Electrowetting Display Panel Opaque Insulating Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electrowetting display devices cannot achieve a satisfying full-color display effect due to partial shielding of the pixel region by the oil ink layer during color display.
Innovation Solution
An electrowetting display panel is designed with a substrate structure that includes baffle walls defining sub-pixels, an opaque insulating layer capable of switching between black and white under an electric field, and colored liquid elements between the opaque insulating layer and the first substrate, allowing for full-color display by utilizing immiscible opaque and colored liquid elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the oil ink layer is used for shielding in black-and-white display, then the display can achieve good contrast, but in color display the oil ink layer still shields part of the pixel region and cannot render a satisfying full-color display effect
Solution Approach 1:
The display device is divided into multiple sub-pixels, each containing different colored liquid crystal materials. By segmenting the pixel structure and using an opaque insulating layer with hydrophobic surface to separate and control the distribution of different liquid crystal phases, the patent enables full-color display without the shielding problem of traditional oil ink layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the insulating layer by introducing hydrophobic modifications. This parameter change allows the insulating layer to selectively interact with different liquid crystal phases (oleic and polar), enabling dynamic control over color display while preventing the shielding effect that plagues traditional designs.
2Device complexity
If a transparent insulating layer is used, then the structure is simpler, but the colored liquid elements cannot be properly contained and controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating layer is designed with local quality variations through hydrophobic modification. Different regions of the insulating layer have different wettability properties, allowing it to selectively contain and control colored liquid elements in specific areas while maintaining overall structural simplicity. This local differentiation enables reliable containment without adding complex external structures.
3Volume of moving object
If the oil ink layer is made thinner to reduce shielding, then more pixel region is exposed for color display, but the shielding function is compromised and color mixing occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary opaque insulating layer with hydrophobic surface properties between the electrode and the colored liquid crystal elements. This intermediary structure provides both shielding and containment functions, enabling precise color control in each sub-pixel without the need to carefully control oil ink layer thickness, thereby eliminating color mixing issues.
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
The solution enables full-color display by using immiscible opaque and colored liquid elements to control the visibility of sub-pixels, preventing color residue and achieving a clear, balanced color representation without the limitations of prior art.
Implementation Method 1
Electrowetting phenomenon is that a contact angle between an electrolyte solution and an insulating layer changes under an action of an electric field, that is, the electrolyte solution contracts or expands on a surface of the insulating layer under the action of the electric field.
Implementation Method 2
the colored liquid elements and the black opaque liquid elements in the individual sub-pixels being immiscible
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of the present invention provides an electrowetting display panel which can achieve full-color display, comprising: a first substrate; a second substrate opposite to the first substrate; a plurality of baffle walls disposed on the second substrate and defining a plurality of sub-pixels; an opaque insulating layer disposed on the second substrate, the opaque insulating layer comprising a dielectric layer and opaque liquid elements disposed on the dielectric layer, the opaque insulating layer being capable of displaying black or white under an action of an electric field; a plurality of colored liquid elements corresponding to the individual sub-pixels respectively and disposed between the opaque insulating layer and the first substrate, the colored liquid elements being an electric-conductive or polar light-transmissive color solution.