OLED Encapsulation via Hydrophilic Polymer Buffer Layer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current OLED thin-film encapsulating methods are inefficient due to the lengthy film-forming time and increased costs associated with inkjet printing, which are exacerbated by the sensitivity of OLED devices to water and oxygen.
Innovation Solution
An OLED device encapsulating method and structure that involves forming a substrate with a barrier layer, a surface active layer using hydrophilic polymer materials, and a buffer layer, where the surface active layer is printed in a matrix form and reacts with buffer material to diffuse and cover the barrier layer, reducing film-forming time and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If inkjet printing is used to form buffer layers alternately with organic and inorganic thin films, then the OLED device can be effectively encapsulated against water and oxygen, but the film-forming time is lengthened and the manufacturing cost is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the time-consuming alternating deposition process of organic and inorganic thin films. Instead, it uses a single inkjet printing step to directly form the buffer layer with hydrophilic polymer materials, removing the unnecessary complexity of multiple alternating layers while maintaining encapsulation effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by not using alternating organic-inorganic layers, but rather using a single inkjet-printed buffer layer made of hydrophilic polymer materials that actively repels water and oxygen, achieving encapsulation through a different mechanism that is faster and more cost-effective.
2Reliability
If inkjet printing is used to form buffer layers alternately with organic and inorganic thin films, then the OLED device can be effectively encapsulated against water and oxygen, but the manufacturing cost is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the expensive alternating deposition process of organic and inorganic thin films. Instead, it uses a single inkjet printing step to directly form the buffer layer with hydrophilic polymer materials, removing the unnecessary complexity of multiple alternating layers while maintaining encapsulation effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs inexpensive hydrophilic polymer materials for the buffer layer that can be directly printed via inkjet printing, replacing the costly alternating deposition of multiple organic and inorganic thin films. The simple material composition reduces material costs and processing expenses.
3Productivity
If the surface active layer is formed with thickness less than 100 microns, then the diffusion and covering of buffer material is enhanced, but the encapsulation completeness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the thickness parameter of the surface active layer to be less than 100 microns, which enhances the diffusion efficiency of buffer material while maintaining sufficient encapsulation completeness through the careful selection of hydrophilic polymer materials that provide effective water and oxygen barrier properties at reduced thickness.
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 method shortens the film-forming time and reduces costs by allowing the buffer material to diffuse and cover the barrier layer through chemical reaction, effectively encapsulating the OLED device while maintaining its integrity against water and oxygen.
Implementation Method 1
the buffer material is sprayed to diffuse and cover the entire barrier layer before the buffer layer is formed, through the chemical reaction of the surface active layer and the buffer material
Data Source
AI summary
An OLED device encapsulating structure used to encapsulate an OLED is disclosed. The OLED device encapsulating structure includes a substrate, a barrier layer formed on the substrate, a surface active layer disposed on the barrier layer, and a buffer layer stacked on the surface active layer. An orthogonal projection of the buffer layer onto the barrier layer may coincide with that of the surface active layer onto the barrier layer. A composite layer may further be stacked on the buffer layer. An OLED device and a display screen are also disclosed.