Display device

Abstract

A display device is disclosed. A display device according to the present disclosure includes: a substrate including a display area having a plurality of sub-pixels and a non-display area; a dam disposed in the non-display area; an encapsulation layer including an encapsulation material and formed in the display area and the non-display area; and a flow control unit for controlling a flow of an encapsulation material, the flow control unit being disposed between the display area in the non-display area and the dam to surround the display area.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a display device, and more particularly, for example but not limited to, a display device capable of minimizing the area of a border. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the importance of display devices has increased with the development of multimedia. Various display devices have been proposed, such as liquid crystal displays, field emission displays, inorganic light-emitting displays, and organic light-emitting displays.

[0003] Since the display device is applied to small portable electronic devices such as smartphones and tablet PCs, even in a small-sized display device with an attractive appearance, for a relatively large screen, the border area should be minimized or eliminated.

[0004] The descriptions provided in the description of the background art section should not be assumed to be prior art merely because they are mentioned in the description of the background art section or are associated with the description of the background art section. The description of the background art section may include information describing one or more aspects of the subject technology, and the description in this section does not limit the present invention. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The inventors have recognized the limitations in minimizing or eliminating the border area of a display device. Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a display device that can significantly reduce the border area by controlling the flow of an organic material when forming an encapsulation layer to minimize the number of dams.

[0006] The display device according to the present disclosure includes: a substrate including a display area and a non-display area having a plurality of sub-pixels; dams provided in the non-display area; an encapsulation layer including an encapsulation material and formed in the display area and the non-display area; and a flow control unit for controlling the flow of the encapsulation material, the flow control unit being provided between the dams in the display area and the non-display area to surround the display area.

[0007] The flow control unit includes a plurality of flow control patterns on a planarization layer, and the flow control patterns may be made of the same material as the dam layer.

[0008] The flow control unit includes a plurality of flow control patterns on the interlayer insulating layer, and the flow control patterns include a first flow control layer made of the same material as the material of the planarization layer on the interlayer insulating layer and a second flow control layer made of the same material as the material of the dam layer on the first flow control layer.

[0009] The encapsulation layer includes a first encapsulation layer covering the light-emitting device and the flow control pattern, a second encapsulation layer on the first encapsulation layer, and a third encapsulation layer on the second encapsulation layer. The first encapsulation layer on the flow control pattern may protrude upward through the flow control pattern, and the protruding area of the first encapsulation layer may have hydrophobic properties.

[0010] The protruding area of the first encapsulation layer may have hydrophobic properties.

[0011] The size of the flow control pattern may increase from the display area to the dam, and the density of the flow control pattern may increase from the display area toward the dam.

[0012] The size of the flow control pattern provided on the corner portion of the substrate may be larger than the size of the flow control pattern provided on the four sides of the substrate, and the density of the flow control pattern provided on the corners of the substrate may be greater than the density of the flow control pattern provided on the four sides of the substrate.

[0013] According to the present disclosure, the bezel area can be significantly reduced by controlling the flow of the organic material when forming the encapsulation layer to minimize the number of dams.

[0014] According to the present disclosure, the flow control unit can control the flow rate of the encapsulation material diffusion so as to prevent the encapsulation material from flowing out of the display device when only one dam is provided or no dam is provided.

[0015] According to the present disclosure, the flow control pattern can control the flow rate of the encapsulation material diffusing within the flow control unit to control the area where the encapsulation material diffuses during the coating time of the encapsulation material, so as to prevent the encapsulation material from flowing out of the display device when only one dam is provided or no dam is provided.

[0016] The effects according to the present disclosure are not limited to those illustrated above, and various other effects are included in the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The above and other aspects, features, and other advantages of the present disclosure will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0018] Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of an organic light-emitting display device according to the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of a sub-pixel of an organic light-emitting display device according to the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 3 is a circuit diagram conceptually showing a sub-pixel of an organic light-emitting display device according to the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 4is a plan view schematically showing the structure of a display device according to the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 5 is a view briefly showing the structure of a flow control unit of a display device according to the present disclosure, and showing the control of the flow rate of a packaging material in the flow control unit.

[0023] Figure 6A 、 Figure 6B and Figure 6C are views showing different shapes of a flow control pattern of a display device according to the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 7A and Figure 7B are views showing different structures of a flow control pattern of a display device according to the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 8A and Figure 8B is a view showing another structure of a flow control pattern of a display device according to the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 9 is a view showing the structure of a flow control pattern at a corner of a display device according to the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a display device according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a display device according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] Throughout the drawings and the detailed description, unless otherwise described, the same reference numerals should be understood to refer to the same elements, features, and structures. For clarity, illustration, and convenience, the relative sizes and descriptions of these elements may be exaggerated. Detailed Embodiments

[0030] Now, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail, and examples thereof can be shown in the drawings. The progress of the described processing steps and / or operations is an example. However, the order of the steps and / or operations is not limited to that described herein and may be changed as known in the art, except for steps and / or operations that must occur in a specific order. The names of the respective elements used in the following explanations may be selected only for the convenience of writing the specification, and thus may be different from the names used in actual products.

[0031] The advantages and features of the present disclosure, as well as the methods for achieving them, will become clear from the exemplary embodiments described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. The exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains. The present disclosure is defined only by the scope of the appended claims.

[0032] In the drawings used to describe the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the shapes, sizes, dimensions (e.g., length, width, height, thickness, radius, diameter, area, etc.), ratios, angles, quantities, etc. disclosed are illustrative, and thus the present disclosure is not limited to the matters shown. Throughout the present disclosure, the same reference numerals refer to the same components. In addition, in the following description of the present disclosure, when it is determined that the detailed description of known related technologies unnecessarily obscures the gist of the present disclosure, its detailed description will be omitted herein. When terms such as "comprising", "having", "including", "containing", "constituting", "made of", "formed by", "consisting of", etc. mentioned in the present disclosure are used, other parts may be added unless the term "only" is used herein. When a component is expressed in the singular, it may also include the plural unless otherwise specified.

[0033] The term "exemplary" is used to mean an example or illustration. An aspect is an example aspect. "Embodiment", "example", "aspect", etc. should not be construed as being superior to other implementations. Unless otherwise specified, an embodiment, an example, an exemplary embodiment, an aspect, etc. may refer to one or more embodiments, one or more examples, one or more exemplary embodiments, or one or more aspects, etc. In addition, the term "may" encompasses all meanings of the term "can".

[0034] The dimensions, including the size and thickness, of the respective components shown in the drawings are shown for convenience of description, and the present disclosure is not limited to the size and thickness of the components shown. However, it should be noted that the relative dimensions, including the relative size, position, and thickness, of the components shown in the respective drawings submitted herein are part of the present disclosure.

[0035] When analyzing a component, the error range is construed as being included even if not explicitly described.

[0036] When describing a positional relationship, for example, when the positional relationship between two parts is described as "on", "above", "over", "under", "below", "beside", "beneath", "near", "close to", "adjacent to", "on the side of", "proximate to", etc., unless "immediately" or "directly" is used, one or more other parts may be located between these two parts.

[0037] Spatially relative terms such as "under", "below", "beneath", "lower", "above", "upper", etc. may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature as shown in the figures. It should be understood that, in addition to the orientation shown in the figures, spatially relative terms may also include different orientations of the element during use or operation. For example, if the element in the figure is inverted, the element described as "under" or "below" another element or feature will be oriented "above" the other element or feature. Thus, the exemplary term "under" may include both the orientation of under and above. Similarly, the exemplary terms "above" or "over" may include the orientations of "above" and "below".

[0038] When describing a temporal relationship, for example, when a temporal precedence relationship is described as "after", "subsequently", "next", "then", "before", etc., unless "immediately" or "directly" is used, discontinuous cases may also be included.

[0039] Although terms such as "first", "second", "A", "B", "a", and "b" are used to describe various components, these components are not essentially limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another. Thus, within the technical spirit of the present disclosure, the first component described below may essentially be the second component.

[0040] When describing the components of the present disclosure, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used. These terms are only used to distinguish elements from other elements, and the nature, order, or quantity of the elements is not limited by these terms. When a component is described as "coupled" or "connected" to another component, the component may be directly coupled or connected to the other component, but is indirectly coupled or connected to the other component without special description. It should be understood that other components may be "interposed" between each component that is connected or can be connected.

[0041] As used herein, the term "device" may include a display device, such as a liquid crystal module (LCM) including a display panel and a driving unit for driving the display panel, and an organic light emitting display module (OLED module). In addition, the term "device" may also include a notebook computer, a television, a computer monitor, vehicle electric devices including devices for vehicles or other types of vehicles, and complete electronic devices or complete sets of devices as finished products (complete products or end products) including LCMs and OLED modules, such as mobile electronic devices like smart phones or electronic boards.

[0042] Accordingly, the device in the present invention may include display devices themselves such as LCMs, OLED modules, etc., application products including LCMs, OLED modules, etc., or complete sets of devices as end-user devices.

[0043] The present disclosure can be applied to various display devices. For example, the display device of the present disclosure can be applied to various display devices such as organic light emitting display devices, inorganic light emitting diode (ILED) display devices, liquid crystal display devices, electrophoretic display devices, quantum dot display devices, micro LED (micro light emitting device) display devices, and mini LED display devices, and is not limited thereto. However, in the following description, for the sake of convenience of explanation, an organic light emitting display device will be described as an example.

[0044] The features of various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may be partially or completely attached to or combined with each other, and may be interlocked and operated in various technical ways, and the exemplary embodiments may be executed independently or in association with each other.

[0045] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical terms and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the exemplary embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in a common dictionary, should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless explicitly so defined herein.

[0046] In aspects of the present disclosure, for the sake of convenience of description, the source electrode and the drain electrode are distinguished from each other. However, the source electrode and the drain electrode may be used interchangeably. The source electrode may be the drain electrode, and the drain electrode may be the source electrode. In addition, the source electrode in any aspect of the present disclosure may be the drain electrode in another aspect of the present disclosure, and the drain electrode in any aspect of the present disclosure may be the source electrode in another aspect of the present disclosure.

[0047] The present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0048] Figure 1is a schematic block diagram of an organic light emitting display device according to the present disclosure, Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of a sub-pixel of an organic light emitting display device according to the present disclosure.

[0049] As Figure 1 shown, the organic light emitting display device 100 includes an image processing unit 102, a timing control unit 104, a gate driving unit 106, a data driving unit 107, a power supply unit 108, a display panel 109, etc. The exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. In addition, all components of each display device according to all embodiments of the present disclosure are operably coupled and configured.

[0050] The image processing unit 102 outputs image data provided from the outside (e.g., from an external device such as a host system) and driving signals for driving various devices. For example, the driving signals from the image processing unit 102 may include a data enable signal, a vertical synchronization signal, a horizontal synchronization signal, a clock signal, etc. Here, the horizontal synchronization signal is a signal indicating the time taken for one horizontal line of the display screen, and the vertical synchronization signal is a signal indicating the time taken for displaying one frame of the screen. The data enable signal may correspond to a signal indicating a period for supplying a data voltage to the pixel.

[0051] The image data and the driving signals are provided from the image processing unit 102 to the timing control unit 104. The timing control unit 104 writes and outputs a gate timing control signal GDC for controlling the driving timing of the gate driving unit 106 and a data timing control signal DDC for controlling the driving timing of the data driving unit 107 based on the driving signals from the image processing unit 102.

[0052] The gate driving unit 106 outputs a scan signal to the display panel 109 in response to the gate timing control signal GDC provided from the timing control unit 104. For example, the gate driving unit 106 may be a circuit for driving a plurality of gate lines GL1 to GLm, and may provide a scan signal to these gate lines. The gate driving unit 106 outputs a scan signal through the plurality of gate lines GL1 to GLm. In this case, the gate driving unit 106 may be formed in the form of an integrated circuit (IC), but is not limited thereto. The gate driving unit 106 includes various gate driving circuits, and the gate driving circuits may be directly formed on the substrate 110. In this case, the gate driving unit 106 may be gate-in-panel (GIP), but is not limited thereto.

[0053] As another example, the gate driving unit 106 may be configured with at least one gate IC. For example, the gate driving unit 106 may be connected to the display panel 109 by, for example, a tape automated bonding (TAB) method, a chip on glass (COG) method, a chip on panel (COP) method, or a chip on film (COF) method, but is not limited thereto.

[0054] The data driving unit 107 outputs a data voltage to the display panel 109 in response to a data timing control signal DDC input from the timing control unit 104. The data driving unit 107 samples and latches the digital data signal DATA provided from the timing control unit 104 to convert it into an analog data voltage based on a gamma voltage. For example, the data driving unit 107 may be a circuit for driving a plurality of data lines DL1 to DLn, and may provide data signals to the plurality of data lines DL1 to DLLn. The data driving unit 107 outputs a data voltage through the plurality of data lines DL1 to DLn. In this case, the data driving unit 107 may be mounted on the upper surface of the display panel 109 in the form of an integrated circuit (IC), but is not limited thereto.

[0055] The power supply unit 108 outputs a high potential voltage VDD, a low potential voltage VSS, etc. based on an external input voltage provided from the outside to supply them to the display panel 109. The high potential voltage VDD is supplied to the display panel 109 through a first power line EVDD, and the low potential voltage VSS is supplied to the display panel 109 through a second power line EVSS. At this time, in addition to the high potential voltage VDD and the low potential voltage VSS, the power supply unit 108 may also generate and output a voltage required for driving the gate driving unit 106, a voltage required for driving the data driving unit 107, and a voltage required for driving the memory. That is, the voltage from the power supply unit 108 is applied to the data driving unit 107 or the gate driving unit 106 to drive them.

[0056] The display panel 109 displays an image based on the data voltage from the data driving unit 107, the scan signal from the gate driving unit 106, and the power from the power supply unit 108.

[0057] The display panel 109 includes a plurality of sub-pixels SP to display an image. The plurality of sub-pixels SP are the smallest units that constitute the display area, and n sub-pixels SP form one pixel. Each of the plurality of sub-pixels SP can emit light having different wavelengths from each other. The plurality of sub-pixels can include a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel, and a third sub-pixel that emit light of different colors from each other. For example, the sub-pixel SP can include a red sub-pixel, a green sub-pixel, and a blue sub-pixel. In addition, the sub-pixel SP can include a white sub-pixel, a red sub-pixel, a green sub-pixel, and a blue sub-pixel. The white sub-pixel, the red sub-pixel, the green sub-pixel, and the blue sub-pixel can be formed in the same area, or can be formed in different areas. The embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, sub-pixels SP of other colors (such as magenta, cyan, or yellow) can be alternatively or additionally included, but are not limited thereto.

[0058] For example, the plurality of sub-pixels SP can include a red sub-pixel, a green sub-pixel, and a blue sub-pixel, where the red sub-pixel, the green sub-pixel, and the blue sub-pixel can be arranged in a repeating manner. Alternatively, the plurality of sub-pixels SP can include a red sub-pixel, a green sub-pixel, a blue sub-pixel, and a white sub-pixel, where the red sub-pixel, the green sub-pixel, the blue sub-pixel, and the white sub-pixel can be arranged in a repeating manner, or the red sub-pixel, the green sub-pixel, the blue sub-pixel, and the white sub-pixel can be arranged in a quadrilateral type. For example, the red sub-pixel, the blue sub-pixel, and the green sub-pixel can be sequentially arranged along the row direction, or the red sub-pixel, the blue sub-pixel, the green sub-pixel, and the white sub-pixel can be sequentially arranged along the row direction. However, in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the color type, the arrangement type, and the arrangement order of the sub-pixels are not limited, and can be configured in various forms according to the light-emitting characteristics, the device lifetime, and the device specifications.

[0059] In addition, according to the light-emitting characteristics, the sub-pixels can have different light-emitting areas. For example, a sub-pixel that emits light of a color different from that of the blue sub-pixel can have a light-emitting area different from that of the blue sub-pixel. For example, the red sub-pixel, the blue sub-pixel, and the green sub-pixel or the red sub-pixel, the blue sub-pixel, the white sub-pixel, and the green sub-pixel can each have a different light-emitting area.

[0060] As Figure 2As shown, a sub-pixel SP can be connected to a gate line GL1, a data line DL1, a first power line EVDD, and a second power line EVSS. Depending on the configuration of the pixel circuit, the sub-pixel SP may include a plurality of thin film transistors and a storage capacitor. For example, the sub-pixel SP may include two transistors and one capacitor (referred to as 2T1C), but is not limited thereto, and may include more or fewer elements. The sub-pixel SP may be composed of 3T1C, 4T1C, 5T1C, 6T1C, 7T1C, 3T2C, 4T2C, 5T2C, 6T2C, 7T2C, 8T2C, etc.

[0061] Figure 3 It is a circuit diagram showing the sub-pixel SP of the organic light-emitting display device 100 according to the present disclosure.

[0062] As Figure 3 shown, the organic light-emitting display device 100 according to the present disclosure includes a gate line GL, a data line DL, and a power line PL that cross each other to define a sub-pixel SP. A switching thin film transistor Ts, a driving thin film transistor Td, a storage capacitor Cst, and a light-emitting device D are provided in the sub-pixel SP.

[0063] The switching thin film transistor Ts is connected to the gate line GL and the data line DL. In particular, the gate electrode of the switching thin film transistor Ts is connected to the gate line GL, and the drain electrode of the switching thin film transistor Ts is connected to the data line DL. The driving thin film transistor Td and the storage capacitor Cst are connected between the switching thin film transistor Ts and the power line PL. The light-emitting device D is connected to the driving thin film transistor Td.

[0064] In the organic light-emitting display device having such a structure, when the switching thin film transistor Ts is turned on according to the gate signal applied to the gate line GL, the data signal applied to the data line DL is applied to the gate electrode of the driving thin film transistor Td and one electrode of the storage capacitor Cst through the switching thin film transistor Ts.

[0065] The driving thin film transistor Td is turned on according to the data signal applied to its gate electrode. As a result, a current proportional to the data signal is provided from the power line PL to the light-emitting device D through the driving thin film transistor Td, and then the light-emitting device D emits light with a brightness proportional to the current flowing through the driving thin film transistor Td.

[0066] The driving thin film transistor Td is turned on according to the data signal applied to the gate electrode. As a result, a current proportional to the data signal is provided from the power line PL to the light-emitting device D through the driving thin film transistor Td, and then the light-emitting device D emits light with a brightness proportional to the current flowing through the driving thin film transistor Td.

[0067] In the figure, only two thin film transistors Td and Ts and one capacitor Cst are provided, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Three or more thin film transistors and two or more capacitors may be provided in the present disclosure.

[0068] Figure 4 is a plan view schematically showing the structure of the display device 100 according to the present disclosure.

[0069] As Figure 4 shown, the display device 100 according to the present disclosure includes a display area AA for displaying an image and a non-display area NA provided outside the display area AA. The non-display area NA may refer to an area outside the display area AA. Several types of signal lines may be provided in the non-display area NA, and several types of driving circuits may be connected. At least a part of the non-display area NA may be bent so as not to be visible from the front surface of the display device 100, or may be covered by a housing or a casing of the display device 100 (not shown). The non-display area NA may also be referred to as an edge area or a border area. For example, the non-display area NA may completely surround or partially surround the display area AA. For example, the non-display area NA may be adjacent to the display area AA and provided outside the display area AA.

[0070] A plurality of pixels P are arranged in the display area AA, and each pixel P includes a plurality of sub-pixels SP. At this time, the sub-pixel SP may be a red (R) sub-pixel, a green (G) sub-pixel, or a blue (B) sub-pixel, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the sub-pixel SP may be a white (W) sub-pixel.

[0071] Although not shown in the figure, a plurality of gate lines and data lines are arranged in the display area AA, and the sub-pixels SP are provided in the crossing area of the gate lines and the data lines. In each sub-pixel SP, a thin film transistor serving as a switching element and a display device for displaying an image are provided.

[0072] The display device may include various display devices. For example, the display device may be an organic light emitting display device, a liquid crystal display device, a quantum dot display device, a micro LED display device, or a mini LED display device, but is not limited thereto.

[0073] A gate driving unit and a data driving unit for applying various signals to the sub-pixels SP may be provided in the non-display area NA. The gate driving unit applies a scanning signal to the sub-pixels SP through the gate lines, and the data driving unit applies an image signal to the sub-pixels SP through the data lines.

[0074] A dam DAM is formed in the non-display area NA surrounding the display area AA. When the thin film transistors or the organic light-emitting layers of the display device 100 are exposed to external impurities such as air or moisture, the thin film transistors or the organic light-emitting layers deteriorate and the display device 100 is defective. Therefore, an encapsulation layer (not shown) must be formed in the display device 100 to seal the display device 100 from the external environment. As will be explained later, when an encapsulation material is applied to form the encapsulation layer, the dam DAM is formed in the non-display area NA to block the flow of the encapsulation material, thereby preventing the encapsulation material from flowing to the outside of the display device 100. The encapsulation layer may include an inorganic encapsulation material / an inorganic encapsulation layer and / or an organic encapsulation layer. For example, the inorganic encapsulation layer may include an inorganic insulating material capable of low-temperature deposition, such as silicon nitride (SiN), silicon oxide (SiO), silicon oxynitride (SiO2), and aluminum oxide (AlO). For example, the organic encapsulation layer may include an organic insulating material, such as an acrylic resin, an epoxy resin, a polyimide, a polyethylene, and silicon oxycarbide (SiOC).

[0075] In a general display device, a plurality of dams DAM are provided around the outer side of the display area AA to reliably prevent the encapsulation material from flowing out. The reasons for forming the plurality of dams DAM are as follows.

[0076] If the encapsulation layer is not formed with a uniform thickness over the entire area of the display device 100, the image quality deteriorates due to light refraction at the interface of the encapsulation layer. When the encapsulation material is distributed and diffused over the entire area of the display device 100, if the diffusion rate is not uniform, the encapsulation material is not formed with a uniform thickness. That is, when the encapsulation material diffuses in all directions of the display device 100, the encapsulation material diffuses at different speeds according to the direction, such that a quantity of the encapsulation material greater than a set amount is applied to some areas and a quantity of the encapsulation material less than the set amount is applied to other areas. As a result, the cured encapsulation layer is formed with an uneven thickness.

[0077] The deterioration of the image quality particularly occurs when the encapsulation layer is formed with a thickness less than the set thickness. Therefore, in order to form the entire encapsulation layer with a thickness greater than the set thickness in a general display device, considering the difference in the diffusion rate, it is necessary to distribute a quantity of the encapsulation material greater than the set amount. In addition, a plurality of dams DAM must be formed in the non-display area to reliably block the diffusion of the encapsulation material exceeding the set amount to the outside.

[0078] However, when the display device 100 includes a plurality of dams DAM, the bezel area of the display device 100 increases due to an increase in the area of the non-display area NA. Therefore, it is difficult to meet the recent demand for the borderless display device 100.

[0079] In the present disclosure, the border area is minimized by providing only one dam DAM or completely removing the dam DAM, but when the encapsulation material is coated, the encapsulation material does not flow out of the display device 100.

[0080] The encapsulation layer is formed by coating the encapsulation material over the entire area of the display device 100 and then curing it. That is, after the encapsulation material is dispensed and diffused throughout the display device 100 for a predetermined coating time, light such as ultraviolet light is irradiated to harden the coated encapsulation material to form the encapsulation layer. Therefore, when the dispensed encapsulation material diffuses at high speed, the encapsulation material flows out beyond the dam DAM into the non-display area NA during the predetermined coating time.

[0081] In addition, since the encapsulation material diffused to the sides of the display device 100 can flow from the sides to the corner areas, the encapsulation material flowing from both sides can be collected in the corner areas. In this case, the over-coated encapsulation material may flow out of the display device 100.

[0082] As described above, when the encapsulation material is coated onto the display device 100, the encapsulation material is unevenly coated throughout the display device 100 depending on the position and various circumstances, and this uneven coating of the encapsulation material causes a defect in that the encapsulation material flows out of the display device 100.

[0083] In the present disclosure, by controlling the flow rate of the encapsulation material, the size of the area where the encapsulation material diffuses during the coating time of the encapsulation material is controlled, so that the encapsulation material does not flow out of the display device 100 even when only one dam DAM is provided or when there is no dam DAM.

[0084] As Figure 4 shown, in the present disclosure, a flow control unit EFC is provided in the non-display area NA to control the flow rate of the encapsulation material diffusing in the non-display area NA. At this time, the flow control unit EFC is formed in the inner area of the dam DAM in the non-display area NA along the periphery of the display area AA. That is, the flow control unit EFC can be formed between the display area AA and the dam DAM. However, the flow control unit EFC is not limited thereto and can extend from the non-display area NA to the display area AA.

[0085] A flow control pattern 152 is formed in the flow control unit EFC. The flow control pattern 152 includes a plurality of patterns made of an organic material or an inorganic material to reduce the flow rate of the encapsulation material.

[0086] Figure 5 is a view briefly showing the structure of the flow control unit EFC of the display device 100 according to the present disclosure, and shows the control of the flow rate of the encapsulation material in the flow control unit EFC.

[0087] As shown Figure 5 in FIG. 2, the flow control unit EFC includes a plurality of flow control patterns 152. Since the flow control pattern 152 has the shape of a protruding pattern, the encapsulation material diffused into the non-display area NA is blocked by the flow control pattern 152, the flow of the encapsulation material is delayed, and thus the diffusion speed of the encapsulation material is reduced. In addition, since the encapsulation material blocked by the flow control pattern 152 flows along the edge of the flow control pattern 152, the diffusion distance of the encapsulation material increases, and thus the diffusion speed of the encapsulation material is reduced. In addition, since a certain amount of encapsulation material is filled in the space between the flow control patterns 152, the diffusion speed of the encapsulation material is also reduced.

[0088] In the drawings, the flow control pattern 152 is formed in an elongated oval shape, but the flow control pattern 152 is not limited to this shape, and the plurality of flow control patterns 152 may have the same or different sizes. In addition, the distance between two adjacent flow control patterns 152 among the plurality of flow control patterns 152 may be the same or different. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0089] Figure 6A 、 Figure 6B and Figure 6C are views showing different shapes of the flow control pattern 152 of the display device 100 according to the present disclosure.

[0090] As shown Figure 6A in FIG. 3, the flow control pattern 152 may be formed in a circular shape and may be disposed in the entire area of the flow control unit EFC. At this time, the flow control pattern 152 may have the same size in the entire area of the flow control unit EFC, but may have different sizes according to the position. For example, in one direction, the size of the flow control pattern 152 may gradually increase or gradually decrease, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0091] As shown Figure 6B and Figure 6C in FIGS. 4 and 5, the flow control pattern 152 may be formed in a square or triangular polygon, but is not limited thereto, and may be formed in various polygon shapes such as a pentagon or a hexagon. In addition, in one direction, the size of the flow control pattern 152 formed in one of the various polygon shapes may gradually increase or gradually decrease, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0092] Figure 7A and Figure 7B are diagrams showing different structures of the flow control pattern 152 of the display device 100 according to the present disclosure. At this time, in the drawings, the shape of the flow control pattern 152 is shown as an elongated oval shape, but is not limited to this shape, and may be formed in a circular or polygon shape.

[0093] As Figure 7A shown, the size of the flow control pattern 152 formed in the flow control unit EFC increases as it moves outward from the display area AA. In other words, the size of the flow control unit EFC increases towards the dam DAM for the following reasons.

[0094] The flow control pattern 152 controls the flow rate of the encapsulation material diffusing within the flow control unit EFC to control the area where the encapsulation material diffuses during the coating time of the encapsulation material, so as to prevent the encapsulation material from flowing out of the display device 100 when only one dam DAM is provided or no dam DAM is provided.

[0095] However, if the flow rate of the encapsulation material is overall slow within the flow control unit EFC, the encapsulation material may harden due to overexposure to light before it reaches the dam DAM. This may cause defects where the encapsulation layer cannot encapsulate the entire area of the display device 100.

[0096] Therefore, the flow rate should be increased in most areas of the flow control unit EFC to form an encapsulation layer over the entire area of the display device 100, but the flow rate should be decreased near the dam DAM to prevent the encapsulation material from overflowing beyond the dam DAM. Thus, the size of the flow control unit EFC can increase towards the dam DAM.

[0097] When the encapsulation material diffuses in the flow control unit EFC, since the encapsulation material flows along the edge of the flow control pattern 152, the length of the flow path increases. Therefore, as the size of the flow control pattern 152 increases, the edge length of the flow control pattern 152 also increases, thereby increasing the length of the flow path. In addition, as the size of the flow control pattern 152 decreases, the edge length of the flow control pattern 152 also decreases, thereby decreasing the length of the flow path.

[0098] In the present disclosure, the size of the flow control pattern 152 formed near the display area AA within the flow control unit EFC is the smallest, and the size of the flow control pattern 152 formed near the dam DAM is the largest. Therefore, the flow rate of the encapsulation material near the dam DAM is lower than that near the display area AA, such that the encapsulation layer is formed over the entire area of the display device 100, but the encapsulation material does not overflow beyond the dam DAM.

[0099] As Figure 7B shown, the size of the flow control pattern 152 can increase linearly from the display area AA to the dam DAM, and the size of the flow control pattern 152 can increase exponentially. In addition, the size of the flow control pattern 152 can increase logarithmically.

[0100] In other words, the size of the flow control pattern 152 can be increased in various ways from the display area AA to the dam DAM according to the type of encapsulation material, the width of the flow control unit EFC, and the shape of the flow control pattern 152. For example, according to the type of encapsulation material, the width of the flow control unit EFC, and the shape of the flow control pattern 152, the size of the flow control pattern 152 can increase linearly, exponentially, or logarithmically from the display area AA to the dam DAM.

[0101] Figure 8A and Figure 8B is a diagram showing another structure of the flow control pattern 152 of the display device 100 according to the present disclosure. At this time, in the drawing, the flow control pattern 152 has an elongated oval shape, but is not limited to this shape and can be formed in a circular or polygonal shape.

[0102] When the encapsulation material diffuses in the flow control unit EFC, the encapsulation material flows along the edge of the flow control pattern 152, thereby increasing the length of the flow path. Therefore, the length of the flow path increases as the number of flow control patterns 152 increases, and the length of the flow path decreases as the number of flow control patterns 152 decreases.

[0103] In the present disclosure, the number of flow control patterns 152 (i.e., the density of the flow control patterns 152) formed near the display area AA within the flow control unit EFC is minimized, and the density of the flow control patterns 152 formed near the dam DAM is maximized. Therefore, the flow rate of the encapsulation material near the dam DAM is less than the flow rate of the encapsulation material near the display area AA to form an encapsulation layer over the entire area of the display device 100 and prevent the encapsulation material from overflowing outside the dam DAM.

[0104] As Figure 8B shown, the density of the flow control pattern 152 can increase linearly or exponentially from the display area AA to the dam DAM. In addition, the density of the flow control pattern 152 can increase logarithmically.

[0105] In other words, the density of the flow control pattern 152 can be increased in various ways from the display area AA to the dam DAM according to the type of encapsulation material, the width of the flow control unit EFC, and the shape of the flow control pattern 152. For example, according to the type of encapsulation material, the width of the flow control unit EFC, and the shape of the flow control pattern 152, the density of the flow control pattern 152 can increase linearly, exponentially, or logarithmically from the display area AA to the dam DAM.

[0106] In addition, depending on the location, the flow control pattern 152 can be formed in different shapes, sizes, and densities. For example, Figure 4Regions A and B therein respectively represent the four sides and corners of the display device 100. When the encapsulation material is dispensed onto the display device 100 to coat the entire area of the display device 100, due to the following reasons, more encapsulation material accumulates in the corner regions.

[0107] As Figure 9 shown, in the corner portion of the display device 100, not only the encapsulation material directly dispensed and diffused in the corner portion is collected, but also a part of the encapsulation material flowing through the four sides is collected. Therefore, when an appropriate amount of encapsulation material is coated on the four sides, an excessive amount of encapsulation material is coated in the corner portion, causing the encapsulation material to overflow outside the dam DAM, and then the encapsulation material flows out of the display device 100 at the corner portion.

[0108] In the present disclosure, to prevent this phenomenon, the flow rate of the encapsulation material located at the corner portion is lower than the flow rate of the encapsulation material located at the four sides to prevent the encapsulation material from overflowing at the corner portion. For example, the size or density of the flow control pattern 152 located at the corner portion may be greater than the size or density of the flow control pattern 152 located at the four sides. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0109] That is, as the size of the flow control pattern 152 increases, the flow rate of the encapsulation material decreases, and as the size of the flow control pattern 152 decreases, the flow rate of the encapsulation material increases, such that the size of the flow control pattern formed at the corner is greater than the size of the flow control pattern 152 formed at the four sides. Therefore, the flow rate of the encapsulation material at the corner can be reduced to harden the encapsulation material before it overflows outside the dam DAM and then flows out of the display device 100.

[0110] In addition, as the density of the flow control pattern 152 increases, the flow rate of the encapsulation material decreases, and as the density of the flow control pattern 152 decreases, the flow rate of the encapsulation material increases, such that the density of the flow control pattern formed at the corner is greater than the density of the flow control pattern 152 formed at the four sides. Therefore, the flow rate of the encapsulation material at the corner can be reduced to harden the encapsulation material before it overflows outside the dam DAM and then flows out of the display device 100.

[0111] Hereinafter, the structure of the display device 100 according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0112] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a sub-pixel of the display device 100 according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, which is along Figure 4A cross-sectional view taken along line I-I'. At this time, for ease of explanation, the display area AA and the non-display area NA are shown in the figure. In reality, a plurality of thin film transistors and various circuits are provided in the display area AA and the non-display area NA, but for ease of explanation, only the thin film transistors arranged in the display area AA are shown in the figure.

[0113] As Figure 10 shown, the substrate 140 includes a display area AA and a non-display area NA. The substrate 140 can be made of a hard material such as glass or a flexible plastic-based material.

[0114] In the case where the substrate is made of a plastic-based material, the substrate can be made of at least one material selected from polyimide, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethersulfone, and polycarbonate, but is not limited thereto.

[0115] When the substrate 140 is made of polyimide, the substrate 140 can be made of a plurality of polyimide layers, and an inorganic layer can be further provided between the polyimide layers, but is not limited thereto.

[0116] For example, the substrate 140 can include a first substrate, a second substrate, and a third substrate. The second substrate is disposed on the first substrate, and the third substrate is disposed on the second substrate.

[0117] The first substrate and the third substrate can be substrates configured to support components formed on the substrate. The first substrate and the third substrate can be flexible substrates made of a plastic material. In this case, flexibility can be interpreted in the same manner as bendable, non-breakable, rollable, and foldable characteristics, etc.

[0118] For example, the first substrate and the third substrate can include plastic. In this case, the first substrate and the third substrate can be referred to as a plastic film or a plastic substrate. For example, the first substrate and the third substrate can include at least one selected from the group consisting of polyester-based polymers, silicon-based polymers, acrylic-based polymers, polyolefin-based polymers, and their polymers. For example, the first substrate and the third substrate can be polyimide substrates made of polyimide (PI). However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0119] The second substrate may include an inorganic insulating material. The second substrate may be an inorganic film formed between the first substrate and the third substrate. For example, the second substrate may be configured as a single layer or multiple layers made of silicon nitride (SiNx) or silicon oxide (SiOx). For example, the second substrate may be formed by a single layer or multiple layers of inorganic films. For example, the single layer of inorganic film may be a silicon oxide (SiOx) film or a silicon nitride (SiNx) film, and the multiple layers of inorganic films may be formed by alternately laminating one or more layers of silicon oxide (SiOx) films, one or more layers of silicon nitride (SiNx) films, and one or more layers of amorphous silicon (a-Si), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0120] In addition, the buffer layer 142 may delay the diffusion of moisture or oxygen that has penetrated the substrate 140.

[0121] The buffer layer 142 may be a single layer or multiple layers made of silicon oxide (SiOx) or silicon nitride (SiNx). When the buffer layer 142 is made of multiple layers, SiOx and SiNx may be alternately formed. For example, the buffer layer 142 may be formed by a single layer or multiple layers of inorganic films. For example, the single layer of inorganic film may be a silicon oxide (SiOx) film or a silicon nitride (SiNx) film, and the multiple layers of inorganic films may be formed by alternately laminating one or more layers of silicon oxide (SiOx) films, one or more layers of silicon nitride (SiNx) films, and one or more layers of amorphous silicon (a-Si), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Depending on the type and material of the substrate 140, the structure and type of the thin film transistor, etc., the buffer layer 142 may be omitted.

[0122] A thin film transistor T is formed on the buffer layer 142 in the display area AA. For ease of description, only the driving thin film transistor among various thin film transistors that may be provided in the display area AA is shown, but other thin film transistors, such as switching thin film transistors, may also be included. In the figure, a top-gate structure thin film transistor is shown, but the thin film transistor is not limited to this structure and may be formed into other structures, such as a bottom-gate structure thin film transistor.

[0123] The thin film transistor includes a semiconductor pattern 112 provided on the buffer layer 142, a gate insulating layer 144 covering the semiconductor pattern 112, a gate electrode 113 located on the gate insulating layer 144, an interlayer insulating layer 146 covering the gate electrode 113, and a source electrode 115 and a drain electrode 116 located on the interlayer insulating layer 146.

[0124] The semiconductor pattern 112 may be formed of a semiconductor material, such as an oxide semiconductor, an amorphous semiconductor, or a polycrystalline semiconductor, but is not limited thereto.

[0125] Oxide semiconductor materials can have excellent effects in preventing leakage current and relatively low manufacturing costs. The oxide semiconductor can be made of metal oxides such as zinc (Zn), indium (In), gallium (Ga), tin (Sn), and titanium (Ti), or combinations of metals such as zinc (Zn), indium (In), gallium (Ga), tin (Sn), or titanium (Ti) and their oxides. Specifically, the oxide semiconductor can include zinc oxide (ZnO), zinc tin oxide (ZTO), zinc indium oxide (ZIO), indium oxide (InO), titanium oxide (TiO), indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO), indium zinc tin oxide (IZTO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), indium gallium tin oxide (IGTO), and indium gallium oxide (IGO), but is not limited thereto.

[0126] The amorphous semiconductor material can be made of amorphous silicon (a-Si), but is not limited thereto.

[0127] Polycrystalline semiconductor materials have fast moving speeds of carriers such as electrons and holes, so they have high mobilities, and have low energy consumption and excellent reliability. The polycrystalline semiconductor can be made of polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si), but is not limited thereto. For example, the polycrystalline semiconductor can be made of low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) having a high mobility, but is not limited thereto.

[0128] The semiconductor pattern 112 includes a channel region 112a located in the central region and source regions 112b and drain regions 112c as doped layers located on both sides of the channel region 112a.

[0129] The gate insulating layer 144 can be formed in both the display region AA and the non-display region NA, or only in the display region AA. The gate insulating layer 144 can be composed of a single layer or multiple layers of inorganic materials such as SiOx or SiNx, but is not limited thereto. For example, the gate insulating layer 144 can be formed by a single layer or multiple layers of inorganic films. For example, the single-layer inorganic film can be a silicon oxide (SiOx) film or a silicon nitride (SiNx) film, and the multiple-layer inorganic film can be formed by alternately laminating one or more layers of silicon oxide (SiOx) films, one or more layers of silicon nitride (SiNx) films, and one or more layers of amorphous silicon (a-Si), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0130] The gate electrode 113 is made of metal. For example, the gate electrode 113 can be formed by a single layer or multiple layers made of one or an alloy of molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), gold (Au), titanium (Ti), nickel (Ni), neodymium (Nd), and copper (Cu), but is not limited thereto.

[0131] The interlayer insulating layer 146 may be made of an organic material such as photoacrylic acid, or the interlayer insulating layer 146 may be formed of a single layer or multiple layers made of an inorganic material such as SiOx or SiNx, but is not limited thereto. For example, the interlayer insulating layer 146 may be formed by a single layer or multiple layers of inorganic films. For example, the single layer of inorganic film may be a silicon oxide (SiOx) film or a silicon nitride (SiNx) film, and the multiple layers of inorganic films may be formed by alternately laminating one or more layers of silicon oxide (SiOx) films, one or more layers of silicon nitride (SiNx) films, and one or more layers of amorphous silicon (a-Si), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In addition, the interlayer insulating layer 146 may be formed of multiple layers of an organic material layer and an inorganic material layer, but is not limited thereto.

[0132] The source electrode 115 and the drain electrode 116 are formed of a single layer or multiple layers made of one of molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), gold (Au), titanium (Ti), nickel (Ni), neodymium (Nd), and copper (Cu) or an alloy, but is not limited thereto. The source electrode 115 and the drain electrode 116 may be in contact with the source region 112b and the drain region 112c of the semiconductor through contact holes formed in the gate insulating layer 144 and the interlayer insulating layer 146, respectively.

[0133] Not shown in the figure, a bottom shield metal layer may be provided on the substrate 140 below the semiconductor pattern 112. The bottom shield metal layer reduces or minimizes the back-channel phenomenon caused by charges trapped in the substrate 140 to prevent afterimages or deterioration of transistor performance. The bottom shield metal layer may be composed of a single layer or multiple layers made of titanium (Ti), molybdenum (Mo), or an alloy thereof, but is not limited thereto.

[0134] A planarization layer 148 is formed on the substrate provided with the thin film transistor T. The planarization layer 148 may be formed of an organic material such as photoacrylic acid, but is not limited thereto. The planarization layer 148 may include multiple layers including an inorganic layer and an organic layer.

[0135] The light-emitting device D is provided on the planarization layer 148 in the display area AA. The light-emitting device D includes a first electrode 132, an organic layer (light-emitting layer) 134, and a second electrode 136.

[0136] The first electrode 132 is provided on the planarization layer 148 and is electrically connected to the drain electrode 116 of the thin film transistor T through a contact hole formed in the planarization layer 148. The first electrode 132 may be formed of at least one of silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), gold (Au), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), chromium (Cr), or an alloy thereof. In addition, the first electrode 132 may be formed of a transparent metal oxide material such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO).

[0137] When the display device 100 is a top-emitting display device, the first electrode 132 may further include an opaque conductive material layer to serve as a reflective electrode for reflecting light. When the display device 100 is a bottom-emitting display device, the first electrode 132 may be made of a transparent conductive material such as ITO or IZO.

[0138] A bank layer BNK is formed at the boundary between sub-pixels on the planarization layer 148. The bank layer BNK may be a barrier wall for defining sub-pixels. The bank layer BNK divides each sub-pixel to prevent light of a specific color output from adjacent pixels from being mixed and output.

[0139] The bank layer BNK is made of at least one material among inorganic insulating materials such as SiNx or SiOx, organic insulating materials such as benzocyclobutene, acrylic resin, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, polyamide resin, or photosensitizer including black pigment, but is not limited thereto.

[0140] The bank layer BNK may be formed in black or color. For example, when the bank layer BNK includes a black material, external light, internal reflected light, and / or scattered light scattered from the side surface of the first electrode 510 can be suppressed from entering the thin film transistor, and the brightness degradation of the display device can be improved. The bank layer BNK may be provided to cover the end portion (or partial region) of the first electrode 510.

[0141] The light-emitting layer 134 is formed on the upper surface of the first electrode 132, the inclined surface of the bank layer BNK, or a partial region of the upper surface of the bank layer BNK.

[0142] The light-emitting layer 134 is formed in R, G, and B sub-pixels, and may include an R light-emitting layer for emitting red light, a G light-emitting layer for emitting green light, and a B light-emitting layer for emitting blue light. For example, the light-emitting layer 134 may include an organic light-emitting layer, an inorganic light-emitting layer, a nano-sized material layer, a quantum dot layer, a micro LED light-emitting layer, or a mini LED light-emitting layer, but is not limited thereto.

[0143] The light-emitting layer 134 may further include an electron injection layer for injecting electrons into the light-emitting layer, a hole injection layer for injecting holes into the light-emitting layer, an electron transport layer for transporting the injected electrons to the light-emitting layer, a hole transport layer for transporting the injected holes to the light-emitting layer, an electron blocking layer, and a hole blocking layer, but is not limited thereto.

[0144] The second electrode 136 is disposed on the light-emitting layer 134, and may be formed of a single layer or multiple layers made of a metal or its alloy. Further, the second electrode 136 may be made of a transparent metal oxide material such as ITO or IZO, but is not limited thereto.

[0145] When the display device 100 is a top-emitting type, the second electrode 136 may be made of a translucent conductive material that transmits light. For example, the second electrode 188 may be made of at least one or more of alloys such as LiF / Al, CsF / Al, Mg:Ag, Ca / Ag, Ca:Ag, LiF / Mg:Ag, LiF / Ca / Ag, or LiF / Ca:Ag.

[0146] When the display device 100 is a bottom-emitting type, the second electrode 136 may be a reflective electrode made of an opaque conductive material. For example, the second electrode 188 may be made of at least one or more of silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), gold (Au), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), chromium (Cr), or an alloy thereof.

[0147] In addition, the light-emitting device D may be formed in a tandem structure. The tandem structure may include a plurality of organic light-emitting layers and charge generation layers disposed between the organic light-emitting layers. The charge generation layers are provided to adjust the charge balance between the plurality of organic light-emitting layers and may be formed of a plurality of layers including a first charge generation layer and a second charge generation layer. The charge generation layer may include an N-type charge generation layer and a P-type charge generation layer. In this case, the charge generation layer may be formed of an organic layer doped with an alkali metal such as Li, Na, K, or C or an alkaline earth metal such as Mg, Sr, Ba, or Ra, but is not limited thereto.

[0148] The encapsulation layer 180 is formed in the display area AA and the non-display area NA to seal the light-emitting device (D). When the light-emitting device D is exposed to impurities such as moisture or oxygen, a phenomenon of pixel shrinkage in which the light-emitting area decreases or defects such as dark spots in the light-emitting area may occur. In addition, the moisture or oxygen that penetrates into the light-emitting device D oxidizes the metal electrodes. The encapsulation layer 180 blocks impurities such as oxygen and moisture from the outside to prevent defects in the light-emitting device D and various electrodes.

[0149] The encapsulation layer 180 may be formed of a first encapsulation layer 182, a second encapsulation layer 184, and a third encapsulation layer 186, but is not limited thereto. The encapsulation layer 180 may be formed of two layers having an organic layer and an inorganic layer or four or more layers having an organic layer and an inorganic layer.

[0150] The first encapsulation layer 182 and the third encapsulation layer 186 may be made of an inorganic material such as SiOx or SiNx, but are not limited thereto. The first encapsulation layer 182 and the third encapsulation layer 186 may be formed using a vacuum film forming method such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or atomic layer deposition (ALD), but are not limited thereto. The second encapsulation layer 184 may be made of an organic insulating material such as an acrylic resin, an epoxy resin, a polyimide, a polyethylene, or silicon oxycarbide (SiOC), but is not limited thereto. In addition, the third encapsulation layer 186 may be made of a thin metal (surface-sealing metal), but is not limited thereto.

[0151] Not shown in the figure, a touch member may be provided on the encapsulation layer 180. The touch member may detect external touch information using a user's finger or a touch pen.

[0152] A dam DAM is formed in the non-display area NA. The dam DAM is formed in a closed curve shape in the non-display area NA to surround the display area AA. When a flowable insulating material is coated to form the second encapsulation layer 184, the insulating material flowing out from the display device 100 is blocked by the dam DAM.

[0153] The dam DAM may be made of various materials. As Figure 10 shown, the dam DAM may include a first layer 146a, a second layer 148a, and a third layer 150a. At this time, the first layer 146a may be formed of the same material as the interlayer insulating layer 146 in the same process, and the second layer 148a may be formed of the same material as the planarization layer 148 in the same process. In addition, the third layer 150a may be formed of the same material as the bank layer BNK in the same process. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0154] The dam may be formed of two layers. At this time, the first layer and the second layer may be formed of layers corresponding to the planarization layer 148 and the bank layer BNK, respectively, and the first layer and the second layer may be formed of layers corresponding to the interlayer insulating layer 146 and the bank layer BNK, respectively. In addition, the first layer and the second layer may be formed of layers corresponding to the interlayer insulating layer 146 and the planarization layer 148, respectively. In addition, the dam DAM may be formed of a layer made of a material different from the layers in the display area AA.

[0155] The dam may be formed of two layers. At this time, the first layer and the second layer may be formed of layers corresponding to the planarization layer 148 and the bank layer BNK, respectively, and the first layer and the second layer may be formed of layers corresponding to the interlayer insulating layer 146 and the bank layer BNK, respectively. In addition, the first layer and the second layer may be formed of layers corresponding to the interlayer insulating layer 146 and the planarization layer 148, respectively. In addition, the dam DAM may be formed of a layer made of a material different from the layers in the display area AA.

[0156] The flow control unit EFC is disposed in the non-display area AA. Since the flow control unit EFC controls the diffusion rate of the organic material when coating the organic material to form the second encapsulation layer 184, the second encapsulation layer 184 is formed in the entire area of the display device 100, and the organic material does not flow out of the dam DAM outside the display device 100.

[0157] The flow control unit EFC may include a plurality of flow control patterns 152. The flow control patterns 152 may be formed by protruding in an oval shape, a circular shape, or a polygon. The flow control patterns 152 may be made of the same material as the bank layer BNK. That is, the flow control patterns 152 are made of at least one material among inorganic insulating materials such as SiNx or SiOx, organic materials such as BCB (benzocyclobutene), acrylic resin, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, polyamide resin, and polyimide resin, and photosensitizers containing black pigments. At this time, the flow control patterns 152 may be formed by the same process as the process of the bank layer BNK.

[0158] The first encapsulation layer 182 is formed on the flow control patterns 152, and the second encapsulation layer 184 and the third encapsulation layer 186 are formed thereon. The first encapsulation layer 182 on the flow control patterns 152 may be surface-treated to have hydrophobic properties. When the organic material is dispensed to form the second encapsulation layer 184, since the protruding regions of the first encapsulation layer 182 protruding through the flow control patterns 152 have hydrophobic properties, the organic material does not overflow to the upper region outside the flow control patterns 152 and only flows along the edges of the flow control patterns 152, thereby increasing the flow path of the organic material.

[0159] As described above, the display device according to the present disclosure can achieve the following effects by providing the flow control unit EFC.

[0160] First, in the present disclosure, the flow control unit is disposed in the non-display area to control the flow of the organic material for forming the encapsulation layer, so that the organic material can diffuse in the entire area of the display device 100 without flowing out of the display device 100.

[0161] Second, in the present disclosure, the flow control patterns formed in the non-display area can block the penetration of moisture or oxygen from the outside or extend the penetration path of moisture or oxygen, thereby efficiently blocking the penetration of moisture or oxygen from the outside.

[0162] Figure 11 It is a cross-sectional view showing a display device 200 according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. At this time, the description of the same structures as those in Figure 10 will be omitted or simplified, and only other structures will be described in detail.

[0163] As inFigure 11 As shown, the thin film transistor T and the light emitting device D are disposed in the display area AA of the substrate 240, while the dam DAM is disposed in the non-display area (NA).

[0164] The thin film transistor T includes a semiconductor layer 212 disposed on the buffer layer 242, a gate electrode 214 disposed on the gate insulating layer 244, and a source electrode 215 and a drain electrode 216 disposed on the interlayer insulating layer 246.

[0165] The light emitting device D includes a first electrode 232, an organic layer 234, and a second electrode 236. The first electrode 232 may be an anode electrode, and the second electrode 236 may be a cathode electrode.

[0166] The first electrode 232 may be made of at least one of silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), gold (Au), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), chromium (Cr), or an alloy thereof. Further, the first electrode 232 may be made of a transparent metal oxide material layer, such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO).

[0167] The second electrode 236 is made of a translucent alloy such as LiF / Al, CsF / Al, Mg:Ag, Ca / Ag, Ca:Ag, LiF / Mg:Ag, LiF / Ca / Ag, and LiF / Ca:Ag or a metal such as silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), gold (Au), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), and chromium (Cr). Further, the second electrode 236 may be made of a light-transmitting transparent metal oxide such as ITO or IZO.

[0168] A packaging layer 280 including a first packaging layer 282 made of an inorganic material, a second packaging layer 284 made of an organic material, and a third packaging layer 286 made of an inorganic material is disposed above the light emitting device D.

[0169] The dam DAM is formed by a first layer 248a and a second layer 250a to prevent the organic material from overflowing the display device 200 when forming the second packaging layer 284. At this time, the first layer 248a may be made of the same material as the planarization layer 248 in the same process, and the second layer 250a may be made of the same material as the bank layer BNK in the same process.

[0170] A flow control unit EFC is formed between the dam DAM in the display area AA and the non-display area NA along the periphery of the display area AA. When forming the second packaging layer 284, the flow control unit EFC controls the flow of the organic material so that the second packaging layer 284 is formed in the entire area of the display device 200, but the organic material does not flow out of the dam DAM outside the display device 200.

[0171] The flow control unit EFC is formed of a plurality of flow control patterns 252 disposed on the interlayer insulating layer 246. Each flow control pattern 252 includes a first flow control layer 252a and a second flow control layer 252b thereon. At this time, the first flow control layer 252a may be made of the same material by the same process as the planarization layer 248, and the second flow control layer 252b may be made of the same material by the same process as the bank layer BNK. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the first flow control layer 252a and the second flow control layer 252b may be made of materials different from those of the planarization layer 248 and the bank layer BNK, respectively.

[0172] The first encapsulation layer 282 is formed on the flow control pattern 252, and the first encapsulation layer 282 on the flow control pattern 252 is reshaped to have hydrophobic properties. When the organic material for forming the second encapsulation layer 284 is coated, the dispensed organic material does not flow outside the region having hydrophobic properties, but flows along the edge of the flow control pattern 252. Accordingly, the flow path of the organic material increases and the flow rate decreases. In addition, by changing the size and / or density of the flow control pattern 252 according to the position, the flow rate of the organic material can be controlled.

[0173] A display device according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may be described as follows:

[0174] A display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a substrate including a display area and a non-display area having a plurality of sub-pixels; dams disposed in the non-display area; an encapsulation layer including an encapsulation material and formed in the display area and the non-display area; and a flow control unit for controlling the flow of the encapsulation material, the flow control unit being disposed between the dams in the display area and the non-display area to surround the display area.

[0175] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the display device may further include: a transistor and a light-emitting device disposed in each sub-pixel of the display area; a planarization layer covering the transistor; and a bank layer disposed above the planarization layer between the sub-pixels.

[0176] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the transistor may include: a semiconductor layer located above the substrate; a gate insulating layer located on the semiconductor layer; a gate electrode located on the gate insulating layer; an interlayer insulating layer located on the gate electrode; and a source electrode and a drain electrode located on the interlayer insulating layer.

[0177] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the flow control unit may include a plurality of flow control patterns located on the planarization layer.

[0178] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the flow control pattern may be made of the same material as the dam layer.

[0179] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the flow control unit may include a plurality of flow control patterns on the interlayer insulating layer.

[0180] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the flow control pattern may include: a first flow control layer located on the interlayer insulating layer, the first flow control layer being made of the same material as the planarization layer; and a second flow control layer located on the first flow control layer, the second flow control layer being made of the same material as the dam layer.

[0181] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the encapsulation layer may include: a first encapsulation layer covering the light-emitting device and the flow control pattern; a second encapsulation layer located on the first encapsulation layer; and a third encapsulation layer located on the second encapsulation layer.

[0182] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the first encapsulation layer on the flow control pattern may protrude upward through the flow control pattern.

[0183] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the protruding region of the first encapsulation layer has a hydrophobic property.

[0184] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the flow control pattern may be one of an oval shape, a circular shape, and a polygon.

[0185] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the size of the flow control pattern may increase from the display area to the dam.

[0186] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the size of the flow control pattern may increase linearly, exponentially, or logarithmically from the display area to the dam.

[0187] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the density of the flow control pattern may increase from the display area toward the dam.

[0188] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the density of the flow control pattern may increase linearly, exponentially, or logarithmically from the display area to the dam.

[0189] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the size of the flow control pattern provided on the corner portion of the substrate is larger than the size of the flow control pattern provided on the four sides of the substrate.

[0190] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the density of the flow control pattern provided on the corner of the substrate is greater than the density of the flow control pattern provided on the four sides of the substrate.

[0191] A display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a substrate including a display area and a non-display area having a plurality of sub-pixels; an encapsulation layer including an encapsulation material and formed in the display area and the non-display area; and a flow control unit for controlling the flow of the encapsulation material, the flow control unit being provided in the non-display area to surround the display area.

[0192] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the flow control unit may include a plurality of flow control patterns located below the encapsulation layer.

[0193] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the flow control pattern may be one of an oval shape, a circular shape, and a polygon.

[0194] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the size of the flow control pattern may increase in the direction from the display area to the non-display area.

[0195] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the size of the flow control pattern may increase linearly, exponentially, or logarithmically in the direction from the display area to the non-display area.

[0196] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the density of the flow control pattern may increase in the direction from the display area to the non-display area.

[0197] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the density of the flow control pattern may increase linearly, exponentially, or logarithmically in the direction from the display area to the non-display area.

[0198] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the size of the flow control pattern provided on the corner portion of the substrate may be larger than the size of the flow control pattern provided on the four sides of the substrate.

[0199] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the density of the flow control pattern provided on the corner of the substrate may be greater than the density of the flow control pattern provided on the four sides of the substrate.

[0200] The above description and the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative of the technical spirit of the present disclosure, and those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains can make various modifications or variations such as separation, replacement, and change within the scope of not departing from the basic features of the present disclosure. Therefore, the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to limit the technical spirit of the present disclosure, but rather to explain the technical spirit of the present disclosure, and the scope of the technical spirit of the present disclosure is not limited by these exemplary embodiments.

[0201] Cross - reference to related applications

[0202] This invention claims the benefit of priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10 - 2023 - 0160114, filed on November 20, 2023, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising: A substrate, the substrate comprising a display area having a plurality of sub-pixels and a non-display area; a dam, the dam being disposed in the non-display area; an encapsulation layer, the encapsulation layer comprising an encapsulation material and formed in the display area and the non-display area; as well as A flow control unit is used to control the flow of the packaging material, and the flow control unit is arranged between the dams in the display area and the non-display area to surround the display area.

2. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising: A transistor and a light emitting device, wherein the transistor and the light emitting device are arranged in each sub-pixel of the display area; a planarization layer, wherein the planarization layer covers the transistor; as well as A bank layer is disposed above the planarization layer and between the sub-pixels.

3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein: The transistor comprises: a semiconductor layer, the semiconductor layer being located above the substrate; a gate insulating layer, wherein the gate insulating layer is located on the semiconductor layer; a gate electrode, the gate electrode being located on the gate insulating layer; an interlayer insulating layer, the interlayer insulating layer being located on the gate electrode; and A source electrode and a drain electrode are located on the interlayer insulating layer.

4. The display device according to claim 3, wherein: The flow control unit includes a plurality of flow control patterns on the planarization layer.

5. The display device according to claim 4, wherein: The flow control pattern is made of the same material as the bank layer.

6. The display device according to claim 3, wherein: The flow control unit includes a plurality of flow control patterns on the interlayer insulating layer.

7. The display device according to claim 6, wherein: The flow control pattern comprises: a first flow control layer, the first flow control layer being located on the interlayer insulating layer, the first flow control layer being made of the same material as the planarization layer; and A second flow control layer is disposed on the first flow control layer, and the second flow control layer is made of the same material as the bank layer.

8. The display device according to claim 4 or 6, wherein: The encapsulation layer comprises: a first encapsulation layer, the first encapsulation layer covering the light emitting device and the flow control pattern; a second encapsulation layer, the second encapsulation layer being located on the first encapsulation layer; and A third encapsulation layer is located on the second encapsulation layer.

9. The display device according to claim 8, wherein: The first encapsulation layer on the flow control pattern protrudes upward through the flow control pattern.

10. The display device according to claim 9, wherein: The protruding region of the first encapsulation layer has a hydrophobic property.

11. The display device according to claim 4 or 6, wherein: The flow control pattern is one of an oval, a circle and a polygon.

12. The display device according to claim 4 or 6, wherein: The size of the flow control pattern increases from the display area to the dam.

13. The display device according to claim 12, wherein: The size of the flow control pattern increases linearly, exponentially or logarithmically from the display area to the dam.

14. The display device according to claim 4 or 6, wherein: The density of the flow control patterns increases from the display area toward the dam.

15. The display device according to claim 14, wherein: The density of the flow control pattern increases linearly, exponentially or logarithmically from the display area to the dam.

16. The display device according to claim 4 or 6, wherein: The size of the flow control pattern provided on the corner portion of the substrate is larger than the size of the flow control pattern provided on four sides of the substrate.

17. The display device according to claim 4 or 6, wherein: The density of the flow control patterns disposed on the corners of the substrate is greater than the density of the flow control patterns disposed on four sides of the substrate.

18. A display device, comprising: A substrate, the substrate comprising a display area having a plurality of sub-pixels and a non-display area; an encapsulation layer, the encapsulation layer comprising an encapsulation material and formed in the display area and the non-display area; as well as A flow control unit is used to control the flow of the packaging material, and the flow control unit is arranged in the non-display area to surround the display area.

19. The display device according to claim 18, wherein: The flow control unit includes a plurality of flow control patterns located below the encapsulation layer.

20. The display device according to claim 19, wherein The flow control pattern is one of an oval, a circle and a polygon.

21. The display device according to claim 19, wherein: A size of the flow control pattern increases in a direction from the display area to the non-display area.

22. The display device according to claim 21, wherein: The size of the flow control pattern increases linearly, exponentially or logarithmically in a direction from the display area to the non-display area.

23. The display device according to claim 19, wherein: The density of the flow control patterns increases in a direction from the display area to the non-display area.

24. The display device according to claim 23, wherein: The density of the flow control pattern increases linearly, exponentially or logarithmically in a direction from the display area to the non-display area.

25. The display device according to claim 19, wherein: The size of the flow control pattern provided on the corner portion of the substrate is larger than the size of the flow control pattern provided on four sides of the substrate.

26. The display device according to claim 19, wherein: The density of the flow control patterns disposed on the corners of the substrate is greater than the density of the flow control patterns disposed on four sides of the substrate.

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