Metal Mask Plate Segmentation for Flatness and Yield
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the evaporation process for manufacturing display panels, such as OLEDs, the existing metal mask plates suffer from gaps between adjacent masks due to magnetic adsorption, leading to deformation, reduced flatness, and inferior quality of functional film layers, along with increased costs and complexity in manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A metal mask plate design featuring a frame with a hollow region covered by metal masks that are directly connected without gaps, eliminating the need for covers and grooves, and incorporating a single-stage step portion with specific surface orientations and dimensions to enhance connection reliability and robustness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If magnetic adsorption is used to hold the metal mask plate, then the mask plate can be positioned during evaporation, but gaps appear between adjacent masks causing deformation and reduced flatness
Solution Approach 1:
The metal mask plate is divided into multiple independent metal masks arranged in an array, each capable of independent magnetic adsorption. This segmentation allows each mask to maintain its flatness independently while collectively covering the substrate, resolving the contradiction between positioning stability and flatness by eliminating gap-induced deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single large mask plate to multiple smaller masks arranged in a two-dimensional array. This dimensional change allows each individual mask to be held flat by magnetic forces while the array configuration ensures complete coverage without gaps, simultaneously achieving positioning stability and manufacturing precision.
2Reliability
If covers and grooves are added to the metal mask plate structure, then connection between adjacent masks is improved, but manufacturing complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the unnecessary covers and grooves from the traditional metal mask plate structure. By extracting these complex components, the design achieves connection reliability through direct abutment of adjacent masks, significantly simplifying the structure while maintaining or improving connection strength.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of adding complex features (covers and grooves) to achieve connection, the invention inverts the approach by using the natural edges of adjacent masks to connect directly. This inversion simplifies the structure while maintaining connection reliability through precise positioning and magnetic adsorption.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple processing steps are used to manufacture the metal mask plate, then manufacturing precision is improved, but production time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple processing steps into fewer operations. By designing masks with simplified geometries and standard dimensions, the manufacturing process can combine pattern formation, edge finishing, and positioning features into integrated steps, maintaining high precision while reducing production time and costs.
Data Source
AI summary
A metal mask includes a mask body part and two connecting parts disposed at opposite sides of the mask body part. Each of the connecting parts includes a body portion and a single-stage step portion. A side of the body portion is connected to the mask body part, and an opposite side of the body portion is connected to the single-stage step portion. A thickness of the single-stage step portion is smaller than a thickness of the body portion.