OLED Thermal Treatment Module with Controlled Gas Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing OLED manufacturing methods face challenges such as complexity, material waste, scalability limitations, and sensitivity to ambient materials, leading to degradation and inefficiencies in the production of organic optoelectronic devices.
Innovation Solution
A fabrication system utilizing a printing technique with controlled processing environments, including a thermal treatment module and substrate cooling module, to maintain low oxygen, ozone, and particulate levels, enabling efficient patterning and thermal treatment of organic layers on large substrates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vacuum deposition techniques are used to deposit organic films, then the films can be deposited in a controlled environment, but the process complexity increases due to the need for large vacuum chambers and pumping subsystems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the critical function of controlled environment deposition from the complex vacuum chamber system. By using a shadowmask placed in contact with or proximity to the substrate, the invention eliminates the need for large vacuum chambers and complex pumping subsystems, achieving patterned deposition in a simplified atmospheric or reduced-pressure environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The shadowmask serves as an intermediary element that enables patterned deposition without requiring complex vacuum systems. The mask physically blocks deposition in unwanted areas while allowing material to deposit in desired patterns, simplifying the overall system architecture.
2Manufacturing precision
If vacuum deposition is used for patterning organic films, then precise patterns can be achieved, but material waste increases due to deposition on chamber walls and fixtures
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the patterning function from the vacuum deposition process itself and implements it through a shadowmask. This allows deposition to occur more efficiently with material directed precisely where needed, reducing waste on surrounding surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The shadowmask is prepared in advance with the desired pattern cutouts, and then placed in position before deposition begins. This preliminary patterning action ensures that material is deposited only in the intended areas from the start, preventing waste on walls and fixtures.
3Manufacturing precision
If shadowmask is used for direct patterning during vacuum deposition, then patterned films can be deposited, but the device complexity increases due to additional mechanisms for mask handling and positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the shadowmask directly with the substrate by placing the mask in contact with or very close to the substrate surface. This integration eliminates the need for complex separate handling and positioning mechanisms, as the mask and substrate move together as a single unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The shadowmask serves multiple functions: it patterns the deposition, protects underlying layers, and can be removed after deposition. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized equipment.
4Manufacturing precision
If photolithography is used to pattern organic films, then complex patterns can be achieved, but the deposited organic film or underlying films are damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the potential harm of chemical etchants and UV exposure in photolithography into a beneficial process by using physical vapor deposition through a shadowmask. This approach achieves patterning without the damaging effects of chemical or optical processing on the organic films.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the chemical and optical mechanisms of photolithography with a mechanical shadowmask approach. The physical stencil directly controls material deposition without requiring chemical etching or UV exposure, thereby avoiding film damage.
5Manufacturing precision
If thin shadowmasks are used for pixel scale patterning, then the required pattern resolution is achieved, but the masks become mechanically unstable over large areas
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the shadowmask with the substrate through direct contact or proximity placement, the invention provides mechanical support to the thin mask from the rigid substrate. This combination maintains the pixel-scale patterning resolution while preventing mechanical instability over large areas.
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 system enhances scalability and reduces degradation by maintaining controlled environments, improving throughput and reducing material waste while ensuring high-quality organic layer deposition on various substrate sizes.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal treatment module including a stacked configuration of thermally-controlled regions
Implementation Method 2
a substrate cooling module configured to hold the substrate for a specified duration, or until the substrate is below a specified threshold temperature
Implementation Method 3
OLED devices can be fabricated in part via vacuum deposition of a series of organic thin films onto a substrate using the technique of thermal evaporation
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and techniques are described herein for use in manufacturing electronic devices, such as can include organic light emitting diode (OLED) devices. Such apparatus and techniques can include using one or more modules having a controlled environment. For example, a substrate can be received from a printing system located in a first processing environment, and the substrate can be provided a second processing environment, such as to an enclosed thermal treatment module comprising a controlled second processing environment. The second processing environment can include a purified gas environment having a different composition than the first processing environment.