Thin film deposition apparatus and method of manufacturing organic light-emitting display apparatus using the same

Abstract

A thin film deposition apparatus used to manufacture large substrates on a mass scale and that allows high-definition patterning, and a method of manufacturing an organic light-emitting display apparatus using the same, the apparatus inclues a loading unit fixing a substrate onto an electrostatic chuck; a deposition unit including a chamber maintained in a vacuum state and a thin film deposition assembly disposed in the chamber, separated from the substrate by a predetermined distance, to deposit a thin film on the substrate fixed on the electrostatic chuck; an unloading unit separating the substrate on which a deposition process is completed, from the electrostatic chuck; a first circulation unit sequentially moving the electrostatic chuck on which the substrate is fixed, to the loading unit, the deposition unit, and the unloading unit; and a second circulation unit returning the electrostatic chuck separated from the substrate to the loading unit from the unloading unit, wherein the first circulation unit passes through the chamber when passing through the deposition unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thin film deposition apparatus comprising:
 a loading unit fixing a substrate that is a deposition target, onto an electrostatic chuck;   a deposition unit comprising a chamber maintained in a vacuum state and a thin film deposition assembly disposed in the chamber, separated from the substrate by a predetermined distance, to deposit a thin film on the substrate fixed on the electrostatic chuck;   an unloading unit separating the substrate on which a deposition process is completed, from the electrostatic chuck;   a first circulation unit sequentially moving the electrostatic chuck on which the substrate is fixed, to the loading unit, the deposition unit, and the unloading unit; and   a second circulation unit returning the electrostatic chuck separated from the substrate to the loading unit from the unloading unit,   wherein the first circulation unit is disposed to pass through the chamber when passing through the deposition unit.   
     
     
         2 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the thin film deposition assemblies are disposed in the chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber comprises a first chamber and a second chamber each comprising a plurality of thin film deposition assemblies, and the first chamber and the second chamber are connected to each other. 
     
     
         4 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first circulation unit or the second circulation unit comprises a carrier that allows the electrostatic chuck to be moved. 
     
     
         5 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the carrier comprises:
 a support installed to pass through the chamber and comprising a first support and a second support each extending along the first circulation unit or the second circulation unit;   a moving bar disposed on the first support, to support edges of the electrostatic chuck; and   a first driving unit interposed between the first support and the moving bar, to allow the moving bar to be moved along the first support.   
     
     
         6 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the thin film deposition assembly comprises:
 a deposition source that discharges a deposition material;   a deposition source nozzle unit that is disposed at a side of the deposition source and comprises a plurality of deposition source nozzles arranged in a first direction; and   a patterning slit sheet that is disposed opposite to the deposition source nozzle unit and comprises a plurality of patterning slits arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,   wherein the deposition process is performed while the substrate is moved relative to the thin film deposition assembly in the first direction, and   the deposition source, the deposition source nozzle unit, and the patterning slit sheet are integrally formed as one body.   
     
     
         7 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the deposition source and the deposition source nozzle unit, and the patterning slit sheet are integrally connected as one body by a connection member that guides flow of the deposition material. 
     
     
         8 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the connection member seals a space between the deposition source and the deposition source nozzle unit, and the patterning slit sheet. 
     
     
         9 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of deposition source nozzles are tilted at a predetermined angle. 
     
     
         10 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of deposition source nozzles comprise deposition source nozzles arranged in two rows formed in the first direction, and the deposition source nozzles in the two rows are tilted to face each other. 
     
     
         11 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of deposition source nozzles comprise deposition source nozzles arranged in two rows formed in the first direction,
 the deposition source nozzles of a row located at a first side of the patterning slit sheet are arranged to face a second side of the patterning slit sheet, and   the deposition source nozzles of the other row located at the second side of the patterning slit sheet are arranged to face the first side of the patterning slit sheet.   
     
     
         12 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the patterning slit sheet comprises a first mark, and the substrate comprises a second mark, and the thin film deposition assembly comprises a camera assembly to determine a degree of alignment of the first mark and the second mark,
 wherein the camera assembly comprises:   a hood having an opening formed in one end of the hood;   a camera installed in the hood;   an optical system disposed between the camera and the opening;   a protection window disposed between the optical system and the opening; and   a heater disposed on the protection window.   
     
     
         13 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the patterning slit sheet comprises a first mark, and the substrate comprises a second mark, and the thin film deposition assembly further comprises a camera assembly to determine a degree of alignment of the first mark and the second mark, and a driving unit to drive the thin film deposition assembly so as to align the first mark with the second mark by using information about a degree of alignment of the first mark and the second mark obtained by the camera assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a source chamber which is connected to the chamber and in which the deposition source of the thin film deposition assembly is accommodated;   a valve opening or closing a space between the chamber and the source chamber; and   a shutter closing the space between the chamber and the source chamber when the deposition source is located at the chamber.   
     
     
         15 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the source chamber comprises a stage and bellows, which move the deposition source between the source chamber and the chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the thin film deposition assembly comprises:
 a deposition source that discharges a deposition material;   a deposition source nozzle unit that is disposed at a side of the deposition source and comprises a plurality of deposition source nozzles arranged in a first direction;   a patterning slit sheet that is disposed opposite to the deposition source nozzle unit and comprises a plurality of patterning slits arranged in the first direction; and   a barrier wall assembly that is disposed between the deposition source nozzle unit and the patterning slit sheet in the first direction, and comprises a plurality of barrier walls that partition a space between the deposition source nozzle unit and the patterning slit sheet into a plurality of sub-deposition spaces,   wherein the thin film deposition assembly is disposed to be separated from the substrate, and   the thin film deposition assembly or the substrate is moved relative to the other.   
     
     
         17 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of barrier walls extends in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. 
     
     
         18 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the barrier wall assembly comprises a first barrier wall assembly comprising a plurality of first barrier walls, and a second barrier wall assembly comprising a plurality of second barrier walls. 
     
     
         19 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein each of the first barrier walls and each of the second barrier walls extend in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. 
     
     
         20 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the first barrier walls are arranged to respectively correspond to the second barrier walls. 
     
     
         21 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the deposition source and the barrier wall assembly are separated from each other. 
     
     
         22 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the barrier wall assembly and the patterning slit sheet are separated from each other. 
     
     
         23 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the patterning slit sheet comprises a first mark, and the substrate comprises a second mark, and the thin film deposition assembly comprises a camera assembly to determine a degree of alignment of the first mark and the second mark,
 wherein the camera assembly comprises:
 a hood having an opening formed in one end of the hood; 
 a camera installed in the hood; 
 an optical system disposed between the camera and the opening; 
 a protection window disposed between the optical system and the opening; and 
 a heater disposed on the protection window. 
   
     
     
         24 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the patterning slit sheet comprises a first mark, and the substrate comprises a second mark, and the thin film deposition assembly further comprises a camera assembly to capture a degree of alignment of the first mark and the second mark, and a driving unit to drive the thin film deposition assembly so as to align the first mark with the second mark by using information about a degree of alignment of the first mark and the second mark obtained by the camera assembly. 
     
     
         25 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a source chamber which is connected to the chamber and in which the deposition source of the thin film deposition assembly is accommodated;   a valve opening or closing a space between the chamber and the source chamber; and   a shutter closing the space between the chamber and the source chamber when the deposition source is located in the chamber.   
     
     
         26 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the source chamber comprises a stage and bellows, which move the deposition source between the source chamber and the chamber.