Abstract: An edge-sealed barrier film composite. The composite includes a substrate and at least one initial barrier stack adjacent to the substrate. The at least one initial barrier stack includes at least one decoupling layer and at least one barrier layer. One of the barrier layers has an area greater than the area of one of the decoupling layers. The decoupling layer is sealed by the first barrier layer within the area of barrier material. An edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device is provided. A method of making the edge-sealed barrier film composite is also provided.

Abstract: A three dimensional multilayer barrier. The barrier includes a first barrier continuous layer adjacent to a substrate; a first discontinuous decoupling layer adjacent to the first continuous barrier layer, the first discontinuous decoupling layer having at least two sections; and a second continuous barrier layer adjacent to the first discontinuous decoupling layer, the second barrier forming a wall separating the sections of the first discontinuous decoupling layer. A method of making the three dimensional multilayer barrier is also described.

Abstract: An edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device. The device includes an environmentally sensitive device, and at least one edge-sealed barrier stack. The edge-sealed barrier stack includes a decoupling layer and at least two barrier layers. The environmentally sensitive device is sealed between an edge-sealed barrier stack and either a substrate or another edge-sealed barrier stack. A method of making the edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of making an encapsulated plasma sensitive device. The method comprises: providing a plasma sensitive device adjacent to a substrate; depositing a plasma protective layer on the plasma sensitive device using a process selected from non-plasma based processes, or modified sputtering processes; and depositing at least one barrier stack adjacent to the plasma protective layer, the at least one barrier stack comprising at least one decoupling layer and at least one barrier layer, the plasma sensitive device being encapsulated between the substrate and the at least one barrier stack, wherein the decoupling layer, the barrier layer, or both are deposited using a plasma process, the encapsulated plasma sensitive device having a reduced amount of damage caused by the plasma compared to an encapsulated plasma sensitive device made without the plasma protective layer. An encapsulated plasma sensitive device is also described.

Abstract: A tool for depositing multilayer coatings onto a substrate. In one configuration, the tool includes a includes an in-line organic material deposition station operating under at least one of a pressure or temperature controlled environment. In another, it further is of a hybrid design that incorporates both in-line and cluster tool features. In this latter configuration, at least one of the deposition stations is configured to deposit an inorganic layer, while at least one other deposition station is configured to deposit an organic layer. The tool is particularly well-suited to depositing multilayer coatings onto discrete substrates, as well as to encapsulating environmentally-sensitive devices placed on the flexible substrate.