Method of encapsulating a display element

• US 20070128966A1
• Filed: 11/07/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Inventors: Logunov, Stephan, Becken, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 7,597,603 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 445/25
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 27/06 Joining glass to glass by processes other than fusing fusing C03B23/20; units for use as elements for closing wall or like openings and comprising two or more parallel glass panes in spaced relationship, the panes being permanently secured together E06B3/66
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/04 Sealing arrangements , e.g. against humidity
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2101/00 Properties of the organic materials covered by group H10K85/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass

Abstract

A method of encapsulating a display device between substrates with a glass frit. The method includes depositing a frit having an optical absorption α which is a function of wavelength onto a first substrate wherein the deposited frit has a height h, placing a second substrate in contact with the frit, sealing together the substrates by traversing a laser light having a wavelength λ over the frit at a speed greater than about 5 mm/s, and wherein α·h at λ is between 0.4 and about 1.75

Claims

1. A method for encapsulating a display element comprising:

depositing a frit having an optical absorption α

which is a function of wavelength onto a first substrate wherein the deposited frit has a height h;

placing a second substrate in contact with the frit;

sealing together the substrates by traversing a laser beam having a wavelength λ

over the frit at a speed greater than about 0.5 mm/s; and

wherein α

·

h at λ

is greater than or equal to about 0.4.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein α

·

h is between about 0.4 and about 1.75 at λ

.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the speed is greater between about 5 mm/s and 300 mm/s.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein α

·

h is between about 0.5 and about 1.3 at λ

.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein h is greater than about 10 μ

m.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein a peak power of the laser beam is between about 0.5W and 1.5 kW.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein a spot diameter 2ω

of the laser beam at a surface of the frit is between about 1.8 and 25 mm.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein a thermal conductivity of the frit is greater than about 500 μ

m²/s.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the frit is doped with a dopant selected from the group consisting of iron, copper, vanadium, neodymium, and combinations thereof.

10. A method for encapsulating a display element comprising:

depositing a frit having an optical absorption α

which is a function of wavelength onto a first substrate in the shape of a wall having a height h;

sandwiching the frit between the first substrate and a second substrate having a display element and at least one electrode disposed thereon, the at least one electrode extending between the frit and the second substrate;

heating the frit by traversing a laser light having a wavelength λ

over the frit through the first substrate at a speed greater than about 5 mm/s to melt the frit and seal together the first and second substrates; and

wherein α

·

h at λ

₁ is greater than or equal to about 0.4.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the display element comprises an organic material.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein the speed is greater than about 40 mm/s.

13. The method according to claim 10 further comprising prior to the step of sandwiching, pre-sintering the frit.

14. A method of encapsulating a display element comprising:

depositing a frit having an optical absorption α

which is a function of wavelength onto a first substrate as a wall having a height h;

pre-sintering the frit;

placing the first substrate overtop a second substrate having one or more display elements comprising an organic material and at least one metallic electrode disposed thereon, such that the display element is encircled by the wall and the at least one electrode passes beneath the frit;

heating the frit through the first substrate using a laser beam having a peak wavelength λ

to melt the frit and form a hermetic seal between the first and second substrates; and

wherein α

·

h at λ

is greater than or equal to about 0.4.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the heating comprises traversing the laser light over the frit at a speed greater than about 0.5 mm/s.

16. The method according to claim 14 wherein α

·

h is between about 0.5 and about 1.3 at λ

.

17. The method according to claim 14 wherein a thermal conductivity of the frit is greater than about 500 μ

m²/s.

18. The method according to claim 14 wherein the laser beam has a peak optical power between about 0.5W and 1.5 kW.

19. The method according to claim 14 wherein the laser beam is traversed at a speed greater than about 10 mm/s.

20. The method according to claim 14 wherein the frit has a thermal conductivity greater than about 800 mm²/s.