Display Manufacturing Cluster for Maskless OLED Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current display device manufacturing processes face challenges in increasing aperture ratio and reliability due to low alignment accuracy with metal masks and exposure to air, which affects the formation of high-resolution, small-sized displays for AR and VR applications.
Innovation Solution
The development of manufacturing equipment that allows for successive steps from pixel circuit formation to light-emitting element formation without air exposure, using a cluster-based system with load lock chambers and inert gas atmospheres to control impurities and improve alignment accuracy, eliminating the need for metal masks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a metal mask is used for light-emitting element formation, then alignment accuracy is improved, but the area occupied by the light-emitting element must be reduced resulting in lower aperture ratio
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the metal mask from the manufacturing process. By using a cluster-based system with controlled atmosphere chambers, the process removes the need for metal masks entirely, allowing light-emitting elements to be formed with larger areas without alignment constraints imposed by mask geometry
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs an inert gas atmosphere (nitrogen or rare gas) in the cluster system to prevent material oxidation and contamination during light-emitting element formation. This controlled environment enables direct formation of elements without metal mask constraints while maintaining material purity and reliability
2Area of moving object
If the area of light-emitting element is increased to improve aperture ratio, then exposure to air increases causing impurity entry and reliability impairment
Solution Approach 1:
The cluster system maintains a continuous inert gas atmosphere throughout the light-emitting element formation process. Load lock chambers and transfer chambers are all filled with inert gas, creating a sealed environment that prevents water, oxygen, and hydrogen from entering the material even when processing larger area elements
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements a continuous inert gas atmosphere throughout the entire manufacturing sequence from pixel circuit formation through light-emitting element deposition. This uninterrupted protective environment ensures material reliability is maintained regardless of element size or processing time
3Reliability
If multiple steps are performed in regions with controlled atmosphere to prevent impurity entry, then reliability is improved, but process complexity and number of steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple separate controlled-atmosphere chambers into an integrated cluster system. The load lock chamber, transfer chamber, and processing chambers are connected and all maintain inert gas atmosphere, allowing multiple manufacturing steps to be performed sequentially without breaking the controlled environment or requiring separate atmosphere control systems
Solution Approach 2:
The cluster system serves multiple functions within a single integrated platform: it performs pixel circuit formation, light-emitting element deposition, and intermediate transfer operations all within the same controlled inert gas environment. This multi-functional design reduces overall process complexity compared to using separate controlled-atmosphere equipment for each step
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 enables the creation of high-resolution, reliable display devices with increased aperture ratio and reduced impurity exposure, suitable for small, high-density displays in AR and VR applications, while maintaining high yield and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
the pressure in the first load lock chamber is controlled to be reduced pressure
Implementation Method 2
the atmosphere in the second cluster is controlled to be an inert gas atmosphere
Data Source
AI summary
Manufacturing equipment of a display device that is capable of successively performing steps from formation of a pixel circuit up to formation of a light-emitting element is provided. The manufacturing equipment includes a manufacturing apparatus of a light-emitting device that is capable of successively performing a film formation step, a lithography step, an etching step, and a sealing step for formation of an organic EL element and a manufacturing apparatus for formation of a pixel circuit that drives the organic EL element. Formation from the pixel circuit up to the organic EL element can be performed successively, so that a display device with a high yield and high reliability can be formed.