Partial Exposure Stitch Failure Reduction in Display Panel Manufacturing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The partial exposure process in display panel manufacturing often results in distortion, misalignment of boundary regions, and stitch failures, leading to reduced image quality and accumulated failures at different levels, which deteriorate the visibility and quality of the display device.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a selectively overlapping partial exposure process is employed, where the boundary region between adjacent shot regions is either overlappingly exposed or spaced apart, reducing stitch failures by compensating for pattern differences between overlapping and non-overlapping exposure regions, and ensuring uniformity across the substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a partial exposure process is applied to form patterns on large substrates by dividing into shot regions, then the manufacturing capability for large display devices is improved, but stitch failures and misalignment occur at boundary regions between adjacent shot regions
Solution Approach 1:
The exposure process is divided into multiple shots that can be performed separately on different regions of the substrate. Each shot exposes a specific shot region, and by segmenting the overall exposure into manageable units, large substrates can be processed effectively while maintaining control over each individual exposure region.
Solution Approach 2:
An overlapping region is pre-defined between adjacent shot regions where patterns from both shots overlap. This preliminary design of the overlapping area allows for compensation of alignment errors and distortion during the exposure process, ensuring that boundary regions between shots are properly aligned in the final pattern.
2Productivity
If substantially the same exposure processes are performed for forming patterns at different levels, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but stitch failures accumulate at different levels causing larger defects
Solution Approach 1:
Different exposure parameters and overlapping region configurations are applied to different shot regions and levels based on their specific requirements. Instead of using a uniform exposure process throughout, the method allows local optimization of exposure conditions for each region and level, preventing the accumulation of stitch failures while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
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 effectively reduces stitch failures and improves image quality by uniformly dispersing potential defects across the substrate, preventing concentration of line defects and enhancing the uniformity of patterns at different levels, thereby improving the overall quality of the display device.
Implementation Method 1
exposing each of the at least two first shot regions of the first photoresist film to light; forming a first photoresist pattern on the first material layer by developing the first photoresist film
Data Source
AI summary
A method of forming a pattern may include: disposing a first material layer; disposing a first photoresist film including first shot regions; exposing the first shot regions to light, wherein an overlapping region between first shot regions may be overlappingly exposed to light exposures onto the first shot regions; forming a first photoresist pattern by developing the first photoresist film; forming a first pattern by etching the first material layer using the first photoresist pattern as an etching mask; disposing a second material layer on the first pattern; disposing a second photoresist film including second shot regions; exposing the second shot regions, wherein a boundary region between second shot regions may be disposed spaced apart from the overlapping region; forming a second photoresist pattern by developing the second photoresist film; and forming a second pattern by etching the second material layer using the second photoresist pattern as an etching mask.