# US 11,111,585 B2 · Method for producing base for metal masks, method for producing metal mask for vapor deposition, base for metal masks, and metal mask for vapor deposition

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,111,585 B2
- Document ID: US11111585B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/786,446
- Filed: 2017-10-17
- Published: 2018-03-08
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2015-07-17
- Assignees: Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Naoko Mikami; Sumika Tamura; Reiji Terada; Masashi Kurata; Daisei Fujito; Kiyoaki Nishitsuji; Takehiro Nishi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11111585B2

## CPC

- C23F 1/28: for etching iron group metals
- B21B 1/227: {Surface roughening or texturing}
- B21B 3/02: Rolling special iron alloys {, e.g. stainless steel}
- B32B 15/015: {the said other metal being copper or nickel or an alloy thereof}
- B32B 15/04: comprising metal as the main or only constituent of a layer, {which is} next to another layer of {the same or of} a {different material (next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/08; next to a water-setting substance layer B32B13/06; next to a glass layer B32B17/061; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/042)}
- C23C 14/042: {using masks}
- C23C 14/24: Vacuum evaporation
- C23C 14/34: Sputtering
- C23C 16/042: {using masks}
- C23F 1/02: Local etching
- C23F 1/04: Chemical milling
- C23F 1/16: Acidic compositions (C23F1/42 takes precedence)
- C23F 1/40: for etching other metallic material
- H10K 71/211: {by selective transformation of an existing layer}
- B21B 2261/04: Thickness, gauge
- C23F: NON-MECHANICAL REMOVAL OF METALLIC MATERIAL FROM SURFACE (working metal by laser beams B23K26/00; desurfacing by applying flames B23K7/00; working of metal by electro-erosion B23H; producing decorative effects by removing surface material, e.g. by engraving, by etching, B44C1/22; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F); INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL; MULTI-STEP PROCESSES FOR SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL INVOLVING AT LEAST ONE PROCESS PROVIDED FOR IN CLASS C23 AND AT LEAST ONE PROCESS COVERED BY SUBCLASS C21D OR C22F OR CLASS C25
- B21B: ROLLING OF METAL (auxiliary operations used in connection with metal-working operations covered in B21, see B21C; bending by rolling B21D; manufacture of particular objects, e.g. screws, wheels, rings, barrels, balls, by rolling B21H; pressure welding by means of a rolling mill B23K20/04)
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES

## Abstract

A rolled metal sheet includes an obverse surface and a reverse surface that is a surface located opposite to the obverse surface. At least either one of the obverse surface and the reverse surface is a processing object. A method for manufacturing a metal mask substrate includes reducing a thickness of the rolled metal sheet to 10 μm or less by etching the processing object by 3 μm or more by use of an acidic etching liquid, and roughening the processing object so that the processing object becomes a resist formation surface that has a surface roughness Rz of 0.2 μm or more, thereby obtaining a metal mask sheet.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for manufacturing a metal mask substrate, the method comprising:
preparing a rolled metal sheet having a length extending from one end to an opposing end of the rolled metal sheet and the rolled metal sheet including an obverse surface and a reverse surface that is a surface located opposite to the obverse surface, at least one of the obverse surface or the reverse surface being an object to be processed;
reducing a thickness of the rolled metal sheet, along the length of the rolled metal sheet, to 10 μm or less by etching the object to be processed by 3 μm or more by use of an acidic etching liquid such that a maximum thickness of the rolled metal sheet is 10 μm or less, and
roughening the object to be processed so that the processed object becomes a resist formation surface that has a surface roughness Rz of 0.2 μm or more, wherein a metal mask sheet is configured for through holes to be formed in areas of the metal mask sheet having a thickness of 10 μm or less.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a metal mask substrate according to claim 1, wherein the object to be processed comprises both the obverse surface and the reverse surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a metal mask substrate according to claim 1, wherein the object to be processed is either the obverse surface or the reverse surface,
the method further comprising stacking a plastic support layer on a surface located opposite to the object to be processed,
the object to be processed is etched in a state in which the rolled metal sheet and the support layer are stacked together, thereby obtaining a metal mask substrate, in which the metal mask sheet and the support layer are stacked together.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method for manufacturing a metal mask substrate according to claim 2, wherein
the etching includes etching a first object to be processed that is either the obverse surface or the reverse surface and then etching a second object to be processed that is the remaining one of the obverse surface or the reverse surface,
the method further comprises etching the first object to be processed and then stacking a plastic support layer on the resist formation surface that has been obtained by etching the first object to be processed,
the second object to be processed is etched in a state in which the rolled metal sheet and the support layer are stacked together, thereby obtaining a metal mask substrate in which the metal mask sheet and the support layer are stacked together.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a metal mask substrate according to claim 1, wherein
the rolled metal sheet is a rolled invar sheet, and
the metal mask sheet is an invar sheet.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a metal mask substrate according to claim 1, additionally comprising forming through holes in the metal mask sheet.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a metal mask substrate according to claim 1, wherein after the roughening of the object to be processed the method further comprises:
forming a resist layer on the processed object;
forming a resist mask by subjecting the resist layer to patterning;
etching completely through the metal mask sheet from the resist mask side of the metal mask sheet to form the through holes between the obverse surface and the reverse surface, wherein through hole connection portions are eliminated.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A method for manufacturing a vapor deposition metal mask, the method comprising:
forming a metal mask substrate that includes at least one resist formation surface;
forming a resist layer on the one resist formation surface;
forming a resist mask by subjecting the resist layer to patterning; and
etching the metal mask substrate by use of the resist mask,
wherein the metal mask substrate is formed by use of the method for manufacturing a metal mask substrate according to claim 1.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method for manufacturing a vapor deposition metal mask according to claim 8, wherein
the metal mask substrate includes a laminate of the metal mask sheet and a plastic support layer, and
the method further comprises chemically removing the support layer from the metal mask substrate by exposing, to alkaline solution, the metal mask substrate, on which the resist mask has been formed.