Thin film deposition apparatus, method of manufacturing organic light-emitting display device by using the apparatus, and organic light-emitting display device manufactured by using the method

Abstract

Each of thin film deposition assemblies of a thin film deposition apparatus includes: a deposition source that includes a deposition material; a deposition source nozzle unit arranged at a side of the deposition source and including a plurality of deposition source nozzles arranged in a first direction; a patterning slit sheet arranged opposite to the deposition source nozzle unit and having a plurality of patterning slits arranged in the first direction; and a barrier plate assembly including a plurality of barrier plates arranged in the first direction, the barrier plate assembly being arranged between the deposition source nozzle unit and the patterning slit sheet. The thin film deposition apparatus and the substrate are separated from each other and are movable relative to each other. The deposition material includes a material to produce the thin film of a red (R), green (G) or blue (B) emission layer, or an auxiliary layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thin film deposition apparatus to produce a thin film on a substrate, the apparatus comprising a plurality of thin film deposition assemblies, each of the thin film deposition assemblies comprises:
 a deposition source that includes a deposition material, the deposition source to discharge the deposition material;   a deposition source nozzle unit arranged at a side of the deposition source and including a plurality of deposition source nozzles arranged in a first direction;   a patterning slit sheet arranged opposite to the deposition source nozzle unit and having a plurality of patterning slits arranged in the first direction; and   a barrier plate assembly including a plurality of barrier plates arranged in the first direction, the barrier plate assembly being arranged between the deposition source nozzle unit and the patterning slit sheet, the barrier plate assembly to 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 apparatus is separated from the substrate by a distance, the thin film deposition apparatus and the substrate are movable relative to each other, the deposition material includes a material to produce the thin film selected from the group consisting of a red (R) emission layer, a green (G) emission layer, a blue (B) emission layer and a plurality of auxiliary layers.   
     
     
         2 . A thin film deposition apparatus to produce a thin film on a substrate, the apparatus comprising a plurality of thin film deposition assemblies, each of the thin film deposition assemblies comprises:
 a deposition source that includes a deposition material, the deposition source to discharge the deposition material;   a deposition source nozzle unit arranged at a side of the deposition source and including a plurality of deposition source nozzles arranged in a first direction; and   a patterning slit sheet arranged opposite to the deposition source nozzle unit and having a plurality of patterning slits arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,   wherein the thin film deposition apparatus is configured to perform deposition while one of the substrate and the thin film deposition apparatus is moved in the first direction relative to another of the substrate and the thin film deposition apparatus, the deposition source, the deposition source nozzle unit, and the patterning slit sheet being integrally arranged as one body, and the deposition material includes a material that produces a thin film selected from the group consisting of a R emission layer, a G emission layer, a B emission layer and a plurality of auxiliary layers.   
     
     
         3 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one deposition source including a material for forming the auxiliary layers is arranged between the deposition source and another deposition source, each of which including the material for forming the B emission layer, the G emission layer, or the R emission layer. 
     
     
         4 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the number of thin film deposition assemblies is at least five, and deposition materials respectively arranged within the deposition sources of the at least five thin film deposition assemblies comprise materials for forming the B emission layer, one of the auxiliary layers, the G emission layer, another of the auxiliary layers, and the R emission layer sequentially. 
     
     
         5 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the number of thin film deposition assemblies is at least five, and the deposition materials respectively arranged within the deposition sources of the at least five thin film deposition assemblies comprise materials for forming the B emission layer, one of the auxiliary layers, the R emission layer, another of the auxiliary layers, and the G emission layer sequentially. 
     
     
         6 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the deposition materials respectively arranged within the deposition sources of the plurality of thin film deposition assemblies are sequentially deposited on the substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein at least one deposition material for forming the auxiliary layers is deposited between at least two deposition materials for forming the emission layers. 
     
     
         8 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one of the thin film deposition apparatus and the substrate is movable relative to the other of the thin film deposition apparatus and the substrate along a plane parallel to a surface of the substrate on which the deposition materials are deposited. 
     
     
         9 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the patterning slit sheets of the plurality of thin film deposition assemblies are smaller than the substrate. 
     
     
         10 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein deposition temperatures of the deposition sources of the plurality of thin film deposition assemblies are individually controlled. 
     
     
         11 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier plate assembly of each of the thin film deposition assemblies to form a flow path for the deposition material being discharged from the deposition source. 
     
     
         12 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier plates extend in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction and partition a space between the deposition source nozzle unit and the patterning slit sheet into the plurality of sub-deposition spaces. 
     
     
         13 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the barrier plate assemblies comprises:
 a first barrier plate assembly including a plurality of first barrier plates; and   a second barrier plate assembly including a plurality of second barrier plates.   
     
     
         14 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first barrier plates and the second barrier plates extend in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction and partition a space between the deposition source nozzle unit and the patterning slit sheet into a plurality of sub-deposition spaces. 
     
     
         15 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the deposition source, the deposition source nozzle unit, and the patterning slit sheet are integrally connected as one body by a connection member. 
     
     
         16 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 15 , the connection member to form a flow path for the deposition material. 
     
     
         17 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 15 , the connection member to seal a space between the deposition source nozzle unit arranged at the side of the deposition source and the patterning slit sheet. 
     
     
         18 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the thin film deposition apparatus is separated from the substrate by a distance. 
     
     
         19 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the deposition material discharged from the thin film deposition apparatus is continuously deposited on the substrate while one of the substrate and the thin film deposition apparatus is moved in the first direction relative to the other of the substrate and the thin film deposition apparatus. 
     
     
         20 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of deposition source nozzles are tilted at an angle. 
     
     
         21 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of deposition source nozzles includes deposition source nozzles arranged in two rows extending in the first direction, and the deposition source nozzles in the two rows are tilted to face each other. 
     
     
         22 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of deposition source nozzles includes 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. 
     
     
         23 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein at least one deposition source including a material for forming the auxiliary layers is arranged between the deposition source and another deposition source, each of which including the material for forming the B emission layer, the G emission layer, or the R emission layer 
     
     
         24 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the number of thin film deposition assemblies is at least five, and deposition materials respectively arranged within the deposition sources of the at least five thin film deposition assemblies comprise materials for forming the B emission layer, one of the auxiliary layers, the G emission layer, another of the auxiliary layers, and the R emission layer sequentially. 
     
     
         25 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the number of thin film deposition assemblies is at least five, and the deposition materials respectively arranged within the deposition sources of the at least five thin film deposition assemblies comprise materials for forming the B emission layer, one of the auxiliary layers, the R emission layer, another of the auxiliary layers, and the G emission layer sequentially. 
     
     
         26 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the deposition materials respectively arranged within the deposition sources of the plurality of thin film deposition assemblies are sequentially deposited on the substrate. 
     
     
         27 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein at least one deposition material for forming the auxiliary layers is deposited between at least two deposition materials for forming the emission layers. 
     
     
         28 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein one of the thin film deposition apparatus and the substrate is movable relative to the other of the thin film deposition apparatus and the substrate along a plane parallel to a surface of the substrate on which the deposition materials are deposited. 
     
     
         29 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the patterning slit sheets of the plurality of thin film deposition assemblies are smaller than the substrate. 
     
     
         30 . The thin film deposition apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein deposition temperatures of the deposition sources of the plurality of thin film deposition assemblies are individually controlled.