KR20060124325A - Slit coater and method for manufacturing color filter substrate using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A slit coater and a method for manufacturing a color filter substrate using the same are provided to acquire three types of color filters even with two photolithographic processes, by constituting the slit coater to include two slit nozzles for simultaneously ejecting different color types of photoresist. A slit coater comprises first and second supply units and a slit nozzle(130). The first and second supply units, respectively, supply a first photoresist and a second photoresist having different colors. The slit nozzle includes a first slit(133) for ejecting the first photoresist and a second slit(134) for ejecting the second photoresist. A color filter is manufactured by simultaneously forming first and second color filters using the slit coater, and forming a second color filter using another slit coater.

Description

SLIT COATER AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING COLOR FILTER SUBSTRATE USING THE SAME

1 is a perspective view showing a slit coater according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a slit nozzle illustrated in FIG. 1.

3 is a plan view showing a color filter substrate manufactured by a manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II ′ of FIG. 3.

5 to 7 are process diagrams illustrating a manufacturing process of the color filter substrate illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100: slit coater 110: first supply unit

120: second supply unit 130: slit nozzle

133: first slit 134: second slit

200: color filter substrate 210: light shielding layer

220: first color filter 230: second color filter

240: third color filter 250: overcoating layer

260 common electrode

The present invention relates to a slit coater and a method of manufacturing a color filter substrate using the same, and more particularly, to a slit coater and a method of manufacturing a color filter substrate using the same, which can reduce the number of manufacturing steps of the color filter substrate.

As a display device for displaying an image, a liquid crystal display device (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP), and a cathode ray tube (CRT) are used. Among them, the liquid crystal display device is a display device for displaying an image using a liquid crystal having optical and electrical characteristics such as anisotropic refractive index and anisotropic dielectric constant. Such liquid crystal displays are thinner and lighter than other display devices such as CRTs and PDPs, and have low driving voltages and low power consumption, and thus are widely used throughout the industry.

The liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel including a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate, a color filter substrate facing the TFT substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the two substrates.

In general, the color filter substrate is manufactured by forming a light shielding layer on a glass substrate, and separately forming the red, green, and blue color filters for three colors through three photolithography processes using three masks. Manufactured through the process.

Therefore, the number of manufacturing steps is increased due to three photolithography processes, and manufacturing costs are increased due to the use of three masks.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of such a conventional problem, and the present invention provides a slit coater capable of reducing the number of manufacturing steps and the manufacturing cost of a color filter substrate.

The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing a color filter substrate using the slit coater described above.

The slit coater according to one aspect of the present invention described above includes first and second supply units and slit nozzles. The first and second supply units supply first and second photoresists of different colors, respectively. The slit coater is formed with a first slit for discharging the first photoresist supplied from the first supply unit and a second slit for discharging the second photoresist supplied from the second supply unit.

In addition, the method for manufacturing a color filter substrate according to an aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of forming a light shielding layer on a substrate, and simultaneously forming a first color filter and a second color filter on the substrate using a first slit coater And forming a third color filter on the substrate using a second slit coater.

The forming of the first color filter and the second color filter may include simultaneously coating a first photoresist and a second photoresist of different colors on the substrate using the first slit coater, and the first color filter. Patterning the photoresist and the second photoresist simultaneously to form the first color filter and the second color filter.

According to the slit coater and the manufacturing method of the color filter substrate using the same, it is possible to reduce the number of manufacturing steps and the manufacturing cost of the color filter substrate.

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

1 is a perspective view showing a slit coater according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of the slit nozzle shown in FIG.

1 and 2, a slit coater 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a first supply unit 110, a second supply unit 120, and a slit nozzle ( 130).

The first supply unit 110 and the second supply unit 120 supply the first photoresist and the second photoresist of different colors to the slit nozzle 130, respectively.

The first supply unit 110 includes a first storage tank 112 for storing the first photoresist and a first delivery line 114 for connecting the first storage tank 112 and the slit nozzle 130. The second supply unit 120 includes a second storage tank 122 storing the second photoresist and a second delivery line 124 connecting the second storage tank 122 and the slit nozzle 130.

The first photoresist stored in the first storage tank 112 is supplied to the slit nozzle 130 through the first delivery line 114, and the second photoresist stored in the second storage tank 122 is The slit nozzle 130 is supplied through the second delivery line 124.

The slit nozzle 130 receives the first photoresist and the second photoresist simultaneously from the first supply unit 110 and the second supply unit 120.

The slit nozzle 130 temporarily stores the first cavity 131 for temporarily storing the first photoresist supplied from the first supply unit 110 and the second photoresist supplied from the second supply unit 120. A second cavity 132 is provided for storing. The first cavity 131 and the second cavity 132 are separated from each other so that the first photoresist and the second photoresist do not mix with each other.

The slit nozzle 130 is provided with a first slit 133 for discharging the first photoresist and a second slit 134 for discharging the second photoresist. The first slit 133 is connected to the first cavity 131, and the second slit 134 is connected to the second cavity 132.

The first slit 133 and the second slit 134 are spaced at a predetermined interval and formed parallel to each other. The spacing D between the first slit 133 and the second slit 134 is determined according to the size and spacing of the color filters to be formed on the substrate 150.

After the first photoresist supplied from the first supply unit 110 passes through the first cavity 131, the first photoresist is discharged to the outside through the first slit 133 and the second supplied from the second supply unit 120. After the photoresist passes through the second cavity 132, the photoresist is discharged to the outside simultaneously with the first photoresist through the second slit 134.

On the other hand, although not shown, the slit coater 100 is an air supply unit for providing air to the slit nozzle 130 for smooth discharge of the first photoresist and the second photoresist, and the first slit 133 and A slit adjustment unit for adjusting the slit width of the second slit 134 may be further included.

As described above, the slit coater 100 according to the present embodiment has a first porter having different colors on the substrate 150 disposed on the stage 140 through the first slit 133 and the second slit 134. The resist and the second photo resist are coated simultaneously.

3 is a plan view showing a color filter substrate manufactured by a manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II 'of FIG.

3 and 4, the color filter substrate 200 may include a substrate 150, a light shielding layer 210 formed on the substrate 150, and first, second, and third colors formed on the substrate 150. Filters 220, 230, 240.

The light blocking layer 210 is formed on the substrate 150 in a lattice shape so as to be disposed between the first, second, and third color filters 220, 230, and 240. The light blocking layer 210 blocks light passing through the color filter substrate 200 to improve contrast ratio.

The first, second, and third color filters 220, 230, and 240 have different colors. For example, the first color filter 220 has a red color, the second color filter 230 has a blue color, and the third color filter 240 has a green color.

The first, second and third color filters 220, 230, and 240 are formed in a matrix on the substrate 150. In the first, second and third color filters 220, 230, and 240, color filters of different colors are alternately arranged in the horizontal direction, and color filters of the same color are arranged in the vertical direction.

The color filter substrate 200 further includes an overcoat layer 250 and a common electrode 260.

The overcoat layer 250 is formed on the substrate 150 on which the first, second, and third color filters 220, 230, and 240 are formed to planarize the color filter substrate 200. The overcoating layer 250 is made of a transparent material for transmitting light. The overcoating layer 250 may be removed as necessary.

The common electrode 260 is formed on the overcoat layer 250. The common electrode 260 is made of a transparent conductive material. For example, the common electrode 260 is made of indium zinc oxide (IZO) or indium tin oxide (ITO).

Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing a color filter substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

5 to 7 are process diagrams illustrating a manufacturing process of the color filter substrate illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Referring to FIG. 5, after the light blocking material is coated on the substrate 150, a grid-shaped light blocking layer 210 is formed through a photolithography process using a first mask. The light blocking layer 210 is made of a black material to block light transmission.

Next, referring to FIG. 6, the first color filter 220 and the second color filter 230 are simultaneously formed on the substrate 150 on which the light blocking layer 210 is formed by using a first slit coater. Here, since the slit coater 100 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is used as the first slit coater, a detailed description of the first slit coater will be omitted.

The process of forming the first color filter 220 and the second color filter 230 includes a coating process and a patterning process.

In the coating process, the first photoresist and the second photoresist of different colors are coated on the substrate 150 using the first slit coater. For example, the first photoresist has a red color, and the second photoresist has a blue color.

In the patterning process, the first photoresist and the second photoresist coated on the substrate 150 are patterned by a photolithography process using a second mask to form the first color filter 220 and the second color filter 240. Form simultaneously.

In the process of forming the first color filter 220 and the second color filter 230, a heat treatment process of heat-treating the first color filter 220 and the second color filter 230 formed by the patterning process may be added. .

Next, referring to FIG. 7, a third color filter 240 is formed on the substrate 150 on which the light blocking layer 210, the first and second color filters 220 and 230 are formed, using a second slit coater. . Here, unlike the first slit coater, the second slit coater is a slit coater in which only one slit is formed.

The process of forming the third color filter 240 includes a coating process and a patterning process.

In the coating process, the third photoresist is coated on the substrate 150 using a second slit coater. In one example, the third photoresist has green color. The third photoresist is coated between the first color filter 220 and the second color filter 230.

In the patterning process, the third photoresist coated on the substrate 150 is patterned through a photolithography process using a third mask to form the third color filter 240.

Next, referring to FIG. 4, the overcoat layer 250 and the transparent common electrode 260 are formed on the substrate 150 on which the light blocking layer 210, the first, second and third color filters 220, 230, and 240 are formed. To form sequentially. Here, the overcoating layer 250 is a layer for planarization and may be removed as necessary.

The common electrode 260 may be patterned through a photolithography process using a fourth mask.

According to such a slit coater and a manufacturing method of a color filter substrate using the same, three photolithography processes using three masks are reduced to two photolithography processes using two masks to form three color filters. By doing so, the number of manufacturing steps of the color filter substrate can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

In the detailed description of the present invention described above with reference to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art or those skilled in the art having ordinary skill in the art will be described in the claims to be described later It will be understood that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (12)

First and second supply units for supplying first and second photoresists of different colors, respectively; And And a slit nozzle including a first slit for discharging the first photoresist supplied from the first supply unit and a second slit for discharging the second photoresist supplied from the second supply unit. The slit coater according to claim 1, wherein the first slit and the second slit are formed in parallel with each other by being spaced at a predetermined interval. The method of claim 1, wherein the slit nozzle is A first cavity temporarily storing the first photoresist and connected to the first slit; And And a second cavity temporarily storing the second photoresist, the second cavity being connected to the second slit. The method of claim 1, The first supply unit includes a first storage tank for storing the first photoresist, and a first delivery line connecting the first storage tank and the slit nozzle, And the second supply unit includes a second storage tank for storing the second photoresist and a second delivery line connecting the second storage tank and the slit nozzle. Forming a light shielding layer on the substrate; Simultaneously forming a first color filter and a second color filter on the substrate by using a first slit coater; And And forming a third color filter on the substrate by using a second slit coater. The method of claim 5, wherein the forming of the first color filter and the second color filter Simultaneously coating a first photoresist and a second photoresist of different colors on the substrate using the first slit coater; And And patterning the first photoresist and the second photoresist at the same time to form the first color filter and the second color filter. The method of claim 6, wherein the forming of the third color filter Coating a third photoresist on the substrate using the second slit coater; And And patterning the third photoresist to form the third color filter. The method of claim 6, wherein the first slit coater First and second supply units respectively supplying first and second photoresists to each other; And And a slit nozzle having a first slit for discharging the first photoresist supplied from the first supply unit and a second slit for discharging the second photoresist supplied from the second supply unit. Method for producing a color filter substrate. The method of claim 8, wherein the first slit and the second slit are spaced at a predetermined interval and formed in parallel with each other. The method of claim 5, wherein the first color filter has a red color, the second color filter has a blue color, and the third color filter has a green color. The method of claim 5, And forming a transparent common electrode on the first, second, and third color filters. The method of claim 11, And forming an overcoating layer on the first, second and third color filters.

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