Flexible Display Groove Structure for Bending Stress Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible OLED displays are prone to cracking and short circuits in the insulating layer due to bending stress, particularly in the bending area, which can lead to display defects.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a stress relaxation layer made of organic insulation material into grooves within the insulating layer in the bending area, which reduces bending stress and maintains a flat surface for wire formation, preventing cracks and short circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the flexible display is bent along the bending area, then the flexible display achieves flexibility and can be folded, but cracking occurs in the insulating layer due to bending stress
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating layer is segmented by forming grooves that divide it into multiple sections. These grooves act as stress relief zones that prevent crack propagation throughout the entire layer, allowing the flexible display to bend without compromising the integrity of the insulating layer.
Solution Approach 2:
A stress relaxation layer is introduced as an intermediary element between the insulating layer and the flexible substrate. This layer absorbs and distributes bending stresses, preventing them from reaching critical levels that would cause cracking in the insulating layer.
2Reliability
If grooves are formed in the insulating layer to reduce stress, then cracking is prevented, but the surface becomes non-flat affecting wire formation
Solution Approach 1:
The stress relaxation layer serves as a mediator that fills the grooves in the insulating layer. It provides a flat upper surface for accurate wire formation while simultaneously allowing the grooves to function as stress relief zones beneath, thus resolving the conflict between crack prevention and manufacturing precision.
3Reliability
If the insulating layer is made thicker to prevent cracking, then reliability improves, but bending stress increases and flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the overall thickness of the insulating layer, the invention segments it with grooves. This segmentation allows the layer to maintain its cracking resistance through distributed stress management while preserving the flexibility needed for bending, as the grooves act as hinge points during flexing.
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 effectively reduces or prevents cracking in the insulating layer and ensures accurate wire patterning, thereby maintaining display functionality and reliability in flexible OLED devices.
Implementation Method 1
a stress relaxation layer disposed on the groove
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible display and manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. In one aspect, the flexible display includes a flexible substrate including a bending area, an insulating layer disposed on the flexible substrate, and at least one groove in the insulating layer within the bending area. The flexible display also includes a stress relaxation layer disposed on the at least one groove and a plurality of wires formed over the insulating layer and the stress relaxation layer.