JP2008147141A - Manufacturing method of display panel - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a manufacturing method of a display panel capable of sufficiently protecting an exposed part of an electrode at the time of carrying out of sand blasting. <P>SOLUTION: A material layer 110A for barrier rib formation is formed on a rear-face substrate 103 in a status with a drawer electrode 108A exposed, a drawer electrode protection layer 11 is formed by extracting a drawer electrode protection DFR in liquid shape on the drawer electrode 108A of the rear-face substrate 103. After the drawer electrode protection layer 11 is exposure-developed, a barrier rib 110 is formed by a sand blast method with a material layer 110A for barrier rib formation ground, the layer 11 provided on the rear-face substrate 103 is peeled off. The drawer electrode protection layer 11 provided for protecting the drawer electrode 108A is structured by the drawer electrode protection DFR in liquid shape, and since the electrode 108A is surely sealed by the protection layer 11, when a grinding material is sprayed on the material layer 110A for barrier rib formation by the sand blast method, an abrasive does not enter even if the grinding material hits the drawer electrode protection layer 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a plasma display panel and other display panels.

A pair of planar substrates are arranged opposite to each other via a discharge space, and the discharge space is partitioned into a plurality of discharge cells by providing a grid-like or striped partition on the inner surface of one of the substrates. 2. Description of the Related Art A plasma display panel that performs image display by selectively discharging light in a discharge cell is known.
In this plasma display panel, two substrates on which required electrodes are arranged are opposed to each other through a sealed space, and phosphors color-coded into three primary colors of red, green and blue are selectively driven by driving these electrodes. An image is formed by emitting light.

As a method for forming partition walls in such a flat display panel, a sandblast method is generally used.
In this sandblasting method, for example, an address electrode protective layer is formed on a rear glass substrate constituting one of the substrates to cover the address electrodes, and a barrier rib forming material paste is applied on the address electrode protective layer to form barrier ribs. A material layer is formed, and further, a partition wall forming DFR (dry film resist) is pasted on the partition wall forming material layer, and an exposure mask is disposed on the partition wall forming DFR so as to be blasted with an abrasive. Thus, a partition having a required shape is formed on the rear substrate.

  Here, for example, external connection terminals (extraction electrode portions) for connection with the drive circuit of the electrodes formed on the back substrate are formed before the glass paste layer or this glass paste layer is formed. It is exposed from an insulating layer or the like that covers the electrode. In order to prevent the exposed part of the electrode from being damaged in the partition forming process, it is necessary to protect the exposed part of the electrode when the sandblasting process is performed.

  Conventionally, as a method of protecting the electrode during the sandblasting process of the partition wall, a method of shielding the exposed portion of the electrode with a protective plate attached to a display panel manufacturing apparatus (Patent Document 1), There is a method (Patent Document 2) in which a dry film resist (DFR) is attached to a portion where the electrode exposed portion is formed to protect the exposed portion of the electrode.

JP 2001-222946 A JP 2006-252922 A

In the conventional example shown in Patent Document 1, an abrasive is entrained between the protective plate and the substrate during the sandblasting process, the electrode is damaged, and foreign substances such as abrasives and grinding paste of the glass paste layer adhere to the electrode. One example is the problem of the possibility of doing so.
In the conventional example shown in Patent Document 2, an abrasive enters the step formed between the resist film and the address electrode protective layer attached to the electrode exposed portion forming portion on the substrate so as to enclose bubbles, thereby protecting the electrode. An example is the problem that it cannot be performed sufficiently.

  In view of the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a display panel that can sufficiently protect an exposed portion of an electrode when sandblasting.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, a material layer for forming a required structure is formed on a substrate having an electrode formed on the surface, with a part of the electrode exposed, and the material layer is In a manufacturing method of a display panel in which a structure having a required shape is formed by grinding by a sandblast method, a liquid protective layer made of a photosensitive material is formed on the substrate before the step of grinding the material layer by the sandblast method. A step of forming on the exposed portion of the electrode, and a step of peeling the protective layer provided on the substrate after the step of grinding the material layer by sandblasting. A manufacturing method of a display panel.

[Configuration of the embodiment]
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a configuration in which a plurality of address electrode patterns are formed on the back substrate of a plasma display panel as a display panel will be described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Any configuration can be applied as long as the electrode pattern is formed on the substrate, such as a liquid crystal display.

[Configuration of plasma display panel]
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a PDP (plasma display panel) manufactured in the present embodiment.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes a PDP. The PDP 100 includes a front substrate 102 and a rear substrate 103 that are arranged to face each other with a discharge space 101 interposed therebetween. On the inner surface side of the front substrate 102, a plurality of transparent electrodes 104 arranged in parallel to each other, a bus electrode (not shown) provided along the transparent electrodes 104, and a plurality of black stripes 105 made of a light-absorbing material, A dielectric layer 106, a protective layer 107, and the like are provided. On the inner surface side of the back substrate 103, a plurality of address electrodes 108, an address electrode protection layer 109, a cross-shaped partition 110, and the like, which are arranged in parallel with each other, are provided. Then, phosphor layers (112R, 112G, and 112B) of the three primary colors of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) are sequentially formed in the plurality of discharge cells 111 formed by the barrier ribs 110, respectively. ing. The inside of the discharge space 101, that is, the inside of each discharge cell 111, is filled with a discharge gas such as neon gas and sealed with the outside air.

[Display panel manufacturing method]
(1-1 Production of rear substrate)
Next, a method for manufacturing the display panel according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIGS. 2A to 2D and FIGS. 3E to 3G are schematic configuration diagrams showing the manufacturing procedure of the display panel, respectively. 4 is a plan view of a display panel subjected to one step of the present embodiment, and FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a part of FIG.
(Preparation process)
First, the surface of the back substrate 103 formed in a planar rectangular shape is sufficiently cleaned in advance by ultrasonic cleaning processing, water washing processing using a neutral detergent, or the like.

(Address electrode formation process)
Then, as shown in FIG. 2A, the address electrode 108 and the extraction electrode 108A are formed on the entire inner surface of the rear substrate 103.
Therefore, for example, an Al electrode material layer that is a material of the address electrode 108 and the extraction electrode 108A is formed on the entire inner surface of the back substrate 103 by sputtering or the like.
Thereafter, an electrode pattern by the address electrode 108 and the extraction electrode 108A is formed by a photolithography method. Specifically, a resist layer of a photosensitive material is uniformly formed on the entire surface of the electrode material layer of the back substrate 103 by film lamination or the like. Then, using an electrode pattern mask (not shown) corresponding to each electrode pattern of the address electrode 108 and the extraction electrode 108A, the resist layer formed on the inner surface of the back substrate 103 is irradiated and exposed to UV light through the electrode pattern mask. After performing the exposure process on the resist layer, the uncured portion of the resist layer that has not been exposed to light is removed with a developer, so that only the portion of the resist layer that has been exposed to light and cured is on the back substrate 103. The remaining resist pattern corresponding to the desired electrode pattern is formed.
Then, using the resist pattern as a mask, a portion of the Al electrode material layer that is not covered with the resist pattern is removed with an Al etching treatment solution to form a plurality of address electrodes 108 and lead electrodes 108A. After the etching process, the resist pattern is removed with a resist stripping solution, whereby the address electrode 108 and the extraction electrode 108A remain on the inner surface of the back substrate 103. Note that the address electrode 108 and the extraction electrode 108A are integrally formed without a seam.
The lead electrodes 108A are provided for connection to the driving circuit of the PDP, and are grouped by the required number and arranged in the non-display area portion of the back substrate 103.

(Partition forming process)
A dielectric material paste such as glass paste is applied on the address electrode 108 by screen printing, photolithography, or other means, and dried. As a result, the address electrode protective layer 109 is formed and the address electrode 108 is covered.
Thereafter, a partition wall forming material paste such as glass paste is applied on the address electrode protection layer 109 and dried to form a planar rectangular partition wall forming material layer 110A. The partition wall forming material layer 110A is formed shorter than the address electrode protection layer 109. Both ends of the address electrode protective layer 109 and the extraction electrode 108A are exposed from both ends of the partition wall forming material layer 110A.

(DFR pasting process for partition wall formation)
Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, a partition forming DFR (dry film resist) 10 made of a photosensitive material is pasted on the partition forming material layer 110A.
The partition forming DFR 10 is a photosensitive material and is made of a photosensitive material having excellent adhesion to a metal material mainly composed of Al. The partition forming DFR 10 is formed on the partition forming material layer 110A in the same manner as in the past. Form.
The partition wall forming DFR 10 is formed in a planar rectangular shape with a predetermined thickness, and has a slightly smaller area than the planar shape of the partition wall forming material layer 110A.

(Extraction electrode protective layer forming step)
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 2 (C), DFR for extraction electrode protection is applied to the end portions of the address electrode protection layer 109 exposed from the end portions of the partition wall forming material layer 110A and the extraction electrodes 108A, thereby extracting the extraction electrode protection layer. 11 is formed. After applying the extraction electrode protecting DFR, it is appropriately dried.
The extraction electrode protective layer 11 is formed by discharging liquid extraction electrode protection DFR from the nozzle 12 to the end of the address electrode protection layer 109 and the extraction electrode 108A.
The nozzle 12 moves in a straight line (through the paper surface in FIG. 2) along both ends of the address electrode protective layer 109 and the edge where the extraction electrode 108A is exposed in the partition wall forming material layer 110A. By ejecting the extraction electrode protective layer 11 while the nozzle 12 moves, the extraction electrode protective layer 11 covers the end of the address electrode protection layer 109 and the extraction electrode 108A as shown in FIGS. It is formed with a predetermined width. In the present embodiment, the method of applying the liquid extraction electrode protection layer 11 to the address electrode protection layer 109 or the like is not limited to the method using the nozzle 12. Those using a coated roller, those using a brush, or other means may be employed.
The extraction electrode protection DFR used to form the extraction electrode protection layer 11 has the same configuration (for example, material) as the partition wall formation DFR 10 except that it is liquefied. It is indispensable that the extraction electrode protecting DFR is liquefied, but the specific degree (viscosity) is sufficient if it flows out of the nozzle 12. However, if the viscosity of the extraction electrode protecting DFR is too small, a predetermined shape cannot be maintained after ejection from the nozzle 12, so a predetermined viscosity is necessary.

(Exposure process)
Then, as shown in FIG. 2D, an exposure mask 13 for forming a barrier rib pattern is opposed to the barrier rib forming DFR 10. The exposure mask 13 has a size that can sufficiently cover the electrode protective layer 11 and is formed in a sheet shape having a predetermined thickness by a transmissive material.
Next, an exposure process for the partition forming DFR 10 is performed by UV irradiation from the exposure lamp 14 through a mask having a pattern corresponding to the shape of the partition to be formed, and the partition forming DFR 10 corresponds to the partition formation pattern. An exposed portion and an unexposed portion are formed.

(Development process)
Next, as shown in FIG. 3E, a developing process of the partition wall forming DFR 10 is executed to remove the unexposed portions of the partition wall forming DFR 10 that are not photocured. The developer used in this development step is the same as that conventionally used.
(Sandblasting process)
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3F, a sandblasting process is performed through a sandblasting mask 10A formed by developing the partition wall forming DFR10.
The sand blasting process is performed using a sand blasting apparatus. The sand blasting apparatus includes a transport roller that is disposed inside the processing chamber and transports the back substrate 103, and a blast gun 15 that sprays abrasives onto the sand blast mask 10A side of the back substrate 103. The blast gun 15 sprays the cutting material 16 onto the back substrate 103 together with dry air, and reciprocates in a direction substantially orthogonal to the moving direction of the back substrate 103.
In the present embodiment, the protective plate 17 is used to cover the non-display area portion of the back substrate 103 in order to avoid damage caused by sandblasting of the portion covered with the extraction electrode protective layer 11. This protective plate 17 is attached to the processing chamber of the sandblasting apparatus.

(Resist stripping process)
As shown in FIG. 3G, the sandblast mask 10A on the partition wall is peeled off, and at the same time, the lead electrode protective layer 11 is peeled off.
In these peeling steps, the conventional sandblast mask 10A peeling means is employed.
(Phosphor layer forming process)
The phosphor pastes of the three primary colors red (R), green (G), and blue (B) are applied to the inside of each discharge cell 111 formed by the barrier ribs 110 by screen printing or the like, and the phosphor pastes are fired. By doing so, a phosphor layer is formed. Then, a sealing portion (not shown) made of glass paste is formed at the outer peripheral end of the discharge space forming region 101, whereby the rear substrate 103 is completed.

(1-2 Production of front substrate)
Next, a method for manufacturing the front substrate 102 will be described. The inner surface side of the front substrate 102 is sufficiently cleaned in advance by an ultrasonic cleaning process or a water cleaning process using a neutral detergent. Then, a transparent electrode material layer (not shown) serving as a material for the plurality of transparent electrodes 104 is formed on the entire inner surface of the front substrate 102 by sputtering or the like. Thereafter, an electrode pattern by the plurality of transparent electrodes 104 is formed by a photolithography method.

  Then, a photosensitive Ag paste layer, which is a material for the plurality of bus electrode pairs, the connection electrodes, and the plurality of scanning electrode lead portions, is printed on the entire inner surface of the front substrate 102 from the plurality of transparent electrodes 104. To form. Further, an electrode pattern mask (not shown) corresponding to each electrode pattern of the plurality of bus electrode pairs, the connection electrodes, and the plurality of scanning electrode lead portions is used to form an electrode pattern on the Ag paste layer formed on the inner surface of the front substrate 102. Irradiate and expose UV light through the mask. After the Ag paste layer is exposed to light, the portion of the Ag paste layer that has not been exposed to light and not crosslinked is removed with a developer, so that only the portion of the resist layer that has been exposed to light and crosslinked is the back substrate. A plurality of bus electrode pairs having a desired electrode pattern, connection electrodes, and a plurality of scanning electrode lead portions are formed on the substrate 103.

  Thereafter, a plurality of black stripes 105 are formed. Then, on the entire inner surface of the discharge space forming region 101 on the inner surface of the front substrate 102, a plurality of transparent electrodes, a plurality of bus electrode pairs, connection electrodes, and a plurality of black stripes are covered with glass by a die coater or the like. Apply paste to form dielectric layer 106. Further, a protective layer 107 made of MgO (magnesium oxide) or the like is formed on the entire surface of the dielectric layer 106, and the front substrate 102 is completed.

(1-3 Panel assembly)
Then, after the back substrate 103 and the front substrate 102 are completed, a sealing portion formed at the outer peripheral end portion of the discharge space forming region 101 on the back substrate 103, and a discharge space forming region 101 on the inner surface of the front substrate 102, Position them so that they face each other. Then, the sealing portion is heated (for example, at about 450 ° C.) to dissolve the sealing portion, and then the sealing portion is cooled to solidify the sealing portion, so that the rear substrate 103 and the front substrate 102 are solidified. To seal.

[Effects of manufacturing method of plasma display panel]
(1) In the present embodiment, a partition wall forming material layer 110A is formed on the back substrate 103 with the extraction electrode 108A exposed, and a liquid extraction electrode protection DFR is formed on the extraction electrode 108A of the back substrate 103. The extraction electrode protective layer 11 is formed by discharging, and the extraction electrode protection layer 11 is exposed and developed, and then the partition wall forming material layer 110A is ground by sandblasting to form the partition wall 110, and then formed on the back substrate 103. It was set as the structure which peels the extraction electrode protective layer 11 provided. Therefore, the extraction electrode protection layer 11 provided to protect the extraction electrode 108A is composed of a liquid extraction electrode protection DFR, and the extraction electrode 108A is reliably sealed by this extraction electrode protection layer 11. When the abrasive is sprayed onto the partition wall forming material layer 110A by the sandblasting method, even if the abrasive hits the extraction electrode protective layer 11, bubbles are not caught, that is, the abrasive does not enter, so that the extraction electrode 108A is damaged. There is nothing. Then, since the extraction electrode protective layer 11 is peeled off when the grinding operation by the sandblasting method is completed, the extraction electrode protection layer 11 does not get in the way when used as the PDP 100.

(2) Before the partition forming material layer 110A is ground by the sand blasting method, the partition forming DFR 10 for sand blasting is pasted on the partition forming material layer 110A, and the partition forming DFR 10 and the extraction electrode protective layer 11 and the extraction electrode DFR for forming 11 were made of the same material. Therefore, the peeling process of the extraction electrode protective layer 11 can be performed simultaneously with the conventional peeling process of the partition wall forming DFR 10, so that the work efficiency is improved. In this regard, it is conceivable that the partition forming DFR 10 itself is formed of a liquid DFR in the same manner as the extraction electrode protective layer 11, but applying the liquid DFR to the partition forming material layer 110A itself may damage the partition 110 itself. It is not suitable because there is a fear.

(3) Since the display panel to which the present embodiment is applied is the PDP 100 and the partition forming material layer 110A is the target to which the partition forming DFR 10 is attached, the drawer formed on the back substrate 103 when the PDP 100 is manufactured. Damage to the electrode 108A can be prevented.
(4) Since the lead electrode 108A corresponds to an exposed portion of the address electrode 108 formed on the back substrate 103, the lead electrode 108A is prevented from being damaged and the address electrode 108 is reliably energized. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the image of the PDP 100 from being defective.

(5) Since the upper part of the rear substrate 103 where the extraction electrode protection layer 11 is formed is covered by the protective plate 17 when the step of grinding the partition wall forming material layer 110A by the sandblasting method is performed, the extraction electrode protection is performed. The extraction electrode 108 </ b> A can be protected from the abrasive by the protective plate 17 together with the layer 11. Therefore, when the partition wall forming material layer 110A is ground by sandblasting, damage to the extraction electrode 108A can be prevented more reliably.
(6) The extraction electrode protective layer 11 is configured to cover not only the extraction electrode 108A of the back substrate 103 but also the end portion of the address electrode protection layer 109. Therefore, even if there is a step between the end portion of the address electrode protection layer 109 and the extraction electrode 108A, the step is covered with the extraction electrode protection layer 11 over a predetermined range, so that the abrasive is extracted from the extraction electrode protection layer. 11, damage to the extraction electrode 108 </ b> A can be more effectively prevented.

[Modification of Embodiment]
In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above, The deformation | transformation shown below is included in the range which can achieve the objective of this invention.
That is, as described above, in the present embodiment, the configuration in which the plurality of address electrodes 108 are formed on the back substrate 103 of the plasma display panel as the display panel is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and for example, FED, LED display panel Any configuration can be applied as long as the electrode pattern is formed on the substrate, such as an organic EL or a liquid crystal display. Moreover, you may apply to the structure which forms the bus electrode in the front substrate of a plasma display panel.
The present invention can also be applied to the case where a partition wall is formed on the front substrate. That is, a dielectric layer that covers a portion other than the exposed portion of the electrode formed on the front substrate is formed on the front substrate, and a partition wall forming material layer is formed on the dielectric layer. A partition wall is formed in the material layer by the same procedure as in the above embodiment. According to the present invention, the same effects as described above can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, the back substrate 103 is a rectangular flat glass plate. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, there are various types such as a square flat glass plate and a substrate in which a rectangular flat glass plate is bent. The present invention can be applied to substrates having various shapes.
Further, although the rear substrate 103 is configured to include the cross-shaped partition 110, the configuration is not limited thereto, and may be configured to include a stripe-shaped partition. In this case, as the back substrate 103 includes striped partition walls, the front substrate 102 also needs to have a configuration corresponding to the shape of the partition walls.

Furthermore, although the plurality of address electrodes 108 formed on the back substrate 103 are a plurality of strip-like patterns, the present invention is not limited to this, and the address electrodes 108 may have various pattern shapes such as a plurality of rectangular waves or sine waves. can do. The plurality of strip-like patterns of the address electrodes 108 are formed by a photolithography method. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be formed by using, for example, a photolithography lift-off method.
In the present invention, it is not always necessary to provide the protective plate 17. Even when the protective plate 17 is provided, the installation location is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and may be provided on the back substrate 103 itself, for example.

[Effects of Embodiment]
As described above, in the method for manufacturing the display panel according to the above embodiment, a part of the address electrode 108 is exposed on the back substrate 103 having the address electrode 108 formed on the surface to form the extraction electrode 108A. A partition forming material layer 110A for forming a partition 110, which is a required structure in the state, is formed, and the partition forming material layer 110A is ground by sandblasting to form a partition 110 having a required shape. In the panel manufacturing method, before the step of grinding the partition wall forming material layer 110A by the sand blast method, the step of forming the liquid extraction electrode protective layer 11 of a photosensitive material on the extraction electrode 108A on the back substrate 103; Provided on the back substrate 103 after the step of grinding the partition wall forming material layer 110A by the sandblast method. A peeling step of peeling the Mamoruso 11, characterized in that it contains.
Therefore, since the extraction electrode 108A is reliably sealed with the extraction electrode protective layer 11 composed of the liquid extraction electrode protection DFR, when the abrasive is sprayed onto the partition wall forming material layer 110A by the sandblast method, Even if the abrasive hits the extraction electrode protective layer 11, there is no entrainment of bubbles, that is, no entry of the abrasive, so that the extraction electrode 108A is not damaged.

1 is an exploded perspective view showing a plasma display panel (PDP) to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied. (A)-(D) are schematic block diagrams which show the manufacture procedure of a plasma display panel. (E)-(G) are schematic block diagrams which show the manufacture procedure of a plasma display panel. It is a top view of the display panel which performed one process of this Embodiment. It is the top view which expanded a part of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

10 DFR for partition wall formation
10A Sandblast mask 11 Extraction electrode protective layer 12 Nozzle 13 Exposure mask 14 Exposure lamp 15 Blast gun 16 Abrasive material 17 Protection plate 100 PDP (plasma display panel)
102 Front substrate 103 Rear substrate 108 Address electrode 108A Lead electrode 109 Address electrode protective layer 110 Partition (structure)
110A Partition wall forming material layer

Claims (7)

A material layer for forming a required structure is formed on a substrate having an electrode formed on the surface with a part of the electrode exposed, and the material layer is ground by a sand blast method. In a manufacturing method of a display panel that forms a structure having a shape,
Before the step of grinding the material layer by sandblasting, a step of forming a liquid protective layer of a photosensitive material on a portion where the electrode on the substrate is exposed;
After the step of grinding the material layer by sandblasting, a peeling step of peeling the protective layer provided on the substrate;
A display panel manufacturing method characterized by comprising: In the manufacturing method of the display panel according to claim 1,
Before the step of grinding the material layer by sandblasting, a dry film resist for sandblasting is attached on the material layer, and the dry film resist and the protective layer are made of the same material. A method for producing a display panel, wherein the display panel is formed. In the manufacturing method of the display panel according to claim 1 or 2,
The display panel is a plasma display panel, and the material layer is a partition wall forming material layer that divides a discharge space formed between two substrates facing each other into unit light emitting regions. A manufacturing method of a display panel. In the manufacturing method of the display panel according to claim 3,
A dielectric layer covering a portion other than an exposed portion of an electrode formed on the substrate is formed on the substrate, and a material layer for forming the partition wall is formed on the dielectric layer. Panel manufacturing method. In the manufacturing method of the display panel according to claim 3,
A method for manufacturing a display panel, wherein an exposed portion of an electrode formed on the substrate is a lead electrode portion for connecting the electrode to the outside. In the manufacturing method of the display panel in any one of Claims 3-5,
A method for manufacturing a display panel, wherein the substrate is a rear substrate of a plasma display panel, and the electrodes are address electrodes extending in a column direction of the plasma display panel and arranged in parallel in a row direction. In the manufacturing method of the display panel in any one of Claims 1-6,
A method for manufacturing a display panel, wherein a protective plate covers a portion of the substrate where a protective layer is formed when a step of grinding the material layer by a sandblast method is performed.

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