Grayscale Mask Plate for Flat Post Spacer Fabrication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional post spacers in liquid crystal display panels have a convex top face and nonlinear hardness variation, leading to defects like L0 light leakage and Touch Mura due to non-uniform light exposure during fabrication, which degrades display quality.

Innovation Solution

A grayscale mask plate with an optical translucent film in the exposure region, where the light blocking ratio decreases gradually or stepwise from the center to the edge, ensuring uniform light intensity and resulting in a post spacer with a flat top face and linear hardness variation under external forces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional mask plate is used for fabricating post spacer, then the fabrication process is simple, but the post spacer has convex top face and nonlinear hardness variation causing L0 light leakage and Touch Mura defects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflatness of post spacer top faceVSAvoidstructure of mask plate

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mask plate applies local quality by introducing an optical translucent film only in the exposure region where uniform light transmission is needed. This film has a light blocking ratio that decreases from center to edge, creating localized optical compensation without modifying the entire mask plate structure. This resolves the contradiction by achieving precise local control over light intensity distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the optical parameter (light blocking ratio) of the mask plate by incorporating an optical translucent film with gradient properties. This parameter change transforms the non-uniform light distribution into uniform light distribution across the exposure region, enabling the post spacer to have a flat top face with linear hardness variation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If uniform light intensity is applied during exposure, then the post spacer has flat top face and linear hardness variation, but requires complex mask plate structure with optical translucent film

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuniformity of post spacer propertiesVSAvoidfabrication process of mask plate

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The optical translucent film serves as an intermediary element between the light source and the photoresist. It mediates the light transmission by compensating for the natural non-uniformity of light intensity distribution, transforming the exposure process into one that produces uniform post spacer properties without requiring complex multi-step fabrication procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If negative photoresist is exposed with conventional mask plate, then the process is fast, but the edge region receives lower light intensity causing excessive dissolution and convex shape

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexposure process speedVSAvoidlight intensity distribution uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention converts the harmful non-uniform light distribution into a benefit by using the optical translucent film's gradient light blocking ratio to compensate for the natural light intensity variation. The film transforms the excessive light intensity at the center into uniform distribution, allowing the exposure process to remain fast while achieving precise control over the post spacer shape and hardness distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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

The solution prevents defects such as L0 light leakage and Touch Mura by maintaining a flat top face and linear hardness variation of the post spacer, enhancing the display quality of liquid crystal panels.

Implementation Method 1

the optical translucent film has a light blocking ratio which decreases gradually or stepwise from a center region to an edge region of the optical translucent film

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight blocking: Absorption (EM radiation)

Implementation Method 2

negative photoresist, which will develop into insoluble material if irradiated by light, is coated on a color film substrate. Then, the negative photoresist is exposed and developed by using a mask plate, in which a portion of the negative photoresist which has been irradiated by light is dissolved and removed

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotochemical reaction: Photopolymerisation

Data Source

PatentUS9372400B2Grayscale mask plate, color film substrate, related fabricating methods, and display device

Publication Date: 2016.06.21 BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO LTD

AI summary

A grayscale mask plate and method of fabricating the same, a color film substrate and method of fabricating the same, and a display device are disclosed. The grayscale mask plate comprises a transparent substrate and a light blocking layer on the transparent substrate. The light blocking layer comprises an exposure region with an optical translucent film which has a light blocking ratio decreasing gradually or stepwise from a center of the optical translucent film to an edge of the optical translucent film. As a result, the intensity of light transmitted through the exposure region is uniform, such that a post spacer fabricated by the grayscale mask plate has a relatively flat top face. Thus, the post spacer exhibits a linear variation in its hardness under the action of an external force.