Process and apparatus for organic vapor jet deposition

• US 7,431,968 B1
• Filed: 09/04/2002
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University (Princeton University)
• Original Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University (Princeton University)
• Inventors: Forrest, Stephen R., Shtein, Max
• Primary Examiner(s): Meeks; Timothy
• Assistant Examiner(s): GAMBETTA, KELLY M
• Application Number:
  US10/233,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20080233287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,225 Days
• Field of Search: 427/255.23
• US Class Current: 427/255.6
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/04 Coating on selected surface areas, e.g. using masks
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/12 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/228 Gas flow assisted PVD deposition
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/24 Vacuum evaporation

Abstract

A method of fabricating an organic film is provided. A non-reactive carrier gas is used to transport an organic vapor. The organic vapor is ejected through a nozzle block onto a cooled substrate, to form a patterned organic film. A device for carrying out the method is also provided. The device includes a source of organic vapors, a source of carrier gas and a vacuum chamber. A heated nozzle block attached to the source of organic vapors and the source of carrier gas has at least one nozzle adapted to eject carrier gas and organic vapors onto a cooled substrate disposed within the vacuum chamber.

Claims

1. A method of depositing an organic film, comprising:

a) providing a heated non-reactive carrier gas transporting organic vapor;

b) ejecting the heated non-reactive carrier gas transporting an organic vapor through a nozzle block, with a bulk flow velocity at least as great as the thermal velocity of the molecules, onto a cooled substrate separated from the nozzle block by not more than about 1500 microns, to form a patterned organic film, wherein the method is used to fabricate a patterned organic film without the use of a mask, and wherein the patterned organic film has a resolution of about 1 micron or less.

2. A method of depositing an organic film, comprising:

a) providing a heated non-reactive carrier gas transporting an organic vapor;

b) ejecting the heated non-reactive carrier gas transporting an organic vapor through a nozzle block, with a bulk flow velocity at least as great as the thermal velocity of the molecules, onto a cooled substrate separated from the nozzle block by not more than about 1500 microns, to form a patterned organic film;

wherein the method is used to fabricate a patterned organic film without the use of a mask;

wherein the pattern is controlled by the separation between the nozzle block and the substrate, the size of a nozzle in the nozzle block, and the gas velocity; and

wherein the distance between the substrate and the nozzle block is less than about 2.5 microns.

3. A method of depositing an organic film, comprising:

a) providing a heated non-reactive carrier gas transporting an organic vapor;

b) ejecting the heated non-reactive carrier gas transporting an organic vapor through a nozzle block, with a bulk flow velocity at east as great as the thermal velocity of the molecules, onto a cooled substrate separated from the nozzle block by not more than about 20 microns, to form a patterned organic film, wherein the method is used to fabricate a patterned organic film without the use of a mask.

4. A method of depositing an organic film, comprising:

a) providing a heated non-reactive carrier gas transporting an organic vapor;

b) ejecting the heated non-reactive carrier gas transporting an organic vapor through a nozzle block, with a bulk flow velocity at least as great as the thermal velocity of the molecules, onto a cooled substrate separated from the nozzle block by not more than about 15 microns, to form a patterned organic film.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the substrate is separated from the nozzle block by not more than about 2.5 microns.

6. A method of depositing an organic film, comprising:

a) providing a heated non-reactive carrier gas transporting an organic vapor;

b) ejecting the heated non-reactive carrier gas transporting an organic vapor through a nozzle block, with a bulk flow velocity at least as great as the thermal velocity of the molecules, onto a cooled substrate, to form a patterned organic film comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein the patterned organic film is a non-polymeric organic film.

7. A method of depositing an organic film, comprising:

a) providing a heated non-reactive carrier gas transporting an organic vapor;

b) ejecting the heated non-reactive carrier gas transporting an organic vapor through a nozzle block, with a bulk flow velocity at least as great as the thermal velocity of the molecules, onto a cooled substrate, to form a peed organic film comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein the pixels are arranged in an array.

8. A method of depositing an organic film, comprising:

a) providing a heated non-reactive carrier gas transporting an organic vapor;

b) ejecting the heated non-reactive carrier gas transporting an organic vapor through a nozzle block, with a bulk flow velocity at least as great as the thermal velocity of the molecules, onto a cooled substrate, to form a patterned organic film comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein the nozzle block comprises a plurality of nozzles, each nozzle to deposit an organic material that emits light of a different color.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each nozzle is in communication with a separate source cell containing the organic material.

10. A method of depositing an organic film, comprising:

a) providing a heated non-reactive carrier gas transporting an organic vapor;

b) ejecting the heated non-reactive carrier gas transporting an organic vapor through a nozzle block, with a bulk flow velocity at least as great as the thermal velocity of the molecules, onto a cooled substrate, to form a patterned organic film comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein the nozzle block comprises a plurality of nozzles, each nozzle in communication with a plurality of source cells.