Amorphous Inorganic Flexible Substrates for Display Devices
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible substrates used in electronic devices face challenges such as mechanical instability, brittleness, and limited durability due to tensile, compressive, and shear stresses, which can lead to device failure and reduced lifespan, and existing materials like metal and thermoplastic substrates have properties incompatible with light emitting display devices.
Innovation Solution
Development of mechanically durable flexible substrates with an amorphous inorganic composition having a thickness of less than 250 μm, characterized by a brittleness ratio of less than 9.5 (μm)−1/2 or a fracture toughness of at least 0.75 MPa·(m)1/2, suitable for use in electronic devices like light emitting displays, employing selection criteria and manufacturing methods that enhance mechanical stability and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If glass materials are used for flexible substrates, then transparency and surface roughness properties are improved, but mechanical stability and durability deteriorate due to brittleness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the glass composition (specific ratios of SiO2, B2O3, Al2O3, and other oxides) and processing parameters (heating temperature, cooling rate) to transform traditional brittle glass into a flexible substrate material that maintains transparency while achieving the required mechanical stability through compositional optimization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite glass material system combining multiple oxide components (silica, boron trioxide, aluminum oxide, and adjuvant oxides) in specific proportions to achieve a synergistic effect where the composite structure provides both the optical properties of glass and enhanced mechanical flexibility through the interaction of different material phases
2Shape
If glass materials are used for flexible substrates, then surface roughness properties are improved, but mechanical durability deteriorates due to brittleness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the glass composition parameters by incorporating specific amounts of adjuvant oxides (Na2O, K2O, CaO, MgO) and controlling the heating and cooling rates during manufacturing to reduce internal stresses and prevent crystallization, thereby maintaining surface quality while dramatically improving mechanical durability and flexibility
3Reliability
If thin film coatings are employed to alter barrier properties, then oxygen and water barrier properties are improved, but mechanical strength deteriorates due to brittleness and cracking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the barrier function and structural support function into a single integrated glass substrate layer, eliminating the need for separate thin film coatings. The glass composition itself is optimized to provide both excellent oxygen and water barrier properties (with water vapor transmission rate < 10^-6 g/m²/day) and the mechanical strength required to prevent cracking during flexing and handling
4Ease of operation
If substrate thickness is reduced to improve flexibility, then bend radius capability is improved, but mechanical strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters by optimizing the glass composition to achieve ultra-low viscosity at processing temperatures and controlled crystallization behavior, enabling the formation of thin substrates (50-200 μm) that maintain high mechanical strength through compositional design rather than relying on thickness alone for structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by creating a glass substrate with controlled viscoelastic properties that can dynamically adapt to bending stresses during flexing operations, allowing the material to flexibly deform under stress and recover without permanent damage, thus maintaining strength despite reduced thickness
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible substrate are disclosed comprising an amorphous inorganic composition, wherein the substrate has a thickness of less than about 250 μm and has at least one of: a) a brittleness ratio less than about 9.5 (μm)−1/2, or b) a fracture toughness of at least about 0.75 MPa·(m)1/2. Electronic devices comprising such flexible devices are also disclosed. Also disclosed is a method for making a flexible substrate comprising selecting an amorphous inorganic material capable of forming a substrate having a thickness of less than about 250 μm and having at least one of: a) a brittleness ratio of less than about 9.5 (μm)−1/2, or b) a fracture toughness of at least about 0.75 MPa·(m)1/2; and then forming a substrate from the selected inorganic material.