High resolution advanced oled sub-pixel circuit and patterning method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025194346-A1
Application number	US-202418917499-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 16, 2024
Priority date	Dec 8, 2023
Publication date	Jun 12, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments described herein generally relate to a display. In one or more embodiments, a sub-pixel circuit includes at least two anodes disposed over a substrate. Adjacent anodes define a well. Adjacent overhang structures are disposed in the well. The overhang structures have an overhang thickness from the substrate to an upper surface of the overhang structures. The overhang thickness and the anode thickness are substantially equivalent. The overhang structures include overhang extensions extending past lower sidewalls. The well has a trench area defined by the lower sidewalls and a bottom surface of the overhang extensions, with a gap between the overhang extensions of the adjacent overhang structures. An organic light emitting diode (OLED) material is disposed over the anode, the upper surface of the overhang structures, under the overhang structures, and within the trench area. A cathode is disposed over the OLED material.

First claim

1 . A sub-pixel circuit, comprising:
at least two anodes disposed over a substrate, adjacent anodes defining a well; adjacent overhang structures, the overhang structures comprising a first portion disposed in the well below an uppermost surface of the anode and overhang extensions extending past lower sidewalls of the first portion, wherein the well has a trench area defined by the lower sidewalls and a bottom surface of the overhang extensions with a gap between the overhang extensions of the adjacent overhang structures; and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) material disposed over the anode, the upper surface of the overhang structures, under the overhang structures, and within the trench area.

2 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 1 , wherein the adjacent overhang structures further comprise a second portion, wherein the first portion comprises a first material and the second portion comprises a second material.

3 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 2 , wherein the first material and the second material are different.

4 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 2 , wherein the first material has a first etch rate and the second material has a second etch rate when exposed to an etchant.

5 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 4 , wherein the first etch rate and the second etch rate are different.

6 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 1 , wherein a cathode is disposed over the upper surface of the overhang structures, under the overhang structures, and within the trench area.

7 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 2 , wherein an encapsulation layer extends under at least a portion of the second portion along the lower sidewalls of the first portion, and contacts the bottom surface of the overhang extensions of the overhang structures.

8 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 1 , wherein the OLED material is disposed on the substrate within the trench area.

9 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a protective layer disposed on the substrate within the well and extending over at least a portion of the anodes.

10 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 1 , wherein the OLED material disposed within the trench area contacts the lower sidewalls of the adjacent overhang structures.

11 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 1 , wherein a first thickness of the OLED material disposed over the anodes and the upper surface of the overhang structures is larger than a second thickness of the OLED material disposed within the trench area.

12 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 2 , wherein the first material comprises silicon.

13 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 2 , wherein the second material comprises silicon oxide.

14 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 7 , further comprising:
a global encapsulation layer disposed over the encapsulation layer.

15 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 14 , wherein the global encapsulation layer fills the trench area and the gap between the second portion of the adjacent overhang structures.

16 . A sub-pixel circuit, comprising:
at least two anodes disposed over a substrate, the anodes having an anode thickness from the substrate to an uppermost surface of the anode, adjacent anodes defining a well; and adjacent overhang structures, the overhang structures comprising a first portion disposed in the well below the uppermost surface of the anodes and a second portion disposed over the first portion having overhang extensions extending past lower sidewalls of the first portion, wherein:
the well has a trench area defined by the lower sidewalls and a bottom surface of the overhang extensions with a gap between the overhang extensions of the adjacent overhang structures; and
the first portion under the overhang extensions has a thickness less than the anode thickness.

17 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 16 , wherein the first portion has a first etch rate and the second portion has a second etch rate.

18 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 17 , wherein the first etch rate and the second etch rate are different.

19 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 16 , wherein a cathode is disposed over the upper surface of the overhang structures, under the overhang structures, and within the trench area.

20 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 16 , wherein an encapsulation layer extends under at least a portion of the second portion along the lower sidewalls of the first portion, and contacts the bottom surface of the overhang extensions of the overhang structures.

21 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 16 , wherein an OLED material is disposed on the substrate within the trench area.

22 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 16 , further comprising a protective layer disposed on the substrate within the trench area and extending over at least a portion of the anodes.

23 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 16 , wherein an OLED material disposed within the trench area contacts the lower sidewalls of the overhang structures.

24 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 16 , wherein a first thickness of an OLED material disposed over the anodes and the upper surface of the overhang structures is larger than a second thickness of the OLED material disposed within the trench area.

25 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 16 , wherein the first portion comprises silicon.

26 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 16 , wherein the second portion comprises silicon oxide.

27 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 16 , further comprising:
a global encapsulation layer disposed over the encapsulation layer.

28 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 27 , wherein the global encapsulation layer fills the trench area.

29 . A sub-pixel circuit, comprising:
at least two anodes disposed over a substrate, adjacent anodes defining a well; adjacent overhang structures, the overhang structures comprising a first portion including a first material, the first portion disposed in the well below an uppermost surface of the anode and overhang extensions including a second material different from the first material, the overhang extensions extending past lower sidewalls of the first portion, wherein the well has a trench area defined by the lower sidewalls and a bottom surface of the overhang extensions with a gap between the overhang extensions of the adjacent overhang structures; and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) material disposed over the anode and within the trench area.

30 . The sub-pixel circuit of claim 29 , wherein the first material has a first etch rate, and the second material has a second etch rate, wherein the first etch rate and the second etch rate are different.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Lee Jungmin
• Haas Dieter

Classifications

• H10K59/873

  Encapsulations · CPC title

• H10K2102/351

  Thickness · CPC title

• H10K71/233

  by photolithographic etching · CPC title

• H10K59/35

  comprising red-green-blue [RGB] subpixels · CPC title

• H10K59/80515 Primary

  characterised by their shape · CPC title