OLED Panel Sub-Pixel Deposition via Photolithography
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing OLED devices face challenges in achieving precise control over the organic light-emitting layer, leading to low yield due to inaccuracies in mask alignment and evaporation area control, which hinders industrialization.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a substrate with a first electrode layer, an insulating layer, and a photolithography process to form sub-pixel depositing areas for precise deposition and etching of organic light-emitting layers, followed by the formation of a second electrode layer, allowing for accurate control and higher precision in the organic light-emitting layer formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If direct evaporation with mask is used to form organic light-emitting layer, then manufacturing process is simple, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to low mask accuracy and alignment difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an insulating layer as an intermediary between the substrate and the organic light-emitting layer. This insulating layer serves as a precise patterning substrate that defines the exact deposition area through photolithography, acting as a mediator that transfers the pattern from the photomask to the final device structure with high precision, thereby solving the alignment and positioning accuracy problems of direct mask evaporation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary patterning of the insulating layer using photolithography before the organic light-emitting layer deposition. By pre-defining the sub-pixel depositing areas through photomask exposure and development, the subsequent evaporation process can proceed without requiring high-precision alignment masks, as the deposition area has already been precisely established
2Device complexity
If mask-based evaporation is used, then equipment complexity is low, but productivity deteriorates due to low yield from inaccurate evaporation area control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical mask alignment system with a photolithography-based patterning system. Instead of relying on mechanical mask positioning and alignment, the invention uses photochemical processes (photomask exposure, photoresist development) to define the deposition area, which provides much higher precision and eliminates the alignment errors that reduce manufacturing yield
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating layer acts as an intermediary that enables precise area control during evaporation. By patterning this intermediate layer first, the system achieves accurate evaporation area definition without requiring complex mask systems, thereby improving yield while maintaining equipment simplicity
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 approach enables the formation of organic light-emitting layers with higher accuracy and smaller areas, improving the yield of OLED devices by precisely controlling the deposition and etching processes.
Implementation Method 1
etching off the insulating layer over the first electrodes by a photolithography process to form a pattern of sub-pixel depositing areas
Implementation Method 2
etching off the insulating layer over the first electrodes by a photolithography process
Implementation Method 3
an organic light-emitting layer of the OLED device is typically formed by directly evaporating an organic light emitting material
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the invention provide an organic light-emitting display (OLED) panel and a manufacturing method for the OLED panel, which comprises providing a substrate comprising a first electrode layer which comprises a plurality of first electrodes spaced apart from each other, forming an insulating layer on the substrate, etching off the insulating layer over the first electrodes by a photolithography process to form a pattern of sub-pixel depositing areas and forming organic light-emitting layers for desired colors within the sub-pixel depositing areas, and forming a second electrode layer on the insulating layer and the organic light-emitting layers. Embodiments of the invention can exactly prepare the organic light-emitting layers to improve yield.