Patent Application
20230378402
The present application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0060452, filed on May 17, 2022, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0068504, filed on Jun. 3, 2022, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosure of each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Aspects of some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a display device.
Due to the rapid development of the field of displays for visually expressing various electric signal information, various display devices having extraordinary characteristics such as small thickness, small weight, and low power consumption have been introduced.
Display devices may include liquid display devices using light from backlight units without independently emitting light or light-emitting display devices including display elements capable of emitting light. Light-emitting display devices may include display elements including emission layers.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background and therefore the information discussed in this Background section does not necessarily constitute prior art.
Aspects of one or more embodiments include a high-efficiency display device. However, the technical goal is merely an example, and the scope of embodiments according to the present disclosure is not limited thereto.
Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the presented embodiments of the disclosure.
According to one or more embodiments, a display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate opposite to the first substrate, a light-emitting element layer on the first substrate and including at least one light-emitting element, an encapsulation layer on the light-emitting element layer and including at least one inorganic encapsulation layer and at least one organic encapsulation layer, a color conversion-transmitting layer on the encapsulation layer and configured to convert light emitted from the at least one light-emitting element into light having different colors, the color conversion-transmitting layer including quantum dots, a low-refractive inorganic layer on the color conversion-transmitting layer and having a refractive index less than a refractive index of the color conversion-transmitting layer, a color filter layer on a surface of the second substrate opposite to the first substrate, and a filler between the low-refractive inorganic layer and the color filter layer and having a refractive index greater than a refractive index of the low-refractive inorganic layer.
According to some embodiments, the refractive index of the lower refraction inorganic layer may be greater than 1.2 and less than 1.4.
According to some embodiments, the low-refractive inorganic layer may include silicon oxide (SiO2).
According to some embodiments, a thickness of the low-refractive inorganic layer may be from about 100 Å to about 4,000 Å.
According to some embodiments, a difference between the refractive index of the color conversion-transmitting layer and the refractive index of the low-refractive inorganic layer may be at least 0.3.
According to some embodiments, the display device may further include a first passivation layer between the color conversion-transmitting layer and the filler, the first passivation layer having a refractive index greater than the refractive index of the low-refractive inorganic layer.
According to some embodiments, the low-refractive inorganic layer and the color conversion-transmitting layer may be sequentially on the color conversion-transmitting layer.
According to some embodiments, the color conversion-transmitting layer and the low-refractive inorganic layer may be sequentially on the color conversion-transmitting layer.
According to some embodiments, the first passivation layer may include silicon oxynitride (SiON).
According to some embodiments, the refractive index of the filler may be from about 1.45 to about 1.55, and a thickness of the filler may be from about 1 μm to about 10 μm.
According to some embodiments, the encapsulation layer may include a first inorganic encapsulation layer, an organic encapsulation layer, and a second inorganic encapsulation layer sequentially arranged, and the color conversion-transmitting layer may directly contact the second inorganic encapsulation layer.
According to some embodiments, the display device may further include a low-refractive organic layer and a second passivation layer on a surface of the color filter layer opposite to the color conversion-transmitting layer.
According to some embodiments, the low-refractive organic layer may include an organic material and porous particles dispersed in the organic material.
According to some embodiments, the low-refractive inorganic layer may have a coefficient of extinction less than a coefficient of extinction of the low-refractive organic layer.
According to some embodiments, a refractive index of the low-refractive organic layer may be less than the refractive index of the low-refractive inorganic layer.
According to some embodiments, the second passivation layer may include SiO2 and may have a refractive index greater than the refractive index of the low-refractive inorganic layer.
According to some embodiments, the color filter layer includes a first color filter configured to transmit light of a first color, a second color filter configured to transmit light of a second color, a third color filter configured to transmit light of a third color, and a light-blocking portion dividing the first color filter, the second color filter, and the third color filter, and the light-blocking portion may be formed by overlapping a first color layer, a second color layer, and a third color layer respectively arranged on same layers as the first color filter, the second color filter, and the third color filter.
According to some embodiments, the light-emitting element layer may include a first light-emitting element, a second light-emitting element, and a third light-emitting element, and the color conversion-transmitting layer may include a first color converter corresponding to the first light-emitting element, a second color converter corresponding to the second light-emitting element, and a transmitter corresponding to the third light-emitting element, and may further include a light-blocking partition wall arranged among the first color converter, the second color converter, and the transmitter.
According to some embodiments, a top surface of each of the first color converter, the second color converter, and the transmitter may have a concave shape recessed with respect to a top surface of the light-blocking partition wall, and the low-refractive inorganic layer may include a groove formed according to the concave shape.
According to some embodiments, the first substrate and the second substrate may each include glass.
According to one or more embodiments, a display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate opposite to the first substrate, a light-emitting element layer on the first substrate and including at least one light-emitting element, an encapsulation layer on the light-emitting layer and including at least one inorganic encapsulation layer and at least one organic encapsulation layer, a color conversion-transmitting layer on the encapsulation layer and configured to convert light emitted from the at least one light-emitting element into light having different colors, the color conversion-transmitting layer including quantum dots, a low-refractive inorganic layer on the color conversion-transmitting layer and having a refractive index less than a refractive index of the color conversion-transmitting layer, and a color filter layer on a surface of the second substrate opposite to the first substrate, and being apart from the low-refractive inorganic layer with an air gap therebetween.
According to some embodiments, the refractive index of the low-refractive inorganic layer may be greater than 1.2 and less than 1.4, and a thickness of the low-refractive inorganic layer may be from about 100 Å to about 4,000 Å.
According to some embodiments, a difference between the refractive index of the color conversion-transmitting layer and the refractive index of the low-refractive inorganic layer may be at least 0.3.
According to some embodiments, the color filter layer may include a first color filter configured to transmit light of a first color, a second color filter configured to transmit light of a second color, a third color filter configured to transmit light of a third color, and a light-blocking portion dividing the first color filter, the second color filter, and the third color filter, and in the light-blocking portion, a first color layer, a second color layer, and a third color layer respectively including same materials as the first color filter, the second color filter, and the third color filter overlap.
According to some embodiments, a top surface of each of the first color converter, the second color converter, and the transmitter may have a concave shape recessed with respect to a top surface of the light-blocking partition wall, and the low-refractive inorganic layer may include a groove formed according to the concave shape.
Aspects, features, and characteristics in addition to the descriptions will be clearly understood from detailed descriptions, claims, and accompanying drawings.
The above and other aspects, features, and characteristics of certain embodiments of the disclosure will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Reference will now be made in more detail to aspects of some embodiments, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. In this regard, the present embodiments may have different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the descriptions set forth herein. Accordingly, the embodiments are merely described below, by referring to the figures, to explain aspects of the present description. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Throughout the disclosure, the expression “at least one of a, b or c” indicates only a, only b, only c, both a and b, both a and c, both b and c, all of a, b, and c, or variations thereof.
As the disclosure allows various modifications and may have various embodiments, specific embodiments will be shown in the drawings and described in more detail below. Effects and characteristics of the disclosure, and methods of achieving the same will be clearly understood with reference to embodiments described in more detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed hereinafter and may be embodied in different forms.
Hereinafter, aspects of some embodiments will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and in descriptions with reference to the drawings, same reference numbers will be given to same or corresponding components, and same descriptions thereof will be omitted.
In the following embodiments, terms such as first, second are only used to distinguish one component from others, not in a limiting sense.
In following embodiments, an expression used in the singular encompasses the expression of the plural, unless it has a clearly different meaning in the context.
In following embodiments, terms such as “include” or “comprise” indicate the existence of the features or components disclosed in the specification, and are not intended to preclude the possibility that one or more other features or components may be added.
In following embodiments, it will be understood that when a component such as a layer, a film, an area, or a plate is referred to as being “on” another component, the component may be directly on the other component or intervening components may be present thereon. Sizes of components in the drawings may be exaggerated or reduced for convenience of explanation. For example, sizes and thicknesses of the components in the drawing are arbitrarily illustrated for convenience of explanation, and therefore, the embodiments are not limited to the illustration.
When an embodiment may be implemented differently, a specific process order may be performed differently from the described order. For example, two consecutively described processes may be performed substantially at the same time or performed in an order opposite to the described order.
In following embodiments, when it is referred that a components such as layers, films, areas, and plates are connected with each other, the components may be directly connected with each other or may be indirectly connected with other with intervening other components. For example, when components are electrically connected with each other, the components may be directly connected with each other, or may be indirectly connected with each other with other intervening components.
In the following examples, the x-axis, the y-axis and the z-axis are not limited to three axes of the rectangular coordinate system, and may be interpreted in a broader sense. For example, the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis may be perpendicular to one another, or may represent different directions that are not perpendicular to one another.
Referring to
The non-display area NDA may surround at least a portion of the display area DA. According to some embodiments, the non-display area NDA may surround the entire portion of the display area DA. For example, the non-display area NDA may be located in a periphery (or outside a footprint) of the display area DA. The non-display area NDA may include an area in which images are not displayed. A driver or a main power line configured to provide electric signals or power to pixel circuits may be arranged in the non-display area NDA. The non-display area NDA may include a pad area, that is, an area to which electronic devices or a printed circuit board may be electrically connected.
Referring to
Referring to
The light-emitting panel 1000 may include a circuit layer 200, the light-emitting element layer 300, the encapsulation layer 400, and the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 sequentially stacked on the first substrate 100. The circuit layer 200 may include a first pixel circuit PC1, a second pixel circuit PC2, and a third pixel circuit PC3, which may be electrically connected to a first light-emitting element LED1, a second light-emitting element LED2, and a third light-emitting element LED3 of the light-emitting element layer 300, respectively.
The first light-emitting element LED1, the second light-emitting element LED2, and the third light-emitting element LED3 may include organic light-emitting diodes including organic materials. According to some embodiments, the first light-emitting element LED1, the second light-emitting element LED2, and the third light-emitting element LED3 may include inorganic light-emitting diodes including inorganic materials. The inorganic light-emitting diode may include a PN junction diode including inorganic semiconductor-based materials. When a voltage is applied in a positive direction to the PN junction diode, holes and electrons are injected into the PN junction diode, and energy generated by recombination of the holes and electrons may be converted into light energy to emit light having a certain color. The inorganic light-emitting diode may have a width of about several to hundreds of micrometers or several to hundreds of nanometers. In some embodiments, the first light-emitting element LED1, the second light-emitting element LED2, and the third light-emitting diode LED3 may include light-emitting diodes including quantum dots. As described above, emission layers of the first light-emitting element LED1, the second light-emitting element LED2, and the third light-emitting element LED3 may include an organic material, an inorganic material, quantum dots, an organic material and quantum dots, or an inorganic material and quantum dots.
The first light-emitting element LED1, the second light-emitting element LED2, and the third light-emitting element LED3 may emit light having a same color. For example, light (for example, the blue light Lb) emitted from the first light-emitting element LED1, the second light-emitting element LED2, and the third light-emitting element LED3 may be transmitted through the encapsulation layer 400 on the light-emitting element layer 300 and incident to the color conversion-transmitting layer 500.
The color conversion-transmitting layer 500 may be located on the encapsulation layer 400 to directly contact the encapsulation layer 400. The color conversion-transmitting layer 500 may include color converters configured to convert the light (for example, the blue light Lb) into light having different colors, and a transmitter configured to transmit the light (for example, the blue light Lb), which is emitted from the light-emitting element layer 300, without color conversion. For example, the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 may include a first color converter 510 corresponding to the red pixel Pr, a second color converter 520 corresponding to the blue pixel Pg, and a transmitter 530 corresponding to the blue pixel Pb. The first color converter 510 may convert the blue light Lb into red light Lr, and the second color converter 520 may convert the blue light Lb into green light Lg. The transmitter 530 may transmit the blue light Lb without conversion.
According to some embodiments, the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 may be formed above the first substrate 100, not above the second substrate 700. By this configuration, a distance between the first light-emitting element LED1, the second light-emitting element LED2, and the third light-emitting element LED3 may be reduced, and loss of light in a path may be reduced as much as possible to improve light efficiency.
The color filter panel 2000 may include a color filter layer 600 located on a surface of the second substrate 700 facing the first substrate 100. The color filter layer 600 may be arranged opposite to the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 with the filler 800 therebetween. The color filter layer 600 may include a first color filter 610, a second color filter 620, and a third color filter 630 respectively having different colors.
For example, the first color filter 610, the second color filter 620, and the third color filter 630 may include color filters configured to transmit red light, green light, and blue light, respectively.
Color purities of lights color-converted and transmitted by the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 may be improved by the first color filter 610, the second color filter 620, and the third color filter 630. In addition, the color filter layer 600 may prevent or minimize external light (for example, light incident on the display device DV from outside the display device DV) from being reflected and recognized by a user.
The filler 800 may be located between the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 and the color filter layer 600. The filler 800 may bond the light-emitting panel 1000 (see
According to some embodiments, a low-refractive inorganic layer 910 may be located on the color conversion-transmitting layer 500. That is, the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 may be located between the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 and the filler 800.
The low-refractive inorganic layer 910 may have a refractive index greater than 1.2 and less than 1.4, and may include, for example, silicon oxide (SiO2). Although a refractive index of the silicon oxide is generally less than other inorganic layers, the refractive index of the silicon oxide is from about 1.45 to about 1.5. According to some embodiments, the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 having the refractive index greater than 1.2 and less than 1.4 may be implemented by forming the silicon oxide specifically under a process condition under which a refractive index may be low. Functions of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 will be described later.
The display device DV having the aforementioned structure may include various devices such as a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop, a television, or a billboard.
Referring to
The first quantum dots 512 may be excited by the blue light Lb to emit the red light Lr having a wavelength greater than a wavelength of the blue light Lb. The first photosensitive polymer 511 may include an organic material having light transmissivity.
The first scattering particles 513 may scatter the blue light Lb that has not been absorbed by the first quantum dots 512 to excite more of the first quantum dots 512, thereby increasing the efficiency of color conversion. The first scattering particles 513 may include, for example, titanium dioxide (TiO2) particles or metal particles. The first quantum dots 512 may be selected from among a Group II-VI compound, a Group III-V compound, a Group IV-VI compound, a Group IV element, a Group IV compound, and combinations thereof.
The Group II-VI compound may be selected from a group consisting of: a two-element compound selected from a group consisting of CdSe, CdTe, ZnS, ZnSe, ZnTe, ZnO, HgS, HgSe, HgTe, MgSe, MgS and combinations thereof; a three-element compound selected from a group consisting of CdSeS, CdSeTe, CdSTe, ZnSeS, ZnSeTe, ZnSTe, HgSeS, HgSeTe, HgSTe, CdZnS, CdZnSe, CdZnTe, CdHgS, CdHgSe, CdHgTe, HgZnS, HgZnSe, HgZnTe, MgZnSe, MgZnS, and combinations thereof; and a four-element compound selected from a group consisting of HgZnTeS, CdZnSeS, CdZnSeTe, CdZnSTe, CdHgSeS, CdHgSeTe, CdHgSTe, HgZnSeS, HgZnSeTe, HgZnSTe, and combinations thereof.
The Group III-VI compound may include a two-element compound such as In2S3, In2Se3; a three-element such as InGaSe, InGaSe3; and an arbitrary combination thereof.
The Group III-V compound may be selected from a group consisting of: a two-element compound selected from a group consisting of GaN, GaP, GaAs, GaSb, AlN, AIP, AlAs, AlSb, InN, InP, InAs, InSb, and combinations thereof; a three-element compound selected from a group consisting of GaNP, GaNAs, GaNSb, GaPAs, GaPSb, AINP, AINAs, AINSb, AIPAs, AIPSb, InNP, InAIP, InNAs, InNSb, InPAs, InPSb, GaAINP, and combinations thereof; and a four-element compound selected from a group consisting of GaAINAs, GaAINSb, GaAIPAs, GaAIPSb, GaInNP, GaInNAs, GaInNSb, GaInPAs, GaInPSb, InAINP, InAINAs, InAINSb, InAIPAs, InAIPSb, and combinations thereof. The Group III-V semiconductor compound may further include a Group II metal (for example, InZnP).
The Group IV-VI compound may be selected from a group consisting of: a two-element compound selected from a group consisting of SnS, SnSe, SnTe, PbS, PbSe, PbTe, and combinations thereof; a three-element compound selected from a group consisting of SnSeS, SnSeTe, SnSTe, PbSeS, PbSeTe, PbSTe, SnPbS, SnPbSe, SnPbTe, and combinations thereof; and a four-element compound selected from a group consisting of SnPbSSe, SnPbSeTe, SnPbSTe, and combinations thereof. The Group IV element may be selected from a group consisting of Si, Ge, and a combination thereof. The Group IV compound may include a two-element compound selected from a group consisting of SiC, SiGe, and a combination thereof.
The second color converter 520 may convert the blue light Lb, which is incident to the second color converter 520, into the green light Lg. The second color converter 520 may include a second photosensitive polymer 521, and second quantum dots 522 and second scattering particles 523 dispersed in the second photosensitive polymer 521.
The second quantum dots 522 may be excited by the blue light Lb to emit the green light Lg having a wavelength greater than a wavelength of the blue light Lb. The second photosensitive polymer 521 may include an organic material having light transmissivity.
The second scattering particles 523 may scatter the blue light Lb that has not been absorbed by the second quantum dots 522 to excite more of the second quantum dots 522, thereby increasing the efficiency of color conversion. The second scattering particles 523 may include, for example, titanium dioxide (TiO2) particles or metal particles. The second quantum dots 522 may be selected from among the Group II-VI compound, the Group III-V compound, the Group IV-VI compound, the Group IV element, the Group IV compound, and combinations thereof.
In some embodiments, the first quantum dots 512 and the second quantum dots 522 may include a same material. In this case, a size of the first quantum dots 512 may be greater than a size of the second quantum dots 522.
The transmitter 530 may transmit the blue light Lb, which is incident to the transmitter 530, without conversion. The transmitter 530 may include a third photosensitive polymer 531 in which third scattering particles 533 are dispersed. The third photosensitive polymer 531 may include, for example, an organic material having light transmissivity such as silicon resin and epoxy resin, and may include a same material as those of the first photosensitive polymer 511 and the second photosensitive polymer 521. The third scattering particles 533 may scatter and emit the blue light Lb, and may include a same material as those of the first scattering particles 513 and the second scattering particles 523.
Referring to
The light-emitting element LED shown in
The pixel circuit Pc may control an amount of current flowing from the driving power voltage ELVDD to the common power voltage ELVSS via the light-emitting element LED, in response to a data signal. The pixel circuit PC may include a first transistor M1, a second transistor M2, a third transistor M3, and a storage capacitor Cst.
Each of the first transistor M1, the second transistor M2, and the third transistor M3 may include an oxide semiconductor thin-film transistor including a semiconductor layer including an oxide semiconductor, or may include a silicon semiconductor thin-film transistor including a semiconductor layer including polysilicon. The transistor may include a first electrode and a second electrode. According to the type of the transistor, the first electrode may include one of a source electrode and a drain electrode, and the second electrode may include another one of the source electrode and the drain electrode.
The first transistor M1 may include a driving transistor. A first electrode of the first transistor M1 is electrically connected to the driving power line VDL configured to provide the drive power voltage ELVDD, and the second electrode may be electrically connected to a pixel electrode of the light-emitting element LED. A gate electrode of the first transistor M1 may be electrically connected to the first node N1. The first transistor M1 may control an amount of current flowing from the driving power voltage ELVDD to the light-emitting element LED, in response to a voltage of the first node N1.
The second transistor M2 may include a switching transistor. A first electrode of the second transistor M2 may be electrically connected to a data line DL, and the second electrode may be electrically connected to the first node N1. A gate electrode of the second transistor M2 may be electrically connected to a scan line SL. The second transistor M2 may be turned on when a scan signal is provided to the scan line SL to electrically connect the data line DL with the first node N1.
The third transistor M3 may include an initialization transistor and/or a sensing transistor. A first electrode of the third transistor M3 may be electrically connected to the second node N2, and a second electrode may be connected to a sensing line SEL. A gate electrode of the third transistor M3 may be electrically connected to a control line CL.
The third transistor T3 may be turned on when a control signal is provided to the control line CL, to electrically connect the sensing line SEL with the second node N2. In some embodiments, the third transistor T3 may be turned on in response to a signal received through the control line CL, and may transmit an initialization voltage from the sensing line SEL to the light-emitting element LED to initialize a pixel electrode. In some embodiments, the third transistor T3 may be turned on when the control signal is provided to the control line CI, to sense characteristic information of the light-emitting element LED. The third transistor T3 may have any one or both of a function as the initialization transistor and a function as the sensing transistor described above. In some embodiments, when the third transistor T3 has the function as the initialization transistor, the sensing line SEL may be named as an initialization voltage line. An initialization operation and a sensing operation of the third transistor T3 may be individually performed, or may be simultaneously performed.
The storage capacitor Cst may be connected between the first node N1 and the second node N2. For example, a first capacitor electrode of the storage capacitor Cst may be electrically connected to the gate electrode of the first transistor M1, and a second capacitor of the storage capacitor Cst may be electrically connected to the pixel electrode of the light-emitting element LED.
Although
Although
Referring to
As described above with reference to
According to some embodiments, the storage capacitor Cst may include a first capacitor electrode CE1 and a second capacitor electrode CE2, and the second capacitor electrode CE2 may include a first sub-capacitor electrode CE2b and a second sub-capacitor electrode CE2t, respectively formed above and under the first capacitor electrode CE1.
The first sub-capacitor electrode CE2b may be directly formed on the first substrate 100. For example, the first sub-capacitor electrode CE2b may directly contact a top surface of the first substrate 100. The first sub-capacitor electrode CE2b may include a conductive material, such as aluminum (Al), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), silver (Ag), magnesium (Mg), gold (Au), nickel (Ni), neodymium (Nd), iridium (Ir), chromium (Cr), calcium (Ca), molybdenum (Mo), titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), and/or copper (Cu). According to some embodiments, the driving voltage line VDL, the common voltage line VSL, and/or the data line DL may be formed together with the first sub-capacitor electrode CE2b in a same process.
Next, a buffer layer 201 may be formed. The buffer layer 201 may be located above the second sub-capacitor electrode CE2t, and may include an inorganic insulating material. The buffer layer 201 may include an inorganic insulating material such as silicon nitride, silicon oxide, and/or silicon oxynitride, and may include a single-layer structure or multi-layer structure including the aforementioned materials.
Next, a semiconductor layer Act of the transistor TR may be formed. The semiconductor layer Act may include an oxide semiconductor material such as IGZO, amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, or an organic semiconductor material.
A gate insulating layer 203 may be formed on the semiconductor layer Act. The gate insulating layer 203 may include an inorganic insulating material such as silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, and may include a single-layer structure or multi-layer structure including the aforementioned materials.
The gate electrode GE may be formed on the gate insulating layer 203 and overlap a portion of the semiconductor layer Act. The gate electrode GE may overlap a channel region CR of the semiconductor layer Act, and the semiconductor layer Act may include the channel region CR, and a source region SR and a drain region DR respectively arranged at two sides of the channel region CR.
The first capacitor electrode CE1 may be formed on a same layer and include same material as the gate electrode GE. The first capacitor electrode CE1 and the gate electrode GE may be formed by a same process. The first capacitor electrode CE1 and the gate electrode GE may include a conductive metal such as Al, Pt, Pd, Ag, Mg, Au, Ni, Nd, Ir, Cr, Ni, Ca, Mo, Ti, W, and/or Cu. According to some embodiments, the first capacitor electrode CE1 and the gate electrode GE may each have a layer structure including Mo/Al/Mo. According to some embodiments, the first capacitor electrode CE1 and the gate electrode GE may include a TiNx layer, an Al layer, and/or Ti layer.
An interlayer insulating layer 204 may be formed on the first capacitor electrode CE1 and the gate electrode GE. The interlayer insulating layer 204 may include an inorganic insulating material such as silicon nitride, silicon oxide, and/or silicon oxynitride, and may include a single-layer structure or a multi-layer structure including the aforementioned materials.
The second sub-capacitor electrode CE2t may be formed on the interlayer insulating layer 204. The second sub-capacitor electrode CE2t may be electrically connected to the first sub-capacitor electrode CE2b via a contact hole in an insulating layer between the first sub-capacitor electrode CE2b and the second sub-capacitor electrode CE2t. For example, the second sub-capacitor electrode CE2t may contact the first sub-capacitor electrode CE2b via a contact hole through the buffer layer 201, the gate insulating layer 203, and the interlayer insulating layer 204. The first sub-capacitor electrode CE2t may include, for example, a Ti layer, an Al layer, and/or a Cu layer. According to some embodiments, the first sub-capacitor electrode CE2t may include a layer structure including Ti/Al/Ti.
A via insulating layer 205 may be formed on the first pixel circuit PC1, the second pixel circuit PC2, and the third pixel circuit PC3. The via insulating layer 205 may include an inorganic insulating material and/or an organic insulating material. For example, the via insulating layer 205 may include an organic insulating material such as acryl, benzocyclobutene (BCB), polyimide, or hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO). The via insulating layer 205 may be formed into a single layer or a multi-layer.
Each of the first pixel circuit PC1, the second pixel circuit PC2, and the third pixel circuit P3 located on the first substrate 100 may include the transistor TR and the storage capacitor Cst having the structures described above, and may be electrically connected to a pixel electrode of a corresponding light-emitting element.
The pixel electrodes 310 may be arranged apart from one another in a plurality of emission areas (i. e. a first emission area EA1, a second emission area EA2, and a third emission area EA3) (see
The bank layer 207 may include openings overlapping the pixel electrodes 310 of the first light-emitting element LED1, the second light-emitting element LED2, and the third light-emitting element LED3. The bank layer 207 may cover an edge of the pixel electrode 310 and expose a center portion of the pixel electrode 310 through the opening. The openings of the bank layer 207 may define the first emission area EA1, the second emission area EA2, and the third emission area EA3 (see
The bank layer 207 may include an organic insulating material. For example, the bank layer 207 may include an organic insulating material such as acryl, BCB, polyimide, or HMDSO.
An intermediate layer 320 may be formed on the bank layer 207, and may include an emission layer. The intermediate layer 320 may be integrally formed across the first emission area EA1, the second emission area EA2, and the third emission area EA3. However, according to requirements, the intermediate layer 320 may be patterned to correspond to the first emission area EA1, the second emission area EA2, and the third emission area EA3. In addition to the emission layer, according to requirements, the intermediate layer 320 may further include a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an electron transport layer, and/or an electron injection layer. The emission layer included in the intermediate layer 320 may emit light having a wavelength band including a main wavelength of about 450 nm to about 495 nm.
An opposite electrode 330 may be formed on the intermediate layer 320 to cover an entire portion of the display area DA of the first substrate 100. The opposite electrode 330 may include a semi-transmitting electrode or a transmitting electrode. The opposite electrode 330 may include a semi-transmitting electrode, including an ultrathin-film metal including Mg, Ag, Al, Pt, Pd, Au, Ni, Nd, Ir, Cr, or compounds thereof. For example, the opposite electrode 330 may include a semi-transmitting electrode including an MgAg layer, an Yb layer/an MgAg layer, or a Li layer/MgAg layer having a small thickness. According to some embodiments, the opposite electrode 330 may include a transparent conductive oxide such as ITO, IZO, ZnO, In2O3, IGO, or AZO.
The pixel electrode 310, the emission layer 320, and the opposite electrode 330 overlapping through the openings of the bank layer 207 form a light-emitting element configured to emit blue light. The light-emitting elements are arranged apart from one another, and in this regard,
According to some embodiments, the display device DV includes an encapsulation layer 400 formed on the first light-emitting element LED1, the second light-emitting element LED2, and the third light-emitting element LED3. The encapsulation layer 400 may include at least one inorganic encapsulation layer and at least one organic encapsulation layer. According to some embodiments, the encapsulation layer 400 may include a first inorganic encapsulation layer 410, a second inorganic encapsulation layer 430, and an organic encapsulation layer 420 between the first inorganic encapsulation layer 410 and the second inorganic encapsulation layer 430.
The first inorganic encapsulation layer 410 and the second inorganic encapsulation layer 430 may each include at least one inorganic insulating material. The inorganic insulating material may include one or more inorganic insulating material such as silicon dioxide (SiO2), silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), titanium oxide (TiO2), tantalum oxide (Ta2O5), hafnium oxide (HfO2), or zinc oxide (ZnO2), and may be formed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and the like.
The organic encapsulation layer 420 may include a polymer-based material. The polymer-based material may include an acrylic resin, an epoxy-based resin, polyimide, polyethylene, and the like. For example, the organic encapsulation layer 420 may include an acrylic resin, for example, polymethylmethacrylate, polyacrylate, and the like. The organic encapsulation layer 420 may be formed curing a monomer or coating a polymer.
As a thickness of the first inorganic encapsulation layer 410 formed by CVD is approximately uniform, a top surface of the first inorganic encapsulation layer 410 is not flat. However, a top surface of the organic encapsulation layer 420 is approximately flat, and accordingly, a top surface of the second inorganic encapsulation layer 430 on the organic encapsulation layer 420 may also be approximately flat.
Referring to
The light-blocking partition wall 540 may include a colored insulating material. For example, the light-blocking partition wall 540 may include a polyimide (PI)-based binder and a pigment obtained by combination of red, blue, and green. Alternatively, the light-blocking partition wall 540 may include a cardo-based binder resin and a combination of lactam black pigment and blue pigment. Alternatively, the light-blocking partition wall 540 may include carbon black. The light-blocking partition walls 540 may include openings corresponding to the first emission area EA1, the second emission area EA2, and the third emission area EA3.
The light-blocking partition wall 540 may prevent or reduce instances of light, which is converted and scattered by a first color converter 510 and a second color converter 520 to be described later, moving to another area. In addition, the light-blocking partition wall 540, together with a color filter to be described later, may prevent or reduce reflection of external light, thereby improving a contrast ratio of the display device DV.
After forming the light-blocking partition wall 540, the first color converter 510, the second color converter 520, and the transmitter 530 are formed. Materials included in the first color converter 510, the second color converter 520, and the transmitter 530 are the same as described above with reference to
According to some embodiments, each of the first color converter 510, the second color converter 520, the transmitter 530, and the light-blocking partition wall 540 may contact the second inorganic encapsulation layer 430 of the encapsulation layer 400.
The low-refractive inorganic layer 910 and a first passivation layer 920 may be sequentially arranged on the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 (see
According to some embodiments, the first color converter 510, the second color converter 520, and the transmitter 530 may have a refractive index of from about 1.7 to about 1.8. Referring to
Eventually, when the light is incident on the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 through each of the first color converter 510, the second color converter 520, and the transmitter 530, which are highly refractive, reflection may occur at interfaces between the aforementioned components. In addition, light incident to the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 at least in a certain angle may be totally reflected, and a range in which total reflection occurs may increase according to increase in the difference between the refractive indices. Due to the low refractive index of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910, a reflective index of light at a surface of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 may have a great value. Reflected light may be converted or scattered by the first color converter 510, the second color converter 520, and the transmitter 530 and may be extracted again to outside, and thus, light efficiency of the light may be improved.
According to some embodiments, a thickness of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 may be from about 100 Å to about 4,000 Å.
The first passivation layer 920 may be located on the low-refractive inorganic layer 910, and the first passivation layer 920 may have a refractive index greater than that of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910. For example, the first passivation layer 920 may include SiON having a refractive index of about 1.6. According to some embodiments, the first passivation layer 920 may include SiO2 having a refractive index than the refractive index of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910. The first passivation layer 920 may have a thickness of from about 2,000 Å to about 6,000 Å, but is not limited thereto.
According to some embodiments, the first color converter 510, the second color converter 520, the transmitter 530, and the light-blocking partition wall 540 may include an organic material, and the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 (see
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
According to some embodiments, the first color, the second color, and the third color may include red, green, and blue, respectively.
For example, as the first color layer 610P that is red, the second color layer 620P that is green, and the third color layer 630P that is blue are arranged in an overlapping manner in a region of the second substrate 700 overlapping the light-blocking partition wall 540, a light-blocking portion 600P dividing the first color filter 610, the second color filter 620, and the third color filter 630 may be implemented. By this configuration, the light-blocking portion 600P may be formed among the color filter as the first color filter 610, the second color filter 620, and the third color filter 630 are formed, without forming an extra layer such as a black matrix having light-blocking function.
Although embodiments in which the third color filter 630, the first color filter 610, and the second color filter 620 are sequentially formed on the second substrate 700 with reference to
Referring to
After bonding the light-emitting panel 1000 and the color filter panel 2000, a space between the light-emitting panel 1000 and the color filter panel 2000 is filled with the filler 800. For example, the filler 800 may fill a space between the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 and the color filter layer 600, on the color conversion-transmitting layer 500. According to some embodiments, the first passivation layer 920 may be located between the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 and the color filter layer 600 or between the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 and the filler 800. The filler 800 may include a resin such as acryl or epoxy. A thickness of the filler 800 may be from about 1 μm to about 10 μm, and a refractive index of the filler 800 may be from about 1.45 to about 1.55.
When the thickness of the filler 800 is less than 1 μm, it may be difficult to planarize the light-emitting panel 1000 and the color filter panel 2000, and when the thickness of the filler 800 is greater than 10 μm, a thickness of the display device DV may excessively increase.
Referring to
Reflected light may be re-incident to the first color converter 510, the second color converter 520, and the transmitter 530, and may be color-converted and/or scattered. The possibility that light reflected from the surface of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 without being color-converted will be re-incident on the first color converter 510, the second color converter 520, and the transmitter 530 and undergo color-conversion by quantum dots may be very high.
According to some embodiments, the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 may be located on the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 to improve light efficiency. In this case, the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 may include an inorganic layer including silicon oxide and the like formed by CVD, instead of an organic material, and a manufacturing cost may be significantly reduced compared with a case in which a low-refractive organic layer is used.
In addition, as the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 is located on the light-emitting panel 1000, not on the color filter panel 2000, a distance between the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 and the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 may be reduced as much as possible, and according to decrease in the distance, loss of light in a path is reduced, and the light efficiency may be further improved.
According to some embodiments, compared with low-refractive organic layers having generally similar refractive indice, the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 may have a lower coefficient of extinction (k). For example, the coefficient of extinction of the low-refraction inorganic layer 910 may be close to zero. When a coefficient of extinction is small, light absorption of a material itself decreases. Accordingly, when the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 is used, compared with an organic layer, loss of light caused due to absorption may be reduced.
Referring to
According to some embodiments, the display device may further include the first passivation layer 920, and the first passivation layer 920 may be located between the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 and the low-refractive inorganic layer 910.
The first passivation layer 920 may have a refractive index greater than the refractive index of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910. For example, the first passivation layer 920 may include SiON having a refractive index of about 1.6. According to some embodiments, the first passivation layer 920 may include SiO2 having a refractive index greater than the refractive index of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910. The first passivation layer 920 may have a thickness of from about 2,000 Å to about 6,000 Å, but is not limited thereto.
According to some embodiments, the first passivation layer 920 may contact the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 to prevent or reduce permeation and the like into the color conversion-transmitting layer 500.
In addition, as the first passivation layer 920 has the refractive index greater than the refractive index of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910, reflection may easily occur at an interface between the first passivation layer 920 and the low-refractive inorganic layer 910. The light reflected from the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 is re-incident on the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 and undergoes color conversion and/or scattering, and then is extracted to the outside. By repeated reflection and re-incidence, light efficiency of the display device may be improved.
Referring to
According to some embodiments, the first passivation layer 920 may be located on the low-refractive inorganic layer 910, and a low-refractive organic layer 930 and a second passivation layer 940 may be located under the color filter layer 600.
The low-refractive organic layer 930 is a layer of which a refractive index is decreased by scattering porous particles such as hollow silica in the organic material, and may have a refractive index of from about 1.2 to about 1.3. According to some embodiments, the low-refractive organic layer 930 may have a refractive index less than the refractive index of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910. In addition to a function of reflecting light from a surface to improve light efficiency, the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 may also planarize the color filter layer 600.
The second passivation layer 940 may include an inorganic material such as silicon oxynitride or silicon oxide, and may have a refractive index of from about 1.45 to about 1.55. According to some embodiments, both of the second passivation layer 940 and the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 may include silicon oxide, but the refractive index of the second passivation layer 940 may be greater than the low-refractive inorganic layer 910.
The second passivation layer 940 performs a same function as the first passivation layer 920. That is, the second passivation layer 940 protects the first color filter 610, the second color filter 620, the third color filter 630 from external moisture.
The low-refractive organic layer 930 has the refractive index less than the second passivation layer 940, and the light transmitted through the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 and incident to the low-refractive organic layer 930 via the filler 800 may be reflected from an interface between the low-refractive organic layer 930 and the second passivation layer 940.
Referring to
Reflected light may be re-incident on the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 via the filler 800, and light that has been re-incident may again undergo color conversion and/or scattering and may then be extracted to the outside. However, as a distance between the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 and the low-refractive organic layer 930 is relatively great, loss of some of the light may occur during movement through light path. In addition, according to some embodiments, a coefficient of extinction (k) of the low-refractive organic layer 930 may be greater than a coefficient of extinction of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910.
The display device according to the embodiments shown in
Although the embodiments shown in
Referring to
According to some embodiments, the light-blocking partition wall 540 may be formed on the second inorganic encapsulation layer 430. The light-blocking partition wall 540 may surround the emission areas, that is, the first emission area EA1, the second emission area EA2, and the third emission area EA3 (see
The light-blocking partition wall 540 may include a colored insulating material. For example, the light-blocking partition wall 540 may include a polyimide (PI)-based binder and a pigment obtained by a combination of red, blue, and green. Alternatively, the light-blocking partition wall 540 may include a cardo-based binder resin and a combination of lactam black pigment and blue pigment. Alternatively, the light-blocking partition wall 540 may include carbon black. The light-blocking partition walls 540 may include openings respectively corresponding to the first emission area EA1, the second emission area EA2, and the third emission area EA3.
The light-blocking partition wall 540 may prevent or reduce light converted and scattered by a first color converter 510 and a second color converter 520 to be described later from moving to another area. In addition, the light-blocking partition wall 540 may prevent or reduce reflection of external light with a color filter to be described later, thereby improving a contrast ratio of the display device DV.
After forming the light-blocking partition wall 540, a first color converter 510′ a second color converter 520′, and a transmitter 530′ are formed. Materials included in the first color converter 510′, the second color converter 520′, and the transmitter 530′ are the same as described above with reference to
The low-refractive inorganic layer 910′ and the first passivation layer 920′ may be sequentially arranged on the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 (see
According to some embodiments, the first color converter 510′, the second color converter 520′, and the transmitter 530′ may have a refractive index of from about 1.7 to about 1.8, and for example, difference in refractive indice between each of the first color converter 510′, the second color converter 520′, and the transmitter 530′ and the low-refractive inorganic layer 910′ may be at least 0.3.
According to some embodiments, a thickness of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910′ may be from about 100 Å to about 4000 Å. As the low-refractive inorganic layer 910′ is generally formed in a substantially uniform thickness, a top surface of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910′ is not flat and may have grooves corresponding to concave shapes of the first color converter 510′, the second color converter 520′, and the transmitter 530′.
The first passivation layer 920′ may be located on the low-refractive inorganic layer 910′, and the first passivation layer 920′ may have a refractive index greater than a refractive index of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910′. For example, the first passivation layer 920′ may include SiON having a refractive index of about 1.6. According to some embodiments, the first passivation layer 920′ may include silicon oxide (SiOx) having a refractive index greater than the refractive index of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910′. The first passivation layer 920′ may have a thickness of from about 2000 Å to about 6000 Å, but is not limited thereto.
As the first passivation layer 920′ is generally formed in a substantially uniform thickness, a top surface of the first passivation layer 920′ is not flat and may have a shape corresponding to the recessed shapes of the first color converter 510′, the second color converter 520′, and the transmitter 530′. That is, a surface of the light-emitting panel 1000 opposite to the color filter panel 2000 may be not flat.
Although
Table 1 shows simulation results for light efficiency and reflectivity of external light of the display device of
Referring to Table 1, it is illustrated that the light efficiency of the display device according to some embodiments increased by 9% with reference to white light. To exclude an increase of the light efficiency caused by reflectivity of external light, a result of a case in which the reflectivity of external light is same is also obtained, and in this case, it is obvious that the light efficiency increased by 4% with reference to white light. Here, SCI indicates a reflectivity including both of scattering reflection and mirror reflection, and SCE indicates a reflectivity only including scattering reflection.
Referring to
According to some embodiments, as the air gap 800′ may be naturally formed during a bonding process, there is no requirements for an extra filler or filling process, and thus may be economic. In addition, the air gap 800′ may be filled with a gas from which oxygen or a gas containing certain components may be removed or to which a gas containing certain components is added, including general air.
According to some embodiments, the refractive index of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 may be greater than 1.2 and less than 1.4, and the thickness of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 may be from about 100 Å to about 4000 Å. The low-refractive inorganic layer 910 may be formed by CVD, and may form a silicon oxide film having a refractive index less than 1.4 by changing a content of materials or deposition conditions during a deposition process. The low-refractive inorganic layer 910 formed by CVD may include an inorganic layer, only including an inorganic material without an organic material.
The difference between the refractive index of the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 and the refractive index of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 may be 0.3 or greater, and the light efficiency may be improved by reflection from an interface between the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 and the low-refractive inorganic layer 910.
The color filter layer 600 may include the first color filter 610 configured to transmit the light having the first color filter 610, the second color filter configured to transmit the light having the second color, the third color filter 630 configured to transmit the light having the third color, and the light-blocking portion 600P (see
Although
Although 14 illustrates embodiments in which the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 and the first passivation layer 920 are sequentially arranged on the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 (see
According to some embodiments, the air gap 800′ may also be applied in embodiments in which the first passivation layer 920 is located on the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 and the low-refractive organic layer 930 and the second passivation layer 940 is located under the color filter layer 600, like the embodiments shown in
According to the embodiments described above, the light-emitting panel 1000 includes the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 and the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 on the color conversion-transmitting layer 500, the light is reflected from the surface between the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 and the low-refractive inorganic layer and re-incident to the color conversion-transmitting layer 500, and therefore, the light efficiency may be improved.
The low-refractive inorganic layer 910 is included in the light-emitting panel 1000 and contacts the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 or is arranged adjacent to the color conversion-transmitting layer 500, and therefore, loss of the light from the color conversion-transmitting layer 500 before arriving the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 may be reduced as much as possible.
The low-refractive inorganic layer 910 has a coefficient of extinction lower than the coefficient of extinction of the low-refractive organic layer 930, and a cost for materials of the low-refractive inorganic layer 910 is much lower than that of the low-refractive organic layer 930, and therefore, may be advantageous in terms of cost compared with a configuration including the low-refractive organic layer 930.
According to some embodiments, the display device DV may further include the low-refractive organic layer 930 configured to planarize the color filter layer 600 and having a low refractive index, in addition to the low-refractive inorganic layer 910. When the display device DV further includes the low-refractive organic layer 930, a manufacturing cost may increase, while the light efficiency may be further improved.
According to the embodiments described above, a display device with relatively high efficiency may be provided. However, the scope of the disclosure is not limited thereto.
It should be understood that embodiments described herein should be considered in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Descriptions of features or aspects within each embodiment should typically be considered as available for other similar features or aspects in other embodiments. While one or more embodiments have been described with reference to the figures, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope as defined by the following claims, and their equivalents.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2022-0060452 | May 2022 | KR | national |
| 10-2022-0068504 | Jun 2022 | KR | national |
