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

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a display panel, a method for manufacturing the display panel, and a display device. The display panel comprises a substrate, a plurality of first electrodes located on one side of the substrate, a pixel definition layer located on the side of the substrate on which the first electrodes are formed, the pixel definition layer being provided with a plurality of first openings through which the first electrodes are exposed, a light-emitting functional layer located on the side of the substrate away from the first electrodes and the pixel definition layer, the light-emitting functional layer being provided with a first hollow part, and a second electrode layer located on the side of the substrate away from the light-emitting functional layer, the second electrode layer being provided with a second hollow part, the orthographic projection of the first hollow part on the substrate being located within the orthographic projection of the second hollow part on the substrate, and the warping degree of the edge of the second hollow part being no greater than 2 degrees. The display panel can achieve an under-screen camera function while having good reliability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of display technology, and in particular to a display panel, a method for manufacturing a display panel, and a display device. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, high screen-to-body ratio displays have become a major selling point for mobile phones and other electronic devices. Therefore, more and more electronic devices are adopting punch-hole displays to house light-sensing components such as cameras, or attempting to use transparent display technology to place light-sensing components under the screen, displaying the image when not in use to hide them. However, regardless of the strategy, it requires removing some of the light-emitting functional layer material from the display screen to achieve water and oxygen barrier properties or to improve light transmittance.

[0003] Therefore, current display panels, methods for manufacturing display panels, and display devices still need improvement. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides an embodiment to solve or alleviate one or more technical problems in the related art.

[0005] As a first aspect of the present disclosure, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a display panel. The display panel includes: a substrate; a plurality of first electrodes located on one side of the substrate; a pixel defining layer located on the side of the substrate where the first electrodes are formed, the pixel defining layer having a plurality of first openings through which the first electrodes are exposed; a light-emitting functional layer located on the side of the first electrodes and the pixel defining layer opposite to the substrate, the light-emitting functional layer having a first hollow portion; and a second electrode layer located on the side of the light-emitting functional layer opposite to the substrate, the second electrode layer having a second hollow portion, the orthographic projection of the first hollow portion on the substrate being located within the orthographic projection of the second hollow portion on the substrate, and the warpage of the edge of the second hollow portion not exceeding 2 degrees.

[0006] In one embodiment, the display area of ​​the display panel includes a first area and a second area, the first area at least partially surrounds the second area, and the pixel density in the first area is greater than the pixel density in the second area. The pixel definition layer is further provided with a second opening, which is located between adjacent first openings in the second area. The orthographic projection of the first cutout portion on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the second opening on the substrate.

[0007] In one embodiment, the display panel satisfies at least one of the following conditions: the shapes of the orthographic projections of the first cutout portion and the second cutout portion on the substrate are both selected from at least one of a circle and an ellipse; the second cutout portion is located between a blue sub-pixel and a red sub-pixel; the second cutout portion is located at the junction of two adjacent sub-pixels; the orthographic projection of the second cutout portion on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the second opening on the substrate; the light-emitting functional layer includes a charge generation layer.

[0008] In one embodiment, the display panel has a through hole, the display area of ​​the display panel at least partially surrounds the through hole, the display panel further includes a buffer zone located between the through hole and the display area, the orthographic projection of the first cutout portion on the substrate is located in the buffer zone, the length of the buffer zone is not greater than 0.8 mm in the direction from the display area to the through hole, and the first cutout portion satisfies at least one of the following conditions: the orthographic projection of the first cutout portion on the substrate is a strip shape surrounding the through hole; or the edge of the through hole is located inside the edge of the orthographic projection of the first cutout portion on the substrate.

[0009] As a second aspect of this disclosure, a method for fabricating a display panel is proposed. The method includes: forming a plurality of first electrodes and a light-absorbing metal structure on one side of a substrate; forming a pixel definition layer on the side of the first electrodes and the light-absorbing metal structure facing away from the substrate, the pixel definition layer having a plurality of first openings through which the first electrodes are exposed; forming a light-emitting functional layer on the side of the pixel definition layer facing away from the substrate; forming an electrode blocking structure on the side of the light-emitting functional layer away from the substrate, the orthographic projection of the electrode blocking structure onto the substrate including at least the edge of the orthographic projection of the light-absorbing metal structure onto the substrate, the electrode blocking structure preventing the formation of a second electrode layer on its surface during the formation of the second electrode layer; forming a second electrode layer on the side of the electrode blocking structure away from the light-emitting functional layer; and performing laser processing on the location of the light-absorbing metal structure to remove the light-absorbing metal structure and the film layer above the light-absorbing metal structure, thereby forming a first hollow portion in the light-emitting functional layer.

[0010] In one embodiment, the material forming the electrode barrier structure comprises small organic molecules.

[0011] In one embodiment, the material forming the electrode blocking structure includes lithium 8-hydroxyquinoline, N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′-di(9-phenyl-9H-carbazole-3-yl)-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine, N-(diphenyl-4-yl)-9,9-dimethyl-N-(4-(9-phenyl-9H-carbazole-3-yl)-phenyl)-9H-fluorene-2-amine, and 2-(4-(9,10-di(naphthyl-2-yl)anthracene-2-yl)phenyl)-1-phenyl-1H-benzo-[D]imidazolium, and the thickness of the electrode blocking structure is 5-20 nanometers.

[0012] In one embodiment, forming a plurality of first electrodes and light-absorbing metal structures includes: forming a metal layer on one side of a substrate; and patterning the metal layer to form a plurality of first electrodes and light-absorbing metal structures, wherein the light-absorbing metal structures are located between adjacent first electrodes.

[0013] In one embodiment, the display area of ​​the display panel includes a first area and a second area, the first area at least partially surrounds the second area, and the pixel density in the first area is greater than the pixel density in the second area, with a light-absorbing metal structure located in the second area; or, the display panel has a through-hole area, the display area of ​​the display panel at least partially surrounds the through-hole area, and the display panel further includes a buffer zone located between the through-hole area and the display area, with a light-absorbing metal structure located in the buffer zone.

[0014] As a third aspect of this disclosure, a display device is provided. The display device includes a display panel, which is either the display panel described above or obtained using the aforementioned method.

[0015] The above overview is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. Further aspects, embodiments, and features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description, in addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above. Attached Figure Description

[0016] In the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals throughout the various drawings denote the same or similar parts or elements. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that these drawings depict only some embodiments according to this disclosure and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a display panel structure in related technologies;

[0019] Figure 3 A scanning electron microscope image showing warping of the edge of the second electrode in a related technology;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the second region structure of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the second region structure of a display panel according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 7 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 8 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a display panel according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 9 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 10 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 11 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 12 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a light-emitting element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0036] Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram of the process of manufacturing a display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0037] In the following description, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure, and different embodiments can be combined arbitrarily without conflict. Therefore, the drawings and description are considered to be exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0038] In a first aspect, this disclosure provides a display panel. (See reference...) Figure 1 The display panel includes a substrate 100 and a plurality of first electrodes 210 located on one side of the substrate. A pixel definition layer 400 is located on the side of the substrate 100 where the first electrodes 210 are formed and is provided with a plurality of first openings. The area defined by the first opening can be the light-emitting area of ​​a sub-pixel of a pixel unit in the display panel. The first electrodes 210 are exposed through the corresponding first openings. A light-emitting functional layer 220 is located on the side of the first electrodes 210 and the pixel definition layer 400 facing away from the substrate 100, and a portion of the light-emitting functional layer 220 is located within the first opening and in contact with the first electrodes 210. The light-emitting functional layer 220 is provided with a first cutout portion 221. A second electrode layer 230 is located on the side of the light-emitting functional layer 220 facing away from the substrate 100, and the second electrode layer 230 is provided with a second cutout portion 231. The orthographic projection of the first cutout portion 221 on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the second cutout portion 231 on the substrate, and the warpage of the edge of the second cutout portion 231 is no greater than 2 degrees. This display panel can achieve under-display camera functionality while maintaining high reliability.

[0039] To facilitate understanding, the principle behind the display panel's ability to achieve the aforementioned beneficial effects will be briefly explained below:

[0040] As mentioned earlier, both screen punch-hole and transparent display strategies in related technologies require the removal of the light-emitting functional layer material in some areas of the display panel.

[0041] Taking the screen punch-hole strategy as an example, refer to Figure 2To achieve light-sensing processes such as light collection, a through-hole 120' needs to be formed within the display area of ​​the screen, and photosensitive elements such as cameras are positioned below the through-hole. Those skilled in the art will understand that, because the light-emitting functional layer 220' is sensitive to water and oxygen in the environment, the display panel containing the light-emitting functional layer 220' needs to have a dam-like structure 140' and an encapsulation structure (as shown in the figure, the first inorganic layer 510', the organic layer 520', and the second inorganic layer 530') to prevent water and oxygen from eroding the light-emitting elements (such as light-emitting diodes) in the display area. Since the light-emitting functional layer 220' is usually deposited across the entire surface during the manufacturing process of the display panel, water and oxygen components in the environment may invade the display area 110' along the light-emitting functional layer. Therefore, a buffer zone 130' needs to be provided between the through-hole 120' and the display area 110', and multiple blocking portions 141' are provided within the buffer zone 130' to remove the light-emitting functional layer 220' at the blocking portions 141', thereby blocking the water and oxygen intrusion path. One method for removing the light-emitting functional layer 220' is to place a light-absorbing metal structure at the location where the light-emitting functional layer 220' needs to be removed. The light-absorbing metal structure is located on the side of the light-emitting functional layer facing the substrate. When the light-absorbing metal structure is subjected to laser irradiation, the light-absorbing metal absorbs heat. Due to the different coefficients of thermal expansion between the metal material and the light-emitting functional layer material, the light-absorbing metal structure expands after absorbing heat and peels off from the substrate. During the process of the light-absorbing metal structure falling off, the film layer on the surface of the light-absorbing metal structure falls off along with the light-absorbing metal structure, ultimately achieving the removal of the localized light-emitting functional layer.

[0042] However, the inventors discovered that since the second electrode layer is usually deposited across the entire surface during fabrication, the second electrode layer on the side of the light-emitting functional layer facing away from the substrate is also removed simultaneously during the removal of the light-emitting functional layer, forming the second hollow portion of the second electrode layer. Since the second electrode layer is formed from a metal material with a certain degree of ductility, the edge of the second hollow portion cannot exhibit a precipitous fracture interface. The cathode material softens and warps under the action of expansion force, and in severe cases, even reverse bending may occur. Figure 3 As shown in the boxed area. Warping or reverse bending at this location will affect the encapsulation layers formed in subsequent processes, especially inorganic encapsulation layers (e.g., SiN / SiO). x Incomplete coverage may occur. This will further compromise the reliability of the display panel and affect product yield.

[0043] Similarly, display panels employing a transparent display strategy require pixel structures within the camera housing area to enable normal display when the camera is not sensing light. However, to ensure the photosensitive element receives sufficient light intensity, a portion of the emissive layer material in the non-emissive area of ​​the camera housing needs to be removed. This process can also be achieved by placing a light-absorbing metal structure at the location where the emissive layer material needs to be removed. Therefore, similar to the aforementioned screen perforation strategy, a second perforation of the second electrode is formed simultaneously with the first perforation of the emissive layer. Furthermore, the edges of the second perforation are prone to warping or reverse bending, which can also easily lead to reliability issues with the display panel.

[0044] The display panel disclosed herein achieves a warpage of no more than 2 degrees by controlling the morphology of the edge of the second hollow portion of the second electrode. Therefore, during the subsequent fabrication of the film layer of the encapsulation structure 500, this edge will not cause encapsulation failure, thereby improving the reliability of the display panel.

[0045] In this disclosure, the term "warping" is used to describe the warping of the second electrode near the edge of the second cutout. Specifically, the second electrode has a first surface 12 facing the substrate 100. The first surface 12 is located at the edge of the second cutout and in the plane of the substrate 100 (e.g., ...). Figure 1 The included angle between the surfaces 11 shown is the warpage of the edge of the second hollow portion. When the edge of the second hollow portion does not warp, this warpage is 0. When the second electrode bends in the opposite direction at the edge of the second hollow portion (e.g., ...), the warpage is 0. Figure 3 As shown in the figure, the warpage is 180 degrees or more. The inventors discovered that when the warpage of the edge of the second cutout is no more than 2 degrees, it does not affect the deposition of the inorganic layer in the upper encapsulation structure, thereby improving the reliability of the display panel.

[0046] Those skilled in the art will understand that one of the first and second electrodes is an anode and the other is a cathode. Below, we will describe the display panel proposed in this disclosure in detail, using only the second electrode as the cathode as an example. Unless otherwise specified, the first electrode may correspond to the light-emitting area of ​​a sub-pixel in a pixel unit, and the second electrode is a common electrode.

[0047] In one embodiment, the specific positions, areas, and projection relationships of the first and second cutout portions are not particularly limited, as long as the orthographic projection of the first cutout portion on the substrate is within the orthographic projection of the second cutout portion on the substrate. For example, the areas of the first and second cutout portions can be the same, meaning their orthographic projections on the substrate can completely overlap. Alternatively, the area of ​​the first cutout portion can be smaller than the area of ​​the second cutout portion. The specific positions of the first and second cutout portions can be set according to the specific type of the display panel, which will be described in detail below.

[0048] In one embodiment, the display panel 1000 can be a display panel obtained using transparent display technology. (See reference...) Figure 4 The display panel includes a first area 110 and a second area 120. The first area 110 at least partially surrounds the second area 120, and the pixel density in the first area 110 is greater than the pixel density in the second area 120. The second area can be a camera mounting area for accommodating a camera assembly 2000 below the display panel.

[0049] In some embodiments, the second region may have multiple pixel units. (Reference) Figure 5 A pixel circuit 121 can be disposed below the light-emitting element (i.e., between the light-emitting element and the substrate) within the pixel unit of the second region 120, and the display function of the pixel unit in this region can be realized through the structure of scan signal line 12 and data signal line 13. This scheme has a simple circuit design, low signal line load, easy control of the shape of the light-transmitting area, and is easy to mass-produce. Alternatively, refer to... Figure 6 In other embodiments, a strategy of separating pixel units and driving circuits can be adopted within the second region 120 to further improve the light transmittance of the second region. Pixel circuits 121 for controlling pixel units 122 within the second region 120 can be disposed in the first region and connected accordingly via traces. The traces can be metal oxides or other thin transparent metal layers, graphene, or other transparent conductive materials, thereby improving the light transmittance of the second region. In this case, two sets of pixel circuits can correspond to one pixel unit region within the first display area, one being pixel circuit 111 corresponding to the pixel unit in the first display area, and the other being pixel circuit 121 corresponding to the pixel unit in the second display area 120.

[0050] In one embodiment, the orthographic projection of the first and second cutout portions onto the substrate can be a non-light-emitting area within the second region. The shapes of the orthographic projections of the first and second cutout portions onto the substrate are not particularly limited, and can be, for example, squares, rectangles, circles, ellipses, etc.

[0051] The following explanation uses the case where the projections of the first and second hollowed-out sections completely overlap as an example to illustrate the specific details of the first and second hollowed-out sections. (Reference) Figures 7-12 In some examples, the orthographic projections of the first and second cutouts onto the substrate can be located at the boundary between two adjacent sub-pixels. (See reference) Figure 7 as well as Figure 8 The first and second cutouts can be located at the intersection of multiple sub-pixels, for example, at the intersection of four sub-pixels. When the orthographic projection of the first cutout on the substrate is rectangular, multiple first cutouts can extend along the same direction (e.g., Figure 9), and can also extend in different directions (such as Figure 10 ). refer to Figure 11 as well as Figure 12 The pixel unit in the second region may include multiple sub-pixels, such as red sub-pixel 12A, green sub-pixel 12B, and blue sub-pixel 12C. The second cutout portion and the first cutout portion 221 may be located between the blue sub-pixel 12C and the red sub-pixel 12A. Typically, the spacing between the two sub-pixels is relatively large, making it easier to design the first and second cutout portions. The above description is merely a pixel structure illustrated in some embodiments of this disclosure and should not be construed as a specific limitation on the number, shape, arrangement, or color of sub-pixels in the pixel unit. In some embodiments, the second electrode, excluding the positions of the multiple second cutout portions, may form a continuous pattern to achieve the function of a common cathode.

[0052] The first cutout portion can be located in multiple adjacent areas, each having a circular or elliptical shape. For example, the light-emitting functional layer can have multiple first cutout portions, and the orthographic projections of these multiple first cutout portions can all be circular, all be elliptical, or some of the first cutout portions can be circular while others are elliptical. Similarly, the orthographic projection of the second cutout portion on the substrate can also be selected from at least one of circular and elliptical shapes. Circular or elliptical first cutout portions can reduce diffraction at the location of the first cutout portion, thereby improving the display effect at that location.

[0053] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the light-emitting functional layer may include a charge-generating layer. The light-emitting element in the display panel may be a series-connected light-emitting diode, also known as a tandem OLED. (See reference) Figure 13 The light-emitting functional layer of this light-emitting element may include a hole transport layer (P-HTL / HTL), light-emitting layers of different colors (RGB and R'G'B' as shown in the figure), a hole blocking layer (HBL), a charge generating layer (N-CGL and P-CGL), and an electron transport layer (ETL). To further improve the performance of the light-emitting element, a Yb layer may be disposed between the cathode and the electron transport layer, a light extraction layer (CPL) may be disposed on the side of the cathode away from the light-emitting functional layer, and a protective layer made of LiF material may also be provided. By providing a first cutout in the light-emitting functional layer, the aforementioned multiple film layers at the location of the first cutout can be removed, thereby improving the light transmittance in the second region.

[0054] In one embodiment, reference Figure 14The display panel may have a color filter layer 600. The orthographic projections of multiple first and second cutouts (221A, 221B, 231A, and 231B as shown in the figure) onto the substrate 100 can be located between the black matrices 610 of the color filter layer 600 used to limit adjacent color filters (R, G, or B as shown in the figure). Therefore, the light transmittance of the display panel can be increased without affecting the display of the light-emitting device, thereby increasing the light intensity received by the camera assembly 2000. (Reference) Figure 15 The display panel may also have a polarizer 700. When the display panel uses a polarizer 700, multiple first and second cutouts (221A, 221B, 231A and 231B as shown in the figure) should also be located outside the first opening range to avoid damaging the light-emitting elements.

[0055] Those skilled in the art will understand that the display panel also has a backplane circuit structure between the substrate 100 and the first electrode 210, which may specifically include an active layer 310, a gate insulating layer 311, a gate electrode 330, source and drain electrodes 341 and 342, an interlayer insulating layer 320, and a planarization layer 350, etc. The thin-film transistors and other components in this backplane circuit structure are used to form the aforementioned pixel circuit.

[0056] In one embodiment, reference Figure 16 The pixel definition layer 400 is further provided with a second opening 420, which can be located between adjacent first openings 410 in the second region. The orthographic projections of the first and second cutout portions on the substrate can be located within the orthographic projection of the second opening onto the substrate. The pixel definition layer material at the second opening is removed, and the first cutout portion is also located at this position, which can further improve the light transmittance at the second opening.

[0057] In one embodiment, reference Figure 17 The display panel may also have a through-hole 120. For example, the display area of ​​the display panel may at least partially surround the through-hole, and the display panel also includes a buffer zone 130 located between the through-hole 120 and the display area 110. The orthogonal projection of the first cutout 221 on the substrate is located in the buffer zone 130. Thus, the path of water and oxygen intruding into the display area 110 along the light-emitting functional layer 220 can be blocked by the first and second cutouts 221 and 231, thereby narrowing the width of the buffer zone 130. It should be noted here that the warpage of the edge of the second cutout 231 is no more than 2 degrees. Thus, the reliability of the inorganic film layer (the first inorganic layer 510 shown in the figure) encapsulation in the encapsulation structure at this location can be improved.

[0058] In one embodiment, the length of the buffer zone 130 in the direction from the display area to the through hole is no greater than 0.8 mm. Compared to related technologies that require a blocking portion in the buffer zone, the first and second cutout portions 221 and 231 located within the buffer zone 130 can reduce the length of the buffer zone to below 0.8 mm while ensuring that water and oxygen erosion of the display area is prevented. In some embodiments, the aforementioned length of the buffer zone can be reduced to approximately 0.4 mm. Furthermore, since the buffer zone has the first and second cutout portions, it can effectively block the path of water and oxygen erosion, and the number of dam-like structures 140 in the display panel can also be reduced, thereby further narrowing the bezel at the through hole.

[0059] refer to Figure 17 In a configuration where the first cutout is disposed in the buffer zone 130, the orthographic projection of the first cutout onto the substrate can be a strip surrounding the through-hole. In one embodiment, the display area can surround the through-hole, with the edge of the through-hole located inside the edge of the orthographic projection of the first cutout onto the substrate. This enhances the display substrate's ability to isolate water and oxygen. In some embodiments, reference... Figure 18 Furthermore, multiple first and second cutout portions (as shown in the figure, 221A, 221B, 231A, and 231B) can be provided within the buffer zone 130. Those skilled in the art will understand that the display panel also has a backplane circuit structure, for example, it may have gate metal traces 33 formed based on gate metal, source / drain metal traces 34 formed based on source / drain metal, etc.

[0060] As a second aspect of this disclosure, a method for fabricating a display panel is proposed. The method includes the steps of forming a first electrode and a light-absorbing metal structure on a substrate, and forming a pixel definition layer, a first electrode, a light-absorbing metal structure, and a light-emitting functional layer. A second cutout portion of the second electrode is formed during the formation of the second electrode, and then the light-absorbing metal structure is processed to detach it from the substrate, ultimately removing a portion of the light-emitting functional layer to form a first cutout portion of the light-emitting functional layer. The edge of the second cutout portion formed by this method is simultaneously formed during the formation of the second electrode, thus mitigating the warping of the edge of the second cutout portion caused by the high ductility of the second electrode material when the light-absorbing metal structure detaches.

[0061] Specifically, the method may include forming a plurality of first electrodes and light-absorbing metal structures on one side of a substrate, and forming a light-absorbing metal structure at at least one location below the substrate: a second region, and a buffer zone between the first region and the second region; forming a pixel definition layer on the side of the first electrodes and light-absorbing metal structures away from the substrate, the pixel definition layer having a plurality of first openings through which the first electrodes are exposed; forming a light-emitting functional layer on the side of the pixel definition layer away from the substrate; forming an electrode blocking structure on the side of the light-emitting functional layer away from the substrate, the orthographic projection of the electrode blocking structure onto the substrate including at least the edge of the orthographic projection of the light-absorbing metal structure onto the substrate, the electrode blocking structure being used to prevent the second electrode layer from forming on the surface of the electrode blocking structure during the formation of the second electrode layer; forming a second electrode layer on the side of the electrode blocking structure away from the light-emitting functional layer; and performing laser processing on the location of the light-absorbing metal structure to remove the light-absorbing metal structure and the film layer above the light-absorbing metal structure, so that the light-emitting functional layer forms a first cutout.

[0062] Those skilled in the art will understand that the light-absorbing metal structure is used to form the first hollow portion of the light-emitting functional layer, and the electrode blocking structure is used to form at least the edge of the second hollow portion of the second electrode, so that the edge of the second hollow portion has a low warpage. In one embodiment, the position, shape, and area of ​​the light-absorbing metal structure and the electrode blocking structure can be the same, in which case the electrode blocking structure is used to form the second hollow portion. In one embodiment, the area of ​​the electrode blocking structure can be larger than that of the light-absorbing metal structure, and the orthogonal projection of the electrode blocking structure on the substrate can completely cover the orthogonal projection of the light-absorbing metal structure on the substrate. The area of ​​the second hollow portion formed in this way can be larger than that of the first hollow portion, thus avoiding non-cliff-like breakage of the second electrode at the edge of the second hollow portion during the falling of the light-absorbing metal. Those skilled in the art will understand that a portion of the electrode blocking structure will remain in the display panel obtained in this way. In another embodiment, the electrode blocking structure can also be a ring structure surrounding the edge of the light-absorbing metal structure.

[0063] In one embodiment, the material forming the electrode blocking structure comprises small organic molecules. These small organic molecules have poor adhesion to the cathode metal material; therefore, when forming the second electrode, cathode metal cannot be deposited at the location of the electrode blocking structure, allowing the second perforation to be formed simultaneously with the formation of the second electrode. In one embodiment, the material forming the electrode blocking structure comprises lithium 8-hydroxyquinoline, N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′-di(9-phenyl-9H-carbazole-3-yl)-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine, N-(diphenyl-4-yl)-9,9-dimethyl-N-(4-(9-phenyl-9H-carbazole-3-yl)-phenyl)-9H-fluorene-2-amine, and 2-(4-(9,10-di(naphthyl-2-yl)anthracene-2-yl)phenyl)-1-phenyl-1H-benzo-[D]imidazole. In some embodiments, the thickness of the electrode blocking structure is 5-20 nanometers. The electrode blocking structure of the above thickness can form a continuous and reliable film layer. Even if some of the electrode blocking structure remains after the display panel is manufactured, the electrode blocking structure of the above thickness still has high light transmittance and will not affect the light collection of components such as cameras.

[0064] In one embodiment, reference Figure 19The display panel obtained by this method can be a display panel with through holes. The method may include forming a light-absorbing metal structure 222 in a buffer zone. The light-absorbing metal structure only needs to be located on the side of the light-emitting functional layer facing the substrate, that is, the light-absorbing metal structure is set before the formation of the light-emitting functional layer. For example, the light-absorbing metal structure can be formed in the same layer and material as the first electrode. For example, a metal layer can be formed on one side of the substrate, and the metal layer can be patterned to form multiple first electrodes and light-absorbing metal structures 222. The specific material of the light-absorbing metal structure is not particularly limited, as long as it can be peeled off from the organic film layer through heat absorption and expansion under laser irradiation. For example, the light-absorbing metal structure can be composed of multiple metal layers, such as a Ti / Al / Ti structure. Subsequently, a deposition process of the light-emitting functional layer 220 can be performed to form the light-emitting functional layer 220. Subsequently, an electrode blocking structure 232 is formed at the location of the light-absorbing metal structure 222, and the electrode blocking structure 232 at least covers the edge of the light-absorbing metal structure 222. If the second electrode is then fabricated, the second electrode metal material cannot be deposited at the location of the electrode blocking structure 232. The location containing the light-absorbing metal structure is irradiated with a laser. The specific wavelength of the laser irradiation in this step is not particularly limited and can be determined based on the specific film material. When using a light-absorbing metal structure, a laser beam with an infrared wavelength of approximately 950nm can be used for irradiation. The light-absorbing metal structure absorbs heat and expands. Since the coefficient of thermal expansion of the metal differs from that of the upper and lower films (mostly organic materials, such as planarization layer 320 and light-emitting functional layer 220) of the light-absorbing metal structure, peeling occurs at the light-absorbing metal structure during this process. The light-absorbing metal structure, along with all the films on it, can be removed, thus easily forming the first hollow portion 221 and the second hollow portion 231.

[0065] In one embodiment, reference Figure 20 The display panel prepared by this method can also be a display panel using transparent display technology. That is, the display area of ​​the display panel includes a first region and a second region, the first region at least partially surrounds the second region, and the pixel density in the first region is greater than the pixel density in the second region. The light-absorbing metal structure is located in the second region. To facilitate illustrating the positions of the light-absorbing metal structure and the electrode blocking structure, Figure 20 The structure of the color filter layer 600 is shown. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the color filter layer 600 can be formed after the first and second cutout portions are formed and the display panel is encapsulated.

[0066] like Figure 20As shown, the pixel defining layer 400 may have a first opening 410 and a second opening 420. The first opening 410 is used to accommodate the light-emitting element, and the second opening 420 may be located between two adjacent first openings 410 in the second region, thereby further improving the transmittance of the panel. In this embodiment, the light-absorbing metal structure 222 and the electrode blocking structure 223 may both be located at the second opening 420. Laser irradiation can be performed on the location of the light-absorbing metal structure 222, and a laser beam with a wavelength of about 950nm may also be selected. The formed plurality of first cutouts and second cutouts may be located within the second opening 420. That is to say, the orthographic projection of the formed first and second cutouts on the substrate may be located outside the sub-pixel light-emitting area, and there is no overlap between them and the orthographic projection of the color filter defined by the black matrix of the color filter layer 600 on the substrate.

[0067] As a third aspect of this disclosure, a display device is provided. The display device includes a display panel, which is either the display panel described above or obtained using the aforementioned method.

[0068] In the description of this specification, it should be understood that the terms "center", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure.

[0069] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this disclosure, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0070] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0071] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0072] The foregoing disclosure provides many different implementations or examples for carrying out different structures of this disclosure. To simplify this disclosure, the components and arrangements of specific examples are described above. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or reference letters may be repeated in different examples; such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various implementations and / or arrangements discussed.

[0073] The above are merely specific embodiments of this disclosure, but the scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this disclosure, and these should all be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a display panel, characterized in that, The method includes: Multiple first electrodes and light-absorbing metal structures are formed on one side of the substrate; A pixel definition layer is formed on the side of the first electrode and the light-absorbing metal structure facing away from the substrate. The pixel definition layer is provided with a plurality of first openings, and the first electrode is exposed through the corresponding first openings. A light-emitting functional layer is formed on the side of the pixel definition layer opposite to the substrate; An electrode blocking structure is formed on the side of the light-emitting functional layer away from the substrate. The orthogonal projection of the electrode blocking structure on the substrate includes at least the edge of the orthogonal projection of the light-absorbing metal structure on the substrate. The electrode blocking structure is used to prevent the second electrode layer from forming on the surface of the electrode blocking structure during the formation of the second electrode layer. A second electrode layer is formed on the side of the electrode blocking structure away from the light-emitting functional layer, and the surface of the electrode blocking structure does not have the second electrode layer. Laser processing is performed on the location of the light-absorbing metal structure to remove the light-absorbing metal structure and the film layer on top of the light-absorbing metal structure, so that the light-emitting functional layer forms a first hollow portion and the second electrode layer forms a second hollow portion.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The materials forming the electrode blocking structure include small organic molecules.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The materials forming the electrode barrier structure include lithium 8-hydroxyquinoline, N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′-di(9-phenyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl)-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine, N-(diphenyl-4-yl)-9,9-dimethyl-N-(4-(9-phenyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl)-phenyl)-9H-fluorene-2-amine, and 2-(4-(9,10-di(naphthyl-2-yl)anthracite-2-yl)phenyl)-1-phenyl-1H-benzo-[D]imidazolium. The thickness of the electrode blocking structure is 5-20 nanometers.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Forming a plurality of the first electrodes and the light-absorbing metal structure includes: A metal layer is formed on one side of the substrate; The metal layer is patterned to form a plurality of first electrodes and light-absorbing metal structures, wherein the light-absorbing metal structures are located between adjacent first electrodes.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display panel includes a first region and a second region, wherein the first region at least partially surrounds the second region, and the pixel density in the first region is greater than the pixel density in the second region; the light-absorbing metal structure is located in the second region; or, The display panel has a through-hole area, and the display area of ​​the display panel at least partially surrounds the through-hole area. The display panel also includes a buffer zone located between the through-hole area and the display area, and the light-absorbing metal structure is located in the buffer zone.

6. A display panel, characterized in that, The display panel is manufactured using the method described in any one of claims 1-5; the display panel comprises: substrate; Multiple first electrodes, wherein the first electrodes are located on one side of the substrate; A pixel definition layer is located on the side of the substrate where the first electrode is formed. The pixel definition layer is provided with a plurality of first openings, and the first electrode is exposed through the corresponding first openings. A light-emitting functional layer is located on the side of the first electrode and the pixel definition layer opposite to the substrate, and the light-emitting functional layer is provided with a first hollow portion; The second electrode layer is located on the side of the light-emitting functional layer opposite to the substrate. The second electrode layer is provided with a second hollow portion. The orthographic projection of the first hollow portion on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the second hollow portion on the substrate. The warpage of the edge of the second hollow portion is not greater than 2 degrees.

7. The display panel according to claim 6, characterized in that, The display panel includes a first area and a second area. The first area at least partially surrounds the second area, and the pixel density in the first area is greater than the pixel density in the second area. The pixel definition layer is also provided with a second opening, which is located between adjacent first openings in the second area. The orthographic projection of the first cutout portion on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the second opening on the substrate.

8. The display panel according to claim 7, characterized in that, The display panel satisfies at least one of the following conditions: The shapes of the first cutout portion and the second cutout portion projected onto the substrate are both selected from at least one of a circle and an ellipse; The second cutout is located between the blue sub-pixel and the red sub-pixel; The second cutout is located at the boundary between two adjacent sub-pixels; The orthographic projection of the second cutout portion on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the second opening on the substrate; The light-emitting functional layer includes a charge-generating layer.

9. The display panel according to claim 6, characterized in that, The display panel has a through hole, and the display area of ​​the display panel at least partially surrounds the through hole. The display panel also includes a buffer zone located between the through hole and the display area. The orthographic projection of the first cutout portion on the substrate is located in the buffer zone. The length of the buffer zone is not greater than 0.8 mm in the direction from the display area to the through hole. The first cutout portion satisfies at least one of the following conditions: The orthographic projection of the first cutout portion on the substrate is a strip shape surrounding the through hole; or The edge of the through hole is located inside the orthographic projection edge of the first cutout portion on the substrate.

10. A display device, characterized in that, The display device comprises a display panel manufactured using the method described in any one of claims 1-5, or the display device comprises a display panel described in any one of claims 6 to 9.

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