Device manufacturing apparatus and method, and driving method for device manufacturing apparatus
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a device manufacturing apparatus in which a device can be precisely manufactured by stably ejecting a predetermined amount of droplets when the device is manufactured using a droplet ejecting device. The apparatus can include a pressure generation chamber having a Helmholtz resonance frequency of a period TH. A driving signal includes a first signal element to cause the pressure generation chamber to expand, a second signal element to cause the expanded pressure generation chamber to contract, and a third signal element to cause the pressure generation chamber to expand to its original state, which is held before the first signal element is output, after ejection of a droplet. The time which elapses between the beginning of output of the first signal element and the beginning of output of the second signal element, and the time which elapses between the beginning of output of the second signal element and the beginning of output of the third signal element are set to be substantially equivalent to the period TH. The sum of the amplitude of the first signal element and that of the third signal element is set to be substantially equivalent to the amplitude of the second signal element. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively suppress the vibration of a meniscus in the nozzle opening corresponding to the pressure generation chamber.
1. A device manufacturing apparatus comprising an inkjet device including a pressure generation chamber having a variable internal volume and a Helmholtz resonance frequency of a period TH, the device manufacturing apparatus comprising:
a nozzle opening connected with an inside of the pressure generation chamber;
a driving unit that causes the pressure generation chamber to expand and contract;
a control unit that generates a predetermined driving signal to the driving unit, the control unit generating:
a first signal element to cause the pressure generation chamber to expand;
a second signal element to cause the expanded pressure generation chamber to contract in order to eject a liquid material in the pressure generation chamber as a droplet from the nozzle opening;
a third signal element to cause the pressure generation chamber to expand to a state, which is held before the first signal element is output and after the ejection of the droplet,
a first time which elapses between the beginning of output of the first signal element and the beginning of output of the second signal element being set so as to be substantially equivalent to the period TH,
a second time which elapses between the beginning of output of the second signal element and the beginning of output of the third signal element being set so as to be substantially equivalent to the period TH, and
a sum of an amplitude of the first signal element and an amplitude of the third signal element being set so as to be substantially equivalent to an amplitude of the second signal element;
a stage that supports a substrate onto which the droplet is ejected;
a first shifter that moveably supports the stage; and
a second shifter that moveably supports the inkjet device, and is capable of rotating the inkjet device around a lateral direction of a base that supports the first shifter, and around a direction along a portion between a front portion and a back portion of the base.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , the control unit outputting the second signal element when a meniscus of the liquid material in the pressure generation chamber turns toward the nozzle opening.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , the control unit changing the duration of the third signal element.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , the control unit changing an initial value of the third signal element.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , the control unit changing the duration of the first signal element.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , the driving unit having a piezoelectric vibrator.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , the piezoelectric vibrator including a longitudinal-mode piezoelectric vibrator.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , the inkjet device ejecting an electrooptic-device forming material.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , the inkjet device ejecting a color-filter forming material.
10. A device manufacturing apparatus comprising an inkjet device including a pressure generation chamber having a variable internal volume and a Helmholtz resonance frequency of a period TH, the device manufacturing apparatus comprising:
a nozzle opening connected with an inside of the pressure generation chamber;
a driving unit that causes the pressure generation chamber to expand and contract;
a control unit to generate a predetermined driving signal to the driving unit, the control unit generating:
a first signal element to cause the pressure generation chamber to expand;
a second signal element to cause the expanded pressure generation chamber to contract in order to eject a liquid material in the pressure generation chamber as a droplet from the nozzle opening;
a third signal element to cause the pressure generation chamber to expand to a state, which is held before the first signal element is output and after the ejection of the droplet,
a first time which elapses between the beginning of output of the first signal element and the beginning of output of the second signal element being set so as to be substantially equivalent to the period TH,
a second time which elapses between the beginning of output of the second signal element and the beginning of output of the third signal element being set so as to be substantially equivalent to the period TH, and
a duration of the first signal element, a duration of the second signal element, and a duration of the third signal element being set so as to be substantially equivalent to each other;
a stage that supports a substrate onto which the droplet is ejected;
a first shifter that moveably supports the stage;
and a second shifter that moveably supports the inkjet device, and is capable of rotating the inkjet device around a lateral direction of a base that supports the first shifter, and around a direction along a portion between a front portion and a back portion of the base.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , the control unit outputting the second signal element as a meniscus of the liquid material in the pressure generation chamber turns toward the nozzle opening.
12. The apparatus according to claim 10 , the control unit changing the duration of the third signal element.
13. The apparatus according to claim 10 , the control unit changing an initial value of the third signal element.
14. The apparatus according to claim 10 , the control unit changing the duration of the first signal element.
15. The apparatus according to claim 10 , the driving unit having a piezoelectric vibrator.
16. The apparatus according to claim 15 , the piezoelectric vibrator including a longitudinal-mode piezoelectric vibrator.
17. The apparatus according to claim 10 , the inkjet device ejecting an electrooptic-device forming material.
18. The apparatus according to claim 10 , the inkjet device ejecting a color-filter forming material.