TWI901967B - Template generating apparatus, drawing system, template generating method and computer readable program - Google Patents

Abstract

The region selecting part of the template generating apparatus selects a template region of a predetermined size from CAD data of a pattern to be provided on a substrate. The template generating part generates a gray-scale template 71 by rasterizing the template region of the CAD data with the resolution for imaging of the drawing apparatus. The resolution for imaging is different from the resolution for drawing of the drawing apparatus. The template generating part sets the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to pattern element 93 to the first pixel value, the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to background region 96 to the second pixel value, and the pixel value of edge-containing pixel 95a, which is the pixel containing the edge of pattern element 93, to the third pixel value between the first and second pixel values, for the multiple imaging pixels 95 in the template 71. This can improve the alignment accuracy of the substrate in the drawing system.

Description

Template generation device, drawing system, template generation method, and computer-readable program.

This invention relates to a technique for generating an alignment template for a substrate used in a drawing apparatus. [Reference to Related Applications] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application JP2022-151168, filed on September 22, 2022, and incorporates the entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application JP2022-151168 into this application.

Conventionally, light is shone onto photosensitive materials formed on semiconductor substrates, printed circuit boards, glass substrates for organic EL (electroluminescence) display devices, or liquid crystal display devices (hereinafter referred to as "substrates") to draw patterns. In the drawing apparatus used for this drawing, an alignment process is performed, which detects the position of alignment marks set on the substrate and automatically adjusts the drawing position of the pattern.

In recent years, in the design of printed circuit boards, in order to increase the number of pieces that can be obtained from a single board, there has been a desire to reduce the space used for aligning marks. Therefore, designs have been developed that utilize a portion of the pattern on the board as aligning marks, eliminating the need for dedicated aligning marks on the board.

For example, in the exposure apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-171988 (Document 1), a portion of the pattern on the substrate is set and pre-registered as a reference mark pattern (i.e., a template) in the image obtained by photographing the pattern on the substrate. This reference mark pattern is used for alignment processing. Furthermore, when the substrate to be exposed is moved into the exposure apparatus, a portion of the pattern on the substrate is photographed by a camera, and pattern matching is performed between the obtained image and the reference mark pattern to align the substrate.

On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-236007 (Document 2) proposes a technique that, in the automatic length measurement of patterns in scanning electron microscopes, reads pattern data of an arbitrary area from CAD (Computer Aided Design) data, extracts pattern outline edge data from the pattern data, and generates template edge data.

However, in cases where the resolution of the drawing data for the substrate in the drawing device differs from the resolution of the camera used to capture the pattern on the substrate, there is a concern about quantization error when generating a binary template from the CAD data to match the camera's resolution. Specifically, in areas where the edges of the pattern in the CAD data deviate from the pixel boundaries of the camera, it becomes unclear whether the pixel containing that edge has a binary value (white or black). Therefore, there is a possibility that the shape and center of gravity of the pattern in the generated template will differ from the actual shape and center of gravity of the pattern, making it difficult to improve alignment accuracy.

The present invention relates to a template generating apparatus for generating an alignment template for a substrate used in a drawing apparatus, with the aim of improving the alignment accuracy of the substrate in the drawing apparatus.

Specimen 1 of the present invention is a template generation apparatus for generating a template used for alignment of a substrate in a drawing apparatus. The template generation apparatus comprises: a region selection unit that selects a template region of a predetermined size containing at least a portion of the pattern elements from pattern computer-aided design data, wherein the pattern computer-aided design data is computer-aided design data of a pattern disposed on the substrate; and a template generation unit that rasterizes the template region of the pattern computer-aided design data at a resolution different from the drawing resolution of the drawing apparatus, using the imaging resolution of the imaging unit of the drawing apparatus, thereby generating a grayscale template. The aforementioned template generation unit sets the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to the aforementioned pattern element as the first pixel value, sets the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to the background area as the second pixel value, and sets the pixel value of the edge-containing pixel as the third pixel value between the aforementioned first pixel value and the aforementioned second pixel value for the plurality of pixels contained in the aforementioned template. The aforementioned edge-containing pixel is the pixel containing the edge of the aforementioned pattern element.

According to the present invention, the alignment precision of the substrate in the drawing device can be improved.

The present invention, in its second state, is a template generation apparatus as described in the first state, wherein the aforementioned third pixel value is set based on the position of the aforementioned edge among the aforementioned edge-containing pixels.

The present invention, in its third state, is a template generation device as described in the first state, wherein the aforementioned third pixel value is set based on the occupancy rate of the aforementioned pattern element in the aforementioned edge-containing pixels.

The present invention's sample 4 is a template generation device as described in sample 1 (or any one of samples 1 to 3), further comprising: a template correction unit, which corrects the pixel values of the aforementioned edge containing pixels of the aforementioned template based on the captured image of the aforementioned template area obtained by the aforementioned capturing unit.

This invention also focuses on a drawing system. Version 5 of this invention is a drawing system comprising: a template generation device as described in any of versions 1 to 4; and a drawing device that aligns a substrate using the template generated by the template generation device, illuminates the substrate with light, and performs drawing. The drawing device comprises: a stage for holding the substrate on which the aforementioned pattern is pre-set on its upper surface; a drawing head for illuminating the upper surface of the substrate with modulated light; a scanning mechanism for moving the stage relative to the drawing head in a scanning direction parallel to the upper surface of the substrate; an image capturing unit for capturing a portion of the aforementioned pattern; and a position detection unit for detecting the position of the template generated by the template generation device. The imaging unit performs pattern matching using the aforementioned template on the captured image to detect the position of the aforementioned substrate; the memory unit remembers other pattern computer-aided design data, which are computer-aided design data of other patterns drawn on the aforementioned pattern; the data generation unit meshes the aforementioned other pattern computer-aided design data and generates raster data; and the drawing control unit controls the aforementioned drawing head and the aforementioned scanning mechanism based on the aforementioned raster data and the position of the aforementioned substrate detected by the aforementioned position detection unit, thereby executing the drawing of the aforementioned other patterns on the aforementioned substrate that is moving relative to the aforementioned drawing head in the aforementioned scanning direction.

This invention also focuses on a template generation method for generating a template for alignment of a substrate used in a drawing apparatus. Embodiment 6 of this invention is a template generation method for generating a template used for alignment of a substrate in a drawing apparatus; the template generation method comprises: step a, selecting a template area of a predetermined size containing at least a portion of pattern elements from pattern computer-aided design data, wherein the pattern computer-aided design data is computer-aided design data of a pattern disposed on a substrate; and step b, meshing the template area of the pattern computer-aided design data at a resolution different from the drawing resolution of the drawing apparatus's imaging section, thereby generating a grayscale template. In the aforementioned step b, for the plurality of pixels contained in the aforementioned template, the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to the aforementioned pattern element is set to the first pixel value, the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to the background area is set to the second pixel value, and the pixel value of the edge-containing pixel is set to the third pixel value between the aforementioned first pixel value and the aforementioned second pixel value, wherein the aforementioned edge-containing pixel is the pixel containing the edge of the aforementioned pattern element.

This invention also focuses on a computer-readable program used to generate a template for alignment of a substrate used in a drawing device. The present invention, in form 7, is a computer-readable program used to generate a template for alignment of a substrate used in a drawing device. The computer-readable program is executed by a computer to perform: step a, selecting a template area of a predetermined size containing at least a portion of the pattern elements from pattern computer-aided design data, wherein the pattern computer-aided design data is computer-aided design data of a pattern disposed on the substrate; and step b, meshing the template area of the pattern computer-aided design data at a resolution different from the drawing resolution of the drawing device's imaging section, thereby generating a grayscale template. In the aforementioned step b, for the plurality of pixels contained in the aforementioned template, the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to the aforementioned pattern element is set to the first pixel value, the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to the background area is set to the second pixel value, and the pixel value of the edge-containing pixel is set to the third pixel value between the aforementioned first pixel value and the aforementioned second pixel value, wherein the aforementioned edge-containing pixel is the pixel containing the edge of the aforementioned pattern element.

The above-mentioned objectives, as well as other objectives, features, forms, and advantages, will become clearer with reference to the accompanying diagrams and through the detailed description of the invention that follows.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a drawing system 5, one embodiment of the present invention. The drawing system 5 includes a drawing device 1 and a computer 100. The drawing device 1 is a direct drawing device used to irradiate a photosensitive material on a substrate 9 with a spatially modulated, slightly beam-shaped light, and to scan the irradiated area on the substrate 9 to draw a pattern. In Figure 1, the three mutually orthogonal directions are indicated by arrows as the X, Y, and Z directions. In the example shown in Figure 1, the X and Y directions are mutually perpendicular horizontal directions, and the Z direction is a vertical direction. The same applies in other figures.

The substrate 9 is, for example, a plate-shaped component that is slightly rectangular when viewed from above. The substrate 9 is, for example, a multilayer printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as a "printed substrate"). In this embodiment, a circuit pattern formed of copper (Cu) or the like is pre-formed on the upper surface 91 of the substrate 9, and a resist film formed of a photosensitive material is disposed on the circuit pattern. Furthermore, in the drawing apparatus 1, a solder pattern is drawn (i.e., formed) on the resist film of the substrate 9. The solder pattern is drawn on the circuit pattern in conjunction with the circuit pattern. In addition, alignment marks for position detection processing (i.e., alignment processing) described later can also be provided on the substrate 9.

In the following description, the pattern (i.e., circuit pattern) pre-formed on the upper surface 91 of the substrate 9 will also be referred to as the "first pattern". Furthermore, the predetermined pattern (i.e., soldering pattern) drawn on the upper surface 91 of the substrate 9 in the drawing apparatus 1 will also be referred to as the "second pattern" or "other pattern". In addition, the type and shape of the substrate 9 can be varied. Furthermore, the pattern drawn on the substrate 9 by the drawing apparatus 1 is not limited to a soldering pattern and can be varied in various ways.

As shown in Figure 1, the drawing apparatus 1 includes a stage 21, a stage moving mechanism 22, a capturing unit 3, and a drawing unit 4. The stage 21 is a slightly flat substrate holding unit used to hold the substrate 9 horizontally from below (i.e., on the -Z side) below the capturing unit 3 and the drawing unit 4. The stage 21 is, for example, a vacuum chuck used to adsorb and hold the lower surface of the substrate 9. The stage 21 may also have a structure other than a vacuum chuck, for example, it may be a mechanical chuck. The upper surface 91 of the substrate 9 placed on the stage 21 is slightly perpendicular to the Z direction and slightly parallel to the X and Y directions.

The stage movement mechanism 22 is a movement mechanism used to move the stage 21 relative to the imaging unit 3 and the drawing unit 4 in the horizontal direction (that is, in a direction slightly parallel to the upper surface 91 of the substrate 9). The stage movement mechanism 22 includes a first movement mechanism 23 and a second movement mechanism 24. The second movement mechanism 24 moves the stage 21 along the guide rail in a straight line in the X direction. The first movement mechanism 23 moves the stage 21 and the second movement mechanism 24 along the guide rail in a straight line in the Y direction. The drive source for the first movement mechanism 23 and the second movement mechanism 24 is, for example, a linear servo motor or a structure with a motor mounted on a ball screw. The structures of the first movement mechanism 23 and the second movement mechanism 24 can also be modified in various ways.

Alternatively, a stage rotation mechanism can be provided in the drawing device 1. This stage rotation mechanism is used to rotate the stage 21 with a rotation axis extending in the Z direction as the center. Furthermore, a stage lifting mechanism can also be provided in the drawing device 1. This stage lifting mechanism is used to move the stage 21 in the Z direction. For example, a servo motor can be used as the stage rotation mechanism. For example, a linear servo motor can be used as the stage lifting mechanism. The structures of the stage rotation mechanism and the stage lifting mechanism can also be modified in various ways.

The camera unit 3 has a plurality of camera heads 31 arranged in the X direction (two in the example shown in Figure 1). Each camera head 31 is supported above the stage 21 and the stage moving mechanism 22 by a gate-shaped head support 30, which spans across the stage 21 and the stage moving mechanism 22. Of the two camera heads 31, one camera head 31 is fixed to the head support 30, and the other camera head 31 can move in the X direction on the head support 30. This allows the distance between the two camera heads 31 in the X direction to be varied. Furthermore, the number of camera heads 31 in the camera unit 3 can be one or more.

Each camera head 31 is a camera equipped with an image sensor (shown in a staggered diagram) and an optical system. Each camera head 31 is, for example, an area camera used to acquire two-dimensional images. The image sensor is an image capturing element such as a plurality of CCDs (Charge Coupled Devices) arranged in, for example, a matrix. In each camera head 31, reflected light from illumination light (shown in a staggered diagram) directed to the upper surface 91 of the substrate 9 is guided to the image sensor via the optical system. The image sensor receives the reflected light from the upper surface 91 of the substrate 9, thereby acquiring an image of a slightly rectangular image area. As the aforementioned light source, various light sources such as LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) can be used. In addition, each camera 31 can also be other types of cameras such as line cameras.

The drawing unit 4 has a plurality of drawing heads 41 arranged in the X and Y directions. In the example shown in FIG1, the six drawing heads 41 are arranged in a slightly straight line in the X direction. Each drawing head 41 is supported above the stage 21 and the stage moving mechanism 22 by a gate-shaped head support 40, which is provided across the stage 21 and the stage moving mechanism 22. The head support 40 is positioned on the +Y side of the head support 30 of the imaging unit 3. Furthermore, the number of drawing heads 41 of the drawing unit 4 can be appropriately varied. For example, the number of drawing heads 41 can be one or more.

Each drawing head 41 is equipped with a light source, an optical system, and a spatial light modulation element (not shown). The spatial light modulation element can be a DMD (Digital Micro Mirror Device) or a GLV (Grating Light Valve) (a registered trademark of Silicon Light Machines, Inc., California). The light source can be a LD (Laser Diode) or other similar light source. The plurality of drawing heads 41 have a slightly identical structure.

In the drawing apparatus 1, modulated (i.e., spatially modulated) light is irradiated onto the upper surface 91 of the substrate 9 from a plurality of drawing heads 41 of the drawing unit 4, while the substrate 9 is moved in the Y direction by a stage movement mechanism 22. In this way, the irradiated areas of the light from the plurality of drawing heads 41 are scanned on the substrate 9 in the Y direction, and a pattern is drawn on the substrate 9. In the following description, the Y direction is also referred to as the "scanning direction," and the X direction is also referred to as the "width direction." The stage movement mechanism 22 is a scanning mechanism used to move the irradiated areas of the light from each drawing head 41 on the substrate 9 in the scanning direction.

In the drawing apparatus 1, the drawing of the substrate 9 can also be performed in a single-pass (one-pass) manner. Specifically, using the stage movement mechanism 22, the stage 21 moves relative to the plurality of drawing heads 41 in the Y direction, and the illumination area of the light from the plurality of drawing heads 41 is scanned only once in the Y direction (i.e., the scanning direction) on the upper surface 91 of the substrate 9. This completes the drawing of the substrate 9. Alternatively, in the drawing apparatus 1, the substrate 9 can also be drawn in a multi-pass manner by repeatedly moving the stage 21 in the Y direction and making step shifts in the X direction. In the case of multi-pass drawing in the drawing apparatus 1, the Y direction is the main scanning direction, and the X direction is the secondary scanning direction. In addition, the first moving mechanism 23 of the station moving mechanism 22 is the main scanning mechanism, which is used to move the station 21 in the main scanning direction; the second moving mechanism 24 is the secondary scanning mechanism, which is used to move the station 21 in the secondary scanning direction.

Figure 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of computer 100. Computer 100 is a typical computer equipped with a processor 101, memory 102, input/output unit 103, and bus 104. Bus 104 is a signal circuit used to connect processor 101, memory 102, and input/output unit 103. Memory 102 stores various information. Memory 102, for example, reads and stores programs 109a and 109b, which are program products pre-memorized in memory medium 81. The 81 series of memory media includes, for example, USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory).

The processor 101 follows computer-readable programs 109a, 109b, etc., stored in the memory 102, and performs various processing operations (such as numerical calculations and image processing) while utilizing the memory 102. The input/output unit 103 includes: a keyboard 105 and a mouse 106, which accept input from the operator; and a display 107, which displays the output from the processor 101.

In the drawing system 5, the computer 100 executes program 109a, thereby implementing the various functions of the control unit 10 shown in FIG3. The control unit 10 is part of the drawing device 1. Furthermore, in the drawing system 5, the computer 100 executes program 109b, thereby implementing the various functions of the template generation device 6 shown in FIG4. FIG3 is a block diagram showing the functions of the control unit 10, and FIG4 is a block diagram showing the functions of the template generation device 6. FIG3 also shows components other than the control unit 10, and FIG4 also shows components other than the template generation device 6.

The control unit 10 shown in Figure 3 includes a console moving mechanism 22, a camera unit 3, and a drawing unit 4. The control unit 10 includes a memory unit 111, a camera control unit 112, a position detection unit 113, a data generation unit 114, and a drawing control unit 115. The memory unit 111 is primarily implemented using memory 102 and pre-memorizes various information related to the drawing of patterns in the drawing device 1. The information memorized in the memory unit 111 includes, for example, pattern CAD data, CAD data of a predetermined second pattern drawn on the substrate 9 (hereinafter also referred to as "second CAD data"); and information transmitted from the template generation device 6 to the drawing device 1. The template generation device 6 transmits, for example, a template used for alignment as described later, to the drawing device 1.

The imaging control unit 112, position detection unit 113, data generation unit 114, and drawing control unit 115 are mainly implemented by the processor 101. The imaging control unit 112 controls the imaging unit 3 and the stage movement mechanism 22, thereby enabling the imaging unit 3 to photograph a portion of the upper surface 91 of the substrate 9 and obtain an image (hereinafter also referred to as "image") of a portion of the first pattern described above. The image is, for example, a grayscale image. The image is transmitted to and stored in the memory unit 111.

The position detection unit 113 performs pattern matching on the captured image of the first pattern described above using a template pre-memorized in the memory unit 111, thereby detecting the position of the substrate 9 on the stage 21 (that is, the relative position of the substrate 9 to the drawing unit 4). The data generation unit 114 meshes the second CAD data described above and generates drawing data belonging to the mesh data (hereinafter also referred to as "second drawing data"). The second drawing data is, for example, run length data.

The drawing control unit 115 controls the drawing unit 4 and the stage movement mechanism 22 based on the second drawing data generated by the data generation unit 114 and the position of the substrate 9 detected by the position detection unit 113. In this way, the drawing unit 4 performs the drawing of the second pattern on the substrate 9 while adjusting the drawing position on the substrate 9.

In addition, the control unit 10 can be implemented by a programmable logic controller (PLC) or a circuit board, or by combining these components with one or more computers.

The template generation apparatus 6 shown in Figure 4 is an apparatus for generating a template (i.e., a reference image) which is used for alignment of the substrate 9 in the drawing apparatus 1. The template generation apparatus 6 includes a memory unit 61, a region selection unit 62, a template generation unit 63, and a template correction unit 64. The memory unit 61 is mainly implemented by a memory 102 and pre-memorizes various information related to template generation. The information memorized in the memory unit 61 includes, for example, pattern CAD data belonging to the first pattern described above (hereinafter also referred to as "first CAD data"). The first CAD data includes a plurality of pattern elements constituting the first pattern.

The area selection unit 62 selects a predetermined-sized area from the first CAD data that includes at least a portion of one or more of the pattern elements described above as a template area. The template generation unit 63 generates a grayscale template by meshing the template area of the first CAD data using the imaging resolution of the imaging unit 3 (i.e., the resolution of the imaging sensor of the imaging head 31). The imaging resolution of the imaging unit 3 is different from the drawing resolution of the drawing unit 4 in the drawing device 1. The template correction unit 64 corrects the template generated by the template generation unit 63 as needed. The template generated by the template generation unit 63 and/or the template corrected by the template correction unit 64 are transmitted to the control unit 10.

Furthermore, the template generation device 6 can be implemented by a programmable logic controller (PLC) or a circuit board, or by combining these components with one or more computers.

Figure 5 shows an example of a template area 92. The template area 92 is a small area that is part of the first pattern as shown in the first CAD data. The template area 92 is smaller than the field of view of each of the cameras 31 of the camera unit 3 (see Figure 1). In the example shown in Figure 5, the template area 92 contains a slightly rectangular pattern element 93. In Figure 5, the pattern element 93 is given parallel diagonal lines, and the edge of the pattern element 93 (i.e., the boundary between the pattern element 93 and the background area 96) is shown with thick lines. The same is true in Figure 6. The actual template area 92 contains at least a portion of more than one pattern element, which has a more complex shape than the pattern element 93 illustrated in Figure 5.

In Figure 5, the pixels 94 corresponding to the drawing resolution described above (hereinafter also referred to as "drawing pixels 94") are shown in dashed lines. A plurality of drawing pixels 94 are arranged in a matrix along the X and Y directions. Each drawing pixel 94 is, for example, a slightly square with one side of 1 μm. The drawing resolution is the predetermined resolution used when drawing a pattern on the substrate 9 by the drawing unit 4.

Figure 6 illustrates the following: Instead of the drawing pixel 94 shown in Figure 5, a pixel 95 (hereinafter also referred to as "shooting pixel 95") corresponding to the shooting resolution described above is arranged in the stencil area 92. The plurality of shooting pixels 95, shown by dashed lines, are arranged in a matrix along the X and Y directions. Each shooting pixel 95 is, for example, a slightly square shape with one side of 4 μm. In the examples shown in Figures 5 and 6, the shooting pixel 95 is larger than the drawing pixel 94, and the shooting resolution is lower than the drawing resolution.

As shown in Figure 5, the edges 931, 932, 933, and 934 on the -X side of the pattern element 93 are located on the boundaries of the drawing pixel 94. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the edges 931 and 932 on the -X side of the pattern element 93 are located on the boundaries of the shooting pixel 95. On the other hand, the edge 933 on the +X side of the pattern element 93 is a plurality of shooting pixels 95 arranged longitudinally along the Y direction, offset from the boundary of the shooting pixel 95 in the X direction. Furthermore, the edge 934 on the Y side of the pattern element 93 is a plurality of shooting pixels 95 that are offset from the boundary of the shooting pixel 95 in the Y direction and are arranged horizontally in the X direction.

Figures 7A and 7B show comparative templates 70a and 70b, respectively. The comparative templates 70a and 70b are binary templates, generated by the comparative template generation device by meshing the template area 92 at a photographic resolution. In the comparative templates 70a and 70b, the pixel value of the photographic pixel 95 in the template element 707 corresponding to the pattern element 93 of the template area 92 is set to "0 (black)," and the pixel value of the photographic pixel 95 in the template background area 708 corresponding to the background area 96 is set to "255 (white)."

As described above, in the template area 92 shown in FIG. 6, the edges 931 and 932 of the pattern element 93 are located on the boundary of the shooting pixel 95. Therefore, the positions of the edges 701 and 702 on the -X and +Y sides of the template element 707 in the comparative templates 70a and 70b are slightly the same as the positions of the edges 931 and 932 of the pattern element 93 in the template area 92. The pattern element 93 is shown as a two-point chain in FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B.

On the other hand, in the template area 92 shown in FIG. 6, the edges 933 and 934 of the pattern element 93 are offset from the boundary of the shooting pixel 95. Therefore, the positions of the +X and -Y sides of the edges 703 and 704 of the template element 707 in the comparative templates 70a and 70b are different from the positions of the edges 933 and 934 of the pattern element 93 in the template area 92. That is, in the comparative templates 70a and 70b, quantization errors are generated due to the difference between the drawing resolution and the shooting resolution, and the edges of the template element 707 are offset.

Specifically, in the comparative template 70a, the edge 703 of template element 707 is offset towards the +X side from the edge 933 of pattern element 93 shown by the two-point chain, and the edge 704 of template element 707 is offset towards the -Y side from the edge 934 of pattern element 93 shown by the two-point chain. Therefore, in the comparative template 70a, template element 707 is expanded to be both +X and -Y sides larger than the actual pattern element 93.

Furthermore, in the comparative template 70b, the edge 703 of template element 707 is offset towards the -X side from the edge 933 of pattern element 93 shown by the two-point chain, and the edge 704 of template element 707 is offset towards the +Y side from the edge 934 of pattern element 93 shown by the two-point chain. Therefore, in the comparative template 70a, template element 707 is reduced to be further offset towards the -X and +Y sides than the actual pattern element 93.

As described above, in the comparative templates 70a and 70b, the shape and center of gravity of template element 707 differ from those of pattern element 93 in template area 92. Therefore, when using the comparative templates 70a and 70b for substrate 9 alignment, there is a concern that the alignment precision of substrate 9 (i.e., the precise positioning of substrate 9) may be reduced. Furthermore, in the comparative template generation apparatus, it is unclear which of templates 70a and 70b is generated from the template area 92 shown in FIG. 6. Therefore, it is difficult to correct the quantization error described above and improve the alignment precision.

In contrast, in the template generation apparatus 6 of this embodiment, a template 71 with grayscale is generated as shown in FIG8. In FIG8, the boundaries of a plurality of shooting pixels 95 arranged in a matrix in the X and Y directions are shown by dashed lines, and the edges 931 to 934 of the pattern elements 93 are shown by two-dot linked lines.

In template 71, the pixel value of the entire shooting pixel 95 (i.e., the shooting pixel 95 corresponding to the pattern element 93) contained within the roughly rectangular area surrounded by the edges 931 to 934 of the pattern element 93 among the plurality of shooting pixels 95 is set to a predetermined first pixel value (e.g., 0 (black)). Furthermore, the pixel value of the entire shooting pixel 95 contained within the area outside the roughly rectangular area surrounded by the edges 931 to 934 of the pattern element 93 among the plurality of shooting pixels 95 (i.e., the shooting pixel 95 corresponding to the background area 96 shown in FIG. 5) is set to a predetermined second pixel value (e.g., 255 (white)).

In template 71, the pixel value of edge containing pixel 95a is set to the third pixel value. Edge containing pixel 95a is the pixel 95 used for capturing the edge of the pattern element 93, and the third pixel value is the pixel value between the first pixel value and the second pixel value. The third pixel value is, for example, 128 (gray), which is the midpoint between the first pixel value and the second pixel value. Furthermore, the so-called edge containing pixel 95a of the edge containing pattern element 93 is the pixel 95 used for capturing the part of the edge of the pattern element 93 that extends beyond the boundary. In the edge containing pixel 95a, the edge of the pattern element 93 intersects with the boundary of the edge containing pixel 95a and extends from the area outside the boundary of the edge containing pixel 95a toward the area inside the boundary of the edge containing pixel 95a.

In the example shown in Figure 8, at the +X side end of pattern element 93, the pixel values of four edges containing pixels 95a, each comprising a portion of edge 933, are set to the third pixel value. Furthermore, at the -Y side end of pattern element 93, the pixel values of five edges containing pixels 95a, each comprising a portion of edge 934, are set to the third pixel value. Additionally, at the corners of both the +X and -Y sides of pattern element 93, one edge containing pixel 95a comprises the end of edge 933, the end of edge 934, and the intersection of edges 933 and 934. The pixel value of this edge containing pixel 95a is also set to the third pixel value as described above.

In Figure 8, parallel diagonal lines are attached to the shooting pixel 95 set to the first pixel value, but no parallel diagonal lines are attached to the shooting pixel 95 set to the second pixel value. Furthermore, parallel diagonal lines with a wider spacing than those on the shooting pixel 95 set to the first pixel value are attached to the shooting pixel 95 set to the third pixel value (i.e., the edge containing pixel 95a). In the following description, the set of shooting pixels 95 with parallel diagonal lines attached in Figure 8 (i.e., the shooting pixels 95 set to the first pixel value and the shooting pixels 95 set to the third pixel value) is collectively referred to as "template element 713".

Thus, in the grayscale template 71, the pixel value of the shooting pixel 95 (that is, the edge contains pixel 95a) of the edge containing pattern element 93 is set to the third pixel value. In this way, compared with the comparative templates 70a and 70b, the center position of the template element 713 in the template 71 (that is, the center position considering the density of the plurality of shooting pixels 95 used to constitute the template element 713) can be close to the center position of the pattern element 93 in the template area 92. In other words, in template 71, the edge position of template element 713 is intentionally blurred in the image-capturing pixel 95 (i.e., the edge contains pixel 95a) containing pattern element 95. This allows the edge position of template element 713 to be closer to the edge position of pattern element 93 compared to comparative templates 70a and 70b. Therefore, using template 71 for substrate 9 alignment improves the alignment accuracy of substrate 9.

Furthermore, the first and second pixel values mentioned above can be varied and do not need to be "0 (black)" and "255 (white)" respectively. The third pixel value does not necessarily need to be "128" either; it can be any pixel value determined between the first and second pixel values.

Next, the process of drawing a pattern on the substrate 9 by the drawing device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B. When drawing on the substrate 9, firstly, a template 71 (refer to FIG. 8) that is used for alignment on the substrate 9 is generated in the template generation device 6 and remembered in the memory unit 111 of the control unit 10 (step S11).

Specifically, in step S11, the first CAD data stored in the memory unit 61 of the template generation device 6 is read, and the template region 92 is selected from the first CAD data by the region selection unit 62 (step S111). Next, the template region 92 is meshed by the template generation unit 63 at the shooting resolution described above, thereby generating a grayscale template 71 (step S112). In the drawing system 5 illustrated in FIG1, a plurality of template regions 92 with different positions are selected in step S111, and a plurality of templates 71 corresponding to the plurality of template regions 92 are generated in step S112.

Next, the substrate 9 is moved into the drawing device 1 shown in FIG. 1 and held on the stage 21 (step S12). The stage 21 is located at the loading and unloading position, which is Y-side further than the photographing unit 3 and the drawing unit 4. The first pattern described above is pre-set on the upper surface 91 of the substrate 9 held on the stage 21. Furthermore, the step S11 described above (i.e., the generation of the template 71) can be performed in parallel with step S12, or it can be performed after step S12, as long as it is performed before step S14 described later.

When step S12 is completed, the stage moving mechanism 22 moves the substrate 9 and the stage 21 together in the +Y direction and moves them downwards towards the imaging unit 3. Then, the imaging control unit 112 (refer to FIG3) controls the imaging unit 3 and the stage moving mechanism 22 to capture multiple imaging areas on the substrate 9 that correspond to multiple template areas 92 respectively, and obtain multiple images containing a portion of the first pattern (step S13).

The plurality of imaging areas described above are each a slightly rectangular area, which is the area roughly centered on the corresponding template area 92 when the substrate 9 is correctly held in the designed position on the stage 21. The shape and size of the plurality of imaging areas described above are the same. Each imaging area has a pair of sides parallel to the X and Y directions, and is larger than the corresponding template area 92 in both the X and Y directions. Therefore, even if the position of the substrate 9 on the stage 21 deviates slightly from the designed position, the pattern elements 93 contained in the template area 92 are included in the image. The image obtained in step S13 is stored in the memory unit 111. In addition, step S13 can be performed before step S11 or in parallel with step S11.

When step S13 is completed, the position detection unit 113 of the control unit 10 (refer to FIG. 3) performs pattern matching on each captured image using the template 71 corresponding to each captured image. This pattern matching is performed using a known pattern matching method (e.g., geometric shape pattern matching or normalized correlation retrieval). Next, based on the positions of the pattern elements identical to the template 71 in each captured image and the relative positions between the substrate 9 and the imaging unit 3 when each captured image is obtained, the position detection unit 113 detects the position of the substrate 9 on the stage 21 (step S14).

In step S14, the position of the substrate 9 detected by the position detection unit 113 includes the coordinates of the substrate 9 in the X and Y directions on the stage 21, the orientation of the substrate 9, and information on the deformation caused by distortion of the substrate 9. In addition, the information on the deformation of the substrate 9 includes information such as the shape of the deformed substrate 9.

As described above, in the drawing system 5, the center of gravity of the template element 713 in the template 71 shown in FIG8 can be approximated to the center of gravity of the pattern element 93 in the template area 92 shown in FIG6. Therefore, in step S14, the template 71 is used to align the substrate 9, thereby enabling precise detection of the position of the substrate 9 on the stage 21.

Next, the data generation unit 114 (refer to FIG. 3) reads the second CAD data from the memory unit 111, performs meshing on the second CAD data, and generates the second drawing data (step S15). Furthermore, step S15 can be performed concurrently with step S14, or it can be performed before step S14. In the case where step S15 is performed before step S14, for example, step S15 can be performed concurrently with any one of steps S11 to S13, between any two steps from S11 to S14, or before step S11.

When generating the second drawing data, the drawing control unit 115 (refer to FIG. 3) controls the drawing unit 4 and the stage movement mechanism 22 based on the second drawing data and the position of the substrate 9 detected in step S14. Thereby, the modulated light described above is irradiated toward the substrate 9, which is moving relative to the drawing head 41 of the drawing unit 4 in the Y direction, and a second pattern is drawn on the upper surface 91 of the substrate 9 (step S16). In step S16, based on the position of the substrate 9 detected in step S14, the drawing unit 4 and the stage movement mechanism 22 mechanically and automatically correct the modulation interval and modulation timing of the light beam irradiated from the drawing unit 4 toward the substrate 9, as well as the scanning position of the light beam on the substrate 9, using known correction methods. This allows the second pattern to be drawn onto the first pattern with excellent positional precision.

In the template generation device 6, the third pixel value set in step S112 described above for the edge containing pixel 95a does not necessarily need to be fixed to a single pixel value. For example, it can be changed based on the position of the edge in the edge containing pixel 95a.

Figure 10 is an enlarged view of two edge-containing pixels 95a and two shooting pixels 95 near the edge-containing pixels 95a arranged in the Y direction. In Figure 10, the two shooting pixels 95 adjacent to the -X side of the two edge-containing pixels 95a are shooting pixels 95 corresponding to the pattern element 93 shown by the two-dot chain, and the pixel values of these two shooting pixels 95 are set to a first pixel value. In addition, excluding the two edge-containing pixels 95a and the two shooting pixels 95 described above corresponding to the pattern element 93, the other shooting pixels 95 are shooting pixels 95 corresponding to the background area 96, and the pixel values of these other shooting pixels 95 are set to a second pixel value. In the example shown in Figure 10, the first pixel value and the second pixel value are "0 (black)" and "255 (white)" respectively.

The edge containing pixels 95a on the +Y side of the two edges containing pixels 95a is the edge 933a extending in the Y direction of the pattern element 93. Edge 933a is located on the +X side of the edge containing pixels 95a in the X direction (that is, the direction in which the arrangement of the shooting pixels 95 intersects with the edge 933a) beyond the center. In other words, the area of the edge containing pixels 95a that overlaps with the pattern element 93 is larger than half the area of the edge containing pixels 95a. In other words, the proportion of the area of the edge containing pixels 95a that overlaps with the pattern element 93 (that is, the occupancy rate of the pattern element 93 in the edge containing pixels 95a) is greater than 50%.

The pixel value (i.e., the third pixel value) of the edge containing pixel 95a on the +Y side is set, for example, as "first pixel value + (second pixel value - first pixel value) × D1 / D0". D1 is the distance in the X direction between edge 933a and the boundary of the edge containing pixel 95a on the +X side (i.e., the boundary between the shooting pixel 95 corresponding to the background area 96). D0 is the full width in the X direction of the edge containing pixel 95a. In the example shown in Figure 10, the distance D1 is approximately 1/4 of the distance D0, and the third pixel value of the edge containing pixel 95a on the +Y side is set to "64 (a darker gray)".

The edge containing pixel 95a on the Y side of the two edges is contained within an edge 933b extending in the Y direction. Edge 933b is located on the X side of the edge containing pixel 95a, further X-sided than the center. In other words, the area of the region in the edge containing pixel 95a that overlaps with the pattern element 93 is smaller than half the area of the edge containing pixel 95a. In other words, the occupancy of the pattern element 93 in the edge containing pixel 95a is less than 50%.

The pixel value (i.e., the third pixel value) of the edge containing pixel 95a on the -Y side is set, for example, as "first pixel value + (second pixel value - first pixel value) × D2 / D0". D2 is the distance in the X direction between edge 933b and the boundary of the +X side containing pixel 95a (i.e., the boundary between the shooting pixel 95 corresponding to the background area 96). In the example shown in Figure 10, the distance D2 is about 3/4 of the distance D0, and the third pixel value of the edge containing pixel 95a on the -Y side is set to "192 (thinner gray)".

In this way, the value of the third pixel set in the template 71 for the edge containing pixel 95a can be changed based on the position of the edge in the edge containing pixel 95a, thereby bringing the center of gravity of the template element 713 in the template 71 closer to the center of gravity of the pattern element 93 in the template area 92. Therefore, using the template 71 for alignment of the substrate 9 can further improve the alignment accuracy of the substrate 9.

Furthermore, the third pixel value set in template 71 for the edge containing pixel 95a can also be changed based on the proportion of the area in the edge containing pixel 95a that overlaps with the pattern element 93 (i.e., the occupancy rate of the pattern element 93 in the edge containing pixel 95a). For example, the third pixel value set for the edge containing pixel 95a can also be set as "first pixel value + (second pixel value - first pixel value) × (1 - S1/S0)". S1 is the area of the area in the edge containing pixel 95a that overlaps with the pattern element 93. S0 is the total area of the edge containing pixel 95a. In this case, S1/S0 is the occupancy rate of the pattern element 93 in the edge containing pixel 95a.

In the example shown in Figure 11, in one of the corner edges containing pixel 95a on the +X and -Y sides containing pattern element 93, the occupancy of pattern element 93 described above is 25%. Therefore, the third pixel value of the edge containing pixel 95a is set to "192". Furthermore, in the three edge containing pixel 95a on the +Y side and the four edge containing pixel 95a on the -X side, the occupancy of pattern element 93 described above is 50%. Therefore, the third pixel value of these seven edge containing pixel 95a is set to "128".

In this way, the value of the third pixel set in the template 71 for the edge containing pixel 95a can be changed based on the occupancy of the pattern element 93 in the edge containing pixel 95a. This also allows the center of gravity of the template element 713 in the template 71 to be further closer to the center of gravity of the pattern element 93 in the template area 92. Therefore, using the template 71 for alignment of the substrate 9 can further improve the alignment accuracy of the substrate 9.

As explained above, the template generation device 6 generates a template that is used for alignment of the substrate 9 in the drawing device 1. The template generation device 6 includes a region selection unit 62 and a template generation unit 63. The region selection unit 62 selects a template region 92 of a predetermined size containing at least a portion of the pattern elements 93 from the pattern CAD data (i.e., the first CAD data), which is the CAD data of the pattern disposed on the substrate 9. The template generation unit 63 meshes the template region 92 of the first CAD data using the imaging resolution of the imaging unit 3 of the drawing device 1, thereby generating a grayscale template 71. This imaging resolution is different from the drawing resolution of the drawing device 1.

The template generation unit 63, for the plurality of pixels contained in the template 71 (in the example described above, the imaging pixel 95), sets the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to the pattern element 93 to a first pixel value, sets the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to the background area 96 to a second pixel value, and sets the pixel value of the pixel containing the edge of the edge of the pattern element 93, which contains pixel 95a, to a third pixel value between the first and second pixel values. In this way, as described above, the reduction in pattern matching precision caused by quantization errors during template 71 generation can be suppressed. As a result, the alignment precision of the substrate 9 in the drawing device 1 can be improved.

As described above, the third pixel value is preferably set based on the position of the edge in pixel 95a. This further suppresses the reduction in pattern matching precision caused by quantization errors during template 71 generation. As a result, the alignment precision of the substrate 9 in the drawing apparatus 1 can be further improved.

As described above, the third pixel value is preferably set based on the occupancy rate of the pattern element 93 in the edge containing pixel 95a. This further suppresses the reduction in pattern matching precision caused by quantization errors during template 71 generation. As a result, the alignment precision of the substrate 9 in the drawing device 1 can be further improved.

The drawing system 5 includes the template generation device 6 and the drawing device 1 described above. The drawing device 1 uses the template 71 generated by the template generation device 6 to align the substrate 9, irradiate the substrate 9 with light, and perform drawing. The drawing device 1 includes a stage 21, a drawing head 41, a scanning mechanism (in the example described above, a stage moving mechanism 22), an imaging unit 3, a position detection unit 113, a memory unit 111, a data generation unit 114, and a drawing control unit 115.

Stage 21 holds the substrate 9 on which a pattern (i.e., the first pattern) is pre-set on its upper surface 91. The drawing head 41 illuminates the upper surface 91 of the substrate 9 with modulated light. The scanning mechanism moves stage 21 relative to the drawing head 41 in a scanning direction parallel to the upper surface 91 of the substrate 9 (the Y direction in the example described above). The imaging unit 3 captures a portion of the first pattern.

The position detection unit 113 performs pattern matching using template 71 on the image captured by the imaging unit 3 to detect the position of the substrate 9. The memory unit 111 remembers other pattern CAD data (i.e., second CAD data), which are CAD data of other patterns (i.e., second patterns) drawn on the first pattern. The data generation unit 114 meshes the second CAD data and generates mesh data (i.e., second drawing data). In the drawing control unit 115, based on the second drawing data and the position of the substrate 9 detected by the position detection unit 113, the drawing head 41 and the scanning mechanism described above are controlled to draw the second pattern on the substrate 9, which moves relative to the scanning head 41 in the scanning direction.

As described above, the alignment accuracy of the substrate 9 in the drawing apparatus 1 can be improved in the drawing system 5. Therefore, when drawing a second pattern on a first pattern pre-drawn on the substrate 9, the relative positional accuracy of the second pattern relative to the first pattern can be improved.

The template generation method described above includes the following steps: selecting a template area 92 of a predetermined size containing at least a portion of the pattern element 93 from pattern CAD data (i.e., first CAD data), wherein the pattern CAD data (i.e., first CAD data) is CAD data of a pattern disposed on the substrate 9 (step S111); and meshing the template area 92 of the first CAD data at the imaging resolution of the imaging unit 3 of the drawing device 1, thereby generating a grayscale template 71 (step S112). The imaging resolution is different from the drawing resolution of the drawing device 1.

In step S112, for the plurality of pixels contained in the template 71 (pixels for shooting in the example described above), the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to the pattern element 93 is set to a first pixel value, the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to the background area 96 is set to a second pixel value, and the pixel value of the edge-containing pixel 95a is set to a third pixel value between the first and second pixel values. The edge-containing pixel 95a is the pixel containing the edge of the pattern element 93. In this way, as described above, the reduction in pattern matching precision caused by quantization errors during the generation of the template 71 can be suppressed. As a result, the alignment precision of the substrate 9 in the drawing device 1 can be improved.

The computer-readable program 109b described above is used to generate a template 71 for alignment with the substrate 9 used in the drawing device 1. Program 109b is executed by the computer 100, thereby performing the following steps: selecting a template area 92 of a predetermined size containing at least a portion of the pattern elements 93 from pattern CAD data (i.e., first CAD data), the pattern CAD data (i.e., first CAD data) being the CAD data of the pattern disposed on the substrate 9 (step S111); and meshing the template area 92 of the first CAD data at the imaging resolution of the imaging unit 3 of the drawing device 1, thereby generating a grayscale template 71 (step S112). This imaging resolution is different from the drawing resolution of the drawing device 1.

In step S112, for the plurality of pixels contained in the template 71 (pixels for shooting in the example described above), the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to the pattern element 93 is set to a first pixel value, the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to the background area 96 is set to a second pixel value, and the pixel value of the edge-containing pixel 95a is set to a third pixel value between the first and second pixel values. The edge-containing pixel 95a is the pixel containing the edge of the pattern element 93. In this way, as described above, the reduction in pattern matching precision caused by quantization errors during the generation of the template 71 can be suppressed. As a result, the alignment precision of the substrate 9 in the drawing device 1 can be improved.

In step S11, as shown in FIG12, in addition to performing steps S111 to S112 as described above, the template 71 is also corrected (step S113). In step S113, the template correction unit 64 (refer to FIG4) corrects the pixel value (i.e., the third pixel value) of the edge containing pixel 95a of the template 71 generated in step S112. In the template correction unit 64, the pixel value of the edge containing pixel 95a is corrected based on the image of the template area 92 previously obtained by the imaging unit 3.

In this way, even if the contrast between the pattern and the resist in the captured image (that is, the contrast between the pattern element 93 and the background area 96) changes due to the color of the resist on the substrate 9 (e.g., white, black, green, or red) and the state of the lighting when the image is captured, the pixel value of the edge containing pixel 95a can be set to an appropriate value in response to the change in contrast.

Specifically, for example, in the case where the pattern as a whole or its edges in the captured image described above are darker than the first reference value, the pixel value of the edge of template 71 containing pixel 95a is corrected from 128 to 64. Furthermore, in the case where the pattern as a whole or its edges in the captured image described above are brighter than the second reference value, and the second reference value is brighter than the first reference value, the pixel value of the edge of template 71 containing pixel 95a is corrected from 128 to 192.

Therefore, the template generation apparatus 6 preferably further includes a template correction unit 64, which corrects the pixel values of pixels 95a at the edge of the template 71 based on the image of the template area 92 obtained by the imaging unit 3. This further suppresses the reduction in pattern matching precision caused by quantization errors during template 71 generation. As a result, the alignment precision of the substrate 9 in the drawing apparatus 1 can be further improved.

Various changes can be made to the template generation device 6, drawing system 5, template generation method, and program 109b described above.

For example, the sizes of the first pixel value, the second pixel value, and the third pixel value are not limited to the example described above, and can be changed in various ways.

In step S11 described above, the modification of template 71 in step S113 is not necessarily required. Furthermore, if the modification of template 71 is not performed, the template modification unit 64 can be omitted from the template generation device 6.

The resolution used for imaging in the drawing apparatus 1 only needs to be different from the resolution used for drawing; for example, it can be higher than the resolution used for drawing. That is, the imaging pixel 95 can be smaller than the drawing pixel 94. Even in this case, if the length of one side of the drawing pixel 94 is not an integer multiple of the length of one side of the imaging pixel 95, the quantization error described above may still occur. Therefore, by generating a grayscale stencil using the stencil generation apparatus 6 described above, the alignment accuracy of the substrate 9 in the drawing apparatus 1 can be improved.

In the above example, although it is explained that the main surface of one side of the substrate 9 is drawn, the drawing device 1 can also draw patterns on both main surfaces of the substrate 9. In this case, when drawing the other main surface of the substrate 9, as described above, the template generation device 6 creates a template for pattern matching from the CAD data of the pattern pre-formed on the other main surface.

The template generation device 6 can also be implemented using a computer different from the computer used to implement the control unit 10. Furthermore, the template generation device 6 does not necessarily need to be installed in the drawing system 5, and can also be used as a separate device independent of the drawing device 1.

The substrate 9 described above is not limited to a printed circuit board, but can also be a glass substrate for a flat panel display device such as a semiconductor substrate, a glass substrate for a photomask, or a substrate for a solar panel, such as a liquid crystal display device or an organic EL display device.

The embodiments described above and the components in each variation can be appropriately combined as long as they do not contradict each other.

Although the invention has been described and explained in detail, the above description is illustrative rather than limiting. Therefore, it can be considered that various variations and forms are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

1: Drawing device 3: Imaging unit 4: Drawing unit 5: Drawing system 6: Template generation device 9: Substrate 10: Control unit 21: Stage 22: Stage moving mechanism 23: First moving mechanism 24: Second moving mechanism 30, 40: Head support unit 31: Imaging head 41: Drawing head 61: Memory unit 62: Area selection unit 63: Template generation unit 64: Template correction unit 70a, 70b, 71: Template 81: Memory medium 91: Upper surface 92: Template area 93: Pattern element 94: Drawing pixel (pixel) 95: Imaging pixel (pixel) 95a: Edge contains pixels 96: Background Area 100: Computer 101: Processor 102: Memory 103: Input/Output Unit 104: Bus 105: Keyboard 106: Mouse 107: Display 109a, 109b: Program 111: Memory Unit 112: Camera Control Unit 113: Position Detection Unit 114: Data Generation Unit 115: Drawing Control Unit 701, 702, 703, 704, 931 to 934, 933a, 933b: Edges 707, 713: Template Elements 708: Template Background Area D0, D1, D2: Distance S11 to S16, S111 to S113: Steps

[Figure 1] is a perspective view showing one implementation of the drawing system. [Figure 2] is a diagram showing the structure of the computer. [Figure 3] is a block diagram showing the functions of the control unit. [Figure 4] is a block diagram showing the functions of the template generation device. [Figure 5] is a diagram showing the template area. [Figure 6] is a diagram showing the template area. [Figure 7A] is a diagram of a comparative template. [Figure 7B] is a diagram of a comparative template. [Figure 8] is a diagram showing the template. [Figure 9A] is a flowchart showing the drawing process. [Figure 9B] is a flowchart showing the template generation process. [Figure 10] is a diagram showing a portion of the template in enlarged view. [Figure 11] is a diagram showing the template. [Figure 12] is a flowchart showing the template generation process.

71: Template

93: Pattern Elements

95: Shooting pixels (pixels)

95a: Edges contain pixels

96: Background Area

931 to 934: The Edge

713: Template Elements

Claims (7)

A template generation apparatus is used to generate a template from computer-aided design (CAD) data, wherein the CAD data is computer-aided design data of a pattern disposed on a substrate, and the template is used for alignment of the substrate in a drawing device; The template generation apparatus comprises: a region selection unit for selecting a template region of a predetermined size containing at least a portion of the pattern elements from the CAD data; and a template generation unit for meshing the template region of the CAD data at a resolution different from the drawing resolution of the drawing device, thereby generating a grayscale template; The aforementioned template generation unit sets the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to the aforementioned pattern element as a first pixel value, sets the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to the background area as a second pixel value, and sets the pixel value of the edge-containing pixel as a third pixel value between the first and second pixel values, whereby the edge-containing pixel refers to the pixel containing the edge of the aforementioned pattern element. The template generation apparatus described in claim 1, wherein the aforementioned third pixel value is set based on the position of the aforementioned edge among the pixels contained in the aforementioned edge. The template generation apparatus described in claim 1, wherein the aforementioned third pixel value is set based on the occupancy rate of the aforementioned pattern element in the aforementioned edge-containing pixels. The template generation apparatus described in claim 1 further includes a template correction unit that corrects the pixel values of the aforementioned edge containing pixels of the aforementioned template based on the captured image of the aforementioned template area obtained by the aforementioned capturing unit. A drawing system comprising: a template generating apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 4; and a drawing apparatus that aligns a substrate using the template generated by the template generating apparatus, illuminates the substrate with light, and performs drawing; the drawing apparatus comprising: a stage for holding the substrate on which the aforementioned pattern is pre-formed on its upper surface; a drawing head for illuminating the upper surface of the substrate with modulated light; a scanning mechanism for moving the stage relative to the drawing head in a scanning direction parallel to the upper surface of the substrate; an imaging unit for imaging a portion of the aforementioned pattern; a position detection unit for detecting the position of the substrate by performing pattern matching using the aforementioned template on the image acquired by the imaging unit; The memory unit stores other graphic computer-aided design (CAD) data, which refers to CAD data of other patterns drawn on the aforementioned pattern. The data generation unit meshes the aforementioned other graphic CAD data and generates mesh data. The drawing control unit controls the drawing head and the scanning mechanism based on the mesh data and the position of the substrate detected by the position detection unit, thereby executing the drawing of the aforementioned other patterns onto the substrate, which is moving relative to the drawing head in the scanning direction. A template generation method is used to generate a template from computer-aided design (CAD) data, wherein the CAD data is CAD data of a pattern disposed on a substrate, and the template is used for alignment of the substrate in a drawing device; The template generation method comprises: Step a, selecting a template area of a predetermined size containing at least a portion of the pattern elements from the CAD data; and Step b, meshing the template area of the CAD data at a resolution different from the drawing resolution of the drawing device's imaging unit, thereby generating a grayscale template; In step b above, among the plurality of pixels constituting the template, the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to the pattern element is set to a first pixel value, the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to the background area is set to a second pixel value, and the pixel value of the edge-containing pixel is set to a third pixel value between the first and second pixel values, wherein the edge-containing pixel refers to the pixel containing the edge of the pattern element. A computer-readable program is used to generate a template from graphic computer-aided design (CAD) data, wherein the CAD data is CAD data of a pattern disposed on a substrate, and the template is used for alignment of the substrate in a drawing device; The computer-readable program is executed by a computer to perform: Step a, selecting a template area of a predetermined size containing at least a portion of the pattern elements from the CAD data; and Step b, meshing the template area of the CAD data at a resolution different from the drawing resolution of the drawing device's imaging unit, thereby generating a grayscale template; In step b above, among the plurality of pixels constituting the template, the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to the pattern element is set to a first pixel value, the pixel value of the pixel corresponding to the background area is set to a second pixel value, and the pixel value of the edge-containing pixel is set to a third pixel value between the first and second pixel values, wherein the edge-containing pixel refers to the pixel containing the edge of the pattern element.