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EP-3985736-B1 - DISPLAY DEVICE

EP3985736B1EP 3985736 B1EP3985736 B1EP 3985736B1EP-3985736-B1

Inventors

  • KIM, HYOENG-KI
  • LEE, Hyeon-bum
  • PARK, KWANG-WOO
  • JUNG, JIN-WHAN
  • HONG, JONG-BEOM

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20200117

Claims (13)

  1. A display device comprising: a base substrate (100) which is flexible; first and second active patterns (ACT1, ACT2) disposed on the base substrate; an inorganic insulating layer (INO) disposed on the first and second active patterns and defining an opening area (OA); a first organic insulating pattern (OL1) disposed inside the opening area; a bridge electrode (BRE) disposed on the first organic insulating pattern; a second organic insulating layer (OL2) disposed on the bridge electrode; a fourth organic insulating layer (OL4) disposed on the second organic insulating layer; first and second pixel electrodes (PE1, PE2) disposed on the fourth organic insulating layer and electrically connected to the first and second active patterns, respectively; a third organic insulating pattern (OL3) disposed between the second organic insulating layer and the fourth organic insulating layer, overlapping the second pixel electrode, and not overlapping the first pixel electrode; and a pixel circuit is disposed under the first pixel electrode and a pixel circuit is disposed under the second pixel electrode, wherein the pixel circuits disposed under the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode respectively each have a different type of step structure.
  2. The display device of claim 1, further comprising: a third active pattern disposed on the base substrate; and a third pixel electrode disposed on the fourth organic insulating layer and electrically connected to the third active pattern, wherein the third organic insulating pattern does not overlap the third pixel electrode, optionally wherein: the first pixel electrode corresponds to a red sub-pixel, the second pixel electrode corresponds to a green sub-pixel, and the third pixel electrode corresponds to a blue sub-pixel.
  3. The display device of claim 1, further comprising: a third active pattern disposed on the base substrate; and a third pixel electrode disposed on the fourth organic insulating layer and electrically connected to the third active pattern, wherein the third organic insulating pattern overlaps the third pixel electrode, optionally wherein: the first pixel electrode corresponds to a green sub-pixel, the second pixel electrode corresponds to a red sub-pixel, and the third pixel electrode corresponds to a blue sub-pixel.
  4. The display device of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, when viewed in a plan view, the inorganic insulating layer is partitioned by the opening area to correspond to a plurality of sub-pixels, optionally wherein, when viewed in a plan view, the opening area has a lattice shape.
  5. The display device of any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: a pixel defining layer disposed on the fourth organic insulating layer; a light emitting layer disposed on the first pixel electrode; and a counter electrode disposed on the light emitting layer, optionally wherein: the display device further comprises: a thin film encapsulation layer disposed on the counter electrode; and a color filter layer disposed on the thin film encapsulation layer.
  6. The display device of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first pixel electrode and the first active pattern are included in the pixel circuit of a first sub-pixel, wherein the second pixel electrode and the second active pattern are included in the pixel circuit of a second sub-pixel, and wherein the bridge electrode is configured to electrically connect the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel to each other.
  7. The display device of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the inorganic insulating layer includes: a buffer layer disposed on the base substrate; a gate insulating layer disposed on the buffer layer; and a plurality of inorganic insulating layers disposed on the gate insulating layer.
  8. The display device of claim 7, further comprising: first and second gate electrodes disposed on the gate insulating layer and overlapping the first and second active patterns, respectively; a first inorganic insulating layer disposed on the gate insulating layer; a first conductive pattern disposed on the first inorganic insulating layer; a second inorganic insulating layer disposed on the first conductive pattern; a second conductive pattern disposed on the second inorganic insulating layer; a third inorganic insulating layer disposed on the second conductive pattern; a third conductive pattern disposed on the third inorganic insulating layer; an insulating layer disposed on the third conductive pattern; and a fourth conductive pattern disposed on the insulating layer, wherein the first to third inorganic insulating layers are included in the inorganic insulating layer, and wherein the third organic insulating pattern and the fourth organic insulating layer are disposed between the fourth conductive pattern and the second pixel electrode, optionally wherein: the bridge electrode is included in the third conductive pattern.
  9. The display device of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the third organic insulating pattern includes a siloxane-based resin, and wherein the fourth organic insulating layer includes a polyimide-based resin.
  10. The display device of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the third organic insulating pattern and the fourth organic insulating layer include a same material.
  11. The display device of any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising: a light blocking part overlapping the opening area of the inorganic insulating layer.
  12. The display device of any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising: an insulating layer disposed between the second organic insulating layer and the inorganic insulating layer, covering the bridge electrode, and including an organic insulating material.
  13. The display device of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the base substrate includes a display area for displaying an image and a peripheral area surrounding the display area, and wherein a bending opening is formed in the peripheral area by partially removing the inorganic insulating layer, and the first organic insulating pattern is disposed inside the bending opening.

Description

[TECHNICAL FIELD] The present invention relates to a display device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flexible display device having an improved display quality. [BACKGROUND] Recently, with the development of technologies, display products with smaller sizes, lighter weights, and better performance are being produced. A conventional cathode ray tube (CRT) television has been widely used as a display device with many advantages in terms of performance and price. However, display devices that overcome disadvantages of a CRT in terms of miniaturization or portability and have advantages such as miniaturization, a lightweight characteristic, and low power consumption, for example, a plasma display device, a liquid crystal display device, an organic light emitting display device, and the like are being spotlighted. An organic light emitting display (OLED) element may be configured such that holes provided from an anode and electrons provided from a cathode are combined in a light emitting layer disposed between the anode and the cathode to emit a light. When the OLED element is used, a display device having a wide viewing angle, a fast response speed, a thin thickness, and a low power consumption may be implemented. Recently, technologies for implementing a flexible display device that may be bent have been developed by 1 using the OLED element. Since the flexible display device has a complex structure as compared with a general display device (rigid), display quality may deteriorate. US 2019/148476 A1 relates to a display device. US 2018/180951 A1 relates to a display device. [CONTENT OF THE INVENTION] [PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED] An object of the present invention is to provide a display device having an improved display quality. [MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM] According to an aspect of embodiments, a display device includes a base substrate which is flexible, first and second active patterns disposed on the base substrate, an inorganic insulating layer disposed on the first and second active patterns and defining an opening area, a first organic insulating pattern disposed inside the opening area, a bridge electrode disposed on the first organic insulating pattern, a second organic insulating layer disposed on the bridge electrode, a fourth organic insulating layer disposed on the second organic insulating layer, first and second pixel electrodes disposed on the fourth organic insulating layer and electrically connected to the first and second active patterns, respectively, and a third organic insulating pattern disposed between the second organic insulating layer and the fourth organic insulating layer, overlapping the second pixel electrode, and not overlapping the first pixel electrode. The pixel circuits disposed under the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode respectively have a different type of step structure. In embodiments, the display device may further include a third active pattern disposed on the base substrate, and a third pixel electrode disposed on the fourth organic insulating layer and electrically connected to the third active pattern. In addition, the third organic insulating pattern may not overlap the third pixel electrode. In embodiments, the first pixel electrode may correspond to a red sub-pixel, the second pixel electrode may correspond to a green sub-pixel, and the third pixel electrode may correspond to a blue sub-pixel. In embodiments, the display device may further include a third active pattern disposed on the base substrate, and a third pixel electrode disposed on the fourth organic insulating layer and electrically connected to the third active pattern. In addition, the third organic insulating pattern may overlap the third pixel electrode. In embodiments, the first pixel electrode may correspond to a green sub-pixel, the second pixel electrode may correspond to a red sub-pixel, and the third pixel electrode may correspond to a blue sub-pixel. In embodiments, when viewed in a plan view, the inorganic insulating layer may be partitioned by the opening area to correspond to a plurality of sub-pixels. In embodiments, when viewed in a plan view, the opening area may have a lattice shape. In embodiments, the display device may further include a pixel defining layer disposed on the fourth organic insulating layer, a light emitting layer disposed on the first pixel electrode, and a counter electrode disposed on the light emitting layer. In embodiments, the display device may further include a thin film encapsulation layer disposed on the counter electrode, and a color filter layer disposed on the thin film encapsulation layer. In embodiments, the first pixel electrode and the first active pattern may be included in a pixel circuit of a first sub-pixel, the second pixel electrode and the second active pattern may be included in a pixel circuit of a second sub-pixel, and the bridge electrode may electrically connect the first sub-pixel and the second sub-p