OLED Planarizing Layer CMP for Color and Luminance Uniformity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Organic EL display apparatuses suffer from color non-uniformity and luminance non-uniformity due to surface roughness of the organic light emitting layer, which affects display definition and light emission efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A manufacturing method involving a substrate with a drive circuit and a planarizing layer comprising a first inorganic insulating layer and an organic insulating layer, where the surface of the organic insulating layer is polished to an arithmetic average roughness of less than or equal to 50 nm using CMP, ensuring the organic light emitting layer is formed without being immediately above contact holes, thereby improving planarity and reducing unevenness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If a planarizing layer is formed by covering the drive circuit with resin material to planarize the surface, then the surface unevenness is reduced, but the surface roughness remains at 100 nm to 300 nm which causes color and luminance non-uniformity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface planarityVSAvoidsurface roughness
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by forming the planarizing layer structure (including organic insulating layer and inorganic insulating layer) before forming the light emitting layer, and performing CMP processing on the planarizing layer to achieve the required surface roughness of 50 nm or less before the light emitting layer is deposited. This ensures the surface is properly prepared in advance to prevent color and luminance non-uniformity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If photolithography process is used to form contact holes and planarize the surface, then the organic insulating layer is formed, but further unevenness occurs on the surface

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact hole formationVSAvoidsurface uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the photolithography process with CMP (chemical mechanical polishing) to planarize the surface of the planarizing layer. Instead of using photosensitive resin and photolithography which cause surface unevenness, the patent uses CMP processing to mechanically and chemically polish the organic insulating layer and inorganic insulating layer to achieve a surface roughness of 50 nm or less, thereby eliminating the surface unevenness problem.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If the organic light emitting layer is formed on a surface with roughness of 100 nm to 300 nm, then the layer can be deposited, but light travels in various directions causing color and luminance non-uniformity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight emissionVSAvoiddisplay uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses CMP (chemical mechanical polishing) which involves slurry flow and mechanical contact to planarize the surface of the planarizing layer. The slurry is applied and removed through a polishing head that contacts the surface, using a combination of chemical reaction and mechanical abrasion to achieve the required surface roughness of 50 nm or less, ensuring uniform light emission without directional scattering.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

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 approach significantly suppresses color and luminance non-uniformity, enhancing the display quality by ensuring light travels in a normal direction, thus improving the overall display definition and light emission efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

polishing a surface of the organic insulating layer by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP):

Implementation Method 2

an organic EL display apparatus... an organic light emitting element... an organic light emitting layer being formed on the first electrode

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectroluminescence: Electroluminescence

Data Source

PatentUS11758774B2Organic EL display apparatus with suppressed color and/or luminance non-uniformity and method of manufacturing organic EL display apparatus
Publication Date: 2023.09.12 SAKAI DISPLAY PROD
  • US11758774B2 patent drawing
  • US11758774B2 patent drawing
  • US11758774B2 patent drawing

AI summary

The present invention is equipped with: a substrate (10) that has a surface upon which a drive circuit containing a TFT (20) is formed; a planarizing layer (30) that makes the surface of the substrate (10) planar by covering the drive circuit; and an organic light emitting element (40) that is provided with a first electrode (41) formed upon the surface of the planarization film and connected to the drive circuit, an organic light emitting layer (43) formed upon the first electrode, and a second electrode (44) formed upon the organic light emitting layer. In addition, the planarizing layer (30) includes a first inorganic insulating layer (31) and an organic insulating layer (32) that are layered upon the drive circuit, and the surface of the organic insulating layer (32) is formed with an arithmetic mean roughness Ra of no more than 50 nm.