OLED Touch Display Metal Mesh Electrode and Encapsulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
OLED touch displays face challenges in improving light extraction efficiency and optical coupling output due to low photon utilization, and the use of indium tin oxide in touch panels results in high costs and industrial waste, while existing solutions complicate the internal structure and affect performance.
Innovation Solution
The OLED touch display incorporates a substrate with a TFT layer, an OLED luminous layer, and a touch functional layer featuring a metal mesh electrode structure, where the touch functional layer includes a first and second inorganic insulating layer, a metal bridge layer, and an organic protective layer with recesses and protuberances, enhancing optical coupling and acting as a film encapsulation to block water and oxygen penetration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If conventional ITO vacuum coating and etching process is used to form conductive layer, then touch panel can be manufactured, but material waste is high and production cost is high
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive layer is segmented into a metal mesh structure composed of multiple metal lines arranged in a grid pattern, replacing the conventional continuous ITO layer. This segmentation allows for reduced material usage while maintaining electrical conductivity and touch functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the conductive layer function with a metal mesh structure that integrates both electrical conductivity and mechanical support functions. The metal mesh merges multiple functions into a single component, eliminating the need for separate ITO coating and etching processes.
2Loss of energy
If light extraction layer or microstructure etching is added to improve light extraction efficiency, then photon utilization improves, but device structure becomes more complex and manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The metal mesh layer serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the conductive layer for touch sensing, provides a substrate for subsequent touch functional layers, and enhances light extraction efficiency through its periodic structure. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate light extraction layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The metal mesh structure inherently provides light extraction enhancement through its periodic geometry without requiring additional processing steps. The structure serves itself by using its own geometric features to improve photon utilization, eliminating the need for separate etching or light extraction layer addition.
3Loss of substance
If metal mesh electrode structure is used to replace ITO, then manufacturing cost is reduced and material waste is decreased, but electrical performance and square resistance must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes key parameters of the metal mesh structure including line width, line spacing, and metal layer thickness to achieve the desired electrical performance. By carefully controlling these parameters, the metal mesh achieves low square resistance while maintaining conductivity comparable to or better than ITO.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive system uses composite metal structures with different metal materials having complementary properties. This composite approach allows optimization of both electrical conductivity and mechanical properties, achieving reliable electrical performance while using abundant metal materials instead of rare ITO.
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 configuration improves optical coupling output, reduces corrosion risk, and extends the lifespan of OLED devices by utilizing a metal mesh electrode structure and a thin film encapsulation-like layer to block water and oxygen, while reducing material waste and costs.
Implementation Method 1
Due to influence of indium tin oxide (ITO) and a glass substrate, and reflection and refraction of various functional layers inside an OLED device, about 70% of photons cannot escape into air, resulting in low photon utilization efficiency.
Implementation Method 2
the touch functional layer also functions as a film encapsulation layer, which is beneficial to block the penetration of water and oxygen
Data Source
AI summary
An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) touch display and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. An organic protective layer of a touch functional layer of the OLED touch display of the present disclosure has protuberances corresponding to an illuminated pixel region, which can effectively improve an optical coupling output rate of the OLED device. The touch functional layer adopts a structure in which an inorganic insulating layer and the organic protective layer which are formed layer-by-layer, and the material and structure of which are similar to a thin film encapsulation film layer, so the touch functional layer also functions as a film encapsulation layer. It is beneficial to block the penetration of water and oxygen, reduce a risk of corrosion damage of OLED light-emitting devices, and improve a lifespan of the OLED device.