OLED Dam Structure with Inorganic Stopper for Impurity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display devices face performance degradation due to the entry of impurities such as water and oxygen, which react with the organic compounds in the light-emitting elements, reducing efficiency and lifetime.
Innovation Solution
A display device structure that includes a substrate with a display region and a peripheral region, featuring a transistor, a leveling film, a display element with a pixel electrode, a partition wall, and at least one dam. The dam consists of a base made from material in the leveling film or partition wall and a stopper made from an inorganic material, which helps to control the position and shape of sealing films and impurity-blocking layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sealing film with inorganic and organic compound layers is used to suppress impurity entry, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing structure is divided into multiple functional layers: a first sealing layer (inorganic compound) for primary impurity blocking, a second sealing layer (organic compound) for secondary protection and flexibility, and a leveling film for surface planarization. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function optimally while collectively providing comprehensive protection against impurities.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing film employs a composite structure combining inorganic and organic compounds. The inorganic layer provides excellent barrier properties against water and oxygen penetration, while the organic layer adds flexibility, adhesion, and additional protection. This composite approach leverages the complementary strengths of different material types to achieve superior overall performance.
2Device complexity
If the dam structure is simplified with fewer layers, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The inorganic stopper layer acts as an intermediary element between the base layer and the sealing film. It provides a distinct interface that guides the positioning of the sealing film during manufacturing, ensuring precise placement. The stopper's different material properties compared to the base layer create a clear boundary that facilitates accurate alignment and reduces positioning errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The dam structure incorporates regions with different properties: the base layer provides structural support and spacing, while the inorganic stopper layer provides precise positioning and sealing. This local differentiation of material properties and functions within the dam structure enables both structural integrity and manufacturing precision without requiring a fully complex multi-layer design throughout.
Data Source
AI summary
The display device includes a substrate, a transistor, a leveling film, a display element, a partition wall, and at least one dam. The substrate has a display region and a peripheral region surrounding the display region. The transistor is located over the display region. The leveling film is located over the display region and covers the transistor. The display element is located over the leveling film and includes a pixel electrode electrically connected to the transistor. The partition wall covers an edge portion of the pixel electrode. The at least one dam is located over the peripheral region, is spaced away from the leveling film, and surrounds the display region. The at least one dam has a base and stopper. The base includes a material included in at least one of the leveling film and the partition wall.