OLED panel mask etching device

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of OLED panel manufacturing technology and provides an OLED panel mask etching apparatus, including a housing, an etching component, a liquid collection component, and a control system. The housing includes two symmetrically arranged side plates, with six support columns at the bottom of the side plates and a shell mounted on the top of the side plates. A set of sliding doors is located at each end of the shell. The housing is used to enclose the etching environment, providing a stable environment for etching and preventing the leakage of gases generated during etching. The etching component includes several sets of conveyor rods rotatably connected to the inner sides of the two shells. This device solves the problem that during the etching process, the etchant not only etches the material vertically but also etches laterally along the sidewalls. This phenomenon leads to an increase in etching width, thus affecting the accuracy of the etching results. The device achieves the goal of reducing sidewall etching by monitoring the etching process and adjusting the temperature and pressure based on the monitoring results.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of OLED panel manufacturing technology, and more specifically, to an OLED panel mask etching apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) panels are an advanced display technology that uses organic materials sandwiched between two layers of electrodes. When an electric current passes through, the organic materials emit light. OLED panels offer advantages such as self-illumination, high contrast, wide viewing angle, fast response time, and low power consumption, and are widely used in smartphones, televisions, wearable devices, and other fields.

[0003] The manufacturing process of an OLED panel includes multiple steps such as substrate preparation, photolithography, organic layer evaporation, cutting, and testing. Each step requires high precision and strict control to ensure the performance and lifespan of the final product. Among these, organic layer evaporation is a crucial step. In a vacuum environment, materials are heated until they vaporize and sublimate, causing the gas to condense on the substrate surface to form a thin film that constitutes the multi-layered structure of the OLED panel, including the hole injection layer, hole transport layer, and light-emitting layer. Due to the presence of RGB subpixels, light-emitting layer evaporation also requires the use of photomasks. These masks are responsible for leaving the areas to be evaporated open and blocking the areas that do not need to be evaporated, thus completing the sequential evaporation of the RGB light-emitting materials.

[0004] The photomask used for evaporating the light-emitting layer is typically an extremely thin metal sheet. Depending on the requirements of OLEDs, the photomask is etched into different shapes using an etching process. This etching process involves chemically dissolving the surface of the substrate without photoresist to obtain the photomask. However, during etching, the etchant not only etches the material perpendicularly but also laterally along the sidewalls. This phenomenon increases the etching width, thus affecting the accuracy of the etching results.

[0005] In existing technologies, some etching devices cover and protect the through holes and sidewalls of the mask substrate with a material that cannot be etched by the current etching solution before etching. However, this method not only increases costs due to the need to clean the protective material again, but also fails to achieve the purpose of protecting the sidewalls from erosion. Since the etching device sprays the etching solution from the top, the surface of the etched substrate has already formed a low depression due to etching during the etching process. The sidewalls of the depressions do not need to be etched laterally. However, since the depressions are formed by etching during the production process, and there are no protective measures for the depressions, the sidewalls of the depressions will inevitably be etched, resulting in the lateral dimensions of the holes and structures that should have been formed being too large, reducing precision.

[0006] Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an OLED panel mask etching apparatus. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the present invention aims to provide an OLED panel mask etching device that can monitor the mask etching process in real time and reduce sidewall etching and lateral deformation during the process.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0009] An OLED panel mask etching apparatus, comprising a housing, etching components, a liquid collection component, and a control system;

[0010] The outer shell includes two symmetrically arranged side plates, six sets of support columns at the bottom of the side plates, and a housing mounted on the top of the side plates. The housing is designed with a C-shaped structure, and a set of sliding doors is provided at each end of the housing. The outer shell is used to seal the etching environment, provide a stable environment for etching, and prevent the gas generated during etching from escaping.

[0011] The etching assembly includes several sets of conveying rods rotatably connected to the inner sides of two sets of housings, several sets of sensing rings arranged around the conveying rods, a conveying drive connected to one side of the housing, two sets of etching modules installed on the top of the housing, and spray heads and ultrasonic probes installed on the etching modules. The conveying drive provides power to the several sets of conveying rods, and a mask plate is provided on the top of the conveying rods. The etching assembly is used to perform spray etching on the mask plate and makes real-time adjustments based on monitoring the etching effect of the mask plate.

[0012] The liquid collection assembly includes a top plate installed at the bottom of the housing, and a set of liquid collection plates are symmetrically installed on both sides of the top plate;

[0013] The mask includes a mask substrate, the surface of which is covered with a mask, and a processing pattern is engraved on the mask. The mask substrate is etched with mask processing holes on its surface according to the mask processing pattern by an etching process.

[0014] The control system is electrically connected to the housing and the etching components. The control system is used to monitor the etching effect of the mask, control the environment inside the housing based on the etching effect of the mask, and control the etching rate of the etching components.

[0015] The invention is further configured such that: the sliding door includes a mounting plate connected to the side wall of the housing, a transmission drive is provided at the top of the mounting plate, a transmission module is provided on one side of the transmission drive, a slider is sleeved on the transmission module, and a door panel is connected to the slider.

[0016] The present invention is further configured such that: the etching module includes four sets of support rods connected to the housing, a support frame is installed at the top of the four sets of support rods, two sets of spray pipes are equidistantly arranged at the bottom of the support frame, several sets of spray heads are installed on each set of spray pipes, the spray heads are used to spray etching liquid onto the mask plate, a set of mounting rods is arranged between every two sets of spray pipes, and two sets of ultrasonic probes are installed on each set of mounting rods.

[0017] The present invention is further configured such that: the liquid collection plate includes an inclined plate that is inclinedly connected to one side of the top plate, and a semi-circular liquid collection groove is installed at the end of the inclined plate away from the top plate, and a drain hole for the etching solution to flow out is opened on one side of the liquid collection groove.

[0018] The present invention is further configured such that: the control system includes a monitoring module, a control module, and an interaction module;

[0019] The monitoring module includes a temperature monitoring module, a pressure monitoring module, a flow rate monitoring module, and an etching monitoring module integrated inside the housing. The temperature monitoring module is used to monitor the temperature inside the housing, the pressure monitoring module is used to monitor the pressure inside the housing, the flow rate monitoring module is used to monitor the spraying speed of the spray head, and the etching monitoring module is used to monitor the etching effect of the mask. The etching monitoring module receives ultrasonic signals transmitted by the ultrasonic probe.

[0020] The control module is used to control the temperature and pressure inside the shell, and the control module receives temperature and pressure information transmitted by the monitoring module.

[0021] The interaction module includes a characterization module and an intervention module. The characterization module receives temperature information transmitted from the temperature monitoring module and pressure information transmitted from the pressure monitoring module, and characterizes the temperature and pressure information at the operator's location. The characterization module also receives the aperture change curve transmitted from the etching monitoring module. The intervention module is used by the operator to forcibly adjust the temperature and pressure, as well as to start and stop the system.

[0022] The present invention is further configured such that: the etching monitoring module obtains the real-time etching phenomenon of the mask through an ultrasonic probe; the ultrasonic probe integrates a piezoelectric crystal, the ultrasonic probe emits ultrasonic pulses to the mask, when the ultrasonic waves come into contact with the mask, a portion of the ultrasonic waves are reflected back to the ultrasonic probe to form an echo signal, the piezoelectric crystal in the ultrasonic probe receives the reflected echo signal and converts it into an electrical signal.

[0023] The present invention is further configured such that: the ultrasonic probe transmits ultrasonic pulses, and the transmission frequency is controlled according to the precision of the mask plate processing.

[0024] The present invention is further configured such that: the etching monitoring module amplifies and filters the electrical signal, digitizes the processed signal, generates ultrasonic image data based on the intensity and time delay of the echo signal, and obtains the aperture of the mask processing hole from the ultrasonic image data.

[0025] The present invention is further configured such that: the aperture change curve is composed of aperture change curves, which are established by the etching monitoring module from the aperture data of the mask plate processing hole, and two aperture change curves are established in total, one for width change and one for length change. The etching monitoring module sets the ideal curve for width change and the ideal curve for length change respectively, and performs curve comparison control between the width change curve and the ideal curve for width change, and performs curve comparison control between the length change curve and the ideal curve for length change.

[0026] The present invention is further configured such that the curve comparison step includes:

[0027] S1, during the rising phase of the curve, compare the slope of the curve;

[0028] If the slope of the width change curve is higher than the ideal width change curve, the control module sends instruction 1; if the slope of the width change curve is equal to the ideal width change curve, the control module sends instruction 0; if the slope of the width change curve is equal to the ideal width change curve, the control module sends instruction 2.

[0029] If the slope of the length change curve is higher than the ideal length change curve, the control module sends instruction 1; if the slope of the length change curve is equal to the ideal length change curve, the control module sends instruction 0; if the slope of the length change curve is equal to the ideal length change curve, the control module sends instruction 2.

[0030] S2. When the curve ends its rising phase and reaches the inflection point, the slopes of both the width change curve and the length change curve should be 0.

[0031] If the slope of the width change curve and the length change curve is greater than 0, the control module sends instruction 1; if the slope of the width change curve and the length change curve is equal to 0, the control module sends instruction 0.

[0032] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects:

[0033] 1. This invention constructs a highly efficient and stable OLED panel mask etching device by setting up a shell, etching components, a liquid collection component, and a control system. The shell not only seals the etching environment to prevent the leakage of gases generated during etching, but also provides stable environmental conditions for etching, ensuring the consistency and controllability of the etching reaction. The etching component is responsible for transporting the mask to be etched and spraying etching solution to allow the surface to react with the solution, thereby obtaining the desired pattern. In addition, the etching component uses advanced ultrasonic technology to monitor the etching process of the mask in real time and make corresponding adjustments based on the monitoring data to ensure the accuracy and uniformity of the etching effect. The liquid collection component is used to collect the sprayed etching solution and discharge it from the device, preventing waste and environmental pollution. The control system is electrically connected to the shell and etching components, monitors the etching effect of the mask in real time, and intelligently regulates the environmental conditions inside the shell based on the monitoring results. Simultaneously, it precisely controls the etching rate of the etching component, ensuring the high efficiency, safety, and environmental friendliness of the entire etching process.

[0034] 2. This invention incorporates induction rings. During the etching process, the etching reaction generates heat, potentially causing the photomask to deform. When this deformation occurs, whether resulting in protrusions or depressions, the bottom of the photomask cannot maintain a tight fit with the X-set of induction rings, thus altering the number of X rings. Therefore, if X rings change during etching, the control module sends a command. This step prevents the photomask from deforming due to reaction heat or other factors during etching, ensuring the photomask's processing accuracy and preventing subsequent monitoring errors in the photomask's machining holes caused by deformation. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall production line of the OLED panel mask etching apparatus of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the OLED panel mask etching apparatus of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the OLED panel mask etching device of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the sliding door structure in this invention.

[0039] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the etching component in this invention.

[0040] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the etching module in this invention.

[0041] Figure 7This is a schematic diagram of the liquid collection assembly in this invention.

[0042] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the mask plate in this invention.

[0043] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram comparing the ideal width variation curve and the width variation curve in this invention.

[0044] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram comparing the ideal curve of length change with the curve of length change in this invention.

[0045] Figure 11 for Figure 5 An enlarged schematic diagram of region A in the middle.

[0046] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Outer shell; 11. Sliding door; 111. Slider; 112. Transmission module; 113. Transmission drive; 114. Door panel; 115. Mounting plate; 12. Housing; 13. Side panel; 14. Support column;

[0047] 2. Etching assembly; 21. Conveyor drive; 22. Etching module; 221. Support frame; 222. Support rod; 223. Spray pipe; 224. Mounting rod; 225. Spray head; 226. Ultrasonic probe; 23. Conveyor rod; 231. Induction ring;

[0048] 3. Liquid collection assembly; 31. Top plate; 32. Liquid collection plate; 321. Inclined plate; 322. Liquid collection tank; 323. Drain hole;

[0049] 4. Mask plate; 41. Mask; 42. Mask plate substrate; 43. Mask plate machining hole;

[0050] 5. Pre-treatment line; 51. Liquid cutting line; 52. Cleaning line; 53. Pre-drying line;

[0051] 6. Post-processing line; 61. Pickling line; 62. Post-drying line;

[0052] 7. Testing line. Detailed Implementation

[0053] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0054] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains.

[0055] Please see Figures 1-11 The present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0056] Example 1, please refer to Figure 1 This device is part of a photomask production line. The entire process begins with material input, which is conveyed via conveyor belt through pre-processing line 5, etching unit, and post-processing line 6. First, the material undergoes liquid cutting at liquid cutting line 51, followed by a developing process to reveal the surface characteristics. Next, the material undergoes a fresh liquid cleaning and six overflow water rinsing processes at cleaning line 52 to ensure thorough surface cleaning and prepare for subsequent processing. After preliminary processing, the material enters pre-drying line 53 for drying. The surface-treated material is dried using drying equipment. After drying, it enters this device for etching. After etching, the etched photomask 4 enters pickling line 61 for pickling and further cleaning to ensure the surface of the photomask 4 is free of the chemical reagents used in the previous processes. It then enters post-drying line 62 for further drying. After drying, the photomask 4 is transported to inspection line 7 for testing. If it passes inspection, it is output.

[0057] Please see Figures 1-11 An OLED panel mask etching apparatus includes a housing 1, an etching component 2, a liquid collection component 3, and a control system. The housing 1 is used to seal the etching environment, providing a stable environment for etching while preventing the leakage of gases generated during etching. The etching component 2 is used to transport the mask to be etched and spray it for etching, so that its surface reacts with the etching solution to obtain the desired pattern. Furthermore, the etching component 2 monitors the etching process of the mask using ultrasonic technology and makes corresponding adjustments. The liquid collection component 3 is used to collect the sprayed etching solution and discharge it from the OLED panel mask etching apparatus. The control system is electrically connected to the housing 1 and the etching component 2. The control system is used to monitor the etching effect of the mask 4, control the environment inside the housing 1 based on the etching effect of the mask 4, and control the etching rate of the etching component 2.

[0058] Please see Figures 1-4 The outer casing 1 includes two symmetrically arranged side plates 13. Six sets of support columns 14 are located at the bottom of the side plates 13, providing stable support for the entire device. A housing 12 is mounted on top of the side plates 13. The housing 12 has a C-shaped structure, with a set of sliding doors 11 at each end. The sliding doors 11 can be opened and closed as etching begins and ends. When the mask 4 has completed its preliminary work and needs etching, the sliding door 11 on the side away from the conveyor drive 21 opens to allow the mask 4 to enter. When the mask 4 is etching inside the etching assembly 2, both sets of sliding doors 11 are closed to ensure a safe reaction environment and prevent the leakage of reaction gases. After the mask 4 has completed etching inside the etching assembly 2, the sliding door 11 on the side closer to the conveyor drive 21 opens to allow the mask 4 to leave the device and proceed to subsequent operations.

[0059] Please see Figure 4 The sliding door 11 includes a mounting plate 115 connected to the side wall of the housing 12. A transmission drive 113 is provided at the top of the mounting plate 115, and a transmission module 112 is provided on one side of the transmission drive 113. A slider 111 is sleeved on the transmission module 112, and a door panel 114 is connected to the slider 111. When the sliding door 11 needs to allow the mask plate to pass through, the transmission drive 113 is activated, driving the transmission module 112 to move. The movement of the transmission module 112 causes the slider 111 to slide to the end away from the transmission drive 113. The slider 111 moves downward, causing the door panel 114 to move downward, and the sliding door 11 opens. When the sliding door 11 needs to be closed to seal the reaction environment, the transmission drive 113 is activated, driving the transmission module 112 to move. The movement of the transmission module 112 causes the slider 111 to slide to the end close to the transmission drive 113. The slider 111 moves upward, causing the door panel 114 to move upward, and the sliding door 11 closes.

[0060] See Figure 5 The etching assembly 2 includes several sets of conveying rods 23 rotatably connected to the inner sides of two sets of housings 12, several sets of sensing rings 231 arranged around the conveying rods 23, a conveying drive 21 connected to one side of the housing 12, and two sets of etching modules 22 installed on the top of the housing 12. The two sets of etching modules 22 are used to spray etching liquid and monitor the etching effect at the same time. The conveying drive 21 provides power to the several sets of conveying rods 23. A mask plate 4 is arranged on the top of the conveying rods 23. The coordinated conveying of the several sets of conveying rods 23 enables the mask plate 4 to be transported.

[0061] Specifically, during the transmission and etching processes of the etching component 2, several sets of sensing rings 231 are attached to the bottom of the mask plate 4, and the number of sensing rings 231 on the bottom of each set of mask plates 4 remains consistent. Before etching, X sets of sensing rings 231 sense that the mask plate 4 is located on top of it. During the etching process, due to the heat generated by the etching reaction, the mask plate 4 may deform. When the mask plate 4 deforms, whether it becomes a protrusion or a depression, the bottom of the mask plate 4 cannot be tightly attached to the X sets of sensing rings 231, and the number of X will change accordingly. Therefore, if X changes during the etching process, the control module sends instruction 1 to the etching component 2. When the etching component 2 receives instruction 1, the control module uniformly reduces the temperature and pressure in the outer shell 1 through the temperature control module and the pressure control module, while the etching component 2 reduces the spray speed until it receives the next instruction from the control module. Due to changes in temperature, pressure, and spray speed, the small deformation of the mask plate 4 is restored. When the quantity returns to X, the control module sends instruction 0 to the etching component 2. When the control module sends instruction 0, it indicates that the reaction rate is normal at this time. Therefore, the sidewall etching or the deformation of the mask plate 4 does not interfere with the reaction, so the decrease in temperature and pressure and the change in spray speed are stopped.

[0062] This step is to prevent the mask 4 from deforming due to reaction heat or other factors during the etching process, ensuring the processing accuracy of the mask 4, and also avoiding subsequent monitoring errors of the mask 4's machining holes 43 due to deformation of the mask 4. It should be noted that when a mask 4 enters the etching assembly 2, it is transported via the conveyor rod 23. At this time, since the bottom of the mask 4 is flat, its bottom contacts X sets of sensing rings 231. Assuming that the number of sensing rings 231 on the bottom of a mask 4 is 8, then X is 8. When the mask 4 becomes concave during the etching process, the center is concave while the four sides are raised. At this time, gaps are created between the four sides of the mask 4 and the sensing rings 231, thus reducing the number of sensing rings 231 in contact with the mask 4, and X will be less than 8.

[0063] See Figure 5 , Figure 6 The etching module 22 includes four sets of support rods 222 connected to the housing 12. The four sets of support rods 222 are arranged vertically to ensure that the etching module 22 does not vibrate during actual operation. A support frame 221 is installed at the top of the four sets of support rods 222. Two sets of spray pipes 223 are equidistantly arranged at the bottom of the support frame 221. Several sets of spray heads 225 are installed on each set of spray pipes 223. The spray pipes 223 provide an installation environment for the spray heads 225 and are connected to an external liquid supply unit, allowing the etching solution to enter the spray heads 225 through the spray pipes 223 and be sprayed onto the surface of the mask plate 4. The several sets of spray heads 225 are equidistantly arranged and are used to spray the etching solution onto the mask plate. A set of mounting rods 224 is provided between every two sets of spray pipes 223. Two sets of ultrasonic probes 226 are installed on each set of mounting rods 224. The mounting rods 224 provide an installation environment for the two sets of ultrasonic probes 226. The two sets of ultrasonic probes 226 are used to monitor the etching process and ensure the etching effect.

[0064] Please see Figure 7 The liquid collection assembly 3 includes a top plate 31 installed at the bottom of the housing 12. A set of liquid collection plates 32 are symmetrically installed on both sides of the top plate 31. The liquid collection plates 32 are used to allow the sprayed etching solution to flow out and be collected. The liquid collection plate 32 includes an inclined plate 321 that is inclinedly connected to one side of the top plate 31. The inclined setting of the inclined plate 321 ensures that the etching solution flows down. A semi-circular arc-shaped liquid collection tank 322 is installed at the end of the inclined plate 321 away from the top plate 31. The liquid collection tank 322 is used to collect the etching solution flowing down from the inclined plate 321. A drain hole 323 is opened on one side of the liquid collection tank 322 for the etching solution to flow out. It should be noted that the etching solution flowing out from the drain hole 323 can be restored to a usable etching solution after subsequent processing steps and recycled again, further saving costs and reducing waste.

[0065] Please see Figure 7 The mask plate 4 includes a mask plate substrate 42, the surface of which is covered with a mask 41, and a processing pattern is engraved on the mask 41. The mask plate substrate 42 is etched with a mask processing hole 43 on its surface according to the processing pattern of the mask 41 by an etching process.

[0066] Although the mask plate 4 can be spray-etched by the cooperation of the outer shell 1, etching component 2, and liquid collection component 3, sidewall etching occurs at every moment during the actual etching process. Therefore, a control system is needed to monitor the spray-etching process in real time.

[0067] In this embodiment, the control system includes a monitoring module, a control module, and an interaction module.

[0068] The monitoring module includes a temperature monitoring module, a pressure monitoring module, a flow rate monitoring module, and an etching monitoring module integrated inside the housing 1. The temperature monitoring module is used to monitor the internal temperature of the housing 1, the pressure monitoring module is used to monitor the internal pressure of the housing 1, the flow rate monitoring module is used to monitor the spraying speed of the spray head 225, the etching monitoring module is used to monitor the etching effect of the mask plate, and the etching monitoring module receives the ultrasonic signal transmitted by the ultrasonic probe 226.

[0069] The control module includes a temperature control module and a pressure control module integrated inside the housing 1. The temperature control module is used to control the temperature inside the housing 1, and the pressure control module is used to control the pressure inside the housing 1. The control module receives temperature information transmitted by the temperature monitoring module and pressure information transmitted by the pressure transmission module.

[0070] It should be understood that the temperature monitoring module, pressure monitoring module, temperature control module and pressure control module in this embodiment all adopt existing technology. Temperature monitoring modules, pressure monitoring modules, temperature control modules and pressure control modules that can be obtained directly or by those skilled in the art can be applied to the system of this embodiment. The specific structure of temperature monitoring modules, pressure monitoring modules, temperature control modules and pressure control modules is not absolutely limited here.

[0071] The interaction module includes a characterization module and an intervention module. The characterization module receives temperature and pressure information transmitted from the monitoring module and displays this information to the operator. The characterization module also receives aperture change curves transmitted from the etching monitoring module. The intervention module is used by the operator to enforce adjustments to temperature and pressure, as well as the operation and shutdown of the system. The intervention module has first-order control. When the intervention module sends commands 1, 0, 2, start, or stop, the system will execute the commands from the intervention module first, in addition to the commands from the control module.

[0072] In this embodiment, specifically: the etching monitoring module obtains the real-time etching phenomenon of the mask plate through the ultrasonic probe 226; the ultrasonic probe 226 integrates a piezoelectric crystal, the ultrasonic probe 226 emits ultrasonic pulses to the mask plate, when the ultrasonic waves come into contact with the mask plate 4, part of the ultrasonic waves are reflected back to the ultrasonic probe 226, forming an echo signal, the piezoelectric crystal in the ultrasonic probe 226 receives the reflected echo signal and converts it into an electrical signal.

[0073] It should be noted that the ultrasonic probe 226 sends ultrasonic pulses, and the transmission frequency is controlled according to the precision of the mask plate 4. When the mask plate 4 requires a higher degree of processing precision, the ultrasonic probe 226 sends ultrasonic pulses at a higher frequency, and therefore the frequency of the echo signal it receives is higher, and more sets of electrical signals are obtained.

[0074] In this embodiment, specifically: the etching monitoring module amplifies and filters the electrical signal, digitizes the processed signal, generates ultrasonic image data based on the intensity and time delay of the echo signal, and obtains the aperture of the mask processing hole 43 from the ultrasonic image data.

[0075] It should be noted that since the mask processing holes 43 on the mask plate 4 are square, both length and width data are needed when obtaining the hole diameter data of the mask processing holes 43. Because the mask processing holes 43 are processed simultaneously on the mask plate 4 using spray etching, the processing speed and effect of several sets of mask processing holes 43 are consistent. Therefore, obtaining the data of only one set of mask processing holes 43 is sufficient to complete the operation in this embodiment. The steps for obtaining the hole diameter of the mask processing holes 43 from the ultrasonic image data are as follows:

[0076] A1. Perform image preprocessing;

[0077] The more specific steps are as follows:

[0078] A11. Convert color images to grayscale images to simplify processing;

[0079] A12. Use median filtering or Gaussian filtering to remove noise and smooth the image;

[0080] A13. Convert the image into a binary image through thresholding, and randomly select a set of mask processing holes 43 to separate the mask processing hole 43 area from the background.

[0081] A2. Perform edge detection, using the Canny algorithm to detect edges in the image and identify the contour of the mask processing hole 43;

[0082] A3. Perform contour detection; use OpenCV's findContourA function to find contours in the image;

[0083] A4. Use OpenCV's minAreaRect function to fit the minimum bounding rectangle and obtain the length and width of the rectangle;

[0084] In this embodiment, specifically: the etching monitoring module obtains the aperture data of 43 holes in the mask plate and fits all the obtained aperture data. The fitting method used in this embodiment is Bézier curve. By smoothly connecting multiple points through the Bézier curve, an aperture change curve is established. Two aperture change curves are established in total, forming an aperture change curve graph, one for width change and the other for length change. It should be noted that, since it is spray etching, the change rates of the width change curve and the length change curve are basically the same. Theoretically, this invention can also achieve the purpose of monitoring whether sidewall etching has occurred by monitoring only one width change curve or only one length change curve. However, this invention sets two curves to be monitored simultaneously so that if the monitoring data of one curve deviates, the command sent by monitoring the other curve can still execute the corresponding response. Therefore, the commands sent during the monitoring of the two curves in this invention are consistent.

[0085] Specifically, the etching monitoring module sets ideal curves for width and length changes. It should be noted that these ideal curves are not actual existing curves, but rather computer simulations representing ideal reaction conditions. Therefore, in this embodiment, the ideal curves for width and length changes should, after rising to a certain height, become straight lines with a slope of 0. However, since the actual reaction process is uncontrollable, some error between the width and ideal curves, and between the length and ideal curves, is normal.

[0086] The width variation curve is compared with the ideal width variation curve for control, and the length variation curve is compared with the ideal length variation curve for control.

[0087] In this embodiment, the specific curve comparison steps include:

[0088] S1, during the rising phase of the curve, compare the slope of the curve;

[0089] If the slope of the width change curve is higher than the ideal width change curve, the control module sends instruction 1; if the slope of the width change curve is equal to the ideal width change curve, the control module sends instruction 0; if the slope of the width change curve is equal to the ideal width change curve, the control module sends instruction 2.

[0090] If the slope of the length change curve is higher than the ideal length change curve, the control module sends instruction 1; if the slope of the length change curve is equal to the ideal length change curve, the control module sends instruction 0; if the slope of the length change curve is equal to the ideal length change curve, the control module sends instruction 2.

[0091] S2. When the curve ends its rising phase and reaches the inflection point, the slopes of both the width change curve and the length change curve should be 0. At this point, the horizontal etching is complete. If the slopes of the width change curve and the length change curve are greater than 0, it indicates that sidewall etching has occurred.

[0092] If the slope of the width change curve and the length change curve is greater than 0, the control module sends instruction 1; if the slope of the width change curve and the length change curve is equal to 0, the control module sends instruction 0.

[0093] It should be noted that in the etching reaction, the etching rate typically increases with increasing temperature. Increased temperature increases the kinetic energy of the reactant molecules, thereby increasing the reaction rate. The pressure during the etching reaction directly affects the distribution and diffusion of the reactants on the surface of the mask 4. Appropriate pressure ensures uniform distribution of the reactants, thus achieving a uniform etching effect. Furthermore, it should be noted that the sending commands 0, 1, and 2 described in this invention are only an overview, encompassing the control adjustments performed by the control module itself and the enhanced / reduced flow rates sent by the control module to the etching assembly 2.

[0094] Therefore, when the control module sends instruction 1, it indicates that the etching reaction rate is too fast, causing sidewall etching or deformation of the mask 4. The control module uses the temperature control module and pressure control module to uniformly reduce the temperature and pressure in the shell 1, and simultaneously reduce the spraying speed of the etching component 2, until it receives the next instruction from the control module. When the control module sends instruction 0, it indicates that the reaction rate is normal and no sidewall etching or deformation of the mask 4 has occurred. Therefore, it does not interfere with the reaction, does not change the temperature and pressure in the shell 1, and does not change the spraying speed of the etching component 2. When the control module sends instruction 2, it indicates that the etching reaction rate is too slow. The control module uses the temperature control module and pressure control module to uniformly increase the temperature and pressure in the shell 1, and simultaneously accelerates the spraying speed of the etching component 2 to enhance the etching reaction rate, until it receives the next instruction from the control module.

[0095] It should be noted that all instructions in this embodiment are continuous actions. Since the monitoring of the mask plate 4 in this embodiment is real-time, a new instruction will be sent when a change in state is detected. For example, if the slope of the width change curve is higher than the ideal width change curve, the control module sends instruction 1; the temperature control module and the pressure control module uniformly reduce the temperature and pressure in the housing 1, while simultaneously reducing the spraying speed of the etching component 2. Subsequently, when the slope of the width change curve is exactly equal to the ideal width change curve, the control module sends instruction 0, the command of instruction 1 is terminated, and instruction 0 is executed, without changing the temperature and pressure in the housing 1 or the spraying speed of the etching component 2.

[0096] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not all embodiments. For example, the division of units is only a logical functional division; in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. Furthermore, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Additionally, the shown or discussed mutual couplings, direct couplings, or communication connections may be through some communication interfaces. Indirect couplings or communication connections between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort should fall within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. An OLED panel mask etching apparatus, characterized in that: It includes a housing (1), an etching assembly (2), a liquid collection assembly (3), and a control system; The outer shell (1) includes two sets of symmetrically arranged side plates (13), six sets of support columns (14) are provided at the bottom of the side plates (13), and a shell (12) is installed on the top of the side plates (13). The shell (12) is set in a C-shaped structure, and a set of sliding doors (11) are provided at both ends of the shell (12). The outer shell (1) is used to seal the etching environment, provide a stable environment for etching, and prevent the gas generated by etching from escaping. The etching assembly (2) includes several sets of transmission rods (23) rotatably connected to the inner sides of two sets of housings (12), several sets of sensing rings (231) arranged around the transmission rods (23), a transmission drive (21) connected to one side of the housing (12), two sets of etching modules (22) installed on the top of the housing (12), a spray head (225) and an ultrasonic probe (226) installed on the etching module (22). The transmission drive (21) provides power to the several sets of transmission rods (23), and a mask plate (4) is provided on the top of the transmission rods (23). The etching assembly (2) is used to perform spray etching on the mask plate (4) and adjust it in real time according to the etching effect of the mask plate (4). The liquid collection assembly (3) includes a top plate (31) installed at the bottom of the housing (12), and a set of liquid collection plates (32) are symmetrically installed on both sides of the top plate (31). The mask plate (4) includes a mask plate substrate (42), the surface of which is covered with a mask (41), and a processing pattern is engraved on the mask (41). The mask plate substrate (42) is etched with a mask processing hole (43) on its surface according to the processing pattern of the mask (41) by an etching process. The control system is electrically connected to the housing (1) and the etching component (2). The control system is used to monitor the etching effect of the mask (4), control the environment inside the housing (1) according to the etching effect of the mask (4), and control the etching rate of the etching component (2). The control system includes a monitoring module, a control module, and an interaction module; The monitoring module includes a temperature monitoring module, a pressure monitoring module, a flow rate monitoring module and an etching monitoring module integrated inside the housing (1). The temperature monitoring module is used to monitor the temperature inside the housing (1), the pressure monitoring module is used to monitor the pressure inside the housing (1), the flow rate monitoring module is used to monitor the spraying speed of the spray head (225), the etching monitoring module is used to monitor the etching effect of the mask plate (4), and the etching monitoring module receives the ultrasonic signal transmitted by the ultrasonic probe (226). The control module is used to control the temperature and pressure inside the shell (1), and the control module receives the temperature and pressure information transmitted by the monitoring module; The interaction module includes a characterization module and an intervention module. The characterization module receives temperature information transmitted from the temperature monitoring module and pressure information transmitted from the pressure monitoring module, and characterizes the temperature and pressure information at the operator's location. The characterization module also receives the aperture change curve transmitted from the etching monitoring module. The intervention module is used by the operator to forcibly adjust the temperature and pressure, as well as to start and stop the system. The aperture change curve is composed of aperture change curves. The aperture change curves are established by the etching monitoring module based on the aperture data at the mask processing hole (43). Two aperture change curves are established, one for width change and one for length change. The etching monitoring module sets the ideal curve for width change and the ideal curve for length change respectively, and compares and controls the width change curve with the ideal curve for width change and the length change curve with the ideal curve for length change.

2. The OLED panel mask etching apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sliding door (11) includes a mounting plate (115) connected to the side wall of the housing (12). A transmission drive (113) is provided at the top of the mounting plate (115). A transmission module (112) is provided on one side of the transmission drive (113). A slider (111) is sleeved on the transmission module (112). A door panel (114) is connected to the slider (111).

3. The OLED panel mask etching apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The etching module (22) includes four sets of support rods (222) connected to the housing (12). The top of the four sets of support rods (222) is equipped with a support frame (221). Two sets of spray pipes (223) are equidistantly arranged at the bottom of the support frame (221). Several sets of spray heads (225) are installed on each set of spray pipes (223). The spray heads (225) are used to spray etching liquid onto the mask plate (4). A set of mounting rods (224) is arranged between every two sets of spray pipes (223). Two sets of ultrasonic probes (226) are installed on each set of mounting rods (224).

4. The OLED panel mask etching apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The liquid collection plate (32) includes an inclined plate (321) that is inclinedly connected to one side of the top plate (31). A semi-circular arc-shaped liquid collection groove (322) is installed on the end of the inclined plate (321) away from the top plate (31). A drain hole (323) for the etching solution to flow out is opened on one side of the liquid collection groove (322).

5. The OLED panel mask etching apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The etching monitoring module obtains the real-time etching phenomenon of the mask plate (4) through an ultrasonic probe (226); the ultrasonic probe (226) integrates a piezoelectric crystal, the ultrasonic probe (226) emits ultrasonic pulses to the mask plate (4), when the ultrasonic waves come into contact with the mask plate (4), a part of the ultrasonic waves are reflected back to the ultrasonic probe (226) to form an echo signal, the piezoelectric crystal in the ultrasonic probe (226) receives the reflected echo signal and converts it into an electrical signal.

6. The OLED panel mask etching apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that: The ultrasonic probe (226) sends ultrasonic pulses, and its transmission frequency is controlled according to the precision of the mask plate (4) processing.

7. The OLED panel mask etching apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that: The etching monitoring module amplifies and filters the electrical signal, digitizes the processed signal, generates ultrasonic image data based on the intensity and time delay of the echo signal, and obtains the aperture of the mask processing hole (43) from the ultrasonic image data.

8. The OLED panel mask etching apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The curve comparison step includes: S1, during the rising phase of the curve, compare the slope of the curve; If the slope of the width change curve is higher than the ideal width change curve, the control module sends instruction 1; if the slope of the width change curve is equal to the ideal width change curve, the control module sends instruction 0; if the slope of the width change curve is equal to the ideal width change curve, the control module sends instruction 2. If the slope of the length change curve is higher than the ideal length change curve, the control module sends instruction 1; if the slope of the length change curve is equal to the ideal length change curve, the control module sends instruction 0; if the slope of the length change curve is equal to the ideal length change curve, the control module sends instruction 2. S2. When the curve ends its rising phase and reaches the inflection point, the slopes of both the width change curve and the length change curve should be 0. If the slope of the width change curve and the length change curve is greater than 0, the control module sends instruction 1; if the slope of the width change curve and the length change curve is equal to 0, the control module sends instruction 0.

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