A New Excimer-Laser-Annealing Method for Manufacturing Large OLED Displays

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn this paper, we present an example of a new generation of laser-crystallization approaches that can crystallize Si films for large active-matrix displays at drastically increased effective crystallization rates. The particular scheme presented in this paper is referred to as the advanced excimer-laser-annealing (AELA) method, and it can be readily configured for manufacturing large OLED TVs using various available and field-proven technical components. As in ELA, it is mostly a partial-/near-complete-melting-regime-based crystallization approach; AELA can, however, eventually achieve greater than one order of magnitude increase in the effective rate of crystallization over that of the conventional ELA technique utilizing the same laser source. We discuss in this paper how and why such a dramatic increase can be attained, and some strategical and technological benefits and options that can be entertained regarding, and as a result of the availability of, the AELA technique.