Stretchable Display Panel Hollowing Process

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional stretchable display components face issues with the hollowing-out process damaging low-temperature polycrystalline-silicon thin-film-transistor characteristics and anodes, and suffer from color mixing due to uneven vacuum evaporation of luminescent layers in RGB organic light emitting diode components.

Innovation Solution

A method for fabricating a stretchable display panel involves forming a color-film protecting layer as a hard mask to prevent damage during the hollowing-out process, using a white-light organic luminescent material for single-step vacuum evaporation, and integrating a color-film layer on one side of the luminescent base plate to modulate light emission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a conventional hollowing-out process is performed using columnar-supportor protecting layer as hard mask, then the hollowed-out region can be formed, but the low-temperature polycrystalline-silicon thin-film-transistor characteristics are damaged and anode damage occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehollowed-out region formationVSAvoidthin-film-transistor characteristic

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The color-film layer is formed on the first planarization layer before performing the hollowing-out process. This preliminary action allows the color-film protecting layer to serve as the hard mask, preventing damage to the low-temperature polycrystalline-silicon thin-film-transistor characteristics and anode during the hollowing-out process, while still achieving the required hollowed-out region formation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The color-film protecting layer acts as an intermediary hard mask instead of using the columnar-supportor protecting layer. This intermediary layer protects the underlying thin-film-transistor and anode structures during the hollowing-out process, eliminating direct contact between the etching process and the sensitive components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple layers are deposited for color film formation, then color accuracy can be achieved, but the display panel thickness increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor display accuracyVSAvoiddisplay panel thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The color-film layer is integrated with the first planarization layer, combining the planarization function and color display function into a single integrated structure. This merging eliminates the need for separate color-film layers, achieving color accuracy while reducing overall panel thickness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The first planarization layer serves dual functions: it provides surface planarization for subsequent processing and simultaneously functions as the color-film layer for color display. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate layers needed, thereby reducing panel thickness while maintaining color display accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 approach effectively preserves the low-temperature polycrystalline-silicon thin-film-transistor characteristics, reduces anode damage, and prevents color mixing, resulting in a high fabrication yield and lower thickness of the display panel with improved stretchability and display performance.

Implementation Method 1

forming a color-film protecting layer on one side of the color-film layer that is away from the substrate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical vapor deposition: Physical Vapour Deposition

Implementation Method 2

performing an ashing process to the hollowed-out region not covered by the color-film protecting layer, to remove the first planarization layer and the film-layer components within the hollowed-out region

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAashing:

Implementation Method 3

using a white-light organic luminescent material for single-step vacuum evaporation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectroluminescence: Electroluminescence

Implementation Method 4

using a white-light organic luminescent material for single-step vacuum evaporation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum evaporation: Physical Vapour Deposition

Data Source

PatentUS20230165103A1Stretchable display panel and manufacturing method therefor

Publication Date: 2023.05.25 BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO LTD

AI summary

A method for fabricating a stretchable display panel includes: providing a substrate, wherein a displaying unit, a connecting unit and a hollowed-out region are provided on the substrate; forming film-layer components on the substrate, wherein orthographic projections of the film-layer components on the substrate are within the displaying unit, the connecting unit and the hollowed-out region; forming a first planarization layer on a surface of the film-layer components that is away from the substrate; forming a color-film layer on one side of the first planarization layer that is away from the substrate, wherein an orthographic projection of the color-film layer on the substrate is within the displaying unit; forming a color-film protecting layer on one side of the color-film layer that is away from the substrate ; and performing an ashing process to the hollowed-out region, to remove the first planarization layer and the film-layer components within the hollowed-out region.