# US 2014/0150244 A1 · Adhesive-free carrier assemblies for glass substrates > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150244 A1 - Document ID: US20140150244A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/690,280 - Filed: 2012-11-30 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Jie Jerry LIU; Jeffrey Michael YOUMANS - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150244A1 ## CPC - B65G 49/061: {Lifting, gripping, or carrying means, for one or more sheets forming independent means of transport, e.g. suction cups, transport frames (suction means as load-engaging elements attached to the lifting or lowering gear of cranes B66C1/02; suction cups for attaching purposes F16B47/00; suction cups on gripping heads B25J15/0616; suction cups in general B65G47/91; suction cups combined with cutting means on vertical conveyors C03B33/00 - C03B33/10; devices for turning sheets B65G49/067; suspending devices B65G49/066)} - H10P 72/74: {using temporarily an auxiliary support} - H10K 71/80: using temporary substrates - H10P 72/7412: {the auxiliary support including means facilitating the separation of a device or wafer from the auxiliary support} - H10P 72/7426: {used as a support during build up manufacturing of active devices} - Y10T 29/49998: Work holding - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract The disclosure relates generally to carrier assemblies for handling and processing thin flexible glass. More particularly, the invention relates to an adhesive-free carrier assembly for handling thin flexible glass substrates that are used in organic opto-electronic devices such as OLEDs and organic photodetectors (OPDs). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An adhesive free carrier assembly, comprising a rigid carrier and a flexible substrate, wherein the rigid carrier is directly attached to the flexible substrate without the use of an adhesive to form the adhesive free carrier assembly. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The adhesive free carrier assembly as according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the flexible substrate extends beyond the rigid substrate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The adhesive free carrier assembly as according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the rigid carrier surface that contacts the flexible substrate is roughened. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The adhesive free carrier assembly as according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the perimeter of the rigid carrier is roughened. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The adhesive free carrier assembly as according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the perimeter of the rigid carrier is covered with a decoupler. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The adhesive free carrier assembly as according to claim 5, wherein the decoupler is from about 10 nanometers to about 1000 micrometers thick. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The adhesive free carrier assembly as according to claim 5, wherein the decoupler is about 25 to 100 micrometers thick. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The adhesive free carrier assembly as according to claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the flexible substrate is positioned above the decoupler. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The adhesive free carrier assembly as according to claim 1, wherein before the rigid carrier and the flexible substrate are contacted together, at least a portion of the rigid carrier is coated with an inorganic coating. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The adhesive free carrier assembly as according to claim 9, wherein the inorganic coating has similar chemical composition to the flexible substrate or sticks to the flexible substrate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The adhesive free carrier assembly as according to claim 1, wherein before the rigid carrier and the flexible substrate are contacted together, at least a portion of the flexible substrate is coated with an inorganic coating. ### Claim 12 An adhesive free carrier assembly, comprising a rigid carrier having at least a portion of its perimeter etched to provide a step; and a flexible substrate, wherein the rigid carrier is directly contacted to the flexible substrate without the use of an adhesive to form the adhesive free carrier assembly, and wherein at least a portion of the flexible substrate is positioned above said step. ### Claim 13 An adhesive free carrier assembly, comprising a rigid carrier having at least a portion of its perimeter etched to provide a step; and a decoupler covering a portion of the step; and a flexible substrate, wherein the rigid carrier is directly contacted to the flexible substrate without the use of an adhesive to form the adhesive free carrier assembly, and wherein at least a portion of the flexible substrate is positioned above said decoupler. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The adhesive free carrier assembly as according to claim 13, wherein the depth of the step and the height of the decoupler are optimized in such a way that the difference in height of the top surface of the decoupler to the rest of the rigid carrier is from about 10 nanometers to 100 micrometers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The adhesive free carrier assembly as according to claim 13, wherein the depth of the step and the height of the decoupler are optimized in such a way that the difference in height of the top surface of the decoupler to the rest of the rigid carrier is about 10 micrometers to 100 micrometers ### Claim 16 A method for handling and/or processing thin flexible substrates, said method comprising: a. providing a rigid carrier; b. providing a flexible substrate; c. directly contacting the rigid carrier onto the flexible substrate without the use of adhesive to form a carrier assembly; d. fabricating a device on top of the carrier assembly, wherein the device and flexible substrate are linked together; and e. decoupling the rigid carrier from the device-flexible substrate component. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method as according to claim 16, wherein the thin flexible substrate is glass. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method as according to claim 16, wherein a portion of the perimeter of the rigid carrier is roughened or etched before it is contacted with the flexible substrate. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method as according to claim 16, wherein a portion of the perimeter of the rigid carrier is covered with a decoupler. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method as according to claim 16, wherein before the rigid carrier and the flexible substrate are contacted together, at least a portion of the rigid carrier is coated with an inorganic coating. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The method as according to claim 16, wherein before the rigid carrier and the flexible substrate are contacted together, at least a portion of the flexible substrate is coated with an inorganic coating.