Device and method for producing hermetically-sealed cavities

Abstract

An apparatus may include a first support covered with at least one ALD precursor and/or at least one MLD precursor, and a second support covered with at least one ALD precursor and/or at least one MLD precursor which is/are complementary to the ALD precursor and/or MLD precursor of the first support. The first support is at least partly joined to the second support by an atomic bond between the ALD precursor of the first support and the ALD precursor of the second support or between the MLD precursor of the first support and the MLD precursor of the second support in such a way that an ALD layer or an MLD layer is formed.

Claims

1. An apparatus having a hermetically-sealed organic component, the apparatus comprising: a first support covered with at least one ALD precursor and/or at least one MLD precursor; and a second support covered with at least one ALD precursor and/or at least one MLD precursor which is/are complementary to the ALD precursor and/or MLD precursor of the first support; wherein the first support is at least partly joined to the second support by an atomic bond between the ALD precursor of the first support and the ALD precursor of the second support or between the MLD precursor of the first support and the MLD precursor of the second support; and an ALD layer and/or MLD layer comprising a compound of the ALD precursor and/or MLD precursor of the first support continuously joined to the ALD precursor and/or MLD precursor of the second support so that the ALD layer and/or MLD layer has no gaps and encloses a cavity between the first support and the second support, and wherein an organic component is encapsulated in the cavity, the organic component having an organically functional layer structure between a component support and a mechanical protection, wherein the component support is placed or fixed on or above the first support and wherein the second support is placed or fixed on the mechanical protection.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first support and the second support have a diffusion barrier against water and/or oxygen.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cavity is hermetically sealed against diffusion flows of water and oxygen.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface of the first support or the surface of the second support is the component support of the component to be encapsulated or comprises the component to be encapsulated.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein an aqueous liquid is encapsulated in the cavity between the first support and the second support by the hermetically sealed join.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the component is an organic light-emitting diode.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an encapsulated lead-through for electric contacting the organic component within the cavity through the encapsulation.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the lead-through is arranged between the first support and the second support.

9. A process for producing an apparatus having a hermetically-sealed organic component, the process comprising: applying at least one ALD precursor and/or at least one MLD precursor to a first support; applying at least one ALD precursor and/or at least one MLD precursor to a second support, wherein the ALD precursor and/or the MLD precursor applied to the second support is complementary to the ALD precursor and/or MLD precursor applied to the first support; and joining of the at least one ALD precursor and/or the at least one MLD precursor applied to the first support to the complementary at least one ALD precursor and/or the complementary at least one MLD precursor applied to the second support; wherein the first support is at least partly joined to the second support by an atomic bond between the ALD precursor applied to the first support and the ALD precursor applied to the second support or between the MLD precursor applied to the first support and the MLD precursor applied to the second support; and an ALD layer and/or MLD layer comprising a compound of the ALD precursor and/or MLD precursor of the first support continuously joined to the ALD precursor and/or MLD precursor of the second support so that the ALD layer and/or MLD layer has no gaps and encloses a cavity between the first support and the second support, and wherein an organic component is encapsulated in the cavity the organic component having an organically functional layer structure between a component support and a mechanical protection, wherein the component support is placed or fixed on or above the first support and wherein the second support is placed or fixed on or above the mechanical protection.

10. The process as claimed in claim 9, wherein the surface of the first support and/or of the second support is structured.

11. The process as claimed in claim 10, wherein a chemically structured and/or topographically structured surface of the first support is complementary to a chemically structured and/or topographically structured surface of the second support.

12. The process as claimed in claim 10, wherein the structuring of the first support and/or of the second support is formed by localized heating or by catalysis of the bonding process of the ALD precursor or MLD precursor.

13. The process as claimed in claim 10, wherein the surface of the first support and/or the surface of the second support is coated with a plurality of different ALD precursors and/or is coated with a plurality of different MLD precursors.

14. The process as claimed in claim 13, wherein the coating of the surfaces of the first support or of the second support with ALD precursor and/or MLD precursor forms reactive ALD precursors and/or reactive MLD precursors on the surface of the first support or second support.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the disclosed embodiments. In the following description, various embodiments described with reference to the following drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a hermetically sealed cavity;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of structured system supports;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the principle of ALD or MLD bonding;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an organic component packed using the encapsulation apparatus;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an organic component packed using the encapsulation apparatus;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an organic component packed using conventional encapsulation using barrier films; and

(8) FIG. 7 a schematic cross-sectional view of an organic component packed using conventional in-situ thin film encapsulation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) In the following comprehensive description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form part of this and in which specific embodiments in which the disclosure can be performed are shown for the purpose of illustration. In this context, directional terminology such as top, below, at the front, behind, front, back, etc., are used in relation to the orientation of the figure(s) described. Since components of embodiments can be positioned in a number of different orientations, the directional terminology serves for the purpose of illustration and is not limiting in any way. It goes without saying that other embodiments can be utilized and structural or logical changes can be made without going outside the scope of protection of the present disclosure. It goes without saying that the features of the various illustrative embodiments described here can be combined with one another unless specifically indicated otherwise. The following comprehensive description should therefore not be interpreted in a restrictive sense and the scope of protection of the present disclosure is defined by the accompanying claims.

(10) For the purposes of the present description, the terms joined, connected and coupled are used for describing both a direct and indirect join, a direct or indirect connection and a direct or indirect coupling. In the figures, identical or similar elements are provided with identical reference numerals, insofar as this is useful.

(11) FIG. 1 shows a hermetically sealed cavity 100 between a hermetically sealed first support 102 and a hermetically sealed second support 104. The hermetically sealed first support 102 can have a first system support 106, a first encapsulation layer 108 and a first joiner layer 110. The hermetically sealed second support 104 can have a second system support 112, a second encapsulation layer 114 and a second joiner layer 116. In the joining layer 118, the hermetically sealed first support 102 can be in physical contact 120 with the hermetically sealed second support 104 and be atomically bonded thereto.

(12) The first encapsulation layer 108, the second encapsulation layer 114 and the joining layer 118 can be considered to be impermeable to water and oxygen, i.e. hermetically sealed against water and oxygen. The system supports 106, 112 can become hermetically sealed supports 102, 104 by the encapsulation layers 108, 114. The contiguous joining without gaps of the first hermetically sealed support 102 to the second hermetically sealed support 104 can form a cavity 100 between the first encapsulation layer 108 and the second encapsulation layer 114. The cavity 100, i.e. the visible space spanned between the supports 102, 104, can be protected against diffusion of water and oxygen out of the cavity 122 or diffusion of water and oxygen into the cavity 124, 126, 128, 130 by the encapsulation layers 108, 114 and the joining layer 118.

(13) The first system support 106 and/or the second system support 112 can be mechanically elastic, sheet-like and/or geometrically complex. Sheet-like flexible shapes can be, for example, films and geometrically complex shapes formed by folding of films.

(14) The first system support 106 and/or the second system support 112 can be formed by an organic material or mixture of materials, for example polyolefins (for example polyethylene (PE) of high or low density or polypropylene (PP)), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), polyester, polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyether sulfone (PES), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyimide (PI), polyether ketones (PEEK); an inorganic material or an alloy from the group of materials consisting of: iron, steel, aluminum, copper, silver, gold, palladium, magnesium, titanium, platinum, nickel, tin, zinc; from the group of materials consisting of: glass, fused silica, sapphire, silicon carbide, graphene, diamond, from the group of materials consisting of semiconductor materials: silicon, germanium, -tin, carbon compounds, for example fullerenes, boron, selenium, tellurium; compound semiconductors: indium, gallium, arsenic, phosphorus, antimony, nitrogen, zinc, cadmium, beryllium, mercury; organic semiconductors: tetracene, pentacene, phthalocyanines, polythiophene, PTCDA, MePTCDI, quinacridone, acridone, indanthrone, flavanthrone, perinone, Alq3; and also mixed systems: polyvinylcarbazole, TCNQ complexes, or a hybrid material, for example organically modified ceramic.

(15) The first system support 106 and/or the second system support can have a thickness of from about 1 m to about 20 cm, for example from about 1 m to about 200 m; for example from about 200 m to about 2 mm; for example from about 2 mm to about 1 cm; for example from about 1 cm to about 20 cm.

(16) The areal extension, i.e. the length and width, of the first system support 106 and/or of the second system support 112 can be from about 1 cm to about 100 m. The areal extensions of the system supports 106, 112 can have a square, rectangular, round or accurately fitting shape. A length of a system support 106, 112 of about 100 m can be advantageous, for example in the case of a film on a roll in a roll-to-roll process. The areal extension of the second system support 112, for example some cm.sup.2, can be very much smaller than the areal extension of the first support 106, for example some m.sup.2, for example when the second support 104 is used as repair patch for the first support 102. The areal extension of the second support 104 when used as repair patch can, for example, be matched in an accurately fitting manner (with overlap for the joining layer 118) to the areal extension of the place of repair in, on or under the first support 102.

(17) The first encapsulation layer 108, the second encapsulation layer 114 and the joining layer 118 can prevent diffusion of water or oxygen through the sheet-like side 124, 128 of the first system support 106 or of the second system support 112 into or out of the cavity 100. The encapsulation layers 108, 114 can be in physical contact with their respective system supports 106, 112 and have a layer thickness of from about 1 nm to a maximum of about 1 mm, for example from about 1 nm to about 50 nm; for example from about 50 nm to about 200 nm; for example from about 200 nm to about 100 m. As materials for the encapsulation layers 108, 114, it is possible to use, for example, aluminum oxide, zinc oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, hafnium oxide, tantalum oxide, lanthanum oxide, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, indium tin oxide, indium-zinc oxide, aluminum-doped zinc oxide and also mixtures and alloys thereof as material.

(18) The first encapsulation layer 108 and the second encapsulation layer 114 can have an identical or different chemical composition and/or layer thickness. If, for example, the cavity 100 is exposed more to water and/or oxygen on one side, for example 124, the first encapsulation layer 108 can have encapsulation with a different material, a greater density and/or layer thickness compared to the second support 104.

(19) If a system support 106 or 112 has an intrinsic diffusion barrier against water and oxygen, an additional encapsulation layer 108 or 114 can be dispensed with, for example when the system support is formed by glass or a metal. In this case, the system support 106 or 112 can become the hermetically sealed support 102 or 104.

(20) The cavity 100 can be used as protective space for organic components to protect them against intruding water and/or oxygen 124, 126, 128, 130. However, the cavity can also prevent exit of water with simultaneous intrusion of oxygen, for example as hermetically sealed, for example anaerobic, protective space for perishable liquids, for example, water, wine, medicaments. Apart from the property as diffusion barrier against water and oxygen, the encapsulation layer 108 or 114 can also have a disinfecting effect, for example in the case of silver-containing material or mixtures of materials of the encapsulation layer. Silver is known for its disinfecting properties and can, for example, prevent or reduce the formation of bacteria, for example for the storage of water, wine or medicaments.

(21) FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of structured system supports. Depending on the use, it can be advantageous to structure the first system support 106 and/or second system support 112 topographically locally 202, 204, 208, 210, 212 and leave other regions unstructured 206 before application of the encapsulation layers 108, 114 and the joiner layers 110, 116 or in the case of intrinsic encapsulation of the system support 106 or 112 before application of the joiner layers 110, 116, with the unstructured plane 206 of the first support 102 and of the second support 104 being the reference level for the raised regions and depressions.

(22) The structures of the first system support 106 and second system support 112 can be topographically complementary to one another 202 to 204, 208 to 210, or only one of the system supports can be structured 212 while the other system support is left unstructured 206.

(23) The shear strength and/or tensile strength of the joining layer 118 can be physically increased by the microscopically complementary structures 202, 204, 208, 212 of the first system support 106 and the second system support 112. In this way, the mechanical durability of the cavity 100 can be increased, for example when a superatmospheric or subatmospheric pressure acts on the cavity 100. Complementary structures can, for example, be microscopic hooks and loops or raised regions 204, 210 and depressions 208, 202.

(24) The surface topography of the system supports 106, 112 can have raised regions 204, 210 and/or depressions 202, 208, 212 which are arranged periodically, randomly or individually and have a height or depth of from about 100 nm to about 5 cm and a length and/or width of from about 100 nm to about 100 m. The raised regions 204, 210 or depressions 202, 208, 212 can have any conceivable geometric shape, for example spherical or a segment of a sphere, for example hemisphere or of a sphere, cylindrical, cubic, pyramid-like or polygonal having three or more side faces, or a geometric complex shape, for example in the form of a hook or a ring (loop). However, it can also be advantageous to structure 212 only the first support 106 and leave the second support 112 unstructured 206, i.e. the second support 112 can have a smooth surface 206. The structure 212 can then be used as encapsulated lead-through for example for the electric contacting of an optoelectronic component inside the cavity 100 through the encapsulation 108, 114.

(25) The structuring of the supports 102, 104 can be carried out by conventional photolithographic processes (masking, illumination and etching of the system supports 106, 112) or by application of joiner layers 110, 116 having locally different thicknesses, chemical catalysis of the precursors or local heating or by embossing.

(26) FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the principle of ALD or MLD bonding or the hermetically sealed joining 300 of a first hermetically sealed support 104 to a second hermetically sealed support 104 by formation of a joining layer 118.

(27) Joiner layers 110, 116 having reactive surfaces 302, 304 are deposited on the first support 102 and the second support 104. The reactive surfaces 302, 304 have reactive ALD precursors and/or MLD precursors. The precursors of the first support 302 can be complementary to the precursor of the second support 304.

(28) A nonlimiting selection of materials as ALD precursor or MLD precursor is shown by way of example in the following overview.

(29) TABLE-US-00003 Precursor Resulting Precursor complement compound Trimethylaluminum H.sub.2O; ethylene Al.sub.2O.sub.3 (Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3-TMA) glycol; O.sub.3; O.sub.2 plasma, OH groups BBr.sub.3 H.sub.2O B.sub.2O.sub.3 Tris(dimethylamino) H.sub.2O.sub.2 SiO.sub.2 silane Cd(CH.sub.3).sub.2 H.sub.2S CdS Hf[N(Me.sub.2)].sub.4 H.sub.2O HfO.sub.2 Pd(hfac).sub.2 H.sub.2; H.sub.2 plasma Pd MeCpPtMe.sub.3 O.sub.2 plasma PtO.sub.2 MeCpPtMe.sub.3 O.sub.2 plasma; O.sub.2 Pt plasma + H.sub.2 Si(NCO).sub.4; SiCl.sub.4 H.sub.2O SiO.sub.2 TDMASn H.sub.2O.sub.2 SnO.sub.2 C.sub.12H.sub.26N.sub.2Sn H.sub.2O.sub.2 SnO.sub.x TaCl.sub.5 H.sub.2O Ta.sub.2O.sub.5 Ta[N(CH.sub.3).sub.2].sub.5 O.sub.2 plasma Ta.sub.2O.sub.5 TaCl.sub.5 H plasma Ta TiCl.sub.4 H plasma Ta Ti[OCH(CH.sub.3)].sub.4; TiCl.sub.4 H.sub.2O TiO.sub.2 VO(OC.sub.3H.sub.9).sub.3 O.sub.2 V.sub.2O.sub.5 Zn(CH.sub.2CH.sub.3).sub.2 H.sub.2O; H.sub.2O.sub.2 ZnO Zr(N(CH.sub.3).sub.2).sub.4).sub.2 H.sub.2O ZrO.sub.2 Bis(ethylcyclopenta H.sub.2O MgO dienyl)magnesium Tris(diethylamido)(tert- N.sub.2H.sub.4 TaN butylimido)tantalum p-Phenylenediamine Terephthaloyl Poly(p-phenylene chloride terephthalamide) 1,6-Hexanediamine C.sub.6H.sub.8Cl.sub.2O.sub.2 Nylon 66 (adipoyl chloride) Trimethylaluminum Ethylene (OAlOC.sub.2H.sub.4).sub.n (Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3-TMA) glycol; alucone Trimethylaluminum Ethanolamine (NAlOC.sub.2H.sub.4).sub.n (Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3-TMA) Trimethylaluminum Glycerol Of the alucone (Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3-TMA) type Zn(CH.sub.2CH.sub.3).sub.2 Ethylene (OZnOC2H4)n glycol; Zincone TiCl.sub.4 Diols, for Titanicone example ethylene glycol Zr(OC(CH.sub.3).sub.3].sub.4 Diols, for Zircone zirconium example tetra-t-butoxide ethylene glycol Metal alkyl derivative; Diols, for Metal-cone for example example triethylaluminum, ethylene glycol triisobutylaluminum Trimethylaluminum Carboxy RCOOAl(CH.sub.3).sub.2* (Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3-TMA) derivative (RCOOH) Dimethylaluminum Diols, for AlOCH.sub.2CH.sub.2NH.sub.2* RCOO(Al(CH.sub.3).sub.2* example ethylene glycol AlOCH.sub.2CH.sub.2NH.sub.2 Maleic RNHC(O)CHCHCOOH* anhydride C.sub.4H.sub.2O.sub.3 Zn(CH.sub.2CH.sub.3).sub.2 Hydroquinone Zincone Mg(EtCp).sub.2 Diols, carboxy Magcone groups Mn(EtCp).sub.2 Diols, carboxy Mancone groups

(30) The application of ALD precursor or MLD precursor to the surface of the hermetically sealed support 102, 104 is sketched, without restricting the generality, for the example of the first support 102.

(31) Before application of the precursor to the surface of the hermetically sealed support 102, the surface may be pretreated, for example by smoothing, roughening, wet-chemical formation of hydroxyl or gold groups on the surface of the hermetically sealed support 102.

(32) One or more layers of one or more ALD precursors and/or MLD precursors can be deposited on the surface of the hermetically sealed support 102. The application of the precursor can be carried out over the entire surface 202, 206, 208 or only partly to regions of the surface of the hermetically sealed support 102, for example only to 202, 208 or at the geometric edges of the sheet-like surface of the first support 102 (not shown). The application of precursor to subregions of the surface of the first support 102 can be limited by conventional photolithographic processes.

(33) To apply the joiner layer 110 having the reactive surface 302, reactive complementary precursors can be passed sequentially in gaseous form or wet-chemically over the surface of the hermetically sealed support 102. The ALD precursors or MLD precursors can react with the respective exposed surface of the first support 102 or the previously formed parts of the joiner layer 110 and form an atomic bond when the respective surface has the respective precursor complement. This reaction can be self-terminating for each precursor and excess ALD precursor or MLD precursor can be pumped away. The joiner layer 110 can be applied to the surface of the hermetically sealed support by successive, layer-wise deposition of complementary precursorshence the term ALD (atomic layer deposition) or MLD (molecular layer deposition). The exposed precursor layer of the joiner layer 110 can form the reactive precursor surface 302. This can be important for the formation of an atomic bond in the joining layer 118 with the precursor complement 304 of the second support 104.

(34) The reactive ALD surfaces or MLD precursor surfaces 302 and 304 of the joiner layers 110, 116 can, when in physical contact 120, lead to formation of the joining layer 118, i.e. the ALD precursors and/or MLD precursors of the reactive surfaces 302 and 304 can, when in physical contact 120, form an atomically bonded ALD layer and/or MLD layer.

(35) The formation of the atomic bond can, for example, be effected by introduction of energy in a dry-chemical process. The introduction of energy can, depending on the ALD precursor or MLD precursor, be carried out by, for example, increasing the temperature, introducing electromagnetic radiation, for example X-rays or UV radiation; or by increasing the temperature as a result of the action of electromagnetic radiation, for example microwaves.

(36) The joining layer 118 can join the first support 102 to the second support 106 contiguously without leaving gaps at least at the geometric edges of the encapsulation layer of one of the supports 102, 104. The joining layer 118 can be impermeable to water and oxygen. The joiner layers 110 and 116 can, in the contact region 120 of the first support 102 to the second support 104, become the joining layer 118 after the atomic bonding of the precursor 302 to 304.

(37) The layer-wise application of the precursor to the first support 102 can also bring about structuring of the surfaces, for example by producing a planar 206 reactive surface 302 for joining to the reactive surface 304 of the second support 104 or forming topographical structures 204, 210.

(38) In a further example, precursors of the second support 104 can be applied to the topographically complementarily structured surface regions of the first support 202, 208 and the precursors of the first support 302 can be applied to the surface regions of the second support 204, 210 which are topographically complementarily structured to the first support 102. The formation of a joining layer 118 can then be effected only when the supports 102, 104 are chemically and topographically complementary. This can aid alignment of the supports 102, 104 relative to one another, for example for electronic contacting of the cavity.

(39) Production of different precursor regions as reactive surface 302, 304 can be carried out using conventional lithographic processes (masks); for example, a mask which prevents atomic bonding of the precursor layer 302 or 304 to the joiner layer 110 or 116 can be placed on the previously formed joiner layer 110 or 116 in the last step for producing 110, 116 before formation of the reactive surface 302, 304.

(40) FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an organic component packed by encapsulation apparatus 400.

(41) A sheet-like component 402, for example an optoelectronic component, for example an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), can have an organically functional layer structure 404 on a component support 406, for example a glass support having a thickness of from about 0.1 to 5 nm, and can have mechanical protection 408, for example an epoxide. Electric contacting 410 ensures the supply of power to the organically functional layer structure 404. The component support 406 can be placed or fixed on or above the hermetically sealed first support 102. The areal dimension of the first support 102 is at least as large as or larger than the component support 406. The first support 102 can be mechanically rigid, for example glass having a thickness of 2 nm, and have a sheet-like surface of about 1515 cm.sup.2. Glass can have an intrinsic diffusion barrier against water and oxygen, so that an additional encapsulation layer 108 on the first support 102 can be omitted. The reactive surface 302 may include, for example, trimethylaluminum (TMA). The joiner layer 110 may include or be formed by the material alucone and/or Al.sub.2O.sub.3 resulting from TMA precursor and TMA precursor complement.

(42) The hermetically sealed second support 104 is placed or fixed on or above the mechanical protection 408. The areal dimension of the second support 104 is at least as large as or larger than the mechanical protection 408 and additionally has a gap-free circumferential contact region 120 to the first support 102. The second support 104 may, for example, include a mechanically flexible PET film as system support 112 having a thickness of about 0.1 mm and a sheet-like surface of about 1515 cm.sup.2. As encapsulation layer 114, one or more oxide and/or nitride layers can be deposited in a thickness of 0.5 m on the second system support 112, for example by PECVD and/or ALD processes. On or above the encapsulation layer 114, the second support 104 can have a joiner layer 114 of alucone having a layer thickness of about 0.1 m. The reactive surface 304 of the joiner layer 114 may include the hydroxyl-containing TMA complement, for example ethylene glycol. It may be pointed out that in other examples the dimensions can also readily be selected differently and the dimensions indicated above by way of example do not have any restrictive character.

(43) The first support 102 and the second support 104 form a provisory cavity. The component support 406, the first support 102 and second support 104 are aligned relative to one another so that the electric contacting 410 is located in the electric lead-through 212. The alignment of the component support 406, the first support 102 and the second support 104 relative to one another can be aided by topographical structuring 202, 204, 208, 210.

(44) After alignment, the first support 102 and the second support 104 have chemically, topographically complementary reactive surfaces 302, 304 in the contact region 120. After alignment of the supports 102, 104 and the component 402, a hermetically sealed joining layer 108 can be formed from the reactive surfaces 302, 304 by locally increasing the temperature in the contact region 120. In this way, the provisory cavity becomes the hermetically sealed cavity 100.

(45) The configuration 400 can be formed under reduced pressure. Production of the topographic structures 202, 204, 208, 210 and 212 can be effected by structuring of 110 and 116.

(46) In a further example, the optoelectronic layer structure 404 with mechanical protection 408 can, for example, be produced directly on the glass plate 102, i.e. the component support 406 corresponds to the first system support 106 and the hermetically sealed first support 102, for example when the component support 406 is made of glass, for example a glass plate having a thickness of 2000 m and a sheet-like surface of 1515 cm.sup.2. The sheet-like optoelectronic component 402 with mechanical protection 408 has a smaller areal dimension than the first support 102, for example a sheet-like surface of 14.514.5 cm.sup.2, and a thickness of about 20 m. The component 402 with mechanical protection 408 can be aligned centrally, i.e. axially symmetrically, on the first support 102. A joiner layer 110 composed of alucone and having a layer thickness of about 0.1 m and a reactive TMA surface 302 can have been applied to the sheet-like periphery of the first support 102 without optoelectronic layer structure 404 and mechanical protection 408. As hermetically sealed second support 104, it is possible to use, for example, a PET film having a thickness of 500 m and a sheet-like surface of 1515 cm.sup.2 as system support 112, and with an approximately 0.5 m thick oxide and/or nitride layer as encapsulation layer 114. A joiner layer 116 composed of alucone and having a layer thickness of 0.1 m can have been deposited on the surface of the encapsulation layer 114. The reactive surface 304 of the joiner layer 116 can have a layer of ethylene glycol as TMA complement atomically bound to the joiner layer. After alignment of the second support 104 relative to the first support 102, the joining layer 118 can be formed by a hot embossing process, with the punch in the hot embossing process being matched to the geometric edges of the supports 102, 104 with joiner layers 110, 116.

(47) FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an organic component packed using the encapsulation apparatus 500.

(48) Mechanically flexible supports 102, 104 can be advantageous when the mechanically flexible properties of a flexible sheet-like component 402 are to be retained in the cavity 100; for example, the component support 406 can be formed by a polymer film, for example of PET, PEN, PC, PI having a layer thickness of 100 m.

(49) The first support 102 and the second support 104 can both be mechanically elastic, for example PET films 106, 112 having a thickness of 100 m and a sheet-like surface of about 1515 cm.sup.2. As material for the encapsulation layers 108, 114, SiN can have been applied in a layer thickness of 0.5 m to the films 106, 112. The reactive surface 302 of the first support may include, for example, terephthaloyl chloride. The reactive surface 304 of the second support can have a terephthaloyl chloride complement, for example p-phenylenediamine. The joiner layers 110, 116 may have a thickness of 0.1 m and may include or be formed by the material poly(p-phenyleneterephthalamide) formed from the atomic bonding of terephthaloyl chloride and p-phenylenediamine.

(50) FIG. 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an organic component packed using a conventional encapsulation 600 with barrier films. In an encapsulation apparatus of an organic optoelectronic component 402 with laminated barrier films 102, 104, the barrier films 102, 104 are joined to one another conventionally using a lamination adhesive 602. The lamination adhesive 602 surrounds the component 402 and fills the space between the barrier films 102, 104. The optoelectronic component is protected by barrier films from water and oxygen from the direction of the barrier films 124, 126. However, water and oxygen can intrude from the side (indicated by the directional arrows 604) into the lamination adhesive 602 and the organic optoelectronic component 402.

(51) FIG. 7 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an organic component 402 packed using a conventional in-situ thin film encapsulation 700.

(52) In an encapsulation apparatus of an organic optoelectronic component 402 with in-situ thin film encapsulation 700, the organic optoelectronic component 402 can be applied, for example produced or fixed, on a hermetically sealed support. A thin encapsulation layer 702 can be applied above or on the organic optoelectronic component 402 during production of the organic optoelectronic component 402 (in-situ). This in-situ method has the disadvantage of lengthening the process flow and not being able to be carried out independently of the process of producing the component to be encapsulated.

(53) In various embodiments, apparatuses and a process for producing cavities which are hermetically sealed against water and oxygen, by which it is possible to encapsulate water- and oxygen-sensitive materials, mixtures of materials or components with barrier films in a hermetically sealed manner without adhesives, are provided. In this way, it is possible to very largely dispense with an in-situ encapsulation coating of the materials or components while nevertheless using any material for the supports. If a component support is additionally used as system support, barrier film can also be saved.

(54) While the disclosed embodiments have been particularly shown and described with reference to specific embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed embodiments as defined by the appended claims. The scope of the disclosed embodiments is thus indicated by the appended claims and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced.