TW201438531A - Method and apparatus for manufacturing flexible substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

Method and apparatus for manufacturing flexible substrate are provided. The apparatus includes a plate, a blowing apparatus, and a first covering body. The plate includes a penetrating hole. The penetrating hole includes a first opening and a second opening opposite to the first opening. The plate includes a sticking section. The second opening is at the sticking section. The blowing apparatus includes a gas hole. The gas hole is connected to the first opening. The first covering body is disposed at the sticking section and surrounds the second opening.

Description

Method and device for manufacturing flexible substrate

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for fabricating a substrate, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for fabricating a flexible substrate.

The flexible nature of the flexible substrate makes the display no longer limited to a flat design, but can have a variety of exterior designs. The flexible substrate is lightweight, thin, non-breakable and impact resistant, and is suitable for use in portable products such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) or notebook computers. In addition, the use of a flexible substrate to manufacture a flexible display also has the advantage of manufacturing cost. Therefore, replacing the glass substrate with a flexible substrate has become a new trend in the development of flat panel display technology.

In the process of fabricating a flexible substrate, it is usually required to arrange the flexible substrate on a rigid substrate, and then perform various processes on the flexible substrate. For example, a film forming process is performed on a flexible substrate, or a thin film transistor is fabricated on a flexible substrate. In general, this typically requires the use of a temporary adhesive to bond the flexible substrate to a rigid substrate for processing, and physically or chemically strip the flexible substrate from the substrate.

In the method of physically peeling the flexible substrate from the substrate, if the flexible substrate is directly peeled off from the substrate, it is easy to cause breakage of the wiring on the substrate because the angle of peeling is too large. If the roller is passed between the flexible substrate and the bottom plate, and the flexible substrate is peeled off from the bottom plate by rolling the roller between the flexible substrate and the bottom plate, the flexible type may be The surface of the substrate is scratched.

On the other hand, there is a method of peeling a flexible substrate from a substrate by high-temperature laser or illumination. This is to attach the flexible substrate to the bottom plate by an adhesive layer, and after removing the adhesive layer, the adhesive layer is removed by high temperature laser or illumination to remove the bond between the adhesive layer and the bottom plate. Viscosity, whereby the finished flexible substrate is detached from the bottom plate. This method requires expensive laser or illumination to bond the device, and it takes a long time and has limited effect. If the adhesive layer is too viscous, the precision components on the flexible substrate may be damaged during the removal of the flexible substrate from the substrate.

For the method of chemically peeling the flexible substrate from the substrate, it is necessary to consider the corrosion resistance of the substrate, which in turn increases the complexity of the design of the flexible substrate and further increases the production of the flexible substrate. cost. On the other hand, the chemicals used may in turn pollute the environment.

Therefore, how to design a method for manufacturing a flexible substrate and a device thereof to solve the problem that the flexible substrate is not easily peeled off from the bottom plate in the prior art has become a problem that the designer needs to solve.

In view of the above problems, the present invention relates to a method of fabricating a flexible substrate and an apparatus thereof for solving the problem that the flexible substrate is not easily peeled off from the substrate in the prior art.

The method for fabricating a flexible substrate according to an embodiment of the invention described above includes the following steps. A bottom plate having a polymer layer is provided, wherein the bottom plate has a consistent perforation and the polymer layer is on the bottom plate and covers the through holes. A first cover is provided overlying the polymer layer. Providing a gas that flows from the through hole between the polymer layer and the bottom plate to further polymerize The layer is separated from the bottom plate.

An apparatus for manufacturing a flexible substrate according to an embodiment of the invention includes a bottom plate, an air blowing device, and a first cover. The bottom plate has a consistent perforation, and the through hole has two opposite first ports and a second port. The bottom plate has a fitting area. The second port is located in the bonding area. The air blowing device has a jet port. The air vent is connected to the first port. The first cover is disposed on the bonding area, and the first cover surrounds the second port.

A method and apparatus for fabricating a flexible substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the polymer layer is separated from the bottom plate by flowing a gas between the polymer layer and the bottom plate. Therefore, it is possible to avoid breakage of the wiring on the polymer layer or surface damage of the polymer layer when the polymer layer is separated from the substrate. Moreover, by adjusting the size and number of the through-holes of the bottom plate, and the pressure and flow rate of the penetration gas, the separation time required for the polymer layer and the bottom plate can be adjusted. Therefore, it is relatively simple to separate the polymer layer from the bottom plate, thereby solving the problem that the flexible substrate is not easily peeled off from the bottom plate in the prior art.

The above description of the present invention and the following description of the embodiments of the present invention are intended to illustrate and explain the principles of the invention.

10, 10a~10d‧‧‧ Devices for making flexible substrates

11‧‧‧floor

111, 111a‧‧‧through holes

1111, 1111a‧‧‧ first port

1112, 1112a‧‧‧ second port

112‧‧‧Fitting area

12‧‧‧Blowing device

121‧‧‧Air Jet

13‧‧‧First cover

131‧‧‧First opening

14‧‧‧Exhaust device

141‧‧‧Exhaust port

15‧‧‧Second cover

151‧‧‧Second opening

16‧‧‧Removable institutions

161‧‧‧ fixture

20‧‧‧ polymer layer

30‧‧‧Line layer

40‧‧‧Fitting layer

50‧‧‧Device for making flexible substrates

51‧‧‧floor

511‧‧‧ board

5111‧‧‧ first opening

512‧‧‧ release layer

5121‧‧‧ second opening

513‧‧‧through holes

5131‧‧‧ first port

5132‧‧‧second port

514‧‧‧ compliant area

52‧‧‧Blowing device

521‧‧ ‧Hay

53‧‧‧First cover

531‧‧‧First opening

54‧‧‧Exhaust device

541‧‧‧Exhaust port

55‧‧‧Second cover

551‧‧‧Second opening

56‧‧‧stage

561, 561'‧‧‧ first thimble

562, 562' ‧ ‧ second thimble

60‧‧‧ polymer layer

70‧‧‧Line layer

80‧‧‧Fitting layer

FIG. 1A is a side view of an apparatus for fabricating a flexible substrate according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1B is a side view of an apparatus for fabricating a flexible substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention.

1C is a side view of an apparatus for making a flexible substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1D is a side view of an apparatus for fabricating a flexible substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1E is a side view of an apparatus for fabricating a flexible substrate according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method of fabricating a flexible substrate according to an embodiment of the invention.

"3A" to "3F" are side views corresponding to the steps S101 to S106 in "2nd drawing", respectively.

"3G" is the top view of "3F".

The "3Hth diagram" is a side view of the structure corresponding to step S107 in "2nd figure".

"3I" is a side view showing the structure of the flexible substrate and its bottom plate which are completed according to the flow of "Fig. 2".

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a method of fabricating a flexible substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention.

"5A" to "5D" are side views corresponding to the steps S201 to S204 in "4th drawing", respectively.

"5E" is a top view of "5D".

"5F to 5H" are side views corresponding to the steps S205 to S207 in "4th drawing", respectively.

"Picture 5I" is the knot of the flexible substrate and its bottom plate which is completed according to the process of "Fig. 4" Side view.

FIG. 6A is a side view of an apparatus for fabricating a flexible substrate according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6B is a side view of an apparatus for fabricating a flexible substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a method of fabricating a flexible substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention.

"8A" to "8K" are side views corresponding to the steps S301 to S311 in "Fig. 7", respectively.

"8L" is a side view showing the structure of the flexible substrate and its bottom plate which are completed according to the flow of "Fig. 7".

FIG. 9A is a flow chart of a method of fabricating a flexible substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention.

"9B" is a side view of the structure corresponding to step S402 in "FIG. 9A".

"9C" is a side view showing the structure of the flexible substrate and its bottom plate which are completed according to the "Fig. 9A" process.

The detailed features and advantages of the present invention are set forth in the Detailed Description of the Detailed Description of the <RTIgt; </ RTI> <RTIgt; </ RTI> </ RTI> </ RTI> <RTIgt; The objects and advantages associated with the present invention can be readily understood by those skilled in the art. The following examples are intended to describe the present invention in further detail, but are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

In the following description, the first, second, third, etc. words used are used to distinguish different elements, components, and regions in the drawings. These words are not intended to limit elements, components, or regions. That is, the first element, the first component, and the first region described may also be the second component, the second component, and the second region, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

First, please refer to "FIG. 1A", and FIG. 1A is a side view of an apparatus for manufacturing a flexible substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus 10 for manufacturing a flexible substrate includes a bottom plate 11, an air blowing device 12, and a first cover 13.

The bottom plate 11 has a consistent perforation 111 through the bottom plate 11. The through hole 111 has opposite first ports 1111 and second ports 1112 respectively on opposite sides of the through hole 111. The bottom plate 11 has a fitting area 112. The second port 1112 is located in the bonding area 112, and the first port 1111 is located on the side of the bottom plate 11 opposite to the bonding area 112.

The air blowing device 12 has a gas injection port 121 corresponding to the first port 1111. In detail, the air blowing device 12 may include a gas supply device such as one of the cylinders filled with gas. By connecting the air outlet 121 to the first port 1111, the gas in the air blowing device 12 can be sequentially flowed between the first cover 13 and the bottom plate 11 through the air outlet 121, the first port 1111, and the second port 1112.

The first cover 13 is detachably disposed in the bonding area 112 of the bottom plate 11 , and the first cover 13 surrounds the second port 1112 . That is, the area in which the first cover 13 is projected in the bottom plate 11 covers the second port 1112 of the through hole 111.

Next, please refer to "FIG. 1B", which is a side view of an apparatus for fabricating a flexible substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention. Since the embodiment of "Fig. 1B" is similar to the embodiment of Fig. 1A, the same reference numerals denote the same or similar elements as the embodiment of Fig. 1A, and therefore only the differences will be described.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1B, the apparatus 10a for manufacturing a flexible substrate further includes a first cover 13, an air extracting device 14, a second cover 15, and a movable mechanism 16, and the first cover 13 has a first An opening 131, the air extracting device 14 has a suction port 141. In detail, the air extracting device 14 can include, for example, an air pumping pump, and the first air hole 13 can be connected to the first opening 13 of the first cover body 13 to connect the first cover body 13 and the bottom plate 11. The gas is drawn out of the first cover 13 via the first opening 131, and a negative pressure is generated on the side of the bottom plate 11 having the second port 1112.

The second cover 15 is detachably disposed on a side of the bottom plate 11 opposite to the first cover 13 and the second cover 15 surrounds the first port 1111. That is, the area in which the second cover 15 is projected in the bottom plate 11 covers the first port 1111 of the through hole 111. The second cover 15 has a second opening 151. The gas injection port 121 of the air blowing device 12 is connected to allow the gas in the air blowing device 12 to flow between the second cover 15 and the bottom plate 11, so that the bottom plate 11 has a positive pressure on one side of the first port 1111, thereby causing the bottom plate 11 to be A pressure difference is generated on opposite sides.

The movable mechanism 16 is disposed on one side of the bottom plate 11. In detail, the movable mechanism 16 is disposed on a side of the bottom plate 11 close to the second port 1112, and the movable mechanism 16 has a jig 161. The movable mechanism 16 can move the clamp 161 toward the bottom plate 11 or move the clamp 161 away from the bottom plate 11. The movable mechanism 16 can include, for example, a robotic arm.

It should be noted that the air extracting device 14, the second cover 15, and the movable mechanism 16 are not intended to limit the present invention. Please refer to "1C" to "1E", and "1C" to "1E" are side views of an apparatus for manufacturing a flexible substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment of "1C", the device 10b for fabricating the flexible substrate may not include the air extracting device 14, but only the air blowing device 12 may cause a pressure difference between the two sides of the bottom plate 11 (for example, "1C" Shown). In the embodiment of "1D", the device 10c for manufacturing a flexible substrate can be The air outlet 121 of the air blowing device 12 is directly connected to the first port 1111 (as shown in "FIG. 1D") without including the second cover 15. In the embodiment of "Embodiment 1E", the device 10d for manufacturing the flexible substrate may not include the movable mechanism 16 (as shown in "Fig. 1E").

Next, how to fabricate a flexible substrate using the apparatus 10a for manufacturing a flexible substrate in "Fig. 1B" will be described. Please also refer to "1B", "2" and "3A" to "3I". FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method for fabricating a flexible substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 3A to 3F correspond to steps S101 to S106 in FIG. 2, respectively. In the side view of the structure, "3G" is the top view of "3F", "3H" is the side view corresponding to step S107 in "2nd picture", and "3I" is based on "2nd" A schematic side view of the structure of the flexible substrate and its bottom plate.

First, a bottom plate 11 is provided, and a polymer layer 20 (S101) is formed on the bottom plate 11 (as shown in "Fig. 3A"). The bottom plate 11 is, for example but not limited to, a glass substrate, and the polymer layer 20 is used to form a flexible substrate. The material of the polymer layer 20 is, for example, polycarbonate (PC), polyimide (PI), polyether sulfone (PES), poly acrylate (PAR), poly Polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), amorphous polyolefin (APO), cyclic olefin copolymer (Metallocene based Cyclic Olefin Copolymer, mCOC) ), polymethacrylate (PMMA) or organic-inorganic composite. In this embodiment, the thickness of the bottom plate 11 is between 10 and 800 micrometers (μm). In some other embodiments, the thickness of the bottom plate 11 is between 50 and 500 microns. In some other embodiments, the thickness of the bottom plate 11 is between 100 and 250 microns. Among them, the flexibility of the polymer layer 20 is greater than the flexibility of the bottom plate 11.

In this embodiment and some other embodiments, a liquid polymer is formed on the bottom plate 11 by, for example, spin coating, slit coating or blade coating. The polymer is solidified to form a surface of the bottom plate 11 by air drying or heat baking. In some other embodiments, a polymer can be attached directly to the substrate 11. In detail, after forming a release layer (not shown) on the bottom plate 11 by lamination or coating, a polymer is attached to the bottom plate 11 to form the polymer layer 20, and by the release layer. The polymer layer 20 is attached to the bottom plate 11, so that the polymer layer 20 has a good release effect, and the good release effect means that when the release layer is in contact with another substrate, it is difficult to adhere to another substrate. Sticky and have a good separation effect. The material of the release layer is, for example, a polymer (for example, a siloxane polymer) and an organic polymer (for example, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethylene terephthalic acid). An acid ester), a metal (for example, gold, silver, copper, chromium, an alloy) or a composite material as described above, and the release layer may be in a liquid state or in a solid state. In order to avoid the excessive adhesion between the bottom plate 11 and the polymer layer 20, which may cause difficulty in separating the bottom plate 11 from the polymer layer 20 in a subsequent process, after forming the release layer, ultraviolet light or laser may be used. The release layer is irradiated to reduce the viscosity of the release layer. Further, the viscosity between the release layer and the bottom plate 11 is greater than the viscosity between the release layer and the polymer layer 20. As a result, the polymer layer 20 can be attached to the bottom plate 11 without causing the bottom plate 11 and the polymer layer 20 to be difficult to separate. In addition, the size of the area of the polymer layer 20 affects the time required for the polymer layer 20 to separate from the bottom plate 11. In general, the larger the area of the polymer layer 20, the longer it takes to separate from the bottom plate 11.

Next, a uniform through hole 111 penetrating through the bottom plate 11 is formed on the bottom plate 11 (S102), wherein the through hole 111 does not penetrate the polymer layer 20 (as shown in "Fig. 3B"). The through hole 111 has a first port 1111 on the side of the bottom plate 11 and a side opposite to the side of the polymer layer 20 Two ports 1112. In this embodiment and some other embodiments, the through hole 111 is drilled in the bottom plate 11 by means of Abnormity Cutting. However, the manner of forming the through hole 111 is not intended to limit the present invention. The number and position of the through holes 111 described above can be changed according to actual needs during implementation. For example, the permanent perforations may be respectively formed on both sides of the bottom plate 11, or the respective perforations may be respectively formed at the four corners of the bottom plate 11. In general, the greater the number of through holes 111, the shorter the time required for the polymer layer 20 to separate from the bottom plate 11.

Next, in this embodiment and some other embodiments, a wiring layer 30 (S103) may be formed on the polymer layer 20 (as shown in "3C"). The circuit layer 30 includes a transparent electrode array as a circuit of the flexible substrate, and the through hole 111 is located outside the transparent electrode array. The process of forming the wiring layer 30 is, for example but not limited to, a Thin Film Transistors (TFT). It should be noted that the formation of the wiring layer 30 on the polymer layer 20 is not intended to limit the invention.

Then, a first cover 13 is placed on the polymer layer 20 (S104). The first cover 13 has a first opening 131 extending through the first cover 13 (as shown in FIG. 3D). Thereby, the polymer layer 20 is sandwiched between the first cover 13 and the bottom plate 11, and the second port 1112 is located within the range surrounded by the first cover 13. That is, the area in which the first cover 13 is projected in the bottom plate 11 covers the second port 1112 of the through hole 111. By disposing the first cover 13 on the polymer layer 20, a first space S1 is defined between the polymer layer 20 and the first cover 13, and the first space S1 is in communication with the through hole 111.

In this embodiment and some other embodiments, a second cover 15 may be disposed on the bottom plate 11 (S105). The second cover 15 has a second opening 151 extending through the second cover 15 (as shown in FIG. 3E). Thereby, the bottom plate 11 is interposed between the polymer layer 20 and the first Between the two covers 15, and the first port 1111 is located within the range surrounded by the second cover 15. That is, the area in which the second cover 15 is projected in the bottom plate 11 covers the first port 1111 of the through hole 111. A second space S2 is defined between the bottom plate 11 and the second cover 15, and the second space S2 is in communication with the through hole 111 and the second opening 151.

It should be noted that in the present embodiment and some other embodiments, the first cover 13 is disposed on the polymer layer 20, and the second cover 15 is disposed on the bottom plate 11. In some other embodiments, the second cover 15 may be placed on the bottom plate 11 and the first cover 13 may be placed on the polymer layer 20. The order in which the first cover 13 is disposed on the polymer layer 20 and the second cover 15 is disposed on the bottom plate 11 is not intended to limit the present invention. Further, if a flexible substrate is produced by using the apparatus for manufacturing a flexible substrate in "1A" and "1D", it is not necessary to mount the second cover 15 to produce a flexible substrate.

Finally, a gas (S106) is input from the through hole 111 (as shown in "Fig. 3F"). Among them, the gas is less likely to react with the bottom plate 11 and the polymer layer 20, and the gas is, for example, air, nitrogen or argon. The type of the gas is not intended to limit the present invention. In detail, the gas is blown into the second opening 151 by, for example, a blowing device 12, and the gas flows along a path A. Referring to "3G", the first cover 13 can press the polymer layer 20 to cause the gas to flow in, for example, the X direction, so that the gas is not concentrated at the second port 1112, resulting in excessive gas pressure. The polymer layer 20 is caused to break. On the other hand, since the second cover 15 is disposed on the bottom plate 11 and the second cover 15 surrounds the first port 1111 of the through hole 111, the second cover 15 can prevent the gas from passing through the second before entering the through hole 111. The gap between the cover 15 and the bottom plate 11 escapes outside the second cover 15.

The gas is blown into the second opening 151 by the air blowing device 12, so that the gas is along After the path A flows, the gas can enter the second space S2 along the path A via the second opening 151, and flows into the through hole 111 via the first port 1111, and flows into the polymer layer 20 and the bottom plate 11 via the second port 1112. between. Since the air blowing device 12 blows the gas into the second opening 151 to generate a positive pressure in the second space S2, a pressure difference is generated on the opposite sides of the polymer layer 20, thereby separating the polymer layer 20 from the bottom plate 11. In detail, the greater the pressure difference created by the gas on both sides of the polymer layer 20, the shorter the time required for the polymer layer 20 to separate from the bottom plate 11.

In order to improve the separation efficiency of the polymer layer 20 and the bottom plate 11, in the embodiment and some other embodiments, the first space S1 may also form a space with a negative pressure. In detail, a gas can be withdrawn from the first opening 131 by, for example, an air extracting device 14, so that the gas is evacuated from the first space S1 along a path B. Since the first cover 13 is disposed on the polymer layer 20, and the first cover 13 surrounds the second port 1112 of the through hole 111. Therefore, the gas is mainly extracted from the first space S1 along the path B via the first opening 131, and the polymer layer 20 is away from the side of the bottom plate 11 (that is, the polymer layer 20 is close to the bottom plate 11). One side) produces a negative pressure. Thereby, the force of separating the polymer layer 20 and the bottom plate 11 can be further increased, thereby improving the separation efficiency of the polymer layer 20 and the bottom plate 11.

In addition, since the first cover 13 can press the polymer layer 20, when the gas enters between the polymer layer 20 and the bottom plate 11 from the through hole 111, the gas system uniformly enters the polymer layer 20 and the bottom plate 11, instead of Only concentrated out from between the polymer layer 20 and the bottom plate 11 via a specific direction (for example, direction X). If the gas only concentrates out of the gap between the polymer layer 20 and the bottom plate 11 via a specific direction, this will cause only partial separation between the polymer layer 20 and the bottom plate 11, that is, part of the polymer layer 20 remains attached. On the bottom plate 11, the separation effect is not good. In the present embodiment, since the gas system uniformly enters between the polymer layer 20 and the bottom plate 11, The gap, therefore, when the gas leaves the gap between the polymer layer 20 and the bottom plate 11, the gas can completely separate the polymer layer 20 from the bottom plate 11 uniformly. On the other hand, since the first cover 13 surrounds the second port 1112 of the through hole 111, when the gas flows between the polymer layer 20 and the bottom plate 11, causing the polymer layer 20 to bulge toward the first cover 13, A cover 13 can also limit the height of the polymer layer 20 to bulge to ensure quality after separation of the polymer layer 20 from the bottom plate 11. Further, the height of the polymer layer 20 can be lowered by shortening the distance D1 between the first cover 13 and the polymer layer 20 (as shown in "3F").

In this embodiment and some other embodiments, the polymer layer 20 can also be separated from the bottom plate 11 by the movable mechanism 16. Specifically, the first cover 13 and the second cover 15 are removed first, and then the clamp 161 is moved over the bottom plate 11 by the movable mechanism 16, so that the clamp 161 clamps the polymer that has detached from the surface of the bottom plate 11. The edge of layer 20 (S107) (as shown in "3H"). Wherein, the movable mechanism 16 can be used to control the speed at which the clamp 161 moves toward the bottom plate 11 or the clamp 161 is away from the bottom plate 11, thereby controlling the force applied by the clamp 161 to separate the polymer layer from the bottom plate 11 to avoid the polymer layer. When separated from the bottom plate 11, the polymer layer 20 is broken because the applied force is too large. By the automatic operation of the clamp 161 by the movable mechanism 16 to clamp the edge of the polymer layer 20 that has been separated from the surface of the bottom plate 11, the separation efficiency of the polymer layer 20 and the bottom plate 11 can be further improved, thereby improving the manufacture of the flexible substrate. s efficiency.

In the present embodiment, the time required to separate the polymer layer 20 from the bottom plate 11 is less than 10 seconds, and in some embodiments, the time required for separation is less than 5 seconds. Moreover, the pressure difference between the first cover 13 and the second cover 15 is between 0.01 Torr and 1000 Torr, and the rate of gas passing through the air blowing device is 0.01 mL/min (mL/min). ) to between 100 ml / min, and the required gas is less than 10 ml. For a 65-inch substrate, use less than 10 ml. The gas can separate the polymer layer 20 from the bottom plate 11 in 10 seconds.

Then, after the polymer layer 20 is separated from the bottom plate 11, the jig 161 is moved away from the bottom plate 11 by the movable mechanism 16, thereby completing the preparation of the flexible substrate (as shown in "FIG. 3I").

Please refer to "1B", "4" and "5A" to "5I", and "4" is a flexible substrate fabricated according to another embodiment of the present invention. The flow chart of the method, "5A" to "5D" is a side view corresponding to the steps S201 to S204 in "4th drawing", and "5E" is a top view of "5D", " 5F to 5H are respectively a side view corresponding to the steps S205 to S207 in "4th drawing", and "5I" is a flexible substrate which is completed according to the process of "4th drawing" and Side view of the structure of the bottom plate. The embodiments of "Fig. 4" and "5A" to "5I" are similar to the embodiments of "Fig. 2", "3A" to "3H", wherein the same reference numerals are used. The same or similar elements as in the embodiments of "Fig. 2", "3A" to "3H", and therefore only the differences will be explained.

First, a bottom plate 11 is provided, and a polymer layer 20 (S201) is formed on the bottom plate 11 (as shown in "Fig. 5A"). Among them, the flexibility of the polymer layer 20 is greater than the flexibility of the bottom plate 11.

Then, a uniform through hole 111a penetrating the bottom plate 11 is formed on the bottom plate 11 (S202). The through hole 111a penetrates the bottom plate 11 and the polymer layer 20. The through hole 111a has a first port 1111a on the side of the bottom plate 11 and a second port 1112a on the side of the polymer layer 20 (as shown in "Fig. 5B"). It should be noted that the through hole 111a should avoid the display area after the polymer layer 20 is made into a flexible substrate to avoid making the polymer layer 20 into a flexible base. After the board, some areas in the display area of the flexible substrate cannot perform the display function.

Next, a bonding layer 40 is placed on the polymer layer 20 (S203). Specifically, the bonding layer 40 is bonded to cover the second port 1112a of the through hole 111a with respect to the polymer layer 20 side (as shown in FIG. 5C). In this embodiment and some other embodiments, the bonding layer 40 is a tape or a baffle, but is not limited thereto.

Next, in this embodiment and some other embodiments, a wiring layer 30 (S204) may be formed on the polymer layer 20 (as shown in FIG. 5D). The circuit layer 30 includes a transparent electrode array as a circuit of the flexible substrate, and the through hole 111a is located outside the transparent electrode array (as shown in FIG. 5E). The process of forming the wiring layer 30 is, for example but not limited to, a thin film transistor process. It should be noted that the formation of the wiring layer 30 on the polymer layer 20 is not intended to limit the invention.

Then, a first cover 13 is placed on the polymer layer 20 (S205). The first cover 13 has a first opening 131 extending through the first cover 13 (as shown in FIG. 5F). Thereby, the polymer layer 20 is sandwiched between the first cover 13 and the bottom plate 11, and the second port 1112a of the through hole 111a covered by the bonding layer 40 is located within the range surrounded by the first cover 13. That is, the area in which the first cover 13 is projected in the bottom plate 11 covers the second port 1112a of the through hole 111a. A first space S1 ′, a first space S1 ′ and a first opening 131 are defined between the polymer layer 20 and the first cover 13 by disposing the first cover 13 on the polymer layer 20 . Connected.

In this embodiment and some other embodiments, a second cover 15 may be disposed on the bottom plate 11 (S206). The second cover 15 has a second opening 151 extending through the second cover 15 (as shown in FIG. 5G). Thereby, the bottom plate 11 is interposed between the polymer layer 20 and the second Between the covers 15, and the first port 1111a of the through hole 111a is located within the range surrounded by the second cover 15. That is, the area in which the second cover 15 is projected in the bottom plate 11 covers the first port 1111a of the through hole 111a. A second space S2' is defined between the bottom plate 11 and the second cover 15, and the second space S2' communicates with the through hole 111a and the second opening 151.

It should be noted that in this embodiment and some other embodiments, the bonding layer 40 is first disposed on the polymer layer 20, and then the first cover 13 is disposed on the polymer layer 20, and then the second cover is disposed. 15 is disposed on the bottom plate 11. However, the bonding layer 40 is disposed on the polymer layer 20, the second cover 15 is disposed on the bottom plate 11, and the first cover 13 is disposed on the polymer layer 20, and the second cover 15 is disposed on the bottom plate. The order of 11 is not intended to limit the invention. That is, in some other embodiments, the second cover 15 may be disposed on the bottom plate 11 , the bonding layer 40 may be disposed on the polymer layer 20 , and the first cover 13 may be disposed on the polymer layer 20 . .

Finally, a gas (S207) is input from the first port 1111a of the through hole 111a (as shown in "Fig. 5H"). In detail, a gas may be blown into the second opening 151 by, for example, an air blowing device 12 to cause the gas to flow along a path C. Since the second cover 151 is disposed on the bottom plate 11, and the second cover 15 surrounds the first port 1111a of the through hole 111a. Thereby, the second cover 15 can prevent the gas from being dissipated outside the second cover 15 via the gap between the second cover 15 and the bottom plate 11 before entering the through hole 111a.

Then, the gas can enter the second space S2 ′ along the path C via the second opening 151 , and flow into the through hole 111 a via the first port 1111 a , and then flow between the polymer layer 20 and the bottom plate 11 via the second port 1112 a . . Since the bonding layer 40 covers the second port 1112a, the gas does not leave the through hole 111a via the second port 1112a, and thus has a good airtight effect. In addition, since the bonding force between the bonding layer 40 and the polymer layer 20 is greater than the polymerization The bonding force between the object layer 20 and the bottom plate 11. Therefore, when the gas applies pressure to the bottom plate 11, the pressure can separate the bottom plate 11 from the polymer layer 20 and the polymer layer 20 and the bonding layer 40 remain in a bonded state. It should be noted that the bonding layer 40 must also have sufficient structural strength to prevent the gas from breaking through the bonding layer 40 and leaving the through hole 111a.

In order to improve the separation efficiency of the polymer layer 20 from the bottom plate 11, in this embodiment and some other embodiments, a negative pressure may be applied to the first space S1'. In detail, a gas can be withdrawn from the first opening 131 by, for example, an air extracting means 14, so that the gas is evacuated from the first space S1' along a path D. Since the first cover 13 is disposed on the polymer layer 20, and the second port 1112a of the through hole 111a is located within the range surrounded by the first cover 13. Therefore, the gas is mainly extracted from the first space S1 ′ along the path D via the first opening 131 , and the side of the polymer layer 20 away from the bottom plate 11 is closer to the bottom plate 11 than the polymer layer 20 . A negative pressure is generated on the side. Thereby, the force of separating the polymer layer 20 and the bottom plate 11 can be further increased, thereby improving the separation efficiency of the polymer layer 20 and the bottom plate 11.

In the present embodiment, since the first cover 13 surrounds the second port 1112a of the through hole 111a, when the gas flows between the polymer layer 20 and the bottom plate 11, causing the polymer layer 20 to bulge toward the first cover 13, The first cover 13 can limit the height of the polymer layer 20 to bulge to ensure the quality of the polymer layer 20 after separation from the bottom plate 11. Further, the height of the polymer layer 20 can be lowered by shortening the distance D2 between the first cover 13 and the polymer layer 20 (as shown in "5H").

Finally, the first cover 13 and the second cover 15 are removed, and the bonding layer 40 on the polymer layer 20 is removed, thereby separating the bottom plate 11 from the polymer layer 20 to complete the preparation of the flexible substrate. System (as shown in Figure 5I).

Please refer to "FIG. 6A" and "FIG. 6B". FIG. 6A is a side view of a device for manufacturing a flexible substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6B is a view according to the present invention. A side view of an apparatus for making a flexible substrate as disclosed in an embodiment. The device 50 for manufacturing a flexible substrate includes a bottom plate 51, an air blowing device 52, a first cover body 53, an air extracting device 54, a second cover body 55, and at least one loading table 56.

The bottom plate 51 has a uniform through hole 513 penetrating the bottom plate 51. The through hole 513 has a first port 5131 and a second port 5132 opposite to each other on opposite sides of the through hole 513. The bottom plate 51 has a fitting area 514. The second port 5132 is located in the bonding area 514, and the first port 5131 is located on the side of the bottom plate 51 with respect to the bonding area 514.

The air blowing device 52 has a gas jet port 521 corresponding to the first port 5131. In detail, the air blowing means 52 may comprise, for example, a gas supply means of one of the cylinders filled with gas. By connecting the air outlet 521 to the first port 5131, the gas in the air supply device can be sequentially flowed between the first cover 53 and the bottom plate 51 through the air outlet 521, the first port 5131, and the second port 5132. The bottom plate 51 generates a positive pressure on one side of the first port 5131 with respect to the bottom plate 51 on one side of the second port 5132, and a pressure difference is generated on the opposite sides of the bottom plate 51.

The first cover 53 is detachably disposed in the bonding area 514, and the first cover 53 surrounds the second port 5132. That is, the area in which the first cover 53 is projected in the bottom plate 51 covers the second port 5132 of the through hole 513.

The air extracting device 54 has a suction port 541 corresponding to the second port 5132. In detail, the air extracting device 54 may include, for example, an air pump. By connecting the air suction port 541 to the second port 5132, the gas between the first cover 53 and the bottom plate 51 can be extracted out of the first cover 53 via the air suction port 541, and the bottom plate 51 has the second port 5132. a negative pressure on one side A pressure difference is generated on opposite sides of the bottom plate 51.

The second cover 55 is detachably disposed on one side of the bottom plate 51 with respect to the first cover 53 , and the second cover 55 surrounds the first port 5131 . That is, the area in which the second cover 55 is projected in the bottom plate 51 covers the first port 5131 of the through hole 513. The second cover 55 has a second opening 551 extending through the second cover 55 .

The stage 56 is disposed under the bottom plate 51, and the stage 56 has a first ejector pin 561 and a second ejector pin 562 corresponding to the through holes 513, respectively. In detail, the first ejector 561 and the second ejector pin 562 may be provided on the same stage, or the two pedestals may have a first ejector pin 561 and a second ejector pin 562, respectively. The first ejector pin 561 and the second ejector pin 562 are respectively cones protruding from the bottom plate 51. The user can respectively extend the first ejector pin 561 or the second ejector pin 562 from the first port 5131 into the through hole 513 for use. In this embodiment and some other embodiments, the height of the first ejector pin 561 is smaller than the height of the second ejector pin 562 (as shown in FIG. 6A). In some other embodiments, the first ejector pin 561' and the second ejector pin 562' may also have the same or similar height, and the taper rate of the first ejector pin 561' is smaller than the taper rate of the second ejector pin 562' (eg, "6B" "Figure shows). That is, the change of the first ejector pin 561' from the side close to the stage to the side away from the stage is larger than the change of the second ejector pin 562' from the side closer to the stage to the side away from the stage.

Please refer to "6A", "7th", and "8A" to "8L", and "7th" is a flexible substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention. The flowchart of the method, "8A" to "8K" corresponds to the side view of the steps S301 to S311 in "Fig. 7", and the "8L" is made according to the flow of "Fig. 7". A side view of the structure of the completed flexible substrate and its bottom plate. The embodiments of "Fig. 7" and "8A" to "8L" are similar to the embodiments of "Fig. 2", "3A" to "3I", The same reference numerals are used for the same or similar elements as the embodiments of "Fig. 2", "3A" to "3I", and therefore only the differences will be described.

First, a plate body 511 (S301) is provided. The plate body 511 has a first opening 5111 extending through the plate body 511 (as shown in Fig. 8A).

In this embodiment and some other embodiments, a bonding layer 80 may be disposed on the board 511 (S302). In detail, the bonding layer 80 covers one side of the board body 511 with respect to the first opening 5111 (as shown in FIG. 8B), and the bonding layer 80 is, for example but not limited to, a tape or a baffle.

Then, a release layer 512 is formed on the plate body 511 (S303) (as shown in "Fig. 8C").

Next, the bonding layer 80 is removed (S304). The release layer 512 has a second opening 5121. The second opening 5121 exposes the first opening 5111 and communicates with the first opening 5111 (as shown in FIG. 8D). . The plate body 511 and the release layer 512 constitute the bottom plate 51 of the "FIG. 6A", and the first opening 5111 and the second opening 5121 constitute the through hole 513 of "FIG. 6A". The first opening 5111 is away from the side of the release layer 512, and the first opening 5111 is the first port 5131 of the "FIG. 6A". The second opening 5121 is away from the side of the plate 511, and the second opening 5121 is the second port 5132 of "FIG. 6A".

In this embodiment and some other embodiments, the release layer 512 is formed on the plate body 511 by, for example, vapor deposition, and the release layer 512 is not easily adhered to another substrate after being in contact with another substrate. Has a good separation effect. In the present embodiment, the release layer 512 is used as, for example, a Debonding Layer (DBL). The material of the release layer 512 is, for example, a polymer (for example, a siloxane polymer) and an organic polymer (for example, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polymethyl propylene). Methyl enoate, polyethylene terephthalate), a metal (for example, gold, silver, copper, chromium, alloy) or a composite material as described above.

Next, the bottom plate 51 is placed on the stage 56, and the first ejector pin 561 is inserted into the through hole 513 (S305) (as shown in Fig. 8E).

Then, a polymer layer 60 (S306) is formed on the release layer 512 (as shown in FIG. 8F), and the material of the polymer layer 60 is, for example but not limited to, polyimine. Since the first ejector pin 561 is matched to the through hole 513, the first ejector pin 561 can be engaged with the bottom plate 51 to prevent the polymer layer 60 from flowing out of the bottom plate 51 from the through hole 513. On the other hand, since the uncured polymer layer 60 is in a liquid state, a part of the polymer layer 60 can flow into the through hole 513 and adhere to the side wall of the through hole 513. In this way, in the subsequent process, the polymer layer 60 flowing into the through hole 513 can serve as a protective layer of the release layer 512, so as to prevent the bottom plate 51 from being eroded or even destroyed due to contact with the chemical agent in the subsequent process. Thereby, the bottom plate 51 can be reused after the preparation of the flexible substrate is completed.

Next, in this embodiment and some other embodiments, a wiring layer 70 (S307) may be formed on the polymer layer 60 (as shown in "8G"). The circuit layer 70 includes a transparent electrode array as a circuit of the flexible substrate, and the through holes 513 are located outside the transparent electrode array. The process of forming the wiring layer 70 is, for example but not limited to, a Thin Film Transistors (TFT). It should be noted that the formation of the wiring layer 70 on the polymer layer 60 is not intended to limit the invention.

Then, after the liquid polymer layer 60 is cured, the first ejector pin 561 is extended, and the second ejector pin 562 of the stage 56 is inserted into the through hole 513 (S308), since the height of the second ejector pin 562 is greater than the height of the first ejector pin 561. Therefore, the second ejector pin 562 may protrude from the second end of the through hole 513 The opening, while opening the polymer layer 60 on the second port of the through hole 513, causes the portion of the polymer layer 60 to bulge away from the bottom plate 51. Thereby, the polymer layer 60 is partially separated from the bottom plate 51 (as shown in "8H"). As a result, the speed at which the polymer layer 60 is separated from the bottom plate 51 can be increased. In addition, if the apparatus for fabricating the flexible substrate is used in the "Fig. 6B", since the taper ratio of the second ejector pin 562' is larger than the taper rate of the first ejector pin 561', the second ejector pin 562' is compared with the first ejector pin 561. The depth of the through hole 513 can be extended, so that the second ejector pin 562' can also lift up part of the polymer layer 60 flowing into the through hole 513, so that part of the polymer layer 60 is swelled away from the bottom plate 51.

Then, the bottom plate 51 is removed from the stage 56, and a first cover 53 is placed on the polymer layer 60 (S309). The first cover 53 has a first opening 531 extending through the first cover 53 (as shown in FIG. 8I). Thereby, the polymer layer 60 is sandwiched between the first cover 53 and the bottom plate 51, and the second port 5132 is located within the range surrounded by the first cover 53. That is, the area in which the first cover 53 is projected on the bottom plate 51 covers the area in which the second port 5132 of the through hole 513 is projected on the bottom plate 51. A first space S1 ′′ is defined between the polymer layer 60 and the first cover 53 , and the first space S1 ′′ communicates with the through hole 513 .

In this embodiment and some other embodiments, a second cover 55 may be disposed on the bottom plate 51 (S310). The second cover 55 has a second opening 551 extending through the second cover 55 (as shown in FIG. 8J). Thereby, the bottom plate 51 is interposed between the polymer layer 60 and the second cover 55, and the first port 5131 is located within the range surrounded by the second cover 55. That is, the area in which the second cover 55 is projected on the bottom plate 51 covers the area where the first port 5131 of the through hole 513 is projected on the bottom plate 51. A second space S2 ′′ is defined between the bottom plate 51 and the second cover 55 , and the second space S2 ′′ communicates with the through hole 513 and the second opening 551 . Must pay attention The order in which the first cover 53 is disposed on the polymer layer 60 and the second cover 55 is disposed on the bottom plate 51 is not intended to limit the present invention.

Finally, a gas (S311) is input from the through hole 513 (as shown in "Fig. 8K"). Here, the gas is, for example, air, nitrogen or argon, and the kind of the gas is not intended to limit the present invention. In detail, the gas is blown into the second opening 551 by, for example, an air blowing means (not shown) to cause the gas to flow along a path E. Since the second cover 55 is disposed on the bottom plate 51, and the second cover 55 surrounds the first port 5131 of the through hole 513, the gas enters the second space S2" along the path E through the second opening 551, and the second The cover 55 can also prevent gas from escaping before the polymer layer 60 is separated from the bottom plate 51. The gas can flow into the through hole 513 from the second space S2" via the first port 5131, and then through the first port 5131 and the second port 5132. It flows between the polymer layer 60 and the bottom plate 51. The positive pressure applied to the bottom plate 51 by the gas causes a pressure difference between the opposite sides of the polymer layer 60 to separate the polymer layer 60 from the bottom plate 51.

In order to improve the separation efficiency between the polymer layer 60 and the bottom plate 51, in this embodiment and some other embodiments, a negative pressure may be applied to the first space S1". In detail, for example, a pumping can be performed. The device 54 draws a gas to the first opening 531 to draw the gas away from the first space S1" along a path F. Since the first cover 53 is disposed on the polymer layer 60, and the second port 5132 of the through hole 513 is located within a range surrounded by the first cover 53. Therefore, the gas is mainly extracted from the first space S1" along the path F via the first opening 531, and a negative pressure is generated on the side of the polymer layer 60 away from the bottom plate 51. Thereby, a separate polymerization can be added. The force of the layer 60 and the bottom plate 51 further increases the separation efficiency of the polymer layer 60 from the bottom plate 51.

In the present embodiment, since the first cover 53 surrounds the second port 5132 of the through hole 513, when the gas flows between the polymer layer 60 and the bottom plate 51, the polymer layer 60 is caused to face. When the first cover 53 is bulged, the first cover 53 can also limit the height at which the polymer layer 60 bulges to ensure the quality of the polymer layer 60 after being separated from the bottom plate 51. Further, the height of the polymer layer 60 can be lowered by shortening the distance D3 between the first cover 53 and the polymer layer 60 (as shown in "8J").

Next, the first cover 53 and the second cover 55 are removed, and one side of the polymer layer 60 facing the bottom plate 51 is subjected to, for example, trimming, so that the polymer layer 60 faces one side of the bottom plate 51. Flattening, in this way, the preparation of the flexible substrate is completed (as shown in "8L").

It should be noted that the formation of the release layer on the plate and the formation of the release layer 512 on the plate are not intended to limit the invention. Please refer to "FIG. 6", "9A" to "9C", and "9A" is a flow chart of a method for fabricating a flexible substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention, "9B The figure is a side view corresponding to the structure of the step S402 in the "Fig. 9A", and the "Fig. 9C" is a side view of the structure of the flexible substrate and the bottom plate which are completed according to the flow of the "Fig. 9A". Since this embodiment is similar to "FIG. 7", "8A" to "8L", only the differences will be described.

In this embodiment, after a plate body 511 (S401) is provided, the plate body 511 can be directly placed on the base 56, the first ejector pin 561 can be inserted into the through hole 513, and the plate body 511 can be formed on the plate body 511. In the layer 512 (S402), in the present embodiment, it is not necessary to provide a bonding layer on the through hole 513 (as shown in Fig. 9B). However, in the present embodiment, since the bonding between the release layer 512 and the polymer layer is weak, in order to avoid looseness between the release layer 512 and the polymer layer in the subsequent process, the polymer layer is caused to collapse. Therefore, it is necessary to illuminate or illuminate the laser at a region corresponding to the through hole 513 of the release layer 512 (S403), thereby increasing the area corresponding to the through hole 513. The bonding ability between the release layer 512 and the polymer layer 60. Further, the steps (S404) to (S409) are similar to the steps (S305) to (S310) of the "FIG. 7", and therefore will not be described again. A side view of the structure of the flexible substrate and its bottom plate which is completed according to the process of "Fig. 9A" is shown in Fig. 9C.

In summary, the method and apparatus for fabricating a flexible substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention are separated from the bottom plate by flowing a gas between the polymer layer and the bottom plate. Therefore, it is possible to avoid breakage of the wiring on the polymer layer or surface damage of the polymer layer when the polymer layer is separated from the substrate. Moreover, by adjusting the size of the polymer layer, the number of through holes, and the pressure of the gas, the separation time required for the polymer layer and the substrate can be adjusted. Therefore, it is relatively simple to separate the polymer layer from the bottom plate, thereby solving the problem that the flexible substrate is not easily peeled off from the bottom plate in the prior art.

Moreover, in some embodiments, the polymer layer can be separated from the bottom plate portion by the ejector pins of the stage. In this way, the rate at which the polymer layer is separated from the substrate can be increased.

Further, in some embodiments, since a release layer is also provided on the bottom plate, and part of the release layer portion flows into the through hole to adhere to the side wall of the through hole. In this way, the release layer flowing into the through hole can serve as a protective layer for the bottom plate, so as to avoid erosion or even destruction of the bottom plate due to contact with chemicals. Thereby, the bottom plate can be reused after the preparation of the flexible substrate is completed.

Further, in some embodiments, a portion of the polymer layer flows into the through hole to adhere to the side wall of the through hole. In this way, the polymer layer flowing into the through hole can serve as a protective layer for the bottom plate, so as to avoid erosion or even destruction of the bottom plate due to contact with chemicals. Thereby, the bottom plate can be reused after the preparation of the flexible substrate is completed.

While the present invention has been described above in terms of the preferred embodiments thereof, it is not intended to limit the invention, and the invention may be modified and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The patent protection scope of the invention is subject to the definition of the scope of the patent application attached to the specification.

Claims (11)

A method of fabricating a flexible substrate, the method comprising: providing a bottom plate having a polymer layer, wherein the bottom plate has a consistent perforation, the polymer layer is located on the bottom plate and covering the through hole; and providing a first cover Covering the polymer layer; and providing a gas flowing from the through hole between the polymer layer and the bottom plate to separate the polymer layer from the bottom plate. The method of fabricating a flexible substrate according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing the gas comprises: disposing a second cover on the bottom plate such that the bottom plate is interposed between the polymer layer and the second cover Between the bodies, and the through hole is located within a range covered by the second cover; and the gas is fed between the second cover and the bottom plate. The method of fabricating a flexible substrate according to claim 1, further comprising: forming a wiring layer on the polymer layer before the first cover is covered on the polymer layer. The method for fabricating a flexible substrate according to claim 1, further comprising: after forming the polymer layer on the bottom plate, penetrating the polymer layer so that the through hole penetrates the bottom plate and the polymer layer. The method for fabricating a flexible substrate according to claim 4, further comprising: after passing through the portion of the polymer layer, providing a bonding layer to the polymer layer and covering the through hole. A method of fabricating a flexible substrate according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the polymer layer is filled in the through hole in the step of forming the polymer layer on the substrate. The method for fabricating a flexible substrate according to claim 6, further comprising: before providing the gas, providing a stage disposed under the bottom plate, the stage having a thimble; the ejector pin extending into the through hole and The polymer layer is held against the polymer layer to be separated from the bottom plate portion; and the thimble is removed. The method of fabricating a flexible substrate according to claim 7, further comprising closing the through hole before forming the polymer layer. An apparatus for manufacturing a flexible substrate, comprising: a bottom plate having a uniform through hole, the through hole having two opposite first ports and a second port, the bottom plate having a bonding area, the second port being located An air blowing device having a gas jet port connected to the first port; and a first cover body disposed on the bonding area, and the first cover body surrounding the first cover body Two ports. The device for manufacturing a flexible substrate according to claim 9, further comprising a stage disposed under the bottom plate, the stage having a thimble, the top being corresponding to the through hole. The device for manufacturing a flexible substrate according to claim 9, further comprising a movable mechanism on one side of the bottom plate, the movable mechanism having a jig.