Organic light emitting display and fabricating method of the same

• US 7,821,197 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lee, Jong Woo
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Nimeshkumar D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hines; Anne M
• Application Number:
  US11/541,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20070177069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 313498-512
• US Class Current: 313/504
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/17 Passive-matrix OLED displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/50 Forming devices by joining two substrates together, e.g. lamination techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/851 Division of substrate

Abstract

Disclosed are an organic light emitting display device and a method of making the same. A first mother substrate includes a first display array and a second display array. A second mother substrate is attached to the first mother substrate in order to seal the arrays. A frit is formed at non-pixel regions of the first mother substrate and the second mother substrate. The frit interconnects the first and second mother substrates to each other. A reinforcing member is formed along the frit. A metal pattern is formed on the first substrate and extends along the reinforcing member.

Claims

1. An organic light emitting display device, comprising:

a first substrate comprising a first side surface;

a second substrate comprising a first side surface and opposing the first substrate;

an array of organic light-emitting pixels interposed between the first and second substrates;

a frit seal interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate while surrounding the array, wherein the frit seal, the first substrate and the second substrate together define an enclosed space in which the array is located;

a first structure interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and located outside the enclosed space, the first structure contacting the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the first structure comprises a first side surface, and wherein the first side surface along with the first side surfaces of the first and second substrates forms a generally smooth surface; and

a metal piece located outside the enclosed space while interposed between and contacting the first and second substrates.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the generally smooth surface is substantially free of a step.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first side surface of the first structure contacts the first side surfaces of the first and second substrates.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first structure is made of a material substantially different from the first and second substrates.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the generally smooth surface is substantially planar.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first side surface of the first structure has a roughness which is substantially the same as that of at least one of the first side surfaces of the first and second substrates.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first structure further comprises a portion configured to block a light beam.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first substrate comprises a second side surface, the second substrate comprises a second side surface, wherein the device further comprises a second structure comprising a second side surface, which faces generally the same direction as the second side surfaces of the first and second substrates, wherein the second structure is interposed between the first and second substrates outside the enclosed space.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the second surface of the second structure along with the second surfaces of the first and second substrates forms a second side of the device, and wherein the second side comprises a stepped surface.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the second surface of the second structure along with the second surfaces of the first and second substrates forms a substantially smooth surface.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the frit seal comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of magnesium oxide (MgO), calcium oxide (CaO), barium oxide (BaO), lithium oxide (Li₂O), sodium oxide (Na₂O), potassium oxide (K₂O), boron oxide (B₂O₃), vanadium oxide (V₂O₅), zinc oxide (ZnO), tellurium oxide (TeO₂), aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), silicon dioxide (SiO₂), lead oxide (PbO), tin oxide (SnO), phosphorous oxide (P₂O₅), ruthenium oxide (Ru₂O), rubidium oxide (Rb₂O), rhodium oxide (Rh₂O), ferrite oxide (Fe₂O₃), copper oxide (CuO), titanium oxide (TiO₂), tungsten oxide (WO₃), bismuth oxide (Bi₂O₃), antimony oxide (Sb₂O₃), lead-borate glass, tin-phosphate glass, vanadate glass, and borosilicate.

12. A method of making the organic light-emitting display device of claim 1, the method comprising:

providing a unfinished product comprising;

a first unfinished substrate,

a second unfinished substrate opposing the first substrate,

a first array of organic light-emitting pixels interposed between the first substrate and second substrate,

a first frit seal interposed between the first unfinished substrate and second unfinished substrate and surrounding the first array, wherein the first fit seal, the first unfinished substrate and the second unfinished substrate together define a first enclosed space in which the first array is located, the first frit seal comprising a first segment,

a second array of organic light-emitting pixels interposed between the first unfinished substrate and second unfinished substrate,

a second frit seal interposed between the first unfinished substrate and second unfinished substrate and surrounding the second array, wherein the second frit seal, the first unfinished substrate and the second unfinished substrate together define a second enclosed space in which the second array is located, the second frit seal comprising a second segment, and

a structure interposed between the first and second unfinished substrates and further between the first and second segments; and

cutting the unfinished product into a first piece and a second piece such that each of the first and second pieces comprises a portion of the structure.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first and second segments extend substantially parallel, and wherein the structure extends along the first and second segments.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the structure contacts the first and second substrates.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the structure of the unfinished product comprises a first portion, a second portion and a central portion sandwiched between the first and second portions, wherein the first piece comprises the first portion and a piece of the central portion, and wherein the second piece comprises the second portion and a piece of the central portion.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the central portion comprises a material is softer than the first and second portions.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the first, second and central portions comprise a resin, wherein the resin of the central portion is less cured than that of the first and second portions.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first portion contacts the first segment, and wherein the first portion extends along the first segment.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first portion is apart from the first segment with a gap, and wherein the first portion extends along the first segment.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the central portion comprises a material configured to block a light beam.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein providing comprises providing the unfinished product in which the structure is made of a curable resin, wherein providing further comprises applying a light beam to the structure while part of the light beam is blocked by the material configured to block the light beam, and wherein the light beam cures the first and second portions of the structure.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the first piece comprises a side surface comprising a surface formed by the portion of the structure, wherein the side surface of the first piece is generally smooth.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the generally smooth surface is substantially planar.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the first piece comprises a side surface comprising a surface formed by the portion of the structure, wherein the side surface of the first piece is stepped.

25. An organic light emitting display device, comprising:

a first substrate comprising a side surface;

a second substrate opposing the substrate and comprising a first side surface;

an array of organic light-emitting pixels interposed between the first and second substrates;

a frit seal interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate while surrounding the array, wherein the frit seal, the first substrate and the second substrate together define an enclosed space in which the array is located;

a reinforcing structure located outside the enclosed space while interposed between the first and second substrates, wherein the side surface of the first substrate and the reinforcing structure form a step therebetween; and

a metal piece located outside the enclosed space while interposed between and contacting the first and second substrates.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the metal piece contacts the reinforcing structure.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein the reinforcing structure comprises UV-cured resin.

28. The device of claim 25, wherein the reinforcing structure extends along the frit seal.

29. The device of claim 25, wherein the reinforcing structure substantially surrounds the frit seal.

30. The device of claim 25, wherein the side surface of the second substrate and the reinforcing structure form a step therebetween.

31. The device of claim 25, wherein the side surfaces of the first and second substrates face generally the same direction, wherein the reinforcing structure comprises a side surface interposed between the side surfaces of the first and second substrates when viewed in the direction.

32. The device of claim 25, wherein the first substrate comprises two or more edges, wherein the reinforcing structure is formed along the two or more edges.