Encapsulated organic electronic devices and method for making same

Abstract

Encapsulated organic electronic devices including organic light emitting diodes are made using an adhesive component as a mask while the device is being constructed. An adhesive-coated liner can be applied to the device substrate and openings created therein by removing portions of the liner and adhesive, or a patterned adhesive layer having openings therein can be formed on the device substrate, followed by deposition of the device layers and application of a sealing layer.

1 . A method for making an organic electronic device comprising: 
 a. providing an adhesive-coated release liner from which a pattern has been cut,    b. applying the adhesive-coated side of the patterned release liner to an electrode substrate to form a composite structure having at least a portion of the electrode substrate exposed,    c. depositing one or more organic electronic elements on the exposed electrode of the composite structure,    d. removing the release liner from the composite structure, and    e. adhering a sealing layer to the exposed adhesive of the composite structure.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a protective film is applied to the composite structure after the release liner is removed, which protective film is removed prior to adhering the sealing layer.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the adhesive-coated liner is thicker in the z direction than the organic electronic elements.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the adhesive is selected from the group comprising hot melt adhesives, pressure sensitive adhesives, curable adhesives, and filled adhesives.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the filled adhesive is selected from the group comprising electrically conductive adhesives, thermally conductive adhesives, and desiccating adhesives.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the filled adhesive is used in conjunction with an unfilled adhesive.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the adhesive-coated liner is selected from the group comprising polypropylene films, metal foils coated with siloxanes or fluorocarbons, polyester coated with siloxanes or fluorocarbons, and fluoropolymer films.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein multiple adhesive-coated liners are applied to the electrode substrate and are removed at different stages during organic electronic element deposition.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the sealing layer is a counter electrode.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the material comprising the counter electrode is selected from the group comprising lithium fluoride, aluminum, barium, ytterbium, samarium, lithium, indium tin oxide, fluorine tin oxide, zinc oxide, calcium, magnesium, silver, gold, and alloys of calcium and magnesium.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the sealing layer comprises a partial organic electronic device construction that is laminated to the composite structure.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a counter electrode layer is applied on top of the final organic element layer and the sealing layer is a protective layer.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the adhesive-coated liner is thicker in the z direction than the organic electronic elements and the counter electrode layer.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the material comprising the protective layer is selected from the group comprising metallized polymer films, polymer multilayer films, metal plates, foils, and thin flexible glasses.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the material comprising the counter electrode is selected from the group comprising calcium, aluminum, and indium tin oxide.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the organic electronic device is an organic light emitting diode.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the substrate is selected from the group comprising glass and polymer multilayer films, the anode comprises indium tin oxide, the hole transporting layer comprises 4,4′-bis(naphthalen-2-yl)-N,N′-diphenyl benzidine, the light emitting layer comprises coumarin-doped tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum, the electron transporting layer comprises, and the cathode comprises lithium fluoride and aluminum.  
     
     
         18 . A method for making an organic electronic device comprising: 
 a. coating an adhesive in a pre-determined pattern on an electrode substrate to form a composite structure wherein areas of the substrate remain exposed;    b. applying a mask or release liner to the patterned adhesive such that at least a portion of the exposed substrate areas remain exposed;    c. depositing one or more organic electronic elements on the composite structure;    d. removing the mask or release liner from the adhesive; and    e. applying a sealing layer.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein a protective film is applied to the composite structure after the release liner is removed, which protective film is removed prior to adhering of the sealing layer.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the adhesive-coated liner is thicker in the z direction than the organic electronic elements.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the adhesive is selected from the group comprising hot melt adhesives, pressure sensitive adhesives, curable adhesives, and filled adhesives.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the filled adhesive is selected from the group comprising electrically conductive adhesives, thermally conductive adhesives, and desiccating adhesives.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the filled adhesive is used in conjunction with an unfilled adhesive.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the adhesive-coated liner is selected from the group comprising polypropylene films, metal foils coated with siloxanes or fluorocarbons, polyester coated with siloxanes or fluorocarbons, and fluoropolymer films.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18  wherein multiple adhesive-coated liners are applied to the electrode substrate and are removed at different stages during organic electronic element deposition.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the adhesive is one or both of partially cured and dried between a. and b.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the sealing layer is a counter electrode.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the material comprising the counter electrode is selected from the group comprising lithium fluoride, calcium, aluminum, barium, ytterbium, samarium, lithium, and indium tin oxide, fluorine tin oxide, zinc oxide, calcium, magnesium, silver, gold, and alloys of calcium and magnesium.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the sealing layer comprises a partial organic electronic device construction that is laminated to the composite structure.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 18  wherein a counter electrode layer is applied after the final organic element layer and the sealing layer is a protective layer.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the adhesive-coated liner is thicker in the z direction than the organic electronic elements and the counter electrode layer.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the material comprising the protective layer is selected from the group comprising metallized polymer films, polymer multilayer films, metal plates, foils, and thin flexible glasses.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the material comprising the counter electrode is selected from the group comprising lithium fluoride, calcium, aluminum, barium, ytterbium, samarium, lithium, indium tin oxide, fluorine tin oxide, zinc oxide, calcium, magnesium, silver, gold, and alloys of calcium and magnesium.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising the step of fully curing the adhesive after the device has been constructed.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the organic electronic device is an organic light emitting diode.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein the substrate is selected from glass and polymer multilayer films, the anode comprises indium tin oxide, the hole transporting layer comprises 4,4′-bis(naphthalen-2-yl)-N,N′-diphenyl benzidine, the light emitting layer comprises coumarin-doped tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum, the electron transporting layer comprises, and the cathode comprises lithium fluoride and aluminum.