OLED Peripheral Dam Metal Layer Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
In organic light-emitting display apparatuses, peeling occurs at the peripheral portions due to inadequate adhesive strength between layers, affecting the quality of the display.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a metal-containing layer directly contacting the top, inner, and outer surfaces of the first dam, combined with a thin-film encapsulator including inorganic and organic films, and an inorganic material layer between the metal-containing layer and the first inorganic film, enhances the adhesive strength and prevents peeling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a conventional structure without metal-containing layer is used, then the device complexity is low, but the adhesive strength between layers at peripheral portions is insufficient causing peeling
Solution Approach 1:
A metal-containing layer is introduced as an intermediary between the first dam and the first inorganic film. This metal-containing layer serves as a mediator that enhances adhesive strength at the peripheral portions where peeling occurs, without requiring fundamental changes to the existing OLED structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite material structure by combining the metal-containing layer with the existing dam and inorganic film layers. The metal-containing layer is formed of metal particles dispersed in a polymer matrix, creating a composite material that provides both mechanical reinforcement and improved adhesion at the peripheral regions.
2Reliability
If the thin-film encapsulator with multiple inorganic and organic films is implemented, then the reliability and protective function are improved, but the manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The encapsulation structure is segmented into multiple functional layers: first inorganic film, organic film, and second inorganic film. Each layer provides specific functions (barrier protection, flexibility, adhesion), allowing the system to achieve high reliability while maintaining manufacturability through standardized deposition processes for each layer type.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the metal-containing layer is added to cover the first dam, then the structural integrity at peripheral areas is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The metal-containing layer is applied locally at the peripheral portions where the first dam is located, rather than uniformly across the entire device. This localized application provides structural reinforcement and improved adhesion exactly where peeling occurs, while minimizing the overall complexity addition to the device structure.
Data Source
AI summary
An organic light-emitting display apparatus including a substrate having a display area and a peripheral area; a TFT in the display area; an organic insulating layer on the TFT; an OLED that includes a pixel electrode electrically connected to the TFT, an emission layer on the pixel electrode, and a counter electrode facing the pixel electrode with the emission layer therebetween; a pixel-defining layer on the organic insulating layer and having an opening overlying the pixel electrode; a first dam in the peripheral area; a second dam in the peripheral area to surround an outer periphery of the first dam; a metal-containing layer covering the first dam and including a same material as the pixel electrode; and a thin-film encapsulator on the substrate to cover the OLED and including a first and second inorganic films, and an organic film between the first and second inorganic films.