OLED Encapsulation Layout With Dam-Crossing Moisture Barrier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Organic light-emitting display apparatuses are susceptible to performance degradation due to moisture exposure, as existing technologies lack effective moisture barrier solutions in the peripheral regions of the display area.
Innovation Solution
A display apparatus design featuring a substrate with a display region and peripheral region, incorporating an inorganic insulating layer, a thin-film encapsulation layer with a triple-layer structure including inorganic and organic encapsulation layers, and a power supply line with protrusion patterns that extend beyond the dam to prevent moisture permeation, ensuring robust moisture resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the organic light-emitting diode is exposed to moisture, then the performance of the organic light-emitting diode deteriorates, but adding encapsulation layers increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The encapsulation structure is divided into multiple segments: a first inorganic encapsulation layer, a second inorganic encapsulation layer, and an organic encapsulation layer positioned between them. This segmented approach provides comprehensive moisture protection through different material properties, with the inorganic layers blocking moisture permeation and the organic layer providing additional barrier and mechanical protection, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability and complexity by distributing protective functions across multiple specialized layers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite encapsulation structure combining inorganic and organic materials. The inorganic encapsulation layers (such as aluminum oxide or silicon oxide) provide excellent moisture barrier properties, while the organic encapsulation layer (such as acrylic or epoxy resin) provides mechanical protection and additional moisture resistance. This composite approach achieves superior overall moisture resistance compared to single-material encapsulation, addressing the reliability requirement while maintaining reasonable device complexity through functional complementarity
2Area of stationary object
If the power supply line is positioned to overlap the fan-out wire for space efficiency, then area is reduced, but moisture permeation risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply line is positioned to overlap the fan-out wire in the vertical dimension (through the layered structure) rather than requiring horizontal separation. This dimensional repositioning allows both conductors to occupy the same planar footprint while remaining electrically isolated on different layers, thereby reducing the peripheral region area without compromising moisture protection, as the encapsulation layers continue to provide comprehensive coverage over the stacked configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The power supply line and fan-out wire are nested vertically within the same peripheral region footprint, with one conductor positioned on a lower layer and the other on an upper layer. This nesting arrangement maximizes space utilization by allowing the power supply line to occupy the same horizontal area as the fan-out wire without increasing the overall device area, while the encapsulation structure maintains continuous moisture protection over both nested conductors
3Reliability
If the inorganic encapsulation layer extends outside the dam for enhanced protection, then moisture resistance improves, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The inorganic encapsulation layers are formed to extend beyond the dam structure in advance, creating an overhang that protrudes outward from the dam's outer surface. This preliminary extension ensures that even if subsequent manufacturing steps introduce minor alignment variations, the encapsulation layers maintain continuous coverage over the display region and peripheral components, thereby reducing the stringency of precision requirements for later processing steps while enhancing moisture barrier effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The extended inorganic encapsulation layers create a protective cushion or buffer zone beyond the dam structure. This overhanging encapsulation material provides a margin of error that compensates for potential manufacturing variations, ensuring that moisture barrier protection is maintained even when alignment precision is not perfect. The extended layers act as a protective buffer that absorbs the impact of manufacturing tolerances, thereby resolving the contradiction between enhanced protection and precision requirements
Data Source
AI summary
A display apparatus includes a substrate, a display element, an inorganic insulating layer, a first inorganic encapsulation layer, a dam, a first wire, and a power supply line. The substrate includes a display region. The display element is arranged on the display region. The inorganic insulating layer is arranged between the substrate and the display element. The first inorganic encapsulation layer includes a contact region that directly contacts the inorganic insulating layer. The dam surrounds the display region and includes a dam section that is arranged between the display region and the contact region. The first wire crosses the dam and may transmit a first signal toward the display region. The power supply line crosses the dam, overlaps the first wire, and includes protrusions. The protrusions protrude from an edge of the power supply line and overlap the contact region.