IGZO Scan Drive Circuit Bootstrap Leakage Compensation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Scanning driving circuits using Indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) materials are prone to malfunction due to negative threshold voltage drift caused by light exposure, leading to electrical leakage and circuit failure.

Innovation Solution

The scanning driving circuit incorporates a pull-up circuit, transfer circuit, pull-up control circuit, pull-down holding circuit, and bootstrap circuit to prevent electrical leakage by ensuring the threshold voltage remains within safe limits, utilizing N-type thin film transistors and specific voltage configurations to maintain signal integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If IGZO material is used in the scanning driving circuit, then the thin film transistor size can be reduced and device stability is improved, but the threshold voltage becomes prone to negative drift under light exposure causing electrical leakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethin film transistor sizeVSAvoidthreshold voltage stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by designing compensation circuits that preemptively counteract the negative threshold voltage drift before it causes malfunction. The compensation circuit actively monitors and corrects the threshold voltage shift, preventing electrical leakage and ensuring reliable operation despite IGZO's inherent sensitivity to light exposure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs parameter changes by dynamically adjusting circuit parameters such as voltage levels and current compensation to adapt to the shifting threshold voltage. The compensation mechanism modifies operating parameters in real-time to maintain proper transistor operation despite changes in threshold voltage caused by light exposure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the threshold voltage drifts negative under light exposure, then the transistor operates in an unintended region, but adding compensation circuits increases the overall circuit complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescanning driving circuit operationVSAvoidcircuit structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by designing compensation circuits that perform multiple functions: they compensate for threshold voltage drift, maintain proper transistor operation, and ensure reliable scanning driving circuit performance. This multi-functional approach reduces the need for separate dedicated compensation components, thereby limiting the increase in overall circuit complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Use of energy by moving object

If IGZO material is used to reduce power consumption, then the scanning driving circuit becomes more energy efficient, but the negative threshold voltage drift causes malfunction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcircuit functionality
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs parameter changes by dynamically adjusting voltage and current parameters through compensation circuits to maintain proper transistor operation despite threshold voltage drift. This allows the circuit to preserve the low power consumption benefits of IGZO while correcting for reliability issues through adaptive parameter adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3614369B1Scan drive circuit
Publication Date: 2021.10.13 SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS SEMICON DISPLAY TECH CO LTD
  • EP3614369B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3614369B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3614369B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is a scan drive circuit, comprising a plurality of scan drive units (1) connected in sequence, wherein each of the scan drive units comprises a scan signal output end (G(n)) for outputting a high-level or low-level scan signal; a pull-up circuit (10) for controlling the output of a high-level scan signal; a transfer circuit (20) for outputting a high-level current stage transmission signal; a pull-up control circuit (30) for charging a pull-up control signal point so as to pull a potential up to a high level; a pull-down holding circuit (40) for holding low levels of the pull-up control signal point and the scan signal; and a bootstrap circuit (50) for increasing a potential of the pull-up control signal point so as to prevent electric leakage, thus preventing the failure of the scan drive circuit caused due to that the negative bias of a threshold voltage.