Vapor deposition mask packing body and device for packing vapor deposition mask

Abstract

To provide a vapor deposition mask packing body that inhibits a vapor deposition mask from plastically deforming during transportation, and to provide a device for packing a vapor deposition mask.SOLUTION: A vapor deposition mask packing body includes: a first proximal part; a second proximal part facing the first proximal part; and a vapor deposition mask 20 which is disposed between the first proximal part and the second proximal part and in which a plurality of through-holes is formed. A spacer 64 is disposed on each of both sides in a width direction D2 of the vapor deposition mask. A first sheet 82 is disposed between the vapor deposition mask and the second proximal part. The second proximal part includes a protrusion 67 disposed in at least one of both end parts in a longitudinal direction of the vapor deposition mask in plan view. The protrusion presses the first sheet. An air gap 68 is formed between the first sheet and the second proximal part around the protrusion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 31

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a deposition mask package in which a deposition mask including a plurality of through holes is packaged, and a packaging device for the deposition mask. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, high definition, for example a pixel density of 500 ppi or more, is desired for display devices used in portable devices such as smartphones and tablet PCs. There is also an increasing demand for portable devices to support ultra-high definition, and in this case, the pixel density of the display device is desired to be, for example, 800 ppi or more.

[0003] Among display devices, organic EL display devices have been attracting attention due to their good response, low power consumption, and high contrast. As a method for forming pixels of an organic EL display device, a method is known in which a deposition mask having through holes arranged in a desired pattern is used to form pixels in the desired pattern. Specifically, the deposition mask is first attached to a substrate for the organic EL display device, and then the attached deposition mask and the substrate are both placed in a deposition device to perform a deposition process in which an organic material is deposited on the substrate. In this case, in order to precisely manufacture an organic EL display device having a high pixel density, it is desired to precisely reproduce the positions and shapes of the through holes in the deposition mask according to the design.

[0004] As a method for manufacturing a deposition mask, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a method for forming a through hole in a metal plate by etching using a photolithography technique is known. For example, a first resist pattern is formed on a first surface of a metal plate, and a second resist pattern is formed on a second surface of the metal plate. Next, a region of the first surface of the metal plate that is not covered by the first resist pattern is etched to form a first opening on the first surface of the metal plate. Then, a region of the second surface of the metal plate that is not covered by the second resist pattern is etched to form a second opening on the second surface of the metal plate. At this time, by performing etching so that the first opening and the second opening communicate with each other, a through hole penetrating the metal plate can be formed. The metal plate for manufacturing the deposition mask is obtained, for example, by rolling a base material such as an iron alloy.

[0005] In addition, as a method for manufacturing a deposition mask, a method for manufacturing a deposition mask using a plating process is known, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, for example. For example, in the method described in Patent Document 2, a conductive base material is first prepared. Next, a resist pattern is formed on the base material with a predetermined gap. This resist pattern is provided at a position where the through-hole of the deposition mask is to be formed. Then, a plating solution is supplied to the gap of the resist pattern, and a metal layer is precipitated on the base material by electrolytic plating. Then, the metal layer is separated from the base material to obtain a deposition mask having a plurality of through-holes. When a plating process is used in this way, the through-holes can be made highly precise. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5382259 [Patent Document 2] JP 2001-234385 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] When transporting a deposition mask, the deposition mask may be sandwiched between a receiving part (first base) and a lid part (second base) made of a plastic board or the like. In this case, however, the pressure applied to the deposition mask from the receiving part and the lid part may become partially uneven. This causes a problem that when external vibration is transmitted to the deposition mask through the receiving part and the lid part, a part of the deposition mask that is subjected to a relatively weak pressure moves relative to the receiving part and the lid part, and the deposition mask may be plastically deformed.

[0008] Here, when the deposition material is formed on the substrate using the deposition mask, the deposition material adheres to not only the substrate but also the deposition mask. For example, some of the deposition materials move toward the substrate along a direction greatly inclined relative to the normal direction of the deposition mask, and such deposition materials reach and adhere to the wall surface of the through-hole of the deposition mask before reaching the substrate. In this case, the deposition material is less likely to adhere to the region of the substrate located near the wall surface of the through-hole of the deposition mask, and as a result, the thickness of the deposition material that adheres may be smaller than other parts, or there may be a part where the deposition material does not adhere. In other words, the deposition near the wall surface of the through-hole of the deposition mask may become unstable. As a result, the luminous efficiency of the organic EL display device may decrease.

[0009] In order to solve such a problem, it is conceivable to reduce the thickness of the metal plate used to manufacture the deposition mask, because by reducing the thickness of the metal plate, the height of the wall surface of the through hole of the deposition mask can be reduced, and thus the ratio of the deposition material that adheres to the wall surface of the through hole can be reduced.

[0010] Thus, deposition masks tend to be thinner in order to suppress a decrease in the luminous efficiency of organic EL display devices, and therefore it is desirable to suppress plastic deformation during transportation even in thin deposition masks.

[0011] In addition, there is a problem that the deposition mask may be plastically deformed due to temperature changes during transportation. That is, when the thermal expansion coefficients of the receiving part, the lid part, and the deposition mask are different, the dimensional changes caused by the temperature changes of each member are different, and the deposition mask may be plastically deformed in a wrinkled form.

[0012] An object of the embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a deposition mask package and a packaging device for a deposition mask that can suppress plastic deformation of a deposition mask during transportation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The first aspect of the present disclosure is A first base portion; A second base portion facing the first base portion; a deposition mask disposed between the first base and the second base and having a plurality of through holes formed therein; spacers arranged on both sides in a width direction of the deposition mask; a first sheet disposed between the deposition mask and the second base, the second base portion has a convex portion disposed on at least one of both end portions in a longitudinal direction of the deposition mask in a plan view, The protrusion presses the first sheet, a deposition mask package, in which a gap is formed between the first sheet and the second base around the convex portion; It is.

[0014] A second aspect of the present disclosure is a vapor deposition mask packaging body according to the first aspect, The protrusion does not overlap the through hole in a plan view.

[0015] A third aspect of the present disclosure is a vapor deposition mask packaging body according to the first or second aspect, the deposition mask has end openings provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction, The protrusions are disposed at positions overlapping the corresponding end openings in a plan view.

[0016] A fourth aspect of the present disclosure is a vapor deposition mask packaging body according to the third aspect, The convex portion does not protrude from the corresponding end opening in a plan view.

[0017] A fifth aspect of the present disclosure is a vapor deposition mask packaging body according to the first or second aspect, The protrusions extend in the width direction of the deposition mask.

[0018] A sixth aspect of the present disclosure is a deposition mask packaging body according to the first aspect, The protrusions extend in the longitudinal direction of the deposition mask.

[0019] A seventh aspect of the present disclosure is a vapor deposition mask packaging body according to the sixth aspect, the convex portions are disposed at both end portions in a longitudinal direction of the deposition mask in a plan view, The pair of protrusions are integrally formed continuously.

[0020] An eighth aspect of the present disclosure is a deposition mask package according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, The hardness of the protrusion is lower than the hardness of the first base portion and the hardness of the second base portion.

[0021] A ninth aspect of the present disclosure is a vapor deposition mask package according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, The spacer has a hardness greater than a hardness of the first base portion and a hardness of the second base portion.

[0022] A tenth aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising: A fourth sheet is disposed between the first sheet and the second base, The fourth sheet has a thickness greater than the thickness of the first sheet.

[0023] An eleventh aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising: A first base portion; A second base portion facing the first base portion; a deposition mask disposed between the first base and the second base and having a plurality of through holes formed therein; spacers arranged on both sides in a width direction of the deposition mask; a first sheet disposed between the deposition mask and the second base, The first base portion has an opposing surface opposing the second base portion, The opposing surface includes a curved surface that is curved so as to be convex toward the second base portion, a deposition mask package, wherein the curved surface includes a ridge line extending from one end edge to the other end edge in a longitudinal direction of the deposition mask, or extending from one side edge to the other side edge in a width direction of the deposition mask; It is.

[0024] A twelfth aspect of the present disclosure is a vapor deposition mask package according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, The deposition mask further includes a second sheet disposed between the deposition mask and the first base.

[0025] A thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure is a vapor deposition mask packaging body according to the twelfth aspect, a plurality of the deposition masks are stacked between the first sheet and the second sheet, A third sheet is disposed between the deposition masks adjacent to each other. This may be done.

[0026] A fourteenth aspect of the present disclosure is a method for producing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: A packaging device for a deposition mask that packages a deposition mask having a longitudinal direction and a plurality of through holes formed therein, A first base portion; A second base portion facing the first base portion; a pair of spacers disposed between the first base and the second base, the pair of spacers defining an accommodation space in which the deposition mask is accommodated between the pair of spacers; the second base portion has a convex portion disposed on at least one of both ends in a longitudinal direction of the accommodation space in a plan view; It is.

[0027] A fifteenth aspect of the present disclosure is a method for producing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: A packaging device for a deposition mask that packages a deposition mask having a longitudinal direction and a plurality of through holes formed therein, A first base portion; A second base portion facing the first base portion; a pair of spacers disposed between the first base and the second base, the pair of spacers defining an accommodation space in which the deposition mask is accommodated between the pair of spacers; The first base portion has an opposing surface opposing the second base portion, The opposing surface includes a curved surface that is curved so as to be convex toward the second base portion, the curved surface includes, in a plan view, a ridge line extending from one end edge to the other end edge in a longitudinal direction of the storage space, or from one side edge to the other side edge in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the storage space; It is. Effect of the Invention

[0028] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress plastic deformation of the deposition mask during transportation. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a deposition apparatus including a deposition mask device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an organic EL display device (an intermediate product of an organic EL display device) manufactured using the deposition mask device shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] 1 is a plan view showing a deposition mask device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 4 is a partial plan view showing an effective area of ​​the deposition mask shown in FIG. 3. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. [Figure 8] 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the through hole and the area in its vicinity shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a process for rolling a base material to obtain a metal plate having a desired thickness. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a process of annealing a metal plate obtained by rolling. [Figure 11] 1A to 1C are schematic diagrams for generally explaining an example of a method for manufacturing a deposition mask. [Figure 12] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a process of forming a resist film on a metal plate. [Figure 13] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing a process of closely adhering an exposure mask to a resist film. [Figure 14] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a process of developing a resist film. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a first surface etching step. [Figure 16] 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating a step of covering the first recess with resin. [Figure 17] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a second surface etching step. [Figure 18] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a second surface etching step subsequent to FIG. 18. [Figure 19] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing a process of removing resin and a resist pattern from a long metal plate. [Figure 20] FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing an effective area of ​​the deposition mask. [Figure 21] 21 is a cross-sectional view of the effective area of ​​FIG. 20 as viewed from the direction DD. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the deposition mask of FIG. 21. [Figure 23] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating an example of a deposition mask manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 24]1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating an example of a deposition mask manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 25] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating an example of a deposition mask manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 26] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating an example of a deposition mask manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 27] 1 is a perspective view illustrating a deposition mask package according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 28] FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view showing the deposition mask package of FIG. 27. [Figure 29] 28 is a perspective view showing the lid portion of FIG. 27 turned upside down. [Diagram 30] FIG. 28 is a perspective view showing the receiving portion of FIG. 27. [Diagram 31] 28 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the deposition mask package shown in FIG. 27. [Diagram 32] 32 is an E-E cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 31. [Diagram 33] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a deposition mask package according to a first modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 34] FIG. 11 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a deposition mask packaging body according to a second modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 35] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an upside-down second base according to a third modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 36] FIG. 11 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a deposition mask packaging body according to a third modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 37] FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 32 in a third modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 38] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an upside-down second base according to a fourth modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 39] FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 32 in a fourth modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 40] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an upside-down second base according to a fifth modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 41]FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a first base according to a fifth modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 42] FIG. 13 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a deposition mask packaging body according to a fifth modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 43] FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 32 in a fifth modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 44] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a first base according to a sixth modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 45] FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a deposition mask package according to a sixth modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 46] FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 32 in a sixth modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 47] 1 is a table showing the results of an environmental test and a drop test according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings attached to this specification, the scale and aspect ratios are appropriately changed and exaggerated from those of the actual objects for the convenience of illustration and understanding.

[0031] In this specification, for example, the term "plate" is used to have the same meaning as a member that can be called a sheet or a film.

[0032] In this specification, "planar view" refers to a state in which a symmetrical plate-like member is viewed from a normal direction perpendicular to the planar direction of the plate-like member when viewed overall and globally. For example, when a certain plate-like member "has a rectangular shape in a planar view," this means that the member has a rectangular shape when viewed from the normal direction.

[0033] Furthermore, terms used in this specification that specify shapes, geometric conditions, and physical characteristics, as well as the extent of these, such as "parallel," "orthogonal," "same," and "equivalent," as well as lengths, angles, and values ​​of physical characteristics, are not to be bound by their strict meanings, but are to be interpreted to include the range within which similar functions can be expected.

[0034] In addition, the embodiments of the present disclosure may be combined with other embodiments or modified examples to the extent that no contradictions arise. In addition, other embodiments may be combined with each other, or other embodiments may be combined with modified examples to the extent that no contradictions arise. In addition, modified examples may be combined with each other to the extent that no contradictions arise.

[0035] In addition, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, when a plurality of steps are disclosed in a method such as a manufacturing method, other steps that are not disclosed may be performed between the disclosed steps. Also, the order of the disclosed steps is arbitrary as long as no contradiction occurs.

[0036] In this specification, a numerical range expressed by the symbol "~" includes the numerical values ​​before and after the symbol "~". For example, the numerical range defined by the expression "34 to 38% by mass" is the same as the numerical range defined by the expression "34% by mass or more and 38% by mass or less".

[0037] (evaporation equipment) First, a deposition apparatus 90 for performing a deposition process for depositing a deposition material on a target object will be described with reference to Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the deposition apparatus 90 includes a deposition source (e.g., a crucible 94), a heater 96, and a deposition mask device 10. The crucible 94 contains a deposition material 98 such as an organic light-emitting material. The heater 96 heats the crucible 94 to evaporate the deposition material 98. The deposition mask device 10 is disposed to face the crucible 94.

[0038] (Deposition mask device) The deposition mask device 10 will be described below. As shown in FIG. 1, the deposition mask device 10 includes a deposition mask 20 and a frame 15 that supports the deposition mask 20. The frame 15 supports the deposition mask 20 in a state in which the deposition mask 20 is pulled in its longitudinal direction D1 (first direction, see FIG. 3) so that the deposition mask 20 does not bend. As shown in FIG. 1, the deposition mask device 10 is placed in a deposition device 90 so that the deposition mask 20 faces a substrate, for example, an organic EL substrate 92, which is an object to which a deposition material 98 is to be attached. In the following description, of the surfaces of the deposition mask 20, a surface on the organic EL substrate 92 side is referred to as a first surface 20a, and a surface located opposite to the first surface 20a is referred to as a second surface 20b. Of these, the frame 15 faces the second surface 20b of the deposition mask 20.

[0039] 1, the deposition mask device 10 may include a magnet 93 arranged on the surface of the organic EL substrate 92 opposite to the deposition mask 20. By providing the magnet 93, the deposition mask 20 can be attracted to the magnet 93 side by magnetic force, and the deposition mask 20 can be closely attached to the organic EL substrate 92.

[0040] Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the deposition mask device 10 as viewed from the first surface 20a side of the deposition mask 20. As shown in Fig. 3, the deposition mask device 10 includes a plurality of deposition masks 20 each having a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, and each deposition mask 20 is fixed to a frame 15 by welding at a pair of ends 20e in a longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20.

[0041] The deposition mask 20 includes a plurality of through-holes 25 penetrating the deposition mask 20. The deposition material 98 that evaporates from the crucible 94 and reaches the deposition mask device 10 passes through the through-holes 25 of the deposition mask 20 and adheres to the organic EL substrate 92. This allows the deposition material 98 to be formed into a film on the surface of the organic EL substrate 92 in a desired pattern corresponding to the positions of the through-holes 25 of the deposition mask 20.

[0042] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an organic EL display device 100 manufactured using the deposition device 90 of FIG. 1. The organic EL display device 100 includes an organic EL substrate 92 and pixels including a deposition material 98 arranged in a pattern. Although not shown, the organic EL display device 100 further includes electrodes electrically connected to the pixels including the deposition material 98. The electrodes are provided in advance on the organic EL substrate 92, for example, before the deposition material 98 is attached to the organic EL substrate 92 by the deposition process. The organic EL display device 100 may further include other components, such as a sealing member that seals the space around the pixels including the deposition material 98 from the outside. Therefore, the organic EL display device 100 of FIG. 2 can also be said to be an organic EL display device intermediate generated at an intermediate stage in manufacturing an organic EL display device.

[0043] When a color display using a plurality of colors is desired, deposition apparatuses 90 each equipped with a deposition mask 20 corresponding to each color are prepared, and the organic EL substrates 92 are sequentially placed in each deposition apparatus 90. In this way, for example, a red organic light-emitting material, a green organic light-emitting material, and a blue organic light-emitting material can be sequentially deposited on the organic EL substrate 92.

[0044] Incidentally, the deposition process may be performed inside a deposition apparatus 90 in a high-temperature atmosphere. In this case, the deposition mask 20, the frame 15, and the organic EL substrate 92 held inside the deposition apparatus 90 are also heated during the deposition process. At this time, the deposition mask 20, the frame 15, and the organic EL substrate 92 exhibit dimensional change behavior based on their respective thermal expansion coefficients. In this case, if the thermal expansion coefficients of the deposition mask 20 or the frame 15 and the organic EL substrate 92 are significantly different from each other, positional deviation occurs due to the difference in dimensional change, and as a result, the dimensional accuracy and positional accuracy of the deposition material 98 attached to the organic EL substrate 92 are reduced.

[0045] In order to solve such a problem, it is preferable that the thermal expansion coefficients of the deposition mask 20 and the frame 15 are equal to that of the organic EL substrate 92. For example, when a glass substrate is used as the organic EL substrate 92, an iron alloy containing nickel can be used as the main material of the deposition mask 20 and the frame 15. For example, an iron alloy containing 30% by mass to 54% by mass of nickel can be used as the material of the metal plate constituting the deposition mask 20. Specific examples of the iron alloy containing nickel include an Invar material containing 34% by mass to 38% by mass of nickel, a Super Invar material containing 30% by mass to 34% by mass of nickel and further containing cobalt, and a low thermal expansion Fe-Ni-based plating alloy containing 48% by mass to 54% by mass of nickel.

[0046] If the temperatures of the deposition mask 20, the frame 15, and the organic EL substrate 92 do not reach high temperatures during deposition, there is no particular need to set the thermal expansion coefficients of the deposition mask 20 and the frame 15 to values ​​equivalent to the thermal expansion coefficient of the organic EL substrate 92. In this case, a material other than the iron alloy described above may be used as a material constituting the deposition mask 20. For example, an iron alloy other than the iron alloy containing nickel described above, such as an iron alloy containing chromium, may be used. As the iron alloy containing chromium, for example, an iron alloy so-called stainless steel may be used. In addition, an alloy other than the iron alloy, such as nickel or a nickel-cobalt alloy, may be used.

[0047] (Deposition mask) Next, the deposition mask 20 will be described in detail. As shown in Fig. 3 to Fig. 5, the deposition mask 20 may include an effective area 22 in which through-holes 25 extending from the first surface 20a to the second surface 20b are formed, and a peripheral area 23 surrounding the effective area 22. The peripheral area 23 is an area for supporting the effective area 22, and is not an area through which a deposition material 98 intended to be deposited on the organic EL substrate 92 passes. For example, the effective area 22 is an area of ​​the deposition mask 20 that faces the display area of ​​the organic EL substrate 92.

[0048] 3, the effective area 22 has, for example, a substantially quadrangular outline in a plan view, more precisely, a substantially rectangular outline in a plan view. Although not shown, each effective area 22 can have an outline of various shapes depending on the shape of the display area of ​​the organic EL substrate 92. For example, each effective area 22 may have a circular outline.

[0049] As shown in Fig. 3, a plurality of effective areas 22 may be arranged at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20. One effective area 22 corresponds to the display area of ​​one organic EL display device 100. Therefore, the deposition mask device 10 shown in Fig. 1 allows deposition on multiple surfaces of the organic EL display device 100. As shown in Fig. 4, in the effective area 22, a plurality of through holes 25 may be regularly arranged at a predetermined pitch along two directions perpendicular to each other.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 3, the deposition mask 20 in this embodiment is formed in an elongated rectangular shape, and the multiple effective areas 22 may be arranged in a row in the center of the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20. The effective areas 22 may not be provided at both ends 20e of the deposition mask 20 in the longitudinal direction D1, and an end opening 24 may be provided at each end 20e. That is, the end openings 24 may be provided on both sides of the multiple effective areas 22 in the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20. The end openings 24 penetrate the deposition mask 20 in the thickness direction, and in this embodiment, may be formed to have a U-shaped outline in a shape cut out from the corresponding edge 20g of the deposition mask 20 in a plan view. Each end opening 24 is disposed at the center of the width direction D2 (second direction, a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction D1) of the deposition mask 20. Both sides of the end opening 24 in the width direction D2 are held by separate clamps (not shown) of a tensioning jig to tension the deposition mask 20. That is, the end 20e of the deposition mask 20 is held by two clamps and a tensile force is applied from each clamp, which makes it easy to adjust the position of the through hole 25 of the deposition mask 20 during tensioning.

[0051] The shape of the through hole 25 and its surrounding area will be described in detail below.

[0052] (Deposition mask manufactured by etching process) Here, the shape of the through-hole 25 and its surrounding area in the case where the deposition mask 20 is formed by etching will be described.

[0053] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an effective area 22 enlarged from the second surface 20b side of the deposition mask 20 manufactured by etching. As shown in FIG. 4, in the illustrated example, a plurality of through holes 25 formed in each effective area 22 are arranged at a predetermined pitch along two directions perpendicular to each other in the effective area 22. An example of the through holes 25 will be described in more detail mainly with reference to FIG. 5 to FIG. 7. FIG. 5 to FIG. 7 are cross-sectional views of the effective area 22 in FIG. 4 along the AA direction, the BB direction, and the CC direction, respectively. Note that the boundary line between the effective area 22 and the surrounding area 23 shown in FIG. 5 to FIG. 7 is an example, and the position of this boundary line is arbitrary. For example, this boundary line may be arranged in an area where the second recess 35 is not formed (to the left of the leftmost second recess 35 in FIG. 5).

[0054] As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the multiple through holes 25 penetrate from a first surface 20a, which is one side of the deposition mask 20 in the normal direction N, to a second surface 20b, which is the other side of the deposition mask 20 in the normal direction N. In the illustrated example, as described in detail later, a first recess 30 (or a first opening 30) is formed by etching in a first surface 21a of the metal plate 21, which is one side of the deposition mask 20 in the normal direction N, and a second recess 35 (or a second opening 35) is formed in a second surface 21b of the metal plate 21, which is the other side of the deposition mask 20 in the normal direction N. The first recess 30 is connected to the second recess 35, and the second recess 35 and the first recess 30 are formed to communicate with each other. The through hole 25 is composed of the second recess 35 and the first recess 30 connected to the second recess 35.

[0055] 5 to 7, the opening area of ​​each of the second recesses 35 in a cross section along the plate surface of the deposition mask 20 at each position along the normal direction N of the deposition mask 20 gradually decreases from the second surface 20b side to the first surface 20a side of the deposition mask 20. Similarly, the opening area of ​​each of the first recesses 30 in a cross section along the plate surface of the deposition mask 20 at each position along the normal direction N of the deposition mask 20 gradually decreases from the first surface 20a side to the second surface 20b side of the deposition mask 20.

[0056] 5 to 7, the wall surface 31 of the first recess 30 and the wall surface 36 of the second recess 35 are connected via a circumferential connecting portion 41. The connecting portion 41 is defined by a ridgeline of a protruding portion where the wall surface 31 of the first recess 30, which is inclined with respect to the normal direction N of the deposition mask 20, and the wall surface 36 of the second recess 35, which is inclined with respect to the normal direction N of the deposition mask 20, join together. The connecting portion 41 defines a through portion 42 in which the opening area of ​​the through hole 25 is minimized in a plan view of the deposition mask 20.

[0057] 5 to 7, on the other surface along the normal direction N of the deposition mask 20, i.e., on the first surface 20a of the deposition mask 20, two adjacent through holes 25 are spaced from each other along the plate surface of the deposition mask 20. That is, as in a manufacturing method described later, when the first recesses 30 are formed by etching the metal plate 21 from the first surface 21a side of the metal plate 21 that corresponds to the first surface 20a of the deposition mask 20, the first surface 21a of the metal plate 21 remains between the two adjacent first recesses 30.

[0058] Similarly, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 7, on one side along the normal direction N of the deposition mask 20, that is, on the side of the second surface 20b of the deposition mask 20, two adjacent second recesses 35 may be spaced apart from each other along the plate surface of the deposition mask 20. That is, the second surface 21b of the metal plate 21 may remain between the two adjacent second recesses 35. In the following description, the part of the effective area 22 of the second surface 21b of the metal plate 21 that remains without being etched is also referred to as a top portion 43. By producing the deposition mask 20 so that such a top portion 43 remains, it is possible to provide the deposition mask 20 with sufficient strength. This makes it possible to prevent the deposition mask 20 from being damaged, for example, during transportation. If the width β of the top portion 43 is too large, a shadow may be generated in the deposition process, which may reduce the utilization efficiency of the deposition material 98. Therefore, it is preferable that the deposition mask 20 is produced so that the width β of the top portion 43 is not excessively large. For example, it is preferable that the width β of the top portion 43 is 2 μm or less. The width β of the top portion 43 generally varies depending on the direction in which the deposition mask 20 is cut. For example, the widths β of the top portion 43 shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 7 may differ from each other. In this case, the deposition mask 20 may be configured such that the width β of the top portion 43 is 2 µm or less in any direction in which the deposition mask 20 is cut.

[0059] 6, etching may be performed so that two adjacent second recesses 35 are connected in some places. That is, there may be a place where no second surface 21b of the metal plate 21 remains between two adjacent second recesses 35. Although not shown, etching may be performed so that two adjacent second recesses 35 are connected over the entire area of ​​the second surface 21b.

[0060] When the deposition mask device 10 is accommodated in the deposition device 90 as shown in FIG. 1, the first surface 20a of the deposition mask 20 faces the organic EL substrate 92, and the second surface 20b of the deposition mask 20 is located on the side of the crucible 94 holding the deposition material 98, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 5. Therefore, the deposition material 98 passes through the second recess 35, the opening area of ​​which gradually decreases, and adheres to the organic EL substrate 92. As shown by the arrow from the second surface 20b side to the first surface 20a in FIG. 5, the deposition material 98 not only moves from the crucible 94 toward the organic EL substrate 92 along the normal direction N of the organic EL substrate 92, but also moves in a direction greatly inclined with respect to the normal direction N of the organic EL substrate 92. At this time, if the thickness of the deposition mask 20 is large, most of the deposition material 98 moving obliquely reaches and adheres to the wall surface 36 of the second recess 35 before passing through the through-hole 25 and reaching the organic EL substrate 92. Therefore, in order to increase the efficiency of use of the deposition material 98, it is preferable to reduce the thickness T0 of the deposition mask 20, thereby reducing the height of the wall surface 36 of the second recess 35 and the wall surface 31 of the first recess 30. That is, it is preferable to use a metal plate 21 having a thickness as small as possible within a range in which the strength of the deposition mask 20 can be ensured, as the metal plate 21 for constituting the deposition mask 20. In consideration of this point, in the present embodiment, the thickness T0 of the deposition mask 20 is preferably set to 85 μm or less, for example, 5 μm or more and 85 μm or less. Alternatively, the thickness T0 is set to 80 μm or less, for example, 10 μm or more and 80 μm or more, or 20 μm or more and 80 μm or less. In order to further improve the accuracy of deposition, the thickness T0 of the deposition mask 20 may be set to 40 μm or less, for example, 10 μm or more and 40 μm or less, or 20 μm or more and 40 μm or less. The thickness T0 is the thickness of the peripheral region 23, that is, the thickness of the portion of the deposition mask 20 where the first recesses 30 and the second recesses 35 are not formed. Therefore, it can also be said that the thickness T0 is the thickness of the metal plate 21.

[0061] In FIG. 5, the minimum angle that a straight line L1 passing through the connection portion 41, which is the portion having the minimum opening area of ​​the through-hole 25, and any other position on the wall surface 36 of the second recess 35 forms with respect to the normal direction N of the deposition mask 20 is denoted by θ1. That is, as in the case shown in FIG. 21 described later, among the paths of the deposition material 98 passing through the end portion 38 of the through-hole 25 (second recess 35) on the second surface 20b side of the deposition mask 20 and that can reach the organic EL substrate 92, the path that forms an angle θ1 with respect to the normal direction N of the deposition mask 20 is denoted by L1. In order to allow the deposition material 98 moving obliquely to reach the organic EL substrate 92 as far as possible without reaching the wall surface 36, it is advantageous to increase the angle θ1. In order to increase the angle θ1, it is also effective to reduce the width β of the top portion 43 described above in addition to reducing the thickness T0 of the deposition mask 20.

[0062] 7, the symbol α represents the width of the portion (hereinafter also referred to as the rib portion) that remains unetched within the effective area 22 of the first surface 21a of the metal plate 21. The width α of the rib portion and the dimension r2 of the through portion 42 are appropriately determined depending on the dimensions and number of display pixels of the organic EL display device. Table 1 shows an example of the number of display pixels, and the values ​​of the width α of the rib portion and the dimension r2 of the through portion 42 corresponding to the number of display pixels in a 5-inch organic EL display device. [Table 1]

[0063] Although not limited thereto, the deposition mask 20 according to the present embodiment is particularly effective in producing an organic EL display device having a pixel density of 450 ppi or more. Hereinafter, an example of the dimensions of the deposition mask 20 for producing an organic EL display device having such a high pixel density will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the through-hole 25 of the deposition mask 20 shown in Fig. 5 and a region in the vicinity thereof.

[0064] 8, as a parameter related to the shape of the through-hole 25, the distance from the first surface 20a of the deposition mask 20 to the connection portion 41 in the direction along the normal direction N of the deposition mask 20, i.e., the height of the wall surface 31 of the first recess 30, is represented by symbol r1. Furthermore, the dimension of the first recess 30 at the portion where the first recess 30 is connected to the second recess 35, i.e., the dimension of the through-hole 42, is represented by symbol r2. Also in FIG. 8, the angle that a straight line L2 connecting the connection portion 41 and the tip edge of the first recess 30 on the first surface 21a of the metal plate 21 makes with respect to the normal direction N of the metal plate 21 is represented by symbol θ2.

[0065] When an organic EL display device with a pixel density of 450 ppi or more is manufactured, the dimension r2 of the through portion 42 is preferably set to 10 to 60 μm. This makes it possible to provide a deposition mask 20 that can manufacture an organic EL display device with high pixel density. Preferably, the height r1 of the wall surface 31 of the first recess 30 is set to 6 μm or less.

[0066] Next, the angle θ2 shown in FIG. 8 will be described. The angle θ2 corresponds to the maximum value of the inclination angle of the deposition material 98 that can reach the organic EL substrate 92 among the deposition material 98 that is inclined with respect to the normal direction N of the metal plate 21 and that flies to pass through the through-hole 42 near the connection portion 41. This is because the deposition material 98 that flies through the connection portion 41 at an inclination angle larger than the angle θ2 adheres to the wall surface 31 of the first recess 30 before reaching the organic EL substrate 92. Therefore, by reducing the angle θ2, it is possible to suppress the deposition material 98 that flies at a large inclination angle and passes through the through-hole 42 from adhering to the organic EL substrate 92, and thus it is possible to suppress the deposition material 98 from adhering to a portion of the organic EL substrate 92 that is outside the portion that overlaps with the through-hole 42. That is, reducing the angle θ2 leads to suppression of the variation in the area and thickness of the deposition material 98 that adheres to the organic EL substrate 92. From this viewpoint, for example, the through-hole 25 is formed so that the angle θ2 is 45 degrees or less. 8 shows an example in which the dimension of the first recess 30 in the first surface 21a, i.e., the opening dimension of the through hole 25 in the first surface 21a, is larger than the dimension r2 of the first recess 30 in the connecting portion 41. That is, an example in which the value of the angle θ2 is a positive value is shown. However, although not shown, the dimension r2 of the first recess 30 in the connecting portion 41 may be larger than the dimension of the first recess 30 in the first surface 21a. That is, the value of the angle θ2 may be a negative value.

[0067] Next, a method for manufacturing the deposition mask 20 by etching will be described.

[0068] (Metal Sheet Manufacturing Method) First, a method for producing a metal plate used to produce a deposition mask will be described.

[0069] [Rolling process] First, as shown in FIG. 9, a base material 155 made of an iron alloy containing nickel is prepared, and the base material 155 is transported along the direction indicated by the arrow toward a rolling device 156 including a pair of rolling rolls 156a, 156b. The base material 155 that has arrived between the pair of rolling rolls 156a, 156b is rolled by the pair of rolling rolls 156a, 156b, and as a result, the thickness of the base material 155 is reduced and the base material 155 is stretched along the transport direction. This makes it possible to obtain a plate material 164X having a thickness t0. As shown in FIG. 9, the plate material 164X may be wound around a core 161 to form a roll 162. The specific value of the thickness t0 is preferably 5 μm or more and 85 μm or less, as described above.

[0070] 9 merely shows an outline of the rolling process, and the specific configuration and procedure for carrying out the rolling process are not particularly limited. For example, the rolling process may include a hot rolling process in which the base material 155 is processed at a temperature equal to or higher than the temperature at which the crystal arrangement of the Invar material constituting the base material 155 is changed, or a cold rolling process in which the base material 164X is processed at a temperature equal to or lower than the temperature at which the crystal arrangement of the Invar material is changed. In addition, the direction in which the base material 155 or the plate material 164X is passed between the pair of rolling rolls 156a, 156b is not limited to one direction. For example, in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, the base material 155 or the plate material 164X may be gradually rolled by repeatedly passing the base material 155 or the plate material 164X between the pair of rolling rolls 156a, 156b in the direction from the left side of the paper to the right side and the direction from the right side of the paper to the left side.

[0071] [Slitting process] Thereafter, a slitting process may be performed in which both ends of the plate material 164X obtained by the rolling process in the width direction are cut off over a predetermined range so that the width of the plate material 164X falls within a predetermined range. This slitting process is performed to remove cracks that may occur at both ends of the plate material 164X due to rolling. By performing such a slitting process, it is possible to prevent the phenomenon in which the plate material 164X breaks, that is, plate breaks, from occurring starting from cracks.

[0072] [Annealing process] Thereafter, in order to remove residual stress (internal stress) accumulated in the plate material 164X by rolling, the plate material 164X is annealed using an annealing device 157 as shown in Fig. 10, thereby obtaining a long metal plate 164. The annealing process may be performed while pulling the plate material 164X or the long metal plate 164 in the conveying direction (longitudinal direction) as shown in Fig. 10. That is, the annealing process may be performed as continuous annealing while conveying, rather than so-called batch-type annealing.

[0073] Preferably, the above-mentioned annealing step is performed in a non-reducing atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere. Here, the non-reducing atmosphere refers to an atmosphere that does not contain a reducing gas such as hydrogen. "Does not contain a reducing gas" means that the concentration of a reducing gas such as hydrogen is 4% or less. Also, the inert gas atmosphere refers to an atmosphere in which an inert gas such as argon gas, helium gas, or nitrogen gas is present at 90% or more. By performing the annealing step in a non-reducing atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere, it is possible to suppress the above-mentioned nickel hydroxide from being generated on the first surface 164a or the second surface 164b of the long metal plate 164.

[0074] By carrying out the annealing step, it is possible to obtain a long metal plate 164 having a thickness t0 from which residual distortion has been removed to some extent. Note that the thickness t0 is usually equal to the thickness T0 of the deposition mask 20.

[0075] The long metal plate 164 having a thickness of t0 may be produced by repeating the rolling process, the slitting process, and the annealing process multiple times. In FIG. 10, an example is shown in which the annealing process is performed while the long metal plate 164 is being pulled in the longitudinal direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. The annealing process may be performed while the long metal plate 164 is wound around the core 161. That is, batch annealing may be performed. When the annealing process is performed while the long metal plate 164 is wound around the core 161, the long metal plate 164 may develop a warping tendency according to the winding diameter of the winding body 162. Therefore, depending on the winding diameter of the winding body 162 and the material constituting the base material 155, it is advantageous to perform the annealing process while pulling the long metal plate 164 in the longitudinal direction.

[0076] [Cutting process] Then, a cutting process is carried out in which both ends in the width direction of the long metal plate 164 are cut off over a predetermined range, thereby adjusting the width of the long metal plate 164 to a desired width. In this manner, a long metal plate 164 having a desired thickness and width can be obtained.

[0077] (Method of manufacturing deposition mask) Next, a method for manufacturing the deposition mask 20 using the long metal plate 164 will be described mainly with reference to Fig. 11 to Fig. 19. In the method for manufacturing the deposition mask 20 described below, as shown in Fig. 11, a long metal plate 164 is supplied, through holes 25 are formed in the long metal plate 164, and the deposition mask 20 made of a sheet-like metal plate 21 is obtained by cutting the long metal plate 164.

[0078] More specifically, the method for manufacturing the deposition mask 20 includes a step of supplying a long metal plate 164 extending in a strip shape, a step of etching the long metal plate 164 using a photolithography technique to form a first recess 30 in the long metal plate 164 from the first surface 164a side, and a step of etching the long metal plate 164 using a photolithography technique to form a second recess 35 in the long metal plate 164 from the second surface 164b side. Then, the first recess 30 and the second recess 35 formed in the long metal plate 164 communicate with each other, so that the through hole 25 is formed in the long metal plate 164. In the example shown in FIG. 12 to FIG. 19, the step of forming the first recess 30 is performed before the step of forming the second recess 35, and a step of sealing the first recess 30 formed is further provided between the step of forming the first recess 30 and the step of forming the second recess 35. Each step will be described in detail below.

[0079] Fig. 11 shows a manufacturing apparatus 160 for manufacturing the deposition mask 20. As shown in Fig. 11, first, a roll 162 is prepared by winding a long metal plate 164 around a core 161. Then, the core 161 rotates to unwind the roll 162, thereby supplying the long metal plate 164 extending in a strip shape as shown in Fig. 11. The long metal plate 164 is formed with a through hole 25 to form the sheet-like metal plate 21 and further the deposition mask 20.

[0080] The supplied long metal plate 164 is transported to an etching device (etching means) 170 by a transport roller 172. The etching device 170 performs each of the processes shown in Figs. 12 to 19. In this embodiment, a plurality of deposition masks 20 are allocated to the long metal plate 164 in the width direction. That is, a plurality of deposition masks 20 are fabricated from regions occupying predetermined positions of the long metal plate 164 in the longitudinal direction. In this case, the plurality of deposition masks 20 are preferably allocated to the long metal plate 164 such that the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition masks 20 coincides with the rolling direction of the long metal plate 164.

[0081] 12, resist films 165c, 165d containing a negative photosensitive resist material are formed on the first surface 164a and the second surface 164b of the long metal plate 164. The resist films 165c, 165d are formed by attaching a film having a layer containing a photosensitive resist material such as an acrylic photocurable resin, a so-called dry film, onto the first surface 164a and the second surface 164b of the long metal plate 164.

[0082] Next, exposure masks 168a and 168b that do not transmit light to the regions of the resist films 165c and 165d that are to be removed are prepared, and the exposure masks 168a and 168b are placed on the resist films 165c and 165d, respectively, as shown in FIG. 13. For the exposure masks 168a and 168b, for example, glass dry plates that do not transmit light to the regions of the resist films 165c and 165d that are to be removed are used. Thereafter, the exposure masks 168a and 168b are sufficiently attached to the resist films 165c and 165d by vacuum contact. Note that a positive type photosensitive resist material may be used. In this case, an exposure mask that transmits light to the regions of the resist film that are to be removed is used as the exposure mask.

[0083] Thereafter, the resist films 165c and 165d are exposed through the exposure masks 168a and 168b (exposure process). Furthermore, the resist films 165c and 165d are developed to form an image on the exposed resist films 165c and 165d (development process). In this manner, as shown in FIG. 14, the first resist pattern 165a can be formed on the first surface 164a of the long metal plate 164, and the second resist pattern 165b can be formed on the second surface 164b of the long metal plate 164. The development process may include a resist heat treatment process for increasing the hardness of the resist films 165c and 165d, or for more firmly adhering the resist films 165c and 165d to the long metal plate 164. The resist heat treatment process is carried out in an atmosphere of an inert gas such as argon gas, helium gas, or nitrogen gas at a temperature of, for example, 100° C. or higher and 400° C. or lower.

[0084] Next, as shown in FIG. 15, a first surface etching process is performed in which the area of ​​the first surface 164a of the long metal plate 164 that is not covered by the first resist pattern 165a is etched using a first etching liquid. For example, the first etching liquid is sprayed toward the first surface 164a of the long metal plate 164 through the first resist pattern 165a from a nozzle arranged on the side facing the first surface 164a of the transported long metal plate 164. As a result, as shown in FIG. 15, erosion by the first etching liquid progresses in the area of ​​the long metal plate 164 that is not covered by the first resist pattern 165a. As a result, a large number of first recesses 30 are formed on the first surface 164a of the long metal plate 164. As the first etching liquid, for example, one containing a ferric chloride solution and hydrochloric acid is used.

[0085] 16, the first recess 30 is covered with a resin 169 having resistance to a second etching liquid used in a subsequent second surface etching process. That is, the first recess 30 is sealed with the resin 169 having resistance to the second etching liquid. In the example shown in FIG. 16, a film of the resin 169 is formed so as to cover not only the formed first recess 30 but also the first surface 164a (first resist pattern 165a).

[0086] 17, a second-surface etching process is performed in which an area of ​​the second surface 164b of the long metal plate 164 that is not covered by the second resist pattern 165b is etched to form a second recess 35 on the second surface 164b. The second-surface etching process is performed until the first recess 30 and the second recess 35 communicate with each other, thereby forming a through hole 25. As the second etching liquid, a liquid containing, for example, a ferric chloride solution and hydrochloric acid is used, similar to the above-mentioned first etching liquid.

[0087] The second etching liquid corrodes the portion of the long metal plate 164 that is in contact with the second etching liquid. Therefore, the corrosion does not proceed only in the normal direction N (thickness direction) of the long metal plate 164, but also in a direction along the plate surface of the long metal plate 164. Here, the second surface etching step is preferably completed before the two second recesses 35 formed at positions facing the two adjacent holes 166a of the second resist pattern 165b join together on the back side of the bridge portion 167a located between the two holes 166a. This allows the above-mentioned top portion 43 to remain on the second surface 164b of the long metal plate 164 as shown in FIG. 18.

[0088] Thereafter, as shown in Fig. 19, the resin 169 is removed from the long metal plate 164. The resin 169 can be removed by using, for example, an alkaline stripping liquid. When an alkaline stripping liquid is used, the resist patterns 165a and 165b are also removed at the same time as the resin 169, as shown in Fig. 19. After the resin 169 is removed, the resist patterns 165a and 165b may be removed separately from the resin 169 by using a stripping liquid different from the stripping liquid for stripping the resin 169.

[0089] The long metal plate 164 in which the numerous through holes 25 are thus formed is transported to a cutting device (cutting means) 173 by transport rollers 172, 172 that rotate while holding the long metal plate 164. The rotation of the transport rollers 172, 172 causes tension (tensile stress) acting on the long metal plate 164, which causes the above-mentioned supply core 161 to rotate, and the long metal plate 164 is supplied from the winding body 162.

[0090] Thereafter, the long metal plate 164 having the numerous through holes 25 formed therein is cut to a predetermined length and width by a cutting device (cutting means) 173, thereby obtaining a sheet-like metal plate 21 having the numerous through holes 25 formed therein, i.e., a deposition mask 20.

[0091] (Deposition mask manufactured by plating process) Incidentally, the deposition mask 20 can also be manufactured by using a plating process. Hereinafter, a deposition mask 20 manufactured by a plating process will be described. First, the shape of the through-hole 25 and the surrounding area will be described when the deposition mask 20 is formed by a plating process.

[0092] Fig. 20 is a plan view showing an enlarged effective area 22 from the first surface 20a side of the deposition mask 20 manufactured by plating. As shown in Fig. 4, in the illustrated example, a plurality of through holes 25 formed in each effective area 22 are arranged at a predetermined pitch in two directions perpendicular to each other in the effective area 22. An example of the through holes 25 will be described in further detail mainly with reference to Fig. 21. Fig. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the effective area 22 of Fig. 20 as viewed from the DD direction.

[0093] As shown in FIG. 21, the deposition mask 20 includes a first metal layer 32 constituting the first surface 20a, and a second metal layer 37 provided on the first metal layer 32 and constituting the second surface 20b. When the deposition material 98 is deposited on the organic EL substrate 92 (during deposition), the second metal layer 37 is disposed on the side of the frame 15 (see FIG. 1, etc.). The first metal layer 32 is provided with first openings 30 in a predetermined pattern, and the second metal layer 37 is provided with second openings 35 in a predetermined pattern. The first openings 30 and the second openings 35 communicate with each other to form through holes 25 extending from the first surface 20a to the second surface 20b of the deposition mask 20.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 20, the first opening 30 and the second opening 35 constituting the through hole 25 may be substantially polygonal in plan view. Here, an example is shown in which the first opening 30 and the second opening 35 are substantially quadrangular, more specifically, substantially square. Although not shown, the first opening 30 and the second opening 35 may be substantially polygonal in other shapes, such as substantially hexagonal or octagonal. Note that the term "substantially polygonal" is a concept including a shape in which the corners of a polygon are rounded. Although not shown, the first opening 30 and the second opening 35 may be circular. As long as the second opening 35 has an outline surrounding the first opening 30 in plan view, the shape of the first opening 30 and the shape of the second opening 35 do not need to be similar to each other.

[0095] In Fig. 21, reference numeral 41 denotes a connection portion where the first metal layer 32 and the second metal layer 37 are connected. Reference numeral S0 denotes a dimension of the through hole 25 at the connection portion 41 between the first metal layer 32 and the second metal layer 37. Note that Fig. 21 shows an example in which the first metal layer 32 and the second metal layer 37 are in contact with each other, but this is not limited thereto, and other layers may be interposed between the first metal layer 32 and the second metal layer 37. For example, a catalyst layer for promoting deposition of the second metal layer 37 on the first metal layer 32 may be provided between the first metal layer 32 and the second metal layer 37.

[0096] Fig. 22 is an enlarged view of a portion of the first metal layer 32 and the second metal layer 37 in Fig. 21. As shown in Fig. 22, a width M2 of the second metal layer 37 on the second surface 20b of the deposition mask 20 is smaller than a width M1 of the first metal layer 32 on the first surface 20a of the deposition mask 20. In other words, an opening dimension S2 of the through-hole 25 (second opening 35) on the second surface 20b is larger than an opening dimension S1 of the through-hole 25 (first opening 30) on the first surface 20a. Hereinafter, advantages of configuring the first metal layer 32 and the second metal layer 37 in this manner will be described.

[0097] The deposition material 98 flying from the second surface 20b side of the deposition mask 20 passes through the second openings 35 and the first openings 30 of the through-holes 25 in this order and adheres to the organic EL substrate 92. The region of the organic EL substrate 92 to which the deposition material 98 adheres is mainly determined by the opening size S1 and the opening shape of the through-holes 25 in the first surface 20a. Incidentally, as shown by an arrow L1 pointing from the second surface 20b side to the first surface 20a in Figs. 21 and 22, the deposition material 98 moves from the crucible 94 toward the organic EL substrate 92 not only along the normal direction N of the deposition mask 20 but also in a direction greatly inclined with respect to the normal direction N of the deposition mask 20. Here, assuming that the opening dimension S2 of the through-hole 25 on the second surface 20b is the same as the opening dimension S1 of the through-hole 25 on the first surface 20a, most of the deposition material 98 moving in a direction greatly inclined with respect to the normal direction N of the deposition mask 20 adheres to the second surface 20b of the deposition mask 20 (the upper surface of the second metal layer 37 in FIG. 21) before passing through the through-hole 25 and reaching the organic EL substrate 92, and also reaches and adheres to the wall surface 36 of the second opening 35 of the through-hole 25. For this reason, a large amount of the deposition material 98 cannot pass through the through-hole 25. Therefore, in order to increase the utilization efficiency of the deposition material 98, it is preferable to increase the opening dimension S2 of the second opening 35, that is, to reduce the width M2 of the second metal layer 37.

[0098] 21, the minimum angle that a straight line L1 tangent to the wall surface 36 of the second metal layer 37 and the wall surface 31 of the first metal layer 32 makes with the normal direction N of the deposition mask 20 is indicated by θ1. In order to allow the deposition material 98 moving obliquely to reach the organic EL substrate 92 as far as possible, it is advantageous to make the angle θ1 large. For example, it is preferable to set the angle θ1 to 45° or more.

[0099] In order to increase the angle θ1, it is effective to make the width M2 of the second metal layer 37 smaller than the width M1 of the first metal layer 32. As is clear from the figure, in order to increase the angle θ1, it is also effective to make the thickness T1 of the first metal layer 32 and the thickness T2 of the second metal layer 37 smaller. If the width M2 of the second metal layer 37, the thickness T1 of the first metal layer 32, or the thickness T2 of the second metal layer 37 is excessively small, the strength of the deposition mask 20 decreases, and therefore the deposition mask 20 may be damaged during transportation or use. For example, the deposition mask 20 may be damaged by the tensile stress applied to the deposition mask 20 when the deposition mask 20 is stretched on the frame 15. In consideration of these points, it can be said that the dimensions of the first metal layer 32 and the second metal layer 37 are preferably set to the following ranges. This allows the above-mentioned angle θ1 to be, for example, 45° or more.

[0100] Width M1 of the first metal layer 32: 5 μm or more and 25 μm or less Width M2 of the second metal layer 37: 2 μm or more and 20 μm or less Thickness T0 of the deposition mask 20: 3 μm or more and 50 μm or less, more preferably 3 μm or more and 50 μm or less, even more preferably 3 μm or more and 30 μm or less, and even more preferably 3 μm or more and 25 μm or less Thickness T1 of the first metal layer 32: 5 μm or less Thickness T2 of the second metal layer 37: 2 μm or more and 50 μm or less, more preferably 3 μm or more and 50 μm or less, even more preferably 3 μm or more and 30 μm or less, and even more preferably 3 μm or more and 25 μm or less In this embodiment, the thickness T0 of the deposition mask 20 is the same in the effective region 22 and the peripheral region .

[0101] The above-mentioned opening dimensions S0, S1, and S2 are appropriately set in consideration of the pixel density of the organic EL display device, the desired value of the above-mentioned angle θ1, and the like. For example, when manufacturing an organic EL display device with a pixel density of 400 ppi or more, the opening dimension S0 of the through-hole 25 in the connection portion 41 can be set to 15 μm or more and 60 μm or less. Furthermore, the opening dimension S1 of the first opening 30 in the first surface 20a can be set to 10 μm or more and 50 μm or less, and the opening dimension S2 of the second opening 35 in the second surface 20b can be set to 15 μm or more and 60 μm or less.

[0102] 22, a recess 34 may be formed on the first surface 20a of the deposition mask 20 formed by the first metal layer 32. The recess 34 is formed corresponding to a conductive pattern 52 of a pattern substrate 50 described later when the deposition mask 20 is manufactured by plating. The depth D of the recess 34 is, for example, not less than 50 nm and not more than 500 nm. Preferably, an outer edge 34e of the recess 34 formed in the first metal layer 32 is located between the end 33 of the first metal layer 32 and the connection portion 41.

[0103] Next, an example of manufacturing the deposition mask 20 by plating will be described.

[0104] (Method of manufacturing deposition mask) 23 to 26 are diagrams illustrating a method for manufacturing the deposition mask 20.

[0105] [Pattern substrate preparation process] First, a pattern substrate 50 shown in Fig. 23 is prepared. The pattern substrate 50 has an insulating base material 51 and a conductive pattern 52 formed on the base material 51. The conductive pattern 52 has a pattern corresponding to the first metal layer 32. Note that, in order to facilitate a separation step (to be described later) for separating the deposition mask 20 from the pattern substrate 50, the pattern substrate 50 may be subjected to a release treatment.

[0106] [First plating process] Next, a first plating process is carried out in which a first plating solution is supplied onto the base material 51 on which the conductive pattern 52 is formed, and a first metal layer 32 is deposited on the conductive pattern 52. For example, the base material 51 on which the conductive pattern 52 is formed is immersed in a plating tank filled with the first plating solution. This makes it possible to obtain a first metal layer 32 on the patterned substrate 50, in which first openings 30 are provided in a predetermined pattern, as shown in FIG.

[0107] Due to the characteristics of the plating process, as shown in FIG. 24, the first metal layer 32 may be formed not only in the portion overlapping the conductive pattern 52 when viewed along the normal direction of the base material 51, but also in the portion not overlapping the conductive pattern 52. This is because the first metal layer 32 is further deposited on the surface of the first metal layer 32 deposited in the portion overlapping the end 54 of the conductive pattern 52. As a result, as shown in FIG. 24, the end 33 of the first opening 30 may be located in the portion not overlapping the conductive pattern 52 when viewed along the normal direction of the base material 51. In addition, the above-mentioned recessed portion 34 corresponding to the thickness of the conductive pattern 52 is formed on the surface of the first metal layer 32 that contacts the conductive pattern 52.

[0108] The specific method of the first plating process is not particularly limited as long as it is possible to deposit the first metal layer 32 on the conductive pattern 52. For example, the first plating process may be carried out as a so-called electrolytic plating process in which the first metal layer 32 is deposited on the conductive pattern 52 by passing a current through the conductive pattern 52. Alternatively, the first plating process may be an electroless plating process.

[0109] The components of the first plating solution used are appropriately determined according to the characteristics of the first metal layer 32. For example, when the first metal layer 32 is made of an iron alloy containing nickel, a mixed solution of a solution containing a nickel compound and a solution containing an iron compound can be used as the first plating solution. For example, a mixed solution of a solution containing nickel sulfamate or nickel bromide and a solution containing ferrous sulfamate can be used. The plating solution may contain various additives. Examples of the additives include a pH buffer such as boric acid, a primary brightener such as sodium saccharin, a secondary brightener such as butynediol, propargyl alcohol, coumarin, formalin, and thiourea, an antioxidant, and a stress relaxation agent. Among these, the primary brightener may contain a sulfur component.

[0110] [Resist Forming Process] Next, a resist formation step is performed in which a resist pattern 55 is formed on the base material 51 and the first metal layer 32 with a predetermined gap 56 therebetween. As shown in Fig. 25, the resist formation step is performed such that the first opening 30 of the first metal layer 32 is covered with the resist pattern 55 and the gap 56 of the resist pattern 55 is located above the first metal layer 32.

[0111] [Second plating process] Next, a second plating process is performed in which a second plating solution is supplied into the gaps 56 of the resist pattern 55 to deposit a second metal layer 37 on the first metal layer 32. For example, the substrate 51 on which the first metal layer 32 is formed is immersed in a plating tank filled with the second plating solution. This allows the second metal layer 37 to be formed on the first metal layer 32, as shown in FIG.

[0112] The specific method of the second plating process is not particularly limited as long as the second metal layer 37 can be deposited on the first metal layer 32. For example, the second plating process may be carried out as a so-called electrolytic plating process in which a current is passed through the first metal layer 32 to deposit the second metal layer 37 on the first metal layer 32. Alternatively, the second plating process may be an electroless plating process.

[0113] The second plating solution may be the same as the first plating solution described above. Alternatively, a plating solution different from the first plating solution may be used as the second plating solution. When the composition of the first plating solution is the same as the composition of the second plating solution, the composition of the metal constituting the first metal layer 32 and the composition of the metal constituting the second metal layer 37 will also be the same.

[0114] [Resist Removal Process] Thereafter, a resist removal step is performed to remove the resist pattern 55. For example, the resist pattern 55 can be removed from the base material 51, the first metal layer 32, and the second metal layer 37 by using an alkaline stripping liquid.

[0115] [Separation process] Next, a separation step is performed to separate the combination of the first metal layer 32 and the second metal layer 37 from the substrate 51. When the combination is separated from the substrate 51, since the organic film formed by the above-mentioned mold release treatment is formed on the conductive pattern 52, the first metal layer 32 of the combination is peeled off from the surface of the organic film, and the conductive pattern 52 remains on the substrate 51 together with the organic film. In this way, a deposition mask 20 can be obtained that includes the first metal layer 32 in which the first openings 30 are provided in a predetermined pattern, and the second metal layer 37 in which the second openings 35 communicating with the first openings 30 are provided.

[0116] In the above description, an example has been described in which the deposition mask 20 formed by plating is composed of the first metal layer 32 and the second metal layer 37. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the deposition mask 20 formed by plating may be composed of a single metal layer (not shown).

[0117] (Manufacturing method of deposition mask device) Next, a method for manufacturing the deposition mask device 10 using the deposition mask 20 obtained as described above will be described.

[0118] First, a welding step is performed in which the deposition mask 20 prepared as described above by the etching process or plating process is welded to the frame 15. This makes it possible to obtain a deposition mask device 10 including the deposition mask 20 and the frame 15. The obtained deposition mask 20 is welded to the frame 15 in a taut state, thereby obtaining the deposition mask device 10 as shown in FIG.

[0119] (Deposition mask packaging body and deposition mask packaging device) Next, a deposition mask packaging body 60 and a packaging device 60a for a deposition mask in which the deposition mask 20 obtained by the etching process or plating process is packaged will be described with reference to FIGS. 27 to 32. The packaging device 60a for a deposition mask is a device for packaging the deposition mask 20, i.e., the deposition mask 20 having the longitudinal direction D1 in which a plurality of through holes 25 are formed. The deposition mask packaging body 60 mainly includes the deposition mask 20 and the packaging device 60a for a deposition mask in which the deposition mask 20 is packaged. FIG. 28 shows a cross section of the deposition mask packaging body 60. The cross section means a cross section along the width direction D2 (direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction D1) of the deposition mask 20 to be packaged. FIG. 45, which will be described later, shows a longitudinal section of the deposition mask packaging body 60 in a sixth modified example, and the longitudinal section means a cross section along the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20 to be packaged.

[0120] As shown in FIG. 27 and FIG. 28, the deposition mask packaging body 60 according to the present embodiment includes a first base, a second base provided above the first base and facing the first base, and a deposition mask laminate 80 disposed between the first base and the second base. The first base may be a first substrate formed in a plate shape. Here, the substrate is not limited to a plate-shaped member having a pair of main surfaces provided on opposite sides and parallel to each other and formed in a flat shape. For example, when one main surface is formed in a flat shape, the pair of main surfaces may be non-parallel, or one main surface may be formed in a non-flat shape. The second base may also be a second substrate formed in a plate shape like the first base. In the present embodiment, the following description will be given taking a receiving portion 61 formed in a plate shape as an example of the first base, and a lid portion 62 formed in a plate shape as an example of the second base.

[0121] The deposition mask laminate 80 may have a plurality of the deposition masks 20 described above. Details of the deposition mask laminate 80 will be described later. The deposition mask packaging device 60a described above is a device for packaging the deposition mask laminate 80 including the deposition mask 20. The deposition mask packaging device 60a mainly includes the receiving portion 61 described above, the lid portion 62, and a pair of spacers 64 described later. That is, the deposition mask packaging device 60a is configured by removing the deposition mask laminate 80, the lid portion-side inserting sheet 82 described later, and the receiving portion-side inserting sheet 83 described later from the deposition mask packaging body 60.

[0122] Each deposition mask 20 of the deposition mask laminate 80 is held by a receiving portion 61 and a lid portion 62. In this embodiment, the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 are formed separately and are bound by a binding portion. In this embodiment, an elastic belt 63 is used as an example of the binding portion to be described below. The receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 are pressed against each other by the elastic force of the elastic belt 63. Here, an example is shown in which the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 are bound by two elastic belts 63. However, the number of elastic belts 63 is arbitrary as long as the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 can be prevented from shifting from each other during transportation or the like. For example, when two or more elastic belts 63 are used, the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 can be prevented from shifting from each other by rotating relatively in a plane including the first direction D1 and the second direction D2. In addition, as long as the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 can hold the deposition mask 20, the number of elastic belts 63 is not limited to that used.

[0123] The receiving part 61 and the lid part 62 may be made of one sheet of material, or may be made of a plurality of sheets of material (e.g., corrugated cardboard sheets made of plastic such as polypropylene) laminated and bonded together. A corrugated cardboard sheet made of plastic is suitable from the viewpoint of strength and mass, that is, because it is lightweight despite having the desired strength, and has a configuration including a pair of liners and a core having a corrugated cross section interposed between the liners. When a plurality of corrugated cardboard sheets are laminated, it is preferable to laminate the sheets so that the directions in which the corrugated ridges (or valleys) of the cores of the adjacent corrugated cardboard sheets extend are perpendicular to each other. In this case, the strength of the receiving part 61 and the lid part 62 made of the laminated corrugated cardboard sheets can be improved. Examples of corrugated cardboard sheets made of polypropylene include Sunply made by Sumika Plastec Co., Ltd., Danplate, Single Cone, Twin Cone made by Ube Exsymo Co., Ltd., and Minadan made by Sakai Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.

[0124] In addition, the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 are preferably antistatically coated to suppress the generation of static electricity. More specifically, the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 may be coated with an antistatic agent to form an antistatic layer on both sides of the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62. In this case, the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 can be suppressed from being charged, and the deposition mask 20 and the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 described later can be suppressed from adhering to each other due to electrostatic action when unpacking. Examples of such antistatic agents include surfactants, conductive polymers, carbon black, and metals. Alternatively, the material of the receiving portion 61 may be a material having a conductive layer or an antistatic layer formed on its surface, or a material having an antistatic agent kneaded therein, and the material of the lid portion 62 may be a material having a conductive layer or an antistatic layer formed on its surface, or a material having an antistatic agent kneaded therein. For example, a grade of sheet having antistatic properties or conductivity may be used in the above-mentioned polypropylene cardboard sheet. It is preferable that the spacers 64 described later are also antistatically coated in the same manner, or the spacers 64 may be made of a material having an antistatic agent kneaded therein.

[0125] 28 and 30, the receiving portion 61 has a first opposing surface 65 facing the lid portion 62. This first opposing surface 65 may be formed in a flat shape, and the deposition mask stack 80 is placed on this first opposing surface 65. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 28 and 29, the lid portion 62 has a second opposing surface 66 facing the receiving portion 61. This second opposing surface 66 may be formed in a flat shape.

[0126] The receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 preferably overlap each other in a plan view (described later). The dimensions of the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 in the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20 can be set arbitrarily according to the dimensions of the deposition mask 20 in the longitudinal direction D1. For example, the lower limit may be 100 mm or more, 300 mm or more, 500 mm or more, or 700 mm or more. The upper limit may be 1000 mm or less, 1500 mm or less, 2000 mm or less, or 3000 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any one of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the lower limit and any one of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the upper limit. For example, the range may be 100 mm or more and 1000 mm or less, 700 mm or more and 3000 mm or less, or 500 mm or more and 1500 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the lower limit. For example, it may be 100 mm or more and 700 mm or less, 300 mm or more and 500 mm or less, or 500 mm or more and 700 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple upper limit candidate values. For example, it may be 1000 mm or more and 3000 mm or less, 1500 mm or more and 2000 mm or less, or 2000 mm or more and 3000 mm or less. For example, by setting it to 100 mm or more, it is possible to accommodate the deposition mask 20 having a desired dimension in the longitudinal direction D1. On the other hand, by setting it to 3000 mm or less, it is possible to suppress deformation of the deposition mask package 60 or the deposition mask package device 60a during transportation or storage.

[0127] The dimensions of the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 in the width direction D2 of the deposition mask 20 can be arbitrarily set according to the dimension of the deposition mask 20 in the width direction D2. For example, the lower limit may be 30 mm or more, 50 mm or more, 100 mm or more, or 200 mm or more. The upper limit may be 300 mm or less, 500 mm or less, 800 mm or less, or 1000 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any one of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the lower limit and any one of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the upper limit. For example, the range may be 30 mm or more and 1000 mm or less, 50 mm or more and 800 mm or less, or 100 mm or more and 500 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the lower limit. For example, the range may be 30 mm or more and 200 mm or less, 50 mm or more and 200 mm or less, or 100 mm or more and 200 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple upper limit candidate values. For example, the range may be 300 mm or more and 1000 mm or less, 300 mm or more and 800 mm or less, or 500 mm or more and 800 mm or less. For example, by setting the range to 30 mm or more, it is possible to accommodate a deposition mask 20 having a desired dimension in the width direction D2. On the other hand, by setting the range to 700 mm or less, it is possible to suppress deformation of the deposition mask package 60 or the deposition mask package device 60a during transportation or storage.

[0128] The thickness of the receiving portion 61 may be, for example, 0.5 mm or more, 1.5 mm or more, or 5 mm or more. The upper limit may be 10 mm or less, 20 mm or less, or 40 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any one of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the lower limit and any one of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the upper limit. For example, it may be 0.5 mm or more and 40 mm or less, 1.5 mm or more and 20 mm or less, or 5 mm or more and 10 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the lower limit. For example, it may be 0.5 mm or more and 5 mm or less, 0.5 mm or more and 1.5 mm or less, or 1.5 mm or more and 5 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the upper limit. For example, it may be 10 mm or more and 40 mm or less, 10 mm or more and 20 mm or less, or 20 mm or more and 40 mm or less. For example, by making the thickness 0.5 mm or more, deformation of the deposition mask package 60 or the packaging device 60a for the deposition mask during transportation or storage can be suppressed. On the other hand, by making the thickness 40 mm or less, the weight of the packaging device 60a for the deposition mask can be made to be manually transportable. Even when the receiving portion 61 is formed by stacking a plurality of cardboard sheets as necessary, the thickness is preferably within the above-mentioned range.

[0129] The thickness of the lid portion 62 may be, for example, 0.5 mm or more at the lower limit, 1.5 mm or more, or 5 mm or more at the upper limit. The upper limit may be 10 mm or less, 20 mm or less, or 40 mm or less at the upper limit. The above range may be determined by a combination of any one of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the lower limit and any one of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the upper limit. For example, it may be 0.5 mm or more and 40 mm or less, 1.5 mm or more and 20 mm or less, or 5 mm or more and 10 mm or less. The above range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the lower limit. For example, it may be 0.5 mm or more and 5 mm or less, 0.5 mm or more and 1.5 mm or less, or 1.5 mm or more and 5 mm or less. The above range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the upper limit. For example, it may be 10 mm or more and 40 mm or less, 10 mm or more and 20 mm or less, or 20 mm or more and 40 mm or less. For example, by making the thickness 0.5 mm or more, deformation of the deposition mask package 60 or the packaging device 60a for the deposition mask during transportation or storage can be suppressed. On the other hand, by making the thickness 40 mm or less, the weight of the packaging device 60a for the deposition mask can be made to be manually transportable. Even when the lid portion 62 is formed by stacking a plurality of cardboard sheets as necessary, the thickness is preferably within the above-mentioned range.

[0130] A pair of spacers 64 are interposed between the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62. The pair of spacers 64 are disposed on both sides of the deposition mask 20 in the width direction D2, and a storage space 64a for the deposition mask stack 80 is defined between the pair of spacers 64. The storage space 64a has a longitudinal direction D3 along the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20 to be stored. The spacer 64 extends in the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20 along the side edge 20f in the width direction D2 of the deposition mask 20, and restricts each of the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 described later from moving in the width direction D2 of the deposition mask 20. In the present embodiment, the spacer 64 is formed separately from the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62, and may be bonded to the second opposing surface 66 of the lid portion 62 with an adhesive or the like. However, the spacer 64 may be bonded to the first opposing surface 65 of the receiving portion 61. The material of the spacer 64 is not particularly limited as long as it can withstand the force applied when the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 are bound by the elastic belt 63. For example, the spacer 64 may be formed of a plastic material (e.g., polyester, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyacetal, polyoxymethylene, MC nylon, supramolecular polyethylene, epoxy, etc.) having a desired strength from the viewpoint of mass. The hardness of the spacer 64 may be higher than the hardness of the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62. This can increase the rigidity against the vertical force applied to the deposition mask package 60, and can suppress the application of the vertical force to the deposition mask laminate 80.

[0131] The adhesive for bonding the spacer 64 to the lid 62 is preferably an adhesive made of a material that suppresses shrinkage during hardening, and may be, for example, a two-component curing epoxy adhesive, a UV curing epoxy adhesive, or a modified silicone adhesive. Alternatively, a pressure-sensitive adhesive may be used instead of the adhesive. In this case, for example, a double-sided adhesive tape having adhesive layers formed on both sides of a substrate may be used. The substrate may be, for example, a nonwoven fabric, paper, or a plastic film such as polyester, and the pressure-sensitive adhesive may be, for example, an adhesive containing an acrylic resin.

[0132] The dimension of the spacer 64 in the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20 may be the same as the dimension of the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62. The dimension of the spacer 64 in the width direction D2 of the deposition mask 20 (corresponding to the width direction D4 in the storage space 64a) may be set so that the storage space 64a can be formed. The dimension of the storage space 64a along the width direction D4 can be set arbitrarily according to the deposition mask 20 to be packed. For example, the lower limit of the dimension of the deposition mask 20 along the width direction D2 may be, for example, 10 mm or more, 20 mm or more, or 50 mm or more. The upper limit may be 100 mm or less, 500 mm or less, or 1000 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any one of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the lower limit and any one of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the upper limit. For example, it may be 10 mm or more and 1000 mm or less, 20 mm or more and 500 mm or less, or 50 mm or more and 100 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple lower limit candidate values. For example, it may be 10 mm or more and 20 mm or less, 10 mm or more and 50 mm or less, or 20 mm or more and 50 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple upper limit candidate values. For example, it may be 100 mm or more and 500 mm or less, 100 mm or more and 1000 mm or less, or 500 mm or more and 1000 mm or less. In this case, the dimension along the width direction D4 of the accommodation space 64a may be, for example, a lower limit of 10 mm or more, 20 mm or more, or 50 mm or more. The upper limit of the accommodation space 64a may be 100 mm or less, 500 mm or less, or 1000 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any one of the above-mentioned multiple lower limit candidate values ​​and any one of the above-mentioned multiple upper limit candidate values. For example, the range may be 10 mm or more and 1000 mm or less, 20 mm or more and 500 mm or less, or 50 mm or more and 100 mm or less, or the range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple lower limit candidate values.For example, it may be 10 mm or more and 20 mm or less, 10 mm or more and 50 mm or less, or 20 mm or more and 50 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple upper limit candidate values. For example, it may be 100 mm or more and 500 mm or less, 100 mm or more and 1000 mm or less, or 500 mm or more and 1000 mm or less. For example, by setting it to 10 mm or more, it is possible to accommodate various width dimensions of the deposition mask 20. On the other hand, by setting it to 1000 mm or less, for example, a gap is provided between the deposition mask 20 and the spacer 64, which can prevent contact with a package when the deposition mask 20 is shifted in the width direction, and can improve the handleability of the deposition mask 20.

[0133] The thickness of the spacer 64 may be, for example, a lower limit of 1 mm or more, 5 mm or more, 10 mm or more, or 20 mm or more. The upper limit may be 30 mm or less, 40 mm or less, 60 mm or less, or 80 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any one of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the lower limit and any one of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the upper limit. For example, the range may be 1 mm or more and 80 mm or less, 5 mm or more and 60 mm or less, 10 mm or more and 40 mm or less, or 20 mm or more and 30 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the lower limit. For example, the range may be 1 mm or more and 20 mm or less, 5 mm or more and 10 mm or less, 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less, or 5 mm or more and 20 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the upper limit. For example, it may be 30 mm or more and 80 mm or less, 40 mm or more and 60 mm or less, 30 mm or more and 60 mm or less, or 40 mm or more and 80 mm or less. For example, by making it 5 mm or more, the accommodation space 64a can be sufficiently secured even in a state in which the deposition mask stack 80 is accommodated. On the other hand, by making it 40 mm or less, for example, the weight applied to the deposition mask 20 at the bottom of the deposition mask stack 80 can be suppressed, and deformation of the deposition mask 20 during transportation or storage can be suppressed.

[0134] Although not shown, spacers (not shown) may also be arranged on both sides in the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20. In this case, in a plan view, the storage space 64a of the deposition mask stack 80 is defined so as to be surrounded by the spacers, and the spacers restrict the movement of each of the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 described later in the longitudinal direction D1.

[0135] As shown in FIG. 29 and FIG. 32, the lid portion 62 has a convex portion 67 arranged at least on one of both ends 20e in the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20 in a plan view. In other words, the convex portion 67 is arranged at least on one of both ends in the longitudinal direction D3 of the above-mentioned accommodation space 64a defined by the pair of spacers 64 in a plan view. Here, since FIG. 32 shows a cross section taken along the line EE in FIG. 31, the receiving portion 61 is arranged on the back side of the deposition mask 20 in the paper, and the lid portion 62 is arranged on the front side of the paper. In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which the lid portion 62 has a pair of convex portions 67 arranged at both ends 20e, but the lid portion 62 does not need to be provided with either one of the convex portions 67.

[0136] The convex portions 67 according to the present embodiment may not overlap the through holes 25 through which the deposition material 98 passes during deposition in a plan view. As shown in FIG. 32, the convex portions 67 are arranged on both sides of the effective area 22 in the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20 in a plan view (when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first surface 20a or the second surface 20b of the deposition mask 20). More specifically, each of the convex portions 67 is arranged at a position overlapping the corresponding end opening 24 of the deposition mask 20 in a plan view, and is arranged at the center of the width direction D2 of the deposition mask 20. Each of the convex portions 67 does not protrude from the corresponding end opening 24 in a plan view. Each of the convex portions 67 includes a lower surface 67a that contacts a lid-side inserting sheet 82 described later. The convex portions 67 are formed separately from the lid portion 62, and may be bonded to the second opposing surface 66 of the lid portion 62 with an adhesive or the like. The material of the protrusion 67 is not particularly limited, and may be made of plastic, rubber, sponge, or the like. The hardness of the protrusion 67 may be lower than the hardness of the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62. This effectively weakens the pressing force of the protrusion 67 pressing the lid-side interposing sheet 82, and weakens the force that the deposition mask 20 receives from the protrusion 67. This allows the deposition mask 20 to smoothly thermally expand or contract in response to temperature changes during transportation, and the generation of thermal stress in the deposition mask 20 can be suppressed. Such a protrusion 67 may have a hardness of, for example, C / 3 or more and C / 60 or less. By setting the hardness to C / 3 or more, the protrusion 67 can press and support the deposition mask 20 via the lid-side interposing sheet 82, and the vertical movement of the deposition mask 20 during transportation can be effectively suppressed. On the other hand, by setting the hardness to C / 60 or less, the pressing force of the protrusion 67 can be prevented from becoming too high, and the generation of thermal stress in the deposition mask 20 can be effectively suppressed. The hardness of the protrusions 67 is measured using an Asker rubber hardness tester type C manufactured by Kobunshi Keiki Co., Ltd., and is a value according to JIS K7312. The protrusions 67 may have a 25% compression hardness (JIS K6400, method D) of 50 N or more. By setting the 25% compression hardness to 80 N or more, the pressure against the deposition mask 20 can be appropriately maintained.

[0137] The planar dimension of the convex portion 67 can be set arbitrarily depending on the size of the end opening 24 of the deposition mask 20. The dimension of the convex portion 67 in the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20 may be, for example, 5 mm or more. By setting the dimension to 5 mm or more, the deposition mask 20 can be supported by the convex portion 67 and the receiving portion 61, and the vertical movement of the deposition mask 20 during transportation can be suppressed, and the movement in a plane including the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 can be suppressed.

[0138] The thickness of the protrusion 67 may be, for example, 0.1 mm or more, 1 mm or more, 5 mm or more, or 10 mm or more at the lower limit. The upper limit may be 20 mm or less, 30 mm or less, 40 mm or less, or 60 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any one of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the lower limit and any one of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the upper limit. For example, it may be 0.1 mm or more and 60 mm or less, 1 mm or more and 40 mm or less, 5 mm or more and 30 mm or less, or 10 mm or more and 20 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the lower limit. For example, it may be 0.1 mm or more and 10 mm or less, 1 mm or more and 5 mm or less, 0.1 mm or more and 5 mm or less, or 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the upper limit. For example, it may be 20 mm or more and 60 mm or less, 30 mm or more and 40 mm or less, 20 mm or more and 40 mm or less, or 30 mm or more and 60 mm or less. For example, by making it 0.1 mm or more, the deposition mask 20 can be supported by the protrusions 67 and the receiving portion 61, and vertical movement of the deposition mask 20 during transportation can be suppressed. On the other hand, by making it 60 mm or less, for example, it can be suppressed that the protrusions 67 excessively press the region overlapping the end opening 24 of the lid-side inserting sheet 82, and the force that the deposition mask 20 receives from the protrusions 67 can be weakened.

[0139] 28 and 31, the deposition mask stack 80 includes a plurality of deposition masks 20 stacked on one another, and a plurality of third sheets stacked on the first surface 20a and the second surface 20b of the deposition masks 20. In the present embodiment, an intermediate sheet 81 will be described as an example of the third sheet. In the present embodiment, the deposition masks 20 and the intermediate sheets 81 are alternately stacked, and the intermediate sheets 81 are disposed between the deposition masks 20 adjacent to each other. The bottom and top stages of the deposition mask stack 80 are deposition masks 20.

[0140] The first surface 20a of the deposition mask 20 that is neither the bottom nor the top is covered with an intermediate interposing sheet 81 facing the first surface 20a, and the second surface 20b is covered with an intermediate interposing sheet 81 facing the second surface 20b. Thus, each interposing sheet 81 prevents the through holes 25 of one deposition mask 20 and the through holes 25 of the other deposition mask 20 adjacent to each other from getting caught on each other and becoming deformed.

[0141] A first sheet is disposed between the deposition mask laminate 80 and the lid 62. In the present embodiment, the lid-side interposing sheet 82 is taken as an example of the first sheet to be described below. The lid-side interposing sheet 82 faces the deposition mask 20 constituting the topmost layer of the deposition mask laminate 80 and covers the deposition mask 20. This suppresses deformation of the through-hole 25 of the topmost deposition mask 20. In addition, a second sheet is disposed between the deposition mask laminate 80 and the receiving portion 61. In the present embodiment, the receiving-side interposing sheet 83 is taken as an example of the second sheet to be described below. The receiving-side interposing sheet 83 faces the deposition mask 20 constituting the bottommost layer of the deposition mask laminate 80 and covers the deposition mask 20. This suppresses deformation of the through-hole 25 of the bottommost deposition mask 20. In this manner, the deposition mask laminate 80 is disposed between the lid-side interposing sheet 82 and the receiving-side interposing sheet 83.

[0142] The number of lid-side interposing sheets 82 arranged between the deposition mask laminate 80 and the lid 62 is arbitrary. That is, the number of lid-side interposing sheets 82 may be set according to the thickness and number of the deposition masks 20 so that the dimension G of the gap 68 described later is a desired value. Similarly, the number of receiving-side interposing sheets 83 arranged between the deposition mask laminate 80 and the receiving portion 61 is arbitrary. That is, the number of receiving-side interposing sheets 83 may be set according to the thickness and number of the deposition masks 20 so that the dimension G of the gap 68 described later falls within a desired range.

[0143] The number of deposition masks 20 constituting the deposition mask stack 80 may be, for example, 1 or more, 5 or more, 10 or more, or 15 or more. The upper limit may be 20 or less, 25 or less, 30 or less, or 35 or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any one of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the lower limit and any one of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the upper limit. For example, it may be 1 or more and 35 or less, 5 or more and 30 or less, 10 or more and 25 or less, or 15 or more and 20 or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the lower limit. For example, it may be 1 or more and 15 or less, 5 or more and 10 or less, 1 or more and 10 or less, or 5 or more and 15 or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the upper limit. For example, it may be 20 or more and 35 or less, 25 or more and 30 or less, 20 or more and 30 or less, or 25 or more and 35 or less.

[0144] The thickness of the deposition mask 20 may be, for example, 1 μm or more at the lower limit, 5 μm or more, 10 μm or more, or 20 μm or more. The upper limit may be 25 μm or less, 30 μm or less, 40 μm or less, or 60 μm or less. The above range may be determined by a combination of any one of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the lower limit and any one of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the upper limit. For example, it may be 1 μm or more and 60 μm or less, 5 μm or more and 40 μm or less, 10 μm or more and 30 μm or less, or 20 μm or more and 25 μm or less. The above range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple candidate values ​​for the lower limit. For example, it may be 1 μm or more and 20 μm or less, 5 μm or more and 10 μm or less, 1 μm or more and 10 μm or less, or 5 μm or more and 20 μm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned upper limit candidate values. For example, the range may be 25 μm or more and 60 μm or less, 30 μm or more and 40 μm or less, 25 μm or more and 40 μm or less, or 30 μm or more and 60 μm or less.

[0145] The number of the lid side insert sheets 82 and the receiving side insert sheets 83 may be set so that the dimension G of the gap 68 falls within a desired range according to the number and thickness of the deposition masks 20 exemplified as such a numerical range.

[0146] When multiple lid-side insert sheets 82 are used, at least one lid-side insert sheet 82 may be made of PET film, and the remaining lid-side insert sheets 82 may be made of acrylic-impregnated paper or other paper. When multiple receiving-side insert sheets 83 are used, at least one receiving-side insert sheet 83 may be made of PET film, and the remaining receiving-side insert sheets 83 may be made of acrylic-impregnated paper or other paper.

[0147] When a plurality of lid-side inserting sheets 82 are used, the lid-side inserting sheets 82 may be formed in various combinations, such as the same material (described later) and the same thickness, the same material (described later) and different thicknesses (thin or thick), different materials (described later) and the same thickness, or different materials (described later) and different thicknesses (thin or thick). The longitudinal dimensions (described later) and width dimensions of the lid-side inserting sheets 82 may also be the same or different, and the lid-side inserting sheets 82 formed in various combinations may also be used.

[0148] As with the lid side insert sheet 82, the receiving side insert sheet 83 may be formed in various combinations, such as the same material (described later) and the same thickness, the same material (described later) and different thicknesses (thin or thick), different materials (described later) and the same thickness, or different materials (described later) and different thicknesses (thin or thick). The longitudinal dimensions (described later) and width dimensions of the receiving side insert sheet 83 may also be the same or different, and receiving side insert sheets 83 formed in various combinations may be used.

[0149] Both surfaces of the intermediate insert sheet 81, the lid-side insert sheet 82, and the receiver-side insert sheet 83 may be formed flat, and each of the insert sheets 81, 82, to 83 may not have holes or unevenness formed therein except for minute holes and unevenness formed during sheet production. Each of the insert sheets 81, 82, to 83 suppresses plastic deformation of the deposition masks 20 when each deposition mask 20 is removed from the deposition mask stack 80.

[0150] It is preferable, but not limited to, that the deposition masks 20 in the deposition mask stack 80 have the same shape and are arranged so that the effective areas 22 of each deposition mask 20 overlap when viewed along the stacking direction. As long as the convex portion 67 of the lid portion 62 can be arranged at the end portion 20e of the deposition mask 20 where the effective area 22 is not formed, the number or shape of the effective areas 22 of each deposition mask 20 may be different.

[0151] The upper surface of the lid-side inserting sheet 82 is in contact with the underside 67a of the protrusion 67 of the lid 62, and the lid-side inserting sheet 82 is pressed against the protrusion 67. As a result, the friction between the upper surface of the lid-side inserting sheet 82 and the underside 67a of the protrusion 67 of the lid 62 prevents the lid-side inserting sheet 82 from moving in the planar direction relative to the protrusion 67.

[0152] As shown in FIG. 31, a gap 68 is formed between the lid-side interposing sheet 82 and the second opposing surface 66 of the lid 62 around the convex portion 67. That is, a gap 68 is formed between the lid-side interposing sheet 82 and the second opposing surface 66 around the convex portion 67 including the region between one convex portion 67 and the other convex portion 67. Therefore, the gap 68 is formed above the effective area of ​​the deposition mask 20. The gap 68 has a desired dimension G as the distance between the lid-side interposing sheet 82 and the second opposing surface 66. The dimension G may be equal to the height of the convex portion 67. However, when the convex portion 67 is made of a soft material with low hardness and the convex portion 67 is contracted in the vertical direction after packaging, the dimension G may be smaller than the height of the convex portion 67 when not contracted. In addition, since the height of the accommodation space 64a is determined by the spacer 64, even if the convex portion 67 shrinks, the gap 68 can be formed around the convex portion 67 by adjusting the thickness or the number of the deposition masks 20 of the deposition mask stack 80 or the thickness or the number of the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83. In this case, the dimension G may be the height of the convex portion 67 when it shrinks, or may be smaller than that height.

[0153] The intermediate interposing sheet 81, the lid-side interposing sheet 82, and the receiving-side interposing sheet 83 preferably have flexibility capable of absorbing to some extent the force applied to the deposition mask 20 in a packaged state and the impact applied during transportation. In addition, each of the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 preferably has a strength capable of supporting the deposition mask laminate 80 including the deposition mask 20. A common sheet can be used for each of the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 as long as the sheet has such characteristics. For example, any film material having any thickness can be used for each of the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83, and for example, a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film can be preferably used. The thickness of the film material may have a lower limit of, for example, 0.0010 mm or more, 0.0050 mm or more, 0.010 mm or more, or 0.050 mm or more. In addition, the upper limit may be 0.10 mm or less, 0.20 mm or less, 0.30 mm or less, or 0.50 mm or less. The range may be determined by a combination of any one of the above-mentioned multiple lower limit candidate values ​​and any one of the above-mentioned multiple upper limit candidate values. For example, the range may be 0.0010 mm or more and 0.50 mm or less, 0.0050 mm or more and 0.30 mm or less, 0.010 mm or more and 0.20 mm or less, or 0.050 mm or more and 0.10 mm or less. The range may also be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple lower limit candidate values. For example, the range may be 0.0010 mm or more and 0.050 mm or less, 0.0050 mm or more and 0.010 mm or less, 0.0010 mm or more and 0.010 mm or less, or 0.0050 mm or more and 0.050 mm or less. The range may also be determined by a combination of any two of the above-mentioned multiple upper limit candidate values. For example, it may be 0.10 mm or more and 0.50 mm or less, 0.20 mm or more and 0.30 mm or less, 0.10 mm or more and 0.30 mm or less, or 0.20 mm or more and 0.50 mm or less.For example, by making the thickness of the interposing sheets 81, 82, 83 0.010 mm or more, it is possible to suppress the uneven shape due to the through holes 25 of the deposition mask 20 laminated on one surface of the interposing sheets 81, 82, 83 from appearing on the other surface. In addition, it is possible to suppress the interposing sheets 81, 82, 83 from being torn, and it is possible to reuse the interposing sheets 81, 82, 83, which is economical. For example, by making the thickness of the interposing sheets 81, 82, 83 0.50 mm or less, it is possible to reduce the mass of the interposing sheets 81, 82, 83 and suppress an increase in the mass of the deposition mask package 60. In addition, since the PET film is relatively hard and wrinkles are unlikely to form, it is possible to effectively suppress the plastic deformation of the deposition mask 20. In addition, the interposing sheets 81, 82, 83 may be made of a fiber material such as paper instead of the PET film. For example, the interposing sheets 81, 82, 83 may be made of acrylic-impregnated paper. When the acrylic-impregnated paper is used, the transfer of foreign matter generated from the fibers to the deposition mask 20 can be suppressed.

[0154] As shown in FIG. 31 and FIG. 32, it is preferable that the interposing sheets 81, 82, 83 have a dimension that allows the periphery of each of the interposing sheets 81, 82, 83 to protrude from the deposition mask 20 over the entire circumference when viewed along the stacking direction of the deposition mask 20. In the present embodiment, the dimension (longitudinal total length) of the interposing sheets 81, 82, 83 in the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20 is larger than the longitudinal total length of the deposition mask 20 (for example, larger within a range of 0.1 mm to 20 mm), and the widthwise dimension of the interposing sheets 81, 82, 83 of the deposition mask 20 is larger than the widthwise dimension of the deposition mask 20 (for example, larger within a range of 0.1 mm to 20 mm). This allows the interposing sheets 81, 82, 83 to protrude from the deposition mask 20 over the entire circumference in the deposition mask stack 80, and prevents adjacent deposition masks 20 from directly contacting each other and overlapping each other. That is, if the total length of the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 in the longitudinal direction is smaller than the total length of the deposition mask 20, the deposition mask 20 on one side of the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 may directly contact and overlap with the deposition mask 20 on the other side of the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83, and the through-hole 25 may be deformed. Similarly, if the width dimension of the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 is smaller than the width dimension of the deposition mask 20, the through-hole 25 may be deformed. In contrast, according to the present embodiment, the total length of the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 in the longitudinal direction is larger than the total length of the deposition mask 20 in the longitudinal direction, and the width dimension of the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 is larger than the width dimension of the deposition mask 20, so that the deposition masks 20 on both sides of the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 can be prevented from directly contacting and overlapping with each other. Therefore, the through-hole 25 can be effectively prevented from being deformed.

[0155] Each of the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 is preferably coated with an antistatic agent to suppress the generation of static electricity. More specifically, the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 may be coated with an antistatic agent to form an antistatic layer on both sides of the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83. In this case, the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 can be suppressed from being charged, and the deposition mask 20 and the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 can be suppressed from adhering to each other due to electrostatic action when the package is opened. Examples of such antistatic agents include surfactants, conductive polymers, carbon black, and metals. Examples of the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 include polyester synthetic paper K2323-188-690 mm manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd. and sold under the product name Crisper (registered trademark). Alternatively, the material of the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 may be acrylic-impregnated paper or film into which an antistatic agent is kneaded. An example of the acrylic-impregnated paper having an antistatic agent kneaded therein is AS Staclean manufactured by Sakurai Co., Ltd. Such antistatic treatment can prevent the interposing sheets 81-83 from becoming charged and foreign matter from adhering to them during packaging, and can prevent the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 from transferring to the deposition mask 20. In addition, when unpacking, adhesion between the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 and the deposition mask 20 due to electrostatic action can be prevented.

[0156] The lid-side inserting sheet 82 is not attached to the convex portion 67 or the second opposing surface 66 of the lid 62. Moreover, the receiving-side inserting sheet 83 is not attached to the first opposing surface 65 of the receiving portion 61. This allows the lid-side inserting sheet 82 and the receiving-side inserting sheet 83 to thermally expand or contract smoothly during thermal expansion.

[0157] As shown in Fig. 28, the receiving part 61 and the lid part 62 holding the deposition mask laminate 80 therebetween are sealed in a sealing bag 69. The inside of the sealing bag 69 is reduced in pressure below atmospheric pressure. A desiccant 70 (e.g., silica gel) is stored in the sealing bag 69, and the desiccant 70 adsorbs moisture in the sealing bag 69, thereby maintaining the atmosphere in the sealing bag 69 in a dry state. This prevents the deposition mask 20 from being deteriorated by moisture. Note that the sealing bag 69 is omitted in Fig. 27.

[0158] As shown in FIG. 28, the deposition mask package 60 according to the present embodiment may include an impact sensor 71 that detects an impact applied to the deposition mask 20. In this case, the impact applied to the deposition mask 20 during transportation can be confirmed after transportation. Therefore, if an impact of a predetermined value or more is applied during transportation, it can be assumed that the deposition mask 20 is defective, and the transportation quality of the deposition mask 20 can be improved. The sealed bag 69 is contained in a cardboard box 72, and the cardboard box 72 is packed in a wooden box 73. It is preferable to attach the impact sensor 71 in the wooden box 73 as shown in FIG. 28, but the present invention is not limited thereto. As the impact sensor 71, for example, a Shock Watch label L-30 (green) manufactured by SHOCKWATCH Inc. can be preferably used.

[0159] Next, the operation of the present embodiment having the above-mentioned configuration will be described. Here, a method of packing the deposition mask 20 will be described.

[0160] (Deposition mask packaging method) First, as a packaging device 60a for a deposition mask, a lid part 62 shown in Fig. 29 and a receiving part 61 shown in Fig. 30 are prepared. Also, a deposition mask 20, an intermediate insert sheet 81, a lid part-side insert sheet 82, and a receiving part-side insert sheet 83 are prepared. The receiving part 61, the lid part 62, the spacer 64, and the respective insert sheets 81, 82, 83, etc. may be reused if they are deemed to have no problems in use, such as deterioration.

[0161] Next, as shown in FIG. 31, a deposition mask laminate 80 placed on a receiving portion 61 is obtained.

[0162] In this case, first, the receiving part side interposing sheet 83 is placed on the receiving part 61. The receiving part side interposing sheet 83 is placed at a position where it can be accommodated in the accommodation space 64a defined by the pair of spacers 64 when the lid part 62 is placed on the receiving part 61. Next, the deposition mask 20 is placed on the receiving part side interposing sheet 83. In this case, the deposition mask 20 is placed so that the entire periphery of the receiving part side interposing sheet 83 protrudes from the deposition mask 20. In addition, the deposition mask 20 is placed so that the center of the deposition mask 20 in the longitudinal direction D1 is positioned at the center of the receiving part 61 in the longitudinal direction and the center of the deposition mask 20 in the width direction D2 is positioned at the center of the receiving part 61 in the width direction. Next, the intermediate interposing sheet 81 is placed on the deposition mask 20. In this case, the intermediate interposing sheet 81 is placed so as to overlap with the receiving part side interposing sheet 83 in a plan view. Thereafter, the deposition masks 20 and the intermediate insert sheets 81 are repeatedly placed, so that the deposition masks 20 and the intermediate insert sheets 81 are alternately stacked. Then, the lid-side insert sheet 82 is placed on the deposition masks 20 that are finally stacked. The lid-side insert sheet 82 is disposed so as to overlap the receiving-side insert sheet 83 and the intermediate insert sheet 81 in a plan view.

[0163] After the deposition mask laminate 80 placed on the receiving part 61 is obtained, the lid part 62 is placed on the deposition mask laminate 80. As a result, the receiving part 61 and the lid part 62 face each other, and the receiving part 61 and the lid part 62 are placed on both sides in the up-down direction of the deposition mask laminate 80. In this case, the lower surface 67a of the protrusion 67 of the lid part 62 comes into contact with the lid part-side insertion sheet 82.

[0164] Next, as shown in FIG. 27, the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 are bound by the elastic belt 63. As a result, the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 are pressed against each other by the elastic force of the elastic belt 63. In this case, as shown in FIG. 31, the convex portion 67 presses the lid-side interposing sheet 82. The pressing force from the convex portion 67 is weakened and transmitted to the deposition mask 20. That is, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 32, the convex portion 67 is disposed at a position overlapping the corresponding end opening 24 of the deposition mask 20, and the region of the lid-side interposing sheet 82 overlapping the end opening 24 is not supported by the deposition mask 20 below the region. As a result, when the convex portion 67 presses the region of the lid-side interposing sheet 82 overlapping the end opening 24, the region is deflected. Through this deflection, the lid-side interposing sheet 82 presses each deposition mask 20 disposed below. In this manner, a part of the pressing force of the convex portions 67 is absorbed by the lid-side inserting sheet 82, and the pressing force of the convex portions 67 is prevented from being directly transmitted to the deposition mask 20. As a result, the force that the deposition mask 20 receives from the convex portions 67 is weakened.

[0165] After the receiving part 61 and the lid part 62 are joined together, as shown in Fig. 28, the receiving part 61 and the lid part 62 are sealed in a sealed bag 69 together with a desiccant 70. Then, a vacuum is drawn from the opening of the sealed bag 69. When the pressure inside the sealed bag 69 is reduced to a predetermined vacuum level, the opening of the sealed bag 69 is sealed.

[0166] 28, the receiving part 61 and the lid part 62 sealed in the sealing bag 69 are housed in a cardboard box 72, and the cardboard box 72 is packed in a wooden box 73. At this time, an impact sensor 71 is attached inside the wooden box 73. In this manner, the deposition mask package 60 according to the present embodiment is obtained.

[0167] Next, a case where the deposition mask package 60 obtained as described above is transported will be described. During transportation of the deposition mask package 60, the deposition mask 20 may be subjected to an impact.

[0168] For example, consider a case where an upward force is applied to the deposition mask 20 due to the impact. As described above, the deposition mask 20 receives a pressing force from the convex portion 67 via the lid-side interposing sheet 82. As a result, both ends of each deposition mask 20 in the longitudinal direction D1 are supported by the convex portion 67 via the lid-side interposing sheet 82, and the upward movement of each deposition mask 20 is suppressed. In addition, when the deposition mask 20 receives the upward force, the effective area 22 of each deposition mask 20 may bend upward. However, each deposition mask 20 is supported by the lid-side interposing sheet 82, and an intermediate interposing sheet 81 is interposed between the deposition masks 20. As a result, the effective area 22 is suppressed from bending upward. Therefore, the deformation of the deposition mask 20 can be kept within the elastic deformation range, and even when the deposition mask 20 receives an impact during transportation, the deposition mask 20 can be suppressed from being plastically deformed.

[0169] On the other hand, consider a case where a downward force is applied to the deposition mask 20 due to an impact during transportation. Each deposition mask 20 is supported by a receiving part 61 having a flat first opposing surface 65 via a receiving part-side inserting sheet 83. This suppresses downward movement of each deposition mask 20 and also suppresses downward bending of the effective area 22 of each deposition mask 20. This suppresses plastic deformation of the deposition mask 20.

[0170] In addition, since the intermediate inserting sheet 81 is interposed between the adjacent deposition masks 20, the adjacent deposition masks 20 are prevented from directly contacting and overlapping with each other. Therefore, even if the deposition masks 20 are subjected to an impact during transportation, the deposition masks 20 are prevented from meshing with each other in the effective region 22, and the adjacent deposition masks 20 are prevented from rubbing against each other. In this way, plastic deformation of the deposition masks 20 can be suppressed.

[0171] During transportation, the temperature of the deposition mask package 60 may change due to a change in the surrounding environment. In this case, each deposition mask 20 and each interposing sheet 81, 82, 83 thermally expand or contract. However, in this embodiment, the lid-side interposing sheet 82 is interposed between the top deposition mask 20 and the convex portion 67 of the lid portion 62, and the receiving portion-side interposing sheet 83 is interposed between the bottom deposition mask 20 and the receiving portion 61. Although each deposition mask 20 receives a force from the convex portion 67, the force is weakened because it is received through the lid-side interposing sheet 82. Furthermore, a gap 68 is formed between the lid-side interposing sheet 82 and the second opposing surface 66 of the lid portion 62 around the convex portion 67. Therefore, the deposition mask 20 can thermally expand or contract smoothly with respect to the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62. Therefore, the deposition mask 20 is prevented from being thermally stressed.

[0172] Incidentally, when unpacking the deposition mask package 60 after transportation, the steps of the packaging method for the deposition masks 20 described above can be reversed. In particular, the intermediate inserting sheets 81 are interposed between adjacent deposition masks 20, which prevents the deposition masks 20 from interlocking with the deposition masks 20 disposed below them. This allows each deposition mask 20 to be smoothly removed from the deposition mask stack 80. This allows the deposition masks 20 to be prevented from plastically deforming, and improves the handleability of the deposition masks 20.

[0173] According to the present embodiment, the lid-side interposing sheet 82 is disposed between the lid 62 and the deposition mask 20, and the convex portions 67 disposed at both ends of the deposition mask 20 in the longitudinal direction D1 in a plan view press the lid-side interposing sheet 82. This allows the deposition mask 20 to be supported by the convex portions 67 and the receiving portions 61, and vertical movement of the deposition mask 20 during transportation can be suppressed. In addition, the deposition mask 20 can be supported by the lid-side interposing sheet 82 disposed between the convex portions 67 and the deposition mask 20. This allows vertical movement of the deposition mask 20 to be suppressed, and the deposition mask 20 can be suppressed from bending upward. As a result, plastic deformation of the deposition mask 20 during transportation can be suppressed.

[0174] According to the present embodiment, the convex portion 67 of the lid portion 62 may press the lid portion-side interposing sheet 82. As a result, the pressing force of the convex portion 67 is transmitted to the deposition mask 20 via the lid portion-side interposing sheet 82, and the force that the deposition mask 20 receives from the convex portion 67 can be weakened. In addition, a gap 68 is formed between the lid portion-side interposing sheet 82 and the second opposing surface 66 of the lid portion 62 around the convex portion 67. Therefore, even if the temperature changes during transportation, the deposition mask 20 can smoothly thermally expand or contract, and the generation of thermal stress in the deposition mask 20 can be suppressed. Therefore, the deposition mask 20 can be prevented from being plastically deformed during transportation. Also, because the lid portion-side interposing sheet 82 is disposed between the deposition mask 20 and the convex portion 67 of the lid portion 62, the deposition mask 20 can smoothly thermally expand or contract with respect to the lid portion 62.

[0175] According to the present embodiment, the convex portion 67 of the lid portion 62 does not need to overlap the through hole 25 of the deposition mask 20 in a plan view. This makes it possible to prevent the convex portion 67 from contacting the through hole 25 formed in the effective region 22, and thus makes it possible to suppress deformation of the through hole 25.

[0176] According to the present embodiment, the convex portions 67 of the lid portion 62 may be disposed at positions overlapping the corresponding end openings 24 of the deposition mask 20 in a plan view. This allows a part of the pressing force of the convex portions 67 to be absorbed by the lid-side inserting sheet 82, and the force that the deposition mask 20 receives from the convex portions 67 can be effectively weakened. In particular, according to the present embodiment, the convex portions 67 do not protrude from the corresponding end openings 24, and therefore the force that the deposition mask 20 receives from the convex portions 67 can be further weakened. This allows the deposition mask 20 to thermally expand or contract more smoothly when the temperature changes.

[0177] According to the present embodiment, a receiving part-side inserting sheet 83 may be disposed between the deposition mask 20 and the receiving part 61. This allows the deposition mask 20 to smoothly thermally expand or contract with respect to the receiving part 61 when the temperature changes.

[0178] According to the present embodiment, an intermediate interposing sheet 81 may be disposed between adjacent deposition masks 20 in the deposition mask stack 80. This prevents adjacent deposition masks 20 from directly contacting and overlapping with each other. This allows the deposition masks 20 to smoothly thermally expand or contract relative to the other deposition masks 20 during a temperature change, and further suppresses plastic deformation of the deposition masks 20.

[0179] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the hardness of the convex portions 67 may be lower than the hardness of the receiving portion 61 and the hardness of the lid portion 62. This can weaken the force that the deposition mask 20 receives from the convex portions 67. For this reason, even if the temperature changes during transportation, the deposition mask 20 can smoothly thermally expand or contract, effectively suppressing the generation of thermal stress in the deposition mask 20 and suppressing plastic deformation of the deposition mask 20 during transportation.

[0180] According to the present embodiment, the hardness of the spacer 64 may be higher than the hardness of the receiving portion 61 and the hardness of the lid portion 62. This can increase the hardness of the spacer 64 and increase the rigidity against a vertical force applied to the deposition mask packaging body 60. This can suppress the deposition mask 20 from being subjected to a vertical force.

[0181] (First Modification) In the above-described embodiment, the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 that sandwich the deposition mask laminate 80 are sealed in a sealing bag 69, and the desiccant 70 may be stored in the sealing bag 69. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 33, the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 that sandwich the deposition mask laminate 80 may be doubly sealed with two sealing bags 69a and 69b. In the modification shown in FIG. 33, the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 that sandwich the deposition mask laminate 80 are sealed with a first sealing bag 69a, and the first sealing bag 69a is further sealed with a second sealing bag 69b.

[0182] The pressure inside the first sealed bag 69a is reduced below atmospheric pressure. In addition, a deoxidizer 70a is stored inside the first sealed bag 69a, and the deoxidizer 70a absorbs oxygen remaining in the first sealed bag 69a and removes oxygen from the atmosphere inside the first sealed bag 69a. This makes it possible to prevent the deposition mask 20 from being altered by oxygen (for example, rusting).

[0183] The pressure inside the second sealed bag 69b is reduced below atmospheric pressure. A desiccant 70b is stored inside the second sealed bag 69b, and the desiccant 70b absorbs moisture inside the second sealed bag 69b, thereby maintaining the atmosphere inside the second sealed bag 69b in a dry state. This makes it possible to prevent moisture from entering the first sealed bag 69a from the second sealed bag 69b, and to prevent the deposition mask 20 from being deteriorated by moisture.

[0184] In the first modified example, the second sealing bag 69b is an example in which one set of the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 sealed by the first sealing bag 69a is sealed, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a plurality of sets of the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62, each sealed by the first sealing bag 69a, may be sealed by one second sealing bag 69b.

[0185] In addition, the first sealed bag 69a is not limited to being filled with the oxygen absorber 70a, and may be filled with a desiccant 70b instead of or in addition to the oxygen absorber 70a. Similarly, the second sealed bag 69b is not limited to being filled with the desiccant 70b, and may be filled with the oxygen absorber 70a instead of or in addition to the desiccant 70b. In addition, the first sealed bag 69a may be filled with an inert gas or a non-reducing gas such as nitrogen gas. The second sealed bag 69b may be filled with an inert gas or a non-reducing gas such as nitrogen gas. The concentration of the inert gas or the non-reducing gas such as nitrogen gas may be 85% or more, 90% or more, or 95% or more.

[0186] The receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 sandwiching the deposition mask laminate 80 may be sealed in a multi-layer manner with three or more sealed bags. In this case, at least one of an oxygen scavenger and a desiccant may be stored in each bag. Also, an inert gas such as nitrogen gas or a non-reducing gas may be filled. Furthermore, the concentration of the inert gas such as nitrogen gas or a non-reducing gas may be 85% or more, 90% or more, or 95% or more. Various combinations can be adopted regarding whether or not an oxygen scavenger and / or a desiccant is stored and whether or not an inert gas such as nitrogen gas and / or a non-reducing gas is filled.

[0187] 28 may contain not only the desiccant 70 but also a deoxidizer. In this case, the deposition mask 20 can be further prevented from being deteriorated by moisture and from being deteriorated by oxygen.

[0188] (Second Modification) In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the receiving part side interposing sheet 83, the deposition mask laminate 80, and the lid part side interposing sheet 82 are arranged between the receiving part 61 and the lid part 62 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 34, an auxiliary sheet (sometimes referred to as a pressing sheet) may be arranged between the receiving part 61 and the receiving part side interposing sheet 83. In the present embodiment, the receiving part side auxiliary sheet 88 will be described below as an example of an auxiliary sheet (fourth sheet) between the receiving part 61 and the receiving part side interposing sheet 83. In addition, another auxiliary sheet may be arranged between the lid part side interposing sheet 82 and the lid part 62. In the present embodiment, the lid part side auxiliary sheet 89 will be described below as an example of an auxiliary sheet (fifth sheet) between the lid part side interposing sheet 82 and the lid part 62. One of the receiving part side auxiliary sheet 88 and the lid part side auxiliary sheet 89 may not be used.

[0189] Both surfaces of the receiving side auxiliary sheet 88 and the lid side auxiliary sheet 89 are formed flat, and each of the auxiliary sheets 88, 89 does not need to have holes or unevenness formed thereon, except for minute holes and unevenness formed during sheet manufacturing. The lid side auxiliary sheet 89 presses the deposition mask 20 with its own weight. This makes it possible to suppress vertical movement of the deposition mask 20 during transportation. The receiving side auxiliary sheet 88 is for adjusting the height of the accommodation space 64a.

[0190] The receiving side auxiliary sheet 88 and the lid side auxiliary sheet 89 preferably have flexibility capable of absorbing to some extent the force applied to the deposition mask 20 in a packaged state and the impact applied during transportation. In addition, each of the auxiliary sheets 88 and 89 preferably has a strength capable of supporting the deposition mask laminate 80 including the deposition mask 20. A common sheet can be used for each of the auxiliary sheets 88 and 89 as long as the sheet has such characteristics. For example, any film material having any thickness can be used for each of the auxiliary sheets 88 and 89, and the thickness of each of the auxiliary sheets 88 and 89 may be thicker or thinner than the thickness of the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83. For each of the auxiliary sheets 88 and 89, for example, a sheet made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, polystyrene, or the like having a thickness of 10 μm or more and 300 μm or less can be used, and preferably, a PET film having a thickness of 100 μm can be suitably used. By setting the thickness of the lid-side auxiliary sheet 89 to 10 μm or more, the mass of the lid-side auxiliary sheet 89 can be increased. On the other hand, by setting the thickness of the lid-side auxiliary sheet 89 to 300 μm or less, the lid-side auxiliary sheet 89 can be prevented from excessively pressing the deposition mask laminate 80. The receiving-side auxiliary sheet 88 may be made common to the lid-side auxiliary sheet 89 by giving it a thickness similar to that of the lid-side auxiliary sheet 89. The PET film used for the auxiliary sheet may be a PET film containing a filler. Examples of filler materials include particles of inorganic oxides such as silica, calcium carbonate, or titanium oxide, carbon black, metal particles, and metal fibers. In this way, the mass of the auxiliary sheets 88 and 89 can be increased, and the effect of pressing the deposition mask 20 can be improved. It is preferable that each of the auxiliary sheets 88 and 89 is antistatically coated or has an antistatic agent kneaded therein, like each of the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83. Furthermore, the above-mentioned filler itself may be made conductive, or the filler may be made conductive by being covered with a metal film or a metal oxide film, so that the filler may function both as a filler and an antistatic agent.

[0191] In the deposition mask stack 80 shown in FIG. 31, one intermediate interposing sheet 81 is disposed between the deposition masks 20 adjacent to each other. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and two or more intermediate interposing sheets 81 may be disposed between the deposition masks 20 adjacent to each other. In a second modified example shown in FIG. 34, two intermediate interposing sheets 81 are disposed between the deposition masks 20 adjacent to each other. This makes it possible to further prevent the deposition masks 20 adjacent to each other from directly contacting each other and overlapping each other. Therefore, the deposition masks 20 can be smoothly thermally expanded or thermally contracted relative to the other deposition masks 20 when the temperature changes, and plastic deformation of the deposition masks 20 can be further suppressed. The fact that two or more intermediate interposing sheets 81 are disposed between the deposition masks 20 adjacent to each other can also be applied to the embodiment shown in FIG. 31. When two or more intermediate insert sheets 81 are disposed between adjacent deposition masks 20, the materials of these intermediate insert sheets 81 may be the same or different. For example, when two intermediate insert sheets 81 are disposed between adjacent deposition masks 20, one intermediate insert sheet 81 may be formed of a PET film and the other intermediate insert sheet 81 may be formed of an acrylic-impregnated paper. When three intermediate insert sheets 81 are disposed between adjacent deposition masks 20, at least one intermediate insert sheet 81 may be formed of a PET film and the remaining intermediate insert sheets 81 may be formed of an acrylic-impregnated paper or other paper.

[0192] When a plurality of intermediate insert sheets 81 are used, the intermediate insert sheets 81 may be formed in various combinations, such as the same material (described later) and the same thickness, the same material (described later) and different thicknesses (thin or thick), different materials (described later) and the same thickness, or different materials (described later) and different thicknesses (thin or thick). The longitudinal dimensions (described later) and width dimensions of the intermediate insert sheets 81 may also be the same or different, and the intermediate insert sheets 81 formed in various combinations may be used.

[0193] In the above-described embodiment, the protrusions 67 are arranged at positions overlapping the corresponding end openings 24 of the deposition mask 20 in a plan view. However, this is not limited to the above, and the protrusions 67 may be arranged arbitrarily as long as at least a part of the protrusions 67 is arranged at both ends of the deposition mask 20 in the longitudinal direction D1.

[0194] (Third Modification) For example, as in the third modified example shown in FIG. 35 to FIG. 37, each of the convex portions 67 extends in the width direction D2 of the deposition mask 20 and is disposed so as to cross the end openings 24 so that a part of each of the convex portions 67 is disposed at a position overlapping the corresponding end openings 24. In this case, each of the convex portions 67 has a longitudinal direction along the width direction D2 of the deposition mask 20, and the contact area between the deposition mask 20 and the convex portions 67 can be increased. Therefore, the support of the deposition mask 20 can be stabilized. In addition, the pressing force from the convex portions 67 of the lid portion 62 can be dispersed. Therefore, when the temperature changes, the deposition mask 20 can smoothly thermally expand or contract with respect to the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62. Therefore, the generation of thermal stress in the deposition mask 20 can be suppressed, and the plastic deformation of the deposition mask 20 can be suppressed. Note that, even in the third modified example, the convex portions 67 do not need to overlap the through holes 25 through which the deposition material 98 passes during deposition. When through holes that are not intended for the vapor deposition material 98 to pass through are provided on both sides of the end opening 24 in the width direction D2, the protrusions 67 may overlap the through holes.

[0195] (Fourth Modification) Also, as in a fourth modified example shown in FIG. 38 and FIG. 39, each of the protrusions 67 may extend in the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20 so that a part of the protrusions 67 is disposed at a position overlapping the corresponding end opening 24. In the fourth modified example, a pair of protrusions 67 are integrated and continuously formed. In this case, the integrated protrusions 67 are formed from one edge 20g (see FIG. 3) to the other edge 20g along the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20. This can further increase the contact area between the deposition mask 20 and the protrusions 67, and can stabilize the support of the deposition mask 20. In addition, the pressing force from the protrusions 67 of the lid portion 62 can be dispersed. Therefore, the deposition mask 20 can be smoothly thermally expanded or thermally contracted with respect to the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 during a temperature change.

[0196] In the fourth modified example, the integrated protrusions 67 are disposed at the center of the width direction D2 of the deposition mask 20. In this case, the force due to thermal expansion of the deposition mask 20 can be released to a pair of side edges 20f of the deposition mask 20 that are disposed far from the protrusions 67. In this respect, the deposition mask 20 can be smoothly thermally expanded, and plastic deformation of the deposition mask 20 can be suppressed. In particular, because the integrated protrusions 67 are disposed at the center of the width direction D2 of the deposition mask 20, it is possible to provide symmetry to the deformation of the deposition mask 20 during thermal expansion. Therefore, plastic deformation of the deposition mask 20 can be effectively suppressed.

[0197] In the fourth modified example, an example in which the pair of protrusions 67 are integrated has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and each of the protrusions 67 may not be integrated while extending in the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20. Furthermore, one or more other protrusions 67 may be formed between a pair of protrusions 67 arranged at both ends 20e of the deposition mask 20 in a plan view, and may be arranged intermittently in a row. In this case, each protrusion 67 may be arranged in a region other than the effective region 22 (i.e., the peripheral region 23).

[0198] (Fifth Modification) In the above-described embodiment, the first opposing surface 65 of the receiving portion 61 is formed flat. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0199] For example, as in a fifth modified example shown in Figs. 40 to 43, the first opposing surface 65 of the receiving portion 61 may include a curved surface 84 that is curved so as to be convex toward the lid portion 62. The curved shape of the curved surface 84 can be formed by any curve, such as a part of a perfect circle or an ellipse. In the fifth modified example, the curved surface 84 is configured as a rigid body. On both sides of the curved surface 84 in the width direction D2 of the deposition mask 20, spacer abutment surfaces 85 with which the spacers 64 abut are formed.

[0200] As shown in FIG. 43, the curved surface 84 includes a ridge line 86 extending from one edge 20g to the other edge 20g in the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20 in a plan view. In other words, the ridge line 86 of the curved surface 84 extends from one edge to the other edge of the accommodation space 64a defined by the pair of spacers 64 in a plan view. Here, the ridge line 86 means a line connecting the highest points (the points closest to the lid portion 62) of the curved surface 84 in a cross section at each position in the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20. Thus, in the fifth modified example, as shown in FIG. 42, the deposition mask 20 and the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 placed on the curved surface 84 are bent along the curved surface 84 under the influence of gravity. That is, the deposition mask 20 is bent so that a pair of side edges 20f of the deposition mask 20 are located lower than the center of the deposition mask 20 in the width direction. Therefore, the movement of the deposition mask 20 in the width direction D2 is restricted by the curved surface 84.

[0201] In the fifth modified example, the ridge line 86 is formed parallel to the second opposing surface 66 of the lid portion 62. That is, the minimum distance from the lid portion 62 to the curved surface 84 is constant in the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20. The ridge line 86 of the curved surface 84 extends through the deposition mask 20 in the longitudinal direction D1. This makes the deflection shapes of the deposition mask 20 and the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 uniform in the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20, and suppresses the deposition mask 20 and the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 from deflecting into a two-dimensionally complicated shape. This suppresses plastic deformation of the deposition mask 20.

[0202] In the fifth modified example, as shown in FIG. 40, the lid portion 62 does not have the convex portion 67 as shown in FIG. 29, and the second opposing surface 66 of the lid portion 62 is in contact with the lid side interposing sheet 82 (particularly, a portion of the lid side interposing sheet 82 that overlaps with the ridge line 86). This allows the lid side interposing sheet 82 to be supported by the second opposing surface 66. Therefore, even if a vertical force is applied to the deposition mask 20 during transportation, the vertical movement of the deposition mask 20 can be suppressed. In addition, since the lid side interposing sheet 82 covers the deposition mask 20, the deposition mask 20 can be supported by the lid side interposing sheet 82. Therefore, the vertical movement of the deposition mask 20 can be suppressed, and the deposition mask 20 can be suppressed from bending upward.

[0203] In the fifth modified example, as described above, the lid-side inserting sheet 82 is supported by the second opposing surface 66, and thus the pressing force from the lid 62 can be dispersed. This allows the deposition mask 20 to smoothly thermally expand or contract with respect to the receiving portion 61 and the lid 62 during a temperature change. This makes it possible to suppress the generation of thermal stress in the deposition mask 20, and thus to suppress plastic deformation of the deposition mask 20.

[0204] Furthermore, in the fifth modified example, a portion of the lid-side interposing sheet 82 that overlaps with the ridge line 86 is disposed at the center of the width direction D2 of the deposition mask 20. In this case, the force due to the thermal expansion of the deposition mask 20 can be released to a pair of side edges 20f of the deposition mask 20 that are disposed far from the ridge line 86. In this respect, too, the deposition mask 20 can be smoothly thermally expanded, and plastic deformation of the deposition mask 20 can be suppressed. In particular, because the ridge line 86 is disposed at the center of the width direction D2 of the deposition mask 20, it is possible to provide symmetry to the deformation of the deposition mask 20 during thermal expansion. Therefore, plastic deformation of the deposition mask 20 can be effectively suppressed.

[0205] In the fifth modified example, the second opposing surface 66 of the lid 62 is in contact with the lid-side interposing sheet 82 (i.e., a portion of the lid-side interposing sheet 82 that overlaps with the ridge line 86). However, the present invention is not limited to this. A gap may be formed between the second opposing surface 66 and the lid-side interposing sheet 82 as a whole, and the lid-side interposing sheet 82 may not be in contact with the second opposing surface 66. Even in this case, the deposition mask 20 can be bent along the curved surface 84 of the receiving portion 61, and therefore the movement of the deposition mask 20 in the width direction D2 can be restricted by the curved surface 84. In addition, since the lid-side interposing sheet 82 covers the deposition mask 20, the deposition mask 20 can be supported by the lid-side interposing sheet 82. Therefore, plastic deformation of the deposition mask 20 can be suppressed.

[0206] Also, an example in which the curved surface 84 is configured as a rigid body has been described. However, this is not limited thereto, and the curved surface 84 may have elasticity. In this case, the vertical force applied to the deposition mask 20 during transportation can be absorbed, and plastic deformation of the deposition mask 20 can be suppressed. For example, the receiving part 61 may be configured by a rectangular parallelepiped receiving part main body and a curved part provided on the side of the lid part 62 of the receiving part main body, and the curved part may be formed in a solid or hollow shape using an elastic material such as rubber. The receiving part main body is preferably formed of a material having rigidity (for example, a plastic cardboard sheet) similarly to the receiving part 61 shown in FIG. 30. The same applies to a sixth modified example described later.

[0207] 44 to 46, the curved surface 84 of the first opposing surface 65 may have a shape different from that of the fifth modified example. For example, as shown in FIG. 46, the curved surface 84 may include a ridge line 87 extending from one side edge 20f to the other side edge 20f in the width direction D2 of the deposition mask 20 in a plan view. In other words, the ridge line 87 of the curved surface 84 extends from one side edge to the other side edge in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the storage space 64a defined by the pair of spacers 64 in a plan view. The ridge line 87 here means a line connecting the highest points (the points closest to the lid portion 62) of the curved surface 84 in a vertical cross section at each position in the width direction D2 of the deposition mask 20. Even in this case, the deposition mask 20 and the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 are deflected along the curved surface 84 under the influence of gravity. That is, the deposition mask 20 bends so that the pair of edges 20g of the deposition mask 20 are positioned lower than the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the deposition mask 20. Therefore, the movement of the deposition mask 20 in the longitudinal direction D1 is restricted by the curved surface 84.

[0208] In the sixth modified example, the ridge line 87 is also formed parallel to the second opposing surface 66 of the lid portion 62. That is, the minimum distance from the lid portion 62 to the curved surface 84 is constant in the width direction D2 of the deposition mask 20. The ridge line 87 of the curved surface 84 extends through the deposition mask 20 in the width direction D2. This makes the deflection shapes of the deposition mask 20 and the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 uniform in the width direction D2 of the deposition mask 20, and suppresses the deposition mask 20 and the interposing sheets 81, 82, and 83 from deflecting into a two-dimensionally complicated shape. This suppresses plastic deformation of the deposition mask 20.

[0209] In the sixth modified example, the lid portion 62 does not have a convex portion 67 as shown in FIG. 29, and the second opposing surface 66 of the lid portion 62 is in contact with the lid-side interposing sheet 82 (particularly, a portion of the lid-side interposing sheet 82 that overlaps with the ridge line 87). This allows the lid-side interposing sheet 82 to be supported by the second opposing surface 66. Therefore, even if a vertical force is applied to the deposition mask 20 during transportation, the vertical movement of the deposition mask 20 can be suppressed. In addition, since the lid-side interposing sheet 82 covers the deposition mask 20, the deposition mask 20 can be supported by the lid-side interposing sheet 82. Therefore, the vertical movement of the deposition mask 20 can be suppressed, and the deposition mask 20 can be suppressed from bending upward.

[0210] In the sixth modified example, as described above, the lid-side inserting sheet 82 is supported by the second opposing surface 66, and thus the pressing force from the lid 62 can be dispersed. This allows the deposition mask 20 to smoothly thermally expand or contract with respect to the receiving portion 61 and the lid 62 during a temperature change. This makes it possible to suppress the generation of thermal stress in the deposition mask 20, and thus to suppress plastic deformation of the deposition mask 20.

[0211] Furthermore, in the sixth modified example, a portion of the lid-side inserting sheet 82 that overlaps with the ridge line 87 is disposed at the center of the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20. In this case, the force due to the thermal expansion of the deposition mask 20 can be released to a pair of edges 20g of the deposition mask 20 that are disposed far from the ridge line 87. In this respect, too, the deposition mask 20 can be smoothly thermally expanded, and plastic deformation of the deposition mask 20 can be suppressed. In particular, because the ridge line 87 is disposed at the center of the deposition mask 20 in the longitudinal direction D1, the deformation of the deposition mask 20 during thermal expansion can be made symmetrical. Therefore, plastic deformation of the deposition mask 20 can be effectively suppressed.

[0212] In the sixth modified example, the second opposing surface 66 of the lid 62 is in contact with the lid-side interposing sheet 82 (particularly, a portion of the lid-side interposing sheet 82 overlapping the ridge line 87). However, the present invention is not limited to this. A gap may be formed between the second opposing surface 66 and the lid-side interposing sheet 82 as a whole, and the lid-side interposing sheet 82 may not be in contact with the second opposing surface 66. Even in this case, the deposition mask 20 can be bent along the curved surface 84 of the receiving portion 61, and therefore the movement of the deposition mask 20 in the width direction D2 can be restricted by the curved surface 84. In addition, the lid-side interposing sheet 82 covers the deposition mask 20, and therefore the deposition mask 20 can be supported by the lid-side interposing sheet 82. Therefore, plastic deformation of the deposition mask 20 can be suppressed.

[0213] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above, the deposition mask packaging body and the deposition mask packaging device according to the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0214] In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 are formed separately and bound by the elastic belt 63. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 may be connected via a hinge portion (not shown) so that the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 can be bent via the hinge portion. The elastic force of the elastic belt 63 can press the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 against each other, and the deposition mask 20 can be held.

[0215] In the above-described embodiment, the deposition mask stack 80 disposed between the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62 includes a plurality of deposition masks 20. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and only one deposition mask 20 may be disposed between the receiving portion 61 and the lid portion 62. EXAMPLES

[0216] An environmental test and a drop test were performed on the deposition mask package 60 in which the deposition mask 20 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 27 to 32 was packaged, and the state of the deposition mask 20 was confirmed.

[0217] The deposition masks 20 used in the tests were deposition masks 20 produced by the etching process shown in Figs. 4 to 19. The material of the deposition masks 20 was an Invar material containing 36 mass % nickel. All deposition masks 20 had a width dimension of 67 mm and a lengthwise total length of 850 mm. The thickness of the deposition masks 20 was 15 µm.

[0218] In Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 shown in Fig. 47, a deposition mask package 60 having a configuration similar to that of the embodiment shown in Figs. 27 to 32 was used. In Comparative Examples 1 and 2, the lid portion 62 was not provided with a protruding portion 67. Among them, in Comparative Example 1, the gap 68 was not provided. That is, the lid portion-side inserting sheet 82 was abutted against the second opposing surface 66 of the lid portion 62 to prevent the gap 68 from being formed therebetween. In Comparative Example 2, the protruding portion 67 was not provided, but the dimension of the gap 68 was set to 0.6 mm.

[0219] In the first embodiment, a protrusion 67 was provided on the lid 62. The dimension G (see FIG. 31) of the gap 68 formed by this was set to 0.6 mm in the first embodiment.

[0220] As shown in FIG. 47, PET films were used for the intermediate insert sheet 81, the cover side insert sheet 82, and the receiving side insert sheet 83.

[0221] In all of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 and Example 1, the receiving portion 61 was made of a single 10 mm thick polypropylene cardboard sheet. The receiving portion 61 had a thickness of 10 mm. The lid portion 62 was made of the same single cardboard sheet, and the lid portion 62 had a thickness of 10 mm.

[0222] As described above, in Example 1, the lid 62 was provided with the convex portion 67. The convex portion 67 was made of a urethane foam sponge, and the dimension of the convex portion 67 along the longitudinal direction D1 of the deposition mask 20 was 20 mm, and the dimension along the width direction D2 was 10 mm. The thickness of the convex portion 67 was set according to the dimension (here, 0.6 mm) of the gap 68 formed between the lid-side inserting sheet 82 and the second opposing surface 66 of the lid 62. The dimension of the end opening 24 along the width direction D2 of the deposition mask 20 was set to 10 mm. As a result, each convex portion 67 was arranged at a position overlapping the corresponding end opening 24 of the deposition mask 20 in a plan view, and was arranged so as not to protrude from the corresponding end opening 24.

[0223] One receiving part side interposing sheet 83 was placed on the first opposing surface 65 of the receiving part 61, and the deposition masks 20 and the intermediate interposing sheets 81 were alternately laminated thereon to prepare a deposition mask laminate 80, and the lid part side interposing sheet 82 was further laminated thereon. In Comparative Examples 1 and 2 and Example 1, nine deposition masks 20 and eight intermediate interposing sheets 81 were used. Thereafter, the lid part 62 was placed, and the elastic belt 63 was attached to obtain the deposition mask package 60 according to the present embodiment. The deposition mask package 60 was produced in a work room where the room temperature was controlled at 25°C.

[0224] The produced deposition mask package 60 was housed in a temperature-controllable device (not shown), and the temperature inside the device was changed. Specifically, the temperature inside the device was first set to -10°C and maintained for a predetermined time. Then, the temperature inside the device was raised to 60°C and maintained for a predetermined time. Thereafter, the temperature inside the device was returned to room temperature, and the deposition mask package 60 was taken out of the device. Then, the deposition mask package 60 was unpacked in a work room where the room temperature was controlled at 25°C.

[0225] After unpacking, each deposition mask 20 was visually inspected (with the naked eye) to see whether or not wavy wrinkles were formed. The results are shown in Fig. 47. Fig. 47 shows the number of deposition masks 20 in which wrinkles were confirmed.

[0226] After visually checking, the deposition mask 20 was packaged again and a drop test was performed. In the drop test, the deposition mask package 60 was naturally dropped from a height of 60 cm above a hard floor surface. The deposition mask package 60 was oriented such that the receiving portion 61 was on the lower side and the lid portion 62 was on the upper side, so that the up-down direction in FIG. 28 was vertical. This orientation was maintained even when the deposition mask package 60 landed on the floor surface. After dropping, the deposition mask package 60 was unpacked, and it was visually (with the naked eye) confirmed whether or not a dent was formed in the deposition mask 20. The results are shown in FIG. 47. FIG. 47 shows the number of deposition masks 20 in which a dent was confirmed.

[0227] 47, when the dimension of the gap 68 formed between the lid-side interposing sheet 82 and the second opposing surface 66 of the lid 62 was 0 mm, wrinkles due to temperature change were confirmed in all nine deposition masks 20. In this case, it is considered that the wrinkles were generated because the deposition mask 20 could not smoothly thermally expand or contract.

[0228] In Comparative Example 2, since the lid portion 62 was not provided with the protrusion 67 and the dimension of the gap 68 was set to 0.6 mm, no wrinkles due to temperature change were observed. This is considered to be because the lid-side interposing sheet 82 was not in contact with the lid portion 62 and the gap 68 was formed. However, in Comparative Example 2, dents due to the drop test were observed in two deposition masks 20. This is considered to be because the lid-side interposing sheet 82 was not supported by the lid portion 62 or the like.

[0229] In contrast, when the convex portion 67 was provided on the lid portion 62 as shown in Example 1, no dents were observed in the drop test on all nine deposition masks 20. This is considered to be because the lid-side inserting sheet 82 was supported by the lid portion 62 via the convex portion 67.

[0230] Moreover, according to Example 1, no wrinkles due to temperature change were found in any of the nine deposition masks 20. This is considered to be due to the provision of the gap 68 around the protrusion 67. In Example 1, the dimension G of the gap 68 was 0.6 mm. For this reason, it was confirmed that when the gap dimension G is 0.6 mm or more, it is possible to effectively suppress the occurrence of plastic deformation in the deposition mask 20 even in the case where a temperature rise of 60° C. is expected.

[0231] In this embodiment, the deposition mask 20 produced by the etching process is used, but it is considered that at least the same results can be obtained with the deposition mask 20 produced by the plating process. That is, as described above, the deposition mask 20 for the etching process uses the metal plate 21 produced as a rolled material, but the crystals of the deposition mask 20 produced by the plating process are finer than the crystals of the metal plate 21. As a result, the hardness and yield strength of the deposition mask 20 for the plating process are greater than those of the metal plate 21. Therefore, even when the deposition mask 20 produced by the plating process is used, it is considered that the same or better results as those of this embodiment can be obtained and plastic deformation of the deposition mask 20 during transportation can be suppressed.

Claims

1. A first base; a second base portion facing the first base portion; a deposition mask disposed between the first base and the second base and having a plurality of through holes formed therein; spacers arranged on both sides of the deposition mask in a width direction; a first sheet disposed between the deposition mask and the second base; the first base portion has a first opposing surface formed flat, the first opposing surface on which the deposition mask is placed, the second base portion has a convex portion disposed on at least one of both end portions in a longitudinal direction of the vapor deposition mask in a plan view, the protrusion presses the first sheet, a gap is formed between the first sheet and the second base around the convex portion.

2. A vapor deposition mask packaging body as described in Claim 1, wherein the convex portion does not overlap the through hole when viewed in a plane.

3. The deposition mask has end openings provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction, The deposition mask packaging body according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusions are arranged at positions overlapping the corresponding end openings in a plan view.

4. A vapor deposition mask packaging body as described in Claim 3, wherein the convex portion does not protrude from the corresponding end opening when viewed in a plane.

5. A vapor deposition mask packaging body as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the convex portion extends in the width direction of the vapor deposition mask.

6. The vapor deposition mask packaging body described in claim 1, wherein the convex portion extends in the longitudinal direction of the vapor deposition mask.

7. The convex portions are arranged at both ends in a longitudinal direction of the deposition mask in a plan view, The deposition mask package according to claim 6 , wherein the pair of protrusions are integrally formed continuously.

8. A vapor deposition mask packaging body described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the hardness of the convex portion is lower than the hardness of the first base portion and the hardness of the second base portion.

9. A vapor deposition mask packaging body described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the hardness of the spacer is higher than the hardness of the first base portion and the hardness of the second base portion.

10. A fourth sheet is disposed between the first sheet and the second base, 10. The deposition mask package according to claim 1, wherein the fourth sheet has a thickness greater than a thickness of the first sheet.

11. A vapor deposition mask packaging body described in any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a second sheet arranged between the vapor deposition mask and the first opposing surface.

12. A plurality of the vapor deposition masks are stacked between the first sheet and the second sheet, The deposition mask package according to claim 11 , wherein a third sheet is disposed between the deposition masks adjacent to each other.

13. A packaging device for a deposition mask that packages a deposition mask having a longitudinal direction and a plurality of through holes formed therein, A first base; a second base portion facing the first base portion; a pair of spacers disposed between the first base and the second base, the pair of spacers defining an accommodation space in which the deposition mask is accommodated between the pair of spacers; the first base portion has a first opposing surface formed in a flat shape, the first opposing surface defining the accommodation space, The second base portion has a protrusion disposed on at least one of both ends in a longitudinal direction of the accommodation space in a plan view.

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