Display apparatus including a pixel defining layer having openings exposing two portions of a pixel electrode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12376480-B2
Application number	US-202318453292-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2023
Priority date	Jan 2, 2020
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

A display apparatus includes a substrate; a first circuit unit located on the substrate and including a first thin-film transistor (TFT) and a first storage capacitor; a first dummy circuit unit on the substrate, including a first dummy TFT and a first dummy storage capacitor, and in the same layer as the first circuit unit; and a first dummy light-emitting unit on the first dummy circuit unit, connected to the first circuit unit, and configured to be driven by the first circuit unit, wherein the first dummy light-emitting unit overlaps the first dummy circuit unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display apparatus comprising:
a substrate comprising a transmitting area, a first display area surrounding the transmitting area, and a second display area between the transmitting area and the first display area;
a first wiring in the second display area;
a first circuit unit in the first display area and comprising a first thin-film transistor and a first storage capacitor;
a first pixel electrode connected to the first circuit unit;
a second circuit unit adjacent to the first wiring and comprising a second thin-film transistor and a second storage capacitor;
a first portion of a second pixel electrode connected to the second circuit unit;
a second portion of the second pixel electrode in the second display area, in the same layer as the first portion of the second pixel electrode, and connected to the first portion of the second pixel electrode;
a pixel defining layer on the first pixel electrode, the first portion of the second pixel electrode and the second portion of the second pixel electrode, and having a first opening overlapping the first pixel electrode, a second opening overlapping the first portion of the second pixel electrode and a third opening overlapping the second portion of the second pixel electrode;
a first intermediate layer in the first opening;
a second intermediate layer in the second opening;
a third intermediate layer in the third opening; and
an opposite electrode on the pixel defining layer and covering the first intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer, and the third intermediate layer,
wherein one of the second opening or the third opening overlaps the first wiring.

2. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second intermediate layer and the third intermediate layer comprise an emission layer configured to emit light of a same color.

3. The display apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a transmitting unit in the transmitting area;
an auxiliary pixel electrode in the transmitting area; and
a fourth intermediate layer on the auxiliary pixel electrode,
wherein the pixel defining layer covers an edge of the auxiliary pixel electrode and further has an auxiliary opening overlapping the auxiliary pixel electrode,
wherein the fourth intermediate layer is in the auxiliary opening.

4. The display apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising:
an auxiliary pixel circuit in the transmitting area and comprising an auxiliary thin-film transistor and an auxiliary storage capacitor,
wherein the auxiliary pixel electrode is connected to the auxiliary pixel circuit.

5. The display apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the opposite electrode has an opening portion overlapping the transmitting unit.

6. The display apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a component located under the transmitting area.

7. The display apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the auxiliary pixel electrode is spaced from the transmitting unit in a plan view.

8. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first opening overlaps the first circuit unit.

9. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an other one of the second opening or the third opening overlaps the second circuit unit.

10. The display apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a connecting portion connecting the first portion of the second pixel electrode and the second portion of the second pixel electrode and located in the same layer as the first portion of the second pixel electrode and the second portion of the second pixel electrode.

11. A display apparatus comprising:
a substrate comprising a transmitting area, a first display area surrounding the transmitting area, and a second display area between the transmitting area and the first display area;
a first circuit unit in the first display area and comprising a first thin-film transistor and a first storage capacitor;
a dummy circuit unit in the second display area;
a second circuit unit adjacent to the dummy circuit unit and comprising a second thin-film transistor and a second storage capacitor;
a first pixel electrode connected to the first circuit unit;
a first portion of a second pixel electrode connected to the second circuit unit;
a second portion of the second pixel electrode in the second display area, in the same layer as the first portion of the second pixel electrode, and connected to the first portion of the second pixel electrode;
a pixel defining layer on the first pixel electrode, the first portion of the second pixel electrode and the second portion of the second pixel electrode, and having a first opening overlapping the first pixel electrode, a second opening overlapping the first portion of the second pixel electrode, and a third opening overlapping the second portion of the second pixel electrode;
a first intermediate layer in the first opening;
a second intermediate layer in the second opening;
a third intermediate layer in the third opening; and
an opposite electrode on the pixel defining layer and covering the first intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer, and the third intermediate layer,
wherein one of the second opening or the third opening overlaps the dummy circuit unit.

12. The display apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the second intermediate layer and the third intermediate layer comprise an emission layer configured to emit light of a same color.

13. The display apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
a transmitting unit in the transmitting area;
an auxiliary pixel electrode in the transmitting area; and
a fourth intermediate layer on the auxiliary pixel electrode,
wherein the pixel defining layer covers an edge of the auxiliary pixel electrode and further has an auxiliary opening overlapping the auxiliary pixel electrode,
wherein the fourth intermediate layer is in the auxiliary opening.

14. The display apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
an auxiliary pixel circuit in the transmitting area and comprising an auxiliary thin-film transistor and an auxiliary storage capacitor,
wherein the auxiliary pixel electrode is connected to the auxiliary pixel circuit.

15. The display apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the opposite electrode has an opening portion overlapping the transmitting unit.

16. The display apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a component located under the transmitting area.

17. The display apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the auxiliary pixel electrode is spaced from the transmitting unit in a plan view.

18. The display apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first opening overlaps the first circuit unit.

19. The display apparatus of claim 11 , wherein an other one of the second opening or the third opening overlaps the second circuit unit.

20. The display apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
a connecting portion connecting the first portion of the second pixel electrode and the second portion of the second pixel electrode and located in the same layer as the first portion of the second pixel electrode and the second portion of the second pixel electrode.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Youn Ilgoo
• Sung Seungwoo
• Lee Jieun
• Jeong Jintae
• Choi Minhee

Classifications

• H10K59/65

  OLEDs integrated with inorganic image sensors · CPC title

• H10K59/80

  Constructional details · CPC title

• H10K59/122 Primary

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

• H10K59/131

  Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals · CPC title

• H10K59/1216

  the pixel elements being capacitors · CPC title