Method for manufacturing deposition mask

Abstract

To provide a vapor deposition mask that is free from burr, and to provide a method for manufacturing a vapor deposition mask that prevents burr from forming.SOLUTION: A method for manufacturing a vapor deposition mask includes the steps of: forming a mask body 110 including an opening pattern at a first surface of a support substrate; disposing a mask frame 120 on the mask body 110; disposing a temporary fixture including a ferromagnetic body at a second surface on an opposite side to the first surface of the support substrate; fixing the mask frame 120 to the mask body 110 with the magnetic force of the temporary fixture; forming a connection part 130 for connecting the mask body 110 to the mask frame 120; and removing the temporary fixture and the support substrate.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3H

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a deposition mask. Also, the present invention relates to a manufacturing method of a deposition mask. In particular, the present invention relates to a deposition mask including a thin-film mask body and a manufacturing method of the deposition mask. [Background technology]

[0002] An organic EL (Electroluminescence) display device is one type of flat panel display device. In an organic EL display device, an organic EL element is provided for each pixel. An organic EL element has a structure in which a layer containing an organic EL material (hereinafter referred to as "organic EL layer") is sandwiched between a pair of electrodes consisting of an anode electrode and a cathode electrode. The organic EL layer is composed of functional layers such as a light-emitting layer, an electron injection layer, and a hole injection layer. An organic EL element can emit light of various wavelengths by selecting the organic material of the light-emitting layer.

[0003] When the organic EL material is a low molecular weight compound, a thin film is formed in the organic EL layer by using a vacuum deposition method. In the vacuum deposition method, the deposition material is heated by a heater under high vacuum and sublimated. The sublimated deposition material is deposited (deposited) on the surface of the substrate to form a thin film. In addition, in the vacuum deposition method, a mask (deposition mask) having many fine opening patterns is used to form a high-definition thin film pattern corresponding to the opening pattern.

[0004] Deposition masks can be classified according to the manufacturing method, and can be roughly divided into fine metal masks (FMM) patterned by etching and electro-fine forming masks (EFM) using electroforming technology. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for manufacturing a deposition mask in which a mask body having a fine opening pattern is formed by electroforming, and then the mask body and a mask frame are connected by further electroforming. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-210633 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the conventional EFM manufacturing method, burrs (more specifically, protrusions protruding from the surface of the mask body) are generated on the surface of the deposition mask facing the deposition substrate. If there are burrs on the deposition mask, the burrs may come into contact with the deposition substrate during deposition and damage the deposition substrate. As a result, the elements formed on the deposition substrate may be destroyed. Also, a gap may be generated between the deposition mask and the deposition substrate, causing the deposition pattern formed on the deposition substrate to become blurred. These phenomena ultimately result in defects in the display device, and are factors that reduce the yield of the display device. Therefore, in the conventional deposition mask manufacturing method, a process of cutting the burrs on the deposition mask with a cutter or the like and removing the burrs from the deposition mask was required.

[0007] The process of removing burrs from a deposition mask is generally performed manually. That is, an operator checks the position of the burrs on the deposition mask with a microscope and cuts off the burrs. Therefore, in the process of removing burrs from a deposition mask, there are problems that not only the working time varies depending on the skill level of the operator, but also the quality of the deposition mask varies depending on the skill level of the operator. In addition, there is also a problem that the burrs cut off from the deposition mask adhere to the deposition mask as foreign matter.

[0008] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a deposition mask that does not have burrs and a method for manufacturing a deposition mask that does not form burrs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A method for manufacturing a deposition mask according to one embodiment of the present invention includes forming a mask body having an opening pattern on a first surface of a supporting substrate, placing a mask frame on the mask body, placing a temporary fixture including a ferromagnetic material on a second surface of the supporting substrate opposite the first surface, fixing the mask frame to the mask body by the magnetic force of the temporary fixture, forming a connection portion that connects the mask body and the mask frame, and removing the temporary fixture and the supporting substrate.

[0010] An evaporation mask according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a mask body having an opening pattern, a mask frame overlapping the mask body, and a connection portion connecting the mask body and the mask frame, so that the mask and the mask frame are in direct contact with each other. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a deposition mask according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a deposition mask according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1C] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a deposition mask according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2A] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a deposition mask according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2B] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a deposition mask according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3A] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views showing a method for manufacturing a deposition mask according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3B] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views showing a method for manufacturing a deposition mask according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3C] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views showing a method for manufacturing a deposition mask according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3D] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views showing a method for manufacturing a deposition mask according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3E] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views showing a method for manufacturing a deposition mask according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3F] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views showing a method for manufacturing a deposition mask according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3G] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views showing a method for manufacturing a deposition mask according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3H] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views showing a method for manufacturing a deposition mask according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4A] 1 is a plan view of a fixture used in a method for producing a deposition mask according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4B] 1 is a plan view of a fixture used in a method for producing a deposition mask according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4C] 1 is a plan view of a fixture used in a method for producing a deposition mask according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5A] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views showing a conventional method for manufacturing a deposition mask. [Figure 5B] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views showing a conventional method for manufacturing a deposition mask. [Figure 5C] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views showing a conventional method for manufacturing a deposition mask. [Figure 5D] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views showing a conventional method for manufacturing a deposition mask. [Figure 5E] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views showing a conventional method for manufacturing a deposition mask. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, etc. However, the present invention can be embodied in various forms without departing from the gist of the present invention, and the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the description of the embodiments exemplified below.

[0013] In order to clarify the description, the drawings may be schematic in terms of the width, thickness, shape, etc. of each part compared to the actual embodiment. However, the examples shown in the drawings are merely examples and do not limit the interpretation of the present invention. In this specification and each drawing, the same reference numerals are used to designate configurations similar to those described above with respect to the previous drawings, and detailed descriptions may be omitted as appropriate.

[0014] In the present invention, when a single film is etched or irradiated with light to form multiple films, these multiple films may have different functions and roles. However, these multiple films originate from a film formed as the same layer in the same process, and have the same layer structure and the same material. Therefore, these multiple films are defined as existing in the same layer.

[0015] In this specification and the claims, when describing an aspect in which a structure is placed on top of another structure, the term "on top" is used, unless otherwise specified, to include both a case in which the other structure is placed directly on top of the structure so as to be in contact with the structure, and a case in which the other structure is placed above the structure via yet another structure.

[0016] First Embodiment The configuration of a deposition mask 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 1C.

[0017] 1A and 1B are plan views of a deposition mask 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 1A is a plan view of the deposition mask 10 as viewed from a first surface 110-1 of a mask body 110, and FIG. 1B is a plan view of the deposition mask 10 as viewed from a second surface 110-2 opposite to the first surface 110-1 of the mask body 110. Also, FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view of the deposition mask 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view of the deposition mask 10 cut along the line A-A' shown in FIG. 1A or FIG. 1B.

[0018] The deposition mask 10 includes a mask body 110, a mask frame 120, and a connection portion 130. As shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, the mask frame 120 and the connection portion 130 are provided on a first surface 110-1 of the mask body 110. In addition, in a plan view, the mask frame 120 and the connection portion 130 overlap with the mask body 110. As shown in FIG. 1A, in a plan view seen from the first surface 110-1 of the mask body 110, the mask frame 120 and the connection portion 130 are exposed on the mask body 110. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1B, in a plan view seen from the second surface 110-2 of the mask body 110, the mask frame 120 and the connection portion 130 are not exposed from the mask body 110. In other words, in a plan view seen from the second surface 110-2 of the mask body 110, the mask frame 120 and the connection portion 130 can be said to be covered by the mask body 110.

[0019] The mask body 110 includes an opening region 111 and a non-opening region 112. The opening region 111 is provided with an opening 113 that penetrates the mask body 110 and corresponds to the deposition pattern. On the other hand, the non-opening region 112 is not provided with the opening 113. The boundary between the opening region 111 and the non-opening region 112 is not necessarily clear. However, in many cases, the openings 113 are provided according to the deposition pattern, so that the interval between two adjacent openings 113 has a predetermined pitch. Therefore, it is possible to distinguish the opening region 111 from the non-opening region 112 based on the predetermined pitch of the deposition pattern.

[0020] The thickness of the mask body 110 is, for example, 1 μm or more and 10 μm or less. The mask body 110 is preferably made of a material used in electroforming (or electrolytic plating). The mask body 110 can be made of a material such as nickel or a nickel alloy.

[0021] When deposition is performed using the deposition mask 10, the second surface 110-2 of the mask body 110 comes into contact with a substrate to be deposited. In the deposition mask 10 according to this embodiment, the second surface 110-2 of the mask body 110 is uniformly formed of the mask body 110, and therefore does not have any steps or burrs. Therefore, the substrate to be deposited is not damaged by burrs.

[0022] In addition, in the deposition, the organic material can be deposited by passing only through the openings 113 of the mask body 110, so that a pattern (deposition pattern) corresponding to the openings 113 is formed on the deposition substrate. Therefore, the openings 113 can be provided in correspondence with the arrangement of pixels of the display device, and can be arranged, for example, in a matrix.

[0023] The mask frame 120 includes a frame portion 121 located on the outer periphery of the deposition mask 10 and crosspieces 122 located inside the frame portion 121. The mask frame 120 has an opening on the inside of the frame portion 121, and the opening is partitioned by crosspieces 122 arranged in a lattice pattern. When the size of the mask frame 120 is large, it may be difficult to maintain the parallelism of the mask frame 120 at a predetermined standard due to warping or twisting of the frame portion 121. In the deposition mask 10, the crosspieces 122 increase the rigidity of the frame portion 121, so that the parallelism of the mask frame 120 can be maintained at a predetermined standard. Note that when the size of the deposition mask 10 is small and the rigidity of the frame portion 121 is sufficiently high, the crosspieces 122 may not be provided.

[0024] The mask frame 120 may be formed by integrating the frame portion 121 and the crosspiece portion 122, or may be formed by producing the frame portion 121 and the crosspiece portion 122 separately and joining the frame portion 121 and the crosspiece portion 122 together, for example, by welding.

[0025] In FIG. 1A, the mask frame 120 is partitioned into 12 openings by the crosspieces 122, but the number of partitioned openings is not limited to this. The number of partitioned openings can be appropriately determined according to the size of the substrate to be deposited and the deposition pattern. The arrangement of the crosspieces 122 is not limited to a lattice shape. When the mask frame 120 is a rectangle having short and long sides, warping or twisting is more likely to occur on the long sides than on the short sides. For this reason, it is preferable that the crosspieces 122 are provided so as to connect the opposing long sides. The arrangement of the crosspieces 122 may be shaped according to the deposition pattern.

[0026] The width of the frame portion 121 and the width of the crosspiece 122 can be appropriately determined according to the size of the deposition mask 10. Note that, in order to make the region of the deposition pattern as large as possible, it is preferable that the width of the crosspiece 122 is smaller than the width of the frame portion 121.

[0027] The thickness of the mask frame 120 is, for example, 10 μm or more and 2000 μm or less. In addition, the mask frame 120 is preferably made of a material with a small thermal expansion coefficient. The mask frame 120 can be made of a material such as Invar containing iron and nickel or Super Invar containing iron, nickel, and cobalt.

[0028] The connection part 130 can connect the mask body 110 and the mask frame 120. As shown in Fig. 1C, the mask body 110 and the mask frame 120 are in direct contact with each other, but are not bonded or joined to each other. By joining the connection part 130 to the mask body 110 and the mask frame 120, the mask body 110 and the mask frame 120 can be connected and fixed to each other via the connection part 130.

[0029] The connection parts 130 may be provided on at least a part of the side surface of the frame part 121 or the crosspiece part 122 of the mask frame 120. However, in order to increase the bonding strength between the mask body 110 and the mask frame 120, the connection parts 130 are preferably provided on at least half of the side surface of the frame part 121 or the crosspiece part 122, and more preferably on the entire surface of the side surface of the frame part 121 or the crosspiece part 122. The connection parts 130 are preferably formed from a material used in electroforming. The connection parts 130 can be formed from a material such as nickel or a nickel alloy, for example.

[0030] As described above, in the deposition mask 10, the mask body 110 and the mask frame 120 are in direct contact with each other, but are not directly fixed to each other. Therefore, even if the mask body 110 and the mask frame 120 are made of materials with different thermal expansion coefficients, the stress of the mask body 110 or the mask frame 120 can be dispersed. Note that the mask body 110 and the mask frame 120 may not be in direct contact with each other, and a gap may be provided between the mask body 110 and the mask frame 120. Even in this case, the stress of the mask body 110 or the mask frame 120 can be dispersed.

[0031] As described above, according to the deposition mask 10 of this embodiment, the second surface 110-2 of the mask body 110 that contacts the deposition target substrate is uniformly formed of the mask body 110 and does not have steps or burrs. Therefore, the deposition target substrate is not damaged by burrs. Therefore, the display device manufactured using the deposition mask 10 has fewer defects due to the deposition process and an improved yield.

[0032] <Modification> 2A and 2B, a configuration of a deposition mask 10A which is a modified example of the deposition mask 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that in the description of the configuration of the deposition mask 10A, description of components similar to those of the deposition mask 10 may be omitted.

[0033] Fig. 2A is a plan view of a deposition mask 10A according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, Fig. 1A is a plan view of a second surface 110A-2 of a mask body 110A of the deposition mask 10A. Fig. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the deposition mask 10A according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, Fig. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the deposition mask taken along line B-B' shown in Fig. 2A.

[0034] In the deposition mask 10A, the size of the mask body 110A is smaller than the size of the mask frame 120. Therefore, in a plan view seen from the second surface 110A-2 of the mask body 110A, the mask frame 120 is exposed from the mask body 110A. Specifically, a frame portion 121 of the mask frame 120 is exposed. In other words, in a plan view seen from the second surface 110A-2 of the mask body 110A, at least a part of the frame portion 121 is not covered by the mask body 110A.

[0035] In the deposition mask 10 described above, the mask body 110 and the mask frame 120 are not bonded or joined. At the outer periphery of the deposition mask 10, a gap is exposed between the mask body 110 and the frame 121, and therefore the mask body 110 may be deformed or peeled off from the mask frame 120 by an external force. This phenomenon is more likely to occur as the area where the mask body 110 and the frame 121 are not bonded or joined increases. On the other hand, in the deposition mask 10A, the mask body 110A is provided so that the area where the mask body 110A and the frame 121 are not bonded or joined is reduced at the outer periphery of the deposition mask 10A. Therefore, the phenomenon where the mask body 110A is deformed or peeled off from the mask frame 120 is unlikely to occur.

[0036] As described above, according to the deposition mask 10A according to the modified example of the present embodiment, the second surface 110A-2 of the mask body 110A that contacts the deposition target substrate does not have burrs. Therefore, the deposition target substrate is not damaged by burrs. In addition, since the mask body 110A is provided to be smaller than the mask frame 120, the mask body 110A is unlikely to be deformed or peeled off from the mask frame 120 at the outer periphery of the deposition mask 10A. Therefore, the display device manufactured using the deposition mask 10A has fewer defects due to the deposition process and has an improved yield.

[0037] <Second embodiment> A method for manufacturing the deposition mask 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3A to 3G.

[0038] 3A to 3G are cross-sectional views showing a method for manufacturing the deposition mask 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] 3A to 3C are diagrams illustrating the first electroforming step.

[0040] First, as shown in FIG. 3A, a metal layer 220 is formed on a first surface 210-1 of a support substrate 210, and a photoresist layer 230 having a predetermined pattern is formed on the metal layer 220.

[0041] The support substrate 210 can support each layer in the manufacturing process of the deposition mask 10. Therefore, the support substrate 210 is preferably a rigid substrate. The manufacturing process of the deposition mask 10 includes a process of heating the support substrate 210. When the support substrate 210 expands or shrinks due to the heat treatment, not only does the position of the photoresist layer 230 formed on the support substrate 210 shift, but the photoresist layer 230 may also peel off due to stress. Therefore, in order to stabilize the manufacturing process of the deposition mask 10, it is more preferable that the support substrate 210 is a rigid substrate with a small thermal expansion coefficient. Examples of materials for the support substrate 210 include stainless steel (such as SUS304 or SUS430), 42 alloy, invar, super invar, and stainless invar.

[0042] The metal layer 220 can function as a base metal in the first electroforming step. The material of the metal layer 220 is, for example, nickel or a nickel alloy. The metal layer 220 can be formed by sputtering or the like.

[0043] The metal layer 220 is finally separated and removed. Therefore, in order to facilitate separation of the metal layer 220, a release layer may be provided on the metal layer 220. In this case, the metal layer 220 can be easily separated by peeling off the release layer. In addition, the release layer itself may be conductive.

[0044] The deposition mask 10 can also be manufactured by electroless plating instead of electroforming. In this case, an insulating layer can be used instead of the metal layer 220.

[0045] The photoresist layer 230 can function as a mask in the first electroforming process. The photoresist layer 230 is formed by disposing one or more photosensitive dry film resists on the metal layer 220 so as to have a predetermined film thickness, and then by thermocompression bonding. The photosensitive dry film resist may be either a positive type or a negative type. In the following description, the photosensitive dry film is assumed to be a negative type.

[0046] The photoresist layer 230 has a pattern corresponding to the opening pattern of the mask body 110 of the deposition mask 10. The pattern of the photoresist layer 230 can be formed by photolithography. That is, the pattern of the photoresist layer 230 can be formed by adhering a photomask to a dry film resist, exposing the dry film to ultraviolet light, and dissolving and removing the unexposed parts.

[0047] Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, the first plating layer 240 is formed using the photoresist layer 230 as a mask. The first plating layer 240 can be formed by electroforming. Specifically, the metal layer 220 and the photoresist layer 230 are placed in an electroforming bath prepared under predetermined conditions, and metal plating is formed from the surface of the metal layer 220 that is not covered by the photoresist layer 230 to a height that does not exceed the film thickness of the photoresist layer 230. The material of the first plating layer 240 is, for example, nickel or an alloy of nickel and cobalt.

[0048] 3C, the photoresist layer 230 is stripped off. The photoresist layer 230 can be stripped off, for example, with an amine-based stripping solution.

[0049] The first plating layer 240 formed by electroforming may be polished before stripping off the photoresist layer 230. By polishing the first plating layer 240, the surface of the first plating layer 240 can be flattened.

[0050] The first plating layer 240 corresponds to the mask body 110 of the deposition mask 10. Therefore, hereinafter, the first plating layer 240 will be described as the mask body 110 for convenience.

[0051] 3D and 3E are diagrams illustrating the mask frame bonding step.

[0052] 3D, a protective layer 250 is formed on the opening region 111 of the mask body 110. The protective layer 250 can prevent particles generated in a process described below from entering the openings 113 of the opening region 111 and blocking the openings 113. The protective layer 250 can also function as a mask in a second electroforming process described below.

[0053] The protective layer 250 may be made of the same material as the photoresist layer 230. The protective layer 250 may be formed by the same method as the photoresist layer 230.

[0054] Next, as shown in FIG. 3E, the mask frame 120 is placed on the mask body 110. The mask frame 120 is placed so that the frame portion 121 and the crosspiece portion 122 do not overlap the opening region 111 of the mask body 110. That is, the mask frame 120 is placed on the non-opening region 112 of the mask body. In addition, the temporary fixing device 260 is placed on the second surface 210-2 of the support substrate 210. The order in which the mask frame 120 and the temporary fixing device 260 are placed is not particularly limited. The temporary fixing device 260 may be placed after the mask frame 120 is placed, or the mask frame 120 may be placed after the temporary fixing device 260 is placed.

[0055] The temporary fixture 260 can adhere the mask frame 120 to the mask body 110 by magnetic force. Therefore, the temporary fixture 260 includes a ferromagnetic material. As the ferromagnetic material, for example, a samarium-cobalt magnet containing samarium and cobalt, an alnico magnet containing iron, nickel, and cobalt, or a neodymium magnet containing neodymium, iron, and boron can be used. In addition, the temporary fixture 260 can also use a ferrite magnet, an electromagnet, a plastic magnet, or the like.

[0056] Since the temporary fixing device 260 is disposed on the second surface 210-2 of the supporting substrate 210, which is a flat surface, the shape of the temporary fixing device 260 is preferably a flat plate so that the temporary fixing device 260 can be in close contact with the second surface 210-2 of the supporting substrate 210. However, the shape of the temporary fixing device 260 is not limited to a flat plate. The shape of the temporary fixing device 260 may be any shape that matches the shape of the second surface 210-2 of the supporting substrate 210.

[0057] The size of the temporary fixing device 260 is not particularly limited. The size of the temporary fixing device 260 can be appropriately determined taking into consideration the sizes of the mask body 110 and the mask frame 120. The temporary fixing device 260 may be larger or smaller than the mask body 110 or the mask frame 120. However, it is preferable that the temporary fixing device 260 overlaps at least the frame portion 121 of the mask frame 120 with the mask body 110 sandwiched therebetween so that the mask body 110 and the frame portion 121 of the mask frame 120 can be in close contact with each other.

[0058] When adjusting the magnetic force of the temporary fixing device 260, a spacer for adjusting the distance between the supporting substrate 210 and the temporary fixing device 260 may be disposed between the supporting substrate 210 and the temporary fixing device 260. The spacer may have various shapes, such as a flat plate shape, a rod shape, or a sphere shape. However, it is preferable that the spacer is disposed within the second surface 210-2 of the supporting substrate 210 so that the supporting substrate 210 and the temporary fixing device 260 maintain a certain distance. The spacer may be a metal or an insulator. The spacer may be provided in the temporary fixing device 260.

[0059] FIG. 3F is a diagram illustrating the second electroforming step.

[0060] 3F, a second plating layer 270 is formed to connect the mask body 110 and the mask frame 120. The second plating layer 270 can be formed by electroforming by passing an electric current through the metal layer 220 or the mask frame 120. The second plating layer 270 can be formed in the same manner as the first plating layer 240.

[0061] The second plating layer 270 is provided on the non-opening region 112 of the mask body 110, and connects the mask body 110 and the side surface of the mask frame 120. That is, the second plating layer 270 corresponds to the connection portion 130 of the deposition mask 10. Therefore, hereinafter, the second plating layer 270 will be described as the connection portion 130 for convenience.

[0062] 3G and 3H are diagrams illustrating the support substrate separation step.

[0063] 3G, the protective layer 250 is stripped. The protective layer 250 can be stripped in a similar manner to the photoresist layer 230.

[0064] Next, as shown in FIG. 3H, the support substrate 210, the metal layer 220, and the temporary fixing device 260 are separated from the mask body 110. First, the temporary fixing device 260 is separated from the support substrate 210. The temporary fixing device 260 is only fixed to the support substrate 210 by a magnetic force. Therefore, the temporary fixing device 260 can be easily separated from the support substrate 210 by applying a physical force to the temporary fixing device 260 and pulling it away from the support substrate 210. After the temporary fixing device 260 is separated, the support substrate 210 and the metal layer 220 are separated from the mask body 110. The support substrate 210 and the metal layer 220 may be separated at the same time, or the metal layer 220 may be separated after the support substrate 210 is separated.

[0065] Through the above steps, the deposition mask 10 in which the mask frame 120 and the connecting portions 130 overlap with the mask body 110 can be fabricated.

[0066] The order of steps in the manufacturing method of the deposition mask 10 is not limited to the above. For example, the formation of the protective layer 250 shown in Fig. 3D may be performed after the mask frame 120 shown in Fig. 3E is attached to the mask body. Moreover, the peeling of the protective layer 250 shown in Fig. 3G may be performed after the separation of the support substrate 210 shown in Fig. 3H.

[0067] 5A to 5E, a method for manufacturing a conventional deposition mask 30 will be described. The deposition mask 30 includes a mask body 310, a mask frame 320, and a connection portion 330. In the description of the method for manufacturing the conventional deposition mask 30, the description of steps similar to those in the method for manufacturing the deposition mask 10 may be omitted.

[0068] 5A to 5E are cross-sectional views showing a method for manufacturing a conventional deposition mask 30.

[0069] 5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining the mask frame bonding process.

[0070] 5A, a protective layer 250 is formed on an opening region 311 of a mask body 310. The mask body 310 has openings not only in the opening region 311 but also in a non-opening region 312. The openings in the opening region 311 are covered by the protective layer. On the other hand, the openings in the non-opening region 312 are not covered by the protective layer 250. The mask body 310 can be formed in the same manner as the mask body 110 using a support substrate 210 and a metal layer 220, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0071] Next, as shown in FIG. 5B, an adhesive layer 280 is provided on the non-opening region 312 of the mask body 310, and the mask frame 320 is adhered onto the adhesive layer 280. The adhesive layer 280 does not need to be completely cured because it will be removed in a process described later. For example, vinyl acetate resin, ethylene vinyl acetate resin, epoxy resin, cyanoacrylate resin, or acrylic resin can be used as the material of the adhesive layer 280. Also, a dry film resist can be used as the material of the adhesive layer 280. When a dry film resist is used as the material of the adhesive layer 280, the dry film resist may be weakly exposed to light. By exposing the dry film resist, it is possible to easily remove the dry film resist in a process described later.

[0072] FIG. 5C is a view illustrating the second electroforming step.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 5C, a second plating layer 290 is formed to connect the mask body 310 and the mask frame 320. The second plating layer 290 can be formed in the same manner as the second plating layer 270 of the deposition mask 10. The second plating layer 290 is provided so as to fill the openings of the non-opening region 312, so that the second plating layer 290 contacts the metal layer 220. The second plating layer 290 also connects the upper surface and side surface of the non-opening region 312 of the mask body 310 to the mask frame 320. That is, the second plating layer 290 corresponds to the connection portion 330 of the deposition mask 30. Therefore, hereinafter, the second plating layer 290 will be described as the connection portion 330 for convenience.

[0074] 5D and 5E are diagrams illustrating the support substrate separation step.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 5D, the protective layer 250 is peeled off.

[0076] Next, as shown in FIG. 5E, the support substrate 210 and the metal layer 220 are separated. In the separation of the metal layer 220, not only the metal layer 220 but also a part of the mask body 310 and the adhesive layer 280 are peeled off in the region of the metal layer 220 overlapping with the mask frame 320. As a result, a gap 340 is formed below the mask frame 320, and when the connection portion 330 fused to the mask body 310 is broken (for example, shear fracture, etc.), a burr 331 is generated. In addition, the connection portion 330 may be formed in the gap between the metal layer 220 and the mask body 310, and in this case, the burr 331 is also generated. Since the burr 331 is formed together with the peeling of the metal layer 220, the burr 331 is formed protruding from the second surface 310-2 of the mask body 310.

[0077] When the burrs 331 occur, the deposition mask 30 cannot be brought into close contact with the substrate to be deposited. In this case, a gap is generated between the deposition mask 30 and the substrate to be deposited, and the deposition pattern on the substrate to be deposited becomes wider than the opening pattern of the deposition mask 30. As a result, problems such as color mixture between pixels of a display device and blurred emission occur.

[0078] On the other hand, in the method for manufacturing the deposition mask 10 according to this embodiment, the mask body 110 is not peeled off when the metal layer 220 is peeled off. Therefore, in the deposition mask 10, the burrs 331 formed in the conventional deposition mask 30 are not formed.

[0079] As described above, according to the method for manufacturing the deposition mask 10 according to this embodiment, burrs are not formed on the second surface 110-2 of the mask body 110 that contacts the deposition target substrate. Therefore, the deposition target substrate is not damaged by burrs. Therefore, the display device manufactured using the deposition mask 10 has fewer defects due to the deposition process and has an improved yield.

[0080] <Modification> The temporary fixing device 260 is not limited to a flat plate having approximately the same size as the mask body 110 or the mask frame 120. Below, some examples of the shape of the temporary fixing device 260 will be described with reference to Figures 4A to 4C.

[0081] FIG. 4A is a plan view of a temporary fixture 260A used in a method for manufacturing a deposition mask 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0082] The temporary fixing device 260A has a shape corresponding to the shape of the mask frame 120, and includes a first fixing portion 261A and a second fixing portion 262A. That is, the temporary fixing device 260A includes the first fixing portion 261A for fixing the frame portion 121 of the mask frame 120 (bringing the frame portion 121 into close contact with the mask body 110) and the second fixing portion 262A for fixing the crosspiece portion 122 of the mask frame 120 (bringing the crosspiece portion 122 into close contact with the mask body). The temporary fixing device 260A also includes an opening 263A partitioned by the second fixing portion 262A arranged in a lattice pattern.

[0083] The width of each of the first fixing portion 261A and the second fixing portion 262A of the temporary fixing device 260A may be the same as, smaller than, or larger than the width of the frame portion 121 and the crosspiece portion 122 of the mask frame 120. In addition, the number of the second fixing portions 262A of the temporary fixing device 260A may be the same as, smaller than, or larger than the number of the crosspiece portions 122 of the mask frame 120.

[0084] Also, a groove corresponding to the shape of temporary fixing device 260A may be provided on the second surface of supporting substrate 210 so that temporary fixing device 260A fits in the groove. In this case, the position of temporary fixing device 260A is fixed with respect to supporting substrate 210, so that the alignment of mask frame 120 is stable.

[0085] According to the temporary fastener 260A of this modified example, a magnetic force can be generated in accordance with the shape of the mask frame 120, so that the mask frame 120 and the mask body 110 can be brought into close contact with each other stably.

[0086] FIG. 4B is a plan view of a temporary fixture 260B used in a method for manufacturing a deposition mask 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0087] Temporary fixing device 260B includes a first fixing portion 261B and a second fixing portion 262B that are divided into a plurality of portions. The shape of first fixing portion 261B may be different from the shape of second fixing portion 262B.

[0088] The shape of the second fixing portion 262B is not limited to a rectangle. The shape of the second fixing portion 262B may be a circle, an ellipse, a polygon, etc. In addition, the second fixing portion 262B may not all have the same shape, and may include different shapes.

[0089] Furthermore, first fixing portion 261B and second fixing portion 262B of temporary fixing device 260B, and second fixing portion 262B itself may be made of the same material or different materials. By making first fixing portion 261B or second fixing portion 262B of different materials, the magnetic force can be adjusted.

[0090] The second fixing portion 262B is preferably arranged so as to overlap the crosspiece 122 of the mask frame 120, but the arrangement of the second fixing portion 262B is not limited thereto. Since the second fixing portion 262B is not integrated with the first fixing portion 261B, it can be arranged freely according to the state of contact between the mask frame 120 and the mask body 110.

[0091] According to the temporary fixing device 260B of this modification, the first fixing parts 261B of the temporary fixing device 260B can be used to bring the frame part 121 of the mask frame 120 into close contact with the mask body 110. In addition, the second fixing parts 262B of the temporary fixing device 260B can be used to adjust the variation in the state of close contact between the crosspiece parts 122 of the mask frame 120 and the mask body 110.

[0092] FIG. 4C is a plan view of a temporary fixture 260C used in a method for manufacturing a deposition mask 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0093] The temporary fixing device 260C includes a first fixing portion 261C and a second fixing portion 262C which are divided into a plurality of portions. The shape of the first fixing portion 261C may be different from the shape of the second fixing portion 262C. The first fixing portion 261C and the second fixing portion 262C, and the second fixing portions 262C are connected to each other by a connecting portion 264C.

[0094] The connecting portion 264C may be made of a material different from that of the first fixing portion 261C and the second fixing portion 262C as long as it can connect the first fixing portion 261C or the second fixing portion 262C. The material of the connecting portion 264C may be metal or resin. Also, the connecting portion 264C may be made of an elastic body such as a spring. When the connecting portion 264C is an elastic body, the position of the second fixing portion 262C can be adjusted.

[0095] According to the temporary fastener 260C of this modification, the first fastening portion 261C and the second fastening portion 262C are connected by the connecting portion 264C, so that it is possible to stably bring the mask frame 120 and the mask body 110 into close contact with each other. In addition, by adjusting the arrangement of the second fastening portion 262C, it is possible to finely adjust the variation in the state of contact between the crosspiece portion 122 of the mask frame 120 and the mask body 110.

[0096] The above-mentioned embodiments of the present invention may be combined as appropriate as long as they are not mutually inconsistent. Furthermore, those in which a person skilled in the art appropriately adds or removes components or modifies designs, or adds or omits steps or modifies conditions, based on the respective embodiments, are also included in the scope of the present invention as long as they include the gist of the present invention.

[0097] Even if there are other effects and advantages different from those brought about by the aspects of each of the above-mentioned embodiments, those that are clear from the description in this specification or that can be easily predicted by a person skilled in the art are naturally understood to be brought about by the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 10, 10A: deposition mask, 110, 110A: mask body, 110-1: first surface 110-2, 110A-2: second surface, 111: opening region, 112: non-opening region, 113: opening, 120: mask frame, 121: frame portion, 122: crosspiece portion, 130: connection portion, 210: support substrate, 210-1: first surface, 210-2: second surface, 220: metal layer, 230: photoresist layer, 240: first plating layer, 250: protective layer, 260, 260A, 260B, 260C: temporary fixing device, 261A, 261B, 261C: first fixing portion, 262A, 262B, 262C: second fixing portion, 263A: opening, 264C: connection portion, 270: second plating layer, 30: deposition mask, 280: adhesive layer 290: second plating layer, 310: mask body, 310-2: second surface, 311: opening area, 312: non-opening area, 320: mask frame, 330: connection portion, 331: burr, 340: gap

Claims

1. A mask body having an opening pattern is formed on a first surface of a support substrate; A mask frame is placed on the mask body, a plurality of temporary fixtures including a ferromagnetic material are disposed on a second surface of the support substrate opposite to the first surface, and the mask frame is brought into close contact with the mask body by magnetic forces of the temporary fixtures; forming a connection portion that connects the mask body and the mask frame; The method for manufacturing a deposition mask further comprises separating the temporary fixing tool and the supporting substrate from the mask body.

2. The method for manufacturing a deposition mask according to claim 1 , wherein the mask body and the connection portion are formed by electroforming.

3. The method for manufacturing a deposition mask according to claim 1 , wherein the temporary fixing tool is flat.

4. 3. The method for manufacturing a deposition mask according to claim 1, wherein the temporary fixing tool includes a first fixing part having a first shape and a second fixing part having a second shape.

5. the first shape corresponds to a shape of a frame portion of the mask frame, The method for manufacturing a deposition mask according to claim 4 , wherein the second shape corresponds to a shape of a crosspiece of the mask frame.

6. The method for manufacturing a deposition mask according to claim 4 , wherein a material of the first fixing portion is different from a material of the second fixing portion.

7. The method for manufacturing a deposition mask according to claim 4 , wherein the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion are connected to each other by a connecting portion.

8. The method for manufacturing a deposition mask according to claim 7 , wherein the connecting portion includes an elastic body.

9. The method for manufacturing a deposition mask according to claim 1 , wherein the ferromagnetic material contains at least one of iron, aluminum, samarium, cobalt, and nickel.

10. The method for manufacturing a deposition mask according to claim 1 , wherein the deposition mask has the mask body and the mask frame overlapping each other.

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