Electrowetting display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
A manufacturing method of an electrowetting display apparatus, in which a pixel electrode is formed on a substrate including pixel areas, a first mixture including a hydrophobic material and a solvent is disposed on the substrate to form a hydrophobic insulating layer, and a first heat process is performed to remove a portion of the solvent. Then, a second mixture including a material for a barrier and the solvent is disposed on the hydrophobic insulating layer, and the second mixture is patterned to form a barrier wall surrounding the pixel electrode in each pixel area. A second heat process is performed to remove the solvent in the hydrophobic insulating layer and the barrier wall, and a polar fluid and a non-polar fluid are disposed on the pixel electrode to form an electrowetting layer.
1. An electrowetting display apparatus comprising:
a first substrate comprising a base substrate comprising a plurality of pixel areas, a plurality of pixel electrodes spaced apart from each other and respectively disposed in the plurality of pixel areas, and a hydrophobic insulating layer disposed on the plurality of pixel electrodes, wherein the hydrophobic insulating layer comprises a hydrophobic organic resin and a hydrophobic inorganic particle;
a solvent disposed with the hydrophobic insulating layer, wherein the solvent is capable of at least partially dissolving the hydrophobic insulating layer at temperatures at or above a boiling point of the solvent;
a second substrate facing the first substrate and comprising a common electrode;
an electrowetting layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and comprising a first fluid and a second fluid; and
a barrier wall disposed between the plurality of pixel areas and on the hydrophobic insulating layer, wherein the barrier wall comprises a photosensitive resin and an additive.
2. The electrowetting display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the barrier wall surrounds the plurality of pixel areas.
3. The electrowetting display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic organic resin comprises at least one of a fluoropolymer, a poly(p-xylylene) polymer, a polypropylene-based resin, and a siloxane-based resin.
4. The electrowetting display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic inorganic particle comprises at least one of SiO2, Al2O3, ZnO, TiO2, and BST.
5. The electrowetting display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pixel electrode comprises a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer disposed on the first conductive layer, the first conductive layer comprising one of a transparent conductive oxide and a metal, and the second conductive layer comprising the other one of the transparent conductive oxide and the metal.
6. A method of manufacturing an electrowetting display apparatus, comprising:
forming a pixel electrode on a substrate comprising pixel areas, the pixel electrode being formed in individual ones of the pixel areas;
disposing a first mixture comprising a hydrophobic material and a solvent on the substrate to form a hydrophobic insulating layer;
performing a first heat process on the hydrophobic insulating layer;
disposing a second mixture comprising a material for a barrier and the solvent on the hydrophobic insulating layer;
patterning the second mixture to form a barrier wall surrounding the pixel electrodes in individual ones of the pixel areas;
performing a second heat process; and
disposing a first fluid and a second fluid on the pixel electrode to form an electrowetting layer.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first heat process is performed in a temperature range from a boiling point of the solvent to a temperature higher than the boiling point by about 10 degrees or less.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein after performing the first heat process, a residual amount of the solvent in the hydrophobic insulating layer is about 1 wt % to about 99 wt % of a total amount of the solvent contained in the first mixture.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the hydrophobic material comprises a hydrophobic organic resin and a hydrophobic inorganic particle.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the hydrophobic organic resin comprises at least one of a fluoropolymer, a poly(p-xylylene) polymer, a polypropylene-based resin, and a siloxane-based resin.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the hydrophobic inorganic particle comprises at least one of SiO2, Al2O3, ZnO, TiO2, and BST.
12. The method of claim 6 , wherein the solvent comprises an organic solvent.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the solvent comprises a perflourinated solvent.
14. The method of claim 6 , wherein the material for the barrier wall comprises a photosensitive resin and an additive.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the solvent contained in the second mixture is about 10 wt % or less of a total amount of the second mixture.
16. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pixel electrode comprises a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer disposed on the first conductive layer, the first conductive layer comprising one of a transparent conductive oxide and a metal material, and the second conductive layer comprising the other one of the transparent conductive oxide and the metal material.
17. The electrowetting display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid comprises a polar fluid and the second fluid comprises a non-polar fluid.
18. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first fluid comprises a polar fluid and the second fluid comprises a non-polar fluid.
19. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first heat process removes a portion of the solvent.
20. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second heat process removes the solvent in the hydrophobic insulating layer and the barrier wall.