METHOD OF FABRICATING SPUTTERING TARGET, SPUTTERING TARGET USING THE METHOD, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING DISPLAY APPARATUS USING THE SPUTTERING TARGET

• US 20150014151A1
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shin, Sang-Wook, Jung, Sun-Young, Lee, Il-Sang, Park, Jin-Woo, Kim, Dong-Jin
• Granted Patent: US 9,598,764 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/192.26
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/086 of zinc, germanium, cadmium, indium, tin, thallium or bismuth
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/3414 Metallurgical or chemical aspects of target preparation, e.g. casting, powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3414 Targets
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3426 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3429 Plural materials
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/873 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass

Abstract

A method of fabricating a sputtering target includes preparing a first powder material including at least one of a tin oxide and a mesh-forming oxide; mixing the first powder material and a second powder material comprising carbon or a tin oxide to prepare a mixture; simultaneously performing a primary compression and primary sintering on the mixture in a reduction atmosphere; and simultaneously performing a secondary compression and secondary sintering on the mixture in the reduction atmosphere to prepare the sputtering target.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a sputtering target, the method comprising:

preparing a first powder material comprising at least one of a tin oxide and a mesh-forming oxide;

mixing the first powder material and a second powder material to prepare a mixture, wherein the second powder material comprises carbon or a tin oxide;

simultaneously performing a primary compression and a primary sintering on the mixture in a reduction atmosphere; and

simultaneously performing a secondary compression and a secondary sintering on the mixture in the reduction atmosphere to prepare the sputtering target.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the preparing of the first powder material further comprises:

preparing a raw material mixture by mixing a first raw material and a second raw material in a moisture-free environment, wherein the first raw material comprises at least one of the tin oxide or the mesh forming oxide, and the second raw material comprises at least one of a phosphorus oxide, a boron phosphate, a tin fluoride, a niobium oxide, a lead fluoride, a silicon oxide, a tungsten oxide, an indium oxide, a bismuth oxide, a zinc oxide, and a boron oxide;

melting the raw material mixture in a vacuum to prepare a melt;

solidifying and pulverizing the melt to prepare the first powder material.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon comprises at least one of carbon nanotubes, conductive carbon black powder, conductive carbon fibers, graphite, and graphene.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mixture comprises 50 wt % to 99.9 wt % of the first powder material and 0.1 wt % to 50 wt % of the second powder material.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the reduction atmosphere is formed by contacting a carbon sheet with the mixture, wherein contact between the carbon sheet and the mixture occurs in an upper part or a lower part of the mixture.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the reduction atmosphere is formed in a container comprising the mixture, and wherein the container further comprises carbon.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the primary sintering and the secondary sintering are performed as the container is heated using a high frequency induction heating technique.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the primary compression and the secondary compression are performed by pressing the mixture in the container using plates formed of a metal material.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary compression is performed at a pressure of about 150 kgf/cm² to about 350 kgf/cm², and the primary sintering is performed at a temperature of about 100°

C. to about 550°

C.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary compression is performed at a pressure of about 150 kgf/cm² to about 350 kgf/cm², and the secondary sintering is performed at a temperature of about 150°

C. to about 450°

C.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the sputtering target comprises a tin metal layer formed on a surface of the first powder material.

12. A sputtering target fabricated by a method comprising:

preparing a first powder material comprising at least one of a tin oxide and a mesh-forming oxide;

mixing the first powder material and a second powder material to prepare a mixture, wherein the second powder material comprises carbon or a tin oxide;

simultaneously performing a primary compression and a primary sintering on the mixture in a reduction atmosphere; and

simultaneously performing a secondary compression and a second sintering on the mixture in the reduction atmosphere to prepare the sputtering target,

wherein the sputtering target comprises the first powder material and wherein a tin metal layer is formed on a surface of the first powder material.

13. The sputtering target of claim 12 further comprising at least one of a phosphorus oxide, a boron phosphate, a tin fluoride, a niobium oxide, a lead fluoride, a silicon oxide, a tungsten oxide, an indium oxide, a bismuth oxide, a zinc oxide, and a boron oxide.

14. The sputtering target of claim 12, wherein the carbon comprises at least one of carbon nanotubes, conductive carbon black powder, conductive carbon fibers, graphite, and graphene.

15. The sputtering target of claim 12, wherein an electrical resistance of the sputtering target is smaller than an electrical resistance of the first powder material.

16. The sputtering target of claim 12, wherein the primary compression is performed at a pressure in a range of about 150 kgf/cm² to about 350 kgf/cm², the primary sintering is performed at a temperature of about 100°

C. to about 550°

C., the secondary compression is performed at a pressure of about 150 kgf/cm² to about 350 kgf/cm², the secondary sintering is performed at a temperature of about 150°

C. to about 450°

C.

17. A method of manufacturing an organic light-emitting display apparatus, the method comprising:

forming an organic light-emitting unit on a substrate, wherein the organic light-emitting unit comprises a lower electrode, an organic light-emitting layer, and an upper electrode; and

forming a thin film encapsulation which seals the organic light-emitting unit, wherein the thin film encapsulation is formed by a sputtering method using a sputtering target comprising a first powder material, wherein the first powder material comprises at least one of a tin oxide and a mesh-forming oxide and a tin metal layer formed on a surface of the first powder material.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the sputtering target further comprises at least one of a phosphorus oxide, a boron phosphate, a tin fluoride, a niobium oxide, a lead fluoride, a silicon oxide, a tungsten oxide, an indium oxide, a bismuth oxide, a zinc oxide, and a boron oxide, and the thin film encapsulation further comprises at least one of a phosphorus oxide, a boron phosphate, a tin fluoride, a niobium oxide, a lead fluoride, a silicon oxide, a tungsten oxide, an indium oxide, a bismuth oxide, a zinc oxide, and a boron oxide.