Multilayer component for the encapsulation of a sensitive element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10036832-B2
Application number	US-201213441766-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2012
Priority date	Apr 8, 2011
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

This multilayer component ( 11 ) for encapsulating an element ( 12 ) which is sensitive to air and/or moisture comprises an organic polymer layer ( 1 ) and at least one barrier stack ( 2 ). The barrier stack ( 2 ) comprises at least three successive thin layers ( 21 - 23 ) having alternately lower and higher degrees of crystallinity, the ratio of the degree of crystallinity of a layer of higher degree of crystallinity to the degree of crystallinity of a layer of lower degree of crystallinity being greater than or equal to 1.1.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A multilayer component comprising
an organic polymer layer; and
at least one barrier stack; wherein the barrier stack consists of three successive layers having alternately lower and higher degrees of crystallinity, the ratio of the degree of crystallinity of a layer of higher degree of crystallinity to the degree of crystallinity of a layer of lower degree of crystallinity being greater than or equal to 1.1,
wherein the barrier stack comprises at least two layers in an amorphous state, and
wherein the three successive layers are alternately in an amorphous state and in an at least partially crystalline state.

2. The multilayer component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polymer layer and each barrier stack have a transparency of at least 75%.

3. The multilayer component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one layer of the barrier stack has a geometric thickness of no greater than 200 nm.

4. The multilayer component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the constituent layers of the barrier stack have alternately lower and higher refractive indices.

5. The multilayer component according to claim 1 , wherein the organic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polycarbonate, polyurethane, polymethyl methacrylate, polyamide, polyimide, and a fluoropolymer.

6. The multilayer component according to claim 5 , wherein the organic polymer consists essentially of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyethylene naphthalate (PEN).

7. The multilayer component according to claim 5 , wherein the fluoropolymer is selected from the group consisting of ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE), and fluorinated ethylene-propylene copolymers (FEP).

8. The multilayer component according to claim 1 , wherein the layers of the at least one barrier stack comprise a metal, a metal oxide, a metal nitride, a metal oxynitride, or a combination thereof.

9. The multilayer component according to claim 8 , wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Si, Al, Sn, Zn, Zr, Ti, Hf, Bi, Ta, and alloys thereof.

10. The multilayer component according to claim 8 , wherein the metal oxide, the metal nitride, or the metal oxynitride include an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride from the group consisting of Si, Al, Sn, Zn, Zr, Ti, Hf, Bi, Ta, and alloys thereof.

11. The multilayer component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the degree of crystallinity of a layer of higher degree of crystallinity to the degree of crystallinity of a layer of lower degree of crystallinity is equal to or greater than 1.5.

12. The multilayer component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each layer of the at least one barrier stack comprises a volume degree of crystallinity, wherein a difference between the volume degree of crystallinity of a layer of higher degree of crystallinity and the volume degree of crystallinity of a layer of lower degree of crystallinity is equal to or greater than 10%.

13. A device comprising an element sensitive to air and/or moisture,
which includes a multilayer component, an organic polymer layer; and at least one barrier stack, wherein the barrier stack consists of three successive layers having alternately lower and higher degrees of crystallinity, the ratio of the degree of crystallinity of a layer of higher degree of crystallinity to the degree of crystallinity of a layer of lower degree of crystallinity being greater than or equal to 1.1,
wherein the barrier stack comprises at least two layers in an amorphous state, and
wherein the three successive layers are alternately in an amorphous state and in an at least partially crystalline state.

14. The device as claimed in claim 13 wherein the sensitive element is an organic light-emitting diode, a photovoltaic cell, an electrochromic system, an electronic-ink display system, or of an inorganic light-emitting system.

15. A method of fabricating a multilayer component, the method comprising:
providing an organic polymer layer;
depositing a polyacrylate interfacial layer on the organic polymer layer;
depositing a first layer onto the organic interfacial layer, the first layer having a first degree of crystallinity;
depositing a second layer onto the first layer, the second layer having a second degree of crystallinity different from the first degree of crystallinity;
depositing a third layer onto the second layer, the third layer having a third degree of crystallinity different from the second degree of crystallinity;
wherein the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer form a barrier stack, wherein the barrier stack consists of three successive layers having alternately lower and higher degrees of crystallinity, the ratio of the degree of crystallinity of a layer of higher degree of crystallinity to the degree of crystallinity of a layer of lower degree of crystallinity being greater than or equal to 1.1,
wherein the barrier stack comprises at least two layers in an amorphous state, and
wherein the three successive layers are alternately in an amorphous state and in an at least partially crystalline state.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the depositing of the first, the second, or the third layer is selected from sputtering or depositing by chemical vapor deposition.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the chemical vapor deposition is selected from plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, or a combination thereof.

Assignees

• Leyder Charles
• Thoumazet Claire
• Python Martin
• Saint Gobain Performance Plastics Corp

Inventors

• Leyder Charles
• Thoumazet Claire
• Python Martin

Classifications

• H10K50/86

  Arrangements for improving contrast, e.g. preventing reflection of ambient light · CPC title

• H10K50/84

  Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations · CPC title

• H10K39/10

  Organic photovoltaic [PV] modules; Arrays of single organic PV cells · CPC title

• C03C17/42

  at least one coating of an organic material and at least one non-metal coating · CPC title

• H10K50/8445 Primary

  multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers · CPC title