Flexible Display Buffer Layer Layout for Bending Area Durability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Flexible displays, such as OLEDs, suffer from metal line breakage due to the high Young's modulus of insulating layers, which fail under repeated bending, compromising display functionality.

Innovation Solution

A flexible display panel design with a buffer layer thickness reduction in bending areas, using a sequential layer structure of SIOx layers, and a transition area to minimize stress on metal layers, combined with organic passivation and planarization layers to enhance flexibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a flexible display panel is bent or folded, then portability and adaptability are improved, but the risk of breaking the display panel increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveportabilityVSAvoiddisplay panel durability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The display panel is divided into multiple segments including a first substrate, a second substrate, and an intermediate layer. This segmentation allows each layer to independently handle stress during bending, preventing catastrophic failure of the entire display structure while maintaining flexibility and portability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If a flexible display panel is bent or folded, then portability and adaptability are improved, but image quality deteriorates due to wrinkles and folds

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveportabilityVSAvoidimage quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs multiple thin film layers including a first buffer layer, second buffer layer, and intermediate layer with controlled thicknesses. These thin films are designed to accommodate bending without creating visible wrinkles or folds that would degrade image quality, while still enabling the desired flexibility and portability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Reliability

If the thickness of buffer layers is increased to prevent breakage, then reliability is improved, but the flexibility and bendability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay panel durabilityVSAvoidflexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the thickness parameters of buffer layers and intermediate layers to achieve a balance between reliability and flexibility. By precisely controlling layer thicknesses rather than simply increasing them, the display panel achieves sufficient durability against breaking while maintaining the flexibility needed for bending and folding applications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3614431B1Flexible display panel and manufacturing method therefor

Publication Date: 2026.05.06 KUNSHAN NEW FLAT PANEL DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CENTER CO LTD

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AI summary

The present application provides a flexible display panel and a manufacturing method thereof. The flexible display panel includes a flexible substrate, a buffer layer formed on the flexible substrate, and a metal layer formed on the buffer layer. The flexible display panel includes a display area and a bending area in a lateral direction. The buffer layer includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion corresponding to the display area, the second portion corresponding to the bending area, and a thickness of the second portion is less than a thickness of the first portion.