Display module and system applications

• US 9,922,966 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2017
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bibl, Andreas, Sakariya, Kapil V., Pavate, Vikram
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US15/417,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20170141091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/10 by controlling light sources, e.g. electroluminescent diodes G04G9/0058 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/02 Flexible displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/293 Organic, e.g. plastic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3171 the coating being directly applied to the semiconductor body, e.g. passivation layer H01L23/3178 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5384 Conductive vias through the substrate with or without pins, e.g. buried coaxial conductors H01L23/5383, H01L23/5385 take precedence; pins attached to insulating substrates H01L23/49811
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5386 Geometry or layout of the interconnection structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5387 Flexible insulating substrates H01L23/5388 takes precedence
• 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: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0216 Coatings H01L31/041 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/16 the semiconductor device sensitive to radiation being controlled by the light source or sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/44 characterised by the coatings, e.g. passivation layer or anti-reflective coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/62 : Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body, e.g. lead-frames, wire-bonds or solder balls
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/115 : Via connections; Lands around holes or via connections H05K1/112 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/147 : at least one of the printed circuits being bent or folded, e.g. by using a flexible printed circuit H05K1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 : characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 : Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10128 : Display

Abstract

A display module and system applications including a display module are described. The display module may include a display substrate including a front surface, a back surface, and a display area on the front surface. A plurality of interconnects extend through the display substrate from the front surface to the back surface. An array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) are in the display area and electrically connected with the plurality of interconnects, and one or more driver circuits are on the back surface of the display substrate. Exemplary system applications include wearable, rollable, and foldable displays.

Claims

1. A display module comprising:

a display substrate including a front side and a back side;

an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) on the front side of the display substrate;

an array of micro chips bonded to the front side of the display substrate and interspersed among the array of LEDs;

a plurality of wiring layers that interconnect the array of LEDs to the array of micro chips, wherein each micro chip is connected to one or more LEDs; and

a plurality of interconnects that are electrically connected to the array of micro chips and extend through the display substrate from the front side to the back side.

2. The display module of claim 1, wherein each LED comprises an inorganic semiconductor.

3. The display module of claim 2, each LED is a vertical LED.

4. The display module of claim 3, further comprising a passivation layer over the front side of the display substrate, wherein the passivation layer laterally surrounds the array of LEDs and the array of micro chips.

5. The display module of claim 4, further comprising a transparent conductor layer spanning over the passivation layer and electrically connected to the array of LEDs.

6. The display module of claim 5, further comprising an encapsulation layer formed over the transparent conductor layer.

7. The display module of claim 5, wherein the transparent conductor layer is connected to one more of the plurality of interconnects.

8. The display module of claim 5, wherein each LED has a maximum dimension of 1 to 100 μ

m.

9. The display module of claim 8, wherein each micro chip has a maximum dimension of 1 to 300 μ

m.

10. The display module of claim 8, wherein the plurality of interconnects comprises a plurality of interconnect lines and a plurality of vias.

11. The display module of claim 8, further comprising one or more chips on the back side of the display substrate.

12. The display module of claim 11, wherein the one or more chips are electrically connected to the plurality of interconnects that extend through the display substrate from the front side to the back side.

13. The display module of claim 1, wherein each micro chip is connected to a plurality of LEDs.

14. The display module of claim 13, wherein each micro chip is connected to a plurality of pixels.

15. The display module of claim 14, wherein each micro chip is connected to a plurality of LEDs within each pixel to which the micro chip is connected.

16. The display module of claim 15, wherein the array of micro chips includes a row of micro chips arranged between rows of LEDs.

17. The display module of claim 16, wherein each LED has a maximum dimension of 1 to 100 μ

m, and each micro chip has a maximum dimension of 1 to 300 μ

m.

18. The display module of claim 17, wherein the plurality of interconnects comprises a plurality of interconnect lines and a plurality of vias.

19. The display module of claim 18, further comprising one or more chips on the back side of the display substrate.

20. The display module of claim 19, wherein the one or more chips are electrically connected to the plurality of interconnects that extend through the display substrate from the front side to the back side.