Flexible display device and method for manufacturing the same

A method for manufacturing a flexible display device comprising:

• forming a substrate defined by a display area and a non-display area being an outer region of the display area and including a link area and a pad area, using a flexible material;
• forming an anti-etching layer in at least a part including the bending area of the non-display area on the substrate;
• forming a buffer film over the surface of the substrate in which the anti-etching layer is formed;
• forming a gate insulation film over the surface of the buffer film;
• forming gate lines in the display area on the gate insulation film;
• forming an interlayer insulation film over the entire surface of the gate insulation film such that the interlayer insulation film covers the gate lines;
• forming a first bending hole exposing at least a part of the anti-etching layer, the first bending hole passing through at least one of the buffer film, the gate insulation film and the interlayer insulation film in a bending area, wherein the bending area bends such that the pad area of the non-display area is disposed on the lower surface of the substrate;
• forming data lines and a plurality of links, wherein the data lines are formed in the display area on the interlayer insulation film such that the data lines cross the gate lines, and;
• forming a plurality of links, wherein the plurality of links are connected to signal lines selected from the gate lines and the data lines in the linking area on the interlayer insulation film;
• forming a protective film over the surface of the interlayer insulation film such that the protective film covers the data lines and the links;
• forming a plurality of pads connected to the links and connected to an exterior circuit to supply a driving signal to the signal line on the protective film;
• and
• bending the bending area such that the pads are disposed on the back side of the surface of the substrate,
• wherein each of the links includes a portion overlapping with the first bending hole in the bending area, and
• wherein each of the links directly contacts at least a part of the anti-etching layer exposed through the first bending hole in the bending area.