JP5416925B2 - Coating device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a coating apparatus.

  On a glass substrate constituting a display panel such as a liquid crystal display, fine patterns such as wirings, electrodes, and color filters are formed. In general, such a pattern is formed by a technique such as photolithography. In the photolithography method, a resist film forming process for forming a resist film on a glass substrate, an exposure process for pattern exposing the resist film, and a developing process for developing the resist film are performed.

In the resist film forming step, a coating apparatus for applying a resist film on the surface of the glass substrate is used. As a coating apparatus, a configuration having a stage for transporting a glass substrate and a slit nozzle (hereinafter simply referred to as “nozzle”) fixed at a position facing the stage is known (for example, Patent Documents). 1). In this coating apparatus, a configuration is known in which a glass substrate is transported so as to move on a stage, and a resist is coated in a strip shape by a nozzle on the surface of the moving glass substrate. As a configuration for transporting the glass substrate, for example, a configuration in which the glass substrate is placed on the stage and transported, or a configuration in which the glass substrate is floated on the stage and transported are known.
Japanese Patent No. 4033841

  In the coating apparatus with this configuration, the nozzle tip is the substrate surface of the glass substrate in order to ensure the desired coating performance, such as the accuracy of the position of the resist to be coated on the glass substrate and the uniformity of the film thickness of the coated resist. However, the distance between the nozzle tip and the substrate is required to be uniform.

  In view of the circumstances as described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a coating apparatus capable of ensuring the intended coating performance.

  In order to achieve the above object, a coating apparatus according to the present invention is a coating apparatus that includes a coating unit that applies a liquid material to a substrate while the substrate is floated and transported by the substrate transport unit, and the coating unit includes: It has a nozzle that discharges the liquid material, and includes an adjustment mechanism that performs horizontal adjustment of the nozzle with respect to the substrate at a predetermined position off the substrate transport unit.

  According to the present invention, in a configuration in which a substrate is levitated and conveyed, the application unit that applies the liquid material to the substrate has a nozzle that discharges the liquid material, and the horizontal adjustment of the nozzle with respect to the substrate is performed as the substrate conveyance unit. Since the adjustment mechanism is provided at a predetermined position off the top, the nozzle can be easily leveled with respect to the substrate, and the distance between the nozzle and the substrate can be easily adjusted. Thereby, desired application | coating performance can be ensured.

In the coating apparatus, the substrate transport unit includes a coating region for coating the substrate with a liquid material, and the predetermined position is a position lateral to the coating region in the substrate transport direction. And
According to the present invention, the substrate transport unit has a coating region for applying the liquid material to the substrate, and the predetermined position for performing the horizontal adjustment is a side position in the substrate transport direction with respect to the coating region. It is possible to easily adjust the level of the nozzles arranged in the application region.

In the coating apparatus, the predetermined position is a position lateral to the nozzle in the substrate transport direction.
According to the present invention, since the predetermined position for performing the horizontal adjustment is the position in the substrate conveyance direction with respect to the nozzle, the horizontal adjustment of the nozzle can be more easily performed at the position where the liquid material is applied. it can.

In the coating apparatus, the predetermined position is a plurality of positions provided with the coating region interposed therebetween.
According to the present invention, since the predetermined positions are a plurality of positions provided across the application region, the nozzles are horizontally adjusted based on the plurality of positions. Thereby, the precision of horizontal adjustment can be improved.

  The coating apparatus according to the present invention is a coating apparatus including a coating unit that applies a liquid material to the substrate while the substrate is transported by the substrate transport unit, and the coating unit includes a nozzle that discharges the liquid material. An adjustment mechanism is provided that performs horizontal adjustment of the nozzle with reference to the substrate in the substrate transfer unit at a predetermined position on the substrate transfer unit.

  According to the present invention, the application unit that applies the liquid material to the substrate has a nozzle that discharges the liquid material, and the horizontal adjustment of the nozzle with respect to the substrate among the substrate transfer unit is performed at a predetermined position on the substrate transfer unit. Since the adjustment mechanism is provided, the nozzle can be easily leveled with respect to the substrate, and the distance between the nozzle and the substrate can be easily adjusted. Thereby, desired application | coating performance can be ensured.

In the coating apparatus, the substrate transport unit has a coating region for coating the substrate with a liquid material, and the predetermined position is a position deviated from the coating region.
According to the present invention, since the substrate transport unit has the application region where the liquid material is applied to the substrate, and the predetermined position is a position deviating from the application region, the influence on the application state of the liquid material is suppressed. The horizontal adjustment of the nozzle and the distance between the nozzle and the substrate can be adjusted.

In the coating apparatus, the substrate transport unit is provided with a substrate carry-in area for carrying in the substrate and a substrate carry-out area for carrying out the substrate sandwiching the coating area, and the predetermined position is the substrate It is a position in at least one of the carry-in area and the substrate carry-out area.
According to the present invention, the substrate transport unit is provided with a substrate carry-in region for carrying a substrate and a substrate carry-out region for carrying out the substrate so as to sandwich the coating region, and the predetermined position for performing the horizontal adjustment includes the substrate carry-in region and the substrate carry-in region Since the position is within at least one of the substrate carry-out regions, the horizontal adjustment of the nozzle and the adjustment of the distance between the nozzle and the substrate can be performed while suppressing the influence on the application state of the liquid material.

In the coating apparatus, the substrate transport unit includes a coating region for coating the substrate with a liquid material, and the predetermined position is a position in the coating region.
According to the present invention, since the substrate transport unit has the application region where the liquid material is applied to the substrate, and the predetermined position is a position within the application region, the horizontal of the nozzle in the application region where the liquid material is applied. Adjustment and adjustment of the distance between the nozzle and the substrate can be performed. As a result, a coating apparatus having a desired coating performance can be obtained.

In the coating apparatus, the predetermined position is a position out of a region overlapping the nozzle in the coating region.
According to the present invention, since the predetermined position is a position outside the region overlapping the nozzle in the application region, the horizontal adjustment of the nozzle and the nozzle and the substrate are suppressed while suppressing the influence on the application state of the liquid material. The distance can be adjusted. Thereby, desired application | coating performance can be ensured.

In the coating apparatus, the predetermined position is a central position in a direction orthogonal to the substrate transport direction in a plan view of the substrate transport unit.
According to the present invention, since the predetermined position is the central position in the direction orthogonal to the substrate transport direction in plan view in the substrate transport unit, even when the nozzle is warped, the warp is eliminated. Can be adjusted in the direction.

In the coating apparatus, the predetermined position is a position on an end side in a direction orthogonal to the substrate transport direction in a plan view of the substrate transport unit.
According to the present invention, since the predetermined position is the position on the end side in the direction orthogonal to the substrate transport direction in plan view in the substrate transport section, even if the end of the nozzle is warped , And can be adjusted in a direction to eliminate the warpage.

In the coating apparatus, the predetermined positions are a plurality of positions provided along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle.
According to the present invention, since the predetermined positions are a plurality of positions provided along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle, horizontal adjustment and adjustment of the distance to the substrate can be performed in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle. Adjustment accuracy can be improved.

In the coating apparatus, the adjustment mechanism includes a length measuring member that can be projected and retracted on the substrate transport unit, and the length measuring member is provided at each predetermined position.
According to the present invention, since the adjusting mechanism has the length measuring member that can be projected and retracted on the substrate transport section, and the length measuring member is provided at every predetermined position, the horizontal adjustment of the nozzle by the length measuring member. In addition, the distance between the nozzle and the substrate can be adjusted.

The coating apparatus further includes a measurement mechanism that measures the tilt of the substrate transport unit and a correction mechanism that corrects the tilt of the substrate transport unit based on a result of the measurement mechanism.
According to the present invention, since the measurement mechanism for measuring the tilt of the substrate transport unit and the correction mechanism for correcting the tilt of the substrate transport unit based on the result of the measurement mechanism are further provided, the tilt of the substrate transport unit Can be adjusted horizontally. Thereby, the precision of the horizontal adjustment of a nozzle and the precision of the adjustment of the distance between a nozzle and a board | substrate can be improved further.

In the coating apparatus, the measurement mechanism measures an inclination of a coating region in which at least the substrate is coated with a liquid material in the substrate transport unit, and the correction mechanism is liquid on at least the substrate in the substrate transport unit. It is characterized by correcting the inclination of the application area where the body is applied.
According to the present invention, the measurement mechanism measures the inclination of the application region in which the liquid material is applied to at least the substrate in the substrate transport unit, and the correction mechanism inclines the application region of the substrate transfer unit in which the liquid material is applied to at least the substrate. Therefore, the application area can be adjusted horizontally. Thereby, while improving the precision of the horizontal adjustment of a nozzle, the precision of the adjustment of the distance between a nozzle and a board | substrate can be improved, and desired application | coating performance can be obtained.

  According to the present invention, in a configuration in which a substrate is levitated and conveyed, the application unit that applies the liquid material to the substrate has a nozzle that discharges the liquid material, and the horizontal adjustment of the nozzle with respect to the substrate is performed as the substrate conveyance unit. Since the adjustment mechanism is provided at a predetermined position off the top, the nozzle can be easily leveled with respect to the substrate, and the distance between the nozzle and the substrate can be easily adjusted. Thereby, desired application | coating performance can be ensured.

A first embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a coating apparatus 1 according to this embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, a coating apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is a coating apparatus that coats a resist on a glass substrate used for a liquid crystal panel, for example, and includes a substrate transport unit 2, a coating unit 3, and a management unit. 4 is the main component. In the coating apparatus 1, the substrate is transported in a state of being floated by the substrate transport unit 2, a resist is coated on the substrate by the coating unit 3, and the state of the coating unit 3 is managed by the management unit 4. The coating apparatus 1 is preferably used in a clean environment such as a clean room.

  2 is a front view of the coating apparatus 1, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the coating apparatus 1, and FIG. The detailed configuration of the coating apparatus 1 will be described with reference to these drawings. Hereinafter, in describing the configuration of the coating apparatus 1, for simplicity of description, directions in the drawing will be described using an XYZ coordinate system. The substrate transport direction is the longitudinal direction of the substrate transport unit 2 and the substrate transport direction is referred to as the X direction. A direction orthogonal to the X direction (substrate transport direction) in plan view is referred to as a Y direction. A direction perpendicular to the plane including the X direction axis and the Y direction axis is referred to as a Z direction. In each of the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction, the arrow direction in the figure is the + direction, and the direction opposite to the arrow direction is the-direction.

(Substrate transport section)
First, the structure of the board | substrate conveyance part 2 is demonstrated.
The substrate transport unit 2 includes a frame 21, a stage 22, and a transport mechanism 23. In the substrate transport unit 2, the substrate S is transported on the stage 22 in the + X direction by the transport mechanism 23.

  For example, the frame 21 is a support member that is placed on the floor surface and supports the stage 22 and the transport mechanism 23. The frame 21 is divided into three parts, and the three parts are arranged in the Y direction. The frame center portion 21 a is a portion arranged at the center in the Y direction among the three divided portions, and supports the stage 22. The frame side portion 21 b is disposed on the −Y direction side of the frame center portion 21 a and supports the transport mechanism 23. A gap is provided between the frame side portion 21b and the frame center portion 21a. The frame side portion 21 c is disposed on the + Y direction side of the frame central portion 21 a and supports the transport mechanism 23. A gap is provided between the frame side portion 21c and the frame center portion 21a. The frame center portion 21a, the frame side portion 21b, and the frame side portion 21c are elongated in the X direction, and the dimensions of the respective portions in the X direction are substantially the same.

  The stage 22 includes a carry-in stage 25, a processing stage 27, and a carry-out stage 28. The carry-in stage 25, the processing stage 27, and the carry-out stage 28 are arranged on the frame central portion 21a in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side in the substrate transport direction (in the + X direction). Further, the carry-in stage 25, the processing stage 27, and the carry-out stage 28 have adjusters 81 to 83 that correct the tilt of the stage, respectively. The adjusters 81 to 83 constitute a correction mechanism 80 that corrects the inclination of each stage.

  The carry-in stage 25 is made of, for example, SUS, and is a substantially square plate-like member in plan view. By forming the shape of the carry-in side stage 25 in a substantially square shape in plan view, even in the case of transporting a substrate having a longitudinal direction and a short direction, in any direction of the longitudinal direction and the short direction of the substrate Can also be transported. In the present embodiment, the area on the carry-in stage 25 is the substrate carry-in area 25S. The substrate carry-in area 25S is an area for carrying the substrate S that has been carried from the outside of the apparatus.

  The carry-in stage 25 is provided with a plurality of air ejection holes 25a and a plurality of elevating pin retracting holes 25b. The air ejection hole 25a and the lifting pin retracting hole 25b are provided so as to penetrate the carry-in stage 25, respectively.

  The air ejection holes 25a are holes for ejecting air onto the stage surface 25c of the carry-in stage 25, and are arranged in a matrix in a plan view. An air supply source (not shown) is connected to the air ejection hole 25a. In the carry-in stage 25, the substrate S can be lifted in the + Z direction by the air ejected from the air ejection holes 25a.

  The elevating pin retracting hole 25 b is provided at the substrate loading position of the loading side stage 25. The elevating pin retracting hole 25b is configured such that the air supplied to the stage surface 25c does not leak out.

  One alignment device 25d is provided at each end of the carry-in stage 25 in the Y direction. The alignment device 25d is a device that aligns the position of the substrate S carried into the carry-in stage 25. Each alignment device 25d has a long hole and an alignment member provided in the long hole, and aligns the position of the substrate by mechanically holding the substrate loaded into the loading side stage 25 from both sides. It is like that.

  A lift mechanism 26 is provided on the −Z direction side of the carry-in stage 25, that is, on the back side of the carry-in stage 25. The lift mechanism 26 is provided so as to overlap the substrate loading position 25L (see FIG. 6) of the loading side stage 25 in plan view. The lift mechanism 26 includes an elevating member 26a and a plurality of elevating pins 26b. The elevating member 26a is connected to a driving mechanism (not shown), and the elevating member 26a is moved in the Z direction by driving the driving mechanism. The plurality of elevating pins 26b are erected from the upper surface of the elevating member 26a toward the carry-in stage 25. Each raising / lowering pin 26b is arrange | positioned in the position which overlaps with said raising / lowering pin retracting hole 25b, respectively by planar view. As the elevating member 26a moves in the Z direction, each elevating pin 26b appears and disappears on the stage surface 25c from the elevating pin appearing hole 25b. Ends in the + Z direction of the lift pins 26b are provided so that their positions in the Z direction are aligned, so that the substrate S transported from the outside of the apparatus can be held in a horizontal state. .

  The processing stage 27 is a rectangular plate-like member in a plan view in which the stage surface 27 c is covered with a light absorbing material mainly composed of hard anodized, for example, and is provided on the + X direction side with respect to the loading side stage 25. . In the portion of the processing stage 27 covered with the light absorbing material, reflection of light such as laser light is suppressed. The processing stage 27 has a longitudinal Y direction. The dimension of the processing stage 27 in the Y direction is substantially the same as the dimension of the loading stage 25 in the Y direction. In the present embodiment, the region on the processing stage 27 is a coating processing region 27S where resist coating is performed.

  The processing stage 27 is provided with a plurality of air ejection holes 27a for ejecting air onto the stage surface 27c and a plurality of air suction holes 27b for sucking air on the stage surface 27c. The air ejection holes 27 a and the air suction holes 27 b are provided so as to penetrate the processing stage 27. A plurality of grooves (not shown) are provided inside the processing stage 27 for imparting resistance to the pressure of the gas passing through the air ejection holes 27a and the air suction holes 27b. The plurality of grooves are connected to the air ejection holes 27a and the air suction holes 27b inside the stage.

  In the processing stage 27, the pitch of the air ejection holes 27 a is narrower than the pitch of the air ejection holes 25 a provided in the carry-in side stage 25, and the air ejection holes 27 a are provided more densely than the carry-in stage 25. Therefore, in this processing stage 27, the flying height of the substrate can be adjusted with higher accuracy than in other stages, and the flying height of the substrate is controlled to be, for example, 100 μm or less, preferably 50 μm or less. Is possible.

  The carry-out stage 28 is provided on the + X direction side with respect to the processing stage 27, and is configured with substantially the same material and dimensions as the carry-in stage 25 provided in the substrate carry-in area 25S. Therefore, the shape of the carry-out stage 28 is also substantially square in plan view. In the present embodiment, the area on the carry-out stage 28 is the substrate carry-out area 28S. The substrate carry-out area 28S is a substrate carry-out area 28S where the resist-coated substrate S is carried out of the apparatus.

  Similarly to the carry-in stage 25, the carry-out stage 28 is provided with an air ejection hole 28a and a lift pin retracting hole 28b. A lift mechanism 29 is provided on the −Z direction side of the carry-out stage 28, that is, on the back side of the carry-out stage 28. The lift mechanism 29 is provided so as to overlap the substrate carry-out position of the carry-out stage 28 in plan view. The lift member 29 a and the lift pin 29 b of the lift mechanism 29 have the same configuration as each part of the lift mechanism 26 provided on the carry-in stage 25. The lift mechanism 29 can lift the substrate S by lift pins 29b for transferring the substrate S when the substrate S on the unloading stage 28 is unloaded to an external device.

  The transport mechanism 23 has a mechanism for holding the substrate S and transporting the substrate S in the + X direction, and a pair is provided on the frame side portion 21b and the frame side portion 21c. The pair of transport mechanisms 23 has a line-symmetric configuration with respect to the center of the stage 22 in the Y direction, and has the same configuration except that the line-symmetrical point. Therefore, hereinafter, the conveyance mechanism 23 provided in the frame side portion 21b will be described as an example.

  The transport mechanism 23 includes a transport machine 23a, a substrate holding unit 23b, and a rail 23c. The conveyor 23a has a configuration in which, for example, a linear motor is provided therein, and the conveyor 23a can move on the rail 23c when the linear motor is driven.

  The substrate holding unit 23b is a holding unit that holds the side edge of the substrate S on the −Y direction side. The said side edge part of the board | substrate S is a part protruded with respect to the stage 22, and is one side part along a board | substrate conveyance direction. For example, four substrate holding portions 23b are provided along the Y direction on the surface on the + X direction side of the transport machine 23a, and are attached to the transport machine 23a. Each substrate holding portion 23b is provided with a suction pad, and the substrate S is sucked and held by the suction pad.

  The rail 23c is provided on the frame side portion 21b, and extends across the stages on the side of the carry-in stage 25, the processing stage 27, and the carry-out stage 28. The conveyor 23a can move along the respective stages by sliding the rail 23c.

  In addition, each conveyance mechanism 23 provided in the frame side part 21b and the frame side part 21c can convey the board | substrate S independently. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, different substrates S can be held by the transport mechanism 23 provided on the frame side portion 21b and the transport mechanism 23 provided on the frame side portion 21c. In this case, since the substrates can be alternately conveyed by the respective conveyance mechanisms 23, the throughput is improved. Further, when a substrate having an area about half the size of the substrate S is transported, for example, the two transport mechanisms 23 hold one by one, and the two transport mechanisms 23 are translated in the + X direction to obtain 2 It is also possible to carry a single substrate simultaneously.

(Applying part)
Returning to FIG. 4 from FIG. 2, the configuration of the application unit 3 will be described.
The application unit 3 is a part for applying a resist on the substrate S, and includes a portal frame 31 and a nozzle 32.

  The portal frame 31 includes a support member 31a and a bridging member 31b, and is provided so as to straddle the processing stage 27 in the Y direction. One support member 31a is provided on the Y direction side of the processing stage 27, and each support member 31a is supported by the frame side portion 21b and the frame side portion 21c, respectively. Each strut member 31a is provided so that the height positions of the upper end portions are aligned. The bridging member 31b is bridged between the upper end portions of the respective column members 31a, and can be moved up and down with respect to the column members 31a.

  The portal frame 31 is connected to a moving mechanism 34. The moving mechanism 34 includes a rail member 35 and a drive mechanism 36. For example, one rail member 35 is provided in the groove 21d of the frame side portion 21b and the frame side portion 21c, and each rail member 35 extends in the X direction. Each rail member 35 is provided so as to extend to the −X direction side from the management unit 4. The drive mechanism 36 is an actuator that is connected to the portal frame 31 and moves the application unit 3 along the rail member 35. The portal frame 31 can be moved in the Z direction by a moving mechanism (not shown).

  The nozzle 32 is formed in a long and long shape in one direction, and is provided on the surface on the −Z direction side of the bridging member 31 b of the portal frame 31. A slit-like opening 32a is provided along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle 32 at the tip in the -Z direction, and a resist is discharged from the opening 32a. The nozzle 32 is disposed so that the longitudinal direction of the opening 32 a is parallel to the Y direction and the opening 32 a faces the processing stage 27. The dimension in the longitudinal direction of the opening 32a is smaller than the dimension in the Y direction of the substrate S, so that the resist is not applied to the peripheral region of the substrate S. A flow passage (not shown) through which the resist flows through the opening 32a is provided inside the nozzle 32, and a resist supply source (not shown) is connected to the flow passage. The resist supply source has a pump (not shown), for example, and the resist is discharged from the opening 32a by pushing the resist to the opening 32a with the pump. The support member 31a is provided with a moving mechanism (not shown), and the nozzle 32 held by the bridging member 31b is movable in the Z direction by the moving mechanism. The nozzle 32 is provided with a moving mechanism (not shown), and the moving mechanism allows the nozzle 32 to move in the Z direction with respect to the bridging member 31b. On the lower surface of the bridging member 31b of the portal frame 31, a sensor that measures the distance in the Z direction between the opening 32a of the nozzle 32, that is, the tip 32c of the nozzle 32 and the facing surface facing the nozzle tip 32c. 33 is attached. For example, three sensors 33 are provided along the Y direction.

(Management Department)
The configuration of the management unit 4 will be described.
The management unit 4 is a part that manages the nozzle 32 so that the discharge amount of the resist (liquid material) discharged onto the substrate S is constant, and the −X direction side with respect to the coating unit 3 in the substrate transport unit 2. Is provided. The management unit 4 includes a preliminary discharge mechanism 41, a dip tank 42, a nozzle cleaning device 43, a storage unit 44 that stores them, and a holding member 45 that holds the storage unit.

  The preliminary discharge mechanism 41, the dip tank 42, and the nozzle cleaning device 43 are arranged in this order in the −X direction side. The preliminary ejection mechanism 41 is a part that ejects the resist preliminary. The preliminary ejection mechanism 41 is provided at a position closest to the nozzle 32 in a state where the coating unit 3 is disposed on the coating processing region 27S. The dip tank 42 is a liquid tank in which a solvent such as thinner is stored. The nozzle cleaning device 43 is a device for rinsing and cleaning the vicinity of the opening 32a of the nozzle 32, and includes a cleaning mechanism (not shown) that moves in the Y direction and a moving mechanism (not shown) that moves the cleaning mechanism. This moving mechanism is provided on the −X direction side of the cleaning mechanism. The nozzle cleaning device 43 has a larger dimension in the X direction than the preliminary discharge mechanism 41 and the dip tank 42 because the moving mechanism is provided. In addition, about arrangement | positioning of the preliminary discharge mechanism 41, the dip tank 42, and the nozzle washing | cleaning apparatus 43, it is not restricted to arrangement | positioning of this embodiment, Other arrangement | positioning may be sufficient.

  The dimension of the accommodating portion 44 in the Y direction is smaller than the distance between the support members 31a of the portal frame 31 so that the portal frame 31 can move in the X direction beyond the accommodating portion 44. . Further, the portal frame 31 can access the preliminary discharge mechanism 41, the dip tank 42, and the nozzle cleaning device 43 provided in the accommodating portion 44 so as to straddle these portions.

  The holding member 45 is connected to the management unit moving mechanism 46. The management unit moving mechanism 46 includes a rail member 47 and a drive mechanism 48. The rail members 47 are respectively provided in the grooves 21e of the frame side part 21b and the frame side part 21c, and each extend in the X direction. Each rail member 47 is disposed between the rail members 35 connected to the portal frame 31 of the application unit 3. The end portions in the −X direction of the rail members 47 are provided, for example, to the end portions in the −X direction of the frame side portion 21b and the frame side portion 21c. The drive mechanism 48 is an actuator that is connected to the holding member 45 and moves the management unit 4 along the rail member 47.

(Adjustment mechanism)
With reference to FIG. 2 to FIG. 4, an adjustment mechanism that is a characteristic component of the coating apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment will be described.
The adjustment mechanism 51 is a horizontal adjustment mechanism for performing horizontal adjustment of the nozzle tip 32 c of the nozzles 32. A plurality of, for example, three adjustment mechanisms 51 are provided in the substrate carry-in area 25S.

  The adjustment mechanism 51 is disposed at a plurality of positions along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle 32. In the present embodiment, each adjustment mechanism 51 is provided at a position along the + X side edge of the substrate carry-in region 25S on the frame central portion 21a, and is arranged in a line along the Y-axis direction. ing. Specifically, one adjustment mechanism 51 is arranged at the center portion in the Y direction in plan view on the frame center portion 21a, and one at each ± Y side end portion in plan view on the frame center portion 21a. Has been.

  Each adjustment mechanism 51 has a main body 51a and a length measuring member 51b, and the length measuring member 51b is held in a state protruding in the + Z direction with respect to the main body 51a. The length measuring member 51b is a columnar rod-like member provided so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction. The shape of the length measuring member 51b may be another shape such as a prismatic shape. The front end portion in the + Z direction of the length measuring member 51b is formed flat. The tip portion of the length measuring member 51 b is a portion that contacts the nozzle 32.

  The main body 51a has a holding mechanism (not shown) for holding the length measuring member 51b and a moving mechanism (not shown) for moving the length measuring member 51b in the Z-axis direction. By moving the length measuring member 51b in the Z-axis direction, the length of the portion of the length measuring member 51b that protrudes from the main body 51a (projection length) can be adjusted. The three adjusting mechanisms 51 can independently adjust the protruding lengths of the length measuring members 51 b, but the protruding lengths of the length measuring members 51 b can be adjusted in conjunction with the three adjusting mechanisms 51. It is also.

  The carry-in stage 25 has a circular through hole 50 in a plan view at a position overlapping the adjustment mechanism 51 in a plan view. The through hole 50 communicates the surface 25c of the carry-in stage 25 with the space in which the adjustment mechanism 51 is provided. The diameter of the through hole 50 is larger than the diameter of the length measuring member 51b in plan view. By adjusting the position of the length measuring member 51b in the Z-axis direction, the tip of the length measuring member 51b can be inserted into the through hole 50 and further protruded onto the surface 25c of the loading side stage 25. Yes.

(Coating operation)
Next, operation | movement of the coating device 1 comprised as mentioned above is demonstrated.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an operation process of the coating apparatus 1. With reference to the figure, the operation | movement which apply | coats the resist R to the board | substrate S is demonstrated. In this operation, the substrate S is carried into the substrate carry-in region 25S so that the short side direction is parallel to the carrying direction, the resist is applied in the coating treatment region 27S while the substrate S is lifted and carried, and the resist is applied. The coated substrate S is unloaded from the substrate unloading area 28S. In FIG. 5, the management unit 4 is not shown, and the configuration of the carry-in stage 25 is easily discriminated. Further, the portal frame 31 is indicated by a broken line so that the configuration of the nozzle 32 and the sensor 33 can be easily discriminated. Hereinafter, detailed operations in each part will be described.

  Before the substrate is loaded into the substrate loading area 25S, the coating apparatus 1 is put on standby. Specifically, the transfer machine 23a is arranged on the −Y direction side of the substrate loading position 25L of the loading stage 25, the height position of the suction pad 23f is adjusted to the flying height position of the substrate S, and the loading side Air is ejected or sucked from the air ejection hole 25 a of the stage 25, the air ejection hole 27 a of the processing stage 27, the air suction hole 27 b, and the air ejection hole 28 a of the unloading stage 28, and the substrate floats on the surface of the stage 22. Air is supplied to the.

  After the coating apparatus 1 is put on standby, for example, when the substrate S is transferred from the outside to the substrate carry-in position 25L shown in FIG. 5 by a transfer arm (not shown), the elevating member 26a is moved in the + Z direction to move the elevating pin 26b It protrudes from the pin in / out hole 25b to the stage surface 25c. By the operation of the elevating member 26a, the substrate S is lifted by the elevating pins 26b, and the substrate S is received. Further, an alignment member is projected from the long hole of the alignment device 25d to the stage surface 25c.

  After receiving the board | substrate S, the raising / lowering member 26a is lowered | hung and the raising / lowering pin 26b is accommodated in the raising / lowering pin retracting hole 25b. At this time, since the air layer is formed on the stage surface 25c, the substrate S is held in a state of being floated with respect to the stage surface 25c by the air. When the substrate S reaches the surface of the air layer, the alignment of the substrate S is performed by the alignment member of the alignment device 25d.

  After alignment, the suction pad of each substrate holding part 23b disposed on the −Y direction side of the substrate carry-in position is attracted to the back surface of the substrate S to hold the substrate S. After the back surface of the substrate S is held by the substrate holding portion 23b, the transporter 23a is moved along the rail 23c. The substrate S starts to move in the + X direction as the transporter 23a moves.

  Since the temperature of the air ejected from the air ejection holes 25a of the carry-in stage 25 is adjusted to be substantially equal to the temperature around the coating apparatus 1, when the substrate S is carried into the carry-in stage 25, the air The substrate S in contact with the substrate is less likely to cause temperature unevenness, and the resist R film thickness unevenness is less likely to be formed.

  When the front end of the substrate S in the transport direction reaches the position of the opening 32a of the nozzle 32, the resist R is discharged from the opening 32a of the nozzle 32 toward the substrate S as shown in FIG. The resist R is discharged while the position of the nozzle 32 is fixed and the substrate S is transported by the transport machine 23a. As the substrate S moves, a resist film R is applied onto the substrate S as shown in FIG. As the substrate S passes under the opening 32a for discharging the resist, a resist film R is formed in a predetermined region of the substrate S. At this time, since the temperature of the air ejected from the air ejection holes 27a of the processing stage 27 is adjusted to be substantially equal to the temperature around the coating apparatus 1, temperature unevenness occurs in the substrate S in contact with the air. This makes it difficult to form uneven thickness of the resist R.

  The substrate S on which the resist film R is formed is transported to the unloading stage 28 by the transport machine 23a. In the carry-out stage 28, the substrate S is carried to the substrate carry-out position 28U shown in FIG.

  When the substrate S reaches the substrate carry-out position 28U, the elevating member 29a of the lift mechanism 29 is moved in the + Z direction. Due to the movement of the elevating member 29a, the elevating pins 29b protrude from the elevating pin retracting holes 28b to the back surface of the substrate S, and the substrate S is lifted by the elevating pins 29b. In this state, for example, an external transfer arm provided on the + X direction side of the carry-out stage 28 accesses the carry-out stage 28 and receives the substrate S. After the substrate S is transferred to the transfer arm, the transfer device 23a is returned again to the substrate loading position 25L of the loading side stage 25, and waits until the next substrate S is transferred.

  When transporting the next substrate S, for example, the substrate S is held and transported by the transport mechanism 23 provided on the frame side portion 21c. In addition, until the next substrate S is transported, the application unit 3 performs preliminary discharge for maintaining the discharge state of the nozzles 32. As shown in FIG. 6, the gate frame 31 is moved in the −X direction to the position of the management unit 4 by the rail member 35.

  After the portal frame 31 is moved to the position of the management unit 4, the position of the portal frame 31 is adjusted so that the tip of the nozzle 32 is accessed to the nozzle cleaning device 43, and the nozzle tip 32 c is cleaned by the nozzle cleaning device 43. To do.

  After cleaning the nozzle tip 32 c, the nozzle 32 is accessed to the preliminary discharge mechanism 41. In the preliminary discharge mechanism 41, while measuring the distance between the opening 32a and the preliminary discharge surface, the opening 32a at the tip of the nozzle 32 is moved to a predetermined position in the Z direction, and the nozzle 32 is moved in the −X direction. The resist is preliminarily discharged from the opening 32a.

  After performing the preliminary discharge operation, the portal frame 31 is returned to the original position. When the next substrate S is transported by the transport mechanism 23 provided on the frame side portion 21c, the nozzle 32 is moved to a predetermined position in the Z direction. In this way, a high-quality resist film R is formed on the substrate S by repeatedly performing the coating operation for applying the resist film R on the substrate S and the preliminary ejection operation.

  If necessary, for example, each time the management unit 4 is accessed a predetermined number of times, the nozzle 32 may be accessed in the dip tank 42. In the dip tank 42, drying of the nozzle 32 is prevented by exposing the opening 32 a of the nozzle 32 to a vapor atmosphere of a solvent (thinner) stored in the dip tank 42.

(Horizontal adjustment of nozzle)
In a state where the substrate S is transported on the processing stage 27, the substrate S is transported in a state parallel to the processing stage 27. When the nozzle 32 is disposed to be inclined with respect to the processing stage 27, the nozzle tip 32 c is naturally disposed to be inclined with respect to the surface 27 c of the processing stage 27. In this case, the resist R discharged from the nozzle 32 is applied in a state of being inclined with respect to the substrate S, and the application performance is deteriorated.

  On the other hand, the coating apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is provided with an adjustment mechanism 51, and the adjustment mechanism 51 can horizontally adjust the inclination of the nozzle 32 and thus the inclination of the nozzle tip 32 c. Hereinafter, the procedure of horizontal adjustment of the nozzle 32 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7A to 7C.

  FIG. 7A to FIG. 7C are diagrams illustrating a process of horizontal adjustment of the nozzle 32. In the coating apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 7A, the nozzle 32 is attached to the bridging member 31b while being inclined with respect to the horizontal plane L. The + Y direction side end is shifted to the + Z direction side toward the −Z direction side.

  In the horizontal adjustment of the present embodiment, first, the height of the length measuring member 51b of the adjustment mechanism 51 is adjusted. As shown in FIG. 7A, the reference plate 52 is placed on the processing stage 27. The reference plate 52 is a rigid plate-like member, and a placement surface 52a placed on the processing stage 27 is formed flat. The dimension of the reference plate 52 in the X-axis direction is such a dimension that the three through holes 50 can be closed while being placed on the processing stage 27. When the reference plate 52 is placed on the processing stage 27, the placement surface 52a is positioned on the + Z direction side of the through hole 50. At this time, the position of the mounting surface 52a in the Z-axis direction is equal to the position of the surface 27c of the processing stage 27 in the Z-axis direction.

  After placing the reference plate 52, the + Z direction tip (hereinafter referred to as “upper end”) of each length measuring member 51 b is brought into contact with the placement surface 52 a of the reference plate 52. By this operation, since the upper end of each length measuring member 51b is regulated by the mounting surface 52a, the position of the upper end of each length measuring member 51b becomes equal to the position in the Z-axis direction of the surface 27c of the processing stage 27. The positions on the Z-axis direction of the length measuring member 51b are equally aligned.

  After adjusting the height of the length measuring member 51b, as shown in FIG. 7 (b), each length measuring member 51b is moved equally in the + Z direction, and the upper end of each length measuring member 51b is placed on the loading side stage 25. It fixes in the state which protruded on the surface 25c. During the movement, the three length measuring members 51b are moved in conjunction with each other so that the positions of the upper ends of the length measuring members 51b in the Z-axis direction are kept equal.

  After causing each length measuring member 51b to protrude on the carry-in stage 25, the bridging member 31b is moved in the -Z direction. As the bridging member 31b moves, the nozzle 32 also moves in the -Z direction, and the end portion on the -Y direction side of the nozzle tip 32c contacts the upper end of the length measuring member 51b on the left side (-Y direction side) in the drawing. .

  Thereafter, the bridging member 31b is further moved in the −Z-axis direction from a state in which a part of the nozzle tip 32c is in contact with the upper end of the length measuring member 51b. With the end portion on the −Y direction side of the nozzle tip 32c supported by the upper end of the length measuring member 51b, only the end portion on the + Y direction side of the nozzle tip 32c moves to the −Z direction side. With the movement of the nozzle tip 32c, the inclination of the nozzle 32 is corrected.

  As a result, as shown in FIG. 7C, the end portion on the + Y direction side of the nozzle tip 32c also contacts the upper end of the length measuring member 51b on the right side (+ Y direction side) in the drawing. At the same time, the central portion in the Y direction of the nozzle tip 32c also comes into contact with the upper end of the center length measuring member 51b in the drawing. In this way, the nozzle tip 32c is regulated to be parallel to the surface 27c of the processing stage 27 by contacting the length measuring members 51b having the same position in the Z-axis direction. In addition, by causing the central portion in the Y direction of the nozzle tip 32c to abut on the length measuring member 51b, the deflection in the central portion in the Y direction of the nozzle 32 is corrected.

  By restricting the nozzle 32 to be parallel to the processing stage 27, the nozzle tip 32 c is also restricted to be parallel to the processing stage 27. For this reason, the resist R discharged from the nozzle 32 is applied perpendicularly to the substrate S, and the desired application performance is obtained.

  In the above, the horizontal adjustment of the nozzle 32 is performed after the horizontal adjustment and the height adjustment of the length measuring member 51b first. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, after the horizontal adjustment of the length measuring member 51b, The height adjustment may be performed by abutting, or the horizontal adjustment and / or the height adjustment may be performed after the length measuring member 51b and the nozzle 32 are first abutted.

(Stage leveling)
When the surface 27c of the processing stage 27 is inclined with respect to the floor surface, the nozzle tip 32c is inclined with respect to the floor surface even when the horizontal adjustment is performed. For this reason, the resist R discharged from the nozzles 32 may be applied to the substrate S while being inclined. In contrast, in the present embodiment, the horizontal adjustment of the surface 27c of the processing stage 27 is performed in advance before the horizontal adjustment of the nozzle tip 32c.

  The timing for performing the horizontal adjustment of the surface 27c of the processing stage 27 is preferably, for example, when the coating apparatus 1 is assembled, but may be performed after the coating apparatus 1 is assembled. Hereinafter, an example of the horizontal adjustment of the processing stage 27 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. FIG. 8 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of the coating apparatus 1. FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are side views schematically showing the state of horizontal adjustment of the coating apparatus 1. In the present embodiment, the horizontal adjustment using laser light will be described as an example, but horizontal adjustment by another method may be used.

  First, a laser projector is disposed on the frame side portion 21b or the frame side portion 21c. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the laser projector 61 is described as being disposed on the frame side portion 21c. As the laser projector 61, a laser projector used for general laser level measurement can be used. After the laser projector 61 is disposed on the frame side portion 21c, the laser level of the laser projector 61 is adjusted. In this embodiment, the reference value of the laser level is set to the values at the positions 60a, 60b and 60c shown in FIG.

  At each position 60 a to 60 c, the reference pin 65 is arranged as shown in FIG. 9, and one end of the target stand 66 is placed on the upper end of the reference pin 65. The reference pin 65 is placed on, for example, the frame center portion 21a. The dimension of the reference pin 65 is set in advance so that the position of the upper end of the reference pin 65 in the Z-axis direction matches the position of the surface 27c of the processing stage 27 in the Z-axis direction. The other end of the target stand 66 is placed on the surface 27 c of the processing stage 27. In this state, the inclination with respect to the reference pin 65 is measured by the laser projector 61. This measurement operation is performed for each of the positions 60a to 60c, and the pitch and roll of the laser projector 61 are adjusted so that the measured inclination values are substantially equal between the positions 60a to 60c.

  After adjustment of the laser projector 61, the inclination of the processing stage 27 is adjusted. In the present embodiment, description will be made assuming that the reference point on the processing stage 27 is set at the positions 62a to 62c shown in FIG. Reference point members 67 are attached to the positions 62a to 62c of the processing stage 27 as shown in FIG. After attaching the reference point member 67, first, as shown in FIG. 10, the position in the Z-axis direction at the upper end of the reference point member 67 is measured, and the processing stage is set so that the respective positions in the Z-axis direction are substantially equal. 27 adjusters 82 are adjusted.

  Thereafter, the position in the Z-axis direction is measured at other positions on the processing stage 27, and the adjuster 82 is finely adjusted so that the respective measured values are equal to the measured values at the reference point member 67. During these operations, whether or not the standard of the laser projector 61 is deviated is checked at any time. In this way, the horizontal adjustment of the processing stage 27 is performed. After the horizontal adjustment of the processing stage 27, the horizontal adjustment of the carry-in stage 25 and the carry-out stage 28 may be performed by the same method as the horizontal adjustment of the processing stage 27, for example.

  The laser projector 61, the reference pin 65, the target stand 66, and the reference point member 67 constitute a measurement mechanism 70 that measures the inclination of the processing stage 27, the carry-in stage 25, and the carry-out stage 28. . In the present embodiment, the measurement mechanism 70 is configured to be provided in the coating apparatus 1, for example.

  Thus, according to the present embodiment, for the nozzle 32 that applies the resist R to the substrate S, the horizontal adjustment of the nozzle 32 with respect to the substrate S in the substrate transport unit 2 is performed at a predetermined position on the substrate transport unit 2. Therefore, the nozzle 32 can be easily leveled with respect to the substrate S and the distance between the nozzle 32 and the substrate S can be easily adjusted. Thereby, desired application | coating performance can be ensured.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, since the predetermined position where the adjustment mechanism 51 is provided is a position deviated from the application processing region 27S, the horizontal adjustment of the nozzle 32 and the influence on the application state of the resist R can be suppressed. The distance between the nozzle 32 and the substrate S can be adjusted. In addition, since the predetermined position is the center position in the direction orthogonal to the substrate transport direction in plan view in the substrate transport unit 2, even if the nozzle 32 is deflected, the direction in which the warp is eliminated. Can be adjusted. In addition, since the predetermined positions are also provided at the positions on both ends of the substrate transport unit 2 in the direction orthogonal to the substrate transport direction in plan view, the positions of both ends of the nozzle 32 in the Z-axis direction are adjusted. can do.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the adjustment mechanism 51 has the length measuring member 51b that can be projected and retracted on the substrate transport unit 2, and the length measuring member 51b is provided at each predetermined position. The horizontal adjustment of the nozzle 32 can be performed by the long member 51b and the distance between the nozzle 32 and the substrate S can be adjusted.

  In the present embodiment, since the nozzle 32 is horizontally adjusted by the length measuring member 51b when the coating apparatus 1 is assembled, there is no need to perform horizontal adjustment every time the resist R is applied, and the coating operation is performed. In doing so, it is not necessary to set the time for horizontal adjustment. Thereby, it is possible to avoid affecting the tact.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, the measurement mechanism 70 that measures the tilt of the substrate transport unit 2 and the correction mechanism 80 that corrects the tilt of the substrate transport unit 2 based on the result of the measurement mechanism 70 are further provided. Therefore, the inclination of the board | substrate conveyance part 2 can be adjusted horizontally. Thereby, the precision of the horizontal adjustment of the nozzle 32 and the precision of the adjustment of the distance between the nozzle 32 and the substrate S can be further improved. Note that the measurement mechanism 70 is not limited to the configuration provided in the coating apparatus 1, and may be configured as needed without being provided in the coating apparatus 1, for example.

The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and appropriate modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
In the above embodiment, the adjustment mechanism 51 is arranged at a position along the processing stage 27 in the region of the carry-in stage 25. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other positions of the carry-in stage 25 are used. It may be a configuration arranged in the above. Examples of such other positions include a position included in the management unit 4 in a plan view. Moreover, in the said embodiment, although it was the structure which arrange | positions the adjustment mechanism 51 in the area | region of the carrying-in side stage 25, it is not restricted to this, It can also be set as the following structures.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the adjustment mechanism 51 is arranged at a position deviated from the substrate transport unit 2, that is, a position deviated from the areas of the carry-in stage 25, the processing stage 27, and the carry-out stage 28 here. It does not matter. By arranging the adjustment mechanism 51 at a position away from the substrate transport unit 2, it is possible to avoid the influence of the adjustment mechanism 51 from directly reaching the substrate transport unit 2.

  The position away from the substrate transport unit 2 can be disposed at a position lateral to the processing stage 27 in the substrate transport direction, for example. As shown in FIG. 11, the position of the adjustment mechanism 51 may be a side position in the substrate transport direction with respect to the nozzle 32, or may be disposed on the front side in the substrate transport direction from the position. Further, the processing stage 27 may be disposed on both sides in the substrate transport direction. Thereby, the precision of horizontal adjustment can be improved. Further, the adjustment mechanism 51 may be arranged on the outside of the carry-in stage 25 and the carry-out stage 28 along the side of each stage. In the case where the adjustment mechanism 51 is arranged outside in the left-right direction in the figure, for example, the rail member may be extended so that the nozzle 32 can move to the position of the adjustment mechanism 51.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 11, when the position of the adjustment mechanism 51 is arranged at a position away from the substrate transport unit 2, the direction of the length measuring member constituting the adjustment mechanism 51 is set to the direction toward the substrate transport unit 2. It is also possible (the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 11). Thereby, since the width of the nozzle 32 can be adjusted to the width of the processing stage 27, for example, the design of the nozzle 32 and the design of the rail member are not changed according to the position of the adjustment mechanism 51, and the coating apparatus 1 is used. The design burden can be reduced.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the adjustment mechanism 51 may be arranged in the area of the carry-out stage 28. In this case, as in the above-described embodiment, the through hole 50 is provided at a position of the carry-out stage 28 that overlaps the adjustment mechanism 51 in plan view. In FIG. 12, for example, a configuration is shown in which the arrangement is made along the side on the processing stage 27 side of the carry-out stage 28. However, the arrangement is not limited to this and may be arranged at other positions. Of course.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the adjustment mechanism 51 may be arranged in the region of the processing stage 27. Also in this case, the through hole 50 is provided in the processing stage 27 at a position overlapping the adjustment mechanism 51 in plan view. FIG. 12 shows a state in which, for example, the adjustment mechanism 51 and the through hole 50 are respectively arranged at a position outside the region where the nozzle 32 is provided in the processing stage 27. By arranging the adjusting mechanism 51 and the through hole 50 at a position away from the nozzle 32, it is possible to reduce the influence on the application state. FIG. 12 shows a state in which one row is arranged along the side on the carry-in side stage 25 side and the side on the carry-out side stage 28 side of the processing stage 27, but is arranged along one of the sides. It does not matter as a configuration.

  In the above embodiment, the step of bringing the length measuring member 51b and the nozzle tip 32c into contact with each other during the horizontal adjustment of the nozzle 32 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. A contact portion that is in contact with the nozzle 32 may be provided separately, and the horizontal adjustment may be performed by bringing the contact portion into contact with the length measuring member 51b. Further, for example, a protective member may be provided in a portion of the nozzle tip 32c that is in contact with the length measuring member 51b. Further, the length measuring member 51b may be made of a material that does not damage or damage the nozzle tip 32c, for example, a material having a hardness lower than the hardness of the nozzle tip 32c. With these configurations, the nozzle tip 32c can be more reliably protected, and the coating performance can be stabilized.

  In the above-described embodiment, the floating transport type coating apparatus that floats and transports the substrate S as the coating apparatus 1 has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the substrate floats on the stage. The present invention can be applied even to a coating apparatus of a type that is placed and transported without being carried out.

The perspective view which shows the structure of the coating device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The front view which shows the structure of the coating device which concerns on this embodiment. The top view which shows the structure of the coating device which concerns on this embodiment. The side view which shows the structure of the coating device which concerns on this embodiment. The figure which shows operation | movement of the coating device which concerns on this embodiment. The figure which shows operation | movement of the coating device which concerns on this embodiment. The figure which shows the mode of the horizontal adjustment of a nozzle. The figure which shows the mode of level adjustment of a stage. The figure which shows the mode of level adjustment of a stage. The figure which shows the mode of level adjustment of a stage. The top view which shows the other structure of the coating device which concerns on this invention. The top view which shows the other structure of the coating device which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS S ... Substrate R ... Resist 1 ... Application | coating apparatus 2 ... Substrate conveyance part 3 ... Application | coating part 25 ... Carry-in side stage 25S ... Substrate carry-in area 27 ... Processing stage 27S ... Coating process area 28 ... Carry-out side stage 28S ... Substrate carry-out area 32 Nozzle 32c ... Nozzle tip 50 ... Through hole 51 ... Adjustment mechanism 51a ... Main body 51b ... Measurement member 52 ... Reference plate 52a ... Placement surface 60a-60c ... Position 62a-62c ... Position 70 ... Measurement mechanism 80 ... Correction mechanism

Claims (6)

A coating apparatus including a coating unit that applies a liquid material to the substrate while the substrate is floated and transported by the substrate transport unit,
The application unit has a nozzle for discharging the liquid material,
The substrate transport unit has a stage on which a stage surface facing the substrate is formed, and the substrate surface of the substrate can be transported along the stage surface,
Predetermined parallel adjustment of the nozzles with respect to a reference plate placed on the stage surface so that the nozzles are parallel to the substrate transported on the stage surface from the substrate transport unit. It has an adjustment mechanism that performs in position ,
The coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a length measuring member that appears and disappears on the stage along a direction from the predetermined position toward the stage . The substrate transport unit has an application region for applying a liquid material to the substrate,
The coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined position is a position on a side in a substrate transport direction with respect to the coating region. The coating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined position is a position on a side in a substrate transport direction with respect to the nozzle. The coating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined position is a plurality of positions provided with the coating region interposed therebetween. A measurement mechanism for measuring the inclination of the substrate transport unit;
The coating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a correction mechanism that corrects an inclination of the substrate transport unit based on a result of the measurement mechanism. The measurement mechanism measures an inclination of an application region in which a liquid material is applied to at least the substrate in the substrate transport unit,
The coating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the correction mechanism corrects an inclination of a coating region in which a liquid material is coated on at least the substrate in the substrate transport unit.

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