TFT Substrate Including Barrier Layer, Organic Light-Emitting Display Device Including the TFT Substrate, and Method of Manufacturinq the TFT Substrate

• US 20140209877A1
• Filed: 01/22/2014
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: JIN, DONG-UN, LEE, JAE-SEOB
• Granted Patent: US 9,306,071 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/40
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1218 with a particular composition or structure of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78603 characterised by the insulating substrate or support H01L29/78657 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 77/111 Flexible substrates

Abstract

A thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate includes a flexible substrate. A first barrier layer is formed on the flexible substrate. The first barrier layer includes a first silicon oxide layer and a first silicon nitride layer. A second barrier layer is formed on the first barrier layer. The second barrier layer includes a second silicon oxide layer and a second silicon nitride layer. A TFT layer is formed on the second barrier layer. The second silicon oxide layer is disposed adjacent to the TFT layer.

Claims

1. A thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate, comprising:

a flexible substrate;

a first barrier layer formed on the flexible substrate, the first barrier layer comprising a first silicon oxide layer and a first silicon nitride layer;

a second barrier layer formed on the first barrier layer, the second barrier layer comprising a second silicon oxide layer and a second silicon nitride layer; and

a TFT layer formed on the second barrier layer,

wherein the second silicon oxide layer is disposed adjacent to the TFT layer.

2. The TFT substrate of claim 1, wherein the first silicon nitride layer and the second silicon nitride layer are disposed adjacent to each other.

3. The TFT substrate of claim 2, further comprising a silicon oxynitride layer between the first silicon nitride layer and the second silicon nitride layer.

4. The TFT substrate of claim 1, wherein the first silicon oxide layer is stacked on the flexible substrate, and the first silicon nitride layer of the first barrier layer is stacked on the first silicon oxide layer.

5. The TFT substrate of claim 4, further comprising a silicon oxide layer between the first silicon nitride layer and the second silicon nitride layer.

6. The TFT substrate of claim 4, further comprising a silicon nitride layer between the flexible substrate and the first silicon oxide layer.

7. The TFT substrate of claim 6, further comprising a silicon oxynitride layer between the first silicon nitride layer and the second silicon nitride layer.

8. The TFT substrate of claim 4, further comprising:

a silicon oxide layer disposed between the first silicon nitride layer and the second silicon nitride layer; and

a silicon nitride layer disposed between the flexible substrate and the first silicon oxide layer.

9. The TFT substrate of claim 4, further comprising a silicon oxide layer and a silicon nitride layer between the flexible substrate and the first silicon oxide layer.

10. The TFT substrate of claim 9, wherein the silicon oxide layer is stacked on the flexible substrate, and the silicon nitride layer is stacked on the silicon oxide layer.

11. The TFT substrate of claim 10, further comprising a silicon oxynitride layer between the first silicon nitride layer and the second silicon nitride layer.

12. The TFT substrate of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second barrier layers further includes one or more silicon oxide layers and one or more silicon nitride layers.

13. The TFT substrate of claim 1, wherein a total thickness of the first and second silicon nitride layers included in the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer is less than a total thickness of the first and second silicon oxide layers included in the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer.

14. An organic light-emitting display device, comprising:

a flexible substrate;

a first barrier layer formed on the flexible substrate, the first barrier layer comprising a first silicon oxide layer and a first silicon nitride layer;

a second barrier layer formed on the first barrier layer, the second barrier layer comprising a second silicon oxide layer and a second silicon nitride layer;

a thin-film transistor (TFT) formed on the second barrier layer; and

an organic light-emitting layer formed on the second barrier layer, the organic light-emitting layer connected to the TFT,

wherein the first silicon oxide layer of the first barrier layer is disposed on the flexible substrate, and the first silicon nitride layer of the first barrier layer is disposed on the first silicon oxide layer of the first barrier layer, and wherein the second silicon nitride layer of the second barrier layer is disposed on the first barrier layer, and the second silicon oxide layer of the second barrier layer is disposed on the second silicon nitride layer of the second barrier layer.

15. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 14, further comprising a silicon oxynitride layer between the first silicon nitride layer and the second silicon nitride layer.

16. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 14, further comprising a silicon nitride layer disposed between the flexible substrate and the first silicon oxide layer.

17. A method of manufacturing a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate, the method comprising:

forming a first barrier layer on a plastic film, the first barrier layer comprising a first silicon oxide layer and a first silicon nitride layer; and

forming a TFT and a second barrier layer on the first barrier layer, the second barrier layer comprising a second silicon oxide layer and a second silicon nitride layer,

wherein the second silicon oxide layer is positioned adjacent to the TFT, and wherein the first barrier layer is formed in a first process chamber, and the TFT and the second barrier layer are formed in a second process chamber different from the first process chamber.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first process chamber and the second process chamber have different degrees of vacuum from each other.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising preheating the plastic film before the first process.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein a preheating time of the plastic film is longer when the first silicon nitride layer is directly formed on the plastic film than when the first silicon oxide layer is directly formed on the plastic film.