JP2006228540A - Mask, manufacturing method of the mask, and manufacturing method of organic el device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mask manufacturing method manufacturing the mask in high accuracy even when aiming at enlargement thereof, preventing lowering of mask manufacturing yield, aiming at high accuracy of positioning between a vapor deposition substrate and itself. <P>SOLUTION: The mask 50 is composed of a base member 38 having openings 40, mask members 20 having openings 22 fixed to the base member 38 corresponding to the opening 40 of the base member 38, and alignment members 27 having first alignment marks 28, fixed to the base member 38, used as a positioning mark when arranging the mask on the vapor deposition substrate. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a mask, a mask manufacturing method, and an organic EL device manufacturing method.

  In recent years, electronic devices have become smaller and lighter with the development of semiconductor technology. Along with this, the demand for a display device adapted to a new environment, that is, a thin display device that is thin and light and has characteristics of a low driving voltage and low power consumption is rapidly increasing. As one of such thin display devices, an organic EL device using an organic electroluminescence (EL) element has attracted attention. An organic EL element using electroluminescence has excellent characteristics such as high visibility due to self-emission and excellent impact resistance.

  In the manufacturing process of the organic EL device, for example, R (red), G (green), and B (blue) light emitting layers and upper electrodes that sandwich the light emitting layers are formed. Therefore, a vacuum deposition method using a mask provided with an opening corresponding to the pattern is used. In the manufacturing method of an organic EL device including such a vapor deposition process, it is possible to reduce the cost by generally increasing the number of panels from one substrate by increasing the size of the substrate. In some cases, the yield of mask manufacturing is reduced as the mask size increases.

Therefore, in order to improve the yield reduction, the following method has been proposed.
(1) In the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1, by fixing (welding, tape) a plurality of mask members used as a vapor deposition mask and a base material to which the mask members are attached, it is possible to avoid a decrease in yield and increase the size of the mask. I am trying. A metal material is used as the base material of the vapor deposition mask.
(2) In the invention disclosed in Patent Document 2, when the vapor deposition mask is made of a magnetic material, the magnet is disposed on the opposite side of the vapor deposition mask with respect to the adhesion to the substrate. In this way, the adhesion of the substrate is ensured, the yield is prevented from decreasing, and the mask is enlarged.
JP 2001-237073 A JP 2001-273976 A

By the way, when an electrode is formed on a transparent substrate constituting an organic EL device using the mask, the mask is aligned with a position where the electrode is formed on the substrate, and vapor deposition is performed. An electrode is formed on the substrate. As an alignment method, the mask is arranged at a predetermined position on the substrate by aligning the alignment mark formed on the transparent substrate and the alignment mark formed on the mask.
However, the inventions disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 have the following problems.
(1) The alignment mark formed on the mask is formed on the opposite side of the mask surface facing the transparent substrate. At this time, since the mask member has a predetermined thickness, a certain distance exists between the alignment mark on the transparent substrate and the alignment mark on the base member. Therefore, when the alignment mark on the transparent substrate and the alignment mark on the mask are aligned by the camera, the depth of the alignment mark on the transparent substrate from the camera is different from the depth of the alignment mark on the base member. The camera was out of focus and high alignment accuracy could not be obtained. In order to solve this problem, it is possible to focus the alignment mark on the transparent substrate and the alignment mark on the mask to some extent by increasing the depth of focus of the camera. However, even in this method, it is necessary to adjust the camera to a high magnification in order to increase recognition accuracy, and there is a limit from the viewpoint of alignment accuracy.
(2) Since the base material to which a plurality of metal masks are attached is made of a metal material, it is difficult to form a high-precision alignment mark on the base material, and it is difficult to perform high-precision vapor deposition. It was. Even if a base material formed from a glass material is used, there are problems such as limitations on machining of glass, breakage, and generation of scraps due to chipping and the like.

  The present invention aims to solve these problems, and even when increasing the size of the mask, the mask is manufactured with high accuracy, and the yield of the mask is prevented from being lowered. An object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a mask that achieves high accuracy in alignment.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a base member provided with an opening, a mask member provided with an opening and fixed to the base member corresponding to the opening of the base member, and vapor deposition An alignment member having a first alignment mark that is used as an alignment mark when arranged on the substrate and is fixed to the base member.

According to this configuration, each of the mask member and the first alignment mark is disposed on the same plane of the base member. Here, when a predetermined pattern is formed on the deposition target substrate using the mask by the deposition method, deposition is performed with the mask member side of the mask facing or in contact with the deposition target substrate. For this reason, the first alignment mark on the base member of the mask and the alignment mark on the substrate are arranged at a distance close to each other. Therefore, when the alignment mark on the deposition substrate and the first alignment mark on the mask are aligned by the camera, the distance between the alignment mark on the deposition substrate from the camera and the first alignment mark on the base member The distance of the camera becomes substantially equal, and the camera can be accurately focused.
Further, the first alignment mark is formed on the alignment member and is not directly formed on the base member. Therefore, the first alignment mark can be formed on the base member via the alignment member regardless of the selection of the material of the base member.
Accordingly, the deposition substrate and the mask can be aligned with high accuracy, and a highly accurate pattern can be formed on the deposition substrate through the mask.
Here, the “mask member” is a member in which an opening corresponding to a pattern to be formed on the deposition target substrate is formed, and a predetermined pattern is formed on the deposition target substrate by allowing the deposition material to pass through the opening. . The “base member” functions as a frame that supports the mask member. The “mask” of the present invention is formed by a laminated structure of a mask member and a base member.

In the mask of the present invention, it is also preferable that the first alignment mark is formed by a groove provided in the alignment member or a through hole penetrating the alignment member.
According to this method, since the first alignment mark is formed on the alignment member, it is not necessary to directly form the first alignment mark on the base member. Therefore, the first alignment mark can be formed regardless of the selection of the material of the base member.

In the mask of the present invention, it is also preferable that the alignment member is provided at a peripheral edge of the base member, and the thickness of the alignment member is substantially equal to the thickness of the mask member.
According to this configuration, when vapor deposition is performed by bringing the mask member side of the mask into contact with the vapor deposition substrate, the vapor deposition substrate is also supported by the alignment member at the peripheral portion of the mask. Therefore, the adhesion between the deposition substrate and the mask is improved, the gap between the mask and the deposition substrate is reduced, and the deflection of the mask during deposition can be reduced.

In the mask of the present invention, the alignment member is provided with a fourth alignment mark including a through hole for alignment with the alignment substrate, and the first alignment mark has the same shape as the fourth alignment mark. It is also preferable to be formed.
According to this configuration, the first alignment mark and the fourth alignment mark can be formed in the same process. Therefore, the mask manufacturing process can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

In the mask of the present invention, it is also preferable that the first alignment mark is an alignment mark for alignment used when the mask member is disposed on the alignment substrate.
According to this configuration, the first alignment mark has both a function for alignment with the deposition target substrate to be patterned and a function for alignment with the alignment substrate. Therefore, the mask manufacturing process can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

In the mask of the present invention, the alignment member is preferably formed of silicon.
According to this configuration, by forming the alignment member from a silicon material, the difference in thermal expansion coefficient from the base member is reduced, and deformation of the mask such as bending can be avoided. Thereby, the position shift at the time of fixing an alignment member to a base member can be prevented, and a highly accurate mask can be formed.

In the mask of the present invention, it is also preferable that an opening that penetrates the base member is formed in the base member at a position corresponding to the first alignment mark of the alignment member fixed to the base member. .
According to this configuration, when the mask is set in alignment with the deposition target substrate, the opening is formed in the base member, so that the deposition target substrate and the mask can be aligned from the mask side.

In the mask of the present invention, it is also preferable that the base member is made of metal.
In the mask of the present invention, the base member is preferably formed of a material having a low thermal expansion coefficient.
According to this configuration, since the mask member is formed of a metal material and a material having a low thermal expansion coefficient, the difference in thermal expansion coefficient from the base member is reduced, and deformation such as bending can be avoided. Further, at this time, by forming the base member from glass, the thermal expansion coefficients of the base member and the mask member can be made substantially equal. Therefore, it is possible to prevent displacement due to deformation such as bending when the mask member is fixed to the base member, and it is possible to form a highly accurate mask.
In addition, when the base member is formed of a metal material, it is difficult to form a high-precision alignment mark for alignment with the mask member and the alignment member due to a material problem. On the other hand, in the present invention, the mask member and the alignment member are not directly aligned, and the alignment is performed by a simple method with the alignment substrate. Therefore, it is not necessary to form an alignment mark on the base member, and a high-accuracy mask. Can be formed.

  The mask manufacturing method of the present invention includes an alignment mark forming step of forming a first alignment mark on an alignment member, a mask member having an opening of a predetermined pattern, and the alignment member having the first alignment mark formed thereon. A mask member disposing step of disposing a mask member on the alignment substrate, a base member disposing step of disposing a base member having an opening formed at a position corresponding to the opening of the mask member on the mask member, the mask member, A fixing step of fixing the base member to the alignment member; and a separation step of separating the base member to which the mask member and the alignment member are fixed from the alignment substrate.

  According to this method, the mask member and the alignment member are not directly joined to the base member, but are once relayed to the alignment substrate, and then the mask member and the alignment member are joined to the base member. Accordingly, when the mask member and the alignment member are disposed on the base member, it is not necessary to directly align the mask member, the alignment member, and the base member. That is, by aligning the base member and the alignment substrate, the base member, the mask member, and the alignment member can be bonded with high accuracy. Further, since the alignment substrate used as the relay substrate does not eventually become a constituent element of the mask, various materials can be selected. This facilitates the formation of a highly accurate alignment mark on the alignment substrate, and can prevent a decrease in yield in mask manufacturing.

In the mask manufacturing method of the present invention, the first alignment mark formed on the alignment member and the second alignment mark formed on the mask member are formed in the same process as the opening formed on the mask member. Is also preferable.
According to this method, since the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark are formed in the same process, the mask manufacturing process can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

In the mask manufacturing method of the present invention, it is also preferable to form fourth alignment marks at two planar end portions of the rectangular alignment member.
According to this method, the fourth alignment mark can be formed in the non-opening region of the alignment member, and the mask member and the alignment substrate can be positioned with high accuracy.

The present invention is a method of manufacturing an organic EL device including a deposition target substrate provided with an alignment mark, wherein the alignment mark provided on the deposition target substrate and the alignment member provided on the alignment member of the mask are provided. After the alignment mark is aligned, the mask is disposed on the deposition substrate, and a predetermined pattern is formed on the deposition substrate through the mask.
According to this structure, a mask can be arrange | positioned with high precision to the vapor deposition substrate which comprises an organic EL apparatus. Therefore, a highly accurate pattern can be formed on the evaporation target substrate constituting the organic EL device.

[First Embodiment]
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing used for the following description, the scale of each member is appropriately changed to make each member a recognizable size.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views showing a schematic configuration of a mask 50 according to the present embodiment and an alignment substrate used in manufacturing the mask. Here, the alignment substrate is a substrate that functions as a relay substrate that is temporarily arranged before the mask member 20 is fixed to the base member 38 when the mask 50 is manufactured.
Below, the schematic structure of the mask 50 of this embodiment is demonstrated. As shown in FIG. 1A, the mask 50 of this embodiment includes a mask member 20, an alignment member 27, and a base member 38 that supports the alignment member 27 on which the mask member 20 and the first alignment mark 28 are formed. And.

(Alignment member)
As shown in FIG. 1, the alignment member 27 is made of a silicon material and patterned into a rectangular shape. The thickness of the alignment member 27 is formed to be substantially equal to the thickness of the mask member 20 described later. The alignment member 27 is disposed on the peripheral edge (corner) of the base member 38 so as not to overlap the mask member 20 disposed on the base member 38 in a planar manner. The alignment member 27 is formed with a first alignment mark 28 and a fourth alignment mark 29 which are through holes penetrating the alignment member 27 in the thickness direction. The first alignment mark 28 is a mark for performing alignment with the evaporation target substrate constituting the organic EL device, and the fourth alignment mark 29 is an alignment substrate when the alignment member 27 is disposed on the alignment substrate. 30 is a mark for alignment with 30. The first alignment mark 28 is formed in the same process as the opening 22 of the mask member 20 because the alignment member 27 is formed of silicon of the same material as the mask member 20. The first alignment mark 28 may be formed by a groove that does not penetrate the alignment member 27, or may be used as a mark for alignment used when the mask member 20 is disposed on the alignment substrate 30.

(Mask member)
The mask member 20 includes a plurality of openings 22 having a predetermined pattern and second alignment marks 24 used when the mask member 20 is arranged on the alignment substrate 30.
In FIG. 1A, a plurality of mask members 20 are arranged on a base member 38, and each mask member 20 is formed to be approximately equal to the size of a substrate of one organic EL panel. The mask member 20 is formed of silicon (single crystal silicon) whose plane orientation is (110). Thereby, a difference in thermal expansion coefficient from a base member 38 described later is reduced, and deformation of the mask member 20 due to thermal expansion, bending, or the like can be avoided.

  The opening 22 is a region through which the deposited material from the deposition source passes, and is formed corresponding to the pattern shape formed on the deposition target substrate. Specifically, the openings 22 are formed so as to penetrate in the thickness direction of the mask member 20, and a plurality of openings 22 are formed in a stripe shape along the short direction of the mask member 20. Two second alignment marks 24 are arranged in the opening area at the end of the mask member 20. By arranging in this way, highly accurate alignment with the alignment substrate 30 is possible. In FIG. 1A, the second alignment mark 24 is arranged at an end portion along one side of the mask member 20, but may be arranged at a diagonal end portion. By arranging so as to be diagonal, alignment with higher accuracy becomes possible. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1A, a region in which a plurality of openings 22 are formed is referred to as an opening region 23. In addition, since the peripheral part of the mask member 20 becomes an adhesion | attachment area | region with the base member 38, the opening part 22 is not formed in the area | region.

  The second alignment mark 24 is used for alignment with the alignment substrate 30. The second alignment mark 24 is formed in a peripheral portion of the mask member 20, that is, a region that does not overlap with the opening region 23 of the mask member 20 (non-opening region). Similarly to the opening, the second alignment mark 24 penetrates in the thickness direction of the mask member 20 and is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in plan view. The second alignment mark 24 is formed in the same process as the opening 22. In the case where the second alignment mark 24 is formed by a through hole, the opening 22 can also have the function of the second alignment mark 24. That is, a part of the plurality of openings 22 can be used as the second alignment mark 24.

(Base member)
The base member 38 functions as a frame that supports the mask member 20, and is formed of a metal material having a low expansion coefficient such as Invar or Super Invar. The base member 38 has a plurality of rectangular openings penetrating in the thickness direction of the base member 38 corresponding to the mask member 20 to be joined (fixed). The opening 40 is formed to be substantially equal to or larger than the shape and area of the opening region 23 of the mask member 20, and when the mask member 20 and the base member 38 are joined, the opening of the base member 20 is formed. The opening region 23 of the mask member 20 is exposed from the portion 40. That is, the mask 50 of the present embodiment has a structure in which the non-opening region of the mask member 20 is supported and joined by the frame portion around the opening of the base member 38.

(Alignment substrate)
Subsequently, a schematic configuration of the alignment substrate of the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1B, on the alignment substrate 30, a third alignment mark 32 and a vacuum suction mechanism 33 (suction portion) are formed in each mask member arrangement region 26. The alignment substrate 30 is made of glass such as soda glass, low alkali glass, quartz glass, or quartz. Further, the alignment substrate 30 is formed so that the shape and area of the base member 38 are substantially equal to each other in plan view, and the alignment with the base member 38 can be easily performed.

  The third alignment mark 32 is a mark used for alignment between the alignment substrate 30 and the mask member 20 when the mask member 20 is disposed on the alignment substrate 30. Accordingly, the third alignment mark 32 is formed at a position on the alignment substrate 30 corresponding to the position of the second alignment mark 24 formed on the mask member 20. The third alignment mark 32 is formed, for example, in a rectangular shape or a cross shape in plan view by patterning a photoresist. At this time, the third alignment mark 32 is formed to be smaller and similar to the planar view area of the second alignment mark 24 of the mask member 20, and the center axis of the third alignment mark 32 is the second alignment mark of the mask member 20. It arrange | positions on the alignment member 30 so that the center axis | shaft of the mark 24 may overlap. Thereby, as will be described later, the mask member 20 can be positioned on the alignment substrate 30 with high accuracy.

  The vacuum suction mechanism 33 is formed corresponding to each mask member 20 disposed on the alignment substrate 30 and includes a hole 34 and a decompression pump 37. The hole 34 penetrates in the thickness direction of the alignment substrate 30 and is formed at a position on the alignment substrate 30 corresponding to the non-opening region of the mask member 20 to be arranged. Specifically, the hole 34 is formed in the mask member arrangement region 26 corresponding to both one of the long side and the short side of the mask member 20, and is formed in a U shape so as to partition the mask member 20. Yes. In addition, a decompression pump 35 connected to the hole 34 via a pipe is disposed on the back surface of the alignment substrate 30 (the surface opposite to the surface on which the mask member 20 of the alignment substrate 30 is disposed). A control device (not shown) is connected to the other end of the pump 35. Thereby, since the mask member 20 is disposed in the hole 34, a sealed space is formed in the hole 34. Therefore, when the control device is driven, the inside of the hole 34 is exhausted via the decompression pump 35 and the sealed space is in a vacuum state, and the mask member 20 is vacuum-sucked on the alignment substrate 30.

  On the alignment substrate 30, as shown in FIG. 1B, the fifth alignment mark 44 and the vacuum suction mechanism 48 (suction part) are formed in each alignment member placement region 42. The fifth alignment mark 44 is used as an alignment mark when the alignment member 27 is arranged on the alignment substrate. The vacuum suction mechanism 48 has the same configuration as the vacuum suction mechanism 33 formed in the mask member arrangement region 26 described above, and includes a hole 46 and a decompression pump 47. Then, by driving a control device (not shown) connected to the decompression pump 47, the alignment member 27 can be vacuum-sucked.

(Method for forming mask member and alignment member)
Next, a method for forming the mask member 20 of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
First, as shown in FIG. 2A, a silicon wafer 10 (single crystal silicon substrate, base material) having a plane orientation of (110) is prepared. Then, a silicon oxide film 12 (SiO ₂ , insulating film) having a thickness of, for example, about 1 μm is formed on the entire surface of the silicon wafer 10 by a thermal oxidation method or the like. Note that the film formed on the entire surface of the silicon wafer 10 may be any film that is durable in crystal anisotropic etching of the silicon wafer 10 performed using an alkaline aqueous solution, which will be described later. Alternatively, an Au or Pt film or the like by sputtering may be formed on the entire surface of the silicon wafer 10.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, a resist is applied to one side of the silicon oxide film 12, and photolithography is performed using a photomask corresponding to the wiring pattern, thereby patterning the resist. Next, the silicon oxide film 12 is etched using the resist as a mask. As a result, the silicon oxide film 12 in the region corresponding to the wiring pattern is removed to expose the silicon wafer 10 and the opening 14 is formed.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, the other surface side of the silicon oxide film 12 is patterned in the same manner as described above to remove the silicon oxide film 12 to expose the silicon wafer 10 and open the openings 16. Form.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 2C, a crystal anisotropic wet etching process is performed using the silicon oxide film 12 on one side of the silicon wafer 10 as a mask. First, the silicon wafer 10 is immersed in, for example, a 35 wt% potassium hydroxide aqueous solution heated to 80 ° C. for a predetermined time. As a result, the silicon in the exposed portion of the opening 20, that is, the portion not covered with the silicon oxide film 12 is anisotropic wet etched due to the crystal orientation dependency. As a result, a through hole 22a corresponding to the wiring pattern is formed in the silicon wafer 10 as shown in FIG. The through hole 22 a is formed in a direction perpendicular to the surface direction of the silicon wafer 10. The silicon oxide film 12 formed on the surface of the silicon wafer 10 is not removed by the wet etching process because the etching rate is slower than that of the silicon wafer 10.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 2C, wet etching is performed in the same manner as the above method using the silicon oxide film 12 on the other surface side of the silicon wafer 10 as a mask. At this time, in order to reduce the film thickness of the silicon wafer 10, the silicon wafer 10 is immersed in the etching solution for a time slightly longer than the etching time on the one surface side. As a result, the fluid pressure decreases from the other surface side of the silicon wafer 10 toward the one surface side, so that the corners 18 of the silicon wafer 10 are etched to form tapered openings 22b, and the silicon wafer 10 is thick. Thinned to d2. In the present embodiment, the through hole 22 formed in the mask member 20 is constituted by the through holes 22a and 22b.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 2D, the silicon wafer 10 is immersed in a hydrofluoric acid etching solution, and the silicon oxide film 12 formed on the surface of the silicon wafer 10 is removed. Thereby, the mask member 20 in which the opening 22 corresponding to the vapor deposition pattern is formed is formed. It is also preferable to form the second alignment mark 24 on the silicon wafer 10 simultaneously with the formation of the opening 22. The first alignment mark 28 can be formed on the silicon wafer 10 simultaneously with the formation of the opening 22.

In the present embodiment, the first alignment mark can be formed by the same formation method as that for the mask member 20. That is, a silicon wafer is prepared, and a silicon oxide film is formed on the surface of the silicon wafer. Then, the silicon oxide film is patterned into a predetermined shape by a photolithography process, and subsequently an etching process is performed to form the first alignment mark 28 formed of a through hole in the silicon wafer 10. In this way, the alignment member 27 on which the first alignment mark 28 is formed is formed. Since the alignment member 27 is formed of the same material as the mask member 20, it can be formed by the same process as the mask member 20.

(Method for forming base member)
First, a base member 38 made of a metal material having a low expansion coefficient such as Invar or Super Invar is prepared, and a resist is applied to the entire surface of the base member 38. As described above, the base member 38 has a shape and an area substantially the same as the planar view of the alignment substrate 30 in order to facilitate alignment with the alignment substrate 30. Then, the resist is patterned by photolithography using a mask on which a pattern corresponding to the opening 40 is formed. Next, wet etching is performed with hydrofluoric acid or the like using this resist as a mask. As a result, an opening 40 substantially the same as the shape of the opening region 23 of the mask member 20 is formed in the base member 38.

(Alignment substrate manufacturing method)
First, an alignment substrate 30 formed of glass such as quartz glass is prepared, and a resist is applied to the entire surface of the alignment substrate 30. Then, using a mask in which a pattern corresponding to the hole 34 of the vacuum suction mechanism 33 is formed, the resist is patterned by photolithography. Next, wet etching is performed on the alignment substrate 30 with hydrofluoric acid or the like using the resist as a mask. As a result, as shown in FIG. 1B, holes 34 having a predetermined pattern are formed in the alignment substrate 30 in a U-shape in each mask member arrangement region 26. Further, for example, if the alignment substrate 30 is Pyrex (registered trademark) glass or non-alkali glass such as OA-10, the alignment substrate 30 can be scraped by a blast method to form a through hole. Next, one end of the decompression pump 35 is attached to the hole 34 on the back surface side of the alignment substrate 30 and the other end of the decompression pump 35 is connected to the control device. Thereby, the vacuum suction mechanism 33 of this embodiment is formed.

  Next, the third alignment mark 32 is formed on the alignment substrate 30. First, Cr (chromium) is formed on the alignment substrate 30 by sputtering. Next, a resist is applied on Cr formed by a spray coat type resist coater. Next, the resist is patterned by photolithography using a mask on which a pattern corresponding to the third alignment mark 32 is formed. Subsequently, wet etching is performed using this resist as a mask. Thereby, the third alignment mark 32 is formed in each mask member arrangement region 26 on the alignment substrate 30. The third alignment mark 32 formed on the alignment substrate 30 is also preferably formed by marking with a laser or the like.

Further, the fifth alignment mark 44 and the vacuum suction mechanism 48 are provided in the mask member arrangement region 26.
The third alignment mark 32 and the vacuum suction device 33 can be formed by the same method as that for forming the first and second alignment marks 32 and 33.

(Manufacturing method of mask)
Below, the manufacturing method of the mask of this embodiment is demonstrated with reference to FIGS.
3 to 5 are perspective views showing manufacturing steps of the mask 50 of the present embodiment.
First, as shown in FIG. 3, the mask member 20 is disposed on the alignment substrate 30. Specifically, the mask member 20 is formed on the alignment substrate 30 so that the opening region 23 of the mask member 20 corresponds to the opening 40 of the base member 38 when the base member 38 and the alignment substrate 30 are overlapped. Align and place.

  Here, the alignment method will be described. As an alignment method, the third alignment mark 32 on the alignment substrate 30 and the second alignment mark 24 of the mask member 20 are aligned. Specifically, first, the mask member 20 is brought close to the alignment substrate 30. Then, the second alignment mark 24 of the mask member 20 is imaged by focusing on the second alignment mark 24 of the mask member 20 from above the mask member 20 using a camera equipped with a CCD. At this time, in the camera, the third alignment mark 32 of the alignment substrate 30 disposed below the mask member 20 is accommodated in the outer periphery (frame) of the second alignment mark 24 formed of the through hole of the mask member 20. Then, at least one of the mask member 20 and the alignment substrate 30 is appropriately moved. Then, after the alignment is completed (after the third alignment mark 32 is accommodated on the outer periphery of the second alignment mark 24), the mask member 20 is disposed on the alignment substrate 30.

  The alignment member 27 is arranged in the alignment member arrangement region 42 on the alignment substrate 30 by the same method. Specifically, the alignment member 27 is arranged on the alignment substrate 30 by aligning the fourth alignment mark 29 formed on the alignment member 27 and the fifth alignment mark 44 formed on the alignment substrate 30. .

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, when the mask member 20 is arranged in each mask member arrangement region 26 on the alignment substrate 30, the control device connected to the decompression pump 35 is driven, and the hole portion of the alignment substrate 30 is driven. 34 is evacuated and the mask member 20 is vacuum-sucked to the alignment substrate 30. Thereby, the mask member 20 can be temporarily fixed without being displaced from the alignment substrate 30, and the mask member 20 can be joined to the base member 38 with high accuracy. The control device is preferably driven before the mask member 20 is arranged on the alignment substrate 30.
Similarly, the alignment member 27 is fixed to the alignment member arrangement region 42 on the alignment substrate 30.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, an adhesive 36 is applied to the upper surface of the mask member 20 disposed on the alignment substrate 30 by a dispenser. Examples of the adhesive 36 include photo-curing adhesives such as reaction curable adhesives, thermosetting adhesives, and ultraviolet curable adhesives, and various curable adhesives such as anaerobic curable adhesives. The composition of the adhesive 36 may be any material such as epoxy, acrylate, or silicone. When a commercially available adhesive 36 is used, the adhesive 36 to be used may be adjusted to a suitable viscosity for application by adding an appropriate solvent. The adhesive 36 is applied to a non-opening formation region on the upper surface of the mask member 20, that is, a predetermined position on the peripheral edge of the mask member 20. In this embodiment, the mask member 20 is applied in two points along one long side in plan view. Thereby, even when the alignment substrate 30 is thermally expanded, the mask member 20 can be placed in close contact with the base member 38 without being bent due to the degree of freedom of the adhesive 36. In addition, it is also preferable to control the thickness of the adhesive 36 by injecting a gap material formed of spherical or core glass or the like into the adhesive 36. Thereby, the thickness of the adhesive 36 can be kept uniform.
The adhesive 36 is applied to the alignment member 27 fixed on the alignment substrate 30 by the same method.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the base member 38 is positioned and arranged on the mask member 20 of the alignment substrate 30. In the present embodiment, the alignment substrate 30 and the base member 38 are formed with substantially the same outer shape. Therefore, as a positioning method, an image is taken from above the base member 38 using a camera equipped with a CCD, and the alignment is performed so that the outer shape of the alignment substrate 30 and the outer shape of the base member 38 overlap. Then, after the positioning is completed, the base member 38 is disposed on the mask member 20. As described above, in the present embodiment, the opening region 23 of the mask member 20 can be accurately arranged in the opening 40 of the base member 38 by the alignment of about the outer shape reference. The peripheral portion of the mask member 20, that is, the non-opening region is joined to the opening peripheral region of the base member 38 by the adhesive 36, and the mask member 20 and the base member 38 are fixed. At this time, it is also preferable to apply a load to the base member 38 to press it. Thereby, the adhesive agent 36 spreads favorably. Thereafter, when the adhesive 36 to be used is an ultraviolet curing type, the adhesive 36 is cured by irradiating ultraviolet rays from the alignment substrate 30 side. The adhesive 36 is also preferably disposed on the base member 38 side and on both the mask member 20 and the base member 38. In addition to the alignment mark used for alignment with the mask member 20, it is also preferable to form an alignment mark for alignment with the base member 38 on the alignment substrate 30.

  Thus, at the same time when the mask member 20 is disposed on the base member 38, the alignment member 27 is disposed on the peripheral portion of the base member 38, that is, on the base member 38 that does not overlap the mask member 20.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the base member 38 is separated from the alignment substrate 30. Specifically, when the arrangement of the base member 38 is completed, the controller of the vacuum suction mechanism 33 stops driving the decompression pump 35 and returns the inside of the hole 34 to the atmospheric pressure state. As a result, the vacuum suction between the alignment substrate 30 and the mask member 20 is released. Next, the mask member 20 and the alignment member 27 fixed to the base member 38 with the adhesive 36 are separated from the alignment substrate 30. In this way, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the mask 50 in which the mask member 20 and the alignment member 27 are fixed to the base member 38 is formed.

  According to this method, the mask member 20 and the alignment member 27 are not directly joined to the base member 38, but are relayed to the alignment substrate 30 and then the mask member 20 and the alignment member 27 are joined to the base member 38. . At this time, the base member 38 uses a base member 38 that is substantially equal to the shape and area of the alignment substrate 30. Therefore, when the base member 38 is disposed on the mask member 20 and the alignment member 27, the mask member 20 formed on the alignment substrate 30 and the base member 38 are disposed by overlapping the outer shape of the alignment substrate 30. The base member 38 and the base member 38 can be aligned. That is, it is not necessary to directly align the mask member 20 and the alignment member 27 with the base member 38. Thereby, the base member 38, the mask member 20, and the alignment member 27 can be aligned and joined by a simple method, and the highly accurate mask 50 can be manufactured. Therefore, high-precision alignment is not required, and the mask 50 can be manufactured efficiently, so that a reduction in yield can be prevented in mask manufacturing.

[Second Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a preferred example of the present embodiment will be described.
In the present embodiment, an alignment method different from the alignment method between the alignment substrate 30 and the mask member 20 described in the first embodiment will be described. In the first embodiment, alignment between the alignment substrate 30 and the mask member 20 is performed from the mask member 20 side. However, in the present embodiment, the alignment is performed from the alignment substrate 30 side. The other basic configurations of the alignment substrate 30 and the mask member 20 are the same as those in the first embodiment, and will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, common constituent elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  A third alignment mark 32 obtained by patterning Cr into a predetermined shape is formed on the alignment substrate 30 by the same method as in the first embodiment. Then, the second alignment mark 24 is formed on the lower surface side of the mask member 20 (the surface side to be joined to the alignment substrate 30) by forming the opening 22 of the mask member 20, photolithography processing, and etching processing. In the present embodiment, the second alignment mark 24 does not penetrate the mask member 20 but is formed by a groove having an inclined surface. Next, light is irradiated from the lower side of the alignment substrate 30. Thereby, the irradiated light is reflected by the third alignment mark 32 of the alignment substrate 30, and the light is irregularly reflected by the second alignment mark 24 of the mask member 20. Therefore, when the alignment mark is imaged from the lower side of the alignment substrate 30, the second alignment mark 24 is diffusely reflected and darker than the other areas, and the third alignment mark 32 is brighter than the other areas. Therefore, by aligning the dark portion of the second alignment mark 24 so as to be disposed in the center of the third alignment mark 32, the mask member 20 can be accurately aligned with the alignment substrate 30. According to this embodiment, the same operational effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

  Further, the alignment member 27 can be positioned and arranged on the alignment substrate 30 by the same method. That is, the fourth alignment mark 29 made of an inclined groove is formed on the alignment member 27, and the fifth alignment mark 44 made of Cr is formed on the alignment substrate 30. Then, the alignment member 27 can be accurately arranged on the alignment substrate 30 by aligning the fourth alignment mark 29 and the fifth alignment mark 44 by the method described above.

[Third Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a preferred example of the present embodiment will be described.
In the above embodiment, silicon is used as the material of the mask member 20 constituting the mask 50. In contrast, the present embodiment is different in that metal is used as the material of the mask member 20 constituting the mask 50. The present embodiment is different only in that metal is used for the mask member 20, and the basic configuration of the other mask 50 is the same as that of the above-described embodiment, and will be described with reference to FIGS. Furthermore, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to a common component and detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the present embodiment, a tension is applied to the mask member 20 before the mask member 20 is disposed on the alignment substrate 30. Examples of a method for applying tension include a method in which a magnetic material is magnetically attracted to the mask member 20, or a method in which the edges of the four sides of the mask are pulled in a direction opposite to the expansion / contraction direction.

  Next, in a state where tension is applied to the mask member 20, the mask member 20 is positioned and aligned with the mask member arrangement region 26 on the alignment substrate 30. Subsequently, the control device is driven to evacuate the hole 34 through the decompression pump 35 to make a vacuum state. Thereby, the mask member 20 is vacuum-sucked on the alignment substrate 30. Then, after the mask member 20 is vacuum-sucked on the alignment substrate 30, the tension of the mask member 20 is released. Thus, even after the tension on the mask member 20 is released, the mask member 20 is vacuum-sucked by the vacuum suction mechanism 33, so that the tension applied to the mask member 20 is maintained.

  In the present embodiment, alignment between the mask member 20 and the alignment substrate 30 is performed using alignment marks formed on the alignment substrate 30 and the mask member 20. The third alignment mark 32 formed on the alignment substrate 30 is formed by patterning a resist, for example, as in the first embodiment. The second alignment mark 24 formed on the mask member 20 is formed by the same process as the opening 22 formed on the mask member 20.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4, an adhesive 36 is disposed on the peripheral edge of the upper surface of the mask member 20. Thereafter, the base member 38 is disposed on the mask member 20 and the mask member 20 and the base member 38 are joined. Thereby, the mask member 20 is joined to the base member 38 while maintaining a state where the tension is applied. At this time, in order to maintain the tension, the number of places where the adhesive is applied can be increased. The other steps are the same as those in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

  In the present embodiment, the mask member 20 is arranged on the alignment substrate 30 in a state where tension is applied to the mask member 20 in advance. On the alignment substrate 30, the mask member 20 maintains a state where a tension is applied by the vacuum suction mechanism 33. Then, the base member 38 and the mask member 20 are joined in a state where tension is applied to the mask member 20. Accordingly, the mask 50 can be formed while maintaining a state in which the tension is applied to the mask member 20. Therefore, according to the mask 50 of the present embodiment, deformation such as bending of the mask member 20 due to thermal expansion such as heat during vapor deposition can be avoided, and a highly accurate mask 50 can be formed.

(Method for manufacturing electro-optical device)
Next, a method for manufacturing an active matrix organic EL device that is an example of the electro-optical device according to the embodiment will be described. In the following description, a method for forming a light emitting material (light emitting layer) on the transparent substrate (deposition substrate) constituting the organic EL device using the mask 50 described above will be described, and other methods for manufacturing the organic EL device will be described. Is omitted.

  6A to 6C are cross-sectional views illustrating the manufacturing steps of the organic EL device according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6A, a transparent electrode 56 made of, for example, ITO is formed on a deposition substrate 54 made of a transparent material such as glass, and then a hole transport layer 58 is formed on the transparent electrode 56. Form.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6A, the deposition substrate 54 on which the transparent electrode 56 and the hole transport layer 58 are formed is transported to the inside of the vacuum chamber constituting the deposition apparatus and fixed above the inside of the chamber. To do. And after aligning the mask 50 to the position which vapor-deposits the luminescent material (light emitting layer R) of the to-be-deposited board | substrate 54, the mask 50 is closely_contact | adhered to the to-be-deposited substrate 54, and is arrange | positioned. Here, the first alignment mark 28 formed on the alignment member 27 and the alignment mark 68 formed on the deposition target substrate 54 are formed on the opposite surface side, and the distance between the alignment marks is close. ing.

  As an alignment method, after the mask 50 is brought close to the vapor deposition substrate 54, the alignment of the vapor deposition substrate 54 is performed from above the vapor deposition substrate 54 of the organic EL device using a camera equipped with a CCD. This is performed by imaging both the mark 68 and the first alignment mark 28 of the mask 50. In the present embodiment, the upper wall surface of the vacuum chamber is transparent, and the alignment mark of the deposition substrate 54 and the first alignment mark 28 of the mask 50 can be imaged by passing through the transparent wall surface. Yes. Then, based on the information captured by the camera, at least one of the deposition substrate 54 and the mask 50 is placed so that the centers of the alignment mark 68 of the deposition substrate 54 and the first alignment mark 28 of the mask 50 overlap on the same axis. Move and align. When a through hole is formed in the base member 38 at a position corresponding to the first alignment mark 28 of the mask 50, it is possible to perform alignment from the mask 50 side.

Next, the pressure inside the vacuum chamber is reduced to a vacuum state. Then, as shown in FIG. 6A, the light emitting material of the crucible placed below the inside of the vacuum chamber is heated and evaporated, and a red light emitting material is formed on the deposition substrate 54 through the mask 50. Thereby, a red light emitting layer 60 </ b> R is formed in a predetermined region of the deposition target substrate 54. The light emitting material is, for example, an organic material, and an aluminum quinolinol complex (Alq ₃ ) or the like is used as a low molecular organic material.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6B, the mask 50 is moved from the position where the red light emitting layer 60 is deposited to the position where the light emitting material (light emitting layer G) is deposited. And a green light emitting material is formed into a film through the mask 50 by a vapor deposition method, and the green light emitting layer 60G is formed.
Similarly, as shown in FIG. 6C, the mask 50 is moved from the position where the green light emitting layer 60 is deposited to the position where the light emitting material (light emitting layer B) is deposited. Then, a blue light emitting material is formed through the mask 50 by vapor deposition to form a blue light emitting layer 60B. As described above, by using the mask 50 of the present embodiment, the light emitting layers 60R, 60G, and 60B having a predetermined pattern can be formed on the vapor deposition substrate 54 constituting the organic EL device.

  According to the mask 50 of the present embodiment, the mask member 20 and the first alignment mark 28 are arranged on the same plane of the base member 38. Here, when a predetermined pattern is formed on the deposition target substrate 54 using the mask 50 by a deposition method, deposition is performed with the mask member 20 side of the mask 50 facing or in contact with the deposition target substrate 54. Therefore, the first alignment mark 28 of the base member 38 of the mask 50 and the alignment mark 68 of the deposition target substrate 54 are disposed at a distance close to each other. Therefore, when the alignment mark 68 on the deposition target substrate 54 and the first alignment mark 28 of the mask 50 are aligned by the camera, the distance between the alignment mark 68 on the deposition target substrate 54 from the camera and the base member 38. The distance from the upper first alignment mark 28 is substantially equal, and the camera can be accurately focused. Accordingly, the deposition substrate 54 and the mask 50 can be aligned with high accuracy, and a highly accurate pattern can be formed on the deposition substrate 54 via the mask 50.

[Electronics]
FIG. 7 is a perspective configuration diagram of a thin large-screen television 1200 that is an example of the electronic apparatus according to the invention. As shown in FIG. 6, the thin large-screen television 1200 includes a display unit 1201 made of an organic EL device manufactured by a vapor deposition method using the mask 50 manufactured in the above embodiment, a housing 1202, and audio such as a speaker. The output unit 1203 is the main component. According to the present embodiment, since a highly accurate mask is used, a highly reliable and highly accurate electronic device without light emission unevenness can be provided.

  The organic EL device manufactured by the vapor deposition method using the mask 50 of this embodiment can be applied to various electronic devices other than a thin large-screen television. For example, LCD projectors, multimedia-compatible personal computers (PCs) and engineering workstations (EWS), pagers, word processors, televisions, viewfinder type or monitor direct view type video tape recorders, electronic notebooks, electronic desk calculators, car navigation systems The present invention can be applied to electronic devices such as a device, a POS terminal, and a device provided with a touch panel.

It should be noted that the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and includes those in which various modifications are made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
In the above embodiment, the vacuum suction mechanism formed on the alignment substrate is formed for each mask member arrangement region, but is not limited to this, and it is also preferable that the vacuum suction mechanism is formed continuously on the alignment substrate.
Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the mask was used when forming a predetermined pattern in a to-be-deposited board | substrate by a vapor deposition method, it is not limited to this. For example, it can also be used when a predetermined pattern is formed by a CVD method or the like.
Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the adhesive agent is apply | coated along one side of the long side of the planar shape on a mask member, forming in the edge part on the diagonal of the planar shape on a mask member is also preferable. According to this, a 1st alignment mark can be formed in the non-opening part area | region of a mask member, and it can align with higher precision.
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the alignment between the alignment substrate and the base member is performed by overlapping the outer shapes of the alignment substrate and the base member. On the other hand, it is also possible to form an alignment mark on each of the alignment substrate and the base member for alignment.

(A) is a perspective view of the one surface side of a mask, (b) is a perspective view of the other surface side of a mask. It is a perspective view which shows the manufacturing process of the mask member which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the manufacturing process of the mask which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the manufacturing process of the mask which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the manufacturing process of the mask which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows the manufacturing process of an organic electroluminescent apparatus. It is a perspective view which shows schematic structure of the thin large screen television which is an example of an electronic device.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Silicon wafer, 12 ... Silicon oxide film, 18 ... Tapered part, 20 ... Mask member, 22 ... Opening part, 24 ... 2nd alignment mark, 26 ... Mask member arrangement | positioning area | region, 27 ... Alignment member, 28 ... 1st alignment Marks 29... 4th alignment mark 30... Alignment substrate 32. Third alignment mark 33. Vacuum suction mechanism (suction part) 34. Hole part 36. Adhesive 38. Base member 40. 44 ... Fifth alignment mark 50 ... Mask 54 ... Deposition substrate

Claims (13)

A base member provided with an opening;
A mask member provided with an opening and corresponding to the opening of the base member and fixed to the base member;
An alignment member having a first alignment mark, which is used as an alignment mark when disposed on the deposition substrate, and is fixed to the base member;
A mask characterized by comprising.   The mask according to claim 1, wherein the first alignment mark is formed by a groove provided in the alignment member or a through-hole penetrating the alignment member. The alignment member is provided at a peripheral edge of the base member;
The mask according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the alignment member is substantially equal to a thickness of the mask member. The alignment member is provided with a fourth alignment mark consisting of a through hole for alignment with the alignment substrate,
4. The mask according to claim 1, wherein the first alignment mark is formed in the same shape as the fourth alignment mark. 5. The mask according to claim 1, wherein the alignment member is made of silicon.   The said 1st alignment mark is an alignment mark for the alignment used when arrange | positioning the said mask member in the said alignment board | substrate, The any one of Claim 1 thru | or 5 characterized by the above-mentioned. mask.   The opening which penetrates the said base member is formed in the said base member in the position corresponding to the said 1st alignment mark of the said alignment member fixed to the said base member. The mask according to claim 6.   The mask according to claim 1, wherein the base member is made of metal.   The mask according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the base member is made of a material having a low thermal expansion coefficient. An alignment mark forming step of forming a first alignment mark on the alignment member;
A mask member disposing step of disposing a mask member on which an opening of a predetermined pattern is formed and the alignment member on which the first alignment mark is formed on an alignment substrate;
A base member disposing step of disposing on the mask member a base member having an opening formed at a position corresponding to the opening of the mask member;
A fixing step of fixing the base member to the mask member and the alignment member;
A separation step of separating the base member to which the mask member and the alignment member are fixed from the alignment substrate;
A method for manufacturing a mask, comprising:   The said 1st alignment mark formed in the said alignment member and the 2nd alignment mark formed in the said mask member are formed by the same process as the said opening part formed in the said mask member. Mask manufacturing method.   The method for manufacturing a mask according to claim 10 or 11, wherein fourth alignment marks are formed at two end portions of the planar shape of the rectangular alignment member. A method of manufacturing an organic EL device provided with a deposition target substrate provided with an alignment mark,
After aligning the alignment mark provided on the deposition target substrate and the first alignment mark provided on the alignment member of the mask, the mask is disposed on the deposition target substrate, and the mask is interposed through the mask. The method for manufacturing an organic EL device according to claim 10, wherein a predetermined pattern is formed on the evaporation target substrate.

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