Environmental barrier material for organic light emitting device and method of making

• US 6,268,695 B1
• Filed: 12/16/1998
• Issued: 07/31/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Inventors: Affinito, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Nimeshkumar D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, JOSEPH L
• Application Number:
  US09/212,779
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 313/504, 313/503, 313/506, 313/509, 313/512, 428/690
• US Class Current: 313/504
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/311 Flexible OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8445 multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

The present invention is an environmental barrier for an OLED. The environmental barrier has a foundation and a cover. Both the foundation and the cover have a top of three layers of (a) a first polymer layer, (b) a ceramic layer, and (c) a second polymer layer. The foundation and/or the cover may have a at least one set of intermediate barrier each having (a) an intermediate polymer layer with (b) an intermediate ceramic layer thereon. In a preferred embodiment, the foundation has a substrate upon which at least a top is deposited. An OLED is constructed upon the top, opposite the substrate. The cover of at least a top then placed over the OLED. The placement may be by gluing or preferably by vacuum deposition. For use as a display, it is preferred that either the ceramic layer(s) in the foundation, cover or both is substantially transparent to the light emitted by the OLED. Each layer of the foundation and the cover is preferably vacuum deposited. Vacuum deposition includes monolayer spreading under vacuum, plasma deposition, flash evaporation and combinations thereof. It is further preferred that all layers are deposited and cured between rolls or rollers to avoid the defects that may be caused by abrasion over a roll or roller.

Claims

1. A flexible environmental barrier for an organic light emitting device, comprising:

(a) a foundation having;

(i) a top of a first polymer layer, a first ceramic layer on the first polymer layer, and a second polymer layer on the first ceramic layer;

(b) an organic light emitting device constructed on the second polymer layer of the top; and

(c) a cover of a third polymer layer with a second ceramic layer thereon and a fourth polymer layer on said second ceramic layer, said cover deposited on said organic light emitting device, the foundation and cover encapsulating the organic light emitting device as said flexible environmental barrier.

2. The flexible environmental barrier as recited in claim 1, wherein said foundation further comprises:

at least one intermediate barrier between said substrate and said top, each intermediate barrier having (a) a polymer layer with (b) a ceramic layer thereon.

3. The flexible environmental barrier as recited in claim 1, wherein said cover further comprises:

at least one intermediate barrier between said light emitting organic device and said top, each intermediate barrier having (a) a polymer layer with (b) a ceramic layer thereon.

4. The flexible environmental barrier as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one ceramic layer is substantially transparent.

5. The flexible environmental barrier as recited in claim 4, wherein said first ceramic layer is selected from the group consisting of metal oxide, metal nitride, metal carbide, metal oxynitride and combinations thereof.

6. The flexible environmental barrier as recited in claim 5, wherein said metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of silica, alumina, titania, indium oxide, tin oxide, indium tin oxide and combinations thereof.

7. The flexible environmental barrier as recited in claim 5, wherein said metal nitride is selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride, silicon nitride and combinations thereof.

8. The flexible environmental barrier as recited in claim 1, wherein said foundation includes a flexible substrate selected from the group consisting of polymer, metal, paper, fabric and combinations thereof.

9. The flexible environmental barrier as recited in claim 1, wherein said first polymer, second polymer, third polymer, fourth polymer, or combinations thereof is selected from the group consisting of acrylic, methacrylic, polyester or polyethyleneterephthalate, polyethylene, polypropylene, and combinations thereof.

10. The flexible environmental barrier as recited in claim 2, wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of acrylic, methacrylic, polyester or polyethyleneterephthalate, polyethylene, polypropylene, and combinations thereof.

11. A flexible environmental barrier for an organic light emitting device, comprising:

(a) substrate,

(b) a foundation having

(i) at least one intermediate barrier on said substrate, said intermediate barrier having (a) first intermediate polymer layer with (b) a first intermediate ceramic layer thereon;

(ii) a top of a first top polymer layer on said intermediate barrier, a top ceramic layer on the first top polymer layer, and a second top polymer layer on the top ceramic layer;

(c) an organic light emitting device constructed on the second top polymer layer of the top; and

(d) a cover having

(i) at least one intermediate barrier on said organic light emitting device, each intermediate barrier having (a) second intermediate polymer layer with (b) a second intermediate ceramic layer thereon;

(ii) a first cover polymer layer on said at least one intermediate barrier with a second ceramic layer thereon and a second cover polymer layer on said second ceramic layer.

12. An environmental barrier for an organic light emitting device, comprising:

(a) a first environmental barrier; and

(b) a second environmental barrier having a first polymer layer with a ceramic layer thereon and a second polymer layer on the ceramic layer;

(c) an organic light emitting device encased between said first environmental barrier and said second environmental barrier; and

(d) wherein said second environmental barrier comprises a top.