JP2014053159A - Spray type coating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a spray type coating apparatus capable of suppressing the degree of freedom of the formation pattern of an organic EL material-containing liquid film from being restricted by a mask portion.
A spray unit having a spray nozzle for supplying a material, a moving mechanism for relatively moving the spray nozzle and a substrate on the plate part, and a voltage part for applying a voltage between the plate part and the spray nozzle. And a mask portion disposed between the substrate and the spray nozzle, and spraying while relatively moving the substrate and the spray nozzle in a state where a voltage is applied between the plate portion and the spray nozzle. A spray-type coating apparatus that deposits a material on a substrate through an opening of a mask unit by spraying the material from the nozzle, the mask unit being fixed to the spray nozzle, and the mask unit being a spray nozzle It is configured to move so that the positional relationship with the opening of the mask portion is kept constant.
[Selection] Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a spray-type coating apparatus that applies a coating solution onto a substrate.

  In recent years, for example, organic EL (electroluminescence) display devices in which an organic EL material-containing liquid is applied on a conductive pattern formed on a substrate are used. In the application of such an organic EL material-containing liquid, attention is focused on ESC (electrospray coating), which can reduce the cost as compared with the vacuum deposition method. As shown in Patent Document 1 below, this spray-type coating apparatus using the ESC method has a nozzle that supplies an organic EL material-containing liquid, a moving mechanism that moves the nozzle, and a voltage between the nozzle and the substrate. A film forming mask having an opening and a nozzle and a conductive pattern formed on the substrate in a state where the film forming mask is fixed to the substrate. By applying a voltage therebetween, the organic EL material-containing liquid is sprayed from the nozzle, and the organic EL material-containing liquid is applied onto the substrate through the opening of the film forming mask. That is, when the electrostatic force repulsion of the organic EL material-containing liquid present at the nozzle tip exceeds the surface tension, the organic EL material-containing liquid nozzle is sprayed as droplets. Since these droplets are strongly charged, they are attracted to the conductive pattern on the substrate by an electric field, and the organic EL material-containing liquid is applied to a predetermined region of the conductive pattern through the opening of the film formation mask. be able to. The organic EL material-containing liquid can be applied to all predetermined regions on the substrate by moving the nozzle over the entire film formation mask by the moving mechanism. In this ESC method, since the droplet of the organic EL material-containing liquid is very fine, an organic EL material-containing liquid film with good uniformity can be formed.

JP2009-64727

  However, in the spray coating apparatus, the organic EL material-containing liquid film is formed in accordance with the pattern of the opening of the film forming mask (hereinafter referred to as a mask portion), so the formation pattern of the organic EL material-containing liquid film There was a problem that the degree of freedom was limited. That is, since the organic EL material-containing liquid film is formed through the opening of the mask portion fixed to the substrate, the organic EL material-containing liquid film cannot be formed in a region where the opening is not formed. If an organic EL material-containing liquid film is formed in such a region, it is necessary to recreate the entire mask portion.

  In addition, since the mask portion is formed to be approximately the same size as the size of the substrate, the mask portion is always the same even when a liquid film containing an organic EL material in a smaller area than the entire substrate is required. There is a problem that it is necessary to form in a size, and even a liquid film containing an organic EL material in a small area costs as much as the case of forming a coating pattern having the same size as one substrate. there were.

  Furthermore, since the mask width between adjacent openings needs to ensure a width of a predetermined dimension or more due to the strength problem of the member forming the mask portion, the organic EL material-containing liquid film cannot be formed at a sandwich pitch. There was a problem.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and provides a spray-type coating apparatus capable of suppressing the degree of freedom of the formation pattern of the organic EL material-containing liquid film from being restricted by the mask portion. It is an object.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a spray type coating apparatus according to the present invention provides a plate unit on which a substrate is placed, a spray unit having a spray nozzle for supplying a material, and the spray nozzle and a substrate on the plate unit relative to each other. A moving mechanism for moving the plate, a voltage applying unit that applies a voltage between the plate and the spray nozzle, and a mask unit that is disposed between the substrate and the spray nozzle and has an opening, By spraying material from the spray nozzle while relatively moving the substrate and the spray nozzle in a state where a voltage is applied between the plate and the spray nozzle, the substrate is passed through the opening of the mask portion. A spray-type coating apparatus for adhering a material, wherein the mask portion is fixedly provided to the spray nozzle, and the mask portion Is characterized by the positional relationship between the opening of the spray nozzle and the mask portion is moved in synchronism with the movement of the spray nozzle to be kept constant.

  According to the above spray-type coating apparatus, the mask portion is fixedly provided with respect to the spray nozzle, and the spray nozzle and the mask portion move synchronously so that the positional relationship between them is kept constant. The organic EL material-containing liquid film can be formed at a predetermined position without being affected by the opening pattern of the part. That is, in the past, since the organic EL material-containing liquid film is formed only through the opening of the mask portion fixed on the substrate, the formation position of the organic EL material-containing liquid film is limited to the opening position of the mask portion. However, in the present invention, the spray nozzle and the mask portion can be formed by moving the spray nozzle and the mask portion to a predetermined position and spraying them, so that the spray nozzle and the mask portion can be formed at a predetermined position on the substrate without being affected by the position of the opening of the mask portion. The liquid film containing the organic EL material can be formed by moving the spray nozzle and the mask portion. And since the mask part should just be formed with respect to a spray nozzle, even when it is a case where it is a case where it is desired to form the organic EL material containing liquid film of a small area on a substrate, it is the same size as one board like usual It is not necessary to form the mask portion. Furthermore, since the spray nozzle and the mask portion can be moved synchronously, it is not necessary to consider the strength of the mask width between the adjacent openings as in the prior art, and the organic EL material-containing liquid film with a narrow pitch can be easily formed. Can be formed.

  Further, the spray nozzle and the mask portion may be moved by the common moving mechanism.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to easily achieve a configuration in which the positional relationship between the spray nozzle and the opening of the mask portion is moved while being synchronized while being kept constant.

  In addition, a plurality of the spray nozzles and the mask portions are provided, and the mask portions keep the positional relationship between the spray nozzles and the openings of the mask portions constant with respect to the respective spray nozzles. It can also be set as the structure provided so that it might be fixed.

  According to this configuration, the organic EL material-containing liquid can be sprayed from the respective spray nozzles, and the organic EL material-containing liquid film can be formed without being affected by the position of the opening of the mask portion.

  According to the spray coating apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the degree of freedom of the formation pattern of the organic EL material-containing liquid film from being restricted by the mask portion.

It is a perspective view showing roughly the spray type application device in one embodiment of the present invention. It is an enlarged view of a spray unit. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the relationship between a spray nozzle and a mask part.

  Embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a spray type coating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a spray unit, and FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a relationship between a spray nozzle and a mask portion. It is a block diagram.

  The spray-type coating apparatus forms a coating film C on the substrate 10 by spraying droplets from the tip of the spray nozzle by applying a high voltage between the plate portion 21 and the spray nozzle. Specifically, for example, it is used for manufacturing an organic EL display device, and a coating film C (for example, an organic EL material-containing liquid) of a liquid material (hereinafter referred to as a coating liquid) such as an organic EL material-containing liquid on the substrate 10. Film). Such a spray-type coating apparatus is movable in a specific direction with respect to the base 2, the plate part 21 for placing the substrate 10, and the plate part 21, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. And a coating unit 30 configured as follows.

  Here, the organic EL display device includes a transparent electrode, a hole injection layer / transport layer, an organic EL light emitting layer, an insulating film, and the like on a substrate 10 such as glass or a film on which a pixel electrode (anode) and a bank are formed. And a hole injection layer / transport layer on the substrate 10 on which the pixel electrode (anode) and the bank are formed by the spray coating apparatus of the present invention. Or an organic EL material-containing liquid film such as an organic EL light-emitting layer can be formed by spraying at a predetermined position.

  In the following description, the direction in which the coating unit 30 moves mainly during the coating operation is the X-axis direction, the direction orthogonal to this on the horizontal plane is the Y-axis direction, and the direction orthogonal to both the X-axis and Y-axis directions. The description will proceed with the Z-axis direction.

  The base 2 is provided with a plate portion 21 at the center thereof. The plate portion 21 is used to place the substrate 10 loaded therein. The plate portion 21 is provided with a substrate placement surface 21a on which the substrate 10 is placed and a substrate holding means (not shown). The substrate holding means 21 holds the substrate 10 on the substrate placement surface 21a. It has become. Specifically, a plurality of suction holes formed in the substrate placement surface 21a of the plate portion 21 are formed. By generating a suction force in the suction holes, the substrate 10 is attracted to the substrate placement surface 21a. Can be held.

  The plate unit 21 is provided with a grounding mechanism 22, and the substrate 10 is placed on the substrate placement surface 21 a. Regardless of whether the entire surface or part of the substrate 10 is conductive or non-conductive, and the plate portion 21 is grounded, the surface of the substrate 10 is applied by applying a DC voltage between the plate portion 21 and the spray nozzle 42. Spray application is possible.

  The plate portion 21 is provided with a substrate lifting mechanism that moves the substrate 10 up and down. Specifically, a plurality of pin holes are formed on the surface of the plate portion 21, and lift pins (not shown) that can be moved up and down in the Z-axis direction are embedded in the pin holes. That is, when the substrate 10 is carried in with the lift pins protruding from the surface of the plate portion 21, the tip portions of the lift pins can contact the substrate 10 and hold the substrate 10. Then, the lift pin is lowered from this state and accommodated in the pin hole, whereby the substrate 10 can be placed on the substrate placement surface 21a.

  The coating unit 30 is for discharging the coating liquid onto the substrate 10 to form the coating film C. The coating unit 30 includes a portal-shaped gantry frame 31, a spray unit 40 that discharges coating liquid, and a moving mechanism 50 that moves the spray unit 40 relative to the substrate 10. .

  The moving mechanism 50 moves the spray unit 40 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. In the present embodiment, an X-axis linear motion guide 51 provided on both sides of the plate portion 21 in the Y-axis direction and a Y-axis linear motion guide 52 provided on the gantry frame 31 are configured. The X-axis linear motion guide 51 extends along the X-axis direction of the plate portion 21, and the slider of the X-axis linear motion guide 51 and the gantry frame 31 are connected to each other. Therefore, by driving and controlling the X-axis linear motion guide 51, the gantry frame 31 can be moved in the X-axis direction and stopped at an arbitrary position. A Y-axis linear motion guide 52 is provided at a portion extending in the Y-axis direction of the gantry frame 31, and the slider of the Y-axis linear motion guide 52 and the spray unit 40 are connected to each other. Therefore, by driving and controlling the Y-axis linear motion guide 52, the spray unit 40 moves in the Y-axis direction and can be stopped at an arbitrary position. Therefore, the spray unit 40 can be moved to a predetermined position with respect to the substrate on the plate portion 21 by driving and controlling the X-axis linear motion guide 51 and the Y-axis linear motion guide 52.

  The Y-axis linear motion guide 52 and the spray unit 40 are attached via a Z-axis linear motion guide 53. That is, by driving and controlling the Z-axis linear motion guide 53, the spray unit 40 is driven and controlled to move in the Z direction position (height direction position) and is supported so as to be able to contact and separate from the substrate 10. .

  The spray unit 40 has a box-shaped frame 41, and a plurality of spray nozzles 42 are provided on the frame 41. In the present embodiment, two rows of spray nozzles 42 are arranged at equal intervals in the Y-axis direction, and one row of spray nozzles 42 is positioned between the other row of spray nozzles 42 when viewed from the X-axis direction. Are arranged to be. That is, the spray nozzles 42 are arranged in a staggered manner when viewed from the Z direction. In addition, although the spray nozzle 42 of this embodiment is provided at equal intervals, you may provide in the arbitrary positions so that it can apply | coat efficiently.

  Here, the spray unit 40 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 3, one spray nozzle 42 among the plurality of spray nozzles 42 is described as an example, and the other spray nozzles 42 have the same configuration.

  The spray nozzle 42 discharges the supplied application liquid in a spray form, and has a nozzle body 42a for storing a predetermined amount of application liquid and a needle-like needle part 42b, and is applied from the needle part 42b. Liquid is discharged. The needle part 42b has a cylindrical shape with a minute diameter, and the nozzle body 42a is supported by the frame 41 so that the needle part 42b faces the plate part 21 side. Moreover, the nozzle main body 42a is connected with the syringe pump P by piping, and when the syringe pump P is operated, the coating liquid is supplied to the nozzle main body 42a. The needle part 42b is electrically connected to the voltage part 70 via the conducting wire 71. As described above, the plate part 21 is grounded by the grounding mechanism 22, so that the voltage application part 70 is connected. When a voltage is applied between the needle part 42b and the plate part 21 by operating, an electric field (electric field lines) is generated between the needle part 42b and the substrate 10, and the coating liquid supplied to the needle part 42b The surface tension is destroyed by electrostatic force repulsion, and the coating liquid is sprayed from the tip of the needle portion 42b to be ejected along the electric field (electric lines of force) and applied to the substrate 10.

  In addition, a mask portion 60 is provided between the spray nozzle 42 and the plate portion 21. The mask portion 60 is for controlling the shape of the coating film C formed with the coating liquid discharged from the spray nozzle 42. The mask portion 60 is formed of a flat plate-shaped electrical insulating material, and an opening 61 that penetrates in the thickness direction is formed at a substantially central portion thereof. The mask portion 60 is supported by the frame 41 by a mask fixture 43 and is fixed in such a posture that the penetrating direction of the opening 61 faces the needle portion 42 b of the spray nozzle 42. Therefore, the coating liquid discharged from the spray nozzle 42 is applied to the substrate 10 through the opening 61, whereby the shape of the coating film C formed on the substrate 10 is controlled. That is, the shape of the coating film C formed on the substrate 10 is increased by increasing the area of the opening 61, and the shape of the coating film C formed on the substrate 10 is decreased by reducing the area of the opening 61. Becomes smaller.

  Further, since the mask portion 60 is fixed to the frame 41, the coating portion C is formed by moving the mask portion 60 in synchronization with the spray nozzle 42 as the spray nozzle 42 moves by the moving mechanism 50. The starting point to be changed can be changed at any position on the substrate 10.

  Further, the coating film C having a desired shape can be formed on the substrate 10 by discharging the coating liquid while moving the mask portion 60 and the spray nozzle 42 in synchronization. Specifically, when the linear coating film C is formed, the mask portion 60 having the opening 61 having a predetermined size is attached, and the voltage is applied by the voltage applying portion 70 to spray from the spray nozzle 42. The coating liquid in the form of a liquid is discharged, and a coating film C having a predetermined size is formed on the substrate 10. Then, by operating the movement mechanism 50 while maintaining this discharge state, the spray nozzle 42 moves in the X-axis direction, for example, and the mask unit 60 also moves integrally therewith, so that the coating film C having a predetermined size is obtained. Are continuously formed in the X-axis direction, and a linear coating film C can be formed.

  In the case of forming the planar coating film C, after the linear coating film is formed, the spray nozzle 42 is moved in the Y direction to the extent that the coating film C to be formed next overlaps the coating film C formed previously. The planar coating film C can be formed by discharging the coating liquid while moving the spray nozzle 42 and the mask portion 60 in the X-axis direction. The line width can be changed by changing the area of the opening 61, and a planar coating film C having a predetermined dimension can be formed.

  Further, when the coating film C is formed only in a predetermined region on the substrate 10, the spray nozzle 42 that has stopped coating is moved by the moving mechanism 50. In synchronization with this, the mask portion 60 is also moved integrally with the spray nozzle 42, so that the coating film C is applied in the predetermined region by applying a voltage and discharging the coating liquid while the spray nozzle 42 reaches the predetermined region. Can be formed. For example, this is effective when the coating film C is defective in the formation of the coating film C and needs to be repaired.

  Thus, in the spray type coating apparatus in the above embodiment, the degree of freedom for forming the coating film C on the substrate 10 can be increased. Conventionally, the mask portion 60 is fixed on the substrate 10, and the coating film C is formed on the substrate 10 by applying a coating liquid from the spray nozzle 42 on the opening 61 formed in the mask portion 60. Therefore, the degree of freedom in forming the coating film C is limited to the position where the opening 61 is present. Therefore, when it is desired to form the coating film C at a place other than the opening 61, it is necessary to recreate the mask portion, which is disadvantageous in terms of cost. Furthermore, due to the rigid problem of the mask portion, the mask portion located between the adjacent openings 61 needs to have a predetermined size, so there was a problem that the coating film C could not be formed at a sandwich pitch, In the above embodiment, since the mask portion 60 moves in synchronization with the movement of the spray nozzle 42, a conventional mask portion fixed to the substrate 10 is unnecessary, and if the resolution of the moving mechanism 50 is possible, the pitch is reduced. Even a coating film pattern of can be formed.

  In the above embodiment, an example in which one spray nozzle 42 corresponds to one opening 61 has been described, but two or more spray nozzles 42 may be provided in one opening 61. Thereby, since the opening area of the opening part 61 can be enlarged, the dimension of the coating film C formed on the board | substrate 10 can be enlarged.

  Moreover, although the said embodiment demonstrated the example which has the some spray nozzle 42 in the spray unit 40, and the some mask part 60 provided with respect to each spray nozzle 42, the spray unit 40 has a single spray. You may have the nozzle 42 and the single mask part 60 provided with respect to this spray nozzle 42. FIG.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the moving mechanism 50 is common to the spray unit 40 (spray nozzle 42) and the mask unit 60 (the spray unit 40 (spray nozzle 42) and the mask unit 60 are integrated) is described. However, each may have a separate moving mechanism, and each may move in synchronization. However, as in the above-described embodiment, a common one is preferable in that the configuration is simplified.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Board | substrate 21 Plate part 30 Application | coating unit 40 Spray unit 41 Frame 42 Spray nozzle 50 Moving mechanism 60 Mask part 61 Opening part 70 Voltage application part

Claims (3)

A plate portion for placing a substrate;
A spray unit having a spray nozzle for supplying the material;
A moving mechanism for relatively moving the spray nozzle and the substrate on the plate portion;
A voltage application unit for applying a voltage between the plate and the spray nozzle;
A mask portion disposed between the substrate and the spray nozzle and having an opening;
And opening the mask portion by spraying material from the spray nozzle while relatively moving the substrate and the spray nozzle in a state where a voltage is applied between the plate and the spray nozzle. A spray-type coating device for attaching a material to a substrate through,
The mask portion is fixed to the spray nozzle, and the mask portion is synchronized with the movement of the spray nozzle so that the positional relationship between the spray nozzle and the opening of the mask portion is kept constant. A spray-type coating apparatus characterized by moving.   The spray type coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the spray nozzle and the mask unit are moved by the common moving mechanism.   A plurality of the spray nozzles and the mask portions are provided, and the mask portions are such that the positional relationship between the spray nozzles and the openings of the mask portions is kept constant with respect to each of the spray nozzles. The spray-type coating device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the spray-type coating device is fixed.

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