Display Electrode Layout With Stepped Insulation for LED Contact Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Display devices face connection failures between light emitting elements and connection electrodes due to misalignment or improper alignment during the fabrication process, leading to inconsistent electrical contact and reduced performance.

Innovation Solution

A display device design featuring a first and second electrode with light emitting elements disposed on them, a first insulating layer with varying thickness portions, and connection electrodes that contact the light emitting elements, preventing connection failures by ensuring proper alignment through multiple etching processes to expose both ends of the light emitting elements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a uniform thickness insulating layer is used, then the fabrication process is simpler, but connection failures occur due to misalignment between light emitting elements and connection electrodes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidinsulating layer structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The insulating layer is designed with non-uniform thickness, featuring a first portion with greater thickness and a second portion with lesser thickness. This local variation in thickness provides different functional characteristics: the thicker first portion ensures reliable electrical insulation and mechanical support, while the thinner second portion allows light to pass through more efficiently, resolving the contradiction between connection reliability and device performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The insulating layer is segmented into distinct portions with different thicknesses rather than maintaining a uniform structure. This segmentation allows each portion to serve its specific function independently, with the first portion optimized for electrical isolation and the second portion optimized for light transmission, thereby eliminating connection failures while maintaining structural complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the insulating layer thickness is increased, then electrical insulation is improved, but light transmission is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical insulationVSAvoidlight transmission
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

Different regions of the insulating layer are assigned different thicknesses to optimize for different functions. The first portion has greater thickness to provide superior electrical insulation and prevent connection failures, while the second portion has lesser thickness to allow adequate light transmission, thus resolving the contradiction between electrical insulation and light transmission

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Manufacturing precision

If multiple etching processes are used to form the insulating layer, then alignment precision is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidfabrication process
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The formation of the insulating layer is divided into multiple etching processes that create distinct portions with different thicknesses. This segmentation of the manufacturing process enables precise control over the thickness profile, ensuring accurate alignment between light emitting elements and connection electrodes, though it increases fabrication complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The multiple etching processes are designed to progressively shape the insulating layer before final assembly, creating the non-uniform thickness profile in advance. This preliminary action ensures that the alignment features are already prepared and positioned correctly, facilitating subsequent assembly steps and improving overall manufacturing precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4246577A1Display device
Publication Date: 2023.09.20 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP4246577A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4246577A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4246577A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A display device is provided. The display device includes a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode in a second direction, light emitting elements disposed on the first electrode and the second electrode, a first insulating layer disposed on the light emitting elements, a first connection electrode disposed on the first electrode and electrically contacting each of the light emitting elements, and a second connection electrode disposed on the second electrode and electrically contacting each of the light emitting elements, and the first insulating layer includes a first portion and a second portion having a thickness larger than a thickness of the first portion of the first insulating layer.