Method of forming thin film patterning substrate including formation of banks

• US 7,015,503 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2003
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kiguchi, Hiroshi, Seki, Shunichi, Miyajima, Hiroo, Yudasaka, Ichio
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilson, Scott R.
• Application Number:
  US10/686,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20040201048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 257/40, 257/59, 257/88, 257/89, 438/29, 438/30, 438/70, 438/99
• US Class Current: 257/40
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/201 in the form of arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/10 Apparatus or processes specially adapted to the manufacture of electroluminescent light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/22 characterised by the chemical or physical composition or the arrangement of auxiliary dielectric or reflective layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/351 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/865 comprising light absorbing layers, e.g. light-blocking layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/38 comprising colour filters or colour changing media [CCM]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8792 comprising light absorbing layers, e.g. black layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/135 using ink-jet printing
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/20 Changing the shape of the active layer in the devices, e.g. patterning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]

Abstract

Display devices such as EL elements or LED elements, or color filters, are provided, wherewith, when forming thin films such as organic semiconductor films or colored resins, there is remarkably little variation in film thickness from pixel to pixel. A method for fabricating thin film elements having banks of a prescribed height and a thin film layer formed by an ink jet method in areas to be coated that are partitioned by those banks is disclosed. Furthermore, banks are formed of an organic material on a bank formation surface configured of an inorganic material, plasma treatment is performed under conditions that the induction gas is fluorine-based and that fluorine is present excessively, and the areas enclosed by the banks subjected to surface treatment are filled with the liquid thin film material to form the thin film layer or layers.

Claims

1. A thin film patterning substrate, comprising:

a substrate;

banks, each of which includes an organic substance at least on its surface, said banks being formed above said substrate and partitioning a surface of the substrate into a plurality of areas, each of said areas including an inorganic substance; and

a thin film arranged in at least one of said areas, the thin film being made from a fluid,

wherein said banks exhibit non-affinity for the fluid, said non-affinity being greater than that of said partitioned areas.

2. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 1, wherein said inorganic substance is selected from a group consisting of an ITO, a glass and a quartz.

3. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 1, wherein said organic substance includes polyimide.

4. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 1, wherein said banks have heights of between about 1 μ

m and about 2 μ

m, while said thin film has a thickness between about 0.05 μ

m and about 0.2 μ

m.

5. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 1, wherein the banks include a side surface and an upper surface both of which include said organic substance.

6. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 1, wherein a contact angle between a line along a surface of said fluid and a line along the surface of said banks is about 50°

or greater, while to the surface of said partitioned areas is about 30°

or less.

7. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 1, wherein said thin film includes a colored resin.

8. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 1, wherein said thin film includes an organic semiconductor material.

9. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 1, wherein said thin film is formed as a multi-layer structure.

10. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 9, wherein said thin film includes at least one of a light emitting layer, a hole injection layer and an electron injection layer.

11. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 1, further comprising a thin film transistor formed above said substrate.

12. A thin film patterning substrate, comprising:

a substrate;

banks being formed above said substrate and partitioning a surface of the substrate into a plurality of areas, said banks comprising a first layer including an inorganic substance and a second layer including an organic substance;

a thin film arranged in at least one of said areas, the thin film being made from a fluid, wherein said banks exhibit non-affinity for the fluid, said non-affinity being greater than that of said partitioned areas.

13. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 12, wherein said first layer is disposed above said substrate and wherein said second layer is disposed above said first layer.

14. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 12, wherein said first layer exhibits affinity for the fluid which is greater than that of said second layer.

15. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 12, wherein a surface of said partitioned areas exhibits affinity for the fluid which is equal to or greater than that of said first layer.

16. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 15, wherein the surface of said partitioned areas includes an inorganic substance.

17. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 12, wherein a contact angle between a line along a surface of said fluid and a line along the surface of said first layer is between about 20°

and about 50°

, to the second layer is about 50°

or greater, and to the surface of said partitioned areas is about 30°

or less.

18. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 12, wherein said first layer includes a material selected from a group consisting of a silicon oxide, a silicon nitride and an amorphous silicon.

19. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 12, wherein said inorganic substance is selected from a group consisting of an ITO, a glass and a quartz.

20. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 12, wherein said organic substance includes polyimide.

21. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 12, wherein said banks have heights of between about 1 μ

m and about 2 μ

m, while said thin film has a thickness between about 0.05 μ

m and about 0.2 μ

m.

22. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 12, wherein a thickness of said thin film is approximately equal to that of the first layer.

23. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 12, wherein said thin film includes an organic semiconductor material.

24. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 12, wherein said thin film includes a colored resin.

25. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 12, further comprising a thin film transistor formed above said substrate.

26. A thin film patterning substrate, comprising:

a substrate;

banks being formed above said substrate and partitioning a surface of the substrate into a plurality of areas, said banks comprising a first layer and a second layer;

a thin film arranged in at least one of said areas, the thin film being made from a fluid, wherein a surface of said first layer exhibits affinity for the fluid which is greater than that of said second layer.

27. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 26, wherein a surface of said partitioned areas exhibits affinity for the fluid that is equal to or greater than that of said first layer.

28. An EL device comprising:

a substrate;

banks, each of which includes an organic substance at least on a surface, said banks being formed above said substrate and partitioning a surface of the substrate into a plurality of areas, each of said areas including an inorganic substance; and

a semiconductor material being capable of emitting light and arranged in at least one of said areas, the semiconductor material being made from a fluid, wherein said banks exhibit non-affinity for the fluid, said non-affinity being greater than that of said partitioned areas.

29. The EL device according to claim 28, further comprising a plurality of semiconductor materials, each of which is capable of emitting light different in color and disposed in a respective one of the areas.

30. An EL device comprising:

a substrate;

banks being formed above said substrate and partitioning a surface of the substrate into a plurality of areas, said banks comprising a first layer including an inorganic substance and a second layer including an organic substance;

a semiconductor material being capable of emitting light and arranged in at least one of said areas, the semiconductor material being made from a fluid, wherein said banks exhibit non-affinity for the fluid, said non-affinity being greater than that of said partitioned areas.

31. The EL device according to claim 30, further comprising a plurality of semiconductor materials, each of which is capable of emitting light different in color and disposed in a respective one of the areas.

32. A thin film patterning substrate, comprising:

a substrate;

banks being formed above said substrate and partitioning a surface of the substrate into a plurality of areas, said banks comprising a first layer and a second layer;

a semiconductor material being capable of emitting light and arranged in at least one of said areas, the semiconductor material being made from a fluid,

wherein a surface of said first layer exhibits affinity for the fluid which is greater than that of said second layer.

33. The thin film patterning substrate according to claim 32, wherein a surface of said partitioned areas exhibits affinity for the fluid that is equal to or greater than that of said first layer.

34. The EL device according to claim 33, further comprising a plurality of semiconductor materials, each of which is capable of emitting light different in color and disposed in a respective one of the areas.