Method for attaching substrate and apparatus for attaching substrate

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method for attaching a substrate and an apparatus for attaching a substrate, the method comprising: placing a substrate with a release film attached on a shuttle table; peeling the release film from the substrate; lifting the substrate from the shuttle table by a conveying unit; spraying gas toward the substrate by a gas supplier so that the substrate is convexly bent in a direction away from the gas supplier; conveying the substrate into a chamber by the conveying unit; placing the substrate on a main table in the chamber; and attaching the substrate to an adherend.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0045501, filed on Apr. 19, 2018, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein. Technical Field

[0003] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods of attaching substrates, and more particularly, to apparatuses for attaching substrates. Background Art

[0004] Display devices may be classified into liquid crystal display ("LCD") devices, organic light emitting diode ("OLED") display devices, plasma display panel ("PDP") devices, electrophoretic display devices, and the like based on their light emitting mechanisms.

[0005] In general, a display device includes a window, a display panel, and a plurality of functional films, each of which can be attached to an adjacent component. A release film can be attached to a surface of one of at least two objects to be attached, so that an attachment process can be performed after removing the release film. However, impurities such as dust and debris may be generated during the removal of the release film, and the impurities may reduce the accuracy of the attachment process.

[0006] If the accuracy of the attachment process is reduced, the adhesion between the objects to be attached may be reduced, and thus the reliability and display quality of the display device may be reduced. Therefore, a method of stably and accurately attaching a substrate and an apparatus for stably and accurately attaching a substrate are required.

[0007] The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for understanding the background of the inventive concept and therefore the above information may contain information that does not constitute the prior art. Summary of the invention

[0008] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a method of stably and accurately attaching a substrate and an apparatus for stably and accurately attaching a substrate to improve reliability and display quality of a display device.

[0009] Additional features of the inventive concept will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the inventive concept.

[0010] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention discloses a method for attaching a substrate, the method comprising: placing a substrate with a release film attached thereto on a shuttle table; peeling off the release film from the substrate; lifting the substrate from the shuttle table by a conveying unit; spraying gas toward the substrate by a gas supplier so that the substrate is convexly bent in a direction away from the gas supplier; conveying the substrate into a chamber by the conveying unit; placing the substrate on a main table in the chamber; and attaching the substrate to an adherend.

[0011] The substrate may include a base layer and an adhesive layer, and the conveying unit may not contact an upper surface of the adhesive layer.

[0012] In the process of transferring the substrate into the chamber by the transfer unit, the substrate may be transferred in a bent state.

[0013] In placing the substrate on the main stage in the chamber, the substrate may contact the main stage sequentially from a central portion of the substrate to an edge portion of the substrate.

[0014] The gas supplier may spray a gas toward the substrate in a process of placing the substrate on the main stage in the chamber.

[0015] In the process of placing the substrate on the main stage in the chamber, the substrate may be vacuum-adsorbed to the main stage through at least one hole defined in the main stage.

[0016] The main stage may include a central portion and a peripheral portion between the central portion and the edge, and the main stage may have a plurality of first holes located at the central portion and a plurality of second holes located at the peripheral portion.

[0017] In the process of placing the substrate on the main stage in the chamber, the substrate may be vacuum-absorbed through the plurality of first holes, and then the substrate may be vacuum-absorbed through the plurality of second holes.

[0018] In the process of placing the substrate on the main stage in the chamber, the substrate may be fixed by an adsorption pad located at the first hole, and then the substrate may be vacuum-adsorbed through the plurality of second holes.

[0019] The transfer unit may include two transfer members disposed to be separated from each other, and the substrate is inserted between the two transfer members.

[0020] The two transfer members may move in a direction approaching each other in a process in which the gas supplier sprays the gas toward the substrate so that the substrate is convexly bent in the direction away from the gas supplier.

[0021] In a process of placing the substrate on the main stage in the chamber, the two transfer members may be moved in directions away from each other.

[0022] In a process in which the substrate is transferred into the chamber by the transfer unit, the substrate may be vacuum-adsorbed to the transfer member through at least one hole defined in the transfer member.

[0023] The transfer unit may further include a support frame connected to the two transfer members, and each of the two transfer members may have an inclined surface opposite to the support frame.

[0024] The method may further include performing a plasma process on the substrate after peeling the release film from the substrate and before the transfer unit lifts the substrate from the shuttle stage.

[0025] The method may further include cleaning the substrate to which the release film is attached before peeling the release film from the substrate.

[0026] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention also provides an apparatus for attaching a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a shuttle stage, which is configured to support and transfer the substrate; a main stage, which is located in a chamber; a conveying unit, which is configured to transfer the substrate from the shuttle stage to the main stage; and a gas supplier, which is arranged to be separated from the shuttle stage, the substrate is inserted between the gas supplier and the shuttle stage, and the gas supplier sprays gas toward the substrate.

[0027] The substrate may include a base layer and an adhesive layer, and the conveying unit may not contact an upper surface of the adhesive layer.

[0028] The conveying unit may include a supporting frame and two conveying members connected to the supporting frame and opposite to each other, and each of the two conveying members may have an inclined surface opposite to the supporting frame.

[0029] Each of the two transfer members may have a plurality of holes.

[0030] The gas supplier and the transfer unit may be integrally formed as an integral structure.

[0031] The gas supplier may be disposed separately from the main stage, the substrate may be inserted between the gas supplier and the main stage, and the gas supplier may spray a gas toward the substrate.

[0032] The main stage may have a plurality of holes.

[0033] The apparatus may further include an adsorption pad located at at least one hole among the plurality of holes.

[0034] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the inventive concept.

[0036] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an apparatus for attaching a substrate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of attaching a substrate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 3A , Figure 3B , Figure 3C , Figure 3D , Figure 3E and Figure 3F is a cross-sectional view illustrating a method of attaching a substrate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 4 is a plan view showing a first main stage according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a first main stage, an adsorption pad, and a substrate according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a conveying unit according to still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a conveying unit according to still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] In the following description, for the purpose of explanation, many specific details are set forth to provide a comprehensive understanding of various exemplary embodiments of the invention. As used herein, "embodiment" is a non-limiting example of a device or method using one or more inventive concepts disclosed herein. However, it is apparent that various exemplary embodiments can be implemented without these specific details or with one or more equivalent arrangements. In other cases, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to avoid making various exemplary embodiments unnecessarily obscure. In addition, various exemplary embodiments may be different, but not necessarily exclusive. For example, without departing from the inventive concept, the specific shapes, configurations, and characteristics in the exemplary embodiment may be used or implemented in another exemplary embodiment.

[0044] Unless otherwise specified, the illustrated exemplary embodiments will be understood as providing exemplary features of different details of some ways in which the inventive concept can be implemented in practice. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, the features, components, modules, layers, films, panels, regions and / or aspects, etc. (hereinafter, individually or collectively referred to as "elements") of the various embodiments may be combined, separated, interchanged and / or rearranged in other ways without departing from the inventive concept.

[0045] The use of cross hatching and / or shading in the drawings is generally provided to make the boundaries between adjacent elements clear. Thus, unless otherwise specified, the presence or absence of cross hatching or shading does not convey or indicate any preference or requirement for the specific material, material properties, size, ratio, commonality between the elements shown, and / or any other characteristics, attributes or performance of the elements. In addition, in the drawings, the size and relative size of the elements can be magnified for the purpose of clarity and / or description. When the exemplary embodiments can be implemented differently, the specific process sequence can be performed differently from the described order. For example, two continuously described processes can be performed substantially simultaneously or in an order opposite to the described order. In addition, the same reference numerals represent the same elements.

[0046] When an element or layer is described as being "on" another element or another layer, "connected to" another element or another layer, or "coupled to" another element or another layer, the element or layer may be directly on the other element or another layer, directly connected to the other element or another layer, or directly coupled to the other element or another layer, or there may be an intermediate element or intermediate layer. However, when an element or layer is described as being "directly on" another element or another layer, "directly connected to" another element or another layer, or "directly coupled to" another element or another layer, there is no intermediate element or intermediate layer. For this purpose, the term "connection" may refer to a physical connection, electrical connection, and / or fluid connection with or without an intermediate element. In addition, the D1 axis, the D2 axis, and the D3 axis are not limited to the three axes of a rectangular coordinate system such as an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis, and may be interpreted in a broader sense. For example, the D1 axis, the D2 axis, and the D3 axis may be perpendicular to each other, or may represent different directions that are not perpendicular to each other. For the purpose of this disclosure, "at least one of X, Y, and Z" and "at least one selected from the group consisting of X, Y, and Z" may be interpreted as only X, only Y, only Z, or any combination of two or more of X, Y, and Z, such as XYZ, XYY, YZ, and ZZ for example. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed associated items.

[0047] Although the terms "first" and "second" etc. may be used herein to describe various types of elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element from another element. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure, the first element discussed below may be referred to as the second element.

[0048] For descriptive purposes, spatially relative terms such as "under," "below," "below," "down," "above," "upper," "above," "higher," or "side" (e.g., as in "sidewall") may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element(s) to another element(s) as shown in the figures. In addition to the orientations depicted in the figures, the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use, operation, and / or manufacture. For example, if the device in the figures is flipped, an element described as "under" or "beneath" other elements or other features would subsequently be positioned as "above" the other elements or other features. Thus, the exemplary term "under" may encompass both above and below orientations. Furthermore, the device may be otherwise positioned (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein are interpreted accordingly.

[0049] The term used in the text is to describe the purpose of specific embodiments, and is not intended to be restrictive. As used in the text, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form "one", "a kind of" and "said" are also intended to include plural forms. Moreover, when the term "comprising" is used in this specification, the term description has stated features, integral bodies, steps, operations, elements, assemblies and / or their groups, but does not exclude the existence or addition of one or more other features, other integral bodies, other steps, other operations, other elements, other assemblies and / or their groups. It is also noted that, as used in the text, the term "substantially", "about" and other similar terms are used as approximate terms rather than degree terms, so that the term "substantially", "about" and other similar terms are used to explain the measured values, calculated values ​​and / or the inherent deviation of the provided value that a person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize.

[0050] Various exemplary embodiments are described herein with reference to cross-sectional views and / or exploded views that are schematic diagrams of idealized exemplary embodiments and / or intermediate structures. As such, variations in the shapes of the illustrations due to, for example, manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances are expected. Therefore, the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein should not necessarily be interpreted as being limited to the specific illustrated shapes of the regions, but will include shape deviations due to, for example, manufacturing. In this manner, the regions illustrated in the figures may be schematic in nature, and the shapes of these regions may not reflect the actual shapes of the regions of the device, and as such, are not necessarily intended to be restrictive.

[0051] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure is a part. Terms (such as those defined in general dictionaries) should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense, unless explicitly defined in the text.

[0052] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 1 An apparatus for attaching a substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0053] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an apparatus for attaching a substrate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] Reference Figure 1 , an apparatus for attaching a substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a shuttle stage 110 , a transfer unit 120 , a gas supplier 130 , a first main stage 210 , a second main stage 220 , and a chamber 250 .

[0055] The shuttle stage 110 may have a flat plate shape. The shuttle stage 110 may support and convey an object to be processed, such as manufacturing or inspection. The shuttle stage 110 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may support and convey a substrate 10 for an attachment process. In this case, the substrate 10 may be any one of a window, a display panel, and a functional film constituting a display device. The shuttle stage 110 may convey the substrate 10 placed on the shuttle stage 110 in a predetermined direction. For example, the shuttle stage 110 may convey the substrate 10 to a position where each step of a cleaning process, a stripping process, a plasma process, etc. for the substrate 10 is performed.

[0056] The transfer unit 120 may lift the substrate 10 placed on the shuttle stage 110 or install the substrate 10 on the shuttle stage 110, and may lift the substrate 10 placed on the shuttle stage 110 and transfer the substrate 10 to a position for the next process. Similarly, the transfer unit 120 may lift the substrate 10 placed on the first main stage 210 or the second main stage 220 to be described later or install the substrate 10 on the first main stage 210 or the second main stage 220, and may lift the substrate 10 placed on the first main stage 210 or the second main stage 220 and transfer the substrate 10 to a position for the next process.

[0057] The conveying unit 120 includes a supporting frame 121 and two conveying members 125 located at opposite ends of the supporting frame 121. In addition, although not shown, the conveying unit 120 may further include a driver. The driver may convey the supporting frame 121 and the conveying member 125 and adjust the interval between the two conveying members 125.

[0058] The support frame 121 supports the transfer member 125. The support frame 121 may have a planar plate shape and may be disposed substantially parallel to the shuttle 110. However, the present inventive concept is not limited thereto, and the support frame 121 may include a plurality of support rods arranged parallel to each other.

[0059] The two conveying members 125 are disposed at opposite ends of the supporting frame 121 facing each other. Figure 1 As shown in FIG. 1 , each of the conveying members 125 may have an “L” shape in a cross-sectional view. In detail, each of the conveying members 125 includes a vertical rod 125a perpendicular to the support frame 121 and a horizontal rod 125b bent and extended from the vertical rod 125a and opposite to the support frame 121. The substrate 10 may be mounted on the horizontal rod 125b of the conveying member 125 and conveyed.

[0060] The transfer member 125 may be linearly movable in a direction parallel to the support frame 121. In other words, the two transfer members 125 may be linearly movable in directions opposite to each other. In addition, the transfer unit 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be rotated so that the two transfer members 125 are located above the support frame 121. Therefore, the substrate 10 transferred by the transfer unit 120 may be located not only on the upper surface of the first main stage 210 to be described below, but also on the lower surface of the second main stage 220 to be described below.

[0061] The gas supplier 130 may spray gas toward the shuttle stage 110, the first main stage 210, or the second main stage 220. Specifically, the gas supplier 130 may spray gas toward the substrate 10 located above the shuttle stage 110, the first main stage 210, or the second main stage 220. The gas may be air or nitrogen, but exemplary embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0062] When the gas supplier 130 sprays gas toward the substrate 10 located above the shuttle stage 110, a direction in which the substrate 10 is bent may be determined. In addition, when the gas supplier 130 sprays gas toward the substrate 10 located above the first main stage 210 or the second main stage 220, the substrate 10 may be placed on the first main stage 210 or the second main stage 220 in close contact with the first main stage 210 or the second main stage 220, which will be described in detail later.

[0063] The gas supplier 130 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be integrated with the support frame 121 of the transfer unit 120, thereby being integrally formed as a one-piece structure with the transfer unit 120. However, the present inventive concept is not limited thereto, and the gas supplier 130 may be separately formed without being integrated with the transfer unit 120.

[0064] The first main stage 210 and the second main stage 220 can support and fix an object to be processed in the chamber 250, such as a manufacturing process and an inspection process. For example, the first main stage 210 can support and fix a substrate 10 for an attachment process, and the second main stage 220 can support and fix an adherend to which the substrate 10 is to be attached. On the other hand, the second main stage 220 can support and fix a substrate 10 for an attachment process, and the first main stage 210 can support and fix an adherend to which the substrate 10 is to be attached. In this case, each of the substrate 10 and the adherend can be any one of a window, a display panel, and a functional film constituting a display device.

[0065] The first main stage 210 may have a planar plate shape. However, the present inventive concept is not limited thereto, and the first main stage 210 may have a convex shape toward the second main stage 220.

[0066] The first main stage 210 may fix the substrate 10 or the adherend on the upper surface of the first main stage 210. The first main stage 210 may have a plurality of holes 211 for vacuum adsorption of the substrate 10 or the adherend. The plurality of holes 211 may be connected to a vacuum unit such as a vacuum pump, and the substrate 10 or the adherend may be vacuum adsorbed on the upper surface of the first main stage 210 through the plurality of holes 211 connected to the vacuum unit.

[0067] The first main stage 210 may move up and down. In addition, although not shown, the apparatus for attaching a substrate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include a pressure pad or an elastic sheet, etc., for pressing the substrate 10 and the adherend.

[0068] The second main stage 220 is disposed opposite to the first main stage 210. The opposite ends of the second main stage 220 may have a curved shape. Specifically, the second main stage 220 may have a concave shape toward the first main stage 210. However, the inventive concept is not limited thereto, and the second main stage 220 may have a planar plate shape similar to the first main stage 210.

[0069] The second main stage 220 may fix the substrate 10 or the adherend on the lower surface of the second main stage 220 opposite to the first main stage 210. The second main stage 220 may have a plurality of holes 221 for vacuum adsorption of the substrate 10 or the adherend. The plurality of holes 221 may be connected to a vacuum unit such as a vacuum pump, and the substrate 10 or the adherend may be vacuum adsorbed on the lower surface of the second main stage 220 through the plurality of holes 221 connected to the vacuum unit.

[0070] In addition, although the second main stage 220 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described as fixing the substrate 10 or the adherend by the vacuum adsorption method, the present inventive concept is not limited thereto and the substrate 10 or the adherend may be fixed in various ways.

[0071] The chamber 250 defines a certain space and accommodates the first main stage 210 and the second main stage 220. The chamber 250 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a first chamber 250a and a second chamber 250b. The first chamber 250a provides a space in which the first main stage 210 is provided, and the second chamber 250b provides a space in which the second main stage 220 is provided.

[0072] The first chamber 250a and the second chamber 250b may be spaced apart from each other and may be closely coupled to each other. When the first chamber 250a and the second chamber 250b are spaced apart from each other, a substrate 10 such as a window, a display panel or a functional film may be moved into or out of the space between the first chamber 250a and the second chamber 250b. On the other hand, when the first chamber 250a and the second chamber 250b are closely coupled to each other, the space defined by the first chamber 250a and the second chamber 250b may be sealed. However, the inventive concept is not limited thereto, and the chamber 250 may have a single structure with an inlet. In addition, although not shown, the apparatus for attaching a substrate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may also include a vacuum pump connected to the chamber 250 to adjust the pressure of the space defined by the chamber 250 or to set a vacuum state.

[0073] In the following, reference will be made to Figures 2 to 4 A method of attaching a substrate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0074] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of attaching a substrate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3A to FIG. 3F is a cross-sectional view illustrating a method of attaching a substrate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 4 is a plan view showing a first main stage according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0075] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3A , the substrate 10 to which the release film 13 is attached is set on the shuttle table 110 (S11). In this case, the substrate 10 includes a base layer 11 and an adhesive layer 12 provided on one surface of the base layer 11. The substrate 10 may have a flexible property. The substrate 10 may be any one of a window, a display panel, and a functional film constituting a display device. Specifically, the base layer 11 of the substrate 10 may be any one of a window, a display panel, and a functional film.

[0076] The shuttle table 110 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may have a width smaller than that of the substrate 10. For example, Figure 3A As shown in , when the width of the shuttle 110 is defined as the first width W1 and the width of the substrate 10 is defined as the second width W2, the first width W1 may be smaller than the second width W2. The substrate 10 on the shuttle 110 is lifted by the conveying unit 120 in a subsequent process. Since the opposite ends of the substrate 10 are disposed further outward than the opposite ends of the shuttle 110, the substrate 10 on the shuttle 110 may be easily lifted by the conveying unit 120.

[0077] The adhesive layer 12 may be pre-attached to one surface of the base layer 11 or coated on one surface of the base layer 11 so that the substrate 10 is attached to an adherend. The adhesive layer 12 may be at least one of known adhesives such as an acrylic adhesive, a silicone adhesive, and an adhesive containing an acid-free hydroxyl group.

[0078] The thickness of the adhesive layer 12 is not specifically limited, and may be appropriately selected in consideration of the type or purpose of use of the substrate, etc. For example, the adhesive layer 12 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may have a thickness in the range of from about 0.5 μm to about 50 μm, preferably in the range of from about 5 μm to about 40 μm. When the thickness of the adhesive layer 12 is less than about 0.5 μm, it is difficult to obtain an adhesive layer 12 with a uniform thickness or the adhesion may be relatively low. When the thickness of the adhesive layer 12 exceeds about 50 μm, the overall thickness of the substrate 10 may be increased.

[0079] The release film 13 protects the substrate 10 from dust, debris, moisture, and other contaminants until the substrate 10 is used during the process. Generally, the release film 13 is attached to the adhesive layer 12 of the substrate 10 and separated from the adhesive layer 12 immediately before use.

[0080] For example, polyethylene film, polypropylene film, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer film, polyvinyl chloride film, polyvinylidene chloride film, polystyrene film, polycarbonate film, polyamide film, polyethylene terephthalate film, polyvinyl alcohol film, polyurethane film, polytetrafluoroethylene film or acrylic film, or a mixed film or laminated film of two or more thereof may be used as the release film 13, but the inventive concept is not limited thereto. In addition, the release film 13 may be released by alkyd type silicon powder, silicone type silicon powder, fluorine type silicon powder, unsaturated ester type silicon powder, polyolefin type silicon powder or wax type silicon powder, etc.

[0081] The thickness of the release film 13 is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected in consideration of the kind of substrate or the purpose of use, etc. For example, the release film 13 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may have a thickness in the range from about 10 μm to about 400 μm, preferably in the range from about 10 μm to about 150 μm.

[0082] Next, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3B , the release film 13 is peeled off from the substrate 10 (S12). For example, the release film 13 may be peeled off from the substrate 10 using a peeling tape. In addition, the release film 13 may be peeled off from the substrate 10 by using a peeling unit including a peeling roller, a clamp, or an adsorption machine. In addition, the release film 13 may be directly peeled off from the substrate 10 by the user.

[0083] Impurities such as dust and debris may be generated during the peeling of the release film 13 from the substrate 10. When the peeling process is performed after the substrate 10 with the release film 13 is transferred into the chamber 250, the impurities may float in the chamber 250, or the impurities may be attached to the components contained in the chamber 250. The impurities in the chamber 250 may reduce the adhesion between the substrate 10 and the adherend, and thus the reliability and display quality of the display device may be reduced. On the other hand, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, by performing the peeling process before the substrate 10 is transferred into the chamber 250, the impurities may be substantially prevented from floating in the chamber 250 or attaching to the components contained in the chamber 250. Therefore, the reliability and display quality of the display device may be improved.

[0084] In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a cleaning process may be performed before peeling the release film 13 from the substrate 10. As described above, when the peeling process is performed after cleaning the substrate 10 to which the release film 13 is attached, generation of impurities such as dust and debris during peeling the release film 13 from the substrate 10 may be substantially minimized.

[0085] Furthermore, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a plasma process may be performed after the release film 13 is peeled off from the substrate 10. As described above, when the plasma process is performed on the substrate 10 from which the release film 13 has been peeled off, the adhesion of the adhesive layer 12 may be improved.

[0086] Next, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3C , the transfer unit 120 lifts the substrate 10 from the shuttle 110 (S13). In this case, the support frame 121 of the transfer unit 120 can move up and down, and the two transfer members 125 can move linearly in directions opposite to each other. As described above, since the shuttle 110 has a width smaller than that of the substrate 10, and the opposite ends of the substrate 10 are set to be more outward than the opposite ends of the shuttle 110, the substrate 10 on the shuttle 110 can be easily lifted by the transfer unit 120.

[0087] The conveying unit 120 does not contact the upper surface of the substrate 10. Specifically, the conveying member 125 of the conveying unit 120 directly contacts only the lower surface and the side surface of the substrate 10, and does not contact the upper surface of the substrate 10 on which the adhesive layer 12 is provided. The adhesive layer 12 of the substrate 10 from which the release film 13 has been removed is exposed to the outside. The conveying unit 120 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention does not contact the upper surface of the adhesive layer 12, so as to substantially prevent the adhesive layer 12 from being contaminated due to the contact between the conveying unit 120 and the adhesive layer 12 exposed to the outside.

[0088] Next, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3D, the two conveying members 125 linearly move in a direction approaching each other, and the gas supplier 130 sprays gas toward the substrate 10 (S14). Therefore, the substrate 10 having a flexible characteristic is convexly bent in a direction away from the gas supplier 130. The gas may be air or nitrogen, but the inventive concept is not limited thereto.

[0089] Specifically, the two conveying members 125 linearly move in a direction approaching each other, thereby causing warping of the substrate 10. Specifically, when the distance between the vertical portions 125a of the two conveying members 125 becomes smaller than the width of the substrate 10, the substrate 10 may be convexly or concavely bent in a direction away from the gas supplier 130. In this case, the gas supplier 130 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention causes the substrate 10 to be convexly bent in a direction away from the gas supplier 130 by spraying gas toward the substrate 10.

[0090] Next, if Figure 2 and Figure 3E As shown in FIG. 1 , the curved substrate 10 is transferred into the chamber 250 by the transfer unit 120 (S15), and the substrate 10 transferred into the chamber 250 is placed on the first main stage 210 (S16). In this case, the first chamber 250a and the second chamber 250b are spaced apart from each other so that the transfer unit 120, the gas supplier 250a, and the substrate 10 can enter the space between the first chamber 250a and the second chamber 250b.

[0091] When the substrate 10 transferred into the chamber 250 is placed on the first main stage 210, the substrate 10 sequentially contacts the first main stage 210 from the center portion of the substrate 10 to the end portion of the substrate 10. In detail, when the support frame 121 of the transfer unit 120 moves to be close to the first main stage 210, the substrate 10 transferred in a bent state contacts the upper surface of the first main stage 210 from the center portion of the substrate 10. Then, the two transfer members 125 linearly move in a direction away from each other. Therefore, the substrate 10 can be sequentially placed on the first main stage 210 from the center portion of the substrate 10 to the end portion of the substrate 10.

[0092] In this case, the gas supplier 130 may spray gas toward the substrate 10. This may substantially prevent bubbles from being formed between the first main stage 210 and the substrate 10, and may improve contact between the first main stage 210 and the substrate 10. The gas may be air or nitrogen, but the inventive concept is not limited thereto.

[0093] When the substrate 10 transferred into the chamber 250 is placed on the first main stage 210, the substrate 10 may be vacuum-adsorbed onto the upper surface of the first main stage 210 in sequence from the central portion of the substrate 10 to the end portion of the substrate 10. The first main stage 210 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has a plurality of holes 211 for vacuum-adsorbing the substrate 10, and the plurality of holes 211 may be connected to a vacuum unit such as a vacuum pump. The substrate 10 may first be vacuum-adsorbed by the hole 211 corresponding to the central portion of the substrate 10 among the plurality of holes 211 of the first main stage 210, and then vacuum-adsorbed by the hole 211 corresponding to the region between the central portion of the substrate 10 and the edge portion of the substrate 10 among the plurality of holes 211.

[0094] Specifically, refer to Figure 4 , the first main stage 210 may include a central portion P1 and a peripheral portion P2 between the central portion P1 and the edge. The central portion P1 may be defined as a linear region passing through the center of the first main stage 210. The peripheral portion P2 may be defined as a region other than the central portion P1, and may be defined as two regions separated from each other with the central portion interposed between the two regions. However, the inventive concept is not limited thereto, and the central portion P1 and the peripheral portion P2 may be arranged as a plurality of regions arranged in various other ways.

[0095] The plurality of holes 211 of the first main stage 210 include a plurality of first holes 211a located at the central portion P1 and a plurality of second holes 211b located at the peripheral portion P2. Although the plurality of holes 211 are described as being positioned parallel to each other in the vertical direction or in the horizontal direction, the inventive concept is not limited thereto. The plurality of holes 211 may be positioned alternately with each adjacent hole 211 in the vertical direction or in the horizontal direction, or may be positioned in a zigzag manner.

[0096] Reference Figure 3E and Figure 4 , when the support frame 121 of the transfer unit 120 moves to be close to the first main stage 210, the substrate 10 transferred in the bent state contacts the upper surface of the first main stage 210 from the central portion of the substrate 10. Specifically, the central portion of the substrate 10 may contact the plurality of first holes 211a located at the central portion P1 of the first main stage 210. In this case, the vacuum unit connected to the plurality of first holes 211a operates so that the central portion of the substrate 10 may be vacuum-adsorbed onto the first main stage 210.

[0097] Next, the two conveying members 125 move linearly in a direction away from each other. At this time, the vacuum unit connected to the plurality of second holes 211b operates, and the substrate 10 can be vacuum-adsorbed onto the first main stage 210 sequentially from the central portion of the substrate 10 to the edge portion of the substrate 10. This can substantially prevent bubbles from being formed between the first main stage 210 and the substrate 10, and can improve the contact between the first main stage 210 and the substrate 10.

[0098] Next, if Figure 3F As shown in, the adherend 20 to which the substrate 10 is to be attached is placed on the lower surface of the second main stage 220. The adherend 20 can be any one of the window, display panel and functional film constituting the display device. The adherend 20 may have a flexible property, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. The adherend 20 may be fastened to the second main stage 220 by the same process as the process of fixing the substrate 10 therein, or may be fastened to the second main stage 220 by different processes. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, although it is described that the substrate 10 is arranged on the upper surface of the first main stage 210 and the adherend 20 is arranged on the lower surface of the second main stage 220, the embodiment is not limited thereto. The substrate 10 may be arranged on the lower surface of the second main stage 220, and the adherend 20 may be arranged on the upper surface of the first main stage 210.

[0099] Next, refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3F , the conveying unit 120 and the gas supplier 130 are moved out of the chamber 250 through the space between the first chamber 250a and the second chamber 250b, and the first chamber 250a and the second chamber 250b are closely coupled to each other. When the space defined by the first chamber 250a and the second chamber 250b is sealed, the attachment process (S17) of attaching the substrate 10 to the adherend 20 is performed.

[0100] For example, at least one of the first main stage 210 and the second main stage 220 moves up and down, and the substrate 10 and the adherend 20 may contact each other. In this case, pressure may be applied to the substrate 10 and the adherend 20 so that the substrate 10 and the adherend 20 may adhere to each other. Although not shown, the device for attaching the substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention may also include a pressure pad or an elastic sheet etc. for pressing the substrate 10 and the adherend 20. However, the inventive concept is not limited thereto, and the substrate 10 may be attached to the adherend 20 in various ways.

[0101] In the method of attaching a substrate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a cleaning process, a stripping process, a plasma process, etc. of the substrate 10 is not performed in the chamber 250, but the substrate 10 that has completed the cleaning process, the stripping process, and the plasma process is transferred to the chamber 250 to perform an attachment process on the substrate 10, and therefore, the size of the process equipment including the chamber 250 can be reduced.

[0102] Furthermore, a process of moving equipment for performing a cleaning process, a stripping process, and a plasma process into the chamber 250 may be omitted, and thus a process time may be reduced.

[0103] Furthermore, by performing the peeling process of the release film 13 before transferring the substrate 10 into the chamber 250, foreign matter may be substantially prevented from floating in the chamber 250 or adhering to components accommodated in the chamber 250. Therefore, reliability and display quality of the display device may be improved.

[0104] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 5 Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described. For convenience of explanation, description of the same configuration as that of the previous exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be omitted.

[0105] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a first main stage, an adsorption pad, and a substrate according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0106] Reference Figure 5 , the apparatus for attaching a substrate according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention further includes an adsorption pad 215 located at at least one first hole 211a among the plurality of first holes 211a of the first main stage 210. The adsorption pad 215 may be located in each of the plurality of first holes 211a, or may be located in at least some of the plurality of first holes 211a.

[0107] The adsorption pad 215 may move up and down in the first hole 211a. The adsorption pad 215 may adsorb the central portion of the substrate 10 to first fix the central portion of the substrate 10. That is, the adsorption pad 215 may adsorb and fix the central portion of the substrate 10 before the substrate 10 is completely placed on the first main stage 210.

[0108] After first fixing the central portion of the substrate 10, the vacuum unit connected to the plurality of second holes 211b operates as in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and the substrate 10 may be vacuum-adsorbed onto the first main stage 210 sequentially from the central portion of the substrate 10 to the end of the substrate 10. This may substantially prevent bubbles from being formed between the first main stage 210 and the substrate 10, and may improve contact between the first main stage 210 and the substrate 10. The gas may be air or nitrogen, but the inventive concept is not limited thereto.

[0109] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 6 A further exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described. For convenience of explanation, description of the same configuration as that of the previous exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be omitted.

[0110] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a conveying unit according to still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0111] Reference Figure 6 , a conveying unit 120' according to still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a supporting frame 121 and two conveying members 126 rotatable at a predetermined angle relative to the supporting frame 121. In other words, unlike the two conveying members 126 that linearly move in directions opposite to each other according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the two conveying members 126 according to still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention are rotatable at a predetermined angle relative to a contact point with the supporting frame 121.

[0112] Each of the transfer members 126 may have an "L" shape in a cross-sectional view. Similar to the aforementioned exemplary embodiment of the present invention, each of the transfer members 126 includes a vertical rod 126a and a horizontal rod 126b. The substrate 10 may be placed on the horizontal rod 126b of the transfer member 126 and transferred.

[0113] For example, the horizontal rods 126b of the two conveying members 126 may rotate in directions approaching each other, thereby lifting or warping the substrate 10. On the other hand, the horizontal rods 126b of the two conveying members 126 may rotate in directions away from each other, so that the substrate 10 may be mounted on the shuttle stage 110, the first main stage 210, or the second main stage 220.

[0114] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 7 A further exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described. For convenience of explanation, description of the same configuration as that of the previous exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be omitted.

[0115] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a conveying unit according to still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0116] Reference Figure 7 A conveying unit 120 ″ according to still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a supporting frame 121 and two conveying members 127 , and each of the two conveying members 127 includes a vertical rod 127 a and a horizontal rod 127 b having an inclined surface 128 .

[0117] In detail, each of the conveying members 127 includes a vertical rod 127a perpendicular to the support frame 121 and a horizontal rod 127b bent and extended from the vertical rod 127a and having an inclined surface 128 opposite to the support frame 121. In this embodiment, the inclined surface 128 of the horizontal rod 127b may be a plane surface or a curved surface.

[0118] The substrate 10 is mounted on the horizontal rods 127b of the transfer member 127 and transferred. According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, since the upper surface of the horizontal rods 127b opposite to the supporting frame 121 is inclined, the substrate 10 can be more stably mounted on the horizontal rods 127b and transferred.

[0119] In addition, the horizontal rod 127b of the conveying member 127 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention may have a plurality of holes 129 for vacuum adsorbing the substrate 10. The plurality of holes 129 may be connected to a vacuum unit such as a vacuum pump, and the substrate 10 may be vacuum adsorbed onto the upper surface of the horizontal rod 127b through the plurality of holes 129 connected to the vacuum unit. Therefore, the substrate 10 may be more stably mounted on the horizontal rod 127b and conveyed.

[0120] As set forth above, according to one or more exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a method of attaching a substrate and an apparatus for attaching a substrate may achieve stable and precise attachment, and thus, reliability and display quality of a display device may be improved.

[0121] Although certain exemplary embodiments have been described herein, other embodiments and modifications will be apparent from this description. Therefore, the inventive concept is not limited to these embodiments, but is limited to a wider range of various obvious modifications and equivalent arrangements as apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Claims

1. A method for attaching a substrate, wherein: The method comprises: placing the substrate with the release film attached thereto on a shuttle table; peeling the release film from the substrate; lifting the substrate from the shuttle by a conveying unit; spraying gas from a gas supplier toward the substrate so that the substrate is convexly bent in a direction away from the gas supplier; transferring the bent substrate into a chamber by the transfer unit; placing the substrate on a main stage in the chamber; and attaching the substrate to an adherend, wherein the conveying unit comprises two conveying members arranged to be separated from each other, the substrate is inserted between the two conveying members, and during the process of spraying gas toward the substrate so that the substrate is convexly bent in a direction away from the gas supplier, the two conveying members move in directions approaching each other.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The substrate comprises a base layer and an adhesive layer; and The conveying unit does not contact an upper surface of the adhesive layer.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: In the process of transferring the substrate into the chamber by the transfer unit, the substrate is transferred in a bent state.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein: In placing the substrate on the main stage in the chamber, the substrate sequentially contacts the main stage from a central portion of the substrate to an edge portion of the substrate.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The gas supplier sprays a gas toward the substrate in a process of placing the substrate on the main stage in the chamber.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein: In the process of placing the substrate on the main stage in the chamber, the substrate is vacuum-adsorbed to the main stage through at least one hole defined in the main stage.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The main platform includes a central portion and a peripheral portion between the central portion and the edge; and The main stage has a plurality of first holes located at the central portion and a plurality of second holes located at the peripheral portion.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein: In the process of placing the substrate on the main stage in the chamber, the substrate is vacuum-absorbed through the plurality of first holes, and then the substrate is vacuum-absorbed through the plurality of second holes.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein: In the process of placing the substrate on the main stage in the chamber, the substrate is fixed by an adsorption pad located at the first hole, and then the substrate is vacuum-adsorbed through the plurality of second holes.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein: In the process of placing the substrate on the main stage in the chamber, the two transfer members move in directions away from each other.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein: In a process in which the substrate is transferred into the chamber by the transfer unit, the substrate is vacuum-adsorbed to the transfer member through at least one hole defined in the transfer member.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein: The conveying unit further comprises a support frame connected to the two conveying members; and Each of the two conveying members has an inclined surface opposite to the supporting frame.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The method further includes performing a plasma process on the substrate after peeling the release film from the substrate and before the transfer unit lifts the substrate from the shuttle stage.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The method further includes cleaning the substrate to which the release film is attached before peeling the release film from the substrate.

15. An apparatus for attaching a substrate, wherein: The device comprises: a shuttle stage configured to support and transfer a substrate; A main stage, the main stage being located in the room; a transfer unit configured to transfer the substrate from the shuttle stage to the main stage; and a gas supplier, the gas supplier being arranged to be separated from the shuttle stage, the substrate being inserted between the gas supplier and the shuttle stage, the gas supplier being configured to spray gas toward the substrate, wherein the conveying unit includes two conveying members arranged to be separated from each other, the substrate is inserted between the two conveying members, and the two conveying members move in directions approaching each other during a process in which gas is sprayed toward the substrate so that the substrate is convexly bent in a direction away from the gas supplier.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein: The substrate comprises a base layer and an adhesive layer; and The conveying unit does not contact an upper surface of the adhesive layer.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein: The conveying unit includes a supporting frame and the two conveying members connected to the supporting frame and facing each other; and Each of the two conveying members has an inclined surface opposite to the supporting frame.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein: Each of the two transfer members has a plurality of holes.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein: The gas supplier and the conveying unit are integrally formed into an integrated structure.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein: The gas supplier is disposed separately from the main stage, the substrate is inserted between the gas supplier and the main stage, and the gas supplier is configured to spray a gas toward the substrate.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein: The main platform has a plurality of holes.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein The apparatus also includes an adsorption pad located at at least one of the plurality of holes.

Images