Alignment Mask Partitioning to Prevent OLED Align Hole Drift
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the production of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), the alignment holes in metal mask assemblies experience drift due to magnetic forces during repeated evaporation processes, leading to reduced position accuracy and increased replacement costs.
Innovation Solution
The design of an align mask with a mask body featuring a retention area, cut-out areas, and half-etch lines that enclose align holes, allowing for precise partitioning and preventing drift by blocking magnetic attraction, combined with a preparation method involving welding and cutting along these lines to create a stable metal mask assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If align holes are used in metal mask assembly for evaporation processes, then evaporation positioning can be achieved, but the align holes experience drift due to magnetic forces during repeated use, reducing position accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The mask body is divided into multiple isolated regions using partition walls. Each partition wall encloses specific align holes, creating independent magnetic isolation zones. This segmentation prevents magnetic field interference from affecting the entire mask body uniformly, thereby reducing drift of align holes during repeated evaporation processes and maintaining position accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
Partition walls act as intermediary structures between different align hole regions. These walls made of magnetic shield material serve as mediators that block magnetic field lines, preventing direct magnetic interaction between adjacent align holes and the mask frame. This intermediary structure effectively reduces magnetic drift while maintaining the functional integrity of the mask assembly.
2Manufacturing precision
If the mask body is divided into multiple isolated regions using partition walls, then magnetic attraction is blocked and position accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The partition walls are designed as thin-walled structures with uniform thickness (0.5-2mm). These thin film-like partitions provide effective magnetic shielding while minimizing the added structural complexity and material usage. The thin-walled design allows the partition walls to be integrated into the mask body manufacturing process without significantly increasing device complexity.
3Reliability
If partition walls are added to enclose align holes, then position stability is improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The partition walls are pre-formed as integral parts of the mask body structure before the align holes are drilled. This preliminary formation of partition walls allows for more precise positioning and reduces the number of subsequent machining operations required. By preparing the magnetic isolation structure in advance, the overall manufacturing complexity is reduced while maintaining position stability.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are an alignment mask, a metal mask assembly, and a preparation method therefor. The alignment mask includes a mask body. The mask body includes: multiple alignment holes; and, separating parts surrounding at least some alignment holes and used for separating the areas at where the at least some alignment holes are located from other areas, where the separation parts include at least one semi-etched line.