Oxide Transistor Gate Driver for OLED Dead Space Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
As OLED display devices increase in size and luminance, the number of transistors in the gate driver in the peripheral region grows, leading to an increased area and higher manufacturing costs, while existing methods struggle to efficiently manage different oxide semiconductor materials in the same layer without additional masks.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a method that includes a substrate with a display region and a peripheral region, featuring first and second oxide transistors with different semiconductor patterns, where the first oxide transistor includes tin (Sn) and is used in the gate driver, and the second oxide transistor does not include Sn, both formed in the same layer, utilizing specific etchants to pattern these transistors and reduce the number of transistors in the gate driver.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the number of transistors in the gate driver is increased to support larger and higher luminance OLED display devices, then the driving capability is improved, but the area of the peripheral region increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using different oxide semiconductor materials in different regions: the first oxide transistor in the gate driver uses a tin-containing oxide semiconductor for high electron mobility and high-power operation, while the second oxide transistor in the display region uses a tin-free oxide semiconductor for sufficient performance with smaller area requirements. This material differentiation enables the gate driver to achieve high driving capability while maintaining a compact peripheral region area.
2Reliability
If different oxide semiconductor materials are used in the same layer, then the performance characteristics are optimized, but the manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by forming the tin-containing oxide semiconductor layer first, then selectively removing tin from specific regions before forming the tin-free oxide semiconductor layer. This sequence of operations enables the differentiation of oxide semiconductor materials in the same layer while using a unified manufacturing process flow, thereby optimizing transistor performance characteristics without significantly increasing manufacturing process complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If additional masks are used to pattern different oxide semiconductor materials, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the manufacturing cost and process time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by developing a unified manufacturing process that can pattern both tin-containing and tin-free oxide semiconductor materials using the same mask and etching conditions. The selective tin removal step enables material differentiation without requiring additional masks, thereby achieving high manufacturing precision while maintaining ease of manufacture and controlling production costs.
Data Source
AI summary
An organic light emitting diode display device includes a substrate, a first oxide transistor, a second oxide transistor, and a sub-pixel structure. The substrate has a display region including a plurality of sub-pixel regions and a peripheral region located in a side of the display region. The first oxide transistor is disposed in the peripheral region on the substrate, and includes a first oxide semiconductor pattern that includes tin (Sn). The second oxide transistor is disposed in the sub-pixel regions each on the substrate, and includes a second oxide semiconductor pattern. The sub-pixel structure is disposed on the second oxide transistor.