	US 12,289,945 B2
	Quasi global cathode contact method for advanced patterning
Jungmin Lee, Santa Clara, CA (US); Yu Hsin Lin, Zhubei (TW); Chung-Chia Chen, Hsinchu (TW); Ji-young Choung, Hwaseong-si (KR); Dieter Haas, San Jose, CA (US); and Si Kyoung Kim, Gwangju-si (KR)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 3, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/653,329.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/264,893, filed on Dec. 3, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0180506 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H10K 50/822 (2023.01); H10K 50/844 (2023.01); H10K 59/122 (2023.01); H10K 71/00 (2023.01)

CPC H10K 50/822 (2023.02) [H10K 50/844 (2023.02); H10K 59/122 (2023.02); H10K 71/00 (2023.02)]

20 Claims

1. A method of forming a sub-circuit, comprising:

depositing an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) material over a substrate, the substrate comprising:

a metal grid disposed on an anode defining layer (ADL), the ADL exposing anodes disposed over the substrate, wherein adjacent ADLs define a plurality of sub-pixels of the sub-circuit;

pixel-defining layer (PDL) structures disposed over the ADL, wherein adjacent PDL structures further define the plurality of sub-pixels of the sub-circuit;

inorganic overhang structures disposed over the metal grid; and

at least one contact overhang disposed on a respective assistant cathode line of the metal grid, the at least one contact overhang disposed between two sub-pixels of the plurality of sub-pixels,

wherein depositing the OLED material comprises evaporation deposition of the OLED material over the substrate such that the OLED material is disposed over and in contact with the anodes; and

depositing a cathode using evaporation deposition after the OLED material is deposited, wherein the cathode contacts the at least one contact overhang, wherein the at least one contact overhang is disposed in exposed portions of the PDL structures to expose the metal grid.