Display device and method of providing display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12588366-B2
Application number	US-202217891261-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2022
Priority date	Oct 29, 2021
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

A display device includes a display area including a display element including a pixel electrode and a driving element connected to the display element, a planarization layer on the driving element, and a pixel defining layer on the planarization layer and defining an opening corresponding to the pixel electrode of the display element. The pixel defining layer includes a bank portion defining the opening and extending from the pixel electrode, and including a flat portion and a first protrusion which protrudes from an upper surface of the flat portion and is adjacent to the pixel electrode, and a second protrusion which protrudes from the upper surface of the flat portion of the bank portion and is further from the opening than the first protrusion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A display device comprising:
a display area including:
a display element including a pixel electrode; and
a driving element connected to the display element;
a planarization layer on the driving element; and a pixel defining layer on the planarization layer and defining an opening corresponding to the pixel electrode of the display element, the pixel defining layer including:
a bank portion defining the opening and extending from the pixel electrode, the bank portion including:
a sidewall which defines the opening,
a flat portion having an upper surface which is furthest from the planarization layer, and
a first protrusion which defines the sidewall of the bank portion and protrudes further than the upper surface of the flat portion, in a direction away from the planarization layer, the first protrusion being closer to the opening than the flat portion and non-overlapping the pixel electrode; and

a second protrusion which protrudes from the upper surface of the flat portion of the bank portion, in the direction away from the planarization layer, and is further from the opening than the first protrusion.

2 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein within the pixel defining layer:
each of the first protrusion and the second protrusion has an upper surface which is furthest from the planarization layer, and the upper surface of the second protrusion further from the opening than the first protrusion, is further from the planarization layer than the upper surface of the first protrusion.

3 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the pixel defining layer further includes a black pigment.

4 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the pixel defining layer further includes a negative photosensitive material.

5 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the planarization layer includes an organic insulating material.

6 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the display element further includes:
a light emitting layer on the pixel electrode; and a common electrode on the pixel defining layer and the light emitting layer.

7 . The display device of claim 6 , further comprising:
an encapsulation structure on the common electrode and including an organic layer and an inorganic layer; a light blocking layer on the encapsulation structure and overlapping the pixel defining layer; and a reflection control layer on the encapsulation structure and covering the light blocking layer.

8 . An electronic device comprising:
a display device comprising:
a display area including:
a display element including a pixel electrode, and
a driving element connected to the display element;

a planarization layer on the driving element and defining a groove which is in the planarization layer and non-overlapping the pixel electrode; and
a pixel defining layer on the planarization layer and defining an opening corresponding to the pixel electrode of the display element, the pixel defining layer including:
a bank portion defining the opening and extending from the pixel electrode, the bank portion including:
a flat portion having an upper surface which is furthest from the planarization layer and a lower surface which is closest to the planarization layer, and
a first protrusion which protrudes from the lower surface of the flat portion of the bank portion, in a direction toward the planarization layer, and fills the groove in the planarization layer; and

a second protrusion which protrudes from the upper surface of the flat portion of the bank portion, in a direction away from the planarization layer, and is further from the opening than the first protrusion.

9 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein within the bank portion, the upper surface of the flat portion at the groove is flat.

10 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the pixel defining layer further includes a black pigment.

11 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the pixel defining layer further includes a negative photosensitive material.

12 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the planarization layer includes an organic insulating material.

13 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the bank portion further includes a third protrusion which protrudes from the upper surface of the flat portion, in the direction away from the planarization layer, and is further from the opening than both the first protrusion and the second protrusion.

14 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the display element further includes:
a light emitting layer on the pixel electrode; and a common electrode on the pixel defining layer and the light emitting layer.

15 . A method of providing a display device, the method comprising:
providing a display element including a pixel electrode and a driving element which is connected to the display element, in a display area; providing a planarization layer on the driving element; and providing a pixel defining layer on the planarization layer and defining an opening corresponding to the pixel electrode of the display element, the pixel defining layer including:
a bank portion defining the opening and extending from the pixel electrode, the bank portion including: a flat portion having an upper surface which is furthest from the planarization layer, a first protrusion which protrudes from the upper surface of the flat portion, in a direction away from the planarization layer, and is adjacent to the pixel electrode; and
a second protrusion which protrudes from the upper surface of the flat portion, in the direction away from the planarization layer, and is further from the opening than the first protrusion,
wherein the providing of the pixel defining layer includes:
providing a photosensitive organic layer on the planarization layer;
providing a mask facing the photosensitive organic layer, the mask divided into a light blocking portion corresponding to the opening, a first light transmitting portion corresponding to the first protrusion, a semi-transmitting portion corresponding to the upper surface of the flat portion between the first protrusion and the second protrusion, and a second light transmitting portion corresponding to the second protrusion; and
providing the pixel defining layer by exposing and developing the photosensitive organic layer through the mask, including:
providing the opening by removing all of the photosensitive organic layer corresponding to the light blocking portion of the mask;
providing the first protrusion by leaving a thickness portion of the photosensitive organic layer which corresponds to the first light transmitting portion of the mask;
providing the second protrusion by leaving a thickness portion of the photosensitive organic layer which corresponds to the second light transmitting portion of the mask; and
providing the upper surface of the flat portion which is between the first protrusion and the second protrusion exposed to outside the pixel defining layer, by removing a thickness portion of the photosensitive organic layer which corresponds to the semi-transmitting portion of the mask.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein
the exposing and developing of the photosensitive organic layer through the mask includes providing light to the photosensitive organic layer, and each of the first and second light transmitting portions of the mask transmits all of the light, the semi-transmitting portion of the mask transmits a portion of the light, and the light blocking portion of the mask blocks all of the light.

17 . The meth

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Jaehun
• Kim Hye Sun
• Sim Junho
• Lee Sanghyun
• Jung Yang-Ho
• Hong Pil Soon

Classifications

• H10K50/865

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

• H10K71/00

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

• H10K50/84

  Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations · CPC title

• H10K59/1201

  Manufacture or treatment · CPC title

• H10K59/8792

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