OLED Substrate Concave Parts for Gas Bubble Containment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Gas bubbles generated during the bonding process of OLED devices can overlap the display region, causing image warping or missing pixels due to refractive-index differences between the dam and filling materials, which is not effectively addressed by existing technologies.

Innovation Solution

The formation of concave or step-shaped substrate features between the display region and the dam material to stabilize and contain gas bubbles, preventing them from protruding into the display area by utilizing surface tension and substrate geometry.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If gas bubbles are generated during the bonding process, then the bonding of substrates can be completed, but gas bubbles may overlap the display region causing image warping or missing pixels

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebonding process completionVSAvoidimage quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The substrate surface is segmented into different regions: a display region and a non-display region. The concave part is formed specifically in the non-display region to trap gas bubbles, separating the harmful effect of gas bubbles from the display area while maintaining normal bonding functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of trying to prevent gas bubble formation during bonding, the invention converts the harmful effect by designing a concave part that intentionally traps and contains the gas bubbles in the non-display region. The gas bubbles that would normally cause defects are redirected to serve as harmless inclusions in the frame region, transforming a manufacturing defect into an acceptable design feature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Ease of manufacture

If dam material and filling material are used to bond substrates, then substrate bonding can be achieved, but refractive-index differences between materials cause image warping

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate bondingVSAvoidimage uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies local quality by creating a concave part with specific geometric properties in the non-display region. This local structural modification changes the optical path and refractive index distribution only in the frame region, allowing the use of dam and filling materials with different refractive indices without affecting image quality in the display region.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If concave parts are formed on the substrate, then gas bubbles can be contained and prevented from overlapping the display region, but substrate structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage stabilityVSAvoidsubstrate structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention addresses the gas bubble containment problem by transitioning from a two-dimensional surface problem to a three-dimensional solution. The concave part creates a vertical dimension (depth) in the non-display region, forming a potential well that traps gas bubbles through geometric confinement rather than requiring complex lateral barriers or additional components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

Prevents gas bubbles from overlapping the display region, ensuring image stability and preventing warping or missing pixels by effectively managing gas bubble formation and containment within the substrate concave parts.

Implementation Method 1

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface tension: Surface Tension

Data Source

PatentUS9065021B2Display device

Publication Date: 2015.06.23 MAGNOLIA WHITE CORP

AI summary

A space between a lower substrate and an upper substrate including an organic EL light-emitting layer which includes a display region for displaying an image is filled by a dam material which is applied to enclose an exterior edge of the display region and a filling material which is dripped into the interior side of the dam material. The dam material is an epoxy resin with a comparatively high viscosity before hardening and the filling material is an epoxy resin with a comparatively low viscosity before hardening. A substrate concave part is formed between the display region on a surface of the lower substrate and a coating region of the dam material.