TWI462363B - Device for removing film for laser induced thermal imaging - Google Patents

Description

Laser-induced film removal device for thermal imaging

The present invention relates to a device for removing a film for Laser Induced Thermal Imaging (LITI), and more particularly to a device for stably removing a film for laser induced thermal imaging (LITI) attached to a substrate.

In a flat panel display, an organic electroluminescence display has an advantage in that it can be used as a display medium for moving images regardless of the size, because the response time of the organic electroluminescence display is 1 millisecond or less, and power consumption is low, and Because it is self-illuminating, it has an excellent viewing angle. In addition, since the organic electroluminescence display can be manufactured at a low temperature based on a conventional semiconductor processing technology using a simple process, it is attractive as a next-generation flat panel display.

According to materials and processes used in organic electroluminescent devices, organic electroluminescent displays are generally classified into a polymer type device using a wet method and a low molecular weight type device using a deposition method.

However, in the patterning method for a polymer or a low molecular weight luminescent layer, the ink jet printing method has a drawback in that the material for the organic layer other than the luminescent layer is limited, and the structure for ink jet printing must be Formed on the substrate. Further, when the light-emitting layer is patterned by the deposition method, it is difficult to manufacture a large-sized display device because a metal mask is used.

As an alternative to this mapping method, the Laser Induced Thermal Imaging (LITI) method has recently been developed.

The LITI method converts the laser light emitted by the light source into heat energy, and then transfers the patterning material to the target substrate in turn to form a pattern.

In the LITI method, the donor film covers the entire substrate as a receptor, and the donor film and the substrate are fixed on the platform. Further, the donor film and the substrate are further bonded together by a lamination process, and then subjected to laser imaging to form a pattern.

It should be noted that the above description is only for understanding the background art and is not an illustration of the techniques well known in the art.

Conventionally, in the process of removing the donor film from the substrate, the donor film is wrinkled and the imaged portion on the substrate is damaged. Therefore, the problem needs to be solved.

One aspect of the present invention is to provide a device for stably removing a laser-induced thermal imaging donor film from a substrate by sequentially ejecting air toward a donor film in accordance with a roller position.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a device for removing a film for laser induced thermal imaging is provided, comprising: a substrate stage on which a substrate is disposed; and a roller unit for sequentially pressing a donor film disposed on the substrate stage And an ejection unit disposed on the substrate stage and ejecting air between the donor film and the substrate.

The spraying unit may include: a plurality of exhaust pipes passing through the substrate table; a gas collecting pipe communicating with the exhaust pipe; an air supply pipe communicating with the gas collecting pipe; and communicating with the gas supply pipe and providing pneumatics through the gas supply pipe Pressurized air supply pump.

The exhaust pipe may be disposed around the substrate.

The above-described ejecting unit may sequentially eject air in accordance with the position of the above-described roller unit.

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the drawings are not drawn to exact scale, and the thickness of the line or the size of the elements may be enlarged for convenience of description and clarity. Furthermore, the terms defined herein take into account the functions of the present invention and can be changed in accordance with the habits or intentions of the user and the operator. Therefore, the meaning of the terms should be determined in accordance with the entire disclosure as described herein.

1 is a schematic view of a removal device for a film for Laser Induced Thermal Imaging (LITI) according to an exemplary embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a spray unit of the above device according to an exemplary embodiment.

3 and 4 schematically illustrate first stage and second stage injection of an injection unit of the above apparatus, respectively, according to an exemplary embodiment.

5 and 6 respectively schematically illustrate third and fourth stage injections of the injection unit of the above-described apparatus, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the apparatus 1 according to the embodiment includes a substrate stage 10, a roller unit 20, and a spray unit 30.

The substrate stage 10 has a recess in which a substrate 11 and a donor film member 12 are disposed.

The substrate stage 10 is horizontally moved. The substrate stage 10 can be moved by wheels, rails, variable length cylinders, or other various configurations.

When the laser beam is irradiated onto the donor film member 12, the photothermal conversion layer of the donor film member 12 converts the laser beam into thermal energy to expand upon heat dissipation. Therefore, the organic layer, that is, the transfer layer, also expands and separates from the donor film member 12, thereby forming an organic layer on the substrate 11. Here, the patterned material is attached to the substrate 11 in accordance with the direction of laser irradiation.

The donor film member 12 includes a film 13 that reacts with the laser and a carrier 14 that is attached to the edge of the film 13.

The roller unit 20 presses the donor film member 12. The roller unit 20 includes a pair of connecting plates 21 and rollers 22 which are connected to a structure (not shown). The pair of connecting plates 21 are separated from each other by a distance which corresponds to the width of the film 13. A roller 22 is rotatably disposed between the pair of connecting plates 21 for pressing the film 13.

The ejection unit 30 is disposed on the substrate stage 10 and ejects air between the donor film member 12 and the substrate 11.

The injection unit 30 includes an exhaust pipe 31, a gas collection pipe 32, an air supply pipe 33, and an air supply pump 34.

The exhaust pipe 31 passes through the substrate stage 10. The exhaust pipe 31 is composed of a plurality of pipes which are provided on a portion of the substrate stage 10 corresponding to a portion between the film 13 of the donor film member 12 and the tray 14.

The gas collecting pipe 32 is disposed on the substrate stage 10 for communication with the corresponding exhaust pipe 31.

The gas supply pipe 33 is provided on the substrate stage 10 for communication with the gas collection pipe 32. The air supply pipe 33 passes through the moving unit 38, and the moving unit 38 is disposed on the substrate stage 10 for vertical movement. When the moving unit 38 moves upward, the air between the substrate 11 and the film 13 is discharged, and the substrate 11 and the film 13 are evacuated.

The air supply pump 34 is connected to the air supply pipe 33. When the air supply pump 34 is driven, pneumatic pressure is applied to the exhaust pipe 31 through the air supply pipe 33, so that the film 13 is separated from the substrate 11.

An exhaust pipe 31 is disposed around the substrate 11 to supply air to the film on the substrate 11.

Referring to Figs. 3 to 6, the exhaust pipe 31 is composed of a plurality of pipes which are divided into a plurality of groups a, b, c, and d, thereby sequentially performing the spraying operation.

The exhaust pipe 31 provided in a plurality of groups sequentially injects air in accordance with the position of the roller unit 20.

The exhaust pipe 31 is in communication with the gas collecting pipe 32, and the gas collecting pipe 32 communicates with the single gas supply pipe 33, and is connected to the gas supply pump 34, or the gas collecting pipe 32 communicates with a separate gas supply pipe 33 having a gas path switching valve.

Next, a method of operating the removal device for the laser induced film for thermal imaging will be explained.

When the air supply pump 34 is driven in a state where the roller 22 presses the film 13, the pneumatic pressure generated by the air supply pump 34 is sent to the upper side of the substrate stage 10 through the air supply pipe 33 and the exhaust pipe 31, thereby separating the film 13 from the substrate 11.

Here, the roller 22 presses the film 13 over the entire length corresponding to the width of the film 13 to prevent the film 13 from wrinkling due to excessive pneumatic pressure.

The air discharged through the exhaust pipe 31 is ejected into the space between the substrate 11 and the film 13, so that the film 13 is separated from the substrate 11.

The ejecting unit 31 sequentially ejects air through the exhaust pipe 31 in accordance with the position of the roller unit 20, thereby preventing the film from being damaged due to sudden separation of the film 13 from the substrate.

That is, air is ejected between the film 13 and the substrate 11 through the exhaust pipe 31 of the group a, thereby separating the film 13 from the substrate 11 (see Fig. 3).

In this state, with the movement of the substrate stage 10, when the roller 22 passes through the exhaust pipe 31 of the b group, air is ejected between the film 13 and the substrate 11 through the exhaust pipe 31 of the b group, thereby filming 13 is separated from the substrate 11 (see Fig. 4).

Then, as the substrate stage 10 moves, when the roller 22 passes through the c-group exhaust pipe 31, air is ejected between the film 13 and the substrate 11 through the group-group exhaust pipe 31, thereby moving the film 13 from the substrate 11. Separate (see Figure 5).

Finally, as the substrate stage 10 moves, when the roller 22 approaches the exhaust pipe 31 of the group d, air is ejected between the film 13 and the substrate 11 through the exhaust pipe 31 of the group d, thereby ejecting the film 13 from the substrate 11. Separate (see Figure 6).

Here, the roller 22 close to the group d exhaust pipe 31 moves upward from the film 13, thereby eliminating the pressure applied to the film 13. When air is introduced between the film 13 and the substrate 11 when the roller is moved upward, the film can be completely removed from the substrate 11.

Thus, according to the embodiment, the laser-induced film for thermal imaging film is separated by a jetting unit by an air jet method.

According to the embodiment, the apparatus sequentially ejects air through the ejecting unit in accordance with the position at which the roll unit presses the film, thereby stably separating the film from the substrate.

Although a few embodiments have been described in the present invention, it should be understood that these embodiments are intended to be illustrative only, and not to limit the scope of the invention, A person skilled in the art can make various modifications, changes and substitutions, and the scope of the invention is limited only by the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

1. . . Device

10. . . Substrate table

11. . . Substrate

12. . . Donor film

13. . . film

14. . . bracket

20. . . Roller unit

twenty one. . . Connection plate

twenty two. . . Roller

30. . . Spray unit

31. . . exhaust pipe

32. . . Gas collection tube

33. . . Air supply pipe

34. . . Air supply pump

38. . . Motion unit

1 is a schematic view of a device for removing a film for Laser Induced Thermal Imaging (LITI) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a schematic view of a spray unit of the above apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a schematic diagram of a first stage injection of an injection unit of the above apparatus, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a schematic diagram of a second stage injection of an injection unit of the above apparatus, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a third stage injection of an injection unit of the above apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a fourth stage injection of an injection unit of the above apparatus, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

1. . . Device

10. . . Substrate table

12. . . Donor film

13. . . film

14. . . bracket

20. . . Roller unit

twenty one. . . Connection plate

twenty two. . . Roller

Claims (4)

A device for removing a film for laser induced thermal imaging, comprising: a substrate stage on which a substrate is disposed; a roller unit for sequentially pressing a donor film disposed on the substrate stage; and a spraying unit At the substrate stage, air is ejected between the donor film and the substrate. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spraying unit comprises: a plurality of exhaust pipes passing through the substrate table; a gas collecting pipe communicating with the exhaust pipe; and an air supply pipe communicating with the gas collecting pipe; And an air supply pump that is in communication with the air supply pipe and provides pneumatic pressure through the air supply pipe. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the exhaust pipe is disposed around the substrate. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the spraying unit sequentially ejects air according to the position of the roller unit.