FIELD OF INVENTION

Embodiments of the present application relate to a technical field of quantum dots, and in particular, to a method of patterning quantum dots, a device using same, and a system thereof.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Size of structural units of nanomaterials ranges from 1 nanometer to 100 nanometers, which is close to a coherence length of electrons, and nanomaterial properties are greatly changed due to self-organization brought by strong coherence. Moreover, scale of the nanomaterials is close to a wavelength of light, and they possess volume effect, surface effect, quantum size effect, and macroscopic quantum tunneling effect. Therefore, they have unique properties in melting point, magnetism, optics, thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, etc., making them have important application value in many fields.

Quantum dots (QDs) are a typical type of nanomaterials, which have characteristics of small size and high energy conversion efficiency. They have very important application prospects in fields of lighting, display technology, solar cells, optical switches, sensing, and detection. Moreover, the quantum dots also have characteristics of high brightness, narrow emission, adjustable light emission color, good stability, etc., which are in line with the development trend of ultra-thin, bright, high color gamut, and high color saturation in the field of display technology. Therefore, quantum dots have become the most promising new material for display technology in recent years.

Development of patterning technology of nano-materials such as quantum dots has important value for their application in the fields of LED, display technology, solar cells, optical switches, sensing, and detection. At present, the technology of patterning quantum dots mainly includes inkjet printing and photolithography. Among them, heating, ultraviolet curing, and washing developer in the photolithography process will affect stability of the quantum dots, while ink requirements of the inkjet printing process are too high and without mature and stable mass production material system at present, repeatability is poor, and preparation time is long. Therefore, inkjet printing and photolithography all greatly restrict development and application of patterning quantum dots.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

The present application provides a method of patterning quantum dots, device using same, and system thereof to solve problems of affect stability of the quantum dots that heating, ultraviolet curing, and developer washing of the photolithography process in conventional patterning quantum dot technology, and technical problems of ink requirements too high, poor repeatability, and long preparation time of the inkjet printing process.

Technical Solution

Embodiments of the present application provide a method of patterning quantum dots, device using same, and system thereof.

In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a method of patterning quantum dots. The method of patterning the quantum dots includes following steps: providing a base, wherein a lower electrode substrate is arranged in parallel below the base, and a plurality of lower electrodes are provided on an upper surface of the lower electrode substrate; arranging an upper electrode substrate in parallel above the base, wherein a plurality of upper electrodes opposite to the lower electrodes are provided on a lower surface of the upper electrode substrate; coating a quantum dot solution on an upper surface of the base, and powering the upper electrodes and the lower electrodes to make the quantum dot solution gather between the upper electrodes and the lower electrodes; and evaporating the quantum dot solution to form a patterned quantum dot thin film on the upper surface of the base.

In some embodiments, before the step of providing the base, the method further comprises providing a foundation, and arranging the base above the foundation through support posts.

In some embodiments, the step of evaporating the quantum dot solution comprises heating, vacuuming, or ultraviolet curing the quantum dot solution to volatilize the quantum dot solution to form the patterned quantum dot thin film.

In some embodiments, a thickness of the base is less than 0.5 mm.

In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a device of patterning quantum dots, the device of patterning quantum dots includes a lower electrode substrate, a plurality of lower electrodes, a base, a plurality of upper electrodes, and an upper electrode substrate arranged sequentially from bottom to top; wherein the upper electrodes are provided on a lower surface of the upper electrode substrate, the lower electrodes are provided on an upper surface of the lower electrode substrate, the upper electrodes and the lower electrodes are arranged opposite to each other, an upper surface of the base is coated with a quantum dot solution, and the quantum dot solution is interposed between the upper electrodes and the lower electrodes.

In some embodiments, the device of patterning the quantum dots further comprising a foundation and support posts, wherein the base is disposed above the foundation through the support posts, and the lower electrode substrate is positioned above the foundation.

In some embodiments, the upper electrodes and the lower electrodes comprise same cross-sections and one-to-one correspondence, the upper electrodes are electrically connected to each other through a plurality of traces other than the upper electrode substrate, and the lower electrodes are electrically connected to each other through a plurality of traces other than the lower electrode substrate.

In some embodiments, the upper electrodes and the lower electrodes comprise different cross sections and horizontal projections partially overlap, the upper electrodes are powered by the upper electrode substrate, and the lower electrodes are powered by the lower electrode substrate.

In some embodiments, the upper electrodes are electrically connected to each other through a plurality of first traces on the lower surface of the upper electrode substrate, the lower electrodes are electrically connected to each other through a plurality of second traces on the upper surface of the lower electrode substrate, and directions of the first traces and the second traces are different.

In some embodiments, the first traces and the second traces are perpendicular to each other.

In some embodiments, diameters of the first traces and the second traces are both less than 200 μm.

In some embodiments, a thickness of the base is less than 0.5 mm.

In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a system of patterning quantum dots including a device of patterning quantum dots as described above, a power supply, and an evaporation device, wherein the power supply is used to apply voltage to a plurality of upper electrodes and a plurality of lower electrodes, and the evaporation device is used to evaporate the quantum dot solution. The device of patterning quantum dots comprises a lower electrode substrate, a plurality of lower electrodes, a base, a plurality of upper electrodes, and an upper electrode substrate arranged sequentially from bottom to top, and wherein the upper electrodes are provided on a lower surface of the upper electrode substrate, the lower electrodes are provided on an upper surface of the lower electrode substrate, the upper electrodes and the lower electrodes are arranged opposite to each other, an upper surface of the base is coated with a quantum dot solution, and the quantum dot solution is interposed between the upper electrodes and the lower electrodes.

In some embodiment, the device of patterning quantum dots further comprises a foundation and support posts, the base is disposed above the foundation through the support posts, and the lower electrode substrate is positioned above the foundation.

In some embodiment, the upper electrodes and the lower electrodes comprise same cross-sections and one-to-one correspondence, the upper electrodes are electrically connected to each other through a plurality of traces other than the upper electrode substrate, and the lower electrodes are electrically connected to each other through a plurality of traces other than the lower electrode substrate.

In some embodiment, the upper electrodes and the lower electrodes comprise different cross sections and horizontal projections partially overlap, the upper electrodes are powered by the upper electrode substrate, and the lower electrodes are powered by the lower electrode substrate.

In some embodiment, the upper electrodes are electrically connected to each other through a plurality of first traces on the lower surface of the upper electrode substrate, the lower electrodes are electrically connected to each other through a plurality of second traces on the upper surface of the lower electrode substrate, and directions of the first traces and the second traces are different.

In some embodiment, the first traces and the second traces are perpendicular to each other.

In some embodiment, diameters of the first traces and the second traces are both less than 200 μm.

In some embodiment, a thickness of the base is less than 0.5 mm.

Beneficial Effect

Embodiments of the present application provide a method of patterning quantum dots, a device using same, and a system thereof. By powering the upper electrodes and the lower electrodes to form an electric field between the upper electrodes and the lower electrodes, quantum dot solution is gathered between the upper electrodes and the lower electrodes according to an electric field distribution. Subsequently, the quantum dot solution is deposited into a film by evaporation of a solvent, and a patterned quantum dot thin film is obtained on the base. The embodiments of the present application do not require special treatment on the base, such as processing patterned electrodes on the base, a patterned quantum dot thin film can be obtained, and requirement of a formulation system of the quantum dot solution is low. The method is simple and suitable for large-scale production, and widespread application of patterned quantum dots can be enhanced.

