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Mar. 1998
Nikon Corporation has developed the Flat Panel Display Exposure System FX-701M, scheduled to go on sale on July 1, 1998.
The FX-701M uses a step-and-repeat system used to expose liquid-crystal display (LCD) circuit patterns and print them on glass plates.
It offers throughput about 30 % higher than previous Nikon models, enabling more efficient mass production of LCDs.
Development Background
The TFT (Thin-Film Transistor) active matrix color LCD first became extensively used as a VGA class displays (640 x 480 pixels) of 8- to 10-in. sizes for notebook PCs.
Display size has grown year after year with the most popular displays today being SVGA class (800 x 600 pixels) and XGA class (1,024 x 768 pixels) of 12-in. size, with increasing demand for 13- to 14-in.displays.
In addition, 15-in. and larger displays are expected to find applications as desktop color monitors, which should further expand the market.
The Nikon Flat Panel Display Exposure System FX-701M, due out shortly, can image 13- and 14-in. displays by splitting each display into four (4) exposures, achieving throughput improvement of about 30 % (compared to Nikon's predecessor models, for 13.3-in. panels).
For mass production of monitor displays, the FX-701M can image 17-in. displays by splitting each display into six (6) exposures.
In all, the power of the FX-701M boosts manufacturing effiency for TFT LCD displays.
Main Features
The new projection lens covers an exposure area of 132 x 132 mm (as compared to 120 x 120 mm with the previous lens) in one shot.
This means that all circuit patterns for a 14.1-in. panel can be printed in four (4) shots.
As a result, when exposing six (6) 13.3-in. displays on an single glass plate, throughput is about 30 % higher than that of previous Nikon models, and 350 such displays can be printed per hour.
Exposure area is extended to 132 x 132 mm, yet resolution is maintained at 2.4 microns or finer.
This resolution allows high speed production of LCDs of even higher definition.
Glass substrates as large as 600 x 720mm2 can be processed.
This enables imaging six (6) 14.1-in. displays or four (4) 17-in. displays on a single plate.
Ultra-large display panels of 36-in. class can also be manufactured.
The six (6)-reticle changer enables efficient printing of large displays --- for example, as few as six (6) shots are required per 17-in. display.
This option is particularly advantageous for the promising market of TFT LCDs for desktop color monitors.
Specifications
| Resolution | 2.4 micron or less (isolated pattern), 3 micron or less ( L / S ) |
|---|---|
| Exposure area | 132 x 132 mm to 105.87 x 153.75 mm (186.68 mm diameter) |
| Projection magnification ratio |
1.25 (enlargement) |
| Alignment accuracy | 0.5 micron or less |
| Maximum plate size | 600 x 720 mm2 |
| Reticle size | 6-in. |
| Options | Pellicle particle detector, Extended reticle library , Reticle barcode reader, Plate edge exposure system |
| Dimensions (WxDxH) and weight (approx.) |
Main body : 3,115 x 3,500 x 2,978 mm ; 10,700 kg Loader : 1,315 x 2,880 x 2,800 mm ; 1,500 kg Control rack : 630 x 2,100 x 2,100 mm ; 1,000 kg |
