Metal Mask Gaps for AMOLED Wrinkle Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fine pitch metal masks used in AMOLED manufacturing are prone to wrinkling due to interference with clamping mechanisms, leading to incomplete attachment to substrates and compromised evaporation quality during the vacuum evaporation process.
Innovation Solution
A metal mask design featuring strategically placed gaps and clamping regions, with specific ratios of gap openings to edge lengths, to minimize interference with clamping mechanisms and ensure proper tensioning, thereby preventing wrinkles and ensuring complete attachment to substrates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If fine pitch metal masks are used for shielding in film coating, then evaporation quality is improved, but wrinkles occur due to interference with clamping mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The side edges of the metal mask are segmented by introducing gaps that divide the originally continuous edge into multiple sections. This segmentation reduces the overall clamping interference while maintaining the integrity of the mask body, allowing the mask to be tensioned without wrinkling during the evaporation process
2Ease of operation
If gaps are introduced in side edges to reduce clamping interference, then mask tensioning is improved, but mask structural integrity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The gaps are strategically positioned only in specific regions of the side edges where they can reduce clamping interference, while the mask body and other critical regions maintain their original continuous structure. This localized modification ensures that the mask remains strong and intact while improving tensioning characteristics
Data Source
AI summary
A metal mask includes: a mask body having two opposite first side edges along a first direction and two opposite second side edges along a second direction, and each of the first side edges having a first length. The mask body includes an open slot region, two first fixing regions, and two first clamping regions, where the two first fixing regions are positioned on two opposite sides of the open slot region, respectively, and each of the first clamping regions is positioned between each of the first fixing regions and each of the first side edges. A first gap is formed in each of the first side edges, the first gap has a first opening length in the first direction, and a ratio of the first opening length to the first length being between 0.2 and 0.8. The metal mask may improve the problem of wrinkles.