Laser device and display device and method for manufacturing the same using the same

Abstract

Provided are a laser device and a method for manufacturing a display device using the laser device. The laser device includes: a laser generator configured to generate a first laser beam advancing along a first direction; and an inversion module configured to convert the first laser beam into a second laser beam advancing along the first direction, the inversion module including: a beam splitter configured to form a reflected laser beam by partially reflecting the first laser beam and to form a transmitted laser beam by partially transmitting the first laser beam; and a prism configured to reflect the reflected laser beam.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a laser device (eg, used for an excimer laser annealing (ELA) process) and a method of manufacturing a display device using the laser device. Background Art

[0002] Generally, methods for crystallizing an amorphous silicon layer into a polycrystalline silicon layer include solid phase crystallization (SPC), metal induced crystallization (MIC), metal induced lateral crystallization (MILC), and excimer laser annealing (ELA). For example, in the manufacturing process of an organic light emitting diode display (OLED) or a liquid crystal display (LCD), an excimer laser annealing (ELA) process is used.

[0003] The laser device used in such an excimer laser annealing (ELA) process includes a laser generator for generating a source laser beam. The source laser beam is an unprocessed laser beam, which is a laser beam having a substantially rectangular shape, and its cross section has a major axis and a minor axis. The source laser beam has a Gaussian energy distribution in both the major axis direction and the minor axis direction. Gaussian distribution refers to a normal distribution that is symmetrical about a mean value.

[0004] However, there are cases where the energy distribution of the source laser beam of the laser device is uneven and deviates from the normal distribution, resulting in asymmetric left-right and / or up-down. In this case, crystal defects may appear in the polysilicon layer. Therefore, although a complex optical system has been developed to remove the asymmetry of the source laser beam, there may be problems in that the light efficiency is reduced due to the need for a large number of optical lenses, the space is limited, and it is difficult to align the beam. Summary of the invention

[0005] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure provide a laser device having a simple structure and improved light efficiency.

[0006] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a method for manufacturing a display device using the laser device.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a laser device includes: a laser generator configured to generate a first laser beam advancing along a first direction; and an inversion module configured to convert the first laser beam into a second laser beam advancing along the first direction, the inversion module including: a beam splitter configured to form a reflected laser beam by partially reflecting the first laser beam, and to form a transmitted laser beam by partially transmitting the first laser beam; and a prism configured to reflect the reflected laser beam.

[0008] The second laser beam may be formed by mixing the transmitted laser beam and the reflected laser beam from the inversion module.

[0009] The inversion module may further include a first reflecting mirror configured to reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the beam splitter and provide the reflected laser beam to the prism; and a second reflecting mirror configured to reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the prism and provide the reflected laser beam to the beam splitter.

[0010] The inversion module may also include: a first reflector configured to reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the beam splitter; and a second reflector configured to reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the first reflector toward the prism, wherein the prism is configured to reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the second reflector and provide the reflected laser beam to the beam splitter.

[0011] The inversion module may further include: a first reflecting mirror configured to reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the prism; and a second reflecting mirror configured to reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the first reflecting mirror toward the beam splitter.

[0012] The laser device may further include: a first path converter configured to receive the second laser beam emitted from the inversion module and emit a third laser beam traveling in a direction opposite to a third direction perpendicular to the first direction; and a second path converter configured to receive the third laser beam and emit a fourth laser beam traveling in a direction opposite to the first direction.

[0013] The laser apparatus may further include a laser optical system configured to receive the fourth laser beam and emit a fifth laser beam in the form of a linear laser beam.

[0014] The fifth laser beam may travel in a third direction, and may have a linear laser beam shape in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and the third direction.

[0015] The beam splitter of the inversion module may be configured to transmit 1 / 3 of the laser beam and reflect 2 / 3 of the laser beam.

[0016] The reflected laser beam may be both upside down and left to right inverted relative to the transmitted laser beam.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing a display device includes: forming an amorphous silicon thin film on a substrate; crystallizing the amorphous silicon thin film into a polycrystalline silicon thin film by irradiating a laser beam onto the amorphous silicon thin film using a laser device; and forming an insulating layer, wherein the laser device includes: a laser generator configured to generate a first laser beam advancing along a first direction; and an inversion module configured to convert the first laser beam into a second laser beam advancing along the first direction, the inversion module including: a spectrometer configured to form a reflected laser beam by partially reflecting the first laser beam, and to form a transmitted laser beam by partially transmitting the first laser beam; and a prism configured to reflect the reflected laser beam.

[0018] When the amorphous silicon thin film is crystallized, the second laser beam may be formed by mixing the transmitted laser beam and the reflected laser beam from the inversion module.

[0019] The inversion module of the laser device may further include: a first reflecting mirror configured to reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the beam splitter and provide the reflected laser beam to the prism; and a second reflecting mirror configured to reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the prism and provide the reflected laser beam to the beam splitter.

[0020] The laser device may further include: a first path converter configured to receive the second laser beam emitted from the inversion module and emit a third laser beam traveling in a direction opposite to a third direction perpendicular to the first direction; and a second path converter configured to receive the third laser beam and emit a fourth laser beam traveling in a direction opposite to the first direction.

[0021] The laser apparatus may further include a laser optical system configured to receive the fourth laser beam and emit a fifth laser beam in the form of a linear laser beam.

[0022] The fifth laser beam may travel in a third direction and have a linear laser beam shape in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and the third direction.

[0023] The beam splitter of the inversion module may be configured to transmit 1 / 3 of the laser beam and reflect 2 / 3 of the laser beam.

[0024] The reflected laser beam may be both upside down and left to right inverted relative to the transmitted laser beam.

[0025] According to an embodiment of the inventive concept, a laser device includes a beam splitter and a prism and includes an inversion module that converts a first laser beam traveling in a first direction and emits a second laser beam traveling in the first direction. Therefore, the laser device can form a laser beam with uniform energy distribution through a simple structure.

[0026] 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 embodiments as claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The above features and other features of the present disclosure will become more apparent by describing the embodiments of the present disclosure in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0028] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a laser device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 2 It is shown Figure 1 Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a laser device;

[0030] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Detailed diagram of the inversion module of the laser device;

[0031] Figure 4 It is shown Figure 3 A perspective view of the prism of the inversion module;

[0032] Figure 5 is a detailed diagram of an inversion module of a laser device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] Figure 6 is a detailed diagram of an inversion module of a laser device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a display device manufactured by a display device manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0036] Fig. 9 is a view for explaining improvement of asymmetry of a laser beam using an inversion module of a laser apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specific embodiments

[0037] By referring to the detailed description and the accompanying drawings of the embodiments, the features of the inventive concept and the methods for realizing the inventive concept can be more easily understood. Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the described embodiments can be implemented in various different forms and should not be interpreted as being limited to the embodiments shown here. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided as examples so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and the aspects and features of the inventive concept will be fully conveyed to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the processes, elements and techniques that are unnecessary for those of ordinary skill in the art to fully understand the aspects and features of the inventive concept may not be described.

[0038] Unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals denote the same elements throughout the drawings and written description, and therefore their description will not be repeated. In addition, parts not related to the description of the embodiments may not be shown to make the description clear. In the drawings, the relative sizes of elements, layers, and regions may be exaggerated for clarity.

[0039] Various embodiments are described herein with reference to cross-sectional views as schematic diagrams of embodiments and / or intermediate structures. In this way, changes in the shapes of the diagrams caused by, for example, manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances will be expected. In addition, for the purpose of describing embodiments according to the concept of the present disclosure, the specific structures or functional descriptions disclosed herein are merely illustrative. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed herein should not be interpreted as being limited to the specific illustrated shapes of the regions, but rather include deviations in shapes caused by, for example, manufacturing. Therefore, the regions shown in the drawings are schematic in nature, and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the actual shapes of the regions of the device and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0040] In the detailed description, for the purpose of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the various embodiments. However, it is apparent that the various embodiments can be practiced 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 the various embodiments unnecessarily obscure.

[0041] It will be understood that, although the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts, these elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or part from another element, component, region, layer or part. Therefore, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, the first element, component, region, layer or part described below may be named as the second element, component, region, layer or part.

[0042] It will be understood that when an element, layer, region, or component is referred to as being "on" another element, layer, region, or component, "connected to" or "bound to" another element, layer, region, or component, the element, layer, region, or component may be directly on, directly connected to, or directly bound to the other element, layer, region, or component, or one or more intermediate elements, layers, regions, or components may be present. However, "direct connection / direct binding" refers to a component being directly connected to or directly bound to another component without intermediate components. At the same time, other expressions describing the relationship between components (such as "between...", "directly between...", or "adjacent to..." and "directly adjacent to...") may be similarly interpreted. In addition, it will also be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "between" two elements or layers, the element or layer may be the only element or layer between the two elements or layers, or one or more intermediate elements or layers may also be present.

[0043] In the example, the first direction, the second direction and the third direction are not limited to the three axes of the rectangular coordinate system and can be interpreted in a broader sense. For example, the first direction, the second direction and the third direction can be perpendicular to each other, or can represent different directions that are not perpendicular to each other.

[0044] The terms used herein are only used for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "one" and "one (person / kind)" are intended to also include plural forms. It will also be understood that the terms "include", "comprise", "have", "have" when used in this specification, indicate the presence of stated features, wholes, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, wholes, steps, operations, elements, components and / or their groups. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any combination and all combinations of one or more of the relevant listed items.

[0045] As used herein, the terms "substantially," "approximately," "approximately," and similar terms are used as approximate terms rather than terms of degree, and are intended to account for the inherent deviations in measured or calculated values ​​that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize. Taking into account the measurements in question and the errors associated with the measurement of a particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system), "approximately" or "approximately" as used herein include the stated values ​​and are expressed within an acceptable range of deviations of the particular value determined by one of ordinary skill in the art. For example, "approximately" can mean within one or more standard deviations, or within ±30%, ±20%, ±10%, ±5% of the stated value. In addition, the use of "may" refers to "one or more embodiments of the present disclosure" when describing embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0046] When a certain embodiment can be implemented differently, the specific process order can be performed differently from the described order. For example, two consecutively described processes can be performed substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order of the described order.

[0047] In addition, any numerical range disclosed and / or listed here is intended to include all sub-ranges of the same numerical precision included in the listed range. For example, the range of "1.0 to 10.0" is intended to include all sub-ranges between the listed minimum value 1.0 and the listed maximum value 10.0 (and including the listed minimum value 1.0 and the listed maximum value 10.0), that is, with a minimum value equal to or greater than 1.0 and a maximum value equal to or less than 10.0 (such as 2.4 to 7.6 as an example). Any maximum numerical limit listed here is intended to include all lower numerical limits included therein, and any minimum numerical limit listed in this specification is intended to include all higher numerical limits included therein. Therefore, the applicant reserves the right to modify this specification (including claims) to clearly list any sub-range included in the scope clearly listed here. All such ranges are intended to be inherently described in this specification so that modification to clearly list any such sub-range will meet the requirements.

[0048] The electronic or electrical devices and / or any other related devices or components according to the embodiments of the present disclosure described herein may be implemented using any suitable hardware, firmware (eg, an application specific integrated circuit), software, or a combination of software, firmware and hardware.

[0049] In addition, the various components of these devices can be processes or threads that run on one or more processors in one or more computing devices, execute computer program instructions and interact with other system components to perform the various functions described herein. Computer program instructions are stored in a memory, which can be implemented in a computing device using a standard memory device (such as, for example, a random access memory (RAM)). Computer program instructions can also be stored in other non-temporary computer-readable media (such as, for example, a CD-ROM, a flash drive, etc.). In addition, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that, without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the functions of various computing devices can be combined or integrated into a single computing device, or the functions of a particular computing device can be distributed throughout one or more other computing devices.

[0050] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the inventive concept belongs. It will also be understood that 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 / or this specification, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense, unless explicitly defined as such herein.

[0051] Figure 1is a schematic diagram illustrating a laser device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] Reference Figure 1 The laser device includes a laser generator 100 , an inversion module 200 , a first path converter 310 , a second path converter 320 , a first laser optical system 410 , a second laser optical system 420 and a stage 500 .

[0053] The laser generator 100 generates a laser beam to irradiate the laser beam to the outside of the laser generator 100. The first laser beam L1 emitted from the laser generator 100 in the first direction D1 is processed into a second laser beam L2 passing through the inversion module 200 and traveling in the first direction D1. The second laser beam L2 passes through the first path converter 310 and then proceeds as a third laser beam L3 traveling in a direction opposite to a third direction D3, which is perpendicular to the first direction D1. The third laser beam L3 passes through the second path converter 320 and is processed into a fourth laser beam L4 traveling in a direction opposite to the first direction D1.

[0054] The fourth laser beam L4 passes through the first laser optical system 410 and advances to become the fifth laser beam L5. The fifth laser beam L5 passes through the second laser optical system 420 and advances to become the sixth laser beam L6 traveling along the third direction D3. The sixth laser beam L6 may be irradiated toward the object 400 located on the stage 500 spaced apart from the second laser optical system 420 in the third direction D3.

[0055] The first path converter 310 and the second path converter 320 may change the path of the laser beam, and may include a mirror, a prism, and the like.

[0056] The first laser optical system 410 and the second laser optical system 420 may include optical components such as a plurality of lenses, reflectors, and beam homogenizers. The lenses and reflectors may change the path of the laser beam, or may process the cross-sectional shape of the laser beam, and the beam homogenizer may be used to make the energy distribution of the laser beam uniform / more uniform. In this way, the sixth laser beam L6 may be processed into the form of a linear laser beam traveling along the third direction D3. The first laser optical system 410 and the second laser optical system 420 may be collectively referred to as a laser optical system. Alternatively, the first laser optical system 410 may be omitted.

[0057] The stage 500 includes a flat upper surface, and the object 400 may be located on the upper surface of the stage 500. The upper surface may be oriented in a direction extending from a first direction D1 and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction D1 (see FIG. Figure 2 When the thin film transistor substrate is subjected to laser annealing, the object 400 may be an amorphous silicon layer formed on the substrate.

[0058] The second laser optical system 420 may move in one direction, or may move in two directions perpendicular to each other. As the second laser optical system 420 moves, the laser beam may scan the entire surface of the object 400. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the stage 500 on which the object 400 is located may move in a direction opposite to the one direction instead of the second laser optical system 420. As another alternative, both the second laser optical system 420 and the stage 500 may move.

[0059] As described above, the laser device is configured to irradiate the sixth laser beam L6 to the object 400 to crystallize the amorphous silicon into polycrystalline silicon, which will be referred to later. Figure 7 Describe it.

[0060] In addition, Figure 3 and Figure 4 Hereinafter, the inversion module 200 for converting the first laser beam L1 emitted from the laser generator 100 into the second laser beam L2 will be described in detail.

[0061] Figure 2 It is shown Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a diagram of an embodiment of a laser device.

[0062] Reference Figure 2 The laser device includes a laser generator 100, an inversion module 200, a first path converter 310, a second path converter 320, a first laser optical system 410, a second laser optical system 420 and a stage (not shown).

[0063] In addition, the laser apparatus may include two laser generators 100 and may have a structure in which the two laser beams La and Lb are mixed. Therefore, the inversion module 200 may also be installed in each path of the two laser beams La and Lb (eg, installed in plural).

[0064] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Detailed diagram of the inversion module of the laser device. Figure 4 It is shown Figure 3 A perspective view of the prism of the inversion module.

[0065] Reference Figures 1 to 4 The inversion module 200 may include a beam splitter 210 , a first reflector 220 , a prism 230 , and a second reflector 240 .

[0066] The beam splitter 210 partially reflects the incident first laser beam L1 to make a reflected laser beam with a portion of the first laser beam L1, and the remaining portion of the first laser beam L1 passes through the beam splitter 210 and is processed into a transmitted laser beam. For example, the beam splitter 210 reflects two-thirds of the incident first laser beam L1 to form a reflected laser beam, and transmits the remaining one-third of the incident first laser beam L1 to form a transmitted laser beam.

[0067] The first reflecting mirror 220 may reflect the reflected laser beam from the beam splitter 210 to allow the reflected laser beam to travel to the prism 230 .

[0068] The prism 230 may include an incident surface 231 and a reflective surface 232. The reflective surface 232 may include a first inclined surface 232a and a second inclined surface 232b. The first inclined surface 232a and the second inclined surface 232b may be arranged to form a first angle θ in a cross section formed along the first direction D1 and the third direction D3. An edge may be formed where the first inclined surface 232a and the second inclined surface 232b meet. Here, the first angle θ may be smaller than 180 degrees.

[0069] The reflected laser beam reflected from the first reflecting mirror 220 is incident through the incident surface 231 of the prism 230, reflected on the reflecting surface 232, and exits through the incident surface 231. The reflected laser beam emitted through the incident surface 231 is reflected by the second reflecting mirror 240 to advance to the beam splitter 210. The reflected laser beam reflected on the second reflecting mirror 240 is reflected again by the beam splitter 210, and is mixed with the transmitted laser beam to form the second laser beam L2.

[0070] In this case, a portion of the reflected laser beam reflected by the second reflector 240 may be transmitted through the beam splitter 210 without being reflected by the beam splitter 210, and advance to the first reflector 220. For example, two-thirds of the reflected laser beam reflected by the second reflector 240 may be reflected by the beam splitter 210, and one-third may be transmitted through the beam splitter 210. At the same time, the transmitted reflected laser beam may pass through / along the first reflector 220, the prism 230, and the second reflector 240 to be reflected and transmitted again at the beam splitter 210. This is repeated to ultimately achieve 50% of the non-inverted (or non-inverted) laser beam and 50% of the inverted laser beam. It may be mixed to form a second laser beam L2 having a uniform energy distribution. In this case, the first laser beam L1 and the second laser beam L2 may have the same traveling direction (first direction D1).

[0071] Hereinafter, the path of the laser beam in the inversion module 200 will be described in more detail.

[0072] For convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the green color G is at the upper left of the first laser beam L1 before entering the beam splitter 210 , the yellow color Y is at the upper right, the blue color B is at the lower left, and the red color R is at the lower right.

[0073] The transmitted laser beam emitted from the beam splitter 210 may have the same distribution as the first laser beam L1 before entering the beam splitter 210. That is, the transmitted laser beam has green G at the upper left, yellow Y at the upper right, blue B at the lower left, and red R at the lower right.

[0074] On the other hand, the reflected laser beam reflected by the beam splitter 210 and emitted through the first reflector 220, the prism 230 and the second reflector 240 may be reversed up and down and left and right. That is, the transmitted laser beam has red R at the upper left, blue B at the upper right, yellow Y at the lower left, and green G at the lower right.

[0075] Therefore, the second laser beam L2 may include a non-inverted transmitted laser beam and an upside-down and left-right inverted reflected laser beam mixed together. Therefore, even when the energy distribution of the first laser beam L1 is uneven, the energy distribution of the second laser beam L2 may be uniform to have a symmetrical normal distribution.

[0076] Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the origin inversion module can be constructed by a simple structure. Therefore, the light efficiency can be improved (for example, see Fig. 9 ).

[0077] In addition, the ratio of the reflected laser beam to the transmitted laser beam can be adjusted by adjusting the transmittance of the beam splitter 210. Thus, the transmittance that improves or optimizes the energy distribution of the second laser beam L2 can be determined.

[0078] Furthermore, the first laser beam L1 and the second laser beam L2 are located on the same straight line, thereby facilitating alignment of the laser beams of the laser device.

[0079] According to this embodiment, the inversion module 200 of the laser device can construct an origin inversion module through a relatively simple structure compared with the prior art, and the ratio of the uninverted transmitted laser beam and the inverted reflected laser beam can be easily set by adjusting the transmittance of the spectrometer 210.

[0080] Furthermore, since the first laser beam L1 incident into the inversion module 200 and the second laser beam L2 emitted from the inversion module 200 travel in the same direction, the inversion module 200 may be located between the laser generator 100 and the first path converter 310. Therefore, the spatial layout efficiency of components of the laser device may be improved.

[0081] Figure 5is a detailed diagram of an inversion module of a laser device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0082] Reference Figure 5 , except for the positions of the second reflector 1230 and the prism 1240, the inversion module 1200 of the laser device is Figure 3 The inversion module 200 of the laser device is substantially the same. Therefore, repeated description will be omitted.

[0083] The inversion module 1200 may include a beam splitter 1210 , a first reflecting mirror 1220 , a second reflecting mirror 1230 , and a prism 1240 .

[0084] The beam splitter 1210 partially reflects the first laser beam L1 to form a reflected laser beam, and partially transmits the first laser beam L1 to form a transmitted laser beam.

[0085] The first reflecting mirror 1220 may reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the beam splitter 1210 to allow the reflected laser beam to travel to the second reflecting mirror 1230 .

[0086] The second reflecting mirror 1230 may reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the first reflecting mirror 1220 to allow the reflected laser beam to travel to the prism 1240 .

[0087] The reflected laser beam reflected by the prism 1240 is reflected back to the beam splitter 1210, and then a portion thereof may be reflected by the beam splitter 1210 and may be mixed with the transmitted laser beam to form the second laser beam L2. In addition, in this case, a portion of the reflected laser beam may be transmitted back to the first reflector 1220 without being reflected by the beam splitter 1210.

[0088] Figure 6 is a detailed diagram of an inversion module of a laser device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0089] Reference Figure 6 , except for the positions of the first reflecting mirror 2230, the second reflecting mirror 2240 and the prism 2220, the inversion module 2200 of the laser device is Figure 3 The inversion module 200 of the laser device is substantially the same. Therefore, repeated description will be omitted.

[0090] The inversion module 2200 may include a beam splitter 2210 , a prism 2220 , a first reflecting mirror 2230 , and a second reflecting mirror 2240 .

[0091] The beam splitter 2210 partially reflects the first laser beam L1 to form a reflected laser beam, and partially transmits the first laser beam L1 to form a transmitted laser beam.

[0092] The prism 2220 may reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the beam splitter 2210 to allow the reflected laser beam to travel to the first reflecting mirror 2230 .

[0093] The first reflecting mirror 2230 may reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the prism 2220 to travel to the second reflecting mirror 2240. The reflected laser beam reflected by the second reflecting mirror 2240 is reflected again (eg, partially reflected) by the beam splitter 2210 and then mixed with the transmitted laser beam to form the second laser beam L2.

[0094] In this case, a portion of the reflected laser beam may be transmitted back to the prism 2220 without being reflected by the beam splitter 2210 .

[0095] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a display device manufactured by a display device manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0096] Reference Figure 7 The display device may include a base substrate 10, a buffer layer 11, an active pattern ACT, a first insulating layer 12, a gate electrode GE, a second insulating layer 13, a source electrode SE, a drain electrode DE, a through hole insulating layer 14, a pixel defining layer PDL, a light emitting structure 180 and a thin film encapsulation layer TFE.

[0097] A base substrate 10 including a transparent or opaque insulating material may be provided. For example, the base substrate 10 may include a quartz substrate, a synthetic quartz substrate, a calcium fluoride substrate, a fluorine-doped quartz substrate, a soda-lime glass substrate, an alkali-free glass substrate, etc. Alternatively, the base substrate 10 may include a flexible transparent material (such as a flexible transparent resin substrate). An example of a transparent resin substrate for the base substrate 10 may be a polyimide substrate.

[0098] The buffer layer 11 may be located on the entire base substrate 10. The buffer layer 11 may prevent metal atoms and / or impurities from diffusing from the base substrate 10 into the active pattern ACT. In addition, the buffer layer 11 may control the rate of heat transfer in the crystallization process for forming the active pattern ACT, thereby obtaining a substantially uniform active pattern ACT. In addition, when the surface of the base substrate 10 is uneven, the buffer layer 11 may improve the flatness of the surface of the base substrate 10.

[0099] The active pattern ACT may be located on the buffer layer 11. The active pattern ACT may include polycrystalline silicon. The active pattern ACT may include a drain region and a source region doped with impurities and a channel region between the drain region and the source region. Polycrystalline silicon may be formed by first depositing amorphous silicon and then crystallizing it. Here, a laser device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be used.

[0100] The first insulating layer 12 may cover the active pattern ACT on the buffer layer 11 and may have a substantially uniform thickness along the contour of the active pattern ACT. Alternatively, the first insulating layer 12 may sufficiently cover the active pattern ACT on the buffer layer 11 and may have a substantially flat upper surface without a step near the active pattern ACT. The first insulating layer 12 may include an inorganic insulating material such as a silicon compound or a metal oxide.

[0101] A gate pattern including a gate electrode GE may be located on the first insulating layer 12. The gate pattern may also include a signal line such as a gate line for driving a display device. The gate pattern may be formed using metal, alloy, metal nitride, conductive metal oxide, transparent conductive material, etc.

[0102] The second insulating layer 13 may be located on the first insulating layer 12 on which the gate pattern is located. The second insulating layer 13 may cover the gate pattern on the first insulating layer 12 and may have a substantially uniform thickness along the contour of the gate pattern. Alternatively, the second insulating layer 13 may fully cover the gate pattern on the first insulating layer 12 and may have a substantially flat upper surface without forming a step around the gate pattern. The second insulating layer 13 may include an inorganic insulating material such as a silicon compound or a metal oxide.

[0103] The data pattern including the source electrode SE and the drain electrode DE may be located on the second insulating layer 13. The data pattern may also include a signal line such as a data line for driving a display device. The data pattern may be formed using metal, alloy, metal nitride, conductive metal oxide, transparent conductive material, etc.

[0104] The active pattern ACT, the gate electrode GE, the source electrode SE, and the drain electrode DE may be included in the thin film transistor TFT.

[0105] The through hole insulating layer 14 may be located on the second insulating layer 13 on which the data pattern is located. The through hole insulating layer 14 may have a single layer structure, or may have a multilayer structure including at least two insulating layers. The through hole insulating layer 14 may be formed using an organic material such as a photoresist, an acrylic resin, a polyimide resin, a polyamide resin, or a siloxane-based resin.

[0106] The light emitting structure 180 may include a first electrode 18 a , a light emitting layer 18 b , and a second electrode 18 c .

[0107] The first electrode 18a may be located on the through-hole insulating layer 14. The first electrode 18a may include a reflective material or a transmissive material according to the emission type of the display device. In an embodiment, the first electrode 18a may have a single-layer structure or a multi-layer structure, which may include a metal film, an alloy film, a metal nitride film, a conductive metal oxide film, and / or a transparent conductive film.

[0108] The pixel defining layer PDL may be located on the through-hole insulating layer 14 on which the first electrode 18a is positioned. The pixel defining layer PDL may be formed using an organic material. For example, the pixel defining layer PDL may include a photoresist, an acrylic resin, a polyimide resin, a polyamide resin, a siloxane resin, and the like. In some embodiments, an opening exposing the first electrode 18a may be formed by etching the pixel defining layer PDL. The emission region and the non-emission region of the display device may be defined by the opening of the pixel defining layer PDL. For example, the portion where the opening of the pixel defining layer PDL is located may correspond to the emission region, and the non-emission region may correspond to the portion of the opening adjacent to the pixel defining layer PDL.

[0109] The light-emitting layer 18b may be located on the first electrode 18a exposed by the opening of the pixel defining layer PDL. In addition, the light-emitting layer 18b may extend on the sidewall of the opening of the pixel defining layer PDL. In some embodiments, the light-emitting layer 18b may include an organic light-emitting layer (EL), a hole injection layer (HIL), a hole transport layer (HTL), an electron transport layer (ETL), an electron injection layer (EIL), etc. In some embodiments, (in addition to the organic light-emitting layer) the hole injection layer, the hole transport layer, the electron transport layer, and the electron injection layer may be formed in common to correspond to a plurality of pixels. In some embodiments, a plurality of organic light-emitting layers may be formed using light-emitting materials to generate light of different colors (such as red light, green light, and blue light) according to the color pixels of the display device. In some embodiments, the organic light-emitting layer of the light-emitting layer 18b may include a plurality of stacked light-emitting materials for generating red light, green light, and blue light to thereby emit white light. Here, the elements of the light-emitting layer 18b are formed in common to correspond to a plurality of pixels, and each pixel may be divided by a color filter layer.

[0110] The second electrode 18c may be located on the pixel defining layer PDL and the light emitting layer 18b. Depending on the emission type of the display device, the second electrode 18c may include a transmissive material or a reflective material. In an embodiment, the second electrode 18c may also have a single-layer structure or a multi-layer structure, which may include a metal film, an alloy film, a metal nitride film, a conductive metal oxide film, and / or a transparent conductive film.

[0111] The thin film encapsulation layer TFE may be located on the second electrode 18c. The thin film encapsulation layer TFE may reduce or prevent moisture and oxygen from penetrating from the outside. The thin film encapsulation layer TFE may include at least one organic layer and at least one inorganic layer. The at least one organic layer and the at least one inorganic layer may be stacked alternately with each other. For example, the thin film encapsulation layer TFE may include two inorganic layers and an organic layer located between the two inorganic layers, but is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, a sealing substrate for shielding external air and moisture from penetrating into the display device can be provided instead of the thin film encapsulation layer TFE.

[0112] at the same time, Figure 7 The structure of the display device shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example and may be variously modified according to the design.

[0113] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0114] The method of manufacturing a display device may include forming an a-Si layer ( S100 ), an ELA process ( S200 ), a patterning process ( S300 ), and forming a first insulating layer ( S400 ).

[0115] When forming the a-Si layer (S100), an amorphous silicon thin film may be formed on the base substrate. The base substrate may include a transparent polyimide layer.

[0116] In the ELA process ( S200 ), by using the laser device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, a polycrystalline silicon thin film can be formed by irradiating a laser beam to the amorphous silicon thin film, which is described in detail above.

[0117] In the patterning process (S300), the polysilicon layer may be patterned to form an active pattern. When forming the first insulating layer (S400), the first insulating layer may be formed on the active pattern.

[0118] Thereafter, a gate electrode, a second insulating layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode, a through-hole insulating layer, a first electrode, a pixel defining layer, a light emitting layer, a second electrode, and a thin film encapsulation layer are sequentially formed on the first insulating layer. These components can be formed according to a known general method, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0119] Fig. 9 is a view for explaining improvement of asymmetry of a laser beam using an inversion module of a laser apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0120] Reference Fig. 9, although the inversion module has asymmetry in the transmitted laser beam (a), the reflected laser beam (b) has an origin inversion (vertical inversion and left-right inversion) relative to the transmitted laser beam (a). As a result, the mixed laser beam (c) of the transmitted laser beam (a) and the reflected laser beam (b) can have a substantially uniform energy distribution.

[0121] The present disclosure can be applied to the manufacture of organic light-emitting display devices and various electronic devices including the organic light-emitting display devices. For example, the present disclosure can be applied to the manufacture of mobile phones, smart phones, video phones, smart tablets, smart watches, tablet PCs, car navigation systems, televisions, computer monitors, notebook computers, etc.

[0122] The foregoing is illustrative of the present disclosure and will not be construed as limiting the present disclosure. Although some embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications may be made in the embodiments without substantially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the present disclosure. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope defined in the claims of the present disclosure. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover structures described herein as performing the functions recited, and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures and functional equivalents. Therefore, it will be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of the present disclosure and will not be construed as being limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and modifications to the disclosed embodiments and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. The inventive concept is defined by the claims, and the equivalents of the claims are included therein.

Claims

1. A laser device, comprising: a laser generator configured to generate a first laser beam advancing along a first direction; as well as an inversion module configured to convert the first laser beam into a second laser beam advancing along the first direction, the inversion module comprising: a beam splitter configured to form a reflected laser beam by partially reflecting the first laser beam and to form a transmitted laser beam by partially transmitting the first laser beam; and a prism configured to reflect the reflected laser beam, a first path converter configured to receive the second laser beam emitted from the inversion module and emit a third laser beam traveling in a direction different from the first direction, Wherein, the inversion module is arranged between the laser generator and the first path converter, wherein the second laser beam is formed by mixing the transmitted laser beam and the reflected laser beam from the inversion module, and The reflected laser beam is both upside down and reversed left to right relative to the transmitted laser beam.

2. The laser device according to claim 1, wherein: The reversal module also includes: a first reflecting mirror configured to reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the beam splitter and provide the reflected laser beam to the prism; and A second reflecting mirror is configured to reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the prism and provide the reflected laser beam to the beam splitter.

3. The laser device according to claim 1, wherein: The reversal module also includes: a first reflecting mirror configured to reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the beam splitter; and a second reflecting mirror configured to reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the first reflecting mirror toward the prism, and The prism is configured to reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the second reflecting mirror and provide the reflected laser beam to the beam splitter.

4. The laser device according to claim 1, wherein: The reversal module also includes: a first reflecting mirror configured to reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the prism; and A second reflecting mirror is configured to reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the first reflecting mirror toward the beam splitter.

5. The laser device according to claim 1, further comprising: a second path converter configured to receive the third laser beam and emit a fourth laser beam traveling in a direction opposite to the first direction, The direction along which the third laser beam travels is opposite to a third direction perpendicular to the first direction. 6 . The laser apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a laser optical system configured to receive the fourth laser beam and emit a fifth laser beam in the form of a linear laser beam.

7. The laser device according to claim 6, wherein: The fifth laser beam travels along the third direction and has a linear laser beam shape in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and the third direction.

8. The laser device according to claim 1, wherein: The beam splitter of the inversion module is configured to transmit 1 / 3 of the laser beam and reflect 2 / 3 of the laser beam.

9. A method for manufacturing a display device, the method comprising: forming an amorphous silicon thin film on a substrate; crystallize the amorphous silicon thin film into a polycrystalline silicon thin film by irradiating a laser beam onto the amorphous silicon thin film using a laser device; as well as Forming an insulating layer, Wherein, the laser equipment comprises: a laser generator configured to generate a first laser beam advancing along a first direction; and an inversion module configured to convert the first laser beam into a second laser beam advancing along the first direction, the inversion module comprising: a beam splitter configured to form a reflected laser beam by partially reflecting the first laser beam and to form a transmitted laser beam by partially transmitting the first laser beam; and a prism configured to reflect the reflected laser beam, and a first path converter configured to receive the second laser beam emitted from the inversion module and emit a third laser beam traveling in a direction different from the first direction, Wherein, the inversion module is arranged between the laser generator and the first path converter, wherein, when the amorphous silicon thin film is crystallized, the second laser beam is formed by mixing the transmitted laser beam and the reflected laser beam from the inversion module, and The reflected laser beam is both upside down and reversed left to right relative to the transmitted laser beam.

10. The manufacturing method according to claim 9, wherein: The inversion module of the laser device further includes: a first reflecting mirror configured to reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the beam splitter and provide the reflected laser beam to the prism; and A second reflecting mirror is configured to reflect the reflected laser beam reflected from the prism and provide the reflected laser beam to the beam splitter.

11. The manufacturing method according to claim 9, wherein: The laser device also includes: a second path converter configured to receive the third laser beam and emit a fourth laser beam traveling in a direction opposite to the first direction, and The direction along which the third laser beam travels is opposite to a third direction perpendicular to the first direction.

12. The manufacturing method according to claim 11, wherein: The laser apparatus further includes a laser optical system configured to receive the fourth laser beam and emit a fifth laser beam in the form of a linear laser beam.

13. The manufacturing method according to claim 12, wherein: The fifth laser beam travels along the third direction and has a linear laser beam shape in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and the third direction.

14. The manufacturing method according to claim 9, wherein: The beam splitter of the inversion module is configured to transmit 1 / 3 of the laser beam and reflect 2 / 3 of the laser beam.

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