JP5963194B2 - Exposure equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus that exposes various patterns on an object to be exposed.

There is known an exposure apparatus that exposes various patterns such as a phase difference pattern, a filter pattern, and a circuit pattern to the substrate while conveying the substrate in one direction (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
In addition, a so-called photo-alignment technique is known in which a liquid alignment film forming material is applied to a film as a base material and irradiated with polarized ultraviolet rays or the like to align the alignment film in the same direction.

  In addition, when an alignment mark for mask position correction is formed in the vicinity of the application region of the alignment film forming material, and the mask pattern is exposed to the alignment film as an exposure object on the film, the alignment mark is based on the position of the alignment mark. An exposure apparatus that adjusts the positions of an object to be exposed and a mask pattern on a film is known. At this time, the closer the alignment mark formation position is to the alignment film forming material application region, the higher the accuracy of position adjustment between the exposure object on the film and the mask pattern.

  As the alignment mark, a technique is known in which a film is irradiated with laser light to form irregularities of a predetermined shape on the film surface.

JP 2009-53383 A

  However, after the film surface is irradiated with laser light to form an uneven alignment mark on the film surface and then a liquid alignment film forming material is applied, the alignment film forming material is applied to the uneven portion of the alignment mark. In some cases, the alignment mark cannot be identified. When the alignment mark cannot be determined, the accuracy of position adjustment between the exposure object on the film and the mask pattern may be lowered.

  In addition, when an alignment film forming material containing an organic solution is applied to the coated area on the film after forming the alignment mark with ink, the organic solution penetrates into the ink type alignment mark formed in the vicinity of the coated area. In some cases, the alignment mark is dissolved to cause the alignment mark to bleed. If the degree of bleeding of the alignment mark is large, the accuracy of position adjustment between the exposure object on the film and the mask pattern may be lowered. If the mask position correction accuracy decreases, the mask pattern exposure accuracy may decrease.

  This invention makes it an example of a subject to cope with such a problem. That is, even when an alignment mark for adjusting the mask position is formed with an ink in the vicinity of the application region of the alignment film forming material, the mask and the film are applied even when the liquid alignment film formation material is applied to the application region. It is an object of the present invention to perform the positional adjustment with high accuracy and to expose a predetermined mask pattern onto the exposure object on the film with high accuracy.

  In order to achieve such an object, an exposure apparatus according to the present invention comprises at least the following arrangement.

  An exposure apparatus that exposes a mask pattern on an object to be exposed on a film, the film transport unit transporting the film along one direction, and the film transport unit disposed on the film, and an alignment film forming material is applied onto the film A marking portion that forms an alignment mark with ink in the vicinity of the coating region to be applied, and a coating portion that applies a liquid alignment film forming material to the coating region on the film on which the alignment mark is formed, A drying device that dries the alignment mark formed on the film and the alignment film forming material in the coated region, a photomask that is disposed close to the alignment film forming material on the film dried by the drying device, and A light irradiating unit configured to irradiate light through an opening of a mask pattern of the photomask; a mask holding unit configured to hold the photomask; and the aligner. A position adjusting unit that adjusts the position of the photomask and the object to be exposed based on the mark, and the drying apparatus is configured to allow the alignment mark to be blurred before being melted by the alignment film forming material. An exposure apparatus, wherein the alignment mark is disposed at a position for drying the alignment mark.

  According to the present invention having such a configuration, after an alignment mark for adjusting the mask position is formed with ink in the vicinity of the application region of the alignment film forming material, the liquid alignment film formation material is applied to the application region. Even in this case, the position adjustment between the mask and the film can be performed with high accuracy. According to the present invention, a predetermined mask pattern can be exposed on an exposure object on a film with high accuracy.

It is a figure which shows an example of the film manufacturing line of the roll to roll system which employ | adopted the exposure apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram of operation | movement of the exposure apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of a marking part, an application part, and a film. It is a perspective view of a marking part, an application part, and a film. It is explanatory drawing of a marking part, an application part, a drying apparatus, and an exposure part. It is a figure which shows an example of the exposure part of the exposure apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows an example of the control apparatus of the exposure apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the alignment mark by an ink, (a) is a figure which shows an example of an alignment mark without a blur, (b) is a figure which shows the pixel value of the image which imaged the alignment mark shown to (a), (C) is a diagram showing an example of an alignment mark in a slightly blurred state, (d) is a diagram showing a pixel value of an image obtained by imaging the alignment mark shown in (c), and (e) is in a greatly blurred state. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of an alignment mark, and FIG. 5F is a diagram illustrating pixel values of an image obtained by imaging the alignment mark illustrated in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the contrast (edge sharpness) of the image which imaged the alignment mark, and the movement distance (movement time) to the conveyance direction of a film.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a view showing an example of an exposure apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a conceptual view of the operation of the exposure apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a front view of the marking unit 4, the slit coater 5 as the coating unit, and the film 2. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the marking unit 4, the slit coater 5, and the film 2. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the marking unit 4, the slit coater 5, the drying device 6, and the exposure unit 7. The positions and distances of the marking unit 4, the slit coater 5, the drying device 6, and the exposure unit 7 are not limited to those illustrated.

  An exposure apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention uses an alignment mark in ink in a marking area near an application area 52 (alignment film application area) to which an alignment film forming material 51 containing a liquid organic solution is applied. Marking part 4 for forming 41, slit coater 5 as an application part for applying alignment film forming material 51 containing a liquid organic solution to application area 52 on film 2, alignment mark 41 and application area 52 A drying device 6 that dries the alignment film forming material 51, an exposure unit 7 that adjusts the position of the photomask 77 and the alignment film forming material 51 as an object to be exposed on the film 2 based on the alignment mark 41, Have In this embodiment, after forming the alignment mark 41 on the film 2, before the alignment mark 41 is blurred by melting with the alignment film forming material 51 applied by the slit coater 5, the alignment mark 41 is dried at a position. A drying device 6 is arranged.

Hereinafter, each component of the exposure apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, as an example, a case will be described in which the exposure apparatus 100 according to the present invention is applied to a roll-to-roll film manufacturing line 101 for manufacturing an FPR polarizing film. However, the present invention is not limited to this form and can be applied to any exposure apparatus.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a roll-to-roll film production line 101 includes a film transport unit 15, a pretreatment unit 3, a marking unit 4, a slit coater 5 as an application unit, and a drying device 6. , Exposure unit 7, temperature control device 8, post-processing unit 11, and the like.

  The film transport unit 15 transports the film 2 along one direction. The film transport unit 15 includes a pair of transport rolls 15a and 15b, a roller 9, and the like. Each transport roll 15a and 15b is driven by a drive motor or the like to transport the film 2. In this embodiment, between the conveyance roll 15a and the conveyance roll 15b of the film conveyance part 15, the pre-processing part 3, the marking part 4, the slit coater 5 as an application | coating part, the drying apparatus 6, and the exposure part 7 The temperature control device 8, the post-processing unit 11, and the like are arranged.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the film 2 on which the object to be exposed is unwound from the transport roll 15 a and supplied to the pretreatment unit 3. After the processing, an alignment mark serving as a reference for positioning the photomask is formed by the marking unit 4, and a prescribed material such as an alignment film forming material containing an organic solution is applied to the surface of the film by the slit coater 5. After being dried by the drying device 6, the paper is supplied into the exposure unit 7 by the transport roller 12. The film 2 is supported on the roller 9 between the apparatuses and is conveyed by its rotation.

  At the entrance of the exposure unit 7, a film supply unit such as a conveyance roller driven by a motor is provided, and the film 2 is configured to be conveyed along the length direction in the exposure unit 7. . The exposure unit 7 exposes the mask pattern on the object to be exposed on the film 2. The exposure unit 7 adjusts the position of the photomask and the object to be exposed on the film 2 with high accuracy based on the position of the alignment mark 41, and exposes the mask pattern to the specified position of the object to be exposed with high accuracy.

  Thereafter, the film 2 is supplied to the temperature control device 8 and adjusted to have a predetermined temperature, and then subjected to a predetermined post-treatment such as adhesion of a protective film in the post-processing unit 11, and then the roller 12. Rolled up.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the film 2 is employed as the base material. Examples of the material for forming the film 2 include TAC (triacetyl cellulose).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the base material width (film width) of the film 2 varies depending on moisture in each processing step. The substrate width of the film 2 in each processing step will be described.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, when unwinding the film (ST1), the substrate width of the film 2 (the length in the direction (width direction) orthogonal to the transport direction) is a predetermined length. .

  In the marking step (ST2) by the marking unit 4, the base material width of the film 2 is a substantially prescribed length. An alignment mark serving as a reference for positioning the mask pattern is formed on the film 2 in the stable state by the marking portion 4.

  Next, when the alignment film forming material containing the organic solution is applied onto the film 2 in the alignment film coating step (ST3) by the slit coater 5 as the application part, the film 2 slightly expands, The substrate width of 2 is slightly increased.

  In the drying step (ST4) by the drying device 6, the moisture content of the base material becomes the minimum value (humidity of about 0%), the film 2 contracts, and the base material width becomes the minimum value.

  In the humidifying and conveying step (ST5), when the film 2 is conveyed outside the drying device 6, moisture in the air outside the drying device 6 begins to be absorbed, and the substrate width of the film 2 increases.

  Thereafter, in the follow-up exposure step (ST6) by the exposure unit 7, follow-up exposure is performed while correcting the mask position on the exposed body of the film 2 as needed based on the position of the alignment mark.

  In the present embodiment, in the follow-up exposure step (ST6), the follow-up exposure step B (ST6b) is performed after the follow-up exposure step A (ST6a) for exposing different mask patterns. After that, a predetermined width is obtained by a predetermined process, for example, a temperature adjustment process by the temperature adjustment apparatus and a post-processing process.

  In the above steps ST5 to ST6, when the film 2 is transported outside the drying device 6, it begins to absorb moisture in the air outside the drying device 6, the substrate width of the film 2 increases, and after a predetermined time, Absorption of humidity is saturated, and the substrate width becomes a specified length and is stable. The rate of increase in the width of the base material and the time until the stable state are affected by the humidity in the air in the room where the production line is installed.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, in the marking step ST2, when the moisture content of the film 2 is stable, the alignment mark 41 serving as a reference in the follow-up exposure is formed at the specified position of the film 2. For this reason, even when the substrate width of the film 2 fluctuates due to changes in environmental humidity and substrate moisture after baking (baking) by the drying device 6 or after baking (baking) by the drying device 6 In the follow-up exposure step ST6, the follow-up exposure is performed easily and with high accuracy while correcting the mask position as needed with respect to the exposure body of the film 2 based on the position of the alignment mark 41 formed on the film 2. It is possible.

  That is, even if the base material width of the film 2 varies according to the moisture content of the film 2, the specified mask pattern can be exposed to the specified position of the film 2 with high accuracy. For this reason, the linearity of the exposure pattern of the film 2 becomes favorable. Even if the humidity in the room where the production line is installed fluctuates by about ± 20%, the linearity of the exposure pattern of the film 2 is good.

  As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, the film 2 is transported at a specified speed in the transport direction by a transport roller. The marking unit 4 is disposed on the upstream side of the film 2, and the slit coater 5, the exposure unit 7, and the like serving as an application unit are disposed on the downstream side.

  The marking unit 4 forms an alignment mark 41 with ink at a predetermined position on the film 2 when the film 2 has a prescribed substrate width. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, an application region 52 to which the alignment film forming material is applied is set at the approximate center in the width direction on the film 2. The alignment mark 41 is formed between the coated region 52 and the end of the film 2 in the vicinity of the coated region 52. Specifically, the alignment mark 41 is set so as to be formed at a position away from the end in the width direction of the film 2 by a specified distance 42 inside the film.

As shown in FIG. 3, the alignment mark 41 is formed at a position separated from the end portion along the width direction of the coated region 52 by a predetermined distance 43 toward the center of the film.
In the present embodiment, the marking region is a region (edge) between the end portion along the width direction of the coated region 52 and the end portion of the film 2.

  The closer the alignment mark 41 is formed to the alignment film forming material application region 52, the higher the accuracy of position adjustment of the alignment film forming material as the exposure object on the mask pattern and film 2.

In the present embodiment, the marking unit 4 applies colored ink to the side of the film substrate 20. As the colored ink, a liquid or paste ink containing a colored pigment or dye, an ink in which a colored photocurable material is liquid or paste, and the like can be used.
Preferably, an ink capable of forming a colored film by volatilizing the solvent component with the drying device 6, for example, an oil-based ink, can be employed.

  Further, as the ink used in the marking portion 4, it is preferable to employ a quick-drying ink material. By using the quick-drying ink, it is possible to reduce ink bleeding at the time of applying the alignment film forming material.

  As the ink application method of the marking unit 4, for example, a so-called ink jet method in which droplets of ink are sprayed onto a film, a method of dropping ink, and an ink is penetrated into an application member formed of felt-like fibers. For example, a method in which the exposed member on the side of the film 2 to which the coating member is fed is brought into contact with an area where coating is not performed can be employed.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the alignment mark 41 may be formed in a dotted line shape at a predetermined interval along the transport direction, or may be a predetermined shape such as a linear shape or a cross shape.

  The slit coater 5 as an application unit applies a predetermined material on the surface and a predetermined material on the surface of the film. The slit coater 5 applies a mixed liquid of an alignment film forming material and an organic solution that dissolves the alignment film forming material to the application region 52 on the film 2.

  Examples of the alignment film forming material 51 include known alignment film forming materials such as azobenzene compounds, cinnamic acid compounds, hydrazono-β-ketoester compounds, stilbene compounds, and spiropyran compounds. As the organic solution, acetone or the like can be used. As the organic solution, an aprotic polar solvent, a phenol solvent, or the like can be used.

  Next, the drying device 6 dries the film 2, the alignment film forming material 51 as the object to be exposed on the film 2, and the alignment mark 41.

When the alignment film forming material 51 containing the organic solution is applied to the application region 52 by the slit coater 5, for example, the alignment mark 41 formed in the vicinity of the application region 52 is applied by the slit coater 5. When contacted with the solution, the alignment mark 41 formed of ink may be blurred.
In the embodiment of the present invention, the drying device 6 dries the ink alignment mark 41 and the alignment film forming material 51 formed on the film 2 before the organic mark comes into contact with the alignment mark 41 and the alignment mark 41 is blurred. Let By doing so, it is possible to prevent the position of the alignment mark 41 from being indistinguishable due to bleeding of the alignment mark 41, and to perform position adjustment between the mask and the film with high accuracy based on the position of the alignment mark 41.

FIG. 6 is a view showing an example of the exposure unit 7 of the exposure apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
The exposure unit 7 includes a light source 71, reflection mirrors 72 and 73, a fly-eye lens (integrator) 74, a condenser lens 75, a polarization conversion element 76 such as a polarization beam splitter, and the like. Each component of the exposure unit 7 is disposed in the housing 7a.

  The light source 71 emits, for example, ultraviolet rays. As the light source 71, a mercury lamp, a xenon lamp, an excimer lamp, an ultraviolet LED, or the like can be used.

The light emitted from the light source 71 is reflected by the reflection mirrors 72 and 73, and its intensity is made uniform by a fly-eye lens (integrator) 74 in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis. The light transmitted through the fly-eye lens 74 is converted into parallel light by the condenser lens 75.
The transmitted light from the condenser lens 75 is applied to the alignment film forming material 51 as an object to be exposed on the film 2 through an opening corresponding to the mask pattern 77 a of the photomask 77 held by the mask holding unit 78.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the photomask 77 is formed with a pattern (aperture) of a light transmission region having a longitudinal direction in the transport direction which is the scanning direction of the film 2 at regular intervals. A plurality of transmission light irradiation regions are formed so as to be separated by the width of the pixel (light transmission region group). The exposure apparatus 100 moves an object to be exposed formed on the film in the scan direction while continuously irradiating the light transmission region group with exposure light, thereby aligning the alignment film oriented in the same direction in the scan direction. It is formed in a strip shape.
In addition, the exposure apparatus 100 according to this embodiment changes the polarization direction of the exposure light to be irradiated to the unexposed areas between the alignment films formed in a strip shape, or irradiates the exposure light from different directions, thereby aligning the exposure light. Band-shaped alignment films having different directions can be formed on the film 2 so that they are adjacent to each other.

  For example, when manufacturing a polarizing film for a 3D display, the exposure apparatus 100 is configured to isolate the formation region of the alignment film formed by the first exposure for each pixel width of the 3D display apparatus, and to perform the second exposure. The polarization direction of light is changed to linear polarization of P-polarized light and S-polarized light for each region serving as an adjacent pixel. In addition, the exposure method to the to-be-exposed body on the film 2 is not restricted to the form mentioned above.

  In the exposure apparatus 100, an alignment mark detector 90 is provided on the downstream side in the film transport direction. The alignment mark detection unit 90 detects the position of the alignment mark 41 by the ink formed on the edge of the film 2 by the marking unit 4, specifically, the position of the alignment mark 41 in the width direction of the film 2. The alignment mark detection unit 90 is disposed on the alignment mark 41 formed in the vicinity of the photomask 77 and on the edge of the film 2. The alignment mark detection unit 90 is an imaging device such as a CCD camera, and outputs a captured image to the control device 80.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the control device 80 of the exposure apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The control device 80 comprehensively controls each component of the exposure apparatus 100.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the control device 80 includes a control unit 81, a calculation unit 82, a memory 83 as a storage unit, a mask stage drive control unit 84 as a position adjustment unit, and image processing. A unit 85, a motor drive control unit 86, a light source drive unit 87, and the like.

  The memory 83 includes a storage device such as a RAM, a ROM, and a hard disk drive, and stores a program for controlling the exposure apparatus 100 and various data used in each processing step. The memory 83 is also used as a work memory by the control unit 81.

  The control unit 81 executes the control program read from the memory 83 to control the respective components in an integrated manner, thereby realizing the functions according to the present invention in the exposure apparatus 100.

  The image processing unit 85 performs image processing of the alignment mark 41 imaged by the alignment mark detection unit 90 and detects, for example, the center position of the alignment mark 41 in the film width direction.

  The calculation unit 82 calculates a deviation amount between the distance between the center position of the alignment mark 41 output from the image processing unit 85 and the opening of the mask pattern of the photomask 77 and a predetermined distance, and the memory 83. Further, the calculation unit 82 calculates the amount of deviation between the center position of the alignment mark 41 and the defined reference position, and stores it in the memory 83.

  The mask stage drive control unit 84 controls the movement direction and amount of movement of the mask holding unit 78 as a mask stage that holds the photomask 77 of the exposure unit 7 under the control of the control unit 81.

The motor drive control unit 86 controls the drive, stop, rotation speed, and the like of the transport roll 15b of the film transport unit 15 under the control of the control unit 81.
The light source driving unit 87 controls lighting, extinguishing, output, oscillation frequency, and the like of the light source 71.

  The control unit 81 adjusts the position of the photomask 77 and the object to be exposed based on the alignment mark 41 detected by the alignment mark detection unit 90, the image processing unit 85, and the calculation unit 82. Position adjustment unit).

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the alignment mark 41 made of ink. Specifically, FIG. 8A is a diagram illustrating an example of the alignment mark 41 without blur, and FIG. 8B is a diagram illustrating a pixel value of an image obtained by imaging the alignment mark 41 illustrated in FIG. FIG. 8C is a view showing an example of the alignment mark 41 in a slightly blurred state, FIG. 8D is a view showing pixel values of an image obtained by imaging the alignment mark 41 shown in FIG. FIG. 8E is a diagram illustrating an example of the alignment mark 41 in a largely blurred state, and FIG. 8F is a diagram illustrating pixel values of an image obtained by imaging the alignment mark 41 illustrated in FIG. In FIG. 8, the horizontal axis indicates the pixel value, and the horizontal axis indicates the distance in the Y-axis direction (film width direction).
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of contrast (edge sharpness) of an image obtained by imaging the alignment mark 41 and a movement distance (movement time) in the transport direction (X-axis direction).

As shown in FIG. 8A, when the marking unit 4 forms the alignment mark 41 with ink on the film 2, the image obtained by imaging with the imaging unit or the like is shown in FIG. 8B. Thus, the highest pixel value PH is indicated at the position where the alignment mark 41 is present, and the lowest pixel value PL is indicated otherwise. The edge Ye of the alignment mark 41 is sharp.
At this time, as shown in FIG. 9, the contrast is a difference between the maximum pixel value PH and minimum pixel value, the maximum value A _0. The center position Ya along the Y-axis direction (film width direction) of the alignment mark 41 is a position between the rising edge and the falling edge Ye.

As shown in FIG. 8C, when an alignment film forming material containing an organic solution is applied to the application region 52 and the alignment mark 41 is slightly blurred by an organic solvent, the image is obtained by imaging with an imaging unit or the like. As shown in FIG. 8D, the image shows the maximum pixel value PH at the position where the alignment mark 41 is present, and the edge portion has a slight width Yd, that is, the amount of change in the pixel value of the edge portion. (Amount of change along the Y-axis direction) is small, and otherwise the minimum pixel value PL is indicated.
The width Yd of the edge portion corresponds to the distance in the Y-axis direction between the pixel indicating the highest pixel value of the edge portion and the pixel indicating the highest pixel value. The reciprocal of the width Yd of the edge portion may be used as the edge sharpness.

As shown in FIG. 8E, when the alignment mark 41 is dissolved and smeared greatly by an organic solvent, an image obtained by imaging with an imaging unit or the like is an alignment mark as shown in FIG. The difference (contrast) between the highest pixel value PH at the position 41 and the lowest pixel value PL at other positions is small. Further, the amount of change in the pixel value of the edge portion of the alignment mark 41 is very small, the width Yd of the edge portion is large, and the sharpness of the edge is small.
For this reason, it becomes difficult to specify the center position Ya along the Y-axis direction (film width direction) of the alignment mark 41.

As described above, the installation position of the drying device 6 according to the present invention is preferably arranged at a position where the alignment mark 41 is dried before the ink alignment mark 41 is blurred by dissolution by the alignment film forming material.
Further, the installation position of the drying device 6 according to the present invention may be a position where the alignment position of the alignment mark 41 can be determined even when the alignment mark 41 of ink bleeds due to dissolution by the alignment film forming material. .

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, when the alignment mark 41 of the ink is formed by the marking unit 4, the contrast of the alignment mark 41 indicates the maximum value A _0.
The contrast of the alignment mark 41 is the maximum value A ₀ immediately after the alignment film forming material containing the organic solution is applied to the coated region 52 until a predetermined distance (predetermined time).
Thereafter, when the bleeding of the alignment mark 41 is started by the organic solution, the contrast gradually decreases.
Drying device 6, with respect to the alignment marks 41 and the alignment film forming material 51 on the film 2, when the drying is completed, the contrast of the alignment mark 41 has a value A _1.

For example, as shown in FIG. 8 (e), FIG. 8 (f), the alignment mark 41 bleeding is very large, i.e., if the contrast of the alignment mark 41 is smaller than the value A _t, the alignment mark 41 Y It becomes difficult to specify the center position Ya along the axial direction (film width direction).
Therefore, upon completion of drying by the drying device 6, as the contrast of the alignment mark 41 is equal to or greater than the value A _t, may define the position of the drying device 6.

That is, the drying device 6 may be at a position where the contrast of the alignment mark 41 reaches the maximum value A ₀ when the drying of the alignment mark 41 is completed, or the contrast of the alignment mark 41 is smaller than the maximum value A ₀ and the value A _The position may be _t or more.

  In FIG. 9, the vertical axis indicates the contrast of the alignment mark 41, but the vertical axis may indicate the sharpness of the edge.

  Further, the speed of bleeding of the alignment mark 41 formed of ink is defined by the type of ink, the type of organic solution, the type of alignment film forming material, the forming material of the film 2, and the like.

As described above, the exposure apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention exposes the mask pattern onto the object to be exposed on the film 2.
In addition, the exposure apparatus 100 is arranged in a film transport unit 15 that transports the film 2 along one direction, and the film transport unit 15, and an alignment film forming material 51 containing a liquid organic solution is applied onto the film 2. In the marking area in the vicinity of the coated area 52 (alignment film coated area) to be applied, the marking portion 4 for forming the alignment mark 41 with ink and the coated area 52 on the film 2 on which the alignment mark 41 is formed are liquid. A slit coater 5 as an application part for applying an alignment film forming material containing an organic solution, a drying device 6 for drying the alignment mark 41 formed on the film 2 and the alignment film forming material 51 in the application region 52; A photomask 77 disposed in proximity to the alignment film forming material 51 as an object to be exposed on the film dried by the drying device 6; Based on the light source 71 as a light irradiating part that irradiates light through the openings of the mask pattern 77 a, the mask holding part 78 that holds the photomask 77, and the alignment mark 41, the photomask 77 and the alignment as the object to be exposed And a mask stage drive control unit 84 as a position adjustment unit that performs position adjustment with the film forming material 51.
The drying device 6 is disposed at a position where the alignment mark 41 is dried before the alignment mark 41 is blurred by dissolution with the alignment film forming material.

Therefore, according to the present invention, after an alignment mark for adjusting the mask position is formed with ink in the vicinity of the application region of the alignment film forming material, the liquid alignment film formation material is applied to the application region. Even if it exists, position adjustment with a mask and the film 2 can be performed with high precision.
Moreover, according to this invention, a predetermined mask pattern can be exposed to a to-be-exposed body on the film 2 with high precision.

  Further, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the marking unit 4 forms the alignment mark 41 with colored ink, the alignment mark detection unit 90 such as a CCD camera images the alignment mark 41 with the colored ink, and the control unit Since 81 detects the position of the alignment mark 41 via the alignment mark detection unit 90, the image processing unit 85, and the calculation unit 82, the position of the alignment mark 41 can be detected with high accuracy with a simple structure.

In addition, the marking unit 4 forms the alignment mark 41 with dark colored ink such as black, so that the alignment mark detection unit 90 moves the position of the alignment mark 41 even when the ink is blurred. It can be detected with high accuracy.
Further, by using dark colored ink such as black, the alignment mark detection unit 90 performs alignment even when the distance between the slit coater 5 serving as the application unit and the drying device 6 is relatively long. The position of the mark 41 can be detected with high accuracy.

Moreover, the distance between the marking part 4 and the slit coater 5 can be set short by adopting quick-drying colored ink. Moreover, the distance between the marking part 4 and the drying apparatus 6 can be set short.
That is, a roll-to-roll film production line employing the exposure apparatus 100 can be downsized.
Specific examples of the quick-drying colored ink include magic ink, MK-10 (manufactured by Keyence Corporation), and the like.

  In the above embodiment, colored ink is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this mode. For example, ultraviolet coloring ink that is colorless when not irradiated with ultraviolet light and develops color when irradiated with ultraviolet light may be used.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the drying device 6 is provided at a position where the contrast (edge sharpness) of the alignment mark 41 becomes the maximum value A ₀ when the drying of the alignment mark 41 is completed. contrast is smaller than the maximum value a _0, may be provided located to the drying device 6 as a more value a _t.
By doing so, the control unit 81 can specify the position of the alignment mark 41 even when the organic mark causes bleeding on the alignment mark 41. That is, the position adjustment between the mask and the film 2 can be performed with high accuracy.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, in the marking step ST2, when the moisture content of the film 2 is stable, the alignment mark 41 serving as a reference in the follow-up exposure is formed at a specified position of the film 2. For this reason, even when the substrate width of the film 2 fluctuates due to changes in environmental humidity and substrate moisture after baking (baking) by the drying device 6 or after baking (baking) by the drying device 6 In the follow-up exposure step ST6, the follow-up exposure is performed easily and with high accuracy while correcting the mask position as needed with respect to the exposure body of the film 2 based on the position of the alignment mark 41 formed on the film 2. It is possible.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the alignment mark 41 was provided in the edge of the width direction one side of the film 2, it is not restricted to this form, You may provide the alignment mark 41 in the edge of the both sides of the film 2 .

  Moreover, in embodiment of this invention, although the marking part 4 performed marking by apply | coating an ink to the film 2, it is not restricted to this form. For example, the marking unit 4 applies a quick-drying colored ink continuously in a band shape to a specified position of the film 2 and processes the specified position of the film 2 with laser light emitted from the laser device. The marking may be performed. By doing so, the marking can be easily formed (with low energy), and the edge can be easily identified.

As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and there are design changes and the like without departing from the gist of the present invention. Is included in the present invention.
Further, the embodiments described in the above drawings can be combined with each other as long as there is no particular contradiction or problem in the purpose and configuration.
Moreover, the description content of each figure can become independent embodiment, respectively, and embodiment of this invention is not limited to one embodiment which combined each figure.

  2: Film, 3: Pre-processing unit, 4: Marking unit, 5: Slit coater (application unit), 6: Drying device, 7: Exposure unit, 8: Temperature adjusting device, 9: Roller, 11: Post-processing unit, 12: Transport roller, 15: Film transport section, 15a, 15b: Transport roll, 20: Roll, 41: Alignment mark, 42: Distance between alignment mark and film edge, 43: Between coated area and alignment mark 51: Alignment film forming material (exposed body) 52: Area to be coated 71: Light source 72, 73: Reflecting mirror 74: Fly eye lens (integrator) 75: Condenser lens 76: Polarization conversion Element: 77: Photomask 78: Mask holding unit 80: Control device 81: Control unit 82: Calculation unit 83: Memory (storage unit) 84: Mask stage drive control unit Position adjusting section) 85: image processing unit, 86: motor drive controller, 87: light source driving unit, 90: alignment mark detector, 100: exposure apparatus, 101: roll-to-roll type film production line

Claims (2)

An exposure apparatus that exposes a mask pattern onto an object to be exposed on a film,
A film transport section for transporting the film along one direction;
A marking unit that is arranged in the film transport unit and forms an alignment mark with ink in the vicinity of the application region where the alignment film forming material is applied onto the film,
An application part for applying a liquid alignment film forming material to the application area on the film on which the alignment mark is formed;
A drying device for drying the alignment mark formed on the film and the alignment film forming material of the coated area;
A photomask disposed close to the alignment film forming material on the film dried by the drying device;
A light irradiator that irradiates light through an opening of a mask pattern of the photomask;
A mask holding unit for holding the photomask;
A position adjusting unit that adjusts the position of the photomask and the object to be exposed based on the alignment mark;
2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drying apparatus is disposed at a position where the alignment mark is dried before the alignment mark is blurred by dissolution by the alignment film forming material.   The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the marking unit forms the alignment mark with colored ink.

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