Method and apparatus for structuring electrodes for organic light-emitting display and organic light-emitting display manufactured using the method and apparatus

1. A method for structuring a homogeneous electrode for an organic light-emitting display, the method comprising:

expanding a laser beam to cover each target portion of each electrode to be ablated, to form periodic electrode structures; and

ablating respective target portions of the homogeneous electrode using the expanded laser beam,

wherein the laser beam is a pulse laser with a pulse duration of 20 ns or less and the homogeneous electrode is coated with a material comprising graphite for facilitating absorption of the laser beam prior to the ablation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the periodic electrode structures are linear structures.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is at least one of a cathode and an anode.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pulse laser is an ultraviolet laser, an infrared laser, or a visible laser.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pulse laser is a 248 nm KrF excimer laser.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the homogeneous electrode is coated with a material for facilitating absorption of the laser beam prior to the ablation.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of expanding a laser beam comprises expanding the laser beam to cover each target portion of each electrode to be ablated using an optical unit.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of expanding a laser beam further comprises widening the laser beam to cover each target portion of each electrode to be ablated using an optical unit.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser beam is expanded such that a width of the laser beam is widened to cover each target portion of each electrode to be ablated.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser beam comprises a power density of about 500 mJ/cm 2 .

11. A method for structuring a homogeneous electrode for an organic light-emitting display, the method comprising:

expanding a laser beam to cover each target portion of each electrode to be ablated, to form periodic electrode structures; and

ablating respective target portions of the homogeneous electrode using the expanded laser beam,

wherein the homogeneous electrode is coated with a material comprising graphite for facilitating absorption of the laser beam prior to the ablation.

12. An apparatus for structuring a homogeneous electrode for an organic light-emitting display using ablation of a laser beam to form periodic electrode structures, the apparatus comprising:

a laser light source for emitting the laser beam; and

an optical unit for expanding the laser beam so that the laser beam covers each target portion of each electrode to be ablated,

wherein the laser beam is a pulse laser with a pulse duration of 20 ns or less and the homogeneous electrode is coated with a material comprising graphite for facilitating absorption of the laser beam prior to the ablation.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the optical unit has a gap.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the optical unit has a plurality of gaps.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the optical unit comprises:

a beam homogenizer,

a gap; and

at least one cylindrical lens.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising an exhaust unit.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising an outlet vent.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising an exhaust unit.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the electrode is a cathode or an anode.

20. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the optical unit for expanding the laser beam expands a width of the laser beam to cover each target portion of each electrode to be ablated.

21. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the laser beam comprises a power density of about 500 mJ/cm 2 .