Display Substrate Barrier Wall for Under-Display Camera Encapsulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The integration of a camera device within the display region of a display device compromises the full-screen design and creates encapsulation challenges, leading to contamination of functional materials due to impurities entering through the opening reserved for the camera.

Innovation Solution

A display substrate with a first barrier wall surrounding the opening region, featuring a first metal layer structure with recesses on its side surfaces, effectively disconnecting organic functional layers and electrode layers to prevent impurity ingress, while allowing light transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If organic light-emitting materials are used in display devices, then color representation and viewing angles are improved, but the materials are easily degraded by oxygen and moisture leading to performance deterioration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor representationVSAvoidmaterial stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

An encapsulation layer is introduced as an intermediary barrier between the organic light-emitting material and the external environment. This encapsulation layer prevents direct contact between oxygen/moisture and the sensitive organic materials, thereby maintaining material stability while preserving the superior color representation and viewing angles of organic LEDs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a protected environment around the organic light-emitting material by enclosing it in an encapsulation structure that excludes reactive substances like oxygen and moisture. This effectively establishes an inert atmosphere that prevents degradation reactions, allowing the organic materials to maintain their optical properties and performance over time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

2Quantity of substance

If transparent conductive oxides like ITO are used, then electrical conductivity and transparency are achieved, but the sputtering process requires high vacuum and high power consumption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical conductivityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the conventional sputtering process (which requires high vacuum and high power) with an electrochemical deposition process. This electrochemical method uses electrical current in an electrolyte solution to deposit transparent conductive oxide materials, eliminating the need for high vacuum equipment and significantly reducing power consumption while achieving the required electrical conductivity and transparency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the deposition parameters from high-vacuum plasma conditions to aqueous electrochemical conditions. By altering the deposition environment from vacuum to liquid electrolyte and from plasma physics to electrochemistry, the process achieves transparent conductive oxide deposition at lower power consumption and without requiring high vacuum systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If conventional sputtering process is used for transparent conductive oxide, then film deposition is achieved, but the process requires high vacuum environment and complex equipment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilm deposition qualityVSAvoidequipment complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent substitutes the complex mechanical vacuum sputtering system with a simpler electrochemical deposition system. The electrochemical process uses standard laboratory equipment (power supply, electrolyte solution, substrate holder) to achieve high-quality transparent conductive oxide films, eliminating the need for expensive vacuum chambers, magnetic fields, and complex sputtering apparatus.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the deposition parameters from vacuum-based physical sputtering to solution-based electrochemical deposition. This parameter change simplifies the equipment requirements from high-vacuum systems to simple electrochemical cells, while maintaining or improving film quality through controlled electrochemical reactions that enable precise compositional control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Weight of moving object

If organic light-emitting materials are used, then flexibility and lightweight design are enabled, but the materials show instability in performance over time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice weightVSAvoidperformance stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

An encapsulation layer is introduced as a protective intermediary between the lightweight organic light-emitting materials and the external environment. This encapsulation prevents degradation from oxygen and moisture exposure, thereby maintaining performance stability over time while preserving the inherent lightweight and flexible characteristics of organic LED materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a protected inert environment through encapsulation, shielding the organic light-emitting materials from reactive substances like oxygen and moisture. This allows the lightweight organic materials to maintain their optical and electrical properties over extended periods, achieving both weight reduction and long-term performance stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

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 barrier wall structure enhances the encapsulation effect, preventing contamination of functional materials and maintaining display performance by blocking impurities such as water and oxygen, thus ensuring the integrity of the display region.

Implementation Method 1

a transparent conductive oxide layer is formed by electrochemically depositing transparent conductive oxide particles in an electrolyte solution

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrochemical deposition: Electrodeposition

Data Source

PatentEP3951881B1Display substrate and method for preparing same, and display apparatus
Publication Date: 2026.05.06 BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO LTD
  • EP3951881B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3951881B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP3951881B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

A display substrate and a preparation method thereof, and a display device are provided. The display substrate (200/300/400) includes a display region (201/301/401) and an opening region (2011/3011/4011), the display region (200/300/400) surrounds the opening region (2011/3011/4011), a first barrier wall (2012/3012/4012) is between the display region (201/301/401) and the opening region (2011/3011/4011), and the first barrier wall (2012/3012/4012) surrounds the opening region (2011/3011/4011); the first barrier wall (2012/3012/4012) includes a first metal layer structure, and at least one side surface, surrounding the opening region (2011/3011/4011), of the first metal layer structure includes a recess (2012A/3012A/4012A). The display substrate combines the imaging device with the display region of the display substrate and has a better encapsulation effect.