Load-Locked OLED Printing for Uniform Films With Low Nitrogen Loss

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing techniques for depositing organic light-emitting device (OLED) films lack the ability to combine high uniformity, purity, and thickness control with large area scalability and cost-effectiveness, leading to inadequate film quality and inefficient material use.

Innovation Solution

A load-locked thermal jet printing system that supports a substrate on gas bearings, minimizing nitrogen loss and oxidation, while using a pulsating thermal jet discharge nozzle to deposit OLED material precisely and efficiently across large areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If thermal evaporation is used to deposit OLED films, then film uniformity, purity, and thickness control are improved, but large area scalability and cost-effectiveness deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefilm uniformity and thickness controlVSAvoidlarge area scalability

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical shadow mask system with a programmable inkjet printing system that deposits material only where needed, eliminating the waste inherent in thermal evaporation methods while maintaining pattern definition capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The inkjet printing system applies material locally only to the regions requiring film deposition, rather than coating the entire substrate as in thermal evaporation, thereby improving material efficiency and enabling large area processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If ink jet printing is used to deposit OLED films, then large area scalability and material efficiency are improved, but film uniformity, purity, and thickness control deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelarge area scalabilityVSAvoidfilm uniformity and thickness control

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs precise control of printing parameters including droplet size, deposition frequency, and substrate positioning to achieve uniform film thickness and composition across large areas, matching the quality of thermal evaporation methods

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces solvent-based ink jet printing with a thermal evaporation-based ink jet system that deposits pure organic material without solvents, eliminating the quality issues associated with solvent drying and material degradation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Manufacturing precision

If shadow masking is used for thermal evaporation, then pattern definition is improved, but material waste and process complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepattern definitionVSAvoidmaterial waste

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the shadow mask component entirely, using a programmable inkjet system that defines patterns through selective material deposition rather than physical masking, thereby eliminating material waste on the mask and simplifying the process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the substrate processing into discrete printable regions, depositing material only where needed through programmable nozzle activation patterns, which eliminates the need for shadow masks and reduces material waste

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Object-affected harmful factors

If nitrogen atmosphere is used during thermal jet printing, then oxidation prevention is improved, but nitrogen loss and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoxidation preventionVSAvoidnitrogen loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent maintains a nitrogen atmosphere within the printing chamber to prevent oxidation of the OLED materials during deposition, while using controlled gas flow management to minimize nitrogen loss to the environment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

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 system achieves high-quality, large area OLED film deposition with improved material efficiency and reduced nitrogen loss, addressing the limitations of conventional methods by providing both high film quality and cost-effective scalability.

Implementation Method 1

supports a substrate on gas bearings

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas bearing: Air Lubrication

Implementation Method 2

pulsating thermal jet discharge nozzle to deposit OLED material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal jet: Jet

Data Source

PatentUS12285945B2Method and apparatus for load-locked printing

Publication Date: 2025.04.29 KATEEVA INC

AI summary

The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for preventing oxidation or contamination during a circuit printing operation. The circuit printing operation can be directed to OLED-type printing. In an exemplary embodiment, the printing process is conducted at a load-locked printer housing having one or more of chambers. Each chamber is partitioned from the other chambers by physical gates or fluidic curtains. A controller coordinates transportation of a substrate through the system and purges the system by timely opening appropriate gates. The controller may also control the printing operation by energizing the print-head at a time when the substrate is positioned substantially thereunder.