Patent Application
20190294280
The present invention relates to the field of touch display and, in particular, to the field of manufacturing method for display panel, display panel and display device.
Active matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display provides the advantages of high response speed, power saving, applicability to portable devices, wide operating temperature range, higher contrast, and wider viewing angle. As such, AMOLED is expected to become the next generation of new flat panel display replacing liquid crystal display (LCD). As the flexible AMOLED has the advantages of being light and thin, bendable or foldable, and the shape of the flexible AMOLED can be arbitrarily changed, it has received increasing attention from the market.
In general, smart mobile displays need to integrate touch screen technology in order to facilitate user for use and operation. Therefore, in smart mobile displays, AMOLED display technology and touch technology need to be combined; in addition, the demands for thin screen are also increasing higher, therefore, how to combine the display technology with the touch technology to make the light-emitting device thinner has become an issue to be addressed.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method for display panel, display panel and display device, able to reduce the thickness of the display panel and leading to thinner display device.
To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a display panel, which comprises: a plurality of pixel units. Each pixel unit comprises a light-emitting element and a thin film transistor (TFT). The light-emitting element comprises an anode and a first touch electrode, disposed in a same layer; a light-emitting layer disposed on the anode and the first touch electrode; and a first electrode disposed on the light-emitting layer. The first electrode serves as a cathode of the display panel and a second touch electrode of the display panel in a time division manner.
To solve the above problems, the present invention also provides a manufacturing method for display panel, which comprises; providing a base substrate; forming a thin film transistor (TFT) on the base substrate; forming an anode and a first touch electrode on the TFT, wherein the anode and the first touch electrode being disposed in a same layer; forming a light-emitting layer and a first electrode layer sequentially formed on the anode; the first electrode serving as a cathode of the display panel and a second touch electrode of the display panel in a time division manner.
To solve the above problems, the present invention also provides a display device, which comprises a display panel, and the display panel comprising: a plurality of pixel units, each pixel unit comprising a light-emitting element and a thin film transistor (TFT); the light-emitting element comprising an anode and a first touch electrode disposed in a same layer; a light-emitting layer disposed on the anode and the first touch electrode, and a first electrode disposed on the light-emitting layer; the first electrode serving as a cathode of the display panel and a second touch electrode of the display panel in a time division manner; a planarization layer being disposed between the TFT and the light-emitting element, the anode being connected to a source or a drain of the TFT through a via in the planarization layer; the display panel further comprising a pixel definition layer, located in non-light-emitting region and covering the anode, the first touch electrode, and the planarization layer, and serving as an insulating layer between the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode; the pixel definition layer having a thickness at area corresponding to the first touch electrode less than a thickness at other areas of the pixel defining layer; the first touch electrode being disposed between adjacent anodes.
Compared to the known technology, the present invention provides the following advantages: the present invention, by disposing a first touch electrode in the same layer as the anode of the display panel, a light-emitting layer on the anode and the first touch electrode, and a first electrode on the light-emitting layer, uses the first electrode as a cathode of the display panel and a second touch electrode of the display panel in a time division manner. The first touch electrode and the second touch electrode serve as touch drive electrode or touch sense electrode. As such, the touch electrodes are embedded in the regions where the cathode and the anode of the display panel are located. On one hand, the thickness of the display device caused by attaching the touch panel to a package structure is avoided, thereby reducing the thickness of the display device. On the other hand, the existing cathode can also be used as a touch electrode, which reduces the number of manufacturing steps and reduces the production cost.
To make the technical solution of the embodiments according to the present invention, a brief description of the drawings that are necessary for the illustration of the embodiments will be given as follows. Apparently, the drawings described below show only example embodiments of the present invention and for those having ordinary skills in the art, other drawings may be easily obtained from these drawings without paying any creative effort.
To further explain the technical means and effect of the present invention, the following refers to embodiments and drawings for detailed description. Apparently, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of the present invention, instead of all embodiments. All other embodiments based on embodiments in the present invention and obtained by those skilled in the art without departing from the creative work of the present invention are within the scope of the present invention.
The terms “comprising” and “having” and any variations thereof appearing in the specification, claims, and drawings of the present application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but optionally also includes steps or units not listed, or alternatively, other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products or equipment. In addition, the terms “first”, “second” and “third” are used to distinguish different objects and not intended to describe a particular order.
As shown in
Refer to
Optionally, the anode 311 and the first touch electrode 314 are obtained by patterning the same metal layer.
It should be noted that when different voltages are applied to the anode 311 and the cathode respectively, an electric field is formed between the anode 311 and the cathode, which makes the light-emitting layer 312 in the middle to emit light to display. Furthermore, by changing the voltages on the anode 311 or the cathode so that the electric field is changed, the light-emitting intensity of the light-emitting layer 312 is changed, thereby displaying with different brightness.
Specifically, the first touch electrode 314 can be a touch driving electrode and the second touch electrode can be a touch sensing electrode.
It should be noted that in the present embodiment, using the first electrode 313 as the cathode as well as the touch electrode can be implemented in a time division manner. For example, in a frame, the first electrode 313 is used as a cathode in the first half-frame, and the first electrode 313 is used as a touch electrode in the second half-frame.
It should be noted that, in the above embodiment, the properties and order of the electrodes are not restricted; for example, in other embodiments, the anode 311 may also be used as a cathode, and the first electrode 313 may be used as an anode, wherein the anode is also used as a touch electrode. In addition, the first touch electrode may also be used as a touch sensing electrode, and the second touch electrode may be used as a touch driving electrode.
Optionally, in an embodiment, the first touch electrodes and the second touch electrodes are arranged as follows:
As shown in
The two adjacent first touch electrodes 41 are separated by at least one column of pixel units, and two adjacent second touch electrodes 42 are insulated from each other, for preventing the two adjacent first touch electrodes 41 or two adjacent second touch electrodes 42 from crosstalk.
Optionally, in another embodiment, the arrangement of the first touch electrodes 41 and the second touch electrodes 42 is as follows:
As shown in
The two adjacent first touch electrodes 41 are separated by at least one row of pixel units, and two adjacent second touch electrodes 42 are insulated from each other, for preventing the two adjacent first touch electrodes 41 or two adjacent second touch electrodes 42 from crosstalk.
Moreover, the interval between the two first touch electrodes 41 can be flexibly configured according to actual needs to achieve different precision of touch; two or more first touch electrodes 41 can be connected at both ends to form a first touch line to reduce the resistance of the first touch line and improve signal transmission efficiency.
It should be noted that one of the first touch electrode 41 and the second touch electrode 42 is used as a touch driving electrode, and the other is used as a touch sensing electrode; that is, the first touch electrode 41 is used as a touch driving electrode, and the second touch electrode 42 is used as a touch sensing electrode; or the first touch electrode 41 is used as a touch sensing electrode, and the second touch electrode 42 is used as a touch driving electrode.
Compared to the known technology, the display panel provided by the present embodiment, by disposing a first touch electrode in the same layer as the anode of the display panel, a light-emitting layer on the anode and the first touch electrode, and a first electrode on the light-emitting layer, uses the first electrode as a cathode of the display panel and a second touch electrode of the display panel in a time division manner. The first touch electrode and the second touch electrode serve as touch drive electrode or touch sense electrode. As such, the touch electrodes are embedded in the regions where the cathode and the anode of the display panel are located. On one hand, the thickness of the display device caused by attaching the touch panel to a package structure is avoided, thereby reducing the thickness of the display device. On the other hand, the existing cathode can also be used as a touch electrode, which reduces the number of manufacturing steps and reduces the production cost.
Refer to
Wherein the first touch electrode 614 is disposed between two adjacent anodes 611.
A planarization layer 63 is disposed between the TFT 62 and the light-emitting element 61, and the anode 611 is connected to a source or a drain of the TFT 62 through a via in the planarization layer 63.
The display panel further comprises a pixel definition layer 64, located in non-light-emitting region and covering the anode 611, the first touch electrode 614 and the planarization layer 63, and serving as an insulating layer between the first touch electrode 614 and the second touch electrode.
It should be noted that in this embodiment, the first touch electrode 614 is used as a touch driving electrode, and the second touch electrode is used as a touch sensing electrode; or the first touch electrode 614 is used as a touch sensing electrode, and the second touch electrode is used as a touch driving electrode.
The display panel further comprises: a base substrate 69, a buffer layer 68 disposed on the base substrate 69, a polysilicon layer 67 disposed on the buffer layer 68, a gate insulating layer 66 disposed on the polysilicon layer 67, and an interlayer insulating layer 65 disposed on the gate insulating layer 66. The source and drain of the TFT 62 are connected to the polysilicon layer 67 through vias in the interlayer insulating layer 65 and the gate insulating layer 66.
To add the routing of the first touch electrode 614 in the existing anode layer pattern, the first touch electrode 614 and the anode pattern can be formed by a same mask; the existing cathode layer is patterned to not only be used as the cathode electrode but also a routing of the second touch electrode. The routing of the first touch electrode 614 intersects with the routing of the second touch electrode.
In the present embodiment, the arrangement of the first touch electrodes 614 and the second touch electrodes is the same as on the previous embodiment and will not be repeated here.
Compared to the known technology, the display panel provided by the present embodiment, by disposing a first touch electrode in the same layer as the anode of the display panel, a light-emitting layer on the anode and the first touch electrode, and a first electrode on the light-emitting layer, uses the first electrode as a cathode of the display panel and a second touch electrode of the display panel in a time division manner. The routing of the first touch electrodes and the routing of the second touch electrodes are disposed in an intersecting manner so that the touch electrodes are embedded in the display panel to avoid the thickness issue of the display device caused by attaching the touch panel to a package structure, thereby reducing the thickness of the display device. Also, the existing cathode can also be used as a touch electrode, which reduces the number of manufacturing steps and reduces the production cost
Refer to
Compared to the known technology, the display panel provided by the present embodiment, by disposing a first touch electrode in the same layer as the anode of the display panel, a light-emitting layer on the anode and the first touch electrode, and a first electrode on the light-emitting layer, uses the first electrode as a cathode of the display panel and a second touch electrode of the display panel in a time division manner. The routing of the first touch electrodes and the routing of the second touch electrodes are disposed in an intersecting manner so that the touch electrodes are embedded in the display panel to avoid disposing additional touch panel to reduce the thickness of the light-emitting element and save production cost. Also, reducing the thickness of the pixel definition layer corresponding to the first touch electrode can enhance the touch sensitivity.
Refer to
Step 81: providing a base substrate.
Step 82: forming a TFT on the base substrate.
The TFT comprises a source, a drain and a gate.
Step 83: forming an anode and a first touch electrode on the TFT.
The anode and the first touch electrode are disposed on the same layer and mutually insulated. The first touch electrode is disposed in non-light-emitting region.
Step 84: forming a light-emitting layer and a first electrode successively on the anode.
As shown in
The anode 93, light-emitting layer 95 and the first electrode 96 form a light-emitting element. The anode 93 is the anode of the light-emitting element, the first electrode 96 serves as a cathode of the display panel and a second touch electrode of the display panel in a time division manner.
In the present embodiment, the arrangement of the first touch electrodes and the second touch electrodes is the same as on the previous embodiment and will not be repeated here.
Compared to the known technology, the manufacturing method for the display panel provided by the present invention, by forming a first touch electrode at the layer of the anode, forming light-emitting layer and first electrode on the anode, uses the first electrode as a cathode of the display panel and a second touch electrode of the display panel in a time division manner. As such, the touch function is integrated into the display panel to reduce the thickness of the display and save production cost.
Refer to
Step 101: providing a base substrate.
Step 102: forming a TFT on the base substrate.
Step 103: forming a planarization layer on the TFT.
Step 104: forming an anode and a first touch electrode on the planarization layer.
Step 105: forming a pixel definition layer on the anode, the first touch electrode and the planarization layer.
Step 106: forming a via in area corresponding to the anode on the pixel definition layer to expose the anode, and forming a groove is in area corresponding to the first touch electrode on the pixel definition layer.
Step 107: forming a light-emitting layer on the anode,
Step 108: forming a first electrode on the light-emitting layer and the pixel definition layer.
As shown in
In the present embodiment, the arrangement of the first touch electrodes and the second touch electrodes is the same as on the previous embodiment and will not be repeated here.
Compared to the known technology, the manufacturing method for the display panel provided by the present invention, by forming a first touch electrode at the layer of the anode, forming light-emitting layer and first electrode on the anode, uses the first electrode as a cathode of the display panel and a second touch electrode of the display panel in a time division manner. As such, the touch function is integrated into the display panel to reduce the thickness of the display and save production cost. Also, reducing the thickness of the pixel definition layer corresponding to the first touch electrode can enhance the touch sensitivity.
It should be noted that each of the embodiments in this specification is described in a progressive manner, each of which is primarily described in connection with other embodiments with emphasis on the difference parts, and the same or similar parts may be seen from each other. For the device embodiment, since it is substantially similar to the method embodiment, the description is relatively simple and the relevant description may be described in part of the method embodiment.
Embodiments of the present invention have been described, but not intending to impose any unduly constraint to the appended claims. Any modification of equivalent structure or equivalent process made according to the disclosure and drawings of the present invention, or any application thereof, directly or indirectly, to other related fields of technique, is considered encompassed in the scope of protection defined by the clams of the present invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 201810235247.X | Mar 2018 | CN | national |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/CN2018/087207 | May 2018 | US |
| Child | 16017508 | US |
