TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing fine surface roughness on a quartz glass substrate.
BACKGROUND ART
An antireflective structure that includes fine surface roughness formed on a surface of a quartz glass substrate, the fine surface roughness having a pitch (period) equal to or smaller than wavelength of light, is used for optical elements. As methods for manufacturing such fine surface roughness, a method including the steps of forming a pattern mask on a surface by electron beam lithography and of etching the surface to form fine surface roughness thereon (Patent document 1), a method including the steps of forming a pattern mask on a surface by spattering and of etching the surface to form fine surface roughness thereon (Patent document 2) and a method including the step of distributing nanoparticles over a surface to form fine surface roughness thereon (Patent document 3) are known.
The conventional methods described above, however, have disadvantages described below. The method using electron beam lithography requires too much processing time and therefore can hardly be used to form fine surface roughness over a sufficiently large surface area. In the method using spattering, a mask used to form a desired shape of fine surface roughness can hardly be obtained by adjusting the conditions, and therefore high antireflective performance cannot be obtained. The method using nanoparticles requires a number of processing steps in order to form an intermediate layer between a quartz glass substrate and nanoparticles and also higher costs because of expensive nanoparticles.
Further, a method for manufacturing fine surface roughness on a glass substrate through reactive ion etching has been developed (Patent document 4). The method uses, as an etching mask, polymer particles that have been generated by chemical reactions between glass and etching gas and distributed at random on a glass substrate. In the method, however, the shape of fine surface roughness is susceptible to types of glass and to surface conditions of the glass, because the method uses chemical reactions to generate the etching mask, and therefore fine surface roughness having a desired shape can hardly be manufactured with stability.
Thus, a method for manufacturing fine surface roughness having a desired shape over a large area of a quartz glass substrate with stability, the method using a relatively simple manufacturing process has not been developed.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method for manufacturing fine surface roughness having a desired shape over a large area of a quartz glass substrate with stability, the method using a relatively simple manufacturing process.
PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS
Patent Documents
- Patent document 1: JP2001272505A
- Patent document 2: JP2019008082A
- Patent document 3: JP2006259711A
- Patent document 4: U.S. Pat. No. 8,187,481B1
The object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing fine surface roughness having a desired shape over a large area of a quartz glass substrate with stability, the method using a relatively simple manufacturing process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method for manufacturing fine surface roughness having an average pitch of 50 nanometers to 5 micrometers on a quartz glass substrate without preparing a mask prior to an etching process according to the present invention includes the steps of making the quartz glass substrate undergo ion etching with argon gas in an ion etching apparatus, in which the quartz glass substrate is placed on a first electrode, the first electrode is connected to a high frequency power source and a second electrode is grounded; and making the quartz glass substrate undergo reactive ion etching with trifluoromethane (CHF) gas or a mixed gas of trifluoromethane (CHF) and oxygen in the ion etching apparatus in which the quartz glass substrate is placed on the first electrode, the first electrode is connected to the high frequency power source and the second electrode is grounded.
In the manufacturing method according to the present invention, the quartz glass substrate is made to undergo ion etching with argon gas before it is made to undergo reactive ion etching, and therefore the arrangement of atoms on the surface of the quartz glass substrate is changed in such a way that fine surface roughness can be easily formed on the surface of the quartz glass substrate by the reactive ion etching independently of an initial state of the surface. Accordingly, fine surface roughness having a desired shape can be manufactured over a large area of a quartz glass substrate with stability through reactive ion etching without preparing a mask prior to an etching process. Even when a surface of a quartz glass substrate is curved one, as in the case of a quartz glass lens, fine surface roughness having a desired shape can be manufactured thereon according to the present invention.
In a method according to a first embodiment of the present invention, a ratio of a flow rate of oxygen gas to a flow rate of the mixed gas is in a range from 0 to 50 percent.
According to the present embodiment, by supplying oxygen gas in the above-described range, polymer particles that have been generated by trifluoromethane (CHF) gas and have attached to the surface of the quartz glass substrate can be removed so that higher antireflective performance can be achieved.
A method according to a second embodiment of the present invention further includes the step of making the quartz glass substrate undergo radical etching with trifluoromethane (CHF) gas or oxygen gas in the ion etching apparatus in which the quartz glass substrate is placed on the first electrode, the first electrode is grounded and the second electrode is connected to the high frequency power source.
According to the present embodiment, still higher antireflective performance is achieved through radical etching. Further, water repellency is improved through radical etching with trifluoromethane (CHF) gas, and hydrophilicity is improved through radical etching with oxygen gas.
A method according to a third embodiment of the present invention further includes the step of making the quartz glass substrate undergo wet coating after the step of making the quartz glass substrate undergo reactive ion etching.
According to the present embodiment, still higher antireflective performance is achieved through wet coating.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows constituent elements of an etching apparatus used for a method for manufacturing fine surface roughness on a quartz glass substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flowchart for describing a method for manufacturing fine surface roughness on a quartz glass substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a drawing for illustrating the method for manufacturing fine surface roughness on a quartz glass substrate according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for describing a method for manufacturing fine surface roughness on a quartz glass substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a drawing for illustrating the method for manufacturing fine surface roughness on a quartz glass substrate according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 illustrates how the third etching process changes the shape of fine surface roughness formed on the surface of the quartz glass substrate;
FIG. 7 shows transmittance of quartz glass substrates on which fine surface roughness is formed respectively with and without the first etching process;
FIG. 8 shows reflectance of the quartz glass substrate on which fine surface roughness is formed with the first etching process;
FIG. 9 is a photo for comparison between reflection of the above-described quartz glass substrate on which fine surface roughness is formed with the first etching process and reflection of the above-described quartz glass substrate on which no fine surface roughness is formed;
FIG. 10 is a photo of a waterdrop on a surface of a quartz glass substrate on which no fine surface roughness is formed;
FIG. 11 is a photo of a waterdrop on a surface of a quartz glass substrate with fine surface roughness which has undergone etching using trifluoromethane (CHF) gas in the third etching process;
FIG. 12 is a photo of a waterdrop on a surface of a quartz glass substrate with fine surface roughness which has undergone etching using oxygen gas in the third etching process;
FIG. 13 is a flowchart for describing a method for manufacturing fine surface roughness on a quartz glass substrate according to still another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 14 is a drawing for illustrating the method for manufacturing fine surface roughness on a quartz glass substrate according to the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 15 illustrates how the shape of the fine surface roughness formed on the surface of the quartz glass substrate changes through the wet coating process;
FIG. 16 shows transmittance of a quartz glass substrate provided with fine surface roughness that has been made to undergo a wet coating process;
FIG. 17 shows reflectance of the quartz glass substrate provided with fine surface roughness that has been made to undergo the wet coating process;
FIG. 18 shows reflectance of a quartz glass substrate on which no fine surface roughness is formed and which has been made to undergo the wet coating process;
FIG. 19 is a photo of a waterdrop on a surface of a quartz glass substrate on which no fine surface roughness is formed:
FIG. 20 is a photo of a waterdrop on a surface of a quartz glass substrate on which fine surface roughness is formed, the fine surface roughness having not been made to undergo wet coating;
FIG. 21 is a photo of a waterdrop on a surface of a quartz glass substrate on which fine surface roughness is formed, the fine surface roughness having been made to undergo wet coating;
FIG. 22 shows transmittance of a quartz glass substrate on which fine surface roughness is formed;
FIG. 23 is a flowchart for outlining the methods for manufacturing fine surface roughness on a quartz glass substrate according to the present invention;
FIG. 24 shows a SEM (scanning electron microscope) image of a surface of the “with argon” substrate; and
FIG. 25 shows a SEM (scanning electron microscope) image of a surface of the “without argon” substrate.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows components of an etching apparatus 100 used for a method for manufacturing fine surface roughness on a quartz glass substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention. The etching apparatus 100 has a reaction chamber 101. After having been evacuated, the reaction chamber 101 is supplied with a gas through a gas supply port 111. The flow rate of gas to be supplied can be adjusted. The reaction chamber 101 is further provided with a gas exhaust port 113, on which a valve not illustrated in the drawing is installed. By manipulating the valve, gas pressure in the reaction chamber 101 can be kept at a desired value. The reaction chamber 101 is provided with an upper electrode 103, which is usually grounded, and a lower electrode 105, which is usually connected to a high-frequency power source 107. By applying a high-frequency voltage across both the electrodes using the high-frequency power source 107, plasma can be generated from the gas in the reaction chamber 101. On the lower electrode 105, a target to be processed is placed. The lower electrode 105 can be cooled to a desired temperature by a cooling device 109. The cooling device 109 is a water-cooling type chiller, for example. The reason why the lower electrode 105 is cooled is that etching reaction can be controlled by keeping a substrate 200 (the target) at a desired temperature.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart for describing a method for manufacturing fine surface roughness on a quartz glass substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a drawing for illustrating the method for manufacturing fine surface roughness on a quartz glass substrate according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2.
In step S1010 of FIG. 2, a quartz glass substrate 200 is placed on the lower electrode 105, the etching apparatus 100 is supplied with argon gas, and a high-frequency voltage is applied to the lower electrode 105 by the high-frequency power source 107. The state of argon gas changes into plasma by the high-frequency voltage, and argon ions are generated. The argon cations are attracted to the lower electrode 105 that is charged negative with electrons and collide against a surface of the quartz glass substrate 200 so that a physical etching process takes place on the surface. The etching process in the present step is referred to as a first etching process.
As shown in FIG. 3, the arrangement of atoms on the surface of the quartz glass substrate 200 is changed by the first etching process in such a way that fine surface roughness can be easily formed on the surface of the quartz glass substrate 200 in a second etching process described later independently of an initial state of the surface.
In step S1020 of FIG. 2, the etching apparatus 100 is supplied with trifluoromethane (CHF) gas or a mixed gas of trifluoromethane (CHF3) and oxygen, and a high-frequency voltage is applied to the lower electrode 105 by the high-frequency power source 107. The state of trifluoromethane (CHF) gas or of the oxygen gas changes into plasma by the high-frequency voltage, and trifluoromethane (CHF) cations or oxygen cations are generated. The trifluoromethane (CHF) cations or oxygen cations are attracted to the lower electrode 105 that is charged negative with electrons and collide against the surface of the quartz glass substrate 200 so that a physical etching process takes place on the surface. Further, trifluoromethane (CHF) ions or radicals react with silicon dioxide (SiO2) that constitute the quartz glass to form various reaction products such as silicon fluoride (SiF4) and oxygen (O2). When the reaction products leave the surface of the quartz glass substrate 200, an additional etching process takes place. The oxygen gas removes polymer particles that have been generated by the trifluoromethane (CHF) gas and have adhered onto the surface of the quartz glass substrate 200 so that antireflection performance is improved. The ratio of oxygen gas flow rate to the total gas flow rate is preferably in a range from 0 to 50 percent. The etching process in the present step is referred to as a second etching process.
As shown in FIG. 3, fine surface roughness is formed on the quartz glass substrate 200 by the second etching process.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for describing a method for manufacturing fine surface roughness on a quartz glass substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a drawing for illustrating the method for manufacturing fine surface roughness on a quartz glass substrate according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4.
In step S2010 of FIG. 4, the first etching process is carried out just as in the step S1010 of FIG. 2.
In step S2020 of FIG. 4, the second etching process is carried out just as in the step S1020 of FIG. 2.
In step S2030 of FIG. 4, the upper electrode 103 is connected to the high-frequency power source 107, and the lower electrode 105 is grounded. The etching apparatus 100 is supplied with trifluoromethane (CHF) gas or oxygen gas, and a high-frequency voltage is applied to the upper electrode 103 by the high-frequency power source 107. In the present step, trifluoromethane (CHF) cations or oxygen cations are attracted to the upper electrode 103 and do not contribute to a physical etching on the surface of the quartz glass substrate 200. In the present step, as shown in FIG. 5, a chemical etching process takes place through reactions between trifluoromethane (CHF) radicals or oxygen radicals and the surface of the quartz glass substrate 200. A radical is a molecule that carries no charge and has unpaired electrons. The etching process in the present step is milder and more isotropic compared with the second etching process. The etching process in the present step is referred to as a third etching process.
The third etching process changes the shape of fine surface roughness formed on the surface of the quartz glass substrate 200. How the shape is changed will be described below.
FIG. 6 illustrates how the third etching process changes the shape of fine surface roughness formed on the surface of the quartz glass substrate 200. Since the third etching process is more isotropic compared with the second etching process, the side of each projection of fine surface roughness is further made to undergo etching so that the shape of each projection is supposed to approach to a conical shape. In general, as the shape of each projection of fine surface roughness approaches to a conical shape, antireflective performance is improved. Accordingly, it is expected that the third etching process will improve antireflective performance.
Table 1 shows etching conditions of the first to third etching processes.
TABLE 1
|
|
RF (high-
|
Gas
Gas component
frequency)
Temper-
Etching
|
pressure
and gas flow rate
Mode
power
ature
time
|
|
1.0Pa
Ar: 20 ml/min
Ion
100 W
2.0° C.
1800 sec
|
etching
|
1.7Pa
O2: 2 ml/min
Ion
175 W
2.0° C.
1800 sec
|
CHF3: 18 ml/min
etching
|
1.0Pa
CHF3: 20 ml/min
Radical
50 W
2.0° C.
300 sec
|
etching
|
|
The frequency of the high-frequency power source 107 is 13.56 MHz. The values of temperature shown in Table 1 are those of the lower electrode 105, which are controlled by the cooling device 109.
In table 1, ion etching means etching that is carried out mainly physically through collision of ions against the target, and radical etching means chemical etching that is carried out through chemical reactions between radicals and a surface of the target.
Concerning the fine surface roughness formed on the quartz glass substrate, the average pitch (period) is 120 nanometers, and the average depth is 280 nanometers.
In general, the average pitch and the average depth of fine surface roughness increase with increase in at least one of power and etching time. When the etching conditions are appropriately determined, the average pitch and the average depth of fine surface roughness can be changed respectively in a range from 50 nanometers to 5 micrometers and in a range from 50 nanometers to 10 micrometers. Fine surface roughness thus obtained by a method according to the present invention has antireflective performance for light of wavelength from 180 nanometers to 10 micrometers.
FIG. 7 shows transmittance of quartz glass substrates on which fine surface roughness is formed respectively with and without the first etching process. The horizontal axis of FIG. 7 indicates wavelength, and the vertical axis of FIG. 7 indicates transmittance. The unit of the horizontal axis is nanometer, and the unit of the vertical axis is percent. In FIG. 7, the solid line described as “with argon” represents transmittance of a quartz glass substrate on which fine surface roughness is formed with the first etching process (an argon gas etching process), the thick broken line described as “without argon” represents transmittance of a quartz glass substrate on which fine surface roughness is formed without the first etching process (an argon gas etching process), and the thin broken line described as “unprocessed” represents transmittance of a quartz glass substrate on which no fine surface roughness is formed. According to FIG. 7, the values of transmittance of the “with argon” substrate is greater by 0.5 to 4 percent than the values of transmittance of the “without argon” substrate and greater by 5 to 7 percent than the values of transmittance of the “unprocessed” substrate across the whole range of wavelength.
FIG. 24 shows a SEM (scanning electron microscope) image of a surface of the “with argon” substrate.
FIG. 25 shows a SEM (scanning electron microscope) image of a surface of the “without argon” substrate.
Comparing FIG. 24 and FIG. 25, the pitch of the fine surface roughness of the “with argon” substrate is smaller than that of the “without argon” substrate, and the aspect ratio of the fine surface roughness of the “with argon” substrate is greater than that of the “without argon” substrate. In the method without the first etching process, polymer particles that have been generated in the second etching process (the etching process with trifluoromethane (CHF) gas) attach to the glass substrate and function as an etching mask so that fine surface roughness is formed on the substrate. However, fine surface roughness with a smaller pitch and a higher aspect ratio cannot be formed without the first etching process (the etching process with argon gas), because the state of atoms on the substrate surface has not been changed by the first etching process before the second etching process as described above.
FIG. 8 shows reflectance of the quartz glass substrate on which fine surface roughness is formed with the first etching process. The horizontal axis of FIG. 8 indicates wavelength, and the vertical axis of FIG. 8 indicates reflectance. The unit of the horizontal axis is nanometer, and the unit of the vertical axis is percent. In FIG. 8, the solid line described as “processed” represents reflectance of the quartz glass substrate on which fine surface roughness is formed with the first etching process, and the broken line described as “unprocessed” represents reflectance of the quartz glass substrate on which no fine surface roughness is formed. According to FIG. 8, reflectance of the “processed” substrate is smaller by 2.5 to 3.5 percent than reflectance of the “unprocessed” substrate across the whole range of wavelength.
FIG. 9 is a photo for comparison between reflection of the above-described quartz glass substrate on which fine surface roughness is formed with the first etching process and reflection of the above-described quartz glass substrate on which no fine surface roughness is formed. In FIG. 9, the quartz glass substrate on which fine surface roughness is formed is described as “processed”, and the quartz glass substrate on which no fine surface roughness is formed is described as “unprocessed”. While a reflected image of characters can be observed on the “unprocessed” substrate, that cannot be observed on the “processed” substrate. The observation verifies that reflectance of the “processed” substrate is reduced.
FIG. 10 is a photo of a waterdrop on a surface of a quartz glass substrate on which no fine surface roughness is formed.
FIG. 11 is a photo of a waterdrop on a surface of a quartz glass substrate with fine surface roughness which has undergone etching using trifluoromethane (CHF) gas in the third etching process.
FIG. 12 is a photo of a waterdrop on a surface of a quartz glass substrate with fine surface roughness which has undergone etching using oxygen gas in the third etching process.
The values of angle of contact of the waterdrops in FIGS. 10 to 12 are 51.4 degrees, 141 degrees and 9.1 degrees respectively. In general, angle of contact is defined as an angle between a free surface of quiescent liquid and a wall surface of a solid at a position where the free surface and the wall surface of the solid contact with each other, the angle being inside the liquid. A greater angle of contact means a greater water repellency and a smaller hydrophilicity.
According to FIGS. 10 to 12, etching using trifluoromethane (CHF) gas in the third etching process makes water repellency greater, and etching using oxygen gas in the third etching process makes hydrophilicity greater. Thus, water repellency or hydrophilicity of a surface can be changed through the third etching process.
It is supposed that in the third etching process using trifluoromethane (CHF) gas, chemical reactions alone take place on a surface of the fine surface roughness by radicals of trifluoromethane (CHF), and fluorine type hydrophobic groups grow there so that water repellency increases.
It is supposed that in the third etching process using oxygen gas, radicals of oxygen react with products generated by the second etching process on the surface of the fine surface roughness, and hydrophilic groups such as OH, C HO and COOH are generated on the surface so that hydrophilicity increases.
FIG. 13 is a flowchart for describing a method for manufacturing fine surface roughness on a quartz glass substrate according to still another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 14 is a drawing for illustrating the method for manufacturing fine surface roughness on a quartz glass substrate according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 13
In step S3010 of FIG. 13, the first etching process is carried out just as in the step S1010 of FIG. 2.
In step S3020 of FIG. 13, the second etching process is carried out just as in the step S1020 of FIG. 2.
In step S3030 of FIG. 13, the quartz glass substrate 200 is taken out of the etching apparatus 100 and made to undergo a wet coating process by dipping the substrate into a liquid for water repellant coating (FG-5080F130-0.1 made by Fluoro Technology Co., LTD., for example) or a liquid for hydrophilic coating (SPRA-101 made by TOKYO OHKA KOGYO CO., LTD., for example) in a container as shown in FIG. 14. A wet coating process is a technique for forming a coating film through dipping into a liquid.
FIG. 15 illustrates how the shape of the fine surface roughness formed on the surface of the quartz glass substrate changes through the wet coating process. Through the wet coating process, a coating film is formed on the surface of the fine surface roughness. As shown in FIG. 15, the coating film changes the shape of projections of the fine surface roughness. By the way of example, the average pitch of the fine surface roughness is 120 nanometers as described above, and the thickness of the coating film is 10 to 20 nanometers. Further, since the value of refractive index of a coating liquid of which the coating film is made is between that of quartz and that of air, the coating film functions as a preferable intermediate layer between quartz and air from the viewpoint of antireflective performance.
FIG. 16 shows transmittance of a quartz glass substrate provided with fine surface roughness that has been made to undergo a wet coating process. The wet coating liquid is the liquid for water repellant coating (FG-5080F130-0.1 made by Fluoro Technology Co., LTD.). The horizontal axis of FIG. 16 indicates wavelength, and the vertical axis of FIG. 16 indicates transmittance. The unit of the horizontal axis is nanometer, and the unit of the vertical axis is percent. In FIG. 16, the solid line described as “with coating” represents transmittance of a quartz glass substrate provided with fine surface roughness that has been made to undergo the wet coating process, the broken line described as “without coating” represents transmittance of a quartz glass substrate provided with fine surface roughness that has not been made to undergo the wet coating process, and the dotted line described as “unprocessed” represents transmittance of a quartz glass substrate on which no fine surface roughness is formed. According to FIG. 16, transmittance of the substrate “with coating” is greater by 5 to 6.5 percent than transmittance of the “unprocessed” substrate across the whole range of wavelength. Further, transmittance of the substrate “with coating” is greater than transmittance of the substrate “without coating” in the wavelength range from 450 to 800 nanometers.
FIG. 17 shows reflectance of the quartz glass substrate provided with fine surface roughness that has been made to undergo the wet coating process. The horizontal axis of FIG. 17 indicates wavelength, and the vertical axis of FIG. 17 indicates reflectance. The unit of the horizontal axis is nanometer, and the unit of the vertical axis is percent. In FIG. 17, the solid line described as “with coating” represents reflectance of the quartz glass substrate provided with fine surface roughness that has been made to undergo the wet coating process, the broken line described as “without coating” represents reflectance of the quartz glass substrate provided with fine surface roughness that has not been made to undergo the wet coating process, and the dotted line described as “unprocessed” represents reflectance of the quartz glass substrate on which no fine surface roughness is formed. According to FIG. 17, reflectance of the substrate “with coating” is smaller by 2.5 to 3.5 percent than reflectance of the “unprocessed” substrate across the whole range of wavelength. Further, reflectance of the substrate “with coating” is smaller than reflectance of the substrate “without coating” in the wavelength range from 450 to 800 nanometers.
FIG. 18 shows reflectance of a quartz glass substrate on which no fine surface roughness is formed and which has been made to undergo the wet coating process. The horizontal axis of FIG. 18 indicates wavelength, and the vertical axis of FIG. 18 indicates reflectance. The unit of the horizontal axis is nanometer, and the unit of the vertical axis is percent. In FIG. 18, the broken line described as “with coating” represents reflectance of a quartz glass substrate on which no fine surface roughness is formed and which has been made to undergo the wet coating process, and the solid line described as “without coating” represents reflectance of a quartz glass substrate on which no fine surface roughness is formed and which has not been made to undergo the wet coating process.
According to FIG. 18, the wet coating process has no influence on reflectance of the quartz glass substrate on which no fine surface roughness is formed. Accordingly, it has been verified that reduction in reflectance thorough a wet coating process is unique to fine surface roughness.
FIG. 19 is a photo of a waterdrop on a surface of a quartz glass substrate on which no fine surface roughness is formed.
FIG. 20 is a photo of a waterdrop on a surface of a quartz glass substrate on which fine surface roughness is formed, the fine surface roughness having not been made to undergo wet coating.
FIG. 21 is a photo of a waterdrop on a surface of a quartz glass substrate on which fine surface roughness is formed, the fine surface roughness having been made to undergo wet coating.
According to FIGS. 19-21, water repellency of the surface of the quartz glass substrate on which fine surface roughness is formed is smaller than that of the surface of the quartz glass substrate on which no fine surface roughness is formed, and water repellency of the surface of the quartz glass substrate on which fine surface roughness is formed, the fine surface roughness having been made to undergo wet coating is remarkably greater than that of the surface of the quartz glass substrate on which no fine surface roughness is formed.
The manufacturing methods described above are used to form antireflective fine surface roughness for visible light. A manufacturing method used to form antireflective fine surface roughness for deep ultraviolet light will be described below.
The manufacturing method used to form antireflective fine surface roughness for deep ultraviolet light is identical with that shown in FIG. 2. However, etching conditions should be determined such that the average pitch and the average depth are reduced depending on the wavelength of deep ultraviolet light.
Table 2 shows etching conditions of the first and second etching processes carried out to form antireflective fine surface roughness for deep ultraviolet light.
TABLE 2
|
|
RF (high-
|
Gas
Gas component
frequency)
Etching
|
pressure
and gas flow rate
power
Temperature
time
|
|
1.0Pa
Ar: 20 ml/min
100 W
2.0° C.
1800 sec
|
2.5Pa
O2: 2 ml/min
200 W
2.0° C.
700 sec
|
CHF3: 18 ml/min
|
|
The etching time of the second etching process is smaller than that in the method for visible light shown in Table 1 so as to reduce the average pitch and the average depth of fine surface roughness. In the fine surface roughness for deep ultraviolet light, the average pitch is 65 nanometers, and the average depth is 200 nanometers.
FIG. 22 shows transmittance of a quartz glass substrate on which fine surface roughness is formed. The horizontal axis of FIG. 22 indicates wavelength, and the vertical axis of FIG. 22 indicates transmittance. The unit of the horizontal axis is nanometer, and the unit of the vertical axis is percent. In FIG. 22, the solid line described as “processed” represents transmittance of the quartz glass substrate on which fine surface roughness is formed, and the broken line described as “unprocessed” represents transmittance of a quartz glass substrate on which no fine surface roughness is formed. According to FIG. 22, transmittance of the “processed” substrate is greater by 5 to 6.5 percent than transmittance of the “unprocessed” substrate across the whole range of wavelength.
FIG. 23 is a flowchart for outlining the methods for manufacturing fine surface roughness on a quartz glass substrate according to the present invention.
In step of S4010 of FIG. 23, initial values of etching conditions are determined.
In step of S4020 of FIG. 23, the first etching process is carried out.
In step of S4030 of FIG. 23, the second etching process is carried out.
In step of S4040 of FIG. 23, the third etching process or a wet coating process is carried out. The first to third etching processes are carried out in an etching apparatus, and the wetting coating process is carried out by dipping the substrate in a wet coating liquid in a container.
In step of S4050 of FIG. 23, water repellency or hydrophilicity of the substrate with fine surface roughness is evaluated. If the result of evaluation is affirmative, the process goes to S4060. If the result of evaluation is negative, the process goes to S4070. The steps of S4040 and S4050 can be omitted.
In step of S4060 of FIG. 23, antireflective performance of the substrate with fine surface roughness is evaluated. If the result of evaluation is affirmative, the process is terminated. If the result of evaluation is negative, the process goes to S4070.
In step of S4070 of FIG. 23, the etching conditions are corrected, and the process goes back to step S4020.
Patent Application
20220315482
