PI Substrate Segmentation for Narrow-Frame AMOLED Panels

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Solution Overview

Problem

The double-cut process in AMOLED display panel manufacturing is plagued by low cutting accuracy and the risk of cracks, necessitating a border area with an anticrack design, which limits the reduction of the border size.

Innovation Solution

A polyimide (PI) substrate with spaced-apart PI layers on a glass substrate, allowing for a patterning process that eliminates the need for the double-cut process by enabling direct peeling of the panel, thus reducing the border area and preventing cracks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If the double-cut process is used to obtain a panel with a standard shape, then the panel can be processed into the desired form, but the cutting accuracy is low and cracks may extend into the panel

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepanel shapeVSAvoidcutting accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The PI layer is divided into multiple independent regions corresponding to different display panels, with spacing between regions. This segmentation allows each panel to be processed and peeled independently without requiring double-cutting, thereby eliminating cutting accuracy issues and preventing crack propagation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of cutting the integrated PI layer to separate panels after formation, the invention inverts the approach by pre-separating the PI layer into spaced regions before panel formation. This allows panels to be peeled apart rather than cut, fundamentally changing the separation mechanism from mechanical cutting to controlled peeling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If a border area with anticrack design is defined to prevent crack extension, then crack propagation is prevented, but the border area size cannot be effectively reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrack preventionVSAvoidborder area size

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The PI layer is segmented into spaced regions that correspond to individual display panels. The spacing between PI layer regions inherently prevents crack propagation between panels while minimizing the border area, as the separation is achieved through the natural spacing of the patterned PI regions rather than requiring large anticrack border areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of manufacture

If the PI layer is formed as an integrated structure, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the double-cut process is required which reduces cutting accuracy and may cause cracks

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovePI layer formationVSAvoidcutting accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The PI layer is pre-patterned into spaced regions during the formation process, before panel separation is needed. This preliminary action of creating spaced regions integrates the separation design into the formation process itself, eliminating the need for subsequent double-cutting operations while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11520230B2PI substrate and manufacturing method thereof

Publication Date: 2022.12.06 WUHAN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS SEMICONDUCTOR DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO LTD

AI summary

The disclosure provides a polyimide (PI) substrate and a manufacturing method thereof. The PI substrate includes a first area and a plurality of second areas, wherein the second areas are spaced apart from each other in the first area, and the PI substrate includes a glass substrate and a plurality of PI layers disposed on the glass substrate.