Flexible Organic-Inorganic Laminate Barrier Film
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices require efficient encapsulation and passivation to protect against moisture and oxygen, but inorganic materials used for this purpose are rigid and prone to breakage, limiting form factor and increasing production costs, and existing barrier layers show unsatisfactory performance under mechanical stress and high humidity.
Innovation Solution
A process involving atomic layer deposition (ALD) to create a laminate with alternating inorganic and nitrogen-comprising organic layers, providing a flexible and durable barrier film that maintains its water and oxygen barrier properties even under bending and elevated temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If inorganic materials are used as barrier material, then moisture and oxygen barrier properties are improved, but flexibility and mechanical stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by creating an organic-inorganic laminate structure where alternating layers of organic material (providing flexibility) and inorganic barrier material (providing moisture and oxygen barrier properties) are deposited together. This composite structure combines the advantages of both material types to achieve both barrier performance and mechanical flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier function is segmented into multiple thin alternating layers of organic and inorganic materials rather than using a single thick inorganic layer. This segmentation allows the structure to maintain barrier properties while gaining flexibility from the organic layers, resolving the contradiction between barrier performance and mechanical stability.
2Reliability
If glass sheets are used in electronic devices, then barrier properties are improved, but production cost and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical processing of large glass sheets with a chemical deposition process (atomic layer deposition) that forms thin film barriers directly on the substrate. This substitution eliminates the need for handling, cutting, and assembling large fragile glass sheets, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining barrier properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses thin film structures deposited by atomic layer deposition instead of thick glass sheets. These thin films provide the necessary barrier properties while being much easier to manufacture, handle, and integrate into electronic devices, significantly reducing production costs and manufacturing difficulty.
3Strength
If existing barrier layers are bent around small radii, then flexibility is improved, but barrier properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier function is divided into multiple thin alternating layers of organic and inorganic materials. This segmentation allows the structure to bend around small radii without cracking or losing barrier properties, as the thin layers can accommodate the curvature stress better than a single thick layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The alternating organic-inorganic laminate structure provides both flexibility for bending and maintained barrier properties. The organic layers provide flexibility allowing bending around small radii, while the inorganic layers maintain the barrier function even after bending, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and barrier retention.
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
The laminate achieves low permeability for small molecules like water and oxygen, maintaining high flexibility and stability, with a water vapor transmission rate significantly reduced even after mechanical stress, effectively addressing the limitations of existing barrier technologies.
Implementation Method 1
depositing an inorganic layer by performing 3 to 150 cycles of an atomic layer deposition process
Implementation Method 2
depositing an organic layer comprising nitrogen by performing 1 to 3 cycles of a molecular layer deposition process
Data Source
AI summary
Processes for producing flexible organic-inorganic laminates are described herein. In particular, a process is provided for producing a laminate comprising at least twice a sequence comprising (a) depositing an inorganic layer by performing 3 to 150 cycles of an atomic layer deposition process, and (b) depositing an organic layer comprising nitrogen by performing 1 to 3 cycles of a molecular layer deposition process.