U.S. patent application number 16/781951 was filed with the patent office on 2020-06-04 for organic light-emitting display apparatus and manufacturing method thereof.
The applicant listed for this patent is SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Yoon-Hyeung Cho, Jong-Woo Kim, Yong-Tak Kim, So-Young Lee, Ji-Young Moon, Min-Ho Oh.
Application Number | 20200176534 16/781951 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51671659 |
Filed Date | 2020-06-04 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200176534 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Oh; Min-Ho ; et al. |
June 4, 2020 |
ORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING DISPLAY APPARATUS AND MANUFACTURING METHOD
THEREOF
Abstract
An organic light-emitting display apparatus and a manufacturing
method thereof. The organic light-emitting display apparatus
includes a substrate, a display unit arranged on the substrate, a
dam unit arranged at a periphery of the display unit and on the
substrate and an encapsulating layer to encapsulate the display
unit, wherein the encapsulating layer includes an organic film
covering the display unit, and an inorganic film covering the
organic film and the dam unit, and wherein a hardness of the dam
unit is lower than that of the inorganic film. According to this,
lateral moisture-proof characteristics of the organic
light-emitting display apparatus are improved.
Inventors: |
Oh; Min-Ho; (Yongin-si,
KR) ; Cho; Yoon-Hyeung; (Yongin-si, KR) ; Kim;
Yong-Tak; (Yongin-si, KR) ; Lee; So-Young;
(Yongin-si, KR) ; Kim; Jong-Woo; (Yongin-si,
KR) ; Moon; Ji-Young; (Yongin-si, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD. |
Yongin-si |
|
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
51671659 |
Appl. No.: |
16/781951 |
Filed: |
February 4, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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16355591 |
Mar 15, 2019 |
10593747 |
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16781951 |
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15836758 |
Dec 8, 2017 |
10269892 |
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16355591 |
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|
15648833 |
Jul 13, 2017 |
9842894 |
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15836758 |
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14036430 |
Sep 25, 2013 |
9735223 |
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15648833 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 51/5253 20130101;
H01L 51/5246 20130101; H01L 27/3295 20130101; H01L 51/0011
20130101; H01L 51/56 20130101; H01L 27/3246 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01L 27/32 20060101
H01L027/32; H01L 51/52 20060101 H01L051/52; H01L 51/56 20060101
H01L051/56 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 12, 2013 |
KR |
10-2013-0040547 |
Claims
1. An organic light-emitting display apparatus, comprising: a
substrate; a display unit arranged on the substrate; a dam unit
around a periphery of the display unit and on the substrate; a
first inorganic film covering the display unit and the dam unit; a
first organic film covering a portion of the first inorganic film;
and a second inorganic film covering the first organic film and the
dam unit; wherein the first organic film covers an entirety of the
display unit, wherein the dam unit is arranged at a periphery of
the first organic film, wherein the first organic film is between
the first inorganic film and the second inorganic film, and wherein
the second inorganic film directly contacts the first inorganic
film outside the dam unit.
2. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 1, wherein
the dam unit comprises a material selected from the group
consisting of silicone, an epoxy, and an acryl.
3. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 1, wherein
the second inorganic film comprises a material selected from the
group consisting of SiN.sub.x, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, SiO.sub.2, and
TiO.sub.2.
4. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 1, the
first inorganic film covers an entirety of opposing sidewalls of
the dam unit.
5. An organic light-emitting display apparatus, comprising: a
substrate; a display unit arranged on the substrate and comprising
an organic light-emitting device and a thin film transistor
electrically connected to the organic light-emitting device; a dam
unit around a periphery of the display unit and on the substrate; a
first inorganic film covering the display unit and the dam unit; a
first organic film covering a portion of the first inorganic film,
wherein the first organic film entirely covers the display unit;
and a second inorganic film covering the first organic film and the
dam unit, wherein the dam unit is arranged at a periphery of the
first organic film, and wherein the first organic film is between
the first inorganic film and the second inorganic film.
6. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 5, wherein an
upper surface of the second inorganic film that faces away from the
substrate is non-planar due to the underlying display unit and the
dam unit, wherein a distance from the substrate to the second
inorganic film in a direction normal to an upper surface of the
substrate varies with location.
7. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 5, the first
organic film comprising at least one of polyurea and
polyacrylate.
8. An organic light-emitting display apparatus, comprising: a
substrate; a buffer layer on the substrate; a display unit arranged
on the buffer layer; a dam unit on the buffer layer; a first
inorganic film covering the display unit and the dam unit; a first
organic film covering a portion of the first inorganic film; and a
second inorganic film covering the first organic film and the dam
unit, wherein the first organic film covers an entirety of the
display unit, wherein the first organic film is between the first
inorganic film and the second inorganic film, wherein the dam unit
is arranged at a periphery of the first organic film, and wherein
the buffer layer comprises an inorganic material.
9. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 8, wherein
the second inorganic film comprises a material selected from the
group consisting of SiN.sub.x, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, SiO.sub.2, and
TiO.sub.2.
10. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 9,
wherein the first inorganic film covers an entirety of opposing
sidewalls of the dam unit.
11. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 10,
wherein the second inorganic film directly contacts a portion of
the first inorganic film between the display unit and the dam
unit.
12. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 10,
wherein the second inorganic film directly contacts the first
inorganic film outside the dam unit.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 16/355,591, filed Mar. 15, 2019, which is a
continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/836,758, filed
Dec. 8, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,269,892, which is a continuation
of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/648,833, filed Jul. 13,
2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,842,894, which is a continuation of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 14/036,430, filed Sep. 25, 2013, now
U.S. Pat. No. 9,735,223, which claims priority to and the benefit
of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0040547, filed on Apr. 12,
2013, the entire contents of all of which are incorporated herein
by reference.
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an organic light-emitting
display apparatus and a manufacturing method thereof in which
lateral moisture-proof characteristics are improved.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0003] An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes an
organic light-emitting device including a hole injection electrode,
an electron injection electrode, and an organic light-emitting
layer interposed between them. The organic light-emitting display
apparatus is a self-emissive display apparatus where holes injected
from the hole injection electrode and electrons injected from the
electron electrode are combined to create excitons in the organic
light-emitting layer, and the excitons decay from an excited state
to a ground state to emit a light beam.
[0004] Since the organic light-emitting display apparatus, which is
a self-emissive display apparatus, does not need separate light
sources, low voltage driving and a lightweight and thin type
configuration may be possible. The organic light-emitting display
apparatus attracts the attention as a next generation display
apparatus due to high definition characteristics, such as wide
viewing angles, high contrast, and fast response speeds. However,
since the organic light-emitting display apparatus is degraded by
external moisture or oxygen, it is required to be encapsulated to
protect the organic light-emitting device from external moisture or
oxygen.
[0005] Nowadays, for a thinner and more flexible organic
light-emitting display apparatus, a thin film encapsulation (TFE)
layer, including organic films and inorganic films, is used to
encapsulate the organic light-emitting device.
[0006] When the organic films and the inorganic films are formed,
patterns are formed by disposing masks corresponding to the films
on a substrate. At this time, an organic film may permeate a gap
between the mask used to produce the organic film pattern and the
substrate. Compared to an inorganic film, the organic film has
remarkably lower encapsulation characteristics. Therefore, when an
organic film permeates a gap between the substrate and the mask
used to pattern the organic film, an organic film may be formed
between the inorganic film and the substrate, or between the
inorganic films. Also, through this, oxygen or moisture may
permeate the display unit.
SUMMARY
[0007] The present invention provides an organic light-emitting
display apparatus and a manufacturing method thereof in which
lateral moisture-proof characteristics thereof are improved.
[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an organic light-emitting display apparatus that includes
a substrate, a display unit arranged on the substrate, a dam unit
arranged at a periphery of the display unit and on the substrate
and an encapsulating layer to encapsulate the display unit, wherein
the encapsulating layer includes an organic film covering the
display unit, and an inorganic film covering the organic film and
the dam unit, and wherein the hardness of the dam unit may be lower
than that of the inorganic film. The organic film may be spaced
apart from the dam unit. The dam unit may include silicon, an epoxy
or an acryl. The dam unit may include a plurality of dams spaced
apart from each other and parallel to each other. The dam unit may
have elasticity. The organic film may include polyurea or
polyacrylate. The inorganic film may include SiN.sub.x,
Al.sub.2O.sub.3, SiO.sub.2 or TiO.sub.2. The display apparatus may
also include a lower inorganic film covering the display unit and
the dam unit, the organic film may cover the lower inorganic film.
The plurality of dams may be concentric rectangles that increase a
length of a lateral path of moisture in reaching the display unit
from an outside.
[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a method of manufacturing an organic light-emitting
display apparatus that includes forming a dam unit on a substrate,
forming a display unit inside the dam unit and on the substrate and
forming an encapsulating layer on the display unit to encapsulate
the display unit, the forming of the encapsulating layer may
include combining a mask with the substrate, the mask having a
groove into which the dam unit is inserted, forming an organic film
to cover the display unit by using the mask, separating the mask
and forming an inorganic film to cover the organic film and the dam
unit. A depth of the groove may be equal to or smaller than a
height of the dam unit, and a width of the groove may be equal to
or greater than a width of the dam unit. The dam unit may include
silicon, an epoxy or an acryl. The dam unit may be produced by
inkjet printing or screen printing. The groove may have a tapered
shape. When the dam unit is combined to the groove, a shape of the
dam unit may change elastically according to a shape of the groove.
The organic film may be spaced apart from the dam unit. A hardness
of the dam unit may be lower than that of the inorganic film. The
method may also include forming a lower inorganic film to cover the
display unit and the dam unit, wherein the organic film may be
formed to cover a portion of the lower inorganic film, and wherein
the combining the mask to the substrate may include inserting the
dam unit covered by the lower inorganic film into the groove of the
mask.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] A more complete appreciation of the invention, and many of
the attendant advantages thereof, will be readily apparent as the
same becomes better understood by reference to the following
detailed description when considered in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which like reference symbols indicate the
same or similar components, wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a side view schematically illustrating an organic
light-emitting display apparatus according to a first embodiment of
the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a
display unit of the organic light-emitting display apparatus in
FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view schematically
illustrating a method of manufacturing the organic light-emitting
display apparatus where the display unit is formed after the dam
unit;
[0014] FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view schematically
illustrating a method of manufacturing the organic light-emitting
display apparatus where the mask is attached to the dam unit of the
display unit;
[0015] FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view schematically
illustrating a method of manufacturing the organic light-emitting
display apparatus where an organic unit is formed on the
display;
[0016] FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view schematically
illustrating a method of manufacturing the organic light-emitting
display apparatus where the inorganic film is formed; and
[0017] FIG. 7 is a side view schematically illustrating an organic
light-emitting display apparatus according to a second embodiment
of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The following description with reference to the accompanying
drawings is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of
exemplary embodiments of the invention as defined by the claims and
their equivalents. It includes various specific details to assist
in that understanding, but these are to be regarded as merely
exemplary. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will
recognize that various changes and modifications of the embodiments
described herein can be made without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention. Also, any description that may
unnecessarily blur the point of the present invention is omitted
from the detailed description.
[0019] Also, though terms like "first" and "second" are used to
describe various elements and/or portions in various embodiments of
the present invention, the members and/or portions are not limited
to these terms. These terms are used only to differentiate one
member or portion from another one.
[0020] It will also be understood that when a portion such as a
layer, a film, a region, a plate is referred to as being "on" or
"above" another portion, it can be directly on the other portion,
or intervening layers may also be present.
[0021] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the inventive concept
will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings. In the specification, descriptions or drawings on
portions irrelative to the present invention will be omitted, or
briefly described or drawn. Like reference numerals refer to like
elements throughout. Also, in the drawings, the thicknesses and
areas of layers and regions are enlarged or exaggerated for
clarity.
[0022] As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all
combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Expressions such as "at least one of," when preceding a list of
elements, modify the entire list of elements and do not modify the
individual elements of the list.
[0023] Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 2, FIG. 1 is a side view
schematically illustrating an organic light-emitting display
apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present
invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view
illustrating a display unit 200 of the organic light-emitting
display apparatus 10 of FIG. 1. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the
organic light-emitting display apparatus 10 includes a substrate
100, the display unit 200 formed on the substrate 100, a dam unit
120 spaced-apart from the display unit 200 and on the substrate
100, and an encapsulating layer 300 encapsulating the display unit
200.
[0024] The substrate 100 may be a flexible substrate and may be
made out of plastic having excellent thermal resistance and
durability, such as polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate (PET),
polycarbonate, polyethylene naphthalate, polyarylate (PAR), and
polyetherimide, however the present invention is not limited
thereto, as the substrate 100 may instead be made out of various
other materials, such as metal or glass.
[0025] The display unit 200 may include an organic thin film
transistor (TFT) layer 200a and a pixel unit 200b. The pixel unit
200b may be an organic light-emitting device. Hereinafter, the
display unit 200 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
2.
[0026] A buffer layer 212 may be formed on the substrate 100. The
buffer layer 212 prevents impurities from permeating through the
substrate 100, and provides a flat surface on a top side of the
substrate 100. The buffer layer 212 may be made out of various
materials capable of performing the above-described functions.
[0027] For example, the buffer layer 212 may include an inorganic
material, such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon
oxy-nitride, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, titanium oxide, or
titanium nitride, or an organic material, such as polyimide,
polyester, or acrylic. Alternatively, the buffer layer can be a
plurality of laminated layers of organic layers and inorganic
layers alternately stacked.
[0028] A TFT layer 200a may be formed on the buffer layer 212. The
TFT layer 200a may include an activation layer 221, a gate
electrode 222, and source and drain electrodes 223. Although, as an
example of the TFT layer 200a in the present embodiment, a top
gate-type TFT is illustrated, a TFT having another structure may
also be included.
[0029] The activation layer 221 is made out of a semiconductor
material and is arranged on the buffer layer 212, and a gate
insulating film 213 is formed to cover the activation layer 221.
The activation layer 221 may be made out of an inorganic
semiconductor, such as amorphous silicon or poly-silicon, or an
organic semiconductor, and have a channel region between a source
region and a drain region. Also, the gate insulating film 213
insulates the activation layer 221 from the gate electrode 222, and
may be made out of an organic material or an inorganic material,
such as SiN.sub.x or SiO.sub.2.
[0030] The gate electrode 222 is formed on the gate insulating film
213, and an inter-layer insulating film 214 is formed to cover the
gate electrode 222. The gate electrode 222 may include Au, Ag, Cu,
Ni, Pt, Pd, Al, or Mo, and an alloy, such as Al:Nd, or Mo:W alloy,
but it is not limited thereto as the gate electrode 222 may be made
out of various other materials in consideration of design
conditions. The inter-layer-insulating film 214 is disposed between
the gate electrode 222 and the source and drain electrodes 223 to
insulate them from each other, and may be made out of an inorganic
material, such as SiN.sub.x or SiO.sub.2.
[0031] The source and drain electrodes 223 are formed on the
inter-layer insulating film 214. In detail, the inter-layer
insulating film 214 and the gate insulating layer 221 expose the
source and drain regions of the activation layer 221, and the
source and drain electrodes 223 contact the exposed source and
drain regions of the activation layer 221.
[0032] FIG. 2 exemplifies a top gate-type TFT, which sequentially
includes the activation layer 221, the gate electrode 222, and the
source and drain electrodes 223, however the present invention is
not limited thereto, and the gate electrode 222 may be disposed
below the activation layer 221. The above-described TFT layer 200a
is electrically connected to the pixel unit 200b to drive the pixel
unit 200b, and is protected by being covered by the planarization
layer 215.
[0033] The planarization layer 215 may include an inorganic
insulating film and/or an organic insulating film. For the
inorganic insulating film, SiO.sub.2, SiN.sub.x, SiON,
Al.sub.2O.sub.3, TiO.sub.2, Ta.sub.2O.sub.5, HfO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2,
BST, or PZT may be used. For the organic insulating film, general
purpose polymer (PMMA, PS), polymer derivatives having phenol-based
group, acrylic-based polymer, imide-based polymer, aryl ether-based
polymer, amide-based polymer, fluorine-based polymer,
p-xylene-based polymer, vinyl alcohol-based polymer, and a blend
thereof may be used. Also, the planarization layer 215 may be made
out of a complex laminated body of inorganic insulating films and
organic insulating films.
[0034] The pixel unit 200b is formed on the planarization layer
215, and may include a pixel electrode 231, an intermediate layer
232, and an opposite electrode 233. The pixel electrode 231 is
formed on the planarization layer 215, and is electrically
connected to one of the source and drain electrodes 223 through a
contact hole 230 formed in the planarization layer 215. The pixel
electrode 231 may be a reflective electrode and may include a
reflective film and a transparent or translucent electrode layer
formed on the reflective film, wherein the reflective film is made
out of Ag, Mg, Al, Pt, Pd, Au, Ni, Nd, Ir, Cr, or a compound
thereof while the transparent or translucent electrode layer may be
made out of at least one or more of indium tin oxide (ITO), indium
zinc oxide (IZO), zinc oxide (ZnO), indium oxide (In.sub.2O.sub.3),
indium gallium oxide (IGO), and aluminum zinc oxide (AZO).
[0035] The opposite electrode 233 that is opposite to the pixel
electrode 231 may be a transparent or translucent electrode, and
may be made out of a metal thin film having small work function,
which includes Li, Ca, LiF/Ca, LiF/Al, Al, Ag, Mg, and a compound
thereof. Also, an auxiliary electrode layer or a bus electrode may
be further made out of a transparent electrode-forming material,
such as ITO, IZO, ZnO, or In.sub.2O.sub.3, on the metal thin
film.
[0036] Accordingly, the opposite electrode 233 may transmit light
emitted from an organic light-emitting layer included in the
intermediate layer 232. That is, the light emitted from the organic
light-emitting layer may be directly output or reflected by the
pixel electrode 231 made out of a reflective electrode to be output
towards the opposite electrode 233.
[0037] However, the organic light-emitting display apparatus 10
according to the present embodiment is not limited to a
top-emission type, and may be a bottom-emission type where the
light emitted from the organic light-emitting layer is emitted
towards the substrate 100. In this case, the pixel electrode 231
may be made out of a transparent or translucent electrode, and the
opposite electrode 233 may be made out of a reflective electrode.
Also, the organic light-emitting display apparatus 10 according to
the present embodiment may be a dual emission type emitting light
in both directions of the top and bottom surfaces thereof.
[0038] A pixel-defining film 216 is made out of an insulating
material and is arranged on the pixel electrode 231. The
pixel-defining film 216 exposes a predetermined region of the pixel
electrode 231, and the intermediate layer 232 is disposed on the
exposed region, wherein the intermediate layer 232 includes an
organic light-emitting layer.
[0039] The organic light-emitting layer may be made out of a low
molecular organic material or a polymer organic material. The
intermediate layer 232 may selectively further include, besides the
organic light-emitting layer, a functional layer, such as a hole
transport layer (HTL), a hole injection layer (HIL), an electron
transport layer (ETL), and an electron injection layer (EIL).
[0040] Referring now to FIG. 1, the dam unit 120 is formed
separately from the display unit 200 on the substrate 100. That is,
the dam unit 120 surrounds a periphery of the display unit 200.
[0041] The dam unit 120, as to be described later, improves the
adhesion between the substrate and a mask 400 (see FIG. 4) used to
pattern the organic film 310 of the encapsulating layer 300 to
effectively prevent a monomer of material used to form the organic
film 310 from permeating a gap between the substrate 100 and the
mask 400 in FIG. 4 during formation of the organic film 310. By
preventing the organic film 310 from being exposed to the outside,
the lateral water vapor resistance of the organic light-emitting
display apparatus 10 is improved.
[0042] The dam unit 120 is an elastic member made out of any one of
silicon, an epoxy, and an acryl. Accordingly, when combined with
the mask 400 in FIG. 4, the dam unit 120 can change its shape
according to a shape of a groove 410 formed in the mask 400, as
shown in FIG. 4, and may then return to its original shape after
the mask 400 in FIG. 4 is removed.
[0043] Since the dam unit 120 exists on a periphery of the display
unit 200, a permeation path of moisture or oxygen permeating the
display unit 200 from an external portion of the organic
light-emitting display apparatus 10 may be lengthened. Accordingly,
the water vapor resistance of the organic light-emitting display
apparatus 10 can be further improved. In order to further increase
water vapor resistance and although not shown in the drawings, the
dam unit 120 may include a plurality of dams separated from each
other to allow a permeation path of moisture or oxygen to be
further lengthened.
[0044] The encapsulating layer 300 encapsulates the display unit
200 to prevent degradation of the display unit 200. FIG. 1
exemplifies the encapsulating layer 300 including a single organic
film 310 and a single inorganic film 320, but the present invention
is not limited thereto. The organic film 310 and the inorganic film
320 may instead be alternately laminated a plurality of times.
[0045] The organic film 310 is formed to cover the display unit
200, and may be spaced-apart from the dam unit 120. The organic
film 310 is made out of an organic material having flexibility,
such as polyurea, or polyacrylate to relax the internal stress of
the inorganic film 320, or increase the effect of preventing
external moisture or oxygen permeation by filling minute cracks and
pinholes of the inorganic film 320. The inorganic film 320 may be
made out of an inorganic material having an excellent
moisture-proof capability, such as SiN.sub.x, Al.sub.2O.sub.3,
SiO.sub.2, or TiO.sub.2, in order to prevent external moisture or
oxygen permeation. Accordingly, the inorganic film 320 is formed to
cover the organic film 310. Also, the inorganic film 320 is formed
to cover the dam unit 120.
[0046] According to another embodiment as per the organic
light-emitting display apparatus 70 illustrated in FIG. 7, a lower
inorganic film 340 is first formed on each of substrate 100,
display unit 200 and dam unit 120, and then the organic film 310
and an upper inorganic film 320 may then be sequentially formed on
top of the lower inorganic film 340. In this case, the dam unit 120
and the substrate 100 are covered by the lower inorganic film 340
in addition to the upper inorganic film 320.
[0047] Turning now to FIGS. 3 to 6, FIGS. 3 to 6 are
cross-sectional views schematically illustrating a method of
manufacturing the organic light-emitting display apparatus 10 in
FIG. 1, according to the second embodiment of the present
invention. First, referring to FIG. 3, the dam unit 120 is formed
on the substrate 100, and then the display unit 200 is formed
inside the dam unit 120.
[0048] The dam unit 120 may be produced by an inkjet printing or a
screen printing technique. The inkjet printing is performed by
printing ink containing a material of silicon, an epoxy, or an
acryl on a corresponding portion to form the dam unit 120. The
screen printing is performed by positioning a mask (not shown)
having openings in correspondence to a position at which a dam unit
is to be formed on the substrate 100, and then moving a squeeze
rubber (not shown) in one direction and passing a paste containing
silicon, an epoxy, or an acryl through the openings to form the dam
unit 120. Although the dam unit 120 may be produced by an inkjet
printing or a screen printing technique, the present invention is
not limited thereto as the dam unit 120 may instead be produced by
a coating method, such as spin coating or depositing, and then
performing a photo etching process.
[0049] After the dam unit 120 is formed, the display unit 200 is
formed. The display unit 200 is formed inside the dam unit 120 to
be separated from the dam unit 120. The display unit 200 may not
only have the configuration exemplified in FIG. 2, but may also
employ any well-known organic light-emitting display. Accordingly,
a detailed description of its manufacturing method is omitted.
[0050] Next, the encapsulating layer 300 is formed to encapsulate
the display unit 200. First, as shown in FIG. 4, the mask 400 is
attached to the substrate 100, and then, as shown in FIG. 5, the
organic film 310 is formed to cover the display unit 200 by using
the mask 400.
[0051] The groove 410 having the dam unit 120 inserted into it is
formed in the mask 400. Here, the depth of the groove 410 may be
equal to or smaller than the height of the dam unit 120, and the
width of the groove 410 may be equal to or greater than the width
of the dam unit 120. Here, the width of the groove 410 is measured
on the same plane as one surface of the mask 400 abutting on the
substrate 100, namely, a width of a portion into which the dam unit
120 begins to be inserted. As described above, when the width of
the groove 410 is equal to or greater than the width of the dam
unit 120, the dam unit 120 may be easily inserted into the groove
410, even when an error occurs in a mask aligning process.
[0052] In addition, since the dam unit 120 has elasticity, the size
and shape of the dam unit 120 can elastically varies according to a
shape of the groove 410 when combined with the groove 410.
Accordingly, since the depth of the groove 410 is equal to or
smaller than the height of the dam unit 120, the dam unit 120 ends
up abutting both sides of the groove 410, the result being that the
mask 400 adheres to the substrate 100.
[0053] The groove 410 may have a tapered shape with a lower portion
having a width greater than an upper portion, the upper portion
corresponding to the opening of the groove 410. Due to this, the
coherence between the dam unit 120 and the groove 410 is
improved.
[0054] The organic film 310 is formed when the mask 400 is combined
with the substrate 100. Since it is difficult to directly deposit a
polymer, such as polyurea or polyacrylate, which is a material of
the organic film 310, the organic film 310 may be formed by
evaporating a liquefied monomer for deposition onto the substrate
100, and emitting ultraviolet rays onto the deposited monomer for
polymerization.
[0055] At this time, since the evaporated monomer is
non-directional, if there is a gap between the mask 400 and the
substrate 100, the evaporated monomer may permeate the gap.
However, due to combination of the groove 410 and the dam unit 120
according to the present invention, the mask 400 of FIG. 5 may
strongly adhere to the substrate 100, and permeation of the
evaporated monomer into the gap may be minimized. Accordingly, the
formation of a general edge tail is prevented, and the organic film
310 may be formed to be separated from and spaced apart from the
dam unit 120.
[0056] Even though there is a gap between the mask 400 and the
substrate 100, and the evaporated monomer permeates the gap, the
dam unit 120 may block the evaporated monomer from spreading to the
periphery.
[0057] Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the mask 400 in FIG. 5 is
separated from the dam unit 120 of the substrate 100, and then the
inorganic film 320 is formed. The inorganic film 320 may be formed
through sputtering, atomic layer deposition, or chemical vapor
deposition by using a mask (not shown) for forming the inorganic
film 320.
[0058] The inorganic film 320 is formed to cover the organic film
310 and the dam unit 120. Since the inorganic film 320 is formed to
cover the organic film 310, the periphery of the organic film 310
is covered by the inorganic film 320 that has excellent
moisture-proof properties, and the organic film 310, which is
flexible but vulnerable to moisture, is not exposed to the outside.
Therefore the encapsulating layer 300 having a very stable water
vapor resistance may be realized.
[0059] In the above description of FIGS. 1 to 6, it is exemplified
that the encapsulating layer 300 includes the single organic film
310 and the single inorganic film 320, however, the present
invention is not limited thereto, as the encapsulating layer 300
may instead include a plurality of the organic films 310 and a
plurality of inorganic film 320 alternately laminated. Also, in the
second embodiment of FIG. 7, the encapsulating layer 300 of the
organic light-emitting apparatus 70 may instead include a lower
inorganic film 340 being first formed, and an organic film 310 and
an upper inorganic film 320 being sequentially formed on the lower
inorganic film 340 and still be within the scope of the present
invention. In the second embodiment of FIG. 7, the dam unit 120 is
formed on the substrate 100 and is covered by the lower inorganic
film 340 as well as the upper inorganic film 320.
[0060] According to the embodiments of the present invention,
lateral moisture-proof characteristics of an organic light-emitting
display apparatus can be improved by preventing an organic film
from permeating a gap between a mask and a substrate during
formation of the organic film.
[0061] While the present invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will
be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various
changes in form and details may be made therein without departing
from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by
the following claims.
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