BARRIER FILM FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND SUBSTRATES

• US 20140087497A1
• Filed: 09/05/2013
• Published: 03/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University (Princeton University), Universal Display Corporation
• Original Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University (Princeton University), Universal Display Corporation
• Inventors: Mandlik, Prashant, Ma, Ruiqing, Wagner, Sigurd, Lalgudi Visweswaran, Bhadrinarayana
• Granted Patent: US 10,862,073 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/26
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/873 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 77/111 Flexible substrates

Abstract

Methods for forming a coating over a surface are disclosed. A method includes directing a first source of barrier film material toward a substrate in a first direction at an angle θ relative to the substrate, wherein θ is greater than about 0° and less than about 85°. Additionally, a method of depositing a barrier film over a substrate includes directing a plurality of N sources of barrier film material toward a substrate, each source being directed at an angle θ_N relative to the substrate, wherein for each θ_N, θ is greater than about 0° and less than about 180°. For at least a first of the θ_N, θ_N is greater than about 0° and less than about 85°, and for at least a second of the θ_N, θ_N is greater than about 95° and less than about 180°.

Claims

1. A method of depositing a barrier film over a substrate, the method comprising:

directing a first source of barrier film material toward a substrate in a first direction at an angle θ

relative to the substrate,

wherein 0°

<

θ

<

85°

.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein directing the first source is performed using a plasma deposition process.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein directing the first source is performed using an atomic layer deposition process.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the barrier film material comprises a material type selected from the group consisting of:

an oxide, a nitride, a ceramic, and an organic-inorganic hybrid.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the barrier film material has a water vapor transmission rate of not more than 10⁻

2 g/day/m².

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first source is a linear source.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein 30°

<

θ

<

60°

.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

directing a second source of barrier film material toward a substrate in a second direction at an angle φ

relative to the substrate,

wherein 95°

<

φ

<

180°

.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein 120°

<

φ

<

150°

.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the second source of barrier film material is the same as the first source of barrier film material.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

directing a second source of barrier film material toward a substrate in a second direction at an angle φ

relative to the substrate,

wherein 85°

<

φ

<

95°

.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

subsequent to directing the first source of barrier film material toward the substrate, rotating the substrate through an angle equal to φ

−

θ

.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

subsequent to directing the first source of barrier film material toward the substrate, rotating the first source of barrier film material through an angle equal to φ

−

θ

.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

subsequent to directing the first source of barrier film material toward the substrate, rotating the substrate in the plane of the substrate.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an electric field having a field direction; and

providing the substrate at the angle 0 relative to the field direction.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a substantially planar first portion and a substantially non-planar second portion.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the substantially non-planar second portion comprises a particle disposed over the first portion.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises an OLED.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the OLED is flexible.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is flexible.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of depositing an OLED over the substrate.

22. A method of depositing a barrier film over a substrate, the method comprising:

directing a plurality of N sources of barrier film material toward a substrate, each source being directed at an angle θ

_n specific to the source, relative to the substrate,

wherein for each angles, 0°

<

θ

_n<

180°

, and for at least a first of the angles θ

₁, 0°

<

θ

₁<

85°

.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein, for at least a second of the angles θ

₂, 95°

<

θ

₂<

180°

.

24. A deposition system comprising:

a first source of barrier film material configured to direct a barrier film material in a first direction; and

a substrate support;

wherein the first source of barrier film material and the substrate support are positionable to form a relative angle θ

between the first direction and a substrate supported by the substrate support, and

wherein 0°

<

θ

<

85°

.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the first source comprises an electric field generator configured to generate an electric field having a field direction in the first direction.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the first source is fixed, and the substrate support is positionable relative to the first source.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the first source of barrier film material is configured to direct a barrier film material in the first direction using a plasma deposition process.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the first source of barrier film material is configured to direct a barrier film material in the first direction using an atomic layer deposition process.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the barrier film material comprises a material type selected from the group consisting of:

an oxide, a nitride, a ceramic, and an organic-inorganic hybrid.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the barrier film material has a water vapor transmission rate of not more than 10⁻

2 g/day/m².

31. The system of claim 24, wherein the first source is a linear source.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein 30°

<

θ

<

60°

.

33. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

a second source of barrier film material configured to direct a barrier film material in a second direction,

wherein the second source of barrier film material and the substrate support are positionable to form a relative angle φ

between the second direction and the substrate supported by the substrate support, and

wherein 95°

<

φ

<

180°

.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein 120°

<

φ

<

150°

.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the second source of barrier film material is the same as the first source of barrier film material.

36. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

a second source of barrier film material configured to direct a barrier film material in a second direction,

wherein the second source of barrier film material and the substrate support are positionable to form a relative angle φ

between the second direction and the substrate supported by the substrate support, and,

wherein 85°

<

φ

<

95°

.

37. The system of claim 35, further comprising:

subsequent to directing the first source of barrier film material toward the substrate, rotating the substrate through an angle equal to φ

−

θ

.

38. The system of claim 35, further comprising:

subsequent to directing the first source of barrier film material toward the substrate, rotating the first source of barrier film material through an angle equal to φ

−

θ

.

39. The system of claim 35, further comprising:

subsequent to directing the first source of barrier film material toward the substrate, rotating the substrate in the plane of the substrate.

40. The system of claim 24, wherein the substrate comprises a substantially planar first portion and a substantially non-planar second portion.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the substantially non-planar second portion comprises a particle disposed over the first portion.

42. The system of claim 24, wherein the substrate comprises an OLED.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the OLED is flexible.

44. The system of claim 24, wherein the substrate is flexible.

45. The system of claim 24, further comprising a step of depositing an OLED over the substrate.

46. A system for depositing a barrier film over a substrate, the system comprising:

a plurality of N sources of barrier film material, each source configured to direct a barrier film material in a direction; and

a substrate support;

wherein each source of barrier film material is positionable to form a relative angle θ

_n, specific to the source, between the direction and a substrate supported by the substrate support, and

wherein for each of the angles, 0°

<

θ

_n<

180°

, and for at least a first of the angles θ

₁, 0°

<

θ

₁<

85°

.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein, for at least a second of the angles θ

₂, 95°

<

θ

₂<

180°

.

48. The system of claim 46, wherein at least one of the N sources is a linear source.