WO2012037758A1 - Manufacturing method of large-area flexible photoelectric device - Google Patents

Abstract

A manufacturing method of a large-area flexible photoelectric device is provided. The method includes following steps: providing a rigid carrier board (100); forming a lift-off layer (110) on the surface of the rigid carrier board; forming photoelectric-device layers (120) on the surface of the lift-off layer; forming a flexible carrier layer (130) on the surfaces of the photoelectric-device layers (120); and then, peeling off the flexible carrier layer and the photoelectric-device layers from the rigid carrier board. The method can realize manufacturing flexible photoelectric device directly on the surface of a rigid carrier board, such as a glass carrier board, without the need of a flexible substrate, or without the need of sticking a flexible substrate on a rigid carrier board before depositing thin-films for the flexible device. The flexible photoelectric device above includes a flexible solar cell, a flexible display device, a flexible light-emitting device, and so on.

Description

 Method for manufacturing large-area flexible optoelectronic device

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to the field of optoelectronic technology, and more particularly to a method of fabricating a large area flexible optoelectronic device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Optoelectronic devices have a wide range of applications in people's daily life. Photoelectric devices mainly include photoconductive devices that operate using semiconductor photo-sensing properties, photovoltaic devices that operate using the photoelectric effect of semiconductors or organic materials, semiconductor light-emitting devices, and semiconductors. Thin film transistor (TFT) A display device that regulates or drives the light properties of various materials. Semiconductor optoelectronic devices include light-emitting diodes (LEDs), phototransistors, TFT-LCD liquid crystal display devices, LED flat panel display devices, etc. In addition, AMLCD wide-temperature liquid crystal display, also known as Active Matrix liquid crystal display. Semiconductor photovoltaic devices include monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, silicon-based thin film solar cells, CIGS thin film batteries, and the like.

The above optoelectronic devices are typically fabricated on a rigid substrate such as glass, and the devices produced are also rigid devices. In recent years, flexible optoelectronic devices, such as active matrix organic light emitting diode panels (AM0LEDs), which are called next-generation display technologies, are flexible display technologies that can be made into folded displays, and have a promising application prospect. Flexible solar cells have also entered the mass production stage, which may be either a silicon-based film material such as amorphous silicon or a thin film crystalline semiconductor material. Currently, flexible substrates are subjected to rol l-to-rol l processing using printing and vacuum thin film deposition techniques. Flexible solar cells, flexible display devices, flexible lighting devices are also widely used, not only for roofing materials, wall surfaces and other building materials, but also light weight, easy to install and carry, suitable for surface mounting of various surface shapes. Therefore, both flexible solar cells and flexible display devices as well as flexible lighting devices have received a lot of attention from the industry. Conventional semiconductor optoelectronic devices, including semiconductor photovoltaic devices and semiconductor light-emitting devices, are fabricated on the surface of a silicon substrate or a glass substrate by a semiconductor process such as vacuum deposition (PECVD, LPCVD, APCVD, PVD, evaporation), etching, etc. to make. At present, flexible thin film solar cells and flexible display devices are basically deposited on the surface of flexible substrates, such as high temperature plastics, resins, aluminum foils, steel strips, etc., including a transparent conductive front electrode and a back electrode, and a layer of devices between the two. And made. However, production equipment for depositing a film material on a flexible substrate surface is incompatible with existing equipment for depositing a thin film on a hard material, and is very expensive. Moreover, optoelectronic devices formed directly on flexible substrates are not convenient for large area integration.

 There have been many attempts to bond flexible substrates to hard substrate surfaces such as glass to complete the fabrication of flexible optoelectronic devices, but the problems encountered include harsh requirements for flexible substrate materials such as temperature resistance, non-contamination of vacuum chambers, The light transmittance after the high temperature process and the relative matching of the thermal expansion coefficients of the substrate and the device layer. In addition, large-area flexible substrates are difficult to ensure that they are laid flat on the glass surface throughout the entire device manufacturing process, and facilitate the peeling of the flexible substrate after the process is completed. Even with this material, such as polyimide, it is expensive and difficult to keep flat from start to finish. Especially in the manufacturing process of large-area flexible solar cells, the laser scribing process that forms monol ithic integration can cause damage. Therefore, there is no precedent for manufacturing large-area, highly integrated flexible optoelectronic devices at low cost.

 How to utilize existing large-area deposition production equipment and processes using rigid substrates, that is, to process large-area photovoltaic devices directly on rigid substrates such as glass using existing equipment and processes for depositing thin films on rigid substrates. The desired film layer, then the flexible carrier is firmly bonded to the layer, and the flexible carrier and the film layer are integrally detached from the surface of the rigid substrate to form a flexible photovoltaic device, which is still difficult for photovoltaic device manufacturers. Imagined the solution.

Summary of the invention It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a large-area flexible optoelectronic device, the object of which is rigid manufacturing and flexible molding. That is, the flexible substrate is not required to be used, but the layer required for the flexible photovoltaic device such as a flexible solar cell, a flexible display device, or a flexible light-emitting device is directly processed by a rigid carrier such as glass, and the flexible carrier is firmly bonded thereto. The layer is attached and the flexible carrier and the film layer are integrally detached from the surface of the rigid carrier to form a flexible optoelectronic device. In order to achieve the above object, a method for manufacturing a large-area flexible optoelectronic device provided by the present invention includes the following steps:

 Provide a rigid carrier board;

 Forming a release layer on the surface of the rigid carrier;

 Forming a layer of the photovoltaic device on the surface of the release layer;

 Forming a flexible bearing layer on each surface of the photovoltaic device;

 The flexible carrier layer and the device layer are integrally separated from the rigid carrier.

 Optionally, the method further comprises the step of forming a protective barrier layer on the surface of the release layer. Optionally, the method further comprises the step of forming a protective layer on the surface of each layer of the photovoltaic device.

 Optionally, the flexible optoelectronic device comprises a flexible solar cell, a flexible display device or a flexible light emitting device.

 Optionally, the material of the release layer is a transparent and temperature resistant material, including various types of silica gel, various types of release agents, and a mixture containing the above materials.

 Optionally, the method for forming the release layer comprises spraying, brushing or wet coating.

 Optionally, the material of the carrier layer comprises a flexible packaging material used by the solar cell and the flexible display device.

 Optionally, the method for forming the carrier layer comprises lamination, autoclave paste, and brush coating.

Optionally, the material of the protective barrier layer comprises a metal oxide, a polymer, and a wide band gap. Silicide.

 Optionally, the method for forming the protective barrier layer comprises CVD, PVD, printing, spraying, and wet coating.

 Optionally, the material of the protective layer comprises an insulating metal oxide, a polymer, an oxide, a nitride or a carbide.

 Optionally, the method for forming the protective layer comprises CVD, PVD, printing, spraying, and wet coating. Optionally, the peeling layer has a temperature resistance range of more than 200 °C.

 Optionally, the process of forming each layer of the photovoltaic device comprises a PECVD and a PVD process. Optionally, the PECVD process is performed in a large area PECVD deposition apparatus in which the excitation electrode plate and the ground electrode plate are alternately disposed in a longitudinal interval.

 Optionally, the protective barrier layer and/or the protective layer are one or more layers.

 Optionally, the rigid carrier comprises glass.

 Optionally, the release layer is a single layer or a multi-layer composite layer.

 Optionally, the method further comprises the step of protectively encapsulating one side of the photovoltaic device exposed to the air.

 Optionally, the separating manner comprises pulling the bearing layer to separate the bearing layer and the device layer from the rigid carrier.

 Advantages of the present invention compared to the prior art:

The method of the present invention forms each layer of the photovoltaic device on a rigid carrier, such as a glass surface, and then attaches a flexible carrier to the surface of each layer of the photovoltaic device, and the flexible carrier and the photovoltaic device are integrally bonded to each other by, for example, pulling the flexible carrier. The separation of the rigid carrier plates realizes the transfer of the entire layers of the photovoltaic device to the flexible carrier, thereby forming a flexible photovoltaic device. Therefore, the method of the present invention does not require the use of a flexible substrate, greatly reduces the material cost, and does not require expensive rol l-to-rol l manufacturing equipment of existing flexible devices, and can utilize the existing manufacturing of large-area thin-film optoelectronic devices. Vacuum deposition and other processing equipment and processes, manufacturing flexible optoelectronic devices, such as flexible solar cells, flexible displays, directly on rigid carriers, in a rigid, flexible form. Devices and flexible light-emitting devices, etc.

 The method of the invention can utilize the existing production equipment for manufacturing optoelectronic devices on a glass substrate, and mass-produce flexible optical devices in a lower cost and more reliable process, avoiding the harsh materials and equipments manufactured by the conventional flexible optoelectronic devices. And process, integration requirements. Broaden the application range of existing production equipment for manufacturing optoelectronic devices on glass substrates, enriching the product description

 The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the <RTIgt; The same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings. The drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale, with emphasis on the subject matter of the invention.

 1a to 1d are schematic flow charts showing a cross-sectional structure of a device according to a basic embodiment of the method of the present invention;

 2a to 2d are schematic flow charts showing a cross-sectional structure of a device according to another embodiment of the method of the present invention;

 3a-3e are schematic flow charts showing a cross-sectional structure of a device according to still another embodiment of the method of the present invention;

 4a through 4e are schematic flow charts showing the cross-sectional structure of a device in accordance with still another embodiment of the method of the present invention.

 The illustrations are illustrative and not limiting, and the scope of protection of the present invention is not unduly limited.

detailed description

The above described objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the aspects of the appended claims. Numerous specific details are set forth in the description below in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. But the invention can be much different than here Other ways of describing the implementation, those skilled in the art can make similar promotion without departing from the connotation of the invention. The invention is therefore not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

 Figures la to Id are schematic flow diagrams of a cross-sectional structure of a device in accordance with a basic embodiment of the method of the present invention. As shown in Figures la to Id, the method of the present invention first provides a rigid carrier, such as a glass carrier 100, and then forms a release layer 110 on the surface of the glass carrier 100. The material of the release layer 110 is required to be a transparent material having a temperature resistance range of more than 200 ° C, such as various types of silica gel, various types of release agents, and a mixture containing the above materials, which can facilitate uniform application of a large area to form a film layer. The method of forming the release layer 110 includes spraying, brushing, or other wet coating (including various solution coatings, the same applies hereinafter). The function of the peeling layer 110 is to ensure that the device layer 120 does not leave the glass carrier 100 during the manufacturing process, and that the device layer 120 can be easily and without damage from the glass carrier when the carrier layer 130 is pulled. 100.

 The release layer 110 may be a single layer or a multi-layered composite layer structure.

 Then, a photovoltaic device layer 120 is formed on the surface of the peeling layer 110. For example, if the flexible photovoltaic device to be fabricated is a flexible silicon-based thin film solar cell, each layer includes a TC0 (transparent conductive front electrode such as AZ0 or IT0). a single-junction or multi-junction pin-stacked structure formed by a PECVD process, a conductive back electrode (for example, AZ0/A1); if the flexible optoelectronic device to be fabricated is a flexible display device, each layer includes an IT0 transparent conductive front electrode, TFT active matrix, light modulation or luminescent layer, conductive back electrode, and the like.

Thereafter, a carrier layer 130 is formed on the surface of each layer 120 of the photovoltaic device. The material of the carrier layer 130 includes a flexible packaging material used in solar cells and flexible display devices, which are required to have certain chemical stability and tensile strength. The carrier layer 130 can be bonded to the surface of each layer 120 of the photovoltaic device by lamination, autoclave, pasting, brushing, or the like. For example, an adhesion material such as EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer) or PVB (Poly Vinyl Butyral, polyvinyl butyral) is coated on the surface of each layer 120 of the photovoltaic device, and then covered with a flexible packaging material. And then bonding the flexible encapsulating material to each layer 120 of the optoelectronic device, at which point the flexible encapsulating material and the bonding material act as a carrier Layer 130, which is intimately bonded to each layer 120 of the optoelectronic device. Salin resin can also be used instead of EVA or PVB. Sarin resin has excellent room temperature impact toughness, excellent wear resistance, scratch resistance, water resistance, good chemical stability, and good tensile strength. strength. It can be directly attached to the surface of each layer 120. The flexible encapsulating material is laminated with the sarin resin to form the carrier layer 130. The sarin resin can also be used directly as the carrier layer 130 if it is thick enough. It is also possible to use PVB as a bonding material, press the autoclave or autoclave (hot high pressure method) to press the flexible packaging material and PVB, and firmly bond the surface of each layer 120. In summary, it is suitable for use in the present invention as long as it is capable of bonding a flexible encapsulating material or other material capable of bonding to the surface of the device layer 120 and having a certain strength to be completely separated from the device layer 120 from the glass carrier 100.

 Next, the carrier layer 130 is pulled away from the glass carrier 100 as a whole with the device layer 120. From the previously described bonding manner of the carrier layer 130 to the device layer 120 and the bonding between the release layer 110 and the glass 100, the bonding strength between the flexible packaging material, that is, the carrier layer 130 and the device layer 120, is known. It is much larger than the bond strength between the release layer 110 and the glass 100 or device layer 120. This ensures that the carrier layer 120 can be pulled away from the glass carrier 100 with ease and without damage when the carrier layer 130 is pulled.

 Subsequently, the side of the device layer 120 exposed to the air is then protectively packaged and otherwise processed to form a flexible optoelectronic device.

2a through 2d are schematic flow charts showing a cross-sectional structure of a device in accordance with another embodiment of the method of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2a to FIG. 2d, in the present embodiment, after the peeling layer 110 is formed, the method further forms a protective barrier layer 200 on the surface of the peeling layer 110. The material of the protective barrier layer 200 includes a metal oxide, a polymer, and a wide band gap silicide such as A1 ₂ 0 ₃ , SiN _x , SiO _x or SiC _x , and the formed method includes CVD, PVD, printing, spraying or wet coating. . The protective barrier layer 200 is required to have a certain temperature resistance, transparency, and anti-diffusion properties. In addition, the protective barrier layer 200 can protect the photovoltaic device layers 120 during and after the process of detaching the photovoltaic device layers 120 from the rigid carrier 10, particularly during the process. Capable of blocking glass carrier 100 and release layer The material in 110 diffuses into each layer 120 of the photovoltaic device.

 Then, a layer 120 of the photovoltaic device is further formed on the surface of the protective barrier layer 200, and a carrier layer 130 is further formed on the surface of each layer 120 of the photovoltaic device. Finally, the carrier layer 130 is pulled, and the device layer 120 is carried as a whole. The detachment from the glass carrier 100 is followed by protective encapsulation and other processing of the layer that is detached from the glass carrier 100 to form a flexible optoelectronic device.

3a through 3e are schematic flow charts showing a cross-sectional structure of a device in accordance with still another embodiment of the method of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3a to FIG. 3e, in the present embodiment, a glass carrier 100 is first provided, and then a peeling layer 110 is formed on the surface of the glass carrier 100, and each layer 120 of the photovoltaic device is formed on the surface of the peeling layer 110. Subsequently, a protective layer 300 is formed on the surface of each layer 120 of the photovoltaic device. The material of the protective layer 300 includes an insulating metal oxide, a polymer, an oxide, a nitride or a carbide, such as A1 ₂ 0 ₃ , SiN _x , SiO _x or SiCxo. The method of forming the film includes CVD, PVD, printing, spraying, and Wet coating. The protective layer 300 can improve the tensile strength of the entire layer 120 of the device, and can further improve the insulation and moisture resistance, and can also increase the adhesion between the carrier layer 130 and each layer 120 of the photovoltaic device.

 The carrier layer 130 is then formed on the surface of the protective layer 300, and the carrier layer 130 is finally pulled, which is detached from the glass carrier 100 as a whole with the protective layer 300, the device layer 120, and the like. Subsequently, the side of the device layer 120 exposed to the air is then protectively packaged and otherwise processed to form a flexible optoelectronic device.

4a through 4e are schematic flow charts showing the cross-sectional structure of a device in accordance with still another embodiment of the method of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4a to FIG. 4e, in the embodiment, in combination with the two embodiments shown in FIG. 2a to FIG. 2d and FIG. 3a to FIG. 3e, a protective barrier layer 200 is formed on the surface of the peeling layer 110, and then protected. The surface of the barrier layer 200 is further formed into a layer 120 of the photovoltaic device, and a protective layer 300 is further formed on the surface of each layer 120 of the photovoltaic device. The carrier layer 130 is further formed on the surface of the protective layer 300. Finally, the carrier layer 130 is pulled up to pull the device layer 120 from the peeling layer 110, so that the device layer 120 is separated from the glass carrier 100, and then separated. The layers of the glass carrier 100 are subjected to protective packaging and other processing to form flexible optoelectronic devices. Both the protective barrier layer 200 and the protective layer 300 may be a composite layer structure of one or more layers.

 In the above embodiment, the manner in which the device layer 120 is entirely separated from the glass carrier 100 is by pulling the carrier layer 130. In addition, the device layer 120 can be separated from the glass carrier 100 by soaking, ultraviolet or laser treatment of the release layer 110. In summary, any method capable of separating the carrier layer 130 and the device layer 120 from the glass carrier 100 as a whole is within the scope of the present invention.

 It should be noted that the above method of the present invention can be carried out by using a large-scale PECVD apparatus for producing a silicon-based thin film solar cell on the surface of a glass substrate. In the PECVD apparatus, the excitation electrode plate and the ground electrode plate are alternately arranged in the longitudinal direction, and the film can be deposited on the large-area glass substrate, and the production efficiency is high.

The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention in any way. Any person skilled in the art can make many possible variations and modifications to the technical solutions of the present invention by using the above-disclosed technical contents, or modify equivalent embodiments of equivalent changes without departing from the scope of the technical solutions of the present invention. . Therefore, any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and modifications of the above embodiments in accordance with the technical spirit of the present invention are still within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

Rights request  1. A method of manufacturing a large area flexible optoelectronic device, comprising the steps of: providing a rigid carrier;  Forming a release layer on the surface of the rigid carrier;  Forming a layer of the photovoltaic device on the surface of the release layer;  Forming a flexible bearing layer on each surface of the photovoltaic device;  The flexible carrier layer and the device layer are integrally separated from the rigid carrier.  2. The method of claim 1 wherein: the method further comprises the step of forming a protective barrier layer on the surface of the release layer.  3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the method further comprises the step of forming a protective layer on the surface of each layer of the optoelectronic device.  4. The method of claim 1 wherein: the flexible optoelectronic device comprises a flexible solar cell, a flexible display device, or a flexible light emitting device.  5. The method according to claim 1, wherein: the material of the release layer is a transparent, temperature-resistant material, including various types of silica gel, various types of release agents, and a mixture containing the above materials.  6. The method of claim 5 wherein: the method of forming the release layer comprises spraying, brushing or wet coating.  7. The method according to claim 1, wherein: the material of the carrier layer comprises a flexible packaging material used by the solar cell and the flexible display device.  8. The method according to claim 7, wherein: the method of forming the carrier layer comprises lamination, autoclave, paste, and brush.  9. The method of claim 2 wherein: the material of the protective barrier layer comprises a metal oxide, a polymer, and a wide band gap silicide.  10. The method of claim 9 wherein: the forming of the protective barrier layer comprises CVD, PVD, printing, spraying, and wet coating. 11. The method according to claim 3, wherein: the material package of the protective layer Insulating metal oxides, polymers, oxides, nitrides or carbides.  12. The method of claim 11 wherein: the method of forming the protective layer comprises CVD, PVD, printing, spraying, and wet coating.  13. The method according to claim 5, wherein: the peeling layer has a temperature resistance range of more than 200 °C.  14. The method of claim 1 wherein: the process of forming the layers of the photovoltaic device comprises a PECVD and PVD process.  15. The method of claim 14 wherein: said PECVD process is performed in a large area PECVD deposition apparatus in which the excitation electrode plates and the ground electrode plates are alternately spaced longitudinally.  16. Method according to claim 9 or 11, characterized in that the protective barrier layer and/or the protective layer are of one or more layers.  17. The method of claim 1 wherein: said rigid carrier comprises glass.  18. The method according to claim 5, wherein the peeling layer is a single layer or a multi-layered composite layer.  19. The method of claim 1 wherein: the method further comprises the step of protectively encapsulating a side of the photovoltaic device that is exposed to air.  20. The method of claim 1 wherein: said separating comprises pulling said carrier layer such that said carrier layer and device layer are integrally separated from said rigid carrier.