Display panel, manufacturing method thereof, and display device

Abstract

The present application discloses a display panel, a manufacturing method thereof, and a display device. The display panel includes a substrate, a pixel definition layer, a light-emitting unit, and a first partition structure. The light-emitting unit further includes an anode auxiliary electrode disposed between the anode and the light-emitting functional layer. The first partition structure is disposed on the pixel definition layer and includes a conductive portion and a partition portion. The partition portion is disposed on the conductive portion, and the radial width of the partition portion is greater than the radial width of the conductive portion. The first partition structure is configured to partition the anode auxiliary electrodes and / or the light-emitting functional layers of two adjacent light-emitting units during the entire surface deposition of the anode auxiliary electrode and the light-emitting functional layer. By adding an anode auxiliary electrode between the anode and the light-emitting functional layer, the present application improves the film interface between the anode and the light-emitting functional layer, and enhances the light-emitting efficiency and lifespan of the light-emitting unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of display technologies, and particularly to a display panel, a manufacturing method thereof, and a display device. Background Art

[0002] OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) display devices are widely used in various fields because they are light, have a wide viewing angle, fast response, are resistant to low temperatures, have high luminous efficiency, and can be used to prepare curved flexible display screens. Due to the increasing maturity of mass production technology, OLED display panels have gradually become the mainstream display panels.

[0003] However, when etching the anode of the OLED light-emitting unit, due to process reasons, there will be a problem that the protective layer is not completely removed, resulting in residues. The above problems will cause an increase in the contact resistance between the anode and the organic material in the light-emitting functional layer, thereby causing problems such as an increase in the driving voltage of the light-emitting unit or a rapid decrease in its lifespan. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present application is to provide a display panel, a manufacturing method thereof, and a display device. By adding an anode auxiliary electrode between the anode and the light-emitting functional layer, the film interface between the anode and the light-emitting functional layer is improved, and the luminous efficiency and lifespan of the light-emitting unit are enhanced.

[0005] The present application discloses a display panel, which includes a substrate, a pixel definition layer, a light-emitting unit, and a first partition structure. The pixel definition layer is disposed on the substrate and is provided with a plurality of opening areas. The light-emitting unit is disposed on the substrate and is located within the opening areas. The light-emitting unit includes an anode, a light-emitting functional layer, and a cathode. The anode is disposed on the substrate, the light-emitting functional layer is disposed on the anode, and the cathode is disposed on the light-emitting functional layer. The light-emitting unit further includes an anode auxiliary electrode, which is disposed between the anode and the light-emitting functional layer. The anode auxiliary electrode is formed by one or more of a metal, a metal alloy, or a metal oxide. The first partition structure is disposed on the pixel definition layer, and the first partition structure includes a conductive portion and a partition portion. The partition portion is disposed on the conductive portion, and the radial width of the partition portion is greater than the radial width of the conductive portion. The first partition structure is used to partition the anode auxiliary electrodes and / or the light-emitting functional layers of adjacent two light-emitting units during the entire surface deposition of the anode auxiliary electrode and the light-emitting functional layer.

[0006] Optionally, the first partition structure is configured to partition the anode auxiliary electrodes and the light-emitting functional layers of two adjacent light-emitting units during the full-surface deposition of the anode auxiliary electrodes and the light-emitting functional layers; the anode auxiliary electrodes and the light-emitting functional layers are not connected to the conductive portions respectively; the cathode is connected to the conductive portion of the adjacent first partition structure.

[0007] Optionally, the display panel further includes a second partition structure disposed under the first partition structure; the second partition structure is configured to partition the anode auxiliary electrodes of two adjacent light-emitting units during the full-surface deposition of the anode auxiliary electrodes; the first partition structure is configured to partition the light-emitting functional layers of two adjacent light-emitting units during the full-surface deposition of the light-emitting functional layers; the conductive portion of the first partition structure is further configured to connect the cathodes of two adjacent light-emitting units.

[0008] Optionally, the display panel further includes a partition layer disposed under the pixel definition layer and on the anode, in direct contact with the anode; under the orthographic projection of the substrate, the boundary of the partition layer is within the projection range of the pixel definition layer and has a preset distance from the projection boundary of the pixel definition layer, and the pixel definition layer and the partition layer form a second partition structure; the partition layer is further configured to protect the anode during the patterning process of the anode.

[0009] Optionally, the partition layer is formed of a metal or metal alloy material, and the partition layer and the anode are formed of different materials; the preset distance is greater than or equal to 5000 angstroms and less than or equal to 50000 angstroms, and the thickness of the partition layer is greater than or equal to 100 angstroms and less than or equal to 10000 angstroms.

[0010] Optionally, the anode includes a first transparent electrode layer, a first reflective electrode layer, and a second transparent electrode layer, and the first reflective electrode layer is disposed between the first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer; the first reflective electrode layer is formed of a reflective metal material; wherein, the anode auxiliary electrode includes a first auxiliary electrode layer disposed on the second transparent electrode layer and in direct contact with the second transparent electrode layer; wherein, the thickness of the first auxiliary electrode layer is between 10 angstroms and 300 angstroms; the second partition structure is configured to partition the first auxiliary electrode layers of two adjacent light-emitting units; wherein, under the orthographic projection of the substrate, the projection of the anode auxiliary electrode is within the projection range of the anode.

[0011] Optionally, the anode includes a first electrode layer formed of one or more of a metal, a metal alloy, or a metal oxide; the anode auxiliary electrode includes a second reflective electrode layer and a second auxiliary electrode layer. The second reflective electrode layer is formed of a silver material or a silver alloy material, is disposed on the anode, and is in direct contact with the anode; the second auxiliary electrode layer is formed of a metal oxide; the second auxiliary electrode layer is disposed on the second reflective electrode layer and is in direct contact with the second reflective electrode layer; the second partition structure is used to partition the second reflective electrode layers of two adjacent light-emitting units; wherein, the thickness of the second reflective electrode layer is between 1000 angstroms and 5000 angstroms; wherein, the second auxiliary electrode layer is formed by plasma-treating the surface of the first reflective electrode layer on the side away from the substrate to form a metal oxide film layer as the second auxiliary electrode layer.

[0012] The present application also discloses a method for manufacturing a display panel, including the steps of:

[0013] Providing a substrate;

[0014] Depositing and patterning an anode on the substrate;

[0015] Depositing and patterning a pixel definition layer and forming a plurality of opening regions;

[0016] Sequentially depositing a conductive portion material and a partition portion material on the pixel definition layer, and forming a first partition structure after a patterning process;

[0017] Sequentially depositing an anode auxiliary electrode material and a light-emitting functional layer material over the entire surface, and forming an anode auxiliary electrode and a light-emitting functional layer in the opening regions by using the first partition structure;

[0018] Forming a cathode to form a plurality of light-emitting units in the plurality of opening regions;

[0019] Forming a display panel.

[0020] Optionally, in the step of depositing and patterning an anode on the substrate, it includes:

[0021] Sequentially depositing an entire-surface anode material layer and an entire-surface partition layer material layer on the substrate;

[0022] After etching the partition layer material layer at non-opening region positions to form a patterned partition layer, etching the anode material layer by using the partition layer to form a patterned anode, and forming a partition groove at the etching position;

[0023] In the step of depositing and patterning a pixel definition layer and forming a plurality of opening regions, it includes:

[0024] Deposit the entire pixel definition layer material on the isolation layer, and fill the isolation grooves;

[0025] Pattern to form the pixel definition layer, and form a plurality of opening regions, wherein the radial width of the pixel definition layer is greater than the width of the isolation grooves;

[0026] Use the pixel definition layer as a protective layer to etch the isolation layer, so that the pixel definition layer and the isolation layer form a second isolation structure;

[0027] Wherein, under the orthographic projection of the substrate, the boundary of the isolation layer is within the projection range of the pixel definition layer, and has a preset distance from the projection boundary of the pixel definition layer;

[0028] The steps of sequentially depositing the anode auxiliary electrode material and the light-emitting functional layer material over the entire surface and forming the anode auxiliary electrode and the light-emitting functional layer in the opening regions by using the first isolation structure include:

[0029] Deposit the anode auxiliary electrode material over the entire surface, and form the anode auxiliary electrode in the opening regions by using the second isolation structure;

[0030] Deposit the light-emitting functional layer material over the entire surface, and form the light-emitting functional layer in the opening regions by using the first isolation structure.

[0031] The present application also discloses a display device, including a driving circuit and the above-mentioned display panel, wherein the driving circuit is used to drive the display panel to display.

[0032] In the present application, by adding an anode auxiliary electrode on the anode and the light-emitting functional layer, during the deposition process of the anode auxiliary electrode, there is a good contact interface with the anode. Even if there are residual problems with the anode, since the anode auxiliary electrode also has electrical conductivity and is in full contact with the anode, there will be no problem of increased contact resistance. The advantage of this anode auxiliary electrode is that it can be isolated by the first isolation structure without the need for etching, so that the anode auxiliary electrodes of each light-emitting unit are independently arranged, thus avoiding a series of problems caused by etching on the anode auxiliary electrode, such as etching residues and etching oxidation. Importantly, by using this first isolation structure, the anode auxiliary electrode and the subsequent light-emitting functional layer are processed in the same environment. After forming the anode auxiliary electrode, there is no need for an etching process, and the light-emitting functional layer is directly deposited, avoiding the influence of the intermediate process on the film interface between the anode auxiliary electrode and the light-emitting functional layer, thereby improving the light-emitting efficiency and service life of the light-emitting unit. Description of the Drawings

[0033] The accompanying drawings included are used to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of the present application, which form a part of the specification, illustrate the implementation manners of the present application, and together with the written description, explain the principles of the present application. Obviously, the accompanying drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts. In the drawings:

[0034] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a display panel according to the first embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the steps of a manufacturing method of a display panel according to the first embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a display panel according to the second embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a first partition structure and a second partition structure of the present application;

[0038] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a light-emitting unit according to the first embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of an anode according to the second embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of another display panel according to the second embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the steps of a manufacturing method of a display panel according to the second embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the manufacture of a display panel according to the second embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a display device of the present application.

[0044] Among them, 100 is a display panel; 101 is an opening area; 102 is a non-opening area; 110 is a substrate; 120 is a pixel definition layer; 121 is a partition groove; 122 is a first partition structure; 1221 is a conductive part; 1222 is a partition part; 130 is a light-emitting unit; 131 is an anode; 1311 is a first transparent electrode layer; 1312 is a first reflective electrode layer; 1313 is a second transparent electrode layer; 1314 is a first electrode layer; 132 is a light-emitting functional layer; 1321 is a hole injection layer; 1322 is a hole transport layer; 1323 is an electron blocking layer; 1324 is a light-emitting layer; 1325 is a hole blocking layer; 1326 is an electron transport layer; 1327 is an electron injection layer; 133 is a cathode; 134 is an anode auxiliary electrode; 1341 is a first auxiliary electrode layer; 1342 is a second reflective electrode layer; 1343 is a second auxiliary electrode layer; 140 is a partition layer; 141 is a second partition structure; 150 is a pixel driving layer; 200 is a display device; 210 is a driving circuit. Detailed implementation manners

[0045] It should be understood that the terms, the specific structures and functional details disclosed herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments, which are representative, but the present application can be specifically implemented in many alternative forms and should not be construed as being limited only to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0046] In the description of the present application, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be construed as indicating relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, unless otherwise specified, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features; the meaning of "plurality" is two or more. In addition, the terms indicating the orientation or positional relationship such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", etc. are described based on the orientation or relative positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating that the indicated device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus cannot be construed as a limitation to the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0047] The present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and optional embodiments.

[0048] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the display panel according to the first embodiment of the present application. Refer to Figure 1As shown in the figure, the present application discloses a display panel 100, which includes a substrate substrate 110, a pixel definition layer 120, a light-emitting unit 130, and a first partition structure 122. The pixel definition layer 120 is disposed on the substrate substrate 110 and is provided with a plurality of opening regions 101. The light-emitting unit 130 is disposed on the substrate substrate 110 and is located within the opening regions 101. The light-emitting unit 130 includes an anode 131, a light-emitting functional layer 132, and a cathode 133. The anode 131 is disposed on the substrate substrate 110, the light-emitting functional layer 132 is disposed on the anode 131, and the cathode 133 is disposed on the light-emitting functional layer 132. The light-emitting unit 130 further includes an anode auxiliary electrode 134, which is disposed between the anode 131 and the light-emitting functional layer 132, and the anode auxiliary electrode 134 is formed by one or more of metal, metal alloy, or metal oxide. The first partition structure 122 is disposed on the pixel definition layer 120, and the first partition structure 122 includes a conductive portion 1221 and a partition portion 1222. The partition portion 1222 is disposed on the conductive portion 1221, and the radial width of the partition portion 1222 is greater than the radial width of the conductive portion 1221. The first partition structure 122 is used to partition the anode auxiliary electrodes 134 and / or the light-emitting functional layers 132 of two adjacent light-emitting units 130 when the anode auxiliary electrodes 134 and the light-emitting functional layers 132 are deposited over the entire surface.

[0049] In the present application, an anode auxiliary electrode 134 is added between the anode 131 and the light-emitting functional layer 132. During the deposition process, the anode auxiliary electrode 134 has a good contact interface with the anode 131. Even if there are residual problems with the anode 131, since the anode auxiliary electrode 134 also has conductivity and is in full contact with the anode 131, there will be no problem of increased contact resistance. The advantage of this anode auxiliary electrode 134 is that the anode auxiliary electrode 134 can be partitioned by the first partition structure 122, without the need for etching, so that the anode auxiliary electrodes 134 of each light-emitting unit 130 are independently disposed, thereby avoiding a series of problems caused by etching to the anode auxiliary electrode 134, such as etching residues and etching oxidation. Importantly, by using the first partition structure 122, the anode auxiliary electrode 134 and the subsequent light-emitting functional layer 132 are processed in the same environment. After forming the anode auxiliary electrode 134, there is no need for an etching process, and the light-emitting functional layer 132 is directly deposited, avoiding the influence of the intermediate process on the film interface between the anode auxiliary electrode 134 and the light-emitting functional layer 132, thereby improving the light-emitting efficiency and service life of the light-emitting unit 130.

[0050] Specifically, the first partition structure 122 is used to partition the anode auxiliary electrodes 134 and the light-emitting functional layers 132 of two adjacent light-emitting units 130 during the overall deposition of the anode auxiliary electrodes 134 and the light-emitting functional layers 132; the anode auxiliary electrodes 134 and the light-emitting functional layers 132 are not respectively connected to the conductive portion 1221; the cathode 133 is connected to the conductive portion 1221 of the adjacent first partition structure 122.

[0051] Moreover, it is worth mentioning that the first partition structure 122 in this embodiment is a key structure used in the maskless evaporation technology, usually referred to as a conductive partition structure, and is usually used to partition the light-emitting functional layer 132 and the cathode 133. This conductive partition structure can also be referred to as a hanging structure, etc. Among them, it is mainly formed by a relatively narrow conductive portion 1221 provided below and a relatively wide partition portion 1222 provided above. Thus, during the process of evaporating materials, the first partition structure 122 is used as a metal mask, so as to form patterned anode auxiliary electrodes 134, light-emitting functional layers 132, etc. in the required areas such as the opening area 101.

[0052] Considering that the conductive portion 1221 located at the lower part of the first partition structure 122 has conductivity and is generally formed of a metal material. Therefore, when partitioning the anode auxiliary electrodes 134, the anode auxiliary electrodes 134 cannot be overlapped with the conductive portion 1221. Of course, since the conductive portion 1221 is also used to connect the cathodes 133 of two adjacent light-emitting units 130, so as to connect the cathodes 133 of multiple light-emitting units 130 to form a mesh electrode, while reducing the resistance, it is also necessary to consider that the light-emitting functional layer 132 is not connected to the conductive portion 1221 either.

[0053] In one embodiment, by controlling the evaporation angle, a certain distance can be formed between the anode auxiliary electrode 134 and the light-emitting functional layer 132 respectively and the conductive portion 1221, so as to realize that the anode auxiliary electrode 134 and the light-emitting functional layer 132 are not respectively connected to the conductive portion 1221.

[0054] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the steps of the manufacturing method of the display panel according to the first embodiment of the present application. Refer to Figure 2 As shown, corresponding to the above display panel, the present application also discloses a manufacturing method of a display panel, and this manufacturing method includes:

[0055] S10: Provide a substrate;

[0056] S20: Deposit and pattern an anode on the substrate;

[0057] S30: Deposit and pattern a pixel definition layer and form a plurality of opening areas;

[0058] S40: Deposit the conductive part material and the partition part material on the pixel definition layer in sequence, and form a first partition structure after the patterning process;

[0059] S50: Deposit the anode auxiliary electrode material and the light-emitting functional layer material over the entire surface in sequence, and form the anode auxiliary electrode and the light-emitting functional layer in the opening area by using the first partition structure;

[0060] S60: Form a cathode to form a plurality of light-emitting units in the plurality of opening areas;

[0061] S70: Form a display panel.

[0062] In this embodiment, although the anode auxiliary electrode 134 is added, in the manufacturing process, the anode auxiliary electrode 134 only needs to be sequentially evaporated with the light-emitting functional layer 132. Combining with the maskless evaporation technology of the display panel 100, the patterning process of the anode auxiliary electrode 134 is realized by means of the conductive partition structure for evaporating the light-emitting functional layer 132. Without adding extra processes, the formation of the anode auxiliary electrode 134 is achieved, and the anode auxiliary electrode 134 is used to improve the film interface between the anode 131 and the light-emitting functional layer 132. Importantly, it is processed in the same environment as the subsequent light-emitting functional layer 132. After the anode auxiliary electrode 134 is formed, there is no need for an etching process, and the light-emitting functional layer 132 is directly deposited, avoiding the influence of the intermediate process on the film interface between the anode auxiliary electrode 134 and the light-emitting functional layer 132.

[0063] Specifically, in the process of forming the first partition structure 122, by continuously depositing the conductive part 1221 material and the partition part 1222 material over the entire surface, and using photolithography technology, the partition part 1222 material in the opening area 101 and the area other than the first partition structure 122 is removed, and the partition part 1222 in the first partition structure 122 is retained. Secondly, the conductive part 1221 is wet-etched by using the partition part 1222 as a protective layer. Due to the side etching of the conductive part 1221 brought by the wet etching process, the conductive part 1221 is over-etched at the edge position of the partition part 1222, resulting in the width of the conductive part 1221 being smaller than that of the partition part 1222, and forming a conductive partition structure in a shape similar to "overhanging" with a wider upper part and a narrower lower part.

[0064] In this embodiment, the anode auxiliary electrode 134 may include only one electrode layer. The anode auxiliary electrode 134 includes a first auxiliary electrode layer 1341. The first auxiliary electrode layer 1341 is disposed on the second transparent electrode layer 1313 and is in direct contact with the second transparent electrode layer 1313. The first auxiliary electrode layer 1341 of this embodiment may be selected from metal oxide materials such as ITO and IZO with high work functions, or may also be selected from high work function metals or metal alloys such as Pt, Ni, and Au. However, considering that metal or metal alloy materials have opaque characteristics when the thickness is relatively thick, the thickness of the metal or metal alloy materials needs to be limited, that is, the thickness of the first auxiliary electrode layer 1341 does not exceed 30 nm (300 angstroms). Of course, the thickness of the first auxiliary electrode layer 1341 cannot be too thin and should be at least greater than or equal to 10 angstroms.

[0065] During the process of forming the cathode 133 after the light-emitting functional layer 132 is partitioned, due to the partitioning effect of the first partitioning structure 122, the cathode 133 will also be partitioned. Generally, the cathode 133 of the light-emitting unit 130 needs to be provided as a whole surface so as to have the same voltage, so as to control the brightness of the light-emitting unit 130 by adjusting the voltage of the anode 131. Therefore, in this solution, by controlling the evaporation angle, the cathode 133 extends from the opening area 101 to the non-opening area 102, so that the cathode 133 overlaps on the conductive portion 1221, and a whole-surface cathode 133 arranged in a mesh pattern is formed through the conductive portion 1221.

[0066] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of a display panel according to the second embodiment of the present application. Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the first partitioning structure and the second partitioning structure of the present application. Refer to Figures 3 to 4 As shown, on the basis of the above embodiment, this embodiment further additionally includes a second partitioning structure 141. The second partitioning structure 141 is disposed below the first partitioning structure 122. The second partitioning structure 141 is used to partition the anode auxiliary electrode 134, and the first partitioning structure 122 is used to partition the light-emitting functional layer 132.

[0067] Specifically, during the manufacturing process of the light-emitting unit 130 in the display panel 100, generally, the anode 131 is first formed, and the pixel definition layer 120 is formed on the anode 131. After patterning the pixel definition layer 120, the required pixel area, i.e., the opening area 101, is isolated. The opening area 101 is used to form subsequent light-emitting functional layers 132, cathodes 133, etc. After the deposition of the anode 131, a patterning process and subsequent patterning process of the pixel definition layer 120 are required to form the light-emitting functional layer 132. The patterning process generally uses photolithography. After protecting the part of the anode 131 that is not to be etched by the photoresist, the unnecessary part of the anode 131 material is etched, and after the etching is completed, the photoresist on the anode 131 is removed. During this process, on the one hand, there will be a situation where the above-mentioned photolithography machine cannot be removed completely, resulting in residues of the photolithography machine on the anode 131 and causing abnormalities. On the other hand, since the etching process is generally completed in an atmospheric environment, during the etching process, the surface of the anode 131 is prone to oxidation. Especially during the oxidation process, places where the surface of the anode 131 is uneven with peaks or pinholes are more likely to be oxidized, resulting in an increase in the contact resistance between the anode 131 and the light-emitting functional layer 132.

[0068] In the previous embodiment of the present application, although the first partition structure 122 used also has the function of partitioning the anode auxiliary electrode 134, the residual problem of the etching of the anode 131 cannot be improved. Only by setting the anode auxiliary electrode 134 can the contact interface with the light-emitting functional layer 132 be improved. However, when there are large residual problems on the anode 131, it will also lead to a poor film layer interface between the anode 131 and the anode auxiliary electrode 134, thus affecting the light-emitting efficiency. In this embodiment, in addition to having the ability to partition the anode auxiliary electrode 134, the second partition structure 141 can further protect the anode 131 from the above-mentioned residual problems during the etching process of the anode 131.

[0069] Specifically, the display panel 100 further includes a partition layer 140. The partition layer 140 is disposed under the pixel definition layer 120 and on the anode 131, and is in direct contact with the anode 131. Under the orthographic projection of the substrate 110, the boundary of the partition layer 140 is within the projection range of the pixel definition layer 120 and has a preset distance from the projection boundary of the pixel definition layer 120. The pixel definition layer 120 and the partition layer 140 form a second partition structure 141.

[0070] In this embodiment, by adding a spacer layer 140 between the pixel definition layer 120 and the anode 131, the spacer layer 140 is arranged at the bottom and has a width smaller than that of the pixel definition layer 120, so that the edge of the pixel definition layer 120 protrudes from the spacer layer 140, thereby forming a partition structure. The partition structure is arranged around each opening area 101 respectively. When the anode auxiliary electrode 134 is deposited, the redundant anode auxiliary electrode 134 material on the pixel definition layer 120 is disconnected from the anode 131, so that the anode auxiliary electrode 134 is independently arranged.

[0071] Specifically, the second partition structure 141 is used to partition the anode auxiliary electrodes 134 of two adjacent light-emitting units 130 during the full-surface deposition of the anode auxiliary electrode 134; the first partition structure 122 is used to partition the light-emitting functional layers 132 of two adjacent light-emitting units 130 during the full-surface deposition of the light-emitting functional layer 132; the conductive portion 1221 of the first partition structure 122 is further used to connect the cathodes 133 of two adjacent light-emitting units 130. Among them, the second partition structure 141 is located below the first partition structure 122, and in the projection of the substrate 110, the first partition structure 122 is closer to the opening area 101 relative to the first partition structure 122. When partitioning the anode auxiliary electrode 134, the anode auxiliary electrode 134 is directly disconnected from the edge position of the pixel definition layer 120. Moreover, considering that when the first partition structure 122 is used alone, the patterning process of the anode 131 cannot be protected by the spacer layer 140. When the second partition structure 141 is used alone, since the pixel definition layer 120 in the maskless evaporation technology is formed of an inorganic material, its thickness is difficult to support to enable it to have the ability to partition the light-emitting functional layer 132. Therefore, in this embodiment, by combining the advantages of the first partition structure 122 and the second partition structure 141 and respectively overcoming the disadvantages of the two when implemented alone, the light-emitting efficiency and service life of the light-emitting unit 130 are improved without additionally increasing complex processes.

[0072] The main function of the isolation layer 140 is to protect the anode 131 during the patterning process of the anode 131. Specifically, during the formation of the anode 131, independent anodes 131 need to be formed in a plurality of opening regions 101. In this embodiment, by etching the anode 131 and the isolation layer 140 disposed on the anode 131 simultaneously, the isolation layer 140 is used to protect the anode 131. That is, during the etching of the anode 131, it is not necessary to use a photoresist to directly contact the anode 131. Instead, it is disposed on the isolation layer 140 to etch the isolation layer 140 and the anode 131 simultaneously, so as to form a partition groove 121 in the non-opening region 102, making the plurality of anodes 131 independently disposed. It can be understood that the position of the partition groove 121 is insulated by the pixel defining layer 120, and the pixel defining layer 120 partially overlaps with the anode 131 and the isolation layer 140. By setting the pixel defining layer 120, the opening region 101 is defined, that is, the region where the light-emitting unit 130 is disposed.

[0073] In this embodiment, the isolation layer 140 is disposed by covering the anode 131. During the etching of the anode 131, the photoresist is disposed on the isolation layer 140, so that the anode 131 does not contact the photoresist, thereby avoiding the residue problem caused by incomplete stripping of the photoresist material on the anode 131. Moreover, during the subsequent formation of the partition structure, the isolation layer 140 is etched again, so as to expose the anode 131 from the opening region 101, so that the anode 131 can directly contact the subsequent anode auxiliary electrode 134 in the opening region 101. During the process of forming the partition structure by setting the isolation layer 140, the photoresist residue problem in the etching process of the anode 131 is also improved. In addition, when adding the isolation layer 140 to form the partition structure, although the etching technology is adopted, neither the etching of the isolation layer 140 nor the etching of the partition structure requires an additional photomask, and it can be directly completed by using the current process machine tool, which is suitable for the production of the current production line.

[0074] Each light-emitting unit 130 in the display panel 100 can generally be controlled separately. Specifically, the method adopted is to connect the anodes 131 of the light-emitting units 130 to a thin-film transistor respectively and drive them through a pixel driving circuit. When the pixel driving circuit assigns different voltages to the anodes 131, the light-emitting units 130 are controlled to have different light-emitting brightnesses. The pixel driving circuit of the display panel 100 is formed by a thin-film technology and can also be called a pixel driving layer 150. Generally, it is disposed on the substrate 110 and under the anode 131. The pixel driving layer 150 is generally formed by multiple metal layers and insulating layers to form thin-film transistors, driving lines, etc., so as to realize the control of the light-emitting units 130.

[0075] Furthermore, since the anodes 131 of the light-emitting units 130 all need to be connected to the corresponding thin-film transistors, generally, vias are used to connect the two, and the extension lines of the anodes 131 are connected to the thin-film transistors through vias. In this embodiment, the position of the via can be correspondingly set with the position of the above-mentioned isolation layer 140. That is, on the orthographic projection of the substrate 110, the projection of the via between the anode 131 of the current light-emitting unit 130 and the thin-film transistor and the projection of the isolation layer 140 overlap. Through the conductive effect of the isolation layer 140, the resistance at the via is reduced.

[0076] During the formation of the partition structure, the material of the isolation layer 140 can be a metal material or a metal alloy material, but is different from the material used for the anode 131. The main consideration is that in the process of etching the isolation layer 140 to form the pixel defining layer 120, a wet etching process is generally required. Since the wet etching process is isotropic, the isolation layer 140 will undergo side etching, so that the edge of the pixel defining layer 120 protrudes from the isolation layer 140, thus forming a partition structure. And during the etching process, if the anode 131 and the isolation layer 140 use the same material, the corresponding anode 131 will also be etched, resulting in damage to the anode 131 due to etching. When the anode 131 and the isolation layer 140 use different materials, since the etching solution only etches the corresponding material, that is, the etching solution only reacts with the material of the isolation layer 140 during the etching process and does not react with the material of the anode 131, therefore, the anode 131 will not be affected.

[0077] In this embodiment, considering that the partition ability of the second partition structure 141 formed by the pixel defining layer 120 and the isolation layer 140 is limited, its partition ability is mainly related to the preset distance and the thickness of the isolation layer 140, and neither the preset distance nor the thickness of the isolation layer 140 can achieve the ability to completely partition the light-emitting functional layer 132. In this embodiment, the partition of the light-emitting functional layer 132 is mainly realized by the first partition structure 122.

[0078] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the light-emitting unit of the first embodiment of the present application. Refer to Figure 5 As shown, the light-emitting functional layer 132 includes multiple film layer structures such as a hole injection layer 1321, a hole transport layer 1322, an electron blocking layer 1323, a light-emitting layer 1324, a hole blocking layer 1325, an electron transport layer 1326, and an electron injection layer 1327 from the anode 131 to the cathode 133. The electron injection layer 1327 is disposed on the cathode 133 side, and the hole injection layer 1321 is disposed on the anode 131 side. In this embodiment, the first partition structure 122 partitions the above-mentioned film layers in sequence.

[0079] Figure 6Schematic diagram of the anode of the second embodiment of the present application. Refer to Figure 6 As shown, in this embodiment, the anode 131 includes a first transparent electrode layer 1311, a first reflective electrode layer 1312, and a second transparent electrode layer 1313. The first reflective electrode layer 1312 is disposed between the first transparent electrode layer 1311 and the second transparent electrode layer 1313; the first reflective electrode layer 1312 is formed of a reflective metal material; wherein, the anode auxiliary electrode 134 includes a first auxiliary electrode layer 1341, and the first auxiliary electrode layer 1341 is disposed on the second transparent electrode layer 1313 and is in direct contact with the second transparent electrode layer 1313; the second partition structure 141 is used to partition the first auxiliary electrode layers 1341 of two adjacent light-emitting units 130.

[0080] For the display panel 100 mainly using organic light-emitting materials at present, the anode 131 generally adopts a sandwich structure, that is, by sandwiching the first reflective electrode layer 1312 between the first transparent electrode layer 1311 and the second transparent electrode layer 1313, on the one hand, it realizes the protection of the first reflective electrode layer 1312. On the other hand, since the first transparent electrode layer 1311 is generally formed of a metal oxide such as indium tin oxide (ITO), the indium tin oxide has a higher work function, so that more holes are generated on the anode 131 side of the light-emitting unit 130, thereby improving the light-emitting efficiency of the light-emitting unit 130. In this embodiment, the anode 131 adopts a three-layer electrode structure of ITO, silver Ag, and ITO. The material of the corresponding partition layer 140 can be a metal oxide such as IZO (indium zinc oxide), a metal such as Al (aluminum), Mo (molybdenum), Cu (copper), or an alloy of the above metals and other metals.

[0081] The first auxiliary electrode layer 1341 of this embodiment can be selected from metal oxide materials such as ITO and IZO with a high work function, or can also be selected from high work function metals or metal alloys such as Pt, Ni, and Au. However, considering that the metal or metal alloy material has an opaque characteristic when the thickness is relatively thick, the thickness of the metal or metal alloy material needs to be limited, that is, the thickness of the first auxiliary electrode layer 1341 does not exceed 30 nm (300 angstroms). Of course, the thickness of the first auxiliary electrode layer 1341 cannot be too thin and should be at least greater than or equal to 10 angstroms. Among them, under the orthographic projection of the substrate 110, the projection of the anode auxiliary electrode 134 is within the projection range of the anode 131.

[0082] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of another display panel of the second embodiment of the present application. Refer to Figure 7As shown, in another embodiment, due to the protective effect of the isolation layer 140, the anode 131 is set as a single-layer electrode layer. When etching the partition groove 121 in the three-layer anode 131 and using the pixel definition layer 120 to insulate the anode 131, the metal of this triple-layer structure is not easy to etch, and problems such as over-etching or incomplete etching are likely to occur. Therefore, the anode 131 is set as a single metal layer, and the anode 131 includes a first electrode layer 1314, and the first electrode layer 1314 is formed by one or more of metal, metal alloy, or metal oxide.

[0083] Among them, the first electrode layer 1314 can be any one of the above-mentioned ITO, Ag, and ITO three layers. When the first electrode layer 1314 is a silver electrode layer, it can also be used as a reflective metal layer.

[0084] When the anode 131 is a single layer, the anode auxiliary electrode 134 includes a second reflective electrode layer 1342 and a second auxiliary electrode layer 1343. The second reflective electrode layer 1342 is formed of silver material or silver alloy material, and the second reflective electrode layer 1342 is disposed on the anode 131 and is in direct contact with the anode 131; the second auxiliary electrode layer 1343 is formed of metal oxide; the second auxiliary electrode layer 1343 is disposed on the second reflective electrode layer 1342 and is in direct contact with the second reflective electrode layer 1342; the second partition structure 141 is used to partition the second reflective electrode layer 1342 and the second auxiliary electrode layer 1343 of two adjacent light-emitting units 130.

[0085] The second reflective electrode layer 1342 is disposed inside the anode auxiliary electrode 134, that is, the reflective metal layer of the anode 131 is formed by a maskless evaporation technology, that is, using a partition structure, in a vacuum environment, in the same environment as the light-emitting functional layer 132. The manufacturing process of the reflective metal layer no longer requires an etching step. In addition to the advantages mentioned above, it can further improve the film quality of the reflective metal layer, that is, the second reflective electrode layer 1342.

[0086] Specifically, in order to ensure the reflection quality of the second reflective electrode layer 1342, the thickness of the second reflective electrode layer 1342 is greater than or equal to 1000 angstroms. Considering that the second reflective electrode layer 1342 generally needs to be formed by a reflective metal, such as one or two of magnesium material and silver material, and considering the partitioning ability of the partition structure, the thickness of the second reflective electrode layer 1342 needs to be less than or equal to 5000 angstroms. Considering the actual situation, a suitable thickness can be selected from 1500 angstroms to 3000 angstroms.

[0087] In one embodiment, the second auxiliary electrode layer 1343 can be formed of a transparent electrode layer, such as ITO or IZO material. At this time, the anode 131 and the anode auxiliary electrode 134 serve as the driving electrodes on one side of the light-emitting unit 130, and the three-layer structure ITO / IZO, Ag / Mg, ITO / IZO formed by combining the anode 131 and the anode auxiliary electrode 134 has good driving ability for the light-emitting functional layer 132.

[0088] In another embodiment, the second auxiliary electrode layer 1343 can be formed of silver oxide or magnesium oxide material, and the material of the second auxiliary electrode layer 1343 mainly depends on the material of the second reflective electrode layer 1342.

[0089] Wherein, the second auxiliary electrode layer 1343 is formed by plasma-treating the surface of the first reflective electrode layer 1312 away from the substrate 110 side to form a metal oxide film layer as the second auxiliary electrode layer 1343. When the second reflective electrode layer 1342 is a silver electrode, the second auxiliary electrode layer 1343 is a silver oxide electrode. When the second reflective electrode layer 1342 is a magnesium electrode, the second auxiliary electrode layer 1343 is a magnesium oxide electrode.

[0090] In this solution, after the second reflective electrode layer 1342 is vacuum-evaporated, the surface of the second reflective electrode layer 1342 close to the cathode 133 side can be oxidized by plasma treatment to form a relatively thin oxidized metal layer on one side, and this oxidized metal layer serves as the second auxiliary electrode layer 1343. Taking silver material as an example, the second reflective electrode is a silver electrode, and the second auxiliary electrode layer 1343 is silver oxide Ag2O. The work function of this silver oxide rises to 4.8 eV to 5.1 eV, which can better cooperate with the HOMO (5 eV to 6 eV) of the organic material in the light-emitting functional layer 132. Thus, while reducing the manufacturing difficulty of the anode 131, the film interface performance between the anode 131 and the light-emitting functional layer 132 is improved, and the efficiency and service life of the light-emitting unit 130 are improved.

[0091] The manufacturing process sequence in this embodiment is basically the same as that in the previous embodiment, and the difference lies in the use of the materials of the anode 131 and the anode auxiliary electrode 134. When the material of the second auxiliary electrode layer 1343 is the oxide of the material of the second reflective electrode layer 1342, the following steps are further included: after the manufacturing process of the second reflective electrode layer 1342 in the anode auxiliary electrode 134 is completed, the surface of the second reflective electrode layer 1342 in the opening area 101 is plasma-treated so that the surface of the second reflective electrode layer 1342 is oxidized to form a metal oxide as the second auxiliary electrode layer 1343.

[0092] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the steps of the manufacturing method of the display panel according to the second embodiment of the present application. Figure 9It is a schematic diagram of the fabrication of a display panel according to the second embodiment of the present application. Refer to Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, the present application also discloses a method for fabricating a display panel, including the steps of:

[0093] S10: Provide a substrate;

[0094] S201: Sequentially deposit a whole-surface anode material layer and a whole-surface barrier layer material on the substrate;

[0095] S202: After etching the barrier layer material at the non-opening area to form a patterned barrier layer, use the barrier layer to etch the anode material layer to form a patterned anode, and form a partition groove at the etching position;

[0096] S301: Deposit a whole-surface pixel definition layer material on the barrier layer and fill the partition groove;

[0097] S302: Pattern to form a pixel definition layer and form a plurality of opening areas, wherein the radial width of the pixel definition layer is greater than the width of the partition groove;

[0098] S303: Use the pixel definition layer as a protective layer to etch the barrier layer so that the pixel definition layer and the barrier layer form a second partition structure; wherein, under the orthographic projection of the substrate, the boundary of the barrier layer is within the projection range of the pixel definition layer and has a preset distance from the projection boundary of the pixel definition layer;

[0099] S40: Sequentially deposit a conductive part material and a partition part material on the pixel definition layer, and form a first partition structure after patterning;

[0100] S501: Deposit an anode auxiliary electrode material over the entire surface, and form an anode auxiliary electrode in the opening area by using the second partition structure;

[0101] S502: Deposit a light-emitting functional layer material over the entire surface, and form a light-emitting functional layer in the opening area by using the first partition structure;

[0102] S60: Form a cathode to form a plurality of light-emitting units in a plurality of the opening areas;

[0103] S70: Form a display panel.

[0104] In this embodiment, by adding a barrier layer 140 and without the need to additionally add a photomask, on the one hand, the protection of the etching of the anode 131 is achieved, and a second partition structure 141 is also formed, which cooperates with the first partition structure 122 to respectively achieve the partitioning of the anode auxiliary electrode 134 and the light-emitting functional layer 132, thereby improving the overall yield of the display panel 100 by optimizing the manufacturing process.

[0105] When the light-emitting units 130 are of different colors respectively, the steps from S501 to S60 can be repeated. Taking the red light-emitting unit 130 as an example, after the process of the first partition structure 122 is completed, in the opening area 101 where the red light-emitting unit 130 is located, which is simply referred to as the red sub-pixel area, the anode auxiliary electrode 134 is vacuum-evaporated. Then, multiple film layers in the light-emitting functional layer 132 are vacuum-evaporated in sequence, and finally the cathode 133 is deposited, thereby realizing the process of the red light-emitting unit 130. After the process of the red light-emitting unit 130 is completed, in the maskless evaporation technology, red light-emitting units 130 will be formed in the green sub-pixel and blue sub-pixel areas respectively. Therefore, redundant materials in this area need to be removed. An etching protection layer, such as an inorganic encapsulation layer, can be formed at the position of the red sub-pixel, and through a patterned photolithography process, the cathodes 133, light-emitting functional layers 132, and anode auxiliary electrodes 134 in the green sub-pixel and blue sub-pixel areas are removed. After the above process is completed, the process of forming the green light-emitting unit 130 in the green sub-pixel area is repeated, the green light-emitting units 130 in other areas are removed, and finally, after the process of forming the blue light-emitting unit 130, the light-emitting units 130 are encapsulated with an encapsulation layer, and finally other film layers are formed to form the display panel 100.

[0106] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the display device of the present application. Refer to Figure 10 As shown, the present application also discloses a display device. The display device 200 includes a driving circuit 210 and the display panel 100 in any of the above embodiments, wherein the driving circuit 210 is used to drive the display panel 100 to display.

[0107] It should be noted that the inventive concept of the present application can form a very large number of embodiments. However, due to the limited space of the application documents, it is impossible to list them all. Therefore, on the premise of no conflict, the above-described embodiments or technical features can be combined arbitrarily to form new embodiments. After the combination of each embodiment or technical feature, the original technical effect will be enhanced.

[0108] The above content is a further detailed description of the present application in combination with specific optional implementation manners. It cannot be determined that the specific implementation of the present application is only limited to these descriptions. For those of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present application belongs, without departing from the concept of the present application, several simple deductions or substitutions can still be made, which should all be regarded as belonging to the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A display panel, comprising a base substrate, a pixel definition layer and a light-emitting unit, wherein the pixel definition layer is disposed on the base substrate and has a plurality of opening areas, and the light-emitting unit is disposed on the base substrate and is located in the opening areas; characterized in that: The light-emitting unit comprises an anode, a light-emitting functional layer and a cathode, wherein the anode is arranged on the substrate, the light-emitting functional layer is arranged on the anode, and the cathode is arranged on the light-emitting functional layer; The light-emitting unit further comprises an anode auxiliary electrode, the anode auxiliary electrode is arranged between the anode and the light-emitting functional layer, and the anode auxiliary electrode is formed of one or more of metal, metal alloy or metal oxide; The display panel further includes a first partition structure, the first partition structure is arranged on the pixel definition layer, the first partition structure includes a conductive portion and a partition portion, the partition portion is arranged on the conductive portion, and the radial width of the partition portion is greater than the radial width of the conductive portion; The display panel further includes a second partition structure, which is disposed under the first partition structure; the display panel further includes a partition layer, which is disposed under the pixel definition layer and is located on the anode and directly contacts the anode; Under the orthographic projection of the base substrate, the boundary of the partition layer is within the projection range of the pixel definition layer and has a preset distance from the projection boundary of the pixel definition layer, and the pixel definition layer and the partition layer form a second partition structure; The isolation layer is also used to protect the anode during the patterning process of the anode; The second partition structure is used to partition the anode auxiliary electrodes of two adjacent light-emitting units when the anode auxiliary electrode is deposited on the entire surface; The first partition structure is used to partition the light-emitting functional layers of two adjacent light-emitting units when the light-emitting functional layer is deposited on the entire surface; The anode auxiliary electrode and the light-emitting functional layer are not connected to the conductive part respectively; the cathode is connected to the conductive part of the adjacent first partition structure.

2. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The isolation layer is formed of metal or metal alloy material, and the isolation layer and the anode are formed of different materials; The preset distance is greater than or equal to 5000 angstroms and less than or equal to 50000 angstroms, and the thickness of the isolation layer is greater than or equal to 100 angstroms to 10000 angstroms.

3. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The anode comprises a first transparent electrode layer, a first reflective electrode layer and a second transparent electrode layer, wherein the first reflective electrode layer is arranged between the first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer; The first reflective electrode layer is formed of a reflective metal material; Wherein, the anode auxiliary electrode comprises a first auxiliary electrode layer, and the first auxiliary electrode layer is arranged on the second transparent electrode layer and directly contacts the second transparent electrode layer; Wherein, the thickness of the first auxiliary electrode layer is between 10 angstroms and 300 angstroms; The second partition structure is used to separate the first auxiliary electrode layers of two adjacent light-emitting units; Wherein, under the orthographic projection of the base substrate, the projection of the anode auxiliary electrode is within the projection range of the anode.

4. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The anode includes a first electrode layer, and the first electrode layer is formed of one or more of metal, metal alloy or metal oxide; The anode auxiliary electrode comprises a second reflective electrode layer and a second auxiliary electrode layer, the second reflective electrode layer is formed of a silver material or a silver alloy material, and the second reflective electrode layer is arranged on the anode and directly contacts the anode; The second auxiliary electrode layer is formed of metal oxide; the second auxiliary electrode layer is disposed on the second reflective electrode layer and directly contacts the second reflective electrode layer; The second partition structure is used to separate the second reflective electrode layers of two adjacent light-emitting units; Wherein, the thickness of the second reflective electrode layer is between 1000 angstroms and 5000 angstroms; Wherein, the second auxiliary electrode layer is subjected to plasma treatment to form a metal oxide film layer on the surface of the second reflective electrode layer away from the base substrate to serve as the second auxiliary electrode layer.

5. A method for manufacturing a display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The production method comprises the steps of: Providing a substrate; Depositing and patterning an anode on a substrate; Depositing and patterning to form a pixel definition layer, and forming a plurality of opening areas; Depositing a conductive part material and a partition part material on the pixel definition layer in sequence, and forming a first partition structure after a patterning process; Depositing an anode auxiliary electrode material and a light-emitting functional layer material on the entire surface in sequence, and forming an anode auxiliary electrode and a light-emitting functional layer in the opening area by using the first partition structure; forming a cathode to form a plurality of light-emitting units in the plurality of opening regions; forming a display panel; The step of depositing and patterning an anode on a substrate includes: Depositing an entire anode material layer and an entire barrier layer material layer in sequence on the substrate; After etching the partition layer material layer at the non-opening area position to form a patterned partition layer, the anode material layer is etched using the partition layer to form a patterned anode, and a partition groove is formed at the etching position; The step of depositing and patterning a pixel definition layer and forming a plurality of opening areas comprises: Depositing a whole surface of pixel definition layer material on the partition layer and filling the partition grooves; Patterning a pixel definition layer and forming a plurality of opening areas, wherein a radial width of the pixel definition layer is greater than a width of the partition groove; Using the pixel definition layer as a protective layer, etching the partition layer, so that the pixel definition layer and the partition layer form a second partition structure; Wherein, under the orthographic projection of the base substrate, the boundary of the isolation layer is within the projection range of the pixel definition layer and has a preset distance from the projection boundary of the pixel definition layer; The step of sequentially depositing the anode auxiliary electrode material and the light-emitting functional layer material on the entire surface, and using the first partition structure to form the anode auxiliary electrode and the light-emitting functional layer in the opening area includes: Depositing an anode auxiliary electrode material on the entire surface, and forming an anode auxiliary electrode in the opening area using the second partition structure; The light-emitting functional layer material is deposited on the entire surface, and the light-emitting functional layer is formed in the opening area by using the first partition structure.

6. A display device, characterized in that: It comprises a driving circuit and the display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the driving circuit is used to drive the display panel to display.

Images