US 9,960,087 B2Granted

Fabrication of thin-film encapsulation layer for light emitting device

AssigneeKateeva, Inc.

InventorsEliyahu Vronsky, Nahid Harjee

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Abstract

An ink jet process is used to deposit a material layer to a desired thickness. Layout data is converted to per-cell grayscale values, each representing ink volume to be locally delivered. The grayscale values are used to generate a halftone pattern to deliver variable ink volume (and thickness) to the substrate. The halftoning provides for a relatively continuous layer (e.g., without unintended gaps or holes) while providing for variable volume and, thus, contributes to variable ink/material buildup to achieve desired thickness. The ink is jetted as liquid or aerosol that suspends material used to form the material layer, for example, an organic material used to form an encapsulation layer for a flat panel device. The deposited layer is then cured or otherwise finished to complete the process.

Claims21

Dependent claims

An apparatus for fabricating a thin film encapsulation layer for an electronic device having light emitting elements, the thin film encapsulation layer to have a desired thickness, the apparatus comprising:

an ink jet printer to receive a substrate, the light emitting elements formed on the substrate, and to print droplets of a liquid organic material onto the substrate, in a manner so as to form a liquid organic material coat over the light emitting elements;
circuitry configured to receive at least one value that represents a variable layer thickness and corresponds to the desired thickness, the circuitry configured to control a first volume of the liquid organic material printed per a first unit area of the substrate in dependence on the at least one value by causing the ink jet printer to vary at least one of a droplet area density or a size of the droplets, wherein a thicker liquid organic material coat is formed by a greater droplet area density or size and a thinner liquid organic material coat is formed by a lesser droplet area density or size, wherein the circuitry specifies, based on the at least one value, the thickness of the liquid organic material coat;
and
a processing mechanism to process the liquid organic material coat once deposited to form the thin film encapsulation layer from the liquid organic material coat so as to have the desired thickness.

1 more element

a gas enclosure to receive a substrate, the light emitting elements formed on the substrate;
an ink jet printer within the gas enclosure, the ink jet printer to print droplets of ah a liquid organic material onto the substrate, in a manner so as to form a liquid organic material coat over the light emitting elements;
circuitry configured to receive at least one value that represents a variable layer thickness and corresponds to the desired thickness, the circuitry configured to control a first volume of the liquid organic material printed per a first unit area of the substrate in dependence on the at least one value by causing the ink jet printer to vary at least one of a droplet area density or a size of the droplets, wherein a thicker liquid organic material coat is formed by a greater droplet area density or size and a thinner liquid organic material coat is formed by a lesser droplet area density or size, wherein the circuitry specifies, based on the at least one value, the thickness of the liquid organic material coat;
and
a processing mechanism to process the liquid organic material coat once deposited to form the thin film encapsulation layer from the liquid organic material coat so as to have the desired thickness.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/416,931Filed 26 Jan 2017 · continuation
Priority: 12 Dec 2013
Published: US 2017/0054078 A118 May 2017
Granted: 1 May 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification30 codes

H01L 22/12
B05C 11/10
Component parts, details or accessories not specifically provided for in groups B05C1/00 - B05C9/00: storage, supply or control of liquid or other…
B41J 2/01
Characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material: ink jet
B41J 2/2054
For printing a discrete number of tones: by the variation of dot disposition or characteristics, e.g. dot number density, dot shape

Family

Application61/915,149Us provisional application · filed 12 Dec 2013
Application61/977,939Us provisional application · filed 10 Apr 2014
Application62/005,044Us provisional application · filed 30 May 2014
Application62/019,076Us provisional application · filed 30 Jun 2014
Application14/458,005Parent of this continuation · filed 12 Aug 2014
Application14/627,186Parent of this continuation · filed 20 Feb 2015
US 8,995,022 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 31 Mar 2015
Application15/279,261Parent of this continuation · filed 28 Sep 2016
US 9,496,519 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 15 Nov 2016
US 2017/0140999 A1Pre-grant publication · published 18 May 2017
US 10,586,742 B2Related patent
US 2015/0171368 A1Published application
US 2017/0054078 A1Published application
US 9,806,298 B2Related patent
US 9,960,087 B2This patent

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