ENCAPSULATION STRUCTURE FOR AN OLED DISPLAY INCORPORATING ANTIREFLECTION PROPERTIES

• US 20170187004A1
• Filed: 07/29/2015
• Published: 06/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BASF Coatings GmbH (BASF SE)
• Original Assignee: Rolic AG (BASF SE)
• Inventors: GIRALDO, Andrea, TANG, Qian, FRANTZ, Richard, MARTIN, Emmanuel
• Granted Patent: US 10,615,376 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3016 involving passive liquid crystal elements optical properties of liquid crystals G02F1/0063; polarising elements associated with active liquid crystal devices G02F1/133528
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3033 in the form of a thin sheet or foil, e.g. Polaroid
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/351 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/846 comprising getter material or desiccants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/86 Arrangements for improving contrast, e.g. preventing reflection of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/873 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/874 including getter material or desiccant
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8791 Arrangements for improving contrast, e.g. preventing reflection of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/80 using temporary substrates

Abstract

The invention relates to encapsulation structures for OLED displays, wherein the structure provides sufficient barrier properties against oxygen and moisture as well as anti-reflection properties. The structure includes a layer comprising a photo-aligned substance which in a synergistic manner controls both barrier and anti-reflection properties.

Claims

1. An encapsulation structure with antireflection properties for an OLED display, comprising a linearly polarizing layer (6), an inorganic layer (3), a layer comprising a photo-aligned substance (4) and a liquid crystal polymer layer (5), wherein the liquid crystal orientation in the liquid crystal polymer layer has been created due to contact with the photo-aligned substance.

2. The encapsulation structure according to claim 1, wherein the layer (4) comprising the photo-aligned substance comprises one or more substances, which are polymerizable but not photo-alignable.

3. The encapsulation structure according to claim 2, wherein the photo-aligned substance and at least one substance, which is not photo-alignable, are phase separated in the layer (4) comprising a photo-aligned substance.

4. The encapsulation structure according to claim 2, wherein the concentration of the photo-aligned substance in the layer (4) comprising a photo-aligned substance is higher at the side, which is in contact with the liquid crystal polymer layer (5), than in the bulk of the layer.

5. The encapsulation structure according to claim 1, wherein the linearly polarizing layer (6) comprises a polymerized liquid crystal material and dichroic dyes.

6. The encapsulation structure according to claim 1, wherein the total thickness of the structure is less than 50 μ

m.

7. The encapsulation structure according to claim 1, wherein the layer (4) comprising a photo-aligned substance further comprises a getter material.

8. The encapsulation structure according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal polymer layer (5) has an orientation pattern.

9. An OLED display encapsulated by an encapsulation structure of claim 1.

10. A material composition for use in the production of an encapsulation structure according to claim 1, which comprises a photo-alignable substance and one or more substances, which are not photo-alignable, but which are not a solvent.

11. The material composition according to claim 10, which further comprises a getter material.

12. The material composition according to claim 10, characterized that it includes no solvents and can be deposited on a substrate in the form of a layer by known coating or printing methods.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the encapsulation structure is manufactured on a separate substrate and subsequently applied to the OLED device.

13. A method for manufacturing an encapsulated OLED display incorporating anti-reflection properties, comprising the steps of

generating an OLED display device on a substrate

encapsulating the OLED device with an encapsulation structure, which provides antireflective properties, the structure including an inorganic layer (3), a layer comprising a photo-aligned substance (4), a liquid crystal polymer layer (5) in contact with the layer comprising a photo-aligned substance and a linear polarizing layer (6), such that the liquid crystal polymer layer (5) is between the OLED device and the polarizing layer (6).

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the separate substrate is a polarizing foil.