Flat panel display manufacturing may use color filters that include different colored inks printed on a glass (or other material) substrate. The ink may be deposited using an inkjet printer adapted to precisely jet ink and/or other suitable material directly into specific pixel wells defined by a pixel matrix (typically referred to as a “black matrix”). Before the ink is deposited, the black matrix of pixel wells may be formed on the substrate using lithography or any suitable process.
Materials in contact with liquid have an attractive or repulsive response to the liquid. The material's composition, its corresponding surface chemistry, and the chemistry of the liquid determine the interaction with the liquid. This phenomenon is termed hydrophilicity (analogously e.g., ink-philicity for liquid ink) and hydrophobicity (analogously e.g., ink-phobicity for liquid ink).
Hydrophilicity, also called hydrophilic, is a characteristic of materials exhibiting an affinity for water. Hydrophilic literally means “water-friendly” and such materials readily adsorb water. The surface chemistry allows these materials to be wetted forming a liquid film or coating on their surface. Hydrophilic materials also possess a high surface tension value and have the ability to form bonds with water.
Hydrophobicity, also termed hydrophobic, is a characteristic of materials that have the opposite response to water interaction compared to hydrophilic materials. Hydrophobic materials (“water fearing”) have little or no tendency to adsorb water and water tends to “bead” on their surfaces (i.e., form discrete droplets). Hydrophobic materials possess low surface tension values and lack active groups in their surface chemistry for formation of bonds with water.
Note that in some cases, a single material may be “philic” relative to a liquid that, for example, is water-based and “phobic” relative to a liquid that, for example, is oil based, or vice versa. The words hydrophilicity, ink-philicity, hydrophobicity, and ink-phobicity as used herein are intended as relative terms and a material may be ink-phobic to some inks and ink-philic to other inks. Further, just because a material is hydrophobic does not mean that the material is ink-phobic. Likewise, just because a material is hydrophilic does not mean that the material is ink-philic. Thus, for example, a material may be hydrophobic and ink-philic at the same time or hydrophilic and ink-phobic at the same time because, e.g., an ink maybe oil-based or water-based.
Wettability refers to a surface property characteristic for materials which yields a value for each compound. Wetting is the contact between a fluid and a surface, when the two are brought into contact. When a liquid has a high surface tension (strong internal bonds), it will form a droplet, whereas a liquid with low surface tension will spread out over a greater area (bonding to the surface). On the other hand, if a surface has a high surface energy (or surface tension), a drop will spread, or wet, the surface. If the surface has a low surface energy, a droplet will form. This phenomenon is a result of the minimization of interfacial energy. If the surface is high energy, it will want to be covered with a liquid because this interface will lower its energy, and so on. The surface tension value of a material can be utilized to determine wettability of a material by specific liquids. Through the measurement of the contact angle between a solid surface and a droplet of liquid on the surface, the surface tension for the solid material can be calculated.
Surface tension (or energy) refers to a force which results from an unbalance in molecular forces that occurs when two different materials (e.g., a liquid droplet on a solid surface) are brought into contact with each other forming an interface or boundary. The force is due to the tendency for all materials to reduce their surface area in response to the unbalance in molecular forces that occurs at their points of contact. The result of this force will vary for different systems of liquids and solids, which dictates the wettability and contact angle between the drop and surface.
For a given droplet on a solid surface the contact angle is a measurement of the angle formed between the surface of a solid and the line tangent to the droplet radius from the point of contact with the solid. The contact angle is related to the surface tension by Young's equation through which the behavior of specific liquid-solid interactions can be calculated. A contact angle of zero results in wetting, while an angle between zero degrees and ninety degrees results in spreading of the drop (due to molecular attraction). Angles greater than ninety degrees indicate the liquid tends to bead or shrink away from the solid surface. A contact angle of 90° or greater generally characterizes a surface as not-wettable, and one less than 90° means that the surface is wettable. In the context of water, a wettable surface may also be termed hydrophilic and a non-wettable surface hydrophobic. Likewise, in the context of ink, a wettable surface may also be termed ink-philic and a non-wettable surface ink-phobic. Superphobic surfaces have contact angles greater than 150°, showing almost no contact between the liquid drop and the surface. This is sometimes referred to as the “Lotus effect.” This characteristic of spreading out over a greater area is sometimes called ‘wetting action.’
Due to variations in the ink-philicity/ink-phobicity of the substrate and/or the material used to form a black matrix, the cross-sectional profile (e.g., the distribution) of the ink drops deposited into the pixel wells may not be optimal for forming color filters. In some cases, the uneven distribution of ink within a pixel well may result in a defect in the color filter.
Generally, a black matrix is formed from a composition that includes a pigment dispersion additive, an initiator, a polymerizable monomer or oligomer or combination thereof (e.g., a photo-polymerizable monomer, thermal-polymerizable monomer, etc.), a binder resin, an epoxy-based monomer, and a solvent. The present methods and apparatus provide black matrix compositions that further include a wetting additive that improves the wetting properties of a black matrix. For example, in some embodiments, the wetting additive may increase the ink-phobicity of top planar surfaces of the black matrix, surfaces such as the top of each pixel well, while altering (e.g., reducing) the ink-phobicity (or altering (e.g., increasing) the ink-philicity) of sidewall surfaces of each pixel well defined by the black matrix. Such a black matrix composition may reduce intermixing of color inks during inkjetting and improve the distribution of ink within each pixel well, improving the fill profiles and the color contrast of the color filter. More specifically, ink that inadvertently lands on the top surface of the pixel matrix will fall into the pixel wells and better wet the sidewalls. This tendency of the ink to fall into and spread out in the pixel wells of the present invention reduces the accuracy or precision required of the printer in distributing ink.
In one or more embodiments, the wetting additive may include any material that has polymerizable molecules that each has both a relatively ink-philic polar portion and a relatively ink-phobic non-polar portion. For example, such a material may include one or more hydrophobic-group-contained monomers and/or oligomers such as fluorinated acrylate monomers and/or oligomers; silicone-group-contained acrylate monomers or oligomers, other acrylate monomers and/or oligomers; reactive wax; and/or fluorosilanes. Polymerization is a process of reacting monomer and/or oligomer molecules together in a chemical reaction to form three-dimensional networks or polymer chains. As described further below, these wetting additives may be employed in lieu of, for example, an epoxy-based monomer, and “activated” by a curing step that concentrates the ink-phobic end of the additive's molecules at the top surface of the black matrix. Upon patterning, a black matrix having ink-phobic planar pixel well (top) surfaces and ink-philic (e.g., relative to the top planar surfaces of the black matrix) pixel well sidewall surfaces may be formed.
Exemplary black matrix compositions, methods of forming the same, and methods of manufacturing a black matrix in accordance with the present invention are described below with reference to
The black matrix composition may include other components such as, for example, a pigment dispersion, an initiator (e.g., a photo-initiator), a polymerizable monomer, a binder resin, a solvent, etc. A pigment dispersion is included to disperse a pigment (e.g., carbon black) throughout the black matrix composition. An initiator is included to help the polymerization reaction (e.g., photo-polymerization reaction, thermal polymerization reaction, or other practicable reaction). A polymerizable monomer (or oligomer) may be included to polymerize the composition to form the black matrix. Examples of such molecules include acrylate monomers/oligomers, epoxy monomers/oligomers, etc. A binder resin may be included to give the black matrix structure, stiffness, and strength. An example of such a binder resin includes acrylate binder. A solvent may be included to temporarily (e.g., until the solvent evaporates) lower the composition's viscosity to aid in applying the composition to the substrate (e.g., using a spin coating or slit coating method). Examples of such solvents include propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA) or any suitable solvent such as organic solvents.
In at least some embodiments, the black matrix composition may include the wetting additive (that includes polymerizable molecules that have both an ink-philic polar portion and an ink-phobic non-polar portion) in a concentration of about 100 to about 10,000 parts per million (ppm) by weight of the total composition not including solvent. In some embodiments, the concentration of the wetting additive may preferably be in the range of about 500 ppm to 5,000 ppm by weight of the total composition not including solvent. However, a different concentration range of the wetting additive may be employed. Additional exemplary wetting additives include one or more of CN4000, CN9800, CN990 manufactured by Sartomer Company Inc. of Exton, Pa., TEGO® Rad 2000 Series (e.g., 2200n, 2350 and/or the like), TEGO® Glide Series and/or TEGO® Flow Series manufactured by Degussa AG of Dusseldorf, Germany or the like. However, one or more additional and/or different additives may be employed.
Selection of an appropriate wetting additive may be based on, for example, the molecular weight, hydrophobic group concentration, reactivity, etc., of the wetting additive. In some embodiments, the wetting additive may have a molecular weight in the range of about 100 Mw to about 100,000 Mw (weight average molecular weight). The weight average molecular weight may preferably be in the range of 500 Mw to 10,000 Mw. Although wetting additives with a larger or smaller and/or different molecular weight may be employed.
In step 107, a substrate is provided. For example, the substrate may include glass, triacetylcellulose (TAC), polycarbonate (PC), polyethersulfone (PES), polyethylenetherephtalate (PET), polyethylenenaphthalate (PEN), polyvinylalcohol (PVC), polymetylmethacrylate (PMMA), cyclo-olefin polymer (COP) and/or another suitable material.
In step 109, a layer 203 (
In step 111, activation energy may be applied to the black matrix composition 205 to polymerize the wetting additive and thus, polarize the molecules of the wetting additive such that the ink-phobic portions of the molecules migrate toward the activation energy. The polymerization may be achieved using any practicable activation energy source depending on the composition 205. For example, ultra violet light, electron beam radiation, laser light, and/or a lamp may be used as an activation energy source. Other activation energy sources or combinations may be used.
In some embodiments, in step 111, the layer 203 of back matrix composition may be patterned. For example, as shown in
When light (or other energy) of an appropriate wavelength strikes a portion of the black matrix composition layer 203, the initiator in the black matrix composition 205 may absorb the light 303 (energy) to form a free radical molecule in the exposed portion. The initiator may function as a polymerization initiator for polymerizing the polymerizable monomers in the exposed portion of the black matrix composition layer 203. Therefore, such exposed portion of the black matrix composition layer 203 may include polymers resulting from polymerization of the polymerizable monomers. The polymerizable monomers of the wetting additive may lock in upon such lithographic exposure.
Following exposure, a developing step may be performed on the substrate 201. For example, a developing solution may be employed to develop the exposed or unexposed portion of the black matrix composition layer 203 so that such portion is removed. For example, the binder resin included in the exposed portion may react with the developing solution.
Voids resulting from removal of the developed portions may serve as pixel areas or wells 401 into which ink may be injected, via ink jetting, when forming a color filter and that define the black matrix 403.
The substrate 201 may be further cured. For example, the substrate 201 may be heated or exposed to ultra violet light, electron beam radiation, laser light, etc. such that the black matrix composition in the layer 203 may cure and cross-link to form a cross-linked resin in the black matrix composition layer 203. As shown in
In this manner, the top surface 503 of the black matrix 403 may be ink-phobic and sidewalls surfaces 507 of each pixel well formed in the black matrix (e.g., adjacent the pixel areas 401) may be less ink-phobic than the top surface 503, and in some embodiments, even ink-philic. Consequently, the top surface 503 of the black matrix may prevent bleeding of ink between adjacent pixel wells, and therefore, may prevent intermixing of ink colors during jetting processes as well as help improve the fill profiles of the pixel wells (e.g., more consistent and complete filling of the pixel wells). An improved color filter thereby may be produced. For example,
In practice, the migration of the wetting additive may be a dynamic process that happens during the entire pixel well formation process (e.g., during formation of a black matrix composition layer on a substrate, during soft bake, during any UV curing process, etc.). In at least one embodiment, the soft bake time may be about 1.5 minutes at a temperature of about 105° C. (in air). UV curing (exposure) may be about 30-60 seconds in air, and the final cure may be about 10 minutes in air. Other soft bake, UV curing, and/or final cure times may employed, as may other bake and/or cure gas environments (e.g., nitrogen, argon, etc.).
Turning now to
A conventional black matrix material formulation may include conventional ingredients such as a monomer, oligomer/polymer, photoinitiator, pigments, solvents, etc. Ink landing on such black matrix material may typically result in an ink contact angle on the top surface of the black matrix which is less than about 5 degrees. In contrast, inclusion of the additive(s) of the present invention may be used to change the ink contact angle on the top surface of the black matrix from approximately 10 to approximately 75 degrees, and more preferably from approximately 25 to approximately 60 degrees. The concentration of the additive used and the processing conditions (e.g., activation/exposure time and energy, other ingredients, etc.) may be used to adjust the contact angle to a more specific desired value within the above ranges (e.g., approximately 28 degrees, approximately 35 degrees, etc.).
The foregoing description discloses only exemplary embodiments of the invention. Modifications of the above disclosed apparatus and methods which fall within the scope of the invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. For instance, concentrations of the pigment dispersion, initiator, polymerizable monomer, binder resin and/or solvent in the black matrix composition may be varied. Also, in some embodiments, the black matrix may be formed directly on the thin film transistor (TFT) layer of the flat panel display. Further, the present invention may also be applied to processes for spacer formation, polarizer coating, and nanoparticle circuit forming.
Accordingly, while the present invention has been disclosed in connection with exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood that other embodiments may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.
The present application claims priority to: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/521,577, filed Sep. 13, 2006 and entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING A PIXEL MATRIX OF A COLOR FILTER FOR A FLAT PANEL DISPLAY,” (Attorney Docket No. 10502) which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/718,565, filed Sep. 19, 2005 and entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING A PIXEL MATRIX OF A COLOR FILTER FOR A FLAT PANEL DISPLAY,” (Attorney Docket No. 10502/L); U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/834,076, filed Jul. 28, 2006 and also entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING A PIXEL MATRIX OF A COLOR FILTER FOR A FLAT PANEL DISPLAY,” (Attorney Docket No. 10502/L2); and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/823,254, filed Aug. 23, 2006 and entitled “BLACK MATRIX COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS OF FORMING THE SAME,” (Attorney Docket No. 11292/L), all four of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes. The present application is related to the following commonly-assigned, co-pending U.S. Patent Applications, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes: U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/625,550, filed Nov. 4, 2004 and entitled “APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR FORMING COLOR FILTERS IN A FLAT PANEL DISPLAY BY USING INKJETTING”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/019,967, filed Dec. 22, 2004 and entitled “APPARATUS AND METHODS OF AN INKJET HEAD SUPPORT HAVING AN INKJET HEAD CAPABLE OF INDEPENDENT LATERAL MOVEMENT” (Attorney Docket No. 9521-1); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/019,929, filed Dec. 22, 2004 and titled “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR INKJET PRINTING.” (Attorney Docket No. 9521-2); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/019,930, filed Dec. 22, 2004 and entitled “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ALIGNING PRINT HEADS” (Attorney Docket No. 9521-3); U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/703,146, filed Jul. 28, 2005 and entitled “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SIMULTANEOUS INKJET PRINTING AND DEFECT INSPECTION” (Attorney Docket No. 9521-L02 (formerly 9521-7/L); and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/493,861, filed Jul. 25, 2006 and entitled “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CONCURRENT INKJET PRINTING AND DEFECT INSPECTION” (Attorney Docket No. 9521-10)
Number | Date | Country | |
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60834076 | Jul 2006 | US | |
60823254 | Aug 2006 | US |