Light-Emitting Element Inspection via Flow Alignment and Defect Sorting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Defects in light emitting elements reduce the luminance of display device pixels, and existing methods lack an efficient way to inspect and exclude defective elements during the manufacturing process of display devices.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method for inspecting light emitting elements using a flow path unit, alignment unit, and packaging unit, which sorts and aligns elements by length, and determines their resistance and luminance using alignment electrodes and inspection electrodes, allowing defective elements to be identified and re-injected for re-sorting, ensuring only non-defective elements are used in display device manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If light emitting elements are transferred or printed on a substrate without inspection, then the manufacturing process is simple and fast, but defective elements reduce pixel luminance and display quality
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection apparatus is divided into distinct functional modules: a flow path unit for transporting elements, an alignment unit for positioning, and a packaging unit for collection. This segmentation allows each module to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall system reliability for detecting defective light emitting elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus uses an ink medium as an intermediary to carry light emitting elements through the inspection process. Elements are suspended in ink, transported through the flow path, and manipulated within the inspection apparatus, enabling non-contact handling and inspection while preserving element integrity.
2Reliability
If all light emitting elements are inspected individually, then defective elements can be identified and removed, but the inspection time and processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus employs fluid dynamics through the ink medium to transport and manipulate light emitting elements. The flow path unit uses hydraulic principles to move elements continuously through the inspection areas, enabling parallel processing of multiple elements and reducing overall inspection time while maintaining detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment unit performs preliminary positioning of light emitting elements before they reach the inspection electrodes. By pre-aligning elements in the ink stream, the system ensures optimal detection conditions are established in advance, enabling faster and more accurate defect identification without requiring complex real-time adjustments during inspection.
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 solution effectively reduces the number of defective light emitting elements in display devices, enhancing pixel luminance and overall display quality by ensuring only non-defective elements are used in the manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
a flow path unit extending in one direction and including a flow path along which a solution in which the light emitting elements are mixed moves
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of alignment electrodes on an outer surface of the alignment unit
Implementation Method 3
determining whether the light emitting elements are defective by inspecting resistances and luminances of the light emitting elements
Implementation Method 4
a packaging unit at an end of the flow path unit and in which the light emitting elements are stacked
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for inspecting light emitting elements, a method of inspecting light emitting elements using the apparatus, and a method of manufacturing display device using the apparatus are provided. The apparatus includes a flow path unit extending in one direction and including a flow path along which a solution in which light emitting elements are mixed moves, at least one alignment unit to which the flow path extends from at least a portion of the flow path unit, a packaging unit at an end of the flow path unit and in which the light emitting elements are stacked, and a plurality of alignment electrodes on an outer surface of the alignment unit.