Apparatus, carrier, and method for manufacturing display tiles

Abstract

The apparatus includes a carrier, an orifice, and a motion platform. The carrier is configured to hold the substrate in place. The orifice is configured to emit an aerosol jet. The motion platform is configured to move the carrier relative to the orifice, with the orifice emitting a continuous aerosol jet, thereby printing multiple electrodes onto the primary and edge surfaces of the substrate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross-Reference to Related Applications This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 580,798 filed on September 6, 2023, the content of which is relied upon in this specification and is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Background Art

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to methods and apparatuses for manufacturing substrates having wrap-around electrodes. More specifically, it relates to methods and apparatuses for manufacturing substrates having wrap-around electrodes using an aerosol jet.

[0003] Background Art Displays such as microLED displays include borderless, bezel-free, and / or tiled displays. Top-emitting microLED displays require a method for electrically interconnecting LEDs on the top surface of a substrate with a driver controller board located behind the substrate. This can be achieved by using a flex connector attached to the edge of the substrate. However, for borderless displays, bezel-free displays, or tiled displays, it is undesirable to use a flex connector attached to the top surface of the substrate. In such cases, the flex connector is visible to viewers and needs to be hidden by a bezel, or the flex connector occupies excessive space between tiles and hinders seamless tiling. One solution for electrically connecting the top surface of a display substrate to a driver controller board is to have wrap-around electrodes.

[0004] Wrap-around electrodes can be fabricated around the edges of a substrate. This allows the electrode to occupy less physical space and be less visually observable. Wrap-around electrodes have been demonstrated in borderless, bezel-free, and tile-type displays. Such electrodes can contain a variety of materials and can be fabricated by methods including printing, vacuum deposition, flex bonding, and electroplating. Methods to improve the electrical performance and reliability of wrap-around electrodes are being pursued through improvements in materials and processes. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0005] Some embodiments of this disclosure relate to an apparatus for manufacturing display tiles. The apparatus includes a carrier, an orifice, and a motion platform. The carrier is configured to hold a substrate in place. The orifice is configured to emit an aerosol jet. The motion platform is configured to move the carrier relative to the orifice, with the orifice emitting a continuous aerosol jet, thereby printing a plurality of electrodes onto a first main surface and edge surface of the substrate.

[0006] Further embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a carrier for manufacturing display tiles. The carrier includes a first carrier portion configured to contact a first main surface of a substrate. The first carrier portion includes a plurality of first magnets and a plurality of second magnets. The plurality of first magnets are configured to detachably couple the first carrier portion to a motion platform of an apparatus for manufacturing display tiles. The plurality of second magnets are configured to fix the substrate to the first carrier portion.

[0007] Further embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method for manufacturing a display tile. The method comprises releasing a first continuous aerosol jet from an orifice. The method comprises depositing a first portion of a first electrode onto a first main surface and edge surface of a substrate from the first continuous aerosol jet released from the orifice. The method comprises depositing a first portion of a second electrode onto a first main surface and edge surface of a substrate from the first continuous aerosol jet released from the orifice.

[0008] The apparatus and methods disclosed herein enable high-volume electrode printing (e.g., high precision, high repetition, and short-stroke motion). The apparatus provides zero friction printing stroke, significantly reduced friction feed stroke, longer equipment life, increased accuracy (e.g., about + / - 5 micrometers), and increased printing speed compared to previous solutions.

[0009] Additional features and advantages are described in the following detailed description, some of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description, or will be recognized by practicing the embodiments described herein, including the following detailed description, claims, and accompanying drawings.

[0010] It should be understood that both the above summary and the detailed description below are merely illustrative and intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and features of the claims. The accompanying drawings are included to provide further understanding and are incorporated herein and constitute part thereof. The drawings illustrate one or more embodiments and, together with the detailed description of the invention, illustrate the principles and operation of various embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is an exemplary perspective view of a substrate. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of electrode deposition on a substrate positioned at an angle to the deposition orifice. [Figure 3]This is a side view of a portion of a substrate on which wrap-around electrodes have been deposited. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of an exemplary apparatus for printing multiple wrap-around electrodes onto a substrate. [Figure 5] Figure 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary carrier of the apparatus. [Figure 6] Figure 5 is an illustrative perspective view of the carrier portion of a carrier. [Figure 7A] This is a perspective view. [Figure 7B] This is a partial side view of an exemplary carrier and an exemplary alignment jig for positioning a substrate within the carrier. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view of another exemplary carrier and another exemplary alignment jig for positioning a substrate within the carrier. [Figure 9] This is a partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary carrier portion coupled to a motion platform. [Figure 10] Figure 4 is a partial side view of the apparatus. [Figure 11] Figure 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the device. [Figure 12A] This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for manufacturing display tiles. [Figure 12B] This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for manufacturing display tiles. [Figure 12C] This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for manufacturing display tiles. [Figure 12D] This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for manufacturing display tiles. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein by detail, with examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or similar parts. However, the present disclosure can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments shown herein.

[0013] In this specification, a range can be expressed as "about" one specific value to and / or "about" another specific value. Where such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from one specific value to and / or to another specific value. Similarly, where a value is expressed as an approximation, it will be understood that by using the antecedent "about," a specific value forms another embodiment. It will be further understood that each endpoint of a range is important both in relation to and independently of the other endpoints.

[0014] The directional terms used herein (e.g., up, down, right, left, front, back, top, bottom, vertical, horizontal) are merely for reference as they appear in the illustrations and are not intended to imply any absolute orientation.

[0015] Unless otherwise explicitly stated, it is in no way intended that any method described in this specification be construed as requiring its steps to be performed in a specific order, nor that any apparatus be construed as requiring a specific orientation. Therefore, unless a method claim actually recites the order in which its steps are to follow, or any apparatus claim actually recites an order or orientation for individual components, or it is not otherwise specifically stated in the claims or the specification that the steps should be limited to a specific order, or no specific order or orientation for the components of the apparatus is recited, it is in no way intended that an order or orientation be inferred in any sense. This applies to all possible implicit bases for interpretation, including logical matters concerning the arrangement of steps, operation flows, the order of components, or the orientation of components, plain meanings derived from grammatical organization or punctuation, and the number or type of embodiments described in this specification.

[0016] As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a" component includes aspects having two or more such components unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0017] Referring now to Figure 1, a perspective view of an exemplary substrate 100 is depicted. The substrate 100 includes a first major surface 102, an opposing second major surface 104 (on the opposite side of the substrate 100 from the first major surface) extending in a direction generally parallel to the first major surface 102, and an edge surface 106 extending between the first major surface 102 and the second major surface 104 and extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the first major surface 102 and the second major surface 104.

[0018] In certain exemplary embodiments, the substrate 100 may include a glass substrate comprising a glass material such as aluminosilicate, alkali aluminosilicate, borosilicate, alkali borosilicate, aluminoborosilicate, alkali aluminoborosilicate, soda lime, or other suitable glass. Non-limiting examples of commercially available glass suitable for use as the glass substrate 100 include Corning Incorporated's EAGLE XG®, Lotus®, Willow®, Iris®, and Gorilla® glass. The substrate 100 may have a thickness between the first main surface 102 and the second main surface 104 in the range of, for example, about 0.1 mm to about 2 mm. The substrate 100 may have a refractive index in the range of, for example, about 1.5 to 2.4.

[0019] Figure 2 is a perspective view of electrode deposition on a substrate 100 positioned at an angle to the deposition orifice 204. As shown in Figure 2, a plurality of contact pads 110 are arranged on the main surface of the substrate 100, and at least a portion of a plurality of electrodes 112 are deposited on the contact pads 110, the main surface, and the edge surface of the substrate 100. The substrate 100 can then be rotated or flipped over to allow deposition of at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes 112 on the opposite side of the main surface and the edge surface of the substrate 100. In certain exemplary embodiments, a mask 114 including an edge 115, indicated by a dotted line, may be applied to a portion of the main surface to prevent deposition on the main surface where deposition is not desired. In addition, the substrate 100 may include a reference 116 that can be used to initially position the substrate 100 relative to the orifice 204 before depositing the electrodes 112. Electrode deposition methods that allow the substrate to be oriented at various angles with respect to the deposition orifice are disclosed, for example, in WO2019 / 079253, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Such electrode deposition can be carried out by a variety of techniques, including, but not limited to, printed seed layer plating, direct printing, laser-induced metallization, pen distribution, and aerosol jetting.

[0020] Embodiments disclosed herein include embodiments in which electrodes are deposited onto a substrate via an aerosol jet. Aerosol jet deposition is described, for example, in US2009 / 0061077, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Such deposition involves using an aerosol jet to form an annular propagating jet containing an external sheath flow and an internal aerosol-filled carrier flow. In the aerosol jet process, the aerosol stream enters the print head and is directed along the device axis toward the print head orifice, preferably either immediately after the aerosolization process or after passing through the heater assembly. Mass throughput can be controlled by an aerosol carrier gas mass flow controller. Inside the print head, the aerosol stream can be collimated by passing through an orifice of about 0.1 mm in size. The ejected particle stream can then be combined with an annular sheath gas that functions to prevent nozzle clogging and to focus the aerosol stream. The carrier gas and sheath gas may include, for example, dry nitrogen, compressed air, or an inert gas, one or all of which may be modified to contain solvent vapor. For example, when an aerosol is formed from an aqueous solution, water vapor may be added to the carrier gas or sheath gas to prevent droplet evaporation.

[0021] Next, the sheath gas enters through the sheath air inlet below the aerosol inlet and can form an annular flow with the aerosol stream. Similar to the aerosol carrier gas, the sheath gas flow rate can be controlled by a mass flow controller. The combined stream exits the nozzle at high speed (e.g., about 50 meters per second) through an orifice directed towards the target and then impacts the target. This annular flow focuses the aerosol stream onto the target, enabling the printing of features, for example, with dimensions smaller than about 1 micrometer. The printed pattern can be created by moving the target relative to the print head and / or moving the print head relative to the target. Examples of commercially available aerosol jet print heads, devices, and systems include those available from Optomec Incorporated.

[0022] Electrical traces (e.g., electrodes) may be formed using a multi-step process involving multiple passes of a non-contact aerosol jet using conductive nanoparticle ink, extending from a first main surface 102 of the substrate 100 to a second main surface 104 of the substrate opposite the first main surface. The nanoparticle ink may be sprayed using a Venturi spraying process and a carrier gas, as described above. The gas may then be focused into a small deposition stream and deposited on one side of the substrate 100. The focal height from the orifice 204 may be large enough so that the orifice 204 can be printed on the top and edge surfaces of the substrate 100 when the substrate 100 is held at a specified angle. Once the nanoparticle ink is dry, the substrate 100 may be turned over, and printing may continue on the opposite side of the substrate to connect or create electrical traces (e.g., electrodes) wound around the edge of the substrate between the first main surface 102 and the second main surface 104. Next, the completed portion may undergo a thermal cycle to bond the nanoparticle ink to the surface of the substrate 100.

[0023] Figure 3 is a side section view of a portion of the substrate 100 on which a wrap-around electrode 112 is deposited. Specifically, the electrode 112 extends along portions of the first main surface 102, the edge surface 106, and the second main surface 104 of the substrate 100, while in contact with the contact pad 110. Although the edge region of the substrate 100 is shown to have a rectangular cross-section, embodiments disclosed herein include embodiments in which the edge region of the substrate 100 has other cross-sections, including but not limited to curved or inclined (e.g., chamfered) regions (not shown). The electrode 112 may include a conductive material, such as a conductive metallic material, including, for example, at least one material selected from silver or copper.

[0024] Figure 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary apparatus 200 for printing multiple wrap-around electrodes (e.g., 112 in Figure 3) onto a substrate 100. In a particular exemplary embodiment, the apparatus 200 may be used to manufacture display tiles. The apparatus 200 includes a carrier 202, a print head 252 including an orifice 204, and a motion platform 210. The carrier 202 is configured to hold the substrate 100 in place, as will be described in more detail below with reference to Figures 5-8. The orifice 204 is configured to emit an aerosol jet to deposit electrical traces (e.g., electrodes) onto the substrate 100. The motion platform 210 is configured to move the carrier 202 relative to the orifice 204. In some embodiments, the motion platform 210 is configured to print multiple electrodes on the first main surface 102 (Figure 3) and edge surface 106 (Figure 3) of the substrate 100 by moving the carrier 202 relative to the orifice 204 while the orifice 204 is releasing a continuous aerosol jet. In some embodiments, the motion platform 210 is configured to print multiple electrodes on the second main surface 104 (Figure 3) and edge surface 106 of the substrate 100 by moving the carrier 202 relative to the orifice 204 while the carrier 202 is inverted and the orifice 204 is releasing a continuous aerosol jet.

[0025] In the exemplary apparatus 200 illustrated in Figure 4, the motion platform 210 may include a plurality of air bearings 212, a first non-contact linear motor 214, a second non-contact linear motor 216, a third non-contact linear motor 254 (hidden behind a plate and not shown in Figure 4), a plurality of flexures 220, 222, 224, and 256, a plurality of encoders 226, 228, and 258, a print head tower 250, and an optical system 240. The carrier 202 floats on the plurality of air bearings 212. In a particular exemplary embodiment, the plurality of air bearings 212 include vacuum pre-pressurized air bearings to provide rigid and flat bearings to enable frictionless transport between the bearings and the carrier 202. The carrier 202 is detachably coupled to the flexures 220 of the motion platform 210. The flexures 220, which also float on the plurality of air bearings 212, are coupled to the flexure 224 via two separate flexures 222. Flexures 220, 222, and 224 connect the carrier 202 to the first non-contact linear motor 214 and the second non-contact linear motor 216.

[0026] A first non-contact linear motor 214 moves the carrier 202 relative to the orifice 204 along the feed stroke axis 232 (e.g., the first axis). A second non-contact linear motor 216 moves the carrier 202 relative to the orifice 204 along the print stroke axis 230 (e.g., the second axis) perpendicular to the feed stroke axis 232. In certain exemplary embodiments, the orifice 204 remains stationary while multiple electrodes (e.g., 112) are printed on the substrate 100. In some embodiments, a print head tower 250 is configured to position the orifice 204 relative to the substrate 100. A third non-contact linear motor 254 may be used to incorporate a small vertical print head stroke along the nozzle motion axis 234 parallel to the aerosol jet emitted from the orifice 204 into the printing process, maintaining the offset between the orifice 204 and the substrate 100 as the aerosol jet wraps around the edges of the substrate 100. By using a small vertical print head stroke, the uniformity of the electrical trace can be further improved. The print head tower 250 includes a flexure 256 (e.g., a rotary flexure configured to provide parallel motion) that couples the print head 252 and orifice 204 to a non-contact linear motor 254 in order to enable the vertical print head stroke.

[0027] In certain exemplary embodiments, non-contact linear motors 214, 216, and 254 provide frictionless, zero-friction motion along the print stroke axis 230 and nozzle motion axis 234, as well as very low-friction motion along the feed stroke axis 232, coupled with air bearing supports and flexures described herein. In certain exemplary embodiments, each non-contact linear motor 214, 216, and 254 includes a coil and a magnetic track on which the coils rest. Encoder 226 may be used to provide feedback for controlling the position of the substrate 100 relative to the orifice 204 along the print stroke axis 230. Encoder 228 may be used to provide feedback for controlling the position of the substrate 100 relative to the orifice 204 along the feed stroke axis 232. Encoder 258 may be used to provide feedback for controlling the position of the orifice 204 relative to the substrate 100 along the nozzle motion axis 234.

[0028] The flexure 220 (e.g., a rotating flexure configured to provide parallel motion) used to connect the carrier 202 to the motion platform 210 limits the flatness error of the substrate 100 and / or carrier 202 that can be caused by the motion platform 210. The flexure 222 (e.g., a rotating flexure configured to provide parallel motion) is a separate flexure that couples the flexure 220 to the flexure 224. The flexure 224 (e.g., a rotating flexure configured to provide parallel motion) is a flexure plate for the print stroke bearing. The flexure 224 rides on a linear rail 225 along the feed stroke axis 232 via a ball bearing carriage 229. The flexure 224 provides a repeatable frictionless bearing with theoretically infinite life. The flexure 224 offers a longer life compared to conventional contact bearings, considering the high repeatability of the motion used to print the wrap-around electrode and the short stroke characteristics. The flexure 256 accommodates the short, repeatable strokes of the print head 252's vertical motion. Compared to conventional bearings, the flexure 256 provides a repeatable, frictionless bearing with a longer lifespan. Additional flexures, such as the encoder flexure 227 for encoder 226, may be used to limit any non-axial forces transmitted to encoders 226, 228, and 258. Encoder flexures may also function as weak links in events of motion crash and / or malfunction.

[0029] The optical system 240 is configured to calibrate the position of the orifice 204 whenever the orifice 204 as part of the print head 252 is changed. The optical system 240 is also configured to position the substrate 100 relative to the orifice 204 (for example, by moving the carrier 202 that holds the substrate 100) based on a reference 116 (Figure 2) on the substrate 100 before printing multiple electrodes (e.g., 112). The optical system 240 is further described below with reference to Figure 10.

[0030] During operation, the carrier 202 moves in and out of a continuous aerosol jet released from the orifice 204, allowing multiple electrical traces (e.g., electrodes) to be printed on the main and edge surfaces of the substrate 100. The print head 252 is turned on at the start of printing and remains on during printing. The substrate 100 is fed to the next electrical trace when the substrate is outside the aerosol jet path, thus eliminating the need for ink shuttering. In this way, runtime and ink flow uniformity are maximized. In addition, motion errors associated with the print head 252 due to its cantilevered mounting design are eliminated.

[0031] The starting position of the substrate 100 is outside the aerosol jet path, and the substrate is fed to the appropriate starting position (for example, based on reference 116). Each printed electrical trace is the result of two printing strokes (one driving the substrate into the aerosol jet path, and the other pulling the substrate out of the aerosol jet path without moving in the feed direction). Due to this printing strategy, rapid acceleration control is used to accelerate the substrate to the correct printing speed, control the printing speed, decelerate to zero as quickly as possible while the substrate is still under the aerosol jet path, accelerate again to the printing speed in the opposite direction, control the printing speed as the substrate leaves the aerosol jet path, and then decelerate to zero during the next feed movement. The apparatus 200 is designed to minimize the moving mass, thus increasing its ability to accelerate and decelerate rapidly.

[0032] In some embodiments, a mask (e.g., 114 in Figure 2) may be applied to the substrate 100 to allow the substrate to move within the aerosol jet path while preventing ink from accumulating on the substrate in areas where ink is unintended and / or not needed. By using a mask, printing time can be further reduced by eliminating double printing strokes for each electrical trace.

[0033] Figure 5 is a perspective enlargement of an exemplary carrier 202 coupled to the motion platform 210 of the apparatus 200 of Figure 4. As shown in Figure 5, the motion platform 210 includes a plurality of magnets 260 (as part of the flexure 220) to detachably couple the carrier 202 to the motion platform. In addition, the motion platform 210 includes a plurality of V-grooves 262 configured to receive kinematic ball-end adjusters (e.g., 306 in Figure 6) of the carrier 202 to position the carrier 202 relative to the flexure 220, as will be further described below.

[0034] The carrier 202 may include a first carrier portion 300a and a second carrier portion 300b. In a particular exemplary embodiment, the first carrier portion 300a and the second carrier portion 300b are identical, as shown by the carrier portion 300 illustrated in Figure 6. Because the first carrier portion 300a and the second carrier portion 300b are symmetrical, once the substrate 100 is secured within the carrier 202, the carrier can be rotated and inverted to allow printing on the upper and lower sides of both long edges of the substrate. In other examples, as further described below with reference to Figure 8, the carrier 202 may include a single carrier portion 300 and a plurality of magnets for securing the substrate 100 to the single carrier portion 300.

[0035] Referring back to Figures 5 and 6, the first carrier portion 300a is configured to contact the first main surface of the substrate 100 (e.g., 102 in Figure 1). The first carrier portion 300a includes a plurality of first magnets 302a (not shown in Figure 5, but shown in Figure 7A) and a plurality of second magnets 304 (not shown in Figure 5, but shown in Figure 6). The plurality of first magnets 302a of the first carrier portion 300a are configured to detachably couple the first carrier portion 300a to the motion platform 210 via the flexure 220. The first carrier portion 300a is detachably coupled to the flexure 220 by positioning the plurality of first magnets 302a on the opposite side of the corresponding plurality of magnets 260 of the flexure 220. Multiple kinematic adjusters 306a of the first carrier portion 300a (not shown in Figure 5, but shown in Figure 7A) are configured to adjust the position of the first carrier portion 300a relative to the motion platform 210 (for example, relative to the flexure 220) by engaging the V-grooves 262.

[0036] The second carrier portion 300b is configured to contact the second main surface of the substrate 100 (e.g., 104 in Figure 1) on the opposite side of the first main surface of the substrate 100. The second carrier portion 300b includes a plurality of third magnets 304 (not shown in Figure 5, but shown in Figure 6) opposite to a plurality of second magnets 304 of the first carrier portion 300a to secure the substrate 100 between the first carrier portion 300a and the second carrier portion 300b. The second carrier portion 300b also includes a plurality of fourth magnets 302b configured to removably couple the second carrier portion to the motion platform 210 via the flexure 220 when the carrier 202 is flipped over and electrodes are printed on the second main surface and edge surface of the substrate 100.

[0037] Figure 7A is a perspective view, and Figure 7B is a partial side view of an exemplary carrier 202 and an exemplary alignment jig 400 for repeatedly positioning a substrate 100 within the carrier 202. In some examples, a first polyimide film interposer layer may be added between the first carrier portion 300a and the first main surface of the substrate, and a second polyimide film interposer layer may be added between the second carrier portion 300b and the second main surface of the substrate to protect the substrate. The alignment jig 400 includes a precisely machined dowel 402 and two precisely machined dowels 410. In certain exemplary embodiments, the dowels 402 and 410 are polyetheretherketone (PEEK) dowels.

[0038] The dowel 402 includes a first portion 404 configured to contact the first carrier portion 300a (for example, within a recess on the shorter side of the first carrier portion 300a), a second portion 406 configured to contact the substrate 100, and a third portion 408 configured to contact the second carrier portion 300b (for example, within a recess on the shorter side of the second carrier portion 300b). The first portion 404 and the third portion 408 have the same radius so that the side surface of the first carrier portion 300a aligns with the side surface of the second carrier portion 300b. The second portion 406 has a smaller radius than the first portion 404 and the third portion 408 so that the substrate 100 extends into the recesses on the respective sides of the first carrier portion 300a and the second carrier portion 300b. The dowel pins 402 set an offset between the short edge of the substrate 100 and the short sides of the first carrier portion 300a and the second carrier portion 300b. Different dowel pins 402 with different radii may be used for the first portion 404, the second portion 406, and the third portion 408 to support different offsets between the carrier 202 and the substrate 100.

[0039] As best illustrated in Figure 7B, each dowel 410 includes a first portion 412 configured to contact a first carrier portion 300a (e.g., the long side of the first carrier portion 300a), a second portion 414 configured to contact the substrate 100, and a third portion 416 configured to contact a second carrier portion 300b (e.g., the long side of the second carrier portion 300b). The first portion 412 and the third portion 416 have the same radius so that the side of the first carrier portion 300a aligns with the side of the second carrier portion 300b. The second portion 414 has a smaller radius than the first portion 412 and the third portion 416 so that the substrate 100 extends beyond the respective sides of the first carrier portion 300a and the second carrier portion 300b. Each dowel pin 410 sets an offset between the long edge of the substrate 100 and the long sides of the first carrier portion 300a and the second carrier portion 300b. Different dowel pins 410 with different radii may be used for the first portion 412, the second portion 414, and the third portion 416 to support different offsets between the carrier 202 and the substrate 100.

[0040] Figure 8 is a perspective view of another exemplary carrier 203 and another exemplary alignment jig 500 for repeatedly positioning a substrate 100 within a carrier 203. The carrier 203 includes a carrier portion 300 as described and illustrated with reference to Figure 6, and a plurality of third magnets 320 (e.g., coated magnets to prevent damage to the substrate 100). Each third magnet 320 is configured to be positioned on the second main surface of the substrate 100 opposite the first main surface, and opposite the corresponding second magnet 304 (Figure 6) embedded within the carrier portion 300, in order to secure the substrate 100 to the carrier portion 300. In some examples, a polyimide film interposer layer may be added between the carrier portion 300 and the main surface of the substrate to protect the substrate. When electrodes are printed on one main surface and edge surface of the substrate 100, but not on the other main surface of the substrate, the carrier 203 may be used instead of the carrier 202.

[0041] The alignment jig 500 includes independently adjustable stoppers 502, 504, 506, 508, 510, and 512 for aligning the substrate 100 with the carrier portion 300. The independently adjustable stopper 502 is configured to contact the short side of the carrier portion 300, while the independently adjustable stopper 504 is configured to contact the short edge of the substrate 100 to align the short edge of the substrate with the short side of the carrier portion 300. The independently adjustable stoppers 508 and 510 are configured to contact the long side of the carrier portion 300, while the independently adjustable stoppers 506 and 512 are configured to contact the long edge of the substrate 100 to align the long edge of the substrate with the long side of the carrier portion 300.

[0042] Independently adjustable stoppers 502, 508, and 510 may include kinematic flat and V-groove components that contact the kinematic adjuster 306 (Figure 6) on the carrier portion 300. Independently adjustable stoppers 504, 506, and 512 may be machined PEEK stoppers to position the substrate 100 and reduce the possibility of damage to the substrate 100. This embodiment can be adapted to incorporate a vacuum to hold the substrate 100 in place on the carrier portion 300. In that case, the alignment jig 500 and the substrate / carrier configuration can be used to print electrodes that wrap around to both main surfaces of the substrate.

[0043] Figure 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary carrier portion 300 coupled to a motion platform 210. The magnets 302 of the carrier portion 300 are detachably coupled to the motion platform 210, corresponding to the magnets 260 of the flexure 220 of the motion platform 210. The kinematic ball end adjuster 306 of the carrier portion 300 engages with the V-groove 262 of the flexure 220. The kinematic ball end adjuster 306 can be adjusted to change the position of the carrier portion 300 relative to the flexure 220 of the motion platform 210.

[0044] Figure 10 is a partial side view of the apparatus 200 of Figure 4 illustrating the optical system 240 and carrier 202. The optical system 240 includes a camera 602, a first adjustment mechanism 604, and a second adjustment mechanism 606. The optical system 240 is mounted on the print head tower 250 such that the camera 602 is perpendicular to the main surface of the substrate 100 to provide optimal image quality. The first adjustment mechanism 604 (e.g., a micrometer adjuster) may be adjusted to calibrate the position of the camera 602 along the camera axis relative to the substrate 100 (e.g., an axis perpendicular to the main surface of the substrate 100). The second adjustment mechanism 606 (e.g., a micrometer adjuster) may be adjusted to calibrate the position of the camera 602 along an axis perpendicular to the camera axis relative to the substrate 100 (e.g., an axis parallel to the main surface of the substrate 100).

[0045] The optical system 240 is used to calibrate the location of the print head 252 (Figure 4), and therefore the location of the orifice 204, each time the print head is changed. In a particular exemplary embodiment, the calibration routine includes printing a reference (e.g., 116 in Figure 2) onto the substrate 100, then moving the printed reference under the camera 602, and using the camera to precisely position the center of the reference within the field of view. Once the center of the reference is found, the in-field location at the pixel level can be converted to machine coordinates and micrometers to precisely indicate where the aerosol jet will strike the substrate 100. The optical system 240 can also be used to position the substrate 100 on which the electrodes will be printed by referencing the existing reference location on the substrate. In a particular exemplary embodiment, the calibration and alignment process using the optical system 240 results in a printing accuracy of approximately + / - 5 micrometers or more.

[0046] Figure 11 is a side section view of the apparatus 200 of Figure 4, illustrating a motion platform 210 including a print head tower 250. The print head tower 250 may ride on a straight rail 270, allowing the orifice 204 to be positioned relative to the substrate 100 along an axis perpendicular to the aerosol jet. The print head tower 250 may include an adjustment mechanism 272 (e.g., a micrometer adjuster) which can be adjusted to precisely optimize the position of the print head 252, and therefore the position of the orifice 204 relative to the substrate 100, during the initial setup of the apparatus 200.

[0047] Figures 12A–12D are flowcharts of an exemplary method 700 for manufacturing display tiles. In certain exemplary embodiments, method 700 may be implemented by the apparatus 200 described above and illustrated with reference to Figures 4–11. Method 700 may be used to print a wrap-around electrode 112 onto a substrate 100, as illustrated in Figure 3. As illustrated in 702 in Figure 12A, method 700 may include releasing a first continuous aerosol jet from an orifice (e.g., 204). In 704, method 700 may include depositing a first portion of the first electrode (e.g., first electrode 112) onto a first main surface (e.g., 102) and edge surface (e.g., 106) of the substrate (e.g., 100) from the first continuous aerosol jet released from the orifice. In 706, the method 700 may include depositing a first portion of a second electrode (e.g., a second electrode 112 adjacent to the first electrode 112) onto a first main surface and edge surface of a substrate from a first continuous aerosol jet discharged from an orifice.

[0048] In some embodiments, as illustrated in Figure 12B, step 706 of method 700 in Figure 12A may further include method 706a. In 708, method 706a may include moving the substrate out of the first continuous aerosol jet emitted from the orifice after the first portion of the first electrode has been deposited (for example, by moving the carrier 202 away from the orifice 204 along the print stroke axis 230 via a non-contact linear motor 216). In 710, method 706a may include moving the substrate relative to the orifice while the substrate is out of the first continuous aerosol jet emitted from the orifice (for example, by moving the carrier 202 along the feed stroke axis 232 parallel to the carrier 202 via a non-contact linear motor 214). In 712, method 706a may include moving the substrate into a first continuous aerosol jet discharged from the orifice (for example, by moving the carrier 202 toward the orifice 204 along the printing stroke axis 230 via a non-contact linear motor 216) to deposit the first portion of the second electrode. In this embodiment, a double printing stroke is used to print each electrode, with one printing stroke moving from the edge of the substrate toward the center of the substrate and the other printing stroke returning to the edge of the substrate.

[0049] In some embodiments, as illustrated in Figure 12C, step 706 of method 700 in Figure 12A may further include method 706b. In 714, method 706b may include moving the mask portion (e.g., 114) of the substrate (e.g., 100) into a first continuous aerosol jet discharged from the orifice after the first portion of the first electrode has been deposited (e.g., by moving the carrier 202 along the print stroke axis 230 toward the orifice 204 via a non-contact linear motor 216 so that the aerosol jet strikes the mask portion 114 of the substrate 100). In 716, method 706b may include moving the substrate relative to the orifice while the mask portion of the substrate is in the first continuous aerosol jet discharged from the orifice (e.g., by moving the carrier 202 along the feed stroke axis 232 parallel to the carrier 202 via a non-contact linear motor 214). In 718, method 706b may include moving an unmasked portion of the substrate into a first continuous aerosol jet discharged from the orifice (for example, by moving the carrier 202 away from the orifice 204 along the print stroke axis 230 via a non-contact linear motor 216) to deposit the first portion of the second electrode. In this embodiment, the mask on the substrate allows the substrate to move into the path of the aerosol jet and prevents printing on the substrate in unintended and / or unnecessary locations. By using a mask on the substrate, printing time can be reduced by eliminating double print strokes for each electrode.

[0050] As illustrated in 720 in Figure 12D, method 700 may further include inverting the substrate (e.g., by removing the carrier 202 from the motion platform 210, turning the carrier 202 over, and reattaching the carrier 202 to the motion platform 210). In 722, method 700 may further include releasing a second continuous aerosol jet from the orifice. In 724, method 700 may further include depositing a second portion of the first electrode from the second continuous aerosol jet released from the orifice onto a second main surface (e.g., 104) and a marginal surface (e.g., 106) of the substrate (e.g., 100), the second main surface being opposite the first main surface (e.g., 102), and the marginal surface extending between the first and second main surfaces. In 726, the method 700 may further include depositing a second portion of the second electrode onto a second main surface and edge surface of the substrate from a second continuous aerosol jet emitted from the orifice.

[0051] Those skilled in the art will see that various modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments of this disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is intended to encompass such modifications and variations, insofar as they remain within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. Apparatus for manufacturing display tiles, A carrier configured to secure the substrate, An orifice configured to release an aerosol jet, An apparatus comprising: a motion platform configured to move the carrier relative to the orifice while the orifice emits a continuous aerosol jet, thereby printing a plurality of electrodes on the first main surface and edge surface of the substrate.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the motion platform comprises a plurality of air bearings, and the carrier floats above them.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the motion platform comprises a non-contact linear motor for moving the carrier relative to the orifice.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the motion platform comprises a flexure that couples the carrier to the non-contact linear motor.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the motion platform comprises a plurality of magnets for detachably coupling the carrier to the motion platform.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the motion platform is configured to move the carrier along a first axis and a second axis perpendicular to the first axis.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an optical system configured to calibrate the location of the orifice each time the orifice is changed.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the optical system is further configured to position the substrate relative to the orifice based on a reference on the substrate before printing the plurality of electrodes.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the orifice remains stationary while the plurality of electrodes are being printed.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a printing head tower configured to position the orifice relative to the substrate.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the print head tower is equipped with a non-contact linear motor for moving the orifice relative to the substrate.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the print head tower comprises a flexure that couples the orifice to the non-contact linear motor.

13. A carrier for manufacturing display tiles, wherein the carrier is It comprises a first carrier portion configured to contact a first main surface of the substrate, and the first carrier portion is The first carrier portion comprises a plurality of first magnets configured to be detachably coupled to a motion platform of an apparatus for manufacturing the display tiles, A carrier comprising a plurality of second magnets configured to fix the substrate to the first carrier portion.

14. The carrier according to claim 13, further comprising a plurality of first kinematic adjusters configured to adjust the position of the first carrier portion relative to the motion platform.

15. The carrier according to claim 13, further comprising a plurality of third magnets, each third magnet being configured to be positioned on a second main surface of the substrate opposite to the first main surface and opposite to the corresponding second magnet among the plurality of second magnets, in order to fix the substrate to the first carrier portion.

16. The present invention further comprises a second carrier portion configured to contact a second main surface of the substrate opposite to the first main surface, wherein the second carrier portion is A plurality of third magnets on the opposite side of the plurality of second magnets for fixing the substrate between the first carrier portion and the second carrier portion, The carrier according to claim 13, further comprising a plurality of fourth magnets configured to detachably connect the second carrier portion to the motion platform.

17. A method for manufacturing display tiles, wherein the method is The first continuous aerosol jet is released from the orifice, The first continuous aerosol jet released from the orifice deposits the first portion of the first electrode onto the first main surface and edge surface of the substrate, A method comprising depositing a first portion of a second electrode onto the first main surface and the edge surface of the substrate from the first continuous aerosol jet discharged from the orifice.

18. Depositing the first portion of the second electrode is After depositing the first portion of the first electrode, the substrate is moved outside the first continuous aerosol jet released from the orifice, The substrate is moved relative to the orifice while it is outside the first continuous aerosol jet released from the orifice, The method according to claim 17, comprising moving the substrate into the first continuous aerosol jet discharged from the orifice to deposit the first portion of the second electrode.

19. Depositing the first portion of the second electrode is After depositing the first portion of the first electrode, the mask portion of the substrate is moved into the first continuous aerosol jet released from the orifice, The substrate is moved relative to the orifice while the mask portion of the substrate is within the first continuous aerosol jet emitted from the orifice. The method according to claim 17, comprising moving the unmasked portion of the substrate into the first continuous aerosol jet discharged from the orifice to deposit the first portion of the second electrode.

20. Inverting the aforementioned substrate, Discharging a second continuous aerosol jet from the orifice, The method involves depositing the second portion of the first electrode onto the second main surface and the edge surface of the substrate from the second continuous aerosol jet discharged from the orifice, wherein the second main surface is on the opposite side of the first main surface, and the edge surface extends between the first main surface and the second main surface. The method according to claim 17, further comprising depositing the second portion of the second electrode onto the second main surface and the edge surface of the substrate from the second continuous aerosol jet discharged from the orifice.

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