Flexible Organic-Inorganic Passivation Layer via Plasma Chamber Merging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for forming organic-inorganic multi-layer thin films for encapsulating electronic devices require dedicated equipment for each material layer, leading to reduced throughput and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
Alternately forming organic and inorganic material layers in the same chamber using a plasma process, where organic films are generated by decomposing hydrocarbons or fluorocarbons, and inorganic films are deposited using materials like Al2O3, ZrO2, and SiO2, with repeated cycles to achieve a flexible passivation layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If dedicated equipment is used for forming organic material layers and inorganic material layers separately, then each layer can be formed with appropriate specialized process, but throughput is reduced and manufacturing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the formation of organic material layers and inorganic material layers into a single vacuum chamber, allowing both types of layers to be deposited alternately without removing the substrate between processes. This merging of previously separate operations into one integrated system eliminates equipment transfer time and improves throughput while maintaining the ability to form both organic and inorganic layers with appropriate deposition conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum chamber is designed to perform multiple functions: it can deposit organic material layers from organic material sources and inorganic material layers from inorganic material sources using the same chamber space. This multi-functionality allows a single piece of equipment to replace what would traditionally require separate dedicated equipment, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency and throughput.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple dedicated equipment are used for alternately forming organic and inorganic layers, then layer quality can be maintained, but device complexity and process time increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple deposition functions are merged into a single vacuum chamber system. The chamber can accommodate both organic material sources and inorganic material sources, and can switch between depositing organic and inorganic layers by controlling which material sources are activated. This reduces the number of separate equipment pieces while maintaining the ability to deposit high-quality layers of both types.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between depositing organic material layers and inorganic material layers within the same vacuum chamber. By controlling the activation and deactivation of different material sources and adjusting deposition parameters in real-time, the system maintains high layer quality while avoiding the need for static dedicated equipment for each material type.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional spray or ink-jet methods with UV curing are used for organic material layers, then organic layers can be formed, but additional processing steps and equipment are required compared to direct deposition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the UV curing step and replaces it with direct vacuum deposition of organic material layers. Instead of applying organic material as a liquid coating that requires subsequent UV curing, the organic material is deposited directly from the vapor phase in the vacuum chamber. This eliminates the curing step and reduces the total number of processing steps while maintaining effective organic layer formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The conventional liquid spray or ink-jet application method followed by UV curing is replaced with a physical vapor deposition process. The organic material is transported and deposited in the vapor phase directly onto the substrate without requiring liquid application or subsequent photopolymerization, thereby simplifying the process and reducing processing time.
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 of the encapsulation process, reduces the water-vapor transmission rate, and improves the flexibility and durability of the passivation layer, while maintaining a high throughput by forming layers in a single vacuum chamber.
Implementation Method 1
The organic films are formed by a plasma process that includes stacking a plasma-process generated material formed by decomposing a hydrocarbon or a fluorocarbon on a material layer thereunder. The plasma-process generated material may be a plasma-process generated polymer film formed by plasma polymerization.
Implementation Method 2
formed by decomposing a hydrocarbon or a fluorocarbon by plasma processing
Implementation Method 3
The organic material layers provide flexible thin film encapsulation and the inorganic material layers block penetration of moisture and oxygen into the organic-inorganic multi-layer thin film.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a flexible organic-inorganic passivation film and a method of forming the same. The flexible organic-inorganic passivation film includes an organic-inorganic passivation film formed by alternately and repeatedly forming an organic film and an inorganic film on a substrate. The organic film is formed by stacking plasma-process generated material on a material layer thereunder. The plasma-process generated material is formed by plasma processing a hydrocarbon or a fluorocarbon.