Microstructured Light Collimators for Micro LED Display Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Micro LED display panels suffer from low light exiting rate and poor collimation light effect due to the characteristics of point light sources, leading to inefficient light utilization and suboptimal display performance.
Innovation Solution
The display panel incorporates a light collimator with microstructures, such as nanostructures and condenser lenses, that gradually decrease in cross-sectional area, reducing reflection and refractive angles, and improving light collimation and brightness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a micro LED display panel uses point light source characteristics, then the light emitter structure is simple, but the light exiting rate is low and collimation effect is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The light emitter is divided into multiple sub-emitters arranged in an array, where each sub-emitter is a separate light emitting element. This segmentation allows independent control and optimization of each sub-emitter, improving overall light extraction efficiency while maintaining structural organization through the array configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional planar light emission to three-dimensional micro-LED structure with vertical stacking of sub-emitters. By arranging sub-emitters in multiple layers along the vertical dimension, the patent achieves improved light collimation and extraction efficiency without significantly increasing lateral footprint, effectively solving the contradiction between simple structure and high performance
2Illumination intensity
If traditional light emission structure is used, then the device structure is simple, but the collimation light effect is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs curved or spherical micro-lens structures above each sub-emitter to focus and collimate the emitted light. These curved optical elements refract the divergent light from point sources into more parallel beams, significantly improving collimation effect while adding only a thin optical layer rather than complex mechanical structures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces micro-lens arrays as intermediary optical elements between the light emitters and the external environment. These micro-lenses act as mediators that transform the divergent light from sub-emitters into collimated beams, achieving the desired collimation effect without directly modifying the sub-emitter structures themselves
3Use of energy by moving object
If point light source characteristics are used, then the light emitter is compact, but the light utilization is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different optical properties to different regions of the device. Specifically, the bottom surface of each sub-emitter features enhanced light extraction structures (such as reflective layers or textured surfaces) that are localized to where light generation occurs. This local optimization of light extraction quality improves overall light utilization without requiring complex structures throughout the entire device
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
This configuration enhances the light exiting rate and collimation, resulting in improved display effects, particularly in applications like display backlights, VR, AR near-eye displays, and anti-spy screen displays.
Implementation Method 1
a refractive index of a material (that is, the first electrode) on a side of the light collimator towards the substrate is different from a refractive index of a material on a side of the light collimator away from the substrate. By setting the at least one microstructure and gradually decreasing the cross-sectional areas of the at least one microstructure, when the display panel emitting light, the light collimator can reduce an impact of reflection on the light emitted by the light emitter
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present application provide a display panel, a display device, and a method for manufacturing the display panel. The display panel includes a substrate, a light emitter, a first electrode and a light collimating unit. The light emitter is on a side of the substrate. The first electrode is on a side of the light emitter away from the substrate. The light collimator is on a side of the first electrode away from the substrate, and the light collimator includes at least one microstructure, in a direction away from the substrate, a cross-sectional area of each of the at least one microstructure decreases.