JP2007090134A - Method of forming film pattern and method of manufacturing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of forming a film pattern capable of forming the pattern having a uniform film thickness within a substrate face. <P>SOLUTION: In the method of forming the film pattern, a functional liquid L prepared by dissolving or dispersing a functional material into a solvent is arranged on a base P and the functional liquid L is dried, thereby forming the film pattern F composed of the functional material. The method has a process of arranging the functional liquid L in an effective region T<SB>E</SB>of the base P where the film pattern F is formed, a process of arranging the functional liquid L or the solvent in the non-effective region T<SB>D</SB>on the circumference of the effective region T<SB>E</SB>, and a process of drying the functional liquid L or the solvent arranged in the effective region T<SB>E</SB>and the non-effective region T<SB>D</SB>, in which the drying is performed in the period from the start to the end of the drying in such a manner that the surface area S<SB>D</SB>of the solvent arranged in the non-effective region T<SB>D</SB>satisfies S<SB>E</SB>≤S<SB>D</SB>with respect to the surface area S<SB>E</SB>of the solvent arranged in the effective region T<SB>E</SB>. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a film pattern forming method and a device manufacturing method.

  In recent years, a functional material such as an organic fluorescent material has been converted into ink, and a method of patterning the functional material by a droplet discharge method of discharging the ink (functional liquid) onto a substrate has been adopted. An organic electroluminescence device (hereinafter, referred to as an organic EL device) having a structure in which a functional layer made of the functional material is sandwiched, particularly an organic EL device using an organic light emitting material as a functional material has been developed.

  As the functional material patterning method described above, a partition called a bank is formed around a pixel electrode made of ITO or the like formed on a substrate, and then the pixel electrode and a part of the bank adjacent to the pixel electrode are used as a parent. The liquid layer is processed and the remaining part of the bank is processed to be liquid repellent, and then a functional layer is formed on the pixel electrode by discharging ink containing the constituent material of the functional layer to the pixel electrode and drying it. The method is adopted. Specifically, a droplet discharge head having a nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged in the sub-scanning direction is used, and the nozzle is scanned while scanning the droplet discharge head in the main scanning direction with respect to the substrate. There is known a method of forming a functional layer on a pixel electrode by ejecting ink from the pixel electrode. Since such a method can arrange micro-order droplets in the pixel region, it is more effective than a method such as spin coating in terms of material utilization efficiency.

However, in the peripheral part of the display area (effective area) where the pixel electrodes are arranged, the partial pressure of the solvent molecules evaporated from the ink may be lower than the central part of the display area. When such a phenomenon occurs, the evaporation rate of the solvent becomes extremely high in the peripheral portion, and as a result, in the manufactured organic EL device, the uneven thickness of the functional layer and the unevenness of the film within one pixel (the cross section of the film) There is a possibility that the shape is inclined obliquely. The characteristics of the organic EL device in which such film thickness unevenness occurs are degraded, and when this is used as a display device or the like, display unevenness may occur. In order to solve this problem, for example, a technique as disclosed in Patent Document 1 is disclosed.
JP 2002-222695 A

  The technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 forms a dummy area (ineffective area) that does not contribute to display outside the display area, and applies the same ink as the functional layer to the dummy area. The variation in the partial pressure of the solvent molecules is reduced. Normally, a bank having the same pattern as the display area is formed in the dummy area, and ink is applied to the opening of the bank (see FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1). According to this method, since the drying of the solvent proceeds equally in the central portion and the peripheral portion of the display region, it is possible to form a high-quality film without unevenness of the functional layer and unevenness of the film.

  Since the ink ejected to the dummy area does not form a display pixel, it is sometimes called a dummy pixel to distinguish it from a pixel (effective pixel) formed in the display area. In order to prevent the occurrence of film thickness unevenness as described above, it is necessary to form dummy pixels for at least several to several tens of rows. Conventionally, all dummy pixels have the same pitch and the same pattern as effective pixels. Since the ink is formed, there is a case where the film thickness unevenness cannot be sufficiently solved only by applying the ink in the same manner as the display area. In other words, since the drying of the ink ejected to the substrate proceeds concentrically from the periphery, the ink in the dummy area is dried first, and the film thickness unevenness similar to the case where the dummy area is not provided may occur. .

  On the other hand, Patent Document 1 discloses a method in which ink is directly ejected to the surface of a substrate, that is, the upper surface of an organic material film formed as a bank, without providing a bank in the dummy region (FIG. 1). 3). However, in this case, since the diameter of the ink in the dummy region becomes smaller as the drying progresses, there is a problem that a sufficient solvent atmosphere cannot be formed when the drying process has progressed to some extent. That is, in this method, since the dummy ink is ejected onto the surface of the lyophobic organic material film, a large receding contact angle is formed between the ink and the material film, and when the ink is dried, The contact angle does not change, and only the ink diameter, that is, the surface area of the ink decreases. Therefore, if the drying proceeds to some extent, the partial pressure of the solvent vapor necessary for the ink in the dummy area cannot be maintained, and eventually the same problem as in the case where the dummy area is not provided occurs.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a film pattern forming method and a device manufacturing method capable of forming a pattern having a uniform film thickness within a substrate surface. And

In order to solve the above problems, the method for forming a film pattern of the present invention is characterized in that a functional liquid obtained by dissolving or dispersing a functional material in a solvent is disposed on a substrate, and the functional liquid is dried, thereby A method of forming a film pattern made of a functional material, the step of disposing the functional liquid in an effective area of the substrate on which the film pattern is formed, and the functional liquid or in an ineffective area around the effective area The step of disposing the solvent; and the step of drying the functional liquid or the solvent disposed in the effective region and the ineffective region, and in the period from the start to the end of the drying, the ineffective region The drying is performed so that the surface area S _D of the solvent disposed in the region satisfies S _E ≦ S _D with respect to the surface area S _{E of the} solvent disposed in the effective region.
According to this method, since the partial pressure of the solvent vapor in the ineffective area can always be maintained at a sufficient level from the start to the end of the drying period, the rate at which the solvent evaporates from the functional liquid throughout the effective area, that is, the drying The speed becomes uniform, and a high-quality film free from unevenness in film thickness and unevenness of the film can be formed.

In the present invention, the surface area S _D of the solvent per unit area arranged in the ineffective area is larger than the surface area S _{E of the} solvent per unit area arranged in the effective area, and the ineffective area The receding contact angle of the solvent in can be adjusted to 30 ° or less.
According to this method, since the receding contact angle of the solvent in the ineffective area is 30 ° or less, the diameter of the coating film in the in-plane direction of the substrate hardly changes even when the solvent is dried. For this reason, it is possible to always maintain a constant partial pressure of the solvent vapor during the drying period.

In the present invention, prior to the step of disposing the functional liquid or the solvent, a liquid receiving portion in which the functional liquid or the solvent is disposed is formed in the effective area and the ineffective area of the substrate. it can.
According to this method, since the planar size of the functional liquid or the solvent is defined by the liquid receiving portion, it is possible to precisely control the shape of the film pattern in the effective area and the partial pressure of the solvent vapor in the ineffective area. It is.

In the present invention, the liquid receiving portions of the effective region and the ineffective region are formed as regions partitioned by a partition, and the size of the liquid receiving portion in the ineffective region is the liquid receiving portion in the effective region It can be larger than the size.
According to this method, since the surface area of the solvent in the ineffective area is defined by the size of the liquid receiving portion, the partial pressure of the solvent vapor in the ineffective area can be always kept constant during the drying period. Further, since the shape of the film pattern is defined by the partition walls, the film pattern can be made finer or thinner by appropriately forming the partition walls, for example, by narrowing the width between adjacent partition walls.

In the present invention, the liquid receiving portion of the effective region is formed as a region partitioned by a partition, the liquid receiving portion of the ineffective region is formed by a surface treatment of the base, and the liquid receiving portion in the ineffective region is formed. Adjusting the size of the liquid receiving part to be larger than the size of the liquid receiving part in the effective area and the receding contact angle of the liquid receiving part to the solvent in the ineffective area to be 30 ° or less; can do.
According to this method, since the receding contact angle of the solvent in the ineffective area is 30 ° or less, the diameter of the coating film in the plane parallel to the substrate hardly changes even when the solvent is dried. For this reason, it is possible to always maintain a constant partial pressure of the solvent vapor during the drying period.

In the present invention, the liquid receiving portion in the ineffective area can be formed by surface-treating the upper surface of the partition wall.
According to this method, since the material film constituting the partition wall is interposed between the film pattern formed in the ineffective area and the substrate, the substrate is formed as in the case of forming a light emitting layer of an organic EL device, for example. Even when wirings and the like are formed on the surface, no large parasitic capacitance is generated between these wirings and the film pattern. Further, the surface of the substrate can be protected from the functional liquid or solvent by the material film.

In the present invention, the functional liquid or the solvent can be arranged by a droplet discharge method.
According to this method, by using the droplet discharge method, the consumption of the liquid material is less wasteful than other coating techniques such as a spin coating method, and the amount and position of the liquid material placed on the substrate are controlled. There is an advantage that it is easy to perform.

The device manufacturing method of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a device having a film pattern, wherein the film pattern forming step is performed by the above-described film pattern forming method of the present invention.
According to this method, a high-performance device having a uniform film over the entire effective area can be provided.
Examples of the device of the present invention include an organic electroluminescence device, a color filter substrate, and the like. An organic functional layer (light emitting layer, charge transport layer, etc.) of these organic electroluminescence devices, a pattern of a pixel electrode, or a color filter substrate The film pattern forming method of the present invention can be suitably applied to a color filter pattern forming step or the like.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a film pattern forming method of the present invention.
In the method for forming a film pattern of the present invention, a functional liquid containing a functional material is disposed on a base P, and the functional liquid is dried to form a film pattern made of the functional material on the base P. Is. Among areas film pattern is formed, it is called the effective area T _E a region constituted by a group of film pattern original function film is effectively exhibited, although film pattern is formed, a film original function a group of film pattern (dummy pattern) that the non-active area T _D a region constituted by not exhibiting. However, it is not always necessary to film pattern is formed on the non-effective area T _D, regions arranged only solvent without functional material, or regions to form regions and dummy pattern arranging only the solvent and An area including both of them may be referred to as an ineffective area. In the present invention, these are collectively referred to as ineffective areas.

For example, in a display device such as an organic EL display device, the effective area T _E, refers to one cohesive area formed by a group of pixels to be used in the display, the color filter substrate used in a liquid crystal display device or the like in, the effective area T _E, refers to one cohesive area formed by a group of color filters used for display. In addition, in a substrate on which a plurality of electrodes and wirings are formed, it refers to a single region composed of the plurality of electrodes and the plurality of wirings. Method of forming a film pattern of the present invention, by selectively disposing the functional liquid such effective area T _E, and forms a group of film pattern having a desired shape and function.

In Figure 1, the effective area T _E, for example, pixels for a plurality of display (effective pixel) composed of P _E effective optical area, for a plurality of effective pixels P _E of the effective optical area T _E, respectively functional material An example is shown in which a functional liquid containing is selectively discharged by a droplet discharge method.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral IJ indicates a droplet discharge device, reference numeral 20 indicates a droplet discharge head provided in the droplet discharge device, and reference numeral 81 indicates a nozzle provided in the droplet discharge head. In Figure 1, the arrangement pitch in the arrangement direction J is a tilted with respect to the arrangement direction X of the effective pixels P _E, but the nozzles 81 in the arrangement direction J of the nozzle 81 (distance between the centers of adjacent nozzles 81) Is the same as the arrangement pitch of the effective pixels P _E in the X direction (the interval between the centers of the adjacent effective pixels P _E ), the arrangement direction J is set in a direction that coincides with the arrangement direction X of the effective pixels P _E. The droplet discharge head 20 is configured to be able to rotate the angle θ in a plane parallel to the effective optical region _TE, and the arrangement pitch of the nozzles 81 in the X direction (that is, when the nozzles 81 are projected onto the X axis). The arrangement direction J of the nozzles 81 is controlled so that the arrangement pitch of the nozzles 81) and the arrangement pitch of the effective pixels _{PE in} the X direction coincide with each other. The droplet discharge head 20 and the base P can be moved relative to each other in the X direction or the Y direction in a state where the arrangement direction J is defined.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of the droplet discharge head 20.
The droplet discharge head 20 includes a nozzle plate 80 having a plurality of nozzles 81, a pressure chamber substrate 90 having a vibration plate 85, and a casing 88 that fits and supports the nozzle plate 80 and the vibration plate 85. ing.

  The main part structure of the droplet discharge head 20 is a structure in which the pressure chamber substrate 90 is sandwiched between the nozzle plate 80 and the vibration plate 85 as shown in the partial perspective view of FIG. The nozzles 81 of the nozzle plate 80 correspond to the pressure chambers (cavities) 91 formed in the pressure chamber substrate 90, respectively. The pressure chamber substrate 90 is provided with a plurality of cavities 91 so that each can function as a pressure chamber by etching a silicon single crystal substrate or the like. The cavities 91 are separated from each other by a side wall 92. Each cavity 91 is connected to a reservoir 93 which is a common flow path via a supply port 94.

  The diaphragm 85 is provided with a tank port 86 so that an arbitrary liquid material can be supplied from a liquid material supply tank (not shown) through a pipe. A piezoelectric element 87 is disposed at a position corresponding to the cavity 91 on the vibration plate 85. The piezoelectric element 87 has a structure in which a piezoelectric ceramic crystal such as a PZT element is sandwiched between an upper electrode and a lower electrode (not shown). The piezoelectric element 87 is configured to generate a volume change in response to an ejection signal supplied from a control device (not shown).

  In order to eject a droplet from the droplet ejection head 20, first, the control device supplies an ejection signal for ejecting the droplet to the droplet ejection head 20. The droplets flow into the cavity 91 of the droplet discharge head 20, and in the droplet discharge head 20 to which the discharge signal is supplied, the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element 87 between the upper electrode and the lower electrode. Causes a volume change. This volume change deforms the diaphragm 85 and changes the volume of the cavity 91. As a result, a droplet is ejected from the nozzle 81 of the cavity 91. The liquid material reduced by the discharge is newly supplied from the liquid material supply tank to the cavity 91 from which the droplet has been discharged.

  The liquid droplet ejection head 20 provided in the liquid droplet ejection apparatus IJ according to the present embodiment is configured to cause a volume change in a piezoelectric element to eject liquid droplets, but heat is applied to a liquid material by a heating element. The configuration may be such that droplets are ejected by the expansion.

4 (a) is a schematic view showing a planar structure of the substrate P including the effective optical area T _E, 4 (b) is a schematic view showing an enlarged region K of the corner portion of the effective optical area T _E It is.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the method of forming a film pattern of the present invention, effective around the optical region (effective area) T _E, to form a dummy area T _D is a non-active area, dummy dummy area T _D by discharging the liquid material, also around the effective optical area T _E form the same solvent atmosphere effective optical area T _E. The dummy liquid material, typically discharges the same function liquid as discharging the effective optical area T _E, it is possible to discharge only the solvent. As the solvent in this case, a solvent contained in the functional liquid or another solvent having a boiling point close to the solvent contained in the functional liquid can be used.

Dummy area T _D is provided so as to surround the periphery of the effective optical area T _E. The dummy area T _D, is provided with a plurality of regions P _D for placing the liquid material. These regions P _D is the effective pixel P _E formed in the effective optical area T _E, which may be referred to as dummy pixels. Dummy pixels P _D is the pixel that does not contribute to the display, but usually not the pixel electrodes and the switching elements are formed exclusively to form the pixel electrodes and switching elements in order to perform the inspection, the functions according to the effective pixel P _E There is also a case to have.

In the droplet discharge method, a partition (bank) for partitioning pixels may be formed between pixels in order to accurately arrange the discharged droplets at predetermined pixels. In this case, each region partitioned by the partition wall is a region P _D for arranging the liquid material, that is, a liquid receiving unit, and is disposed in the effective optical region T _E among the plurality of liquid receiving units. liquid receiving unit effective pixels P _E, and the liquid receiving portions arranged in the dummy area T _D is the dummy pixel P _D was.

Further, there is a case where the region where the liquid material is disposed and the region where the liquid material is not disposed are partitioned only by surface treatment of the base P without forming the partition. That is, the affinity for the functional fluid to specific areas of the substrate P as (lyophilic) is lower handle (liquid repellency treatment) subjecting the functional liquid region comprising an effective pixel P _E and the dummy pixel P _D In some cases, the region (lyophilic region) has a relatively high affinity. In this case, each area formed as the lyophilic area becomes the liquid receiving portion. Further, when the placement accuracy is not required, the liquid material may be directly discharged onto the substrate P without performing the surface treatment as described above. In this case, a coating film of the liquid material is formed. Individual areas serve as liquid receivers.

In the present embodiment, the surface treatment described above, it is assumed that an effective pixel P _E and the dummy pixels P _D without forming a partition wall.

As shown in FIG. 4 (b), in the present invention, the size of the dummy pixel P _D is larger than the size of the effective pixel P _E. For drying of the liquid material to proceed from the periphery of the effective optical area T _E, it is to prevent only a dry dummy area T _D is to proceed, it is necessary to place many solvents in the dummy region P _D . Further, in the dummy pixel P _D is receding contact angle for the liquid material (especially a solvent) of the substrate P is controlled to 30 ° or less. By doing so, shrinkage of the liquid material due to drying can be suppressed, and as a result, the partial pressure of the solvent vapor can be kept constant throughout the drying period.

In FIG. 4 (b), all common shape of the dummy pixels P _D in the dummy area T _D, distance between the centers of the X and Y directions of the array pitch (adjacent dummy pixel P _D of the dummy pixel P _D ) and is the same as the effective optical area T X and Y directions of the array pitch of the effective pixel P _E in _E (distance of the center of the adjacent dummy pixels P _E), but the configuration of the dummy pixel P _D is not necessarily to It is not limited. For example, the arrangement pitch size (the size of the surface area of the liquid material discharged in other words the region) of the dummy pixels P _D may be distributed in a dummy area T _D. In this case, the size of the dummy pixel P _D, refers to the size of the average dummy pixels P _D provided in the dummy area T _D. However, such variations, the amount of solvent per unit area amount of solvent per unit area is arranged in the dummy area T _D (i.e. the area of the dummy pixels P _D) is arranged in the effective optical area T _E As long as it is greater than.

Next, the film pattern forming method of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
First, as shown in FIG. 5 (a), a surface treatment of the aforementioned effective optical area T _E and the dummy area T _D of the substrate P, on the surface of the substrate P, the effective pixels P _E and the dummy pixel P _D A plurality of regions are formed.

  In this process, the area of each region that becomes a dummy pixel is formed to be larger than the area of each region that becomes an effective pixel. Further, in the region to be the dummy pixel, the receding contact angle with respect to the liquid material (particularly the solvent) of the base P is adjusted to be 30 ° or less.

  Examples of the substrate P include various materials such as glass, quartz glass, Si wafer, plastic film, and metal plate. Further, it includes those in which a semiconductor film, a metal film, a dielectric film, an organic film or the like is formed as a base layer on the surface of these various material substrates.

When the above processing is performed, as shown in FIG. 5B, the functional liquid L is discharged to the respective areas P _E and P _D formed as the lyophilic areas. The functional liquid L is a liquid material obtained by dissolving or dispersing a material constituting the film pattern F in a solvent. Note that the droplet discharge apparatus IJ described above is used for discharging the functional liquid L.

  As a material constituting the film pattern F, materials (functional materials) having various functions such as an electrical function and an optical function can be used. For example, when a light emitting layer of an organic EL element is formed, a material having fluorescence or phosphorescence may be used as a functional material, and when a color filter is formed, a fine particle coloring material such as a pigment may be used. . Further, when forming a transparent pixel electrode such as a liquid crystal device, a fine particle conductive material such as indium tin oxide (ITO) may be used.

  The solvent is not particularly limited as long as it can dissolve or disperse the above functional material and does not cause aggregation. For example, water, alcohols, hydrocarbon compounds, and ether compounds are suitable.

The amount of solvent discharged onto the dummy pixels P _D is preferably larger than the amount of solvent discharged to the effective pixels P _E. To proceed faster drying of the droplets in the dummy area T _D is, when the amount of solvent discharged as effective pixels identical to the P _E, evaporated solvent dummy region are all before the drying of the effective optical area T _E is finished put away, because can not be performed uniformly dried in effective optical area T _E.
The amount of the solvent to be discharged to the dummy pixel P _D and the effective pixel P _D is greater than the surface area S _E of the solvent the surface area S _D of the solvent disposed on at least a dummy pixel P _D is arranged in the effective pixel P _E Set the amount so that In this way, it is possible to correspondingly higher than pressures the partial pressure of the solvent vapor partial pressure effective optical area T _E of the solvent vapor in the dummy area T _D.

After ejecting the functional liquid L, as shown in FIG. 5 (c), the solvent in the functional liquid L is removed by drying to form a film pattern F made of the functional material in the effective pixel P _E.

As described above, in the present invention, since the ejecting dummy liquid material around the effective optical area T _E, when drying the functional liquid L, the partial pressure of solvent vapor in the effective optical area T _E, It does not become excessively larger than the partial pressure of the solvent vapor in the dummy area T _D. In particular, the amount of solvent per unit area are arranged in the dummy region T _D is larger than the amount of solvent per unit area is arranged in the effective optical area T _E, drying proceeds rapidly dummy area T _{Even in D} , the partial pressure of the solvent does not drop rapidly. The partial pressure of the solvent vapor depends on the surface area of the arranged solvent. The larger the surface area of the arranged solvent, the larger the partial pressure of the evaporated solvent. In the present invention, the surface area of the arranged solvent is set as a dummy pixel. adjusted by the size of P _D, since thereby the right settings to avoid bias in the partial pressure of the solvent in the effective optical area T _E, the speed of the solvent from the functional fluid across the effective optical area is evaporated, i.e. drying rate It is possible to form a high-quality film that is uniform and has no film thickness unevenness or film unevenness.

Furthermore, in the dummy pixel P _D, since the receding contact angle with respect to the functional liquid L of the substrate P is controlled to 30 ° or less, the functional liquid L disposed in the dummy pixel P _D is between the start and end of drying The surface area hardly changes and it is possible to always maintain a constant partial pressure of the solvent vapor. In particular, the amount of solvent discharged to the effective pixels P _E is less than the amount of solvent discharged to the dummy pixel P _D, since the surface area is small, the period from the start to the end of the drying is always the dummy pixel P _The drying is performed under the condition that the surface area S _D of the solvent arranged in _D satisfies S _E ≦ S _D with respect to the surface area S _{E of} the solvent arranged in each effective pixel P _E. Therefore, it is possible to maintain always large enough the partial pressure of solvent vapor in the dummy area T _D from the beginning of the drying period until the end.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the drying process of the functional liquid L.
The functional liquid L dropped from the droplet discharge head 20 gradually decreases in liquid level in the drying process after coating, and is finally solidified to form a film pattern F. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6B, if the wettability between the functional liquid L and the substrate P is poor (retreating contact angle θ _B > 30 °), the coating film of the functional liquid L has a constant contact angle θB, The substrate P contracts both in the surface direction (left-right direction in the figure) and in the height direction (up-down direction in the figure). The partial pressure of the solvent vapor depends on the surface area of the arranged solvent. The larger the surface area of the arranged solvent, the larger the partial pressure of evaporated solvent molecules. In the case of FIG. since the shrinkage occurs in the plane direction of the substrate P, the partial pressure of solvent vapor gradually decreases with the progress of drying, the drying process progresses to some extent, the partial pressure of the required solvent vapor in the dummy area T _D is maintained It becomes impossible.

On the other hand, when the wettability between the functional liquid L and the substrate P is good as shown in FIG. 6A (retraction contact angle θ _A ≦ 30 °), the contraction of the coating film does not occur in the surface direction of the substrate P, but exclusively. contraction in the height direction of the coating film only (i.e. change in contact angle theta _a) so arises. For this reason, even if the drying proceeds, the surface area of the coating film hardly changes, and the partial pressure of the solvent vapor hardly changes. Therefore, the partial pressure of the solvent vapor in the dummy region is always kept constant during the drying period, and as a result, the film pattern F can be made uniform in the entire effective optical region.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, as an embodiment of the device manufacturing method of the present invention, an example in which the film pattern forming method of the present invention is applied to a method of manufacturing an organic EL device will be described. This organic EL device is an organic EL device in which organic EL elements are arranged on a substrate as pixels, and can be suitably used as display means for electronic devices, for example.

FIG. 7 is a circuit configuration diagram of the organic EL device 70, and FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of the organic EL device 70. The Figure 9 is a diagram showing a planar structure of each pixel P _E provided in the organic EL device 70, (a) among the pixels P _E, diagram mainly showing a pixel driving portion of the TFT and the like, (B) is a diagram showing a bank (partition wall) B that partitions pixels. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional configuration along the line AA in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 7, the organic EL device 70 includes a plurality of scanning lines (wirings, power conduction units) 131 and a plurality of signals extending in a direction intersecting the scanning lines 131 on a substrate made of glass or the like. A line (wiring, power conduction unit) 132 and a plurality of common power supply lines (wiring, power conduction unit) 133 extending in parallel to the signal lines 132 are respectively wired. A pixel _PE is provided for each intersection.

For the signal line 132, a data side driving circuit 72 including a shift register, a level shifter, a video line, an analog switch, and the like is provided. On the other hand, for the scanning line 131, a scanning side driving circuit 73 including a shift register, a level shifter, and the like is provided. Further, each of the pixels _{P E,} a switching TFT (thin film transistor) 142 that a scanning signal through the scanning line 131 is supplied to the gate electrode, supplied from the signal line 132 through the switching TFT (thin film transistor) 142 A storage capacitor cap for holding the image signal (power) to be generated, a driving TFT 143 to which the image signal held by the storage capacitor cap is supplied to the gate electrode, and the common feeding line 133 via the driving TFT 143 A pixel electrode 141 into which a drive current flows from the common power supply line 133 when connected to the light-emitting element, and a light emitting unit 140 sandwiched between the pixel electrode 141 and the common electrode 154 are provided. An element composed of the pixel electrode (first electrode) 141, the common electrode (second electrode) 154, and the light emitting unit 140 made of an organic functional layer is an organic EL element.

  Under such a configuration, when the scanning line 131 is driven and the switching TFT 142 is turned on, the potential of the signal line 132 at that time is held in the holding capacitor cap, and depending on the state of the holding capacitor cap, The on / off state of the driving TFT 143 is determined. Then, a current flows from the common power supply line 133 to the pixel electrode 141 through the channel of the driving TFT 143, and further a current flows to the common electrode 154 through the light emitting unit 140. Will start to emit light.

  Next, when viewing the planar structure, as shown in FIG. 8, the organic EL device 70 of the present embodiment includes organic EL elements 200 arranged in a matrix at the center of the base P.

Substrate P is a transparent substrate of glass or the like, for example, located in the center of the substrate P, the effective optical area (effective area) of the organic EL element 200 functions T _E and the effective optical area located on the periphery of the substrate P It is disposed on the outer periphery of the T _E, which is divided into a dummy area (non-effective area) T _D of the organic EL element 200 does not function. The effective optical region _TE is a region formed by the organic EL elements 200 arranged in a matrix and is also referred to as an effective display region. The dummy area T _D is formed adjacent to the effective optical area T _E, and is configured as an area that does not contribute to display. The effective optical area T _E, which is formed the bank B for partitioning an effective pixel P _E (see FIG. 9) is a region partitioned by the bank B with a configured liquid receiving portion for arranging the functional liquid By arranging a functional liquid in the liquid receiving portion, an organic functional layer of an organic EL element described later is formed. That is, the region partitioned by the bank B are valid pixels, the effective optical area T _E, the organic EL element 200 is formed on each of the effective pixel. On the other hand, the dummy area T _D, a bank for partitioning a dummy pixel P _D is not formed. The material film of the bank B is also formed in the dummy area T _D, the patterning of the material layer in the dummy area T _D is not performed, the liquid material to be arranged in the dummy pixel P _D is the material film It is supposed that it discharges directly on the upper surface of the glass.

  One end of the common electrode 154 is connected to a cathode wiring (not shown) formed on the base P, and one end 154a of this wiring is connected to the wiring 77 on the flexible substrate 75 as shown in FIG. It is connected. The wiring 77 is connected to a driving IC 76 (driving circuit) provided on the flexible substrate 75.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the common power supply line 133 (133 </ b> _R , 133 </ b> G, 133 </ b> B) is wired in the dummy region TD of the base P. Further, in FIG. 8, the illustrated both lateral sides of the effective optical area T _E is disposed above the scanning side drive circuit 73. The scanning side driving circuit 73 is provided in the circuit element portion of the lower dummy region T _D. Further, the circuit element section is provided with drive circuit control signal wiring 73a and drive circuit power supply wiring 73b connected to the scanning side drive circuits 73 and 73. Further, in FIG. 8, the upper side in the drawing of the effective optical area T _E is arranged inspection circuit 74. The inspection circuit 74 can inspect the quality and defects of the display device during manufacturing or at the time of shipment.

Next, looking at the plane structure of a pixel _{P E} shown in FIG. 9 (a), the pixel _{P E} is the four sides of a generally rectangular plan view shape of the pixel electrode 141, signal line 132, common feeder line 133, scanning lines 131 In addition, the pixel electrode is surrounded by other pixel electrode scanning lines (not shown). Further, when the sectional structure of the pixel P _E shown in FIG. 10, on the substrate P, the driving TFT 143 is provided, on a substrate P via the plurality of insulating films formed to cover the driving TFT 143, An organic EL element 200 is formed. The organic EL element 200 is mainly composed of an organic functional layer 140 provided in a region surrounded by the bank B standing on the base P. The organic functional layer 140 is composed of a pixel electrode 141, a common electrode 154, and the like. A structure sandwiched between the two is provided.

  Here, in the planar structure shown in FIG. 9B, the bank B has openings 149b and 151 having a substantially rectangular shape in plan view corresponding to the formation region of the pixel electrode 141, and the opening 149b. 151, the organic functional layer 140 is formed.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the driving TFT 143 includes a channel region 143c via a source region 143a, a drain region 143b and a channel region 143c formed in the semiconductor film 210, and a gate insulating film 220 formed on the surface of the semiconductor layer. And a gate electrode 143A facing the main body. A first interlayer insulating film 230 is formed to cover the semiconductor film 210 and the gate insulating film 220. The drain electrodes 236 are respectively formed in the contact holes 232 and 234 that penetrate the first interlayer insulating film 230 and reach the semiconductor film 210. The source electrode 238 is buried, and each electrode is conductively connected to the drain region 143b and the source region 143a. A second interlayer insulating film 240 is formed in the first interlayer insulating film 230, and a part of the pixel electrode 141 is embedded in a contact hole penetrating through the second interlayer insulating film 240. The pixel electrode 141 and the drain electrode 236 are conductively connected, so that the driving TFT 143 and the pixel electrode 141 (organic EL element 200) are electrically connected. An inorganic bank (first partition wall layer) 149 made of an inorganic insulating material is formed so as to partially ride on the peripheral edge of the pixel electrode 141. On the inorganic bank 149, an organic bank (second partition layer) 150 made of an organic material is stacked, and the inorganic bank 149 and the organic bank 150 form a partition member in the organic EL device 71.

  In the organic EL element 200, a hole injection layer 140A as a charge transport layer and a light emitting layer 140B are stacked on the pixel electrode 141, and a common electrode 154 covering the light emitting layer 140B and the organic bank 150 is formed. It is constituted by. The hole injection layer 140 </ b> A is formed so as to cover the pixel electrode 141, and the peripheral end portion of the inorganic bank 149 provided on the lower layer side of the organic bank 150 extends from the organic bank 150 to the center side of the pixel electrode 141. The protruding portion is also formed so as to cover the portion.

  In the case of a so-called bottom emission type organic EL device, the substrate P is configured to extract light from the substrate P side, and therefore a transparent substrate such as glass is used. On the other hand, in the case of a so-called top emission type organic EL device, light is extracted from the side on which the organic EL element 200 is disposed. Therefore, in addition to a transparent substrate such as glass, an opaque substrate can be used. Examples of opaque substrates include ceramics such as alumina, metal sheets such as stainless steel that have been subjected to insulation treatment such as surface oxidation, thermosetting resins and thermoplastic resins, and films thereof (plastic films). It is done.

  The pixel electrode 141 is formed of a light-transmitting conductive material such as ITO (indium tin oxide) in the case of the bottom emission type that extracts light through the base P, but in the case of the top emission type, the light transmission is performed. It is not necessary to have a property, and it can be formed of an appropriate conductive material such as a metal material.

  The common electrode 154 is formed on the substrate P in a state of covering the light emitting layer 140B and the upper surface of the bank B and the wall surface forming the side surface of the bank B. As a material for forming the common electrode 154, in the case of the top emission type, a transparent conductive material is used. ITO is suitable as the transparent conductive material, but other translucent conductive materials may be used. In the case of the bottom emission type, in addition to the transparent conductive material, an opaque or light reflective conductive material such as aluminum can be used.

  A cathode protective layer may be formed on the upper layer side of the common electrode 154. By providing such a cathode protective layer, an effect of preventing the common electrode 154 from being corroded during the manufacturing process can be obtained, and an inorganic compound such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon nitride oxide or the like can be used. Can be formed. By covering the common electrode 154 with a cathode protective layer made of an inorganic compound, intrusion of oxygen or the like into the common electrode 154 made of an inorganic oxide can be satisfactorily prevented. Such a cathode protective layer is formed to a thickness of about 10 nm to 300 nm on the substrate outside the plane region of the common electrode 154.

[Method for Manufacturing Organic EL Device]
Next, a method for manufacturing the organic EL device 70 will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, an example in which an organic EL device having the configuration shown in FIGS. 7 to 10 is manufactured using a droplet discharge method will be described. In addition, the procedure shown below and the material structure of a liquid material are examples, and are not limited to this. As the droplet discharge device, the aforementioned one can be used.

Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing the organic EL element 200 provided in the organic EL device 70 will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. 11 and 12, the effective optical area T _E and the boundary portions of the dummy area T _D is illustrated.

First, as shown in FIG. 11A, a circuit element unit such as a pixel electrode 141 and a driving TFT 143 for driving the pixel electrode 141 is formed on a base P. These can be formed by a known method. Figure 11 (a), the but to form a pixel electrode 141 only in the effective optical area T _E, it is possible to form the same pixel electrode against a dummy area T _D. In this case, the pixels formed in the dummy area T _D (dummy pixel) may be used as an element for inspection.

Next, the bank B is formed on the base P on which the circuit element portion is formed.
In FIG. 11 (a), as the bank B, and adopt a shape having an opening 149 b, 151 only the effective pixel _{P E.} By not providing an opening in the dummy region, it is possible to prevent parasitic capacitance from being generated between the dummy film pattern and the wiring formed in the circuit element portion. However, if necessary, it is also possible to provide an opening 149 b, 151 on both the effective pixels _{P E} and the dummy pixels _{P D.}

  Here, first, an inorganic bank 149 made of an inorganic insulating material such as silicon oxide is formed so as to partially overlap the peripheral portion of the pixel electrode 141 in a planar manner. Specifically, after a silicon oxide film is formed so as to cover the pixel electrode 141 and the planarization insulating film 240, the silicon oxide film is patterned using a known photolithography technique, and the surface of the pixel electrode 141 is partially covered. It can be formed by opening.

Next, an organic bank 150 made of an organic insulating material such as acrylic or polyimide is formed on the inorganic bank 149. The organic bank 150 forms a bank (partition wall) B that partitions the organic EL element 200 together with the inorganic bank 149. That is, in the effective optical area T _E, each of the regions partitioned by the inorganic bank layer 149 and the organic bank 150 is a liquid-receiving portion, these liquid receiving portion becomes effective pixel P _E, respectively. On the other hand, in the dummy area T _D, since the bank B has no opening, the planar area of the upper surface (i.e., upper surface of the organic bank 150 unpatterned) of the bank B becomes dummy pixels P _D.

  The height of the organic bank 150 is set to about 1 μm to 2 μm, for example, and functions as a partition member for the organic EL element 200 on the base P. Under such a configuration, the hole injection layer and the light-emitting layer of the organic EL element 200 are formed at a sufficient height difference between the formation position of the organic EL element 200, that is, the application position of these formation materials and the surrounding organic bank 150. An opening 151 is formed. The opening 151 of the organic bank 150 and the opening 149b of the inorganic bank 149 communicate with each other, and the pixel electrode 141 is exposed in these openings.

The upper surface of the bank B, it is desirable to perform processing so as to impart lyophilic to the portion to be the dummy pixel P _D. In this process, the receding contact angle with respect to the functional liquid on the upper surface of the bank is set to 30 ° or less. Each region has become lyophilic region by this process is a liquid-receiving portion, these liquid receiving portion is a dummy pixel P _D, respectively. However, when the bank upper surface has sufficient lyophilicity, such a process is unnecessary. In this case, each of the regions where the functional liquid is disposed is a liquid receiving portion, these liquid receiving portion is a dummy pixel P _D, respectively.

The size of the dummy pixel P _D is the larger than the size of the effective pixel P _E. That is, the area of each lyophilic region formed in the dummy region is made larger than the opening of the bank formed in the effective pixel so that more solvent vapor can be supplied from the dummy region. Another object of the present invention is to secure a drying time comparable to that of the effective optical area in the dummy area where the drying proceeds quickly by allowing a large amount of solvent to be supplied to the dummy pixel.

Intervals in the X direction and the Y direction of the opening 151 of the organic bank 150 (arrangement pitch) is the same distance between the effective pixel P _E and the dummy pixels P _D. That is, the effective pixel P _E and the dummy pixel P _D is formed in the same arrangement density. However, the size and arrangement density of the dummy pixel P _D may be the variation in the dummy area T _D. In this case, the size of the dummy pixel P _D, refers to the size of the average dummy pixels P _D provided in the dummy area T _D. However, such variations, the surface area of the solvent per unit area are arranged in the dummy region T _D is permitted as long as the greater than the surface area of the solvent per unit area is arranged in the effective optical area.

  When forming the organic bank 150, it is preferable to form the wall surface of the opening 151 of the organic bank 150 slightly outward from the opening 149 b of the inorganic bank 149. In this way, by partially exposing the inorganic bank 149 in the opening 151 of the organic bank 150, the wet spread of the liquid material in the organic bank 150 can be improved.

  When the bank B is formed on the substrate P, the functional liquid L1 for forming the hole injection layer 140A is selected at the coating position partitioned by the bank B by the droplet discharge head as shown in FIG. Apply it. The functional liquid L1 is obtained by dissolving or dispersing the hole injection layer forming material in a solvent.

  As the hole injection layer forming material, polyphenylene vinylene whose polymer precursor is polytetrahydrothiophenylphenylene, 1,1-bis- (4-N, N-ditolylaminophenyl) cyclohexane, tris (8-hydroxyquinolinol) Examples thereof include aluminum, polystyrene sulfonic acid, a mixture of polyethylene dioxythiophene and polystyrene sulfonic acid (PEDOT / PSS), and the like. Examples of the solvent include polar solvents such as isopropyl alcohol, N-methylpyrrolidone, and 1,3-dimethyl-imidazolinone.

The amount of the functional liquid L1 that discharges the dummy pixel P _D (in particular the amount of the solvent) is preferably larger than the amount of functional liquid discharged in the effective pixel P _E. For drying speed of the droplet in the dummy area T _D is high, when a common amount of solvent discharged in both of the dummy pixel P _D and the effective pixel P _E, faster drying dummy region will be terminated, the effective optical area uniform drying across T _E is in some cases no longer be performed. On the other hand, when the amount of solvent discharged has much in dummy pixel P _D is no longer caused a bias in the duration of the solvent in the effective optical area T _E, such as unevenness of the film thickness unevenness and the film across the effective optical area is High quality film can be formed.

  When the functional liquid L1 is discharged onto the substrate P from the droplet discharge head, the functional liquid L1 tends to spread in the horizontal direction due to the fluidity, but the bank B is formed so as to surround the applied position. The functional liquid L1 does not spread beyond the bank B. Further, since the surfaces of the pixel electrode 141 and the inorganic bank 149 have good lyophilicity, the discharged functional liquid L1 spreads over the entire surface of the pixel electrode and the like, and forms a uniform coating film. On the other hand, the functional liquid L discharged to the dummy area spreads wet around the discharge position and forms a plurality of coating films having a predetermined area.

  When the functional liquid L1 is disposed on the substrate P, as shown in FIG. 11C, the solvent of the functional liquid L1 is evaporated by heating or light irradiation, and a solid hole injection layer 140A (film pattern) is formed on the pixel electrode 141. ). Alternatively, firing may be performed at a predetermined temperature and time in an air environment or a nitrogen gas atmosphere. Or you may make it remove a solvent by arrange | positioning in the pressure environment (under pressure reduction environment) lower than atmospheric pressure.

At this time, the amount of solvent per unit area are arranged in the dummy region T _D is larger than the amount of solvent per unit area is arranged in the effective optical area T _E, drying proceeds rapidly dummy region It is not reduced sharply partial pressure of the solvent even in the T _D. Further, since the surface of the dummy pixel P _D has a receding contact angle of 30 ° or less with respect to the functional liquid, between the start and end of drying, the surface area of the functional liquid is not able to change almost always A constant solvent vapor partial pressure can be maintained. For this reason, the drying speed is uniform throughout the effective optical region, and the resulting hole injection layer 140A is also excellent in film thickness uniformity and flatness.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 12A, the functional liquid L2 for forming the light emitting layer 140B is selectively applied onto the hole injection layer 140A in the bank B from the droplet discharge head. The functional liquid L2 is obtained by dissolving or dispersing a light emitting layer forming material in a solvent.

  As the light emitting layer forming material, polyfluorene derivative (PF), polyparaphenylene vinylene derivative (PPV), polyphenylene derivative (PP), polyparaffin, which are known polymer light emitting materials capable of emitting fluorescence or phosphorescence. Polysilanes such as phenylene derivatives (PPP), polyvinylcarbazole (PVK), polythiophene derivatives, polydialkylfluorene (PDAF), polyfluorenebenzothiadiazole (PFBT), polyalkylthiophene (PAT), polymethylphenylsilane (PMPS), etc. Can be suitably used. In addition, these light-emitting materials include polymer materials such as perylene dyes, coumarin dyes, rhodamine dyes, rubrene, perylene, 9,10-diphenylanthracene, tetraphenylbutadiene, Nile red, coumarin 6, quinacridone, and the like. It is also possible to use a low molecular weight material doped.

  The light emitting layer forming material is preferably dissolved or dispersed in a polar solvent to form a liquid material, and this liquid material is preferably discharged from a droplet discharge head. The polar solvent can easily dissolve or uniformly disperse the light emitting material or the like, and therefore, a solid component in the light emitting layer forming material in the nozzle holes of the droplet discharge head may adhere or cause clogging. Can be prevented.

  Specific examples of such a polar solvent include water, alcohols compatible with water such as methanol and ethanol, N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF), N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), dimethylimidazoline (DMI), Examples include organic solvents or inorganic solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), xylene, cyclohexylbenzene, and 2,3-dihydrobenzofuran, and two or more of these solvents may be appropriately mixed.

The light emitting layer 140B is formed by a functional liquid containing a light emitting layer forming material that emits red colored light, a functional liquid containing a light emitting layer forming material that emits green colored light, and a light emitting layer forming material that emits blue colored light. the functional fluid containing, performed by ejecting the corresponding effective pixel P _E.

FIG. 12A shows a process of discharging the functional liquid L2 to the red effective pixel. In this step, in the same way as to form a hole injection layer 140A, also discharges a similar function liquid L2 in the dummy pixel P _D. In FIG. 12 (a), the functional liquid L2 has ejected all of the dummy pixels P _D, may alternatively be discharged only to a portion of dummy pixels P _D.

  When the droplet is overlaid on the droplet, the droplet discharged for the second time exhibits good wetting and spreading with respect to the discharge position. That is, the film 140A formed by the first droplet L1 exhibits good lyophilicity with respect to the droplet L2 overlaid thereon, and has a sufficiently small receding contact angle with respect to the droplet L2. It will be a thing. For this reason, even if the substrate P is not subjected to a special treatment, the above-described ejection conditions, that is, the conditions such as the coating film size, pitch, receding contact angle, etc. are sufficiently satisfied.

  In this step, it is also possible to discharge the dummy functional liquid L2 to a position different from the dummy functional liquid L1 discharged earlier. In this case, the dummy functional liquid L2 is discharged under the conditions described above.

When the functional liquid L2 is discharged, the solvent in the functional liquid L2 is evaporated. By this step, as shown in FIG. 12 (b), the red effective pixel solid on the hole injection layer 140A of _{P E} of the red light-emitting layer 140B (film pattern) is formed. Thus, an organic functional layer 140 composed of the hole injection layer 140A and the light emitting layer 140B is obtained.

At this time, the amount and surface area of the functional liquid disposed in the dummy area T _D is appropriately controlled, the drying rate becomes uniform, becomes a uniform thickness and quality in the entire effective optical area T _E. Moreover, since the surface of the hole injection layer 140A on which the functional liquid L2 is disposed is satisfactorily flattened, the light emitting layer 140B formed thereon is also formed with good flatness, and is more uniform and good. The light emitting layer has excellent light emission characteristics and reliability.

After forming the luminescent layer 140B in all effective pixels P _E, as shown in FIG. 12 (c), to form a common electrode 154 made of ITO or the magnesium aluminum alloy or the like on the entire surface of the substrate P, as required A protective film 155 is formed on the surface of the common electrode 154. Thereby, the organic EL element 200 is completed.
Note that the dummy pixels P _D, red, but will be green and blue three light emitting layer formation material is formed, in FIG. 12 (c), collectively are indicated by reference numeral 140D.

In the method of manufacturing the organic EL device of the present embodiment, the amount and surface area of the solvent per unit area is held in the dummy area T _D, than the amount and surface area of the solvent per unit area is held in the effective area T _E since the large, it can be in the drying step of the functional liquid close the evaporation rate of the solvent in the dummy region T _D to the evaporation rate of the solvent in the effective optical area T _E. In particular, in the dummy area, the receding contact angle with respect to the functional liquid on the substrate surface is adjusted to be sufficiently small, so that the surface area of the solvent hardly changes during the drying period, and a constant partial pressure of the solvent vapor is always maintained. Can be maintained. Therefore, to be able to form a hole injection layer or a light-emitting layer having a uniform thickness at the outer peripheral portion and the central portion of the effective optical area T _E, thereby, excellent low reliability uneven display properties organic An EL device can be provided.

[Example]
Next, examples of the film pattern forming method of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating film thickness non-uniformity in the effective region of two sample substrates (sample substrate 1 and sample substrate 2) having different surface treatments. The horizontal axis of FIG. 13 indicates the position of the effective pixel on the substrate, and the vertical axis indicates the non-uniformity of the film thickness within one effective pixel. The non-uniformity of the film thickness is measured by the film thickness difference between the thickest part and the thinnest part in one effective pixel. The unit of the vertical axis is angstrom (Å).

  When the sample substrate 1 was dried under certain surface treatment conditions, the size of the droplet after drying of the dummy area was half that immediately after coating. At this time, the receding contact angle of the droplet with respect to the dummy region was 50 °. Further, the variation of the film thickness in the effective region is as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 13A, in the sample substrate 1, a large non-uniformity of film thickness occurs at the end of the effective area, and the film thickness unevenness cannot be solved sufficiently by simply providing a dummy area. I understand that.

  Therefore, the surface treatment conditions were changed so that the receding contact angle of the droplet with respect to the dummy region was 25 ° (sample substrate 2). When drying was performed in this state, the size of the droplets in the surface direction hardly changed from the start of drying to the end of drying. The film thickness variation in the effective region at this time is as shown in FIG. 13B, and the degree of variation is improved as compared with the sample substrate 1.

  Such a result can be understood by a phenomenon as shown in FIG. That is, when the droplet diameter is constant and the contact angle changes (FIG. 6A), and when the contact angle is constant and the droplet diameter decreases (FIG. 6B), the change in the surface area of the droplet is changed. As shown in FIG. 14, when the droplet diameter becomes small, the surface area of the droplet decreases as the drying progresses. However, when such a change in the solvent partial pressure occurs, this is compensated. As described above, the evaporation rate of the effective region increases, and as a result, a difference occurs in the evaporation rate between the end portion of the substrate and the central portion of the substrate. On the other hand, when the droplet diameter is constant and only the contact angle changes, the decrease in surface area can be suppressed, so that the partial pressure of the solvent in the dummy region hardly changes. For this reason, the difference in the drying rate between the central portion and the end portion of the effective area does not increase, and a uniform film can be obtained over the entire effective area.

  Such a result does not depend on the type of functional liquid used. Whatever functional liquid is used, if the surface area of the functional liquid in the dummy pixel is kept constant during the drying period, the film thickness uniformity in the effective region is increased. In this embodiment, the surface area of the functional liquid is kept constant by adjusting the receding contact angle with respect to the functional liquid in the dummy region. However, from the above consideration, the means is not limited to this. For example, there is a method in which a bank is formed in the dummy region and the functional liquid is discharged into the opening of the bank. Since the surface area of the solvent arranged in the dummy pixel is defined by the size of the opening of the bank, a constant solvent atmosphere can always be maintained. In this case, the opening of the dummy pixel bank is formed larger than the opening of the effective pixel bank so that a sufficient solvent atmosphere is obtained in the dummy region.

  In this embodiment, the surface area of the solvent disposed in the dummy area is kept constant. However, from the viewpoint of preventing the evaporation speed of the effective area from increasing due to the decrease in the partial pressure of the solvent in the dummy area. The surface area of the solvent disposed in the dummy region may be larger than the surface area of the solvent disposed in the effective region at least from the start to the end of the drying period, and the surface area of the solvent disposed in the dummy region is not necessarily limited. It is not required until it is always constant.

[Electronics]
Next, specific examples of the electronic device of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing an example of a mobile phone. In FIG. 15, reference numeral 600 denotes a mobile phone body, and reference numeral 601 denotes a display unit including the organic EL device of the above embodiment.
Since the electronic device shown in FIG. 15 includes the film pattern formed by the above-described film pattern forming method of the present invention, high display quality and high performance can be obtained.
The device of the present invention is not limited to the above-described mobile phone, and can be mounted on various electronic devices. Examples of the electronic apparatus include an electronic book, a personal computer, a digital still camera, a liquid crystal television, a viewfinder type or a monitor direct-view type video tape recorder, a car navigation device, a pager, an electronic notebook, a calculator, a word processor, a workstation, and a video phone. , A POS terminal, and a device equipped with a touch panel.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples. Various shapes, combinations, and the like of the constituent members shown in the above-described examples are examples, and various modifications can be made based on design requirements and the like without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  In the above embodiment, the method for forming a film pattern of the present invention is applied to a method for manufacturing an organic EL device. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a method for manufacturing a device having a plurality of film patterns in a predetermined region. Can be widely applied. For example, in the example of the organic EL device described above, the present invention can be applied to patterning of the pixel electrode 141 as well as the hole injection layer 140A and the light emitting layer 140B. The formation of the film pattern of the present invention is also applicable to the formation of various wiring patterns including the data lines 132, the scanning lines 131, or the power supply lines 133, and the formation of a plurality of terminal electrode patterns that connect the flexible substrate 75 and the substrate P. The method can be applied.

It is a conceptual diagram which shows the formation method of the film | membrane pattern of this invention. It is an exploded perspective view of a droplet discharge head which is an example of means for arranging a functional liquid. It is a fragmentary perspective view which shows the principal part of the droplet discharge head. It is a top view of the base | substrate containing a dummy area | region. It is process drawing which shows an example of the formation process of a film | membrane pattern. It is a schematic diagram which shows the drying process of a functional liquid. It is an equivalent circuit diagram of an organic EL device which is an example of the device of the present invention. It is a top view which shows the whole structure of the organic EL apparatus. It is a top view which shows the structure of 1 pixel of the organic EL apparatus. It is sectional drawing which follows the AA line of FIG. It is process drawing which shows an example of the manufacturing process of the same organic EL device. FIG. 9 is a process drawing following FIG. 8. It is a figure which shows the profile of the film | membrane pattern in an Example. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the surface area and volume of a coating film in a drying process. It is a perspective view which shows an example of the electronic device provided with the film | membrane pattern of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

70 ... Organic electroluminescence device (device), 140A ... Hole injection layer (film pattern), 140B ... Light emitting layer (film pattern), B ... Partition, F ... Film pattern, L, L1, L2 ... Functional liquid, P ... Base, P _E ... Effective pixel (liquid receiving part), P _D ... Dummy pixel (liquid receiving part), T _E ... Effective area, T _D ... Non-effective area

Claims (8)

A method of forming a film pattern made of the functional material by placing a functional liquid obtained by dissolving or dispersing a functional material in a solvent on a substrate and drying the functional liquid,
Disposing the functional liquid in an effective area of the substrate on which the film pattern is formed;
Disposing the functional liquid or the solvent in an ineffective area around the effective area;
Drying the functional liquid or the solvent disposed in the effective area and the ineffective area,
In the period from the start to the end of the drying, the surface area S _{D of the} solvent arranged in the non-effective area is S _E ≦ S _D with respect to the surface area S _{E of the} solvent arranged in the effective area. A method of forming a film pattern, wherein drying is performed so as to satisfy. The surface area S _D of the solvent per unit area arranged in the ineffective area is larger than the surface area S _{E of the} solvent per unit area arranged in the effective area, and the solvent recedes in the ineffective area The method of forming a film pattern according to claim 1, wherein the contact angle is adjusted to 30 ° or less.   The liquid receiving part in which the functional liquid or the solvent is disposed is formed in an effective area and an ineffective area of the substrate prior to the step of arranging the functional liquid or the solvent. Method for forming a film pattern.   Forming the liquid receiving portion of the effective region and the ineffective region as a region partitioned by a partition; and the size of the liquid receiving portion in the ineffective region is larger than the size of the liquid receiving portion in the effective region The method for forming a film pattern according to claim 3, wherein: Forming the liquid receiving portion of the effective region as a region partitioned by a partition; and forming the liquid receiving portion of the non-effective region by surface treatment of the substrate;
The size of the liquid receiving part in the ineffective area is larger than the size of the liquid receiving part in the effective area, and the receding contact angle of the liquid receiving part in the ineffective area with respect to the solvent is 30 ° or less. The film pattern forming method according to claim 3, wherein the film pattern is adjusted as follows.   6. The film pattern forming method according to claim 5, wherein the liquid receiving portion in the ineffective area is formed by surface-treating an upper surface of the partition wall.   The film pattern forming method according to claim 1, wherein the functional liquid or the solvent is arranged by a droplet discharge method. A method of manufacturing a device having a film pattern,
A device manufacturing method, wherein the film pattern forming step is performed by the film pattern forming method according to claim 1.

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