Plastic Display Substrate Patterning via Imprint and Inkjet
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in manufacturing display substrates, particularly those made of plastic, is that they can deform under high temperature conditions during the formation of active patterns, making it difficult to accurately form source and drain electrodes due to heat-generated bending, which complicates the arrangement of elements.
Innovation Solution
The use of an imprint method or inkjet method instead of photolithography for patterning processes, which helps prevent deformation of plastic substrates and allows for accurate element arrangement by forming a bank pattern with openings for sub-data and main data lines, and pixel electrodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If photolithography method is used to form active patterns, then manufacturing precision is improved, but plastic substrate deformation occurs due to high temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the patterning process by replacing photolithography with imprint or inkjet methods that operate at lower temperatures, thereby preventing plastic substrate deformation while maintaining element arrangement accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the photolithography mechanical-thermal system with imprint or inkjet systems that use mechanical pressing or liquid deposition respectively, eliminating the high temperature step that causes substrate deformation
2Manufacturing precision
If photolithography method is used, then element arrangement accuracy is improved, but manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the complex photolithography process steps (photoresist coating, exposure, development, etching) and replaces them with simpler imprint or inkjet processes, thereby reducing manufacturing process complexity while maintaining accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The imprint method uses a mold to directly copy the desired pattern onto the substrate, eliminating the need for complex photolithography steps and simplifying the manufacturing process while achieving the same element arrangement accuracy
3Strength
If plastic substrate is used, then flexibility and damage resistance are improved, but deformation occurs under temperature and humidity extremes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the processing temperature parameter to remain below the plastic substrate's deformation threshold, allowing the substrate to maintain both its flexibility/damage resistance and shape stability throughout manufacturing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs patterning operations before the substrate is exposed to conditions that would cause deformation, ensuring that critical element placement is completed while the substrate remains stable
Data Source
AI summary
In a display substrate and a method of the display substrate, a bank pattern provided with openings formed therethrough is formed by an imprint method, and the openings are filled with a conductive material by an inkjet method to form a data line and a pixel electrode, in accordance with one or more embodiments. When the display substrate is manufactured, a patterning process by a photolithography method may be replaced with the patterning process by the imprint method and the inkjet method, which simplifies a manufacturing method of the display substrate. In case that the display substrate includes a plastic substrate, the plastic substrate may be prevented from being deformed during a photolithography process.