Flexible OLED Substrate Detachment via Laser Metal Oxidation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Flexible substrates in OLED displays are difficult to handle due to their flexible properties, and existing methods face challenges with expensive sacrificial layers and weak adhesive strength between the supporting substrate and the flexible substrate, making it hard to detach and manufacture efficiently.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the formation of a metal peroxide layer on a supporting substrate, followed by a metal layer, and then a flexible substrate, where laser irradiation creates a metal oxide layer to facilitate easy detachment, with a barrier layer and encapsulation layers to enhance stability and prevent impurities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a flexible substrate is used in OLED displays, then the display can be made flexible and portable, but the substrate becomes difficult to handle and detach from the supporting substrate during manufacturing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility of displayVSAvoidhandleability during manufacturing

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A metal peroxide layer is formed on the supporting substrate before the flexible substrate is attached. This preliminary formation of the metal peroxide layer creates a controlled separation interface that enables easy detachment later in the manufacturing process, resolving the handling difficulty while maintaining substrate flexibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If existing sacrificial layers are used to facilitate detachment, then the flexible substrate can be detached, but the manufacturing cost increases due to expensive materials

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetachability of flexible substrateVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a metal peroxide layer (such as zinc peroxide or titanium peroxide) as a sacrificial layer that is inexpensive and can be easily removed through laser irradiation. This replaces expensive traditional sacrificial layers while maintaining the detachability function, directly addressing the cost issue

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Ease of manufacture

If existing sacrificial layers are used to facilitate detachment, then the flexible substrate can be detached, but the adhesive strength between supporting substrate and flexible substrate is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetachability of flexible substrateVSAvoidadhesive strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates different local properties in the layered structure: the metal peroxide layer provides weak adhesion for easy detachment, while other layers (metal layer, barrier layer, encapsulation layer) provide strong adhesion for stable attachment during manufacturing. This local differentiation of adhesive strength resolves the contradiction between easy detachment and sufficient bonding strength

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Ease of manufacture

If laser irradiation is used to form metal oxide layer, then the flexible substrate can be easily detached, but the process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetachability of flexible substrateVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical or chemical removal methods with laser irradiation to form the metal oxide layer for detachment. The laser process is precisely controlled and can be automated, actually simplifying the overall manufacturing process compared to traditional mechanical separation methods that require additional equipment and steps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

This method allows for the efficient detachment of the flexible substrate from the supporting substrate with improved adhesive strength, streamlining the manufacturing process and preventing defects during handling, while maintaining the flexibility and functionality of the OLED display.

Implementation Method 1

irradiating laser light in a direction from the supporting substrate to the flexible substrate, thereby forming a metal oxide layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser heating: Laser

Implementation Method 2

as oxygen spreads from the metal peroxide layer to the metal layer by heat of the laser

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal diffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 3

as oxygen spreads from the metal peroxide layer to the metal layer by heat of the laser

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal decomposition: Pyrolysis

Data Source

PatentUS9748521B2Method of manufacturing flexible display

Publication Date: 2017.08.29 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD

AI summary

A flexible display and method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes forming a metal peroxide layer over a supporting substrate, forming a metal layer over the metal peroxide layer and forming a flexible substrate over the metal layer. The method also includes forming a display layer over the flexible substrate, irradiating the supporting substrate with laser light in a direction from the supporting substrate to the flexible substrate so as to form a metal oxide layer and separating the supporting substrate from the flexible substrate with the metal oxide layer as a boundary between the supporting substrate and the flexible substrate.