Corrugated Thin Film Encapsulation for OLED Lateral Visibility

The patent applies curvature by forming a corrugated surface with periodic undulations instead of a flat surface. The corrugated structure includes upward and downward protrusions that create multiple light refraction angles, improving lateral visibility. The curvature radius is specifically controlled (e.g., 1-10 μm) to optimize light scattering while maintaining manufacturability.

The patent changes physical parameters by controlling the modulation depth (e.g., 0.5-5 μm) and period (e.g., 1-10 μm) of the corrugated structure. These parameter adjustments optimize the balance between light refraction effectiveness and manufacturing complexity, allowing the corrugated surface to refract light at various angles without requiring overly complex structures.

The patent employs self-service by utilizing the natural difference in moduli of elasticity between the first layer (lower modulus, e.g., organic material) and second layer (higher modulus, e.g., inorganic material) to spontaneously form the corrugated structure during the coating process. This eliminates the need for additional lithography, etching, or patterning steps, as the structure forms automatically through material property differences.

The patent uses composite materials by stacking an organic first layer with an inorganic second layer, where the contrasting mechanical properties (moduli of elasticity) of these materials drive the spontaneous formation of the corrugated structure. This composite approach converts material property differences into structural features without additional processing.