Flat panel displays and methods and substrates therefor

• US 6,184,968 B1
• Filed: 04/18/1997
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Taylor-Smith, Ralph E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUNG T
• Application Number:
  US08/844,017
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 349/158, 349/159, 349/160, 523/203, 523/216
• US Class Current: 349/158
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 292/00 Macromolecular compounds obtained by polymerising monomers on to inorganic materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 83/001 Macromolecular compounds containing organic and inorganic sequences, e.g. organic polymers grafted onto silica
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/04 Charge transferring layer characterised by chemical composition, i.e. conductive
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/06 Substrate layer characterised by chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film

Abstract

Flat-panel displays, a substrate for use in such displays, and methods for making the displays and the substrate are disclosed. The substrate is a hybrid composite containing an organic component and an inorganic component. The substrate possesses attributes of the organic component, which is typically a plastic, such as light weight and impact resistance, as well as attributes of the inorganic component, typically silica particles, such as high temperature stability. A variety of flat-panel displays can be made by depositing appropriate device layers, using standard fabrication procedures, on the hybrid composite substrate. The monomer is selected, and the relative concentrations of the organic to the inorganic component in the composite are established, based on the thermal processing requirements for making the type of display for which the substrate is intended.

Claims

1. A flat-panel display, comprising:

at least a first substrate, the first substrate formed from a hybrid inorganic-organic composite comprising;

about 1 to 70 weight percent of an inorganic component and about 30 to 99 weight percent of an organic component in the form of a suitably transparent and suitably non-birefringent polymer matrix in which the inorganic component is dispersed, wherein, the inorganic and organic components are coupled and the inorganic component increases the thermal decomposition temperature and decreases the coefficient of thermal expansion of the coupled components compared to the organic component alone, and, wherein the hybrid inorganic organic composite is molded into a shape and size suitable for a flat panel display; and

a plurality of device layers deposited on the first substrate for generating light of a desired color.

2. The flat-panel display of claim 1 wherein the display is an electroluminescent display, the display further comprising:

a transparent electrode formed on the first substrate;

a first transparent insulator formed on the transparent electrode;

semiconducting phosphor deposited on the first transparent insulator;

a second transparent insulator formed on the semiconducting phosphor; and

a reflecting electrode formed on the second transparent insulator.

3. The flat-panel display of claim 1 further comprising:

a second substrate separated from the first substrate by the device layers.

4. The flat-panel display of claim 3 wherein the display is an active matrix liquid crystal display, the display further comprising:

a first plurality of layers comprising color filters formed on the first substrate and a transparent conductor formed on the color filters;

a second plurality of layers comprising thin-film transistors formed on the second substrate; and

liquid crystal material, wherein,

the first substrate and first plurality of layers, and the second substrate and second plurality of layers are joined and wherein the liquid crystal material is between the first and the second substrate.

5. The flat-panel display of claim 4 further comprising display-drive circuitry electrically connected to one of the layers.

6. The flat panel display of claim 4, wherein said organic component is selected from the group consisting of acrylate-based monomers, epoxide-based monomers and styrene-based monomers.

7. The flat panel display of claim 4, wherein said first substrate comprises at least about 30 weight percent of said inorganic component.

8. The flat panel display of claim 4, wherein said first plurality of layers are disposed on a first side of said first substrate.

9. The flat panel display of claim 8, further comprising a first orientation film that is disposed on said first plurality of layers.

10. The flat panel display of claim 8, further comprising a first polarizer that is disposed on a second side of said first substrate.

11. The flat panel display of claim 8, wherein said second plurality of layers are disposed on a first side of said second substrate.

12. The flat panel display of claim 11, further comprising a second orientation film that is disposed on said second plurality of layers.

13. The flat panel display of claim 11, further comprising a second polarizer that is disposed on a second side of said second substrate.

14. The flat panel display of claim 11, wherein:

when said first substrate and first plurality of layers, and said second substrate and second plurality of layers are joined,

said first side of said second substrate is proximal to said first side of said first substrate, and

said second side of said second substrate is distal to said first side of said first substrate.

15. The flat-panel display of claim 3 wherein the display is a plasma display, the display further comprising:

a plurality of electrodes formed on the first substrate, a capacitive layer formed over the electrodes, and a layer suitable for reducing drive voltage formed over the capacitive layer; and

,

a plurality of spaced electrodes formed on the second substrate, barrier ribs formed on the second substrate in the space between the electrodes, and phosphors deposited on the electrodes and the second substrate, wherein,

the first and second substrates and the layers formed thereon are joined, and, when joined, the electrodes formed on the first substrate are perpendicular to the electrodes formed on the second substrate.