A kind of controlled open system of the oil puncture for EFD device and its manufacture method
Technical field
The present invention relates to a kind of controlled open system of the oil puncture for EFD device and its manufacture method, belong to EFD and show
Technical field.
Background technology
The display unit being presently used for word, image, video and interactive interface typically adopts flat pannel display structure,
In this field, widely used have, for example, micro-fluidic display system (Electro fluidic display system,
EFD), electrophoretic display system (Electrophoretic display system), plane conversion (In-Plane-
Switching, IPS), electro-osmosis display system (Elctro-osmosis display system), and liquid crystal display LCD
Deng.Part display structure therein adopts reflective display, for example, is applied to electric ink (E ink) or Electronic Paper
EFD.EFD is alternatively referred to as the moistening display (Electrowetting display) of electricity, electrowetting refer to by change drop with absolutely
Voltage between edge substrate, to change wettability on substrate for the drop, that is, change contact angle, so that drop is deformed upon, displacement
Phenomenon.So-called moistening refers to the process of that a kind of fluid of the surface of solids is replaced by one other fluid.Liquid is in solid surface energy
Sprawl, there is the trend of expansion in solid-liquid contact face, that is, the adhesive force of liquid versus solid surfaces is more than its cohesiveness it is simply that moistening.Liquid
Body can not be sprawled in the surface of solids, and contact surface has the trend shrinking globulate it is simply that nonwetting, and nonwetting is exactly liquid versus solid
The adhesive force on surface is less than its cohesiveness.Wherein, the wettability effect of hydrophobic surface can change (therefore named electricity profit using voltage
Wet), make this surface become more hydrophilic (moistening).Because originally hydrophobic surface becomes more to absorb water now, original and hydrophobic surface
The inert fluid of good contact, such as oil reservoir are it has to change its form.It is the base of electrowetting application that this interface property controls
Plinth.With regard to the application of the moistening displaying principle of electricity, in patent WO03071347, and in publication《Natural》425383385
It is described later in detail in the content of table.
The structure chart of the principle of EFD pixel cell structure as illustrated in figs. ia and ib, under dielectric layer and photoetching
It is provided with pixel wall 3 above electrode 5.The insulating barrier of the superiors has hydrophobicity, therefore also referred to as drain insulating layer 6.First liquid
Body 1 (such as oil reservoir) has good wettability in drain insulating layer 6, and therefore it is used for what filling was limited by pixel wall 3
Region.Second liquid 2 is not moistened with drain insulating layer 6, and it is incompatible with oil reservoir, the top of its fills unit structure.
When applying a voltage on electrode, electric charge accumulates in second liquid 2 lower surface, and then it overcomes capacitive force to puncture
Oil reservoir.By increasing voltage further, the oil reservoir puncturing can be pushed toward a jiao of pixel region.If elimination voltage, pressed
The oil of contracting will be back to state before applying voltage.As shown in Figure 1a, before applying voltage, oil reservoir is filled in figure institute
Region;Shown in Fig. 1 b, after application of a voltage, oil reservoir is pushed to the side of pixel cell structure.If adding suitable in oil reservoir
When pigment, such as black pigment, in Fig. 1 a position, overlook this pixel cell, pixel assumes lighttight black;And in Fig. 1 b
Position, pixel transmittance, if reflective display, then present the color in the reflecting layer under pixel, for example white.
In order to puncture oil reservoir it is necessary to using appropriate charge density, it is defined as
Wherein V is the voltage applying, and ε is dielectric constant, and d is thickness.Due to technologic impact, for example, dielectric layer
Thickness change and oil reservoir filling inhomogeneities, the charge density on oil reservoir surface may be different.So will result in following asking
Topic:
1) breakdown point of the oil reservoir of different pixels may be different;
2) motion of the oil reservoir thus puncturing is unpredictable.
During EFD device works, problem above will bring defect, and this is that user is not intended to see.
Additionally, there is serious hysteresis effect, as shown in Figure 2 in existing pixel design.Trunnion axis is apply
Voltage V, and vertical axises are the pixel region opened.The voltage applying increases to the cut-in voltage Vth (unlatching of in figure from zero point O
Point A), cause oil reservoir to be punctured by second liquid 2.After puncturing, the contraction of the oil in pixel is very sensitive to the voltage applying,
This make opened areas modulation extremely difficult.When the voltage applying exceedes certain numerical value, opened areas become saturation (in figure saturation
Point B).If the voltage applying reduces, the opened areas of pixel are then followed different paths (as shown in figure Turn Off Path BCO) and are subtracted
Little.Here it is so-called hysteresis effect.However, it is generally desirable to the hysteresis effect in EFD display device is less, by this pixel grey scale
The grade opened areas size of respective pixel (its pari passu) can easily be modulated by the voltage applying.
Content of the invention
It is an object of the invention to overcoming the defect of prior art problem, a kind of oil puncture for EFD device is provided to be subject to
Control open system and its manufacture method.
To achieve these goals, the present invention adopts following technical scheme:
According to an aspect of the present invention it is proposed that a kind of controlled open system of oil puncture for EFD device, described oil
Puncture controlled open system and include an EFD display structure, described EFD shows that structure includes being arranged on EFD display structural top
Top electrode, it is arranged on EFD and shows the bottom electrode of structural base, setting dielectric layer on the bottom electrode, be arranged on dielectric layer
On pixel wall, wherein described pixel wall limit region in be filled with first liquid, between first liquid and Top electrode
It is filled with second liquid, described dielectric layer includes drain insulating layer, first liquid and drain insulating layer have enough moistening
Property, so that contacting with drain insulating layer in the state of first liquid no applied voltage between Top electrode and bottom electrode and covering completely
Lid drain insulating layer, wherein said pixel wall includes the pixel wall with differing heights, the pixel wall of wherein said differing heights
Including the higher pixel wall with the first height, it is located at the first area that EFD shows structure, and has than the first height
Low relatively low pixel wall, it is located at the second area that EFD shows structure.
Wherein, the height of relatively low pixel wall is set to, and makes to apply a default relatively low electricity between Top electrode and bottom electrode
During pressure, the first liquid of second area is breakdown first.
Preferably, the lower section of bottom electrode is provided with substrate, and described substrate is located at the part of second area at it and is provided with one
Step, so that the part that bottom electrode and dielectric layer are located on step at it, exceeds its part beyond being located at step, thus
Make second thickness on step for the first liquid, less than its first thickness beyond step.
Preferably, the thickness difference between the second thickness of first liquid and first thickness is set to, make Top electrode with
When applying a default low voltage between electrode, the first liquid on step is punctured by second liquid first, and the
One liquid is pushed by second liquid, moves to first area from second area.
Preferably, described substrate is located at the part of second area at it and is provided with multiple steps, wherein further away from the firstth area
The vertical height of the step in domain is more than the vertical height of the step of closer first area.
Preferably, described first liquid is inert fluid, and it includes the oil reservoir colouring.
Preferably, it is provided with hydrophilic layer between Top electrode and second liquid.
According to another aspect of the invention, it is proposed that a kind of EFD display device, it includes multiple thering is above-mentioned oil puncture
The EFD pixel cell of controlled open system, wherein, in the controlled open system of oil puncture in described every EFD pixel cell
First area is consistent with the orientation of second area.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention it is proposed that a kind of method of the controlled unlatching of oil puncture for EFD device, it wraps
Include following steps:
One EFD display structure is set in the controlled open system of described oil puncture;In described EFD display structure, setting
One substrate, manufactures a step on the substrate, so that described step is higher than the basal region beyond it.
Molding bottom electrode apply dielectric layer in substrate, so that bottom electrode and dielectric layer are located on step at it
The vertical height of part be higher than its part beyond being located at step, wherein said dielectric layer is set to including hydrophobic insulation
Layer.
Place outside dielectric layer and manufacture a pixel wall using photoetching process, wherein said pixel wall includes thering is different height
The pixel wall of degree, the pixel wall of described differing heights includes the relatively low pixel wall above step, and is located at beyond step
Higher pixel wall.
Fill first liquid in described pixel wall, wherein second thickness above it is positioned at step for the first liquid is than it
First thickness beyond step is little.
Top electrode is set above pixel wall, fills second liquid between Top electrode and pixel wall.
Preferably, the thickness difference between second thickness and first thickness is set to, and makes to apply between Top electrode and bottom electrode
During default low voltage of plus, the first liquid above step is punctured by second liquid first, and first liquid quilt
Second liquid is pushed, the regional movement to beyond step for the region above step.
Compared with prior art, the present invention has following remarkable advantage and beneficial effect:
According to the present invention for the controlled open system of oil puncture of EFD device and its manufacture method, first, in EFD picture
In plain unit, the breakdown point as the oil reservoir of inert fluid is in required preferable region, excessive or very few by oil reservoir
The impact of filling is less.In the EFD display device being made up of multiple such pixel cells, the oil reservoir of each pixel cell hits
Wear a little all in the same area, the oil reservoir direction of motion of therefore each pixel is all consistent with characteristic.Second, for puncturing oil reservoir, only need
Electric potential difference that will be lower.Therefore, alleviate hysteresis effect.This make pixel tonal gradation easily controllable.Therefore, on the whole greatly
Improve greatly the display effect of EFD display device.
Brief description
Below in conjunction with accompanying drawing, embodiments of the invention are described in detail:
Fig. 1 a is the principle schematic between upper/lower electrode during no applied voltage that existing EFD shows structure;
Fig. 1 b is the principle schematic after existing EFD shows the applied voltage between upper/lower electrode of structure;
Fig. 2 show the schematic diagram that existing EFD shows the hysteresis effect of structure;
Fig. 3 show the electrical representation schematic diagram that existing EFD shows structure;
Fig. 4 a show the top of the EFD display structure of the pixel wall with differing heights according to one embodiment of the invention
Depending on schematic diagram;
Fig. 4 b show the edge of the EFD display structure of the pixel wall with differing heights according to one embodiment of the invention
The diagrammatic cross-sectional side elevation of the direction Z of Fig. 4 a;
Fig. 5 show in the EFD display structure of the pixel wall with differing heights according to one embodiment of the invention
Capacitance characteristic principle schematic;
Fig. 6 show in the EFD display structure with different pixels wall height according to another embodiment of the present invention
The principle schematic of capacitance characteristic.
Specific embodiment
As shown in figure 3, in the design of existing EFD pixel, the height of pixel wall 3 is homogeneous, and it makes the operation of pixel
Existing EFD as herein described is shown with the defect problem of structure is more sensitive, the such as oil reservoir direction of motion is inconsistent and hysteresis effect.
From the perspective of electricity, an EFD pixel can be regarded as the combination of two electric capacity:C1 is the first liquid representing inert fluid
Body (such as oil reservoir) electric capacity, C2 is the dielectric layer electric capacity representing dielectric layer.Therefore, total capacitance C=C1*C2/ (C1+C2).
On interface, the electric charge of accumulation is proportional to total capacitance.Following according to embodiments of the invention, will be come using this principle
Manufacture new pixel wall 3 structure, and solve the problems, such as above-mentioned.
It is that the EFD of the pixel wall 3 with differing heights according to one embodiment of the invention shows as shown in figures 4 a and 4b
Show structure, described structure is the improvement in the structure shown in Fig. 1 a.The same with the structure shown in Fig. 1 a, described structure also can be wrapped
Include and be arranged on the Top electrode 4 of EFD display structural top, be arranged on the bottom electrode 5 of EFD display structural base, be arranged on bottom electrode 5
On dielectric layer 8, the pixel wall 3 being arranged on dielectric layer 8, according to the present invention, described dielectric layer 8 can be by one layer or many
Layer dielectric substance is constituted, and forms electric capacity in electrically itself and upper/lower electrode 4,5.Fill out in the region that described pixel wall 3 limits
It is filled with first liquid 1, the oil reservoir of such as coloring, it belongs to inert fluid, be filled between first liquid 1 and Top electrode 4
Two liquid 2, it includes but is not limited to water, non-aqueous electrolytic solution, or other on-aqueous liquid, does not apply between upper/lower electrode 4,5
During making alive, second liquid 2 is not moistened with drain insulating layer 6.In one exemplary embodiment as shown in Figure 5,6, described electricity is situated between
Matter layer 8 includes lower insulation layer and drain insulating layer 6, it is also possible to only drain insulating layer 6 in other feasible examples.Oil
Layer with drain insulating layer 6, there is enough wettabilities so that oil reservoir between Top electrode 4 and bottom electrode 5 no applied voltage one
Contact with drain insulating layer 6 under off status and drain insulating layer 6 is completely covered, according to this embodiment, wherein said pixel wall 3 is wrapped
Include the pixel wall 3 with differing heights, the pixel wall 3 of wherein said differing heights includes the higher pixel wall with the first height
31, it is located at the first area 21 that EFD shows structure, and has the relatively low pixel wall 32 highly lower than first, and it is located at
EFD shows a second area 22 of structure.
Wherein, the height of relatively low pixel wall 32 is set to, and makes applying one between Top electrode 4 and bottom electrode 5 default relatively
During low-voltage, the oil reservoir of second area 22 is punctured by second liquid 2 first.
By such enforcement, the capacitance structure in EFD pixel is changed into as shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, C11
It is respectively the electric capacity of the first liquid 1 being located at first area and second area with C12, C21 and C22 is the electric capacity of dielectric layer 8,
In the electrical model of this theoretical property, C21=C22.
Wherein, there is the charge density ρ in the first area 21 of higher pixel wall 311Drawn by below equation:
Wherein ε0For the dielectric constant of dielectric layer 8, ε1For the dielectric constant of oil reservoir, d0For the height of dielectric layer 8, d1
For the height of higher pixel wall 31, example the first height as mentioned.
And there is the charge density ρ in the second area 22 of relatively low pixel wall 322Drawn by below equation, wherein d2It is relatively
The height of low pixel wall 32:
Height d due to relatively low pixel wall 322Relatively low, the charge density of corresponding second area 22 is higher.Therefore can be pre-
See, by applying relatively low electric potential difference, the oil reservoir in second area 22 is punctured by second liquid 2 first.So, permissible
All pixels in prediction EFD device all puncture in the same area, and thus it is foreseeable that this operation phase in device
Between, oil reservoir uniformly moves to the first area 21 with higher pixel wall 31 place.
In such EFD display device, including multiple EFD pixel lists with the controlled open system of above-mentioned oil puncture
Unit, wherein, the first area 21 in the controlled open system of oil puncture in described every EFD pixel cell and second area 22
Orientation is consistent.
According to the structure with multiple different pixel wall 3 height of the present invention, can be advantageously using existing technique
Processing procedure is realizing.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 6.The lower section of bottom electrode 5 is provided with substrate, and described substrate is at it
The part of second area 22 is provided with a step 9, so that the portion that bottom electrode 5 and dielectric layer 8 are located on step 9 at it
Point, exceed its part beyond being located at step 9, so that second thickness on step 9 for the oil reservoir, than it beyond step 9
First thickness is little.
In this example, relatively low pixel wall 32 and higher pixel wall 31 are set to top and flush, to facilitate subsequent technique
Enforcement.
Preferably, the thickness difference between the second thickness of oil reservoir and first thickness is set to, and makes in Top electrode 4 and bottom electrode
When applying a default low voltage between 5, the oil reservoir on step 9 is punctured by second liquid 2 first, and oil reservoir is by the
Two liquid 2 are pushed, and move to first area 21 from second area 22.
Preferably, described substrate is located at the part of second area 22 at it and is provided with multiple steps 9, wherein further away from first
The vertical height of the step 9 in region 21 is more than the vertical height of the step 9 of closer first area 21.So, the motion of oil reservoir
Characteristic will be more smooth, and the modulation to the gray scale of display will be more prone to.
Preferably, it is provided with hydrophilic layer between Top electrode 4 and second liquid 2.
In this embodiment, manufacture a step 9 in substrate first, subsequent shaped electrode simultaneously applies dielectric layer 8.Finally make
Manufacture pixel wall 3 with photoetching process.For the motion puncturing oil reservoir and control oil reservoir, the structure of Fig. 6 has close effect.
According to the principle of the present invention, by using different processes, build the pixel wall 3 with differing heights.?
There is the second area 22 of relatively low pixels tall, charge density is higher.As a result, when applying relatively low electric potential difference,
Oil reservoir in second area 22 punctures first.
According to one more embodiment of the present invention, it is the method for the controlled unlatching of oil puncture for EFD device, it includes following
Step:
One EFD display structure is set in the controlled open system of described oil puncture;In described EFD display structure, setting
One substrate, manufactures a step 9 on the substrate, so that described step 9 is higher than the basal region beyond it.
Molding bottom electrode 5 apply dielectric layer 8 in substrate, so that bottom electrode 5 and dielectric layer 8 are located at platform at it
The vertical height of the part on rank 9 is higher than its part beyond being located at step 9, and wherein said dielectric layer 8 is set to including absolutely
Edge layer and drain insulating layer 6.
Further, it is possible to pass through existing process, the insulating barrier of dielectric layer 8 is made to be located at the thickness of the part of step 9 at it,
With its be located at step 9 beyond part thickness closely, this on electrology characteristic, can make insulating barrier its be located at step
Part on 9 and beyond step 9 is respectively provided with close to equal capacitance.
Place outside dielectric layer 8 and manufacture a pixel wall 3 using photoetching process, wherein said pixel wall 3 includes having not
Level pixel wall 3, the pixel wall 3 of described differing heights includes the relatively low pixel wall 32 positioned at step 9 top, and is located at
Higher pixel wall 31 beyond step 9, it is alternatively possible to it is neat that relatively low pixel wall 32 and higher pixel wall 31 are fabricated to top
Flat, to facilitate the enforcement of subsequent technique, so, relatively low pixel wall 32 will compare high pixel wall 31 size in vertical direction
Little.
Fill oil reservoir in described pixel wall 3, the second thickness that wherein oil reservoir is located above step 9 at it is located at platform than it
First thickness beyond rank 9 is little.
Top electrode 4 is set above pixel wall 3, fills second liquid 2 between Top electrode 4 and pixel wall 3.Preferably
Ground, the thickness difference between second thickness and first thickness is set to, and makes applying one between Top electrode 4 and bottom electrode 5 default
During low voltage, the oil reservoir positioned at step 9 top is punctured by second liquid 2 first, and oil reservoir is pushed by second liquid 2, from
The regional movement to beyond step 9 for the region of step 9 top.
For exemplarily the present invention will be described, it is not precluded from other different structures to above example.For example,
The height change of multistage step 9 can be shown as in EFD pixel.According to existing process, in some instances, pixel wall 3
Overhead height can be fabricated to respect to substrate bottom unanimously, and that is, top flushes, so that thickness on each step 9 for the first liquid 1
Degree is different;It is also possible to make pixel wall 3 highly consistent with respect to its bottom in other examples, first so still can be made
Thickness on each step 9 for the liquid 1 is different, to realize the technique effect of the present invention.
The above, simply presently preferred embodiments of the present invention, the invention is not limited in above-mentioned embodiment, as long as
It reaches the technique effect of the present invention with identical means, all should belong to protection scope of the present invention.Protection model in the present invention
In enclosing, its technical scheme and/or embodiment can have various different modifications and variations.Even if individual other technical characteristic is not
Quote in same claim, the present invention also can comprise to have the embodiment of these features.