Photoresist patterning method, display panel, and display device

Abstract

The application discloses a photoresist patterning method, a display panel and a display device. The method comprises the following steps: providing a glass substrate; coating a photoresist layer on the glass substrate; patterning the photoresist layer to form a photoresist pattern; if the edge of a target trace in the photoresist pattern is protruding, cutting the protruding area of the target trace by using a focused ion beam, and obtaining a patterned photoresist. In the embodiment of the application, the protruding part of the photoresist pattern is processed again by using a focused ion beam, and the excess photoresist at the edge is cut off to repair the nanoscale line width.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of display technology, specifically to a photoresist patterning method, a display panel, and a display device. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of new display technologies, the high integration of devices has become a new growth point for future display technology. Whether it's LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), OLED (Organic Electroluminescence Display), or microLED display, existing driving circuit control systems or signal transmission systems are integrated onto "chips" on PCBs (printed circuit boards) or COF (Chip On Film), and then bonded to a glass substrate. Integrating the external chip system onto the glass panel can significantly reduce material costs. Therefore, the development of glass-based integrated circuits (ICs) is of great significance.

[0003] However, for nanoscale lines in glass-based integrated circuits, the high lithographic resolution and substrate topography can lead to defective linewidths in the lithographic patterns. Traditional linewidth repair can be achieved using laser resurfacing, but the laser spot is typically on the micrometer scale, and the heat-affected zone near the spot makes it difficult to repair nanoscale linewidths. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a photoresist patterning method, a display panel, and a display device. The method involves using a focused ion beam or similar device to perform secondary processing on the raised portions of the photoresist pattern to remove excess photoresist at the edges and repair the nanometer-level linewidth.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a photoresist patterning method, including:

[0006] Provide glass substrates;

[0007] A photoresist layer is coated on the glass substrate;

[0008] The photoresist layer is patterned to form a photoresist pattern;

[0009] If the edge of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is raised, the raised area of ​​the target trace is cut by a focused ion beam to obtain patterned photoresist.

[0010] In some embodiments, prior to coating the photoresist layer on the glass substrate, the method further includes:

[0011] A film to be etched is prepared on the glass substrate;

[0012] A photoresist layer is coated on the film layer to be etched;

[0013] If the edge of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is raised, the raised area of ​​the target trace is cut by a focused ion beam to obtain the patterned photoresist, and the process further includes:

[0014] The patterned photoresist is used to etch the film layer to be etched, thereby creating a pattern;

[0015] The patterned photoresist is peeled off to obtain a patterned panel film structure.

[0016] In some embodiments, patterning the photoresist layer to form a photoresist pattern includes:

[0017] The photoresist layer is exposed and developed using a preset mask to form a photoresist pattern, wherein the preset mask has at least one mask pattern.

[0018] In some embodiments, if the edge of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is raised, the raised area of ​​the target trace is cut by a focused ion beam to obtain patterned photoresist, including:

[0019] The traces of the photoresist pattern are detected and compared with the mask pattern;

[0020] If the line width of at least a portion of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is greater than the line width of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern, the raised area of ​​the target trace is cut by a focused ion beam according to the mask pattern to obtain patterned photoresist.

[0021] In some embodiments, detecting the traces of the photoresist pattern and comparing them with the mask pattern includes:

[0022] Using the center point of the glass substrate as a reference point, the edge position information of the photoresist pattern traces is detected;

[0023] The edge position information of each trace in the photoresist pattern is compared with the edge information of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern.

[0024] In some embodiments, if the linewidth of at least a portion of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is greater than the linewidth of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern, cutting the raised area of ​​the target trace using a focused ion beam according to the mask pattern to obtain patterned photoresist includes:

[0025] If the line width of at least a portion of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is greater than the line width of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern, the edge position information of the protruding area of ​​the target trace is determined based on the edge position information of the target trace and the edge information of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern.

[0026] The ion beam parameters of the focused ion beam are determined based on the edge position information of the protruding region.

[0027] The raised area of ​​the target trace is cut by the focused ion beam corresponding to the ion beam parameters to obtain patterned photoresist.

[0028] In some embodiments, after detecting the photoresist pattern and comparing it with the mask pattern, the method further includes:

[0029] If the line width of at least a portion of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is smaller than the line width of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern, then the photoresist pattern is removed.

[0030] A new photoresist layer is applied again to the glass substrate, and the new photoresist layer is patterned.

[0031] In some embodiments, after detecting the photoresist pattern and comparing it with the mask pattern, the method further includes:

[0032] If the linewidth of each trace in the photoresist pattern is the same as the linewidth of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern, then the photoresist pattern is determined to be a patterned photoresist.

[0033] Secondly, this application provides a display panel formed using the photoresist patterning method described in any of the above claims.

[0034] Thirdly, this application provides a display device including the display panel described above.

[0035] The photoresist patterning method, display panel, and display device provided in this application, when detecting edge protrusions of target traces in the photoresist pattern, perform secondary processing on them using a focused ion beam or the like to remove excess photoresist at the edges, thereby repairing the defective linewidths of high-precision areas on the glass substrate at the nanometer level. Attached Figure Description

[0036] The technical solution and other beneficial effects of this application will become apparent from the following detailed description of specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of the photoresist patterning method in the embodiments of this application;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the spacing of multiple protrusions at the edge of the target trace in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing that the raised portion is continuously arranged at the edge of the target trace in the embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0041] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this application, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0042] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows communication between them; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication between two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0043] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0044] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different structures of this application. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples; such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed. In addition, various specific examples of processes and materials are provided in this application, but those skilled in the art will recognize the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0045] Please see Figure 1 This application provides a display driving method, which includes steps S101 to S104, as follows:

[0046] S101 provides a glass substrate;

[0047] S102, a photoresist layer is coated on the glass substrate;

[0048] S103, The photoresist layer is patterned to form a photoresist pattern;

[0049] S104, if the edge of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is raised, the raised area of ​​the target trace is cut by a focused ion beam to obtain patterned photoresist.

[0050] Specifically, this embodiment is applied to the fabrication of glass-based integrated circuits with nanoscale circuitry. A glass substrate is provided, and a photoresist layer is coated on the glass substrate. The photoresist layer is made of either positive or negative photoresist, and can employ conventional photoresists available in the prior art. The photoresist can be composed of a binder resin, monomers (or reactive diluents), a photoinitiator (or "photosensitizer"), pigments, solvents, and dispersants. The photoresist layer is patterned to form a photoresist pattern, which is a pattern determined according to the glass-based integrated circuit. The specific form of the photoresist pattern is not specifically limited in this embodiment. The photoresist can be coated onto the glass substrate using a spin-coating method, allowing the photoresist to cover the upper surface of the glass substrate to form a photoresist layer. Other methods can also be used, and this embodiment does not specify a particular method.

[0051] Because the circuitry of glass-based integrated circuits is at the nanometer scale, defects may appear at the edges of the traces in the photoresist pattern due to the high lithographic resolution and the topographical factors of the glass substrate. If the edge of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is raised, the raised area of ​​the target trace needs to be repaired. Therefore, the raised area of ​​the target trace is cut using a focused ion beam to obtain patterned photoresist. The target trace is any trace in the photoresist pattern. The main principle of focused ion beam (FIB) technology is to remove material by bombarding it at high speed with a high-energy ion beam.

[0052] In this embodiment, defective linewidths in high-precision areas on a glass substrate are repaired by using a focused ion beam or similar method to perform secondary processing to remove excess photoresist at the edges. The cutting precision can reach ~5nm, thus enabling the repair of nanometer-level linewidths.

[0053] In one embodiment, the display driving method includes:

[0054] S101 provides a glass substrate;

[0055] S201, Prepare the film layer to be etched on the glass substrate;

[0056] S202, a photoresist layer is coated on the film layer to be etched;

[0057] S103, The photoresist layer is patterned to form a photoresist pattern;

[0058] S104, if the edge of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is raised, the raised area of ​​the target trace is cut by a focused ion beam to obtain patterned photoresist.

[0059] S203, the film layer to be etched is etched according to the patterned photoresist to make it patterned;

[0060] S204, the patterned photoresist is peeled off to obtain a patterned panel film structure.

[0061] Specifically, in this embodiment, an etchable film layer is prepared on a glass substrate. The etchable film layer is any film layer that needs to be patterned in a TFT (Thin Film Transistor). The etchable film layer can be a metal film layer or a non-metal film layer. This embodiment does not make any specific limitation.

[0062] The patterning of the film to be etched is based on the etching of a patterned photoresist layer. Therefore, a photoresist layer is coated on the film to be etched. The photoresist layer is then patterned to form a photoresist pattern. If the edges of the target traces in the photoresist pattern are raised, the raised areas of the target traces are cut using a focused ion beam to obtain the patterned photoresist. The patterned photoresist layer includes photoresist-retained areas and photoresist-non-retained areas. The photoresist pattern is the photoresist-retained area. After the raised parts of the photoresist pattern are removed by high-speed bombardment of the edges by a focused ion beam, it becomes smooth and even, resulting in the patterned photoresist.

[0063] The patterned photoresist is used to etch the underlying film layer using either wet etching (WET) or dry etching (DRY) to create a patterned film layer. Finally, the patterned photoresist is stripped in a stripping solution to obtain the patterned panel film structure. All patterned films in TFTs can be prepared using the above process; this embodiment will not elaborate further.

[0064] In one embodiment, the display driving method includes:

[0065] S101 provides a glass substrate;

[0066] S102, a photoresist layer is coated on the glass substrate;

[0067] S301, the photoresist layer is exposed and developed using a preset mask to form a photoresist pattern, wherein the preset mask has at least one mask pattern.

[0068] S104, if the edge of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is raised, the raised area of ​​the target trace is cut by a focused ion beam to obtain patterned photoresist.

[0069] Specifically, a photoresist layer is coated on a glass substrate, and the photoresist layer is patterned using a preset mask. The preset mask has at least one mask pattern, which is determined according to the circuit design to be etched, and different traces correspond to different mask patterns.

[0070] A photoresist layer is exposed using a pre-set mask, creating exposed and unexposed areas. The exposed photoresist layer is then developed using a developer to form a photoresist pattern. Specifically, if the photoresist material is positive, the photoresist in the exposed areas dissolves in the developer; if the photoresist material is negative, the photoresist in the unexposed areas dissolves, ultimately resulting in the photoresist pattern.

[0071] If the edge of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is raised, the raised area of ​​the target trace needs to be repaired. Therefore, the raised area of ​​the target trace is cut by focusing ion beam to obtain patterned photoresist.

[0072] In one embodiment, step S104, if the edge of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is raised, then the raised area of ​​the target trace is cut by a focused ion beam to obtain patterned photoresist, includes: S401, detecting the trace of the photoresist pattern and comparing it with the mask pattern; S402, if the line width of at least a portion of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is greater than the line width of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern, the raised area of ​​the target trace is cut by a focused ion beam according to the mask pattern to obtain patterned photoresist.

[0073] Specifically, AOI (Automated Optical Inspection) is used to inspect each trace of the photoresist pattern and compare it with the corresponding trace in the mask pattern to determine if they are identical. The target trace is any trace in the photoresist pattern. If the linewidth of at least a portion of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is greater than the linewidth of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern (i.e., the linewidth of a portion of the target trace is greater than the linewidth of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern, or the linewidth of all the target trace is greater than the linewidth of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern), the raised area of ​​the target trace is determined based on the linewidth of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern. Then, the raised area of ​​the target trace is cut using a focused ion beam to obtain the patterned photoresist. The linewidth of each trace in the patterned photoresist is the same as the linewidth of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern.

[0074] In cases where the linewidth of a portion of the target trace is greater than the linewidth of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern, the number of raised areas in this embodiment is not specifically limited. Multiple raised portions 11 can be spaced apart at the edges of the target trace 1. Figure 2 As shown, the edge of the target trace 1 can also be a continuous raised portion 11, such as... Figure 3 As shown.

[0075] In one embodiment, step S401, detecting the traces of the photoresist pattern and comparing them with the mask pattern, includes: S501, using the center point of the glass substrate as a reference point, detecting the edge position information of the traces of the photoresist pattern; S502, comparing the edge position information of each trace of the photoresist pattern with the edge information of the corresponding traces in the mask pattern.

[0076] Specifically, by using AOI to detect each trace of the photoresist pattern, a reference coordinate system is established on the photoresist pattern to determine the position of each trace on the photoresist pattern, and the position of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern can be determined using the same reference coordinate system.

[0077] The reference coordinate system can be set according to different needs. For example, a reference coordinate system can be established with the center point of the glass substrate as the reference point. The horizontal and vertical axes of the reference coordinate system are aligned with the side length of the glass substrate. The coordinates of the points on the edges of each trace of the photoresist pattern are detected and determined within the reference coordinate system, thereby determining the edge position information of each trace of the photoresist pattern. Similarly, the edge information of each trace in the mask pattern can be determined based on the reference coordinate system. However, in addition, the position information of each trace in the mask pattern is already determined during the design process of the mask pattern, so the edge information of each trace in the mask pattern can also be determined directly.

[0078] Based on the edge position information of each trace in the photoresist pattern and the edge information of each trace in the mask pattern, the correspondence between each trace in the photoresist pattern and each trace in the mask pattern is determined. Then, the edge position information of each trace in the photoresist pattern is compared with the edge information of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern to determine whether each trace in the photoresist pattern meets the design requirements.

[0079] In one embodiment, step S402, if the linewidth of at least a portion of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is greater than the linewidth of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern, cutting the raised area of ​​the target trace using a focused ion beam according to the mask pattern to obtain patterned photoresist, includes: S601, if the linewidth of at least a portion of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is greater than the linewidth of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern, determining the edge position information of the raised area of ​​the target trace based on the edge position information of the target trace and the edge information of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern; S602, determining the ion beam parameters of the focused ion beam based on the edge position information of the raised area; S603, cutting the raised area of ​​the target trace using the focused ion beam corresponding to the ion beam parameters to obtain patterned photoresist.

[0080] Specifically, if the linewidth of at least some areas of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is greater than the linewidth of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern, it indicates that the target trace in the photoresist pattern has a protrusion relative to the corresponding trace in the mask pattern. Based on the edge position information of the target trace and the edge information of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern, the edge position information of the protrusion area of ​​the target trace is determined. Then, the photoresist in the protrusion area of ​​the target trace needs to be removed in a secondary process. The protrusion area is the area of ​​all the protrusions of the target trace.

[0081] The edge position information of the raised region refers to the coordinates of points on the edge of the raised region within a reference coordinate system. Based on this edge position information, the size of the raised region can be determined. Therefore, the ion beam parameters for the focused ion beam used to cut the photoresist on the raised portion are determined based on the edge position information. These ion beam parameters include the shape and intensity of the ion beam, and the focused ion beam used to cut the photoresist on a specific raised portion must extend at least beyond the length of that raised portion. For example, ... Figure 2 As shown, if there are multiple spaced protrusions on the target trace, the ion beam parameters of the focused ion beams are different if each protrusion is cut individually with the same focused ion beam, versus if all protrusions are cut together with a single focused ion beam. By using the determined ion beam parameters and employing the corresponding focused ion beam, the position of the protrusion to be cut is determined within the reference coordinate system based on the edge position information of the protrusion region. This allows for the cutting of the protrusion region of the target trace to obtain patterned photoresist.

[0082] In one embodiment, after step S401, which detects the traces of the photoresist pattern and compares them with the mask pattern, the method further includes: S701, if the line width of at least a portion of the target traces in the photoresist pattern is smaller than the line width of the corresponding traces in the mask pattern, then the photoresist pattern is removed; S702, a new photoresist layer is coated again on the glass substrate, and the new photoresist layer is patterned.

[0083] Specifically, if the line width of at least a portion of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is smaller than the line width of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern, it indicates that there is a recessed portion of the target trace in the photoresist pattern relative to the corresponding trace in the mask pattern. That is, the photoresist that should not have been removed was removed during the photoresist layer patterning process, and the patterned photoresist pattern is already defective. Therefore, the photoresist pattern is removed so that the glass substrate is restored to its initial state without a photoresist layer.

[0084] Then, a new photoresist layer is coated on the glass substrate again, and the new photoresist layer is patterned. The process of patterning the new photoresist layer and the process of detecting the new photoresist pattern are the same as those described in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated in this embodiment.

[0085] In one embodiment, after step S401, which detects the traces of the photoresist pattern and compares them with the mask pattern, the method further includes: S801, if the line width of each trace in the photoresist pattern is the same as the line width of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern, then the photoresist pattern is determined to be a patterned photoresist.

[0086] Specifically, if the line width of each trace in the photoresist pattern is the same as the line width of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern, that is, if each trace in the photoresist pattern is completely consistent with the corresponding trace in the mask pattern, it means that no secondary processing is required. Therefore, the photoresist pattern is determined to be patterned photoresist, and then subsequent processes can be carried out.

[0087] In this embodiment, defective linewidths in high-precision areas on a glass substrate are repaired by using a focused ion beam or similar method to perform secondary processing to remove excess photoresist at the edges. The cutting precision can reach ~5nm, thus enabling the repair of nanometer-level linewidths.

[0088] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in other embodiments.

[0089] In some embodiments of this application, a display panel is provided, which is formed using the photoresist patterning method described in any of the above embodiments.

[0090] In some embodiments of this application, a display device is provided, including the display panel described in the above embodiments.

[0091] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0092] The above provides a detailed description of a photoresist patterning method, display panel, and display device provided in the embodiments of this application. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of the present invention. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of the present invention. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

Claims

1. A photoresist patterning method, characterized by, include: Provide glass substrates; A photoresist layer is coated on the glass substrate; The photoresist layer is exposed and developed using a preset mask to form a photoresist pattern, wherein the preset mask has at least one mask pattern. Using the center point of the glass substrate as a reference point, the edge position information of the photoresist pattern traces is detected; The edge position information of each trace in the photoresist pattern is compared with the edge information of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern; If the line width of at least a portion of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is greater than the line width of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern, the edge position information of the protruding area of ​​the target trace is determined based on the edge position information of the target trace and the edge information of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern. The ion beam parameters of the focused ion beam are determined based on the edge position information of the protruding region, and the ion beam parameters include the shape and intensity of the ion beam. The raised area of ​​the target trace is cut by the focused ion beam corresponding to the ion beam parameters to obtain patterned photoresist.

2. The photoresist patterning method of claim 1, wherein, Before coating the photoresist layer on the glass substrate, the method further includes: A film to be etched is prepared on the glass substrate; A photoresist layer is coated on the film layer to be etched; If the edge of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is raised, the raised area of ​​the target trace is cut by a focused ion beam to obtain the patterned photoresist, and then the process further includes: The patterned photoresist is used to etch the film layer to be etched, thereby creating a pattern; The patterned photoresist is peeled off to obtain a patterned panel film structure.

3. The photoresist patterning method of claim 1, wherein After detecting the photoresist pattern and comparing it with the mask pattern, the method further includes: If the line width of at least a portion of the target trace in the photoresist pattern is smaller than the line width of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern, then the photoresist pattern is removed. A new photoresist layer is applied again to the glass substrate, and the new photoresist layer is patterned.

4. The photoresist patterning method of claim 1, wherein After detecting the photoresist pattern and comparing it with the mask pattern, the method further includes: If the linewidth of each trace in the photoresist pattern is the same as the linewidth of the corresponding trace in the mask pattern, then the photoresist pattern is determined to be a patterned photoresist.

5. A display panel, characterized by, It is formed using the photoresist patterning method as described in any one of claims 1-4.

6. A display device, characterized in that, Includes the display panel as described in claim 5.

Images