JP2014014842A - Substrate processing method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to minimize the influence of processing residues generated when a substrate is fully cut on laser processing.
Before and after cutting, the substrate is blown and sucked to bring the substrate posture into a flattened and balanced state, and the height of the floating surface and the apparent spring rigidity are increased. A gas jet is blown from the back side. A part of the substrate swells, internal stress is applied to this part, and cracks are formed in the glass along the planned processing line, which grows and partially increases the stress, affecting laser processing. The substrate is fully cut in a small area. A gas jet is blown from the lower surface of the gap between the stage means along the planned processing line of the substrate to fully cut the substrate. By performing the full cutting at a place different from the laser processing, it is possible to minimize the influence of the processing residue generated during the full cutting of the substrate on the laser processing.
[Selection] Figure 11

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate such as a glass substrate or a semiconductor substrate of an FPD (Flat Panel Display) panel with a laser beam, and particularly, to process a substrate having a thickness of about 100 [μm] or less with high accuracy. It is related with the substrate processing apparatus and apparatus which can be performed.

  Manufacturing of glass substrates such as liquid crystal display devices used as display panels and cover glass for touch panels, color filter substrates, plasma display panel substrates, organic EL (ELECTRO LUMINESENCE) display panels, etc., the base glass substrate is the specified size. Done by cutting into. If defects such as scratches or foreign matter are present on the substrate due to fine cracks or cullet on the cut surface of the glass substrate, formation of a chromium film or the like and pattern transfer are not performed satisfactorily in the next step, causing defects. For this reason, a glass cutting method without defects is required. The thing of patent document 1 is known as what performs the cutting | disconnection or cutting process of a glass substrate which is such a brittle board | substrate, or a semiconductor substrate, and a scribe process by irradiation of a laser beam.

JP 2009-255346 A

  If the cullet or residue is reattached or the substrate is deformed due to thermal stress when the glass substrate is cut, the formation of a chromium film or the like and the transfer of the pattern are not performed well in the next step, which causes a defect. For this reason, the processing method which suppresses generation | occurrence | production of such a defect as much as possible, and can perform the cutting / cleaving (meaning both half cut and full cut in this specification) of the glass substrate which is a brittle substrate with high precision. Is required. When a thin glass substrate having a thickness of 100 [μm] or less is cut / cleaved (half cut or full cut) using the substrate processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, heat absorption is simply performed by heating by laser irradiation of carbon dioxide gas or the like. Because of its high performance, thermal deformation and embrittlement of the glass substrate proceed to the peripheral part due to thermal diffusion to the periphery, and it has been difficult to obtain a good processing state.

  Further, in a conventional substrate processing apparatus using laser light, a glass substrate is fixed on a processing table by suction or the like, and a stage is moved in the X direction and the Y direction to cut a predetermined position. However, even if the glass substrate is fixed on the table at the time of processing, the glass substrate having a thickness of 100 [μm] or less may be subjected to minute deformation at the time of conveyance, and it may remain until the processing. As a result, processing may be performed in a state where the surface of the glass substrate is not completely flat. Furthermore, since the beam shape of the laser beam used for processing is rectangular or thin slit (including ellipse shape), the temperature of the processed surface of the glass substrate depends on which position on the glass substrate is focused. It may fluctuate and the cut surface may not be stable, and thermal deformation of the substrate and unnecessary thermal diffusion may occur, and a large amount of processing residue that may interfere with processing may occur. In addition, the influence of processing residues generated when the substrate is fully cut affects laser processing, which is a problem.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing method and apparatus that can eliminate as much as possible the influence of processing residues generated during full cutting on laser processing. .

  The first feature of the substrate processing method according to the present invention is that the laser beam is irradiated while moving the laser beam relative to the substrate, and a cooling medium is blown near the processing after the movement of the laser beam, whereby the processed surface of the substrate A substrate processing method for performing predetermined processing on a substrate surface by cooling a portion and generating a stress effective for cleaving, wherein air jetting and suction are balanced from an upper surface of a stage means for transporting the substrate In the state where the substrate is floated and the apparent spring rigidity is increased, a gas jet is blown from the back side of the processing line of the substrate half-cut by a predetermined processing to fully cut the substrate. This is because the substrate is flattened and balanced by blowing out and sucking air before and after the cutting process, and the gas jet is flown in a state where the floating height and apparent spring rigidity are increased. By blowing, a part of the substrate is expanded, internal stress is applied to this part, cracks are formed inside the glass along the planned processing line, and when it grows, the stress partially increases, The substrate is fully cut in a place where there is little influence on laser processing. Thus, by performing the full cut at a place different from the laser processing, there is an effect that the influence of the processing residue generated during the full cutting of the substrate on the laser processing can be minimized.

  A second feature of the substrate processing method according to the present invention is the substrate processing method according to the first feature, wherein the planned processing line of the substrate from a lower surface of a gap portion between a plurality of stage means for transporting the substrate. The gas jet is sprayed along the line. In this method, a gas jet is blown from the lower surface of the gap between the stage means along the planned processing line of the substrate from the back surface of the substrate to fully cut the substrate.

  According to a third feature of the substrate processing method of the present invention, in the substrate processing method according to the first or second feature, gas is blown onto the substrate surface to remove residues generated during the full cut. There is. In this case, since processing residues are generated even at the time of full cutting, the processing residues generated at the time of full cutting are removed by a gas sprayed onto the substrate surface, and the processing residues are efficiently blown away.

  According to a fourth feature of the substrate processing method of the present invention, in the substrate processing method according to the third feature, the residue generated during the full cut is discharged by a discharge means provided on the surface side of the substrate. It is in that. In this method, a discharge means such as a suction duct for discharging the processing gas and residues removed by the gas is provided on the substrate surface side so that the processing residues are efficiently discharged to the outside.

  A first feature of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention is that the substrate processing apparatus performs predetermined processing on the substrate by irradiating the surface of the substrate with laser light, and the laser light is transmitted at a predetermined speed according to a planned processing line of the substrate. The laser irradiation means for irradiating while moving the laser beam, the cooling means for blowing a cooling medium to the heating position after the movement of the laser light, and the jetting and sucking of air from the upper surface of the stage means for transporting the substrate Fully cut the substrate by blowing a gas jet from the back side of the processing line of the substrate half-cut by the laser irradiation means and the cooling means in a state where the substrate is lifted and the apparent spring rigidity is increased. And a substrate dividing means. This is an invention of a substrate processing apparatus that realizes the first feature of the substrate processing method.

  A second feature of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention is the substrate processing apparatus according to the first feature, wherein the substrate cutting means is provided on a lower surface of a gap portion between a plurality of stage means for transferring the substrate. And spraying the gas jet along the planned processing line of the substrate. This is an invention of a substrate processing apparatus that realizes the second feature of the substrate processing method.

  According to a third feature of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention, in the substrate processing apparatus according to the first or second feature, residue removing means that removes residues generated during the full cut by blowing gas onto the substrate surface. It is in having established. This is an invention of a substrate processing apparatus that realizes the third feature of the substrate processing method.

  A fourth feature of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention is that, in the substrate processing apparatus according to the third feature, a discharge means for discharging the residue removed by the residue removal means to the outside is provided. . This is an invention of a substrate processing apparatus that realizes the fourth feature of the substrate processing method.

  A feature of the panel manufacturing method according to the present invention is the substrate processing method according to the first, second, third or fourth feature, or the first, second, third or fourth feature. A display panel is manufactured using a substrate processing apparatus. In this method, a display panel is manufactured using any one of the substrate processing method and the substrate processing apparatus.

  According to the present invention, there is an effect that it is possible to eliminate as much as possible the influence of processing residues generated during full cutting on laser processing.

1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is the bird's-eye view which looked at the process area part of FIG. 1 which performs a laser processing from diagonally upward. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the optical system with a local cooling nozzle of FIG.1 and FIG.2, and is the figure which looked at this optical system with a local cooling nozzle from the X direction of FIG.1 and FIG.2. It is the side view which looked at the optical system with a local cooling nozzle of Drawing 3 from the Y direction. It is a figure which shows the movement state of the optical system with a local cooling nozzle which moves at the time of laser processing, and is the side view which looked at the optical system with a local cooling nozzle of FIG. 3 from the Y direction. It is a figure which shows the modification of an optical system with a local cooling nozzle. It is a figure which shows the concept of the process stabilization method of a board | substrate processing apparatus. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the modification of the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the modification of the optical system with a local cooling nozzle of FIG. It is a figure which shows the outline of the function which fully cuts the board | substrate half-cut, and is the side view which looked at a part of process area part of FIG. 1 or FIG. 8 from the X direction. It is a figure which shows the modification of the board | substrate processing apparatus carrying the function which fully cuts the half-cut board | substrate of FIG. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of another modification of the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on one embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. This substrate processing apparatus performs laser beam processing (glass substrate cutting processing) of a liquid crystal display manufacturing apparatus.

  The laser processing station 101 performs cutting or cleaving (half-cut or full-cut) processing and scribing on the glass substrate 1 that has been carried in. The laser processing station 101 includes a gripper unit 106, a gripper support driving unit 110, and a processing area unit 112. The gripper unit 106 holds air by suction on one side (the lower side of the glass substrate 1 in FIG. 1) along the conveying direction of the glass substrate 1 subjected to the alignment process. The gripper support driving unit 110 synchronizes the glass substrate 1 held by the gripper unit 106 with the laser light of the processing area unit 112 and moves the glass substrate 1 during laser processing. The glass substrate 1 is conveyed from an upstream process in a state of being cut into a mother glass size, and after being positioned by the glass end face, it is cut or cleaved to a specified size. In addition, although the ball screw, a linear motor, etc. are used for the gripper support drive part 110, these illustration is abbreviate | omitted. Although FIG. 1 shows a case where the gripper unit 106 and the gripper support driving unit 110 exist only on one side of the glass substrate 1, they are provided on both sides of the glass substrate 1 so as to adsorb both sides of the glass substrate 1. It may be.

  In synchronization with the movement of the glass substrate 1, the processing area unit 112 performs predetermined cutting or cleaving processing by irradiating the glass substrate 1 held by the gripper unit 106 and conveyed by air floating with laser light. In the figure, a state is shown in which the glass substrate 1 held by the gripper unit 106 is subjected to predetermined processing while being moved to the position of the glass substrate 1 indicated by a dotted line in a state of air floating.

  The processing here is performed as follows. Although not shown, the glass substrate 1 transported from the apparatus serving as the previous processing stage is subjected to alignment processing by mechanical or image processing, although not shown. The glass substrate 1 that has been subjected to the alignment process with a predetermined one side as a reference is held by the gripper unit 106, and is moved as the glass substrate 1 by the air levitation stages 9 to 13 in the processing area unit 112, and is subjected to predetermined cutting or cutting. Processing is performed. When the laser processing for the glass substrate 1 held by the gripper unit 106 is completed, the glass substrate 1 held by the gripper unit 106 is transported to the next processing apparatus.

  Conventionally, processing is performed in a state where the entire back surface of the glass substrate 1 is supported by a sucked stage. Therefore, the thinner the substrate is, the closer the focus surface and the support stage surface are, and the processing beam is used to process the stage even during laser processing. As a result, the stage surface is swelled or line-shaped damaged, and there is a risk of causing poor adsorption over time. In this embodiment, in order to prevent this, the divided air levitation stages 9 to 13 installed in the processing area part are used, and a space is provided on the back side of the glass substrate 1, that is, a space below the laser processing area. I am doing so. In addition, the floating state is stabilized by blowing out air from the ejection holes of the air levitation stages 9 to 13 and sucking air into the suction holes, the air flow is controlled, and the flatness and posture of the glass substrate 1 at the time of levitation We are trying to stabilize. That is, the glass substrate 1 is levitated and restrained by an appropriate distribution of air ejection holes and air suction holes provided on the upper surfaces of the air levitation stages 9 to 13. In addition, since an air flow is generated in a gap portion formed between the air levitation stages 9 to 13, the posture of the glass substrate 1 can be kept stable. Further, in the processing area, the gap at the center portion traps excess laser light during processing and enables removal of processing residues by suction.

  The air levitation stages 9 to 13 can stabilize the floating state of the glass substrate 1 by blowing and sucking air. Moreover, since the processing area part 112 between the air levitation stages 9 to 13 forms a gap, the air flow can be controlled and the posture of the glass substrate 1 can be stabilized. In particular, when the thin and transparent glass substrate 1 is mounted on the stage support surface, the signal determination on the upper surface of the glass substrate 1 may be affected by the reflection signal from the suction stage, and stable focus may not be applied. In the case of the support method using the air levitation stages 9 to 13, the right and left or only one side is adsorbed and moved, and the back surface is supported by the air flow to become a space, so that there is no effect of disturbance affecting the focus signal.

  A laser head 20, a laser shutter 21, an attenuator 22, tracking mirrors 23 and 24, and an optical system 30 with a local cooling nozzle are provided above the processing area portion 112. Each of these components is provided on a base member (not shown), and the optical system 30 with a local cooling nozzle is controlled to move in the Z direction (vertical direction) by a moving member (not shown). ing. Laser light generated by the laser head 20 is introduced into the optical system 30 with a local cooling nozzle by a laser shutter 21, an attenuator 22, and tracking mirrors 23 and 24. The attenuator 22 is a power adjustment optical system that variably attenuates the laser light power. The laser shutter 21 shields the emission of laser light when the laser light is detached from the glass substrate 1. The tracking mirrors 23 and 24 guide the laser beam emitted from the laser head 20 to a predetermined position.

  FIG. 2 is a bird's-eye view of the processing area portion of FIG. 1 that performs laser processing as viewed obliquely from above. The local cooling nozzle-equipped optical system 30 guides the introduced laser beam onto a planned processing line on the glass substrate 1. The substrate plate thickness measuring unit 50 adjusts the initial height at the time of cutting by measuring the thickness of the glass substrate 1. The laser light from the laser head 20 is scanned along a processing scheduled line from the end of the glass substrate 1 as a starting point, and full-cut or half-cut cutting or cleaving is executed. As shown in FIG. 2, the local cooling nozzle-equipped optical system 30 is provided so as to cover the upper side of the gap between the opposed portions of the air levitation stages 9 to 13. The local cooling nozzle-equipped optical system 30 includes a moving optical system that moves in accordance with the movement of the laser light in the X direction.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the optical system with a local cooling nozzle in FIGS. 1 and 2, and is a view of the optical system with a local cooling nozzle as viewed from the X direction in FIGS. 1 and 2. 4 is a side view of the optical system with a local cooling nozzle in FIG. 3 as viewed from the Y direction. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a moving state of the optical system with a local cooling nozzle that moves during laser processing, and is also a side view of the optical system with a local cooling nozzle in FIG. 3 viewed from the Y direction. 3, 4, and 5, the casing of the optical system 30 with the local cooling nozzle is indicated by a dotted line. The glass substrate 1 reads the thickness change by the substrate thickness measuring unit 50 on the upstream side and feeds back an approximate AF fluctuation value to the optical system height by the read value. The substrate is adsorbed by the substrate adsorbing gripper portion 106 provided on either one of the left and right sides, but by adding a groove to the adsorbing pattern on the upper surface, the adsorption surface can be prevented from being laser processed. The glass substrate 1 is processed in a state where it floats on the air levitation stages 9 to 13. The substrate suction gripper portions 106 may be provided on both the left and right sides of the glass substrate 1.

  The optical system 30 with a local cooling nozzle includes a beam expander 31, a processing head 32, a plano-convex lens (condensing lens) 33, and a local cooling nozzle 36. The beam expander 31, the processing head 32, and the plano-convex lens (condensing lens) 33 move in the X direction on the optical system 30 with a local cooling nozzle in accordance with the movement of the tracking mirror 24. The beam expander 31 expands the laser light emitted from the laser head 20 and incident from the tracking mirror 24 into an elliptical beam spot shape along the moving direction, and a plano-convex lens (collector) in the processing head 32. Optical lens) 33 is introduced. A plano-convex lens (condensing lens) 33 in the processing head 32 forms an image of the enlarged laser beam on the glass substrate 1.

  A laser type distance sensor 37 is attached to the processing head 32, and the processing head 32 is controlled to move up and down so that the initial focus of the plano-convex lens (condensing lens) 33 is focused on the surface of the glass substrate 1. . The laser type distance sensor 37 includes a detection light irradiation laser and an autofocus photodiode, and receives reflected light reflected from the surface of the glass substrate 1 among the light irradiated from the detection light irradiation laser. The distance between the lower end of the processing head 32 and the surface of the glass substrate 1, that is, the height of the processing head 32 is measured according to the amount of reflected light. That is, the substrate processing apparatus measures a distance between the glass substrate 1 and the processing head 32, that is, a change in height, using a laser distance sensor 37 installed beside the processing head 32 for laser cutting. The distance between the glass substrate 1 and the laser cutting head 32 is adjusted to the optimum height according to the height data, and a brittle substrate such as the glass substrate 1 or a plastic resin is half-cut or full-cut. It is comprised so that it may perform.

  In the processing area part 112, the height change of the glass substrate 1 is measured by the laser type distance sensor 37 installed beside the processing head 32, and the glass substrate 1, the processing head 32, and the like are measured based on the measured height data. The glass substrate 1 is cut while adjusting the distance to an optimum height. That is, in this embodiment, the height variation of the glass substrate 1 at the processing start portion is measured by the laser distance sensor 37 installed beside the processing head 32, and the processing width by the processing beam is determined based on this measurement result. The focus position is optimized.

  In the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment, when the surface of the glass substrate 1 is not completely flat, that is, when fluctuations such as undulation exist on the upper surface of the glass substrate 1, the focal depth of the optical system 30 with the local cooling nozzle is increased. Accordingly, the height range of the processing head 32 is appropriately determined, and the distance between the surface of the glass substrate 1 and the detection optical system is set to be optimum. At the time of laser processing, the focus position can be adjusted and the position to the cooling nozzle can be adjusted according to the monitoring result of the processing beam. Similarly to the time when processing is started, the deformation data may be used to move to a processable height while following the upper surface deformation of the glass substrate 1. By following the deformation of the upper surface of the glass substrate 1 in advance, it is not necessary to measure the height distance as the machining beam moves. However, when the flatness of the surface of the glass substrate 1 is changed by processing, it is preferable to always measure the height distance as the processing beam moves. Further, by measuring the laser spot diameter, it is possible to measure the height distance, and it is possible to reduce the time fluctuation to the cooling position during processing and to prevent the processing head from contacting.

  Note that the focus adjustment in this case may be vertically controlled by the entire processing head 32, or only the plano-convex lens (condensing lens) 33 may be vertically controlled. By making the plano-convex lens (condensing lens) 33 operable independently, it is possible to satisfactorily follow the partial deformation of the glass substrate 1. In addition, when there is little partial deformation | transformation of the glass substrate 1, only the structure which operates the whole process head 32 may be sufficient. The local cooling nozzle 36 is attached to the side surface of the processing head 32 and diffuses and blows a cooling gas (refrigerant) such as air or nitrogen to a processing position by laser light. The local cooling nozzle 36 mixes a cooling medium that is a liquid and a carrier gas, and sprays an appropriate amount so as to cool the processed surface portion of the glass substrate 1 and generate stress effective for cutting or cleaving. It has become. Note that a low temperature gas may be ejected and sprayed in an appropriate amount. Processing residues can be efficiently removed by such gas spraying.

  The pulse laser emitted from the laser head 20 has a processed part due to the nonlinear effect by focusing even if the absorption characteristic of the substance due to the wavelength is poor, and if this processed part is formed, the refractive index and the absorption characteristic are increased. The half cut line processing by the laser beam becomes possible. By optimizing the pulse interval and repetition frequency of the processing laser, heat generation during processing is limited to the vicinity of the half-cut line. Thereby, the diffusion heat by the heat_generation | fever at the time of the process by a laser beam is controlled, and the deformation | transformation of the glass substrate 1 by the heat to diffuse is prevented. When a thin glass substrate 1 having a thickness of 100 [μm] or less is fully cut by laser beam processing, thermal deformation and embrittlement of the glass substrate 1 are caused by thermal diffusion to the periphery only by heating and cooling by laser beam irradiation. Since it also proceeds to the periphery, good processing could not be obtained. Therefore, in this embodiment, even at wavelengths with poor absorption characteristics, the pulse interval of the short pulse laser and the repetition frequency are matched to control the heat generation during substrate processing, and the heat to diffuse is controlled only near the half-cut line. This prevents deformation of the glass substrate 1 due to thermal diffusion during processing.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a modification of the optical system with a local cooling nozzle. The optical system according to this modification is newly provided with a laser diode 40, a collimator lens 41, a projection mask pattern 42, a projection quarter-wave plate (λ / 4 wavelength plate) in addition to the optical systems shown in FIGS. ) 43, a position adjusting means including a quarter-wave plate 44 for processing laser, polarizing beam splitters 45 and 46, stray light plates 47 and 48, and a CCD camera 49. In FIG. 6, since the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the thing of the same structure as FIG. 3, the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The laser beam that is emitted from the laser diode 40 includes a collimator lens 41, a projection mask pattern 42, a projection quarter-wave plate 43, a processing laser quarter-wave plate 44, polarizing beam splitters 45 and 46, The surface of the glass substrate 1 is irradiated through a plano-convex lens (condensing lens) 33 of the processing head 32. The laser beam reflected by the surface of the glass substrate 1 again passes through the plano-convex lens (condensing lens) 33 in the processing head 32 and is returned to parallel light, and passes through the polarization beam splitter 46 and the polarization beam splitter 45. The light enters the CCD camera 49. Since the reflected light passes through the processing laser quarter-wave plate 44 twice, the phase is shifted by λ / 2, so that it does not return to the processing light source side (the direction of the tracking mirror 24). Since the transparent glass also reflects 4 to 10% depending on the wavelength, the reflected light can be used with sufficient intensity if the laser light has a high power density.

  An imaging lens is disposed on the front surface of the CCD camera 49 in order to form a projected image of the glass substrate 1. The combination of the projection quarter-wave plate (λ / 4 wavelength plate) 43, the processing laser quarter-wave plate 44, and the polarization beam splitters 45 and 46 depends on the intensity of the laser beam. A half mirror or the like can also be used. Since the reflected light reflected from the surface of the glass substrate 1 passes through the projection quarter-wave plate 43 and the processing laser quarter-wave plate 44 twice, the phase is shifted by λ / 2 as described above. It does not return to the processing light source side. The stray light plates 47 and 48 prevent the light transmitted through the polarization beam splitters 45 and 46 from affecting others.

  6 has a structure in which the machining head 32 can be driven in the vertical direction (Z direction) by a drive system such as a motor. As the processing head 32 moves up and down by the drive system, the diameter of the laser beam changes on the surface of the glass substrate 1, and the position where the diameter is minimized is set as the imaging position. In the conventional cutting of the glass substrate 1 by laser light, the glass substrate 1 is fixed on the table by suction or the like, and the stage is moved in the X and Y directions to cut a predetermined position. Even if the glass substrate 1 is fixed, a minute deformation due to conveyance may remain, so the distance to the surface of the glass substrate 1 is measured by a laser distance sensor 37 (triangulation type). The focal position is moved from the surface of the glass substrate 1 to a predetermined depth according to the minutely deformed shape of the glass substrate 1 to accurately follow the surface shape.

  On the other hand, since the beam shape for laser processing is circular, the glass processing surface temperature of the heating part may be different and unstable because there is undulation of the glass surface where the projected beam shape is focused. . For this reason, the position adjustment means of FIG. 6 is used to measure the shape of the irradiated and reflected beam with the CCD camera 49, and to adjust the overall height, and a focal coarse adjustment mechanism and an optical system for adjusting the processing portion. A fine focus adjustment mechanism for fine movement stabilizes the processing depth and position and stabilizes the depth of the high temperature portion. That is, a CCD camera 49 that monitors the reflected image on the laser optical axis by previously obtaining the optimum processing conditions based on the relationship between the power of the laser light source and the spot area (diameter) of the laser light, the thickness of the glass substrate, and the glass material. The optimal distance is calculated from the beam size projected on the glass substrate 1 and adjusted to the height that can be processed by coarse movement (the focus position is adjusted), and the distance between the maximum surface temperature position and the cooling position Cutting of the glass substrate 1 is realized. Monitor the beam shape during processing, adjust the height of the entire optical system so that the entire beam becomes the specified size, and from the ratio of the beam diameter to the entire screen size, the average position of the specific height relative to the cooling part, Good processing can be performed by adjusting the height of the optical component so as to stabilize the distance.

As a light source used for laser processing, a YAG laser, an Nd: YVO ₄ laser (second harmonic, third harmonic) or a titanium sapphire laser having a low heat absorption rate for glass is used. That is, the origin of the moving mechanism for moving the processing head 32 up and down is set in a direction away from the glass substrate 1 (upward), and moved from the top to the bottom, thereby constantly monitoring the image from the CCD camera 49 and specifying the beam. It is possible to control the focus position at a specific location by providing a window at the ratio location and measuring its width. Further, when the focus is lost, it is possible to prevent contact with the glass substrate 1 by always moving the focus in the direction of the origin. Using this function, the glass substrate can be automatically moved to a focus position with a specific depth fixed.

  In the modification of FIG. 6, the entire processing head 32 serving as a cutting optical head can be driven in the vertical direction using a driving means such as a motor, and the beam size on the surface of the glass substrate 1 changes according to the vertical movement. The position where the beam diameter is minimized is the in-focus position. The back surface of the glass substrate 1 is supported by the air levitation of the air levitation stages 9 to 13. The deviation of the beam diameter projected on the surface of the glass substrate 1 from the reference is adjusted according to the height calculation. By moving, the distance from the glass substrate 1 can be made substantially the same height. Further, by providing an image processing window on the screen of the CCD camera 49, the distance to the cooling position can be made constant from a specific ratio position of the beam, and an optical system and a cooling system that provide stable cutting conditions can be constructed. it can.

  By making the suction pad of the gripper portion 106 that sucks the vicinity of the edge of the glass substrate 1 into a substrate, the substrate can be processed so that the suction surface does not fall on the expected processing line when cutting a large number of substrate sizes. It is possible to reduce the damage to the suction pad of the gripper unit 106. Also, if the beam width in the focused state is registered in advance as the overall size, it is possible to determine whether there is an abnormality in the cutting optical head or stage by associating the determination of whether it is in the imaging state with the position of the vertically moving stage of the cutting optical head. Can be used to determine As a glass cutting method, by providing a rotation mechanism for aligning the direction of the processing head 32 (cutting optical head), it is possible to detect and correct a deviation from the processing scheduled line. Further, a mechanism capable of rotating the plano-convex lens (condensing lens) 33 in any direction is provided, and the direction of the laser light (beam) can be corrected based on the screen of the CCD camera 49 so as to be a predetermined direction. You may do it. The gripper portion 106 can be prevented from deformation during processing by contacting the glass substrate 1 at a specified height, and the height thereof can be adjusted, so that many materials and plate thicknesses of the glass substrate 1 can be adjusted. Can be easily accommodated.

  The configuration in FIG. 6 is an example, and laser beams may be put in parallel on the coaxial optical path to create a laser processing beam shape on the glass substrate 1. It is possible to use a plano-convex lens (condensing lens) for beam shaping and change the processing width and processing depth arbitrarily by changing the focal length of each plano-convex lens (condensing lens) and the distance between the brittle substrate. Good. The shape of the beam being processed is monitored, and the overall height of the optical system 30 is adjusted so that the entire beam has a specified size. Good cutting or cleaving can be performed by adjusting the height of the optical component so that the jetting distance is stabilized with respect to the cooling position of the average position of the specific position from the ratio of the entire beam.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the concept of the processing stabilization method of the substrate processing apparatus. FIG. 7A shows an example of an observation screen of the CCD camera 49 of FIG. 6, and FIG. 7B is a diagram showing the concept of the beam shape in the depth direction of the glass substrate and the laser beam. In FIG. 7A, the upper small circle 49a is the spot of the laser beam at the processing time, and the lower dotted circle 49b is the spot area irradiated with the laser beam at the previous processing time. The laser beam can be irradiated intermittently on the pulse, and the moving speed of the processing head 32 and the laser transmission frequency are adjusted, so that the small circle 49a and the dotted circle 49b overlap each other under certain conditions. Processing. Thereby, the processing temperature inside the glass substrate 1 can be stabilized. Furthermore, by overlapping the laser beams, there is an effect of reducing the thermal influence and stabilizing the cut or cleaved portion. Although not shown in the figure, a cylindrical lens is used for an elliptical or slit beam, so that one of the X and Y directions can be set to an optimum width. By optimizing, the same effect can be obtained.

  Further, since the laser beam that has passed through the plano-convex lens (condensing lens) 33 is focused, it is known that the spot size changes according to the height direction. That is, as shown in FIG. 7B, the diameter of the laser light that has passed through the plano-convex lens (condensing lens) 33 gradually changes in proportion to its height. And it comes to focus on the focal point position in the glass substrate 1. That is, the height of the machining head 32 is adjusted so that the diameter at the in-focus position (focus plane) is minimized. Note that the diameter of the laser beam gradually increases as it goes downward from the in-focus position. Therefore, the spot diameter of the laser beam on the surface of the glass substrate 1 is detected, and the focal spot position (focusing surface) of the plano-convex lens (condensing lens) 33 is determined based on the spot diameter at the time of focusing at the registered lens magnification. ) Is controlled to be a predetermined position in the glass substrate 1.

  As shown in FIG. 7A, the height of the processing head 32 relative to the glass substrate 1 is indirectly detected based on the spot diameter of the laser beam on the observation screen of the CCD camera 49, and the processing head 32 detects the glass substrate 1. Can be prevented from touching. Further, by monitoring the diameter of the laser beam during processing, the focus position can be adjusted and the jet position of the cooling nozzle can be adjusted. Similarly to the time of starting processing, the deformation data can be used to move to a processable height according to the deformation of the upper surface of the substrate. This eliminates the need to measure the height distance associated with the movement, and by measuring the laser spot diameter, it is possible to reduce the time variation to the cooling position during processing and to prevent contact of the processing head.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a modified example of the substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 8, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. The substrate processing apparatus in FIG. 8 is different from that in FIG. 1 in that a ride guide fiber 27 is used to introduce laser light from the attenuator 22 to the optical system 30 with a local cooling nozzle. The ride guide fiber 27 includes an incident collimating lens and an outgoing collimating lens. By using the ride guide fiber 27, laser light can be easily introduced into the moving optical system 30 with the local cooling nozzle.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a modification of the optical system with a local cooling nozzle in FIG. In FIG. 9, the same components as those in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted. The optical system with a local cooling nozzle in FIG. 9 is different from that in FIG. 3 in that a gas flow method is employed that prevents the processing hindrance caused by cooling around the processing portion during processing and residual picking generated during processing. The blow nozzles 81 and 82 are provided on both lower sides of the processing head 32, pass through the processing head 32 from the upper part of the processing head 32 above the condenser lens 33, and glass from the lower opening of the processing head 32. A flow of airflow that flows toward the substrate 1 is created. By this air flow, removal of processing residues, cooling of the temperature around the processing, and contamination due to sublimation gas adhering to the condenser lens 33 are prevented, and residues rising in the direction of the condenser lens 33 are removed. Yes. Further, regarding the temperature fluctuation caused by the laser of the condensing lens 33, the condensing distance is stabilized by adjusting the gas temperature at a constant temperature.

  The blow nozzle 83 allows gas to flow on the surface of the glass substrate 1 near the processing, thereby cooling the surface of the glass substrate 1 around the processing portion and removing processing gas and residues generated at the processing tip. The suction duct 84 sucks the processing gas and residues removed from the surface of the glass substrate 1 by the blow nozzle 83 and discharges them to the outside. The suction ducts 85 and 86 are installed on both sides of the glass substrate 1 and in a gap between the air levitation stage 11 and the air levitation stages 10 and 12. The suction ducts 85 and 86 suck the entire residue moving on the upper surface of the glass substrate 1, thereby preventing the residue from being accumulated near the processing portion of the substrate processing apparatus. Although the blow nozzles 81 and 82 and the blow nozzle 83 are provided separately, when the distance between the processing head 32 and the condenser lens 33 and the glass substrate 1 is small, the blow nozzles 81 and 82 function as the blow nozzle 83. Can also be shared. The suction ducts 85 and 86 may be provided over the entire gap between the air levitation stage 11 and the air levitation stages 10 and 12, or when the substrate processing apparatus half-cuts the glass substrate 1, It may be provided on both sides of the air levitation stages 9 to 13. In this way, a predetermined interval is provided between each of the air levitation stages 9 to 13, a space is formed under the processing area 112, and suction ducts 85 and 86 are disposed therein, thereby processing residues. Can be efficiently removed by suction. A plurality of configurations using such suction ducts 85 and 86 may be configured in accordance with the number of processing heads in order to reduce tact time. Further, the configuration using the blow nozzles 81 and 82 can create a flow of airflow in the condenser lens 33, and removes processing residues, cools the processing ambient temperature, and generates sublimation gas during processing of the condenser lens 33. Dirt due to adhesion can be efficiently prevented.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an outline of the function of full-cutting a half-cut substrate, and is a side view of a part of the processing area portion of FIG. 1 or FIG. 8 viewed from the X direction. Laser light from the laser head 20 of the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 8 is scanned along a processing scheduled line to form a half-cut scribe line 1a. FIG. 10A shows a state where the half-cut scribe line 1a is positioned between the air levitation stages 12 and 13 in the processing area. Since the glass substrate 1 is floated by the air levitation stages 12 and 13 and is sandwiched between the air levitation stages 12 and 13, the glass substrate 1 is constrained with a high spring constant. The air ejection part 60 includes a nozzle that blows an air jet against the half cut line of the upper glass substrate 1 from the lower side of the gap between the air levitation stages 12 and 13. In this board | substrate processing apparatus, the air ejection part 60 sprays an air jet from the back surface of the glass substrate 1 with respect to the location where the scribe line 1a by which the half cut process existed. When the air jet part 60 blows the air jet, a part of the corresponding part of the glass substrate 1 swells upward, and internal stress is applied to this part, and along the scribe line 1a of the part to be cut, inside the glass substrate 1 When the crack is formed and grows, the glass substrate 1 is cut along the scribe line 1a. In addition, the air ejection part 60 is installed below the gap between the air levitation stages 12 and 13, and it moves in the X direction. In addition, a plurality of air ejection portions 60 may be arranged in the X direction below the gap between the air levitation stages 12 and 13, or the plurality of air ejection portions 60 may be configured to move in the X direction. Good.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a modification of the substrate processing apparatus equipped with a function of full-cutting the half-cut substrate of FIG. FIG. 11 shows an outline of the deformed portion corresponding to FIG. In FIG. 11, the same components as those in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted. The substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 11 is different from that of FIG. 3 in that an air jet part 60 that blows an air jet against the upper glass substrate 1 from the lower side of the gap between the air levitation stages 12 and 13 and the divided glass. It is a point provided with the conveyance robot 70 which carries out the board | substrate 1c in the glass storage pallet 75. FIG. The air ejection part 60 sprays an air jet from the back surface of the glass substrate 1 to the location where the scribe line 1a subjected to the half cut process exists, and divides the glass substrate 1 as the glass substrate 1c. The divided glass substrate 1c is moved in the Y direction on the air levitation stages 12 and 13 by the gripper unit 106 so as not to be broken, and is transported directly below the transport robot 70. The transfer robot 70 holds the glass substrate 1 c by suction suction means and carries it out into the glass storage pallet 75. The substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 11 continuously executes such an operation, and sequentially stores glass substrates 1c of a predetermined size in the glass storage pallet 75. Note that a suction duct as shown in FIG. 9 may be disposed in the gap between the air levitation stages 12 and 13 to efficiently discharge dust generated when the glass substrate is cut. Note that a blow nozzle 83 and a suction duct 84 as shown in FIG. 9 may be provided on the upper part of the air ejection part 60 to absorb the residue generated at the time of cutting and discharge it to the outside. Further, a suction duct as shown in FIG. 9 may be provided on the upper surface side of the glass substrate 1 so as to be associated with the air ejection portion 60, so that residues generated at the time of division may be sucked and discharged to the outside.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of another modified example of the substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 12, the same components as those in FIG. The substrate processing apparatus in FIG. 12 differs from that in FIG. 1 in that the air levitation stage 11 in FIG. 1 is omitted, and the laser beam passes through the division between the air levitation stages 10 and 12, and processing is performed at that division. It is the point which comprises. Another difference is that the air levitation stages before and after the air levitation stages 10 and 12 are constituted by three divided air stages. The glass substrate 1 is floated and restrained by the air jets and the distribution of the suction holes on the upper surfaces of the air levitation stages 10 and 12, but the air flow is also generated in the central gap portion that becomes the division. The attitude of the glass substrate 1 can be kept stable. In addition, since the air levitation stage outside the air levitation stages 10 and 12 is also divided, the air flow can be effectively generated from the respective divided spaces, and the processing residue and the like can be efficiently discharged. There is. Similarly, in the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 8, processing may be performed at a break of the air levitation stage.

  An example of the operation of the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment will be described. First, the glass substrate 1 is transported onto the air levitation stages 9 to 10 with at least one side adsorbed by the gripper unit 106. Immediately before the glass substrate 1 is transferred to the processing position, the initial height of the processing head 32 is corrected based on the thickness of the glass substrate 1 measured by the substrate plate thickness measuring unit 50. After changing the height of the processing head 32 according to the thickness of the glass substrate 1, the glass substrate 1 is moved in the Y direction. The laser type distance sensor 37 is moved in a right angle direction (X direction) with respect to the glass substrate moving in the Y direction, and the displacement of the glass substrate 1 on the processing line is measured. By measuring the entire transition of the glass substrate 1, it is possible to minimize a portion where autofocus is impossible. After the measurement of displacement is completed, the glass substrate 1 is moved to a predetermined processing position between the air levitation stages 10 and 12. Further, the displacement of the glass substrate 1 at the time of processing is measured by the above-described position adjusting means, the height of the processing head 32 is set to the optimum condition, and the focus is adjusted to a predetermined height with respect to the surface of the glass substrate 1. To. Further, the position adjusting means adjusts the height of the processing head 32 so that the beam state of the laser light becomes a predetermined size, thereby giving laser light at a short interval and half-cutting the glass substrate 1. Furthermore, the processing state of the glass substrate 1 can be stabilized by monitoring the beam projection pattern of the irradiation laser light by the position adjusting means. In the case of an extremely thin glass substrate 1, when the cutting or cleaving process is completed, the glass substrate 1 is divided by an air jet flow from the air ejection portion 60 as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, and then the glass substrate 1 is broken. The glass substrate 1 is moved in the Y direction by the gripper unit 106 so as not to be moved, and the glass substrate 1 divided as shown in FIG. Since the gripper section 106 adsorbs the end portion in a state where the glass substrate 1 is floated by the air levitation stage 12, it can be carried out without applying extra stress to the divided glass substrate 1. Moreover, when it cut | disconnects from roll shape at the next process according to a process, it is also possible to perform the transfer of the head part of the glass substrate 1, and the conveyance of the divided glass substrate 1 by the same structure.

1, 1c ... glass substrate,
9-13 ... Air levitation stage,
101 ... Laser processing station,
106 ... gripper part,
110 ... gripper support drive unit,
112 ... processing area part,
1a ... scribe line,
20 ... Laser head,
21 ... Laser shutter,
22 ... Attenuator,
23, 24 ... Tracking mirror,
27 ... Ride guide fiber,
30 ... Optical system with local cooling nozzle,
31 ... Beam expander,
32. Processing head,
33 ... Plano-convex lens (condenser lens),
36 ... Local cooling nozzle,
37 ... Laser distance sensor,
40 ... Laser diode,
41 ... Collimator lens,
42 ... projection mask pattern,
43 ... a quarter-wave plate for projection,
44... Quarter wave plate for processing laser,
45, 46 ... Polarizing beam splitter,
47, 48 ... stray light plate,
49 ... CCD camera,
50: Substrate plate thickness measuring section,
60 ... Air ejection part,
70 ... transfer robot,
75 ... Glass storage pallet,
81, 82, 83 ... blow nozzles,
84, 85, 86 ... suction duct

Claims (9)

Irradiating while moving the laser beam relative to the substrate, spraying a cooling medium near the processing after the laser beam moves, cooling the processed surface portion of the substrate, and generating stress effective for cleaving A substrate processing method for performing predetermined processing on a substrate surface by:
The processing of the substrate half-cut by a predetermined processing in a state in which the ejection and suction of air are balanced from the upper surface of the stage means for transporting the substrate to float the substrate and increase the apparent spring rigidity. A substrate processing method comprising: blowing a gas jet from the back side of a planned line to fully cut the substrate.   2. The substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein the gas jet is blown along the processing line of the substrate from a lower surface of a gap between a plurality of stage means for transporting the substrate. Substrate processing method.   3. The substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein a gas is blown onto the surface of the substrate to remove residues generated during the full cut.   4. The substrate processing method according to claim 3, wherein a residue generated when the full cut is performed is discharged by a discharge unit provided on a surface side of the substrate. In a substrate processing apparatus for performing predetermined processing on the substrate by irradiating the substrate surface with laser light,
Laser irradiation means for irradiating the laser beam while moving the laser beam at a predetermined speed in accordance with a processing schedule line of the substrate;
Cooling means for spraying a cooling medium to the heating position after the movement of the laser beam;
Half-cut by the laser irradiating means and the cooling means in a state where the ejection of air and suction from the upper surface of the stage means for transporting the substrate are balanced and the substrate is lifted to increase the apparent spring rigidity. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a substrate cutting unit that blows a gas jet from the back side of the processing line of the substrate to cut the substrate fully.   6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the substrate dividing means is provided on a lower surface of a gap portion between a plurality of stage means for transporting the substrate, and the gas jet flow is made along the planned processing line of the substrate. A substrate processing apparatus characterized by spraying.   7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a residue removing unit that blows gas onto the surface of the substrate to remove residues generated during the full cut.   8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising discharge means for discharging the residue removed by the residue removing means to the outside.   A panel manufacturing method for manufacturing a display panel using the substrate processing method according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, or the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, 6, 7, or 8. .

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