Method and apparatus for manufacturing flexible light-emitting device

Abstract

According to a flexible light-emitting device production method of the present disclosure, after an intermediate region (30i) and a flexible substrate region (30d) of a plastic film (30) of a multilayer stack (100) are divided, the interface between the plastic film (30) and a glass base (10) is irradiated with lift-off light. The multilayer stack (100) is separated into the first portion (110) and the second portion (120) while the multilayer stack (100) is kept in contact with the stage (212). The first portion (110) includes the intermediate region (30i) and a light-emitting device (1000) which are adhered to the stage (212). The light-emitting device (1000) includes a functional layer region (20) and the flexible substrate region (30d). The second portion (120) includes the glass base (10). The intermediate region (30i) adhered to the stage (212) is removed from the stage while the light-emitting device (1000) is kept adhered to the stage.

1 . An apparatus for producing a flexible light-emitting device, comprising:
 a stage for supporting a multilayer stack which has a first surface and a second surface, the multilayer stack including
 a glass base which defines the first surface, 
 a functional layer region including a TFT layer and a light-emitting device layer, 
 a synthetic resin film provided between the glass base and the functional layer region and bound to the glass base, the synthetic resin film including a flexible substrate region supporting the functional layer region and an intermediate region surrounding the flexible substrate region, the intermediate region comprising a single continuous sheet-like structure which has openings, and 
 a protection sheet which covers the functional layer region and which defines the second surface, 
 the intermediate region and the flexible substrate region of the synthetic resin film being divided from each other; 
   a lift-off light irradiation unit for irradiating with lift-off light an interface between the synthetic resin film and the glass base in the multilayer stack supported by the stage, and   an actuator for increasing a distance from the stage to the glass base while the stage is kept in contact with the second surface of the multilayer stack, thereby separating the multilayer stack into a first portion and a second portion,   wherein the first portion of the multilayer stack includes the intermediate region of the synthetic resin film and a light-emitting device which are adhered to the stage, the light-emitting device including the functional layer region, and the light-emitting device including the flexible substrate region of the synthetic resin film,   the second portion of the multilayer stack includes the glass base,   
       the lift-off light irradiation unit comprises an incoherent light source for emitting the lift-off light, the incoherent light source being a light source in which a plurality of lamps or a plurality of light emitting devices are arranged to emit ultraviolet light. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the incoherent light source comprises a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array of light emitting diode devices which serve as the plurality of light emitting devices, and
 the lift-off light irradiation unit is configured to modulate a driving current flowing through each of the light emitting diode devices to temporally and/or spatially modulate an irradiation intensity of the lift-off light.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the light emitting diode devices are arrayed in a single column or a plurality of columns to serve as a line beam source for emitting the lift-off light. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the light emitting diode devices are arrayed in a matrix, and
 the lift-off light irradiation unit is configured to sequentially irradiated each of a plurality of divided regions of a plane to be delaminated with a flash of the lift-off light.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the stage has a recess which allows holding of the intermediate region at a position which is to face part of the intermediate region of the synthetic resin film included in the first portion of the multilayer stack supported by the stage. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the stage includes a first region which is to face the plurality of light-emitting devices and a second region which is to face the intermediate region of the synthetic resin film, and   suction in the first region is higher than suction in the second region.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the stage includes
 a porous plate, and 
 a suction sheet placed on the porous plate, the suction sheet having a plurality of openings, and 
   the suction sheet includes a first region which is to be in contact with the plurality of light-emitting devices and a second region which is to face the intermediate region of the synthetic resin film, an aperture ratio of the first region being higher than an aperture ratio of the second region.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the stage has a plurality of ejection holes in a region which is to face the intermediate region of the synthetic resin film.