Abstract: The present disclosure relates to approaches for assessing a sample or the presence of microorganisms. The sample, in certain implementations may be assessed for one or both of absence of microorganisms (sterility) and/or for concentration of said organisms (bio-burden). sample partition device may be employed that partitions the sample input volume into multiple discrete measurement zones with little or no loss of sample (e.g., zero-loss) and with little operator involvement, thereby reducing operator- and environment-based false positives.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a consumable sample partition device and it assembly and use. The sample partition device can be used to test a sample for absence of microorganisms (sterility) and/or for concentration of said organisms (bio-burden). The sample partition device partitions the sample input volume into multiple discrete measurement zones with little or no loss of sample (e.g., zero-loss) and with little operator involvement, thereby reducing operator- and environment-based false positives.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to approaches for assessing a sample or the presence of microorganisms. The sample, in certain implementations may be assessed for one or both of absence of microorganisms (sterility) and/or for concentration of said organisms (bio-burden). sample partition device may be employed that partitions the sample input volume into multiple discrete measurement zones with little or no loss of sample (e.g., zero-loss) and with little operator involvement, thereby reducing operator- and environment-based false positives.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a consumable sample partition device and it assembly and use. The sample partition device can be used to test a sample for absence of microorganisms (sterility) and/or for concentration of said organisms (bio-burden). The sample partition device partitions the sample input volume into multiple discrete measurement zones with little or no loss of sample (e.g., zero-loss) and with little operator involvement, thereby reducing operator- and environment-based false positives.

Abstract: The present techniques provide systems and methods for protecting electronic devices such as organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) from adverse environmental effects using a thin film encapsulation with reduced process time. In some embodiments, the process time of forming a graded barrier over the OLED structure may take less than 5 minutes, and may result in substantially similar barrier properties as those of metal and epoxy sealants and/or typical thin film encapsulations. The process time of forming the barrier may be reduced by increasing deposition rates for organic and/or inorganic materials, reducing the thicknesses of organic and/or inorganic layers, and/or varying the number of zones in the barrier.

Abstract: The present techniques provide systems and methods for protecting electronic devices, such as organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) from adverse environmental effects. The edges of the devices may also be protected by a edge protection coating to reduce the adverse affects of a lateral ingress of adverse environmental conditions. In some embodiments, inorganic materials, or a combination of inorganic and organic materials, are deposited over the device to form a edge protection coating which extends approximately 3 millimeter or less beyond the edges of the device. In other embodiments, the device may be encapsulated with an organic region, and with an inorganic region, or the device may be encapsulated with inorganic materials, which may form the edge protection coating and may be combined with ultra high barrier technology. The coatings formed over the device may extend beyond the edges of the device to ensure lateral protection.

Abstract: Methods for improving coating or etching uniformity of non-conductive substrates in plasma-mediated processes generally include applying an electrically conductive coating to the non-conductive substrate prior to plasma processing. The electrically conductive coating is disposed in electrical communication with a metallic electrode of a plasma reactor. By disposing a conductive layer on the non-conductive substrate, a uniform electric potential is created during plasma processing can be built up on the non-conductive, which is equivalent to that of the metallic electrode upon which it is disposed during plasma processing.

Abstract: In a method for depositing a barrier coating, a device is provided comprising a first portion and a second portion where a surface of the second portion is in a shadow zone. The device is pretreated wherein the pretreating alters a deposition rate of the barrier coating on a surface exposed to the pretreating. The shadow zone is substantially unexposed to the pretreating. A barrier coating is deposited wherein the barrier coating substantially conforms to a profile of the device. The coating may be a graded-composition barrier coating wherein a composition of the coating varies substantially continuously across a thickness thereof. The first portion may include a flexible, substantially transparent substrate. The second portion may include an electronic device. The barrier coating and first portion may encapsulate the second portion. The method is a single, commercially advantageous, barrier deposition process, enabling increased product throughput and low process tact time.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method relating to graded-composition barrier coatings comprising first and second materials in first and second zones. The compositions of one or both zones vary substantially continuously across a thickness of the zone in order to achieve improved properties such as barrier, flexibility, adhesion, optics, thickness, and tact time. The graded-composition barrier coatings find utility in preventing exposure of devices such as organic electro-luminescent devices (OLEDs) to reactive species found in the environment.

Abstract: The present techniques provide systems and methods for protecting electronic devices, such as organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) from adverse environmental effects. The edges of the devices may also be protected by a edge protection coating to reduce the adverse affects of a lateral ingress of adverse environmental conditions. In some embodiments, inorganic materials, or a combination of inorganic and organic materials, are deposited over the device to form a edge protection coating which extends approximately 3 millimeter or less beyond the edges of the device. In other embodiments, the device may be encapsulated with an organic region, and with an inorganic region, or the device may be encapsulated with inorganic materials, which may form the edge protection coating and may be combined with ultra high barrier technology. The coatings formed over the device may extend beyond the edges of the device to ensure lateral protection.

Abstract: The present techniques provide systems and methods for protecting electronic devices such as organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) from adverse environmental effects using a thin film encapsulation with reduced process time. In some embodiments, the process time of forming a graded barrier over the OLED structure may take less than 5 minutes, and may result in substantially similar barrier properties as those of metal and epoxy sealants and/or typical thin film encapsulations. The process time of forming the barrier may be reduced by increasing deposition rates for organic and/or inorganic materials, reducing the thicknesses of organic and/or inorganic layers, and/or varying the number of zones in the barrier.

Abstract: In a method for depositing a barrier coating, a device is provided comprising a first portion and a second portion where a surface of the second portion is in a shadow zone. The device is pretreated wherein the pretreating alters a deposition rate of the barrier coating on a surface exposed to the pretreating. The shadow zone is substantially unexposed to the pretreating. A barrier coating is deposited wherein the barrier coating substantially conforms to a profile of the device. The coating may be a graded-composition barrier coating wherein a composition of the coating varies substantially continuously across a thickness thereof. The first portion may include a flexible, substantially transparent substrate. The second portion may include an electronic device. The barrier coating and first portion may encapsulate the second portion. The method is a single, commercially advantageous, barrier deposition process, enabling increased product throughput and low process tact time.

Abstract: An improvement of a baseline method for depositing a coating on a device having a surface where the surface includes a first portion and a second portion, where the second portion is in a shadow zone, and where the coating is deposited using a first predetermined set of process parameters having a first ratio of a thickness of the coating on the second portion to a thickness of the coating on the first portion. In the improved method, the coating is deposited using a second predetermined set of process parameters such that the coating substantially conforms to a profile of the device and a second ratio of a thickness of the coating on the second portion to a thickness of the coating on the first portion is greater than the first ratio. The method is a single, commercially advantageous deposition process, enabling increased product throughput and low process tact time.

Abstract: Methods for improving coating or etching uniformity of non-conductive substrates in plasma-mediated processes generally include applying an electrically conductive coating to the non-conductive substrate prior to plasma processing. The electrically conductive coating is disposed in electrical communication with a metallic electrode of a plasma reactor. By disposing a conductive layer on the non-conductive substrate, a uniform electric potential is created during plasma processing can be built up on the non-conductive, which is equivalent to that of the metallic electrode upon which it is disposed during plasma processing.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed relating to graded-composition barrier coatings comprising first and second materials in first and second zones. The compositions of one or both zones vary substantially continuously across a thickness of the zone in order to achieve improved properties such as barrier, flexibility, adhesion, optics, thickness and tact time. The graded-composition barrier coatings find utility in preventing exposure of devices such as organic electro-luminescent devices (OLEDs) to reactive species found in the environment.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed relating to graded-composition barrier coatings comprising first and second materials in first and second zones. The compositions of one or both zones vary substantially continuously across a thickness of the zone in order to achieve improved properties such as barrier, flexibility, adhesion, optics, thickness and tact time. The graded-composition barrier coatings find utility in preventing exposure of devices such as organic electro-luminescent devices (OLEDs) to reactive species found in the environment.