Patterning method for OLEDs

• US 9,349,955 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2015
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Inventors: Harikrishna Mohan, Siddharth, Burrows, Paul E., Brown, Julia J.
• Primary Examiner(s): BOOTH, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US14/863,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20160013412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 244 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 material compositions;

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.

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 have the same thickness.

3. 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 different thicknesses.

4. The method of claim 3 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

.

5. The method of claim 3 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

.

6. The method of claim 3 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

.

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 are deposited at the same time.

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 are deposited at different times.

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 are disposed within optical cavities.

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

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and second sub-devices each emit a different color of light.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the device farther includes a third sub-device, and the first, second and third sub-devices each emit a different color of light.

13. 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 an ETL.

14. 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 an HTL.

15. 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 an HIL.

16. 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 a spacer.

17. 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 a capping layer.

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

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the device is a consumer device or a device incorporated into an optoelectronic device.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the device is incorporated into an optoelectronic device, and 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.