Flexible Display Dummy Patterns Block Crack Propagation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible OLED displays suffer from physical damage during manufacturing, leading to cracks that can spread into the display area, causing pixel shrinkage and organic material degradation due to environmental contaminants.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of dummy patterns in both the display substrate and inorganic layer, specifically first and second dummy patterns formed in non-display areas, which act as a barrier to prevent crack propagation by being arranged in slit-like shapes to block crack paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the flexible display device is bent or cut after separation from the carrier substrate, then individual flexible display devices can be obtained, but cracks can be formed and spread to the display area causing physical damage
Solution Approach 1:
Dummy patterns are formed in the inorganic layer and organic encapsulation layer before the bending and cutting processes. These dummy patterns pre-establish stress relief structures that prevent crack formation during subsequent manufacturing steps, addressing the contradiction by preparing protective features in advance rather than reacting to cracks after they form
Solution Approach 2:
The inorganic layer and organic encapsulation layer are divided into multiple dummy patterns (first dummy patterns and second dummy patterns) that are spatially separated. This segmentation creates multiple small stress relief zones instead of one large continuous structure, allowing stress to be distributed and preventing crack propagation across the entire display area
2Strength
If cracks form on the outside of the flexible display device, then physical damage occurs, but cracks can spread through the inorganic layer forming internal permeation paths
Solution Approach 1:
The dummy patterns act as intermediary structures between the external environment and the sensitive display area. When cracks form externally, the dummy patterns intercept and block the crack propagation path, preventing environmental contaminants from penetrating through the inorganic layer to reach the organic emission layer and other sensitive components
Solution Approach 2:
The dummy patterns intentionally create controlled discontinuities in the inorganic and organic layers. These discontinuities, which might seem to weaken the structure, actually serve to block crack propagation and prevent harmful contaminant penetration, converting potential weak points into protective features
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible display device is disclosed. In one aspect, the device includes a display substrate including a display area and a non-display area surrounding the display area, wherein the display area includes an emission element layer. An inorganic layer is formed over the display substrate in the display area and the non-display area, and a thin film encapsulation layer is formed over the inorganic layer and covering at least a portion of the inorganic layer. A plurality of dummy patterns are formed over the display substrate and the inorganic layer. The dummy patterns include a plurality of first dummy patterns formed in the non-display area of the display substrate not overlapping the inorganic layer, and a plurality of second dummy patterns formed in the non-display area of the of the display substrate overlapping the inorganic layer.