Evaporation apparatus, display panel preparation method and display panel

Abstract

The application discloses an evaporation equipment, a display panel preparation method and a display panel. The evaporation equipment comprises an evaporation chamber, an evaporation source arranged in the evaporation chamber, and the evaporation source is rotatably arranged relative to the evaporation chamber, wherein the evaporation source comprises an evaporation port for spraying evaporation materials; a baffle structure arranged in the evaporation chamber and located at the outer circumferential side of the evaporation source, wherein the baffle structure comprises a plate body and an opening arranged on the plate body, and the evaporation port of the evaporation source is rotatably arranged opposite to the opening; a cooling structure arranged on one side of a second surface of the baffle structure, wherein the cooling structure comprises a cooling pipeline and a cooling medium arranged in the cooling pipeline; and a track assembly arranged on one side of the opening away from the evaporation source, wherein the track assembly comprises a bearing plate and a track part arranged on the bearing plate, and the track part is used for guiding the movement of a to-be-evaporated substrate. The cooling structure can cool the baffle structure, increase the adhesion capacity of the evaporation materials on the baffle structure, and improve the reliability of the evaporation equipment and the evaporation effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of display technology, and in particular relates to a vapor deposition apparatus, a method for preparing a display panel, and a display panel. Background Technology

[0002] Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and flat panel displays based on light-emitting diode (LED) technologies are widely used in various consumer electronics products such as mobile phones, televisions, laptops, and desktop computers due to their advantages such as high image quality, energy saving, thin body, and wide range of applications, becoming the mainstream of display panels.

[0003] The film layer of the display panel needs to be formed by vapor deposition using vapor deposition equipment. However, due to the limitations of the existing vapor deposition equipment structure, the reliability of the vapor deposition equipment cannot meet the requirements.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new vapor deposition equipment, a display panel preparation method, and a display panel. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a vapor deposition equipment, a display panel preparation method, and a display panel. The cooling structure can cool the baffle structure, which can increase the adhesion of the vapor deposition material to the baffle structure, reduce the re-escape of the vapor deposition material, and reduce the phenomenon of film thickness accumulation due to long-term standby that cannot be captured, resulting in material escape and pollution. This improves the reliability of the vapor deposition equipment and the vapor deposition effect.

[0006] One embodiment of this application provides a vapor deposition apparatus for fabricating a display panel. The vapor deposition apparatus includes: a vapor deposition chamber, wherein a vapor deposition source is disposed in the vapor deposition chamber and is rotatably disposed relative to the vapor deposition chamber, and the vapor deposition source includes a vapor deposition port for ejecting vapor deposition material; a baffle structure disposed within the vapor deposition chamber and located on the outer periphery of the vapor deposition source, the baffle structure including a plate and an opening disposed on the plate, the vapor deposition port of the vapor deposition source being rotatable to be disposed opposite to the opening, the baffle structure including a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, the first surface being disposed close to the vapor deposition source relative to the second surface; a cooling structure disposed on one side of the second surface of the baffle structure, the cooling structure including a cooling pipe and a cooling medium disposed within the cooling pipe; and a track assembly disposed on the side of the opening away from the vapor deposition source, the track assembly including a support plate and a track portion disposed on the support plate, the track portion being used to guide the movement of the substrate to be vapor-deposited.

[0007] According to one aspect of this application, the extension of the rotation axis of the vapor deposition source intersects the surface of the carrier plate.

[0008] According to one aspect of this application, the extension line of the rotation axis of the vapor deposition source is perpendicular to the surface of the carrier plate.

[0009] According to one aspect of this application, the baffle structure includes a plurality of connected plates, among which a first plate forms the opening, the extending direction of the first plate being parallel to the extending direction of the track portion.

[0010] According to one aspect of this application, the cooling structure further includes a refrigeration unit connected to the cooling pipe for cooling the cooling medium; preferably, the cooling medium includes pure water.

[0011] According to one aspect of this application, the vapor deposition chamber includes a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber and the second chamber being located on opposite sides of the track assembly, and the vapor deposition source being provided in both the first chamber and the second chamber.

[0012] According to one aspect of this application, both the first chamber and the second chamber are hemispherical cavities, with the openings of the hemispherical cavities facing the track assembly.

[0013] According to one aspect of this application, the track portion includes a first track and a second track, wherein the first track is disposed closer to the first chamber relative to the second track, and the second track is disposed closer to the second chamber.

[0014] According to one aspect of this application, the extension direction of the first track is parallel to the extension direction of the second track.

[0015] Another aspect of this application provides a method for manufacturing a display panel, comprising the following steps: providing a vapor deposition apparatus, wherein the vapor deposition apparatus is the vapor deposition apparatus of any of the above embodiments, the vapor deposition apparatus is in a standby state, the vapor deposition port of the vapor deposition source and the plate body of the baffle structure are arranged opposite to each other, the cooling structure cools the baffle structure so that the vapor deposition material ejected from the vapor deposition source changes from a gaseous state to a non-gaseous state and adheres to the first surface of the baffle structure; placing the substrate to be vapor-deposited on the support plate of the track assembly and driving the substrate to be vapor-deposited to move along the track portion, the vapor deposition apparatus changing from the standby state to the working state, the vapor deposition port of the vapor deposition source rotating to be arranged opposite to the opening of the baffle structure so that the vapor deposition material ejected from the vapor deposition port adheres to the substrate to be vapor-deposited.

[0016] According to another aspect of this application, in the step of the vapor deposition equipment being in standby mode, the vapor deposition port of the vapor deposition source and the plate body of the baffle structure being arranged opposite to each other, and the cooling structure cooling the baffle structure to change the vapor deposition material ejected from the vapor deposition source from a gaseous state to a non-gaseous state and adhere to the first surface of the baffle structure, the method includes: when the vapor deposition equipment is in standby mode, controlling the vapor deposition source to rotate so that the vapor deposition source is in an oscillating state, and the vapor deposition port and the opening of the baffle structure being staggered along the emission direction of the vapor deposition material.

[0017] According to another aspect of this application, when the vapor deposition equipment is in standby mode, controlling the vapor deposition source to rotate so that the vapor deposition source is in an oscillating state, and the vapor deposition port and the opening of the baffle structure are staggered along the emission direction of the vapor deposition material, includes: the vapor deposition port of the vapor deposition source in the oscillating state and the first plate are staggered along the emission direction of the vapor deposition material, wherein the baffle structure includes a plurality of connected plates, and the plurality of connected plates includes a first plate forming the opening, and the extension direction of the first plate is parallel to the extension direction of the track portion.

[0018] According to another aspect of this application, when the vapor deposition equipment is in standby mode, the step of controlling the vapor deposition source to rotate so that the vapor deposition source is in an oscillating state, and the vapor deposition port and the opening of the baffle structure are staggered along the emission direction of the vapor deposition material, includes: when the vapor deposition source is in the extreme oscillating position, the vapor deposition port and the plate of the baffle structure are arranged opposite to each other along the emission direction of the vapor deposition material.

[0019] In another aspect, this application provides a display panel that is prepared using the vapor deposition equipment described in any of the above embodiments.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the vapor deposition equipment provided in this embodiment of the invention includes a vapor deposition chamber, a baffle structure, a cooling structure, and a track assembly. The vapor deposition chamber simultaneously houses the vapor deposition source, the baffle structure, and the cooling structure. Because the vapor deposition material ejected from the vapor deposition source has a high temperature, and the cooling structure can cool the baffle structure, the temperature of the baffle structure is lower than that of the vapor deposition material ejected from the vapor deposition source. When the gaseous vapor deposition material touches the lower-temperature baffle structure, it immediately transforms into a non-gaseous state. This increases the adhesion of the vapor deposition material to the baffle structure and reduces the re-escape of the gaseous vapor deposition material. It also reduces the phenomenon of film thickness accumulation during long-term standby that cannot be captured, leading to material escape and contamination, thus improving the reliability and vapor deposition effect of the vapor deposition equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0021] 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.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a front view of a vapor deposition apparatus provided in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a side view of a vapor deposition apparatus provided in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a top view of a vapor deposition apparatus provided in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the baffle structure provided in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a top view of a vapor deposition apparatus provided in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a display panel manufacturing method provided in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel provided in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] In the attached image:

[0030] 1-Evaporation chamber; 11-First chamber; 12-Second chamber; 2-Evaporation source; 21-Evaporation port; 3-Baffle structure; 31-Plate body; 311-First plate body; 32-Opening; 4-Cooling structure; 41-Cooling pipe; 5-Track assembly; 51-Carrier plate; 52-Track section; 521-First track; 522-Second track; 6-Substrate to be vaporized; 6'-Substrate; 7-Pixel definition layer; 71-Pixel limiting section; 8-Light-emitting unit; 81-First electrode layer; 82-Light-emitting layer; 83-Second electrode layer; 9-Isolation structure; 91-First sub-layer; 92-Second sub-layer; L1-First encapsulation layer; K1-Isolation opening; K2-Pixel opening; F1-First surface; F2-Second surface. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The features and exemplary embodiments of various aspects of this application will now be described in detail. To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only configured to explain this application and are not configured to limit this application. For those skilled in the art, this application can be implemented without some of these specific details. The following description of the embodiments is merely to provide a better understanding of this application by illustrating examples of this application.

[0032] 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 said element.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] This application provides a vapor deposition apparatus, a display panel fabrication method, and a display panel, which will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Figures 1 to 7 The vapor deposition equipment, the display panel preparation method, and various embodiments of the display panel are described.

[0036] Please see Figures 1 to 4 , Figure 1 This is a front view of a vapor deposition apparatus provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2This is a side view of a vapor deposition apparatus provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a top view of a vapor deposition apparatus provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the baffle structure 3 provided in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] This application provides a vapor deposition apparatus for fabricating a display panel. The vapor deposition apparatus includes: a vapor deposition chamber 1, a vapor deposition source 2 disposed in the vapor deposition chamber 1, and the vapor deposition source 2 being rotatably disposed relative to the vapor deposition chamber 1; the vapor deposition source 2 including a vapor deposition port 21 for ejecting vapor deposition material; and a baffle structure 3 disposed within the vapor deposition chamber 1 and located on the outer periphery of the vapor deposition source 2. The baffle structure 3 includes a plate 31 and an opening 32 disposed on the plate 31. The vapor deposition port 21 of the vapor deposition source 2 is rotatable to be opposite to the opening 32. Structure 3 includes a first surface F1 and a second surface F2 opposite to each other, with the first surface F1 positioned closer to the vapor deposition source 2 relative to the second surface F2; a cooling structure 4 is located on one side of the second surface F2 of the baffle structure 3, and includes a cooling pipe 41 and a cooling medium disposed within the cooling pipe 41; a track assembly 5 is located on the side of the opening 32 away from the vapor deposition source 2, and includes a support plate 51 and a track portion 52 disposed on the support plate 51, the track portion 52 being used to guide the movement of the substrate 6 to be vapor deposited.

[0038] The vapor deposition equipment provided in this embodiment of the invention includes a vapor deposition chamber 1, a baffle structure 3, a cooling structure 4, and a track assembly 5. The vapor deposition chamber 1 contains a vapor deposition source 2, a baffle structure 3, and a cooling structure 4. Since the vapor deposition material ejected from the vapor deposition source 2 has a high temperature, and the cooling structure 4 can cool the baffle structure 3, the temperature of the baffle structure 3 is lower than that of the vapor deposition material ejected from the vapor deposition source 2. When the gaseous vapor deposition material touches the lower-temperature baffle structure 3, the gaseous vapor deposition material immediately transforms into a non-gaseous state. This increases the adhesion of the vapor deposition material to the baffle structure 3 and reduces the re-escape of the gaseous vapor deposition material. It also reduces the phenomenon of film thickness accumulation due to prolonged standby, which cannot be captured, leading to material escape and contamination. This improves the reliability and vapor deposition effect of the vapor deposition equipment.

[0039] In existing technologies, the evaporation source in the vapor deposition machine remains at the evaporation temperature throughout the entire preparation process, meaning that vapor deposition material is constantly being evaporated. If the vapor deposition source 2 remains in the standby position for an extended period, there is a risk of material escaping. This can be mitigated by installing a baffle structure 3 around the vapor deposition source 2 to block and capture the material, preventing it from being deposited onto areas where vapor deposition is not needed. However, through research and experimentation, the inventors discovered that because the evaporation source remains stationary during standby, the thickness of the baffle structure 3 at a single point gradually increases. While the baffle structure 3 initially has the ability to capture the material, once the production time becomes longer and the surface of the baffle structure 3 becomes saturated, the material will escape and contaminate the vapor deposition chamber 1 through the gaps in the baffle structure 3, and may even reach the electrostatic adsorption carrier used to move the substrate 6 to be vaporized.

[0040] To address the aforementioned issues, this embodiment of the invention provides a cooling structure 4 on one side of the second surface F2 of the baffle structure 3. The cooling structure 4 includes a cooling pipe 41 and a cooling medium disposed within the cooling pipe 41. The cooling medium can circulate within the cooling pipe 41 to achieve continuous cooling of the baffle structure 3, ensuring that the gaseous vapor deposition material comes into contact with the lower-temperature baffle structure 3. The gaseous vapor deposition material can then transform into a non-gaseous state, increasing the adhesion of the vapor deposition material to the baffle structure 3 and reducing the re-escape of the gaseous vapor deposition material, thereby reducing the risk of contamination.

[0041] In this embodiment, the vapor deposition equipment can adopt a vertical vapor deposition structure, that is, the support plate 51 is set along the horizontal plane, while the substrate 6 to be vapor deposited is set along the vertical direction. The vapor deposition source 2 can rotate in the horizontal direction to vapor deposit the substrate 6. An electrostatic adsorption carrier can be used to electrostatically adsorb the substrate 6 and drive it to move along the track portion 52 on the support plate 51. In this embodiment, the vapor deposition source 2 only rotates in its original position without displacement, while the substrate 6 to be vapor deposited moves along the track portion 52 on the support plate 51.

[0042] It is understood that the baffle structure 3 includes a plate 31 and an opening 32 on the plate 31. The plate 31 blocks and supports the vapor deposition material, while the opening 32 is used to spray the vapor deposition material out from the opening 32 during vapor deposition by the vapor deposition source 2, covering the corresponding substrate 6 to be vapor deposited. That is, when the vapor deposition equipment is in standby mode and vapor deposition is not required, the vapor deposition source 2 can be rotated so that the vapor deposition port 21 and the plate 31 are positioned opposite each other, preventing the vapor deposition material from leaking out from the opening 32 of the baffle structure 3. Figure 4 As shown. Figure 5 As shown, when the vapor deposition equipment is in operation, the vapor deposition source 2 can be controlled to rotate so that the vapor deposition port 21 and the opening 32 on the plate 31 are positioned opposite each other, which facilitates the ejection of vapor deposition material.

[0043] In this embodiment, the track section 52 can be in the form of a limiting plate, a limiting block, or a guide rail, as long as it can restrict the movement direction of the substrate 6 to be vapor-deposited, that is, guide the substrate 6 to be vapor-deposited, and there are no special limitations.

[0044] In some optional embodiments, the extension line of the rotation axis of the vapor deposition source 2 intersects the surface of the support plate 51, so that the vapor deposition source 2 can spray the vapor deposition material onto the surface of the substrate 6 to be vapor deposited, which is erected on the support plate 51.

[0045] Optionally, the extension line of the rotation axis of the vapor deposition source 2 is perpendicular to the surface of the support plate 51, that is, the vapor deposition port 21 of the vapor deposition source 2 can rotate in a direction parallel to the surface of the support plate 51 to achieve vapor deposition on the substrate 6 to be vaporized erected on the support plate 51. Optionally, the support plate 51 is arranged along a horizontal plane, that is, the vapor deposition source 2 and the substrate 6 to be vaporized adopt a vertical vapor deposition structure.

[0046] Please see Figures 1 to 3 Optionally, the baffle structure 3 includes multiple connected plates 31, among which a first plate 311 forms an opening 32. The extension direction of the first plate 311 is parallel to the extension direction of the track portion 52. The extension trajectory formed by the multiple connected plates 31 can be a broken line, that is, the corresponding plate 31 is a planar plate 31. Of course, the plate 31 can also adopt a curved plate structure to increase the shielding and adhesion area of ​​the plate 31 for the vapor deposition material. The specific selection can be made according to the needs and there is no special limitation.

[0047] Optionally, the first plate 311 can be made of a single piece of board, with holes drilled in the board to form the required opening 32. Alternatively, the first plate 311 can also include two spaced-apart plates 31, with the two plates 31 spaced apart to form the opening 32. The specific choice can be made as needed and there are no special limitations.

[0048] In some alternative embodiments, the cooling structure 4 further includes a refrigeration section connected to the cooling pipe 41 to cool the cooling medium.

[0049] It is understandable that, considering that the cooling effect of the cooling medium at room temperature on the baffle structure 3 is not satisfactory, a stable and lower cooling medium, such as condensate, can be prepared by the refrigeration unit to cool the baffle structure 3. This ensures that when the vapor-deposited material in a gaseous state comes into contact with the baffle structure 3 at a lower temperature, the vapor-deposited material in a gaseous state can immediately change into a non-gaseous state and then adhere to the first surface F1 of the baffle structure 3.

[0050] Optionally, the cooling medium can be a liquid or a gas. For example, the cooling medium may include pure water, also known as deionized water or high-purity water. It is a type of water with extremely high chemical purity. Its essence is H2O without impurities. Pure water is low in cost, easy to obtain, and reusable. Of course, other liquid media can also be used as long as they can play the role of cooling baffle structure 3. There are no special limitations.

[0051] Please see Figures 1 to 3 In some optional embodiments, the vapor deposition chamber 1 includes a first chamber 11 and a second chamber 12, which are located on opposite sides of the track assembly 5, and both the first chamber 11 and the second chamber 12 are provided with vapor deposition sources 2.

[0052] It is understandable that setting up two first chambers 11 and two second chambers 12, along with corresponding vapor deposition sources 2, can save space. After vapor deposition is performed on the substrate 6 to be vapor deposited on the opposite track portion 52 using the vapor deposition source 2 in the first chamber 11, the substrate 6 to be vapor deposited can be moved to the track portion 52 on the other side opposite to the second chamber 12 to continue vapor deposition, thereby improving the vapor deposition efficiency.

[0053] Optionally, the track section 52 includes a first track 521 and a second track 522. The first track 521 is disposed closer to the first chamber 11 than the second track 522, and the second track 522 is disposed closer to the second chamber 12. That is, the first track 521 is used for guiding and moving the substrate 6 to be deposited corresponding to the vapor deposition source 2 in the first chamber 11, and the second track 522 is used for guiding and moving the substrate 6 to be deposited corresponding to the vapor deposition source 2 in the second chamber 12. The two do not interfere with each other and can be carried out sequentially.

[0054] Optionally, the extension direction of the first track 521 is parallel to the extension direction of the second track 522, which facilitates the movement of the substrate 6 to be vapor-deposited. In addition, the first track 521 and the second track 522 can be arranged opposite each other in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the first track 521 to save space and facilitate layout.

[0055] Please see Figures 1 to 3 In some alternative embodiments, both the first chamber 11 and the second chamber 12 are hemispherical cavities, with the opening 32 of the hemispherical cavity facing the track assembly 5.

[0056] It is understood that both the first chamber 11 and the second chamber 12 are hemispherical cavities, and the first chamber 11 and the second chamber 12 need to be provided with openings 32 so that the vapor deposition material of the vapor deposition source 2 can be ejected. The substrate 6 to be vapor-deposited moves along the track assembly 5. Therefore, in this embodiment, the openings 32 of the hemispherical cavities are restricted to face the track assembly 5 to ensure that the vapor deposition material of the vapor deposition source 2 can be deposited on the substrate 6 to be vapor-deposited. The vapor deposition source 2 can rotate relative to the first chamber 11 and the second chamber 12 to vapor-deposit material at different positions of the substrate 6 to be vapor-deposited, thereby increasing the vapor deposition range of the vapor deposition source 2.

[0057] The vapor deposition equipment provided in this embodiment of the invention can be used in OLED vapor deposition processes without metal masks.

[0058] Please see Figure 6 The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a display panel, comprising the following steps;

[0059] S110: Provide vapor deposition equipment, which is the vapor deposition equipment in any of the above embodiments. The vapor deposition equipment is in standby mode. The vapor deposition port 21 of the vapor deposition source 2 and the plate 31 of the baffle structure 3 are arranged opposite to each other. The cooling structure 4 cools the baffle structure 3 so that the vapor deposition material sprayed from the vapor deposition source 2 changes from a gaseous state to a non-gaseous state and adheres to the first surface F1 of the baffle structure 3. Figures 1 to 4 As shown;

[0060] S120: The substrate 6 to be vapor-deposited is placed on the support plate 51 of the track assembly 5, and the substrate 6 to be vapor-deposited is moved along the track section 52. The vapor deposition equipment changes from standby state to working state. The vapor deposition port 21 of the vapor deposition source 2 is rotated to be positioned opposite to the opening 32 of the baffle structure 3, so that the vapor deposition material sprayed from the vapor deposition port 21 adheres to the substrate 6 to be vapor-deposited. Figure 5 As shown.

[0061] In the display panel preparation method provided in this embodiment of the invention, a portion of the film layer of the display panel can be formed by vapor deposition using a vapor deposition equipment. Since the temperature of the vapor deposition material sprayed from the vapor deposition source 2 is relatively high, and the cooling structure 4 can cool the baffle structure 3, the temperature of the baffle structure 3 is lower than that of the vapor deposition material sprayed from the vapor deposition source 2. When the vapor deposition material in a gaseous state touches the baffle structure 3 with a lower temperature, the gaseous vapor deposition material will immediately change into a non-gaseous state. On the one hand, this can increase the adhesion of the vapor deposition material on the baffle structure 3, and on the other hand, it can reduce the re-escape of the gas phase vapor deposition material. This can reduce the phenomenon that the film thickness cannot be captured due to long-term standby, resulting in material escape and pollution, and improve the reliability of the vapor deposition equipment and the vapor deposition effect.

[0062] In step S110, although the vapor deposition equipment is in standby mode, since the evaporation source is always at the evaporation temperature, that is, vapor deposition material is always being evaporated, the vapor deposition port 21 of the vapor deposition source 2 and the plate 31 of the baffle structure 3 need to be set opposite to each other so that the vapor deposition material can be cooled on the first surface F1 of the baffle structure 3, change from gaseous state to non-gase state, such as liquid state or fixed state, and then adhere to the baffle structure 3.

[0063] In this embodiment, the vapor deposition equipment includes: a vapor deposition chamber 1, a vapor deposition source 2 disposed in the vapor deposition chamber 1 and rotatably disposed relative to the vapor deposition chamber 1, the vapor deposition source 2 including a vapor deposition port 21 for ejecting vapor deposition material; a baffle structure 3 disposed in the vapor deposition chamber 1 and located on the outer periphery of the vapor deposition source 2, the baffle structure 3 including a plate 31 and an opening 32 disposed on the plate 31, the vapor deposition port 21 of the vapor deposition source 2 being rotatable to be disposed opposite to the opening 32, the baffle structure 3 including a first surface F1 and a second surface F2 opposite to each other, the first surface F1 being disposed close to the vapor deposition source 2 relative to the second surface F2; a cooling structure 4 disposed on one side of the second surface F2 of the baffle structure 3, the cooling structure 4 including a cooling pipe 41 and a cooling medium disposed in the cooling pipe 41; and a track assembly 5 disposed on the side of the opening 32 away from the vapor deposition source 2, the track assembly 5 including a support plate 51 and a track portion 52 disposed on the support plate 51, the track portion 52 being used to guide the movement of the substrate 6 to be vapor deposited.

[0064] It is understood that the baffle structure 3 includes a plate 31 and an opening 32 provided on the plate 31. The plate 31 blocks and supports the vapor deposition material, while the opening 32 is used to spray the vapor deposition material from the opening 32 when the vapor deposition source 2 is performing vapor deposition, covering the corresponding substrate 6 to be vapor deposition. That is, when the vapor deposition equipment is in standby mode and does not need to perform vapor deposition, the vapor deposition source 2 can be adjusted to rotate so that the vapor deposition port 21 and the plate 31 are set opposite to each other, thus preventing the vapor deposition material from leaking from the opening 32 of the baffle structure 3.

[0065] In this embodiment, the track section 52 can be in the form of a limiting plate, a limiting block, or a guide rail, as long as it can restrict the movement direction of the substrate 6 to be vapor-deposited, that is, guide the substrate 6 to be vapor-deposited, and there are no special limitations.

[0066] In step S120, the substrate 6 to be vaporized can move along the track section 52 under the drive of the electrostatic adsorption carrier, while the vaporization source 2 only rotates, so that the vaporization port 21 and the opening 32 on the plate 31 are arranged opposite to each other, which facilitates the spraying out of the vaporization material.

[0067] In this embodiment, the vapor deposition equipment can adopt a vertical vapor deposition structure, that is, the support plate 51 is set along the horizontal plane, while the substrate 6 to be vapor deposited is set along the vertical direction. The vapor deposition source 2 can rotate in the horizontal direction to vapor deposit the substrate 6. An electrostatic adsorption component can be used to electrostatically adsorb the substrate 6 and drive it to move along the track portion 52 on the support plate 51. In this embodiment, the vapor deposition source 2 only rotates in its original position without displacement, while the substrate 6 to be vapor deposited moves along the track portion 52 on the support plate 51.

[0068] In some optional embodiments, the vapor deposition chamber 1 includes a first chamber 11 and a second chamber 12, which are located on opposite sides of the track assembly 5, and both the first chamber 11 and the second chamber 12 are provided with vapor deposition sources 2.

[0069] It is understandable that setting up two first chambers 11 and two second chambers 12, along with corresponding vapor deposition sources 2, can save space. After vapor deposition is performed on the substrate 6 to be vapor deposited on the opposite track portion 52 using the vapor deposition source 2 in the first chamber 11, the substrate 6 to be vapor deposited can be moved to the track portion 52 on the other side opposite to the second chamber 12 to continue vapor deposition, thereby improving the vapor deposition efficiency.

[0070] Optionally, the track section 52 includes a first track 521 and a second track 522. The first track 521 is disposed closer to the first chamber 11 than the second track 522, and the second track 522 is disposed closer to the second chamber 12. That is, the first track 521 is used for guiding and moving the substrate 6 to be deposited corresponding to the vapor deposition source 2 in the first chamber 11, and the second track 522 is used for guiding and moving the substrate 6 to be deposited corresponding to the vapor deposition source 2 in the second chamber 12. The two do not interfere with each other and can be carried out sequentially.

[0071] Optionally, the extension direction of the first track 521 is parallel to the extension direction of the second track 522, which facilitates the movement of the substrate 6 to be vapor-deposited. In addition, the first track 521 and the second track 522 can be arranged opposite each other in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the first track 521 to save space and facilitate layout.

[0072] In some optional embodiments, the step of providing a vapor deposition apparatus, which is the vapor deposition apparatus in any of the above embodiments, the vapor deposition apparatus being in a standby state, the vapor deposition port 21 of the vapor deposition source 2 and the plate 31 of the baffle structure 3 being arranged opposite to each other, and the cooling structure 4 cooling the baffle structure 3 to make the vapor deposition material ejected from the vapor deposition source 2 change from a gaseous state to a non-gaseous state and adhere to the first surface F1 of the baffle structure 3, includes: when the vapor deposition apparatus is in a standby state, controlling the vapor deposition source 2 to rotate so that the vapor deposition source 2 is in an oscillating state, and the vapor deposition port 21 and the opening 32 of the baffle structure 3 being staggered along the emission direction of the vapor deposition material.

[0073] It should be noted that in the prior art, the vapor deposition source 2 is stationary during standby time, meaning that the vapor deposition port 21 of the vapor deposition source 2 always faces the same position on the baffle structure 3. This can easily lead to excessively high temperatures on the baffle structure 3 and at the location corresponding to the vapor deposition port 21, resulting in secondary vapor deposition, i.e., the risk of material being deposited twice. To avoid the above problem, this embodiment uses a control program to control the vapor deposition source 2 to be in an oscillating state when the vapor deposition equipment is in standby mode, i.e., the vapor deposition source 2 is in a reciprocating rotation state. This prevents the vapor deposition port 21 of the vapor deposition source 2 from always facing the same position on the baffle structure 3, thereby avoiding heat concentration at a certain location on the baffle structure 3 and preventing the problem of single-point excessive temperature.

[0074] The oscillation range of the vapor deposition source 2 should not be too large, otherwise it will easily cause the vapor deposition material to overflow. It is also necessary to limit the emission direction of the vapor deposition material. The vapor deposition port 21 and the opening 32 of the baffle structure 3 are staggered to avoid leakage of the vapor deposition material from the opening 32 of the baffle structure 3 in the standby state.

[0075] In some optional embodiments, when the vapor deposition equipment is in standby mode, the step of controlling the vapor deposition source 2 to rotate so that the vapor deposition source 2 is in an oscillating state, and the vapor deposition port 21 and the opening 32 of the baffle structure 3 are staggered along the emission direction of the vapor deposition material, includes: the vapor deposition port 21 of the vapor deposition source 2 in the oscillating state and the first plate 311 are staggered along the emission direction of the vapor deposition material, wherein the baffle structure 3 includes a plurality of connected plates 31, and the plurality of connected plates 31 includes a first plate 311 forming the opening 32, and the extension direction of the first plate 311 is parallel to the extension direction of the track portion 52.

[0076] It is understandable that the first plate 311 forms an opening 32. Therefore, the first plate 311 is closer to the opening 32 than other plates 31. By limiting the swing range of the vapor deposition source 2, the vapor deposition port 21 of the vapor deposition source 2 in the swing state and the first plate 311 are staggered along the emission direction of the vapor deposition material. That is, the vapor deposition port 21 is limited to be close to the first plate 311, ensuring that the vapor deposition material will not leak from the opening 32 of the baffle structure 3 in the standby state.

[0077] Optionally, the first plate 311 can be made of a single piece of board, with holes drilled in the board to form the required opening 32. Alternatively, the first plate 311 can also include two spaced-apart plates 31, with the two plates 31 spaced apart to form the opening 32. The specific choice can be made as needed and there are no special limitations.

[0078] When the vapor deposition equipment is in standby mode, the step of controlling the vapor deposition source 2 to rotate so that the vapor deposition source 2 is in an oscillating state, and the vapor deposition port 21 and the opening 32 of the baffle structure 3 are staggered along the emission direction of the vapor deposition material, includes: when the vapor deposition source 2 is in the extreme oscillation position, the vapor deposition port and the baffle structure plate are set opposite to each other along the emission direction of the vapor deposition material.

[0079] It should be noted that the vapor deposition source 2 is in the extreme swing position, which corresponds to the position of the vapor deposition source 2 at the maximum swing angle. When the vapor deposition source 2 is in the extreme swing position, the vapor deposition port and the plate of the baffle structure are set opposite to each other along the emission direction of the vapor deposition material, so that the vapor deposition source 2 will not exceed the area where the plate of the baffle structure is located during the swing, thus avoiding leakage of the vapor deposition material.

[0080] Please see Figure 7 The present invention also provides a display panel, which is prepared using the vapor deposition equipment in any of the above embodiments.

[0081] For example, the vapor deposition equipment provided in this embodiment of the invention can be used to prepare film layers such as substrate 6', light-emitting functional layer, and encapsulation layer in a display panel.

[0082] Optionally, substrate 6' may include a substrate and an array layer, the array layer including a driving circuit. For example, the array layer may include a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and a third conductive layer disposed on one side of the substrate and stacked thereon. An insulating layer is disposed between adjacent conductive film layers. Exemplarily, the pixel driving circuit disposed on the array layer includes a transistor and a storage capacitor. The transistor includes an active layer, a gate, a source, and a drain. The materials of the source and gate may include one or more combinations of molybdenum, titanium, aluminum, copper, etc. The gate of the transistor is typically used to receive a control signal, causing the transistor to turn on or off under the control of the control signal. One of the source and drain of the thin-film transistor is connected to the light-emitting unit 8 to control the normal light emission of the light-emitting unit 8.

[0083] The storage capacitor includes a first plate and a second plate. As an example, the gate and the first plate can be located in a first conductive layer, the second plate can be located in a second conductive layer, and the source and drain can be located in a third conductive layer.

[0084] Optionally, the display panel also includes a light-emitting functional layer and an encapsulation layer disposed on the side of the array layer away from the substrate, and at least one film layer in the light-emitting unit 8 and the encapsulation layer can be formed using IJP (Inkjet printing) process.

[0085] Optionally, the light-emitting unit 8 includes a first electrode layer 81, a light-emitting layer 82, and a second electrode layer 83 stacked along the direction away from the substrate.

[0086] Optionally, the light-emitting layer 82 includes one or more of the following: an electron injection layer, an electron transport layer, a light-emitting material layer, a hole blocking layer, an electron blocking layer, a hole transport layer, and a hole injection layer. The specific type of light-emitting layer 82 can be selected based on its specific characteristics, and there are no particular limitations. The electron injection layer, electron transport layer, and hole blocking layer can be disposed between the second electrode layer 83 and the light-emitting material layer. The electron blocking layer, hole transport layer, and hole injection layer can be disposed between the first electrode layer 81 and the light-emitting material layer.

[0087] The material of the first electrode layer 81 is generally a material with a high work function to improve hole injection efficiency. It can be gold (Au), platinum (Pt), titanium (Ti), silver (Ag), indium tin oxide (ITO), zinc tin oxide (IZO), or a transparent conductive polymer (such as polyaniline). For example, the first electrode layer 81 can be made of ITO-Ag-ITO composite material, without any special limitations.

[0088] The material of the second electrode layer 83 can be one of the following metals: silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), lithium (Li), magnesium (Mg), ytterbium (Yb), calcium (Ca), or indium (In). It can also be an alloy of the aforementioned metals, such as magnesium-silver alloy (Mg / Ag) or lithium-aluminum alloy (Li / Al). This embodiment does not limit the material in this regard.

[0089] Optionally, the display panel also includes an isolation structure 9 disposed on one side of the substrate 6'. The isolation structure 9 encloses an isolation opening K1 and a light-transmitting opening. The isolation opening K1 is used to accommodate the light-emitting unit 8. The isolation structure 9 includes a first sub-layer 91 and a second sub-layer 92 stacked in a direction away from the substrate 6'. The second sub-layer 92 protrudes relative to the first sub-layer 91 toward the isolation opening K1, so that the side of the second sub-layer 92 toward the substrate 6' can form a concave shape, and the concave shape surrounds the isolation opening K1, so that the light-emitting material breaks into independent light-emitting units 8 at this position.

[0090] Optionally, the material of the isolation structure 9 includes a conductive material, and the second electrode layer 83 and the isolation structure 9 are electrically connected to each other, for example, the second electrode layer 83 and the first sub-layer 91 are overlapped.

[0091] In some optional embodiments, the display panel further includes a pixel definition layer 7 located on one side of the substrate 6'. The pixel definition layer 7 includes a pixel defining portion 71 and a pixel opening K2 formed by the pixel defining portion 71. The orthographic projection of the pixel opening K2 onto the substrate 6' and the orthographic projection of the isolation opening K1 onto the substrate 6' at least partially overlap. This allows the pixel opening K2 and the isolation opening K1 to communicate, enabling the light-emitting unit 8 to be located within the pixel opening K2, and allowing the light emitted by the light-emitting unit 8 to exit through the isolation opening K1.

[0092] There are several ways to set the relative positions of the isolation structure 9 and the pixel definition layer 7. The isolation structure 9 can be located on the side of the pixel limiting part 71 away from the substrate 6', or the pixel limiting part 71 can also have a clearance opening, and the isolation structure 9 is located in the clearance opening.

[0093] Optionally, each second electrode layer 83 has a first encapsulation layer L1 on the side opposite to the substrate 6', and the material of the first encapsulation layer L1 includes inorganic materials.

[0094] Optionally, the encapsulation layer also includes a second encapsulation layer located on the side of the first encapsulation layer L1 facing away from the substrate 6'. The material of the second encapsulation layer includes an organic material. The organic material can be made of resin or polymer organic material, and can be formed using IJP (Inkjet printing) process.

[0095] Optionally, the encapsulation layer also includes a third encapsulation layer located on the side of the second encapsulation layer away from the substrate 6'. The material of the third encapsulation layer includes inorganic materials. Adding an inorganic encapsulation layer outside the organic encapsulation layer can further improve the encapsulation effect of the encapsulation layer. In this embodiment, the material of the third encapsulation layer can be the same as or different from the material of the first encapsulation layer L1, and there is no special limitation.

[0096] Optionally, the material of the first encapsulation layer L1 is the same as that of the third encapsulation layer, so that the first encapsulation layer L1 and the third encapsulation layer can be manufactured using the same equipment, which can simplify the manufacturing process of the display panel.

[0097] The display panel provided in this embodiment of the invention has the technical effects of the vapor deposition equipment in any of the above embodiments. The explanations of the same or corresponding structures and terms in the above embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0098] The display panel provided in the embodiments of the present invention can be an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panel, a quantum dot light-emitting diode (QLED) panel, or a micro flat panel display panel (Micro-OLED or Micro-LED), etc.

[0099] The display panel in this application embodiment includes, but is not limited to, devices with display functions such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablet computers, e-books, televisions, access control systems, smart landline phones, and control consoles.

[0100] 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.

[0101] 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, characterized in that, For fabricating display panels, the vapor deposition equipment includes: A vapor deposition chamber is provided with a vapor deposition source, and the vapor deposition source is rotatably disposed relative to the vapor deposition chamber. The vapor deposition source includes a vapor deposition port for ejecting vapor deposition material. A baffle structure is disposed in the vapor deposition chamber and located on the outer periphery of the vapor deposition source. The baffle structure includes a plate body and an opening on the plate body. The vapor deposition port of the vapor deposition source can be rotated to be opposite to the opening. The baffle structure includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other. The first surface is disposed close to the vapor deposition source relative to the second surface. A cooling structure is disposed on one side of the second surface of the baffle structure, the cooling structure including a cooling pipe and a cooling medium disposed within the cooling pipe; A track assembly is provided on the side of the opening away from the vapor deposition source. The track assembly includes a support plate and a track portion provided on the support plate. The track portion is used to guide the movement of the substrate to be vapor deposited.

2. The vapor deposition equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The extension line of the rotation axis of the vapor deposition source intersects the surface of the carrier plate.

3. The vapor deposition equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The extension line of the rotation axis of the vapor deposition source is perpendicular to the surface of the support plate.

4. The vapor deposition equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The baffle structure includes a plurality of connected plates, among which a first plate forms the opening, and the extending direction of the first plate is parallel to the extending direction of the track portion.

5. The vapor deposition equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling structure also includes a refrigeration unit connected to the cooling pipe to cool the cooling medium.

6. The vapor deposition equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling medium includes pure water.

7. The vapor deposition equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vapor deposition chamber includes a first chamber and a second chamber, which are located on opposite sides of the track assembly. The vapor deposition source is provided in both the first chamber and the second chamber.

8. The vapor deposition equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, Both the first chamber and the second chamber are hemispherical cavities, with the openings of the hemispherical cavities facing the track assembly.

9. The vapor deposition equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The track section includes a first track and a second track, wherein the first track is disposed closer to the first chamber than the second track, and the second track is disposed closer to the second chamber.

10. The vapor deposition equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, The extension direction of the first track is parallel to the extension direction of the second track.

11. A method for manufacturing a display panel, characterized in that, Includes the following steps; A vapor deposition apparatus is provided, wherein the vapor deposition apparatus is the vapor deposition apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, the vapor deposition apparatus is in a standby state, the vapor deposition port of the vapor deposition source and the plate body of the baffle structure are arranged opposite to each other, and the cooling structure cools the baffle structure so that the vapor deposition material sprayed from the vapor deposition source changes from a gaseous state to a non-gaseous state and adheres to the first surface of the baffle structure. The substrate to be vapor-deposited is placed on the support plate of the track assembly, and the substrate to be vapor-deposited is moved along the track. The vapor deposition equipment changes from the standby state to the working state. The vapor deposition port of the vapor deposition source is rotated to be opposite to the opening of the baffle structure, so that the vapor deposition material sprayed from the vapor deposition port adheres to the substrate to be vapor-deposited.

12. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 11, characterized in that, In the step of having the vapor deposition equipment in standby mode, the vapor deposition port of the vapor deposition source and the plate body of the baffle structure positioned opposite each other, and the cooling structure cooling the baffle structure to change the vapor deposition material ejected from the vapor deposition source from a gaseous state to a non-gaseous state and adhere to the first surface of the baffle structure, the following steps are included: When the vapor deposition equipment is in standby mode, the vapor deposition source is controlled to rotate so that the vapor deposition source is in an oscillating state, and the vapor deposition port and the opening of the baffle structure are staggered along the emission direction of the vapor deposition material.

13. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 12, characterized in that, When the vapor deposition equipment is in standby mode, controlling the vapor deposition source to rotate so that the vapor deposition source is in an oscillating state, and the steps of setting the vapor deposition port and the opening of the baffle structure to be staggered along the emission direction of the vapor deposition material include: Along the emission direction of the vapor deposition material, the vapor deposition port of the vapor deposition source in an oscillating state is staggered from the first plate. The baffle structure includes multiple connected plates, among which the multiple connected plates include a first plate forming the opening. The extension direction of the first plate is parallel to the extension direction of the track portion.

14. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 12, characterized in that, When the vapor deposition equipment is in standby mode, controlling the vapor deposition source to rotate so that the vapor deposition source is in an oscillating state, and the steps of setting the vapor deposition port and the opening of the baffle structure to be staggered along the emission direction of the vapor deposition material include: When the vapor deposition source is in the extreme swing position, the vapor deposition port and the plate body of the baffle structure are arranged opposite each other along the emission direction of the vapor deposition material.

15. A display panel, characterized in that, It is prepared using the vapor deposition equipment described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

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