Method for transferring micro devices and method for manufacturing display panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9698160-B2
Application number	US-201615150795-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2016
Priority date	May 15, 2015
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

A method for transferring micro devices is provided. The method includes the following operations: providing a carrier substrate and forming micro devices on the carrier substrate; forming a fixing layer on the carrier substrate, in which the fixing layer is at least in contact with bottom parts of the micro devices; patterning the fixing layer to selectively expose a portion of the micro devices; providing a transfer device correspondingly located on the carrier substrate, and picking up the exposed micro devices by the transfer device; and providing a receiving substrate and transferring the exposed micro devices to the receiving substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for transferring micro devices, the method comprising:
providing a carrier substrate, and forming a plurality of micro devices on the carrier substrate;
forming a fixing layer on the carrier substrate, wherein the fixing layer is at least in contact with bottom parts of the micro devices;
patterning the fixing layer to selectively expose at least one of the plurality of micro devices;
providing a transfer device correspondingly located on the carrier substrate, and picking up the at least one of the plurality of micro devices by the transfer device; and
providing a receiving substrate and transferring the at least one of the plurality of micro devices to the receiving substrate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fixing layer is formed from a photosensitive organic material.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a pick-up surface of the transfer device in contact with the at least one of the plurality of micro devices is provided.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the transfer device picks up the at least one of the plurality of micro devices by using a force at a distance.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the pick-up surface of the transfer device has a metal layer connected to an external circuit, thereby generating an electrostatic force on the metal layer to pick up the at least one of the plurality of micro devices.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the pick-up surface of the transfer device has a conductive magnetic layer connected to an external circuit, thereby generating a magnetic force on the conductive magnetic layer to pick up the at least one of the plurality of micro devices.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the pick-up surface of the transfer device has an elastic adhesive layer, and the transfer device picks up the at least one of the plurality of micro devices by using the elastic adhesive layer.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the plurality of micro devices are disposed on the carrier substrate, a first pitch exists between adjacent two of the micro devices, and a second pitch exists between adjacent two of the micro devices disposed on the receiving substrate after the transfer device transfers from the at least one of the plurality of micro devices to the receiving substrate, wherein the second pitch is an integer multiple of the first pitch.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
patterning the fixing layer again to selectively expose another portion of the plurality of micro devices;
picking up the another portion of the plurality of micro devices by using the transfer device;
transferring the another portion of the plurality of micro device to another receiving substrate; and
repeating the operation of patterning the fixing layer and the operation of transferring the exposed micro devices to other receiving substrates.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrier substrate further comprises a bonding layer and a body, the bonding layer temporarily fixes the plurality of micro devices on the body.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the bonding layer is formed from organic polymer, metal, alloy, or less sticky tape.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein before the operation of picking up the at least one the plurality of micro devices by the transfer device, the bonding layer is irradiated by ultraviolet light or laser, or the bonding layer is heated, thereby releasing the bonding layer from the body.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving substrate includes a connecting layer and an array substrate, and after the at least one of the plurality of micro devices are transferred, the connecting layer fixes the at least one of the plurality of micro devices on the array substrate.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein a material of the connecting layer includes metal in molten state, conductive adhesive, or adhesive glue.

15. A method for manufacturing a display panel, the method comprising:
providing a first carrier substrate, and forming a plurality of first micro devices on the first carrier substrate;
forming and patterning a fixing layer on the first carrier substrate to selectively expose at least one of the plurality of first micro devices;
picking up the at least one of the plurality of the first micro devices by the first transfer device, and transferring and fixing the at least one of the plurality of first micro devices on the receiving substrate;
providing a second carrier substrate, and forming a plurality of second micro devices on the second carrier substrate;
forming and patterning another fixing layer on the second carrier substrate to selectively expose at least one of the plurality of second micro devices;
picking up the at least one of the plurality of second micro devices by a second transfer device, and transferring and fixing the at least one of the plurality of second micro devices on the receiving substrate; and
forming a top electrode on the at least one of the plurality of first micro devices and the at least one of the plurality of second micro devices disposed on the receiving substrate, wherein the first micro devices and the second micro devices emit light in different colors.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of first micro devices have a first pitch existing between adjacent two of the plurality of first micro devices on the first carrier substrate, and after the plurality of first micro devices are transferred to the receiving substrate, the plurality of first micro devices have a second pitch existing between adjacent two of the plurality of first micro devices on the receiving substrate, wherein the second pitch is an integer multiple of the first pitch and the plurality of first micro devices emit light in a same color.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of second micro devices have a first pitch existing between adjacent two of the plurality of second micro devices on the second carrier substrate, and after the plurality of second micro devices are transferred to the receiving substrate, the plurality of second micro devices have a second pitch existing between adjacent two of the plurality of second micro devices on the receiving substrate, wherein the second pitch is an integer multiple of the first pitch and the plurality of second micro devices emit light in a same color.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the receiving substrate includes a connecting layer and an array substrate, and after at least one of the plurality of first micro devices and at least one of the plurality of second micro devices are transferred to the receiving substrate, the connecting layer fixes the at least one of the plurality of first devices and the at least one of the plurality of second micro devices on the array substrate.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein a material of the connecting layer includes metal in molten state, conductive adhesive, or adhesive glue.

Assignees

• Au Optronics Corp

Inventors

• Wu Tsung-Tien
• Liu Kang-Hung
• Lin Tsung-Yi

Classifications

• H10W72/0198

  batch processes · CPC title

• H10W90/00

  Package configurations · CPC title

• H10P72/7434

  used in a transfer process involving at least two transfer steps, i.e. including an intermediate handle substrate · CPC title

• H10P72/7428

  used to support diced chips prior to mounting · CPC title

• H10P72/7414

  the auxiliary support including means facilitating the selective separation of some of a plurality of devices from the auxiliary support · CPC title