Electro-optical Device Light-Shielding Film Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electro-optical devices face issues with cracks in the multilayered structure on the element array substrate, which can propagate and cut wiring lines, leading to reduced yield and reliability, especially due to the reflection and transmission of light in projector systems.
Innovation Solution
The electro-optical device incorporates a substrate with island-shaped light-shielding films in peripheral regions, separation regions, and conductive films that overlap these areas, reducing crack propagation and stress through a specific layout and insulating film coverage, thereby alleviating mechanical strength issues and maintaining image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If lower light-shielding films are formed in the frame region on the element array substrate to reduce bright and dark striped patterns, then image quality is improved, but cracks occur in regions separating the light-shielding films from one another, propagating to the multilayered structure and cutting wiring lines
Solution Approach 1:
The frame region is divided into multiple separate light-shielding film islands rather than forming continuous light-shielding films. This segmentation prevents crack propagation by creating isolation regions between adjacent light-shielding films, while still achieving the light-shielding function needed to reduce bright and dark striped patterns in the display image.
Solution Approach 2:
An insulating film is introduced as an intermediary layer between the light-shielding films and the multilayered structure. This insulating film acts as a protective barrier that prevents cracks from propagating from the light-shielding film separation regions into the underlying multilayered structure and wiring lines, while allowing the light-shielding films to maintain their image quality improvement function.
2Strength
If continuous light-shielding films are used to define the frame region, then mechanical strength is maintained, but bright and dark striped patterns appear near the edges of display images due to light reflection and transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous light-shielding film is segmented into multiple separate islands distributed throughout the frame region. This segmentation reduces the total area of light-shielding material while maintaining the light-shielding function, thereby reducing bright and dark striped patterns. The segmentation also creates isolation regions that prevent crack propagation.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the frame area have different properties: some regions contain light-shielding film islands while others contain only the substrate and insulating film. This local variation in quality allows the structure to maintain mechanical strength where needed while providing light-shielding functionality where required to eliminate display defects.
3Illumination intensity
If the frame region is filled with light-shielding films to eliminate returned light, then image quality is improved, but the complexity of the multilayered structure increases and manufacturing difficulty rises
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of forming continuous light-shielding films across the entire frame region, the structure segments the light-shielding function into discrete islands. This reduces the total amount of light-shielding material and simplifies the multilayered structure, making it easier to manufacture while still effectively reducing returned light through the distributed light-shielding islands.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than completely filling the frame region with light-shielding films, only partial coverage is provided through strategically positioned islands. This partial action is sufficient to achieve the light-shielding function and reduce returned light, while avoiding the excessive complexity and manufacturing difficulty that would result from complete coverage.
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 configuration effectively reduces crack occurrence and propagation, improving the reliability and yield of electro-optical devices by preventing damage to the multilayered structure and minimizing bright and dark striped patterns in display images.
Implementation Method 1
an insulating film that covers the plurality of light-shielding films and the separation regions
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of light-shielding films that are formed as island shapes in peripheral regions around the image display region
Implementation Method 3
a plurality of first conductive films that are formed so as to extend in the first direction and disposed in a direction crossing the first direction, on the insulating film. Further, the plurality of first conductive films overlap the separation regions that extend between the plurality of light-shielding films
Data Source
AI summary
An electro-optical device includes a substrate; a plurality of pixels that are formed in an image display region on the substrate; a plurality of light-shielding films that are formed as island shapes in peripheral regions around the image display region; separation regions that extend in a first direction between the plurality of light-shielding films; an insulating film that covers the plurality of light-shielding films and the separation regions; and a plurality of first conductive films that are formed so as to extend in the first direction and disposed in a direction crossing the first direction, on the insulating film. Further, the plurality of first conductive films overlap the separation regions that extend between the plurality of light-shielding films.