Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B7/00—Layered products characterised by the relation between layers; Layered products characterised by the relative orientation of features between layers, or by the relative values of a measurable parameter between layers, i.e. products comprising layers having different physical, chemical or physicochemical properties; Layered products characterised by the interconnection of layers
  • B32B7/04—Interconnection of layers
  • B32B7/06—Interconnection of layers permitting easy separation
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B7/00—Layered products characterised by the relation between layers; Layered products characterised by the relative orientation of features between layers, or by the relative values of a measurable parameter between layers, i.e. products comprising layers having different physical, chemical or physicochemical properties; Layered products characterised by the interconnection of layers
  • B32B7/04—Interconnection of layers
  • B32B7/12—Interconnection of layers using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B27/00—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B27/00—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin
  • B32B27/06—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B37/00—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding
  • B32B37/0007—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding involving treatment or provisions in order to avoid deformation or air inclusion, e.g. to improve surface quality
  • B32B37/0015—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding involving treatment or provisions in order to avoid deformation or air inclusion, e.g. to improve surface quality to avoid warp or curl
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B37/00—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding
  • B32B37/12—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding characterised by using adhesives
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B43/00—Operations specially adapted for layered products and not otherwise provided for, e.g. repairing; Apparatus therefor
  • B32B43/006—Delaminating
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B7/00—Layered products characterised by the relation between layers; Layered products characterised by the relative orientation of features between layers, or by the relative values of a measurable parameter between layers, i.e. products comprising layers having different physical, chemical or physicochemical properties; Layered products characterised by the interconnection of layers
  • B32B7/02—Physical, chemical or physicochemical properties
  • B32B7/023—Optical properties
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02F—OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
  • G02F1/00—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics
  • G02F1/01—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour 
  • G02F1/13—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour  based on liquid crystals, e.g. single liquid crystal display cells
  • G02F1/133—Constructional arrangements; Operation of liquid crystal cells; Circuit arrangements
  • G02F1/1333—Constructional arrangements; Manufacturing methods
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02F—OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
  • G02F1/00—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics
  • G02F1/01—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour 
  • G02F1/13—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour  based on liquid crystals, e.g. single liquid crystal display cells
  • G02F1/133—Constructional arrangements; Operation of liquid crystal cells; Circuit arrangements
  • G02F1/1333—Constructional arrangements; Manufacturing methods
  • G02F1/133308—Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
  • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
  • H01L21/683—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping
  • H01L21/6835—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping using temporarily an auxiliary support
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H10D—INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
  • H10D30/00—Field-effect transistors [FET]
  • H10D30/60—Insulated-gate field-effect transistors [IGFET]
  • H10D30/67—Thin-film transistors [TFT]
  • H10D30/6758—Thin-film transistors [TFT] characterised by the insulating substrates
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H10D—INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
  • H10D86/00—Integrated devices formed in or on insulating or conducting substrates, e.g. formed in silicon-on-insulator [SOI] substrates or on stainless steel or glass substrates
  • H10D86/01—Manufacture or treatment
  • H10D86/021—Manufacture or treatment of multiple TFTs
  • H10D86/0214—Manufacture or treatment of multiple TFTs using temporary substrates
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B37/00—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding
  • B32B37/12—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding characterised by using adhesives
  • B32B2037/1253—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding characterised by using adhesives curable adhesive
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B37/00—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding
  • B32B37/14—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding characterised by the properties of the layers
  • B32B37/26—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding characterised by the properties of the layers with at least one layer which influences the bonding during the lamination process, e.g. release layers or pressure equalising layers
  • B32B2037/268—Release layers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2250/00—Layers arrangement
  • B32B2250/05—5 or more layers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2266/00—Composition of foam
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2307/00—Properties of the layers or laminate
  • B32B2307/30—Properties of the layers or laminate having particular thermal properties
  • B32B2307/304—Insulating
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2307/00—Properties of the layers or laminate
  • B32B2307/30—Properties of the layers or laminate having particular thermal properties
  • B32B2307/31—Heat sealable
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2307/00—Properties of the layers or laminate
  • B32B2307/40—Properties of the layers or laminate having particular optical properties
  • B32B2307/412—Transparent
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2307/00—Properties of the layers or laminate
  • B32B2307/70—Other properties
  • B32B2307/748—Releasability
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2309/00—Parameters for the laminating or treatment process; Apparatus details
  • B32B2309/02—Temperature
  • B32B2309/022—Temperature vs pressure profiles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2309/00—Parameters for the laminating or treatment process; Apparatus details
  • B32B2309/02—Temperature
  • B32B2309/025—Temperature vs time profiles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2457/00—Electrical equipment
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2457/00—Electrical equipment
  • B32B2457/14—Semiconductor wafers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2457/00—Electrical equipment
  • B32B2457/20—Displays, e.g. liquid crystal displays, plasma displays
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2457/00—Electrical equipment
  • B32B2457/20—Displays, e.g. liquid crystal displays, plasma displays
  • B32B2457/202—LCD, i.e. liquid crystal displays
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
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  • B32B2457/00—Electrical equipment
  • B32B2457/20—Displays, e.g. liquid crystal displays, plasma displays
  • B32B2457/206—Organic displays, e.g. OLED
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
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  • B32B37/00—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding
  • B32B37/06—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding characterised by the heating method
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B37/00—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding
  • B32B37/08—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding characterised by the cooling method
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B38/00—Ancillary operations in connection with laminating processes
  • B32B38/10—Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B38/00—Ancillary operations in connection with laminating processes
  • B32B38/18—Handling of layers or the laminate
  • B32B38/1825—Handling of layers or the laminate characterised by the control or constructional features of devices for tensioning, stretching or registration
  • B32B38/1833—Positioning, e.g. registration or centering
  • B32B38/1841—Positioning, e.g. registration or centering during laying up
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H01L2221/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof covered by H01L21/00
  • H01L2221/67—Apparatus for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
  • H01L2221/683—Apparatus for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping
  • H01L2221/68304—Apparatus for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping using temporarily an auxiliary support
  • H01L2221/6835—Apparatus for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping using temporarily an auxiliary support used as a support during build up manufacturing of active devices
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H01L2221/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof covered by H01L21/00
  • H01L2221/67—Apparatus for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
  • H01L2221/683—Apparatus for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping
  • H01L2221/68304—Apparatus for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping using temporarily an auxiliary support
  • H01L2221/68381—Details of chemical or physical process used for separating the auxiliary support from a device or wafer

Definitions

• the processing of an assembly may comprise temporarily supporting the assembly between two carriers releasably adhered to the assembly.
• the inventors for the present application have worked on techniques for improving the release of the carriers from the assembly after processing of the assembly.
• a method comprising: providing an assembly temporarily adhered on opposite sides to respective carriers by respective adhesive elements, the assembly including at least one plastic support sheet; heating the assembly while mechanically compressing the assembly between the carriers, wherein the strength of adhesion of one of said adhesive elements to the respective carrier and/or to the assembly is partially reduced during said heating of the assembly under mechanical compression; and wherein the strength of adhesion of the said adhesive element to the carrier and/or to the assembly is further reducible by further heating the said adhesive element after partially or completely relaxing the pressure at which the assembly is mechanically compressed between the two carriers.
• the method further comprises: after partially or completely relaxing the pressure at which the assembly is mechanically compressed between the two carriers, further heating the adhesive element to further reduce the strength of adhesion of the adhesive element to the carrier and/or to the assembly, and release the adhesive element from the carrier and/or the assembly.
• partially reducing the strength of adhesion of the adhesive element to the carrier and/or to the assembly while mechanically compressing the assembly between the carriers comprises: generating pockets of gas where the adhesive element contacts the carrier and/or assembly thereby reducing the area of contact between solid material of the adhesive element and the carrier and/or assembly; and wherein further reducing the strength of adhesion between said at least one adhesive element and the carrier and/or assembly comprises: thermally expanding the solid material of the adhesive element to break contact between the solid material of the adhesive element and the carrier and/or assembly in locations between said gas pockets.
• the method further comprises comprising releasing one of the carrier and the assembly from the adhesive element without releasing the other of the carrier and assembly from the adhesive element.
• the assembly comprises a liquid crystal display component including two plastic support sheets and spacers for creating a space for receiving liquid crystal material between the two plastic support sheets.
• said assembly comprises two plastic support sheets, and said carriers are used to support respective ones of the plastic support sheets during a process of laminating said two support sheets together to form said assembly.
• the adhesive element on at least one side of the assembly comprises a support sheet and two adhesive layers supported on opposite sides of the support sheet.
• the assembly comprises a plastic support sheet supporting a stack of conductor, semiconductor and insulator layers defining an active matrix array of TFTs.
• the method further comprises: releasing one of said carriers from the assembly without releasing the other of said carriers from the assembly, and thereafter peeling the assembly from the other of said carriers.
• said heating to partially reduce the strength of adhesion also comprises curing an adhesive included within the assembly.
• heating said adhesive element to partially reduce the adhesion strength comprises establishing a temperature gradient across the said adhesive element and assembly that is smaller than the smallest temperature gradient established across the said adhesive element and assembly during further heating said adhesive element to further reduce the strength of adhesion.
• the method further comprises: after said heating while mechanically compressing the assembly between the carriers, cooling the assembly while continuing to mechanically compress the assembly between the carriers; wherein the strength of adhesion of one of said adhesive elements to the respective carrier and/or to the assembly is partially reduced during said heating and/or cooling of the assembly under mechanical compression; and wherein the strength of adhesion of the said adhesive element to the carrier and/or to the assembly is further reducible by further heating the said adhesive element after partially or completely relaxing the pressure at which the assembly is mechanically compressed between the two carriers.
• a method comprising: providing an assembly temporarily adhered on opposite sides to respective carriers by respective adhesive elements, the assembly including at least one plastic support sheet; heating said assembly and said adhesive elements under conditions at which gas is generated within at least one of the adhesive elements, while compressing the assembly between the carriers at a pressure at which crinkling of said plastic support sheet by said heating is prevented, while retaining pockets of the generated gas at the interface between the carrier and the at least one adhesive element and/or the interface between the assembly and the at least one adhesive element.
• said heating is done under conditions for curing an adhesive included within the assembly, and said gas pockets remain at said interface(s) when said curing of said adhesive is complete.
• the method further comprises: after at least partially relaxing the pressure at which the assembly is compressed between the two carriers, further heating the at least one adhesive element to reduce the strength of adhesion between (i) the carrier and/or assembly and (ii) solid material of the at least one adhesive element in locations around said gas pockets.
• the method further comprises comprising cooling said assembly and adhesive elements while continuing to mechanically compress the assembly between the two carriers, before at least partially relaxing the pressure at which the assembly is mechanically compressed between the two carriers and further heating the at least one adhesive element to further reduce the strength of adhesion between the carrier and/or assembly and solid material of the at least one adhesive element in locations around said gas pockets.
• a method comprising: providing an assembly temporarily adhered on opposite sides to respective carriers by respective adhesive elements, the assembly including at least one plastic support sheet; heating said assembly to completely cure an adhesive included within said assembly, wherein an adhesion strength of least one of said adhesive elements to the adjacent carrier and/or assembly is partially reduced during said heating, and is further reducible by further heating after completely curing said adhesive included within said assembly.
• said adhesion strength of said at least one adhesive element to the adjacent carrier and/or assembly is further reducible by first cooling and then further heating after completely curing said adhesive included within said assembly.
• said adhesive included within said assembly secures two
• Figure 1 illustrates an example of a technique according to an embodiment of the invention
• Figure 2 illustrates an example of a process by which an adhesive layer is released from a carrier.
• LCD liquid crystal display
• OLED encapsulated organic light- emitting device
• a first flexible component 8 is releasably secured to a rigid carrier 4 via an adhesive element 6, whose strength of adhesion to both the rigid carrier 4 and the flexible component is sufficiently high during processing of the assembly to resist excessive thermal expansion of the flexible component 8, but which either is (i) not too high to prevent peeling of the adhesive element 6 away from at least the assembly after processing or (ii) can be reduced after processing of the assembly to facilitate release of the adhesive element 6 from at least the assembly.
• this adhesive element 6 may be a single layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive, or a single layer of adhesive whose adhesion strength to one or more of the first flexible component 8 and rigid carrier 4 can be reduced by increasing temperature (heat release), by reducing temperature (cold release) or by exposure to UV radiation (UV release).
• the adhesive element 6 may also comprise two layers of adhesive on opposite sides of a support film, which two layers may, for example, comprise any combination of a pressure-sensitive adhesive, a heat release adhesive, cold release adhesive and UV release adhesive.
• the first flexible component 8 comprises a plastic support film which supports an alignment film for controlling the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules in a part of the liquid crystal material immediately adjacent to the alignment film, and may also support one or more further components such as a common electrode for the array of (LCD) devices, if the LCD devices are of a type that operate by generating an electric field in the liquid crystal material by means of electrodes on opposite sides of the liquid crystal material.
• a common electrode for the array of (LCD) devices if the LCD devices are of a type that operate by generating an electric field in the liquid crystal material by means of electrodes on opposite sides of the liquid crystal material.
• a second flexible component 12 is releasably secured to another rigid carrier 16 via a dual-sided adhesive unit 14 comprising a support film 14b supporting a layer of heat-release adhesive 14c adjacent to the carrier 16 and a second layer of adhesive 14a adjacent to the flexible component 12.
• the second layer of adhesive 14a is one whose strength of adhesion to the second flexible component 12 is sufficiently high during processing of the assembly to resist excessive thermal expansion of the assembly, but which either (i) is not too high to prevent peeling of the adhesive element away from the assembly after processing or (ii) can be reduced after processing of the assembly to facilitate release of the adhesive element 14a from the assembly.
• the second layer of adhesive 14a may, for example, comprise (a) a pressure-sensitive adhesive, (b) a layer of heat- release adhesive having a higher release temperature than the first layer of adhesive 14c, (c) a layer of cold-release adhesive, or (d) a layer of UV-release adhesive.
• the second flexible component 12 may comprise a plastic support film supporting: (i) a stack of conductor, semiconductor and insulator/dielectric layers defining respective sets of active matrix circuitry for the array of LCD devices for controlling the electric field within the liquid crystal medium, and (ii) spacer structures 10 for creating a space between the first and second flexible components 8, 12 for receiving liquid crystal material for the array of LCD devices.
• the plastic support film of the second flexible component 12 may be releasably secured to the carrier 16 before formation of the above- mentioned active-matrix stack of layers and spacer structures on the plastic support film.
• the carrier 16 may be used to support the plastic support film during the formation of said components on the plastic support film to produce the second flexible component 12, and the adhesive element 14 then functions to resist excessive thermal distortion of the plastic support film during the heating steps used for the formation of said components on the plastic support film; and/or restore the plastic support film to its original position on the carrier 16 when the plastic support film is cooled after a heating step.
• at least one of the flexible components 8, 12 is provided with a heat-curable adhesive for securing the two flexible components together.
• the two flexible components 8, 12 are then aligned to one another (e.g. means of alignment marks included as part of the second flexible component and observable from above via the optically transparent carrier (e.g. glass) 4, optically transparent adhesive element 6, and optically transparent first flexible component 8) and mechanically compressed together (Fig. IB) between the carriers 4, 16. While under mechanical compression, the assembly (and carriers 4, 16) are uniformly heated in an oven (so as to establish a zero temperature gradient across the assembly) under conditions at which the adhesive between the two flexible components 8, 12 of the assembly becomes completely cured.
• the optically transparent carrier e.g. glass
• optically transparent adhesive element 6 e.g. adhesive element 6
• Fig. IB optically transparent first flexible component
• Whether or not the adhesive between the two flexible components is completely cured can, for example, be determined by subjecting the assembly to a peel strength test and comparing the measured peel strength against a known or pre-determined maximum peel strength for the specific adhesive being used. Also, where the uncured form of the adhesive has a damaging effect on e.g. liquid crystal material to be contained within the assembly between the two flexible components, the existence of uncured adhesive (i.e. a failure to completely cure the adhesive) manifests itself as a degradation in the performance of the liquid crystal display device.
• This heating may involve raising the temperature of the oven in a series of steps, and maintaining the oven at each step temperature for a respective period of time.
• the heating required to cure the adhesive involves raising the temperature of the assembly to a temperature where crinkling of the plastic support films within the assembly tends to occur, but as discussed below, the pressure at which the assembly is mechanically compressed between the carriers is sufficiently high to substantially prevent any significant crinkling.
• the temperature of the oven is reduced and the assembly and carriers inside the oven are allowed to cool, while continuing to mechanically compress the assembly between the two carriers to prevent crinkling of the plastic films during the cooling process.
• the adhesives used for the adhesive element 6 (between the first flexible component and the rigid carrier 4) and the adhesive used for adhesive layer 14a all retain their strength of adhesion to the assembly/carrier during the heating process to completely cure the adhesive between the two flexible components 8, 12.
• the heat-release adhesive for adhesive layer 14c is a material at which gas is generated during the process of heating the assembly to cure the adhesive between the two flexible components 8, 12.
• the generated gas forms pockets of gas at the interface of the adhesive layer 14c with the rigid carrier 16, and the formation of these gas pockets serves to partially reduce the strength of adhesion between the adhesive layer 14c and the carrier 16.
• the pressure at which the assembly is compressed between the two carriers 4, 16 is both (i) sufficiently low to retain the gas generated in the adhesive layer 14c as pockets of gas at the interface between the adhesive layer 14c and the carrier 16 (i.e. to prevent gas generated within the adhesive layer 14c from being expelled laterally out from between the adhesive layer 14c and the carrier 16, but (ii) sufficiently high to prevent crinkling (distortion out of the plane) of the plastic support films within the assembly during the process of heating the assembly to cure the adhesive between the two flexible components.
• the generation of gas within the adhesive layer 14c and the retention of generated gas at the interface of the adhesive layer 14c with the carrier 16 can be detected by: performing the heating in a vacuum and monitoring changes in pressure within the vacuum chamber; and/or remotely analysing, by e.g. spectroscopy, the interface between the adhesive layer 14c and the carrier 16.
• This further heating of the adhesive layer 14c is done without increasing the temperature of the assembly to a temperature at which significant crinkling of the plastic support films within the assembly tends to occur.
• the temperature to which the adhesive layer 14c is raised may be above the maximum temperature that it reached during the heating process for curing the adhesive between the two flexible components 8, 12.
• release of the carrier 16 during this second heating stage can also be achieved at lower temperatures.
• the thermal expansion of the adhesive layer 14 during this second heating stage reduces the strength of adhesion between the adhesive material and the carrier 16 in the areas of contact around the gas pockets at the interface between the carrier 16 and the adhesive layer 14c; and this further reduction in the strength of adhesion between the carrier and the adhesive layer 14c allows the carrier to be released from the assembly without the application of mechanical force or with the application of only minimal mechanical force (FIG. 1C).
• the release of one rigid carrier 16 facilitates the peeling of the whole adhesive unit 14 from the assembly (FIG. ID) and the subsequent peeling of the assembly away from adhesive unit 6 (FIG. ID).
• the liquid crystal material for the lateral array of liquid crystal devices may be dispensed onto the lower flexible component 12 before lamination of the two flexible components 8, 12, or it may be injected into the space created by the spacer structures after lamination and curing of the adhesive between the two flexible components 8, 12.
• an adhesive product acquired from Nitto Denko Corporation and identified by product name RAU-5HD1.SS was used for one of the adhesive units 14 in the technique described above; and an adhesive product acquired from Nitta Corporation and identified by product name CX2325CA3 was used for the other adhesive unit 6 in the technique described above.
• the adhesive product identified by product name RAU-5HD1.SS comprises a heat-release adhesive and a UV- release adhesive on opposite sides of a flexible support film, and the adhesive product identified by product name CX2325CA3 comprises a cold-release adhesive and a pressure sensitive adhesive supported on opposite sides of a flexible support film.
• the adhesive layer 14c adjacent to the carrier is the layer whose strength of adhesion to an adjacent element is partially reduced under mechanical compression during the heating process to cure the adhesive between the two carriers, and further reduced (without mechanical compression) after completion of the heating process to cure the adhesive between the two carriers.
• this layer may be the adhesive layer 14a adjacent to the assembly in the adhesive unit 14 (whereby the adhesive unit 14 is first released from the assembly), or this layer may be a single layer of adhesive in contact with both the assembly and the carrier.
• a heat-curable adhesive is used to secure the two flexible components together, but (a) an adhesive curable by exposure to e.g. UV radiation (UV-curable adhesive), (b) pressure-sensitive adhesive, or (c) an adhesive curable by laser, are other examples of adhesives that may be used to secure the two flexible components together. Even when the application of heat is not required to secure the two flexible components together, heating the assembly to a temperature at which crinkling of the plastic support films within the assembly tends to occur may be used for other purposes; and the above-described technique is equally useful in such situations.
• the technique is used in the production of an array of liquid crystal display devices, but the same technique can be used in the production of other devices, such as e.g. the production of active matrix OLED displays for which the organic light-emissive elements require encapsulation between moisture and oxygen barrier elements.
• the above-described technique can be used to produce an assembly without significant crinkling of the plastic support films of either of the flexible components, even when the flexible components have a relatively large area.

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