AVS 51st International Symposium
    Thin Films Tuesday Sessions
       Session TF1-TuM

Paper TF1-TuM6
Gas Diffusion Barriers on Polymer Films Using Al@sub 2@O@sub 3@ Atomic Layer Deposition

Tuesday, November 16, 2004, 10:00 am, Room 303C

Session: Thin Films on Flexible and Polymer Substrates
Presenter: M.D. Groner, University of Colorado
Authors: M.D. Groner, University of Colorado
C.A. Wilson, University of Colorado
J.D. Ferguson, University of Colorado
S.M. George, University of Colorado
R.S. McLean, DuPont CR&D
P.F. Carcia, DuPont CR&D
Correspondent: Click to Email
Polymer substrates are desirable for flexible organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Unfortunately, gas permeability in polymers is high and gas diffusion barriers are needed to reduce H@sub 2@O and O@sub 2@ permeability. For OLEDs, the desired permeability rate for O@sub 2@ is 1 x 10@super -5@ cc/m@super 2@/day. Inorganic films, such as SiO@sub 2@ and Al@sub 2@O@sub 3@, can have extremely low gas diffusion rates and may be excellent gas diffusion barrier candidates if they are continuous and pinhole-free. Low temperature Al@sub 2@O@sub 3@ ALD has been investigated on a variety of polymer films including PET, PMMA, LDPE, PEN, and Kapton(R). Al@sub 2@O@sub 3@ ALD films were deposited at temperatures between 100-175°C and yielded thicknesses between 1-25 nm on the various polymer substrates. Al@sub 2@O@sub 3@ ALD film growth and film properties were characterized using several techniques including quartz crystal microbalance, FTIR spectroscopy and surface profilometry. O@sub 2@ permeability through the polymer films was also quantified using MOCON permeation measurements. O@sub 2@ permeation rates below the MOCON test limit of 1 x 10@super -3@ cc/m@super 2@/day were measured for Al@sub 2@O@sub 3@ ALD films @>=@ 5 nm thick on PEN and Kapton substrates. New testing methods are currently being developed to measure the extremely low O@sub 2@ and H@sub 2@O permeation rates required for OLED packaging. Studies are also characterizing the dependence of gas permeation rates on the Al@sub 2@O@sub 3@ ALD film thickness and growth temperature.