Method and apparatus for depositing LED organic film

• US 9,005,365 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2012
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Bulovic, Vladimir, Baldo, Marc A., Schmidt, Martin A., Gassend, Valerie, Chen, Jianglong
• Primary Examiner(s): LUND, JEFFRIE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US13/359,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20120148743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 118/720, 118/721, 118/726
• US Class Current: 118/726
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/12 Applying particulate materials B05D1/06, B05D1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/04 Coating on selected surface areas, e.g. using masks
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/042 using masks
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/448 characterised by the method used for generating reactive gas streams, e.g. by evaporation or sublimation of precursor materials
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4481 by evaporation using carrier gas in contact with the source material C23C16/4486 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4483 using a porous body
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4485 by evaporation without using carrier gas in contact with the source material C23C16/4486 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45568 Porous nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/166 using selective deposition, e.g. using a mask
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/40 Thermal treatment, e.g. annealing in the presence of a solvent vapour

Abstract

In one embodiment the disclosure relates to an apparatus for depositing an organic material on a substrate, including a source heater for heating organic particles to form suspended organic particles; a transport stream for delivering the suspended organic particles to a discharge nozzle, the discharge nozzle having a plurality of micro-pores, the micro-pores providing a conduit for passage of the suspended organic particles; and a nozzle heater for pulsatingly heating the micro-pores nozzle to discharge the suspended organic particles from the discharge nozzle.

Claims

1. An apparatus for depositing one or more organic materials onto a substrate, comprising:

a source to receive a quantity of organic particles containing solvent, the source configured to remove solvent from the quantity of organic particles to provide a quantity of substantially solvent-free organic particles;

a discharge nozzle having a plurality of openings to receive the quantity of substantially solvent-free organic particles and to discharge the quantity of substantially solvent-free organic particles from the discharge nozzle onto the substrate;

a thermal source associated with the discharge nozzle, the thermal source configured to receive the quantity of substantially solvent-free organic particles from the source and to deliver at least a portion of the quantity of substantially solvent-free organic particles to the discharge nozzle; and

a housing to integrate the source and the discharge nozzle, the housing defining a flow path between the source and the discharge nozzle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the source further comprises an evaporation source.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a vacuum source to enable the apparatus to operate at a relative vacuum.

4. An apparatus for depositing one or more organic materials onto a substrate, comprising:

a first member having a plurality of columnar conduits;

a second member having a plurality of openings corresponding to the plurality of columnar conduits;

a source to receive a quantity of organic particles containing solvent;

a heater to remove the solvent from the quantity of organic particles to form a quantity of substantially solvent-free organic particles;

a thermal source associated with one of the first or the second member, the thermal source configured to receive the quantity of substantially solvent-free organic particles and to deposit at least a portion of the quantity of substantially solvent-free organic particles on the substrate; and

a housing to integrate the source and the columnar conduits, the housing defining a flow path between the source and the columnar conduits.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a vacuum source to enable the apparatus to operate in a relative vacuum.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the plurality of columnar conduits further comprise a plurality of micro-pores.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second substantially planar member further comprises a mask.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a transport gas for delivering the quantity of substantially-solvent free organic particles through the flow path to the first member.