OLED Thin Film Encapsulation Plasma Profile Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional OLED manufacturing processes result in tail residuals during thin film encapsulation, leading to irregular film contours, electrical performance issues, and increased risk of moisture ingress, which can cause device failure.
Innovation Solution
A plasma treatment process using a halogen-containing gas mixture is applied to the thin film encapsulation structure to remove tail residuals and achieve a desired profile, ensuring a clean and controlled surface for the OLED device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional evaporation and deposition processes with patterned shadow masks are used to manufacture OLED structures, then the OLED device can be fabricated with multiple layers of organic and inorganic materials, but tail residuals are formed on the substrate underneath the shadow masks, resulting in irregular film contours and compromising device performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a plasma treatment process before the deposition of encapsulation layers to remove tail residuals from the substrate surface. This preliminary cleaning action prevents the formation of irregular film contours during subsequent deposition processes, ensuring precise film profiling without compromising the ease of manufacture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of tail residuals (which cause irregular film contours) into a benefit by using plasma treatment to selectively remove these residuals. The plasma process transforms the contaminated surface into a clean, controlled profile that enhances device performance while maintaining the conventional deposition workflow
2Productivity
If tail residuals are present on the substrate, then the deposition process can proceed without additional cleaning steps, but the irregular film contour and loose bonding create voids and defects that allow moisture ingress, leading to device failure
Solution Approach 1:
The plasma treatment is performed as a preliminary step before deposition to eliminate tail residuals and potential moisture contamination. This advance cleaning ensures reliable film formation and prevents moisture ingress pathways, thereby ensuring device reliability without reducing deposition productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The plasma treatment acts as an intermediary process between substrate preparation and deposition. It mediates the surface condition by removing contaminants and creating an optimal surface for subsequent film deposition, ensuring both productivity and device reliability
3Ease of manufacture
If patterned shadow masks are positioned to cover portions of the contact layer, then materials can be deposited selectively on the OLED structure, but tail residuals extend underneath the mask edges, adversely affecting electrical performance and passivation capability
Solution Approach 1:
The plasma treatment is applied before deposition to remove tail residuals that would otherwise form at the edges of shadow masks. This preliminary action ensures that subsequent selective deposition produces clean, well-defined profiles without compromising the ease of manufacture using conventional shadow mask techniques
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
The plasma treatment effectively removes tail residuals, enhancing the electrical performance and passivation capabilities of the OLED device by maintaining a controlled profile and preventing moisture ingress.
Implementation Method 1
performing a plasma treatment process to the thin film encapsulation structure by supplying a treatment gas mixture including a halogen containing gas to the thin film encapsulation structure
Implementation Method 2
performing a plasma treatment process by supplying a treatment gas mixture including at least a halogen containing gas
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments described herein generally relate to a method and apparatus for encapsulating an OLED structure, more particularly, to a TFE structure for an OLED structure with desired profile control of the TFE structure. In one example, a method for forming a thin film encapsulation structure over an OLED structure includes forming a thin film encapsulation structure over an OLED structure disposed on a substrate, and performing a plasma treatment process to the thin film encapsulation structure by supplying a treatment gas mixture including a halogen containing gas to the thin film encapsulation structure.