Evaporation device, evaporation method, and display panel preparation device

Abstract

This application discloses a vapor deposition apparatus, a vapor deposition method, and a display panel fabrication apparatus. The vapor deposition apparatus includes a support platform, a supply unit, a mask assembly, and a pressing assembly. The support platform is used to support the display substrate. The mask assembly is disposed between the support platform and the supply unit along the deposition direction of the vapor deposition material. The mask assembly has an opening for bonding with the display substrate and exposing the area of ​​the display substrate to be vapor-deposited through the opening. The pressing assembly includes a pressing frame and a first driving assembly. The pressing frame is disposed along the deposition direction on the side of the mask assembly away from the support platform. The first driving assembly is connected to the pressing frame and is used to drive the pressing frame to move relative to the mask assembly along the deposition direction, and to press the entire surface of the pressing frame onto the mask assembly, thereby reducing the impact of the pressing frame manufacturing error on the vapor deposition effect and improving the uniformity of thin film deposition.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of display technology, and particularly relates to a vapor deposition apparatus, a vapor deposition method, and a display panel preparation apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] With the advancement of technology, digital display devices such as smartphones and tablets have been widely used. Among them, the display panel is an indispensable human-to-human communication interface in these display devices and is widely used in terminal products such as smartphones and tablets.

[0003] In display panel manufacturing lines, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) is often used to deposit thin films onto display substrates. To mitigate edge effects during deposition, the deposition apparatus employs a pressure frame to press against the mask assembly, thereby improving the electric field and gas distribution at the edges. However, in actual installation, gaps may form between the pressure frame and the mask assembly due to manufacturing errors, affecting product yield and the uniformity of thin film deposition.

[0004] Therefore, a new vapor deposition device is urgently needed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a vapor deposition apparatus, a vapor deposition method, and a display panel fabrication apparatus, which can improve the edge effect during vapor deposition of the display substrate, reduce the impact of the pressure frame manufacturing error on the vapor deposition effect, and improve the uniformity of thin film deposition.

[0006] One embodiment of this application provides a vapor deposition apparatus for vapor deposition of a display substrate. The vapor deposition apparatus includes: a support platform for supporting the display substrate; a supply unit disposed opposite to the support platform, the supply unit supplying vapor deposition material in a direction toward the support platform; a mask assembly disposed between the support platform and the supply unit along the deposition direction of the vapor deposition material, the mask assembly having an opening for adhering to the display substrate and exposing the area of ​​the display substrate to be vapor-deposited through the opening; and a pressing assembly including a pressing frame and a first driving assembly, the pressing frame being disposed on the side of the mask assembly away from the support platform, the first driving assembly being connected to the pressing frame and used to drive the pressing frame to move relative to the mask assembly, and to press the entire surface of the pressing frame against the periphery of the mask assembly.

[0007] According to one aspect of this application, the first driving assembly includes a plurality of driving members, which are spaced apart on the periphery of the pressure frame, and each driving member independently controls and is used to adjust the tilt posture of the pressure frame relative to the mask assembly.

[0008] According to one aspect of this application, the pressing frame is a polygonal frame, the pressing frame includes a plurality of sides and corners arranged sequentially, and a plurality of driving members are correspondingly connected to at least a portion of the sides of the pressing frame, or a plurality of driving members are correspondingly connected to at least a portion of the corners of the pressing frame; preferably, the pressing frame is a rectangular frame, and the number of driving members is four and they are respectively arranged at each of the corners of the pressing frame.

[0009] According to one aspect of this application, the pressure assembly may further include a transfer platform, the pressure frame being detachably connected to the transfer platform, the first drive assembly being connected to the transfer platform and capable of controlling the transfer platform to move relative to the mask assembly along the deposition direction; preferably, the connection position of the pressure frame on the transfer platform is adjustable.

[0010] According to one aspect of this application, the pressure assembly further includes an extension connected to the pressure frame, the extension being offset from the mask assembly by its orthographic projection along the deposition direction, one end of the first drive assembly being fixed, and the other end extending along the deposition direction and connected to the extension.

[0011] According to one aspect of this application, the pressing assembly further includes a position sensor and a control unit. The position sensor is used to detect the position information of the pressing frame along the deposition direction. The control unit is configured to control the first driving assembly based on the position information to drive the pressing frame to press its entire surface against the mask assembly. Preferably, the pressing assembly further includes a limiting unit disposed on the movement path of the pressing frame along the deposition direction. The control unit is further configured to control the first driving assembly to stop the pressing frame from moving when the pressing frame moves to the height of the limiting unit. Preferably, the pressing assembly further includes a monitoring unit and an alarm unit. The monitoring unit is used to monitor the status information of the first driving assembly. The control unit is configured to control the alarm unit to issue an alarm signal when the status information of the first driving assembly is abnormal.

[0012] According to one aspect of this application, the pressure-absorbing component further includes a human-machine interface module connected to the control unit. The human-machine interface module includes an operation interface configured to input control parameters of the first driving component and / or display the working status information of the pressure-absorbing component. Preferably, the human-machine interface module further includes an emergency stop unit configured to stop the operation of the first driving component.

[0013] Another aspect of this application provides a vapor deposition method applied to the vapor deposition apparatus described in the above embodiments. The vapor deposition method includes: driving a pressing frame to move relative to the mask assembly along the deposition direction via a first driving component, pressing the entire surface of the pressing frame onto the periphery of the mask assembly, wherein the pressing frame and the mask assembly are combined to form a mask structure; placing a display substrate on a support platform, controlling one of the support platform and the mask structure to move towards the other along the deposition direction, attaching the mask assembly to the display substrate, and exposing the area of ​​the display substrate to be vapor-deposited through the opening of the mask assembly; and depositing a thin film on the area of ​​the display substrate to be vapor-deposited via a supply unit.

[0014] According to one aspect of this application, the first driving assembly includes a plurality of driving members, which are spaced apart on the periphery of the pressing frame and can be independently controlled. The step of driving the pressing frame to move relative to the mask assembly along the deposition direction by the first driving assembly and pressing the entire surface of the pressing frame onto the mask assembly includes: detecting the gap between each area of ​​the periphery of the pressing frame and the mask assembly along the deposition direction; if the gap of a certain area exceeds a preset range, controlling the driving member in that area to drive the pressing frame to move towards the mask assembly along the deposition direction, and the driving members in the other areas to coordinately control and adjust the tilt posture of the pressing frame relative to the mask assembly until the entire surface of the pressing frame is pressed onto the mask assembly.

[0015] Another aspect of this application provides a display panel manufacturing apparatus, including the vapor deposition apparatus described in any of the above embodiments.

[0016] The vapor deposition apparatus provided in this application includes a support platform, a supply unit, and a mask assembly. The supply unit supplies vapor deposition material. The mask assembly is disposed between the support platform and the supply unit along the deposition direction of the vapor deposition material. The mask assembly has an opening that exposes the area of ​​the display substrate to be vapor-deposited, allowing the vapor deposition material to be deposited on the area of ​​the display substrate to form a thin film. To improve the edge effect during vapor deposition on the display substrate, the vapor deposition apparatus in this application further includes a pressing assembly. The pressing assembly includes a pressing frame and a first driving assembly. The first driving assembly drives the pressing frame to move relative to the mask assembly along the deposition direction to reduce the gaps formed between the pressing frame and the mask assembly due to manufacturing errors. This allows the pressing frame to be pressed against the mask assembly on its entire surface. Therefore, while improving the edge effect during vapor deposition on the display substrate through the pressing assembly, the impact of the pressing frame's manufacturing errors on the vapor deposition effect is reduced, thereby improving the product yield of the display panel and the uniformity of the thin film deposition. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments of this application will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the vapor deposition apparatus provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a partial cross-sectional view of a vapor deposition apparatus provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a pressure-absorbing component provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a partial cross-sectional view of a vapor deposition apparatus provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a vapor deposition method provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0023] In the attached image:

[0024] 100 - Evaporation deposition apparatus; 200 - Display substrate;

[0025] 1-Bearing platform; 2-Mask assembly; 21-Mask frame; 22-Mask strip; 3-Pressure assembly; 31-Pressure frame; 32-First drive assembly; 321-Driver; 322-Power source; 33-Transfer platform; 34-Extension; 35-Position sensor; 36-Control unit; 37-Limiting unit; 37a-First limiting unit; 37b-Second limiting unit; 38-Human-machine interaction module; 381-Emergency stop unit;

[0026] K-Opening;

[0027] Z - Deposition direction. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The features and exemplary embodiments of various aspects of this application will now be described in detail. Numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed description in order to provide a comprehensive understanding of this application. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this application can be implemented without some of these specific details. The following description of embodiments is merely intended to provide a better understanding of this application by illustrating examples thereof.

[0029] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0030] It should be understood that when describing the structure of a component, when referring to a layer or region as being "above" or "on top of" another layer or region, it can mean that it is directly above the other layer or region, or that it contains other layers or regions between it and the other layer or region. Furthermore, if the component is flipped over, that layer or region will be located "below" or "under" the other layer or region.

[0031] Various modifications and variations can be made to this application without departing from its spirit or scope, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, this application is intended to cover modifications and variations falling within the scope of the corresponding claims (the claimed technical solutions) and their equivalents. It should be noted that the embodiments provided in this application can be combined with each other without contradiction.

[0032] This application provides a vapor deposition apparatus, a vapor deposition method, and a display panel fabrication apparatus. The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will illustrate various embodiments of the vapor deposition apparatus, vapor deposition method, and display panel fabrication apparatus of this application.

[0033] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 The present application provides schematic diagrams of the vapor deposition apparatus according to some embodiments. Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction.

[0034] This application provides a vapor deposition apparatus 100 for vapor deposition of a display substrate 200. The vapor deposition apparatus 100 includes a support platform 1, a supply unit, a mask assembly 2, and a pressing assembly 3.

[0035] The support platform 1 is used to support the display substrate 200. The supply unit is disposed opposite to the support platform 1 and supplies vapor deposition material in the direction toward the support platform 1. The mask assembly 2 is disposed between the support platform 1 and the supply unit along the deposition direction Z of the vapor deposition material. The mask assembly 2 has an opening K. The mask assembly 2 is used to fit against the display substrate 200 and expose the area of ​​the display substrate 200 to be vapor deposited through the opening K. The pressing assembly 3 includes a pressing frame 31 and a first driving assembly 32. The pressing frame 31 is disposed on the side of the mask assembly 2 away from the support platform 1 along the deposition direction Z. The first driving assembly 32 is connected to the pressing frame 31 and is used to drive the pressing frame 31 to move relative to the mask assembly 2 along the deposition direction Z and press the entire surface of the pressing frame 31 against the mask assembly 2.

[0036] The vapor deposition apparatus 100 provided in this application embodiment includes a support platform 1, a supply unit, and a mask assembly 2. The supply unit is used to supply vapor deposition material. The mask assembly 2 is disposed between the support platform 1 and the supply unit along the deposition direction Z of the vapor deposition material. The mask assembly 2 has an opening K. The opening K of the mask assembly 2 exposes the area of ​​the display substrate 200 to be vapor deposited, so that the vapor deposition material is deposited on the area of ​​the display substrate 200 to be vapor deposited to form a thin film. To improve the edge effect during vapor deposition of the display substrate 200, the vapor deposition apparatus 100 in this embodiment further includes a pressing component 3. The pressing component 3 includes a pressing frame 31 and a first driving component 32. The first driving component 32 is used to drive the pressing frame 31 to move relative to the mask assembly 2 along the deposition direction Z, so as to reduce the gap formed between the pressing frame 31 and the mask assembly 2 due to manufacturing errors, so that the pressing frame 31 can be pressed onto the mask assembly 2 on its entire surface. In this way, while improving the edge effect during vapor deposition of the display substrate 200 through the pressing component 3, the influence of the manufacturing error of the pressing frame 31 on the vapor deposition effect can be reduced, thereby improving the product yield of the display panel and the uniformity of thin film deposition.

[0037] It is understood that the vapor deposition apparatus 100 in this embodiment can be used to vapor deposit an inorganic encapsulation film layer on the display substrate 200. The inorganic film layer can be fabricated using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process.

[0038] In the manufacturing production line of display panels, the currently mass-produced thin-film encapsulation technology used is Barix encapsulation technology (inorganic-organic multi-layer encapsulation). This technology involves a display panel encapsulation layer comprising a first encapsulation layer, a second encapsulation layer, and a third encapsulation layer stacked together. The first encapsulation layer comprises inorganic materials. The second encapsulation layer, located on the side of the first encapsulation layer facing away from the substrate, comprises organic materials. The third encapsulation layer, located on the side of the second encapsulation layer facing away from the substrate, comprises inorganic materials. Adding an inorganic encapsulation layer outside the organic encapsulation layer further improves the encapsulation effect. The material of the third encapsulation layer can be the same as or different from that of the first encapsulation layer; there are no special limitations. Both the first and third encapsulation layers can be vapor-deposited using the vapor deposition apparatus 100 described in this embodiment.

[0039] The following description uses the example of forming an inorganic encapsulation film layer on a display substrate 200 using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process in the vapor deposition apparatus 100 to illustrate the components of the vapor deposition apparatus 100.

[0040] The support platform 1 refers to a platform used to support and fix the display substrate 200 to be vapor-deposited, and the support platform 1 ensures that the display substrate 200 is immobile and does not wobble during the deposition process. The support platform 1 may include clamps, or the support platform 1 may include one or more suction holes for fixing the display substrate 200 on the support platform 1.

[0041] The supply unit is arranged opposite to the bearing surface of the support platform 1. The supply unit supplies one or more raw materials, i.e., vapor deposition materials, in the direction toward the support platform 1, so that the vapor deposition materials can be deposited and attached to the display substrate 200 to form an inorganic encapsulation film layer. For example, the supply unit can be a nozzle type that supplies one or more gases in the direction toward the support platform 1.

[0042] Optionally, the evaporation apparatus may further include a reaction chamber, which is a closed space for carrying out chemical reactions and depositing thin films on the display substrate 200. The support platform 1, supply unit, mask assembly 2, and pressure assembly 3 can all be disposed within the reaction chamber, and the deposition direction Z of the supply unit is the same as the deposition direction Z of the vaporized material. The temperature, pressure, etc., within the closed space of the reaction chamber can be adjusted to precisely control the progress of the chemical reaction and the growth rate of the thin film. The reaction chamber includes at least one inlet / outlet for the display substrate 200, mask assembly 2, and pressure frame 31 to be moved in and out through the inlet / outlet.

[0043] A voltage is applied between the support platform 1 and the supply unit to convert the raw material, which is supplied from the supply unit in a gaseous state in the direction toward the substrate, into a plasma state. For example, voltage can be applied to both the supply unit and the support unit, or separate electrodes can be arranged in the vapor deposition apparatus 100 to generate plasma between the support platform 1 and the supply unit.

[0044] Optionally, the size of the supply unit and the support platform 1 is not limited, as long as they can reliably support and fix the display substrate 200, and can deposit a thin film in the area of ​​the display substrate 200 to be vaporized.

[0045] The mask assembly 2 is used to define the thin film area deposited on the display substrate 200. The mask assembly 2 is disposed between the support platform 1 and the supply unit along the deposition direction Z of the vapor deposition material. When vapor deposition material is deposited on the display substrate 200 on the support platform 1, the vapor deposition area of ​​the display substrate 200 can be defined by the mask assembly 2 to ensure that the inorganic thin film can be deposited on the display substrate 200 according to a predetermined pattern.

[0046] Optionally, the mask assembly 2 is an open mask assembly 2, which refers to a mask assembly 2 with a large opening area K, suitable for forming a film layer with a large coverage area on the display substrate 200. The mask assembly can be formed of metal, for example, a high-precision metal mask. Optionally, the mask assembly 2 has an anti-corrosion protective film, such as an alumina or polytetrafluoroethylene coating, to reduce the risk of mold damage during the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process.

[0047] The display substrate 200 may include multiple regions to be vapor-deposited at intervals. In this regard, by setting the mask assembly 2 in the form of a mask frame 21 and a mask strip 22, the mask frame 21 and the mask strip 22 correspond to the regions of the display substrate 200 that do not require the vapor deposition of inorganic encapsulation layers. The mask strip 22 is connected to the mask frame 21 and encloses to form a plurality of openings K, each opening K corresponding to a region of the display substrate 200 to be vapor-deposited. The size of the opening K is determined by the size of the region to be vapor-deposited, thereby enabling the simultaneous vapor deposition of inorganic encapsulation layers on each region of the display substrate 200 to be vapor-deposited, thus improving the manufacturing efficiency of the display panel.

[0048] The pressing frame 31 is used to press the mask assembly 2 onto the side facing away from the support platform 1. In plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), the electric field and gas are often unevenly distributed at the edges of the display substrate 200, resulting in an edge effect. Therefore, by setting the pressing frame 31 onto the mask frame 21, both the mask frame 21 and the mask strip 22 can be more tightly adhered to the display substrate 200, improving the gas distribution at the edges of the display substrate 200 and reducing the adverse effects of the edge effect. Furthermore, the pressing frame 31 can also adjust the electric field distribution between the supply unit and the support platform 1, enhancing the electric field intensity in the edge region of the display substrate 200 and reducing the plasma density in the edge region, thereby improving the edge effect of the display substrate 200 and enhancing the uniformity and quality of thin film deposition.

[0049] However, due to manufacturing errors in the pressure frame 31, the flatness of the pressure surface used by the pressure frame 31 to press against the mask frame 21 is affected. When the operator installs the pressure frame 31 onto the mask frame 21, gaps may form between the pressure frame 31 and the mask frame 21 along the deposition direction Z in some areas, thus affecting product yield and the uniformity of thin film deposition. To improve the evaporation effect, the pressure frame 31 needs to be removed and replaced until the replacement pressure frame 31 can meet the assembly error with the mask frame 21 within an acceptable or predetermined range. This not only increases costs but also reduces the manufacturing efficiency of the display substrate 200.

[0050] To address the aforementioned issues, the vapor deposition apparatus 100 in this embodiment further includes a first driving component 32. The first driving component 32 is connected to the pressing frame 31 and is used to drive the pressing frame 31 to move relative to the mask assembly 2 along the deposition direction Z. Compared to directly mounting the pressing frame 31 onto the mask frame 21, the first driving component 32 can control the pressing frame 31 to press down, thereby reducing the gap between the pressing frame 31 and the mask frame 21. This ensures that each area of ​​the pressing frame 31 can be reliably pressed onto the mask frame 21, achieving an ideal bonding effect. This reduces the impact of manufacturing errors of the pressing frame 31 on the vapor deposition effect, improves the product yield of the display panel, and enhances the uniformity of thin film deposition.

[0051] Please see Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the pressure-absorbing component 3 provided in some embodiments of this application is shown.

[0052] In some alternative embodiments, the first drive assembly 32 includes a plurality of drive members 321, which are spaced apart on the periphery of the pressure frame 31. Each drive member 321 independently controls and is used to adjust the tilt posture of the pressure frame 31 relative to the support platform 1.

[0053] By configuring the first driving assembly 32 as multiple independently controlled driving elements 321, each driving element 321 corresponds to a region of the pressure frame 31. When it is detected that the gap between a certain region of the pressure frame 31 and the mask frame 21 along the deposition direction Z is too large and exceeds the acceptable or predetermined range, the driving element 321 corresponding to that region can be controlled to drive that region of the pressure frame 31 to move towards the mask assembly 2 along the deposition direction Z. At the same time, the driving elements 321 corresponding to other regions can be coordinated to adjust the tilt attitude of the pressure frame 31 relative to the support platform 1, so that while each region of the pressure frame 31 can be reliably pressed against the mask frame 21, the pressure exerted by each region of the pressure frame 31 on the mask frame 21 is more balanced, thereby improving the reliability of the pressure assembly 3 and the mask assembly 2.

[0054] In some alternative embodiments, the shape of the pressing frame 31 is adapted to the shape of the mask frame 21. The pressing frame 31 is a polygonal frame and includes a plurality of sides and corners arranged in sequence. A plurality of driving members 321 are correspondingly connected to at least a portion of the sides of the pressing frame 31, or the plurality of driving members 321 are correspondingly connected to at least a portion of the corners of the pressing frame 31.

[0055] By connecting multiple driving elements 321 to at least a portion of the edge of the pressure frame 31, or connecting multiple driving elements 321 to at least a portion of the corner of the pressure frame 31, it is easier to coordinate the control of multiple driving elements 321, thereby simplifying the adjustment steps of the driving elements 321, reducing debugging time, and achieving the ideal bonding effect between the pressure frame 31 and the mask frame 21 more efficiently.

[0056] Since the mask assembly 2 is typically configured as a rectangular structure, the pressure frame 31, which is adapted to the mask frame 21, can also be configured as a rectangular frame. Based on this, as an optional implementation, the number of driving members 321 is four, and they are respectively disposed at each corner of the pressure frame 31.

[0057] By setting the number of driving members 321 to four and respectively corresponding to each corner of the pressure frame 31, when the gap between any side or corner of the pressure frame 31 and the mask frame 21 along the deposition direction Z exceeds an acceptable or predetermined range, the driving member 321 adjacent to the side or corner can be controlled to drive the corresponding position of the pressure frame 31 to move along the deposition direction Z. This allows the pressure frame 31 to be pressed against the outer periphery of the mask frame 21 more efficiently and reliably, improving debugging efficiency and adjustment flexibility.

[0058] It is understood that in some alternative embodiments, the driving end of the driving member 321 can be directly connected to the pressure frame 31. For example, when installing the vapor deposition apparatus 100, the driving end of the driving member 321 can be hinged to the pressure frame 31 to realize the movement of the pressure frame 31.

[0059] Please see Figures 1 to 4 , Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional view of a vapor deposition apparatus 100 provided in another embodiment of this application is shown.

[0060] In some alternative embodiments, the pressure assembly 3 may also include a transfer platform 33, the pressure frame 31 is detachably connected to the transfer platform 33, and the first drive assembly 32 is connected to the transfer platform 33 and can drive the transfer platform 33 to move relative to the mask assembly 2 along the deposition direction Z.

[0061] The driving end of the driving component 321 can also be connected to the adapter platform 33. By driving the adapter platform 33 to move along the deposition direction Z, the driving component 321 moves the pressure frame 31 on the adapter platform 33, thereby allowing the pressure frame 31 to be pressed against the outer periphery of the mask frame 21 in a certain inclined posture. By setting the adapter platform 33 and connecting the first driving component 32 to the adapter platform 33, the pressure frame 31 can be detachably connected to the adapter platform 33 to realize the installation of the pressure frame 31, thereby simplifying the installation steps of the pressure frame 31 and improving the debugging efficiency.

[0062] Optionally, the material of the pressure frame 31 can be ceramic. Ceramic materials have high high temperature resistance, as well as high hardness and wear resistance, which can maintain the flatness of the pressure frame 31 during long-term use, so that the pressure frame 31 can be reliably pressed onto the outer periphery of the mask frame 21, thereby improving product yield and the uniformity of thin film deposition.

[0063] In some alternative embodiments, the connection position of the pressure frame 31 on the transfer platform 33 is adjustable. By adjusting the connection position of the pressure frame 31 on the transfer platform 33, the corresponding position of the pressure frame 31 relative to the mask assembly 2 in the plane perpendicular to the deposition direction Z can be adjusted, thereby enabling more reliable alignment of the pressure frame 31 and the mask frame 21 and improving the reliability of the adjustment of the pressure frame 31.

[0064] As an optional implementation, the transfer platform 33 may be equipped with a clamp or an adsorption device. After the position of the pressure frame 31 on the transfer platform 33 is adjusted, the pressure frame 31 can be firmly clamped or supported by the clamp or adsorption device. This not only reliably adjusts the connection position of the pressure frame 31 on the transfer platform 33, but also reduces damage to the pressure frame 31 and improves the reliability of the vapor deposition apparatus 100.

[0065] To facilitate the installation of the first driving component 32, in some optional embodiments, the pressure component 3 further includes an extension 34 connected to the pressure frame 31. The orthographic projection of the extension 34 along the deposition direction is offset from that of the mask component 2. One end of the first driving component 32 is fixed, and the other end extends along the deposition direction Z and is connected to the extension 34. By connecting the first driving component 32 to the extension 34 of the pressure frame 31, the installation of the first driving component 32 is more convenient, and interference between the operation of the first driving component 32 and other components of the vapor deposition apparatus 100 is avoided, thereby improving the reliability of the vapor deposition apparatus 100.

[0066] Alternatively, the extension 34 can be integrated with the pressing frame 31 to simplify the structure of the pressing assembly 3.

[0067] As an optional implementation, the drive member 321 can be configured as a lifting mechanism to move the pressure frame 31 along the deposition direction Z toward the mask assembly 2, thereby pressing the entire surface of the pressure frame 31 against the periphery of the mask frame 21. Specifically, the lifting mechanism may include at least one of a rack and pinion lifting mechanism, a screw and nut lifting mechanism, or a worm gear screw lifting mechanism.

[0068] Optionally, the lifting mechanism may also be equipped with a linear guide rail, and the drive end of the lifting mechanism is connected to the linear guide rail to ensure that the pressure frame 31 remains stable during the lifting and lowering process along the deposition direction, reduce the risk of the pressure frame 31 shaking or twisting, and improve the movement accuracy of the pressure frame 31.

[0069] Optionally, the power source 322 of the lifting mechanism can be set as a stepper motor. The stepper motor can transmit power to the pressure frame 31 through a coupling. The stepper motor can achieve high-precision positioning control to accurately drive each area of ​​the pressure frame 31 to finely adjust relative to the mask frame 21 along the deposition direction Z, thereby improving reliability.

[0070] Please see Figures 1 to 4 In some optional embodiments, the pressing assembly 3 further includes a position sensor 35 and a control unit 36. The position sensor 35 is used to detect the position information of the pressing frame 31 along the deposition direction, and the control unit 36 ​​is configured to control the first driving assembly 32 according to the position information to drive the pressing frame 31 to press the entire surface of the mask frame 21 against the periphery of the mask frame 21.

[0071] By installing a position sensor 35, the position information of the pressing frame 31 can be monitored in real time, and this position information can be fed back to the control unit 36. The control unit 36 ​​is connected to the power source 322 of the first drive assembly 32. Taking the power source 322 of the first drive assembly 32 as a stepper motor as an example, the first drive assembly 32 can receive control signals and adjust the speed and direction of the stepper motor, thereby driving the pressing frame 31 to move along the deposition direction Z and press it against the periphery of the mask frame 21.

[0072] In some alternative embodiments, the pressing component 3 may further include a limiting unit 37 disposed on the moving path of the pressing frame 31 along the deposition direction Z, and the control unit 36 ​​is further configured to control the first driving component 32 to stop the pressing frame 31 from moving when the pressing frame 31 moves to the height of the limiting unit 37.

[0073] By setting a limiting unit 37 at the extreme position of the pressing frame 31, when the pressing frame 31 reaches the position of the limiting unit 37, a switch signal can be triggered, thereby stopping the pressing frame 31 from moving through the first driving member 321, preventing the pressing frame 31 from exceeding the lifting range, and protecting the equipment and process safety of the vapor deposition apparatus 100. Optionally, the limiting unit 37 can be set as a photoelectric limit switch.

[0074] It is understood that the limiting unit 37 is disposed on at least one side of the moving path of the pressure frame 31 along the deposition direction Z. That is, the limiting unit 37 may be disposed only at the upward limit position of the pressure frame 31 along the deposition direction Z, or the limiting unit 37 may be disposed only at the downward limit position of the pressure frame 31 along the deposition direction Z, or the limiting unit 37 includes a first limiting unit 37a and a second limiting unit 37b, with the first limiting unit 37a disposed at the upward limit position of the pressure frame 31 along the deposition direction Z and the second limiting unit 37b disposed at the downward limit position of the pressure frame 31 along the deposition direction Z.

[0075] Optionally, the distance between the first limiting unit 37a and the mask assembly 2 along the deposition direction can be set to 20mm to 50mm. Further, the distance between the first limiting unit 37a and the mask assembly 2 along the deposition direction can be set to 20mm to 30mm. By limiting the upward limit position of the pressure frame 31 along the deposition direction Z, interference between the pressure frame 31 and the vapor deposition apparatus 100 can be avoided, while reducing the adjustment distance required for the pressure frame 31 to press against the mask frame 21, thus improving debugging efficiency.

[0076] Optionally, the second limiting unit 37b can be located at the same height as the mask assembly 2. By limiting the downward limit position of the pressure frame 31 along the deposition direction Z, it is possible to prevent the pressure frame 31 from being overloaded and pressed against the mask assembly 2, thereby preventing damage to the pressure frame 31 and / or the mask assembly 2.

[0077] Optionally, the pressure-resistant component 3 also includes a monitoring unit and an alarm unit. The monitoring unit is used to monitor the status information of the first drive component 32, and the control unit 36 ​​is configured to control the alarm unit to issue an alarm signal when the status information of the first drive component 32 is abnormal.

[0078] The status information of the first drive component 32 may include parameters such as the current, temperature and position deviation of the stepper motor. When the monitoring unit detects any abnormality in any of the above parameters, such as exceeding the preset range, it can issue an alarm signal through the alarm unit to alert the operator to perform fault detection and handling, thereby improving the reliability and safety of the system.

[0079] Optionally, the control unit 36 ​​is also configured to control the first drive component 32 to stop the movement of the pressure frame 31 when the status information of the first drive component 32 is abnormal, so as to further improve the reliability and safety of the system.

[0080] In some optional embodiments, the pressure-blocking component 3 further includes a human-machine interface module 38, which is connected to the control unit 36. The human-machine interface module 38 includes an operation interface, which is configured to input control parameters of the first drive component 32 and / or display the working status information of the pressure-blocking component 3 in real time.

[0081] The human-machine interaction module 38 is used for human-machine interaction. The human-machine interaction module 38 includes an operation interface. The operation interface serves as a medium for communication and information exchange between the control unit 36 ​​and the operator. The operator can input control parameters such as the lifting height and lifting speed of the first drive component 32 into the operation interface. In addition, the operation interface can also be used to display the working status information of the pressure component 3, such as the real-time position of the pressure frame 31, the moving speed of the pressure frame 31 along the deposition direction Z, or the working status of each component in the pressure component 3, so as to facilitate the setting of control parameters and the monitoring of the working status of the pressure component 3.

[0082] Optionally, the human-computer interaction module 38 can be configured as an operating handle to simplify the structure of the human-computer interaction module 38.

[0083] Optionally, the human-machine interface module 38 also includes an emergency stop unit 381, which is configured to stop the operation of the first drive component 32. By providing the emergency stop unit, an emergency stop signal can be transmitted to the control unit 36 ​​in an emergency, so that the control unit 36 ​​can immediately cut off the power to the first drive component 32, stopping its operation and preventing damage to the vapor deposition apparatus 100 or injury to the operator. Optionally, the emergency stop unit 381 can be configured as an emergency stop button on the operating handle.

[0084] The control unit 36, as the core of the lifting function of the pressure frame 31, is responsible for coordinating the operation of each drive component 321. Optionally, the control unit 36 ​​can use a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) as the main control unit, receive signals from the position sensor 35 and the human-machine interface module 38, and output control signals to drive the first drive component 32, thereby realizing automated control of the lifting process and handling of emergencies (such as emergency stops or malfunctions).

[0085] As an optional implementation, the debugging process of the above-mentioned pressure-resistant component 3 is as follows:

[0086] Start-up phase: The operator sets the lifting height and speed through the human-machine interface module 38, and the control unit 36 ​​initializes the system and checks the status of each module.

[0087] Lifting and lowering stage: The control unit 36 ​​individually controls each drive component 321, drives the pressure frame 31 to lift and lower along the deposition direction Z and adjusts the tilt attitude of the pressure frame 31 relative to the mask assembly 2. The position sensor 35 provides real-time feedback on the position information of the pressure frame 31, and the control unit 36 ​​adjusts the output to ensure the position adjustment accuracy of the pressure frame 31.

[0088] Stopping phase: When the pressing frame 31 presses against the mask assembly 2 along the deposition direction Z, or when the pressing frame 31 moves to the height of the limiting unit 37, the control unit 36 ​​controls each driving component 321 to stop the pressing frame 31 from moving.

[0089] Fault handling: During the entire lifting process, if the monitoring unit detects an abnormal status information of the first drive component 32, it immediately controls the first drive component 32 to stop the movement of the pressure frame 31 and controls the alarm unit to issue an alarm signal.

[0090] It is understood that the connection relationships and control logic of the above modules can all be controlled using existing signal transmission and control logic, and this application will not provide specific details on this.

[0091] Please see Figures 1 to 5 , Figure 5 A flowchart of a vapor deposition method provided in some embodiments of this application is shown.

[0092] This application embodiment also provides a vapor deposition method applied to the vapor deposition apparatus 100 in the above embodiment. The vapor deposition method includes:

[0093] S10, the first driving component 32 drives the pressing frame 31 to move relative to the mask component 2 along the deposition direction Z, pressing the entire surface of the pressing frame 31 onto the mask component 2, and the pressing frame 31 and the mask component 2 are combined to form a mask structure;

[0094] S20, the display substrate 200 is placed on the support platform 1, and one of the support platform 1 and the mask structure is controlled to move towards the other along the deposition direction Z, so that the mask assembly 2 is attached to the display substrate 200 and the area of ​​the display substrate 200 to be vaporized is exposed through the opening K of the mask assembly 2.

[0095] S30, a thin film is deposited on the area to be vaporized on the display substrate 200 by the supply unit.

[0096] In the vapor deposition method of this application embodiment, before depositing a thin film on the display substrate 200, the position of the pressing component 3 is adjusted so that the pressing frame 31 is pressed against the mask component 2. This can improve the edge effect during vapor deposition on the display substrate 200 by using the pressing component 3, while reducing the impact of manufacturing errors of the pressing frame 31 on the vapor deposition effect, thereby improving the product yield of the display panel and the uniformity of thin film deposition.

[0097] Understandably, in step S10, the position of the mask assembly 2 can be adjusted first to set the mask assembly 2 in the preset position of the vapor deposition apparatus 100. Then, the mask assembly 2 can be used as a reference to adjust the pressure frame 31 accordingly, so that the pressure frame 31 rises and falls along the deposition direction Z and presses the entire surface of the pressure frame onto the mask assembly 2.

[0098] In step S20, after adjusting the position of the pressure frame 31, the positions of the pressure frame 31 and the mask assembly 2 can remain unchanged. By controlling the carrier platform 1 to move towards the mask assembly 2 along the deposition direction Z, the display substrate 200 is made to fit with the mask assembly 2, and the area of ​​the display substrate 200 to be vaporized is exposed through the opening K of the mask assembly 2.

[0099] By adopting a carrier platform 1 that can be raised and lowered along the deposition direction Z, the position of the pressure frame 31 and the mask assembly 2 can be adjusted during the subsequent evaporation process of the next display substrate 200, and the evaporation of the display substrate 200 can be achieved simply by raising and lowering the carrier platform 1, thereby improving the evaporation efficiency.

[0100] In some optional embodiments, the first driving assembly 32 includes a plurality of driving members 321, which are spaced apart on the periphery of the pressing frame 31 and can be independently controlled. The step of driving the pressing frame 31 to move relative to the mask assembly 2 along the deposition direction Z by the first driving assembly 32 to press the entire surface of the pressing frame 31 onto the mask assembly 2 includes:

[0101] The gap between the periphery of the pressure frame 31 and the mask assembly 2 along the deposition direction Z is detected.

[0102] If the gap in a certain area exceeds the preset range, the drive unit 321 in that area controls the pressure frame 31 to move towards the mask assembly 2 along the deposition direction Z. The drive units 321 in other areas coordinate to control and adjust the tilt posture of the pressure frame 31 relative to the mask assembly 2 until the entire surface of the pressure frame 31 is pressed onto the mask assembly 2.

[0103] It is understandable that by setting the first drive component 32 as multiple independently controlled drive components 321, each drive component 321 corresponding to a region of the pressure frame 31, the tilting posture of the pressure frame 31 relative to the bearing platform 1 can be adjusted so that while each region of the pressure frame 31 can be reliably pressed against the mask frame 21, the pressure exerted by each region of the pressure frame 31 on the mask frame 21 is more balanced, thereby improving the reliability of the pressure component 3 and the mask component 2.

[0104] This application also provides a display panel fabrication apparatus, including the vapor deposition apparatus 100 in any of the above embodiments. For example, the vapor deposition apparatus 100 provided in this application is applied in the PECVD process of a display panel to deposit a thin film on a display substrate 200.

[0105] Since the display panel fabrication apparatus includes the vapor deposition apparatus 100 in the above embodiments, it also has the effect of improving the edge effect during vapor deposition of the display substrate 200, reducing the influence of the manufacturing error of the pressure frame 31 on the vapor deposition effect, and improving the uniformity of thin film deposition. This application will not elaborate on this.

[0106] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application. Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, modules, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here. It should be understood that the protection scope of this application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the protection scope of this application.

[0107] It should also be noted that the exemplary embodiments mentioned in this application describe methods or systems based on a series of steps or apparatus. However, this application is not limited to the order of the above steps; that is, the steps can be performed in the order mentioned in the embodiments, or in a different order, or several steps can be performed simultaneously.

Claims

1. A vapor deposition apparatus for vapor deposition of display substrates, characterized in that, The vapor deposition apparatus includes: A support platform is used to support the display substrate; A supply unit is disposed opposite to the support platform, and the supply unit supplies vapor deposition material in a direction toward the support platform; A mask assembly is disposed between the support platform and the supply unit along the deposition direction of the vapor deposition material. The mask assembly has an opening and is used to adhere to the display substrate and expose the area of ​​the display substrate to be vapor-deposited through the opening. The pressing assembly includes a pressing frame and a first driving assembly. The pressing frame is disposed along the deposition direction on the side of the mask assembly away from the support platform. The first driving assembly is connected to the pressing frame and is used to drive the pressing frame to move relative to the mask assembly along the deposition direction, and to press the entire surface of the pressing frame onto the mask assembly.

2. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first driving component includes a plurality of driving elements, which are spaced apart on the periphery of the pressure frame. Each driving element is independently controlled and used to adjust the tilt posture of the pressure frame relative to the mask component.

3. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pressing frame is a polygonal frame, which includes a plurality of sides and corners arranged in sequence. The plurality of driving members are correspondingly connected to at least a portion of the sides of the pressing frame, or the plurality of driving members are correspondingly connected to at least a portion of the corners of the pressing frame. Preferably, the pressing frame is a rectangular frame, and the number of driving components is four, each corresponding to one of the corners of the pressing frame.

4. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pressure-retaining assembly may further include a transfer platform, the pressure-retaining frame is detachably connected to the transfer platform, and the first driving assembly is connected to the transfer platform and can drive the transfer platform to move relative to the mask assembly along the deposition direction; Preferably, the connection position of the pressure frame on the transfer platform is adjustable.

5. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pressure assembly further includes an extension portion connected to the pressure frame. The orthographic projection of the extension portion along the deposition direction is offset from that of the mask assembly. One end of the first driving assembly is fixed, and the other end extends along the deposition direction and is connected to the extension portion.

6. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pressing assembly further includes a position sensor and a control unit. The position sensor is used to detect the position information of the pressing frame along the deposition direction, and the control unit is configured to control the first driving assembly according to the position information to drive the pressing frame to press its entire surface onto the mask assembly. Preferably, the pressing component further includes a limiting unit, which is disposed on the moving path of the pressing frame along the deposition direction. The control unit is further configured to control the first driving component to stop the pressing frame from moving when the pressing frame moves to the height of the limiting unit. Preferably, the pressure-resistant component further includes a monitoring unit and an alarm unit. The monitoring unit is used to monitor the status information of the first driving component, and the control unit is configured to control the alarm unit to issue an alarm signal when the status information of the first driving component is abnormal.

7. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The pressure-absorbing component further includes a human-machine interaction module, which is connected to the control unit. The human-machine interaction module includes an operation interface, which is configured to input control parameters of the first drive component and / or display the working status information of the pressure-absorbing component. Preferably, the human-computer interaction module further includes an emergency stop unit, which is configured to stop the operation of the first drive component.

8. A vapor deposition method, characterized in that, The vapor deposition method is applied to the vapor deposition apparatus as described in claim 1, and the vapor deposition method includes: The first driving component drives the pressing frame to move relative to the mask assembly along the deposition direction, pressing the entire surface of the pressing frame onto the mask assembly, and the pressing frame and the mask assembly combine to form a mask structure; The display substrate is placed on a support platform, and one of the support platform and the mask structure is controlled to move towards the other along the deposition direction. The mask assembly is attached to the display substrate, and the area of ​​the display substrate to be vapor-deposited is exposed through the opening of the mask assembly. A thin film is deposited on the area to be vaporized on the display substrate by the supply unit.

9. The vapor deposition method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first driving assembly includes multiple driving elements, which are spaced apart on the periphery of the pressing frame and can be independently controlled. The step of driving the pressing frame to move relative to the mask assembly along the deposition direction by the first driving assembly, and pressing the entire surface of the pressing frame onto the mask assembly, includes: Detect the gap between each area on the periphery of the pressure frame and the mask assembly along the deposition direction; If the gap in a certain area exceeds the preset range, the driving component in that area is controlled to drive the pressure frame to move toward the mask assembly along the deposition direction. The driving components in other areas cooperate to control and adjust the tilt posture of the pressure frame relative to the mask assembly until the entire surface of the pressure frame is pressed onto the mask assembly.

10. A display panel manufacturing apparatus, characterized in that, Includes the vapor deposition apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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