Manufacturing flexible organic electronic devices

Abstract

A method of forming microelectronic systems on a flexible substrate includes depositing a plurality of layers on one side of the flexible substrate. Each of the plurality of layers is deposited from one of a plurality of sources. A vertical projection of a perimeter of each one of the plurality of sources does not intersect the flexible substrate. The flexible substrate is in motion during the depositing the plurality of layers via a roll to roll feed and retrieval system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming microelectronic systems on a flexible substrate, comprising:
 depositing a plurality of layers on one side of the flexible substrate, each of the plurality of layers being deposited from one of a plurality of sources, wherein a vertical projection of a perimeter of each one of the plurality of sources does not intersect the flexible substrate, and wherein the flexible substrate is in motion during the depositing the plurality of layers via a roll to roll feed and retrieval system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a vertical projection of a perimeter of at least one of an inspection system or a treatment system does not intersect the flexible substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the flexible substrate is supported upon a generally cylindrical support roller during the depositing of the plurality of layers. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the plurality of layers is selected from the groups consisting of an insulating layer, an organic layer, a conductive layer, and an encapsulation layer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the plurality of layers is deposited from one of the plurality sources at an angle that is neither horizontal nor vertical. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein multiple organic thin film layers are deposited and at least one of two electrodes is deposited, the multiple organic thin film layers being deposited between the two electrodes. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein a thin film encapsulation layer is deposited on top of the multiple organic thin film layers and the two electrodes. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the multiple organic thin film layers, the at least one of two electrodes and the thin film encapsulation layer are deposited under vacuum. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the multiple organic thin film layers, the at least one of two electrodes and the thin film encapsulation layer are deposited without breaking vacuum. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising applying a surface treatment before depositing any of the multiple organic thin film layers. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6  wherein at least one of the two electrodes is deposited before any of the multiple organic thin film layers. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6  wherein at least one barrier layer is deposited before any of the multiple organic thin film layers. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the microelectronic system is wound upon a retrieval roller after deposition of the at least one thin film encapsulation layer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the surface of the microelectronic system is laminated before being wound upon the retrieval roller. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the flexible substrate is unwound from a feed roller before depositing a first of the plurality of layers. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the flexible substrate is unwound from the feed roller and the microelectronic system is wound upon the retrieval roller in a single unwind and wind cycle. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the flexible substrate comprises a pre-patterned electrode. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising cooling. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the microelectronic systems are organic light emitting diodes. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising:
 unwinding the flexible substrate from a feed roller; and 
 winding the organic light emitting diodes formed on the flexible substrate on a retrieval roller. 
 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein multiple organic thin film layers are deposited and at least one of two electrodes are deposited, the multiple organic thin film layers being deposited between the two electrodes. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein a thin film encapsulation layer is deposited on top of the multiple organic thin film layers and the two electrodes. 
     
     
         23 . A manufacturing system for forming microelectronic systems on a flexible substrate, comprising:
 a plurality of deposition sources to deposit a plurality of layers on one side of the flexible substrate, wherein all of the plurality of layers are deposited under vacuum; and wherein a vertical projection of a perimeter of each of the plurality of sources does not intersect the flexible substrate, and wherein the flexible substrate is in motion during the depositing of the plurality of layers via a roll to roll feed and retrieval system.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein vacuum is not broken during depositing of the plurality of layers. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23  wherein at least one of the plurality of layers is selected from the group consisting of an insulating layer, an organic layer, a conductive layer, and an encapsulation layer. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 23  wherein at least one of the plurality of layers is deposited from one of the plurality sources at an angle that is neither horizontal nor vertical. 
     
     
         27 . A microelectronic system formed by the process of depositing a plurality of layers on one side of a flexible substrate, each of the plurality of layers being deposited from one of a plurality of sources, wherein a vertical projection of a perimeter of each one of the plurality of sources does not intersect the flexible substrate, and wherein the flexible substrate is in motion during the depositing of the plurality of layers via a roll to roll feed and retrieval system. 
     
     
         28 . The microelectronic system of  claim 27  wherein the microelectronic system is an organic light emitting diode system. 
     
     
         29 . A method of depositing a material at less than atmospheric pressure onto a moving substrate web, comprising:
 delivering the material into an interior of at least one cylinder, the cylinder comprising at least one opening therein through which the material may pass to exit the interior of the cylinder; and   rotating the cylinder so that the material passes through the at least one opening to be deposited upon the moving web in a determined pattern.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the pressure is between 10 to 10 −8  torr. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the pressure is between 10 −4  to 10 −7  torr. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29  wherein a source of the material is positioned within the cylinder. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29  wherein an axis of the cylinder is generally perpendicular to a direction of motion of the web. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the speed of the web is programmable. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the rotational speed of the cylinder is programmable. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the cylinder includes a plurality of openings through which the material may pass to be deposited upon the web. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the determined pattern comprises a two-dimensional matrix. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 29  wherein microelectronic systems are formed on the web. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the material is an organic material. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the material is a conductive material. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the determined pattern comprises buss lines over a transparent conductor on the web. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39  wherein the material is an evaporative material. 
     
     
         43 . A system for depositing a material onto a moving substrate web, comprising:
 a system for moving the web;   a cylinder comprising at least one opening therein through which the material within an interior of the cylinder may pass to exit the interior of the cylinder at less than atmospheric pressure; and   a control system to rotate the cylinder in a controlled manner so that the material passes through the at least one opening to be deposited upon the moving web in a determined pattern.   
     
     
         44 . A substrate web having a determined pattern formed by the process of:
 delivering the material into an interior of at least one cylinder, the cylinder comprising at least one opening therein through which the material may pass to exit the interior of the cylinder; and   rotating the cylinder so that the material passes through the at least one opening to be deposited upon the web in the determined pattern as the web is moving, wherein the material is deposited upon the web at a pressure less than atmospheric pressure.