Patterning method for OLEDs

• US 8,940,568 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Inventors: Mohan, Siddharth Harikrishna, Burrows, Paul E., Brown, Julia J.
• Primary Examiner(s): BOOTH, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US13/600,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20140065750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 438 46- 47
• US Class Current: 438/46
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2101/10 Triplet emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2101/40 Interrelation of parameters between multiple constituent active layers or sublayers, e.g. HOMO values in adjacent layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/351 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/11 characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/125 specially adapted for multicolour light emission, e.g. for emitting white light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/15 Hole transporting layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/156 comprising a multilayered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/16 Electron transporting layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/166 comprising a multilayered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/17 Carrier injection layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8428 Vertical spacers, e.g. arranged between the sealing arrangement and the OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/852 comprising a resonant cavity structure, e.g. Bragg reflector pair
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1201 Manufacture or treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/30 Devices specially adapted for multicolour light emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/32 Stacked devices having two or more layers, each emitting at different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/35 comprising red-green-blue [RGB] subpixels
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/135 using ink-jet printing
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/16 using physical vapour deposition [PVD], e.g. vacuum deposition or sputtering

Abstract

Methods of fabricating a device having laterally patterned first and second sub-devices, such as subpixels of an OLED, are provided. Exemplary methods may include depositing via organic vapor jet printing (OVJP) a first organic layer of the first sub-device and a first organic layer of the second sub-device. The first organic layer of the first sub-device and the first organic layer of the second sub-device are both the same type of layer, but have different thicknesses. The type of layer is selected from an ETL, an HTL, an HIL, a spacer and a capping layer.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a device having at least laterally patterned first and second sub-devices, the method comprising:

depositing via organic vapor jet printing (OVJP) a first organic layer of the first sub-device and a first organic layer of the second sub-device;

wherein the first organic layer of the first sub-device and the first organic layer of the second sub-device have different thicknesses;

wherein the first organic layer of the first sub-device and the first organic layer of the second sub-device are both the same type of layer, and wherein the type of layer is selected from an ETL, an HTL, an HIL, a spacer and a capping layer;

wherein the first organic layer of the first sub-device and the first organic layer of the second sub-device have different material compositions;

wherein the first organic layer of the first sub-device and the first organic layer of the second sub-device are both HTLs, and wherein a triplet state energy of the first organic layer of the first sub-device is within 0.3 eV of a triplet state energy of the first organic layer of the second sub-device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first organic layer of the first sub-device and the first organic layer of the second sub-device are disposed within optical cavities.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second sub-devices are OLEDs.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first and second sub-devices each emit a different color of light.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the device further includes a third sub-device, and the first, second and third sub-devices each emit a different color of light.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first, second and third devices each emit a different color selected from red, green and blue.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first organic layer of the first sub-device and the first organic layer of the second sub-device have a thickness difference greater than approximately 10 Å

.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first organic layer of the first sub-device and the first organic layer of the second sub-device have a thickness difference greater than approximately 20 Å

.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first organic layer of the first sub-device and the first organic layer of the second sub-device have a thickness difference in a range of approximately 10 Å

-1000 Å

.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the lateral separation between the first and second sub-devices is at most 1.0 mm.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first organic layer of the first sub-device and the first organic layer of the second sub-device are both HTLs, and wherein hole transport property of the first organic layer of the first sub-device is different from the first organic layer of the second sub-device.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the device is a consumer device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is incorporated into an optoelectronic device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the optoelectronic device is incorporated into one of a vehicle, a computer, a television, a printer, a large area wall, a theater or stadium screen, a billboard, or a sign.

15. A method of fabricating a device having at least laterally patterned first and second sub-devices, the method comprising:

depositing via organic vapor jet printing (OVJP) a first organic layer of the first sub-device and a first organic layer of the second sub-device;

wherein the first organic layer of the first sub-device and the first organic layer of the second sub-device have different thicknesses and have different material compositions; and

wherein the first organic layer of the first sub-device and the first organic layer of the second sub-device are both HTLs;

wherein hole transport property of the first organic layer of the first sub-device is different from the first organic layer of the second sub-device; and

wherein a triplet state energy of the first organic layer of the first sub-device is within 0.3 eV of a triplet state energy of the first organic layer of the second sub-device.