Edge barrier film for electronic devices

1. A first product comprising:

a substrate;

a device disposed over the substrate having a device footprint; and

a barrier film disposed over the substrate and substantially along a side of the device footprint;

wherein the barrier film comprises a mixture of a polymeric material and non-polymeric material; and

wherein the barrier film has a perpendicular length that is less than or equal to 3.0 mm from the side of the device footprint.

2. The first product of claim 1 ,

wherein the device footprint comprises an active device area and an inactive device area; and

wherein the barrier film has a perpendicular length that is less than or equal to 3.0 mm from the side of the inactive device area.

3. The first product of claim 1 ,

wherein the device footprint comprises an active device area and an inactive device area; and

wherein the barrier film does not extend to a distance of greater than 3.0 mm from a side of the active device area.

4. The first product of claim 1 , wherein the device footprint comprises an active device area, and wherein the barrier film has a perpendicular length that is less than or equal to 3.0 mm from the side of the active device area.

5. The first product of claim 1 , wherein the barrier film comprises a mixture of a polymeric silicon and inorganic silicon.

6. The first product of claim 5 , wherein the mixture of polymeric silicon and inorganic silicon is substantially uniform across the layer.

7. The first product of claim 1 , wherein the barrier film does not have a perpendicular length that is greater than 3.0 mm.

8. The first product of claim 1 , wherein the barrier film has a perpendicular length that is less than or equal to 1.0 mm.

9. The first product of claim 1 , wherein the barrier film does not have a perpendicular length that is greater than 1.0 mm.

10. The first product of claim 1 , wherein the barrier film does not have a perpendicular length that is greater than 3.0 mm or less than 1.0 mm.

11. The first product of claim 1 , wherein the barrier film comprises a uniform material.

12. The first product of claim 1 , wherein the barrier film comprises a mixture of an oxide and polymeric silicone.

13. The first product of claim 1 , wherein the barrier film comprises at least 40% inorganic silicon.

14. The first product of claim 1 , further comprising a conductive layer disposed over the active device area, wherein a portion of the barrier film is disposed at least partially over the conductive layer.

15. The first product of claim 1 , further comprising a conductive layer disposed over the active device area;

wherein a top sealant layer is disposed over the conductive layer; and

wherein the top sealant layer and the barrier film comprise different materials.

16. The first product of claim 1 , wherein the first product comprises any one of: a consumer device, a solar cell, a thin film battery, an organic electronic device, a lighting panel or a lighting source having a lighting panel, a display or an electronic device having a display, a mobile phone, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a television, or an OLED.

17. A first method comprising:

providing a substrate having a device disposed over the substrate having a device footprint; and

fabricating a barrier film over the substrate and substantially along a side of the device footprint, wherein the barrier film is fabricated so as to have a perpendicular length that is less than or equal to 3.0 mm from the side of the device footprint, and wherein the barrier film comprises a mixture of a polymeric material and non-polymeric material.

18. The first method of claim 17 , wherein the step of fabricating the barrier film comprises chemical vapor deposition.

19. The first method of claim 18 , wherein the step of fabricating the barrier film utilizes an organosilicon precursor.

20. A first product prepared by a process comprising the steps of:

providing a substrate having a device disposed over the substrate, wherein the device has a device footprint; and

fabricating a barrier film over the substrate and substantially along a side of the device footprint, wherein the barrier film is fabricated so as to have a perpendicular length that is less than or equal to 3.0 mm from the side of the device footprint, and wherein the barrier film comprises a mixture of a polymeric material and non-polymeric material.

21. The first product of claim 20 , wherein the step of fabricating the barrier film comprises depositing the first barrier film using an organosilicon precursor.

22. The first product of claim 21 , wherein the step of fabricating the barrier film comprises chemical vapor deposition.

23. The first product of claim 21 ,

wherein the barrier film consists essentially of a mixture of polymeric silicon and inorganic silicon;

wherein the weight ratio of polymeric silicon to inorganic silicon is in the range of 95:5 to 5:95; and

wherein the polymeric silicon and the inorganic silicon are created from the same precursor material.

24. The first product of claim 23 ,

wherein at least an 0.1 μm thickness of the barrier film is deposited under the same reaction conditions for all the reaction conditions in the deposition process; and

wherein the water vapor transmission rate is less than 10 −6 g/m 2 /day through the at least 0.1 μm thickness of the barrier film.