the substrate to be coated such that the coating liquid is coated in a coating area of the substrate to be coated. And at the end of the coating on the substrate to be coated, the relative movement between the coating nozzle and the substrate to be coated is continued beyond the end of the coating area of the substrate to be coated. Provide equipment.

It is preferable that the above-mentioned first solution further includes a coating liquid stopping mechanism for stopping the discharge of the coating liquid from the coating nozzle near the end of the coating region of the substrate to be coated. It is preferable that a substrate for a color filter is used as the substrate to be coated, and a coloring liquid for a color filter is used as the coating liquid.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coating method for coating a coating liquid on a substrate by relatively moving a coating nozzle and a substrate to be coated. Applying the coating liquid discharged from the coating nozzle onto the substrate to be coated, while relatively moving the coating nozzle and the substrate to be coated, so that the coating liquid is applied to the substrate to be coated. A step of continuing the relative movement between the application nozzle and the substrate beyond the end of the application area of the substrate to be applied at the end of the application.

Preferably, the above-mentioned second solving means further comprises a step of stopping the discharge of the application liquid from the application nozzle near the end of the application area of the substrate to be applied. It is preferable that a substrate for a color filter is used as the substrate to be coated, and a coloring liquid for a color filter is used as the coating liquid.

According to the present invention, at the end of coating on the substrate to be coated, the relative movement between the coating nozzle and the substrate to be coated is continued beyond the end of the coating area of the substrate to be coated. A uniform coating film having a desired film thickness is formed without causing a problem that most of the coating liquid (bead) between the coating nozzle and the substrate to be coated remains at the coating end point of the substrate. Can be formed on the entire surface of
Even on a large-area substrate such as a glass substrate used for a color filter for D, a uniform coating film having a desired film thickness can be formed.

Further, according to the present invention, the discharge of the coating liquid from the coating nozzle is stopped in the vicinity of the end of the coating region of the substrate to be coated, so that the coating nozzle can be moved beyond the terminal of the coating region of the substrate to be coated. When the relative movement with respect to the substrate to be applied is continued, the application liquid is not discharged, thereby preventing a problem such as dropping of the application liquid from the application nozzle.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 (a) (b) (c)
FIG. 1 is a view for explaining an embodiment of a coating apparatus according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the coating apparatus according to the present embodiment applies a coating liquid on a substrate 8 to be coated, and includes a coating nozzle 5 for discharging the coating liquid.

The coating nozzle 5 has a belt-like shape extending in a direction (a direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 1) orthogonal to a sliding (moving) direction (a horizontal direction in FIG. 1) of the stage 3 on which the substrate 8 to be coated is mounted. It has a slit 5a, so that the application liquid supplied from the application liquid supply mechanism 18 can be discharged downward through the slit 5a. A coating liquid stopping mechanism 19 is connected to the coating liquid supply mechanism 18, and the supply of the coating liquid from the coating nozzle 5 is stopped by stopping the supply of the coating liquid from the coating liquid supply mechanism 18 to the coating nozzle 5. Can be stopped. In addition,
As the application liquid supply mechanism 18, a pressure supply device, a magnet pump, a gear pump, a diaphragm pump, a plunger pump, or the like can be used. Further, as the application liquid stopping mechanism 20, a direct acting solenoid valve, an external pilot valve, or the like can be used.

The coating nozzle 5 is supported by a die holder 4 capable of adjusting the horizontal state of the coating nozzle 5 with respect to the substrate 8 to be coated. The die holder 4 is attached to a support 16 via a lifting mechanism 15 so that the height of the coating nozzle 5 with respect to the substrate 8 to be coated can be arbitrarily adjusted. The support 16 is the base 1
Fixed on top.

On the other hand, the substrate 8 to be coated is placed on the stage 3 via the substrate holder 6, and is held on the upper surface of the substrate holder 6 by vacuum suction. Stage 3 is an air slide linear motor (moving mechanism)
2 is slidably (movable) mounted on the base 1 via the base 2, and the slit 5 a of the coating nozzle 5 is
The coating nozzle 5 and the substrate to be coated 8 can be relatively moved in a state where the coating nozzle 5 and the substrate 8 are opposed to each other. A control device 19 is connected to the air slide linear motor 2, and under the control of the control device 19, the application area of the substrate 8 to be coated (from the start end 8 a to the end 8 a).
b), the coating nozzle 5 and the substrate to be coated 8 are relatively moved so that the coating liquid is coated thereinto, and at the end of the coating on the substrate to be coated 8, the end side end 8 b of the substrate to be coated 8 The relative movement between the application nozzle 5 and the substrate 8 can be continued beyond the end of the application region of the application substrate 8). Further, a control device 19 is also connected to the application liquid supply mechanism 18 and the application liquid stop mechanism 20 so that the application liquid is discharged from the application nozzle 5 onto the substrate 8 under the control of the control device 19. The application liquid is continuously supplied from the application liquid supply mechanism 18 to the application nozzle 5, and the application liquid is discharged from the application nozzle 5 near the end 8 b of the substrate 8 to be applied. The supply of the application liquid from the application liquid supply mechanism 18 to the application nozzle 5 can be stopped by the stop mechanism 20.

As the substrate 8 to be coated, any substrate such as a glass substrate used for a color filter for LCD can be used. Further, as the coating liquid discharged from the coating nozzle 5, an arbitrary liquid such as a coloring liquid for a color filter can be used. Specifically, for example, a solvent-based photosensitive resin, a water-based photosensitive resin, or a colored photosensitive resin in which a coloring material such as a pigment is dispersed in these photosensitive resins, various adhesives, for forming a protective film and the like Resins, various inks and the like can be used.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment having such a configuration will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, a substrate 8 to be coated is held on a substrate holder 6 disposed on the stage 3 by vacuum suction, and a starting end 8 of the substrate 8 to be coated is held.
The position of the stage 3 in the left-right direction is adjusted so that the slit 5a of the application nozzle 5 is located above “a”. At this time, the parallelism and height of the application nozzle 5 with respect to the substrate 8 are adjusted by the die holder 4 and the elevating mechanism 15, respectively.

In this state, the application liquid is continuously supplied from the application liquid supply mechanism 18 to the application nozzle 5 under the control of the control device 19, and the application liquid is discharged downward from the slit 5a of the application nozzle 5.

At the same time, under the control of the control device 19,
Stage 3 by air slide linear motor 2
Is slid leftward from the position, and the application liquid discharged from the application nozzle 5 is applied onto the substrate 8 to be applied. Note that, under the control of the control device 19, the air slide linear motor 2 moves the application nozzle 5 and the substrate 8 over the end side end 8b of the substrate 8 when the application to the substrate 8 is completed. Continue the relative movement (Fig. 2 (a) (b)
(c)). At this time, the control device 19 controls the application liquid stopping mechanism 2
0, the supply of the coating liquid from the coating liquid supply mechanism 18 to the coating nozzle 5 is stopped so that the discharge of the coating liquid from the coating nozzle 5 is stopped in the vicinity of the end side end 8b of the substrate 8 to be coated. (FIG. 2B).

Then, after the coating liquid is applied over the entire surface of the substrate 8 to be coated in this manner, the stage 3 is slid to the right in FIG. Return to the position in FIG.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, at the end of coating on the substrate 8 to be coated, the coating nozzle 5 and the substrate 8 to be coated are moved beyond the end-side end 8b of the substrate 8 to be coated. Since the movement is continued, the problem that most of the coating liquid (bead) between the coating nozzle 5 and the substrate 8 remains at the coating end point of the substrate 8 to be coated does not occur, and the desired Coated substrate 8 having a uniform thickness
And a uniform coating film having a desired film thickness can be formed even on a large-area substrate such as a glass substrate used for a color filter for LCD.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the discharge of the coating liquid from the coating nozzle 5 is stopped in the vicinity of the end side end 8b of the substrate 8 to be coated, so that the end side end 8b of the substrate 8 to be coated is When the relative movement between the application nozzle 5 and the substrate 8 is continued, the application liquid is prevented from being discharged, and a problem such as dropping of the application liquid from the application nozzle 5 occurs. Can be prevented.

In the above-described embodiment, the application nozzle 5 is fixed with the slit 5a opened downward, and the stage 3 is slid with respect to the fixed application nozzle 5 to cover the application nozzle. The coating on the coating substrate 8 is performed, but not limited thereto. (1) The coating nozzle 5 is fixed in a state where the slit 5a is opened upward and the coating nozzle 5 is fixed to the fixed coating nozzle 5. The stage 3 is slid to perform coating on the substrate 8 to be coated, or (2) the coating nozzle 5 with the slit 5a opened downward.
Is applied to the substrate to be coated 8 by sliding it with respect to the fixed stage 3, or (3) the coating nozzle 5 with the slit 5a opened upward is fixed to the fixed stage 3. The substrate 3 may be slid with respect to the substrate 3 so that the substrate 8 is coated.

In the above-described embodiment, the coating nozzle 5 is provided near the end 8b of the substrate 8 to be coated.
When the application liquid recovery tank or the like is provided outside the end-side end 8b of the substrate 8 to be coated, the discharge of the application liquid from the substrate 8 is stopped. The relative movement between the coating nozzle 5 and the substrate 8 to be coated can be continued without stopping the discharge of the coating liquid from the coating nozzle 5 in the vicinity.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention, the defective film thickness of the coating film formed at the end of the coating film formation on the substrate to be coated can be reduced, and a large glass substrate, a plastic substrate or the like can be reduced. The coating liquid can be uniformly and efficiently applied onto a single-wafer type substrate to be coated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a coating apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view for explaining an operation at the end of coating in the coating apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view for explaining the operation of the conventional coating apparatus at the end of coating.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 base 2 air slide linear motor (moving mechanism) 3 stage 4 die holder 5 coating nozzle 5a slit 6 substrate holder 8 substrate 15 elevating mechanism 16 support 18 coating liquid supply mechanism 19 controller 20 coating liquid stopping mechanism

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Akira Amada 1-1-1, Ichigaya Kagacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Inside Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takeo Koito 1-chome, Ichigaya-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. 1 Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 4D075 AC04 AC72 AC93 CA47 DA06 DB14 DC22 EA05 4F041 AA05 AB01 BA05 BA22 BA35 4F042 AA06 BA08 BA12 CB02

Claims (6)

[Claims] An application apparatus for applying an application liquid onto a substrate to be applied includes: an application nozzle for discharging the application liquid; and an application nozzle and the substrate to be applied in a state where the application nozzle faces the substrate to be applied. And a coating liquid supply mechanism for supplying a coating liquid to the coating nozzle, wherein the moving mechanism is configured to apply the coating liquid to a coating area of the substrate to be coated. Along with moving the nozzle and the substrate to be coated relatively, and at the end of coating on the substrate to be coated, the coating nozzle and the substrate to be coated are moved relative to each other beyond the end of the coating area of the substrate to be coated. A coating device characterized by continuing movement. 2. A coating liquid stopping mechanism for stopping discharge of a coating liquid from said coating nozzle near an end of a coating region of said substrate to be coated.
The coating device according to the above. 3. The coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a substrate for a color filter is used as the substrate to be coated, and a coloring liquid for a color filter is used as the coating liquid. 4. A coating method for coating a coating liquid on a substrate by relatively moving a coating nozzle and a substrate to be coated, wherein the coating liquid is applied to a coating area of the substrate to be coated. Coating the coating liquid discharged from the coating nozzle on the coating substrate while relatively moving the nozzle and the coating substrate; and coating the coating substrate when the coating on the coating substrate is completed. Continuing the relative movement of the application nozzle and the substrate to be applied beyond the end of the region. 5. The coating method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of stopping the discharge of the coating liquid from the coating nozzle near the end of the coating area of the substrate to be coated. 6. The coating method according to claim 4, wherein a substrate for a color filter is used as the substrate to be coated, and a coloring liquid for a color filter is used as the coating liquid.