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 partition structure. 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 disposed between the anode and the light-emitting functional layer, and the anode auxiliary electrode is formed of one or more of a metal, a metal alloy, or a metal oxide. The partition structure is configured to partition the anode auxiliary electrodes of adjacent two light-emitting units when the anode auxiliary electrode is deposited over the entire surface. 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] This application relates to the field of display technologies, and in particular, 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 of their light weight, wide viewing angle, fast response, low-temperature resistance, high luminous efficiency, and the ability to fabricate flexible curved display screens. Due to the increasingly mature 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 increase 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 this 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] This application discloses a display panel. The display panel includes a substrate, a pixel definition layer, a light-emitting unit, and a 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 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 partition structure is used to partition the anode auxiliary electrodes of adjacent two light-emitting units during the deposition of the entire surface of the anode auxiliary electrode.

[0006] Optionally, the anode includes a first transparent electrode layer, a first reflective electrode layer, and a second transparent electrode layer. 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. Among them, 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. Among them, the thickness of the first auxiliary electrode layer is between 10 angstroms and 300 angstroms.

[0007] Optionally, the anode includes a first electrode 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 formed of a silver material or a silver alloy material, and the second reflective electrode layer is disposed on the anode and in direct contact with the anode; the thickness of the second reflective electrode layer is from 1000 angstroms to 5000 angstroms.

[0008] Optionally, the anode auxiliary electrode further includes a second auxiliary electrode layer; 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 in direct contact with the second reflective electrode layer; wherein, the second auxiliary electrode layer is formed by plasma-treating the surface of the second reflective electrode layer on the side away from the substrate to form a metal oxide film layer as the second auxiliary electrode layer.

[0009] Optionally, the display panel further includes a partition layer disposed under the pixel defining layer and on the anode and 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 defining layer and has a preset distance from the projection boundary of the pixel defining layer, and the pixel defining layer and the partition layer form a partition structure; the partition structure is used to partition the anode auxiliary electrodes of adjacent two light-emitting units when the anode auxiliary electrode is deposited over the entire surface.

[0010] Optionally, the partition layer is formed of a metal or a 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.

[0011] The present application also discloses a method for manufacturing a display panel, including the steps of:

[0012] Providing a substrate;

[0013] Depositing and patterning an anode on the substrate;

[0014] Depositing and patterning a pixel defining layer and forming a plurality of opening areas;

[0015] Forming a partition structure;

[0016] Sequentially depositing an anode auxiliary electrode material over the entire surface, and using the partition structure to form an anode auxiliary electrode in the opening areas;

[0017] Forming a light-emitting functional layer and a cathode to form a plurality of light-emitting units in the plurality of opening areas;

[0018] Form a display panel.

[0019] Optionally, the step of depositing and patterning to form an anode on the substrate substrate includes:

[0020] Deposit a whole-surface anode material layer and a whole-surface spacer layer material on the substrate substrate in sequence;

[0021] Etch the spacer layer material and the anode material layer in sequence at non-opening areas to form a patterned spacer and anode, and form a partition groove at the etching position;

[0022] The step of depositing and patterning to form a pixel definition layer and forming a plurality of opening areas includes:

[0023] Deposit a whole-surface pixel definition layer material on the spacer layer and fill the partition groove;

[0024] 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;

[0025] The step of forming the partition structure includes:

[0026] Use the pixel definition layer as a protective layer to etch the spacer layer so that the pixel definition layer and the spacer layer form a partition structure;

[0027] Wherein, under the orthographic projection of the substrate substrate, the boundary of the spacer 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] Optionally, the anode is 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, the second reflective electrode layer 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;

[0029] Wherein, the second auxiliary electrode layer forms a metal oxide film layer on the surface of the second reflective electrode layer away from the substrate substrate through plasma treatment to serve as the second auxiliary electrode layer; wherein, the thickness of the second reflective electrode layer is between 1000 angstroms and 5000 angstroms.

[0030] This 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.

[0031] In this application, an anode auxiliary electrode is added 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 partitioned through a partition structure, so that the anode auxiliary electrodes of each light-emitting unit are independently set, without the need for etching, thus avoiding a series of problems caused by etching to the anode auxiliary electrode, such as etching residues and etching oxidation. Importantly, the subsequent light-emitting functional layer is 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. Moreover, in the same environment, such as a vacuum environment, the anode auxiliary electrode and the light-emitting functional layer are formed in sequence, so that the contact interface between the two materials of the anode auxiliary electrode and the light-emitting functional layer is improved, thereby enhancing the light-emitting efficiency and service life of the light-emitting unit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] 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, and are used to illustrate the implementation manners of the present application and, together with the text description, to explain the principles of the present application. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings. In the drawings:

[0033] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a display panel according to the first embodiment of the present application;

[0034] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a partition structure according to the first embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an anode according to the first embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a light-emitting unit according to the first embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the steps of a method for manufacturing a display panel according to the first embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the steps of another method for manufacturing a display panel according to the first embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the process of manufacturing a display panel according to the first embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of a display panel according to the second embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 9 It is a schematic diagram of a display device according to the present application.

[0042] 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; 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; 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 partition structure; 150 is a pixel driving layer; 200 is a display device; 210 is a driving circuit. Detailed Embodiments

[0043] It should be understood that the terms, specific structures and functional details disclosed here 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.

[0044] 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 quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, unless otherwise stated, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features; the meaning of "a 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 purpose of facilitating the description of 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.

[0045] The present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and optional embodiments.

[0046] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of a display panel according to the first embodiment of the present application. Refer toFigure 1 As shown in the figure, the present application discloses a display panel. The display panel 100 includes a substrate substrate 110, a pixel definition layer 120, a light-emitting unit 130, and a partition structure 141. 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. The anode auxiliary electrode 134 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 partition structure 141 is used to partition the anode auxiliary electrodes 134 of two adjacent light-emitting units 130 during the deposition of the entire surface of the anode auxiliary electrode 134.

[0047] In the present application, by adding the anode auxiliary electrode 134 between the anode 131 and the light-emitting functional layer 132, during the deposition process of the anode auxiliary electrode 134, there is 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 electrical 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 partition structure 141, so that the anode auxiliary electrodes 134 of each light-emitting unit 130 are independently disposed, without the need for etching, thus avoiding a series of problems caused by etching to the anode auxiliary electrode 134, such as etching residues and etching oxidation. Importantly, the subsequent light-emitting functional layer 132 is 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. Moreover, in the same environment, such as a vacuum environment, the anode auxiliary electrode 134 and the light-emitting functional layer 132 are formed in sequence, so that the contact interface between the materials of the anode auxiliary electrode 134 and the light-emitting functional layer 132 is improved, thereby enhancing the light-emitting efficiency and service life of the light-emitting unit 130.

[0048] Among them, it is worth mentioning that during the manufacturing process of the light-emitting unit 130 of 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 regions, namely the opening regions 101, are isolated. The opening regions 101 are 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 processes of the pixel definition layer 120 are required to form the light-emitting functional layer 132. The patterning process generally adopts photolithography. After protecting the part of the anode 131 that is not to be etched by photoresist, the unnecessary part of the anode 131 material is etched, and the photoresist on the anode 131 is removed after the etching is completed. In this process, on the one hand, there will be a situation where the photoresist is not completely removed, resulting in residual photoresist on the anode 131, which causes abnormalities. On the other hand, since the etching process is generally completed in an atmospheric environment, during the etching process, it is easy for the surface of the anode 131 to be oxidized. Especially during the oxidation process, the 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. Generally speaking, to address the above problems, an additional plasma treatment can be added between the evaporation of the light-emitting functional layer 132 to clean the surface of the anode 131. However, it is difficult to control the process conditions of the plasma treatment. Too much is likely to cause damage to the anode 131, and too little is likely to result in incomplete cleaning, thus failing to achieve the effect of cleaning the surface of the anode 131. However, in the technical solution of the present application, by providing an anode auxiliary electrode 134 between the anode 131 and the light-emitting functional layer 132, the above problems are solved through the anode auxiliary electrode 134, thereby improving the display effect and service life of the display panel 100.

[0049] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the partition structure of the first embodiment of the present application. Refer to Figure 2 As shown, 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 partition structure 141.

[0050] In this embodiment, by adding a spacer layer 140 between the pixel definition layer 120 and the anode 131, the spacer layer 140 is disposed below 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 141. The partition structure 141 is disposed around each opening region 101 respectively. When vapor-depositing the anode auxiliary electrode 134, 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 disposed.

[0051] During the formation of the partition structure 141, the material of the spacer 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 spacer layer 140 to form the pixel definition layer 120, a wet etching process is generally required. Since the wet etching process is isotropic, the spacer layer 140 will undergo side etching, so that the edge of the pixel definition layer 120 protrudes from the spacer layer 140, thereby forming the partition structure 141. During the etching process, if the anode 131 and the spacer 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 spacer 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 spacer layer 140 during the etching process and does not react with the material of the anode 131, the anode 131 will not be affected.

[0052] In addition to forming the partition structure 141, the spacer layer 140 used in this application also protects the anode 131 during the etching process.

[0053] Continuing from the above, 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 simultaneously etching the anode 131 and the spacer layer 140 disposed on the anode 131, the spacer 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, but to dispose it on the spacer layer 140 to simultaneously etch the spacer layer 140 and the anode 131, so as to form a partition groove 121 in the non-opening region 102, so that a plurality of anodes 131 are independently disposed. It can be understood that the position of the partition groove 121 is insulated by the pixel definition layer 120, and the pixel definition layer 120 partially overlaps with the anode 131 and the spacer layer 140. By setting the pixel definition layer 120, the opening region 101 is defined, that is, the region where the light-emitting unit 130 is disposed.

[0054] In this embodiment, the isolation layer 140 is disposed by covering the anode 131. During the process of etching the anode 131, there is no need to dispose photoresist on the anode 131, that is, the anode 131 does not contact with 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 141, 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 be directly contacted with the subsequent anode auxiliary electrode 134 in the opening region 101. During the process of forming the partition structure 141 by disposing 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 141, although the etching technology is adopted, neither the etching of the isolation layer 140 nor the etching of the partition structure 141 requires adding 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.

[0055] Each light-emitting unit 130 in the display panel 100 can generally be controlled separately. Specifically, the way 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 anode 131, the light-emitting unit 130 is controlled to have different light-emitting brightness. The pixel driving circuit of the display panel 100 is formed by thin-film technology, and can also be called a pixel driving layer 150, which is generally 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 unit 130.

[0056] Furthermore, since the anodes 131 of the light-emitting units 130 all need to be connected to the corresponding thin-film transistors, generally speaking, they are connected through vias, and the extension line of the anode 131 is connected to the thin-film transistor through a via. 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 and the thin-film transistor of the current light-emitting unit 130 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.

[0057] Specifically, the anode 131 in this embodiment 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.

[0058] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the anode of the first embodiment of the present application. Refer to Figure 3 As shown, for the current display panel 100 mainly using organic light-emitting materials, the anode 131 generally adopts a sandwich structure, that is, the first reflective electrode layer 1312 is sandwiched 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 metal oxides 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 isolation layer 140 can be metal oxides such as IZO (indium zinc oxide), metals such as Al (aluminum), Mo (molybdenum), Cu (copper), or alloys of the above metals with other metals, etc.

[0059] Specifically, 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 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 metal or metal alloy materials have an opaque characteristic 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 it needs to be at least greater than or equal to 10 angstroms.

[0060] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the light-emitting unit of the first embodiment of the present application. Refer to Figure 4 As shown, the light-emitting functional layer 132 includes 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 and other multi-layer film structures 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.

[0061] Further, considering that the partition structure 141 needs to partition at least the anode auxiliary electrode 134 and may also partition the light-emitting functional layer 132, it is necessary to limit the partitioning ability of the partition structure 141. Since the partitioning ability of the partition structure 141 is mainly related to the preset distance and the thickness of the partition layer 140, it is necessary to limit the preset distance and the thickness of the partition layer 140 in the partition structure 141. The preset distance w is greater than or equal to 5000 angstroms and less than or equal to 50000 angstroms, and the thickness h of the partition layer 140 is greater than or equal to 100 angstroms to 10000 angstroms. Of course, if the partition structure 141 in this embodiment considers the thickness problem of the partition layer 140, the partition structure 141 can only be used to partition the anode auxiliary electrode 134, and the subsequent light-emitting functional layer 132 can be formed by using a metal mask evaporation technology. Of course, in the technology where the partition structure 141 in the above another embodiment is a hanging structure, the light-emitting functional layer 132 can also be formed by using a hanging structure for maskless evaporation technology.

[0062] Figure 5 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 5 As shown, the present application also discloses a manufacturing method of a display panel corresponding to the above embodiment, including the steps:

[0063] S10: Provide a substrate;

[0064] S20: Deposit and pattern an anode on the substrate;

[0065] S30: Deposit and pattern a pixel definition layer and form a plurality of opening regions;

[0066] S40: Form a partition structure;

[0067] S50: Deposit an anode auxiliary electrode material and a light-emitting functional layer material over the entire surface in sequence, and use the partition structure to form an anode auxiliary electrode and a light-emitting functional layer in the opening regions;

[0068] S60: Form a cathode to form a plurality of light-emitting units in the plurality of opening regions;

[0069] S70: Form a display panel.

[0070] In this embodiment, the present application adds an anode auxiliary electrode 134 on the anode 131 and the light-emitting functional layer 132. The anode auxiliary electrode 134 is partitioned by a partition structure 141, so that the anode auxiliary electrode 134 of each light-emitting unit 130 is independently arranged without the need for etching, thereby avoiding a series of problems caused by etching to the anode auxiliary electrode 134, such as etching residues and etching oxidation. Importantly, the process is carried out in the same environment as the subsequent light-emitting functional layer 132. 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. Moreover, in the same environment, such as a vacuum environment, the anode auxiliary electrode 134 and the light-emitting functional layer 132 are sequentially formed, so that the contact interface between the two materials of the anode auxiliary electrode 134 and the light-emitting functional layer 132 is improved, thereby enhancing the light-emitting efficiency and service life of the light-emitting unit 130.

[0071] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the steps of another manufacturing method of the display panel according to the first embodiment of the present application. Figure 7 It is a schematic flowchart of the manufacturing of the display panel according to the first embodiment of the present application. Refer to Figures 6 to 7 As shown, in the step of S10, other structures such as a pixel driving layer are also formed on the substrate.

[0072] Specifically, the step of S20 includes:

[0073] S201: Deposit a whole-surface anode material layer and a whole-surface partition layer material layer on the substrate in sequence;

[0074] S202: Etch the partition layer material layer and the anode material layer in sequence at the non-opening area to form a patterned partition layer and an anode, and form a partition groove at the etching position.

[0075] Among them, the anode 131 material includes the above-mentioned ITO, Ag, and ITO materials, and the first transparent electrode layer 1311, the first reflective electrode layer 1312, and the second transparent conductive layer are formed by the above three materials. Then, the first transparent electrode layer 1311, the first reflective electrode layer 1312, and the second transparent conductive layer need to be deposited in sequence, and after completion, the partition layer 140 is deposited. During the etching process, the etching is carried out in the order of the partition layer 140, the second transparent conductive layer, the first reflective electrode layer 1312, and the first transparent conductive layer.

[0076] The step of S30 includes:

[0077] S301: Deposit a whole-surface pixel definition layer material on the partition layer and fill the partition groove;

[0078] S302: Pattern to form a 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 partition groove.

[0079] The step in S40 includes:

[0080] S401: Use the pixel definition layer as a protective layer to etch the partition layer, so that the pixel definition layer and the partition layer form a partition structure.

[0081] Wherein, 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.

[0082] In the step of S50, an anode auxiliary electrode 134 is formed. The first auxiliary electrode layer 1341 is formed by using the material of the first auxiliary electrode layer 1341 as the anode auxiliary electrode 134.

[0083] Of course, the formation step of the light-emitting functional layer 132 may also be formed not by using the maskless evaporation technology through the partition structure 141, but by the relatively mature metal mask evaporation technology. It is worth mentioning that in the metal mask evaporation technology, etching is also not required, and the evaporation environment is a vacuum environment, which can be the same as the environment of the maskless evaporation technology used for the anode auxiliary electrode 134, so as to achieve the above effects.

[0084] Generally, the anode 131 is the sandwich structure of the first transparent electrode layer 1311, the first reflective electrode layer 1312 and the second transparent electrode layer 1313 in the first embodiment above. However, when the partition groove 121 is etched out in the three-layer structure anode 131 and the pixel definition layer 120 is used to insulate the anode 131, since the first transparent electrode layer 1311 and the second transparent electrode layer 1313 are sandwiched on both sides of the first reflective electrode layer 1312, mainly to protect the middle first reflective electrode layer 1312, the metal of this three-layer sandwich is not easy to etch, and problems such as over-etching or incomplete etching are likely to occur.

[0085] Therefore, in addition to forming the anode auxiliary electrode 134 by using the partition structure 141, on the basis of setting the anode auxiliary electrode 134, this embodiment further improves the anode 131.

[0086] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the display panel of the second embodiment of the present application. See Figure 8As shown, other structures of this application are basically the same as those in the first embodiment. The main difference lies in the anode 131. The anode 131 includes a first electrode 1314, and the first electrode 1314 is formed by one or more of metal, metal alloy, or metal oxide; the anode auxiliary electrode 134 includes a second reflective electrode layer 1342, and the second reflective electrode layer 1342 is formed by silver material or silver alloy material. The second reflective electrode layer 1342 is disposed on the anode 131 and is in direct contact with the anode 131.

[0087] In this solution, the anode 131 only includes one layer of electrode, that is, the first electrode 1314, which can be formed by one or more of metal, metal alloy, or metal oxide, making the etching of the anode 131 easier during the patterning process of the anode 131. Moreover, 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, by using the partition structure 141, in a vacuum environment and 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 above-mentioned advantages, it can further improve the film quality of the reflective metal layer, that is, the second reflective electrode layer 1342.

[0088] 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 141, 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.

[0089] The anode auxiliary electrode 134 further includes a second auxiliary electrode layer 1343; the second auxiliary electrode layer 1343 is formed by 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.

[0090] In one embodiment, the second auxiliary electrode layer 1343 can be formed by 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 triple-layer structure ITO / IZO, Ag / Mg, ITO / IZO formed by combining the anode 131 and the anode auxiliary electrode 134 has a good driving ability for the light-emitting functional layer 132.

[0091] In another embodiment, the second auxiliary electrode layer 1343 may 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.

[0092] Wherein, the second auxiliary electrode layer 1343 is formed by subjecting the surface of the second reflective electrode layer 1343 on the side away from the substrate 110 to plasma treatment 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.

[0093] 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 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 enhanced.

[0094] The manufacturing sequence in this embodiment is basically the same as that in the previous embodiment, and the difference lies in the use of materials for 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 subjected to plasma treatment, 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.

[0095] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the display device of the present application. Refer to Figure 9 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.

[0096] 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 arbitrarily combined to form new embodiments. After the combination of each embodiment or technical feature, the original technical effect will be enhanced.

[0097] 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, and all should 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 comprises a partition structure, wherein the 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 display panel further comprises a partition layer, wherein the partition layer 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 partition structure; 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 to 10000 angstroms; The anode includes a first electrode, and the first electrode is formed of a metal oxide; The anode auxiliary electrode includes a second reflective electrode layer, the second reflective electrode layer is formed of a silver material or a silver alloy material, the second reflective electrode layer is arranged on the first electrode and directly contacts the first electrode; the thickness of the second reflective electrode layer is 1000 angstroms to 5000 angstroms; The anode auxiliary electrode further includes a second auxiliary electrode layer; 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; 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 substrate so as to serve as the second auxiliary electrode layer; The second reflective electrode layer and the light-emitting functional layer are formed in the same environment by using the partition structure and a maskless evaporation technology.

2. A method for manufacturing the display panel according to claim 1, 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; forming a partition structure; Depositing anode auxiliary electrode materials on the entire surface in sequence, and forming an anode auxiliary electrode in the opening area using the partition structure; forming a light-emitting functional layer and a cathode to form a plurality of light-emitting units in the plurality of opening areas; 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; Sequentially etching the partition layer material layer and the anode material layer at the non-opening area to form a patterned partition layer and an anode, and forming a partition groove 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; The step of forming the partition structure comprises: 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 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 anode 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, the second reflective electrode layer is arranged 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 arranged on the second reflective electrode layer and is in direct contact with the second reflective electrode layer; 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 substrate so as to serve as the second auxiliary electrode layer; Wherein, the thickness of the second reflective electrode layer is between 1000 angstroms and 5000 angstroms.

3. A display device, characterized in that: The invention comprises a driving circuit and the display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driving circuit is used to drive the display panel to display.

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