Mask Assembly Tensile Welding Alignment Precision
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in fabricating OLED display devices lies in precisely aligning pattern masks during the deposition process, which often results in stain failures due to misalignment and gaps between mask patterns, leading to undesirable deposition and increased stain failure rates.
Innovation Solution
A mask assembly and fabrication method where the tensile welding portions of the pattern mask are structurally modified to prevent readjustment of pattern positions during corrective welding, allowing for precise alignment and minimization of stain failures by extending from the pattern portion in one direction and being spaced apart in a perpendicular direction, facilitating easy welding to a mask frame.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If stick pattern masks are tensile-welded to a mask frame, then the mask pattern can be formed, but the masks are difficult to align and weld due to movement, and gaps may form between masks
Solution Approach 1:
The mask structure is divided into a pattern mask portion containing the actual patterns and a separate tensile welding portion extending from it. This segmentation allows the welding operation to occur on the dedicated tensile welding portion without affecting the pattern alignment, resolving the contradiction between alignment precision and welding ease.
2Manufacturing precision
If corrective welding is performed to precisely align patterns in rows or columns, then pattern alignment is improved, but the positions of patterns in neighboring rows or columns are readjusted, lowering overall positional precision and increasing stain failure rate
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment function is extracted from the pattern portion and assigned to the tensile welding portion. By performing corrective welding on the tensile welding portion rather than the pattern portion itself, the patterns are aligned without causing positional shifts in neighboring patterns, thus maintaining both alignment precision and reliability.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple stick pattern masks are used to form a matrix pattern, then higher positional precision can be achieved, but the complexity of aligning and welding multiple masks increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple stick pattern masks are merged into a single integrated pattern mask with a unified tensile welding portion. This combining approach maintains the matrix pattern structure for high positional precision while simplifying the assembly process by reducing the number of separate alignment and welding operations required.
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 high positional precision in the mask assembly, reducing stain failure rates by ensuring accurate alignment and minimizing gaps between mask patterns during the deposition process.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of tensile welding portions extending from the pattern portion in a first direction and spaced apart from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction
Data Source
AI summary
In a mask assembly and a method of fabricating the same, when the mask assembly is fabricated by tensile welding a pattern mask to a mask frame, a tensile welding portion of the pattern mask welded to the mask frame is structurally changed. Thus, the pattern mask can be easily welded to the mask frame, and patterns of the pattern mask can be precisely aligned, thereby minimizing stain failure rate due to the mask assembly. The mask assembly includes: a mask frame including an opening and a support; and a pattern mask including a pattern portion having a plurality of patterns arranged in a matrix and a plurality of tensile welding portions extending from the pattern portion in a first direction and spaced apart from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The method includes: providing a mask frame, a support, and a pattern mask as described above; disposing the pattern mask and the mask frame in a unique manner; combining the pattern mask with the mask frame by welding; measuring an aligned state of the pattern arranged in the first direction of the pattern mask; and welding a tensile welding portion using a secondary welding process according to an aligned state.