JP2020042115A - Apparatus for manufacturing display panel and method for manufacturing display panel - Google Patents

Abstract

To reduce man-hours and the cost of manufacturing by patterning a thin film by laser processing as well as to prevent degradation in the quality of a display panel.SOLUTION: An apparatus for manufacturing a display panel comprising a plurality of thin films including an organic film stacked above a substrate is provided, and the apparatus includes: a vacuum chamber 221 having a window glass 222 where a laser beam is transmitted, in which a substrate 110 with a thin film having at least one thin film formed thereon is stored; a vacuum pump 240 for evacuating the inside of the chamber; a patterning mask 2113 disposed between the window glass 222 and the substrate 110 with a thin film in the vacuum chamber 221; and a laser processing apparatus 210 disposed outside the vacuum chamber 221, which irradiates the substrate with a thin film with the laser beam through the window glass 222 and the patterning mask 2113 so as to partially remove the at least one thin film.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for manufacturing a display panel in which a plurality of thin films including an organic film are stacked on a substrate, and more particularly to a technique for patterning a thin film.

In recent years, as a display panel used for a display device such as a television, an organic EL display panel in which a plurality of organic EL elements are arranged in a matrix on a substrate has been put to practical use.
In an organic EL display panel, generally, a light emitting layer of each organic EL element and an adjacent organic EL element are separated by a partition made of an insulating material. In an organic EL display panel for color display, the organic EL element is red. (R), green (G), and blue (B) (hereinafter, simply referred to as R, G, and B) form sub-pixels that emit light, and adjacent R, G, and B sub-pixels are combined. Unit pixels for color display are formed.

Each organic EL element is formed by laminating a plurality of thin films including an organic light emitting layer between a pair of electrodes. When driving, a voltage is applied between the pair of electrodes, and holes and electrons injected into the light emitting layer are applied. It emits light in association with the recombination.
Usually, the manufacturing process of such an organic EL display panel involves a process of patterning a specific thin film. In a conventional patterning method of a thin film, for example, after forming a patterned resist mask using a photolithography method on the thin film, an unnecessary portion of the thin film is removed by an etching method or the like. Patterning.

JP-A-9-40499 JP-A-11-237745

  However, in the conventional patterning method as described above, the steps of forming a resist film, exposing the resist film with a photomask, developing the exposed resist film, removing unnecessary portions of the thin film by etching, and etching the resist Many steps such as a film removing step and a cleaning step after the removal are required, and it is extremely difficult to reduce the tact time and the manufacturing cost.

As another patterning method, a method has been proposed in which unnecessary portions of a thin film are sublimated and removed by scanning with a laser beam. According to such a method, it is possible to completely eliminate the steps of forming a mask by photolithography and cleaning.
However, the characteristics of an organic film including a light-emitting layer used in an organic EL display panel are deteriorated by the influence of oxygen and moisture in the air. It is difficult to manufacture.

  The present disclosure has been made in view of the above problems, and it is possible to reduce the number of steps, reduce the manufacturing cost, and display a thin film that can be patterned without deteriorating the characteristics of the organic film. It is an object of the present invention to provide a panel manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method.

  A display panel manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a display panel manufacturing apparatus in which a plurality of thin films including an organic film are stacked on a substrate, and has a transparent window that transmits laser light, and has at least one A chamber for accommodating a substrate with a thin film on which a thin film of layers is formed, an atmosphere adjusting unit for adjusting the atmosphere in the chamber to a vacuum or an inert gas atmosphere, the transparent window and the thin film in the chamber A patterning mask disposed between the substrate and the substrate, and a laser irradiation unit disposed outside the chamber and irradiating the laser beam toward the substrate with the thin film through the transparent window and the patterning mask. It is characterized by having.

  Further, a display panel manufacturing method according to another aspect of the present disclosure is a display panel manufacturing method in which a plurality of thin films including an organic film are stacked on a substrate, wherein the chamber has a transparent window that transmits laser light. In the substrate accommodating step of accommodating a substrate with a thin film on which at least one layer of thin film is formed, with the main surface on the side on which the thin film is formed facing the transparent window, an atmosphere in the chamber is An atmosphere adjusting step of adjusting the atmosphere to a vacuum or an inert gas atmosphere, and a transparent window from outside the chamber in a state where a patterning mask is disposed between the transparent window and the substrate with a thin film in the chamber. And a thin film removing step of emitting laser light toward the processing surface of the substrate with a thin film through the patterning mask to partially remove the thin film.

  According to the display panel manufacturing apparatus and the manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the number of steps is small, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and the processing accuracy is excellent without deteriorating the characteristics of the organic film. Thin film patterning can be performed.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a thin film patterning device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a perspective view when the thin film patterning apparatus of FIG. 1 is cut along a plane passing through a line PP. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a shape of a patterning mask. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control unit in the thin film patterning apparatus. It is a block diagram showing the whole composition of an organic EL display. It is the schematic plan view which expanded a part of image display surface of the organic EL display panel in an organic EL display device. FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 6. 3A to 3D are partial cross-sectional views schematically showing a part of a process of manufacturing an organic EL element. (A)-(c) is the fragmentary sectional view which shows typically the manufacturing process of the organic EL element following FIG. (A)-(c) is a fragmentary sectional view which shows typically the manufacturing process of the organic EL element following FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a manufacturing process of an organic EL display panel. (A) is a schematic diagram of a galvano scanner mechanism, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example using an excimer laser oscillator as a laser light source. It is the schematic which shows the example of a structure of the thin film patterning apparatus which concerns on another aspect. (A), (b) is a top view which shows the example of the patterning mask which concerns on each another aspect. FIGS. 2A to 2D are partial cross-sectional views schematically illustrating a part of a process of manufacturing an organic EL element, for explaining a process leading to one embodiment of the present disclosure. (A), (b) is a schematic diagram of the thin film patterning apparatus assumed when performing the manufacturing process of FIG.

<< Background of one embodiment of the present disclosure >>
The organic EL display panel has a laminated structure in which a pixel electrode, an organic layer (including a light-emitting layer), and a common electrode are sequentially provided on a substrate. The common electrode is often formed over the entire image display area on the substrate.
In particular, in a top emission type organic EL display panel, since a material having light transmittance is used for a common electrode, the resistance value is high, and a power supply unit (not shown) arranged on a peripheral portion of the substrate is used. There is a concern that the voltage drop varies depending on the distance from the device to the individual organic EL elements, thereby causing variations in luminance within the screen.

In order to suppress such variations in luminance, an auxiliary electrode made of a conductive material such as a metal is provided on a substrate, and the auxiliary electrode and the common electrode are electrically connected to each other to reduce a voltage drop at the common electrode. The configuration to suppress is adopted.
FIGS. 15A to 15D are schematic cross-sectional views schematically showing a part of the manufacturing process of the organic EL display panel in the mode in which the auxiliary electrode is formed in the same layer as the pixel electrode.

As shown in FIG. 15A, a pixel electrode 713 is formed for each organic EL element on a substrate 711, an auxiliary electrode 731 extending in the Y-axis direction is formed, and a pixel electrode 713 partitioned by a partition 714 is formed. A light emitting layer 715 is stacked above.
Then, a common electron transport layer 716 is formed (FIG. 15B). Thereafter, a step of removing the electron transporting layer 716 on the auxiliary electrode 731 and forming a contact opening for connection to the upper layer common electrode is performed. As described above, the photolithography method and the etching method are combined. According to the patterning, increase in tact time and manufacturing cost is inevitable, and the inventors of the present application scan a laser beam to sublimate and remove the electron transport layer 716 on the auxiliary electrode 731 (hereinafter, referred to as a method). , "Laser patterning method") (see FIG. 15C).

If the common electrode 717 is stacked after forming the contact opening, the common electrode 717 and the auxiliary electrode 731 are in direct contact with each other, so that a voltage drop in the common electrode 717 is largely suppressed, and the occurrence of luminance unevenness or the like is prevented. (FIG. 15D).
By the way, it is known that the characteristics of various organic materials forming an organic EL display panel are deteriorated by the influence of oxygen and moisture in the atmosphere, and the above laser patterning method is performed in a vacuum atmosphere. Is desirable.

FIG. 16A is a schematic side view showing a configuration example of a patterning apparatus 800 that can be assumed in this case, and FIG. 16B is a plan view thereof.
As shown in FIG. 16A, the patterning device 800 includes a laser processing device 810 and a vacuum chamber 820 having a window glass 821 mounted at a position facing the laser processing device 810. The laser processing device 810 includes a laser head 811 that emits laser light, and is configured to scan the laser light by moving the laser head 811 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction in the drawing.

  In the vacuum chamber 820, the intermediate product 710 of the organic EL display panel formed up to the electron transport layer 716 on the substrate 711 is carried into the vacuum chamber 820, and the pressure is reduced by a vacuum pump (not shown) to a vacuum atmosphere. Laser light LB is irradiated from the laser processing device 810 through the window glass 821 to sublimate and remove the electron transport layer 716 on the auxiliary electrode 731.

However, it has been found that in such a patterning apparatus 800, the processing accuracy is deteriorated, and the finished organic EL display panel may be varied in durability and luminous efficiency of each organic EL element. The following can be considered as the cause.
First, there is a problem of the accuracy of the components of the window glass 821. It is costly to manufacture a glass sheet having a completely uniform thickness and excellent flatness, and even if this is possible, slight deflection due to environmental changes over time and the weight of the window glass 821 itself will occur. And distortion may occur.

Then, the laser beam transmitted through the window glass 821 is slightly shifted from the target irradiation position. Since a high-definition organic EL panel is required to have an accuracy on the order of several μm, even if the irradiation position of the laser beam is slightly shifted, the image quality is deteriorated.
Second, the resin material forming the electron transport layer 716 is sublimated and scattered into the vacuum chamber 820 by the irradiation of the laser light, and the scattered matter (debris) D contacts the window glass 821 and solidifies. The laser light LB of the window glass 821 is reduced as it adheres as it is, so that the processing accuracy is deteriorated, and in the worst case, the processing becomes impossible.

In addition, debris that has not been attached to the window glass 821 eventually falls and attaches to the surface of the electron transport layer 716 of the substrate 711. When such foreign matter remains on the electron transport layer 716, a defect occurs in the common electrode 717 and the sealing layer which are subsequently laminated, and moisture penetrates from the outside, thereby deteriorating the light emission characteristics of the organic EL element and causing darkness. Spots may be generated.
Therefore, the inventors of the present application have adopted a laser patterning method for patterning a thin film to reduce the number of steps and the manufacturing cost, and solve the above-described problem that occurs during patterning to obtain a high quality organic EL display panel. As a result of intensive studies to enable the production of, the present invention has led to one aspect of the present disclosure.

<< Summary of one embodiment of the present disclosure >>
A display panel manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a display panel manufacturing apparatus in which a plurality of thin films including an organic film are stacked on a substrate, and has a transparent window that transmits laser light, and has at least one A chamber for accommodating a substrate with a thin film on which a thin film of layers is formed, an atmosphere adjusting unit for adjusting the atmosphere in the chamber to a vacuum or an inert gas atmosphere, the transparent window and the thin film in the chamber A patterning mask disposed between the substrate and the substrate, and a laser irradiation unit disposed outside the chamber and irradiating the laser beam toward the substrate with the thin film through the transparent window and the patterning mask. Prepare.

According to this aspect, the number of steps is small, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and the patterning of a thin film with excellent processing accuracy can be performed without deteriorating the characteristics of the organic film.
Further, in another aspect of the present disclosure, the patterning mask is such that a light-shielding thin film is laminated on a transparent flat base material through which laser light is transmitted, and a light-transmitting pattern through which laser light is transmitted is formed on the thin film. Be done.

Here, the distance between the substrate with a thin film and the patterning mask is 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less.
According to this aspect, debris generated when the thin film to be processed is trimmed and patterned with laser light first adheres to the patterning mask, so that there is little risk of adhering to the transparent window or re-adhering to the substrate with the thin film. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the patterning processing accuracy.

Further, in another aspect of the present disclosure, the transparent window has a long band shape extending in a first direction along a main surface of the substrate with a thin film, the substrate with a thin film in the chamber, The apparatus further includes a substrate moving unit that moves in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction along the main surface.
According to this aspect, since the area of the transparent window can be reduced to prevent bending due to its own weight, deterioration of processing accuracy due to laser light can be further suppressed.

Further, another aspect of the present disclosure is that, when viewed through a plane, in a mask region of the patterning mask, an entire processing target region of the substrate with a thin film is included, and the substrate moving unit includes the substrate with the thin film and the substrate with the thin film. The patterning mask is moved in the second direction while maintaining the relative positional relationship between the two.
According to this aspect, the entire laser-processed portion of the substrate with the thin film can be covered by the patterning mask, so that the adhesion of debris to the transparent window can be further suppressed.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, a position of the patterning mask is fixed with respect to the chamber, and the substrate moving unit moves only the substrate with a thin film in the second direction.
According to this aspect, since the patterning mask can be set in the chamber, convenience is improved when the patterning mask is used a plurality of times.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, a mask width of the patterning mask in the second direction is smaller than a width of a processing region of the substrate with a thin film in the same direction.
According to this aspect, only the portion necessary for laser processing is masked, and the unit cost of the patterning mask can be reduced, so that the maintenance cost can be reduced.
Here, the laser irradiation unit may include a YAG laser oscillator or an excimer laser oscillator.

Further, in another aspect of the present disclosure, the laser irradiation unit includes a galvano scanner mechanism that deflects the laser light by a galvanomirror to scan at least along the first direction.
Thereby, the tact time required for the patterning process can be reduced.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the laser irradiation unit includes a laser head unit that emits a laser beam, and scans the laser beam by moving the laser head unit at least along the first direction. A laser scanning unit.

Here, the transparent window and the patterning mask are both parallel to the main surface of the substrate with the thin film, and the laser beam is incident perpendicularly to the main surface of the transparent window.
Thereby, the shift of the optical axis when the laser beam passes through the transparent window and the patterning mask can be minimized.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one thin film formed above the substrate is an organic film laminated on an auxiliary electrode made of metal, and the laser irradiation unit includes the patterning mask. In cooperation with the above, the laser beam is relatively scanned in a predetermined pattern to remove the organic film on the auxiliary electrode.

According to this aspect, the organic film on the auxiliary electrode can be reliably removed, and the electrical contact with the electrode film formed thereafter can be improved.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, the transparent window is made of quartz glass.
Quartz glass has good transparency of laser light and excellent durability, so that high processing accuracy can be maintained for a long time.

  Another aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a display panel in which a plurality of thin films including an organic film are stacked on a substrate, wherein at least one thin film is provided in a chamber having a transparent window that transmits laser light. A substrate-containing step of storing the substrate with the thin film on which the thin film is formed, with the main surface on the side on which the thin film is formed facing the transparent window, and changing the atmosphere in the chamber to an atmosphere of vacuum or an inert gas. Atmosphere adjustment step to adjust, in the chamber, between the transparent window and the substrate with a thin film, with a patterning mask arranged, from outside the chamber, through the transparent window and the patterning mask, A thin film removing step of emitting laser light toward the processing surface of the substrate with a thin film and partially removing the thin film.

With the manufacturing method according to the above aspect, it is possible to manufacture a high-quality display panel while greatly reducing the number of steps as compared with the conventional method.
Embodiment
Hereinafter, an apparatus and a method for manufacturing an organic EL display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, each drawing includes a schematic diagram for convenience of explanation, and the scale of each member and the ratio of length and width may be different from the actual one.

1. Configuration of Thin Film Patterning Apparatus 200 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a thin film patterning apparatus 200 in an organic EL display panel manufacturing apparatus. FIG. 2 is a perspective view when the thin film patterning apparatus 200 is cut along a plane passing through a line PP in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, the thin film patterning apparatus 200 scans a laser beam to remove an unnecessary portion of the thin film formed on the substrate 11 (laser irradiation unit) 210, and a thin film to be processed is formed. Of the substrate 110 (an intermediate product of the organic EL display panel 10; hereinafter, referred to as a “substrate with a thin film”) 110, and the table 223 of the chamber 220 in the H direction (X-axis direction) of FIG. It comprises a substrate moving section 230 for moving, a vacuum pump 240 for reducing the pressure in the chamber section 220 to a vacuum state, and a control section 250 for controlling these.

(1) Laser processing device 210
As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 2, the laser processing apparatus 210 includes a laser head 211 having a laser oscillator 2112 (an optical system for converging the laser light) therein, and a laser head 211 parallel to the Y axis. Gantry 212 for holding the gantry slidably in any direction, a pair of legs 213 for holding the horizontal gantry 212 at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and a pair of legs arranged below each leg 213 and extending in the X-axis direction. It comprises a guide rail 214 and the like.

As the laser oscillator 2112 in the laser head unit 211, for example, a YAG laser is used. However, the laser oscillator 2112 is not limited to a laser light source that can generate laser light in a wavelength region absorbed by a thin film to be processed. .
Further, for example, a linear motor 2111 is incorporated as a driving source inside the housing of the laser head unit 211, and by controlling the driving source, the laser head unit 211 moves along the guide groove 2121 of the horizontal gantry 212. To move in the Y-axis direction.

Each leg 213 is provided with, for example, a servo motor 2131 as a drive source. The pair of legs 213 is synchronized with each other via a known drive mechanism such as a screw feed mechanism or a wire drive mechanism to guide the legs. It can move in the X direction along the guide groove 2141 of the rail 214.
The control unit (not shown) controls the output of the laser light source of the laser head unit 211 and controls the driving of the linear motor 2111 and the servo motor 2131 so that the laser light emitted from the laser head unit 211 emits the substrate 110 with the thin film. The laser beam can be processed by scanning the object to be processed.

(2) Chamber section 220
Returning to FIG. 1, the vacuum chamber 221 of the chamber section 220 has an opening on the upper surface, and a flat window glass (transparent window) 222 is air-tightly sealed in this opening via a sealing member (not shown) or the like. It is installed.
At the bottom of the vacuum chamber 221, a table 223 whose upper surface is parallel to the main surface of the window glass 222 is provided, and the substrate 110 with the thin film is placed on the table 223 with its processing surface facing upward. The window glass 222 and the substrate 110 with thin film are maintained in parallel.

As shown in FIG. 2, the window glass 222 is a band-shaped plate glass, and the length L1 of the window glass 222 in the longitudinal direction (Y direction) is longer than the width of the substrate 110 with the thin film in the Y direction. The width W1 in the hand direction (X direction) is shorter than the length of the substrate 110 with the thin film in the X direction. In the present embodiment, for example, it is 30 mm.
By doing so, the area of the window glass 222 is significantly reduced as compared with FIGS. 16A and 16B, and the total weight of the window glass 222 is reduced. Does not bend downward, and the entirety of the window glass 222 and the thin film-attached substrate 110 can be maintained in parallel. Therefore, the laser light LB is emitted perpendicularly to the main surface of the window glass 222 from the laser head unit 211, so that the risk that the laser light LB is refracted when transmitted through the window glass 222 and the optical axis shifts is reduced. .

A patterning mask 2113 is arranged between the window glass 222 and the table 223 on which the substrate 110 with a thin film is placed, and at a position separated from the substrate 110 with a thin film by a predetermined distance.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of the patterning mask 2113. The patterning mask 2113 is formed, for example, by forming a metal film 2115 by vapor-depositing a light-shielding metal such as chrome on the entire surface of a strip-shaped flat transparent base material 2114 made of quartz glass, and then performing photolithography using a resist film. It is formed by forming four linear light-transmitting patterns OP1 to OP4 parallel to the metal film 2115 by patterning by a method and an etching method.

The light transmitting patterns OP1 to OP4 are all formed in the same shape and at the same pitch. The pitch is the same as the distance adjacent to the pattern to be processed in the X direction (in the present embodiment, the distance between adjacent auxiliary electrodes 131 in the X direction), or N times (N is an integer of 2 or more) ).
The patterning mask 2113 is placed on a holding plate 224 (see FIG. 2) provided on the inner surface of the vacuum chamber 221 such that its main surface is parallel to the main surface of the window glass 222.

  As a result, the window glass 222, the patterning mask 2113, and the substrate 110 with a thin film are all parallel to each other, so that the laser light LB is emitted from the laser head unit 211 perpendicularly to the main surface of the window glass 222 so that the laser light LB is The possibility that the optical axis of the window glass 222 and the patterning mask 2113 are refracted during transmission and thus the optical axis is shifted can be reduced as much as possible.

Even if the window glass 222 is deformed or distorted and the optical axis of the laser beam LB is slightly shifted due to the deformation or distortion, the window glass 222 is transmitted through the light transmitting pattern of the patterning mask 2113, so that the correct position of the substrate 110 with a thin film can be obtained. Since the laser beam is applied to the substrate, the processing accuracy can be maintained.
Note that the number and shape of the light-transmitting patterns formed on the patterning mask 2113 may be appropriately changed according to the pattern shape and specifications of the processing target.

Further, as a material of the window glass 222, it is preferable to use quartz glass which has a wide wavelength range of transmitted laser light and is excellent in durability.
(3) Substrate moving unit 230
The substrate moving unit 230 engages with a base 231 on which the table 223 is mounted so as to be movable in the X direction, and a groove formed on the bottom surface of the table 223 formed on the upper surface of the base 231. It has a guide rail 232 for guiding the table 223 in the X direction, and a linear motor 233 built in the base 231 to move the table 223 in the X direction.

By moving the table 223 by the linear motor 233, the entire processing region of the substrate 110 with a thin film can be sequentially viewed from the window glass 222 in a plan view.
(4) Vacuum pump 240
The vacuum pump 240 sucks air in the vacuum chamber 221 to reduce the pressure, and maintains the inside of the vacuum chamber 221 at a predetermined vacuum state.

(5) Control unit 250
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the control unit 250.
As shown in the figure, the control unit 250 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 251, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 252, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 253, a pattern memory 254, and the like.

  The CPU 251 receives an operator's instruction from the operation panel 260 from the ROM 253 at the time of startup, reads out a patterning processing program, executes the program using the RAM 252 as a work storage area, and executes the laser processing apparatus 210, the substrate moving unit 230, The pump 240 is controlled to irradiate the thin-film-attached substrate 110 with laser light to remove the electron transport layer 16 on the auxiliary electrode 131.

Further, the control unit 250 is a device (for example, a vacuum deposition device) at a stage preceding the thin film patterning device 200, and uses the substrate transfer robot (not shown) to carry in the substrate 110 with the thin film to be processed. It is carried in through a port (not shown), and is placed at a predetermined position on the table 223 in the vacuum chamber 221.
Then, the inside of the vacuum chamber 221 is depressurized by the vacuum pump 240 to be in a vacuum state. In order to prevent the characteristics of the organic EL display panel 10 from deteriorating, it is desirable that the high vacuum is set to, for example, 10 ⁻³ to 10 ⁻⁵ Pa. In the present embodiment, since the area of the window glass 222 is reduced as described above, if the window glass 222 has an appropriate thickness, it does not bend even in such a high vacuum.

Next, after moving the laser head unit 211 to a reference position (home position), the control unit 250 stores the internal memory with a laser output and a scanning speed that can selectively remove only the thin film to be processed. Based on a program (pattern data) stored in a memory in advance, patterning is performed by irradiating the substrate 110 with a thin film with a laser beam.
After the patterning process is completed, the substrate with a thin film 110 and the patterning mask 2113 are taken out of the vacuum chamber 221 by a substrate transfer robot, and the substrate with a thin film 110 is transferred to the next processing device, and the patterning mask 2113 is moved to a collection place. Transported, washed and reused or discarded. Then, when the next substrate 110 with a thin film is transferred into the vacuum chamber 221, a new patterning mask 2113 is installed.

  Note that the patterning mask 2113 may be replaced each time one thin-film-attached substrate 110 is patterned, or may be replaced periodically after patterning N (N is an integer of 2 or more) thin-film substrates 110. You may do so. In the latter case, the value of N is an appropriate value before the debris adheres to the patterning mask 2113 and the transmittance of the laser beam degrades beyond an allowable range. It is good.

<Summary>
(A) According to the thin film patterning apparatus 200 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the substrate moving section 230 can perform patterning while moving the substrate 110 with a thin film in the X direction. It is sufficient that the width is sufficient to transmit the laser light, and since the weight is reduced and the window glass 222 is less likely to bend downward due to its own weight, the thickness of the glass plate used for the window glass 222 may vary slightly. Also, it is possible to minimize the displacement of the light beam when passing through.

  (B) Even if the window glass 222 is deformed or distorted and the optical axis of the laser beam passing therethrough is slightly displaced, it is understood that the deviation is slight, and the beam diameter of the laser beam is reduced by the patterning mask. If the opening width of each of the light-transmitting patterns OP1 to OP4 formed in the light-transmitting pattern 2113 is made slightly larger and the distance between the patterning mask 2113 and the substrate 110 with a thin film is made relatively short, the light beam transmitted through each light-transmitting pattern becomes The target position on the lower thin film-attached substrate 110 can be irradiated, and the processing accuracy is not significantly impaired.

(C) The components of the thin film are sublimated by laser light irradiation, and debris are scattered. However, the debris is cooled by contact with the patterning mask 2113 and solidified, and most of the debris adheres to the lower surface of the patterning mask 2113.
Since the patterning mask 2113 is slightly separated from the upper surface of the substrate 110 with a thin film, the scattered debris fills in a very small space surrounded by the partition 14 and the patterning mask 2113 and adheres again to the auxiliary electrode 131 and the like. No more.

(D) Further, since the patterning mask 2113 is installed at a position relatively closer to the substrate 110 with a thin film than the window glass 222, a part of the debris D once scattered does not reach the window glass 222. Can be prevented from dropping downward and reattaching to the substrate 110 with a thin film.
In order to sufficiently exhibit the effects (b) to (d), the distance between the patterning mask 2113 and the substrate 110 with a thin film is preferably 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less.

  If the distance is less than 1 mm, the scattering space is limited, and there is a possibility that debris that cannot be completely protruded from the opening of the thin film-coated substrate 110 may remain. If the distance exceeds 10 mm, irradiation of laser light corrected by the patterning mask 2113 is performed. This is because the position may not be within the range of the tolerance, and the debris may not be able to reach the patterning mask 2113 and may fall and reattach to the thin film-attached substrate 110.

2. Overall Configuration of Organic EL Display Device 100 FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the organic EL display device 100 incorporating the organic EL display panel 10 formed by the organic EL display panel manufacturing apparatus including the thin film patterning device 200 described above. It is.
The organic EL display device 100 is a display device used for, for example, a television, a personal computer, a portable terminal, a business display (electronic signboard, a large screen for commercial facilities), and the like.

The organic EL display device 100 includes the organic EL display panel 10 and a drive control unit 400 electrically connected thereto.
In the present embodiment, the organic EL display panel 10 is a top emission type display panel in which the upper surface is a rectangular image display surface. In the organic EL display panel 10, a plurality of organic EL elements (not shown) are arranged along the image display surface, and an image is displayed by combining the light emission of each organic EL element. The organic EL display panel 10 employs, for example, an active matrix system.

  The drive control section 400 includes a drive circuit 410 connected to the organic EL display panel 10 and a control circuit 420 connected to an external device such as a computer or a receiving device such as an antenna. The drive circuit 410 includes a power supply circuit for supplying power to each organic EL element, a signal circuit for applying a voltage signal for controlling the power supplied to each organic EL element, and a scan for switching a location for applying a voltage signal at regular intervals. It has a circuit and the like.

The control circuit 420 controls the operation of the drive circuit 410 according to data including image information input from an external device or a receiving device.
In FIG. 5, as an example, four drive circuits 410 are arranged around the organic EL display panel 10, but the configuration of the drive control unit 400 is not limited to this, and the number of drive circuits 410 And the position can be changed as appropriate.

3. Configuration of Organic EL Display Panel 10 (A) Planar Configuration FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view in which a part of the image display surface of the organic EL display panel 10 is enlarged.
In the organic EL display panel 10, as an example, sub-pixels 100R, 100G, and 100B that emit light of R, G, and B colors are arranged in a matrix. A set of sub-pixels 100R, 100G, and 100B arranged in the row direction (X direction) forms one pixel P.

The organic EL elements 2 (see FIG. 7) that emit light of R, G, and B colors are disposed in the sub-pixels 100R, 100G, and 100B, respectively, and the light emission of the gradation-controlled sub-pixels 100R, 100G, and 100B is provided. By combining the luminance, a full-color image can be displayed.
Further, in the column direction (Y direction), only one of the sub-pixels 100R, 100G, and 100B is arranged to form a sub-pixel column CR, a sub-pixel column CG, and a sub-pixel column CB, respectively. . Thereby, the pixels P are arranged in a matrix along the X direction and the Y direction as the whole organic EL display panel 10, and an image is displayed on the image display surface by combining the colors of the pixels P arranged in the matrix. .

The organic EL display panel 10 according to the present embodiment employs a so-called line bank method. That is, a plurality of partitions (banks) 14 that partition the sub-pixel columns CR, CG, and CB for each column are arranged at intervals in the X direction, and in each of the sub-pixel columns CR, CG, and CB, the sub-pixels 100R, 100G, 100B share the organic light emitting layer.
However, in each of the sub-pixel columns CR, CG, and CB, a plurality of pixel regulation layers 141 that insulate the sub-pixels 100R, 100G, and 100B are arranged at intervals in the Y direction. It can emit light independently.

Note that the height of the pixel regulating layer 141 is higher than the height of the surface of the light emitting layer (the distance from the surface of the pixel electrode 13 to the surface of the light emitting layer is 200 nm or less, and the pixel regulating layer is about 500 nm. (The surface height of the ink of the previous light emitting layer is higher than that of the pixel regulating layer and the fluidity is improved, but the finished height after drying and baking is lower than that of the pixel regulating layer.)
In FIG. 6, the partition wall 14 and the pixel regulating layer 141 are represented by dotted lines, but this is because the pixel regulating layer 141 and the partition wall 14 are not exposed on the surface of the image display surface, and are located inside the image display surface. This is because they are arranged.

Here, if an area composed of a set of sub-pixel rows CR, CG, and CB is defined as one light-emitting area 500 (light-emitting section), the area extends between two adjacent light-emitting areas in parallel with each sub-pixel row. There is an auxiliary electrode formation region 600 (non-light emitting column).
No organic EL element is formed in the auxiliary electrode forming region 600, and a long auxiliary electrode 131 extending in the Y direction is formed substantially at the center in the X direction.

(B) Cross-Sectional Configuration of Organic EL Display Panel As described above, in the organic EL display panel 10, one pixel includes three sub-pixels that respectively emit R, G, and B light. Each sub-pixel is composed of an organic EL element 2 that emits a corresponding color.
FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the organic EL display panel 10 along the line AA in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, the organic EL display panel 10 includes a substrate 11, an interlayer insulating layer 12, a pixel electrode 13, a partition 14, a light emitting layer 15, an electron transport layer 16, a common electrode 17, The stop layer 18 and the auxiliary electrode 131 are provided.
The substrate 11, the interlayer insulating layer 12, the electron transport layer 16, the common electrode 17, and the sealing layer 18 are not formed for each pixel, but are formed on a plurality of organic EL elements 2 included in the organic EL display panel 10. It is formed in common.

(1) Substrate The substrate 11 includes a base material 111 that is an insulating material, and a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) layer 112. In the TFT layer 112, a driving circuit is formed for each sub-pixel. The substrate 111 is, for example, a glass substrate, a quartz substrate, a silicon substrate, a molybdenum sulfide, a metal substrate such as copper, zinc, aluminum, stainless steel, magnesium, iron, nickel, gold, or silver, a semiconductor substrate such as gallium arsenide, or a plastic substrate. Etc. can be adopted.

(2) Interlayer insulating layer The interlayer insulating layer 12 is formed on the substrate 11. The interlayer insulating layer 12 is made of a resin material and is for flattening a step on the upper surface of the TFT layer 112. Examples of the resin material include a positive photosensitive material. In addition, examples of such a photosensitive material include an acrylic resin, a polyimide resin, a siloxane resin, and a phenol resin. Although not shown in the sectional view of FIG. 7, a contact hole is formed in the interlayer insulating layer 12 for each sub-pixel.

(3) Pixel Electrode The pixel electrode 13 is provided for each sub-pixel and is electrically connected to the TFT layer 112 through a contact hole (not shown).
In the present embodiment, the pixel electrode 13 functions as an anode.
In the present embodiment, since the organic EL display panel 10 is a top emission type, the pixel electrode 13 is formed of a metal material having light reflectivity in order to improve luminous efficiency.

Specific examples of such a metal material include Ag (silver), Al (aluminum), aluminum alloy, Mo (molybdenum), APC (alloy of silver, palladium, and copper) and ARA (alloy of silver, rubidium, and gold). , MoCr (an alloy of molybdenum and chromium), MoW (an alloy of molybdenum and tungsten), NiCr (an alloy of nickel and chromium), and the like.
(4) Auxiliary electrode (bus bar)
The auxiliary electrode 131 is formed on the interlayer insulating layer 12 in the same layer as the pixel electrode 13. As described later, from the viewpoint of simplification of the manufacturing process, the auxiliary electrode 131 is formed in the same process as the pixel electrode 13 and is preferably made of the same material as the pixel electrode 13, but is not limited thereto.

(5) Partition / Pixel Control Layer The partition 14 partitions the plurality of pixel electrodes 13 arranged for each sub-pixel above the substrate 11 for each column in the X direction. It has a line bank shape extending in the Y direction between CR, CG, and CB.
The partition 14 is made of an electrically insulating material. As a specific example of the electrically insulating material, for example, an insulating organic material (for example, an acrylic resin, a polyimide resin, a novolak resin, a phenol resin, or the like) is used.

The partition wall 14 functions as a structure for preventing the applied color inks from overflowing and mixing when the light emitting layer 15 is formed by a coating method.
When a resin material is used as the material of the partition wall 14, it is preferable that the partition wall 14 has photosensitivity from the viewpoint of processability. The photosensitivity may be either positive type or negative type, but preferably has resistance to an organic solvent or heat. Further, in order to suppress the outflow of the ink, it is preferable that the surface of the partition wall 14 has a predetermined liquid repellency.

In a portion where the pixel electrode 13 is not formed, the bottom surface of the partition wall 14 is in contact with the upper surface of the interlayer insulating layer 12.
The pixel regulation layer 141 is made of an electrically insulating material, covers an end of the pixel electrode 13 adjacent in the Y direction in each sub-pixel column, and separates the pixel electrodes 13 adjacent in the Y direction.
The thickness of the pixel regulation layer 141 is slightly larger than the thickness of the pixel electrode 13, but is set to be lower than the height of the upper surface of the ink-like light emitting layer immediately after printing as described above. Thus, in each of the sub-pixel rows CR, CG, and CB, the flow of ink when forming the light emitting layer 15 is not hindered by the pixel regulating layer 141. Therefore, it is easy to make the thickness of the light emitting layer 15 in each sub-pixel column uniform.

With the above structure, the pixel regulation layer 141 improves the electrical insulation of the pixel electrode 13 adjacent in the Y direction, suppresses the disconnection of the light emitting layer 15 in each of the sub-pixel columns CR, CG, and CB, and is common to the pixel electrode 13. It has a role of improving electric insulation between the electrode 17 and the like.
Specific examples of the electrically insulating material used for the pixel control layer 141 include the resin materials and inorganic materials exemplified as the material of the partition wall 14. Further, when forming the light emitting layer 15 as the upper layer, it is preferable that the surface of the pixel regulating layer 141 has lyophilic property to the ink so that the ink easily spreads.

Note that the pixel regulation layer 141 is not formed in the auxiliary electrode formation region 600.
(6) Light-Emitting Layer The light-emitting layer 15 is formed between the partition walls 14 in the light-emitting region 500 and has a function of emitting light of each color of R, G, and B by recombination of holes and electrons. In particular, when it is necessary to specify and explain a luminescent color, the luminescent colors are referred to as luminescent layers 15 (R), 15 (G), and 15 (B).

  As a material of the light emitting layer 15, a known material can be used. Specifically, for example, oxinoid compounds, perylene compounds, coumarin compounds, azacoumarin compounds, oxazole compounds, oxadiazole compounds, perinone compounds, pyrrolopyrrole compounds, naphthalene compounds, anthracene compounds, fluorene compounds, fluoranthene compounds, tetracene compounds, pyrene Compound, coronene compound, quinolone compound and azaquinolone compound, pyrazoline derivative and pyrazolone derivative, rhodamine compound, chrysene compound, phenanthrene compound, cyclopentadiene compound, stilbene compound, diphenylquinone compound, styryl compound, butadiene compound, dicyanomethylenepyran compound, dicyanomethylene Thiopyran compounds, fluorescein compounds, pyrylium compounds, thiapyrylium compounds, selena Lilium compounds, telluropyrylium compounds, aromatic aldadienes, oligophenylene compounds, thioxanthene compounds, cyanine compounds, acridine compounds, metal complexes of 8-hydroxyquinoline compounds, metal complexes of 2-bipyridine compounds, Schiff salts and Group III metals It is preferably formed of a fluorescent substance such as a complex, an oxine metal complex, and a rare earth complex.

(7) Electron transport layer The electron transport layer 16 has a function of transporting electrons from the common electrode 17 to the light emitting layer 15. The electron transport layer 16 is made of an organic material having a high electron transport property, and does not include an alkali metal and an alkaline earth metal.
Examples of the organic material used for the electron transport layer 16 include π-electron low molecular weight organic materials such as oxadiazole derivatives (OXD), triazole derivatives (TAZ), and phenanthroline derivatives (BCP, Bphen).

Note that a contact opening 161 is formed in the auxiliary electrode formation region 600 of the electron transport layer 16 (see FIG. 10B).
(8) Common Electrode The common electrode 17 is made of a light-transmitting conductive material and is formed on the electron transport layer 16. The common electrode 17 functions as a cathode.

As a material of the common electrode 17, for example, a metal such as ITO, IZO, silver, a silver alloy, aluminum, or an aluminum alloy is desirably used. When the common electrode 17 is formed of metal, the common electrode 17 needs to have a light-transmitting property, and thus is formed as a thin film having a thickness of about 30 nm or less.
In the auxiliary electrode formation region 600, the common electrode 17 is formed directly on the auxiliary electrode 131 via the contact opening 161.

(9) Sealing Layer The sealing layer 18 exposes components of the organic EL element, particularly, organic layers such as the light emitting layer 15 and the electron transport layer 16 to water or other liquids, or to air. It is provided in order to prevent deterioration.
In the present embodiment, the sealing layer 18 is a thin film of silicon nitride (SiN) and covers the upper surface of the common electrode 17. In addition to the above-described silicon nitride (SiN), other appropriate inorganic materials (for example, silicon oxynitride (SiON), silicon carbide (SiC), and the like) may be used.

(10) Others Although not shown in FIG. 7, an anti-glare polarizing plate or an upper substrate may be bonded on the sealing layer 18 via an adhesive. By bonding these, the constituent elements of the organic EL element 2, particularly the organic layer, are further protected from moisture, air, and the like.
4. Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing the organic EL display panel 10 will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 8A to 8D, FIGS. 9A to 9C, and FIGS. 10A to 10C are schematic cross-sectional views showing a procedure of an auxiliary electrode forming step in manufacturing the organic EL display panel 10. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a manufacturing process of the organic EL display panel 10.
(1) Substrate Preparation Step First, the substrate 11 is prepared by forming the TFT layer 112 on the base material 111 (FIG. 8A, step S1 in FIG. 11). The TFT layer 112 can be formed by a known method for manufacturing a TFT.

The interlayer insulating layer 12 is formed on the TFT layer 112 (FIG. 8B). Specifically, a photosensitive resin material having a certain fluidity is applied along the upper surface of the substrate 11 by, for example, a die coating method so as to fill the unevenness on the substrate 11 due to the TFT layer 112. Thus, the upper surface of the interlayer insulating layer 12 has a shape that is flattened along the upper surface of the base material 111.
Also, a contact hole (not shown) is formed by performing a dry etching method on a portion of the interlayer insulating layer 12 on, for example, the source electrode of the TFT element. The contact hole is formed by patterning or the like so that the surface of the source electrode is exposed at the bottom.

Next, a connection electrode layer is formed along the inner wall of the contact hole. Part of the upper portion of the connection electrode layer is disposed on the interlayer insulating layer 12. The connection electrode layer can be formed by, for example, a sputtering method. After a metal film is formed, patterning may be performed by using a photolithography method and a wet etching method.
(2) Pixel Electrode / Auxiliary Electrode Forming Step Next, the pixel electrode 13 and the auxiliary electrode 131 are formed on the interlayer insulating layer 12 (Step S2 in FIG. 11).

  First, a pixel electrode material layer 1300 is formed on the interlayer insulating layer 12 using, for example, a vacuum evaporation method, a sputtering method, or the like (FIG. 8C). Thereafter, patterning is performed by an etching method to form a plurality of pixel electrodes 13 partitioned for each sub-pixel and an auxiliary electrode 131 extending in the Y-axis direction (FIG. 8D). Although the pixel electrode 13 and the auxiliary electrode 131 are made of the same material, in FIG. 8D, the type of hatching is intentionally changed in order to distinguish the pixel electrode 13 from the auxiliary electrode 131 (other hatching is used). The same applies to the figures.).

However, the pixel electrode 13 and the auxiliary electrode 131 do not necessarily need to be made of the same material. For example, in order to reduce the contact resistance between the auxiliary electrode and the common electrode, a material that is hardly oxidized on the uppermost surface of the same material as the pixel electrode ( For example, Ti or the like may be stacked.
(3) Partition / Pixel Control Layer Forming Step Next, the partition 14 and the pixel control layer 141 are formed (Step S3 in FIG. 11).

In the present embodiment, the partition 14 and the pixel control layer 141 are formed simultaneously using a halftone mask as follows.
First, on the interlayer insulating layer 12 on which the pixel electrodes 13 are formed, a resin material is applied by the thickness of the partition 14 to form a partition material layer 1400 (FIG. 9A). As a specific application method, for example, a wet method such as a die coating method, a slit coating method, and a spin coating method can be used.

After the application, unnecessary solvent is removed by, for example, vacuum drying and low-temperature heating drying (prebaking) at about 60 ° C. to 120 ° C., and the partition wall material layer is exposed through a photomask (not shown).
For example, when the partition material layer has positive photosensitivity, a portion where the partition material layer 1400 is left is shielded from light, and a portion to be removed is exposed.

In the case of this example, since the pixel regulation layer 141 has a smaller film thickness than the partition wall 14, it is necessary to partially expose the partition wall material layer 1400 to the pixel regulation layer 141.
Therefore, the photomask used in this exposure step includes a light-shielding portion disposed at a position corresponding to the partition wall 14 to completely block light, a translucent portion disposed at a position corresponding to the pixel control layer 141, A pixel having an exposed portion of the pixel electrode 13 and a light transmitting portion disposed at a position corresponding to the auxiliary electrode 131 is used.

The translucency of the translucent portion is set such that when exposed for a predetermined time, the partition material layer on the pixel electrode 13 and the auxiliary electrode 131 is fully exposed, and the pixel regulation layer 141 is left unexposed by its height. It is determined.
Next, by performing development and removing the exposed region of the partition wall material layer 1400, the partition wall 14 and the pixel regulating layer 141 having a smaller thickness than the partition wall 14 can be formed. As a specific developing method, for example, after immersing the entire substrate 11 in a developing solution such as an organic solvent or an alkaline solution that dissolves a portion exposed by exposure of the partition wall material layer 1400, the substrate 11 is rinsed with pure water or the like. 11 may be washed.

Thereby, the partition 14 extending in the Y direction and the pixel regulating layer 141 extending in the X direction can be formed on the interlayer insulating layer 12 (FIG. 9B).
(4) Light Emitting Layer Forming Step Next, the light emitting layer 15 is formed above the pixel electrode 13 (Step S4 in FIG. 11).
Specifically, ink containing a luminescent material of a corresponding luminescent color is sequentially discharged from a nozzle 3011 of a coating head 301 of a printing apparatus into an opening sandwiched between each pair of the partition walls 14, and the pixel electrode 13 in the opening is discharged. Apply on top. At this time, the ink is applied continuously above the pixel regulating layer 141. This allows the ink to flow along the Y direction, thereby reducing ink application unevenness and making the thickness of the light emitting layer 15 in the same sub-pixel column uniform.

Then, the substrate 11 on which the ink has been applied is carried into a vacuum drying chamber and heated in a vacuum environment to evaporate the organic solvent in the ink. Thereby, the light emitting layer 15 can be formed (FIG. 9C).
(5) Electron Transport Layer Forming Step Next, a common electron transport layer 16 is formed on the light emitting layer 15, the partition 14, the pixel regulating layer 141, and the auxiliary electrode 131 (FIG. 10A, step S5 in FIG. 11). . The electron transport layer 16 is formed, for example, by depositing an organic material having an electron transport property by an evaporation method.

(6) Contact opening forming step (laser patterning step)
Next, by using the above-described thin film patterning apparatus 200 (FIG. 1), the electron transport layer 16 on the auxiliary electrode 131 is removed to form a contact opening 161 (Step S6 in FIG. 11).
A substrate 110 with a thin film, which is an intermediate product of the organic EL display panel 10 having the electron transport layer 16 formed thereon over the substrate 11 (the state shown in FIG. 10A), is moved by a substrate transport robot to a vacuum chamber of a thin film patterning apparatus 200. The vacuum pump 240 is operated to reduce the pressure in the vacuum chamber 221 to a high vacuum state as described above.

Then, the laser processing device 210 is operated to scan with the laser beam LB to remove the electron transport layer 16 on all the auxiliary electrodes 131 on the substrate 11 to form the contact opening 161 (FIG. 10 ( b)).
Specifically, after moving the laser head unit 211 of the laser processing apparatus 210 to a predetermined reference position (home position), the control unit 250 outputs a laser output that can selectively remove only the thin film to be processed. A laser beam is irradiated onto the thin film-attached substrate 110 through the window glass 222 and the patterning mask 2113 based on a program (pattern data) stored in the internal storage memory in advance at the scanning speed and the width of the window glass 222. When processing is completed within the range of W1, the substrate with thin film 110 is moved by the predetermined amount in the H direction by the substrate moving unit 230, and the laser head unit 211 is returned to the reference position again, and patterning is continuously performed on the next processing region. I do. By repeating such an operation, patterning processing is performed on the entire processing area of the substrate 110 with a thin film.

After the patterning process is completed, the substrate 110 with a thin film is taken out of the vacuum chamber 221 by the substrate transfer robot and transferred to the next processing device.
(7) Common Electrode Forming Step Next, the common electrode 17 is formed on the electron transport layer 16 (Step S7 in FIG. 11). In this embodiment, the common electrode 17 is formed by forming a film of silver, aluminum, or the like by a sputtering method or a vacuum evaporation method.

At this time, since the contact opening 161 is formed on the auxiliary electrode 131, the common electrode 17 is formed directly on the auxiliary electrode 131, and the electrical connection between them can be improved. Since the auxiliary electrode 131 is made of a metal, the auxiliary electrode 131 has excellent conductivity, and thus, there is almost no potential difference between the peripheral portion and the central portion of the common electrode 17, and unevenness in luminance does not occur.
(8) Sealing Layer Forming Step Next, the sealing layer 18 is formed on the common electrode 17 (Step S8 in FIG. 11).

In this method, a sealing layer 18 made of SiN is formed by, for example, a plasma CVD method. Thus, the organic EL display panel 10 having a laminated structure as shown in FIG. 7 can be obtained.
4. Summary of Effects According to the aspect of the above disclosure, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) In a display panel including an organic thin film, in particular, an organic EL element panel, since the organic thin film dislikes oxygen and moisture, it is necessary to perform laser processing in a closed chamber under a vacuum atmosphere. Since the laser processing device is relatively large, the laser processing device is arranged outside the chamber, and the thin film formed on the internal substrate is irradiated and processed through the window glass that transmits laser light. However, if the window glass is deformed or distorted, it adversely affects precision processing by laser light.

However, according to the aspect of the present disclosure, since the patterning mask is disposed between the window glass and the substrate with the thin film, even if the irradiation position of the laser beam is slightly shifted, the patterning mask is transparent. The laser beam passing through the optical pattern irradiates the laser beam to the correct position of the substrate with the thin film, and the processing accuracy can be maintained.
(2) In addition, when the organic thin film of the substrate with the thin film melted by the laser light is scattered in the chamber as debris and solidifies and adheres to the window glass, the laser light does not sufficiently pass through the window glass. Although processing becomes impossible, according to the aspect of the present disclosure, since the patterning mask is arranged at a position closer to the substrate than the window glass, most of the debris once scattered upward adhere to the patterning mask. However, the probability of re-adhesion on the thin film of the substrate is significantly reduced, and the quality of the organic EL display panel can be prevented from deteriorating.

  The entire patterning mask is in a vacuum chamber and does not receive external pressure from the outside like a window glass for processing, so its base material does not need to be as rigid as window glass, and it is used for window glass. A relatively inexpensive glass plate can be used as compared with a glass plate to be used, and since it is simply placed on a holding plate inside a vacuum chamber, it can be exchanged freely. If the substrate and the patterning mask are simultaneously transferred by a substrate transfer robot or the like, there is no need to stop the production line for a long time for maintenance of the thin film patterning apparatus, and the productivity is excellent.

In addition, for each processing of one substrate with a thin film, or for each processing of several substrates, the patterning mask is taken out of the vacuum chamber and, for example, a dedicated cleaning machine is separately prepared to clean the patterning mask, and if it is reused, It is economical.
As described above, according to the aspect of the present disclosure, by performing patterning of a thin film by laser processing, the number of steps can be significantly reduced as compared with a conventional patterning method using a photolithography method or an etching method, and an adverse effect of generated debris is reduced. It is possible to manufacture a high-quality organic EL display panel which is easy to maintain and has high quality.

The same effect as described above can be obtained not only for the manufacture of the organic EL panel but also for the manufacture of another display panel formed by stacking a plurality of thin films including an organic film.
≪Modified example≫
As an embodiment of the present invention, an embodiment of a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method of an organic EL display panel has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the above description except for its essential characteristic components. is not. Hereinafter, a modified example that is another example of the present invention will be described.

(1) In the above embodiment, the scanning of the laser beam in the Y direction (first direction) depends only on the movement of the laser head 211 along the guide groove 2121, but instead or instead of this. In addition, a scanning mechanism using a galvanometer mirror (galvanometer scanner mechanism) may be employed.
FIG. 12A is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of the galvano scanner mechanism. The laser light emitted from the YAG laser oscillator 2112 is reflected and deflected by the reflection surface of a galvano mirror 2151 rotating around an axis 2152 by a motor (not shown) by a motor (not shown), and is converted into parallel light by an fθ lens 2153. Then, the substrate 110 with the thin film is scanned in the Y direction via the patterning mask 2113. As a result, the scanning speed of the laser beam is significantly increased, and the tact time can be reduced. If another galvanometer mirror is prepared and its angle is changed around an axis orthogonal to the axis 2152, scanning in the X direction can be performed at the same time.

  As shown in FIG. 12B, an excimer laser oscillator 2160 may be used instead of the YAG laser oscillator 2112. Generally, the beam diameter of the excimer laser light is larger than that of the YAG laser light (20 mm to 60 mm), so that a plurality of laser processings can be performed simultaneously via the patterning mask 2113, and the scanning speed can be increased accordingly. Note that the above-described galvano scanner mechanism may be used to scan an excimer laser beam.

  (2) In the above embodiment, the patterning mask 2113 has a band shape and is disposed at a position through which laser light passes. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the patterning mask 2170 shown in FIG. Then, a mask region 2172 which is the same as or slightly larger than the entire processing region of the substrate 110 with a thin film is formed on a large-sized flat glass substrate 2171, and a spacer 225 is formed as shown in a modification of the thin film patterning apparatus 200 in FIG. May be placed on the table 223 via the interface, and the patterning mask 2120 may be synchronously moved with the movement of the substrate 110 with the thin film in the X direction while maintaining the relative positional relationship.

Further, the patterning mask 2170 may be arranged at a predetermined interval on the substrate 110 with a thin film via a mask frame (not shown) placed on the peripheral portion of the substrate 110 with a thin film.
By setting the size of the patterning mask 2170 to be substantially the same as or larger than that of the substrate 110 with a thin film, debris generated during laser processing can be more effectively prevented from rising to the upper space and adhering to the window glass 222. Can be prevented.

  Further, the window glass 222 is made approximately the same size as the thin-film-attached substrate 110 (see the window glass 821 in FIG. 16B), and when viewed in plan (that is, from the laser light emission direction (−Z direction)). When the substrate 110 with a thin film is arranged so that the region to be laser-processed on the substrate 110 with a thin film is entirely within a range where the window glass 222 and the mask region of the patterning mask 2113 overlap, the substrate 110 with the thin film can be moved without being moved. By moving the laser head 211 in the X and Y directions by the thin film patterning apparatus 200, patterning can be performed on the entire processing area of the substrate 110 with a thin film. In this case, the substrate moving section 230 may not be provided.

  When the window glass 222 is made to have a large area in this way, the weight of the window glass 222 also increases, and the center portion of the window glass 222 may be deformed so as to be bent downward by its own weight. By increasing the height, the occurrence of bending can be suppressed, and even if slight bending occurs, necessary processing accuracy can be ensured by the interposition of the patterning mask 2113 as described above.

(3) When a plurality of substrates (for example, four small-sized organic EL panels) are taken on one substrate 11, as shown in a patterning mask 2180 in FIG. Patterning regions 2182 to 2185 corresponding to each region may be formed on the material 2181.
(4) Wavelength Range of Laser Light Source in Thin Film Patterning Apparatus In the above-described embodiment, the electron transport layer 16 made of resin on the auxiliary electrode 131 was patterned. Even when a plurality of thin films, such as a hole transport layer, are formed on the auxiliary electrode 131, the laser processing device that generates a laser beam of a common wavelength band that is absorbed by the materials of the thin films can be used for contact at once. It is also possible to form the opening 161 to expose the auxiliary electrode 131.

In the embodiment, a YAG laser which is a solid-state laser is used as a laser light source. The YAG laser is capable of stable fine processing, and the laser power and scanning speed can be controlled to fine-tune the digging depth. Can be removed (half-cut processing).
However, in order to more stably and surely leave only the auxiliary electrode 131 and remove the thin film on the upper layer, the absorption rate of the thin film laser light with respect to the laser light in a specific wavelength range constitutes the auxiliary electrode 131. It is desirable to select those materials and the wavelength range of the laser light so that the absorption rate of the metal is as large as possible.

As an example, the wavelength of the YAG laser is set to 355 MHz of the third harmonic, and the auxiliary electrode 131 is formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy to selectively remove only the electron transport layer 16 (resin thin film) thereabove. It is possible to do.
When an excimer laser is used, a XeF excimer laser (wavelength: 351 nm) is desirable for the same reason.

(5) Thin Film to be Patterned In the above embodiment, the case where the contact opening 161 is formed in the electron transport layer 16 on the auxiliary electrode 131 has been described. It is possible to pattern the thin film.
For example, the present invention is also applicable to a case where the auxiliary electrode 131 is not formed by providing the auxiliary electrode forming region 600 in parallel with the light emitting region 500 but is formed above the top of the partition wall 14. In this case, the organic layer, the sealing layer, and the like formed on the common electrode 17 are partially removed by the thin film patterning device 200 on the top of the partition 14 to form a contact opening. A metal film may be formed thereon by an evaporation method or the like, and may be etched to leave a metal only in the contact opening and use the metal as an auxiliary electrode.

In addition, the substrate 110 with a thin film may have at least one thin film to be subjected to laser patterning.
(6) Materials such as Window Glass In the above-described embodiment, quartz glass having good transparency over a wide wavelength range and excellent durability is used as the material of the window glass 222 and the transparent base material 2114 of the patterning mask 2113. However, depending on the wavelength range of the laser beam to be used, soda glass or a transparent resin plate such as an acrylic plate may be used.

  (7) In the above embodiment, in order to avoid the deterioration of the organic functional film including the light emitting layer in the organic EL display panel 10 in particular, the air in the vacuum chamber 221 is evacuated by the vacuum pump 240 to reduce the pressure. The intermediate product (substrate with thin film) of the organic EL display panel was patterned, but after evacuating with a vacuum pump 240, an inert gas such as nitrogen or argon containing no moisture (nitrogen gas was used in terms of cost). Is desirably introduced from a cylinder or the like, or an inert gas is formed by flowing an inert gas into the vacuum chamber 221 and replacing the air therein without using the vacuum pump 240. You may.

In the present invention, as an upper concept of the process of setting the atmosphere in the vacuum chamber 221 to a vacuum or an atmosphere of an inert gas, an atmosphere adjusting process is called. Further, an apparatus for performing the process can be referred to as an atmosphere adjusting apparatus.
(8) In the above embodiment, in order to form the full-color organic EL display panel 10, the light-emitting layers 15 (R), 15 () containing the light-emitting materials that emit the colors corresponding to the R, G, and B sub-pixels respectively. G) and 15 (B) were formed, but all were unified into a light emitting layer that emits white light, and a known color filter substrate having R, G, and B filters disposed above the sealing layer 18 was transparently bonded. You may comprise so that it may stick through an agent etc.

(9) In the above embodiment, a method using a wet process was described as a method for forming the light emitting layer, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a dry process such as a vacuum evaporation method, an electron beam evaporation method, a sputtering method, a reactive sputtering method, an ion plating method, and a vapor phase growth method can be used.
(10) In the above embodiment, each organic EL element has a configuration including a pixel electrode, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and a common electrode. For example, holes are injected between the pixel electrode and the light emitting layer. It may have a configuration including a layer or a hole transport layer, or may have a configuration including an electron injection layer between the electron transport layer and the common electrode. It should be noted that the organic functional layer can be generically referred to as a superordinate concept of an organic film having functions such as a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer.

(11) In the above embodiment, the partition walls 14 and the pixel regulating layers 141 having different heights are simultaneously formed in one step by using a halftone mask. However, the partition walls 14 and the pixel regulating layers 141 are formed in separate steps. You may do it.
For example, first, the pixel regulation layer 141 for partitioning the pixel electrode row in the Y direction is formed.

  As a specific method for forming the pixel regulation layer 141, a resin material is applied to the upper surface of the substrate 11 on which the pixel electrodes 13 are formed, for example, by a die coating method. Then, by using a photolithography method, a resin material is patterned to form the pixel regulating layer 141 between the pixel electrodes 13 adjacent in the Y direction, and then fired, whereby the pixel regulating layer 141 can be formed. .

Next, a partition wall resin, which is a material of the partition walls 14, is uniformly applied by, for example, a die coating method to form a partition wall material layer, patterned into a partition wall material layer by a photolithography method, and then baked. The partition 14 is formed.
(12) In the above embodiment, a line bank type organic EL display panel has been described. However, in the light emitting region 500, a so-called pixel bank type organic EL is formed in which four sub-pixels are surrounded by partition walls on each side. It may be a display panel.

  (13) In the organic EL display panel 10 according to the above embodiment, the sub-pixels 100R, 100G, and 100B that emit light of R, G, and B colors are arranged, but the light emission color of the sub-pixel is not limited to this. For example, four colors of yellow (Y) in addition to R, G, and B may be used. Further, in one pixel P, the number of sub-pixels is not limited to one per color, and a plurality of sub-pixels may be arranged. The arrangement of the sub-pixels in the pixel P is not limited to the order of R, G, and B as shown in FIG. 2, but may be the order in which these are replaced.

(14) In the organic EL display panel 10 according to the above-described embodiment, the pixel electrode 13 is an anode and the common electrode 17 is a cathode. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the pixel electrode 13 is a cathode and the common electrode 17 is an anode. It may be a structure. The stacking order of the hole injection layer, the hole transport layer, the electron transport layer, the electron injection layer, and the like is also appropriately modified depending on the positions of the cathode and the anode.
(15) Although the organic EL display panel 10 according to the above embodiment employs an active matrix system, the present invention is not limited to this, and a passive matrix system may be employed.

Further, the present invention is applicable to the manufacture of a bottom emission type organic EL display panel, and is further applicable to the manufacture of a general display panel in which a thin film needs to be patterned in a substantially closed space.
≪Supplement≫
As described above, the display panel manufacturing apparatus and the manufacturing method according to the present disclosure have been described based on the embodiments and the modifications, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and the modifications. A form obtained by applying various modifications conceived by those skilled in the art to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and a configuration in which components and functions in the embodiments and modifications are arbitrarily combined without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Embodiments realized are also included in the present invention.

  The display panel manufacturing apparatus and method according to the present invention are suitable for manufacturing a display panel used for a television device, a personal computer, a mobile phone, and the like.

Reference Signs List 1 organic EL display device 2 organic EL element 10 organic EL display panel 11 substrate 12 interlayer insulating layer 13 pixel electrode 14 partition wall 15 light emitting layer 16 electron transport layer 17 common electrode 18 sealing layer 100 organic EL display device 110 substrate with thin film 100B 100G, 100R Sub-pixel 111 Base 112 TFT layer 131 Auxiliary electrode 141 Pixel regulating layer 161 Contact opening 200 Thin film patterning device 210 Laser processing device 220 Chamber 221 Chamber 222 Window glass 240 Vacuum pump 230 Substrate moving unit 250 Control unit 2113 , 2170, 2180 Patterning mask 2151 Galvano mirror

Claims (15)

A display panel manufacturing apparatus comprising a plurality of thin films including an organic film stacked on a substrate,
A chamber having a transparent window through which laser light is transmitted and in which a substrate with a thin film on which at least one thin film is formed is housed;
An atmosphere adjusting unit that adjusts the atmosphere in the chamber to a vacuum or an atmosphere of an inert gas,
In the chamber, a patterning mask disposed between the transparent window and the substrate with a thin film,
A display panel manufacturing apparatus, comprising: a laser irradiation unit disposed outside the chamber and configured to irradiate the laser beam toward the substrate with a thin film via the transparent window and a patterning mask. 2. The display according to claim 1, wherein the patterning mask is formed by laminating a light-shielding thin film on a transparent flat base material through which laser light is transmitted, and forming a light-transmitting pattern through which the laser light is transmitted. Panel manufacturing equipment. The display panel manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an interval between the substrate with a thin film and the patterning mask is 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less. The transparent window has a long band shape extending in a first direction along a main surface of the substrate with a thin film,
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a substrate moving unit configured to move the substrate with the thin film in the chamber in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction along a main surface thereof. 5. Display panel manufacturing equipment. When viewed through a plane, the entire area to be processed of the substrate with a thin film is included in the mask region of the patterning mask, and the substrate moving unit moves the substrate with the thin film and the patterning mask relative to each other. The display panel manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the display panel manufacturing apparatus is moved in the second direction while maintaining the relationship. The display panel manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a position of the patterning mask is fixed with respect to the chamber, and the substrate moving unit moves only the substrate with the thin film in the second direction. The display panel manufacturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a mask width of the patterning mask in the second direction is smaller than a width of a processing region of the substrate with a thin film in the same direction. The display panel manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the laser irradiation unit includes a YAG laser oscillator. The display panel manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the laser irradiation unit includes an excimer laser oscillator. The display panel manufacturing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the laser irradiation unit includes a galvano scanner mechanism that deflects the laser light by a galvanomirror and scans the laser light in at least the first direction. The said laser irradiation part is provided with the laser head part which emits a laser beam, The laser head part is provided with the laser scanning part which scans a laser beam by moving at least along the said 1st direction. 10. The display panel manufacturing apparatus according to 9. The display panel according to claim 11, wherein the transparent window and the patterning mask are both parallel to a main surface of the substrate with a thin film, and the laser beam is incident perpendicular to the main surface of the transparent window. manufacturing device. The at least one layer of thin film formed above the substrate is an organic film laminated on an auxiliary electrode made of metal, and the laser irradiation unit is determined in advance in cooperation with the patterning mask. The display panel manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the laser beam is relatively scanned in a pattern to remove the organic film on the auxiliary electrode. The display panel manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the transparent window is made of quartz glass. A method for manufacturing a display panel in which a plurality of thin films including an organic film are stacked on a substrate,
Substrate storage for housing a substrate with a thin film on which at least one layer of thin film is formed in a chamber having a transparent window through which laser light is transmitted, with the main surface on which the thin film is formed facing the transparent window. Process and
An atmosphere adjusting step of adjusting the atmosphere in the chamber to an atmosphere of a vacuum or an inert gas,
In the chamber, with a patterning mask disposed between the transparent window and the substrate with the thin film, a laser beam is applied from outside the chamber through the transparent window and the patterning mask to the substrate with the thin film. Injecting toward the processing surface of, a thin film removing step of partially removing the thin film,
And a display panel manufacturing method.

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