CN103984202A - Masking plate and color film substrate manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a masking plate and a color film substrate manufacturing method, which belongs to the technical field of display apparatus manufacture. The manufacturing method solves the problem that during a manufacturing process of a series of color film substrates with same size and same resolution in prior art, when the linewidth on the color film substrate is changed, the new masking plate is required for being manufactured, so that the production cost is increased, and the production efficiency is decreased. The masking plate comprises a first sub-masking plate and a second sub-masking plate, the first sub-masking plate comprises a first transparent area and a shading zone around the first transparent area, the second sub-masking plate comprises a second transparent area and the shading zone around the second transparent area, the second sub-masking plate and the first sub-masking plate are mutually overlapd and arranged in a staggered mode, so that the light transmission area of the first transparent area and second transparent area are adjusted to form a third transparent area. The manufacturing method of the color film substrate comprises a step that black matrix and sub-pixel image are formed through a composition technology on the substrate, and the masking plate used in the composition technology is the above masking plate.

Description

Manufacturing method of mask plate and color filter substrate

technical field

The invention belongs to the technical field of display device manufacturing, and in particular relates to a method for manufacturing a mask plate and a color filter substrate.

Background technique

Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display (TFT-LCD for short) is widely used due to its small size, low power consumption, no radiation, and high resolution.

TFT liquid crystal displays generally include two parts: a liquid crystal panel and a backlight module. The liquid crystal panel includes an array substrate, a color filter substrate, and a liquid crystal layer arranged between the array substrate and the color filter substrate.

The color filter substrate includes a plurality of pixels, and each pixel includes a red sub-pixel, a green sub-pixel and a blue sub-pixel. A black matrix is arranged between each sub-pixel to prevent light mixing. The color filter substrate generally uses a glass substrate as the substrate. When making a color filter substrate, you can first make a black matrix, that is, form a black matrix on the glass substrate through film formation, exposure, development, and etching; then make a color filter, that is, Make a filter of the corresponding color in each sub-pixel area to form a sub-pixel of the corresponding color, specifically, make a red filter in the area where the red sub-pixel needs to be formed, and make a green filter in the area where the green sub-pixel needs to be formed , make a blue filter in the area where blue sub-pixels need to be formed. When manufacturing sub-pixels of each color, processes such as film formation, exposure, development, and etching are required to form the pattern of the color filter on the glass substrate.

Among them, the exposure process refers to selectively irradiating light on the photoresist deposited on the substrate through the light-shielding effect of the mask plate (the mask plate includes the light-transmitting area and the light-shielding area around the light-transmitting area), Thereby, the pattern on the mask plate (such as the pattern of black matrix or light filter) is transferred to the substrate.

The inventors have found that there are at least the following problems in the prior art: when designing a series of display panels with the same size and the same resolution, as long as the direction corresponding to the data lines on the color filter substrate or the direction corresponding to the gate lines on the array substrate If the line width of the sub-pixel changes and the opening size of the sub-pixel changes, a new mask needs to be made, which will lead to an increase in the production cost of the product and a decrease in production efficiency.

Contents of the invention

The technical problems to be solved by the present invention include, in the production process of the existing color filter substrates of a series of display panels with the same size and the same resolution, as long as the directions or grids on the color filter substrates corresponding to the data lines of the array substrate If the line width of the direction corresponding to the epipolar line changes, it is necessary to make a new mask, which leads to the increase of production cost and the decrease of production efficiency. A method for manufacturing a mask and a color filter substrate is provided. When manufacturing the color filter substrates of a series of display panels with the same size and the same resolution, there is no need to make a new mask plate correspondingly, thereby improving the production efficiency and reducing the production cost.

The technical solution adopted to solve the technical problem of the present invention is a mask, which includes a first sub-mask and a second sub-mask, and the first sub-mask includes a first light-transmitting area and a first light-transmitting area. The light-shielding area around the area, the second sub-mask includes a second light-transmitting area and a light-shielding area around the second light-transmitting area, wherein,

The second sub-mask is overlapped with the first sub-mask and arranged in a staggered manner for adjusting the light-transmitting areas of the first light-transmitting region and the second light-transmitting region to form a third light-transmitting region.

Both the first sub-mask and the second sub-mask of the mask of the present invention include a light-transmitting area and a light-shielding area, and the first sub-mask and the second sub-mask are staggered and overlapped, that is, the first sub-mask The first sub-mask and the second sub-mask are staggered in the light irradiation direction of the exposure machine, so that the light-transmitting area on the first sub-mask is staggered from the light-transmitting area on the second sub-mask, and the first Part of the light-transmitting region on the sub-mask will be covered by the light-shielding region on the second sub-mask, and part of the light-transmitting region on the second sub-mask will be covered by the first sub-mask. The light-shielding area is blocked, so that the light-transmitting area of the mask becomes smaller than the first light-transmitting area or the second light-transmitting area, and the degree of staggering between the first sub-mask and the second sub-mask is different, The sizes of the light-transmitting regions of the above-mentioned masks will also be different. Therefore, the light-transmitting regions on the mask of the present invention can be changed by setting the degree of stagger between the first sub-mask and the second sub-mask, thereby changing the distance between adjacent light-transmitting regions on the mask. For example, a series of color filter substrates with the same size and the same resolution can be made by using the mask plate of the present invention. When the size of the opening of the sub-pixel changes and the size of the opening of the sub-pixel is changed, it is no longer necessary to make a new mask, thereby improving the production efficiency and reducing the production cost.

Further preferably, the first sub-mask and the second sub-mask are adsorbed together.

Even more preferably, the adsorption is vacuum adsorption or magnet adsorption.

Preferably, there are multiple first light-transmitting regions on the first sub-mask and second light-transmitting regions on the second sub-mask, and the numbers of the first and second light-transmitting regions are the same , the shapes of the first and second light-transmitting regions are the same, the multiple light-transmitting regions on each sub-mask are arranged in an array, and the first light-transmitting regions and the second sub-mask on the first sub-mask The length and/or width of the second light-transmitting regions are the same.

Preferably, the first light-transmitting area of the first sub-mask and the second light-transmitting area on the second sub-mask are multiple, and the first sub-mask and the second sub-mask Alignment marks are provided on edges of the mask plate, and the alignment marks are used to display the distance between adjacent third light-transmitting regions.

Further preferably, both the first sub-mask and the second sub-mask include a substrate, and a chromium metal layer disposed on the substrate.

Still further preferably, both the first sub-mask and the second sub-mask further include a film layer formed of chromium nitride or oxide, which is located under the chromium metal layer.

Preferably, the material of the base mask is quartz glass.

The technical solution adopted to solve the technical problem of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a color filter substrate, including forming a black matrix and sub-pixel graphics on the substrate through a patterning process, wherein the mask used in the patterning process is the above-mentioned mask board.

In the manufacturing process of the color filter substrate of the present invention, due to the use of the above-mentioned mask plate, in the process of designing and manufacturing a series of color filter substrates with the same size and the same resolution, when the data lines on the color filter substrate correspond to the data lines of the array substrate When the direction of the gate line or the line width of the direction corresponding to the gate line is changed, and the opening size of the sub-pixel is changed, there is no need to make a new mask accordingly, so the production efficiency is improved and the production cost is reduced.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is the structural representation of the mask plate of embodiment 1 of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is another schematic structural view of the mask plate of Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

3 is a schematic structural diagram of a first sub-mask in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

4 is a schematic structural diagram of a second sub-mask in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

5 is a schematic diagram of the size change of the light transmission area after the first sub-mask and the second sub-mask are misaligned according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

6 is a schematic structural view of the first sub-mask (including alignment marks) according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

7 is a schematic structural diagram of a second sub-mask (including alignment marks) according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic structural view of the mask plate (after alignment marks are aligned) according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

The reference signs are: 1, the first sub-mask; 11, the first light-transmitting area; 2, the second sub-mask; 22, the second light-transmitting area; 3, the base mask; 33, the second Three light-transmitting areas; 4. Alignment mark; 5. Exposure machine light.

Detailed ways

In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Apparently, the described embodiments are some, not all, embodiments of the present invention. Based on the described embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by persons of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Example 1:

This embodiment provides a mask plate, which can be used to expose a display substrate (such as a color filter substrate of a liquid crystal display device) during the manufacturing process of a display device. As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the mask of this embodiment includes a first sub-mask 1 and a second sub-mask 2, both of which include transparent The light-shielding area around the light area and the light-transmitting area, that is, the first sub-mask 1 includes the first light-transmitting area 11 and the light-shielding area around the first light-transmitting area 11, and the second sub-mask 2 includes the first light-shielding area. The second light-transmitting area 22 and the light-shielding area around the second light-transmitting area 22 .

The second sub-mask 2 and the first sub-mask 1 are overlapped and staggered to adjust the light transmission areas of the first light transmission area and the second light transmission area to form a third light transmission area 33 , Wherein, the two sub-masks may be in contact (as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 ), or may not be in contact, as long as they are staggered and overlapped in the irradiation direction of the light 5 of the exposure machine.

Both the first sub-mask 1 and the second sub-mask 2 of the mask of this embodiment include a light-transmitting area and a light-shielding area, and the first sub-mask 1 and the second sub-mask 2 are staggered and overlapped Setting, that is, the first sub-mask 1 and the second sub-mask 2 are staggered in the irradiation direction of the light 5 of the exposure machine, so that the first light-transmitting area 11 on the first sub-mask 1 and the second The second light-transmitting area 22 on the sub-mask 2 is staggered, part of the first light-transmitting area 11 will be covered by the light-shielding area on the second sub-mask 2, and part of the second light-transmitting area 22 will be It is blocked by the light-shielding area of the first sub-mask plate 1, so that the third light-transmitting area 33 on the mask plate becomes smaller relative to the first light-transmitting area 11 or the second light-transmitting area 22, and the above-mentioned first sub-mask The degree of staggering between the mask 1 and the second sub-mask 2 is different, and the size of the third light-transmitting region 33 will also be different. Therefore, the third light-transmitting region 33 of the mask of this embodiment can be changed by setting the degree of staggering between the first sub-mask 1 and the second sub-mask 2, that is, relative to the first light-transmitting region 11 or the second The light-transmitting area 22 becomes smaller, so that a series of color filter substrates with the same size and the same resolution can be designed by using the mask plate of this embodiment. When the line width in the direction corresponding to the line (that is, the length direction or width direction of the light-transmitting area) changes, and the opening size of the sub-pixel changes, it is no longer necessary to make a new mask, thereby improving production efficiency and reducing Cost of production.

Preferably, the mask further includes a transparent base mask, and the first sub-mask 1 or the second sub-mask 2 is adsorbed on the base mask 3 . Of course, the first sub-mask 1 or the second sub-mask 2 can also be fixed with the base mask 3 in other ways, such as by bolts.

In order to be able to freely stagger and overlap the first sub-mask 1 and the second sub-mask 2 in the irradiation direction of the exposure machine light 5, it is further preferred that the first sub-mask 1 and the second sub-mask The mask plates 2 are mutually adsorbed together, and further preferably, the adsorption is vacuum adsorption or magnet adsorption, that is, by arranging magnets on the first sub-mask plate 1 and the second sub-mask plate 2 or by The first sub-mask 1 and the second sub-mask 2 are sucked together by vacuuming the area where the first sub-mask 1 and the second sub-mask 2 are in contact with each other.

Preferably, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 , there are a plurality of first light-transmitting regions 11 on the first sub-mask 1 and second light-transmitting regions 22 on the second sub-mask 2 , and The number is the same, the shape is the same and they are all rectangular. The multiple light-transmitting regions on each sub-mask are arranged in an array, and the first light-transmitting region 11 on the first sub-mask 1 and the second sub-mask The length and/or width of the second light-transmitting regions 22 on the board 2 are the same. That is to say, the shapes and sizes of the first transparent region 11 and the second transparent region 22 can be exactly the same, or can be the same shape, but the same length but different width, or different lengths but the same width. Obviously, if the shapes and sizes of the first light-transmitting region 11 and the second light-transmitting region 22 are exactly the same, then both can be selected in the lengthwise direction of the light-transmitting region (that is, the first light-transmitting region 11 or the second light-transmitting region 22). Adjust the size of the third light-transmitting region 33 upwards, or you can choose to adjust the size of the third light-transmitting region 33 in the width direction of the light-transmitting region. And if it is only the same in the length or width direction, then only the size of the third light transmission area 33 can be adjusted in the width or length direction, wherein, Fig. 5 shows that the third light transmission area can be adjusted in the width direction of the light transmission area 33 size case. Apparently, after the size of the third light-transmitting regions 33 changes, the distance between the third light-transmitting regions 33 is correspondingly adjusted. CD1 represents the distance between two adjacent first light-transmitting regions 11, CD2 represents the distance between two adjacent second light-transmitting regions 22, and CD3 represents the distance between two adjacent third light-transmitting regions 33. CD3 can vary between CD (CD is the larger of CD1 and CD2) and the sum of CD1 and CD2.

Preferably, the first sub-mask 1 and the second sub-mask 2 have a plurality of light-transmitting regions, in order to visually display the first sub-mask 1 and the second sub-mask 2 Staggering the distance between two adjacent third light-transmitting regions 33 formed after overlapping, the edges of the first sub-mask 1 and the second sub-mask 2 are provided with alignment marks 4, The alignment mark 4 is used to display the above distance.

In this embodiment, the base mask 3 is made of transparent material, preferably, the transparent material is quartz glass.

Further preferably, both the first sub-mask 1 and the second sub-mask 2 include a substrate and a chromium metal layer disposed on the substrate. Wherein, the substrate material is a transparent material, such as quartz glass; the chromium metal layer can be prepared by sputtering, so the chromium metal layer is selected to form the pattern on the mask because the chromium metal layer is completely opposite to light. It is opaque, and it is relatively easy to deposit a chromium metal layer and etch it to form a pattern, and the process is relatively simple.

Further preferably, both the first sub-mask 1 and the second sub-mask 2 further include a film layer formed of chromium nitride or oxide, which is located under the chromium metal layer. Setting the film layer formed by chromium nitride or oxide can increase the adhesion between the chromium metal layer and the quartz glass, thereby improving the adhesion stability of the chromium metal layer.

Example 2:

This embodiment provides a method for manufacturing a color filter substrate, including forming a black matrix and sub-pixel patterns on the substrate through a patterning process, wherein the mask used in the patterning process is the mask in Embodiment 1 .

The following takes the glass substrate as the substrate of the color filter substrate to describe the production method of the color filter substrate. The black matrix is formed on the substrate through a patterning process. Black matrix film, then coat a layer of photoresist on it, adopt the mask plate among the embodiment 1 to expose and develop the photoresist, to form photoresist reserved area and photoresist on the glass substrate Resist removal area, wherein the photoresist reserved area corresponds to the area of the black matrix pattern, and then the exposed black matrix film is etched, and finally the remaining photoresist is stripped through the photoresist stripping process to form a black matrix pattern . If the material of the black matrix is photosensitive resin, the use of photoresist can be omitted during the patterning process by taking advantage of its photosensitive properties, and the black matrix pattern can be formed by direct exposure and development.

Wherein, referring to FIG. 5 , FIG. 5 shows the situation of adjusting the size of the third light-transmitting region 33 in the width direction of the light-transmitting region (that is, the first light-transmitting region 11 or the second light-transmitting region 22 ). The third light-transmitting regions 33 on the mask plate correspond to the sub-pixel regions on the color filter substrate, and the area between the third light-transmitting regions 33 on the mask plate is a grid-like black matrix pattern. The distance between the two third light-transmitting regions 33 corresponds to the width of the black matrix. Since the size of the third light-transmitting region 33 can be changed by staggering and overlapping the first sub-mask 1 and the second sub-mask 2, that is, it becomes smaller than the first light-transmitting region 11 or the second light-transmitting region 22 , so that the distance between the third light-transmitting regions 33 becomes larger. Therefore, when the line width of the black matrix on the color filter substrate changes in the direction corresponding to the data lines of the array substrate or the direction corresponding to the gate lines, there is no need to make a new mask accordingly, thereby improving production efficiency .

Of course, it is also possible to adjust the size of the third light-transmitting region 33 in the length direction of the light-transmitting region and correspondingly adjust the size of the third light-transmitting region 33 in the length direction of the light-transmitting region by staggering and overlapping the first sub-mask 1 and the second sub-mask 2 . The distance between two adjacent third light-transmitting regions 33 is changed.

On the substrate where the black matrix is completed, the pattern of sub-pixels is formed by using the mask plate of Embodiment 1 through a patterning process. As shown in FIG. 5, the third light-transmitting region 33 on the mask corresponds to the sub-pixels on the color filter substrate. Taking the sub-pixels on the color filter substrate including red, green and blue sub-pixels as an example, through the mask plate Control the light of the exposure machine. During exposure, the red sub-pixels corresponding to the third light-transmitting area 33 can be exposed first, while the green and blue sub-pixels corresponding to the third light-transmitting area 33 are not exposed. One patterning process forms the pattern of red sub-pixels. According to the above method, the production of green and blue sub-pixels is completed.

It can be understood that it is also possible to use the mask in Embodiment 1 to form sub-pixel regions on the glass substrate through a patterning process, and then use the mask in Embodiment 1 to form sub-pixel regions on the glass substrate with the above-mentioned sub-pixel regions. The graphic of the black matrix is formed through the patterning process above, and its specific manufacturing steps are the same as those described above, except that the order of manufacturing is different, and will not be repeated here.

It should be noted that the mask plate in Embodiment 1 can also be used to fabricate the black matrix on the array substrate, and the specific fabrication steps are the same as those of the black matrix described above, and will not be described in detail again.

The manufacturing method of the color filter substrate of this embodiment is especially suitable for designing and manufacturing a series of color filter substrates with the same size and the same resolution. The line widths in the corresponding directions form a series of color filter substrates.

In the manufacturing process of the color filter substrate of this embodiment, since the mask plate in Embodiment 1 is used, when the line width of the direction corresponding to the data line of the array substrate or the direction corresponding to the gate line on the color filter substrate is When changing, there is no need to make a new mask plate correspondingly, and it is not necessary to replace the mask plate frequently, which ensures that the production capacity will not be lost. Therefore, the production efficiency is improved and the production cost is reduced.

It can be understood that, the above embodiments are only exemplary embodiments adopted for illustrating the principle of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and essence of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements are also regarded as the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims (10)

1. a mask plate, is characterized in that, comprises the first sub-mask plate and the second sub-mask plate, the first sub-mask plate comprises the first photic zone and shading region around, the first photic zone, the second sub-mask plate comprises the second photic zone and shading region around, the second photic zone, wherein

Overlapped and the setting of staggering of described the second sub-mask plate and the first sub-mask plate, for the glazed area of adjusting the first photic zone and the second photic zone to form the 3rd photic zone.

2. mask plate according to claim 1, is characterized in that, described mask plate also comprises transparent substrate mask plate, and described the first sub-mask plate or the second sub-mask plate are adsorbed on described substrate mask plate.

3. mask plate according to claim 1 and 2, is characterized in that, described the first sub-mask plate and the second sub-mask plate are attached together mutually.

4. mask plate according to claim 3, is characterized in that, described in be adsorbed as vacuum suction or magnet adsorption.

5. mask plate according to claim 1, it is characterized in that, the second photic zone on the first photic zone and the second sub-mask plate on described the first sub-mask plate is multiple, and the quantity of described first, second photic zone is identical, the shape of described first, second photic zone is identical, multiple photic zones on every sub-mask plate are arrayed, and the first photic zone on the first sub-mask plate is identical with length and/or the width of the second photic zone on the second sub-mask plate.

6. mask plate according to claim 1, it is characterized in that, the first photic zone on described the first sub-mask plate and the second upper photic zone of the second sub-mask plate are multiple, the edge of described the first sub-mask plate and the second sub-mask plate is equipped with alignment mark, and described alignment mark is for showing the distance between adjacent described the 3rd photic zone.

7. mask plate according to claim 1 and 2, is characterized in that, described the first sub-mask plate and the second sub-mask plate include substrate, and is located at the chromium metal level of substrate top.

8. mask plate according to claim 7, is characterized in that, described the first sub-mask plate and the second sub-mask plate all also comprise the rete being formed by nitride or the oxide of chromium, and it is positioned at described chromium metal level below.

9. mask plate according to claim 1 and 2, is characterized in that, the material of described substrate mask plate is quartz glass.

10. a method for making for color membrane substrates, is included in the figure that forms respectively black matrix and sub-pixel on substrate by composition technique, it is characterized in that, the mask plate using in described composition technique is the mask plate described in claim 1 to 9 any one.