A display substrate, a crack detection method thereof, a display panel, and a display device

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a display substrate, a crack detection method thereof, a display panel and a display device. The display substrate has a display area and a frame area surrounding the display area. The display substrate comprises a substrate, at least two conductive layers arranged on one side of the substrate, and an insulating layer arranged between the two adjacent conductive layers. The display substrate further comprises a detection trace. The detection trace is located in the frame area. The detection trace comprises a first detection trace and a second detection trace arranged at intervals. The second detection trace is arranged closer to the display area than the first detection trace. The first detection trace and the second detection trace are electrically connected. The first detection trace and / or the second detection trace comprises a plurality of sequentially connected trace segments. The plurality of trace segments are located in at least two different conductive layers. The technical solution of the present disclosure can improve the crack detection capability of the display substrate and improve the product yield.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) possess advantages such as high response time, high contrast ratio, and flexibility, and have been widely used in display fields such as mobile phones, tablets, and televisions. OLED devices, with their all-solid-state structure, high brightness, wide viewing angle, fast response speed, and flexible display capabilities, have become a highly competitive and promising next-generation display technology.

[0003] During the manufacturing process of OLED displays, there is a risk of edge damage leading to cracks, which can cause abnormal screen display. Furthermore, the testing capabilities for OLED displays are currently insufficient, resulting in poor testing outcomes. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides a display substrate and a method for detecting cracks therein, a display panel, and a display device to solve or alleviate one or more technical problems in the prior art.

[0005] As a first aspect of the present disclosure, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a display substrate having a display area and a border area at least partially surrounding the display area. The display substrate includes: a substrate and at least two conductive layers disposed on one side of the substrate, with an insulating layer disposed between adjacent conductive layers; the display substrate further includes detection traces located in the border area, the detection traces including a first detection trace and a second detection trace arranged at intervals, the second detection trace being disposed relative to the first detection trace and close to the display area, the first detection trace and the second detection trace being electrically connected, the first detection trace and / or the second detection trace including a plurality of sequentially connected trace segments, the plurality of trace segments being located in at least two different conductive layers.

[0006] In some possible implementations, each of the conductive layers is provided with trace segments.

[0007] In some possible implementations, the display substrate includes N conductive layers, and the plurality of trace segments include N sub-trace segments connected in sequence. The N sub-trace segments are located in different conductive layers among the N conductive layers, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2.

[0008] In some possible implementations, the plurality of conductive layers include a first metal layer, a second metal layer, and a first electrode layer, and the display substrate further includes a thin-film transistor, the first metal layer including the gate electrode of the thin-film transistor, the second metal layer including the source electrode and the drain electrode of the thin-film transistor, and the first electrode layer including a pixel electrode.

[0009] In some possible implementations, the first detection trace includes a first sub-detection trace and a second sub-detection trace. The orthographic projection of the first sub-detection trace on the substrate extends along a first direction, and the orthographic projection of the second sub-detection trace on the substrate extends along a second direction. The second detection trace includes a third sub-detection trace and a fourth sub-detection trace. The orthographic projection of the third sub-detection trace on the substrate extends along the first direction, and the orthographic projection of the fourth sub-detection trace on the substrate extends along the second direction. The first direction and the second direction are parallel to the plane of the substrate and intersect each other.

[0010] In some possible implementations, the first sub-detection trace and the third sub-detection trace located on the same side of the display area are connected by M first connecting lines. The first sub-detection trace and the third sub-detection trace are separated by the first connecting lines along the first direction to form M+1 segments, where M is greater than or equal to 1; and / or

[0011] The second sub-detection trace and the fourth sub-detection trace, located on the same side of the display area, are connected by K second connecting lines. The second sub-detection trace and the fourth sub-detection trace are separated by the second connecting lines along the second direction to form K+1 segments, where K is greater than or equal to 1.

[0012] In some possible implementations, the portions of the first sub-detection trace connected to the first connection line, the portions of the third sub-detection trace connected to the first connection line, and the first connection line are located in the same conductive layer; and / or, the portions of the second sub-detection trace connected to the second connection line, the portions of the fourth sub-detection trace connected to the second connection line, and the second connection line are located in the same conductive layer.

[0013] In some possible implementations, the orthographic projection of the detection trace on the substrate is an open ring that surrounds the display area. The first detection trace includes two first sub-detection traces, one end of which is connected to both ends of the second sub-detection trace. The second detection trace includes two third sub-detection traces, one end of which is connected to both ends of the fourth sub-detection trace. The first and third sub-detection traces located on the same side of the display area are separated into two parts along the first direction by a first connecting line. The second and fourth sub-detection traces located on the same side of the display area are separated into two parts along the second direction by a second connecting line.

[0014] In some possible implementations, the display substrate further includes a first test pad and a second test pad, both of which are located in the frame area. The first test pad is connected to a first end of the first detection trace and the second detection trace, and the second test pad is connected to a second end of the first detection trace and the second detection trace. The first test pad and the second test pad are used to connect to external testing equipment.

[0015] In some possible implementations, the display substrate further includes a crack dam located on one side of the substrate, the crack dam being located in the border region and surrounding the display region, and the orthographic projections of the first detection trace and the second detection trace on the substrate being located on both sides of the orthographic projection of the crack dam on the substrate.

[0016] As a second aspect of the present disclosure, the present disclosure provides a crack detection method for a display substrate, the method being used on a display substrate according to any one of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the method comprising:

[0017] The measurement resistance of the detection trace is obtained, and the crack location information of the display substrate is determined based on the measurement resistance of the detection trace.

[0018] In some possible implementations, determining the crack location information of the display substrate based on the measured resistance of the detection trace includes:

[0019] The crack location information corresponding to the measured resistance is determined according to the resistance-crack location relationship table, which includes the correspondence between resistance and crack location information.

[0020] As a third aspect of the present disclosure, the present disclosure provides a display panel including a display substrate according to any one of the present disclosure embodiments.

[0021] As a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, the present disclosure provides a display device, including a display substrate or a display panel of any of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0022] The technical solution of this disclosure embodiment can achieve the following beneficial effects: the display substrate of this disclosure embodiment can improve the display substrate's ability to detect cracks and improve product yield.

[0023] 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

[0024] 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.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a plan view of the display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the detection trace in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display substrate according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a plan view of a display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 7 This is a plan view of the display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 8 This is a plan view of a display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] Figure 9 This is a partial plan view of the crack dam and the detection route disclosed in this publication. Detailed Implementation

[0034] 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. Therefore, the drawings and description are to be considered exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0035] Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panels use organic light-emitting diodes as the pixel matrix to achieve display. However, because the organic light-emitting materials used in OLEDs are extremely sensitive to water and oxygen, they quickly degrade upon contact with water and oxygen, potentially causing localized or even global failures to light up the display panel. During the manufacturing process of OLED display panels and subsequent module cutting processes, the bezel area of ​​the display panel is susceptible to external impacts that can cause cracks. These cracks affect the encapsulation effect of the display panel and may propagate into the display area, extending to form water and oxygen channels. Water and oxygen can easily corrode the organic light-emitting materials through these channels, leading to progressive black spot defects in the display panel. Even small cracks pose a high-risk, progressive hazard, severely impacting product quality.

[0036] It should be noted that cracks include two types: cracks and peeling. Cracks are generally caused by cracks appearing on the plane of the membrane, while peeling occurs when the membrane peels off in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the membrane. Peeling affects signal transmission and can also lead to the formation of water-oxygen channels.

[0037] In related technologies, to monitor cracks around the display panel, PCD (Panel Crack Detection) circuitry is typically installed at the edge of the display panel. PCD circuitry is formed by detection traces on the border area of ​​the display substrate, and these traces are co-located with one of the multiple conductive layers of the display substrate. For example, the detection traces can be co-located with the gate electrode layer. During the module layer (MDL) stage, the crack condition of the display panel can be detected by measuring the resistance value. Based on the measured resistance value, the crack condition of the display panel can be determined. The detection traces are formed around the display area using the same patterning process. Therefore, even if film peeling occurs between the edge layers of the display substrate, the detection traces may not crack. This makes it impossible to detect film peeling by resistance testing, leading to missed detections of peeled display substrates. Film peeling can cause water and oxygen channels to form, resulting in black spots and defects in the display panel. The display substrates of related technologies cannot detect abnormalities such as film peeling through resistance testing, and their crack detection capabilities are insufficient, which affects the function and yield of the display substrates.

[0038] To address the problem of insufficient crack detection capability in display substrates in related technologies, this disclosure provides a display substrate, and the technical solution of the display substrate is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] Figure 1 This is a plan view of the display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the detection trace according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 2 It can be Figure 1 A schematic diagram of section AA. (Refer to...) Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a display substrate 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a display area 10A and a border area 10B that at least partially surrounds the display area 10A. The display substrate 10 may include a substrate 11 and at least two conductive layers 12 disposed on one side of the substrate 11, with an insulating layer 13 disposed between two adjacent conductive layers 12.

[0040] The display substrate 10 may further include detection traces 14 located in the bezel region 10B. The detection traces 14 include first detection traces 141 and second detection traces 142 arranged at intervals. The second detection traces 142 are positioned relative to the first detection traces 141 and closer to the display region 10A. The first detection traces 141 and second detection traces 142 are electrically connected. The first detection traces 141 and / or the second detection traces 142 include multiple sequentially connected trace segments L, which are located in at least two different conductive layers 12.

[0041] The external testing equipment is connected to both ends of the first testing line 141 and the second testing line 142 to test the resistance value of the testing line 14. Based on the resistance value of the testing line, it is determined whether the display substrate 10 has cracks, that is, whether the display substrate 10 has cracks or film peeling and other faults.

[0042] It should be noted that the number of conductive layers 12 is at least two. For example, the number of conductive layers 12 may be two, namely a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer disposed on one side of the substrate, with an insulating layer 13 disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. Alternatively, the number of conductive layers 12 may be three, namely a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and a third conductive layer disposed on one side of the substrate, with a first insulating layer disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, and a second insulating layer disposed between the second conductive layer and the third conductive layer. The specific number of conductive layers 12 is not limited here and can be determined according to the actual application.

[0043] It should be noted that the materials of different conductive layers can be the same or different, and the materials of the insulating layer between two conductive layers can also be the same or different. Figure 2 and Figure 3 Although the conductive layers are all marked with "12", those skilled in the art will understand that the two conductive layers located on the upper and lower sides of an insulating layer are two conductive film layers; although the insulating layers are all marked with "13", those skilled in the art will understand that the two insulating layers located on the upper and lower sides of a conductive layer are two film layers.

[0044] The first detection trace 141 and / or the second detection trace 142 include multiple sequentially connected trace segments L. For example, the first detection trace 141 includes multiple sequentially connected trace segments L, or the second detection trace 142 includes multiple sequentially connected trace segments L, or both the first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142 include multiple sequentially connected trace segments L. For example, when the number of conductive layers 12 is three, the first detection trace 141 includes multiple sequentially connected trace segments L, and the trace segments L are located in at least two different conductive layers 12. The trace segments L can be located in the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, or the trace segments L can be located in the first conductive layer and the third conductive layer, or the trace segments L can be located in the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, and the third conductive layer.

[0045] In related technologies, the first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142 of the detection trace 14 are arranged on the same layer. The first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142 can be formed by the same patterning process. In this way, the first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142 are located on one side of the same film layer. In the case of film peeling of the display substrate, the first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142 do not crack, thus making it impossible to intercept by the resistance test method.

[0046] It should be noted that cracks include two types: cracks and peeling. Cracks are generally caused by cracks appearing on the plane of the membrane, while peeling occurs when the membrane peels off in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the membrane. Peeling affects signal transmission and can also lead to the formation of water-oxygen channels. Figure 2 In the display substrate shown, when a crack occurs in the display substrate 10, the detection trace 14 located in the bezel region 10B will break along with the crack in the display substrate 10. For example, when a crack appears in the display substrate 10, the detection trace 14 will also break due to the crack. When film peeling occurs in the display substrate 10, the trace segments L in different conductive layers of the detection trace 14 will also experience film peeling, which will cause a change in the resistance of the detection trace 14. The resistance value of the detection trace can be used to determine whether the display substrate 10 has cracked.

[0047] Figure 2In the display substrate shown, the resistance of the first detection trace 141 is a first resistor, and the resistance of the second detection trace 142 is a second resistor. The resistance values ​​of the first resistor and the second resistor can be different. The first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142 are connected. For example, the first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142 are electrically connected through a connecting line, and an external detection device is connected to the endpoints of the first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142. When the resistance is infinite, cracks appear in both the first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142, and cracks appear in the display substrate areas corresponding to the first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142. When the detection resistor is the first resistor, cracks appear in the second detection trace 142, and cracks appear in the display substrate area corresponding to the second detection trace 142. When the detection resistor is the second resistor, a crack appears in the first detection trace 142, and a crack appears in the display substrate area corresponding to the first detection trace 141. When the detection resistor is the resistance value after connecting the first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142, neither the first detection trace 141 nor the second detection trace 142 has a crack, and therefore the display substrate 10 has no cracks. Figure 2 The display substrate shown can detect both cracks and peels, thus improving detection capabilities.

[0048] The display substrate of this embodiment includes a display area 10A and a border area 10B at least partially surrounding the display area 10A. At least two conductive layers 12 are disposed on one side of the substrate 11 of the display substrate 10, and an insulating layer 13 is disposed between adjacent conductive layers 12. Detection traces 14 are disposed in the border area 10B. The detection traces 14 include first detection traces 141 and second detection traces 142 arranged at intervals. The second detection traces 142 are closer to the display area than the first detection traces 141. The first detection traces 141 and / or the second detection traces 142 include multiple sequentially connected trace segments L, and the multiple trace segments L are located in at least two different conductive layers 12. Therefore, the detection of cracks and film peeling in the planar direction of the display substrate 10 is achieved, avoiding the formation of water-oxygen channels between the border area and the display area due to cracks in the display substrate, reducing the risk of corrosion of the organic light-emitting material in the display area, improving the yield of the display substrate, realizing the detection of peeling conditions of the display substrate 10, and improving the detection capability of cracks in the display substrate. Furthermore, in this embodiment of the present disclosure, the display substrate has a detection trace 14 in the bezel area 10B, which can prevent the detection trace 14 from affecting the display area.

[0049] It should be noted that the display substrate 10 may include a display area 10A and a border area 10B that at least partially surrounds the display area 10A. The border area 10B may completely surround the display area 10A, or the border area 10B may partially surround the display area 10A. For example, as... Figure 1 As shown, the display area 10A is roughly rectangular, and the border area 10B can be arranged around three sides of the display area 10A. Alternatively, the border area 10B can be arranged around all four sides of the display area 10A. The display area 10A and the border area 10B of the display substrate 10 can be defined according to the actual situation.

[0050] For example, the display substrate 10 of this disclosure embodiment can be rectangular, such as a display substrate used in mobile phones or tablet computers, or the display substrate 10 can be circular, such as a display substrate used in wearable devices such as watches. The shape of the display substrate 10 of this disclosure embodiment can also be other shapes, and this disclosure embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0051] Reference Figure 2 As shown, exemplarily, the first detection trace 141 includes a plurality of sequentially connected trace segments L, which are located in at least two different conductive layers 12. The second detection trace 142 is disposed in the same layer as one of the conductive layers 12, and the second detection trace 142 may be disposed in the same layer as the conductive layer in which one of the trace segments of the first detection trace 141 is located. The first detection trace 141 is closer to the edge than the second detection trace 142.

[0052] Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display substrate according to another embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 3 As shown, in one disclosed embodiment, each conductive layer 12 is provided with a trace segment L. This arrangement allows for the detection of film peeling and cracks in each conductive layer 12 through the detection traces, further improving the detection capability of cracks in the bezel area 10B of the display substrate and reducing the risk of black spot defects in the display substrate.

[0053] For example, when there are two conductive layers 12, such as the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, both are provided with trace segments L.

[0054] For example, refer to Figure 3 As shown, when there are three conductive layers 12, the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, and the third conductive layer are all provided with trace segments L. By providing vias in the insulating layer to connect each trace segment L, the detection capability of film peeling in the frame area of ​​the display substrate is enhanced.

[0055] Each conductive layer 12 is provided with a trace segment L. This can be a first detection trace 141 comprising multiple trace segments L located in each conductive layer 12, or a second detection trace 142 comprising multiple trace segments L located in each conductive layer 12, or the trace segments L of both the first and second detection traces 141 located in each conductive layer. For example, when there are three conductive layers, the first, second, and third conductive layers are all provided with trace segments L. This can be a first detection trace 141 having three trace segments located in the first, second, and third conductive layers, or a second detection trace 142 having three trace segments located in the first, second, and third conductive layers. Figure 4 As shown, the first detection trace 141 may have two trace segments located in the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, and the second detection trace 142 may have two trace segments located in the second conductive layer and the third conductive layer.

[0056] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, with reference to... Figure 4 As shown, the multiple conductive layers 12 of the display substrate 10 include a first metal layer 121, a second metal layer 122, and a first electrode layer 123. The display substrate 10 also includes a thin-film transistor. The first metal layer 121 includes the gate electrode of the thin-film transistor, and the second metal layer 122 includes the source electrode and drain electrode of the thin-film transistor. The first electrode layer 123 includes a pixel electrode. For example, the first detection trace 141 may include multiple trace segments L connected in sequence. The first metal layer 121, the second metal layer 122, and the first electrode layer 123 are all provided with trace segments L. The second detection trace 142 may be disposed on the same layer as the first electrode layer 123.

[0057] It should be noted that the specific number and structure of the conductive layer 12 are not limited here, and can be set according to the actual use.

[0058] Figure 5 This is a plan view of a display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, with reference to... Figure 5As shown, the first detection trace 141 includes a first sub-detection trace 141a and a second sub-detection trace 141b. The orthographic projection of the first sub-detection trace 141a onto the substrate 11 extends along a first direction X, and the orthographic projection of the second sub-detection trace 141b onto the substrate 11 extends along a second direction Y. The second detection trace 142 includes a third sub-detection trace 142a and a fourth sub-detection trace 142b. The orthographic projection of the third sub-detection trace 142a onto the substrate 11 extends along a first direction X, and the orthographic projection of the fourth sub-detection trace 142b onto the substrate 11 extends along a second direction Y. The first direction X and the second direction Y are parallel to the plane of the substrate 11, and the first direction X and the second direction Y intersect. In this way, the first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142 can be enclosed in the first direction X and the second direction Y around the outer periphery of the display area. The first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142 can detect cracks formed in the display substrate in the first direction X and the second direction Y, thereby further improving the display substrate's ability to detect cracks.

[0059] For example, the substrate 11 can be rectangular, with a first direction X parallel to the length of the substrate 11 and a second direction Y parallel to the width of the substrate 11. The first direction X and the second direction Y can be perpendicular to each other.

[0060] Figure 6 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 6 It can be Figure 5 Schematic diagram of BB section, refer to Figure 6 As shown, the plurality of trace segments L include N sub-trace segments L1 connected in sequence. The N sub-trace segments L1 are located in different conductive layers among the N conductive layers 12. The display substrate 10 includes N conductive layers, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2. This can further improve the detection capability of the display substrate 10 along the extension direction of the first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142.

[0061] For example, the first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142 extend along the length of the trace and include multiple trace segments L. Each trace segment L includes N sub-traces connected in sequence. The N sub-traces are located in different conductive layers among the N conductive layers 12. The display substrate 10 may include N conductive layers. For example, the first sub-detection trace 141a of the first detection trace 141 is provided with multiple sequentially connected trace segments L along the first direction X, and the second sub-detection trace 141b of the first detection trace 141 is provided with multiple sequentially connected trace segments L along the second direction Y. This can improve the detection accuracy of cracks in the display substrate along the first and second directions. Moreover, since each trace segment includes N sequentially connected sub-traces, it can further enable the detection and identification of film peeling and cracks in each conductive layer region in the first direction, thereby improving the crack detection capability of the display substrate and reducing the risk of black spot defects in the display substrate.

[0062] like Figure 5 As shown, in one disclosed embodiment, a first sub-detection trace 141a and a third sub-detection trace 142a located on the same side of the display area are connected by M first connecting lines 161. The first sub-detection trace 141a and the third sub-detection trace 142a are separated along the first direction X by the first connecting lines 161 to form M+1 segments, where M is greater than or equal to 1. A second sub-detection trace 141b and a fourth sub-detection trace 142b located on the same side of the display area are connected by K second connecting lines 162. The second sub-detection trace 141b and the fourth sub-detection trace 142b are separated along the second direction Y by the second connecting lines 162 to form K+1 segments, where K is greater than or equal to 1. M can be the same as K, or M can be different from K. In this way, the first and second detection traces can be separated into multiple parts by the first connecting lines 161 and the second connecting lines 162, thereby determining the precise area where the display substrate has cracks based on the resistance value determined by external detection equipment.

[0063] In one disclosed embodiment, a first sub-detection trace 141a and a third sub-detection trace 142a located on the same side of the display area are connected by M first connecting lines 161. The first sub-detection trace 141a and the second sub-detection trace 142a are separated along a first direction X by the first connecting lines 161 to form M+1 segments, where M is greater than or equal to 1. This allows the first sub-detection trace 141a and the third sub-detection trace 142a to be divided into multiple parts, thereby enabling more precise location and determination of the areas where cracks occur in the display substrate corresponding to the first sub-detection trace 141a and the third sub-detection trace 142a based on the detected resistance values.

[0064] In one disclosed embodiment, a second sub-detection trace 141b and a fourth sub-detection trace 142b located on the same side of the display area are connected by K second connecting lines 162. The second sub-detection trace 141b and the fourth sub-detection trace 142b are separated along the second direction Y by the second connecting lines 162 to form K+1 segments, where K is greater than or equal to 1. This allows the second sub-detection trace 141b and the fourth sub-detection trace 142b to be divided into multiple parts, thereby enabling more precise location and determination of the areas where cracks occur in the display substrate corresponding to the second sub-detection trace 141b and the fourth sub-detection trace 142b based on the detected resistance value.

[0065] In one disclosed embodiment, the portions connecting the first sub-detection line 141a and the first connection line 161, the portions connecting the third sub-detection line 142a and the first connection line 161, and the first connection line 161 are located in the same conductive layer. The portions connecting the second sub-detection line 141b and the second connection line 162, the portions connecting the fourth sub-detection line 142b and the second connection line 162, and the second connection line 162 are located in the same conductive layer. This approach reduces the fabrication difficulty of the first connection line 161 and the second connection line 12.

[0066] For example, the multiple conductive layers 12 of the display substrate 10 include a first metal layer 121, a second metal layer 122, and a first electrode layer 123. The display substrate 10 also includes a thin-film transistor (TFT). The first metal layer 121 includes the gate electrode of the TFT, and the second metal layer 122 includes the source electrode and drain electrode of the TFT. The first electrode layer 123 includes a pixel electrode. The first detection trace 141 includes a first trace segment, a second trace segment, and a third trace segment. The first trace segment is disposed in the same layer as the first metal layer 121, the second trace segment is disposed in the same layer as the second metal layer 122, the third trace segment is disposed in the same layer as the first electrode layer 123, and the second detection trace 142 is disposed in the same layer as the first electrode layer 123. The first connecting line 161 and the second connecting line 162 can be disposed in the same layer as the first electrode layer 123, and the third trace segment is connected to the second detection trace 142. In this way, the detection trace can be formed simultaneously with the formation of the TFT without increasing the manufacturing process of the display substrate.

[0067] Figure 7 This is a plan view of the display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, with reference to... Figure 7As shown, in one disclosed embodiment, the orthographic projection of the detection trace 14 on the substrate 11 is an annular shape with an opening, and the orthographic projection of the detection trace 14 on the substrate 11 surrounds the display area 10A. The first detection trace 141 includes two first sub-detection traces 141a and one second sub-detection trace 141b. One end of each of the two first sub-detection traces 141a is connected to both ends of the second sub-detection trace 141b. The second detection trace 142 includes two third sub-detection traces 142a and one fourth sub-detection trace 142b. One end of each of the two third sub-detection traces 142a is connected to both ends of the fourth sub-detection trace 142b. The first sub-detection traces 141a and the third sub-detection traces 142a, located on the same side of the display area, are separated into two parts along the first direction X by a first connecting line 161. The second sub-detection traces 141b and the fourth sub-detection trace 142b are separated into two parts along the second direction Y by a second connecting line 162. The resistances of the first connecting line 161 and the second connecting line 162 can be different.

[0068] For example, the orthographic projection of the detection trace 14 onto the substrate 11 is an open ring, and the orthographic projection of the detection trace 14 onto the substrate 11 surrounds the display area 10A. The detection trace 14 can be an arc shape with an opening or a rectangle with an opening on one side.

[0069] like Figure 7 As shown, the first sub-detection trace 141a and the third sub-detection trace 142a are located in the left and right side border areas of the display substrate 10, and the second sub-detection trace 141b and the fourth sub-detection trace 142b are located in the upper border area of ​​the display substrate. The first sub-detection trace 141a and the third sub-detection trace 142a located on the left and right sides are separated by the first connecting line 161, and the second sub-detection trace 141b and the fourth sub-detection trace 142b located at the upper end are separated by the second connecting line 162. For example, the resistances of the portions formed by the separation of the first detection trace 141 by the first connecting line 161 and the second connecting line 162 are R1, R2, R3, and R4, and the resistances of the portions formed by the separation of the second detection trace 142 by the first connecting line 161 and the second connecting line 162 are R5, R6, R7, and R8. Thus, the display substrate 10 can be divided into four regions: lower left, upper left, lower right, and upper right.

[0070] When the display substrate 10 is free of cracks and film peeling, all parts of the detection traces 14 are conductive, and the measured resistance is R11. When cracks appear in the display substrate 10, the cracks will cause parts of the detection traces 14 to break. The cracks appearing in different parts of the first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142 will result in different resistance values ​​obtained by the resistance testing equipment. For example, if a crack appears in the lower left of the first sub-detection trace 141a, the circuit will be broken at R1, and the measured resistance will be R12. If cracks appear in the lower left and upper left of the first sub-detection trace 141a, the circuits at R1 and R2 will be broken, and the measured resistance will be R13. If cracks appear simultaneously in both the first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142, the measured resistance will be infinite. Therefore, different regions or multiple regions of broken detection traces will produce different resistance values, and these different resistance values ​​can be used to determine the area of ​​the crack in the display substrate.

[0071] The display substrate of this disclosure can further determine the location of the crack on the display substrate based on the resistance value obtained by detection, thereby improving the detection accuracy.

[0072] It should be noted that, Figure 7 The diagram schematically illustrates the number of the first and second connecting lines. It is understood that the number of the first and second connecting lines is not limited to the number shown in the diagram and may be other numbers.

[0073] Figure 8 This is a plan view of a display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown below. Figure 8 As shown, in one disclosed embodiment, the display substrate 10 further includes a first test pad 151 and a second test pad 152. Both the first test pad 151 and the second test pad 152 are located in the border region 10B. The first test pad 151 is connected to the first end of the first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142, and the second test pad 152 is connected to the second end of the first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142. The first test pad 151 and the second test pad 152 are used for connection to external testing equipment. The first test pad 151 and the second test pad 152 can be disposed on the same layer as one of the conductive layers. For example, the first detection trace includes multiple trace segments, and the second detection trace is disposed on the same layer as one of the trace segments. The first test pad 151 and the second test pad 152 can be disposed on the same layer as the second detection trace. In this way, the first test pad 151 and the second test pad 152 can be formed simultaneously with the second detection trace, simplifying the manufacturing process of the display substrate.

[0074] For example, the structure for connecting the first test pad 151 and the second test pad 152 to an external testing device can be a sheet-like single or multiple metal layers.

[0075] Figure 9 This is a partial plan view of the crack dam and the detection route disclosed in this paper. Figure 9 It can be Figure 8 A magnified view of the dashed box area, see below. Figure 9 As shown, in one disclosed embodiment, the display substrate 10 may further include a crack dam 17 located on one side of the substrate 11. The crack dam 17 is located in the border area 10B and is disposed around the display area 10A. The orthogonal projections of the first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142 on the substrate 11 are located on both sides of the orthogonal projection of the crack dam 17 on the substrate 11.

[0076] The crack dam 17 is located on one side of the substrate 11, in the border region 10B. The crack dam 17 can block cracks appearing in the border region 10B of the display substrate 10, preventing the cracks from extending into the display area. Furthermore, it can prevent external water and oxygen from penetrating the display area 10A through the cracks, thus protecting the light-emitting pixels in the display area 10A. For example, the crack dam 17 can be made of an inorganic material to achieve the blocking effect.

[0077] Figure 9 The portion of the first sub-detection trace 141a connected to the first connection trace 161, the portion of the third sub-detection trace 142a connected to the first connection trace 161, and the first connection trace 161 are all located in the same conductive layer of the display substrate. Figure 9 The portion on the right side can be illustrated as the part where the first sub-detection trace 141a connects to the first connecting trace 161. Figure 9 The left side can be illustrated as the part where the third sub-detection trace 142a connects to the first connecting line 161. That is, the right side, the first connecting line 161, and the left side can be formed by a single patterning process.

[0078] The orthographic projections of the first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142 on the substrate 11 are located on both sides of the orthographic projection of the crack dam 17 on the substrate 11. The first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142 can be used to detect whether cracks have appeared in the display substrate area on both sides of the crack dam 17, which can further improve the crack detection capability.

[0079] In one disclosed embodiment, the orthographic projections of the first detection trace 141 and the second detection trace 142 on the substrate 11 are located on opposite sides of the orthographic projection of the crack dam 17 on the substrate 11. The first detection trace 141 is disposed opposite to the display area 10A relative to the second detection trace 142. The first detection trace 141 includes multiple sequentially connected trace segments L, which are located in at least two different conductive layers 12. The second detection trace 142 can be disposed in the same layer as one of the conductive layers 12. That is, the first detection trace 141 on the outer side of the crack dam 17 is disposed in multiple trace segments L on different layers, while the second detection trace 142 on the inner side of the crack dam 17 can be disposed in the same layer as a conductive layer. This reduces the number of fabrication steps for the detection traces without reducing the display substrate's ability to detect cracks.

[0080] This disclosure also provides a crack detection method for a display substrate. The method is used for any display substrate of any of the embodiments of this disclosure. The display substrate 10 includes a display area 10A and a border area 10B that at least partially surrounds the display area 10A. A detection trace 14 is provided in the border area 10B. The method includes: acquiring the measurement resistance of the detection trace 14, and determining the crack location information of the display substrate 10 based on the measurement resistance of the detection trace 14.

[0081] The method of this disclosure realizes the detection of cracks and film peeling on the display substrate by detecting the resistance of the detection trace 14, avoiding the black spot defects caused by the failure to detect film peeling in related technologies, and improving the yield of the display substrate.

[0082] The crack location information of the display substrate 10 may include the conductive layer corresponding to the crack (i.e., which conductive layer the crack is generated in) and the area where the crack is located.

[0083] In one disclosed embodiment, determining the crack location information of the display substrate based on the measured resistance of the detection trace may include: determining the crack location information corresponding to the measured resistance based on a resistance-crack location relationship table, wherein the resistance-crack location relationship table includes the correspondence between the resistance and the crack location information.

[0084] For example, the resistance-crack location relationship table can be a pre-set table, which can include multiple different resistance values ​​and crack location information, with a corresponding relationship between the resistance values ​​and crack location information. The resistance value can be a range of resistance values, and the crack location information can include the conductive layer where the crack occurred and the region where the crack is located. For example, when the resistance is R1, the crack location information is region Y1 of the X1 conductive layer; when the resistance is R2, the crack location information is region Y2 of the X2 conductive layer. When the measured resistance is R1, the crack can be determined to occur in region Y1 of the X1 conductive layer according to the resistance-crack location relationship table. Therefore, the location information of the crack can be determined by querying the pre-set resistance-crack location relationship table.

[0085] For example, when there is one or more first and second connecting lines, the first and second detection lines are divided into multiple parts. The resistance of each part when a crack exists can be predetermined to form a table of resistance and crack location. Then, the table of resistance and crack location can be consulted based on the measured resistance to determine a more precise location of the crack on the display substrate.

[0086] In one embodiment, the first and second detection traces, separated by a connecting line, can each be provided with at least one test pad. This allows for further location of the crack after the crack location information is determined, by connecting an external detection device to the test pad.

[0087] For example, test pads for detecting resistance can be set at multiple different locations on the display substrate, and the test pads can correspond to conductive layers and regions. When the measured resistance between two test pads is different from a preset value, it can be determined that the corresponding conductive layer and region have cracked.

[0088] This disclosure also provides a display panel, including the display substrate described in any embodiment of this disclosure. Exemplarily, the display panel can be an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panel, and the display substrate can be an array display substrate of an OLED display panel. This can greatly improve crack detection capabilities and reduce the risk of black spot defects in the display panel.

[0089] Another embodiment of this disclosure provides a display device, including a display substrate or a display panel as described in any embodiment of this disclosure, which improves the crack detection capability of the display substrate, reduces the risk of black spot defects in the display panel, and enhances product performance and competitiveness.

[0090] The display device provided in this disclosure can be any product or component with display and touch functions, such as a smartphone, wearable smartwatch, smart glasses, tablet computer, television, monitor, laptop computer, digital photo frame, navigator, in-vehicle display, e-book, biometric device such as smart skin device, soft robot and biomedical device.

[0091] The display substrate, display panel, and other components of the display device in the above embodiments can be derived from various technical solutions known now and in the future to those skilled in the art, and will not be described in detail here.

[0092] In the description of this specification, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "transverse," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used 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. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this disclosure.

[0093] 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.

[0094] 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.

[0095] 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.

[0096] 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.

[0097] 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 display substrate having a display area and a border area at least partially surrounding the display area, characterized in that, include: Substrate; At least two conductive layers are disposed on one side of the substrate, and an insulating layer is disposed between two adjacent conductive layers; The display substrate further includes detection traces located in the frame area. The detection traces include a first detection trace and a second detection trace arranged at intervals. The second detection trace is disposed close to the display area relative to the first detection trace. The first detection trace and the second detection trace are electrically connected. The first detection trace and / or the second detection trace include multiple trace segments connected in sequence. The multiple trace segments are located in at least two different conductive layers. The second detection trace is disposed on the same conductive layer as one segment of the first detection trace; the first detection trace and the second detection trace are connected by a first connecting line and a second connecting line, which separate the first detection trace and the second detection trace into multiple parts.

2. The display substrate according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the conductive layers is provided with a trace segment.

3. The display substrate according to claim 2, characterized in that, The display substrate includes N conductive layers, and the plurality of trace segments include N sub-trace segments connected in sequence. The N sub-trace segments are located in different conductive layers among the N conductive layers, and N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2.

4. The display substrate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plurality of conductive layers include a first metal layer, a second metal layer and a first electrode layer, and the display substrate further includes a thin-film transistor, the first metal layer including the gate electrode of the thin-film transistor, the second metal layer including the source electrode and the drain electrode of the thin-film transistor, and the first electrode layer including a pixel electrode.

5. The display substrate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first detection trace includes a first sub-detection trace and a second sub-detection trace. The orthogonal projection of the first sub-detection trace on the substrate extends along a first direction, and the orthogonal projection of the second sub-detection trace on the substrate extends along a second direction. The second detection trace includes a third sub-detection trace and a fourth sub-detection trace. The orthogonal projection of the third sub-detection trace on the substrate extends along the first direction, and the orthogonal projection of the fourth sub-detection trace on the substrate extends along the second direction. The first direction and the second direction are parallel to the plane of the substrate and intersect each other.

6. The display substrate according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first sub-detection trace and the third sub-detection trace, located on the same side of the display area, are connected by M first connecting lines. The first sub-detection trace and the third sub-detection trace are separated into M+1 segments along the first direction by the first connecting lines, where M is greater than or equal to 1; and / or The second sub-detection trace and the fourth sub-detection trace, located on the same side of the display area, are connected by K second connecting lines. The second sub-detection trace and the fourth sub-detection trace are separated by the second connecting lines along the second direction to form K+1 segments, where K is greater than or equal to 1.

7. The display substrate according to claim 6, characterized in that, The portion of the first sub-detection trace connected to the first connection line, the portion of the third sub-detection trace connected to the first connection line, and the first connection line are located on the same conductive layer; and / or. The portion where the second sub-detection trace connects to the second connection line, the portion where the fourth sub-detection trace connects to the second connection line, and the second connection line are located in the same conductive layer.

8. The display substrate according to claim 5, characterized in that, The detection trace's orthographic projection on the substrate forms an open ring that surrounds the display area. The first detection trace includes two first sub-detection traces, one end of which is connected to both ends of the second sub-detection trace. The second detection trace includes two third sub-detection traces, one end of which is connected to both ends of the fourth sub-detection trace. The first and third sub-detection traces located on the same side of the display area are separated into two parts along the first direction by a first connecting line. The second and fourth sub-detection traces located on the same side of the display area are separated into two parts along the second direction by a second connecting line.

9. The display substrate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display substrate further includes a first test pad and a second test pad, both of which are located in the frame area. The first test pad is connected to the first end of the first detection trace and the second detection trace, and the second test pad is connected to the second end of the first detection trace and the second detection trace. The first test pad and the second test pad are used to connect to external testing equipment.

10. The display substrate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display substrate also includes a crack dam located on one side of the substrate. The crack dam is located in the border area and surrounds the display area. The orthographic projections of the first detection trace and the second detection trace on the substrate are located on both sides of the orthographic projection of the crack dam on the substrate.

11. A method for detecting cracks in a display substrate, characterized in that, The method is used on the display substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 10, the method comprising: The measurement resistance of the detection trace is obtained, and the crack location information of the display substrate is determined based on the measurement resistance of the detection trace.

12. The crack detection method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The method of determining the crack location information of the display substrate based on the measured resistance of the detection trace includes: The crack location information corresponding to the measured resistance is determined according to the resistance-crack location relationship table, which includes the correspondence between resistance and crack location information.

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

14. A display device, characterized in that, It includes the display substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 10 or the display panel according to claim 13.

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