Display Panel Spacer Design for Light Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional display panel fabrication processes face challenges in mass production due to difficulties in stably forming black matrix layers and spacers with height differences using tri-tone photo masks, leading to light leakage issues caused by poor substrate alignment.
Innovation Solution
A display panel design featuring a first spacer on the auxiliary conductive layer and a second spacer on the active element layer, where the first spacer overlaps the auxiliary conductive layer, and the second spacer does not, allowing for the use of mature fabrication processes to maintain cell gap and prevent light leakage, with the auxiliary conductive layer substituting for the black matrix function.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If tri-tone photo mask and black photoresist material are used to simultaneously form black matrix layer, main spacer and sub spacer, then the fabrication process is simplified, but the manufacturing stability and mass production capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the spacer formation into two separate stages: first forming the main spacer using a first photoresist material, then forming the sub spacer using a second photoresist material with different solubility characteristics. This segmentation allows each spacer type to be formed with optimized process parameters, ensuring precise height difference control while maintaining manufacturing stability for mass production.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If black matrix layer and spacers are formed on pixel array substrate to prevent light leakage, then light leakage is prevented, but alignment difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces an auxiliary conductive layer as an intermediary element between the pixel array substrate and the spacer structures. This auxiliary layer serves as a reference plane that facilitates precise alignment during the formation of both the black matrix layer and spacers, thereby preventing light leakage while maintaining manufacturing precision.
3Strength
If spacers with different heights are formed to maintain cell gap, then pressure resistance is improved, but fabrication stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameter (photoresist solubility) between the main spacer and sub spacer formation processes. By using a first photoresist material for the main spacer and a second photoresist material with different solubility characteristics for the sub spacer, the process achieves stable and repeatable height difference control, ensuring fabrication reliability for mass production while maintaining the required pressure resistance.
Data Source
AI summary
A display panel including a first substrate, an active element layer, a pixel electrode layer, an auxiliary conductive layer, a first spacer and a second spacer is provided. The active element layer is disposed on the first substrate. The pixel electrode layer is disposed on the first substrate and electrically connected with the active element layer. The auxiliary conductive layer is disposed on the active element layer. The first spacer is disposed on the auxiliary conductive layer. The first spacer overlaps the auxiliary conductive layer in a normal projection direction. The second spacer is disposed on the active element layer. The second spacer does not overlap the auxiliary conductive layer in the normal projection direction. A distance between an apex of the first spacer and the first substrate is longer than a distance between an apex of the second spacer and the first substrate.