Flow-fill spacer structures for flat panel display device
View Patent ↗A preferred embodiment of the invention is directed to support structures such as spacers used to provide a uniform distance between two layers of a device. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the spacers may be formed utilizing flow-fill deposition of a wet film in the form of a precursor such as silicon dioxide. Formation of spacers in this manner provides a homogenous amorphous support structure that may be used to provide necessary spacing between layers of a device such as a flat panel display.
1. A method of forming a structure on a display component, comprising:
depositing photoresist on the display component;
forming an opening in the photoresist, wherein the opening extends to the substrate; and
flow-fill depositing a substantially liquid sol-gel precursor in the opening.
2. The method of forming a structure on a display component as recited in claim 1 , wherein the flow-fill depositing step further comprises depositing silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) doped with a material from the group of boron (B) and phosphor (P).
3. The method of forming a structure on a display component as recited in claim 1 , wherein the flow-fill depositing step comprises:
initially cooling the display component;
mixing separated reactive gases; and
depositing a sol-gel precursor over the photoresist.
4. The method of forming a structure on a display component as recited in claim 3 , wherein the flow-fill depositing step comprises initially cooling the display component to a temperature between 0° C. and 50° C.; mixing silane (SiH 4 ) gas and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ); and depositing a wet-film sol-gel precursor in the opening of the photoresist.
5. The method of forming a structure on a display component as recited in claim 1 , wherein the flow-fill depositing step comprises initially cooling the display component to a temperature between 0° C. and 50° C.
6. The method of forming a structure on a display component as recited in claim 1 , further comprising forming structures having a substantially circular cross-section normal to the surface of the substrate.
7. A method of fabricating a flat panel display having a cathode and a faceplate, comprising:
depositing a first photoresist on the faceplate;
depositing a patterned second photoresist on the first photoresist, wherein the second photoresist exposes a portion of the first photoresist;
exposing the second photoresist and the portion of the first photoresist to a light source;
removing exposed portions of the first and second photoresist, wherein removing defines an opening in the first photoresist down to the faceplate;
flow-fill depositing a wet sol-gel on the first photoresist and in the opening;
baking the sol-gel into a solid silicon oxide;
removing the silicon oxide on the first photoresist while retaining the silicon oxide in the opening;
removing remains of the first photoresist while retaining remains of the silicon oxide; and
assembling the flat panel display with the cathode and the faceplate separated by the spacers.
8. The method in claim 7 , wherein the act of removing the silicon oxide comprises planarizing.
9. The method in claim 7 , further comprising prior to the act of flow-fill depositing a wet sol-gel, depositing an underlayer on the faceplate.
10. The method in claim 9 , wherein the act of depositing an underlayer on the faceplate is performed using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD).
11. The method in claim 10 , further comprising after the act of flow-fill depositing a wet sol-gel, forming an oxide capping layer over the spacers on the faceplate using PECVD.