Pixel observation system and drawing system

Abstract

A pixel observation system includes a memory unit, a coordinate generation unit, and an observation unit. The memory unit is configured to store at least nozzle information indicative of discharge states of a liquid material in a plurality of nozzles and arrangement information indicative of an arrangement of each of the nozzles with respect to each of a plurality of pixel regions in relative movement of the nozzles and a substrate. The coordinate generation unit is configured to generate observation coordinates of observation regions on the substrate based on the nozzle information and the arrangement information, and to include coordinates of at least some of the pixel regions over which the nozzles scan through one cycle of the relative movement in the observation coordinates. The observation unit is configured and arranged to observe the pixel regions positioned at the observation coordinates generated by the coordinate generation unit.

1 . A pixel observation system for observing pixels formed by discharging a liquid material including a functional material from a plurality of nozzles to a plurality of pixel regions on a substrate in synchronization with relative movement of the substrate and the nozzles, the pixel observation system comprising:
 a memory unit configured to store at least nozzle information indicative of discharge states of the liquid material in the nozzles and arrangement information indicative of an arrangement of each of the nozzles with respect to each of the pixel regions in the relative movement;   a coordinate generation unit configured to generate observation coordinates of observation regions on the substrate based on the nozzle information and the arrangement information, the coordinate generation unit being further configured to include coordinates of at least some of the pixel regions over which the nozzles scan through one cycle of the relative movement in the observation coordinates; and   an observation unit configured and arranged to observe the pixel regions positioned at the observation coordinates generated by the coordinate generation unit.   
     
     
         2 . The pixel observation system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the memory unit is further configured to store the nozzle information including information of a defective nozzle in which a discharge defect occurs, and   the coordinate generation unit is further configured to include coordinates of the pixel region corresponding to the defective nozzle and the pixel regions disposed adjacent to the pixel region corresponding to the defective nozzle in the observation coordinates.   
     
     
         3 . The pixel observation system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the memory unit is further configured to store the nozzle information including information of a defective nozzle indicative of at least one of a clogged nozzle, a landing-position-deviated nozzle, and an abnormal discharge quantity nozzle.   
     
     
         4 . The pixel observation system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the observation unit includes an imaging mechanism and an image processing unit that is configured to convert an image captured by the imaging mechanism to image information.   
     
     
         5 . The pixel observation system according to  claim 4 , further comprising
 a nozzle information generation unit configured and arranged to discharge droplets from the nozzles on a landing observation discharge object and to generate the nozzle information from the image information obtained by the image processing unit based on the image of the droplets on the landing observation discharge object captured by the imaging mechanism.   
     
     
         6 . The pixel observation system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the liquid material is discharged and drawn in synchronization with a plurality of cycles of relative movement of the substrate and the nozzles, and   the memory unit is further configured to store the arrangement information for each cycle of the relative movement.   
     
     
         7 . The pixel observation system according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the memory unit is further configured to store the arrangement information divided into a forward movement and a reverse movement of the relative movement.   
     
     
         8 . A drawing system comprising:
 the pixel observation system according to  claim 1 ; and   a droplet discharge device configured and arranged to discharge and draw droplets of the liquid material including the functional material from the nozzles to the pixel regions on the substrate.   
     
     
         9 . The drawing system according to  claim 8 , further comprising
 a general control unit configured to control operations of the droplet discharge device and the pixel observation system so that a defective nozzle is identified based on defective pixel information obtained by the pixel observation system, discharging of the droplets from the defective nozzle is stopped, and the liquid material is discharged from one of the nozzles other than the defective nozzle to make up for a deficiency in the liquid material discharged onto each of the pixel regions.   
     
     
         10 . The drawing system according to  claim 8 , further comprising
 a general control unit configured to control operations of the droplet discharge device and the pixel observation system so that one of a landing-position-deviated nozzle and an abnormal discharge quantity nozzle is identified as a defective nozzle based on defective pixel information obtained by the pixel observation system, and a drive condition for discharging the droplets from the defective nozzle is modified.