Organic Light-Emitting Display Emission Layer Formation via Sacrificial Mask
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for manufacturing organic light-emitting display apparatuses face challenges in preventing defect generation during the formation of emission layers and encapsulation, leading to reduced quality and increased defect rates.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using a fine metal mask (FMM) to form red, green, and blue emission layers with a patterned sacrificial layer, ensuring a constant interval and minimizing contact with the pixel definition layer and intermediate layers, while a fluorinated sacrificial layer is used to prevent damage during removal, enhancing the bonding power of the thin film encapsulation layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a fine metal mask (FMM) is used to form emission layers, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is segmented into distinct stages: forming the sacrificial layer, forming emission layers in first through holes, removing the sacrificial layer, and forming encapsulation layers. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently, maintaining precision while managing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A sacrificial layer is formed in advance before emitting the emission layers. This preliminary action creates a structured template (first through holes) that guides precise emission layer formation, improving manufacturing precision while the sacrificial layer is later removed to simplify the final structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If the FMM contacts the pixel definition layer and intermediate layers, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to damage risk
Solution Approach 1:
The sacrificial layer acts as an intermediary between the FMM and the pixel definition layer/intermediate layers. It provides a protective barrier during emission layer formation, preventing direct contact and potential damage, while still allowing the FMM to function effectively for precise layer deposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The sacrificial layer is formed beforehand to cushion and protect the underlying pixel definition layer and intermediate layers during the emission layer formation process. This prior cushioning prevents damage while maintaining manufacturing ease.
3Reliability
If the encapsulation layer is formed with strong bonding, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sacrificial layer is formed in advance to create precisely defined first through holes that serve as templates for emission layer placement. This preliminary structuring ensures that subsequent encapsulation layers can be formed with strong bonding while maintaining manufacturing precision through the guided hole structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The encapsulation process focuses on local quality enhancement at critical bonding interfaces (pixel definition layer, intermediate layers, opposite electrode) rather than requiring uniform high precision across the entire structure. The sacrificial layer removal creates localized through holes where precise bonding is most needed.
Data Source
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AI summary
An organic light-emitting display apparatus, including a pixel electrode; a pixel definition layer covering at least a portion of an edge of the pixel electrode; an emission layer on the pixel electrode; and a first intermediate layer on the pixel electrode and the pixel definition layer, the first intermediate layer having a first through hole corresponding to at least a portion of an upper surface of the pixel definition layer.