Thin Glass Processing Using Carrier Substrate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing display panel manufacturing equipment has a minimum thickness tolerance of approximately 0.5 mm, making it difficult to handle and process glass sheets thinner than this, which can lead to handling problems and increased costs due to potential defects during the thinning process.
Innovation Solution
A thin glass sheet is bonded to a carrier substrate using an oxidizing agent, ensuring the combined thickness meets the minimum equipment requirements, allowing for processing and subsequent separation into thin display panels without additional thinning steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If glass sheets thinner than 0.5 mm are processed by existing manufacturing equipment, then the display panel thickness is reduced, but handling problems and manufacturing defects occur
Solution Approach 1:
A carrier substrate is introduced as an intermediary support structure. The thin glass sheet is bonded to this carrier substrate, which provides the necessary mechanical strength and stability during manufacturing processes. The carrier substrate acts as a mediator that allows thin glass (which would otherwise be too fragile) to be handled and processed reliably by existing equipment designed for thicker materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution creates a composite structure consisting of the thin glass sheet bonded to the carrier substrate. This composite construction combines the optical properties of thin glass with the mechanical properties of the carrier substrate, achieving both thinness and manufacturing reliability simultaneously.
2Length of moving object
If glass sheets are thinned after fabrication, then the display panel thickness is reduced, but all pre-thinning processing is wasted if defects occur
Solution Approach 1:
The thin glass sheet is prepared in its final thin state before any fabrication processing occurs. By bonding the thin glass to the carrier substrate at the beginning, all subsequent processing is performed on the already-thinned glass, eliminating the need for a post-fabrication thinning step and preventing waste of processing if defects occur.
3Ease of manufacture
If the combined thickness of thin glass sheet and carrier substrate meets minimum equipment requirements, then processing is enabled, but additional bonding steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding of the thin glass sheet to the carrier substrate is merged with the existing fabrication process flow. The carrier substrate serves dual purposes: it provides mechanical support during processing and becomes an integral part of the final product structure, eliminating the need for separate handling of the thin glass sheet throughout manufacturing.
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
Enables the fabrication of thin display panels with a thickness less than 0.5 mm using existing equipment, reducing the risk of defects and costs associated with the thinning process, while maintaining the structural integrity required for manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
The bonding of the thin glass sheet and the carrier substrate can be performed by oxidizing areas of the thin glass sheet and the carrier substrate, bringing the oxidized areas in contact with each other, and applying heat to the oxidized areas to bond the thin glass sheet and the carrier substrate.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of fabricating a display panel from a thin substrate using a carrier substrate is disclosed. The method includes depositing a bonding agent on a first surface of the thin substrate; depositing a bonding agent on a second surface of the carrier substrate; bonding the thin substrate and the carrier substrate with the bonding agent deposited on the first surface and the second surface; performing thin film processing on a third surface of the thin substrate opposite the first surface; and separating the processed thin substrate from the carrier substrate. The thin substrate has a thickness less than a required thickness for sustaining thin film processing while a thickness of the bonded thin substrate and the carrier substrates is greater than or equal to that the required thickness.