METHOD FOR FORMING SEALING FILM, AND SEALING FILM

• US 20170283951A1
• Filed: 10/29/2015
• Published: 10/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toray Engineering Company Limited (Toray Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Toray Engineering Company Limited (Toray Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: YAMASHITA, Masamichi, FUJIMOTO, Takayoshi, MORI, Masaki
• Granted Patent: US 10,793,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/0272 Deposition of sub-layers, e.g. to promote the adhesion of the main coating
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45523 Pulsed gas flow or change of composition over time
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/50 using electric discharges generation and control of plasma in discharge tubes for surface treatment H01J37/32, H01J37/34
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/545 for coating elongated substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03926 comprising a flexible substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/048 Encapsulation of modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A method for forming a sealing film, in which a buffer layer and a barrier layer whose density is higher than that of the buffer layer are alternately formed on a substrate, includes forming a first buffer layer on a surface of the substrate, forming a first barrier layer on a surface of the first buffer layer, and forming a second buffer layer on a surface of the first barrier layer. A ratio of a thickness of a portion of the first buffer layer in a thickness direction of the substrate relative to a thickness of a portion of the first buffer layer in an inclined direction that is inclined with respect to the thickness direction is closer to 1 than a ratio of a thickness of a portion of the second buffer layer in the thickness direction relative to a thickness of a portion of the second buffer layer in the inclined direction.

Claims

1. A method for forming a sealing film, in which a buffer layer and a barrier layer whose density is higher than that of the buffer layer are alternately formed on a substrate, the method comprising:

forming a first buffer layer on a surface of the substrate;

forming a first barrier layer on a surface of the first buffer layer; and

forming a second buffer layer on a surface of the first barrier layer,

a ratio of a thickness of a portion of the first buffer layer in a thickness direction of the substrate relative to a thickness of a portion of the first buffer layer in an inclined direction that is inclined with respect to the thickness direction being closer to 1 than a ratio of a thickness of a portion of the second buffer layer in the thickness direction relative to a thickness of a portion of the second buffer layer in the inclined direction.

2. The method for forming a sealing film according to claim 1, wherein

the buffer layer and the barrier layer are formed by CVD, and

a film formation pressure applied during the forming of the first buffer layer is higher than a film formation pressure applied during the forming of the second buffer layer.

7. The method for forming a sealing film according to claim 1, wherein

the first buffer layer has density that is lower than that of the second buffer layer.

8. The method for forming a sealing film according to claim 1, wherein

the first buffer layer and the second buffer layer are made of the same raw material.

9. The method for forming a sealing film according to claim 1, wherein

the buffer layer and the barrier layer are made of different raw materials.

3. A sealing film formed by alternately forming a buffer layer and a barrier layer whose density is higher than that of the buffer layer on a substrate, the sealing film comprising:

a first buffer layer disposed on a surface of the substrate;

a first barrier layer disposed on a surface of the first buffer layer; and

a second buffer layer made of the same raw material as the first buffer layer and disposed on a surface of the first barrier layer,

a ratio of a thickness of a portion of the first buffer layer in a thickness direction of the substrate relative to a thickness of a portion of the first buffer layer in an inclined direction that is inclined with respect to the thickness direction being closer to 1 than a ratio of a thickness of a portion of the second buffer layer in the thickness direction relative to a thickness of a portion of the second buffer layer in the inclined direction.

4. The sealing film according to claim 3, wherein

the first buffer layer has density that is lower than that of the second buffer layer.

5. The sealing film according to claim 4, wherein

the buffer layer and the barrier layer are formed by CVD, and

a film formation pressure applied during forming of the first buffer layer is higher than a film formation pressure applied during forming of the second buffer layer.

6. The sealing film according to claim 3, wherein

the buffer layer and the barrier layer are made of different raw materials.