Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display comprising flexible substrate, electronic device including the same, and method of manufacturing the OLED display

• US 9,553,280 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2015
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Seo, Jungjoon, Hwang, Hyunbeen, Huh, In
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodela, Eduardo A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roland, Christopher M
• Application Number:
  US14/789,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20160141551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/00 Constructional details relating to the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8445 multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/873 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8731 multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/40 Thermal treatment, e.g. annealing in the presence of a solvent vapour
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 77/111 Flexible substrates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, electronic device including the same and method of manufacturing the OLED display are disclosed. In one aspect, the OLED display includes a first plastic layer, a first barrier layer formed over the first plastic layer and a first intermediate layer formed over the first barrier layer. The OLED display also includes a second plastic layer formed over the first intermediate layer, a second intermediate layer formed over the second plastic layer and a second barrier layer formed over the second intermediate layer. The OLED display further includes an OLED layer formed over the second barrier layer and a thin-film encapsulation layer encapsulating the OLED layer.

Claims

1. An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, comprising:

a first plastic layer;

a first barrier layer formed over the first plastic layer;

a first intermediate layer formed over the first barrier layer, wherein the first intermediate layer comprises amorphous silicon;

a second plastic layer formed over the first intermediate layer;

a second intermediate layer formed over the second plastic layer;

a second barrier layer formed over the second intermediate layer;

an OLED layer formed over the second barrier layer; and

a thin-film encapsulation layer encapsulating the OLED layer.

2. The OLED display of claim 1, wherein the second intermediate layer comprises amorphous silicon.

3. The OLED display of claim 1, wherein the first intermediate layer comprises a metal thin film.

4. The OLED display of claim 1, wherein the second intermediate layer comprises a metal thin film.

5. The OLED display of claim 1, wherein an ultraviolet (UV) transmittance of the first intermediate layer is greater than or equal to about 10%.

6. The OLED display of claim 1, wherein each of the first plastic layer and the second plastic layer comprises at least one of the following materials:

polyimide, polyethylene naphthalate, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyarylate, polycarbonate, polyethersulfone, and polyetherimide (PEI).

7. The OLED display of claim 1, wherein the second plastic layer has a thickness that is greater than that of the first plastic layer.

8. The OLED display of claim 1, wherein the second plastic layer has a viscosity that is less than that of the first plastic layer.

9. The OLED display of claim 1, wherein the first barrier layer comprises a first silicon nitride layer, wherein the second barrier layer comprises a second silicon nitride layer, and wherein a silicon nitride density of the second barrier layer is greater than that of the first silicon nitride layer.

10. The OLED display of claim 9, wherein the first barrier layer further comprises a metal oxide film or a silicon oxide film.

11. The OLED display of claim 9, wherein the second barrier layer further comprises a metal oxide film or a silicon oxide film.

12. The OLED display of claim 9, wherein the silicon nitride density of the first silicon nitride layer is greater than or equal to about 2.2 g/cm³ and is less than or equal to about 2.4 g/cm³.

13. The OLED display of claim 1, wherein the thin-film encapsulation layer comprises at least one of an inorganic layer and an organic layer.

14. An electronic device comprising:

an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, comprising;

a first plastic layer;

a first barrier layer formed over the first plastic layer;

a first intermediate layer formed over the first barrier layer, wherein the first intermediate layer comprises amorphous silicon;

a second plastic layer formed over the first intermediate layer;

a second barrier layer formed over the second plastic layer;

an OLED layer formed over the second barrier layer; and

a thin-film encapsulation layer encapsulating the OLED layer.

15. A method of manufacturing an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, comprising:

preparing a carrier substrate;

forming a mother flexible substrate on the carrier substrate, wherein the mother substrate comprises a first plastic layer, a first barrier layer, a first intermediate layer, a second plastic layer, and a second barrier layer that are sequentially stacked, wherein the first intermediate layer comprises amorphous silicon;

forming a plurality of OLED layers on the mother flexible substrate;

forming a thin-film encapsulation layer so as to encapsulate the OLED layers;

separating the mother flexible substrate from the carrier substrate; and

dividing the OLED layers formed on the mother flexible substrate into a plurality of display units.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the separating of the mother flexible substrate from the carrier substrate comprises emitting laser light toward a surface of the carrier substrate that is opposite to a surface of the carrier substrate on which the mother flexible substrate is formed.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the laser light is ultraviolet (UV) light.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the carrier substrate is a glass substrate.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first barrier layer comprises at least a first silicon nitride layer, wherein the second barrier layer comprises a second silicon nitride layer, and wherein a silicon nitride density of the second silicon nitride layer is greater than that of the first silicon nitride layer.