OLED display having organic and inorganic encapsulation layers, and manufacturing method thereof

• US 9,070,889 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2011
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lee, So-Young, Cho, Yoon-Hyeung, Oh, Min-Ho, Lee, Byoung-Duk, Cho, Sang-Hwan, Kim, Yong-Tak, Chung, Yun-Ah, Song, Seung-Yong, Lee, Jong-Hyuk
• Primary Examiner(s): PERT, EVAN T
• Application Number:
  US13/298,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20120256202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 438/99, 438/126, 438/127, 257/40, 257/790
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/31 characterised by the arrangement or shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/54 having a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/88 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/84 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8445 multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/858 comprising refractive means, e.g. lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8722 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8731 multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/879 comprising refractive means, e.g. lenses
• 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 a includes: a substrate; an organic light emitting element on the substrate and including a first electrode, a light emission layer, and a second electrode; and an encapsulation layer on the substrate while covering the organic light emitting element. The encapsulation layer includes an organic layer and an inorganic layer. A mixed area, where organic materials forming the organic layer and inorganic materials forming the inorganic layer co-exist along a plane direction of the encapsulation layer, is formed at the boundary between the organic layer and the inorganic layer.

Claims

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

a substrate;

an organic light emitting element on the substrate and comprising a first electrode, a light emission layer, and a second electrode; and

an encapsulation layer on the substrate while covering the organic light emitting element,

wherein the encapsulation layer comprises an organic layer and an inorganic layer,

wherein a mixed area, where organic materials forming the organic layer and inorganic materials forming the inorganic layer co-exist along a plane direction of the encapsulation layer, is formed at the boundary between the organic layer and the inorganic layer, and

wherein the organic layer has a plurality of groove portions at a surface thereof, and the inorganic layer is on the organic layer while concurrently filling the plurality of groove portions.

2. The OLED display of claim 1, wherein the plurality of groove portions formed in the organic layer are respectively separated from each other such that they are independent from each other.

3. The OLED display of claim 2, wherein, in the organic layer, the width of each of the groove portions is in a range between 1 nm to 5 μ

m.

4. The OLED display of claim 2, wherein, in the organic layer, the depth of each of the groove portions is in a range between 1 nm to 5 μ

m.

8. The OLED display of claim 1, wherein the organic layer comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of an acryl-based resin, a methacrylate-based resin, polyisoprene, a vinyl-based resin, an epoxy-based resin, a urethane-based resin, a cellulose-based resin, and a perylene-based resin.

9. The OLED display of claim 1, wherein the inorganic layer comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, zirconium nitride, titanium nitride, hafnium nitride, tantalum nitride, silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, tin oxide, cerium oxide, and silicon oxide nitride.

10. The OLED display of claim 1, wherein the organic layer and the inorganic layer are respectively provided in plural, and the mixed area is formed at each boundary in layering of the inorganic layer on the organic layer.

18. The OLED display of claim 1, wherein the organic layer has a plurality of holes, and the inorganic layer is formed on the organic layer while concurrently filling the plurality of holes.

5. An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display comprising:

a substrate;

an organic light emitting element on the substrate and comprising a first electrode, a light emission layer, and a second electrode; and

an encapsulation layer on the substrate while covering the organic light emitting element,

wherein the encapsulation layer comprises an organic layer and an inorganic layer,

wherein a mixed area, where organic materials forming the organic layer and inorganic materials forming the inorganic layer co-exist along a plane direction of the encapsulation layer, is formed at the boundary between the organic layer and the inorganic layer, and

wherein the organic layer has a plurality of holes, and the inorganic layer is formed on the organic layer while concurrently filling the plurality of holes.

6. The OLED display of claim 5, wherein, in the organic layer, the plurality of holes are separated from each other such that they are independent from each other.

7. The OLED display of claim 6, wherein the size of each hole formed in the organic layer is in a range between 1 nm to 5 μ

m.

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

forming an organic light emitting element to include a first electrode, a light emission layer, and a second electrode on a substrate; and

forming an encapsulation layer on the organic light emitting element,

wherein the forming of the encapsulation layer comprises,

forming an organic layer to include a plurality of organic materials and a plurality of etching target particles;

forming a plurality of groove portions in the organic layer by selectively etching the etching target particles; and

filling the plurality of groove portions with inorganic materials by forming an inorganic layer on the organic layer.

12. The manufacturing method of claim 11, wherein the etching target particles comprise at least one of organic colloid particles, inorganic colloid particles, and metal colloid particles.

13. The manufacturing method of claim 11, wherein the etching target particles comprise carbon nanotubes.

14. The manufacturing method of claim 11, wherein, in the forming of the organic layer, the etching target particles are evenly dispersed to the organic materials through a dispersion process.

15. The manufacturing method of claim 11, wherein, in the forming of the plurality of groove portions, the etching target particles are etched through plasma etching.

16. The manufacturing method of claim 11, wherein, in the forming of the groove portions, the organic layer is formed to have at least one hole.

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

forming an organic light emitting element to include a first electrode, a light emission layer, and a second electrode on a substrate; and

forming an encapsulation layer on the organic light emitting element,

wherein the forming of the encapsulation layer comprises,

forming an organic layer to include organic materials and etching target particles;

forming a plurality of holes in the organic layer by selectively etching the etching target particles; and

filling the plurality of holes with inorganic materials by forming an inorganic layer on the organic layer.