Electronic device
By providing a protective part in a flexible electronic device to disperse stress, the problem of easy damage to the transistor when bending or curling is solved, ensuring the stability of the transistor function.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202410736166.3
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-06-08
- Filing Date
- 2024-06-07
- Publication Date
- 2024-12-10
AI Technical Summary
Transistors are susceptible to accumulated stress damage caused by bending or curling in flexible electronic devices, resulting in leakage current and functional influence.
An electronic device is designed, including a flexible substrate, a conductive pattern layer and at least one transistor, and a protective portion located below the transistor to disperse stress. The Young's modulus of the protective portion is smaller than that of the flexible substrate to ensure that the stress does not accumulate in the channel portion of the transistor. edge.
Effectively maintain the function of the transistor to prevent stress from accumulating at the edge of the channel during bending or curling, and avoid current leakage and faults.
Smart Images
Figure CN119108435A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device, and more particularly to an electronic device with a transistor. Background Art
[0002] A transistor is a semiconductor component that can amplify or switch electronic signals. For example, transistors can be used as amplifiers to amplify weak signals in stereos, radios, and televisions, or as switches to control the flow of current in computers, smartphones, and any other electronic devices. In addition, transistors can also form logic gates to perform Boolean logic operations, where logic gates are the basis of computers and microprocessors. Furthermore, transistors can also be used as power regulators to control the output voltage and current of electronic devices to make them work stably. Therefore, transistors are widely used in different electronic devices.
[0003] However, when transistors are applied to flexible electronic devices, certain challenges are encountered, especially when the flexible electronic devices may be repeatedly bent or curled. The transistors may be damaged during the bending or curling process and cause leakage current, thereby affecting the functionality of the flexible electronic devices. Summary of the invention
[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device.
[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention discloses an electronic device, comprising a flexible substrate, a conductive pattern layer, at least one transistor and at least one protective portion. The conductive pattern layer and the at least one transistor are formed on the flexible substrate. The at least one transistor is electrically connected to the conductive pattern layer; wherein the at least one transistor comprises an active layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode electrically connected to the active layer, at least one gate electrode and an insulating layer arranged between the active layer and the gate electrode, the active layer defines a channel portion, and the channel portion defines a gate-controlled channel, the gate-controlled channel overlaps with the gate electrode in a projection direction perpendicular to the flexible substrate, and the channel portion further defines a first direction parallel to the direction of the current flowing between the drain electrode and the source electrode, so as to define a plurality of edges in the same direction as the first direction with the periphery of the gate-controlled channel. At least one protective portion is arranged below the at least one transistor, wherein at least one protective portion overlaps with at least one edge of the gate-controlled channel in the projection direction, and the Young's modulus of the flexible substrate is smaller than that of the protective portion.
[0006] In one embodiment, at least one protection portion is electrically insulated from the conductive pattern layer.
[0007] In one embodiment, at least one guard portion is electrically insulated from at least one transistor.
[0008] In one embodiment, at least one guard portion is electrically insulated from a gate electrode of at least one transistor.
[0009] In one embodiment, at least one protection portion is disposed above the flexible substrate.
[0010] In one embodiment, at least one protection portion is disposed below the flexible substrate.
[0011] In one embodiment, at least one protection portion is integrated into the flexible substrate.
[0012] In one embodiment, the electronic device further includes a support plate stacked below the flexible substrate, wherein the Young's modulus of the support plate is smaller than the Young's modulus of the at least one protective portion.
[0013] In one embodiment, at least one protection portion is disposed above the flexible substrate or the support plate.
[0014] In one embodiment, at least one protection portion is integrated into the support plate.
[0015] In one embodiment, at least one transistor comprises a thin film transistor.
[0016] In one embodiment, the at least one transistor comprises a single-gate transistor or a multi-gate transistor.
[0017] In one embodiment, the multi-gate transistor includes a double-gate transistor or a triple-gate transistor.
[0018] In one embodiment, the at least one transistor comprises an upper gate transistor or a lower gate transistor.
[0019] In one embodiment, the channel portion of the at least one transistor further defines a second direction perpendicular to the first direction along the flexible substrate, and the channel portion defines a width along the second direction, and the width is a fixed width.
[0020] In one embodiment, the outermost contour of at least one guard portion is square, polygonal, circular or elliptical.
[0021] In one embodiment, at least one protective portion is a porous structure, a honeycomb structure, a mesh structure or a grid structure.
[0022] In one embodiment, at least one protection portion completely overlaps a gate-controlled channel of a channel portion of at least one transistor in a projection direction perpendicular to the flexible substrate.
[0023] In one embodiment, the electronic device includes a plurality of transistors and a plurality of guarding portions, wherein edges of gate-controlled channels of at least two transistors overlap with at least one of the guarding portions in a projection direction perpendicular to the flexible substrate.
[0024] In one embodiment, the insulating layer of at least one transistor is a dielectric layer.
[0025] In one embodiment, the electronic device further includes a plurality of light emitting components which are independent of each other and directly disposed on the flexible substrate, and the light emitting components are electrically connected to the conductive pattern layer.
[0026] In one embodiment, one or more of the light emitting components are driven by at least one transistor.
[0027] In summary, when the electronic device of the present invention is bent or rolled, the transistor can maintain its function because stress is not accumulated at the edge of the gate-controlled channel of the channel portion of the transistor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] Figure 1(A) to Figure 1(E) Schematic diagram of different configurations of the protection part in the embodiment of the present invention;
[0029] Figure 2(A) to Figure 2(D) is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the protection portion in an embodiment of the present invention having a support plate;
[0030] Figure 3 is an exploded view of the present invention, showing the relationship between the gate electrode and the channel portion of the transistor and the corresponding protection portion;
[0031] 4(A) and 4(B) are schematic diagrams of different protection parts in different states according to an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0032] Figure 5(A) to Figure 5(C) A schematic diagram showing stress accumulation of the electronic device of the present invention when it is bent or rolled. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0033] The electronic devices according to various embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the relevant drawings, wherein the same components will be described with the same reference numerals; the ratios between components in the drawings are for understanding the structure, but not for limitation.
[0034] Figure 1(A) to Figure 1(C)1 is an exploded view of three different embodiments of the present invention. The electronic device of the present invention includes a flexible substrate 1, a conductive pattern layer 2 formed on the flexible substrate 1, at least one transistor 3 arranged on the flexible substrate 1, and at least one protective portion 4 arranged below the transistor 3. For example, the protective portion 4 can be arranged between the transistor 3 and the flexible substrate 1 (as shown in FIG. 1 (A)), or the protective portion 4 can be arranged below the flexible substrate 1 (as shown in FIG. 1 (B)). In addition, the protective portion 4 can be arranged on the upper surface of the flexible substrate 1 (as shown in FIG. 1 (A)), or the protective portion 4 can be arranged on the lower surface of the flexible substrate 1 (as shown in FIG. 1 (B)). In addition, as shown in FIG. 1 (C), the protective portion 4 can be integrated into the flexible substrate 1. In addition, the Young's modulus of the flexible substrate 1 is less than the Young's modulus of at least one protective portion 4. In this embodiment, the material of the flexible substrate 1 is not limited.
[0035] The guard portion 4 may be made of a conductive material, an insulating material or a dielectric material. However, in other embodiments, the guard portion 4 may be insulated from the transistor 3 by an insulating design or a fixed potential (e.g., grounding, capacitive coupling, high impedance components, etc.). It should be noted that the guard portion 4 may be an insulating material, a dielectric material or a metal material, and may also be electrically connected to or insulated from the conductive pattern layer 2.
[0036] In addition, the shape, structure or outermost contour of the protection part 4 is not limited. For example, the outermost contour of the protection part 4 can be square, polygonal, circular or elliptical, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
[0037] In this embodiment, the transistor 3 is electrically connected to the conductive pattern layer 2. The transistor 3 includes an active layer, a source electrode 32, a drain electrode 33, a gate electrode 34, and an insulating layer 35 disposed between the active layer and the gate electrode 34. The active layer defines a channel portion 31, and the source electrode 32 and the drain electrode 33 are electrically connected to the active layer, especially the channel portion 31 of the active layer. In addition, the channel portion 31 also defines a gate-controlled channel 311, and at least part of the channel portion 31 overlaps with the gate electrode 34 in a projection direction D3 perpendicular to the flexible substrate 1.
[0038] The channel portion 31 further defines a first direction D1 and a second direction D2 along the surface of the flexible substrate 1, wherein the first direction D1 is parallel to the direction of the current flowing between the source electrode 32 and the drain electrode 33. In other words, the first direction D1 is a direction extending between the source electrode 32 and the drain electrode 33, and the second direction D2 is perpendicular to the first direction D1. The gate-controlled channel 311 of the channel portion 31 further defines a plurality of edges E at its periphery, in the same direction as the first direction.
[0039] It should be noted that the guard portion 4 overlaps at least one edge E of the gate-controlled channel 311 in the projection direction D3 perpendicular to the flexible substrate 1. The guard portion 4 may be a non-porous structure, a porous structure, a honeycomb structure, a mesh structure or a grid structure, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In some cases, the gate-controlled channel 311 of the channel portion 31 may be completely overlapped by the projection of the guard portion 4 in the projection direction D3 perpendicular to the flexible substrate 1.
[0040] As shown in FIG. 1(D) , the transistor 3 and the protection portion 4 are arranged in a one-to-one manner, and an edge E of the gate-controlled channel 311 of the transistor 3 or even the entire gate-controlled channel 311 overlaps with the corresponding protection portion 4 in a projection direction D3 perpendicular to the flexible substrate 1 .
[0041] In another embodiment, the transistors 3 and the guard 4 are arranged in a many-to-one manner, for example, in a three-to-one manner (as shown in FIG. 1(E)), and the gate-controlled channels 311 of the three transistors 3 overlap with one guard 4 in a projection direction D3 perpendicular to the flexible substrate 1, that is, the edges E of the gate-controlled channels 311 of the three transistors 3 overlap with the guard 4 in a projection direction D3 perpendicular to the flexible substrate 1.
[0042] As shown in FIG2(A), the electronic device of the present invention further includes a support plate 5 stacked below the flexible substrate 1, and the protection portion 4 can be disposed between the flexible substrate 1 and the support plate 5 (as shown in FIG2(B)), or disposed below the support plate 5 (as shown in FIG2(C)). In this embodiment, the material of the support plate 5 is not limited, for example, it can be made of an elastic material or include an elastic material.
[0043] As shown in FIG2(B), the protection part 4 may be disposed in or on the upper surface of the support plate 5, or in or on the lower surface of the flexible substrate 1. As shown in FIG2(C), the protection part 4 may be disposed in or on the lower surface of the support plate 5. In addition, as shown in FIG2(D), the protection part 4 may also be a part of the support plate 5.
[0044] The transistor 3 of the present invention may be a thin film transistor. In addition, the structure and configuration of the transistor 3 are not limited. Figure 1(A) to Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the transistor 3 is an upper gate transistor, and the current direction thereof is from the source electrode 32 to the drain electrode 33. In some embodiments, the transistor 3 may also be a lower gate transistor, a double gate transistor, etc. In some embodiments, the transistor 3 may also be a triple gate transistor, etc. In these embodiments, the gate-controlled channel 311 of the channel portion 31 overlaps with the corresponding guard portion 4 in the projection direction D3 perpendicular to the flexible substrate 1.
[0045] like Figure 3As shown, the gate-controlled channel 311 of the channel portion 31 is defined as a width W and a length L, and the corresponding region 341 of the gate electrode 34 can be defined as a vertical projection of the gate-controlled channel 311 in the projection direction D3, the width W' of the corresponding region 341 is equal to the width W of the gate-controlled channel 311, and the length L' of the corresponding region 341 is equal to the length L of the gate-controlled channel 311. Figure 3 As shown, the guard portion 4 and the gate-controlled channel 311 have a similar profile to the corresponding region 341 of the gate electrode 34, wherein the width W" of the guard portion 4 is not less than the width W of the gate-controlled channel 311 and the width W' of the corresponding region 341, and the length L" of the guard portion 4 is not less than the length L of the gate-controlled channel 311 and the length L' of the corresponding region 341. This design indicates that the length L" of the guard portion 4 is greater than or equal to the length L of the gate-controlled channel 311 or the length L' of the corresponding region 341, and the width W" of the guard portion 4 is greater than or equal to the width W of the gate-controlled channel 311 or the width W' of the corresponding region 341.
[0046] In the embodiments shown in FIG. 4(A) and FIG. 4(B), two edges E of the gate-controlled channel 311 overlap with two protection portions 4 in a projection direction D3 perpendicular to the flexible substrate 1 .
[0047] It should be noted that if the protective portion is not configured, the transistor on the flexible substrate will be damaged or malfunction after the flexible substrate is bent or curled, because when the flexible substrate is bent or curled, stress will accumulate at the edge E of the gate-controlled channel of the transistor, and the accumulated stress will cause damage to the transistor, and finally current leakage will occur at the edge E of the gate-controlled channel of the damaged transistor, thereby causing the transistor to malfunction.
[0048] However, as shown in FIG. 5(A) and FIG. 5(B), when the flexible substrate of the present invention is bent or curled along the axis X parallel to the first direction D1, stress will be accumulated at the edge E' of the guard portion 4 (as shown in FIG. 5(C)), but will not be accumulated at the edge E of the gate-controlled channel 311. Therefore, the function of the gate-controlled channel 311 of the transistor 3 will not be affected by the stress accumulated at the edge E' of the guard portion 4.
[0049] In addition, even when the outermost contour of the protective portion 4 is the same as the outermost contour of the corresponding gate-controlled channel 311 in the projection direction D3, the stress caused by the bending or curling of the flexible substrate 1 will still accumulate at the edge E' of the protective portion 4, so the corresponding gate-controlled channel 311 of the transistor 3 will still be protected by the protective portion.
[0050] In one embodiment, the electronic device further includes one or more light emitting components, which are independent of each other and directly disposed on the flexible substrate, the light emitting components are electrically connected to the conductive pattern layer disposed on the flexible substrate, and each light emitting component is driven by a corresponding transistor.
[0051] In summary, the electronic device of the present invention includes at least one guard portion, corresponding to at least one transistor disposed on the flexible substrate, for dispersing the stress generated by bending or curling of the electronic device of the present invention, and the generated stress will diffuse from the edge of the channel portion of the transistor to the edge of the guard portion. Therefore, when the electronic device of the present invention is bent or curled, the transistor can still maintain its normal function.
[0052] The above description is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting. Any equivalent modifications or changes made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention shall be included in the scope of the appended patent applications.
Claims
1. An electronic device, comprising: Flexible substrates; A conductive pattern layer is formed on the flexible substrate; at least one transistor formed on the flexible substrate and electrically connected to the conductive pattern layer; wherein the at least one transistor comprises an active layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode electrically connected to the active layer, respectively, at least a gate electrode, and an insulating layer disposed between the active layer and the gate electrode, wherein the active layer defines a channel portion, and the channel portion defines a gate-controlled channel, the gate-controlled channel overlaps with the gate electrode in a projection direction perpendicular to the flexible substrate, the channel portion defines a first direction parallel to a direction of current flowing between the drain electrode and the source electrode, wherein the gate-controlled channel defines a plurality of edges in the same direction as the first direction; and At least one protection portion is disposed below the at least one transistor, wherein the at least one protection portion overlaps with at least one edge of the gate-controlled channel in the projection direction perpendicular to the flexible substrate; Wherein, the Young's modulus of the flexible substrate is smaller than the Young's modulus of the protective portion. 2 . The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one protection portion is electrically insulated from the conductive pattern layer. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one protection portion is electrically insulated from the corresponding at least one transistor. 4 . The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one protection portion is disposed above the flexible substrate, below the flexible substrate, or integrated into the flexible substrate. 5 . The electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising a support plate stacked below the flexible substrate, wherein a Young's modulus of the support plate is smaller than a Young's modulus of the at least protective portion. 6 . The electronic device according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one protection portion is disposed above the flexible substrate or the support plate or is integrated into the support plate. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one transistor comprises a thin film transistor. 8 . The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one protection portion is a porous structure, a honeycomb structure, a mesh structure or a grid structure. 9 . The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one protection portion completely overlaps the gate-controlled channel of the channel portion in the projection direction perpendicular to the flexible substrate. 10 . The electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of the transistors and a plurality of the guarding portions, wherein at least one of the guarding portions overlaps the gate-controlled channels of at least two of the transistors in the projection direction perpendicular to the flexible substrate.