US-12622120-B2 - Display device

US12622120B2US 12622120 B2US12622120 B2US 12622120B2US-12622120-B2

Abstract

A display device may include pixels disposed on a substrate, each of the pixels including a via layer disposed on the substrate and formed of an organic layer; first and second alignment electrodes disposed on the via layer; a first insulating layer disposed on the first and second alignment electrodes; a first bank pattern disposed on the first insulating layer on the first alignment electrode, and a second bank pattern disposed on the first insulating layer on the second alignment electrode; a second insulating layer disposed on the first and second bank patterns and the first insulating layer; at least one light emitting element disposed on the second insulating layer; a first electrode electrically connected to the light emitting element and the first alignment electrode; and a second electrode electrically connected to the light emitting element and the second alignment electrode. The first insulating layer may include an organic layer.

Inventors

Hyun Kim
Jeong Su Park
Jong Chan Lee

Assignees

SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20220316
Priority Date: 20210609

Claims (20)

1 . A display device comprising: a plurality of pixels disposed on a substrate, wherein each of the plurality of pixels comprises: a via layer disposed on the substrate and formed of an organic layer; first and second alignment electrodes disposed on the via layer and spaced apart from each other; a first insulating layer disposed on the first and the second alignment electrodes, overlapping the first and the second alignment electrodes in a plan view, and having a planar surface; a first bank pattern disposed on the first insulating layer on the first alignment electrode; a second bank pattern disposed on the first insulating layer on the second alignment electrode; a second insulating layer disposed on and directly contacting the first and the second bank patterns; at least one light emitting element disposed on the second insulating layer between the first bank pattern and the second bank pattern; a first electrode disposed on the first bank pattern, and electrically connected to a first end of the at least one light emitting element and the first alignment electrode; and a second electrode disposed on the second bank pattern, and electrically connected to a second end of the at least one light emitting element and the second alignment electrode, wherein the first insulating layer comprises an organic layer, the second insulating layer comprises an inorganic layer, the second insulating layer is spaced apart from the first and second alignment electrodes in a thickness direction of the substrate, and continuously covers the first bank pattern, the second bank pattern, and a portion of the first insulating layer exposed by the first bank pattern and the second bank pattern.
2 . The display device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of pixels comprises: an emission area in which the at least one light emitting element is disposed; a non-emission area disposed adjacent to the emission area; and a bank disposed on the first insulating layer in the non-emission area, and including: a first opening corresponding to the emission area; a second opening spaced apart from the first opening; and an organic layer.
3 . The display device according to claim 2 , wherein each of the first and the second bank patterns comprises an organic layer, and the via layer, the first insulating layer, the first and the second bank patterns, and the bank are connected to each other.
4 . The display device according to claim 3 , wherein the second insulating layer partially overlap the bank in a plan view.
5 . The display device according to claim 3 , wherein in the non-emission area, the bank is disposed directly on the first insulating layer.
6 . The display device according to claim 5 , wherein the second insulating layer corresponds to the first opening of the bank.
7 . The display device according to claim 6 , wherein an end of the second insulating layer contacts a sidewall of the bank.
8 . The display device according to claim 6 , wherein in a cross-sectional view, a first end of the second insulating layer is disposed between a first sidewall of the bank and the first bank pattern, and a second end of the second insulating layer is disposed between a second sidewall of the bank and the second bank pattern.
9 . The display device according to claim 3 , wherein the second insulating layer does not completely overlap the bank in a plan view.
10 . The display device according to claim 9 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are disposed on different layers.
11 . The display device according to claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of pixels comprises: a third insulating layer disposed on the at least one light emitting element and exposing the first end and the second end of the at least one light emitting element; a fourth insulating layer disposed on the first electrode and comprising an inorganic layer; and a fifth insulating layer disposed on overall surfaces of the fourth insulating layer and the second electrode, and comprising an inorganic layer.
12 . The display device according to claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of pixels comprises: a light conversion pattern disposed on the fifth insulating layer and corresponding to the emission area; and a light block pattern disposed on the fifth insulating layer and corresponding to the non-emission area.
13 . The display device according to claim 9 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are disposed on a same layer.
14 . The display device according to claim 9 , wherein the first insulating layer includes: a first contact hole through which a portion of the first alignment electrode is exposed; and a second contact hole through which a portion of the second alignment electrode is exposed, the first electrode is electrically connected with the first alignment electrode through the first contact hole, and the second electrode is electrically connected with the second alignment electrode through the second contact hole.
15 . The display device according to claim 14 , wherein the first and the second contact holes are located in the non-emission area.
16 . The display device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of pixels comprises at least one transistor disposed between the substrate and the via layer and electrically connected to the at least one light emitting element.
17 . The display device according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a thickness of the first and the second alignment electrodes and a thickness of the first insulating layer is 1:3 or greater.
18 . The display device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first bank pattern and the second bank pattern includes a bottom surface facing the substrate, a top surface opposing the bottom surface so as to face away from the substrate, as a side surface connecting the bottom and top surfaces, and a portion of the second insulation layer is on and above the top surface of at least one of the first bank pattern and the second bank pattern.
19 . The display device according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of the second insulation layer directly contacts at least one of the first bank pattern and the second bank pattern.
20 . An electronic device comprising the display device according to claim 1 .

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) The application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0074954 filed on Jun. 9, 2021, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0104716 filed on Aug. 9, 2021, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field Various embodiments of the disclosure relate to a display device and a method of fabricating or manufacturing the display device. 2. Description of Related Art Recently, as interest in information display increases, research and development on display devices have been continuously conducted. SUMMARY Various embodiments of the disclosure are directed to a display device having improved reliability, and a method of fabricating the display device. Furthermore, various embodiments of the disclosure are directed to a display device and a method of fabricating the display device, in which an insulating layer formed of an organic layer is disposed on alignment electrodes so that failure may be mitigated from occurring due to a step difference between the alignment electrodes. An embodiment of the disclosure may provide a display device including a plurality of pixels disposed on a substrate. Each of the plurality of pixels may include a via layer disposed on the substrate and formed of an organic layer; first and second alignment electrodes disposed on the via layer and spaced apart from each other; a first insulating layer disposed on the first and the second alignment electrodes, overlapping the first and the second alignment electrodes in a plan view, and having a planar surface; a first bank pattern disposed on the first insulating layer on the first alignment electrode; a second bank pattern disposed on the first insulating layer on the second alignment electrode; a second insulating layer disposed on the first and the second bank patterns and the first insulating layer between the first and the second bank patterns; at least one light emitting element disposed on the second insulating layer between the first bank pattern and the second bank pattern; a first electrode disposed on the first bank pattern, and electrically connected to a first end of the at least one light emitting element and the first alignment electrode; and a second electrode disposed on the second bank pattern, and electrically connected to a second end of the at least one light emitting element and the second alignment electrode. In an embodiment, the first insulating layer may include an organic layer. In an embodiment, the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer may be formed of different materials. The second insulating layer may include an inorganic layer. In an embodiment, each of the plurality of pixels may include an emission area in which the at least one light emitting element is disposed, a non-emission area disposed adjacent to the emission area; and a bank disposed on the first insulating layer in the non-emission area, and including a first opening corresponding to the emission area; a second opening spaced apart from the first opening; and comprising an organic layer. In an embodiment, each of the first and the second bank patterns may include an organic layer. The via layer, the first insulating layer, the first and the second bank patterns, and the bank may be connected to each other. In an embodiment, the second insulating layer may partially overlap the bank in a plan view. In an embodiment, in the non-emission area, the bank may be disposed directly on the first insulating layer. In an embodiment, the second insulating layer may correspond to the first opening of the bank. In an embodiment, an end of the second insulating layer may contact a sidewall of the bank. In an embodiment, in a cross-sectional view, a first end of the second insulating layer may be disposed between a first sidewall of the bank and the first bank pattern, and a second end of the second insulating layer may be disposed between a second sidewall of the bank and the second bank pattern. In an embodiment, the second insulating layer may not completely overlap the bank in a plan view. In an embodiment, the first electrode and the second electrode may be disposed on different layers. In an embodiment, each of the plurality of pixels may include a third insulating layer disposed on the at least one light emitting element and exposing the first end and the second end of the at least one light emitting element; a fourth insulating layer disposed on the first electrode and comprising an inorganic layer; and a fifth insulating layer disposed on overall surfaces of the fourth insulating layer and the second electrode, and comprising an inorganic layer. In an embodiment, the first electrode and the second electrode may be disposed on a same layer. In an embodiment, the first insulating layer may include a first contact hole through which a portion of the first alignment el