OLED Substrate Voids for Desiccant Moisture Protection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Flexible organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) face challenges in protecting against environmental contaminants like moisture and oxygen, as conventional desiccant arrangements are not suitable for flexible substrates, leading to degradation and reduced device lifetime.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a desiccant within voids in the substrate, which are covered by an environmental barrier, allowing the desiccant to absorb moisture that penetrates through the barrier, while maintaining a compact device footprint and preventing lateral moisture ingress, especially during flexion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional desiccant arrangement is used in flexible OLEDs, then moisture protection is provided, but the device footprint increases and flexibility is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemoisture protectionVSAvoiddevice footprint

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The desiccant is nested within the substrate structure itself, specifically within voids or cavities formed in the substrate. This integration allows the desiccant to be housed within the existing device footprint without requiring additional external space, thereby maintaining compact dimensions while providing effective moisture protection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The desiccant is positioned in the vertical dimension within substrate voids rather than occupying horizontal plane space. By utilizing the thickness dimension of the substrate for desiccant placement, the solution protects against moisture ingress without increasing the device's lateral footprint

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If a conventional desiccant arrangement is used in flexible OLEDs, then moisture protection is provided, but flexibility is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemoisture protectionVSAvoidflexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The substrate is designed with flexible materials and structures that can bend and flex without compromising the integrity of the desiccant containment. The environmental barrier and substrate are engineered as thin, flexible layers that maintain their protective function while allowing the device to be bent or flexed during use

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Adaptability or versatility

If the environmental barrier is made thinner for flexible devices, then flexibility is improved, but moisture penetration increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidmoisture penetration

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The desiccant is positioned within the substrate voids to preemptively absorb moisture that penetrates through the environmental barrier. This preliminary protective action occurs at the substrate level, providing an additional safeguard against moisture damage even when the barrier is thin

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The desiccant serves as a cushioning protective measure against moisture ingress. By having the desiccant in place within the substrate, the system prepares in advance to neutralize any moisture that manages to penetrate the environmental barrier, preventing harmful effects before they can damage the OLED

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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 solution effectively protects OLEDs from environmental contaminants, reducing degradation and extending the device's useful lifetime without increasing the device's footprint, and is particularly effective in flexible OLEDs where lateral moisture ingress is a concern.

Implementation Method 1

a desiccant disposed in the void in the substrate... the desiccant to absorb moisture that penetrates through the barrier

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS9356258B2OLEDs and other electronic devices using desiccants

Publication Date: 2016.05.31 UNIVERSAL DISPLAY CORP

AI summary

Electronic devices that use desiccants for protection from moisture. The electronic devices comprise a substrate and an organic element disposed over the top surface of the substrate. The substrate has one or more voids which may store desiccants. The voids may penetrate partially or completely through the thickness of the substrate. An environmental barrier is disposed over the organic element and the voids. Also provided are methods for making electronic devices that use desiccants.