METHOD FOR EDGE SEALING BARRIER FILMS

• US 20070164376A1
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Martin, Peter, Burrows, Paul, Mast, Eric, Hall, Michael, Gross, Mark, Bonham, Charles, Graff, Gordon, Bennett, Wendy
• Granted Patent: US 7,727,601 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/412
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/05 Bonding or intermediate layer characterised by chemical composition, e.g. sealant or spacer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133337 Layers preventing ion diffusion, e.g. by ion absorption
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/562 Protection against mechanical damage H01L23/02, H01L23/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/564 Details not otherwise provided for, e.g. protection against moisture getters H01L23/26
• 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 2924/12044 OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8445 multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8731 multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/80 using temporary substrates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

An edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device. The device includes an environmentally sensitive device, and at least one edge-sealed barrier stack. The edge-sealed barrier stack includes a decoupling layer and at least two barrier layers. The environmentally sensitive device is sealed between an edge-sealed barrier stack and either a substrate or another edge-sealed barrier stack. A method of making the edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device comprising:

a substrate;

an environmentally sensitive device adjacent to the substrate; and

an edge-sealed barrier stack adjacent to the environmentally sensitive device, the edge-sealed barrier stack comprising a decoupling layer and at least two barrier layers, wherein the decoupling layer has an area, wherein the first barrier layer has an area, and wherein the second barrier layer has an area, the area of the first and second barrier layers being greater than the area of the decoupling layer, and wherein the decoupling layer is sealed between the first and second barrier layers; and

wherein at least one barrier layer of the edge-sealed barrier stack is in contact with the substrate, sealing the environmentally sensitive device between the substrate and the edge-sealed barrier stack forming an environmentally sensitive device seal, wherein an oxygen transmission rate through the environmentally sensitive device seal is less than 0.005 cc/m²/day at 23°

C. and 0% relative humidity.

2. The edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the decoupling layers is selected from organic polymers, inorganic polymers, organometallic polymers, hybrid organic/inorganic polymer systems, silicates, or combinations thereof.

3. The edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the barrier layers comprises a barrier material selected from metals, metal oxides, metal nitrides, metal carbides, metal oxynitrides, metal oxyborides, or combinations thereof.

4. The edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the barrier layers comprises a barrier material selected from aluminum, titanium, indium, tin, tantalum, zirconium, niobium, hafnium, yttrium, nickel, tungsten, chromium, zinc, alloys thereof, silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, indium oxide, tin oxide, indium tin oxide, tantalum oxide, zirconium oxide, niobium oxide, hafnium oxide, yttrium oxide, nickel oxide, tungsten oxide, chromium oxide, zinc oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, boron nitride, germanium nitride, chromium nitride, nickel nitride, boron carbide, tungsten carbide, silicon carbide, aluminum oxynitride, silicon oxynitride, boron oxynitride, zirconium oxyboride, titanium oxyboride, and combinations thereof.

5. The edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device of claim 1 wherein the environmentally sensitive device is selected from organic light emitting devices, liquid crystal displays, displays using electrophoretic inks, light emitting diodes, displays using light emitting polymers, electroluminescent devices, phosphorescent devices, organic solar cells, inorganic solar cells, thin film batteries, or thin film devices with vias, or combinations thereof.

6. The edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device of claim 1 wherein the substrate is flexible.

7. The edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device of claim 1 further comprising a barrier stack positioned between the substrate and the environmentally sensitive device, the barrier stack comprising at least one decoupling layer and at least one barrier layer, and wherein at least one barrier layer of the edge-sealed barrier stack is in contact with at least one barrier layer of the barrier stack, sealing the environmentally sensitive device between the at least one barrier layer of the barrier stack and the edge-sealed barrier stack forming the environmentally sensitive device seal.

8. The edge-sealed environmentally sensitive device of claim 7 wherein the substrate is flexible.

9. An edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device comprising:

a substrate;

an environmentally sensitive device adjacent to the substrate; and

an edge-sealed barrier stack adjacent to the environmentally sensitive device, the edge-sealed barrier stack comprising a decoupling layer and a barrier layer, wherein the decoupling layer has an area, wherein the first barrier layer has an area, the area of the first barrier layer being greater than the area of the decoupling layer; and

wherein the barrier layer of the edge-sealed barrier stack is in contact with the substrate, sealing the environmentally sensitive device and the decoupling layer between the substrate and the barrier layer of the edge sealed barrier stack forming an environmentally sensitive device seal, wherein an oxygen transmission rate through the environmentally sensitive device seal is less than 0.005 cc/m²/day at 23°

C. and 0% relative humidity.

10. The edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device of claim 9 wherein at least one of the decoupling layers is selected from organic polymers, inorganic polymers, organometallic polymers, hybrid organic/inorganic polymer systems, silicates, or combinations thereof.

11. The edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device of claim 9 wherein at least one of the barrier layers comprises a barrier material selected from metals, metal oxides, metal nitrides, metal carbides, metal oxynitrides, metal oxyborides, or combinations thereof.

12. The edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device of claim 9 wherein the environmentally sensitive device is selected from organic light emitting devices, liquid crystal displays, displays using electrophoretic inks, light emitting diodes, displays using light emitting polymers, electroluminescent devices, phosphorescent devices, organic solar cells, inorganic solar cells, thin film batteries, or thin film devices with vias, or combinations thereof.

13. The edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device of claim 9 wherein the substrate is flexible.

14. The edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device of claim 9 further comprising a barrier stack positioned between the substrate and the environmentally sensitive device, the barrier stack comprising at least one decoupling layer and at least one barrier layer, and wherein the barrier layer of the edge-sealed barrier stack is in contact with at least one barrier layer of the barrier stack, sealing the environmentally sensitive device and the decoupling layer between the at least one barrier layer of the barrier stack and the barrier layer of the edge-sealed barrier stack forming the environmentally sensitive device seal.

15. The edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device of claim 14 wherein the substrate is flexible.

16. A method of making an edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device comprising:

providing an environmentally sensitive device on a substrate;

placing an edge-sealed barrier stack adjacent to the environmentally sensitive device, the edge-sealed barrier stack comprising a decoupling layer and at least two barrier layers, wherein the decoupling layer has an area, wherein the first barrier layer has an area, and wherein the second barrier layer has an area, the area of the first and second barrier layers being greater than the area of the decoupling layer, and wherein the decoupling layer is sealed between the first and second barrier layers;

wherein at least one barrier layer of the edge-sealed barrier stack is in contact with the substrate, sealing the environmentally sensitive device between the substrate and the edge-sealed barrier stack forming an environmentally sensitive device seal, wherein an oxygen transmission rate through the environmentally sensitive device seal is less than 0.005 cc/m²/day at 23°

C. and 0% relative humidity.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the edge-sealed barrier stack is formed by:

depositing a first barrier layer having an area;

depositing a decoupling layer having an area;

depositing a second barrier layer having an area;

the area of the first and second barrier layers being greater than the area of the decoupling layer wherein the first decoupling layer is sealed between the first and second barrier layers.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein depositing the decoupling layer comprises:

providing a mask with an opening; and

depositing the decoupling layer through the opening in the mask so that the area of the decoupling layer is less than the area of the first and second barrier layers.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the mask has an undercut.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein depositing the first or second barrier layer comprises:

providing a mask with an opening; and

depositing the first or second barrier layer through the opening in the mask so that the area of the first or second barrier layer is greater than the area of the decoupling layer.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the mask has an undercut.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein depositing the decoupling layer comprises:

depositing the decoupling layer having an initial area of decoupling material which is greater than the area of the decoupling layer; and

etching the decoupling layer having the initial area to remove a portion of the decoupling material so that the decoupling layer has the area of the decoupling layer.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein etching the decoupling layer comprises:

providing a solid mask over the decoupling layer having the initial area of decoupling material; and

etching the decoupling layer having the initial area of decoupling material to remove the portion of the decoupling material outside the solid mask so that the decoupling layer has the area of the decoupling layer.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the decoupling layer is etched so that at least one edge of the decoupling layer has a gradual slope.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the decoupling layer is etched using a reactive plasma.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the reactive plasma is selected from O₂, CF₄, H₂, or combinations thereof.

27. The method of claim 16 wherein placing the edge-sealed barrier stack adjacent to the environmentally sensitive device comprises laminating the edge-sealed barrier stack adjacent to the environmentally sensitive device.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the edge-sealed barrier stack is laminated adjacent to the environmentally sensitive device using a process selected from heating, soldering, using an adhesive, ultrasonic welding, and applying pressure.

29. The method of claim 17 wherein the first and second barrier layers are depositing using a vacuum process.

30. The method of claim 17 wherein the decoupling layer is deposited using a process selected from vacuum processes or atmospheric processes.

31. The method of claim 17 wherein the decoupling layer is deposited using an atmospheric process selected from spin coating, printing, ink jet printing, spraying, or combinations thereof.