Multilayer encapsulation thin-film

Abstract

A multilayer encapsulation thin-film and a method and apparatus for preparing a multilayer encapsulation thin-film are provided. The multilayer encapsulation thin-film includes an inorganic thin film that includes a metal oxide, and an organic thin film that includes a polymer and is formed on the inorganic thin film, where the inorganic thin film and the organic thin film are alternately stacked in multiple layers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multilayer encapsulation thin-film comprising:
 an inorganic thin film that comprises a metal oxide; and an organic thin film that comprises a polymer and is formed on the inorganic thin film,
 wherein the inorganic thin film and the organic thin film are alternately stacked in multiple layers. 
   
     
     
         2 . The multilayer encapsulation thin-film of  claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide comprises a member selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, zinc oxide, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, silicon oxynitride, silicon oxycarbide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The multilayer encapsulation thin-film of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a plasma polymer, an acrylic polymer, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The multilayer encapsulation thin-film of  claim 3 , wherein the plasma polymer comprises a member selected from the group consisting of hexamethyl disiloxane, furan, hexane and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The multilayer encapsulation thin-film of  claim 3 , wherein the acrylic polymer comprises a member selected from the group consisting of an acrylate, a urethane acrylate, a polyacrylate, a polyalkylacrylate, a polyacrylamide, an ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The multilayer encapsulation thin-film of  claim 1 , wherein a single layer of the inorganic thin film has a thickness in a range of from 0.1 nm to 20 nm. 
     
     
         7 . The multilayer encapsulation thin-film of  claim 1 , wherein a single layer of the organic thin film has a thickness in a range of from 20 nm to 2 μm. 
     
     
         8 . The multilayer encapsulation thin-film of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple layers comprise 2 to 200 dyads of the inorganic thin film and the organic thin film. 
     
     
         9 . A method of preparing a multilayer encapsulation thin-film, the method comprising:
 forming an inorganic thin film comprising a metal oxide on a substrate; and   forming an organic thin film comprising a polymer on the inorganic thin film,
 wherein the forming the inorganic thin film on the substrate and the forming the organic thin film comprising the polymer on the inorganic thin film are alternately carried out, so that the inorganic thin film and the organic thin film are alternately stacked. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the forming of the inorganic thin film is carried out by atomic layer deposition. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the forming of the organic thin film is carried out by chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the forming of the organic thin film is carried out by coating an acrylic monomer on the inorganic thin film and then UV-curing the coating. 
     
     
         13 . The method  claim 9 , wherein the forming of the inorganic thin film and/or the forming of the organic thin film are carried out at a temperature in a range of about 20° C. to about 120° C. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the atomic layer deposition comprises spatially arranging raw materials for the inorganic thin film on a moving substrate. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for producing a multilayer encapsulation thin-film comprising:
 a substrate loading unit on which a substrate is loaded;   an inorganic thin film deposition unit to deposit an inorganic thin film on the substrate; and   an organic thin film deposition unit to deposit an organic thin film on the inorganic thin film,
 wherein the inorganic thin film deposition unit and the organic thin film deposition unit are sequentially connected to each other, and the substrate loading unit is alternately moved to the inorganic thin film deposition unit and the organic thin film deposition unit, so that the inorganic thin film and the organic thin film are alternately deposited on the substrate. 
   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the organic thin film deposition unit further comprises a UV curing unit. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein a plurality of inorganic thin film deposition units are sequentially connected to the organic thin film deposition unit through more than one connection. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of inorganic thin film deposition units and the organic thin film deposition unit are alternately arranged. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the organic thin film deposition unit is arranged at a terminus of the sequential connection of units.