Flexible Display Wiring Segmentation for Bending Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible displays with hard metal wirings are prone to disconnection when bent due to material breakage, leading to reliability issues and manufacturing challenges.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating soft wirings made of flexible materials like silver nanowires, aluminum, or carbon nanotubes in the bending areas to connect and stabilize hard metal wirings, using methods such as inkjet, laser transfer, or gravure printing to form bridge wirings that prevent disconnection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hard metal wirings are used in the bending area, then electrical conductivity and signal transmission are ensured, but the wirings may be disconnected due to breakage when the display is bent
Solution Approach 1:
The wiring structure is divided into three distinct segments: hard wiring in the non-bending area, soft wiring in the bending area, and hard wiring in the connection area. This segmentation allows each segment to perform its specialized function - the soft wiring provides flexibility for bending while the hard wirings ensure reliable electrical connection in areas requiring structural stability
Solution Approach 2:
Different material properties are applied to different spatial locations of the wiring system. The bending area uses soft, flexible materials (silver nanowires, aluminum, copper, or carbon nanotubes) to accommodate deformation, while the non-bending and connection areas use hard, structurally stable materials (chromium, molybdenum, titanium, or their alloys) to ensure reliable electrical connection
2Adaptability or versatility
If soft wirings are used in the bending area, then flexibility and bendability are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to additional connection processes
Solution Approach 1:
The hard wiring in the connection area serves as an intermediary element that bridges the soft wiring in the bending area and the external connection points. This intermediary hard wiring structure simplifies the overall manufacturing process by providing stable anchor points for connection while allowing the soft wiring to handle the flexibility requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The wiring system is segmented into functional zones with clear boundaries, allowing each segment to be optimized independently. The soft wiring segment handles bending flexibility while the hard wiring segments handle reliable connection, and the segmented structure enables standardized manufacturing processes for each zone
3Reliability
If expensive materials like silver nanowires are used throughout the display, then wiring flexibility is improved, but manufacturing costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Expensive flexible materials such as silver nanowires, aluminum, copper, or carbon nanotubes are applied locally only in the bending area where flexibility is actually needed. The non-bending and connection areas use conventional, cost-effective hard wiring materials, thereby significantly reducing the quantity of expensive materials required while maintaining the necessary flexibility performance
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible display and method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the display includes a flexible substrate having a bending area and a non-bending area and a plurality of metal wirings formed over the flexible substrate in the bending area and the non-bending area. Each of the metal wirings which are formed in the bending area includes a pair of first hard wirings formed over the flexible substrate and a first soft wiring electrically connected to ends of the pair of first hard wirings.