System and method for frit sealing glass packages

摘要

A sealing device and method are described herein that can be used to manufacture a hermetically sealed glass package. In one embodiment, the hermetically sealed glass package is suitable to protect thin film devices which are sensitive to the ambient environment (e.g., oxygen, moisture). Some examples of such glass packages are organic emitting light diode (OLED) displays, sensors, and other optical devices. The present invention is demonstrated using an OLED display as an example.

主权项

1. A method for manufacturing a glass package, said method comprising the steps of:
using a heat source to direct a beam towards a frit which along with at least one light emitting device is located between two substrate plates; moving the heat source or the two substrate plates such that the beam moves at a substantially constant speed on a sealing line of said two substrate plates, where said sealing line includes said frit, a plurality of regions free of electrodes, and a plurality of regions occupied by electrodes all of which are located between said two substrate plates; modulating a power of the heat source when moving the beam at the substantially constant speed such that the beam imparts sufficient heat source energy to said frit to cause said frit to form a hermetic seal which connects said two substrate plates, and changing the speed that the beam moves along the sealing line on said two substrate plates in response to the power to the heat source reaching a maximum or a minimum power capacity, wherein the beam continues to impart sufficient heat source energy to said frit to cause said frit to form the hermetic seal which connects said two substrate plates further comprising the step of synchronizing both the moving step and the modulating step so that the power of the heat source can be controlled to change in a linear or non-linear fashion as is needed at predetermined points along the sealing line depending on whether or not the beam is currently located over the electrodes between said two substrate plates and depending on whether or not the beam is currently located over a curved portion of the sealing line on said two substrate plates.