Display Device Light Blocking and Spacer Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing display devices face challenges in achieving precise patterning and uniformity of light blocking portions, main column spacers, and sub-column spacers, which affect the operational characteristics such as response speed, contrast ratio, and luminance uniformity.
Innovation Solution
A display device design featuring a light blocking portion integrated with a recessed surface area of a passivation layer, where the main column spacer and sub-column spacer are formed as a unitary unit, allowing for precise pattern formation and height differences, enhancing light blocking capabilities and manufacturing accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the light blocking portion, main column spacer, and sub-column spacer are formed as separate structures, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the pattern precision and thickness uniformity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the light blocking portion, main column spacer, and sub-column spacer into a single integrated structure formed by one photolithography process. This unified structure ensures consistent thickness and precise patterning across all components, resolving the contradiction by prioritizing manufacturing precision while still maintaining ease of manufacture through process integration rather than multiple separate fabrication steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: light blocking, cell gap maintenance (through main and sub-column spacers), and pattern definition. By designing a single structure that performs all these functions, the patent achieves high pattern precision and thickness uniformity without requiring separate manufacturing processes for each component.
2Reliability
If the light blocking portion is formed with increased thickness to prevent lift-off defects, then the structural stability improves, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the light blocking portion with the column spacers into a single integrated structure, the patent achieves increased effective thickness for preventing lift-off defects without adding manufacturing complexity. The unified structure is formed in one photolithography step, maintaining process simplicity while enhancing structural stability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the main column spacer and sub-column spacer are formed with different heights to maintain uniform cell gaps, then the display uniformity improves, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different heights for the main column spacer and sub-column spacer within the integrated structure. The main column spacer has a first height for primary cell gap maintenance, while the sub-column spacer has a second height for supplementary support. This localized variation in height within the unified structure achieves uniform cell gaps without requiring extremely high manufacturing precision across the entire structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A display device includes: a first substrate; a gate line on the first substrate, where the gate line extends in a first direction; a data line on the first substrate, where the data line extends in a second direction which intersects the first direction; a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line; a passivation layer on the gate line, the data line and the thin film transistor, where the passivation layer includes a recessed portion; a light blocking portion on the recessed portion of the passivation layer; a main column spacer which protrudes upwardly from the light blocking portion; and a sub-column spacer which protrudes upwardly from the light blocking portion, where the sub-column spacer is spaced apart from the main column spacer.