Abstract:
A frit sealing system for combining a first substrate and a second substrate using frit comprises a laser generating a laser beam, and a homogenizer normalizing the intensity of the laser beam within a cross section of the laser beam in the transverse direction. The frit sealing system further comprises a support apparatus configured to hold a first and a second substrate with frit interposed between them, wherein the frit is configured to be cured by heat generated from the laser beam and thereby solidifying and binding the first and the second substrates.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-0023926, filed on Mar. 14, 2008, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a frit sealing system, and more particularly, to a frit sealing system to improve the quality of sealing by generating a laser beam of a normalized intensity using a homogenizer. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Recently, display devices have been quickly replaced by portable thin flat display devices. The flat display devices include electroluminescent display devices which are self-luminous display devices exhibiting characteristics of a wide viewing angle, a superior contrast, and a fast response time. Thus, the electroluminescent display devices are highly expected as one of the next generation display devices. Also, organic light emitting display devices in which a light emitting layer is formed of organic matter have advantages over inorganic light emitting display devices in terms of brightness, low drive voltage, fast response time, and multicolor capabilities. 
     A typical organic light emitting display device has a structure in which at least one organic layer including a light emitting layer is interposed between a pair of electrodes, that is, a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode is formed on a substrate and functions as an anode to inject holes. The organic layer is formed above the first electrode. The second electrode having a function of a cathode to inject electrons is formed on the organic layer to face the first electrode. 
     In the organic light emitting display device, when moisture or oxygen comes in from a surrounding environment, the life span of a device is shortened due to oxidation or lamination of electrode material, deterioration of an efficiency of light, and the change in color of emitted light. 
     Thus, in the manufacturing process of the organic light emitting display device, sealing process is typically performed to prevent intrusion of moisture by isolating the device from the external environment. According to the typical sealing process, organic polymer such as polyester (PET) is laminated on the upper portion of the second electrode of the organic light emitting display device. In other instances a cover or cap is formed using metal or glass including a moisture absorbent and is filled with a nitrogen gas and then the edge of the cover or cap is capsule-sealed with a sealing member such as epoxy. 
     However, the mentioned methods cannot prevent the intrusion of destructive factors such as moisture or oxygen by 100%. Also, processes to embody the methods are complicated. To address the above problem, a capsule sealing method to improve close adhesion between the device substrate and the cap using frit as a sealing member is developed. 
     Thus, as the organic light emitting display device is sealed by coating the frit on a glass substrate, the device substrate and the cap are completely sealed so that the organic light emitting display device may be more effectively protected. In the method of capsule sealing using frit, frit is coated on a sealing portion of each organic light emitting display device and a laser emitting apparatus moves to emit a laser beam to the sealing portion of the organic light emitting display device so that the frit is cured for sealing. 
     In the above-described conventional frit sealing system, although materials for the frit have been mainly developed in order to improve the quality of sealing, the quality of a laser beam that is emitted to resolve the frit has not been developed at all. However, in the frit sealing system, the uniformity of the laser substantially dominates the distribution of the temperature of seal so that the quality of sealing is greatly changed by a slight change in the temperature. Thus, a study to secure the uniformity of the laser beam emitted to the frit is urgently needed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Some embodiments of the disclosure provide a frit sealing system configured to seal a light emitting layer of an organic light emitting display device. The system comprises a laser (laser generating apparatus) generating a laser beam and a homogenizer normalizing the intensity of the laser beam within a cross section of the laser beam in the transverse direction. Frit in the present disclosure comprises glass in a gel state by adding an organic material to the glass powder and is cured by uniformly distributed laser beam. The laser beam is configured to cure frit into a solid state to bind a first substrate and a second substrate together to form a package and seal. The frit sealing system is configured to provide sealing that inhibit the transfer of oxygen and/or moisture into the sealed area from the external environment. An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a frit sealing system. The frit sealing system comprises a laser configured to generate a laser beam, wherein an intensity of a laser beam is not normalized within a cross section in the transverse direction and a homogenizer in connection configured to normalize the intensity of the laser beam within the cross section of the laser beam. The system further comprises support apparatus configured to hold a first substrate with a top surface where the laser beam is incident on, a second substrate configured to be positioned below the first substrate, and frit interposed between the first and second substrate and configured to bind the first and the second substrates. The substrates are configured to package and seal light emitting layer in an organic light emitting display device. 
     The foregoing system may further comprise a connection member that transfers the laser beam generated by the laser to the homogenizer, wherein the connection member comprises at least one of a collimating lens and a focusing lens. In another embodiment the frit sealing system further comprises a focusing device comprising one or more lenses configured to focus the laser beam on a focal point at about the top surface of at least one of the substrates. 
     In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the laser comprises a multi-core source of a bundle type. In other embodiments the laser further comprises an attenuator configured to adjust the intensity of the laser beam. 
     The homogenizer of the frit sealing system comprises a multimode optical fiber in one embodiment. In another embodiment the homogenizer comprises a light pipe. Yet in another embodiment the homogenizer comprises a fly-eye lens. In some embodiments the homogenizer comprises an optical waveguide having a pair of reflective surfaces facing each other, wherein the laser beam inputted to the homogenizer is configured to be totally reflected in the homogenizer. In one of the embodiments the homogenizer may be integrated with a laser emitting device. 
     An embodiment of the present disclosure provides method of frit sealing utilizing the mentioned system. The method comprises generating a laser beam wherein the intensity of the laser beam is not normalized within a cross section of the laser beam in the transverse direction, normalizing the intensity of the laser beam within the cross section, emitting the laser beam on a top surface of a first substrate after frit is applied on the bottom surface of the first substrate and combining the first substrate with a second substrate wherein the frit is interposed between the substrates, moving the laser beam along an area on the top surface of the first substrate that traces the portions where the frit is applied on the bottom surface of the first substrate; and curing the frit via heat generated from the laser beam onto the first substrate and frit thereby solidifying and binding the first and second substrates together. 
     In the foregoing method the laser beam is generates heat in temperature range of from about 200° C. to about 600° C. within the laser beam emitted area, wherein the temperature generated within the laser beam emitted area is substantially uniform. 
     Still in the foregoing method the frit comprises glass powder and organic material mixed together to form a gel state, wherein the frit undergoes a burning process after being applied to the bottom surface of the first substrate before being combined with the second substrate. The cured frit solidifies and creates a seal between the first and the second substrates, wherein the frit is substantially free of micro scale cracks and substantially impermeable by oxygen and moisture. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a frit sealing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  schematically illustrates the structure of a laser emission member of the frit sealing system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a multimode optical fiber used as a homogenizer; 
         FIGS. 4A ,  4 B,  4 C, and  4 D illustrate light pipes used as a homogenizer; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a fly-eye lens used as a homogenizer; 
         FIG. 6  is an image of a laser beam emitted by a multi-core source of a bundle type in a conventional frit sealing system; 
         FIG. 7  is an image of a laser beam obtained by defocusing the laser beam of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an image showing strip lines G on a glass frit as portions of relatively lower temperatures and portions of relatively higher temperatures are alternately arranged when the laser beam of  FIG. 6  is used; 
         FIG. 9  is an image showing that a seal is ripped off after sealing when the laser beam of  FIG. 6  is used; 
         FIG. 10  is an image showing a plurality of micro-cracks generated when the laser beam of  FIG. 6  is used; 
         FIG. 11  is an image of a laser beam that is emitted by a multi-core source of a bundle type and homogenized by passing through a homogenizer in a frit sealing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 12  is an image of a laser beam obtained by defocusing the laser beam of  FIG. 11 ; 
         FIG. 13  is an image showing a state in which no strip line is generated in a glass frit and a clean sealing is achieved while the temperature of a sealing portion is uniformly maintained, when the laser beam of  FIG. 11  is used; 
         FIG. 14  schematically illustrates a frit sealing system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 15  illustrates a connection member of  FIG. 14 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The attached drawings for illustrating exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are referred to in order to gain a sufficient understanding of the present disclosure, the merits thereof, and the objectives accomplished by the implementation of the present disclosure. Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail by explaining exemplary embodiments of the disclosure with reference to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements. 
     First Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a frit sealing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In general, the term “frit” signifies glass in a powder state. In the present disclosure, however, frit collectively refers to glass in a gel state obtained by adding an organic material to the glass in a power state and also glass in a solid state cured by a laser beam. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a frit sealing system according to the present embodiment includes a support apparatus  110  and a laser emitting member  120 . A first substrate  101  and a second substrate  102  are seated on and above the support apparatus  110 . A frit  103  is coated between the first and second substrates  101  and  102 . 
     The laser emitting member  120  emits a laser beam to the frit  103  between the first and second substrates  101  and  102  to melt the frit  103  so that the first and second substrates  101  and  102  are combined to each other by the frit  103 . A laser head (not shown) is supported by a laser head guide (not shown) and configured to be capable of moving above the first and second substrates  101  and  102 . 
     A method of manufacturing an organic light emitting display device using the above frit sealing system is described below. First, the frit  103  is coated on the second substrate  102  and the frit  103  undergoes a burning (or firing) process. Then, the first and second substrates  101  and  102  are combined together. The frit  103  is cured by emitting a laser beam to the second substrate  102 . 
       FIG. 2  schematically illustrates the structure of a laser emission member of the frit sealing system of  FIG. 1 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , the frit sealing system according to the present embodiment includes a control PC  121 , a laser (a laser generating apparatus)  123 , a beam fiber  125 , a homogenizer  127 , and a focusing device  129 . 
     The control PC  121  controls the operation of the laser emission apparatus  120 , for example, laser emission strength, laser emission time, laser emission position, in the frit sealing system. The laser generating apparatus  123  generates a laser beam. A multi-core source of a bundle type that is a high power laser source generally used for laser sealing may be used as the laser generating apparatus  123 . 
     The laser generating apparatus  123  may further include an attenuator (not shown). The attenuator adjusts the output intensity of a laser beam and transmits the adjusted laser beam to the beam fiber  125 . In the process of sealing the frit using the laser beam, since the output of a laser beam changes according to a process time, the output of a laser beam must be adjusted according to the process time for the optimization of a process condition. However, when the output intensity of a laser beam is adjusted by controlling the inner current of the laser generating apparatus  123 , the characteristic of the laser beam may be changed so that the output of a laser beam can be adjusted by using the attenuator. 
     The beam fiber  125  is coupled to the laser (laser generating apparatus)  123  and transmits the laser beam generated by the laser generating apparatus  123  to the homogenizer  127 . The homogenizer  127  homogenizes or normalizes the intensity of the laser beam generated by the laser generating apparatus  123  at the sectional surface of the laser beam. The homogenizer  127  will be described in detail later. 
     The focusing device  129  includes one or more lenses appropriately designed and focuses a laser beam in a particular area on the substrates  101  and  102 , on an upper surface of each of the substrates  101  and  102 , without being distorted according to the position in an emitted area. 
     A multi-core source of a bundle type that is a high power laser source generally used for laser sealing may be used as the laser generating apparatus  123 . In the bundle type multi-core source, the output of each core may be slightly different. Even when some of bundle fibers are disconnected, the bundle type multi-core source can be used by slightly increasing voltage so that the total output can be constant. However, for a frit sealing system in which the uniformity or normalization of the intensity of a laser beam mainly dominates the distribution of the temperature used in sealing and the quality of sealing is changed much according to a slight change in the temperature. When the bundle type multi-core source is used to obtain a sufficient sealing power, it is difficult to obtain a quality laser beam so that a uniform sealing cannot be obtained. To address the problem, in the frit sealing system according to the present disclosure, it is a characteristic that the quality of sealing is improved by generating a laser beam of a uniform quality using the homogenizer. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the homogenizer  127  may be a multimode optical fiber  127   a . When a homogenizer like the multimode optical fiber  127   a  is used, since an incident laser beam is transmitted through the multimode optical fiber  127   a  via a plurality of paths, the profile of a laser beam can be homogenized according to the length and curvature of the optical fiber  127   a . Since the laser beam is reflected by a reflection surface of the optical fiber  127   a , all incident laser beams arrive at an exit without being dispersed. In other words, when the laser beams exits optical fiber  127   a , all laser beams arrive at the exit which would be dispersed when the optical fiber  127   a  does not exit. Thus, when the laser beam is incident on the optical fiber  127   a , the laser beam is repeatedly reflected in the optical fiber  127   a  and arrives at the exit so that the input laser beam is homogenized. 
     The total reflection refers to a phenomenon that, when a light beam travels from an optically dense medium to an optically sparse medium, a light beam input by an incident angle greater than a particular critical angle is not refracted and reflected 100 percents. The optical fiber can reduce a loss rate when information is transmitted using the above principle. In detail, when a light beam travels input from an optically dense medium (a material having a relatively higher refractivity) to an optically sparse medium (a material having a relatively lower refractivity), if an incident angle is greater than a particular angle, the light beam is totally reflected by a boundary source between the optically dense medium and the optical sparse medium and no refractive light beam exists. This is the total reflection and the minimum value of the incident angle at which the total reflection may occur is referred to as the critical angle. For example, when a light beam travels from glass to air, the critical angle is about 42°. If the incident angle is greater than the critical angle, all light beams are reflected by a boundary surface to proceed back to the inside of the glass and does not proceed toward the air. A total reflection prism uses such a characteristic. As another example in the present disclosure, there is an optical fiber made by covering a glass fiber having a relatively higher refractivity with a glass layer having a relatively lower refractivity. Since the light beam input to an inner glass of the optical fiber repeats the total reflection, energy may be transferred a long distance without loss even when the optical fiber is bent. 
     Also, as shown in  FIGS. 4A to 4D , the homogenizer may be a light pipe  127   b . The light pipe  127   b  literally signifies sending light from a light source to a distant place and has a concept of allowing light, instead of water or oil, to flow in a pipe. The light pipe  127   b  may homogenize the profile of a laser beam by using the total reflection characteristic of a glass rod, adopting a principle similar to that of an optical fiber.  FIGS. 4A to 4D  illustrate a variety of shapes of the light pipe  127   b.    
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the homogenizer may be a fly-eye lens  127   c  for condensing incident light. That is, by extending a path of a laser beam using a microlens array like the fly-eye lens  127   c , the profile of a laser beam may be homogenized. 
       FIG. 6  is an image of a laser beam oscillated by a multi-core source of a bundle type in a conventional frit sealing system.  FIG. 7  is an image of a laser beam obtained by defocusing the laser beam of  FIG. 6  to some degree. The images may be observed by using a beam profiler. As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , when a laser beam oscillated by a bundle type multi-core source is used without being homogenized, the normalization of the intensity of the laser beam is not obtained. When the laser beam is actually used for sealing, as shown in  FIG. 8 , strip shaped lines G are generated on a glass frit as portions of relatively lower temperatures and portions of relatively higher temperatures are alternately arranged. Also, as shown in  FIG. 9 , a seal is ripped off after sealing when the laser beam of  FIG. 6  is used. As shown in  FIG. 10 , a plurality of micro-cracks is generated due to heat variations within an area of laser emission when the laser beam of  FIG. 6  is used. That is, when the laser beam oscillated by the bundle type multi-core source is not homogenized, complete sealing is not available because the quality of a laser beam at a focused area is not good due to variance in the intensities within the area. Thus, a quality laser beam with normalized intensity sufficient for sealing may be obtained only by defocusing the laser beam. Furthermore, it is a problem that obtaining a quality laser beam is not guaranteed in spite of the defocusing of the laser beam. 
       FIG. 11  is an image of a laser beam that is generated by a multi-core source of a bundle type and homogenized by passing through a homogenizer in a frit sealing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 12  is an image of a laser beam obtained by defocusing the laser beam of  FIG. 11  to some degree. As shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , when homogenization is performed by passing the laser beam generated by the bundle type multi-core source through the homogenizer, the normalization of intensity of the laser beam within a cross section of the laser beam may be obtained. When the laser beam is actually used in sealing, as shown in  FIG. 13 , the temperature at a sealing portion is maintained with substantially no variance and strip shaped lines are not generated in a glass frit so that a clean and complete sealing is obtained. According to the above-described frit sealing system according to the present embodiment, the quality of sealing is improved and the long-term reliability of a cell used in an organic light emitting device is improved. 
     Second Embodiment 
       FIG. 14  schematically illustrates a frit sealing system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 15  illustrates a connection member of  FIG. 14 . Referring to  FIG. 14 , a frit sealing system  220  according to the present embodiment includes a control PC  221 , a laser (laser generating apparatus)  223 , a beam fiber  225 , a homogenizer  227 , a focusing device  229 , and a connection member  231 . The control PC  221  controls the operation of a laser emission apparatus  220 , for example, the laser emission strength, the laser emission time, and the laser emission position of the frit sealing system. 
     The laser generating apparatus  223  generates a laser beam. A multi-core source of a bundle type that is a high power laser source and generally used for laser sealing may be used as the laser generating apparatus  223 . The laser generating apparatus  223  may further include an attenuator (not shown). The attenuator adjusts the output intensity of a laser beam and transmits the adjusted laser beam to the beam fiber  225 . Since the output of a laser beam in the process of sealing frit by using the laser beam changes according to the process time, the output of a laser beam needs to be adjusted according to the process time for the optimization of a process condition. However, when the output of the laser beam is adjusted by controlling an internal current of the laser generating apparatus  223 , the characteristic of a laser beam that is oscillated may be changed so that the output of the laser beam may be adjusted by using the attenuator. 
     The beam fiber  225  is coupled to the laser generating apparatus  223  and transmits a laser beam generated by the laser generating apparatus  223  to the connection member  231 . The connection member  231  more efficiently transfers the laser beam received through the beam fiber  225  to homogenizer  227 . The connection member  231  will be described later with reference to  FIG. 15 . 
     The homogenizer  227  homogenizes the strength or intensity of the laser beam generated by the laser generating apparatus  223  at a cross section of the laser beam. Since a uniform quality laser with normalized intensity is generated by using the homogenizer  227 , the quality of sealing may be improved. As described above, a multimode optical fiber, a variety of light pipes, or a fly-eye lens may be used as the homogenizer  223 . Accordingly, the quality of sealing is improved by the homogenizer  223  so that the long-term reliability of a cell used in organic light emitting device is improved. 
     The focusing device  229  includes one or more appropriately designed lens. A laser beam scanned and incident on a particular area on substrate  201  and  202  is focused on an upper surface of each of the substrates  201  and  202  without being distorted according to the position in an emission area. As the frit  203  between the first and second substrates  201  and  202  is cured by the laser beam focused by the focusing device  229 , the first and second substrates  201  and  202  are coupled to each other. 
     Referring to  FIG. 15 , the connection member  231  includes an input portion  231   a , an output portion  231   b , a collimating lens  231   c , and a focusing lens  231   d . A laser beam received from the beam fiber  225  through the input portion  231   a  passes through the collimating lens  231   c  and the focusing lens  231   d  and is output toward the homogenizer  227  via the output portion  231   b . In one embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the input portion  231   a  has a first opening that is directly connected to the beam fiber  225 , and the output portion  231   b  has a second opening that is directly connected to the homogenizer  227 . Also, as shown in  FIG. 15 , the collimating lens  231   c  resides in a first housing and the focusing lens  231   d  reside in a second housing. As shown in  FIG. 15 , the first housing is closer to the input portion  231   a  than the output portion  231   b . Also, the second housing is closer to the output portion  231   b  than the input portion  231   a . In one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 15 , the first and second housings are spaced apart from each other via, for example, a connection screw. 
     The collimating lens  231   c  converts an incident laser beam to a parallel beam. The laser beam output from the laser generating apparatus  223  is divergent and the divergent laser beam is condensed as it passes through the collimating lens  231   c . Thus, a parallel beam is obtained from the laser beam by using the collimating lens  231   c , or the laser beam is condensed as necessary. The lens that converts the laser beam output from the laser generating apparatus  223  to a parallel beam is referred to as a collimating lens. The focusing lens  231   d  converges the laser beam that is converted to a parallel beam as it passes through the collimating lens  231   c.    
     Thus, an irregular multi-core laser beam generated from the bundle type multi-core source is made parallel and condensed by using the connection member  231  and is transferred to the homogenizer  227  so that an efficiency in homogenizing or normalizing the intensity of the laser beam using the homogenizer may be further improved. 
     As described above, according to the frit sealing system according to the present disclosure, the quality of sealing is improved and thus the long-term reliability of a cell is improved. 
     While this disclosure has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.