Antenna device and image display device

Abstract

According to embodiments of the present application, an antenna device and an image display device are provided. The antenna device includes a substrate layer, an antenna element formed on a top surface of the substrate layer, a circuit trace disposed on the top surface of the substrate layer and directly connected with the antenna element, a stress compensation layer covering the circuit trace on the top surface of the substrate layer and having a thickness greater than a thickness of the substrate layer, a first dielectric layer formed on a bottom surface of the substrate layer and overlapping the circuit trace in a plan view, and a first ground layer overlapping the circuit trace in the plan view, wherein the first dielectric layer or the stress compensation layer is interposed between the first ground layer and the circuit trace.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0005262, filed on January 14, 2021, with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to an antenna device and an image display device. More particularly, this invention relates to an antenna device comprising a substrate layer and an antenna element, and an image display device comprising the antenna device. Background Technology

[0004] With the development of information technology, wireless communication technologies such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are being combined with image display devices such as smartphones. In this case, an antenna can be integrated with the image display device to provide communication functionality.

[0005] With the rapid development of mobile communication technology, display devices need an antenna capable of high-frequency or ultra-high-frequency communication corresponding to 3G to 5G communication.

[0006] However, as the antenna's driving frequency increases, signal loss may increase. Furthermore, as the transmission path length increases, the degree of signal loss may further increase.

[0007] In addition, for antenna feeding / driving control, an intermediate circuit structure such as a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) can be used to electrically connect the driver integrated circuit chip and the antenna to each other, but this intermediate circuit structure may cause additional signal loss.

[0008] As image display devices become thinner and their display area increases, the space available to house antennas decreases. Furthermore, adding intermediate circuitry structures increases the size and thickness of the image display device.

[0009] For example, Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2003-0095557 discloses an antenna structure embedded in a portable terminal, but there is a need for an antenna structure that can prevent signal loss and achieve high-frequency or ultra-high-frequency driving within a limited space. Summary of the Invention

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, an antenna device with improved signal reliability and structural efficiency is provided.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, an image display device is provided, which includes an antenna device having improved signal reliability and structural efficiency.

[0012] (1) An antenna device comprising: a substrate layer; an antenna element formed on a top surface of the substrate layer; circuit wiring disposed on the top surface of the substrate layer and directly connected to the antenna element; a stress compensation layer covering the circuit wiring on the top surface of the substrate layer and having a thickness greater than the thickness of the substrate layer; a first dielectric layer formed on a bottom surface of the substrate layer thereby overlapping the circuit wiring in a plan view; and a first ground layer overlapping the circuit wiring in a plan view, wherein the first dielectric layer or the stress compensation layer is located between the first ground layer and the circuit wiring.

[0013] (2) The antenna device according to (1) above, wherein the first ground layer is disposed on the bottom surface of the first dielectric layer and satisfies the following equation 1:

[0014] [Equation 1]

[0015] 80% ≤ (A / B) × 100 ≤ 120%

[0016] In Equation 1, A is the thickness of the stress compensation layer, and B is the sum of the thickness of the substrate layer, the thickness of the first dielectric layer, and the thickness of the first ground layer.

[0017] (3) The antenna device according to (1) above, wherein the first grounding layer is disposed on the top surface of the stress compensation layer and satisfies the following equation 2:

[0018] [Equation 2]

[0019] 80% ≤ (C / D) × 100 ≤ 120%

[0020] In Equation 2, C is the sum of the thickness of the stress compensation layer and the thickness of the first ground layer, and D is the sum of the thickness of the substrate layer and the thickness of the first dielectric layer.

[0021] (4) The antenna device according to (1) above further includes a second dielectric layer formed on the bottom surface of the substrate layer that overlaps with the antenna element in a plan view.

[0022] (5) The antenna device according to (4) above, wherein the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer are located at the same level and have different thicknesses.

[0023] (6) The antenna device according to (4) above further includes a second ground layer disposed below the second dielectric layer and overlapping the antenna element in the plan view.

[0024] (7) The antenna device according to (1) above further includes a third dielectric layer of the antenna element on the top surface of the substrate layer.

[0025] (8) The antenna device according to (7) above, wherein the third dielectric layer and the stress compensation layer are located at the same level and have different thicknesses.

[0026] (9) The antenna device according to (1) above, wherein the antenna element includes a radiator and a transmission line extending from the radiator.

[0027] (10) The antenna device according to (9) above, wherein the circuit wiring and transmission line are a single component of the whole.

[0028] (11) The antenna device according to (9) above, wherein the radiator and transmission line have a mesh structure and the circuit wiring has a solid structure.

[0029] (12) The antenna device according to (1) above, wherein the substrate layer has an antenna region in which an antenna element is disposed and a circuit extension region in which circuit wiring is disposed, and a portion of the substrate layer in the circuit extension region is bent together with the circuit wiring, the stress compensation layer, the first dielectric layer and the first ground layer.

[0030] (13) The antenna device according to (12) above further includes an antenna driver integrated circuit chip electrically connected to the bent end portion of the circuit wiring.

[0031] (14) The antenna device according to (12) above further includes a printed circuit board disposed between the substrate layer and the antenna driver integrated circuit chip to electrically connect the circuit wiring and the antenna driver integrated circuit chip to each other.

[0032] (15) The antenna device according to (14) above, wherein the printed circuit board is a rigid printed circuit board.

[0033] (16) An image display device, comprising: a display panel including a display area and an outer peripheral area; and an antenna device according to the above embodiment disposed on the display panel.

[0034] (17) The image display device according to (16) above, wherein the circuit wiring of the antenna device is bent along the side of the display panel in the outer peripheral region together with the substrate layer.

[0035] (18) The image display device according to (17) above further includes an insulating structure disposed between the display panel and the antenna device, wherein the insulating structure is disposed below the portion of the substrate layer in which the antenna unit is disposed.

[0036] (19) The image display device according to (18) above, wherein the insulating structure includes a polarizing layer.

[0037] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the circuit wiring directly connected to the antenna element can be formed together with the antenna element on the substrate on which the antenna element is disposed. Therefore, intermediate circuit structures such as flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs) used to connect the antenna driver IC chip and the antenna element can be omitted, thereby reducing or essentially eliminating signal loss.

[0038] In an exemplary embodiment, the antenna device may include a stress compensation layer formed on a substrate layer to cover the circuit wiring. Therefore, the neutral plane of the antenna device may be located within the circuit wiring. This prevents the concentration of tensile stress in the circuit wiring at bent portions of the antenna device, thereby suppressing breakage, damage, and / or failure of the circuit wiring, and achieving durability and driving stability of the antenna device.

[0039] Antenna devices can be applied to display devices, including mobile communication devices capable of transmitting and receiving signals in 3G, 4G, 5G or higher high-frequency or ultra-high-frequency bands, to improve radiation characteristics and optical properties such as light transmittance. Attached Figure Description

[0040] Figure 1 and Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view showing an antenna device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0041] Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a stacked structure of an antenna device according to some exemplary embodiments.

[0042] Figures 4 to 6 This is a schematic top plan view illustrating an antenna device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0043] Figure 7 This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the coupling structure of an antenna device and an image display device according to some exemplary embodiments.

[0044] Figure 8 This is a schematic top plan view illustrating an image display device according to an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0045] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an antenna device is provided, which includes an antenna element and circuit wiring on a substrate layer and a stress compensation layer on the circuit wiring layer.

[0046] The antenna device can be, for example, a microstrip patch antenna made in the form of a transparent thin film. This antenna device can be applied to communication devices used for mobile communications in high-frequency or ultra-high-frequency bands corresponding to, for example, 3G, 4G, 5G, or higher mobile communications.

[0047] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a display device including the antenna structure is also provided. The application of the antenna structure is not limited to display devices, and the antenna structure can be applied to various objects or structures, such as vehicles, home appliances, buildings, etc.

[0048] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, those skilled in the art will understand that these embodiments described with reference to the drawings are intended to further understand the spirit of the invention and are not intended to limit the subject matter disclosed in the detailed description and the appended claims.

[0049] The terms "upper," "lower," "top," and "bottom" in this article are not used to indicate absolute positions, but rather to distinguish the relative positions between different components.

[0050] Figure 1 and Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view showing an antenna device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0051] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The antenna device may include an antenna element 110 disposed on the substrate layer 100. The circuit wiring 120 connected to the antenna element 110 may be disposed on the substrate layer 100 together with the antenna element 110.

[0052] The substrate layer 100 may include a support layer or a thin-film substrate for forming the antenna element 110. For example, the substrate 100 may include glass, a polymer, and / or an inorganic insulating material. Examples of polymers may include cyclic olefin polymers (COP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyacrylate (PAR), polyetherimide (PEI), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyallyl compounds, polyimide (PI), cellulose acetate-propionate (CAP), polyethersulfone (PES), cellulose triacetate (TAC), polycarbonate (PC), cyclic olefin copolymers (COC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), etc. Examples of inorganic insulating materials may include glass, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, metal oxides, etc.

[0053] The substrate layer 100 can be used as the dielectric layer of the antenna element 110. For example, capacitance or inductance can be generated through the substrate layer 100, thereby allowing adjustment of the frequency band of the antenna device.

[0054] In some implementations, the dielectric constant of substrate layer 100 can be adjusted to a range of approximately 1.5 to 12. If the dielectric constant exceeds approximately 12, the driving frequency may be excessively reduced, potentially preventing the desired high-frequency or ultra-high-frequency antenna driving from being achieved.

[0055] Preferably, the substrate layer 100 may include COP to improve flexibility.

[0056] In an exemplary embodiment, a first dielectric layer 95 overlapping the circuit wiring 120 in a plan view may be formed on the bottom surface of the substrate layer 100. In the case of the antenna device according to the exemplary embodiment, intermediate circuit structures such as flexible printed circuit boards may be omitted. Therefore, the first dielectric layer 95 may be additionally formed to perform impedance matching or dielectric constant matching corresponding to the intermediate circuit structure.

[0057] In an exemplary embodiment, the antenna device may further include a second dielectric layer 105 formed on the bottom surface of the substrate layer 100, which overlaps with the antenna element 110 in a plan view. The second dielectric layer 105 can improve the radiation independence and radiation efficiency of the antenna element 110 while preventing signal loss and interference from electrodes and wiring included in the display panel on which the antenna device is applied.

[0058] In some embodiments, the first dielectric layer 95 and the second dielectric layer 105 may be disposed on the same layer or at the same level, and may have different thicknesses.

[0059] For example, the thickness of the first dielectric layer 95 can be adjusted to achieve an impedance / dielectric constant matching effect corresponding to the omitted intermediate circuit structure. The thickness of the second dielectric layer 105 can be adjusted to prevent signal loss and improve the radiation independence of the antenna element 110.

[0060] Therefore, the thicknesses of the first dielectric layer 95 and the second dielectric layer 105 can be different from each other in an antenna device, and an antenna device that can achieve improved impedance / dielectric constant matching and has reduced signal loss can be obtained.

[0061] The first dielectric layer 95 and / or the second dielectric layer 105 described above may include a transparent resin material that is flexible for folding. For example, the first dielectric layer 95 and / or the second dielectric layer 105 may include polyester resins, such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene isophthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, and polybutylene terephthalate; cellulose resins, such as diacetylcellulose and triacetylcellulose; polycarbonate resins; acrylic resins, such as poly(meth)acrylate and poly(meth)acrylate; styrene resins, such as polystyrene and acrylonitrile-styrene copolymers; polyolefin resins, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, cycloolefins, or polyolefins having a norbornene structure and ethylene-propylene copolymers; vinyl chloride resins; amide resins, such as nylon and aromatic polyamides; imide resins; polyethersulfone resins; sulfone resins; polyetheretherketone resins; polyphenylene sulfide resins; vinyl alcohol resins; vinylidene chloride resins; vinyl butyral resins; allyl compounds; polyoxymethylene resins; epoxy resins; polyurethane or acrylic polyurethane resins; silicone resins, etc. They can be used individually or in combination.

[0062] In some embodiments, the first dielectric layer 95 and / or the second dielectric layer 105 may include adhesive materials such as optically transparent adhesive (OCA), optically transparent resin (OCR), etc. In some embodiments, the first dielectric layer 95 and / or the second dielectric layer 105 may include inorganic insulating materials, such as glass, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, etc.

[0063] In some implementations, the dielectric constant of the first dielectric layer 95 and / or the second dielectric layer 105 can be adjusted to a range of approximately 1.5 to approximately 12. When the dielectric constant exceeds approximately 12, the driving frequency may be excessively reduced, potentially preventing the achievement of the desired high-frequency or ultra-high-frequency driving.

[0064] In an exemplary embodiment, the antenna device may further include an optical layer 160 on the bottom surface of the second dielectric layer 105. The optical layer 160 may include, for example, a polarizer or a polarizer plate.

[0065] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the antenna device may further include a first ground layer 90 that overlaps with the circuit wiring 120 in the plan view, wherein a first dielectric layer 95 or a stress compensation layer 150 is located between the first ground layer 90 and the circuit wiring 120.

[0066] The first ground layer 90 may overlap or be opposite to the circuit wiring 120 in the thickness direction. Noise and signal interference around the circuit wiring 120 can be absorbed or shielded by the first ground layer 90, and signal transmission efficiency can be improved by generating an electric field between the first ground layer 90 and the circuit wiring 120.

[0067] For example, the first ground layer 90 may be provided only on one layer above or below the circuit wiring 120.

[0068] When the first ground plane 90 is formed above and below the circuit wiring 120, the first ground plane 90 above and below the circuit wiring 120 acts as a capacitor. Therefore, the signal transmission efficiency of the circuit wiring 120 is reduced, and the function of the circuit wiring 120 may be essentially impossible to achieve.

[0069] In an exemplary embodiment, a second ground layer 130 that overlaps with the antenna element 110 in the plan view may be disposed below the second dielectric layer 105.

[0070] The second ground layer 130 can be set by considering the resonant frequency of the antenna device, and the antenna with basic vertical radiation can be realized by generating an electric field or inductance between the antenna element 110 and the second ground layer 130.

[0071] In some embodiments, the first ground layer 90 and the second ground layer 130 may be separated at different layers or different levels and may have different thicknesses. Therefore, depending on the function of each ground layer, the first ground layer 90 and the second ground layer 130 with different thicknesses can be included in a single antenna element.

[0072] For example, the thickness of the first ground layer 90 can be adjusted to consider the signal transmission efficiency of the circuit wiring 120. The thickness of the second ground layer 130 can be adjusted to consider the enhancement of vertical radiation characteristics. Therefore, an antenna device that achieves improved signal transmission and vertical radiation can be obtained.

[0073] The circuit wiring 120, the first ground layer 90 and the second ground layer 130 described above may include metals and / or alloys, as described later.

[0074] Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a stacked structure of an antenna device according to some exemplary embodiments.

[0075] Reference Figure 3 This allows for the formation of a neutral plane (NS) relative to the total thickness of the antenna element.

[0076] Tensile and compressive stresses can be applied to the bent portions of the antenna assembly. If the neutral plane NS exists in the circuit wiring 120, the tensile and compressive stresses applied to the circuit wiring 120 at the bent portions of the antenna assembly can cancel each other out, thereby suppressing the breakage, damage, and / or destruction of the circuit wiring 120.

[0077] If the neutral plane NS is far from the circuit wiring 120, the tensile stress applied to the circuit wiring 120 will increase, which may lead to the circuit wiring 120 being broken, damaged and / or destroyed.

[0078] For example, when the neutral plane of the bent portion of the antenna device lies on the bottom surface of the circuit wiring 120, the tensile stress applied to the circuit wiring 120 becomes greater than the compressive stress. As a result, the durability and driving stability of the antenna device are reduced.

[0079] However, according to an exemplary embodiment, the antenna device may include a stress compensation layer 150 formed on the substrate layer 100 that covers the circuit wiring 120. The stress compensation layer 150 may be selectively formed on the bent portion of the antenna device such that the neutral plane NS of the antenna device may be located in the circuit wiring 120. The thicknesses of the compensation layer 150, the first dielectric layer 95, and / or the first ground layer 90 may be adjusted according to the aspects described above.

[0080] In an exemplary embodiment, the thickness of the stress compensation layer 150 may be greater than the thickness of the substrate layer 100. Therefore, the neutral plane NS of the antenna device can be moved in the direction from the outer surface of the antenna device to the center of the antenna device, and stress concentration for the circuit wiring 120 can be prevented.

[0081] In some embodiments, the first ground layer 90 may be disposed on the bottom surface of the first dielectric layer 95 and may satisfy the following equation 1.

[0082] [Equation 1]

[0083] 80% ≤ (A / B) × 100 ≤ 120%

[0084] In Equation 1, A is the thickness of the stress compensation layer 150, and B is the sum of the thicknesses of the substrate layer 100, the first dielectric layer 95, and the first ground layer 90.

[0085] In some embodiments, the first grounding layer 90 may be disposed on the top surface of the stress compensation layer 150 and may satisfy the following equation 2.

[0086] [Equation 2]

[0087] 80% ≤ (C / D) × 100 ≤ 120%

[0088] In Equation 2, C is the sum of the thickness of the stress compensation layer 150 and the thickness of the first ground layer 90, and D is the sum of the thickness of the substrate layer 100 and the thickness of the first dielectric layer 95.

[0089] When the relationship expressed by Equation 1 or Equation 2 is satisfied, the neutral plane NS of the antenna device can be formed in the circuit wiring 120. Therefore, the tensile stress applied to the circuit wiring 120 can be reduced and the disconnection and / or damage of the circuit wiring 120 can be reduced, thereby improving the durability and driving stability of the antenna device.

[0090] In an exemplary embodiment, the stress compensation layer 150 may include those adhesive films, transparent resin materials, inorganic insulating materials, glass and / or polymers that are substantially the same as those mentioned in the substrate layer 100, the first dielectric layer 95 and / or the second dielectric layer 105.

[0091] In some embodiments, the antenna device may further include a third dielectric layer 115 covering the antenna element 110 on the top surface of the substrate layer 100. The third dielectric layer 115 can further help reduce signal loss of the antenna element 110 and enhance radiation efficiency.

[0092] The third dielectric layer 115 may include those adhesive films, transparent resin materials, and / or inorganic insulating materials that are substantially the same as those in the first dielectric layer 95 and the second dielectric layer 105.

[0093] In some embodiments, the third dielectric layer 115 and the stress compensation layer 150 may be disposed on the same layer or at the same level, and may have different thicknesses. Therefore, considering the operation of each layer, the third dielectric layer 115 and the stress compensation layer 150 may be configured as separate layers with different thicknesses in an antenna device.

[0094] For example, the thickness of the third dielectric layer 115 can be adjusted to prevent signal loss and improve the radiation independence of the antenna element 110. The thickness of the stress compensation layer 150 can be adjusted to reduce the tensile stress applied to the circuit wiring 120. Therefore, an antenna element that prevents signal loss and reduces the tensile stress applied to the circuit wiring 120 can be designed.

[0095] For example, the thickness of the third dielectric layer 115 can be adjusted to prevent signal loss and improve the radiation independence of the antenna element 110. The thickness of the stress compensation layer 150 can be adjusted to reduce the tensile stress applied to the circuit wiring 120. Therefore, an antenna device that reduces signal loss and decreases the tensile stress applied to the circuit wiring 120 can be realized.

[0096] Figures 4 to 6This is a schematic top plan view illustrating an antenna device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0097] Reference Figure 4 In an exemplary embodiment, the substrate layer 100 may include an antenna region AA, a circuit extension region CA, and a bonding region BA. Therefore, the antenna device may also be divided into an antenna region AA, a circuit extension region CA, and a bonding region BA.

[0098] Antenna element 110 may be disposed on the top surface of substrate layer 100, for example, in antenna region AA. Antenna element 110 may include radiator 112 and transmission line 114.

[0099] Radiator 112 may have a polygonal flat plate shape, and transmission line 114 may have a straight line shape extending from one side of radiator 112. In some embodiments, radiator 112 and transmission line 114 may be a single component that is substantially integral with each other. The width of transmission line 114 may be smaller than the width of radiator 112.

[0100] Antenna element 110 may include silver (Ag), gold (Au), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), chromium (Cr), titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), vanadium (V), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), tin (Sn), molybdenum (Mo), calcium (Ca), or an alloy containing at least one of these metals. They may be used individually or in combination of two or more.

[0101] In one embodiment, antenna element 110 may include silver (Ag) or a silver alloy (e.g., silver-palladium-copper (APC)) or copper (Cu) or a copper alloy (e.g., copper-calcium (CuCa)) to achieve low resistance and fine linewidth patterns.

[0102] In some embodiments, antenna element 110 may include transparent conductive oxides, such as indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), zinc oxide (ZnOx), indium zinc tin oxide (IZTO), etc.

[0103] In some embodiments, antenna element 110 may include a stacked structure of transparent conductive oxide layer and metal layer. For example, antenna element 110 may include a two-layer structure of transparent conductive oxide layer-metal layer, or a three-layer structure of transparent conductive oxide layer-metal layer-transparent conductive oxide layer. In this case, the metal layer can improve flexibility, and the low resistance of the metal layer can also improve signal transmission speed. The transparent conductive oxide layer can improve corrosion resistance and transparency.

[0104] Antenna element 110 may include a blackened portion, thereby reducing the reflectivity at the surface of antenna element 110 to suppress visual recognition of the antenna element caused by light reflection.

[0105] In one embodiment, the surface of the metal layer included in the antenna element 110 may be converted into a metal oxide or metal sulfide to form a blackening layer. In one embodiment, a blackening layer, such as a black material coating or plating, may be formed on the antenna element 110 or the metal layer. The black material or plating may include silicon, carbon, copper, molybdenum, tin, chromium, nickel, cobalt, or an oxide, sulfide, or alloy containing at least one of these materials.

[0106] Considering the reflectivity reduction effect and antenna radiation characteristics, the composition and thickness of the blackening layer can be adjusted.

[0107] In an exemplary embodiment, the circuit wiring 120 may be formed together with the antenna element 110 on the substrate layer 100 and may be directly connected to the antenna element 110. The antenna element and the circuit wiring may be located together on the same layer or at the same level.

[0108] For example, one end of the circuit wiring 120 can be directly connected to the transmission line 114 of the antenna element 110. The circuit wiring 120 can extend on the top surface of the substrate layer 100 in the circuit extension region CA, and the other end of the circuit wiring 120 can extend to the bonding region BA.

[0109] In some implementations, a portion of the substrate layer 100 in the circuit extension region CA can be bent together with the circuit wiring 120, stress compensation layer 150, first dielectric layer 95, and first ground layer 90. Therefore, the other end of the circuit wiring 120 can be extended to connect to the antenna driver IC chip without requiring an additional intermediate circuit board.

[0110] In some implementations, the circuit wiring 120 may include merging wiring 120a. For example, a plurality of antenna elements 110 may be arranged in an array on the antenna region AA, and a predetermined number of antenna elements 110 may be coupled through merging wiring 120a.

[0111] For example, such as Figure 4 As shown, two antenna elements 110 or four antenna elements 110 can be coupled through merging wiring 120a.

[0112] The other end of the circuit wiring 120 can be electrically connected to the antenna driver integrated circuit (IC) chip 190 on the junction region BA. Therefore, feed and drive signals can be received directly from the antenna driver IC chip 190.

[0113] For example, the other end of the circuit wiring 120 and the IC pad or IC pin in the antenna driver IC chip 190 can be electrically connected to each other via circuitry (e.g., connection wiring described later) included in the printed circuit board 180.

[0114] For example, the other end of the circuit wiring 120 and the antenna driver IC chip 190 can be electrically connected to each other via a connector (not shown) and connection wiring.

[0115] The printed circuit board 180 may include a core layer, and circuitry may be distributed within and / or on the surface of the core layer. In an exemplary embodiment, the core layer may include a material with higher strength and glass transition temperature than the substrate layer 100. For example, the core layer may include a resin impregnated with an inorganic material such as glass fiber (e.g., a prepreg).

[0116] In one implementation, the printed circuit board 180 can be a rigid PCB. Therefore, sufficient thermal and mechanical stability can be maintained even when the antenna driver IC chip 190 can be stacked on the printed circuit board 180, for example, by surface mount technology (SMT).

[0117] In some implementations, the antenna driver IC chip 190 can be directly mounted on the substrate layer 100. In this case, the printed circuit board 180 can be omitted.

[0118] According to the exemplary embodiment described above, the antenna unit 110 and the circuit wiring 120 can be formed together on the substrate layer 100. Therefore, a separate intermediate circuit structure, such as a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB), for connecting the antenna driver IC chip 190 and the antenna unit 110 can be omitted.

[0119] Therefore, signal / feed loss and increased signal resistance caused by adding a flexible printed circuit board can be prevented, thereby improving feed / radiation efficiency. Additionally, the circuit wiring 120 can be directly connected to the transmission line 114 of the antenna element 110, thus avoiding misalignment that may occur during the bonding process of the flexible printed circuit board.

[0120] Furthermore, intermediate conductive structures, such as signal pads, ground pads, or anisotropic conductive films (ACFs), used to connect the transmission line 114 of the antenna unit 110 and the flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) to each other can be omitted. Therefore, the circuit wiring 120 and the transmission line 114 can be essentially directly connected to each other.

[0121] Correspondingly, the signal path length between the antenna driver IC chip 190 and the radiator 112 can be further shortened, thereby effectively reducing signal loss in high-frequency or ultra-high-frequency communication.

[0122] In some implementations, the transmission line 114 and the circuit wiring 120 may be essentially a single component configured as an integral line.

[0123] In some implementations, transmission line 114 and circuit wiring 120 may have different widths or thicknesses and may comprise different materials. For example, transmission line 114 may be designed to have dimensions for impedance matching based on the resonant frequency achieved by radiator 112.

[0124] Reference Figure 5 The circuit wiring 125 can be connected individually and independently to each antenna element 110. Therefore, power supply / drive control can be performed independently for each of the multiple antenna elements 110.

[0125] For example, signals of different phases can be applied to antenna elements 110 through circuit wiring 125, which are independently connected to multiple antenna elements 110.

[0126] Reference Figure 6 The radiator 112 and transmission line 114 of antenna element 110 may include a mesh structure. In this case, a dummy mesh pattern 140 may be formed around the radiator 112 and transmission line 114.

[0127] In some embodiments, the dummy mesh pattern 140 and the antenna element 110 may include the same mesh structure (e.g., having the same linewidth and the same spacing). For example, the dummy mesh pattern 140 and the antenna element 110 may be formed from the same conductive layer and may be separated and defined from each other by a separation region 145 formed together during the formation of the mesh structure from the conductive layer via an etching process.

[0128] Radiator 112 and transmission line 114 can be disposed in the display area of ​​the image display device, which will be described later. In this case, radiator 112 and transmission line 114 may include a mesh structure, thereby improving the light transmittance on the display area. In addition, the structure of the electrode pattern around antenna element 110 can be made uniform by using a dummy mesh pattern 140, thereby preventing the user from visually identifying the electrodes of the antenna device.

[0129] In some implementations, the circuit wiring 120 may be formed of a solid metal pattern or solid metal wire to reduce feed resistance and prevent signal loss.

[0130] Figure 7 This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the coupling structure of an antenna device and an image display device according to some exemplary embodiments.

[0131] Reference Figure 7The image display device may include a display layer 203 stacked on the display panel 200. The display layer 203 may include, for example, an organic light-emitting layer or a liquid crystal display layer. The display panel 200 may include a panel substrate and a thin-film transistor (TFT) array disposed on the panel substrate.

[0132] A common electrode 205 for the image display device can be disposed on the display layer 203. For example, the common electrode 205 can be used as the cathode of the image display device and can extend together and continuously over multiple pixels defined by the TFT array.

[0133] The panel substrate may include, for example, a flexible resin such as polyimide, and the image display device may be used as a flexible or foldable display device.

[0134] The antenna element 110 of the antenna device according to the above exemplary embodiment can be formed on the substrate layer 100 and stacked on the insulating structure 210 of the image display device. For example, the insulating structure 210 may include an adhesive layer or encapsulation layer of the display panel 200.

[0135] In some embodiments, the insulating structure 210 may include a polarizing layer.

[0136] In some embodiments, the insulating structure 210 can be used as the second dielectric layer 105 of the antenna device.

[0137] In some embodiments, the cover window 220 may be stacked on the antenna element 110. The cover window 220 may include, for example, glass (e.g., ultra-thin glass (UTG)) or a transparent resin film.

[0138] The circuit wiring 120 of the antenna device can be bent along the side of the display panel 200 together with the circuit extension area CA of the substrate layer 100.

[0139] like Figure 7 As shown, the side of the display panel 200 may have an arcuate surface, and the bent portion of the antenna device may also be bent into an arc shape along the arcuate surface. Alternatively, the side of the display panel 200 may have a vertical surface, and the bent portion of the antenna device may also have a bent profile along the vertical surface.

[0140] In some embodiments, the printed circuit board 180 and the antenna driver IC chip 190 may be disposed below the display panel 200. The end portion of the circuit wiring 120 of the antenna device may be bent together with a portion of the substrate layer 100 in the bonding region BA below the display panel 200, thereby electrically connecting to the printed circuit board 180 and the antenna driver IC chip 190.

[0141] For example, the antenna driver IC chip 190 and circuit wiring 120 of the antenna device can be electrically connected through connection wiring 185 provided on the printed circuit board 180 to perform power supply and drive control.

[0142] In some implementations, circuit wiring 120 and antenna driver IC chip 190 can be electrically connected to each other via connectors (not shown) and connection wiring 185.

[0143] For example, the other end of circuit wiring 120 can be electrically connected to a connector mounted on printed circuit board 180. In this case, one end of connection wiring 185 can be electrically connected to a connector, and the other end of connection wiring 185 can be electrically connected to antenna driver IC chip 190.

[0144] In an exemplary embodiment, the conductive component included in the image display device or display panel 200 may be used as a second ground layer 130 for the antenna unit 110 or the radiator 112.

[0145] The conductive component may include, for example, the gate electrode of a thin-film transistor (TFT) included in an image display device, various wirings such as scan lines or data lines, or various electrodes such as pixel electrodes, common electrodes, etc.

[0146] In one embodiment, for example, various structures comprising conductive materials disposed below the display panel 200 may be configured as the second ground layer 130. For example, a metal plate (e.g., stainless steel (SUS) plate), a pressure sensor, a fingerprint sensor, an electromagnetic wave shielding layer, a heat sink, a digitizer, etc., may be configured as the second ground layer 130.

[0147] In some implementations, the common electrode 205 may be used as a second ground layer 130 for the antenna element 110 or the radiator 112.

[0148] Therefore, a separate antenna grounding portion can be excluded from the display area of ​​the image display device, thereby preventing image quality degradation caused by the insertion of the antenna device. Additionally, as described above, the first grounding layer 90 can overlap with the circuit wiring 120 of the antenna device in a non-display area (e.g., a light-shielding portion or a bezel portion) to absorb / shield feed / signal transmission noise.

[0149] In addition, the first dielectric layer 95 can be used to achieve dielectric constant / impedance matching for the insulating structure 210 or the second dielectric layer 105 disposed below the radiator 112 on the display area.

[0150] Figure 7The stacked structure on the display panel 205 or display layer 203 shown is an exemplary and non-limiting implementation. For example, a touch sensor or touch panel can be stacked on the insulating structure 210. The stacking order of the touch panel, antenna device, and cover window 220 can be appropriately adjusted considering factors such as touch sensing sensitivity, radiation efficiency, and prevention of electrode visual recognition.

[0151] In some embodiments, the compensation layer 150 may include an adhesive layer 151 and a protective layer 153.

[0152] For example, adhesive layer 151 may include an adhesive film that is substantially the same as the first to third dielectric layers 95, 105 and 115.

[0153] For example, the protective layer 153 may include glass, polymer and / or inorganic insulating materials that are substantially the same as or similar to the substrate layer 100.

[0154] In some embodiments, the dielectric constant of the compensation layer 150, which includes the adhesive layer 151 and the passivation layer 153, can be adjusted to a range of approximately 1 to 6. Within this range of the dielectric constant of the compensation layer 150, signal loss in the circuit wiring 120 can be mitigated or reduced to improve antenna gain. For example, if the dielectric constant exceeds approximately 6, the driving frequency may be excessively reduced, and the desired high-frequency or ultra-high-frequency driving may not be achieved.

[0155] Figure 8 This is a schematic top plan view illustrating an image display device according to an exemplary embodiment. For ease of explanation, Figure 8 The antenna element 110 and circuit wiring 120 are enlarged compared to their actual size.

[0156] Reference Figure 8 Image display devices can be made, for example, in the form of smartphones, and Figure 8 The front or window surface of an image display device is shown. The front of the image display device may include a display area DA and an outer peripheral area PA. The outer peripheral area PA may, for example, correspond to a light-shielding portion or a bezel portion of the image display device.

[0157] The antenna element 110 included in the antenna device described above may be at least partially disposed on the display area DA. In this case, the radiator 112 may include a mesh structure, and the radiator 112 may prevent the reduction in light transmittance and image quality caused by the radiator 112.

[0158] In some embodiments, the circuit wiring 120 of the antenna device may be disposed in the outer peripheral region PA. For example, the circuit wiring 120 may be bent together with the substrate layer 100 and may be bent along the side of the image display device to electrically connect to the antenna driver IC chip 180 disposed at the rear of the image display device.

[0159] In some implementations, a portion of the transmission line 114 may also be disposed in the outer peripheral region PA along with the circuit wiring 120.

[0160] Preferred embodiments are presented below to describe the invention in more detail. However, the following examples are merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand that various substitutions and modifications can be made within the scope and spirit of the invention. These substitutions and modifications are suitably included in the appended claims.

[0161] Example of preparation: Fabricating a stacked structure in the circuit extension region (CA) of an antenna device.

[0162] The stacked structure in the circuit extension region of the antenna device is made with the thickness shown in Tables 1 and 2 below.

[0163] [Table 1]

[0164]

[0165] [Table 2]

[0166]

[0167] Experimental Example: Stress Measurement at Bending Points in Circuit Wiring

[0168] The stacked structures manufactured according to the embodiments and comparative examples shown in Tables 1 and 2 were bent at a bending radius of 0.3R to measure the stress generated at the bending point. Specifically, the bending analysis under the 0.3R condition was performed using SIMULIA ABAQUS software (Dassault Systems). The results are shown in Table 3 below.

[0169] [Table 3]

[0170] Stress (MPa) Example 1 306.2 Example 2 331.3 Example 3 252.1 Comparative Example 1 471.4 Comparative Example 2 468.2 Comparative Example 3 473.2 Comparative Example 4 485.2 Comparative Example 5 484.3 Comparative Example 6 485.3 Comparative Example 7 478.5

[0171] Referring to Table 3, in embodiments where the compensation layer 150 is stacked and the thickness ratio according to Equation 1 or 2 is within a predetermined range, the tensile stress applied to the circuit wiring 120 is reduced compared to comparative examples where the thickness ratio is not within that range, thereby improving the stability and drive reliability of the circuit wiring 120.

Claims

1. An antenna device, characterized by It includes: a substrate layer; an antenna unit formed on a top surface of the substrate layer; a circuit wiring disposed on the top surface of the substrate layer and directly connected with the antenna unit; a stress compensation layer covering the circuit wiring on the top surface of the substrate layer and having a thickness greater than that of the substrate layer; a first dielectric layer formed on a bottom surface of the substrate layer so as to overlap the circuit wiring in a plan view; and a first ground layer overlapping the circuit wiring in the plan view, wherein the first dielectric layer or the stress compensation layer is interposed between the first ground layer and the circuit wiring. The first ground layer is disposed on a bottom surface of the first dielectric layer and satisfies the following Equation 1:

2. The antenna device of claim 1, wherein [Equation 1] 80% ≤ (A / B) × 100 ≤ 120% where, in Equation 1, A is the thickness of the stress compensation layer, and B is the sum of the thickness of the substrate layer, the thickness of the first dielectric layer, and the thickness of the first ground layer. The first ground layer is disposed on a top surface of the stress compensation layer and satisfies the following Equation 2:

3. The antenna device of claim 1, wherein [Equation 2] 80% ≤ (C / D) × 100 ≤ 120% where, in Equation 2, C is the sum of the thickness of the stress compensation layer and the thickness of the first ground layer, and D is the sum of the thickness of the substrate layer and the thickness of the first dielectric layer. It further includes a second dielectric layer formed on a bottom surface of the substrate layer so as to overlap the antenna unit in a plan view.

4. The antenna device of claim 1, wherein The first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer are located at the same level and have different thicknesses from each other.

5. The antenna device of claim 4, wherein, It further includes a second ground layer disposed below the second dielectric layer so as to overlap the antenna unit in the plan view.

6. The antenna device of claim 4, wherein, It further includes a third dielectric layer covering the antenna unit on the top surface of the substrate layer.

7. The antenna device of claim 1, wherein, The third dielectric layer and the stress compensation layer are located at the same level and have different thicknesses.

8. The antenna device of claim 7, wherein, The antenna unit includes a radiator and a transmission line extending from the radiator.

9. The antenna device of claim 1, wherein, The circuit wiring and the transmission line are a single member as a whole.

10. The antenna device of claim 9, wherein, The radiator and the transmission line have a mesh structure, and the circuit wiring has a solid structure.

11. The antenna device of claim 9, wherein, The substrate layer has an antenna area in which the antenna unit is disposed and a circuit extension area in which the circuit wiring is disposed, and 12. The antenna device of claim 1, wherein, a portion of the substrate layer in the circuit extension area is bent together with the circuit wiring, the stress compensation layer, the first dielectric layer, and the first ground layer. It further includes an antenna driving integrated circuit chip electrically connected with a bent end portion of the circuit wiring.

13. The antenna device of claim 12, wherein, It further includes a printed circuit board disposed between the substrate layer and the antenna driving integrated circuit chip to electrically connect the circuit wiring and the antenna driving integrated circuit chip to each other.

14. The antenna device of claim 12, wherein, The printed circuit board is a rigid printed circuit board.

15. The antenna device of claim 14, wherein, It includes:

16. An image display device, characterized by comprising: a display panel including a display area and a peripheral area; and an antenna device according to claim 1 disposed on the display panel. The circuit wiring of the antenna device is bent along a side portion of the display panel in the peripheral area together with the substrate layer. ​ 17. The image display device according to claim 16, wherein ​ 18. The image display device according to claim 17, wherein It also includes an insulating structure disposed between the display panel and the antenna device, wherein the insulating structure is disposed under a portion of the substrate layer in which the antenna unit is disposed.

19. The image display apparatus according to claim 18, wherein The insulating structure includes a polarizing layer.

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