Encapsulated flexible electronic device, and corresponding manufacturing method

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an encapsulated flexible electronic device comprising a flexible electronic device, wherein the flexible electronic device is protected by a protective coating layer, a first cover sheet and a second cover sheet being made of patterned and developed dry photoresist films. The encapsulated flexible electronic device may be used to directly realize different type of electronic devices, such as smart sensor devices.

1 . An encapsulated flexible electronic device comprising:
 a flexible electronic device; and   a protective coating layer, a first cover sheet, and a second cover sheet on the flexible electronic, each of the protective coating layer, first cover sheet, and second cover sheet being a patterned and developed dry photoresist film.   
     
     
         2 . An encapsulated flexible electronic device according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the protective coating layer, first cover sheet, and second cover sheet is a negative, transparent, and permanent solvent dry photoresist film. 
     
     
         3 . An encapsulated flexible electronic device according to  claim 1 , wherein said protective coating layer, said first cover sheet and said second cover sheet have a modulable thickness. 
     
     
         4 . An encapsulated flexible electronic device according to  claim 1 , wherein said flexible electronic device is a flexible photovoltaic cell. 
     
     
         5 . An encapsulated flexible electronic device according to  claim 1 , wherein said flexible electronic device is a touch screen. 
     
     
         6 . An encapsulated flexible electronic device according to  claim 1 , wherein said first and second cover sheets are respectively back and front sheets of said flexible electronic device and are configured to fully protect the flexible electronic device from mechanical stress. 
     
     
         7 . A method for manufacturing an encapsulated flexible electronic device, the method comprising:
 providing a flexible electronic device;   forming a protective coating layer, a first cover sheet, and a second cover sheet on the flexible electronic, each of the protective coating layer, first cover sheet, and second cover sheet being a patterned and developed dry photoresist film.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the forming includes:
 providing a first dry photoresist film on a first surface of said flexible electronic device;   patterning said first dry photoresist film in a negative form with respect to said flexible electronic device;   developing said first dry photoresist film, obtaining the protective coating layer on said surface of said flexible electronic device;   providing a second dry photoresist film on a second surface of said flexible electronic device, opposite to said first surface;   providing a third dry photoresist film on a surface of said protective coating layer;   patterning said second and third dry photoresist films in a negative form with respect to the encapsulated flexible electronic device, so obtaining first and second cover sheets; and   curing said first and second cover sheets.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein providing said first dry photoresist film comprises laminating said first dry photoresist film on said first surface of said flexible electronic device. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein patterning said first dry photoresist film comprises exposing said first dry photoresist film covered by a photolithographic mask shaped in a negative form with respect to said encapsulated flexible electronic device. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein providing said second dry photoresist film comprises laminating said second dry photoresist film on the second surface of said flexible electronic device and providing said third dry photoresist film comprises laminating said third dry photoresist film on said surface of said protective coating layer, which is not in contact with said flexible electronic device. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein laminating said second and third dry photoresist films respectively comprise multiple steps of laminating dry photoresist films with different thickness. 
     
     
         13 . A system, comprising:
 a flexible photovoltaic cell;   a protective coating layer, a first cover sheet, and a second cover sheet on the flexible electronic, each of the protective coating layer, first cover sheet, and second cover sheet being a patterned and developed dry photoresist film; and   a sensor subsystem electrically coupled to the photovoltaic cell.   
     
     
         14 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein each of the protective coating layer, first cover sheet, and second cover sheet is a negative, transparent, and permanent solvent dry photoresist film. 
     
     
         15 . A system according to  claim 13 , further comprising a communication subsystem electrically coupled to the photovoltaic cell. 
     
     
         16 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein said first and second cover sheets are respectively back and front sheets of said photovoltaic cell and are configured to fully protect the photovoltaic cell from mechanical stress.