Full color organic electroluminescent display with shared blue light-emitting layer for reducing one fine metal shadow mask

To make a full color organic electroluminescent display, conventionally it requires three fine metal shadow masks (FMM) to pattern the red, green and blue light-emitting layer. In this work, by arranging the blue light-emitting layer as a shared layer for all sub-pixels, we demonstrate that a full color display can be achieved by two FMM processes, thus reducing one FMM process compared to conventional method. The red, green and blue sub-pixels can be optimized independently despite the reduction of one FMM process. Also, the performance of the red and green sub-pixels is not degraded by the shared blue light-emitting layer. Due to elimination of one FMM, the process TACT time, mask cost and alignment error can all be reduced, thus cutting down the manufacturing cost of full color organic electroluminescent display.

To make a full color organic electroluminescent display, conventionally it requires three fine metal shadow masks (FMM) to pattern the red, green and blue light-emitting layer (a). However, we show that by arranging the blue light-emitting layer as a shared layer for all sub-pixels, a full color display can be achieved by two FMM processes, thus reducing one FMM process compared to conventional method (b).Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights
► We reduce one fine shadow mask in the fabrication of full color OLED display.
► R, G, B pixels can be optimized independently despite the elimination of one mask.
► Performance of red, green and blue sub-pixels remains the same.
► Process TACT time, mask cost and alignment error can all be reduced.