Electronic devices with improved shelf lives

• US 9,991,463 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2013
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Inventors: Mandlik, Prashant, Ma, Ruiqing, Harikrishna Mohan, Siddharth
• Primary Examiner(s): Malek, Maliheh
• Application Number:
  US13/917,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20130334510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,818 Days
• 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 50/80 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/805 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/814 combined with auxiliary electrodes, e.g. ITO layer combined with metal lines
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80516 combined with auxiliary electrodes, e.g. ITO layer combined with metal lines
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/873 Encapsulations

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide electronic devices such as OLEDs that have enhanced mechanical integrity and prolonged shelf, by minimizing the spread of a delamination region using topographical non-uniformities introduced in the device structure. For example, a device may be made deliberately non-planar by introducing multiple energy barriers which can prevent or minimize the propagation of a delamination, because the delamination will have to cross the energy barriers in order to spread to a larger area.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a substrate;

a first electrode disposed over the substrate;

an organic emissive layer disposed over the first electrode;

a second electrode disposed over the organic emissive layer;

a barrier film disposed over the first electrode, the organic emissive layer, and the second electrode, and in conformal contact with a layer immediately below the barrier film, wherein the barrier film covers at least a portion of a side of the device; and

a topographically non-planar layer disposed between the substrate and the barrier film, the non-planar layer comprising topographical non-uniformities that are energy barriers in a propagation path of a delamination region of the device;

wherein both a first side of the barrier film closest to the substrate and a second side of the barrier film furthest from the substrate topographically follow the contour of the topographically non-planar layer, and

wherein each layer disposed over the non-planar layer includes at least one side that topographically follows the contour of the non-planar layer.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the non-planar layer is disposed between the first electrode and the organic emissive layer.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode is an anode and the second electrode is a cathode.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the non-planar layer is disposed between the substrate and the organic emissive layer.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the non-planar layer is disposed adjacent to the organic emissive layer.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the non-planar layer is disposed adjacent to the first electrode.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the non-planar layer is disposed adjacent to the first electrode.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the organic emissive layer comprises a plurality of pixels.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the non-planar layer physically separates separate pixels within the organic emissive layer.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the non-planar layer comprises a grid structure.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the non-planar layer comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of:

a metal, an organic, and an inorganic.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the non-planar layer is disposed between the first electrode and the organic emissive layer.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the organic emissive layer is a blanket layer.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the non-planar layer comprises a grooved layer.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the non-planar layer is disposed immediately over the substrate.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein both a first side and a second side of each layer disposed over the non-planar layer topographically follows the contour of the non-planar layer.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the non-planar layer comprises a topographical non-uniformity having a wall that makes an angle relative to the substrate of not more than 90 degrees.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the non-uniformity is in physical contact with the substrate.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the non-planar layer comprises a topographical non-uniformity having an upper portion that extends over and beyond a lower portion.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the barrier film conformally coats the topographical non-uniformity.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein the organic emissive layer is disposed over the topographical non-uniformity.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein a region under the upper portion of the topographical non-uniformity is not filled by the organic emissive layer.

24. The device of claim 1, wherein the topographically non-planar layer is a continuous layer disposed entirely between two other layers of the device.

25. The device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the barrier film and a portion of the topographically non-planar layer have the same distance from the substrate measured in a direction perpendicular to the substrate.

26. The device of claim 1, wherein the barrier film wraps around a part of the topographically non-planar layer.

23. A device, comprising:

a substrate;

an anode disposed over the substrate;

a topographically non-planar layer disposed over the anode, the non-planar layer comprising topographical non-uniformities that are energy barriers in a propagation path of a delamination region of the device;

an organic emissive layer disposed over the non-planar layer;

a cathode disposed over the organic emissive layer; and

a barrier film disposed over and in conformal contact with the cathode, wherein the barrier film covers at least a portion of a side of the device;

wherein both a first side of the barrier film closest to the substrate and a second side of the barrier film furthest from the substrate topographically follow the contour of the topographically non-planar layer, and

wherein each layer disposed over the non-planar layer includes at least one side that topographically follows the contour of the non-planar layer.

27. The device of claim 23, wherein a portion of the barrier film and a portion of the topographically non-planar layer have the same distance from the substrate measured in a direction perpendicular to the substrate.

28. The device of claim 23, wherein the barrier film wraps around a part of the topographically non-planar layer.