Flexible substrates having a thin-film barrier

• US 8,115,326 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Inventors: Aitken, Bruce Gardiner, Bookbinder, Dana Craig, Garner, Sean Matthew, Quesada, Mark Alejandro
• Primary Examiner(s): LAM, CATHY FONG FONG
• Application Number:
  US11/980,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20090121333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,568 Days
• Field of Search: 428/76, 428/192, 257/788, 257/790, 257/701, 257/704
• US Class Current: 257/790
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 3/122 containing oxides of As, Sb, Bi, Mo, W, V, Te as glass formers
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 3/14 containing boron
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 3/247 containing fluorine and phosphorus
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/10 Glass or silica
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/5806 Thermal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/311 Flexible OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/873 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/851 Division of substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/13 Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/239 Complete cover or casing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/263 Coating layer not in excess of 5 mils thick or equivalent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/264 Up to 3 mils
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less

Abstract

Methods and apparatus provide for: applying an inorganic barrier layer to at least a portion of a flexible substrate, the barrier layer being formed from a low liquidus temperature (LLT) material; and sintering the inorganic barrier layer while maintaining the flexible substrate below a critical temperature.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a flexible substrate;

an inorganic barrier layer covering at least a portion of the flexible substrate, wherein the inorganic barrier layer comprises at least one of a tin fluorophosphate material, chalcogenide material, phosphate material, borate material, bismuth zinc borate material, glass, borosilicate glass, a tellurite material, and a material including a composition of about 72 parts SiO₂, about 1 part Al₂O₃, about 25 parts B₂O₃, about 0.5 parts Li₂O, about 0.5 parts Na₂O, and about 1 part K₂O,

wherein at least one of;

(i) a modulus of the barrier layer is about 30 GPa to about 120 GPa; and

(ii) a thickness of the barrier layer is less than about 10 um.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a liquidus temperature of the barrier layer is below about 1000 degrees C.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a liquidus temperature of the barrier layer is below about 600 degrees C.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a liquidus temperature of the barrier layer is below about 400 degrees C.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a device disposed on the barrier layer; and

an encapsulation layer covering the device and terminating on the barrier layer, thereby forming an hermetic seal for the device.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the device is at least one of an electronic device, an optoelectronic device, an optical device, a light-emitting device, an OLED device, an organic semiconductor device, an LCD display device, a photovoltaic device, a thin-film sensor, an evanescent waveguide sensor, a food container, and a medicine container.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible substrate and the inorganic barrier layer are capable of a bend radius less than at least one of:

about 20 cm, about 10 cm, or about 1 cm.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises least one of a, polyimide, polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP), oriented polypropylene (OPP), polyethersulfone (PES), silicone, amorphous or crystalline polymer films, or silicone composites.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inorganic barrier layer is patterned on the substrate.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inorganic barrier layer does not cover an edge of the substrate.