KR20230132946A - Producing system of mask intergrated frame and producing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a manufacturing system for a frame-integrated mask and a method for manufacturing a frame-integrated mask. The manufacturing system for a frame-integrated mask according to the present invention is a frame-integrated mask manufacturing system used to manufacture a frame-integrated mask, in which the combination of the frame, mask, and template is immersed and chemical treatment is performed to separate the mask and template. A reaction unit containing a liquid is included, and the assembly includes a mask for forming an OLED pixel attached to a frame having at least one mask cell area, and the other side facing one side of the mask for forming an OLED pixel attached to the frame. It is formed by adhering to a mask support template via a temporary adhesive, and the assembly is installed to be immersed in the separation reaction solution with the frame positioned at the top and the template positioned at the bottom.

Description

Manufacturing system of frame-integrated mask and manufacturing method of frame-integrated mask {PRODUCING SYSTEM OF MASK INTERGRATED FRAME AND PRODUCING METHOD THEREOF}

The present invention relates to a manufacturing system for a frame-integrated mask and a method for manufacturing a frame-integrated mask. More specifically, in the process of separating the template after attaching the mask to the frame, it is a frame-integrated mask that can stably separate the template without damaging the mask and clearly maintain the alignment between each mask on the frame. It relates to a manufacturing system and method of manufacturing a frame-integrated mask.

As a technology to form pixels in the OLED manufacturing process, the FMM (Fine Metal Mask) method is mainly used, which deposits organic materials at a desired location by attaching a thin metal mask (shadow mask) to the substrate.

The existing mask manufacturing method prepares a thin metal plate to be used as a mask, coats the metal plate with PR and then patterns it, or coats it with PR to have a pattern and then manufactures a mask with a pattern through etching. In the case of ultra-high definition OLED, the current QHD image quality is 500 to 600 PPI (pixel per inch), with a pixel size of about 30 to 50㎛, and 4K UHD and 8K UHD high definition are higher than this, such as ~860 PPI and ~1600 PPI. It has a resolution of Therefore, there is a need to develop technology to precisely control the size of the mask pattern.

Meanwhile, in the existing OLED manufacturing process, the mask is manufactured in the form of a stick or plate and then used by welding and fixing the mask to the OLED pixel deposition frame. To manufacture large-area OLEDs, multiple masks can be fixed to the OLED pixel deposition frame, and during the process of fixing them to the frame, each mask is stretched to be flat. In the process of fixing multiple masks to one frame, there was a problem in that the masks and the mask cells were not aligned well with each other. Additionally, in the process of welding and fixing the mask to the frame, there was a problem in that the mask was sagging or distorted due to load because the mask film was too thin and had a large area.

Considering the pixel size of ultra-high-definition OLEDs, the alignment error between each cell must be reduced to several ㎛, and any error beyond this can lead to product failure, resulting in very low yield. Therefore, there is a need to develop technologies to prevent deformation such as sagging or twisting of the mask, to ensure clear alignment, and to secure the mask to the frame.

Therefore, the present invention was devised to solve all the problems of the prior art as described above, and is a frame-integrated mask that can stably separate the template without damaging the mask during the process of separating the template after attaching the mask to the frame. The purpose is to provide a manufacturing system and method for manufacturing a frame-integrated mask.

In addition, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing system for a frame-integrated mask and a manufacturing method for a frame-integrated mask in which deformation such as sagging or twisting of the mask can be prevented and alignment between each mask on the frame can be clearly maintained. .

However, these tasks are illustrative and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

The above object of the present invention is a frame-integrated mask manufacturing system used to manufacture a frame-integrated mask for forming OLED pixels, in which the combination of the frame, mask, and template is immersed and chemical treatment is performed to separate the mask and template. A reaction portion containing a separation reaction solution is included, and the assembly includes a mask attached to a frame having at least one mask cell area, and the other side opposite to one side of the mask attached to the frame is temporarily attached to the template. It is formed by bonding between the two, and the assembly is installed to be immersed in the separation reaction solution with the frame positioned at the bottom and the template at the top, and the exhaust part that exhausts bubbles generated inside the separation solution is connected to the reaction unit. This is achieved by a mask manufacturing system.

It may include a lifting part that is connected to the conjugate and moves up and down so that the conjugate is immersed in the separation reaction solution of the reaction unit.

Chemical treatment of the separation reaction solution may remove the temporary adhesive part or weaken the adhesive force between the mask and the template.

The template may be separated from the mask in an upward direction by an external force pulling in an upward direction.

When the conjugate is immersed in the separation reaction solution, it may be immersed while tilted at a predetermined angle from the horizontal direction.

When the conjugate is immersed in the separation reaction solution, the exhaust unit can exhaust air trapped between the conjugate and the separation reaction solution and bubbles generated in the separation reaction solution.

The exhaust part includes a suction pressure part that generates suction pressure; and an exhaust pipe extending from the pressure intake unit to the inside of the reaction unit, and one end of the exhaust pipe may be located at least higher than the lower end of the frame of the assembly.

In addition, the above object of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a frame-integrated mask for forming OLED pixels in a frame-integrated mask manufacturing system, comprising the steps of (a) preparing a combination of a frame, a mask, and a template; (b) immersing the conjugate in a separation reaction solution that performs chemical treatment to separate the mask and template; (c) removing the conjugate from the separation reaction solution, wherein the conjugate is attached to a frame having a mask with at least one mask cell area, and the other surface opposite to one side of the mask attached to the frame supports the mask. It is formed by adhering to the template via a temporary adhesive, and in step (b), the assembly is immersed in the separation reaction solution with the frame positioned at the bottom and the template at the top, and air bubbles generated inside the separation reaction solution are exhausted. , is achieved by a method of manufacturing a frame-integrated mask.

According to the present invention configured as described above, there is an effect in that the template can be stably separated without damaging the mask during the process of separating the template after attaching the mask to the frame.

In addition, according to the present invention, deformation such as sagging or twisting of the mask is prevented and alignment between each mask on the frame can be clearly maintained.

Of course, the scope of the present invention is not limited by this effect.

1 is a front view and a side cross-sectional view showing a frame-integrated mask according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a mask according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the process of manufacturing a mask support template by adhering a mask metal film on a template and forming a mask according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a template is loaded onto a frame and a mask is mapped to a cell area of the frame according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the process of separating the mask and the template after attaching the mask to the frame according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a mask according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to a cell area of a frame.
Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing a phenomenon that occurs when steps 4 to 5 are performed.
Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the manufacturing system of the frame-integrated mask and the manufacturing process of the frame-integrated mask to solve the problem of Figure 7.
9 to 10 are schematic diagrams showing a manufacturing system for a frame-integrated mask and a manufacturing process for a frame-integrated mask according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The detailed description of the present invention described below refers to the accompanying drawings, which show by way of example specific embodiments in which the present invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It should be understood that the various embodiments of the present invention are different from one another but are not necessarily mutually exclusive. For example, specific shapes, structures and characteristics described herein with respect to one embodiment may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, it should be understood that the location or arrangement of individual components within each disclosed embodiment may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the detailed description that follows is not intended to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims, together with all equivalents to what those claims assert, if properly described. Similar reference numerals in the drawings refer to identical or similar functions across various aspects, and the length, area, thickness, etc. may be exaggerated for convenience.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings in order to enable those skilled in the art to easily practice the present invention.

Figure 1 is a front view (Figure 1 (a)) and a side cross-sectional view (Figure 1 (b)) showing a frame-integrated mask according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In this specification, the configuration of the frame-integrated mask is briefly described below, but the structure and manufacturing process of the frame-integrated mask can be understood as the contents of Korean Patent Application No. 2018-0016186 as a whole.

Since a conventional stick mask includes a plurality of mask cells in one mask, a problem occurs in which the mask cells are not well aligned with each other even though the tension applied to each axis of the stick mask is finely adjusted. An example is that the distance between the patterns of cells is different from each other or the patterns (P) are distorted. Long stick masks are easily sagging or distorted by load, and it is very difficult to check the alignment of each cell in real time through a microscope while adjusting the tensile force to flatten each mask cell. In the present invention, the mask 100, which is formed integrally with the frame 200, is prevented from being deformed, such as sagging or twisted, and can be clearly aligned with the frame 200.

Referring to FIG. 1, a frame-integrated mask may include a plurality of masks 100 and one frame 200. In other words, a plurality of masks 100 are attached one by one to the frame 200. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the square-shaped mask 100 will be used as an example. However, the mask 100 may be in the form of a stick mask with protrusions clamped on both sides before being attached to the frame 200. ), the protrusions can be removed.

A plurality of mask patterns P may be formed on each mask 100, and one cell C may be formed on one mask 100. One mask cell (C) can correspond to one display, such as a smartphone.

The mask 100 may be made of a material such as invar, super invar, nickel (Ni), or nickel-cobalt (Ni-Co). The mask 100 may use a metal sheet produced through a rolling process or electroforming.

The frame 200 is formed to attach a plurality of masks 100 to it. The frame 200 is preferably made of a material such as Invar, Super Invar, nickel, or nickel-cobalt, which has the same thermal expansion coefficient as the mask in consideration of thermal deformation. The frame 200 may include an edge frame portion 210 that has a substantially square shape or a rectangular frame shape. The interior of the border frame portion 210 may be hollow.

In addition, the frame 200 may include a plurality of mask cell regions CR and a mask cell sheet portion 220 connected to the border frame portion 210. The mask cell sheet portion 220 may be composed of a border sheet portion 221 and first and second grid sheet portions 223 and 225. The border sheet portion 221 and the first and second grid sheet portions 223 and 225 refer to portions divided from the same sheet, and they are formed integrally with each other.

The edge frame portion 210 may have a thickness of several millimeters to several centimeters thicker than the thickness of the mask cell sheet portion 220 . The mask cell sheet portion 220 may be thinner than the thickness of the edge frame portion 210, but may be thicker than the mask 100 by approximately 0.1 mm to 1 mm. The width of the first and second grid sheet portions 223 and 225 may be approximately 1 to 5 mm.

A plurality of mask cell regions (CR: CR11 to CR56) may be provided in the planar sheet by excluding the areas occupied by the border sheet portion 221 and the first and second grid sheet portions 223 and 225.

The frame 200 includes a plurality of mask cell regions CR, and each mask 100 may be attached so that one mask cell C corresponds to the mask cell region CR. The mask cell C corresponds to the mask cell region CR of the frame 200, and part or all of the dummy may be attached to the frame 200 (mask cell sheet portion 220). Accordingly, the mask 100 and the frame 200 can form an integrated structure.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a mask 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The mask 100 may include a mask cell C on which a plurality of mask patterns P are formed and a dummy DM around the mask cell C. The mask 100 can be manufactured from a metal sheet produced through a rolling process, electroplating, etc., and one cell C can be formed in the mask 100. The dummy DM corresponds to the portion of the mask film 110 (mask metal film 110) excluding the cell C, and includes only the mask film 110 or is a predetermined dummy having a similar shape to the mask pattern P. It may include a mask film 110 on which a pattern is formed. Part or all of the dummy DM may be attached to the frame 200 (mask cell sheet portion 220) corresponding to the edge of the mask 100.

The width of the mask pattern P may be formed to be less than 40㎛, and the thickness of the mask 100 may be formed to be approximately 5 to 20㎛. Since the frame 200 has a plurality of mask cell regions (CR: CR11 to CR56), the mask 100 has mask cells (C: C11 to C56) corresponding to each mask cell region (CR: CR11 to CR56). ) can also be provided in plural numbers. In addition, a plurality of templates 50 supporting each of a plurality of masks 100, which will be described later, may be provided.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the process of manufacturing a mask support template by attaching the mask metal film 110 to the template 50 and forming the mask 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to (a) of FIG. 3, a template 50 may be provided. The template 50 is a medium that allows the mask 100 to be attached to one surface and moved in a supported state. The center of the template 50 may correspond to the mask cell C of the mask metal film 110, and the edge portion may correspond to the dummy DM of the mask metal film 110. In order to support the mask metal film 110 as a whole, the size of the template 50 may be a flat plate shape with the same or larger area than the mask metal film 110, but the template ( 50) In order to prevent mutual interference, it is preferable that the mask metal film 110 (or mask 100) and the template 50 have the same size.

The template 50 is preferably made of a transparent material to facilitate observation of vision during the process of aligning and adhering the mask 100 to the frame 200. Additionally, if the material is transparent, the laser may penetrate through it. Transparent materials such as glass, silica, heat-resistant glass, quartz, alumina (Al ₂ O ₃ ), borosilicate glass, and zirconia can be used. As an example, the template 50 may be made of BOROFLOAT ^® 33, which has excellent heat resistance, chemical durability, mechanical strength, transparency, etc. among borosilicate glasses. In addition, BOROFLOAT ^® 33 has a thermal expansion coefficient of about 3.3, which has a small difference in thermal expansion coefficient from the Invar mask metal film 110, making it easy to control the mask metal film 110.

Meanwhile, the template 50 has one surface in contact with the mask metal film 110 having a mirror surface to prevent an air gap from occurring between the interface with the mask metal film 110 (or mask 100). You can. Considering this, the surface roughness (Ra) of one side of the template 50 may be 100 nm or less. In order to implement the template 50 with a surface roughness (Ra) of 100 nm or less, the template 50 may use a wafer. A wafer has a surface roughness (Ra) of about 10 nm, and there are many commercially available products and many surface treatment processes are known, so it can be used as a template 50. Since the surface roughness (Ra) of the template 50 is nm scale, there is no or almost no air gap, making it easy to create a weld bead (WB) by laser welding, which does not affect the alignment error of the mask pattern (P). It may not be given.

The template 50 has a laser passing hole 51 so that the laser L radiating from the top of the template 50 can reach the welding part (area to perform welding) of the mask 100. can be formed. The laser passing hole 51 may be formed in the template 50 to correspond to the location and number of welded parts. Since a plurality of welding portions are arranged at predetermined intervals on the edge or dummy (DM) portion of the mask 100, a plurality of laser passing holes 51 may also be formed at predetermined intervals to correspond thereto. For example, since a plurality of welding portions are arranged at predetermined intervals on the dummy (DM) portions on both sides (left/right) of the mask 100, the laser passing hole 51 is also provided with the template 50 on both sides (left/right). A plurality of them may be formed along a predetermined interval.

The laser passing hole 51 does not necessarily have to correspond to the location and number of welded parts. For example, welding may be performed by irradiating the laser L to only some of the laser passing holes 51. Additionally, some of the laser passing holes 51 that do not correspond to the welding area may be used instead of alignment marks when aligning the mask 100 and the template 50. If the material of the template 50 is transparent to the laser (L) light, the laser passing hole 51 may not be formed.

A temporary adhesive portion 55 may be formed on one surface of the template 50. The temporary adhesive portion 55 is such that the mask 100 (or the mask metal film 110') is temporarily attached to one surface of the template 50 until the mask 100 is attached to the frame 200. It can be supported on the table.

The temporary adhesive portion 55 may use an adhesive or adhesive sheet that can be separated by applying heat, or an adhesive or adhesive sheet that can be separated by UV irradiation.

As an example, the temporary adhesive portion 55 may use liquid wax. The liquid wax can be the same as the wax used in the polishing step of a semiconductor wafer, and the type is not particularly limited. Liquid wax is mainly a resin component for controlling adhesion, impact resistance, etc. regarding holding power, and may include substances such as acrylic, vinyl acetate, nylon, and various polymers, and solvents. As an example, the temporary adhesive portion 55 may use SKYLIQUID ABR-4016, which contains acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (ABR) as a resin component and n-propyl alcohol as a solvent component. Liquid wax can be formed on the temporary adhesive portion 55 using spin coating.

The temporary adhesive portion 55, which is a liquid wax, has lower viscosity at temperatures higher than 85°C to 100°C, and at temperatures lower than 85°C, the viscosity may increase and partially harden like a solid, so that the mask metal film 110' and the template (50) ) can be fixed and glued.

Next, referring to (b) of FIG. 3, the mask metal film 110 can be attached to the template 50. After heating the liquid wax to 85°C or higher and bringing the mask metal film 110 into contact with the template 50, adhesion can be performed by passing the mask metal film 110 and the template 50 between rollers.

According to one embodiment, baking is performed on the template 50 at about 120° C. for 60 seconds to vaporize the solvent in the temporary adhesive portion 55, and immediately the mask metal film lamination process can be performed. . Lamination can be performed by loading the mask metal film 110 on a template 50 with a temporary adhesive portion 55 formed on one side and passing it between an upper roll at about 100°C and a lower roll at about 0°C. there is. As a result, the mask metal film 110' can be contacted on the template 50 via the temporary adhesive portion 55.

As another example, the temporary adhesive portion 55 may use thermal release tape. Thermal release tape is a type in which a core film such as PET film is placed in the center, a thermal release adhesive is placed on both sides of the core film, and a release film/release film is placed on the outside of the adhesive layer. You can. Here, the adhesive layers disposed on both sides of the core film may have different peeling temperatures.

Meanwhile, the mask metal film 110 may be one that has undergone an etching, polishing, or grinding process such as a thickness reduction process or a surface defect reduction process on one or both sides. Alternatively, (b) in FIG. 3 can be replaced with the state after the mask metal film 110 is adhered to the template 50 and then a thickness reduction process or a surface defect reduction process is performed on one surface. Alternatively, in Figure 3(b), first, the mask metal film 110 is adhered to a support substrate (not shown, corresponding to a template), and then a thickness reduction process or a surface defect reduction process is performed on one side, and the mask metal film is After attaching the membrane 110 to the template 50, it can be replaced with the state after performing the process on the other surface.

On the other hand, the thickness reduction process or surface defect reduction process can be performed only on the mask cell (C) portion. An insulating portion (not shown) such as photoresist is formed only in the area corresponding to the welding portion (WP) of the mask metal film 110, or a mask is formed while the mask metal film 110 is adhesively supported on the template 50. After forming an insulating portion (not shown) such as photoresist only in the area corresponding to the welding portion (WP) of the metal film 110, a process is performed on the mask cell (C) portion to form a thick welding portion (WP) to form a mask. A step can be formed with the cell (C) portion, and at the same time, the surface of the mask cell (C) portion where the mask pattern (P) will be formed can be made free of defects.

On the other hand, an insulating part (not shown) such as photoresist may be further formed on the lower surface of the mask metal film 110, and the insulating part may be adhered so as to be interposed between the mask metal film 110 and the temporary adhesive part 55. . In step (c) of FIG. 3, the etchant enters the interface between the mask metal film 110 and the temporary adhesive portion 55, damaging the temporary adhesive portion 55/template 50 and causing an etch error in the mask pattern P. To prevent this from occurring, an insulating part is further formed. To have strong durability against etchants, the insulating portion may include at least one of a curable negative photoresist and a negative photoresist containing epoxy. As an example, processes such as baking the temporary adhesive portion 55 and baking the insulating portion 25 using epoxy-based SU-8 photoresist and black matrix photoresist (see (c) of FIG. 3). It is desirable to allow it to harden at the same time.

Next, referring to (c) of FIG. 3, a patterned insulating portion 25 may be formed on the mask metal film 110. The insulating portion 25 may be formed of a photoresist material using a printing method or the like.

Subsequently, the mask metal film 110 may be etched. Methods such as dry etching and wet etching can be used without limitation, and as a result of etching, the portion of the mask metal film 110 exposed through the empty space 26 between the insulating portions 25 may be etched. The etched portion of the mask metal film 110 constitutes a mask pattern (P), and a mask 100 with a plurality of mask patterns (P) formed can be manufactured.

At this time, since the surface defects of the mask metal film 110 have been removed, the mask metal film 110 can be etched into a desired pattern shape during an etching process. Since a fine mask pattern (P) can be formed, it is possible to manufacture a mask 100 that can be used in a high-resolution OLED pixel process.

Next, referring to (d) of FIG. 3, manufacturing of the template 50 supporting the mask 100 can be completed by removing the insulating portion 25.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the template 50 is loaded onto the frame 200 and the mask 100 corresponds to the cell region CR of the frame 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. One mask 100 can be sequentially associated with/attached to each cell region (CR), and a plurality of masks 100 can be simultaneously associated with all cell regions (CR) to attach the mask 100 to the frame 200. ) can also be performed. A plurality of templates 50 supporting each of the plurality of masks 100 may be provided.

The template 50 may be transferred by a vacuum chuck 90 or a predetermined grip means. The surface opposite to the surface of the template 50 to which the mask 100 is attached can be adsorbed and transferred using the vacuum chuck 90. Even in the process of transferring the template 50 onto the frame 200 after the vacuum chuck 90 adsorbs and flips the template 50, the adhesion and alignment states of the mask 100 are not affected.

Next, referring to FIG. 4 , the mask 100 may correspond to one mask cell region CR of the frame 200 . By loading the template 50 onto the frame 200 (or the mask cell sheet portion 220), the mask 100 can be made to correspond to the mask cell region CR. While controlling the position of the template 50/vacuum chuck 90, it is possible to check whether the mask 100 corresponds to the mask cell region CR through a microscope. Since the template 50 compresses the mask 100, the mask 100 and the frame 200 may come into close contact.

Meanwhile, the lower support 70 may be further disposed below the frame 200. The lower support 70 may compress the opposite side of the mask cell region CR with which the mask 100 contacts. At the same time, since the lower support 70 and the template 50 compress the border and frame 200 (or mask cell sheet portion 220) of the mask 100 in opposite directions, the The alignment can be maintained without being disturbed.

Next, the mask 100 may be irradiated with a laser L to attach the mask 100 to the frame 200 through laser welding. A weld bead (WB) is created in the weld portion of the laser welded mask, and the weld bead (WB) is made of the same material as the mask 100/frame 200 and can be integrally connected.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the process of separating the mask 100 and the template 50 after attaching the mask 100 to the frame 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, after attaching the mask 100 to the frame 200, the mask 100 and the template 50 can be separated (debonded). Separation of the mask 100 and the template 50 can be performed on the temporary adhesive portion 55 by at least one of heat application (ET), chemical treatment (CM), ultrasound application (US), and UV application (UV). there is. Since the mask 100 remains attached to the frame 200, only the template 50 can be lifted. For example, when heat at a temperature higher than 85°C to 100°C is applied (ET), the viscosity of the temporary adhesive portion 55 is lowered, and the adhesive strength between the mask 100 and the template 50 is weakened, causing the mask 100 ) and the template 50 can be separated. As another example, the mask 100 and the template 50 can be separated by dissolving or removing the temporary adhesive portion 55 by immersing (CM) the temporary adhesive portion 55 in chemicals such as IPA, acetone, and ethanol. there is. As another example, when ultrasonic waves (US) or UV are applied (UV), the adhesive strength between the mask 100 and the template 50 weakens, and the mask 100 and the template 50 may be separated.

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the mask 100 is attached to the frame 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 shows a state in which all masks 100 are attached to the cell region CR of the frame 200. The templates 50 can be separated after attaching the masks 100 one by one, but all templates 50 can be separated after attaching all the masks 100.

One mask 100 may be attached to one cell region (CR) of the frame 200. Since the mask cell sheet portion 220 of the frame 200 has a thin thickness, when it is attached to the mask cell sheet portion 220 with a tensile force applied to the mask 100, the tensile force remaining in the mask 100 is applied to the mask 100. It may act on the cell sheet portion 220 and the mask cell region CR to deform them. Therefore, the mask 100 must be attached to the mask cell sheet portion 220 without applying tension to the mask 100. In the present invention, the mask 100 corresponds to the mask cell region (CR) of the frame 200 simply by attaching the mask 100 to the template 50 and loading the template 50 onto the frame 200. Since the process is completed, no tensile force can be applied to the mask 100 during this process.

In the case of the present invention, since it is only necessary to match one cell (C) of the mask 100 and check the alignment status, the manufacturing time is reduced compared to the conventional method in which multiple cells must be matched simultaneously and the alignment status must be checked. can be significantly reduced.

Meanwhile, as described above in step (b) of FIG. 3, when attaching the mask metal film 110 to the template 50 through the lamination process, a temperature of about 100° C. may be applied to the mask metal film 110. . As a result, the mask metal film 110 can be attached to the template 50 with some tensile tension applied thereto. Thereafter, when the mask 100 is attached to the frame 200 and the template 50 is separated from the mask 100, the mask 100 can shrink by a predetermined amount.

When the template 50 and the masks 100 are separated after each mask 100 is attached to the corresponding mask cell region CR, tension is applied to cause the plurality of masks 100 to contract in opposite directions. Therefore, the force is canceled out and no deformation occurs in the mask cell sheet portion 220. For example, the first grid sheet portion 223 between the mask 100 attached to the CR11 cell area and the mask 100 attached to the CR12 cell area is oriented to the right of the mask 100 attached to the CR11 cell area. The tension acting in the left direction of the mask 100 attached to the CR12 cell area may be canceled out. Therefore, there is an advantage in that deformation of the frame 200 (or the mask cell sheet portion 220) due to tension is minimized, and thus the alignment error of the mask 100 (or the mask pattern P) can be minimized.

Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing a phenomenon that occurs when steps 4 to 5 are performed.

After loading the mask support template 50 onto the frame 200 as shown in FIG. 4, the mask 100 can be attached to the frame 200 by welding. Then, the template 50 can be separated from the mask 100 as shown in FIG. 5 . As described above, the template 50 can be separated from the mask 100 by weakening the adhesive force of the temporary adhesive portion 55 or removing the temporary adhesive portion 55. In particular, for convenience and productivity of the process, chemical treatment ( CM) method can be mainly used. As an example, the temporary adhesive portion 55 (both the template 50 and the mask 100) is immersed (CM) in chemicals such as IPA, acetone, and ethanol, thereby dissolving and removing the temporary adhesive portion 55. (100) and template (50) can be separated.

For this purpose, a frame-integrated mask manufacturing system 1000 as shown in FIG. 7 is used. The frame-integrated mask manufacturing system 1000 includes a combination where a template 50, a mask 100, and a frame 200 are connected, and the combination is immersed to separate the mask 100 and the template 50 by chemical treatment (CM). ) may include a reaction unit 1100 in which a separation reaction solution 1200 is accommodated.

The separation reaction liquid 1200 is not limited as long as it is a material that can dissolve and remove the temporary adhesive portion 55, and the reaction portion 1100 accommodates the separation reaction liquid 1200 and at the same time contains the template 50 and the mask 100. ) and the frame 200 are connected, so long as the assembly has a size that can be immersed, there are no restrictions on its shape, material, etc.

As shown in (a) of FIG. 7, after going through the steps of FIGS. 4 and 5, the combined body is immersed in the separation reaction solution 1200 of the reaction unit 1100 to attempt to dissolve and remove the temporary adhesive portion 55. can do. However, since the combination body has the frame 200 and the masks 100 densely attached to the mask cell region CR of the frame 200, the upper portion thereof is essentially closed. Although a mask pattern (P) is formed on the mask 100, its size is about several tens of micrometers, so there is a limit to the free passage of gases and bubbles.

Therefore, as shown in (b) of Figure 7, when the combination is immersed in the separation reaction solution 1200, the gas may be trapped between the lower empty space (V) of the combination and the separation reaction solution 1200 without being able to escape to the outside. there is. It's similar to how air gets trapped in a cup or bowl when placed upside down in water. Trapped gas can be the main cause of generating large bubbles (BB) in the separation reaction solution 1200 at the bottom of the combination.

In addition, as shown in (c) of FIG. 7, the gas generated by the chemical reaction between the temporary adhesive portion 55 and the separation reaction liquid 1200 also generates small reaction bubbles (RB).

The bubbles (BB, RB) are blocked by the combination and cannot easily escape toward the top of the separation reaction solution 1200, which may cause stains on the mask 100. Additionally, if air bubbles (BB, RB) penetrate between the mask patterns (P) of the mask 100 and leave stains, the shape of the mask pattern (P) will also be adversely affected.

Meanwhile, further referring to (b) and (c) of FIGS. 7, the template 50 can be lifted upward and separated from the mask 100 with the adhesive force of the temporary adhesive portion 55 weakened, but the bubble (BB) , RB), the chemical reaction between the temporary adhesive portion 55 and the separation reaction solution 1200 may be less likely to be performed. If the adhesion of the temporary adhesive portion 55 is not sufficiently weakened, a portion of the mask 100' is lifted while still adhered to the template 50 and is aligned as excessive tension is applied to the mask 100'. Problems may occur such that the position is distorted or, in severe cases, the mask (100') is torn.

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the manufacturing system of the frame-integrated mask and the manufacturing process of the frame-integrated mask to solve the problem of Figure 7.

Referring to (a) of FIG. 8, in order to solve the problem described above in FIG. 7, in a combination where the template 50, the mask 100, and the frame 200 are connected, the frame 200 is at the top, and the template 50 is A method of immersing the product in the separation reaction solution (1200) while positioned at the bottom has been proposed. After the processes of FIGS. 4 and 5, a flip means (not shown) may be further used to flip the frame 200 so that the frame 200 is positioned at the top and the template 50 is positioned at the bottom, as shown in FIG. 8 (a).

Next, referring to (b) of FIG. 8, the conjugate is immersed in the separation reaction solution 1200, and is gradually removed in the following order: template 50 -> temporary adhesive part 55 -> mask 100 -> frame 200. Can be immersed. Accordingly, the empty space V of the assembly shown in (a) of FIG. 7 is immersed last, and can be immersed without being closed by the assembly. Ultimately, a situation in which gas is trapped does not occur as the conjugate is immersed in the separation reaction solution 1200. That is, large bubbles BB such as (b) in FIG. 7 are not generated in the separation reaction liquid 1200.

Next, referring to (c) of FIG. 8, the binder is immersed in the separation reaction liquid 1200, and the temporary adhesive portion 55 and the separation reaction liquid 1200 form small reaction bubbles (RB), which are gases generated by the chemical reaction. can be generated, but the amount of reaction bubbles (RB) is significantly less than the amount of gas [bubbles (BB)] trapped by the binder as shown in (b) of Figure 7, and the reaction bubbles (RB) generated are also trapped by the binder. It can be discharged to the top of the reaction unit 1100 (or the separation reaction liquid 1200) without being trapped. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent stains caused by bubbles BB and RB in the mask 100 or air bubbles BB and RB penetrating into the mask pattern P and causing adverse effects.

When the temporary adhesive portion 55 is dissolved and removed by the separation reaction solution 1200, the template 50 may be separated toward the bottom of the separation reaction solution 1200 by the force of gravity (G). However, although the template 50 must be separated from the temporary adhesive portion 55 when it is completely removed or the adhesive force is sufficiently weakened, the template 50 falls under its own weight with a certain amount of adhesive force remaining in the temporary adhesive portion 55. A problem may occur where the template 50 and the mask 100 are forcibly separated due to force. Due to the force of the template 50 falling due to its own weight, a portion of the mask 100' is pulled downward while still attached to the template 50, causing excessive tension to be applied to the mask 100', causing the alignment position to be distorted. or, in severe cases, the mask 100' may be torn. Additionally, there was a problem in that the mask 100' was pushed downward by gravity (G), causing a defect.

In order to solve the above problem, the frame-integrated mask manufacturing system 1000 of the present invention is a combination of the template 50, the mask 100, and the frame 200, with the frame 200 at the bottom and the template 50 at the bottom. It is installed to be immersed in the separation reaction liquid 1200 while positioned at the top, and is characterized in that it exhausts bubbles (BB, RB) generated inside the separation reaction liquid 1200 at the same time.

9 to 10 are schematic diagrams showing a manufacturing system for a frame-integrated mask and a manufacturing process for a frame-integrated mask according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 9, the frame-integrated mask manufacturing system 1000 may be installed as a combination body with the frame 200 positioned at the bottom and the template 50 positioned at the top. The assembly can be supported and installed by a predetermined support means (not shown) inside the frame-integrated mask manufacturing system 1000, and the assembly can be gradually immersed in the separation reaction solution 1200 and move up and down so that it can be taken out after the process. The device may further include a lifting unit (not shown).

Exhaust units 1150 and 1160 may be connected to the reaction unit 1100. The exhaust units 1150 and 1160 may be provided to exhaust bubbles BB and RB generated inside the separation reaction liquid 1200. The exhaust units 1150 and 1160 may include a pressure intake unit 1150 and an exhaust pipe 1160.

The suction unit 1150 may generate suction pressure that can suction the bubbles BB and RB. The pressure suction unit 1150 may use a suction means such as a vacuum pump. The exhaust pipe 1160 may extend from the pressure intake unit 1150 to the inside of the reaction unit 1100. An exhaust hole 1110 through which the exhaust pipe 1160 passes may be formed in the reaction unit 1100.

One end 1161 of the exhaust pipe 1160 is located around the assembly to exhaust air bubbles BB and RB. If one end 1161 of the exhaust pipe 1160 is too far away from the assembly, it is not efficient in collecting air bubbles BB and RB. Therefore, it is preferable that the one end 1161 of the exhaust pipe 1160 is located at least higher than the height of the bottom of the frame 200 of the assembly in terms of collecting air bubbles BB and RB. The air bubbles (BB, RB) collected at one end 1161 of the exhaust pipe 1160 are moved toward the other end of the exhaust pipe 1160 and are exhausted through an external discharge device (not shown) connected to the suction pressure unit 1150. It can be.

Since air bubbles (BB, RB) are exhausted from the exhaust pipe 1160, stains due to air bubbles (BB, RB) may occur on the mask 100, or air bubbles (BB, RB) may penetrate into the mask pattern (P), causing adverse effects. It has the effect of preventing this.

Next, referring to FIG. 10, since the bubbles BB and RB are exhausted from the exhaust pipe 1160, a situation in which the gas is trapped while the composite is immersed in the separation reaction liquid 1200 does not occur. Accordingly, sufficient reaction occurs between the separation reaction solution 1200 and the temporary adhesive portion 55, so that the temporary adhesive portion 55 can be dissolved and removed. That is, the adhesive force of the temporary adhesive portion 55 may be sufficiently weakened.

Meanwhile, when the conjugate is immersed in the separation reaction solution 1200, it may be immersed while being tilted at a predetermined angle from the horizontal direction. The lifting unit (not shown) immerses the assembly in the separation reaction solution 1200 while tilting it at an angle, thereby performing an exhaust process using the exhaust pipe 1160 for the minimum amount of gas in the lower part of the assembly.

In a state where the adhesive force of the temporary adhesive portion 55 is sufficiently weakened, the template 50 can be lifted upward and separated from the mask 100. The vacuum chuck 90 may be lifted upward to apply an upward pulling external force to the template 50 . Even when the template 50 is lifted upward, the mask 100 is not subject to tension that causes the alignment position to shift or deform the mask 100. Therefore, it is possible to stably separate the template 50 and the mask 100 to manufacture frame-integrated masks 100 and 200 to which the mask 100 and the frame 200 are attached.

After completing the separation process of the mask 100 and the template 50, the frame-integrated mask (100, 200) is driven to the top of the separation reaction solution (1200) by driving the lifting unit (not shown), followed by a cleaning process and a drying process. can be performed. Afterwards, the OLED pixel process can be performed by attaching the frame-integrated masks 100 and 200 to the target substrate on which OLED pixels are to be formed.

As described above, the present invention has the effect of maintaining the state of attachment to the frame 200 without affecting the mask 100 when the mask 100 and the template 50 are separated. Accordingly, deformation such as sagging or twisting of the mask is prevented, and alignment between each mask on the frame can be clearly maintained.

Although the present invention has been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments as described above, it is not limited to the above embodiments and may be modified in various ways by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. Transformation and change are possible. Such modifications and variations should be considered to fall within the scope of the present invention and the appended claims.

50: template
51: Laser passing hole
55: Temporary adhesive part
100: mask
110: mask film, mask metal film
200: frame
210: Border frame part
220: Mask cell sheet part
221: Border sheet part
223: First grid sheet portion
225: Second grid sheet portion
1000: Frame-integrated mask manufacturing system
1100: reaction unit
1150, 1160: exhaust part
1200: Separation reaction solution
BB, RB: bubbles
C: cell, mask cell
CR: mask cell area
DM: dummy, mask dummy
L: Laser
P: mask pattern
WB: weld bead
WP: weld area

Claims (8)

A frame-integrated mask manufacturing system used to manufacture a frame-integrated mask for forming OLED pixels,
A reaction section containing a separation reaction solution in which the combination of the frame, mask, and template is immersed and chemically treated to separate the mask and template;
Including,
The assembly is formed by attaching a mask to a frame having at least one mask cell area, and attaching the other side opposite to one side of the mask attached to the frame to the template through a temporary adhesive,
The conjugate is installed to be immersed in the separation reaction solution with the frame positioned at the bottom and the template positioned at the top,
A frame-integrated mask manufacturing system in which an exhaust unit that exhausts bubbles generated inside the separation reaction solution is connected to the reaction unit. According to paragraph 1,
A frame-integrated mask manufacturing system comprising a lifting unit that is connected to the assembly and moves up and down so that the assembly is immersed in the separation reaction solution of the reaction section. According to paragraph 1,
A frame-integrated mask manufacturing system in which temporary adhesive parts are removed or the adhesive strength between the mask and template is weakened by chemical treatment of the separation reaction solution. According to paragraph 3,
The template is,
A frame-integrated mask manufacturing system that is separated upward from the mask by an external force pulling in the upward direction. According to paragraph 1,
A frame-integrated mask manufacturing system in which the assembly is immersed at a predetermined angle from the horizontal direction when immersed in the separation reaction solution. According to paragraph 1,
A frame-integrated mask manufacturing system in which the exhaust unit exhausts air trapped between the assembly and the separation reaction solution and bubbles generated in the separation reaction solution when the assembly is immersed in the separation reaction solution. According to paragraph 1,
The exhaust part includes a suction pressure part that generates suction pressure; And an exhaust pipe extending from the suction section to the inside of the reaction section,
A frame-integrated mask manufacturing system, wherein one end of the exhaust pipe is located at least higher than the bottom of the frame of the assembly. A method of manufacturing a frame-integrated mask for forming OLED pixels in a frame-integrated mask manufacturing system,
(a) preparing a combination of a frame, a mask, and a template;
(b) immersing the conjugate in a separation reaction solution that performs chemical treatment to separate the mask and template;
(c) removing the conjugate from the separation reaction solution;
Including,
The combination is formed by attaching a mask to a frame having at least one mask cell area, and attaching the other surface opposite to one surface of the mask attached to the frame to a mask support template via a temporary adhesive,
In step (b), the assembly is immersed in the separation reaction solution with the frame positioned at the bottom and the template at the top, and bubbles generated inside the separation reaction solution are evacuated.

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