Patent Publication Number: US-2023152617-A1

Title: Substrate and manufacturing method thereof and display panel

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates to the technical field of a panel, and more particularly, to the technical field of a substrate and a manufacturing method thereof. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     At present, electrodes in display panels usually use Cu instead of Al. Since Cu is more active, electrical performance of a Cu film substrate is often affected by surface corrosion during wet manufacturing processes, and many dots and stripes may be unevenly distributed throughout the entire substrate, resulting in poor product quality. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problems 
     The present disclosure provides a substrate to solve the corrosion problem of the substrate caused by the wet manufacturing processes and subsequent processes. 
     Technical Solutions 
     The present disclosure provides a substrate, and the substrate comprises: 
     a substrate layer, comprising a first surface and a second surface disposed opposite the first surface; and 
     a super-hydrophobic layer located on the first surface of the substrate layer. The super-hydrophobic layer is a porous metal film formed of a copper-zinc alloy. In the substrate provided by the present disclosure, an upper surface of the porous metal film has a micro-nano porous structure and a pore diameter of the micro-nano porous structure is from 50 nm to 3000 nm. 
     In the substrate provided by the present disclosure, a mass percentage of Zn in the copper-zinc alloy is from 1% to 30%. 
     In the substrate provided by the present disclosure, the copper-zinc alloy further comprises one of nickel and lead or a combination thereof. 
     In the substrate provided by the present disclosure, a contact angle between the super-hydrophobic layer and a droplet is greater than 150 degrees. 
     The present disclosure further provides a method of manufacturing a substrate, comprising: 
     providing a substrate layer, wherein the substrate layer comprises a first surface and a second surface disposed opposite the first surface; 
     depositing a copper-zinc alloy material on the first surface of the substrate layer; 
     processing the copper-zinc alloy material to form a super-hydrophobic layer with a porous metal film; and 
     washing the super-hydrophobic layer to obtain the substrate. 
     In the method of manufacturing the substrate provided by the present disclosure, the method further comprises a step of annealing the super-hydrophobic layer after the step of processing the copper-zinc alloy material to form the super-hydrophobic layer with the porous metal film. 
     In the method of manufacturing the substrate provided by the present disclosure, the annealing temperature is from 250 degrees Celsius to 1000 degrees Celsius. 
     In the method of manufacturing the substrate provided by the present disclosure, an etching solution is used to etch the upper surface of the copper-zinc alloy material, and the etching solution comprises FeCl 3 . 
     In the method of manufacturing the substrate provided by the present disclosure, a mass percentage of FeCl 3  in the etching solution is from 5% to 20%. 
     In the method of manufacturing the substrate provided by the present disclosure, the etching solution further comprises a chelating agent, and the chelating agent is one of iminodiacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, ethylenediamine tetramethylene phosphonic acid, maleic acid, amino trimethylene phosphonic acid, and amino trimethylene phosphonic acid or a combination thereof. 
     In the method of manufacturing the substrate provided by the present disclosure, the method further comprises a step of processing the super-hydrophobic layer with a stearic acid solution after the step of annealing the super-hydrophobic layer. 
     In the method of manufacturing the substrate provided by the present disclosure, the method further comprises a step of modifying the super-hydrophobic layer after the step of processing the super-hydrophobic layer with the stearic acid solution. 
     In the method of manufacturing the substrate provided by the present disclosure, the etching solution further comprises an inhibitor. 
     In the method of manufacturing the substrate provided by the present disclosure, the inhibitor is 5-aminotetrazolium. 
     The present disclosure further provides a display panel. The display panel comprises an array substrate, a liquid crystal layer, and a color filter substrate. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between the array substrate and the color filter substrate. The array substrate comprises: 
     a substrate layer, which comprises a first surface and a second surface disposed opposite the first surface; and 
     a super-hydrophobic layer located on the first surface of the substrate layer. The super-hydrophobic layer is a porous metal film formed of a copper-zinc alloy. 
     In the display panel provided by the present disclosure, an upper surface of the porous metal film has a micro-nano porous structure. A pore diameter of the micro-nano porous structure is from 50 nm to 3000 nm. 
     In the display panel provided by the present disclosure, a mass percentage of Zn in the copper-zinc alloy is from 1% to 30%. 
     In the display panel provided by the present disclosure, a contact angle between the super-hydrophobic layer and a droplet is greater than 150 degrees. 
     Beneficial Effects 
     The present disclosure provides a substrate, a method of manufacturing thereof, and a display panel. The substrate comprises a substrate layer and a super-hydrophobic layer. The substrate layer comprises a first surface and a second surface disposed opposite the first surface. The super-hydrophobic layer is a porous metal film formed of a copper-zinc alloy. In the present disclosure, the porous metal film formed of the copper-zinc alloy in the super-hydrophobic layer may increase the contact angle between the droplet and the super-hydrophobic layer and reduce the surface adhesion to avoid corrosion of the substrate, thereby improving the quality of the substrate. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The following detailed description of specific embodiments of the present disclosure in combination with the drawings will make the technical solutions and other beneficial effects of the present disclosure obvious. 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic view of a substrate provided by the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a scanning electron microscope picture of a super-hydrophobic layer provided by the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a structural cross-sectional view of a display panel provided by the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a flow chart of a method of manufacturing the substrate provided by the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described clearly and completely in combined with the drawings shown in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the described embodiments are only one part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, but not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by a person skilled in the art without making creative efforts fall within the claim scope of the present disclosure. 
     Please refer to  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  2   .  FIG.  1    is schematic view of a substrate provided by the present disclosure.  FIG.  2    is a scanning electron microscope picture of a super-hydrophobic layer provided by the present disclosure. The present disclosure provides a substrate  10 . The substrate  10  comprises a substrate layer  100  and a super-hydrophobic layer  200 . 
     The substrate layer  100  comprises a first surface  110  and a second surface  120  opposite the first surface  110 . A super-hydrophobic layer  200  is disposed on the first surface  110  of the substrate layer  100 . The super-hydrophobic layer  200  is a porous metal film formed of a copper-zinc alloy. The upper surface  210  of the porous metal film  200  has a micro-nano porous structure  220 . That is, the micro-nano porous structure  220  is a flocculent structure distributed densely as shown in in  FIG.  2   . The pore diameter of the micro-nano porous structure  220  is from 50 nm to 3000 nm. Specifically, in some embodiments, the pore diameter of the micro-nano porous structure  220  may be 100 nm, 1100 nm, 2000 nm or 2500 nm, etc. The material of the super-hydrophobic layer  200  is copper-zinc alloy. The mass percentage of Zn in the copper-zinc alloy material is from 1% to 30%. Specifically, in some embodiments, the mass percentage of Zn in the copper-zinc alloy material may be 3%, 8%, 19%, 25% or 28%, etc. When a droplet are present on the super-hydrophobic layer  200 , since the super-hydrophobic layer  200  is a porous metal film formed of a copper-zinc alloy, the upper surface  210  of the porous metal film  200  has the micro-nano porous structure  220 . It allows the droplet not to infiltrate the surface of the super-hydrophobic layer  200  to reduce the erosion of the surface of the super-hydrophobic layer  200  by the droplet. The droplet may be a water droplet, or a droplet formed of aqueous solutions such as salts, acids, or bases. In the present embodiment, the droplet is generated by the acidic substances decomposed during decontamination by extreme ultraviolet lithography or the residual acidic groups of the gas used in the wet manufacturing processes. A contact angle between the super-hydrophobic layer  200  and the droplet is greater than 150 degrees. Specifically, in some embodiments, the contact angle between the super-hydrophobic layer  200  and the droplet may be 157 degrees, 160 degrees, 172 degrees, or 178 degrees, etc. 
     In the present disclosure, the super-hydrophobic layer is a porous metal film formed of a copper-zinc alloy. The copper-zinc alloy material is cheaper than the pure copper material. The copper-zinc alloy used in the substrate may reduce the cost. The thermal expansion coefficient of the copper-zinc alloy is lower than the thermal expansion coefficient of the pure copper, which avoids warping during the subsequent heat treatment. The upper surface of the porous metal film has a micro-nano porous structure, thereby increasing the contact angle between the droplet and the super-hydrophobic layer, reducing the surface adhesion, reducing the corrosion problem of the substrate, and further enhancing the quality of the substrate. 
     In another embodiment, the copper-zinc alloy may further comprise nickel and/or lead. 
     In the present disclosure, adding nickel and/or lead to the copper-zinc alloy enhance the fineness of the crystal grains, which allows the micro-nano porous structure to be more uniform, thereby enhancing the hydrophobic effect of the super-hydrophobic layer. 
     Please refer to  FIG.  3   .  FIG.  3    is a structural cross-sectional view of a display panel provided by the present disclosure. The present disclosure further provides a display panel  1000 . The display panel  1000  comprises an array substrate  700 , a liquid crystal layer  800 , and a color filter substrate  900 . The liquid crystal layer  800  is disposed between the array substrate  700  and the color filter substrate  900 . 
     Specifically, the array substrate  700  comprises a substrate  10 , a thin film transistor  710 , and a flat layer  720 . The substrate  10  comprises the substrate  10  described above. That is, the substrate  10  comprises a substrate layer  100  and a super-hydrophobic layer  200 , and a super-hydrophobic layer  200  is disposed on a first surface  110  of the substrate layer  100 . The super-hydrophobic layer  200  is a porous metal film formed of a copper-zinc alloy. An upper surface  210  of the porous metal film  200  has a micro-nano porous structure  220 . The thin film transistor  710  is disposed on the substrate  10 . The flat layer  7200  is disposed on the thin film transistor  20 . The thin film transistor  710  comprises a gate  711 , a gate insulation layer  712 , an active layer  713 , a source  714 , and a drain  715 . The gate  711 , the gate insulation layer  712 , and the active layer  713  are stacked on the substrate  10  in sequence. The source  714  is disposed on one side of the active layer  713 . The drain  715  is disposed on the other side of the active layer  713 . The flat layer  720  covers the active layer  713 , the source  714 , and the drain  715 . The color filter substrate  900  comprises an upper substrate  910 , a black matrix layer  920  arranged on the upper substrate  910  in an array manner, and a color filter layer  930  disposed between the black matrix layers  920 . The color filter layer  930  comprises one of a red color filter layer, a green color filter layer, and a blue color filter layer. The liquid crystal layer  800  is disposed between the array substrate  700  and the color filter substrate  900 . 
     In the present disclosure, the substrate formed of the substrate layer and the super-hydrophobic layer is applied to the display panel. Since the super-hydrophobic layer is a porous metal film formed of a copper-zinc alloy, the upper surface of the porous metal film has the micro-nano porous structure. When the acidic substances and water generate the acidic solution or salt solution or alkali solution, the contact angle between the droplet and the super-hydrophobic layer may be increased as the droplet flows on the super-hydrophobic layer, thereby reducing the surface adhesion, reducing the corrosion problem of the substrate during the wet manufacturing processes or in the subsequent processes, further enhancing the yield of the substrate and thus enhancing the yield of the display panel. 
     Please refer to  FIG.  4   .  FIG.  4    is a flow chart of a method of manufacturing the substrate provided by the present disclosure. The present disclosure further provides the method of manufacturing the substrate, which comprises: 
     a step of  21 : providing a substrate layer  100 , which comprises a first surface  110  and a second surface  120  disposed opposite the first surface  110 . 
     Wash the substrate layer  100 . 
     A step of  22 : deposit a copper-zinc alloy material on the first surface  110  of the substrate layer  100 . 
     Specifically, a physical vapor deposition method is used to deposit the copper-zinc alloy material on the substrate layer  100 . A mass percentage of Zn in the copper-zinc alloy is from 1% to 30%. 
     A step of  23 : process the copper-zinc alloy material to form a super-hydrophobic layer  200  with a porous metal film. 
     Specifically, the copper-zinc alloy material is subjected to surface treatment with an etching solution for 1 minute to 20 minutes to form the super-hydrophobic layer  200  with the porous metal film. Specifically, in some embodiments, the etching time is 2 minutes, 7 minutes, 16 minutes or 18 minutes, etc. The upper surface  210  of the porous metal film  200  has a micro-nano porous structure  220 . That is, the micro-nano porous structure  220  is a flocculent structure distributed densely as shown in in  FIG.  2   . The pore diameter of the micro-nano porous structure  220  is from 50 nm to 3000 nm. Specifically, in some embodiments, the pore diameter of the micro-nano porous structure  220  may be 100 nm, 1100 nm, 2000 nm or 2500 nm, etc. The etching solution comprises FeCl 3 . A mass percentage of FeCl 3  is from 5% to 20%. Specifically, in some embodiments, the mass percentage of FeCl 3  may be 6%, 10%, 15 or 18%, etc. When a droplet is present on the super-hydrophobic layer  200 , since the super-hydrophobic layer  200  is a porous metal film formed of a copper-zinc alloy, the upper surface  210  of the porous metal film  200  has a micro-nano porous structure  220 . It allows the droplet not to infiltrate the surface of the super-hydrophobic layer  200  to reduce the erosion of the surface of the super-hydrophobic layer  200  by the droplet. The droplet may be a water droplet, or a droplet formed of aqueous solutions such as salts, acids, or bases. In the present embodiment, the droplet is an acidic solution generated by the acidic substances and water. A contact angle between the super-hydrophobic layer  200  and the droplet is greater than 150 degrees. Specifically, in some embodiments, the contact angle between the super-hydrophobic layer  200  and the droplet may be 157 degrees, 160 degrees, 172 degrees, or 178 degrees, etc. 
     The principle of etching the super-hydrophobic layer with the porous metal film formed of a copper-zinc alloy is: 
       2FeCl 3 +Zn=2FeCl 2 +ZnCl 2   (1)
 
       2FeCl 3 +Cu=2FeCl 2 +CuCl 2   (2)
 
     Since Zn is more active than Cu, the reaction (1) occurs faster than the reaction (2) during the etching process, so that the super-hydrophobic layer forms the micro-nano porous structure, thereby increasing the surface roughness and forming a super-hydrophobic surface which has the contact angle greater than 150 degrees between the super-hydrophobic layer and the droplet. 
     In another embodiment, the etching solution further comprises a chelating agent and an inhibitor. The chelating agent comprises iminodiacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, ethylenediamine tetramethylene phosphonic acid, maleic acid, amino trimethylene phosphonic acid, and amino trimethylene phosphonic acid. The inhibitor comprises 5-aminotetrazolium. 
     In another embodiment, after forming the super-hydrophobic layer  200 , the super-hydrophobic layer  200  is annealed at 250 degrees Celsius to 1000 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes to 110 minutes. Specifically, in some embodiments, the annealing temperature may be 300 degrees Celsius, 500 degrees Celsius, 900 degrees Celsius or 970 degrees Celsius, etc. Specifically, in some embodiments, the annealing time may be 20 minutes, 83 minutes, 91 minutes or 105 minutes, etc. 
     In the present disclosure, annealing the super-hydrophobic layer may eliminate residual stress, stabilize the size of the micro-nano porous structure, and eliminate defects. 
     In another embodiment, after annealing the super-hydrophobic layer, the super-hydrophobic layer  200  is treated with a stearic acid solution. 
     In the present disclosure, the stearic acid solution treatment is performed to further modify the micro-nano porous structure of the surface, since stearic acid may react with the oxide on the surface of the super-hydrophobic layer to generate carboxylate. 
     In another embodiment, after treating the superhydrophobic layer with stearic acid, the surface of the super-hydrophobic layer  200  is modified. The modification treatment comprises acid solution treatment and alkaline solution treatment. 
     A step of  24 : wash the super-hydrophobic layer  200  to obtain the substrate  10 . 
     Specifically, ultrapure water is used to wash the metal salt solution generated by the reaction out of the superhydrophobic layer  200  to obtain the substrate  10 . 
     In the present disclosure, the substrate formed of the substrate layer and the super-hydrophobic layer is applied to the display panel. Since the super-hydrophobic layer is the porous metal film formed of the copper-zinc alloy, the upper surface of the porous metal film has the micro-nano porous structure. When the acidic substances and water generate the acidic solution or salt solution or alkali solution, the contact angle between the droplet and the super-hydrophobic layer may be increased, thereby reducing the surface adhesion, reducing the corrosion problem of the substrate during the wet manufacturing processes or in the subsequent processes, and further enhancing the yield of the substrate. 
     The present disclosure provides the substrate and the method of manufacturing thereof and the display panel. The substrate comprises the substrate layer and the super-hydrophobic layer. The material for forming the super-hydrophobic layer is the copper-zinc alloy. The copper-zinc alloy material is cheaper than the pure copper material. Applying the copper-zinc alloy to the substrate may reduce the cost. The thermal expansion coefficient of copper-zinc alloy is lower than the thermal expansion coefficient of pure copper, which avoids warping in the subsequent heat treatment process. The upper surface of the super-hydrophobic layer is provided with the micro-nano porous structure further increases the contact angle between the droplet and the super-hydrophobic layer, thereby reducing the surface adhesion, reducing the corrosion problem of the substrate, further increasing the yield of the substrate, and thus increasing the yield of the display panel. 
     The above are only embodiments of the present disclosure and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation made using the description and drawings of the present disclosure, or directly or indirectly applied to other related technical fields, are within the scope of claimed invention of the present disclosure in the same reasons.