This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201510430304.6 filed on Jul. 21, 2015, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
The subject matter herein generally relates to a method for patterning conductive materials by using light annealing technologies.
Transparent conductive materials such as indium tin oxides (ITO) are widely used in electronic devices to make electrode patterns due to their good performance, such as good conductivity, high light transmittance, and antiabrasion performance. A typical patterning method of the conductive materials employs a photo etching process (PEP) technology, which needs a plurality of steps including at least a cleaning process, a photoresist coating process, an exposing process, a developing process, and an etching process.
Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features. The description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein.
The term “coupled” is defined as connected, whether directly or indirectly through intervening components, and is not necessarily limited to physical connections. The connection can be such that the objects are permanently connected or releasably connected. The term “comprising”, when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described combination, group, series and the like.
The present disclosure is described in relation to a method for forming electrode patterns on a substrate using light annealing technologies. In summary, a layer of conductive materials is formed on the substrate, and a portion of the conductive materials is annealed by an exposing manner. The layer of conductive materials after being exposed includes an annealed first portion and an unannealed second portion. One of the annealed first portion and the unannealed second portion is removed from the substrate to form electrode patterns on the substrate. More details are provided below.
A thickness of the layer of conductive materials 12 formed on the substrate 11 is less than or equal to 50 nanometers (nm). The conductive materials 12 can be amorphous and transparent conductive materials, such as indium tin oxides (ITO), indium zinc oxides (IZO), aluminum zinc oxides (AZO), transparent films, or other similar materials.
In addition, light sources such as infrared light sources can be used to expose the layer of conductive materials 12. A portion of the light sources pass through the light transition portions 132 to anneal a portion of the conductive materials 12. Thus, the layer of conductive materials 12 includes a first portion 121 corresponding to the light transition portions 132 and a second portion 122 corresponding to the light shielding portions 131. The first portion 121 is annealed by the light sources because the light sources can pass through the light transition portions 132. The second portion is not annealed by the light sources because the light sources can not pass through the light shielding portions 131. The first portion gradually become microcrystal or poly-crystal during the exposing process of the conductive materials 12. A period of exposing time for the conductive materials 12 is less than 100 milliseconds (ms), and a power of the light sources is greater than one joule per square centimeter (J/cm2).
In other embodiments, a portion of the first portion 121 may be etched by the etching process of the layer of conductive materials 12, to form a plurality of electrode patterns 123 having a stepped shape as shown in
In other embodiments, as shown in
Further, it is understood that, in other embodiments, the electrode patterns on the substrate 11 can be formed by removing the annealed first portion 122 of the layer of the conductive materials 12 using other feasible technologies. Thus, the electrode patterns are formed by the second portion 122 of the conductive materials 12 remained on the substrate 11.
A thickness of the layer of conductive materials 22 formed on the substrate 21 is less than or equal to 50 nanometers (nm). The conductive materials 22 can be amorphous and transparent conductive materials, such as indium tin oxides (ITO), indium zinc oxides (IZO), aluminum zinc oxides (AZO), transparent films, or other similar materials.
The photomask 23 can include a plurality of light shielding portions 231 and a plurality of light transition portions 232. Each of the light transition portions 232 is located between two adjacent light shielding portions 231. The light shielding portions 231 utilized herein refers to a portion of the photomask 23 where the light can not pass therethrough. The light transition portions 232 utilized herein refers to the other portion of the photomask 23 where the light can pass therethrough.
In addition, light sources such as infrared light sources can be used to expose the layer of conductive materials 22. A portion of the light sources pass through the light transition portions 232 to anneal a portion of the conductive materials 22. Thus, the layer of conductive materials 22 includes an annealed first portion 221 and an unannealed second portion 222. The annealed first portion 221 gradually become microcrystal state or poly-crystal state during the exposing process of the conductive materials 22. A period of exposing time for the conductive materials 22 is less than 100 milliseconds (ms), and a power of the light sources is greater than one joule per square centimeter (J/cm2).
In other embodiments, the electrode patterns on the substrate 21 can be formed by removing the annealed first portion 222 of the layer of the conductive materials 22 using other feasible technologies. Thus, the electrode patterns are formed by the second portion 222 of the conductive materials 22 remained on the substrate 21.
In the above described method of forming electrode patterns on a substrate, at least a photoresist coating process can be omitted. Therefore, the cost of manufacturing the electrode patterns can be reduced.
The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, including in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure, up to and including the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201510430304.6 | Jul 2015 | CN | national |