OLED Motherboard Alignment Mark Protection via Insulating Layers
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the manufacturing of display devices with organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), alignment marks on motherboards can be lost or smudged during the process of forming display elements, leading to inaccurate positioning and manufacturing errors.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a motherboard design that includes an organic insulating layer extending to the margin area and an inorganic insulating layer covering the alignment marks, which protects them from etching and subsequent processing steps, ensuring their integrity and accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If alignment marks are formed on the motherboard during the manufacturing process, then positioning accuracy is improved, but the alignment marks may be lost or smudged during subsequent processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment marks are formed in advance on the motherboard before the display elements are manufactured. The organic insulating layer is then formed to cover and protect these pre-formed alignment marks during subsequent etching and processing steps, ensuring they remain intact throughout the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The organic insulating layer acts as an intermediary protective layer between the alignment marks and the etching processes. This intermediate layer prevents direct contact between the etching chemicals and the alignment marks, thereby protecting the marks from being lost or smudged during manufacturing.
2Reliability
If the organic insulating layer is formed to cover the alignment marks, then the alignment marks are protected from etching, but the manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The organic insulating layer serves multiple functions: it provides electrical insulation for the display elements and simultaneously protects the alignment marks during etching processes. By making this existing layer multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate protective structures, thereby minimizing process complexity while achieving reliable alignment mark protection.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a motherboard for display device includes a plurality of panel portions each including a display area where a plurality of display elements are arranged, a margin area around the plurality of panel portions and an alignment mark arranged in the margin area. The panel portion includes an organic insulating layer, a lower electrode, an upper electrode, and an organic layer that emits light in accordance with a potential difference between the lower electrode and the upper electrode. The organic insulating layer extends from the display area to the margin area. The organic insulating layer arranged in the margin area and an inorganic insulating layer covering the organic insulating layer are arranged above the alignment mark.