KR-102962476-B1 - PATTERN ELECTRODE STRUCTURE FOR ELECTRO-WETTING APPARATUS

KR102962476B1KR 102962476 B1KR102962476 B1KR 102962476B1KR-102962476-B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pattern electrode structure for an electro-wetting device that is laminated between a base material and a dielectric layer, comprising a first electrode connecting portion, a first base pattern electrode connected to the first electrode connecting portion, and a plurality of first upper branch electrodes connected to the first base pattern electrode, and a second electrode connecting portion, a second base pattern electrode connected to the second electrode connecting portion, and a plurality of second upper branch electrodes connected to the second base pattern electrode, and comprising a second electrode portion having a polarity different from that of the first electrode portion, wherein the second base pattern electrode is formed to extend across the width direction of the plane of the pattern electrode structure. According to the present invention, self-cleaning performance can be more efficiently exhibited even in an electro-wetting device with a small angle of inclination in the application environment.

Inventors

한광준
한재민
조병규

Assignees

현대자동차주식회사
기아 주식회사

Dates

Publication Date: 20260508
Application Date: 20211210

Claims (15)

As a patterned electrode structure laminated between a base material and a dielectric layer of an electro-wetting device, A first electrode portion comprising a first electrode connection portion, a first base pattern electrode connected to the first electrode connection portion, and a plurality of first upper branch electrodes connected to the first base pattern electrode; and It includes a second electrode connection part, a second base pattern electrode connected to the second electrode connection part, and a plurality of second upper branch electrodes connected to the second base pattern electrode, and includes a second electrode part having a polarity different from that of the first electrode part. The second base pattern electrode is characterized by being formed to extend across the central region of the plane of the pattern electrode structure along the width direction. Patterned electrode structure for an electrowetting device.
In claim 1, The above second base pattern electrode is characterized by being formed at a height corresponding to the lower boundary of the ROI (Region of Interest) of the electrowetting device. Patterned electrode structure for an electrowetting device.
In claim 2, The first upper branch electrode and the second upper branch electrode are formed in an upper region separated by the second base pattern electrode, formed along the vertical direction of the pattern electrode structure, and are characterized by being formed alternately and parallel to each other in the horizontal direction. Patterned electrode structure for an electrowetting device.
In claim 3, The above-mentioned first electrode part further includes a first lower branch electrode, and The above-mentioned second electrode part further includes a second lower branch electrode, and The first lower branch electrode and the second lower branch electrode are formed in a lower region separated by the second base pattern electrode, are formed along the vertical direction of the pattern electrode structure, and are characterized by being formed alternately and parallel to each other in the horizontal direction. Patterned electrode structure for an electrowetting device.
In claim 4, The first upper branch electrode and the second lower branch electrode are formed side by side, and the second upper branch electrode and the first lower branch electrode are formed side by side, characterized in that Patterned electrode structure for an electrowetting device.
In claim 3, Formed at the lower part of the above-mentioned second base pattern electrode, and A drawing electrode further comprising a drawing electrode formed to extend across the width direction of the plane of the pattern electrode structure, Patterned electrode structure for an electrowetting device.
In claim 6, The drawing electrode is characterized by being connected to the first electrode connection part. Patterned electrode structure for an electrowetting device.
As a patterned electrode structure laminated between a base material and a dielectric layer of an electro-wetting device, A first electrode portion comprising a first electrode connection portion, a first base pattern electrode connected to the first electrode connection portion, and a plurality of first upper branch electrodes connected to the first base pattern electrode; A second electrode portion comprising a second electrode connection portion, a second base pattern electrode connected to the second electrode connection portion, and a plurality of second upper branch electrodes connected to the second base pattern electrode, and having a polarity different from that of the first electrode portion; and It includes a third electrode connection portion and a third branch electrode connected to the third electrode connection portion, and includes a third electrode portion formed downward of the second base pattern electrode. The second base pattern electrode is characterized by being formed to extend across the width direction of the plane of the pattern electrode structure. Patterned electrode structure for an electrowetting device.
In claim 8, The above second base pattern electrode is characterized by being formed at a height corresponding to the lower boundary of the ROI (Region of Interest) of the electrowetting device. Patterned electrode structure for an electrowetting device.
In claim 9, The first upper branch electrode and the second upper branch electrode are formed in an upper region separated by the second base pattern electrode, formed along the vertical direction of the pattern electrode structure, and are characterized by being formed alternately and parallel to each other in the horizontal direction. Patterned electrode structure for an electrowetting device.
In claim 10, The third branch electrode is characterized by being formed to extend downward from the second base pattern electrode and across along the width direction of the plane of the pattern electrode structure. Patterned electrode structure for an electrowetting device.
In claim 11, The third electrode portion is characterized by having a polarity different from that of the second electrode portion. Patterned electrode structure for an electrowetting device.
In claim 11, The fourth electrode part further includes a fourth electrode connecting part and a fourth branch electrode connected to the fourth electrode connecting part, and The fourth branch electrode is characterized by being formed to extend downward from the third branch electrode and across along the width direction of the plane of the pattern electrode structure. Patterned electrode structure for an electrowetting device.
In claim 10, The third electrode portion further includes a third base pattern electrode connected to the third electrode connection portion, and The third electrode portion has a polarity different from that of the second electrode portion, and The third branch electrode is formed to extend downward from the second base pattern electrode and across along the width direction of the plane of the pattern electrode structure, and Characterized by branching from the above-mentioned third base pattern electrode and forming a plurality of them spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction. Patterned electrode structure for an electrowetting device.
In claim 14, A fourth electrode connection part, a fourth base pattern electrode connected to the fourth electrode connection part, and a fourth branch electrode connected to the fourth base pattern electrode, and further comprising a fourth electrode part having a polarity different from that of the third electrode part. The fourth branch electrode is characterized by branching off from the fourth base pattern electrode and forming a plurality of them along the width direction of the pattern electrode structure, and being formed by being disposed between a plurality of the third branch electrodes. Patterned electrode structure for an electrowetting device.

Description

Patterned Electrode Structure for Electro-Wetting Apparatus The present invention relates to an electrode structure having a pattern structure utilizing an electro-wetting technology phenomenon. The electro-wetting phenomenon refers to the phenomenon of "change in the contact angle between a solid and an electrolyte due to the potential difference between the solid and the electrolyte." By utilizing this phenomenon, the surface tension of a droplet placed on an electrode coated with an insulator can be controlled, thereby enabling the control of deformation/movement of microfluids on a scale of microliters or smaller. In addition, since no separate external drive unit is required for operation, the lightweight design of application products is possible. Furthermore, because the insulator coated on the electrodes restricts current flow, power consumption is low and response speed is fast, attracting significant interest in various industrial fields. Examples of industrial applications of electrowetting include lab-on-a-chip devices, fluid lenses, and displays, which are next-generation electronic devices utilizing methods different from conventional ones. In addition, since it is possible to move, deform, or remove droplets formed on glass using an electro-wetting device, it is possible to remove rainwater, dew, etc. by mounting it on vehicle windshields, side mirrors, cameras, etc. The present invention is a self-cleaning technology utilizing the electrowetting phenomenon. The 'electrowetting self-cleaning device' has a structure and function capable of periodically/repeatedly applying direct current or alternating current to the surface of a substrate. When a 'polar fluid drop (sessile drop)' is placed on the surface of an 'electrowetting self-cleaning device', the 'polar fluid drop' can receive attractive and repulsive forces due to the electric field formed on the surface of the substrate. Therefore, when the applied voltage is direct current, the 'polar fluid droplet' can be drawn along the direction of the electric field, and when the applied voltage is alternating current, the 'polar fluid droplet' can oscillate due to changes in the periodic electric field. The technology utilizing alternating current is a method that generates vibrations in 'polar fluid droplets' and causes them to fall by reducing the fixation force of the fluid droplets located on the device surface. That is, before voltage is applied (when the fluid droplet adheres to the surface), the force relationship is gravity = fixing force (friction + viscosity + reaction force due to contact angle hysteresis), and after voltage is applied (when the fluid droplet begins to slide), gravity > fixing force (friction + viscosity + reaction force due to contact angle hysteresis↓), so the fluid droplet is dropped. Here, Contact Angle Hysteresis (CAH) refers to a phenomenon in which the contact angle falls within a specific range due to solid surface heterogeneity or external factors. FIG. 1 is a basic electrowetting self-cleaning device in which an electrode layer (10), a dielectric layer (30), and a water-repellent layer (40) are laminated on a base material glass (20). The base material (20) is not limited to any specific type, but transparent glass may be used to mount it on a product that transmits visible light, such as a camera. The electrode layer (10) should be located at the bottom of the dielectric layer as a transparent electrode pattern layer, and the higher the electrical conductivity, the more advantageous it is for performance. Although it is not strictly necessary to be transparent, transparent electrodes must be used for mounting on products that transmit visible light. Representative materials include oxide-based ITO, polymer-based PEDOT:PSS, and oxide-polymer composite FTO. The dielectric layer (30) can improve performance as it has a high dielectric constant and a thin thickness, and its durability and lifespan are improved as it has high dielectric breakdown strength and fewer defects. The more uniform, homogeneous, and continuous it is, the smaller the variation in performance and durability. The dielectric layer (30) can be composed of a single layer or a multi-layer, and representative materials include oxide/nitride systems such as SiO2/TiO2/Al2O3/CeO2/HfO2/ZrO2/ZnO/SiON/Si3N4 and polymer systems such as Parylene-C, COP, and PMMA. Deposition methods include wet methods (Spray, Spin-coating, Ink-jet, etc.) and dry methods (E-beam, Sputtering, CVD, etc.). The water-repellent layer (40) is not an essential element and can be omitted if the outermost layer of the dielectric layer has a sufficiently high contact angle. Fluorine compounds are used as representative materials, and coating is performed using methods such as E-beam spin coating. If the size of the fluid droplet is equal to or smaller than the width of the electrode currently located, the electromagnetic force from the adjacent electrode is weakened, and the vibra