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US 7,741,140 B2Granted
Methods, apparatus, and rollers for cross-web forming of optoelectronic devices
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsAnil Raj Duggal, Hak Fei Poon, Svetlana Rogojevic
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods for forming optoelectronic devices such as an array of light emitting diodes or photovoltaic cells in one embodiment a roll-to-roll process in which a uniquely configured roller having a raised spiral coating surface is aligned with a plurality of first electrodes disposed on an angle on a substrate for coating a plurality of spaced-apart angled coated strips of optoelectronic materials along the cross-web direction of the substrate.
Claims23
A method for forming a plurality of optoelectronic devices, the method comprising:
- providing a substrate having a longitudinal web direction and a cross-web direction, and a plurality of first electrodes disposed on the substrate to define a plurality of longitudinally-extending columns of spaced-apart first electrodes along the longitudinal web direction and a plurality of rows of spaced-apart first electrodes disposed on an angle relative to the cross-web direction;
- providing a first roller having a first raised spiral coating surface extending around the first roller;
- first aligning and passing the substrate and the plurality of spaced-apart columns of the first electrodes relative to the first roller to deposit from the first raised spiral coating surface a first plurality of angled spaced-apart coated strips of a first optoelectronic material onto the substrate and onto the plurality of rows of first electrodes;
- providing a second roller having a second raised spiral coating surface extending around the second roller;
- second aligning and passing the substrate, the plurality of spaced-apart columns of first electrodes, and the first plurality of angled spaced-apart coated strips of the first optoelectronic material relative to the second roller to deposit from the second raised spiral coating surface a second plurality of angled spaced-apart coated strips of a second optoelectronic material onto the first plurality of angled spaced-apart coated strips of the first optoelectronic material;
- removing portions of the deposited angled spaced-apart coated strips of the first optoelectronic material and the second optoelectronic material between adjacent longitudinally-extending columns of the first electrodes and to expose portions of the longitudinally-extending columns of first electrode while other portions of the plurality of columns of first electrodes remain coated with the first optoelectronic material and the second optical material;
- and
- providing a plurality of spaced-apart second electrodes electrically coupling uncoated portions of the first electrodes with the coated portions disposed on adjacent first electrodes to form a plurality of angled rows of optoelectronic devices connected in series on an angle along the cross-web direction.
5 more elements
A method for forming a plurality of optoelectronic devices, the method comprising:
- providing a substrate having a longitudinal web direction and a cross-web direction, and a plurality of first electrodes disposed on the substrate to define a plurality of longitudinally-extending columns of spaced-apart first electrodes and a plurality of rows of spaced-apart first electrodes disposed on an angle relative to the cross-web direction;
- first aligning and passing the substrate and the plurality of spaced-apart columns of first electrodes relative to a first roller means for depositing a first plurality of spaced-apart angled coated strips of a first optoelectronic material onto the substrate and onto the plurality of rows of first electrodes;
- second aligning and passing the substrate, the plurality of spaced-apart columns of first electrodes, and the first plurality of angled coated strips of the first optoelectronic material relative to a second roller means for depositing a second plurality of angled coated strips of a second optoelectronic material onto the first plurality of angled spaced apart coated strips of the first optoelectronic material;
- removing portions of the deposited angled coated strips of the first optoelectronic material and the second optoelectronic material between adjacent longitudinally-extending columns of the first electrodes and to expose portions of the longitudinally-extending columns of first electrode while other portions of the plurality of columns of first electrodes remain coated with the first optoelectronic material and the second optical material;
- and
- providing a plurality of spaced-apart second electrodes electrically coupling uncoated portions of the first electrodes with the coated portions disposed on adjacent first electrodes to form a plurality of angled rows of optoelectronic devices connected in series along the cross-web direction.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.