PHOTOMASK AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING COLUMN SPACER FOR COLOR FILTER USING THE SAME

Abstract

The present invention relates to a photomask and a method for manufacturing a column spacer for a color filter using the same, and according to one aspect of the present invention, a photomask is provided, which comprises a central region having a first transmittance, a first perimeter region surrounding the central region and having a second transmittance lower than the first transmittance, and a second perimeter region surrounding the first perimeter region and having the first transmittance.

Claims

1. A photomask comprising a central region having a first transmittance; a first perimeter region surrounding said central region and having a second transmittance lower than the first transmittance; and a second perimeter region surrounding the first perimeter region and having the first transmittance.

2. The photomask according to claim 1, wherein the first transmittance is 5%.

3. The photomask according to claim 1, wherein the second transmittance is 0%.

4. The photomask according to claim 1, wherein the central region has a circular shape having a predetermined diameter, and the first perimeter region has a ring shape surrounding the central region.

5. The photomask according to claim 4, wherein the central region has a diameter of 20 to 30 μm, and the first perimeter region has an inner diameter of 20 to 30 μm and an outer diameter of 35 to 55 μm.

6. A method for manufacturing a column spacer for a color filter, comprising steps of coating a negative type photoresist on a substrate; and exposing the substrate using the photomask according to claim 1.

7. A photomask comprising a central region having a first transmittance; a first perimeter region surrounding said central region and having a second transmittance lower than the first transmittance; a plurality of circular regions positioned in said first perimeter region and arranged along the circumferential direction based on the central region and having a third transmittance higher than the second transmittance; and a second perimeter region surrounding the first perimeter region and having the third transmittance.

8. The photomask according to claim 7, wherein the first transmittance is 100%, the second transmittance is 0%, and the third transmittance is 5%.

9. The photomask according to claim 7, wherein the central region has a circular shape having a predetermined diameter, and the first perimeter region has a ring shape surrounding the central region.

10. The photomask according to claim 9, wherein the central region has a diameter of 5 to 9 μm, the circular region has a diameter of 3 to 5 μm, and the first perimeter region has an outer diameter of 38 to 42 μm.

11. The photomask according to claim 10, wherein a distance between the centers of the central region and the circular region is 6 to 12 μm.

12. The photomask according to claim 7, wherein eight circular regions are provided.

13. A method for manufacturing a column spacer for a color filter, comprising steps of coating a negative type photoresist on a substrate; and exposing the substrate using the photomask according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a photomask associated with a first example of the present invention.

[0015] FIGS. 2 and 3 are simulation results using the photomask as shown in FIG. 1.

[0016] FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an exposure process using the photomask as shown in FIG. 1.

[0017] FIGS. 5 to 8 are measurement results using the photomask as shown in FIG. 1.

[0018] FIG. 9 is a plan view of a photomask associated with a second example of the present invention.

[0019] FIGS. 10 and 11 are simulation results using the photomask as shown in FIG. 9.

[0020] FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram showing an exposure process using the photomask as shown in FIG. 9.

[0021] FIGS. 13 to 16 are measurement results using the photomask as shown in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0022] Hereinafter, a photomask according to one example of the present invention and a method for manufacturing a column spacer for a color filter using the same will be described in detail with reference to the accompanied drawings.

[0023] In addition, the same or corresponding components regardless of reference numerals are given by the same or similar reference numerals, for which the redundant description will be omitted, and for convenience of explanation, the size and shape of each constituent member as shown in the drawings may be exaggerated or reduced.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a photomask (100) associated with a first example of the present invention, FIGS. 2 and 3 are simulation results using the photomask as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an exposure process using the photomask as shown in FIG. 1. In addition, FIGS. 5 to 8 are measurement results using the photomask as shown in FIG. 1, which are SEM images and optical profiler measurement results.

[0025] In particular, FIGS. 2 and 3 are simulation results showing a normalized intensity profile at the time of exposure using the photomask (100).

[0026] Referring to FIG. 1, the photomask (100) associated with the first example comprises a central region (110) having a first transmittance, a first perimeter region (120) surrounding the central region (110) and having a second transmittance lower than the first transmittance, and a second perimeter region (130) surrounding the first perimeter region (120) and having the first transmittance. Here, the first transmittance may be 5%. Also, the second transmittance may be 0%. In addition, the photomask (100) may comprise a third perimeter region (140) arranged outside the second perimeter region (130) and having the second transmittance.

[0027] In addition, the central region (110) may have a circular shape having a predetermined diameter, and the first perimeter region (120) may have a ring shape surrounding the central region (110).

[0028] Furthermore, the center region (100) may have a diameter (d1) of 20 to 30 μm and the first perimeter region (120) may have an inner diameter of 20 to 30 μm and an outer diameter (d2) of 35 to 55 μm, and for example, the center region (100) may have a diameter (d1) of about 25 μm and the first perimeter region (120) may have an inner diameter of about 25 μm and an outer diameter (d2) of about 40 μm.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 4, it is confirmed that at the time of exposure using the photomask (100), the height of the central region column (10) on the substrate (S) is about 1.8 μm and the height of the outer region column (11) is about 1.6 μm. Particularly, with respect to the central region column (10), the height patterned with about 10% transmissivity region can be obtained by diffraction and interference phenomena at a boundary area of the central region (110) (transmittance 5%) and the first perimeter region (120) (transmittance 0%) in the photomask (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

[0030] In addition, a method for manufacturing a column spacer for a color filter associated with one example of the present invention comprises steps of coating a negative type photoresist on a substrate (S) and exposing the substrate using the photomask (100).

[0031] FIG. 9 is a plan view of the photomask (200) associated with the second example of the present invention, FIGS. 10 and 11 are simulation results using the photomask as shown in FIG. 9, FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram showing an exposure process using the photomask as shown in FIG. 9, FIGS. 13 to 16 are measurement results using the photomask as shown in FIG. 9, which are SEM images and optical profiler measurement results.

[0032] In particular, FIGS. 10 and 11 are simulation results showing a normalized intensity profile at the time of exposure using the photomask (200).

[0033] Referring to FIG. 9, the photomask (200) associated with the second example comprises a central region (210) having a first transmittance, a first perimeter region (220) surrounding the central region (210) and having a second transmittance lower than the first transmittance, a plurality of circular regions (230) positioned in the first perimeter region (220) and arranged along the circumferential direction based on the central region and having a third transmittance higher than the second transmittance, and a second perimeter region (240) surrounding the first perimeter region (220) and having the third transmittance. In addition, the photomask (100) may comprise a third perimeter region (250) arranged outside the second perimeter region (240) and having the second transmittance.

[0034] At this time, the first transmittance may be 100%, the second transmittance may be 0%, and the third transmittance may be 5%.

[0035] In addition, the central region (210) may have a circular shape having a predetermined diameter, and the first perimeter region (220) may have a ring shape surrounding the central region. Also, the central region (210) may have a diameter of 5 to 9 μm, the circular region (230) may have a diameter of 3 to 5 μm and the first perimeter region (220) may have an outer diameter of 38 to 42 μm, and for example, the central region (210) may have a diameter of 7 μm, the circular region (230) may have a diameter of 4 μm and the first perimeter region (220) may have an outer diameter of 40 μm. Also, the distance between the center of the central region (210) and the center of the circular region (230) may be 6 to 12 μm, and for example, the distance between the center of the central region (210) and the center of the circular region (230) may be 8 μm. In addition, eight circular regions (230) may be provided.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 12, it is confirmed that at the time of exposure using the photomask (200), the height of the central region column (20) on the substrate (S) is about 1.9 μm and the height of the outer region column (21) is about 1.6 μm. Particularly, with respect to the central region column (20), the height patterned with about 10% transmissivity region can be obtained by diffraction and interference phenomena at a boundary area of the central region (210) (transmittance 100%), the first perimeter region (220) (transmittance 0%), and the circular region (230) (transmittance 5%) in the photomask (see FIGS. 6 and 7).

[0037] In addition, a method for manufacturing a column spacer for a color filter associated with one example of the present invention comprises steps of coating a negative type photoresist on a substrate (S) and exposing the substrate using the photomask (200).

[0038] The preferred examples of the present invention as described above are disclosed for illustrative purposes, which can be modified, changed and added within thought and scope of the present invention by those skilled in the art and it will be considered that such modification, change and addition fall within the following claims.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0039] 100, 200: photomask