Mask and fabrication method thereof, and method of patterning by using mask

• US 9,488,917 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2015
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing BOE Optoelectronics Technology Co Ltd. (BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.), BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Beijing BOE Optoelectronics Technology Co Ltd. (BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.), BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Shi, Dawei, Liu, Hongliang
• Primary Examiner(s): McPherson, John A
• Application Number:
  US14/769,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20160252817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 430/5, 430/396, 349/4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134318 having a patterned common electrode
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1393 the birefringence of the liquid crystal being electrically controlled, e.g. ECB-, DAP-, HAN-, PI-LC cells G02F1/1396, G02F1/141 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/29 for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/62 Switchable arrangements whereby the element being usually not switchable
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/50 Mask blanks not covered by G03F1/20 - G03F1/34; Preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/20 Exposure; Apparatus therefor photographic printing apparatus for making copies G03B27/00

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a mask and a fabrication method thereof, and a method of patterning by using a mask. The mask comprises: a first substrate and a second substrate disposed oppositely; a liquid crystal layer located between the first substrate and the second substrate; a transparent conductive layer formed on the first substrate, the transparent conductive layer and the liquid crystal layer being located on a same side of the first substrate; and a mask pattern made of a non-transparent conductive material formed on the second substrate, wherein the mask pattern and the transparent electrode are configured to be capable of generating an electric field therebetween, so as to drive liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer to deflect.

Claims

1. A mask, comprising:

a first substrate and a second substrate disposed oppositely;

a liquid crystal layer located between the first substrate and the second substrate;

a transparent conductive layer formed on the first substrate, the transparent conductive layer and the liquid crystal layer being located on a same side of the first substrate; and

a mask pattern of a non-transparent conductive material formed on the second substrate,

wherein the mask pattern and the transparent conductive layer are configured to be capable of generating an electric field therebetween, so as to drive liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer to deflect.

2. The mask according to claim 1, wherein the mask pattern includes a first sub-mask pattern located in a first region and a second sub-mask pattern located in a second region different from the first region, the first sub-mask pattern including at least two first mask pattern portions separated at a first interval, the second sub-mask pattern including at least two second mask pattern portions separated at a second interval, and the first interval being smaller than the second interval.

3. The mask according to claim 2, wherein, all of the first mask pattern portions and all of the second mask pattern portions are electrically connected with one another.

4. The mask according to claim 3, wherein, the second substrate further includes a connection pattern made of a transparent conductive material formed thereon, and all of the first mask pattern portions and all of the second mask pattern portions are electrically connected with one another through the connection pattern.

5. The mask according to claim 3, wherein, the first mask pattern portion includes a strip electrode, the second mask pattern portion includes a strip electrode.

6. The mask according to claim 2, wherein, all of the first mask pattern portions are electrically connected with one another, all of the second mask pattern portions are electrically connected with one another, and any of the first mask pattern portions and any of the second mask pattern portions are electrically isolated.

7. The mask according to claim 2, wherein, the first mask pattern portion includes a strip electrode, the second mask pattern portion includes a strip electrode.

8. The mask according to claim 2, further comprising a voltage supply unit connected with the transparent conductive layer and the mask pattern, and configured to provide preset voltage for the mask pattern and the transparent conductive layer, to generate the electric field.

9. The mask according to claim 8, wherein, the second substrate further includes a connection pattern made of a transparent conductive material formed thereon, and all of the first mask pattern portions and all of the second mask pattern portions are electrically connected with one another through the connection pattern.

10. The mask according to claim 1, further comprising a voltage supply unit connected with the transparent conductive layer and the mask pattern, and configured to provide preset voltage for the mask pattern and the transparent conductive layer, to generate the electric field.

11. The mask according to claim 10, wherein, all of the first mask pattern portions and all of the second mask pattern portions are electrically connected with one another.

12. The mask according to claim 11, wherein, the second substrate further includes a connection pattern made of a transparent conductive material formed thereon, and all of the first mask pattern portions and all of the second mask pattern portions are electrically connected with one another through the connection pattern.

13. The mask according to claim 10, wherein, all of the first mask pattern portions are electrically connected with one another, all of the second mask pattern portions are electrically connected with one another, and any of the first mask pattern portions and any of the second mask pattern portions are electrically isolated.

14. The mask according to claim 10, wherein, the first mask pattern portion includes a strip electrode, the second mask pattern portion includes a strip electrode.

15. The mask according to claim 1, wherein, the mask pattern and the liquid crystal layer are located on two sides of the second substrate, respectively.

16. The mask according to claim 1, wherein, the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer have preset pretilt angle.

17. The mask according to claim 1, wherein, a forming material for the mask pattern includes metallic chromium.

18. A patterning method by using a mask, wherein, the mask is the mask according to claim 1, the method comprising:

providing preset voltage for the mask pattern and the transparent conductive layer by the voltage supply unit, to generate an electric field therebetween, so as to drive liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer to deflect;

irradiating the first substrate, so that part of light passes through the first substrate, the transparent conductive layer, the liquid crystal layer and the second substrate sequentially, and exits from a region of the second substrate without the mask pattern thereon.

19. A fabrication method of a mask, comprising:

forming a transparent conductive layer on a first substrate;

forming a mask pattern on a second substrate, a forming material for the mask pattern including a non-transparent conductive material;

cell-assembling the first substrate and the second substrate, and forming a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate, the transparent conductive layer and the liquid crystal layer being located on a sane side of the first substrate;

forming electrical connection between a voltage supply unit and the transparent conductive layer and electrical connection between the voltage supply unit and the mask pattern, the voltage supply unit being configured to provide preset voltage for the mask pattern and the transparent conductive layer, to generate an electric field for driving liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer to deflect.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein, after the forming a mask pattern on a second substrate, the method further comprises:

forming a connection pattern on the second substrate, a forming material for the connection pattern including a transparent conductive material, and the connection pattern being configured to electrically connect the mask pattern portions separated from one another.