CN101504951B - Flat panel display and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention discloses a flat panel display, comprising: an insulating substrate with display elements, a covering substrate facing the insulating substrate and connected to the insulating substrate, a glass frit formed along the edge between the insulating substrate and the covering substrate, and a A filler between the substrate and the cover substrate and connecting the insulating substrate and the cover substrate together, the filler includes a first portion spaced apart from the glass frit and covering the display element, and a second portion between the glass frit and the insulating substrate part. Accordingly, the present invention provides a flat panel display that can minimize the inflow of oxygen and moisture from the outside.

Description

Flat panel display and manufacturing method thereof

This application is a divisional application, the application number of the original application is 200610137821.5, the application date is November 1, 2006, and the title of the invention is a flat panel display and its manufacturing method.

This application claims Korean Patent Application No. 2005-0103745 filed in KIPO on Nov. 1, 2005, Korean Patent Application No. 2006-0032881 filed in KIPO on Apr. 11, 2006, and 9, 2006 Priority of Korean Patent Application No. 2006-0084737 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on April 4, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

technical field

The present invention relates to a flat panel display and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly, to a flat panel display capable of minimizing inflow of oxygen and moisture from the outside and a manufacturing method thereof.

Background technique

Among flat panel displays, organic light emitting diodes ("OLEDs") have some advantages because they are driven at low voltage, are thinner and lighter, have wide viewing angles, have shorter response times, and the like. An OLED includes a thin film transistor ("TFT") having a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode. The OLED also includes pixel electrodes connected to the TFTs, partition walls separating the pixel electrodes from each other, an organic light emitting layer formed on the pixel electrodes between the partition walls, and a common electrode formed on the organic light emitting layer.

Here, the organic light emitting layer is sensitive to moisture and oxygen. Therefore, moisture and oxygen tend to reduce the performance and service life of the organic light emitting layer. In order to prevent degradation of the organic light emitting layer, an encapsulation process is performed to form an insulating substrate having a surface of the organic light emitting layer combined with a cover substrate to block moisture and oxygen. In addition, an organic sealant is formed along the edge between the two substrates, thereby joining the two substrates together.

However, organic sealants have relatively high moisture vapor permeability (ie, about 10 g/m2 per day). Therefore, it is necessary to provide a hygroscopic material inside the flat panel display to remove the infiltrated moisture. In this conventional method, the hygroscopic substance increases the manufacturing cost, and the infiltrated moisture tends to degrade the organic light emitting layer, thereby reducing the lifespan and performance of the flat panel display.

Contents of the invention

Accordingly, the present invention provides a flat panel display that can minimize the inflow of oxygen and moisture from the outside.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a flat panel display that minimizes inflow of oxygen and moisture from the outside.

Other aspects and/or advantages of the present invention will be partially set forth in the following description, and other aspects and/or advantages of the present invention can be partially understood from the description, or can be understood by the practice of the present invention Other aspects and/or advantages.

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention can be achieved by providing a flat panel display including an insulating substrate having a display element provided thereon, a cover substrate facing and connected to the insulating substrate, and The frit is formed along the edge between the insulating substrate and the cover substrate.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the flat panel display may further include a heat transfer member formed along the frit, and the heat transfer member may be inserted in the frit. Alternatively, a heat transfer member may be provided between the frit and at least one of the insulating substrate and the cover substrate. In another alternative embodiment, a heat transfer element is provided in at least one side of the frit.

The heat transfer member may include at least one wiring line. The heat transfer elements can be arranged in zigzag or like a net. Alternatively, the heat transfer member may be formed like a plate having a predetermined width, such as formed like a film.

The frit may have a width in the range of 0.1 mm to 5 mm, and a thickness in the range of 5 microns to 3 mm.

Glass frit can be cured by heating.

The heat transfer element may have a thickness in the range of 50 microns to 5 mm, and a width in the range of 5 microns to 5 mm.

Alternatively, the heat transfer member may have a thickness in the range of 5 microns to 50 microns, and a width in the range of 0.1 mm to 5 mm.

The heat transfer member may include at least one of nickel, tungsten, Kansal, and alloys thereof. The frits and heat transfer members may be alternately stacked to have a multilayer structure. The heat transfer member may be formed with a passivation layer for oxidation resistance, wherein the passivation layer may include an inorganic layer including at least one of an oxide layer, a nitride layer, and a high-temperature carbon.

The insulating substrate may be provided with a signal line, at least one of the frit and the heat transfer member may at least partially overlap the signal line, and the width of the heat transfer member in the overlapped region may be different from that in the non-overlapped region. The width of the piece. The width of the heat transfer elements in the overlapping regions may be narrower than the width of the heat transfer elements in the non-overlapping regions.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the flat panel display may further include a filler interposed between the insulating substrate and the cover substrate and connecting the two substrates together, the filler may include a filler material spaced from the frit and covering the display A first part of the component, and a second part interposed between the frit and the insulating substrate.

In this embodiment, the glass frit may have a thickness in the range of 100 microns to 600 microns, and the glass frit may have a moisture vapor permeability of 1 g/m ² per day to 10 g/m ² per day.

The flat panel display may also include a moisture absorbent disposed in the space between the frit and the first portion. The hygroscopic substance may be separated from at least one of the frit and the first part by a predetermined distance, and may include at least one of calcium Ca and barium Ba.

The flat panel display may further include a first inorganic film interposed between the display element and the filler, and may further include a second inorganic film and an auxiliary filler interposed between the filler and the insulating substrate, wherein the second inorganic film is placed On the first filler, an auxiliary filler is placed between the second inorganic film and the cover substrate.

The first and second inorganic films may have a thickness of 100 nm to 3000 nm, and may have a multilayer structure.

The surface of the frit facing the insulating substrate may be planarized.

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention may be achieved by providing a method of manufacturing a flat panel display, the method comprising preparing a cover substrate, forming a first frit along an edge of the cover substrate, forming a heat transfer member along the first frit, Forming the second frit on the heat transfer member, and aligning the insulating substrate having the display element with the cover substrate and curing the first and second frits by supplying power to the heat transfer member.

The method may further include semi-curing the first frit prior to forming the heat transfer member. The step of semi-curing the first frit may be performed at a temperature of 100° C. to 250° C., and may use at least one of an oven, a heating plate, and a laser.

Alternatively, the method may further include semi-curing the first frit after forming the heat transfer member, wherein the step of semi-curing the first frit may be performed by supplying power to the heat transfer member. In this embodiment, the method may further include planarizing the first frit between the step of semi-curing the first frit and the step of aligning the insulating substrate with the cover substrate.

The first and second frits may be formed by a dispensing method or a screen printing method. The curing procedure can be performed at a temperature of 300°C or higher. The heat transfer member may be formed by at least one of a sputtering method and chemical vapor deposition. The alignment process of the cover substrate and the insulating substrate and the curing process of the first and second frits may be performed in a vacuum chamber. The heat transfer element may receive high frequency power from an RF power source during the curing process.

The method may further include forming a passivation layer for oxidation resistance on the heat transfer member.

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention may also be achieved by providing a method of manufacturing a flat panel display, the method comprising preparing a cover substrate, forming frit along an edge of the cover substrate, curing the frit, A filler is formed on at least one of the insulating substrates of the display element, and the filler is cured after the cover substrate and the insulating substrate are connected together.

The method may further include planarizing one surface of the frit facing the insulating substrate after curing the frit.

The filler may include a first portion corresponding to the display element on any one of the insulating substrate or the cover substrate, and a second portion formed on one surface of the frit.

The method may also include inserting a moisture absorbent between the frit and the first portion before or after forming the fill.

The method may further include forming a first inorganic film covering at least a portion of the display element before or after forming the filler.

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention may also be achieved by providing a method of manufacturing a flat panel display, the method comprising forming a first frit along an edge of an insulating substrate; forming a second frit along an edge of a cover substrate; having The heat transfer member of the cutting groove is partially arranged between the first frit and the second frit, connects the insulating substrate and the cover substrate; solidifies the first and second frits by supplying power to the heat transfer member; and cuts The cutting groove.

The heat transfer member may include a main body, and a cutting portion extending outward from the main body and forming a cutting groove, and in a state where the heat transfer member is arranged in such a manner that the main body is interposed between the first frit and the second frit. Perform the steps for connecting the insulating substrate to the cover substrate.

The step of curing the first and second frits may include supplying power to heat the heat transfer member within a temperature range of 300°C to 700°C.

The heat transfer member may have a rectangular plate shape.

Description of drawings

The above and/or other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and easier to understand from the following description of the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the attached picture:

1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a typical flat panel display according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a cross-sectional view of a typical flat panel display taken along line II-II in FIG. 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of part "A" in Figure 1;

4 is a perspective view showing the structure of a typical flat panel display according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

5 is a perspective view showing the structure of a typical flat panel display according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

6 is a perspective view showing the structure of a typical flat panel display according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

7 is a perspective view showing the structure of a typical flat panel display according to a fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

8 is a sectional view showing a typical flat panel display according to a sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

9 is a plan view of an exemplary flat panel display according to a seventh exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

10A is a perspective view showing the structure of a typical flat panel display according to an eighth exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10B is an enlarged perspective view of part B in FIG. 10A;

11 is a cross-sectional view of a typical flat panel display taken along line XI-XI in FIG. 10;

12 is a sectional view showing the structure of a typical flat panel display according to a ninth exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

13 is a sectional view showing the structure of a typical flat panel display according to a tenth exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

14 is a sectional view showing the structure of a typical flat panel display according to an eleventh exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

15 is a perspective view showing the structure of a typical flat panel display according to a twelfth exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

16 is a cross-sectional view of a typical flat panel display taken along line XVI-XVI in FIG. 15;

Fig. 17 is an enlarged perspective view of part "D" in Fig. 15;

18A is an exploded perspective view showing a typical flat panel display according to a twelfth exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 18B is an enlarged perspective view of part E in FIG. 18A;

19A to 19E show an exemplary method of manufacturing an exemplary flat panel display according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

20A to 20G show an exemplary method of manufacturing an exemplary flat panel display according to an eighth exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

21A to 21F show an exemplary method of manufacturing an exemplary flat panel display according to a twelfth exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

22A to 22C illustrate another exemplary method of manufacturing an exemplary flat panel display according to a thirteenth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed ways

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings showing examples of the invention. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different ways and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The same reference numerals in the drawings represent the same elements.

It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being "on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may be present therebetween. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on" another element, there are no intervening elements present. As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

It will be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited to these the term. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another element, component, region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" may also include plural forms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It can also be understood that when the term "comprises and/or comprising" or "including (include and/or including)" is used in this specification, it means that there are said features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements , and/or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

For ease of description, spatial relational terms such as "under", "beneath", "underneath", "above", "above" and similar terms may be used herein to describe The relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature(s) shown in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms may encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements that were "below" or "beneath" other elements or features would then be oriented "above" the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term "below" can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be in other orientations (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptions used herein interpreted accordingly.

Unless otherwise specified, all terms (including technical terms and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention belongs. It is also understood that terms, such as those defined by commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted to have a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and this disclosure, and not to be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal meaning, unless specifically defined here.

Embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to cross section illustrations that are schematic illustrations of idealized embodiments of the invention. Also, variations in the shapes of the illustrations, such as those resulting from manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, embodiments of the invention should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes of regions illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing. For example, a region shown or described as flat, typically may have rough and/or non-linear features. Additionally, sharp corners shown may be rounded. Thus, the regions illustrated in the figures are schematic in nature and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the precise shape of a region and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. For example, organic light emitting diodes ("OLEDs") in various flat panel displays will be described below, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Alternatively, the present invention can be applied to other flat panel displays, such as liquid crystal displays ("LCDs"), plasma display panels ("PDPs"), and the like. In the following embodiments, frit is used as one of various sealants, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Alternatively, any sealant may be used as long as it is cured by heat and has low permeability to moisture or oxygen.

1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a typical flat panel display according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a typical flat panel display taken along line II-II in FIG. 1 , and FIG. Enlarged perspective view of section "A" in 1.

OLED 1 includes an organic material that receives an electrical signal and emits light by itself. Such organic materials are sensitive to moisture and oxygen such as water. Therefore, an encapsulation method can be used to effectively prevent oxygen and moisture from penetrating into the organic material (organic light-emitting layer).

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the OLED 1 according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: an insulating substrate 100 provided with a display element 110 displaying an image; a cover substrate 120 facing and combined with the insulating substrate 100 and preventing the Oxygen or moisture enters into the display element 110 ; the frit 130 is formed along the edge between the insulating substrate 100 and the cover substrate 120 ; and the heat transfer member 140 is formed along the frit 130 .

The insulating substrate 100 is transparent, and may include a glass substrate or a plastic substrate. Also, a barrier layer (not shown) may be formed on the insulating substrate 100 , that is, between the display element 110 and the insulating substrate 100 . The barrier layer prevents oxygen or moisture from entering the display element 110 through the insulating substrate 100, and may include SiON, SiO ₂ , SiN _x , Al ₂ O ₃ , and the like. Here, the barrier layer may be formed by a sputtering method.

The display element 110 can be provided by a well-known method. Also, the display element 110 includes a thin film transistor ("TFT") having a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode. The display element 110 may further include pixel electrodes connected to the TFT, partition walls separating the pixel electrodes from each other, an organic light emitting layer formed on the pixel electrodes between the partition walls, and a partition wall formed on the organic light emitting layer. common electrode. Here, the display element 110 displays an image corresponding to a video signal output from the information processor. Although a specific embodiment of the display element 110 is described, other features of the display element 110 may also be incorporated herein.

The cover substrate 120 may be made of the same material as the insulating substrate 100 . For example, the cover substrate 120 may include a soda-lime glass substrate, a boro-silicate glass substrate, a silicate glass substrate, a lead glass substrate, or the like. Here, the cover substrate 120 may have a thickness of 0.1 mm to 10 mm, and more preferably, may have a thickness of 1 mm to 10 mm, thereby preventing moisture and oxygen from penetrating into the display element 110 through the cover substrate 120 .

The frit 130 is formed along an edge between the insulating substrate 100 and the cover substrate 120 . The frit 130 may be formed on the non-display area of the OLED 1. Here, the glass frit 130 is used as a sealant for preventing oxygen or moisture from entering through a gap between the insulating substrate 100 and the cover substrate 120 . In this embodiment, the frit 130 is described as one of various sealants, but is not limited thereto. Alternatively, any sealant may be used as long as it is cured by heat and has low permeability to moisture or oxygen. In addition, the frit 130 is used to bond the two substrates 100 and 120 together.

The frit 130 has a width d1 of 0.1 mm to 5 mm, and a thickness d2 of 5 μm to 3 mm. If the width d1 of the frit 130 is less than 0.1 mm, the bonding strength between the two substrates 100 and 120 will be weakened and defective. If the width d1 of the frit 130 is less than 0.1 mm, it is also difficult to apply a dispensing method or a screen printing method to form the frit 130 . On the other hand, if the width d1 of the frit 130 is greater than 5mm, the area of the frit 130 will be too large to be completely solidified by the heat transfer member 140 . In this case, the flat panel display will not be adequately protected from heat and moisture. Meanwhile, if the thickness d2 of the frit 130 is less than 5 μm, it will be difficult to apply a dispensing method or a screen printing method to form the frit 130 and defective bonding may occur. On the other hand, if the thickness d2 of the frit 130 is greater than 3mm, the frit 130 cannot be completely cured by the heat transfer member 140, and it is also difficult to make the flat panel display thinner. For example, the frit 130 has a width d1 of 1 mm to 2 mm, and a thickness d2 of 100 μm to 600 μm. Here, the width d1 and thickness d2 of the frit 130 may increase or decrease in proportion to the size of the flat panel display.

The glass frit 130 may include cohesive powder glass such as SiO ₂ , TiO ₂ , PbO, PbTiO ₃ , Al ₂ O ₃ , and the like. Such frit 130 has very low permeability to moisture and oxygen, so that the organic light emitting layer in the display element 110 can be prevented from being damaged, and a water absorbing agent is not required. In addition, the frit 130 has sufficient durability to withstand vacuum installation, so that the OLED 1 can be fabricated in a vacuum chamber, thereby minimizing the performance of permeation of oxygen and moisture from the outside. Therefore, the lifespan of the flat panel display is increased, and its performance is improved. Here, the frit 130 is thermoset, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Alternatively, frit 130 may be thermoplastic.

The glass frit 130 may be cured at high temperature. Therefore, the laser light may locally act on the glass frit 130 to solidify the glass frit 130 . However, in the method using a laser, laser scanning requires a high technique, air bubbles occur in the frit 130, bonding between different kinds of substrates is difficult due to a difference in thermal expansion coefficient, and the laser may cause metal wiring ( such as gate lines and data lines) have defects. Meanwhile, an organic sealant to be cured by light or heat may be used with the frit 130 . When the organic sealant is used together with the glass frit 130, a good effect can be obtained compared to the case of using only the sealant. However, in this case, the processing cost due to the use of the sealant is relatively high, and the above-mentioned problems due to the use of the laser may still occur.

In order to avoid the above problems, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an element for locally applying heat to the frit 130 is provided along the frit 130, and energy is supplied to the element to generate heat. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the heat transfer member 140 is formed along the frit 130 and energy is supplied to the heat transfer member 140 to solidify the frit 130 . Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3 , the heat transfer member 140 is inserted into the inside of the frit 130 . The heat transfer member 140 may include a plurality of wires, such as hot wires, not shown, arranged parallel to each other. In addition, the heat transfer member 140 has opposite ends connected to a power source 150 (which will be described in detail below). When the power supply 150 supplies power to the heat transfer member 140 , the heat transfer member 140 generates heat to solidify the frit 130 . That is, when power is supplied to the heat transfer member 140 , the internal resistance of the heat transfer member 140 generates heat, thereby curing the frit 130 . Here, the heat transfer member 140 includes at least one of nickel, tungsten, kanthal, and alloys thereof, and may be formed by a sputtering method or a chemical vapor deposition ("CVD") method. In addition, the heat transfer member 140 may be covered with a passivation layer to prevent the heat transfer member 140 from being oxidized. Here, the passivation layer may be an inorganic material, including at least one of an oxide layer, a nitride layer, and pyrocarbon. Also, the heat transfer member 140 is thermally conductive. Meanwhile, the frit 130 and the heat transfer member 140 may be alternately stacked to have a multilayer structure. In other words, the heat transfer member 140 may be formed in more than one layer while the frit 130 is formed between the layers of the heat transfer member 140 .

The heat transfer member 140 may have a thickness d3 of 50 μm to 5 mm. If the thickness d3 of the heat transfer member 140 is less than 50 μm, it will not be suitable for generating enough heat to solidify the frit 130 . Specifically, a temperature of 300° C. or higher is required to cure the glass frit 130 . From the viewpoint of resistance, if the thickness d3 of the heat transfer member 140 is less than 50 μm, the heat transfer member 140 may be short-circuited by a high voltage applied thereto, so that it will be difficult to generate a temperature of 300° C. or higher. Furthermore, if the thickness d3 is relatively small, it will be difficult to locally cure the frit 130, resulting in defective bonding. On the other hand, if the thickness d3 of the heat transfer member 140 is greater than 5 mm, it will be difficult to make a thin flat panel display, and the internal metal wiring of the display element 110 is damaged by excessively high temperature heat. For example, a gate line or a data line within the display element 110 may include aluminum having a relatively low melting point so that its resistance value may be changed by high temperature. If the metal wiring of the display element 110 is damaged, a video signal will be transmitted abnormally through the metal wiring, and a desired image will not be displayed.

In addition, the heat transfer member 140 may have a width d4 of 5 μm to 5 mm. If the width d4 is less than 5 μm, the heat transfer member 140 may be short-circuited from the viewpoint of resistance, it will be difficult to generate a temperature of 300° C. or higher, and it will be difficult to partially cure the frit 130 , resulting in defective bonding. On the other hand, if the width d4 is greater than 5mm, it will be difficult to make a thin flat panel display, and the internal metal wiring of the display element 110 may be damaged by heat at an excessively high temperature.

In order to more effectively solidify the frit 130 , preferably, the thickness d3 and the width d4 of the heat transfer member 140 are formed in proportion to the width d1 and the thickness d2 of the frit 130 .

Both ends of the heat transfer member 140 are connected to a power source 150 . The power source 150 is not included in the OLED 1, and the power source 150 is disconnected from the OLED 1 after power for curing the frit 130 is supplied to the heat transfer member 140. In general, the power supply 150 can be realized by well-known devices. Also, a radio frequency (“RF”) power supply that supplies high-frequency power may be used as the power supply 150 .

Hereinafter, flat panel displays according to second to sixth exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8 , in which the second to sixth embodiments show various shapes of the heat transfer member 140 . Only differences compared with the first embodiment will be described. Therefore, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repetitive descriptions will be omitted as necessary.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the structure of a typical flat panel display according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the heat transfer elements 140 are arranged in a zigzag or meandering shape. Here, the width and thickness of the frit 130 and the heat transfer member 140 may be the same as those in the first exemplary embodiment. Since the heat transfer member 140 is formed in a zigzag shape, heat may be uniformly applied to the frit 130 to completely solidify the frit 130 . Thus, defective bonding between the two substrates 100 and 120 is minimized. In addition, there is provided a flat panel display that can minimize the inflow of oxygen and moisture from the outside.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the structure of a typical flat panel display according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the heat transfer member 140 is formed in a mesh shape having mesh portions crossing each other. Here, the width and thickness of the frit 130 and the heat transfer member 140 may be substantially the same as those in the first exemplary embodiment. Since the heat transfer member 140 is formed in a mesh pattern on the frit 130 , heat may be uniformly applied to the frit 130 , thereby completely curing the frit 130 . Thus, defective bonding between the two substrates 100 and 120 is minimized. In addition, there is provided a flat panel display that can minimize the inflow of oxygen and moisture from the outside.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the structure of a typical flat panel display according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the heat transfer member 140 is formed in a plate shape having a predetermined width. Here, the width of the heat transfer member 140 may be less than or equal to that of the frit 130 , and the thicknesses of the frit 130 and the heat transfer member 140 may be substantially the same as those in the first exemplary embodiment. Since the heat transfer member 140 is formed in a plate shape on the frit 130 , heat may be uniformly applied to the frit 130 to completely solidify the frit 130 . Thus, defective bonding between the two substrates 100 and 120 is minimized. In addition, there is provided a flat panel display that can minimize the inflow of oxygen and moisture from the outside.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the structure of a typical flat panel display according to a fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the drawing, the heat transfer member 140 is formed in a thin film shape, and may be formed in multiple layers within the frit 130 . For example, the heat transfer member 140 may have a thickness of 5 μm to 50 μm. If the thickness of the heat transfer member 140 is less than 5 μm, it will be difficult not only to form the heat transfer member 140 but also to generate a temperature of 300° C. or higher from the viewpoint of resistance. On the other hand, if the thickness of the heat transfer member 140 is greater than 50 μm, it will not be a thin film. From the viewpoint of electrical resistance, the width d4 of the thin film heat transfer member 140 should be larger than that in the first embodiment, for example, 0.1 mm to 5 mm. As shown in FIG. 7 , the thin film heat transfer member 140 may be formed on at least one opposite lateral surface and inside of the frit 130 . Here, the heat transfer member 140 may be formed by a sputtering method or a chemical vapor deposition ("CVD") method. Since the heat transfer member 140 is formed in a film shape, heat may be uniformly applied to the frit 130 to completely solidify the frit 130 . In addition, there is provided a flat panel display that can minimize the inflow of oxygen and moisture from the outside.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a typical flat panel display according to a sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 8 , the heat transfer element 140 is interposed between the insulating substrate 100 and the frit 130 and between the cover substrate 120 and the frit 130 . That is, the heat transfer member 140 is first formed along the edges of the two substrates 110 and 120 to be formed with the frit 130 , and then the frit 130 is formed between and around the heat transfer members 140 . Here, widths d1, d4 and thicknesses d2, d3 of the frit 130 and the heat transfer member 140 may be substantially the same as those in the first exemplary embodiment. Accordingly, heat may be uniformly applied to the frit 130 , thereby completely curing the frit 130 . In addition, there is provided a flat panel display that can minimize the inflow of oxygen and moisture from the outside. Alternatively, the heat transfer member 140 may be disposed only between the insulating substrate 100 and the frit 130 , or only between the cover substrate 120 and the frit 130 .

A flat panel display according to a seventh exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 9 . In the seventh exemplary embodiment, the frit 130 and the heat transfer member 140 are applied to a typical OLED typically shown as a flat panel display. FIG. 9 is a schematic plan view of a typical OLED as one type of flat panel display.

Referring to FIG. 9, the display area B of the flat panel display includes: a plurality of gate lines 210 extending along a horizontal direction and a first direction; a plurality of data lines 220 extending along a vertical direction and a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction extending and crossing the gate lines 210 and defining pixels; a plurality of driving voltage lines 230 arranged in parallel with the data lines 220; a plurality of pixel TFTs formed in areas where the gate lines 210 intersect with the data lines 220; and A plurality of driving TFTs are formed in a region where the gate line 210 crosses the driving voltage line 230 . Here, the gate line 210, the data line 220, the common voltage bar 280, and the output terminals 240 and 250 serve as signal lines for transmitting signals.

In addition, on at least one side of the non-display area C of the flat panel display, a gate driving circuit connected to the end of the gate line 210 and a data driving circuit connected to the end of the data line 220 are provided. Here, the gate driving circuit and the data driving circuit supply various driving signals from the outside to the gate line 210 and the data line 220 , respectively. As the connection type between the gate drive circuit and the data drive circuit, it can be a chip on glass ("COG") (where the driver is mounted directly on the substrate), a tape carrier package ("TCP") (in which the drive circuit is attached or mounted on a polymer film), chip on film ("COF") (in which the driver is mounted and then attached to the drive circuit substrate), and the like. In the display area B, the gate line 210 and the data line 220 extend toward the outside, and are connected to the gate driving circuit and the data driving circuit through a gate pad (not shown) and a data pad (not shown), respectively. Meanwhile, at least one gate output terminal 240 and at least one data output terminal 250 are respectively formed in connection regions between the gate line 210 and the gate driving circuit and between the data line 220 and the data driving circuit. In the gate and data output terminal portions 240, 250, the gate lines 210 and the data lines 220 have narrower intervals therebetween, respectively.

The non-display area C includes: a driving voltage bar 260 connected to one end of each driving voltage line 230 ; and at least one driving voltage pad 270 for applying a driving voltage to the driving voltage bar 260 . The driving voltage line 230 receives power from the outside through the driving voltage bar 260 and the driving voltage pad 270, and the power is supplied to the driving TFT. The driving TFT applies a predetermined voltage to the pixel electrode so that holes and electrons can be transported in the organic light emitting layer. In addition, each pixel electrode includes an organic light emitting layer to emit light in response to a voltage applied from the pixel electrode. The common voltage bar 280 is disposed on a side opposite to the gate output end portion 240 of the gate line 210, but is not limited thereto. Alternatively, the common voltage bar 280 may be disposed on a side opposite to the data output end 250 of the data line 220 . In addition, the common voltage bar 280 may be disposed in at least one of the gate output terminal 240 and the data output terminal 250 . Here, the common voltage bar 280 is electrically connected to the common electrode to be completely applied to the display area B, thereby applying the common voltage to the common electrode.

According to the seventh exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the frit 130 may at least partially overlap the driving voltage bar 260 or the driving voltage pad 270 . In addition, the frit 130 may at least partially overlap the common voltage bar 280 . Also, the frit 130 may at least partially overlap one of the gate output terminal 240 and the data output terminal 250 .

That is, the insulating substrate 100 is provided with a common electrode and a common voltage bar 280 for applying a voltage to the common electrode. The frit 130 has a region that overlaps the common voltage bar 280 , and this region may have a different width than the width of the region that does not overlap the common voltage bar 280 in order to minimize interaction (electrical interference) with the common voltage. For example, the glass frit 130 comprising metal particles, or the metal heat transfer member 140 is narrowed in the region overlapping the common voltage bar 280, thereby advantageously reducing interaction (or electrical interference). In addition, a plurality of gate lines 210 and gate output terminal portions 240 in which the intervals between the gate lines 210 are narrowed are formed on the insulating substrate 100 . The heat transfer member 140 and the frit 130 may have a width different from a width of a region not overlapping the gate output end 240 . For example, the glass frit 130 comprising metal particles, or the metal heat transfer member 140 is narrowed in the region overlapping the gate output end 240, thereby advantageously reducing interaction (or electrical interference).

A typical flat panel display according to an eighth exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 10A , 10B, and 11 . The eighth exemplary embodiment relates to a sealing structure of an OLED which is different from that of the first exemplary embodiment, and in particular, relates to a sealing structure in which an OLED is sealed using glass frit. In the eighth exemplary embodiment, only features different from the first exemplary embodiment will be described, and for omitted descriptions, reference can be made to the first exemplary embodiment or known structures. For convenience, the same reference numerals denote the same elements.

10A is a perspective view showing the structure of a typical flat panel display according to the eighth exemplary embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10B is an enlarged perspective view of part B in FIG. 10A; FIG. Partial view taken along line XI-XI.

The frit 130 according to the eighth exemplary embodiment of the present invention is placed in an outer region of the display element 110 where an image is not displayed. The width of the glass frit 130 is d1 (0.1 mm to 5 mm), and the thickness is d2 (5 μm to 3 mm). If the width d1 of the frit is less than 0.1 mm, it is difficult to apply a dispensing method, a screen printing method, a slit-coating method, or a roll-printing method to form the frit 130 . On the other hand, if the width d1 of the frit is larger than 5 mm, the outer edge becomes large, and there is little effect to overcome the disadvantage. Meanwhile, if the thickness d2 of the frit 130 is less than 5 μm, it will be difficult to apply a dispensing method, a screen printing method, a slit coating method, or a roll coating method to form the frit 130 . On the other hand, if the thickness d2 of the frit 130 is greater than 3mm, it will not be suitable for manufacturing flat panel displays. For example, the frit 130 has a width d1 of 1 mm to 2 mm, and a thickness d2 of 100 μm to 600 μm, but typical embodiments of the frit 130 are not limited thereto. Alternatively, the width d1 and thickness d2 of the frit 130 may be increased and decreased in proportion to the size of the flat panel display.

One surface of the frit 130 facing the insulating substrate 100 may be processed into a plane through a polishing process. Accordingly, the top surface of the frit 130 is improved in flatness and uniformity, thereby enhancing the bonding uniformity and bonding effect between the two substrates 100 and 200 .

Also, the glass frit 130 has ^a very low permeability to moisture and oxygen, for example, about 1 to 10 g/m ² per day, so that this can avoid degradation of the organic light emitting layer inside the display element 110 . Also, the frit 130 is formed on the cover substrate 120 and then cured to be combined with the insulating substrate 100 , thereby reducing defects due to high temperature caused by curing the frit 130 . Here, the frit 130 may be cured by a laser or by a hot wire or an oven in contact with the hot wire. Preferably, frit 130 may be thermoplastic.

The filler 160 is disposed between the insulating substrate 100 and the cover substrate 120 . The filler 160 can be a common sealing paste for sealing the OLED 1. The filler 160 combines the two substrates 100 and 120 with each other, and serves to protect the organic light emitting layer inside the display element 110 from moisture and oxygen. Here, the filler 160 includes an adhesive organic material, and covers the display unit 110 . According to the eighth exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the filler 160 includes a first portion 160 a covering the display element 110 and a second portion spaced apart from the first portion 160 a and formed on the frit 130 . The first part 160 a protects the display element 110 , and the second part 160 b combines the frit 130 with the insulating substrate 100 . Corresponding to this structure, the thickness d5 of the second portion 160b is about 5 μm or less, thereby minimizing moisture and oxygen that may be introduced through the second portion 160b. Also, a space 161 is defined between the first part 160a and the second part 160b, and the space 161 is arranged in a non-display area of the OLED.

The filler 160 may be formed by one of a dispensing method, a screen printing method, a slit coating method, or a roll coating method. The width of the space 161 is sufficiently sized to form a moisture absorber 170 therein. For example, the hygroscopic material 170 includes melamine resin, urea resin, phenol resin, resorcinol resin, epoxy resin, unsaturated polyester resin, poly Vinyl (polyurethane) resin, acrylic (acrylic) resin, etc., but not limited thereto.

The absorbent 170 is disposed inside the space 161 and contacts the insulating substrate 100 and the covering substrate 120 . Here, the hygroscopic substance 170 prevents oxygen or moisture from being introduced through a gap formed between the insulating substrate 100 and the cover substrate 120 . In order to improve the performance of the absorbent 170, the absorbent 170 is preferably separated from at least one of the first part 160a and the frit 130 by a predetermined distance. Therefore, the space required for the absorbent 170 to function is ensured. The hygroscopic substance 170 is made of a thermally cured liquid thermoplastic material and has very low permeability to moisture and oxygen, thereby preventing degradation of the organic light emitting layer inside the display element 110 . Thus, the lifespan and performance of the flat panel display is improved. The absorbent 170 may be formed inside the space 161 by a dispensing method or a screen printing method. Also, the hygroscopic material 170 may include at least one of barium Ba and calcium Ca. Alternatively, the absorbent 170 may comprise various known materials such as "Drylox" from Dupont or "Desipaste" from Sud-Chemie AG.

12 to 14, flat panel displays according to ninth to eleventh exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described. Ninth to eleventh exemplary embodiments relate to flat panel displays having a sealing structure different from that of the eighth embodiment. In the ninth to eleventh exemplary embodiments, only features different from the eighth embodiment will be described, and the eighth embodiment may be referred to, while known structures will be omitted. For example, the same reference numerals represent the same elements.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the structure of a typical flat panel display according to a ninth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Different from the eighth exemplary embodiment, in the ninth exemplary embodiment, the space 161 and the absorbent 170 as shown in FIG. extend. According to the present invention, the glass frit 130 has good durability and very low permeability to moisture, thereby reliably minimizing moisture and oxygen permeability without the use of hygroscopic material 170 . While the absorbent 170 does not need to be used in this embodiment, production costs are reduced. Here, when the insulating substrate 100 or the cover substrate 120 is pressed, the filler 160 provided on the insulating substrate 100 or the cover substrate 120 is filled between the glass frit 130 and the insulating substrate 100, thereby forming a flat panel display, as shown in FIG. 12 shown. Accordingly, a flat panel display with reduced production cost and minimized introduction of oxygen and moisture from the outside is provided.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the structure of a typical flat panel display according to a tenth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 13 , a first inorganic film 180 is formed between the display element 110 and the filler 160 . The first inorganic film 180 may also extend between the insulating substrate 100 and the frit 130 and between the absorbent 170 and the space 161 . The thickness d6 of the first inorganic film 180 is about 100 nm to 3000 nm, and insulates a single-layer or multi-layer structure. In the case of multilayer structures, the corresponding layers can be made of different materials or formed by different methods. Accordingly, the first inorganic film 180 including an inorganic material having excellent moisture-proof properties and moisture impermeability is provided, thereby protecting the display element 110 from moisture and oxygen.

14 is a perspective view of a structure of a flat panel display according to an eleventh exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 14 , the filler 160 and the additional filler 165 are disposed between the insulating substrate 100 and the cover substrate 120 , and the second inorganic film 185 is disposed between the filler 160 and the additional filler 165 . After the filler 160 is disposed on the cover substrate 120 and the additional filler 165 and the second inorganic film 185 is disposed on the insulating substrate 100, the two substrates 100 and 120 are bonded to each other. Alternatively, the filler 160, the second inorganic film 185, and the additional filler 165 are sequentially formed on one of the insulating substrate 100 and the cover substrate 120, and then the substrate is combined with the other substrate. Like the first inorganic film 180 shown in FIG. 13, the second inorganic film 185 may have a thickness of about 100 nm to 3000 nm and have a single-layer or multi-layer structure. In addition, in the eleventh exemplary embodiment, as in the tenth exemplary embodiment, although not shown, the first inorganic film 180 may be further provided to cover the display element 110 . Thus, there is provided a flat panel display in which moisture from the outside is effectively blocked.

A typical flat panel display according to a twelfth exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 to 18B. A twelfth exemplary embodiment relates to a sealing structure of an OLED different from that of the first exemplary embodiment, and more particularly relates to a sealing structure using glass frit to seal an OLED. In the twelfth exemplary embodiment, different features from the first exemplary embodiment will be described, and the first exemplary embodiment will be referred to, or well-known structures will be omitted. For example, the same reference numerals represent the same elements.

As shown in FIGS. 15 to 17 , the frit 130 according to the twelfth embodiment of the present invention includes a first frit 130 a in contact with the insulating substrate 100 and a second frit 130 b in contact with the cover substrate 120 . The first and second frits 130a, 130b may be formed by one of a screen printing method, a dispensing method, and a dipping method. Each of the first and second frits 130a, 130b has a width d1 of 0.1 mm to 5 mm, and a thickness d2 of 5 μm to 3 mm. The range of width and thickness allows the two substrates to be stably bonded together and bring advantages to OLED 1.

As shown in FIGS. 15 to 18B , a heat transfer member 140 is inserted in the frit 130 .

18A and 18B, the heat transfer member 140 is substantially rectangular, and includes a first sub-plate (sub-plate) 140a, a second sub-plate 140b, a third sub-plate 140c, and a fourth sub-plate 140d. Each sub-plate 140a, 140b, 140c, 140d includes a body 141 inserted between the first and second frits 130a, 130b of the frit 130 and a cut portion 142 extending from the body 140 away from the frit 130 and having a reduced thickness. That is, the thickness on the end of the cutting part 142 is smaller than the thickness d7 of the main body 141 . Also, the longitudinal direction of the cutting portion 142 is along each long side of the first to fourth sub-boards 140a, 140b, 140c, 140d. The purpose of the structure of the heat transfer member 140 will be explained below through the description of the manufacturing process of the flat panel display according to the twelfth exemplary embodiment.

The thickness d7 of the main body 141 is 10 μm to 1000 μm, and the thickness d8 at the end of the cutting part 142 is 30% to 80% of the thickness d7. If the thickness d7 of the body 141 is less than 10 μm, it is not suitable for radiant heating for curing the frit. In order to solidify the glass frit 130, a temperature of 300° C. or higher is required. Therefore, if the thickness d7 of the body 141 is less than 10 μm, a short circuit may occur when a high voltage acts thereon, and it is not suitable for radiating heat of 300° C. or higher. Also, if the thickness d7 of the body 141 is less than 10 μm, the frit 130 cannot be completely cured, resulting in defective adhesion. On the other hand, if the thickness d7 of the main body 141 is greater than 1000 μm, it will be difficult to appropriately make the display compact. Also, if the thickness d7 of the main body 141 is greater than 1000 μm, heat of an overheating temperature of 700° C. or higher acts on the main body 141 and internal metal wiring of the display element 110 is affected by the heat, causing defects. Wherein, the gate line or the data line of the inner metal wiring may include aluminum, and the high temperature heat may change the resistance of the gate line or the data line because aluminum has a lower melting point. Therefore, a video signal may be transmitted abnormally, so that an unintended image may be displayed. The long side of the heat transfer member 140 is set to have substantially the same length as that of the insulating substrate 100 . In other words, the long side of the heat transfer member 140 may be approximately equal to, larger than, or smaller than the side of the insulating substrate 100 . Also, the short side L1 of the heat transfer member 140 is greater than the width d1 of the glass frit 130 .

Therefore, it is preferable for the solidified frit 130 that the thickness d7 and the length L1 of the body 141 are formed in proportion to the width d1 and the thickness d2 of the frit 130 .

The heat transfer member 140 includes at least one selected from the group consisting of steel, iron, molybdenum, nickel, titanium, tungsten, aluminum, and alloys thereof. However, the heat transfer member 140 is not limited to the above materials. Alternatively, the heat transfer member may include other materials than the above-mentioned materials as long as the material is conductive so as to transfer high-temperature heat to the frit 130 . Also, a passivation layer may be provided to prevent the heat transfer member 140 from being oxidized. The passivation layer may be realized by an inorganic layer including at least one of an oxide layer, a nitride layer, and a pyro-carbon layer.

A method of manufacturing a typical flat panel display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 19A to 19E . 19A to 19E are partial views showing an exemplary manufacturing method according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

First, as shown in FIG. 19A, a cover substrate 120 is provided. As in the case of the insulating substrate 100, the cover substrate 120 is made of glass and plastic substrates. Alternatively, the cover substrate 120 may be made of a soda lime glass substrate, a borosilicate glass substrate, a silicate glass substrate, lead glass, or the like. The thickness of the cover substrate 120 may be 0.1 mm to 10 mm, more preferably 1 mm to 10 mm, so as to have a sufficient thickness to prevent moisture or oxygen from penetrating into the display element 110 through the cover substrate 120 . Also, a barrier layer (not shown) including SiON, SiO ₂ , SiN _x , Al ₂ O ₃ , etc. may be formed on the cover substrate 120 by a sputtering method. Here, the barrier layer prevents oxygen or moisture from being introduced from the outside.

Referring to FIG. 19B , the first frit 130 a is formed along the edge of the cover substrate 120 . The first frit 130a may be formed through a dispensing method or a screen printing method. Such frit 130a includes binding glass frits such as SiO ₂ , TiO ₂ , PbO, PbTiO ₃ , Al ₂ O ₃ , and the like. Also, the frit 130a has very low permeability to moisture and oxygen, thereby preventing degradation of the organic light emitting layer inside the display element, and does not require a water getter. Also, the first frit 130a has sufficient durability to withstand vacuum installation, so that the OLED can be fabricated in a vacuum box, which minimizes the permeability of oxygen and moisture from the outside. The width d1 of the first frit 130 a is 0.1 mm to 5 mm, and the thickness d2 is 5 μm to 3 mm. Setting such a range allows the two substrates 100 and 120 to be stably bonded to each other and has the advantages described above.

Next, the first frit 130a is semi-cured so that impurities contained in the first frit 130a and bubbles generated when solidified are removed. The semi-curing process is carried out at a temperature of 100°C to 250°C. Also, ovens and hot plates are available for the prepreg process. Alternatively, lasers can be used in the prepreg process. The process is optical, but beneficial for improving product performance and longevity. After the semi-curing process, a planarization process for the first frit 130a may be additionally performed to remove air bubbles generated in the first frit 130a and enhance adhesion to the insulating substrate 100 having the display element 110 .

Referring to FIG. 19C, a heat transfer member 140 is formed along the first frit 130a. The heat transfer member 140 is a wire such as a heating wire, and can be made into a line shape, a zigzag shape, a mesh shape, a sheet shape, a film, or the like. In FIG. 19C, the heat transfer member 140 is typically formed in a wire or sheet shape. In this example, the thickness d3 of the heat transfer member 140 is 50 μm to 5 mm, and the width is 5 μm to 5 mm. Such a range is set to increase the temperature of the cured frit 130a, 130b from the standpoint of electrical resistance and minimize defective bonding. Also, setting this range makes the flat panel display thin and minimizes defects in metal wiring.

Here, the heat transfer member 140 includes at least one of nickel, tungsten, Kanthal, and alloys thereof, and is formed by a sputtering method or a CVD method. Also, the heat transfer member 140 may be conductive. As shown in FIG. 1 , both ends of the heat transfer element 140 are connected to a power source 150 . When the power supply 150 supplies power to the heat transfer member 140 , the heat transfer member 140 generates heat and solidifies the frit 130 . In addition, the heat transfer member 140 may be covered by a passivation layer (not shown) to prevent the heat transfer member 140 from being oxidized. Here, the passivation layer may be an inorganic material including at least one of an oxide layer, a nitride layer, and high temperature carbon.

Among them, when it is difficult to use an oven, a hot plate, and a laser, or when the first frit 130a is semi-cured without a separation device, the heat transfer member 140 provided on the first frit 130 can be used to The first frit 130a is semi-cured. In this case, after forming the first frit 130a, the heat transfer member 140 is formed along the first frit 130a, and then connected to the power source 150, as shown in FIG. 1, so that the frit 130a can be semi-cured.

Referring to FIG. 19D , a second frit 130 b is formed on the heat transfer member 140 . The second frit 130b may be formed by the same method and under the same conditions as the first frit 130a.

Referring to FIG. 19E, the insulating substrate 100 provided with the display element 110 is bonded to the cover substrate 120, and then power is supplied to the heat transfer member 140 by means of a power source 150 while pressing the two substrates 100 and 120, thereby curing the glass frits 130a, 130b. Preferably, the curing process is performed at a temperature of 400° C. or higher in order to completely cure the glass frits 130a, 130b. Also, the heat transfer member 140 may be connected to the power source 150 before or after the two substrates 100 and 120 are bonded together. Preferably, the process of bonding the two substrates 100 and 120 is performed in a vacuum box, and the pressure therein is about 760 torr. Also, the power source 150 may be a commonly known device. The power source 150 may be an RF power source that supplies high frequency power. The power supply 150 is not included in the OLED 1, so that it can be removed after the power supply to the heat transfer member 140 for curing the frits 130a, 130b is complete. Thus, the display element 110 is effectively protected from moisture and oxygen. Such a packaging process is simple, so it is easy to be applied to mass production.

An exemplary method of manufacturing an exemplary flat panel display according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described. Here, compared with the method based on FIGS. 19A to 19E , repeated descriptions will be omitted.

In the OLED 1 according to another exemplary embodiment opposite to FIG. 19D , the second frit 130b is formed on the insulating substrate 100 provided with the display element 110 while facing the first frit 130a covering the substrate 120, and then, The two substrates 100 and 120 are bonded together.

According to another exemplary embodiment, a cover substrate 120 and an insulating substrate 100 having a display element 110 are provided. In this embodiment, the heat transfer member 140 is formed along the edge of at least one of the two substrates 100 and 120, and then the glass frits 130a, 130b are formed in the two substrates 100, 120 corresponding to the heat transfer member 140. at least one up. Next, the two substrates 100 and 120 are bonded together and cured.

Referring to FIGS. 20A to 20G , description will be made on an exemplary method of manufacturing an exemplary flat panel display according to an eighth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 20A , frit 130 is formed along the edge of cover substrate 120 . Here, the width d1 of the frit 130 may be 0.1 mm to 5 mm, and the thickness d2 may be 5 μm to 3 mm, wherein the importance of such a range has been described above. Similarly, the material and function of the glass frit 130 are the same as described above. After the frit 130 is formed, the frit 130 is cured by applying high temperature, for example, to the cover substrate 120 . In order to solidify the frit 130, a high temperature of about 300° C. or higher is required. Also, typical methods of curing the frit 130 include applying laser light to the frit 130 , using an oven, or supplying power to a heating wire disposed inside the frit 130 .

In a conventional method, the frit is cured after the frit is formed on the insulating substrate or in a state where the insulating substrate and the cover substrate are bonded together. But a display element provided on an insulating substrate may become defective due to the high temperature applied for curing the frit. In other words, according to the present invention, the frit 130 is cured after being formed on the cover substrate 120, so that defects of the display element 110 due to high temperature are minimized or avoided. After the frit 130 is solidified, the surface of the frit 130 undergoes a polishing process and is planarized. Accordingly, the top surface of the frit 130 is improved in flatness and uniformity, thereby enhancing the bonding uniformity and bonding effect between the two substrates 100 and 120 .

Next, as shown in FIGS. 20B and 20C , a filler 160 is formed on the cover substrate 120 . Here, the filler 160 may be formed by one of a dispense method, a screen printing method, a slit spray method, and a roll printing method. According to the eighth exemplary embodiment, the filler 160 includes a first portion 160a disposed on a region of the cover substrate 120 corresponding to the display element 110 and a second portion 160b formed on the frit 130 and separated from the first portion 160a. . The first part 160 a protects the display element 110 , and the second part 160 b combines the frit 130 with the insulating substrate 110 . Alternatively, the filler 160 may be formed on the insulating substrate 100 .

Next, as shown in FIGS. 20D and 20E , the liquid moisture absorbing solution is dropped into the space 161 between the first space 160 a of the filler 160 and the frit 130 , thereby forming the hygroscopic substance 170 on the cover substrate 120 . Here, the absorbent 170 may be formed by dropping a moisture absorbing solution into the space 161 while the dispenser moves along the space 161 or by a screen printing method. The hygroscopic substance 170 has very low permeability to moisture and oxygen, thereby preventing deterioration of the quality of the organic light emitting layer inside the display element 110 .

Alternatively, the absorbent 170 may be formed on the cover substrate 120 before the filler 160 is formed. The absorbent 170 and the frit 130 can then be cured simultaneously, or the absorbent 170 can be cured separately after the frit 130 is cured.

Next, as shown in FIG. 20F , the insulating substrate 100 and the cover substrate 120 are aligned and bonded to each other. Preferably, the two substrates 100 and 120 are pressed such that the filler 160 covers the display elements 110 uniformly formed on the insulating substrate 100 . In addition, the two substrates 100 and 120 are pressed to minimize the distance therebetween, so that oxygen and moisture that may be introduced between the two substrates 100 and 120 are minimized.

Next, as shown in FIG. 20G, when the two substrates 100 and 120 are combined with each other, at least one of heat and light is applied to the filler 160 and the moisture absorber 170, so that the filler 160 and the moisture absorber The object 170 is cured, thereby completing the OLED 1.

A typical method of manufacturing a typical flat panel display according to a twelfth exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 21A to 21F.

First, as shown in FIG. 21A , a glass frit 130 is formed on the insulating substrate 100 and the cover substrate 120 . In more detail, the first frit 130a and the second frit 130b are formed along the insulating substrate 100 and the cover substrate 120, respectively. The first frit 130a and the second frit 130b may be formed by one of a screen printing method, a dispensing method, and a dipping method. The process of forming the first and second frits 130a, 130b may be performed simultaneously or sequentially.

Such frits 130 include viscous powder glasses such as SiO ₂ , TiO ₂ , PbO, PbTiO ₃ , Al ₂ O ₃ , and the like. Also, the glass frit 130 has very low permeability to moisture and oxygen, thereby preventing degradation of the organic light emitting layer inside the display element 110, and does not require the use of a water getter. Also, the frit 130 is durable enough to withstand vacuum installation, so that the OLED can be fabricated in a vacuum box, thereby minimizing the permeability of oxygen and moisture from the outside. The width d1 of the first and second frits 130a, 130b is 0.1 mm to 5 mm, and the thickness d2 is 5 μm to 3 mm. Such a range enables the two substrates 100 and 120 to be stably bonded together and have the same advantages as the above-mentioned products.

The insulating substrate 100 has been formed with the display element 110 before the first frit 130a is formed thereon.

As shown in FIGS. 21B and 21C, the insulating substrate 100, the cover substrate 120, and the heat transfer member 140 are aligned so that the heat transfer member 140 manufactured by injection molding or extrusion molding is partially inserted into the first glass facing each other. Between the frit 130a and the second frit 130b. Referring to FIG. 21B, the heat transfer member 140 mainly includes a rectangular plate. The heat transfer member 140 includes a first sub-plate 140a, a second sub-plate 140b, a third sub-plate 140c, and a fourth sub-plate 140d. As shown in FIG. 21C, each of the sub-plates 140a, 140b, 140c, 140d includes a main body 141 to be inserted between the first and second frits 130a and 130b and extends outwardly from the main body 141 and The cutting portion 142 is formed with a cutting groove 143 . The heat transfer member 140 is arranged to insert the main body 141 between the first and second frits 130a and 130b. Also, each sub-plate 140 a , 140 b , 140 c , 140 d has a reduced thickness within the cutting groove 143 . Each cutting groove 143 is provided adjacent to each long side of the first to fourth sub-boards 140a, 140b, 140c, 140d. The thickness d7 of the main body 141 is 10 μm to 1000 μm, and the thickness d8 at the cutting groove 143 of the cutting part 142 is 30% to 80% of the thickness d7. The long sides of the first to fourth sub-boards 140 a , 140 b , 140 c , 140 d are arranged to have substantially the same length as the edges of the insulating substrate 100 . Also, the length L1 of the short side of the heat transfer member 140 is greater than the width d1 of the glass frit 130 . Such dimensions are necessary in order to obtain a suitable temperature for curing the frits 130a, 130b and to minimize defective bonding. In addition, such a size is necessary from the viewpoint of compactness of the display and minimization of defects of the lower metal wiring.

Next, as shown in FIG. 21D , the insulating substrate 100 and the cover substrate 120 are bonded together while making the display element 110 face the cover substrate 120 . Preferably, the bonding process is performed in a vacuum chamber at a pressure of about 760 Torr. The main body 141 of the heat transfer member 140 is aligned between the frits 130 a and 130 b such that the cut portion 142 of the heat transfer member 140 is positioned outside the frit 130 .

Next, as shown in FIG. 21E , the power source 150 is connected between opposite ends of the heat transfer member 140 and supplies power to the heat transfer member 140 , thereby curing the frit 130 . In more detail, when power is supplied to the heat transfer member 140 , heat is generated due to the internal resistance of the heat transfer member 140 , thereby curing the frit 130 . In order to completely solidify the frit 130, power is applied so that the heat transfer member 140 is heated within a temperature range of 300°C to 700°C. The power source 150 may be connected to the heat transfer member 140 after the two substrates 100 and 120 are bonded together. Alternatively, the power source 150 may be connected to the heat transfer member 140 before the two substrates 100 and 120 are bonded together. Here, the power supply 150 can be implemented by a known device that is generally capable of supplying power. For example, an RF power supply that supplies high-frequency power can be used as the power supply 150 . Since the power source 150 is not included in the OLED 1, it may be removed after power is supplied to the heat transfer member 140 for curing the frit 130. Therefore, the display element 110 can be effectively protected from moisture and oxygen. Such packaging is simple and thus easy to apply to mass production.

As shown in FIG. 21F , the cut portion 142 of the heat transfer element is removed from the main body 141 , for example by a cutting process. The cutting process of the cutting part 142 is performed by bending the cutting part 142 up and down relative to the cutting groove 142 . Alternatively, the cut portion 142 is removed from the main body 141 by cutting out the groove 143 with a cutting tool such as a knife. Therefore, the heat transfer member 140 includes the cut groove 143 having a relatively thin thickness, so that the cut portion 142 that has no value after curing the frit 130 can be easily removed after the curing process is completed. Therefore, while the thickness of the end portion of the cut portion 142 is reduced compared with the thickness of the main body 141, as shown in FIG. 18B , the OLED 1 is completed.

Referring to FIGS. 22A , 22B and 22C, description will be made on an exemplary method of manufacturing an exemplary flat panel display according to a twelfth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In the following description, only the features different from the above-mentioned typical manufacturing methods will be described, so reference will be made to the above-mentioned manufacturing methods, or well-known techniques will be omitted or only briefly described. For example, the same reference numerals represent the same elements.

First, as shown in FIGS. 22A and 22B, a first frit 130a and a second frit 130b are attached to opposite surfaces of a heat transfer member 140 manufactured by injection molding or extrusion molding. In more detail, the first frit 130 a is formed on one surface of the body 141 , and the second frit 130 b is formed on the opposite surface of the body 141 . Here, the frit 130 may have predetermined adhesive properties, and may be attached to the opposite surface of the body 141 through a dispensing method, a screen printing method, or a dipping method.

As shown in FIG. 22C, after the first frit 130a, 130b is formed on the opposite surfaces of each of the sub-boards 140a, 140b, 140c, 140d, the insulating substrate 100, the cover substrate 120, and the heat transfer member 140 are aligned, thereby The first and second frits 130 a and 130 b are disposed between the insulating substrate 100 and edges of the cover substrate 120 .

In the manufacturing method of the first exemplary embodiment, a power source is connected to the heat transfer member 140 and supplies power to the heat transfer member 140 to solidify the frit 130 . Further, the cutting part 142 is removed at the cutting groove 143 to complete the OLED. As described above, the present invention provides a flat panel display that makes it possible to minimize the inflow of oxygen and moisture from the outside.

Also, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a flat panel display that minimizes the inflow of oxygen and moisture from the outside.

Although some embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, without departing from the principle and spirit of the present invention, those skilled in the art may have various modifications and replacements, which should be included in the appended claims and its within the scope of equivalents.

Claims (13)

1. flat-panel monitor comprises:

Insulated substrate which is provided with display element;

Covered substrate is connected in the face of described insulated substrate and with described insulated substrate;

Frit forms along the edge between described insulated substrate and the described covered substrate; And

Inserts, between described insulated substrate and described covered substrate and with described insulated substrate and described covered substrate, link together, described inserts comprises the first that separates and cover described display element with described frit, and the second portion between described frit and described insulated substrate.

2. flat-panel monitor according to claim 1, wherein, described frit has 100 microns thickness in 600 micrometer ranges.

3. flat-panel monitor according to claim 2, wherein, described frit can have 1g/m every day ²To 10g/m every day ²Moisture permeability.

4. flat-panel monitor according to claim 1 also comprises the hydroscopic substance in the space between the described first that is located at described frit and described inserts.

5. flat-panel monitor according to claim 4, wherein, at least one preset distance of being separated by in described hydroscopic substance and described frit and the described first, and comprise at least a in calcium and the barium.

6. flat-panel monitor according to claim 1 also comprises first inoranic membrane between described display element and described inserts.

7. flat-panel monitor according to claim 6, the first of wherein said inserts is first inserts, and comprises second inoranic membrane and auxiliary inserts between described first inserts and described insulated substrate,

Wherein said second inoranic membrane is placed on described first inserts, and described auxiliary inserts is placed between described second inoranic membrane and the described covered substrate.

8. flat-panel monitor according to claim 7, wherein, described first and second inoranic membranes have the thickness of 100 nanometers in 3000 nanometer range, and have sandwich construction.

9. flat-panel monitor according to claim 1, wherein, surperficial flattened in the face of described insulated substrate of described frit.

10. method of making flat-panel monitor, described method comprises:

Prepare covered substrate;

Edge along described covered substrate forms frit;

Solidify described frit;

At described covered substrate be formed with in the insulated substrate of display element at least one and form inserts; And

After being linked together, described covered substrate and described insulated substrate solidify described inserts,

Wherein, described inserts comprises and the corresponding first of described display element, and separates with described first and be formed on second portion on the described frit.

11. method according to claim 10 after solidifying described frit, also comprises a flattening surface in the face of described insulated substrate that makes described frit by glossing.

12. method according to claim 11 also is included in to form before or after the described inserts and in the space between the described first of described frit and described inserts hydroscopic substance is set.

13. method according to claim 11 also is included in and forms the inoranic membrane that forms at least a portion that covers described display element before or after the described inserts.

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