JPH05326361A - Prealignment device for proximity aligner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a prealignment device, for a proximity aligner, wherein it does not damage a substrate and it does not produce any particles. CONSTITUTION:A substrate 1 is held by vacuum suction by means of a substrate conveyance machine; it is carried in an exposure part 4. In this state, the position of an edge on the substrate 1 is measured by means of an optical sensor; the dislocation of the edge on the substrate 1 with reference to a mask 2 is computed. On the basis of a computed result, an exposure stage 41 is raised by means of a Z-direction driving machine 42 while it is being displaced horizontally so as to match the dislocation amount of the substrate 1; the substrate 1 is held by vacuum suction. in addition, the exposure stage 41 is rasied by means of the Z-direction driving machine 42 while is being returned and moved to the origin in a state that the substrate 1 has been held; the substrate 1 is brought close to the mask 2 and fixed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention exposes a mask and a square glass substrate for liquid crystal display (hereinafter referred to simply as "substrate") coated with a photosensitive material in close proximity to each other to expose a mask pattern. The present invention relates to a proximity exposure apparatus that prints on a photosensitive material, and in particular, detects a positional deviation between the substrate and the mask in a state where the substrate and the mask are separated from each other before accurate alignment is performed in a state where the substrate and the mask are close to each other. The present invention relates to a pre-alignment device that corrects the positional deviation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the pre-alignment of a conventional proximity exposure apparatus, the edges of two sides of a substrate loaded on an exposure stage, which are orthogonal to each other, are brought into contact with a plurality of positioning pins erected on the exposure stage. It is done by letting.

[0003]

However, the conventional example having such a structure has the following problems. That is, in order to perform the pre-alignment of the substrate, the edge of the substrate is brought into contact with the positioning pin, so that there is a problem that the edge of the substrate is likely to be chipped. Also,
Since the substrate placed on the exposure stage is moved to hit the positioning pin, the bottom surface of the substrate and the surface of the exposure stage rub against each other, and as a result, dust (hereinafter referred to as particles) is likely to be generated. There's a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a pre-alignment apparatus for a proximity exposure apparatus which does not damage the substrate and does not generate particles in the pre-alignment of the substrate. To aim.

[0005]

The present invention has the following constitution in order to achieve such an object. That is, the invention according to claim 1 is, in a proximity exposure apparatus for printing a predetermined pattern drawn on a mask on a photosensitive material applied on the surface of a substrate by irradiation of light, an exposure stage on which the substrate is mounted. An elevating and lowering driving means for vertically moving the exposure stage; a horizontal driving means for driving the exposure stage in a horizontal plane; and a mask for contacting with the mask in a non-contact state with respect to a substrate carried in above the exposure stage. Before the exposure stage is driven upward by the elevating drive means for mounting the substrate that has been loaded onto the exposure stage, and the positional shift detection means that detects the amount of positional deviation of the edge of the substrate, or Corresponds to the amount of position deviation detected by the position deviation detecting means during the ascending drive, or before the ascending drive and during the ascending drive. The horizontal driving means is controlled so that the exposure stage is displaced in a horizontal plane with respect to the origin position, and the elevating driving means raises the exposure stage after the substrate is mounted on the exposure stage. Drive control means for controlling the horizontal drive means so that the exposure stage returns to the origin before being driven and the substrate and the mask are set to a predetermined gap.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the above-mentioned positional deviation detecting means emits light having a predetermined width to at least three positions of the orthogonal edges of the substrate, part of which is the substrate. A light emitting means for obliquely irradiating so as to enter
And light receiving means for receiving the light emitted by each of the light emitting means, and position shift amount calculating means for calculating the position shift amount of the edge of the substrate based on the received light data obtained from the light receiving means. It was done.

[0007]

The operation of the present invention is as follows. According to the invention described in claim 1, the position shift detecting means detects the position shift amount of the edge of the substrate with respect to the mask in a non-contact state with respect to the substrate carried in above the exposure stage. To do. Next, in order to mount the substrate on the exposure stage, driving is performed while the exposure stage is being driven to move upward by the lifting drive means, or before being driven to move upward, or before the driving to move upward and during driving to move upward. By the control means controlling the horizontal drive means, the exposure stage is displaced in the horizontal plane from the origin position by an amount corresponding to the amount of positional deviation detected by the positional deviation detecting means. After the substrate is mounted on the exposure stage, while the exposure stage is being driven up until the gap between the substrate and the mask becomes a predetermined gap, before the raising drive, or before the raising drive. During the process, the drive control means controls the horizontal drive means to return the exposure stage to the origin position, thereby completing the pre-alignment of the substrate.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the light emitting means installed for detecting at least three positions of the orthogonal edges of the substrate emits light having a width for each detection position. Irradiation is performed obliquely so that part of the light enters the substrate. Of the light emitted by the light emitting means, the light that has deviated from the substrate goes straight. On the other hand, the light incident on the substrate, if it is a translucent substrate, is refracted when passing through the substrate, and the optical path of the transmitted light is deviated. If the substrate is not a light-transmissive substrate, the light incident on that portion is blocked. Utilizing this property, the light receiving means receives the light emitted from the substrate at each detection position. Since the amount of light received by each light receiving means changes according to the position of the substrate, the position shift amount calculating means calculates the amount of position shift of the edge of the substrate based on the light receiving data from each light receiving means.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a proximity exposure apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof. However, the exposure optical unit is omitted in FIG.

The proximity exposure apparatus includes a substrate loader unit 3 for sequentially loading the substrates 1 coated with a photosensitive material one by one,
An exposure unit 4 that holds the substrate 1 in alignment with the position of the mask 2 to expose the substrate 1, a substrate unloader unit 5 that carries out the exposed substrate 1 and temporarily stores the carried-out substrate, It is composed of an exposure optical unit 6 for exposing the substrate 1.

The substrate loader unit 3 is equipped with a loader robot 32 that sequentially takes out the substrates 1 from the substrate cassette 31. The loader robot 32 moves the loader arm 33 from the loader position LP to the left in the drawing to insert it into the substrate cassette 31, and then raises the loader arm 33.
Of the plurality of substrates 1 housed in the substrate cassette 31, one of the lowermost substrates 1 is taken out, carried to the loader position LP, and the loader arm 33 is lowered to be transferred to the substrate carrier 7.

As shown in FIG. 2, the substrate transfer device 7 is composed of a pair of arms 7 ₁ and 7 ₂ which are opposed to each other with a loader arm 33 or the like interposed therebetween and are movable in synchronization with the substrate transfer direction. There is. The substrate carrier 7 carries the substrate 1 into the exposure unit 4 and at the same time when the substrate 1 exposed from the exposure unit 4 is exposed.
So that it can be carried out to the substrate unloader unit 5.
Adsorption support portions 7a and 7b are provided at both ends thereof, respectively.

The substrate 1 supported by the suction support portion 7a of the substrate carrier 7 is loaded into the exposure unit 4 by being driven rightward in the drawing. Exposure unit 4 into which the substrate 1 is loaded
Detects the positional deviation of the substrate 1 with respect to the mask 2 using a sensor described later while the substrate 1 is held by the substrate carrier 7. The mask 2 is placed above the exposure stage 41 by the mask holder 21. Next, the exposure stage 41 is moved upward in the Z direction by the Z-direction driving machine 42 as the ascending / descending driving means, and as much as will be described later from the origin position by an amount corresponding to the detected positional deviation amount of the substrate 1. After being displaced in the X, Y, and θ directions, the substrate 1 further rises and holds the substrate 1 held by the substrate carrier 7 by suction from the bottom surface. At the same time, the substrate carrier 7 releases the suction of the substrate 1 and returns to the loader position LP. Further, while the substrate 1 is being held, the exposure stage 41 is returned to the origin position in the X, Y, and θ directions by the Z-direction driving machine 42 while rising in the Z-direction, and the mask 2 and a predetermined gap, for example, Stop at 50 μm to 100 μm. After the pre-alignment is performed as described above, the fine adjustment is performed so that the gap becomes uniform, and the fine alignment is performed by the microscopic optical system. Pattern is printed on the photosensitive material applied to the substrate 1.

In the exposure optical section 6, for example, light emitted from a xenon (Xr) lamp 61 for ultraviolet ray irradiation is condensed by a concave mirror 62, an optical path is inverted by an optical path reversing mirror 63, and is passed through a fly-eye lens 64. Then, after the optical path is inverted again by the optical path reversing mirror 65, parallel light perpendicular to the mask 2 is converted by the Fresnel lens 66, passes through the mask 2, and is irradiated onto the surface of the substrate 1.

When the exposure is completed, the exposure stage 41 holds the exposed substrate 1 down in the Z direction by the Z-direction drive unit 42 to release the adsorption of the substrate 1 and wait for the substrate already in standby. The substrate 1 is placed on the suction support portion 7b of the carrier 7. The exposure stage 41 further includes a Z-direction drive unit 42.
Then, it descends in the Z direction and waits until the next substrate 1 is loaded. The substrate carrier 7 on which the substrate 1 is placed sucks and holds the substrate 1 and carries it to the unloader position ULP of the substrate unloader unit 5. While the substrate 1 is being exposed, the next substrate 1 is mounted on the suction support portion 7a of the substrate carrier 7, and the exposed substrate 1 supported by the suction support portion 7b is carried out to the unloader position ULP. At the same time, the new substrate 1 supported by the suction support portion 7a is carried into the exposure portion 4.

The substrate 1 unloaded to the unloader position ULP
Are transferred to the unloader arm 53 by the unloader arm 53 of the unloader robot 52 rising at the unloader position ULP. When the unloader arm 53 enters the exposed substrate cassette 51, the substrate 1 is stored in the exposed substrate cassette 51.

A sensor for detecting the positional deviation of the edge of the substrate 1 in the exposure unit 4 of the proximity exposure apparatus having the above structure will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. 3 is a plan view of the exposure unit 4, FIG. 4 is a rear view thereof, and FIG. 5 is a right side view thereof. In the figure, 43a to 43c are LDs (laser diodes) as light emitting means for emitting light for measurement. In addition to the LD, an LED (light emitting diode) or the like may be used. Two LDs 43a to 43c are installed on one side of the orthogonal edges and one on the other side in order to detect the edge of the substrate 1 loaded as shown in the figure. Light having a predetermined width is emitted from each of the LDs 43a to 43c obliquely above the edge of the substrate 1 so that part of the light is incident on the substrate 1. Of the light emitted from each of the LDs 43a to 43c, the light out of the substrate 1 is L
D43a to 43c are light receiving means installed at positions facing each other, for example, C having a function as a one-dimensional line sensor.
The light is received by the CDs 44a to 44c.

Next, a drive mechanism as a horizontal drive means for driving the exposure stage 41 in a horizontal plane will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing one of the drive mechanisms extracted, FIG. 7 is a front view thereof, and FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the drive mechanisms. The exposure stage 41 is supported by a three support mechanism 46 using steel balls so as to be horizontally movable with respect to a bottom plate 47. The bottom plate 47 is provided with three drive mechanisms 45 for displacing the exposure stage 41 in the X, Y, and θ directions. The drive mechanism 45 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

A motor 451 mounted on the bottom plate 47
The output shaft 452 is connected to a screw shaft 453, and the screw shaft 453 is screwed with a nut 454 which is prevented from rotating. The nut 454 is connected to a member 456 in which a roller 455 is provided so that a part thereof protrudes. The roller 455, a part of which protrudes from the member 456, comes into contact with the transmission member 457 fixedly provided on the lower surface of the exposure stage 41,
The transmission member 457 is biased toward the motor 451 by the tension coil spring 458 and is connected to the bottom plate 47.

When the motor 451 rotates forward, the nut 4
54 moves straight, and the roller 455 pushes the transmission member 457 to move the exposure stage 41. Also, the motor 451
Is rotated in the opposite direction, the nut 454 retracts,
The exposure member 41 is moved in the opposite direction by pulling back the transmission member 457 by the spring 458.

As shown in FIG. 8, two driving mechanisms 45 as described above are installed in the X direction at both ends of the bottom plate 47, and one in the Y direction at the center, whereby the exposure stage 41 is moved in the X, Y, and Y directions.
It can be driven in the θ direction. That is, when it is desired to move in the Y direction, only the drive mechanism 45a is driven, and when it is desired to move in the X direction, the drive mechanisms 45b and 45c are driven by the same movement amount. The movement in the θ direction is realized by driving the drive mechanisms 45b and 45c with different movement amounts according to the required rotation amount of the exposure stage 41.

Next, with reference to the block diagram shown in FIG. 9, the structure of the position shift detecting section by the sensor composed of the LD and the CCD, the structure of the drive control section of the exposure stage 41 and their relation will be described below. explain. In the positional deviation detecting unit 70, the CPU 71 for edge detection gives timing control information to the controller 72, calculates the positional deviation amount of the board edge based on the measured light reception data, and transmits the data via the communication line 83. And transfers it to the communication memory 82. The controller 72 performs switching control of the data memories 73a and 73b, data conversion instruction of the A / D converter 74, channel switching control of the multiplexer 75, light reception control of each CCD 44a to 44c, light emission control of each LD 43a to 43c, and the like. .. The multiplexer 75 sequentially extracts the light reception data from the CCDs 44a to 44c. The received light reception data is converted into digital data by the A / D converter 74, and the data memory 73
stored in a or 73b.

On the other hand, in the drive control unit 80, the CPU 81
However, every time the substrate 1 is loaded, the positional deviation data of the substrate edge, which is sequentially transferred to the communication memory 82 at fixed intervals, is taken out from the communication memory 82, and will be described later based on the positional deviation data. Then, the exposure stage 41 is controlled.

Here, the measurement procedure of the position shift detecting section 70 will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG. While measuring the measurement timing, check the measurement end instruction due to the stop of the exposure device, etc., and when the measurement timing comes,
The measurement by the CCDs 44a to 44c is started (steps S1 and S2).

Each of the CCDs 44a to 44c measures received light data at regular time intervals according to an instruction from the controller 72 (step S3). When the substrate 1 is loaded as described above, each of the LDs 43a to 43c makes a part of light having a width as shown in FIG. Irradiate to do. As shown in FIG. 3B, the light in the portion deviated from the substrate 1 goes straight as shown by the solid line, and the light incident on the substrate 1 is refracted as shown by the dotted line if the substrate 1 is transparent. If the substrate 1 is not translucent, it is blocked by the substrate 1 and reflected as shown by the alternate long and short dash line and does not enter the CCDs 44a to 44c in any case. Each of the CCDs 44a to 44c has a corresponding L
Among the irradiation lights from D43a to 43c, the light that has passed through the substrate 1 without being received is received.

When the light reception is completed in each CCD 44a to 44c, the controller 72 controls the multiplexer 75 to sequentially take out the light reception data measured by the CCDs 44a to 44c and send the light reception data to the A / D converter 74.
The received light data converted into digital data is stored in the data memory 73a or the data memory 73b (step S4). When the received light data is stored in the data memory,
Based on the stored received light data, the CPU 71 determines, based on the received light data stored in the data memory,
The positional deviation amount of the substrate edge is calculated (step S5).
The measurement data acquisition and the calculation of the position shift amount of the substrate edge are executed in parallel for all CCDs 44a to 44c (step S6), and the calculated position shift data is transferred to the communication memory 82 via the communication line 83. Yes (step S7).

The data memories 73a and 73b are CPs.
Calculation of the amount of positional deviation of the edge performed by U71, and CCD
It is switched and used to alternately store the received light data measured in. That is, when the CPU 71 is calculating the amount of positional deviation of the edge based on the received light data stored in the data memory 73a, the next CCD
The received light data measured in step A is converted into digital data by the A / D converter 74 and stored in the data memory 73b. When the calculation process of the positional deviation amount based on the received light data stored in the data memory 73a is completed, the data memory 73
The position shift amount is calculated based on the received light data of b, and new received light data is stored in the data memory 73a during that time.
Hereinafter, the above operation is similarly repeated.

Here, a method of calculating the positional deviation amount of the edge based on the received light data will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 13A shows a case where the substrate 1 is not present and CC
It shows the received light data measured in D. In the figure, the horizontal axis represents the light receiving position corresponding to the pixels arranged one-dimensionally in the CCD, and the vertical axis represents the accumulated charge amount corresponding to the received light amount. That is, it indicates that the charge amount is high at the position where light is received by the CCD and that there is no charge amount at the position where light is not received. Next, FIG. 13B shows the light reception data measured by the CCD with the substrate 1 loaded. Compared to FIG. 13A, the light receiving area is reduced by the portion indicated by the alternate long and short dash line. This is because, as shown in FIG. 12B, the light incident on the substrate portion is refracted or reflected by the substrate and is not received by the CCD. This FIG.
The position shift amount is calculated as follows based on the received light data shown in (b). That is, the positional deviation amount of the edge of the substrate 1 is obtained by obtaining the deviation between the predetermined reference origin o and the left rising portion of the received light data.
The reference origin o is an edge of the substrate, which is measured when light is incident while the edge of the substrate 1 is carried into a position where it should be (a position that is correctly aligned with respect to a held mask). The light receiving position corresponding to the position is set. In FIG. 13B, the left rising portion of the received light reception data is the light receiving position corresponding to the edge position of the substrate 1, and the light receiving position ep corresponding to the reference level SHL of this rising portion and the reference origin o. The deviation amount pz is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3 (c), the number of pixels in between is calculated. For example, if one pixel is 8 μm and the number of pixels between each point is 10, the deviation amount pz is 88 μm.

Next, the procedure for controlling the exposure stage 41 will be described below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
First, until the substrate 1 is loaded, the termination of the exposure apparatus is checked, and when the substrate 1 is loaded, the positional deviation of the substrate 1 is corrected as follows (step S).
11, 12).

When the substrate 1 is carried in, the positional deviation data of the substrate edge transferred from the edge detecting CPU 71 at a constant time and stored in the communication memory 82 as described above is taken out (step S13).

The drive amounts of the three drive mechanisms 45 installed on the bottom plate 47 of the exposure stage 41 are calculated based on the extracted positional deviation data of each edge, and the drive mechanisms 45 are driven to expose the exposure stage 41. X, Y, with respect to the origin position
While displacing in the θ direction, by the Z direction drive machine 42,
The exposure stage 41 is raised (step S14). The position correction of the exposure stage 41 by each drive mechanism 45 is performed by, for example, Y if the positional deviation is detected by the CCD 44a.
Since it has been shifted in the direction, the driving mechanism 45a is driven to move the exposure stage 41 in the Y direction by a distance equal to the positional shift amount. In addition, CCD44
b, if the CCD 44c detects the same amount of positional deviation, it means that the carriage has been moved in the X direction, so that the driving mechanism 45b and the driving mechanism 45c are driven to move the exposure stage 41 to the positional deviation. Move in the X direction by a distance equal to the amount. Further, if the CCD 44b and the CCD 44c detect different positional deviation amounts, it means that the CCD 44b has been displaced in the θ direction, and therefore the exposure stage 41 is rotationally displaced by the angle at which the substrate 1 is transported. Thus, the drive mechanism 45b and the drive mechanism 45c are separately driven.

As described above, when the exposure stage 41 is displaced and raised by the same amount as the positional deviation amount of the substrate 1 that has been carried in and comes into contact with the bottom surface of the substrate 1, the substrate 1 is suction-held from the bottom surface ( Step S15). At this time, the suction of the substrate carrier 7 is released.

After the substrate 1 is suction-held, the exposure stage 4
1 is returned to the origin by being driven in the opposite directions by the same displacement amounts as the displacement amounts in the X, Y, and θ directions according to the positional displacement amounts of the substrate 1 described above, respectively. The prealignment between the substrate 1 and the mask 2 is completed by returning the origin of the exposure stage 41. While the exposure stage 41 is returning to the origin, the exposure stage 41 moves to Z
It is lifted by the direction driver 42 and stops at a position where the substrate 1 and the mask 2 have a predetermined gap (step S
16). As described above, after the substrate 1 and the mask 2 are pre-aligned and held in proximity to each other, they are accurately aligned by the microscopic optical system and then exposed.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, in order to shorten the time required for prealignment, the exposure stage 41 is used.
While the exposure stage 41 is displaced in the horizontal plane while the exposure stage 41 is being raised, the present invention is not limited to this, and the exposure stage 41 may be displaced in the horizontal plane and then raised. The displacement of the exposure stage 41 in the horizontal plane may be performed before the ascending and during the ascending.

Further, the method of detecting the position shift amount of the substrate 1 carried over the exposure stage 41 in a non-contact manner is not limited to the one in the above-mentioned embodiment, and the position of the substrate is imaged by a television camera or the like. May be detected by.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the position deviation of the edge is detected by irradiating the light obliquely above the edge of the substrate, but the LD and the CCD for detecting the edge of the substrate are detected.
And may be arranged to face each other with the substrate edge interposed therebetween.
In this case, since the light incident on the substrate edge is scattered and the output of the CCD changes at the portion corresponding to the substrate edge position, it is possible to detect the positional deviation of the substrate edge by detecting this. .. However, as described in the above embodiment, when the light is irradiated from diagonally above the edge of the substrate, the output change of the CCD becomes remarkable as compared with the case where the LD and the CCD are opposed to each other. There is an advantage that the amount of positional deviation of the substrate edge can be easily detected.

[0037]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the prealignment apparatus of the first aspect, the positional deviation of the substrate is detected without contacting the substrate, so that the substrate is damaged such as chipping. Never. Also, when correcting the position of the substrate based on the detected amount of positional deviation, before the substrate is mounted on the exposure stage, the exposure stage is displaced with respect to the origin by an amount corresponding to the amount of positional deviation of the substrate, and then Since the substrate is mounted on the exposure stage and the substrate is pre-aligned by returning the exposure stage to the origin, rubbing between the substrate and the exposure stage is eliminated and particles are not generated.

Further, according to the pre-alignment apparatus of the second aspect, the substrate edge is irradiated with light having a predetermined width obliquely so that a part thereof is incident on the substrate,
Since the positional deviation amount of the substrate edge is calculated by receiving the light that has passed through the substrate edge, the positional deviation amount can be accurately detected even if the substrate is translucent.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the appearance of a proximity exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the outer appearance of the apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an arrangement position of a sensor.

FIG. 4 is a rear view showing an arrangement position of a sensor.

FIG. 5 is a right side view showing an arrangement position of a sensor.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing one configuration of a horizontal drive mechanism of the exposure stage.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing one configuration of a horizontal drive mechanism of the exposure stage.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an arrangement of a horizontal drive mechanism of an exposure stage.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a positional deviation detection unit, a configuration of a drive control unit, and their relationship.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a measurement procedure of a position shift detection unit.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a procedure of controlling the exposure stage.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an optical path of light emitted from an LD.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing received light data received by a CCD.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Substrate 2 ... Mask 3 ... Substrate loader section 4 ... Exposure section 5 ... Substrate unloader section 6 ... Exposure optical section 7 ... Substrate transport machine 41 ... Exposure stage 42 ... Z-direction drive (elevating drive means) 43a-43c ... LD (Light emitting means) 44a to 44c ... CCD (light receiving means) 45a to 45c ... Drive mechanism (horizontal drive means) 70 ... Positional deviation detection section (positional deviation detection means) 80 ... Drive control section (drive control means)

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] June 26, 1992

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Claim 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0001

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0001]

The present invention relates to a rectangular glass substrate of the photosensitive agent is applied, for example, a liquid crystal display dexterity (hereinafter referred to simply as "substrate") and exposed in close proximity to the mask, the pattern of the mask relates to proximity exposure device to bake the photosensitive agent,
In particular, pre-alignment that detects the positional deviation between the substrate and the mask in the state where the substrate and the mask are separated and corrects the positional deviation before the accurate alignment performed in the state where the substrate and the mask are close to each other. Regarding the device.

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0005

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0005]

The present invention has the following constitution in order to achieve such an object. That is, the invention according to claim 1 is a proximity exposure apparatus in which a predetermined pattern drawn on a mask is baked onto a photosensitive agent applied on the surface of a substrate by irradiation of light, and an exposure stage on which the substrate is placed. An elevating and lowering driving means for vertically moving the exposure stage; a horizontal driving means for driving the exposure stage in a horizontal plane; and a mask for contacting with the mask in a non-contact state with respect to a substrate carried in above the exposure stage. Before the exposure stage is driven upward by the elevating drive means for mounting the substrate that has been loaded onto the exposure stage, and the positional shift detection means that detects the amount of positional deviation of the edge of the substrate, or , During ascending drive, or from before ascending drive to during ascending drive,
The horizontal driving means is controlled so that the exposure stage is displaced in a horizontal plane with respect to the origin position by an amount corresponding to the amount of positional deviation detected by the positional deviation detecting means, and the substrate is placed on the exposure stage. After mounting, the elevating drive means drives the exposure stage to move upward, and before the exposure gap is set to a predetermined gap between the substrate and the mask, the horizontal drive means is arranged to return to the origin. And a drive control means for controlling.

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0010

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The proximity exposure apparatus holds a substrate loader unit 3 for sequentially loading the substrates 1 coated with a photosensitive agent one by one, and the substrates 1 for aligning the mask 2 for exposing the substrates 1. The exposure unit 4 and the substrate unloader unit 5 for carrying out the exposed substrate 1 and temporarily storing the carried-out substrate.
And an exposure optical unit 6 for exposing the substrate 1.

[Procedure Amendment 5]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0013

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The substrate 1 supported by the suction support portion 7a of the substrate carrier 7 is loaded into the exposure unit 4 by being driven rightward in the drawing. Exposure unit 4 into which the substrate 1 is loaded
Detects the positional deviation of the substrate 1 with respect to the mask 2 using a sensor described later while the substrate 1 is held by the substrate carrier 7. The mask 2 is placed above the exposure stage 41 by the mask holder 21. Next, the exposure stage 41 is moved upward in the Z direction by the Z-direction driving machine 42 as the ascending / descending driving means, and as much as will be described later from the origin position by an amount corresponding to the detected positional deviation amount of the substrate 1. After being displaced in the X, Y, and θ directions, the substrate 1 further rises and holds the substrate 1 held by the substrate carrier 7 by suction from the bottom surface. At the same time, the substrate carrier 7 releases the suction of the substrate 1 and returns to the loader position LP. Further, while the substrate 1 is being held, the exposure stage 41 is returned to the origin position in the X, Y, and θ directions by the Z-direction driving machine 42 while rising in the Z-direction, and the mask 2 and a predetermined gap, for example, Stop at 50 μm to 100 μm. After the pre-alignment is performed as described above, the fine adjustment is performed so that the gap becomes uniform, and the fine alignment is performed by the microscopic optical system. Pattern is printed on the photosensitive agent applied to the substrate 1.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Yasuyuki Koyagi 1 at No. 1 Tenjin Kitamachi, 4-chome Tenjin Kitamachi, Kami-ku, Kyoto, Japan 322 Furukawa-cho, Hazuka-ku, Dainichi Screen Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A proximity exposure apparatus for printing a predetermined pattern drawn on a mask onto a photosensitive material applied on the surface of a substrate by irradiating light, wherein an exposure stage on which the substrate is placed, and an exposure stage comprising: Elevating and lowering driving means for raising and lowering driving, horizontal driving means for driving the exposure stage in a horizontal plane, and a position of the edge of the substrate with respect to the mask in a non-contact state with respect to the substrate carried in above the exposure stage. Positional deviation detecting means for detecting an amount of deviation, and in order to mount the carried-in substrate on the exposure stage, before the exposure stage is driven upward by the elevating drive means, or during upward driving, Alternatively,
From before the ascending drive to during the ascending drive, the amount corresponding to the amount of positional deviation detected by the positional deviation detecting means,
The horizontal drive means is controlled so that the exposure stage is displaced in a horizontal plane with respect to the origin position, and after the substrate is mounted on the exposure stage, the elevating drive means drives the exposure stage to rise. , Before the substrate and the mask are set to a predetermined gap,
A pre-alignment apparatus for a proximity exposure apparatus, comprising: drive control means for controlling the horizontal drive means so that the exposure stage returns to the origin. 2. The misalignment detecting means according to claim 1, wherein a part of light having a predetermined width is incident on the substrate at least at three positions of the orthogonal edges of the substrate. A light emitting means for obliquely irradiating, a light receiving means for receiving the light emitted by each of the light emitting means, and a position for calculating the positional deviation amount of the edge of the substrate based on the light receiving data obtained from each of the light receiving means. A pre-alignment apparatus for a proximity exposure apparatus, which comprises a deviation amount calculation means.