Metal mask

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12078931-B2
Application number	US-202017113948-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2020
Priority date	Mar 10, 2020
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

A metal mask according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may include a metal thin film having a first thickness and having a first region including a transmission region defining first openings penetrating the metal thin film, and a non-transmission region including an etching portion having a second thickness that is smaller than the first thickness, and a second region adjacent the first region, and defining second openings penetrating the metal thin film, wherein an opening density of the first region is less than an opening density of the second region, the opening density of the first region being defined as a number of the first openings per an area of the first region, and the opening density of the second region being defined as a number of the second openings per an area of the second region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A metal mask comprising a metal thin film having a first thickness and having:
a first region comprising a transmission region defining first openings penetrating the metal thin film, and a non-transmission region comprising a first etching portion having a second thickness that is smaller than the first thickness; and
a second region adjacent the first region, and defining second openings penetrating the metal thin film,
wherein an opening density of the first region is less than an opening density of the second region, the opening density of the first region being defined as a number of the first openings per an area of the first region, and the opening density of the second region being defined as a number of the second openings per an area of the second region,
wherein the non-transmission region further comprises a second etching portion neighboring the first etching portion, and a rib portion between the first etching portion and the second etching portion and spaced apart from the first openings,
wherein the rib portion has a third thickness that is smaller than the first thickness.

2. The metal mask of claim 1 , wherein each of the transmission region and the non-transmission region is provided in plural in the first region.

3. The metal mask of claim 2 , wherein at least two non-transmission regions are adjacent to each other.

4. The metal mask of claim 1 , wherein the first etching portion of the non-transmission region is adjacent to the first openings.

5. The metal mask of claim 1 , wherein the second thickness is between about 10% to about 50% of the first thickness.

6. The metal mask of claim 1 , wherein the first etching portion and the second etching portion have substantially a same thickness.

7. The metal mask of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the rib portion is greater than about 30% of a thickness of the metal thin film, and is smaller than or equal to about 80% of the thickness of the metal thin film.

8. The metal mask of claim 1 , wherein the area of the first region is less than the area of the second region.

9. A metal mask comprising a metal thin film having a first thickness and having a first region and a second region each defining an opening penetrating the metal thin film,
wherein an opening density of the first region is smaller than an opening density of the second region,
wherein the first region comprises a non-transmission region comprising a first etching portion that is adjacent to the opening of the first region, and that has a thickness that is less than a thickness of the metal thin film,
wherein the non-transmission region further comprises a second etching portion neighboring the first etching portion, and a rib portion between the first etching portion and the second etching portion and spaced apart from the opening,
wherein the rib portion has a third thickness that is smaller than the first thickness.

10. The metal mask of claim 9 , wherein the first and second etching portions have substantially a same thickness as each other.

11. The metal mask of claim 10 , wherein a thickness of the rib portion is greater than about 30% and is equal to or smaller than about 80% of the thickness of the metal thin film.

12. The metal mask of claim 9 , wherein an area of the first region is less than an area of the second region.

13. The metal mask of claim 9 , wherein the first region is adjacent to the second region.

14. A metal mask, comprising a metal thin film having a first thickness, and comprising a first region defining first openings, and a second region defining second openings, the first region comprising:
a supporting portion having the first thickness;
a first etching portion and a second etching portion each having a second thickness that is less than the first thickness; and
a rib portion between the first etching portion and the second etching portion, spaced apart from the first openings, and having a third thickness,
wherein an opening density of the first region is less than an opening density of the second region, the opening density of the first region being defined as a number of the first openings per an area of the first region, and the opening density of the second region being defined as a number of the second openings per an area of the second region, and
wherein the rib portion is spaced apart from the first openings, and
wherein the third thickness is smaller than the first thickness.

15. The metal mask of claim 14 , wherein the third thickness is greater than about 30% of the first thickness and is smaller than or equal to about 80% of the first thickness.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Seil
• Kim Jongbum
• Ahn Junghyun
• Yi Sang Min

Classifications

• H10P95/00

  Generic processes or apparatus for manufacture or treatments not covered by the other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• H10P50/695

  characterised by the process involved to create the mask, e.g. lift-off masks or sidewalls or to modify the mask · CPC title

• H10P50/696 Primary

  Process specially adapted to improve the resolution of the mask · CPC title

• C23C14/042

  using masks · CPC title

• Y10T428/12389

  having variation in thickness · CPC title