Encapsulated organic semiconductor device and method

Abstract

A semiconductor device comprising organic semiconductor material ( 14 ) has one or more barrier layers ( 16 ) disposed at least partially thereabout to protect the organic semiconductor material ( 14 ) from environment-driven changes that typically lead to inoperability of a corresponding device. If desired, the barrier layer can be comprised of partially permeable material that allows some substances therethrough to thereby effect disabling of the encapsulated organic semiconductor device after a substantially predetermined period of time. Getterers ( 141 ) may also be used to protect, at least for a period of time, such organic semiconductor material.

We claim:  
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising: 
 an organic semiconductor device containing at least some organic semiconductor material;    an oxygen barrier disposed between the organic semiconductor material and local environment such that the organic semiconductor material is substantially protected from significant electrical performance degradation due to oxygen in the local environment.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the organic semiconductor device further includes a substrate and wherein the at least some organic semiconductor material is disposed overlying the substrate.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the substrate comprises a material that is substantially impermeable to oxygen.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the substrate comprises a material that is permeable to oxygen.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the substrate has an oxygen barrier disposed thereon such that the organic semiconductor material is substantially protected from electrical performance degradation due to oxygen in the local environment that would otherwise permeate through the substrate.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the oxygen barrier is comprised of an oxygen permeable carrier and an oxygen barrier material that is disposed on the carrier.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the oxygen permeable carrier comprises mylar and the oxygen barrier material comprises one of a metal and silica.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6  and further comprising an adhesive material disposed between the oxygen barrier and the organic semiconductor material.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the oxygen barrier is comprised of silica.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the silica is disposed on an oxygen permeable carrier layer.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  and further comprising an H 2 O barrier disposed between the organic semiconductor material and local environment such that the organic semiconductor material is substantially protected from significant electrical performance degradation due to H 2 O.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the H 2 O barrier is a barrier to both condensed and gaseous phase H 2 O.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1  and further comprising a barrier that is opaque with respect to at least one wavelength of light energy and that is disposed between the organic semiconductor material and external light sources such that the organic semiconductor material is substantially protected from significant electrical performance degradation due to the at least one wavelength of light energy from external light sources.  
     
     
         14 . A method comprising: 
 providing at least one organic semiconductor device having at least some organic semiconductor material;    disposing an oxygen barrier between the organic semiconductor material and local environment such that the organic semiconductor material is substantially protected from significant electrical performance degradation due to oxygen in the local environment.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein disposing an oxygen barrier includes disposing a film comprising a gas permeable carrier and an oxygen non-permeable layer.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein disposing an oxygen barrier includes disposing silica over the organic semiconductor material.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein disposing an oxygen barrier includes disposing a first layer comprising a gas barrier over the organic semiconductor material and a second layer comprising a condensed water barrier over the first layer.  
     
     
         18 . The method of claim the  17  wherein disposing a first layer comprising a gas barrier over the organic semiconductor material and a second layer comprising a condensed water barrier over the first layer includes disposing an adhesive between the first layer and the organic semiconductor material.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14  wherein disposing an oxygen barrier includes disposing a first layer comprising a condensed water barrier over the organic semiconductor material and a second layer comprising a gas barrier over the first layer.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14  wherein providing at least one organic semiconductor device comprises providing at least a first and second organic semiconductor device and wherein disposing an oxygen barrier includes disposing a first oxygen barrier over at least a part of the first organic semiconductor device and disposing a second oxygen barrier over at least a part of the second organic semiconductor device, wherein the first and second oxygen barriers are different from one another.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the first oxygen barrier is less impermeable to oxygen than the second oxygen barrier.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14  wherein disposing an oxygen barrier includes disposing an oxygen barrier between the organic semiconductor material and local environment such that the organic semiconductor material is substantially protected for a predetermined period of time from electrical performance degradation due to oxygen in the local environment.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the predetermined period of time is less than 90 days.  
     
     
         24 . An organic semiconductor assembly comprising: 
 a substrate;    at least one device comprising organic semiconductor material disposed on the substrate;    environmental barrier means disposed over the organic semiconductor material for substantially preventing, for at least a predetermined period of time, oxygen in a surrounding environment from contacting the organic semiconductor material and causing significant electrical performance degradation of the device.    
     
     
         25 . The organic semiconductor assembly of  claim 24  and further comprising a plurality of devices comprised of organic semiconductor material and being disposed on the substrate, wherein the environmental barrier means are disposed over the plurality of devices.  
     
     
         26 . The organic semiconductor assembly of  claim 24  wherein the environmental barrier means includes a material that is substantially impermeable to oxygen.  
     
     
         27 . The organic semiconductor assembly of  claim 26  wherein the material that is substantially impermeable to oxygen has small openings intentionally disposed therethrough which openings are permeable to oxygen.  
     
     
         28 . The organic semiconductor assembly of  claim 24  wherein the environmental barrier means are effective for only a predetermined period of time to substantially prevent oxygen in a surrounding environment from contacting the organic semiconductor material and causing significant electrical performance degradation of the device.  
     
     
         29 . The organic semiconductor assembly of  claim 24  wherein at least one device comprised of the organic semiconductor material as disposed on the substrate does not have the environmental barrier means disposed thereover.  
     
     
         30 . An apparatus comprising: 
 an organic semiconductor device containing at least some organic semiconductor material;    a getterer disposed between the organic semiconductor material and an external environment such that the organic semiconductor material is substantially protected from significant electrical performance degradation due to at least some contents of the external environment for at least some period of time.    
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30  wherein the getterer comprises an H 2 O desiccant.  
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 30  wherein the getterer comprises an oxygen scavenger.  
     
     
         33 . An apparatus comprising: 
 an organic semiconductor device containing at least some organic semiconductor material;    an H2O vapor barrier disposed between the organic semiconductor material and local environment such that the organic semiconductor material is substantially protected from significant electrical performance degradation due to H2O vapor in the local environment.    
     
     
         34 . A method comprising: 
 providing at least one organic semiconductor device having at least some organic semiconductor material, which organic semiconductor material is sensitive to at least one wavelength of light energy;    disposing a barrier that is partially, but not wholly, opaque to the at least one wavelength of light energy between the organic semiconductor material and local environment such that the organic semiconductor material is substantially protected from significant electrical performance degradation due to the at least one wavelength of light energy for a period of time, but wherein the organic semiconductor material will eventually degrade due to the at least one wavelength of light energy.