Method for hybrid encapsulation of an organic light emitting diode

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for encapsulating organic light emitting diode (OLED) structures disposed on a substrate using a hybrid layer of material are provided. The processing parameters used during deposition of the hybrid layer of material allow control of the characteristics of the deposited hybrid layer. The hybrid layer may be deposited such that the layer has characteristics of an inorganic material in some sublayers of the hybrid layer and characteristics of an organic material in other sublayers of the hybrid layer. Use of the hybrid material allows OLED encapsulation using a single hard mask for the complete encapsulating process with low cost and without alignment issues present in conventional processes.

1 . A method for forming an encapsulating structure on an organic light emitting diode (OLED) substrate, comprising:
 forming a first inorganic layer on a region of a substrate having an OLED structure disposed thereon;   forming a hybrid layer on the first inorganic layer, wherein the hybrid layer is formed by supplying a processing gas comprising a HMDSO (hexamethyldisiloxane) gas during the formation of the hybrid layer; and   forming a second inorganic layer on the hybrid layer.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hybrid layer comprises plasma-polymerized hexamethyldisiloxane (pp-HMDSO). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hybrid layer comprises a first sublayer formed by providing an oxygen-containing gas to the HMDSO gas at a flow ratio of about 10 or greater. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the hybrid layer comprises a second sublayer formed on the first sublayer, the second sublayer is formed by providing the oxygen-containing gas to the HMDSO gas at a flow ratio of less than about 2. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the hybrid layer comprises a third sublayer formed on the second sublayer, the third sublayer is formed by providing the oxygen-containing gas to the HMDSO gas at a flow ratio of about 10 or greater. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the oxygen-containing gas comprises oxygen gas and/or nitrous oxide gas. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second inorganic layers are a dielectric material. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the dielectric material comprises silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, or aluminum nitride. 
     
     
         9 . An encapsulating structure on an organic light emitting diode (OLED) substrate, comprising:
 a first barrier layer formed on a region of a substrate having an OLED structure disposed thereon;   a hybrid layer formed on the first barrier layer, wherein the hybrid layer have properties of organic materials and/or and properties of inorganic materials; and   a second barrier layer formed on the hybrid layer.   
     
     
         10 . The encapsulating structure of  claim 9 , wherein the hybrid layer comprises plasma-polymerized hexamethyldisiloxane (pp-HMDSO). 
     
     
         11 . The encapsulating structure of  claim 9 , wherein the hybrid layer comprises:
 a first sublayer having a majority of inorganic materials and a minority of organic materials;   a second sublayer having a majority of organic materials and a minority of inorganic materials; and   a third sublayer having a majority of inorganic materials and a minority of organic materials.   
     
     
         12 . The encapsulating structure of  claim 11 , wherein the first sublayer is formed by providing an oxygen-containing gas to a HMDSO gas at a flow ratio of about 10 or greater during the formation of the first sublayer. 
     
     
         13 . The encapsulating structure of  claim 12 , wherein the second sublayer is formed by providing the oxygen-containing gas to the HMDSO gas at a flow ratio of less than about 2 during the formation of the second sublayer. 
     
     
         14 . The encapsulating structure of  claim 13 , wherein the third sublayer is formed by providing the oxygen-containing gas to the HMDSO gas at a flow ratio of about  10  or greater during the formation of the third sublayer. 
     
     
         15 . The encapsulating structure of  claim 14 , wherein the oxygen-containing gas comprises oxygen gas and/or nitrous oxide gas. 
     
     
         16 . The encapsulating structure of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second barrier layers have properties of inorganic materials. 
     
     
         17 . An encapsulating structure on an organic light emitting diode (OLED) substrate, comprising:
 a hybrid layer formed over a substrate having an OLED structure disposed thereon, wherein the hybrid layer comprises:
 a first sublayer having a majority of inorganic materials and a minority of organic materials; 
 a second sublayer having a majority of organic materials and a minority of inorganic materials; and 
 a third sublayer having a majority of inorganic materials and a minority of organic materials. 
   
     
     
         18 . The encapsulating structure of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a first inorganic layer formed relatively below the first sublayer; and   a second inorganic layer formed relatively above the third sublayer.   
     
     
         19 . The encapsulating structure of  claim 17 , wherein the first and third sublayers are formed by providing an oxygen-containing gas to a HMDSO gas at a flow ratio of about 10 or greater during the formation of the first and third sublayers. 
     
     
         20 . The encapsulating structure of  claim 19 , wherein the second sublayer is formed by providing the oxygen-containing gas to the HMDSO gas at a flow ratio of less than about 2 during the formation of the second sublayer.