# US 11,309,529 B2 · Photolithographic patterning of organic electronic devices

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- Number: US 11,309,529 B2
- Document ID: US11309529B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/082,655
- Filed: 2020-10-28
- Published: 2021-02-11
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2014-08-01
- Assignees: Orthogonal, Inc.
- Applicants: Orthogonal, Inc.
- Inventors: John Andrew DeFranco; Terrence Robert O'Toole; Frank Xavier Byrne; Diane Carol Freeman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11309529B2

## CPC

- H10K 59/353: {characterised by the geometrical arrangement of the RGB subpixels}
- H10K 50/11: characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
- H10K 50/15: Hole transporting layers
- H10K 50/16: Electron transporting layers
- H10K 50/171: {Electron injection layers}
- H10K 50/30: Organic light-emitting transistors
- H10K 59/125: including organic TFTs [OTFT]
- H10K 59/35: comprising red-green-blue [RGB] subpixels
- H10K 71/221: {by lift-off techniques}
- H10K 71/233: {by photolithographic etching}
- H10K 85/00: Organic materials used in the body or electrodes of devices covered by this subclass
- H10K 2101/10: Triplet emission
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A method of making an OLED device includes providing a first undercut lift-off structure over the device substrate having a first array of bottom electrodes. Next, one or more first organic EL medium layers including at least a first light-emitting layer are deposited over the first undercut lift-off structure and over the first array of bottom electrodes. The first undercut lift-off structure and overlying first organic EL medium layer(s) are removed by treatment with a first lift-off agent comprising a fluorinated solvent to form a first intermediate structure. The process is repeated using a second undercut lift-off structure to deposit one or more second organic EL medium layers over a second array of bottom electrodes. After removal of the second undercut lift-off structure, a common top electrode is provided in electrical contact with the first and second organic EL medium layers.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of making an OLED device, the method comprising:
a) providing a device substrate having a first array of bottom electrodes and a second array of bottom electrodes;
b) providing over the device substrate a first undercut lift-off structure having a first pattern of openings corresponding to the first array of bottom electrodes;
c) depositing one or more first organic EL medium layers, including at least a first light-emitting layer, and a first top electrode layer over the first undercut lift-off structure and over the first array of bottom electrodes;
d) removing the first undercut lift-off structure, the one or more first organic EL medium layers overlaying the first undercut lift-off structure and first top electrode overlaying the first undercut lift-off structure to form a first intermediate structure;
e) providing over the first intermediate structure a second undercut lift-off structure having a second pattern of openings corresponding to the second array of bottom electrodes;
f) depositing one or more second organic EL medium layers, including at least a second light-emitting layer, and a second top electrode over the second undercut lift-off structure and over the second array of bottom electrodes;
g) removing the second undercut lift-off structure, the one or more second organic EL medium layers overlaying the second undercut lift-off structure and second top electrode overlaying the second undercut lift-off structure to form a second intermediate structure; and
h) providing a common top electrode to electrically connect the first and second top electrode layers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein at least one lift-off structure includes at least two patterned layers including a fluorinated material base layer and an overlying photoresist layer, wherein the fluorinated material base layer is undercut relative to the photoresist layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein at least one lift-off structure includes a patterned fluorinated photoresist developed using a fluorinated solvent and having an undercut profile.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further including a dry-etch cleaning step between steps (b) and (c) or between steps (e) and (f) or both.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein at least one lift-off structure comprises a negative tone photosensitive film that absorbs or blocks at least 80% of imaging radiation used in the formation of the lift-off structure.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first or second top electrodes or both absorb or block at least 80% of imaging radiation.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein at least one lift-off structure is removed using a lift-off agent and wherein the lift-off agent comprises a fluorinated solvent.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the device substrate further has a third array of bottom electrodes, the method further comprising, prior to step (h),
providing over the second intermediate structure a third undercut lift-off structure having a third pattern of openings corresponding to a third array of bottom electrodes;
depositing one or more third organic EL medium layers, including at least a third light-emitting layer, and a third top electrode over the third undercut lift-off structure and over the third array of bottom electrodes;
removing the third undercut lift-off structure, the one or more third organic EL medium layers overlaying the third undercut lift-off structure and third top electrode over the third undercut lift-off structure to form a third intermediate structure.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to step (h), cleaning the surface of the top electrodes of residual fluorinated material.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the cleaning comprises contact with a cleaning agent comprising a fluorinated solvent and a protic solvent.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the cleaning comprises dry etching.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the dry etching includes an argon plasma or a substantially non-oxidizing plasma.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to step (h) treating the top electrodes with a low work-function metal, the low work-function metal comprising an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to step (h) treating the top electrodes with a reducing gas environment comprising hydrogen.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the material used for the common top electrode is different than the material used for the first or second top electrodes.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein at least one lift-off structure includes at least two patterned layers including a fluorinated material base layer and an overlying photoresist layer, the overlying photoresist layer provided from a photoresist composition comprising a fluorinated coating solvent.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the fluorinated coating solvent comprises a hydrofluoroether.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the photoresist layer comprises a fluorinated photoresist.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the fluorinated material base layer includes a cyclic perfluorinated polymer.