METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING A STRETCHABLE ELECTRONIC ELEMENT

• US 20190327828A1
• Filed: 12/14/2018
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: LIM, Jong Tae, KANG, Seung Youl, KOO, Jae Bon, AHN, Seongdeok, LEE, JEONG IK, NA, Bock Soon, LEE, Hyunkoo, CHO, Sung Haeng
• Granted Patent: US 10,986,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/144 using layers with different mechanical or chemical conditions or properties, e.g. layers with different thermal shrinkage, layers under tension during bonding constructional features for tensioning B32B38/1825
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67092 Apparatus for mechanical treatment or grinding or cutting, see the relevant groups in subclasses B24B or B28D
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67132 Apparatus for placing on an insulating substrate, e.g. tape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6835 using temporarily an auxiliary support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6838 with gripping and holding devices using a vacuum; Bernoulli devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68785 characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0283 Stretchable printed circuits

Abstract

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, by providing an apparatus for fabricating a stretchable electronic element including a chamber, a plurality of sample portions loaded into the chamber and spaced apart from each other, while the chamber is maintained at atmospheric pressure, and a movable member moving the plurality of sample portions and compressing each of the plurality of sample portions together while the chamber is kept under vacuum, it is possible to fabricate variable stretchable electronic elements.

Claims

1. An apparatus for fabricating a stretchable electronic element, comprising:

a chamber;

a plurality of sample portions loaded into the chamber and spaced apart from each other, while the chamber is maintained at atmospheric pressure; and

a movable member moving the plurality of sample portions and compressing each of the plurality of sample portions together, while the chamber is kept under vacuum.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising

a plurality of vacuum chucks to load the plurality of sample portions, and configured to remove air in the chamber to maintain a vacuum state in the chamber.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the plurality of sample portions include an upper sample portion, a middle sample portion, and a lower sample portion spaced apart from each other in a first axis direction, and

further comprising a stretchable jig unit configured to extend the middle sample portion in a second direction orthogonal to the first axis direction, prior to compressing the plurality of sample portions together by the movable member.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein

the stretchable jig unit is radially formed to radially stretch the middle sample portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein

the upper sample portion is compressed to a first region of the middle sample portion, and includes a support film configured to induce a pattern of a second direction in a second region of the middle region which is a region other than the first region.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein

the pattern of the second direction includes a planar structure or a buckling structure.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the support film includes a buckling support film, and

the buckling support film includes a glass film, a ceramic film, a metal thin film, or a plastic film.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein

the support film is shaped as a circular cylinder, a triangular column, a quadrangular column, or a cone with the central part cut off.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein

a Young'"'"'s modulus of the support film is at least 0.1 MPa.

10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein

the upper sample portion is disposed on the support film, and includes a first pressure dispersion layer configured to uniformly disperse pressure by the upper sample portion to the middle sample portion through the support film.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the middle sample portion includes

an adhesive film, and

a first release film patterned on the adhesive film to block the adhesive film from the first pressure dispersion layer and protect the adhesive film from the first pressure dispersion layer.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein

the movable member compresses the plurality of sample portions under pressure of 10⁻

2 MPa to 10⁶ MPa.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the lower sample portion includes:

an electronic element;

a second pressure dispersion layer disposed under the electronic element, and constantly dispersing pressure by the lower sample portion to the middle sample portion through the electronic element; and

a second release film disposed between the second pressure dispersion layer and the electronic element to block the second pressure dispersion layer from the adhesive film and protect the adhesive film from the second pressure dispersion film.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the lower sample portion includes:

a heat-resistant substrate configured to support the electronic element, and

a sacrificial film disposed between the heat-resistant substrate and the electronic element, and configured to support the electronic element.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein

a thickness of the heat-resistant substrate is between 100 nm and 1000 μ

m.

16. The apparatus of claim 13,

further comprising a plurality of other electronic elements different from the electronic element, and

wherein the electronic element and the plurality of other electronic elements are disposed in a vertical structure, a parallel structure, a tandem structure, or a composite structure.

17. A method for fabricating a stretchable electronic element, comprising:

loading an upper sample;

loading a lower sample under the upper sample;

loading a middle sample between the upper sample and the lower sample;

stretching the middle sample;

maintaining vacuum by removing air between the upper sample and the middle sample, while maintaining a distance between the upper sample and the middle sample;

moving the upper sample to the middle sample while maintaining the vacuum to uniformly compress the upper sample to the middle sample;

maintaining the vacuum by removing air between the lower sample and the middle sample while maintaining a distance between the lower sample and the middle sample; and

moving the compressed upper and middle samples to the lower sample, while maintaining the vacuum, and uniformly compressing the middle sample to the lower sample.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein

the upper, middle, and lower samples are spaced in a first direction, and

stretching the lower sample includes stretching the lower sample in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

releasing the stretched lower sample to generate a pattern of the second direction in a first region of the middle sample.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein

loading the lower sample under the upper sample includes loading a support film compressed to a second region of the middle region different from the first region, and inducing a pattern in the second region in the second direction.