Multilayer component for the encapsulation of a sensitive element

A device comprising an element sensitive to air and/or moisture, which includes a multilayer component, the multilayer component comprising

• an organic polymer layer;
• and
• at least one barrier stack;
• wherein the barrier stack comprises at least one sequence of layers consisting of a retention layer sandwiched between two high-activation-energy layers, in which:
• for each of the two high-activation-energy layers, the difference in activation energy for water vapor permeation between a first sample of a reference substrate coated with the high-activation-energy layer and a second sample comprising the reference substrate without the high-activation-energy layer is greater than or equal to 20 kJ/mol;
• and
• the ratio of the effective water vapor diffusivity of a third sample comprising the retention layer on a reference substrate to the water vapor diffusivity of a fourth sample comprising the reference substrate without the retention layer is less than 0.1.

A method of fabricating a multilayer component, the method comprising:

• providing an organic polymer layer;
• depositing a first high-activation-energy layer onto the organic polymer layer, the first high-activation-energy layer having a high activation energy for water permission;
• wherein a difference in activation energy for water vapor permeation between a first sample of a reference substrate coated with the high-activation-energy layer and a second sample comprising the reference substrate without the high-activation-energy layer is greater than or equal to 20 kJ/mol;
• depositing a retention layer onto the first high-activation-energy layer, the second layer having a ratio of effective water vapor diffusivity of a third sample comprising the retention layer on a reference substrate to the water vapor diffusivity of a fourth sample comprising the reference substrate without the retention layer of less than 0.1