OLED Mask with Thickened Welding Region for Laser Energy Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing masks used in the manufacturing of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panels face challenges in controlling laser energy during welding due to their small thickness, leading to welding through or pseudo welding phenomena, which affects the reliability and accuracy of the mask.
Innovation Solution
A mask design with a thicker non-mask pattern region and welding region, incorporating a first metal layer with evaporation holes and shielding strips, and a second metal layer that covers the welding region, enhancing the thickness and stability for reliable welding, while maintaining high accuracy for finer patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the mask thickness is reduced to achieve finer patterns, then manufacturing precision is improved, but welding reliability deteriorates due to inability to control laser energy
Solution Approach 1:
The mask employs different thicknesses in different regions: the mask pattern region maintains a first thickness for high-precision patterning, while the non-mask pattern region has a second thickness greater than the first for reliable welding. This local differentiation allows each region to be optimized for its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The mask is divided into distinct functional regions with different thickness characteristics. The mask pattern region (with evaporation holes and shielding strips) is separated from the non-mask pattern region (with welding regions), allowing independent optimization of thickness for each function while maintaining overall structural integrity.
2Reliability
If the mask thickness is increased to improve welding reliability, then welding control is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to difficulty in forming finer patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The mask employs different thicknesses in different regions: the mask pattern region maintains a first thickness for high-precision patterning, while the non-mask pattern region has a second thickness greater than the first for reliable welding. This local differentiation allows each region to be optimized for its specific function without compromising the other.
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 increased thickness in the welding region improves the control of laser energy, reducing welding failures and enhancing the reliability and accuracy of the mask, allowing for the precise formation of film layers in OLED display panels.
Implementation Method 1
forming a second metal layer on a side of the first metal layer through an electroforming process
Implementation Method 2
controlling laser energy during welding due to their small thickness, leading to welding through or pseudo welding phenomena
Data Source
AI summary
A mask has a mask pattern region and a non-mask pattern region located at a peripheral of the mask pattern region. The mask pattern region includes at least one effective mask region. In any effective mask region, the mask includes a plurality of evaporation holes and at least one shielding; strip. Each shielding, strip is located between two adjacent evaporation holes. The mask has at least one welding region in the non-mask pattern region. A thickness of a portion of the mask in the non-mask pattern region and at least in the welding region is greater than a thickness of the shielding strip of the mask in the effective mask region, and the thickness refers to a dimension of the corresponding portion along a direction perpendicular to a plane where the mask is located.