BEZEL-FREE DISPLAY TILE WITH EDGE-WRAPPED CONDUCTORS AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
Display tiles comprising pixel elements on a first surface of a substrate connected by an electrode, a driver located opposite the first surface, and a connector wrapped around an edge surface of the substrate connecting the driver to the pixel elements. Displays comprised of display tiles and methods of manufacturing display tiles and displays are also disclosed.
This application is a continuation application and claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/756,692 filed on Apr. 16, 2020, which in turn, claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application Serial No. PCT/US2018/056018 filed on Oct. 16, 2018, which in turn, claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/572,900 filed on Oct. 16, 2017, the contents of which are relied upon and incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSUREThe disclosure relates generally to display devices, and more particularly to bezel-free display tiles comprising an edge-wrapped conductor and methods for manufacturing the same.
BACKGROUNDDisplays comprised of a plurality of individual display tiles are used to manufacture large displays, which are sometimes referred to as tiled displays. For example, video walls comprised of multiple display tiles are known for their high-impact engagement and stunning visuals, and are utilized in a variety of settings, including retail environments, control rooms, airports, television studios, auditoriums and stadiums. As will be apparent from
For aesthetic reasons, flat panel display makers are trying to maximize the image viewing area and provide a more aesthetically pleasing appearance by minimizing the size of the bezel surrounding the image on the display. However, there are practical limits to this minimization, and current bezel sizes are on the order of 3 millimeters to 10 millimeters in width.
There have been efforts in the industry to achieve tiled displays comprised of display tiles with no bezel and seamless zero millimeter bezel (referred to herein as “zero bezel” or “bezel-free”). Bezel-free display tiles allow for vast configurations of tiled displays without the need for irritating black gaps. To achieve a bezel-free display tile, it can be advantageous to have the pixel elements in close proximity to the edges of the display tiles. These pixel elements can be located on the front side of the display tile substrate and the control electronics on the back side. As a result, there is a need to electrically interconnect the front and back sides of the display tile substrate.
One way to achieve such interconnects in a display tile substrate made from glass is with metallized through glass vias (“TGVs”). Such TGVs can be used to manufacture a zero bezel microLED display, however, TGVs are fairly expensive to make, at least using current methods which involve laser damage of each hole (a serial process) followed by etch. The holes then need to be further processed for metallization.
Implementation of TGVs presents challenges with overall manufacturing process sequence. If the front of the tile substrate is to have a thin film transistor (TFT) array, a question arises as to when the glass vias are made and metallized. Since TFT array fabrication is traditionally done on a pristine glass surface, etching and metallization may best be done after TFT fabrication. As a result, the array must be protected from etch and also be compatible with the metallization technique.
There is a continuing need to provide efficient and effective interconnects on display tiles. It would be desirable to provide bezel-free display tiles that could be placed in an array to achieve a large display that maintains pixel pitch across tile boundaries of adjacent display tiles without metallized vias.
SUMMARYA first aspect of the disclosure pertains to a display tile comprising a first substrate comprising a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface and an edge surface between the first surface and the second surface, the edge surface defining an outer perimeter; the first surface comprising an array of pixel elements arranged in a plurality of rows of pixel elements and a plurality of columns of pixel elements, each row of pixel elements connected by a row electrode and each column of pixel elements connected by a column electrode; a row driver that activates the rows of pixel elements and a column driver that activates the columns of pixel elements, the row and the column drivers located opposite the first surface; a plurality of row electrode connectors, each row electrode connector wrapped around the edge surface and electrically connecting a row electrode, a row of pixel elements and the row driver; and a plurality of column electrode connectors, each column electrode connector wrapped around the edge surface and electrically connecting a column electrode, a columns of pixel elements and the column driver.
A second aspect of the disclosure pertains to a method of manufacturing a display tile, the method comprising placing at least one driver on a first substrate having pixel elements on a first surface of the first substrate, the driver placed on a second surface opposite the first surface and that can activate the pixel elements; and placing a connector on an edge surface and extending to the first surface and the second surface, the edge surface defining an outer perimeter.
A third aspect of the disclosure pertains to a method of manufacturing a display, comprising placing display tiles described herein in close proximity to each other at respective edge surfaces of the display tiles.
A fourth aspect of the disclosure pertains to a method of manufacturing a plurality of display tiles comprising stacking a plurality of substrates to provide a stack, each of the plurality of substrates having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface and an edge surface between the first surface and the second surface, the edge surface defining an outer perimeter; arranging the stack at an angle with respect to a horizontal surface to expose the edge surface; depositing conductive material on the edge surface, the first surface and the second surface to form a plurality of row electrode connectors and a plurality of column electrode connectors; electrically connecting an array of pixel elements arranged in a plurality of rows of pixel elements and a plurality of columns of pixel elements so that there are individual rows of pixel elements on the first surface of each of the plurality of substrates, the individual rows of pixel elements connected with individual row electrodes and individual row electrode connectors; electrically connecting individual columns of pixel elements on the first surface of each of the plurality of substrates with individual column electrodes and individual column electrode connectors; and placing at least one driver on a second surface opposite the first surface of each of the plurality of substrates, wherein the driver can activate the pixel elements.
The following detailed description can be further understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings.
Described herein are display tiles, methods of manufacturing display tiles, tiled displays comprising display tiles and methods of manufacturing tiled displays utilizing the display tiles described herein. As used herein, the terms “display” and “display device” are intended to encompass all devices capable of displaying visual content, including, but not limited, to computers, including laptops, notebooks, tablets and desktops, mobile telephones, wearable displays such as watches, televisions (TV) and video displays comprised of multiple display tiles such as video walls and stadium display screens. Each of the foregoing devices includes many component parts including the physical case or cabinet in which individual components may reside, circuit boards, circuit elements such as integrated electronic components, and of course the display panel itself.
Currently, these display panels are flat display panels comprising liquid crystal display elements, organic light emitting diode (OLED) display elements, plasma display elements, or micro-LED display elements, and of course the glass or plastic substrates that many of these elements are disposed on and/or enclosed by. Micro-LED, also known as microLED or mLED, is an emerging flat panel display technology. Micro-LED displays have arrays of microscopic LEDs that are part of the individual pixel elements. Compared to LCD technology, micro-LED displays offer greater contrast, much faster response times, and use less energy. The fabrication of micro-LED displays typically involves mass transfer of micro-LEDs (<100 micrometers in width and length) onto a substrate with patterned circuit (driving with passive matrix format) or transistors (driving with active matrix format), depending on the design and products. Thus, as used herein, the display tiles and displays or display devices described herein can be used in liquid crystal displays, LED displays, OLED displays, plasma displays, and micro-LED displays.
Furthermore, the display tiles and tiled displays described herein can be utilized with both passive matrix (i.e., no TFT array) and active matrix (TFT array) regardless of the particular type of pixel element used to form the display. As is understood in the art, the different types of displays utilize different types of pixel elements to provide the display. For example, in an OLED display, the pixel element comprises rows and columns of “emitters” and TFTs connected by row and column drivers that activate the pixel elements, while with LCD displays, the pixel element comprises rows and columns of liquid crystal (LC) light valves and transistors connected by row and column drivers that activate the pixel elements. The descriptions provided herein are simplified such that each pixel element comprises one color pixel (e.g., blue), whereas in reality each pixel element is comprised of one or more subpixels (e.g., red, green and blue). The individual pixel elements can be addressed by a unique row/column combination utilizing known technology. The pixel elements are the components required for the functioning of individual pixels in the display and can include emitting elements or light valves and TFTs.
Referring now to
The display tiles 150 described herein according to one or more embodiments can comprise a substrate 152 of any suitable material, for example, a polymeric substrate or a glass-based substrate having any desired size and/or shape appropriate to produce a display tile. The first surface 155 and second surface 157 may, in certain embodiments, be planar or substantially planar, e.g., substantially flat. The first surface 155 and the second surface 157 may, in various embodiments, be parallel or substantially parallel. The substrate 152 according to some embodiments may comprise four edges as illustrated in
In certain embodiments, substrate 152 may have a thickness dl of less than or equal to about 3 mm, for example, ranging from about 0.1 mm to about 3 mm, from about 0.1 mm to about 2.5 mm, from about 0.3 mm to about 2 mm, from about 0.3 mm to about 1.5 mm, from about 0.3 mm to about 1 mm, from about 0.3 mm to about 0.7 mm, or from about 0.3 mm to about 0.5 mm, including all ranges and subranges therebetween.
As used herein, the term “glass-based substrates” is used in the broadest sense to include any object made wholly or partly of glass. Glass-based substrates include laminates of glass and non-glass materials, laminates of glass and crystalline materials, and glass-ceramics (including an amorphous phase and a crystalline phase). Unless otherwise specified, all glass compositions are expressed in terms of mole percent (mol %).
The glass-based substrate used to manufacture the display tile can comprise any glass-based material known in the art for use in display devices. For example, the glass-based substrate may comprise aluminosilicate, alkali-aluminosilicate, borosilicate, alkali-borosilicate, aluminoborosilicate, alkali-alum inoborosilicate, soda lime, or other suitable glasses. Non-limiting examples of commercially available glasses suitable for use as a glass substrate include, for example, EAGLE XG®, Lotus™, and Willow® glasses from Corning Incorporated.
The first surface 155 of the display tile 150 comprises an array of pixel elements 158 arranged in a plurality of rows 160 of pixel elements 158 and a plurality of columns 170 of pixel elements 158. Each row 160 of pixel elements 158 is connected by a row electrode 162, and each column 170 of pixel elements 158 is connected by a column electrode 172. It will be understood, that the rows 160 and columns 170 of pixel elements that intersect include some of the same pixel elements 158. Thus, there are not two separate sets of pixel elements 158, but one array of pixel elements 158 containing pixel elements 158 that are both connected to separate row and column electrodes. The display tile according to one or more embodiments comprises at least one row driver 165 that electrically activates the rows 160 of pixel elements 158 and at least one column driver 175 that activates the columns 170 of pixel elements 158, the row drivers 165 and the column drivers 175 are located opposite the first surface 155. In the embodiment shown in
As will be appreciated, the row drivers 165 and the column drivers 175 must be connected to the row electrodes 162 and the column electrodes 172 to activate the pixel elements 158. A plurality of row electrode connectors 164 are provided, and each row electrode connector 164 is wrapped around the edge surface 154 and electrically connects a row electrode 162, a row 160 of pixel elements 158 and a row driver 165. The display tile shown further comprises a plurality of column electrode connectors 174, each column electrode connector 174 wrapped around the edge surface 154 and electrically connecting a column electrode 172, a column 170 of pixel elements 158 and the column driver 175. In the embodiment shown, each row driver 165 is shown as connecting three rows 160 of row electrodes to pixel elements 158, and each column driver is shown as connecting four columns 170 of column electrodes 172 to pixel elements 158. It will be understood that this arrangement is for illustration purposes only, and the disclosure is not limited to any particular number of row drivers, column drivers or number of row electrode or column electrodes respectively driven by the row drivers and column drivers. For example, the electrode connectors can exist on only one or multiple edge surfaces 154 based on the specific display design and layout. Furthermore, the disclosure is not limited to any particular number of pixel elements 158 or arrangement of pixel elements 158 on the first surface 155 of the substrate 152.
The display tile 150 is free of a bezel around the outer perimeter 156 of the display tile 150, and as such, provides a bezel-free display tile 150 or a zero bezel display tile 150. To achieve a seamless display where the pixel pitch across the tile-to-tile seam is approximately matched to that within the tile, the pixel elements are ≤10 mm, ≤5 mm, ≤3 mm, ≤1 mm, 0.5 mm, or ≤0.3 mm from the edge of the display tile substrate. The pixel elements on neighboring tiles are then registered to each other with placement error ≤50%, ≤30%, ≤10%, 5% of a pixel pitch.
Any suitable connector type can be utilized to provide the row electrode connectors 164 and the column electrode connectors 174. Also, all of the electrode connectors do not need to be of the same type or design. In one or more embodiments, at least one row electrode connector 164 and at least one column electrode connector 174 comprises a flex circuit 300 as shown in
The display tile shown in
Referring now to
Referring now to
The profile does not need to be symmetrical, and the edge profile along the perimeter of the substrate at the edge surface does not need to be the same. The edge surface 254 can be formed by edge grinding using a grinding wheel to provide an edge surface that comprises an edge-ground surface. The edge surface 254 can be formed by plasma-treating the edge surface to shape the edge surface so that the edge surface comprises a plasma-treated surface. The shaped substrate edge surfaces can be created by processes such as acid etching via dipping, aerosol-jetting, or other application process, localized thermal process, laser polishing, and plasma can be used to create rounded edge surfaces. Other additive processes such as edge coatings, sol-gel or deliberate edge bumps or oscillations can also be used to achieve the same purpose. Moreover, the edge surface coating process can also be used to encapsulate or protect conductors. An optical index matching coating can facilitate seamless tiling of display tiles. Various edge conductor deposition processes such as printed seed layer then plating, direct printed conductor, laser induced metallization, pen-dispensing and other techniques can be used to form the various electrodes and connectors.
In specific embodiments, the substrate profile can be shaped by using an etching process. After a substrate is formed into tiles and the surface masked as necessary, the edge profile of the display tiles would be rounded, and flaws from the tile forming process reduced by exposure to an appropriate acid dipping solution. Surface masking could be achieved through a printing approach such as screen printing, aerosol jetting, etc. The etching of the tile edges could also be directly achieved via a printing process (e.g. aerosol jetting). In this approach, an acidic, water soluble polymer (e.g. polyacrylic acid) is applied to the desired location of the tile edge followed by exposure to a source of F ions (e.g. ammonium fluoride) which could also be via a printing process. The acidic polymer and the F ions will react to locally form HF to etch the glass and produce a water soluble product (ammonium fluorosilicate) that can be rinsed off. The extent of the etching will be governed by the amount of the reactants applied and time. The use of printing approaches mentioned above could be used along the entire length of the tile edges to produce a uniform profile and provide a process of printing the row electrode connectors and the column electrode connectors. It can also allow for a variable profile, by varying the areas exposed to the acid or amounts of reactants in amounts and/or locations to produce varying profiles. This localized etching of the edge could be further extended to etch grooves for the electronic traces themselves. This localized approach could also be applied to the entire substrate to create grooves for the tile forming process itself and potentially reduce any sharp edges created during tile forming, reducing the amount of additional process to achieve the desired edge profile.
According to one or more embodiments, cost savings can be realized by eliminating glass hole drilling, copper metallization and overburden removal. This reduces the overall process complexity and also can improve the overall yield. Shaping the substrate edge surfaces will also prevent the discontinuity of edge conductor coating by creating smoother corner edges instead of sharp edges. In addition, shaping the substrate edges can also improve the strength of glass to improve the mechanical reliability and minimize the yield loss during tiling of display tiles for form display. Shaping edges by edge coating processes can also facilitate seamless tiling with appropriate index matching material.
In specific embodiments, atmospheric pressure jet plasma could be used for glass edge treatment, using gas such as clean dry air (CDA), or N2 with or without Ar, or adding H2 into CDA or N2 to generate more heat to locally soften glass so that it could re-flow and “heal” cracks on edge surfaces. The glass edge can be made very smooth generating little or no particle shedding. During AP jet plasma glass edge treatment, glass is locally melted and cracks are all “healed” that benefit both significantly less particle generation and improved edge strength. AP jet plasma treated edge can have particle density of less than 10 count/0.1 mm2. Such low particle could benefit device performance and yield. Another benefit of AP jet plasma treated edge is improved edge strength, and in one trial, an atmospheric pressure plasma treated edge had a strength of ranging from 200-230 MPa.
In some embodiments, the substrate edge profile can be shaped using an additive approach. For example, a solution-based coating such as a sol-gel can be used. A thermally or UV-curable sol gel can be applied to the edge of the glass via a dip coating of syringe dispensing method. The surface tension of the material should allow for the formation of a curved edge after curing—similar to a bullnose edge. For a dip coated edge, it is likely that the material would also be deposited on the surfaces adjacent to the edge. This would result in a coating/curvature that would completely cover the corner, thus eliminating the sharp edge.
According to one or more embodiments, the various edge shaping techniques described above, substrate edge strength will be improved and therefore benefit the mechanical reliability. Hot wire heating of the edge can also improve edge strength. Edge coating or flame deposition of SiO2 could also help to fill the cracks to improve the overall mechanical reliability of display tiles.
The shaping the glass-based substrate edge surfaces to make electrodes on the edge surfaces as described above can simplify the processes and save manufacturing cost for manufacturing micro-LEDs. By doing so, the microLED display can be designed with appropriate electrical layout instead of using TGV glass, and the connection between microLEDs on glass surface and IC drives or other components on the back can still be realized by wrapped edge connector electrodes. Moreover, better mechanical reliability can be obtained with edge shaping, and seamless tiling of display tiles can also be achieved with appropriate optical adhesive coating on the edges for both index matching and protection the edge electrodes.
One or more of the row electrodes, the column electrodes, the row electrode connectors and the column electrode connectors can comprise a conductive coating, conductive layer or a conductive ink. Such conductive coatings, conductive layers and conductive inks can be applied by a variety of processes such as electroplating, electroless plating, printing, aerojet printing, thin film deposition, thick film deposition, and ink jet printing. In one or more embodiments, the conductive coatings, layers or inks comprise a conductive metal such as copper or silver, and may be in the form of fine particles such as micrometer-sized particles or nanosized particles. Suitable conductive coating and inks can be obtained from Henkel AG & Co. (http://www.henkel-adhesives.com/conductive-inks-coatings-27433.htm).
The display tiles described herein can be used to manufacture a tiled display as shown in
Another aspect of the disclosure pertains to methods of manufacturing display tiles as shown in
In an embodiment, the first surface comprises an array of pixel elements arranged in a plurality of rows of pixel elements and a plurality of columns of pixel elements, the method further comprising connecting each row of pixel elements with a row electrode; and electrically connecting each column of pixel elements with a column electrode, wherein the at least one driver comprises a row driver that activates the plurality of rows of pixel elements and a column driver that activates the plurality of columns of pixel elements, the row driver and the column driver located opposite the first surface.
In an embodiment, the method further comprises electrically connecting each row electrode, each row of pixel elements and the row driver with a row electrode connector wrapped around the edge surface; and electrically connecting each column electrode, each column of pixel elements and the column driver with a connector wrapped around the edge surface
In some embodiments of the method, each row electrode connector and each column electrode connector comprises a flex circuit including a flexible polymeric film and a conductor, the method further comprising adhering the flex circuit to the edge surface. The flex circuit can further comprise an adhesive, and adhering comprises applying pressure to the flex circuit to adhere the flex circuit to the edge surface. The method can include utilizing the various thicknesses and material described above. In some embodiments, the method includes electrically connecting each row electrode to a row electrode connector by applying a row conductive coating in contact with the row electrode connector and the row electrode and electrically connecting each column electrode to a column electrode connector by applying a conductive coating in contact column electrode conductor and the column electrode.
An embodiment of the method includes stacking of a plurality of substrates to provide a stack, each of the plurality of substrates having an edge surface, and adhering the flex circuit to each of the edge surfaces of each of the plurality of substrates. In some embodiments, the second surface is on the flex circuit, and further comprising wrapping the flex circuit around a standoff disposed opposed the first surface.
Some method embodiments further comprise shaping the edge surface so that a first corner is formed between the edge surface and the first surface and a second corner is formed between the edge surface and the second surface, and the first corner and the second corner do not comprise a 90 degree angle or undercut angle. In some embodiments, the method comprises forming a plurality of column electrode connectors and forming a plurality of row electrode connectors comprises forming a plurality of layers of conductive material. Some embodiments comprise forming a non-linear edge surface comprising a plurality of recessed areas. Such embodiments may include disposing at least one of the row electrode connectors and at least one of the column electrode connectors within a recessed area. In some embodiments, forming the row electrode connectors and column electrode connectors may be formed by a method selected from printing using conductive ink, vacuum depositing the conductive coating, solution coating the conductive coating, or laminating the conductive coating.
Another aspect of the disclosure pertains to methods for mass producing display tiles. Referring now to
The method shown in
Manufacture of a plurality of row electrode connectors and a plurality of column electrode connectors that wrap around the edge surface and contact the first surface and the second surface of each of the plurality of substrates can utilize a variety of methods. There are multiple methods that can be used to fabricate electrodes around a substrate edge surface according to one or more embodiments. These are described in more detail below.
In one embodiment, forming a printed seed layer and plating (e.g., electroplating or electroless plating) can be utilized to manufacture electrodes that wrap around the edge surface. Patterning a polymer-based paste with silver (or other conductive species) nanoparticles made by followed by electroless plating (or electroplating) plating copper can be used obtain copper lines to manufacture electrodes. A pattern can be created manually using a mask that exposes the perimeter of the substrate on the order of 2 mm, 4 mm or 10 mm. Spin coating, for example, at 2000 rpm for 60 seconds can be used to apply a paste, which can be cured by ultraviolet light and/or by thermal cure, for example at 180° C. for 100 minutes. Electroless deposition of copper can then be performed at an appropriate time and temperature, e.g. 50° C. for 30 minutes or 60 minutes to provide a suitable thickness, e.g., 3 micrometers or 5-6 micrometers. Electrodes manufactured in this manner had a measured resistivity is 0.3-0.5Ω with 1-3 centimeters in length. Other methods can likewise produce edge connector resistivities of ≤10, ≤5, ≤2, ≤1, ≤0.5, ≤0.2, ≤0.1Ω for a ≤10 mm length as formed around the edge of the substrate connecting the first and second surfaces.
Another method that can be used to manufacture electrodes that wrap around the edge surfaces of substrates is laser induced metallization. This method is somewhat similar to the deposition of seed layer following by plating; however, the difference in this technique is the use of laser 690 to activate a seed (catalyst) layer 692 for following metallization. A simplified schematic in
In one or more embodiments, metal nanoparticles in photoresist can be used to manufacture electrodes by mixing photoresist with metal nanoparticles for conductor (e.g., Cu) seed layer patterning. Photoresist has light-sensitive property. It can be formed by pattern coating on glass surface by exposure under ultraviolet light. A thin layer of silver nanoparticle coating can be employed as a catalyst which enables deposition of a copper seed layer on a substrate surface by plating such as electroless plating. Atmospheric pressure plasma can be utilized to remove photoresist selectively by a mask. A wet electroless deposition copper process can be conducted after defining a silver nanoparticle coating on a substrate front, back and edge surfaces, followed by electroplating thicker copper on the seed layer.
In one or more embodiments, another method that could be used to manufacture wrap around electrodes is laser 3D pattering by coating glass sheet with a conductor such as copper or silver including whole edge surface and then utilize 3D laser to remove and define the line pattern of the conductive layer. By doing so, a wet process of copper electroless plating could be used to ensure the conductor can be deposited on not only both two surfaces but also whole edge surface. In one embodiment, a silane modification method with Pd/Sn catalyst can be utilized to activate glass surface prior conductor electroless plating. Using a series of wet processes, a substrate is immersed in silane, then catalysis and activation solutions, and then through electroless plating of the conductor. This way, the entire substrate would be coated with a uniform conductor seed layer (e.g., about 100-200 nanometers in thickness). A 3D laser can be utilized to perform three dimensional patterning similar to the method shown in
Thus, manufacturing of the plurality of row electrode connectors and the manufacturing of the plurality of column electrode connectors on each of the plurality of substrates can comprise masking each of the plurality of substrates to form exposed areas on the first surface, the second surface and the edge surface and depositing conductive material on the exposed areas on each of the plurality of substrates to form a pattern of row electrode connectors and column electrode connectors. Depositing can comprise depositing a paste containing silver particles and plating copper on the paste containing silver particles. In one or more embodiments, manufacturing the plurality of row electrode connectors and manufacturing the plurality of column electrode connectors on each of the plurality of substrates can comprise depositing the conductive material on each of the plurality of substrates, plating the conductive material with copper, and irradiating the substrate with a laser beam to form a pattern of row electrode connectors and column electrode connectors. The irradiating can occur before or after copper plating. In some embodiments, forming the plurality of row electrode connectors and column electrode connectors on each of the plurality of substrates comprises a process selected from the group consisting of one or more of depositing conductive material on the substrate with an aerosol jet to form a pattern of row electrode connectors and column electrode connectors, an additive process such as printing conductive material, and a subtractive process such as etching. In specific embodiments, forming the plurality of row electrode connectors and column electrode connectors on each of the plurality of substrates comprises depositing conductive material on each of the plurality of the substrates with an aerosol jet to form a pattern of row electrode connectors and column electrode connectors. During such forming, the edge surface of each of the plurality of substrates is selected from a curved edge surface, an edge-ground edge surface, a plasma treated edge surface and a polygonal edge surface that comprises angles greater than 90 degrees.
It will be appreciated that the various disclosed embodiments may involve particular features, elements or steps that are described in connection with that particular embodiment. It will also be appreciated that a particular feature, element or step, although described in relation to one particular embodiment, may be interchanged or combined with alternate embodiments in various non-illustrated combinations or permutations.
It is also to be understood that, as used herein the terms “the,” “a,” or “an,” mean “at least one,” and should not be limited to “only one” unless explicitly indicated to the contrary. Thus, for example, reference to “a light source” includes examples having two or more such light sources unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Likewise, a “plurality” or an “array” is intended to denote “more than one.” As such, a “plurality of light scattering features” includes two or more such features, such as three or more such features, etc., and an “array of microstructures” includes two or more such microstructures, such as three or more such microstructures, and so on.
Ranges can be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, examples include from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another aspect. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint.
The terms “substantial,” “substantially,” and variations thereof as used herein are intended to note that a described feature is equal or approximately equal to a value or description. For example, a “substantially planar” surface is intended to denote a surface that is planar or approximately planar.
Unless otherwise expressly stated, it is in no way intended that any method set forth herein be construed as requiring that its steps be performed in a specific order. Accordingly, where a method claim does not actually recite an order to be followed by its steps or it is not otherwise specifically stated in the claims or descriptions that the steps are to be limited to a specific order, it is no way intended that any particular order be inferred.
Various modifications and variations can be made to the materials, methods, and articles described herein. Other aspects of the materials, methods, and articles described herein will be apparent from consideration of the specification and practice of the materials, methods, and articles disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure.
Claims
1. A method of manufacturing a display tile comprising:
- placing at least one driver on a first substrate having pixel elements on a first surface of the first substrate, the driver placed on a second surface opposite the first surface and that can activate the pixel elements; and
- placing a connector on an edge surface and extending to the first surface and the second surface, the edge surface defining an outer perimeter.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second surface is on the first substrate.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein:
- the first surface comprises an array of pixel elements arranged in a plurality of rows of pixel elements and a plurality of columns of pixel elements, the method further comprising electrically connecting each row of pixel elements with a row electrode;
- electrically connecting each column of pixel elements with a column electrode; and
- wherein the at least one driver comprises a row driver that activates the plurality of rows of pixel elements and a column driver that activates the plurality of columns of pixel elements, the row driver and the column driver located opposite the first surface.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising;
- electrically connecting each row electrode, each row of pixel elements and the row driver with a row electrode connector wrapped around the edge surface; and
- electrically connecting each column electrode, each column of pixel elements and the column driver with a column electrode connector wrapped around the edge surface.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein each row electrode connector and each column electrode connector comprises a flex circuit including a flexible polymeric film and a conductor, the method further comprising adhering the flex circuit to the edge surface.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the flex circuit further comprises an adhesive, and adhering comprises applying pressure to the flex circuit to adhere the flex circuit to the edge surface.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the flex circuit has a total thickness in a range of 10 micrometers to 150 micrometers.
8. The method of claim 5, wherein the flex circuit has a total thickness in a range of 10 micrometers to 50 micrometers.
9. The method of claim 6, wherein the flexible polymeric film is selected from the group consisting of polyimide, polyester, polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyether ether ketone (PEEK).
10. The method of claim 6, wherein the adhesive comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a polyimide, an acrylic, an acrylate, ethylene vinyl acetate, butyl rubber, nitrile, and silicone.
12. The method of claim 6, wherein the conductor is selected from copper and silver.
13. The method of claim 6, further comprising electrically connecting each row electrode to a row electrode connector by applying a row conductive coating in contact with the row electrode connector and the row electrode and electrically connecting each column electrode to a column electrode connector by applying a conductive coating in contact column electrode conductor and the column electrode.
14. The method of claim 6, further comprising stacking of a plurality of substrates into a stack, each of the plurality of substrates having an edge surface, and adhering the flex circuit to each of the edge surfaces of each of the plurality of substrates.
15. The method of claim 6, wherein the second surface is on the flex circuit, and further comprising wrapping the flex circuit around a standoff disposed opposed the first surface.
16. The method of claim 4, further comprising shaping the edge surface so that a first corner is formed between the edge surface and the first surface and a second corner is formed between the edge surface and the second surface, and the first corner and the second corner do not comprise a 90 degree angle or undercut angle.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the edge surface comprises a curved cross-section.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the edge surface comprises a polygonal cross-section.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein shaping comprises etching the edge surface.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein shaping comprises edge-grinding the edge surface.
21. The method of claim 16, wherein shaping comprises plasma-treating the edge surface.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein plasma-treating the edge surface comprises applying a jet plasma to the edge surface.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the jet plasma is applied with an atmospheric pressure plasma.
24. The method of claim 16, wherein each column electrode connector and each row electrode connector comprises a plurality of layers of conductive material.
25. The method of claim 4, further comprising forming a non-linear edge surface comprising a plurality of recessed areas.
26. The method of claim 24, further comprising disposing at least one of the row electrode connectors and at least one of the column electrode connectors within a recessed area.
27. The method of claim 4, wherein the row electrode connectors and column electrode connectors comprise a conductive coating.
28. The method of claim 26, wherein the conductive coating comprises metal nanoparticles.
29. The method of claim 27, further comprising forming the row electrode connectors and column electrode connectors by a method selected from printing the conductive coating using conductive ink, vacuum depositing the conductive coating, solution coating the conductive coating, or laminating the conductive coating.
30. A method of manufacturing a display, wherein the display tile is a first display tile, the method further comprising forming a second display tile according to the method of claim 5 and placing in proximity the first display tile and the second display tile at respective edge surfaces of the first display tile and the second display tile.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein the display is selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting display (LED), a micro LED, electrophoretic, e-paper, and an organic light emitting display (OLED).
32. The method of claim 31, wherein the first substrate comprises a glass-based substrate and a thickness di of the substrate ranges from about 0.1 mm to about 3 mm.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein display comprises a micro LED and the pixel elements are within 500 micrometers from the edge surface.
34. The method of claim 4, wherein the row electrode connector and the column electrode connector are manufactured by masking the substrate to form exposed areas on the first surface, the second surface and the edge surface and depositing conductive material on the exposed areas to form a pattern of row electrode connectors and column electrode connectors.
35. The method of claim 34, wherein depositing comprises depositing a paste containing silver particles and plating copper on the paste containing silver particles.
36. The method of claim 4, wherein the row electrode connector and the column electrode connector are formed by depositing conductive material on the substrate, plating the conductive material with copper, and irradiating the substrate with a laser beam to form a pattern of row electrode connectors and column electrode connectors.
37. The method of claim 4, wherein the row electrode connector and the column electrode connector are formed by a method selected from the group consisting of one or more of depositing conductive material on the substrate with an aerosol jet to form a pattern of row electrode connectors and column electrode connectors, printing conductive material, and etching.
38. A method of manufacturing a plurality of display tiles comprising:
- stacking a plurality of substrates to provide a stack, each of the plurality of substrates having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface and an edge surface between the first surface and the second surface, the edge surface defining an outer perimeter;
- arranging the stack at an angle with respect to a horizontal surface to expose the edge surface;
- depositing conductive material on the edge surface, the first surface and the second surface to form a plurality of row electrode connectors and a plurality of column electrode connectors on the edge surface, the first surface and the second surface;
- electrically connecting an array of pixel elements arranged in a plurality of rows of pixel elements and a plurality of columns of pixel elements so that there are individual rows of pixel elements on the first surface of each of the plurality of substrates, the individual rows of pixel elements connected with individual row electrodes and individual row electrode connectors;
- electrically connecting individual columns of pixel elements from the array of pixel elements on the first surface of each of the plurality of substrates with individual column electrodes and individual column electrode connectors; and
- placing at least one driver on a second surface opposite the first surface of each of the plurality of substrates, wherein the driver can activate the pixel elements.
39. The method of claim 38, further comprising tilting the stack in a first direction at an angle with respect to the first surface and tilting the stack in a second direction at an angle with respect to a horizontal surface; and depositing the conductive material on the substrates.
40. The method of claim 39, wherein the substrates are placed in a holder.
41. The method of claim 39, wherein the plurality of row electrode connectors and a plurality of column electrode connectors wrap around the edge surface and contact the first surface and the second surface of each of the plurality of substrates.
42. The method of claim 41, wherein the at least one driver comprises a row driver that activates the rows of pixel elements and a column driver that activates the columns of pixel elements.
43. The method of claim 42, wherein the second surface is on each of the plurality of substrates.
44. The method of claim 43, wherein the row electrode connectors and the column electrode connectors on each of the plurality of substrates are formed by masking each of the plurality of substrates to form exposed areas on the first surface, the second surface and the edge surface and depositing conductive material on the exposed areas on each of the plurality of substrates to form a pattern of row electrode connectors and column electrode connectors.
45. The method of claim 44, wherein depositing comprises depositing a paste containing silver particles and plating copper on the paste containing silver particles.
46. The method of claim 45, wherein the row electrode connectors and the column electrode connectors on each of the plurality of substrates are formed by depositing the conductive material on each of the plurality of substrates, plating the conductive material with copper, and irradiating the substrate with a laser beam to form a pattern of row electrode connectors and column electrode connectors.
47. The method of claim 45, wherein the row electrode connectors and the column electrode connectors on each of the plurality of substrates are formed by depositing conductive material on each of the plurality of the substrates with an aerosol jet to form a pattern of row electrode connectors and column electrode connectors.
48. The method of claim 45, wherein the edge surface of each of the plurality of substrates is selected from a curved edge surface, an edge-ground edge surface, a plasma treated edge surface and a polygonal edge surface that comprises angles greater than 90 degrees.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 18, 2022
Publication Date: Jun 2, 2022
Inventors: JIANGWEI FENG (Painted Post, NY), SEAN MATTHEW GARNER (Elmira, NY), JEN-CHIEH LIN (San Jose, CA), ROBERT GEORGE MANLEY (Vestal, NY), TIMOTHY JAMES ORSLEY (San Jose, CA), RICHARD CURWOOD PETERSON (Elmira Heights, NY), MICHAEL LESLEY SORENSEN (Waverly, NY), PEI-LIEN TSENG (Zhubei City), RAJESH VADDI (Horseheads, NY), LU ZHANG (Painted Post, NY)
Application Number: 17/674,923