MASK FRAME ASSEMBLY FOR THIN LAYER DEPOSITION AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ORGANIC LIGHT EMITTING DISPLAY DEVICE BY USING THE MASK FRAME ASSEMBLY

• US 20110171768A1
• Filed: 01/10/2011
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hong, Jae-Min, Kim, Ho-Eoun, Kim, Kyung-Han
• Granted Patent: US 8,604,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/34
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/042 using masks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/166 using selective deposition, e.g. using a mask

Abstract

A mask frame assembly for thin film deposition includes a frame including an opening portion, and a plurality of unit mask strips that are fixed to the frame after a tensile force is applied to both of end portions of the unit mask strips in a lengthwise direction of the unit mask strips. Each of the plurality of unit mask strips includes a plurality of unit masking pattern portions each including a plurality of opening patterns. Before the tensile force is applied to both of the end portions of the unit mask strips in the lengthwise direction and the unit mask strips are fixed to the frame, a width of each of the unit masking pattern portions in a widthwise direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction increases as a function of a closeness of a portion of the unit masking pattern portion where the width is measured to a central portion of each of the unit masking pattern portions.

Claims

1. A mask frame assembly for thin film deposition, comprising:

a frame including an opening portion; and

a plurality of unit mask strips fixed to the frame after a tensile force is applied to both of end portions of the unit mask strips in a lengthwise direction of the unit mask strips;

each of the plurality of unit mask strips comprises a plurality of unit masking pattern portions each comprising a plurality of opening patterns; and

before the tensile force is applied to both of the end portions of the unit mask strips in the lengthwise direction and the unit mask strips are fixed to the frame, a width of each of the unit masking pattern portions in a widthwise direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction increases as a function of a closeness of a portion of the unit masking pattern portion where the width is measured to a central portion of each of the unit masking pattern portions.

2. The mask frame assembly of claim 1, wherein the width of each of the unit masking pattern portions in the widthwise direction increases with a predetermined curvature in a direction toward the central portion of each of the unit masking pattern portions.

3. The mask frame assembly of claim 2, wherein the predetermined curvature is determined in consideration of at least one selected from the group consisting of a thickness of each of the unit mask strips, a material of each of the unit mask strips, a size of each of the unit masking pattern portions, and a shape, a size, and a position of each of a plurality of opening patterns included in each of the unit masking pattern portions.

4. The mask frame assembly of claim 1, wherein before the tensile force is applied to both of the end portions of the unit mask strips in the lengthwise direction and the unit masking pattern portions are fixed to the frame, a distance between a left end of a leftmost opening pattern and a right end of a rightmost opening pattern from among opening patterns existing on the same row in the widthwise direction increases in a direction from both of the end portions of the unit masking pattern portions in the lengthwise direction toward the central portions of the unit masking pattern portions, wherein the distance is referred to as a total pitch.

5. The mask frame assembly of claim 4, wherein the total pitch is designed to increase with a predetermined curvature in a direction toward the central portions of the unit masking pattern portions.

6. The mask frame assembly of claim 5, wherein the predetermined curvature is determined in consideration of at least one selected from the group consisting of a thickness of each of the unit mask strips, a material of each of the unit mask strips, a size of each of the unit masking pattern portions, and a shape, a size, and a position of each of a plurality of opening patterns included in each of the unit masking pattern portions.

7. The mask frame assembly of claim 1, wherein the opening patterns of each of the unit masking pattern portions existing on the same column in the lengthwise direction are designed to be larger as a function of a closeness of the opening patterns to the central portion of the unit masking pattern portion.

8. The mask frame assembly of claim 1, wherein the opening patterns of each of the unit masking pattern portions existing on the same row in the widthwise direction are designed to be larger as a function of a closeness of the opening patterns to end portions of the unit masking pattern portion in the widthwise direction.

9. The mask frame assembly of claim 1, wherein after a tensile force is applied to both of the end portions of the unit mask strips in the lengthwise direction and the unit masking pattern portions are fixed to the frame, a distance between rightmost and leftmost opening patterns from among opening patterns existing on the same row in the widthwise direction is substantially constant in a direction from both of the end portions of each of the unit masking pattern portions in the lengthwise direction toward the central portion of each of the unit masking pattern portions.

10. The mask frame assembly of claim 9, wherein in each unit mask strip, the central portions of the unit masking pattern portions are approximately constantly aligned with end portions of the unit masking pattern portions in the lengthwise direction to form a substantially straight line.

11. The mask frame assembly of claim 9, wherein the plurality of opening patterns of each of the unit masking pattern portions have dot shapes and are arranged in a zigzag manner.

12. The mask frame assembly of claim 9, wherein the plurality of opening patterns of each of the unit masking pattern portions have a shape of strips.

13. The mask frame assembly of claim 9, wherein the plurality of opening patterns of each of the unit masking pattern portions have dot shapes and are aligned with one another.

14. The mask frame assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of unit mask stripes have a predetermined tension.

15. The mask frame assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of unit mask stripes comprise nickel or a nickel alloy.

16. The mask frame assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of unit mask stripes further comprises a blocking portion that surrounds the plurality of unit masking pattern portions.

17. The mask frame assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of unit mask stripes are fixed to the frame using welding.

18. The mask frame assembly of claim 17, wherein the plurality of unit mask stripes are fixed to the frame using laser welding.

19. A method of manufacturing an organic light-emitting display device,

the organic light-emitting display device including an organic film disposed between a first electrode and a second electrode that are arranged opposite to each other on a substrate,

the method comprising depositing the organic film through a mask frame assembly for thin film deposition,

the mask frame assembly comprising:

a frame including an opening portion;

a plurality of unit mask strips having both of end portions in a lengthwise direction welded and fixed to the frame;

each of the plurality of unit mask strips comprises a plurality of unit masking pattern portions each comprising a plurality of opening patterns;

before a tensile force is applied to both of the end portions of the unit mask strips in the lengthwise direction and the unit mask strips are fixed to the frame, a distance between rightmost and leftmost opening patterns from among opening patterns existing on the same row in a widthwise direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction increases as a function of a closeness of the row to a central portion of each of the unit masking pattern portions; and

after a tensile force is applied to both of the end portions of the unit mask strips in the lengthwise direction and the unit masking pattern portions are fixed to the frame, the distance between rightmost and leftmost opening patterns from among opening patterns existing on the same row in the widthwise direction is substantially constant in a direction from both of the end portions of each of the unit masking pattern portions in the lengthwise direction toward the central portion of each of the unit masking pattern portions.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the organic film further comprises at least one organic emitting layer, and the organic emitting layer is formed by deposition performed by the mask frame assembly for thin film deposition.