Method of manufacturing an electronic device

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an electronic device is disclosed. The method includes providing a flexible substrate, forming a circuit layer on the flexible substrate at a high temperature, and increasing the light transmittance of the flexible substrate after forming the circuit layer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing an electronic device, and more particularly to a method for manufacturing a transparent electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] Transparent electronic devices possess a degree of transparency, allowing users to see what's on the other side. They can be used in various fields such as building windows, car windows, interior decoration, signs, shop windows, and optical components. Flexible transparent electronic devices, in particular, have garnered significant market attention due to their thinness and flexibility.

[0003] There is still room for improvement in current transparent electronic devices. For example, how to further improve the transparency of transparent electronic devices so that users are less likely to notice their presence and thus improve the visual experience remains an active research project in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One of the objectives of this disclosure is to provide a method for manufacturing a transparent electronic device. After fabricating the circuit layer, a step is taken to improve the transmittance of the flexible substrate of the transparent electronic device or to replace the flexible substrate with another substrate with higher transmittance, which can improve the transparency of the electronic device and obtain an enhanced visual experience.

[0005] This disclosure discloses a method for manufacturing an electronic device, including providing a flexible substrate, forming a circuit layer on the flexible substrate at a high temperature, and increasing the light transmittance of the flexible substrate after forming the circuit layer.

[0006] This disclosure also discloses a method for manufacturing an electronic device, including providing a flexible substrate, forming a circuit layer on the flexible substrate at a high temperature, and removing the flexible substrate after forming the circuit layer. Attached Figure Description

[0007] For ease of understanding, the same reference numerals are used where possible to indicate common elements in the figures, and it is contemplated that elements disclosed in one embodiment may be used in other embodiments without specific description. Unless otherwise stated, the accompanying drawings should not be construed as being drawn to scale, and for clarity of expression and explanation, the drawings are generally simplified and details or elements are omitted, while the accompanying drawings and detailed descriptions are used to explain the principles discussed below and use similar reference numerals to denote the same elements.

[0008] Figure 1A cross-sectional schematic diagram illustrating the various embodiments of the electronic device disclosed herein during manufacturing.

[0009] Figures 2 to 4 The electronic device of the first embodiment of this disclosure describes the use of... Figure 1 The following is a schematic diagram of the process cross-section.

[0010] Figure 5 A cross-sectional schematic diagram illustrating the electronic device of the second embodiment of this disclosure.

[0011] Figure 6 and Figure 7 The electronic device of the third embodiment of this disclosure describes how... Figure 1 The following is a schematic diagram of the process cross-section.

[0012] Figure 8 and Figure 9 The electronic device of the fourth embodiment of this disclosure describes how... Figure 1 The following is a schematic diagram of the process cross-section.

[0013] Figure 10 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 The electronic device of the fifth embodiment of this disclosure describes the electronic device in Figure 1 The following is a schematic diagram of the process cross-section.

[0014] Figure 13 A cross-sectional schematic diagram illustrating the electronic device of the sixth embodiment of this disclosure.

[0015] Figure 14 , Figure 15 , Figure 16 and Figure 17 The electronic device of the seventh embodiment of this disclosure describes the electronic device in Figure 1 The following is a schematic diagram of the process cross-section.

[0016] Figure 18 This document describes cross-sectional schematic diagrams illustrating the circuit layers and light-emitting layers of electronic devices according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 19 and Figure 20 This invention describes some embodiments of the electronic devices disclosed herein being applied to vehicle window glass.

[0018] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 100-Electronic device; 12-Carrier board; 14-Flexible substrate; 16-Circuit layer; 17-Light-emitting layer; 18-Opening; 19-Etching process; 20-Filling layer; 22-Support film; 24-Groove; 26-Temporary substrate; 27-Thinning process; 30-Processing process; 32-Glass plate; 40-Etching stop layer; 41-Etching process; 42-Opening; 161-First insulating layer; 162-Second insulating layer; 163-Third insulating layer; 164-Fourth insulating layer; 165-Fifth insulating layer; 166-Conductive structure; 171-First semiconductor layer; 172-Light-emitting structure; 173-Second semiconductor layer; 176-Separator; 178-Protective layer; 200-Car door; 210-Car window glass; 220-Adhesive layer; 12A-Carrier plate; 14A-Flexible substrate; 14B-Flexible substrate; 14C-Flexible substrate; 167a-Pad; 167b-Pad; 174a-First electrode; 174b-Second electrode; 210a-Glass plate; 210b-Glass plate; AA'-Tangent; SE-Source; DE-Drain; GE-Gate; LEU-Light emitting unit; N-Channel layer; R1-First region; R2-Second region; T1-Thickness; T2-Thickness; T3-Thickness; TFT-Thin film transistor; X-Direction; Y-Direction; Z-Direction. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make this disclosure more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, for the sake of simplicity and ease of understanding, many of the drawings in this disclosure depict only a portion of the electronic device. The number and dimensions of the components in the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not drawn to scale, nor should they be construed as defining or limiting the scope or nature of the embodiments illustrated. For example, for clarity, the relative dimensions, thicknesses, and positions of the films, regions, and / or structures in the drawings may be reduced or enlarged, and the technical solutions provided in different embodiments can be substituted for, combined, or mixed to constitute another embodiment without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0020] Throughout this specification and claims, certain terms are used to refer to specific elements. Those skilled in the art will understand that electronic device manufacturers may use different names to refer to the same element. This document is not intended to distinguish between elements that have the same function but different names. In the following specification and claims, words such as "containing," "comprising," and "having" are open-ended terms and should therefore be interpreted as "containing but not limited to...".

[0021] In this disclosure, when an element or membrane is referred to as "on another element or membrane" or "connected to another element or membrane," it can be directly on another element or membrane, directly connected to another element or membrane, or there may be other elements or membranes between them. Conversely, when an element is referred to as "directly on another element or membrane" or "directly connected to another element or membrane," there is no inserted element or membrane between them. Furthermore, when an element or membrane is referred to as "on another element or membrane," there is a vertical relationship between them in the top-view direction; that is, this element or membrane can be above or below the other element or membrane, and this vertical relationship depends on the orientation of the device. Directional terms used herein, such as "up," "down," "front," "back," "left," and "right," are for illustrative purposes with reference to the accompanying drawings and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0022] In this disclosure, the terms “approximately,” “equal to,” or “same” generally mean falling within 20% of a given value or range, or within 10%, 5%, 3%, 2%, 1%, or 0.5% of a given value or range.

[0023] In this disclosure, terms such as "first," "second," and "third" are used to describe or name different components, but these components are not limited to these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one component from other components in the specification and are not related to the manufacturing order of these components. The same terms may not be used in the claims, and may be replaced by "first," "second," "third," etc., according to the order in which the elements are declared in the claims. Accordingly, in the following specification, the first component may be the second component in the claims.

[0024] In this disclosure, the terms “soft,” “bendable,” or “flexible” are used to mean that something can be bent, folded, stretched, flexed, or otherwise deformed.

[0025] The transmittance of the element disclosed herein represents the ability of light to pass through the element, and is generally expressed as a percentage of the luminous flux passing through the element to the incident luminous flux, for example, 0% to 100%, where 0% indicates that the light is completely absorbed by the element and 100% indicates that the light passes through the element completely.

[0026] The electronic device provided in this disclosure may include a display device, a light-emitting device, an antenna, a sensing device, or other suitable devices, or combinations thereof, but is not limited thereto. The display device may be a non-self-emissive liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, or an electro-phoretic display (EPD), or other displays capable of displaying images and screens, but is not limited thereto. The electronic device may include, for example, liquid crystal, fluorescence, phosphorescence, light-emitting diode (LED), other suitable display media, or combinations thereof, but is not limited thereto. The light-emitting diode may include, for example, a self-emissive organic light-emitting diode (Organic Light-Emitting Diode), an inorganic light-emitting diode (Inorganic Light-Emitting Diode), a sub-millimeter light-emitting diode (Mini-LED), a micro-light-emitting diode (Micro-LED), a quantum dot diode (e.g., QLED, QDLED), or combinations thereof, but is not limited thereto.

[0027] The electronic device disclosed herein can be applied in fields such as construction, automobiles, interior decoration, signage, shop windows, or optical devices, but is not limited thereto.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram illustrating the various embodiments of the electronic device 100 disclosed herein during its manufacture. Figures 2 to 4 The electronic device 100 of the first embodiment of this disclosure describes... Figure 1 The following is a schematic diagram of the process cross-section. Please refer to it. Figure 1The method for manufacturing the electronic device 100 disclosed herein first includes providing a flexible substrate 14, and then forming a circuit layer 16 on the flexible substrate 14 at a high temperature, such as 220 degrees Celsius or higher. The flexible substrate 14 may be a thin-film transistor substrate for forming thin-film transistors or a circuit board for forming circuits, but is not limited thereto. The flexible substrate 14 and the circuit layer 16 have surfaces extending along the X and Y directions and a thickness along the Z direction. The flexible substrate 14 may be made of any suitable flexible or bendable material, such as polymers like polyimide (PI), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or combinations thereof, but is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the flexible substrate 14 may be obtained by forming the material of the flexible substrate 14 on a carrier plate 12 and then baking and curing it. In some embodiments, the flexible substrate 14 may also be a flexible film material attached to the carrier plate 12, but this disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments. The flexible substrate 14 may have a thickness T1.

[0029] The carrier plate 12 is used to provide support for the flexible substrate 14 during the manufacturing process. The material of the carrier plate 12 may include glass, quartz, sapphire, plastic, or other suitable materials, or combinations thereof, but is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, a release film (not shown) may be provided between the flexible substrate 14 and the carrier plate 12 to facilitate subsequent lift-off of the flexible substrate 14 from the carrier plate 12. The release film may be an amorphous silicon layer or a hydrogen-containing material layer, but is not limited thereto.

[0030] Circuit layer 16 may include circuit structures, active components, or passive components formed therein. In some embodiments of the electronic device disclosed herein used as a display device or a light-emitting device, such as... Figure 18 As shown, the circuit layer 16 may include a driving circuit composed of multiple thin-film transistors (TFTs), and a light-emitting layer 17 may be provided on the circuit layer 16. The light-emitting layer 17 may include multiple light-emitting units (LEUs) and a protective layer (which may also be an optical layer or an encapsulation layer) 178 covering the light-emitting units (LEUs). For the sake of simplicity, Figure 18 Only one thin-film transistor (TFT) in circuit layer 16 and one light-emitting unit (LEU) in light-emitting layer 17 are shown.

[0031] For further explanation, please refer to Figure 18The electronic device 100 can be divided into multiple first regions R1 and second regions R2 by separators 176 in the light-emitting layer 17. The separators 176 are, for example, pixel defining layers (PDLs), and may include organic dielectric materials (e.g., acrylic polymers and / or siloxane polymers) or other suitable materials, but are not limited thereto. The first region R1 is the light-emitting region or pixel region of the electronic device 100. The light-emitting layer 17 of the first region R1 may have at least one light-emitting unit (LEU), and each LEU is controlled by a corresponding driving circuit disposed in the circuit layer 16 of the first region R1. The second region R2 is the transparent region of the electronic device 100. In some embodiments, the light-emitting layer 17 of the second region R2 only includes a protective layer 178 or other dielectric layers and does not have light-emitting units (LEUs). In some embodiments, the circuit layer 16 of the second region R2 only includes dielectric material and does not have circuit traces or circuit elements.

[0032] In detail, the circuit layer 16 may sequentially include a first insulating layer 161, a second insulating layer 162, a third insulating layer 163, a fourth insulating layer 164, and a fifth insulating layer 165 in the direction from the flexible substrate 14 away from the flexible substrate 14 (along the Z direction). The aforementioned insulating layers may respectively comprise inorganic dielectric materials or organic dielectric materials, and the inorganic dielectric material may, for example, include silicon nitride (SiN). x ), silicon dioxide (SiO) x The organic dielectric material may include, but is not limited to, silicon oxynitride (SiON), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), titanium oxide (TiO2), tantalum oxide (Ta2O5), hafnium oxide (HfO2), or zirconium oxide (ZrO2) or other suitable inorganic dielectric materials. The organic dielectric material may include acrylic resin or other suitable inorganic dielectric materials, but is not limited to these. The materials of the first insulating layer 161, second insulating layer 162, third insulating layer 163, fourth insulating layer 164, and fifth insulating layer 165 may be the same or different, and may be single-layer or multi-layer structures.

[0033] Thin-film transistors (TFTs) can include top-gate or bottom-gate thin-film transistors. Figure 18Taking a top-gate thin-film transistor as an example, it may include a channel layer N disposed on a first insulating layer 161, a gate GE disposed on the channel layer N and separated from the channel layer N by a second insulating layer 162 (gate insulating layer), and a source SE and a drain DE disposed on the channel layer N on both sides of the gate GE and electrically connected to the conductive structure 166 above through the second insulating layer 162 and the third insulating layer 163. The channel layer N may be formed by patterning a semiconductor layer. The material of the semiconductor layer may include, but is not limited to, metal oxide semiconductor, amorphous silicon, low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS), or low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO). The metal oxide semiconductor may include, but is not limited to, oxides of at least one of the following metals: indium (In), gallium (Ga), tin (Sn), zirconium (Zr), vanadium (V), hafnium (Hf), cadmium (Cd), germanium (Ge), chromium (Cr), titanium (Ti), tantalum (Ta), or zinc (Zn).

[0034] Conductive structure 166 is disposed in the fourth insulating layer 164 and the fifth insulating layer 165, and can be used for wiring and / or as a contact area between the source SE of the thin-film transistor TFT and the pad 167a, and / or as a contact area between the power line (not shown) and the pad 167b. In some embodiments, the circuit layer 16 may also include structures such as fan-out lines, data lines, scan lines, light-emitting control lines, power lines, and ground potential lines, configured to provide control signals and power to the thin-film transistor TFT to control the light-emitting unit LEU. For simplicity, Figure 18 The above structure is not illustrated. The material of the conductive structure 166 may include, but is not limited to, metallic materials such as silver, copper, aluminum, molybdenum, tungsten, gold, chromium, nickel, platinum, titanium, iridium, rhodium, indium, bismuth, alloys of the above, combinations of the above, or other metallic materials with good conductivity.

[0035] In some embodiments, the light-emitting unit (LEU) is, for example, a light-emitting diode (LED), and may include a first semiconductor layer 171, a second semiconductor layer 173, a light-emitting structure 172 located between the first semiconductor layer 171 and the second semiconductor layer 173, a first electrode 174a electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer 171, and a second electrode 174b electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer 173. The first electrode 174a and the second electrode 174b are electrically connected to a thin-film transistor (TFT) and a power line (not shown) respectively via pads 167a and 167b disposed on a fifth insulating layer 165. The light-emitting structure 172 may be, for example, but is not limited to, a multiple quantum well (MQW) layer.

[0036] It should be understood that Figure 18 The structures and / or types of circuit layer 16, light-emitting layer 17, thin-film transistor (TFT), and light-emitting unit (LEU) shown are merely examples. In other embodiments, they can be adjusted according to design requirements, and the light-emitting layer 17 can be selectively provided in all embodiments disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a touch layer (not shown) may be provided on the light-emitting layer 17 or between the light-emitting layer 17 and the circuit layer 16. In some embodiments, the touch layer of the second region R2 only includes dielectric material and does not have circuit traces or circuit elements. In some embodiments, the light-emitting layer 17 may be a fill layer 20 formed on the circuit layer 16 (e.g., see reference...). Figure 3 After that, it is formed on the filler layer 20.

[0037] It is worth noting that in some embodiments, the fabrication process of the circuit layer 16 includes one or more elevated temperature processes, such as metal oxide semiconductor deposition, amorphous silicon thin film deposition, polycrystalline silicon thin film deposition, insulating layer deposition, etching, and / or annealing processes, but is not limited thereto. During the elevated temperature process, the flexible substrate 14 and the carrier plate 12 supporting the flexible substrate 14 are placed in a high-temperature environment or process chamber above 220 degrees Celsius or between 220 degrees Celsius and 400 degrees Celsius. Therefore, the flexible substrate 14 must be made of a high-temperature resistant material. In some embodiments, the flexible substrate 14 material includes high-temperature resistant (thermally stable during high-temperature processes) polyimide (PI). Since high-temperature resistant PI typically has a high benzene ring content to improve its thermal stability, and benzene rings absorb light and emit yellow light, the high-temperature resistant flexible substrate 14 will appear yellow and have low light transmittance. The flexible substrate 14 may have a first transmittance TM1, which in some embodiments is approximately 70%.

[0038] Please refer to Figure 2 After forming the circuit layer 16 (and the light-emitting layer), an etching process 19 (e.g., photolithography and etching process) can be performed on the circuit layer 16 and the flexible substrate 14 in the second region R2 of the electronic device 100 to form a plurality of openings 18 in the flexible substrate 14. In this embodiment, the etching process 19 can etch through the flexible substrate 14, that is, the openings 18 will penetrate the flexible substrate 14 and expose the underlying carrier 12. If the circuit layer 16 is provided with a light-emitting layer and a touch layer (not shown), the etching process 19 will also etch through the portions of the light-emitting layer and the touch layer located in the second region R2.

[0039] Please refer to Figure 3Next, a filler layer 20 is formed to cover the circuit layer 16 and the flexible substrate 14 and fill the openings 18 of each of the second regions R2. The filler layer 20 can be used to block the effects of radiation, moisture, or oxygen in the environment on the circuit layer (and light-emitting unit), which can improve the quality of the electronic device 100 and provide structural support for the flexible substrate 14 and the circuit layer 16. In some embodiments, the material of the filler layer 20 may include an organic dielectric material or an inorganic dielectric material with good light transmittance, wherein the organic dielectric material may include acrylic resin, such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or other suitable materials, but is not limited thereto. The filler layer 20 may have a second light transmittance TM2. In some embodiments, the second light transmittance TM2 is higher than the first light transmittance TM1 of the flexible substrate 14, for example, the second light transmittance TM2 may be 80% or 85% or higher. By forming an opening 18 in the flexible substrate 14 of the second region R2 of the electronic device 100 and then filling the opening with a filling layer 20 having relatively high light transmittance, the light transmittance of the flexible substrate 14 can be increased, thereby improving the overall transparency of the electronic device 100.

[0040] Please refer to Figure 4 Next, a lift-off process is performed to remove the flexible substrate 14, circuit layer 16, and filler layer 20 from the carrier plate 12, and then the side of the flexible substrate 14 opposite to the circuit layer 16 is attached to the support film 22. In some embodiments, the lift-off process may be, for example, laser lift-off or mechanical lift-off, but is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the filler layer 20 side of the electronic device 100 may be attached to a temporary substrate before the carrier plate 12 lift-off process is performed. The support film 22 may comprise a rigid or flexible material with high light transmittance and sufficient support, such as including but not limited to glass, quartz, sapphire, plastic, or other suitable materials, or combinations thereof, but is not limited thereto. Plastic materials may include, for example, polyimide (PI), polycarbonate (PC), or polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or other suitable materials, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the support film 22 material includes PET. In embodiments where the electronic device 100 is applied to architectural or automotive glass, the support film 22 may include metal particles or a multilayer film structure to provide thermal insulation. The support film 22 may have a third light transmittance TM3. In some embodiments, the third light transmittance TM3 may be 80% or 85% or higher. In some embodiments, a flexible substrate 14 may be attached to the support film 22 via an adhesive layer (not shown).

[0041] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 4In this embodiment, the first region R1 of the electronic device 100 may have a fourth transmittance TM4, which is the transmittance formed by the support film 22, flexible substrate 14, circuit layer 16, filling layer 20, and / or other film layers located in the first region R1 of the electronic device 100. For example, an incident light is provided to the first region R1 of the electronic device 100 along the Z direction. The incident light enters from one side of the electronic device 100 and passes through the flexible substrate 14, circuit layer 16, filling layer 20, and / or other film layers in the first region R1 before exiting as an outgoing light from the other side of the electronic device. The percentage of the luminous flux of the outgoing light to the luminous flux of the incident light (or the percentage of the spectral integral of the outgoing light to the spectral integral of the incident light within the same wavelength range) is the fourth transmittance TM4. The incident light may include visible light (e.g., wavelength between 380 nm and 780 nm) or ultraviolet light (e.g., wavelength greater than 365 nm), but is not limited thereto. For example, when the incident light is visible light, the fourth transmittance TM4 can be the percentage of the luminous flux (spectral integral value) of the emitted light in the wavelength range of 380 nm to 780 nm divided by the luminous flux (spectral integral value) of the incident light in the same wavelength range.

[0042] The second region R2 of the electronic device 100 may have a fifth transmittance TM5, which is the transmittance formed by the support film 22, the filling layer 20, and / or other film layers in the second region R2 of the electronic device 100. For example, an incident light is provided to the second region R2 of the electronic device 100 along the Z direction. The incident light enters from one side of the electronic device and passes through the support film 22, the filling layer 20, and / or other film layers in the second region R2 before exiting as an outgoing light from the other side of the electronic device. The percentage of the luminous flux of the outgoing light to the luminous flux of the incident light (or the percentage of the spectral integral of the outgoing light to the spectral integral of the incident light within the same wavelength range) is the fifth transmittance TM5. The fifth transmittance TM5 may be greater than the fourth transmittance TM4.

[0043] In some embodiments, if the electronic device 100 includes a touch layer (not shown), the touch layer can be disposed on the fill layer 20 after the fill layer 20 is formed. In this case, the touch layer is not etched in the etching step that forms the opening 18, so the circuitry of the touch layer can be arranged in the first region R1 and / or the second region R2, providing greater design flexibility.

[0044] Please refer to Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram illustrating the electronic device 100 of the second embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 5 The electronic device 100 shown is Figure 4The main difference in the illustrated electronic device 100 is that the etching process 19 does not penetrate the flexible substrate 14, but instead forms a plurality of grooves 24 in the flexible substrate 14. In some embodiments, the remaining flexible substrate 14 below the grooves 24 has a thickness T2, which is approximately between 1 / 2 and 1 / 5 of the thickness T1 of the flexible substrate 14 in the first region R1. Subsequently, a filler layer 20 is formed to cover the circuit layer 16 and the flexible substrate 14 and fill each groove 24. In this embodiment, by forming grooves 24 in the flexible substrate 14 of the second region R2 of the electronic device 100 and then filling each groove 24 with a filler layer 20 having relatively high light transmittance, the light transmittance of the flexible substrate 14 can be improved, thereby improving the overall transparency of the electronic device 100. In this embodiment, the light transmittance of the first region R1 and the second region R2 can be calculated in the same way. Figure 4 The method for calculating the transmittance will not be elaborated here.

[0045] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the manufacturing process of the electronic device 100 according to the third embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 1 After forming the circuit layer 16 on the flexible substrate 14, as shown, then as... Figure 6 As shown, a fill layer 20 is formed on the circuit layer 16, and then the fill layer 20 side of the electronic device 100 is attached to the temporary substrate 26. The carrier plate 12 is then removed to expose the flexible substrate 14. Next, a thinning process 27 is performed on the flexible substrate 14 to thin it from thickness T1 to thickness T3. The thinning process 27 can be an etching process or a polishing process, but is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the thickness T3 can be approximately between 1 / 2 and 1 / 5 of the thickness T1. Subsequently, as... Figure 7 As shown, the thinned flexible substrate 14 is attached to the support film 22, and then the temporary substrate 26 is removed. In this embodiment, by thinning the flexible substrate 14, the thickness of the flexible substrate 14 that light needs to pass through when it passes through the electronic device 100 is reduced, which can improve the light transmittance of the flexible substrate 14 and thus improve the overall transparency of the electronic device 100.

[0046] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the manufacturing process of the electronic device 100 according to the fourth embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 1 After forming the circuit layer 16 on the flexible substrate 14, as shown, then as... Figure 8As shown, a filling layer 20 is formed on the circuit layer 16, and then a processing step 30 is performed on the flexible substrate 14 to improve the light transmittance of the flexible substrate 14. Specifically, the processing step 30 involves providing energy to the flexible substrate 14 to change its molecular structure, for example, by breaking the chemical bonds in the molecular structure of the constituent materials of the flexible substrate 14, thereby transforming the flexible substrate 14 into a flexible substrate 14A with higher light transmittance. That is, the molecular structure of the flexible substrate 14A obtained after the processing step 30 is different from that of the original flexible substrate 14. The flexible substrate 14A may have a sixth light transmittance TM6. In some embodiments, the sixth light transmittance TM6 may be greater than 80% or 85%. In some embodiments, the energy may be provided by laser processing or heat treatment of the flexible substrate 14, but is not limited to these methods. Subsequently, as... Figure 9 As shown, a peeling process can be performed to remove the flexible substrate 14A, circuit layer 16, and filler layer 20 from the carrier plate 12, and then the side of the flexible substrate 14A opposite to the circuit layer 16 is attached to the support film 22. This embodiment improves the light transmittance of the flexible substrate 14 by changing the molecular structure of the flexible substrate 14, thereby improving the overall transparency of the electronic device 100.

[0047] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 10 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the manufacturing process of the electronic device 100 according to the fifth embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 1 After forming the circuit layer 16 on the flexible substrate 14, as shown, then as... Figure 10 As shown, a fill layer 20 is formed on the circuit layer 16, and then the fill layer 20 side of the electronic device 100 is attached to the temporary substrate 26. Next, a peeling process is performed between the circuit layer 16 and the flexible substrate 14 to remove the flexible substrate 14 from the circuit layer 16. In some embodiments, a sacrificial layer (not shown) may be provided between the flexible substrate 14 and the circuit layer 16 to facilitate the peeling of the flexible substrate 14 from the circuit layer 16. The sacrificial layer may be, for example, an amorphous silicon layer or a hydrogen-containing material layer, but is not limited thereto. The peeling process may be, for example, laser peeling or mechanical peeling, but is not limited thereto. Then, as... Figure 11 As shown, a substrate 14B disposed on another carrier plate 12A (second carrier plate) is attached to the circuit layer 16. In some embodiments, the substrate 14B may be another flexible circuit board or glass substrate, which may have a seventh transmittance TM7, and the seventh transmittance TM7 is greater than the first transmittance TM1 of the flexible substrate 14. In some embodiments, the seventh transmittance TM7 may be greater than 80% or 85%. Subsequently, as... Figure 12As shown, the substrate 14B is peeled off from the carrier plate 12A, and then the substrate 14B side is attached to the support film 22, and the temporary substrate 26 is removed. In this embodiment, after the high-temperature process of fabricating the circuit layer 16, the flexible substrate 14 is replaced with a flexible substrate 14B with higher light transmittance, thereby improving the overall transparency of the electronic device 100.

[0048] Figure 13 This illustration shows a cross-sectional view of an electronic device 100 according to a sixth embodiment of this disclosure. In this embodiment, after forming a circuit layer 16 and a fill layer 20 on a flexible substrate 14, the circuit layer 16 and the fill layer 20 are then peeled off from the flexible substrate 14, and the circuit layer 16 and the fill layer 20 on its surface are then attached to a glass plate 32. The glass plate 32 is, for example, a glass plate used in fields such as construction, automobiles, interior decoration, signage, shop windows, or optical devices, but is not limited thereto. The electronic device 100 of this embodiment omits a flexible substrate, thus improving the overall transparency of the electronic device 100.

[0049] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 14 , Figure 15 , Figure 16 and Figure 17 This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the manufacturing process of the electronic device 100 according to the seventh embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 1 After forming the circuit layer 16 on the flexible substrate 14, as shown, then as... Figure 14 As shown, after attaching the circuit layer 16 to the temporary substrate 26, the flexible substrate 14 is peeled off from the carrier board 12. Then, as... Figure 15 As shown, a flexible substrate 14C (second flexible substrate) is provided disposed on another carrier plate 12A (second carrier plate), wherein the flexible substrate 14C has an etch stop layer 40, and then the flexible substrate 14 side is attached to the flexible substrate 14C, with the etch stop layer 40 located between the flexible substrate 14 and the flexible substrate 14C. The flexible substrate 14C may have an eighth transmittance TM8, which is greater than the first transmittance TM1 of the flexible substrate 14. In some embodiments, the eighth transmittance TM8 may be greater than 80% or 85%. The etch stop layer 40 needs to be made of a material with different etch selectivity than the flexible substrate 14 and has excellent transmittance. In some embodiments, the etch stop layer 40 is, for example, made of silicon oxide and / or silicon nitride, and the transmittance may be greater than 80% or 85%. Next, as Figure 16 As shown, the temporary substrate 26 is removed, and then an etching process 41 (e.g., lithography and etching process) is performed on the circuit layer 16 and flexible substrate 14 of the second region R2 to form multiple openings 42 in the flexible substrate and expose the etch stop layer 40. Next, as... Figure 17As shown, a filler layer 20 is formed to cover the circuit layer 16, the flexible substrate 14, and fill the opening 42. Subsequently, a peeling process is performed to remove the flexible substrate 14C, the flexible substrate 14, the circuit layer 16, and the filler layer 20 from the carrier plate 12A, and then the side of the flexible substrate 14C opposite to the flexible substrate 14 is attached to the support film 22. In other embodiments, a peeling process may be performed first to remove the flexible substrate 14C, the flexible substrate 14, the circuit layer 16, and the filler layer 20 from the carrier plate 12 and attach them to the support film 22, and then an etching process 41 is performed to form the opening 42 in the flexible substrate 14. In this embodiment, a double-layered flexible substrate 14 and flexible substrate 14C are formed. By forming an opening 42 in the flexible substrate 14 of the second region R2 of the electronic device 100 and then filling the opening with a filling layer 20 having relatively high light transmittance, the light transmittance of the second region R2 of the electronic device 100 can be improved, thereby improving the overall transparency of the electronic device 100, and at the same time providing additional support.

[0050] Please refer to Figure 19 This illustrates one embodiment of the electronic device 100 disclosed herein applied to automotive glass. For example... Figure 19 As shown, the electronic device 100 can be applied to the window glass 210 of the vehicle door 200 and can have a contour that matches the shape of the window glass. In some embodiments, the arrangement of the light-emitting units (LEUs) (or pixel units) of the electronic device 100 can match the shape of the window glass. The light-emitting units (LEUs) can be, for example, the light-emitting area of ​​an organic light-emitting diode, a micro light-emitting diode, or a sub-millimeter light-emitting diode, but this disclosure is not limited to the above.

[0051] Please refer to Figure 20 , for along Figure 19 A cross-sectional view along the tangent AA'. In some embodiments, the window glass 210 (or glass in other applications) can be single-pane glass or laminated glass. For example... Figure 20 As shown in section (A), if the window glass 210 is a single-pane glass, the electronic device 100 may be directly mounted or mounted on at least one side of the window glass 210 via an adhesive layer (not shown). In some embodiments, such as Figure 20 As shown in section (B), if the window glass 210 is laminated glass composed of glass panels 210a and 210b and an adhesive layer 220, the electronic device 100 can be directly mounted or mounted on the outer surface of glass panels 210a and / or 210b via an adhesive layer (not shown). Alternatively, as Figure 20 As shown in part (C), the electronic device 100 can be sandwiched between glass plates 210a and 210b of the laminated glass 210, and is bonded to the inner surfaces of glass plates 210a and 210b respectively by adhesive layers 220.

[0052] In summary, this disclosure addresses the issue of insufficient transparency in electronic devices using high-temperature resistant flexible substrates by improving light transmittance primarily through processes performed after the circuit layers are fabricated. These processes include etching the flexible substrate to form multiple openings or recesses, thinning the flexible substrate, altering the molecular structure of the flexible substrate, replacing the flexible substrate with another flexible substrate with higher transparency, or directly replacing it with a glass plate. In some embodiments, the flexible substrate can also be bonded to another flexible substrate with higher transparency to obtain additional support before etching. Electronic devices fabricated using the methods disclosed herein can have improved light transmittance and enhanced visibility.

[0053] The above description is merely an embodiment of this disclosure and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Various modifications and variations can be made to this disclosure by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure should be included within the protection scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an electronic device, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: A flexible substrate is provided, including a first region and a first light-transmitting region; A circuit layer is formed on the flexible substrate; After the circuit layer is formed, a first opening is formed in the first light-transmitting area of ​​the flexible substrate, and the first opening passes through a portion of the flexible substrate and a portion of the circuit layer. as well as After the first opening is formed, a filling layer is formed, wherein at least a portion of the filling layer is formed within the first opening. The light transmittance of the filling layer is higher than that of the flexible substrate.

2. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes forming a second opening in a second light-transmitting area of ​​the flexible substrate, the second opening passing through another portion of the flexible substrate and another portion of the circuit layer.

3. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, This also includes thinning the flexible substrate to improve its light transmittance.

4. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, This also includes changing the molecular structure of the flexible substrate to improve its light transmittance.

5. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The molecular structure of the flexible substrate can be altered by providing energy to it.

6. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 2, characterized in that, further... include: A pixel definition layer is formed on the flexible substrate to distinguish the first region from the first light-transmitting region; as well as A light-emitting unit is formed on the circuit layer of the first region.

7. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, After the circuit layer is formed, the flexible substrate is removed.

8. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 7, characterized in that, After removing the flexible substrate, the process further includes attaching a substrate to the circuit layer, wherein the light transmittance of the substrate is higher than that of the flexible substrate.

9. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 8, characterized in that, further... include: A pixel definition layer is formed on the flexible substrate to distinguish the first region and the first light-transmitting region, wherein the first region is a pixel region; and A light-emitting unit is formed on the circuit layer of the first region.

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