Display panel and manufacturing method thereof
By setting a conductive layer and bonding part on the back of the flexible substrate and using catalyst separation technology to transfer the conductive layer and bonding part to the side of the display panel away from the light output, the problem of the border area affecting the size of the display area is solved, and a full screen and better packaging performance are achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202210088691.X
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2022-01-25
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-26
- Estimated Expiration
- 2042-01-25
AI Technical Summary
In existing display panels, the presence of a border area affects the size of the display area, making it impossible to achieve a full screen.
By setting a conductive layer and a bonding part on the back of the flexible substrate and using a catalyst to separate the metal layer and the oxide layer, the conductive layer and the bonding part are transferred to the side of the display panel away from the light output, eliminating the contribution value of the border width.
The display area is maximized, and even a full screen is achieved, which improves the packaging performance and avoids water and oxygen corrosion, and is conducive to the binding of the driver IC and the display panel.
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Figure CN114447078B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of display technology, and more particularly to a display panel and a method for manufacturing the same. Background Art
[0002] Currently, display panels have a display area and a frame area. The frame area is generally used as a wiring area to arrange conductive lines such as those connecting touch electrodes and driver chips. The presence of the frame area affects the size of the display area. Summary of the Invention
[0003] An object of the present invention is to provide a display panel and a method for manufacturing the same, so as to solve at least one of the problems existing in the related art.
[0004] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:
[0005] A first aspect of the present invention provides a display panel, comprising:
[0006] A flexible substrate, and a driving circuit layer and a light-emitting device layer stacked on the flexible substrate; wherein the flexible substrate is provided with a conductive layer and a bonding portion exposed from a side of the flexible substrate facing away from the driving circuit layer, the conductive layer is connected to the bonding portion and is connected to the driving circuit layer through a first via hole provided on a side of the flexible substrate facing the driving circuit layer.
[0007] Optionally, the display panel further includes a first barrier layer disposed between the flexible substrate and the driving circuit layer, the first barrier layer being provided with a third via hole corresponding to the first via hole, and the conductive layer being connected to the driving circuit layer through the third via hole and the first via hole.
[0008] In this optional manner, the first barrier layer can effectively cover impurities or particles on the flexible substrate and protect the conductive layer.
[0009] Optionally, the flexible substrate includes a first flexible substrate and a second flexible substrate stacked together, the first flexible substrate is provided with the bonding portion exposed from a side of the first flexible substrate facing away from the driving circuit layer, the conductive layer is provided between the second flexible substrate and the first flexible substrate, the conductive layer is connected to the bonding portion through a second via hole provided on a side of the first flexible substrate facing the driving circuit layer, and is connected to the driving circuit layer through a first via hole provided on a side of the second flexible substrate facing the driving circuit layer.
[0010] This optional method uses a double-layer flexible substrate, which has better packaging performance, can prevent water and oxygen from corroding the conductive layer, and can better shield charges.
[0011] Optionally, the display panel further includes a second barrier layer arranged between the first flexible substrate and the second flexible substrate and a first barrier layer arranged between the second flexible substrate and the driving circuit layer, the first barrier layer is provided with a third via corresponding to the first via, the second barrier layer is provided with a fourth via corresponding to the second via, the conductive layer is connected to the bonding portion through the fourth via and the second via and is connected to the driving circuit layer through the third via and the first via.
[0012] A second aspect of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a display panel, the method comprising:
[0013] A driving circuit layer and a light-emitting device layer are sequentially formed on a flexible substrate, wherein a conductive layer and a bonding portion exposed from a side of the flexible substrate facing away from the driving circuit layer are formed in the flexible substrate, and the conductive layer is connected to the bonding portion and is connected to the driving circuit layer through a first via hole opened on a side of the flexible substrate facing the driving circuit layer.
[0014] Optionally, the sequentially forming a driving circuit layer and a light-emitting device layer on the flexible substrate includes:
[0015] forming a metal layer and an oxide layer in sequence on a glass substrate;
[0016] forming a bonding portion and a conductive layer connected to the bonding portion on the oxide layer, forming a flexible substrate covering the bonding portion and the conductive layer, forming a driving circuit layer on the flexible substrate, and providing a first via hole in the flexible substrate so that the driving circuit layer is connected to the conductive layer through the first via hole;
[0017] forming a light emitting device layer on the driving circuit layer;
[0018] Separating the metal layer from the oxide layer using a catalyst; and
[0019] At least a portion of the oxide layer is removed to expose the bonding portion.
[0020] Optionally, removing at least a portion of the oxide layer to expose the bonding portion includes: removing a portion of the oxide layer to expose the bonding portion, an orthographic projection of the portion of the oxide layer on the flexible substrate coincides with an orthographic projection of the bonding portion on the flexible substrate.
[0021] Optionally, forming a bonding portion and a conductive layer connected to the bonding portion on the oxide layer, forming a flexible substrate covering the bonding portion and the conductive layer, forming a driving circuit layer on the flexible substrate, and providing a first via hole in the flexible substrate to connect the driving circuit layer to the conductive layer through the first via hole includes:
[0022] A bonding portion and a first flexible substrate covering the bonding portion are formed on the oxide layer, a second via hole is opened in the first flexible substrate, a conductive layer connected to the bonding portion through the second via hole is formed on the first flexible substrate, a second flexible substrate covering the conductive layer is formed on the first flexible substrate, a driving circuit layer is formed on the second flexible substrate, and a first via hole is opened in the second flexible substrate to connect the driving circuit layer to the conductive layer through the first via hole.
[0023] Optionally, forming a bonding portion and a conductive layer connected to the bonding portion on the oxide layer, forming a flexible substrate covering the bonding portion and the conductive layer, forming a driving circuit layer on the flexible substrate, and providing a first via hole in the flexible substrate to connect the driving circuit layer to the conductive layer through the first via hole includes:
[0024] A bonding portion and a conductive layer connected to the bonding portion are formed on the oxide layer, a flexible substrate covering the bonding portion and the conductive layer is formed, a first barrier layer is formed on the flexible substrate, a driving circuit layer is formed on the first barrier layer, a third via hole is opened in the first barrier layer, and a first via hole corresponding to the third via hole is opened in the flexible substrate so that the driving circuit layer is connected to the conductive layer through the third via hole and the first via hole.
[0025] Optionally, the forming of a bonding portion and a first flexible substrate covering the bonding portion on the oxide layer, providing a second via hole on the first flexible substrate, forming a conductive layer connected to the bonding portion through the second via hole on the first flexible substrate, forming a second flexible substrate covering the conductive layer on the first flexible substrate, forming a driving circuit layer on the second flexible substrate, and providing a first via hole on the second flexible substrate so that the driving circuit layer is connected to the conductive layer through the first via hole includes:
[0026] forming a bonding portion and a first flexible substrate covering the bonding portion on the oxide layer;
[0027] forming a second barrier layer on the first flexible substrate, providing a fourth via hole in the second barrier layer and providing a second via hole corresponding to the fourth via hole in the first flexible substrate, and forming a conductive layer on the second barrier layer connected to the bonding portion through the fourth via hole and the second via hole;
[0028] forming a second flexible substrate covering the conductive layer on the first flexible substrate; and
[0029] A first barrier layer is formed on the second flexible substrate, a driving circuit layer is formed on the first barrier layer, a third via hole is opened in the first barrier layer, and a first via hole corresponding to the third via hole is opened on the flexible substrate so that the driving circuit layer is connected to the conductive layer through the third via hole and the first via hole.
[0030] Optionally, the sequentially forming a driving circuit layer and a light-emitting device layer on the flexible substrate includes:
[0031] forming an oxide layer and a metal layer in sequence on a glass substrate;
[0032] forming a bonding portion and a conductive layer connected to the bonding portion on the metal layer, forming a flexible substrate covering the bonding portion and the conductive layer, forming a driving circuit layer on the flexible substrate, and providing a first via hole in the flexible substrate so that the driving circuit layer is connected to the conductive layer through the first via hole;
[0033] forming a light emitting device layer on the driving circuit layer;
[0034] Separating the metal layer from the oxide layer using a catalyst; and
[0035] The metal layer is removed.
[0036] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:
[0037] The present invention completely eliminates the increase in the frame width caused by the conductive layer and the bonding portion by arranging the bonding portion and the conductive layer on the back of the display area, thereby maximizing the display area and realizing a full screen. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0038] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0039] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing an OLED display panel in related art is shown.
[0040] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing another OLED display panel in the related art.
[0041] Figure 3 A flow chart of a method for manufacturing a display panel provided in the first embodiment is shown.
[0042] Figures 4-10 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram corresponding to the process of preparing the display panel of Example 2 using the preparation method provided in Example 1.
[0043] Figure 11 A flow chart of a method for manufacturing a display panel provided in embodiment three is shown.
[0044] Figure 12-14 A cross-sectional schematic diagram corresponding to the process of preparing the display panel of Example 4 using the preparation method provided in Example 3 is shown.
[0045] Figure 15 This is a flow chart of a method for preparing a display panel provided in Example 5 of the present application.
[0046] Figure 16-Figure 23 A cross-sectional schematic diagram corresponding to the process of preparing the display panel of Example 6 using the preparation method provided in Example 5 is shown.
[0047] Figure 24 Example 7 provides a flow chart of a method for manufacturing a display panel.
[0048] Figure 25-27 A cross-sectional schematic diagram corresponding to the process of preparing the display panel of Example 8 using the preparation method provided in Example 7 is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0049] In order to more clearly illustrate the present invention, the present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the embodiments and drawings. Similar components in the drawings are represented by the same reference numerals. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the following specific description is illustrative rather than restrictive and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0050] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display screen in the related art is shown. Figure 1 The OLED display panel shown is composed of a stacked first flexible substrate 107, a second flexible substrate 106, a drive circuit layer 103, a light-emitting device layer 104, and an encapsulation layer 105. The OLED display panel also includes a fan-out region 102 disposed on the second flexible substrate and connected to the drive circuit layer 103, and a bonding region 101 connected to the fan-out region 102. The fan-out region (FANOUT) and the bonding region (BondingPad) are located in the border area of the display screen, resulting in a relatively wide border. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of another OLED display screen in the related art is shown, which is composed of a first flexible substrate 207, a second flexible substrate 206, a driving circuit layer 203, a light-emitting device layer 202 and an encapsulation layer 201 arranged in a stacked manner. It also includes a fan-out area 204 arranged on the second flexible substrate and connected to the driving circuit layer 203, and a bonding area 205 connected to the fan-out area 204; wherein, a bending area 208 is provided in the middle portion of the fan-out area 204. Figure 2In the OLED display panel shown, although the pad bending technology is used to bend part of the fan-out area 204 and the bonding area 205 to the back of the display screen, part of the fan-out area still causes the width of the border area to increase, thereby failing to maximize the display area.
[0051] In view of this, the inventor proposes a display panel and a method for manufacturing the same, which will be described below with reference to Embodiments 1 to 8.
[0052] Example 1
[0053] like Figure 3 As shown, this embodiment provides a method for manufacturing a display panel, comprising the following steps:
[0054] S3010: forming a metal layer 120 and an oxide layer 130 on the glass substrate 110 in sequence, Figure 4 The structure shown;
[0055] In a specific example, the metal layer 120 is formed of a ductile metal or a combination or alloy of ductile metals, such as nickel, copper, aluminum, gold, and other metals having a percent elongation at break of at least about 8%. The ductility of the metal layer 120 can promote the penetration of a debonding agent (such as water) along the interface between the metal layer 120 and the oxide layer 130. The material of the oxide layer 130 is, for example, an inorganic insulating material such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon oxynitride. In addition, the metal layer 120 can react with the oxide layer 130 so that when exposed to water or another debonding agent, the interface becomes hydrophilic to further promote the penetration of the debonding agent.
[0056] The oxide layer 130 forms a special interface with the metal layer 120 and can serve as a buffer layer of the display panel to be finally manufactured.
[0057] In one possible implementation, the metal layer 120 may be formed by evaporation or other suitable deposition techniques, and the thickness of the metal layer 120 may be between about 1 nanometer and about 10 micrometers, for example, about 10 nanometers to about 1 micrometer, about 100 nm to about 900 nm, about 100 nm to about 700 nm, about 100 nm to about 500 nm, or about 200 nm to about 400 nm.
[0058] S3020: forming a bonding portion 112 on the oxide layer 130;
[0059] In a specific example, a bonding metal layer is formed by depositing copper, titanium alloy, nickel alloy, and then etching the bonding metal layer by photoresist exposure and development to form a bonding metal layer. Figure 5 Bonding portion shown 112;
[0060] S3030: forming a conductive layer 111 connected to the bonding portion 112 on the oxide layer 130, and obtaining Figure 5 The structure shown,
[0061] In a specific example, the conductive layer 111 includes: a VDD signal line, a VSS signal line and a FANOUT fan-out area; the material of the conductive layer 111 can be at least one of molybdenum (Mo), titanium (Ti), neodymium (Nd), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), and silver (Ag), and the conductive metal layer is formed by depositing the above materials, and patterning is formed as follows Figure 5 The conductive layer 111 is shown.
[0062] S3040: forming a flexible substrate 140 covering the bonding portion 112 and the conductive layer 111 on the oxide layer 130, and forming a first via hole 141 on the flexible substrate 140 to expose the conductive layer 111, thereby obtaining Figure 6 The structure shown;
[0063] In a specific example, the flexible substrate 140 is made of a flexible material, such as PI (Polyimide), PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate), PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane), PMMA (Polymethyl Methacrylate), etc. The flexible substrate 140 is prepared by a coating method and the first via 141 is formed on the flexible substrate 140 by a patterning process.
[0064] In a specific example, the flexible substrate 140 further includes a first barrier layer 145, the flexible substrate 140 is covered with the first barrier layer 145, a third via hole 142 is opened in the first barrier layer 145, the first via hole 141 corresponds to the third via hole 142, and the following is obtained: Figure 7 The structure shown, wherein
[0065] The orthographic projections of the first via hole 141 and the third via hole 142 on the flexible substrate at least partially overlap;
[0066] The first barrier layer 145 may be formed by a deposition process, and its material may be, for example, a single layer of silicon nitride (SiNx), a single layer of silicon oxide (SiOx), or a multilayer including stacked silicon nitride (SiNx) and silicon oxide (SiOx).
[0067] In a specific embodiment, for example, a via shape is formed on the first barrier layer 145 by exposure and development, and the third via 142 is etched from the first barrier layer 145 , and the first barrier layer 145 including the third via 142 is used as a mask to form the first via 141 by a dry etching process.
[0068] Compared to Figure 6 In the example, a first barrier layer 145 is provided above the flexible substrate 140 , which can effectively cover impurities or particles on the substrate and protect the conductive layer 111 .
[0069] S3050 : forming a driving circuit layer 150 on the flexible substrate 140 to cover the conductive layer 111 and the bonding portion 112 . The driving circuit layer 150 is connected to the conductive layer 111 through the first via 141 .
[0070] S3060: forming a light emitting device layer 160 and a packaging layer 170 on the driving circuit layer 150 in sequence, so as to obtain Figure 8 The structure shown;
[0071] In a specific example, the light emitting device layer 160 may be formed on the driving circuit layer by evaporation.
[0072] Next, thin-film encapsulation (TFE) is used for encapsulation to form an encapsulation layer 170 .
[0073] S3070: Separate the metal layer 120 and the oxide layer 130 with a catalyst to obtain Figure 9 The structure shown.
[0074] In one specific example, a catalyst such as water can be used to enable stress-free separation at the interface between the metal layer 120 and the oxide layer 130, overcoming the difficulty of conventional laser separation in separating the glass substrate from the metal layer. Water-assisted debonding is performed by partial or complete immersion in water or by other contact or exposure to water in liquid or vapor form, i.e., inducing water penetration along the interface between the metal layer 120 and the oxide layer 130. For example, the metal layer 120 and the oxide layer 130 are separated along the interface by peeling or otherwise manipulating a temporary holder or by ultrasonic treatment or other stirring mechanisms.
[0075] It should be noted that water-assisted stripping can be performed at relatively mild temperatures, such as in the range of 1°C to 100°C, 5°C to 50°C, 10°C to about 30°C, or about 15°C to about 25°C, and does not require etchants or other harsh chemicals, thereby reducing the cost and complexity of the transfer technology.
[0076] In addition, compared to laser lift-off, water can easily penetrate through the sidewalls, eliminating the need to form holes or openings to facilitate water penetration and enabling the transfer of large-area devices.
[0077] Optionally, a set of cleaning operations can be performed on the sidewalls of the metal and oxide layers to remove contaminants and further enhance water penetration.
[0078] S3080: Remove the oxide layer corresponding to the bonding portion 112 to expose the bonding portion (BondingPad), and obtain the display panel to be bonded. Figure 10 The structure shown.
[0079] In a specific embodiment, the oxide layer is etched at the corresponding position of the bonding portion using a weak acid such as HF to remove a portion of the oxide to expose the bonding portion 112. The etching solution does not corrode the bonding portion 112. The remaining oxide is used to protect the signal lines such as VSS in the conductive layer 111.
[0080] Alternatively, the entire oxide layer can be removed using a weak acid such as HF.
[0081] Afterwards, the bonding portion 112 exposed from the bottom of the flexible substrate 140 can be used to bond with the driver IC, completing the entire manufacturing process.
[0082] In Example 1, by shifting the conductive layer, or wiring area, to the back of the display, and placing the bonding portion on the side of the display panel facing away from the light output, a narrow bezel is achieved. This completely eliminates the contribution of the wiring area and bonding portion to the width of the lower bezel, thereby maximizing the display area and even achieving a full-screen display. Furthermore, using a catalyst to separate the metal layer 120 from the oxide layer 130 allows for stress-free separation at the interface between the metal layer 120 and the oxide layer 130, overcoming the difficulty of conventional laser separation in separating the glass substrate and the metal layer.
[0083] It should be noted that the inventors have discovered that although a bonding portion can be formed directly on the back of a flexible substrate using a dry etching process, resulting in a structure similar to that formed in Example 1 of the present invention, there is a large step difference (up to several microns) between the flexible substrate and the bonding portion, which is not conducive to the subsequent bonding of the driver IC and the display panel. In addition, exposure and etching after laser lift-off can contaminate the chamber.
[0084] On the contrary, in this embodiment,
[0085] Even if only the oxide layer below the bonding portion is removed and the oxide layer at other locations is left, since the thickness of the oxide layer is very thin (nanometer level), the step difference of the film layer is very small and will not affect the bonding.
[0086] Example 2
[0087] like Figure 10As shown, this embodiment provides a display panel, including:
[0088] A flexible substrate 140, and a driving circuit layer 150 and a light emitting device layer 160 stacked on the flexible substrate; wherein,
[0089] The flexible substrate 140 is provided with a conductive layer 111 and a bonding portion 112 exposed from the side of the flexible substrate 140 facing away from the driving circuit layer 150. The conductive layer 111 is connected to the bonding portion 112 and is connected to the driving circuit layer 150 through a first via 141 opened on the side of the flexible substrate 140 facing the driving circuit layer 150.
[0090] In a specific embodiment, the display panel further includes a first barrier layer 145 disposed between the flexible substrate 140 and the driving circuit layer 150, wherein the first barrier layer 145 is provided with a third via hole 142 corresponding to the first via hole 141, and the conductive layer 111 is connected to the driving circuit layer 150 through the third via hole 142 and the first via hole 141, wherein:
[0091] The orthographic projections of the first via hole 141 and the third via hole 142 on the flexible substrate at least partially overlap.
[0092] In a specific example, the first barrier layer 145 can be an inorganic insulating film, for example, it can be a single layer of silicon nitride (SiNx), a single layer of silicon oxide (SiOx), or a multilayer including silicon nitride (SiNx) and silicon oxide (SiOx) stacked on each other. The first barrier layer 145 can effectively cover impurities or particles on the substrate and has a protective effect on the conductive layer.
[0093] In a specific embodiment, the display panel further includes an oxide layer 130 disposed on a side of the flexible substrate 140 facing away from the driving circuit layer 150. The oxide layer 130 is formed with an opening, and the orthographic projection of the opening on the flexible substrate covers the bonding portion, thereby exposing the bonding portion 112. The oxide layer 130 is used to protect conductive lines such as VSS in the conductive layer.
[0094] In the second embodiment, the conductive layer, i.e., the wiring area, is transferred to the back of the screen, and the bonding part is set on the side of the display panel away from the light output, thereby achieving a narrow frame and completely eliminating the contribution of the wiring area and the bonding part to the width of the lower frame, thereby maximizing the display area or even achieving a full screen.
[0095] It is understandable that the display panel provided in this embodiment can be obtained by the preparation method provided in the first embodiment.
[0096] Example 3
[0097] like Figure 11 As shown, this embodiment provides a method for manufacturing a display panel, comprising the following steps:
[0098] S4010: forming an oxide layer 220 and a metal layer 230 on the glass substrate 210 in sequence, and obtaining Figure 12 The structure shown;
[0099] S4020: forming a bonding portion 212 on the metal layer 230;
[0100] In a specific example, the material of the metal layer 230 is nickel, for example. A bonding portion metal layer with etching difference is deposited on the surface of the metal layer 230 , and the bonding portion 212 is formed by exposure, development and etching.
[0101] S4030: forming a conductive layer 211 connected to the bonding portion 212 on the metal layer 230;
[0102] S4040: forming a flexible substrate 240 covering the conductive layer 211 and the bonding portion 212 and forming a first via hole 241 on the flexible substrate to expose the conductive layer 211 to obtain Figure 13 The structure shown; wherein,
[0103] The orthographic projection of the first via hole 241 on the flexible substrate 240 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the conductive layer 211 on the flexible substrate 240 .
[0104] It should be noted that steps S4050-4070 in this embodiment are similar to steps S3050-3070 in Example 1 and are not repeated here.
[0105] S4080: removing the metal layer 230 using a selective etching solution;
[0106] It should be noted that the selective etching solution, such as a metal salt solution, removes nickel (Ni) without damaging copper (Cu), thereby exposing the metal of the bonding portion 212 and obtaining the following: Figure 14 The structure shown.
[0107] In a specific example, the metal layer 230 at a portion corresponding to the bonding portion may be removed by dry etching.
[0108] Example 4
[0109] This embodiment provides a display panel such as Figure 14 As shown, the display panel includes:
[0110] A flexible substrate 240, and a driving circuit layer 250 and a light emitting device layer 260 stacked on the flexible substrate; wherein,
[0111] The flexible substrate 240 is provided with a conductive layer 211 and a bonding portion 212 exposed from the side of the flexible substrate 240 facing away from the driving circuit layer 250. The conductive layer 211 is connected to the bonding portion 212 and is connected to the driving circuit layer 250 through a first via 241 opened on the side of the flexible substrate 240 facing the driving circuit layer 250.
[0112] In a specific embodiment, the display panel further includes a first barrier layer 245 disposed between the flexible substrate 240 and the driving circuit layer 250, wherein the first barrier layer 245 is provided with a third via hole 242 corresponding to the first via hole 241, and the conductive layer 211 is connected to the driving circuit layer 250 through the third via hole 242 and the first via hole 241, wherein:
[0113] The orthographic projections of the first via hole 241 and the third via hole 242 on the flexible substrate at least partially overlap.
[0114] In a specific embodiment, the display panel further includes an encapsulation layer 270 covering the light emitting device layer.
[0115] It is understandable that the display panel provided in this embodiment can be obtained by the preparation method provided in the third embodiment.
[0116] Example 5
[0117] This embodiment provides a method for preparing a display panel. Figure 15 As shown, the following steps are included:
[0118] S5010: Sequentially prepare an oxide layer 320 and a metal layer 330 on a glass substrate 310 to obtain Figure 16 The structure shown;
[0119] S5020: forming a bonding portion 312 on the metal layer 330;
[0120] It should be noted that steps S5010-S5020 in this embodiment are similar to steps S4010-S4020 in the third embodiment, and will not be repeated here.
[0121] S5030: forming a first flexible substrate 341 covering the bonding portion 312 on the metal layer 330, and opening a second via hole 313 on the first flexible substrate 341 to expose the bonding portion 312, thereby obtaining the following Figure 17 The structure shown;
[0122] In a specific example, a second barrier layer 342 is formed on the first flexible substrate 341, a fourth via hole 314 is opened in the second barrier layer 342, and a second via hole 313 corresponding to the fourth via hole 314 is opened on the first flexible substrate 341, so as to obtain Figure 18 The structure; wherein,
[0123] The orthographic projections of the second via hole 313 and the fourth via hole 314 on the first flexible substrate 341 at least partially overlap.
[0124] S5040: forming a conductive layer 343 on the first flexible substrate 341, connected to the bonding portion 312 through the second via hole 313, and obtaining the following Figure 19 The structure shown;
[0125] The material of the conductive layer is similar to that of the first embodiment and will not be described again here;
[0126] In a specific embodiment, a conductive layer 343 connected to the bonding portion 312 through the second via hole 313 and the fourth via hole 314 is formed on the second barrier layer 342 .
[0127] S5050: forming a second flexible substrate 344 covering the conductive layer 343 on the first flexible substrate 341 and opening a first via hole 315 on the second flexible substrate 344 to expose the conductive layer 343. The resulting structure is as follows: Figure 20 As shown;
[0128] In a specific embodiment, a first barrier layer 345 may be provided on the second flexible substrate 344, and a third via hole 316 may be provided on the first barrier layer 345 to obtain Figure 21 The structure described.
[0129] The first barrier layer 345 may be formed by a deposition process, and its material may be, for example, a single layer of silicon nitride (SiNx), a single layer of silicon oxide (SiOx), or a multilayer including stacked silicon nitride (SiNx) and silicon oxide (SiOx).
[0130] Compared to Figure 20 In the example, a first barrier layer 345 is provided above the first flexible substrate 341, which can effectively cover impurities or particles on the substrate and protect the conductive layer.
[0131] S5060: forming a driving circuit layer 350 and a light emitting device layer 360 in sequence on the second flexible substrate 344;
[0132] In a specific embodiment, the driving circuit layer is connected to the conductive layer 343 through a first via 315 provided on the second flexible substrate 344 facing away from the driving circuit layer 350 .
[0133] S5070: Forming an encapsulation layer 370 covering the light emitting device layer 360 on the second flexible substrate 344 to obtain Figure 22 The structure shown;
[0134] In a specific embodiment, the encapsulation layer 370 is, for example, an inorganic encapsulation layer, and the encapsulation layer 370 is formed by, for example, a deposition process.
[0135] S5080: Separating the metal layer 330 and the oxide layer 320 using a catalyst;
[0136] S5090: Use a selective etching solution to remove the metal layer 330 to expose the bonding portion 312, and obtain the display panel to be bonded, such as Figure 23 As shown;
[0137] It should be noted that steps S5080-S5090 in this example are similar to steps S4070-S4080 in Example 3 and will not be repeated here.
[0138] This embodiment uses a double-layer flexible substrate, which has better packaging performance than a single-layer flexible substrate, can better avoid water and oxygen corrosion, and can better shield charges; and the bonding part is flush with the flexible substrate, which is conducive to bonding the bonding part of the driver IC and the display panel.
[0139] Example 6
[0140] This embodiment provides a display panel such as Figure 23 As shown, including:
[0141] A flexible substrate 340, and a driving circuit layer 350 and a light-emitting circuit layer 360 stacked on the flexible substrate 340; wherein the flexible substrate 340 is provided with a conductive layer 343 and a bonding portion 312 exposed from the side of the flexible substrate 340 facing away from the driving circuit layer 350, the conductive layer 343 is connected to the bonding portion 312 and is connected to the driving circuit layer 350 through a first via 315 opened on the side of the flexible substrate 340 facing the driving circuit layer 350.
[0142] In this embodiment, the flexible substrate 340 includes a first flexible substrate 341 and a second flexible substrate 344 stacked together. The first flexible substrate 341 is provided with the bonding portion 312 exposed on the side of the first flexible substrate 341 facing away from the drive circuit layer 350. The conductive layer 343 is provided between the second flexible substrate 344 and the first flexible substrate 341. The conductive layer 343 is connected to the bonding portion 312 through a second via 313 provided on the side of the first flexible substrate 341 facing the drive circuit layer 350, and is connected to the drive circuit layer 350 through a first via 315 provided on the side of the second flexible substrate 344 facing the drive circuit layer 350.
[0143] In a specific embodiment, the display panel further includes a second barrier layer 342 arranged between the first flexible substrate 341 and the second flexible substrate 344, and a first barrier layer 345 arranged between the second flexible substrate 344 and the driving circuit layer 350. The first barrier layer 345 is provided with a third via 316 corresponding to the first via 315, and the second barrier layer 342 is provided with a fourth via 314 corresponding to the second via 313. The conductive layer 343 is connected to the bonding portion 312 through the fourth via 314 and the second via 313, and is connected to the driving circuit 350 through the third via 316 and the first via 315.
[0144] In this embodiment, the bonding portion is flush with the flexible substrate, which is beneficial for bonding the driver IC and the bonding portion of the display panel.
[0145] It is understandable that the display panel provided in this embodiment can be obtained by the preparation method provided in the fifth embodiment.
[0146] Example 7
[0147] This embodiment provides a method for preparing a display panel. Figure 24 As shown, the following steps are included:
[0148] S7010: forming a metal layer 420 and an oxide layer 430 in sequence on the glass substrate 410;
[0149] S7020: forming a bonding portion 412 on the oxide layer 430 to obtain Figure 25 The structure shown;
[0150] It should be noted that steps S7010-S7020 are similar to steps S3010-S3020 in the first embodiment and will not be repeated here.
[0151] S7030: forming a first flexible substrate 441 covering the bonding portion 412 on the oxide layer 430 and opening a second via hole 413 on the first flexible substrate 441 to obtain Figure 26 The structure shown;
[0152] In a specific example, a second barrier layer 442 is formed on the first flexible substrate 441 , a fourth via hole 414 is opened in the second barrier layer 442 , and a second via hole 413 corresponding to the fourth via hole 414 is opened in the first flexible substrate 441 ; wherein,
[0153] The orthographic projections of the second via hole 413 and the fourth via hole 414 on the first flexible substrate 441 at least partially overlap.
[0154] It should be noted that steps S7040-7080 in this embodiment are similar to steps S5040-5080 in the fifth embodiment above, and will not be repeated here.
[0155] S7090: Remove the oxide layer corresponding to the bonding portion 412 to expose the bonding portion (BondingPad), forming Figure 27 The structure shown.
[0156] In a specific embodiment, the oxide layer is etched at a position corresponding to the bonding portion 412 using a weak acid such as HF to remove a portion of the oxide to expose the bonding portion 412. The etching solution does not corrode the bonding portion 412, and the remaining oxide is used to protect signal lines such as VSS in the conductive layer 411.
[0157] Alternatively, the entire oxide layer can be removed using a weak acid such as HF.
[0158] Afterwards, the bonding portion 412 exposed from the bottom of the flexible substrate 440 can be used to bond with the driver IC, completing the entire manufacturing process.
[0159] It should be noted that step S7090 in this embodiment is similar to step S3080 in embodiment 1 and will not be repeated here.
[0160] Example 8
[0161] This embodiment provides a display panel such as Figure 27 As shown, including:
[0162] A flexible substrate 440, and a driving circuit layer 450 and a light-emitting circuit layer 460 stacked on the flexible substrate 440; wherein the flexible substrate 440 is provided with a conductive layer 443 and a bonding portion 412 exposed from the side of the flexible substrate 440 facing away from the driving circuit layer 450, the conductive layer 443 is connected to the bonding portion 412 and is connected to the driving circuit layer through a first via 415 opened on the side of the flexible substrate 440 facing the driving circuit layer 450.
[0163] In a specific embodiment, the flexible substrate 440 includes a first flexible substrate 441 and a second flexible substrate 444 stacked together. The first flexible substrate 441 is provided with the bonding portion 412 exposed on the side of the first flexible substrate 441 facing away from the driving circuit layer 450. The conductive layer 443 is provided between the second flexible substrate 444 and the first flexible substrate 441. The conductive layer 443 is connected to the bonding portion 412 through a second via 413 opened on the side of the first flexible substrate 441 facing the driving circuit layer 450 and is connected to the driving circuit layer 450 through a first via 415 opened on the side of the second flexible substrate 444 facing the driving circuit layer 450.
[0164] In a specific embodiment, the display panel further includes a second barrier layer 442 arranged between the first flexible substrate 441 and the second flexible substrate 444, and a first barrier layer 445 arranged between the second flexible substrate 444 and the driving circuit layer 450. The first barrier layer 445 is provided with a third via 416 corresponding to the first via 415, and the second barrier layer 442 is provided with a fourth via 414 corresponding to the second via 413. The conductive layer 443 is connected to the bonding portion 412 through the fourth via 414 and the second via 413, and is connected to the driving circuit 450 through the third via 416 and the first via 415.
[0165] In a specific embodiment, the display panel further includes an oxide layer 430 disposed on a side of the flexible substrate 440 facing away from the driving circuit layer 450. The oxide layer 430 is formed with an opening, and the orthographic projection of the opening on the flexible substrate covers the bonding portion, thereby exposing the bonding portion 412. The oxide layer 430 is used to protect conductive lines such as VSS in the conductive layer.
[0166] It is understandable that the display panel provided in this embodiment can be obtained by the preparation method provided in Example 7.
[0167] The terms “on…”, “formed on…” and “disposed on…” used in the present invention may mean that one layer is directly formed or disposed on another layer, or may mean that one layer is indirectly formed or disposed on another layer, i.e., there are other layers between the two layers.
[0168] It should be noted that although the terms "first," "second," etc. may be used herein to describe various parts, components, elements, regions, layers, and / or portions, these parts, components, elements, regions, layers, and / or portions should not be limited by these terms. Rather, these terms are used to distinguish one part, component, element, region, layer, and / or portion from another. Thus, for example, the first part, first member, first element, first region, first layer, and / or first portion discussed below may be referred to as a second part, second member, second element, second region, second layer, and / or second portion without departing from the teachings of the present invention.
[0169] In the present invention, unless otherwise specified, the term "co-layer arrangement" refers to two layers, components, members, elements, or parts that can be formed by the same manufacturing process (e.g., patterning process, etc.), and the two layers, components, members, elements, or parts are generally formed from the same material. For example, co-layer arrangement of two or more functional layers means that these co-layered functional layers can be formed using the same material layer and the same manufacturing process, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process of the display substrate.
[0170] In the present invention, unless otherwise specified, the expression "patterning process" generally includes the steps of photoresist coating, exposure, development, etching, photoresist stripping, etc. The expression "one-time patterning process" means a process of forming patterned layers, components, members, etc. using one mask.
[0171] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not limitations on the implementation methods of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other different forms of changes or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is impossible to list all the implementation methods here. All obvious changes or modifications derived from the technical solution of the present invention are still within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A display panel, characterized in that: include: A flexible substrate, and a driving circuit layer and a light-emitting device layer stacked on the flexible substrate; wherein the flexible substrate is provided with a conductive layer and a bonding portion exposed from a side of the flexible substrate facing away from the driving circuit layer, the conductive layer is connected to the bonding portion and is connected to the driving circuit layer through a first via hole provided on a side of the flexible substrate facing the driving circuit layer; The flexible substrate is prepared by the following method: A metal layer and an oxide layer are sequentially formed on the glass substrate; forming a bonding portion and a conductive layer connected to the bonding portion on the oxide layer, forming a flexible substrate covering the bonding portion and the conductive layer, forming a driving circuit layer on the flexible substrate, and providing a first via hole in the flexible substrate so that the driving circuit layer is connected to the conductive layer through the first via hole; forming a light emitting device layer on the driving circuit layer; Separating the metal layer from the oxide layer using a catalyst; and removing at least a portion of the oxide layer to expose the bonding portion; or The flexible substrate is prepared by the following method: forming an oxide layer and a metal layer in sequence on a glass substrate; forming a bonding portion and a conductive layer connected to the bonding portion on the metal layer, forming a flexible substrate covering the bonding portion and the conductive layer, forming a driving circuit layer on the flexible substrate, and providing a first via hole in the flexible substrate so that the driving circuit layer is connected to the conductive layer through the first via hole; forming a light emitting device layer on the driving circuit layer; Separating the metal layer from the oxide layer using a catalyst; and The metal layer is removed.
2. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein: The flexible substrate includes a first flexible substrate and a second flexible substrate stacked together. The first flexible substrate is provided with the bonding portion exposed on a side of the first flexible substrate facing away from the driving circuit layer. The conductive layer is provided between the second flexible substrate and the first flexible substrate. The conductive layer is connected to the bonding portion through a second via hole provided on a side of the first flexible substrate facing the driving circuit layer and is connected to the driving circuit layer through a first via hole provided on a side of the second flexible substrate facing the driving circuit layer.
3. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein: The display panel further includes a first barrier layer disposed between the flexible substrate and the driving circuit layer. The first barrier layer is provided with a third via hole corresponding to the first via hole. The conductive layer is connected to the driving circuit layer through the third via hole and the first via hole.
4. The display panel according to claim 2, wherein: The display panel also includes a second barrier layer arranged between the first flexible substrate and the second flexible substrate and a first barrier layer arranged between the second flexible substrate and the driving circuit layer, the first barrier layer is provided with a third via hole corresponding to the first via hole, and the second barrier layer is provided with a fourth via hole corresponding to the second via hole, the conductive layer is connected to the bonding portion through the fourth via hole and the second via hole, and is connected to the driving circuit layer through the third via hole and the first via hole.
5. A method for preparing a display panel, characterized in that: include: A driving circuit layer and a light-emitting device layer are sequentially formed on a flexible substrate, wherein the flexible substrate is formed with a conductive layer and a bonding portion exposed from a side of the flexible substrate facing away from the driving circuit layer, the conductive layer being connected to the bonding portion and connected to the driving circuit layer through a first via hole provided on a side of the flexible substrate facing the driving circuit layer; The step of sequentially forming a driving circuit layer and a light-emitting device layer on the flexible substrate comprises: forming a metal layer and an oxide layer in sequence on a glass substrate; forming a bonding portion and a conductive layer connected to the bonding portion on the oxide layer, forming a flexible substrate covering the bonding portion and the conductive layer, forming a driving circuit layer on the flexible substrate, and providing a first via hole in the flexible substrate so that the driving circuit layer is connected to the conductive layer through the first via hole; forming a light emitting device layer on the driving circuit layer; Separating the metal layer from the oxide layer using a catalyst; and removing at least a portion of the oxide layer to expose the bonding portion; or The step of sequentially forming a driving circuit layer and a light-emitting device layer on the flexible substrate comprises: forming an oxide layer and a metal layer in sequence on a glass substrate; forming a bonding portion and a conductive layer connected to the bonding portion on the metal layer, forming a flexible substrate covering the bonding portion and the conductive layer, forming a driving circuit layer on the flexible substrate, and providing a first via hole in the flexible substrate so that the driving circuit layer is connected to the conductive layer through the first via hole; forming a light emitting device layer on the driving circuit layer; Separating the metal layer from the oxide layer using a catalyst; and The metal layer is removed.
6. The preparation method according to claim 5, characterized in that Removing at least a portion of the oxide layer to expose the bonding portion includes: removing a portion of the oxide layer to expose the bonding portion, wherein an orthographic projection of the portion of the oxide layer on the flexible substrate coincides with an orthographic projection of the bonding portion on the flexible substrate.
7. The preparation method according to claim 5, characterized in that The step of forming a bonding portion and a conductive layer connected to the bonding portion on the oxide layer, forming a flexible substrate covering the bonding portion and the conductive layer, forming a driving circuit layer on the flexible substrate, and providing a first via hole on the flexible substrate so that the driving circuit layer is connected to the conductive layer through the first via hole comprises: A bonding portion and a first flexible substrate covering the bonding portion are formed on the oxide layer, a second via hole is opened in the first flexible substrate, a conductive layer connected to the bonding portion through the second via hole is formed on the first flexible substrate, a second flexible substrate covering the conductive layer is formed on the first flexible substrate, a driving circuit layer is formed on the second flexible substrate, and a first via hole is opened in the second flexible substrate to connect the driving circuit layer to the conductive layer through the first via hole.
8. The preparation method according to claim 5, characterized in that The step of forming a bonding portion and a conductive layer connected to the bonding portion on the oxide layer, forming a flexible substrate covering the bonding portion and the conductive layer, forming a driving circuit layer on the flexible substrate, and providing a first via hole on the flexible substrate so that the driving circuit layer is connected to the conductive layer through the first via hole comprises: A bonding portion and a conductive layer connected to the bonding portion are formed on the oxide layer, a flexible substrate covering the bonding portion and the conductive layer is formed, a first barrier layer is formed on the flexible substrate, a driving circuit layer is formed on the first barrier layer, a third via hole is opened in the first barrier layer, and a first via hole corresponding to the third via hole is opened in the flexible substrate so that the driving circuit layer is connected to the conductive layer through the third via hole and the first via hole.
9. The preparation method according to claim 7, characterized in that The steps of forming a bonding portion on the oxide layer and a first flexible substrate covering the bonding portion, providing a second via hole on the first flexible substrate, forming a conductive layer on the first flexible substrate connected to the bonding portion through the second via hole, forming a second flexible substrate on the first flexible substrate covering the conductive layer, forming a driving circuit layer on the second flexible substrate, and providing a first via hole on the second flexible substrate so that the driving circuit layer is connected to the conductive layer through the first via hole include: forming a bonding portion and a first flexible substrate covering the bonding portion on the oxide layer; forming a second barrier layer on the first flexible substrate, providing a fourth via hole in the second barrier layer and providing a second via hole corresponding to the fourth via hole in the first flexible substrate, and forming a conductive layer on the second barrier layer connected to the bonding portion through the fourth via hole and the second via hole; forming a second flexible substrate covering the conductive layer on the first flexible substrate; and A first barrier layer is formed on the second flexible substrate, a driving circuit layer is formed on the first barrier layer, a third via hole is opened in the first barrier layer, and a first via hole corresponding to the third via hole is opened on the flexible substrate so that the driving circuit layer is connected to the conductive layer through the third via hole and the first via hole.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Drive backboard and manufacturing method thereof, and display device
CN109904080A