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

• US 6,522,067 B1
• Filed: 10/25/1999
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• 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: Hall, Michael, Mast, Eric, Shi, Ming-Kun, Affinito, John D., Graff, Gordon L., Gross, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Vip
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US09/427,138
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 313/506, 313/504, 313/512, 313/509, 313/503, 428/690
• US Class Current: 313/512
• 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

An encapsulated organic light emitting device. The device includes a first barrier stack comprising at least one first barrier layer and at least one first polymer layer. There is an organic light emitting layer stack adjacent to the first barrier stack. A second barrier stack is adjacent to the organic light emitting layer stack. The second barrier stack has at least one second barrier layer and at least one second polymer layer. A method of making the encapsulated organic light emitting device is also provided.

Claims

1. An encapsulated organic light emitting device comprising:

a first barrier stack comprising at least one first barrier layer and at least one first polymer layer wherein at least one of the at least one first polymer layers comprises an acrylate-containing polymer;

an organic light emitting layer stack adjacent to the first barrier stack; and

a second barrier stack comprising at least one second barrier layer and at least one second polymer layer, the second barrier stack adjacent to the organic light emitting layer stack.

2. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 1 further comprising a substrate adjacent to the first barrier stack on a side opposite to the organic light emitting layer stack.

3. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 2 further comprising at least one first intermediate barrier stack located between the substrate and the first barrier stack, the first intermediate barrier stack comprising at least one third polymer layer and at least one third barrier layer.

4. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 2 wherein the substrate comprises a flexible substrate material.

5. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 4 wherein the flexible substrate material is selected from polymers, metals, paper, fabric, and combinations thereof.

6. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 2 wherein the substrate comprises a rigid substrate material.

7. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 6 wherein the rigid substrate material is selected from glass, metal, and silicon.

8. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 3 wherein at least one of the at least one third polymer layers comprises an acrylate-containing polymer.

9. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 1 further comprising at least one second intermediate barrier stack located between the organic light emitting layer stack and either the first or second barrier stacks, the second intermediate barrier stack comprising at least one fourth polymer layer and at least one fourth barrier layer.

10. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 9 wherein at least one of the at least one fourth polymer layers comprises an acrylate-containing polymer.

11. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 1 wherein the at least one first barrier layer is substantially transparent.

12. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 1 wherein the at least one second barrier layer is substantially transparent.

13. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the at least one first and second barrier layers comprise a material selected from metal oxides, metal nitrides, metal carbides, metal oxynitrides, and combinations thereof.

14. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 13 wherein the metal oxides are selected from silica, alumina, titania, indium oxide, tin oxide, indium tin oxide, and combinations thereof.

15. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 13 wherein the metal nitrides are selected from aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, and combinations thereof.

16. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 1 wherein the at least one first barrier layer is substantially opaque.

17. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 1 wherein the at least one second barrier layer is substantially opaque.

18. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the at least one first and second barrier layers is selected from opaque metals, opaque polymers, and opaque ceramics.

19. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the at least one second polymer layers comprises an acrylate-containing polymer.

20. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 1 wherein the organic light emitting layer stack comprises a first electrode, an electroluminescent layer, and a second electrode.

21. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 20 wherein the electroluminescent layer comprises a hole transporting layer, and an electron transporting layer.

22. An encapsulated organic light emitting device comprising:

a first intermediate barrier stack comprising at least one polymer layer and at least one barrier layer;

a first barrier stack comprising at least one first barrier layer and at least one first polymer layer adjacent to the first intermediate barrier stack;

an organic light emitting layer stack adjacent to the first barrier stack;

a second intermediate barrier stack comprising at least one polymer layer and at least one barrier layer, the second intermediate barrier stack adjacent to the organic light emitting layer stack; and

a second barrier stack comprising at least one second barrier layer and at least one second polymer layer, the second barrier stack adjacent to the second intermediate barrier stack wherein at least one of the polymer layers in the first intermediate barrier stack, the first barrier stack, the second intermediate barrier stack, or the second barrier stack comprises an acrylate-containing polymer.

23. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 22 further comprising a substrate adjacent to the first intermediate barrier stack on a side opposite to the first barrier stack.

24. An encapsulated organic light emitting device comprising:

a substrate;

an organic light emitting layer stack adjacent to the substrate;

a barrier stack comprising at least one barrier layer and at least one polymer layer, the barrier stack adjacent to the organic light emitting layer stack wherein at least one of the at least one polymer layers comprises an acrylate-containing polymer.

25. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 24 further comprising an intermediate barrier stack located between the organic light emitting layer stack and the barrier stack, the intermediate barrier stack comprising at least one polymer layer and at least one barrier layer.

26. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 24 wherein the at least one barrier stack is substantially transparent.

27. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 24 wherein the at least one barrier layer comprises a material selected from metal oxides, metal nitrides, metal carbides, metal oxynitrides, and combinations thereof.

28. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 27 wherein the metal oxides are selected from silica, alumina, titania, indium oxide, tin oxide, indium tin oxide, and combinations thereof.

29. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 27 wherein the metal nitrides are selected from aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, and combinations thereof.

30. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 24 wherein the at least one barrier layer is substantially opaque.

31. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 24 wherein the at least one barrier layer is selected from opaque metals, opaque polymers, and opaque ceramics.

32. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 24 wherein the substrate comprises a rigid substrate material.

33. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 32 wherein the rigid substrate material is selected from glass, metal, and silicon.

34. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 24 wherein the substrate comprises a flexible substrate material.

35. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 34 wherein the flexible substrate material is selected from polymers, metals, paper, fabric, and combinations thereof.

36. An encapsulated organic light emitting device comprising:

a first barrier stack comprising at least one first barrier layer and at least one first polymer layer;

an organic light emitting layer stack adjacent to the first barrier stack; and

a second barrier stack comprising at least one second barrier layer and at least one second polymer layer, the second barrier stack adjacent to the organic light emitting layer stack wherein at least one of the at least one second polymer layers comprises an acrylate-containing polymer.

37. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 36 further comprising a substrate adjacent to the first barrier stack on a side opposite to the organic light emitting layer stack.

38. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 37 further comprising at least one first intermediate barrier stack located between the substrate and the first barrier stack, the first intermediate barrier stack comprising at least one third polymer layer and at least one third barrier layer.

39. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 36 further comprising at least one second intermediate barrier stack located between the organic light emitting layer stack and either the first or second barrier stacks, the second intermediate barrier stack comprising at least one fourth polymer layer and at least one fourth barrier layer.

40. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 36 wherein the at least one first barrier layer is substantially transparent.

41. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 36 wherein the at least one second barrier layer is substantially transparent.

42. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 36 wherein at least one of the at least one first and second barrier layers comprise a material selected from metal oxides, metal nitrides, metal carbides, metal oxynitrides, and combinations thereof.

43. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 42 wherein the metal oxides are selected from silica, alumina, titania, indium oxide, tin oxide, indium tin oxide, and combinations thereof.

44. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 42 wherein the metal nitrides are selected from aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, and combinations thereof.

45. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 36 wherein the at least one first barrier layer is substantially opaque.

46. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 36 wherein the at least one second barrier layer is substantially opaque.

47. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 36 wherein at least one of the at least one first and second barrier layers is selected from opaque metals, opaque polymers, and opaque ceramics.

48. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 37 wherein the substrate comprises a flexible substrate material.

49. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 48 wherein the flexible substrate material is selected from polymers, metals, paper, fabric, and combinations thereof.

50. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 37 wherein the substrate comprises a rigid substrate material.

51. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 50 wherein the rigid substrate material is selected from glass, metal, and silicon.

52. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 36 wherein at least one of the at least one first polymer layers comprises an acrylate-containing polymer.

53. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 38 wherein at least one of the at least one third polymer layers comprises an acrylate-containing polymer.

54. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 39 wherein at least one of the at least one fourth polymer layers comprises an acrylate-containing polymer.

55. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 36 wherein the organic light emitting layer stack comprises a first electrode, an electroluminescent layer, and a second electrode.

56. The encapsulated organic light emitting device of claim 55 wherein the electroluminescent layer comprises a hole transporting layer, and an electron transporting layer.

57. An encapsulated organic light emitting device comprising:

a first barrier stack comprising at least one first barrier layer and at least one first polymer layer;

an organic light emitting layer stack adjacent to the first barrier stack; and

a second barrier stack comprising at least one second barrier layer and at least one second polymer layer, the second barrier stack adjacent to the organic light emitting layer stack wherein the at least one first barrier layer is substantially transparent.