Alternating Dual Crucible Deposition Source for OLED Thin Film Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing deposition apparatuses face inefficiencies and material degradation due to heat, leading to reduced usage and quality of deposition materials in forming thin films, particularly in high-vacuum environments for OLED devices.
Innovation Solution
A dual deposition source system where one crucible is heated while the other is cooled, allowing for alternating supply of deposition material to prevent heat-induced degradation and optimize material usage, featuring separate crucibles with heaters and coolers, and a nozzle system for controlled material flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single crucible is continuously heated to supply deposition material, then the deposition process can continue without interruption, but the deposition material degrades due to prolonged heat exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The single crucible system is divided into multiple crucibles (first crucible and second crucible). Each crucible can be independently heated and cooled, allowing one to supply material while the other is prepared or cooled down, preventing continuous heat exposure to the same material batch.
Solution Approach 2:
The deposition material is pre-loaded into multiple crucibles before the deposition process. The system can switch between crucibles, allowing one to be heated and supplied while another is cooled and prepared for the next cycle, ensuring material is ready before needed without prolonged heat exposure.
2Reliability
If multiple deposition source sections are used to alternate supply material, then material degradation is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple crucibles are merged into a single integrated deposition source assembly that shares common control systems, feed mechanisms, and cooling infrastructure. This reduces the overall complexity compared to having completely separate deposition sources while still achieving the benefit of alternating material supply.
Solution Approach 2:
Each crucible assembly is designed with multi-functionality, serving as both a heating zone for material supply and a cooling zone for material preparation. The same structural components serve multiple purposes, reducing the need for additional specialized parts and simplifying the overall device architecture.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the efficiency and longevity of deposition materials by preventing heat-induced degradation and ensuring consistent supply during the deposition process, improving the yield and reliability of thin film formation.
Implementation Method 1
A powdered organic material contained in a crucible of the deposition source may be evaporated, the evaporated organic material being scattered in a gas form under high vacuum
Implementation Method 2
the evaporated organic material being scattered in a gas form under high vacuum, and thus adhered to the substrate. The adhered organic material may be solidified to form a thin film
Data Source
AI summary
A method of depositing a material on a substrate is provided for use in manufacturing electronic and display devices such as semiconductors, liquid crystal displays, and organic light emitting diode displays. A deposition material stored in a first deposition source section is heated to evaporate the deposition material. A second deposition source section, which is separate from the first deposition source section, is cooled. The first deposition source section is cooled, and deposition material stored in a second deposition source section is heated so as to alternately supply evaporated deposition material from the first and second deposition source sections to a feed section. The evaporated deposition material from the feed section is supplied to a nozzle section. A substrate can be provided to receive the evaporated deposition material from the nozzle section. A thin film of deposition material can then be formed on the substrate.