Display Panel Dummy Sub-Pixels for Uniform LED Self-Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Display devices with light emitting diodes (LEDs) face challenges in self-assembling rates and transfer failures of light emitting elements, particularly in the outer portions of the display area, due to imbalances in electric fields and transfer issues.
Innovation Solution
A display device design that includes a substrate with a display area and a dummy area surrounding it, featuring sub-pixels and dummy sub-pixels with low potential power supply lines, where assembly electrodes and openings are formed in both areas to self-assemble light emitting elements, compensating for electric field imbalances and reducing transfer failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If light emitting elements are self-assembled only in the display area, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the self-assembling rate decreases and transfer failures occur in outer portions
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate area is segmented into a display area and a dummy area. The dummy area contains dummy sub-pixels with assembly electrodes and openings that are structurally similar to functional sub-pixels but do not contribute to light emission. This segmentation allows the self-assembling process to be uniformly applied across the entire substrate, ensuring consistent electric field formation and high self-assembling rates for all light emitting elements while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Device complexity
If assembly electrodes and openings are formed only in the display area, then the device complexity is reduced, but electric field imbalance occurs causing transfer failures
Solution Approach 1:
The dummy area is designed with local quality that mirrors the display area's structure - containing dummy sub-pixels with assembly electrodes and openings. This local replication ensures that the electric field distribution is uniform across the entire substrate during the self-assembling process. The dummy structures provide the necessary electric field balance at the periphery without adding functional complexity, as they do not connect to pixel circuits or emit light.
3Reliability
If the dummy area is added to surround the display area, then transfer failures are reduced, but the area and volume of the device increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dummy area is designed to extend only partially beyond the display area - just enough to provide the necessary electric field balance for reliable self-assembling of light emitting elements at the periphery. The dummy sub-pixels are configured with the same structural elements (assembly electrodes and openings) as functional sub-pixels, but without full circuit connectivity. This partial implementation achieves the reliability improvement without excessive area expansion.
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
This approach enhances the self-assembling rate of light emitting elements, minimizes transfer failures, and optimizes the production energy by forming uniform electric fields across the display panel, thereby improving yield and reducing production costs.
Implementation Method 1
forming electric fields by applying a voltage to the pair of assembly electrodes disposed in the display area and the dummy area
Implementation Method 2
self-assembling a light emitting element in an opening disposed in each of the plurality of sub-pixels among the plurality of openings
Data Source
AI summary
A display device can include a display panel having an display area and a dummy area surrounding the display area, a plurality of sub-pixels disposed in the display area, a plurality of dummy sub-pixels disposed in the dummy area, a pixel circuit disposed in the plurality of sub-pixels, and at least a pair of low potential power supply lines disposed in each of the plurality of sub-pixels and the plurality of dummy sub-pixels. Therefore, it is possible to reduce or minimize transfer issues of light emitting elements in an outer portion of the display area by forming the low potential power supply lines for self-assembling the light emitting element in the dummy area.