JP2018030054A - Droplet ejection apparatus and droplet ejection condition correction method - Google Patents

Abstract

An ejection condition of a functional liquid droplet is appropriately corrected based on an imaging result of a test liquid droplet ejected by a line sensor. A droplet discharge device (1) moves a work stage (40) on which a work (W) is mounted in a main scanning direction with respect to a droplet discharge nozzle, and drops a functional liquid droplet on the work (W) from the droplet discharge nozzle. It has a line, a mark of a predetermined size is formed in advance on the work W, and a droplet is inspected and discharged from the droplet discharge nozzle onto the work W on the work stage 40. The line sensor 31 performs imaging of the inspected and discharged droplets and the mark, and corrects the imaging result of the droplet based on the length of the imaged mark in the main scanning direction. The ejection condition from the droplet ejection nozzle is corrected based on the imaging result of (1). [Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a droplet discharge device that discharges and draws functional liquid droplets on a workpiece, and a droplet discharge condition correction method for the droplet discharge device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an apparatus that performs drawing on a workpiece using a functional liquid, an ink jet type liquid droplet ejection apparatus that ejects the functional liquid as droplets is known. As the droplet discharge device, for example, an electro-optical device (flat panel display: FPD) such as an organic EL device, a color filter, a liquid crystal display device, a plasma display (PDP device), and an electron emission device (FED device, SED device) is manufactured. It is widely used.

  In the droplet discharge device, the accuracy of the discharge position of the droplet of the functional liquid is required. Therefore, for the purpose of inspecting and correcting the ejection of droplets, the droplets are inspected and ejected before drawing, and the inspected and ejected droplets are imaged by the imaging device, and the ejection conditions are corrected based on the imaging results. Thus, adjustment of the discharge amount and discharge timing of the functional liquid is performed (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  In the droplet discharge device of Patent Document 1, the functional liquid is inspected and discharged to the inspection medium, and in the liquid droplet discharge device of Patent Document 2, the functional liquid is discharged to the inspection area on the workpiece. .

JP 2010-204411 A JP 2006-44059 A

By the way, as an imaging device for functional droplets that have been inspected and discharged, a line sensor suitable for continuous processing is often used as compared with an area sensor.
When the line sensor is used, the work must be moved at a desired speed in a specific direction, that is, in the main scanning direction by the work stage. This is because if the workpiece is not moved at a desired constant speed, the shape of the actual droplet differs from that of the droplet in an image (hereinafter referred to as a captured image) based on the imaging result of the line sensor. For example, when the inspection ejected droplet is actually a perfect circle and the workpiece moving speed is slower than the desired speed, the shape of the droplet in the image captured by the line sensor is the long axis in the moving direction, that is, the main scanning direction. If it is faster than the desired speed, the shape of the droplet in the image captured by the line sensor becomes an elliptical shape having a major axis in the direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction.

  However, there is a variation in the moving speed of the work depending on the work stage. Therefore, when the inspection-discharged droplet is imaged by the line sensor, the actual shape of the inspection-discharged droplet may not be discriminated from the image captured by the line sensor. If the actual shape cannot be discriminated, the ejection position of the inspected and ejected droplet cannot be accurately grasped. As a result, it is not possible to appropriately correct the discharge conditions of the droplets from the discharge nozzle.

  Patent documents 1 and 2 make no disclosure or suggestion in this regard.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and is a liquid that draws by drawing functional liquid droplets from a droplet discharge nozzle onto a workpiece that is moved in the main scanning direction with respect to the droplet discharge nozzle. It is an object of the present invention to make it possible to appropriately correct the discharge conditions of the functional liquid droplets on the basis of the imaging result of the functional liquid droplets that have been inspected and discharged by the line sensor.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention moves a work stage on which a workpiece is mounted in a main scanning direction with respect to a droplet discharge nozzle, and drops functional liquid droplets on the workpiece from the droplet discharge nozzle. A droplet discharge device that discharges and draws, and includes a line sensor in which an image sensor is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction, and a control unit that controls the droplet discharge nozzle, the work stage, and the line sensor A mark having a predetermined size is formed in advance on the work stage or the work, and the control unit causes the liquid droplet discharge nozzle to inspect and discharge the liquid droplets onto the work on the work stage. The line sensor is used to image the inspection-discharged droplet and the mark on the workpiece, and the droplet is based on the length of the imaged mark in the main scanning direction. Correcting the imaging result based on the imaging result of the droplets and the correction, it corrects the discharge condition from the liquid droplet ejection nozzle, is characterized in that.

  The droplet discharge nozzle and the line sensor are arranged in this order from the negative side in the main scanning direction, and the control unit performs the imaging with the line sensor, and the work is moved from the droplet discharge nozzle to the main sensor. It is preferable to perform at least once each while moving to the positive side in the scanning direction and while moving the workpiece from the positive side in the main scanning direction to the negative side in the main scanning direction.

  It is preferable that a telecentric lens is provided for the image sensor of the line sensor.

  It is preferable that the control unit causes the droplet discharge nozzle to inspect and discharge the droplet a plurality of times, and causes the line sensor to perform the imaging for each inspection discharge.

  The discharge surface on which the droplets of the workpiece are discharged is a quadrangle, and an inspection discharge region in which the droplets are inspected and discharged is provided along the positive side of the main scanning direction on the discharge surface. It is preferable that a drawing area is provided on the negative side in the main scanning direction from the inspection ejection area.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a droplet ejecting apparatus for ejecting a liquid by drawing a functional liquid from a droplet ejecting nozzle on the work by scanning the work by moving a work stage on which the work is mounted. A method for correcting discharge conditions, wherein an inspection discharge step for inspecting and discharging droplets from the droplet discharge nozzle onto the workpiece on the work stage, and the inspection stage discharged droplets on the workpiece and the work stage or the workpiece An imaging step of imaging a mark of a predetermined size provided in advance by a line sensor in which imaging elements are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction, and the main scanning direction of the imaged mark An imaging result correction step for correcting the imaging result of the droplet based on the length, and a discharge condition from the droplet discharge nozzle is compensated based on the corrected imaging result of the droplet. And a discharge condition correction step of, is characterized by.

  The droplet discharge nozzle and the line sensor are arranged in this order from the negative side in the main scanning direction, and in the imaging step, the image is picked up by the line sensor, and the work is moved from the droplet discharge nozzle to the main sensor. It is preferable to perform at least once while moving to the positive side in the scanning direction and while moving the workpiece from the positive side in the main scanning direction to the negative side in the main scanning direction.

  It is preferable that a telecentric lens is provided for the image sensor of the line sensor.

  In the inspection and ejection step, it is preferable that the inspection and ejection of the droplets from the droplet ejection nozzle is performed a plurality of times.

  The discharge surface on which the droplets of the workpiece are discharged is a quadrangle, and an inspection discharge region in which the droplets are inspected and discharged is provided along the positive side of the main scanning direction on the discharge surface. It is preferable that a drawing region is provided on the negative side in the main scanning direction from the inspection and discharge region, and in the inspection and discharge step, the droplets are inspected and discharged to the inspection and discharge region.

  According to the present invention, in a droplet discharge device that discharges and draws functional liquid droplets from a droplet discharge nozzle onto a workpiece that is moved in the main scanning direction with respect to the droplet discharge nozzle, the inspection discharge is performed. Based on the imaging result of the functional liquid droplet by the line sensor, the ejection condition of the functional liquid droplet can be appropriately corrected.

1 is a schematic side view showing an outline of an exemplary configuration of a droplet discharge device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the droplet discharge device in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a work stage provided in the droplet discharge device of FIG. 1 and having a work placed thereon. It is the elements on larger scale of the workpiece | work of FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the processing operation of the droplet discharge apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the processing operation of the droplet discharge apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion where a functional liquid droplet of a work is inspected and discharged. It is a figure which shows an example of the imaging result by a line sensor. It is explanatory drawing of an example of the correction method of the imaging result by a line sensor.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

<1. First Embodiment>
First, the configuration of the droplet discharge device according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing an outline of the configuration of an example of a droplet discharge device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the droplet discharge device of FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the stage provided in the droplet discharge device of FIG. 1 and having a workpiece placed thereon. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of a part A of the workpiece in FIG.
In the following, the main scanning direction of the workpiece is the X-axis direction, the sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction is the Y-axis direction, the vertical direction orthogonal to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is the Z-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction. The rotation direction around is the θ direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the droplet discharge device 1 extends in the main scanning direction (X-axis direction) and moves the workpiece W in the main scanning direction, and the X-axis table 10. And a pair of Y-axis tables 11, 11 extending in the sub-scanning direction (Y-axis direction). A pair of X-axis guide rails 12 and 12 are provided on the upper surface of the X-axis table 10 so as to extend in the X-axis direction. Each X-axis guide rail 12 is provided with an X-axis linear motor (not shown). ing. On the upper surface of each Y-axis table 11, a Y-axis guide rail 13 is provided extending in the Y-axis direction, and a Y-axis linear motor (not shown) is provided on the Y-axis guide rail 13.

  A carriage unit 20 and an imaging unit 30 are provided on the pair of Y-axis tables 11 and 11. A work stage 40 is provided on the X-axis table 10. A maintenance unit 50 is provided between the pair of Y-axis tables 11 and 11 on the outer side (Y-axis negative direction side) of the X-axis table 10.

  A plurality of, for example, ten carriage units 20 are provided in the Y-axis table 11. Each carriage unit 20 includes a carriage plate 21, a carriage rotation mechanism 22, a carriage 23, and a nozzle head 24.

  The carriage plate 21 is attached to the Y-axis guide rail 13 and is movable in the Y-axis direction by a Y-axis linear motor provided on the Y-axis guide rail 13. It is also possible to move the plurality of carriage plates 21 together in the Y-axis direction.

  A carriage rotation mechanism 22 is provided at the center of the lower surface of the carriage plate 21, and a carriage 23 is detachably attached to a lower end portion of the carriage rotation mechanism 22. The carriage 23 is rotatable in the θ direction by a carriage rotation mechanism 22.

A plurality of nozzle heads 24 are provided on the lower surface of the carriage 23. The number of nozzle heads 24 is, for example, twelve.
The nozzle head 24 has a plurality of droplet discharge nozzles (not shown) formed on the lower surface, that is, the nozzle surface, and droplets of functional liquid are discharged from the droplet discharge nozzles (hereinafter referred to as discharge nozzles). .

The imaging unit 30 has a line sensor 31. The line sensor 31 is disposed on the X axis positive direction side with respect to the carriage 23.
The line sensor 31 images the workpiece W, and specifically images the droplet of the functional liquid that has been inspected and discharged on the workpiece W. The line sensor 31 is supported by a base 32 provided on the side surface of the Y-axis table 11 on the X-axis positive direction side, for example, of the pair of Y-axis tables 11 and 11.

  The line sensor 31 has a plurality of image sensors (not shown), and a light source and a half mirror (not shown) are provided for each image sensor. The plurality of image sensors are arranged along the sub-scanning direction, and the image sensor is provided up to a position where substantially the entire workpiece W in the sub-scan direction can be imaged by one imaging. The light source may be common to a plurality of image sensors, but is preferably a blue LED (Light Emitting Diode). In the line sensor 31, the light emitted from the light source is reflected by the half mirror, further reflected by the imaging target, transmitted through the half mirror, and received by each imaging device.

When the work stage 40 is guided directly under such a line sensor 31, the line sensor 31 can take an image of a droplet that has been inspected and discharged onto the work W on the work stage 40.
In addition, when each image sensor of the line sensor 31 and the workpiece W are not parallel, that is, the distance from each image sensor to a region immediately below the image sensor in the workpiece W may not be constant in the sub-scanning direction. Even in such a case, it is preferable that a telecentric lens is provided for each image sensor of the line sensor 31 so that reflected light from the imaging target can be detected by each image sensor. The telecentric lens may be integrated with the line sensor 31 or may be a separate body.

  The work stage 40 is a vacuum suction stage, for example, and sucks and places the work W thereon. The work stage 40 is supported by a stage rotation mechanism 41 provided on the lower surface side of the work stage 40 so as to be rotatable in the θ direction. A work alignment camera (not shown) that images the alignment mark of the work W on the work stage 40 is provided above the work stage 40 on the X-axis negative direction side of the Y-axis table 11. . The position of the workpiece W placed on the workpiece stage 40 in the θ direction is corrected by the stage rotation mechanism 41 based on the image captured by the workpiece alignment camera.

  The work stage 40 and the stage rotation mechanism 41 are supported by an X-axis slider 42 provided on the lower surface side of the stage rotation mechanism 41. The X-axis slider 42 is attached to the X-axis guide rail 12 and is movable in the X-axis direction by an X-axis linear motor provided on the X-axis guide rail 12. The work stage 40 (work W) is also movable in the X-axis direction along the X-axis guide rail 12 by the X-axis slider 42.

  The workpiece W placed on the workpiece stage 40 is, for example, a G8.5 glass substrate. As shown in FIG. 3, the work W has a quadrangular discharge surface on which the drawing functional liquid is discharged, and an active area W <b> 1, which is six drawing areas, is designated at the center portion. A dummy region W2 is provided along the line. The dummy area W2 is an area where no functional liquid is discharged at least during drawing. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the dummy area W2 provided along the positive side in the X-axis direction is an inspection discharge area where the functional liquid droplet D is discharged, and is an inspection discharge area. The active area W1 is positioned on the negative side in the X-axis direction from the dummy area W2. A liquid repellent layer is formed on the surface of the dummy area W2. Further, the workpiece W is provided with an alignment mark W3 for adjusting the position of the workpiece W in the θ direction. Note that the liquid repellent layer may be formed flat, or may be formed so as to have a bank, that is, a predetermined unevenness, similar to the active area W1.

  Furthermore, the scale W4 is provided in the dummy area W2 of the work W and the areas at both ends in the Y direction. The scale W4 is obtained by forming marks W41 having a predetermined size and shape at regular intervals along the main scanning direction. The scale W4 only needs to be formed in the vicinity of the region in the dummy region W2 where inspection and ejection are performed, and may be formed only in the vicinity of the inspection and ejection direction, or over substantially the entire main scanning direction of the workpiece W. It may be formed. A method of using the scale W4 will be described later.

Returning to the description of FIG. 1 and FIG.
The maintenance unit 50 performs maintenance of the nozzle head 24 and eliminates the ejection failure of the nozzle head 24.

  The droplet discharge device 1 described above is provided with a control unit 150. The control unit 150 is a computer, for example, and has a data storage unit (not shown). The data storage unit stores, for example, drawing data (bitmap data) for controlling droplets discharged onto the work W and drawing a predetermined pattern on the work W. Further, the control unit 150 has a program storage unit (not shown). The program storage unit stores a program for controlling various processes in the droplet discharge device 1, a program for controlling the operation of the drive system, and the like.

  The data and the program are stored in a computer-readable storage medium such as a computer-readable hard disk (HD), flexible disk (FD), compact disk (CD), magnetic optical desk (MO), or memory card. It may be recorded and installed in the control unit 150 from the storage medium.

  Next, work processing performed using the droplet discharge device 1 configured as described above will be described. In the following description, on the X-axis table 10, an area on the X-axis negative direction side from the Y-axis table 11 is referred to as a carry-in / out area A1, and an area between the pair of Y-axis tables 11 and 11 is referred to as a processing area A2. An area on the X axis positive direction side from the Y axis table 11 is referred to as a standby area A3.

  First, as shown in FIG. 1, the work stage 40 is arranged in the carry-in / out area A <b> 1, and the work W carried into the droplet discharge device 1 by the transport mechanism (not shown) is placed on the work stage 40. . Subsequently, an alignment mark W3 of the workpiece W on the workpiece stage 40 is imaged by the workpiece alignment camera. Then, based on the captured image, the stage rotation mechanism 41 corrects the position of the work W placed on the work stage 40 in the θ direction, and the work W is aligned (step S1).

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5, the work stage 40 is moved from the loading / unloading area A1 to the processing area A2 by the X-axis slider. In the processing area A2, first, the dummy area W2 of the workpiece W is arranged below the nozzle head 24, and a pattern (condition correction pattern) for correcting the discharge conditions of the discharge nozzles is drawn on the dummy area W2. That is, functional liquid droplets are inspected and discharged from all the discharge nozzles (step S2).

  After that, as shown in FIG. 6, the work stage 40 is moved to the standby area A <b> 3, and the dummy area W <b> 2 of the work W on which the functional liquid droplets are inspected and discharged is passed under the line sensor 31. At the time of passing, as shown in FIG. 7, at least the dummy liquid region D in the dummy area W2 of the workpiece W where the functional liquid droplet D is inspected and discharged, the portion where the mark W41 is formed, and the main scanning direction. A part of the active area W1 adjacent to the area W2 is imaged by the line sensor 31. As a result, the line sensor 31 is caused to image the droplet D of the functional liquid that has been inspected and discharged and the mark W41 (step S3). The imaging result is output to the control unit 150.

  After the completion of imaging, the control unit 150 creates and acquires a two-dimensional image, that is, a captured image including the droplets and marks that have been inspected and ejected, based on the one-dimensional image from the line sensor 31 (step S4).

Then, the control unit 150 extracts the mark W41 from the acquired captured image by pattern matching or the like, calculates the length of the captured mark W41 in the main scanning direction, and corrects the captured image based on the length. (Step S5). For example, as shown in FIG. 8, greater than the length L ₀ of the length L of the actual mark W41 in accordance with the main scanning direction of the mark W41 (L> L _0), i.e. according to the main scanning direction of the workpiece W moving When the speed is smaller than the predetermined value, the captured image is corrected so that the captured image is contracted in the main scanning direction. On the other hand, although not shown, when the length of the mark W41 in the main scanning direction is smaller than the actual length of the mark W41 (L ₀ > L), that is, the calculated moving speed of the workpiece W in the main scanning direction is predetermined. When larger than the value, the captured image is corrected so that the captured image is enlarged in the main scanning direction.

When a plurality of marks W41 are extracted, a captured image may be calculated based on the average length of the plurality of marks W41, or one mark W41 is selected from the plurality of marks W41 and the mark W41 is selected. The captured image may be corrected based on the length of the selected mark W41.
Further, the control unit 150 may calculate the speed of the workpiece in the main scanning direction based on the length of the mark in the main scanning direction, and correct the captured image based on the calculation result of the speed.

  After correcting the captured image, the control unit 150 corrects the ejection condition of the functional liquid droplets from the ejection nozzle based on the corrected captured image (step S6).

  Specifically, for example, the control unit 150 extracts the droplet D that has been inspected and discharged from the corrected captured image by pattern matching or the like, and the distance in the main scanning direction from the extracted droplet to the active area W1. And the area of the extracted droplet is calculated. The distance in the extraction main scanning direction is, for example, the distance from the center of the droplet D that has been inspected and discharged in the captured image to the active area W1 that is closest to the center. Then, the control unit 150 corrects the ejection timing data as the ejection condition based on the calculated distance in the main scanning direction. For example, if the distance is larger than a predetermined value, the ejection timing data is corrected so that the ejection timing when moving the workpiece in the same direction as the inspection ejection is earlier, and if the distance is smaller than the predetermined value, the ejection timing is The ejection timing data is corrected so as to be delayed. The drawing data itself may be corrected instead of the ejection timing data. Further, the control unit 150 corrects the ejection amount as the ejection condition based on the calculation result of the area of the droplet ejected for inspection in the captured image.

  After correcting the above-described ejection conditions, the work stage 40 is moved from the standby area A3 side to the processing area A2 by the X-axis slider 42. In the processing area A2, droplets are ejected from the ejection nozzles whose ejection conditions are corrected to the active area of the workpiece W that has moved below the nozzle head 24. Further, the work stage 40 is moved toward the loading / unloading area A1 so that the entire active area of the work W passes under the nozzle head 24. Then, the workpiece W is reciprocated in the X-axis direction, and the carriage unit 20 is appropriately moved in the Y-axis direction to draw a predetermined pattern on the workpiece W (step S7). Note that the moving speed of the workpiece W, that is, the scanning speed, differs between the inspection discharge and the imaging by the line sensor 31 and the drawing.

After drawing is completed, the work stage 40 is moved from the standby area A3 to the carry-in / out area A1. When the work stage 40 moves to the carry-in / out area A1, the work W for which the drawing process has been completed is carried out from the droplet discharge device 1 (step S8).
Subsequently, the next workpiece W is carried into the droplet discharge device 1, and the above steps S1 to S8 are repeated.

  As described above, in the droplet discharge device 1, the mark W41 having a predetermined size is formed in advance on the workpiece W, and the mark W41 is imaged by the line sensor 31 together with the droplet of the functional liquid that has been inspected and discharged from the discharge nozzle. To do. Then, based on the imaging result of the mark W41, the captured image including the droplet is corrected, and the discharge conditions of the discharge nozzle are corrected based on the corrected captured image. Therefore, even if the moving speed of the workpiece W is not a desired speed, the discharge condition can be appropriately corrected based on the imaging result of the droplet of the functional liquid that has been inspected and discharged by the line sensor.

In addition, when the inspection and discharge of the liquid droplet of the functional liquid is performed on an inspection medium such as an inspection sheet, the maintenance cycle is shortened. However, in the droplet discharge device 1, since the inspection discharge is performed on the dummy region W2 of the workpiece W, The maintenance cycle can be lengthened.
Furthermore, when an inspection sheet is used, depending on the compatibility between the ink, that is, the functional liquid, and the inspection sheet, ink bleeding or the like may occur, and the position and size of the landed droplet may not be accurate. However, in the droplet discharge device 1, since the liquid repellent layer is formed in the dummy area W2 of the work W that is the inspection discharge destination, ink bleeding does not occur, so that there are many types of ink that can be mounted.

  Furthermore, since the active area W1 is located on the negative side in the X-axis direction, that is, the main scanning direction, from the dummy area W2 that is the inspection ejection area, inspection and drawing can be performed efficiently.

  In the above example, when a plurality of marks are captured by the line sensor 31, the entire captured image is corrected based on the average value of the lengths of the marks in the main scanning direction. However, the form of correction of the captured image is not limited to this. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the captured image is divided into a plurality of regions R1 to R6 in the main scanning direction, and one mark W41 is included in each region. To. And based on the length which concerns on the main scanning direction of each mark W41, you may make it correct the captured image of area | region R1-R6 in which the said mark W41 is included. In this case, the ejection conditions from the ejection nozzles are corrected based on an image obtained by combining the captured images corrected for each of the regions R1 to R6.

<2. Second Embodiment>
Next, the configuration of the droplet discharge device according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
In the droplet discharge device according to the first embodiment, the scale W4 including the mark W41 having a predetermined size is provided on the workpiece W. In contrast, the droplet discharge device according to the second embodiment is provided with a scale made up of marks of a predetermined size on the work stage 40.

Also in this case, the mark on the work stage 40 is imaged by the line sensor 31 together with the droplet of the functional liquid ejected and ejected, and imaging including the droplet is performed based on the length of the imaged mark in the main scanning direction. The image is corrected, and the discharge condition from the discharge nozzle is corrected based on the corrected imaging result. As a result, the discharge condition can be appropriately corrected regardless of the moving speed of the workpiece W.
Note that it is preferable that the marks imaged together with the inspected and ejected droplets have a unified design regardless of the substrate size or the like. This is because the same analysis result can be obtained even if the substrate size, pixel resolution, etc. change.

<3. Third Embodiment>
In the liquid droplet ejection apparatus according to the first embodiment, after correction of the ejection conditions, drawing is started from the end of the active area W1 of the work W on the negative side in the main scanning direction (X-axis direction).
On the other hand, in the droplet discharge device according to the third embodiment, after correction of the discharge conditions, drawing is started from the end of the work W in the active area W1 on the positive side in the main scanning direction.
Therefore, in the droplet discharge device according to the third embodiment, after correcting the discharge conditions, the workpiece W is moved from the standby area A3 to the processing area A2 before drawing starts.

  In the droplet discharge device according to the third embodiment, in the process of moving the post-inspection discharge workpiece W from the processing area A2 to the standby area A3, as in the droplet discharge device according to the first embodiment, The line sensor 31 captures an image of the functional liquid droplet ejected from the inspection and the mark W41. In addition, unlike the droplet discharge device according to the first embodiment, the droplet discharge device according to the third embodiment moves the workpiece W from the standby area A3 to the processing area A2 before drawing starts. The same imaging is performed during the process. In other words, in the liquid droplet ejection apparatus according to the third embodiment, the imaging by the line sensor 31 is performed while the workpiece W moves in the forward direction from the ejection nozzle toward the line sensor 31, and the workpiece W is in the forward direction. This is performed once while moving in the reverse direction (hereinafter simply referred to as the reverse direction).

In the droplet discharge device according to the third embodiment, the imaging result of the mark W41 when the workpiece W is moved in the forward direction and the imaging result of the mark W41 when the workpiece W is moved in the reverse direction are used. The captured image including the droplet when the workpiece W is moved in the forward direction and the captured image when the workpiece W is moved in the reverse direction are corrected.
For example, based on the average value of the length of the mark W41 in the main scanning direction when moved in the forward direction and the length of the mark W41 in the main scanning direction when moved in the reverse direction, the mark W41 moves in the forward direction. Both the picked-up image when it is moved and the picked-up image when moved in the opposite direction are corrected. Instead, the captured image when corrected in the forward direction is corrected based on the length of the mark W41 in the main scanning direction when moved in the forward direction, and the mark when moved in the reverse direction You may make it correct | amend the captured image at the time of moving to a reverse direction based on the length which concerns on the main scanning direction of W41.

In the droplet discharge device according to the third embodiment, the discharge conditions from the discharge nozzle are set based on the corrected captured image when moved in the forward direction and the captured image when moved in the reverse direction. to correct.
As a result, the ejection conditions can be corrected more accurately.

  Note that if the captured image when moved in the forward direction and the captured image when moved in the reverse direction have different tendency for the positional deviation of the droplets, drawing is stopped, and the maintenance unit 50 discharges the discharge nozzle. Maintenance may be performed.

<4. Modification of First and Third Embodiments>
In the above description, in the first embodiment, the above-described imaging by the line sensor 31 is performed only while the workpiece W is moved in the forward direction, and the number of imaging is one. Further, in the third embodiment, the above-described imaging by the line sensor 31 is performed once each while the workpiece W is moved in the forward direction and while being moved in the reverse direction. In the first embodiment, the above-described imaging may be performed a plurality of times, and in the third embodiment, the above-described imaging may be performed a plurality of times during forward movement and backward movement, respectively. Good.

<5. Fourth Embodiment>
In the liquid droplet ejection apparatus according to the first embodiment, the number of times of the functional liquid droplet inspection and ejection is one, but in the liquid droplet ejection apparatus according to the fourth embodiment, the first inspection is performed. After the ejection, the second inspection ejection is performed at a position different from the first inspection ejection position. The second inspection discharge may be before or after the first sensor droplet is ejected by the line sensor 31.
Further, in the droplet discharge device according to the fourth embodiment, the line sensor 31 captures an image of the droplet discharged and inspected for the second time together with the mark W41 on the workpiece W. Note that the line sensor 31 may simultaneously image the droplets ejected for the first time and the droplets ejected for the second time.

And also in the droplet discharge device according to the fourth embodiment, the image picked up by the line sensor 31 is corrected based on the image pickup result of the mark W41, and the discharge condition from the discharge nozzle is set based on the corrected picked-up image. to correct.
As a result, the ejection conditions can be corrected more accurately.

  The number of inspection discharges may be three or more.

  The droplet discharge device configured as described above can be applied to a substrate processing system for forming an organic EL layer of an organic light emitting diode described in JP-A-2016-77966. Specifically, the droplet discharge device according to any of the above-described embodiments can be applied to the coating apparatus of the substrate processing system.

  The present invention is useful for a technique for applying a functional liquid onto a substrate.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Droplet discharge apparatus 23 ... Carriage 24 ... Nozzle head 31 ... Line sensor 40 ... Work stage 41 ... Stage rotation mechanism 150 ... Control part W ... Work W41 ... Mark

Claims (10)

A droplet discharge device that moves a work stage on which a workpiece is mounted in a main scanning direction with respect to a droplet discharge nozzle, and discharges and draws functional liquid droplets from the droplet discharge nozzle on the workpiece. ,
A line sensor in which image sensors are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction;
A controller for controlling the droplet discharge nozzle, the work stage, and the line sensor,
The workpiece stage or the workpiece has a mark of a predetermined size formed in advance,
The controller is
Inspecting and discharging the droplet from the droplet discharge nozzle to the workpiece on the work stage,
Let the line sensor perform imaging of the inspection-discharged droplet and the mark on the workpiece,
Based on the length of the imaged mark in the main scanning direction, the imaging result of the droplet is corrected, and based on the corrected imaging result of the droplet, the ejection condition from the droplet ejection nozzle is changed. A droplet discharge device characterized by correcting. The droplet discharge nozzle and the line sensor are arranged in this order from the negative side in the main scanning direction,
The control unit performs the imaging by the line sensor while the work moves from the droplet discharge nozzle to the positive side in the main scanning direction and when the work moves from the positive side in the main scanning direction. The droplet discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the droplet discharge device is caused to perform at least once while moving to the negative side of the direction.   The droplet discharge device according to claim 1, wherein a telecentric lens is provided for the image sensor of the line sensor.   The droplet discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes the droplet discharge nozzle to inspect and discharge the droplet a plurality of times. The discharge surface on which the droplets of the workpiece are discharged is a rectangle,
On the ejection surface, an inspection ejection area where the droplets are inspected and ejected is provided along a positive side in the main scanning direction, and a drawing area is located on the negative side in the main scanning direction from the inspection ejection area. The droplet discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the droplet discharge device is provided. A droplet of a droplet discharge device that moves a work stage on which a workpiece is mounted in a main scanning direction with respect to a droplet discharge nozzle and discharges a functional liquid droplet from the droplet discharge nozzle onto the workpiece and draws the droplet. A discharge condition correction method comprising:
An inspection and discharge step of inspecting and discharging a droplet from the droplet discharge nozzle onto the work on the work stage;
The line sensor in which imaging elements are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction is used to image the inspection-discharged droplets on the workpiece and marks of a predetermined size provided in advance on the workpiece stage or the workpiece. An imaging process to be performed;
An imaging result correction step for correcting the imaging result of the droplet based on the length of the imaged mark in the main scanning direction;
And a discharge condition correction step of correcting a discharge condition from the droplet discharge nozzle based on the corrected imaging result of the droplet. The droplet discharge nozzle and the line sensor are arranged in this order from the negative side in the main scanning direction,
In the imaging step, the imaging by the line sensor is performed while the workpiece is moved from the droplet discharge nozzle to the positive side in the main scanning direction, and the main scanning is performed from the positive side in the main scanning direction. The droplet discharge condition correction method according to claim 6, wherein the droplet discharge condition correction is performed at least once during the movement to the negative side of the direction.   The droplet discharge condition correction method according to claim 6, wherein a telecentric lens is provided for the image sensor of the line sensor.   9. The droplet discharge condition correction method according to claim 6, wherein, in the inspection / discharge step, the droplet discharge / discharge from the droplet discharge nozzle is performed a plurality of times. The discharge surface on which the droplets of the workpiece are discharged is a rectangle,
On the ejection surface, an inspection ejection area where the droplets are inspected and ejected is provided along a positive side in the main scanning direction, and a drawing area is located on the negative side in the main scanning direction from the inspection ejection area. Provided,
10. The droplet discharge condition correction method according to claim 6, wherein, in the inspection / discharge step, the droplet is inspected / discharged to the inspection / discharge region.

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