OLED panel with advanced sub-pixel overhangs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12127441-B2
Application number	US-202318183822-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2023
Priority date	Feb 14, 2022
Publication date	Oct 22, 2024
Grant date	Oct 22, 2024

Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate to a device including a substrate, a plurality of adjacent pixel-defining layer (PDL) structures disposed over the substrate, and a plurality of sub-pixels. Each sub-pixel includes adjacent first overhangs, adjacent second overhangs, an anode, a hole injection layer (HIL) material, an additional organic light emitting diode (OLED) material, and a cathode. Each first overhang is defined by a body structure disposed on and extending laterally past a base structure disposed on the PDL structure. Each second overhang is defined by a top structure disposed on and extending laterally past the body structure. The HIL material is disposed over and in contact with the anode and disposed under the adjacent first overhangs. The additional OLED material is disposed on the HIL material and extends under the first overhang.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
a substrate; and
a plurality of sub-pixels, each sub-pixel comprising:
adjacent first overhangs, each first overhang defined by a body extension of a body structure extending laterally past a base structure, the base structure disposed over the substrate, and the body structure disposed over the base structure;
adjacent second overhangs, each second overhang defined by a top extension of a second overhang structure extending laterally past an overhang portion of the body extension, the second overhang structure disposed over the body structure;
an anode;
a hole injection layer (HIL) material disposed over and in contact with the anode and disposed under the adjacent second overhangs;
an additional organic light emitting diode (OLED) material disposed over the HIL material, wherein:
the additional OLED material extends under the adjacent first overhangs past an endpoint of the HIL material; or
the HIL material extends past an endpoint of the additional OLED material;

a cathode disposed over the additional OLED material, the cathode extending under the adjacent second overhangs, wherein a cathode material is different from a material of the second overhang structure; and
an encapsulation layer disposed over the cathode, wherein the encapsulation layer extends under at least a portion of the top extension past the cathode along a sidewall of the body extension, and contacts a bottom surface of the top extension of the second structures.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the base structure comprises a metal containing material or an inorganic material.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the body structure comprises a conductive material of at least one of a metal or a metal alloy.

4. The device of claim 1 , where in the second overhang structure comprises an inorganic material.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the additional OLED material is disposed over a first portion of the body extension.

6. A device comprising:
a substrate; and
a plurality of sub-pixels, each sub-pixel comprising:
adjacent first overhangs, each first overhang defined by a body extension of a body structure extending laterally past a base structure, the base structure disposed over the substrate, and the body structure disposed over the base structure;
adjacent second overhangs, each second overhang defined by a top extension of a second overhang structure extending laterally past an overhang portion of the body extension, the second overhang structure disposed over the body structure;
an anode;
a hole injection layer (HIL) material disposed over and in contact with the anode and disposed under the adjacent first and second overhangs;
an additional organic light emitting diode (OLED) material disposed over the HIL material, wherein:
the additional OLED material extends under the adjacent first overhangs past an endpoint of the HIL material, such that a portion of the additional OLED material separates the HIL material disposed over the anode and the HIL material on the body extension; or
the HIL material extends past an endpoint of the additional OLED material; and

a cathode disposed over the additional OLED material, the cathode extending under the adjacent second overhangs.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein an encapsulation layer is disposed over the cathode, wherein the encapsulation layer extends:
to contact the cathode over a second portion of the body extension; and
to contact a conductive material of the body structure at a third portion of the body extension.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the additional OLED material extends to contact the anode past an endpoint of the HIL material.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the HIL material extends to contact the anode past an endpoint of the additional OLED material.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the anode is a layer stack of a first transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer, a second metal layer disposed over the first TCO layer, and a third TCO layer disposed over the second metal layer, wherein the base structure is disposed over an upper surface of the third TCO layer.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of adjacent pixel-defining layer (PDL) structures are disposed over the substrate, each PDL structure comprising an upper surface, wherein the base structure is disposed over the upper surface of the PDL structure.

12. A device having a plurality of sub-pixels, each sub-pixel comprising:
a section of a substrate;
at least one metal-containing layer disposed over the substrate;
adjacent first overhangs, each first overhang defined by a pixel-defining layer (PDL) extension of a PDL structure extending laterally past a base structure, the base structure disposed over an upper surface of the at least one metal-containing layer, and the PDL extension disposed over the base structure and a PDL body of the PDL structure disposed over the substrate;
a body structure, the body structure being disposed over the upper surface of the PDL structure;
adjacent second overhangs, each second overhang defined by a top extension of a second overhang structure extending laterally past an overhang portion of a body extension of a body structure, the second overhang structure disposed over the body structure, and the body structure disposed over the PDL structure;
a hole injection layer (HIL) material disposed over and in contact with the at least one metal-containing layer and disposed under the adjacent first overhangs;
an additional organic light emitting diode (OLED) material disposed over the HIL material, wherein the additional OLED material extends under the adjacent first overhangs; and
a cathode disposed over the additional OLED material, the cathode extending under the adjacent second overhangs, wherein a cathode material is different from a material of the second overhang structure; and
an encapsulation layer disposed over the cathode, wherein the encapsulation layer extends under at least a portion of the top extension past the cathode along a sidewall of the body extension, and contacts a bottom surface of the top extension of the second structures.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the additional OLED material is disposed over a first portion of the body structure.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the cathode contacts a second portion of the body structure.

15. The device of claim 12 , wherein the body structure comprises a conductive material of at least one of a metal or metal alloy.

16. The device of claim 12 , wherein the second overhang structure comprises an inorganic material.

17. The device of claim 12 , wherein the additional OLED material extends to contact the at least one metal-containing layer past an endpoint of the HIL material.

18. The device of claim 12 , wherein the HIL material extends to contact the at least one metal-containing layer past an endpoint of the additional OLED material.

19. The device of claim 12 , wherein the additional OLED material comprises one or more of a hole transport layer (HTL), an emissive layer (EML), and an electron transport layer (ETL).

20. The device of claim 12 , wherein the base structure comprises a metal containing material.

21. The device of claim 12 , wherein an encapsulation layer is disposed over the cathode, wherein the encapsulation layer extends:
to contact a conductive material of the body structure.

22. The device of claim 12 , wherein the at least one metal-containing layer i

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Lin Yu-Hsin
• Choung Ji Young
• Chen Chung-Chia
• Lee Jungmin
• Wu Wen-Hao
• Anjiki Takashi
• Kato Takuji
• Haas Dieter
• Kim Si Kyoung
• Keller Stefan

Classifications

• H10K50/844

  Encapsulations · CPC title

• H10K50/822

  characterised by their shape · CPC title

• H10K50/14

  Carrier transporting layers · CPC title

• H10K50/17

  Carrier injection layers · CPC title

• H10K71/16

  using physical vapour deposition [PVD], e.g. vacuum deposition or sputtering · CPC title