Flexible Substrate Display Manufacturing with Precision Marking
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in scaling up liquid crystal display devices beyond the eighth generation, as conventional techniques face limitations in cost efficiency, apparatus cost reduction, and precision in forming high-precision driving circuits and thin film transistors, particularly for large and polyhedral panels.
Innovation Solution
A method for fabricating display devices involves forming a standard mark and partition wall on a flexible substrate, using a conductive member to create electrodes, which enables the precise formation of thin film transistors at a lower cost, allowing for cost-effective and high-precision display device production, including organic electroluminescence and field emission displays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional fabrication techniques are used for large display devices, then manufacturing precision can be maintained, but apparatus cost and running cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The fabrication process is divided into distinct modules: standard mark formation unit, partition wall formation unit, and electrode formation unit. Each module performs a specific function independently, allowing for cost-effective fabrication while maintaining precision through specialized processing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
Standard marks and partition walls are formed in advance on the flexible substrate before electrode formation. This preliminary structuring enables precise positioning and alignment of subsequent electrode patterns, ensuring high manufacturing precision while using simpler, lower-cost equipment.
2Productivity
If display device size is increased beyond eighth generation, then productivity and cost efficiency improve, but conventional techniques face limitations in apparatus transportation and fabrication cost
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from rigid substrate processing to flexible substrate processing, enabling rolls of large display panels to be transported and handled in a rolled-up state. This dimensional change in substrate form factor allows large-scale production without the transportation and handling constraints of conventional rigid panel fabrication.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible substrate can be continuously processed through multiple fabrication stages using the same base substrate, enabling multi-functional processing equipment that handles marking, partition wall formation, and electrode deposition in a unified flexible substrate processing line.
3Ease of manufacture
If flexible substrate is used with standard mark and partition wall formation, then apparatus cost and running cost are reduced, but positioning precision for high-precision circuits must be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
Standard marks are formed on the flexible substrate as intermediary reference elements. These marks serve as mediators for positioning and alignment, enabling precise placement of partition walls and electrodes using simple, low-cost equipment while maintaining the flexibility and cost advantages of flexible substrate processing.
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(c)
Figure 2
Figure 3(a-1)~3(b-2)
AI summary
To provide a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a display element wherein a highly accurate driving circuit or a thin film transistor is formed on a flexible substrate, and to provide such display element. A display element manufacturing apparatus (100) is provided with a transfer section (RL) for transferring a flexible substrate (FB) in a first direction; a mark forming section (10) for forming a reference mark on the flexible substrate; a partition wall forming section (10) for forming a partition wall on the flexible substrate; and an application section (20) for applying a conductive member to a prescribed position on the partition wall based on the reference mark.