Display apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12161024-B2
Application number	US-202217706507-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2022
Priority date	Mar 29, 2021
Publication date	Dec 3, 2024
Grant date	Dec 3, 2024

Abstract

A display apparatus for improving a reflective color sense includes a thin film transistor disposed over a substrate, a planarization layer disposed over the thin film transistor, a pixel electrode disposed over the planarization layer and electrically connected to the thin film transistor through a contact hole provided in the planarization layer, a pixel definition layer covering an edge of the pixel electrode to expose a center portion of the pixel electrode, and a bank arranged apart from the pixel defining layer and disposed over an area of a portion of the pixel electrode exposed by the pixel definition layer, the bank overlapping the contact hole when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display apparatus comprising:
a thin film transistor disposed over a substrate;
a planarization layer disposed over the thin film transistor;
a pixel electrode disposed over the planarization layer and electrically connected to the thin film transistor through a contact hole provided in the planarization layer;
a pixel definition layer covering an edge of the pixel electrode to expose a center portion of the pixel electrode; and
a bank arranged apart from the pixel definition layer and disposed over an area of a portion of the pixel electrode exposed by the pixel definition layer, the bank overlapping the contact hole when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the substrate.

2. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the contact hole is arranged at a center portion of a portion of the pixel electrode exposed by the pixel definition layer.

3. The display apparatus of claim 2 , wherein an inclination direction of an upper surface of the planarization layer with respect to the substrate on one side of the contact hole is opposite to an inclination direction of the upper surface of the planarization layer with respect to the substrate on another side of the contact hole.

4. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of a portion of the planarization layer under the pixel definition layer is greater than a thickness of another portion of the planarization layer under the bank.

5. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of a portion of the pixel electrode under the pixel definition layer is greater than a thickness of another portion of the pixel electrode under the bank.

6. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an area of the bank is greater than an area of the contact hole when viewed in the direction perpendicular to the substrate.

7. The display apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an opposite electrode integrally formed as a single body and disposed over the pixel definition layer and the bank.

8. The display apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a light blocking layer disposed above the pixel definition layer and including an opening overlapping a portion of the pixel electrode exposed by the pixel definition layer when viewed in the direction perpendicular to the substrate; and
a bank light blocking layer disposed above the bank and overlapping the bank when viewed in the direction perpendicular to the substrate.

9. The display apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the bank light blocking layer includes a material absorbing visible light.

10. A display apparatus comprising:
a first thin film transistor and a second thin film transistor disposed over a substrate;
a planarization layer disposed over the first thin film transistor and the second thin film transistor;
a first pixel electrode disposed over the planarization layer and electrically connected to the first thin film transistor through a first contact hole defined in the planarization layer;
a second pixel electrode disposed over the planarization layer and electrically connected to the second thin film transistor through a second contact hole provided in the planarization layer;
a pixel definition layer covering an edge of the first pixel electrode, an edge of the second pixel electrode, and a portion of the second pixel electrode overlapping the second contact hole to expose a portion of the first pixel electrode overlapping the first contact hole, a center portion of the first pixel electrode, and a center portion of the second pixel electrode; and
a bank arranged apart from the pixel definition layer and disposed over an area of a portion of the first pixel electrode exposed by the pixel definition layer, the bank overlapping the first contact hole when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the substrate.

11. The display apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first contact hole is arranged at a center portion of a portion of the first pixel electrode exposed by the pixel definition layer.

12. The display apparatus of claim 11 , wherein an inclination direction of an upper surface of the planarization layer with respect to the substrate on one side of the first contact hole is opposite to an inclination direction of the upper surface of the planarization layer with respect to the substrate on another side of the first contact hole.

13. The display apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a thickness of a portion of the planarization layer under the pixel definition layer is greater than a thickness of another portion of the planarization layer under the bank.

14. The display apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a thickness of a portion of the first pixel electrode under the pixel definition layer is greater than a thickness of another portion of the first pixel electrode under the bank.

15. The display apparatus of claim 14 , wherein a thickness of the second pixel electrode is uniform.

16. The display apparatus of claim 10 , wherein an area of the bank is greater than an area of the first contact hole when viewed in the direction perpendicular to the substrate.

17. The display apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising an opposite electrode integrally formed as a single body and disposed over the pixel definition layer and the bank.

18. The display apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
a first emission layer disposed over the first pixel electrode and emitting light of a first color; and
a second emission layer disposed over the second pixel electrode and emitting light of a second color different from light of the first color emitted by the first emission layer.

19. The display apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
a light blocking layer disposed above the pixel definition layer and including openings overlapping portions of the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode exposed by the pixel definition layer when viewed in the direction perpendicular to the substrate; and
a bank light blocking layer disposed above the bank and overlapping the bank when viewed in the direction perpendicular to the substrate.

20. The display apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the bank light blocking layer includes a material absorbing visible light.

21. The display apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising a first color filter filling the opening of the light blocking layer corresponding to the first pixel electrode and a second color filter filling the opening of the light blocking layer corresponding to the second pixel electrode,
wherein the first color filter overlaps a portion of the first pixel electrode exposed by the pixel definition layer, and the second color filter overlaps a portion of the second pixel electrode exposed by the pixel definition layer.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Bae Kwangsoo
• Lee Jinyong
• Park Kwangwoo
• Choi Sanghyun
• Choi Chaungi

Classifications

• H10K50/865

  comprising light absorbing layers, e.g. light-blocking layers · CPC title

• H10K59/1213

  the pixel elements being TFTs · CPC title

• H10K59/12 Primary

  Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays · CPC title

• H10K59/8792

  comprising light absorbing layers, e.g. black layers · CPC title

• H10K59/122 Primary

  Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks · CPC title