OLED Display Terminal Protection Against Pixel Electrode Etching
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Solution Overview
Problem
In small-to-medium high-definition organic EL display devices using TFTs with oxide semiconductor layers, there is a risk of terminal loss during the formation of pixel electrodes, particularly when copper films are etched.
Innovation Solution
A display device design that includes a terminal unit with terminals formed from the same material as the first metal layer, featuring a transparent conductive terminal protective layer to prevent etching during the formation of silver film pixel electrodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If copper film is used in the terminal unit, then electrical resistance is reduced, but the terminal may be etched and lost during pixel electrode formation
Solution Approach 1:
A protective layer is introduced as an intermediary between the copper film terminal and the etching process. This protective layer prevents direct contact between the etchant and the copper film, thereby preventing etching damage while allowing the copper film to maintain its low electrical resistance property
Solution Approach 2:
The protective layer is applied in advance before the etching process to preemptively counteract the harmful etching effect. By establishing this protective barrier beforehand, the terminal is protected from etching damage during the pixel electrode formation process
Data Source
AI summary
A display device includes: a base substrate; a thin-film transistor layer provided on the base substrate and having a first metal layer containing a copper film; and a light-emitting element layer provided on the thin-film transistor layer, and including a plurality of pixel electrodes, a plurality of light-emitting functional layers, and a common electrode, all of which are sequentially stacked on top of another and corresponding to a plurality of subpixels. A terminal unit includes a plurality of terminals formed of a same material as, and arranged in a same layer as, the first metal layer. Each of the pixel electrodes is formed of a second metal layer containing a silver film. On each of the terminals, a terminal protective layer formed of a transparent conductive film is provided.