Organic light emitting display and method of fabricating the same

• US 8,164,257 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2006
• 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): Patel, Nimeshkumar
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAABE, CHRISTOPHER M
• Application Number:
  US11/540,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20070170859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,034 Days
• Field of Search: 313498-512, 315/169.3, 345/36, 345/45, 345/76
• 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 59/179 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8722 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants

Abstract

Disclosed are an organic light emitting display and a method of fabricating the same that are capable of preventing deterioration of adhesive strength of a glass frit for sealing a substrate. An organic light emitting device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a first substrate including a pixel region and a non-pixel region, an array of organic light emitting pixels formed over the pixel region of the first substrate, and a second substrate placed over the first substrate, the array being interposed between the first and second substrates. The organic light emitting device of this embodiment further includes an electrically conductive line formed over the non-pixel region of the first substrate, and a frit seal interposed between the first and second substrates and surrounding the array such that the array is encapsulated by the first substrate, the second substrate and the frit seal, wherein the electrically conductive line comprises a portion overlapping the frit seal in a segment of the device such that the portion of the electrically conductive line substantially eclipses the frit seal when viewed from the first substrate.

Claims

1. An organic light emitting 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 of the first substrate;

a second substrate placed over the first substrate, the array being interposed between the first and second substrates;

an electrically conductive line formed over the non-pixel region of the first substrate; and

a frit seal interposed between the first and second substrates and surrounding the array such that the array is encapsulated by the first substrate, the second substrate and the frit seal, wherein the electrically conductive line comprises a portion overlapping the frit seal in a segment of the device such that the portion of the electrically conductive line substantially eclipses the frit seal when viewed from the first substrate, wherein the frit seal contacts the electrically conductive line and wherein there is substantially no material between the frit seal and the electrically conductive line.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the portion of the electrically conductive line substantially totally eclipses the frit seal when viewed from the first substrate.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises at least one layer located between the electrically conductive line and the first substrate, the at least one layer comprising an organic material.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive line further comprises a portion that does not overlap the frit seal.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive line extends along a first edge of the first substrate, and wherein the frit seal extends along a peripheral edge of the first edge.

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

7. The device of claim 1, wherein in another segment of the device, the frit seal further comprises a non-eclipsed portion that is not eclipsed by the electrically conductive line when viewed from the first substrate.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the frit seal has a width taken in a cross-sectional plane, and the electrically conductive line has a width taken in the cross-sectional plane, and wherein the width of the frit seal is substantially smaller than the width of the electrically conductive line.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive line comprises a power supply line electrically connected to the array.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive line comprises a portion overlapping the frit seal in substantially throughout the device such that the portion of the electrically conductive line substantially eclipses the frit seal when viewed from the first substrate.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising a planarization layer formed over at least part of the non-pixel region of the first substrate, wherein the frit seal does not contact the planarization layer.

12. The device of claim 1, further comprising an organic or inorganic planarization layer formed over at least part of the non-pixel region of the first substrate, wherein the organic planarization layer comprises a recess exposing the electrically conductive line.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of thin film transistors interposed between the first substrate and the array, wherein the electrically conductive line is made of a material used in the plurality of thin film transistors.

14. 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.

15. A method of making the organic light emitting device of claim 1, the method comprising:

providing an unfinished device comprising the first substrate;

further providing the second substrate;

interposing a frit between the first and second substrates such that the array is interposed between the first and second substrates, that the frit surrounds the array and that a portion of the electrically conductive line overlaps the frit in a segment of the device; and

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

16. The method of claim 15, wherein interposing comprises contacting the frit with the portion of the electrically conductive line and the second substrate.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the unfinished device further comprises a planarization layer generally formed over the electrically conductive line with an opening exposing part of the conductive line, and wherein interposing the frit comprises contacting the frit with the electrically conductive line through the opening.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein providing the unfinished device comprises:

providing the planarization layer over the electrically conductive line; and

selectively etching the planarization layer to form the opening.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the melting comprises irradiating a laser beam or infrared ray to at least part of the frit.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein interposing the frit comprises:

forming the frit over at least one of the first and second substrates; and

arranging the first and second substrate so as to interpose the frit therebetween.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein forming the frit comprises screen-printing or dispensing a material of the frit over at least one of the first and second substrates.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the unfinished device further comprises one or more additional arrays of organic light emitting pixels and one or more additional electrically conductive lines formed over the first substrate;

wherein the method further comprises forming one or more additional frits between the first and second substrates such that each additional fit surrounds one of the additional arrays and contacts a portion of one of the additional electrically conductive lines.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the one of the additional electrically conductive lines substantially eclipses the additional frit.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising cutting the resulting product of claim 22 into two or more pieces, wherein one of the pieces comprises the frit and the array interposed between the first and second substrate.