Optimization of parameters for sealing organic emitting light diode (OLED) displays

Abstract

A hermetically sealed glass package and method for manufacturing the hermetically sealed glass package are described herein. In one embodiment, the hermetically sealed glass package is suitable to protect thin film devices which are sensitive to the ambient environment. Some examples of such glass packages are organic emitting light diode (OLED) displays, sensors, and other optical devices. The present invention is demonstrated using an OLED display as an example.

1 . A glass package comprising:
 a cover plate;   at least one thin film device;   a substrate plate; and   a frit that was heated by a sealing apparatus in a manner where a substantially constant temperature was maintained in said frit along a sealing line that has regions free of electrodes and regions occupied by electrodes which are connected to said at least one thin film device while said frit melted and formed a hermetic seal which connects said cover plate to said substrate plate and also protects said at least one thin film device located between said cover plate and said substrate plate.   
     
     
         2 . The glass package of  claim 1 , wherein said frit is glass doped with a material that is absorbent at a specific wavelength of light. 
     
     
         3 . The glass package of  claim 1 , wherein said electrodes are metal non-transparent electrodes that have different patterns and different optical properties. 
     
     
         4 . The glass package of  claim 1 , wherein said electrodes are reflective, absorptive, transmissive or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The glass package of  claim 1 , wherein said sealing apparatus emits a laser beam used to melt said frit where a speed of the laser beam is dynamically changed in a manner that maintains the substantially constant temperature in said frit along the sealing line which has the electrode free regions and the electrode occupied regions. 
     
     
         6 . The glass package of  claim 1 , wherein said sealing apparatus dynamically changes a power of a laser beam used to melt said frit in a manner that maintains the substantially constant temperature in said frit along the sealing line which has the electrode free regions and the electrode occupied regions. 
     
     
         7 . The glass package of  claim 1 , wherein a reflector is placed under said substrate while said sealing apparatus emits a laser beam through said cover plate to melt said frit in a manner that maintains the substantially constant temperature in said frit along the sealing line which has the electrode free regions and the electrode occupied regions. 
     
     
         8 . The glass package of  claim 1 , wherein a partially reflective mask is placed on top of said cover plate while said sealing apparatus emits a laser beam through said partially reflective mask and said cover plate to melt said frit in a manner that maintains the substantially constant temperature in said frit along the sealing line which has the electrode free regions and the electrode occupied regions. 
     
     
         9 . The glass package of  claim 1 , wherein said sealing apparatus emits a lower power laser beam used to melt said frit along the sealing line during a first pass and then said sealing apparatus emits a higher power laser beam during a second pass only at portions of said frit along the sealing line which did not reach a correct temperature during the first pass of said lower power laser beam. 
     
     
         10 . The glass package of  claim 1 , wherein said sealing apparatus uses an elliptical focusing lens to emit an elliptical shaped laser beam to melt said frit in a manner that maintains the substantially constant temperature in said frit along the sealing line which has the electrode free regions and the electrode occupied regions. 
     
     
         11 . The glass package of  claim 1 , wherein said sealing apparatus uses a focusing lens and a specially shaped aperture to emit a defocused laser beam to melt said frit in a manner that maintains the substantially constant temperature in said frit along the sealing line which has the electrode free regions and the electrode occupied regions. 
     
     
         12 . The glass package of  claim 1 , wherein a feedback mechanism is used to optimize an operation of said sealing apparatus so as to melt said frit in a manner that maintains the substantially constant temperature in said frit along the sealing line which has the electrode free regions and the electrode occupied regions. 
     
     
         13 . The glass package of  claim 1 , wherein a mask is placed on top of said cover plate while said sealing apparatus emits a laser beam through a slit in said mask and said cover plate to melt said frit in a manner that maintains the substantially constant temperature in said frit along the sealing line which has the electrode free regions and the electrode occupied regions. 
     
     
         14 . A glass package comprising:
 a cover plate;   at least one thin film device; and   a substrate plate, wherein a portion of said substrate plate is heated by a sealing apparatus in a manner where a substantially constant temperature was maintained in the portion along a sealing line that has regions free of electrodes and regions occupied by electrodes which are connected to said at least one thin film device while said portion melts and forms a hermetic seal which connects said cover plate to said substrate plate and also protects said at least one thin film device located between said cover plate and said substrate plate.   
     
     
         15 . The glass package of  claim 14 , wherein said substrate plate is glass doped with a material that is absorbent at a specific wavelength of light. 
     
     
         16 . The glass package of  claim 14 , wherein said electrodes are metal non-transparent electrodes that have different patterns and different optical properties. 
     
     
         17 . The glass package of  claim 14 , wherein said electrodes are reflective, absorptive, transmissive or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The glass package of  claim 14 , wherein said sealing apparatus emits a laser beam used to melt said portion of said substrate plate where a speed of the laser beam is dynamically changed in a manner that maintains the substantially constant temperature in said portion of said substrate plate along the sealing line which has the electrode free regions and the electrode occupied regions. 
     
     
         19 . The glass package of  claim 14 , wherein said sealing apparatus dynamically changes a power of a laser beam used to melt said portion of said substrate plate in a manner that maintains the substantially constant temperature in said portion of said substrate plate along the sealing line which has the electrode free regions and the electrode occupied regions. 
     
     
         20 . The glass package of  claim 14 , wherein a reflector is placed under said substrate while said sealing apparatus emits a laser beam through said cover plate to melt said portion of said substrate plate in a manner that maintains the substantially constant temperature in said portion of said substrate plate along the sealing line which has the electrode free regions and the electrode occupied regions. 
     
     
         21 . The glass package of  claim 14 , wherein a partially reflective mask is placed on top of said cover plate while said sealing apparatus emits a laser beam through said partially reflective mask and said cover plate to melt said portion of said substrate plate in a manner that maintains the substantially constant temperature in said portion of said substrate plate along the sealing line which has the electrode free regions and the electrode occupied regions. 
     
     
         22 . The glass package of  claim 14 , wherein said sealing apparatus emits a lower power laser beam used to melt said portion of said substrate plate along the sealing line during a first pass and then said sealing apparatus emits a higher power laser beam during a second pass only at portions of said portion of said substrate plate along the sealing line which did not reach a correct temperature during the first pass of said lower power laser beam. 
     
     
         23 . The glass package of  claim 14 , wherein said sealing apparatus uses an elliptical focusing lens to emit an elliptical shaped laser beam to melt said portion of said substrate plate in a manner that maintains the substantially constant temperature in said portion of said substrate plate along the sealing line which has the electrode free regions and the electrode occupied regions. 
     
     
         24 . The glass package of  claim 14 , wherein said sealing apparatus uses a focusing lens and a specially shaped aperture to emit a defocused laser beam to melt said portion of said substrate plate in a manner that maintains the substantially constant temperature in said portion of said substrate plate along the sealing line which has the electrode free regions and the electrode occupied regions. 
     
     
         25 . The glass package of  claim 14 , wherein a feedback mechanism is used to optimize an operation of said sealing apparatus so as to melt said portion of said substrate plate in a manner that maintains the substantially constant temperature in said portion of said substrate plate along the sealing line which has the electrode free regions and the electrode occupied regions.