CN107561687B

CN107561687B - Electrowetting display device

Info

Publication number: CN107561687B
Application number: CN201710942621.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 卢彦伊; 周亚贤
Original assignee: Chongqing Bingwei Technology Co ltd
Current assignee: Chongqing Bingwei Technology Co ltd
Priority date: 2017-10-11
Filing date: 2017-10-11
Publication date: 2020-09-08
Anticipated expiration: 2037-10-11
Also published as: CN107561687A

Abstract

The invention provides an electrowetting display device which sequentially comprises a first transparent electrode layer, a chamber, a hydrophobic material layer, a second transparent electrode layer and a substrate from top to bottom, wherein a first fluid layer and a second fluid layer which are mutually immiscible are filled in the chamber, the first transparent electrode layer is provided with a plurality of downward protrusions, the protrusions are positioned on one side of the chamber and are contact sides, the wetting effect of the hydrophobic material layer on the first fluid layer can be changed by using voltage, and when the voltage is changed on the first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer, the first fluid layer is in contact with the hydrophobic material layer and presses the second fluid layer to the other side of the chamber and is a gathering side. The invention improves the electrowetting display efficiency and the contrast and the display effect of the device.

Description

Electrowetting display device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a display structure, and more particularly, to an electrowetting display device.

Background

The EFD may also be called an Electrowetting display (Electrowetting display), in which a voltage between a liquid droplet and an insulating substrate is changed to change the wettability of the liquid droplet on the substrate, that is, to change a contact angle, so that the liquid droplet is deformed and displaced. By wetting is meant the process of displacing one fluid from a solid surface by another. The liquid can spread on the solid surface, and the solid-liquid contact surface has a tendency of expansion, namely the adhesive force of the liquid to the solid surface is greater than the cohesive force of the liquid, namely wetting. The liquid can not spread on the solid surface, and the contact surface has the tendency of shrinking into a spherical shape, namely, the liquid is not wetted, or the liquid has smaller adhesive force to the solid surface than the cohesive force. The wetting effect of a water-resistant surface can be altered using a voltage (hence the name electrowetting) to make the surface more hydrophilic (wetting). Since the originally hydrophobic surface now becomes more water-absorbing, the inert liquid, such as an oil layer, which was originally in good contact with the hydrophobic surface, has to change its form. This interface property control is the basis for electrowetting applications.

Disclosure of Invention

In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides an electrowetting display device to solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

The electrowetting display device provided by the invention sequentially comprises a first transparent electrode layer, a chamber, a hydrophobic material layer, a second transparent electrode layer and a substrate from top to bottom, wherein a first fluid layer and a second fluid layer which are mutually immiscible are filled in the chamber, the first transparent electrode layer is provided with a plurality of downward protrusions, the protrusions are positioned on one side of the chamber and are contact sides, the wetting effect of the hydrophobic material layer on the first fluid layer can be changed by using voltage, and when the voltage is changed on the first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer, the first fluid layer is in contact with the hydrophobic material layer and pushes the second fluid layer to the other side of the chamber and is a gathering side.

The opposite contact side of the second transparent electrode layer and the first transparent electrode layer is also provided with a plurality of bulges, and the bulges extend into the bottom of the hydrophobic material layer.

The surface of the hydrophobic material layer is provided with protrusions with the reduced concentration from the contact side to the gathering side until no protrusion exists, and the highest points of the protrusions are on the same horizontal plane.

The shape of the vertical section of the protrusion is trapezoid, and the shape of the cross section of the protrusion is a regular polygon.

When the second fluid layer is formed into a droplet shape on the aggregation side, the covered region, that is, the contact angle does not protrude.

The height of the hydrophobic material layer becomes gradually lower from the contact side to the accumulation side.

The highest point of the hydrophobic material layer, in the absence of electrowetting, is covered by a second fluid layer.

The first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer are provided with protrusions in a conical shape, and the heights of the protrusions are gradually reduced from the contact side to the gathering side.

The invention has the beneficial effects that: according to the invention, by changing the shape of the conductive layer and the shape of the hydrophobic material layer, the electrowetting efficiency is improved, the electrowetting process is accelerated, the reaction time is reduced, and the contrast and the display effect of the device are improved.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of the present invention;

fig. 2 is a schematic top view of a layer of hydrophobic material of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to specific embodiments, and other advantages and effects of the present invention will be easily understood by those skilled in the art from the disclosure of the present specification. The invention is capable of other and different embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways, and its several details are capable of modification in various respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It is to be noted that the features in the following embodiments and examples may be combined with each other without conflict.

It should be noted that the drawings provided in the following embodiments are only for illustrating the basic idea of the present invention, and the components related to the present invention are only shown in the drawings rather than drawn according to the number, shape and size of the components in actual implementation, and the type, quantity and proportion of the components in actual implementation may be changed freely, and the layout of the components may be more complicated.

As shown in fig. 1, the present embodiment sequentially includes, from top to bottom, a first transparent electrode layer 4, a chamber, a hydrophobic material layer 3, a second transparent electrode layer 5, and a substrate 6, wherein the chamber is filled with a first fluid layer 1 and a second fluid layer 2 that are immiscible with each other, a wetting effect of the hydrophobic material layer 3 on the first fluid layer 1 can be changed by using a voltage, and when the voltage is changed on the first transparent electrode layer 4 and the second transparent electrode layer 5, the first fluid layer 1 is brought into contact with the hydrophobic material layer 3, and the second fluid layer 2 is pressed toward the other side of the chamber. The first fluid layer 1 may be water and the second fluid layer 2 may be an oil film material.

The first transparent electrode layer 4 is provided with a plurality of downward protrusions 41, the protrusions 41 are located on one side of the chamber and are contact sides, and the other side of the chamber is a collection side. The first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer are provided with protrusions in a conical shape, and the heights of the protrusions are gradually reduced from the contact side to the gathering side. The protrusions have a pronounced effect on wetting the first fluid layer 1 by the hydrophobic material layer 3 as quickly as possible when the potential is changed when the voltage is applied, the potential change being dependent on the distance, which improves the efficiency and reduces the reaction time.

Furthermore, a plurality of protrusions 51 are also arranged on the opposite contact side of the second transparent electrode layer 5 and the first transparent electrode layer 4, and protrude into the bottom of the hydrophobic material layer 3.

As shown in fig. 2, the surface of the hydrophobic material layer 3 is provided with a reduced concentration of protrusions 31 from the contact side to the collection side until there is no protrusion, the highest points of the protrusions being on the same horizontal plane.

The protrusion 31 has a trapezoidal longitudinal cross-sectional shape and a regular polygonal cross-sectional shape.

The height of the hydrophobic material layer 3 becomes gradually lower from the contact side to the accumulation side. The highest point of the hydrophobic material layer, in the absence of electrowetting, is covered by a second fluid layer.

Further, when the second fluid layer 2 is formed into a droplet shape on the aggregation side, the protrusion 31 is not present in the contact angle, which is the covered region.

In electrowetting, the second fluid layer 2 flows from one end to the other, and the hydrophobic material layer 3 is also of such a height that it wets rapidly with the first fluid layer 1, which improves the contrast and display of the device.

According to the invention, by changing the shape of the conductive layer and the shape of the hydrophobic material layer, the electrowetting efficiency is improved, the electrowetting process is accelerated, the reaction time is reduced, and the contrast and the display effect of the device are improved.

The foregoing embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and utilities of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art can modify or change the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it is intended that all equivalent modifications or changes which can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical spirit of the present invention be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An electrowetting display device, characterized in that: the liquid crystal display device comprises a first transparent electrode layer, a cavity, a hydrophobic material layer, a second transparent electrode layer and a substrate from top to bottom in sequence, wherein the cavity is filled with a first fluid layer and a second fluid layer which are mutually immiscible, the first transparent electrode layer is provided with a plurality of downward bulges, the bulges are positioned on one side of the cavity and are contact sides, the wetting effect of the hydrophobic material layer on the first fluid layer can be changed by using voltage, when the voltage is changed on the first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer, the first fluid layer is in contact with the hydrophobic material layer and presses the second fluid layer to the other side of the cavity and is a gathering side, the surface of the hydrophobic material layer is provided with protrusions with reduced concentration from the contact side to the gathering side until no protrusion is formed, the highest points of the protrusions are positioned on the same horizontal plane, and the second transparent electrode layer and the opposite contact side of the first transparent electrode layer are protruded, a plurality of projections are also provided and extend into the bottom of the layer of hydrophobic material.

2. An electrowetting display device according to claim 1, wherein: the shape of the vertical section of the protrusion is trapezoid, and the shape of the cross section of the protrusion is a regular polygon.

3. An electrowetting display device according to claim 1, wherein: when the second fluid layer is formed into a droplet shape on the aggregation side, the covered region, that is, the contact angle does not protrude.

4. An electrowetting display device according to claim 1, wherein: the height of the hydrophobic material layer becomes gradually lower from the contact side to the accumulation side.

5. An electrowetting display device according to claim 4, wherein: the highest point of the hydrophobic material layer, in the absence of electrowetting, is covered by a second fluid layer.

6. An electrowetting display device according to claim 1, wherein: the first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer are provided with protrusions in a conical shape, and the heights of the protrusions are gradually reduced from the contact side to the gathering side.