Organic Light Emitting Display Panel Spacer Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing organic light emitting display panels face challenges in maintaining structural stability and preventing damage from pressure or stress due to the flow or collapse of spacers during the curing process, which affects the integrity of the panel's layers and circuit elements.
Innovation Solution
The use of a halftone mask to simultaneously form the spacer, exposed area of the insulating interlayer, and pixel defining layer ensures that the spacer maintains a predetermined height and area, preventing it from flowing onto the pixel defining layer and ensuring a stable gap between the substrate and encapsulation substrate, thereby enhancing structural stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If conventional spacer formation methods are used, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the spacer flows or collapses during curing, reducing structural stability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the spacer formation and pixel defining layer formation into a single simultaneous patterning step using one photomask, rather than performing them as separate sequential steps. This merging of operations maintains structural stability while managing manufacturing complexity through process integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer is formed with a predetermined height and area through controlled patterning before the curing process begins. This preliminary establishment of precise dimensions prevents flow or collapse during subsequent curing, as the spacer structure is already optimized for stability before thermal or chemical changes occur.
2Strength
If the spacer height and area are not controlled, then the manufacturing process is faster, but the panel cannot withstand external forces, reducing load-bearing capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs precise photomask patterning to control the spacer's height and area dimensions during formation. This controlled patterning ensures the spacer achieves optimal mechanical strength and load-bearing capacity while maintaining efficient manufacturing throughput through a single-step process.
3Reliability
If the spacer is formed without precise patterning, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the spacer flows onto the pixel defining layer, compromising layer integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer and pixel defining layer are patterned simultaneously in a single photomask step, ensuring precise spatial relationships and preventing spacer flow onto the pixel defining layer. This merged approach maintains layer integrity while managing complexity through process integration rather than multiple sequential steps.
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 improves the structural stability of the organic light emitting display panel, allowing it to withstand greater external forces without damage, as demonstrated by increased load-bearing capacity and maintained spacer height and area, compared to conventional methods.
Implementation Method 1
The photosensitive material may be formed using a positive photosensitive material. The semi-transmissive regions may correspond to the pixel defining layer. The light blocking region may correspond to the spacer. The transmissive region may correspond to the exposed first electrodes and the exposed area of the insulating interlayer.
Data Source
AI summary
An organic light emitting display panel may include a plurality of thin film transistors on a substrate, an insulating interlayer on the thin film transistors, a plurality of first electrodes on a portion of the insulating interlayer electrically connected to the thin film transistors, a plurality of metal lines on a portion of the insulating interlayer, a pixel defining layer on a portion of the insulating interlayer and a portion of the first electrodes, a plurality of organic light emitting structures on the first electrodes in the pixel area, a second electrode on the organic light emitting structures, and a spacer on the pixel defining layer. The insulation interlayer may partially expose electrodes of the thin film transistors. The pixel defining layer may define a pixel area by partially exposing the first electrodes, and an exposed area of the insulating interlayer by partially exposing the insulating interlayer.