Flexible Array Substrate Double-Layer Metal Trace Bending Stress
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing method of bending the non-display area in array substrates to achieve narrow bezels often results in conductive metal traces cracking or breaking, leading to poor display performance and product quality issues.
Innovation Solution
A flexible array substrate design with a bending area and a non-bending area, featuring a metal trace structure with a bottom metal layer, an organic interlayer, and a top metal layer that encloses the interlayer, where the organic layer is filled with grooves to enhance bending stress resistance and reduce fracture probability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the non-display area is bent to the back surface to achieve narrow bezels, then the bezel width is reduced, but the metal trace is liable to crack or break
Solution Approach 1:
The metal trace is divided into multiple segments: bottom metal layer, organic interlayer, and top metal layer. This segmentation allows each layer to independently handle stress during bending, preventing crack propagation through the entire trace structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite structure combining metal layers with an organic interlayer. This composite material approach provides both electrical conductivity from the metal and flexibility/stress absorption from the organic material, resolving the contradiction between structural integrity and bending flexibility.
2Ease of manufacture
If a single-layer metal trace is used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the bending stress resistance is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The metal trace is segmented into bottom and top metal layers separated by an organic interlayer. This segmentation can be achieved through standard multi-layer deposition processes, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while significantly improving bending stress resistance through the distributed structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional planar metal trace to a three-dimensional multi-layer structure. This dimensional change allows the trace to accommodate bending stresses by distributing them across multiple layers and interfaces, enhancing strength without complicating the manufacturing process.
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible array substrate, a method for manufacturing the same, and a display panel are provided. The flexible array substrate adopts a structure of a double-layer metal layer to enclose an organic layer in a bending area, which can improve bending stress of a metal trace during bending and reduce probability of fracture; and the metal trace adopting the double-layered design reduces abnormality of a circuit caused by breakage of the metal trace in the bending area and improves product quality.