U.S. patent application number 12/659060 was filed with the patent office on 2011-04-28 for coating apparatus, coating method thereof, and method of forming organic layer using the same.
Invention is credited to Sung-Gon Kim, Myeng-Woo Nam, Jin-Han Park, Eui-Shin Shin.
Application Number | 20110097499 12/659060 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43898667 |
Filed Date | 2011-04-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110097499 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Park; Jin-Han ; et
al. |
April 28, 2011 |
Coating apparatus, coating method thereof, and method of forming
organic layer using the same
Abstract
A coating apparatus includes a stage supporting a coating
target, a coating part on the stage, the coating part being
configured to apply a coating material onto the coating target, and
a heating source opposite to and spaced apart from the stage, the
heating source being configured to supply heat to the coating
target after application of the coating material onto the coating
target.
Inventors: |
Park; Jin-Han; (Yongin-City,
KR) ; Nam; Myeng-Woo; (Yongin-City, KR) ;
Shin; Eui-Shin; (Yongin-City, KR) ; Kim;
Sung-Gon; (Yongin-City, KR) |
Family ID: |
43898667 |
Appl. No.: |
12/659060 |
Filed: |
February 24, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
427/384 ; 118/58;
427/372.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 21/6715 20130101;
H01L 51/56 20130101; H01L 51/0008 20130101; H01L 21/67115 20130101;
H01L 51/0026 20130101; Y02E 10/549 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
427/384 ; 118/58;
427/372.2 |
International
Class: |
B05D 3/02 20060101
B05D003/02; B05C 9/14 20060101 B05C009/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 28, 2009 |
KR |
10-2009-0102879 |
Claims
1. A coating apparatus, comprising: a stage supporting a coating
target; a coating part on the stage, the coating part being
configured to apply a coating material onto the coating target; and
a heating source opposite to and spaced apart from the stage, the
heating source being configured to supply heat to the coating
target after application of the coating material onto the coating
target.
2. The coating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating
source overlaps the entire coating target, the heating source being
configured to simultaneously and uniformly supply heat to the
entire coating target.
3. The coating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating
source is an infrared heater or a halogen lamp.
4. The coating apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the heating
source is a halogen lamp, and the heating source further comprises
a reflection plate.
5. The coating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating
source is vertically movable toward the stage.
6. The coating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating
source is completely separated from the stage.
7. The coating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coating
part includes: a movable support frame on the stage; and an
ejection part on the movable support frame, the ejection part being
movable in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of the
movable support frame and being configured to eject the coating
material.
8. The coating apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the movable
support frame includes: first support frames spaced a predetermined
distance from and opposite to each other and having a predetermined
height; and a second support frame having two ends disposed on the
first support frames and crossing the first support frames.
9. The coating apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second
support frame is vertically movable toward and away from the
stage.
10. The coating apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the
ejection part includes: a movable coating head configured to move
in a longitudinal direction of the second support frame; and a
nozzle in the coating head, the nozzle being configured to eject
the coating material.
11. The coating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising
a chamber, the stage being in a lower part of the chamber, and the
heating source being in an upper part of the chamber.
12. A coating method, comprising: positioning a coating target on a
stage in a coating apparatus; applying a coating material onto the
coating target using a coating part; and supplying heat to the
coating target, after applying the coating material onto the
coating target, using a heating source, the heating source being
opposite to and spaced apart from the stage in the coating
apparatus.
13. The coating method as claimed in claim 12, wherein supplying
heat to the coating target includes supplying uniform heat
simultaneously to the entire coating target.
14. The coating method as claimed in claim 12, wherein applying a
coating material includes applying an organic emission material, an
organic thin layer transistor material, and/or a solar cell
material.
15. The coating method as claimed in claim 12, wherein supplying
heat to the coating target includes drying the coating material at
a temperature of about 100.degree. C. to about 200.degree. C.
16. The coating method as claimed in claim 12, wherein supplying
heat to the coating target includes using an infrared heater or a
halogen lamp.
17. A method of forming an organic layer, comprising: applying an
organic material on a substrate using a coating part, the substrate
being on a stage in a coating apparatus; and supplying heat to the
organic material and drying the organic material to form an organic
layer using a heating source, after the organic material is
applied, the heating source being opposite to and spaced apart from
the stage in the coating apparatus.
18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein applying the organic
material includes applying a material for forming an emission
layer, a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an electron
injection layer, and/or an electron transport layer of an organic
light emitting diode.
19. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein supplying heat to
the organic material includes drying the organic material at a
temperature of about 100.degree. C. to about 200.degree. C.
20. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein supplying heat to
the organic material includes supplying uniform heat simultaneously
to the entire substrate to dry the organic material.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field
[0002] Example embodiments relate to a coating apparatus, a coating
method thereof, and a method of forming an organic layer using the
same that are capable of providing a layer with a substantially
uniform thickness.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] As information communication industries have been rapidly
developed, applications of display devices are also widely
increased. Recently, display devices that can satisfy low power
consumption, light weight, thin thickness, and high resolution are
needed, e.g., flat panel display devices.
[0005] For example, a flat panel display device, e.g., a liquid
crystal display (LCD) device and an organic light emitting diode
(OLED) display device, may include an emission region and a thin
film transistor (TFT) formed between opposite two substrates. In
order to protect the emission region from external moisture,
oxygen, etc., a sealing material may be applied to a periphery of
the emission region to adhere the two substrates, encapsulating the
emission region.
[0006] The flat panel display device may have a multi-layer
structure, in which various layers, e.g., an organic layer, an
inorganic layer, and a metal layer, may be deposited to form the
emission region and the TFT. For example, an active matrix organic
light emitting diode (AMOLED) display device may include a
structure in which a buffer layer, a semiconductor layer, a gate
insulating layer, a gate electrode, an interlayer insulating layer,
source/drain electrodes, a protection layer, a planarization layer,
a pixel defining layer, a lower electrode, an organic emission
layer including an organic layer, an upper electrode, etc., are
deposited. Further, the organic emission layer may include a hole
injection layer and a hole transport layer between the lower
electrode and the organic layer, and may further include an
electron injection layer and an electron transport layer between
the upper electrode and the organic layer.
[0007] The various layers in the flat panel display may be formed
by applying a liquid coating material among the deposited layers,
e.g., the organic layer, the interlayer insulating layer, the hole
injection layer, etc. The liquid coating material may be dried to
finalize a layer.
SUMMARY
[0008] Embodiments are directed to a coating apparatus, a coating
method thereof, and a method of forming an organic layer using the
same, which substantially overcome one or more of the problems due
to the limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
[0009] It is therefore a feature of an embodiment to provide a
coating apparatus forming a layer with a substantially uniform
thickness.
[0010] It is therefore another feature of an embodiment to provide
a coating method using a coating apparatus for forming a layer with
a substantially uniform thickness.
[0011] It is yet another feature of an embodiment to provide a
method of forming an organic layer using a coating apparatus
capable of forming a layer with substantially uniform
thickness.
[0012] At least one of the above and other features and advantages
may be realized by providing a coating apparatus, including a stage
on which a coating target is installed, a coating part installed on
the stage and applying a coating material onto the coating target,
and a heating source opposite to and spaced from the stage, and
supplying heat to the coating target after applying the coating
material onto the coating target.
[0013] The heating source may overlap the entire coating target,
the heating source being configured to simultaneously and uniformly
supply heat to the entire coating target. The heating source may be
an infrared heater or a halogen lamp. The heating source may be a
halogen lamp, and the heating source further comprises a reflection
plate. The heating source may be vertically movable toward the
stage. The heating source may be completely separated from the
stage. The coating part may include a movable support frame on the
stage, and an ejection part on the movable support frame, the
ejection part being movable in a direction perpendicular to a
movement direction of the support frame and being configured to
eject the coating material. The support frame may include first
support frames spaced a predetermined distance from and opposite to
each other and having a predetermined height, and a second support
frame having both ends disposed on the first support frames and
crossing the first support frames. The second support frame may be
on the first support frames and is configured to vertically move
toward the stage. The ejecting part may include a movable coating
head configured to move in a longitudinal direction of the second
support frame, and a nozzle in the coating head and configured to
eject the coating material. The coating apparatus may further
include a chamber, the stage being at a lower part of the chamber,
and the heating source being at an upper part in the chamber.
[0014] At least one of the above and other features and advantages
may also be realized by providing a coating method, including
positioning a coating target on a stage in a coating apparatus,
applying the coating material onto the coating target using a
coating part, and supplying heat to the coating material to dry the
coating material using a heating source in the coating apparatus
when the coating material is completely applied.
[0015] Supplying heat to the coating target may include supplying
uniform heat simultaneously to the entire coating target. Applying
a coating material may include applying an organic emission
material, an organic thin layer transistor material, and/or a solar
cell material. Supplying heat to the coating target may include
drying the coating material at a temperature of about 100.degree.
C. to about 200.degree. C. Supplying heat to the coating target may
include using an infrared heater or a halogen lamp.
[0016] At least one of the above and other features and advantages
may also be realized by providing a method of forming an organic
layer, including applying an organic material onto a substrate
seated on a stage in a coating apparatus using a coating part, and
supplying heat to the organic material and drying the organic
material to form an organic layer using a heating source in the
coating apparatus after the organic material is applied.
[0017] Applying the organic material may include applying a
material for forming an emission layer, a hole injection layer, a
hole transport layer, an electron injection layer, and/or an
electron transport layer of an organic light emitting diode.
Supplying heat to the organic material may include drying the
organic material at a temperature of about 100.degree. C. to about
200.degree. C. Supplying heat to the organic material includes
supplying uniform heat simultaneously to the entire substrate to
dry the organic material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The above and other features and advantages will become more
apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by describing in
detail exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached
drawings, in which:
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a coating apparatus
in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;
[0020] FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the coating
apparatus of FIG. 1; and
[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an OLED display
device including an organic layer formed using the coating
apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0102879, filed on Oct.
28, 2009, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, and entitled:
"Coating Apparatus, Coating Method Thereof, and Method of Forming
Organic Layer Using the Same," is incorporated by reference herein
in its entirety.
[0023] Example embodiments will now be described more fully
hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings; however,
they may be embodied in different forms and should not be construed
as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these
embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough
and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to
those skilled in the art.
[0024] In the drawing figures, the dimensions of layers and regions
may be exaggerated for clarity of illustration. It will also be
understood that when a layer or element is referred to as being
"on" another layer or substrate, it can be directly on the other
layer or substrate, or intervening layers may also be present. In
addition, it will also be understood that when a layer is referred
to as being "between" two layers, it can be the only layer between
the two layers, or one or more intervening layers may also be
present. Like reference numerals refer to like elements
throughout.
[0025] Hereinafter, example embodiments will be described in more
detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 illustrates a
perspective view of a coating apparatus in accordance with an
exemplary embodiment, and FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view
of the coating apparatus in FIG. 1.
[0026] Referring to FIG. 1, a coating apparatus 1 in accordance
with an exemplary embodiment may include a stage 20 on which a
coating target 10 is installed, a coating part 30 installed on the
stage 20 and ejecting a coating material to the coating target 10,
and a heating source 40 installed opposite to the stage 20.
[0027] The coating target 10 may be positioned and removed from the
stage 20 by an operation of a conveyance mechanism (not shown). The
coating target 10 may be, e.g., a substrate for a display device or
a wafer of a semiconductor. In addition, a seating part (not shown)
may be further installed on the stage 20 so that the coating target
10 may be seated. Further, a conveyance mechanism (not shown) on
which the coating target 10 is seated may be disposed on the stage
20.
[0028] The coating target 10 may be positioned on the stage 20 for
processing, e.g., to be coated. The coating material to be coated
on the coating target 10 may be in a liquid state, e.g., a state in
which a material is dissolved in a solution to be applied to the
coating target 10 to form a film. For example, the coating material
may be an organic material. If the coating material is an organic
material used in an organic device, the coating material may not be
limited to specific materials but may include organic emission
materials, organic TFT materials, solar cell materials, and so
on.
[0029] The coating part 30 may be movably installed on the stage 20
to apply a certain amount of the coating material onto the coating
target 10. The coating part 30 may include a support frame 31 and
an ejection part 33. The support frame 31 may be movably installed
on the stage 20, i.e., the support frame 31 may be movable in a
first direction (an X-axis direction) on the stage 20. The ejection
part 33 may be installed on the support frame 31, and may be
movable in a second direction (a Y-axis direction) perpendicular to
the first direction (the X-axis direction) along the support frame
31 to eject the coating material onto the coating target 10. The
first direction (the X-axis direction) may be a process direction,
which may be a direction in which the coating part 30 moves or a
direction in which the coating target 10 moves.
[0030] The support frame 31 may include first support frames 31a
spaced apart and opposite to each other and having a certain
height, and a second support frame 31b having both ends disposed on
the first support frames 31a and crossing the first support frames
31a. The first support frames 31a may be movable on the stage 20,
and the coating target 10 may be disposed on the stage 20 between
the first support frames 31a. The second support frame 31b may be
fixedly installed on tops of the first frames 31a. Therefore, when
the first support frames 31a move on the stage 20, the second
support frame 31b may be carried above the stage 20 by the first
support frames 31a. For example, the second support frame 31b may
be installed at a predetermined distance from the coating target
10, and may be movable toward the stage 20 in a vertical direction
(Z-axis direction). In another example, the first support frames
31a and the second support frame 31b may be integrally formed with
each other.
[0031] The ejection part 33 may include a plurality of coating
heads 33a movably installed in a longitudinal direction (a Y-axis
direction) of the second support frame 31b, and a plurality of
nozzles 33b installed in the coating heads 33a, respectively, and
ejecting a certain amount of coating materials. The nozzles 33b may
be any suitable nozzles for coating, e.g., an inkjet head, a
dispense nozzle, a die head, a knife blade, etc. The ejection part
33 may be connected to a material supply apparatus (not shown) to
supply a coating material to the coating head 33a and eject the
coating material through the nozzle 33b. It is noted, however, that
embodiments are not limited thereto, e.g., the ejection part 33 may
include a single coating head with a plurality of nozzles or a
single coating head with a single nozzle.
[0032] The heating source 40 may be disposed opposite to the stage
20, and may be spaced apart from the stage 20 such that the coating
part 30 may not affect a process of applying the coating material
onto the coating target 10. After the coating material is applied
onto the entire surface of the coating target 10 by the coating
part 30, the heating source 40 may supply heat to the coating
target 10 to dry the coated material and remove a solvent. It is
noted that the coating material is coated and then dried on the
coating target 10 without being moved.
[0033] The heat provided by the heating source 40 may be adjusted
to have a predetermined temperature, such that the coating material
does not move even when the coating target 10 moves. In other
words, the temperature of the heating source 40 may be adjusted
according to the kind of the coating material. For example, if a
solvent used in the coating material for forming an organic
emission layer can be removed at a temperature of about 100.degree.
C. to about 200.degree. C., the heating source 40 may supply heat
at a temperature of about 100.degree. C. to about 200.degree.
C.
[0034] The heating source 40 may function to supply heat energy,
and may include any suitable apparatus, e.g., an infrared heater, a
halogen lamp, etc. For example, when the heating source 40 is an
infrared heater or a halogen lamp, a heating rate of the heating
source 40 may be adjusted such that the coating material may be
heated in a relatively short time.
[0035] For example, when the heating source 40 is a halogen lamp,
the heating source 40 may include a reflection plate disposed in a
direction opposite to a direction in which light moves toward the
coating target 10 to obtain optical uniformity. When the reflection
plate is disposed, the heat may be effectively supplied by
reflecting light emitted in a direction opposite to the coating
target 10 toward the coating target 10.
[0036] One or more heating sources 40 may be disposed. In order to
uniformly and simultaneously supply heat to the entire region of
the coating target 10 onto which the coating material is applied,
the heating source 40 may correspond to the entire region of the
coating target 10. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a single
heating source 40 may be positioned to overlap the entire coating
target 10. In another example, a plurality of heating sources may
be arranged to overlap the entire coating target 10.
[0037] For example, the heating source 40 may include a flat plate
having a substantially same shape as the coating target 10. At
least a portion of the heating source 40, e.g., the flat plate, may
be positioned substantially parallel to the coating target 10,
e.g., in the xy-plane, and may overlap, e.g., completely overlap,
the coating target 10. With the exception of the movable coating
portion 33, the, e.g., entire, coating target 10 may be exposed to
a bottom surface of the flat plate of the heating source 40, i.e.,
a surface facing the coating target 10, so heat from the heating
source 40 may be applied substantially simultaneously and uniformly
to the coating target 10. Therefore, a coating material on the
coating target 10 may be dried uniformly into a substantially
uniform layer.
[0038] In contrast, when heat is supplied to the coating material
not uniformly, e.g., sequentially, the heat-supplied temperature
may vary, thereby varying characteristics of the coated material.
As such, it may be difficult to form a uniform quality of layer of
the coating material. Also, when a heat source is not separated
from a stage, the stage may be poorly affected by the heat, and a
temperature difference between different parts, e.g., front and
rear parts, of a substrate supporting the coating material may
occur, so movement of the coating liquid may cause coating stains.
In addition, since the conventional art cannot heat the substrate
to 100.degree. or more to increase precision of the stage, it may
be difficult to heat the coating liquid not to flow.
[0039] The heating source 40 may be movably installed in a vertical
direction (a z-axis direction) toward the stage 20. Therefore,
interference of the heating source 40 with movement of the coating
part 30 may be prevented or substantially minimized. Since the
heating source 40 is movable along the vertical direction,
installation of a non-movable heating source at a constant distance
spaced apart from the coating target and the coating part may be
eliminated, thereby avoiding an increased time required for heating
the coating target at a larger distance and increasing apparatus
precision.
[0040] That is, while the coating part 30 performs a coating
process, the heating source 40 may be substantially spaced apart
from the coating target 10. When the coating process is completed,
the heating source 40 may be lowered toward the stage 20 in the
Z-axis direction to supply heat to the coating target 10, thereby
performing a drying process. Next, when the drying process is
completed, the heating source may be raised again in the Z-axis
direction to be spaced apart from the stage 20.
[0041] The stage 20 on which the coating target 10 is seated, the
coating part 30 and the heating source 40 may be disposed in a
chamber 50. The stage 20 may be disposed at a lower part of the
chamber 50, and the heating source 40 may be disposed at an upper
part of the chamber 50.
[0042] While this embodiment illustrates that the coating part 30
is a movable element with respect to the stage 20 in order to apply
the coating material onto the coating target 10, other embodiments
are not excluded. For example, the coating part 30 may be fixed
relatively to the stage 20, while the coating target 10 may be
movable to apply the coating material onto the moving coating
target 10.
[0043] A coating apparatus in accordance with an exemplary
embodiment may include the coating target 10 on the stage 20, the
coating part 30 movable in the process direction (the X-axis
direction) to apply the coating material onto the coating target
10, and the heating source 40 supplying heat to the coating
material on the coating target 10, when the coating is complete, in
order to dry the, e.g., liquefied, coating material. Such a heating
apparatus may provide substantially uniform layer coating, e.g.,
substantially uniform thickness and/or characteristics.
[0044] In contrast, in a conventional method, when coating and
drying of a coating material are performed in separate apparatuses,
i.e., a coated coating material is transferred to and from a
coating apparatus to a separate drying apparatus using a robot, a
layer formed of the coating material may be deformed, e.g., have a
non-uniform thickness. That is, since the coated material is
conveyed into the drying apparatus in a not-yet-dried state, the
temperature of the substrate, e.g., a coating target, in contact
with an arm of the robot may vary and cause coating stains, the
substrate may be bent due to an external force generated during the
conveyance, and/or a centripetal force due to rotation of the
substrate may badly affect a layer thickness on the substrate,
thereby making it difficult to form a high quality layer.
Therefore, forming a layer by a coating apparatus according to
example embodiments may prevent variation in layer thickness, e.g.,
generated during conventional methods of conveying a substrate to a
drying apparatus after coating the substrate with a coating
material.
[0045] In other words, deformation of a layer of a coating material
according to example embodiments may be prevented by performing the
heating, i.e., to dry the liquefied coating material, at a same
apparatus as the coating process at a temperature in which the
liquefied coating material is not flowed, e.g., about 100.degree.
C. to about 200.degree. C., so that some of the solvent can be
removed. The heating temperature according to example embodiments
may be lower than a temperature of a conventional separate drying
apparatus, e.g., about 250.degree. C. or higher to make a reaction
between elements in the contained materials to obtain certain
characteristics, thereby preventing or substantially minimizing
high heat effect on the constitution of the coating material, e.g.,
as compared to the conventional separate coating/drying
apparatuses. It is noted that the high temperature applied to the
conventional drying apparatus may not be applied to the
conventional coating apparatus, so the coating target in the
conventional coating apparatus may be conveyed to the drying
apparatus to pass through, e.g., an additional drying process.
[0046] As illustrated in FIG. 3, in the coating apparatus 1 in
accordance with the example embodiments, an organic material may be
applied onto the coating target 10 to form an organic layer 12 of
an OLED 11. The OLED 11 may include a first electrode layer 13, the
organic layer 12, and a second electrode layer 14, which may be
sequentially deposited on the coating target 10, i.e., a substrate
10.
[0047] The substrate 10 may be any suitable substrate for the OLED
11, e.g., any suitable substrate having strength sufficient to
support the OLED 11. The substrate 10 may be formed of a soft
material or a hard material depending on its use. For example, the
substrate 10 may include one or more of glass, quartz,
polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate,
polymethacrylate, poly-methylmethacrylate, poly-methylacrylate,
polyester, or the like.
[0048] The substrate 10 may be formed of a transparent material,
when light emitted from an emission layer of the organic layer 12
passes through the substrate 10. However, the substrate 10 is not
limited to a transparent material when light emitted from the
emission layer of the organic layer 12 passes through a side
opposite the substrate 10.
[0049] The organic layer 12 may be formed in a single layer
structure including an emission layer, or in a structure having two
or more layers including the emission layer. In the organic layer
12, a charge injection layer, e.g., a hole injection layer or an
electron injection layer, or a charge transport layer, e.g., a hole
transport layer or an electron transport layer, may be formed in
addition to the emission layer.
[0050] It is noted that the emission layer of the organic layer 12
may be formed of an organic material, and may be formed by the
coating apparatus 1, discussed previously with reference to FIGS. 1
and 2. However, other layers, e.g., organic layers, may be formed
by the same method.
[0051] A liquefied organic material, in which a material for an
emission layer is dissolved in a solvent, may be supplied to the
ejection part 33 by the material supply apparatus.
[0052] For example, the organic layer 12 may include any suitable
light emitting organic material, and may include, e.g., pigment
emission materials, metal complex emission materials, polymer
emission materials, and so on. In addition, additives, e.g., doping
agent, etc., may be added for the purpose of improvement of
emission efficiency and variation of emission wavelength, and the
solvent may be, e.g., toluene, chloroform, dichloromethane,
tetrahydrofuran, dioxane, etc.
[0053] When the substrate 10 is disposed on the stage 20, the
coating part 30 may move along the process direction (the X-axis
direction) to eject a certain amount of organic material supplied
in the coating head 33a through the nozzle 33b, thereby applying
the organic material onto the substrate 10. Next, when the organic
material is applied, the heating source 40 may supply heat to the
substrate 10, on which the organic material is applied, and may dry
the liquefied organic material to form the organic layer 12.
[0054] Here, the temperature increased by the heating source 40 may
range from about 100.degree. C. to about 200.degree. C. depending
on the kind of solvent for the organic material. Therefore, the
organic material dried in the coating apparatus 1 according to
example embodiments may be sufficiently solidified, and may have a
substantially uniform thickness.
[0055] As can be seen from the foregoing, since a coating material
is dried in a coating apparatus, it may be possible to prevent
deformation of a layer thickness, e.g., material flow caused by a
conventional conveyance of a substrate from a coating apparatus to
a separate drying apparatus. In addition, since a substrate is not
in contact with the heating source, it may be possible to prevent
thermal deformation of the substrate during the heating. Further,
since there is no heating source in a stage, it may be possible to
prevent deformation of the stage and there is no poor effect on
precision of the apparatus. Furthermore, since the coating material
may be heated at a temperature of about 100.degree. C. or more, it
may be possible to supply sufficient heat to dry the coating
material.
[0056] Exemplary embodiments have been disclosed herein, and
although specific terms are employed, they are used and are to be
interpreted in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for
purpose of limitation. Accordingly, it will be understood by those
of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and
details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of
the present invention as set forth in the following claims.
* * * * *