Dummy Pixel Grooves for OLED Surface Treatment Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for measuring the wettability of light emitting materials on surface treatment layers in organic light emitting display devices fail to accurately reflect changes due to defects in the surface treatment layer during the fabrication process, leading to reduced wettability and potential defects in the final device.
Innovation Solution
A light emitting display device and fabrication method that utilize a substrate with a first dummy region and a surface treatment layer with grooves in the dummy pixels to test the wettability and breaking of the light emitting material, allowing for reliable evaluation of the surface treatment layer quality through quantitative assessment of the material's spread and adherence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the contact angle measurement method is used to evaluate surface treatment layer quality, then the measurement process is simple and quick, but the measurement result fails to reflect actual wettability changes due to defects in the surface treatment layer during fabrication
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is divided into active regions and dummy regions. The dummy regions serve as test areas with surface treatment layers that can be evaluated independently without affecting the active display regions. This segmentation allows for quality monitoring of the surface treatment layer using the same fabrication process conditions as the actual device production.
Solution Approach 2:
The surface treatment layer is formed in the dummy regions before the light emitting material is deposited. This preliminary formation allows the surface treatment layer to be evaluated under actual fabrication conditions (including any potential defects) before the critical light emitting layer is applied, enabling early detection of quality issues.
2Reliability
If the surface treatment layer is formed on a small separate substrate for measurement, then the measurement process is isolated and controlled, but the wettability evaluation cannot reflect changes caused by defects during the actual fabrication process
Solution Approach 1:
The evaluation function is merged with the fabrication process by forming the surface treatment layer in the dummy regions of the same substrate that will be used for the active device. This combines the quality evaluation function with the actual manufacturing process, allowing both to be performed under identical conditions without requiring separate measurement substrates.
Solution Approach 2:
The dummy regions serve multiple functions: they are part of the fabrication process structure, provide test areas for surface treatment layer evaluation, and allow quality monitoring under actual production conditions. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate measurement substrates while maintaining evaluation reliability.
3Measurement precision
If dummy pixels with grooves are formed in the surface treatment layer, then the wettability and breaking of light emitting material can be tested, but the fabrication process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The surface treatment layer has different structures in different regions: the active regions have a flat surface treatment layer for device operation, while the dummy regions have grooves for quality evaluation. This local differentiation allows the groove structure to provide enhanced wettability testing capability only where needed, without affecting the active device performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The dummy pixels replicate the basic structure of active pixels including the electrode and pixel defining layer, but with additional groove features in the surface treatment layer. This copying allows the same fabrication process to produce both functional and test structures, enabling quality evaluation using the actual manufacturing流程.
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 enables reliable monitoring of the surface treatment layer quality, preventing defective devices by ensuring proper wettability and adherence of the light emitting material, thus improving the fabrication process and device performance.
Implementation Method 1
a surface treatment layer formed on the first electrode and including a plurality of grooves in each of the first dummy pixels
Data Source
AI summary
A light emitting display device and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed. The light emitting display device comprises: a substrate comprising an active region in which a plurality of active pixels for displaying images are formed and a first dummy region disposed outside the active region and in which a plurality of first dummy pixels is formed; a first electrode formed on the substrate in each pixel; a pixel defining layer having an opening that exposes the first electrode; a surface treatment layer formed on the first electrode and having a plurality of grooves in each of the first dummy pixels; a light emitting layer formed on the surface treatment layer; and a second electrode formed on the light emitting layer in each of the active pixels.