Micro Lens Unit and Barrier Ribs for OLED Newton Ring Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Organic light emitting display apparatuses face reliability issues due to the Newton ring phenomenon, which causes luminosity irregularities and color distortion from external light interference between the sealing substrate and the display unit, especially in larger displays.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a micro lens unit with lenses on the sealing substrate, barrier ribs to maintain a controlled space between the micro lens unit and the display unit, and a black matrix to define subpixels and prevent external light interference, enhancing light extraction efficiency and image linearity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sealing substrate is spaced apart from the display unit to prevent Newton ring phenomenon, then luminosity irregularity is reduced, but device complexity increases and manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
A micro lens array is introduced as an intermediary component between the sealing substrate and the display unit. This micro lens array serves multiple functions: it prevents Newton ring phenomenon by maintaining proper spacing, extracts light efficiently from the OLED, and defines pixel boundaries. By using this intermediary optical element, the patent resolves the contradiction between preventing display defects and maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The micro lens array performs multiple functions simultaneously: (1) prevents Newton ring interference, (2) extracts light from the OLED for improved brightness, (3) defines pixel boundaries for sharp images, and (4) can serve as the color filter layer. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining high display quality.
2Illumination intensity
If a micro lens unit is added to improve light extraction efficiency, then brightness increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The micro lens array is designed to perform multiple functions: light extraction for brightness enhancement, pixel definition for image quality, and Newton ring prevention. By combining these functions into a single component, the patent achieves brightness improvement without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the micro lens array with the color filter layer or makes them integrally formed, combining two necessary components into one. This merging reduces the number of separate layers and simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining the light extraction efficiency needed for brightness enhancement.
3Manufacturing precision
If barrier ribs are used to define subpixels and maintain space, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier ribs are integrally formed with the micro lens array and sealing substrate, combining multiple structural elements into one component. This integral formation ensures precise pixel alignment through the molding process while reducing the number of separate components that would need to be assembled, thereby simplifying the overall device structure.
4Length of stationary object
If the sealing substrate is made thinner to reduce device thickness, then compactness is improved, but reliability decreases due to increased susceptibility to Newton ring phenomenon
Solution Approach 1:
The micro lens array acts as an intermediary that enables the use of thinner sealing substrates by providing the necessary optical function for preventing Newton ring phenomenon. Instead of relying solely on large spacing between the sealing substrate and display unit (which would increase thickness), the micro lens array provides the anti-Newton ring function at a much smaller scale, allowing thin substrate design while maintaining display 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 configuration significantly improves light extraction efficiency and prevents color distortion, increasing the reliability and brightness of the organic light emitting display apparatus while maintaining the structural integrity of the sealing substrate.
Implementation Method 1
a micro lens unit including a plurality of lenses formed on a surface of the sealing substrate facing the display unit
Implementation Method 2
If a destructive interference occurs, the phases of light cancel each other and the generated light becomes weaker. On the other hand, if a constructive interference occurs, the phases of light constructively add with each other and the generated light becomes brighter. Such a phenomenon is called a Newton ring phenomenon
Data Source
AI summary
An organic light emitting display apparatus includes: a substrate; a display unit including a plurality of subpixels arranged on the substrate, the plurality of subpixels respectively emitting different colored light; a sealing substrate arranged on the display unit; a micro lens unit including a plurality of micro lenses arranged on a surface of the sealing substrate facing the display unit; barrier ribs arranged between the sealing substrate and the substrate to define a space between the micro lens unit and the display unit; and a black matrix arranged under the barrier ribs.