Flexible array substrate, manufacturing method thereof, and display panel

1. A flexible array substrate, comprising: a flexible substrate, wherein the flexible array substrate is divided into a non-bent area and a bent area, the flexible substrate extends from the non-bent area to the bent area, and the flexible substrate located in the bent area has a patterned structure;

wherein the flexible substrate comprises a first flexible sub-substrate, an inorganic layer, and a second flexible sub-substrate all laminated with each other in sequence; and the first flexible sub-substrate in the bent area configured with a groove being concave towards the inorganic layer such that a thickness of the flexible substrate in the bent area is less than a thickness of the flexible substrate in the non-bent area.

2. The flexible array substrate of claim 1 , wherein the flexible substrate located in the bent area has a thickness less than a thickness of the flexible substrate located in the non-bent area.

3. The flexible array substrate of claim 1 , wherein the groove has an opening being rectangular in shape, inverted trapezoidal in shape, or semi-cylindrical in shape.

4. A method of manufacturing the flexible array substrate of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises steps of:

(1) providing a supporting substrate, and forming a filling layer by coating an organic material on the supporting substrate;

(2) depositing a release layer on the filling layer, and patterning the filling layer and the release layer located in the bent area;

(3) covering the supporting substrate and the release layer with a first flexible sub-substrate;

(4) depositing an inorganic layer on the first flexible sub-substrate, and forming the second flexible sub-substrate on the inorganic layer;

(5) forming a thin-film transistor layer on the second flexible sub-substrate; and

(6) separating, by utilizing a laser lift-off technique, the supporting substrate and the first flexible sub-substrate.

5. The manufacturing method of claim 4 , wherein in the step (1), the organic material is one of polyethylene terephthalate and polycarbonate.

6. The manufacturing method of claim 4 , wherein in the step (1), the organic material used for the filling layer has a viscosity of 1000 to 3000 mPa′sec and a thermal decomposition temperature of more than 450 degrees.

7. The manufacturing method of claim 4 , wherein in the step (2), the release layer is made of silicon dioxide or silicon nitride.

8. The manufacturing method of claim 4 , wherein in the step (4), the inorganic layer is a silicon dioxide structure or a stacked structure of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride.

9. A display panel, comprising the flexible array substrate of claim 1 .