US-20260130055-A1 - DISPLAY APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

US20260130055A1US 20260130055 A1US20260130055 A1US 20260130055A1US-20260130055-A1

Abstract

A display apparatus and a manufacturing method thereof capable of preventing or suppressing a cathode lifting phenomenon from occurring upon removal of a temporary protective film are disclosed. The display apparatus includes a substrate including active and non-active areas, a thin film transistor on the substrate in the active area, a planarization layer in the active area on the thin film transistor and in the non-active area and having a first contact hole on the thin film transistor, a bank layer disposed in the active and non-active areas on the planarization layer and having an open region in an emission area, a light emitting element disposed on the planarization layer to be connected to the thin film transistor through the first contact hole, and an organic insulating layer pattern disposed on the bank layer in the non-active area to cover an end of a cathode of the light emitting element.

Inventors

Gyu Hyeong HAN
Hun Bae Im
Yoon Seok Lee
Eon Ho CHA
Eun Sol JEON
Sang Bin SHIN
Dae Hee Han

Assignees

LG DISPLAY CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20250915
Priority Date: 20241104

Claims (18)

1 . A display apparatus, comprising: a substrate comprising an active area configured to display an image and a non-active area disposed around the active area; a thin film transistor disposed on the substrate in the active area; a planarization layer disposed in the active area on the thin film transistor and in the non-active area, the planarization layer having a first contact hole over the thin film transistor; a bank layer disposed in the active area and the non-active area on the planarization layer, the bank layer having an open region in an emission area; a light emitting element disposed on the planarization layer to be connected to the thin film transistor through the first contact hole; and an organic insulating layer pattern disposed on the bank layer in the non-active area to cover an end of a cathode of the light emitting element.
2 . The display apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a metal pattern disposed on the bank layer in the non-active area.
3 . The display apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the metal pattern is disposed at the end of the cathode.
4 . The display apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a voltage supply line disposed under the planarization layer in the non-active area to supply a voltage; and a connection electrode disposed on the planarization layer in the non-active area, wherein the connection electrode is electrically connected to the voltage supply line through a second contact hole formed in the planarization layer.
5 . The display apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the cathode of the light emitting element is connected to the connection electrode through a third contact hole formed in the bank layer in the non-active area.
6 . The display apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the organic insulating layer pattern covers the end of the cathode, the third contact hole, and an end of the bank layer.
7 . The display apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: an encapsulation layer disposed on the cathode and the organic insulating layer pattern.
8 . The display apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the encapsulation layer comprises: a first inorganic encapsulation layer extending from the active area to the non-active area such that the first inorganic encapsulation layer is disposed in both the active area and the non-active area, the first inorganic encapsulation layer extending to a bezel area via the organic insulating layer pattern; an organic encapsulation layer disposed on the first inorganic encapsulation layer, the organic encapsulation layer extending to an inside of the organic insulating layer pattern in the active area; and a second inorganic encapsulation layer disposed on the organic encapsulation layer, the second inorganic encapsulation layer extending to the bezel area via the organic insulating layer pattern in the active area.
9 . The display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the organic insulating layer pattern comprises a high-viscosity material.
10 . The display apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the organic insulating layer pattern comprises a non-photosensitive organic insulating material such as acryl resin, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, polyamide resin, polyimide resin, polyethylene or silicon oxycarbide, or a photosensitive organic insulating material such as photoreactive acrylic.
11 . A method of manufacturing a display apparatus, comprising: preparing a substrate comprising an active area configured to display an image and a non-active area disposed around the active area; forming a thin film transistor on the substrate in the active area; forming a voltage supply line on the substrate in the non-active area; forming a planarization layer on the thin film transistor and the voltage supply line such that the planarization layer has first and second contact holes over the thin film transistor and the voltage supply line, respectively; forming an anode of a light emitting element on the planarization layer such that the anode is connected to the thin film transistor through the first contact hole; forming a connection electrode on the planarization layer such that the connection electrode is connected to the voltage supply line through the second contact hole; forming a bank layer on the planarization layer with the anode and the connection electrode such that the bank layer is provided with an open region over the anode and with a third contact hole over the connection electrode; forming an emission layer on the anode in the open region; forming a cathode on the emission layer and the bank layer such that the cathode is electrically connected to the connection electrode through the third contact hole; and forming an organic insulating layer pattern on the bank layer in the non-active area such that the organic insulating layer pattern covers an end of the cathode, the third contact hole, and an end of the bank layer.
12 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising: forming a metal pattern between the bank layer and the cathode in the non-active area such that the metal pattern overlaps with the end of the cathode.
13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the end of the cathode overlapping with the metal pattern is removed through laser irradiation.
14 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising: forming an encapsulation layer on the cathode and the organic insulating layer pattern.
15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the encapsulation layer comprises: a first inorganic encapsulation layer extending from the active area to the non-active area such that the first inorganic encapsulation layer is disposed in both the active area and the non-active area, the first inorganic encapsulation layer extending to a bezel area via the organic insulating layer pattern; an organic encapsulation layer disposed on the first inorganic encapsulation layer, the organic encapsulation layer extending to an inside of the organic insulating layer pattern in the active area; and a second inorganic encapsulation layer disposed on the organic encapsulation layer, the second inorganic encapsulation layer extending to the bezel area via the organic insulating layer pattern in the active area.
16 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising: bonding a temporary protective film onto the encapsulation layer.
17 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising: sequentially attaching a polarization plate, a touch sensor, and a cover glass after removing the temporary protective film.
18 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the organic insulating layer pattern comprises a non-photosensitive organic insulating material such as acryl resin, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, polyamide resin, polyimide resin, polyethylene or silicon oxycarbide, or a photosensitive organic insulating material such as photoreactive acrylic.

Description

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0154452, filed on Nov. 4, 2024, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. BACKGROUND Field of the Disclosure The present disclosure relates to a display apparatus, and more particularly to a display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same which are capable of preventing or suppressing a cathode lifting phenomenon from occurring upon removal of a temporary protective film. Discussion of the Related Art Image display apparatuses, which render a variety of information on a screen, are core technologies of the information communication age, and are being developed toward further thinness, further lightness, greater portability, and higher performance. As such, display apparatuses, which may be manufactured to have a light and thin structure, are being highlighted. As concrete examples of such a display apparatus, there are a liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus, a quantum dot (QD) display apparatus, a field emission display (FED) apparatus, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display apparatus, etc. An OLED display apparatus includes, as a constituent element thereof, a light emitting diode including a cathode and an anode facing each other under the condition that an organic emission layer is interposed therebetween. As holes and electrons respectively injected from the cathode and the anode into the organic emission layer are coupled to each other in the organic emission layer, light is emitted and, as such, an image is displayed. Thus, the OLED display apparatus is a self-luminous display apparatus and, as such, is not only advantageous in terms of power consumption according to low-voltage driving, but also has excellent color rendering, fast response time, wide viewing angle, and high contrast ratio (CR). In this regard, the OLED display apparatus is being highlighted as a next generation display apparatus, and research thereon is being conducted. Meanwhile, in recent years, demand for a flexible display apparatus using a flexible substrate, such as a plastic substrate, has increased. Such a flexible display apparatus has advantages of a large-screen display and easy portability because the flexible display apparatus is portable in a folded state and displays an image in an unfolded state. Since such a plastic substrate has flexible characteristics, it is difficult to use the plastic substrate itself in a process of manufacturing a display apparatus. For this reason, the process is performed under the condition that the plastic substrate is attached to one surface of a carrier substrate, such as a glass substrate. That is, a plastic substrate is formed on a carrier substrate, and a thin film transistor array layer, a light emitting element array layer, and an encapsulation layer are then sequentially formed on the plastic substrate. Subsequently, a temporary protective film is attached to the encapsulation layer. Thereafter, the carrier substrate is removed from the plastic substrate and the temporary protective film is removed from the encapsulation layer. Finally, a polarization plate and a cover glass are bonded to the encapsulation layer. In the manufacturing process as mentioned above, a phenomenon in which an end of a cathode is lifted may occur due to a force applied upon removal of the temporary protective film. As such, a failure may occur. SUMMARY Accordingly, the present disclosure is directed to a display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same that substantially obviate one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same which are capable of preventing or suppressing a cathode lifting phenomenon from occurring upon removal of a temporary protective film, thereby preventing or reducing occurrences of failures and achieving an enhancement in yield. Objects of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-described objects, and other objects of the present disclosure will be more clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a display apparatus may include a substrate including an active area configured to display an image and a non-active area disposed around the active area, a thin film transistor disposed on the substrate in the active area, a planarization layer disposed in the active area on the thin film transistor and in the non-active area, the planarization layer having a first contact hole over the thin film transistor, a bank layer disposed in the active area and the non-active area on the planarization layer, the bank layer having an open region in an emission area, a light emitting element disposed on the planarization layer to be connected to the thin film transistor through the first contact hole, and an organic insu