Encapsulation having polymer and dielectric layers for electronic displays

Abstract

A display device includes a display layer having a plurality of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) separated by gaps, and an encapsulation layer covering a light-emitting side of the display layer. The encapsulation layer includes a bilayer having a plurality of polymer projections on the display layer, the plurality of polymer projections having spaces therebetween, and a first dielectric layer conformally covering the plurality of polymer projections and an underlying surface in the spaces between the polymer projections, the dielectric layer forming side walls along sides of the polymer projections. The side walls are aligned with the gaps between the OLEDS, and/or the encapsulation layer has multiple bilayers.

1 . A display device, comprising:
 a display layer having a plurality of light-emitting diodes; and   an encapsulation layer covering a light-emitting side of the display layer, the encapsulation layer including:
 a plurality of first polymer projections on the display layer, the plurality of first polymer projections having spaces therebetween that expose a first underlying surface, 
 a first dielectric layer conformally covering the plurality of first polymer projections and the first underlying surface in the spaces between the first polymer projections, the first dielectric layer forming side walls along sides of the plurality of first polymer projections and floors on the first underlying surface in the spaces between the first polymer projections and defining first wells that extend to the floors in spaces between the side walls of the first dielectric layer, the first wells positioned with uniform spacing across the display layer, 
 a layer of polymer that fills the wells of the first dielectric layer and entirely covers the first dielectric layer, 
 a plurality of second polymer projections on the first dielectric layer, the plurality of second polymer projections having spaces therebetween that expose a second underlying surface, and 
 a second dielectric layer conformally covering the plurality of second polymer projections and the second underlying surface in the spaces between the second polymer projections, the second dielectric layer forming side walls along sides of the plurality of second polymer projections and floors on the second underlying surface in the spaces between the second polymer projections and defining second wells that extend to the floors in spaces between the side walls of the second dielectric layer, the second wells positioned with a same uniform spacing as the first wells across the display layer. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first polymer projections and the second polymer projections are the same polymer material, and the first dielectric material and second dielectric material are the same dielectric material. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second dielectric layer contacts first dielectric layer. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second dielectric layer is separated from the first dielectric layer by a polymer layer in regions over the first plurality of polymer projections. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second polymer projections are aligned above the first polymer projections. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second polymer projections are laterally offset relative to the first polymer projections such that the second polymer projections are aligned with the first wells. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of third polymer projections on the second dielectric layer, the plurality of third polymer projections having spaces therebetween that expose a third underlying surface, and   a third dielectric layer conformally covering the plurality of third polymer projections and the third underlying surface in the spaces between the third polymer projections, the third dielectric layer forming side walls along sides of the plurality of third polymer projections and floors on the third underlying surface in the spaces between the third polymer projections and defining third wells that extend to the floors in spaces between the side walls of the third dielectric layer, the third wells positioned with a same uniform spacing as the first wells across the display layer.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first polymer projections and second polymer projections are hemispherical. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first polymer projections and second polymer projections are hexagonal. 
     
     
         10 . A display device, comprising:
 a display layer having a plurality of light-emitting diodes, the plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in an array with adjacent light emitting diodes separated by gaps, the light emitting diodes positioned with a uniform spacing; and   an encapsulation layer covering a light-emitting side of the display layer, the encapsulation layer including:
 a plurality of polymer projections on the display layer, the plurality of polymer projections having spaces therebetween, and 
 a dielectric layer conformally covering the plurality of polymer projections and an underlying surface in the spaces between the polymer projections, the dielectric layer forming side walls along sides of the polymer projections and floors on the underlying surface in the spaces between the plurality of polymer projection and defining wells in spaces that extend to the floors between the side walls, the wells positioned with a same uniform spacing as the light emitting diodes. 
   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the wells are aligned with the gaps between the light emitting diodes. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the polymer projections are hemispherical. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the polymer projections are hexagonal. 
     
     
         14 . A display device, comprising:
 a display layer having a plurality pixels in an array, each pixel in the array comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes, wherein adjacent pixels in the array are separated by gaps, the pixels positioned with a uniform spacing; and   an encapsulation layer covering a light-emitting side of the display layer, the encapsulation layer including:
 a plurality of polymer projections on the display layer, the plurality of polymer projections having spaces therebetween, and 
 a dielectric layer conformally covering the plurality of polymer projections and an underlying surface in the spaces between the polymer projections, the dielectric layer forming side walls along sides of the polymer projections and floors on the underlying surface in the spaces between the plurality of polymer projection and defining wells in spaces that extend to the floors between the side walls, wherein the wells are positioned at a uniform lateral positions relative the pixels or to groups of pixels. 
   
     
     
         15 . The display device of  claim 14 , wherein the wells are positioned with a same uniform spacing as the pixels. 
     
     
         16 . The display device of  claim 15 , wherein the wells are aligned with the gaps between the pixels. 
     
     
         17 . The display device of  claim 16 , wherein the wells are aligned with the light emitting diodes. 
     
     
         18 . The display device of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of pixels comprise light-emitting diode tuples of different colors, and wherein at least two of the plurality of polymer projections span tuples. 
     
     
         19 . The display device of  claim 16 , wherein the pixels are arranged in a stripe pixel geometry or a PenTile pixel geometry.