Thin Film Transistor Active Layer Grooves for Bending Stress Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bendable substrates face limitations in bending degree due to stress generation in film layers, leading to cracking or breaking of inorganic active layers in thin film transistors, which deteriorates electrical performance and restricts curvature radius to greater than 1 mm.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating grooves in the active layer with a conductivity enhancement structure, where the grooves reduce bending stress by increasing surface area and allowing stress release, and using a nano-imprint lithography process for groove formation, along with a gate insulating layer and organic insulating material to enhance flexibility and conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a bendable substrate is used to achieve flexible display applications, then adaptability and versatility are improved, but the inorganic active layer is prone to cracking and breaking due to bending stress
Solution Approach 1:
The active layer is segmented by introducing grooves that divide the continuous layer into multiple sections. These grooves act as stress relief zones that prevent crack propagation throughout the entire layer, allowing the substrate to be bent without causing complete failure of the active layer
Solution Approach 2:
The grooves create local variations in the active layer structure, with the groove regions having different mechanical properties compared to the surrounding areas. The groove bottoms are specifically designed with conductivity enhancement structures to maintain electrical functionality while providing stress relief
2Ease of operation
If the active layer is made thinner to improve flexibility, then ease of operation is improved, but the layer becomes more susceptible to damage from bending stress
Solution Approach 1:
The active layer is designed as a thin film structure with integrated grooves that provide flexibility while maintaining strength. The groove structure allows the thin film to bend without causing stress concentration that would lead to failure, effectively combining thinness with durability
3Reliability
If grooves are introduced in the active layer to reduce bending stress, then reliability is improved, but the electrical conductivity may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The groove structure creates local quality variations where the groove regions provide mechanical stress relief while the areas between grooves maintain continuous electrical conduction paths. The conductivity enhancement structures at groove bottoms ensure that even the groove regions contribute to electrical functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The conductivity enhancement structures act as intermediaries that bridge the electrical connection across the groove regions. These structures ensure that the grooves provide mechanical stress relief without creating electrical discontinuities, effectively mediating between mechanical and electrical requirements
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides a thin film transistor, a method of manufacturing the thin film transistor, an array substrate and a display device, belongs to the field of display technology, and can solve the problem that an existing thin film transistor is prone to cracking or breaking due to bending. The thin film transistor of the present disclosure includes a substrate and an active layer arranged on the substrate, and at least one groove is arranged on a surface of the active layer distal to the substrate.