SGER: Development of Thin Film Encapsulation Layers For Organic Electronics

这项用于探索研究的小额拨款(SGER)计划旨在阐明工艺参数对用于有机电子的薄膜封装层性能的影响，从而导致性能得到改善的新架构。这些薄膜起到渗透屏障的作用，防止有机电子暴露在大气中的水蒸气和氧气中，这对它们的性能是有害的。薄膜屏障的真空沉积将使用等离子体增强化学气相沉积(PECVD)、原子层沉积(ALD)以及这两种技术的组合。最近的结果表明，ALD和PECVD工艺的独特组合可能会产生亚微米厚度的超高势垒薄膜和更高的处理速度。在这项工作中，我们将探索加工温度、等离子体功率和频率以及循环次数对这些薄膜封装层沉积的影响。通过改变这些参数，可以控制包封膜的阻隔性和机械性能。薄膜的扩散系数将通过石英晶体微天平测试来确定，而水蒸气通过薄膜的透过率将通过钙腐蚀测试来确定。力学性能将使用弯曲测试、纳米压痕和原子力显微镜进行研究。微结构分析将使用高分辨率扫描电子显微镜和FIB显微镜进行。如果成功，这项探索性拨款将产生一种新的封装有机电子产品的结构，它比最先进的封装薄膜更薄，机械更坚固。了解工艺参数对薄膜性能的影响将为优化其他组份的封装膜提供一个框架。此外，PECVD/ALD组合方法将进行调整，以提供超高的阻挡性能和更高的沉积速率，这是未来大规模制造柔性有机电子所必需的。

This Small Grant for Exploratory Research (SGER) proposal aims to elucidate the impact of processing parameters on the performance of thin-film encapsulation layers used in organic electronics, leading to new architectures with improved performance. These films act as permeation barriers to prevent the exposure of organic electronics to atmospheric water vapor and oxygen which are detrimental to their performance. Vacuum deposition of thin-film barriers will be performed using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), and combinations of the two techniques. Recent results have shown that unique combinations of ALD and PECVD processing may yield ultrahigh barrier films with submicron thickness and improved processing speeds. In this work, we will explore the impact of processing temperature, plasma power and frequency, and cycle times on the deposition of these thin film encapsulation layers. By varying these parameters, it will be possible to control both barrier and mechanical properties of the encapsulation films. Diffusion coefficients of the films will be determined using quartz crystal microbalance testing while water vapor transmission rates through the films will be determined using Ca corrosion testing. Mechanical properties will be investigated using flexure testing, nanoindentation, and atomic force microscopy. Microstructural analysis will be performed using high resolution SEM and FIB microscopy.If successful, this exploratory grant will yield a new architecture for encapsulating organic electronics which is thinner and more mechanically robust than state of the art encapsulation films. An understanding of the role of processing parameters on thin film properties will provide a framework for optimizing the encapsulation films of other compositions. Moreover, the combined PECVD/ALD method will be tuned to provide ultrahigh barrier performance with improvements in deposition rates which is necessary for future implementation in mass manufacturing of flexible organic electronics.