OLED Lighting Substrate and Encapsulation System for Breakthrough Cost Reductions

Lead Performer: OLEDWorks, LLC – Rochester, NY
DOE Total Funding: $150,000
Project Term: February 21, 2017 – November 20, 2017
Funding Type: SBIR

PROJECT OBJECTIVE

This project seeks to develop a novel substrate and encapsulation process that will a) eliminate the need to pattern the anode layer, which will reduce the cost of the substrate; b) cut the number of different masks in half (with the potential to eliminate the masks altogether), which will reduce the OLED deposition capital equipment cost and process operation cost; and c) increase the lit area of the panel to get significantly more light per panel. A key element of the proposed cost reductions depends on the application of a relatively new electrical attachment technology to form a hermetic seal around the OLED lighting area. This system will use a robotically controlled production-scale process that has been installed at OLEDWorks and has already been used to develop processes and select materials for electrical attachment. This technique will be further developed to form hermetic encapsulation on a simpler substrate while possibly producing a narrower unlit width around the panels. During Phase I, the hermetic sealing will be demonstrated on an increasingly challenging set of formats – from simple systems demonstrating the component parts, to the fully integrated OLED system. The final result will be a complete proof-of-principle for this novel substrate and encapsulation system, demonstrating the proposed reduction in manufacturing cost and thereby reducing a significant barrier to commercial OLED sales for general illumination applications. In Phase II, the technology will be scaled up and new commercial products using it will be launched.

PROJECT IMPACT

This project will significantly reduce the cost of OLED lighting, which is considered by some to be the most significant barrier to its adoption for general illumination applications.

CONTACTS

DOE Technology Manager: James Brodrick, James.Brodrick@ee.doe.gov
Lead Performer: Tim Spencer, OLEDWorks, LLC