U.S. patent application number 12/241591 was filed with the patent office on 2009-01-29 for alignment precision enhancement of electronic component process on flexible substrate device and method thereof the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE. Invention is credited to Hsiang-Yuan Cheng, Jia-Chong Ho, Tarng-Shiang Hu.
Application Number | 20090026678 12/241591 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37804868 |
Filed Date | 2009-01-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090026678 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ho; Jia-Chong ; et
al. |
January 29, 2009 |
ALIGNMENT PRECISION ENHANCEMENT OF ELECTRONIC COMPONENT PROCESS ON
FLEXIBLE SUBSTRATE DEVICE AND METHOD THEREOF THE SAME
Abstract
Alignment precision enhancement of electronic component process
on flexible substrate device and method thereof the same is
proposed. The process step of a flexible substrate is put on a
substrate holder, wherein the flexible substrate is fixed by a
polymer tape. A plural of alignment marks is making for lithography
process. An unstressed cut is separated the flexible substrate and
substrate holder when the electronic component is made.
Inventors: |
Ho; Jia-Chong; (Ying Ko Jen,
TW) ; Hu; Tarng-Shiang; (Hsin Chu City, TW) ;
Cheng; Hsiang-Yuan; (Taipei City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RABIN & Berdo, PC
1101 14TH STREET, NW, SUITE 500
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Assignee: |
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH
INSTITUTE
Hsinchu
TW
|
Family ID: |
37804868 |
Appl. No.: |
12/241591 |
Filed: |
September 30, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11289356 |
Nov 30, 2005 |
7444733 |
|
|
12241591 |
|
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|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
269/35 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 23/544 20130101;
Y02P 70/50 20151101; H01L 2924/09701 20130101; H05K 2201/0326
20130101; H05K 2203/166 20130101; H05K 3/007 20130101; H05K
2203/016 20130101; H01L 51/0097 20130101; H05K 2203/0191 20130101;
Y10T 29/49117 20150115; H05K 3/303 20130101; Y10T 29/49135
20150115; H05K 1/0269 20130101; H01L 2924/0002 20130101; H05K
2201/09918 20130101; Y02P 70/613 20151101; H05K 1/0393 20130101;
Y10T 29/4913 20150115; H05K 2203/0228 20130101; Y10T 29/49133
20150115; H05K 3/048 20130101; Y10T 29/49002 20150115; H01L
2924/0002 20130101; H01L 2924/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
269/35 |
International
Class: |
B23Q 3/02 20060101
B23Q003/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 30, 2005 |
TW |
94129713 |
Claims
1. An alignment precision enhancement device of an electronic
component process on a flexible substrate, comprising: a substrate
holder for carrying said flexible substrate; a press machine for
completely sticking said flexible substrate on said substrate
holder by a polymer tape; and an unstressed cutting machine for
performing an unstressed cut according to positions of a plural of
alignment marks and along the width of said flexible substrate so
as to separate said flexible substrate from said substrate
holder.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate holder
is made of glass, quartz, metal or ceramic.
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said flexible substrate
is a polymer substrate, an organic and inorganic mixed substrate, a
metal substrate or a glass substrate.
4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said polymer tape is
made of polymer or an organic/inorganic mixed polymer complex
material.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/289,356,
filed Nov. 30, 2005, which claimed Priority from Taiwanese
application No. 094129713, filed Aug. 30, 2005, the entire
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention is related to an alignment precision
enhancement device of an electronic component process and a method
thereof the same, and more particularly to an alignment precision
enhancement device of an electronic component process on a flexible
substrate and a method thereof the same.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Presently, when making electronic components on a plastic
substrate process, a glass substrate is used to be a holder for
adhering the plastic substrate to the holder, and than after
finishing the process, the plastic substrate is separated from the
holder. However, the drawback of this process is that it is
necessary to find a special binder, which can bear a process
temperature about 200.degree. C., and further, a photo destruction
should be used to separate the plastic substrate from the glass
holder without leaving any binder thereon. In this manner, the
selection for the material of the binder is significantly
restricted, besides the binder is coated on the substrate before
the holder is pasted thereon so that it is uneasy to control the
surface of the plastic substrate to be smooth, and also, the
process is complicated.
[0006] Organic film transistors are made of organic conjugate
macromolecule or oligomolecule. Compared with the conventional
inorganic transistors, the organic film transistors can be made
under a low temperature so that the substrate can be selected to be
a light, thin and cheap plastic instead of the glass. In addition,
the process for the organic film transistor is simpler, in which
the organic film is directly patterned by printing for reducing the
number of photomask in use and also saving the vacuum evaporator,
and the process is suitable for the plastic substrate so that it is
highly compatible with the future roll-to-roll process and also can
reduce the manufacturing cost. According to a prediction by Xerox
company in U.S., the cost thereof can be reduced to one tenth of
ten as compared to the conventional semiconductor process. However,
when making electric components on the flexible substrate, first of
all, the problem should be overcome is an alignment deviation
caused by a deformation of the substrate that is produced owing to
the temperature and the stress.
[0007] In the manner of adhering the plastic substrate to a carrier
by sealant, the material of seal should be deaerated process before
be filled into the syringe for coating. After uniformly coating the
sealant on the glass carrier, the glass carrier and the plastic
substrate are pressed together by a press machine and
simultaneously heated or illuminated for pre-fixation. If the
oxygen requirement is as little as possible, then this step should
be performed in vacuum, and thus, it will need a large vacuum
chamber for accommodating the vacuum press machine and the exposure
machine, which may cost a lot. Therefore, the drawbacks are:
[0008] 1. The sealant needs to be deaerated.
[0009] 2. If a thermoplastic sealant is used and the air included
therein is going to be removed, a heating press machine should be
used for pressing in vacuum. If an UV type plastic material is
used, a press machine with UV light source should be used in the
vacuum chamber, which is expensive and complicated.
[0010] 3. If there is air included between the plastic substrate
and the glass, the sealant line might be broken owing to a punch so
that after multiple processes, the solution may enter therein
easily through the broken hole of the sealant so as to influence
the whole process. As to another problem relating to the air
included therein, if the air included between the plastic substrate
and the glass substrate is too much, the flatness of the substrate
might be influenced owing to the expanded air volume caused by the
heating during the process so that the film making on the substrate
may become not uniform.
[0011] 4. Because the stresses of the plastic substrate at the
positions with and without sealant are different, the substrate
might be split at the position near the seal after multiple
processes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] In consideration of the defects of the described
conventional technology and for solving the problems above, the
present invention provides an alignment precision enhancement
device of an electronic component process on a flexible substrate
and a method thereof the same so that the alignment precision of
the flexible substrate can be improved to be suitable for a
roll-to-roll process when making the electronic component on the
flexible substrate.
[0013] For achieving the purposes described above, the present
invention provides an alignment precision enhancement method of an
electronic component process on a flexible substrate, comprising
steps of: placing the flexible substrate on a substrate holder;
completely sticking the flexible substrate by a polymer tape using
a press machine, thereby the flexible substrate is adhesively fixed
on the substrate holder through the polymer tape; setting up a
plural of alignment mark areas and removing the polymer tape within
those alignment mark areas; depositing an indium tin oxide layer on
the polymer tape and on the alignment mark areas; making the plural
of alignment marks within those alignment mark areas; making an
electronic component on the polymer tape of the flexible substrate;
and separating the flexible substrate from the substrate holder
using an unstressed cutting machine.
[0014] Furthermore, the present invention also provides an
alignment precision enhancement device of an electronic component
process on a flexible substrate comprising a substrate holder for
carrying the flexible substrate; a press machine for completely
sticking the flexible substrate on the substrate holder by a
polymer tape; and an unstressed cutting machine for performing an
unstressed cut according to positions of the plural of alignment
marks and along the width of the flexible substrate so as to
separate the flexible substrate from the substrate holder.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages
of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same
becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed
description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
[0016] FIGS. 1A to 1G are flow charts showing an alignment
precision enhancement method of electronic component process on a
flexible substrate according to a first embodiment of the present
invention;
[0017] FIGS. 2A to 2G are flow charts showing an alignment
precision enhancement method for electronic component process on a
flexible substrate according to a second embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0018] FIG. 3 is a top view showing the alignment precision of
electronic component process on a flexible substrate according to
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] FIGS. 1A to 1G are flow charts showing an alignment
precision enhancement method of electronic component process on a
flexible substrate according to a first embodiment of the present
invention. In FIG. 1A, a flexible substrate 12 is set up on a
substrate holder 10, wherein the substrate holder is made of glass
or quartz, and the flexible substrate is a polymer substrate, an
organic/inorganic mixed substrate, a metal substrate or a glass
substrate. Then, the flexible substrate 12 and the substrate holder
10 are completely bound by a polymer tape 14 through a press
machine 16 using a roll-to-roll process, and the flexible substrate
12 can be adhesively fixed on the substrate holder 10 through the
polymer tape 14, wherein the polymer tape is made of polymer or an
organic/inorganic mixed polymer complex material.
[0020] As shown in FIG. 1B, a plural of alignment mark areas 28 are
set up and the polymer tape 14 within those alignment mark areas 28
are removed, wherein the removing step can be performed through an
UV exposure. Then, as shown in FIG. 1C, an indium tin oxide (ITO)
layer 18 is deposited on the polymer tape 14 and on the alignment
mark areas 28, wherein the depositing step is achieved by
sputtering. In FIG. 1D, a plural of alignment marks 20 are made
within these alignment mark areas 28, wherein these alignment marks
20 are made by a lithographic process, and at the same time, a
photomask is also used for eliminating the remainder of the ITO
layer 18.
[0021] In FIG. 1E, an electronic component 22 is made on the
polymer tape 14, wherein the width of the electronic component 22
is smaller than that of the polymer tape 14 and of the flexible
substrate 12. In FIG. 1F, an unstressed cutting machine 24 is
employed to separate the flexible substrate 12 from the substrate
holder 10, and as shown in FIG. 3 which is a top view for alignment
precision, after an unstressed cut along the width of the flexible
substrate 12 and according to the positions of these alignment
marks 20, the flexible substrate 12 can be easily separated from
the substrate holder 10. The result thereof is shown in FIG.
1G.
[0022] FIGS. 2A to 2G are flow charts showing an alignment
precision enhancement method of electronic component process on a
flexible substrate according to a second embodiment of the present
invention. In FIG. 2A, a groove 26 is made on the substrate holder
10 and the flexible substrate 12 is placed in the groove 26,
wherein the substrate holder 10 is made of glass or quartz, and the
flexible substrate 12 is a polymer substrate, an organic/inorganic
mixed substrate, a metal substrate or a glass substrate. Then, the
flexible substrate 12 and the substrate holder 10 are completely
coated by a polymer tape 14 through a press machine 16 using a
roll-to-roll process, and through the polymer tape 14, the flexible
substrate 12 can be adhesively fixed on the substrate holder 10,
wherein the press machine performs the adhering process in a
roll-to-roll manner.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 2B, a plural of alignment mark areas 28 are
placed and the polymer tape 14 within those alignment mark areas 28
are removed, wherein the removing step can be performed in an UV
exposure manner. Then, as shown in FIG. 2C, an indium tin oxide
(ITO) layer 18 is deposited on the polymer tape 14 and on the
alignment mark areas 28, wherein the polymer tape 14 is made of
polymer or an organic/inorganic mixed macromolecular complex
material, and the depositing step is achieved by sputtering. In
FIG. 2D, the plural of alignment marks 20 are made within these
alignment mark areas 28, wherein these alignment marks 20 are made
by a lithographic process, and at the same time, a photomask is
also used for eliminating the remainder of the ITO layer 18.
[0024] In FIG. 2E, an electronic component 22 is made on the
polymer tape 14, wherein the width of the electronic component 22
is smaller than that of the polymer tape 14 and of the flexible
substrate 12. In FIG. 2F, an unstressed cutting machine 24 is
employed to separate the flexible substrate 12 from the substrate
holder 10, and as shown in FIG. 3 which is a top view for alignment
precision, after an unstressed cut along the width of the flexible
substrate 12 and according to the positions of these alignment
marks 20, the flexible substrate 12 can be easily separated from
the substrate holder 10. The result thereof is shown in FIG. 2G
[0025] According to the present invention, the flexible substrate
is firstly placed on the substrate holder and adhesively fixed by a
polymer tape, and then the alignment marks are made. After making
the component, the flexible substrate and the substrate holder can
be easily separated by the unstressed cutting machine in an
unstressed cut manner. This method can avoid the flexible substrate
from the problems of binder flatness, alignment, and residual
binder after separating the flexible from the substrate holder, and
can also be compatible with the roll-to-roll process
[0026] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous
characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been
set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of
the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is
illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in
matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the
principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the
broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are
expressed.
* * * * *