KR100635222B1 - Apparatus for attaching ??? substrate and Method for attaching ??? substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a substrate bonding apparatus and a substrate bonding method for a PDP, and more particularly, to a substrate bonding apparatus and a substrate bonding method for a PDP that can be quickly bonded to the substrate using a bonding chamber filled with a light emitting gas. It is about.

The present invention, the substrate outlet and the gas injection port is formed, the bonding chamber capable of forming a vacuum atmosphere therein; It is provided inside the bonding chamber, the upper and lower plates that can be attached by mounting a substrate; A gate valve capable of opening and closing the substrate outlet; A gas supply unit connected to the gas inlet and supplying a light emitting gas into the coalescing chamber; And a bonding unit provided in the bonding chamber and bonding the upper substrate and the lower substrate in a state in which the inside of the bonding chamber is filled with a light emitting gas.

PDP, Substrate Bonding, Emitting Gas, Emitting Gas Injection

Description

Apparatus for attaching PDP substrate and Method for attaching PDP substrate}

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic cross section which shows the structure of the conventional PDP gas injection apparatus.

2 is a process diagram illustrating a conventional substrate bonding and gas injection process for a PDP.

3 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a substrate bonding apparatus for a PDP according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a plan view illustrating a structure of a substrate bonding apparatus for a PDP according to another embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a process diagram of a substrate bonding method for a PDP according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a view showing a process of a substrate bonding method for a PDP according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawings>

1: conventional gas injection device for PDP 10: vacuum pump

20: suction pipe 30: emitting gas supply pipe

40: emitting gas tank A: space between both substrates

100: PDP substrate bonding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention

110: bonding chamber 120: upper plate

130: lower plate 140: gate valve

150: gas supply unit 160: gas detection unit

170: position detection unit 180: position correction unit

190: substrate lifting member TM: transfer chamber

BM: Curing Chamber S: Sealing Material

F: emitting gas

The present invention relates to a substrate bonding apparatus and a substrate bonding method for a PDP, and more particularly, to a substrate bonding apparatus and a substrate bonding method for a PDP that can be quickly bonded to the substrate using a bonding chamber filled with a light emitting gas. It is about.

PDP (Plasma Display Panel) is a futuristic digital video display that can be connected to various input signals (PC, Video, HDTV, etc.) and is a futuristic display system that can reproduce brighter and clearer high-definition images than conventional video display equipment. In particular, the PDP can realize a large screen of 40 inches or more in a thin thickness of 10 cm or less, which has great advantages in terms of space utilization and aesthetic design. Therefore, the demand has exploded in recent years.

Such a PDP has a structure in which light emitting gases such as Ne, Xe, and Ar are filled in the space between the upper and lower substrates on which the electrodes are formed, and the ultraviolet light emitted by the discharged light emitted from the upper and lower substrates hits the phosphor. Embodies the screen on the principle of emitting visible light. Therefore, in the manufacturing process of PDP, a process of injecting a light emitting gas between both substrates is indispensable.

Hereinafter, referring to FIG. 2, a conventional method of injecting a light emitting gas F into a space between a substrate and a substrate is described.

First, the sealing material application process P10 advances. That is, a sealing material is apply | coated to the outer peripheral part of either board | substrate of a top and bottom board | substrate.

Next, the substrate bonding process P20 advances. That is, both substrates are bonded together using a sealing material applied to the outer peripheral portion of any one substrate. Therefore, a certain volume of sealed space A is formed between both substrates.

Next, a gas suction process P30 and a light emission gas injection process P40 are performed. That is, gas injection holes are formed in predetermined portions of the bonded substrates, and the impurity gas existing in the space A between the substrates is sucked by using the light emitting gas injection apparatus 1 as shown in FIG. 1. will be. Therefore, the space A between both substrates is almost vacuumed. The light emitting gas F is supplied to the space A.

More specifically described as follows. That is, the suction pipe 20 coupled to the vacuum pump 10 is coupled to the gas injection hole (a). In this case, as shown in FIG. 1, the light emitting gas supply pipe is connected to the suction pipe 20, and the light emitting gas supply pipe 30 is connected to the light emitting gas tank 40 storing the light emitting gas. In the light emitting gas injection device 1, the vacuum pump 10 is first driven to remove the gas existing in the space A between the two substrates. The light emitting gas F is supplied to the space A between the two substrates by using the light emitting gas supply pipe 30.

Finally, the gas injection hole unsealing process (P50) is performed. That is, when the light emitting gas F of several hundred torr is injected into the space A between both board | substrates, supply of light emitting gas is stopped and the gas injection hole a is sealed, and a process is completed.

However, in the case of supplying the light emitting gas as in the related art, a gas suction process P30 using a vacuum pump to remove the gas existing in the space A between both substrates and a light emitting gas injection process for uniform gas supply ( P40) has a problem that takes a long time more than ten hours.

In addition, since the process of bonding the substrate, forming the gas injection hole, gas injection, gas removal hole removal to inject the light emitting gas, there is a problem that the manufacturing process of the PDP module is complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate bonding apparatus for a PDP capable of bonding the two substrates at the same time while injecting the emitting gases quickly and easily by bonding the two substrates in the bonding chamber filled with the emitting gas.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a substrate bonding method for a PDP that can bond both substrates at the same time while injecting the emitting gas quickly and easily by bonding both substrates in a space filled with the emission gas.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention, the substrate outlet and the gas inlet is formed, the bonding chamber which can form a vacuum atmosphere therein; It is provided inside the bonding chamber, the upper and lower plates that can be attached by mounting a substrate; A gate valve capable of opening and closing the substrate outlet; A gas supply unit connected to the gas inlet and supplying a light emitting gas into the coalescing chamber; And a bonding unit provided in the bonding chamber and bonding the upper substrate and the lower substrate in a state in which the inside of the bonding chamber is filled with a light emitting gas.

In addition, the present invention is provided in any one of the upper plate or lower plate, or provided in the upper plate and lower plate, respectively, to move any one of the upper plate or lower plate in the vertical direction, or the upper and lower plate respectively By configuring the bonding means so as to be a vertical moving portion for adhering the substrates by moving in the direction, the substrate bonding apparatus for the PDP is simple, but both substrates can be easily bonded.

In addition, the present invention is provided on the lower surface of the upper surface plate, and the bonding means is configured so that the upper substrate adsorbed on the upper surface plate is separated from the upper surface plate, so that the bonding of the substrates is accurate and facilitated.

In addition, the present invention is provided in any one of the upper plate or the lower plate, or both are provided in each, vertical moving unit for moving any one of the upper plate or the lower plate in the vertical direction, or by moving both in the vertical direction ; And a pressurizing unit for raising a pressure inside the coalescing chamber; By configuring the bonding means so that all parts of both substrates are bonded while maintaining the same distance.

In addition, the present invention is provided on the lower surface of the top plate, the leaving portion for leaving the upper substrate adsorbed on the top plate from the top plate; And a pressurizing unit for raising a pressure inside the coalescing chamber; By configuring the bonding chamber to be made so that all parts of both substrates to be bonded while maintaining the same distance.

In this case, the coalescence means may be provided in a predetermined portion inside the coalescence chamber, and a suction unit for sucking the gas inside the coalescence chamber to lower the pressure in the coalescence chamber.

In addition, the present invention is provided in a predetermined portion of the coalescence chamber, and by further providing a gas detection unit for detecting the gas composition inside the coalescence chamber, it is possible to easily detect the composition of the gas filled in the coalescence chamber.

In addition, the present invention, if the gas composition in the chamber is less than the reference value by providing a control unit for controlling the gas supply unit to further supply the reaction gas into the chamber to allow the interior of the coalescence chamber to maintain an appropriate gas composition.

In addition, the present invention is provided by being coupled to the upper plate or lower plate, by providing a position correction unit for correcting the position of the substrate mounted on the upper plate or lower plate, so that the upper and lower substrates are accurately bonded.

In another aspect, the present invention, by providing a position sensing unit for detecting the position of the substrate mounted on the upper plate and the lower plate, to detect the exact position of the substrate, so that the position of the substrate can be precisely matched do.

In addition, the present invention is provided so as to be able to move in the vertical direction through the through hole formed through the predetermined portion of the lower plate, by further providing a substrate lifting member for lifting the substrate positioned on the lower plate, the substrate into the bonding chamber It is easy to carry out the operation of bringing in or taking out the substrate out of the bonding chamber.

In addition, the present invention is provided in the predetermined portion of the side wall of the bonding chamber, the substrate outlets are formed in the opposite position of the side walls facing each other, so that the substrate is supplied from one side of the bonding chamber, the substrate is carried out to the other side Enable process flow.

In addition, the present invention is provided in contact with the side wall in which the substrate outlet is formed in the bonding chamber, an opening for introducing the substrate from the outside is formed in a predetermined portion of the side wall opposite the substrate outlet, the transfer chamber capable of transferring the substrate By further providing, loading and unloading of the substrate are possible while maintaining the gas composition in the bonding chamber as it is.

In another aspect, the present invention, the transfer chamber is provided on the side walls facing each other of the bonding chamber, so that the substrate bonding process can be performed while the substrate flows in a constant direction.

In addition, the present invention, the gas injection port is provided in a predetermined portion of the transfer chamber, by providing an inert gas supply unit for supplying an inert gas in the chamber, by the process of loading and unloading the substrate through the transfer chamber inside the coalescence chamber Should not be contaminated with other gases.

In addition, the present invention is provided in a position adjacent to the bonding chamber, by further providing a curing chamber for curing the sealing material interposed between the two substrates bonded by the bonding chamber, whereby both substrates bonded in the bonding chamber completely To be fixed.

In addition, the present invention provides an upper plate or a lower plate by any one selected from an electrostatic chuck or a vacuum suction chuck, so that mounting and detaching of the substrate can be easily performed. In addition, the electrostatic chuck and the vacuum adsorption chuck are simultaneously provided on the upper plate or the lower plate, so that the substrate is more securely mounted and the substrate is prevented from being separated during the process.

In addition, the present invention,

1) applying a sealing material to the outer peripheral portion of any one of the upper substrate or the lower substrate;

2) filling the interior of the coalescence chamber with light emitting gas;

3) bringing the upper substrate and the lower substrate into the bonding chamber and adsorbing them;

4) sealing the interior of the cementation chamber;

5) bonding the upper substrate and the lower substrate;

6) ejecting the bonded substrate out of the bonding chamber;

It provides a substrate bonding method for a PDP comprising a.

In addition, the present invention, after performing the step 3), further comprises the step of inspecting the gas composition inside the coalescence chamber, and if the gas composition is inappropriate by adjusting the gas composition, the light emitting gas having an appropriate composition is injected into the space between the upper and lower substrates Be sure to

In addition, the present invention further comprises the step of correcting the position of the upper substrate and the lower substrate before performing step 4), thereby allowing the upper and lower substrates to be bonded together in a precisely corresponding state.

In addition, in the step 4), the upper substrate is mounted on the upper part of the bonding chamber, and the lower substrate is mounted on the upper part of the bonding chamber. Make sure all sides are joined under the same amount of force.

In addition, the present invention, after performing the step 4), further comprising the step of firmly bonding the two substrates by applying pressure to the bonded both substrates, so that the space between the two substrates do not lift, firmly bonded, and moved Do not change its position in the process.

At this time, in the present invention, the pressure inside the space between the bonded substrates and the outside pressure between the two substrates are different, and the pressure is applied to both substrates by using the pressure difference, whereby a force is further applied to any part of both substrates. Do not cause problems, such as.

In addition, the present invention further supplies the gas in the bonding chamber after bonding the two substrates to generate a difference between the pressure between the bonded substrates and the pressure outside the two substrates, thereby applying the same force to all sides of both substrates. Make it easy.

In addition, the present invention, after performing the step 5) to further include the step of curing the sealing ring interposed between the two substrates, so that the relative position of both substrates is no longer changed, it is fixed.

In addition, the present invention,

1) applying a sealing material to the outer peripheral portion of any one of the upper substrate or the lower substrate;

2) bringing the upper substrate and the lower substrate into the bonding chamber and adsorbing them;

3) filling the interior of the coalescence chamber with light emitting gas;

4) sealing the interior of the cementation chamber;

5) bonding the upper substrate and the lower substrate;

6) ejecting the bonded substrate out of the bonding chamber;

It provides a substrate bonding method for a PDP comprising a.

In addition, the present invention,

1) filling the interior of the coalescence chamber with light emitting gas;

2) bringing the upper substrate and the lower substrate into the bonding chamber and adsorbing the upper and lower substrates;

3) applying a sealing material to the outer circumference of any one of the upper substrate and the lower substrate;

4) sealing the interior of the cementation chamber;

5) bonding the upper substrate and the lower substrate;

6) ejecting the bonded substrate out of the bonding chamber;

It provides a substrate bonding method for a PDP comprising a.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be described in detail a specific embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the substrate bonding apparatus 100 for a PDP according to the present embodiment includes a bonding chamber 110, an upper plate 120, a lower plate 130, a gate valve 140, and a gas supply unit ( 150, and a bonding means (not shown).

First, the bonding chamber 110 has a substrate inlet 112 and a gas injection hole 114 formed in a predetermined portion thereof, and is provided in a structure capable of forming a vacuum atmosphere therein. That is, the bonding chamber 110 forms a vacuum atmosphere therein and fills the light emitting gas F with the inside of the chamber through the gas injection hole 114, thereby forming both substrates in the space filled with the light emitting gas F. The bonding process is to proceed. In the present embodiment, it is preferable that the light emitting gas is made of any one selected from plasma display light emitting gases such as neon (Ne), argon (Ar), xenon (Xe), or two or more selected and mixed.

In this case, the substrate outlet 112 is formed at a predetermined portion of one sidewall of the adhesion chamber 110, and serves as a passage for carrying in or carrying out the substrate into the adhesion chamber 110. Therefore, this board | substrate entrance and exit 112 should just be formed in the magnitude | size so that a board | substrate can pass. Further, two substrate outlets may be provided in one bonding chamber. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the substrate outlets 112 are formed to face the sidewalls facing each other among the sidewalls of the bonding chamber 110. When two substrate outlets are formed as described above, since the substrate is introduced through one substrate outlet and carried out through the other substrate outlet, the substrate flows in a constant direction, thereby providing an advantage in that the process can be continuously performed.

In addition, a gate valve 140 that opens and closes the substrate outlet 112 is provided outside the substrate outlet 112. That is, while the substrate is brought in or unloaded through the substrate outlet 112, the gate valve 140 is opened to open the substrate outlet 112. After the loading of the substrate is completed, the gate valve 140 is connected to the substrate outlet. Closing the 112 to block the interior of the bonding chamber 110 from the outside. Therefore, the light emitting gas filled in the coalescence chamber 110 is not discharged to the outside by the gate valve 140, and no other gas is introduced into the coalescence chamber 110, so that the state of the coalescence chamber 110 is filled with the light emitting gas is maintained. It can be.

In addition, the gas injection hole 114 serves as a passage for introducing the light emitting gas into the bonding chamber 110. In this embodiment, the bonding process of the upper and lower substrates is performed in a space filled with the light emitting gas, so that the light emitting gas injection process and the substrate bonding process may be simultaneously performed, and the process may be performed quickly and easily. Therefore, the gas inlet 114 for filling the interior of the cementation chamber 110 with a light emitting gas having an appropriate composition is required. As shown in FIG. 2, the gas inlet 114 is connected to a gas supply unit 150 provided outside the coalescing chamber 110 so that the light emitting gas is supplied into the coalescing chamber when necessary.

Next, the upper and lower panels 120 and the lower panel 130 are provided on the upper and lower portions of the bonding chamber 110, and the substrates are attached to the upper panel 120 and the lower panel 130. That is, the upper and lower substrates brought into the bonding chamber 110 from the outside are attached to the upper plate 120 and the lower plate 130, respectively. At this time, the upper surface plate 120 and the lower surface plate 130 is preferably provided to enable the position movement in the vertical direction. While the upper and lower substrates are initially introduced into the bonding chamber 110 and are mounted on the upper and lower plates 120 and 130, the upper and lower substrates 120 and the lower and upper plates 130 are spaced apart by a predetermined interval or more. It should be easy to carry in and mount the substrate, and in the case of joining the two substrates, it is advantageous for the substrate bonding operation to close the gap between the two substrates to the maximum. Therefore, the upper plate 120 and the lower plate 130 is preferably a structure that can adjust the gap between the two substrates while moving in the vertical direction.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the above-described upper plate 120 and the lower plate 130 have a structure of an electrostatic chuck or a vacuum suction chuck. The electrostatic chuck is a method of attaching a substrate by generating static electricity, and the vacuum adsorption chuck is a method of forming a plurality of fine adsorption holes on the upper or lower surface and adsorbing the substrate. In certain cases, an electrostatic chuck and a vacuum suction chuck structure may be simultaneously provided on one upper plate 120 or lower plate 130.

In addition, a predetermined portion of the coalescence chamber 110 is further provided with a gas detector 160 capable of sensing a gas composition inside the coalescence chamber 110. The gas detecting unit 160 senses the composition and pressure of the gas present in the coalescence chamber 110 and provides data to the controller (not shown), so that the gas composition in the coalescence chamber 110 is appropriate. To be kept intact.

In addition, the PDP substrate bonding apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is further provided with a control unit (not shown). The controller controls the gas supply unit 150 to further supply the light emitting gas into the chamber when the measured value for the gas composition delivered from the gas detector 160 is equal to or less than a preset reference value. That is, when the measured value measured and transmitted by the gas detector 160 is compared with the reference value and the measured value is lower than the reference value, it is determined that the gas composition inside the coalescing chamber 110 is inappropriate, and the gas supply unit 150 is It is to control to supply more light emitting gas. At this time, the above-mentioned reference value is preferably set to the minimum value of the light emitting gas that must exist in the space formed between the two substrates in order for the PDP module to display the screen.

In addition, the PDP substrate bonding apparatus 100 may further include a position sensing unit 170 capable of sensing the position of the substrate mounted on the upper plate 120 and the lower plate 130. When bonding the upper and lower substrates, the PDP module is driven correctly only when both substrates are bonded to be exactly coincident with each other. Therefore, the position detecting unit 170 is provided to detect the position of the substrate in order to accurately match the position of the two substrates during the bonding process of the substrate. In the present exemplary embodiment, the position detecting unit 170 detects the position of the substrate by detecting a marker provided on a predetermined portion of the substrate to detect whether the markers provided on both substrates coincide with each other.

In the PDP substrate bonding apparatus 100, as shown in FIG. 2, when the position of the substrate is not exactly matched by the above-described position sensing unit 170, the position of the substrate is matched. Preferably, the position correction unit 180 may be provided to change the position of the substrate. At this time, the position correction unit 180 may be provided in combination with the upper plate 120 or the lower plate 130, by changing the position of the upper plate 120 or lower plate 130, the upper plate 120 or lower A method of correcting the position of the substrate mounted on the van 130 is taken. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the position correction unit 180 is provided to be connected to a predetermined portion of the lower plate 130, and the position correction unit 180 is driven to slightly position the lower plate 130. Fluctuate. Then, since the position of the lower substrate fixed to the lower plate 120 is changed compared to the upper substrate fixed to the upper plate 120, the inconsistency of the upper substrate and the lower substrate is corrected.

In addition, the substrate bonding apparatus 100 for a PDP according to the present embodiment is provided to be able to move upward and downward through a through hole 132 formed through a predetermined portion of the lower plate 130, and the lower plate 130. It is preferable that the substrate lifting member 190 is further provided to lift and lower the substrate positioned in the). The substrate lifting member 190 receives the lower substrate brought in from the outside while placing the lower substrate loaded from the outside on the lower plate 130, and positions the lower substrate 130 on the lower plate 130. After the lifted up the bonded substrate, and serves to help the operation to take out of the bonding chamber 110. Therefore, the board | substrate elevating member 190 makes it easy to carry in or take out a board | substrate to a bonding chamber.

In this embodiment, the joining means can be configured so that the upper substrate and the lower substrate can be mechanically approached and bonded. That is, as shown in Figure 3, by providing a vertical moving unit 122 in any one of the upper and lower tables, or by providing a vertical moving unit 122 in the upper and lower tables, respectively, It is to be able to move the half in the vertical direction. At this time, the vertical moving unit 122 may be provided as a cylinder that can be driven by a motor. Therefore, after fixing the upper substrate and the lower substrate to a predetermined portion, both substrates can be mechanically approached, and even after the two substrates are contacted, the two substrates can be bonded by continuing to apply a predetermined amount of force.

Further, in the present invention, the joining means can be configured so that the upper substrate can freely fall onto the lower substrate at a predetermined height or more and be bonded. That is, the upper part is further provided in the upper plate detachment portion for separating the upper substrate adsorbed on the lower surface of the upper plate at a predetermined height. In this case, the detachment part may be configured as an electrostatic blocker when the upper plate is an electrostatic chuck, and a vacuum interrupter when the upper plate is a vacuum suction chuck. Therefore, the upper substrate and the lower substrate are fixed to a predetermined portion, and then the force that fixes the upper substrate is removed so that the upper substrate freely falls on the lower substrate to attach the upper and lower substrates, and at the same time, due to the gravity of the upper substrate The bonding means is configured to bond the substrates together. As described above, in the case of forming the bonding means by using the free fall, the same force acts on all parts of both substrates, and thus there is an advantage that a module having the same spacing is obtained in all parts.

In addition, in the present invention, after attaching the upper substrate and the lower substrate, the bonding means can be configured so that the upper substrate and the lower substrate can be bonded by increasing the pressure inside the bonding chamber. That is, the vertical moving part 122 is provided on the upper or lower plate or the detaching part is provided on the upper plate, and a pressurizing part may be further provided at a predetermined portion of the coalescence chamber to increase the pressure inside the coalescence chamber. In this case, the pressurization part may be provided as a general gas pump capable of supplying gas, and the suction part may be provided as a vacuum pump capable of sucking gas.

Therefore, after the upper substrate and the lower substrate is approached to adhere to each other, the light emitting gas is further injected into the bonding chamber to increase the pressure in the bonding chamber and the bonding means so that the two substrates are bonded by the difference between the pressure inside the substrate and the external pressure. To construct. As described above, even when the bonding means are formed by using the pressure difference, the same force acts on all portions of both substrates, so that not only a module having the same spacing in all portions can be obtained, but also interposed between the two substrates. There is an advantage that the sealing material and both substrates are attached well.

At this time, the above-mentioned coalescing means may further be provided with an inlet for lowering the pressure inside the coalescence chamber by sucking the gas inside the coalescence chamber. Therefore, before bonding the substrates, the pressure inside the bonding chamber is slightly lowered, and then the two substrates are bonded and the pressure inside the chamber is increased to bond the two substrates together.

In addition, the PDP substrate bonding apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment may further include a transfer chamber TM connected to the bonding chamber 110. That is, the conveyance chamber TM is provided in contact with the side wall on which the substrate inlet 112 is formed, as shown in FIG. In this conveyance chamber TM, an opening through which the substrate can be introduced from the outside is formed in a predetermined portion of the side wall opposite to the substrate introduction port 112. The transfer chamber TM is provided adjacent to the bonding chamber 110 to serve as an intermediate passage for supplying the substrate from the outside to the interior of the bonding chamber or for transporting the completed substrate to the outside.

The interior of the coalescence chamber is filled with light emitting gas. Therefore, the gas composition inside the coalescing chamber may be changed in contact with the external air during the loading or unloading of the substrate. Therefore, in order to maintain a constant gas composition inside the coalescence chamber, a conveyance chamber is provided adjacent to the coalescence chamber, and the process chamber is filled with an inert gas.

Looking at the exchange process of the substrate using such a transfer chamber as follows. First, the substrate outlet 112 is closed using the gate valve 140 interposed between the bonding chamber 110 and the transfer chamber TM, and then the substrate is brought in through an opening connecting the transfer chamber and the outside. . After the opening is closed, the substrate outlet is opened to bring the substrate carried in the transfer chamber into the bonding chamber. At this time, it is important that the gas pressure in the bonding chamber is higher than the gas pressure in the conveying chamber so that the gas in the conveying chamber does not enter the bonding chamber, and shortening the substrate opening opening time is advantageous because the gas composition in the bonding chamber is small. Do.

And inside the conveyance chamber, the conveyance member (not shown in figure) is provided in order to assist conveyance of a board | substrate, It carries in the board | substrate loaded in the inside into a conveyance chamber, and serves to move the said board | substrate to a bonding chamber. In addition, a gas injection port (not shown in the drawing) is provided at a predetermined portion of the transfer chamber. The gas injection port is for injecting inert gas into the transfer chamber and is connected to an inert gas supply unit (not shown) provided outside of the transfer chamber. Therefore, the inside of the conveying chamber is always filled with inert gas. At this time, the inert gas is preferably nitrogen (N ₂ ) or argon (Ar). The reason for filling the inert gas inside the conveying chamber is that the gate valve between the conveying chamber and the adhering chamber is opened so that the gases present in both chambers can move with each other even if the gas in the conveying chamber partially moves into the adhering chamber. This is to prevent the effect on. This is because the inert gas is a chemically very stable gas with little reactivity.

These transfer chambers may be provided not only in the bonding chamber but also in the side walls facing each other of the bonding chamber. That is, one conveyance chamber is provided on one sidewall of the coalescing chamber, and another conveyance chamber is provided on the opposite sidewall. If the transfer chamber is provided in this way, the substrate bonding process may be performed while the substrate is moved from one side of the bonding chamber to the opposite side. Therefore, in the PDP manufacturing process performed as the substrate is moved in one direction as a whole, the PDP substrate bonding apparatus according to the present embodiment can be well matched.

Next, in the PDP substrate bonding apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, a curing chamber BM may be further provided. The curing chamber BM serves to cure the sealing material S interposed between the two substrates on which the bonding is completed by the bonding chamber. Although both substrates are bonded by the bonding chamber, since the sealing material is not yet completely cured, the position of the two substrates or the gap between the two substrates may change, thereby completely curing the sealing material to complete the module. Thus, the curing chamber may be provided directly connected to the cementing chamber, or may be connected to the conveying chamber. It may also be separated from the coalescing chamber or the conveying chamber, but provided in a position adjacent thereto. Such a transfer chamber can cure the sealing material by applying heat to the substrate.

Hereinafter, a substrate bonding method for a PDP according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the present embodiment, a method of bonding the substrates using the above-described PDP substrate bonding apparatus 100 will be described, but the PDP substrate bonding method of the present invention is not limited thereto.

First, the sealing material applying step P110 is performed. That is, the sealing material is apply | coated to the outer peripheral part of any one of an upper board | substrate or a lower board | substrate with a predetermined thickness. The sealing material serves as an adhesive for adhering the upper substrate and the lower substrate and insulates the inner space formed by both substrates from the outer space of the substrate after adhering the upper and lower substrates.

On the other hand, the sealing material applying step (P110) may proceed after bringing both substrates into the bonding chamber. That is, after the sealing material applying means is provided in the bonding chamber, the sealing material is applied to the outer peripheral portion of the substrate in the bonding chamber.

In addition, the light emitting gas injection step P120 is performed. That is, as shown in FIG. 5A, first, the other gas existing in the coalescing chamber is sucked and removed, and the light emitting gas F is filled instead. At this time, it is preferable that the pressure of the light emitting gas F filled in the coalescence chamber is slightly higher than the gas pressure in the transport chamber connected to the coalescence chamber. This is to prevent the gas present in the conveying chamber from entering the coalescing chamber during the loading of the substrate from the conveying chamber or in the process of transporting the substrate to change the gas composition in the coalescence chamber.

Next, the substrate loading step P130 is performed. That is, as shown in FIG. 5B, the upper substrate and the lower substrate are brought into the bonding chamber. The upper substrate and the lower substrate carried into the bonding chamber are adsorbed to the upper and lower plates, respectively. At this time, the interval between the upper and lower plate is preferably spaced apart widely. That is, it is for facilitating a board | substrate loading process and a board | substrate adsorption process by ensuring sufficient space between an upper board and a lower board.

Next, the coalescence chamber sealing step P140 is performed. That is, when the board loading is completed, the board outlet is closed using the gate valve. Thus, the interior of the cementation chamber is isolated from the outside.

Next, the gas composition sensing and reforming step P150 is performed. That is, when the cementation chamber sealing step (P140) is completed, to confirm whether the gas composition in the coalescence chamber is appropriate, the gas composition is checked using a gas detector, and if the gas composition is inadequate, the gas supply unit is activated to emit light into the coalescence chamber. Inject more gas. The adequacy of the gas composition in the bonding chamber herein refers to the minimum composition ratio of the luminescent gas to be present in the internal space A between the two substrates in order for the PDP substrate to operate normally. In this embodiment, since the gas composition in the bonding chamber is the gas composition existing in the internal space A of the PDP substrate, the composition is very important.

Therefore, the gas detector may detect when the ratio of the luminescent gas in the entire gas inside the coalescence chamber falls below a specific value and control the gas supply unit to further supply the emission gas into the coalescence chamber based on the data.

Subsequently, the substrate position sensing and readjustment step P160 is performed. That is, if the position of both substrates is not exactly matched by measuring the position before bonding the upper substrate and the lower substrate, the position of either the upper substrate or the lower substrate is adjusted to correct the position of both substrates exactly. It is. Of course, if the positions of both substrates are exactly matched, this step is not necessary.

Next, the substrate bonding step P170 is performed. That is, as shown in FIG. 5C, a process of firmly attaching the upper substrate and the lower substrate is performed. At this time, the upper substrate and the lower substrate should be bonded in a state of exactly matching each other. As a method of bonding both substrates, there may be a method of bringing the two substrates together by mechanical approach.

There may also be a method of joining both substrates by freely dropping the upper substrate toward the lower substrate. In this embodiment, the vertical moving part 122 is used to approach the gap between the two substrates as close as possible and then freely drop the upper substrate to be bonded to the lower substrate. Therefore, the upper and lower plates that were spaced to mount the substrate are moved by using the vertical moving part 122 to access both substrates as much as possible. Then, the upper substrate is dropped by releasing the electrostatic chuck or the vacuum suction chuck provided on the upper plate. Then, the upper substrate is attached to the lower substrate by gravity.

In addition, after the two substrates are brought close to each other, the two substrates may be bonded by applying pressure. At this time, a method of applying pressure to both substrates using a gas pressure is preferable. That is, after the two substrates are bonded to each other to separate the internal space between the substrate and the external space, if the gas pressure in the external space of the substrate is increased, a difference occurs in the pressure between the internal and external substrates and the both spaces. This forces the pressure from the outside to the inside, where the entire area of both substrates is subjected to the same pressure. By using the pressure of the gas, since the entire area of the substrate is subjected to the same physical pressure completely, there is no problem such that the specific portions of both substrates are narrowed.

Of course, after the pressure in the bonding chamber is reduced before attaching both substrates, the two substrates are bonded together so that the pressure in both substrates is lowered, and then the pressure in the bonding chamber is returned to its original state. It may be lowered such that a constant pressure is applied to both substrates. That is, after bonding both substrates, the light emitting gas F is further injected into the bonding chamber to increase the pressure inside the bonding chamber. At this time, it is preferable to facilitate the pressure operation inside the bonding chamber by maintaining the pressure of the internal space between both substrates to be similar to the atmospheric pressure.

Next, the substrate carrying out step P180 is performed. That is, when both substrates are completely bonded, the finished substrate is discharged out of the bonding chamber.

And sealing material curing step (P190) proceeds. That is, the sealing material is hardened by performing a process such as applying heat to the substrate discharged to the outside. Therefore, the sealing material interposed between the two substrates is completely cured so that both substrates no longer move.

Meanwhile, the above-described light emitting gas injection step P120 and the substrate loading step P130 may be performed in the reverse order. That is, the substrate may be first introduced into the bonding chamber, and then the inside of the bonding chamber may be filled with the light emitting gas.

According to the present invention, since both substrates are bonded together in the space filled with the light emitting gas, the substrate bonding process and the light emitting gas injection process are quickly and easily performed by one process.

In addition, since the two substrates are bonded together by the pressure of the gas, both substrates are bonded by the same force, so that all parts between the two substrates can maintain the same distance.

In addition, the present invention has an advantage that the substrate bonding process is performed at a pressure near atmospheric pressure, so that the operation of the substrate bonding device is easy, and an expensive device for maintaining the pressure inside the chamber in a vacuum is not required.

Claims (45)

A gas inlet and a substrate outlet, the coalescing chamber capable of forming a vacuum atmosphere therein; It is provided inside the bonding chamber, the upper and lower plates that can be attached by mounting a substrate; A gate valve capable of opening and closing the substrate outlet; A gas supply unit connected to the gas inlet and supplying a light emitting gas into the coalescing chamber; Bonding means provided in the bonding chamber and bonding the upper substrate and the lower substrate in a state where the bonding chamber is filled with a light emitting gas; And And a suction part provided in a predetermined portion inside the adhesion chamber to lower the pressure in the adhesion chamber by sucking the gas inside the adhesion chamber. The method of claim 1, wherein the bonding means, It is provided in any one of the upper and lower panels, or respectively provided in the upper and lower panels, A substrate bonding apparatus for a PDP comprising a vertical moving unit for moving one of the upper and lower plates in an up and down direction, or moving the upper and lower plates in an up and down direction to bond the substrates. The method of claim 1, wherein the bonding means, The substrate bonding apparatus for a PDP provided in the lower region of the said top plate, Comprising: The leaving part which separates the upper substrate adsorbed by the said top plate from the top plate. The method of claim 1, wherein the bonding means, It is provided in any one of the upper plate or lower plate, or both are provided, A vertical moving unit which moves one of the upper and lower plates in an up and down direction, or moves both of them in an up and down direction and joins them; And A pressurizing unit for raising a pressure inside the coalescing chamber; PDP substrate bonding apparatus comprising a. The method of claim 1, wherein the bonding means, A separation part provided in a lower region of the upper plate and separating the upper substrate adsorbed on the upper plate from the upper plate; And A pressurizing unit for raising a pressure inside the coalescing chamber; PDP substrate bonding apparatus comprising a. delete The method of claim 1, wherein the bonding chamber, And a gas detector configured to detect a gas composition inside the coalescing chamber at a predetermined portion thereof. The method of claim 7, wherein the substrate bonding apparatus, And a control unit for controlling the gas supply unit to further supply light emitting gas into the chamber when the gas composition inside the chamber sensed by the gas sensing unit is equal to or less than a reference value. The method of claim 1, The substrate bonding apparatus for the PDP is provided in combination with the upper or lower plate, the position correction unit for correcting the position of the substrate mounted on the upper or lower plate. The substrate bonding apparatus for a PDP according to claim 1, And a position sensing unit for sensing a position of the substrate mounted on the upper plate and the substrate mounted on the lower plate. The substrate bonding apparatus for a PDP according to claim 1, PDP substrate bonding apparatus is provided to move in the vertical direction through the through hole formed through the predetermined portion of the lower plate, further comprising a substrate lifting member for lifting the substrate located on the lower plate. . The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate opening, The substrate bonding apparatus for a PDP provided in a predetermined portion of the side wall of the bonding chamber, each formed at a position opposite to the side walls facing each other. The substrate bonding apparatus for a PDP according to claim 1, A transfer chamber may be further provided to be in contact with the sidewall where the substrate outlet is formed, and to carry the substrate into or into the adhesion chamber, and to transfer the substrate from the outside to a predetermined sidewall of the transfer chamber. A substrate bonding apparatus for a PDP, wherein an opening that is a passage for carrying in or taking out is formed. The method of claim 13, wherein the transfer chamber, Substrate bonding apparatus for a PDP, characterized in that each provided on the side walls facing each other of the bonding chamber. The conveyance chamber according to any one of claims 13 to 14, A gas inlet is provided in the predetermined portion, and an inert gas supply unit for supplying an inert gas into the chamber is further provided. The method of claim 1, wherein the light emitting gas, A substrate bonding apparatus for a PDP, comprising any one or two or more selected from neon (Ne), argon (Ar), and xenon (Xe). The substrate bonding apparatus for a PDP according to claim 1, And a curing chamber provided at a position adjacent to the bonding chamber and configured to cure a sealing material interposed between both substrates bonded by the bonding chamber. According to claim 1, wherein the upper or lower plate, A substrate bonding apparatus for a PDP, wherein any one selected from an electrostatic chuck or a vacuum suction chuck is formed. According to claim 1, wherein the upper or lower plate, A substrate bonding apparatus for a PDP, wherein the electrostatic chuck and the vacuum suction chuck are provided at the same time. 1) applying a sealing material to the outer peripheral portion of any one of the upper substrate or the lower substrate; 2) filling the interior of the coalescence chamber with light emitting gas; 3) bringing the upper substrate and the lower substrate into the bonding chamber and adsorbing the upper and lower substrates; 4) sealing the interior of the cementation chamber; 5) bonding the upper substrate and the lower substrate; 6) ejecting the bonded substrate out of the bonding chamber; PDP substrate bonding method comprising a. The method of claim 20, Bonding method of a substrate for a PDP, characterized in that the steps 1) and 2) are performed in the reverse order. The method of claim 20, After the step 4), further comprising the step of inspecting the gas composition inside the bonding chamber, and re-adjusting the gas composition substrate bonding method for a PDP. The method of claim 20, Before the step 5), further comprising the step of correcting the position of the upper substrate and the lower substrate substrate bonding method for a PDP. The method of claim 20, wherein step 5) A substrate bonding method for a PDP, characterized in that the step of bonding both substrates by a mechanical method. The method of claim 20, wherein in step 5), And bonding both substrates by freely dropping the upper substrate onto the lower substrate at a predetermined height. The method of claim 20, wherein step 5) a) reducing the pressure inside the coalescence chamber; b) bonding the upper substrate and the lower substrate; c) joining both substrates by increasing the pressure inside the bonding chamber; A substrate bonding method for a PDP, comprising a small step. The method of claim 20, wherein step 5) a) bonding the upper substrate and the lower substrate; b) joining both substrates by increasing the pressure inside the bonding chamber; A substrate bonding method for a PDP, comprising a small step. The method of claim 20, After the step 6), further comprising the step of curing the sealing material interposed between the two substrates PDP substrate bonding method characterized in that it further comprises. 1) applying a sealing material to the outer peripheral portion of any one of the upper substrate or the lower substrate; 2) bringing the upper substrate and the lower substrate into the bonding chamber and adsorbing the upper and lower substrates; 3) filling the interior of the coalescence chamber with light emitting gas; 4) sealing the interior of the cementation chamber; 5) bonding the upper substrate and the lower substrate; 6) ejecting the bonded substrate out of the bonding chamber; PDP substrate bonding method comprising a. The method of claim 29, Bonding method of a substrate for a PDP, characterized in that the steps 1) and 2) are performed in the reverse order. The method of claim 29, After the step 4), further comprising the step of inspecting the gas composition inside the bonding chamber, and adjusting the gas composition further comprising the substrate bonding method for a PDP. The method of claim 29, Before the step 5), further comprising the step of correcting the position of the upper substrate and the lower substrate substrate bonding method for a PDP. The method of claim 29, wherein step 5) A substrate bonding method for a PDP, characterized in that the step of bonding both substrates by a mechanical method. The method of claim 29, wherein step 5) And bonding both substrates by freely dropping the upper substrate onto the lower substrate at a predetermined height. The method of claim 29, wherein step 5) a) reducing the pressure inside the coalescence chamber; b) bonding the upper substrate and the lower substrate; c) joining both substrates by increasing the pressure inside the bonding chamber; A substrate bonding method for a PDP, comprising a small step. The method of claim 29, wherein step 5) a) bonding the upper substrate and the lower substrate; b) joining both substrates by increasing the pressure inside the bonding chamber; A substrate bonding method for a PDP, comprising a small step. The method of claim 29, After the step 6), further comprising the step of curing the sealing material interposed between the two substrates PDP substrate bonding method characterized in that it further comprises. 1) filling the interior of the coalescence chamber with light emitting gas; 2) bringing the upper substrate and the lower substrate into the bonding chamber and adsorbing the upper and lower substrates; 3) applying a sealing material to the outer circumference of any one of the upper substrate and the lower substrate; 4) sealing the interior of the cementation chamber; 5) bonding the upper substrate and the lower substrate; 6) ejecting the bonded substrate out of the bonding chamber; PDP substrate bonding method comprising a. The method of claim 38, After the step 4), further comprising the step of inspecting the gas composition inside the bonding chamber, and adjusting the gas composition further comprising the substrate bonding method for a PDP. The method of claim 38, Before the step 5), further comprising the step of correcting the position of the upper substrate and the lower substrate substrate bonding method for a PDP. The method of claim 38, wherein step 5) A substrate bonding method for a PDP, characterized in that the step of bonding both substrates by a mechanical method. The method of claim 38, wherein in step 5), And bonding both substrates by freely dropping the upper substrate onto the lower substrate at a predetermined height. The method of claim 38, wherein step 5) a) reducing the pressure inside the coalescence chamber; b) bonding the upper substrate and the lower substrate; c) joining both substrates by increasing the pressure inside the bonding chamber; A substrate bonding method for a PDP, comprising a small step. The method of claim 38, wherein step 5) a) bonding the upper substrate and the lower substrate; b) joining both substrates by increasing the pressure inside the bonding chamber; A substrate bonding method for a PDP, comprising a small step. The method of claim 38, After the step 6), further comprising the step of curing the sealing material interposed between the two substrates PDP substrate bonding method characterized in that it further comprises.

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