Display device including through hole connecting organic layer to substrate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12010906-B2
Application number	US-201917288317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2019
Priority date	Oct 23, 2018
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

Provided is a display device capable of displaying a high-quality image even under high temperature conditions, the display device including a flexible substrate, a pixel circuit layer arranged on the flexible substrate, and including a thin-film transistor and a through hole extending to the flexible substrate, a first organic layer arranged on the pixel circuit layer and in contact with the flexible substrate through the through hole, an inorganic layer arranged on the first organic layer to cover an upper surface of the first organic layer, a pixel electrode arranged on the inorganic layer, and an encapsulation layer arranged on the pixel electrode, and including a first inorganic encapsulation layer, a second inorganic encapsulation layer, and an organic encapsulation layer between the first inorganic encapsulation layer and the second inorganic encapsulation layer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A display device comprising:
a flexible substrate;
a pixel circuit layer arranged on the flexible substrate, comprising a thin-film transistor, and defining a through hole extending to the flexible substrate;
a first organic layer arranged on the pixel circuit layer, in contact with the flexible substrate through the through hole, and defining a first opening above the thin-film transistor and exposing at least a portion of an upper surface of the pixel circuit layer;
an inorganic layer arranged on the first organic layer to cover an upper surface of the first organic layer, and to cover sidewalls of the first organic layer that define the first opening;
a pixel electrode arranged on the inorganic layer; and
an encapsulation layer arranged on the pixel electrode, and comprising a first inorganic encapsulation layer, a second inorganic encapsulation layer, and an organic encapsulation layer between the first inorganic encapsulation layer and the second inorganic encapsulation layer.

2. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic layer is in contact with the upper surface of the pixel circuit layer exposed by the first opening.

3. The display device of claim 2 , wherein the upper surface of the pixel circuit layer comprises an inorganic material.

4. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic layer defines a second opening positioned in the first opening, and
wherein the pixel electrode is electrically connected to the thin-film transistor through the second opening.

5. The display device of claim 4 , wherein the pixel circuit layer further comprises an inorganic protective layer covering the thin-film transistor and comprising an inorganic material, and
wherein the second opening extends to penetrate the inorganic protective layer.

6. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic layer extends to cover a side surface of the first organic layer.

7. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the first organic layer comprises an organic material, and wherein the through hole is filled with the organic material.

8. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the first organic layer is in direct contact with the flexible substrate through the through hole.

9. The display device of claim 1 , further comprising a second organic layer arranged on the inorganic layer and defining an emission area by covering an edge of the pixel electrode and exposing a central portion of the pixel electrode.

10. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible substrate defines a through pattern penetrating the flexible substrate.

11. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the encapsulation layer extends to cover an outer surface of the first organic layer.

12. The display device of claim 11 , wherein the first inorganic encapsulation layer of the encapsulation layer is in surface contact with the outer surface of the first organic layer.

13. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the thin-film transistor comprises a semiconductor layer, a gate electrode overlapping at least a portion of the semiconductor layer, and a source electrode and a drain electrode connected to the semiconductor layer, and
wherein the portion of the upper surface of the pixel circuit layer comprises at least one of the source electrode or the drain electrode.

14. The display device of claim 13 , wherein the inorganic layer is in surface contact with the upper surface of the pixel circuit layer exposed through the first opening.

15. The display device of claim 14 , wherein the inorganic layer defines a second opening exposing at least one of the source electrode and the drain electrode.

16. The display device of claim 15 , wherein the pixel electrode is in electrical contact with at least one of the source electrode or the drain electrode through the second opening.

17. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible substrate comprises an organic material.

18. The display device of claim 17 , wherein the first organic layer contacts the flexible substrate through the through hole.

19. A display device comprising:
a flexible substrate;
a pixel circuit layer arranged on the flexible substrate, and comprising a plurality of thin-film transistors and defining at least one through hole extending to the flexible substrate;
a first organic layer arranged on the pixel circuit layer, in contact with the flexible substrate through the through hole, and comprising a plurality of organic pattern parts patterned in an island shape;
an inorganic layer arranged on the first organic layer to cover an upper surface of the first organic layer;
a first pixel electrode, a second pixel electrode, and a third pixel electrode arranged on the inorganic layer and arranged on the plurality of organic pattern parts, respectively; and
an encapsulation layer arranged on the first pixel electrode, the second pixel electrode, and the third pixel electrode, the encapsulation layer comprising a first inorganic encapsulation layer, a second inorganic encapsulation layer, and an organic encapsulation layer between the first inorganic encapsulation layer and the second inorganic encapsulation layer.

20. The display device of claim 19 , wherein the pixel circuit layer comprises an inorganic material,
wherein the pixel circuit layer comprises a separation area in which the plurality of organic pattern parts are spaced apart from each other to expose at least a portion of an upper surface of the pixel circuit layer, and
wherein the pixel circuit layer is in contact with the separation area.

21. The display device of claim 19 , wherein the through hole is provided as at least one through hole under each of the plurality of organic pattern parts to respectively correspond to the plurality of organic pattern parts, and
wherein each of the plurality of organic pattern parts contacts the flexible substrate through the at least one through hole.

22. The display device of claim 19 , further comprising:
a first intermediate layer arranged on the first pixel electrode for emitting light of a red wavelength, a second intermediate layer arranged on the second pixel electrode for emitting light of a green wavelength, and a third intermediate layer arranged on the third pixel electrode for emitting light of a blue wavelength; and
an opposite electrode covering the first intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer, and the third intermediate layer.

23. The display device of claim 19 , wherein the flexible substrate comprises an organic material.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hong Jongho
• Kim Sangwoo
• Shin Jaemin
• Park Junhyeong

Classifications

• H10K77/111 Primary

  Flexible substrates · CPC title

• H10K59/8731 Primary

  multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers · CPC title

• H10K59/87

  Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations · CPC title

• H10K59/12

  Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays · CPC title

• H10K59/124 Primary

  Insulating layers formed between TFT elements and OLED elements · CPC title