Hermetically sealed package and method of fabricating of a hermetically sealed package

• US 7,344,901 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2004
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Inventors: Reddy, Kamjula Pattabhirami, Hawtof, Daniel W., Stone, John III
• Primary Examiner(s): Geyer; Scott B.
• Application Number:
  US10/964,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20050151151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 257/E33.055, 257/E33.056, 257/E33.058, 257/E33.059, 257/E33.06, 257/E23.116, 257/E23.118, 257/E23.124, 257/E23.125, 257/E23.127, 257/E23.128, 257/E21.499, 257/E21.502
• US Class Current: 438/26
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/00 Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin fibrous or filamentary layer made of a synthetic resin B32B5/02; particulate layer made of a synthetic resin B32B5/16; foamed layer made of a synthetic resin B32B5/18
• 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: C03C 3/091 containing aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 3/093 containing zinc or zirconium
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 3/095 containing rare earths
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 3/108 containing boron
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 3/11 containing halogen or nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 3/118 containing aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 8/04 containing zinc
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 8/10 containing lead
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 8/24 Fusion seal compositions being frit compositions having non-frit additions, i.e. for use as seals between dissimilar materials, e.g. glass and metal; Glass solders
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8722 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/239 Complete cover or casing

Abstract

A method and apparatus for forming a hermetic seal between two substrates includes providing an electromagnetic absorbent sealing material perimetrically about a surface of one of the substrates. Furthermore, the illustrative method includes heating the sealing material. In addition, a package having a hermetic seal and apparati for disposing a sealing material are described.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing a first substrate;

providing an electromagnetic radiation absorbent sealing material over a surface of the first substrate;

providing a second substrate over the first substrate, an array of organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) being disposed over a surface of the second substrate; and

heating the sealing material with a source of electromagnetic radiation to soften the sealing material, thereby forming a hermetic seal between the first and second substrates.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sealing material comprises a glass material.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the glass material comprises constituents that absorb the electromagnetic radiation.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the heating the sealing material comprises focusing light from a laser source on the electromagnetic radiation absorbent sealing material.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the glass material is doped with a doping material that is absorptive at a wavelength of light emitted from the laser source.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are not appreciably absorptive of the light of the wavelength emitted from the laser source.

7. A method as recited claim 5, wherein the doping material comprises a transition metal or a rare earth metal.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein not more than approximately 10⁻

6 g/m²-day of water penetrate the hermetic seal.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein not more than 10⁻

3 ml/m²-day of oxygen penetrates the hermetic seal.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first substrate comprises a glass material.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second substrate comprises a glass material.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is one of:

microwave radiation, millimeter wave radiation, infra-red radiation, ultra-violet radiation, or visible light.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the providing the electromagnetic radiation absorbing sealing material comprises before the providing, heating the sealing material;

and the providing further comprises;

providing a sealing material in a dispenser; and

dispensing the sealing material.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the first substrate is heated prior to the providing the sealing material.

15. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the substrate is heated to a temperature between approximately 100°

C. and approximately 800°

C. prior to the providing the sealing material.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sealing material is disposed perimetrically over the surface.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a distance between the sealing material and an edge of the surface is provided and is substantially constant.

18. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a distance between the sealing material and an edge of the surface is provided and is not substantially constant.

19. A method of forming a glass package comprising:

providing a first and a second glass substrate, the second glass substrate comprising at least one organic light emitting diode disposed thereon;

dispensing a molten sealing material on the first substrate, the sealing material comprising at least one transition metal or rare earth metal;

disposing the first glass substrate over the second glass substrate;

heating the glass sealing material with a source of electromagnetic radiation to form a hermetic seal between the first and second substrates.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 wherein the at least one transition metal or rare earth metal is selected from the group consisting of iron, copper, vanadium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, chromium, neodymium, and cerium.

21. The method as recited in claim 19 wherein the disposing a fluid sealing material comprises perimetrically dispensing a molten glass.

22. The method as recited in claim 19 wherein the sealing material comprises a microsheet.

23. The method as recited in claim 19 wherein the first and second substrates do not substantially absorb at a wavelength of radiation from the electromagnetic radiation source.

24. The method as recited in claim 19 wherein the electromagnetic radiation source is a laser.

25. The method as recited in claim 19 wherein a temperature of the organic light emitting diode does not exceed about 85°

C. during the heating.