Display panel, preparation method of display panel and display device

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of display, and provides a display panel, a preparation method of the display panel and a display device.The display panel comprises a substrate, an insulating layer, a first wire and a packaging layer, the insulating layer comprises a first insulator part and a second insulator part which are connected, and the second insulator part is arranged around the first insulator part; the first wire is positioned on one side, back to the substrate, of the insulating layer, and the end part of the first wire is in contact with the surface of one side, back to the substrate, of the first insulator part; the packaging layer is positioned on one side, back to the substrate, of the insulating layer and covers the first insulator part and the first wire; in the direction perpendicular to the plane where the substrate is located, the distance from the face, back to the substrate, of the first insulator part to the substrate is a first distance, the distance from the face, away from the substrate, of the second insulator part to the substrate is a second distance, and the first distance is smaller than the second distance. According to the display panel provided by the invention, the use performance of the display panel can be improved by improving the packaging effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the field of display technology, and more specifically, relates to a display panel, a method for preparing a display panel, and a display device. Background Art

[0002] Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display panel is a display device that uses the self-luminous principle of organic light-emitting materials to achieve display; it has the advantages of fast response speed, high brightness, and full viewing angle, making it a very competitive type of display panel with good development prospects.

[0003] However, the performance of current OLED display products needs to be improved. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present application provides a display panel, a method for manufacturing the display panel, and a display device, so as to improve the performance of the display panel at least to a certain extent.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the technical solution adopted in the present application is: in the first aspect, a display panel is provided, including a substrate, an insulating layer, a first routing line and an encapsulation layer, the insulating layer including a first insulator portion and a second insulator portion connected to each other, the second insulator portion being arranged around the first insulator portion; the first routing line is located on the side of the insulating layer facing away from the substrate, and the end of the first routing line is in contact with the surface of the first insulator portion on the side facing away from the substrate; the encapsulation layer is located on the side of the insulating layer facing away from the substrate and covers the first insulator portion and the first routing line; along the direction perpendicular to the surface where the substrate is located, the distance from the side of the first insulator portion facing away from the substrate to the substrate is a first distance, and the distance from the side of the second insulator portion away from the substrate to the substrate is a second distance, and the first distance is smaller than the second distance.

[0006] In the display panel provided in the embodiment of the present application, by providing a first insulator portion with a relatively thin thickness on the insulating layer and making the first insulator portion located below the end of the first wiring, the area of ​​the packaging layer covering the first wiring can be effectively increased, thereby enhancing the packaging layer's barrier capability to water, oxygen, etc., improving the packaging effect and performance of the display panel, and extending the service life of the display panel.

[0007] Optionally, the encapsulation layer comprises a first encapsulation sub-portion and a second encapsulation sub-portion, the first encapsulation sub-portion covers the first insulating sub-portion, and the second encapsulation sub-portion is arranged around the first encapsulation sub-portion;

[0008] Along a direction perpendicular to the surface where the substrate is located, a distance between a surface of the first packaging sub-part facing away from the substrate and a surface of the first packaging sub-part close to the substrate is a third distance, a distance between a surface of the second packaging sub-part facing away from the substrate and a surface of the second packaging sub-part close to the substrate is a fourth distance, and the third distance is greater than the fourth distance.

[0009] Optionally, the first wiring includes a first metal layer and a second metal layer which are stacked, the first metal layer is located on a side of the second metal layer facing away from the substrate, and an end of the first metal layer protrudes relative to an end of the second metal layer in a direction parallel to a plane where the substrate is located;

[0010] Preferably, the first metal layer comprises a connected protruding portion and an extending portion, the orthographic projection of the extending portion on the substrate coincides with the orthographic projection of the second metal layer on the substrate, the orthographic projection of the protruding portion on the substrate does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the second metal layer on the substrate, and the orthographic projection of the protruding portion on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the first insulator portion on the substrate, and the encapsulation layer covers the protruding portion;

[0011] Preferably, the first wiring further includes a third metal layer, and the third metal layer is located on a side of the second metal layer facing away from the first metal layer.

[0012] Optionally, at least a portion of the protrusion is warped relative to the extension portion toward a side facing away from the substrate.

[0013] Optionally, the first packaging sub-unit includes:

[0014] A first sub-section, located on a side of the first trace facing away from the substrate;

[0015] The second sub-section is located on a side of the first insulating sub-section facing away from the substrate and is connected to the first sub-section to form a closed area.

[0016] Optionally, the first packaging sub-part defines a closed chamber between the protruding portion and an end of the second metal layer pointing to the middle portion of the first insulating sub-part.

[0017] Optionally, the display panel further includes a display area and a non-display area, and the first insulator portion is located in the non-display area.

[0018] In a second aspect, the present application also provides a method for preparing a display panel, comprising:

[0019] substrate;

[0020] preparing an insulating material layer on one side of the substrate;

[0021] Etching the insulating material layer to form an insulating layer, wherein the insulating layer includes a first insulator portion and a second insulator portion, wherein the second insulator portion is disposed around the first insulator portion;

[0022] A first wiring is prepared on a side of the insulating layer facing away from the substrate, wherein an end of the first wiring is in contact with a surface of the first insulator portion facing away from the substrate;

[0023] Preparing a packaging layer on a side of the insulating layer facing away from the substrate, wherein the packaging layer covers the first insulator portion and the first wiring;

[0024] Among them, along the direction perpendicular to the surface where the substrate is located, the distance from the side of the first insulator part facing away from the substrate to the substrate is a first distance, and the distance from the side of the second insulator part away from the substrate to the substrate is a second distance, and the first distance is smaller than the second distance.

[0025] Optionally, the step of preparing a first trace on a side of the insulating layer facing away from the substrate includes:

[0026] A wiring metal layer is prepared on a side of the insulating layer facing away from the substrate, wherein the wiring metal layer covers a side of the first insulator portion facing away from the substrate;

[0027] The routing metal layer is etched and patterned to obtain the first routing.

[0028] In a third aspect, the present application further provides a display device, comprising the display panel described in any one of the above items, or a display panel prepared by the above preparation method.

[0029] The display device provided in the embodiment of the present application includes the above-mentioned display panel, so the display device at least includes the beneficial effects of any one or several of the above-mentioned display panels. The specific effects are described above and will not be repeated here.

[0030] The display panel, display device and display panel preparation method provided by the present application have the beneficial effects that: compared with the related art, the display panel provided by the present application can improve the packaging effect of the packaging layer covering the first wiring by thinning the local area of ​​the insulating layer and making the end of the first wiring located in the thinned area. By thinning the insulating layer and forming a thinned first insulator part, the packaging layer covering the first insulator part can obtain a larger film forming area. At this time, the structure with a certain height difference formed between the first insulator part and the second insulator part can extend the water oxygen corrosion path to a certain extent, and can also improve the packaging performance of the display panel; in addition, the thinning of the insulating layer can also help to thicken the thickness of the packaging layer covering the first insulator part, so as to better fill and wrap the end of the first wiring, which helps to reduce the possibility of the packaging layer being broken and damaged by the first wiring. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0032] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel in the related art;

[0033] Figure 2 An enlarged view of the structure of area A in the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of a display panel is shown;

[0035] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A magnified view of the structure in the middle B area;

[0036] Figure 5 for Figure 2 Another schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure of the display panel shown;

[0037] Figure 6 A flow chart of a method for preparing a display panel provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 7A-7E A schematic diagram of a manufacturing process of a display panel provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the planar structure of a display device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0040] Among them, the reference numerals in the figure are:

[0041] 10. display panel; 110. display area; 120. non-display area; 100. display device;

[0042] 1. substrate; 2. insulating layer; 21. first insulator part; 22. second insulator part; 2', insulating material layer;

[0043] 3, first routing; 31, first metal layer; 311, protruding portion; 312, extending portion; 32, second metal layer; 33, third metal layer; 301, end portion; 3', routing metal layer;

[0044] 4. Encapsulation layer; 41. First encapsulation sub-unit; 411. First sub-unit; 412. Second sub-unit; 42. Second encapsulation sub-unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial effects to be solved by the present application more clearly understood, the present application is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not used to limit the present application.

[0046] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or indirectly on the other element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or indirectly connected to the other element.

[0047] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0048] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0049] In this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or communication with each other; it can be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0050] In the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being “above” or “below” a second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, a first feature being “above”, “above”, and “above” a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being “below”, “below”, and “below” a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0051] In the present application, the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. mean that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the described specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

[0052] The term "substrate" used in the text refers to a material on which a subsequent material layer is added, which is used to provide a bearing matrix for the layers above it. In some embodiments, the substrate can be flexible, stretchable, foldable, bendable or rollable, so that the display panel can be flexible, stretchable, foldable, bendable or rollable. The material of the substrate can be formed by any suitable insulating material with flexibility, such as polyimide (PI), polycarbonate (English name, P), polyether sulfone (English name, PES), and can also be formed by polymer materials such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (English name, PEN), polyarylate (English name, PR) or glass fiber reinforced plastic (English name, FRP). The substrate can be transparent, translucent or opaque. In some other embodiments, the substrate can also be hard, made of hard insulating materials, such as metal, ultra-thin glass, plastic or sapphire wafer. The substrate itself can be patterned. The material added to the substrate may be patterned, or may remain unpatterned.

[0053] The term "layer" or "element" used herein may refer to a structural layer or functional layer composed of different materials constituting the display panel structure, having a certain thickness and covering a certain area. A layer or element may extend over a complete layer or element structure located below or above, or have a smaller range than the layer or element structure located below or above. It should be noted that in the accompanying drawings, the sizes of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity of illustration. It is also understood that when a layer or element is referred to as "on" another layer or element, it may be directly on the other layer or element, or there may be a layer located between the two structures. In addition, it is understood that when a layer or element is referred to as "under" another layer or element, it may be directly under the other layer or element, or there may be more than one intermediate layer or element. It is also understood that when a layer or element is referred to as "between" two layers or two elements, it may be the only layer between the two layers or two elements, or there may also be more than one intermediate layer or element. In addition, a layer or element may be a region of a homogeneous or non-homogeneous continuous structure, the thickness of which is less than the thickness of the continuous structure. For example, a layer may be located between the top and bottom surfaces of the continuous structure or between any paired lateral planes at the top and bottom surfaces. A layer may extend laterally, vertically and / or along a tapered surface. A substrate may be a layer, and one or more layers may be included therein. For example, an interconnect layer may include one or more conductors and contact layers (in which contacts, interconnects and / or vias are formed) and one or more dielectric layers.

[0054] The term "and / or" in this application is only a description of the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this application generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0055] In the related art, in order to prevent water vapor and the like from invading the display panel, it is usually necessary to set an encapsulation layer above the driving circuit layer and the light-emitting element of the display panel to protect the light-emitting element and the driving circuit through the encapsulation layer. Through research, it is found that the encapsulation effect of the encapsulation layer has a great influence on the display effect of the display panel. If cracks appear in the encapsulation layer, the encapsulation performance of the encapsulation layer will be reduced or even fail. Water vapor and oxygen can invade the light-emitting element and the driving circuit along the gaps formed by the cracks in the encapsulation layer, and directly cause the light-emitting function of the light-emitting element to fail. As the area of ​​water and oxygen erosion gradually increases, the above-mentioned failure area gradually expands, and causes poor display of the display panel. Macroscopically, it manifests as black spots in some areas of the display panel.

[0056] Based on this, the embodiments of the present application provide a display panel 10 , a method for manufacturing the display panel 10 , and a display device 100 , so as to alleviate or improve the above technical problems at least to a certain extent.

[0057] See also Figure 1-Figure 3 The embodiment of the present application provides a display panel 10, which includes a substrate 1, an insulating layer 2, a first wiring 3 and an encapsulation layer 4, wherein the insulating layer 2 is located on one side of the substrate 1, the first wiring 3 is located on the side of the insulating layer 2 facing away from the substrate 1, and the first wiring 3 only covers a portion of the surface of the insulating layer 2 facing away from the substrate 1. The encapsulation layer 4 is located on the side of the insulating layer 2 facing away from the substrate 1, and covers the first wiring 3 and the surface of the side of the insulating layer 2 facing away from the substrate 1.

[0058] See also Figure 3 The above-mentioned insulating layer 2 is a continuous film layer structure, and a non-penetrating groove is opened in a partial area of ​​the surface on the side facing away from the substrate 1, so that the thickness of different areas of the insulating layer 2 is different, thereby forming a first insulator part 21 and a second insulator part 22 with different thicknesses and connected, wherein the second insulator part 22 surrounds the first insulator part 21, and the thickness of the first insulator part 21 is less than that of the second insulator part 22.

[0059] In other words, a portion of the surface of the insulating layer 2 facing away from the substrate 1 is thinned. The thinned area forms the first insulator portion 21, and the unthinned area forms the second insulator portion 22. The second insulator portion 22 surrounds the first insulator portion 21.

[0060] Along the direction perpendicular to the surface of substrate 1, the distance from the side of first insulator portion 21 facing away from substrate 1 to substrate 1 is a first distance d1, and the distance from the side of second insulator portion 22 away from substrate 1 to substrate 1 is a second distance d2. The first distance d1 is smaller than the second distance d2.

[0061] The first trace 3 located on the surface of the insulating layer 2 facing away from the substrate 1 has an end 301 in its extending direction. The end 301 is just above the surface of the first insulator portion 21 facing away from the substrate 1 and contacts the surface of the first insulator portion 21 facing away from the substrate 1. Figure 3 At this time, one end of the first routing line 3 extends to the first insulator part 21 and extends into the first insulator part 21. Along the thickness direction of the substrate 1, the orthographic projection of the end 301 of the first routing line 3 on the substrate 1 just falls within the orthographic projection of the first insulator part 21 on the substrate 1. In addition, the first routing line 3 also includes a portion of the routing film layer located on the side surface of the second insulator part 22 facing away from the substrate 1, and is connected to a portion of the first routing line 3 located on the side surface of the first insulator part 21 facing away from the substrate 1.

[0062] When preparing the encapsulation layer 4 on the surface of the above-mentioned film layer, due to the thickness difference between the first insulator part 21 and the second insulator part 22, the film forming area of ​​the encapsulation layer 4 attached to the surface of the above-mentioned film layer becomes larger to a certain extent, which can have the effect of extending the water-oxygen erosion path to a certain extent.

[0063] Therefore, by providing a thinner first insulator portion 21 on the insulating layer 2 and making the first insulator portion 21 located below the end portion 301 of the first wiring 3, the packaging area of ​​the packaging layer 4 covering the first wiring 3 can be effectively increased, so that the packaging layer 4 can more fully fill the surface of the first insulating groove having the end portion 301 of the first wiring 3, so as to better block the water and oxygen transmission path, improve the barrier ability of the packaging layer 4 to water, oxygen, etc., improve the packaging effect and performance of the display panel 10, and extend the service life of the display panel 10.

[0064] In some embodiments, the insulating layer 2 may be prepared by a photolithography process to obtain a first insulator portion 21 and a second insulator portion 22 having different thicknesses.

[0065] In the above preparation process, a mask may be used to carry a corresponding etching pattern to ensure that a desired structure can be obtained after etching is completed.

[0066] Specifically, when preparing the insulating layer 2, the mask used may be a CNTO (contact-oxide-metal) MASK or other masks having similar structures or functions.

[0067] CNTO MASK is a photolithography mask commonly used in the field of semiconductor manufacturing, especially in the processing of contact structures, oxide layers and metal layers. The purpose and structure of the mask have been disclosed in the relevant technology and will not be repeated here.

[0068] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 The display panel 10 includes a display area 110 and a non-display area 120 , wherein the insulating layer 2 extends from the display area 110 to the non-display area 120 .

[0069] In some embodiments, the first insulator portion 21 is disposed in the non-display area 120 .

[0070] Specifically, the number of the first insulator parts 21 can be one or more. When the number of the first insulator parts 21 is more than one, the multiple first insulator parts 21 are arranged at intervals in the non-display area 120. When the first insulator parts 21 are formed in the non-display area 120 adjacent to the display area 110, the above-mentioned improved structure can further improve the packaging effect of the light-emitting elements in the display area 110 adjacent to the first insulator parts 21, and effectively reduce the possibility of light-emitting failure of the light-emitting elements in this area due to water and oxygen corrosion and other reasons.

[0071] Exemplarily, for example, the first insulator portion 21 is formed outside the arc edge of the display area 110 near one end of the bonding area, thereby effectively reducing the possibility of light-emitting failure of the light-emitting element near the arc edge of the display area 110 due to water and oxygen erosion.

[0072] Of course, there is a possibility that part of the first insulator portion 21 is distributed in the display area 110 , and this embodiment does not limit the specific distribution area of ​​the first insulator portion 21 and the shape of the formed groove.

[0073] In the related art, the above-mentioned insulating layer 2 can be directly attached to the surface of the substrate 1, or other multi-layer film structures, such as a buffer layer, a gate insulating layer 2, and other metal wiring structures with conductive communication functions, can be arranged between the substrate 1. The distribution position and function of the above-mentioned film layer structure have been disclosed in the related art and will not be repeated here.

[0074] See also Figure 3 , define the first trace 3 located on the side of the first insulating layer 2 facing away from the substrate 1 as trace 1, and the first trace 3 located on the side of the second insulating layer 2 facing away from the substrate 1 as trace 2. Trajectory 1 and trace 2 have the same film layer structure and are arranged on the same layer.

[0075] In the actual processing, routing one and routing two are prepared through the same process.

[0076] Since the distance between the surface of the first insulator portion 21 facing away from the substrate 1 and the substrate 1 is the first distance d1, the distance between the surface of the second insulator portion 22 facing away from the substrate 1 and the substrate 1 is the second distance d2, and the first distance d1 is smaller than the second distance d2. Therefore, when the trace 1 and the trace 2 are prepared by the same process and have substantially the same thickness, the surface of the trace 1 facing away from the substrate 1 and the surface of the trace 2 facing away from the substrate 1 are located on different planes.

[0077] The surface of the trace 1 facing away from the substrate 1 is defined as the first surface, the surface of the trace 2 facing away from the substrate 1 is defined as the second surface, and the first surface is located on the side of the second surface facing the substrate 1 .

[0078] That is, since a portion of the first insulator portion 21 is thinned and a groove structure is formed, the surface of the first trace 3 located on the side of the first insulator portion 21 facing away from the substrate 1 is also affected to form a concave-convex surface.

[0079] Before preparing the encapsulation layer 4 , the surface of the film layer used for depositing the encapsulation layer 4 is affected by the first insulator portion 21 , the second insulator portion 22 , the first wiring 3 , etc., and has a plurality of uneven step-like structures.

[0080] In order to better encapsulate the surface of the film layer to reduce the possibility of poor encapsulation, encapsulation cracks and other conditions that may affect the encapsulation effect in the encapsulation layer 4, in some embodiments, the encapsulation layer 4 includes at least two stacked film layers. Figure 5 The packaging film layer close to the substrate 1 is defined as the first packaging layer 4, and the packaging film layer far from the substrate 1 is defined as the second packaging layer 4. In some embodiments, the first packaging layer 4 may have a better step coating effect, and the second packaging layer 4 may have a better leveling effect.

[0081] After the first encapsulation layer 4 is prepared, the first encapsulation layer 4 can better cover the surface of the substrate with complex morphology, so that the first wiring 3 and the surface of the insulating layer 2 can be uniformly encapsulated and protected; after the second encapsulation layer 4 is prepared, the second encapsulation layer 4 can fill the concave area formed by the first insulator part 21 to further wrap and cover the first wiring 3, so that the first wiring 3, especially the end 301, can obtain a better encapsulation effect. And it helps to avoid the formation of a gap that penetrates the external environment in the portion of the encapsulation layer 4 corresponding to the end 301 of the first wiring 3.

[0082] In some embodiments, the first encapsulation layer 4 can be prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD); and / or, the second encapsulation layer 4 can be prepared by inkjet printing (Ink-Jet Printing) technology.

[0083] The first encapsulation layer 4 prepared by chemical vapor deposition technology has good adhesion and step coverage ability, and can better cover the surface of the film layer with complex morphology, so as to ensure that the surface of the prepared display panel 10 can be evenly encapsulated and protected.

[0084] In addition, the film layer prepared by chemical vapor deposition technology also has the advantages of relatively uniform thickness and good density, which can effectively block the intrusion of external water vapor, oxygen, impurities, etc., and help improve the stability and reliability of the device.

[0085] Of course, when preparing the above-mentioned encapsulation layer 4, the second encapsulation layer 4 can be prepared immediately after the first encapsulation layer 4 is prepared, so as to realize the continuous preparation of the first encapsulation layer 4 and the second encapsulation layer 4; or, according to the needs of the actual process, after the first encapsulation layer 4 is prepared, some other film layers can be prepared first, and then the above-mentioned second encapsulation layer 4 can be prepared when the display panel 10 is subjected to the final encapsulation treatment. This embodiment does not limit the specific preparation order of the above-mentioned multiple stacked encapsulation film layers.

[0086] Of course, considering that the chemical vapor deposition technology also has certain leveling performance, it is also possible to consider that the above-mentioned encapsulation layer 4 is a single-layer film layer prepared by the chemical vapor deposition technology.

[0087] In some embodiments, the first encapsulation layer 4 includes a first encapsulation sub-portion 41 and a second encapsulation sub-portion 42 . The first encapsulation sub-portion 41 is arranged corresponding to the first insulator portion 21 and covers the first insulator portion 21 . The second encapsulation sub-portion 42 is arranged around the first encapsulation sub-portion 41 to cover the second insulator portion 22 .

[0088] It should be noted that, at this time, in the first routing line 3 located between the first packaging layer 4 and the insulating layer 2 , routing line 1 is located between the first packaging sub-portion 41 and the first insulating sub-portion 21 , and routing line 2 is located between the second packaging sub-portion 42 and the second insulating sub-portion 22 .

[0089] Due to the thickness difference between the first insulator portion 21 and the second insulator portion 22 and the uneven distribution of the first traces 3 , the surface of the first packaging sub-portion 41 facing away from the substrate 1 also has a complex morphology with a certain height difference.

[0090] Along the direction perpendicular to the surface where the substrate 1 is located, the distance between the side of the first packaging sub-part 41 facing away from the substrate 1 and the side of the first packaging sub-part 41 close to the substrate 1 is a third distance d3, and the distance between the side of the second packaging sub-part 42 facing away from the substrate 1 and the side of the second packaging sub-part 42 close to the substrate 1 is a fourth distance d4, and the third distance d3 is greater than the fourth distance d4.

[0091] Since the first encapsulation sub-portion 41 is provided corresponding to the first insulator portion 21, and the thickness of the first insulator portion 21 is less than the thickness of the second insulator portion 22, after the encapsulation layer 4 is applied to cover and wrap the first trace 3, and the groove formed in the area corresponding to the first insulator portion 21 is filled, the thickness of the first encapsulation sub-portion 41 must be greater than the thickness of the second encapsulation sub-portion 42.

[0092] Generally speaking, the distance difference between the first distance d1 and the second distance d2 is substantially the same as the distance difference between the fourth distance d4 and the third distance d3.

[0093] It should be noted that, if the difference between the first distance d1 and the second distance d2 is larger, the thickness of the first encapsulation sub-portion 41 used to fill and cover the first insulator portion 21 and the end portion 301 of the first wiring 3 is correspondingly thicker, and the encapsulation effect of the encapsulation layer 4 on the first wiring 3 and the first insulator portion 21 is better. However, at the same time, the above distance difference will also affect the resistance of the first wiring 3, and may even cause the first wiring 3 to break when crossing the groove, and affect the yield of the display panel 10. Therefore, the distance difference between the first distance d1 and the second distance d2 should not be too large.

[0094] See also Figure 3 The first wiring 3 may be a single-layer structure or a stacked structure made of different materials.

[0095] See also Figure 4 The first wiring 3 is a stacked structure, including at least a first metal layer 31 and a second metal layer 32 which are stacked, and the first metal layer 31 is located on a side of the second metal layer 32 which faces away from the substrate 1 .

[0096] In a direction parallel to the plane where the substrate 1 is located, the end of the first metal layer 31 protrudes relative to the end of the second metal layer 32. Figure 4 Taking the illustrated orientation as an example, at this time, the end of the first metal layer 31 protrudes to the right relative to the end of the second metal layer 32 .

[0097] Specifically, the first metal layer 31 includes a connected protrusion 311 and an extension portion 312, the orthographic projection of the extension portion 312 on the substrate 1 coincides with the orthographic projection of the second metal layer 32 on the substrate 1, the orthographic projection of the protrusion 311 on the substrate 1 does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the second metal layer 32 on the substrate 1, and the orthographic projection of the protrusion 311 on the substrate 1 is located within the orthographic projection of the first insulator portion 21 on the substrate 1.

[0098] The encapsulation layer 4 covers the protrusion 311 to achieve effective wrapping and encapsulation of the protrusion 311 .

[0099] It should be noted that the above-mentioned “non-overlapping” means that the orthographic projection of the protrusion 311 on the substrate 1 and the orthographic projection of the second metal layer 32 on the substrate 1 are arranged at intervals; or, the orthographic projection of the protrusion 311 on the substrate 1 and the orthographic projection of the second metal layer 32 on the substrate 1 only have part of the outer contours that coincide with each other, and the rest of the areas do not overlap.

[0100] The protrusion 311 is located at the end 301 of the first wiring 3, and is an integrated film layer structure of the same layer as the extension 312. Along the direction parallel to the plane where the substrate 1 is located, the side of the second metal layer 32 pointing to the end 301 of the first wiring 3 is recessed inward relative to the first metal layer 31, thereby causing the protrusion 311 connected to the extension 312 to be suspended relative to the second metal layer 32.

[0101] In some embodiments, the first wiring 3 is prepared by patterned etching. When etching the first wiring 3, due to different etching rates of different materials, the first metal layer 31 protrudes outward relative to the second metal layer 32 at the end 301 of the first wiring 3.

[0102] The end 301 is located at the routing line 1 and is covered by the first packaging sub-section 41. Since the thickness of the first packaging sub-section 41 is greater than the thickness of the second packaging sub-section 42. Therefore, the first packaging sub-section 41 can effectively wrap and cover the end 301 of the first routing line 3, as well as the recessed area and the protruding portion 311 formed at the end 301. The complex morphology formed by the recessed portion and the raised protruding portion 311 can be fully wrapped by the thicker first packaging sub-section 41, and at the same time, the defects of cracks in the packaging layer 4 caused by the recessed portion and the protruding portion 311 can be effectively reduced, thereby effectively improving the reliability of the packaging layer 4.

[0103] In some embodiments, at least part of the protrusion 311 is warped relative to the extension portion 312 toward the side facing away from the substrate 1. At this time, the free end of the protrusion 311 can be warped toward the side facing away from the substrate 1 in a direction perpendicular to the plane where the substrate 1 is located, so as to be in a curved shape. Figure 4 .

[0104] In some embodiments, the material of the encapsulation layer 4 includes an organic material.

[0105] The organic material has a certain hygroscopic property and can absorb some moisture. Since the encapsulation layer 4 is attached to the protrusion 311 and is fixedly connected to the protrusion 311, the organic material constituting the encapsulation layer 4 will expand slightly after absorbing an appropriate amount of moisture. Since there is no direct contact between the protrusion 311 and the second metal layer 32, after a part of the film layer of the encapsulation layer 4 expands slightly, there is a possibility that the protrusion 311 will be slightly folded or warped toward the side away from the substrate 1. Since the thickness of the first encapsulation sub-portion 41 covering the first insulator portion 21 is greater than the thickness of the second encapsulation sub-portion 42 covering the second insulator portion 22, when the protrusion 311 is slightly warped, the first encapsulation sub-portion 41 can still maintain good encapsulation performance without forming cracks.

[0106] See also Figure 4 The first encapsulation sub-section 41 for covering the first insulator sub-section 21 comprises a first sub-section 411 and a second sub-section 412 connected to each other, wherein the first sub-section 411 is located on the side of the first trace 3 facing away from the substrate 1, that is, the side of the first metal layer 31 facing away from the substrate 1; the second sub-section 412 is located on the side of the first insulator sub-section 21 facing away from the substrate 1 and connected to the first sub-section 411. A closed area is formed on the side of the second sub-section 412 pointing to the first sub-section 411.

[0107] It can be understood that in the embodiment of the present application, the second sub-portion 412 is used to cover the area on the surface of the first insulating sub-portion 21 where the first trace 3 is not provided, and the first sub-portion 411 is used to cover the surface of the first trace 3 facing away from the substrate 1. The first sub-portion 411 and the second sub-portion 412 are connected to form a complete and continuous first package sub-portion 41.

[0108] The closed area means that the outer contours of the first sub-section 411 and the second sub-section 412 are directly connected and kept closed, so that the first packaging sub-section 41 is a complete and continuous film layer structure, and there are no defects such as breaks and cracks in any area. The closed area is formed at the connection between the first sub-section 411 and the second sub-section 412.

[0109] Considering that there is a gap between the protrusion 311 and one end of the second line pointing to the end 301 (i.e., the protrusion 311 is suspended relative to the second line), in some embodiments, a closed cavity is defined on the first package sub-part 41 covering the protrusion 311. The closed cavity is formed in the area of ​​the first package sub-part 41 facing the end 301 of the first line 3.

[0110] Specifically, the first packaging sub-part 41 defines a closed chamber between the protruding part 311 and the end of the second metal layer 32 pointing to the middle of the first insulating sub-part 21, see Figure 4 .

[0111] It should be noted that when the number of first routing lines 3 is at least two, it is possible that both ends 301 of the two first routing lines 3 and the vicinity thereof are defined by the above-mentioned closed chamber, it is also possible that only one end 301 of the first routing line 3 and the vicinity thereof are defined by the above-mentioned closed chamber, and it is also possible that neither end 301 of the two first routing lines 3 and the vicinity thereof forms the above-mentioned closed chamber.

[0112] This embodiment does not limit the size and dimensions of the closed chamber formed.

[0113] Of course, in other similar embodiments, the first wiring 3 may also be a wiring structure in which three metal layers are stacked in sequence.

[0114] Specifically, the first wiring 3 is also provided to include a third metal layer 33, see Figure 4 The third metal layer 33 is located on the side of the second metal layer 32 facing away from the first metal layer 31 . At this time, the three metal layer structures are stacked in sequence to form a complete first wiring 3 .

[0115] In some embodiments, the material of the first metal layer 31 includes metal titanium, the material of the second metal layer 32 includes metal aluminum, and the material of the third metal layer 33 includes metal titanium.

[0116] The first trace 3 is a titanium / aluminum / titanium (Ti / Al / Ti) laminated structure, see Figure 4 , at this time, the end of the second metal layer 32 moves inward relative to the first metal layer 31 and the third metal layer 33. In the direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 1, the end of the second metal layer 32 is recessed inward relative to the first metal layer 31 and the third metal layer 33. The orthographic projection of the first metal layer 31 on the substrate 1 and the orthographic projection of the third metal layer 33 on the substrate 1 can just coincide, at this time, the orthographic projection of the second metal layer 32 on the substrate 1 is located within the orthographic projection of the third metal layer 33 on the substrate 1; or, the first metal layer 31 is warped due to the protrusion 311, and the orthographic projection of the first metal layer 31 on the substrate 1 is located within the orthographic projection of the third metal layer 33 on the substrate 1.

[0117] It can be understood that the display panel 10 provided in the embodiment of the present application can improve the structure of the insulating layer 2 that contacts the surface of the end 301 of the first wiring 3 so that the packaging layer 4 covering the end 301 of the first wiring 3 can obtain a larger packaging area and a thicker film thickness, thereby achieving the purpose of improving the packaging effect of the packaging layer 4 covering the first wiring 3 and ultimately achieving improved performance of the display panel 10.

[0118] By thinning the insulating layer 2 and forming a thinned first insulator portion 21, the encapsulation layer 4 covering the first insulator portion 21 can obtain a larger film-forming area. At this time, the structure with a certain height difference formed between the first insulator portion 21 and the second insulator portion 22 can extend the water-oxygen corrosion path to a certain extent, and can also improve the encapsulation performance of the display panel 10. In addition, the thinning treatment of the insulating layer 2 also helps to thicken the encapsulation layer 4 covering the first insulator portion 21, thereby better filling and wrapping the end 301 of the first wiring 3, which helps to reduce the possibility of the encapsulation layer 4 being broken and damaged by the first wiring 3.

[0119] Based on the same inventive concept, the present application also provides a method for preparing a display panel 10, see Figure 6 .

[0120] The preparation method comprises:

[0121] Step S1, obtaining a substrate 1;

[0122] Step S2, preparing an insulating material layer 2' on one side of the substrate 1;

[0123] Step S3, etching the insulating material layer 2' to form an insulating layer 2, wherein the insulating layer 2 includes a first insulator portion 21 and a second insulator portion 22, wherein the second insulator portion 22 is disposed around the first insulator portion 21;

[0124] Step S4, preparing a first wiring 3 on the side of the insulating layer 2 facing away from the substrate 1, and an end 301 of the first wiring 3 is in contact with a surface of the first insulator portion 21 facing away from the substrate 1;

[0125] Step S5, preparing a packaging layer 4 on the side of the insulating layer 2 facing away from the substrate 1, wherein the packaging layer 4 covers the first insulator portion 21 and the first trace 3;

[0126] Among them, along the direction perpendicular to the surface where the substrate 1 is located, the distance from the side of the first insulator part 21 facing away from the substrate 1 to the substrate 1 is a first distance d1, and the distance from the side of the second insulator part 22 away from the substrate 1 to the substrate 1 is a second distance d2, and the first distance d1 is smaller than the second distance d2.

[0127] See also Fig. 7A The surface of the insulating material layer 2' located on one side of the substrate 1 facing away from the substrate 1 is a smooth surface.

[0128] After step S3, the insulating material layer 2' is thinned by etching to obtain an insulating layer 2 including a first insulating sub-portion 21 and a second insulating sub-portion 22. At this time, the surface of the insulating layer 2 facing away from the substrate 1 has a complex morphology with grooves, see Figure 7B .

[0129] Step S3 can process the insulating material layer 2' by photolithography technology. The insulating material layer 2' can be patterned and etched using a mask to reduce the thickness of the insulating material layer 2' in some areas and form an insulating layer 2 having a first insulator portion 21 and a second insulator portion 22.

[0130] In step S3, a mask may be used to carry a corresponding etching pattern to ensure that a desired structure can be obtained after etching is completed.

[0131] Specifically, when preparing the insulating layer 2, the mask used may be a CNTO (contact-oxide-metal) MASK or other masks having similar structures or functions.

[0132] In step S4, the step of preparing the first trace 3 on the side of the insulating layer 2 facing away from the substrate 1 includes:

[0133] Step S41: Prepare a wiring metal layer 3' on the side of the insulating layer 2 facing away from the substrate 1. The wiring metal layer 3' covers the side of the first insulator portion 21 facing away from the substrate 1. Figure 7C ;

[0134] Step S42: etching and patterning the wiring metal layer 3' to obtain the first wiring 3, see Fig.7D .

[0135] In step S4, the patterned photoresist may be used as a mask to etch the wiring metal layer 3'.

[0136] Specifically, after step S41 is completed, step S42 is executed. The specific process of step S42 is as follows:

[0137] Step S421, covering the surface of the wiring metal layer 3' facing away from the substrate 1 with photoresist;

[0138] Step S422, performing patterning on the photoresist;

[0139] Step S423, using the patterned photoresist as a mask, etching the wiring metal layer 3' to obtain the first wiring 3;

[0140] Step S424: After the etching is completed, a photoresist pattern stripping operation is performed to remove the photoresist pattern obtained in the above steps.

[0141] At this point, step S42 is completed.

[0142] Finally, step S5 is performed to obtain a packaging layer 4 covering the above-mentioned insulating layer 2 and the first wiring 3. Fig. 7E .

[0143] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that all or part of the steps to implement the above embodiments may be accomplished by hardware or by instructing related hardware through a program, and the program may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and the above-mentioned storage medium may be a read-only memory, a disk, or an optical disk, etc.

[0144] It can be understood that the method for preparing the display panel 10 provided in the embodiment of the present application has the effect of improving the packaging performance of the display panel 10 and further improving the use performance of the display panel 10 .

[0145] Based on the same inventive concept, the present application also provides a display device 100, see Figure 8 The display device 100 includes any one of the display panels 10 described above, or a display panel 10 prepared by the above preparation method.

[0146] Regarding the specific structure of the display panel 10 , please refer to the specific description in the aforementioned embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0147] The display device 100 provided in this embodiment can be a mobile phone, a notebook, a tablet computer, a smart watch, a smart bracelet, a navigator, a display, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and other products or components with display functions.

[0148] Since the display device 100 has the above-mentioned display panel 10 , the display device 100 at least includes the beneficial effects of any one or several of the above-mentioned display panels 10 . The specific effects are described above and will not be repeated here.

[0149] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present application should be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A display panel, characterized in that: include: Substrate (1); An insulating layer (2), the insulating layer (2) comprising a first insulator portion (21) and a second insulator portion (22) connected to each other, the second insulator portion (22) being arranged around the first insulator portion (21); A first wiring (3) is located on a side of the insulating layer (2) facing away from the substrate (1), and an end (301) of the first wiring (3) is in contact with a surface of a side of the first insulator portion (21) facing away from the substrate (1); an encapsulation layer (4), located on a side of the insulating layer (2) facing away from the substrate (1) and covering the first insulator portion (21) and the first wiring (3); Along a direction perpendicular to the surface where the substrate (1) is located, the distance from the side of the first insulator portion (21) facing away from the substrate (1) to the substrate (1) is a first distance, and the distance from the side of the second insulator portion (22) away from the substrate (1) to the substrate (1) is a second distance, and the first distance is smaller than the second distance.

2. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The encapsulation layer (4) comprises a first encapsulation sub-portion (41) and a second encapsulation sub-portion (42), wherein the first encapsulation sub-portion (41) covers the first insulating sub-portion (21), and the second encapsulation sub-portion (42) is arranged around the first encapsulation sub-portion (41); Along a direction perpendicular to the surface where the substrate (1) is located, the distance between a side of the first packaging sub-part (41) facing away from the substrate (1) and a side of the first packaging sub-part (41) close to the substrate (1) is a third distance, and the distance between a side of the second packaging sub-part (42) facing away from the substrate (1) and a side of the second packaging sub-part (42) close to the substrate (1) is a fourth distance, and the third distance is greater than the fourth distance.

3. The display panel according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first wiring (3) comprises a first metal layer (31) and a second metal layer (32) which are stacked, the first metal layer (31) being located on a side of the second metal layer (32) facing away from the substrate (1), and an end of the first metal layer (31) protruding relative to an end of the second metal layer (32) in a direction parallel to a plane where the substrate (1) is located; Preferably, the first metal layer (31) comprises a connected protruding portion (311) and an extending portion (312); the orthographic projection of the extending portion (312) on the substrate (1) coincides with the orthographic projection of the second metal layer (32) on the substrate (1); the orthographic projection of the protruding portion (311) on the substrate (1) does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the second metal layer (32) on the substrate (1); the orthographic projection of the protruding portion (311) on the substrate (1) is located within the orthographic projection of the first insulator portion (21) on the substrate (1); and the encapsulation layer (4) covers the protruding portion (311); Preferably, the first wiring (3) further comprises a third metal layer (33), and the third metal layer (33) is located on a side of the second metal layer (32) facing away from the first metal layer (31).

4. The display panel according to claim 3, characterized in that: At least a portion of the protrusion (311) is warped relative to the extension portion (312) toward a side facing away from the substrate (1).

5. The display panel according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first packaging sub-unit (41) comprises: A first sub-section (411) is located on a side of the first trace (3) facing away from the substrate (1); The second sub-section (412) is located on a side of the first insulating sub-section (21) facing away from the substrate (1), and is connected to the first sub-section (411) to form a closed area.

6. The display panel according to claim 4, characterized in that: The first packaging sub-part (41) defines a closed chamber between the protruding part (311) and an end of the second metal layer (32) pointing to the middle of the first insulating sub-part (21).

7. The display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The display panel (10) further comprises a display area (110) and a non-display area (120), and the first insulator portion (21) is located in the non-display area (120).

8. A method for preparing a display panel, characterized in that: include: Substrate (1); Preparing an insulating material layer on one side of the substrate (1); Etching the insulating material layer to form an insulating layer (2), wherein the insulating layer (2) comprises a first insulator portion (21) and a second insulator portion (22), wherein the second insulator portion (22) is arranged around the first insulator portion (21); A first wiring (3) is prepared on a side of the insulating layer (2) facing away from the substrate (1), wherein an end (301) of the first wiring (3) is in contact with a surface of a side of the first insulator portion (21) facing away from the substrate (1); A packaging layer (4) is prepared on a side of the insulating layer (2) facing away from the substrate (1), wherein the packaging layer (4) covers the first insulator portion (21) and the first wiring (3); In which, along a direction perpendicular to the surface where the substrate (1) is located, the distance from the side of the first insulator part (21) facing away from the substrate (1) to the substrate (1) is a first distance, and the distance from the side of the second insulator part (22) away from the substrate (1) to the substrate (1) is a second distance, and the first distance is smaller than the second distance.

9. The method for preparing a display panel according to claim 8, characterized in that: The step of preparing a first trace (3) on a side of the insulating layer (2) facing away from the substrate (1) comprises: A wiring metal layer is prepared on a side of the insulating layer (2) facing away from the substrate (1), wherein the wiring metal layer covers a side of the first insulator portion (21) facing away from the substrate (1); The routing metal layer is etched and patterned to obtain the first routing (3).

10. A display device, characterized in that: A display panel (10) comprising any one of claims 1 to 7, or a display panel (10) prepared according to claim 8 or 9.

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