Display device
By etching the groove H on the substrate of the display panel and setting the coating layer, the problems of fragility and corrosion of the substrate edges caused by the cutting process are solved, and the process simplification and the life of the display panel are achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202411624405.2
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-11-20
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-14
- Publication Date
- 2025-05-20
AI Technical Summary
In the manufacturing process of display panels, the cutting process causes fragile edges of the substrate to form cracks, and may introduce moisture penetration and corrosion, affecting the life of the display panel.
The groove H is formed on the substrate by an etching process, and a coating layer is provided in the groove H, which reduces the sharpness of the edge of the substrate, prevents corrosion and expands, and improves the durability of the display panel.
This method simplifies the manufacturing process, prevents damage to the edges of the substrate and the formation of cracks, reduces the risks of moisture penetration and corrosion, and thus extends the life of the display panel.
Smart Images

Figure CN120021403A_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] Cross - reference to related applications
[0002] This application claims the priority and benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10 - 2023 - 0160378, filed in Korea on November 20, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical field
[0003] Embodiments relate to a display device. Background art
[0004] With the advent of the information age, the field of display devices that visually display electrical information signals is evolving, and ongoing research and development are being conducted on various display devices with more excellent performance in terms of thinning, lightening, and low power consumption.
[0005] Display devices include liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, quantum dot display (QD) devices, organic light - emitting display (OLED) devices, inorganic light - emitting display (LED) devices, and electrophoretic display (ED) devices.
[0006] Display devices such as LCD devices, QD devices, OLED devices, LED devices, and ED devices often undergo a test process to test a display panel. In the test process, an automatic probe test capable of performing a comprehensive electrical inspection of the display panel (e.g., short - circuit and lighting inspection in wiring) can be used. The automatic probe test is performed by bringing test needles into contact with auto - probe test pads (hereinafter referred to as "AP pads") formed on the display panel and then applying an electrical test signal. The test signal is applied to the display panel through test lines (hereinafter referred to as "AP lines") connected to the AP pads. Here, the AP lines can be connected to bonding pads to which a chip - on - film (COF) is attached.
[0007] Then, for a narrow bezel, after the automatic probe test has been completed, the AP pads are removed from the display panel through a cutting process using a laser. However, the cutting process leaves sharp, thin edges that are fragile and prone to cracking. In addition, the cutting process introduces the formation of moisture penetration and corrosion that can penetrate into the display area.
[0008] Therefore, in a manufacturing process of a display panel including a cutting process for removing AP pads, a display device is needed that simplifies the process, prevents damage to the display panel, prevents crack formation, prevents moisture penetration, and extends the life of the display panel. Summary of the invention
[0009] Embodiments of this specification provide a display panel that uses an etching process to etch a part of a substrate to simplify the manufacturing process, and a display device including the display panel.
[0010] Embodiments of the present specification provide a display panel structurally improved to prevent damage caused by an etching process, and a display device including the display panel.
[0011] Embodiments of the present specification provide a display panel structurally improved to prevent corrosion spread in exposed wirings, and a display device including the display panel.
[0012] The objectives of the present specification are not limited to the above, and other objectives not described above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.
[0013] A display device according to an embodiment of the present specification may include: a substrate disposed in a display area and a non-display area of the display panel; an etch stop layer disposed on the substrate; a pad portion and a bridge disposed on the substrate to be spaced apart from each other; a first wiring connected to the bridge on one side and exposed on the other side; and a second wiring disposed between the pad portion and the bridge.
[0014] A display device according to an embodiment of the present specification may include: a substrate disposed in a display area and a non-display area of the display panel; an etch stop layer disposed on the substrate; a pad portion and a bridge disposed on the substrate to be spaced apart from each other; a first wiring connected to the bridge on one side and exposed on the other side; a first connection line connected to the bridge; and a second connection line connected to the pad portion, wherein the first connection line and the second connection line may be disposed to be spaced apart from each other.
[0015] According to the present specification, process optimization can be achieved by etching a part of the substrate through an etching process.
[0016] According to the present specification, damage to a test line due to an etching process can be prevented by arranging a test line connected to an AP pad to be spaced apart from an etching area formed on the substrate.
[0017] According to the present specification, the spread of corrosion occurring through the test line can be prevented by using embodiments of structures and materials for connecting an AP pad to a pad portion to which a flexible printed circuit board is attached.
[0018] The various beneficial advantages and effects of the embodiments are not limited to the above, and other effects not described above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The above and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by referring to the following detailed description of its exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0020] Figure 1is a view showing a display device according to an embodiment of the present specification;
[0021] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross-sectional structure of a display area of a display device according to an embodiment of the present specification;
[0022] Figure 3A is a view showing a plurality of semi-finished panels (e.g., intermediate manufacturing steps) arranged on a mother substrate according to an embodiment of the present specification;
[0023] Figure 3B is a view showing a semi-finished panel separated from a mother substrate according to an embodiment of the present specification;
[0024] Figure 3C is a view showing a display panel separated from a semi-finished panel according to an embodiment of the present specification;
[0025] Figure 4A is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I' in Figure 3B according to an embodiment of the present specification;
[0026] Figure 4B is a view showing a panel area and an AP pad area separated by a cutting process according to an embodiment of the present specification;
[0027] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II' in Figure 3C according to an embodiment of the present specification;
[0028] Figure 6 is a view showing another embodiment of a semi-finished panel for forming a display panel according to an embodiment of the present specification;
[0029] Figure 7 is a view showing another embodiment of a semi-finished panel for forming a display panel according to an embodiment of the present specification;
[0030] Figures 8A to 8C is a view showing the process of etching the substrate of the semi-finished panel shown in Figure 7 according to an embodiment of the present specification;
[0031] Figure 9 is a view showing another embodiment of a semi-finished panel for forming a display panel according to an embodiment of the present specification;
[0032] Figure 10 is a view showing a display panel according to an embodiment of the present specification;
[0033] Figure 11A is a cross-sectional view taken along line Figure 10A cross-sectional view taken along line III-III' in;
[0034] Figure 11B is according to an embodiment of the present specification Figure 11A An enlarged view of region A in;
[0035] Figure 12A is a cross-sectional view of a display panel taken along Figure 10 line IV-IV' in according to an embodiment of the present specification;
[0036] Figure 12B is a view showing a coating layer of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present specification;
[0037] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of a display panel taken along Figure 10 line IV-IV' in according to another embodiment of the present specification;
[0038] Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of a display panel taken along Figure 10 line IV-IV' in according to another embodiment of the present specification;
[0039] Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of a display panel taken along Figure 10 line IV-IV' in according to another embodiment of the present specification. Detailed Description of the Invention
[0040] The advantages and features of the present disclosure and the methods for achieving these advantages and features will be more clearly understood from the embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments and can be implemented in various different forms. On the contrary, these embodiments will make the disclosure of the present disclosure complete and enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is only defined within the scope of the appended claims.
[0041] The shapes, sizes, ratios, angles, quantities, etc. disclosed in the drawings used to describe the embodiments of the present disclosure are exemplary, and the present disclosure is not limited to the items shown in the drawings. The same reference numerals refer to the same elements throughout. In addition, when describing the present disclosure, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known technologies may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present disclosure, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.
[0042] Terms such as "including", "comprising", "having", "consisting of" used herein are generally intended to allow the addition of other components, unless the term is used together with the term "only". References to the singular should be construed to include the plural, unless otherwise expressly stated.
[0043] When explaining components, they are interpreted as including a tolerance range even without a separate description.
[0044] When describing the positional or interconnection relationship between two components, such as "above", "over", "below", "near", "connected or coupled", "crossed", "intersected", etc., unless "adjacent" or "direct" is used, one or more other components may be interposed therebetween.
[0045] When describing a temporal context relationship, such as "after", "subsequently", "next", or "before", unless "immediately" or "direct" is used, it may not be continuous on the time scale.
[0046] The terms "first", "second", etc. may be used to distinguish components from each other, but the function or structure of the components is not limited by the serial number or component name in front of the components. Additionally, the term "capable of" includes all meanings and definitions of the term "may".
[0047] The following embodiments may be combined in whole or in part or be interrelated with each other, and various types of interconnections and drives are technically possible. The embodiments may be implemented independently of each other or in an interrelated relationship together.
[0048] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0049] As used herein, a "display device" may include a display device in a narrow sense, such as a liquid crystal module (LCM), an organic light emitting diode (OLED) module, or a quantum dot (QD) module including a display panel and a driver for driving the display panel. It may also include an integrated electronic device or an integrated device or an integrated equipment, such as a laptop computer, a television, a computer monitor, an automotive display device, or another form of device display device included in a vehicle, and a mobile electronic device, such as a smartphone or a tablet, as a complete product or finished product including an LCM, an OLED module, and a QD module.
[0050] The display device in this specification may include the display device itself in a narrow sense, an application product including the display in a narrow sense, or even an integrated device as a terminal consumer device.
[0051] Figure 1 is a view showing a display device according to an embodiment of this specification, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross-sectional structure of a display area of a display device according to an embodiment of this specification.
[0052] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2, a display device according to an embodiment of the present specification may include a display panel 100 that visually reproduces an input image thereon, and a flexible printed circuit (FPC) connected to a pad portion 140 of the display panel 100.
[0053] The display panel 100 may include a display area DA where an image is displayed and a non-display area NA where an image is not displayed. Here, the display panel 100 may be a panel having a rectangular structure with a width in the X-axis direction, a length in the Y-axis direction, and a thickness in the Z-axis direction. At this time, the width and length of the display panel 100 may be set to various design values according to the application field of the display device. In addition, the X-axis direction may represent the width direction, the row direction, or the horizontal direction, the Y-axis direction may represent the length direction, the column direction, or the vertical direction, and the Z-axis direction may represent the vertical direction or the thickness direction. Additionally, the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction may be perpendicular to each other, but may also represent different directions that are not perpendicular to each other. Therefore, each of the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction may be described as one of the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction. And, a surface extending in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction may refer to a horizontal surface.
[0054] In the display area DA of the display panel 100, data lines, gate lines intersecting the data lines, and pixels Px arranged in a matrix form defined by the data lines and the gate lines may be provided.
[0055] Each of the pixels Px includes sub-pixels of different colors for color implementation. The sub-pixels include red sub-pixels, green sub-pixels, and blue sub-pixels. Additionally, each of the pixels Px may further include white sub-pixels. In the following description, unless otherwise defined, a pixel may be interpreted as a sub-pixel. Furthermore, each of the sub-pixels may include a pixel circuit.
[0056] The pixel circuit may include a light-emitting element, a driving element that supplies current to the light-emitting element, one or more switching elements that switch the current path of the driving element and the light-emitting element, and a capacitor that holds the voltage Vgs between the gate and the source of the driving element.
[0057] The light-emitting element may be implemented as an element structure such as an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a quantum dot display, and a micro light-emitting diode (microLED) display. In the following description, the light-emitting element will be described as an OLED structure including an organic compound layer.
[0058] The OLED includes an organic compound layer formed between an anode and a cathode. The organic compound layer may include, but is not limited to, a hole injection layer (HIL), a hole transport layer (HTL), an emission layer (EML), an electron transport layer (ETL), and an electron injection layer (EIL). When a voltage is applied to the anode and the cathode of the OLED, holes passing through the hole transport layer (HTL) and electrons passing through the electron transport layer (ETL) move to the emission layer (EML) to form excitons, thereby emitting visible light in the emission layer (EML).
[0059] The display panel driver writes pixel data of an input image to the pixel Px. The display panel driver includes a data driver that supplies data voltage of pixel data to data lines, and a gate driver that sequentially supplies gate pulses to gate lines. The data driver is integrated into the driving IC. The driving IC may be attached to the display panel 100.
[0060] The driving IC is connected to the data lines through data output channels and provides the voltage of the data signal to the data lines. The driving IC includes a timing controller. The timing controller transfers the pixel data of the input image received from the host system to the data driver and controls the operation timings of the data driver and the gate driver.
[0061] The data driver of the driving IC converts the pixel data into a gamma-compensated voltage through a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to output the data voltage.
[0062] The gate driver may include a shift register formed in the circuit layer of the display panel 100 together with the pixel array. The shift register of the gate driver sequentially supplies gate signals to the gate lines under the control of the timing controller. The gate signals may include a scan pulse and an emission control pulse (hereinafter referred to as "EM" pulse). The shift register may include a scan driver that outputs the scan pulse and an EM driver that outputs the EM pulse.
[0063] The host system may be implemented with an application processor. The host system transfers the pixel data of the input image to the driving IC. For example, the host system may be connected to the driving IC through a flexible printed circuit (FPC).
[0064] In the non-display area NA, various wirings and driving circuits may be provided, and a pad portion 140 connected to an integrated circuit and a printed circuit may be provided.
[0065] The flexible printed circuit (FPC) may be formed on a flexible printed circuit board and may be connected to the driving IC through the pad portion 140. Here, the driving IC may be provided on the display panel 100, but is not limited thereto. For example, the driving IC may be provided on the flexible printed circuit board.
[0066] The display panel 100 can be manufactured based on a glass substrate.
[0067] Referring Figure 2 , the display panel 100 may include a circuit layer 12 disposed on a substrate 110, and a light-emitting element layer 14 disposed on the circuit layer 12. In addition, the display panel 100 may include a packaging layer 16 disposed on the light-emitting element layer 14, a touch sensor layer 18 formed on the packaging layer 16, and a color filter layer 20 disposed on the touch sensor layer 18.
[0068] The substrate 110 may be made of an insulating material or a flexible material. For example, the substrate 110 may be made of glass, metal, or plastic, without limitation. However, for process simplification, the substrate 110 may be a glass substrate having a specific strength for an etching process.
[0069] The circuit layer 12 may include pixel circuits connected to wirings such as data lines, gate lines, and power lines, and a gate driver connected to the gate lines, etc. In addition, the wirings and circuit elements of the circuit layer 12 may include a plurality of insulating layers, two or more separate metal layers (with insulating layers interposed therebetween), and an active layer including a semiconductor material.
[0070] The light-emitting element layer 14 may include light-emitting elements driven by the pixel circuits. Additionally, the light-emitting elements may include red light-emitting elements, green light-emitting elements, and blue light-emitting elements. In another embodiment, the light-emitting element layer 14 may include white light-emitting elements and color filters. The light-emitting elements of the light-emitting element layer 14 may be covered by a protective layer including an organic film and a protective film.
[0071] The packaging layer 16 covers the light-emitting element layer 14 to seal the circuit layer 12 and the light-emitting element layer 14. Here, the packaging layer 16 may have a multi-insulating layer structure in which an organic layer and an inorganic film are alternately laminated. In this case, the inorganic film can block the penetration of moisture or oxygen. The organic layer planarizes or flattens the surface of the inorganic film. When the organic layer and the inorganic film are stacked in multiple layers, the movement path of moisture or oxygen is longer than that of a single layer, thereby effectively blocking the penetration of moisture / oxygen that affects the light-emitting element layer 14.
[0072] The touch sensor layer 18 may include a capacitive touch sensor that senses a touch input based on a change in capacitance before and after the touch input. The touch sensor layer 18 may include a metal wire pattern and an insulating film that constitute the capacitance of the touch sensor. The insulating film may insulate the intersections of the metal wire patterns and flatten the surface of the touch sensor layer.
[0073] On the touch sensor layer 18, a polarizing plate can be bonded. The polarizing plate can improve visibility and contrast by converting the polarization of external light reflected by the metal pattern of the circuit layer 12. Here, the polarizing plate can be implemented with a polarizing plate in which a linearly polarizing plate and a phase retardation film are bonded together or a circular polarizing plate. Additionally, a cover glass can be bonded on the polarizing plate.
[0074] A color filter layer 20 can be formed on the touch sensor layer 18.
[0075] The color filter layer 20 can include a red color filter CF, a green color filter CF, and a blue color filter CF. In addition, the color filter layer 20 can also include a black matrix pattern BM. The color filter layer 20 can absorb light of a part of wavelengths reflected from the circuit layer 12 to be used as a polarizing plate and increase color purity. In an embodiment, by applying the color filter layer 20 having a higher light transmittance than the polarizing plate to the display panel, the light transmittance of the display panel 100 can be improved and the thickness and flexibility of the display panel 100 can be improved. On the color filter layer 20, a cover glass can be bonded.
[0076] The color filter layer 20 can include an organic film covering the color filter and the black matrix pattern. The extending portion of the organic film can cover the remaining inorganic film or the substrate 110 in the border area BZ, that is, the edge area of the display panel 100.
[0077] Figures 3A to 3C The process of separating the semi-finished panel from the mother substrate and forming the display panel through a cutting process is shown. Figure 3A is a view showing a plurality of semi-finished panels arranged on the mother substrate; Figure 3B is a view showing the semi-finished panel separated from the mother substrate; Figure 3C is a view showing the display panel separated from the semi-finished panel. Figure 4A is along Figure 3B a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I' in; Figure 4B is a view showing the panel area and the AP pad area separated by a cutting process. Figure 5 is along Figure 3C a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II' in. Here, Figure 4A the semi-finished panel shown in
[0078] Referring to FIGS. 3 to Figure 5 , the display panel 100 of the display device for this specification can be completed by using an etching process and a laser cutting process.
[0079] When performing a cutting process by irradiating a laser along the outer peripheral line of the semi-finished panel UP and the first cutting line CL1 without performing an etching process, since problems such as damage due to a decrease in stiffness at the edge of the substrate 110 and damage due to the edge of the substrate 110 may occur, the substrate 110 requires a separate finishing process, such as a grinding process. Therefore, the productivity of the display device may be reduced due to an increase in the number of processes.
[0080] The display device according to an embodiment of the present specification can reduce the sharpness of the side surface of the substrate 110 while maintaining the rigidity of the substrate by using an etching process. In addition, the display device according to an embodiment of the present specification can form various openings in the substrate by using an etching process (e.g., a perforation line).
[0081] The display device according to an embodiment of the present specification improves process efficiency by omitting a separate finishing process for the substrate, thereby enabling a low-power operation of the production process in terms of reducing production energy consumption. For example, in the display device according to an embodiment of the present specification, a groove H can be formed at a portion of the semi-finished panel UP corresponding to the first cutting line CL1 by an etching process, so that a finishing process for the substrate edge can be omitted. Here, the groove H can be formed to have a tapered shape. According to an embodiment, the groove H can be a single, long continuous groove, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, according to another embodiment, the groove H can be formed as a plurality of grooves forming a row of perforations or recesses.
[0082] In addition, for laser cutting along the first cutting line CL1, the semi-finished panel UP includes a groove H corresponding to the first cutting line CL1, so that the cutting process can be easily performed by using the groove H. Here, the region where the groove H is formed by the etching process can be referred to as an etching region EA. In addition, the etching region EA can be provided corresponding to the first cutting line CL1. In addition, the cutting process of irradiating a laser along the first cutting line CL1 can be referred to as a first cutting process.
[0083] Referring to Figure 3A and Figure 3B , a semi-finished panel UP can be separated from a mother substrate on which a plurality of semi-finished panels UP are implemented. For example, each semi-finished panel UP can be separated by performing a cutting process along the perimeter of the semi-finished panel UP. At this time, by performing an etching process along the perimeter of the semi-finished panel UP provided on the mother substrate and then performing a cutting process, the sharpness of the edge of the substrate 110 can be alleviated, thereby helping to prevent cracks from forming in the substrate 110. For example, a sharp thin edge may be quite fragile and prone to forming cracks. Here, the mother substrate can be formed by a process of forming metals and various insulating films corresponding to various electrodes or wirings on the substrate. At this time, test lines, AP pads AP, or other components can be patterned on the mother substrate.
[0084] Referring to Figure 3B and Figure 3C ,the semi-finished panel UP may include a panel area PA and an AP pad area APA separated from the panel area PA by being cut based on a first cutting line CL1. For example, after performing a test process using the AP pad 130 provided in the AP pad area APA, the laser irradiated along the first cutting line CL1 may separate the panel area PA and the AP pad area APA (for example, the AP pad area APA may be cut and removed from the panel area PA). At this time, since the semi-finished panel UP includes a groove H corresponding to the first cutting line CL1, even if the AP pad area APA is separated from the panel area PA, the sharpness of the edge of the substrate 110 can be reduced.
[0085] Then, the laser irradiated along the second cutting line CL2 may cut the connection line 170 provided in the panel area PA to form the display panel 100 according to the embodiment of the present specification. Here, the cutting process of cutting the connection line 170 by irradiating the laser along the second cutting line CL2 may be referred to as a second cutting process.
[0086] Therefore, after the semi-finished panel UP can be made by performing an etching process, a cutting process, and a coating process on the mother substrate, the display panel 100 according to the embodiment of the present specification can be formed by irradiating the laser along the first cutting line CL1 and the second cutting line CL2 to the semi-finished panel UP. Here, through the coating process, a coating layer 200 may be further provided in the groove H.
[0087] Referring to Figure 4A ,the semi-finished panel UP according to the embodiment of the present specification may be divided into a panel area PA and an AP pad area APA with respect to the first cutting line CL1, and may include a groove H provided corresponding to the first cutting line CL1. Here, the groove H may be formed by an etching process. In addition, a coating layer 200 may be provided in the groove H, but is not limited thereto. For example, the coating layer 200 may fill the groove H. According to an embodiment, the coating layer 200 may be selectively formed only in the groove H without overlapping other areas of the substrate 110, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, according to an embodiment, the coating layer 200 may be formed on the entire back surface of the substrate 110 and in the groove H.
[0088] The semi-finished panel UP according to an embodiment of the present specification may include a substrate 110, an etch stop layer 120 disposed on the substrate 110, an AP pad 130, a pad portion 140, a bridge 150, a test line 160 connecting the AP pad 130 to the bridge 150, a connection line 170 connecting the pad portion 140 to the bridge 150, a signal line 180 connected to one side of the pad portion 40, and a protective layer 190 disposed on the second etch stop layer 122 to expose a part of the AP pad 130 and the pad portion 140. Here, the etch stop layer 120 may include a first etch stop layer 121 and a second etch stop layer 122 disposed on the first etch stop layer 121. Additionally, a groove H may be formed to penetrate the substrate 110 and the first etch stop layer 121 through an etching process, and may be longer in the Y direction corresponding to the first cutting line CL1. At this time, in the groove H, only a part of the first etch stop layer 121 may be etched so that a part of the first etch stop layer 121 remains between the groove H and the second etch stop layer 122.
[0089] In addition, the semi-finished panel UP according to an embodiment of the present specification may further include a coating layer 200 disposed in the groove H formed through an etching process.
[0090] The substrate 110 may be a glass substrate having a specific strength. However, it is not limited thereto, and the substrate 110 may further include a flexible material such as polyimide.
[0091] In addition, as the groove H is formed to expose the upper surface 111 of the substrate 110 through an etching process, the side surface 112 of the substrate 110 may include a rounded edge. Additionally, the side surface 112 may be formed to have a gentle slope through an etching process. Thereby, the strength of the side surface 112 of the substrate 110 can be improved, and cracks can be prevented. For example, a sharp thin edge may be quite fragile and prone to forming cracks. Therefore, according to an embodiment, the sharp thin edge of the substrate 110 can be removed and rounded.
[0092] Even when an etching process is performed on the mother substrate, the etch stop layer 120 can prevent the test line 160 or other components from being damaged by the etchant. Therefore, the etch stop layer 120 can be disposed corresponding to the etching area and can be made of a material different from that of the substrate 110.
[0093] The first etch stop layer 121 may be thinner than the second etch stop layer 122. Considering the depth of the groove H formed through an etching process, the first etch stop layer 121 may be formed to be thinner than the second etch stop layer 122.
[0094] The first etch stop layer 121 and the second etch stop layer 122 may be made of different materials. For example, the chemical resistance of the second etch stop layer 122 may be higher than that of the first etch stop layer 121. Here, the chemical resistance may refer to the degree to which it does not react with the etchant. Therefore, a layer with high chemical resistance may be etched relatively less.
[0095] The first etch stop layer 121 may be the same layer as the interlayer insulating layer formed in the display area DA, and the second etch stop layer 122 may be the same layer as the planarization layer formed in the display area DA, but is not limited thereto. For example, the first etch stop layer 121 and the second etch stop layer 122 may be composed of various organic insulating layers and metal layers in the display area DA. In addition, each of the first etch stop layer 121 and the second etch stop layer 122 may be composed of multiple layers.
[0096] The first etch stop layer 121 is disposed on the substrate 110, and a part of the first etch stop layer 121 is etched through an etching process to form a part of the groove H.
[0097] The first etch stop layer 121 may include a single layer or multiple layers of inorganic insulating materials. In addition, the first etch stop layer 121 may react relatively better to the etchant than the second etch stop layer 122.
[0098] The second etch stop layer 122 may be disposed on the first etch stop layer 121 such that a part of it may overlap with the groove H.
[0099] The second etch stop layer 122 may include a single layer or multiple layers of organic insulating materials. For example, the second etch stop layer 122 may include an organic material such as polyimide. Therefore, the second etch stop layer 122 as an organic material may have greater chemical resistance to an etchant such as hydrofluoric acid. That is, the second etch stop layer 122 may be etched less by the etchant than the first etch stop layer 121.
[0100] The AP pad 130 may be placed in the AP pad area APA and may be used for automatic probe testing. In addition, the AP pad 130 may be electrically connected to the bridge 150 through the test line 160.
[0101] The AP pad 130 may be formed to pass through both the first etch stop layer 121 and the second etch stop layer 122.
[0102] The AP pad 130 may include a first AP pad layer 131 disposed on the second etch stop layer 122, and a second AP pad layer 132 disposed on the first etch stop layer 121. Additionally, the first AP pad layer 131 and the second AP pad layer 132 may be electrically connected to each other through contact holes formed in the second etch stop layer 122. Here, the AP pad 130 is illustrated as being composed of the first AP pad layer 131 and the second AP pad layer 132, but is not limited thereto. For example, the AP pad 130 may be composed only of the first AP pad layer 131.
[0103] The first AP pad layer 131 and the second AP pad layer 132 may be made of the same material, but the embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, according to another embodiment, the first AP pad layer 131 and the second AP pad layer 132 may be made of different materials. For example, each of the first AP pad layer 131 and the second AP pad layer 132 may contain titanium (Ti) and aluminum (Al), and may be formed into a three-layer structure (e.g., the first AP pad layer 131 may have three layers, and the second AP pad layer 132 may have three layers).
[0104] The first AP pad layer 131 may be electrically connected to the test line 160, and a part thereof may be exposed for the test process.
[0105] The AP pad 130 may further include a third AP pad layer 133 disposed on the substrate 110. At this time, the third AP pad layer 133 may be disposed to overlap with the first AP pad layer 131 and the second AP pad layer 132.
[0106] The third AP pad layer 133 may be electrically connected to the second AP pad layer 132 through contact holes formed in the first etch stop layer 121. For example, the AP pad 130 may be a three-layer pad.
[0107] The third AP pad layer 133 may be made of a material different from that of the first AP pad layer 131. For example, the third AP pad layer 133 may contain corrosion-resistant molybdenum (Mo).
[0108] The third AP pad layer 133 may be formed together with the connection line 170 in the process of forming the connection line 170. At this time, the third AP pad layer 132 may be arranged to be spaced apart from the connection line 170. For example, the groove H may be provided in the Y direction between the third AP pad layer 132 and the connection line 170 such that the third AP pad layer 132 may be structurally spaced apart from the connection line 170.
[0109] The pad portion 140 may be provided in the panel area PA, and one side thereof may be connected to the connection line 170 and the other side may be connected to the signal line 180. Additionally, a flexible printed circuit board may be attached to the pad portion 140.
[0110] The pad portion 140 may be formed to penetrate both the first etch stop layer 121 and the second etch stop layer 122.
[0111] The pad portion 140 may include a first pad layer 141 disposed on the second etch stop layer 122, a second pad layer 142 disposed on the first etch stop layer 121, and a third pad layer 143 disposed on the substrate 110. For example, the pad portion 140 may be a three-layer pad portion. At this time, the first pad layer 141, the second pad layer 142, and the third pad layer 143 may overlap each other in the Z direction. In addition, the first pad layer 141 and the second pad layer 142 may be electrically connected through a contact hole formed in the second etch stop layer 122, and the third pad layer 143 may be electrically connected to the second pad layer 142 through a contact hole formed in the first etch stop layer 121.
[0112] The first pad layer 141 and the second pad layer 142 may be made of the same material, but the embodiments are not limited thereto and the first pad layer 141 and the second pad layer 142 may be made of different materials. For example, the first pad layer 141 and the second pad layer 142 may contain titanium (Ti) and aluminum (Al), and may be formed in a three-layer structure.
[0113] The first pad layer 141 may be electrically connected to the first signal line 181 among the signal lines 180, and a part thereof may be exposed to be bonded to a flexible printed circuit board (for example, see Figure 5 ).
[0114] The second pad layer 142 may be electrically connected to the second signal line 182 among the signal lines 180.
[0115] The third pad layer 143 may be electrically connected to the third signal line 183 among the signal lines 180.
[0116] The third pad layer 143 may be made of a material different from that of the first pad layer 141, and the third pad layer 143 may be formed together with the connection line 170 in the process of forming the connection line 170, but is not limited thereto. For example, considering the resistance of the pad portion 140, the third pad layer 143 may be made of the same material as the first pad layer 141. Therefore, the third pad layer 143 may be made of a material different from that of the connection line 170.
[0117] The bridge 150 is disposed in the panel area PA.
[0118] The bridge 150 can be disposed between the AP pad 130 and the pad portion 140 for an electrical connection relationship. The bridge 150 can be electrically connected to the AP pad 130 through the test line 160 and electrically connected to the pad portion 140 through the connection line 170. For example, the bridge 150 can be electrically connected between the test line 160 and the pad portion 140.
[0119] The bridge 150 can be formed to pass through both the first etch stop layer 121 and the second etch stop layer 122.
[0120] The bridge 150 can include a first bridge layer 151 disposed on the second etch stop layer 122, a second bridge layer 152 disposed on the first etch stop layer 121, and a third bridge layer 153 disposed on the substrate 110. At this time, the first bridge layer 151, the second bridge layer 152, and the third bridge layer 153 can overlap each other in the Z direction. In addition, the first bridge layer 151 and the second bridge layer 152 can be electrically connected to each other through a contact hole formed in the second etch stop layer 122, and the third bridge layer 153 can be electrically connected to the second bridge layer 152 through a contact hole formed in the first etch stop layer 121.
[0121] The first bridge layer 151 and the second bridge layer 152 can be made of the same material, but the embodiments are not limited thereto and the first bridge layer 151 and the second bridge layer 152 can be made of different materials. For example, the first bridge layer 151 and the second bridge layer 152 can contain titanium (Ti) and aluminum (Al), and can be formed in a three-layer structure or as a type of three-layer bridge.
[0122] The first bridge layer 151 can be electrically connected to the test line 160.
[0123] The third bridge layer 153 can be formed of a material different from that of the first bridge layer 151 and the second bridge layer 152. For example, the third bridge layer 153 can contain corrosion-resistant molybdenum (Mo).
[0124] The third bridge layer 153 can be formed together with the connection line 170 in the process of forming the connection line 170, and can be made of the same material as the connection line 170.
[0125] The test line 160 can electrically connect the AP pad 130 and the bridge 150.
[0126] The test line 160 can be arranged to be spaced apart from the groove H to prevent damage due to the etching process. For example, the test line 160 can be disposed on the second etch stop layer 122 or the protective layer 190.
[0127] When the test line 160 is disposed on the second etch stop layer 122, for process efficiency considerations, the test line 160 can be made of the same material as the first AP pad layer 131 or the first bridge layer 151. For example, the test line 160 can be made of a material containing titanium (Ti) and aluminum (Al), and can be formed in a three-layer structure.
[0128] When the test line 160 is disposed on the protective layer 190, considering the resistance of the test line 160, the test line 160 can be made of the same material as the first AP pad layer 131 or the first bridge layer 151, but is not limited thereto. For example, the test line 160 can be made of a material containing corrosion-resistant molybdenum (Mo).
[0129] The connection line 170 can electrically connect the bridge 150 and the pad portion 140. For example, the connection line 170 can connect the first pad layer 141 and the first bridge layer 151, can connect the second pad layer 142 and the second bridge layer 152, or can connect the third pad layer 143 and the third bridge layer 153.
[0130] Considering that the test line 160 may be exposed to the outside due to the first cutting process and corrosion may occur and spread along the test line 160, the connection line 170 can be disposed on the substrate 110 to connect the third pad layer 143 and the third bridge layer 153. At this time, the connection line 170 can be formed together with the third pad layer 143 through the same process. Therefore, the connection line 170, the third pad layer 143, and the third bridge layer 153 can be integrally formed with each other as the same wire or the same metal layer.
[0131] The signal line 180 is connected to the pad portion 140, and can include a plurality of data lines and a plurality of gate lines (for example, Figure 5 ). In addition, the signal line 180 can further include power supply lines such as a plurality of drive voltage lines and a plurality of reference voltage lines.
[0132] The signal line 180 can include a first signal line 181 disposed on the second etch stop layer 122, a second signal line 182 disposed on the first etch stop layer 121, and a third signal line 183 disposed on the substrate 110.
[0133] Considering the efficiency of the manufacturing process and the resistance of the signal line 180, the first signal line 181 can be made of the same material as the first pad layer 141, the second signal line 182 can be made of the same material as the second pad layer 142, and the third signal line 183 can be made of the same material as the third pad layer 143.
[0134] The protective layer 190 can be disposed on the second etch stop layer 122 to expose a part of the AP pad 130 and a part of the pad portion 140, and can cover the test line 160.
[0135] The protective layer 190 may include a single layer or multiple layers of organic insulating materials. For example, the second etch stop layer 122 may contain an organic material such as polyimide. Additionally, the protective layer 190 may be the same layer as the planarization layer formed in the display area DA, but is not limited thereto.
[0136] The coating layer 200 may be disposed in the groove H, but is not limited thereto. For example, the coating layer 200 may be disposed on the lower surface of the substrate 110, that is, on the surface opposite to the surface in contact with the first etch stop layer 121.
[0137] The coating layer 200 may be made of an organic material containing a polyester-based polymer or an acrylic-based polymer.
[0138] Refer to Figure 4B , since the test line 160 is exposed to the outside due to the first cutting process, corrosion may occur in the exposed test line 160. Then, the corrosion may spread along the test line 160 to cause defects in the display panel 100. For example, the corrosion may diffuse toward the inside of the display panel 100 through the test line 160.
[0139] Therefore, the display panel 100 according to an embodiment of the present specification may prevent the spread of corrosion in the test line 160 by providing examples of a corrosion prevention structure and material disposed between the AP pad 130 and the pad portion 140.
[0140] The display panel 100 according to an embodiment of the present specification may prevent the spread of corrosion by disposing a bridge 150 between the AP pad 130 and the pad portion 140, where the bridge 150 may be composed of multiple layers that respond differently to corrosion. In other words, the bridge 150 may act as a corrosion barrier that can block the spread of corrosion and protect the inside of the display panel 100.
[0141] Additionally, the bridge 150 may prevent the spread of corrosion along the test line 160 by increasing the length of the path through which the corrosion spreads.
[0142] Furthermore, the spread of corrosion may be prevented by forming at least one of the first bridge layer 151, the second bridge layer 152, and the third bridge layer 153 using a corrosion-resistant material. For example, the third bridge layer 153 may be made of molybdenum (Mo) that is corrosion-resistant to prevent the spread of corrosion.
[0143] Furthermore, the spread of corrosion may be prevented by making the material of the connection line 170 the same as the material of the third bridge layer 153.
[0144] Furthermore, as Figure 5As shown, by cutting the connection line 170 through the second cutting process, the corrosion propagation can be completely prevented structurally. At this time, the connection line 170 may include a first connection line 171 and a second connection line 172 separated by the second cutting process. Here, the first connection line 171 may be connected to the third bridge layer 153, the second connection line 172 may be connected to the third pad layer 143, and the first connection line 171 and the second connection line 172 may be spaced apart from each other. For example, during different steps of the manufacturing process, the corrosion propagation may be contained on one side of the bridge, and then, the bridge can be cut to eliminate the threat of corrosion in a subsequent processing step by disconnecting a part of the connection line 170 with a laser.
[0145] Figure 6 FIG. is a view showing another embodiment of a semi-finished panel for forming a display panel according to an embodiment of the present specification. Figure 6 The semi-finished panel shown in FIG. may represent the semi-finished panel according to the second embodiment.
[0146] When referring to Figure 4A and Figure 6 comparing the semi-finished panel according to the first embodiment with the semi-finished panel according to the second embodiment, the difference is that the test line 160a of the semi-finished panel UP according to the second embodiment is set to be farther from the groove H than the test line 160 of the semi-finished panel UP according to the first embodiment (for example, 160a is located at a higher position).
[0147] Referring to Figure 6 FIG., the semi-finished panel UP according to the second embodiment may include a substrate 110, an etch stop layer 120 provided on the substrate 110, an AP pad 130, a pad portion 140, a bridge 150, a test line 160a connecting the AP pad 130 and the bridge 150, a connection line 170 connecting the pad portion 140 and the bridge 150, a signal line 180 connected to one side of the pad portion 140, and a protective layer 190 provided on the second etch stop layer 122 to expose a part of the AP pad 130 and the pad portion 140.
[0148] In addition, the semi-finished panel UP according to the second embodiment may further include a coating layer 200 provided in the groove H.
[0149] The test line 160a may be provided on the protective layer 190 to electrically connect the AP pad 130 and the bridge 150. Therefore, the test line 160A is arranged to be farther from the groove H than the test line 160 of the semi-finished panel UP according to the first embodiment, thereby further reducing the possibility of being damaged due to etching.
[0150] One side of the test line 160a can be electrically connected to the first AP pad layer 131 through a contact hole formed in the protective layer 190, and the other side thereof can be electrically connected to the first bridge layer 151 through a contact hole formed in the protective layer 190.
[0151] The test line 160a can be made of the same material as the first AP pad layer 131 or the first bridge layer 151. For example, the test line 160a can be made of a material containing titanium (Ti) and aluminum (Al), and can be formed in a three-layer structure.
[0152] The test line 160a can be formed together with an anode formed in the display area DA in the process of forming the anode, but is not limited thereto. For example, the test line 160a can be made of a material containing corrosion-resistant molybdenum (Mo).
[0153] Figure 7 is a view showing another embodiment of a semi-finished panel for forming a display panel according to an embodiment of the present specification, Figure 7 The semi-finished panel shown in can represent the semi-finished panel according to the third embodiment. Figures 8A to 8C is a view showing a process of etching Figure 7 the substrate of the semi-finished panel shown in.
[0154] When referring to Figure 4A and Figure 7 comparing the semi-finished panel UP according to the first embodiment with the semi-finished panel UP according to the third embodiment, the difference is that a part of the second etching stop layer 122a of the semi-finished panel UP according to the third embodiment contacts the substrate 110 around the groove H. For example, Figure 7 the groove H in is not as deep as the groove H in Figure 4A and Figure 6 and a part of the second etching stop layer 122a is thicker.
[0155] Referring to Figure 7 , the semi-finished panel according to the third embodiment may include a substrate 110, an etching stop layer 120a provided on the substrate 110, an AP pad 130, a pad portion 140, a bridge 150, a test line 160 connecting the AP pad 130 and the bridge 150, a connection line 170 connecting the pad portion 140 and the bridge 150, a signal line 180 connected to one side of the pad portion 40, and a protective layer 190 provided on the second etching stop layer 122a to expose a part of the AP pad 130 and expose a part of the pad portion 140.
[0156] In addition, the semi-finished panel UP according to the third embodiment may further include a coating layer 200 provided in the groove H.
[0157] The second etch stop layer 122a may include protrusions P (e.g., thicker portions of the second etch stop layer 122a) that contact the substrate 110 around the trench H. Here, the protrusions P are arranged to overlap the first etch stop layer 121 in the Y direction to separate the first etch stop layer 121 from the trench H. At this time, the protrusions P may protrude downward from the second etch stop layer 122a toward the substrate 110. Thus, the etchant cannot contact the first etch stop layer 121 due to the protrusions P.
[0158] Referring Figure 8A , a mask pattern may be formed on the lower portion of the substrate 110 to expose the etch region EA. At this time, a portion of the second etch stop layer 122a and the first etch stop layer 121 may be disposed on the upper portion of the substrate 110, and the end of the protrusion P may contact the substrate 110. Accordingly, a trench H may be formed in the region of the substrate 110 corresponding to the etch region EA.
[0159] Referring Figure 8B , when the etch region EA of the substrate 110 is etched, the lower surface of the second etch stop layer 122a, i.e., a portion of the protrusion P, may be exposed to the etchant. The second etch stop layer 122a has strong chemical resistance to the etchant but relatively weak adhesion to the substrate 110. Thus, as etching proceeds, the adhesion between the substrate 110 and the protrusion P weakens and begins to peel off, allowing the etchant to flow into the region where the protrusion P contacts the substrate 110 (e.g., some etchant may penetrate between the second etch stop layer 122a and the substrate 110). Accordingly, the etchant may etch a portion of the upper surface 111 of the substrate 110.
[0160] In addition, even if the mask pattern is arranged to contact the lower portion of the substrate 110, the etchant may penetrate between the mask pattern and the substrate 110 to etch the lower edge of the substrate 110.
[0161] Referring Figure 8C , the protrusions P of the second etch stop layer 122a may gradually become spaced apart from the substrate 110 as the etching time elapses. At this time, although the second etch stop layer 122a has relatively strong chemical resistance, a portion of the protrusion P may be physically torn off according to the etching conditions. For example, when the flow rate or fluid pressure of the etchant increases, a portion of the lower surface of the protrusion P corresponding to the trench H may be torn off and removed. In addition, depending on the type of organic material forming the second etch stop layer 122a, if the etching time is extended, a portion of the lower surface of the protrusion P may dissolve in the etchant.
[0162] Accordingly, the edges of the substrate 110 forming the groove H can be rounded by an etching process so that the sharpness in the edge region of the substrate 110 can be alleviated, thereby preventing cracks from forming at or near the edge region of the substrate 110, which can prevent defects and increase the lifespan of the display device.
[0163] Figure 9 is a view showing another embodiment of a semi-finished panel for forming a display panel according to an embodiment of the present specification. Figure 9 The semi-finished panel shown in can represent the semi-finished panel according to the fourth embodiment.
[0164] When referring to Figure 4A and Figure 9 comparing the semi-finished panel UP according to the first embodiment with the semi-finished panel UP according to the fourth embodiment, the difference is that the test line 160a of the semi-finished panel UP according to the fourth embodiment is arranged further away from the groove H (e.g., higher) than the test line 160 of the semi-finished panel UP according to the first embodiment, and a part of the second etch stop layer 122a of the semi-finished panel UP according to the fourth embodiment contacts the substrate 110 around the groove H (e.g., the second etch stop layer 122a includes a protrusion P).
[0165] Referring to Figure 9 , the semi-finished panel according to the fourth embodiment may include a substrate 110, an etch stop layer 120a provided on the substrate 110, an AP pad 130, a pad portion 140, a bridge 150, a test line 160a connecting the AP pad 130 and the bridge 150, a connection line 170 connecting the pad portion 140 and the bridge 150, a signal line 180 connected to one side of the pad portion 140, and a protective layer 190 provided on the second etch stop layer 122a to expose a part of the AP pad 130 and the pad portion 140.
[0166] In addition, the semi-finished panel UP according to the fourth embodiment may further include a coating layer 200 provided in the groove H.
[0167] The second etch stop layer 122a may include a protrusion P that contacts the substrate 110 around the groove H. Thus, the etchant cannot contact the first etch stop layer 121 due to the protrusion P.
[0168] The test line 160a may be provided on the protective layer 190 to electrically connect the AP pad 130 and the bridge 150. Accordingly, the test line 160a can be arranged further away from the groove H than the test line 160 of the semi-finished panel UP according to the first embodiment, thereby further reducing the possibility of being damaged due to etching (e.g., Figure 9 including additional spacing for the test line 160a for Figure 6 and for Figure 7The protrusions P of the second etch stop layer 122a of both).
[0169] Figure 10 It is a view showing a display panel according to an embodiment of the present specification.
[0170] Referring to Figure 10 , the display panel 100 may include a display area DA for displaying an image and a non-display area NA for not displaying an image.
[0171] The display area DA of the display panel 100 may include data lines, gate lines intersecting the data lines, and pixels Px arranged in a matrix form defined by the data lines and the gate lines.
[0172] In the non-display area NA, various lines and driving circuits may be provided, and a pad portion 140 connected to an integrated circuit and a printed circuit may be provided.
[0173] Figure 11A It is along according to an embodiment of the present specification Figure 10 A cross-sectional view taken along line III-III' in Figure 11B It is according to an embodiment of the present specification Figure 11A An enlarged view of region A in
[0174] Referring to Figure 11A and Figure 11B , in the display area DA, the first transistor TFT1 and the second transistor TFT2 may be provided on the substrate 110, and the light-emitting element OLED may be provided on the planarization layer PAC2.
[0175] The first light-shielding layer BSM1 and the first metal layer ML1 may be provided on the substrate 110.
[0176] The first light-shielding layer BSM1 may contain molybdenum and / or aluminum. The first light-shielding layer BSM1 may block light incident on the first semiconductor layer ACT1 or the second semiconductor layer ACT2. Here, the first light-shielding layer BSM1 may overlap the first semiconductor layer ACT1 or the second semiconductor layer ACT2 in the Z direction.
[0177] The first metal layer ML1 may be provided to be spaced apart from the first light-shielding layer BSM1 and may be formed together with the first light-shielding layer BSM1 in the process of forming the first light-shielding layer BSM1. In addition, the first metal layer ML1 may be electrically connected to the third pad layer 143 of the pad portion 140.
[0178] The multi-buffer layer BUF1 may retard the diffusion of moisture or oxygen that has penetrated the substrate 110, and may be formed by alternately stacking silicon nitride (SiN x ) and silicon oxide (SiO x ) at least once.
[0179] The second light shielding layer BSM2 can be disposed on the multi-buffer layer BUF1. The second light shielding layer BSM2 can include molybdenum and / or aluminum. The second light shielding layer BSM2 can block light incident on the first semiconductor layer ACT1 or the second semiconductor layer ACT2. The second light shielding layer BSM2 can be disposed to overlap with the first light shielding layer BSM1 in the Z direction, more effectively blocking light incident on the first semiconductor layer ACT1 or the second semiconductor layer ACT2.
[0180] The active buffer layer BUF2 can protect the first semiconductor layer ACT1 and can be used to prevent various types of defects or outgassing from the substrate 110. Here, the active buffer layer BUF2 can be made of a-Si, silicon nitride (SiN x ) or silicon oxide (SiO x ).
[0181] The first semiconductor layer ACT1 of the first transistor TFT1 can be made of a polycrystalline semiconductor layer, and the first semiconductor layer ACT1 can include a channel region, a source region, and a drain region.
[0182] The first gate GE1 can be disposed on the upper gate insulating layer GI2 to overlap with the first semiconductor layer ACT1. Here, the upper gate insulating layer GI2 can be disposed on the lower gate insulating layer GI1.
[0183] The second transistor TFT2 can be disposed on the lower gate insulating layer GI1. The upper gate insulating layer GI2 can be disposed on the second semiconductor layer ACT2 to insulate the second gate GE2 from the second semiconductor layer ACT2.
[0184] The interlayer insulating layer ILD can be disposed on the first gate GE1 and the second gate GE2. The first gate GE1 and the second gate GE2 can be a single layer or multiple layers made of any one of molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), gold (Au), titanium (Ti), nickel (Ni), neodymium (Nd), and copper (Cu) or their alloys, but not limited thereto.
[0185] After the interlayer insulating layer ILD is disposed, a first source contact hole SH1 and a first drain contact hole DH1 can be formed corresponding to the source region and the drain region of the first transistor TFT1, respectively, and a second source contact hole SH2 and a second drain contact hole DH2 can be formed corresponding to the source region and the drain region of the second transistor TFT2, respectively.
[0186] The first source contact hole SH1 and the first drain contact hole DH1 may be holes continuously formed from the interlayer insulating layer ILD to the lower gate insulating layer GI1, and the second source contact hole SH2 and the second drain contact hole DH2 may also be continuously formed from the interlayer insulating layer ILD to the upper gate insulating layer GI2 in the second transistor TFT2.
[0187] The first source E11 and the first drain E12 corresponding to the first transistor TFT1, and the second source E21 and the second drain E22 corresponding to the second transistor TFT2 may be formed simultaneously. Thereby, the number of processes for forming the source and drain in each of the first transistor TFT1 and the second transistor TFT2 can be reduced.
[0188] The first source E11 and the first drain E12, and the second source E21 and the second drain E22 may be a single layer or multiple layers made of any one of molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), gold (Au), titanium (Ti), nickel (Ni), neodymium (Nd), and copper (Cu), or an alloy thereof, but are not limited thereto.
[0189] The first source E11 and the first drain E12, and the second source E21 and the second drain E22 may be made of a three-layer structure. For example, the first source E11 may be composed of a first layer E11a made of Ti, a second layer E11b made of Al, and a third layer E11c made of Ti, and the other sources and drains may have the same structure.
[0190] The storage capacitor Cst may be disposed between the first transistor TFT1 and the second transistor TFT2. According to an embodiment, the storage capacitor Cst may be formed using the first light shielding layer BSM1 and the second light shielding layer BSM2. For example, the second light shielding layer BSM2 may be electrically connected to the pixel circuit through the storage supply line CNT. However, the structure of the storage capacitor Cst is not necessarily limited thereto and may be formed in various forms by using two different metal layers.
[0191] The storage supply line CNT may be manufactured on the same plane with the first source E11 and the first drain E12, and the second source E21 and the second drain E22 from the same material, and thus the storage supply line CNT may be formed simultaneously with the first source E11 and the first drain E12, and the second source E21 and the second drain E22 by using the same mask process.
[0192] The first planarization layer PAC1 can be formed on the first source electrode E11 and the first drain electrode E12, the second source electrode E21 and the second drain electrode E22, and the storage supply line CNT. Specifically, the first planarization layer PAC1 can be provided by coating a full coating of an organic insulating material such as acrylic resin on the first source electrode E11 and the first drain electrode E12, the second source electrode E21 and the second drain electrode E22, and the storage supply line CNT.
[0193] After the first planarization layer PAC1 is provided, contact holes can be formed through a photolithography process to expose the first source electrode E11 or the first drain electrode E12 of the first transistor TFT1. The connection electrode SD2 can be provided in the contact hole area exposing the first drain electrode E12 by using a material made of Mo, Ti, Cu, AlNd, Al, Cr, or an alloy thereof.
[0194] The second planarization layer PAC2 can be provided on the connection electrode SD2. Then, contact holes exposing the connection electrode SD2 can be formed in the second planarization layer PAC2 to provide a light-emitting element OLED connected to the first transistor TFT1. The connection electrode SD2 can be formed in a multi-layer structure in the same manner as the first source electrode E11 and the first drain electrode E12.
[0195] The light-emitting element OLED can include an anode AND connected to the first drain electrode E12 of the first transistor TFT1, at least one light-emitting stack EL formed on the anode AND, and a cathode CAT formed on the light-emitting stack EL.
[0196] The light-emitting stack EL can include a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light-emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer. In a tandem structure in which multiple light-emitting layers overlap, a charge generation layer can be additionally provided between the light-emitting layers. In the case of the light-emitting layer, there may be a situation where individual sub-pixels emit different colors.
[0197] The anode AND can be connected to the connection electrode SD2 exposed through the contact hole penetrating the second planarization layer PAC2. The anode AND can be formed in a multi-layer structure including a transparent conductive film and an opaque conductive film having a high reflection efficiency. The transparent conductive film can be made of a material having a relatively high work function value such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO), and the opaque conductive film can be formed in a single-layer or multi-layer structure including Al, Ag, Cu, Pb, Mo, Ti, or an alloy thereof.
[0198] For example, the anode AND can be formed in a structure in which a transparent conductive film, an opaque conductive film, and a transparent conductive film are sequentially stacked, or can be formed in a three-layer structure like the first source electrode E11 and the first drain electrode E12.
[0199] The anode AND can be disposed on the second planarization layer PAC2 to overlap not only with the light-emitting region provided by the bank BNK but also with the pixel circuit region in which the first transistor TFT1, the second transistor TFT2, and the storage capacitor Cst are arranged, thereby increasing the light-emitting area.
[0200] The light-emitting stack EL can be formed by laminating a hole transport layer, an organic light-emitting layer, and an electron transport layer on the anode AND in this order or in the reverse order. In addition, the light-emitting stack EL may further include a charge generation layer, and includes a first light-emitting stack and a second light-emitting stack facing each other, with the charge generation layer interposed between the first light-emitting stack and the second light-emitting stack.
[0201] The bank BNK can be formed to expose the anode AND. The bank BNK can be made of an organic material such as a photosensitive resin and can be a translucent material, but is not limited thereto. For example, the bank BNK can be made of an opaque material to prevent light interference between sub-pixels.
[0202] The cathode CAT can be formed on the upper surface of the light-emitting stack EL to face the anode AND, with the light-emitting stack EL interposed between the cathode CAT and the anode AND. When applied to a front light-emitting type organic light-emitting display device, the cathode CAT can be provided as a transparent conductive film made of thinned indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), or magnesium-silver (Mg-Ag).
[0203] The encapsulation part PAS can be formed on the cathode CAT to protect the light-emitting element OLED. In the light-emitting element OLED, due to the organic nature of the light-emitting stack EL, dark spots or pixel shrinkage may occur due to reaction with external moisture or oxygen. To prevent this, the encapsulation part PAS can be provided on the cathode CAT.
[0204] The encapsulation part PAS can be composed of a first inorganic insulating layer, a foreign matter compensation layer, and a second inorganic insulating layer 173.
[0205] The touch sensor layer 18 and the color filter layer 20 can be further provided on top of the encapsulation part PAS, but are not limited thereto.
[0206] Figure 12A is a cross-sectional view of a display panel taken along line IV-IV' in Figure 10 and shows a cross-sectional view of the display panel taken along line IV-IV' according to the first embodiment, Figure 12B is a view showing the coating layer of the display panel according to the first embodiment.
[0207] The display panel 100 according to the first embodiment can represent the display panel obtained after performing the first cutting process and the second cutting process on the semi-finished panel shown in Figure 4A and shows the display panel obtained after performing the first cutting process and the second cutting process on the semi-finished panel shown in the figure.
[0208] Reference Figure 12A and Figure 12B According to the first embodiment, the display panel 100 may include a substrate 110, an etch stop layer 120 disposed on the substrate 110, a pad portion 140, a bridge 150, a test line 160 connected to the bridge 150, a connection line 170 disposed between the pad portion 140 and the bridge 150, a signal line 180 connected to one side of the pad portion 140, and a protection layer 190 disposed on the second etch stop layer 122 to expose a part of the pad portion 140. Here, the etch stop layer 120 may include a first etch stop layer 121 and a second etch stop layer 122 disposed on the first etch stop layer 121. Here, the test line 160 may be referred to as a first line, the connection line 170 may be referred to as a second line, and the signal line 180 may be referred to as a third line. Additionally, the first line and the second line may be formed on the same layer, but are not limited thereto. Considering corrosion propagation, the first line and the second line may be formed on different layers. For example, the first line may be disposed on the second etch stop layer 122 and the second line may be disposed on the substrate 110, thereby increasing the length of the path through which corrosion propagation passes.
[0209] As Figure 12B shown, the display panel 100 according to the first embodiment may further include a coating layer 200 covering the side surface 112 of the substrate 110 formed through an etching process and the side surface 121a of the first etch stop layer 121. For example, a groove H1 may be recessed at the rear edge of the display panel 100 through an etching process and a cutting process, and the coating layer 200 may be disposed in the groove H1. Accordingly, the groove H1 may be disposed outside the substrate 110 and the first etch stop layer 121 through the etching process. Here, the inner side may refer to the direction toward the center of the display panel 100, and the outer side may refer to the direction opposite to the inner side. Additionally, the surface of the display panel 100 on which an image is displayed may be referred to as the front surface, and the rear surface may refer to the surface opposite to the front surface.
[0210] The substrate 110 may be a glass substrate having a predetermined strength. Through the etching process, the side surface 112 of the substrate 110 may include a rounded edge. Additionally, the side surface 112 may be formed to have a gentle slope through the etching process. Accordingly, the strength of the side surface 112 of the substrate 110 may be improved and the sharpness of the edge of the substrate 110 may be mitigated, thereby preventing cracks. At this time, relative to the Y direction, the side surface 112 of the substrate 110 may be arranged to be more inwardly spaced apart than the exposed end portion 161 of the test line 160, and thus the display panel 100 may include the groove H1.
[0211] The etch stop layer 120 can prevent the test line 160 and the like from being damaged by the etchant. At this time, the first etch stop layer 121 can be thinner than the second etch stop layer 122. In addition, the first etch stop layer 121 and the second etch stop layer 122 can be made of different materials. For example, the first etch stop layer 121 can include an inorganic insulating material, and the second etch stop layer 122 can include an organic insulating material. In addition, the first etch stop layer 121 can be the same layer as the interlayer insulating layer formed in the display area DA, and the second etch stop layer 122 can be the same layer as the planarization layer formed in the display area DA. In addition, each of the first etch stop layer 121 and the second etch stop layer 122 can be composed of multiple layers.
[0212] The first etch stop layer 121 is disposed on the substrate 110, and an area thereof is etched through an etching process, thereby exposing a part of the lower surface of the second etch stop layer 122. For example, since the first etch stop layer 121 is made of an inorganic insulating material, the groove H1 disposed outside the substrate 110 can extend to the lower surface of the second etch stop layer 122 through the etching process. Here, the lower surface can refer to a surface of the second etch stop layer 122 that contacts the first etch stop layer 121.
[0213] The pad portion 140 can be formed to pass through both the first etch stop layer 121 and the second etch stop layer 122, and can be disposed on the substrate 110.
[0214] One side of the pad portion 140 can be connected to the connection line 170 and the other side thereof can be connected to the signal line 180. In addition, a flexible printed circuit board can be attached to the upper portion of the pad portion 140.
[0215] The pad portion 140 can include a first pad layer 141 disposed on the second etch stop layer 122, a second pad layer 142 disposed on the first etch stop layer 121, and a third pad layer 143 disposed on the substrate 110. At this time, the first pad layer 141, the second pad layer 142, and the third pad layer 143 can be electrically connected, and the first pad layer 141, the second pad layer 142, and the third pad layer 143 can overlap each other in the Z direction. In addition, the first pad layer 141 and the second pad layer 142 can be electrically connected through a contact hole formed in the second etch stop layer 122, and the third pad layer 143 can be electrically connected to the second pad layer 142 through a contact hole formed in the first etch stop layer 121.
[0216] The first pad layer 141 and the second pad layer 142 can be made of the same material. For example, the first pad layer 141 and the second pad layer 142 can include titanium (Ti) and aluminum (Al), and can be formed in a three-layer structure like the first source electrode E11 and the first drain electrode E12.
[0217] The first pad layer 141 can be electrically connected to the first signal line 181 of the signal line 180, and a part thereof can be exposed to be bonded to the flexible printed circuit board.
[0218] The second pad layer 142 can be electrically connected to the second signal line 182 of the signal line 180, and the third pad layer 143 can be electrically connected to the third signal line 183 of the signal line 180.
[0219] The third pad layer 143 can be made of a material different from that of the first pad layer 141, and the third pad layer 143 can be formed together with the connection line 170 in the process of forming the connection line 170, but is not limited thereto. For example, considering the resistance of the pad portion 140, the third pad layer 143 can be made of the same material as the first pad layer 141. Therefore, the third pad layer 143 can be made of a material different from that of the connection line 170.
[0220] The bridge 150 can be provided between the test line 160 and the pad portion 140 for an electrical connection relationship. One side of the bridge 150 can be electrically connected to the test line 160, and the other side thereof can be electrically connected to the pad portion 140 through the connection line 170.
[0221] The bridge 150 can be formed to pass through the first etch stop layer 121 and the second etch stop layer 122, and can be provided on the substrate 110. Therefore, the bridge 150 can increase the length of the corrosion propagation path.
[0222] The bridge 150 can include a first bridge layer 151 provided on the second etch stop layer 122, a second bridge layer 152 provided on the first etch stop layer 121, and a third bridge layer 153 provided on the substrate 110. At this time, the first bridge layer 151, the second bridge layer 152, and the third bridge layer 153 can be electrically connected, and the first bridge layer 151, the second bridge layer 152, and the third bridge layer 153 can overlap in the Z direction. In addition, the first bridge layer 151 and the second bridge layer 152 can be electrically connected through a contact hole formed in the second etch stop layer 122, and the third bridge layer 153 can be electrically connected to the second bridge layer 152 through a contact hole formed in the first etch stop layer 121.
[0223] The first bridge layer 151 and the second bridge layer 152 can be made of the same material. For example, the first bridge layer 151 and the second bridge layer 152 can contain titanium (Ti) and aluminum (Al), and can be formed in a three-layer structure.
[0224] The third bridge layer 153 may be made of a material different from that of the first bridge layer 151 and the second bridge layer 152. For example, the third bridge layer 153 may include corrosion-resistant molybdenum (Mo). However, since the third bridge layer 153 may be formed together with the connection line 170 in the process of forming the connection line 170, it may be made of the same material as the connection line 170.
[0225] Since the test line 160 is a component for electrically connecting the AP pad 130 and the bridge 150, in the display panel 100 according to the first embodiment, the test line 160 may be arranged to be connected to the first bridge layer 151 of the bridge 150.
[0226] The test line 160 may be disposed on the second etch stop layer 122 to prevent damage due to the etching process.
[0227] The test line 160 may be made of the same material as the first bridge layer 151. For example, the test line 160 may be made of a material including titanium (Ti) and aluminum (Al), and may be formed in a three-layer structure like the first source electrode E11 and the first drain electrode E12. For example, the test line 160 may include a first layer 160-1 made of Ti, a second layer 160-2 made of Al, and a third layer 160-3 made of Ti. At this time, since one end 161 of the test line 160 is exposed to the outside through the first cutting process, corrosion may occur in the test line 160. In addition, depending on the material of the test line 160, the corrosion may spread along the test line 160.
[0228] The connection line 170 may electrically connect the bridge 150 and the pad portion 140. For example, the connection line 170 may connect the first pad layer 141 and the first bridge layer 151, connect the second pad layer 142 and the second bridge layer 152, or connect the third pad layer 143 and the third bridge layer 153. At this time, the connection line 170 may be integrally formed with the third bridge layer 153 and may be made of corrosion-resistant molybdenum (Mo) to prevent the spread of corrosion.
[0229] The connection line 170 may control the length of the corrosion propagation path together with the bridge 150. For example, the connection line 170 may connect the third pad layer 143 and the third bridge layer 153 to maximize the length of the path through which the corrosion spreads along the test line 160. At this time, the connection line 170 may be formed by the same process as the third pad layer 143.
[0230] Since the connection line 170 is cut by the second cutting process, corrosion propagation can be completely prevented structurally. For example, the bridge 150 may include corrosion propagation to be spaced apart from the display area during an earlier manufacturing step, and then the bridge 150 can be isolated from the interior of the display panel by cutting a part of the connection line 170 with a laser. And due to the isolation of the bridge 150, the spread or threat of corrosion can be completely eliminated. At this time, the connection line 170 may include a first connection line 171 and a second connection line 172 separated by the second cutting process. Therefore, the first connection line 171 and the second connection line 172 can be arranged to be spaced apart from each other on the substrate 110. Here, the first connection line 171 may be connected to the third bridge layer 153, and the second connection line 172 may be connected to the third pad layer 143. Additionally, the first connection line 171 may be referred to as the first part, and the second connection line 172 may be referred to as the second part.
[0231] When the connection line 170 is formed by the first connection line 171 and the second connection line 172 arranged to be spaced apart from each other, the bridge 150 and the first connection line 171 can be made of the same material. For example, even considering resistance or others, the entire bridge 150 is made of a material containing aluminum. Since the first connection line 171 and the second connection line 172 are separated, corrosion does not spread to the second connection line 172. Therefore, the first connection line 171 can also be made of a material containing aluminum like the bridge 150.
[0232] The signal line 180 can be connected to the pad portion 140 and can include a plurality of data lines and a plurality of gate lines. Additionally, the signal line 180 can further include power supply lines such as a plurality of driving voltage lines and a plurality of reference voltage lines.
[0233] The signal line 180 can include a first signal line 181 provided on the second etch stop layer 122, a second signal line 182 provided on the first etch stop layer 121, and a third signal line 183 provided on the substrate 110.
[0234] The first signal line 181 can be made of the same material as the first pad layer 141, the second signal line 182 can be made of the same material as the second pad layer 142, and the third signal line 183 can be made of the same material as the third pad layer 143.
[0235] The protective layer 190 can be provided on the second etch stop layer 122 such that a part of the pad portion 140 is exposed, and can cover the test line 160.
[0236] The protective layer 190 can include a single layer or multiple layers of organic insulating materials. For example, the second etch stop layer 122 can include an organic material such as polyimide. Additionally, the protective layer 190 can be the same layer as the planarization layer formed in the display area DA, but is not limited thereto.
[0237] The coating layer 200 may be disposed under the second etch stop layer 122 to overlap a part of the test line 160. In this case, the coating layer 200 may cover the side surface 112 of the substrate 110 and the side surface 121a of the first etch stop layer 121 formed through an etching process. Here, the coating layer 200 may be made of an organic material containing a polyester-based polymer or an acrylic-based polymer.
[0238] Accordingly, the display panel 100 according to the first embodiment may reduce the sharpness of the edge of the substrate 110 by using an etching process, which may help prevent crack formation while maintaining the rigidity of the substrate 110.
[0239] In addition, the display panel 100 according to the first embodiment may prevent the test line 160 from being damaged due to the etching process by disposing the test line 160 on the second etch stop layer 122.
[0240] In addition, the display panel 100 according to the first embodiment may prevent corrosion spread by using the position, structure, and / or material of the bridge 150 disposed at a distance from the end 161 of the test line 160.
[0241] In addition, the display panel 100 according to the first embodiment may prevent corrosion spread by using the disconnection structure and / or material of the connection line 170.
[0242] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of a display panel taken along line IV-IV' in accordance with a second embodiment. Figure 10 in the figure.
[0243] The display panel 100 according to the second embodiment may represent a display panel obtained after performing a first cutting process and a second cutting process on the semi-finished panel shown in Figure 6 When describing the display panel 100 according to the second embodiment, components identical to those of the display panel 100 according to the first embodiment may be denoted by the same reference numerals, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
[0244] When comparing the display panel 100 according to the first embodiment and the display panel 100 according to the second embodiment with reference to Figure 12A , Figure 12B and Figure 13 the difference is that the test line 160a of the display panel 100 according to the second embodiment is disposed farther from the first etch stop layer 121 than the test line 160 of the display panel 100 according to the first embodiment.
[0245] Refer to Figure 13, the display panel 100 according to the second embodiment may include a substrate 110, an etch stop layer 120 disposed on the substrate 110, a pad portion 140, a bridge 150, a test line 160a connected to the bridge 150, a connection line 170 disposed between the pad portion 140 and the bridge 150, a signal line 180 connected to one side of the pad portion 140, and a protective layer 190 disposed on the second etch stop layer 122 to expose a part of the pad portion 140. Here, the etch stop layer 120 may include a first etch stop layer 121 and a second etch stop layer 122 disposed on the first etch stop layer 121. Additionally, the connection line 170 may include a first connection line 171 and a second connection line 172 separated by a second cutting process. Here, the test line 160a may be referred to as a first wiring, the connection line 170 may be referred to as a second wiring, and the signal line 180 may be referred to as a third wiring. Furthermore, the first wiring and the second wiring may be formed on the same layer, but are not limited thereto. Considering corrosion propagation, the first wiring and the second wiring may be formed on different layers. For example, the first wiring may be disposed on the protective layer 190 and the second wiring may be disposed on the substrate 110, thereby increasing the length of the path through which corrosion propagation passes.
[0246] In addition, the display panel 100 according to the second embodiment may further include a coating layer 200 to cover the side surface 112 of the substrate 110 and the side surface 121a of the first etch stop layer 121 formed through an etching process.
[0247] Since the test line 160a is a component for electrically connecting the AP pad 130 and the bridge 150, in the display panel 100 according to the second embodiment, the test line 160a may be connected to the first bridge layer 151 of the bridge 150. At this time, the test line 160a may be electrically connected to the first bridge layer 151 through a contact hole formed in the protective layer 190. Additionally, the test line 160 may be disposed on the protective layer 190 to prevent damage due to the etching process.
[0248] The test line 160a may be made of the same material as the first bridge layer 151. For example, the test line 160a may be made of a material containing titanium (Ti) and aluminum (Al), and may be formed in a three-layer structure. For example, the test line 160a may include a first layer 160a-1 made of Ti, a second layer 160a-2 made of Al, and a third layer 160a-3 made of Ti. In another embodiment, the test line 160a may be made of a material different from the first bridge layer 151. For example, the test line 160a may be made of a material containing indium tin oxide (ITO) and silver (Ag), and may be formed in a three-layer structure. For example, the test line 160a may include a first layer 160a-1 made of ITO, a second layer 160a-2 made of Ag, and a third layer 160a-3 made of ITO. At this time, the end 161a of the test line 160a may be exposed to the outside due to the first cutting process and may be corroded, and the corrosion may spread along the test line 160a according to the material of the test line 160a.
[0249] The test line 160a may be formed together with the anode AND formed in the display area DA in the process of forming the anode AND, but is not limited thereto. That is, the test line 160a may be made of a material different from the anode AND. For example, the test line 160a may be made of a material containing corrosion-resistant molybdenum (Mo).
[0250] Therefore, the display panel 100 according to the second embodiment can reduce the sharpness of the edge of the substrate 110 by using an etching process to help prevent crack formation while maintaining the rigidity of the substrate 110, and compared with the test line 160 of the display panel 100 according to the first embodiment, by setting the test line 160a farther on the protective layer 190, the possibility of damage caused by the etchant can be further reduced.
[0251] In addition, the display panel 100 according to the second embodiment can prevent the spread of corrosion by using the position, structure, and / or material of the bridge 150 set to be spaced apart from the end 161a of the test line 160a.
[0252] In addition, the display panel 100 according to the second embodiment can prevent the spread of corrosion by using the disconnection structure and / or material of the connection line 170.
[0253] Figure 14 It is a cross-sectional view of a display panel taken along line IV-IV' in Figure 10 according to the third embodiment.
[0254] The display panel 100 according to the third embodiment may be shown in Figure 7A display panel obtained after performing a first cutting process and a second cutting process on the semi-finished panel shown in the figure. When describing the display panel 100 according to the third embodiment, the same components as those of the display panel 100 according to the first embodiment may be denoted by the same reference numerals, and thus the detailed description thereof will be omitted.
[0255] When referring to Figure 12A 、 Figure 12B and Figure 14 comparing the display panel 100 according to the first embodiment with the display panel 100 according to the third embodiment, the difference lies in that the second etch stop layer 122a of the display panel 100 according to the third embodiment includes a protrusion P (for example, the second etch stop layer 122a may have a thick portion in contact with the coating layer 200 in the groove H).
[0256] Referring to Figure 14 , the display panel 100 according to the third embodiment may include a substrate 110, an etch stop layer 120a provided on the substrate 110, a pad portion 140, a bridge 150, a test line 160a connected to the bridge 150, a connection line 170 provided between the pad portion 140 and the bridge 150, a signal line 180 connected to one side of the pad portion 140, and a protective layer 190 provided on the etch stop layer 120a to expose a part of the pad portion 140. Here, the etch stop layer 120a may include a first etch stop layer 121 and a second etch stop layer 122a provided on the first etch stop layer 121. In addition, the connection line 170 may include a first connection line 171 and a second connection line 172 separated by the second cutting process.
[0257] Furthermore, the display panel 100 according to the third embodiment may further include a coating layer 200 covering the side surface 112 of the substrate 110 formed by the etching process. For example, a groove H1 may be recessed at the edge of the display panel 100 by the etching process, and the coating layer 200 may be provided in the groove H1. Therefore, the groove H1 may be provided outside the substrate 110 by the etching process.
[0258] The second etch stop layer 122a may include a protrusion P protruding toward the substrate 110.
[0259] The protrusion P may be provided to cover the side surface 121a of the first etch stop layer 121. Therefore, the protrusion P may overlap the first etch stop layer 121 in the Y direction.
[0260] The protrusion P may be in contact with the upper surface 111 of the substrate 110.
[0261] The second etch stop layer 122a has strong chemical resistance to the etchant, but has a relatively weak adhesion strength to the substrate 110 compared to when the first etch stop layer 121 adheres to the substrate 110. Depending on the type of organic material forming the second etch stop layer 122a and the etching conditions, the edge where the upper surface 111 and the side surface 112 of the substrate 110 intersect may be rounded to have a curved shape during the etching process. In addition, the edge where the side surface 112 and the lower surface 113 of the substrate intersect may be rounded to have a curved shape during the etching process. Thus, the substrate 110 may include a first curved surface 114 formed at the edge where the upper surface 111 and the side surface 112 intersect, and a second curved surface 115 formed at the edge where the side surface 112 and the lower surface 113 intersect. Here, the etching conditions may include the etching time, the flow rate of the etchant, the fluid pressure of the etchant, etc.
[0262] Since the first curved surface 114 may be formed by the contact between the protrusion P and the etchant, the first curved surface 114 may overlap with the protrusion P in the Z direction. At this time, the protrusion P may overlap with the coating layer 200 in the Z direction.
[0263] The position and curvature of the second curved surface 115 may be adjusted according to the position of the mask pattern provided below the substrate 110. Considering that the side surface 112 is formed to be inclined due to the etching solution, the second curved surface 115 may be farther from the end 161 of the test line 160 than the first curved surface 114 with respect to the Y direction.
[0264] Thus, the display panel 100 according to the third embodiment may reduce the sharpness of the edge of the substrate 110 by using the etching process to help prevent crack formation while maintaining the rigidity of the substrate 110. For example, the display panel 100 according to the third embodiment may slow down the sharpness of the edge of the substrate 110 through at least two curved surfaces 114 and 115, which may help prevent the formation of cracks. For example, a sharp thin edge may be more fragile and more likely to break.
[0265] In addition, the display panel 100 according to the third embodiment may prevent the corrosion from spreading by utilizing the position, structure, and / or material of the bridge 150 provided at a distance from the end 161 of the test line 160.
[0266] Furthermore, the display panel 100 according to the third embodiment may prevent the corrosion from spreading by utilizing the disconnection structure and / or material of the connection line 170.
[0267] Figure 15 shows a cross-sectional view of a display panel taken along line IV-IV' according to the fourth embodiment Figure 10 in.
[0268] The display panel 100 according to the fourth embodiment may be represented in Figure 9The display panel obtained after performing a first cutting process and a second cutting process on the semi-finished panel shown in the figure. When describing the display panel 100 according to the fourth embodiment, the same components as those of the display panel 100 according to the first to third embodiments may be denoted by the same reference numerals, and thus their detailed descriptions will be omitted.
[0269] When referring to Figure 12A , Figure 12B and Figure 15 comparing the display panel 100 according to the first embodiment with the display panel 100 according to the fourth embodiment, the difference lies in that the test line 160a of the display panel 100 according to the fourth embodiment is arranged to be farther from the first etch stop layer 121 than the test line 160 of the display panel 100 according to the first embodiment, and the second etch stop layer 122a includes a protrusion P.
[0270] Referring to Figure 15 , the display panel 100 according to the fourth embodiment may include a substrate 110, an etch stop layer 120a provided on the substrate 110, a pad portion 140, a bridge 150, a test line 160a connected to the bridge 150, a connection line 170 provided between the pad portion 140 and the bridge 150, a signal line 180 connected to one side of the pad portion 140, and a protective layer 190 provided on the second etch stop layer 122a to expose a part of the pad portion 140. Here, the etch stop layer 120a may include a first etch stop layer 121 and a second etch stop layer 122a provided on the first etch stop layer 121. In addition, the connection line 170 may include a first connection line 171 and a second connection line 172 separated by the second cutting process.
[0271] Furthermore, the display panel 100 according to the fourth embodiment may further include a coating layer 200 covering the side surface 112 of the substrate 110 formed by the etching process.
[0272] The second etch stop layer 122a may include a protrusion P protruding toward the substrate 110. Here, the protrusion P may be integrally formed with the second etch stop layer 122a.
[0273] The protrusion P may be provided to cover the side surface 121a of the first etch stop layer 121.
[0274] The protrusion P may be in contact with the upper surface 111 of the substrate 110.
[0275] Depending on the type of organic material forming the second etch stop layer 122a and the etching conditions, the substrate 110 may include a first curved surface 114 formed at the edge where the upper surface 111 and the side surface 112 intersect, and a second curved surface 115 formed at the edge where the side surface 112 and the lower surface 113 intersect.
[0276] Since the first curved surface 114 can be formed by the contact between the protrusion P and the etchant, the first curved surface 114 and the coating layer 200 can be arranged to overlap the protrusion P in the Z direction.
[0277] The position and curvature of the second curved surface 115 can be adjusted according to the position of the mask pattern provided under the substrate 110, and the second curved surface 115 can be farther from the end 161 of the test line 160 than the first curved surface 114 with respect to the Y direction.
[0278] Therefore, the display panel 100 according to the fourth embodiment can reduce the sharpness of the edge of the substrate 110 by using an etching process while maintaining the rigidity of the substrate 110, and by providing the test line 160a on the protective layer 190, the possibility of damage caused by the etchant can be further reduced compared to the test line 160 of the display panel 100 according to the first embodiment.
[0279] In addition, the display panel 100 according to the fourth embodiment can prevent the corrosion from spreading by utilizing the position, structure, and / or material of the bridge 150 arranged at a distance from the end 161a of the test line 160a.
[0280] Furthermore, the display panel 100 according to the fourth embodiment can prevent the corrosion from spreading by utilizing the disconnection structure and / or material of the connection line 170.
[0281] The display device according to one or more embodiments of the present specification can be described as follows.
[0282] The display device according to one or more embodiments of the present specification can include: a substrate provided in the display area and the non-display area of the display panel; an etch stop layer provided on the substrate; a pad portion and a bridge provided to be spaced apart from each other on the substrate; a first wiring connected to the bridge on one side and exposed on the other side; and a second wiring provided between the pad portion and the bridge.
[0283] The display panel can include a concave groove formed at the edge of its rear surface, and the side surface of the substrate can be arranged to be spaced more inward than the exposed end of the first wiring due to the groove.
[0284] The side surface of the substrate can include a curved surface.
[0285] The etch stop layer can include a first etch stop layer provided on the substrate and a second etch stop layer provided on the first etch stop layer, and the material of the first etch stop layer can be different from the material of the second etch stop layer.
[0286] The first etch stop layer can contain an inorganic insulating material, and the groove can extend to the lower surface of the second etch stop layer.
[0287] The second etch stop layer may further include protrusions, and the protrusions may contact the upper surface of the substrate.
[0288] The lower surface, which may be the end face of the protrusion, may be exposed by the groove.
[0289] The etch stop layer may include a first etch stop layer provided on the substrate and a second etch stop layer provided on the first etch stop layer; the pad portion may include a first pad layer provided on and exposed from the second etch stop layer, a second pad layer provided on the first etch stop layer, and a third pad layer provided on the substrate; and the first pad layer, the second pad layer, and the third pad layer are electrically connected.
[0290] The first pad layer and the second pad layer may be made of the same material.
[0291] The third pad layer may be made of a material different from that of the first pad layer.
[0292] The etch stop layer may include a first etch stop layer provided on the substrate and a second etch stop layer provided on the first etch stop layer; the bridge may include a first bridge layer provided on and exposed from the second etch stop layer, a second bridge layer provided on the first etch stop layer, and a third bridge layer provided on the substrate; and the first bridge layer, the second bridge layer, and the third bridge layer may be electrically connected.
[0293] The first bridge layer and the second bridge layer may be made of the same material.
[0294] The third bridge layer may be made of a material different from that of the first bridge layer.
[0295] The etch stop layer may include a first etch stop layer provided on the substrate and a second etch stop layer provided on the first etch stop layer, and the first wiring may be provided on the second etch stop layer.
[0296] The display device may further include a protective layer provided on the second etch stop layer and covering the first wiring.
[0297] The first wiring may contain aluminum.
[0298] The display device may further include a protective layer provided on the etch stop layer, and the first wiring may be provided on the protective layer.
[0299] The second wiring electrically connects the third pad layer of the pad portion provided on the substrate to the third bridge layer of the bridge.
[0300] The second wiring may be integrally formed with the third bridge layer.
[0301] The second wiring may contain molybdenum.
[0302] The second wiring may include a first portion and a second portion that are set to be spaced apart from each other. The first portion may be connected to the bridge, and the second portion may be connected to the pad portion.
[0303] A coating layer may be further provided in the groove.
[0304] A display device according to one or more embodiments of the present specification may include: a substrate provided in a display area and a non-display area of a display panel; an etch stop layer provided on the substrate; a pad portion and a bridge provided to be spaced apart from each other on the substrate; a first wiring connected to the bridge on one side and exposed on the other side; a first connection line connected to the bridge; and a second connection line connected to the pad portion, wherein the first connection line and the second connection line may be set to be spaced apart from each other.
[0305] The bridge and the first connection line are made of the same material.
[0306] A display panel according to one or more embodiments of the present specification may include: a plurality of sub-pixels provided in a display area of a substrate; a pad portion provided in a non-display area of the substrate, the pad portion being located between the bridge and the display area; a test line connected to a first side of the bridge, the test line extending away from the display area in a direction toward an outer edge of the display panel; and a connection line connected to a second side of the bridge and the pad portion.
[0307] The display panel may further include: an etch stop layer provided on the substrate; a groove portion formed at an outer edge of the substrate, both the test line and the etch stop layer overlapping the groove portion; and a coating layer provided in the groove portion.
[0308] The outer edge of the substrate includes an upper curved surface and a lower curved surface.
[0309] The outer edge of the substrate includes an inclined side surface connecting the upper curved surface and the lower curved surface.
[0310] The display panel may further include a protective layer provided on the etch stop layer, the protective layer being located between the test line and the etch stop layer.
[0311] The etch stop layer includes a first etch stop layer provided on the substrate, and a second etch stop layer provided on the first etch stop layer. The second etch stop layer includes a protrusion extending in a direction toward the groove, and a part of the protrusion contacts the upper surface of the substrate.
[0312] The bridge includes a first bridge layer, a second bridge layer, and a third bridge layer. At least one of the first bridge layer, the second bridge layer, and the third bridge layer contains a material different from that of another one of the first bridge layer, the second bridge layer, and the third bridge layer. And the pad portion includes a first pad layer, a second pad layer, and a third pad layer. At least one of the first pad layer, the second pad layer, and the third pad layer contains a material different from that of another one of the first pad layer, the second pad layer, and the third pad layer.
[0313] The connection line is disconnected in the region between the bridge and the pad portion.
[0314] The end of the test line is a part of the outer edge of the display panel.
[0315] The description of the problem to be solved, the means for solving the problem, and the effects as described above do not specifically specify the essential features of the claims. Therefore, the scope of the claims is not limited by the content described in the specification.
[0316] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and can be embodied in many different forms without departing from the technical concept of the present disclosure. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present disclosure are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the technical concept of the present disclosure, and the scope of the technical concept of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all aspects and do not limit the present disclosure. The protection scope of the present disclosure should be interpreted based on the appended claims, and all technical concepts within the equivalent scope thereof should be interpreted as falling within the scope of the present disclosure.
Claims
1. A display device, comprising: A substrate, disposed in a display area and a non-display area of the display panel; An etching stop layer, disposed on the substrate; A pad portion and a bridge, disposed on the substrate, the pad portion and the bridge being spaced apart from each other; a first wiring having a first side connected to the bridge and a second side opposite to the first side, the second side being an end of the first wiring; as well as The second wiring is provided between the pad portion and the bridge.
2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein: The display panel includes a concave groove at an edge of a rear surface of the display panel, and The side surface of the substrate is closer to the display area than the end of the first wiring due to the concave groove.
3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein: The side surface of the substrate includes a curved surface.
4. The display device according to claim 2, wherein: The etch stop layer includes a first etch stop layer disposed on the substrate and a second etch stop layer disposed on the first etch stop layer, and The material of the first etching stop layer is different from the material of the second etching stop layer.
5. The display device according to claim 4, wherein: The first etch stop layer comprises an inorganic insulating material, and Wherein, the groove extends to the lower surface of the second etching stop layer.
6. The display device according to claim 4, wherein: The second etch stop layer further includes a protrusion extending in a direction toward the groove, and Wherein, a portion of the protrusion contacts the upper surface of the substrate.
7. The display device according to claim 1, wherein: The etch stop layer includes a first etch stop layer disposed on the substrate and a second etch stop layer disposed on the first etch stop layer. The pad portion includes a first pad layer disposed on the second etch stop layer, a second pad layer disposed on the first etch stop layer, and a third pad layer disposed on the substrate, and The first pad layer, the second pad layer and the third pad layer are electrically connected to each other.
8. The display device according to claim 7, wherein: The first pad layer and the second pad layer include a first type of material, and The third pad layer includes a second type of material that is different from the first type of material of the first pad layer and the second pad layer.
9. The display device according to claim 1, wherein: The etch stop layer includes a first etch stop layer disposed on the substrate and a second etch stop layer disposed on the first etch stop layer. The bridge includes a first bridge layer disposed on the second etch stop layer, a second bridge layer disposed on the first etch stop layer, and a third bridge layer disposed on the substrate, and The first bridge layer, the second bridge layer and the third bridge layer are electrically connected to each other.
10. The display device according to claim 9, wherein: The first bridge layer and the second bridge layer each include a first type of material, and The third bridge layer includes a second type of material that is different from the first type of material of the first bridge layer and the second bridge layer.
11. The display device according to claim 1, wherein: The etch stop layer includes a first etch stop layer disposed on the substrate and a second etch stop layer disposed on the first etch stop layer, and Wherein, the first wiring is arranged on the second etching stop layer.
12. The display device according to claim 11, further comprising a protective layer disposed on the second etching stop layer and covering the first wiring, in, The first wiring includes aluminum.
13. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising a protection layer, wherein the protection layer is disposed on the etching stop layer. in, The first wiring is disposed on the protection layer.
14. The display device according to claim 7, wherein: The bridge includes a first bridge layer disposed on the second etch stop layer, a second bridge layer disposed on the first etch stop layer, and a third bridge layer disposed on the substrate, and The first bridge layer, the second bridge layer and the third bridge layer are electrically connected to each other.
15. The display device according to claim 14, wherein: The second wiring electrically connects the third pad layer of the pad portion provided on the substrate and the third bridge layer of the bridge.
16. The display device according to claim 15, wherein: The second wiring is formed integrally with the third bridge layer.
17. The display device according to claim 15, wherein: The second wiring includes molybdenum.
18. The display device according to claim 1, wherein: The second wiring includes a first portion and a second portion spaced apart from each other, wherein the first portion of the second wiring is connected to the bridge, and The second portion of the second wiring is connected to the pad portion.
19. The display device according to claim 2, further comprising a coating layer disposed in the groove.
20. A display device, comprising: A substrate, disposed in a display area and a non-display area of the display panel; An etching stop layer, disposed on the substrate; A pad portion and a bridge, disposed on the substrate, the pad portion and the bridge being spaced apart from each other; a first wiring having one side connected to the bridge and the other side being an end of the first wiring; a first connection line connected to the bridge; as well as a second connection line connected to the pad portion, Wherein, the first connecting line and the second connecting line are arranged to be spaced apart from each other.
21. The display device according to claim 20, wherein: The bridge and the first connecting line are made of the same material.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Surface treatment tools
KR1020230160378A