JPH0335216A - Continuous type sputtering device and production of substrate for color liquid crystal - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To continuously and stably produce the substrate for color liquid crystals having excellent characteristics by providing >=2 chambers for integrally heating and drying plural substrates under a reduced pressure and providing a chamber having a preheating section for preheating the substrates and a regular heating section for sputtering while heating. CONSTITUTION:Two chambers in which the plural substrates are housed and which integrally heat and dry the substrates under the reduced pressure and provided. These chambers 9, 10 are connected to the chamber provided with the preheating section 6 and the regular heating section 7. The glass substrates 1 are housed in the chambers 9, 10 and are heated and dried under the reduced pressure at 180 deg.C for 20 minutes. The glass substrates 1 are thereafter continuously transported in an arrow direction. The heating is controlled in the preheating section 6 and the regular heating section 7 in such a manner that the surface temp. on the sputtering surface side of the glass substrates 1 attain 180 deg.C, then tranparent electrodes are formed. The transparent electrodes are formed after the degassing from the color filters and transparent org. this films is sufficiently executed in this way and, therefore, the transparent electrodes having a small specific resistance and high transmittance are formed and the substrate for color liquid crystals having the excellent characteristics is produced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a continuous sputtering apparatus and a method for manufacturing a color liquid crystal substrate in which transparent electrodes are formed using the continuous sputtering apparatus.

Conventional technology Color liquid crystal display devices have already been put into practical use, and have characteristics such as being thin and lightweight, low voltage drive, and low power consumption.These display devices can be roughly divided into two types based on the structure in which the color filter is located. Ru.

One type has a color filter installed on the outside of the LCD panel, and the other has a color filter installed inside the LCD panel (
This is called an intrinsic type. Furthermore, even if it is an internal type, due to the structure of the color filter side substrate that makes up the liquid crystal panel,
There are two types: After forming a color filter on a glass substrate, a transparent electrode made of, for example, indium oxide and tin oxide (hereinafter referred to as ITO) is patterned (hereinafter referred to as IT).
There is a type (hereinafter referred to as CFonlTO) in which a color filter is formed after patterning a transparent electrode on a glass substrate (hereinafter referred to as CFonlTO).

However, in order to more effectively utilize the characteristics of the liquid crystal as described above, the above-mentioned ITO on CF type is effective, and for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-44628 is known.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Figures 3a, b, and c are explanatory diagrams of a color liquid crystal substrate produced by a conventional 1TOoncF type color liquid crystal substrate manufacturing method. FIG. 3a shows, for example, red (R) on the glass substrate 1.
), green (G), blue (B), and black (BL). Next, on the substrate, a smoothing layer is formed to smooth out the unevenness of the color filter, and a step of forming a transparent electrode, which is a subsequent step, is applied.
In order to play the role of a protective layer in the transparent electrode etching process and furthermore in the resist peeling process, an organic transparent thin film 4 is formed on the entire surface of the glass substrate as shown in Figure 3, and a transparent electrode 3 is further formed. Ru.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3C, a plurality of transparent electrodes 3 are patterned at specific positions relative to the color filter 2. The method for forming the transparent electrode 3 will be further described in detail with reference to FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of a conventional continuous sputtering apparatus. In the figure, the substrate 1 is continuously transported in the direction of the arrow,
A transparent electrode (ITO) is formed while being preheated in a preheating section 6 and heated in a main heating section 7. 8 is a cathode for sputtering ITO.

One of the features of such continuous sputtering equipment is productivity, and to increase productivity, substrates can be sputtered as quickly as possible.
Furthermore, it is desirable to convey the ITO target continuously, and therefore, the design is such that a plurality of cathodes for sputtering the ITO target are installed as shown in FIG. 4 to increase the conveyance speed.

However, when a color liquid crystal substrate is manufactured using the conventional apparatus and method as described above, a film is formed on a substrate on which the color filter 2 and organic transparent grooves 11j4 are formed, and a film is formed directly on a single glass substrate. In this case, there is a difference in the characteristics of the transparent electrode, that is, the specific resistance and the transmittance, and there is a problem that the characteristics are worse on the organic transparent thin film 4 than on the glass.

In this case, the normal color filter 2 is made of a material in which organic pigments are dispersed in organic resin.

Furthermore, since the film-forming transport speed of the substrate is fast, the time for preheating is short, and the properties of the transparent electrode 3 formed as a film are deteriorated due to degassing from the color filter 2 and organic transparent thin film 114 during main heating during sputtering. , that is, the specific resistance increases and the transmittance decreases.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a continuous sputtering apparatus that can continuously and stably manufacture color liquid crystal substrates with excellent characteristics, and a method for manufacturing color liquid crystal substrates. It is.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes two or more tanks for heating and drying a plurality of substrates at once under reduced pressure, and the substrates are sequentially transported and supplied from these tanks. It is equipped with a tank having a preheating section for preheating and a main heating section for sputtering while heating.

Further, using the above method, a glass substrate on which a color filter and an organic transparent thin film are formed is heated and dried under reduced pressure, and then a transparent electrode is formed.

Function According to the present invention, since the substrate is heated and dried under reduced pressure, it is effectively degassed, and the transparent electrode is formed after the color filter and the organic transparent thin film are sufficiently degassed. Even if a color filter or an organic transparent thin film is formed on the substrate, color liquid crystal substrates having a low specific resistance value and high transmittance can be continuously manufactured.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Here, the same numbers are given to the same parts in the present invention and the conventional example.

(Example 1) FIG. 1a is a plan view and a cross-sectional view of the tank bottom of a continuous sputtering apparatus in the method of manufacturing a color liquid crystal substrate of the present invention.

First, as shown in FIG. 3, a black color filter is formed on a glass substrate 1 by a printing method, and then red, green, and blue are printed in an appropriate order to form a color filter 2. Next, an ultraviolet curable acrylic resin is applied to the entire surface of the glass substrate as the organic transparent thin film 4, and is cured by irradiation with light to form the organic transparent thin film 4. The heat resistant temperature of the color filter 2 and organic transparent thin film 4 used here is 230° C. or higher.

Next, a transparent electrode 3 is formed using the continuous sputtering apparatus shown in FIG. In the figure, tanks 9 and 10 house a plurality of substrates and collectively dry them by heating under reduced pressure, and in this embodiment, two are provided. This tank 9.10 is connected to a tank (hereinafter referred to as sputtering tank) provided with a preheating section 6, a main heating section 7, and a cathode 8 via a valve 11.12.The storage tanks 13 and 14 are transparent. There are two receivers for receiving and storing the substrates on which the electrodes are formed.

A plurality of the glass substrates 1 are stored in tanks 9 and 10, and the temperature of the glass substrates 1 is 18% when the valves 11 and 12 are closed.
The temperature is controlled to be 0° C., and the mixture is heated and dried under reduced pressure for 20 minutes. Thereafter, the valve 11 is opened, and the glass substrate 1 is continuously transported in the direction of the arrow, and is heated in the prelucid heating section 6 and the main heating section 7 so that the surface temperature of the sputtering side of the glass substrate 1 becomes 180°C. An ITO target is sputtered with a cathode 8 to form a transparent electrode 3 on a glass substrate 1. The substrates are sequentially stored in the storage tank 13. Tank 9
When all the glass substrates 1 are used up, the bulb 11 is closed, and then the bulb 12 is opened and the glass substrates 1 in the tank 10 are sequentially transported and transparent electrodes 3 are formed in the same way. During this time, a new glass substrate 1 is set in the empty tank 9 and heated and dried under reduced pressure. Through the above cycle, the glass substrate 1 is always transported in the direction of the arrow, and the transparent electrodes 3 are continuously formed. Two cathodes 8 are provided, and an ITO target with a ratio of indium oxide to tin oxide of 90:10 weight percent is used. If the desired film thickness is too thick, ITO
If the thickness is too thin, the sheet resistance value will increase, so the film formation target is about 2500A.

As a result, the sheet resistance and transmittance of the substrate on which the color filter 2 and the organic transparent thin film 4 were formed (hereinafter referred to as CF substrate) and the transparent electrode formed on the single glass substrate were determined by the third method.
Measurements were made at point B in the figure, and the average values are shown in Table 1. In this example, a plurality of CF substrates and a plurality of glass substrates were alternately formed and their characteristics were compared.

The transmittance in Table 1 shows the value at a wavelength of 550 nm. As is clear from Table 1, when comparing the average values, the CF substrate also had a sheet resistance value of 12 Ω/hole and a transmittance of 75% or more, which were the same values as the glass substrate alone, which were sufficiently satisfactory results.

The substrate thus obtained is subjected to a normal photolithography process, an IT
A color liquid crystal substrate is manufactured through an O etching process.

As described above, according to this embodiment, in the transparent electrode film formation process in the production of color liquid crystal substrates, two tanks are provided for heating and drying the substrates all at once under reduced pressure, and the substrates are heated to 180°C.
After heating and drying under reduced pressure for 20 minutes, the surface temperature of the substrate on the sputtering side is controlled to 180°C to fully degas the color filter 2 and the organic transparent thin film 4, and then a transparent electrode is formed. Since it is formed into a film, a transparent electrode 3 having a low specific resistance and high transmittance can be formed in the same manner as when a film is formed on a single glass substrate, and a color liquid crystal substrate with excellent characteristics can be manufactured.

(Margin below) (Example 2) In the second example of the present invention, the temperature of heating and drying under reduced pressure was 230°C, the drying was continued for 30 minutes, and the surface temperature of the sputtered side of the substrate was 230°C. The transparent electrode 3 is formed under the same conditions as in Example 1, except that the preheating section and the main heating section are heated so that the following results are obtained. The results are also shown in Table 1. As shown in Table 1, there is no difference in the properties of the CF substrate and the glass substrate alone, and a transparent electrode 3 with even lower resistance than in Example 1 can be formed.

Embodiment 3 FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating the configuration of a continuous sputtering apparatus in another embodiment of the present invention.

9.10 as a tank for heating and drying substrates all at once under reduced pressure
．． Three tanks 15 are provided, and three storage tanks 13, 14, and 17 are similarly provided to receive and store the substrates. With such an apparatus, it is possible to cope with a film formation speed higher than that in Example 1, and the productivity is further improved.

Using this apparatus, the film formation rate was higher and the transport speed was faster than in Example 1, and the other conditions were the same as in Example 1, and the same good results were obtained.

(Comparative example) Comparative examples with the present invention will be described below.

In the comparative example, a color filter 2 and an organic transparent thin film 4 are formed on a glass substrate 1 in the same manner as in the example. Next, the transparent electrode 3 was formed under the following conditions, and the results are also shown in Table 1 for comparison with Examples.

Comparative Example 1 Using the same continuous sputtering apparatus as in Example 1, 1
The film was formed under the same conditions except for heating and drying under reduced pressure for 0 minutes.

Comparative Example 2 Using the same continuous sputtering apparatus as in Example 1, the preheating section and main heating section were heated so that the surface temperature of the sputtering side of the substrate was 150°C, and the other conditions were the same. .

Comparative Example 3 A film was formed using the conventional continuous sputtering apparatus shown in FIG. 4 under the same conditions as in Example 1 except that the substrate was not heated and dried under reduced pressure.

As can be seen from the above examples and comparative examples, the substrate was heated to 180°C.
By heating and drying the above under reduced pressure for 20 minutes or more and controlling the surface temperature of the substrate on the sputtering side to at least 180°C or higher, it is possible to manufacture a substrate with good characteristics (sheet resistance and transmittance) as a color liquid crystal substrate. <Example 1, 2.3
), when heat drying is not performed under reduced pressure, or when 180
℃ or less, or when the time is short (Comparative Example 1.
3) If sufficient degassing is not achieved and the preheating temperature of the substrate and the main heating temperature during sputtering are low (Comparative Example 2), a high transmittance and low resistance substrate cannot be obtained, which is not preferable.

In addition, in the example, the temperature on the sputtering surface side was 180°C.
.degree. C. and 230.degree. C. have been described, but in consideration of the heat resistance of the color filter and organic transparent thin film, the film may be formed at 230.degree. C. or higher within the heat resistance range, which is preferable from the viewpoint of the characteristics of the transparent electrode.

Further, in the embodiment, a printing method was described as a method for forming the color filter 2, but for example, a dyeing method may be used.

It may be formed by a coloring method, an electrodeposition method, or the like.

Furthermore, although an ultraviolet curing acrylic resin is used as the organic transparent thin film 4, the material is not necessarily limited to this material, and other resins such as urethane, epoxy, and polyimide resins may be used.

Further, the substrate manufactured according to the present invention is used for an XY simple matrix liquid crystal panel or a two-terminal type active matrix liquid crystal panel. In particular, these liquid crystal panels require a color liquid crystal substrate with low resistance and high transmittance in order to provide large-capacity display and color. The Institute of Technology has great value in providing a continuous sputtering apparatus capable of manufacturing colored liquid crystal substrates as well as a method for manufacturing color liquid crystal substrates.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention provides two or more tanks for heating and drying a plurality of substrates at once under reduced pressure in the transparent electrode film forming process in the manufacturing process of color liquid crystal substrates, and provides color filters and After heating and drying the glass substrate on which the organic transparent thin film has been formed at a temperature of at least 180°C or more under reduced pressure for 20 minutes or more, the surface temperature of the sputtered side of the substrate is 180°C.
A transparent electrode is formed by controlling the heating to 0°C or higher, and the transparent electrode is formed after sufficient degassing has occurred from the substrate, resulting in a color liquid crystal substrate with low resistivity and high transmittance. can be manufactured.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1a is a plan view of a continuous sputtering apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the same, and FIG. , Figure 3 a, C
1 is a plan view of a color liquid crystal substrate according to the present invention and a conventional color liquid crystal substrate manufacturing method, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the same, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a sputtering apparatus. 1...Glass substrate, 2...Color filter 3...Transparent electrode, 4...Organic transparent thin film, 6...Preheating section , 7... main heating section, 8... cathode, 9.10.15...
...tank, 11.12.16...valve, 1
3,14.17...Storage tank.

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) A preheating section that is equipped with two or more tanks that heat and dry multiple substrates at once under reduced pressure, and a preheating section that preheats the substrates that are sequentially transported and supplied from these tanks, and a main heating section that performs sputtering while heating. A continuous sputtering apparatus characterized by comprising a tank having: (2) A color liquid crystal substrate comprising the step of heating and drying a glass substrate on which a color filter and an organic transparent thin film are formed under reduced pressure using the continuous sputtering apparatus according to claim 1, and then forming a transparent electrode. manufacturing method. (3) After the substrate is heated and dried under reduced pressure for at least 20 minutes at a temperature of at least 180°C, preheating and main heating are performed so that the surface temperature of the sputtered side of the substrate is at least 180°C or higher. The method for manufacturing a color liquid crystal substrate according to claim 2. (4) The method for manufacturing a color liquid crystal substrate according to claim 2, characterized in that a film made of indium oxide and tin oxide is formed as the transparent electrode.