Procedure for encapsulation of electronic devices

• US 6,803,245 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH (Ams-Osram AG), Institute of Materials Research and Engineering
• Original Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH (Ams-Osram AG), Institute of Materials Research and Engineering
• Inventors: Jin, Chua Soo, Guenther, Ewald, Auch, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Zarabian, Amir
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOVACEK, CHRISTY L
• Application Number:
  US09/968,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20030064540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 438/26, 438/99, 438/106, 438/116, 438/118
• US Class Current: 438/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/50 Assembly of semiconductor devices using processes or apparatus not provided for in a single one of the subgroups H01L21/06 - H01L21/326, e.g. sealing of a cap to a base of a container
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants

Abstract

An encapsulation procedure for an organic light emitting diode (OLED) device, especially for thin and therefore flexible substrates, is disclosed. The device is sealed hermetically against environmental and mechanical damage. The procedure includes the use of a thin cover lid holder and a substrate holder that are designed to handle thin substrates without damaging them. Thin substrates ensure sufficient mechanical flexibility for the OLED devices, and provides an overall thickness of less than 0.5 mm.

Claims

1. A method for encapsulating a device comprising:

mounting a substrate on a substrate holder, the substrate includes a device region and a sealing region surrounding the device region;

temporarily mounting a cover lid to a lid holder;

aligning the lid holder with the substrate holder to place the lid on the substrate in preparation for sealing;

sealing the cover lid to the sealing region on the substrate to encapsulate the device; and

releasing the cover lid from the lid holder.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a flexible substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the device comprises an OLED device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the substrate comprises a flexible substrate.

5. The method of claim 1, 3, or 2 wherein mounting the cover lid to the lid holder comprises mounting the lid with an adhesive release tape or a vacuum chuck.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein aligning comprises moving the substrate holder, moving the lid holder or a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the substrate holder comprises a surface area greater than a surface area of the substrate and the cover lid holder comprises a surface area greater than a surface area of the cover lid.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the substrate holder comprises a cavity for aligning the substrate to the substrate holder.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein mounting the substrate to the substrate holder comprises mounting the substrate with an adhesive release tape or a vacuum chuck.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprises performing a release treatment to release the substrate from the substrate holder in which the adhesive tape used to mount the substrate to the substrate holder loses its adhesion and a release treatment to release the cover lid from the lid holder in which the adhesive tape used to mount the cover lid to the lid holder loses its adhesion.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein mounting the substrate to the substrate holder comprises mounting the substrate with an adhesive release tape or a vacuum chuck.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprises performing a release treatment to release the substrate from the substrate holder in which the adhesive tape used to mount the substrate to the substrate holder loses its adhesion and a release treatment to release the cover lid from the lid holder in which the adhesive tape used to mount the cover lid to the lid holder loses its adhesion.

13. The method of claim 5 further comprises performing a release treatment to release the cover lid from the lid holder in which the adhesive tape loses its adhesion.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the release treatment comprises exposure to heat or UV radiation.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprises performing a cleaning treatment on the sealing region on the substrate prior to sealing the cover lid, wherein performing the cleaning treatment comprises performing laser cleaning, chemical cleaning, dry cleaning, mechanical cleaning or a combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 5 further comprises performing a cleaning treatment on the sealing region on the substrate prior to sealing the cover lid.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein performing the cleaning treatment comprises performing laser cleaning, chemical cleaning, dry cleaning, mechanical cleaning or a combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 7 wherein sealing the lid to the sealing region of the substrate comprises using an adhesive, hot melt adhesive, UV-curable adhesive, thermal curable adhesive, low temperature soldering, ultrasonic bonding, inductance welding or laser welding.