Integrated Light-Emitting Pixel Arrays with Vertical Interconnects
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing complexity of LED arrays is high due to large substrate sizes required for supporting materials and high power consumption of driver circuitry, which complicates the assembly process and reduces yield.
Innovation Solution
An integrated light-emitting pixel array is developed with light-emitting elements and non-volatile memory on one side of a substrate and control electronics on the other, connected by conductive interconnects, allowing for reduced substrate size and efficient power management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If LED arrays are manufactured by depositing materials on a supporting substrate with edge-based driver connections, then the array can be addressed and controlled, but the substrate size becomes larger than necessary and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional planar connections at the substrate edges to three-dimensional vertical connections through the substrate thickness. Conductive interconnects penetrate through the substrate to connect LED arrays on one surface to driver circuitry on the opposite surface, enabling compact substrate utilization while simplifying the manufacturing process by allowing separate optimization of LED and driver fabrication.
2Area of stationary object
If very small contact pads are used to increase array size, then the array area increases, but assembly yield greatly reduces
Solution Approach 1:
The invention moves connection points from the two-dimensional edge perimeter to the three-dimensional interior volume of the substrate through vertical interconnects. This allows the array to expand in area without proportionally increasing the number of contact pads, as connections are established through the substrate thickness rather than around its perimeter, thereby maintaining assembly yield while increasing array size.
3Ease of operation
If driver circuitry is integrated with LED arrays, then control functionality is provided, but power consumption increases and manufacturing complexity adds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the display system into functionally independent modules: LED arrays on one substrate surface for light emission and driver circuitry on the opposite surface for control. Conductive interconnects provide the interface between these segments. This segmentation allows each module to be optimized independently for its specific function, enabling the use of low-power driver architectures while maintaining full control functionality.
4Ease of operation
If driver circuitry is integrated with LED arrays, then control functionality is provided, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the integrated display system into separate fabrication stages: LED arrays are fabricated on one substrate surface while driver circuitry is fabricated on the opposite surface. Conductive interconnects are formed to bridge these separately fabricated components. This segmentation enables each subsystem to be manufactured using optimized processes independent of the other, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while providing complete control functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of fabricating integrated active-matrix light emitting pixel array based displays are provided. The methods include: forming an array of light emitting elements on a first side of a substrate, forming an array of active-matrix light emitting pixels using the array of light emitting elements, each pixel including at least one light emitting element and at least one non-volatile memory coupled to the at least one light-emitting element, forming conductive interconnects penetrating through the substrate from a second side of the substrate to the first side, and forming one or more integrated circuits on the second side, the one or more integrated circuits being conductively coupled to the array of active-matrix light-emitting pixels through the conductive interconnects. The methods can further include forming an array of active-matrix multi-color display pixels by using the array of active-matrix light emitting pixels.