Organic light emitting display and method of fabricating the same

• US 8,120,249 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Choi, Dong-Soo, Park, Jin-Woo
• Primary Examiner(s): Santiago, Mariceli
• Application Number:
  US11/529,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20070170850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,971 Days
• Field of Search: 313500-512, 345 44- 46, 345 76- 81, 345 90- 92, 315/169.3, 257/40, 257/100, 257/E33.056
• US Class Current: 313/512
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8722 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants

Abstract

Provided are an organic light emitting display and a method of fabricating the same that are capable of preventing an element from being damaged due to a large amount of heat generated when the laser irradiates a glass frit for sealing a substrate. The organic light emitting display includes: a first substrate comprising a pixel region and a non-pixel region; an array of organic light emitting pixels formed over the pixel region; a conductive line formed over the non-pixel region; a second substrate placed over the first substrate such that the array and the conductive line are interposed between the first and second substrates; and a frit seal interposed between the first and second substrates and surrounding the array, the frit seal interconnecting the first and second substrates, the frit seal comprising a portion overlapping the conductive line, wherein when viewed from the second substrate, the portion of the flit seal substantially eclipses the conductive line.

Claims

1. An organic light emitting display (OLED) device comprising:

a first substrate comprising a pixel region and a non-pixel region;

an array of organic light emitting pixels formed over the pixel region;

a conductive line formed over a surface of the non-pixel region, wherein the conductive line is substantially flat throughout the surface;

a second substrate placed over the first substrate such that the array and the conductive line are interposed between the first and second substrates;

a planarization layer formed over at least part of the non-pixel region of the first substrate, wherein the planarization layer comprises an opening; and

a frit seal interposed between the first and second substrates and surrounding the array, the frit seal interconnecting the first and second substrates, the frit seal comprising a portion contacting the conductive line through the opening in the planarization layer and overlapping the conductive line in a segment of the device where the frit seal is formed, wherein the portion of the frit seal substantially eclipses the conductive line in the segment when viewed from the second substrate, wherein the frit seal contacts the planarization layer, and wherein the planarization layer covers a portion of the conductive line.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the conductive line is electrically connected to the array via another electrical interconnection.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of thin film transistors interposed between the first substrate and the array, wherein the conductive line is connected to the plurality of thin film transistors.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the conductive line extends along a peripheral edge of the first substrate, and wherein the portion of the fit seal extends along the peripheral edge of the first substrate.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the portion extends at least the length of one side of the array.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the frit seal further comprises a non- eclipsing portion in another segment of the device, wherein the non-eclipsing portion of the fit seal does not eclipse the conductive line when viewed from the second substrate.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the portion of the frit seal has a width, and the conductive line has a width where the portion overlaps, and wherein the width of the portion is substantially greater than the width of the conductive line.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the portion of the frit seal has a width, and the conductive line has a width where the portion overlaps, and wherein the width of the portion is from about 95% to about 200% of the width of the conductive line.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the conductive line is made of metal.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the frit seal comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of magnesium oxide (MgO), calcium oxide (CaO), barium oxide (BaO), lithium oxide (Li₂O), sodium oxide (Na₂O), potassium oxide (K₂O), boron oxide (B₂O₃), vanadium oxide (V₂O₅), zinc oxide (ZnO), tellurium oxide (TeO₂), aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), silicon dioxide (SiO₂), lead oxide (PbO), tin oxide (SnO), phosphorous oxide (P₂O₅), ruthenium oxide (Ru₂O), rubidium oxide (Rb₂O), rhodium oxide (Rh₂O), ferrite oxide (Fe₂O₃), copper oxide (CuO), titanium oxide (TiO₂), tungsten oxide (WO₃), bismuth oxide (Bi₂O₃), antimony oxide (Sb₂O₃), lead-borate glass, tin-phosphate glass, vanadate glass, and borosilicate.

12. A method of making the organic light emitting display (OLED) device of claim 1, the method comprising:

providing an unfinished device comprising the first substrate, the array of organic light emitting pixels formed over the first substrate, and the conductive line formed over the substrate and not overlapping the array;

further providing the second substrate;

interposing a frit to form the frit seal between the first and second substrates such that the array is interposed between the first and second substrates, that the fit surrounds the array and that a portion of the frit overlaps the conductive line, whereby the portion of the fit seal substantially eclipses the conductive line when viewed from the second substrate; and

melting and resolidifying at least part of the fit so as to interconnect the unfinished device and the second substrate via the frit, wherein the frit connects to the conductive line without a material therebetween, and wherein the frit connects to the second substrate with or without a material therebetween.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein melting comprises applying heat to the at least part of the frit.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein melting comprises applying laser or infrared light to the at least part of the frit in a direction from the second substrate to the first substrate, and wherein substantially all the light reaching the conductive line reaches the electrically conductive line after passing through the fit.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the conductive line is made of metal.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein interposing the frit comprises contacting the frit with the conductive line.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein interposing the frit comprises contacting the frit with the second substrate.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the unfinished device further comprises a planarization layer generally formed over the conductive line with an opening exposing part of the conductive line, and wherein interposing the fit comprises contacting the frit with the conductive line through the opening.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the portion of the frit seal has a width, and the conductive line has a width where the portion overlaps, and wherein the width of the portion is from about 95% to about 200% of the width of the conductive line.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the fit seal further comprises another portion, which does not totally eclipse the conductive line when viewed from the second substrate.

7. An organic light emitting display (OLED) device comprising:

a first substrate comprising a pixel region and a non-pixel region;

an array of organic light emitting pixels formed over the pixel region;

a conductive line formed over a surface of the non-pixel region, wherein the conductive line is substantially flat throughout the surface;

a second substrate placed over the first substrate such that the array and the conductive line are interposed between the first and second substrates; and

a planarization layer formed over at least part of the non-pixel region of the first substrate, wherein the planarization layer comprises an opening; and

a frit seal interposed between the first and second substrates and surrounding the array, the frit seal interconnecting the first and second substrates, the frit seal comprising a portion contacting the conductive line through the opening in the planarization layer and overlapping the conductive line in a segment of the device where the frit seal is formed, wherein the portion of the frit seal substantially eclipses the conductive line in the segment when viewed from the second substrate;

wherein the fit seal further comprises a non-eclipsing portion in another segment of the device, wherein the non-eclipsing portion of the frit seal does not eclipse the conductive line when viewed from the second substrate, wherein the conductive line comprises a non-eclipsed portion and an eclipsed portion in a cross-section of the conductive line taken along a line where the cross-sectional area of the conductive line is the smallest, and wherein the non-eclipsed portion is substantially smaller than the eclipsed portion.