Method and apparatus for producing flexible oled device

Abstract

According to a flexible OLED device production method of the present disclosure, a multilayer stack is provided which includes a glass base, a functional layer region including a TFT layer and an OLED layer, and a synthetic resin film provided between the glass base and the functional layer region and bound to the glass base. In a dry gas atmosphere whose dew point is not more than −50° C., the multilayer stack is separated into a first portion and a second portion, and a surface of the synthetic resin film is exposed to the dry gas atmosphere, the first portion including the functional layer region and the synthetic resin film, the second portion including the glass base. The first portion is transported from the dry gas atmosphere to a reduced-pressure atmosphere, and a protection layer is formed on the surface of the synthetic resin film in the reduced-pressure atmosphere.

1 . A method for producing a flexible OLED device, comprising:
 providing a multilayer stack, the multilayer stack including
 a glass base, 
 a functional layer region including a TET layer and an OLED layer, 
 a gas barrier film that covers the functional layer region, and 
 a synthetic resin film provided between the glass base and the functional layer region and bound to the glass base; and 
   separating the multilayer stack into a first portion and a second portion in a dry gas atmosphere whose dew point is not more than −50° C., thereby exposing a surface of the synthetic resin film to the dry gas atmosphere, the first portion including the functional layer region and the synthetic resin film, the second portion including the glass base; and   transporting the first portion of the multilayer stack from the dry gas atmosphere to a reduced-pressure atmosphere and forming a protection layer on the surface of the synthetic resin film in the reduced-pressure atmosphere.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transporting the first portion of the multilayer stack from the dry gas atmosphere to the reduced-pressure atmosphere includes carrying out a transportation of the first portion through a transportation space that is configured to form the dry gas atmosphere whose dew point is not more than −50° C. inside of the transportation space. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the protection layer on the surface of the synthetic resin film in the reduced-pressure atmosphere includes forming a layer of a dielectric and/or electric conductor on the surface of the synthetic resin film by physical vapor deposition. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the protection layer includes a metal layer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the metal layer is made of aluminum or copper. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the metal layer is deposited so as to have a thickness based on a surface roughness of the surface of the synthetic resin film. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein a thickness of the metal layer is not less than 5 nm and not more than 200 nm. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein a thickness of the metal layer is more than 200 nm and not more than 1 μm. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein separating the multilayer stack into the first portion and the second portion includes irradiating an interface between the synthetic resin film and the glass base with laser light. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein separating the multilayer stack into the first portion and the second portion includes sliding a blade at an interface between the synthetic resin film and the glass base. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein separating the multilayer stack into the first portion and the second portion includes supplying an ion into the dry gas atmosphere using an ionizer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, after forming the protection layer on the surface of the synthetic resin film in the reduced-pressure atmosphere, mounting an electronic part or an optical part to the first portion of the multilayer stack in an environmental atmosphere. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, before exposing the surface of the synthetic resin film to the dry gas atmosphere, adhering a protection sheet to the functional layer region. 
     
     
         14 . A method for producing a flexible OLED device, comprising:
 providing a multilayer stack, the multilayer stack including
 a glass base, 
 a functional layer region including a TFT layer and an OLED layer, and 
 a synthetic resin film provided between the glass base and the functional layer region and bound to the glass base; and 
   separating the multilayer stack into a first portion and a second portion in a dry gas atmosphere whose dew point is not more than −50° C., thereby exposing a surface of the synthetic resin film to the dry gas atmosphere, the first portion including the functional layer region and the synthetic resin film, the second portion including the glass base; and   transporting the first portion of the multilayer stack from the dry gas atmosphere to a reduced-pressure atmosphere and forming a protection layer on the surface of the synthetic resin film in the reduced-pressure atmosphere,   the functional layer region includes a plurality of functional layer regions,   the synthetic resin film includes a plurality of flexible substrate regions respectively supporting the plurality of functional layer regions and an intermediate region surrounding the plurality of flexible substrate regions, and   the method further includes, before or after forming the protection layer on the surface of the synthetic resin film, dividing the intermediate region and respective ones of the plurality of flexible substrate regions of the synthetic resin film from one another.   
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for producing a flexible OLED device, comprising:
 a lift-off unit which includes a stage for supporting a multilayer stack, the multilayer stack including a glass base, a functional layer region including a TFT layer and an OLED layer, a gas barrier film that covers the functional layer region, and a synthetic resin film provided between the glass base and the functional layer region and bound to the glass base, the lift-off unit being capable of forming a dry gas atmosphere whose dew point is not more than −50° C. and separating the multilayer stack into a first portion and a second portion in the dry gas atmosphere, thereby exposing a surface of the synthetic resin film to the dry gas atmosphere, the first portion including the functional layer region and the synthetic resin film, the second portion including the glass base; and   a surface treatment unit capable of forming a reduced-pressure atmosphere, receiving the first portion of the multilayer stack from the lift-off unit without exposing the first portion of the multilayer stack to atmospheric air, and forming a protection layer on the surface of the synthetic resin film in the reduced-pressure atmosphere.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising an ionizer for supplying an ion into the dry gas atmosphere. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the lift-off unit includes a light source for irradiating an interface between the synthetic resin film and the glass base with laser light. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising a mechanism for sliding a blade at an interface between the synthetic resin film and the glass base. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising a transportation space that is in communication with the lift-off unit and the surface treatment unit,
 wherein the transportation space is configured to form a dry gas atmosphere whose dew point is not more than −50° C. inside of the transportation space, and a pressure inside the transportation space is once reduced when the first portion of the multilayer stack is transported into the surface treatment unit.