Apparatus and method for forming vias

• US 7,384,816 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2005
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global OLED Technology LLC (LG Display Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Tredwell, Timothy J., Boroson, Michael L., Cok, Ronald S., Winters, Dustin L., Rivers, Andrea S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Geyer; Scott B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nikmanesh; Seahvosh J
• Application Number:
  US11/071,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20060199476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 438/99, 438/759, 438/780, 438/781, 257/E21.577
• US Class Current: 438/99
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/40 Semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/30 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/50 Inorganic material, e.g. metals, not provided for in B23K2103/02 – B23K2103/26
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/1464 Supply to, or discharge from, nozzles of media, e.g. gas, powder, wire
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/382 by boring
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/389 of fluid openings, e.g. nozzles, jets laser machining of inkjet nozzles B41J2/1634
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/55 for creating voids inside the workpiece, e.g. for forming flow passages or flow patterns
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0195 Tool for a process not provided for in H05K3/00, e.g. tool for handling objects using suction, for deforming objects, for applying local pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/082 Suction, e.g. for holding solder balls or components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0026 by laser ablation
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/236 using printing techniques, e.g. applying the etch liquid using an ink jet printer
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/421 using coherent electromagnetic radiation, e.g. laser annealing

Abstract

An apparatus and method for forming vias in one or more layers, comprising one or more beams located in alignment with the layers for forming one or more vias in one or more areas of the layers. A vacuum mechanism is provided for collecting ablated material caused by the directed beams forming the one or more vias, the vacuum mechanism being in fixed alignment with respect to the one or more beams such that the vacuum applies a removal force on the ablated material at the time and location when the one or more vias is being formed.

Claims

1. A method of making an OLED device comprising the steps of:

a) providing a substrate;

b) forming one or more first electrodes and electrode busses on the substrate;

c) forming one or more organic layers over the first electrodes and electrode busses;

d) ablating a plurality of areas of the material layer for forming vias using at least one beam in a chamber; and

e) collecting the ablated material with a vacuum mechanism having a trap having one or more orifices, wherein said one or more orifices are located in close proximity to said plurality of areas at the time of ablation so that a collection force is applied to the debris formed during ablation of said material.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one beam and said vacuum mechanism are provided in a chamber.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said chamber includes an inert atmosphere.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said atmosphere is nitrogen, argon, helium or carbon dioxide.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said atmosphere flows across the surface of the material layers.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said vacuum mechanism comprises at least one orifice(s).

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the at least one orifice comprises an array of orifices and each orifice is located adjacent each beam.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said orifice is a single orifice.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one or more beams and said vacuum mechanism are formed in an integral head.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein a portion of said head is heated and includes said one or more beams.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein a portion of said head that comprises said vacuum mechanism is cooled.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said vacuum mechanism includes a trap that moves with respect to the substrate and material layer and in alignment with the beams.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said substrate is oriented vertically and the direction of motion of the vacuum mechanism is substantially vertical.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein said vacuum mechanism includes at least one orifice on either side of the array of directed beams.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein said integral can move bi-directional.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one beam comprises at least one optical beam.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the at least one optical beam is a laser beam.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the at least one beam each include an optical element for focusing light on the layer.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said optical beams comprise one of the following:

ultraviolet, infrared, or visible light.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising a substrate on which said one or more layers are provided, wherein the substrate is transparent so as to permit the frequency of optical beam radiation and the optical beam radiation to travel through the substrate and the vacuum mechanism is located on the opposite side of said substrate from the at least one optical beam.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one beam moves with respect to the one or more layers.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one beam comprises a beam of particles.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said particles are suspended in a compressed fluid wherein the particles become free of the compressed fluid prior to contact with the material layer.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein said substrate and vacuum mechanism are oriented vertically.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein said substrate is oriented horizontally with the substrate above the material layer.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein said material is organic material.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said layers form an organic light emitting diode.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one beam is independently controlled.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein said apparatus is provided in a cluster manufacturing tool configuration.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein said apparatus is provided in an in-line manufacturing tool configuration.

31. The method of claim 1 further comprising a chamber containing the substrate and wherein the beams pass through a window in the chamber.