Grooved Mask Structure for Accurate OLED Pixel Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the manufacturing of OLED display panels, the use of metal masks results in inaccurate pixel positioning due to substrate bending and friction, leading to issues like color mixing and reduced product yield.
Innovation Solution
A mask structure with grooves and hollowed-out structures is designed, where the mask strip is positioned within the orthographic projection of the grooves, ensuring minimal contact and friction between the mask strip and substrate, thereby reducing movement and enhancing pixel accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a metal mask is used to shield the substrate surface during evaporation, then the coating materials can be deposited to form patterned film layers, but the substrate bending and friction cause inaccurate pixel positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The mask is divided into a mask body with grooves and separate mask strips. The mask strips are positioned within the grooves, creating segmented contact points that reduce friction and bending effects on the mask strip during the evaporation process, thereby improving pixel positioning accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The groove acts as an intermediary structure between the mask body and the mask strip. By placing the mask strip within the groove, the groove mediates the contact between the substrate and mask strip, reducing direct friction and substrate bending effects on the mask strip
2Manufacturing precision
If the mask strip contacts the substrate directly, then the mask structure is simple, but the mask strip moves due to friction leading to color mixing
Solution Approach 1:
The mask structure is segmented into a mask body and separate mask strips positioned within grooves. This segmentation reduces direct contact between the mask strip and substrate, minimizing friction-induced movement and color mixing while maintaining reasonable structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The mask strip is positioned in a different dimensional space (within the groove) rather than direct contact on the same plane as the substrate. This dimensional change reduces friction and movement while achieving the desired pixel positioning accuracy
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the groove width is made larger than the mask strip width, then the mask strip has more freedom to avoid friction, but the structural stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The groove width is locally optimized to be slightly larger than the mask strip width, providing just enough space to reduce friction while maintaining structural stability. This local quality adjustment balances the competing requirements of friction reduction and structural integrity
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a mask, which includes: a mask body, including a plurality of grooves, wherein the plurality of grooves are distributed at intervals on a first surface of the mask body, and a hollowed-out structure is provided in the groove; and a mask strip disposed on the mask body, wherein a pattern region of the mask strip is within an orthographic projection of the groove on the first surface.