Display panel, display and manufacturing method of display panel
By creating through-holes in the flexible substrate to allow the elastic layer to directly contact the substrate, eliminating the high-modulus adhesive layer, and using adhesive materials and a support film, the problem of line breakage during the stretching process of the display panel is solved, improving stretchability and stability.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202410718208.0
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-06-04
- Publication Date
- 2025-12-09
AI Technical Summary
Existing stretchable display panels are prone to wire breakage during use due to poor deformation recovery of the elastic film adhesive, affecting overall stretchability.
Through holes are formed on the flexible substrate layer so that the first elastic layer and the second elastic layer can contact each other through the through holes, eliminating the need for an additional high-modulus adhesive layer. The first and second elastic layers are formed using an adhesive material, and a support film and an adhesive layer can be selected for support and connection.
It improves the overall stretchability of the display panel, reduces the risk of wire breakage during the stretching process, simplifies the manufacturing process, and expands the stretchability range.
Smart Images

Figure CN121099702A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of display technology, specifically to a display panel, a monitor, and a method for manufacturing the display panel. Background Technology
[0002] Flexible electronics retain the functionality of circuits and electronic components even when bent, expanding the concept of electronic devices to new application scenarios. A key application example is their conformal placement on non-planar human skin or tissue to provide comfortable body monitoring. However, human skin or tissue is not only flexible but also stretchable. Therefore, improving the stretchability of electronic devices to enhance their fit with human skin, thereby improving mobility, user convenience, and real-time interactivity, has become an important research direction.
[0003] Currently, stretchable display panels are primarily achieved by incorporating a stretchable elastic layer. This elastic layer possesses excellent tensile resilience, low modulus, good stability, and biocompatibility. However, current manufacturing processes mainly employ the direct lamination of pre-fabricated elastic film layers. Since the pre-fabricated elastic film layer lacks adhesive properties, it cannot be tightly bonded when the upper and lower stretchable elastic film layers are assembled. Therefore, an adhesive layer is required to connect the upper and lower stretchable elastic film layers. However, because the adhesive's resilience after deformation is inferior to that of the elastic film layer, the display panel is prone to wire breakage when stretched during use, thus affecting the overall stretchability of the display panel. Summary of the Invention
[0004] This application provides a display panel, a monitor, and a method for manufacturing the display panel, which can solve the problem that existing display panels are prone to wire breakage when stretched during use.
[0005] This application embodiment provides a display panel, including a first region and a second region, the display panel comprising:
[0006] A flexible substrate layer, wherein through-holes are formed on the flexible substrate layer at positions corresponding to the first region;
[0007] A thin-film transistor is disposed on one side of the flexible substrate layer, the thin-film transistor being located in the second region;
[0008] A light-emitting device is disposed on the side of the thin-film transistor away from the flexible substrate layer, the light-emitting device is located in the second region, and the light-emitting device is electrically connected to the thin-film transistor;
[0009] A first elastic layer is disposed on the side of the flexible substrate layer opposite to the thin-film transistor;
[0010] A second elastic layer is disposed on the side of the light-emitting device away from the flexible substrate layer, and the second elastic layer contacts the first elastic layer through the through hole.
[0011] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the via is located in the first region, and the flexible substrate layer is disposed across the entire surface at the position corresponding to the second region.
[0012] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the material of the first elastic layer includes an adhesive material; the material of the second elastic layer includes an adhesive material.
[0013] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the display panel further includes a support film disposed on the side of the first elastic layer opposite to the flexible substrate layer, and the support film is connected to the first elastic layer.
[0014] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the thickness of the support film is greater than or equal to 20 micrometers and less than or equal to 30 micrometers.
[0015] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the display panel further includes an adhesive layer located between the first elastic layer and the support film, wherein the support film is connected to the first elastic layer through the adhesive layer.
[0016] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the thickness of the adhesive layer is less than or equal to 10 micrometers.
[0017] This application also provides a display, which includes the display panel described in any of the above embodiments.
[0018] This application embodiment also provides a method for manufacturing a display panel, the display panel including a first region and a second region, the method including:
[0019] A flexible substrate, a thin-film transistor, a light-emitting device, and a protective layer are formed on a substrate; a through-hole is formed on the flexible substrate at a position corresponding to the first region; the light-emitting device and the thin-film transistor are located in the second region; and the light-emitting device is electrically connected to the thin-film transistor.
[0020] Peel off the substrate;
[0021] A first adhesive layer is formed on the side of the flexible substrate layer opposite to the protective layer, and the first adhesive layer is cured to form a first elastic layer.
[0022] Peel off the protective layer;
[0023] A second adhesive layer is formed on the side of the light-emitting device away from the flexible substrate layer. The second adhesive layer contacts the first elastic layer through the through-hole and forms a second elastic layer after curing.
[0024] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the step of peeling off the protective layer further includes:
[0025] A support layer is formed on the side of the first elastic layer away from the flexible substrate layer; the support layer includes a support film and a release film arranged sequentially in a direction away from the first elastic layer.
[0026] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, before forming the support layer on the side of the first elastic layer opposite to the flexible substrate layer, the method further includes:
[0027] An adhesive layer is formed on the side of the first elastic layer that is away from the flexible substrate layer.
[0028] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the method further includes:
[0029] The support layer is heated to soften the support film in the support layer;
[0030] Peel off the release film.
[0031] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the peel force between the support film and the release film is greater than or equal to 0.4 N / 25 mm and less than or equal to 0.6 N / 25 mm.
[0032] In this embodiment, the display panel includes a first region and a second region. The display panel includes a first elastic layer, a flexible substrate layer, a thin-film transistor (TFT), a light-emitting device (LED), and a second elastic layer, sequentially disposed. A through-hole is formed on the flexible substrate layer corresponding to the first region. The TFT and LED are located in the second region, and the LED is electrically connected to the TFT. The second elastic layer contacts the first elastic layer through the through-hole. This application encapsulates and protects the TFT and LED in the display panel by providing the first and second elastic layers. The through-hole on the flexible substrate layer corresponding to the first region allows the first and second elastic layers to contact each other, achieving connection between them without requiring additional high-modulus adhesive layers between them. This helps improve the overall stretchability of the display panel and reduces the risk of wire breakage during stretching. Attached Figure Description
[0033] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a planar structure showing the distribution of thin-film transistors on a flexible substrate in a display panel, as provided in an embodiment of this application.
[0035] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a display panel provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0036] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of another display panel provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0037] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of another display panel provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0038] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0039] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of this application;
[0040] Figure 7 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of this application.
[0041] Figure 8 This is a schematic flowchart of another method for manufacturing a display panel provided in this application embodiment;
[0042] Figure 9 This is a comparative schematic diagram of the encapsulation effect of the high-segment display panel in Comparative Example 2 and Example 3;
[0043] Figure 10 This is a comparative schematic diagram showing the breakage of the display panel in the example and the embodiment under the same stretching conditions.
[0044] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:
[0045] 10. Monitor;
[0046] 100, Display panel; S1, First region; S2, Second region; 110, Substrate; 120, Flexible substrate layer; 121, Through-hole; 130, Thin film transistor; 131, Metal trace; 140, Light-emitting device; 150, First elastic layer; 160, Second elastic layer; 170, Support layer; 171, Support film; 172, Release film; 180, Adhesive layer; 190, Protective layer;
[0047] 200, control circuit;
[0048] 300, casing. Detailed Implementation
[0049] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application. In addition, it should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for illustration and explanation of this application and are not intended to limit this application. In this application, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "upper" and "lower" generally refer to the upper and lower positions of the device in actual use or operation, specifically the drawing directions in the accompanying drawings; while "inner" and "outer" refer to the outline of the device.
[0050] This application provides a display panel, a display, and a method for manufacturing the display panel, which will be described in detail below. It should be noted that the order of description of the following embodiments is not intended to limit the preferred order of the embodiments.
[0051] First, this application provides a display panel, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the display panel 100 includes a first region S1 and a second region S2. The display panel 100 includes a flexible substrate layer 120, thin-film transistors (TFTs) 130, and light-emitting devices 140. TFTs 130 are disposed on one side of the flexible substrate layer 120, and light-emitting devices 140 are disposed on the side of TFTs 130 away from the flexible substrate layer 120. The light-emitting devices 140 and TFTs 130 are located in the second region S2 and are electrically connected. The flexible substrate layer 120 serves as the base film layer of the display panel 100, supporting the TFTs 130 and light-emitting devices 140 disposed thereon. By selecting the flexible substrate layer 120, the display panel 100 can possess a certain degree of stretchability and bendability to meet the application requirements of the display panel 100 in the field of flexible displays.
[0052] It should be noted that the design principle of the stretchable display panel 100 is largely based on the rigid island theory. A patterned substrate is formed by etching the flexible substrate layer 120, thereby dividing the pixel area of the display panel 100 into a second region S2 and a first region S1. The second region S2 has relatively weak deformation capability, while the first region S1 can be stretched. Since the thin-film transistor 130 and the light-emitting device 140 are rigid structures, they are correspondingly positioned on the flexible substrate layer 120 at the locations corresponding to the second region S2 for protection, while the portion located in the first region S1 is mainly responsible for the stretchable function. A through-hole 121 is provided on the flexible substrate layer 120 at the location corresponding to the first region S1 to improve the stretchability of the flexible substrate layer 120.
[0053] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of thin-film transistors distributed on a flexible substrate in a display panel. The dashed lines in the diagram correspond to... Figures 2 to 4 The sectional view location in the middle section view. For example... Figure 1 As shown, in addition to the thin-film transistor 130 and the light-emitting device 140 disposed at the position corresponding to the second region S2 on the flexible substrate 120, a metal trace 131 is also disposed between two adjacent thin-film transistors 130. Figures 2 to 4 (Not shown in the diagram) to achieve electrical connection design between multiple thin-film transistors 130. The area where the metal traces 131 are located also has a certain degree of deformability relative to the area where the thin-film transistors 130 are located, to further realize the application of the display panel 100 in the field of flexible displays.
[0054] It should be noted that vias may or may not be formed at the position corresponding to the second region S2 on the flexible substrate 120, as long as the thin film transistor 130 and the metal trace 131 are stably positioned on the flexible substrate 120. No special restrictions are imposed here.
[0055] The display panel 100 includes a first elastic layer 150 and a second elastic layer 160. The first elastic layer 150 is disposed on the side of the flexible substrate 120 away from the thin-film transistor 130, and the second elastic layer 160 is disposed on the side of the light-emitting device 140 away from the flexible substrate 120. The second elastic layer 160 contacts the first elastic layer 150 through a through-hole 121 on the flexible substrate 120. That is, the second elastic layer 160 directly connects to the first elastic layer 150 through the through-hole 121 on the flexible substrate 120, so as to form a full enclosure of the thin-film transistor 130 and the light-emitting device 140 on the flexible substrate 120, thereby realizing the encapsulation protection of the thin-film transistor 130 and the light-emitting device 140.
[0056] The first elastic layer 150 and the second elastic layer 160 are made of adhesive materials, such as silicone resin, high-elastic polyurethane, or polyether resin. Since silicone resin has a relatively low modulus, the material of the first elastic layer 150 and the second elastic layer 160 in this embodiment can preferably be silicone resin. In addition, the first elastic layer 150 and the second elastic layer 160 can be made of the same material or different material types, as long as the first elastic layer 150 and the second elastic layer 160 have good stretchability and strong adhesion between them. No special restrictions are imposed here.
[0057] It should be noted that since the first elastic layer 150 and the second elastic layer 160 are made of adhesive material, both of which have good stretchability, and they are in direct contact with each other, there is no need to set other adhesive layers with relatively high modulus for bonding, so as to avoid affecting the stretchability of the first elastic layer 150 and the second elastic layer 160. This helps to improve the overall stretchability of the display panel 100 and reduce the risk of line breakage during the stretching process of the display panel 100.
[0058] In this embodiment, the display panel 100 includes a first elastic layer 150, a flexible substrate layer 120, a thin film transistor 130, a light-emitting device 140, and a second elastic layer 160 arranged sequentially. A through hole 121 is provided on the flexible substrate layer 120 at a position corresponding to the first region S1. The light-emitting device 140 and the thin film transistor 130 are located in the second region S2 and are electrically connected. The second elastic layer 160 contacts the first elastic layer 150 through the through hole 121. This application encapsulates and protects the thin-film transistors 130 and light-emitting devices 140 in the display panel 100 by setting a first elastic layer 150 and a second elastic layer 160, and opens a through hole 121 on the flexible substrate layer 120 at the position corresponding to the first region S1, so that the first elastic layer 150 and the second elastic layer 160 can contact each other through the through hole 121, thereby realizing the connection between the first elastic layer 150 and the second elastic layer 160 without the need to set other adhesive layers with relatively high modulus between the first elastic layer 150 and the second elastic layer 160 for bonding. This helps to improve the overall stretchability of the display panel 100 and reduce the risk of wire breakage during the stretching process of the display panel 100.
[0059] In some embodiments, the via 121 is located in the first region S1, and the flexible substrate 120 is provided on the entire surface at the position corresponding to the second region S2. That is, the via 121 is only located in the first region S1, and no via is opened in the second region S2. In other words, the flexible substrate 120 corresponding to the region where the thin film transistor 130 and the metal trace 131 are located is provided on the entire surface, which helps to protect the thin film transistor 130 and the metal trace 131 and improve the stability of the display panel 100 in the process of stretchable application.
[0060] Optional, such as Figure 3 As shown, the display panel 100 also includes a support film 171, which is disposed on the side of the first elastic layer 150 facing away from the flexible substrate layer 120. The support film 171 is connected to the first elastic layer 150. That is, the support film 171 and the first elastic layer 150 together serve as an elastic structure below the flexible substrate layer 120. While ensuring that the elastic structure has sufficient stretchability, the support film 171 can also provide a certain degree of support for the first elastic layer 150 to prevent the first elastic layer 150 from undergoing large deformation during the manufacturing process of the display panel 100, which could affect the manufacturing of other film layers or directly cause broken lines within the display panel 100.
[0061] It should be noted that, since the support film 171 and the first elastic layer 150 together serve as the elastic structure below the flexible substrate layer 120, in order to avoid the support film 171 having a significant impact on the stretchability of the first elastic layer 150, the thickness of the support film 171 can be adjusted so that the thickness of the support film 171 is thinner than the thickness of the first elastic layer 150, thereby reducing its impact on the overall stretchability of the display panel 100.
[0062] Specifically, when designing the support membrane 171, its thickness can be set to be greater than or equal to 20 micrometers and less than or equal to 30 micrometers. If the thickness of the support membrane 171 is too large, it will affect the stretchability of the first elastic layer 150; if the thickness of the support membrane 171 is too small, it will fail to provide support for the first elastic layer 150. In actual manufacturing, the thickness of the support membrane 171 can be set to 20 micrometers, 25 micrometers, or 30 micrometers, etc. The specific value of its thickness can be selected and adjusted according to actual design requirements, and no special restrictions are imposed here.
[0063] The material of the support film 171 can be silicone transfer tape, acrylic anti-tack adhesive, or silicone pressure-sensitive adhesive, etc. In this embodiment, silicone transfer tape is preferred. The specific material type can be selected and adjusted according to actual needs, and no special restrictions are imposed here.
[0064] Optional, such as Figure 4As shown, the display panel 100 also includes an adhesive layer 180, which is located between the first elastic layer 150 and the support film 171. The support film 171 is connected to the first elastic layer 150 through the adhesive layer 180. That is, the support film 171, the adhesive layer 180, and the first elastic layer 150 together form an elastic structure beneath the flexible substrate layer 120. While ensuring sufficient stretchability of this elastic structure, the adhesive layer 180 can strengthen the bond strength between the support film 171 and the first elastic layer 150, thereby improving the connection stability between the support film 171 and the first elastic layer 150, and further improving the supporting role of the support film 171 on the first elastic layer 150.
[0065] It should be noted that, since the adhesive layer 180 also serves as an elastic structure beneath the flexible substrate layer 120, to avoid significantly impacting the stretchability of the first elastic layer 150, the thickness of the adhesive layer 180 can be adjusted to be thinner than that of the first elastic layer 150, thereby reducing its impact on the overall stretchability of the display panel 100. The adhesive layer 180 can be made of high-elastic polyurethane.
[0066] Specifically, when designing the adhesive layer 180, its thickness can be set to less than or equal to 10 micrometers. If the thickness of the adhesive layer 180 is too large, and its modulus is relatively large compared to the first elastic layer 150, the resilience of the adhesive layer 180 after tensile deformation will be worse than that of the first elastic layer 150, thereby increasing the risk of line breakage within the display panel 100. In actual manufacturing, the thickness of the adhesive layer 180 can be set to 5 micrometers, 8 micrometers, or 10 micrometers, etc. The specific value of its thickness can be selected and adjusted according to actual design requirements, and no special restrictions are imposed here.
[0067] Secondly, this application embodiment also provides a display, which includes a display panel. The specific structure of the display panel is as described in the above embodiments. Since this display adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.
[0068] like Figure 5 As shown, the display 10 includes a display panel 100, a control circuit 200, and a housing 300. The housing 300 is connected to the display panel 100 to support and fix the display panel 100. The control circuit 200 is disposed inside the housing 300 and is electrically connected to the display panel 100 to control the display panel 100 to display images.
[0069] Among them, the display panel 100 can be fixed to the housing 300 to form an integral whole with the housing 300. The display panel 100 and the housing 300 form a sealed space for accommodating the control circuit 200. The control circuit 200 can be the main board of the display 10. At the same time, one or more functional components such as a battery, an antenna structure, a microphone, a speaker, a headphone jack, a universal serial bus interface, a camera, a distance sensor, an ambient light sensor, and a processor can also be integrated on the control circuit 200, so that the display 10 can be adapted to various application fields.
[0070] Specifically, the display panel 100 includes a first elastic layer 150, a flexible substrate layer 120, thin film transistors 130, light emitting devices 140, and a second elastic layer 160 arranged in sequence. A through hole 121 is formed in the flexible substrate layer 120 at a position corresponding to the first region S1. The light emitting devices 140 and the thin film transistors 130 are located in the second region S2 and are electrically connected. The second elastic layer 160 contacts the first elastic layer 150 through the through hole 121. In this application, the first elastic layer 150 and the second elastic layer 160 are provided to encapsulate and protect the thin film transistors 130 and the light emitting devices 140 in the display panel 100, and a through hole 121 is formed in the flexible substrate layer 120 at a position corresponding to the first region S1, so that the first elastic layer 150 and the second elastic layer 160 contact through the through hole 121 to实现 the connection between the first elastic layer 150 and the second elastic layer 160, without the need to additionally provide other adhesive layers with relatively high modulus between the first elastic layer 150 and the second elastic layer 160 for bonding, thereby helping to improve the overall stretchability of the display panel 100 and reducing the risk of wire breakage during the stretching process of the display panel 100.
[0071] Finally, the embodiment of the present application also provides a method for manufacturing a display panel, as Figure 6 and Figure 7 shown, the method for manufacturing a display panel mainly includes steps S100-S500, which will be described in detail below.
[0072] S100. Form a flexible substrate layer 120, thin film transistors 130, light emitting devices 140, and a protective layer 190 based on a substrate 110; a through hole 121 is formed in the flexible substrate layer 120 at a position corresponding to the first region S1. The light emitting devices 140 and the thin film transistors 130 are located in the second region S2, and the light emitting devices 140 are electrically connected to the thin film transistors 130.
[0073] When manufacturing the display panel 100, first, a substrate 110 needs to be provided. The substrate 110 is a rigid substrate, such as a glass substrate or a transparent resin substrate. The substrate 110 mainly plays a supporting role when manufacturing the functional film layers in the display panel 100 to ensure the stability during the manufacturing process.
[0074] Refer Figure 7 As shown in (b), after preparing the substrate 110, a flexible substrate layer 120 is first formed on the substrate 110, and the flexible substrate layer 120 is patterned to divide the display panel 100 into a second region S2 and a first region S1. The second region S2 cannot be deformed, while the first region S1 can be stretched. For example, the flexible substrate layer 120 can be formed on the substrate 110 by processes such as coating, deposition, and thin film thermal transfer. A hollow structure can be formed on the flexible substrate layer 120 corresponding to the position of the first region S1. For example, a through-hole 121 can be formed on the flexible substrate layer 120 corresponding to the position of the first region S1. The through-hole 121 can further improve the stretchability of the flexible substrate layer 120.
[0075] Next, a thin-film transistor 130 and a light-emitting device 140 are formed on the flexible substrate 120. The thin-film transistor 130 and the light-emitting device 140 are located in the second region S2, and the light-emitting device 140 is electrically connected to the thin-film transistor 130. Since the thin-film transistor 130 and the light-emitting device 140 are rigid structures, they are correspondingly disposed in the second region S2 for protection, while the portion located in the first region S1 is responsible for the stretchable function.
[0076] The formation of the light-emitting device 140 on the thin-film transistor 130 involves the fabrication process of the light-emitting device 140. Different types of light-emitting devices 140 are used for different display panels 100, including mini-LED, micro-LED, OLED, and QLED, and different light-emitting devices 140 involve different fabrication methods. For example, mini-LEDs can be electrically connected to the thin-film transistor 130 after fabrication through a bonding process. For instance, solder paste can generally be used as an adhesive bonding agent to achieve the electrical connection between the light-emitting device 140 and the corresponding thin-film transistor 130. Micro-LEDs can be transferred to the display panel 100 using mass transfer technology and electrically connected to the corresponding thin-film transistor 130. For instance, stamp transfer, electrostatic gripping transfer, and laser transfer technologies can be used. OLEDs can be formed by directly depositing OLED layers onto the thin-film transistor 130. QLEDs can be formed using inkjet printing and photolithography processes.
[0077] After the thin-film transistor 130 and the light-emitting device 140 are fabricated, a protective layer 190 is provided on the side of the light-emitting device 140 away from the flexible substrate 120 to cover and protect the thin-film transistor 130 and the light-emitting device 140. The material of the protective layer 190 includes PET, PE, PU, PI and silicone, etc., and the adhesion between the protective layer 190 and the surface of the flexible substrate 120 is <2.5gf / 25mm, so as to facilitate the removal of the protective layer 190 in subsequent fabrication processes.
[0078] S200. Peel off the substrate 110.
[0079] Refer to Figure 7 As shown in (c), after the setting of the protective layer 190 is completed, the substrate 110 can be removed by using the LLO process technology. For example, the interface between the substrate 110 and the flexible substrate layer 120 can be processed by laser, and the flexible substrate layer 120 at the interface is vaporized into a carbon-based substance by laser energy, so that the substrate 110 and the flexible substrate layer 120 are peeled off.
[0080] S300. Form a first glue layer on the side of the flexible substrate layer 120 facing away from the protective layer 190, and form a first elastic layer 150 after the first glue layer is cured.
[0081] Refer to Figure 7 As shown in (d), after the substrate 110 is peeled off, a first glue layer can be formed on the side of the flexible substrate layer 120 facing away from the protective layer 190 by coating methods such as spraying glue or slit coating. After the first glue layer is cured, the first elastic layer 150 can be formed. Among them, the material types selected for the first glue layer include silicone resin, high-elastic polyurethane, or polyether resin, etc. Since the modulus of silicone resin is relatively low, silicone resin is preferably used in the embodiments of the present application.
[0082] S400. Peel off the protective layer 190.
[0083] S500. Form a second glue layer on the side of the light-emitting device 140 facing away from the flexible substrate layer 120. The second glue layer contacts the first elastic layer 150 through the through hole 121 and forms a second elastic layer 160 after curing.
[0084] Refer to Figure 7 (f) and Figure 7 As shown in (g), after the production of the first elastic layer 150 is completed, the protective layer 190 above the flexible substrate layer 120 is peeled off to expose the upper part of the flexible substrate layer 120, and then a second glue layer is formed on the side of the light-emitting device 140 facing away from the flexible substrate layer 120 by coating methods such as spraying glue or slit coating. After the second glue layer is cured, the second elastic layer 160 can be formed. Since the second elastic layer 160 is also formed by curing glue, when the second glue layer is formed, the second glue layer can contact the first elastic layer 150 through the through hole 121 and form the second elastic layer 160 after curing, thereby improving the connection effect between the second elastic layer 160 and the first elastic layer 150.
[0085] Among them, the material types selected for the second glue layer include silicone resin, high-elastic polyurethane, or polyether resin, etc. Since the modulus of silicone resin is relatively low, silicone resin is preferably used in the embodiments of the present application.
[0086] It should be noted that the first glue layer and the second glue layer can be made of the same material type or different material types, as long as the cured first elastic layer 150 and second elastic layer 160 have good stretchability and strong adhesion between them. There is no special limitation here.
[0087] In the embodiment of the present application, the first elastic layer 150 and the second elastic layer 160 are directly formed on both sides of the flexible substrate layer 120 by means of coating and curing, without prefabricating an elastic film in advance, which helps to simplify the manufacturing process of the display panel 100. At the same time, compared with the traditional film encapsulation process, the glue encapsulation process in the embodiment of the present application can expand the range of available glues. And because the glue is directly cured on the flexible substrate layer 120, there is a certain adhesion to the flexible substrate layer 120, and there is also strong adhesion between the first elastic layer 150 and the second elastic layer 160. Therefore, there is no need to additionally provide an OCA layer, which simplifies the materials and processes while improving the stretch rate of the stretchable display panel 100. In addition, the glue encapsulation process adopted in the embodiment of the present application has a wider application range and is more suitable for the stretchable display panel 100 with a high step difference (>200μm).
[0088] In some embodiments, as Figure 7 shown, before peeling off the protective layer 190 in step S400, it further includes: forming a support layer 170 on the side of the first elastic layer 150 away from the flexible substrate layer 120, and the support layer 170 includes a support film 171 and a release film 172 arranged in sequence along the direction away from the first elastic layer 150.
[0089] Refer Figure 7 (e) shown, after the production of the first elastic layer 150 is completed, a support layer 170 is formed on the side of the first elastic layer 150 away from the flexible substrate layer 120 to support and fix the first elastic layer 150. Among them, the used support layer 170 needs to meet two conditions: First, the support film 171 in the support layer 170 needs to be tightly adhered to the first elastic layer 150 to smoothly remove the protective layer 190 and avoid causing wrinkles or deformation of the first elastic layer 150 during the removal of the protective layer 190. Second, the release film 172 in the support layer 170 can be easily removed subsequently. To meet the above conditions, the thickness of the support film 171 and the peeling force between the support film 171 and the release film 172 can be designed so that the support film 171 has a certain elasticity and a small peeling force with the release film 172.
[0090] Specifically, when designing the support membrane 171, its thickness can be set to be greater than or equal to 20 micrometers and less than or equal to 30 micrometers. If the thickness of the support membrane 171 is too large, it will affect the stretchability of the first elastic layer 150; if the thickness of the support membrane 171 is too small, it will fail to provide support for the first elastic layer 150. In actual manufacturing, the thickness of the support membrane 171 can be set to 20 micrometers, 25 micrometers, or 30 micrometers, etc. The specific value of its thickness can be selected and adjusted according to actual design requirements, and no special restrictions are imposed here.
[0091] The material of the support film 171 can be silicone transfer tape, acrylic anti-tack adhesive, or silicone pressure-sensitive adhesive, etc. In this embodiment, silicone transfer tape is preferred. The specific material type can be selected and adjusted according to actual needs, and no special restrictions are imposed here.
[0092] Correspondingly, the reference Figure 7 As shown in (h), after the second elastic layer 160 is fabricated, at least a portion of the film layer in the support layer 170 needs to be peeled off. Since the release film 172 has a large modulus and the support film 171 is thin and has a certain elasticity, the support film 171 can be used together with the first elastic layer 150 as an elastic structure under the flexible substrate layer 120. That is, when peeling off the support layer 170, only the release film 172 in the support layer 170 can be peeled off or both the support film 171 and the release film 172 can be peeled off at the same time.
[0093] In other embodiments, such as Figure 8 As shown, before forming the support layer 170 on the side of the first elastic layer 150 opposite to the flexible substrate layer 120, the method further includes: forming an adhesive layer 180 on the side of the first elastic layer 150 opposite to the flexible substrate layer 120, specifically as follows: Figure 8 (c) and Figure 8 As shown in (e). Since silicone resin has the lowest modulus, it has the lowest risk of line breakage for the display panel 100, making it the preferred material for fabricating the first elastic layer 150. However, silicone resin is a surface-inert material. To ensure smooth bonding between it and the support layer 170, after the first adhesive layer cures to form the first elastic layer 150, an adhesive layer 180 needs to be formed on the side of the first elastic layer 150 facing away from the flexible substrate layer 120. This covers the inert surface of the first elastic layer 150, transforming it into a connection between the adhesive layer 180 and the support layer 170, thereby making the connection between the two more stable.
[0094] Correspondingly, when an adhesive layer 180 is added between the first elastic layer 150 and the support layer 170, the support layer 170 needs to be heated first during the process of peeling off the release film 172. For example, the heating temperature is set to 80°C and the heating time is set to 10 minutes to soften the support film 171 in the support layer 170. At this time, the support film 171 and the adhesive layer 180 are more tightly bonded and can be easily peeled off from the release film 172, thereby successfully removing the release film 172 in the support layer 170. The support film 171 and the adhesive layer 180 can then be used together with the first elastic layer 150 as an elastic structure under the flexible substrate layer 120.
[0095] Since the adhesive layer 180 also serves as an elastic structure beneath the flexible substrate layer 120, to avoid significantly impacting the stretchability of the first elastic layer 150, the thickness of the adhesive layer 180 can be adjusted to be thinner than that of the first elastic layer 150, thereby reducing its impact on the overall stretchability of the display panel 100. The adhesive layer 180 can be made of highly elastic polyurethane.
[0096] Specifically, when designing the adhesive layer 180, its thickness can be set to less than or equal to 10 micrometers. If the thickness of the adhesive layer 180 is too large, and its modulus is relatively large compared to the first elastic layer 150, the resilience of the adhesive layer 180 after tensile deformation will be worse than that of the first elastic layer 150, thereby increasing the risk of line breakage within the display panel 100. In actual manufacturing, the thickness of the adhesive layer 180 can be set to 5 micrometers, 8 micrometers, or 10 micrometers, etc. The specific value of its thickness can be selected and adjusted according to actual design requirements, and no special restrictions are imposed here.
[0097] It should be noted that when silicone resin is preferred in the fabrication of the first elastic layer 150, and no adhesive layer 180 is provided between the first elastic layer 150 and the support layer 170, the inert surface of the first elastic layer 150 can be treated by modification methods such as plasma to improve surface activity, and then it can be connected to the support layer 170, thereby making the connection between the two more stable.
[0098] In this embodiment, after the fabrication of the first elastic layer 150 and the second elastic layer 160, to ensure the successful peeling of the release film 172 in the support layer 170, the peeling force between the support film 171 and the release film 172 is set to be greater than or equal to 0.4 N / 25 mm and less than or equal to 0.6 N / 25 mm. If the peeling force between the support film 171 and the release film 172 is too large, it will make it difficult to peel off the release film 172, affecting the overall stretchability of the display panel 100. If the peeling force between the support film 171 and the release film 172 is too small, it will cause the support layer 170 to fail to provide stable support and fixation for the first elastic layer 150 during the peeling of the protective layer 190, resulting in wrinkles or deformation of the first elastic layer 150. In the actual manufacturing process, the peel force between the support film 171 and the release film 172 can be set to 0.4N / 25mm, 0.5N / 25mm or 0.6N / 25mm, etc. The specific value can be selected and adjusted according to the actual design requirements, and there are no special restrictions here.
[0099] To further illustrate the improvement in the overall stretchability of the display panel 100 by the manufacturing method used in this application embodiment compared to traditional manufacturing methods, the following will be illustrated with specific embodiments and comparative examples:
[0100] Comparative Example 1:
[0101] Based on the rigid island theory and using traditional photolithography, a patterned backplane (including a substrate 110, a flexible substrate layer 120, a thin-film transistor 130, and a light-emitting device 140) is prepared. Micro-LED chips are used for transfer, employing a stamp transfer technique. A protective layer 190 is attached to the front side of the flexible substrate layer 120. The substrate 110 is removed using an LLO (Limited-Loop) process, exposing the back side of the flexible substrate layer 120. An integrated PDMS and OCA composite film is used as the elastic module material, and this composite film is attached to the back side of the flexible substrate layer 120 using a laminator. The protective layer 190 on the front side of the flexible substrate layer 120 is slowly peeled off. Similarly, an integrated PDMS and OCA composite film is attached to the front side of the flexible substrate layer 120 using a laminator, resulting in a complete stretchable display panel 100.
[0102] Comparative Example 2:
[0103] Compared to Comparative Example 1, this one uses mini-LED chips and employs stencil printing of solder paste for component assembly, while other aspects remain the same as Comparative Example 1.
[0104] Example 1:
[0105] A patterned backplane (including a substrate 110, a flexible substrate layer 120, a thin-film transistor 130, and a light-emitting device 140) is fabricated based on the rigid island theory and using traditional photolithography. Micro-LED chips are used for transfer, employing a stamp transfer technique. A protective layer 190 is attached to the front side of the flexible substrate layer 120. The substrate 110 is removed using an LLO (Limited-Loop Optical Loop) to expose the back side of the flexible substrate layer 120. PDMS silicone resin is used as the elastic module material, and adhesive is applied to the back side of the flexible substrate layer 120 using a slotted die coating method. The substrate is then cured at 80°C for 30 minutes. A first elastic layer 150 is formed, with a thickness of approximately 200 μm. Silicone transfer tape is selected as the support layer 170, and the peel force between the support film 171 and the release film 172 is 0.5 N. A laminating machine is used to tightly bond the support layer 170 to the first elastic layer 150. The protective layer 190 on the front side of the flexible substrate layer 120 is slowly peeled off. Adhesive is applied to the front side of the flexible substrate layer 120 and cured at 80°C for 30 minutes to form a second elastic layer 160, with a thickness of approximately 200 μm. The release film 172 in the support layer 170 is slowly peeled off to obtain a complete stretchable display panel 100.
[0106] Example 2:
[0107] Compared to Example 1, silicone transfer tape is selected as the support layer 170, the peel force between the support film 171 and the release film 172 is 0.4N, and the support layer 170 is tightly bonded to the first elastic layer 150 using a laminating machine; other contents are the same as in Example 1.
[0108] Example 3:
[0109] Compared to Example 1, this method uses mini-LED chips and employs stencil printing of solder paste for component assembly, while other aspects remain the same as in Example 1.
[0110] Example 4:
[0111] Compared to Example 1, PDMS silicone resin is used as the elastic module material. Adhesive is applied to the back of the flexible substrate 120 using a slotted die coating method and cured at 80°C for 30 minutes to form the first elastic layer 150. After curing, TPU (Smooth-on Clear Flex-30) is slot-coated onto the PDMS surface and cured at 90°C for 30 minutes to form the adhesive layer 180, with a thickness controlled to be less than 10 μm. After completing the fabrication of the second elastic layer 160, the support layer 170 is heated at 80°C for 10 minutes, softening the support film 171 in the support layer 170. This results in a tighter bond between the support film 171 and the adhesive layer 180, and easy peeling from the release film 172, thus successfully removing the release film 172 from the support layer 170. All other aspects are the same as in Example 1.
[0112] Example 5:
[0113] Compared to Example 4, PDMS silicone resin is used as the elastic module material. Adhesive is applied to the back of the flexible substrate 120 using a slotted coating method and cured at 80°C for 30 minutes to form the first elastic layer 150. After curing, TPU (Smooth-on Clear Flex-50) is slot-coated onto the PDMS surface and cured at 90°C for 30 minutes to form the adhesive layer 180, with a thickness controlled to be less than 10 μm. All other aspects are the same as in Example 4.
[0114] Example 6:
[0115] Compared to Example 4, this method uses mini-LED chips and employs stencil printing of solder paste for component assembly, while other aspects remain the same as Example 4.
[0116] Regarding the specific examples above, the encapsulation effect of the high-step display panel 100 in Comparative Example 2 and Embodiment 3 is as follows: Figure 9 As shown, Figure 9 (a) is a package image of Comparative Example 2, and (b) is a package image of Example 3. Figure 9 As can be seen, there are a few air bubbles in Comparative Example 2, while there are no air bubbles in Example 3. This indicates that the manufacturing method used in the embodiments of this application is more suitable for display panels 100 with high step differences, and the flatness of the manufactured display panel 100 is higher.
[0117] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram comparing the broken lines of the display panel 100 in the comparative example and the embodiment under the same stretching conditions. (a) shows the broken lines of the display panel 100 in the comparative example, and (b) shows the broken lines of the display panel 100 in the embodiment. Figure 10 It can be seen that the ultimate tensile strength of the display panel 100 in this embodiment (without breaking the traces) is improved. When stretched to 15% elongation, no trace breakage was found in the display panel 100 in this embodiment, while the display panel 100 in the comparative example had severe trace breakage. In addition, experimental verification showed that after repeated cyclic stretching of the display panel 100 in the comparative example and the embodiment at 15% strain for 1000 cycles, the permanent deformation was 0.8% (Example 1), 1% (Example 4), and 2.6% (Comparative Example 1), respectively. It can be seen that the stretchability of the display panel 100 in this embodiment is significantly improved compared to the comparative example.
[0118] The above provides a detailed description of a display panel, a display, and a method for manufacturing the display panel according to embodiments of this application. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this application. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.
Claims
1. A display panel, characterized in that, The display panel includes a first area and a second area, and comprises: A flexible substrate layer, wherein through-holes are formed on the flexible substrate layer at positions corresponding to the first region; A thin-film transistor is disposed on one side of the flexible substrate layer, the thin-film transistor being located in the second region; A light-emitting device is disposed on the side of the thin-film transistor away from the flexible substrate layer, the light-emitting device is located in the second region, and the light-emitting device is electrically connected to the thin-film transistor; A first elastic layer is disposed on the side of the flexible substrate layer opposite to the thin-film transistor; A second elastic layer is disposed on the side of the light-emitting device away from the flexible substrate layer, and the second elastic layer contacts the first elastic layer through the through hole.
2. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The through-hole is located in the first region, and the flexible substrate layer is formed on the entire surface at the position corresponding to the second region.
3. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first elastic layer is made of adhesive material; the second elastic layer is made of adhesive material.
4. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display panel further includes a support film, which is disposed on the side of the first elastic layer away from the flexible substrate layer, and the support film is connected to the first elastic layer.
5. The display panel according to claim 4, characterized in that, The thickness of the support membrane is greater than or equal to 20 micrometers and less than or equal to 30 micrometers.
6. The display panel according to claim 4, characterized in that, The display panel further includes an adhesive layer located between the first elastic layer and the support film, and the support film is connected to the first elastic layer through the adhesive layer.
7. The display panel according to claim 6, characterized in that, The thickness of the adhesive layer is less than or equal to 10 micrometers.
8. A display, characterized in that, The display includes the display panel as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.
9. A method for manufacturing a display panel, characterized in that, The display panel includes a first area and a second area, and the method includes: A flexible substrate, a thin-film transistor, a light-emitting device, and a protective layer are formed on a substrate; a through-hole is formed on the flexible substrate at a position corresponding to the first region; the light-emitting device and the thin-film transistor are located in the second region; and the light-emitting device is electrically connected to the thin-film transistor. Peel off the substrate; A first adhesive layer is formed on the side of the flexible substrate layer opposite to the protective layer, and the first adhesive layer is cured to form a first elastic layer. Peel off the protective layer; A second adhesive layer is formed on the side of the light-emitting device away from the flexible substrate layer. The second adhesive layer contacts the first elastic layer through the through-hole and forms a second elastic layer after curing.
10. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 9, characterized in that, Before peeling off the protective layer, the process also includes: A support layer is formed on the side of the first elastic layer away from the flexible substrate layer; the support layer includes a support film and a release film arranged sequentially in a direction away from the first elastic layer.
11. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 10, characterized in that, Before forming the support layer on the side of the first elastic layer opposite to the flexible substrate layer, the method further includes: An adhesive layer is formed on the side of the first elastic layer that is away from the flexible substrate layer.
12. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 11, characterized in that, The method further includes: The support layer is heated to soften the support film in the support layer; Peel off the release film.
13. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that, The peel force between the support film and the release film is greater than or equal to 0.4 N / 25 mm and less than or equal to 0.6 N / 25 mm.