Display device with pixel-integrated black matrix and elliptical polarizer

• US 10,135,034 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2017
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bita, Ion, Drolet, Jean-Jacques P., Dorjgotov, Enkhamgalan, Brown, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US15/449,348
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/003 Light absorbing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/201 in the form of arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/223 containing organic substances, e.g. dyes, inks or pigments
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3016 involving passive liquid crystal elements optical properties of liquid crystals G02F1/0063; polarising elements associated with active liquid crystal devices G02F1/133528
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3033 in the form of a thin sheet or foil, e.g. Polaroid
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3083 Birefringent or phase retarding elements G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence; systems for polarisation control G02B27/286; manufacturing phase modulating patterns by lithographic processes G03F7/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/167 comprising optoelectronic devices, e.g. LED, photodiodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/86 Arrangements for improving contrast, e.g. preventing reflection of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/865 comprising light absorbing layers, e.g. light-blocking layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/868 Arrangements for polarized light emission H10K50/86 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/35 comprising red-green-blue [RGB] subpixels

Abstract

Display panel configurations are described in which a pixel-level integrated black matrix layer is combined with an elliptical polarizer. The elliptical polarizer may allow for increased transmission of emissive LEDs in the display panel, while the black matrix layer may mitigate internal reflection of ambient light.

Claims

1. A display panel comprising:

an array of emissive LEDs;

a black matrix layer over the array of emissive LEDs, the black matrix layer including a corresponding array of openings over the array of emissive LEDs, wherein each opening is over a corresponding emissive LED; and

an elliptical polarizer directly over the black matrix layer, wherein the elliptical polarizer is characterized by a parallel transmission of at least 5% and a perpendicular transmission of at least 90%, and the elliptical polarizer includes;

a quarter wave retarder layer over the black matrix layer; and

a non-linear polarizer film over the quarter wave retarder layer.

2. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the elliptical polarizer is characterized by a total transmission of greater than 50%.

3. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the elliptical polarizer is characterized by a parallel transmission of at least 10%.

4. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the elliptical polarizer is characterized by a parallel transmission of at least 15%.

5. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the array of emissive LEDs includes a first group of emissive LEDs designed for emission at a first peak wavelength, and a second group of emissive LEDs designed for emission at a second peak wavelength, and the elliptical polarizer includes a dye characterized by an absorption peak between the first peak wavelength and the second peak wavelength.

6. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the array of emissive LEDs includes a first group of emissive LEDs designed for emission at a first peak wavelength, and a second group of emissive LEDs designed for emission at a second peak wavelength, and the black matrix layer includes a dye characterized by an absorption peak between the first peak wavelength and the second peak wavelength.

7. The display panel of claim 6, wherein the black matrix layer comprises mixed molecule dyes with multiple absorption peaks between the first peak wavelength and the second peak wavelength.

8. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the black matrix layer comprises carbon-black particles with an average particle sizes less than 50 nm.

9. The display panel of claim 8, wherein the elliptical polarizer comprises a dye.

10. The display panel of claim 9, wherein the dye is characterized by an absorption peak in the blue spectrum.

11. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the black matrix layer occupies greater than 80% of an active pixel area on the display backplane.

12. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the black matrix layer occupies 80%-95% of an active pixel area on the display backplane.

13. The display panel of claim 11, wherein the black matrix layer is formed over an array of microdriver chips surface mounted on the display backplane.

14. The display panel of claim 1, wherein:

the array of emissive LEDs includes a first group of emissive LEDs designed for emission at a first peak wavelength, and a second group of emissive LEDs designed for emission at a second peak wavelength; and

a component selected from a group consisting of the black matrix layer and the elliptical polarizer includes a dye characterized by an absorption peak between the first peak wavelength and the second peak wavelength.

15. The display panel of claim 14, wherein each opening is narrower than a corresponding emissive LED.