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EP-3644371-B1 - DISPLAY APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

EP3644371B1EP 3644371 B1EP3644371 B1EP 3644371B1EP-3644371-B1

Inventors

  • PARK, GWUI-HYUN
  • PARK, CHULWON
  • HONG, PIL SOON
  • SON, HYUNJIN

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20191023

Claims (9)

  1. A display apparatus having a display area (DA) and a pad area (PADA), the display apparatus comprising: a base substrate (100); a thin film transistor (TFT) on the base substrate (100) in the display area (DA); an insulation layer (140) on the base substrate (100) and the thin film transistor (TFT); a conductive pattern layer on the insulation layer (140), the conductive pattern layer including a pad electrode (PADE) in the pad area (PADA); and a via insulation layer (150) on the insulation layer (140), exposing an upper surface of the pad electrode (PADE), and covering edges of the pad electrode (PADE), wherein, in the pad area (PADA), the insulation layer (140) includes a groove (GR) or an opening having a depth (t1), the pad electrode (PADE) being in the groove (GR) or in the opening, wherein a thickness of the conductive pattern layer is larger than the depth (t1) of the groove (GR) or the opening, and wherein the opening fully penetrates the insulation layer (140) characterized in that the via insulation layer (150) overlaps a portion of the pad electrode (PADE), and an upper surface of the pad electrode (PADE) protrudes from or higher than an upper surface of the adjacent insulation layer (140) by a difference between a thickness (t2) of the pad electrode (PADE) and a depth (t1) of the groove (GR) or the opening of the insulation layer (140) thereby maintaining a thickness of the via insulation layer (150) where the via insulation layer (150) overlaps the pad electrode (PADE) in a range to prevent lifting of the via insulation layer (150).
  2. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulation layer (140) includes an inorganic insulation material.
  3. The display apparatus as claimed in at least one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the via insulation layer (150) includes an organic insulation material, and wherein the via insulation layer (150) has a first height in the display area (DA) and has a second height in the pad area (PADA), the second height being smaller than the first height.
  4. The display apparatus as claimed in at least one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: the groove (GR) or opening has a first width (W1) at an upper surface of on the insulation layer (140), and the pad electrode (PADE) has a second width (W2) that is smaller than the first width (W1).
  5. The display apparatus as claimed in at least one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the thin film transistor (TFT) includes: an active pattern (ACT) on the base substrate (100); a gate electrode (GE) on the active pattern (ACT); and a source electrode (SE) and a drain electrode (DE) included in the conductive pattern layer, and wherein the display apparatus further comprises a light emitting structure (180) on the via insulation layer (150) and electrically connected to the drain electrode (DE).
  6. The display apparatus as claimed in at least one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: a gate insulation layer (120) on the base substrate (100) and below the insulation layer (140); and a first gate pattern between the gate insulation layer (120) and the insulation layer (140), and including a first signal line (SL1) in the pad area (PADA), wherein a thickness of the insulation layer (140) on the first signal line (SL1) is smaller than a thickness of the insulation layer (140) adjacent to the first signal line (SL1), and wherein an upper surface of the insulation layer (140) on the first signal line (SL1) is flat.
  7. The display apparatus as claimed in at least one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a gate insulation layer (120) between the insulation layer (140) and the base substrate (100), wherein the opening through the insulation layer (140) exposes the gate insulation layer (120).
  8. The display apparatus as claimed in at least one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a thickness of the via insulation layer (150) in the pad area (PADA) is about 0.2 µm to 1.1 µm, and wherein a thickness (t2) of the pad electrode (PADE) is about 0.2 µm to 1.2 µm.
  9. The display apparatus as claimed in at least one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising: a conductive film on the pad electrode (PADE) and including a conductive ball (B); and a driver (DR) on the conductive film, the driver (DR) being electrically connected to the pad electrode (PADE), wherein the insulation layer (140) includes a plurality of layers including different materials.

Description

BACKGROUND 1. Field Embodiments relate to a display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the display apparatus. 2. Description of the Related Art Recently, a display apparatus having light weight and small size has been manufactured. A cathode ray tube (CRT) display apparatus has been used due to a performance and a competitive price. However, the CRT display apparatus has a drawback with a size or portability. Therefore, a display apparatus such as a plasma display apparatus, a liquid crystal display apparatus, and an organic light emitting display apparatus has been highly regarded due to small size, light weight and low-power-consumption. US 2011/284853 relates to a display device including a display area and a pad area with a conducting pattern on the insulation layer with a groove or an opening wherein the opening fully penetrates the insulation layer. CN107887339 relates to a display device including a display area and a pad area with a conducting pattern on the insulation layer with a groove where the thickness of the conductive pattern layer is larger than the depth of the groove. EP2816604 relates to a display device including a display area and a pad area with a conducting pattern on the insulation layer with a groove where the edges of the conductive pattern are partially covered by a via insulation layer. US2006/023130 relates to a display device including a display area and a pad area with a conducting pattern on the insulation layer with a groove where the edges of the conductive pattern are partially covered by a via insulation layer. SUMMARY The embodiments according to the present invention are realized by providing a display apparatus having a display area and a pad area, the display apparatus including a base substrate; a thin film transistor on the base substrate in the display area; an insulation layer on the base substrate and the thin film transistor; a conductive pattern layer on the insulation layer, the conductive pattern layer including a pad electrode in the pad area; and a via insulation layer on the insulation layer, exposing an upper surface of the pad electrode, and covering edges of the pad electrode, wherein, in the pad area, the insulation layer includes a groove or opening having a depth, the pad electrode being in the groove or opening. The groove in the insulation layer may only partially penetrate the insulation layer. That is, a thickness of the insulation layer beside the groove is greater than the depth of the groove. According to the present invention , the opening fully penetrates the insulation layer. That is, the opening does expose a surface of a layer or part positioned below the insulation layer. A thickness of the conductive pattern layer is greater than the depth of the groove. The insulation layer may include an inorganic insulation material. The via insulation layer may include an organic insulation material. The via insulation layer may have a first height in the display area and has a second height in the pad area, the second height being smaller than the first height. The groove may have a first width at an upper surface of on the insulation layer, and the pad electrode may have a second width that is smaller than the first width. The thin film transistor may include an active pattern on the base substrate; a gate electrode on the active pattern; and a source electrode and a drain electrode included in the conductive pattern layer. The display apparatus may further include a light emitting structure on the via insulation layer and electrically connected to the drain electrode. The display apparatus may further include a first gate insulation layer on the insulation layer and the base substrate; and a first gate pattern between the gate insulation layer and the insulation layer, and including a first signal line in the pad area, and wherein a thickness of the insulation layer on the first signal line is smaller than a thickness of the insulation layer adjacent to the first signal line. An upper surface of the insulation layer on the first signal line may be flat. The display apparatus may further include a gate insulation layer between the insulation layer and the base substrate, wherein the groove of the insulation layer is an opening through the insulation layer that exposes the gate insulation layer. A thickness of the via insulation layer in the pad area may be about 0.2 µm to 1.1 µm. A thickness of the pad electrode may be about 0.2 µm to 1.2 µm. The insulation layer may include a plurality of layers including different materials. The display apparatus may further include a conductive film on the pad electrode and including a conductive ball; and a driver on the conductive film, the driver being electrically connected to the pad electrode. The embodiments may be realized by providing a method of manufacturing a display apparatus having a display area and a pad area, the method including forming an active pattern of a thin film transistor on a ba