OLED Mother Protective Film Peeling for Clean Scribing

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for manufacturing organic light-emitting display apparatuses face challenges in efficiently peeling mother protective films and scribing operations, especially when using a combination of glass lower substrates and thin-film encapsulation members, which complicates the process and increases costs.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the lamination of a mother protective film on a mother display panel, forming cutting lines, placing a fixing member, and half-cutting the film to peel a dummy area while leaving the target area intact, allowing for efficient separation and scribing of display cells without damaging the substrate, using techniques like laser cutting or ultrasound to adjust the cutting depth and minimize substrate exposure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a protective film is attached on a combination of glass lower substrate and thin-film encapsulation member, then the encapsulation member and organic light-emitting device are protected from external impurities, but it becomes difficult to perform scribing operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection from external impuritiesVSAvoidscribing operation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The protective film is divided into a display area (target area) and a peripheral area (dummy area). The dummy area is peeled off before scribing, while the display area remains to protect the encapsulation member during the scribing process. This segmentation allows the protective film to serve different functions in different regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The dummy area of the protective film is peeled off in advance before the scribing operation. This preliminary action removes the obstacle that would interfere with scribing, while the display area remains intact to provide protection during the subsequent scribing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If the protective film is peeled off completely before scribing, then scribing operation can be performed easily, but the encapsulation member becomes vulnerable to external impurities during scribing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescribing operationVSAvoidprotection from external impurities
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The protective film is segmented into display area and dummy area. The dummy area is removed before scribing to enable easy scribing operation, while the display area remains to protect the encapsulation member from external impurities during the scribing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the protective film have different functions: the dummy area in the peripheral region is designed to be peeled off for ease of scribing, while the display area in the central region maintains its protective function throughout the scribing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If individual protective films are attached to each display cell after separation, then each cell is protected, but the process complexity and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection of individual display cellsVSAvoidmanufacturing process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A single protective film is used to cover multiple display cells simultaneously on the mother substrate. After scribing separates the display cells, the protective film is peeled off in the dummy area to expose the encapsulation member for module attachment, while maintaining protection during the entire process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single protective film serves multiple functions: it protects multiple display cells simultaneously during manufacturing, enables easy scribing by peeling the dummy area, and can be selectively removed after scribing to allow module attachment while maintaining protection where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Reliability

If the protective film remains attached during scribing, then protection is maintained, but the scribing process becomes difficult or impossible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection during scribingVSAvoidscribing operation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The protective film is divided into display area and dummy area. The dummy area is peeled off before scribing to enable the scribing operation, while the display area remains attached to maintain protection during the scribing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The protective film has different states in different regions: the dummy area in the peripheral region is peeled off to allow scribing tool access, while the display area in the central region remains intact to protect the encapsulation member from external impurities during scribing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 method enhances process efficiency and reduces costs by simplifying the peeling and scribing processes, preventing damage to the substrate and allowing for the use of a wheel cutting device even with thin-film encapsulation members, thereby improving the overall manufacturing efficiency and reducing defects.

Implementation Method 1

forming a target area and a dummy area on the mother protective film by forming a cutting line having a closed loop shape enclosing the target area corresponding to the display cells and an additional cutting line in a first direction near the cutting line

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLaser ablation: Laser Ablation

Implementation Method 2

The cutting line and the additional cutting line may be formed using a laser beam. The laser beam may include a CO2 laser.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLaser: Laser

Implementation Method 3

irradiating the dummy area with ultra violet (UV) light to reduce an adhesive force of a portion of the adhesive layer corresponding to the dummy area

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhoto-oxidation: Photo-oxidation

Data Source

PatentEP3657565B1Method of peeling mother protective film and method of manufacturing organic light-emitting display apparatus using the same
Publication Date: 2023.10.25 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP3657565B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3657565B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3657565B1 patent drawingFigure 2C~2D

AI summary

A method of peeling a mother protective film from a mother display panel includes: laminating the mother protective film on the mother display panel, the mother display panel comprising a plurality of display cells each including a display area and a peripheral area in an outer portion of the display cells; forming a target area and a dummy area on the mother protective film by forming a cutting line having a closed loop shape enclosing the target area corresponding to the display cells and an additional cutting line in a first direction near the cutting line; arranging a fixing member on the mother protective film within the target area enclosed by the cutting line; and physically peeling off the dummy area from the mother display panel.