Bonding Apparatus for Flexible Devices with Pressurizing Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing process of flexible devices, such as semiconductor and light-emitting devices, faces issues like bubble inclusion, thickness unevenness, and misalignment during the bonding of layers on flexible substrates, which can lead to decreased device reliability and quality.
Innovation Solution
A bonding apparatus and stack body manufacturing apparatus are designed with a stage for supporting sheet-like members, a fixing mechanism to align and secure one end of a second member, and a pressurizing mechanism to spread a bonding layer under pressure between the members, ensuring accurate alignment and reducing defects like bubbles and uneven thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bonding is performed without a pressurizing mechanism, then the bonding process is simpler, but bubbles are included and bonding layer thickness becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The pressurizing mechanism is divided into multiple rollers that apply pressure sequentially or simultaneously to different regions of the bonding interface. This segmentation allows uniform pressure distribution across the bonding area, preventing bubble inclusion and ensuring even bonding layer thickness without requiring an overly complex single-point pressurization system.
Solution Approach 2:
A pressing roller serves as an intermediary element between the bonding apparatus and the workpiece. The roller transfers and distributes pressure uniformly across the bonding interface through its contact surface, effectively eliminating bubbles and thickness unevenness while maintaining a relatively simple overall apparatus structure.
2Manufacturing precision
If alignment is not fixed during bonding, then the bonding process is faster, but misalignment occurs between layers
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing mechanism pre-positions and secures the flexible substrate and layer to be bonded in the correct alignment before the bonding process begins. This preliminary alignment action ensures that subsequent bonding occurs between properly aligned surfaces, preventing misalignment defects while allowing the actual bonding operation to proceed efficiently without repeated adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixing mechanism is designed to be dynamically adjustable, allowing for precise positioning and alignment of the substrates before bonding. Once alignment is achieved, the mechanism locks the position to maintain precision throughout the bonding process, thereby ensuring manufacturing accuracy without significantly extending the overall bonding cycle time.
3Manufacturing precision
If separation is performed using laser ablation, then separation precision is improved, but the process becomes more complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the separation function from the main bonding apparatus by using a dedicated separation layer that can be selectively removed. This separation layer, positioned between the flexible substrate and the layer to be transferred, allows for precise separation through its weak bonding characteristics, eliminating the need for complex laser ablation equipment while maintaining high separation precision.
Solution Approach 2:
A disposable separation layer is used as a temporary element to enable precise separation. This thin, sacrificial layer is designed to be easily removed after serving its purpose of facilitating clean separation between the flexible substrate and the functional layer, providing precision separation without requiring expensive or complex separation equipment.
Data Source
AI summary
A yield in the step of bonding two members together is improved. A bonding apparatus includes a stage capable of supporting a first member having a sheet-like shape, a fixing mechanism capable of fixing one end portion of a second member having a sheet-like shape so that the second member overlaps with the first member, and a pressurizing mechanism capable of moving from a side of the one end portion of the second member to a side of the other end portion and spreading a bonding layer under pressure between the first member and the second member. The first member and the second member are bonded to each other.