Inspection system for active matrix panel, inspection method for active matrix panel and manufacturing method for active matrix OLED panel
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsDalju Nakano, Yoshitami Sakaguchi
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Abstract
An inspection system for inspecting characteristics of an active matrix panel before formation of OLEDs includes: a roller contact probe having a conductive material on at least a surface thereof and sequentially contacting pixel electrodes formed on the active matrix panel while rotating; probe control circuits having capability to apply a voltage necessary for measurement to TFT arrays including pixel electrodes with which the roller contact probe is in contact; and a computer measuring currents flowing through the TFT arrays to which a voltage is applied and statistically processing the measurement results.
Claims14
An active matrix panel inspection system for inspecting characteristics of an active matrix panel before formation of OLEDs (Organic Light Emitting Diodes), said active matrix panel inspection system comprising:
- a rotatable probe having a conductive material in at least a surface thereof and sequentially contacting pixel electrodes formed on said active matrix panel while rotating;
- voltage application means for applying a voltage necessary for measurement to TFT (Thin Film Transistor) arrays including pixel electrodes with which said rotatable probe is in contact;
- and
- current measurement means for measuring currents flowing through said TFT arrays to which a voltage is applied by said voltage application means.
An active matrix panel inspection method for inspecting an active matrix panel before formation of OLEDs (Organic Light Emitting Diodes), said method comprising:
- rotating a rotatable probe controlled so as to electrically serve as a power supply or a GND (ground) and of causing said rotatable probe to sequentially contact pixel electrodes of pixels to be measured on said active matrix panel;
- scanning select lines provided to select lines on said active matrix panel;
- applying a measurement voltage to data lines synchronizing with the scanning of said select lines;
- and
- observing current flowing through a driver TFT (Thin Film Transistor) of said pixel to be measured, said pixel allowing said measurement voltage to be applied thereto.
An active matrix panel inspection method for inspecting an active matrix panel before formation of OLEDs (Organic Light Emitting Diodes), said method comprising:
- causing a probe to sequentially contact pixel electrodes of pixels to be measured on said active matrix panel;
- obtaining measurement results from measuring a plurality of times current flowing through said pixel, to be measured, which said probe contacts;
- detecting abnormalities using results obtained from said plurality of measurements;
- and
- statistically processing said results of measurements and determining whether said detected abnormalities are due to defects in said pixels to be measured or due to defects in said probe.
A method for manufacturing an active matrix OLED panel, said method comprising:
- producing an active matrix panel by forming TFT (Thin Film Transistor) arrays on a substrate;
- inspecting functions of said produced active matrix panel;
- and
- mounting OLEDs (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) on an active matrix panel determined to be non-defective in said inspection step, wherein said inspecting includes rotating a rotatable probe made of a conductive material, causing said rotatable probe to sequentially contact pixel electrodes of pixels to be measured on said active matrix panel, and by inspecting functions based on the observing of currents flowing through said pixels, to be measured, constituting said active matrix panel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.