Flexible Optoelectronic Circuit Layout With Monolithic LED-TFT Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of flexible optoelectronic devices with inorganic semiconductor light-emitting diodes requires complex and expensive transfer steps, which are not efficiently addressed by existing methods.
Innovation Solution
A method is developed to form a monolithic structure with light-emitting diodes and thin-film transistors, eliminating the need for a semiconductor substrate, and integrating them with a flexible support, allowing for a reduced number of transfer steps and a flexible, thin-film circuit design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If light-emitting diodes are manufactured as discrete components and attached to an integrated circuit, then the device can be made flexible, but the manufacturing process becomes complex and expensive due to many transfer steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines light-emitting diodes and thin-film transistors into a single monolithic structure formed by successive deposition steps on the same substrate. This integration eliminates the need for separate discrete component manufacturing and attachment, thereby reducing the number of transfer steps and manufacturing complexity while maintaining flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate serves multiple functions: it acts as the foundation for both light-emitting diode formation and thin-film transistor formation, and ultimately becomes the flexible support structure. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate substrate preparation and attachment steps, reducing manufacturing complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple transfer steps are used to assemble discrete components, then the device can be manufactured, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the formation of light-emitting diodes and thin-film transistors into a single integrated manufacturing process using successive deposition steps, the patent eliminates multiple transfer and assembly operations. This reduction in process steps directly lowers manufacturing cost while maintaining ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary formation of both light-emitting diodes and thin-film transistors on the same substrate during the same manufacturing cycle, before any separation or attachment steps are needed. This preliminary integration avoids subsequent costly assembly operations.
3Ease of manufacture
If the optoelectronic circuit has large thickness, then it is easier to manufacture, but it creates rigid points and increases mechanical stress when attached to flexible supports
Solution Approach 1:
The patent forms light-emitting diodes and thin-film transistors as thin-film structures deposited on a flexible substrate. This thin-film construction ensures the optoelectronic circuit has small thickness, eliminating rigid points and reducing mechanical stress when attached to flexible supports, thereby improving reliability.
4Device complexity
If transistors are integrated directly with light-emitting diodes in a monolithic structure, then the number of transfer steps is reduced, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary patterning and deposition steps to define both light-emitting diode structures and thin-film transistor structures on the same substrate during the same manufacturing cycle. This preliminary integration with controlled deposition ensures precise alignment without requiring subsequent complex alignment and attachment operations.
Data Source
AI summary
An optoelectronic device including an optoelectronic circuit including light-emitting diodes, thin-film transistors, and a stack of electrically-insulating layers, said stack being located between the light-emitting diodes, and the transistors stack further including conductive elements, between and through the insulating layers, the conductive elements connecting at least some of the transistors to the light-emitting diodes The device further includes a support having a surface, the support being flexible and/or the surface being curved and non-planar, the optoelectronic circuit being connected to the surface on the side of the thin-film transistors.