OLED Display Groove Filling for Stress and Leakage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays face issues with stress distribution and current leakage when curved, folded, or rolled due to over-etching of inorganic layers, leading to increased resistance and potential disconnection of data and driving voltage lines.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a groove in the insulating layer with an elastic filling material to separate adjacent pixels, allowing signal lines to pass over the filling material, reducing stress and maintaining a stable current supply while preventing current leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If a groove is formed by etching the inorganic layer to separate pixels, then stress distribution is improved, but the inorganic layer thickness decreases leading to current leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a filling material as an intermediary substance placed in the groove between pixels. This filling material serves as a mediator that maintains the structural integrity and electrical insulation of the inorganic layer while allowing stress distribution. The filling material prevents direct exposure of the thinned inorganic layer to external stress and prevents current leakage paths that would otherwise form through the etched groove.
Solution Approach 2:
The filling material acts as a cushioning element placed beforehand in the groove to protect the thinned inorganic layer. By filling the groove with an appropriate material, the structure is pre-prepared to withstand mechanical stress and prevent current leakage before the display undergoes bending or folding operations.
2Shape
If the groove is formed by etching the inorganic layer, then pixel separation is improved, but the data line or driving voltage line path length increases leading to increased resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The filling material is selectively placed only in the groove regions where pixel separation is needed, while leaving the signal line paths unaffected. This local application maintains the necessary pixel separation structure without unnecessarily extending the signal line path length, thereby preserving current supply stability.
3Manufacturing precision
If the data metal layer thickness increases in the groove due to etching, then the groove formation is improved, but the data line or driving voltage line may not be properly etched causing disconnection
Solution Approach 1:
The filling material serves as an intermediary that fills the groove after the data metal layer has been properly etched. This ensures that the groove formation process can proceed with precise control of the data metal layer thickness, while the subsequent filling restores the structural integrity and prevents disconnection of the data line or driving voltage line.
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 distributes stress and maintains a stable current supply by minimizing resistance and preventing current leakage, ensuring reliable operation of OLED displays under bending or folding conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a filling material in the groove... An elastic material may be used as the filling material... A Young's modulus of the filling material may be smaller than a Young's modulus of the first insulating layer
Data Source
AI summary
An organic light emitting diode display includes a plurality of first signal lines, a first insulating layer covering the first signal lines, a plurality of second signal lines on the first insulating layer and crossing the first signal lines, and a plurality of pixels connected to the first signal lines and the second signal lines. A groove in the first insulating layer separates adjacent ones of the pixels and a filling material in the groove.