US 6,582,876 B2 · Thermal transfer element and process for forming organic electroluminescent devices

Abstract

Disclosed are thermal transfer elements and processes for patterning solvent-coated layers and solvent-susceptible layers onto the same receptor substrate. These donor elements and methods are particularly suited for making organic electroluminescent devices and displays. The donor elements can include a substrate, an optional light-to-heat conversion layer, and a single or multicomponent transfer layer that can be imagewise transferred to a receptor to form an organic electroluminescent device, portions thereof, or components therefor. The methods offer advantages over conventional patterning techniques such as photolithography, and make it possible to fabricate new organic electroluminescent device constructions.

Claims36

Dependent claims

A method of making an electroluminescent device, the method comprising:

forming an emitter layer on a donor element by solution coating a solution comprising a light emitting material and a solvent onto the donor element;
and
selectively thermal transferring the emitter layer from the donor element to a receptor and proximate to a second device layer, wherein the second device layer is incompatible with the solvent.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/176,560Filed 21 Jun 2002 · continuation

Priority

15 Jan 1999

Published

US 2002/0015907 A126 Dec 2002

Granted

24 Jun 2003

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification26 codes

B41M 5/38207
Contact thermal transfer or sublimation processes: characterised by aspects not provided for in groups B41M5/385 - B41M5/395
B41M 3/006
Printing processes to produce particular kinds of printed work, e.g. patterns: patterns of chemical products used for a specific purpose, e.g.…
B41M 5/265
Thermography ; Marking by high energetic means, e.g. laser otherwise than by burning, and characterised by the material used: for the production…
B41M 5/38214
Characterised by aspects not provided for in groups B41M5/385 - B41M5/395: structural details, e.g. multilayer systems

Family

Application09/231,723Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 15 Jan 1999

Application09/473,115Parent of this division · filed 28 Dec 1999

Application09/662,078Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Sep 2000

Application09/911,952Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Jul 2001

US 2002/0197554 A1Pre-grant publication · published 26 Dec 2002

US 6,410,201 B1Parent of this continuation

US 6,291,116 B1Parent of this continuation

Application09/662,078Parent of this division

US 6,194,115 B1Parent of this division

Application09/473,115Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 6,114,088 AParent of this continuation-in-part

US 2002/0015907 A1Published application

US 6,194,119 B1Related patent

US 6,582,876 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Thermal transfer element and process for forming organic electroluminescent devices

Life of this patent

Thermal transfer element and process for forming organic electroluminescent devices

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims36