OLED Seal Line Stained Fault Prevention via Electrode Extension
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manufacturing processes for OLED devices face challenges in reducing the number of processes while preventing stained faults, particularly in the seal line and signal wiring areas, which affects productivity and cost efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves forming an OLED device with a substrate defined into active, GIP, and seal line areas, where a thin film transistor and organic light emission diode are formed, and an extended portion from the same material as the first electrode covers the signal wiring, allowing the seal line to be formed on the edge of the signal wiring covered by this extended portion, enhancing the sealing characteristics and preventing moisture intrusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the protective film formation process is removed to reduce the number of manufacturing processes, then productivity and cost efficiency are improved, but stained faults are generated in the seal line area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an extended portion of the first electrode that extends beyond the pixel region to overlap with the signal wiring in the seal line area. This extended portion acts as an intermediary barrier that prevents direct contact between the seal line and the signal wiring, thereby preventing stained faults without requiring a separate protective film in the seal line area. This resolves the contradiction by enabling process simplification while maintaining reliability through the electrode extension structure.
2Device complexity
If the protective film formation process is removed to reduce manufacturing steps, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but the sealing characteristics deteriorate due to stained faults
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the function of the first electrode with the sealing structure by extending it into the seal line area to overlap with the signal wiring. This integration eliminates the need for a separate protective film formation process in the seal line area, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining sealing characteristics through the extended electrode structure that prevents moisture intrusion.
3Device complexity
If the seal line is formed directly on the signal wiring to simplify the structure, then device complexity is reduced, but moisture intrusion occurs causing stained faults
Solution Approach 1:
The extended portion of the first electrode serves as an intermediary layer between the seal line and the signal wiring. It overlaps with the signal wiring in the seal line area and prevents direct contact between the seal line and the wiring, thereby blocking moisture intrusion pathways while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure without requiring additional protective films or complex multi-layer configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
An OLED device is disclosed. The OLED device includes: a substrate defined into an active area in which a plurality of pixels are formed in a matrix shape, a GIP (gate-in-panel) area in which drive elements are formed, a ground contact area, and a seal line area; a thin film transistor formed in each pixel region within the active area; an organic light emission diode formed on a protective film and configured to include a first electrode, an organic light emission layer and a second electrode; a bank layer formed to divide the organic light emission diode into pixel units; a signal wiring formed in the ground contact area and the seal line area; and an extended portion formed from the same material as the first electrode of the organic light emission diode and configured to cover the signal wiring, wherein a seal line within in the seal line area is formed on an edge of the signal wiring, which is covered with the extended portion, and an interlayer insulation film adjacent to the edge of the signal wiring. Such an OLED device can prevent a stained fault generation in the seal line region by largely forming a connection electrode, which makes contact with signal wirings formed along edges of an active area, and covering the signal wirings with a metal pattern.