KR20050077859A - Carrier plate and method of manufacturing the flexible display device using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are a carrier substrate for easily removing an adhesive material and a method of manufacturing a flexible display device using the same. The carrier substrate is exposed to the adhesive material to facilitate the penetration of the organic solvent into the adhesive material existing between the flexible substrate and the carrier substrate and the discharge of the adhesive material dissolved in the organic solvent during the process of removing the adhesive material from the flexible substrate. It includes one or more through holes to increase the. The carrier substrate having the above-described structure can be more easily removed from the flexible substrate to increase the throughput of the process, and can be applied to a process of forming a flexible display without modification of equipment for mass-producing liquid crystal displays.

Description

A carrier substrate and a manufacturing method of a flexible display device using the same. {CARRIER PLATE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE FLEXIBLE DISPLAY DEVICE USING THE SAME}

The present invention relates to a carrier substrate and a method of manufacturing a flexible display device using the same, and more particularly, to a carrier substrate and a method of manufacturing a flexible display device using the same that can easily remove the adhesive material to attach the flexible substrate. .

Recently, with the development of technology, the generalization of the Internet, and the amount of information communicated explosively, an ubiquitous display environment that can access information anytime and anywhere is being created. Therefore, the role of the display device, which is a medium for outputting information, becomes more important, and its range of use is becoming more widespread.

In order to realize such a ubiquitous display environment, it is possible to improve the portability of the display device and to display various multimedia information, and to have a light, wide display area, high resolution, and high display speed. Should be required.

In response to these demands, research has been actively conducted in the direction of increasing the size of the display device, reducing the density of the glass substrate and the thickness of the glass substrate constituting the device. However, when the glass density of the display device, that is, the glass substrate applied to the liquid crystal display panel is reduced, the silicon substrate constituting the glass substrate (SiO ₂ ) substantially determines all physical property values of the glass substrate. Lower density techniques face limitations.

In addition, the size of the display device should be reduced in order to solve the aforementioned problem of portability, but this has a problem that conflicts with the desire of consumers who want a large display device.

Therefore, there is a need for a plastic display device in which a display device is formed on a plastic substrate in order to simultaneously satisfy a large screen property and a light and portable property.

The above-mentioned plastic display device may ultimately be manufactured in a roll-to-roll method. However, in order to produce a plastic display device having flexibility in the above-described manner, not only a dedicated facility for applying the plastic substrate in every process of the production stage but also a large investment cost is required.

Currently, existing LCD makers such as Sharp and Philips are researching plastic displays, but most of them are developing plastic display devices by devising dedicated chucks to apply plastic substrates. It is true. However, this study has a disadvantage that the current mass production equipment has to be significantly changed since it has a disadvantage that the existing LCD mass production equipment cannot be used as it is.

In addition, a method of applying the plastic substrate to the LCD mass production facility by attaching the plastic substrate to the glass substrate coated with the adhesive is also proposed, but the above-described method is easy to remove the adhesive material that bonds the glass substrate and the plastic substrate to each other. Since the carrier substrate on which the plastic substrate is stacked is immersed in the organic solvent for a long time, the throughput of the manufacturing process is reduced.

In addition, when the plastic substrate on which the image display device is formed in the organic solvent is immersed for a long time, the adhesive material dissolved in the organic solvent may cause contamination of the image display device.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention for solving the above problems is to provide a carrier substrate having a structure in which an adhesive material for adhering the flexible substrate and the carrier substrate to each other in the process of forming the flexible display device can be easily removed.

In addition, another object of the present invention for solving the above problems is to provide a method for manufacturing a flexible display device using a carrier substrate having a structure that can easily remove the adhesive material.

A carrier substrate for realizing the object of the present invention described above is a carrier substrate which supports a flexible substrate to form an image display element and is separated from the flexible substrate through removal of an adhesive material employed for the support. One or more through holes are formed to increase the exposure of the adhesive material that adheres the substrate.

In addition, a method of manufacturing a flexible display device for realizing another object of the present invention, (a) applying an adhesive on a carrier substrate formed with one or more through holes in order to penetrate the organic solvent and to discharge the adhesive material dissolved in the organic solvent. Applying; (b) depositing a flexible substrate on the carrier substrate of step (a); (c) forming an image display element on the flexible substrate of step (b); And (d) dividing the carrier substrate from the flexible substrate on which the image display element is formed by immersing the resultant product of step (c) in an organic solvent.

The carrier substrate having such a structure is characterized in that the carrier carrier substrate can be removed more quickly from the plastic substrate attached by the adhesive material on the carrier substrate, thereby increasing the throughput of the process of forming a flexible display device. Have

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Example 1

1A is a perspective view schematically showing a carrier substrate for supporting a plastic substrate according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of a carrier substrate on which a plastic substrate is stacked according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

The carrier substrate 150 illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B has a structure in which an attachment region 120 to which the flexible substrate 110 is attached and at least one circular through hole 130 are formed in the attachment region.

The carrier substrate 150 is a glass substrate 150 supporting the flexible substrate in order to form the image display device on the flexible substrate 110 without error in the process of forming the image display device. The flexible substrate 110 is a plastic substrate 110 having flexibility.

The attachment area 120 is an area to which an adhesive material (B) for adhering the plastic substrate 110 is applied, and is an area to which the bottom surface of the plastic substrate 110 is attached. Here, the width of the attachment region 120 has the same width as the plastic substrate 110. In addition, although not shown in the drawings, the attachment region may have the same size as the carrier substrate.

A plurality of circular through holes 130 are formed in the attachment region 120 of the glass substrate 150, which is the carrier substrate, and the plastic substrate 110 is attached to the attachment region 120 of the glass substrate 150. When attached by B) to expose a portion of the bottom surface of the plastic substrate 110 from the glass substrate substrate 150.

As a result, the circular through hole 130 easily penetrates the organic solvent into the adhesive material which adheres the glass substrate 150 and the plastic substrate 110 to be in close contact with each other, and the adhesive material dissolved by the organic solvent is more easily. It can be easily discharged so that the glass substrate 150 which is the carrier substrate can be separated more quickly from the plastic substrate 110 on which the display element is formed.

That is, in the carrier substrate 150 of the present invention, since a plurality of circular through holes 130 are formed in a glass substrate having a rectangular shape of a conventional plate, the carrier substrate 150 is formed on the attachment region 120 of the glass substrate 150. After applying the adhesive material (B) to the plastic substrate 110 is laminated, the bottom surface of the plastic substrate 110 and a portion of the adhesive material (B) by the circular through hole 130 is exposed. For this reason, the process of removing the adhesive material B may be easily performed to separate the glass substrate 150 which is the carrier substrate, thereby increasing the throughput of the plastic display device forming process.

In addition, since the impregnation time of the glass substrate 150, which is the carrier substrate on which the plastic substrate is laminated in the organic solvent, can be significantly reduced to remove the adhesive material B, the image display device formed on the plastic substrate 110 Damage can be minimized.

Example 2

2A is a perspective view schematically illustrating a carrier substrate supporting a plastic substrate according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of a carrier substrate on which a plastic substrate is stacked according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

The carrier substrate 250 illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B has a structure in which an attachment region 220 to which the flexible substrate 110 is attached and a through hole 130 having at least one slit shape are formed in the attachment region.

The carrier substrate 250 is a silicon substrate 250 that supports the flexible substrate 110 in order to form the image display device on the flexible substrate 110 without error in the process of forming the image display device. The flexible substrate 110 is a plastic substrate 110 having flexibility.

The attachment area 220 is an area to which a binding material (B) for bonding the plastic substrate 110 is applied, and is an area to which the bottom surface of the plastic substrate 110 is attached. Here, the width of the attachment region 220 has the same width as the plastic substrate 110. In addition, although not shown in the drawings, the attachment region may have the same size as the carrier substrate.

A plurality of through holes 230 having a slit shape are formed in the attaching region 220 of the silicon substrate 250, which is a carrier substrate, and the plastic substrate 110 is adhered to the attaching region 220 of the silicon substrate 250. When attached by the material B, a portion of the bottom surface of the plastic substrate 110 is exposed from the silicon substrate 250.

Accordingly, the through hole 230 having a slit shape easily penetrates the organic solvent into the adhesive material B for attaching the silicon substrate 250 and the plastic substrate 110 to be in close contact with each other, and is dissolved by the organic solvent. By allowing the adhesive material B to be discharged more easily, the silicon substrate 250, which is a carrier substrate, may be more quickly separated from the plastic substrate 110 on which the display element is formed.

That is, in the carrier substrate 250 of the present invention, since a plurality of slit-shaped through holes 230 are formed in a glass substrate having a rectangular shape of a conventional plate, the carrier substrate 250 is formed on the attachment region 220 of the glass substrate 250. After the adhesive material B is applied to the plastic substrate 110, the bottom surface of the plastic substrate 110 and a part of the adhesive material B are exposed by the through hole 230 having the slit shape. For this reason, the process of removing the adhesive material B for separating the silicon substrate 250, which is the carrier substrate, may be performed more easily, thereby increasing the throughput of the plastic display device forming process.

Example 3

3A is a perspective view schematically illustrating a carrier substrate supporting a plastic substrate according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of a carrier substrate on which a plastic substrate is stacked according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

The carrier substrate 350 illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B includes two attachment regions 320a and 320b to which the flexible substrate 110 is attached, and a through hole 130 having at least one rectangular shape in each of the attachment regions. It has a formed structure.

The carrier substrate 350 is a glass substrate 350 that supports the flexible substrate 110 in order to form the image display device on the flexible substrate 110 without error in the process of forming the image display device. Here, the flexible substrate 110 is a plastic substrate 110 having flexibility.

The adhesion region 320 is a first adhesion region 320a and a second adhesion region 320b to which a binding material (B) for bonding two plastic substrates 110 is applied, respectively, and two plastic substrates. Each of the regions 110 is independently attached. Here, the first and second attachment regions 320a and 320b have the same width as the respective plastic substrates 110.

A plurality of rectangular through-holes 330 are formed in the first and second attachment regions 320 of the glass substrate 350, which is a carrier substrate, and the plastic substrate 110 is adhered to the glass substrate 350. When attached by the material B, a portion of the bottom surface of the plastic substrate 110 is exposed from the glass substrate 350.

Accordingly, the through hole 330 having a rectangular shape easily penetrates into the adhesive material B for attaching the glass substrate 350 and the plastic substrate 110 to be in close contact with each other, and is dissolved by the organic solvent. By allowing the adhesive material B to be discharged more easily, the glass substrate 350 serving as the carrier substrate can be separated more quickly from the plastic substrate 110 on which the display element is formed.

That is, in the carrier substrate 350 of the present invention, since a plurality of square through-holes 330 are formed in the glass substrate 350 having the rectangular shape of the conventional plate, the two substrates of the glass substrate 350 are attached. After applying the adhesive material B on the region 320, two plastic substrates 110 may be laminated, and then a display device process may be performed.

At this time, the bottom surface of the plastic substrate 110 and a part of the adhesive material B are exposed by the through hole 330 having a rectangular shape. For this reason, a process of removing the adhesive material B for separating the glass substrate 350, which is the carrier substrate, may be performed more easily, thereby increasing throughput of the plastic display device forming process.

Example 4

4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing a flexible display device using the carrier substrate of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, first, an adhesive material (Bonding Matter) is coated on a first glass substrate, which is a first carrier substrate on which penetrations are formed, to have a uniform thickness, and then a first plastic substrate is laminated on a carrier substrate under a predetermined temperature. (Step S110, S120).

At this time, when attaching a 1st plastic substrate on a 1st glass substrate, it should attach so that a bubble (air bubble) may not generate | occur | produce. This is because when bubbles enter the first glass substrate on which the first plastic substrate and the through-holes are formed, the adhesive force is weakened during the high temperature process of forming the image display element, and thus the first glass substrate and the first plastic substrate are lifted. .

Subsequently, a color filter, a black matrix, an overcoating layer, and a common electrode are formed on the surface of the first plastic substrate attached to the first glass substrate having the plurality of through holes formed thereon, thereby being supported on the first glass substrate having the plurality of through holes formed thereon. A color filter substrate is formed (step S130).

Here, the method of forming the color filter will be described in detail. First, a color resin having a red color among the red (R) / green (G) / blue (B) color resins is applied to the entire surface of the first plastic substrate on which the black matrix is formed. After the selective exposure, a red (R) color filter is formed in the display area. (At this time, the order of applying the color is arbitrarily described in the order of red (R), green (G), and blue (B)). Subsequently, a green color resin is coated on the entire surface of the first plastic substrate on which the red color filter is formed, and then selectively exposed to form a green color filter. Subsequently, a blue (B) color resin is coated on the entire surface of the first plastic substrate on which the red (R) and green (G) color filters are formed, and then selectively exposed to form a blue color filter.

Subsequently, after forming an overcoating film for removing a step between the black matrix and the color filter, a common electrode is formed on the overcoating film corresponding to the color filter. In detail, first, a common electrode film having a predetermined thickness is continuously formed on the resultant. The common electrode layer is formed by depositing one selected from a group of transparent conductive materials including indium tin oxide (ITO) and indium zinc oxide (IZO). A common electrode is formed by etching an common electrode layer on the black matrix by applying an etching mask.

Subsequently, the first organic substrate on which the penetrations for supporting the color filter substrate are formed is impregnated with an organic solvent for dissolving the adhesive material to separate the first glass substrate from the color filter substrate (step S140). As a result, a flexible color filter substrate is formed.

In this case, the plurality of through-holes formed in the glass substrate facilitate the penetration of the organic solvent into the adhesive material that adheres the glass substrate and the plastic substrate to be in close contact with each other, and the adhesive material dissolved by the organic solvent is more easily discharged. In this way, the glass substrate can be separated more quickly from the plastic substrate on which the display element is formed.

Subsequently, an adhesive material (Bonding Matter) is applied on the second glass substrate, which is the second carrier substrate on which the penetrations are formed, to have a uniform thickness, and then the second plastic substrate is laminated on the second glass substrate under a predetermined temperature (step S150, S160).

At this time, when attaching the second plastic substrate on the second glass substrate, it should be attached so as not to generate bubbles.

Subsequently, a thin film transistor, a gate insulating film, a passivation film, an organic film, and a pixel electrode, which operate as switching elements on the second plastic substrate, are formed and supported on the second glass substrate on which a plurality of through holes are formed. An array substrate is formed (step S170).

The method of forming the array substrate will be described in detail. A conductive material is deposited on the second plastic substrate. Subsequently, a portion of the conductive material is etched to form the gate electrode. Thereafter, a gate insulating film is deposited on the entire surface of the second plastic substrate on which the gate electrode) is formed. The gate insulating film is formed of a silicon nitride film (SiNx) that is a transparent insulating material.

Subsequently, amorphous silicon and N + amorphous silicon are deposited and etched to form a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating film corresponding to the gate electrode. Subsequently, a source electrode and a drain electrode are formed by depositing a conductive material on the gate insulating layer on which the semiconductor layer is formed, and then etching a portion of the conductive material.

Subsequently, a transparent insulating material is deposited on the second plastic substrate on which the thin film transistor is formed to form a passivation film, and then a portion of the passivation film is removed to form an opening exposing a portion of the drain electrode. In this case, the opening may be formed after forming the organic layer.

Subsequently, an organic material is applied onto the passivation film to form an organic film. The organic material includes a photoresist component. Thereafter, the organic film is exposed and developed to form an organic film in which a part of the drain electrode is opened.

Subsequently, ITO, IZO, ZO, and the like, which are transparent conductive materials, are deposited on the organic layer and the passivation layer, and a portion of the transparent conductive material is etched to form pixel electrodes in the pixel region.

Subsequently, the second glass substrate on which the penetrations for supporting the array substrate are formed is impregnated with an organic solvent that dissolves the adhesive material to separate the second glass substrate from the array substrate (step S180). As a result, a flexible array substrate is formed.

Subsequently, a spacer is formed on the surface of the array substrate or the color filter substrate (step S190). The spacer is a bead spacer.

Subsequently, the flexible color filter substrate and the flexible array substrate are combined to face each other, a liquid crystal material is injected between the color filter substrate and the array substrate, and then sealed using a sealing agent to form a flexible display device including a liquid crystal layer. (Step S200). In this case, after the liquid crystal is dropped on the color filter substrate or the array substrate coated with the sealing member, the liquid crystal layer may be formed by combining the color filter substrate and the array substrate to face each other.

As described above, in the carrier substrate according to the present invention, a plurality of through holes are formed to more easily remove the adhesive material for attaching the plastic substrate on which the image display element is formed to the carrier substrate.

Therefore, the through hole formed in the carrier substrate can increase the penetration of the organic solution into the adhesive material and improve the discharge of the adhesive material dissolved in the organic solvent, so that the carrier substrate can be separated from the plastic substrate more quickly, thereby producing a flexible display device. Increase the throughput of your process.

In addition, the manufacturing method of the above-described flexible display device increases the throughput of the manufacturing process because the carrier substrate can be separated more quickly without damaging the image display device, the adhesive material for bonding the plastic substrate and the carrier substrate.

Although described above with reference to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, those skilled in the art will be variously modified and changed within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described in the claims below I can understand that you can.

1A is a perspective view schematically showing a carrier substrate supporting a plastic substrate according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

1B is a cross-sectional view of a carrier substrate on which a plastic substrate is stacked according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

2A is a perspective view schematically showing a carrier substrate for supporting a plastic substrate according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

2B is a cross-sectional view of a carrier substrate on which a plastic substrate is stacked according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

3A is a perspective view schematically showing a carrier substrate supporting a plastic substrate according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

3B is a cross-sectional view of a carrier substrate on which a plastic substrate is stacked according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing a flexible display device using the carrier substrate of the present invention.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

110: plastic substrate 120, 220, 320: attachment area

130, 230, 330: through hole 150, 250, 350: carrier substrate

Claims (7)

In a carrier substrate that supports a flexible substrate to form an image display element, and is separated from the flexible substrate through removal of the adhesive material employed for the support, And at least one through hole is formed to increase exposure of the adhesive material attaching the flexible substrate. The carrier substrate of claim 1, wherein the through hole increases the penetration of the organic solvent into the adhesive material existing between the flexible substrate and the attachment region and increases the amount of the adhesive material dissolved in the organic solvent than the discharge. The carrier substrate according to claim 1, wherein the through hole is any one of a circular shape, a polygonal shape, and a slit shape when viewed in a plane. The carrier substrate of claim 1, wherein the flexible substrate is a plastic substrate. The carrier substrate of claim 1, wherein the carrier substrate is a glass substrate, a silicon substrate, or a high heat resistant plastic substrate having high form stability. The carrier substrate of claim 1, wherein the carrier substrate has a size in which one or more flexible substrates are stacked. (a) applying an adhesive on a carrier substrate having one or more through holes formed therein for penetration of the organic solvent and discharge of the adhesive material dissolved in the organic solvent; (b) depositing a flexible substrate on the carrier substrate of step (a); (c) forming an image display element on the flexible substrate of step (b); And (d) dividing the carrier substrate from the flexible substrate on which the image display element is formed by immersing the resultant product of step (c) in an organic solvent.