Display apparatus with pixel circuits connected to light-emitting elements and method of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12501781-B2
Application number	US-202217860032-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2022
Priority date	Sep 10, 2021
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

Provided are a display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same. The display apparatus includes a substrate, a plurality of light-emitting elements on the substrate, a passivation layer covering the light-emitting elements, and a plurality of pixel circuits on the passivation layer and connected to the light-emitting elements, respectively. The light-emitting elements each include a first electrode integrally provided with the light-emitting elements on the substrate, an emission layer in an opening of a pixel-defining layer on the first electrode, and a second electrode on the emission layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A display apparatus comprising:
a substrate; a plurality of light-emitting elements on the substrate; a passivation layer covering the plurality of light-emitting elements; a connection electrode on the passivation layer; an inorganic insulating layer covering the passivation layer and the connection electrode; and a plurality of pixel circuits on the passivation layer and connected to the plurality of light-emitting elements, respectively, wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements each comprise: a first electrode integrally provided with the plurality of light-emitting elements on the substrate; an emission layer in an opening of a pixel-defining layer on the first electrode; and a second electrode on the emission layer, and wherein the passivation layer comprises an inorganic material, the plurality of pixel circuits are on the inorganic insulating layer, and the connection electrode extends through the passivation layer and connects one of the plurality of pixel circuits to one of the plurality of light-emitting elements.

2 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode comprises:
a transparent or semitransparent electrode, and the second electrode comprises a reflective electrode.

3 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the emission layer comprises:
an inorganic material including quantum dots.

4 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pixel circuits comprise: a thin-film transistor, and the thin-film transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor.

5 . The display apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the thin-film transistor is connected to one of the plurality of light-emitting elements through the connection electrode.

6 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pixel-defining layer comprises:
a first pixel-defining layer, and a second pixel-defining layer on the first pixel-defining layer, and a body portion of the second pixel-defining layer has a reversed tapered structure.

7 . The display apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the second pixel-defining layer comprises:
a liquid-repellent material.

8 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a thin-film encapsulation layer on the plurality of pixel circuits, wherein the thin-film encapsulation layer comprises at least one inorganic encapsulation layer and at least one organic encapsulation layer.

9 . The display apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the thin-film encapsulation layer comprises:
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.

10 . A method of manufacturing a display apparatus, the method comprising:
forming a first electrode on one surface of a substrate; forming a pixel-defining layer on the first electrode, the pixel-defining layer having a plurality of openings; forming an emission layer in each of the plurality of openings; forming a second electrode corresponding to the plurality of openings; forming a passivation layer on the second electrode, wherein the passivation layer comprises an inorganic material; forming a pixel circuit on the passivation layer, the pixel circuit comprising a thin-film transistor; forming a contact hole in the passivation layer to expose a part of the second electrode; forming a connection electrode on the passivation layer and in the contact hole to connect the connection electrode to the second electrode; forming an inorganic insulating layer covering the passivation layer and the connection electrode; forming an opening in the inorganic insulating layer over the connection electrode; connecting a source region or a drain region of the thin-film transistor to the connection electrode through the opening in the inorganic insulating layer, wherein the passivation layer is formed by a chemical vapor deposition process.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first electrode is formed as a transparent or semitransparent electrode, and the second electrode is formed as a reflective electrode.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the emission layer is formed by inkjet printing.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the second electrode is deposited by using a fine metal mask (FMM).

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the thin-film transistor includes an oxide semiconductor.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the thin-film transistor is connected to the second electrode through the connection electrode.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the pixel-defining layer is formed to have a first pixel-defining layer, and a second pixel-defining layer on the first pixel-defining layer, and a body portion of the second pixel-defining layer has a reversed tapered structure.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the second pixel-defining layer is formed to have a liquid-repellent material.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein an end of the second electrode is disconnected by the second pixel-defining layer.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Yoolguk
• Kang Jingoo
• Kim Jiyoon

Classifications

• H10K59/80518

  Reflective anodes, e.g. ITO combined with thick metallic layers · CPC title

• H10K59/80524

  Transparent cathodes, e.g. comprising thin metal layers · CPC title

• H10K59/873

  Encapsulations · CPC title

• H10K59/1201

  Manufacture or treatment · CPC title

• H10K71/00

  Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass · CPC title