Transparent Display Electrode Layout Without Fine Metal Masks
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing transparent electroluminescent display devices face challenges in forming large-sized and high-definition displays due to limitations in the vacuum thermal evaporation process, which results in high manufacturing costs and variations, especially with issues like mask sagging and shadow effects, making it difficult to achieve uniform light-emitting layers.
Innovation Solution
A transparent display device design that includes a substrate with emission and transparent areas, utilizing light-emitting diodes with a first and second electrode, and connection patterns formed of the same material as the electrodes, which are electrically connected to reduce resistance and improve luminance, allowing for a top emission type configuration that enhances aperture ratio and reduces manufacturing costs by omitting the fine metal mask process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If vacuum thermal evaporation process with fine metal mask is used to form light-emitting layer, then light-emitting layer can be formed in small emission areas, but manufacturing costs increase and manufacturing precision deteriorates due to mask sagging and shadow effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the fine metal mask from the manufacturing process. Instead of using vacuum thermal evaporation with masks, the invention employs a solution process where the light-emitting layer is deposited directly without mask constraints, thereby removing the source of mask-related defects and costs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, complex fine metal masks with a simple, cost-effective solution process using solution-based materials that can be deposited directly onto the substrate, eliminating the need for costly mask preparation and handling
2Ease of manufacture
If vacuum thermal evaporation process is used, then light-emitting layer can be formed, but device complexity increases due to mask preparation and application steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex mask preparation and application steps from the manufacturing process by extracting the masking function and replacing it with a direct solution deposition method that requires no masks
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical vacuum thermal evaporation system with a solution-based deposition process, substituting complex mechanical vacuum equipment and mask handling with simpler solution application techniques
3Measurement precision
If emission area size is kept small, then pixel density can be increased, but light-emitting layer formation becomes more difficult through evaporation process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses solution-based materials that can be deposited in thin, uniform layers suitable for small pixel dimensions, replacing the evaporation process that struggles with small area coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the deposition method from vacuum evaporation to solution-based deposition, altering the physical and chemical parameters of the material application process to enable better control over small emission areas
4Area of stationary object
If transparent display device is made large-sized, then display coverage is improved, but mask sagging and shadow effects increase reducing manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the mask component entirely, removing the source of sagging and shadow effects that plague large-sized displays manufactured with vacuum evaporation and masking techniques
Solution Approach 2:
The solution process used in the patent can uniformly deposit light-emitting materials across large substrate areas without the geometric constraints and defects associated with large-format mask usage in vacuum evaporation
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
The solution enables the production of large-sized, high-definition transparent displays with improved luminance and reduced power consumption by optimizing the light-emitting diode structure and connection patterns, addressing the limitations of the vacuum thermal evaporation process and enhancing the display's efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
an electroluminescent display device has wide viewing angles as compared with a liquid crystal display device because it is self-luminous
Implementation Method 2
each light-emitting layer is formed through a vacuum thermal evaporation process in which a luminescent material is selectively deposited using a fine metal mask (FMM)
Data Source
AI summary
A transparent display device includes a substrate having an emission area and a transparent area, a light-emitting diode provided in the emission area and including a first electrode, a light-emitting layer and a second electrode, a first connection pattern provided between the emission area and the transparent area and formed of a same material and on a same layer as the first electrode, and a second connection pattern provided in the transparent area and connected to the first connection pattern, wherein the second electrode overlaps the first and second connection patterns and are electrically connected to the first and second connection patterns.