Apparatus and method to deliver organic material via organic vapor jet printing (OVJP)

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12065728-B2
Application number	US-202217854232-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2022
Priority date	May 11, 2020
Publication date	Aug 20, 2024
Grant date	Aug 20, 2024

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide an apparatus having a device with a micronozzle array disposed on a micro-fabricated fluidic die. The device may include a first gas distribution plate and a second opposing plate, where the micro-fabricated fluidic die is disposed between the first gas distribution plate and the second opposing plate, wherein the first gas distribution plate is irreversibly joined to the micronozzle array with a seal that is gas-tight, and where the first gas distribution plate includes a plurality of sealed flow paths. A manifold may be reversibly joined to the first gas distribution plate, where the micro-fabricated fluidic die and the first gas distribution plate and the second opposing plate are disposed between the manifold. A thermally conductive plate may have at least one window that provides a clearance fit for the device across a range of motion relative to the thermally conductive plate.

First claim

We claim:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a device comprising:
a micronozzle array disposed on a micro-fabricated fluidic die;
a first gas distribution plate and a second opposing plate, wherein the first gas distribution plate comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: single crystal silicon, columnar silicon, and polycrystal silicon, wherein the micro-fabricated fluidic die is disposed between the first gas distribution plate and the second opposing plate, wherein the first gas distribution plate is irreversibly joined to the micronozzle array with a seal that is gas-tight, and wherein the first gas distribution plate includes a plurality of sealed flow paths; and
a manifold is reversibly joined to the first gas distribution plate, wherein the micro-fabricated fluidic die and the first gas distribution plate and the second opposing plate are disposed between the manifold; and
a thermally conductive plate in thermal contact with an active cooling source, wherein the thermally conductive plate has at least one window passing through its full thickness through which the first gas distribution plate and the second opposing plate, a portion of the micro-fabricated fluidic die, and the micronozzle array of the device protrude such that a short axis of a cross-section of the window provides a clearance fit for the device across a range of motion relative to the thermally conductive plate;
one or more thermal evaporation sources in fluid communication with the first gas distribution plate,
wherein the manifold is in fluid communication with the micronozzle array through the plurality of sealed flow paths within the first gas distribution plate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the micronozzle array is disposed on an edge of the micro-fabricated fluidic die.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the micronozzle array is disposed on a face of the micro-fluidic die.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second opposing plate is a second gas distribution plate, and wherein the manifold is joined to the first gas distribution plate with a seal that is gas-tight.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of sealed flow paths is configured to carry a mixture of organic vapor and inert carrier gas.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive plate shields objects upon which the micronozzle array acts from heat generated by the manifold and the plurality of evaporation sources.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first gas distribution plate comprises a material that has an average coefficient of thermal expansion of less than 4×10 −6 K −1 between room temperature and a reflow temperature of the solder.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first gas distribution plate and second opposing plate are fabricated from at least one selected from the group consisting of: single crystal silicon, columnar silicon, and polycrystal silicon.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the micro-fabricated fluidic die and the micronozzle array are comprised of silicon, and the micro-fabricated fluidic die is bonded to the first gas distribution plate.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive plate comprises a window that is lined with an insulative material.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the micronozzle array and the first gas distribution plate comprise at least a portion of the device that protrudes through the window of the thermally conductive plate such that the normal plane of the device is parallel to the depth dimension of the first gas distribution plate.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first gas distribution plate and the second opposing plate include resistive heaters.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first gas distribution plate and second opposing plate are comprised of one or more thermally insulating materials selected from the group consisting of: single crystal silicon, columnar silicon, and polycrystal silicon.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
deformable metal gaskets,
wherein the first gas distribution plate is sealed to the manifold using the deformable metal gaskets.

15. An apparatus comprising:
a device comprising:
a micronozzle array;
a first gas distribution plate that is irreversibly joined to the micronozzle array with a seal that is gas-tight, wherein the first gas distribution plate includes a plurality of sealed flow paths, and wherein the first gas distribution plate comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: single crystal silicon, columnar silicon, and polycrystal silicon;
one or more thermal evaporation sources in fluid communication with the first gas distribution plate; and
a manifold, wherein the first gas distribution plate is reversibly joined to the manifold,
wherein the manifold is in fluid communication with the micronozzle array through the plurality of sealed flow paths within the first gas distribution plate,
wherein at least one of these flow paths carries a mixture of organic vapor and inert carrier gas, and
wherein the first gas distribution plate has a segment proximal to the micronozzle array through which all flow paths pass and a depth of the segment no wider than a depth of the micronozzle array at its point of attachment, and
a thermally conductive plate, wherein the first gas distribution plate and the thermally conductive plate are in thermal contact with a source of active cooling, and
wherein the thermally conductive plate has at least one window passing through its full thickness through which the device may protrude such that a short axis of a cross section of the window has a dimension to provide a clearance fit at least for at least the micronozzle array of the device across a range of motion of the device relative to the thermally conductive plate so that the thermally conductive plate shields objects upon which the micronozzle array acts from heat generated by the manifold and the one or more thermal evaporation sources.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first gas distribution plate comprises a material that has an average coefficient of thermal expansion of less than 4×10 −6 K −1 between room temperature and a reflow temperature of the solder.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the device comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: molybdenum, tungsten, kovar, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, single crystal silicon, columnar silicon, and polycrystal silicon.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , the micronozzle array is comprised of silicon.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the thermally conductive plate comprises a window that is lined with an insulative material.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:
deformable metal gaskets,
wherein the first gas distribution plate is sealed to the manifold using the deformable metal gaskets.

Assignees

• Universal Display Corp

Inventors

• King Matthew
• Kottas Gregg
• Mcgraw Gregory
• Quinn William E

Classifications

• H10K71/13

  using printing techniques, e.g. ink-jet printing or screen printing · CPC title

• H10K71/00

  Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass · CPC title

• B41J2/005

  characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material (printing by selective application of impact or pressure on a printing or impression-transfer material B41J2/22) · CPC title

• B41J2/14

  Structure thereof {only for on-demand ink jet heads} · CPC title

• B41J2/14145

  Structure of the manifold · CPC title