Display panel, manufacturing method thereof and display device

Abstract

The application provides a display panel, a manufacturing method thereof and a display device. The display panel is composed of a plurality of sub-display panels; the sub-display panel has a first display surface; the sub-display panel has a first frame and a second frame; the first frame and the second frame are bent away from the first display surface; and the first frame of at least one sub-display panel and the second frame of a sub-display panel adjacent to the sub-display panel are arranged in contact. Thus, there is no obvious joint seam at the joint of the adjacent sub-display panels in the display panel, and the display panel has good display effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of display technology, and more specifically, to display panels, methods of manufacturing the same, and display devices. Background Technology

[0002] Display devices formed by splicing multiple displays often have noticeable seams, affecting the user experience. Therefore, current display panels, their manufacturing methods, and display devices still need improvement. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention is based on the inventor's discoveries and understanding of the following facts and problems:

[0004] Ordinary flexible displays cannot directly form non-planar screens with biaxial curvature, especially spherical displays. This is because the area changes significantly when a flat panel display is transformed into a spherical display. Flexible displays use high-temperature resistant plastic substrates, which themselves do not have significant reversible deformation, making it difficult to directly stretch them into a spherical structure. There are two main approaches to forming spherical displays: The first approach uses chip-driven LED beads, directly mounted on a flexible substrate, and spliced ​​after slight stretching. This method produces displays with lower resolution and larger size, suitable for long-distance viewing in large venues such as large exhibition centers. The second approach uses stretchable displays, stretching them to form a spherical curved screen. This type of display has a higher resolution than chip-driven LED displays. Stretchable displays can be manufactured by creating openings in a high-temperature resistant plastic substrate. The presence of these openings reduces the display's resolution, and directly attaching a stretchable display to a spherical surface further reduces the resolution significantly. Furthermore, to form a closed spherical screen, at least two hemispheres are required, resulting in noticeable seams between the hemispheres, affecting the display effect. In addition, display devices that use flat screens spliced ​​together to form a large flat surface or multiple flat surfaces are also prone to splicing seams, which affect the user's viewing experience.

[0005] The inventors discovered that splicing seams are caused by the display screen's bezel and bonding tolerances. By bending the display screen's bezel away from the display surface, allowing the bezels of adjacent displays to touch, the technical problem of splicing seams can be alleviated or even eliminated to some extent. This method allows multiple displays to be spliced ​​together into various shapes, such as spherical screens, cuboid screens, and large-size flat screens. Furthermore, the pixel pitch can be calculated beforehand based on the display screen's bezel width and bonding tolerances. During display screen manufacturing, pixels are made according to the calculated pixel pitch, thus reducing the likelihood of splicing seams when displaying images even when directly splicing the bezels of multiple displays.

[0006] In view of this, the present invention aims to at least alleviate or even solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems to a certain extent.

[0007] In one aspect, the present invention provides a display panel. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the display panel is composed of multiple sub-display panels spliced ​​together; each sub-display panel has a first display surface, a first border, and a second border, the first border and the second border being bent away from the first display surface, and at least one first border of a sub-display panel and the second border of a sub-display panel adjacent to the first border are in contact. Therefore, there are no obvious seams at the splicing points of adjacent sub-display panels in the display panel, and the display panel has a good display effect.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sub-display panel has multiple hollowed-out areas. Therefore, the sub-display panel has a large amount of stretchable deformation, and can be stretched to form a spherical or curved structure.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sub-display panel includes multiple pixel island areas and connecting bridge areas. The hollowed-out area is located between the pixel island areas and the connecting bridge areas. The connecting bridge areas connect two adjacent pixel island areas and include wiring. Therefore, the sub-display panel has good stretchability, which is beneficial for further improving the overall performance of the display panel.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sub-display panel includes a substrate, a first planarization layer, and a first passivation layer. The substrate and the first planarization layer are located in the pixel island region and the connecting bridge region, respectively. The first passivation layer is located in the pixel island region. The first planarization layer is located on one side of the substrate and has a groove. The cross-section of the groove along a first direction is an inverted trapezoid, where the first direction is the direction from the substrate to the first planarization layer. The first passivation layer covers a portion of the surface of the first planarization layer away from the substrate. The first passivation layer has a first opening, the orthographic projection of which onto the substrate falls within the orthographic projection range of the edge of the groove away from the substrate onto the substrate. Thus, the undercut structure formed by the first planarization layer and the first passivation layer at the groove effectively prevents cathode material from entering below the "brim" of the first passivation layer during cathode material deposition, thereby improving the overall stability of the display panel.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sub-display panel further includes a second passivation layer located in the pixel island region. The second passivation layer covers the surface of the first passivation layer away from the substrate, the bottom of the groove, and at least a portion of the sidewalls of the groove. The second passivation layer has a second opening. The area of ​​the orthographic projection of the portion of the second passivation layer at the bottom of the groove onto the substrate is larger than the area of ​​the orthographic projection of the second opening onto the substrate. Furthermore, the orthographic projection of the portion of the second passivation layer at the bottom of the groove onto the substrate covers the orthographic projection of the second opening onto the substrate. This further prevents cathode material from entering below the "brim" of the first passivation layer, thereby contributing to further improvement in the overall stability of the display panel.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sub-display panel further includes a pixel defining layer, an anode, a light-emitting layer, and a cathode. The pixel defining layer, the anode, and the cathode are located in the pixel island region, the pixel island region including at least one pixel. The anode covers a portion of the surface of the second passivation layer away from the substrate. The pixel defining layer defines a plurality of third openings and covers a portion of the surface of the anode away from the substrate. The light-emitting layer fills at least a portion of the third openings. The cathode is located on the side of the light-emitting layer away from the substrate and covers a portion of the surface of the pixel defining layer away from the substrate. Furthermore, the orthographic projection of the cathode onto the substrate and the orthographic projection of the groove onto the substrate do not overlap. This is beneficial for further improving the display effect of the display panel and extending its service life.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sub-display panel has a first bending portion, which includes a flexible circuit board and an integrated circuit. The first bending portion bends away from the first display surface. No pixel structure is disposed on the flexible circuit board, and the flexible circuit board and integrated circuit are not in the same plane as the first display surface. This allows the display panel obtained after splicing the sub-display panels to have a more consistent pixel density and also helps to save space.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first bending portion includes a stretchable transition region located between the first display surface and the flexible circuit board. The stretchable transition region has a first side and a second side, the first side partially coinciding with the edge of the first display surface, and the second side at least partially coinciding with the edge of the flexible circuit board. The stretchability of the areas corresponding to the flexible circuit board and integrated circuit is relatively poor; providing a stretchable transition region facilitates bending the flexible circuit board and integrated circuit away from the display surface.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the distance between the first side and the second side is greater than or equal to 1 mm. This makes it easier for the flexible circuit board and integrated circuit to bend away from the display surface.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sub-display panel is fan-shaped, and the display panel is spherical or a portion of a sphere. Multiple fan-shaped sub-display panels can be spliced ​​together to form a sphere or a portion of a sphere, resulting in a display panel without noticeable seams, and the overall display panel can maintain a high resolution.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the display panel is a portion of a sphere, and the number of sub-display panels in the display panel is 2 to 10; or, the display panel is spherical, and the number of sub-display panels in the display panel is 8 to 20. Thus, the sub-display panels do not require significant deformation during the stretching process to splice together a spherical display panel or a display panel that is a portion of a sphere.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the sub-display panels further has a third border, which is located at one end of the sub-display panel and is bent away from the first display surface. The sub-display panels are polygonal and can be spliced ​​together to form a larger planar structure or a three-dimensional display structure of multiple display planes.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the display surface of the display panel is a rectangular plane or an irregularly shaped plane, and the third border of at least one of the sub-display panels is in contact with the third border or the first bend of another sub-display panel; or, the display panel has six display surfaces, which constitute the six surfaces of a cuboid; or, the display panel has four display surfaces, which are connected in sequence to form the four sides of a cuboid.

[0020] In another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing the aforementioned display panel is provided. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method for manufacturing the aforementioned display panel includes: providing a plurality of original sub-display panels; bending a first edge and a second edge of the original sub-display panels toward a side away from the display surface of the original sub-display panels to obtain a sub-display panel; contacting the first edge of the sub-display panel with the second edge of another sub-display panel, thereby splicing the plurality of sub-display panels to form a display panel. Thus, the display panel manufactured using this method possesses all the features and advantages of the aforementioned display panel, which will not be elaborated further here; the method is simple to operate and helps to improve the product yield of the display panel.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the original sub-display panel is fan-shaped. The side of the original sub-display panel away from the display surface is attached to a mold, the mold being a sphere or a part of a sphere. The first and second edges of the original sub-display panel are bent toward the side away from the display surface of the original sub-display panel to obtain the sub-display panel. The first edge of one sub-display panel is brought into contact with the second edge of another sub-display panel, and the operation is repeated to splice multiple sub-display panels to form a spherical display panel or a part of a spherical display panel. Alternatively, splicing multiple sub-display panels to form a display panel further includes: bending the third edge of the original sub-display panel toward the side away from the display surface of the original sub-display panel. Alternatively, splicing multiple sub-display panels to form a display panel further includes: setting the third edge of the sub-display panel to contact the third edge or the first bent portion of another sub-display panel.

[0022] According to an embodiment of the present invention, fabricating the original sub-display panel includes: providing an original substrate, the original substrate including a first preset region, a second preset region, and a third preset region; forming an original first planarization layer on one side of the original substrate, and removing the original first planarization layer of the second preset region; forming an original first passivation layer on the side of the original planarization layer away from the original substrate, and removing the original first passivation layers of the second and third preset regions; etching the original first passivation layer and the original first planarization layer of the first preset region using gas etching to obtain a first planarization layer, and forming a first opening in the original first passivation layer, wherein the first planarization layer has a groove, the cross-section of the groove along a first direction is an inverted trapezoid, the first direction being the direction from the original substrate to the first planarization layer; the orthographic projection of the first opening on the original substrate falls within the orthographic projection range of the edge of the groove away from the original substrate on the original substrate. Thus, by forming an undercut structure, it is possible to prevent the cathode material from entering below the "brim" of the first passivation layer during subsequent cathode material deposition.

[0023] According to an embodiment of the present invention, fabricating the original sub-display panel further includes: forming an original second passivation layer on the side of the original first passivation layer away from the original substrate, the original second passivation layer covering the surface of the original first passivation layer away from the original substrate, the bottom of the groove, and at least a portion of the sidewalls of the groove; the original second passivation layer having a second opening; the area of ​​the orthographic projection of the portion of the original second passivation layer at the bottom of the groove onto the original substrate being larger than the area of ​​the orthographic projection of the second opening onto the original substrate; and the orthographic projection of the portion of the second passivation layer at the bottom of the groove onto the original substrate covering the orthographic projection of the second opening onto the original substrate; performing exposure etching on the original second passivation layer and the original first passivation layer to form a first via, thereby obtaining the second passivation layer and the first passivation layer; forming a plurality of light-emitting units in the first preset region; and removing the original substrate in the second preset region to form a hollow region. Thus, the display panel fabricated using this method has excellent display performance and a long service life.

[0024] In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a display panel. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method for manufacturing a display panel includes: calculating the pixel pitch D, where D = W1 + W2 + W3, based on the width W1 of the fourth border of a sub-display panel, the width W2 of the fifth border, and the bonding tolerance W3; manufacturing multiple sub-display panels, wherein the spacing between two adjacent pixels in each sub-display panel is D, and each sub-display panel has a fourth border and a fifth border; and splicing the multiple sub-display panels together to form a display panel, wherein the fourth border of at least one sub-display panel and the fifth border of an adjacent sub-display panel are in contact. Therefore, the display panel manufactured using this method does not have obvious splicing seams, resulting in better display performance and improved user viewing experience.

[0025] In another aspect, the present invention provides a display device. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the display device includes the display panel described above or a display panel manufactured using the method described above. Therefore, the display device has excellent display performance. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 A partial structural schematic diagram of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0027] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0028] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0029] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0030] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0031] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0032] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0033] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0034] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0035] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the structure of a sub-display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0036] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the structure of a sub-display panel according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0037] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of the structure of a sub-display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0038] Figure 13 A partial structural schematic diagram of a sub-display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0039] Figure 14 A partial structural schematic diagram of a sub-display panel according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0040] Figure 15 A partial structural schematic diagram of a sub-display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0041] Figure 16 A partial structural schematic diagram of a sub-display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0042] Figure 17 A partial structural schematic diagram of a sub-display panel according to yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0043] Figure 18 A partial structural schematic diagram of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0044] Figure 19 A partial structural schematic diagram of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0045] Figure 20 A partial structural schematic diagram of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0046] Figure 21 A partial structural schematic diagram of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0047] Figure 22 A partial flowchart of a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0048] Figure 23 A partial flowchart of a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0049] Figure 24 A partial flowchart of a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0050] Figure 25 A schematic diagram of the structure of a sub-display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0051] Figure 26 A schematic diagram of the structure of a sub-display panel according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0052] Figure 27 A schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel according to the present invention is shown;

[0053] Figure 28 A schematic diagram of the structure of another display panel according to the present invention is shown.

[0054] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0055] 1000: Display panel; 100: Sub-display panel; 110: First bezel; 120: Second bezel; 130: First bend; 131: Flexible circuit board; 132: Integrated circuit; 133: Stretchable transition area; 133': First side; 133”: Second side; 140: First display surface; 150: Pixel; 151: Subpixel; 151': Anode; 151”: Light-emitting layer; 151”’: Cathode; 160: Third bezel; 170: Fourth bezel; 170-1: First Fourth border of the sub-display panel; 170-2: Fourth border of the second sub-display panel; 170-3: Fourth border of the third sub-display panel; 170-4: Fourth border of the fourth sub-display panel; 170-5: Fourth border of the fifth sub-display panel; 180: Fifth border; 180-1: Fifth border of the first sub-display panel; 180-2: Fifth border of the second sub-display panel; 180-3: Fifth border of the third sub-display panel; 180-4: Fifth border of the fourth sub-display panel; 1 80-5: Fifth bezel of the fifth sub-display panel; 200: Substrate; 10: Substrate; 10': Original substrate; 20: First planarization layer; 20': Original first planarization layer; 21: Groove; 30: First passivation layer; 30': Original first passivation layer; 31: First opening; 40: Second passivation layer; 40': Original second passivation layer; 41: Second opening; 50: Pixel defining layer; 51: Third opening; 60: Encapsulation layer; 61: First inorganic encapsulation film layer; 62: Organic encapsulation film layer; 63: Second inorganic encapsulation layer; 70: First source / drain electrode layer; 71: First trace; 80: Second source / drain electrode layer; 81: Second trace; 90: Second planarization layer; 1: Barrier layer; 2: Buffer layer; 3: Active layer; 4: First gate insulating layer; 5: First gate layer; 6: Second gate insulating layer; 7: Second gate layer; 8: Interlayer dielectric layer; 9: First via; A: Pixel island region; A': First preset region; B: Hollowed-out region; B': Second preset region; C: Connecting bridge region; C': Third preset region. Detailed Implementation

[0056] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. The embodiments described below are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Where specific techniques or conditions are not specified in the embodiments, they shall be performed in accordance with the techniques or conditions described in the literature in the art or in accordance with the product manual.

[0057] In one aspect of the invention, a display panel is provided. According to an embodiment of the invention, reference is made to... Figures 1 to 9The display panel 1000 can be composed of multiple sub-display panels 100 spliced ​​together. Each sub-display panel 100 has a first display surface 140, a first border 110, and a second border 120. The first border 110 and the second border 120 are bent away from the first display surface 140. At least one sub-display panel 100's first border 110 and the second border 120 of an adjacent sub-display panel 100 are in contact. Therefore, by making the first and second borders of adjacent sub-display panels in contact, the pixel density at the splicing point of adjacent sub-display panels is essentially the same as the pixel density in a single sub-display panel. This makes the splicing seam less noticeable to the viewer when displaying an image, resulting in a better display effect. It should be noted that the first display surface 140 is the light-emitting surface of the sub-display panel 100.

[0058] According to some embodiments of the present invention, reference Figure 1 The first border 110 and the second border 120 can be bent 90° away from the first display surface 140. The first border 110 of one sub-display panel and the second border 120 of another sub-display panel are in contact. Therefore, the portions of the first and second borders without pixels are not on the same plane as the first display surface. The pixel spacing between the edges of the first display surfaces of two adjacent sub-display panels is basically the same as the pixel spacing in a single sub-display panel. This results in no obvious seams in the spliced ​​display panels, improving the display effect and providing a better viewing experience. It should be noted that, to clearly illustrate the situation of two adjacent sub-display panels... Figure 1 Only two sub-display panels of the display panel are shown in the image; additionally, Figure 1 Pixel 150 is shown as a raised area only to illustrate that a pixel structure is set in the corresponding area.

[0059] It should be noted that the first and second bezels may include a GOA (Gate Driver on Array, a gate driving circuit disposed on the array substrate) and a non-display area. It should also be noted that the first and second bezels may be bent at angles other than 90° away from the first display surface, as long as the bezels of adjacent sub-display panels are in contact.

[0060] According to an embodiment of the present invention, reference Figures 2 to 9 Multiple sub-display panels can be spliced ​​together to form display panels of different shapes.

[0061] According to some embodiments of the present invention, reference Figures 2 to 4 , Figure 10 and Figure 11The sub-display panel 100 can be fan-shaped, and the display panel 1000 can be spherical or a portion of a sphere. For details, please refer to... Figure 2 The display panel can be spherical; see reference. Figure 3 The display panel can be hemispherical; see reference. Figure 4 The display panel can be part of a hemisphere.

[0062] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the display panel 1000 can be a part of a sphere, and the number of sub-display panels 100 in the display panel 1000 can be 2 to 10. For example, the display panel 1000 can be composed of 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, or 10 sub-display panels 100 spliced ​​together. A display panel composed of the above-mentioned number of sub-display panels forming a part of a sphere has a smaller stretching amount, and can maintain a high resolution after stretching, which is beneficial to improving the display effect of the display panel.

[0063] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the display panel 1000 can be spherical, and the number of sub-display panels 100 in the display panel can be 8 to 20. For example, the display panel 1000 can be composed of 8, 10, 12, 16, or 20 sub-display panels 100 spliced ​​together. When the number of sub-display panels is within the above range, the sub-display panels can be spliced ​​together to form a spherical display panel within a certain actual stretching range. Compared to directly stretching a single display screen into a spherical shape, the spherical display panel constructed by splicing sub-display panels within the above range can maintain a higher resolution, and the display panel has a better display effect.

[0064] According to some embodiments of the present invention, reference Figure 1 , Figure 11 (To better illustrate the structure of the sub-display panel, Figure 11 The diagram shows the structure of the sub-display panel before bending; the diagram after bending can be found in the reference diagram. Figure 10 )and Figure 12 The sub-display panel 100 may also have a first bending portion 130, which includes a flexible circuit board 131 and an integrated circuit 132. The first bending portion 130 is bent toward a side away from the first display surface 140. Neither the flexible circuit board nor the integrated circuit has a display function. Bending the flexible circuit board and the integrated circuit to a side away from the first display surface can improve the utilization rate of the display surface, thereby improving the display effect of the display panel.

[0065] According to other embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 1 , Figure 11 and Figure 12The first bending portion 130 may further include a stretchable transition region 133, which is located between the first display surface and the flexible circuit board 131. The stretchable transition region 133 has a first side 133' and a second side 133"; the first side 133' partially overlaps with the edge of the first display surface 140, and the second side 133" at least partially overlaps with the edge of the flexible circuit board 131. The flexible circuit board and integrated circuit have poor stretchability, while the stretchable transition region has good stretchability, allowing the stretchable transition region to be bent, thereby achieving the purpose of bending the flexible circuit board and integrated circuit away from the first display surface.

[0066] According to some embodiments of the present invention, reference Figure 11 and Figure 12 The spacing d between the first side 133' and the second side 133" can be greater than or equal to 1 mm. For example, the spacing between the first side 133' and the second side 133" can be 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, etc. Setting the spacing between the first side 133' and the second side 133" to be greater than or equal to 1 mm can make it easier for the first bending part to bend away from the first display surface, avoiding damage to the flexible circuit board or integrated circuit during the bending process.

[0067] According to other embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 1 and Figure 12 In the display panel, at least one sub-display panel 100 may also have a third border 160, which may be located at one end of the sub-display panel 100, and the third border 160 is bent away from the first display surface 140. According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, see reference... Figure 12 The sub-display panel 100 can be rectangular. Rectangular sub-display panels can be spliced ​​together to form a larger flat display panel or a display panel with multiple display surfaces.

[0068] According to some embodiments of the present invention, reference Figures 5 to 7 A rectangular flat display panel can be constructed by splicing together multiple rectangular sub-display panels 100 (such as...). Figure 5 and Figure 7 (as shown) or irregularly shaped flat panel display (such as) Figure 6 (As shown).

[0069] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 5 The display surface of the display panel 1000 can be a rectangular plane, and the third border 160 of at least one sub-display panel 100 is in contact with the third border 160 or the first bend 130 of another sub-display panel 100.

[0070] According to other specific embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 7The display panel 1000 can be obtained by splicing together multiple rectangular sub-display panels 100. The multiple sub-display panels are arranged in a row. The width of the display panel 1000 is equal to the length of the sub-display panels, and the length of the display panel is equal to the sum of the lengths of the multiple sub-display panels.

[0071] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 6 The display surface of the display panel 1000 can be an irregularly shaped plane, and the third border 160 of at least one sub-display panel 100 is in contact with the third border 160 or the first bend 130 of another sub-display panel 100.

[0072] According to an embodiment of the present invention, reference Figure 8 and Figure 9 Multiple sub-display panels can be spliced ​​together to form a display panel with multiple flat display surfaces.

[0073] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 8 The display panel 1000 may have six display surfaces, which form the six surfaces of a cuboid; that is, the display panel can be a cuboid structure. According to other specific embodiments of the present invention, see reference... Figure 9 The display panel 1000 can have four display surfaces, which are connected sequentially to form the four sides of a cuboid. The display panel can be a hollow structure. Of course, multiple sub-display panels can also be assembled to form other three-dimensional structures, such as a hollow triangular prism, a prism with five sides, a ring structure (both the inner and outer surfaces of the ring structure can display images), etc. It should be noted that... Figure 8 and Figure 9 Each flat display surface of the display panel can also be formed by splicing together multiple sub-display panels.

[0074] According to some embodiments of the present invention, reference Figure 13 and Figure 14 The sub-display panel 100 may have multiple cutout areas B. Setting multiple cutout areas can give the sub-display panel better stretchability and allow it to withstand a certain degree of deformation, which is more conducive to forming display panels of different shapes (such as display panels with curved surfaces) by splicing.

[0075] According to some embodiments of the present invention, reference Figure 13 and Figure 14 The sub-display panel 100 may include multiple pixel island areas A and connecting bridge areas C. A cutout area B is located between pixel island areas A and connecting bridge areas C. Connecting bridge areas C connect two adjacent pixel island areas A. Connecting bridge areas C may include traces (see reference). Figure 15The connecting bridge area C may include a first trace 71 and a second trace 81. This can further improve the stretchability of the sub-display panel, thereby facilitating the splicing of sub-display panels to form a curved display panel; the traces in the connecting bridge area can be connected to the pixel structure of the pixel island area, thereby providing voltage signals to the pixels.

[0076] According to some embodiments of the present invention, reference Figures 15 to 17 The sub-display panel 100 may include a substrate 10, a first planarization layer 20, a first passivation layer 30, a second passivation layer 40, a pixel defining layer 50, an anode 151', a light-emitting layer 151"", and a cathode 151"' (the anode 151', the light-emitting layer 151"", and the cathode 151"' constitute a light-emitting unit). (See reference) Figure 15 The substrate 10 and the first planarization layer 20 are located in the pixel island region A and the connecting bridge region C. The first passivation layer 30, the second passivation layer 40, the pixel limiting layer 50, the anode 151', the light-emitting layer 151" and the cathode 151"' are located in the pixel island region A.

[0077] According to an embodiment of the present invention, reference Figures 15 to 17 The first planarization layer 20 is located on one side of the substrate 10. The first planarization layer 20 has a groove 21, and the cross-section of the groove 21 along the first direction is an inverted trapezoid. Figures 15 to 17 The Y-direction shown is the direction from the substrate 10 to the first planarization layer 20. The orthographic projection of the bottom of the groove 21 onto the substrate 10 falls within the orthographic projection range of the edge of the groove 21 away from the substrate 10. That is, the size of the side of the groove 21 closer to the substrate 10 is smaller than the size of the side of the groove 21 away from the substrate 10. The first passivation layer 30 covers a portion of the surface of the first planarization layer 20 away from the substrate 10. The first passivation layer 30 has a first opening 31. The orthographic projection of the first opening 31 onto the substrate 10 falls within the orthographic projection range of the edge of the groove 21 away from the substrate 10. That is, the size of the first opening 31 is smaller than the size of the side of the groove 21 away from the substrate 10. Thus, the first planarization layer and the first passivation layer form an undercut structure at the groove, which can at least partially prevent the cathode material from entering under the "brims" of the first passivation layer during cathode material deposition. This helps to improve the overall stability of the display panel and, consequently, extend the service life of the display panel.

[0078] According to some embodiments of the present invention, reference Figure 15 and Figure 17The second passivation layer 40 covers the surface of the first passivation layer 30 away from the substrate 10, the bottom of the groove 21, and at least a portion of the sidewalls of the groove 21. The second passivation layer 40 has a second opening 41. The area of ​​the orthographic projection of the portion of the second passivation layer 40 located at the bottom of the groove 21 onto the substrate 10 is larger than the area of ​​the orthographic projection of the second opening 41 onto the substrate 10. Furthermore, the orthographic projection of the portion of the second passivation layer 40 located at the bottom of the groove 21 onto the substrate 10 covers the orthographic projection of the second opening 41 onto the substrate 10. Specifically, refer to... Figure 17 The cross-sectional dimension D2 of the portion of the second passivation layer 40 located at the bottom of the groove 21 is larger than the cross-sectional dimension D1 of the second opening 41. Therefore, the structure formed by the second and first passivation layers at the groove can further prevent cathode material from entering below the "brim" of the first passivation layer during cathode material deposition, thereby improving the stability of the display panel and extending its service life.

[0079] According to some embodiments of the present invention, pixel island region A may include at least one pixel 150 (see reference). Figure 13 Each pixel island region A includes one pixel 150, such as Figure 13 As shown in the dashed box, each pixel 150 can be composed of three sub-pixels 151. Specifically, each pixel 150 can include one blue sub-pixel, one red sub-pixel, and one green sub-pixel. (See reference) Figure 15 , Figure 17 and Figure 22 The anode 151' covers a portion of the surface of the second passivation layer 40 away from the substrate 10, and the pixel defining layer 50 defines a plurality of third openings 51. Figure 22 Only one third opening 51 is shown. The pixel defining layer 50 covers the portion of the surface of the anode 151' away from the substrate 10. The light-emitting layer 151" fills at least a portion of the area of ​​the third opening 51. The cathode 151"' is located on the side of the light-emitting layer 151" away from the substrate 10. The cathode 151"' covers the portion of the surface of the pixel defining layer 50 away from the substrate 10. Furthermore, the orthographic projection of the cathode 151"' onto the substrate 10 does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the groove 21 onto the substrate 10. This is beneficial for further improving the overall stability of the display panel and for extending the service life of the display panel.

[0080] According to an embodiment of the present invention, reference Figure 15 and Figure 17 The sub-display panel may also include an encapsulation layer 60, which can be a thin-film encapsulation structure. Specifically, the encapsulation layer 60 may include a first inorganic encapsulation film layer 61, an organic encapsulation film layer 62, and a second inorganic encapsulation film layer 63. The connecting bridge region C is only provided with the first inorganic encapsulation film layer 61 and the second inorganic encapsulation film layer 63. (Reference) Figure 15In pixel island region A, a first inorganic encapsulation film layer 61 covers at least a portion of the surface of the cathode 151”’ away from the substrate 10 and a portion of the surface of the second passivation layer 40 away from the substrate 10; an organic encapsulation film layer 62 covers the surface of the first inorganic encapsulation film layer 61 away from the substrate 10 and a portion of the surface of the second passivation layer 40 away from the substrate 10, and the organic encapsulation film layer 62 fills at least a portion of the area of ​​the second opening 41; a second inorganic encapsulation film layer 63 covers at least a portion of the surface of the organic encapsulation film layer 62 away from the substrate 10 and a portion of the surface of the first inorganic encapsulation film layer 61 away from the substrate 10. The encapsulation layer can prevent external water and oxygen from penetrating the light-emitting layer and the cathode, thereby further improving the stability of the display panel and helping to further extend the service life of the display panel.

[0081] According to some embodiments of the present invention, reference Figure 15 The pixel island area A of the sub-display panel may also include a barrier layer 1, a buffer layer 2, an active layer 3, a first gate insulating layer 4, a first gate layer 5, a second gate insulating layer 6, a second gate layer 7, a first source / drain electrode layer 70, an interlayer dielectric layer 8, and a second planarization layer 90. The substrate 10, barrier layer 1, and buffer layer 2 are stacked sequentially. The active layer 3 covers a portion of the surface of the buffer layer 2 away from the substrate 10. The first gate insulating layer 4 covers a portion of the surface of the buffer layer 2 away from the substrate 10 and a portion of the surface of the active layer 3 away from the substrate 10. The first gate layer 5 covers a portion of the surface of the first gate insulating layer 4 away from the substrate 10. The first gate layer 5 may include a first gate and a wiring structure disposed on the same layer as the first gate. The orthogonal projection of the first gate on the substrate 10 covers a portion of the surface of the orthogonal projection of the active layer 3 on the substrate 10. The second gate insulating layer 6 covers at least a portion of the surface of the first gate layer 5 away from the substrate 10 and a portion of the surface of the first gate insulating layer 4 away from the substrate 10. The second gate layer 7 covers a portion of the surface of the second gate insulating layer 6 away from the substrate 10. The interlayer dielectric layer 8 covers a portion of the surface of the second gate insulating layer 6 away from the substrate 10 and at least a portion of the surface of the second gate layer 7 away from the substrate 10. The first source / drain electrode layer 70 covers a portion of the surface of the interlayer dielectric layer 8 away from the substrate 10. The first source / drain electrode layer 70 penetrates the interlayer dielectric layer 8 and the second gate insulating layer 6 and contacts the active layer 3. refer to Figures 15 to 17 The second planarization layer 90 covers at least a portion of the surface of the first source / drain electrode layer 70 away from the substrate 10, the second source / drain electrode layer 80 covers a portion of the surface of the second planarization layer 90 away from the substrate 10, and the second source / drain electrode layer 80 is in contact with the first source / drain electrode layer 70 through a via, and the anode 151' is in contact with the second source / drain electrode layer 80 through a first via 9; the first planarization layer 20 covers a portion of the surface of the second planarization layer 90 away from the substrate 10 and at least a portion of the surface of the second source / drain electrode layer 80 away from the substrate 10.

[0082] According to some embodiments of the present invention, reference Figure 15The connecting bridge region C includes a substrate 10, a first trace 71, a second planarization layer 90, a second trace 81, a first planarization layer 20, a first inorganic encapsulation film layer 61, and a second inorganic encapsulation film layer 63. The second planarization layer 90 covers the surface of the first trace 71 away from the substrate 10, the second trace 81 covers a portion of the surface of the second planarization layer 90 away from the substrate 10, the first planarization layer 20 covers the surface of the second trace 81 away from the substrate 10 and a portion of the surface of the second planarization layer 90 away from the substrate 10, the first inorganic encapsulation film layer 61 covers the surface of the first planarization layer 20 away from the substrate 10, and the second inorganic encapsulation film layer 63 covers the surface of the first inorganic encapsulation film layer 61 away from the substrate 10. The first trace 71 can be formed using the same process steps as the first source / drain electrode layer 70 in the pixel island region A, and the second trace 81 can be formed using the same process steps as the second source / drain electrode layer 80 in the pixel island region A.

[0083] In summary, the display panel proposed in this invention has inconspicuous seams, can maintain high resolution, and has good display effect.

[0084] In another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing the aforementioned display panel is provided. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method for manufacturing the aforementioned display panel may include the following steps:

[0085] S110: Provides multiple original sub-display panels.

[0086] According to some embodiments of the present invention, in this step, a plurality of original sub-display panels are provided, the structure of which can be referred to Figure 11 and Figure 12 .

[0087] S120: The first border 110 and the second border 120 of the original sub-display panel are bent toward the display surface away from the original sub-display panel to obtain the sub-display panel 100.

[0088] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the sub-display panel 100 is obtained by bending the first border 110 and the second border 120 of the original sub-display panel toward the display surface away from the original sub-display panel. According to other embodiments of the present invention, see... Figure 11 and Figure 12 The method of manufacturing the display panel may also include the step of bending the first bent portion 130 toward a side away from the display surface. It should be noted that the display surface is either the light-emitting surface of the original sub-display panel or the light-emitting surface of the display panel.

[0089] According to other embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 12 The method of manufacturing the display panel may also include the step of bending the third bezel 160 toward the side away from the display surface.

[0090] S130: The first border 110 of the sub-display panel 100 is brought into contact with the second border 120 of another sub-display panel 100, so that multiple sub-display panels 100 are spliced ​​together to form a display panel 1000.

[0091] In this step, the first border 110 of each sub-display panel 100 can be brought into contact with the second border 120 of another sub-display panel 100, so that multiple sub-display panels 100 can be spliced ​​together to form a surround display structure, such as... Figure 2 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown in the diagram; alternatively, the first border 110 of a portion of the sub-display panel 100 can be made to contact the second border 120 of another sub-display panel 100, so that multiple sub-display panels 100 can be spliced ​​together to form a single unit. Figures 5 to 7 The display structure shown is shown below.

[0092] The following describes the methods for manufacturing display panels of different shapes, with reference to the specific structures shown in the attached diagram:

[0093] According to some embodiments of the present invention, reference Figure 11 The original sub-display panel can be fan-shaped (meaning the original sub-display panel's shape is roughly fan-shaped). The side of the original sub-display panel away from the display surface is attached to a mold, which can be a sphere or part of a sphere. The first border 110 and the second border 120 of the original sub-display panel 100 are bent away from the display surface of the original sub-display panel to obtain the sub-display panel 100 (e.g., ...). Figure 10 (As shown); the first border 110 of one sub-display panel 100 is brought into contact with the second border 120 of another sub-display panel 100, specifically, as shown... Figures 18 to 20 As shown, Figure 18 The diagram shows the two sub-display panels when they are not stretched. Figure 19 for Figure 18 A schematic diagram showing the two sub-display panels stretched from flat surfaces into curved surfaces, with the cross-sections of the two sub-display panels along MM' as shown. Figure 19 As shown, the dashed line is a schematic diagram of the two sub-display panels before stretching, and the solid line is a schematic diagram of the two sub-display panels being stretched along the mold to form an arc shape. The mold is used to form the arc-shaped structure of the sub-display panels. This process is repeated so that multiple sub-display panels can be spliced ​​together to form a spherical display panel or a part of a spherical display panel, as shown. Figures 2 to 4 As shown in the diagram. A schematic diagram of the structure after two adjacent sub-display panels are joined together can be referenced. Figure 20The first border 110 and the second border 120 of the sub-display panel 100 can be bent at 90 degrees (vertical bending) relative to the first display surface 140. The first border of one sub-display panel and the second border of another sub-display panel are set to contact each other. In this way, the border (splitting seam) is not visible to the eye, thus achieving borderless (seamless) splicing.

[0094] It should be noted that after the display panel is assembled, the mold can be removed or retained. The retained mold can provide good support. Of course, the retained mold also needs to be equipped with a groove structure for placing the first and second borders.

[0095] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to Figures 18 to 21 Multiple sub-display panels can be spliced ​​together first. Figure 21 The hemisphere in the middle is formed by splicing two hemispheres together. Figure 2 The spherical display panel shown. It should be noted that... Figure 21 The resulting shape from the decomposition of the hemisphere includes multiple petal-shaped fan-shaped arc surfaces.

[0096] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, splicing multiple sub-display panels 100 to form a display panel 1000 may further include: bending the third border 160 of the original sub-display panel toward the display surface away from the original sub-display panel. According to one specific embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 7 As shown, four sub-display panels can be arranged in sequence with their contact points in place. The second edge of the first sub-display panel contacts the first edge of the second sub-display panel, the second edge of the second sub-display panel contacts the first edge of the third sub-display panel, and the second edge of the third sub-display panel contacts the first edge of the fourth sub-display panel. The third edge and / or the first bent portion only bend to the side away from the first display surface. According to another specific embodiment of the present invention, refer to... Figure 9 The four sub-display panels are arranged to touch and surround each other in sequence, such that the first border (or second border) of each of the four sub-display panels is in contact with the second border (or first border) of the other sub-display panel.

[0097] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, splicing multiple sub-display panels 100 to form a display panel 1000 may further include: setting the third border 160 of one sub-display panel 100 in contact with the third border 160 or the first bend 130 of another sub-display panel 100, such as... Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 8 As shown.

[0098] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the maximum size of the sub-display panel can be 3 inches to 20 inches. For example, the maximum size of the sub-display panel can be 3 inches, 5 inches, 8 inches, 10 inches, 14 inches, 20 inches, etc., wherein the maximum size refers to the maximum length of the line connecting any two endpoints in the sub-display panel.

[0099] According to some embodiments of the present invention, reference Figures 22 to 24 Creating the original sub-display panel may include the following steps:

[0100] S111: Provides the original substrate.

[0101] According to some embodiments of the present invention, reference Figure 22 The original substrate 10' may include a first preset region A', a second preset region B', and a third preset region C', respectively corresponding to Figure 24 The pixel island area A, the hollow area B, and the connecting bridge area C are shown in the image.

[0102] In this step, the original substrate 10' can be placed on the surface of the substrate 200. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the substrate 200 can be a glass substrate, which can provide a flat surface and serve to support other film layers.

[0103] S112: Form an original first planarization layer 20' on one side of the original substrate 10' and remove the original first planarization layer 20' from the second preset region B'.

[0104] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the material forming the first original planarization layer 20' may include polyimide.

[0105] According to some embodiments of the present invention, before forming the original planarization layer 20', reference Figure 22 The method for fabricating the original sub-display panel may further include the steps of forming a barrier layer 1, a buffer layer 2, and an active layer 3. According to embodiments of the present invention, the buffer layer can be formed by depositing one or both of silicon nitride and silicon oxide. After forming the buffer layer, an amorphous silicon layer is deposited on the surface of the buffer layer away from the original substrate. After high-temperature hydrogen removal, the amorphous silicon is transformed into polycrystalline silicon by excimer laser annealing (ELA). A channel layer pattern is then formed by exposure etching, wherein the channel layer may include partial ion doping, thereby obtaining the active layer 3.

[0106] According to some embodiments of the present invention, reference Figure 22The method for fabricating the original sub-display panel further includes the steps of forming a first gate insulating layer 4, a first gate layer 5, a second gate insulating layer 6, a second gate layer 7, and an interlayer dielectric layer 8. Specifically, a first gate insulating layer is formed, which covers the surface of the active layer away from the original substrate and a portion of the surface of the buffer layer away from the original substrate; a first gate metal is deposited and patterned to form the first gate layer 5, which may include a first gate and a wiring structure disposed on the same layer as the first gate; a second gate insulating material is deposited to form a second gate insulating layer, which covers at least a portion of the surface of the first gate layer 5 away from the original substrate 10' and a portion of the surface of the first gate insulating layer away from the original substrate 10'; and a second gate insulating layer is deposited away from the original substrate 10'. A second gate metal is deposited on the surface and a second gate layer 7 is formed by patterning. The second gate layer 7 may include a second gate and a wiring structure disposed on the same layer as the second gate. An interlayer dielectric material is deposited to form an original interlayer dielectric layer, and a via is formed by exposure etching. The via penetrates the original interlayer dielectric layer and the original second gate insulating layer and extends to a portion of the surface of the active layer 3 away from the original substrate 10'. In this step, the barrier layer 1, buffer layer 2, original first gate insulating layer, original second gate insulating layer, etc. in the third preset region C' are all etched away to expose the original substrate 10' in the third preset region C'.

[0107] According to some embodiments of the present invention, reference Figure 22 The method for fabricating the original sub-display panel may further include the steps of forming a first source / drain electrode layer 70, forming a second planarization layer 90, and forming a second source / drain electrode layer 80. According to an embodiment of the present invention, source / drain electrode metal is deposited and patterned to form the first source / drain electrode layer 70 and the first trace 71. A second planarization layer is formed by etching vias extending through to the first source / drain electrode layer 70. In a first predetermined region A', the second planarization layer 90 covers the surface of the first source / drain electrode layer 70 away from the original substrate 10' and a portion of the surface of the interlayer dielectric layer 8 away from the original substrate 10'; in a third predetermined region C', the second planarization layer 90 covers the surface of the first trace 71 and a portion of the surface of the original substrate 10'. Source / drain electrode metal is deposited and patterned to form the second source / drain electrode layer 80 and the second trace 81. In the first predetermined region A', the second source / drain electrode layer 80 may include a second source / drain electrode and a trace structure disposed on the same layer as the second source / drain electrode; in the third predetermined region C', the second trace 81 covers a portion of the surface of the second planarization layer 90 away from the original substrate 10'.

[0108] It should be noted that when forming the original first planarization layer 20', in the third preset region C', the first original planarization layer 20' covers the surface of the second trace 81 away from the original substrate 10' and a portion of the surface of the second planarization layer 90 away from the original substrate 10'. Additionally, refer to... Figure 22 After forming the original first planarization layer 20', the process also includes forming a via for connecting the anode 151': the original first planarization layer 20' is exposed and etched so that part of the surface of the second source / drain electrode layer 80 is exposed, and the anode 151' formed subsequently can be connected to the second source / drain electrode layer 80 through the via:

[0109] S113: An original first passivation layer 30' is formed on the side of the original first planarization layer 20' away from the original substrate 10', and the original first passivation layer 30' of the second preset region B' and the third preset region C' is removed by patterning. The original first passivation layer 30' and the original first planarization layer 20' of the first preset region A' are etched by gas etching to obtain the first planarization layer 20, and the original first passivation layer 30' forms a first opening 31 (see reference). Figure 16 ), among which, reference Figure 22 and Figure 16 The first planarization layer 20 has a groove 21, the cross-section of which along the first direction is an inverted trapezoid. Figure 22 The Y direction shown is the direction from the original substrate 10' to the first planarization layer 20. The orthographic projection of the first opening 31 on the original substrate 10' falls within the orthographic projection range of the edge of the groove 21 away from the original substrate 10' on the original substrate 10'. In this step, an undercut structure is formed on the first planarization layer 20 using the original first passivation layer 30' as a mask. This effectively prevents the cathode material from entering under the "brim" of the undercut structure during subsequent cathode material deposition, thereby improving the stability of the display panel and extending its service life.

[0110] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the material forming the original first passivation layer 30' may include one or more of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, and silicon oxynitride.

[0111] S114: An original second passivation layer 40' is formed on the side of the original first passivation layer 30' away from the original substrate 10'.

[0112] According to an embodiment of the present invention, reference Figure 22The original second passivation layer 40' covers the surface of the original first passivation layer 30' away from the original substrate 10', the bottom of the groove 21, and at least part of the sidewalls of the groove 21. The original second passivation layer 40' has a second opening 41. The area of ​​the orthographic projection of the portion of the original second passivation layer 40' located at the bottom of the groove 21 on the original substrate 10' is greater than the area of ​​the orthographic projection of the second opening 41 on the original substrate 10'. Furthermore, the orthographic projection of the portion of the original second passivation layer 40' located at the bottom of the groove 21 on the original substrate 10' covers the orthographic projection of the second opening 41 on the original substrate 10'.

[0113] S115: Exposure etching is performed on the original second passivation layer 40' and the original first passivation layer 30' to form the first via 9, thereby obtaining the second passivation layer 40 and the first passivation layer 30.

[0114] refer to Figure 22 In this step, the deposited passivation layer material forms the original second passivation layer 40', and the first via 9 is formed by exposure etching (see reference). Figure 16 The second source / drain electrode layer 80 is exposed, forming a second passivation layer 40, which covers the undercut structure.

[0115] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the material of the second passivation layer 40 may include one or more of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, and silicon oxynitride.

[0116] In some embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 23 After the original first planarization layer 20' is formed, it can be formed by exposure. Figure 23 The groove-shaped vias shown expose a portion of the surface of the second source / drain electrode layer 80. Then, a primary first passivation layer 30' is formed, covering a portion of the surface of the first planarization layer 20 and a portion of the surface of the second source / drain electrode layer 80. A primary second passivation layer 40' is then formed above the second source / drain electrode layer 80. The primary first passivation layer 30' and the primary second passivation layer 40' can also have a groove-shaped structure. Exposure etching is performed on the primary second passivation layer 40' and the primary first passivation layer 30' to expose a portion of the surface of the second source / drain electrode layer 80, after which the anode 151' is formed. It should be noted that... Figure 23 Only a portion of the structure of the first planarization layer 20, the first passivation layer 30, and the second passivation layer 40 is shown; the undercut structure is not shown. Furthermore, during the etching of the original second passivation layer 40' to form the first via, a portion of the first planarization layer 20 can also be etched away as needed.

[0117] S116: Multiple light-emitting units are formed in the first preset area A'.

[0118] A pixel may include multiple sub-pixels. According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, each pixel may include one blue sub-pixel, one red sub-pixel and one green sub-pixel. The light-emitting unit is part of the sub-pixel and may include an anode 151', a light-emitting layer 151" and a cathode 151"'.

[0119] Forming multiple light-emitting units in a first preset region A' may include the steps of forming blue light-emitting units, forming red light-emitting units, and forming green light-emitting units.

[0120] According to some embodiments of the present invention, an anode 151' is formed by depositing an anode metal and patterning it. The material of the anode 151' may include at least one of ITO (indium tin oxide) and Ag. According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, the anode 151' may include a first indium tin oxide layer, a silver layer, and a second indium tin oxide layer sequentially stacked.

[0121] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the pixel defining layer 50 can be formed by coating and exposure. The pixel defining layer 50 covers the portion of the second passivation layer 40 away from the original substrate 10' and the portion of the anode 151' away from the original substrate 10'. Furthermore, referring to... Figure 22 The pixel defining layer 50 defines a plurality of third openings 51. Subsequently, an organic light-emitting layer 151” can be formed in the third openings 51 by evaporating organic light-emitting material. Then, cathode metal is evaporated on the side of the light-emitting layer 151” away from the original substrate 10' to form a cathode 151”'. Of course, forming a light-emitting unit may also include the steps of forming a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer.

[0122] S117: Remove the original substrate 10' of the second preset region B' to form a hollow region B.

[0123] After the light-emitting unit is formed, the hollow area B can be formed by etching the original substrate 10' in the second preset area B'. After removing the substrate 200, the original sub-display panel can be obtained.

[0124] According to other embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 24Fabricating the original sub-display panel may further include the step of forming an encapsulation layer 60: forming a first inorganic encapsulation film layer 61, which can be formed by chemical vapor deposition. In a first predetermined region A', the first inorganic encapsulation film layer 61 covers at least a portion of the surface of the cathode 151' away from the original substrate 10' and at least a portion of the surface of the second passivation layer 40 away from the original substrate 10'; in a third predetermined region C', the first inorganic encapsulation film layer 61 covers a portion of the surface of the original substrate 10' and the surface of the first planarization layer 20 away from the original substrate 10'. In a second predetermined region B', the first inorganic encapsulation film layer 61 may cover at least a portion of the surface of the original substrate 10'. Figure 24 (Not shown in the image). An organic encapsulation film 62 is formed. The organic encapsulation film 62 has a patterned structure. The organic encapsulation film 62 fills the second opening 41 and covers at least a portion of the surface of the first inorganic film 61 away from the original substrate. No organic encapsulation film is provided in the third preset region C'. A second inorganic encapsulation film 63 is formed. The second inorganic encapsulation film 63 can also be formed by chemical vapor deposition. In the first preset region A', the second inorganic encapsulation film 63 covers a portion of the surface of the first inorganic encapsulation film 61 and the surface of the organic encapsulation film 62 away from the original substrate 10'. In the third preset region C', the second inorganic encapsulation film 63 covers the surface of the first inorganic encapsulation film 61 and a portion of the surface of the original substrate 10'. In the second preset region B', the second inorganic encapsulation film 63 can cover at least a portion of the surface of the first inorganic encapsulation film 61 away from the original substrate 10'. Figure 24 (Not shown in the image).

[0125] According to some embodiments of the present invention, after forming the encapsulation layer 60, the first inorganic encapsulation film layer 61 and the second inorganic encapsulation film layer 62 in the second preset region B' can be removed by etching to expose the original substrate 10'. Then, the original substrate 10' at the second preset region B' is removed by exposure etching, forming a via in the second preset region B', thereby obtaining the hollow region B. According to some embodiments of the present invention, a protective film can be attached to the side of the encapsulation layer 60 away from the substrate 10, the substrate 200 can be removed using a laser, the protective film can be removed, and the original sub-display panel can be obtained.

[0126] In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a display panel. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the method for manufacturing a display panel may include the following steps:

[0127] S210: Calculate pixel spacing.

[0128] In this step, the pixel pitch D can be calculated based on the fourth border size W1, the fifth border size W2, and the bonding tolerance W3 of the sub-display panel 100, where D = W1 + W2 + W3.

[0129] refer to Figure 25 The sub-display panel 100 can be fan-shaped, and the width W1 of the fourth border 170 and the width W2 of the fifth border 180 can be average widths; (Reference) Figure 26 The sub-display panel 100 can be rectangular, and the fourth border 170 and the fifth border 180 can also be rectangular borders. The fourth and fifth borders do not have pixel structures and therefore no display functionality.

[0130] S220: Create multiple sub-display panels 100, where the spacing between two adjacent pixels in the sub-display panel 100 is D, and the sub-display panel 100 has a fourth border 170 and a fifth border 180.

[0131] S230: Multiple sub-display panels 100 are spliced ​​together to form a display panel, wherein the fourth border 170 of at least one sub-display panel 100 and the fifth border 180 of the sub-display panel 100 adjacent to the sub-display panel 100 are in contact.

[0132] According to some embodiments of the present invention, reference Figure 27 Multiple fan-shaped sub-display panels can be spliced ​​together to form an irregularly shaped display panel, along the second direction ( Figure 27 In the Z direction shown, the fourth border 170-1 of the first sub-display panel and the fifth border 180-3 of the third sub-display panel may not contact other sub-display panels. The fourth border 170-2 of the second sub-display panel is in contact with the fifth border 180-1 of the first sub-display panel, and the fifth border 180-2 of the second sub-display panel is in contact with the fourth border 170-3 of the third sub-display panel. The fourth border 170 and the fifth border 180 of each sub-display panel do not need to be bent away from the display surface.

[0133] According to other embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 28 Multiple rectangular sub-display panels can be spliced ​​together to form a rectangular display panel, along a third direction ( Figure 28 In the X direction shown, the fourth frame 170-4 of the fourth sub-display panel and the fifth frame 180-5 of the fifth sub-display panel do not need to be bent, and the fifth frame 180-4 of the fourth sub-display panel and the fourth frame 170-5 of the fifth sub-display panel are set in contact.

[0134] It should be noted that the sub-display panel used in this method may also have a first bent portion, which bends away from the display surface. Of course, in some embodiments, the sub-display panel may also have a sixth border, which contacts both the fourth and fifth borders. During the splicing process, the sixth border of one sub-display panel may be positioned to contact the sixth border of another sub-display panel or the edge of the first bent portion near the display surface.

[0135] The display panel produced using the above method also has no obvious seams, has a good display effect, and provides a better viewing experience.

[0136] In another aspect, the present invention provides a display device. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the display device may include the display panel described above or a display panel manufactured using the methods described above. Therefore, the display device has good display effects and provides a better viewing experience.

[0137] According to embodiments of the present invention, there are no special requirements for the specific type of the display device described above, and those skilled in the art can flexibly select one according to actual needs. Those skilled in the art will understand that, in addition to the display panel described above, the display device may also have the structures and components necessary for conventional display devices, such as touch panels, audio modules, etc.

[0138] The terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," "fifth," and "sixth" used in this document are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first," "second," "third," "fourth," "fifth," and "sixth" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0139] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "another embodiment," "some embodiments," "some specific embodiments," or "other specific embodiments," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0140] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A display panel, characterized in that, The display panel is composed of multiple sub-display panels spliced ​​together; The sub-display panel has a first display surface, a first border and a second border, the first border and the second border are bent toward a side away from the first display surface, and at least one of the first borders of the sub-display panel and the second border of the sub-display panel adjacent to the sub-display panel are in contact. The sub-display panel has multiple cutout areas; The sub-display panel includes multiple pixel island areas and connecting bridge areas. The hollow area is located between the pixel island areas and the connecting bridge areas. The connecting bridge areas connect two adjacent pixel island areas and include wiring. The sub-display panel has a first bending portion, the first bending portion including a flexible circuit board and an integrated circuit, and the first bending portion bends toward a side away from the first display surface; The first bending portion includes a stretchable transition area located between the first display surface and the flexible circuit board. The stretchable transition area has a first side and a second side. The first side partially overlaps with the edge of the first display surface, and the second side at least partially overlaps with the edge of the flexible circuit board. The pixel island region includes at least one pixel; The pixel density at the joint of adjacent sub-display panels is the same as the pixel density in a single sub-display panel.

2. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sub-display panel includes a substrate, a first planarization layer, and a first passivation layer. The substrate and the first planarization layer are located in the pixel island region and the connecting bridge region, and the first passivation layer is located in the pixel island region. The first planarization layer is located on one side of the substrate. The first planarization layer has a groove, and the cross-section of the groove along a first direction is an inverted trapezoid. The first direction is the direction from the substrate to the first planarization layer. The first passivation layer covers a portion of the surface of the first planarization layer away from the substrate, and the first passivation layer has a first opening, the orthographic projection of the first opening onto the substrate falling within the orthographic projection range of the edge of the groove away from the substrate onto the substrate.

3. The display panel according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sub-display panel further includes a second passivation layer located in the pixel island area. The second passivation layer covers the surface of the first passivation layer away from the substrate, the bottom of the groove, and at least a portion of the sidewalls of the groove. The second passivation layer has a second opening. The area of ​​the orthographic projection of the portion of the second passivation layer at the bottom of the groove on the substrate is greater than the area of ​​the orthographic projection of the second opening on the substrate. Furthermore, the orthographic projection of the portion of the second passivation layer at the bottom of the groove on the substrate covers the orthographic projection of the second opening on the substrate.

4. The display panel according to claim 3, characterized in that, The sub-display panel further includes a pixel defining layer, an anode, a light-emitting layer, and a cathode. The pixel defining layer, the anode, and the cathode are located in the pixel island region. The anode covers a portion of the second passivation layer away from the substrate. The pixel defining layer defines a plurality of third openings. The pixel defining layer covers a portion of the anode away from the substrate. The light-emitting layer fills at least a portion of the third openings. The cathode is located on the side of the light-emitting layer away from the substrate. The cathode covers a portion of the pixel defining layer away from the substrate. Furthermore, the orthographic projection of the cathode on the substrate and the orthographic projection of the groove on the substrate do not overlap.

5. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The distance between the first side and the second side is greater than or equal to 1 mm.

6. The display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and 5, characterized in that, The sub-display panel is fan-shaped, and the display panel is spherical or a portion of a sphere.

7. The display panel according to claim 6, characterized in that, The display panel is part of a sphere, and the number of sub-display panels in the display panel is 2 to 10. Alternatively, the display panel may be spherical, and the number of sub-display panels in the display panel may be 8 to 20.

8. The display panel according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that, At least one of the sub-display panels also has a third border, which is located at one end of the sub-display panel and is bent toward a side away from the first display surface.

9. The display panel according to claim 8, characterized in that, The display surface of the display panel is a rectangular plane or an irregularly shaped plane, and the third border of at least one of the sub-display panels is in contact with the third border or the first bend of another sub-display panel. Alternatively, the display panel may have six display surfaces, which together form the six surfaces of a cuboid. Alternatively, the display panel may have four display surfaces, which are connected in sequence to form the four sides of a cuboid.

10. A method for manufacturing a display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, include: Provides multiple original sub-display panels; The first and second borders of the original sub-display panel are bent toward the display surface away from the original sub-display panel to obtain the sub-display panel; The first border of the sub-display panel is brought into contact with the second border of another sub-display panel, so that multiple sub-display panels are spliced ​​together to form a display panel.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The original sub-display panel is fan-shaped. The side of the original sub-display panel away from the display surface is attached to the mold. The mold is a sphere or part of a sphere. The first and second edges of the original sub-display panel are bent toward the side away from the display surface of the original sub-display panel to obtain the sub-display panel. The first edge of one of the sub-display panels is brought into contact with the second edge of another sub-display panel, and the operation is repeated so that multiple sub-display panels are spliced ​​together to form a spherical display panel or a part of a spherical display panel; Alternatively, splicing multiple sub-display panels to form a display panel also includes: bending the third border of the original sub-display panel toward the display surface away from the original sub-display panel; Alternatively, splicing multiple sub-display panels to form a display panel further includes: setting the third border of the sub-display panel to contact the third border or the first bend of another sub-display panel.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The process of creating the original sub-display panel includes: A raw substrate is provided, the raw substrate comprising a first preset region, a second preset region, and a third preset region; An original first planarization layer is formed on one side of the original substrate, and the original first planarization layer in the second predetermined region is removed; An original first passivation layer is formed on the side of the original first planarization layer away from the original substrate. The original first passivation layers in the second and third preset regions are removed. The original first passivation layer and the original first planarization layer in the first preset region are etched by gas etching to obtain a first planarization layer. The original first passivation layer forms a first opening. The first planarization layer has a groove. The cross-section of the groove along a first direction is an inverted trapezoid. The first direction is the direction from the original substrate to the first planarization layer. The orthogonal projection of the first opening on the original substrate falls within the orthogonal projection range of the edge of the groove away from the original substrate on the original substrate.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The fabrication of the original sub-display panel also includes: An original second passivation layer is formed on the side of the original first passivation layer away from the original substrate, wherein the original second passivation layer covers the surface of the original first passivation layer away from the original substrate, the bottom of the groove, and at least a portion of the sidewalls of the groove, the original second passivation layer has a second opening, the area of ​​the orthographic projection of the portion of the original second passivation layer at the bottom of the groove on the original substrate is greater than the area of ​​the orthographic projection of the second opening on the original substrate, and the orthographic projection of the portion of the original second passivation layer at the bottom of the groove on the original substrate covers the orthographic projection of the second opening on the original substrate; The original second passivation layer and the original first passivation layer are exposed and etched to form a first via, thereby obtaining the second passivation layer and the first passivation layer; Multiple light-emitting units are formed in the first preset area; The original substrate of the second preset area is removed to form a hollow area.

14. A method for manufacturing a display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, include: The pixel pitch D is calculated based on the width W1 of the fourth border of the sub-display panel, the width W2 of the fifth border, and the bonding tolerance W3. D = W1 + W2 + W3. Multiple sub-display panels are fabricated, wherein the spacing between two adjacent pixels in the sub-display panel is D, and the sub-display panel has a fourth border and a fifth border; Multiple sub-display panels are spliced ​​together to form a display panel, wherein the fourth border of at least one sub-display panel and the fifth border of a sub-display panel adjacent to the sub-display panel are in contact.

15. A display device, characterized in that, The display panel includes any one of claims 1 to 9 or a display panel manufactured using any one of claims 10 to 14.

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