OLED Shielding Layer for ESD Protection in Non-Pixel Region
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Solution Overview
Problem
Organic light emitting displays (OLEDs) face damage from electrostatic discharge (ESD) due to their high integration and operation with thin film transistors, which can lead to erroneous operations and circuit damage, and existing solutions for protection are either ineffective during use or require additional components.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a shielding layer in the non-pixel region of the OLED, insulated from the driving circuit, and coupling it to the ground power source through power supply lines to effectively discharge ESD without adding additional protective elements or circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the driving circuit is highly integrated to reduce size and cost, then device complexity is reduced, but the circuit becomes more vulnerable to ESD damage
Solution Approach 1:
A shielding layer is introduced as an intermediary component between the ESD source and the driving circuit. This shielding layer acts as a mediator that intercepts and redirects ESD energy away from the vulnerable highly-integrated driving circuit, allowing high integration to be maintained without sacrificing ESD resistance.
2Reliability
If additional protecting elements or circuits are added to protect against ESD, then ESD resistance is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding layer is merged with the existing non-pixel region structure of the display device. By combining the ESD protection function with the existing structural framework, protection is achieved without adding separate protecting elements or circuits that would increase device complexity and manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The shielding layer serves multiple functions: it provides ESD protection to the driving circuit, maintains the structural integrity of the non-pixel region, and can be formed using existing manufacturing processes. This multi-functionality avoids the need for dedicated protecting elements.
3Reliability
If a shielding layer is added to protect the driving circuit from ESD, then ESD resistance is improved, but manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding layer is formed in advance during the existing manufacturing process sequence, specifically in the same process step as the anode electrode formation. This preliminary action integrates ESD protection into the base structure before final assembly, avoiding additional manufacturing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The formation of the shielding layer is merged with the existing anode electrode formation process. By combining these two operations into a single process step, the shielding layer is created without adding manufacturing process complexity.
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
The shielding layer effectively protects the driving circuit from ESD, reducing damage and maintaining operational integrity even at higher voltages, such as 15kV, without increasing manufacturing costs or complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a large electrostatic discharge (ESD) can be generated during manufacturing or when the organic light emitting display is being used
Implementation Method 2
coupling it to the ground power source through power supply lines to effectively discharge ESD
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3B
Figure 4~5
AI summary
An organic light emitting display and a method of manufacturing the same. The light emitting display includes a substrate having a pixel region (140) and a non-pixel region (160); an organic light emitting diode (OLED) (180) in the pixel region and including a first electrode (108a), an organic thin layer (110), and a second electrode (111); a driving circuit unit (220,240) in the non-pixel region and for driving the OLED; a shielding layer (108c) in the non-pixel region and on the driving circuit, the shielding layer being electrically grounded; and an insulating layer interposed between the driving circuit and the shielding layer. The shielding layer effectively protects the driving circuit in the non-pixel region form electrostatic discharge (ESD). Also, the light emitting display may include a guard ring (106f) at an edge portion of the non-pixel region and electrically coupled to the shielding layer to further protect the driving circuit from ESD.