OVJP Gas Distribution Plate Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Organic Vapor Jet Printing (OVJP) systems face challenges in efficiently delivering organic materials to substrates while minimizing heat load, as conventional gas distribution and opposing plates expose large areas to the substrate, leading to thermal stress and inefficiencies in material deposition.
Innovation Solution
The development of high-temperature, low-profile, bondable gas distribution and opposing plates that couple a microfluidic device with a larger gas delivery system, using materials like molybdenum, tungsten, and silicon nitride, with sealed flow paths and thermal insulation to reduce thermal load on the substrate and enhance material deposition efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional gas distribution and opposing plates are used, then the substrate can be covered, but large areas are exposed to heat leading to thermal stress and inefficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The gas distribution plate and opposing plate are segmented into distinct functional zones: heated regions for vapor generation and unheated/cold regions for substrate proximity. This segmentation allows the system to maintain hot vapor pathways while keeping the substrate interface cool, reducing thermal load while preserving deposition efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the plates are assigned different thermal properties - some areas are heated to generate and transport organic vapor, while other areas remain unheated or are actively cooled to minimize substrate thermal exposure. This local differentiation of thermal quality enables simultaneous vapor delivery and thermal protection
2Temperature
If high-temperature materials are used for the plates, then thermal resistance is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gas distribution and opposing plates utilize composite material structures combining materials with different thermal properties. This allows the plates to achieve the required thermal resistance for vapor transport while maintaining manufacturability through established composite fabrication techniques
Solution Approach 2:
Thermal management intermediaries such as heat sinks, thermal barriers, or intermediate cooling layers are introduced between the heated vapor pathways and the substrate interface. These intermediaries mediate heat transfer, providing thermal resistance without requiring the entire plate structure to be manufactured from high-temperature materials
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 configuration minimizes thermal load on the substrate, allowing for efficient delivery of organic materials with reduced heat transfer, improving the precision and effectiveness of the OVJP process by shielding the substrate from heat generated by evaporation sources and maintaining the micronozzle array at optimal temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
a thermally conductive plate in thermal contact with an active cooling source
Implementation Method 2
one or more thermal evaporation sources in fluid communication with the first gas distribution plate
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide an apparatus having a device with a micronozzle array disposed on a micro-fabricated fluidic die. The device may include a first gas distribution plate and a second opposing plate, where the micro-fabricated fluidic die is disposed between the first gas distribution plate and the second opposing plate, wherein the first gas distribution plate is irreversibly joined to the micronozzle array with a seal that is gas-tight, and where the first gas distribution plate includes a plurality of sealed flow paths. A manifold may be reversibly joined to the first gas distribution plate, where the micro-fabricated fluidic die and the first gas distribution plate and the second opposing plate are disposed between the manifold. A thermally conductive plate may have at least one window that provides a clearance fit for the device across a range of motion relative to the thermally conductive plate.