Metal mask and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a metal mask and a manufacturing method thereof, wherein the mask comprises a frame; a plurality of metal strips, comprising a plurality of first-direction metal strips and / or a plurality of second-direction metal strips connected with the frame, the metal strips crossing the hollowed part of the frame; a plurality of spliced metal sheets connected with the first-direction metal strips and / or the second-direction metal strips, both ends of the spliced metal sheets being connected with the frame and covering the hollowed part of the frame; a plurality of openings arranged on the spliced metal sheets in an array; and the whole metal mask or one or more of the components being provided with an insulating coating layer. The technical solution in the present disclosure adopts a spliced manner, avoids the bottleneck of the prior art solution of requiring a wide and large-sized mesh surface, achieves the same use effect as a general metal mask or a packaging layer metal mask manufactured by a whole mask, and makes the application of a large-sized AMOLED metal mask possible.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the AMOLED manufacturing field, specifically to a metal photomask and its manufacturing method. Background Technology

[0002] Metal masks are important tools in the manufacturing process of AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode) display panels. They are mainly used to limit the deposition area of ​​film materials during processes such as organic material evaporation or the formation of encapsulation layers.

[0003] With the continuous development of technology and market demand, the production line generations of display panels (which usually mean larger glass substrates) are also constantly iterating. With the rise of large-generation AMOLED production lines (G8.5 generation and above), the demand for larger-sized metal masks has emerged.

[0004] However, due to the size limitations of existing raw material rolling equipment, the wide-width raw materials on which large-size metal photomasks depend cannot be effectively supplied, and the investment in adding dedicated wide-width rolling equipment is extremely high, which undoubtedly restricts the AMOLED industry's progress towards higher generation lines. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address or improve existing technical problems, a first aspect of this invention provides a metal photomask, which can be used at least to form an encapsulation layer in the AMOLED manufacturing process, mainly comprising:

[0006] frame;

[0007] Multiple metal strips, including multiple first-direction metal strips and / or multiple second-direction metal strips connected to the frame, the metal strips spanning the hollowed-out portion of the frame;

[0008] Multiple spliced ​​metal sheets are connected to metal strips in the first and / or second directions, and their ends are connected to the frame and cover the hollow parts of the frame; multiple openings are arrayed on the spliced ​​metal sheets;

[0009] The metal mask as a whole, or one or more of its components, is provided with an insulating coating layer.

[0010] The above solution adopts a splicing method, which avoids the bottleneck of requiring a wide and large mesh surface in the existing technical solution. It achieves the same usage effect as a general metal mask or encapsulation layer metal mask made of a whole mesh surface, making the application of large-size AMOLED metal masks possible.

[0011] Optionally, it includes multiple metal strips in a first direction and multiple metal strips in a second direction, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction;

[0012] The first groove and the second groove are respectively provided at the overlapping position of the first direction metal strip and the second direction metal strip, and the first groove and the second groove are interlocked with each other to reduce the thickness at the overlapping position.

[0013] Optionally, in multiple metal strips:

[0014] A third groove is provided on a metal strip parallel to the long axis of the spliced ​​metal sheet. The third groove is a stepped groove, and the two long sides of the spliced ​​metal sheet are respectively embedded in the third groove of two adjacent metal strips.

[0015] A fourth groove is provided on the metal strip perpendicular to the long axis of the spliced ​​metal sheet, which can be inserted into the part where the spliced ​​metal sheet and the metal strip overlap;

[0016] The third or fourth groove is used to reduce the thickness at the intersection of the metal strip and the spliced ​​metal sheet.

[0017] Furthermore, multiple interlocking metal pieces are embedded in a fourth groove.

[0018] In the above-mentioned alternative solutions, crisscrossing metal strips are used to lay out the hollow parts of the frame. The tensioned metal strips can support the spliced ​​metal sheets.

[0019] The first and second grooves on the metal strips prevent misalignment at the intersection of the first and second direction metal strips due to external forces, thus avoiding damage to the insulating coating layer. Furthermore, the third and fourth grooves also prevent misalignment at the intersection of the spliced ​​metal strips due to external forces, thus preventing damage to the insulating coating layer.

[0020] Meanwhile, the aforementioned types of grooves effectively reduce the thickness at the overlapping areas of components and decrease the difference in film layer span at these areas, thus also protecting the film layer. Furthermore, they reduce the obstruction of the vapor-deposited material by structures such as metal strips, resulting in a more uniform vapor-deposited film layer.

[0021] Optionally, the frame or metal strip may be made of alloys of the following grades: Invar36, SUS304, SUS420, with a thickness of 0.03 mm to 0.20 mm.

[0022] The spliced ​​metal sheets are made of alloys with the following grades: Invar36 and SUS420.

[0023] Optionally, the clearance area enclosed by multiple first-direction metal strips and second-direction metal strips is larger than the corresponding opening on the spliced ​​metal sheet.

[0024] Optionally, the material of the insulating coating layer is selected from: aluminum oxide, yttrium oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon oxide.

[0025] Optionally, the overlapping metal strips are fixed to each other, the metal strips and the spliced ​​metal sheets are fixed to each other, the metal strips and the frame are fixed to each other, and / or the spliced ​​metal sheets and the frame are fixed to each other while the metal strips are tensioned.

[0026] To prevent misalignment of the joints of the components after the mesh is stretched, which could lead to coating damage, the above-mentioned alternative solution involves assembling and tensioning the components before welding them, thus preventing any misalignment between them.

[0027] The second aspect of this disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a metal mask as described in the first aspect above, comprising: forming an insulating coating layer separately on the surfaces of a frame, metal strips and spliced ​​metal sheets before assembly.

[0028] The third aspect of this disclosure provides another method for fabricating a metal photomask as described in the first aspect above, comprising:

[0029] Tension the metal strip;

[0030] During the tensioning process, one or more of the following groups of components are fixed together:

[0031] Overlapping first-direction metal strips and second-direction metal strips, overlapping first-direction metal strips and spliced ​​metal sheets, overlapping second-direction metal strips and spliced ​​metal sheets;

[0032] After the components are fixed together, an overall coating is applied to form an insulating coating layer.

[0033] In summary, the aforementioned technical solutions and their alternatives have resolved the constraints imposed by wide-format, large-size raw materials on the development of AMOLED processes to higher generation lines, while achieving the same technical effects as those produced using full-format mesh fabrication, such as universal metal photomasks and encapsulation layer metal photomasks. Attached Figure Description

[0034] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

[0035] Figure 1 This illustration shows a combination of a frame and metal strips for a metal photomask provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0036] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a spliced ​​metal sheet is shown in one embodiment;

[0037] Figure 3 This illustrates the structural form of a first metal photomask provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0038] Figure 4This illustrates a second structural form of a metal mask provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0039] Figure 5 This illustrates a third structural form of a metal mask provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0040] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of two interlaced components and their coatings in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown;

[0041] Figure 7 exist Figure 6 Based on this, the locations where the coating is prone to damage are shown;

[0042] Figure 8 This is a partial schematic diagram of a metal mask provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, illustrating the arrangement of a pair of overlapping metal strips;

[0043] Figure 9 for Figure 8 An exploded view of the overlapping metal strips shown in the figure;

[0044] Figure 10 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a metal mask provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, used to illustrate the combination of metal strips and spliced ​​metal sheets;

[0045] Figure 11 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a metal mask provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, used to illustrate the combination of a metal strip and multiple spliced ​​metal sheets.

[0046] The image is labeled as follows:

[0047] 10. Framework

[0048] 21. Metal strip in the first direction; 22. Metal strip in the second direction; 23. Insulating coating layer;

[0049] 211. First groove; 221. Second groove; 222. Third groove; 212. Fourth groove; 231. Damaged coating area;

[0050] 30. Interlocking metal sheets; 31. Opening. Detailed Implementation

[0051] The present disclosure will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in many different ways and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided herein to make the disclosure more detailed and complete, and to fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. The same reference numerals denote the same objects throughout the drawings.

[0052] In AMOLED manufacturing processes, commonly used metal masks, such as general-purpose metal masks and encapsulation layer metal masks, typically consist of a frame and a full-size mesh. The mesh is formed by creating fixed-position openings on a single sheet of Invar36 (an iron-nickel alloy with an ultra-low coefficient of thermal expansion) material through steps such as exposure and etching. During use, the metal mask, with its openings on the mesh, restricts the film layer areas formed by processes such as evaporation, magnetron sputtering, and chemical vapor deposition.

[0053] Currently, the mass-produced Invar36 raw materials adapted for G6H generation lines are typically around 1m wide, and the metal photomasks made from them cannot meet the needs of larger generation lines such as G8.5.

[0054] In view of this, embodiments of this disclosure provide a spliced ​​metal mask designed to adapt narrow-width Invar 36 raw materials to the needs of high-generation production lines. In other words, it allows the raw materials and rolling equipment used in low-generation lines to continue functioning in high-generation process environments. Figure 1 The metal photomask shown specifically includes:

[0055] Frame 10 is the main support for the metal mask, and in some embodiments it is the same as or similar to the mask frame in the prior art.

[0056] Multiple metal strips, including multiple first-direction metal strips 21 and / or multiple second-direction metal strips 22 connected to the frame 10, span the hollow portion of the frame 10; the metal strips have a skeleton-like function to support the spliced ​​metal sheet 30 and help maintain the overall shape of the mask.

[0057] Multiple spliced ​​metal pieces 30 are connected to the first direction metal strip 21 and / or the second direction metal strip 22, and their two ends are connected to the frame 10 and cover the hollow part of the frame 10.

[0058] like Figure 2 As shown, the spliced ​​metal sheet 30 has multiple openings 31 arranged in an array. The openings 31 are used to limit the film layer area formed by processes such as vapor deposition, magnetron sputtering, and chemical vapor deposition.

[0059] exist Figure 2 The spliced ​​metal sheet 30 shown has four openings 31 arranged in a vertical column, but the embodiments disclosed herein are not limited to this, and the openings 31 can also be arranged in an array of other rows / columns.

[0060] In one embodiment, the two ends of the long axis of the spliced ​​metal sheet 30, for example... Figure 2The upper and lower ends of the wire mesh have extended sections, which can be used to weld to the frame 10 or to extend the contact distance with the metal strips in the same direction, thereby reducing irregular deformation that may occur during the wire mesh tensioning process.

[0061] In a typical embodiment, the frame includes a plurality of first-direction metal strips 21 and a plurality of second-direction metal strips 22, with the first direction perpendicular to the second direction. The frame 10 is rectangular, and the first-direction metal strips 21 and the second-direction metal strips 22 are parallel to the two right-angled sides of the frame 10, respectively.

[0062] In a typical embodiment, the major axis of the spliced ​​metal sheet 30 is perpendicular to the first direction and parallel to the second direction.

[0063] The metal mask provided in this embodiment is particularly suitable for forming an encapsulation layer on the panel during AMOLED manufacturing processes to prevent water vapor and oxygen from penetrating into the product. This encapsulation layer is typically formed on the device using physical vapor deposition methods such as magnetron sputtering or chemical vapor deposition.

[0064] Since the mask in the embodiment is made of metal and is conductive, gaseous substances may be mistakenly deposited on the mask during the formation of the encapsulation layer. Therefore, the mask in the embodiment is provided with an insulating coating layer 23.

[0065] In an optional embodiment, the material of the insulating coating layer 23 is selected from: aluminum oxide, yttrium oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon oxide.

[0066] During the use of the mask in the above embodiments, the inventors unexpectedly discovered that abnormal gaseous material deposition occurred at the locations where some first-direction metal strips 21 and multiple second-direction metal strips 22 overlap, or at the locations where metal strips and spliced ​​metal sheets 30 overlap, which affected the quality of the encapsulation layer formed around the above locations.

[0067] Unwilling to be bound by any theory, the inventors discovered that the aforementioned problems mainly arise from two causes:

[0068] Firstly, when using a conventional screen-forming method similar to FMM (fine metal mask), the different materials and shapes of the components can cause deformation, leading to misalignment at overlapping areas and resulting in cracks in the insulating coating layer. For example, this can cause issues such as... Figure 7 231, where the coating is damaged.

[0069] Secondly, the increased thickness at the overlap of the two components causes the insulating coating layer 23 to span a larger gap at the overlap, increasing the possibility of breakage or tearing.

[0070] In view of this, the present disclosure further provides a preferred embodiment, wherein a first groove 211 and a second groove 221 are respectively provided at the overlapping position of the first direction metal strip 21 and the second direction metal strip 22, and the first groove 211 and the second groove 221 are fitted together to reduce the thickness at the overlapping position.

[0071] In another embodiment based on the same technical concept, among multiple metal strips:

[0072] A metal strip parallel to the long axis of the spliced ​​metal sheet 30 is provided with a third groove 222. The third groove 222 is a stepped groove. The two long sides of the spliced ​​metal sheet 30 are respectively embedded in the third groove 222 of two adjacent metal strips.

[0073] A fourth groove 212 is provided on a metal strip perpendicular to the long axis of the spliced ​​metal sheet 30, which can be embedded in the part where the spliced ​​metal sheet 30 and the metal strip overlap; furthermore, multiple spliced ​​metal sheets 30 are embedded in one fourth groove 212.

[0074] The third groove 222 or the fourth groove 212 is used to reduce the thickness at the overlap of the metal strip and the spliced ​​metal sheet 30.

[0075] Both of the aforementioned preferred embodiments can reduce the thickness at the overlap, thereby reducing the discontinuity of the insulating coating layer 23 at the overlap and thus avoiding affecting the quality of the encapsulation layer.

[0076] Unwilling to be bound by any theory, the inventors further discovered, based on the aforementioned embodiments, that the increase in the number of metal strips used to support the spliced ​​metal sheet 30 causes the photomask to partially block the vapor deposition material during the evaporation process. This results in the vapor-deposited film being thinner and less uniform closer to the metal strip. Both of the aforementioned preferred embodiments can reduce the thickness at the overlap, thus improving the aforementioned problem of blocking the vapor deposition material and achieving unexpected results.

[0077] Furthermore, to address the potential misalignment of components during mesh stretching, this disclosure provides a preferred embodiment in which overlapping components, such as overlapping metal strips, metal strips and spliced ​​metal sheets 30, metal strips and frame 10, and / or spliced ​​metal sheets 30 and frame 10, are fixed in a tensioned state by welding or by interlocking with grooves. In other words, each component is tensioned first and then fixed, compensating for misalignment during mesh stretching in practical applications and thus preventing damage to the insulating coating layer 23.

[0078] In view of the above, this disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a metal mask as described in the foregoing embodiments or preferred embodiments, wherein, before the screen is stretched, an insulating coating layer 23 is formed separately on the surfaces of the frame 10, the metal strips, and the spliced ​​metal sheet 30. In this method, the overlapping areas between the metal strips do not need to be welded for fixation.

[0079] In another embodiment of the manufacturing method, the metal strip is tensioned, for example, by applying a tension force corresponding to that of the mesh.

[0080] During the tensioning process, one or more of the following groups of components are fixed together:

[0081] The overlapping first-direction metal strip 21 and second-direction metal strip 22, the overlapping first-direction metal strip 21 and spliced ​​metal sheet 30, the overlapping second-direction metal strip 22 and spliced ​​metal sheet 30; after being fixed together, each component is coated as a whole to form an insulating coating layer 23.

[0082] Preferably, the metal strip, the spliced ​​metal sheet 30 and the frame 10 are tensioned simultaneously, and the aforementioned components are fixed together while maintaining tension.

[0083] In an alternative embodiment, the frame 10 or the metal strip is made of alloys selected from the following grades: Invar36, SUS304, SUS420, with a thickness of 0.03 mm to 0.20 mm.

[0084] In an alternative embodiment, considering the magnetic attraction requirements in practical application scenarios, the spliced ​​metal sheet 30 can be made of Invar36 and SUS420 metal.

[0085] In an optional embodiment, the clearance area enclosed by the plurality of first-direction metal strips 21 and second-direction metal strips 22 is larger than the corresponding opening 31 on the spliced ​​metal sheet 30.

[0086] In a typical embodiment, the metal mask in this disclosure is fabricated through the following steps:

[0087] Step 1. On the metal photomask frame 10, multiple metal strips are tensioned and assembled with the frame according to a certain arrangement. The clear area enclosed by each metal strip corresponds to the opening on the spliced ​​metal sheet, such as... Figure 1 As shown;

[0088] Step 2. Next, weld the spliced ​​metal sheets 30 one by one onto the metal mask frame 10, so that the openings on the metal sheets correspond to the areas enclosed by the metal strips assembled in the previous step, such as... Figures 3 to 5 As shown, this is now used for the fabrication of general-purpose metal mask CMMs;

[0089] Optionally, the entire metal mask or its components may be coated with an insulating film to achieve the surface insulation required for the metal mask used in the encapsulation layer.

[0090] Optionally, in steps 1 and 2 above, the metal strip, the spliced ​​metal sheet 30 and the frame 10 are simultaneously tensioned, and the aforementioned components are fixed together while maintaining tension.

[0091] The following is a specific embodiment of a modular universal metal mask (CMM).

[0092] The components in this example mainly include a metal mask frame 10, metal strips, and spliced ​​metal sheets 30, and their assembly method is as follows: Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the metal mask frame 10 and the metal strip can be made of metals such as Invar36, SUS304, or SUS420, with a thickness between 0.03 and 0.20 mm. The spliced ​​metal sheet 30, considering the magnetic attraction requirements in practical applications, can be made of Invar36 or SUS420 metal. The basic composition of the three is as follows: Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the steps are as follows:

[0093] Step 1. On the metal mask frame 10, multiple metal strips are tensioned and assembled with the frame in a certain arrangement. The metal strips form a crisscross structure, and the clear area enclosed by each metal strip corresponds to the opening on the spliced ​​metal sheet, such as... Figure 1 As shown;

[0094] Step 2. Next, weld the spliced ​​metal sheets 30 one by one onto the metal mask frame 10, so that the openings on the metal sheets correspond to the areas enclosed by the metal strips assembled in the previous step, such as... Figures 3 to 5 As shown;

[0095] The metal strips and spliced ​​metal sheets 30 can be prepared by laser cutting, wire cutting, precision etching, etc. The combination between the metal strips and the metal mask frame 10, and between the spliced ​​metal sheets 30 and the metal mask frame 10, should preferably be by welding, specifically by laser welding, resistance welding, etc.

[0096] Preferably, to achieve better support, the horizontally and vertically arranged metal strips and the metal strips and spliced ​​metal sheets 30 can be further fixed by welding in the overlapping areas.

[0097] Preferably, provided the metal strips have sufficient supporting strength, only unidirectionally arranged metal strips can be used, such as... Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown.

[0098] Preferably, in steps 1 and 2 above, the metal strip, the spliced ​​metal sheet 30 and the frame 10 are tensioned simultaneously, and the aforementioned components are fixed together while maintaining tension.

[0099] The following provides specific embodiments of spliced ​​encapsulation layer metal mask (CVD Mask).

[0100] The components in this example mainly include a metal mask frame 10, metal strips, and spliced ​​metal sheets 30, and their assembly method is as follows: Figure 1 , Figure 3 or Figure 4 As shown, the metal mask frame 10 and the metal strip can be made of metals such as Invar36, SUS304, or SUS420, with a thickness between 0.03 and 0.20 mm. The spliced ​​metal sheet 30, considering the magnetic attraction requirements in practical applications, can be made of Invar36 or SUS420 metal. The basic composition of the three is as follows: Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the steps are as follows:

[0101] Step 1. On the metal photomask frame 10, multiple metal strips are tensioned and assembled with the frame 10 according to a certain arrangement. The metal strips form a crisscross structure, and the clear area enclosed by each metal strip corresponds to the opening on the spliced ​​metal sheet, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the overlapping positions of each metal strip must be fixed individually;

[0102] Step 2. Next, weld the spliced ​​metal sheets 30 one by one onto the metal photomask frame, so that the openings on the metal sheets correspond to the areas enclosed by the metal strips assembled in the previous step, such as... Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the overlapping positions of each metal strip and the spliced ​​metal sheet 30 need to be fixed separately;

[0103] Step 3. Apply an insulating film coating to the entire metal photomask;

[0104] The metal strips and spliced ​​metal sheets 30 can be prepared by laser cutting, wire cutting, precision etching, etc. The combination between the metal strips and the metal mask frame 10, between the spliced ​​metal sheets 30 and the mask frame 10, and between the metal strips and the spliced ​​metal sheets 30 should preferably be by welding, specifically by laser welding, resistance welding, etc.

[0105] Preferably, provided the metal strips have sufficient supporting strength, only unidirectionally arranged metal strips can be used, such as... Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown.

[0106] Preferably, the coating material on the product surface may include aluminum oxide, yttrium oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, etc.

[0107] Preferably, in steps 1 to 3 above, the metal strip, the spliced ​​metal sheet 30 and the frame 10 are tensioned simultaneously, and the aforementioned components are fixed and coated while maintaining tension.

[0108] The following is a specific embodiment of another spliced ​​encapsulation layer metal mask (CVD Mask).

[0109] The components in this example mainly include a metal mask frame 10, metal strips, and spliced ​​metal sheets 30, and their assembly method is as follows: Figure 1 , Figure 3 or Figure 4 As shown, the metal mask frame 10 and the metal strip can be made of metals such as Invar36, SUS304, or SUS420, with a thickness between 0.03 and 0.20 mm. The spliced ​​metal sheet 30, considering the magnetic attraction requirements in practical applications, can be made of Invar36 or SUS420 metal. The basic composition of the three is as follows: Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the steps are as follows:

[0110] Step 1. Perform surface insulating film coating treatment on the metal mask frame 10, the plurality of metal strips and the spliced ​​metal sheet 30 respectively;

[0111] Step 2. On the metal mask frame 10, multiple metal strips are tensioned and assembled with the frame in a certain arrangement. The metal strips form a crisscross structure, and the clear area enclosed by each metal strip corresponds to the opening on the spliced ​​metal sheet, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the overlapping positions of each metal strip must be fixed individually;

[0112] Step 3. Next, weld the spliced ​​metal sheets 30 one by one onto the metal mask frame 10, so that the openings on the metal sheets correspond to the areas enclosed by the metal strips assembled in the previous step, such as... Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the overlapping positions of each metal strip and the spliced ​​metal sheet 30 need to be fixed separately;

[0113] The metal strips and spliced ​​metal sheets 30 can be prepared by laser cutting, wire cutting, precision etching, etc. The combination between the metal strips and the metal mask frame 10, between the spliced ​​metal sheets 30 and the metal mask frame 10, and between the metal strips and the spliced ​​metal sheets 30 should preferably be by welding, specifically by laser welding, resistance welding, etc.

[0114] Preferably, provided the metal strips have sufficient supporting strength, only unidirectionally arranged metal strips can be used, such as... Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown.

[0115] Preferably, the coating material on the product surface may include aluminum oxide, yttrium oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, etc.

[0116] Preferably, in steps 2 and 3 above, the metal strip, the spliced ​​metal sheet 30 and the frame 10 are tensioned simultaneously, and the aforementioned components are fixed together while maintaining tension.

[0117] In summary, the aforementioned embodiments and their alternative embodiments resolve the constraints imposed by wide-format, large-size raw materials on the development of AMOLED technology to higher generation lines, while achieving the same technical effects as full-format mesh fabrication, such as universal metal masks and encapsulation layer metal masks. Furthermore, they further solve the problem of reduced encapsulation layer formation quality due to accidental damage to the insulating layer.

[0118] The above description is merely a specific implementation of the embodiments of the present invention, but the protection scope of the embodiments of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the embodiments of the present invention should be determined by the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A metal photomask, characterized in that, Used at least in forming an encapsulation layer during AMOLED manufacturing processes, including: Framework (10); Multiple metal strips, including multiple first-direction metal strips (21) and multiple second-direction metal strips (22) connected to the frame (10), the metal strips spanning the hollow portion of the frame (10), the first direction being perpendicular to the second direction; Multiple spliced ​​metal sheets (30) are connected to the first direction metal strip (21) and the second direction metal strip (22), and their two ends are connected to the frame (10) and cover the hollow part of the frame (10); multiple openings (31) are arranged in an array on the spliced ​​metal sheets (30). The metal mask as a whole, or one or more of its components, is provided with an insulating coating layer (23). The overlapping positions of the first direction metal strip (21) and the second direction metal strip (22) are respectively provided with a first groove (211) and a second groove (221), and the first groove (211) and the second groove (221) fit together to reduce the thickness at the overlapping position; Among the plurality of metal strips: A third groove (222) is provided on a metal strip parallel to the long axis of the spliced ​​metal sheet (30). The third groove (222) is a stepped groove. The two long sides of the spliced ​​metal sheet (30) are respectively embedded in the third groove (222) of two adjacent metal strips. A fourth groove (212) is provided on a metal strip perpendicular to the long axis of the spliced ​​metal sheet (30), which can be embedded in the part where the spliced ​​metal sheet (30) and the metal strip overlap; The third groove (222) or the fourth groove (212) is used to reduce the thickness at the intersection of the metal strip and the spliced ​​metal sheet (30).

2. The metal photomask according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple of the spliced ​​metal pieces (30) are embedded in one of the fourth grooves (212).

3. The metal photomask according to claim 1, characterized in that, The frame (10) or the metal strip is made of alloys selected from the following grades: Invar36, SUS304, SUS420, with a thickness of 0.03 mm to 0.20 mm; The spliced ​​metal sheet (30) is made of alloys with the following grades: Invar36, SUS420.

4. The metal photomask according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clearance area enclosed by multiple first-direction metal strips (21) and second-direction metal strips (22) is larger than the corresponding opening (31) on the spliced ​​metal sheet (30).

5. The metal photomask according to claim 1, characterized in that, The insulating coating layer (23) is made of aluminum oxide, yttrium oxide, silicon nitride or silicon oxide.

6. The metal photomask according to claim 1, characterized in that, The overlapping metal strips are spaced apart from each other. The metal strip and the spliced ​​metal sheet (30) are mutually, The metal strip and the frame (10) are adjacent to each other. and / or The spliced ​​metal sheet (30) and the frame (10) are interdependent It is fixed while the metal strip is taut.

7. A method for manufacturing a metal photomask according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: Before assembly, the insulating coating layer (23) is formed separately on the surfaces of the frame (10), the metal strip and the spliced ​​metal sheet (30).

8. A method for manufacturing a metal photomask according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: Tension the metal strip; During the tensioning process, one or more of the following groups of components are fixed together: Overlapping first-direction metal strips (21) and second-direction metal strips (22), overlapping first-direction metal strips (21) and spliced ​​metal sheets (30), overlapping second-direction metal strips (22) and spliced ​​metal sheets (30). After the fixing is completed, each component is coated as a whole to form the insulating coating layer (23).

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