OLED Pixel Structure Compensation Layer for Brightness

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Solution Overview

Problem

The pixel structure of OLED on Silicon displays has low brightness due to limitations in shadow mask manufacturing and alignment precision, resulting in a white OLED layer that loses significant brightness when passing through color filters, making it difficult to achieve high light-emitting efficiency and color purity.

Innovation Solution

A method is introduced to form compensation layers with different thicknesses in red, green, and blue pixel areas, allowing for individual modulation of cavity lengths and improving light-emitting efficiency and color purity by using alternating evaporation and etching processes, enabling the use of a strong micro cavity effect.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If a shadow mask with openings for each pixel is used to manufacture OLED pixels, then color purity and light-emitting efficiency can be improved, but manufacturing precision requirements become extremely high and device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovebrightnessVSAvoidshadow mask precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the pixel structure into multiple functional layers (substrate, anode, hole injection layer, hole transport layer, emission layer, electron transport layer, electron injection layer, cathode) and further segments the emission layer into red, green, and blue sub-pixels with distinct color filters. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized independently for its specific function, reducing the manufacturing precision requirements for the overall pixel structure while maintaining high brightness and color purity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local quality by providing different color filters (red, green, blue) for different pixel regions, and using different organic emission materials with specific HOMO-LUMO energy levels for different color sub-pixels. Each region is locally optimized with materials and structures tailored to its specific color emission requirements, thereby achieving high color purity without requiring extremely precise shadow mask manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Device complexity

If a white light OLED layer is used with color filters to achieve color display, then device complexity is reduced, but brightness is significantly lost during light transmission through filters

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepixel structure complexityVSAvoidbrightness
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using a single white light OLED layer, the patent employs separate organic emission layers for red, green, and blue sub-pixels, each with specifically selected emission materials having appropriate HOMO-LUMO energy levels. This local quality approach allows each sub-pixel to emit its characteristic color directly, eliminating the need for color filters and preserving brightness while maintaining manageable device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent achieves color display through color changes in the organic emission materials themselves rather than through color filters. By selecting emission materials with different HOMO-LUMO energy levels that correspond to red, green, and blue wavelengths, the patent directly generates colored light emission, thereby avoiding brightness loss associated with color filtering while keeping the device structure relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

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 approach enhances the brightness and color gamut of the display screen by optimizing the light-emitting efficiency and color purity of each pixel area, overcoming the limitations of existing technologies.

Implementation Method 1

allowing for individual modulation of cavity lengths and improving light-emitting efficiency and color purity by using alternating evaporation and etching processes, enabling the use of a strong micro cavity effect

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMicro cavity effect: Fabry-Perot Interferometer

Implementation Method 2

forming a first compensation material layer, a second compensation material layer, and a third compensation material layer on a part of the anode layer in the first pixel area; forming the first compensation material layer and the second compensation material layer on a part of the anode layer in the second pixel area

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation (physical vapor deposition): Physical Vapour Deposition

Implementation Method 3

by using alternating evaporation and etching processes, enabling the use of a strong micro cavity effect

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEtching: Ablation

Data Source

PatentUS11081680B2Pixel structure, method for forming the same, and display screen
Publication Date: 2021.08.03 SHANGHAI SEEO OPTRONICS TECH CO LTD
  • US11081680B2 patent drawing
  • US11081680B2 patent drawing
  • US11081680B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A pixel structure, a method for forming the pixel structure, and a display screen are provided. The method includes: providing a substrate for forming an OLED device, the substrate having a first pixel area, a second pixel area, and a third pixel area; and forming a compensation layer on the substrate, the compensation layer having different thicknesses in the first pixel area, the second pixel area, and the third pixel area. In the present disclosure, the compensation layer is formed on the substrate, and the compensation layer has different thicknesses respectively in the first pixel area, the second pixel area and the third pixel area, so that the cavity of the first pixel area, the cavity of the second pixel area, and the cavity of the third pixel area can be individually controlled.