Alternating Pin Substrate Support for Vacuum Drying Defects
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Solution Overview
Problem
During the vacuum drying process of substrates for TFT-LCD manufacturing, defects such as Mura (uneven coating) and substrate curvature occur due to contact with fixed pins, leading to uneven coating thickness.
Innovation Solution
A substrate support structure with pins divided into two groups that can be alternately lifted, allowing the substrate to be supported by different groups of pins, preventing fixed contact points and curvature, and a control mechanism to adjust lifting frequencies based on the drying process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the substrate is supported by fixed pins during vacuum drying, then the substrate can be held in position, but defects such as Mura and uneven coating thickness occur at contact points
Solution Approach 1:
The pin support structure is designed to be movable rather than fixed. The support platform can move in the vertical direction to adjust the distance between pins and substrate, and the pins can be selectively raised or lowered to change contact points. This dynamic adjustment eliminates fixed contact defects while maintaining proper substrate support during vacuum drying.
Solution Approach 2:
The pin support system is divided into multiple independent pins that can be individually controlled. By segmenting the support function across multiple movable pins, the system can distribute support forces and avoid concentrated contact defects at single fixed points, thereby improving coating uniformity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the substrate is supported by fixed pins, then structural support is provided, but substrate curvature occurs due to prolonged contact at fixed points
Solution Approach 1:
The support platform and pins are designed with movable capabilities to dynamically adjust support configuration. The platform can move vertically to raise or lower all pins simultaneously, while individual pins can be selectively adjusted. This prevents prolonged contact at fixed points that causes curvature, while maintaining adequate structural support throughout the vacuum drying process.
3Reliability
If multiple pins contact the substrate simultaneously, then stable support is achieved, but defects occur at all contact positions
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables dynamic control of pin positions where pins can be selectively raised or lowered independently. This allows the system to maintain stable support through multiple contact points when needed, while avoiding contact at specific positions that would create defects, thus achieving both support reliability and coating quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The support platform can perform periodic vertical movements to alternately raise and lower pins during the vacuum drying process. This periodic action redistributes contact points over time, preventing persistent contact defects while maintaining overall support stability throughout the drying cycle.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a substrate support structure, a vacuum drying device and a vacuum drying method. The substrate support structure includes a support platform and a plurality of pins in the support platform. The plurality of pins is divided into at least two groups, and the at least two groups of pins are in the support platform in such a manner as to be liftable in the support platform, so that a substrate is supported by the at least two groups of pins alternately.