Flexible Display Encapsulation with Variable Organic Film Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible display apparatuses face stress issues during bending and folding due to uneven thickness of encapsulation layers, which can lead to mechanical damage and reduced durability.
Innovation Solution
A flexible display apparatus with a substrate having bending and non-bending areas, featuring an encapsulation unit with a thinner organic film in the bending area and thicker films in the non-bending areas, formed using a liquid phase deposition process to minimize stress and maintain structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the encapsulation layer has uniform thickness, then the manufacturing process is simple, but stress concentration occurs during bending leading to mechanical damage
Solution Approach 1:
The encapsulation layer is designed with non-uniform thickness where the fourth encapsulation layer has greater thickness in the non-bending area compared to the bending area. This local variation in thickness distributes stress more evenly during bending operations, preventing stress concentration and mechanical damage while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through sequential deposition processes
2Reliability
If the organic film thickness is increased in non-bending areas, then stress distribution is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The encapsulation structure is divided into multiple sequential layers (first, second, third, and fourth encapsulation layers) deposited in sequence. The thickness variation is achieved by controlling the deposition parameters of the final layer rather than attempting to create a complex single-layer structure, thereby reducing manufacturing precision requirements while achieving the desired stress distribution
3Adaptability or versatility
If the encapsulation layer is made thinner in bending areas, then flexibility is improved, but protection capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The encapsulation layer comprises multiple material layers (inorganic and organic films) with different mechanical properties. The fourth encapsulation layer uses material composition and thickness variation to provide enhanced protection in non-bending areas while maintaining flexibility in bending areas, achieving both protection capability and adaptability through composite structure design
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 reduces stress within the display apparatus during bending by adjusting the thickness of the organic film, positioning vulnerable structures on a neutral plane, thereby enhancing flexibility and durability.
Implementation Method 1
The organic film may be formed according to a liquid phase deposition process
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible display apparatus, including a flexible substrate including a bending area and a non-bending area; a display unit on the flexible substrate; and an encapsulation unit covering the display unit, the encapsulation unit including a first inorganic film, a second inorganic film, and an organic film between the first inorganic film and the second inorganic film, the organic film having a first thickness in the bending area and a second thickness greater than the first thickness in the non-bending area.