Hydrophobic Structure for OLED Encapsulation Ink Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Special-shaped OLED display panels face poor encapsulation effects due to ink-jet printing overlapping with encapsulation areas, affecting the adhesiveness and reliability of encapsulation adhesives during the manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
A hydrophobic structure is arranged on the encapsulation area of the display substrate, comprising hydrophobic columns or prisms with specific height and spacing, made from materials like polymethyl methacrylate or fluorinated polyimide, to prevent ink from depositing in the encapsulation area, thereby maintaining adhesive integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If ink-jet printing is used to form OLED thin films in the display area, then material utilization rate and mask alignment precision are improved, but the encapsulation area is contaminated with ink affecting adhesiveness and encapsulation reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The base substrate is divided into distinct functional areas: a display area for ink-jet printing and an encapsulation area with hydrophobic structures. The hydrophobic structure acts as a boundary that segments the ink deposition, allowing high-precision printing in the display area while protecting the encapsulation area from contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrophobic structure serves as an intermediary element between the ink-jet printing process and the encapsulation area. It repels ink through its hydrophobic properties, preventing direct contact between ink and the encapsulation adhesive, thus maintaining adhesive integrity while allowing the printing process to proceed with high precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If vacuum evaporation is used for OLED thin film deposition, then film formation uniformity is improved, but equipment investment cost and material utilization rate worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the vacuum evaporation mechanical system with an ink-jet printing system. Ink-jet printing uses computer-controlled droplet deposition instead of vacuum-based thermal evaporation, significantly reducing equipment complexity and investment while maintaining acceptable film formation quality through the hydrophobic structure's protective function.
3Reliability
If the encapsulation area is enlarged to surround the display area, then encapsulation reliability is improved, but the overlap with ink-jet printing area increases causing more ink contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful hydrophilic encapsulation area into a beneficial hydrophobic structure. By modifying the surface properties of the encapsulation area to be hydrophobic, the structure that would normally be vulnerable to ink contamination becomes resistant, allowing enlarged encapsulation areas to maintain both reliability and resistance to ink contamination.
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
The hydrophobic structure effectively separates ink from the encapsulation area, enhancing the adhesiveness of the encapsulation adhesive and improving the encapsulation effect of the OLED display substrate.
Implementation Method 1
a hydrophobic structure is arranged on the encapsulation area
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a display substrate, a preparation method thereof and a display apparatus. The display substrate includes a base substrate, which has a display area and an encapsulation area, the encapsulation area surrounds the display area, and a hydrophobic structure is arranged on the encapsulation area.