Repairing Sealing Layer Breaches in Thin-Film Devices
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thin-film devices, particularly OLEDs, face limited operational lifetimes due to sealing layer breaches that allow environmental substances to cause corrosion, leading to black spots and reduced production yields, especially in larger devices.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for repairing sealing layers in thin-film devices by locally applying mending materials, such as inorganic or metal materials, to seal breaches, which can be detected and applied using automated detection and deposition techniques, minimizing the need for additional production steps and reducing the risk of dust particle embedding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sealing layer is applied to protect the thin-film device, then reliability is improved, but local breaches may still occur reducing operational lifetime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mending material to seal local breaches in the sealing layer before they can cause corrosion and black spots. By performing this sealing action preliminarily, the device maintains its operational lifetime without the harmful effects of environmental substance infiltration.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying a complete additional sealing layer, the patent uses localized mending material application specifically at the breach sites. This local quality approach seals the defects while minimizing material usage and avoiding the need for full-layer reapplication.
2Reliability
If additional sealing layers are applied to seal breaches, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and production steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mending material only at the specific locations where breaches are detected, rather than applying an additional complete sealing layer. This localized approach maintains sealing integrity while avoiding the complexity of full-layer deposition processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and repairs only the defective portions (local breaches) from the sealing layer, rather than addressing the entire sealing layer. This selective repair approach simplifies the production process by focusing only on the necessary repair areas.
3Productivity
If automated detection and repair systems are implemented, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an automated system where detection of local breaches and application of mending material are performed automatically without manual intervention. This self-service approach increases productivity by enabling high-speed automated repair while the system manages its own complexity through integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the detection system and the mending material application system into an integrated automated repair system. By merging these functions, the system achieves high productivity through automation while managing complexity through unified control rather than separate manual processes.
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 solution significantly extends the operational lifetime of thin-film devices by effectively sealing local breaches, improving production yields, and reducing the visibility and impact of mending materials on the device's performance, while maintaining a low cost and minimal disruption to the production process.
Implementation Method 1
locally applying mending material for sealing the local breach
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a sealed thin- film device (10, 12, 14), to a method of repairing a sealing layer (20) applied to a thin-film device (30) to produce the sealed thin- film device, to a system (200) for repairing the sealing layer applied to the thin- film device to generate the sealed thin- film device and to a computer program product. The sealed thin- film device comprises a thin- film device and a sealing layer applied on the thin- film device for protecting the thin- film device from environmental influence. The sealed thin- film device further comprises locally applied mending material (40; 42, 44) for sealing a local breach (50) in the sealing layer. An effect of this sealed thin- film device is that the operational life-time of the sealed thin- film device is improved. Furthermore, the production yield of the production of sealed thin- film devices is improved.