IP Library Granted Patent US 9,063,605
Granted Patent B2
US 9,063,605 · App. 13/234,072 · Granted Jun 23, 2015

Thin glass processing using a carrier

Inventors: Casey J. Feinstein (San Jose, CA); John Z. Zhong (Cupertino, CA); Lynn R. Youngs (Cupertino, CA); Stephen S. Poon (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
G06F3/0416Y10T29/49155G02F1/1333G02F1/1368G06F3/044H01L27/1266
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,063,605
App. No.
13/234,072
Granted
Jun 23, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of fabricating a display panel from a thin substrate using a carrier substrate is disclosed. The method includes depositing a bonding agent on a first surface of the thin substrate; depositing a bonding agent on a second surface of the carrier substrate; bonding the thin substrate and the carrier substrate with the bonding agent deposited on the first surface and the second surface; performing thin film processing on a third surface of the thin substrate opposite the first surface; and separating the processed thin substrate from the carrier substrate. The thin substrate has a thickness less than a required thickness for sustaining thin film processing while a thickness of the bonded thin substrate and the carrier substrates is greater than or equal to that the required thickness.

Claims (31)

1. A method of fabricating a display panel from a thin substrate using a carrier substrate comprising:

depositing a bonding agent on a first surface of the thin substrate;

depositing a bonding agent on a second surface of the carrier substrate;

bonding the thin substrate and the carrier substrate with the bonding agent deposited on the first surface and the second surface;

performing thin film processing on a third surface of the thin substrate opposite the first surface; and

separating the processed thin substrate from the carrier substrate, wherein the thin substrate has a thickness less than a required thickness for sustaining thin film processing while a thickness of the bonded thin substrate and the carrier substrates is greater than or equal to the required thickness.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thin substrate is glass.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrier substrate is glass.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bonding agent is one of SiO 2 , epoxies, silicone adhesives, glass frit bonding, solder, acrylics, urethanes, synthetic rubbers, and elastomers.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein bonding the thin substrate and the carrier substrate further comprises:

oxidizing an area on the first surface of the thin substrate;

oxidizing an area on the second surface of the carrier substrate; and

forming an oxide layer between the oxidized area on the first surface of the thin substrate and the oxidized area on the second surface of the carrier substrate by annealing.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising separating the thin substrate from the carrier substrate by cutting along a plurality of scribe lines located on a third surface of the thin substrate.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the carrier substrate is glass.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the thin substrate is glass.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein cutting along the plurality of scribe lines is performed by water jet cutting.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein cutting along the plurality of scribe lines is performed by laser cutting.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bonding agent is deposited in a continuous pattern along the border area of the first surface.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein a bonding between the thin substrate and the carrier substrate forms a seal sealing a space between the thin substrate and the carrier substrate.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the space is a vacuum.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bonding agent is deposited in a segmented pattern on the first surface.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing thin film processing on a third surface of the thin substrate further comprises performing thin film transistor processing.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein separating the processed thin substrate from the carrier substrate further comprises:

locating a plurality of scribe lines on the third surface of the thin substrate; and

cutting along the plurality of scribe lines to separate a portion of the thin substrate from the carrier substrate.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of scribe lines defines an outer boundary of the display panel.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of scribe lines include four scribe lines forming a rectangle.

19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising dividing the separated, processed thin substrate into a plurality of display panels.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein separating the processed thin substrate from the carrier substrate further comprises chemically etching a bonding between the thin substrate and the carrier substrate.

21. The method of claim 1 , where in the required thickness is 0.5 mm.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 15, 2011
From: FEINSTEIN, CASEY J.; ZHONG, JOHN Z.; YOUNGS, LYNN R.; POON, STEPHEN S.
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 026915/0279 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation In Part 12908763 · Oct 20, 2010
Division 12351767 · Jan 9, 2009
Related Publication 20120009703A1 · Jan 12, 2012