Stretchable Display

Smart overview of the Invention

The patent application describes a stretchable display technology featuring hermetically sealed rigid pixel islands interconnected by flexible regions. These pixel islands integrate organic light-emitting diode (OLED) pixels, which are protected by multiple passivation layers. The design includes a conductive cutting structure that introduces a discontinuity in the OLED layer to prevent lateral leakage and is connected to a cathode providing voltage to the OLED pixels.

Technical Background

Displays in electronic devices, such as OLED screens, typically consist of light-emitting diodes controlled by thin-film transistors. These diodes are sandwiched between an anode and a cathode. Traditional displays are often rigid, limiting their use in flexible applications. The described technology aims to address these limitations by introducing stretchable components while maintaining the integrity of the display.

Innovative Features

The display incorporates several innovative elements:

• A common electrode shared between multiple OLED pixels.
• A conductive structure with an undercut to create a discontinuity in the conductive layer, reducing leakage.
• Two inorganic passivation layers around discrete portions of an organic inkjet printed layer.
• Flexible interconnect regions between rigid pixel islands for stretchability.

Device Applications

The described display technology can be integrated into various electronic devices, including laptops, tablets, smartphones, wearable devices like smartwatches and head-mounted displays, and other portable or embedded systems. These applications benefit from the enhanced flexibility and durability offered by the stretchable display design.

Display Structure and Operation

The display consists of substrate layers made from materials like glass or polymers, forming a pixel array for image display. Control circuitry manages image data transmission to the pixels via vertical data lines and horizontal gate lines. Display driver circuitry coordinates these operations, ensuring accurate image rendering on the stretchable OLED display.