Method of encapsulating a display element

• US 7,597,603 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2006
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Inventors: Logunov, Stephan Lvovich, Becken, Keith James
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton; Toan
• Assistant Examiner(s): FEATHERLY, HANA SANEI
• Application Number:
  US11/593,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20070128966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 445/25, 445/24, 445/23, 156/272.2
• US Class Current: 445/24
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 27/06 Joining glass to glass by processes other than fusing fusing C03B23/20; units for use as elements for closing wall or like openings and comprising two or more parallel glass panes in spaced relationship, the panes being permanently secured together E06B3/66
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/04 Sealing arrangements , e.g. against humidity
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2101/00 Properties of the organic materials covered by group H10K85/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass

Abstract

A method of encapsulating a display device between substrates with a glass frit. The method includes depositing a frit having an optical absorption α which is a function of wavelength onto a first substrate wherein the deposited frit has a height h, placing a second substrate in contact with the frit, sealing together the substrates by traversing a laser light having a wavelength λ over the frit at a speed greater than about 5 mm/s, and wherein α·h at λ is between 0.4 and about 1.75.

Claims

1. A method for encapsulating a display element comprising:

depositing a frit having an optical absorption α

which is a function of wavelength onto a first substrate in the shape of a wall having a height h;

sandwiching the frit between the first substrate and a second substrate having a display element and at least one electrode disposed thereon, the at least one electrode extending between the frit and the second substrate;

heating the frit by traversing a laser light having a wavelength λ

over the frit through the first substrate at a speed greater than about 40 mm/s to melt the frit and seal together the first and second substrates; and

wherein α

·

h at λ

is greater than or equal to about 0.4.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the display element comprises an organic material.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising prior to the step of sandwiching, pre-sintering the frit.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein a spot diameter 2ω

of the laser beam at a surface of the frit is equal to or greater than a width of the frit.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein α

·

h is between about 0.5 and about 1.3 at λ

.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein h is between 12 and 15 μ

m.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein a thermal conductivity of the frit is greater than about 500 μ

m²/s.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the laser beam has a peak optical power at λ

, and the peak optical power is less than 45 W.

9. A method of encapsulating a display element comprising:

depositing a frit selected to have an optical absorption α

at a wavelength λ

onto a first substrate as a wall having a height h between 10 μ

m and 30 μ

m;

pre-sintering the frit;

placing the first substrate overtop a second substrate having one or more display elements comprising an organic material and at least one metallic electrode disposed thereon, such that the display element is encircled by the wall and the at least one electrode passes beneath the frit;

heating the frit through the first substrate by traversing a laser beam having a peak optical power at wavelength λ

over the frit at a speed greater than 20 mm/s to melt the frit and form a hermetic seal between the first and second substrates; and

wherein the frit is selected such that α

·

h at λ

is greater than or equal to about 0.4.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein α

·

h is between about 0.5 and about 1.3 at λ

.

11. The method according to claim 9 wherein a thermal conductivity of the frit is greater than about 500 μ

m²/s.

12. The method according to claim 9 wherein the peak optical power of the laser beam is between about 0.5 W and 1.5 kW.

13. The method according to claim 9 wherein the laser beam is traversed at a speed greater than about 40 mm/s.

14. The method according to claim 9 wherein the frit has a thermal conductivity greater than about 800 mm²/s.

15. The method according to claim 9 wherein the laser beam peak optical power is less than 45 W.