OVJP for printing graded/stepped organic layers

• US 9,252,397 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2013
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Inventors: Harikrishna Mohan, Siddharth, Burrows, Paul E.
• Primary Examiner(s): BOOTH, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US13/761,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20140220720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 118/715, 156/345.33
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/005 Nozzles or other outlets specially adapted for discharging one or more gases
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/24 Vacuum evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/56 Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating; Arrangements for maintaining the vacuum, e.g. vacuum locks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/00 Organic light-emitting devices integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10K59/00, H10K65/00; organic semiconductor lasers H01S5/36
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/11 characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
• 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 71/18 using non-liquid printing techniques, e.g. thermal transfer printing from a donor sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/30 Doping active layers, e.g. electron transporting layers

Abstract

An emissive layer deposited in graded manner using a plurality of nozzles is disclosed. A mixtures ejected from the plurality of nozzles may contain varying concentrations of host-to-dopant material. The nozzles, as disclosed, may be arranged in a sequential manner such that the order of the sequence is based on varying concentration of the host-to-dopant material. The nozzles may be configured to translate relative to an area of a substrate to allow sequential deposition.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a first nozzle configured to eject a first mixture over a first region of a substrate, the first mixture comprising a host and an organic dopant; and

a second nozzle configured to eject a second mixture over the first region of the substrate, the second mixture comprising the host and the organic dopant;

wherein the device is configured to create the first and second mixtures, with the first mixture comprising a different ratio of host to organic dopant than the second mixture, and

wherein the first and second nozzles deposit graded organic layers from the first and second mixtures, where each layer is deposited by a different nozzle and each layer contains substantially the same amount of total host and dopant material, but the ratios and components of the organic material vary from one layer to another.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of nozzles are configured to eject a mixture in a sequential order.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the sequential order is based on the host-to-dopant ratio of the mixture in each nozzle.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the sequential order is based on a highest to lowest concentration of host-to-dopant ratio of the mixture in each nozzle.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of nozzles are configured to translate relative to an area of a substrate.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the host comprises a plurality of host materials.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the dopant comprises a primary organic dopant and a co-dopant.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the organic dopant comprises a plurality of co-dopant materials.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the first mixture comprises a carrier gas.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first mixture source of the mixture, in fluid communication with the first nozzle; and

a second mixture source of the second mixture, in fluid communication with the second mixture.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising:

a third mixture source of a third mixture; and

a third nozzle in fluid communication with the third mixture source, and configured to eject the third mixture over the substrate.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the third mixture comprises the host and the organic dopant, at a different ratio of the host to the organic dopant than each of the first and second mixtures.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the third mixture comprises the host and a different organic dopant than the first and second mixtures.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the third mixture comprises a different host than the first and second mixtures, and a different organic dopant than the first and second mixtures.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to create the first and second mixtures such that the device receives the host, mixes the host with a first concentration of the organic dopant to form the first mixture, and mixes the host with a second concentration of the organic dopant to form the second mixture.