HIGHLY MOISTURE-SENSITIVE ELECTRONIC DEVICE ELEMENT AND METHOD FOR FABRICATION UTILIZING VENT HOLES OR GAPS

• US 20030056392A1
• Filed: 05/17/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global OLED Technology LLC (LG Display Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey P. Serbicki, John Schmittendorf, Michael L. Boroson, Peter G. Bessey
• Inventors: Boroson, Michael L., Bessey, Peter G., Serbicki, Jeffrey P., Schmittendorf, John
• Granted Patent: US 6,594,916 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 34/335
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/08 the material being an electrical insulator, e.g. glass
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/10 characterised by the material or arrangement of seals between parts, e.g. between cap and base of the container or between leads and walls of the container
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/26 including materials for absorbing or reacting with moisture or other undesired substances , e.g. getters
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/564 Details not otherwise provided for, e.g. protection against moisture getters H01L23/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14618 Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14806 Structural or functional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/09701 Low temperature co-fired ceramic [LTCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12044 OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15151 the die mounting substrate comprising an aperture, e.g. for underfilling, outgassing, window type wire connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/16152 Cap comprising a cavity for hosting the device, e.g. U-shaped cap
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/16195 Flat cap [not enclosing an internal cavity]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/841 Self-supporting sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/846 comprising getter material or desiccants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/871 Self-supporting sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8722 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/874 including getter material or desiccant
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/851 : Division of substrate

Abstract

A highly moisture-sensitive element and method of making such element includes an encapsulation enclosure encapsulating all of the highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices on a substrate and a sealing material positioned between the substrate and the encapsulation enclosure to form a complete seal between the substrate and the encapsulation enclosure around each highly moisture-sensitive electronic device or around groups of highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices, wherein the substrate or encapsulation enclosure, or both, contain vent holes and vent hole seal material or wherein the seal material contains gaps prior to spacing the substrate and the encapsulation enclosure within a predetermined range and the gaps are filled in by spreading the sealing material.

Claims

1. A highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element having highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices comprising:

a) a substrate containing two or more highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices;

b) an encapsulation enclosure encapsulating all of the highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices on said substrate;

c) sealing material positioned between said substrate and said encapsulation enclosure to form a complete seal between said substrate and said encapsulation enclosure around each highly moisture-sensitive electronic device or around groups of highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices; and

d) wherein the substrate or encapsulation enclosure, or both, contain vent holes and vent hole seal material.

2. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 1 wherein the substrate includes rigid or flexible:

glass, plastic, metal, ceramic, semiconductor, metal oxide, metal nitride, metal sulfide, semiconductor oxide, semiconductor nitride, semiconductor sulfide, carbon, or combinations thereof.

3. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 1 wherein the encapsulation enclosure includes rigid or flexible:

glass, plastic, metal, ceramic, semiconductor, metal oxide, metal nitride, metal sulfide, semiconductor oxide, semiconductor nitride, semiconductor sulfide, carbon, or combinations thereof.

4. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 1 wherein the sealing material is organic material, inorganic material, or combinations thereof that is melted and cooled or reaction cured.

5. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 4 wherein reaction curing includes reactions resulting from heat, radiation, mixing of two or more components, exposure to ambient moisture, removal of ambient oxygen, or combinations thereof.

6. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 4 wherein the organic material is selected from the group consisting of epoxies, polyurethanes, acrylates, silicones, polyamides, polyolefins, and polyesters, or combinations thereof.

7. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 4 wherein the inorganic material is selected from the group consisting of glass, ceramic, metal, semiconductor, metal oxide, semiconductor oxide, and metal solder, or combinations thereof.

8. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 1 wherein the sealing material or other enclosing material is used to seal the vent holes.

9. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 1 wherein the enclosing material is organic, inorganic, or a combination thereof.

10. A highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element having highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices comprising:

a) a substrate containing two or more moisture-sensitive electronic devices;

b) an encapsulation enclosure encapsulating all of the highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices on said substrate;

c) sealing material positioned between said substrate and said encapsulation enclosure to form a complete seal between said substrate and said encapsulation enclosure and a space around each moisture-sensitive electronic device or around groups of moisture-sensitive electronic devices;

d) water absorbing material positioned between said substrate and said encapsulation enclosure and within the space defined by said sealing material; and

e) wherein the substrate or encapsulation enclosure, or both, contain vent holes and vent hole seal material.

11. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 10 wherein the substrate includes rigid or flexible:

glass, plastic, metal, ceramic, semiconductor, metal oxide, metal nitride, metal sulfide, semiconductor oxide, semiconductor nitride, semiconductor sulfide, carbon, or combinations thereof.

12. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 10 wherein the encapsulation enclosure includes rigid or flexible:

glass, plastic, metal, ceramic, semiconductor, metal oxide, metal nitride, metal sulfide, semiconductor oxide, semiconductor nitride, semiconductor sulfide, carbon, or combinations thereof.

13. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 10 wherein the sealing material is organic material, inorganic material, or combinations thereof that is melted and cooled or reaction cured.

14. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 13 wherein reaction curing includes reactions resulting from heat, radiation, mixing of two or more components, exposure to ambient moisture, removal of ambient oxygen, or combinations thereof.

15. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 13 wherein the organic material is selected from the group consisting of epoxies, polyurethanes, acrylates, silicones, polyamides, polyolefins, and polyesters, or combinations thereof.

16. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 13 wherein the inorganic material is selected from the group consisting of glass, ceramic, metal, semiconductor, metal oxide, semiconductor oxide, and metal solder, or combinations thereof.

17. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 10 wherein the water absorbing material is selected from the group consisting of alkaline metal oxides, alkaline earth metal oxides, sulfates, metal halides, perchlorates, molecular sieves, and metals with work functions less than 4.5 eV and capable of being oxidized in the presence of moisture, or combinations thereof.

18. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 10 wherein the sealing material or other enclosing material is used to seal the vent holes.

19. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 10 wherein the enclosing material is organic, inorganic, or a combination thereof.

20. A highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element having highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices comprising:

a) a substrate containing two or more moisture-sensitive electronic devices that have been coated with a temporary moisture protection layer;

b) an encapsulation enclosure encapsulating all of the highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices on said substrate;

c) sealing material positioned between said substrate and said encapsulation enclosure to form a complete seal between said substrate and said encapsulation enclosure around each moisture-sensitive electronic device or around groups of moisture-sensitive electronic devices; and

d) wherein the substrate or encapsulation enclosure, or both, contain vent holes and vent hole seal material.

21. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 20 wherein the substrate includes rigid or flexible:

glass, plastic, metal, ceramic, semiconductor, metal oxide, metal nitride, metal sulfide, semiconductor oxide, semiconductor nitride, semiconductor sulfide, carbon, or combinations thereof.

22. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 20 wherein the encapsulation enclosure includes rigid or flexible:

glass, plastic, metal, ceramic, semiconductor, metal oxide, metal nitride, metal sulfide, semiconductor oxide, semiconductor nitride, semiconductor sulfide, carbon, or combinations thereof.

23. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 20 wherein the sealing material is organic material, inorganic material, or combinations thereof that is melted and cooled or reaction cured.

24. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 23 wherein reaction curing includes reactions resulting from heat, radiation, mixing of two or more components, exposure to ambient moisture, removal of ambient oxygen, or combinations thereof.

25. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 23 wherein the organic material is selected from the group consisting of epoxies, polyurethanes, acrylates, silicones, polyamides, polyolefins, and polyesters, or combinations thereof.

27. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 23 wherein the inorganic material is selected from the group consisting of glass, ceramic, metal, semiconductor, metal oxide, semiconductor oxide, and metal solder, or combinations thereof.

28. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 20 wherein the temporary moisture protection layer is organic material, inorganic material, or a combination thereof.

29. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 28 wherein the organic material is selected from the group consisting of epoxies, polyurethanes, polyureas, acrylates, silicones, polyamides, polyimides, phenolics, polyvinyls, phenoxies, polysulfones, polyolefins, and polyesters, or combinations thereof.

30. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 28 wherein the inorganic material is selected from the group consisting of glass, ceramic, metal, semiconductor, metal oxide, metal nitride, metal sulfide, semiconductor oxide, semiconductor nitride, semiconductor sulfide, and carbon, or combinations thereof.

31. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 20 wherein the sealing material or other enclosing material is used to seal the vent holes.

32. The highly moisture-sensitive electronic device element of claim 31 wherein the enclosing material is organic, inorganic, or a combination thereof.

33. A method of making highly moisture-sensitive electronic device elements having a plurality of highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices such as OLED devices on a single substrate wherein the devices are protected from moisture prior to separating the individual devices from the substrate, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a vent hole through either the substrate or the encapsulation enclosure, or both, for each highly moisture-sensitive electronic device or for each group of highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices on the substrate around which the sealing material will be placed;

b) placing the sealing material completely around each highly moisture-sensitive electronic device or around groups of highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices on the substrate or in positions on the encapsulation enclosure such that after sealing the sealing material will be positioned completely around each highly moisture-sensitive electronic device or around groups of highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices;

c) disposing the substrate and the encapsulation enclosure, one of which contains the sealing material, in close aligned proximity to each other, but spaced apart, in such aligned proximate position providing an initial ambient pressure;

d) providing relative motion between the substrate and the encapsulation enclosure until the sealing material contacts both the substrate and the encapsulation enclosure, the substrate and the encapsulation enclosure are spaced apart within a predetermined range, and excess ambient gas exits through the vent holes;

e) bonding the sealing material to both the substrate and the encapsulation enclosure; and

f) sealing the vent holes.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein step f) is provided before, during, or after step e).

35. The method of claim 33 wherein the sealing material or other enclosing material is used to seal the vent holes.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the enclosing material is organic, inorganic, or a combination thereof.

37. The method of claim 33 wherein the bonding step is accomplished by melting and cooling, reaction curing, or a combination thereof.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the reaction includes reactions resulting from heat, radiation, mixing of two or more components, exposure to ambient moisture, removal of ambient oxygen, or combinations thereof.

39. The method of claim 33 wherein the substrate includes rigid or flexible:

glass, plastic, metal, ceramic, semiconductor, metal oxide, metal nitride, metal sulfide, semiconductor oxide, semiconductor nitride, semiconductor sulfide, carbon, or combinations thereof.

40. The method of claim 33 wherein the encapsulation enclosure includes rigid or flexible:

glass, plastic, metal, ceramic, semiconductor, metal oxide, metal nitride, metal sulfide, semiconductor oxide, semiconductor nitride, semiconductor sulfide, carbon, or combinations thereof.

41. The method of claim 33 wherein the sealing material is organic material, inorganic material, or combinations thereof.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the organic material is selected from the group consisting of epoxies, polyurethanes, acrylates, silicones, polyamides, polyolefins, and polyesters, or combinations thereof.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein the inorganic material is selected from the group consisting of glass, ceramic, metal, semiconductor, metal oxide, semiconductor oxide, and metal solder, or combinations thereof.

44. The method of claim 33 further including the step of separating the highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices into individual devices or groups of devices having a portion of the initial substrate.

45. The method of claim 33 further including the step of coating a substrate containing two or more highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices with a temporary moisture protection layer;

or coating a water absorbing material onto either the substrate or an encapsulation enclosure in positions on the substrate or on the encapsulation enclosure such that after bonding, the water absorbing material will be positioned within each highly moisture-sensitive electronic device or within each group of highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices;

or coating both said temporary moisture protection layer and said water absorbing material.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the water absorbing material is selected from the group consisting of alkaline metal oxides, alkaline earth metal oxides, sulfates, metal halides, perchlorates, molecular sieves, and metals with work functions less than 4.5 eV and capable of being oxidized in the presence of moisture, or combinations thereof.

47. The method of claim 45 wherein the temporary moisture protection layer is organic material, inorganic material, or a combination thereof.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein the organic material is selected from the group consisting of epoxies, polyurethanes, polyureas, acrylates, silicones, polyamides, polyimides, phenolics, polyvinyls, phenoxies, polysulfones, polyolefins, and polyesters, or combinations thereof.

49. The method of claim 47 wherein the inorganic material is selected from the group consisting of glass, ceramic, metal, semiconductor, metal oxide, metal nitride, metal sulfide, semiconductor oxide, semiconductor nitride, semiconductor sulfide, and carbon, or combinations thereof.

50. A method of making highly moisture-sensitive electronic device elements having a plurality of highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices such as OLED devices on a single substrate wherein the devices are protected from moisture prior to separating the individual devices from the substrate, comprising the steps of:

a) placing the sealing material around each highly moisture-sensitive electronic device or around groups of highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices on the substrate or in positions on the encapsulation enclosure leaving one or more positions wherein there is a gap not covered by sealing material;

b) disposing the substrate and the encapsulation enclosure, one of which contains the sealing material, in close aligned proximity to each other, but spaced apart, in such aligned proximate position providing an initial ambient pressure;

c) providing relative motion between the substrate and the encapsulation enclosure until the sealing material contacts both the substrate and the encapsulation enclosure, the substrate and the encapsulation enclosure are spaced apart within a predetermined range, and excess ambient gas exits through the gaps until the gaps are filled in by spreading the sealing material; and

d) bonding the sealing material to both the substrate and the encapsulation enclosure.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein the bonding step is accomplished by melting and cooling, reaction curing, or a combination thereof.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein the reaction includes reactions resulting from heat, radiation, mixing of two or more components, exposure to ambient moisture, removal of ambient oxygen, or combinations thereof.

53. The method of claim 50 wherein the substrate includes rigid or flexible:

glass, plastic, metal, ceramic, semiconductor, metal oxide, metal nitride, metal sulfide, semiconductor oxide, semiconductor nitride, semiconductor sulfide, carbon, or combinations thereof.

54. The method of claim 50 wherein the encapsulation enclosure includes rigid or flexible:

glass, plastic, metal, ceramic, semiconductor, metal oxide, metal nitride, metal sulfide, semiconductor oxide, semiconductor nitride, semiconductor sulfide, carbon, or combinations thereof.

55. The method of claim 50 wherein the sealing material is organic material, inorganic material, or combinations thereof.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein the organic material is selected from the group consisting of epoxies, polyurethanes, acrylates, silicones, polyamides, polyolefins, and polyesters, or combinations thereof.

57. The method of claim 55 wherein the inorganic material is selected from the group consisting of glass, ceramic, metal, semiconductor, metal oxide, semiconductor oxide, and metal solder, or combinations thereof.

58. The method of claim 50 further including the step of separating the highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices into individual devices or groups of devices having a portion of the initial substrate.

59. The method of claim 50 further including the step of coating a substrate containing two or more highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices with a temporary moisture protection layer;

or coating a water absorbing material onto either the substrate or an encapsulation enclosure in positions on the substrate or on the encapsulation enclosure such that after bonding, the water absorbing material will be positioned within each highly moisture-sensitive electronic device or within each group of highly moisture-sensitive electronic devices;

or coating both said temporary moisture protection layer and said water absorbing material.

60. The method of claim 59 wherein the water absorbing material is selected from the group consisting of alkaline metal oxides, alkaline earth metal oxides, sulfates, metal halides, perchlorates, molecular sieves, and metals with work functions less than 4.5 eV and capable of being oxidized in the presence of moisture, or combinations thereof.

61. The method of claim 59 wherein the temporary moisture protection layer is organic material, inorganic material, or a combination thereof.

62. The method of claim 61 wherein the organic material is selected from the group consisting of epoxies, polyurethanes, polyureas, acrylates, silicones, polyamides, polyimides, phenolics, polyvinyls, phenoxies, polysulfones, polyolefins, and polyesters, or combinations thereof.

63. The method of claim 61 wherein the inorganic material is selected from the group consisting of glass, ceramic, metal, semiconductor, metal oxide, metal nitride, metal sulfide, semiconductor oxide, semiconductor nitride, semiconductor sulfide, and carbon, or combinations thereof.