OLED Pixel Electrode Trench Partitioning for Impurity Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Organic light emitting displays face emission area shrinkage due to impurities and moisture penetrating from the organic layer, degrading the emitting member and reducing the emission area.
Innovation Solution
An organic light emitting display design featuring an insulating substrate with a trench and a blocking layer, where the trench is filled with a polyimide partition wall and a silicon nitride blocking layer is used to prevent impurities and moisture from penetrating, and a method involving annealing and forming a pixel electrode to enhance surface area exposure and impurity removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If a flat organic layer is formed on thin film transistors and metal wirings to reduce protrusions and depressions, then the surface flatness is improved, but impurities and moisture in the organic layer can penetrate into the organic light emitting member causing emission area shrinkage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the organic layer into multiple regions separated by trenches. Each pixel region is isolated by trenches filled with partition walls, preventing impurities and moisture from spreading between pixels. This segmentation approach maintains surface flatness while containing penetration damage to specific regions only.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces partition walls filled in trenches as intermediary structures between the organic layer and adjacent pixel regions. These partition walls act as barriers that block the penetration path of impurities and moisture, protecting the organic light emitting member while maintaining the necessary flat surface structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the organic layer is made of organic material to enable light emission, then the self-emissive property is achieved, but moisture and impurities may exist in the organic layer and penetrate into the emitting member
Solution Approach 1:
The organic layer is segmented into discrete pixel regions by trenches, isolating potential impurity sources within each region. This segmentation prevents widespread penetration damage while preserving the self-emissive property of the organic material in each isolated pixel area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts harmful impurities and moisture from the system by providing trenches that expose the insulating substrate, allowing impurities to be removed or prevented from entering the emission areas. The partition walls in trenches extract the penetration pathway that would otherwise allow impurity migration.
3Reliability
If trenches are formed by removing a portion of the organic layer to prevent impurity penetration, then emission area stability is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses simple trench structures to segment the organic layer, creating isolated pixel regions. This segmentation approach provides reliable impurity containment while maintaining relatively simple fabrication processes compared to more complex barrier layer systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition walls formed in trenches act as thin film barriers that provide effective protection against impurity penetration. These thin film structures offer high reliability with minimal added complexity, as they can be formed using standard thin film deposition techniques integrated into the existing OLED fabrication process.
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 solution effectively prevents impurities and moisture from penetrating, reducing emission area shrinkage and enhancing the stability and performance of the organic light emitting display.
Implementation Method 1
a silicon nitride blocking layer is used to prevent impurities and moisture from penetrating
Implementation Method 2
the trench is filled with a polyimide partition wall
Implementation Method 3
a method involving annealing and forming a pixel electrode to enhance surface area exposure and impurity removal
Data Source
AI summary
An organic light emitting display includes an insulating substrate having a first area, a second area, and a third area, an organic layer located in the second area, a pixel electrode located on the organic layer in the first area and the second area, and a partition wall including an opening exposing a portion of the pixel electrode. The organic light emitting display further includes an organic light emitting member located in the opening and a common electrode located on the organic light emitting member. The opening is disposed in the first area, and the third area includes a trench separating the second area from an adjacent second area.