IP Library Granted Patent US 12662728
Granted Patent B2
US 12662728 · App. 17/963,681 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Mask assembly and deposition apparatus including the same

Inventor: Sangha Park (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
C23C14/042C23C14/24H10K59/12H10K71/166
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12662728
App. No.
17/963,681
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A mask assembly includes a frame including a frame opening, a mask disposed on the frame, the mask including a deposition part including main deposition openings overlapping the frame opening, and a non-deposition part adjacent to the deposition part, wherein a coupling opening is formed between the deposition part and the non-deposition part, and a stick including a support part overlapping the non-deposition part and a pattern part overlapping the coupling opening, the pattern part protruding from the support part and including sub deposition openings, wherein the stick is disposed between the mask and the frame.

Claims (82)

1 . A mask assembly comprising:

a frame including a frame opening;

a mask disposed on the frame, the mask comprising:

a deposition part including main deposition openings overlapping to the frame opening;

a non-deposition part adjacent to the deposition part; and

a coupling opening disposed between the deposition part and the non-deposition part; and

a stick comprising:

a support part overlapping the non-deposition part; and

a pattern part overlapping the coupling opening, the pattern part protruding from the support part and including sub deposition openings, wherein

the stick is disposed between the mask and the frame.

2 . The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein a surface area of each of the sub deposition openings is greater than a surface area of each of the main deposition openings.

3 . The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein

a portion of the support part is removed from an upper surface of the stick toward a lower surface of the stick,

a thickness of the portion of the support part that is removed from the upper surface of the stick toward the lower surface of the stick is equal to or greater than a minimum thickness of the mask,

the mask has a thickness range of about 10 μm to about 30 μm, and

the stick has a thickness range of about 40 μm to about 150 μm.

4 . The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the coupling opening is adjacent to an edge of the deposition part.

5 . The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the deposition part comprises:

a short side extending in a first direction;

a long side extending from the short side in a second direction intersecting the first direction; and

a corner connecting the short side to the long side, and

the coupling opening is disposed between the non-deposition part and the long side and between the non-deposition part and the corner.

6 . The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein

an inner surface of the deposition part forming each of the main deposition openings, comprises:

a first curved surface connected to an upper surface of the deposition part; and

a second curved surface disposed between the first curved surface and a lower surface of the deposition part.

7 . The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein

an inner surface of the pattern part forming each of the sub deposition openings, comprises:

a third curved surface connected to an upper surface of the pattern part; and

a fourth curved surface disposed between the third curved surface and a lower surface of the pattern part.

8 . The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the deposition part comprises:

a short side extending in a first direction;

a long side extending from the short side in a second direction intersecting the first direction; and

a corner connecting the short side to the long side, and

the stick extends in the first direction and is spaced apart from another stick in the second direction to overlap the non-deposition part adjacent to the short side.

9 . The mask assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a gap stick disposed between the stick and the frame, extending in the second direction, and spaced apart from another gap stick in the first direction to overlap the non-deposition part adjacent to the long side.

10 . The mask assembly of claim 9 , wherein

a first groove, in which the stick is disposed, and a second groove, in which the gap stick is disposed, are formed in the frame, and

the second groove has a depth that is equal to a sum of a thickness of the stick and a thickness of the gap stick.

11 . The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the mask comprises an invar, and

the stick is made of stainless steel.

12 . The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mask comprises a first alignment hole which does not overlap the stick.

13 . The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the deposition part comprises:

a short side extending in a first direction;

a long side extending from the short side in a second direction intersecting the first direction; and

a corner connecting the short side to the long side, and

the stick comprises a second alignment hole facing a center portion of the short side when viewed in the second direction.

14 . The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the pattern part comprises:

a first pattern part disposed at a side of the support part to overlap the coupling opening; and

a second pattern part disposed at another side to overlap the non-deposition part, and

the non-deposition part further comprises an additional coupling opening overlapping the second pattern part.

15 . The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mask further comprises a welding protrusion adjacent to the pattern part and disposed on the support part.

16 . A deposition apparatus comprising:

a deposition chamber;

a mask assembly inside the deposition chamber, the mask assembly comprising:

a frame including a frame opening;

a mask disposed on the frame; and

a stick disposed between the mask and the frame;

a deposition substrate disposed on the mask assembly, the deposition substrate comprising:

a main deposition area; and

a sub deposition area; and

a deposition source that injects a deposition material into the frame opening, wherein the mask comprises:

a deposition part including main deposition openings overlapping the main deposition area;

a non-deposition part adjacent to the deposition part; and

a coupling opening disposed between the deposition part and the non-deposition part, and

the stick comprises:

a support part overlapping the non-deposition part; and

a pattern part disposed in the coupling opening, the pattern part protruding from the support part and including sub deposition openings overlapping the sub deposition area.

17 . The deposition apparatus of claim 16 , wherein a surface area of each of the sub deposition openings is greater than a surface area of each of the main deposition openings.

18 . The deposition apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the coupling opening is adjacent to an edge of the deposition part.

19 . The deposition apparatus of claim 17 , wherein

the deposition part comprises:

a short side extending in a first direction;

a long side extending from the short side in a second direction intersecting the first direction; and

a corner connecting the short side to the long side, and

the coupling opening is disposed between the non-deposition part and the long side and between the non-deposition part and the corner.