KR101007682B1 - Method and apparatus of forming a coating layer in a Flat Panel Display manufacturing - Google Patents

Abstract

The method and apparatus for forming a coating thin film in flat panel display device fabrication apply a coating material on a substrate and then pre-heat the coating material of the substrate to precure the coating material of the substrate. Subsequently, the substrate is placed on lift-pins that are in interview with the substrate backside and solvent is removed from the precured coating material of the substrate. The precured coating material of the substrate is then baked to sufficiently cure the precured coating material of the substrate to form a coating thin film of the substrate.

Description

Method and apparatus of forming a coating layer in a flat panel display manufacturing

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming a coating thin film for manufacturing a flat panel display device, wherein the coating material is applied on a substrate by performing drying to remove solvent from the coating material and baking to cure the coating material. The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for forming a coated thin film.

Electrical circuit patterns may be formed on a substrate made of silicon or glass in the manufacture of a flat panel display device. The circuit patterns may be formed by performing a series of unit processes such as a deposition process, a photolithography process, an etching process, and a cleaning process. In the photolithography process, a coating thin film may be formed on a substrate, and the coating thin film may be formed as a coating pattern. In addition, the process of forming a coating thin film on the substrate may include a coating process of applying a coating material such as a photoresist composition on the substrate, a drying process for removing solvent from the coating material, and curing the coating material. The baking process may be continuously performed to form the coating material into a coating thin film.

In particular, in the drying process, lift-pins are used to interview the back surface of the substrate. At this time, the upper part from the back surface of the substrate directly interviewed by the lift pins is pressed by the lift pins, and as a result, a sag phenomenon may occur around the substrate where the lift pins are located. Thus, staining of a coating material may occur on the substrate portion where the lift pins are directly positioned, and a coating phenomenon may occur on the substrate portion on which the lift pins are positioned.

It is a first object of the present invention to provide a method for forming a coating thin film in the manufacture of a flat panel display device in which a coating material applied on a substrate may not be affected even when pressurization of lift-pins is performed by interviewing and supporting the rear surface of the substrate. have.

A second object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for forming a coating thin film in the manufacture of a flat panel display device which can be applied to the method for forming the coating thin film.

According to embodiments of the present invention for achieving the first object, a method of forming a coating thin film in the manufacture of a flat panel display device after applying a coating material on a substrate, pre-heating the coating material of the substrate (pre- heating) to precure the coating material of the substrate. Subsequently, the substrate is placed on lift-pins that are in interview with the substrate backside and solvent is removed from the precured coating material of the substrate. The precured coating material of the substrate is then baked to sufficiently cure the precured coating material of the substrate to form a coating thin film of the substrate.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the pre-heating may be performed at a temperature of 40 to 80 ℃.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the pre-heating may be performed in-situ during the application of the coating material on the substrate or during the transfer after the coating material is applied on the substrate. have.

According to embodiments of the present invention for achieving the first object, a coating thin film forming apparatus in the manufacture of a flat panel display device, and an application unit for applying a coating material on a substrate, and pre-heating the coating material of the substrate ( a pre-heating part for pre-heating to pre-cure the coating material of the substrate, and a lift-pin for interviewing and supporting the back surface of the substrate, and preliminary of the substrate with the substrate positioned on the lift pins. A drying part for removing solvent from the cured coating material, and a baking part for baking the pre-cured coating material of the substrate to sufficiently cure the pre-cured coating material of the substrate to form a coating thin film of the substrate. Include.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the pre-heating unit may be located at the application unit to be able to perform in-situ during the application of the coating material on the substrate.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the pre-heating part may be provided on the member on which the transfer is made, which may be performed during the transfer after coating the coating material on the substrate.

According to the embodiments of the present invention mentioned above, after coating the coating material on the substrate, the coating material of the substrate is pre-treated for preliminary curing of the coating material of the substrate before performing the process of removing the solvent. Heat. Therefore, the coating material of the substrate remains pre-cured even when the substrate is interviewed with the lift-pins in the process of removing the solvent, so that the coating material may be uneven or drawn due to the sagging of the substrate. The same defect can be sufficiently reduced.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. As the inventive concept allows for various changes and numerous embodiments, particular embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the text. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to a specific disclosed form, it should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention. In describing the drawings, similar reference numerals are used for similar elements. In the accompanying drawings, the dimensions of the structures are shown in an enlarged scale than actual for clarity of the invention.

Terms such as first and second may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by the terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, the second component may also be referred to as a first component.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, the terms "comprise" or "having" are intended to indicate that there is a feature, number, step, action, component, part, or combination thereof described on the specification, one or more other It should be understood that it does not exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of features or numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

On the other hand, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Terms such as those defined in the commonly used dictionaries should be construed as having meanings consistent with the meanings in the context of the related art and shall not be construed in ideal or excessively formal meanings unless expressly defined in this application. Do not.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a coating thin film forming apparatus for manufacturing a flat panel display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the coating thin film forming apparatus 10 (hereinafter, referred to as a “coating apparatus”) for manufacturing a flat panel display element may include an application unit 101, a pre-heating unit 103, a drying unit 105, and a baking unit. 107 and the like.

The applicator 101 is a member for applying a coating material such as a photoresist composition on a substrate, and is mainly provided with a slit coater extending in a vertical direction with respect to the transport direction of the substrate. Thus, in the application of the coating material using the applicator 101, the coating material may be applied onto the substrate while transferring the applicator 101 positioned on the substrate along the upper part of the substrate, or the applicator ( 101) The coating material may be applied onto the substrate while transferring the substrate positioned below, or the coating material may be applied onto the substrate while transferring the applicator 101 and the substrate in opposite directions. .

The drying unit 105 is a member for removing the solvent from the coating material applied on the substrate. Here, removing the solvent from the coating material may shorten the time required in the process of baking the coating material subsequently by removing the solvent, thereby drying the coating material, and also obtaining from the coating material. The thickness of the coating thin film can be formed uniformly.

In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention, immediately after the coating material is applied on the substrate, the substrate to which the coating material is applied is transferred to the drying unit 105 so as not to dry the coating material. That is, in one embodiment of the present invention, after applying the coating material on the substrate, a process of pre-heating the coating material of the substrate is performed. After performing a process of pre-heating the coating material of the substrate, a process of drying the coating material is performed. In particular, the drying unit 105 is provided with a lift-pin for interviewing the back surface of the substrate, and has a configuration for interviewing the substrate positioned in the drying unit 105 using the lift-pin. The configuration of the lift pin will be described later.

Thus, in an embodiment of the present invention, the pre-heating part 103 performing the process of pre-heating the coating material is positioned between the applicator 101 and the drying part 105.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a pre-heating unit included in the coating thin film forming apparatus for manufacturing the flat panel display device of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, the pre-heating part 103 may be provided at one side of the applicator 101. In particular, when the applicator 101 includes a slit coder, the pre-heating part 103 may be provided on one side of the slit coater. In this case, the pre-heating unit 103 may be mainly provided as a heater, a heating lamp, an injection member capable of injecting a high temperature inert gas, or the like. In addition, the pre-heating unit 103 may be formed to extend as long as the length of the coating unit 101 along one side of the coating unit 101. This is to sufficiently pre-heat the coating material 14 applied by the applicator 101. In addition, since the coating material 14 needs to be pre-heated after the coating material 14 is applied, the pre-heating part 103 may have the coating material 14 among one side of the application part 101. It should be installed on the rear side located after it is applied.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating another example of the pre-heating unit included in the coating thin film forming apparatus for manufacturing the flat panel display device of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 3, a transfer part 109 for transferring a substrate from the applicator 101 to the drying part 105 may be located between the applicator 101 and the drying part 105. In this case, the pre-heating unit 103 may be provided in the transfer unit 19. That is, the pre-heating part 103 pre-applies the coating material 14 applied on the substrate 12 while transferring the substrate 12 from the applicator 101 to the drying part 105. It can be provided to be positioned above the transfer unit 109 to be heated. In addition, the pre-heating unit 103 may be provided as a heater, a heating lamp, an injection member capable of injecting a high temperature inert gas, or the like as mentioned above. In addition, the pre-heating unit 103 may also be formed to extend in a vertical direction with respect to the transfer direction of the substrate 12.

As mentioned, the coating apparatus 10 according to one embodiment of the invention allows pre-heating of the coating material 14 in-situ during application of the coating material 14 on the substrate 12. Alternatively, after applying the coating material 14 on the substrate 12, the coating-material 14 may be pre-heated while transferring the substrate 12 to the drying unit 105. have. Thus, the coating material 14 is pre-cured by the pre-heating. In particular, care must be taken in the pre-heating process so that the coating material 14 does not cure sufficiently. If the coating material 14 is sufficiently cured in the pre-heating, it is not easy to remove the solvent from the coating material 14 even with subsequent drying. In addition, when the coating material 14 is sufficiently cured in a state in which the solvent is not removed by drying using the drying unit 105, the coating thin film may not be easily formed.

In addition, when pre-heating using the pre-heating unit 103 is performed at a temperature of less than about 50 ° C., since pre-curing by the pre-heating is not sufficiently performed, it is not preferable. It is not preferable when the coating material is performed at an excessive temperature because the coating material 14 can be sufficiently cured. Thus, the pre-heating using the pre-heating unit 103 is preferably performed at a temperature of about 50 to 80 ℃.

The baking unit 107 is a member that receives and bakes the substrate 12 from which the solvent is removed from the coating material 14 by using the drying unit 105. The baking unit 107 is sufficient to fill the coating material 14 through the baking. By hardening, the coating material 14 applied on the substrate 12 is formed into a coating thin film.

As mentioned, in one embodiment of the present invention, after applying the coating material 14 onto the substrate 12 using the coating apparatus 10 and pre-heating the coating material 14, The coating material 14 may be formed into a coating thin film by removing the solvent from the coating material 14 and sufficiently curing the coating material 14 through baking.

As in one embodiment of the present invention, pre-heating the coating material 14 to precure the coating material 14 is such that when the substrate 12 is located in the drying portion 105 (12) This is because the rear surface is interviewed and supported by the lift-pins provided in the drying section 105.

4 is a view illustrating a state of a substrate located in a drying unit of the coating thin film forming apparatus for manufacturing the flat panel display device of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 4, as the lift pin 153 provided in the drying unit 105, the lift pin 153 mainly moves up and down from the plate 151 of the drying unit 105. Have That is, the lift pin 153 has a structure of lifting and lowering through the through hole formed in the plate 151. In addition, the lift pin 153 is lowered when the substrate 12 is transferred to the drying unit 105, and when the substrate 102 is transferred to the drying unit 105. It lifts up and interviews and supports the back surface of the said board | substrate 12. As shown in FIG. In the state in which the rear surface of the substrate 12 is interviewed and supported by the lift-pin 103, a drying process of removing the solvent from the coating material 14 is performed.

Here, unlike the embodiment of the present invention, after applying the coating material 14 on the substrate 12, the substrate 12 is transferred directly to the drying unit 105 without performing the pre-heating In the case where the rear surface of the substrate 12 is interviewed by the lift pin 153, the substrate 12 on which the lift pin 153 is located due to the pressure applied from the rear surface of the substrate 12 is applied. The periphery may be sag, and as a result, staining of the coating material 14 may occur at the portion of the substrate 12 where the lift pin 12 is located directly, and the lift pin 12 may Tilting phenomenon of the coating material 14 may occur in the portion of the substrate 12 positioned.

However, as in the embodiment of the present invention, after applying the coating material 14 on the substrate 12, the pre-heating is performed to precure the coating material 14, and then the precured The substrate 12 having the coating material 14 is transferred to the drying unit 105 to pressurize the back surface of the substrate 12 by the lift pin 153 to position the lift pin 153. Even if the periphery of the substrate 12 occurs, it is possible to sufficiently reduce the occurrence of staining or tipping of the coating material 14 applied on the substrate 12. This is because, due to the preliminary curing of the coating material 14, the coating material 14 does not flow and remains cured to some extent.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of forming a coated thin film using the coated thin film forming apparatus for manufacturing the flat panel display device of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 5, the coating material 14 is applied onto the substrate 12 using the applicator 101. (S51) Next, the substrate 12 using the pre-heating part 103. Pre-heat the coating material 14 of (S53). The coating material 14 of the substrate 12 is pre-cured. At this time, the pre-heating is carried out at a temperature of about 50 to 80 ℃ mentioned. In addition, the pre-heating of the coating material 14 may be performed in-situ during the application of the coating material 14 on the substrate 12 when the pre-heating part 103 of FIG. 2 is used. . In addition, the pre-heating of the coating material 14 may be performed during the transfer of the coating material 14 on the substrate 12 when the pre-heating part 103 of FIG. 3 is used. In addition, the pre-heated substrate 12 is transferred to the drying unit 105. Accordingly, the back surface of the substrate 12 is interviewed with the lift pins 153 of the drying unit 105. In this case, even when the lift pins 153 are pressurized by interviewing the back surface of the substrate 12, the coating material of the substrate 12 does not affect the coating material. This is because, as mentioned, the coating material 14 was pre-cured prior to carrying out the drying using the drying section 105. As such, after placing the substrate 12 on the drying unit 105, a process of removing the solvent from the coating material 14 is performed. Subsequently, the coating material 14 may be formed as a coating thin film by transferring the substrate 12 to the baking unit 107 and performing baking to sufficiently cure the coating material 14. In particular, when the coating material 14 includes a photoresist composition, the coating thin film may include a photoresist thin film.

After forming the coating thin film, a process for continuously forming the coating thin film into a coating thin film pattern may be performed.

According to the present invention mentioned, in the method and apparatus for forming a coating thin film in the manufacture of a flat panel display device, the substrate is applied for pre-curing the coating material of the substrate after applying the coating material on the substrate and before performing the process of removing the solvent. Pre-heat the coating material. Thus, even if the substrate back surface is interviewed by the lift-pin in the subsequent process, since the coating material of the substrate is maintained in a pre-cured state, defects such as staining and pulling of the coating material due to sagging of the substrate can be sufficiently reduced. .

Therefore, when the method and apparatus of the present invention are applied to the manufacture of a flat panel display device requiring a recent fine pattern, it is possible to improve the reliability of the process.

Although the above has been described with reference to preferred embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art will variously modify and change the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. I can understand that you can.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a coating thin film forming apparatus for manufacturing a flat panel display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a pre-heating unit included in the coating thin film forming apparatus for manufacturing the flat panel display device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating another example of the pre-heating unit included in the coating thin film forming apparatus for manufacturing the flat panel display device of FIG. 1.

4 is a view illustrating a state of a substrate located in a drying unit of the coating thin film forming apparatus for manufacturing the flat panel display device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of forming a coated thin film using the coated thin film forming apparatus for manufacturing the flat panel display device of FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

10: coating thin film forming apparatus 12: substrate

14 coating material 101 coating part

103: pre-heating section 105: drying section

107: baking unit

Claims (6)

Applying a coating material onto the substrate; Pre-heating the coating material of the substrate to precure the coating material of the substrate; Placing the substrate on lift-pins in contact with the substrate backside and drying the substrate to remove solvent from the precured coating material; And Forming the coating material of the substrate into a coating thin film by baking and sufficiently curing the solvent-free coating material. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-heating is performed at a temperature of 40 to 80 ° C. The flat panel display of claim 1, wherein the pre-heating is performed in-situ during the application of the coating material on the substrate or during the transfer after the coating material is applied on the substrate. Process for Forming Coating Thin Films in Manufacturing. An applicator for applying a coating material on the substrate; A pre-heating unit which pre-heats the coating material of the substrate to precure the coating material of the substrate; A drying unit having a lift-pin for interviewing the back surface of the substrate and drying the substrate to remove the solvent from the pre-cured coating material while the substrate is positioned on the lift pins; And And a baking unit forming the coating material of the substrate into a coating thin film by baking and completely curing the coating material from which the solvent has been removed. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the pre-heating part is positioned at the applicator so that the pre-heating part may be performed in-situ during the application of the coating material on the substrate. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the pre-heating part is disposed on a member on which the transfer is performed so that the pre-heating portion may be applied during the transfer after coating the coating material on the substrate. .

Images