Mask manufacturing equipment and method of manufacturing mask using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12416072-B2
Application number	US-202117197701-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2021
Priority date	Jun 3, 2020
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

A mask manufacturing equipment includes a first stage on which a mask frame is disposed, the mask frame including cell openings arranged in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction, a transfer module that places cell masks on the mask frame to respectively overlap the cell openings of the mask frame and the cell masks, a camera module that photographs the cell masks, a first processing module that irradiates a first laser beam between a border portion corresponding to a portion of the mask frame adjacent to an N-th cell opening and a first edge area of an N-th cell mask disposed on the border portion, and a second processing module that irradiates a second laser beam to a boundary area between the first edge area and a second edge area extending from the first edge area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mask manufacturing equipment comprising:
a first stage on which a mask frame is disposed, the mask frame including a plurality of cell openings arranged in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction;
a transfer module that places a plurality of cell masks on the mask frame to respectively overlap the plurality of cell openings of the mask frame and the plurality of cell masks;
a camera module that photographs the plurality of cell masks;
a first processing module that irradiates a first laser beam between a border portion corresponding to a portion of the mask frame adjacent to an N-th cell opening and a first edge area of an N-th cell mask disposed on the border portion when the first processing module is positioned under the N-th cell mask; and
a second processing module that irradiates a second laser beam to a boundary area between the first edge area of the N-th cell mask and a second edge area of the N-th cell mask extending from the first edge area when the second processing module is positioned over the N-th cell mask, wherein N is a natural number,
wherein the camera module is disposed over the N-th cell mask and the first processing module is disposed under the N-th cell mask, and the camera module and the first processing module are aligned to each other in a vertical direction when the first processing module irradiates the first laser beam and the camera module photographs the N-th cell mask,
the second edge area of the N-th cell mask is bent toward the camera module,
the camera module includes a plurality of camera modules,
the plurality of camera modules comprise:
a base plate having an upper surface and a lower surface opposite to each other;
a plurality of sub-plates disposed on the upper surface of the base plate, and
extending in the first direction, and spaced apart from each other in the second direction; and
a plurality of cameras disposed on the plurality of sub-plates on the upper surface of the base plate,
the plurality of sub-plates are movable along the base plate in the second direction,
the plurality of cameras are movable along the plurality of sub-plates in the first direction, and
a distance between the plurality of camera modules varies in the first and second directions by the plurality of sub-plates.

2. The mask manufacturing equipment of claim 1 , wherein the transfer module comprises:
a head assembly comprising a head frame and at least one tool disposed on a lower surface of the head frame; and
a transfer driver transferring the head assembly in the first direction, the second direction, or a third direction substantially perpendicular to a plane defined by the first direction and the second direction.

3. The mask manufacturing equipment of claim 2 , wherein
the at least one tool includes a plurality of tools,
the plurality of tools are spaced apart from each other and disposed around an opening of the head frame, and
the plurality of tools include:
a first group of tools spaced apart from each other and disposed along a first side of the opening of the head frame,
a second group of tools spaced apart from each other and disposed along a second side of the opening of the head frame,
a third group of tools spaced apart from each other and disposed along a third side of the opening of the head frame, and
a fourth group of tools spaced apart from each other and disposed along a fourth side of the opening of the head frame.

4. The mask manufacturing equipment of claim 3 , wherein
the head assembly comprises a tensioning driver disposed between the head frame and the plurality of tools, and
the tensioning driver moves the plurality of tools in a direction substantially parallel to an upper surface of the N-th cell mask and tensions the N-th cell mask when the plurality of tools adsorb the N-th cell mask.

5. The mask manufacturing equipment of claim 3 , wherein
the plurality of tools each include a lower surface, and
each lower surface of the plurality of tools adsorbs an upper surface of the first edge area or the second edge area of the N-th cell mask.

6. The mask manufacturing equipment of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of tools adsorb the plurality of cell masks using one of an electromagnetic force, an electrostatic force, and a vacuum suction power.

7. The mask manufacturing equipment of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of tools comprise a contact surface inclined at an angle with respect to a plane defined by the first direction and the second direction.

8. The mask manufacturing equipment of claim 1 , wherein the first processing module comprises:
a first laser irradiator irradiating the first laser beam; and
a first laser driver connected to the first laser irradiator to move the first laser irradiator in the first direction, the second direction, or a third direction substantially perpendicular to a plane defined by the first direction and the second direction.

9. The mask manufacturing equipment of claim 8 , wherein the first processing module is disposed in an opening of the first stage.

10. The mask manufacturing equipment of claim 1 , wherein the first laser beam melts a portion of the first edge area of the N-th cell mask and a portion of the border portion of the mask frame to fix the N-th cell mask to the mask frame.

11. The mask manufacturing equipment of claim 1 , wherein
the second processing module comprises a second laser irradiator that irradiates the second laser beam, and
the second laser beam removes the second edge area from the N-th cell mask.

12. The mask manufacturing equipment of claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of camera modules further comprise:
a plurality of lenses passing through the base plate and the plurality of sub-plates to protruding beyond the lower surface of the base plate,

the plurality of cameras include:
a first group of cameras that photograph first marks at corner portions of the N-th cell mask, and
a second group of cameras that photograph second marks between the corner portions of the N-th cell mask.

13. The mask manufacturing equipment of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of cameras comprises a telecentric lens.

14. The mask manufacturing equipment of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second stage on which the N-th cell mask is disposed; and
a tension module comprising a plurality of clamps disposed around the second stage and tensioning the N-th cell mask in a direction substantially parallel to an upper surface of the N-th cell mask.

15. A mask manufacturing equipment comprising:
a stage on which a mask frame is disposed, the mask frame including a cell opening;
a transfer module that places a cell mask on the mask frame to overlap the cell opening and the cell mask;
a plurality of camera modules that photographs the cell mask;
a first processing module that irradiates a first laser beam between a border portion corresponding to a portion of the mask frame adjacent the cell opening and a first edge area of the cell mask disposed on the border portion when What the first processing module is positioned under the cell mask; and
a second processing module that irradiates a second laser beam to a boundary area between the first edge area of the cell mask and a second edge area of the cell mask extending from the first edge area when the second processing module is positioned over the cell mask, wherein
the first laser beam is irradiated between the border portion of the mask frame and the first edge area of the cell mask to form a connection portion extending in a closed shape along the border portion of t

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jo Junho
• Kim Seungwon
• Park Youngho
• Song Seungyong
• Lee Youngchul
• Im Sungsoon
• Choi Youngsuck

Classifications

• H10K71/00

  Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass · CPC title

• B23K26/0604

  by a combination of beams · CPC title

• B23K26/40

  taking account of the properties of the material involved · CPC title

• B23K26/362

  Laser etching · CPC title

• B23K26/0093

  combined with mechanical machining or metal-working covered by other subclasses than B23K · CPC title