Display panel, display device, and method for manufacturing display panel

Abstract

This application discloses a display panel, a display device, and a method for manufacturing the display panel. The display panel includes a substrate, an anode layer, and a light-emitting functional layer sequentially disposed therefrom. The substrate includes a display area and a peripheral area. The anode layer includes an anode located in the display area. The light-emitting functional layer includes a light-emitting functional portion located in the display area and a test portion located in the peripheral area. The thickness of the test portion gradually decreases in the direction away from the light-emitting functional portion. By setting the test portion in the peripheral area and making the thickness of the test portion gradually decrease in the direction away from the light-emitting functional portion, this application helps to define the coating boundary of the light-emitting functional portion. At the same time, by detecting the thickness of the test portion, the coating state of the light-emitting functional portion can be determined, thereby enabling traceability of the production process when an abnormality occurs in the display panel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of displays, specifically to a display panel, a display device, and a method for manufacturing the display panel. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of display technology, the demand for display panels is gradually shifting towards greater convenience, style, and environmental friendliness. Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are gaining popularity due to their advantages such as self-emissive display, fast response speed, high brightness, and wide viewing angle. As a key component of OLED display panels, the light-emitting functional layer is often fabricated using vapor deposition to form various functional materials on the anode layer. However, current display panel manufacturing processes cannot monitor the coating status of the light-emitting functional layer, making it impossible to trace the production process when abnormalities occur. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a display panel, a display device, and a method for manufacturing a display panel, which can solve the problem that existing display panels cannot monitor the coating state of the light-emitting functional layer during the manufacturing process.

[0004] This application provides a display panel, including:

[0005] The substrate includes a display area and a peripheral area;

[0006] An anode layer is disposed on the substrate, the anode layer including an anode located in the display area;

[0007] A light-emitting functional layer is disposed on the side of the anode layer away from the substrate. The light-emitting functional layer includes a light-emitting functional part located in the display area and a test part located in the peripheral area. The thickness of the test part gradually decreases in the direction away from the light-emitting functional part.

[0008] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the display panel further includes an electrode layer located in the peripheral area of ​​the substrate, between the substrate and the test section.

[0009] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the peripheral area surrounds the edge of the display area; the electrode layer includes an electrode portion located in the peripheral area near the edge of the display area.

[0010] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the electrode layer includes a plurality of electrode portions, which are sequentially spaced apart along the circumference of the display area; or,

[0011] The electrode portion extends circumferentially along the display area and surrounds the edge of the display area.

[0012] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the electrode layer has the same thickness as the anode layer; and / or, the electrode layer is made of the same material as the anode layer.

[0013] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the width of the electrode layer is greater than or equal to the width of the test section in the direction from the display area to the peripheral area.

[0014] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the display panel further includes:

[0015] A pixel definition layer is disposed on the substrate, and a pixel opening is formed on the pixel definition layer, the pixel opening exposing the anode; the light-emitting functional layer is located inside the pixel opening.

[0016] A cathode layer is disposed on the side of the light-emitting functional layer opposite to the substrate;

[0017] An encapsulation layer is disposed on the side of the cathode layer opposite to the substrate.

[0018] Accordingly, this application also provides a display device, which includes the display panel described in any of the above claims.

[0019] Accordingly, this application also provides a method for manufacturing a display panel, the method comprising:

[0020] A substrate is provided, the substrate including a display area and a peripheral area;

[0021] An anode layer is formed on the substrate, and the anode layer is patterned to form an anode located in the display area;

[0022] A light-emitting functional layer is deposited on the side of the anode layer away from the light-emitting functional layer. The light-emitting functional layer includes a light-emitting functional part located in the display area and a test part located in the peripheral area. The thickness of the test part gradually decreases in the direction away from the light-emitting functional part.

[0023] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, forming an anode layer on the substrate and patterning the anode layer to form an anode located in the display area includes:

[0024] An anode layer is formed on the substrate, and the anode layer is patterned to form an anode located in the display area and an electrode portion located in the peripheral area; or,

[0025] An anode layer is formed on the substrate, and the anode layer is patterned to form an anode located in the display area;

[0026] An electrode layer is formed on the substrate, and the electrode layer is patterned to form an electrode portion located in the peripheral region.

[0027] In this embodiment, the display panel includes a substrate, an anode layer, and a light-emitting functional layer sequentially disposed. The substrate includes a display area and a peripheral area. The anode layer includes an anode located in the display area. The light-emitting functional layer includes a light-emitting functional portion located in the display area and a test portion located in the peripheral area. The thickness of the test portion gradually decreases in the direction away from the light-emitting functional portion. By setting the test portion in the peripheral area and making the thickness of the test portion gradually decrease in the direction away from the light-emitting functional portion, this application helps to define the coating boundary of the light-emitting functional portion. At the same time, by detecting the thickness of the test portion, the coating state of the light-emitting functional portion can be determined, thereby enabling traceability of the production process when an abnormality occurs in the display panel. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 4 This is one of the embodiments provided in this application. Figure 3 Schematic diagram of step S200;

[0033] Figure 5 This is another embodiment provided in this application. Figure 3 Schematic diagram of step S200;

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the distribution of electrode portions on a substrate provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 7 An embodiment of this application provides a Figure 3A schematic diagram of the vapor deposition process in step S300;

[0036] Figure 8 An embodiment of this application provides a Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of step S300.

[0037] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0038]

[0039] Detailed Implementation

[0040] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application. In addition, it should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for illustration and explanation of this application and are not intended to limit this application. In this application, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "upper" and "lower" generally refer to the upper and lower positions of the device in actual use or operation, specifically the drawing directions in the accompanying drawings; while "inner" and "outer" refer to the outline of the device.

[0041] This application provides a display panel, a display device, and a method for manufacturing the display panel, which will be described in detail below. It should be noted that the order of description of the following embodiments is not intended to limit the preferred order of the embodiments.

[0042] First, this application provides a display panel, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the display panel 100 includes a substrate 110, in which a thin-film transistor layer is formed for controlling the display mode of the display panel 100. The substrate 110 includes a display area S1 and a peripheral area S2. A pixel control switch is formed in the display area S1, and a driving circuit is formed in the peripheral area S2. The display area S1 and the peripheral area S2 work together to regulate the display effect of the display panel 100. Furthermore, the substrate 110 also serves as a support structure to support subsequent film layer structures, ensuring the overall stability of the display panel 100.

[0043] The display panel 100 includes an anode layer 120, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the anode layer 120 is disposed on the substrate 110. The anode layer 120 includes an anode 121 located in the display area S1, and the anode 121 is electrically connected to the thin film transistor in the thin film transistor layer. The conduction and disconnection of the signal on the anode 121 can be controlled by the conduction and disconnection of the thin film transistor, thereby controlling the display mode of the display panel 100.

[0044] The display panel 100 includes a light-emitting functional layer 130, which is disposed on the side of the anode layer 120 away from the substrate 110. The light-emitting functional layer 130 includes a hole transport layer, a hole injection layer, a light-emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer. When forming the light-emitting functional layer 130, it can be deposited layer by layer on the anode layer 120 by vapor deposition. By adjusting the vapor deposition angle and the vapor deposition rate, the uniformity of the thickness of each film layer can be adjusted to improve the light emission stability of the light-emitting functional layer 130.

[0045] The light-emitting functional layer 130 includes a light-emitting functional part 131 located in the display area S1. The light-emitting functional part 131 is the main light-emitting area of ​​the light-emitting functional layer 130. The light-emitting functional part 131 is disposed corresponding to the anode 121, that is, the light-emitting functional part 131 is disposed on the anode 121. By inputting a control signal on the anode 121, the light-emitting mode of the light-emitting functional part 131 can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the display effect of the display panel 100.

[0046] The light-emitting functional layer 130 also includes a test section 132 located in the peripheral area S2. As the boundary area of ​​the light-emitting functional layer 130, the test section 132's main function is not to emit light or display light, but rather to detect the overall coating state of the light-emitting functional layer 130. Since the test section 132 and the light-emitting functional layer 131 are formed using the same vapor deposition source 300 and in the same vapor deposition process, the coating state of the light-emitting functional layer 131 located in the display area S1 can be reflected by detecting the coating state of the test section 132. Furthermore, since the test section 132 is located in the peripheral area S2, detecting the test section 132 does not affect the light-emitting functional layer 131 in the display area S1, thereby avoiding any impact on the display effect of the display panel 100.

[0047] The thickness of the test section 132 gradually decreases in the direction away from the light-emitting functional section 131, meaning that the entire test section 132 is sloped in the direction away from the light-emitting functional section 131. On the one hand, since the vapor deposition source 300 used to form the light-emitting functional layer 130 is provided with a vapor deposition angle, the further away the vapor deposition area is from the vapor deposition source 300, the larger the tilt angle during vapor deposition. At the same vapor deposition rate, the thickness of the area is relatively smaller compared to the area closer to the vapor deposition source 300. On the other hand, setting the test section 132 to a slope shape helps to define the boundary of the light-emitting functional layer 130. By detecting the thickness change trend of the test section 132, the overall coating state of the light-emitting functional layer 130 can be determined.

[0048] In this embodiment, the display panel 100 includes a substrate 110, an anode layer 120, and a light-emitting functional layer 130 sequentially disposed. The substrate 110 includes a display area S1 and a peripheral area S2. The anode layer 120 includes an anode 121 located in the display area S1. The light-emitting functional layer 130 includes a light-emitting functional part 131 located in the display area S1 and a test part 132 located in the peripheral area S2. The thickness of the test part 132 gradually decreases in the direction away from the light-emitting functional part 131. By setting the test part 132 in the peripheral area S2 and making the thickness of the test part 132 gradually decrease in the direction away from the light-emitting functional part 131, this application helps to define the coating boundary of the light-emitting function. At the same time, by detecting the thickness state of the test part 132, the coating state of the light-emitting functional part 131 can be determined, thereby enabling traceability of the production process when an abnormality occurs in the display panel 100.

[0049] Optionally, the display panel 100 may also include an electrode layer 140, such as Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, the electrode layer 140 is located in the peripheral region S2 of the substrate 110, and the electrode layer 140 is located between the substrate 110 and the test section 132. That is, when manufacturing the display panel 100, an electrode layer 140 is first formed on the substrate 110, and the electrode layer 140 is patterned so that the patterned electrode layer 140 is located in the peripheral region S2 of the substrate 110. Then, a light-emitting functional layer 130 is formed by vapor deposition. By adjusting the vapor deposition angle, the light-emitting functional part 131 of the light-emitting functional layer 130 is located on the anode 121 of the display area S1, and the test section 132 of the light-emitting functional layer 130 is located on the electrode layer 140 in the peripheral region S2.

[0050] Since an anode 121 is provided between the light-emitting functional part 131 and the substrate 110, by providing an electrode layer 140 between the test part 132 and the substrate 110, the state of the test part 132 located in the peripheral area S2 can be made closer to the state of the light-emitting functional part 131 located in the display area S1. As a result, when the coating state of the test part 132 is detected, the coating state corresponding to the light-emitting functional part 131 can be better reflected.

[0051] It should be noted that, before forming the light-emitting functional layer 130, an anode layer 120 can be formed first, and the anode layer 120 can be patterned to form an anode 121, followed by the formation of an electrode layer 140 and its patterning; alternatively, an electrode layer 140 can be formed first and its patterning performed, followed by the formation of the anode layer 120 and its patterning. The formation sequence can be designed and adjusted according to the actual manufacturing process, and no special restrictions are imposed here.

[0052] Optional, such as Figure 7 As shown, the peripheral area S2 surrounds the edge of the display area S1. During the vapor deposition to form the light-emitting functional layer 130, the vapor deposition source 300 rotates 360 degrees on the plane where the light-emitting functional layer 130 is located. Therefore, the vapor-deposited test section 132 also surrounds the edge of the light-emitting functional section 131 to define the boundaries of the light-emitting functional layer 130 in various directions. At the same time, when detecting the film thickness of the test section 132, it is possible to simultaneously detect the boundaries of the light-emitting functional layer 130 in multiple directions to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the test results.

[0053] The electrode layer 140 includes an electrode portion 141 located at the edge of the peripheral area S2 near the display area S1. Since the test portion 132 surrounds the edge of the light-emitting functional portion 131, and the thickness of the test portion 132 gradually decreases in the direction away from the light-emitting functional portion 131, the portion of the test portion 132 closer to the display area S1 has a thickness closer to that of the light-emitting functional portion 131. The electrode layer 140 ensures that the state of the test portion 132 located in the peripheral area S2 is closer to the state of the light-emitting functional portion 131 located in the display area S1. By placing the electrode portion 141 in the peripheral area S2 near the edge of the display area S1, the state of the test portion 132 located near the edge of the display area S1 is made closer to the state of the light-emitting functional portion 131. Therefore, when detecting the coating state of the test portion 132, the coating state corresponding to the light-emitting functional portion 131 is better reflected.

[0054] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6As shown, the electrode layer 140 includes multiple electrode portions 141, which are arranged sequentially and at intervals along the circumference of the display area S1. That is, during the patterning process of the electrode layer 140, multiple island-shaped electrode portions 141 are formed. Each electrode portion 141 corresponds to a test point, facilitating rapid location when detecting the film thickness of the test portion 132 in the light-emitting functional layer 130. Furthermore, when an abnormality is found in the film thickness of the test portion 132 in a certain area, the location of the abnormal area can be determined, facilitating subsequent retesting or other processing.

[0055] The multiple electrode sections 141 can be distributed in the peripheral area S2 at the four corners of the display area S1, or evenly spaced along the circumference of the display area S1, or other uniform or non-uniform arrangement methods can be adopted. The specific arrangement method can be designed and adjusted according to the actual use requirements. It is only necessary to ensure that the arrangement of the electrode sections 141 helps to detect the film thickness state of the test section 132 so that the production process can be traced when the display panel 100 is abnormal. No special limitation is made here.

[0056] In other embodiments, the electrode portion 141 extends circumferentially along the display area S1 and surrounds the edge of the display area S1, that is, the electrode portion 141 extends continuously along the circumferential direction of the display area S1. Since the test portion 132 formed by vapor deposition also surrounds the edge of the light-emitting functional portion 131, this structural arrangement makes the state of the test portion 132 consistent in all areas of the display area S1 circumferentially. Therefore, when detecting the film thickness of the test portion 132, it is possible to select any position along the edge of the display area S1 for detection as needed, or to select any number of test points for detection as needed, thereby making the detection process more flexible and convenient, and also improving the accuracy of detection.

[0057] It should be noted that the shape of the electrode part 141 can be an overall ring shape, or a triangle, quadrilateral or other shape with intervals. When the electrode layer 140 is patterned, the specific structural shape of the electrode part 141 can be designed and adjusted according to the actual use requirements. It is only necessary to ensure that the film thickness of the test part 132 can be detected so that the production process can be traced when the display panel 100 is abnormal. No special limitation is made here.

[0058] Optionally, the electrode layer 140 and the anode layer 120 have the same thickness, that is, the light-emitting functional part 131 and the test part 132 in the light-emitting functional layer 130 are on the same horizontal plane on the substrate 110, so that the state of the test part 132 on the substrate 110 is closer to the state of the light-emitting functional part 131, thereby making it easier to reflect the coating state corresponding to the light-emitting functional part 131 when the coating state of the test part 132 is detected.

[0059] The maximum thickness of the test section 132 is the same as the thickness of the light-emitting functional section 131. That is, the thickness of the test section 132 gradually decreases from the thickness of the light-emitting functional section 131 in the direction away from the light-emitting functional section 131, so that the coating boundary of the light-emitting functional layer 130 is located in the outer region S2, and the slope structure of the test section 132 will not affect the normal display of the display panel 100; at the same time, it can also ensure the uniformity of the film thickness of the light-emitting functional section 131, so as to improve the display effect of the display panel 100.

[0060] Optionally, the electrode layer 140 can be made of the same material as the anode layer 120, meaning that the electrode layer 140 and the anode layer 120 can be formed simultaneously during the manufacturing process, and the anode 121 and the electrode portion 141 can be formed simultaneously using a single photomask. In other words, during the manufacturing process of the display panel 100, after depositing an anode layer 120 on the substrate 110, the anode 121 located in the display area S1 and the electrode portion 141 located in the non-display area S1 are formed simultaneously during the patterning process of the anode layer 120, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process of the display panel 100 and reducing production costs.

[0061] Furthermore, this structural design can ensure the consistency of the properties of the electrode section 141 and the anode 121, thereby making the environmental conditions of the test section 132 and the light-emitting functional section 131 on the substrate 110 the same, thereby ensuring that when the coating state of the test section 132 is detected, the detection result of the test section 132 can accurately reflect the coating state corresponding to the light-emitting functional section 131.

[0062] The electrode layer 140 can be made of one or more of a metal, a metal alloy, or a metal oxide, such as molybdenum, titanium, a molybdenum-titanium alloy, or indium tin oxide. It should be noted that when the material of the electrode layer 140 is the same as that of the anode layer 120, the material used for the electrode layer 140 must be conductive to ensure the normal function of the anode 121. When the material of the electrode layer 140 is different from that of the anode layer 120, the material of the electrode layer 140 can be selected according to the application requirements, as long as the material used for the electrode layer 140 does not interfere with the detection of the coating state of the test section 132; no special limitations are imposed here.

[0063] Optionally, in the direction from the display area S1 toward the peripheral area S2, the width of the electrode layer 140 is greater than or equal to the width of the test section 132. Since the electrode layer 140 is located between the substrate 110 and the light-emitting functional layer 130, that is, when the light-emitting functional layer 130 is formed by vapor deposition, the test section 132 of the light-emitting functional layer 130 is deposited on the surface of the electrode layer 140. By setting the width of the electrode layer 140 to be greater than or equal to the width of the test section 132, the boundary of the light-emitting functional layer 130 can also be formed on the electrode layer 140. This avoids the test section 132 from appearing stepped because it is partially located outside the electrode layer 140. This helps to define the coating boundary of the light-emitting functional layer 130 and also helps to improve the accuracy of the structure for detecting the coating state of the test section 132.

[0064] If the width of the electrode layer 140 is too large, the overall size of the display panel 100 will be too large, which is not conducive to the miniaturization of the display panel 100. If the width of the electrode layer 140 is too small, there is a risk that the coating boundary of the light-emitting functional layer 130 may be located on the side of the electrode layer 140 away from the light-emitting functional part 131, which is not conducive to the definition of the coating boundary. Therefore, when designing the width of the electrode layer 140, it can be adjusted according to the display requirements of the display panel 100 and the design requirements of the evaporation angle of the evaporation source 300. It is only necessary to ensure that the width of the electrode layer 140 does not affect the definition of the coating boundary and the detection of the coating state. No special limitation is made here.

[0065] like Figure 1 As shown, the display panel 100 also includes a pixel definition layer 150, a cathode layer 160, and an encapsulation layer 170. The pixel definition layer 150 is disposed on the substrate 110, and pixel openings are formed on the pixel definition layer 150 to define the position of the light-emitting pixels. The pixel openings expose the anode 121, and the light-emitting functional unit 131 is located within the pixel openings to connect the light-emitting functional unit 131 to the anode 121. By inputting control signals to the anode 121, the light-emitting mode of the light-emitting functional unit 131 can be adjusted, thereby controlling the display effect of the display panel 100.

[0066] The cathode layer 160 is disposed on the side of the light-emitting functional layer 130 away from the substrate 110. The cathode layer 160 and the anode layer 120 serve as the two poles for light emission control and are located on opposite sides of the light-emitting functional section 131, respectively. By inputting control signals to the cathode layer 160 and the anode layer 121, the light emission mode of the light-emitting functional section 131 can be adjusted to meet the different display requirements of the display panel 100.

[0067] It should be noted that when depositing the cathode layer 160, it is possible to deposit the cathode layer 160 only on the side of the light-emitting functional part 131 away from the substrate 110, so as to control the light emission mode of the light-emitting functional part 131. Alternatively, the cathode layer 160 can be deposited simultaneously on the side of the test part 132 away from the substrate 110. Since the electrode part 141 is not electrically connected to the thin-film transistor layer in the substrate 110, no control signal is generated on it. Therefore, even if the cathode layer 160 is deposited on the test part 132, the test part 132 and the light-emitting functional part 131 will not emit light and display simultaneously, and thus will not affect the display effect of the display panel 100.

[0068] The encapsulation layer 170 is disposed on the side of the cathode layer 160 away from the substrate 110. The encapsulation layer 170 needs to cover both the display area S1 and the peripheral area S2 at the same time. That is, the encapsulation layer 170 needs to encapsulate both the light-emitting functional part 131 and the test part 132 at the same time to prevent moisture and oxygen in the external environment from penetrating into the interior of the light-emitting functional layer 130, thereby ensuring the normal use of the display panel 100.

[0069] Secondly, this application embodiment also provides a display device, which includes a display panel. The specific structure of the display panel is as described in the above embodiments. Since this display device adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0070] like Figure 2 As shown, the display device 10 includes a display panel 100, a control circuit 400, and a housing 500. The housing 500 is connected to the display panel 100 to support and fix the display panel 100. The control circuit 400 is disposed inside the housing 500 and is electrically connected to the display panel 100 to control the display panel 100 to display images.

[0071] The display panel 100 can be fixed to the housing 500, forming an integral whole. The display panel 100 and the housing 500 form a sealed space to house the control circuit 400. The control circuit 400 can be the mainboard of the display device 10. Furthermore, the control circuit 400 can integrate one or more functional components such as a battery, antenna structure, microphone, speaker, headphone jack, universal serial bus interface, camera, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, and processor, enabling the display device 10 to adapt to various application fields.

[0072] It should be noted that the display device 10 is not limited to the above-mentioned components. It may also include other components, such as a camera, an antenna structure, a fingerprint unlocking module, etc., to expand its application scope. No restrictions are imposed here.

[0073] The display device 10 in this application embodiment has a wide range of applications, including flexible displays such as televisions, computers, mobile phones, foldable and rollable displays, and lighting, as well as wearable devices such as smart bracelets and smartwatches, all of which fall within the application field of the display device 10 in this application embodiment.

[0074] Finally, this application also provides a method for manufacturing a display panel, which can be used to manufacture the display panel 100 in the above embodiments. Figure 3 As shown, the manufacturing method of the display panel mainly includes the following steps:

[0075] S100, a substrate 110 is provided, the substrate 110 includes a display area S1 and a peripheral area S2.

[0076] When manufacturing the display panel 100, a substrate 110 is first provided. A thin-film transistor layer is formed in the substrate 110 to control the display mode of the display panel 100. The substrate 110 includes a display area S1 and a peripheral area S2. A pixel control switch is formed in the display area S1, and driving circuitry is formed in the peripheral area S2. The display area S1 and the peripheral area S2 work together to regulate the display effect of the display panel 100. Furthermore, the substrate 110 also serves as a support structure to support subsequent film layer structures, ensuring the overall stability of the display panel 100.

[0077] S200: An anode layer 120 is formed on the substrate 110, and the anode layer 120 is patterned to form an anode 121 located in the display area S1.

[0078] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, after preparing the substrate 110, an anode layer 120 is formed on the substrate 110. Since the anode layer 120 is fabricated on the entire surface, it is necessary to pattern the anode layer 120 to form an anode 121 located in the display area S1. The anode 121 is electrically connected to the thin-film transistor in the thin-film transistor layer. The conduction and disconnection of the signal on the anode 121 can be controlled by the conduction and disconnection of the thin-film transistor, thereby controlling the display mode of the display panel 100.

[0079] S300, a light-emitting functional layer 130 is deposited on the side of the anode layer 120 away from the light-emitting functional layer 130. The light-emitting functional layer 130 includes a light-emitting functional part 131 located in the display area S1 and a test part 132 located in the peripheral area S2. The thickness of the test part 132 gradually decreases in the direction away from the light-emitting functional part 131.

[0080] like Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, after the anode layer 120 is fabricated, a light-emitting functional layer 130 is deposited on the side of the anode layer 120 away from the light-emitting functional layer 130 using a vapor deposition source 300. The light-emitting functional layer 130 includes a hole transport layer, a hole injection layer, a light-emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer. When forming the light-emitting functional layer 130, a mask 200 is used to block a portion of the area, and then vapor deposition is performed layer by layer on the anode layer 120. By adjusting the vapor deposition angle and the vapor deposition rate, the uniformity of the thickness of each film layer can be adjusted to improve the light-emitting stability of the light-emitting functional layer 130.

[0081] The light-emitting functional layer 130 includes a light-emitting functional part 131 located in the display area S1. The light-emitting functional part 131 is the main light-emitting area of ​​the light-emitting functional layer 130. The light-emitting functional part 131 is disposed corresponding to the anode 121, that is, the light-emitting functional part 131 is disposed on the anode 121. By inputting a control signal on the anode 121, the light-emitting mode of the light-emitting functional part 131 can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the display effect of the display panel 100.

[0082] The light-emitting functional layer 130 also includes a test section 132 located in the peripheral area S2. As the boundary area of ​​the light-emitting functional layer 130, the test section 132's main function is not to emit light or display light, but rather to detect the overall coating state of the light-emitting functional layer 130. Since the test section 132 and the light-emitting functional layer 131 are formed using the same vapor deposition source 300 and in the same vapor deposition process, the coating state of the light-emitting functional layer 131 located in the display area S1 can be reflected by detecting the coating state of the test section 132. Furthermore, since the test section 132 is located in the peripheral area S2, detecting the test section 132 does not affect the light-emitting functional layer 131 in the display area S1, thereby avoiding any impact on the display effect of the display panel 100.

[0083] The thickness of the test section 132 gradually decreases in the direction away from the light-emitting functional section 131, meaning that the entire test section 132 is sloped in the direction away from the light-emitting functional section 131. On the one hand, since the vapor deposition source 300 used to form the light-emitting functional layer 130 is provided with a vapor deposition angle, the further away the vapor deposition area is from the vapor deposition source 300, the larger the tilt angle during vapor deposition. At the same vapor deposition rate, the thickness of the area is relatively smaller compared to the area closer to the vapor deposition source 300. On the other hand, setting the test section 132 to a slope shape helps to define the boundary of the light-emitting functional layer 130. By detecting the thickness change trend of the test section 132, the overall coating state of the light-emitting functional layer 130 can be determined.

[0084] In some embodiments, the fabrication of the anode layer 120 in step S200 may specifically include the following:

[0085] First, an anode layer 120 is formed on the substrate 110. Then, the anode layer 120 is patterned to form an anode 121 located in the display area S1 and an electrode portion 141 located in the peripheral area S2, such that the electrode portion 141 is located between the substrate 110 and the test portion 132 of the light-emitting functional layer 130. That is, the anode 121 and the electrode portion 141 are formed simultaneously during the patterning process of the anode layer 120, meaning that the electrode portion 141 and the anode 121 are disposed on the same layer and made of the same material, which simplifies the manufacturing process and reduces production costs.

[0086] Since an anode 121 is provided between the light-emitting functional part 131 and the substrate 110, by providing an electrode part 141 between the test part 132 and the substrate 110, the state of the test part 132 located in the peripheral area S2 can be made closer to the state of the light-emitting functional part 131 located in the display area S1. As a result, when the coating state of the test part 132 is detected, the coating state corresponding to the light-emitting functional part 131 can be better reflected.

[0087] In other embodiments, the fabrication of the anode layer 120 in step S200 may further include the following:

[0088] First, an anode layer 120 is formed on the substrate 110, and the anode layer 120 is patterned to form an anode 121 located in the display area S1; then an electrode layer 140 is formed on the substrate 110, and the electrode layer 140 is patterned to form an electrode portion 141 located in the peripheral area S2. That is, the anode 121 and the electrode portion 141 are formed separately in two processes.

[0089] It should be noted that, when forming the anode layer 120 and the electrode layer 140, an electrode layer 140 can be formed first and patterned to form the electrode portion 141, and then an anode layer 120 can be formed and patterned to form the anode 121. The specific manufacturing sequence can be designed and adjusted according to the actual process steps, and no special restrictions are imposed here.

[0090] The specific structure and arrangement of the electrode layer 140 and the electrode part 141 can be referred to the description of the relevant embodiments in the above-mentioned display panel 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0091] like Figure 1As shown, the manufacturing method of the display panel 100 also includes the fabrication of a pixel definition layer 150, a cathode layer 160, and an encapsulation layer 170. The pixel definition layer 150 is disposed on the substrate 110 and has pixel openings to define the positions of the light-emitting pixels. The pixel openings expose the anode 121, and the light-emitting functional unit 131 is located within the pixel openings. The cathode layer 160 is disposed on the side of the light-emitting functional layer 130 facing away from the substrate 110. By inputting control signals to the cathode layer 160 and the anode 121 respectively, the light-emitting mode of the light-emitting functional unit 131 can be adjusted to meet different display requirements of the display panel 100. The encapsulation layer 170 is disposed on the side of the cathode layer 160 facing away from the substrate 110 to prevent moisture and oxygen from the external environment from penetrating the interior of the light-emitting functional layer 130, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the display panel 100.

[0092] The above provides a detailed description of a display panel, display device, and method for manufacturing the display panel according to embodiments of this application. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this application. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

Claims

1. A display panel, characterized in that, include: The substrate includes a display area and a peripheral area; An anode layer is disposed on the substrate, the anode layer including an anode located in the display area; A light-emitting functional layer is disposed on the side of the anode layer away from the substrate. The light-emitting functional layer includes a light-emitting functional part located in the display area and a test part located in the peripheral area. The thickness of the test part gradually decreases in the direction away from the light-emitting functional part.

2. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display panel further includes an electrode layer located in the peripheral area of ​​the substrate and between the substrate and the test section.

3. The display panel according to claim 2, characterized in that, The peripheral area surrounds the edge of the display area; the electrode layer includes an electrode portion located in the peripheral area near the edge of the display area.

4. The display panel according to claim 3, characterized in that, The electrode layer includes a plurality of electrode portions, which are arranged sequentially at intervals along the circumference of the display area; or... The electrode portion extends circumferentially along the display area and surrounds the edge of the display area.

5. The display panel according to claim 2, characterized in that, The electrode layer has the same thickness as the anode layer; and / or, the electrode layer is made of the same material as the anode layer.

6. The display panel according to claim 2, characterized in that, In the direction from the display area toward the peripheral area, the width of the electrode layer is greater than or equal to the width of the test section.

7. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display panel also includes: A pixel definition layer is disposed on the substrate, and a pixel opening is formed on the pixel definition layer, the pixel opening exposing the anode; the light-emitting functional part is located inside the pixel opening. A cathode layer is disposed on the side of the light-emitting functional layer opposite to the substrate; An encapsulation layer is disposed on the side of the cathode layer opposite to the substrate.

8. A display device, characterized in that, The display device includes the display panel as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A method for manufacturing a display panel, characterized in that, The method includes: A substrate is provided, the substrate including a display area and a peripheral area; An anode layer is formed on the substrate, and the anode layer is patterned to form an anode located in the display area; A light-emitting functional layer is deposited on the side of the anode layer away from the substrate. The light-emitting functional layer includes a light-emitting functional part located in the display area and a test part located in the peripheral area. The thickness of the test part gradually decreases in the direction away from the light-emitting functional part.

10. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 9, characterized in that, The step of forming an anode layer on the substrate and patterning the anode layer to form an anode located in the display area includes: An anode layer is formed on the substrate, and the anode layer is patterned to form an anode located in the display area and an electrode portion located in the peripheral area; or, An anode layer is formed on the substrate, and the anode layer is patterned to form an anode located in the display area; An electrode layer is formed on the substrate, and the electrode layer is patterned to form an electrode portion located in the peripheral region.

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