Encapsulating Layer Holes and Getter for OLED Gas Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Organic light-emitting display apparatuses face challenges in maintaining longevity due to impurity gases trapped within the encapsulating layers, which can lead to progressive dark spots and damage to underlying layers, necessitating effective gas removal and moisture protection.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an encapsulating layer structure with alternating inorganic and organic layers, featuring holes for out-gassing impurity gases and a getter material to absorb moisture, ensuring the encapsulating layer covers the display device and extends beyond its edges to prevent external contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an encapsulating layer is formed to cover the display device, then protection from external contamination is improved, but impurity gases become trapped within the encapsulating layer causing progressive dark spots and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces holes in the encapsulating layer before the device is fully sealed, allowing impurity gases to be removed through out-gassing. This preliminary action prevents the accumulation of harmful gases that would otherwise cause progressive dark spots and damage to the display device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts harmful impurity gases from within the encapsulating layer by providing dedicated holes that extend through the encapsulating layers. These holes serve as extraction pathways, allowing gases to be removed from the sealed structure without compromising the protective encapsulation.
2Reliability
If the encapsulating layer is made thicker to improve protection, then moisture barrier performance is improved, but the device becomes more complex and harder to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the encapsulating layer into multiple alternating inorganic and organic layers. This segmentation provides both enhanced moisture barrier performance through the inorganic layers and flexibility through the organic layers, while the modular structure simplifies manufacturing compared to a single thick layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite encapsulating layers combining inorganic materials (for moisture barrier) and organic materials (for flexibility and stress relief). This composite structure achieves superior protection without requiring excessive thickness, maintaining manufacturability while improving reliability.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If holes are formed in the encapsulating layer for out-gassing, then impurity gas removal is improved, but moisture ingress risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potential harm of holes (moisture ingress) into a benefit by filling them with getter material. The same holes that allow gas removal become channels for introducing moisture-absorbing getters, which then protect the device by absorbing both residual gases and any moisture that might attempt to enter through the holes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces getter material as an intermediary substance within the holes. This getter acts as a mediator that absorbs harmful gases and moisture, preventing them from reaching and damaging the display device while maintaining the gas removal function of the holes.
4Stability of the object's composition
If alternating inorganic and organic encapsulating layers are used, then flexibility and stress relief are improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the encapsulating layer into alternating thin inorganic and organic layers, each with specific functions. The inorganic layers provide barrier properties while the organic layers provide flexibility and stress relief. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized independently, reducing overall manufacturing complexity despite the multi-layer structure.
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 solution effectively removes impurity gases, prevents moisture ingress, and extends the lifespan of the organic light-emitting display apparatus by sealing the device from external substances, thereby reducing the risk of damage and maintaining image quality.
Implementation Method 1
a getter filled in the hole
Implementation Method 2
out-gassing an impurity gas contained in the first encapsulating layer via the first hole
Data Source
AI summary
An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a substrate, a display device on the substrate, an encapsulating layer that covers the display device, that is bound to the substrate, and that includes a hole extending in a direction away from the substrate, and a getter filled in the hole.