MASK ASSEMBLY FOR THIN FILM DEPOSITION AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

• US 20170369983A1
• Filed: 06/22/2017
• Published: 12/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: YI, Sangmin
• Granted Patent: US 10,266,935 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/042 using masks
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/185 by cathodic sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/00 Etching metallic material by chemical means manufacture of printing surfaces B41C; manufacture of printed circuits H05K

Abstract

A mask assembly for thin film deposition and a method of manufacturing the same. The mask assembly includes a glass mask having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, a first metal layer patterned above the first surface of the glass mask, and a second metal layer patterned below the second surface of the glass mask. A plurality of deposition areas are arranged on the glass mask, and a plurality of deposition pattern portions each having a plurality of slits are patterned in the plurality of deposition areas.

Claims

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

a glass mask comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;

a first metal layer patterned above the first surface of the glass mask; and

a second metal layer patterned below the second surface of the glass mask,

wherein;

a plurality of deposition areas are arranged on the glass mask; and

a plurality of deposition pattern portions, each comprising a plurality of slits, are patterned in the deposition areas.

2. The mask assembly of claim 1, wherein the deposition areas are respectively arranged in openings penetrating the glass mask and spaced apart from one another in the glass mask.

3. The mask assembly of claim 2, wherein the deposition areas correspond to an active area of a substrate on which a deposition material is to be deposited, and a plurality of slit patterns of each of the deposition pattern portions correspond to a plurality of light-emission layer patterns arranged in the active area.

4. The mask assembly of claim 2, wherein the first metal layer extends from the first surface of the glass mask toward the deposition area, and the slits are patterned in the first metal layer corresponding to the deposition areas.

5. The mask assembly of claim 2, wherein each opening in the second surface of the glass mask is larger than each opening in the first surface of the glass mask.

6. The mask assembly of claim 5, wherein each opening in the first surface of the glass mask corresponds to each deposition area.

7. The mask assembly of claim 5, wherein a second diameter of each opening in the second surface of the glass mask is greater than a first diameter of each opening in the first surface of the glass mask.

8. The mask assembly of claim 6, wherein an inner peripheral wall of the glass mask surrounding each opening is inclined.

9. The mask assembly of claim 8, wherein a diameter of the inner peripheral wall of the glass mask is gradually increased from the first surface to the second surface of the glass mask.

10. The mask assembly of claim 2, wherein a rib that connects portions of the glass mask is arranged between adjacent deposition areas.

11. The mask assembly of claim 1, wherein the first metal layer comprises a plurality of stacked conductive layers.

12. The mask assembly of claim 1, wherein the first surface of the glass mask is a surface facing a substrate on which a deposition material is to be deposited, and the second surface of the glass mask is a surface on which a deposition material emitted from a deposition source is incident.

13. The mask assembly of claim 1, wherein a support stick is further arranged below the glass mask.

14. The mask assembly of claim 1, wherein the glass mask is a mother mask on which a plurality of deposition pattern portions are arranged in a plurality of deposition areas.

15. The mask assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the glass mask comprises a plurality of stick masks; and

each of the stick masks comprises a plurality of deposition pattern portions arranged in a plurality of deposition areas.

16. A method of manufacturing a mask assembly for thin film deposition, the method comprising:

preparing a glass mask;

patterning a metal layer on both a first surface and a second surface of the glass mask to form a plurality of deposition pattern portions; and

removing a part of the glass mask to form an opening in a region corresponding to a deposition area in which the deposition pattern portions are patterned.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

forming a first metal layer above the first surface of the glass mask;

forming a second metal layer below the second surface of the glass mask;

etching the first metal layer and the second metal layer; and

patterning a plurality of slits in a region corresponding to each deposition pattern portion in which the first metal layer is to be formed, and performing etching so that an opening larger than the deposition area is formed in the second metal layer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer are patterned by plating or sputtering.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the glass mask is etched from the second surface of the glass mask to form an opening larger than the deposition area through the region in which the second metal layer is etched.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein portions of the glass mask surrounding adjacent deposition areas are connected to each other.