OLED Anode Bank Formation via Single Mask Process
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing process of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays requires multiple mask processes, leading to increased time, costs, and defect generation rates, which decrease production yield.
Innovation Solution
The process involves forming a thin film transistor on a substrate, followed by an overcoat layer and a pixel contact hole, with the anode and photosensitive insulating material patterned in a single mask process to form the anode connected to the transistor, and the insulating material used to create a bank that exposes part of the anode, reducing the number of mask processes needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple mask processes are used in the manufacturing process, then the anode and bank can be formed with high precision, but the production time increases and defect generation rate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the formation of the anode and the bank into a single mask process. The bank pattern layer is formed first, then the anode pattern layer is formed in the same mask process, eliminating the need for separate mask processes for each component. This merging approach maintains manufacturing precision while reducing production time and defect generation rate.
2Device complexity
If multiple mask processes are used, then the structural complexity of the display can be achieved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple mask processes into a single integrated process for forming both the anode and bank patterns. This reduces the number of mask processes from two or more to one, thereby lowering manufacturing costs while still achieving the required structural complexity of the display device.
Solution Approach 2:
The single mask process is designed to perform multiple functions: forming the bank pattern layer and forming the anode pattern layer simultaneously. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate specialized mask processes, reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an OLED display that includes, for example, a substrate having a plurality of pixel regions defined in a matrix; a thin film transistor in each pixel region; an anode connected to the thin film transistor in each pixel region; and a bank covering an edge of the anode and having an inside boundary at a first distance from the edge of the anode and an outside boundary at a second distance from the edge of the anode.