A display panel and display device

Abstract

This invention provides a display panel and a display device. The display panel includes a substrate; a metal portion located on the substrate; and a plurality of light-emitting elements located on the side of the metal portion away from the substrate. Each light-emitting element includes a first electrode, a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode stacked sequentially along the light-emitting direction of the display panel. The orthographic projection of the metal portion onto the substrate covers the orthographic projection of the first electrode onto the substrate. In this invention, the first electrode has a relatively flat surface, which reduces the probability of interference between ambient light reflected from the first electrode, improving the chromatic dispersion phenomenon of the display panel in dark conditions and enhancing its appearance quality. Simultaneously, the relatively flat first electrode can also reduce color differences in the pixel light-emitting areas at different viewing angles, improving the color shift problem of the display panel at large viewing angles and enhancing the display effect.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application filed on January 29, 2021, with application number 202110130088.9 and invention title "A display panel and display device". Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to the field of display technology, and more particularly to a display panel and a display device. Background Technology

[0003] Organic light-emitting display devices use organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) as the light-emitting elements. These diodes are self-emissive, eliminating the need for an external light source, which facilitates the thinning and lightening of the overall display device and enables the fabrication of flexible displays. Furthermore, organic self-emissive display technology offers advantages such as fast response time and wide viewing angles, making it a current research focus.

[0004] Current organic light-emitting display panels exhibit significant color dispersion under ambient light, affecting the product's appearance quality. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a display panel and a display device to solve the problem of color dispersion of display panels under ambient light in the prior art and improve the external light quality of products.

[0006] This invention provides a display panel, comprising: a substrate;

[0007] The metal portion is located on the substrate;

[0008] Multiple light-emitting elements are located on the side of the metal portion away from the substrate. Each light-emitting element includes a first electrode, a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode stacked sequentially along the light-emitting direction of the display panel; wherein,

[0009] The orthogonal projection of the metal part onto the substrate covers the orthogonal projection of the first electrode onto the substrate.

[0010] In some embodiments, the display panel further includes a color filter layer located on the side of the light-emitting element away from the substrate; the color filter layer includes a plurality of light-filtering units and a light-shielding portion, the light-shielding portion defining a plurality of first openings, the projection of the light-filtering units onto the plane of the light-shielding portion covering the first openings; along the light-emitting direction of the display panel, the first openings overlap with the light-emitting element, and the projection of the metal portion onto the color filter layer covers the first openings.

[0011] Furthermore, the materials used to manufacture the metal parts include light-absorbing materials.

[0012] Specifically, along the light emission direction of the display panel, the projection of the first electrode on the color filter layer is located within the first opening.

[0013] In some embodiments, the display panel further includes a color filter layer located on the side of the light-emitting element away from the substrate; the color filter layer includes a plurality of light-filtering units and light-shielding portions, the light-shielding portions defining a plurality of first openings, the projection of the light-filtering units onto the plane of the light-shielding portions covering the first openings; along the light-emitting direction of the display panel, the first openings overlap with the light-emitting elements, and the orthogonal projection of the first electrode onto the color filter layer covers the first openings.

[0014] In some embodiments, the display panel further includes a pixel definition layer, which includes a plurality of second openings that expose the first electrode, and a light-emitting layer is located within the second openings; the pixel definition layer is made of a light-transmitting material.

[0015] In some embodiments, the display panel further includes a pixel definition layer, which includes a plurality of second openings that expose the first electrode and a light-emitting layer located within the second openings; the pixel definition layer is made of a light-shielding material.

[0016] In one embodiment, the sidewall of the second opening has a non-right angle with the plane of the substrate; the orthogonal projection of the first electrode onto the substrate covers the orthogonal projection of the sidewall onto the substrate.

[0017] In one embodiment, the sidewall of the second opening has a non-right angle with the plane of the substrate; the orthogonal projection of the metal portion onto the substrate covers the orthogonal projection of the sidewall onto the substrate.

[0018] Specifically, the shape of the metal part is the same as the shape of the first electrode.

[0019] In one embodiment, the display panel includes a first metal layer and a second metal layer located on a substrate, the thickness of the second metal layer being greater than the thickness of the first metal layer; wherein, the metal portion is located in the second metal layer.

[0020] In one embodiment, the display panel includes at least two metal layers located between a substrate and a light-emitting element, wherein the metal portion is located in the metal layer closest to the light-emitting element in the light-emitting direction of the display panel.

[0021] In one embodiment, the display panel further includes an organic insulating layer that contacts and covers the metal portion.

[0022] In one embodiment, the display panel includes an inorganic insulating layer and an organic insulating layer, wherein the inorganic insulating layer contacts and covers the metal portion, and the organic insulating layer contacts and covers the inorganic insulating layer.

[0023] In some implementations, the metal part is not connected to a potential.

[0024] In some implementations, the metal portion is reused as a signal line in the display panel.

[0025] This invention provides a display device, including a display panel provided in any embodiment of this invention.

[0026] The display panel and display device provided in the embodiments of the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0027] The projection of the metal portion located directly below the light-emitting element onto the substrate covers the projection of the first electrode onto the substrate, thus the first electrode is fabricated directly above the area corresponding to the metal portion. During the fabrication of the display panel, the metal portion provides a relatively flat substrate for the fabrication of the first electrode, resulting in a relatively flat surface for the fabricated first electrode. That is, in the display panel provided by this embodiment, the first electrode 31 has a relatively flat surface, reducing the probability of interference between ambient light reflected from the first electrode 31. This improves the chromatic dispersion phenomenon of the display panel in dark conditions and enhances its appearance quality. Simultaneously, the relatively flat first electrode 31 also reduces color differences in the pixel light-emitting areas at different viewing angles, improving the color shift problem at large viewing angles and enhancing the display effect. Attached Figure Description

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

[0029] Figure 1 This is a simplified cross-sectional schematic diagram of a display panel in the related art;

[0030] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a cross-section at the position of the tangent line A-A';

[0032] Figure 4 for Figure 2 Top view of the central region at position Q;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a partial top view of a color filter layer in another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 6 for Figure 2 Another cross-sectional view at the position of the tangent line A-A';

[0035] Figure 7 for Figure 2Another cross-sectional view at the position of the tangent line A-A';

[0036] Figure 8 for Figure 2 Another cross-sectional view at the position of the tangent line A-A';

[0037] Figure 9 for Figure 2 Another cross-sectional view at the position of the tangent line A-A';

[0038] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the shape of the metal part and the first electrode in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0039] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the shape of the metal part and the first electrode in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0040] Figure 12 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of another display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 13 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of another display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 14 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of another display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of a display device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0044] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0045] The terminology used in the embodiments of this invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” as used in the embodiments of this invention and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0046] Figure 1 This is a simplified cross-sectional diagram of a display panel in related technologies. For example... Figure 1As shown, a signal trace 2 is positioned directly below the light-emitting element 1. Because the signal trace 2 has a certain width and thickness, the insulating layer 3 fabricated on top of it cannot form a flat surface. This results in the anode 4 of the light-emitting element 1, fabricated directly above the corresponding position of the signal trace 2, being uneven, thus the anode 4 has an uneven surface. The unevenness of the anode 4 also causes the light-emitting layer 5 and cathode 6 fabricated on top of it to be uneven as well. The anode 4 in the light-emitting element 1 is typically a reflective anode, with a high reflectivity. Ambient light penetrating part of the display panel's film layers may be reflected by the anode 4, and the reflected light at different positions on the uneven anode 4 may interfere with each other, causing color separation and dispersion. Especially when the display panel is dark, the dispersion caused by the uneven anode 4 reflecting ambient light becomes very noticeable, severely affecting the product's appearance quality. Furthermore, the unevenness of the anode 4 also leads to significant color variations in the display panel at different viewing angles. As shown in the figure, the color of the pixel luminescent area is different at viewing angle S1 than at viewing angle S2. This means that the unevenness of anode 4 causes a large viewing angle color shift problem on the display panel, affecting the display effect.

[0047] To address the problems existing in related technologies, this invention provides a display panel with a large metal area designed below the light-emitting element. This allows the first electrode of the light-emitting element, located near the metal area, to be fabricated on a relatively flat surface. This improves the chromatic dispersion phenomenon caused by the display panel reflecting ambient light, thereby enhancing the product's appearance quality. Simultaneously, it improves the color shift problem at high viewing angles, enhancing the display effect.

[0048] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a cross-section at the position of the midtangent line A-A'. Figure 4 for Figure 2 A top-down view of the central region at position Q.

[0049] like Figure 2 As shown, the display panel includes a display area AA and a non-display area BA. The non-display area BA surrounds the display area AA. The display area AA includes multiple sub-pixels sp, and each sub-pixel sp includes a light-emitting element 30. The multiple sub-pixels sp include red sub-pixels, green sub-pixels, and blue sub-pixels. The shape of the display panel in the figure is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the invention.

[0050] like Figure 3 The diagram only shows a simplified portion of the display panel's structure. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the display panel includes: a substrate 10, a metal portion 20, and a plurality of light-emitting elements 30. Figure 3(Only one is shown in the diagram). The metal portion 20 is located on the substrate 10, and the light-emitting element 30 is located on the side of the metal portion 20 away from the substrate 10; that is, when viewing the display panel from a normal angle, the metal portion 20 is below the light-emitting element 30. The light-emitting element 30 includes a first electrode 31, a light-emitting layer 32, and a second electrode 33 stacked sequentially along the light-emitting direction e of the display panel. During the display panel manufacturing process, the metal portion 20 is fabricated on the substrate 10, and the light-emitting element 30 is fabricated after the metal portion 20 is fabricated; that is, the first electrode 31, the light-emitting layer 32, and the second electrode 33 are sequentially fabricated on the metal portion 20. Specifically, the first electrode 31 is a reflective electrode, the second electrode 33 is a transparent electrode, and the light-emitting direction of the light-emitting element 30 is from the first electrode 31 to the second electrode 33. Some light emitted from the light-emitting layer 32 is directly emitted towards the second electrode 33, while some light emitted from the light-emitting layer 32 that is emitted towards the first electrode 31 can be reflected by the first electrode 31 and then penetrate the second electrode 33 before being emitted, thereby ensuring the light-emitting efficiency of the light-emitting element 30.

[0051] In one embodiment, the first electrode 31 is a reflective anode, and the second electrode 33 is a transparent cathode. The display panel also includes pixel circuitry located on the substrate 10. Figure 3 (Not shown), the pixel circuit is electrically connected to the light-emitting element 30, and the pixel circuit is used to drive the light-emitting element 30 to emit light.

[0052] In this invention, the orthogonal projection of the metal part 20 onto the substrate 10 covers the orthogonal projection of the first electrode 31 onto the substrate 10.

[0053] like Figure 4 The schematic top view shows the first electrode 31 of the light-emitting element 30, the metal part 20, and the connecting electrode 40. The shapes of the first electrode 31 and the metal part 20 are only schematically shown in the figure. The connecting electrode 40 is electrically connected to the first electrode 31 and is connected to the pixel circuit through a via K. Optionally, the connecting electrode 40 and the first electrode 31 are made of the same layer and material, forming an integral structure. It should be noted that the projection direction of the first electrode 31 and the metal part 20 onto the substrate 10 is the same as the top view direction of the display panel. Therefore, in the top view, the first electrode 31 and its projection onto the substrate 10 coincide, and the metal part 20 and its projection onto the substrate 10 also coincide. Figure 4 As can be seen from the diagram, the orthographic projection of the metal portion 20 onto the substrate 10 overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first electrode 31 onto the substrate 10. In other words, the orthographic projection of the first electrode 31 onto the substrate lies within the orthographic projection of the metal portion 20 onto the substrate. Since the fabrication process of the first electrode 31 follows that of the metal portion 20, when the first electrode 31 is fabricated at a position directly above the metal portion 20, the metal portion 20 can provide a relatively flat substrate for the first electrode 31.

[0054] Specifically, the display panel also includes a packaging structure located on the side of the light-emitting elements away from the substrate. The packaging structure covers and surrounds multiple light-emitting elements. The packaging structure serves to isolate water and oxygen to protect the light-emitting layer of the light-emitting elements, ensuring their lifespan.

[0055] In one embodiment, the encapsulation structure is a thin-film encapsulation, which includes at least one inorganic encapsulation layer and at least one organic encapsulation layer stacked together. This embodiment can be used to fabricate a display panel with a certain degree of flexibility.

[0056] In another embodiment, the encapsulation structure is a rigid encapsulation, comprising encapsulation glass bonded to the array layer of the display panel by a sealant, thereby housing multiple light-emitting elements within a cavity formed by the encapsulation glass and the sealant. The array layer is fabricated on a substrate and includes pixel circuitry.

[0057] In the display panel provided in this embodiment of the invention, the metal portion 20 is located directly below the light-emitting element 30, and the orthographic projection of the metal portion 20 onto the substrate 10 covers the orthographic projection of the first electrode 31 onto the substrate 10. During the fabrication of the display panel, the first electrode 31 is fabricated directly above the area corresponding to the metal portion 20. The metal portion 20 provides a relatively flat substrate for the fabrication of the first electrode 31, making the fabricated first electrode 31 relatively flat. That is, in the display panel provided in this embodiment of the invention, the first electrode 31 has a relatively flat surface, thus reducing the probability of interference between ambient light reflected from the first electrode 31. This improves the color dispersion phenomenon of the display panel in dark conditions and enhances its appearance quality. Simultaneously, the relatively flat first electrode 31 can also reduce color differences in the pixel light-emitting areas at different viewing angles, improve the color shift problem of the display panel at large viewing angles, and enhance the display effect.

[0058] This invention also includes a pixel circuit, fabricated on the substrate 10 and located below the light-emitting element 30. The pixel circuit includes multiple thin-film transistors. In one embodiment, the active layer of the thin-film transistor in the pixel circuit includes silicon, and the thin-film transistor is a low-temperature polysilicon transistor. In another embodiment, the active layer of the driving transistor in the pixel circuit includes silicon, and the active layer of some of the switching transistors in the pixel circuit includes metal oxide. In application, light emitted from the light-emitting element 30 may be reflected and refracted before reaching the underlying thin-film transistor. Additionally, ambient light may penetrate part of the film structure of the display panel from the area between adjacent light-emitting elements 30 and reach the underlying thin-film transistor. Since the active layer of the thin-film transistor is photosensitive, it will generate photo-induced leakage current after receiving light, causing changes in the characteristics of the thin-film transistor device, which in turn affects the pixel circuit's ability to drive the light-emitting element to emit light, resulting in uneven display on the display panel. Therefore, this invention further designs the structure of the display panel to prevent light from affecting the transistor devices in the pixel circuit.

[0059] In some embodiments, a color filter layer is disposed above the light-emitting elements. The color filter layer includes multiple filter units and light-shielding portions. The light-shielding portions can block the area between adjacent light-emitting elements, preventing ambient light from shining from this area onto the pixel circuitry below. Simultaneously, the design of the color filter layer can also reduce the reflection of ambient light by the display panel. Specifically, Figure 5 This is a partial top view of the color filter layer in another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 5 As shown, the color filter layer 50 includes a plurality of filter units 51 and a light-shielding portion 52. The light-shielding portion 52 defines a plurality of first openings 53. The projection of the filter unit 51 onto the plane where the light-shielding portion 52 is located covers the first openings 53. Figure 5 The shape of the first opening 53 is only schematically shown. In the display panel, one sub-pixel corresponds to one first opening 53. The first opening 53 overlaps with the light-emitting element, and the shape of the first opening 53 is the same as the shape of the light-emitting layer 32 in the light-emitting element 30. Specifically, the filter unit 51 includes a red filter unit, a green filter unit, and a blue filter unit. Specifically, red sub-pixels correspond to red filter units, green sub-pixels correspond to green filter units, and blue sub-pixels correspond to blue filter units.

[0060] In one embodiment, Figure 6 for Figure 2 Another cross-sectional view at the position of the tangent line A-A'. (See diagram below.) Figure 6As shown, the color filter layer 50 is located on the side of the light-emitting element 30 away from the substrate 10; along the light emission direction e of the display panel, the first opening 53 overlaps with the light-emitting element 30, and the projection of the metal portion 20 on the color filter layer 50 covers the first opening 53. The figure also illustrates a pixel definition layer 60, which is used to space adjacent light-emitting elements 30. The pixel definition layer 60 includes a second opening 61, with one second opening 61 corresponding to one light-emitting element 30. The second opening 61 exposes the first electrode 31, and the light-emitting layer 32 is located within the second opening 61. The figure also illustrates a transistor T in the pixel circuit, with the first electrode 31 electrically connected to the transistor T via a connecting electrode 40. The transistor T includes a gate, a source, a drain, and an active layer, wherein the first electrode 31 is electrically connected to the drain of the transistor T through a via in the insulating layer.

[0061] In this embodiment, the orthographic projection of the metal part 20 onto the substrate 10 covers the orthographic projection of the first electrode 31 onto the substrate 10. During the manufacturing of the display panel, the metal part 20 can provide a flatter substrate for the fabrication of the first electrode 31, making the fabricated first electrode 31 relatively flat. This reduces the probability of interference between ambient light reflected from the first electrode 31, improves the chromatic dispersion phenomenon of the display panel in the dark, and enhances the appearance quality. At the same time, it can also reduce the color difference of the pixel light-emitting area at different viewing angles and improve the color shift problem of the display panel at large viewing angles. A color filter layer is provided on the side of the light-emitting element 30 away from the substrate 10. The filter unit 51 in the color filter layer 50 can transmit visible light within a specific wavelength range. For example, the red filter unit can transmit red light, the green filter unit can transmit green light, and the blue filter unit can transmit blue light. That is, the filter unit 51 can prevent the transmission of light in other wavelength ranges besides the specific wavelength range, which can reduce the amount of ambient light entering the display panel, thereby reducing the reflection of ambient light by the first electrode 31, and thus reducing the reflection of ambient light by the display panel. Furthermore, when light passing through a certain color filter unit 51 is reflected by the first electrode 31 of the light-emitting element 30 overlapping with the filter unit 51 and then shines on another color filter unit, it cannot pass through the other color filter unit 51 and exit the display panel, thus reducing the reflection of ambient light by the display panel. Therefore, the color filter layer 50 provided on the light-emitting element 30 can reduce the reflection of ambient light by the display panel.

[0062] Specifically, Figure 6 In this embodiment, the pixel definition layer 60 is made of a light-transmitting organic material, meaning the material used to make the pixel definition layer 60 includes a light-transmitting material. Therefore, the area between adjacent light-emitting elements 30 has a certain light transmittance. Furthermore, in the light-emitting direction e of the display panel, the light-shielding portion 52 in the color filter layer 50 overlaps with the pixel definition layer 60. The filter portion 52 can block light, preventing light from penetrating the pixel definition layer 60 and reaching the transistor devices below. Figure 6In this embodiment, the projection of the metal part 20 onto the color filter layer 50 covers the first opening 53. Light emitted from the first opening 53 toward the pixel circuit below (as shown by the dashed arrow in the figure) can be blocked by the metal part 20. The metal part 20 can prevent light from shining onto the transistor devices below, thereby reducing the risk of uneven display on the display panel.

[0063] Furthermore, the metal part 20 is made of a light-absorbing material, so that the metal part 20 can absorb the light incident on it, and the amount of light reflected by the metal part 20 is reduced, that is, the reflection of light by the metal part 20 can be reduced, which can further reduce the reflection of light by the display panel and improve the display effect of the display panel.

[0064] In the display panel, the first electrode 31 of the light-emitting element 30 is a reflective electrode, and the reflectivity of the first electrode 31 to light is greater than that of the metal part 20. Specifically, in the light-emitting direction e of the display panel, the first opening 53 overlaps with the light-emitting element 30. While ensuring that the light emitted by the light-emitting element 30 can exit through the first opening 53 and has a certain range of emission angle, the projection of the first electrode 31 onto the color filter layer 50 is positioned within the first opening 53 along the light-emitting direction e of the display panel. In other words, the area of ​​the first electrode 31 is smaller than the area of ​​the first opening 53. The metal part 20 below the first electrode 31 can block the light penetrating the first opening 53, and the area of ​​the first electrode 31 does not need to be too large. This avoids increasing the reflection of ambient light by the display panel due to the high reflectivity of the first electrode 31.

[0065] In another embodiment, Figure 7 for Figure 2 Another cross-sectional view at the position of the tangent line A-A'. (See diagram below.) Figure 7 As shown, the display panel also includes a color filter layer 50 located on the side of the light-emitting element 30 away from the substrate 10. The color filter layer 50 includes a plurality of light-filtering units 51 (only one is shown in the figure) and a light-shielding portion 52. The light-shielding portion 52 defines a plurality of first openings 53 (only one is shown in the figure). The projection of the light-filtering unit 51 onto the plane of the light-shielding portion 52 covers the first opening 53. Along the light-emitting direction e of the display panel, the first opening 53 overlaps with the light-emitting element 30, and the orthographic projection of the first electrode 31 onto the color filter layer 50 covers the first opening 53. A pixel definition layer 60 is also shown in the figure. The pixel definition layer 60 is used to space adjacent light-emitting elements 30. The pixel definition layer 60 includes a second opening 61, with one second opening 61 corresponding to one light-emitting element 30. The second opening 61 exposes the first electrode 31, and the light-emitting layer 32 is located within the second opening 61. The pixel definition layer 60 is made of a light-transmitting material.

[0066] In this embodiment, the orthographic projection of the metal part 20 onto the substrate 10 covers the orthographic projection of the first electrode 31 onto the substrate 10. During the manufacturing of the display panel, the metal part 20 can provide a flatter substrate for the fabrication of the first electrode 31, resulting in a relatively flat first electrode 31. The first electrode 31 has a relatively flat surface, thereby reducing the probability of interference between ambient light reflected from the first electrode 31. This improves the chromatic aberration phenomenon of the display panel in dark conditions and enhances its appearance quality. Simultaneously, it reduces color differences in the pixel light-emitting areas at different viewing angles, improving the color shift problem of the display panel at large viewing angles. Furthermore, the color filter layer 50 above the light-emitting element 30 reduces the reflection of ambient light by the display panel, and the light-shielding part 52 in the color filter layer 50 can shield the area between adjacent light-emitting elements 30, preventing light from penetrating the pixel definition layer 60 and striking the transistor devices below. Furthermore, if the projection of the first electrode 31 onto the color filter layer 50 covers the first opening 53, then the light emitted from the first opening 53 toward the pixel circuit below (as shown by the dashed arrow in the figure) can be blocked by the first electrode 31. The first electrode 31 can further prevent light from shining onto the transistor devices below, thereby reducing the risk of uneven display on the display panel.

[0067] In some embodiments, the pixel definition layer in the display panel is made of a light-shielding material. This allows the pixel definition layer between adjacent light-emitting elements to block light, preventing it from penetrating the pixel definition layer and reaching the pixel circuit below, thus reducing the risk of uneven display. Simultaneously, the pixel definition layer also prevents crosstalk between adjacent light-emitting elements. Furthermore, to ensure a good user experience, the display panel needs a wide viewing angle. This requires ensuring the light emission angle of the light-emitting elements meets a certain range. Consequently, the sidewall of the second opening in the pixel definition layer has a non-right-angle angle with the plane of the substrate. That is, the distance from the sidewall of the second opening to the substrate gradually changes in the direction from the center to the edge of the second opening. Therefore, there is still a certain amount of light transmittance at the sidewall of the second opening, allowing light to penetrate and reach the pixel circuit below. Based on this, the present invention further improves the structure of the display panel to solve the above problems.

[0068] Specifically, in one embodiment, Figure 8 for Figure 2 Another cross-sectional view at the position of the tangent line A-A'. (See diagram below.) Figure 8As shown, the pixel definition layer 60 includes multiple second openings 61, each exposing the first electrode 31. The light-emitting layer 32 is located within the second opening 61. The pixel definition layer 61 is made of a light-shielding material. As illustrated in the figure, the sidewall M of the second opening 61 forms a non-right angle α with the plane of the substrate 10; that is, the sidewall M of the second opening 61 is a sloping sidewall. The orthographic projection of the first electrode 31 onto the substrate 10 covers the orthographic projection of the sidewall M onto the substrate 10. A pixel circuit for driving the light-emitting element 30 to emit light is also disposed on the substrate 10; the pixel circuit is not shown in the figure.

[0069] In this embodiment, the orthographic projection of the metal part 20 onto the substrate 10 covers the orthographic projection of the first electrode 31 onto the substrate 10. During the fabrication of the display panel, the metal part 20 provides a flatter substrate for the fabrication of the first electrode 31, making the fabricated first electrode 31 relatively flat. This reduces the probability of interference between ambient light reflected from the first electrode 31, improving the color dispersion problem of the display panel in dark conditions. Simultaneously, the relatively flat first electrode 31 also reduces color differences in the pixel emission areas at different viewing angles, improving the color shift problem of the display panel at large viewing angles. Furthermore, the first electrode 31 can block light penetrating the sidewall M of the second opening 61 (as indicated by the dotted arrow in the figure), preventing light from shining from the sidewall M of the second opening 61 onto the transistor devices below, thereby reducing the risk of uneven display on the display panel.

[0070] Specifically, in another embodiment, Figure 9 for Figure 2 Another cross-sectional view at the position of the tangent line A-A'. (See diagram below.) Figure 9 As shown, the sidewall M of the second opening 61 of the pixel definition layer 60 has a non-right angle α with the plane where the substrate 10 is located; the orthographic projection of the metal part 20 on the substrate 10 covers the orthographic projection of the sidewall M on the substrate 10. In this embodiment, by setting the orthographic projection of the metal part 20 on the substrate 10 to cover the orthographic projection of the first electrode 31 on the substrate 10, the fabricated first electrode 31 can be made relatively flat, reducing the probability of interference between ambient light reflected by the first electrode 31 and improving the color dispersion problem of the display panel in the dark; at the same time, the relatively flat first electrode 31 can also reduce the color difference of the pixel light-emitting area under different viewing angles and improve the color shift problem of the display panel at large viewing angles. In addition, the metal part 20 can block the light that penetrates the sidewall M of the second opening 61 (as indicated by the dotted arrow in the figure), preventing the light from shining from the sidewall M of the second opening 61 to the transistor device below, thereby reducing the risk of uneven display of the display panel.

[0071] in addition, Figure 8 and Figure 9In the embodiments, the display panel may also include an anti-reflection layer, which is located on the side of the light-emitting element away from the substrate. The anti-reflection layer is used to reduce the reflection of ambient light by the display panel to improve the display effect of the display panel.

[0072] Specifically, the anti-reflection layer includes Figure 5 The color filter layer 50 is illustrated in the embodiment.

[0073] In one embodiment, the metal portion 20 is not connected to a potential. That is, no voltage signal is transmitted on the metal portion 20 when the display panel is working. Optionally, the metal portion 20 is made of the same layer and material as the functional structure in the display panel, but the metal portion 20 does not reuse circuit elements (such as traces or electrodes) in the pixel circuit. The arrangement of the metal portion 20 can provide a relatively flat substrate for fabricating the light-emitting element 30, making the fabricated first electrode 31 relatively flat, improving the color dispersion problem of the display panel in the dark state, and improving the color shift problem of the display panel at large viewing angles. Moreover, the arrangement of the metal portion 20 does not change the design of the circuit elements in the pixel circuit, so as to prevent the large area of ​​the metal portion 20 from affecting the electrical performance of the circuit elements and increasing the complexity of the pixel circuit design.

[0074] In one embodiment, the metal portion 20 is reused as a signal line in the display panel. That is, when the display panel is operating, a voltage signal is transmitted on the metal portion 20. In this embodiment, the shape of the signal line directly below the light-emitting element 30 is changed to serve as the metal portion 20. The design of the metal portion 20 does not add any additional structure to the display panel and has minimal impact on the pixel circuit wiring.

[0075] Specifically, the shape of the metal part 20 is the same as the shape of the first electrode 31. Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the shape of the metal part and the first electrode in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 , Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the shape of the metal part and the first electrode in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 . Figure 10 and Figure 11 These are all top-view schematic diagrams of the display panel, illustrating the overlap of the first electrode 31 and the metal part 20. Taking the metal part 20 as a signal line in the display panel as an example, that is, the metal part 20 is a part of the signal line segment.

[0076] like Figure 10 As shown, both the first electrode 31 and the metal portion 20 are rectangular in shape. Figure 11As shown, both the first electrode 31 and the metal part 20 are circular. By making the shape of the metal part 20 the same as the first electrode 31, the area of ​​the metal part 20 below the first electrode 31 does not need to be too large, thus avoiding any impact on other structures in the display panel. For example, if the first electrode 31 needs to be connected to the pixel circuit below it via a via, firstly, the first electrode 31 connects to the connecting electrode (refer to...). Figure 4 as well as Figure 6 (As illustrated in the diagram) the electrode is connected, and then the connecting electrode is connected to the drain of the transistor through a via in the insulating layer. By setting the shape of the metal part 20 to be the same as the shape of the first electrode 31, the metal part 20 does not need to be made with an excessively large area, thus avoiding the large space occupied by the metal part 20 and reducing its impact on the via connecting the connecting electrode to the transistor.

[0077] In this embodiment of the invention, the shape of the first electrode 31 can also be a regular polygon or other shapes. In practice, the shape of the first electrode 31 can be designed according to specific needs.

[0078] In one embodiment, Figure 12 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of another display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 12 As shown, the display panel also includes a first metal layer M1 and a second metal layer M2 located on the substrate 10, wherein the thickness of the second metal layer M2 is greater than the thickness of the first metal layer M1; and the metal portion 20 is located on the second metal layer M2. The thicker the metal layer, the greater the impact of the structure made using this metal layer on the flatness of the subsequently fabricated first electrode 31. In this embodiment, the metal portion 20 is located in the thicker metal layer, and the metal portion 20 is made into a large area so that the orthographic projection of the metal portion 20 on the substrate 10 covers the orthographic projection of the first electrode 31 on the substrate 10. Thus, the metal portion 20 can provide a flatter substrate for the fabrication of the first electrode 31. In this embodiment of the invention, the first electrode 31 has better flatness, which can improve the chromatic dispersion phenomenon of the display panel in the dark state and improve the product appearance quality; at the same time, it can improve the color shift problem of the display panel at large viewing angles.

[0079] Specifically, such as Figure 12 As illustrated, the transistor T in the pixel circuit includes a gate g1, a source g2, and a drain g3, wherein the first electrode 31 of the light-emitting element 30 is connected to the drain g3. The metal portion 20 is located on the same layer as the source g2 and the drain g3, that is, the source g2 and the drain g3 are located on the second metal layer M2. Optionally, the material for the second metal layer includes titanium / aluminum / titanium. The material for the first metal layer includes molybdenum.

[0080] In some embodiments, the display panel includes at least two metal layers located between the substrate 10 and the light-emitting element 30, wherein the metal portion 20 is located in the metal layer closest to the light-emitting element 30 in the light-emitting direction of the display panel. In this embodiment, the metal portion 20 is located in the metal layer closest to the light-emitting element 30 on the substrate 10, that is, there are no other metal layer processes after the process of the metal portion 20 and before the fabrication of the first electrode of the light-emitting element 30. There are no other metal structures on the metal portion 20 that affect the flatness of the substrate below the first electrode 31. After the insulating layer is fabricated on the metal portion 20, a relatively flat substrate can be provided for the fabrication of the first electrode 31, resulting in better flatness of the fabricated first electrode 31, that is, the first electrode 31 in this embodiment of the invention has better flatness. The probability of interference between ambient light reflected by the first electrode 31 is reduced, which can improve the chromatic dispersion problem of the display panel in the dark. At the same time, the relatively flat first electrode 31 can also reduce the color difference of the pixel light-emitting area at different viewing angles, improve the color shift problem of the display panel at large viewing angles, and improve the display effect.

[0081] Specifically, the display panel also includes an organic insulating layer, as described above. Figure 12 As shown, the organic insulating layer 71 contacts and covers the metal portion 30. The organic insulating layer 71 is a planarization layer. This embodiment illustrates that the metal portion 20, the source electrode g2, and the drain electrode g3 are located on the same layer; that is, the metal portion 20 is fabricated in the same process as the source electrode g2 and the drain electrode g3. The organic insulating layer 71 is fabricated after the source and drain processes, so that the organic insulating layer 71 contacts and covers the metal portion 30. Simultaneously, the organic insulating layer 71 is etched to form a via (not shown) exposing the drain electrode g2. During the fabrication of the first electrode 31, the first electrode 31 is fabricated directly above the metal portion 20. The surface of the organic insulating layer 71 fabricated on the large area of ​​the metal portion 20 is also relatively flat, thereby providing a relatively flat substrate for the first electrode 31. This results in a high degree of flatness for the fabricated first electrode 31; that is, the first electrode 31 in this embodiment of the invention has good flatness. This reduces the probability of interference between ambient light reflected from the first electrode 31, improving the chromatic aberration problem of the display panel in dark conditions. Simultaneously, the relatively flat first electrode 31 also reduces color differences in the pixel emission areas at different viewing angles, improving color shift at large viewing angles and enhancing display performance. Furthermore, during the fabrication of the first electrode 31, a connecting electrode 40 is formed in the same process. The connecting electrode 40 is connected to the first electrode 31 and connected to the drain g3 below via a via, thus achieving electrical connection between the first electrode 31 and the transistors in the pixel circuit.

[0082] In another embodiment, Figure 13A cross-sectional schematic diagram of another display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 13 As shown, the organic insulating layer 71 contacts and covers the metal portion 30. In this embodiment, an insulating layer (not shown) is provided between the metal portion 30 and the source and drain of the transistor T, that is, the metal portion 30 and the source and drain are located in different metal layers. During the manufacturing of the display panel, an insulating layer is fabricated over the entire surface after the processes for the source g2 and drain g3, and then the insulating layer is etched to form vias exposing the drain g3; then the metal portion 30 is fabricated on the insulating layer; then the entire surface of the organic insulating layer 71 is fabricated on the metal portion 30, wherein the organic insulating layer 71 has both insulating and planarizing functions; then the organic insulating layer 71 is etched to form vias exposing the drain g3, that is, the vias of the insulating layer on the drain g3 and the vias of the organic insulating layer 71 are interconnected to expose the drain g3. Then, a first electrode 31 is fabricated on the organic insulating layer 71. The first electrode 31 is fabricated directly above the metal part 20. The surface of the organic insulating layer 71 fabricated on the large area of ​​the metal part 20 is also relatively flat, thereby providing a relatively flat substrate for the first electrode 31. This results in a high degree of flatness in the fabricated first electrode 31, which can improve the color dispersion problem of the display panel in the dark and also improve the color shift problem of the display panel at large viewing angles. Similarly, during the fabrication of the first electrode 31, a connecting electrode 40 is formed in the same process. The connecting electrode 40 is connected to the first electrode 31 and is connected to the drain electrode g3 below through a via.

[0083] Figure 13 In this embodiment, the metal portion 20 is fabricated in a metal layer above the source and drain electrodes, and the metal layer containing the metal portion 20 is the metal layer closest to the light-emitting element 30. In one embodiment, the metal portion 20 is not connected to a potential when the display panel is operating.

[0084] In another embodiment, the metal part 20 is reused as a signal line in the display panel. For example, the metal part 20 is electrically connected to the positive power signal line in the display panel. The positive power signal line is used to provide a constant positive voltage signal to the pixel circuit when the pixel circuit is working. By setting the metal part 20 to be electrically connected to the positive power signal line, the overall resistance of the positive power signal line can be reduced, thereby reducing the voltage drop loss on the positive power signal line and reducing the power consumption of the display panel.

[0085] In another embodiment, Figure 14 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of another display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 14As shown, the display panel includes an inorganic insulating layer 72 and an organic insulating layer 71. The inorganic insulating layer 72 contacts and covers the metal portion 20, and the organic insulating layer 71 contacts and covers the inorganic insulating layer 72. That is, the inorganic insulating layer 72 and the organic insulating layer 71 are disposed on the metal portion 20. A transistor T in the pixel circuit is also shown in the figure. The transistor T includes a gate g1, a source g2, and a drain g3. The first electrode 31 of the light-emitting element 30 is electrically connected to the drain g3 of the transistor T via a connecting electrode 40. A metal structure 80 is also shown in the figure. The metal structure 80 is located on the side of the inorganic insulating layer 70 away from the substrate 10; that is, the metal structure 80 is fabricated after the inorganic insulating layer 70 process. In the light-emitting direction e of the display panel, the metal structure 80 does not overlap with the first electrode 31.

[0086] Figure 14 The diagram illustrates that the metal portion 20 and the source and drain of transistor T are located on the same layer. Specifically, during the manufacturing of the display panel, the metal portion 20, source g2, and drain g3 are fabricated in the same process. After the processing of the metal portion 20, a full-surface inorganic insulating layer 72 is fabricated. The inorganic insulating layer 72 contacts and covers the metal portion 20, and the inorganic insulating layer 72 is etched to form vias (not shown in the diagram) exposing the drain g3. Then, a metal structure 80 is fabricated on the inorganic insulating layer 72. The fabricated metal structure 80 avoids the area where the metal portion 20 is located to prevent the surface above the metal portion 20 from becoming uneven. After the processing of the metal structure 80, an organic insulating layer 71 is fabricated, wherein the organic insulating layer 71 has both insulating and planarizing functions. Then, the organic insulating layer 71 is etched to form vias exposing the drain g3. That is, the vias of the inorganic insulating layer 72 and the organic insulating layer 71 on the drain g3 are interconnected to expose the drain g3. Then, a first electrode 31 is fabricated on the organic insulating layer 71. The first electrode 31 is fabricated directly above the metal part 20. The inorganic insulating layer 72 and the organic insulating layer 71 fabricated on the large area of ​​the metal part 20 are also relatively flat, thereby providing a relatively flat substrate for the first electrode 31. This results in a high degree of flatness for the fabricated first electrode 31, which can improve the color dispersion problem of the display panel in the dark state and also improve the color shift problem of the display panel at large viewing angles. In addition, during the fabrication of the first electrode 31, a connecting electrode 40 is formed in the same process. The connecting electrode 40 can be integrally formed with the first electrode 31, and the connecting electrode 40 is connected to the drain electrode g3 below through a via.

[0087] In one embodiment, Figure 14The metal structure 80 in the embodiment can be a signal line in the display panel. For example, the metal structure 80 can be electrically connected to the signal line located in a different metal layer to form a double-layer metal trace, thereby reducing the overall resistance of the signal line and reducing the voltage drop loss when transmitting voltage signals on the signal line during the operation of the display panel, thus reducing the power consumption of the display panel.

[0088] This invention also provides a display device. Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of a display device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the display device includes a display panel 100 provided in any embodiment of the present invention. The structure of the display panel 100 has been described in the above-described display panel embodiments and will not be repeated here. In the embodiments of the present invention, the display device can be any device with display function, such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, e-reader, television set, smart wearable product, etc.

[0089] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0090] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A display panel, characterized in that, The display panel includes: Substrate; The metal portion is located on one side of the substrate; A light-emitting element is located on the side of the metal portion away from the substrate, and the light-emitting element includes a first electrode, a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode; A color filter layer is located on the side of the light-emitting element away from the substrate. The color filter layer includes a filter unit and a light-shielding portion. The light-shielding portion defines a plurality of first openings, which overlap with the light-emitting element. The orthogonal projection of the metal portion onto the substrate covers the orthogonal projection of the first electrode onto the substrate; The display panel includes a first metal layer and a second metal layer located on the substrate, wherein the thickness of the second metal layer is greater than the thickness of the first metal layer; and the metal portion is located in the second metal layer.

2. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The orthographic projection of the filter unit onto the plane of the light-shielding part covers the first opening.

3. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the direction from the first electrode to the second electrode, the projection of the metal portion onto the color filter layer covers the first opening.

4. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the direction from the first electrode to the second electrode, the projection of the first electrode onto the color filter layer is located within the first opening.

5. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the direction from the first electrode to the second electrode, the orthogonal projection of the first electrode onto the color filter layer covers the first opening.

6. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display panel further includes a pixel definition layer, which includes a plurality of second openings that expose the first electrode, and the light-emitting layer is located within the second openings; the pixel definition layer is made of a light-transmitting material or a light-shielding material.

7. The display panel according to claim 6, characterized in that, The sidewall of the second opening has a non-right angle with the plane of the substrate; the orthogonal projection of the first electrode and / or the metal portion onto the substrate covers the orthogonal projection of the sidewall onto the substrate.

8. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the direction from the first electrode to the second electrode, the metal portion is located in the metal layer closest to the light-emitting element in the light-emitting direction of the display panel.

9. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display panel also includes an organic insulating layer that contacts and covers the metal portion.

10. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The metal part is not connected to a potential; or... The metal part is reused as a signal line in the display panel.

11. A display device, characterized in that, Includes the display panel as described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

Images