Glass Substrate Side Wirings in Recessed Grooves for Reliable Display Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing display modules face challenges in forming side wirings on glass substrates due to high technical difficulty, vulnerability to scratches and static electricity, and high costs associated with three-dimensional masking processes, especially when connecting TFT circuits and driver circuits through through-holes.
Innovation Solution
The display module features side wirings formed in recessed grooves on the glass substrate, with chamfered surfaces at the edges, allowing for electrical connection between connection pads on the front and rear surfaces, reducing the risk of disconnection and improving yield.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If side wirings are formed at the outermost portion of the glass substrate, then electrical connection between TFT circuit and driver circuit is achieved, but the side wirings become vulnerable to scratch and static electricity
Solution Approach 1:
The side wirings are moved from the outermost surface (2D plane) to a recessed groove structure (3D dimensionality change). The grooves have specific depth and width dimensions that position the wirings inward from the outermost portion, providing physical protection while maintaining electrical connectivity between the TFT circuit and driver circuit.
2Ease of manufacture
If three-dimensional masking process is performed to form side wirings, then side wirings can be formed along bottom surface, side, and rear surface, but the process has high technical difficulty and fine pitch cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The formation process is segmented into distinct steps: first forming the recessed grooves with specific dimensions, then forming the conductive layer, and finally patterning the side wirings. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex three-dimensional masking, allowing fine pitch to be achieved through standard photolithography processes while simplifying the overall manufacturing complexity.
3Reliability
If through-hole is used for electrical connection, then connection between TFT circuit and driver circuit is achieved, but it is not easy to form robust conductive layer inside fine through-hole and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of forming conductive layers inside vertical through-holes (1D depth direction), the invention uses recessed grooves that extend along the surface (2D plane with controlled depth). This dimensional change allows robust conductive layers to be formed using standard deposition techniques without the challenges of filling fine vertical holes, reducing both manufacturing difficulty and cost while maintaining connection reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A display module includes a glass substrate having a TFT layer and a driver circuit disposed on surfaces thereof, LEDs electrically connected to the TFT layer; first connection pads formed in an edge region of the front surface; second connection pads formed in an edge region of the rear surface; and side wirings in recessed grooves arranged at intervals on a side of the glass substrate so that the side wirings are located at concave positions from the side of the glass substrate, the side wirings electrically connecting the first and second connection pads, wherein the first and second connection pads are spaced a predetermined distance inward from the side of the glass substrate, and the recessed grooves are arranged so that opposite ends of the recessed grooves are located at positions corresponding to the first and second connection pads, respectively.