KR100777731B1 - Apparatus for manufacturing electrode for display panel and method of manufacturing the electrode using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides electrode forming means for forming an electrode in a predetermined pattern on the substrate in order to reduce the thermal deformation of the substrate during the firing process during the manufacturing process of the electrode of the display panel; And a light source for generating light irradiated to the substrate on which the electrode is formed by the electrode forming means, wherein the light generated from the light source is absorbed only to the electrode of the predetermined pattern and is not substantially absorbed to the substrate. An electrode manufacturing apparatus and an electrode manufacturing method using the same are provided.

Description

Apparatus for manufacturing electrode for display panel and method of manufacturing the electrode using the same}

1 is a side view showing an apparatus used in a conventional firing step of the electrode manufacturing process.

2 is a diagram schematically showing an apparatus for firing an electrode pattern formed on a substrate according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a view schematically showing an apparatus for firing an electrode pattern formed on a substrate according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a view showing that line light irradiated from a light source according to an embodiment of the present invention is irradiated to the rear surface of the panel to fire an electrode pattern.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically showing that light emitted from a laser diode stack according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention is made of line light.

6 is a side view schematically showing that light emitted from a laser diode stack according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention is made of line light.

FIG. 7 is a plan view schematically illustrating that light emitted from a laser diode stack according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is made of line light.

8 is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing an electrode of a display panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Brief description of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

100, 200: panel 101, 201: glass substrate

102, 202: electrode patterns 110, 210: feed roller

120, 220: light source 130, 230: exhaust device

131, 231: exhaust duct 235: blower

The present invention relates to an electrode manufacturing apparatus for a display panel and an electrode manufacturing method using the same, and more particularly, to an electrode manufacturing apparatus for a display panel for forming an electrode of a plasma display panel using a light source and an electrode manufacturing method using the same. .

In the case of a plasma display panel in which an ultraviolet light emitted from a discharge using gas discharge excites a phosphor to generate visible light as a display panel, an image is formed by combining the front panel and the rear panel, and then exhausting and discharging the panel. The plasma display module is completed by injecting a gas and connecting the same to an electronic circuit.

In more detail, the front panel is manufactured by forming a transparent electrode and a bus electrode on a substrate, forming a dielectric on the substrate, forming a sealing frit on both sides, and forming a protective film. The rear panel is manufactured by forming an address electrode on a substrate, a dielectric layer thereon, and forming a partition and a phosphor. Among them, the bus electrode, the address electrode, the dielectric layer, the partition wall, the phosphor, and the sealing frit are each coated in a predetermined pattern, and then the applied material is dried and then fired.

The apparatus used in the conventional firing process is shown in FIG. Referring to the drawings, the substrate 3 is heated by the heater 4 while being transported by the conveying roller 5, whereby the electrode paste in close contact with the plasma display panel substrate 3 is also heated so that the binder component It is generated in a state and comes from inside the electrode paste. The gas thus generated is discharged to the outside of the PDP firing apparatus by the flow of air continuously supplied from the air supply pipe 1 to the exhaust pipe 2. However, such a PDP firing apparatus has a problem that a loss occurs between the air supply pipe 1 and the exhaust pipe 2, takes a long time to remove the binder component, and the binder remains or resorbs on the substrate.

Plasma panel firing apparatus and method for solving this problem is disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-0077176. The plasma panel firing apparatus includes an air supply unit for supplying air to a PDP substrate; An air heating unit for heating the supplied air; An air injector for directly injecting the supplied heated air to the PDP substrate; And an exhaust unit through which the gas of the binder component discharged from the PDP substrate is discharged by the injected hot air. According to the calcination apparatus, the binder component can be smoothly discharged through rapid heat transfer by directly injecting heated air from the upper side of the PDP substrate and discharging the generated gas from the lower side of the PDP substrate.

However, in the sintering apparatus of such a kiln, the process of raising the temperature slowly, maintaining the temperature, and slowly cooling the process in order to heat the heating takes a long time, and heating air is applied to the glass substrate as well as the film material requiring firing. There is a problem that the deformation of the substrate due to the heat generated by the injection.

The present invention is to solve the above problems, by using a light source can be selectively baked only on the electrode pattern that needs to be fired on the substrate on which the electrode pattern is formed, the display is not only simple equipment, but also reduce the time required for firing An object of the present invention is to provide an electrode manufacturing apparatus for a panel and a method of manufacturing the same using the same.

The present invention provides electrode forming means for forming an electrode in a predetermined pattern on a substrate; And a light source for generating light irradiated to the substrate on which the electrode is formed by the electrode forming means, wherein the light generated from the light source is absorbed only to the electrode of the predetermined pattern and is not substantially absorbed to the substrate. To provide electrode manufacturing equipment.

In addition, according to another aspect of the invention, the present invention comprises the steps of forming an electrode of a predetermined pattern on the substrate; And irradiating light onto a substrate on which the electrode of the predetermined pattern is formed, wherein the light irradiated onto the substrate is substantially absorbed only by the electrode of the predetermined pattern and is not substantially absorbed by the substrate. To provide.

Transfer means for transferring a substrate or a light source on which electrodes of a predetermined pattern are formed; And an exhaust device for discharging the gas emitted from the electrode of the predetermined pattern during firing, wherein the light irradiated from the light source is line light formed in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveying means.

The light source is preferably a laser diode or an IR lamp. The light source may be disposed not only on the opposite side of the substrate surface on which the electrode pattern is applied, but also on the substrate surface side on which the electrode pattern is applied. In any case, the exhaust device is disposed on the substrate surface side to which the electrode pattern is applied.

Here, when the light source is disposed on the side opposite to the substrate surface on which the electrode pattern is applied, the exhaust device includes an exhaust duct which is a passage through which gas is discharged and a negative pressure generator that generates suction force in the exhaust duct. In contrast, when the light source is disposed on the substrate surface side on which the electrode pattern is applied, the exhaust device further includes a blower located in a direction opposite to the exhaust duct with respect to the light source, thereby moving the gas to the exhaust duct. It is desirable to provide momentum to make.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. An electrode manufacturing apparatus of a display panel includes electrode pattern forming means for forming an electrode on a substrate, a light source for irradiating light to the substrate, a transfer means for transferring the substrate or light source, and an exhaust device for discharging gas from the electrode pattern. do. There are various methods of forming an electrode pattern, such as a printing method, a lift-off method, a photolithography method, and a umeko method.

In the photolithography method, a photosensitive paste including a functional component of the electrode is applied to a substrate, dried, and then exposed and developed through an exposure photomask to form a pattern of the electrode. That is, an apparatus for applying a photosensitive paste to a substrate, an drying apparatus, an exposure apparatus, a developing apparatus, etc. are required as the electrode pattern forming means. The umeko method is a method of laminating a dry film resist on a substrate, forming a pattern by exposing and developing, and then filling the formed bone with an electrode paste. That is, the electrode pattern forming means by the umeko method includes a dry film resist, an exposure apparatus, and a developing apparatus. In addition, since other electrode pattern forming methods and forming means therefor are already known to those skilled in the art, further description thereof will be omitted.

An apparatus for firing electrode patterns according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Referring to the drawings, the electrode pattern firing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention transfer means (110, 210); Light sources 120 and 220; And exhaust devices 130 and 230. The conveying means 110 and 210 may be used to support and convey the substrates 101 and 201 to which the electrode patterns of the electrode paste are applied, and the conveying rollers 110 and 210 may be used. Since the respective transfer rollers 110 and 210 are spaced apart from each other, light from the light sources 120 and 220 is irradiated onto the substrates 101 and 201 in the spaces spaced apart from each other. Although the conveying rollers 110 and 210 are shown as the conveying means, the protection scope of the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and any means capable of supporting the substrates 101 and 201 and transferring them at a predetermined speed is included in the protection scope of the present invention. . For example, the substrates 101 and 201 may be fixed to a linear motion stage (not shown), and the stage may move the panels 100 and 200.

Alternatively, after the substrates 101 and 201 are coupled to and fixed to the work table (not shown), a method of constantly moving the linear motion stage to which the light sources 120 and 220 are fixedly coupled at a predetermined speed may also be used. That is, the transfer means moves the light source, and it is also possible to irradiate light to the panels 100 and 200 while fixing the substrates 101 and 201 and moving the light sources 120 and 220.

In this case, electrode patterns 102 and 202 are formed on the glass substrates 101 and 201 of the panels 100 and 200. The electrode patterns are obtained through an exposure and development process after electrode paste is applied to the glass substrates 101 and 201.

Meanwhile, a laser diode (LD) or an infrared lamp (IR lamp) may be used as the light sources 120 and 220. Compared with other light sources, laser light has a good directivity to propagate light only in a certain direction, has a very stable wavelength and phase in time and space, so it has good coherence, and emits light in a very narrow wavelength range. The castle is high. In addition, it has a characteristic of high energy density and can be used for processing such as cutting or drilling by heating or melting the material.

LD includes ultraviolet LD, visible LD, infrared LD, and high output LD according to the range of wavelengths emitted. In one embodiment of the present invention, 808 nm infrared LD is used. However, the type of LDs 120 and 220 used may vary depending on the type of paste applied to the substrates 101 and 201. This is because the absorption efficiency for each wavelength band may vary for each paste. In addition, the infrared lamp can be used in the present invention as a lamp that emits light in a broader wavelength range including mainly light in the infrared wavelength range than LD.

The light emitted from the light sources 120 and 220 is irradiated onto the surface where the electrode pattern 102 of the substrate 101 is not formed in the form of line light as shown in FIG. 4. Referring to FIG. 5, in the case of LD, which is an embodiment of the light source 120, an LD stack in which several LDs are stacked may be used to make a high output. Light is collected by using a series of lenses 125 at the exit port side of the LD to make the laser exiting the LD stack to a predetermined thin thickness D and line width W, as shown in FIG. 5. Line light with the light is irradiated. Here, the thickness D of the line light is about 50 mu m, and the line width W of the line light is about 10 mm, and the line width of the line light is set to a desired length by arranging a plurality of LD stacks to the side (the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the panel). Length).

At this time, since the transparent glass is transparent to the light, the glass substrate 101 is absorbed and heated only by the electrode paste of the electrode pattern 102 without heating. That is, since the selective firing occurs only on the electrode pattern 102, the deformation due to heat does not occur in the glass substrate 101. In addition, the laser beam has a high energy density, so that firing occurs in a short time within 1 second. As the substrate 101 is constantly transported at a predetermined speed, the above-described firing is continuously performed for each line, and the firing is completed on all surfaces of the electrode pattern 102 formed on the substrate 101.

During the firing process, the organic binder (not shown) becomes a gas and exits the paste. If the binder is not discharged, it adversely affects the quality of the panel electrode, and thus, exhaust devices 130 and 230 are provided to discharge the gas to the outside. The exhaust devices 130 and 230 are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval on the surface side of the substrates 101 and 201 where the electrode patterns 102 and 202 are formed. The exhaust apparatuses 130 and 230 include exhaust ducts 131 and 231 which are passages through which gas is discharged, and negative pressure generators 132 and 232 which generate suction force in the exhaust ducts 131 and 231. The negative pressure generators 132 and 232 may be used in various means such as vacuum generators.

2 shows a first embodiment of an exhaust device 130. Referring to the drawing, since the light source 120 is located below the substrate 101 (that is, the surface side on which the electrode pattern 101 of the substrate 101 is not formed), the substrate 101 at a position corresponding to the light source 120 is provided. Exhaust duct 131 is installed on the upper part of the, and the gas is sucked into the exhaust duct 131 by the negative pressure generating device 132 is discharged to the outside.

3 shows a second embodiment of an exhaust device 230. Referring to the drawing, since the light source 220 is located above the substrate 201 (that is, the surface side on which the electrode pattern 202 of the substrate 201 is formed), the exhaust duct 231 does not interfere with the light source 220. Slightly away (ie, away from the position corresponding to the light source 220) is located on the upper side of the substrate 201. In addition, a blower 235 is installed in a direction opposite to the exhaust duct 231 based on the light source 220 to impart momentum to the gas so that the gas smoothly moves to the exhaust device 230, and the negative pressure generator Gas 232 exits through the exhaust duct 231 to the outside.

The firing process using a conventional firing furnace undergoes a heating process, a temperature maintaining process, and a cooling process, and thus, the length of the firing furnace is long, whereas the firing process according to an embodiment of the present invention is performed by one line by light sources 120 and 220 such as LD. It can be achieved within a short time of less than 1 second per hour, significantly reducing the firing time and simplify the firing equipment.

Hereinafter, the display panel firing method according to the above configuration will be described.

First, the electrode patterns 102 and 202 are formed on the substrates 101 and 201 by the photolithography method, the printing method, the lift-off method and the omelette method. (S10) The formed electrode patterns 102 and 202 are dried. Then, the substrates 101 and 201 and the light sources 120 and 220 are aligned so that the light sources 120 and 220 are positioned at the portions to be first irradiated onto the substrates 101 and 201.

Light emitted from the light sources 120 and 220 is irradiated to the substrates 101 and 201 (s20). In this case, a laser diode or an infrared lamp may be used as the light sources 120 and 220. The light emitted from the light source is line light formed in a direction orthogonal to the transfer direction of the substrates 101 and 201. If the light sources 120 and 220 are transported, the light emitted from the light sources may be line light formed in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the light sources 120 and 220. When line light is irradiated, light is transmitted to portions of the glass substrates 101 and 201 where the electrode patterns 102 and 202 are not formed, and light is absorbed to the electrode patterns 102 and 202 so that firing occurs.

The substrates 101 and 201 in which the electrode pastes are formed in the predetermined patterns 102 and 202 are transferred or the light sources 120 and 220 are transferred. (S30) If the light sources 120 and 220 are fixed, the transfer means may be a variety of means such as a plurality of transfer rollers 110 and 210. This can be used. In addition, when the substrates 101 and 201 are fixed, the transfer means may be a means for transferring the light sources 120 and 220. For example, after bonding and fixing the substrates 101 and 201 to the work table, the linear motion stage in which the light sources 120 and 220 are fixedly coupled may be fired while transferring the light sources 120 and 220 at a predetermined speed.

On the other hand, the electrode paste is mainly composed of a solid and an organic vehicle (solid) is composed of a conductive functional component, glass frit and additives, the organic vehicle serves as a medium for dispersing the solid in the paste state It is made by dissolving an organic binder in an organic solvent. In this paste state before firing, the organic vehicle acts as a medium of solids. During the firing process where light is irradiated, the binder becomes a gas and the glass frit replaces the medium, and the firing lowers the resistance, thereby improving electrode efficiency. do. When the electrode pattern was fired in the kiln, the resistance of the electrode was 26 ohm, but when fired using the light source according to the embodiment of the present invention, the resistance of the electrode was reduced to 26 ohm or less. .

In this case, if the gas is not discharged to the outside, the gas remains in the panels 100 and 200 and adversely affects the quality of the panels 100 and 200, thereby discharging the gas to the outside using the exhaust devices 130 and 230. (s40) As described above, the negative pressure generating device 132 and the exhaust duct 131 may suck the gas and discharge it to the outside, and blows air into the gas with the blower 235 to provide momentum to the exhaust duct 231. Afterwards, the exhaust duct 231 may be discharged to the outside by the negative pressure generator 232.

When the substrates 101 and 201 or the light sources 120 and 220 are transported at a predetermined constant speed and the line light formed in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction is irradiated to all the electrode patterns 102 and 202 on the substrates 101 and 201, the electrodes formed on the substrates 101 and 201 Firing is completed over the entire surface of the patterns 102 and 202.

In particular, the light emitted from the laser diode or the infrared lamp does not cause deformation of the substrates 101 and 201 due to heat by selectively heating and baking only the paste without heating the glass substrates 101 and 201. In addition, since the firing is performed in a short time within 1 second due to the characteristics of the laser beam having a high density energy characteristic, the firing time can be reduced and the firing equipment can be simplified.

The firing object described so far may be a bus electrode formed on a transparent electrode as well as electrodes 102 and 202 (for example, an address electrode) patterned on the glass substrates 101 and 201 of the plasma display panel 100 and 200. In this case, the light sources 120 and 220 should be appropriately selected so that the transparent electrodes are not affected by the light sources 120 and 220 used to fire the bus electrodes. In addition, the present invention may be used to manufacture electrodes for field emission displays (FEDs).

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, this is merely exemplary, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention will be defined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

According to the electrode manufacturing apparatus of the display panel and the manufacturing method using the same of the present invention, the light of a specific wavelength generated by a light source such as a laser diode is selectively absorbed only in the paste that needs to be fired, not absorbed by the substrate, thereby thermally deforming the substrate Can be reduced. In addition, since the firing light source irradiates the line light onto the substrate and fires within a short time for each line, the firing light source can reduce the time required for firing and simplify the firing equipment.

Claims (14)

Electrode forming means for forming an electrode of a predetermined pattern on the substrate; And And a light source generating light irradiated onto the substrate on which the electrode is formed by the electrode forming means, and disposed on an opposite surface side of the substrate surface on which the electrode of the predetermined pattern is formed. Light generated by the light source is absorbed only to the electrode of the predetermined pattern substantially, but not substantially absorbed in the substrate. The method of claim 1, Transfer means for transferring a substrate or a light source on which electrodes of a predetermined pattern are formed; And And an exhaust device for discharging gas emitted from the electrode during firing, wherein the light irradiated from the light source is line light formed in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveying means. The method of claim 2, The exhaust device is an electrode manufacturing apparatus of a display panel arranged on the side of the substrate surface on which the electrode of the predetermined pattern is formed. The method of claim 2, The exhaust device includes an exhaust duct which is a passage through which gas is discharged; And a negative pressure generating device generating a suction force in the exhaust duct. The method of claim 4, wherein The exhaust device further comprises a blower (blower), the blower is located in the opposite direction of the exhaust duct relative to the light source, and the electrode manufacturing apparatus of the display panel to provide a momentum for moving the gas to the exhaust duct. The method of claim 1, The light source may be a laser diode or an IR lamp. Forming an electrode of a predetermined pattern on the substrate; And Irradiating light to the substrate on an opposite surface side of the substrate surface on which the electrode of the predetermined pattern is formed, The method of manufacturing an electrode of a display panel, wherein the light irradiated onto the substrate is absorbed substantially only on the electrodes of the predetermined pattern and not substantially on the substrate. The method of claim 7, wherein Transferring the substrate or the light source on which the electrodes of the predetermined pattern are formed by the transfer means; And discharging gas from an electrode formed on the substrate by an exhaust device, wherein the light is formed in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of the conveying means. The method of claim 8, The exhaust device is an electrode manufacturing method of a display panel disposed on the substrate surface side on which the electrode of the predetermined pattern is formed. The method of claim 8, The exhaust device includes an exhaust duct which is a passage through which gas is discharged; And a negative pressure generating device generating a suction force in the exhaust duct. The method of claim 10, The exhaust device further comprises a blower (blower), the blower is located in the opposite direction of the exhaust duct relative to the light source, and the manufacturing method of the electrode of the display panel to provide a momentum for moving the gas to the exhaust duct. The method of claim 7, wherein The light source for generating the light is a laser diode or an infrared lamp (IR lamp) manufacturing method of the electrode of the display panel. delete delete

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