Differential Pressure Lid for Vacuum Organic Semiconductor Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing element manufacturing processes for organic semiconductor elements require significant time and resources due to the need to evacuate and replace the internal environment of the manufacturing apparatus between vacuum and atmospheric conditions, particularly during steps like removing the organic semiconductor layer.
Innovation Solution
An element manufacturing method and apparatus that utilizes a differential pressure to efficiently cover a substrate under a vacuum environment, allowing for the close-fitting of a lid member with a protrusion to create a sealed space and facilitate light irradiation for removing the organic semiconductor layer without exposing the apparatus to atmospheric air.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the manufacturing apparatus is evacuated to provide a vacuum environment for film deposition, then impurity prevention is improved, but manufacturing time increases due to the time needed for evacuation and environment replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is segmented into distinct vacuum-based steps (film deposition) and atmospheric-based steps (laser irradiation for organic semiconductor layer removal). By separating these processes and allowing atmospheric exposure only when necessary, the apparatus maintains vacuum conditions for most of the manufacturing time, reducing overall evacuation cycles while preventing impurities during critical deposition phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid member with protrusion is designed in advance to enable selective atmospheric exposure. The protrusion structure is pre-configured to allow the organic semiconductor layer to extend beyond the substrate edge, enabling laser irradiation to remove the layer without requiring full atmospheric exposure of the manufacturing chamber, thus maintaining vacuum conditions during the removal process.
2Ease of manufacture
If the organic semiconductor layer is removed by laser irradiation in atmospheric air, then the removal process is simplified, but contamination of the substrate with dispersed organic semiconductor material occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The lid member acts as an intermediary barrier between the laser irradiation zone and the substrate. It allows laser light to pass through for effective organic semiconductor layer removal while preventing dispersed material from contaminating the substrate. The protrusion structure positions the organic semiconductor layer edge accessible to laser irradiation while maintaining substrate protection.
Solution Approach 2:
Atmospheric exposure and laser irradiation are applied locally only to the region where the organic semiconductor layer extends beyond the substrate edge, rather than exposing the entire manufacturing chamber to atmospheric conditions. This localized approach enables effective layer removal while minimizing contamination risk to the substrate area.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the lid member is brought into close contact with the substrate under vacuum using differential pressure, then sealing and contamination prevention are improved, but the complexity of the manufacturing apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
Differential pressure created by vacuum evacuation acts as a counterbalancing force to bring the lid member into close contact with the substrate. The pressure difference (lower pressure under the lid versus atmospheric pressure above) automatically seals the gap between the lid and substrate, preventing contamination without requiring complex mechanical sealing mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing mechanism is self-actuating through differential pressure. When the manufacturing apparatus evacuates to vacuum, the pressure difference automatically causes the lid member to adhere to the substrate, creating a seal without requiring additional actuators, motors, or complex control systems. The system uses the vacuum environment itself to perform the sealing function.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces the time and costs associated with manufacturing by maintaining the process under a lower pressure environment, preventing contamination and enabling efficient removal of the organic semiconductor layer while maintaining a vacuum condition.
Implementation Method 1
bringing the first surface of the lid member into close contact with the intermediate product in such a manner that a gas is injected into an enclosed space hermetically sealed from surroundings and formed on the lid member at a second surface opposite to the first surface so that an internal pressure of the enclosed space becomes higher than an internal pressure of a space between the lid member and the intermediate product
Implementation Method 2
a known method for removing the organic semiconductor layer present on an auxiliary electrode is by irradiating the organic semiconductor layer with light such as laser light. In this case, the organic semiconductor material constituting the organic semiconductor layer will be dispersed during the removal of the organic semiconductor layer by ablation
Data Source
AI summary
To provide an element manufacturing method and element manufacturing apparatus for efficiently manufacturing an element such as an organic semiconductor element. First, an intermediate product, which includes a substrate and a protrusion extending in a normal direction of the substrate, is formed. Next, the intermediate product is covered, at a side where the protrusion is provided, with a first surface of a lid member. After the covering of the intermediate product, a gas is injected into an enclosed space formed at a side of a second surface of the lid member that is present on an opposite side of the first surface. This enhances an internal pressure of the enclosed space, thus bringing the first surface of the lid member into close contact with the intermediate product.