METHOD FOR EDGE SEALING BARRIER FILMS

• US 20090208754A1
• Filed: 12/30/2008
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SNU Precision Co., Ltd, Vitex Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vitex Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Burrows, Paul E., Graff, Gordon L., Chu, Xi, Bennett, Wendy D., Bonham, Charles C., Mast, Eric S., Gross, Mark E., Hall, Michael G., Martin, Peter M., Rosenblum, Martin Philip
• Application Number:
  US12/345,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20090208754A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/411.100
• 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 50/8445 multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/851 Division of substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31504 Composite [nonstructural laminate]

Abstract

A method of making an edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device. The method includes providing an environmentally sensitive device on a substrate; depositing a decoupling layer through one mask, the decoupling layer adjacent to the environmentally sensitive device, the decoupling layer having a discrete area and covering the environmentally sensitive device; increasing the distance between the one mask and the substrate; and depositing a first barrier layer through the one mask, the first barrier layer adjacent to the decoupling layer, the first barrier layer having an area greater than the discrete area of the decoupling layer and covering the decoupling layer, the decoupling layer being sealed between the edges of the first barrier layer and the substrate or an optional second barrier layer.

Claims

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

providing an environmentally sensitive device on a substrate;

depositing a decoupling layer through one mask, the decoupling layer adjacent to the environmentally sensitive device, the decoupling layer having a discrete area and covering the environmentally sensitive device;

increasing the distance between the one mask and the substrate; and

depositing a first barrier layer through the one mask, the first barrier layer adjacent to the decoupling layer, the first barrier layer having an area greater than the discrete area of the decoupling layer and covering the decoupling layer, the decoupling layer being sealed between the edges of the first barrier layer and the substrate or an optional second barrier layer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the distance between the one mask and the substrate is increased by moving the mask, the substrate, or both.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the mask has an undercut portion.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the one mask is in contact with the substrate while the decoupling layer is deposited.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the one mask is not in contact with the substrate while the decoupling layer is deposited.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

depositing a second barrier layer through the one mask before depositing the decoupling layer, the second barrier layer adjacent to the environmentally sensitive device, the second barrier layer having an area greater than the discrete area of the decoupling layer, the decoupling layer being sealed between the edges of the first and second barrier layers; and

decreasing the distance between the one mask and the substrate before depositing the decoupling layer.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the distance between the one mask and the substrate is decreased by moving the mask, the substrate, or both.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

decreasing the distance between the one mask and the substrate after the first barrier layer is deposited;

depositing a second decoupling layer through the one mask, the second decoupling layer adjacent to the first barrier layer, the second decoupling layer having a discrete area and covering the environmentally sensitive device;

increasing the distance between the one mask and the substrate; and

depositing a third barrier layer through the one mask, the third barrier layer adjacent to the second decoupling layer, the third barrier layer having an area greater than the discrete area of the second decoupling layer and covering the second decoupling layer, the second decoupling layer being sealed between the edges of the first barrier layer and the third barrier layer.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the distance between the one mask and the substrate is decreased by moving the mask, the substrate, or both.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the distance between the one mask and the substrate is increased by moving the mask, the substrate, or both.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein there are at least two environmentally sensitive devices on the substrate and further comprising separating the edged sealed environmentally sensitive devices.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the environmentally sensitive device on the substrate comprises:

providing the substrate;

depositing a barrier stack adjacent to the substrate, the barrier stack comprising at least one decoupling layer and at least one barrier layer; and

placing the environmentally sensitive device adjacent to the barrier stack.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein depositing the barrier stack adjacent to the substrate comprises:

depositing the at least one decoupling layer through the one mask, the decoupling layer having a discrete area;

increasing the distance between the one mask and the substrate; and

depositing the at least one barrier layer through the one mask, the at least one barrier layer adjacent to the at least one decoupling layer, the at least one barrier layer having an area greater than the discrete area of the at least one decoupling layer and covering the at least one decoupling layer, the at least one decoupling layer being sealed between the edges of the at least one barrier layer and the substrate or an optional second barrier layer.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

depositing the second barrier layer through the one mask before depositing the at least one decoupling layer, the second barrier layer adjacent to the substrate, the second barrier layer having an area greater than the discrete area of the at least one decoupling layer, the at least one decoupling layer being sealed between the edges of the at least one barrier layer and the second barrier layer; and

decreasing the distance between the one mask and the substrate before depositing the at least one decoupling layer.

15. The product made by the method of claim 1.

16. The product made by the method of claim 6.

17. The product made by the method of claim 8.

18. The product made by the method of claim 12.