Methods of fabricating oled panel with inorganic pixel encapsulating barrier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025234737-A1
Application number	US-202519098467-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 2, 2025
Priority date	Sep 4, 2020
Publication date	Jul 17, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate to sub-pixel circuits and methods of forming sub-pixel circuits that may be utilized in a display such as an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display. The device includes a plurality of sub-pixels, each sub-pixel of the plurality of sub-pixels defined by adjacent pixel-defining layer (PDL) structures with inorganic overhang structures disposed on the PDL structures, each sub-pixel having an anode, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) material disposed on the anode, and a cathode disposed on the OLED material. The device is made by a process including the steps of: depositing the OLED material and the cathode by evaporation deposition, and depositing an encapsulation layer disposed over the cathode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of forming a device, comprising:
positioning a substrate having adjacent pixel-defining layer (PDL) structures disposed thereover, the adjacent PDL structures expose a metal layer; forming overhang structures, the overhang structures having an upper portion that extends past sidewalls of a lower portion disposed on the PDL structures to define an overhang, adjacent overhang structures defining a well of a sub-pixel; depositing an organic light-emitting material over the substrate; depositing a cathode over the substrate; and removing portions of the organic light-emitting material and the cathode to form the sub-pixel comprising:
the metal layer between adjacent PDL structures;
the organic light-emitting material disposed in the well and on the metal layer; and
the cathode disposed in the well.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
disposing a lower portion layer over the substrate, the lower portion layer comprising an inorganic material; disposing an upper portion layer on the lower portion layer; and conducting one or more etch processes, the one or more etch processes forming the overhang structures.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein portions of the metal layer are disposed under the adjacent PDL structures.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the upper portion comprises a first inorganic material, wherein the first inorganic material is conductive or nonconductive; or the lower portion comprises a second inorganic material, wherein the second inorganic material is conductive or nonconductive.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising depositing one or more capping layers, the one or more capping layers are disposed between the cathode and an encapsulation layer.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising depositing an encapsulation layer over the cathode, wherein the encapsulation layer extends under at least a portion of the overhang structures past the cathode to contact sidewalls of the lower portion and contact a bottom surface of the upper portion of the overhang structures.

7 . A method, comprising:
depositing an organic light-emitting material over a substrate, wherein:
a pixel-defining layer (PDL) structure is disposed over the substrate;
an overhang structure is disposed over an upper surface of the PDL structure, the overhang structure having an upper portion that extends past a sidewall of a lower portion disposed on the PDL structure; and
a portion of anode is disposed under the PDL structure, and the organic light-emitting material is disposed on the anode;
depositing a second layer over the substrate, the second layer covering the organic light-emitting material and contacting the upper surface of the PDL structure between the lower portion and an endpoint of the organic light-emitting material; depositing an encapsulation layer over the second layer; forming a patterned resist over the encapsulation layer; and conducting an etch process to remove portions of the encapsulation layer exposed by the patterned resist.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising depositing one or more capping layers, the one or more capping layers are disposed between the second layer and the encapsulation layer.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein a first capping layer comprises an organic material and the encapsulation layer includes an inorganic material.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the second layer includes a cathode material and the encapsulation layer includes an inorganic material.

11 . A method, comprising:
forming over a substrate a first well and a second well, each of the first well and the second well comprising:
pixel-defining layer (PDL) structures disposed over the substrate;
overhang structures disposed over an upper surface of the PDL structures, the overhang structures having an upper portion that extends past sidewalls of a lower portion disposed on the PDL structures; and
an anode disposed between adjacent PDL structures;
depositing a first organic light-emitting material in the first well, the first organic light-emitting material is disposed on the anode and is configured to emit a first color; depositing a first cathode in the first well via angled evaporation deposition; depositing a second organic light-emitting material in the second well, the second organic light-emitting material is disposed on the anode and is configured to emit a second color different than the first color; and depositing a second cathode in the first well via angled evaporation deposition.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein portions of the anode are disposed under the adjacent PDL structures.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein a first encapsulation layer and a second encapsulation layer are deposited such that first encapsulation layer of the first well is spaced apart from the second encapsulation layer of the second well above the upper portion.

14 . A method, comprising:
depositing an organic light-emitting material via evaporation deposition over a substrate, wherein:
a pixel-defining layer (PDL) structure is disposed over the substrate;
an overhang structure disposed over an upper surface of the PDL structure, the overhang structure having an upper portion that extends past a sidewall of a lower portion disposed on the PDL structure;
a portion of anode is disposed under the PDL structure, and the organic light-emitting material is disposed on the anode; and
the organic light-emitting material is evaporated at a first angle; and
depositing a second layer over the substrate, the second layer deposited via evaporation deposition a second angle greater than the first angle, the second layer covering the organic light-emitting material and contacting the upper surface of the PDL structure past an endpoint of the organic light-emitting material under the upper portion of the overhang structure.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising depositing one or more capping layers, the one or more capping layer are disposed between the second layer and an encapsulation layer.

16 . A method, comprising:
depositing an organic light-emitting material via evaporation deposition over a substrate, wherein:
at least two pixel-defining layer (PDL) structures are disposed over the substrate;
overhang structures disposed over an upper surface of the PDL structures, the overhang structures having an upper portion that extends past sidewalls of a lower portion disposed on the PDL structures; and
the organic light-emitting material is evaporated at a first angle; and
depositing a cathode over the substrate, the cathode deposited via evaporation deposition a second angle greater than the first angle, the cathode is disposed below the upper portion extends past an endpoint of the organic light-emitting material under the upper portion of the overhang structures.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising depositing an encapsulation layer over the cathode, wherein the encapsulation layer extends under at least a portion of the overhang structures past the cathode to contact sidewalls of the lower portion and contact a bottom surface of the upper portion of the overhang structures.

18 . A method, comprising:
disposing a lower portion layer over a substrate, the lower portion layer comprising an inorganic material; disposing an upper portion layer on the lower portion layer; conducting an dry etch process; and conducting a wet etch process, the conducting the dry etch process and the wet etch process for

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Choung Ji-Young
• Haas Dieter
• Lin Yu Hsin
• Lee Jungmin
• Yoo Seong Ho
• Kim Si Kyoung

Classifications

• H10K50/844 Primary

  Encapsulations · CPC title

• H10K71/00

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

• H10K50/84

  Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations · CPC title

• H10K59/1315

  comprising structures specially adapted for lowering the resistance · CPC title

• H10K59/80522

  combined with auxiliary electrodes · CPC title