Sealing structure, device, and method for manufacturing device

• US 9,343,706 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2014
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ito, Minato, Yokoyama, Kohei, Nishido, Yusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Kebede, Brook
• Application Number:
  US13/999,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20140252386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 438/25, 438/26, 257/40, 257/79, 257/98, 257/667, 257/680
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/841 Self-supporting sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/87 Arrangements for heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/38 comprising colour filters or colour changing media [CCM]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/871 Self-supporting sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8722 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8794 Arrangements for heating and cooling

Abstract

Provided is a device in which heat conduction from a sealant to a functional element is suppressed and whose bezel is slim. The sealing structure includes a first substrate, a second substrate whose surface over which a sealed component is provided faces the first substrate, and a frame-like sealant which seals a space between the first substrate and the second substrate with the first substrate and the second substrate. The second substrate includes a groove portion between the sealant and the sealed component. The groove portion is in a vacuum or includes a substance whose heat conductivity is lower than that of the second substrate.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a first substrate comprising a groove portion;

an object over the first substrate;

a second substrate over the object; and

a sealant between the first substrate and the second substrate and surrounding the object and the groove portion,

wherein the groove portion is located between the object and the sealant, and

wherein at least part of a surface of the groove portion is exposed.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first electrode over the first substrate;

a partition wall over the first electrode and;

a second electrode over the object,

wherein the object is located over the first electrode and the partition wall,

wherein the second substrate is located over the second electrode,

wherein the first electrode and the sealant overlap each other, and

wherein the object comprises an electroluminescent layer.

3. The device according to claim 2, further comprising a conductive layer over the first substrate,

wherein the partition wall is located over the conductive layer,

wherein the conductive layer is in contact with the second electrode, and

wherein the conductive layer and the sealant overlap each other.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the object comprises a color filter.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the groove portion comprises a plurality of grooves.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sealant comprises a glass material.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein each of the first substrate and the second substrate is a glass substrate.

8. A device comprising:

a first substrate comprising a first groove portion;

a transistor over the first substrate;

a first insulating film over the transistor;

a first electrode over the first insulating film;

a partition wall over the first electrode;

an electroluminescent layer over the first electrode and the partition wall;

a second electrode over the electroluminescent layer;

a second substrate over the second electrode;

a sealant between the first substrate and the second substrate and surrounding the electroluminescent layer and the first groove portion;

a conductive film between the first substrate and the sealant; and

a flexible printed circuit electrically connected to the conductive film,

wherein the first groove portion is located between the electroluminescent layer and the sealant.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the flexible printed circuit is located outside a sealed region sealed by the first substrate, the second substrate, and the sealant.

10. The device according to claim 8, wherein the sealant is in contact with the first insulating film.

11. The device according to claim 8, further comprising a second insulating film between the first substrate and the transistor and in the first groove portion.

12. The device according to claim 8, further comprising a color filter between the first insulating film and the first electrode, wherein the color filter and the electroluminescent layer overlap each other.

13. The device according to claim 8, further comprising a color filter between the second substrate and the second electrode,

wherein the second substrate comprises a second groove portion between the sealant and the color filter.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the first groove portion and the second groove portion are different from each other in the number of grooves included therein.

15. The device according to claim 8, wherein the first groove portion comprises a plurality of grooves.

16. The device according to claim 8, wherein the sealant comprises a glass material.

17. The device according to claim 8, wherein each of the first substrate and the second substrate is a glass substrate.

18. A method for manufacturing a device, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a groove portion on a surface of a first substrate;

forming an object over the surface of the first substrate;

forming a precursor of a sealant over a second substrate;

after forming the groove portion, the object, and the precursor of the sealant, attaching the first substrate and the second substrate to each other so that the precursor of the sealant is located between the first substrate and the second substrate; and

forming the sealant by heating the precursor of the sealant,

wherein the sealant surrounds the object and the groove portion,

wherein the groove portion is located between the object and the sealant, and

wherein at least part of a surface of the groove portion is exposed.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the precursor of the sealant comprises a glass frit or a glass ribbon.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the precursor of the sealant is locally heated by laser light irradiation.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein the object comprises an electroluminescent layer.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein each of the first substrate and the second substrate is a glass substrate.