Flexible Display Cover Window with Metal Oxide Adhesion Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible display apparatuses face durability issues due to the lack of robustness in their cover windows, which can be damaged by external shocks or scratches, and hard coating layers can separate or crack, degrading the window's flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A cover window structure comprising a first layer of polymer material, a second layer of metal oxide, and an intermediate region where the metal oxide binds to dangling bonds in the polymer, with varying oxygen composition ratios, ensuring excellent adhesion and durability while maintaining flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hard coating layer is formed on the surface of the flexible window to improve durability, then the window's resistance to external shock and scratches is improved, but the flexible characteristics of the window degrade and the hard coating layer may separate or crack
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure consisting of a flexible polymer window layer and a hard metal oxide coating layer. This composite material approach allows the system to simultaneously exhibit flexibility from the polymer substrate and hardness/durability from the metal oxide coating, resolving the contradiction between maintaining flexibility and improving durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different material properties to different regions/layers of the cover window structure. The polymer layer provides flexibility while the metal oxide layer provides hardness and scratch resistance. This local differentiation of material properties allows each layer to perform its specialized function without compromising the overall system performance.
2Reliability
If a hard coating layer is formed on the flexible window to improve durability, then resistance to external shock is improved, but the hard coating layer may separate from the interface between the window and the hard coating layer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes plasma treatment to modify the surface parameters of the polymer window layer before applying the metal oxide coating. This plasma treatment changes the surface energy and chemical composition of the polymer, creating enhanced adhesion properties that prevent separation between the flexible window and the hard coating layer, thus improving both durability and interfacial stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances the durability and light-output efficiency of flexible display apparatuses by preventing separation of the protective layer and improving adhesive force, even when the window is repeatedly bent.
Implementation Method 1
the intermediate region includes the oxide of the first metal where the first metal binds to a dangling bond of oxygen included in the polymer material
Implementation Method 2
heating the seed layer by irradiating an electronic beam on the second layer, wherein the heated seed layer forms an intermediate region by a reaction between the first layer and the second layer
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a cover window includes a first layer including a polymer material, a second layer above a first surface of the first layer and including an oxide of a first metal, and an intermediate region between the first layer and the second layer, wherein the intermediate region includes the oxide of the first metal where the first metal binds to a dangling bond of oxygen of the polymer material, and the oxide of the first metal included in the second layer has a different composition ratio than the oxide of the first metal included in the intermediate region.