Light regulation and control structure, window body, and vehicle

Abstract

A light regulation and control structure, a window body, and a vehicle. The light regulation and control structure comprises a substrate (1), wherein the substrate (1) comprises a plurality of regulation and control regions (AA) arranged in an array and spacing regions (PA) located between the adjacent regulation and control regions (AA). The light regulation and control structure further comprises: a first electrode (2), which is located on one side of the substrate (1) and is a transparent electrode; a plurality of cantilever structures (C), which are arranged insulated from the first electrode (2), are located in the regulation and control regions (AA), are arranged on the side of the first electrode (2) away from the substrate (1), and are configured to deform under the driving of a voltage, such that at least some of the regulation and control regions (AA) can transmit light; and a light-shielding pattern (L), which is located in the spacing regions (PA) and is located on the side of the cantilever structures (C) close to the substrate (1). The light regulation and control structure can improve the light leakage phenomenon between two adjacent cantilevers (C), thereby avoiding the phenomenon of a temperature rise of an internal environment caused by transmission of a large amount of energy in a low light-transmitting state, i.e., the cantilever structures (C) are not deformed.

Description

Light-controlled structures, windows and vehicles Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of display technology, and in particular to a light control structure, a window, and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] With the growing popularity of electric vehicles, panoramic skylight glass is appearing on an increasing number of passenger vehicles. This system works by controlling the rotation of liquid crystal molecules under voltage, altering light transmittance and achieving continuous adjustment between bright and dark states. Its application in the automotive industry can provide sound insulation, heat insulation, and UV protection.

[0003] Specifically, related technologies for switchable glass include: using polymer-dispersed liquid crystals as rotationally controlled objects to adjust transmittance; electrochromic dimming based on redox reactions to control transmittance; and placing suspended particles in the glass to change transmittance by changing their positions. Each of these approaches has its pros and cons, but none perfectly meets market demand and, therefore, has been adopted for mass production.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a light control structure, a window, and a vehicle.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a light control structure, comprising: a substrate, the substrate comprising a plurality of control regions arranged in an array and spacer regions located between adjacent control regions; the light control structure further comprising:

[0007] A first electrode is located on one side of the substrate, and the first electrode is a transparent electrode;

[0008] a plurality of cantilever structures insulated from the first electrode, the cantilever structures being located in the control region and on a side of the first electrode away from the substrate, the cantilever structures being configured to deform under voltage to allow at least a portion of the control region to transmit light;

[0009] The light shielding pattern is located in the spacer area and on a side of the cantilever structure close to the substrate.

[0010] In some embodiments, the light-shielding pattern includes a plurality of hollow portions.

[0011] The orthographic projection of the hollow portion on the substrate is located in the area of ​​the orthographic projection of the corresponding cantilever structure on the substrate.

[0012] In some embodiments, the hollow portion and the corresponding cantilever structure are adapted in shape.

[0013] A distance between an orthographic projection of a first edge of the hollow portion on the substrate and an orthographic projection of a corresponding edge of the cantilever structure on the substrate is 3 μm to 7 μm.

[0014] In some embodiments, the light regulating structure further includes a first insulating layer, wherein the first insulating layer is located between the first electrode and the cantilever structure;

[0015] The thickness of the first insulating layer is 5 nm to 15 nm.

[0016] In some embodiments, the light shielding pattern is located between the first electrode and the first insulating layer; or,

[0017] The light shielding pattern is located between the first electrode and the substrate.

[0018] In some embodiments, the cantilever structure includes a fixing portion and an adjusting portion connected to each other.

[0019] The fixing portion is fixed to a side of the first insulating layer away from the substrate;

[0020] The adjustment portion is configured to bend, under voltage driving, an end away from the fixing portion in a direction away from the substrate, so as to change an orthographic projection area of ​​the adjustment portion on the substrate.

[0021] In some embodiments, the light regulating structure further comprises: a plurality of driving transistors, the driving transistors being electrically connected to their corresponding cantilever structures and being located on a side of the first electrode close to the substrate;

[0022] The driving transistor is configured to provide a driving voltage to the cantilever structure.

[0023] In some embodiments, the light regulating structure further includes a first insulating layer, wherein the first insulating layer is located between the first electrode and the cantilever structure.

[0024] The light regulating structure further includes: a plurality of supporting structures and a cover structure, wherein:

[0025] The support structure is located in the spacer area and is arranged around its corresponding cantilever structure;

[0026] The cover plate structure is located on a side of the plurality of support structures away from the substrate, so that an accommodation space is formed between the first insulating layer, the support structure and the cover plate, and the cantilever structure is deformed in the accommodation space.

[0027] In some embodiments, the accommodating space is in a vacuum state; or,

[0028] The accommodating space is filled with gas, and the gas includes an inert gas; or,

[0029] The accommodating space is filled with liquid, and the liquid includes one of water and alcohol liquid.

[0030] In some embodiments, the light regulating structure further includes: a second electrode and a second insulating layer,

[0031] The second electrode is located on a side of the cover structure close to the accommodation space;

[0032] The second insulating layer is located on a side of the second electrode away from the cover structure, and one end of the support structure away from the substrate is in contact with the second insulating layer.

[0033] In some embodiments, the cantilever structure includes a fixing portion and an adjusting portion connected to each other.

[0034] The actual length of the adjustment portion is a first length L1, and the maximum angle between the cantilever structure and the first insulating layer when deformed is θ, and the length of the second electrode in the first direction is a second length L2.

[0035] The second length L2 satisfies: L2<cosθ·L1.

[0036] In some embodiments, the light control structure further includes: a light shielding layer, a buffer layer, an active semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer, a first conductive layer, an interlayer dielectric layer, and a second conductive layer, which are located between the first electrode and the substrate and are sequentially arranged in a direction away from the substrate.

[0037] The driving transistor includes: a first electrode, a second electrode, a gate electrode and an active pattern, wherein:

[0038] The active pattern is located in the active semiconductor layer, including a first connecting portion, a communicating portion, and a second connecting portion; the first pole and the second pole are both located in the second conductive layer, the first pole is electrically connected to the first connecting portion, and the second pole is electrically connected to the second connecting portion; the gate is located in the first conductive layer.

[0039] In some embodiments, the light regulating structure further includes a passivation layer located on a side of the first conductive layer close to the first electrode.

[0040] The orthographic projection of the first conductive layer on the substrate does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the first electrode on the substrate;

[0041] The cantilever structure is connected to the first electrode through a via hole penetrating the first insulating layer and the passivation layer.

[0042] In some embodiments, the cantilever structure is made of a single metal material with a thickness of 100 nm to 300 nm; or,

[0043] The cantilever structure is made of laminated metal material with a thickness of

[0044] In some embodiments, the light-shielding pattern is made of a black matrix material with a thickness of 1 μm to 3 μm.

[0045] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a window comprising a plurality of light regulating structures, wherein the light regulating structures are the light regulating structures provided in the first aspect.

[0046] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a vehicle, comprising the window provided in the second aspect.

[0047] The disclosed embodiments provide a light-regulating structure, a window, and a vehicle. The substrate of the light-regulating structure includes a regulating region and a spacer region. A cantilever structure is disposed on the regulating region, and a light-shielding pattern is disposed in the spacer region. This means that a light-shielding pattern is disposed between adjacent cantilever structures along the thickness of the light-regulating structure. This arrangement reduces light leakage between adjacent cantilever structures and prevents the phenomenon in which a large amount of energy still penetrates, causing an increase in the internal ambient temperature, even in a low-transmittance state (i.e., when the cantilever structures are not deformed). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] The accompanying drawings are used to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure and constitute a part of the specification. Together with the following detailed description, they are used to explain the present disclosure but do not constitute a limitation of the present disclosure. In the accompanying drawings:

[0049] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a planar structure of a light control structure provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure obtained by cutting along line AA in FIG1 .

[0051] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of another cross-sectional structure obtained by cutting along line AA in FIG1 .

[0052] FIG. 4 is another schematic cross-sectional view of the structure obtained by cutting along line AA in FIG. 1 .

[0053] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of a light control structure provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0054] 6-8 are schematic structural diagrams of another light control structure provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0055] FIG9 is a schematic structural diagram of another light regulation structure provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0056] FIG10 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the length of the second electrode and the cantilever angle of the cantilever structure provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0057] Description of the accompanying drawings:

[0058] Substrate 1: control area AA, spacer area PA;

[0059] Cantilever structure C: fixed part C1, adjustment part C2;

[0060] Light-shielding pattern L: hollow portion L0;

[0061] First electrode 2, first insulating layer 3, support structure 4, cover structure 5, second insulating layer 6, second electrode 7, accommodation space SP; inert gas G, liquid Q;

[0062] Light shielding layer Z, buffer layer BUF, active semiconductor layer ACT, gate insulating layer GI, first conductive layer SD2, interlayer dielectric layer ILD, second conductive layer SD2, passivation layer PVX;

[0063] Driving transistor TFT: a first electrode T1, a second electrode T2, a gate Gate and an active pattern Act0;

[0064] The first direction X. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0065] The following describes the specific embodiments of the present disclosure in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to illustrate and explain the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

[0066] To make the purpose, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure more clear, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, not all of the embodiments. Based on the described embodiments of the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0067] Unless otherwise defined, the technical terms or scientific terms used in the embodiments of the present disclosure should have the usual meanings understood by people with ordinary skills in the field to which the present disclosure belongs. The "first", "second" and similar words used in the present disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity or importance, but are only used to distinguish different components. Similarly, words such as "include" or "comprise" mean that the elements or objects appearing before the word include the elements or objects listed after the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Words such as "connect" or "connected" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but may include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. "Up", "down", "left", "right" and the like are only used to indicate relative positional relationships. When the absolute position of the object being described changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0068] With the growing popularity of electric vehicles, panoramic skylight glass is appearing on an increasing number of passenger vehicles. This system works by controlling the rotation of liquid crystal molecules under voltage, altering light transmittance and achieving continuous adjustment between bright and dark states. Its application in the automotive industry can provide sound insulation, heat insulation, and UV protection.

[0069] Specifically, the solutions for dimming glass provided in the related art include: using polymer dispersed liquid crystal as the object of rotation control for adjustment to change the transmittance; realizing electrochromic dimming based on redox reaction to control the transmittance; setting suspended particles in the glass to change the transmittance by changing the position of the suspended particles. In the above methods, polymer dispersed liquid crystal relies on electric control and is foggy in the power-off state, but the fog is too large. Compared with the application to vehicle sunroofs, it should be suitable for conference room partitions. The dimming glass realized based on electrochromism has a slow response speed, and the larger the size of the glass, the slower the color change, and uneven color change is prone to occur; in the dimming glass realized by changing the suspended particles, the working voltage of the dimming glass is as high as 110V, which poses a safety hazard.

[0070] In addition, the above solution can only control visible light, but cannot control non-visible light, such as infrared light, which has great limitations in application scenarios.

[0071] In summary, various solutions in related technologies have their own advantages and disadvantages, but none of them can perfectly match market demand and cannot be implemented in mass production.

[0072] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of a light-regulating structure provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure taken along line AA in Figure 1. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the light-regulating structure includes a substrate 1, a first electrode 2, multiple cantilever structures C, and a light-shielding pattern L.

[0073] Among them, the substrate 1 includes a plurality of control areas AA arranged in an array and a spacing area PA located between adjacent control areas AA; a first electrode 2 is located on one side of the substrate 1, and the first electrode 2 is a transparent electrode; a plurality of cantilever structures C are insulated from the first electrode 2, the cantilever structure C is located in the control area AA, and is located on the side of the first electrode 2 away from the substrate 1, and the cantilever structure C is configured to deform under voltage drive so that at least part of the control area AA is transparent; a shading pattern L is located in the spacing area PA, and is located on the side of the cantilever structure C close to the substrate 1.

[0074] In the disclosed embodiment, the substrate 1 includes a control area AA and a spacer area PA. A cantilever structure C is disposed on the control area AA, and a light-shielding pattern L is disposed on the spacer area PA. This means that a light-shielding pattern L is disposed between adjacent cantilever structures C along the thickness of the light-control structure. This arrangement reduces light leakage between adjacent cantilever structures and prevents the phenomenon in which a large amount of energy still penetrates, causing an increase in the internal ambient temperature, even in a low-transmittance state (i.e., when the cantilever structures C are undeformed).

[0075] In some embodiments, the cantilever structure C is made of a metal material. In one example, the cantilever structure C is a single metal material, such as any one of Cu, Al, Mo, Pt, and Au; the thickness is 100nm to 300nm. For example, the cantilever structure C made of a single metal material can be made of a Cu material with a thickness of 100nm, or it can be made of an Al material with a thickness of 300nm. In another example, the cantilever structure C is made of a laminated metal material, such as ITO / Ag / ITO, where the thickness of any one of the ITO layers is The thickness of the Ag layer is

[0076] Since metal materials have high infrared reflectivity, the cantilever structure C is made of metal. This material can reflect infrared light, thereby reducing the temperature of the light-control structure and improving product reliability. Compared to existing technologies, this can control not only visible light but also non-visible light, such as infrared light, improving product applicability.

[0077] In some embodiments, the cantilever structure C includes a fixed portion C1 and an adjustable portion C2, which are interconnected and connected by a hinge. It should be understood that the operating principle of the cantilever structure C is to change the bias voltage on the first electrode to produce different torque balances between the electrostatic attraction torque and the elastic reaction torque of the hinge, thereby generating different drive angles. By balancing electrostatic attraction and elastic repulsion, different cantilever angles can be achieved. Furthermore, by deforming the cantilever structure C, at least a portion of the adjustable area AA can be made light-transmissive.

[0078] In addition, it should be noted that the light control structure provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied to a vehicle sunroof. To ensure light transmittance, the first electrode 2 can be made of a transparent electrode material. For example, the material of the first electrode 2 includes indium-tin-oxide (ITO).

[0079] In some embodiments, the light shielding pattern L is made of a black matrix material with a thickness of 1 μm to 3 μm. In one example, the light shielding pattern L can be made of Mo material.

[0080] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 , the light-shielding pattern L includes multiple hollow portions L0. The orthographic projections of the hollow portions L0 on substrate 1 are located within the orthographic projections of their corresponding cantilever structures C on substrate 1. That is, by filling the gaps between adjacent cantilever structures C in the thickness direction of the light-regulating structure, light leakage is reduced while the cantilever structures C are not deformed and the entire light-regulating structure is in a low-transmittance state.

[0081] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the shapes of the hollow portion L0 and the corresponding cantilever structure C are adapted to each other, and the distance d1 between the orthographic projection of the first edge of the hollow portion L0 on the substrate 1 and the orthographic projection of the corresponding edge of the corresponding cantilever structure C on the substrate 1 is 3μm to 7μm.

[0082] It should be understood that the orthographic projections of the shading pattern L and the cantilever structure C on the substrate 1 have a partially overlapping area. On the one hand, if the overlapping area is too large, the transmittance will be reduced in the high transmittance state. The above-mentioned high transmittance state refers to the state in which the cantilever structure C is deformed to expose part of the control area AA, making the control area AA transparent; on the other hand, when the overlapping area is too small or there is no overlap between the two, there will still be light leakage between the two adjacent cantilever structures C.

[0083] Based on this, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the above-mentioned distance d is set to 3μm~7μm, that is, the overlapping width of the shading pattern L and the cantilever structure C in the thickness of the substrate 1 is 3μm~7μm, so as to balance the transmittance of the light-regulating structure in the high transmittance state and the light leakage in the low transmittance state.

[0084] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2 , the light-shielding pattern L is located between the first electrode 2 and the substrate 1. Since the light-shielding pattern L is made of a metal material and overlaps with the first electrode 2, the light-shielding pattern L can be reused as an auxiliary electrode for the first electrode 2, thereby reducing the voltage drop on the first electrode 2.

[0085] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of another cross-sectional structure taken along line AA in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 3, the light-shielding pattern L is located between the first electrode 2 and the first insulating layer 3. This arrangement reduces the distance between the light-shielding pattern L and the cantilever structure C in the thickness direction of the light-modulating structure, further reducing light leakage between adjacent cantilever structures C.

[0086] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the light-regulating structure further includes a first insulating layer 3, which is located between the first electrode 2 and the cantilever structure C. In one example, the first insulating layer 3 can be made of any material such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, or amorphous silicon.

[0087] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of another cross-sectional structure taken along line AA in Figure 1. The above analysis shows that decreasing the spacing between the light-shielding pattern L and the cantilever structure C in the thickness direction of the light-regulating structure helps reduce light leakage between adjacent cantilever structures C. For this reason, as shown in Figure 4 , the thickness d2 of the first insulating layer 3 is 5nm to 15nm, preferably 10nm. Providing an ultra-thin insulating layer can reduce scattered light incident on the spacing area PA, further improving light leakage.

[0088] In some embodiments, the cantilever structure C includes an interconnected fixed portion C1 and an adjustable portion C2. It should be understood that the fixed portion C1 and adjustable portion C2 are connected via a hinge. The fixed portion C1 is fixed to the side of the first insulating layer 3 facing away from the substrate 1. The adjustable portion C2 is configured to bend away from the substrate 1 at its end facing away from the fixed portion C1 under voltage, thereby changing the orthographic projection area of ​​the adjustable portion C2 on the substrate 1. The specific driving and adjustment methods for the cantilever structure C have been described above and will not be repeated here.

[0089] In one example, the light-regulating structure shown in FIG4 can be prepared through steps S01 to S06 as follows:

[0090] In step S01 , a substrate 1 is provided. The substrate 1 is made of a transparent material, which may include any one of glass, PI, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and poly methylmethacrylate (PMMA).

[0091] Step S02: forming a conductive film of ITO or ZAO material on the substrate 1, and forming a first electrode 2 by patterning, the thickness of which can be

[0092] In step S03 , a thin film of insulating material is formed on the first electrode 2 by vapor deposition to form a first insulating layer 3 , the thickness of which may be 200 nm.

[0093] The material of the first insulating layer 3 may include any one of SiO, SiON, SiN, and a-Si.

[0094] In step S04 , a sacrificial layer is formed using a PR material, and the sacrificial layer is patterned to form a metal pattern corresponding to the cantilever structure C.

[0095] Step S05 , depositing a metal material film to form a cantilever structure C.

[0096] Preferably, the cantilever structure C has a thickness of Al material; or, ITO / Ag / ITO laminated metal material, the thickness of which is respectively Based on the above-mentioned single metal material or laminated metal material, the formed cantilever structure C can have a higher infrared reflectivity, thereby reducing the device temperature and improving product reliability.

[0097] Step S06 , removing the remaining sacrificial layer materials left after patterning by ashing.

[0098] The light control structure provided in the disclosed embodiments includes multiple cantilever structures C. These cantilever structures C can be uniformly controlled by applying a voltage to the insulated first electrode 2, thereby adjusting the light transmittance of the entire light control structure. The disclosed embodiments also provide another light control structure that achieves independent control by configuring a corresponding drive switch for each cantilever structure C. The drive switch can be a drive transistor TFT. This will be described in detail below using specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0099] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a light control structure provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG5 , the light control structure further includes: a plurality of driving transistors TFTs, each electrically connected to its corresponding cantilever structure C and located on a side of the first electrode 2 close to the substrate 1; the driving transistors TFTs are configured to provide a driving voltage to the cantilever structure C. The driving voltage is provided to the corresponding cantilever structure C by the driving transistors TFTs, so that the cantilever structures C can be independently controlled.

[0100] In one example, when the light control structure is applied to a vehicle sunroof, the main driver's seat, the co-driver's seat and the rear seats have different requirements for the sunroof's transmittance. At this time, the vehicle sunroof can be zoned by driving the transistor TFT, and the cantilever angle of the cantilever structure C corresponding to each area can be met.

[0101] Figures 6-8 are schematic diagrams of another light-regulating structure provided by embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 6 , the light-regulating structure further includes a first insulating layer 3, which is located between the first electrode 2 and the cantilever structure C. The light-regulating structure further includes: a plurality of support structures 4 and a cover structure 5, wherein the support structures 4 are located in the spacing area PA and surround their corresponding cantilever structures C; the cover structure 5 is located on the side of the plurality of support structures 4 away from the substrate 1, so that an accommodation space SP is formed between the first insulating layer 3, the support structures 4, and the cover structure, and the cantilever structure C deforms within the accommodation space SP. In other words, the accommodation space SP formed by the support structures 4 and the cover structure 5 can still reserve sufficient space for the cantilever structure C when the cantilever angle between the cantilever structure C and the first insulating layer 3 is maximum.

[0102] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG6 , the accommodating space SP is in a vacuum state; or, as shown in FIG7 , the accommodating space SP is filled with gas, and the gas includes an inert gas G; or, as shown in FIG8 , the accommodating space SP is filled with liquid Q, and the liquid Q includes one of water and an alcohol liquid.

[0103] When the storage space SP is in a vacuum state, it can provide thermal insulation, that is, the storage space SP acts as a medium to prevent external high temperatures from being transmitted into the storage space SP, that is, the interior of the vehicle. In this case, combined with the regulation of the cantilever structure C, it can achieve better sound insulation, heat insulation and UV protection.

[0104] When the accommodating space SP is filled with an inert gas G, it not only provides thermal insulation but also a more stable control environment for the cantilever structure C. In one example, when the cantilever structure C is controlled by the driving voltage A1 provided by the driving transistor TFT and the cantilever angle is adjusted to 30 degrees, the driving transistor TFT can provide a stabilizing voltage B that is lower than the driving voltage A1, so that the cantilever angle of the cantilever structure C is maintained at 30 degrees, thereby saving power.

[0105] The above-mentioned inert gas G can be any one of Ar and N2, which is not limited in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0106] When the accommodation space SP is filled with liquid Q, there is significant resistance during the cantilever angle adjustment process. In the same example as above, the driving transistor TFT provides a driving voltage A2 to achieve a 30-degree cantilever angle for the cantilever structure C. However, due to the significant resistance of the liquid, a quasi-steady state can be achieved. In other words, after the cantilever angle of the cantilever structure C reaches a predetermined angle, the driving transistor TFT can no longer provide voltage or provide a very small stabilizing voltage, thereby fixing the cantilever structure C at that angle based on the liquid resistance.

[0107] It should be understood that when the accommodating space SP is filled with an inert gas G and a liquid Q, and the cantilever structure C is adjusted to the same cantilever angle, the driving voltage provided when filled with gas is lower than when filled with liquid. That is, in the above example, the driving voltage A1 is lower than the driving voltage A2. Even though the driving voltage increases when the accommodating space SP is filled with liquid Q, the driving transistor TFT can stop providing voltage or provide a very low voltage to maintain stability after the cantilever structure C reaches the predetermined angle, thereby also saving power.

[0108] Figure 9 is a structural schematic diagram of another light-regulating structure provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 9, the light-regulating structure also includes: a second electrode 7 and a second insulating layer 6, the second electrode 7 is located on the side of the cover structure 5 close to the accommodating space SP; the second insulating layer 6 is located on the side of the second electrode 7 away from the cover structure 5, and the end of the support structure 4 away from the substrate 1 is in contact with the second insulating layer 6.

[0109] To further reduce power consumption, a second electrode 7 can be provided on one side of the accommodation space SP near the cover structure 5. Similar to the first electrode 2, the voltage on the second electrode 7 can be controlled on and off to uniformly provide a portion of the voltage to the cantilever structures C. In one example, when the light control structure is applied to a vehicle sunroof and requires zoned control, all cantilever structures C can be uniformly controlled by the first electrode 2 and / or the second electrode 7. Different drive voltages can then be supplemented by the drive transistors TFT corresponding to each cantilever structure C to achieve independent control of the cantilever structures C, thereby achieving zoned control of the vehicle sunroof.

[0110] FIG10 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the length of the second electrode and the cantilever angle of the cantilever structure provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG10 , the actual length of the adjustment portion C2 in the cantilever structure C is the first length L1, and the maximum angle between the cantilever structure C and the first insulating layer 3 when deformed is θ. The length of the second electrode 7 in the first direction X is the second length L2, and the second length L2 satisfies: L2 < cosθ·L1. Based on the requirements of the above formula, those skilled in the art can flexibly adjust the second length of the second electrode 7 according to actual needs, and the embodiments of the present disclosure do not limit this.

[0111] In some embodiments, the light-regulating structure further includes: a light-shielding layer Z, a buffer layer BUF, an active semiconductor layer ACT, a gate insulating layer GI, a first conductive layer SD2, an interlayer dielectric layer ILD, and a second conductive layer SD2, located between the first electrode 2 and the substrate 1 and arranged in sequence along a direction away from the substrate 1; the driving transistor TFT includes: a first electrode T1, a second electrode T2, a gate Gate, and an active graphic Act0, wherein the active graphic Act0 is located in the active semiconductor layer ACT and includes a first connecting portion, a communicating portion, and a second connecting portion; the first electrode T1 and the second electrode T2 are both located in the second conductive layer SD2, the first electrode T1 is electrically connected to the first connecting portion, and the second electrode T2 is electrically connected to the second connecting portion; the gate Gate is located in the first conductive layer SD2.

[0112] It should be understood that the function of the light shielding layer Z is to block the influence of external ambient light on the channel of the driving transistor TFT, thereby preventing the formation of carriers therein. Therefore, the orthographic projection of the channel portion of the active pattern Act0 on the substrate 1 is located within the area of ​​the orthographic projection of the light shielding layer Z on the substrate 1.

[0113] In one example, the driving function layer where the driving transistor TFT is located can be prepared and formed by the following process:

[0114] Step S0: depositing a Mo material thin film on the substrate 1, and forming a light shielding layer Z by patterning, the thickness of which is preferably

[0115] Step S1 : preparing a buffer layer BUF with a thickness of 100 nm to 500 nm by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) at 370 degrees, wherein the thickness is preferably 300 nm.

[0116] In step S2 , a 10 nm to 100 nm thick IGZO material thin film is deposited on the buffer layer BUF by sputtering deposition to form an active semiconductor layer ACT, and the active pattern Act0 is patterned to form an active pattern Act0 , preferably with a thickness of 40 nm.

[0117] Step S3 , preparing a silicon oxide material film with a thickness of 100 nm to 500 nm by PECVD to form a gate insulating layer GI, the thickness of which is preferably 150 nm.

[0118] In step S4, MoNb / Cu / MoNb are sequentially deposited on the gate insulating layer GI by sputtering deposition. The thickness of the metal stack is 30 nm, 420 nm, and 30 nm, respectively, to form a first conductive layer SD2, and patterned by a self-aligned process to form a gate Gate.

[0119] Step S5 , preparing a silicon oxide material film with a thickness of 100 nm to 500 nm by PECVD to form an interlayer dielectric layer ILD.

[0120] Step S6 , forming a Cu material film with a thickness of 50 nm to 1000 nm on the interlayer dielectric layer ILD by sputtering deposition to form a second conductive layer SD2 , and performing wet etching based on the pattern to form a first electrode T1 and a second electrode T2 .

[0121] It should be understood that in step S6, the first electrode T1 and the second electrode T2 are respectively connected to the active pattern Act0 through vias, and the wet etching solution used in the above wet etching has a high etching selectivity for the material of the active pattern Act0 and the metal material forming the first conductive layer SD2, which can ensure that the active pattern Act0 is not damaged.

[0122] In some embodiments, the light-regulating structure further includes a passivation layer PVX, which is located on the side of the first conductive layer SD2 close to the first electrode 2, and the orthographic projection of the first conductive layer SD2 on the substrate 1 does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the first pole T1 on the substrate 1; the cantilever structure C is connected to the first pole T1 through a via hole penetrating the first insulating layer 3 and the passivation layer PVX.

[0123] Based on the same or similar inventive concepts described above, an embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a window comprising a plurality of light regulating structures, which may be any one of the light regulating structures described above.

[0124] Specifically, the glass in the window serves as the substrate for the light-regulating structure in this embodiment, and the glass and the light-shielding patterns, cantilever structures, support structures, and cover structures are formed on the glass. This window can be applied to building / office building exterior walls, vehicle windows, household appliances, and equipment.

[0125] The embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a vehicle including the above-mentioned window, wherein the window can be a skylight window of the vehicle, or a side window or rear window of the vehicle body.

[0126] The disclosed embodiments provide a light-regulating structure, a window, and a vehicle. A substrate 1 on the light-regulating structure includes a regulating area AA and a spacer area PA. A cantilever structure C is disposed on the regulating area AA, and a light-shielding pattern L is disposed on the spacer area PA. In other words, a light-shielding pattern L is disposed between adjacent cantilever structures C along the thickness of the light-regulating structure. This arrangement reduces light leakage between adjacent cantilever structures and prevents a significant amount of energy from penetrating even in a low-transmittance state (i.e., when the cantilever structures C are undeformed), leading to an increase in the internal ambient temperature.

[0127] Among them, the orthographic projections of the shading pattern L and the cantilever structure C on the substrate 1 have partially overlapping areas. On the one hand, if the overlapping area is too large, the transmittance will be reduced in the high-transmittance state. The above-mentioned high-transmittance state refers to the state in which the cantilever structure C is deformed to expose part of the control area AA, making the control area AA transparent; on the other hand, when the overlapping area is too small or there is no overlap between the two, there will still be light leakage between the two adjacent cantilever structures C.

[0128] In addition, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, a corresponding driving transistor TFT is configured for each cantilever structure C to provide a driving voltage to the cantilever structure C, thereby achieving independent regulation of each cantilever structure C.

[0129] Furthermore, the support structure 4 and the cover structure 5 form a storage space SP. Even when the cantilever angle between the cantilever structure C and the first insulating layer 3 is at its maximum, sufficient space is still reserved for the cantilever structure C. When the storage space SP is in a vacuum state, it provides thermal insulation, achieving improved sound insulation, heat insulation, and UV protection. When the storage space SP is filled with an inert gas G or liquid Q, it not only provides thermal insulation but also provides a more stable control environment for the cantilever structure C and reduces driving power consumption.

[0130] While the above description does not provide detailed explanations of the technical details of patterning and manufacturing each layer, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various technical means can be used to form layers, regions, and the like in desired shapes. Furthermore, those skilled in the art may devise methods that differ from those described above to form the same structure. Furthermore, while each embodiment has been described separately, this does not mean that the measures in each embodiment cannot be advantageously combined.

[0131] It is understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments for illustrating the principles of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art may make various modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit and substance of the present disclosure, and such modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A light modulation structure, wherein, comprising: a substrate, the substrate includes a plurality of modulation regions arranged in an array and spacer regions located between adjacent modulation regions, and the light modulation structure further includes: a first electrode located on one side of the substrate, and the first electrode is a transparent electrode; a plurality of cantilever structures insulated from the first electrode, the cantilever structures are located in the modulation regions and on the side of the first electrode away from the substrate, and the cantilever structures are configured to deform under voltage drive so that at least part of the modulation regions are light-transmissive; a light-shielding pattern located in the spacer regions and on the side of the cantilever structures close to the substrate.

2. The light modulation structure according to claim 1, wherein, the light-shielding pattern includes a plurality of hollowed-out portions, the orthographic projection of the hollowed-out portion on the substrate is located within the region of the orthographic projection of its corresponding cantilever structure on the substrate.

3. The light modulation structure according to claim 2, wherein, the shape of the hollowed-out portion is adapted to the shape of its corresponding cantilever structure, the distance between the orthographic projection of the first edge of the hollowed-out portion on the substrate and the orthographic projection of the corresponding edge of its corresponding cantilever structure on the substrate is 3 μm to 7 μm.

4. The light modulation structure according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, the light modulation structure further includes a first insulating layer, and the first insulating layer is located between the first electrode and the cantilever structures; the thickness of the first insulating layer is 5 nm to 15 nm.

5. The light modulation structure according to claim 4, wherein, the light-shielding pattern is located between the first electrode and the first insulating layer; or, the light-shielding pattern is located between the first electrode and the substrate.

6. The light modulation structure according to claim 4, wherein, the cantilever structure includes a fixed portion and an adjusting portion connected to each other, the fixed portion is fixed on the side of the first insulating layer away from the substrate; the adjusting portion is configured to: under voltage drive, the end away from the fixed portion bends away from the substrate to change the orthographic projection area of the adjusting portion on the substrate.

7. The light modulation structure according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein, the light modulation structure further includes: a plurality of driving transistors, the driving transistors are electrically connected to their corresponding cantilever structures and are located on the side of the first electrode close to the substrate; the driving transistors are configured to provide a driving voltage to the cantilever structures.

8. The light modulation structure according to claim 7, wherein, the light modulation structure further includes a first insulating layer, and the first insulating layer is located between the first electrode and the cantilever structures, the light modulation structure further includes: a plurality of support structures and a cover structure, wherein, the support structures are located in the spacer regions and are arranged around their corresponding cantilever structures; the cover structure is located on the side of the plurality of support structures away from the substrate so that an accommodation space is formed between the first insulating layer, the support structures and the cover, and the cantilever structures deform in the accommodation space.

9. The light modulation structure according to claim 8, wherein, The accommodation space is in a vacuum state; or, the accommodation space is filled with a gas, and the gas includes an inert gas; or, the accommodation space is filled with a liquid, and the liquid includes one of water and alcohol liquids.

10. The light control structure according to claim 8, wherein, the light control structure further includes: a second electrode and a second insulating layer, the second electrode is located on the side of the cover plate structure close to the accommodation space; the second insulating layer is located on the side of the second electrode away from the cover plate structure, and the end of the support structure away from the substrate is in contact with the second insulating layer.

11. The light control structure according to claim 10, wherein, the cantilever structure includes a fixed part and an adjustment part connected to each other, the actual length of the adjustment part is a first length L1, and the maximum angle between the cantilever structure and the first insulating layer when deforming is θ, and the length of the second electrode in the first direction is a second length L2, the second length L2 satisfies: L2 < cosθ·L1.

12. The light control structure according to claim 10, wherein, the light control structure further includes, arranged in sequence along the direction away from the substrate between the first electrode and the substrate: a light shielding layer, a buffer layer, an active semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer, a first conductive layer, an interlayer dielectric layer, and a second conductive layer, the driving transistor includes: a first pole, a second pole, a gate, and an active pattern, wherein, the active pattern is located in the active semiconductor layer and includes a first connection part, a communication part, and a second connection part; the first pole and the second pole are both located in the second conductive layer, the first pole is electrically connected to the first connection part, and the second pole is electrically connected to the second connection part; the gate is located in the first conductive layer.

13. The light control structure according to claim 12, wherein, the light control structure further includes a passivation layer located on the side of the first conductive layer close to the first electrode, the orthographic projection of the first conductive layer on the substrate does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the first pole on the substrate; the cantilever structure is connected to the first pole through a via hole penetrating through the first insulating layer and the passivation layer.

14. The light control structure according to any one of claims 1-13, wherein, the cantilever structure is made of a single metal material with a thickness of 100 nm to 300 nm; or, The cantilever structure uses a laminated metal material with a thickness of 15. The light control structure according to any one of claims 1-13, wherein, the light shielding pattern is made of a black matrix material with a thickness of 1 μm to 3 μm.

16. A window, wherein, at least one light control structure, and the light control structure is the light control structure according to any one of claims 1-15.

17. A vehicle, wherein, it includes the window according to claim 16.

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