In example implementations, a display is provided. The display includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes a first plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) that emit light in a first direction. The second portion includes a combination of the first plurality of LEDs that emit light in the first direction and a second plurality of LEDs that emit light in a second direction that is opposite the first direction to form a dual-sided display.

BACKGROUND

Displays can be used in various types of electronic devices. For example, displays can be used to provide information or graphics as part of a laptop computer, desktop computer, a tablet device, and the like. The display can be controlled by a graphics processor to generate images associated with a program or computer implemented instructions. The display may be directed towards a user to provide the information or graphics generated by the display to the user.

Various different technologies can be used to manufacture the display. The display can be a cathode ray tube (CRT) display, a thin-film-transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD), and the like.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Examples described herein provide a dual-sided display and methods for fabricating the same. As discussed above, a display can be used in various different electronic devices and can be fabricated from different materials. Current displays are generally one sided and emit light or images in a single direction (e.g., a direction facing a user).

In some instances some users may desire to have information displayed even when the display is closed (e.g., when a display is part of a clam-shell laptop or electronic device). Some solutions deploy two separate or independent displays. For example, a first display may face the user when the device is open and a second display may be on a backside of the first display to display information when the electronic device is closed. However, using two separate displays can add costs to building the electronic device, or take up valuable space causing the device to be thicker in an era when devices are getting thinner and thinner.

Examples described herein provide a display that includes a portion that is a dual-sided display. For example, a first portion of the display may be a single-sided display (e.g., emits light or images towards a user). A second portion of the display may be a dual-sided display that can emit light or images in a first direction towards a user and in a second direction that is opposite the first direction, away from the user. The first portion and the second portion of the display can be fabricated on a single substrate. Thus, a single display can include a portion that performs as a dual-sided display.

FIG. 1illustrates an apparatus100when the apparatus100is in an open position. The apparatus100may be a laptop computer or any type of electronic device that has clam-shell enclosure. In one example, the apparatus100may include a display102that is enclosed by a housing110. The housing110may be any type of metallic, plastic, or glass material used for enclosures of electronic devices.

In one example, a first side of the housing110may have an opening120that is sized to be approximately equal to the dimensions of the display102. For example, the dimensions may include a width and a length of the display102.

In one example, the display102may include a first portion104and a second portion106. The first portion104may include a non-dual-sided display where light sources of the first portion104each emits light towards the user. The second portion106may be a dual-sided display where light sources of the second portion106each emits light towards the user and away from the user. For example, the second portion106may have some light sources that emit light or images in a first direction towards a user and other light sources that emit light or images in a second direction (that is opposite or 180 degrees from the first direction) away from the user.

As a result, the second portion106of the display102may generate images in combination with images generated by the first portion104of the display to create an overall image that is seen on the display102. In another example, the second portion106may display images that are separate from the images generated by the first portion104. For example, the second portion106may generate a stock ticker while a user is executing a different application in the first portion104.

In one example, a processor108may be in communication with the display102. The processor108may execute instructions stored in memory to control operations of the display102overall, and/or the first portion104and the second portion106. For example, the processor108may control operation of the first portion104and the second portion106as a single overall display or control operation of the first portion104and the second portion106as separate displays.

In one example, the second portion106may be smaller in dimensions than the first portion104. For example, the dimensions of the second portion106may be less than half of the dimensions of the display102. In another example, the dimensions of the second portion106may be a third of the dimensions of the display102. In another example, the second portion106may be large enough to display a few lines of text.

FIG. 2illustrates a block diagram of the example apparatus100in a closed position. As can be seen in the closed position, the housing110may include an opening122on a back side. The opening122may be sized to be approximately equal to the dimensions of the second portion106of the display102.

As noted above, the second portion106of the display102may be a dual-sided display. As a result, the second portion106of the display102may generate images that can be seen through the opening122even when the apparatus100is in a closed position. Notably, the second portion106of the display102is not a separate display or a second display. Rather, the second portion106is part of a single display102that is also seen when the apparatus100is in the open position as illustrated inFIG. 1.

The operation of the second portion106of the display102when the apparatus100is closed can be controlled by the processor108. For example, the second portion106of the display102can display notifications, updates, video, graphical images, and the like, while the apparatus100is in a closed position.

In addition, the second portion106of the display102may generate two different images on two different sides simultaneously. For example, when the apparatus100is opened, the second portion106facing the user may generate an image that is part of a larger overall image that is displayed by a combination of the first portion104and the second portion106of the display102. At the same time, the second portion106may generate a different image that can be seen through the opening122on a back side of the housing110.

For example, the second portion106may display a title of a movie that is being watched through the opening122. As a result, a parent sitting across from a child may monitor what content a child is watching on the display102without being able to see the entire display102by simply reading the second portion106of the display through the opening122.

In another example, a user may exchange messages sitting across from another person by displaying text in the second portion106through the opening122. A user may be viewing or executing an application that is on the display102using the first portion104and the second portion106, while simultaneously sending messages using the second portion106through the opening122on the back side of the housing110.

In another example, the second portion106may be used as part of a study aid or a quiz game. For example, the second portion106may display a question through the opening122for a person sitting across the apparatus100and facing the backside of the housing110. A user facing the display102may have an answer and/or a list of questions to choose from on the display102using the first portion104and the second portion106.

FIG. 3illustrates an example arrangement of light sources in the display102. In one example, the display102may comprise the first portion104and the second portion106of LEDs that are fabricated from a single substrate. For example, the first portion104may include a single type of LEDs. For example, the LEDs1101to110n(hereinafter referred to individually as an LED110or collectively as LEDs110) may be a bottom emission (BE) LED. The LEDs110may emit light in a first direction (e.g., towards a user facing the display102).

In one example, the second portion106may include LEDs1121to112n(hereinafter referred to individually as an LED112or collectively as LEDs112). The LEDs112may include two different types of LEDs. For example, the LEDs112may include a mix of BE LEDs and top emission (TE) LEDs. The BE LEDs may emit light in the same direction as the LEDS110(e.g., in the first direction towards the user facing the display102). The TE LEDs may emit light in a second direction that is opposite the first direction (e.g., away from the user towards the opening122on the backside of the housing110). The combination of the BE LEDs and TE LEDs in the second portion106may form a dual-sided display. Both the LEDs110and the LEDs112may be organic LEDs (OLEDs).

In one example, the second portion106may include an alternating pattern of the two different types of LEDs112. For example, LED1121may be a BE LED, LED1122may be a TE LED, LED1123may be a BE LED, LED1124may be a TE LED, and so forth. The next row of the second portion106may begin with a TE LED and alternate between BE LEDs and TE LEDs. In other words, the alternating pattern may be similar to a checkerboard pattern.

Although an alternating pattern of two different types of LEDs is described above, it should be noted that other patterns of different types of LEDs could also be deployed for the second portion106. For example, alternating rows of different types of LEDs may be deployed, a sequence of two BE LEDs, two TE LEDs, two BE LEDs, and so forth, may be deployed, and the like. In other words, any type of pattern may be deployed that allows a first type of LEDs to display an image as part of the display102with the first portion104and a second type of LEDs to display an image through an opening122on a backside of the housing110.

AlthoughFIG. 3illustrates an example where the first portion104includes BE LEDs and the second portion comprises an alternating pattern of BE LEDs and TE LEDs, it should be note that the type of LEDs may be flipped. For example, the LEDs110may be TE LEDs and the LEDs112may include TE LEDs and BE LEDs. For example, the LED1121may be a TE LED, the LED1122may be a BE LED, and so forth.

FIG. 4illustrates a flow diagram of an example method400for fabricating a display having a first portion and a second portion that is a dual-sided display. In one example, the method400may be performed by one or more tools in a fabrication plant including deposition tools, etching tools, lithography and patterning tools, and the like. In one example,FIG. 4may be read in conjunction with a process flow500illustrated inFIG. 5. As a result,FIG. 4may refer to portions ofFIG. 5when describing the blocks ofFIG. 4.

It should be noted thatFIG. 5illustrates a cross-sectional view of a process flow for the dual-sided display portion. The single sided display portion may be similarly fabricated using the methods for the similar type of LED. For example, if the single sided display portion comprises BE LEDs, the processing described below for the BE LEDs may be used. Alternatively, if the single sided display portion comprises TE LEDs, the processing described below for the TE LEDS may be used.FIG. 5illustrates an example where the first portion includes BE LEDs and the second portion includes a combination of BE LEDs and TE LEDs.

At block402, the method400begins. At block404, the method400provides a transparent substrate. For example, the transparent substrate may be a glass based substrate, a plastic, and the like. The transparent substrate may be flexible or rigid.FIG. 5illustrates an example substrate520at block502. In one example, the substrate520is shown as a flat surface for ease of explanation. However, it should be noted that the substrate520may not be flat, but may have pixel structures in the substrate520similar to thin film transistors (TFTs). In other words, the LEDs formed by the process flow500may not be laterally continuous even though they are shown to be laterally continuous inFIG. 5for ease of explanation.

At block406, the method400patterns a first metal layer on the transparent substrate to include a display portion and a dual-sided display portion, wherein the dual-sided display portion comprises first areas that have the first metal layer removed and second areas that include the first metal layer on the transparent substrate. For example, at block504, a first metal layer522may be deposited onto the substrate520. Any type of deposition process may be used for depositing the first metal layer522, and any of the materials deposited in the subsequent steps described below may be used for depositing the first metal layer522. Examples of the deposition processes may include vapor deposition, spin-coating, and the like. The first metal layer522may be any type of opaque metal or a layer of metal that is thick enough such that the first metal layer522is opaque. For example, a thick layer of the first metal layer522may be approximately 50-150 nanometers (nm).

At block506of the process flow500, the areas that form the BE LEDs may be etched to remove the first metal layer522. For example, lithography, patterning, and etching processes may be used to selectively remove the first metal layer522from the entire area of the substrate520that will be the first portion104, described above, and the areas of the substrate520that are BE LEDs in the second portion.

At block408, the method400deposits a transparent oxide layer and an organic layer, wherein the transparent oxide layer is deposited on the first metal layer and the transparent substrate and the organic layer is deposited on top of the transparent oxide layer. For example, at block508inFIG. 5, a transparent oxide layer524may be deposited or grown over the entire substrate520. The transparent oxide layer524may include a material such as indium tin oxide (ITO). The transparent oxide layer524may be deposited using deposition, photolithography, and etching, similar to how the first metal layer522is added.

As a result, the areas that will form the BE LEDs may have a layer of the transparent oxide layer524on the substrate520and the areas that will form the TE LEDs may have a layer of the transparent oxide layer524on the first metal layer522. In one example, the transparent oxide layer524may be approximately 10-50 nm.

At block510inFIG. 5, an organic layer526may be deposited on all areas of the substrate520. As a result, the organic layer526may be deposited on top of the transparent oxide layer524of both the BE LEDs and TE LEDs. The organic layer526may be deposited via a shadow mask technique. The shadow mask technique may automatically form a desired pattern without the use of photolithography and/or etching steps to remove unwanted portions of the organic layer526. Examples of materials that can be used as the organic layer526may be any type of organic material used for OLEDs, including polyfluorenes, various vinyl carbazoles, phosphorescent metal complexes, and the like. In one example, the organic layer526may be approximately 30-100 nm.

At block410, the method400deposits a second metal layer on selected portions of the organic layer. For example, at block512inFIG. 5, a second metal layer528may be deposited on the substrate520. The selected portions of the organic layer526may be those portions of the organic layer526that will eventually form the BE LEDs. The second metal layer528may be added using the shadow masking technique similar to how the organic layer526is deposited. Thus, the second metal layer528is deposited into the desired areas without the use of photolithography and/or etching steps to remove unwanted portions of the second metal layer528. The second metal layer528may be the same metal that was used for the first metal layer522. The second metal layer528may be an opaque metal or a layer of metal that is thick enough to appear opaque. In one example, the second metal layer528may be approximately 50-200 nm.

As noted above and illustrated inFIG. 3, the patterning may comprise an alternating pattern of the first areas and the second areas in the dual-sided display portion. For example, the alternating pattern may be a checkerboard pattern.

At block412, the method400deposits a third metal layer. At block514, a third metal layer530may be deposited over the entire substrate520. The third metal layer530may be a semi-transparent metal such as aluminum, indium tin oxides, and the like. In one example, the third metal layer530may be any type of metal that is deposited to a thickness that allows the third metal layer530to be semi-transparent. In one example, the third metal layer may be approximately 10-30 nm.

As shown inFIG. 5, the final processed substrate may include an alternating pattern of BE LEDs and TE LEDs. Also, as discussed above, a top view of the substrate520would show a first portion that represents a single sided display having a single type of LED (e.g., all BE LEDs, or all TE LEDs) and a second portion that represents the dual-sided display having both types of LEDs (e.g., the BE LEDs and TE LEDs). Thus, the display having the single sided display portion and the dual-sided display portion may be fabricated from a single substrate520. At block414, the method400ends.