Photo Spacer Array for LCD Brightness Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing spacer structures in liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatuses, such as spherical spacers, are prone to breaking under pressure and result in uneven distribution, leading to brightness inconsistencies and image blemishes due to light scattering, which affects the yield and quality of LCDs.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing method for an active switch array substrate that includes a first substrate with insulation and active switches, a planarization layer, a color filter layer with parallel photoresist layers, and dummy bumps made of the same material as the photoresist layers, along with primary and secondary photo spacers on an opposing substrate to maintain a uniform liquid crystal space, enhancing the precision and stability of the spacer structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If spherical spacer structure is used, then the gap between substrates can be maintained, but the spherical spacer structure is liable to break under pressure and results in uneven distribution causing brightness inconsistency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses photo spacers that are patterned copies of the pixel structure, where each photo spacer corresponds to a specific pixel region. This copying approach replaces the random spherical spacers with precisely positioned photo spacers that replicate the pixel arrangement, ensuring uniform distribution and eliminating brightness inconsistency while maintaining structural reliability under pressure.
2Length of stationary object
If spherical spacer structure is used, then spacing function is provided, but light scattering occurs resulting in product yield rate reduction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs photo spacers with specific optical properties that match the surrounding pixel regions in terms of light absorption and reflection characteristics. By designing the photo spacers to have optical properties similar to the pixel structures they are embedded in, the harmful light scattering effect is minimized, eliminating brightness spots and improving display quality while maintaining the necessary substrate gap distance.
3Manufacturing precision
If photolithography technique is used to form photo spacer, then spacer position and size can be precisely controlled, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the photo spacer formation process with the existing color filter photolithography process. By combining the spacer patterning with the color filter layer formation steps, the manufacturing process achieves precise spacer positioning without adding significant process complexity. The photo spacers are formed using the same photolithography equipment and materials as the color filter, merging two functions into a unified manufacturing flow.
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 solution increases the amount of liquid crystals and reduces brightness unevenness, thereby improving image quality by preventing blemishes and clouding effects, while also increasing production efficiency and yield rates.
Implementation Method 1
a photolithography technique is used to form a spacer (photo spacer, PS)
Data Source
AI summary
An active switch array substrate comprises: a first substrate; a first insulation layer disposed on the first substrate; a plurality of active switches disposed on the first insulation layer; a first planarization layer disposed on the first insulation layer and covering the active switches; a color filter layer disposed on the first planarization layer, the color filter layer including a plurality of first photoresist layers, second photoresist layers and third photoresist layers parallel to each other; a plurality of dummy bumps, wherein a material of the dummy bumps is the same as a material of the third photoresist layers, and the dummy bumps are disposed above the first photoresist layers and the third photoresist layers; and a pixel electrode layer disposed on the color filter layer and covering the dummy bumps.