Display front panel device

Abstract

An exemplary pixel structure may include a pixel structure of a display device panel stack. The structure may include a first panel. The first panel may include a plurality of ultraviolet light sources disposed on a backplane. The structure may further include a second panel. The second panel may be coupled to the first panel. The second panel may have an inner surface facing the ultraviolet light sources. The second panel may include a transparent substrate and a down-conversion layer. The down-conversion layer may be disposed over the transparent substrate. The down-conversion layer may be configured to down-convert ultraviolet light to visible light. The plurality of ultraviolet light sources and the inner surface of the second panel may be separated by a distance of at least 2 μm.

Description

Technical Field

[0005]

[0001] Cross - reference to Related Applications

[0001] This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 112,489, filed on November 11, 2020, entitled "DISPLAY FRONT PANEL DEVICE", the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

[0002]

[0002] This technology relates to display panels. More specifically, this technology relates to pixel structures for display panels and methods of forming pixel structures.

Background Art

[0003]

[0003] Flat panel displays are made possible by pixel structures. Pixel structures generate monochromatic ultraviolet light, which is then down - converted to visible light. Both the generation of ultraviolet light and its down - conversion generate waste heat. Further, as pixel sizes continue to shrink or pixel densities increase, thermal management within the display panel becomes increasingly difficult. During operation, heat from the ultraviolet light source can raise the operating temperature of the down - conversion material, which can be sensitive to excessive heat. As a result, it may have an adverse effect on the efficiency of down - conversion and the lifespan of the device.

[0004]

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for improved display structures and methods that can be used in the manufacture of high - quality pixel structures. These needs and other needs are addressed by this technology.

Summary of the Invention

[0005]

[0005] An exemplary pixel structure may include a pixel structure of a display device panel stack. The structure may include a first panel. The first panel may include a plurality of ultraviolet light sources arranged on a backplane. The structure may further include a second panel. The second panel may be connected to the first panel. The second panel may have an inner surface facing the ultraviolet light sources. The second panel may include a transparent substrate and a down-conversion layer. The down-conversion layer may be arranged to cover the transparent substrate. The down-conversion layer may be configured to down-convert ultraviolet light to visible light.

[0006]

[0006] In some embodiments, the plurality of ultraviolet light sources and the inner surface of the second panel may be separated by a distance of at least 2 μm and less than 20 μm. The downconversion layer may include a plurality of quantum dots arranged in a visibly transparent matrix. The second panel may include a first subpixel configured to downconvert ultraviolet light to visible light in the blue spectral range. The second panel may include a second subpixel configured to downconvert ultraviolet light to visible light in the green spectral range. The second subpanel may further include a third subpixel configured to downconvert ultraviolet light to visible light in the red spectral range. The second panel may include a pixel delimiting structure located within the second panel for separating the first subpixel from the second subpixel and separating the second subpixel from the third subpixel. The pixel delimiting structure may further separate the plurality of ultraviolet light sources. The first light source of the plurality of ultraviolet light sources may be configured to illuminate the first subpixel. A second light source of a plurality of ultraviolet light sources may be configured to illuminate a second subpixel. A third light source of a plurality of ultraviolet light sources may be configured to illuminate a third subpixel. The plurality of ultraviolet light sources may be individually addressable light-emitting diodes or may include light-emitting diodes.

[0007]

[0007] Some embodiments of the present technology may encompass a method for forming a pixel structure for a display device panel stack. The method may include forming a down-conversion panel having a plurality of subpixels. The plurality of subpixels may be configured to down-convert ultraviolet light to a plurality of visible wavelength ranges. The method may further include arranging an optical array panel to cover the down-conversion panel. The optical array panel may include a plurality of individually addressable ultraviolet light sources. The inner surface of the down-conversion panel may be separated from the plurality of ultraviolet light sources by a distance of at least 2 μm.

[0008]

[0008] In some embodiments, the distance may be less than 20 μm. Forming a down-conversion panel may include forming a pixel-defining structure on a transparent substrate, the pixel-defining structure defining a plurality of subpixels. Forming a down-conversion panel may include forming a color filter layer over each subpixel of the plurality of subpixels on the transparent substrate. Forming a down-conversion panel may include forming an ultraviolet-blocking layer over the color filter layer over each subpixel of the plurality of subpixels. Forming a down-conversion panel may include forming a down-conversion layer over the ultraviolet-blocking layer over each subpixel of the plurality of subpixels. The down-conversion layer may be configured to down-convert ultraviolet light to visible light. Forming a down-conversion layer may include depositing a first uncured matrix containing a first plurality of quantum dots into a first subset of the plurality of subpixels. The first plurality of quantum dots may be selected to down-convert ultraviolet light to blue-based visible light. Forming a downconversion layer may include depositing a second uncured matrix containing a second plurality of quantum dots into a second subset of a plurality of subpixels. The second plurality of quantum dots may be selected to downconvert ultraviolet light to green visible light. Forming a downconversion layer may include depositing a third uncured matrix containing a third plurality of quantum dots into a third subset of a plurality of subpixels. The third plurality of quantum dots may be selected to downconvert ultraviolet light to red visible light. Forming a downconversion layer may further include curing the downconversion layer. Forming a downconversion panel may include arranging an encapsulation layer to cover the downconversion layer. The inner surface of the downconversion panel may be formed by the outer surface of the encapsulation layer. Forming a pixel definition layer may include forming a black matrix that defines a plurality of subpixels. The method may include depositing a reflective film to cover the black matrix, the reflective film reflecting visible light.

[0009]

[0009] Some embodiments of the present technology may include a pixel structure. The structure may include a first panel. The first panel may include a plurality of ultraviolet light sources arranged on a backplane. The plurality of ultraviolet light sources may be individually addressable. The structure may further include a second panel connected to the first panel. The second panel may have an inner surface facing the ultraviolet light sources. The second panel may include a transparent substrate. The second panel may include a pixel delimiting structure that defines a plurality of subpixels on the transparent substrate. The second panel may further include a down-conversion layer covering the transparent substrate at each subpixel. The down-conversion layer may include a fluorescent material from a plurality of fluorescent materials configured to down-convert ultraviolet light to visible light. The plurality of ultraviolet light sources and the inner surface of the second panel may be separated by a distance of at least 2 μm and less than 20 μm.

[0010]

[0010] In some embodiments, the transparent substrate may be or may include glass. For a first subset of subpixels, the fluorescent material may be configured to downconvert ultraviolet light to blue visible light. For a second subset of subpixels, the fluorescent material may be configured to downconvert ultraviolet light to green visible light. For a third subset of subpixels, the fluorescent material may be configured to downconvert ultraviolet light to red visible light. The pixel delimiting structure may be or may include a black matrix. The pixel delimiting structure may further include a reflective film placed on the black matrix.

[0011]

[0011] The above technology can offer numerous advantages over conventional systems and techniques. For example, the system can extend the effective life of the pixel display panel. Furthermore, the operation of the embodiments of this technology can achieve at least partially improved display performance by lowering the operating temperature of the down-conversion material. These embodiments and other embodiments, along with their many advantages and features, are described in detail in the following description and accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012]

[0012] The nature and advantages of the disclosed technology can be further understood by referring to the remainder of this specification and the drawings. [Figure 1] A schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary pixel structure of a display device panel stack according to several embodiments of this technology is shown. [Figure 2] This document illustrates an exemplary operation in a method for forming a pixel structure of a display device panel stack according to several embodiments of this technology.

[0013]

[0015] Some drawings are included as schematic diagrams. It should be understood that drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered to scale unless explicitly stated otherwise. Furthermore, as schematic diagrams, they are provided to aid understanding and may not include all aspects or information compared to realistic depictions, and may include exaggerated material for illustrative purposes. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014]

[0016] In the attached drawings, similar components and / or features may have the same reference numeral. Furthermore, various components of the same type may be distinguished according to their reference numerals by letters that distinguish between similar components. Where only a first reference numeral is used in this specification, its description is applicable to any of the similar components having the same first reference numeral, regardless of the letters used.

[0015]

[0017] During operation of display panel devices that operate on the principle of ultraviolet (UV) down-conversion, heat can accumulate within materials that function to absorb UV photons and emit visible photons. Due to the thermal sensitivity of such materials, thermal degradation can occur in the down-conversion layer incorporated into the pixel structure of the display panel device. Furthermore, if UV photons penetrate the down-conversion layer, damage to color filters and other constituent layers may occur. Absorption of UV into the structure can lead to further heating of the down-conversion panel and subsequent thermal degradation.

[0016]

[0018] In conventional technologies, thermal degradation has often been accepted as a physical constraint on the lifespan and operating limits of display devices. However, this technology allows for the implementation of different structures to reduce the impact of thermal load on down-conversion materials. For example, this technology may include a pixel structure that includes a pixel delimiting structure that separates the light source panel and the down-conversion panel so as to minimize heat conduction between the two panels. Furthermore, the down-conversion panel may include a reflective layer that can improve down-conversion efficiency and further reduce heat buildup during operation.

[0017]

[0019] Conventional techniques have often addressed these issues by utilizing thermal management techniques. Thermal management can include various operational techniques, such as managing the duty cycle of the pixel structure by pulsing the light source at a frequency exceeding the visual perception threshold, or adapting the display intensity to ambient conditions. Nevertheless, thermal load can still limit color fidelity and the effective lifespan of the pixel structure. This technique can overcome these limitations by reducing the thermal load on the down-conversion panel, for example, by restricting heat transfer between the light source and the down-conversion material to a substantially radiative path rather than to conduction. While specific methodologies and component configurations may be described, it should be understood that this technique is not intended to be limited to the specific structures and processes described, as the described techniques can be used to improve numerous pixel structures and formation processes and are applicable to various display devices and manufacturing techniques.

[0018]

[0020] Figure 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary pixel structure 100 of a display device panel stack according to several embodiments of the present technology. The pixel structure 100 may be incorporated into a display device including control electronics and a power system, thereby facilitating its use as an addressable pixel in a display. The pixel structure 100 can be shown in partial diagrams of the structure and components described, and in cross-sectional diagrams of the display pixels. This display pixel may otherwise include any number of pixel structures to form a display panel containing millions of individually addressable pixels. Any embodiment of the pixel structure 100 can also be incorporated into other display systems, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0019]

[0021] The pixel structure 100 may include two panels that provide complementary functionality, thereby enabling the pixel structure 100 to emit visible light having a sum spectrum over a broad color spectrum and a broad intensity range. As shown in the figure, the pixel structure 100 may include a first panel 110 and a second panel 120. The first panel 110 may be or include a light source panel containing an ultraviolet (UV) light source 111 (e.g., a light-emitting diode (LED) configured to emit light in the ultraviolet region). For example, the UV light source 111 can emit light in the UV-A region between 315 nm and 400 nm at wavelengths such as 400 nm or less, 390 nm or less, 380 nm or less, 370 nm or less, 360 nm or less, 350 nm or less, 340 nm or less, 330 nm or less, 320 nm or less, or lower. Similarly, the UV light source 111 may emit in the UV-B region between 280 nm and 315 nm at wavelengths of, for example, 315 nm or less, 305 nm or less, 295 nm or less, 285 nm or less, or less than or equal to 285 nm. Similarly, the UV light source 111 may emit in the UV-C region between 100 nm and 280 nm at wavelengths of, for example, 280 nm or less, 270 nm or less, 260 nm or less, 250 nm or less, 240 nm or less, or less than or equal to 240 nm. The emission wavelength of the UV light source 111 may be monochromatic, meaning that each light source may emit at a single peak wavelength. The peak wavelengths may be identical in each UV light source 111 so that each UV light source 111 produces substantially equal emission spectra. Alternatively, different UV light sources 111 may produce different emission spectra depending on the material parameters of the components of the second panel 120.

[0020]

[0022] To facilitate the individual addressability of the UV light sources 111, the UV light sources 111 may be positioned on a backplane 113. The backplane may be, or include, a multilayer structure formed by a process including deposition, etching, and removal, which are part of the semiconductor manufacturing process. In some embodiments, the backplane 113 may be formed to include metallized contacts 115. The contacts 115 may be, or include, a thin metal film deposited by a process such as chemical deposition or physical vapor deposition. The contacts 115 can enable electrical communication between the UV light sources 111 and the display controller and power system, thereby allowing the UV light sources 111 to be individually addressed. The individual addressability of each UV light source 111 can facilitate the functionality of the pixel structure 100 as a visible light emitter over a wide spectral range from deep blue to deep red wavelengths.

[0021]

[0023] The second panel 120 may include a multilayer structure configured to downconvert UV to visible light, which can reproduce a broad spectral range by combining substantially monochromatic light emitted by multiple subpixels. For example, the second panel 120 of the pixel structure 100 may include, but is not limited to, a first subpixel 121-1, a second subpixel 121-2, and a third subpixel 121-3. The subpixels may be configured to downconvert UV to visible light at three or about three or more principle wavelengths within a plurality of wavelength ranges. This allows the pixel structure 100 to emit visible light of any color within a broad spectral range. For example, the first subpixel 121-1 may be configured to downconvert UV light to emit visible light in the blue wavelength range between about 380 nm and 550 nm. Similarly, the second subpixel 121-2 may be configured to downconvert UV light to emit visible light in the green wavelength range between about 400 nm and 700 nm. Similarly, the third subpixel 121-3 may be configured to downconvert UV light to emit visible light in the red wavelength range between approximately 425 nm and 700 nm. In some embodiments, the first subpixel 121-1 is configured to emit blue visible light centered on a peak wavelength of 475 nm or approximately 475 nm, the second subpixel 121-2 is configured to emit green visible light centered on a peak wavelength of 560 nm or approximately 560 nm, and the third subpixel 121-3 is configured to emit red visible light centered on a peak wavelength of 640 nm or approximately 640 nm. In some embodiments, the subpixels are configured to emit visible light within a relatively narrow wavelength distribution as measured by the full width at half maximum spectral width of each subpixel. For example, the FWHM of each subpixel may be approximately 40 nm or less, approximately 30 nm or less, approximately 25 nm or less, approximately 20 nm or less, or less.

[0022]

[0024] To generate visible light across multiple wavelength ranges, each subpixel may include a down-conversion layer 123. The down-conversion layer 123 incorporates a material selected to absorb UV light emitted by the UV light source 111 and emit visible light at longer wavelengths. For example, the first down-conversion layer 123-1 may incorporate quantum dots, phosphors, or other materials selected to absorb UV photons and emit visible photons in the blue visible wavelength range. Similarly, the second down-conversion layer 123-2 and the third down-conversion layer 123-3 may incorporate such materials, thereby down-converting UV photons to visible photons in the green visible wavelength range and the red visible wavelength range, respectively. In addition to the down-conversion material, the down-conversion layer 123 may incorporate a transparent matrix on which the down-conversion material can be suspended. For example, in the case of quantum dot down-conversion material, multiple quantum dots can be suspended within a transparent matrix. To potentially improve the down-conversion efficiency of the down-conversion layer 123, the down-conversion layer 123 may include a scattering material that reduces the transmission of UV photons and increases the proportion of UV photons that interact with the down-converting material. For example, the down-conversion layer may incorporate titanium dioxide nanoparticles suspended in a transparent matrix, which can scatter incident UV photons and increase the interaction between the UV photons and the down-converting material.

[0023]

[0025] The down-conversion panel 120 may further include layers for adjusting the light before it is emitted and for providing structural support to the pixel structure 100. For example, the down-conversion panel 120 may include a transparent substrate 125. The transparent substrate 125 may be glass or plastic, or include them, so as to be transparent to visible light. In some embodiments, the transparent substrate may be a material that is selectively transparent in the visible wavelength range and broadly absorbs in the UV range, or may include such a material. The pixel structure 100 may include one or more coatings or intermediate layers, including a color filter layer 127 or a UV blocking layer 129, to cover the transparent substrate 125. The color filter layer 127 may be a material selected to filter light by wavelength, so that light outside a predetermined spectral range is removed before it is emitted from each subpixel 121. For example, the color filter layer 127 may be a long-pass filter material, a short-pass filter material, or a band-pass filter material, or may include these, so as to remove light outside a predetermined wavelength range. The material of the color filter layer 127 may include a thermoplastic material or other polymer material. Additionally or alternatively, the color filter layer 127 may incorporate dichroic filter coatings. This can improve the down-conversion efficiency of the down-conversion layer 123 by reflecting UV light and light outside a predetermined wavelength range toward the down-conversion layer 123. In some cases, the UV-blocking layer 129 can protect the color filter layer 127 by limiting the exposure of the constituent materials to UV light transmitted through the down-conversion layer 123 of the subpixel 121. For example, polymer color filter materials may be sensitive to UV light, so the color filter layer 123 may degrade after a certain period of time. In this way, the UV-blocking layer may be a thin film of a polymer material, a borosilicate material, or other material selected to block photons with wavelengths of about 400 nm or less, or may include these materials.

[0024]

[0026] In some embodiments, pixel structure 100 may include pixel defining structure 130. In FIG. 1, the pixel structure is shown as two discrete elements orthogonal to first panel 110 and second panel 120, but pixel defining structure 130 may include a continuous structure that defines sub-pixels 121 in three dimensions. For example, the pixel defining structure may include a continuous array of rectangular cells shown in cross-section in FIG. 1 such that the constituent layers of down-conversion panel 120 form a rectangular planar layer substantially parallel to the transparent substrate. Pixel defining structure 130 may extend from inner surface 131 of second panel 120 such that the first panel is coupled to second panel 120 via pixel structure 130. In some embodiments, pixel structure 100 may include additional pixel structures, such as when the pixel structure is not continuous but rather formed from a plurality of discrete structures.

[0025]

[0027] In some embodiments, transparent substrate 125 may have a thickness of about 25 μm or more and about 1 mm or less. The thickness of transparent substrate 125 may be about 50 μm or more, about 75 μm or more, about 100 μm or more, about 200 μm or more, about 300 μm or more, 400 μm or more, about 500 μm or more, about 600 μm or more, about 700 μm or more, about 800 μm or more, about 900 μm or more, or more, and about 1 mm or less.

[0026]

[0028] In some embodiments, color filter layer 127 may have a thickness of about 1 μm or more and about 20 μm or less. The thickness of color filter layer 127 may be 2 μm or more, about 3 μm or more, about 4 μm or more, about 5 μm or more, about 6 μm or more, about 7 μm or more, about 8 μm or more, about 9 μm or more, about 10 μm or more, about 11 μm or more, about 12 μm or more, about 13 μm or more, about 14 μm or more, about 15 μm or more, about 16 μm or more, about 17 μm or more, about 18 μm or more, about 19 μm or more, or more, and about 20 μm or less.

[0027]

[0029] In some embodiments, the UV-blocking layer 129 may have a thickness of about 0.5 μm or more and about 50 μm or less. The thickness of the UV-blocking layer 129 may be about 1 μm or more, about 5 μm or more, about 10 μm or more, about 15 μm or more, about 20 μm or more, about 25 μm or more, about 30 μm or more, about 35 μm or more, about 40 μm or more, about 45 μm or more, or more, and about 50 μm or less. In some embodiments, the UV-blocking layer 129 may have a thickness of about 1 mm or less, about 0.9 mm or less, about 0.8 mm or less, about 0.7 mm or less, about 0.6 mm or less, about 0.5 mm or less, about 0.4 mm or less, about 0.3 mm or less, about 0.2 mm or less, about 0.1 mm or less, or less.

[0028]

[0030] In some embodiments, the down-conversion layer 123 may have a thickness of about 1 μm or more and about 50 μm or less. The thickness of the UV-blocking layer 129 may be about 1 μm or more, about 5 μm or more, about 10 μm or more, about 15 μm or more, about 20 μm or more, about 25 μm or more, about 30 μm or more, about 35 μm or more, about 40 μm or more, about 45 μm or more, or more, and about 50 μm or less.

[0029]

[0031] In some embodiments, the encapsulation layer 137 may have a thickness of about 10 nm or more and about 20 μm or less. The thickness of the UV blocking layer 129 may be about 10 nm or more, about 50 nm or more, about 100 nm or more, about 250 nm or more, about 500 nm or more, about 1 μm or more, about 5 μm or more, about 10 μm or more, about 15 μm or more, and about 20 μm or less.

[0030]

[0032] In some embodiments, the first panel 110 and the second panel 120 may be separated by a distance 133. The distance 133 may represent the distance between the inner surface 131 of the second panel and a plane aligned with the light-emitting surface 135 of the UV light source 111. In some embodiments, the distance 133 may be about 30 μm or less, about 28 μm or less, about 26 μm or less, about 24 μm or less, about 22 μm or less, about 20 μm or less, about 18 μm or less, about 16 μm or less, about 14 μm or less, about 12 μm or less, about 10 μm or less, about 8 μm or less, about 6 μm or less, about 4 μm or less, about 2 μm or less, about 1 μm or less, about 0.5 μm or less, about 0.2 μm or less, about 0.1 μm or less, about 0.05 μm or less, about 0.01 μm or less, or less. Advantageously, the lifespan of the pixel structure 100 can be extended by separating the first panel 110 from the second panel 120 by a distance of 133. Without being bound by any specific physical mechanism or principle, such improvement may be due to a reduction in the thermal load on the second panel 120 by limiting heat conduction from the UV light source 111 to the down-conversion layer 123. Since down-converting materials such as quantum dots or phosphors incorporated in the down-conversion layer 123 may be sensitive to heat, reducing the thermal load on the second panel can improve the effective lifespan of the pixel structure. Furthermore, if the pixel structure 100 operates frequently or relatively vigorously, the emission spectrum of the down-converting material may shift, for example, red-shift, as the temperature of the down-conversion layer 123 rises. Thus, the color reproducibility of the pixel structure 100 can also be improved by reducing the thermal load on the second panel 120, and the color reproducibility of the pixel structure 100 can be improved by thermal management of the second panel.

[0031]

[0033] To protect the constituent layers of the second panel 120, an encapsulation layer 137 may be positioned to cover the down-conversion layer 123 at each subpixel 121. The encapsulation layer 137 may be, or may include, a material selected for its impermeability to oxygen and other oxidizing chemical species that could degrade the down-conversion layer. For example, if the gas between the first panel 110 and the second panel 120 contains trace amounts of oxygen or water vapor, the UV light emitted by the UV light source 111 may generate ozone near the second panel. Ozone, being a reactive gas, can permeate and oxidize the second panel. The encapsulation layer 137 may be, or may include, a UV-permeable polymer such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), poly(methyl methacrylate), silicone, polystyrene, polycarbonate, or cycloolefin polymer. The encapsulation layer 137 may be, but is not limited to, an inorganic material containing zinc oxide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, or titanium oxide.

[0032]

[0034] The pixel delimiting structure 130 may be or may include a black matrix material. The term black matrix refers to a material composed of a photosensitive acrylic resin and a coloring pigment that produces a structure characterized by low specular reflectivity over a broad wavelength range, including but not limited to UV and visible wavelengths. In this way, the pixel structure 130 can define the subpixels 121, separate them from each other, and improve the accuracy and precision of the color reproduction of the pixel structure 100. In some embodiments, the pixel delimiting structure may include a reflective coating on at least a portion of the constituent layers of the subpixels 121 and the surface facing the UV light source 111. Advantageously, the downconversion material can function as an isotropic emitter, and the reflective coating can further improve the efficiency of the pixel structure 100 by increasing the proportion of UV light reaching the downconversion layer 123 and the proportion of visible light emitted by the subpixels 121.

[0033]

[0035] Figure 2 shows exemplary operation of deposition method 200 according to several embodiments of the present technology. The method can be carried out in one or more environments or systems designed for the manufacture of display devices. This one or more environments or systems may include any components and may utilize any method suitable for the manufacture of the described structures. Method 200 may include a number of arbitrary operations, some of which may or may not be particularly relevant to certain embodiments of the method relating to the present technology. For example, many operations are described to provide a broader range of structural forms, but may not be important to the present technology or may be carried out by alternative methods that are easily understood. For example, as described above, operations may be performed before sending the substrate to the manufacturing system, in which case method 200 may be performed to form a pixel structure such as the pixel structure 100 in Figure 1.

[0034]

[0036] In some embodiments, as part of the process of forming a down-conversion panel for the pixel structure 100, operation 205 may include forming a pixel-definition structure covering a transparent substrate. In relation to the pixel structure 100, the down-conversion panel corresponds to a second panel 120. The pixel-definition structure may define a plurality of subpixels. The cross-section of the subpixels may be rectangular, but may also include other shapes such as elliptical, circular, or polygonal. Formation of the pixel-definition structure may involve operations such as layer-wise additive manufacturing, where a black matrix material is printed onto a transparent substrate and the black matrix material is cured. In some cases, the pixel-definition structure may be formed by subtractive methods (e.g., deposition and patterned removal of a resist layer, subsequent deposition of black matrix material, subsequent removal of the resist, and subpixel definition).

[0035]

[0037] In some embodiments, forming the pixel structure may optionally include forming a reflective coating in operation 210. The reflective coating, which may be or may include a reflective metal film, polymer film, or dielectric mirror film, can be formed by a deposition process after the formation of the pixel definition layer. The pixel definition layer is or, if it contains a black matrix material, may be inherently absorptive, and the reflective coating can improve the efficiency of the down-conversion panel by increasing the proportion of UV photons that reach the down-conversion layer and increasing the proportion of visible photons emitted by the transparent substrate. Furthermore, the reflective coating can improve the thermal management of the down-conversion panel by reducing the absorption of light to the pixel definition structure, thereby limiting the conversion of photons to sound through absorption.

[0036]

[0038] In some embodiments, method 200 may include, in operation 215, forming a down-conversion panel containing the subpixels defined in operation 205. Operation 205 may include a variety of processing techniques for forming an optical thin film under clean conditions. These techniques include, but are not limited to, printing, patterned deposition, multilayer deposition facilitated by curing and planarization, or other techniques for forming a process used in the manufacture of display panel structures. In some embodiments, operation 205 may be carried out in a controlled environment, such as a glove box, so that the components and materials are not exposed to oxidizing gases or water vapor.

[0037]

[0039] In operation 215, forming a downconversion panel may include forming a downconversion layer. Forming a downconversion layer may include depositing various downconversion materials, such as quantum dots or phosphors, onto various subpixels. In this way, each subpixel may be configured to absorb UV light and emit visible light within a wavelength range. For example, a first plurality of quantum dots may be selected to downconvert ultraviolet light to blue visible light, a second plurality of quantum dots may be selected to downconvert ultraviolet light to green visible light, and a third plurality of quantum dots may be selected to downconvert ultraviolet light to red visible light. Operation 215 may further include curing the downconversion layer if the downconversion material includes a photocured matrix. After curing, the downconversion layer may form a layer that is transparent to UV and visible light and may further include a scattering medium, such as titanium dioxide nanoparticles suspended throughout the layer.

[0038]

[0040] Operation 215 may further include forming a color filter layer over a transparent substrate at each subpixel of the down-conversion panel. Furthermore, operation 215 may include forming a UV-blocking layer over the color filter layer at each subpixel of the down-conversion panel. Similar to the deposition of the pixel definition layer and the down-conversion layer, the color filter layer or UV-blocking layer may be formed by a layer-by-layer printing process, a thin-film deposition process, a lamination process, or a subtractive process. Similarly, photocuring may be performed to crosslink the polymer matrix material constituting the layer and to form discrete layers before deposition of subsequent upper layers. In this way, the down-conversion panel may be formed by a series of operations for each subpixel. This series of operations includes, but is not limited to, forming a color filter layer over a transparent substrate, curing the color filter layer, forming a UV-blocking layer over the color filter layer, curing the UV-blocking layer, forming the down-conversion layer, and curing the down-conversion layer. In some embodiments, method 200 may optionally include subpixel encapsulation in operation 220. Encapsulating subpixels in a down-conversion panel may involve arranging an encapsulation layer to cover the down-conversion layer. The encapsulation layer may be, or may contain, a substantially UV-transparent polymer material that can be deposited as a thin film to cover the subpixels under controlled conditions.

[0039]

[0041] After forming the down-conversion panel in operation 220, operation 225 includes positioning the optical array panel to cover the down-conversion panel. As described in detail with reference to Figure 1, the optical array panel may include a backplane and a plurality of UV light sources positioned to illuminate each subpixel of the down-conversion layer. Thus, positioning the optical array panel to cover the down-conversion panel may include connecting the optical array panel to the down-conversion panel via a pixel delimiting structure. In this way, the inner surface of the down-conversion panel may be separated from the plurality of UV light sources by a certain distance. As described above, the distance may represent the distance between the top surface of the encapsulation layer and the emitting surface of the UV light sources.

[0040]

[0042] After operation 225, additional processes may be performed to integrate the pixel structure into a display panel device. For example, the optical array panel may be electrically connected to a control unit and a power circuit. The pixel structure may be housed in a housing as part of a display having millions, billions, or more pixels. In this way, the pixel structure may be used as individually addressable pixels as part of the operation of the display device.

[0041]

[0043] By utilizing the methods and components according to the embodiments of this technology, display panel devices incorporating UV down-conversion can be improved. By providing improved thermal management and improved down-conversion efficiency, the display panel device can exhibit improved pixel lifetime and operating parameters. Such improvements may include reduced power consumption and improved display performance. Furthermore, by reducing the thermal load on the down-conversion material, color reproduction can be improved during frequent or heavy use.

[0042]

[0044] The above description provides numerous details for illustrative purposes to facilitate understanding of various embodiments of this technology. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain embodiments can be implemented without some of these details, or with additional details.

[0043]

[0045] While several embodiments have been disclosed, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, alternative structures, and equivalents can be used without departing from the spirit of the embodiments. Furthermore, some well-known processes and elements have not been described in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the Art. Therefore, the above description should not be considered to limit the scope of the Art. Moreover, while methods or processes may be described sequentially or stepwise, it should be understood that the actions may occur simultaneously or in a different order than described.

[0044]

[0046] Where a range of values ​​is provided, unless explicitly stated otherwise in the context, each intervening value between the upper and lower limits of that range is specifically disclosed down to the smallest unit of the lower limit. This includes any narrower range between any listed or unlisted intervening values ​​within the stated range, and any other listed or intervening values ​​within that stated range. The upper and lower limits of such narrower ranges may be individually included in or excluded from that range. Each range in which either or both limit values ​​are included in a narrower range, or neither is included in a narrower range, is further encompassed in this art, provided that any limit values ​​are specifically excluded from the stated range. Where a stated range includes one or both limit values, it also includes ranges that exclude either or both of these included limit values.

[0045]

[0047] As used herein and in the claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include multiple references unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Thus, for example, “a precursor” refers to multiple such precursors, and “a layer” refers to one or more layers and equivalents well known to those skilled in the art, and the same applies to other forms.

[0046]

[0048] Furthermore, the terms “comprise(s),” “comprising,” “contain(s),” “containing,” “include(s),” and “including,” as used herein and in the claims, are intended to identify the presence of the described feature, integer, component, or action, but not to exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, components, actions, activities, or groups.

Claims

1. A pixel structure of a display device panel stack, A first panel comprising multiple ultraviolet light sources arranged on a backplane, and A second panel connected to the first panel, wherein the second panel has an inner surface facing the ultraviolet light source, and the plurality of ultraviolet light sources and the inner surface of the second panel are separated by a distance of 2 μm or more and less than 20 μm. The second panel described above consists of a visibly transparent substrate and A down-conversion layer is disposed to cover the aforementioned visible transparent substrate and configured to down-convert ultraviolet light to visible light. A second panel equipped with A pixel structure that has the following characteristics.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the down-conversion layer comprises a plurality of quantum dots arranged in a visibly transparent matrix.

3. The second panel described above, A first subpixel configured to downconvert ultraviolet light to visible light in the blue spectrum range, A second subpixel configured to downconvert ultraviolet light to visible light in the green spectral range, and A third subpixel configured to downconvert ultraviolet light to visible light in the red spectrum range. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

4. The display device according to claim 3, wherein the second panel further comprises a pixel defining structure disposed within the second panel for separating the first subpixel from the second subpixel and separating the second subpixel from the third subpixel.

5. The display device according to claim 4, wherein the pixel definition structure of the second panel extends from the inner surface of the second panel and contacts the backplane of the first panel.

6. The aforementioned pixel delimiting structure further separates the plurality of ultraviolet light sources, The first light source among the plurality of ultraviolet light sources is configured to illuminate the first subpixel, The second light source among the plurality of ultraviolet light sources is configured to illuminate the second subpixel, The display device according to claim 5, wherein the third light source among the plurality of ultraviolet light sources is configured to illuminate the third subpixel.

7. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of ultraviolet light sources are each provided with individually addressable light-emitting diodes.

8. A method for forming a pixel structure of a display device panel stack, To form a down-conversion panel having multiple subpixels, wherein the multiple subpixels are configured to down-convert ultraviolet light to multiple visible wavelength ranges, The optical array panel is arranged to cover the down-conversion panel, wherein the optical array panel is equipped with a plurality of individually addressable ultraviolet light sources. A method comprising the above, wherein the inner surface of the down-conversion panel is separated from multiple ultraviolet light sources by a distance of 2 μm or more and less than 20 μm.

9. A method for forming a pixel structure of a display device panel stack, The method involves forming a down-conversion panel comprising a plurality of subpixels, wherein the plurality of subpixels are configured to down-convert ultraviolet light to a plurality of visible wavelength ranges, The method involves forming a pixel definition structure on a transparent substrate, wherein the pixel definition structure forms a pixel definition structure that defines the plurality of subpixels. A color filter layer is formed in each of the plurality of subpixels to cover the transparent substrate, In each of the plurality of subpixels, an ultraviolet blocking layer is formed to cover the color filter layer, The method involves forming a down-conversion layer covering the ultraviolet blocking layer in each of the plurality of subpixels, wherein the down-conversion layer is configured to down-convert ultraviolet light to visible light. This includes forming a down-conversion panel, The optical array panel is arranged to cover the down-conversion panel, wherein the optical array panel is equipped with a plurality of individually addressable ultraviolet light sources. A method comprising the above, wherein the inner surface of the down-conversion panel is separated from multiple ultraviolet light sources by a distance of at least 2 μm.

10. Forming the aforementioned down-conversion layer A method of depositing a first uncured matrix containing a first plurality of quantum dots into a first subset of the plurality of subpixels, wherein the first plurality of quantum dots are selected to downconvert ultraviolet light to blue-visible light, A second uncured matrix containing a second plurality of quantum dots is deposited within a second subset of the plurality of subpixels, wherein the second plurality of quantum dots are selected to downconvert ultraviolet light to green-visible light. A third uncured matrix containing a third plurality of quantum dots is deposited within a third subset of the plurality of subpixels, wherein the third plurality of quantum dots are selected to downconvert ultraviolet light to red visible light, and the third uncured matrix is ​​deposited within a third subset of the plurality of subpixels. The down-conversion layer is cured and The method according to claim 9, including the method described in claim 9.

11. Forming the down-conversion panel The method according to claim 10, comprising arranging an encapsulation layer so as to cover the down-conversion layer, wherein the inner surface of the down-conversion panel is formed by the outer surface of the encapsulation layer.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein forming a pixel definition layer includes forming a black matrix that defines the plurality of subpixels.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising depositing a reflective film so as to cover the black matrix, wherein the reflective film reflects visible light.

14. A pixel structure of a display device panel stack, A first panel having multiple ultraviolet light sources arranged on a backplane, wherein the multiple ultraviolet light sources are individually addressable, and A second panel connected to the first panel, wherein the second panel has an inner surface facing the ultraviolet light source, A transparent substrate and A pixel definition structure that defines a plurality of subpixels on the transparent substrate, A down-conversion layer covering the transparent substrate in each subpixel, comprising a fluorescent material from a plurality of fluorescent materials configured to down-convert ultraviolet light to visible light, and A second panel equipped with Equipped with, A pixel structure in which the plurality of ultraviolet light sources and the inner surface of the second panel are separated by a distance of 2 μm or more and less than 20 μm.

15. The pixel structure according to claim 14, wherein the transparent substrate includes glass.

16. For a first subset of the plurality of subpixels, the fluorescent material is configured to downconvert ultraviolet light to blue visible light. For a second subset of the plurality of subpixels, the fluorescent material is configured to downconvert ultraviolet light to green visible light. The pixel structure according to claim 14, wherein the fluorescent material is configured to downconvert ultraviolet light to red visible light for a third subset of the plurality of subpixels.

17. The pixel structure according to claim 14, wherein the pixel definition structure includes a black matrix.

18. The pixel structure according to claim 17, wherein the pixel defining structure further comprises a reflective film disposed on the black matrix.

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