Multi-nozzle organic vapor jet printing

• US 8,728,858 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2012
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Inventors: Mohan, Siddharth Harikrishna, Burrows, Paul E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Kyoung
• Application Number:
  US13/595,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20140057390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 438/99
• 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: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/12 using liquid deposition, e.g. spin coating
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/135 using ink-jet printing

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided in which individual elements of a thin patterned film are deposited by two or more nozzles having different geometries. The different nozzle geometries may include one or more of different throttle diameters, different exhaust diameters, different cross-sectional shapes, different bore angles, different wall angles, different exhaust distances from the substrate, and different leading edges relative to the direction of movement of the nozzles or the substrate. Methods may include steps of ejecting a carrier gas and a material from a plurality of nozzles and depositing the material on the substrate in a plurality of laterally spaced elements, each of the elements deposited by a separate nozzle group. At least one of the nozzles in a group of nozzles depositing an element may be configured to deposit the material on the substrate in a width that is smaller than the width of the element.

Claims

1. A method of depositing a thin film on a substrate comprising:

ejecting a carrier gas and a material from a plurality of nozzles while moving the nozzles or the substrate relative to one another,

wherein the material is deposited on the substrate from at least two of the nozzles, the at least two of the nozzles including different geometries;

wherein the different geometries include at least one of different throttle diameters, different bore angles, different exhaust distances from the substrate, and different leading edges relative to the direction of movement of the nozzles or the substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two of the nozzles include different cross-sectional shapes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two nozzles include different throttle diameters.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two nozzles include different exhaust diameters.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two nozzles include two or more relatively small nozzles and a relatively large nozzle, the relatively small nozzles being disposed adjacent to the relatively large nozzle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two nozzles include different bore angles.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least two nozzles include two or more relatively small nozzles and a relatively large nozzle, the relatively small nozzles being angled to converge with respect to the relatively large nozzle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two nozzles include different wall angles.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two nozzles include different exhaust distances from the substrate.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least two nozzles include two or more relatively small nozzles and a relatively large nozzle, the relatively small nozzles being disposed closer to the substrate than the relatively large nozzle.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least two nozzles include two or more relatively small nozzles and a relatively large nozzle, the relatively small nozzles being disposed further from the substrate than the relatively large nozzle.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said exhaust distances of the at least two nozzles from the substrate are approximately 300 Å

different, or more.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two nozzles include different leading edges relative to the direction of movement of the nozzles or the substrate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least two of the nozzles include a staggered arrangement relative to the direction of travel of the nozzles or substrate.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least two nozzles include a relatively small nozzle and a relatively large nozzle, the relatively small nozzle and relatively large nozzle being disposed in an arrangement that is not perpendicular or parallel to the direction of travel of the nozzles or substrate.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the carrier gas and material are ejected from the at least two of the nozzles at different flow rates.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two of the nozzles are connected to different carrier gas sources.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of nozzles are included in a nozzle block.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the material is deposited by the at least two of the nozzles in an at least partially overlapping pattern.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the thin film is deposited in a pattern including a plurality of laterally spaced elements, each of the elements deposited by a separate group of nozzles of the plurality of nozzles.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the material from the at least two of the nozzles provides a sharper edged pattern than would be achieved by depositing the pattern with a single nozzle.

22. An apparatus for depositing a thin film of material on a substrate, comprising:

a plurality of nozzles in fluid communication with a carrier gas and a material to be deposited; and

a translation mechanism configured to move at least one of the substrate and the plurality of nozzles, relative to one another, during a deposition process,

wherein, at least two of the nozzles include different geometries;

wherein the different geometries include at least one of different throttle diameters, different bore angles, different exhaust distances from the substrate, and different leading edges relative to the direction of movement of the nozzles or the substrate.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least two of the nozzles include different cross-sectional shapes.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least two nozzles include different throttle diameters.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least two nozzles include different exhaust diameters.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least two nozzles include two or more relatively small nozzles and a relatively large nozzle, the relatively small nozzles being disposed adjacent to the relatively large nozzle.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least two nozzles include different bore angles.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the at least two nozzles include two or more relatively small nozzles and a relatively large nozzle, the relatively small nozzles being angled to converge with respect to the relatively large nozzle.

29. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least two nozzles include different wall angles.

30. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least two nozzles include different exhaust distances from the substrate.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the at least two nozzles include two or more relatively small nozzles and a relatively large nozzle, the relatively small nozzles being disposed closer to the substrate than the relatively large nozzle.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said exhaust distances of the at least two nozzles from the substrate are approximately 300 Å

different, or more.

33. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least two nozzles include different leading edges relative to the direction of movement of the nozzles or the substrate.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the at least two of the nozzles include a staggered arrangement relative to the direction of travel of the nozzles or substrate.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the at least two nozzles include a relatively small nozzle and a relatively large nozzle, the relatively small nozzle and relatively large nozzle being disposed in an arrangement that is not perpendicular or parallel to the direction of travel of the nozzles or substrate.

36. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the carrier gas and the material are ejected from the at least two of the nozzles at different flow rates.

37. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least two of the nozzles are connected to different carrier gas sources.

38. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the plurality of nozzles are included in a nozzle block.

39. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least two of the nozzles are arranged such that the material is deposited from the at least two of the nozzles in an at least partially over lapping pattern.

40. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the thin film is deposited in a pattern including a plurality of laterally spaced elements, each of the elements deposited by a separate group of nozzles of the plurality of nozzles.

41. A method of depositing a thin film on a substrate comprising:

ejecting a carrier gas and a material from a plurality of nozzles while moving the nozzles or the substrate relative to one another,

depositing the material on the substrate in a pattern including a plurality of laterally spaced elements, each of the elements deposited by a separate group of nozzles of the plurality of nozzles,

wherein at least one of the laterally spaced elements includes a first width, and

at least one of the nozzles in the group of nozzles depositing the at least one of the laterally spaced elements is configured to deposit the material on the substrate in a second width that is smaller than the first width.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein at least two nozzles in a single group of nozzles have different deposition widths.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein at least two nozzles in a single group of nozzles have substantially equal deposition widths.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein at least two nozzles in a single group of nozzles have different deposition widths, and at least two nozzles in the single group of nozzles have substantially equal deposition widths.