Organic electroluminescent devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024237505-A1
Application number	US-202318544876-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 19, 2023
Priority date	Jan 5, 2023
Publication date	Jul 11, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide a laser source configured to output a laser beam, a beam transfer cavity to receive the outputted laser beam on a first side of the apparatus and output the laser beam on a second side of the apparatus, wherein the first side is opposite the second side, and a plume removal device having an exhaust aperture on the second side of the apparatus facing a heat affected zone (HAZ). A bottom surface of the plume removal device may be facing the substrate, where organic matter is disposed on the substrate, and the HAZ may be aligned with the surface of the substrate having the organic matter to be ablated by the laser beam.

First claim

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a laser source configured to output a laser beam; a beam transfer cavity to receive the outputted laser beam on a first side of the apparatus and output the laser beam on a second side of the apparatus, wherein the first side is opposite the second side; and a plume removal device having an exhaust aperture on the second side of the apparatus facing a heat affected zone (HAZ).

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the beam transfer cavity is filled with an optically transparent material.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the optically transparent material is comprised of a sapphire material.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a bottom surface of the plume removal device is facing a substrate, wherein organic matter is disposed on the substrate, and the HAZ is aligned with the surface of the substrate having the organic matter to be ablated by the laser beam.

5 . (canceled)

6 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the apparatus is disposed in a vacuum chamber having an inert gas at a pressure level that is controlled by a controller.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the plume removal device comprises an internal microchannel network configured to extract organic vapor formed from ablation by the laser beam with a flow of the inert gas of the chamber.

8 . The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising:
an exhaust source in fluid communication with an exhaust channel that is configured to remove the inert gas and ablated material from the chamber.

9 . (canceled)

10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the plume removal device is configured to have a radially incoming flow of the inert gas from the chamber towards an exit aperture of the plume removal device.

11 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the plume removal device is disposed at the predetermined distance from the substrate and is configured to induce the flow of the inert gas of the chamber along a plane of the substrate.

12 . The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:
a cold plate disposed over a stage configured to hold the substrate, wherein the cold plate includes window configured to allow the laser beam to pass through.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the cold plate and the plume removal device are mounted on the same frame that is disposed over and separate from the stage holding the substrate.

14 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the window comprises a cut-out configured to allow the laser beam through and is configured to allow the organic matter ablated by the laser beam to pass though towards the plume removal device.

15 . The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:
a heat shield disposed over a stage configured to hold the substrate, wherein the heat shield includes window configured to allow the laser beam to pass through, and wherein the window of the heat shield is configured to allow the organic matter ablated by the laser beam to pass though towards the plume removal device.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the heat shield and the plume removal device are mounted on the same frame that is disposed over and separate from the stage holding the substrate.

17 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the window comprises a cut-out configured to allow the laser beam through, and is configured to allow the organic matter ablated by the laser beam to pass though towards the plume removal device.

18 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein a fly height between a bottom surface of the plume removal device and the organic matter is 50 μm to 1 mm.

19 . The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to detect changes in a surface height of the organic matter disposed on the substrate; and a controller to control a fly height between a bottom surface of the plume removal device and the organic matter based on the detected changes.

20 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the substrate is disposed on a stage, and wherein the stage is spaced apart from the laser source.

21 - 25 . (canceled)

26 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of channels that are connected to at least one exhaust aperture slot of the plume removal device.

27 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of channels that are connected to a plurality of exhaust aperture slots of the plume removal device, wherein the plurality of exhaust aperture slots is connected radially.

28 - 30 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Universal Display Corp

Inventors

• Gokaltun Seckin
• Mcgraw Gregory
• Quinn William E
• Outten Craig Anthony
• Hawthorne Jeff

Classifications

• H10K71/00

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

• B23K26/703

  Cooling arrangements (by using a fluid stream B23K26/14) · CPC title

• B23K26/064

  by means of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors or prisms · CPC title

• B23K26/354

  by melting · CPC title

• B23K26/16 Primary

  Removal of by-products, e.g. particles or vapours produced during treatment of a workpiece (by a fluid stream B23K26/142) · CPC title