Display panel and manufacturing method thereof, display motherboard and display device

Abstract

The present invention discloses a display panel and a method for manufacturing the same, a display master, and a display device. The manufacturing method includes: providing a supporting substrate; forming a base substrate; forming a pixel structure in each display panel area on the side of the base substrate facing away from the supporting substrate, and forming a marking structure in the cutting area on the side of the base substrate facing away from the supporting substrate; providing a first protective film covering the display panel area and the cutting area on the side of the pixel structure and the marking structure facing away from the base substrate; the first protective film is in full contact with the surface of the marking structure on the side facing away from the base substrate; peeling off the supporting substrate to form a display master; determining the position of a cutting line in the cutting area based on the cutting marking, and cutting the display master along the cutting line to form multiple display panels. The above technical solution can improve the accuracy of determining the position of the cutting line in the cutting area based on the cutting marking, improve cutting efficiency and cutting accuracy, and thereby improve the yield rate of the display panel obtained by cutting the display master.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of display technology, and in particular to a display panel and a manufacturing method thereof, a display motherboard, and a display device. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous development of display technology, the application of display panels is becoming more and more extensive. For example, display panels are used in products such as mobile phones, computers, tablets, e-books and information query machines. In addition, they can also be used in instrument displays (such as car displays) and smart home control panels.

[0003] When manufacturing display panels, a display motherboard is typically prepared first. Cutting marks are set on the display motherboard. Cutting equipment identifies the cutting marks and cuts the display motherboard, thereby dividing the display motherboard into multiple display panels. However, in actual production, there is a problem of not being able to accurately identify the cutting marks. This affects the cutting positions of the display motherboard and, in turn, the yield of the display panels. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides a display panel and a manufacturing method thereof, a display motherboard and a display device, which can accurately identify cutting marks, improve the cutting accuracy of the display motherboard, and further improve the yield of the display panel.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a display panel, comprising:

[0006] providing a supporting substrate;

[0007] forming a base substrate on the support substrate; the base substrate comprising a plurality of display panel areas and a cutting area located between two adjacent display panel setting areas;

[0008] forming a pixel structure in each display panel area on a side of the base substrate away from the support substrate, and forming a mark structure in the cutting area on a side of the base substrate away from the support substrate; the mark structure includes a cutting mark;

[0009] A first protective film covering the display panel area and the cutting area is provided on a side of the pixel structure and the mark structure away from the base substrate; the first protective film is in complete contact with a surface of the mark structure away from the base substrate;

[0010] Peeling off the supporting substrate to form a display motherboard including the base substrate, the pixel structure, the marking structure, and the first protective film;

[0011] The position of a cutting line in the cutting area is determined based on the cutting mark, and the display motherboard is cut along the cutting line to form a plurality of display panels.

[0012] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a display master, comprising:

[0013] A base substrate, comprising a plurality of display panel areas and a cutting area located between two adjacent display panel areas;

[0014] A pixel structure and a mark structure are located on one side of the base substrate; the pixel structure is located in the display panel area; the mark structure is located in the cutting area; the mark structure includes a cutting mark;

[0015] A first protective film is located on a side of the pixel structure and the mark structure away from the base substrate and covers the display panel area and the cutting area; the first protective film is in complete contact with a surface of the mark structure on a side away from the base substrate.

[0016] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a display panel obtained by using the above-mentioned method for preparing a display panel.

[0017] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a display device, the above-mentioned display panel.

[0018] The technical solution of the present invention enables the first protective film covering the display panel area and the cutting area to be in full contact with the surface of the side of the mark structure facing away from the base substrate, so that the cutting equipment can accurately and quickly obtain the image information of the cutting mark in the subsequent cutting process. The cutting line position determined based on the image information of the cutting mark has high accuracy, so that when cutting the display master along the cutting line, the cutting accuracy can be improved, thereby improving the yield of the display panel obtained by cutting the display master, and improving the production efficiency of the display panel; at the same time, before cutting the display master, covering the first protective film on the side of the pixel structure and the mark structure facing away from the base substrate can prevent damage to the pixel structure during the cutting process, subsequent transportation, and other processes, and can further improve the yield of the display panel; in addition, compared with the situation where the first protective film is covered on each display panel separately after cutting the display master, by making the first protective film cover the pixel structure of each display panel area at the same time before cutting the display master, the process of the display panel can be simplified, which is beneficial to improving the production efficiency of the display panel and reducing the preparation cost of the display panel.

[0019] It should be understood that the content described in this section is not intended to identify the key or important features of the embodiments of the present invention, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Other features of the present invention will become readily understood through the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic top view of a display motherboard in the prior art;

[0022] Figure 2 To follow Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of the display motherboard taken along line AA';

[0023] Figure 3 A schematic cross-sectional view of a display motherboard provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 A schematic cross-sectional view of another display motherboard provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 5 A schematic cross-sectional view of another display motherboard provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 6 A schematic cross-sectional view of another display motherboard provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A corresponding schematic top view of an opening structure;

[0028] Figure 8 for Figure 6 A corresponding schematic top view of another opening structure;

[0029] Figure 9 A schematic cross-sectional view of another display motherboard provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 10 A flowchart of a method for manufacturing a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of a structure after forming a supporting base and a base substrate provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of a structure after forming a pixel structure provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 13 A schematic diagram of a structure after a first protective film is provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 14 A flowchart of another method for manufacturing a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 15 A schematic diagram of a structure after forming a first functional structure and a cutting mark provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 16 A schematic diagram of a structure before forming a second functional structure provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 17 A schematic diagram of a structure after forming a second functional structure and a raised structure provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 18 A flowchart of another method for manufacturing a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 19 is a structural schematic diagram of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 20 It is a structural schematic diagram of a display device provided by an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the solutions of the present invention, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0042] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. in the description and claims of the present invention and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the numbers used in this way can be interchanged where appropriate, so that the embodiments of the present invention described herein can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described herein. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product or device that includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units clearly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not clearly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0043] Figure 1This is a schematic top view of a display motherboard in the prior art. Figure 2 To follow Figure 1 Schematic diagram of a cross section of the display motherboard taken along line AA'. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The display motherboard 1 includes a plurality of display panels arranged in an array on a base substrate 13. The display panels are located in a display panel area 11, and the area surrounding the display panel area 11 is a cutting area 12. The display panel of each display panel area 11 includes at least a display area and a binding area (not shown in the figure). The display area includes a plurality of pixels, and each pixel includes at least one light-emitting element 21, at least one driving transistor 22, and at least one storage capacitor 23. The cutting area 12 includes a plurality of cutting marks 14 surrounding the display panel area. The cutting equipment identifies the cutting marks 14 and cuts the display motherboard 1, thereby dividing the display motherboard 1 into a plurality of display panels, each of which can be independently applied to a display device for display.

[0044] In order to prevent the display panel from being scratched during cutting, transportation, and other processes, a protective film 15 is generally covered on the upper panel surface of the display panel during the preparation of the display master. Since the cutting area 12 only includes the cutting mark 14 and the base substrate 13, and the display panel area 11 has a complete display panel film structure, there will be a large step difference between the display panel area 11 and the cutting area 12. Therefore, when the protective film 15 is attached, the protective film 15 is prone to produce bubbles 16 in the cutting area 12. The presence of the bubbles 16 will affect the accuracy of the cutting equipment in recognizing the cutting mark 14, and affect the accuracy of the cutting line determined based on the cutting mark 14, thereby affecting the cutting accuracy, which is not conducive to improving the yield of the display panel.

[0045] To solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method for preparing a display panel, wherein the display panel is prepared by cutting a display motherboard, wherein the display motherboard includes: a base substrate, including multiple display panel areas and a cutting area located between two adjacent display panel areas; a pixel structure and a marking structure located on one side of the base substrate; the pixel structure is located in the display panel area; the marking structure is located in the cutting area; the marking structure includes a cutting mark; a first protective film located on the side of the pixel structure and the marking structure facing away from the base substrate and covering the display panel area and the cutting area; the first protective film is in complete contact with the surface of the marking structure on the side facing away from the base substrate. Accordingly, the preparation method of the display panel includes: providing a supporting substrate; forming a base substrate on the supporting substrate; the base substrate includes multiple display panel areas and a cutting area located between two adjacent display panel setting areas; forming a pixel structure in each display panel area on the side of the base substrate away from the supporting substrate, and forming a marking structure in the cutting area on the side of the base substrate away from the supporting substrate; the marking structure includes a cutting mark; setting a first protective film covering the display panel area and the cutting area on the side of the pixel structure and the marking structure away from the base substrate; the first protective film is in complete contact with the surface of the side of the marking structure away from the base substrate; peeling off the supporting substrate to form a display motherboard including the base substrate, the pixel structure, the marking structure, and the first protective film; determining the position of the cutting line in the cutting area based on the cutting mark, and cutting the display motherboard along the cutting line to form multiple display panels.

[0046] By adopting the above technical solution, by making the first protective film covering the display panel area and the cutting area fully contact with the surface of the side of the mark structure away from the base substrate, the cutting equipment can accurately and quickly obtain the image information of the cutting mark in the subsequent cutting process, and the cutting line position determined based on the image information of the cutting mark has high accuracy, so that when cutting the display master along the cutting line, the cutting accuracy can be improved, thereby improving the yield of the display panel obtained by cutting the display master, and improving the production efficiency of the display panel; at the same time, before cutting the display master, the first protective film covering the display panel area and the cutting area is set on the side of the pixel structure and the mark structure away from the base substrate, which can prevent damage to the pixel structure during the cutting process, subsequent transportation, and other processes, and can further improve the yield of the display panel; in addition, compared with the situation where the first protective film is covered on each display panel separately after cutting the display master, by making the first protective film cover the pixel structure of each display panel area at the same time before cutting the display master, the subsequent process of the display panel can be simplified, which is beneficial to improving the production efficiency of the display panel and reducing the preparation cost of the display panel.

[0047] The above is the core concept of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by persons of ordinary skill in the art without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention. The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0048] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of a cross section of a display motherboard provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 As shown, the display motherboard 10 includes a base substrate 300, a pixel structure 190 and a mark structure 210 located on one side of the base substrate, the base substrate 300, and a first protective film 310 located on the side of the pixel structure 190 and the mark structure 210 facing away from the base substrate 300 and covering the display panel area 100 and the cutting area 200. The base substrate 300 includes multiple display panel areas 100 and a cutting area 200 located between two adjacent display panel areas 100; the pixel structure 190 is located in the display panel area 100, the mark structure 210 is located in the cutting area 200, and the mark structure 210 includes a cutting mark 211; the first protective film 310 is in full contact with the surface of the mark structure 210 facing away from the base substrate, wherein full contact means that the first protective film 310 is in contact with every position of the surface of the mark structure 210 facing away from the base substrate.

[0049] Exemplarily, the base substrate 300 may be a flexible base substrate, and the base substrate 300 may be composed of one or more layers. In an optional embodiment, the base substrate 300 may include a first organic layer, a first inorganic layer, a second organic layer, and a second inorganic layer stacked in layers. The materials of the first organic layer and the second organic layer may be polyimide (PI), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or a surface-treated polymer soft film, and the materials of the first inorganic layer and the second inorganic layer may be silicon nitride (SiNx) or silicon oxide (SiOx), etc., to improve the water and oxygen resistance of the base substrate 300. The first inorganic layer and the second inorganic layer may also be referred to as barrier layers.

[0050] The base substrate 300 includes a plurality of display panel areas 100 arranged in an array and a cutting area 200 surrounding each display panel area 100. A pixel structure 190 is provided on one side of the base substrate 300. The pixel structure 190 provided in the display panel area 100 includes, but is not limited to, components and devices such as a light-emitting element 191, a transistor 192, and a storage capacitor 193. The light-emitting element 191 may include a first electrode 111, a light-emitting layer 112, and a second electrode 113. The transistor includes a gate 121, a source 122 (or 123), a drain 123 (or 122), and an active layer 124. The storage capacitor 193 includes two capacitor plates (131 and 132).

[0051] It should be noted that Figure 3 In the figure, only one pixel structure 190, one light-emitting element 191, one transistor 192 and one energy storage capacitor 193 are used as examples for illustration. Each display panel area 100 may include multiple pixel structures 190, and each pixel structure 190 may include multiple light-emitting elements 191, multiple transistors 192 and multiple energy storage capacitors 193. The embodiment of the present invention does not specifically limit this. A planarization layer 101 may be provided on the side of the transistor 192 and the energy storage capacitor 193 facing away from the base substrate 300, and a pixel definition layer 102 may be provided on the side of the planarization layer 101 facing away from the base substrate 300. An encapsulation layer 103 may be provided on the side of the light-emitting element 191 facing away from the base substrate 300. Other film layer structures may also be provided in the display panel area 100 on the side of the base substrate 300, which will not be explained one by one.

[0052] In an optional embodiment, the first protective film 310 may include a temporary protective film (TPF). In the display panel area 100, the first protective film 310 is arranged on the side of the pixel structure 190 facing away from the base substrate 300, and is directly attached to the surface of the encapsulation layer 103 facing away from the base substrate 300; in the cutting area 200, the first protective film 310 is arranged on the surface of the mark structure 210 facing away from the base substrate 300, and is in full contact with the cutting mark 211. Compared with the situation in the prior art where bubbles exist, there are no bubbles between the first protective film 310 and the mark structure 210, and the first protective film 310 covers and adheres to the entire surface of the cutting mark 211 facing away from the base substrate 300. The first protective film 310 can protect the pixel structure 190 of the display panel area 100 from damage during the cutting process, subsequent transportation, and other processes; in addition, the display panel obtained by cutting the display motherboard can also include a touch layer and a cover plate located on the side of the encapsulation layer 103 away from the base substrate 300, so that the display panel has a touch function; alternatively, the display panel can also include only a cover plate located on the side of the encapsulation layer 103 away from the base substrate 300, and the embodiment of the present invention does not make specific limitations on this.

[0053] In an embodiment of the present invention, a first protective film is provided to cover the display panel area and the cutting area, and the first protective film is in full contact with the surface of the side of the mark structure facing away from the base substrate, so that the cutting equipment can accurately and quickly obtain the image information of the cutting mark in the subsequent cutting process, and the cutting line position determined based on the image information of the cutting mark has high accuracy, so that when the display master is cut along the cutting line, the cutting accuracy can be improved, thereby improving the yield of the display panel obtained by cutting the display master, and improving the production efficiency of the display panel; at the same time, the display master is provided on the side of the pixel structure and the mark structure facing away from the base substrate, which can prevent damage to the pixel structure during the cutting process, subsequent transportation, and other processes, and can further improve the yield of the display panel; in addition, compared with the case where the first protective film is covered on each display panel after cutting the display master, by providing the first protective film to cover the pixel structure of each display panel area at the same time before cutting the display master, the subsequent process of the display panel can be simplified, which is beneficial to improving the production efficiency of the display panel and reducing the preparation cost of the display panel.

[0054] Optional, Figure 4 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of another display motherboard provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 As shown, the marking structure 210 further includes a padding structure 220 stacked with the cutting mark 211 .

[0055] For example, the material of the elevated structure 220 may include an organic material and may have a relatively large thickness to reduce the step difference between the display panel area 100 and the cutting area 200, allowing the first protective film 310 to directly and completely contact the side of the elevated structure 220 facing away from the base substrate 300. In this way, when the first protective film 310 is attached, no bubbles are present at the location of the marking structure 210. During the subsequent cutting process, the cutting equipment can accurately identify the image information of the cutting mark 211, and the determined cutting line position is highly accurate, thereby improving cutting accuracy and the yield rate of the display panel.

[0056] Optionally, the pixel structure includes a first functional structure and a second functional structure; the display motherboard also includes: a first functional layer located between the base substrate and the first protective film, and a second functional layer located on the side of the first functional layer close to the first protective film; the first functional layer includes a first functional structure and a cutting mark; the second functional layer includes a second functional structure and a padding structure.

[0057] For example, Figure 5 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of another display motherboard provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5As shown, the first functional layer may include a semiconductor layer, for example, low-temperature polysilicon or an oxide semiconductor, and the first functional structure may be the active layer 124 of the transistor 192 in the pixel structure 190. The cutting mark 211 may be made of the same material as the active layer 124 of the transistor 192 in the pixel structure 190, and the active layer 124 of the transistor 192 and the cutting mark 211 may be prepared in the same process flow.

[0058] The second functional layer may include one or more organic insulating layers, and the second functional structure may include one or more film structures. Figure 5 As shown, the second functional structure may include a planarization layer 101 for filling the undulating structure caused by the patterning of the transistor 192, the storage capacitor 193, etc. in the pixel structure 190. The second functional structure may also include a pixel definition layer 102 for limiting the position of the light-emitting element 191. Alternatively, the second functional structure may also include other organic insulating structures in the pixel structure 190 for insulating the conductive structures located in different film layers from each other. At this time, the raising structure 220 may be made of one or more layers. For example, the raising structure 220 may include a first raising layer 221 and a second raising layer 222. The first raising layer 221 may be made of the same material and the same process as the planarization layer 101 of the display panel area 100 and be prepared in the same process flow; the second raising layer 222 may be made of the same material and the same process as the pixel definition layer 102 of the display panel area 100 and be prepared in the same process flow. Thus, by making the padding structure 220 and the existing film layer of the display panel area 100 from the same layer and the same material, the process flow of the display motherboard 10 can be reduced, the process of the motherboard can be simplified, and the production efficiency of the display motherboard 10 can be improved and the production cost can be reduced.

[0059] It should be noted that the function of the raised structure 220 is to reduce the step difference between the display panel area 100 and the cutting area 200. Therefore, to achieve this effect, and provided that the first protective film 310 is in full contact with the surface of the marking structure 210 facing away from the base substrate 300 when the first protective film 310 is attached, the raised structure 220 can be a single-layer or multi-layer structure. Furthermore, because the organic material layer in the display panel area 100 is relatively thick, when the raised structure 220 and the organic material layer in the display panel area 100 are fabricated in the same layer and process, the step difference between the display panel area 100 and the cutting area 200 can be minimized. In this case, the second functional layer can include at least one organic insulating layer, so that the raised structure 220, fabricated in the same layer and process, can have a greater thickness, making it easier to reduce the step difference between the display panel area and the cutting area. Furthermore, the organic insulating layer has elastic deformation energy, which can buffer the edge stress generated during the cutting process and increase flexibility, thereby reducing the generation of cracks during the cutting process and improving the yield of the display panels obtained after cutting the display motherboard.

[0060] Optional, Figure 6 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of another display motherboard provided by an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 7 for Figure 6 A top view of a corresponding opening structure. Figure 6 and Figure 7 The pixel structure 190 includes a first functional structure and a second functional structure. The display motherboard 10 also includes: a first functional layer located between the base substrate 300 and the first protective film 310, and a second functional layer located on the side of the first functional layer closer to the first protective film 310. The first functional layer may include, for example, a semiconductor layer, and the second functional layer may include, for example, an insulating layer, a conductive layer, etc., wherein the insulating layer may include an organic insulating layer and / or an inorganic insulating layer, and the conductive layer may include a metal layer, etc. The first functional layer includes a first functional structure and a mark structure 210. The first functional structure may be the active layer 124 in the transistor 192 in the pixel structure 190. The mark structure includes a cutting mark 211. The cutting mark 211 and the active layer 124 in the transistor 192 may be made of the same material and produced in the same process flow. The second functional layer includes a second functional structure and an opening structure 230, wherein the second functional structure may include the planarization layer 101, the pixel definition layer 102, the encapsulation layer 103 in the pixel structure 190, and other insulating film layers such as organic insulating structures for insulating conductive structures located in different film layers from each other, and / or, may also include the gate 121, source and drain 122 and 123, capacitor plates 131 and 132, signal lines and other conductive film layers of the transistor 192.

[0061] In an optional embodiment, an opening structure 230 is provided to expose the cutting mark 211 to prevent the second functional layer from blocking the cutting mark, and the opening structure 230 leaves space for the first protective film 310 to contact the cutting mark 211 to prevent the cutting mark 211 from being unable to be accurately identified when cutting the display mother 10. The opening structure 230 may include Figure 7 The square structure shown may also include Figure 8 The circular structure shown is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] Optional, continue to refer to Figure 6-8In the first direction, the shortest distance L from the edge of the cutting mark 211 to the edge of the opening structure 230 has a value range of L ≥ 300 μm; wherein the first direction is parallel to any direction in the plane of the base substrate 300. In this way, the opening structure 230 is sufficient to ensure that the first protective film 310 is in complete contact with the surface of the cutting area 200 on the side of the cutting mark 211 facing away from the base substrate 300. At the same time, limiting the size of the opening structure 230 to L ≥ 300 μm can leave sufficient space for the cutting equipment to identify the image information of the cutting mark 211 in the subsequent cutting process, allowing the cutting equipment to more accurately and quickly obtain the image information of the cutting mark, thereby improving the accuracy of the cutting line position determined based on the image information of the cutting mark. This further improves the yield rate of the display panel obtained by cutting the display master along the cutting line, and further improves the production efficiency of the display panel.

[0063] Optional, Figure 9 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of another display motherboard provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 As shown, the display motherboard 10 further includes a second protective film 320 located on the side of the base substrate 300 away from the pixel structure 190. Exemplarily, the second protective film 320 can be attached to the side of the base substrate 300 away from the pixel structure 190 on the display motherboard to protect the base substrate 300 from damage.

[0064] Based on the same inventive concept, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a method for preparing a display panel, which is used to prepare the display motherboard provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 This is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 As shown, the method includes:

[0065] S1001. Provide a supporting substrate.

[0066] The supporting substrate may be, for example, a glass substrate, which has good support properties and a relatively simple method in the subsequent peeling process.

[0067] S1002 , forming a base substrate on a supporting substrate; the base substrate includes a plurality of display panel areas and a cutting area located between two adjacent display panel arrangement areas.

[0068] For example, Figure 11 A schematic diagram of a structure after forming a support base and a base substrate provided by an embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figure 11The base substrate 300 may be composed of one or more layers. When the base substrate 300 is a single layer, the base substrate 300 may be formed by directly forming an organic layer. When the base substrate is a multi-layer structure, a first organic layer, a first inorganic layer, a second organic layer, and a second inorganic layer may be sequentially formed to form the base substrate 300. The organic layer may be made of materials such as polyimide (PI), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or a surface-treated polymer soft film, and may be prepared by coating, deposition, or the like. The inorganic layer may be made of materials such as silicon nitride (SiNx) or silicon oxide (SiOx), and may be prepared by sputtering, evaporation, or the like.

[0069] S1003 , forming a pixel structure in each display panel area on the side of the base substrate facing away from the supporting substrate, and forming a mark structure in the cutting area on the side of the base substrate facing away from the supporting substrate; the mark structure includes a cutting mark.

[0070] For example, Figure 12 A schematic diagram of a structure after forming a pixel structure provided by an embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figure 12 First, an organic insulating layer, a semiconductor layer, and a conductive layer are formed in the display panel area 100 on the side of the base substrate 300 facing away from the supporting substrate 400. After patterning processes such as exposure, development, and etching, the transistor 192 and the storage capacitor 193 in the pixel structure 190 are formed. The semiconductor layer can form the active layer 124 of the transistor 192; the conductive layer can form the gate 121, source 122 (or 123) and drain 123 (or 122) of the transistor 192, as well as the two capacitor plates (131 and 132) of the storage capacitor 193; the insulating layer can form an insulating structure for insulating the conductive structures located in different film layers from each other. Secondly, a planarization layer 101 is formed on the side of the transistor 192 and the storage capacitor 193 facing away from the base substrate 300, and a via is opened in the planarization layer 101 to connect the subsequently deposited conductive film to the source 122 or drain 123 of the transistor 192. The conductive film can form the first electrode 111 in the light-emitting element 191. After forming the first electrode 111, a pixel definition layer 102 with an opening structure is formed on the side of the first electrode 111 facing away from the base substrate 300. A light-emitting layer 112 is formed in the pixel opening of the pixel definition layer 102. Finally, a second electrode 113 is formed on the side of the light-emitting layer 102 facing away from the base substrate, and an encapsulation layer 103 is formed on the side of the pixel definition layer 102 and the second electrode 113 facing away from the base substrate 300. The pixel structure 190 of the display panel area 100 is completed. Simultaneously, a marking structure 210 is formed in the cutting area 200 on the side of the base substrate 300 facing away from the support substrate 400. The marking structure 210 can be prepared by deposition, coating, or other processes, which are not limited in this embodiment of the present invention.

[0071] S1004 , disposing a first protective film covering the display panel area and the cutting area on a side of the pixel structure and the mark structure facing away from the base substrate; the first protective film is in complete contact with a surface of the mark structure facing away from the base substrate.

[0072] For example, Figure 13 A schematic diagram of a structure after a first protective film is provided in an embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figure 13 After the pixel structure 190 in the display panel area 100 and the marking structure 210 in the cutting area 200 are prepared, a first protective film 310 can be attached to the side of the display motherboard 10 facing away from the support substrate 400 through an attachment process. In the display panel area 100, the first protective film 310 can be in direct contact with the encapsulation layer 103 of the pixel structure 190; in the cutting area 200, the first protective film 310 can be in full contact with the marking structure 210, that is, the first protective film 310 covers and adheres to the entire surface of the cutting mark 211 facing away from the base substrate 300.

[0073] S1005 , peeling off the supporting substrate to form a display motherboard including the base substrate, the pixel structure, the mark structure, and the first protective film.

[0074] For example, the laser lift-off technique (LLO) can be used to peel the display motherboard 10 from the support substrate 400 to form a Figure 3 The display motherboard 10 shown, Figure 3 The display motherboard 10 includes a base substrate 300 , a pixel structure 190 , a mark structure 210 , and a first protection film 310 .

[0075] S1006 : Determine the position of a cutting line in the cutting area based on the cutting mark, and cut the display motherboard along the cutting line to form a plurality of display panels.

[0076] Specifically, a cutting device is used to identify image information of a cutting mark and, based on this image information, to determine the center of the cutting mark. The position of a cutting line can be determined based on the center of the cutting mark. The determined cutting line can be a line connecting the centers of cutting marks in the same row or column in the cutting area. The cutting device can cut the display motherboard along the cutting line, and each display panel area can form a display panel.

[0077] In an embodiment of the present invention, by making the first protective film covering the display panel area and the cutting area fully contact with the surface of the side of the mark structure facing away from the base substrate, the cutting equipment can accurately and quickly obtain the image information of the cutting mark in the subsequent cutting process, and the cutting line position determined based on the image information of the cutting mark has high accuracy, so that when cutting the display master along the cutting line, the cutting accuracy can be improved, thereby improving the yield of the display panel obtained by cutting the display master, and improving the production efficiency of the display panel; at the same time, before cutting the display master, covering the first protective film on the side of the pixel structure and the mark structure facing away from the base substrate can prevent damage to the pixel structure during the cutting process, subsequent transportation, and other processes, and can further improve the yield of the display panel; in addition, compared with the situation where the first protective film is covered on each display panel after cutting the display master, by making the first protective film simultaneously cover the pixel structure of each display panel area before cutting the display master, the process of the display panel can be simplified, which is beneficial to improving the production efficiency of the display panel and reducing the preparation cost of the display panel.

[0078] Optionally, during the preparation of the display panel, the mark structure further includes a padding structure; the padding structure and the cutting mark are stacked.

[0079] Exemplary, reference Figure 4 In the process of preparing the marking structure 210, a cutting mark 211 can be prepared first on the cutting area of ​​the base substrate 300 away from the supporting substrate 400, and then a padding structure 220 can be prepared on the side of the cutting mark 211 away from the supporting substrate 400. The preparation process of the marking structure 210 and the preparation process of the pixel structure 190 are not prioritized and can be prepared simultaneously or in different time periods. The embodiment of the present invention does not specifically limit this. After the pixel structure 190 in the display panel area 100 and the marking structure 210 in the cutting area 200 are prepared, the first protective film 310 is attached, and the supporting substrate 400 is peeled off to form a structure as shown in FIG. Figure 4 The display motherboard 10 is shown.

[0080] In an embodiment of the present invention, a cushioning structure is stacked with the cutting mark to reduce the step difference between the display panel area and the cutting area. The first protective film is in complete contact with the side of the cushioning structure facing away from the base substrate, so that there will be no bubbles when the first protective film is attached. In the subsequent cutting process, the cutting equipment can accurately identify the image information of the cutting mark 211, and the determined cutting line position has high accuracy, thereby improving the cutting accuracy and the yield of the display panel.

[0081] Optionally, the mark structure can be prepared using the same process flow as the pixel structure, and can also use the same material as the pixel structure. Assuming that the pixel structure includes a first functional structure and a second functional structure, the cutting mark can be prepared using the same process flow as the first functional structure, and the padding structure can be prepared using the same process as the second functional structure. Figure 14 FIG1 is a flow chart of another method for manufacturing a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14 As shown, the method includes:

[0082] S2001. Provide a supporting substrate.

[0083] S2002 , forming a base substrate on a supporting substrate; the base substrate includes a plurality of display panel areas and a cutting area located between two adjacent display panel arrangement areas.

[0084] S2003 , forming a first functional layer on a side of the base substrate facing away from the supporting substrate, and patterning the first functional layer to form a cutting mark and a first functional structure, respectively.

[0085] S2004 , forming a second functional layer on a side of the first functional layer facing away from the base substrate, and patterning the second functional layer to form a second functional structure and a padding structure, respectively.

[0086] S2005 , disposing a first protective film covering the display panel area and the cutting area on the side of the pixel structure and the mark structure facing away from the base substrate; the first protective film is in complete contact with the surface of the mark structure facing away from the base substrate.

[0087] S2006 , peeling off the supporting substrate to form a display motherboard including the base substrate, the pixel structure, the mark structure, and the first protective film.

[0088] S2007 : Determine the position of a cutting line in the cutting area based on the cutting mark, and cut the display motherboard along the cutting line to form a plurality of display panels.

[0089] For example, Figure 15 A schematic diagram of a structure after forming a first functional structure and a cutting mark provided by an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 16 This is a structural diagram before forming a second functional structure provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of a structure after forming a second functional structure and a heightening structure provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 15-17The first functional structure may be the active layer 124 of the transistor 192 in the pixel structure 190. The first functional layer may be an entire semiconductor layer covering the display panel region 100 and the cutting region 200. A semiconductor layer covering the display panel region 100 and the cutting region 200 is formed on the side of the base substrate 300 facing away from the support substrate 400. The active layer 124 and the cutting mark 211 are then formed through patterning processes such as exposure, development, and etching. The active layer 124 and the cutting mark 211 are made of the same semiconductor material and are formed in the same process flow.

[0090] The second functional structure can be one or more organic insulating structures, such as the planarization layer 101 and / or the pixel definition layer 102 in the pixel structure 190. The second functional layer can include one or more organic insulating layers. When the second functional layer includes multiple organic insulating layers, the second functional structure includes a multi-layer organic insulating structure, and the padding structure 220 also includes multiple padding layers. For example, two padding layers are used to illustrate the padding structure 220, which includes a first padding layer 221 and a second padding layer 222 stacked in layers.

[0091] After forming the first functional structure, multiple conductive layers and multiple insulating layers can be formed on the side of the first functional structure (active layer 124) away from the base substrate 300, and the transistor 192 and storage capacitor 193 in the pixel structure 190 can be formed through patterning processes such as exposure, development, and etching.

[0092] For example, taking the elevated structure 220 including a first elevated layer 221 and a second elevated layer 222 stacked, and the second functional structure including a planarization layer and a pixel definition layer as an example, a first organic insulating layer covering the entire display panel area 100 and the cutting area 200 is formed on the display panel area 100 and the cutting area 200 on the side of the transistor 192 and the storage capacitor 193 away from the base substrate 300, and then subjected to patterning processes such as exposure, development, and etching, a planarization layer 100 for filling the undulating structure generated by the patterning of the transistor 192, the storage capacitor 193, etc. is obtained. 1 and a first raising layer 221 located in the cutting area 200. The planarization layer 101 and the first raising layer 221 can be made of the same organic insulating material and are formed in the same process flow. A first electrode 111 is formed on the side of the planarization layer 101 facing away from the supporting substrate 400, and a second organic insulating layer is formed as a whole layer on the side of the planarization layer 101 facing away from the base substrate. Then, after patterning, a pixel definition layer 102 with pixel openings and a second raising layer 222 are provided. The pixel definition layer 102 and the second raising layer 222 can be made of the same insulating material and are formed in the same process flow.

[0093] In an embodiment of the present invention, when preparing the first functional structure and the second functional structure in the display panel area, a cutting mark and a padding structure can be simultaneously prepared in the cutting area. On the premise of reducing the step difference at the position of the cutting mark in the display panel area and the cutting area, the process of the display motherboard is further reduced, which is conducive to improving production efficiency and reducing preparation costs.

[0094] Optionally, when a second functional layer is formed on the side of the first functional layer facing away from the base substrate, the second functional layer includes at least one organic insulating layer. In this way, the formed raised structure also includes at least one organic insulating layer. The thickness of the organic insulating layer in the pixel structure is generally larger, which makes it easier to reduce the step difference between the display panel area and the cutting area. In addition, the organic insulating layer can buffer the edge stress generated during the cutting process and increase the flexibility, which can reduce the generation of cracks during the cutting process and improve the yield of the display panel after cutting the display motherboard.

[0095] Optionally, the marking structure can be prepared in the same process flow as the pixel structure, and an opening structure can be set to expose the cutting mark. Assuming that the pixel structure includes a first functional structure and a second functional structure, the cutting mark can be prepared in the same process flow as the first functional structure, and the opening structure can be set through the patterned second functional structure. Figure 18 FIG1 is a flow chart of another method for manufacturing a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 18 As shown, the method includes:

[0096] S3001. Provide a supporting substrate.

[0097] S3002 , forming a base substrate on a supporting substrate; the base substrate includes a plurality of display panel areas and a cutting area located between two adjacent display panel arrangement areas.

[0098] S3003, forming a first functional layer on a side of the base substrate facing away from the support substrate, and patterning the first functional layer to form a first functional structure and a cutting mark respectively;

[0099] S3004, forming a second functional layer on the side of the base substrate facing away from the supporting substrate, and patterning the second functional layer to form a second functional structure, and removing the second functional layer in the cutting area to form an opening structure exposing the cutting mark.

[0100] Optional, reference Figure 6-9 In the first direction, the shortest distance L from the edge of the cutting mark 211 to the edge of the opening structure 230 has a value range of L≥300 μm; wherein the first direction is parallel to any direction of the plane where the base substrate 300 is located.

[0101] S3005 , disposing a first protective film covering the display panel area and the cutting area on the side of the pixel structure and the mark structure facing away from the base substrate; the first protective film is in complete contact with the surface of the mark structure facing away from the base substrate.

[0102] S3006 , peeling off the supporting substrate to form a display motherboard including the base substrate, the pixel structure, the mark structure, and the first protective film.

[0103] S3007 : Determine the position of a cutting line in the cutting area based on the cutting mark, and cut the display motherboard along the cutting line to form a plurality of display panels.

[0104] Exemplary, reference Figure 15 The first functional structure may be the active layer 124 of the transistor 192 in the pixel structure 190. The first functional layer may be the entire semiconductor layer covering the display panel area 100 and the cutting area 200. The active layer 124 and the cutting mark 211 are made of the same semiconductor material and are formed in the same process flow. Figure 16-17 The second functional structure may include at least one of the insulating layer, conductive layer, planarization layer 101, pixel definition layer 102, and encapsulation layer 103 in the pixel structure 190. The second functional layer may include at least one of an organic layer, an inorganic layer, and a metal layer covering the display panel area 100 and the cutting area 200. The second functional layer is subjected to patterning processes such as exposure, development, and etching to remove the second functional layer in the cutting area 200, thereby forming the second functional structure and the opening structure 230. By removing the second functional layer in the cutting area, an opening structure is formed to expose the cutting mark, leaving sufficient space for the first protective film 310 to contact the cutting mark 211. This also leaves sufficient space for the cutting equipment to recognize the image information of the cutting mark 211 in the subsequent cutting process. This allows the cutting equipment to more accurately and quickly obtain the image information of the cutting mark, thereby improving the accuracy of the cutting line position determined based on the image information of the cutting mark. This further improves the yield rate of the display panel obtained by cutting the display mother along the cutting line, and further improves the production efficiency of the display panel.

[0105] Optionally, in order to protect the base substrate 300, after the support substrate 400 is peeled off, a second protective film 320 is provided on the side of the base substrate 300 away from the first protective film 310, such as Figure 9 For example, a second protective film 320 may be attached to the side of the base substrate 300 away from the first protective film 310 by a roller lamination method, so as to protect the base substrate 300 from being damaged after the support substrate 400 is peeled off.

[0106] Based on the same inventive concept, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a display panel, which is obtained by cutting the display master provided by any of the above embodiments using the display panel preparation method provided by any of the above embodiments. Therefore, the display panel provided by the embodiment of the present invention includes the technical features of the display panel preparation method and the display master provided by the embodiment of the present invention, and can achieve the beneficial effects of the display panel preparation method and the display master provided by the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 19 is a structural diagram of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 19 As shown, the display panel 1010 includes a plurality of pixel structures 190 .

[0107] Based on the same inventive concept, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a display device, Figure 20 is a structural diagram of a display device provided by an embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 20 The display device 1020 includes the display panel 1010 provided by any embodiment of the present invention. The display device 1020 provided by the embodiment of the present invention can be Figure 20 The mobile phone shown can also be any electronic product with a display function, including but not limited to the following categories: televisions, laptops, desktop monitors, tablet computers, digital cameras, smart bracelets, smart glasses, car displays, medical equipment, industrial control equipment, touch interactive terminals, etc. The embodiments of the present invention do not specifically limit this.

[0108] It should be understood that the various forms of the processes shown above can be used to reorder, add, or delete steps. For example, the steps described in the present invention can be performed in parallel, sequentially, or in a different order, as long as the desired results of the technical solution of the present invention can be achieved. This is not limited herein.

[0109] The above specific embodiments do not limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions may be made based on design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are intended to be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a display panel, characterized in that: include: providing a supporting substrate; forming a base substrate on the support substrate; The base substrate includes a plurality of display panel areas and a cutting area located between two adjacent display panel setting areas; The cutting area extends along a transverse direction or a longitudinal direction parallel to the plane where the substrate is located; A pixel structure is formed in each of the display panel areas on a side of the base substrate facing away from the support substrate, and a mark structure is formed in the cutting area on a side of the base substrate facing away from the support substrate; wherein the pixel structure includes an encapsulation layer; an opening structure is formed between the pixel structures in adjacent display panel areas, the opening structure covers the cutting area and exposes the mark structure; along a first direction, the size of the opening structure is larger than the size of the cutting area; the first direction is parallel to the plane of the base substrate and intersects both the transverse direction and the longitudinal direction; the mark structure includes a cutting mark; in the first direction, the shortest distance L from the edge of the cutting mark to the edge of the opening structure has a value range of L ≥ 300 μm; A first protective film covering the display panel area and the cutting area is provided on a side of the pixel structure and the mark structure away from the base substrate; the first protective film is in complete contact with a surface of the mark structure away from the base substrate; Peeling off the supporting substrate to form a display motherboard including the base substrate, the pixel structure, the marking structure, and the first protective film; The position of a cutting line in the cutting area is determined based on the cutting mark, and the display motherboard is cut along the cutting line to form a plurality of display panels.

2. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 1, wherein: The marking structure further includes a padding structure; the padding structure is stacked with the cutting mark.

3. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 2, wherein: The pixel structure includes a first functional structure and a second functional structure; Forming a pixel structure in each display panel area on a side of the base substrate away from the support substrate, and forming a mark structure in the cutting area on a side of the base substrate away from the support substrate, comprising: forming a first functional layer on a side of the base substrate facing away from the supporting substrate, and patterning the first functional layer to form the cutting mark and the first functional structure respectively; A second functional layer is formed on a side of the first functional layer facing away from the base substrate, and the second functional layer is patterned to form the second functional structure and the padding structure respectively.

4. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 3, wherein: The second functional layer includes at least one organic insulating layer.

5. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 1, wherein: After peeling off the supporting substrate, the method further comprises: A second protective film is provided on a side of the base substrate away from the pixel structure.

6. A display master, characterized in that: include: A base substrate, comprising a plurality of display panel areas and a cutting area located between two adjacent display panel areas; The cutting area extends along a transverse direction or a longitudinal direction parallel to the plane where the substrate is located; A pixel structure and a marking structure are located on one side of the base substrate; the pixel structure includes an encapsulation layer, and the pixel structure is located in the display panel area; The mark structure is located in the cutting area; wherein an opening structure is formed between the pixel structures of adjacent display panel areas, the opening structure covering the cutting area and allowing the mark structure to be exposed; along a first direction, the size of the opening structure is larger than the size of the cutting area; the first direction is parallel to the plane of the substrate and intersects both the transverse direction and the longitudinal direction; the mark structure includes a cutting mark; in the first direction, the shortest distance L from the edge of the cutting mark to the edge of the opening structure is in the range of L ≥ 300 μm; A first protective film is located on a side of the pixel structure and the mark structure away from the base substrate and covers the display panel area and the cutting area; the first protective film is in complete contact with a surface of the mark structure on a side away from the base substrate.

7. The display motherboard according to claim 6, characterized in that: The marking structure further includes a padding structure stacked with the cutting mark.

8. The display motherboard according to claim 7, characterized in that: The pixel structure includes a first functional structure and a second functional structure; The display master also includes: a first functional layer located between the base substrate and the first protective film, and a second functional layer located on a side of the first functional layer close to the first protective film; The first functional layer includes the first functional structure and the cutting mark; the second functional layer includes the second functional structure and the padding structure.

9. The display motherboard according to claim 8, characterized in that: The second functional layer includes at least one organic insulating layer.

10. The display motherboard according to claim 6, characterized in that: Also includes: A second protective film is located on a side of the base substrate away from the pixel structure.

11. A display panel, characterized in that: The display panel is obtained by the method for preparing the display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

12. A display device, characterized in that: include: The display panel according to claim 11.

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