Methods of forming cover lens structures for display devices, and related apparatus and devices
Implementations of the present disclosure relate to methods, and related apparatus and devices, of forming flexible cover lens structures for flexible or foldable display devices. In one or more implementations, one or more adhesion promotion layers are deposited above at least one wet hardcoat layer of a substrate structure. A dry hardcoat layer is deposited above the one or more adhesion promotion layers using a dry deposition process that includes plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). An anti-smudge layer is deposited above the dry hardcoat layer. Each of the one or more adhesion promotion layers, the dry hardcoat layer, and the anti-smudge layer is deposited at a process temperature that is less than 80 degrees Celsius.
1 . A method of forming a cover lens structure, comprising:
positioning a substrate structure and a carrier substrate in a processing chamber, wherein the substrate structure is mounted to the carrier substrate, and the substrate structure comprises a substrate and one or more wet hardcoat layers;
depositing one or more adhesion promotion layers above at least one of the one or more wet hardcoat layers;
depositing a dry hardcoat layer above the one or more adhesion promotion layers using a dry deposition process that includes plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), the dry deposition process of the dry hardcoat layer comprising:
exposing the substrate structure to one or more reactive gases for a total exposure time that is less than 12.0 minutes,
an oxidizer-to-organosilane gas ratio within a range of 5.0 to 100.0, and
a first radio-frequency (RF) power density within a range of 0.07 W/cm 2 to 0.6 W/cm 2 ;
depositing an anti-smudge layer above the dry hardcoat layer,
wherein each of the one or more adhesion promotion layers, the dry hardcoat layer, and the anti-smudge layer is deposited at a process temperature that is less than 80 degrees Celsius, wherein the process temperature is less than a glass transition temperature of the substrate; and
conducting a plasma treatment operation on the substrate structure, the plasma treatment operation comprising:
applying a second RF power density that is less than the first RF power density.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is formed of one or more polymeric materials.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the substrate is formed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more wet hardcoat layers has a thickness that is within a range of 0.2 microns to 3.0 microns.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the one or more wet hardcoat layers comprise a first wet hardcoat layer having a first thickness and a second wet hardcoat layer having a second thickness.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the first thickness is substantially equal to the second thickness.
7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the second wet hardcoat layer is positioned between the first wet hardcoat layer and the carrier substrate, and the second thickness is less than the first thickness.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the dry hardcoat layer has a thickness that is within a range of 0.2 microns to 3.0 microns.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more adhesion promotion layers have an overall thickness that is less than 1.2 microns.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more adhesion promotion layers are deposited using the dry deposition process that includes PECVD.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the carrier substrate and the substrate structure mounted thereto are positioned on a susceptor that is positioned at a predetermined distance from a gas diffuser.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising, prior to the deposition of the one or more adhesion promotion layers:
activating an electrostatic chuck of the susceptor to chuck the carrier substrate; and
igniting a plasma.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the one or more adhesion promotion layers and the dry hardcoat layer are deposited while the plasma is still ignited.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the dry deposition process further comprises:
a process pressure within a range of 300 mTorr to 1000 m Torr;
m 2 ;
an argon (Ar) flow rate within a range of 500 (standard cubic centimeters per minute (SCCM) to 10000 SCCM; and
the predetermined distance being within a range of 500 mil to 2000 mil.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the second RF power density is within a range of 0.007 W/cm 2 to 0.07 W/cm 2 , and the plasma treatment operation comprises:
a process pressure within a range of 300 mTorr to 1000 mTorr;
an oxidizer flow rate within a range of 100 SCCM to 2000 SCCM;
an argon (Ar) flow rate within a range of 500 (standard cubic centimeters per minute (SCCM) to 10000 SCCM; and
the predetermined distance being within a range of 500 mil to 2000 mil.
16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the process temperature is within a range of 58 degrees Celsius to 77 degrees Celsius.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the process temperature is within a range of 60 degrees Celsius to 75 degrees Celsius.
18 . A method of forming a cover lens structure, comprising:
positioning a substrate structure and a carrier substrate in a processing chamber, wherein the substrate structure is mounted to the carrier substrate, and the substrate structure comprises a substrate and one or more wet hardcoat layers;
depositing one or more adhesion promotion layers above at least one of the one or more wet hardcoat layers;
depositing a dry hardcoat layer above the one or more adhesion promotion layers using a dry deposition process that includes plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), the dry deposition process of the dry hardcoat layer comprising:
exposing the substrate structure to one or more reactive gases for a total exposure time that is less than 12.0 minutes, the one or more reactive gases having an oxidizer-to-organosilane gas ratio within a range of 5.0 to 100.0, and
applying a first radio-frequency (RF) power density;
depositing an anti-smudge layer above the dry hardcoat layer,
wherein each of the one or more adhesion promotion layers, the dry hardcoat layer, and the anti-smudge layer is deposited at a process temperature that is less than 80 degrees Celsius; and
conducting a plasma treatment operation on the substrate structure, the plasma treatment operation comprising:
applying a second RF power density that is less than the first RF power density.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein each of the one or more wet hardcoat layers has a thickness that is within a range of 0.2 microns to 3.0 microns.
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the dry hardcoat layer has a thickness that is within a range of 0.2 microns to 3.0 microns.