TWI504970B - Ultraviolet radiation device - Google Patents

Description

Ultraviolet irradiation device

The present invention relates to an ultraviolet irradiation device used in, for example, a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal panel.

As shown in FIG. 8, the liquid crystal panel 70 has a structure in which liquid crystal is sealed between two glass plates. For example, a plurality of active devices (for example, thin film transistor: TFT) 72 and liquid crystal driving electrodes (transparent electrodes: ITO) are formed on one surface. 73, the first glass plate 71 on which the alignment film 74 is formed, and the second glass plate on which the color filter 76, the transparent electrode 77, and the alignment film 78 are formed, via the spacer member 79, while facing each other The liquid crystal layer 70 is formed between the first glass plate 71 and the second glass plate 72 so as to be disposed opposite to each other.

In the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal panel 70, it is known that a liquid crystal panel of a liquid crystal having an optically active substance (monomer) polymerized by reacting with ultraviolet rays is irradiated with ultraviolet rays to perform a reaction treatment of a liquid crystal panel (pretilt angle). The technique of the treatment, PSVA) was found (refer to Patent Document 1). In this technique, by applying ultraviolet light to the liquid crystal panel while applying a voltage, the optically active material can be polymerized while the liquid crystal is aligned in a specific direction, whereby the so-called pretilt angle of the liquid crystal can be imparted.

In the reaction treatment (PSVA) of such a liquid crystal panel material using ultraviolet rays, it is required that the optically active material of the liquid crystal is irradiated with ultraviolet light with high illuminance, and the optically active material of the liquid crystal is required not to be exposed to a high temperature.

The reaction rate of the optically active material is high in temperature dependency, and when the temperature during irradiation is high, the polymerization proceeds excessively and the growth of the polymer particles is excessively large. Therefore, because there is no uniform pretilt angle, the contrast is deteriorated, which causes light leakage.

Further, when temperature unevenness occurs in the light-irradiated surface of the liquid crystal panel, the reaction of the optically active material is deviated (difference), and the tilt (pretilt angle) of the liquid crystal is also uneven, and the tilt of the liquid crystal is uneven in the finished product. It will cause unevenness.

As described above, in the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal panel, when the reaction treatment of the liquid crystal panel material using ultraviolet rays is performed, it is required to (1) irradiate ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 300 to 350 nm to the liquid crystal panel, and (2) light of the liquid crystal panel material. The in-plane uniformity of the ultraviolet irradiation on the irradiated surface is high, (3) the temperature rise of the liquid crystal panel is small, and the in-plane uniformity of the temperature of the light-irradiated surface of the liquid crystal panel is high, but the optically active substance is not An ultraviolet irradiation device which can cause a bad reaction and can perform a reaction treatment of a desired liquid crystal panel is not known.

[Previous Technical Literature]

[Patent Literature]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-177408

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an in-plane uniformity of ultraviolet illuminance on a light-irradiated surface of an object to be processed, and a temperature rise of the object to be processed is small, and the object to be processed can be processed. An ultraviolet irradiation device for ultraviolet irradiation treatment in which the in-plane uniformity of the temperature of the light-irradiated surface of the object is high.

The ultraviolet irradiation device of the present invention is an ultraviolet irradiation device used in a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal panel including an optically active material, and is characterized in that it includes a light source unit that emits light having an emission peak at a wavelength of 300 nm to 400 nm. a strip-shaped excimer lamp, and a plurality of tubular elongated outer sleeves provided in a state in which the excimer lamp is inserted inside, and having an opening at both ends of the light transmissive property The light source element is arranged in parallel with the liquid crystal panel which is the object to be processed, and the cooling mechanism has a space for guiding the air and a space for exhausting the air; The common air guiding space portion is located in the common air outlet space portion, and the inside of the casing other than the light source element is transmitted through the air guiding space portion to introduce the cooling air.

In the ultraviolet irradiation device of the present invention, it is preferable that the light source unit and the object to be processed have a structure in which a light guiding portion formed by a space formed by a reflecting surface of the inner peripheral surface is formed.

Further, in the ultraviolet irradiation device of the present invention, in the cooling mechanism, the air-conditioning space portion and the air-exhausting space portion form a circulating cooling air circulation path, and the circulating cooling air circulation path is disposed. Have The heat exchanger for heat release is preferably constructed.

According to the ultraviolet irradiation apparatus of the present invention, basically, the plurality of light source elements are arranged side by side to constitute the light source unit, and ultraviolet rays of a specific wavelength band can be irradiated to the object to be processed with a uniform illuminance distribution.

Moreover, in each of the light source elements, the outer sleeve is disposed with the lamp inserted therein, and the cooling air guiding function by the outer sleeve can directly cool the light tube of the lamp, so each of the plurality of lamps When it is uniformly cooled, the deviation of the radiant heat from the lamp itself with respect to the object to be processed can be suppressed to be low, and the heat ray can be suppressed from being irradiated to the object to be processed, and the outer casing itself is also cooled by the cooling air. It is possible to suppress the radiant heat of the object to be processed, for example, an ultraviolet ray irradiation device used in a reaction process (pretilt angle finding process) of a liquid crystal panel which is a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal panel.

In addition, by providing a structure in which the inner peripheral surface is a light guiding portion formed by the space formed by the reflecting surface, the light source unit and the light source unit can be enlarged while sufficiently ensuring the amount of ultraviolet irradiation to the object to be processed. Since the distance between the objects to be processed is determined, the influence of the radiation heat of the light source unit can be more reliably suppressed, the temperature rise of the object to be processed can be lowered, and the temperature unevenness in the surface of the object to be processed can be suppressed.

Further, by using a structure in which an excimer lamp is used, it is possible to surely reduce the temperature rise of the object to be processed because no unnecessary light component is emitted.

Further, by providing a structure in which the cooling mechanism includes the heat exchanger, it is possible to form a sealed cooling air circulation supply path, and it is not necessary to prepare a duct or the like even when the ultraviolet irradiation apparatus is used in a clean room, for example, and it is succinctly Cool the lights.

1 is a schematic view showing an internal structure of a structure example of the ultraviolet irradiation device of the present invention viewed from the front direction, and FIG. 2 is a view showing an outline of the internal structure of the ultraviolet irradiation device shown in FIG. 1 viewed from a side surface direction. Illustrating.

This ultraviolet irradiation device is basically constituted by the light source unit 10, the cooling unit 40, the light guiding unit 50, and the power supply unit 60.

The light source unit 10 includes a light source unit case member 11 having a box shape in which the entire light irradiation opening 12 is opened downward. The light source unit case member 11 has its internal space divided in the vertical direction and the lower side space portion. The space unit 15 is disposed in the light source unit in which the light source unit 20 is disposed, and the upper side space portion is an electrical component arrangement space portion 16 corresponding to the electrical component unit of the light source unit 20, for example, a transformer 35 or the like.

Further, one end side region in the longitudinal direction of the lamp 25 constituting the light source unit 20 in the light source unit case member 11 has an end side partition wall 13 and a light source portion housing member which constitute one of the electrical component arrangement space portions 16. The one end wall 11A of the eleventh portion 11 is formed to introduce the cooling air into the common air guiding space portion 18 of the electrical component arrangement space portion 16 and the light source unit arrangement space portion 15, and the light source portion housing member The other end side region in the longitudinal direction of the lamp in the eleventh portion is formed by distinguishing the other end side partition wall 14 constituting the electrical component arrangement space portion 16 from the other end wall 11B of the light source portion casing member 11 A common air exhaust space portion 19.

The one end side partition wall 13 of the electrical component arrangement space portion 16 is formed, and the air guiding vent 13A for introducing the cooling air into the electrical component arrangement space portion 16 is formed to form the electrical component arrangement space portion 16 The one end side partition wall 14 forms an exhaust vent 14A for discharging the cooling air from the electrical component arrangement space portion 16.

As shown in FIG. 3, the light source unit 20 is an elongated lamp 25 that emits light having an emission peak in a wavelength of 300 nm to 400 nm, and is disposed along the lamp 25 in a state where the lamp 25 is inserted inside. The plurality of light source elements 21 formed of the long outer sleeves (cylindrical sleeves) 24 are configured such that the axial center of each of the lamps 25 is located on the same plane and extends in parallel with each other at equal intervals.

The lamp 25 constituting each of the light source elements 21 is held and fixed to the light source unit case member 11 via the lamp holding portion 22, and the outer tube 24 is in a state in which one end opening is located in the air guiding space portion 18, and The holding member shown in the figure is fixedly held by the light source unit case member 11.

The number of the light source elements 21 constituting the light source unit 20 is, for example, 32, and the distance d between the adjacent light source elements 21 is, for example, 90 mm.

The lamp 25 constituting the light source unit 20 is constituted by, for example, an excimer lamp, and emits, for example, ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 300 nm to 400 nm suitable for polymerizing an optically active substance (monomer) contained in a liquid crystal of a liquid crystal panel.

Fig. 4 is a view showing a configuration example of a lamp-related excimer lamp used in the ultraviolet irradiation device of the present invention, (A) a perspective view, and (B) a cross-sectional view showing a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the lamp.

The excimer lamp 25 is provided with a hollow elongated discharge vessel 26 having a rectangular cross section in which the discharge space S is formed. Inside the discharge vessel 26, for example, helium gas is sealed as a discharge gas. Here, the discharge vessel 26 is made of, for example, quartz glass.

On the outer surface of the upper wall 26A and the lower wall 26B of the discharge vessel 26, a pair of mesh electrodes, that is, an electrode 27A which functions as a high voltage power supply electrode and an electrode which functions as a ground electrode 27B is disposed to face each other in such a manner as to extend in the longitudinal direction.

Further, in the inner surface of the wall surface of the lower wall 26B of the discharge vessel 26, the material layer 30, the glass powder layer 31, and the phosphor layer 32 are sequentially laminated from the outer surface side to be formed in a state where light is emitted. The inner surface of the lower wall 26B of the surface discharge vessel 26 is provided in a state in which the glass powder layer 31 and the phosphor layer 32 are further laminated.

The reflective material layer 30 is composed of, for example, a mixture of cerium oxide and aluminum oxide. In addition, examples of the glass constituting the glass powder layer 31 include borosilicate glass (Si-BO-based glass), aluminum silicate glass (Si-Al-O-based glass), bismuth citrate glass, or the like. A group of glass to which an alkaline earth oxide or an alkali metal oxide or a metal oxide is added as a standard is used.

In addition, examples of the phosphor constituting the phosphor layer 32 include an endowment live lanthanum borate (Sr-BO: Eu (hereinafter referred to as "SBE"), a center wavelength of 368 nm) phosphor, and an endowurance magnesium aluminate strontium ( La-Mg-Al-O: Ce (hereinafter referred to as "LAM"), center wavelength 338 nm (but broad)) Phosphor, yttrium, and yttrium-activated yttrium phosphate (La-PO: Gd, Pr (hereinafter referred to as "LAP") :Pr, Gd"), center wavelength 311 nm) phosphor or the like.

The outer sleeve 24 is, for example, a light transmissive material that transmits light in a wavelength band of 300 nm to 400 nm, for example, a cylindrical shape made of quartz glass, and has a length nearly the same as that of the lamp 25.

Further, the size of the smallest space portion constituting the gap between the inner surface of the outer tube 24 and the outer surface of the lamp 25 and the cooling air flow path 24A is, for example, 16 to 30 mm.

The cooling unit 40 includes, for example, a box-shaped cooling unit case member 41 provided at a central position of the light source element 21 in the upper direction of the light source unit case member 11 , and the inside of the cooling unit case member 41 is disposed, for example. A cooling fan 42 such as an axial fan or the like, and a heat exchanger 43 for heat dissipation such as a water-cooled radiator is disposed on the upstream side of the cooling fan 42.

The internal space of the cooling unit case member 41 communicates with the air guiding space portion 18 and the air exhausting space portion 19 of the light source unit 10 via the ventilation ducts 45 provided on both sides of the cooling unit case member 41, In this way, the cooling air supplied from the cooling fan 42 is introduced into the electrical component arrangement space portion 16 via the air guiding space portion 18 of the light source unit 10, and is introduced into the sleeve 24 outside the light source element 21, via the row. The air space portion 19 is introduced into the heat release heat exchanger 43 of the cooling unit 40, and constitutes a cooling mechanism for the closed circulating cooling air flow path.

The light guiding unit 50 has a function as a so-called spacer for securing a sufficient distance between the light source unit 20 and the object to be processed W while sufficiently ensuring the amount of ultraviolet irradiation to the object W to be processed. The light guide opening 12 corresponding to the light source unit case member 11 has a rectangular frame-shaped light guiding member 51 formed of a reflecting surface by an inner peripheral surface, for example, which is divided into a processing space, and extends downward from the lower surface of the light source unit 10. The method is installed and constructed.

The light guiding member 51 is configured by combining four sheets of members 52A to 52D as shown in FIG. 5. The members 52A to 52D are made of, for example, a base member 53 made of aluminum and light made of, for example, high-brightness aluminum. The reflective member 54 is constructed.

A wall surface (a plate-shaped member 52A) of the light guiding member 51 is formed so that, for example, a liquid crystal panel which is a workpiece W to be processed is placed from a lower surface of the light guiding member 50. The opening/closing door 55 for entering or retracting the transport robot (not shown) that is carried out or carried in by the horizontal platform 58 can open and close the opening and closing door 55, thereby releasing the heat accumulated in the light guiding unit 50 to the outside. The symbol 59 of Figures 1 and 2 is a platform stand.

The power supply unit 60 controls the lighting of each of the lamps 25, and is usually disposed separately from the light source unit 10 in view of weight and considerations during maintenance. However, since the transformer 35 generates a high voltage, it is disposed inside the light source unit case member 11.

The operation of the ultraviolet irradiation device described above will be described.

In the ultraviolet irradiation device, the flat object to be processed W (for example, a liquid crystal panel member) is carried by the transfer robot via the opening/closing door 55 of the light guiding member 51 and placed on the stage 58. 27A of one of the excimer lamps 25, when the high-frequency voltage is boosted and supplied by the power supply unit 60 by the transformer 35 provided in the electrical component arrangement space portion 16, the discharge is performed via the dielectric material constituting the discharge vessel 26 A dielectric barrier discharge is generated in the space S, an excimer is formed by discharge of the dielectric barrier, and the phosphor layer 32 is excited by light emitted from the excimer (vacuum ultraviolet light having a helium gas condition of 175 nm). In the phosphor, ultraviolet rays of 300 nm to 400 nm are transmitted through the lower wall 26B of the discharge vessel 26, and are radiated through the opening of the other electrode 27B.

On the other hand, the cooling air supplied from the driving cooling fan 42 passes through the air guiding space portion 18 of the light source unit 10, and a part thereof is introduced into the electrical component arrangement space portion 16, and all others are introduced into each. The sleeve 24 of the light source element 21 is specifically introduced into the cooling air flow path 24A formed between the inner surface of the outer sleeve 24 and the outer surface of the excimer lamp 25, thereby cooling the excimer lamp 25 and The outer sleeve 24 is then introduced into the heat exchanger 43 through the air outlet space portion 19 to be cooled, and is not discharged to the outside of the apparatus, and the cooling air is supplied again by the cooling fan 42.

Then, according to the ultraviolet irradiation device of the above-described configuration, the plurality of light source elements 21 are arranged side by side in a state in which they are located at the center of the axis of each excimer lamp 25, and are arranged in parallel to constitute the light source unit 20, whereby basically, The object to be processed W can illuminate the ultraviolet ray of a wavelength band of 300 nm to 400 nm by the uniform illuminance distribution, and can reduce the temperature rise of the object W to be processed, and suppress temperature unevenness in the surface of the object W to be processed. That is, in each of the light source elements 21, the outer sleeve 24 is provided with the excimer lamp 25 inserted therein, and the cooling air guiding function (rectifying effect) by the outer sleeve 24 can be directly used. Since the discharge vessel 26 of the excimer lamp 25 is cooled, the plurality of excimer lamps 25 are uniformly cooled by the lamps, and the deviation of the radiant heat of the object W to be processed by the excimer lamp 25 itself can be suppressed to be low, and Since the heat ray can be prevented from being irradiated to the object W to be processed, and the outer tube 24 itself is cooled by the cooling air, the radiant heat to the object W to be processed can be suppressed, whereby the temperature of the object W to be processed can be suppressed. The temperature rises and the excellent temperature uniformity in the plane of the object W to be processed is obtained.

For this reason, for example, it is suitable as an ultraviolet irradiation device used for the reaction process (pretilt angle finding process) of the liquid crystal panel of the manufacturing process of a liquid crystal panel.

In addition, by providing the light guiding portion 50 formed by the space formed by the reflecting surface on the inner peripheral surface, the light source unit 20 can be enlarged and processed while sufficiently ensuring the amount of ultraviolet irradiation to the object W to be processed. Since the distance between the objects W is suppressed, the influence of the radiation heat of the light source unit 20 can be more reliably suppressed, and the temperature rise of the object W to be processed can be lowered, and the excellent temperature in the plane of the object W to be processed can be obtained. Uniformity.

Further, by using the excimer lamp 25, ultraviolet rays (vacuum ultraviolet rays) of a predetermined wavelength band generated in the discharge space S of the excimer lamp 25 are acted upon by the phosphor layer 32 provided on the inner surface of the discharge vessel 26. In the structure of ultraviolet radiation of 300 nm to 400 nm, unnecessary light components are not emitted to the object W to be processed, so that the temperature rise of the object W to be processed can be surely lowered.

Further, by providing a structure including the heat exchanger 43 for heat release, it is possible to form a closed (closed) cooling air circulation path, and it is not necessary to use an ultraviolet irradiation device, for example, in a clean room. Since the cooling air is obtained from the outside of the apparatus and the cooling air is not discharged to the outside of the apparatus, it is not necessary to connect a duct or the like, and the cooling mechanism can be simplified.

Further, since it is an air-cooled type, there is no problem that water leakage occurs if it is water-cooled.

Hereinafter, an experimental example performed to confirm the effects of the present invention will be described.

<Experimental Example 1>

According to the structure shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, an ultraviolet irradiation apparatus according to the present invention having the following structure was produced.

The number of the light source units (20) is 32, and the distance between the connected light source elements (the distance between the shaft centers of the lamps) is 90 mm.

The lamp (25) constituting each light source element (21) has a total length of 2800 mm, a horizontal and vertical dimension of 43 mm × 15 mm, a lamp output of 2 kW, and a material of the discharge vessel (26) is quartz glass, and constitutes a phosphor layer (32). The body is SBE, and an excimer lamp in which helium gas is sealed as a discharge gas. The outer sleeve (24) is made of quartz glass and has a cylindrical shape of 2,500 mm in total length, 76 mm in inner diameter, and 2.5 mm in thickness.

The cooling fan (42) is an axial flow fan that can supply a blowing air of a cooling air of, for example, 4 m ³ /min (a total light source unit of 128 m ³ /min) to one light source element (21). The pressure in the air guiding space portion (18) is 500 to 1000 Pa, the temperature of the cooling air is 30 ° C, and the temperature of the wind in the air separating space portion (19) is about 60 °C.

The height of the light guiding member (51) is 300 mm.

The object to be processed (W) was a test liquid crystal panel having a horizontal and vertical dimension of 2,200 mm × 2,500 mm, and the distance between the light source unit (20) and the object to be processed (W) was 400 mm.

Using the ultraviolet irradiation device, the lamps (25) of the respective light source elements (21) are turned on under the same lighting conditions, and the ultraviolet rays are irradiated onto the test liquid crystal panel as the object to be processed (W). The illuminance uniformity of the light-irradiated surface of the test liquid crystal panel was determined by the illuminance and temperature of any of the plurality of measurement surfaces on the light-irradiated surface of the test liquid crystal panel, and it was confirmed that the illuminance uniformity was within ±8.9%.

In addition, the temperature of the light-irradiated surface of the test liquid crystal panel was confirmed to be 30 ° C ± 2 ° C (degree of temperature rise) at a time from the start of the irradiation of the ultraviolet light for 120 seconds. Here, the surface temperature of the liquid crystal panel for the test before the ultraviolet irradiation was 25 °C.

<illuminance uniformity>

The "illuminance uniformity" is obtained by setting the average value of the illuminance measured in the plurality of measurement portions of the light-irradiating surface of the test liquid crystal panel to Ea, and calculating the illuminance measurement value at the complex measurement portion as Eb. () Ea-Eb) / Ea [%] to define. In Experimental Example 1, the average illuminance (Ea) of the light-irradiated surface of the liquid crystal panel for the test was about 19 mW/cm ² .

Further, the total amount of radiant heat of the light in the wavelength band of 200 nm to 20,000 nm was measured by a calorimeter, and the total amount of radiant heat of the liquid crystal panel for the test was 57 mW/cm ² , and the ultraviolet ray of the wavelength band of 300 nm to 400 nm was used. The amount of radiant heat caused by the light (which does not contribute to the photochemical reaction of the liquid crystal panel) is 38 mW/cm ² . Here, the surface temperature of the lamp was 250 ° C, and the surface temperature of the outer sleeve was about 60 ° C.

<Comparative Example 1>

According to the structure shown in Fig. 6, a comparative ultraviolet irradiation device was produced. This ultraviolet irradiation apparatus does not include a cooling mechanism, and the light source unit of the ultraviolet irradiation apparatus manufactured in the above-described Experimental Example 1 has the light source unit 20A having the same structure except that the outer tube is not provided. In Fig. 6, reference numeral 51A denotes a reflector, and 50A denotes a housing which is internally divided into processing spaces, and the same components as those shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Using the ultraviolet irradiation device, each of the lamps (25) of each light source unit (20A) was turned on under the same lighting conditions, and ultraviolet rays were irradiated onto the test liquid crystal panel. The test liquid crystal was measured in the same manner as in Experimental Example 1. The illuminance uniformity of the light-irradiated surface of the test liquid crystal panel was determined by the illuminance and temperature of any of the plurality of measurement surfaces on the light-irradiated surface of the surface plate, and it was confirmed that the illuminance uniformity was within ±10.8%. Further, the average illuminance (Ea) of the light-irradiated surface of the liquid crystal panel for the test was about 25 mW/cm ² .

In addition, the temperature of the light-irradiated surface of the test liquid crystal panel was confirmed to be 60 ° C ± 12 ° C (degree of temperature rise) from the time when the irradiation of the ultraviolet light was started for 120 seconds.

Further, the total amount of radiant heat of the light in the wavelength band of 200 nm to 20,000 nm was measured by a calorimeter, and the total amount of radiant heat of the liquid crystal panel for the test was 173 mW/cm ² , and the ultraviolet ray of the wavelength band of 300 nm to 400 nm was used. The amount of radiant heat caused by the light (which does not contribute to the photochemical reaction of the liquid crystal panel) is 148 mW/cm ² . Here, the surface temperature of the lamp is about 300 °C.

<Comparative Example 2>

According to the structure shown in Fig. 7, a comparative ultraviolet irradiation device was produced. In the ultraviolet irradiation device manufactured in the above-described Experimental Example 1, the light source unit does not have an outer sleeve, and is used as an opening edge of the light irradiation opening (12) instead of the light guiding portion. In addition, the auxiliary reflection plate (51A) is provided, and the light transmission window (12A) is provided in the light irradiation opening (12), and has the same structure as the ultraviolet irradiation device produced in the above Experimental Example 1, The same constituent members are attached with the same symbols for convenience. In Fig. 7, reference numeral 50A is a housing that internally distinguishes the processing space.

Using the ultraviolet irradiation device, each of the lamps (25) of each light source unit (20A) was turned on under the same lighting conditions, and ultraviolet rays were irradiated onto the test liquid crystal panel. The test liquid crystal was measured in the same manner as in Experimental Example 1. The illuminance uniformity of the light-irradiated surface of the test liquid crystal panel was determined by the illuminance and temperature of any of the plurality of measurement surfaces on the light-irradiated surface of the surface plate, and it was confirmed that the illuminance uniformity was within ±11.2%. Further, the average illuminance (Ea) of the light-irradiated surface of the liquid crystal panel for the test was about 21 mW/cm ² .

In addition, the temperature of the light-irradiated surface of the test liquid crystal panel was confirmed to be 45 ° C ± 20 ° C (degree of temperature rise) from the time when the irradiation of the ultraviolet light was started for 120 seconds.

Further, the total amount of radiant heat of the light in the wavelength band of 200 nm to 20,000 nm is measured by a calorimeter, and the total amount of radiant heat of the liquid crystal panel for test is 110 mW/cm ² , and the ultraviolet ray of the wavelength band of 300 nm to 400 nm is not included. The amount of radiant heat caused by the light (which does not contribute to the photochemical reaction of the liquid crystal panel) is 89 mW/cm ² . Here, the surface temperature of the lamp was 280 ° C, and the surface temperature of the light transmission window was about 147 ° C.

As described above, according to the ultraviolet irradiation device of the present invention, it is possible to obtain excellent in-plane uniformity with respect to ultraviolet illuminance and temperature in the light-irradiated surface of the object to be processed.

Moreover, it was confirmed that the degree of temperature rise of the object to be processed due to ultraviolet irradiation can be reduced.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be added.

For example, in the ultraviolet irradiation device of the present invention, the number and arrangement method of the light source elements constituting the light source unit are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the design changes can be appropriately made depending on the purpose.

10. . . Light source department

11. . . Light source part housing member

11A. . . One end wall

11B. . . Another end wall

12. . . Light irradiation opening

12A. . . Light transmission window

13. . . One end side partition

13A. . . Air vent

14. . . Other end spacer

14A. . . Exhaust vent

15. . . Light source unit configuration space

16. . . Electrical assembly space

18. . . Air guide space department

19. . . Exhaust space department

20,20A. . . Light source unit

twenty one. . . Light source component

twenty two. . . Lamp holding unit

twenty four. . . Outer casing (cylindrical sleeve)

24A. . . Cooling air circulation path

25. . . Excimer discharge lamp (light)

26. . . Discharge capacitor

26A. . . Upper wall

26B. . . Lower wall

27A. . . One electrode

27B. . . The other electrode

30. . . Reflective layer

31. . . Glass powder layer

32. . . Phosphor layer

35. . . transformer

S. . . Discharge space

40. . . Cooling section

41. . . Cooling section housing member

42. . . cooling fan

43. . . Heat exchanger

45. . . Ventilation duct

50‧‧‧Light Guide

50A‧‧‧shell

51‧‧‧Light guiding members

51A‧‧‧Subsidy reflector

52A~52D‧‧‧plate-like members

53‧‧‧Base member

54‧‧‧Light reflective components

55‧‧‧Open and close the door

58‧‧‧ platform

59‧‧‧ Platform stand

60‧‧‧Power Supply Department

W‧‧‧Objects to be treated

70‧‧‧LCD panel

71‧‧‧1st glass plate

72‧‧‧Active components

73‧‧‧Liquid for LCD drive

74‧‧‧Alignment film

75‧‧‧2nd glass plate

76‧‧‧Color filters

77‧‧‧Transparent electrode

78‧‧‧Alignment film

79‧‧‧ spacer components

80‧‧‧Liquid layer

[Fig. 1] An explanatory view showing an outline of an internal structure of a structural example of the ultraviolet irradiation device of the present invention as seen from the front direction.

Fig. 2 is an explanatory view showing an outline of an internal structure of the ultraviolet irradiation device shown in Fig. 1 as seen from a side surface direction.

Fig. 3 is an explanatory view schematically showing an arrangement example of a light source element of a light source unit according to the present invention.

4 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a lamp-related excimer lamp used in the ultraviolet irradiation device of the present invention, (A) a perspective view, and (B) a cross-sectional view perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the lamp.

Fig. 5 is a view showing an example of a configuration of a light guiding member constituting a light guiding portion, (A) a perspective view, and (B) an end view of a side wall of the light guiding member.

Fig. 6 is an explanatory view showing an outline of an internal structure of a comparative ultraviolet ray irradiation apparatus produced in Comparative Experimental Example 1 viewed from a side surface direction.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing an outline of an internal structure of a comparative ultraviolet irradiation device produced in Comparative Experimental Example 2, viewed from a side surface direction.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view for explaining an outline of a structure of a liquid crystal panel.

10. . . Light source department

11. . . Light source part housing member

11A. . . One end wall

11B. . . Another end wall

12. . . Light irradiation opening

13. . . One end side partition

13A. . . Air vent

14. . . Other end spacer

14A. . . Exhaust vent

15. . . Light source unit configuration space

18. . . Air guide space department

19. . . Exhaust space department

20. . . Light source unit

twenty one. . . Light source component

twenty two. . . Lamp holding unit

twenty four. . . Outer casing (cylindrical sleeve)

25. . . Excimer discharge lamp (light)

40. . . Cooling section

41. . . Cooling section housing member

42. . . cooling fan

43. . . Heat exchanger

45. . . Ventilation duct

50. . . Light guide

51. . . Light guiding member

58. . . platform

59. . . Platform stand

W. . . Object to be processed

Claims (4)

An ultraviolet irradiation device used in a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal panel including an optically active material, characterized in that the light source unit is provided with a light source unit that emits light having a light emission peak at a wavelength of 300 nm to 400 nm. An excimer lamp, and a plurality of light source elements which are provided in a state in which the excimer lamp is inserted inside, and are formed in a tubular elongated outer sleeve having openings at both ends of the light transmissive property And the cooling mechanism includes an air guiding space portion and an air exhausting space portion; and the one end opening of the sleeve is located in common The air-conducting space portion is located in the common air-exhausting space portion, and the cooling air is introduced into the air-conducting space portion through the inside of the casing other than the light source element. The ultraviolet irradiation device according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein the light source unit and the object to be processed are provided with a light guiding portion formed by a space formed by the reflecting surface of the inner peripheral surface. The ultraviolet irradiation device according to the first or second aspect of the invention, wherein the excimer lamp includes a discharge vessel having a rectangular cross section, and the outer sleeve is cylindrical. The ultraviolet irradiation device described in claim 1 or 2, wherein In the cooling mechanism, the air-conditioning space portion and the air-discharging space portion form a circulating cooling air flow path, and the heat-dissipating heat exchanger is disposed in the circulating cooling air flow path.