Protruding Spacer Stabilizes Electrowetting Display Pixel Gap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrowetting displays face issues with polar liquid overflow when flexible, and previous solutions either require high processing complexity or increased costs due to incompatible nonpolar liquid disposition processes.
Innovation Solution
The use of protruding spacers between hydrophilic separators and substrates stabilizes the gap between substrates in each pixel, preventing polar liquid overflow and simplifying the process by aligning the spacers with the hydrophilic separators, thus ensuring stable operation and cost-effective manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If closed structures are utilized for each pixel to prevent liquid overflow, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases and manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separator is divided into a base separator layer and protruding spacer elements that extend into the pixel cavity. This segmentation allows the separator to perform multiple functions: containing liquid and maintaining substrate spacing, without requiring a fully closed complex structure throughout.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding spacers are pre-formed on the separator before final assembly. This preliminary action ensures that the spacers are already in position to prevent liquid overflow and maintain gap stability, eliminating the need for complex post-assembly adjustments or closed structures.
2Reliability
If greater height of separators is used to prevent liquid overflow, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the height of the entire separator uniformly, the invention applies localized protruding spacer elements only at critical positions where liquid containment is needed. This local quality approach maintains manufacturing precision while achieving reliable liquid containment.
3Manufacturing precision
If complex devices are used to hold nonpolar liquids at agglomerate positions, then display quality is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The protruding spacers create physical boundaries that automatically guide and contain the nonpolar liquid in the desired positions without requiring external holding devices or complex control mechanisms. The structure serves itself to maintain liquid positioning, simplifying manufacturing and improving productivity.
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 configuration maintains stable pixel gaps in flexible displays, preventing liquid overflow and improving image contrast while reducing processing complexity and costs, enhancing the overall display quality and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
dispose protruding spacers between hydrophilic separators and substrates of the electrowetting displays to make the gap between two substrates in each single pixel range stable
Implementation Method 2
electric voltage is applied to a polar liquid acting as an electrolyte, causing the surface tension of the polar liquid to change
Implementation Method 3
causing the interface tension between the polar liquids and hydrophobic insulators to change
Implementation Method 4
The hydrophobic layer overlies the opposing surface of the second substrate
Implementation Method 5
The hydrophilic separator overlies the hydrophobic layer and surrounds the nonpolar liquid layer
Data Source
AI summary
A display and fabricating method thereof is provided. The display includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a hydrophobic layer, a nonpolar liquid layer, a hydrophilic separator, a polar liquid layer, and a protruding spacer. The first and second substrates respectively include an opposing surface, and are disposed in a way that the opposing surfaces are face-to-face opposing to each other. The hydrophobic layer overlies the opposing surface of the second substrate. The nonpolar liquid layer overlies the hydrophobic layer. The hydrophilic separator overlies the hydrophobic layer and surrounds the nonpolar liquid layer. The polar liquid layer overlies the nonpolar liquid layer. The protruding spacer is disposed between the hydrophilic separator and the first substrate.