Deposition mask, method of manufacturing deposition mask, and method of manufacturing display apparatus

A deposition mask including a mask body including a plurality of pattern holes; a plurality of protrusions protruding from the mask body; and a plurality of grooves formed in the mask body. A grain size of the mask body is in arrange of about 10 μm to about 1000 μm, and a difference between a maximum height of the plurality of protrusions and a maximum height of the plurality of grooves is equal to or less than 0.5 μm.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0163717, filed on Nov. 21, 2014, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0155870, filed on Nov. 6, 2015, which are both hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND

Field

Exemplary embodiments relate to a deposition mask. More particularly, exemplary embodiments relate to a method of manufacturing the deposition mask, and a method of manufacturing a display apparatus.

Discussion of the Background

Mobile electronic devices have a wide range of uses. A tablet personal computer (PC) has been recently used as a mobile electronic device, in addition to a small electronic device, such as a mobile phone.

A mobile electronic device includes a display unit for providing visual information, such as images or moving images to users in order to support various functions. Because components for driving the display unit have recently become smaller, a portion of the display unit that occupies in an electronic device has increased, and a structure of the display unit that may be bent to have a predetermined angle from a flat state has been developed.

To form the above-described display unit, each of layers may be formed using various methods. In this regard, methods of forming each layer may include a deposition method, a photomask process, etc.

In the deposition method, a process of vaporizing, spraying, and depositing a deposition material may generally include placing a deposition source in a lower portion, placing a mask on the deposition source, placing a substrate on the mask, and depositing the deposition material that has passed through the mask onto the substrate.

It is necessary to finely process pattern holes that are formed in the mask and allow the deposition material to pass through in order to manufacture a display apparatus panel that has both a large size and high resolution. Precision of such pattern holes may determine precision of a pattern of the deposition material. In particular, the pattern of the deposition material is a very important issue in terms of resolution of the display unit or performance thereof, and may determine a product quality. Thus, various apparatuses and methods are applied in order to increase the precision of the pattern of the deposition material.

As an example, a parent metal of the deposition mask is manufactured through a rolling process and then an etching or laser irradiation process for processing pattern holes, and thus, the mask may be finally manufactured.

However, when the mask is manufactured using a parent metal of the deposition mask manufactured through the rolling process, there is a problem in that pattern holes may not be processed in a region where the pattern holes need to be processed, or a defect may occur in a shape of the pattern holes.

SUMMARY

Exemplary embodiments provide a deposition mask, a method of manufacturing the deposition mask, and a method of manufacturing a display apparatus.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention discloses a deposition mask including a mask body including a plurality of pattern holes; a plurality of protrusions protruding from the mask body; and a plurality of grooves formed in the mask body. A grain size of the mask body may be in a range of about 10 μm to about 1000 μm, and a difference between a maximum height of the plurality of protrusions and a maximum height of the plurality of grooves is equal to or less than 0.5 μm.

An exemplary embodiment also discloses a method of manufacturing a deposition mask including processing a parent metal of the deposition mask by performing an electro-forming process; placing the parent metal of the deposition mask between a stage and a beam splitter configured to split a laser beam oscillated by a laser oscillator into a plurality of laser beams; placing an optical mirror configured to be penetrated by at least some of the plurality of laser beams between the parent metal and the beam splitter; and processing pattern holes in the parent metal by irradiating the plurality of laser beams onto a part of the parent metal exposed by the optical mirror through a scanner that adjusts an irradiation direction of the plurality of laser beams that have passed through the beam splitter.

An exemplary embodiment also discloses a method of manufacturing a display apparatus including a pixel electrode and a counter electrode that face each other on a substrate and an organic layer disposed between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, the method including depositing the organic layer by using a deposition mask. The deposition mask includes: a mask body including a plurality of pattern holes; a plurality of protrusions protruding from the mask body; and a plurality of grooves formed in the mask body. A grain size of the mask body may be in a range of about 10 μm to about 1000 μm, and a difference between a maximum height of the plurality of protrusions and a maximum height of the plurality of grooves is equal to or less than 0.5 μm.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1is a schematic perspective view of a parent metal50of the deposition mask150before a deposition mask150(seeFIG. 4) is manufactured, according to an exemplary embodiment.FIG. 2is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line I-I′ ofFIG. 1.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, the parent metal50may include a plurality of protrusions53aprotruding from a mask body51, and a plurality of grooves53bformed in the mask body51. In this regard, a difference between a maximum height haof the plurality of protrusions53aand a maximum height hbof the plurality of grooves53bmay be equal to or less than 0.5 μm.

A plurality of the protrusions53aand a plurality of the grooves53bmay be formed in a surface of the mask body51. In this regard, the protrusions53aand the grooves53bare illustrated as an enlarged part of the mask body51inFIG. 1. Although not specifically shown, a greater number of protrusions53aand the grooves53bmay be formed than what is shown inFIG. 1.

The protrusions53aand the grooves53bare illustrated as each having a hemispherical shape that protrudes from or is formed in the surface of the mask body51inFIG. 1, but shapes of the protrusions53aand the grooves53bare not limited thereto. That is, the protrusions53aand the grooves53bthat are formed from and in the surface of the mask body51may extend in a length direction (X axis direction) of the parent metal50or a width direction (Y axis direction) thereof. However, for convenience of description, the protrusions53aand the grooves53bthat have the hemispherical shape and are formed from and in the surface of the mask body51will be described below.

The parent metal50ofFIGS. 1 and 2may be manufactured by performing a rolling process. In more detail, the rolling process includes processing a metal plate by passing a metal material at a high or room temperature through two rotating rollers by using a plasticity of metal. Although the rolling process has a characteristic of being quick while incurring low production costs, when the parent metal50ofFIG. 1is manufactured by performing the rolling process, the protrusions53aand the grooves53bmay not have the height difference of 0.5 μm.

Instead, the parent metal50ofFIG. 1according to an exemplary embodiment may be manufactured through an electro-forming process. In more detail, the electro-forming process includes processing a metal electro-deposition layer by using a phenomenon that if a negative electrode and a positive electrode are electrically connected by facing the negative electrode and the positive electrode together in an electrolyte, metal ions are discharged from the negative electrode and electro-deposited on the positive electrode. When the parent metal50is manufactured through the electro-forming process, since the protrusions53aand the grooves53bmay have the height difference equal to or less than 0.5 μm, the surface of the mask body51may be relatively uniform, compared to the rolling process of the related art.

As illustrated inFIG. 4, laser beams LB may be irradiated onto the parent metal50to manufacture the deposition mask150. If the laser beams LB is irradiated onto the parent metal50that is manufactured through the rolling process, the laser beams LB irradiated onto the parent metal50may suffer from being de-focused as a result of a step structure caused by a height difference between the protrusions53aand the grooves53bthat are present on and in the parent metal50. Because the shapes of pattern holes processed by the laser beams LB are modified, when the laser beams LB irradiated onto the parent metal50are de-focused, a defect is highly likely to occur.

However, when the parent metal50is manufactured through the electro-forming process according to the exemplary embodiments, since the surface of the mask body51is uniformly formed, a defect rate of the pattern holes formed in the parent metal50may be remarkably improved.

According to a current trend for a display apparatus to have a large size and high resolution display, it is advantageous for a deposition mask used to deposit various deposition materials on a panel of the display apparatus to be relatively thin. In general, a display apparatus having an ultra-HD (UHD) high quality resolution may not be currently manufactured using a deposition mask having a thickness of more than 50 μm. However, the parent metal50manufactured through the electro-forming process according to an exemplary embodiment may be manufactured to have a thickness t ranging from about 5 μm to about 50 μm. Pattern holes152(seeFIG. 4) may be formed by irradiating the laser beams LB onto the parent metal50having the thickness t ranging from about 5 μm to about 50 μm, thereby manufacturing the deposition mask150.

The parent metal50manufactured through the electro-forming process may include an invar alloy containing nickel ranging from about 30 wt % to about 50 wt %. In more detail, the parent metal50including the invar alloy may be formed to have a grain size ranging from about 10 μm to about 1000 μm.

In detail, the grain size is a scale indicating an average size of crystal grains that are a group of crystals having different crystal directions. The grain size may be determined by measuring the number of 2-dimensional crystal grains contained in a foreground area (635 mm2), in which a length of one side is 25 mm, of a microscope picture of an enlarged crystal grain.

In general, the invar alloy manufactured through the rolling process has a grain is size of several micrometers (μm). Because fine pattern holes may not be formed in the parent metal50, when a parent metal50having the grain size of several micrometers is used to manufacture a deposition mask, a non-processed region may be generated. This is because during a process of ablating a part of the parent metal50by using the laser beams LB, since the ablated part of the parent metal50remains in the form of dust, a light path of the laser beams LB may be blocked.

When the parent metal50that is manufactured through the electro-forming process, and having the grain size ranging from about 10 μm to about 1000 μm, is used to manufacture the deposition mask150, the fine pattern holes152may be formed in the parent metal50. In more detail, in consideration of factors such as manufacturing costs, process convenience, time taken, etc., the parent metal50may be processed to have a grain size equal to or greater than 10 nm. To prevent the non-processed region from being generated, i.e., to form the fine pattern holes152, the parent metal50may be processed to have a grain size equal to or smaller than 1000 nm.

FIG. 3is a schematic conceptual diagram of a deposition mask manufacturing apparatus10that performs a deposition mask manufacturing method, according to another exemplary embodiment.

Referring toFIG. 3, the deposition mask manufacturing apparatus10may include a laser oscillator100, a beam splitter200, a scanner300, and an optical mirror400.

The laser oscillator100may oscillate laser beam L toward the beam splitter200, where the laser beam L is an energy source for processing the pattern holes152in the parent metal50that will be described later.

The beam splitter200may split the laser beam L oscillated by the laser oscillator100into the plurality of laser beams LB. The plurality of split laser beams LB may be used to process the pattern holes152ofFIG. 4that will be described later. In detail, some of the split laser beams LB may be reflected from the optical mirror400that will be described later, and others thereof may be irradiated onto the parent metal50to process the pattern holes152. The plurality of laser beams LB oscillated by the laser oscillator100may be irradiated onto the parent metal50in a vertical direction.

The scanner300may control irradiation directions of the plurality of laser beams LB that have passed through the beam splitter200. In detail, the parent metal50of the deposition mask50may be fixed to a stage25during a process of processing the pattern holes152when the laser beams L are irradiated onto the parent metal50. The scanner300may be driven to be movable within a range corresponding to an area of the pattern holes152that are to be processed. Such driving of the scanner300may allow each laser beam LB to be precisely irradiated onto the parent metal50, and thus, the fine pattern holes152may be formed.

Thereafter, the optical mirror400may be disposed between the scanner300and the parent metal50to allow some of the plurality of laser beams LB that have passed through the scanner300to penetrate the optical mirror400. In more detail, the optical mirror400may include a penetration layer410that allows some of the plurality of laser beams LB to penetrate the optical mirror400, and a reflection layer420that reflects others thereof.

The deposition mask manufacturing apparatus10may further include an electrostatic chuck30that adsorbs the parent metal50. The electrostatic chuck30may be covered by the stage25that supports the parent metal50as shown inFIG. 3, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the electrostatic chuck30may be connected to an upper portion of the stage25so that a separate member may be disposed between the stage25and the parent metal50. The electrostatic chuck30may adsorb the parent metal50to fix the parent metal50onto the stage25such that the parent metal50does not move on the stage25during the process of processing the pattern holes152in the parent metal50.

It may be necessary to accurately align the optical mirror400and the parent metal50in order to precisely irradiate the laser beams LB onto locations of the pattern holes152that are to be processed in the parent metal50.

To this end, the deposition mask manufacturing apparatus10may further include a camera (not shown) that monitors locations of the optical mirror400and the parent metal50and a driver (not shown) that moves at least one of the optical mirror400and the parent metal50and aligns the locations of the optical mirror400and the parent metal50.

Although not shown inFIG. 3, the camera may be placed in a chamber (not shown) that accommodates the deposition mask manufacturing apparatus10and may be installed at any location where the locations of the optical mirror400and the parent metal50may be monitored. The driver may be connected to the parent metal50such that the parent metal50may be conveyed into the chamber and may be connected to the optical mirror400so that the optical mirror400may be moved in relation to the parent metal50.

The penetration layer410and the reflection layer420of the optical mirror400will be described in detail with reference toFIGS. 4 through 6below. The deposition mask150ofFIG. 4is a resulting structure obtained by processing the parent metal50ofFIG. 3by using the laser beams LB and forming the pattern holes152in the parent metal50.

FIG. 4is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along a line II-II' ofFIG. 3.FIG. 5is an enlarged perspective view of a region A ofFIG. 3.FIG. 6is an enlarged plan view of a region B ofFIG. 5.

The optical mirror400may be manufactured by performing a photolithography process. For example, the photolithography process includes obtaining a desired pattern by coating a thin photoresist on a surface of a structure in which a plurality of layers are stacked, light exposing a photomask having the pattern that is to be formed on the photoresist, and selectively etching an exposed region and a non-exposed region. Openings425may be formed by partially etching the reflection layer420disposed on the penetration layer410through the photolithography process.

The penetration layer410may be continuously exposed to the laser beams LB during the processing of the pattern holes152in the parent metal50, and thus, the penetration layer410may include a material having excellent heat resistance and light penetration. For example, the penetration layer410may include at least one of quartz and glass that have excellent heat resistance and simultaneously may allow light to penetrate.

Thereafter, the reflection layer420may be disposed between the penetration layer410and the scanner300, and may include an opaque metal that may reflect some of the laser beams LB. In this regard, the openings425may be formed in the reflection layer420by passing through the reflection layer420such that the laser beams LB may pass through the reflection layer420.

A plurality of the openings425may be formed in the parent metal50such that the openings425may correspond to a shape of the pattern holes152formed in the parent metal50. Although only the six openings425are illustrated inFIG. 5, sinceFIG. 5is an enlarged perspective view of the predetermined region A ofFIG. 3of the optical mirror400, the number of the openings425formed in the optical mirror400is not limited thereto, and the number of the openings425may correspond to the number of laser beams LB irradiated by the beam splitter200.

The penetration layer410may support the reflection layer420in which the openings425are formed. The penetration layer410, except for a part exposed by the openings425, may be covered by the reflection layer420. Thus, only a part of the penetration layer410corresponding to the shape of the pattern holes152that are to be formed in the parent metal50may be exposed to the laser beams LB by the openings425of the reflection layer420.

In more detail, the laser beams LB irradiated onto the reflection layer420are entirely reflected and do not pass through the penetration layer410, whereas since the laser beams LB irradiated to the openings425are not in contact with the reflection layer420, the laser beams LB may sequentially penetrate the penetration layer410and may be irradiated onto the parent metal50.

In this regard, in the case of the laser beams LB irradiated onto boundary surfaces between a surface421of the reflection layer420and the openings425, i.e., when some laser beams LB are irradiated onto the surface421of the reflection layer420, and others are irradiated onto the openings425, only the other laser beams LB irradiated onto the openings425may be used to penetrate the penetration layer410via the openings425and process a surface of the parent metal50.

A unit area of the pattern holes152processed using the laser beams LB in a horizontal direction may be different along a vertical direction of the pattern holes152. In this regard, the horizontal direction refers to an X axis direction that is a length direction of the deposition mask150, and the vertical direction refers to a +Z axis direction that is a thickness direction of the deposition mask150. That is, an inner surface of the pattern holes152may include an inclination surface.

Referring toFIGS. 5 and 6, the openings425may be processed in a rectangular shape, and may be spaced apart from each other by a gap G. Meanwhile, a shape of the openings425is not limited thereto. The openings425may be processed in various shapes such as a polygonal shape, a circular shape, an oval shape, etc. However, for convenience of description, the openings425having the rectangular shape shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, and will be described in detail below.

In detail, the gaps G between the openings425may be different according to the radius of curvature R of each of the openings425. That is, the smaller the radius of curvature R of each of the openings425, the closer to being a right angle the corners of the openings425are. If the corners of the openings425are formed closer to being the right angle, the gaps G between the openings425may be also relatively closer (see reference numeral G′).

On the contrary, if the radius of curvature R of each of the openings425increases, a gap d may be further formed compared to a case where the openings425are formed to have a rectangular shape (see reference numeral G′). In this case, the openings425may be spaced apart from each other by a gap2dcompared to the case where the openings425are formed to have the rectangular shape.

If the laser beams LB are directly irradiated onto the parent metal50without the optical mirror400, each of corners of the pattern holes152formed in the parent metal50may correspond to a shape of the laser beams LB. This is because the corners of the pattern holes152need to correspond to the shape of the laser beams LB according to a characteristic of the laser beams LB formed in a circular shape having a predetermined diameter.

To solve this problem, the deposition mask manufacturing apparatus10may include the optical mirror400that allows the laser beams LB to selectively penetrate. As described above, the optical mirror400may allow the laser beams LB that are irradiated in a direction of the parent metal50to selectively penetrate or reflect off the optical mirror400.

Therefore, if the radius of curvature R of each of the openings425formed in the reflection layer420of the optical mirror400is smaller than a radius RLBof the laser beams LB, some of the laser beams LB irradiated onto the surface421of the reflection layer420, from among the laser beams LB irradiated onto the corners of the openings425, are reflected (a region S), whereas others of the laser beams LB irradiated onto the openings425may penetrate the optical mirror400to process the pattern holes152.

If the radius of curvature R of each of the openings425is smaller than the radius RLBof the laser beams LB, the corners of the pattern holes152may be processed to correspond to a shape of the corners of the openings425, irrespective of the shape of the laser beams LB. Thus, if the radius of curvature R of each of the openings425is smaller than the radius RLBof the laser beams LB, that is, if the corners of the openings425are formed closer to the right angle, a shape of the corners of the pattern holes152may also be formed closer to the right angle, thereby minimizing gaps between the pattern holes152.

In this regard, the reason why it is stated that the corners of the pattern holes152are “formed substantially closer to being the right angle” is that it is impossible to actually form the corners of the pattern holes152at a right angle. That is, although the shape of the openings425or the pattern holes152may be seen by the naked eye as having the rectangular shape, since the openings425or the pattern holes152are actually very fine, when the corners of the openings425or the pattern holes152are observed through a microscope, the corners of the openings425or the pattern holes152may be formed to have the predetermined radius of curvature R, other than the right angle.

An effect obtained by forming the shape of the pattern holes152closer to the rectangular shape will be described below.

The pattern holes152may pass through a deposition material during a process of depositing the deposition material on a display panel (not shown). Thus, the shape of the pattern holes152may correspond to a shape of an emission unit (not shown) deposited on the display panel. Thus, if the shape of the pattern holes152is closer to the rectangular shape, the deposition material may also be deposited on the display panel in a shape closer to the rectangular shape.

In general, to implement an ultra high definition (UHD) high resolution display, it is necessary to maximize a region of an emission unit that emits visible ray within a predetermined region of a display panel. The emission unit may be formed of a deposition material deposited on the display panel via the pattern holes152. Thus, as described above, the shape of each of the openings425that determines the shape of the pattern holes152may be formed to closely to resemble a rectangular shape, thereby minimizing the gaps G between the openings425and, furthermore, maximizing the region of the emission unit within the predetermined region of the display panel.

Therefore, when the laser beams LB are directly irradiated onto the parent metal50without the optical mirror400, the radius of curvature R of each of the processed pattern holes152correspond to the radius RLBof the laser beams LB, whereas if the optical mirror400is provided in the deposition mask manufacturing apparatus10and is disposed on the parent metal50when the pattern holes152are processed, the radius of curvature R of each of the pattern holes152may be smaller than the radius RLBof the laser beams LB. Furthermore, an area of the emission unit may be maximized within the predetermined region of the display panel by depositing an organic material closer to a rectangular shape on the display panel.

FIG. 7is an enlarged perspective view of a modification of the optical mirror401ofFIG. 5.

Referring toFIG. 7, a first mark422in a cross shape may be formed in the optical mirror401in order to easily align the optical mirror401and the parent metal50. A second mark (not shown) having a shape corresponding to the shape of the first mark422may be formed in the parent metal50, but the shapes of the first mask422and the second mark are not limited thereto. For example, the first mark422and the second mark may be formed in various other shapes as well, such as a circular shape, an oval shape, or a polygonal shape.

In detail, the first mark422may be formed in one or more of the penetration layer410and the reflection layer420of the optical mirror401. The first mark422may be formed in the reflection layer420. This is because the penetration layer410is formed of a material that may penetrate laser such as quartz or glass, and thus, the penetration layer410may allow the laser beams LB to penetrate even if the first mark422is not formed. The second mark may be formed in the parent metal50such that the second mark may correspond to a shape and a location of the first mark422.

In this regard, a camera (not shown) may monitor locations of the first mark422formed in the optical mirror401and the second mark formed in the parent metal50, and a driver (not shown) may move one of the optical mirror401and the parent metal50and align the locations of the first mark422and the second mark. Thus, a preparation for irradiating the laser beams LB onto the parent metal50and processing the pattern holes152may be performed.

Thereafter, a deposition mask manufacturing method of processing the pattern holes152in the parent metal50and manufacturing a deposition mask by using the deposition mask manufacturing apparatus10will now be described.

The parent metal50may be disposed between the stage25and the beam splitter200that splits laser beam L oscillated by the laser oscillator100into the plurality of laser beams LB. In this regard, the stage25may be installed to be movable in a length direction of the parent metal50and may repeat driving to convey the one parent metal50into a chamber (not shown), processing the pattern holes152, and conveying the one parent metal50out of the chamber.

The deposition mask manufacturing apparatus10may further include the electrostatic chuck30to adsorb the parent metal50, and thus, the parent metal50may be closely adhered to the stage25.

Thereafter, the optical mirror400may be disposed between the parent metal50and the beam splitter200. In this regard, the optical mirror400is described in detail above, and a detailed description thereof is omitted or described in brief.

In detail, the optical mirror400may be disposed on the parent metal50so that the first mark422formed in the optical mirror400and the second mark (not shown) formed in the parent metal50may be aligned. When the first mark422and the second mark are aligned, the camera may monitor locations of the optical mirror400and the parent metal50, and the driver may move one of the optical mirror400and the parent metal50and align the locations of the first mark422and the second mark

In this regard, aligning the optical mirror400on the parent metal50may mean making a shape of the openings425formed in the reflection layer420of the optical mirror400correspond to a shape of the pattern holes152that are to be processed on the parent metal50.

The laser oscillator100may be driven after the parent metal50and the optical mirror400are aligned on the stage25. The laser beam L oscillated by the laser oscillator100may split into the plurality of laser beams LB, and may be guided to the scanner300. The scanner300may irradiate the plurality of laser beams LB that have passed through the beam splitter200onto a part of the parent metal50exposed by the optical mirror400and process the pattern holes152in the parent metal50.

In this regard, the scanner300may adjust an irradiation direction of the plurality of laser beams LB that have passed through the beam splitter200. In detail, the laser beams LB irradiated from the beam splitter200to the parent metal50may freely move in length and width directions of the parent metal50in a region corresponding to a size of the pattern holes152by using the scanner300to process the pattern holes152.

In detail, a unit area of the pattern holes152processed by the laser beams LB in a horizontal direction may be different along a vertical direction of the pattern holes152. That is, an inner surface of the pattern holes152may include an inclination surface. To form the inclined inner surface of the pattern holes152, an irradiation time of the laser beams LB may be increased from an edge region of the openings425to a center region of the openings425or an output of the laser beams LB may be increased, thereby irradiating stronger energy onto the center region of the openings425.

When the laser beams LB are irradiated onto the edge region of the openings425, the laser beams LB irradiated onto the openings425may pass through the openings425, and the penetration layer410and may be irradiated onto the parent metal50. The laser beams LB irradiated onto the reflection layer420adjacent to the openings425may be reflected from the reflection layer420and thus, are not used to process the parent metal50.

Therefore, the shape of the pattern holes152may correspond to the shape of the openings425irrespective of the shape of the laser beams LB. This may mean that a shape of corners of the pattern holes152may also correspond to a shape of corners of the openings425. That is, as described above, the optical mirror400may be used to process the pattern holes152and form the pattern holes152to more closely resemble a rectangular shape.

An effect obtained by forming the shape of the pattern holes152to more closely resemble a rectangular shape is described in detail above, and thus, a detailed description is omitted.

FIG. 8is a diagram of a display apparatus500manufactured using a deposition mask ofFIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring toFIG. 8, the display apparatus500may include a substrate510and a display unit (not shown). The display apparatus500may further include a thin-film encapsulation film E or an encapsulation substrate (not shown) that is formed on the display unit. In this regard, the encapsulation substrate is the same as or similar to that used in a general display apparatus, and thus, a detailed description thereof will not be given. For convenience of description, a case where the display apparatus500includes the thin-film encapsulation layer E will be described in detail below.

The display unit may be formed on the substrate5510. In this regard, the display unit may include a thin-film transistor TFT, a passivation film570may be formed to cover the thin-film transistor TFT, and an organic light-emitting device580may be formed on the passivation film570.

In this regard, the substrate510may be formed of a glass material but is not necessarily limited thereto. The substrate510may be formed of a plastic material, or a metal material, such as SUS or titanium (Ti). The substrate510may include plolyimide (PI). For convenience of description, a case where the substrate310is formed of the glass material will be described in detail below.

A buffer layer520formed of an organic compound and/or an inorganic compound (e.g., SiOx(x≧1) or SiNx(x≧1)) may be further formed on a top surface of the substrate510.

After an active layer530that is arranged to have a predetermined pattern is formed on the buffer layer520, the active layer530may be covered by a gate insulating layer540. The active layer530may include a source region531and a drain region533, and further includes a channel region525that is formed between the source region531and the drain region533.

The active layer530may include various materials. For example, the active layer530may include an inorganic semiconductor material, such as amorphous silicon or crystalline silicon. As another example, the active layer530may include an oxide semiconductor. As another example, the active layer530may include an organic semiconductor material. However, for convenience of description, a case where the active layer530is formed of amorphous silicon will be described in detail below.

The active layer530may be formed by forming an amorphous silicon film on the buffer layer520, crystallizing the amorphous silicon film into a polycrystalline silicon film, and patterning the polycrystalline silicon film. The source region531and the drain region533of the active layer530may be doped with impurities according to a type of the thin-film transistor TFT such as a driving thin-film transistor TFT (not shown) or a switching thin-film transistor TFT (not shown).

A gate electrode550that corresponds to the active layer530and an interlayer insulating layer560that covers the gate electrode550may be formed on a top surface of the gate insulating layer540.

After a contact hole H1is formed in the interlayer insulating layer560and the gate insulating layer540, a source electrode571and a drain electrode572may be formed on the interlayer insulating layer560to respectively contact the source region531and the drain region533.

The passivation film570may be formed on the thin-film transistor TFT. A pixel electrode581of an organic light-emitting device (OLED) may be formed on the passivation film570. The pixel electrode581may contact the drain electrode572of the thin-film transistor TFT through a via hole H2that is formed in the passivation film570. The passivation film570may be formed of an inorganic material and/or an organic material to have a single-layer structure or a multi-layer structure. The passivation film570may be formed as a planarization film having a flat top surface irrespective of a curved shape of a lower film that is disposed below the passivation film570or may be curved along the curved shape of the lower film. The passivation film570may be formed of a transparent insulator to achieve a resonance effect.

After the pixel electrode581is formed on the passivation film570, a pixel-defining film590may be formed of an organic material and/or an inorganic material to cover the pixel electrode581and the passivation film570and to allow the pixel electrode581to be exposed therethrough.

An intermediate layer582and a counter electrode583may be formed on at least the pixel electrode581.

The pixel electrode581may function as an anode, and the counter electrode583may function as a cathode. However, the polarities of the pixel electrode581and the counter electrode583may be switched, with the pixel electrode581functioning as the cathode and the counter electrode583functioning as the anode.

The pixel electrode581and the counter electrode583may be insulated from each other by the intermediate layer582, and apply voltages having different polarities to the intermediate layer582such that an organic emission layer emits light. In this regard, the intermediate layer582may be deposited by using the deposition mask150according to an exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 4.

In detail, the intermediate layer582may include the organic emission layer. Alternatively, the intermediate layer582may include the organic emission layer, and may further include at least one of a hole injection layer (HIL), a hole transport layer (HTL), an electron transport layer (ETL), and an electron injection layer (EIL).

The thin-film encapsulation layer E may include a plurality of inorganic layers, or an inorganic layer and an organic layer.

The organic layer of the thin-film encapsulation layer E may be formed of a polymer, and may be a single layer or stacked layers formed of one of polyethylene terephthalate, polyimide, polycarbonate, epoxy, polyethylene, and polyacrylate. More specifically, the organic layer may be formed of polyacrylate, and specifically, may include a polymerization of a monomer composition including a diacrylate-based monomer and a triacrylate-based monomer. A monoacrylate-based monomer may be further included in the monomer composition. A well-known photoinitiator such as a TPO may be further included in the monomer composition, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

The inorganic layer of the thin-film encapsulation layer E may be a single layer or stacked layers including a metal oxide or a metal nitride. In detail, the inorganic layer may include one of SiNx, Al2O3, SiO2, and TiO2.

An uppermost layer of the thin-film encapsulation layer E that is exposed to the outside may be an inorganic layer in order to prevent moisture from penetrating into the OLED.

The thin-film encapsulation layer E may include at least one sandwich structure in which at least one organic layer is inserted between at least two inorganic layers. As another example, the thin-film encapsulation layer E may include at least one sandwich structure in which at least one inorganic layer is inserted between at least two organic layers. In still another example, the thin-film encapsulation layer E may include a sandwich structure in which at least one organic layer is inserted between at least two inorganic layers and a sandwich structure in which at least one inorganic layer is inserted between at least two organic layers.

The thin-film encapsulation layer E may sequentially include a first inorganic layer, a first organic layer, a second inorganic layer, a second organic layer, and a third inorganic layer from a top portion of the OLED.

As another example, the thin-film encapsulation layer E may sequentially include a first inorganic layer, a first organic layer, a second inorganic layer, a second organic layer, a third inorganic layer, a third organic layer, and a fourth inorganic layer from the top portion of the OLED.

A halogenized metal layer including LiF may be additionally included between the OLED and the first inorganic layer. The halogenized metal layer may prevent the OLED form being damaged when the first inorganic layer is formed using sputtering.

An area of the first organic layer may be smaller than an area of the second inorganic layer. The area of the second inorganic layer may be smaller than an area of the third inorganic layer.

As described above, according to the one or more exemplary embodiments, a deposition mask, a method of manufacturing the deposition mask, and a method of manufacturing a display apparatus may precisely process pattern holes of a deposition mask through which a deposition material passes.