FUNCTIONAL DEVICE ARRAY WITH SELF-ALIGNED ELECTRODE STRUCTURES AND FABRICATION METHODS THEREOF

• US 20090303400A1
• Filed: 11/20/2008
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Hou, Chih Sheng, Hou, Wei-Hsin
• Granted Patent: US 8,582,040 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04144 using an array of force sensing means position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells G06F3/0447
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14603 Special geometry or disposition of pixel-elements, address-lines or gate-electrodes

Abstract

A functional device array with self-aligned electrode structures and fabrication methods thereof are presented. The functional device array includes a transparent substrate. A patterned lower electrode array is disposed on the transparent substrate. A spacer structure is disposed overlying the transparent substrate and located between the patterned lower electrodes self-aligned therewith. A functional structure layer is disposed in an array of pixel regions defined by the spacer structure. A patterned upper substrate is disposed on the functional structure layer corresponding to each of the pixel regions, and a passivation layer is disposed on the patterned upper electrode covering the functional device array.

Claims

1. A functional device array with self-aligned electrode structures, comprising:

a transparent substrate;

a lower electrode array disposed on the transparent substrate;

a plurality of spacer structures disposed on the transparent substrate, at a gap between the patterned lower electrodes, and self-aligned with the patterned lower electrode array;

a functional structure disposed on pixel region array defined by the plurality of spacer structures;

a patterned upper electrode disposed on the functional structure corresponding to the pixel region array; and

a passivation layer disposed on the patterned upper electrode covering the functional devices.

2. The functional device array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transparent substrate comprises transparent polyetheretherketone, polyethylene naphthalate, blocked isocyanates, silicone based elastomers, polyamides, polyimides, aromatic fluorine polyesters, polyethersulfone, polysulfones, polyacrylates, polycarbonates, poly (styrene-diene) block copolymers, poly (vinyl halides), polyurethanes, poly (urethane acrylates), poly (urethane methacrylates), poly (dimethyl siloxanes), polyetherimides, polymethacrylates, polyolefins, poly (ethylene-acrylate) copolymers, poly (ethylene-methacrylate) copolymers, polyethylene terephthalate, polynaphthalene terephthalate, polydienes, or ionomers.

3. The functional device array as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the patterned lower electrodes is circular and is longitudinally connected as a peapod pattern extending to contact pads on a peripheral region.

4. The functional device array as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the patterned lower electrodes is square and is longitudinally cross-connected as a zigzag pattern extending to contact pads on a peripheral region.

5. The functional device array as claimed in claim 1, wherein edges of the plurality of spacer structures are completely self-aligned with the patterned lower electrodes.

6. The functional device array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the functional device array comprises a sensor device array.

7. The functional device array as claimed in claim 6, wherein the functional structure comprises a layer of pressure sensitive conductive, dielectric, piezoelectric, inductive, or magnetic material.

8. The functional device array as claimed in claim 7, wherein the layer of conductive pressure-sensitive paste comprises a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer, a polyurethane layer, an acrylic rubber layer, a natural rubber layer, a nitrile rubber layer, a styrene butadiene layer, a butadiene acrylonitrile layer, an isoprene butylene butyl layer, a fluoronated hydrocarbon layer, an ethylene vinyl acetate layer, an ethylene propylene diene layer, an ethylene propylene layer, a polybutadiene layer, a polychloroprene layer, a epichlorohydrin layer, a chlorosulphonated polyethylene layer, a polyethylene terephthalate layer or above combining forms.

9. The functional device array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the functional device array comprises a display device array.

10. The functional device array as claimed in claim 9, wherein the functional structure is a layer of a display medium comprising a cholesteric liquid crystal, a polymer network liquid crystal, a polymer dispersed liquid crystal, an electrophoretic medium, fast response liquid phase powders, an electrochromic medium, a guest-host liquid crystal, and a nano-particle dispersed liquid crystal.

11. The functional device array as claimed in claim 9, wherein the patterned upper electrode is a transparent conductive oxide comprising an indium tin oxide (ITO), an aluminum doped zinc oxide, a stibium tin oxide, a gallium doped zinc oxide and carbon nanotube, and conductive polymer.

12. The functional device array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the functional device array comprises a touch controlled device array.

13. The functional device array as claimed in claim 12, wherein the functional structure is a pressure-sensitive layer comprising a conductive, dielectric, piezoelectric, inductive, or magnetic material.

14. The functional device array as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a gap between the patterned lower electrode array and the patterned upper electrode.

15. The functional device array as claimed in claim 12, further comprising an additional pressure-sensitive layer disposed on the patterned lower electrode array.

16. The functional device array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower electrode array is a patterned lower electrode array.

20. The functional device array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower electrode array is a patterned lower electrode array.

17. A functional device array with self-aligned electrode structures, comprising:

a transparent substrate;

an array of first lower electrodes disposed on the transparent substrate;

a patterned insulation layer disposed on the transparent substrate exposing a portion of the first lower electrode;

a patterned second lower electrode disposed on the insulation layer;

a plurality of spacer structures disposed on the transparent substrate and self-aligned with a shadow region between the first lower substrate and the second lower substrate;

a functional structure disposed on a pixel region array defined by the plurality of spacer structures; and

a passivation layer disposed on the patterned upper electrode covering the functional devices.

18. The functional device array as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first lower electrode of each pixel region is circular and is connected to each other along a first direction extending to a peripheral region as contact pads.

19. The functional device array as claimed in claim 17, wherein the second lower electrode is ring-shaped and is connected to each other along a second direction extending to the peripheral region as contact pads.

21. A device structure with self-aligned electrode structures, comprising:

a transparent substrate;

a lower electrode array on the transparent substrate;

a negative photoresist layer on the transparent substrate covering the patterned lower electrode array;

a functional structure on a pixel region array defined by the plurality of spacer structures;

a patterned upper electrode on the functional structure corresponding to the pixel region array; and

a passivation layer on the patterned upper electrode covering the functional devices.

22. The device structure as claimed in claim 21, wherein the transparent substrate comprises a transparentpolyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyetheretherketone, polyethylene naphthalate, blocked isocyanates, silicone based elastomers, polyamides, polyimides, aromatic fluorine polyesters, polyethersulfone, polysulfones, polyacrylates, polycarbonates, poly (styrene-diene) block copolymers, poly (vinyl halides), polyurethanes, poly (urethane acrylates), poly (urethane methacrylates), poly (dimethyl siloxanes), polyetherimides, polymethacrylates, polyolefins, poly (ethylene-acrylate) copolymers, poly (ethylene-methacrylate) copolymers, polyethylene terephthalate, polynaphthalene terephthalate, polydienes, or ionomer substrate.

23. The device structure as claimed in claim 21, wherein each of the patterned lower electrodes is circular and is longitudinally connected as a peapod pattern extending to contact pads on a peripheral region.

24. The device structure as claimed in claim 21, wherein each of the patterned lower electrodes is square and is longitudinally cross-connected as a zigzag pattern extending to contact pads on a peripheral region.

25. The device structure as claimed in claim 21, wherein formation of the functional structure on a pixel region array is performed by screen-printing the functional structure.

26. The device structure as claimed in claim 21, wherein formation of the functional structure on a pixel region array comprises printing a display medium.

27. The device structure as claimed in claim 26, wherein the display medium comprises a cholesteric liquid crystal, a polymer network liquid crystal, a polymer dispersed liquid crystal, an electrophoretic medium, fast response liquid phase powders, a electrochromic medium, a guest-host liquid crystal, and a nano-particle dispersed liquid crystal.

28. The device structure as claimed in claim 21, wherein the patterned upper electrode comprises a transparent conductive oxide comprising an indium tin oxide (ITO), an aluminum doped zinc oxide, a stibium tin oxide, a gallium doped zinc oxide, carbon nanotube, and conductive polymer.

29. The device structure as claimed in claim 21, wherein the lower electrode array is a patterned lower electrode array.

34. The structure as claimed in claim 28, further comprising forming an additional piezoresistive layer disposed on the patterned lower electrode array.

30. A device structure with self-aligned electrode structures, comprising:

a transparent substrate;

an array of first lower electrodes on the transparent substrate;

a patterned insulation later on the transparent substrate exposing a portion of the first electrode;

a second lower electrode on the insulation later;

a negative photoresist layer on the transparent substrate covering the first and the second lower electrodes;

a functional structure on pixel region array defined by the plurality of spacer structures; and

a passivation layer on the patterned upper electrode covering the functional devices.

31. The device structure as claimed in claim 30, wherein the first lower electrode array is a patterned first lower electrode array.

32. The device structure as claimed in claim 31, wherein the second lower electrode array is a patterned second lower electrode array.

33. A structure with self-aligned electrode structures, comprising:

a transparent substrate;

a lower electrode array on the transparent substrate;

a negative photoresist layer on the transparent substrate covering the patterned lower electrode array;

a sacrificial layer overlying the spacer structures and the patterned lower electrodes;

a pressure-sensitive layer on the sacrificial layer;

a patterned upper electrode on the piezoresistive layer corresponding to the pixel region array; and

a passivation layer on the patterned upper electrode covering the functional devices.

35. A device structure with self-aligned electrode structures, comprising:

a transparent substrate;

a lower electrode array on the transparent substrate;

a negative photoresist layer on the transparent substrate covering the patterned lower electrode array;

a backside exposure and using the patterned lower electrode array as a photomask to define a plurality of spacer structures at a gap between the patterned lower electrodes and self-aligned with the patterned lower electrode array;

a piezoresistive layer on the patterned lower electrode array;

a sacrificial layer overlying the spacer structures and the piezoresistive layer;

a patterned upper electrode on the piezoresistive layer corresponding to the pixel region array;

the sacrificial layer; and

a passivation layer on the patterned upper electrode covering the functional devices.