Abstract: A system and method for reducing attractive forces between a deposition mask and a substrate is provided that enables high-resolution direct deposition of a patterned layer of material on a substrate using electrostatic chucks for holding the substrate and the shadow mask. A charge-dissipating shadow mask is utilized that comprises a thin conductive layer on the surface of the membrane of the shadow mask. The conductive layer helps to dissipate the charge that accumulates on the membrane of the shadow mask, thereby reducing the attractive forces between the substrate and the shadow mask. As a result, the shadow mask and substrate can be placed in closer proximity to each other than would be possible without the charge-dissipating shadow mask, thereby reducing feathering effects and enabling higher resolution direct deposition.

Abstract: A shadow mask that includes compensation layer operative for at least partially correcting gravity-induced sag of a shadow-mask membrane is disclosed. The compensation layer is formed on a surface of the shadow-mask membrane such that the compensation layer is characterized by a residual stress that gives rise to a first bending moment in the membrane, where the first bending moment is directed in the opposite direction to a second bending moment in the membrane that is induced by the effect of gravity.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing material deposition on an active-matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display array on a substrate, includes aligning a shadow mask to a first position relative to the substrate; initially depositing a first material through the shadow mask onto the substrate at a first material deposition position relative to the first position of the aligned shadow mask and at a first deposition height; incrementing the position the shadow mask to a second position relative to the first material deposition position; and subsequently depositing one of the first material or a second material through the shadow mask onto the substrate at a second material deposition position relative to the first material deposition position, wherein the second material deposition position having an identical deposition pattern as the first material deposition position on account of the shadow mask.

Abstract: A direct-deposition system capable of forming a high-resolution pattern of material on a substrate is disclosed. Vaporized atoms from an evaporation source pass through an aperture pattern of a shadow mask to deposit on the substrate in the desired pattern. Prior to reaching the shadow mask, the vaporized atoms pass through a collimator that operates as a spatial filter that blocks any atoms not travelling along directions that are nearly normal to the substrate surface. As a result, the vaporized atoms that pass through the shadow mask exhibit little or no lateral spread (i.e., feathering) after passing through its apertures and the material deposits on the substrate in a pattern that has very high fidelity with the aperture pattern of the shadow mask. The present invention, therefore, mitigates the need for relatively large space between regions of deposited material normally required in the prior art, thereby enabling high-resolution patterning.

Abstract: A direct-deposition system forming a high-resolution pattern of material on a substrate is disclosed. Vaporized atoms from an evaporation source pass through a pattern of through-holes in a shadow mask to deposit on the substrate in the desired pattern. The shadow mask is held in a mask chuck that enables the shadow mask and substrate to be separated by a distance that can be less than ten microns. Prior to reaching the shadow mask, vaporized atoms pass through a collimator that operates as a spatial filter that blocks any atoms not travelling along directions that are nearly normal to the substrate surface. Vaporized atoms that pass through the shadow mask exhibit little or no lateral spread after passing through through-holes and the material deposits on the substrate in a pattern that has very high fidelity with the through-hole pattern of the shadow mask.

Abstract: A direct-deposition system capable of forming a high-resolution pattern of material on a substrate is disclosed. Vaporized atoms from an evaporation source pass through a pattern of through-holes in a shadow mask to deposit on the substrate in the desired pattern. The shadow mask is held in a mask chuck that enables the shadow mask and substrate to be separated by a distance that can be less than ten microns. As a result, the vaporized atoms that pass through the shadow mask exhibit little or no lateral spread (i.e., feathering) after passing through its apertures and the material deposits on the substrate in a pattern that has very high fidelity with the aperture pattern of the shadow mask.

Abstract: A direct-deposition system capable of forming a high-resolution pattern of material on a substrate is disclosed. Vaporized atoms from an evaporation source pass through an aperture pattern of a shadow mask to deposit on the substrate in the desired pattern. Prior to reaching the shadow mask, the vaporized atoms pass through a collimator that operates as a spatial filter that blocks any atoms not travelling along directions that are nearly normal to the substrate surface. As a result, the vaporized atoms that pass through the shadow mask exhibit little or no lateral spread (i.e., feathering) after passing through its apertures and the material deposits on the substrate in a pattern that has very high fidelity with the aperture pattern of the shadow mask. The present invention, therefore, mitigates the need for relatively large space between regions of deposited material normally required in the prior art, thereby enabling high-resolution patterning.

Abstract: A method of making a patterned OLED layer or layers. The method uses a shadow mask having, for example, a free-standing silicon nitride membrane to pattern color emitter material with a feature size of less than 10 microns. The methods can be used, for example, in the manufacture of OLED microdisplays.

Abstract: A method of making a patterned OLED layer or layers. The method uses a shadow mask having, for example, a free-standing silicon nitride membrane to pattern color emitter material with a feature size of less than 10 microns. The methods can be used, for example, in the manufacture of OLED microdisplays.

Abstract: The method for producing an OLED micro-display on a silicon wafer uses a collimating shadow mask formed on a silicon substrate. The mask is fabricated by depositing a material layer on the front side and on the back side of the substrate and etching a portion of the layer on the back side of the substrate to a reduced thickness of at least 20 microns. At least one opening is created in the etched portion of the substrate. The substrate beneath the opening is removed to create the mask. The mask is situated at a location spaced from the surface of the silicon wafer and exposed to a linear evaporation source. Organic layers are then deposited on the silicon wafer in a location aligned with the mask opening.

Abstract: A method of making a patterned OLED layer or layers. The method uses a shadow mask having, for example, a free-standing silicon nitride membrane to pattern color emitter material with a feature size of less than 10 microns. The methods can be used, for example, in the manufacture of OLED microdisplays.

Abstract: A method of making a patterned OLED layer or layers. The method uses a shadow mask having, for example, a free-standing silicon nitride membrane to pattern color emitter material with a feature size of less than 10 microns. The methods can be used, for example, in the manufacture of OLED microdisplays.

Abstract: A high efficacy multi-layer seal structure formed on an organic light emitting diode device and the process for depositing the same. A thin film seal is formed over the substrate having OLED layers, and includes a first metallic layer formed over the substrate, an inorganic layer formed over the first metallic layer, and a second metallic layer formed of the inorganic layer. The metallic layers comprise one or more oxide or nitride layers, each oxide or nitride comprising a metal. The inorganic layer comprises a metal oxide, a metal nitride or a metal oxynitride. The process for forming the multi-layer seal structure includes depositing the first metallic layer over the substrate using atomic layer deposition, depositing the inorganic layer over the first metallic layer using sputtering, and then depositing the second metallic layer over the inorganic layer using atomic layer deposition.

Abstract: A method of making a patterned OLED layer or layers. The method uses a shadow mask having, for example, a free-standing silicon nitride membrane to pattern color emitter material with a feature size of less than 10 microns. The methods can be used, for example, in the manufacture of OLED microdisplays.

Abstract: A top-emitting OLED device includes a substrate, a first electrode disposed over the substrate, and an organic EL media disposed over the first electrode. The device also includes a transparent or semitransparent second electrode disposed over the organic EL media, and a light transmissive desiccating film having a host and molecularly dispersed desiccant material in such host provided on or over the second electrode.

Abstract: An encapsulated OLED device includes a substrate having a predetermined glass seal area and defining a sealed region and one or more OLED unit(s) provided over the substrate, each OLED unit having a light-emitting portion including at least one first electrode, at least one second electrode spaced from the first electrode, and an organic EL media layer provided between the first and second electrodes, wherein the light-emitting portion is provided within the sealed region. The device also includes an inorganic protection layer provided over the glass seal area and over at least a portion of the sealed region, a cover provided over the substrate and OLED unit(s), and sintered glass frit seal material provided in the glass seal area and in contact with both the cover and the inorganic protection layer to bond the cover to the inorganic protection layer and provide sealing against moisture penetration into the sealed region.

Abstract: A method of encapsulating a plurality of OLED devices formed on a common substrate includes stacking a number of repeating assemblies of patterned layers over the OLED devices while leaving outermost portions of electrical interconnects of such encapsulated devices accessible for connecting electrical leads thereto.

Abstract: Making a high absorption donor substrate for providing one or more OLED materials to an OLED device by: providing an absorber anti-reflection layer over a transparent support element, the anti-reflection layer having the real portion of its index of refraction greater than 3.0, and a thickness near the first reflectivity minimum at the wavelength of interest; providing a metallic heat-absorbing layer over the anti-reflection layer for absorbing laser light which passes through the transparent support element and the anti-reflection layer; and selecting the transparent support element, the anti-reflection layer, and the metallic heat-absorbing layer to have an average reflectivity of less than 10%, and the micro reflectivity variation due to variations in the thickness of the transparent support element of less than 10% at the wavelength of interest; and providing one or more organic material layers in the absence of a binder material, over the metallic heat-absorbing layer.

Abstract: A method for depositing onto a substrate an organic emitter layer in the process of making an OLED device, includes providing a donor element coated with the organic emitter layer having an organic emitter having a desired emission spectrum and which when subject to heat transfers to the substrate; positioning the coated side of the donor element in a material transferring relationship at a predetermined distance relative to the substrate to deposit the emitter layer in an environment of reduced pressure, the predetermined distance being selected so that the spectrum of light emitted from the OLED device will be in the desired emission spectrum; and heating the donor element to cause the transferable layer to transfer to form the emitter layer on the organic light-emitting device.

Abstract: A method for transferring organic material from a flexible donor element onto a substrate to form a layer of organic material in making one or more OLED devices, includes providing the flexible donor element and the substrate in a spaced relationship within a chamber under atmospheric pressure defined by a transfer station so that the flexible donor element partitions the chamber into first and second cavities; varying the pressure differential between the first and second cavities to cause the flexible donor element to move into a contact relationship with the substrate; providing a transparent window which defines the top surface of the second cavity; and providing radiation energy through the transparent window onto the flexible donor element in contact with the substrate to cause the flexible donor element to absorb heat and transfer organic material onto the substrate.