US-12622158-B2 - Display panel in which an inorganic layer replaces a typical organic layer in an encapsulation layer

Abstract

A display panel includes a base layer, a circuit layer disposed on the base layer, a light emitting element layer disposed on the circuit layer, and an encapsulation layer disposed on the light emitting element layer. The encapsulation layer includes a first inorganic layer that includes a lower layer and an upper layer disposed on the lower layer, and a second inorganic layer disposed on the first inorganic layer. The lower layer includes a barrier layer that includes a silicon oxide, and the upper layer includes a silicon oxycarbide.

Inventors

• Shogo Nishizaki
• Jaehyun Kim
• Young Seo Choi

Assignees

• SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20230630

Priority Date

20220701

Claims (17)

1. 1 . A display panel, comprising: a base layer; a circuit layer disposed on the base layer; a light emitting element layer disposed on the circuit layer; and an encapsulation layer disposed on the light emitting element layer, wherein the encapsulation layer includes a first inorganic layer that includes a lower layer and an upper layer disposed on the lower layer, and a second inorganic layer disposed on the first inorganic layer, wherein the lower layer includes a barrier layer that includes a silicon oxide, the upper layer includes a silicon oxycarbide, and wherein in the upper layer, based on a total content, a content of silicon is 20 at % or more and 40 at % or less, a content of oxygen is 50 at % or more and 70 at % or less, and a content of carbon is greater than 0 at % and 30 at % or less.
2. 2 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein: the lower layer further comprises a planarization layer that includes a silicon oxycarbide; the lower layer comprises a laminate structure of two or more layers in which the barrier layer and the planarization layer are alternately laminated; and the upper layer is in contact with a barrier layer.
3. 3 . The display panel of claim 2 , wherein in the planarization layer, based on a total content, a content of silicon is 20 at % or more and 40 at % or less, a content of oxygen is 50 at % or more and 70 at % or less, and a content of carbon is greater than 0 at % and 30 at % or less.
4. 4 . The display panel of claim 3 , wherein in the planarization layer, based on the total content, the content of carbon is greater than 0 at % and 15 at % or less.
5. 5 . The display panel of claim 2 , wherein a thickness of the barrier layer is 10 nm or more and 500 nm or less, and a thickness of the planarization layer is 10 nm or more and 1 μm or less.
6. 6 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the lower layer is 10 nm or more and 2 μm or less.
7. 7 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the upper layer has a single-layered structure.
8. 8 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein in the upper layer, based on the total content, the content of carbon is greater than 0 at % and 15 at % or less.
9. 9 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the upper layer is 3 μm or more and 10 μm or less.
10. 10 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein: the light emitting element layer comprises a pixel definition film and a light emitting element that includes a functional layer disposed in an opening formed in the pixel definition film; and the first inorganic layer covers the light emitting element.
11. 11 . A display panel, comprising: a base layer; a circuit layer disposed on the base layer; a light emitting element layer disposed on the circuit layer; and an encapsulation layer disposed on the light emitting element layer, wherein the encapsulation layer includes a first inorganic layer and a second inorganic layer disposed on the first inorganic layer, wherein the first inorganic layer includes a laminate structure of two or more layers in which a barrier layer that includes a silicon oxide and a planarization layer that includes a silicon oxycarbide are alternately laminated, an uppermost layer of the first inorganic layer is a planarization layer, and wherein in the planarization layer, based on a total content, a content of silicon is 20 at % or more and 40 at % or less, a content of oxygen is 50 at % or more and 70 at % or less, and a content of carbon is greater than 0 at % and 30 at % or less.
12. 12 . The display panel of claim 11 , wherein a thickness of the uppermost layer of the first inorganic layer is 3 μm or more and 10 μm or less.
13. 13 . The display panel of claim 11 , wherein in the first inorganic layer, a sum of thicknesses of layers other than the uppermost layer is 10 nm or more and 2 μm or less.
14. 14 . An electronic device, comprising: a display panel, wherein the display panel comprises: a base layer; a circuit layer disposed on the base layer; a light emitting element layer disposed on the circuit layer; and an encapsulation layer disposed on the light emitting element layer, wherein the encapsulation layer includes a first inorganic layer and a second inorganic layer disposed on the first inorganic layer, wherein the first inorganic layer includes a laminate structure of two or more layers in which at least one barrier layer and at least one planarization layer are alternately laminated, the at least one barrier layer includes silicon and oxygen, the at least one planarization layer includes silicon, oxygen, and carbon, and wherein in the at least one planarization layer, based on a total content, a content of silicon is 20 at % or more and 40 at % or less, a content of oxygen is 50 at % or more and 70 at % or less, and a content of carbon is greater than 0 at % and 30 at % or less.
15. 15 . The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein: the at least one barrier layer comprises a first barrier layer to an m-th barrier layer, the at least one planarization layer comprises a first planarization layer to an n-th planarization layer, m and n are each independently an integer of 2 or greater, the first barrier layer to the m-th barrier layer are alternately laminated with the first planarization layer to the n-th planarization layer, and the second inorganic layer is in contact with the first planarization layer.
16. 16 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the first planarization layer has a thickness greater than a thickness of each of the first planarization layer to the n-th planarization layer.
17. 17 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein a composition ratio of any one of the first barrier layer to the m-th barrier layer differs from the composition ratio of at least another barrier layer, and a composition ratio of any one of the first planarization layer to the n-th planarization layer differs from the composition ratio of at least another planarization layer.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This U.S. non-provisional patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0081361, filed on Jul. 1, 2022 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD Embodiments of the present disclosure herein are directed to a display panel, and more particularly, to a display panel that includes an encapsulation layer that covers a light emitting element. DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART An electronic device includes an active region activated by an electrical signal. An electronic device senses pressure applied from the outside through the active region, and at the same time, displays various images that provide information to a user. An electronic device includes a light emitting element that uses one of an organic light emitting material, a quantum dot light emitting material, etc. Such a light emitting element is vulnerable to oxygen and moisture, and when oxygen and moisture penetrate from the outside, a variety of defects may occur. SUMMARY Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a display panel in which an inorganic layer replaces a typical organic layer in an encapsulation layer, so that the encapsulation layer has increased barrier and planarization properties. An embodiment of the inventive concept provides a display panel that includes a base layer, a circuit layer disposed on the base layer, a light emitting element layer disposed on the circuit layer, and an encapsulation layer disposed on the light emitting element layer. The encapsulation layer includes a first inorganic layer that includes a lower layer and an upper layer disposed on the lower layer, and a second inorganic layer disposed on the first inorganic layer. The lower layer includes a barrier layer that includes a silicon oxide, and the upper layer includes a silicon oxycarbide. In an embodiment, the lower layer may further include a planarization layer that includes a silicon oxycarbide. The lower layer includes a laminate structure of two or more layers in which the barrier layer and the planarization layer are alternately laminated, and the upper layer is in contact with a barrier layer. In an embodiment, in the planarization layer, based on a total content, a content of silicon may be approximately 20 at % to approximately 40 at %, a content of oxygen may be approximately 50 at % to approximately 70 at %, and a content of carbon may be greater than 0 at % to approximately 30 at %. In an embodiment, in the planarization layer, based on the total content, the content of carbon may be greater than 0 at % to approximately 15 at %. In an embodiment, a thickness of the barrier layer may be approximately 10 nm to approximately 500 nm, and a thickness of the planarization layer may be approximately 10 nm to approximately 1 μm. In an embodiment, a thickness of the lower layer may be approximately 10 nm to approximately 2 μm. In an embodiment, the upper layer may have a single-layered structure. In an embodiment, in the upper layer, based on the total content, a content of silicon may be approximately 20 at % to approximately 40 at %, a content of oxygen may be approximately 50 at % to approximately 70 at %, and a content of carbon may be greater than 0 at % to approximately 30 at %. In an embodiment, in the upper layer, based on the total content, the content of carbon may be greater than 0 at % to approximately 15 at %. In an embodiment, a thickness of the upper layer may be approximately 3 μm to approximately 10 μm. In an embodiment, the light emitting element layer may include a pixel definition film and a light emitting element that includes a functional layer disposed in an opening formed in the pixel definition film. The first inorganic layer may cover the light emitting element. In an embodiment of the inventive concept, a display panel includes a base layer, a circuit layer disposed on the base layer, a light emitting element layer disposed on the circuit layer, and an encapsulation layer disposed on the light emitting element layer. The encapsulation layer includes a first inorganic layer and a second inorganic layer disposed on the first inorganic layer. The first inorganic layer includes a laminate structure of two or more layers in which a barrier layer that includes a silicon oxide and a planarization layer that includes a silicon oxycarbide are alternately laminated, and the uppermost layer of the first inorganic layer is a planarization layer. In an embodiment, in the planarization layer, based on a total content, a content of silicon may be approximately 20 at % to approximately 40 at %, a content of oxygen may be approximately 50 at % to approximately 70 at %, and a content of carbon may be greater than 0 at % to approximately 30 at %. In an embodiment, a thickness of the uppermost layer of the first inorganic layer may be approximately 3 μm to appr