Patent Application
20050145179
The present invention relates to an accessory member for dispensers of alkali metals.
It is known that alkali metals have been used for a long time in the electronic field. In particular, a field of application of alkali metals is in OLED (Organic Light Emitting Display) screens.
In brief, an OLED is formed of a first planar transparent support (of glass or plastic); a second support, not necessarily transparent, which can be made of glass, metal or plastic, essentially planar and parallel to the first support and fixed along the perimeter thereof, so as to form a closed space; and an active image formation structure inside the space. The active structure is formed of a first series of transparent electrodes, linear and mutually parallel, deposited on the first support; a multilayer of different electroluminescent organic materials, comprising at least one layer of a material conductor of electrons and a layer of a material conductor of electronic vacancies (also defined in the field as “holes”) deposited on the first series of electrodes; and a second series of linear and mutually parallel electrodes that are orthogonally oriented with respect to those of the first series and in contact with the opposite side of the multilayer of organic materials, in such a manner that the latter is comprised between both series of electrodes. For a more detailed explanation of the structure and the operating principles of OLEDs reference is made, for example, to European published patent applications EP 0 845 924 A2 and EP 0 949 696 A2, Japanese published patent application JP9-078058 A and U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,384.
Recently, it has been found that doping one or more of the organic layers of the OLEDs with small quantities of electron-donating materials, in particular cesium, allows reducing the potential difference to be applied to the two series of electrodes for functioning of the screens and therefore the energy consumption of the latter.
For the sake of simplicity, in the present description specific reference will be made to cesium, but it will be understood that the description also applies to other alkali metals which have similar applications.
The doping is carried out by exposing the organic layers of the OLED to cesium vapors in a closed chamber which is maintained under vacuum, in order to avoid the organic layers and, above all, the second series of electrodes (generally made with metals such as barium) being damaged by noxious atmospheric agents and, in particular, by water vapor.
The evaporation of cesium inside the production chamber of the OLED is carried out by using suitable dispensers containing a cesium compound stable to air at room temperature. As a matter of fact, due to its high reactivity toward atmospheric gases and to moisture, cesium is not normally used in the industry as a pure metal. Among the stable cesium compounds, cesium chromate or dichromate can be mentioned which, in mixture which a reducing agent, release cesium as a vapor by heating at temperatures higher than 500° C. Aluminum, silicon or getter alloys, (i.e., alloys based on titanium or zirconium with aluminum or one or more transition elements) are generally used as reducing agents. The use of these mixtures is described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 2,117,735.
Further, cesium dispensers particularly suitable for the production of OLEDs are known from the International patent application publication WO 02/093664. The cesium dispensers comprise a container permeable to cesium vapors and containing a mixture of a reducing agent and a cesium compound selected among molibdate, tungstate, niobate, tantalate, silicate and zirconate. These compounds are more advantageous than the previously described ones, as they do not contain hexavalent chromium, which can cause irritation by contact, swallowing or inhalation and can be carcinogenic in case of long exposures.
In any case, the dispensers for cesium release are essentially formed of a metal container, heatable by Joule effect, capable of retaining solid particles of the cesium compound. At least one part of the dispenser surface is permeable to cesium vapors or provided with small holes or slits through which cesium is emitted in vapor form. Different shapes of dispensers are the subject, for example, of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,578,834; 3,579,459; 3,598,384; 3,636,302; 3,663,121; and 4,233,936.
The dispensers are positioned inside a chamber for the production of OLEDs, generally on the bottom thereof, whereas on the ceiling thereof is positioned the substrate on which cesium is to be deposited.
However, a remarkable drawback of the known cesium dispensers consists in that metal evaporation leads to the deposition of cesium not only on the organic layers of the OLED, but on the whole internal surface of the chamber.
Since cesium, as any alkali metal, reacts exothermally with air moisture producing molecular hydrogen, it is desirable to avoid the accumulation of large amounts of metal on the chamber walls which could cause deflagrations at the moment of opening the chamber itself.
For this reason, it is necessary to periodically clean the chamber, by passivating the deposited cesium and by removing the same before a large quantity thereof is accumulated. However, this implies the need to frequently stop the manufacturing process in order to open the chamber, carry out these cleaning steps and, before starting the process again, reestablish the vacuum or the inert atmosphere inside the chamber, while at the same time carrying out also a baking operation, in order to eliminate the traces of moisture which, as explained above, may damage the organic layers of the OLED. Obviously, this implies the need of frequent and long maintenance stops, which are disadvantageous from the point of view of process economy.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an accessory member for dispensers of cesium and other alkali metals, which solves the above mentioned drawbacks, comprising a screen that allows the capture of excess cesium vapors, thus preventing the deposit of the cesium on the internal walls of the evaporation chamber, while ensuring a constant and uniform deposit yield on the substrate. The object is achieved by an alkali metal vapor screen of essentially tubular shape, for capturing alkali metal vapors, characterized in that it is adapted to be applied with an end thereof to an alkali metals dispenser, the contact portion between the end and the dispenser being made of a low thermal conductivity material, the cross-section of the end being superposable on a whole alkali metals emission zone of the dispenser, the screen being provided with an internal surface having a high specific area.
A first advantage of such a screen is that it can be removed from the inside of the evaporation chamber in a short time and replaced, thus avoiding excessively long maintenance stops.
Another advantage of the screen according to a particular embodiment of the invention is that it can be used even when the substrate on which the metal is to be deposited in the evaporation chamber is not positioned in front of the cesium dispenser.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:
A known cesium dispenser useable with the screen according to the present invention is shown in
The above shown dispenser 10 is only one example of the alkali metals dispensers which can be used with the accessory member according to the present invention. In other embodiments of the invention the shape of the container and in particular that of the emission zone can be different from the one which is shown here. For example, the emission zone can have a circular shape instead of a rectangular one. Alternatively, the dispenser can be formed of a container having an elongated structure and trapezoidal cross-section, with a longitudinal slit closed by a metal wire which allows cesium evaporation but prevents the powder mixture from coming out. Containers of various shapes and materials are known from the previously cited U.S. patents, and are also commercially available, for example from the Austrian company Plansee AG or from the U.S. company Midwest Tungsten Service, Inc.
With reference to
The cross-section of the screen can be rectangular, circular or have any other shape, in such a way that it can be applied with an end 34 thereof on an alkali metals dispenser. In particular, the cross-section of the end must be superposable to the whole emission zone of the dispenser, so that the vapors of the alkali metal generated by the dispenser are completely conveyed into the internal cavity of the screen.
Screen 30 according to the present embodiment of the invention has, in particular, a rectangular cross-section.
The screen according to the present invention must be provided with an internal surface of high specific area. In the present description and claims, the expression “specific area” is intended to mean the ratio between the effective contact area of the surface-with the external environment and the geometric area thereof.
In order to have a high specific area, the internal surface 31 of the screen according to the present invention must have porosities, rugosity or reliefs suitable for capturing excess alkali metal vapors, thus preventing these from depositing on the walls of the evaporation chamber.
A further feature of the screen according to the present invention, which allows capturing the alkali metal vapors, consists in that the portion of contact between the end of the screen and the dispenser must be made of a material having low thermal conductivity. In this way, it is possible to avoid the screen becoming hot due to contact with the alkali metals dispenser, thus causing the re-evaporation of the alkali metals deposited on the internal surface thereof.
For this purpose, screen 30 can be made completely of a low thermal conductivity material, for example of ceramic.
Alternatively, screen 30 can be made of any material and can comprise spacers 32 made of ceramic or another material having a low thermal conductivity. These spacers may be removable.
Further, since another contribution to the heating of the screen is given by radiation, the screen can be made of a material which minimizes the effect. For this reason, it is preferably made of a white material.
Another alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in
In this case, the mesh tubular member 41 is provided with an internal surface 43 having a high specific area and allows capture of the excess alkali metal vapors, which are emitted by the metal dispenser. The external casing 42 ensures the lateral tightness of the screen, thus preventing those vapors which could pass through the meshes of the tubular member from coming out.
Further, as shown in the cross section of
The various embodiments of the invention described above can be used by positioning the alkali metal dispenser, with the screen applied thereto, on the bottom of the evaporation chamber, and by positioning the substrate, on which the metal is to be evaporated, on the ceiling of the chamber, exactly above the dispenser.
In contrast, a further embodiment of the invention, shown in
As a matter of fact, in this case it is necessary that the screen according to the present invention intercept the flow of the alkali metal vapors directed toward the chamber walls, without influencing the part of the vapors directed toward the substrate. The final effect is therefore a net flow directed towards the substrate.
Screen 60 shown in
The screen according to the present invention can be simply laid on the alkali metals dispenser, or it can be provided with means for fixing it to the dispenser, for example ceramic hooks.
Alternatively, a seat can be provided on the alkali metals dispenser for application of a screen according to the invention. The seat can be formed, for example, of a recess having a shape coincident with that of the lower end of the screen, positioned around its alkali metals emission zone.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| MI2002A 001904 | Sep 2002 | IT | national |
This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/IT2003/000524, filed Aug. 28, 2003, which was published in the English language on Mar. 18, 2004, under International Publication No. WO 2004/023508 A2, and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/IT03/00524 | Aug 2003 | US |
| Child | 11057829 | Feb 2005 | US |
