Mask assembly and method of repairing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12516409-B2
Application number	US-202217961645-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2022
Priority date	Nov 8, 2021
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

A repairing method of a mask assembly includes providing a mask assembly including a frame, an open mask including a first opening disposed on an upper surface of the frame, and a first unit mask including a plurality of first deposition openings to overlap the first opening in a plan view and disposed on an upper surface of the open mask, first cutting the open mask at an outside of the first unit mask such that a second opening having a size greater than a size of the first opening is defined, and connecting the second unit mask including a plurality of second deposition openings corresponding to the plurality of first deposition openings to the first cut open mask.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of repairing a mask assembly, comprising:
providing a mask assembly comprising:
a frame;
an open mask including a first opening, the open mask disposed on an upper surface of the frame; and
a first unit mask including a plurality of first deposition openings overlapping the first opening in a plan view, the first unit mask disposed on an upper surface of the open mask;
first cutting the open mask at an outside of the first unit mask such that a second opening having a size greater than a size of the first opening is defined; and connecting a second unit mask including a plurality of second deposition openings corresponding to the plurality of first deposition openings to the first cut open mask.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first unit mask is separated from the mask assembly by the first cutting of the open mask.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the open mask is cut in a direction from the upper surface to a lower surface of the open mask or from the lower surface to the upper surface of the open mask by the first cutting of the open mask.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first cutting of the open mask is performed by a laser cutting process.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
second cutting the first cut open mask at an outside of the second unit mask to have a third opening having a size greater than the size of the second opening after the connecting of the second unit mask to the first cut open mask.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the open mask comprises:
a first portion including the first opening; and
a second portion surrounding the first portion and having a thickness greater than a thickness of the first portion in a thickness direction of the open mask, the first unit mask is disposed on the first portion, and
in the first cutting of the open mask, a portion of the first portion is cut and separated from the mask assembly.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first portion has a length in a range of about 300 micrometers to about 2 millimeters in a cross-sectional view.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first portion has the thickness equal to or smaller than about 100 micrometers in the thickness direction.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein in the first cutting of the open mask,
at least one of an inner side surface of the first unit mask which defines the plurality of first deposition openings, a lower surface of the first unit mask which is in contact with the open mask, and an upper surface of the first unit mask which is opposite to the lower surface, is damaged or a deposition material is accumulated in some of the plurality of first deposition openings.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
manufacturing the mask assembly before the providing of the mask assembly, wherein the manufacturing of the mask assembly comprises:
disposing a first preliminary unit mask comprising:
a first deposition area comprising the plurality of first deposition openings; and
a first peripheral area surrounding the first deposition area on the open mask;

connecting the first preliminary unit mask to the open mask such that a first welding protrusion is formed on a lower surface of the open mask adjacent to the first opening; and
cutting the first preliminary unit mask along a first trimming line defined in the first peripheral area to form the first unit mask, and
the first trimming line is a closed line surrounding the first deposition area in a plan view.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein
the open mask comprises:
a first portion including the first opening; and
a second portion surrounding the first portion and having a thickness greater than a thickness of the first portion in a thickness direction of the open mask, the first unit mask is disposed on the first portion, and
the first trimming line is defined between a portion overlapping the first welding protrusion in a plan view and a boundary of the first portion and the second portion.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first preliminary unit mask is disposed such that the first peripheral area is covered by the open mask when viewed from under the lower surface of the open mask.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first preliminary unit mask has a quadrangular shape extending in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction in a plan view and is connected to the open mask after being tensioned in at least one direction of the first and second directions.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein
the connecting of the second unit mask to the first cut open mask comprises:
disposing a second preliminary unit mask comprising a second deposition area comprising the plurality of second deposition openings and a second peripheral area surrounding the second deposition area on the first cut open mask;
connecting the second preliminary unit mask to the first cut open mask such that a second welding protrusion is formed on the lower surface of the first cut open mask adjacent to the second opening; and
cutting the second preliminary unit mask along a second trimming line defined in the second peripheral area to form the second unit mask, and
the second trimming line is a closed line surrounding the second deposition area in a plan view.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein
the open mask comprises:
a first portion including the first opening; and
a second portion surrounding the first portion and having a thickness greater than a thickness of the first portion, the first unit mask is disposed on the first portion,
the second trimming line is defined between a portion overlapping the second welding protrusion in a plan view and a boundary of the first portion and the second portion.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first preliminary unit mask and the second preliminary unit mask have a same length in a cross-sectional view.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Jeongkuk
• Kim Hwi
• Moon Youngmin
• Song Seungyong
• Lee Areum
• Jo Eunbee
• Hwang Kyu Hwan

Classifications

• H10K71/00 Primary

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

• H10K71/166

  using selective deposition, e.g. using a mask · CPC title

• H10K71/861

  Repairing · CPC title

• C23C14/042 Primary

  using masks · CPC title

• B23P6/00 Primary

  Restoring or reconditioning objects (straightening or restoring form of sheet metal, metal rods, metal tubes, metal profiles, or specific articles made therefrom B21D1/00, B21D3/00; repairing defective or damaged objects by casting techniques B22D19/10) · CPC title