Mask-Free OLED Encapsulation via Peeling Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thin film encapsulation methods for flexible OLED displays, such as PECVD, ALD, and PLD, require masks that are prone to contamination, damage, and high maintenance costs due to the need for frequent cleaning and replacement, and the lack of self-cleaning functions leads to accumulation of film layers.
Innovation Solution
A mask-free encapsulation method for OLED displays using a full-surface coating technique where inorganic and organic film layers are alternately stacked, with an organic peeling layer formed by thermal evaporation, allowing for the removal of encapsulation layers without a mask, reducing production and maintenance costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mask is used in PECVD, ALD, or PLD methods for thin film encapsulation, then the encapsulation process can be performed, but the mask surface becomes contaminated by foreign matter and requires frequent cleaning or replacement, leading to high maintenance costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the mask from the encapsulation process entirely. By forming the organic peeling layer first and then performing full-surface coating of inorganic and organic film layers, the mask is extracted from the system, eliminating contamination and maintenance issues while maintaining encapsulation quality through the peeling layer's protective function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the encapsulation process into distinct functional layers: an organic peeling layer formed first, followed by alternating inorganic and organic film layers. This segmentation allows each layer to serve its specific function - the peeling layer protects during processing and enables later removal, while the film layers provide encapsulation, resolving the contradiction between reliable encapsulation and manufacturing ease
2Reliability
If a mask is used in ALD or PLD methods, then encapsulation can be performed, but the mask surface accumulates deposited film layers over time and is difficult to clean, causing higher costs
Solution Approach 1:
The mask is completely extracted from the ALD and PLD encapsulation processes. The method uses full-surface coating where the organic peeling layer serves as a sacrificial protective layer during deposition, eliminating the need for mask cleaning or replacement and reducing time loss while maintaining encapsulation quality
Solution Approach 2:
The organic peeling layer is formed in advance before the encapsulation film layers are deposited. This preliminary action creates a protective surface that prevents contamination during subsequent coating processes, eliminating the need for mask cleaning and reducing time loss while ensuring reliable encapsulation
3Reliability
If a mask is used in PECVD method, then encapsulation can be performed, but arcing may occur due to contamination under the reaction of positive and negative electric fields, causing damage to the mask
Solution Approach 1:
The mask is extracted from the PECVD encapsulation process. The organic peeling layer serves as the protective surface during plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, eliminating the risk of arcing and mask damage while maintaining encapsulation quality through the peeling layer's protective function
Solution Approach 2:
The organic peeling layer acts as an intermediary between the substrate and the encapsulation film layers during PECVD processing. It provides a protective surface that prevents direct plasma interaction with the substrate, eliminating arcing issues and mask damage while ensuring reliable encapsulation of the OLED elements
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 simplifies the encapsulation process, avoids mask damage and cleaning issues, and lowers costs by enabling full-surface coating without the need for masks, while ensuring effective encapsulation of OLED light emitting elements.
Implementation Method 1
heating a precursor of the parylene polymer to fully gasify, and continuing to heat in a vacuum environment to pyrolyze the precursor into monomers of the parylene polymer, then importing the monomers of the parylene polymer into a thermal evaporation chamber to perform a thermal evaporation process
Implementation Method 2
continuing to heat in a vacuum environment to pyrolyze the precursor into monomers of the parylene polymer
Implementation Method 3
one method of preparing the inorganic film layer in a thin film encapsulation process is generally performed by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD)
Implementation Method 4
performing a encapsulation process of the OLED display panel, to form inorganic film layers and organic film layers alternately stacked on the OLED display panel
Data Source
AI summary
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display panel and a encapsulation method of the organic light emitting diode display panel are provided. The encapsulation method includes steps of providing an OLED display panel having an OLED light emitting element layer in a display area thereof and an organic peeling layer in a non-display area thereof; laminating an inorganic film layer prepared in a full-surface coating method and an organic film layer only covering the display area sequentially; and peeling off the organic peeling layer together with the inorganic film layer on the surface of the organic peeling layer, so as to form a thin film encapsulation layer.