Direct drive display with a multi-layer backplane and process for its manufacture

1. A process for the manufacture of a backplane for a direct drive display, which process comprises:

(a) forming a first conductive layer on a substrate layer in a non-edge patterned area, an edge patterned area surrounding the non-edge patterned area and a lead line area;

(b) printing or coating a non-conductive layer in the edge patterned area, the lead line area and the background area, but not in the non-edge patterned area; and

(c) printing or coating a second conductive layer in the non-edge patterned area, the lead line area and the background area, but not in the edge patterned area.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein step (a) is carried out by a photolithographic method.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein step (a) is carried out by a positive image printing method which comprises printing the non-edge patterned area, the edge patterned area and the lead line area with an ink or printable material, covering the substrate layer with a conductive material and removing the conductive material which is not in the non-edge patterned area, the edge patterned area and the lead line area.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein step (a) is carried out by a negative image printing method which comprises printing an area which is not in the non-edge patterned area, the edge patterned area and the lead line area with an ink or printable material, covering the substrate layer with a conductive material and removing the ink or printing material and the conductive material which are not in the non-edge patterned area, the edge patterned area and the lead line area.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein step (a) is carried out by a direct printing method.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the first conductive layer is formed from a metal conductive material.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein the metal conductive material is aluminum, copper, zinc, tin, molybdenum, nickel, chromium, silver, gold, iron, indium, thallium, titanium, tantalum, tungsten, rhodium, palladium, platinum or cobalt.

8. The process of claim 6 wherein the metal conductive material is aluminum or copper.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein the first conductive layer is formed from a metal oxide conductive material.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein the first conductive layer is formed by sputtering, vapor deposition or spraying.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein step (b) is carried out by screen, flexographic or gravure printing.

12. The process of claim 1 wherein step (b) is carried out by screen printing.

13. The process of claim 1 wherein the non-conductive material is selected from the group consisting of acetates, acrylics, acetal resins, polycarbonates, melamines, neoprene rubbers, polyesters, polyolefins, polystyrenes, polyurethanes, polyvinylchlorides, and thermoplastic materials such as polysulfones, polyetherimides, polyamideimides and polyphenylenes and a plastic material formed from acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene.

14. The process of claim 1 wherein step (c) is carried out by screen, flexographic or gravure printing.

15. The process of claim 1 wherein step (c) is carried out by screen printing.

16. The process of claim 1 wherein the second conductive layer is formed from a conductive paste.

17. The process of claim 16 wherein the conductive paste is silver or copper conductive paste.

18. A process for the manufacture of a direct drive display, which process comprises:

(a) forming the backplane according to the process of claim 1 ,

(b) forming a display cell layer on the multi-layer backplane, and

(c) laminating a common electrode layer over the display cell layer.

19. A process for the manufacture of a direct drive display, which process comprises:

(a) forming a display cell layer over a common electrode layer,

(b) forming the backplane according to the process of claim 1 , and

(c) laminating the multi-layer backplane over the display cell layer.

20. A process for the manufacture of a backplane for a direct drive display, which process comprises:

(a) forming a first conductive layer on a substrate layer in a non-edge patterned area and a lead line area;

(b) printing or coating a non-conductive layer in an edge patterned area surrounding the non-edge patterned area, the lead line area and the background area, but not in the non-edge patterned area; and

(c) printing or coating a second conductive layer in the non-edge patterned area, the lead line area and the background area, but not in the edge patterned area.

21. The process of claim 20 wherein step (a) is carried out by a photolithographic method.

22. The process of claim 20 wherein step (a) is carried out by a positive image printing method which comprises printing the non-edge patterned area and the lead line area with an ink or printable material, covering the substrate layer with a conductive material and removing the conductive material which is not in the non-edge patterned area and the lead line area.

23. The process of claim 20 wherein step (a) is carried out by a negative image printing method which comprises printing an area which is not in the non-edge patterned area and the lead line area with an ink or printable material, covering the substrate layer with a conductive material and removing the ink or printing material and the conductive material which are not in the non-edge patterned area and the lead line area.

24. The process of claim 20 wherein step (a) is carried out by a direct printing method.

25. The process of claim 20 wherein the first conductive layer is formed from a metal conductive material.

26. The process of claim 25 wherein the metal conductive material is aluminum, copper, zinc, tin, molybdenum, nickel, chromium, silver, gold, iron, indium, thallium, titanium, tantalum, tungsten, rhodium, palladium, platinum or cobalt.

27. The process of claim 25 wherein the metal conductive material is aluminum or copper.

28. The process of claim 20 wherein the first conductive layer is formed from a metal oxide conductive material.

29. The process of claim 20 wherein the first conductive layer is formed by sputtering, vapor deposition or spraying.

30. The process of claim 20 wherein step (b) is carried out by screen, flexographic or gravure printing.

31. The process of claim 20 wherein step (b) is carried out by screen printing.

32. The process of claim 20 wherein the non-conductive material is selected from the group consisting of acetates, acrylics, acetal resins, polycarbonates, melamines, neoprene rubbers, polyesters, polyolefins, polystyrenes, polyurethanes, polyvinylchlorides, and thermoplastic materials such as polysulfones, polyetherimides, polyamideimides and polyphenylenes and a plastic material formed from acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene.

33. The process of claim 20 wherein step (c) is carried out by screen, flexographic or gravure printing.

34. The process of claim 20 wherein step (c) is carried out by screen printing.

35. The process of claim 20 wherein the second conductive layer is formed from a conductive paste.

36. The process of claim 35 wherein the conductive paste is silver or copper conductive paste.

37. A process for the manufacture of a direct drive display, which process comprises:

(a) forming the backplane according to the process of claim 20 ,

(b) forming a display cell layer on the multi-layer backplane, and

(c) laminating a common electrode layer over the display cell layer.

38. A process for the manufacture of a direct drive display, which process comprises:

(a) forming a display cell layer over a common electrode layer,

(b) forming the backplane according to the process of claim 20 , and

(c) laminating the multi-layer backplane over the display cell layer.